Digital Alabama News

Pittsfield Police Make Arrest In Friday Night Shooting Death https://digitalalabamanews.com/pittsfield-police-make-arrest-in-friday-night-shooting-death/ An arraignment will be held today concerning the shooting death of Teddy Cepeda,43, of Pittsfield Friday night. Pittsfield police after an investigation made the arrest of Desmond Phillip, Friday evening for the murder of the 43-year-old. The investigation went into the early morning hours of Saturday. After receiving a 911 call Friday night, police responded and went to 27 Church street at 6:30. Police found the victim Cepeda with a gunshot wound. Paramedics were called and transported Cepeda to Berkshire Medical Center, where he died. A few people who were around the area of the shooting said that they did not hear any gunshots. After police established probable cause, The Pittsfield Police Department and the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office had Phillips arrested As of this time, the Police Detective Unit is in the process of investigating the shooting. Anyone with information should contact Pittsfield Police Detective Matos at 413-448-9700 ext. 576. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If you live in the Berkshires, did you know that in the Pittsfield area we have had 15 shootings in four and a half months? Do you feel that shootings are taking an upswing in the area? If so any idea on how to remedy the situation? I hate to say it but since I have lived in Berkshire county,  behavior has taken a violent turn in a city where you used to feel a lot safer. LOOK: What major laws were passed the year you were born? Data for this list was acquired from trusted online sources and news outlets. Read on to discover what major law was passed the year you were born and learn its name, the vote count (where relevant), and its impact and significance. 103 iconic photos that capture 103 years of world history Stacker gathered some of the most iconic images from the past 103 years, beginning in 1918 and leading up to 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. LOOK: These Are the 50 biggest retailers in America Read More…

Asia-Pacific Markets Mixed, Hang Seng Index At Lowest Levels In 11 Years; Oil Rises https://digitalalabamanews.com/asia-pacific-markets-mixed-hang-seng-index-at-lowest-levels-in-11-years-oil-rises/ Pedestrians cross a road in front of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), operated by Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. Kiyoshi Ota | Bloomberg via Getty Images Shares in the Asia-Pacific mostly fell on Monday as markets enter the last quarter of the year. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was 1.19% down, reaching the lowest levels since October 2011, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gave up early gains to fall 0.12%. The Nikkei 225 in Japan fell more than 1% in early trade, but recovered slightly and was last up 0.5%, while the Topix index was 0.1% higher. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.8%. Brent crude futures and West Texas Intermediate futures jumped on reports of a possible OPEC+ supply cut. Later in the week, Australia’s central bank will announce its interest rate decision, while several countries in Asia will report inflation data. China markets are closed for the Golden Week holiday, and South Korea’s market is also closed. ANZ sees significant chance of an OPEC+ cut as large as 1 million barrels per day Ahead of an OPEC+ meeting on Oct. 5, ANZ sees a “significant chance of a cut” as large as 1 million barrels per day, analysts at the firm said in a note. That move is likely to be made “to counteract the excessive bearishness in the market.” The note added that any production cuts below 500,000 barrels per day, however, would be “shrugged off by the market.” –Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: Investment pro says ETFs are a $10 trillion opportunity — and reveals areas of ‘tremendous’ value Exchange-traded funds offer the benefit of diversification, says Jon Maier, chief investment officer at Global X ETFs. He said the ETF market is “growing exponentially” and estimates it to be worth $10 trillion. He names several opportunities for ETF investors in this volatile market. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong Business confidence of Japan’s large manufacturers worsens Sentiment of Japan’s large manufacturers worsened in the July-to-September quarter, according to the Bank of Japan’s latest quarterly tankan business sentiment survey. The headline index for large manufacturers’ sentiment came in at 8, a decline from the previous quarter’s reading of 9. Economists polled by Reuters expected a print of 11. “Our expectation and market expectations were for the manufacturing reading to pick up — supply conditions had improved, you’ve seen fading supply impact from zero-Covid policies in China, commodity prices came down a little bit,” said Stefan Angrick, a senior economist at Moody’s Analytics. “The fact that the manufacturing side of the economy isn’t doing so well certainly isn’t great for the outlook,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.” But the non-manufacturing index ticked up slightly, which could mean Japan’s late Covid recovery is getting underway, he added. — Abigail Ng Fri, Sep 30 20229:06 AM EDT CNBC Pro: The five global stocks experiencing the de-globalisation trend, according to HSBC New research from HSBC says supply chains, geopolitical tensions, and worsening financial conditions have forced many global companies to “substantially” turn inward in search of resilient revenue and growth. In a tough economic environment with recessionary pressures, the bank said turning inwards is “probably helpful” for these stocks. The report titled ‘A de-globalisation wave?’ said European firms’ foreign sales dipped below 50% in 2021, the lowest level in the last five years. Oil prices jump on reports of OPEC+ mulling production cut CNBC Pro: Should investors flee stocks? Strategists give their take — and reveal how to trade the volatility With monetary policy set to tighten further in the months ahead, and Wall Street mired in the depths of a bear market abyss, many investors are beginning to wonder if now’s the time to exit the stock market and put their money in other asset classes. CNBC Pro spoke to market watchers and scoured through research from investment banks to find out what the pros think. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong Read More…

Black Representation In Alabama Tested Before Supreme Court https://digitalalabamanews.com/black-representation-in-alabama-tested-before-supreme-court/ MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The invisible line dividing two of Alabama’s congressional districts slices through Montgomery, near iconic sites from the civil rights movement as well as ones more personal to Evan Milligan. There’s the house where his grandfather loaded people into his station wagon and drove them to their jobs during the Montgomery Bus Boycott as Black residents spurned city buses to protest segregation. It’s the same home where his mother lived as a child, just yards from a whites-only park and zoo she was not allowed to enter. The spot downtown where Rosa Parks was arrested, igniting the boycott, sits on one side of the dividing line while the church pastored by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who led the protests, sits on the other. The lines are at the center of a high-stakes redistricting case bearing Milligan’s name that will go before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, setting up a new test of the Voting Rights Act and the role of race in drawing congressional boundaries. At the center of the case is a challenge by various groups arguing that the state violated the federal Voting Rights Act by diluting the political power of Black voters when it failed to create a second district in which they make up a majority, or close to it. African Americans account for about 27% of the state’s population but are the majority in just one of the state’s seven congressional districts. “Our congressional map is not reflective of the population that lives in Alabama,” said Milligan, 41, one of several voters who joined interest groups in filing the lawsuit. The case the Supreme Court will take up Tuesday centers on whether congressional districts in Alabama were drawn to reduce the political influence of Black voters, but it’s also part of a much broader problem that undermines representative government in the U.S. Both major political parties have practiced gerrymandering — drawing congressional and state legislative boundaries to cement their hold on power — but Republicans have been in control of the process in far more states since after the 2010 elections. That has allowed them to win an outsized share of statehouse and U.S. House seats and means GOP policies — including on abortion restrictions — often don’t reflect the will of most voters. An Associated Press analysis from 2017 showed that Alabama had one of the most gerrymandered congressional maps in the country. Republicans dominate elected office in Alabama and are in charge of redistricting. They have been resistant to creating a second district with a Democratic-leaning Black majority that could send another Democrat to Congress. A three-judge panel that included two appointees of President Donald Trump ruled unanimously in January that the Alabama Legislature likely violated the Voting Rights Act with the map. “Black voters have less opportunity than other Alabamians to elect candidates of their choice to Congress,” the panel said. The judges ordered state lawmakers to draw new lines for this year’s election and create a second district where Black voters either made up a majority or near majority of the population. But on a 5-4 vote in February, the Supreme Court sided with Alabama to allow this year’s congressional elections to take place without adding a second predominantly Black district. Two justices suggested it was too close to spring primaries to make a change. The lawsuit claims the Alabama congressional map dilutes the voting strength of Black residents by packing a large number of them into a single district — the 7th, where 55% of voters are Black — while fragmenting other communities. That includes the state’s Black Belt region and the city of Montgomery. The current districts leave the vast majority of Black voters with no realistic chance to elect their preferred congressional candidates anywhere outside the 7th district, the lawsuit contends. “This is just about getting Black voters, finally, in Alabama the opportunity to elect their candidates of choice. It’s not necessarily guaranteeing that they will have their candidate elected,” said Deuel Ross, senior counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which is representing the plaintiffs. The groups contend that the state’s Black population is large enough and geographically compact enough to create a second district. Milligan, who is six generations removed from enslaved ancestors who lived in the Black Belt, ticked off the consequences for Black residents who are not able to have representation that aligns with their needs: addressing generational poverty, the lack of adequate internet service, Medicaid expansion and the desire for a broader array of health care services. “In choosing not to do that, you’re denying the people of the Black Belt the opportunity to elect an additional person that can really go to the mat on their interests,” said Ross, who is one of the attorneys who will argue the case in a challenge backed by the Biden administration. ___ African Americans served in Alabama’s congressional delegation following the Civil War in the period known as Reconstruction. They did not return until 1993, a year after the courts ordered the state to reconfigure the 7th Congressional District into a majority-Black one, which has since been held by a succession of Black Democrats. That 1992 map remains the basis for the one in use today. “Under numerous court challenges, the courts have approved this basic plan. All we did is adjust it for population deviation,” said state Rep. Chris Pringle, a Republican and chairman of the legislative committee that drew the new lines. Alabama argued in court filings that the state’s Black population is too spread out to be able to create a second majority district without abandoning core redistricting principles such as keeping districts compact and keeping communities of interest together. Drawing such a district, the state argued, would require mapping acrobatics, such as connecting coastal areas in southwest Alabama to peanut farms in the east. In a statement to The Associated Press, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the map is “based on race-neutral redistricting principles that were approved by a bipartisan group of legislators.” He said it looks similar to three prior maps, including one cleared by the Justice Department and another enacted in the 2000s by “the Democrat-controlled Legislature.” “The Voting Rights Act does not force states to sort voters based on race,” Marshall said in a statement. “The VRA is meant to prohibit racial gerrymanders, not require them.” Standing in a meeting room at the Alabama Statehouse and pointing to a poster-size version of the map, Pringle said lawmakers prioritized a race-neutral approach. The lawsuit alleges the Republican lawmakers packed Black voters into certain areas, but Pringle said when they were drawing lines they “turned race off” as an option on the computer. Only later did they apply the racial data points. “I think the Supreme Court is going to back us up that we complied with existing law,” Pringle said. ___ Alabama’s 7th Congressional District snakes a winding path from the western neighborhoods of Birmingham through the state’s Black Belt — a swath of land named for the rich soil that once gave rise to antebellum plantations — to sections of Montgomery. Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell, who has represented the district, has been the lone Democrat among the state’s seven House members since she took office in 2011. The state’s other six districts have reliably elected white Republicans for the last decade. Sewell was the only member of Alabama’s delegation to support restoring the most effective anti-discrimination provision of the Voting Rights Act, which was gutted in a 2013 Supreme Court decision that also arose from an Alabama case. The provision, referred to as preclearance, forced Alabama, other states and some counties with a history of voting discrimination to get Justice Department or federal court approval before making any election-related changes. Some Black voters outside Sewell’s district say they feel their concerns are overlooked because there is no motivation for Republican officeholders in districts that favor the GOP to pay attention to their issues. “Fair representation and full representation of the voters in the state of Alabama would mean that a third of the population should get a third of the representation in Congress, and that at least includes one additional seat,” Sewell said. “Look, I think that I would welcome the opportunity to have another seat where I have a colleague that will fight for, you know, voting rights and civil rights, that that will understand that this country has gotten far when it comes to diversity. But we have a long ways to go.” Alabama’s congressional delegation voted unanimously for the CARES Act, which provided federal aid to state and local governments during the Trump administration as the COVID-19 outbreak was erupting across the country. But that unity vanished when President Joe Biden took office. Sewell was alone in the delegation in supporting the American Rescue Plan, legislation passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress and signed by Biden. Among other things, she said, the bill benefited community health centers and the health care response at historically Black colleges. One of them, Alabama State University, was founded two years after the Civil War and in an area where the districts divide. Sewell also was alone in supporting other significant legislation since Biden took office — including the $1 trillion infrastructure bill and the recent Inflation Reduction Act, which, among other provisions, capped out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare recipients and helped millions of Americans afford health insurance ...

Election Officials Bracing For Confrontational Poll Watchers https://digitalalabamanews.com/election-officials-bracing-for-confrontational-poll-watchers/ FILE – A Republican election challenger at right watches over election inspectors as they examine a ballot as votes are counted into the early morning hours, Nov. 4, 2020, at the central counting board in Detroit. Election officials across the country are bracing for a wave of confrontations in November as emboldened Republican poll watchers, many embracing former President Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, flood polling places for the general election. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) GOLDSBORO, N.C. (AP) — The situation with the poll watcher had gotten so bad that Anne Risku, the election director in North Carolina’s Wayne County, had to intervene via speakerphone. “You need to back off!” Risku recalled hollering after the woman wedged herself between a voter and the machine where the voter was trying to cast his ballot at a precinct about 60 miles southeast of Raleigh. The man eventually was able to vote, but the incident was one of several Risku cited from the May primary that made her worry about a wave of newly aggressive poll watchers. Many have spent the past two years steeped in lies about the accuracy of the 2020 election. Those fears led the North Carolina State Board of Elections in August to tighten rules governing poll watchers. But the state’s rules review board, appointed by the Republican-controlled Legislature, blocked the new poll watcher regulations in late September, leaving election officials such as Risku without additional tools to control behavior on Election Day, Nov. 8. “It becomes complete babysitting,” Risku said in an interview. “The back and forth for the precinct officials, having somebody constantly on you for every little thing that you do — not because you’re doing it wrong, but because they don’t agree with what you’re doing.” Poll watchers have traditionally been an essential element of electoral transparency, the eyes and ears for the two major political parties who help ensure that the actual mechanics of voting are administered fairly and accurately. But election officials fear that a surge of conspiracy believers are signing up for those positions this year and are being trained by others who have propagated the lie spread by former President Donald Trump and his allies that the 2020 presidential election was riddled with fraud. In Michigan, groups that have spread falsehoods about that race are recruiting poll watchers. In Nevada, the Republican Party’s nominee for secretary of state, Jim Marchant, denies President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory and was a featured speaker at a party poll watcher training. Cleta Mitchell, a prominent conservative lawyer and North Carolina resident, is running a group recruiting poll watchers and workers in eight swing states. Mitchell was on the phone with Trump when the then-president called Georgia’s secretary of state in January 2021 and asked that official to “find” enough votes for Trump to be declared the state’s winner. Chris Harvey, who was Georgia’s election director in 2020 when Trump claimed the election was being stolen from him, recalled how swarms of Trump backers came as self-appointed poll watchers to observe the state’s manual recounts, harassing election workers and disrupting the process. Harvey fears a repeat this year. “The whole tension that we’re expecting to see at polling places is something we’re talking to election officials about, something we’re talking to law enforcement about,” said Harvey, who is advising a group of election officials and law enforcement before November. The laws governing poll watchers vary from state to state. Their role is generally to observe, question any deviations from required procedure and, in some states, lodge formal complaints or provide testimony for objections filed in court. The worries this year are similar to those during the 2020 election, when Trump began railing against mail voting and the Republican National Committee launched its first national operation in decades. It had recently been freed from a consent decree that limited its poll watching operation after it previously was found to have targeted Black and Latino voters. But voting went smoothly that November. Mitchell said her organization, the Election Integrity Network, is just trying to ensure that everyone follows the law. “We are not a threat,” she told The Associated Press during a text message exchange. “Unless you think elections that are conducted according to the rule of law are a threat. We train people to follow the law.” Risku said there were issues with poll watchers from both parties during the primary in May. But of the 13 incidents she reported to the North Carolina board from Wayne County, all involved Republicans. In addition to the poll watcher who had to be ejected, Risku said another Republican poll watcher in her district waited after hours in the parking lot of the Mount Olive Train Depot early voting site until Chief Judge Susan Wiley began carrying boxes of marked ballots to her car. On two occasions, the man tried to follow her back to the elections office in Goldsboro, about a 20-minute drive. Recognizing that the job has become “a scary ordeal” in the last year, Risku said she has stepped up security before November and offered raises to entice precinct officials to stay. She expects many won’t return after this year. The North Carolina GOP chairman, Michael Whatley, said that’s not what the party is teaching its poll watchers. “What we saw in terms of some of the activities that were at play may have been coming from Republicans but were not things that we have been teaching people in our training sessions,” Whatley said. “What we want to do is make sure that we have people that are in the room that are going to be very respectful of the election officials at all times, be very respectful of the voters at all times and, if they see issues, then report them in.” He has declined to allow reporters to attend the training sessions, which he said have trained 7,000 potential poll watchers so far this year. As in many states, poll watchers are only permitted in North Carolina if they have been designated by the major parties. But in Michigan, organizations that register with local election offices also can provide poll watchers. A coalition of groups that have questioned the 2020 election are scrambling to get as many of their members in place as possible in the politically critical state. “The best I can do is put a whole bunch of eyeballs on it to make sure that anything that doesn’t look right gets a further look,” said Sandy Kiesel, executive director of the Michigan Election Integrity Fund and Force, part of a coalition that recruited 5,000 poll watchers for the state’s August primary. Kiesel said several of her coalition’s poll watchers and poll challengers — Michigan law allows one person to observe and another person to formally lodge challenges at precincts — were prevented from observing or escorted out of polling places in August. Michigan election officials are bracing for more confrontations in November. Patrick Colbeck, a former Republican state senator and prominent election conspiracy theorist who is part of Kiesel’s coalition, announced this past week that a comprehensive fall push to scrutinize every aspect of voting would be called “Operation Overwatch.” “They are talking about intimidating people who have the right to vote,” said Barb Byrum, clerk of Michigan’s Ingham County, which includes Lansing, the state capital. In a sign of the importance the state’s Republicans place on poll watchers, the GOP-controlled Legislature last week agreed to let election offices throughout Michigan start processing mailed ballots two days before Election Day — something most states with mail voting allow long before then — but only if they allow poll watchers to observe. The ballots are not actually counted until Election Day. In Texas, a new law allows every candidate to assign up to two poll watchers, raising the potential that observers could pack polling locations, particularly around big cities such as Dallas and Houston where ballots are the longest. According to records from the secretary of state’s office, more than 900 people in Texas already had received poll watching certification in the three weeks after the state opened required training on Sept. 1. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More…

Jurors To Begin Hearing Jan. 6 Oath Keepers Sedition Case https://digitalalabamanews.com/jurors-to-begin-hearing-jan-6-oath-keepers-sedition-case/ WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors will lay out their case against the founder of the Oath Keepers extremist group and four associates charged in the most serious case to reach trial yet in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. Opening statements are expected Monday in Washington’s federal court in the trial of Stewart Rhodes and others charged with seditious conspiracy for what prosecutors say was a weekslong plot to stop the transfer of power from Republican Donald Trump to Democrat Joe Biden. Defense attorneys will also get their first chance to address jurors, who were chosen last week after days of questioning over their feelings about the insurrection, Trump supporters and other matters. The stakes are high for the Justice Department, which last secured a seditious conspiracy conviction at trial nearly 30 years ago. About 900 people have been charged and hundreds convicted in the Capitol attack. Rioters stormed past police barriers, engaged in hand-to-hand combat with officers, smashed windows and halted the certification of Biden’s electoral victory. FILE – Thomas Caldwell of Berryville, Va., a defendant charged with seditious conspiracy in one of the most serious cases to emerge from the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, arrives at the federal courthouse, Sept. 28, 2022, in Washington. Opening statements are expected to begin in Washington’s federal court in the trial of Caldwell and others charged with seditious conspiracy for what prosecutors say was a weekslong plot to stop the transfer of power from Republican Donald Trump to Democrat Joe Biden. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Manuel Balce Ceneta FILE – Edward Tarpley, the attorney of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, arrives at the federal courthouse in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Federal prosecutors on Monday, Oct. 3, will lay out their case against the founder of the Oath Keepers’ extremist group and four associates charged in the most serious case to reach trial yet in the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol attack. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jose Luis Magana FILE – Stewart Rhodes, founder of the citizen militia group known as the Oath Keepers speaks during a rally outside the White House in Washington, on June 25, 2017. Federal prosecutors on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, will lay out their case against the founder of the Oath Keepers’ extremist group and four associates charged in the most serious case to reach trial yet in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Susan Walsh PreviousNext But the Oath Keepers are the first to stand trial on seditious conspiracy, a rare Civil War-era charge that carries up to 20 years behind bars. The trial is expected to last several weeks. Prosecutors will tell jurors that the insurrection for the antigovernment group was not a spontaneous outpouring of election-fueled rage but part of a drawn-out plot to stop Biden from entering the White House. On trial with Rhodes, of Granbury, Texas, are Kelly Meggs, leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers; Kenneth Harrelson, another Florida Oath Keeper; Thomas Caldwell, a retired U.S. Navy intelligence officer from Virginia; and Jessica Watkins, who led an Ohio militia group. They face several other charges as well. Authorities say Rhodes began plotting to overturn Biden’s victory just days after the election. Court records show the Oath Keepers repeatedly warning of the prospect of violence — or “a bloody, bloody civil war,” as Rhodes said in one call — if Biden were to become president. By December, authorities say, Rhodes and the Oath Keepers had set their sights on Congress’ certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6. The Oath Keepers organized trainings — including one in “unconventional warfare” — and stashed weapons at a Virginia hotel so they could get them into the capital quickly if necessary, prosecutors say. Over several days in early January, Rhodes spent an $15,500 on guns, including an AR-platform rifle, magazines, mounts, sights and other equipment, according to court documents. On Jan. 6, Oath Keepers equipped with communication devices, helmets, vests and other battle gear were seen on camera storming the Capitol. Rhodes is not accused of going inside, but telephone records show he was communicating with Oath Keepers who did enter around the time of the riot and he was seen with members outside afterward. And prosecutors say the plot didn’t end on Jan. 6. In the days between the riot and Biden’s inauguration, Rhodes spent more than $17,000 on firearm parts, magazines, ammunition and other items, prosecutors say. Around the time of the inauguration, Rhodes told others to organize local militias to oppose the Democratic administration, authorities say. “Patriots entering their own Capitol to send a message to the traitors is NOTHING compared to what’s coming,” Rhodes wrote in a message the evening of Jan. 6. Defense attorneys have said the Oath Keepers came to Washington only to provide security at events for figures such as Trump ally Roger Stone before the president’s big outdoor rally behind the White House. Rhodes has said there was no plan to attack the Capitol and that the members who did acted on their own. Rhodes’ lawyers are poised to argue that jurors cannot find him guilty of seditious conspiracy because all the actions he took before Jan. 6 were in preparation for orders he anticipated from Trump — orders that never came. Rhodes’ attorney has said that his client will eventually take the stand to argue that he believed Trump was going to invoke the Insurrection Act and call up a militia, which Rhodes had been calling on him to do to stop Biden from becoming president. Rhodes’ attorneys will argue that what prosecutors have alleged was an illegal conspiracy was merely lobbying the president to use a U.S. law. Prosecutors say Rhodes’ own words show he was going to act regardless of what Trump did. In one message from December 2020, Rhodes wrote that Trump “needs to know that if he fails to act, then we will.” The last successful seditious conspiracy case was against an Egyptian cleric, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, and nine followers convicted in a plot to blow up the United Nations, the FBI’s building, and two tunnels and a bridge linking New York and New Jersey. ___ For full coverage of the Capitol riot, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Read More…

How Much Respect Did Mizzou Earn Saturday? 10 Thoughts From Mizzou https://digitalalabamanews.com/how-much-respect-did-mizzou-earn-saturday-10-thoughts-from-mizzou/ On a night where everything seemed to work in Missouri’s favor, it didn’t end in a cataclysmic upset that would have shaken college football and the SEC. Here are 10 thoughts on MU’s near shocking upset in a 26-22 loss to Georgia. 1. Five games in and it’s hard to get a read on this team Saturday night was exhilarating. It was tense. It was the complete opposite of what I, and I’m assuming many, were expecting. A lead entering the fourth quarter was due to Missouri playing the best football it had played so far this season. It’s a little unlucky it was against Georgia, where MU’s best still wasn’t enough to knock off the Bulldogs. But, if you’re ever going to have that kind of game where the execution was on point it’s against UGA where a win gives you the right kind of national notoriety. But, we didn’t see the win. Instead, we saw MU drop to 2-3. Now, I’m wondering what Missouri team we’ll see next season. So far, we’ve seen: A confident and creative Missouri that took care of business against a Group of 5 team. A shook and unprepared Missouri team that was blown away by Kansas State A wounded MU team that picked up its broken pieces against a lower-level Abilene Christian team. Perhaps the unluckiest Missouri team alive that had defeat snatched from the jaws of victory twice against Auburn. And a prepared and motivated team that gave the No. 1 overall team in the nation everything it could handle. That’s five different teams. It’s an interesting development to track as the season goes on, especially as there are seven games remaining What does Mizzou do well? It plays defense. But what is the Tigers’ ceiling now? It’s shifted so many times this season, and for the first time this season, I feel like it’s a major shift in the right direction as opposed to a step or two after the first two wins. If Missouri plays like it did Saturday night against South Carolina and Vanderbilt, the Tigers win those games. I can even see Missouri pulling an upset on Kentucky or Arkansas if they play like they did against the Bulldogs. But, that’s just one edition of Missouri we’ve seen. A saying from longtime NFL coach Bill Parcells that “you are what your record says you are” rings in my ears here, as MU currently sits at 2-3 with seven games remaining. The Tigers need to win four of those seven to earn a bowl game. MU can achieve that if the latest edition is the norm. Drinkwitz’s squad has to prove that will continue into SEC play. More:Three takeaways as upset eludes Mizzou’s grasp against No. 1 Georgia 2. The game came down to two key plays, and it came down to the offensive line. With first and goal at the one, and a chance to take a 20-3 lead, the offensive line was flagged for a false start that drove the ball back to the six and resulted in a 22-yard field goal instead of a short-yardage touchdown. With third and seven at the Georgia 47-yard line, Brady Cook hit Barrett Banister for one of the biggest trademarked Banister third down receptions for a first down. MU was flagged for illegal hands to the face which negated the first down and a continued drive. Mitchell Walters, in his second start, was responsible for both fouls. That marred what would have otherwise been two solid starts for Walters, who was a mid-season insertion on an offensive line that’s still looking to piece together a successful five. Two games does not a season make, but Walters is the latest player in need of a bounce-back game. 3. This Mizzou defense is legit. The offense needs to follow suit. Holding a Georgia team that has playmakers like Arik Gilbert and Brock Bowers, as well as a quarterback like Stetson Bennett that’s capable of getting them the football, to 26 points is a respectable feat. Blake Baker, you have earned your praise and more. I’d even venture to say an extension or a raise isn’t out of the question if MU can swing it. The defense has had MU in the game with chances to win in the last two games. It’s a sign that the scheme is working, the players understand the game plan and the execution is sound. There were three defensive penalties, but none of the three were back-breaking fouls. The offense, however, had two game-changing penalties. The false starts and holding calls on the offensive line remain, which is a reason why the offense is 12th in the SEC in yards per game, 12th in the SEC in points per game and 12th in the SEC in pass yards per game. It doesn’t help that Dominic Lovett, who is leading the SEC with 460 receiving yards, didn’t touch the ball in the second half after suffering an injury. But, the passing game needs to keep correcting to where it can take care of the football and stay disciplined. The run game is doing its job. It’s keeping defenses honest with long runs and sets up play-action plays. The pass game needs to follow suit, even if it’s to help the defense. 4. If anything, Missouri earned some respect from a contender. Moral victories don’t exist in football. But, it has to be nice to hear when the likes of Georgia praise Missouri for its play. It took until the fourth quarter for Georgia to play its game. That’s credit to a MU defense that allowed 43 points in last year’s Tigers-Bulldogs game in Athens. Smart gave props to MU defensive coordinator Blake Baker. “The defensive coordinator, we know well, we shared a lot of ideas with him,” Smart said. “They played tough.” The UGA offensive line includes preseason All-SEC first-team selection Warren McClendon, a preseason All-SEC second-team center Sedrick Van Pran and five-star sophomore Broderick Jones. This also includes Xavier Truss and Tate Ratledge, who were four-star players in high school. The Bulldogs have a talented offensive line, and MU was consistently attacking it successfully. “They just attacked the line of scrimmage,” Smart said. “They got good pressures. The Hopper kid from Georgia made some plays. They did a good job.” That pressure resulted in two sacks, seven tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries. Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett said he was feeling the results of that pressure. “They came after us,” Bennett said of MU’s defense. “I got hit a lot. I’m hurtin’.” After the best game Missouri played this season so far, Georgia could see the potential the Tigers have. It’s on Missouri to live up to that potential consistently. “They’re competitors,” Defensive lineman Zion Logue said. “They’re a very well-coached team. They’re going to fight to the end. I don’t question their heart for one second. They’re a damn good team. They’re going to be a very good team in this SEC.” 5. Give Mevis props for facing us, and responding immensely. On Wednesday, kicker Harrison Mevis stood at the podium and answered the question: how did he miss a 26-yard field goal? I assume nearly every Missouri fans consider him automatic from 35 and below. I know I do. His leg is rarely off. That’s why it’s such a surprise when he does miss. Mevis was needed against Georgia, more than anything. He responded to last week’s heartbreak with five field goals. Four of them were from beyond 40 yards. Two were beyond 50 yards. It’s not easy to hit field goals. It’s harder to hit from beyond 50 yards consistently. Mevis’ long kick was 56 yards. That performance is why Kirby Smart validated Drinkwitz’s decision last week to sit on the ball and give Mevis his chance to win the game. “You can’t do anything different,” Smart said. “That kid comes out tonight and makes every field goal.” It’s why his miss at Auburn is now an anomaly. Mevis has forgotten about it. More:A lot of As despite a loss: Grading Mizzou football in its near-upset of No. 1 Georgia 6. Speaking of Blake Baker, when will his name start to emerge? Colorado fired head coach Karl Dorrell Sunday afternoon. Add the Buffaloes to Wisconsin, Nebraska, Arizona State and Georgia Tech as Power 5 programs that need a new head coach. An early name floated for the Colorado job was Colorado alum and former Missouri defensive coordinator Ryan Walters. He’s currently at Illinois, where the Fighting Illini are 4-1 and are coming off a statement 34-10 rout of Wisconsin. It makes me wonder, when will Baker start to hear his name mentioned? He’s turned the defense around in less than a year. That’s a storyline being tracked the minute he took over the job. Baker might not be in the running for Power 5 jobs, but he’s had defensive coordinator experience all over the country. His work with the TIgers’ defense won’t go unnoticed. Someone needs to fill the open jobs at Colorado, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Arizona State and Georgia Tech. If a Group of 5 coach makes the jump up to one of those open jobs, I wouldn’t surprised to see Baker’s name mentioned there. 7. Speaking of the defensive turnaround, take note of the date. As I write this on October 2, it has officially been 365 days since Missouri played in the 62-24 decimating loss at the hands of Tennessee. Since then, Al Davis has taken over the defensive line. Baker has taken over. Transfers were added to deepen the defense. Still, the majority of the defensive lineup remains largely the same. Martez Manuel, Trajan Jeffcoat, Isaiah McGuire, Kris Abrams-Draine, Ennis Rakestraw, Jaylon Carlies and Chad Bailey, when Bailey is healthy, are seven returning starters from last year’s team. The year-long rebound is impressive. It’s also impressive to see others making an impact. It was a difficult assignment to replace Bailey in the starting lineup. But, redshirt freshman Dameon Wilson was fifth on the team with five total tackles and two solo stops. He was a part of the defense that didn’t break until it got pounded into submission in the fourth quarter. Even then, the defense played well enough to build a margin for error where Georgia’s first touchdo...

If The Patriots Need To Add A Quarterback, Here Are The Likely Targets https://digitalalabamanews.com/if-the-patriots-need-to-add-a-quarterback-here-are-the-likely-targets/ After Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Patriots are down to just one healthy quarterback on their roster in rookie Bailey Zappe. Mac Jones is still recovering from a high ankle sprain, while backup Brian Hoyer was knocked out of the game early with what was described as a head injury – which usually means a concussion. Jones practiced late last week, and while unlikely there’s still an outside shot he returns for next week’s game against the Lions. Meanwhile, clearing concussion protocol can be a multi-day process, at times lasting longer than a week. There’s no guarantee he’ll be ready for next week. This is a long way of saying the Patriots are likely in the market for a quarterback right now. Sure, the team has in the past gone into games with one healthy quarterback (and even really zero – Jacoby Brissett had a torn ligament in his throwing thumb when he was the lone QB dressed for the team’s Week 4 game against the Buffalo Bills in 2016). The difference is that team knew exactly when their starting quarterback was returning to play. There’s much more uncertainty with the current situation. So, who could the Patriots look to add for much-needed depth this week? Instead of throwing every name imaginable against the wall, let’s add some method to the madness. Let’s look at quarterbacks that are either former Patriots, are/have been connected to the Patriots, or are/have been connected to Patriots-adjacent teams. Here’s a look at the quarterbacks fitting one or more of those qualifications currently available. Read More…

Biden Will Visit Puerto Rico And Florida To Assess Damage From Storms. https://digitalalabamanews.com/biden-will-visit-puerto-rico-and-florida-to-assess-damage-from-storms/ FORT MYERS, Fla. — The extent of Hurricane Ian’s destruction became clearer on Thursday as people across southwestern Florida, left without electricity, drinking water or inhabitable homes, began to assess the damage and gird for what Gov. Ron DeSantis said would be a yearslong recovery. The scale of the wreckage was staggering, even to Florida residents who had survived and rebuilt after other powerful hurricanes. The storm pulverized roads, toppled trees, gutted downtown storefronts and set cars afloat, leaving a soggy scar of ruined homes and businesses from the coastal cities of Naples and Fort Myers to inland communities around Orlando. Although state officials had not released a death toll by late in the day, Mr. DeSantis said Thursday night that “we absolutely expect” to learn of storm-related fatalities as rescuers work through a backlog of 911 calls and scour the most devastated neighborhoods. More than 500 people in Charlotte and Lee Counties, the hardest hit, had been rescued on Thursday, the Florida Division of Emergency Management said; the small town of Fort Myers Beach, on a barrier island just off the coast, appeared decimated. While Ian left Florida on Thursday afternoon as a tropical storm, South Carolina residents were bracing for lashing winds and heavy rain as it quickly became a hurricane again at sea; forecasters said it could strengthen again before doubling back onto land there by Friday. Photos from several areas of the state showed homes crunched together in a chaotic jumble, or smashed into what looked like toothpicks. Fishing boats and pleasure cruisers had been hurled onto the ground as if they were bathtub toys. The streets were a perilous obstacle course of toppled trees and downed wires. In North Fort Myers, where Marion Burkholder, 84, survived the storm by clambering into a dinghy inside a neighbor’s screened-in porch and floating up with the rising waters, Thursday brought dreaded news. Her carpets were sopping and her floors were covered with a dark brown liquid. Her fridge lay on its side. “Everything floated,” said Marvis Long, 96, who lives nearby. “The water was coming in just like waves in here.” Mayors, sheriffs and other officials surveying the damage struggled to even describe its scope. The sheriff in Volusia County, near Orlando on the state’s east coast, said by text message that the coastal county was seeing “unprecedented flooding.” Mr. DeSantis said there had been “biblical” storm surge on Sanibel Island, normally a tourist haven of gleaming beaches and mangroves southwest of Fort Myers. “The damage that was done has been historic,” Mr. DeSantis said in a briefing on Thursday. “We’ve never seen a flood event like this. We’ve never seen storm surge of this magnitude.” On Fort Myers Beach, a laid-back strip dotted with hotels, bars and restaurants that for many Southwest Florida residents offered a cherished escape from the mainland, the storm had laid waste to beloved landmarks, including the fishing pier and Times Square, the communal gathering spot where sunset was celebrated each night. Several residents of the island reported not hearing from friends who rode out the storm there. “When you look at Fort Myers Beach in particular, there’s no words to describe it,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno of Lee County said after taking a helicopter tour of his county, where Hurricane Ian came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday with winds up to 155 miles per hour. The causeway to nearby Sanibel Island had a missing section and a collapsed section, said Jared Moskowitz, Florida’s former emergency management chief, who flew over the area on Thursday. “Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island look like they will need to be 80 percent rebuilt,” he estimated. The storm’s heavy blow to infrastructure complicated efforts to gauge the damage — early estimates said insured losses could reach up to $40 billion — and to reach hard-hit barrier islands, where homes and businesses were now heaps of wood pulp and broken concrete. Cell service was spotty or nonexistent up and down the coast, another agonizing impediment to residents’ efforts to seek help or reach missing family members. “You’re powerless to help,” said Julie Hittle, who lives in Texas and has been anxiously waiting for updates from her brother, who fled his flooding apartment in Naples by crawling out a window and onto the roof of a minivan. When a flicker of cell service returned on Thursday evening, her brother, Chip Aldridge, 56, recounted how he, his fiancée and dog, Kobi, had walked two miles through the storm and ended up at a La Quinta Inn, where they were now staying because their apartment was a mildewy shambles. Mr. Aldridge had lost everything in Hurricane Irma in 2017, and was now facing the prospect of starting over, once again. “We’re survivors,” Mr. Aldridge said in a telephone interview. “Last night was shock and just exhaustion. This morning was, OK, what’s next? Tomorrow we go face the actual reality.” The economic toll of the storm in a region heavily dependent on tourism and recreation was only beginning to be felt. Universal Studios in Orlando had not announced when it would reopen, though Disney said its theme parks appeared to have minimal structural damage and would start to reopen on Friday. On both the east and west coasts, beachside bars, boardwalks and piers that had been bustling with tourists a week ago were now a wasteland of muddy debris. At least 2.6 million people remained without power on Thursday, though Florida officials said there were 20,000 utility workers poised to start getting power back on. The storm severed sections of two bridges connecting mainland Florida to barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico and reduced some roads to rubble while littering others with trees and power lines. Rescuers were arriving by air and sea to reach people who had not evacuated. Across the region on Thursday, people waded back home and trudged up muddy, debris-covered streets that had been raging waterways just a day earlier to see what, if anything, had survived. In Port Charlotte, across a river from where the storm made landfall, Teresa Madden and her husband slipped on waders to slog through thigh-deep brown water — risking encounters with red ants, snakes and the two alligators known to live in the lake at their community for people 55 and older. The water had spared most of the homes, but one had been destroyed by the wind, its roof gashed open to reveal the remnants of a dining room. A clock still hung on the wall, but most everything else lay in tatters on the sodden grass: a flower pot, socks, a festive tinsel leprechaun. Elsewhere in the complex, Sarah Walters, 41, arrived in flip-flops and cutoff shorts to assess the damage to her mother’s house. It could have been worse, she said. But she still could not reach her mother, who had evacuated to her nurse’s house. Ms. Walters spent the storm at her own home about a mile away, with her husband and stepdaughter bracing against their front door for three hours to keep it from blowing in. “We just have to figure out a way to fix things,” she said. People who decided not to evacuate described harrowing escapes through chest-high floodwaters. Some made it out on a kayak or jet skied down a four-lane road. Some huddled on top of cars. Some had to flee to their second floors and watched couches and furniture float through their living rooms. In Naples Park, Joe Lema, 76, and his wife, Joyce, 70, spent four hours trapped inside their house by the force and weight of the rising water outside. Unable to open the doors, they tried to break their expensive hurricane impact windows, to no avail. They called 911, but they were told it was too late. “I said a lot of prayers,” Mrs. Lema said on Thursday. They had been in the evacuation zone but said nothing like this had ever happened since buying the home in 1986. Chad Sulkes thought he had been prepared for the worst, having bought a generator, gas, food and a portable air-conditioner until Ian’s storm surge began to invade his home in Naples Park, forcing him to flee into the storm. “There’s no items you can buy to prepare for that,” he said. “The only preparation is to leave.” On Thursday, he returned to the house he rents on Seagull Drive to find it in complete disarray. His boat in the canal out back was sinking. All his furniture and belongings were strewn about, covered in mud. The floor was slick with mud tainted with gasoline. Cities farther inland and along the Atlantic Coast appeared to have endured the storm’s lacerating winds with less damage than the southwestern coast where Ian first made landfall. But at points during the day, heavy rains fueled warnings from the National Weather Service of “widespread, life-threatening catastrophic flooding” in Central Florida. At the Avante, an assisted-living facility in Orlando, rescuers sloshed through floods to evacuate the facility’s 100 residents, carrying some out on stretchers as rain and wind whirled around them. Some hospitals and nursing homes were managing to run on generator power while patients from at least 16 hospitals and an additional 3,500 nursing-home residents were evacuated from other facilities in southwestern Florida, industry officials said. There were surreal moments of destruction mixed with normalcy. The streets of downtown Fort Myers were littered with plant matter and other debris from the surging Caloosahatchee River. But the waters had receded by Thursday afternoon and several restaurants were open and packed with people in undershirts, shorts and flip flops looking for something warm to eat. Diane Dorsey, 57, and her family moved to Fort Myers in 2019 from Maryland, considering it a pre-retirement adventure, never ...

Trump Says New York AG Has No Case 'if He Invokes Disclaimer Clause' https://digitalalabamanews.com/trump-says-new-york-ag-has-no-case-if-he-invokes-disclaimer-clause/ Washington: Former US President Donald Trump has claimed his disclaimer clause in agreements with lenders will dismiss New York (NY) Attorney General (AG) Letitia James’ tax fraud case against him. James had sued Trump and his three grown up children of perpetuating a fraud over a decade by overstating the net worth of their assets and securing loans and evading taxes. Trump’s net-worth statements start with disclaimers that essentially warn lenders: “Check my math.” The statements were unsealed last week as part of James’ fraud lawsuit against Trump. Trump told Sean Hannity of Fox News the disclaimers absolve him of any responsibility and the AG has “no case”. Trump hunched forward in his gold-painted, spindle-backed chair under the chandeliers of Mar-a-Lago’s glittering grand ballroom and told Sean Hannity why New York’s Attorney General, who’d sued him earlier that day, has “no case”, says the Business Insider. “We have a disclaimer,” Trump told the Fox News host. “Right on the front. And it basically says, you know, get your own people. You’re at your own risk … It may be way off.” Trump was describing the disclaimer that fills the second and third pages of his annual proclamations of net-worth – the 20-page “Statements of Financial Condition” at the center of AG Letitia James’ massive lawsuit against the former president, his three oldest kids, and his real estate and golf resort empire. James calls these statements “fraudulent”, and says each one is filled with wildly exaggerated math – implausible numbers that misled banks into lending Trump and the New York-incorporated Trump Organization hundreds of millions of dollars over the past decade. But Trump told Hannity none of that would matter because each Statement of Financial Condition begins with a warning. “Be careful,” Trump told Hannity the disclaimers essentially say. “Because it may not be accurate. It may be way off … get your own people. Use your own lawyers,” Trump added. “Don’t rely on us.” Former financial crimes prosecutor Armen Morian, who worked for the AGs office from 2006 to 2019 before founding Morian Law, believes Trump has a point. Sure, the annual Statements of Financial Condition may be filled with real whoppers, including all those years – from 2012 through 2016 – when they tripled the actual square footage of Trump’s triplex atop Manhattan’s Trump Tower, adding as much as $200 million a year to the former president’s net worth. But each year, the disclaimers put banks on notice to double check the numbers before relying on them in deciding how much to lend and at what rate of interest, Morian said. And if the banks cut Trump a good deal anyway, despite this warning – as Deutsche Bank did year after year, pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into his Miami golf club, his skyscraper in Chicago and the Old Post Office in DC – then they did so with eyes wide open, he said. “What the disclaimers are saying is, ‘Beware when you read these financial statements,’” Morian said, after a decade’s worth of the statements were unsealed in court filings last week. “That’s all it has to do,” he said of their disclaimers, affixed to the front of each year’s statement by longtime Trump accountants Mazars USA. “And that doesn’t cover just Mazars,” added Morian, whose AG financial fraud cases included the 13-year prosecution of insurance magnate Maurice “Hank” Greenberg. “It covers Trump.” Morian noted that these are “robust” disclaimers – set down right in the open, not hidden in fine print. “We have not audited or reviewed the accompanying financial statement,” their first paragraphs say, in boilerplate language repeated through the years. And so, the accountants at Mazars, “do not express an opinion or provide any assurance about whether the financial statement is in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.” Deutsche Bank in particular – the largest single lender to the Trump Organization and Donald Trump over the last ten years – is a “sophisticated counterparty,” Morian said. They well knew Trump’s reputation for puffery in an industry – real estate – already known for puffery. “All of that,” Morian said, “essentially renders the disclaimer an absolute defence.” A license to exaggerate? To lie? So, a business can lie about its worth? And get away with it, just by warning, as Trump put it, “It may not be accurate. It may be way off?” “There is something unsatisfying about it,” Morian conceded. “But I have a hard time taking off my hat as a lawyer. This is a legal question, and it turns on facts and the law. That’s the game we’re playing in, and that’s the game the attorney general is playing in also, the Insider said. “It’s shocking that they brought this case,” Morian said. But not everyone agrees, least of all the former president’s fixer-turned-critic, Michael Cohen, who turned over Trump’s Statements of Financial Condition for 2011 through 2013 as part of his testimony before Congress in 2019. “The attorney general was not filing a 200-plus page lawsuit, after three years of investigatory work, to have her case negated by a disclaimer,” Cohen told Insider. That disclaimer was written and signed by Mazars in order to protect Mazars, not Trump, Cohen noted. These are not our numbers, Mazars essentially tells would-be lenders, and you’ll get no assurances from us on their accuracy. Diana Florence, a former Manhattan prosecutor for complex financial fraud cases, agreed. “Sure, they’re a hurdle,” she told Insider of the disclaimers. “They do weaken the case.” But that’s not the full story, she said. The AG is alleging that ten years of Trump’s Statements of Financial Condition contain a total of some 200 false and misleading valuations involving 23 properties. Deutsche Bank can’t be expected “to literally chase down everything in the statement and verify it,” Florence said. And while James’ lawsuit shines its widest, brightest spotlight on the Statements of Financial Condition, it suggests that other paperwork could put Trump at greater risk. Through the years, Trump or his children signed multiple documents that personally attest to Mazars and to Deutsche Bank that the Statements of Financial Condition are accurate, or at least “fairly” represent Trump’s worth, the lawsuit alleges. And those “boilerplate disclaimers?” James’ lawsuit is aware of them. “The disclaimers … do not give license to Mr. Trump or the Trump Organization to submit to their accountant’s fraudulent and misleading asset valuations for inclusion in the Statements,” the lawsuit says. “Trump could say, ‘Yeah, if Deutsche Bank were really worried, they could have asked for more things or could have turned us down. They didn’t do any due diligence,’” Florence said. “But it doesn’t change what the case is about, which is patterns of fraud.” The AGs office and lawyers for Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In February, Mazars quit working for Trump entirely – in the middle of preparing his and Melania Trump’s tax returns – and issued the ultimate disclaimer by saying that the last 10 years of Statements of Financial Condition “should no longer be relied upon.” In declining to comment, a Mazars spokesperson said, “We remain committed to fulfilling all of our professional and legal obligations.” Read More…

Trump, Abortion Loom Large In Congressional Race https://digitalalabamanews.com/trump-abortion-loom-large-in-congressional-race/ (WEHT)- Former President Donald Trump may not appear on any ballot this year, but his presence is still very much felt across the country and across western Kentucky. After all, incumbent 1st District Rep. James Comer says 75 percent of his district likes and approves the ex-President, while the 25 percent dislikes and disapproves of him. Should Comer, who was first elected to Congress in 2016, and the Republicans regain control of the House of Representatives for the first time since before the 2018 midterms, Comer says he could stand to receive a major promotion: chairing the crucial House Oversight Committee. What does Comer plan to do with that power? Well, in addition to “having the taxpayer’s back,” Comer says people should get used to seeing Hunter Biden before the committee for an investigation into his background. Comer, who claims to be in possession of Hunter Biden’s laptop hard drive, says the President’s son has used his family name for personal gain, potentially compromising America’s energy and international interests. However, Comer’s opponent- Democrat Jimmy Ausbrooks says the inner workings of Hunter Biden or his laptop are not the main priority for him or for voters in the 1st Congressional District. Ausbrooks says voters in the district that weaves its way from far western Kentucky, to the western parts of the Kentucky Tri-State area, along the Tennessee border, around Bowling Green, and into parts of central Kentucky, would rather focus on kitchen table issues. That, Ausbrooks explains, means a focus on how voters will be able to afford food on their table, gas in their car, and reliable WiFi in rural areas. In fact, Ausbrooks says he’s rarely, if ever, seen Comer in the district since he was elected. Ausbrooks says abortion access in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade in the summer is also a key concern for a multitude of reasons. Not only have women lost the right to an abortion in several states, Ausbrooks notes, but there could be a new focus on overturning other rights provided by the Supreme Court but not codified into federal law- perhaps including same-sex marriage. Still, Comer says those concerns are overblown- as are concerns regarding a nationwide ban on abortion or contraceptives. Comer notes that the courts have already ruled on abortion and states are left to themselves to either ban it, like Indiana has attempted, or keep it legal, as Illinois has. However, Ausbrooks doesn’t believe Comer. Indeed, Ausbrooks says he doesn’t believe much of what Comer says anyways and warns that the “majority is letting the minority take away our rights.” And while Comer says he’d rather focus on reducing government spending and the federal deficit, Ausbrooks says he wants to inspire others through his campaign and hopes someone out there uses his campaign to make a difference in their own community. Read More…

Stock Futures Mixed After Dow, S&P 500 Cap Worst Month Since March 2020 https://digitalalabamanews.com/stock-futures-mixed-after-dow-sp-500-cap-worst-month-since-march-2020/ Traders on the floor of the NYSE, Sept 7, 2022. Source: NYSE Stock futures were mixed in overnight trading Sunday after Wall Street wrapped up another negative quarter and both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average finished their worst month since March 2020. Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.43% while futures tied to the S&P 500 fell marginally. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 0.2%. Friday capped off a negative month and quarter for all the major averages, with the Dow falling 500.10 points, or 1.71%, to close below 29,000 for the first time since November 2020. For the quarter, the Dow fell 6.66% to notch a three-quarter losing streak for the first time since the third quarter of 2015. Both the S&P and Nasdaq Composite fell 5.28% and 4.11%, respectively, to finish their third consecutive negative quarter for the first time since 2009. The Dow shed 8.8% in September, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite lost 9.3% and 10.5%, respectively. All the major averages also recorded their sixth negative week in seven. Heading into the new quarter, all S&P 500 sectors sit at least 10% off their 52-week highs. Nine sectors finished the quarter in negative territory. Consumer discretionary was the best performer, gaining more than 4.1%. In the fourth quarter, elevated inflation and a Federal Reserve intent on bringing surging prices to a halt regardless of what it means for the economy will likely continue to weigh on markets, said Truist’s Keith Lerner. Oversold conditions, however, also make the market vulnerable to a sharp short-term bounce on good news, he added. “I think we could be set up for some type of reprieve but the underlying trend at this point is still a downward trend and choppy waters to continue,” Lerner said. On the economic front, Markit PMI and ISM manufacturing data are slated for release on Monday along with construction spending. Data suggests bigger S&P 500 drawdowns offer a greater potential return, LPL Financial’s Gilbert says Markets have sold off heavily this year with the S&P 500 starting October down nearly 25%. While the outlook is murky ahead, historical data analyzed by LPL Financial’s Barry Gilbert indicates that the average one-year return on the S&P 500 improves the more significant the pullback. According to Gilbert, the one-year average return increases steadily beyond a 10% pullback in the market and as the selloff worsens. When the market is down between 20% and 25% — in line with current times — the return is 11.5% on average one year later. “When markets are down, the natural bias is to sell,” he said in a note to clients Friday. “But looking at history, the more the S&P 500 is down, the better it does in the next year, on average.” — Samantha Subin Where all the major averages stand as the fourth quarter begins The final quarter of 2022 is set to kick off Monday and cap off what’s been a brutal year for the markets. Here’s where all the major averages stand ahead of Monday’s trading session. Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 20.95% for the year Sits 22.26% off its 52-week highs Finished its worst month since March 2020 Capped its third consecutive down quarter for the first time since the third quarter of 2015 S&P 500: Down 24.77% this year 25.59% off its 52-week high Finished its worst month since March 2020 Closed out its third negative quarter in a row for the first time since its six-quarter streak that ended the first quarter of 2009 Nasdaq Composite: Down 27.4% this year 34.77% off its 52-week highs September marked its worst month since April 2022 Finished its third consecutive negative quarter in a row for the first time since its three-quarter streak ending the first period of 2009.  — Chris Hayes, Samantha Subin Stock futures open slightly lower Stocks futures opened slightly lower in overnight trading on Sunday. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 15 points, or 0.05%, while S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures shed 0.19% and 0.42%, respectively. — Samantha Subin Read More…

Today In History: October 3, MLB https://digitalalabamanews.com/today-in-history-october-3-mlb/ Today is Monday, Oct. 3, the 276th day of 2022. There are 89 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Oct. 3, 1995, the jury in the O.J. Simpson murder trial in Los Angeles found the former football star not guilty of the 1994 slayings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman. (Simpson was later found liable for damages in a civil trial). On this date: In 1941, Adolf Hitler declared in a speech in Berlin that Russia had been “broken” and would “never rise again.” In 1944, during World War II, U.S. Army troops cracked the Siegfried Line north of Aachen, Germany. In 1951, the New York Giants captured the National League pennant by a score of 5-4 as Bobby Thomson hit a three-run homer off Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers in the “shot heard ’round the world.” In 1961, “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” also starring Mary Tyler Moore, made its debut on CBS. In 1970, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was established under the Department of Commerce. In 1974, Frank Robinson was named major league baseball’s first Black manager as he was placed in charge of the Cleveland Indians. In 1981, Irish nationalists at the Maze Prison near Belfast, Northern Ireland, ended seven months of hunger strikes that had claimed 10 lives. In 1990, West Germany and East Germany ended 45 years of postwar division, declaring the creation of a reunified country. In 2001, the Senate approved an agreement normalizing trade between the United States and Vietnam. In 2003, a tiger attacked magician Roy Horn of duo “Siegfried & Roy” during a performance in Las Vegas, leaving the superstar illusionist in critical condition on his 59th birthday. In 2008, O.J. Simpson was found guilty of robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room. (Simpson was later sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison; he was granted parole in July 2017 and released from prison in October of that year.) In 2011, an Italian appeals court freed Amanda Knox of Seattle after four years in prison, tossing murder convictions against Knox and an ex-boyfriend in the stabbing of their British roommate, Meredith Kercher. Ten years ago: An aggressive Mitt Romney sparred with President Barack Obama on the economy and domestic issues in their first campaign debate. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton promised a full and transparent probe of the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans. Five years ago: President Donald Trump, visiting Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, congratulated the U.S. island territory for escaping the higher death toll of what he called “a real catastrophe like Katrina”; at a church used to distribute supplies, Trump handed out flashlights and tossed rolls of paper towels into the friendly crowd. The United States expelled 15 of Cuba’s diplomats to protest Cuba’s failure to protect Americans from unexplained attacks in Havana. Yahoo announced that the largest data breach in history had affected all 3 billion accounts on its service, not the 1 billion it had revealed earlier. One year ago: A report from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists found that hundreds of world leaders, politicians, billionaires, religious leaders and drug dealers had been hiding investments in mansions, beachfront property, yachts and other assets for decades, using shell companies and offshore accounts to keep trillions of dollars out of government treasuries; those identified as beneficiaries of the secret accounts included Jordan’s King Abdullah II and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. An EgyptAir jet landed in Tel Aviv, making the first official direct flight by the Egyptian national carrier since the two countries signed a 1979 peace treaty. Tom Brady rallied the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 19-17 victory over the Patriots on a rainy Sunday night in his return to New England. Today’s Birthdays: Composer Steve Reich is 86. Rock and roll star Chubby Checker is 81. Actor Alan Rachins is 80. Former Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., is 79. Singer Lindsey Buckingham is 73. Jazz musician Ronnie Laws is 72. Blues singer Keb’ Mo’ is 71. Former astronaut Kathryn Sullivan is 71. Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield is 71. Baseball Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley is 68. Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton is 68. Actor Hart Bochner is 66. Actor Peter Frechette is 66. World Golf Hall of Famer Fred Couples is 63. Actor-comedian Greg Proops is 63. Actor Jack Wagner is 63. Actor/musician Marcus Giamatti is 61. Rock musician Tommy Lee is 60. Actor Clive Owen is 58. Actor Janel Moloney is 53. Singer Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) is 53. Pop singer Kevin Richardson is 51. Rock singer G. Love is 50. Actor Keiko Agena is 49. Actor Neve Campbell is 49. Actor Lena Headey is 49. Singer India.Arie is 47. Rapper Talib Kweli is 47. Actor Alanna Ubach is 47. Actor Seann (cq) William Scott is 46. Actor Shannyn Sossamon is 44. Rock musician Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 43. Actor Seth Gabel is 41. Rock musician Mark King (Hinder) is 40. Actor Erik Von Detten is 40. Actor Tessa Thompson is 39. Country singer Drake White is 39. Actor Meagan Holder is 38. Actor Christopher Marquette is 38. Actor-singer Ashlee Simpson is 38. Rapper A$AP Rocky is 34. Actor Alicia Vikander is 34. Actor Noah Schnapp (TV: “Stranger Things”) is 18. Read More…

Parallel Paths For Tuberville, Walker Senate Bids https://digitalalabamanews.com/parallel-paths-for-tuberville-walker-senate-bids/ ATLANTA — Georgia voters will decide in five weeks whether to put a former football star in the U.S. Senate.  First-time candidates can and do parlay their careers in football into careers in the U.S. Senate. Just ask folks in the state of Alabama. When Herschel Walker seeks votes in Georgia – voters often flock to him because of his celebrity status as a star running back for the University of Georgia football team. When Tommy Tuberville sought votes in Alabama in 2020 – he drew votes from residents who remembered his successful 10 years as a football coach at Auburn University. “It’s not unusual for celebrities to parlay their success from one arena to get into success in the political arena,” said Andra Gillespie, a political scientist at Emory University. Athletes from Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Bunning to football star Jack Kemp had long, successful careers in politics. Entertainment celebrities like Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump had the same cachet with voters.   Walker’s candidacy comes on the heels of Tuberville – who won votes in Alabama while turning down debates and mostly avoiding political reporters. Walker will skip an Atlanta Press Club debate this month, as he did in the primary–  though he’s accepting one debate in Savannah with Democrat Raphael Warnock. “Tommy Tuberville avoided interviews while running,” Gillespie said. “That helps to eliminate possibilities of candidates making gaffes.”  However, Walker is straying from Tuberville’s campaign model – created for a Republican running in a red state.   Walker started engaging reporters, especially after he won the Republican primary in May. Walker has been behind or tied with Warnock in most polls – and has had to take more risks than Tuberville did. Tuberville won in Alabama with the backing of Trump. Walker is running in Georgia because Trump talked up his candidacy. Yet, it will be Walker’s race to win or lose – five weeks from now. Read More…

For 2024 AP Poll, Jagan Looking To Project Father YSR As Trump Card https://digitalalabamanews.com/for-2024-ap-poll-jagan-looking-to-project-father-ysr-as-trump-card/ Over the past three years, the image of Jagan as a messiah of the poor has begun to take a beating; hence, YSR may be the best bet for the election this time In the 2024 elections, will CM Jagan Mohan Reddy return to power with his self-image or by leaning on the legacy of his father? File photo The next Andhra Pradesh Assembly election may still be two years away, but the ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRC) is already setting the pitch for the poll battle, which is in sharp contrast with the one it successfully experimented with during the last state election. Ahead of the elections due in 2024, the party seems to have planned a radical shift in its poll strategy from the current Jagan-centric political discourse to the legacy politics revolving around YS Rajasekhar Reddy (YSR), father of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. Recent developments hint at the party’s intent to project YSR as its trump card in order to come back to power for the second term. On September 21, the Jagan government set the cat among opposition Telugu Desam Party’s (TDP) pigeons by piloting a bill in the state assembly seeking to replace the name of Dr. NTR Health University with Dr. YSR. Five days later, Dadisetti Ramalingeswara Rao alias Raja attempted to accord demigod status to late YSR, former CM of the Congress, who was killed in a chopper crash in 2009, by spurning NT Rama Rao (NTR), a charismatic figure in Tollywood and the TDP founder. Also read: Jagan’s move to drop ‘NTR’ from varsity opens bigger battles “There is no match between YSR and NTR. After all, NTR was the most incapable person, falling prey to backstabbing politics twice (once at the hands of Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, second-in-command in his government way back in August, 1984, and later at the hands of his son-in-law N. Chandrababu Naidu in the same month in 1995),” said Raja. The minister sang paeans to YSR, describing him as a towering leader of the masses, who had a humane face. Advertisement The NTR vs YSR narrative These two instances set off a raging debate centering around the two personalities from different family backgrounds representing rival political parties. YSR was a diehard Congressman, who was known as a perennial dissident within his party. He came from Rayalaseema’s notorious factions; his father Raja Reddy was killed in faction feuds in his native Kadapa district. Hailing from Nimmakuru in coastal Andhra region, NTR, however, took a plunge into politics from the film field. After the Nadendla’s coup against his government, NTR emerged as a rallying point for all the anti-Congress opposition parties, breaking the Congress monopoly in national politics. After he lost power to his son-in-law in another coup, a section of leaders from the TDP, led by Naidu, took refuge in the Congress under YSR leadership. NTR’s widow, Lakshmi Parvathi, is currently heading the Telugu Academy while another admirer, Y Lakshmipathi (YLP), was appointed Chairman of the Official Language Commission in the Jagan Mohan Reddy government. YLP quit his post a few days ago, unable to digest the dropping of NTR’s name from the health university. Assembly Speaker T Sitaram also defected from the TDP. Aided by poll strategist Prashant Kishor, the Jagan camp was at its best alienating Naidu from the admirers of NTR spread across Andhra and Telangana, holding him responsible for his mentor not being honoured with Bharat Ratna posthumously. To pursue this objective Jagan’s camp sought to see both NTR and YSR on the same page, projecting them as saviours of the poor. The move is ostensibly aimed to wean away Kammas, an affluent community which treats NTR as their icon, from the TDP fold and also his admirers. This card worked to some extent in the elections in 2019 that indicated the Jagan’s landslide victory. Also read: Jagan Mohan Reddy targets Chandrababu Naidu on latters home turf Discarding YSR in 2019 polls Jagan drew lessons from his party’s rout in 2014 elections, which he fought with a promise to deliver Rajanna Rajyam, a welfare state, replicating the one YSR delivered during his stint as the CM, with greater space for Christians and Muslim minorities. YSR himself was a converted Christian. During his regime, YSS has implemented a slew of welfare schemes such as Rajiv Aarogyasri, fee reimbursement for students of professional colleges and free power for agriculture. The YSR Congress tried to take a leaf out of YSR’s book in that election but its plans came cropper at the hustings. When Jagan was in jail for 16 months in connection with charges of money-laundering and acquisition of illicit wealth, his mother Vijayamma and sister Sharmila, presently leading YSR Congress Telangana Party inTelangana, campaigned for the party with Bible in hands. This strategy failed to work, as the majority Hindus did not vote for the YSRCP. This indicated the ignominious defeat of Vijayamma, the party honourary president then, at the hands of BJP candidate K Haribabu in Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha segment. The defeat has led Jagan to realize the fact that his father YSR was dated. Jagan as his party’s poster boy Subsequently, Jagan has got out of his father’s shadow to emerge as a self-made leader in 2019 elections through his marathon Praja Sankalpa Yatra with a catchy slogan- Jagan Kavali and Jagan Ravali, replacing his early promise of Rajanna Rajyam as per Kishor’s advice, observed an analyst with YSRC’s leanings. Consequently, Jagan has created his own brand in his three years of rule, with several schemes carrying bearing the imprint of his name. The schemes include Jagananna Amma Vodi, which extends financial assistance of Rs 15,000 to each school-going child; Jagananna Vasati Deevena; Jagananna Vidya Deevena, Jagananna Chedodu, Jagananna Thodu, Jagananna Gorumudda and Jagananna Vidya Kanuka. Change in the perception battle? Jagan has seemingly been leaning back to his father YSR now as Naidu got back to his mentor NTR after his rout in 2004. Reddy’s U-turn has left several sections disappointed, with his three-year rule triggering strong anti-incumbency, an analyst Raka Sudhakar, told The Federal. In the last three years, the image of Jaganmohan Reddy as a messiah of the poor has reportedly begun to take a beating. As a senior YSR Congress leader, considered to be a party’s think tank put it, the positive side of the government gets adversely impacted by a “lumpen” elements mobbing around Jagan Reddy. Besides, charges of corruption in the government that forced Jagan to drop a good number of ministers in his recent cabinet reshuffle also dented Reddy’s image, it is said. Faced with the cash-starved state finances, the Jagan Reddy government keeps pumping in huge amount of money into welfare schemes. But the satisfaction levels among the beneficiaries appeared to be quite disheartening. Also read: Jagan’s Mission 175 leaves Chandrababu struggling to save Kuppam turf According to official data, the government spent Rs 2.70 lakh crore on welfare schemes from June 2019 to August 2022. The YSRC government’s heavy tilt towards welfare at the cost of development apparently leaves heartburn among middle and upper middle class sections, which constitute 20 percent of the state’s populace, CPI-M leader Ch. Babu Rao told The Federal. As welfare takes top priority over the infrastructure development and industrial growth under the Jagan’s regime, youths are getting disillusioned. Besides, the eligibility criteria with lot of restrictions for availing the welfare schemes, leaves several people high and dry. Dysfunctional party leadership What is appalling is that the party top brass in the YSRC party became almost dysfunctional down the line after it came to power. The strengthening of the party is no longer the priority as Jagan wanted to run the show with one or two advisors, even keeping his cabinet ministers in the dark. The Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam—which means ‘our government to every doorstep’ in Telugu — a marathon programme launched on May 11, has exposed the limitations and loopholes of the party’s organization, as well as the style of functioning of its lawmakers. The programme aimed to take feedback from the people on welfare schemes through party legislators and workers. But this objective was not met because of the poor participation of party workers. Even the CM, at a review meeting a few days back, identified these shortcomings and told nearly 30 lawmakers to improve their performance in their respective assembly segments. NTR died nearly three decades ago. And the new generation is hardly aware of him. YSR, on the other hand, is still relevant as a vast number of students who benefited from the fee reimbursement scheme still remember him. As also those who received treatment under Rajiv Aarogyasri scheme. Therefore, YSR may be the best bet for the election this time, a party worker said. It is to be seen whether Jagan will return to power with his self-image or that of his father. Read More…

Opinion: The House GOP https://digitalalabamanews.com/opinion-the-house-gop/ Opinion by Dean Obeidallah If the GOP wins control of the House of Representatives this November, it will become the “protect Donald Trump from prosecution” caucus. That’s the message we’ve been hearing with increasing frequency from Trump-loving Republicans since August 8, when FBI agents searched the former President’s Mar-a-Lago residence. The search, pursuant to a court-approved warrant, found more than 100 documents bearing classification markings — including three in desks inside Trump’s office — among other items that should have been returned to the National Archives. Of course, this is the same GOP that slammed Democrats for using the term “defund the police” after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. But when it comes to the defense of Trump, hypocrisy doesn’t matter. On Thursday — with little media fanfare — the official Twitter account for GOP members of the House Judiciary Committee took matters a step further: During a floor debate on a measure to provide additional funding to the Department of Justice, the account tweeted: “Why would anyone support a bill that gives $140 MILLION to the same Department of Justice that raided President Trump’s home?” We have gone from some Republicans wanting to defund the FBI to lawmakers actually seeking to withhold funding to the DOJ, all seemingly to protect their beloved leader. The GOP has no qualms playing hardball to defund something they don’t approve of. For example, in 2013, Republicans so desperately wanted to defund the Affordable Care Act — President Barack Obama’s landmark health care bill — that they caused a 16-day partial government shutdown. (That begs the question: If the GOP wins back the House next month, will lawmakers threaten to shut down the government to stop the investigation into Trump’s potential crimes, ranging from his role egging on the crowd that rampaged in the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, to his possible illegal retention of classified documents?) And we are not done. Last week, Politico reported that “GOP lawmakers are preparing a buffet of investigations” aimed at the FBI in response to its investigation of Trump. Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the Judiciary Committee, told Politico that “we ought to do a deep dive into ensuring that the FBI is focused on organized crime, combating crime, and not witch-hunting Americans.” “Witch-hunting,” of course, is a reference to any investigation into the GOP’s beloved leader Trump. Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California — a House impeachment manager during Trump’s trial after the January 6 insurrection — recently predicted on my SiriusXM show what he believes will happen if the GOP gains control of the House. “If they are given power in the next Congress, they will go there, and they will fight exclusively for Donald Trump,” said Swalwell, a former prosecutor. He added that the House “will be become the largest law firm in D.C., but with just one client.” And that appears to be exactly what the GOP base wants of their elected Republicans. A CBS poll released September 25 found that 65% of Republicans respondents said that “loyalty” to Trump is “important.” GOP leaders get that, and as a result, they must defend Trump at all costs — including possibly hampering an investigation into Trump’s possible crimes. That strong pro-Trump sentiment from the GOP base appears to explain why certain Republican lawmakers are talking about impeaching President Joe Biden if they regain control of the House. On September 25, speaking about the likelihood of impeaching Biden if the GOP regains control of the House, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “I believe there’s pressure on the Republicans to put that forward and have that vote.” Gaetz said that impeaching and investigating Biden would be high on the agenda of a GOP-led House. “If we don’t engage in impeachment inquiries to get the documents and the testimony and the information we need, then I believe that our voters will feel betrayed and that likely, that could be the biggest win the Democrats could hope for in 2024, when it really matters to investigate them and to hold them accountable,” Gaetz said. The Florida Republican added that if his party takes control of the chamber “bill-making” would be “a far, far diminished priority.” In short, despite what some Republican leaders may have wanted the 2022 election to be about, it’s increasingly becoming a referendum on the GOP’s extremism. From Republicans enacting laws barring women from controlling their own bodies to GOP bans on books to the cruelty of how certain GOP governors have treated Latino immigrants seeking a better life, the election will give voters the opportunity to accept or reject such extreme policies. And now, we have another issue to add to the mix: the GOP’s threats to defund or hamstring law enforcement if it pursues Trump. Anyone who believes that Trump is above the law should obviously vote Republican in November. But for countless Americans who believe that all of us — including the rich and politically connected like Trump — should all be treated equally under the law, the choice is equally clear. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More…

52 ODES TO JOY: AUTUMN S.U.N.S. – The Cullman Tribune https://digitalalabamanews.com/52-odes-to-joy-autumn-s-u-n-s-the-cullman-tribune/ BendigoArt.com/CullmanTribune.com (Photo: unsplash) ODE TO AUTUMN Autumn days are here, blue sky clear and dear. Let’s harvest a bushel of joy and fall cheer. Our S.U.N.S. (Smile-Making, Uniting, Neighboring, Spellbinding) group this first week of fall shared joyous memories from many previous autumns and how each of us is adding joy to our life this splendid season. Among the reflections were: jostling bumper cars and the soaring Ferris wheel at a harvest carnival, bonding with two grandkids born in different autumns, insulating windows for a military veteran and marching band practice for a parade. Enjoy the cooler temps as you recall previous autumn joys and create new ones. Slip on a sweater, steep a pot of tea and let these 50-plus ideas inspire you. AUTUMN S.U.N.S. (SMILE-MAKING) ROASTING MARSHMALLOWS and MAKING “SAMOA” S’MORES Warm up with a glamping twist on the classic from “Outside Magazine” (September 2016). According to food writer, A.C. Shilton, “This recipe will bring you back to the Girl Scout campouts of your youth. It’s on the menu of the Sanderling Resort in Duck, NC, which has a nightly s’mores setup with unexpected topping options. Ingredients: 2 marshmallows, 1 graham cracker, 1 ounce caramel-filled chocolate (Ghirardelli or Carmelo make great options), 1 Tablespoon toasted coconut. Preparation: 1) Toast marshmallow. 2) Assemble remaining ingredients atop graham cracker. 3) Accept your “S’more Master” merit badge.” START A “GRATITUDE JOURNAL” with daily updates to reflect on and possibly share near Thanksgiving. CREATE YOUR OWN AUTUMN-SEASONED, FALL FILM FESTIVAL Consider “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and “Hocus Pocus.” Treat yourself to some Halloweenie scream-inducing treats like “Friday the 13th” and anything spawned by a Stephen King horror novel. And, if falling in fall love is more your heart’s desire, all of the swoony screen gems wafting from the Jane Austen novels feature walks through dustings of autumn leaves. GO FOR A LEAF-SHUFFLING WALK in the woods, a park or an arboretum. “They took all the trees and put ‘em in a tree museum. And they charged the people a dollar and a half just to see ‘em.” Those lyrics from Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” is how I think of “tree sanctuaries” known as arboreta, but when I visit one, it changes my thinking and I always find it SPELLBINDING.  If some far-thinking soul in your neck of the woods hasn’t created an arboretum, I hope you and your NEIGHBORING, tree-hugging friends will noodle how this would add to the natural world. Here are five arboreta to lift your thinking to the treetops: F.R. Newman Arboretum, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY), Crosby Arboretum, Mississippi State University (Starkville, MS), Cowling Arboretum, Carleton College (Northfield, MN), Abbey Arboretum, St. John’s University (Jamaica, NY) and Madison Arboretum, University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI). BUY A NEW SCARF or PAIR OF GLOVES Search ebay.com and you may be able to re-purchase the scarf and gloves you left in some café at the end of last winter. HALLOWEEN HUMOR HEROES AND HEROINES What a grin-fest it would be to encounter a gaggle of your favorite funny folks trick-or-treating this fall! Imagine the SMILE-MAKING you and your friends could spread as Charlie Chaplin, Lucille Ball, Mark Twain, Cheech and Chong, Madea, Bozo the Clown, PeeWee Herman, Margaret Cho, Red Skelton, Mrs. Doubtfire, Louis Armstrong, Fred Rogers, Moms Mabley and more. Leave the usual heroic suspects for the kiddos, this year, every year needs more smiles and laughter. SQUARE PUMPKINS Be a not-so-well-rounded grower and a shower. Five easy steps: 1) Get pumpkin seeds that have promise. Tom Fox, Racer, Charisma, Rock Star, Expert and Champion are good choices for this SMILE-MAKING fun, 2) Plant seeds in compost like a bag of store-bought Black Kow, 3) Transfer “growing teenager” pumpkin to a translucent box mold (easily available online), 4) Monitor our pumpkin-in-a-box (especially don’t let rain get in the box and cause “jack rot”), 5) Pluck your square pumpkin from the stem and enjoy the bragging rights and envy. GO TO A FUN, FALL FESTIVAL Search for state fairs near and far. Here are five favorites for the fall: 1) THE GREAT JACK-O-LANTERN BLAZE (Croton-on-Hudson, NY) which has more than 7,000 pumpkins in jaw-dropping jack-o-lantern designs on the historic grounds of Van Cortlandt Manor, 2) SANTA FE (NM) WINE and CHILI FEST, 3) NATCHEZ HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL (MS) jazz and joy rides on the high bluffs above the Mississippi River, 4) COCONUT GROVE PUMPKIN PATCH FESIVAL (Miami, FL) amazed south Florida could grow a Midwest-worthy corn maze, 5) WEST COAST GIANT PUMPKIN FLOATING REGATTA (Tualatin, OR) may win the SMILE-MAKING fall festival prize with costumed racers canoeing in hollowed out giant pumpkins as they compete in wacky water games. BOUNTIFUL BREAKFAST OATMEAL with LOCAL NUTS In most parts of the U.S. you won’t have to look far to find some nuts to warm up your breakfast pleasure. GET A NEW or PRE-OWNED FALL FUR THROW or LAP RUG Every year when my house gets cooler, I look at the beautifully staged photos of real fur throws like Tibetan lamb or American rabbit, then I weasel out of buying in part because they are pricey but also fearing my more righteous animal-rights friends might show up on my porch like villagers with torches and pitchforks—so maybe I’ll get that faux fox blankie on eBay. Another seasonal fave: Hudson Bay “Point” blankets with the signature stripes date back to Canadian autumns in the late 1700s. MICROWAVE CARAMEL CARNIVAL APPLES Get your carny on with a bag of caramels and an easy recipe at food.com. BUILD A RESPONSIBLE BONFIRE My dad, a college professor/caveman, never aged out on the SMILE-MAKING of building a roaring campfire. He harkened back to our Native American ancestors to construct a tepee shape that would ultimately bun responsibly and fall into itself. Dad would be impressed with the fire-making tips found at instructables.com/How-to-Build-a-Bonfire. AUTUMN S.U.N.S. (UNITING) FALL IS DOGGONE GREAT FOR DOGWASHING Before it gets too cold to lather up Lassie outdoors, watch your calendar for a warm day to make your mutt a nicer, cold weather companion indoors. SENIORS MAKE BETTER STORYTELLERS Some of my most pleasurable memories of Fall are sitting around a crackling fire listening to the vast troves of treasured tales from seasoned storytellers. At the risk of having an age bias on this, and there are some gifted, young-ish story-weavers, we elders simply have more stories, and especially more rehearsed ones, stored up for sharing around the tribal fires. AIR OUT and CLEAN YOUR SHELTER TOGETHER Every individual who chooses to cohabitate has a responsibility to cooperate in regular and seasonal upkeep of the place. Before cold air forbids it, fall is a prime time to air everything out, purge the undesirable and ready to share the warmth of the home fires. COZY UP WITH SOMEONE ON THE COUCH THE GREAT PANDEMIC FRIENDSHIP PURGE Most cartoons connect with us because they communicatee a bit of shared truth. During the worldwide coronavirus lockdown, a cartoon in “The New Yorker” showed a cohabitating couple sorting through an address book and one stating how the contagion-caused isolation caused them to “know which friends we can live without.” Yes, biting wit, but reminds us to value even more those we hold dear. Fall is a good time to be thankful for those who matter to us and plan to send winter holiday cards and gifts. MAKE A “WARM FRIENDS” BASKET Why wait until Christmas? Cooler fall days could be a good time to give your loved ones a thank-you gift like a couple of mugs and a tin of tea. If your friends have smart-sized their things as so many of us have, you might consider recyclable cups and tea bags. It truly is the warm thought that counts. CREATE A MASTER GARDENER-WORTHY, “WELCOMING FALL” RED CONTAINER GARDEN In an orange-y red terracotta pot, plant Euonymus alatus “Compactus,” which, with its intensely red leaves, is one of the first shrubs each year to express the coming of autumn. Let the understory be golden-yellow Ceratostigma willmottianum Sapphire Ring (aka “Lissbrill”) and the burnt orange of Dryopteris erythrosora. Together, these will radiant your S.U.N.S. message even from a shady corner. (Inspired by a DIY article in the elegant, British periodical, “Gardens Illustrated” September 2020) GIVE A ROUSING SALUTE AT A VETERAN’S DAY PARADE to all the men and women who have served in the U.S. military. Americans celebrate on Nov. 11 and have each year since the end of WWI with the proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson. CELEBRATE YOUR HOMECOMING at a football game boasting a giant chrysanthemum blossom on your lapel and cheering on the marching bands at the parade. FLING SOME FLANNEL at a FALL PICNIC The summertime Thermos of frozen margaritas gives way to warming Kahlua and cream. “Country Living Magazine,” (September 2021) has a delish recipe for Grilled Mushroom Panzanella with Tomato Vinaigrette. A mushroom shopping tip per the article: “Look for fun varieties like oyster, Hen of the Woods, and chanterelles, which have varying textures and flavors (peppery and earthy for chanterelles and spicy and nutty for Hen of the Woods.)” GO HIKING WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND or if you don’t have a dog, maybe a human friend. If all else fails, invite your spouse to take a hike. HELP A “FRIENDSGIVING” HAPPEN Some of the most fun don’t have an entire cornucopia of “should and oughts.” Set a date/time that is near/on Thanksgiving Day. Pick a place, pick some friends and get comfortable with the randomness of a “potluck palooza.” However, if you and your friends prefer formality and are Food Network fans, enjoy sweating the details. The essential elements are FRIENDS + GIVING. G...

Trump Staffers Not Returning White House Records: National Archives https://digitalalabamanews.com/trump-staffers-not-returning-white-house-records-national-archives/ WASHINGTON: Former President Donald Trump’s administration has not turned over all presidential records and the National Archives will consult with the Justice Department on whether to move to get them back, the agency has told Congress. A congressional panel on Sept 13 sought an urgent review by the National Archives and Records Administration after agency staff members acknowledged that they did not know if all presidential records from Trump’s White House had been turned over. “While there is no easy way to establish absolute accountability, we do know that we do not have custody of everything we should,” acting Archivist Debra Wall said in a letter Friday to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The Archives knows some White House staffers conducted official business on personal electronic messaging accounts that were that were not copied or forwarded to their official accounts, in violation of the Presidential Records Act, Wall said. “NARA has been able to obtain such records from a number of former officials and will continue to pursue the return of similar types of presidential records from former officials,” Wall said in the letter, first reported by the Wall Street Journal. She said the Archives, the federal agency charged with preserving government records, would consult with the Department of Justice on “whether to initiate an action for the recovery of records unlawfully removed.” The Oversight Committee shared a copy of the letter with Reuters but has not issued a statement on it yet. Representatives for Trump did not immediately return a request for comment on the matter. Trump is facing a criminal investigation by the Justice Department for retaining government records — some marked as highly classified, including “top secret” — at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving office in January 2021. The FBI seized more than 11,000 records, including about 100 documents marked as classified, in a court-approved Aug 8 search at Mar-a-Lago. Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2022 Read More…

Asia-Pacific Markets Fall; Oil Up More Than 2% On Reports Of A Possible OPEC+ Supply Cut https://digitalalabamanews.com/asia-pacific-markets-fall-oil-up-more-than-2-on-reports-of-a-possible-opec-supply-cut/ Pedestrians cross a road in front of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), operated by Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. Kiyoshi Ota | Bloomberg via Getty Images Shares in the Asia-Pacific mostly fell on Monday as markets enter the last quarter of the year. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was 0.8% lower in early trade. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gave up early gains to fall 0.4%. The Nikkei 225 in Japan fell more than 1% in early trade, but recovered slightly and was last up 0.18%, while the Topix index was fractionally lower. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.32%. Brent crude futures and West Texas Intermediate futures jumped on reports of a possible OPEC+ supply cut. Later in the week, Australia’s central bank will announce its interest rate decision, while several countries in Asia will report inflation data. China markets are closed for the Golden Week holiday, and South Korea’s market is also closed. CNBC Pro: Investment pro says ETFs are a $10 trillion opportunity — and reveals areas of ‘tremendous’ value Exchange-traded funds offer the benefit of diversification, says Jon Maier, chief investment officer at Global X ETFs. He said the ETF market is “growing exponentially” and estimates it to be worth $10 trillion. He names several opportunities for ETF investors in this volatile market. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong Business confidence of Japan’s large manufacturers worsens Sentiment of Japan’s large manufacturers worsened in the July-to-September quarter, according to the Bank of Japan’s latest quarterly tankan business sentiment survey. The headline index for large manufacturers’ sentiment came in at 8, a decline from the previous quarter’s reading of 9. Economists polled by Reuters expected a print of 11. “Our expectation and market expectations were for the manufacturing reading to pick up — supply conditions had improved, you’ve seen fading supply impact from zero-Covid policies in China, commodity prices came down a little bit,” said Stefan Angrick, a senior economist at Moody’s Analytics. “The fact that the manufacturing side of the economy isn’t doing so well certainly isn’t great for the outlook,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.” But the non-manufacturing index ticked up slightly, which could mean Japan’s late Covid recovery is getting underway, he added. — Abigail Ng Fri, Sep 30 20229:06 AM EDT CNBC Pro: The five global stocks experiencing the de-globalisation trend, according to HSBC New research from HSBC says supply chains, geopolitical tensions, and worsening financial conditions have forced many global companies to “substantially” turn inward in search of resilient revenue and growth. In a tough economic environment with recessionary pressures, the bank said turning inwards is “probably helpful” for these stocks. The report titled ‘A de-globalisation wave?’ said European firms’ foreign sales dipped below 50% in 2021, the lowest level in the last five years. Oil prices jump on reports of OPEC+ mulling production cut CNBC Pro: Should investors flee stocks? Strategists give their take — and reveal how to trade the volatility With monetary policy set to tighten further in the months ahead, and Wall Street mired in the depths of a bear market abyss, many investors are beginning to wonder if now’s the time to exit the stock market and put their money in other asset classes. CNBC Pro spoke to market watchers and scoured through research from investment banks to find out what the pros think. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong Read More…

Zelensky Hails Advances As Open Recriminations Intensify In Russian Media https://digitalalabamanews.com/zelensky-hails-advances-as-open-recriminations-intensify-in-russian-media/ KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the full recovery of a strategic town in eastern Ukraine on Sunday as a public brawl intensified in Russia over responsibility for the latest setback to the Kremlin’s goal of conquering wide swaths of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Kyiv’s Western backers hailed the advance of Ukrainian forces into areas Moscow has declared will soon constitute part of Russia. Zelensky said the town of Lyman, which Russian troops used as a key logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region since their arrival this spring, was completely “cleared of the Russian occupiers” as of midday local time, the Defense Ministry said on Twitter. The president’s statement came a day after the Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged it had been forced to withdraw troops from Lyman “to more advantageous lines.” The cementing of Ukrainian control of the town, following other gains those forces have made since launching a major counteroffensive last month, offered a sharp contrast to Russia’s advancing steps to officially incorporate Donetsk and three other eastern regions into Russia following a series of staged referendums there last week, which Kyiv and its Western supporters have denounced as illegal and illegitimate. Zelensky referred derisively to Putin’s attempt to declare Russian authority by fiat over areas now being taken back by Ukrainian troops. “This, you know, is the trend,” he said later in his nightly video address. “Recently, someone somewhere held pseudo-referendums, and when the Ukrainian flag is returned, no one remembers the Russian farce with some pieces of paper and some annexations.” The continued advance into Russian-held areas heightens the stakes of repeated threats that President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials have made in recent days, suggesting that Moscow could go so far as using nuclear weapons to defend territory it considers part of Russia, including annexed areas of Ukraine. Putin made reference to America’s use of atomic bombs against Japan in 1945 during a fiery speech Friday, in which the Russian leader cast the annexation of vast swaths of Ukraine as a fulfillment of Russians’ destiny. Ukraine’s supporters in the West, like leaders in Kyiv, have insisted they won’t bow to Russian intimidation. On Sunday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin cautioned Russia against following through with any escalatory retaliation linked to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. “Again it’s an illegal claim; it’s an irresponsible statement,” he said in an interview with CNN. “Nuclear sabre-rattling is not the kind of thing that we would expect to hear from leaders of large countries with capability.” Austin said he expected Ukrainian forces to continue offensive operations aimed at recapturing all Russian-held territory, despite Putin’s recent order to mobilize 300,000 additional troops to bolster the fight in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces are also trying to push deeper into Russian-controlled areas of southern Ukraine, toward the city of Kherson. “I don’t think that’s going to stop, and we will continue to support them in their efforts,” he said. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg described the recapture of Lyman as an example of the progress Ukrainian forces were making “because of their bravery and skills, but, of course, also because of the advanced weapons that the United States and other allies are providing.” He noted that countries including Norway and Germany were stepping up their aid to Ukraine. “This is making a difference on the battlefield every day,” he told NBC. The recent string of battlefield reversals may indicate that Russia’s military is reaching a “breaking point,” said H.R. McMaster, a retired three-star general who served as national security adviser during the Trump administration. “What we might be at here is really at the precipice of really the collapse of the Russian army in Ukraine. A moral collapse,” he told CBS. But U.S. officials have cautioned that despite Russia’s failure to achieve the initial goals of Putin’s Feb. 24 invasion, including the capture of Kyiv, the ongoing mobilization may still present a formidable challenge to Ukraine. Even with larger sums of Western aid, Ukraine’s military is dwarfed in size and weaponry by Russia’s. The leaders of nine Eastern and Central European nations on Sunday condemned Putin’s annexation, which will be formalized by Russia’s parliament Monday and Tuesday, saying they could not “stay silent in the face of the blatant violation of international law.” “We do not recognize and will never recognize Russian attempts to annex any Ukrainian territory,” the presidents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia said in a joint statement. As Russian forces attempted to set a new line of defense after their retreat from Lyman, a torrent of public recriminations and bickering on who was to blame for Moscow’s recent setbacks poured forth on hard-line pro-Kremlin Telegram channels. In open conflict that underscored the disarray in Russian ranks, two powerful figures with their own armed forces fighting Ukraine launched scathing attacks on Russian Defense Ministry commanders. It began with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s criticisms on Saturday of Russian military commanders, and his call to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine. Then in rare public remarks, Russian oligarch Yevgeniy Prigozhin, founder of mercenary group Wagner, added his own blunt attack. “Kadyrov’s expressive statement, of course, is not entirely in my style,” he said, according to a Wagner-affiliated Telegram channel. “But I think that we should send all these bastards barefoot to the front with machine guns,” he said in an apparent reference to top Russian military commanders. Elena Panina, a former lawmaker and director of Russtrat, a pro-Kremlin think tank, called the public attacks on top Russian military figures “unprecedented” before piling on with her own criticisms, complaining about the lack of any tough military retaliation to punish Ukraine for the forced Russian retreat. She called Ukraine’s recapture of Lyman “a direct act of aggression against Russia,” in reference to Russia’s illegal move to annex the region. Panina said the criticisms of Russia’s military command came “in the midst of military failures and to the delight of the enemy.” But sweeping Russia’s failures under the carpet was a path “fraught with real disaster,” she said. In what appeared to be a call to dismiss top military officials, she called for “qualitative changes in personnel, of an organizational and operational nature, up to and including emergency measures.” “According to numerous estimates, Russia is facing an enemy that is more numerous, better armed, better prepared and better motivated,” Panina said, adding that it would take a “superhuman effort” to win. Pro-Kremlin Telegram news outlet Readovka described the public airing of recriminations as “worse than betrayal” and called for an end to the public accusations by “hot heads” and “turbo-patriots,” in a commentary on its Telegram channel. Ukraine continued on Sunday to push for the release of an official overseeing its Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant who authorities said has been detained by Russia. Fighting in the area around the facility, which is under Russian control but operated by Ukrainian engineers, has triggered concerns about a nuclear accident. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he had spoken with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, who had told him the IAEA was working to secure the release of Ihor Murashov, the plant’s director. “I stressed Russia must withdraw troops and military equipment from the station,” Kuleba said in a tweet. Morgunov reported from Kyiv. Dixon reported from Riga, Lativa. War in Ukraine: What you need to know The latest: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees Friday to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine, following staged referendums that were widely denounced as illegal. Follow our live updates here. The response: The Biden administration on Friday announced a new round of sanctions on Russia, in response to the annexations, targeting government officials and family members, Russian and Belarusian military officials and defense procurement networks. President Volodymyr Zelensky also said Friday that Ukraine is applying for “accelerated ascension” into NATO, in an apparent answer to the annexations. In Russia: Putin declared a military mobilization on Sept. 21 to call up as many as 300,000 reservists in a dramatic bid to reverse setbacks in his war on Ukraine. The announcement led to an exodus of more than 180,000 people, mostly men who were subject to service, and renewed protests and other acts of defiance against the war. The fight: Ukraine mounted a successful counteroffensive that forced a major Russian retreat in the northeastern Kharkiv region in early September, as troops fled cities and villages they had occupied since the early days of the war and abandoned large amounts of military equipment. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the beginning of the war — here’s some of their most powerful work. How you can help: Here are ways those in the U.S. can support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating. Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video. Read More…

Opinion: The House GOP's 'Protect Trump' Caucus Has Just One Mission | CNN https://digitalalabamanews.com/opinion-the-house-gops-protect-trump-caucus-has-just-one-mission-cnn/ 03:02 – Source: CNN Trump admits fame drove his desire to be president in new book Editor’s Note: Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, is the host of SiriusXM radio’s daily program “The Dean Obeidallah Show” and a columnist for The Daily Beast. Follow him @DeanObeidallah. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion on CNN. CNN  —  If the GOP wins control of the House of Representatives this November, it will become the “protect Donald Trump from prosecution” caucus. That’s the message we’ve been hearing with increasing frequency from Trump-loving Republicans since August 8, when FBI agents searched the former President’s Mar-a-Lago residence. The search, pursuant to a court-approved warrant, found more than 100 documents bearing classification markings – including three in desks inside Trump’s office – among other items that should have been returned to the National Archives. Nevertheless, many in the GOP were incensed by the search. There were immediate calls to “defund the FBI” by some highly vocal GOP lawmakers such as Reps. Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar. Republican candidates for Congress from North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and elsewhere echoed that call – all part of an effort to stop the investigation of Trump. Of course, this is the same GOP that slammed Democrats for using the term “defund the police” after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. But when it comes to the defense of Trump, hypocrisy doesn’t matter. On Thursday – with little media fanfare – the official Twitter account for GOP members of the House Judiciary Committee took matters a step further: During a floor debate on a measure to provide additional funding to the Department of Justice, the account tweeted: “Why would anyone support a bill that gives $140 MILLION to the same Department of Justice that raided President Trump’s home?” We have gone from some Republicans wanting to defund the FBI to lawmakers actually seeking to withhold funding to the DOJ, all seemingly to protect their beloved leader. The GOP has no qualms playing hardball to defund something they don’t approve of. For example, in 2013, Republicans so desperately wanted to defund the Affordable Care Act – President Barack Obama’s landmark health care bill – that they caused a 16-day partial government shutdown. (That begs the question: If the GOP wins back the House next month, will lawmakers threaten to shut down the government to stop the investigation into Trump’s potential crimes, ranging from his role egging on the crowd that rampaged in the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, to his possible illegal retention of classified documents?) And we are not done. Last week, Politico reported that “GOP lawmakers are preparing a buffet of investigations” aimed at the FBI in response to its investigation of Trump. Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the Judiciary Committee, told Politico that “we ought to do a deep dive into ensuring that the FBI is focused on organized crime, combating crime, and not witch-hunting Americans.” “Witch-hunting,” of course, is a reference to any investigation into the GOP’s beloved leader Trump. Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California – a House impeachment manager during Trump’s trial after the January 6 insurrection – recently predicted on my SiriusXM show what he believes will happen if the GOP gains control of the House. “If they are given power in the next Congress, they will go there, and they will fight exclusively for Donald Trump,” said Swalwell, a former prosecutor. He added that the House “will be become the largest law firm in D.C., but with just one client.” And that appears to be exactly what the GOP base wants of their elected Republicans. A CBS poll released September 25 found that 65% of Republicans respondents said that “loyalty” to Trump is “important.” GOP leaders get that, and as a result, they must defend Trump at all costs – including possibly hampering an investigation into Trump’s possible crimes. That strong pro-Trump sentiment from the GOP base appears to explain why certain Republican lawmakers are talking about impeaching President Joe Biden if they regain control of the House. On September 25, speaking about the likelihood of impeaching Biden if the GOP regains control of the House, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “I believe there’s pressure on the Republicans to put that forward and have that vote.” GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz joined the impeachment chorus last week while appearing on a podcast hosted by Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser who was recently indicted in New York on money laundering and other fraud-related charges. Bannon pleaded not guilty to the charges. Gaetz said that impeaching and investigating Biden would be high on the agenda of a GOP-led House. “If we don’t engage in impeachment inquiries to get the documents and the testimony and the information we need, then I believe that our voters will feel betrayed and that likely, that could be the biggest win the Democrats could hope for in 2024, when it really matters to investigate them and to hold them accountable,” Gaetz said. The Florida Republican added that if his party takes control of the chamber “bill-making” would be “a far, far diminished priority.” In short, despite what some Republican leaders may have wanted the 2022 election to be about, it’s increasingly becoming a referendum on the GOP’s extremism. From Republicans enacting laws barring women from controlling their own bodies to GOP bans on books to the cruelty of how certain GOP governors have treated Latino immigrants seeking a better life, the election will give voters the opportunity to accept or reject such extreme policies. And now, we have another issue to add to the mix: the GOP’s threats to defund or hamstring law enforcement if it pursues Trump. Anyone who believes that Trump is above the law should obviously vote Republican in November. But for countless Americans who believe that all of us – including the rich and politically connected like Trump – should all be treated equally under the law, the choice is equally clear. Read More…

AP News In Brief At 9:04 P.m. EDT https://digitalalabamanews.com/ap-news-in-brief-at-904-p-m-edt-3/ Bolsonaro, Lula headed to runoff after polarized Brazil vote RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s top two presidential candidates will face each other in a runoff vote following a polarized election to decide if the country returns a leftist to the helm of the world’s fourth-largest democracy or keeps the far-right incumbent in office for another four years. With 98% of he votes tallied on Sunday’s election, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had 48% support and incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro had 43.6% support. Brazil’s election authority said the result made a second round vote between the two candidates a mathematical certainty. Nine other candidates were also competing, but their support pales to that for Bolsonaro and da Silva. The tightness of the election result came as a surprise, since pre-election polls had given da Silva a commanding lead. The last Datafolha survey published Saturday found a 50% to 36% advantage for da Silva among those who intended to vote. It interviewed 12,800 people, with a margin of error of 2 percentage points. “This tight difference between Lula and Bolsonaro wasn’t predicted,” said Nara Pavão, who teaches political science at the Federal University of Pernambuco. 10 torture sites in 1 town: Russia sowed pain, fear in Izium IZIUM, Ukraine (AP) — The first time the Russian soldiers caught him, they tossed him bound and blindfolded into a trench covered with wooden boards for days on end. Then they beat him, over and over: Legs, arms, a hammer to the knees, all accompanied by furious diatribes against Ukraine. Before they let him go, they took away his passport and Ukrainian military ID — all he had to prove his existence — and made sure he knew exactly how worthless his life was. “No one needs you,” the commander taunted. “We can shoot you any time, bury you a half-meter underground and that’s it.” The brutal encounter at the end of March was just the start. Andriy Kotsar would be captured and tortured twice more by Russian forces in Izium, and the pain would be even worse. Russian torture in Izium was arbitrary, widespread and absolutely routine for both civilians and soldiers throughout the city, an Associated Press investigation has found. While torture was also evident in Bucha, that devastated Kyiv suburb was only occupied for a month. Izium served as a hub for Russian soldiers for nearly seven months, during which they established torture sites everywhere. Ukraine presses on with counteroffensive; Russia uses drones KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia attacked the Ukrainian president’s hometown and other targets Sunday with suicide drones, and Ukraine took back full control of a strategic eastern city in a counteroffensive that has reshaped the war. Russia’s loss of the eastern city of Lyman, which it had been using as a transport and logistics hub, is a new blow to the Kremlin as it seeks to escalate the war by illegally annexing four regions of Ukraine and heightening threats to use nuclear force. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s land grab has threatened to push the conflict to a dangerous new level. It also prompted Ukraine to formally apply for fast-track NATO membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Sunday that his forces now control Lyman: “As of 12:30 p.m. (0930 GMT) Lyman is cleared fully. Thank you to our militaries, our warriors,” he said in a video address. Russia’s military didn’t comment Sunday on Lyman, after announcing Saturday that it was withdrawing its forces there to more favorable positions. 125 die as tear gas triggers crush at Indonesia soccer match MALANG, Indonesia (AP) — Police firing tear gas after an Indonesian soccer match in an attempt to stop violence triggered a disastrous crush of fans making a panicked, chaotic run for the exits, leaving at least 125 people dead, most of them trampled upon or suffocated. Attention immediately focused on police crowd-control measures at Saturday night’s match between host Arema FC of East Java’s Malang city and Persebaya Surabaya. Witnesses described officers beating them with sticks and shields before shooting tear gas canisters directly into the crowds. It was among the deadliest disasters ever at a sporting event. President Joko Widodo ordered an investigation of security procedures, and the president of FIFA called the deaths “a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension.” While FIFA has no control over domestic games, it has advised against the use of tear gas at soccer stadiums. Brawls are common among rival Indonesian soccer fans, so much so that the organizer had banned Persebaya supporters from Arema’s stadium. But violence still broke out when the home team lost 3-2 and some of the 42,000 Arema fans, known as “Aremania,” threw bottles and other objects at players and soccer officials. Witnesses said the fans flooded the Kanjuruhan Stadium pitch and demanded that Arema management explain why, after 23 years of undefeated home matches against Persebaya, this one ended in a defeat. Feds vow major aid for Hurricane Ian victims amid rescues FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — With the death toll from Hurricane Ian rising and hundreds of thousands of people without power in Florida and the Carolinas, U.S. officials vowed Sunday to unleash a massive amount of federal disaster aid as crews scrambled to rescue people stranded by the storm. Days after Ian tore through central Florida, carving a deadly path of destruction into the Carolinas, water levels continued rising in some flooded areas, inundating homes and streets that were passable just a day or two earlier. With branches strewn across the grounds of St. Hillary’s Episcopal Church in Ft. Myers, the Rev. Charles Cannon recognized the immense loss during his Sunday sermon but also gave thanks for what remained. That included the church’s stained-glass windows and steeple. “People think they have lost everything, but you haven’t lost everything if you haven’t lost yourself,” he said. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Arcadia on Sunday afternoon, about 30 miles inland from where Ian made landfall. The rural area didn’t get the storm surge experienced by coastal communities, but standing water from floods remained four days after the storm. Ian is long gone but water keeps rising in central Florida GENEVA, Fla. (AP) — Residents in central Florida donned fishing waders, boots and bug spray and canoed or kayaked to their homes on streets where floodwaters continued rising Sunday despite it being four days since Hurricane Ian tore through the state. The waters flooded homes and streets that had been passable just a day or two earlier. Ben Bertat found 4 inches (10 centimeters) of water in his house by Lake Harney off North Jungle Street in a rural part of Seminole County, north of Orlando, after kayaking to it Sunday morning. Only a day earlier, there had been no water. “I think it’s going to get worse because all of this water has to get to the lake” said Bertat, pointing to the water flooding the road. “With ground saturation, all this swamp is full and it just can’t take any more water. It doesn’t look like it’s getting any lower.” Gabriel Madlang kayaked through 3 feet (1 meter) of water on his street, delivering sandbags to stave off water that was 2 inches (5 centimeters) from entering his home. Haiti reports cholera deaths for first time in 3 years PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s government on Sunday announced that at least eight people have died from cholera, raising concerns about a potentially fast-spreading scenario and reviving memories of an epidemic that killed nearly 10,000 people a decade ago. The cases – the first cholera deaths reported in three years – came in a community called Dekayet in southern Port-au-Prince and in the gang-controlled seaside slum of Cite de Soleil, where thousands of people live in cramped, unsanitary conditions. “Cholera is something that can spread very, very quickly,” warned Laure Adrien, director general of Haiti’s health ministry. Food or water contaminated with the cholera bacteria can lead to severe diarrhea and dehydration that can be deadly. The United Nations said in a statement that it is working with Haiti’s government to “mount an emergency response to this potential outbreak,” stressing that health teams need to be guaranteed safe access to areas where cases have been reported. Ousted Burkina Faso leader leaves country for Togo OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Burkina Faso’s ousted coup leader Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba left the country for Togo Sunday two days after he himself was overthrown in a coup, while the new junta urged citizens not to loot or vandalize. Damiba’s departure was confirmed by two diplomats who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. It was not known whether Togo was his final destination. Earlier Sunday, religious leaders who had mediated between the factions said that Damiba had offered his resignation as long as his security and other conditions were met. A junta representative later announced on state television that their leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traore, officially has been named head of state following the Friday coup that ousted Damiba. Their power grab marked Burkina Faso’s second military coup this year, deepening fears that the political chaos could divert attention from an Islamic insurgency whose violence has killed thousands and forced 2 million to flee their homes. It followed unrest in Ouagadougou, the capital, in which mobs on Saturday attacked the French embassy and other French-related sites, wrongly believing that they were sheltering Damiba. Along with agreeing not to harm or prosecute him, Damiba also asked Traore and the new junta leadership to respect the commitments already made to the West African regional...

Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit Announces Winter 2023 U.S. Tour Dates – https://digitalalabamanews.com/jason-isbell-and-the-400-unit-announces-winter-2023-u-s-tour-dates/ Katherine Gilliam October 2nd, 2022 – 6:24 PM Alternative indie band Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit have announced tour dates for the bands’ Winter 2023 U.S. tour after the cancellation of a few dates earlier in 2022 due to complications from Covid-19. The band will conduct a 12-day run from late January to early February in often-overlooked cities in the United States, such as Mobile, Alabama on January 25 and Saginaw, Michigan on January 29. As the band closes up the European leg of their tour, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will start on December 17 in Atlanta, Georgia @ Fox Theatre, and then make their way to Orlando, Florida on January 19 to perform at the Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center. They will then travel throughout the United States until their final performance of the tour in Ashland, KY @ Paramount Arts Center on February 3. Accompanying the band on all 2023 tour dates is Peter One of the country-folk duo Jess Sah Bah & Peter One. All tickets, besides those for Florida performances, are now available for sale on Ticketmaster; tickets for concerts in Florida will be available on October 7th later this month. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit 2022-2023 Tour Dates: 09/30 – Memphis, TN @ Mempho Music Festival 10/01-10/02 – Florence, AL @ ShoalsFest 10/15 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 10/16 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 10/18 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 10/19 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 10/21 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 10/22 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 10/23 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 11/06 – Stockholm, SE @ Stockholm Waterfront 11/07 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene 11/08 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene 11/09 – Copenhagen, DE @ Vega 11/10 – Berlin, DE @ Festaal Kreuzberg 11/12 – Antwerp, BE @ De Roma 11/13 – Cologne, DE @ Gloria Theater 11/14 – Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso 11/15 – Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso 11/17 – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo 11/18 – Manchester, UK @ 02 Apollo Manchester 11/19 – Dublin, IE @ Olympia Theatre 12/17 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre 01/19 – Orlando, FL @ Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center 01/20 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall 01/21 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live 01/23 – Fort Myers, FL @ Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall 01/25 – Mobile, AL @ Saenger Theatre Mobile 01/27 – Evansville, IN @ Victory Theatre 01/28 – Shipshewana, IN @ Blue Gate Theatre 01/29 – Saginaw, MI @ Temple Theatre 01/31 – Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center 02/01 – Greensboro, NC @ Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts 02/02 – Richmond, KY @ EKU Center for the Arts 02/03 – Ashland, KY @ Paramount Arts Center Jason Isbell,  John Paul White, and Paula Cole released a collaborative new album, For The Birds, last month on September 21. For more information, check out this article. Jason Isbell was recently featured as a guitarist with Maren Morris on Amanda Shires’ new song “Empty Cups.” Listen to the song here. Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz Read More…

AP News Summary At 8:44 P.m. EDT https://digitalalabamanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-844-p-m-edt/ Brazil election authority: Bolsonaro, Lula headed to runoff RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the leftist Workers’ Party has gotten the most votes in Brazil’s presidential election, but not enough to avoid a runoff vote against his far-right rival, incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. With 97% of the votes tallied, da Silva 47.9% support and Bolsonaro 43.6%. Since neither candidate received more than 50% of the valid votes, which exclude spoiled and blank ballots, a second round vote between them will be scheduled for Oct. 30. The highly polarized election will determine whether the country returns a leftist to the helm of the world’s fourth-largest democracy or keeps the far-right leader in office for another four years. 10 torture sites in 1 town: Russia sowed pain, fear in Izium IZIUM, Ukraine (AP) — An Associated Press investigation has found that Russian torture in the Ukrainian town of Izium was arbitrary, widespread and absolutely routine for both civilians and soldiers. AP journalists located 10 torture sites in the town, including a deep sunless pit in a residential compound, a clammy underground jail that reeked of urine, a medical clinic, and a kindergarten. AP also spoke to 15 survivors of Russian torture and confirmed the deaths of eight men. All but one were civilians. The AP also found a former Ukrainian soldier who was tortured three times hiding in a monastery, and connected him with loved ones. The town has now been liberated by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine presses on with counteroffensive; Russia uses drones KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has attacked the Ukrainian president’s hometown with suicide drones. This comes as Ukraine has pushed ahead with its counteroffensive that has embarrassed the Kremlin. Ukraine took back control of the strategic eastern city of Lyman, which Russia had been using as a transport and logistics hub. That’s a new blow to the Kremlin as it seeks to escalate the war by illegally annexing four regions of Ukraine. Photos circulating online pointed to some battlefield movement for Ukraine, showing Ukrainian soldiers entering what appeared to be newly retaken settlements in the south and east. Pope Francis, meanwhile, on Sunday decried Russia’s nuclear threats against the West and appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop “this spiral of violence and death.” 125 die as tear gas triggers crush at Indonesia soccer match MALANG, Indonesia (AP) — Police firing tear gas after an Indonesian soccer match in an attempt to stop violence triggered a disastrous crush of fans that has left at least 125 people dead. Attention immediately focused on police crowd-control measures at Saturday night’s match between host Arema FC of East Java’s Malang city and Persebaya Surabaya. Witnesses described officers beating them with sticks and shields before shooting tear gas canisters directly into the crowds. President Joko Widodo ordered an investigation of security procedures and the president of FIFA called the deaths “a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension.” While FIFA has no control over domestic games, it has advised against the use of tear gas at soccer stadiums. Feds vow major aid for Hurricane Ian victims amid rescues FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — U.S. officials say they are vowing to unleash a massive amount of federal aid in response to Hurricane Ian as the death toll rises amid recovery efforts. Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell said Sunday that the government is ready to provide help days after Ian came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane and carved a deadly path of destruction through Florida and into the Carolinas. The monster storm killed at least 54 people, including 47 in Florida, and hundreds of thousands of people and businesses remain without power. Officials warn that flooding could still worsen in parts of Florida because all the rain that fell has nowhere to go, with waterways already overflowing. Ian is long gone but water keeps rising in central Florida GENEVA, Fla. (AP) — Residents living in parts of central Florida donned fishing waders, boots and bug spray and canoed or kayaked their way to their homes on streets where floodwaters continued rising Sunday despite it being four days since Hurricane Ian tore through the state. The waters flooded homes and streets that had been passable just a day or two earlier. Ben Bertat found 4 inches of water in his house by Lake Harney off North Jungle street in a rural part of Seminole County north of Orlando after kayaking to it Sunday morning. Only a day earlier, there had been no water. Haiti reports cholera deaths for first time in 3 years PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s government says at least eight people have died from cholera for the first time in three years, raising concerns about a potentially rapid spreading scenario and reviving memories of an epidemic that killed nearly 10,000 people a decade ago. The cases were reported in a community called Dekayet in southern Port-au-Prince and in the seaside slum of Cite de Soleil, where thousands of people live in cramped, unsanitary conditions. The deaths announced Sunday come as a lack of fuel and ongoing protests shut down the availability of basic services across Haiti, including medical care and clean water, which is key to helping fight cholera and keep patients alive. Ousted Burkina Faso leader leaves country for Togo OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Diplomats say that Burkina Faso’s ousted coup leader Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba has left the country and headed to Togo. Mediators had said earlier Sunday that Damiba agreed to resign so long as his security and other conditions are met. The junta now in charge in Burkina Faso earlier in the day had declared that Capt. Ibrahim Traore was head of state. The formal announcement came after the new coup on Friday, the country’s second this year. Damiba, who came to power in a January coup, saw his popularity plummet as violence linked to Islamic extremists continued across the country. AP Top 25: Tide retakes No. 1 from UGA; Kansas snaps drought Alabama reclaimed No. 1 from Georgia in The Associated Press college football poll in one of the closest votes in the recent years. Two points separate the Crimson Tide from the Bulldogs. Six teams including Kansas made their season debut in the AP Top 25. The Jayhawks are ranked for the first time since 2009, which was the longest drought among current Power Five conference teams. The Crimson Tide received 25 first-place votes and 1,523 points. Georgia got 28 first-place votes to become the first team since Alabama in November 2019 to have the most first-place votes but not be No. 1. Trump: ‘King’ to some in Pennsylvania, but will it help GOP? MONONGAHELA, Pa. (AP) — The enthusiasm for Donald Trump’s brand of nationalist populism has cut into traditional Democratic strongholds in places such as Monongahela in western Pennsylvania. That’s where House Republicans recently outlined their election-year campaign agenda, called  “Commitment to America.” They’re hoping they can tap into the same political sentiment Trump used to attract voters. But it’s not clear whether the support that propelled Trump to the White House will be there on Election Day this November. Just as challenging for the Republican Party is whether Trump’s false claims of voter fraud will hurt the GOP if voters decide to sit out the election. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More…

Republican Tepid On Trump In Nevada Gubernatorial Debate https://digitalalabamanews.com/republican-tepid-on-trump-in-nevada-gubernatorial-debate/ Published Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022 | 5:38 p.m. Updated 3 minutes ago RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada’s Republican gubernatorial candidate, Joe Lombardo, sought in a debate on Sunday to distance himself from former President Donald Trump over his lies about the 2020 election, but said Trump’s policies were better than those under the Biden administration, which he blames for inflation and rising interest rates. “It’s an abysmal failure. In my opinion Trump moved the country forward,” Lombardo said. But when asked whether Trump was “a great president,” Lombardo hesitated, saying, “I wouldn’t say great, I think he was a sound president.” Lombardo said he was bothered by Trump’s false claims of a stolen election, saying that he was “not shying away from that” and agreeing that Trump lying about election fraud undermined the confidence of the voters. Trump is scheduled to campaign for Lombardo next weekend, setting up a potentially awkward meeting. The debate with incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak was a mostly cordial exchange animated by subjects that are defining midterm races across the country: abortion rights, the economy and inflation, education and crime, which by some measures is up in the Las Vegas area where Lombardo has spent his career in law enforcement and has served as sheriff since 2015. A third of registered voters in Nevada are Democrats, while nonpartisan voters barely edge out Republicans, making the contest among the nation’s most closely watched. Nonpartisan registration has outpaced both major parties this year and Democratic registration has largely stalled, with some switching their registration to Republican. ABORTION Echoing efforts by Democrats nationwide, Sisolak sought to make abortion access a campaign centerpiece, saying voters “have a clear choice in this race.” It’s a tricky topic for Lombardo, who has touted since the Republican primary that he would govern through a “pro-life lens” but has flip-flopped on certain measures. Sisolak is a staunch supporter of abortion rights and has worked to make Nevada a safe haven for the procedure as neighboring Utah, Arizona and Idaho have restricted access. He has attempted to paint Lombardo as an anti-abortion extremist. A big screen outside the debate said “Joe Lombardo wants to ban contraception.” Lombardo will keep contraceptives “accessible,” he said on his website in a 106-word explanation for his abortion stance that during the primary race had three words: “Joe is pro-life.” Lombardo told KRNV-TV that he would overturn Sisolak’s June executive order that protects out-of-state abortion patients and in-state providers. Days later, he told The Associated Press only that he would view it through a “pro-life lens” but did not cite specific action. In a letter posted on his website last week, he said that he would uphold the order. Earlier this month, Lombardo said he would oppose a national abortion ban proposed by South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham. Lombardo specified Sunday that he supports laws that require parents to be notified if a minor is having an abortion and legislation to require a waiting period between consultation and abortion. He said he does not support mandatory ultrasounds. A state law allows abortions up to 24 weeks into pregnancy. Lombardo said “there’s nothing the governor can do” to change that law. Sisolak scoffed at a question about whether he supports abortions at 28, 30 or 32 weeks. He said it was a “volatile” question to ask, given that the vast majority of abortions occur before 21 weeks, and called it “political theater.” CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY Sisolak has the final say on criminal justice bills that come out of Carson City. Lombardo implements those laws in Clark County. Lombardo said crime decreased for six years there but has climbed in the last two years, which he blamed on a Democratic-controlled state government that has passed “soft-on-crime legislation,” including a law that raised the dollar amount for a theft to be considered a felony from $650 to $1,200 and increased the weight of drugs that qualify for felony trafficking. Debate moderator Jon Ralston, CEO of the Nevada Independent, noted that Lombardo’s sheriff’s department was neutral on the bill. Lombardo said his department had to compromise, “knowing that it was still bad legislation.” Ralston noted that Sisolak once called Lombardo the “best sheriff in America.” But Sisolak said Lombardo’s policies have changed as he sought the governor’s office. “People are not safer today than they were eight years ago,” when Lombardo became sheriff, he said. “I met with a roundtable of local businesses, who told me one of the main problems they have is burglary. They can’t get (Las Vegas police) to even respond to burglary because it’s so far down on their list.” Lombardo said that was “absolutely false,” and that criminal justice reforms mean police have more burglaries to respond to. ECONOMY The Democratic governor defended his decision to close nonessential businesses at the start of the pandemic. He said he remembered looking at the Las Vegas Strip and “knowing that if I signed this executive order I’m gonna shut down the Strip, (and) put 250,000 people out of work.” “Those lives were more important to me,” said Sisolak, who is endorsed by the Nevada Chamber of Commerce. “The economy came back. Those lives we could never regain. There’s 11,051 empty seats at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner right now.” Lombardo has criticized the longevity of school and business closures and Sisolak’s determinations about which businesses were essential, calling it “too draconian.” “We didn’t have to be a beta agency or a beta state or a beta department. You can rely on what other people are doing in other states that were showing success,” he said. “I believe the governor just solely relied on what (California Gov.) Gavin Newsom advised him.” EDUCATION Lombardo and Sisolak both said they support raising teacher pay. Lombardo said he would back a raise tied to the Consumer Price Index of around 2-3%, but said the exact amount would be negotiated. Sisolak said he would increase starting teacher pay and negotiate raises “north of 3%.” The sheriff said he would restore a provision in Nevada’s “Read by Grade 3” program that holds back third graders who don’t read at grade level, and supports an expansion of charter schools, which teachers’ unions oppose. Lombardo, like other Republicans, strongly supports voucher programs that provide public money for students to attend private schools, and said parents should have options besides “failing schools.” Nevada has long placed near the bottom of national education rankings. The Clark County School District, with 326,000 students, is the fifth in size nationally and has weathered staff shortages. Lombardo has indicated he would consider breaking up CCSD. Sisolak said the state can’t afford to drain funding from the cash-strapped public school system, noting that private schools “don’t have to take the students that are more expensive to teach,” such as those with learning disabilities or English learners. ___ Associated Press writer Juliet Williams in San Francisco contributed to this report. ___ Stern is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit program that places journalists in newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Read More…

AP News Summary At 8:44 P.m. EDT https://digitalalabamanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-844-p-m-edt-2/ Brazil election authority: Bolsonaro, Lula headed to runoff RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the leftist Workers’ Party has gotten the most votes in Brazil’s presidential election, but not enough to avoid a runoff vote against his far-right rival, incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. With 97% of the votes tallied, da Silva 47.9% support and Bolsonaro 43.6%. Since neither candidate received more than 50% of the valid votes, which exclude spoiled and blank ballots, a second round vote between them will be scheduled for Oct. 30. The highly polarized election will determine whether the country returns a leftist to the helm of the world’s fourth-largest democracy or keeps the far-right leader in office for another four years. 10 torture sites in 1 town: Russia sowed pain, fear in Izium IZIUM, Ukraine (AP) — An Associated Press investigation has found that Russian torture in the Ukrainian town of Izium was arbitrary, widespread and absolutely routine for both civilians and soldiers. AP journalists located 10 torture sites in the town, including a deep sunless pit in a residential compound, a clammy underground jail that reeked of urine, a medical clinic, and a kindergarten. AP also spoke to 15 survivors of Russian torture and confirmed the deaths of eight men. All but one were civilians. The AP also found a former Ukrainian soldier who was tortured three times hiding in a monastery, and connected him with loved ones. The town has now been liberated by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine presses on with counteroffensive; Russia uses drones KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has attacked the Ukrainian president’s hometown with suicide drones. This comes as Ukraine has pushed ahead with its counteroffensive that has embarrassed the Kremlin. Ukraine took back control of the strategic eastern city of Lyman, which Russia had been using as a transport and logistics hub. That’s a new blow to the Kremlin as it seeks to escalate the war by illegally annexing four regions of Ukraine. Photos circulating online pointed to some battlefield movement for Ukraine, showing Ukrainian soldiers entering what appeared to be newly retaken settlements in the south and east. Pope Francis, meanwhile, on Sunday decried Russia’s nuclear threats against the West and appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop “this spiral of violence and death.” 125 die as tear gas triggers crush at Indonesia soccer match MALANG, Indonesia (AP) — Police firing tear gas after an Indonesian soccer match in an attempt to stop violence triggered a disastrous crush of fans that has left at least 125 people dead. Attention immediately focused on police crowd-control measures at Saturday night’s match between host Arema FC of East Java’s Malang city and Persebaya Surabaya. Witnesses described officers beating them with sticks and shields before shooting tear gas canisters directly into the crowds. President Joko Widodo ordered an investigation of security procedures and the president of FIFA called the deaths “a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension.” While FIFA has no control over domestic games, it has advised against the use of tear gas at soccer stadiums. Feds vow major aid for Hurricane Ian victims amid rescues FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — U.S. officials say they are vowing to unleash a massive amount of federal aid in response to Hurricane Ian as the death toll rises amid recovery efforts. Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell said Sunday that the government is ready to provide help days after Ian came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane and carved a deadly path of destruction through Florida and into the Carolinas. The monster storm killed at least 54 people, including 47 in Florida, and hundreds of thousands of people and businesses remain without power. Officials warn that flooding could still worsen in parts of Florida because all the rain that fell has nowhere to go, with waterways already overflowing. Ian is long gone but water keeps rising in central Florida GENEVA, Fla. (AP) — Residents living in parts of central Florida donned fishing waders, boots and bug spray and canoed or kayaked their way to their homes on streets where floodwaters continued rising Sunday despite it being four days since Hurricane Ian tore through the state. The waters flooded homes and streets that had been passable just a day or two earlier. Ben Bertat found 4 inches of water in his house by Lake Harney off North Jungle street in a rural part of Seminole County north of Orlando after kayaking to it Sunday morning. Only a day earlier, there had been no water. Haiti reports cholera deaths for first time in 3 years PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s government says at least eight people have died from cholera for the first time in three years, raising concerns about a potentially rapid spreading scenario and reviving memories of an epidemic that killed nearly 10,000 people a decade ago. The cases were reported in a community called Dekayet in southern Port-au-Prince and in the seaside slum of Cite de Soleil, where thousands of people live in cramped, unsanitary conditions. The deaths announced Sunday come as a lack of fuel and ongoing protests shut down the availability of basic services across Haiti, including medical care and clean water, which is key to helping fight cholera and keep patients alive. Ousted Burkina Faso leader leaves country for Togo OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Diplomats say that Burkina Faso’s ousted coup leader Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba has left the country and headed to Togo. Mediators had said earlier Sunday that Damiba agreed to resign so long as his security and other conditions are met. The junta now in charge in Burkina Faso earlier in the day had declared that Capt. Ibrahim Traore was head of state. The formal announcement came after the new coup on Friday, the country’s second this year. Damiba, who came to power in a January coup, saw his popularity plummet as violence linked to Islamic extremists continued across the country. AP Top 25: Tide retakes No. 1 from UGA; Kansas snaps drought Alabama reclaimed No. 1 from Georgia in The Associated Press college football poll in one of the closest votes in the recent years. Two points separate the Crimson Tide from the Bulldogs. Six teams including Kansas made their season debut in the AP Top 25. The Jayhawks are ranked for the first time since 2009, which was the longest drought among current Power Five conference teams. The Crimson Tide received 25 first-place votes and 1,523 points. Georgia got 28 first-place votes to become the first team since Alabama in November 2019 to have the most first-place votes but not be No. 1. Trump: ‘King’ to some in Pennsylvania, but will it help GOP? MONONGAHELA, Pa. (AP) — The enthusiasm for Donald Trump’s brand of nationalist populism has cut into traditional Democratic strongholds in places such as Monongahela in western Pennsylvania. That’s where House Republicans recently outlined their election-year campaign agenda, called  “Commitment to America.” They’re hoping they can tap into the same political sentiment Trump used to attract voters. But it’s not clear whether the support that propelled Trump to the White House will be there on Election Day this November. Just as challenging for the Republican Party is whether Trump’s false claims of voter fraud will hurt the GOP if voters decide to sit out the election. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More…

Officials Assess Massive Hurricane Damage As Florida Begins Long Recovery https://digitalalabamanews.com/officials-assess-massive-hurricane-damage-as-florida-begins-long-recovery/ “They will never look the same again, these are communities that have basically been wiped out,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on CNN’s State of the Union when discussing the damage to Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island in Lee County. The fury of the storm prompted a mammoth rescue effort that had resulted in saving more than 1,600 survivors, with both the Florida National Guard and U.S. Coast Guard landing helicopters on barrier islands in order to search for those left stranded. DeSantis told reporters during a late afternoon briefing on Sunday that the hurricane damaged areas were the site of the largest mobilization of search and rescue teams in the United States since the 9/11 attacks. More than 794,000 home and businesses remained without power by mid-Sunday afternoon — most of them located in the hard-hit counties of southwest Florida, where a wall of water left some communities in complete devastation. Florida Power & Light — the state’s largest utility has restored power to 1.6 million customers — but in a timeline released this weekend suggested it could take up to another week to restore power to 95 percent of those customers living in the area that took the brunt of the impact from Hurricane Ian. DeSantis, who spoke in Arcadia, a small town located in an interior Southwest Florida county, acknowledged there were places that would require a complete rebuild of electric utility infrastructure. “There’s still flooding in places they would need to go to reconnect some of the power lines,” DeSantis said Sunday. Both the Miami Herald and Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported on Sunday that some residents in places such as Pine Island and Cape Coral were pleading for help on social media. There has already been attention focused on whether Lee County officials called on residents to evacuate vulnerable areas in a timely manner. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno defended their actions at a Sunday press conference. The storm made landfall Wednesday near Fort Myers in Lee County as a Category 4 hurricane. “Everyone wants to focus on a plan that might have been done differently,” Marceno said. “Well I’m going to tell you, I stand 100% with my county commissioners, my county manager — we did what we had to do. At the exact same time, I wouldn’t have changed anything. And I know being in those meetings from the very minute — this storm was very unpredictable… We weren’t even in the projected path or cone.” The vast majority of fatalities are in Lee County. Florida reported at least 30 of the 44 deaths were in Marceno’s county. The state on Saturday began distributing pallets of water, ice and food to residents at several distribution sites. State emergency officials said they had handed out more than 829,000 ready to eat meals and 3.8 million bottles of water. But a big problem remains the number of people who live in locations that are not easily accessible by car. DeSantis said that the Florida Department of Transportation plans to begin construction of temporary bridge to Pine Island, the largest barrier island on Florida’s Gulf coast, which was home to an estimated 9,000 residents before the storm. DeSantis acknowledged that this would be a stop-gap remedy, saying that cars would have to travel no faster than 5 miles per hour in order to use the temporary bridge once it’s finished. The devastation left behind by Ian has prompted both Rubio and Sen. Rick Scott to discuss the need for supplemental funding. “We do have to provide disaster aid,” Scott (R-Fla.) said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And whether that’s for a hurricane, or whether that’s for flooding, or whether that’s for wildfires, we’ve got to do that.” Rubio, asked whether he would support a bill for relief bill including funding for seemingly unrelated projects, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” he would “fight against it having pork.” Congress is “capable” of passing a relief bill “without using it as a vehicle or a mechanism for people to load it up with stuff that’s unrelated to the storm,” Rubio said. The senator voted against relief for Northeastern states for Hurricane Sandy in 2012, but defended that vote Sunday as against provisions in the bill that were not proximate enough to disaster relief. Scott, a former governor of Florida, avoided making judgment on the actions of local officials in Lee County, which did not send an evacuation order to its residents until Tuesday; several nearby jurisdictions issued evacuation orders Monday. “It’s something we’ll have to look at,” Scott said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” DeSantis has said those officials acted appropriately. Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson defended local officials’ actions Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “Warnings for hurricane season start in June, and so there’s a degree of personal responsibility here. I think the county acted appropriately,” Anderson said. Some people “will not heed the warnings regardless,” he added. Asked if the storm was made worse because of the impact of climate change, Criswell acknowledged “we’re seeing an increase” in the number and intensity of storms, as well as the rain associated with storms. But “right now, we are very focused on the impacts, regardless of what caused it,” she added. Read More…

Stock Futures Turn Slightly Positive After Dow, S&P 500 Cap Worst Month Since March 2020 https://digitalalabamanews.com/stock-futures-turn-slightly-positive-after-dow-sp-500-cap-worst-month-since-march-2020/ Traders on the floor of the NYSE, Sept 7, 2022. Source: NYSE Stock futures rose slightly in overnight trading Sunday after Wall Street wrapped up another negative quarter and both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average finished their worst month since March 2020. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 100 points, or 0.35%, while S&P 500 added 0.22%. Nasdaq 100 futures traded flat. Friday capped off a negative month and quarter for all the major averages, with the Dow falling 500.10 points, or 1.71%, to close below 29,000 for the first time since November 2020. For the quarter, the Dow fell 6.66% to notch a three-quarter losing streak for the first time since the third quarter of 2015. Both the S&P and Nasdaq Composite fell 5.28% and 4.11%, respectively, to finish their third consecutive negative quarter for the first time since 2009. The Dow shed 8.8% in September, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite lost 9.3% and 10.5%, respectively. All the major averages also recorded their sixth negative week in seven. Heading into the new quarter, all S&P 500 sectors sit at least 10% off their 52-week highs. Nine sectors finished the quarter in negative territory. Consumer discretionary was the best performer, gaining more than 4.1%. In the fourth quarter, elevated inflation and a Federal Reserve intent on bringing surging prices to a halt regardless of what it means for the economy will likely continue to weigh on markets, said Truist’s Keith Lerner. Oversold conditions, however, also make the market vulnerable to a sharp short-term bounce on good news, he added. “I think we could be set up for some type of reprieve but the underlying trend at this point is still a downward trend and choppy waters to continue,” Lerner said. On the economic front, Markit PMI and ISM manufacturing data are slated for release on Monday along with construction spending. Data suggests bigger S&P 500 drawdowns offer a greater potential return, LPL Financial’s Gilbert says Markets have sold off heavily this year with the S&P 500 starting October down nearly 25%. While the outlook is murky ahead, historical data analyzed by LPL Financial’s Barry Gilbert indicates that the average one-year return on the S&P 500 improves the more significant the pullback. According to Gilbert, the one-year average return increases steadily beyond a 10% pullback in the market and as the selloff worsens. When the market is down between 20% and 25% — in line with current times — the return is 11.5% on average one year later. “When markets are down, the natural bias is to sell,” he said in a note to clients Friday. “But looking at history, the more the S&P 500 is down, the better it does in the next year, on average.” — Samantha Subin Where all the major averages stand as the fourth quarter begins The final quarter of 2022 is set to kick off Monday and cap off what’s been a brutal year for the markets. Here’s where all the major averages stand ahead of Monday’s trading session. Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 20.95% for the year Sits 22.26% off its 52-week highs Finished its worst month since March 2020 Capped its third consecutive down quarter for the first time since the third quarter of 2015 S&P 500: Down 24.77% this year 25.59% off its 52-week high Finished its worst month since March 2020 Closed out its third negative quarter in a row for the first time since its six-quarter streak that ended the first quarter of 2009 Nasdaq Composite: Down 27.4% this year 34.77% off its 52-week highs September marked its worst month since April 2022 Finished its third consecutive negative quarter in a row for the first time since its three-quarter streak ending the first period of 2009.  — Chris Hayes, Samantha Subin Stock futures open slightly lower Stocks futures opened slightly lower in overnight trading on Sunday. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 15 points, or 0.05%, while S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures shed 0.19% and 0.42%, respectively. — Samantha Subin Read More…

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles Rally To Stay Unbeaten https://digitalalabamanews.com/jalen-hurts-philadelphia-eagles-rally-to-stay-unbeaten/ The NFL’s only undefeated team trailed the Jacksonville Jaguars by 14 points one quarter into its game on Sunday. But despite losing two offensive-line starters along the way, the Philadelphia Eagles rallied for a 29-21 victory to improve to 4-0. “We persevered,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said. “We were unwavering in how we played. Nothing was able to deny us. I’m so proud of how this team played, how we handled the conditions outside. You got crosswinds going 20 to 30 miles per hour, it’s in the 50s and it’s raining sideways, and we were able to be pretty efficient in everything we did. That’s a great team win. … MORE NFL: · JOHN METCHIE III: ‘I KNEW GOD HAD A PLAN FOR ME’ · NFL TO CHANGE CONCUSSION PROTOCOL IN WAKE OF TUA TAGOVAILOA INCIDENT “We look at this game, and we see there’s some bad in it. We see that there’re some things that can definitely be fixed. But we also look at this and found out a lot about this football team, I think, just in terms of being able to persevere, being steadfast and controlling what we could.” Philadelphia started digging its hole when Jaguars safety Andre Cisco returned Hurts’ second interception of the season 59 yards for a touchdown to end the Eagles’ first possession. Jacksonville scored the next time it had the football, too, with an 80-yard touchdown drive to go ahead 14-0. But Philadelphia had the lead by halftime with three consecutive touchdown series in the second quarter. Hurts scored the first touchdown on a 3-yard, fourth-down scramble. Running back Miles Sanders did most of the work on the way to his 10-yard touchdown carry as he went for 134 yards and two TDs on 27 rushing attempts in the game. Kenneth Gainwell also had a 10-yard run to complete the third touchdown drive, which also included another successful fourth-down run by Hurts. “I think that was the most beautiful thing right there: Nothing needed to be said,” Hurts said about the Eagles’ comeback. “There was no come-to-Jesus moment. It was, ‘Hey, we built ourselves for this. And we want to have that type of mentality, so let’s find out what type of team we are.’ “And we answered the bell today. This is just the beginning. We have a long way to go.” The former Alabama standout finished the game 16-of-25 passing for 204 yards with no touchdowns and one interception and ran for 38 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. Hurts got charged with a fumble when the snap came before he was ready, but Philadelphia recovered the loose football. On the hand, Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence lost four fumbles in the game at rainy and windy Lincoln Financial Field. The final fumble came with 1:48 to play, snuffing out the Jaguars’ last chance to rally. “(Hurts) knows how important it is to take care of the football, and he can do it,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “He can go out there and execute it and take care of the football, so it’s huge because that’s such a key to winning and losing games. I think that even elevates when it’s messy outside.” The Eagles have a 4-0 record for the first time since 2004. That season, Philadelphia won its first seven games on its way to winning the NFC championship before a 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX. The Eagles visit the Arizona Cardinals at 3:25 p.m. CDT Oct. 9. FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

Colorado Fires Coach Karl Dorrell After 0-5 Start https://digitalalabamanews.com/colorado-fires-coach-karl-dorrell-after-0-5-start/ Sports Updated: Oct. 02, 2022, 3:44 p.m.| Published: Oct. 02, 2022, 3:24 p.m. Colorado football coach Karl Dorrell was fired Sunday after an 0-5 start to the 2022 season. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)AP Colorado has fired third-year football coach Karl Dorrell, the school announced Sunday. Dorrell’s firing comes a day after the Buffaloes lost 43-20 to Arizona to fall to 0-5 this season and 8-16 during his tenure. Colorado has been outscored 216-67, allowing at least 38 points in every game. “I want to thank Karl for his hard work in leading our program since 2020,” athletics director Rick George said. “Ultimately, however, the results on the field just did not measure up to our expectations and standards, which made it necessary for us to make this change at this time. It was an extremely difficult decision and I wish Karl all of the best in his future endeavors.” Dorrell was hired in 2020 after Mel Tucker left for Michigan State following just one season at Colorado. The Buffaloes went 4-2 during the abbreviated COVID season, then fell to 4-8 in 2021. The 59-year-old Dorrell was previously head coach at UCLA from 2003-07, posting a 35-27 record. He was also offensive coordinator at Northern Arizona (1990-91), Colorado (1995-98), Washington (1999) and Vanderbilt (2014), and worked as a quarterbacks or wide receivers coach on several NFL staffs. Dorrell is the fourth Power 5 conference coach fired in as many weeks, following Nebraska’s Scott Frost (Sept. 11), Arizona State’s Herm Edwards (Sept. 18) and Georgia Tech’s Geoff Collins (Sept. 25). Auburn’s Bryan Harsin and West Virginia’s Neal Brown are also firmly on the hot seat as the second month of the 2022 season begins. Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford, Western Kentucky’s head coach in 2017-18, has been installed as Colorado’s interim coach. Buffaloes defensive coordinator Chris Wilson was fired along with Dorrell. Colorado has an open date before hosting California on Oct. 15. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

Maggie Haberman: Trump https://digitalalabamanews.com/maggie-haberman-trump/ October 02, 2022 06:49 PM Reporter Maggie Haberman shared her thoughts on the possibility of former President Donald Trump running for reelection in 2024. Haberman has covered Trump for at least 11 years, accumulating in a new book she’s releasing soon on the former president called “Confidence Man.” CBS News Anchor John Dickerson asked Haberman in an interview that aired Sunday for her view on whether Trump will run again. Haberman warned that she did not know the answer for certain, she believed the former president had put himself in a position where he has no choice but to run. “I think he’s backed himself into a corner where he has to run,” Haberman said. “I think that he needs the protections that running for president [he thinks] would afford him in combating investigations that he calls a ‘witch hunt.’” TRUMP AT CENTER OF OATH KEEPERS NOVEL DEFENSE IN JAN. 6 CASE Trump has reportedly referred to Haberman his “psychiatrist,” despite his previous public outbursts decrying her reporting. Most recently, Haberman claimed Trump threatened to obtain her phone records to reveal her sources. Despite the disagreements with Haberman and other reporters, the former president hasn’t turned down an opportunity to sit down with prominent journalists writing books on him. “[Politics are] the way that he fundraises and makes money. So much of his identity now is about being a politician,” Haberman said. “So, I expect that he will run. That doesn’t mean that even if he declares a candidacy, that he will stay in the whole time.” “It’s obvious to me he saw the presidency the ultimate vehicle to fame.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Trump held a rally in Michigan Saturday night, where he made headlines for thanking Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who told the House Jan. 6 select committee in testimony this week that she still believed the 2020 election was stolen through widespread voter fraud. Read More…