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AP News Summary At 11:05 A.m. EDT https://digitalalaskanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-1105-a-m-edt/ Biden turning to Trump-era rule to expel Venezuelan migrants WASHINGTON (AP) — When Joe Biden was running for the White House, he denounced then-President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Biden said Trump’s approach inflicted “cruelty and exclusion at every turn,” including toward those fleeing the “brutal” government of socialist Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Now, with increasing numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, President Biden has turned to an unlikely source for an election-year solution, taking a page from Trump’s own immigration playbook. Biden has invoked a Trump-era rule that Biden’s Justice Department is fighting in court. Biden wants to deny Venezuelans who are fleeing their crisis-torn country the chance to request asylum at the border. China’s Xi calls for military growth as party congress opens BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called for faster military development and announced no change in policies that have strained relations with Washington and tightened the ruling Communist Party’s control over society and the economy. China’s most influential figure in decades spoke at the start of a party meeting Sunday that was closely watched by companies, governments and the Chinese public for signs of its future economic and political direction. It comes amid a painful economic slump and tension with Washington and Asian neighbors over trade, technology and security. The congress will install leaders for the next five years. Xi, 69, is expected to break with tradition and award himself a third five-year term as party leader. Ukraine: Rockets strike mayor’s office in separatist Donetsk KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Pro-Kremlin officials have blamed Ukraine for a rocket attack that struck the mayor’s office in a key Ukrainian city controlled by the separatists. The municipal building in Donetsk was seriously damaged by the rocket attack. Separately, Ukrainian officials said Russian rockets struck a city across from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, injuring six people. Late Saturday, a Washington-based think tank late accused Moscow of conducting “massive, forced deportations of Ukrainians” which it said likely amount to ethnic cleansing. The attacks on both sides came as Russia has lost ground in the nearly seven weeks since Ukraine’s armed forces opened their southern counteroffensive. UK leader Liz Truss goes from triumph to trouble in 6 weeks LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Liz Truss has only been in office for six weeks. But already her libertarian economic policies have triggered a financial crisis, emergency central bank intervention, multiple U-turns and the firing of her Treasury chief. Now Truss faces a mutiny inside the governing Conservative Party that leaves her leadership hanging by a thread. Conservative lawmaker Robert Halfon accused the government Sunday of treating the country like “laboratory mice on which to carry out ultra, ultra free-market experiments.” Conservatives are mulling whether to try to force out their leader. Truss, meanwhile, has appointed a new Treasury chief, Jeremy Hunt, who plans to rip up much of her economic plan when he makes a budget statement Oct. 31. GOP hopefuls turn to Pence to broaden appeal before election NEW YORK (AP) — In Donald Trump’s assessment, his Vice President Mike Pence “committed political suicide” on Jan. 6, 2021. That was the day when Pence refused to go along with Trump’s unconstitutional push to overturn the results of the 2020 election that Trump lost. And that was the day of the Capitol riot. Pence’s decision made him a prime target of Trump’s wrath and a pariah in many Republican circles. But in the final weeks of the 2022 election, Pence has emerged as an in-demand draw for Republican candidates. That includes some candidates who are trying to make moderate appeals after spending much of the primary season courting Trump and parroting his lie that his 2020 race was stolen. Family mourns miner’s death in Turkey, demanding punishment AMASRA, Turkey (AP) — A mother cried at a cemetery beside a freshly-laid mound of earth. She couldn’t process the death of her 33-year-old son Selcuk Ayvaz who was killed in a coal mine explosion in northern Turkey. Friday’s explosion at the state-owned Turkish Hard Coal Enterprise’s mine in the Black Sea town of Amasra killed 41 miners and injured 11. The energy minister said preliminary assessments indicated the tragedy was caused by a firedamp explosion when methane mixes with air and fire. But Ayvaz’s mother Habibe wasn’t appeased. The 63-year-old said she heard there was a gas leak in the mine and questioned why her son was sent into at all. She said “it’s a massacre outright, a massacre.” Iranian officials say Tehran prison blaze killed 4 inmates CAIRO (AP) — Iranian media say a towering blaze at a notorious prison housing political prisoners and anti-government activists in Iran’s capital killed four inmates. That’s according to the country’s judiciary Sunday. Saturday’s fire at Evin Prison in Tehran was extinguished after several hours and no detainees escaped, other state media said. In online videos, gunshots and explosions were heard in the area of Evin. The fire raged as nationwide protests triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody entered a fifth week. Iranian rights activists have challenged state media claims over the cause of the fire and apparent explosions at the prison. In Wisconsin, voters shrug off GOP candidate’s Jan. 6 tie LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) — Republicans see a chance to pick up a House seat in southwestern Wisconsin where retired Navy SEAL Derrick Van Orden nearly won two years ago against Democratic incumbent Ron Kind. Now, with the long-time congressman retiring, there’s a path for Van Orden, who has a big money edge over Democratic state Sen. Brad Pfaff. Van Orden has had to weather questions about his presence at the Washington rally held by then-President Donald Trump just before the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Van Orden has said he took no part in the subsequent storming of the building. Some voters in the district say they’re more concerned with economic issues than with what happened on Jan. 6. Religious polarization in India seeping into US diaspora Clashes in India between Hindu nationalists and minority religious groups, particularly Muslims, have sparked tensions online and in person in the Indian American diaspora. Many say communal disharmony back home has strained relationships between Hindu and Muslim expatriates. It has also caused polarization within the Hindu American community. Some Hindu Americans believe the political ideology espoused by Hindu nationalists goes against the philosophy of Hinduism, which recognizes the divinity and oneness of all. Others interpret the cry against Hindu nationalism and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party as “anti-Hindu” or “anti-India” sentiment. Some Hindus and Muslims in the diaspora are working to foster interfaith dialogue to prevent an escalation in tensions. Postal worker holdup leads to muscle car theft ring arrests DETROIT (AP) — Cloned key fobs, high-powered Hellcats and thieves daring police and risking arrest are part of a trend in which vehicles are being stolen from factory lots and dealer showrooms only to be later sold on the street for tens of thousands of dollars less than their worth. A federal complaint says the muscle cars, SUVs and pickups worth $50,000 to more than $100,000 are sold on the street for $3,500 to $15,000. One Ohio-based theft ring came crashing down in June, when an investigation into the holdup of a postal worker led authorities to connect four Cleveland-area men to brazen vehicle thefts in the Detroit area. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here

Postal Worker Holdup Leads To Muscle Car Theft Ring Arrests https://digitalalaskanews.com/postal-worker-holdup-leads-to-muscle-car-theft-ring-arrests/ DETROIT (AP) — Thieves are using cloned key fobs to steal Dodge muscle cars and other high-powered vehicles directly from dealerships and even automakers in Michigan, then selling them for tens of thousands of dollars less than their value, according to authorities and court records. For one Ohio-based theft ring, it all came crashing down after a January holdup of a U.S. postal worker led authorities to connect several men to brazen car thefts in the Detroit area, long home to the country’s biggest automakers, including Dodge, which is now owned by international conglomerate Stellantis. Investigators then discovered that new Chargers, Challengers, Durangos and Ram pickups worth $50,000 to $100,000 were turning up in Ohio, Indianapolis and East Cost shipping ports after being sold on the street for $3,500 to $15,000, according to a criminal complaint. Thieves in the Detroit area are primarily going after Dodge vehicles with Hellcat engines, including Chargers and Challengers — “the fast ones,” Sgt. Jerry Hanna with the Macomb Auto Theft Squad said. “If a patrol car gets them, they are not stopping and they’re faster than patrol cars. They’re 150 mph all day,” he said. Instead of stealing them off the street, they’re driving them straight off dealership and assembly plant lots. Just this year, about a half-dozen vehicles — primarily Dodge Ram TRX pickups — were taken from a lot outside an assembly plant in Macomb County. After security measures were stepped up at some lots with Dodge vehicles, more than a dozen 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor pickup trucks were swiped from a plant lot in June in suburban Dearborn. More than a dozen Ford Mustang’s were stolen in early September from the automaker’s assembly plant in Flat Rock, southeast of Detroit. Thieves have targeted Dodges by using handheld electronic “pro pads” — a locksmith’s tool that can clone keys by plugging into interior ports in the vehicles, according to the federal complaint in the Ohio case. Authorities weren’t looking for stolen vehicles when they stopped Devin Rice on Jan. 31 after a postal worker in Shaker Heights, outside Cleveland, was robbed at gunpoint of a mailbox key. But court records show that a search of his car and then his home turned up not just stolen mail, bogus checks, and credit and debit cards, but also a Ram pickup, a Range Rover SUV and a Dodge with a Hellcat engine — all stolen. Rice and others were indicted in federal court in Ohio in June. Jaylen Harris, Lavelle Jones and Hakim Benjamin are charged with conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen vehicles. Rice, Harris and Jones also are charged with mail theft. Their trials are scheduled next year. Harris’ attorney declined comment. The AP left email and phone messages seeking comment from attorneys for Benjamin, Rice and Jones. Harris told the FBI that he and Jones had been in contact through Instagram with people in the Detroit area to get stolen vehicles, according to the complaint. Harris said those thieves “were also selling to buyers in other areas, including Chicago and Indianapolis,” the complaint said. Videos posted on social media show how the high-horsepower vehicles outpaced and evaded police. A judge stated in a detention order that “Benjamin drove a 2022 Dodge Challenger valued at $95,000 at 120 mph down Ohio’s State Route 2 on a Sunday evening in February.” “Spike strips were eventually needed to remind Benjamin that the law required him to comply with police orders” the judge wrote. About two years ago, police in Ohio’s Ottawa County began noticing the vehicles blasting along state Route 2. The sheriff’s office got calls about reckless driving, Capt. Aaron Leist said. “These cars are going 140-150 mph. All have the Hellcat engines. We had a lot of pursuits. We did not catch them all,” he said. Investigators learned the vehicles mostly were being stolen in the Detroit area and taken to Cleveland. Some also were destined for Memphis, Tennessee, Leist said. “We started working with (Stellantis) in early 2022,” he said. “They would call us and tell us `We have these cars missing.’” A spokeswoman for Stellantis declined to comment. Added security measures at some lots have included concrete barriers, according to law enforcement. Then last fall, a dealership’s showroom northwest of Detroit was broken into. Someone drove a Ram pickup through the building’s glass wall and “all the other cars followed suit,” said Jeff Schneider, general manager at Szott Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Highland Township. “I think they were able to find some keys in a desk drawer and used them,” he added. Police tracked one of the stolen cars, a Durango Hellcat SRT valued at about $100,000, to a suburb northwest of Detroit. The driver had crashed into a brick wall while fleeing. A 2021 Dodge Durango GT, 2021 Dodge Ram TRX and a 2017 Dodge Charger Hellcat SRT were later recovered. Authorities arrested four people. They were not believed to have stolen the vehicles, but to have paid $5,000 for one. “In the Detroit area they are selling them for like $3,500,” Hanna said. “Once they get that money in their pockets they go out and steal another one.” For dealerships and their insurance companies, the cost is high. Even recovered vehicles can’t be sold for what they were once worth. Schneider said his dealership came up with an “old school” solution: parking boots. “It’s a deterrent that works amazingly,” he said. “We put boots on all the Hellcats.” Read More Here

Kharge Vs Tharoor In Cong Prez Race; Stage Set To Elect Non-Gandhi Party Chief After 2 Decades | A Lowdown https://digitalalaskanews.com/kharge-vs-tharoor-in-cong-prez-race-stage-set-to-elect-non-gandhi-party-chief-after-2-decades-a-lowdown/ Last Updated: October 16, 2022, 20:44 IST New Delhi, India The Congress presidential poll is scheduled to take place on October 17, and the results will be declared two days later. (PTI Photos) Over 9,000 delegates for the party’s electoral college will cast their votes at 66 polling booths across the country between 10 am to 4 pm on Monday After years of demands and delays, the stage is finally set for the Congress party presidential election scheduled to take place on Monday, October 17, where senior leaders Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge will face off for the top job. The contest between party veteran Kharge and high-profile MP Tharoor is a crucial one as the party gets set to have a non-Gandhi president in over 24 years. Over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates from the electoral college will pick the party chief in a secret ballot. Voting would also take place at the AICC headquarters in Delhi and at over 65 polling booths across the country between 10 am and 4 pm, in an electoral contest which is taking place for the sixth time in the party’s 137-year history. While party chief Sonia Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to vote at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi will be voting at the Bharat Jodo Yatra campsite in Karnataka’s Sanganakallu in Ballari along with around 40 other Bharat Yatris who are PCC delegates. High Stake election Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge and Thiruvananthapuram MP Dr Shashi Tharoor are two candidates in the fray for the top post in the party. Earlier, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Madhya Pradesh Chie Minister Digvijaya Singh had also announced their candidature for the post. However, while Singh backed out and became the proposer for Kharge, Gehlot had to withdraw after turmoil started in the Rajasthan unit of the party. Kharge is seen to have an edge over Tharoor in the contest for his perceived proximity to the Gandhis and backing by senior leaders. Kharge’s nomination is reportedly backed by several senior party leaders including AK Antony, Ashok Gehlot, Ambika Soni, Mukul Wasnik, Abhishek Singhvi, Ajay Maken, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Digvijaya Singh, Tariq Anwar, Salman Khurshid, Pramod Tiwari, PL Punia, Rajeev Shukla, Prithviraj Chavan, and Manish Tewari. Tharoor has also admitted that in most states, except in Madhya Pradesh recently, senior leaders have rallied behind Kharge and said that the open support to his rival candidate has disturbed the level-playing field. Tharoor, who is building his campaign on “Think Tomorrow, Think Tharoor” tagline on social media, has received the support of young leaders like Sivaganga MP Karti Chidambaram, Kishanganj MP Mohammed Jawed and Nawgong MP Pradyut Bordoloi for his nomination. Tharoor had said that he and Kharge are colleagues and no matter who wins it would be the victory of the party. Kharge had also referred to Tharoor as his younger brother and said there are no differences between them. Furthermore, both candidates and the party have maintained that the Gandhis are neutral and that there is no “official candidate”. Polling process Over 9,000 delegates from the party’s electoral college will cast their votes at 66 polling booths across the country between 10 am to 4 pm on Monday. The delegated will cast their votes with a ‘tick’ mark for the candidate they support, Madhusudan Mistry, Central Election Authority chairman of the Congress, told news agency ANI. As per Mistry, arrangements have been made for smooth polling. After the polling is over, the ballot boxes will be collected and sent to Congress headquarters in Delhi, where the counting of votes will be held on October 19, he added. “Ballot boxes will reach Delhi on October 18 and the counting of votes will be done on October 19. A polling booth was set up at AICC as well, where over 50 people will vote. The whole polling process will be fair and free, no doubt about that,” said Mistry. Special QR-coded ID cards for voters For the first time, Congress’ Central Election Authority has distributed special QR-coded ID cards–on the lines of the Election Commission of India’s voter ID cards– to the delegates. Those delegates who have the QR-coded ID cards will be allowed to cast a vote. The party has enrolled around 6 crore new members. According to Congress’s data department chief, Pravin Chakravati, the ID card has been brought in to ensure transparency. SECRET BALLOT To ensure transparency in the polling process, the voting will take place by way of a secret ballot. The Central Election Authority has dispatched the ballot papers and boxes to the PCC offices, where elaborate arrangements have been made for the polling day. The secret ballot polling process has been adopted to ensure that no one will know who voted for whom. Manifestoes and Promises Both candidates have run an elaborate poll campaigns to woo party voters. The campaign being run by Tharoor is called “ThinkTomorrowThinkTharoor”, while the official theme of Kharge’s campaign is #KarykartaKharge and #KarykartaSeCongressKarykartaKharge Kharge has said that he did not have any separate poll manifesto and his only agenda is to implement the declaration adopted by the party at the Chintan Shivir held in Rajasthan earlier in the year. The Congress had held a three-day brainstorming session ‘Chitan Shivir’ in May in Rajasthan’s Udaipur to evolve the party’s strategy for its overhaul and revival in the wake of a series of electoral defeats. He promised to offer 50 per cent of party posts to those below 50 years of age if he wins the poll. Kharge said he believed in a collective approach and in taking along everyone, including youth and women and would work with all members to take the party to new heights. The octogenarian further said he would take efforts to resolve issues concerning farmers, workers, SC, ST, OBCs, minorities and small businessmen. He also said there should be a fight against PSUs disinvestment, rising unemployment, decline in rupee value, price rise and GST on essential items. Pointing out that the condition in the country is “bad”, Kharge said he is contesting the election for the party president’s post “to fight against the BJP and accused the ruling party of “weakening” autonomous bodies, such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the income tax department. Meanwhile, Tharoor stated that leaders like Kharge cannot bring change and will continue the existing system, and promised to bring change in the party as per the expectations of workers. He suggested that the Congress must rejuvenate itself, particularly by bringing in fresh faces and young blood into its leadership at all levels—village, block, district and state as well as national. The Thiruvananthapuram MP proposed the decentralisation of the organisation and said the Congress must give real authority to the PCC presidents and empower grassroots office-bearers of the party. In his manifesto, he said that the Congress must have a full-time president who is accessible to all and suggested five Vice-Presidents from different regions. Tharoor also pledged to implement the Udaipur declaration including the “one person one post” rule, term limits for party positions, 50% tickets for those under 50, and increased representation for women, youth, SC/ST/OBCs and minorities in party position. Candidates’ Profiles With more than 50 years of experience in politics, Kharge has been elected MLA nine times in a row and is often pitched as a Dalit leader by his party colleagues. Kharge started his political journey as a union leader in his home district of Gulbarga, now Kalaburagi, in Karnataka, and since then has seen a sturdy rise in his political graph. Tharoor, on the other hand, had a high-profile diplomatic career at United Nations before entering politics. He hails from the Nair community of Kerala and has studied at premier institutions in India and the US. (With PTI inputs) Read all the Latest Politics News and Breaking News here Read More Here

Trump Warns American Jews To ‘get Their Act Together’ Amid Low Approval Ratings – Haaretz https://digitalalaskanews.com/trump-warns-american-jews-to-get-their-act-together-amid-low-approval-ratings-haaretz/ Trump warns American Jews to ‘get their act together’ amid low approval ratings  Haaretz Read More Here

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How An Earthquake Jolted The Needs For A Concert Association Into Existence https://digitalalaskanews.com/how-an-earthquake-jolted-the-needs-for-a-concert-association-into-existence/ Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of columns about the history of the Fairbanks Concert Association. It started with an earthquake, not necessarily of the REM kind but one more clearly auspicious. On Sunday, Oct. 19, 1947, sometime around 3:43 p.m. Alaska Standard Time, a tremor registering 6.4 shook the Alaska Territory town of Fairbanks. It was actually an aftershock, as an initial magnitude 7.2 earthquake had occurred the previous Wednesday. Paul Krejci is a Fairbanks-based musician and writer about music in the North. He is a board member of the Fairbanks Concert Association. Read More Here

Kinzinger: Trump Required By Law To Testify Before Jan. 6 Committee https://digitalalaskanews.com/kinzinger-trump-required-by-law-to-testify-before-jan-6-committee/ Former President Donald Trump will be required by law to testify before the Jan. 6 committee when he is called to do so, committee member Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. Driving the news: The Jan. 6 committee on Thursday unanimously voted to issue a subpoena to Trump during their last hearing before the midterms. Jan. 6 committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said Thursday the subpoena would be issued “as soon as we get the paperwork.” Trump on Friday issued a 14-page letter addressed to Thompson in which he recapped critiques of the committee, but didn’t say whether or not he would testify before it. What they’re saying: “He’s required by law to come in, and he can ramble and push back all he wants. That’s the requirement for a congressional subpoena to come in,” Kinzinger said on Sunday. Asked by host George Stephanopoulos if the Justice Department should hold Trump in criminal contempt if he refuses to come in to testify, Kinzinger replied, “that’s a bridge we cross if we have to get there.” “Look, he’s made it clear he has nothing to hide — is what he says — so he should come in on the day we ask him to come in to. If he pushes off beyond that we’ll figure out what to do next.” The big picture: Former Trump adviser Steven Bannon was convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress this summer over his refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the Jan. 6 select committee. Former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro was indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress in June over his refusal to comply with subpoenas from the Jan. 6 committee. His trial is set to begin in November. Go deeper: Jan. 6 committee unanimously votes to subpoena Trump Read More Here

GOP Hopefuls Turn To Pence To Broaden Appeal Before Election https://digitalalaskanews.com/gop-hopefuls-turn-to-pence-to-broaden-appeal-before-election/ NEW YORK (AP) — In Donald Trump’s assessment, Mike Pence “committed political suicide” on Jan. 6, 2021. By refusing to go along with the then-president’s unconstitutional push to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Pence became a leading target of Trump’s wrath and a pariah in many Republican circles. But the final weeks of this year’s intensely competitive midterm elections suggest that the former vice president’s fortunes have shifted as he lays the groundwork for his own potential 2024 White House campaign. The man who was booed last year at a conservative conference is now an in-demand draw for Republican candidates, including some who spent their primaries obsessively courting Trump’s endorsement, in part by parroting his election lies. Pence has traveled the country, holding events and raising millions for candidates and Republican groups, including signing fundraising solicitations for party committees. For some campaigns in tight races, Pence is seen as something of a neutralizing agent who can help broaden their appeal beyond Trump’s core base of support. That’s the case in Arizona, with a critical Senate race this year and where the 2024 presidential campaign will be hotly contested. Last week, Pence endorsed Senate nominee Blake Masters, who has struggled to pivot from the primary and win over moderates in a state where one-third of voters are registered independents. “He takes a little bit of the edge off Masters with a lot of voters,” veteran GOP strategist Scott Reed said. “You know Masters is new to this, first-time candidate, said some silly things he probably regrets during the campaign. But now it’s all about undecided voters in Maricopa County. There’s not a lot more science behind this.” The endorsements can seem jarring given that Pence has spent much of the past year pushing back on Trump’s election lies, which spurred the violent mob that descended on the Capitol on Jan. 6 while Pence was trying to preside over the formal congressional certification of Joe Biden’s election victory. Pence and members of his family had to be rushed to safety and were held for hours in an underground loading dock as the marauders roamed the building’s hallways. Some rioters chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” and erected a makeshift gallows outside. Pence agreed to endorse Masters even though Masters, during the primary, baselessly denied the 2020 election results. Masters recorded a video in which he said he thought Trump had won and claimed on his website that “if we had had a free and fair election, President Trump would be sitting in the Oval Office today.” Trump endorsed Masters in June, saying in a statement: “Blake knows that the “Crime of the Century” took place, he will expose it and also, never let it happen again.” Pence made no mention of that in Phoenix on Tuesday. “What I came here to Arizona to say is not only is Blake Masters the right choice for the United States Senate, the people of Arizona deserve to know Blake Masters may be the difference between a Democrat majority in the Senate and a Republican majority in the Senate,” Pence said. The former vice president, along with Masters and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, took just three questions, two of them from conservative websites. When a television reporter tried to ask Masters if Pence was right to move forward with certifying Biden’s victory, the candidate was quickly cut off by a Masters spokesman. Masters is not the only election denier Pence has endorsed or assisted. Two days after the Masters event, Pence was in Georgia headlining a fundraiser for Burt Jones, the nominee for lieutenant governor. Jones not only embraced Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud and called for a statewide investigation into the 2020 race, but he also signed on to be one of his state’s fake alternate electors — a scheme now under criminal investigation. Last month, Pence was in New Hampshire for Senate nominee Don Bolduc, a retired Army general who also spent his primary campaign telling voters the race was stolen from Trump. Marc Short, a longtime Pence adviser, declined to set a red line for candidates Pence would and would not endorse. “It’s more about making sure that he’s being a team player where he needs to be,” Short said. “I think as a lot of these candidates look to solidify the party behind them, Pence can be helpful.” There is no evidence of any widespread fraud or manipulation of voting machines in the 2020 election, underscored by repeated audits, court cases and the conclusions of Trump’s own Department of Justice. Still, support of false election claims run deep among GOP candidates this year. The Masters endorsement notably came days after a debate in which he made headlines for seeming to have shifted from his most outrageous rigged election claims. Masters instead blamed Trump’s loss on “big tech,” “big media” and the FBI, and under repeated questioning, acknowledged he hadn’t seen evidence the vote count or results were manipulated, as Trump has claimed. (After the Pence visit, Masters told Fox News he stood by what he had said on his now-modified website, adding: “I think if everyone followed the law, President Trump would be in the Oval Office.”) Short said Pence was happy to support candidates who had moved past 2020, as the former vice president has urged the party to do. “If people sort of acknowledged a mistaken position before, he certainly wants to reward that,” Short said. “I think he wants to help conservatives first and foremost, but if people who were elected are now adopting new position about the events of Jan. 6,” Short said, “then that’s a positive.” Jones and Bolduc have also tried to distance themselves from their previous statements. In interviews, Jones has tried to play down the fake elector slate as a “procedural move,” while noting that voters rarely mention the 2020 race. “Look he’s been consistent that he does not believe the 2020 election was rigged. He said that Joe Biden is president,” said Jones campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson, who noted that Pence and Jones have a long-standing relationship and, like Masters, share former Pence staff. “For us, it was sort of a no-brainer because the vice president’s still very well liked in Georgia, very well received. And we’re in that final stretch where any Republican coming to raise money, support, is a value add,” he said. “I think it’s certainly a nod to more mainstream kind of moderate Republicans. I think that’s a fair assessment,” he said. Bolduc claimed throughout the primary race that the 2020 election had been stolen. During a debate, he proclaimed that “Trump won the election, and damn it, I stand by” and adding, “I’m not switching horses, baby.” But right after the GOP primary — and a day after appearing with Pence — he told Fox News it was time to move on. “You know, we live and learn, right? And I’ve done a lot of research on this and I’ve spent the past couple of weeks talking to Granite Staters all over the state from every party. And I have come to the conclusion, and I want to be definitive on this: The election was not stolen,” Bolduc said. He described Biden as “the legitimate president of this country.” (Earlier this month Bolduc changed his position again, saying he wasn’t sure what happened with the election. “I can’t say that it was stolen or not. I don’t have enough information.”) Reed, the party strategist, said he understood the rationale behind Pence’s endorsements. “He’s a big picture party guy. And it doesn’t surprised me that he’s hustling as hard as he is for people who may not be 100% Pencers,” he said. “By doing these kinds of events,” he added, “they’re going to take another look at him if he decides to run.” Pence’s political future is an open question. Trump, who is widely expected to run again, remains deeply popular with Republican primary voters and would almost certainly be an early front-runner for the 2024 nomination. Pence has said his own decision about running will not be influenced by Trump, though allies often voice skepticism that Trump ultimately will end up on the ballot. Beyond his endorsements, Pence has spent his time since leaving office performing a careful balancing act. He has distanced himself from Trump’s most corrosive statements while promoting what he calls the Trump-Pence agenda. Pence, like generations of could-be candidates, has used the primaries as an opportunity to forge new relationships and build goodwill, and continues to align himself with conservative causes. His trips often include college visits and speeches before anti-abortion groups. Other potential 2024 candidates have campaigned for the Republican cause, including Texas Sen. Ted Cuz, who is on a monthlong, 17-state “Take Back America” bus tour. Trump has held rallies and finally begun spending a small part of his vast political fortune to help his favored candidates. “I think he and all these guys are out there really helping the Republicans to win back the House and win back the Senate. It’s an effort that everybody needs to contribute to,” said David McIntosh, president of the influential Club for Growth, who has joined Pence at several events. McIntosh, who has been at odds with Trump in recent months, said he believes the electorate is “moving on” from 2020 “to what’s on the ballot this election.” He said candidates such as Masters “want to show that they’ve got support from all different types of Republicans, everyone that’s out there, so there’s a unity theme.” “It’s always been my view,” he added, “that leaders like that help themselves by helping.” But being popular enough that candidates want to campaign with you is very different from being popular enough to be competitive in a presidential primary, and right now, Pence routinely polls in the...

AP News Summary At 10:07 A.m. EDT https://digitalalaskanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-1007-a-m-edt/ Biden turning to Trump-era rule to expel Venezuelan migrants WASHINGTON (AP) — When Joe Biden was running for the White House, he denounced then-President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Biden said Trump’s approach inflicted “cruelty and exclusion at every turn,” including toward those fleeing the “brutal” government of socialist Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Now, with increasing numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, President Biden has turned to an unlikely source for an election-year solution, taking a page from Trump’s own immigration playbook. Biden has invoked a Trump-era rule that Biden’s Justice Department is fighting in court. Biden wants to deny Venezuelans who are fleeing their crisis-torn country the chance to request asylum at the border. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here

Biden Turning To Trump-Era Rule To Expel Venezuelan Migrants https://digitalalaskanews.com/biden-turning-to-trump-era-rule-to-expel-venezuelan-migrants/ WASHINGTON – Two years ago, candidate Joe Biden loudly denounced President Donald Trump for immigration policies that inflicted “cruelty and exclusion at every turn,” including toward those fleeing the “brutal” government of socialist Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Now, with increasing numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border as the Nov. 8 election nears, Biden has turned to an unlikely source for a solution: his predecessor’s playbook. Biden last week invoked a Trump-era rule known as Title 42 — which Biden’s own Justice Department is fighting in court — to deny Venezuelans fleeing their crisis-torn country the chance to request asylum at the border. The rule, first invoked by Trump in 2020, uses emergency public health authority to allow the United States to keep migrants from seeking asylum at the border, based on the need to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Under the new Biden administration policy, Venezuelans who walk or swim across America’s southern border will be expelled and any Venezuelan who illegally enters Mexico or Panama will be ineligible to come to the United States. But as many as 24,000 Venezuelans will be accepted at U.S. airports, similar to how Ukrainians have been admitted since Russia’s invasion in February. Mexico has insisted that the U.S. admit one Venezuelan on humanitarian parole for each Venezuelan it expels to Mexico, according to a Mexican official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke condition of anonymity. So if the Biden administration paroles 24,000 Venezuelans to the U.S., Mexico would take no more than 24,000 Venezuelans expelled from the U.S. The Biden policy marks an abrupt turn for the White House, which just weeks ago was lambasting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, both Republicans, for putting Venezuelan migrants “fleeing political persecution” on buses and planes to Democratic strongholds. “These were children, they were moms, they were fleeing communism,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at the time. Biden’s new policy has drawn swift criticism from immigrant advocates, many of them quick to point out the Trump parallels. “Rather than restore the right to asylum decimated by the Trump administration … the Biden administration has dangerously embraced the failures of the past and expanded upon them by explicitly enabling expulsions of Venezuelan migrants,” said Jennifer Nagda, policy director of the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. The administration says the policy is aimed at ensuring a “lawful and orderly” way for Venezuelans to enter the U.S. Why the turnaround? For more than a year after taking office in January 2021, Biden deferred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which used its authority to keep in place the Trump-era declaration that a public health risk existed that warranted expedited expulsion of asylum-seekers. Members of Biden’s own party and activist groups had expressed skepticism about the public health underpinnings for allowing Title 42 to remain in effect, especially when COVID-19 was spreading more widely within the U.S. than elsewhere. After months of internal deliberations and preparations, the CDC on April 1 said it would end the public health order and return to normal border processing of migrants, giving them a chance to request asylum in the U.S. Homeland Security officials braced for a resulting increase in border crossings. But officials inside and outside the White House were conflicted over ending the authority, believing it effectively kept down the number of people crossing the border illegally, according to senior administration officials. A court order in May that kept Title 42 in place due to a challenge from Republican state officials was greeted with quiet relief by some in the administration, according to officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions. The recent increase in migration from Venezuela, sparked by political, social and economic instability in the country, dashed officials’ hopes that they were finally seeing a lull in the chaos that had defined the border region for the past year. By August, Venezuelans were the second-largest nationality arriving at the U.S. border after Mexicans. Given that U.S. tensions with Venezuela meant migrants from the country could not be sent back easily, the situation became increasingly difficult to manage. So an administration that had rejected many Trump-era policies aimed at keeping out migrants, that had worked to make the asylum process easier and that had increased the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. now turned to Title 42. It brokered a deal to send the Venezuelans to Mexico, which already had agreed to accept migrants expelled under Title 42 if they are from Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador. All the while, Justice Department lawyers continue to appeal a court decision that has kept Title 42 in place. They are opposing Republican attorneys general from more than 20 states who have argued that Title 42 is “the only safety valve preventing this Administration’s already disastrous border control policies from descending into an unmitigated catastrophe.” Under Title 42, migrants have been expelled more than 2.3 million times from the U.S. after crossing the country’s land borders illegally from Canada or Mexico, though most try to come through Mexico. The administration had announced it would stop expelling migrants under Title 42 starting May 23 and go back to detaining and deporting migrants who did not qualify to enter and remain in the U.S. — a longer process that allows migrants to request asylum in the U.S. “We are extremely disturbed by the apparent acceptance, codification, and expansion of the use of Title 42, an irrelevant health order, as a cornerstone of border policy,” said Thomas Cartwright of Witness at the Border. “One that expunges the legal right to asylum.” A separate lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union also is trying to end Title 42, an effort that could render the administration’s proposal useless. “People have a right to seek asylum – regardless of where they came from, how they arrive in the United States, and whether or not they have family here,” said ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt. ___ Long reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP’s coverage of immigration at https://apnews.com/hub/immigration Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Read More Here

Trump's Chinese Restaurant Rant Is An 'attack On The National Archives' Says The Former US Archivist Who Served Under George H.W. Bush https://digitalalaskanews.com/trumps-chinese-restaurant-rant-is-an-attack-on-the-national-archives-says-the-former-us-archivist-who-served-under-george-h-w-bush/ Trump last week said Bush stored presidential records in a former Chinese restaurant/bowling alley.  A former Archivist of the United States told Insider that Trump’s rant didn’t get the whole story. “I guess he thinks they make a good soundbite, but they’re completely false,” Don Wilson said. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on the go. After former President Donald Trump made headlines for saying former President George H.W. Bush took millions of government documents to a “Chinese restaurant-slash-bowling alley,” a former Archivist of the United States, Don W. Wilson, said he is presently concerned about attempts to delegitimize the National Archives. During rallies in Nevada and Arizona the weekend of Oct. 8, Trump repeatedly said that after Bush left the White House, he took millions of documents and stored them in a combination Chinese restaurant and bowling alley with a “broken front door and broken windows.” The absurd anecdote was part of a long list of defenses Trump has used to justify storing government documents the FBI retrieved from his Mar-a-Lago home on August 8. Although Trump’s claim has one truth to it — there was a former Chinese restaurant/bowling alley involved — Wilson, who served under Reagan and Bush, told Insider that Trump’s account is misleading.  “I’m rather appalled, quite frankly,” Wilson said. “Obviously either his advisers, speech writers, or someone doesn’t really get their facts right. And then I guess he thinks they make a good sound bite, but they’re completely false.” Unconventional storage spaces are typical for NARA — even Reagan had one Bush was the 41st president of the United States, as well as the director of the CIA and vice president under Ronald Reagan. He died in 2018.  After Bush left office, his documents were set to be transferred to his presidential library in College Station, Texas. At the time, the National Archives and Records Administration needed a temporary facility to house documents that were on the way to the Bush library. NARA found an old Chinese restaurant and bowling alley nearby Texas A&M University — where the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum is located — that it leased from the General Services Administration, which is responsible for securing buildings for government operations. The building was completely renovated according to NARA standards and the documents never left the possession of NARA staff. Using unconventional storage spaces for transferring records is a common practice NARA also utilized when transferring documents to presidential libraries for Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Though Trump didn’t mention it, even Reagan’s records were stored in an old pasta factory before being relocated to his presidential library in California. The storage space’s former life as both a Chinese restaurant and bowling alley was a humorous detail shared among NARA staff and journalists reporting on the storage, according to an Associated Press article published in 1994. “We didn’t have a lot of [records storage] opportunities there because it [was at] Texas A&M University and they take up most of the town,” Wilson said, referring to the choice to house the documents in the renovated bowling alley. The temporary facility housing Bush’s records had security personnel, cameras, and staff with security clearances for handling classified documents, Wilson said. There was also a vault within the building that housed the documents. Wilson traveled to the Texas facility to personally inspect the process. “There was nothing that wasn’t secure,” he told Insider. NARA also debunked Trump’s claims in a statement to Insider.  “Reports that indicate or imply that those Presidential records were in the possession of the former Presidents or their representatives, after they left office, or that the records were housed in substandard conditions, are false and misleading,” the statement from NARA said. A representative for Trump did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment. Wilson worked at the Dwight Eisenhower and Gerald Ford libraries before working as the Archivist of the United States. He was the first archivist responsible for transferring presidential documents under the Presidential Records Act of 1978. He later served as executive director of the George H.W. Bush Library.  During his career, Wilson was criticized for signing a deal with Bush before he left office, which gave him “exclusive legal control of all Presidential information, and all derivative information in whatever form” of 5,000 digital records. A US district court later ruled the agreement violated the PRA.  Trump’s attacks on the NARA process of preserving presidential records, Wilson said, was a “great danger” to democracy. “I find it degrading to the National Archives, which I think he wants to do,” Wilson told Insider. “At this point, I think is not just an attack or ridicule of former presidents. This is an attack on the National Archives.” The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum did not respond to Insider’s request for comment. Read More Here

Indiana US Senate Candidates Set For Only Televised Debate https://digitalalaskanews.com/indiana-us-senate-candidates-set-for-only-televised-debate/ TOM DAVIES, Associated Press Oct. 16, 2022Updated: Oct. 16, 2022 7:08 a.m. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 1of3FILE – Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., speaks during the Senate Armed Services and Senate Foreign Relations GOP news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 19, 2022. Indiana voters can begin casting early, in-person ballots Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, for the November election in which Democrats are looking for a backlash against the Republican-backed state abortion ban approved over the summer.Jose Luis Magana/APShow MoreShow Less 2of3FILE – Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. speaks during his State of the City address at the Hammond, Ind., City Hall on June 24, 2021. Indiana voters can begin casting early, in-person ballots on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, for the November election in which Democrats are looking for a backlash against the Republican-backed state abortion ban approved over the summer. McDermott is the Democrat challenging Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind. (Joe Ruffalo/The Times of Northwest Indiana via AP, File) Show MoreShow Less 3of3 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young will face his two reelection opponents on Sunday in what is their only scheduled televised debate ahead of the Nov. 8 election. The debate comes as Democrat Thomas McDermott, the mayor of Hammond, has struggled to gain traction against Young, who has huge fundraising and organization advantages in seeking his second term. Libertarian James Sceniak is also taking part in the debate, which is organized by the nonprofit Indiana Debate Commission and being broadcast on several TV stations around the state. Young has followed a front-runner strategy of mostly ignoring McDermott, who has been Hammond’s mayor since 2004 but is little known outside of northwestern Indiana. Despite Democrats and Republicans fiercely fighting for control of the current 50-50 Senate, Indiana’s Senate race hasn’t seen the tens of millions in outside spending that it attracted four years ago when Republican Mike Braun defeated Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly and in 2016 when Young won the Senate seat over former Democratic U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh. Young avoided a primary challenge this year despite not fully embracing Donald Trump’s presidency — and not getting a Trump endorsement. Young voted to acquit Trump in his Senate impeachment trial but voted to uphold President Joe Biden’s election win. McDermott, a lawyer and U.S. Navy veteran, has tried to build an appeal to working-class voters attracted to Trump while advocating congressional protection of abortion rights and federal marijuana legalization. Young has highlighted Senate work, including his push for providing billions in federal money to encourage more semiconductor companies to build chip plants in the United States in the face of an ambitious China. Read More Here

Gunmen Kill 11, Wound 15 In Attack On Russian Military Recruits | CNN https://digitalalaskanews.com/gunmen-kill-11-wound-15-in-attack-on-russian-military-recruits-cnn/ Russian author blasts Putin for ‘ruining’ peace with Ukraine 01:59 – Source: CNN CNN  —  Two gunmen opened fire on Russian military recruits at a training ground in Russia’s Belgorod region, killing at least 11 people and wounding another 15, Russia’s state news agency TASS reports. The attack took place Saturday during a training session at the Western Military District, according to TASS, which cited the Russian Defense Ministry. The gunmen were said to be from former Soviet states. Russian officials have branded the attack an act of terrorism. “As a result of a terrorist attack at a military training ground in the Belgorod region, 11 people were killed, 15 were injured and are receiving medical assistance,” TASS reported. “The incident occurred during a shooting training session with volunteers preparing for a special operation. The terrorists attacked the personnel of the unit with small-arms fire.” According to TASS, two individuals who committed the “terrorist act” were killed in retaliatory fire at the training ground. The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation into the incident, according to a statement published on Sunday. “The Main Military Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia initiated a criminal case on the fact of criminal acts in the Belgorod region,” the statement said. The Belgorod region is in western Russia on the border with Ukraine. The Governor of Belgorod city said later that no civilians had been killed in the attack. “Yesterday, something terrible occurred on our territory, on the grounds of a military unit. A terrorist act was committed. Many servicemen were killed and wounded,” Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on his Telegram channel. “There are no residents of Belgorod region among the wounded and dead,” the governor added. Gladkov also offered his condolences to the families of the victims, adding that all of those wounded are “being administered care.” Read More Here

A https://digitalalaskanews.com/a-39/ Kericho town will come alive on October 22, when seasoned and budding senior athletes from the region are set to compete for top honors during the Athletics Kenya (AK) county cross-country races to be held at the Kericho Teachers Training College (KTTC). The Kericho County cross country games sponsored by Betika will be the first Athletics Kenya (AK), Kericho branch meeting, where 10km and mixed relay competitions will be featured. The races will see both men and women athletes above 18 years from the six sub-counties in the area coming to prove their worth and hone their skills in the two disciplines. In an interview with KNA during a training session at Gariette Athletes training camp in Kericho, AK Kericho County First Vice Chairman Gabriel Kiptanui expressed confidence that the athletes will post excellent results as they had demonstrated commitment and discipline in their trainings. “The senior seasoned and upcoming athletes are preparing well for the county cross country competitions and I am positive they will post excellent results as they have been posting personal best times during the Regional Cross-country race, the national cross country championships and the South Rift Regional Track and Field athletics championships,” said Kiptanui. 2017 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World U18 Champion Caren Chebet, 22, who competes both internationally and locally for Kenya said she was confident in winning in her exemplary performance in the Africa Senior championships held in Reduit Mauritius in June, where she brought home a bronze medal after she emerged third in the 3000m steeplechase race. “I emerged position three in the Africa Senior championships held in Reduit, Mauritius in June with my personal best time of 8:8.0 and I am optimistic I will win in the 10km race. I really thank Coach Gabriel for my excellent performances both in local and international competitions,” said Chebet. In an interview with a Kericho budding athlete 1,500m athlete Faith Chepkoech, 18, she said emerged position one in the 10km road race Kisumu heart and cancer marathon held last week, with a personal best time of 34:10 and was aiming to be among the top three in the county cross country games. “I started training in 2018 and I am being guided by coach Gabriel. During the national cross- country championships held in Eldoret in January I emerged fourth, whereas in the 6km regional cross-country race held in the same month with a personal best time of 19:23. In the 10km Kisumu heart and cancer marathon held last week, I emerged winner with a personal best time of 34:10. I t will be my first time to race in the 10km but I am hopeful of doing well,” said Chepkoech. Kiptanui who doubles up as an athletics coach and trains more than 50 athletes and some in his stable include; Africa Junior Women 2016 cross-country champion Miriam Cherop, silver medalist 2019 World U20 in Tampere Finland Kipngetich Ngeno, 2013 World under 18 1,500m steeplechase gold medalist Robert Biwott, Mercy Cherono who broke the World Youth record in women’s 3000m in 2007 in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and the reigning world 3,000 steeplechase champion Beatrice Chepkoech. Betika is Kenya’s leading sport betting company in Kenya, with operations in nine countries in Africa and its headquarters in Nairobi. By Sarah Njagi Read More Here

Examining Why The Boston Bruins Haven’t Retired Jersey #1 https://digitalalaskanews.com/examining-why-the-boston-bruins-havent-retired-jersey-1/ Dec 14, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) adjusts his glove during the second period of a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports Jeremy Swayman made his 2022-23 season debut last night against the Arizona Coyotes, starting his third season in black and gold. The native of Anchorage, AK, made the NHL All-Rookie team last year, posting a stellar 23-14-3 record with a .914 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.41 goals-against average (GAA). The Bruins think highly of their former 4th-round pick from 2017, banking on him to split the duties with Linus Ullmark. Swayman is no stranger to success, winning the NCAA Mike Ritcher award as the best goalie in college hockey as a member of the University of Maine in 2019-20. Since making his NHL debut on April 6, 2021, he has worn jersey #1, a number not worn since 2012 when Marty Turco was a member of the Bruins. Some of the game’s greatest players have skated in Beantown, earning plaques in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Superstars like Bobby Orr (#4) skated end to end at the old Boston Garden, while Cam Neely (#8) opened up the Fleet Center (TD Garden) by hammering opponents with bone-crunching hits and scoring 50 goals a season. Before color TV, Dit Clapper (#5) and Eddie Shore (#2) represented the original six days and the franchise’s first two Stanley Cup titles in 1929 and 1939. Together, they are just four of the 12 players whose contributions to the game and the franchise led to their numbers hanging from the rafters, an honor only a few have ever received. Swayman is one of a dozen goalies to wear the #1 jersey with the Bruins. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports Out of the other Original Six teams, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins remain the only team who has yet to retire jersey #1. In previous eras, goalies usually wore the number, which explains why most of the names on this list donned the pads. In 1988, Glenn Hall (Chicago) became the first Hall of Famer of his era to see his number (#1) go out of circulation. Within a short time, Eddie Giacomin (New York) in 1989, Terry Sawchuk (Detroit) in 1994, and Jacques Plante (Montreal) in 1995 joined him. The Maple Leafs were the last team to honor the number, retiring it twice for Turk Broda and Johnny Bower in 2016. If the criteria for jersey retirement is enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, the Bruins have had two goalies who wore the number, had legendary careers and punched their ticket to immortality, Frank Brimsek and Tiny Thompson. No one is saying that Swayman can’t carve his legacy with the number, but he may run into the same problem as two other Stanley Cup-winning goalies: Gerry Cheevers and Tim Thomas (#30). An older generation will remember Cheevers with his stitches goalie mask leading the Bruins to the 1970 and 1972 titles, while a young generation is only a decade removed from Thomas’ heroics and the 2011 championship. There is much debate across all sports about jersey retirement, especially in New York, where the Yankees are running out of numbers for current players. Some people believe retired numbers are for the greatest, which may explain why the Bruins have never raised #30 to the rafters at TD Garden. It’s fair to say both Cheevers and Thomas deserve recognition for their efforts in the team’s last three championships, but only Cheevers is in the Hall of Fame, and that wasn’t enough for ownership to make the call. The Bruins only have two single digits left for current players to wear, #1 and #6, with the latter currently on the back of Mike Reilly. When we look at the available history of #6, which only dates back to 1950, there are no sure-fire candidates worth enshrinement, which leads us back to #1, and the big question: why do the Bruins have yet to take the jersey out of circulation? “Mr. Zero” Frank Brimsek Brimsek is one of the most decorated Bruins goalies in club history. As a member of the black and gold, he won a Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) and two Veniza Trophies (Goalie of the Year). Moreover, he was the netminder who helped the Bruins to the 1939 and 1941 Stanley Cup titles. Overall, Brimsek suited up for 444 games and won 230, which ranked second all-time upon his trade to the Blackhawks in 1949. His impressive resume includes the distinction of being the first American-born goalie inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966. For 54 years, he was the country’s leader in wins and shutouts. Furthermore, Brimsek was the only goalie to win the Calder Memorial Trophy until Andrew Raycroft earned the award in 2003-04. Meanwhile, his two Veniza Trophy wins are tied with Thomas and were two short of Thompson’s team record of four. There is no telling if Brimsek’s name has ever come into the discussion for retirement; however, players with less stellar resumes, like Neely and Rick Middleton, have found their jerseys lifted. Each player won one award during their career, and although both meant a lot to the Causeway faithful, there are still some fantastic players who may never see their names hang from the rafters. One of them is Mr. Zero. Cecil “Tiny” Thompson Tiny Thompson was a rookie in 1928-29 when he led the Bruins to their first Stanley Cup championship. In ten seasons with the black and gold, he compiled a record 252 wins in 468 games. He also owns the franchise record of 153 losses and still has a firm grasp on the shutout record (74) as of 2022. Thompson held those three records (GP-W-L) for decades until Tuukka Rask recently overtook him for the top spots. Rask may be the best statistical goalie in team history, but is that enough for a jersey retirement ceremony? (Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports) Thompson earned the Vezina Trophy four times in ten years (1930, 1933, 1936, and 1938) to become the league’s most decorated goalie. For over a decade, he was the netminder with the most trophy wins until Bill Durnan of the Montreal Canadiens won six awards in seven seasons in the 1940s. Either way, Thompson earned enshrinement into the Hall of Fame in 1959 and is credited as the first goalie in league history to earn an assist on a goal. When we look back at Thompson’s career, finding holes in his case for jersey retirement is complicated. His accomplishments with the Bruins remained unrivaled for more than half a century, and as mentioned in Brimsek’s case, we can not say whether his name has come up in discussions for retirement. If Rask gets his #40 raised to the rafters, it would almost be an insult to these two goalies. Rask spent his entire career with the Bruins, beating all the records that Thompson and Brimsek once held. He has one championship he earned as a backup, a Vezina, and a William M. Jennings Trophy. When eligible, it will be tough for him to get a plaque at the Hall of Fame, which again takes us back to the discussion on whether it should be a requirement for retirement. The Future of #1 Swayman is only 51 games into his NHL career and has already made the All-Rookie team. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract ($925,000/year), and if he has another stellar season, he could be in for a hefty pay increase in the range of $4-5 million a season. However, in a league built for parity now, it may be more challenging for Swayman to win four Vezina trophies or several Stanley Cups. No matter what he does this year or during his next contract, the Bruins see him as the goalie of the future and signed Ullmark last year as a bridge guy to handle the duties while Swayman continues to grow and improve. Like Thomas and Cheevers, he has a chance to be this generation’s player associated with a number that could have retired ages ago. For fans who love history and know the players from the past, it is tough to watch new players try to carve out their narratives with a particular number. Imagine a player flying down the wing wearing #4 or #8, and you get the point. Swayman can go on to have the most remarkable career in a Bruins crease, yet until the team honors their best players from the Original Six era, it would be difficult to say he is the best player to wear his number. Read More Here

Reporter Corrects Dr Oz Live On Air As He Makes False Claim About Fetterman https://digitalalaskanews.com/reporter-corrects-dr-oz-live-on-air-as-he-makes-false-claim-about-fetterman/ Dr Mehmet Oz was corrected live on air after he made false claims that his opponent John Fetterman wanted to end life imprisonment as his first political priority. The pro-Trump Republican candidate for Pennsylvania’s US Senate seat is trailing his Democratic rival for the open seat with less than a month left before election day. He was fact-checked about his claim about Mr Fetterman during an interview with Dasha Burns on NBC News. “When John Fetterman is asked, ‘If you could wave a magic wand, what’s the one thing you would do?’… he says, ‘Well, I’d get rid of life in prison,’” claimed Dr Oz. But Burns, who had just interviewed Mr Fetterman, called him out on the inaccurate claim. “I asked him that. He actually said it would be codifying Roe v Wade and abolishing the filibuster,” she responded. Earlier this week Mr Fetterman, 53, gave Ms Burns his first interview since having a stroke in May, and conducted it with closed captioning because of the auditory processing issues he is still suffering from. Burns was widely criticised when she stated that “in small talk – before the interview, without captioning – it wasn’t clear (Fetterman) was understanding our conversation”. Podcaster and business reporter Kara Swisher, who had a stroke in 2011, branded the claims by Burns as “just nonsense”. “Maybe this reporter is just bad at small talk,” she tweeted. Read More Here

Letter From Athens: Dead In The Water: Refugees Haunt Greece, EU, Turkey – The National Herald https://digitalalaskanews.com/letter-from-athens-dead-in-the-water-refugees-haunt-greece-eu-turkey-the-national-herald/ This is the kind of stuff that’s right out of a vision from hell in a Poe poem, especially since it happened on an October night in a most immemorial year – for refugees and migrants trying to reach Greece. Because while many people were sleeping in a warm bed, at least 20 refugees and migrants trying to reach Greek islands drowned in two dinghy sinkings, one off Lesvos near Turkey’s coast in northeastern Aegean waters, and the other off Kythira, 280 miles to the west off the southern Peloponnese. The bodies off Kythira could be seen bobbing in the sea below a cliff where villagers rescued many, working with crews using ropes to lift them to safety while others waited on a small outcrop as the waters threatened to dash them too. It was a surreal scene, but few really cared despite the drama because this is a time when there’s the remnants of COVID; when Russia is killing children in Ukraine in an invasion while sitting on the Useless Nations Insecurity Council; when legions of lemming zealots think Ex-President Psycho Trump is sane; when journalists who are the last line of defense against lies are targets, and cowardice trumps decency. The bodies off Lesvos and Kythira should be shame enough to go around for Greece, which has been denying reports of pushing refugees and migrants back into the sea, which it denies with a convincing lack of conviction. There’s plenty of shame to go around here in the digital age of inhumanity, and it washes all over Turkey, supposed to retain some 4.4 million people who went there fleeing war, strife, and economic hardship in their homelands, especially Syria as well as Afghanistan, where war is a permanent way of life and death. Turkey got 3 billion euros ($2.91 million) from the Eunuch Union and the promise of visa-free travel for its citizens, and faster-track entry into the bloc which generally welcomes authoritarian leaders like President/Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan but has found him too distasteful even for its likes. Erdogan has been trying to get another 3 billion euros that the EU promised at the same time he lets human traffickers keep sending refugees and migrants to Greece, especially its islands, going unsanctioned while Greece gets the heat for pushing them back. They’ve been coming since 2015, initially welcomed with open arms, especially to five Greek islands in the Aegean near the coast of Turkey, which uses them as political weapons and blackmail tools, not really caring if they live or die. But neither does Greece. Neither Greece nor Turkey would be in the equation, and there wouldn’t be a need for a swap deal, if the EU had absorbed the 5 million refugees who ran for their lives in hopes of finding a new life. Instead, after some feigned compassion, the borders were shut to them, and countries began building walls to keep them out – including Greece which is extending a barrier on the border with Turkey to make it 120 miles long, standing as disgracefully as the Trump Wall on the Mexican border of the United States. The onus here is on the EU, a loose conglomerate of 27 selfish member states in what is really a disunion of 447 million people and could have taken in every refugee and migrant since 2015 and added little more than 1 percent to that. Instead, the EU dumped the problem largely on Greece, the closest point to Turkey, as well as leaving it in the hands of Italy, Malta, and Spain because under the Dublin Regulation refugees can only seek asylum in the first country in which they land, and that ain’t Germany. It would be useful to remember these are humans we’re talking about, but to places like Hungary they aren’t because most are the M-word – (Muslims) as well as sub-Saharan Africans that many EU leaders think are sub-human. Hundreds have drowned, mostly trying to reach Greece via the Aegean or get across the treacherous Evros River on Turkey’s border: men, women, and countless children’s last breaths bringing in water that expired their lives and hopes of having one taken away by politics. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted though, and even in the ongoing horror there were people with kindness and decency, like the villagers on Kythira – and once upon a time those on Lesvos who offered aid before compassion fatigue set in. But perhaps the most despicable actor in all this has been Erdogan, who’s a match for Russian President Vladimir ‘Snake Eyes’ Putin in the race for the coldest person on the planet. Erdogan, predictably, blamed Greece for pushing back refugees and migrants he lets human traffickers keep sending, many to watery graves in a world inured to suffering, the drowned forgotten. “It has been engraved in the memories as a shame in the modern world. Western countries, especially Europe, have not learned the necessary lessons from the drama of the baby,” he said. That was the 2015 death of a 3-year-old Syrian boy, Aylan Kurdi, whose body washed back ashore in Turkey, graphically depicted in photos around the world. If that didn’t shock Greece, Turkey, and the EU, those bodies off Lesvos and Kythira won’t, and others coming better hope for rocks to stand on. Read More Here

All 7 Of Springfield https://digitalalaskanews.com/all-7-of-springfield/ As of late last month, all seven Springfield-area residents charged with participating in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. But with new arrests and indictments still trickling in, there is a chance more locals could face criminal charges. The agencies tasked with investigating and prosecuting the Capitol riot cases were mum Friday when asked whether more cases could be brought against southwest Missouri residents. A local FBI spokesperson said she could not comment on any possible cases in which charges were not filed. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (which is prosecuting these cases) also declined to comment on any uncharged cases but noted the investigation into the riot is “ongoing.” More than 850 people from across the country have been charged with participating in the riot. And the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington D.C. appears to still be actively reviewing cases and filing charges more than 20 months after a group of protesters breached the Capitol spurred on by false claims that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen from Donald Trump. Just this week, two men from the state of Washington were arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges for their alleged involvement in the breach of the U.S. Capitol. And the week before, a pastor from Ohio was arrested and charged with pushing a metal barricade during the riot. In Missouri, the most recent Jan. 6-related arrest was an Osage Beach man in August. None of the seven Springfield-area residents charged in the riot were implicated in committing violent acts or extensive property damage. They each pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge. Only one was sentenced to jail time. Springfield defense attorney Joe Passanise’s office represented three of the seven Springfield defendants. Passanise said Friday he had not been contacted by any other local residents who were at the riot but had not yet been charged. The statute of limitations for most crimes in federal court is five years, however, there are exceptions. More:Springfield woman sentenced to jail time for role in Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol Here’s a look at Springfield’s Jan. 6 Capitol riot cases All seven of the Springfield defendants pleaded guilty to one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building, a misdemeanor that carries a possible sentence up to six months behind bars. Zachary Wilson was sentenced to 45 days of house detention and two years of probation. Kelsey Wilson was sentenced to 30 days of house detention and two years of probation. Zachary Martin was sentenced to three years of probation. Michael Quick was sentenced to two years of probation. Stephen Quick was sentenced to two years of probation. Cara Hentschel was sentenced to 45 days in a halfway house and three years probation. Mahailya Pryer was sentenced to 45 days in jail followed by three years probation. Pryer received the most severe sentence because she was out on bond on Jan. 6, 2021 for a Greene County case where she ultimately pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child involving drugs. The government says Pryer also violated the conditions of her pre-trial release case by using heroin in September. Hentschel, who was ordered to stay in a halfway house, also had prior drug-related convictions. All seven were all also ordered to pay fines for damage done to the Capitol. More:Hawley ‘riled up’ Capitol crowd before later fleeing Jan. 6 attack, House committee says What’s the latest with the House Jan. 6 committee investigation? The U.S. House of Representatives Jan. 6 committee voted unanimously Thursday to subpoena Trump. The group seems focused on whether the former president should be held accountable for his role in the violent assault on the Capitol – and if so, how. After the vote, Trump took to social media to post that the “Committee is a total ‘BUST’ that has only served to further divide our Country.” Before the end of the year, the committee will take a vote on whether to recommend the unprecedented criminal prosecution of a former president.  USA Today contributed to this report. Read More Here

Biden's Pot Pardons Could Boost States' Legalization Drives https://digitalalaskanews.com/bidens-pot-pardons-could-boost-states-legalization-drives/ KANSAS CITY  (AP) — There are few surprises expected on Election Day in solidly Republican Arkansas, where Donald Trump’s former press secretary is heavily favored in the race for governor and other GOP candidates are considered locks. But one big exception is the campaign to make Arkansas the first state in the South to legalize recreational marijuana. A proposal to change the state’s constitution is drawing millions of dollars from opponents and supporters of legalization, with ads crowding the airwaves. President Joe Biden’s recent announcement that he will pardon thousands of people for simple marijuana possession has shined a new spotlight on the legalization efforts in Arkansas and four other states. Voters in Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota are also taking up measures on recreational marijuana. Biden’s step toward decriminalizing the drug could provide a boost for legalization in some of the most conservative parts of the country, experts say. “The most powerful elected leader in the world has publicly declared it was a mistake to criminalize people for using cannabis and I think that will go a long way with voters who may be on the fence,” said Mason Tvert, partner at VS Strategies, a cannabis policy and public affairs firm. Biden’s announcement only covers people convicted under the federal law. But he has called on governors to issue similar pardons for those convicted of state marijuana offenses, which reflect the vast majority of marijuana possession cases. The president also directed his health secretary and attorney general to review how marijuana is scheduled under federal law. The moves come as opposition to legalization has softened around the country, with recreational marijuana legal in 19 states, despite resistance at the federal level. Advocates say it shows that states are ahead of the federal government on the issue. “I think it’s an example of state level leadership and citizens pushing the federal government in the right direction,” said Eddie Armstrong, a former state legislator who leads the Responsible Growth Arkansas group campaigning for legalization. In 2016, Arkansas became the first Bible Belt state to approve medical marijuana, with voters approving a legalization measure. More than 91,000 people have cards to legally buy marijuana from state-licensed dispensaries, which opened in 2019. Patients have spent more than $200 million so far this year, the state says. An ad by Responsible Growth Arkansas points to benefits such as the thousands of jobs it says legalization would create. The main group opposing the measure is running an ad that urges voters to “protect Arkansas from big marijuana.” The proposal faces opposition from Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a former head of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration who criticized Biden’s pardon announcement. Former White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, the Republican front-runner to succeed Hutchinson, has said she will vote against the measure. Her Democratic rival, Chris Jones, said he supports it. In neighboring Missouri, a proposed constitutional amendment would legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older and expunge records of past arrests and convictions for nonviolent marijuana offenses, except for selling to minors or driving under the influence. Supporters said they do not expect Biden’s pardon announcement for some federal marijuana offenses to have much of an impact on the Missouri measure, which could expunge several hundred thousand state marijuana offenses. “There is some danger of confusion, but I think most people understand the distinction of the federal and state processes,” said John Payne, campaign manager for Legal Missouri 2022. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican and former sheriff, opposes the ballot measure but has not aggressively campaigned against it. He has no plans to emulate Biden’s pardon announcement. Parson has granted pardons “to individuals who demonstrate a changed life-style, commitment to rehabilitation, contrition and contribution to their communities — rather than as a blanket approach to undermine existing law,” said Parson spokesperson Kelli Jones. Similarly, North Dakota’s legalization campaign does not expect to incorporate Biden’s pardons into its messaging. Mark Friese, treasurer of the New Approach Initiative backing the legalization ballot proposal, said he doubts Biden’s pardon will have much of an impact in North Dakota or sway the legalization effort. “The number of North Dakotans convicted in federal court is small,” said Friese, a prominent North Dakota lawyer and former police officer. “Small amounts of marijuana are typically and historically not prosecuted in North Dakota.” Matt Schwiech, who is running South Dakota’s ballot initiative campaign to legalize recreational marijuana possession for adults, said the president’s pardons may hand the campaign a boost with older Democrats. It also underscores the campaign’s message that convictions for pot possession hurt people on job or rental applications, as well as that enforcing pot possession laws are a waste of time and resources for law enforcement, he said. South Dakotans, including a sizable number of Republicans, voted to legalize marijuana possession in 2020, but that law was struck down by the state Supreme Court in part because the proposal was coupled with medical marijuana and hemp. This year, recreational pot is standing by itself as it goes before voters. It remains unclear whether Biden’s pardon move will inject party politics into an issue that supporters say crosses partisan lines. For example, Arkansas voters in 2016 approved medical marijuana the same year they overwhelmingly backed Trump. All of the states with recreational marijuana on the ballot next month, except for Maryland, voted for Trump in the 2020 presidential election. And the issue is going before voters as GOP candidates have been stepping up their anti-crime rhetoric. “From our perspective the people of Arkansas, they didn’t vote for Biden initially and so we don’t anticipate this really having any sort of influence over anybody’s decision,” said Tyler Beaver, campaign manager for Safe and Secure Communities, the main group campaigning against the proposal. Read More Here

State AG Hopefuls Weigh In On Issues https://digitalalaskanews.com/state-ag-hopefuls-weigh-in-on-issues/ Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin (left), a Republican, and Democrat Jesse Gibson, both candidates for the Arkansas attorney general’s office, say they will examine radio and TV spending by the office if elected. Republican Tim Griffin says he will emphasize stricter guidelines and a revamped parole system to fight rising crime if elected Arkansas’ attorney general, while Democratic opponent Jessie Gibson wants to cut recidivism rates to free up prison space. Griffin, Arkansas’ current lieutenant governor, and Gibson, a Little Rock attorney, will square off in the Nov. 8 general election. Early voting begins Oct. 24. Griffin, 53, defeated Leon Jones Jr. in the May 24 Republican primary after originally announcing that he would run to succeed Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Griffin dropped out of the governor’s race and filed to run for attorney general after Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders — the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee and a former press secretary for former President Donald Trump — announced her candidacy for the state’s top elected position. “I have been elected for going on 12 years now, and I have served by working hard and by doing what I said I was going to do, by demonstrating integrity and being a good steward of taxpayer dollars,” Griffin said. “I reduced my budget and reduced my number of employees my first year in the lieutenant governor’s office and haven’t asked for more since. I will bring the same approach to the attorney general’s office.” Griffin, of Little Rock, said his experience as lieutenant governor, a former congressman representing the 2nd District and a former U.S. attorney separates him from Gibson. “I have experience with different parts of government as legislator and congressman and in legislative roles as president of the Senate,” he said. “I have been in the military and can provide perspective on the National Guard. I also have experience with the federal and state government, and a lot of state government is dealing with the federal government.” Gibson, 48, said he believes a Democrat can win a statewide race in Arkansas, which has been dominated by Republicans for several years. “I would say as a state we are more of a non-participating state than a Republican state,” he said. “We are last in the nation in nearly every voting metric. There are upwards to 1.1 million Arkansans that just don’t go to the polls. We have to give them a vision for the future and a vision for something better than what we have.” Gibson said too many elected officials want to insert their politics and beliefs into the legislative process and that is how bad policies and bad legislation are created. “That is the difference between my opponent and I,” Gibson said. “I look at the attorney general’s office as one of right and wrong, not a political spin. If you are political hammer, then everything looks like a political nail. Let’s avoid that as attorney general.” CRIME Gibson said if elected he would stand shoulder to shoulder with law enforcement in an effort to stop Arkansas’ rise in violent crime. “It’s extremely important to always lead the charge against violent crime,” he said. “That said, what Arkansas is really suffering from is our recidivism and re-offending problem.” Gibson said the state needs to get serious about ending recidivism. “What we are doing right now is cycling people through the system and putting them back on the streets to re-offend,” he said. “We have to do the tough things when it comes to education and job training [for prisoners] so when people get out they can become productive, tax-paying citizens again.” Griffin said his first priority if elected would be reforming the state’s criminal justice system. “First of all I would recognize that a lot of the crime spike that we are experiencing as a state — not just in Little Rock, but all around the state — is attributable to violence committed by repeat violent offenders,” he said. “A significant number of which are parolees who should have never been out on parole in the first place.” Griffin also wants to create a “G.I. Bill” for law enforcement to help ensure they are adequately compensated. “A G.I. Bill is a federal program whereby individuals who serve earn credit towards their education for them and their family. I want that for law enforcement,” he said. “If you commit to a certain number of years in law enforcement, you get credit in education. “This will help law enforcement officers and their families from a financial standpoint, and will help create the best-educated and prepared law enforcement.” Griffin said he also would support auditing prison programs for effectiveness. “We want [felons] to get out and thrive,” he said. “Ultimately those who get out of there are coming to a neighborhood near you and me, and we want them thriving and building a career.” NEW PRISONS Griffin said violent offenders are serving only a fraction of their sentence because of a lack of available prison beds, and that is driving the spike in murder, rape and other violent crimes. “In terms of how you address this, first and foremost we have to make more space in the state prison system,” he said. “For those who don’t want to expand prisons for some reason, I say to them we have already expanded prisons, but the state has done it quietly without public discourse and without real debate or discussion. It’s because they have filled up all our county jails.” If elected, Griffin said, he intends to work with legislators to get a new prison facility built. “I will also be rolling things out to our legislators about putting some meat on the bones when it comes to sentencing,” he said. “We have to make sure individuals are serving a higher percentage of time for violent crimes.” Gibson agrees that a new prison should be built. “The head of the Department of Corrections and the heads of all these other agencies are asking for it because it’s necessary,” he said. “I do support prison expansion. However, we have to do those other things as well, like education and job training.” Gibson said building a new prison is a short-term fix. “If you don’t focus on the demand side problem or the solution by cutting down on how many people are going to the Department of Corrections, then you are dealing with the supply side solution of adding more beds,” he said. ABORTION After the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year overturned the landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion across the nation, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge implemented a 2019 “trigger law” that bans abortion in Arkansas, except to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency. Act 180 of 2019 was crafted to take effect when the state attorney general certified that Roe had been overturned, returning to the state the authority to prohibit abortion. Gibson said the one thing he hears on the campaign trail no matter where he goes is disdain for the abortion ban. “They are furious at the idea that our legislators, our leaders in this state, passed a trigger law that creates a government-mandated forced pregnancy even for victims of rape and incest,” Gibson said. “People think it’s simply inhumane that we would go so far as a state to have a government-mandated forced pregnancy that affects sometimes even children.” Griffin said he has always been an abortion opponent, but he also believes in exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. MARIJUANA Griffin said he opposes the recreational marijuana amendment because he believes it will hurt job recruitment. “How can we compete for these jobs and at the same time we have more people smoking pot,” he said. Griffin said from what he has seen, it doesn’t seem like people who want to smoke marijuana are having a hard time finding it. Gibson said as attorney general he would have to enforce the law that is on the books, but as a matter of policy he believes allowing recreational marijuana is the direction the country is headed. “One of the biggest problems I see that we have is too many leaders who are revisionists, who look backwards to a time they claim they remember or imagined or believed that existed instead of looking to the future,” he said. “I think that is the direction the country is moving, and as matter of budgeting, as a matter of developing education programs and health programs, I think it would be wise to consider the merit of this.” Gibson said legalizing marijuana also will free up law enforcement agents. “This will allow for more focus on violent crimes rather than on non-violent, small offenses,” he said. “It frees up resources and allows them to really be tough on crime and have those safe streets and schools.” Read More Here

In A Rare Rebuke, Two Retired War College Professors Say Doug Mastriano Is Unfit To Be Governor https://digitalalaskanews.com/in-a-rare-rebuke-two-retired-war-college-professors-say-doug-mastriano-is-unfit-to-be-governor/ Tami Davis Biddle, the former chair of the faculty council at the U.S. Army War College, wrote in a Harrisburg newspaper last week that Doug Mastriano doesn’t “deserve our trust or support.” Rick Coplen, another retired professor at the War College in south-central Pennsylvania — where Mastriano studied and taught — says the Republican gubernatorial candidate and his fellow election deniers pose an “existential threat” to American democracy. “The guy is not fit for office,” Coplen said. James Gregory, a graduate history student at the University of Oklahoma, has been calling attention for nearly two years to what he describes as questionable conclusions and outright “fabrications” in Mastriano’s published work on World War I. “He’s literally changing history,” Gregory said last week, echoing the concerns of other researchers who have long criticized Mastriano’s research on Sgt. Alvin York. Those concerns are now gaining traction. And Jeffrey Brown, the University of New Brunswick professor who advised Mastriano on his doctoral dissertation before parting ways, warns that the retired Army colonel is a “dangerous” religious zealot with a “post-fact” worldview. The Canadian university recently announced that, as a result of questions surrounding Mastriano’s Ph.D., it is reviewing its internal processes for awarding doctorates. The four scholars told The Inquirer they are speaking publicly about Mastriano either due to what they see as an emerging pattern of academic falsehoods, or fears that he will interfere with future elections if he becomes governor. “The fact that there are colleagues and associates of Mastriano’s that are speaking up now, under ordinary circumstances would be highly unusual,” said Brown, the UNB history professor. “But these circumstances, I think, are far from ordinary.” Mastriano, a right-wing state senator who espouses a Christian nationalist ideology, played a prominent role in Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and spread false information about the vote totals, some of which remains online today. » READ MORE: In Mastriano’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, a chilling template for future races | Editorial On Jan. 6, 2021, Mastriano bused more than 100 protesters to the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington that devolved into the attack on the Capitol. He prayed on a Zoom call the week before that he and other MAGA adherents would be able to “seize the power” and keep Trump in office. More recently, Mastriano has threatened to use the governor’s office to decertify voting machines, force voters to reregister, and even make “corrections” to election results in Pennsylvania, likely a key swing state in 2024. For Biddle, who retired last year after teaching for 20 years at the U.S. Army War College, watching Mastriano and other retired military officers attempt to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power was “the most painful thing I experienced in my professional career,” she recently wrote in the Patriot-News. Biddle also criticized U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, a retired brigadier general in the Army National Guard who tried to overturn the 2020 election and is seeking a sixth term in his Harrisburg-area district. “The officer corps is sworn to defend the Constitution rather than any one person or president,” Biddle wrote. “None of its members is entitled to toy with insurrection, treat Jan. 6 as legitimate protest, or follow election deniers who would undercut our most important political institutions.” Biddle told The Inquirer via email that she was dismayed to see Mastriano and Perry continue to meddle with the U.S. electoral system. “As they push their personal agendas they are also pushing the nation to abandon the most important principles supporting and upholding our democracy and our representative government,” Biddle said. “It’s craven and reckless behavior.” Biddle said she felt a moral and ethical obligation to speak out. “I didn’t want to look back on this moment in time and regret a decision to stay silent,” she said. Coplen, a West Point graduate and combat veteran who taught at the War College, added his voice to Biddle’s on Wednesday. “Doug Mastriano is part of this whole effort to, quite frankly, undermine and destroy our democracy,” Coplen said in an interview. Coplen served in combat in Panama with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia. He describes himself as a left-of-center Democrat, and he unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination this year in Perry’s congressional district. “But this is much more than that,” Coplen said, referring to traditional partisan politics. “This is fundamental stuff about the strength of our democracy and our country.” Neither Perry nor Mastriano responded to a request for comment. Perry, one of Trump’s most loyal allies in Congress, had tried to have an ally installed atop the Justice Department who would back Trump’s false claims about the election. Even after the Capitol riot, Perry sought to have Congress throw out Pennsylvania’s nearly 7 million votes. » READ MORE: Scott Perry asked the White House about a pardon after the Jan. 6 attack, Cheney says as hearings open Later, he inquired about a potential pardon from Trump, according to testimony provided under oath by a former White House aide to Congress’ Jan. 6 committee. Perry has called that statement a “soulless lie” but has refused requests to testify. Mastriano was involved in Trump’s failed effort to seat fake electors from Pennsylvania, and also staged a hearing in Gettysburg to spread conspiracies about the election. Trump himself called into the hearing and falsely claimed, “We won Pennsylvania by a lot.” During this year’s gubernatorial race, Mastriano has continued to propagate the lie of a stolen election. In March, for instance, he spoke at a “voter integrity conference” where attendees signed a petition to decertify Pennsylvania’s 2020 election result. He claimed that “behind my back the swamp rose up” to prevent him from pursuing voter fraud claims. Another speaker at that event, Mike Lindell, the My Pillow founder, falsely claimed that Pennsylvania recorded more votes in 2020 than the number of registered voters — drawing applause from the crowd. Dozens of state and federal judges, including Republicans, have dismissed lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies challenging the election results. William Barr, his attorney general at the time, said in June that he told the president the claims were “bull—.” With the Nov. 8 election drawing near, Democrat Josh Shapiro, the state attorney general, has a double-digit lead in most polls, while Mastriano has run a shoestring campaign and recently called for “40 days of fasting and prayer.” A conservative group that was running attack ads against Shapiro that were benefiting Mastriano recently pulled the ads. Mastriano, who has surrounded himself with fringe religious figures and conspiracy theorists, seems to have abandoned any attempts to broaden his support beyond fervent supporters. On Friday, he appeared at a rally in Erie with Jack Posobiec, an alt-right activist known for spreading the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, which posited that high-ranking Democrats were involved in a child-trafficking ring that operated out of the basement of a Washington pizzeria. (It does not have a basement.) Meanwhile, Mastriano is embroiled in a growing controversy across the Canadian border, as the University of New Brunswick confronts allegations that he fabricated information in his Ph.D. dissertation about York, the World War I Army sergeant. Brown, the history professor who had advised Mastriano on the project in 2012 and 2013, said he never signed off on the dissertation due to a wide range of concerns. He just learned last month, after UNB made the dissertation public, that his name was included on the final copy. “I’ve been really embarrassed that UNB gave this guy a Ph.D., and my colleagues pushed it through,” Brown told The Inquirer. The university said in a statement following a Canadian Broadcasting Corp. report on the dissertation that it would hire independent experts to “review its internal processes and procedures to ensure our systems and policies around the awarding of PhDs remain of the highest standard.” Gregory, the University of Oklahoma graduate student who in early 2021 flagged problems in Mastriano’s book on York, said he recently reviewed the dissertation and documented nearly 200 new problems, including cases in which Mastriano misrepresented source material cited in footnotes. He said it indicates a pattern of “academic fraud,” rather than just sloppy work. “There are cases where he’s just lying. He’s making it up,” said Gregory, who first learned of the inaccuracies when he cited Mastriano’s book for his own work. “You could claim it’s shoddy or an accident — but not 213 times. They are deliberate.” A university spokesperson said in a statement Saturday: “We want to assure individuals with concerns that allegations of this nature are taken seriously and investigated accordingly. UNB has a clear policy for dealing with any allegations of research misconduct, which we follow in all cases.” Richard Yeomans, who is pursing a Ph.D. in history at UNB, said he and about a dozen other grad students are seeking answers from the university leadership. If the standards were lowered to enable Mastriano to obtain a doctorate, will future employers look unfavorably on other students with Ph.D.s from the university? A local newspaper recently asked that exact question. “It’s bad,” Yeomans said. “It undermines the discipline. Not just the university, but the discipline of history.” Staff wr...

'SNL' Takes On The January 6 Committee And Trump – Local News 8 https://digitalalaskanews.com/snl-takes-on-the-january-6-committee-and-trump-local-news-8/ By Frank Pallotta, CNN Business “Saturday Night Live” opened this week’s episode taking on one of the most notable moments in news as of late: the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection. Kenan Thompson, who played Rep. Bennie Thompson, opened the NBC variety show by introducing the crowd to the committee’s ninth and final hearing. “January 6 was one of the most dramatic and consequential moments in our nation’s history, so to fight back we assembled a team of monotone nerds to do a PowerPoint,” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson said. He then went on to say the committee has been looking into the attack for more than a year but this session would be a “little different.” “We are going to summarize our findings, hold a history-making vote and then and only then we all get to have a little treat,” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson said bringing out pastries. After this introduction, Rep, Liz Cheney, played by Heidi Gardner, took the floor. “Over the past few months, this bipartisan committee has presented our case to all Americans,” she said. “Whether you’re a Republican who’s not watching or a Democrat who’s nodding so hard your head is falling off, one person is responsible for this insurrection: Donald Trump. And one person will suffer the consequences: Me.” Gardner’s Cheney said audiences may be wondering what makes her so tough, and she said that she would ask the audience, “Who’s your dad? Is it Dick Cheney?” “So yeah, I guess you could say I have big Dick Cheney energy,” she said. The committee then went over some of its evidence including a video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, played by Chloe Fineman, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, played by Sarah Sherman, in a bunker. “Hello, DoorDash? It’s Chuck Schumer,” Sherman’s Schumer said on a phone from the bunker. “Yes, we still haven’t received our lunch order. And I did change our drop off location due to some unfortunate treason, but it should have arrived by now.” The committee then went to evidence of then-President Donald Trump asking a bunch of people if he lost the election including a White House janitor who said that he did, in fact, lose the election. Trump even asked a dog who “shook his dead side to side.” “Donald was desperate to hang on to power,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger, played by Andrew Dismukes, said. “While real heroes like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer were the ones actually running this country. Then it immediately cut to Sherman’s Schumer and Fineman’s Pelosi talking to then-Vice President Mike Pence. “Let me tell you, if Trump comes here right now I’m going to punch him right in the face,” Fineman’s Pelosi said. “I’ll go to jail, but I’ll be happy.” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson then asked Gardner’s Cheney for any final thoughts. “The fact is that Trump planned to declare victory no matter the results,” she said. “Look at this video of the President a day before the election.” The video shown was of James Austin Johnson as Trump on the phone saying the “votes don’t matter.” “What even is a vote?” he said. The committee then took a vote to subpoena Trump. They all voted yes and thought he would actually show up. “Alright, I can already see that this is a complete zero,” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson said. “I want to thank my colleagues for throwing their summers and in some cases their careers to serve on this committee.” He then added it was “a fun country while it lasted.” After that, it led to the show’s signature phrase, “Live… from New York! It’s Saturday night!” The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Iran Plans To Send Missiles, Drones To Russia For Ukraine War, Officials Say https://digitalalaskanews.com/iran-plans-to-send-missiles-drones-to-russia-for-ukraine-war-officials-say/ Iran is strengthening its commitment to supply arms for Russia’s assault on Ukraine, according to U.S. and allied security officials, secretly agreeing to send not only attack drones but also what some officials described as the first Iranian-made surface-to-surface missiles intended for use against Ukrainian cities and troop positions. The increased flow of weapons from Tehran could help offset what Biden administration officials say have been huge losses in Russian military equipment since Moscow invaded in February, and a rapidly dwindling supply of precision-guided munitions of the kind used in last week’s strikes against multiple Ukrainian cities. Independent news outlets in recent days published photos of the remains of what appear to be Iranian-made drones used in strikes against Ukrainian targets, calling into question Iran’s repeated denials that it has supplied such weapons to its ally Russia. Pentagon officials also publicly confirmed the use of Iranian drones in Russian airstrikes, as well as Ukraine’s success in shooting some of the drones down. In an apparent sign of Iran’s expanded role as a military supplier to Moscow, Tehran dispatched officials to Russia on Sept. 18 to finalize terms for additional weapons shipments, including two types of Iranian surface-to-surface missiles, according to officials from a U.S.-allied country that closely monitors Iran’s weapons activity. An intelligence assessment shared in recent days with Ukrainian and U.S. officials contends that Iran’s armaments industry is preparing a first shipment of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar missiles, two well-known Iranian short-range ballistic missiles capable of striking targets at distances of 300 and 700 kilometers, respectively, two officials briefed on the matter said. If carried out, it would be the first delivery of such missiles to Russia since the start of the war. The officials spoke on the condition that their names and nationalities not be revealed because of the extreme sensitivities surrounding intelligence-collection efforts. In August, the same officials identified specific Iranian drones, the Shahed series and the Mohajer-6, that Tehran was beginning to supply to Russia for use in Ukraine. The remains of both types have been recovered, analyzed and photographed by Ukrainian forces in recent weeks. Russia appears to have repainted the weapons and given them Russian names. The officials briefed on the planned missiles shipment said Iran also is preparing new deliveries of unmanned aerial vehicles for Russia, including “dozens” of additional Mohajer-6s and a larger number of Shahed-136s. The latter, sometimes called “kamikaze” drones because they are designed to crash into their targets, are capable of delivering explosive payloads at distances of up to 1,500 miles. Iranian technical advisers have visited Russian-controlled areas in recent weeks to provide instructions on operating the drones, the officials said. U.S. intelligence agencies declined to comment on the reports of pending Iranian shipments to Russia. Russian and Iranian officials did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday on reports of Russian-bound Iranian missiles. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said “the Islamic Republic of Iran has not and will not provide any weapon to be used in the war in Ukraine,” according to a Saturday readout of his call with his Portuguese counterpart. “We believe that the arming of each side of the crisis will prolong the war.” On Oct. 3, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani repeated Iran’s persistent denials of any involvement with supplying drones to Russia. “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers reports about delivering drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine war ‘baseless’ and does not confirm them,” he said. Kan’ani reasserted Iran’s claim of neutrality in the conflict and stressed the need for the “two sides to solve their problems through political means free from violence.” The Kyiv government has been briefed on the evidence behind the new intelligence, a Ukrainian official told The Washington Post. Ukraine has separately assessed that the majority of drones recently deployed by Russia in the southern Ukraine are Iranian-made. Ukraine recently downgraded its diplomatic ties with Tehran in response to the appearance of Iranian-made drones over the battlefield. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week cited Russia’s recent airstrikes in urging NATO countries to supply his country with advanced air-defense systems. “We need to protect our sky from the terror of Russia,” Zelensky said Thursday in a speech to the Council of Europe. Like Iran, Russia has pushed back against Western reports about the shipment of Iranian weapons for its Ukrainian campaign, with Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov deriding such accounts as “bogus.” But Iranian drones already have made their mark, destroying several Ukrainian tanks and damaging civilian infrastructure in repeated strikes in the past three weeks, Ukrainian officials say. Missiles experts say the arrival of surface-to-surface missiles could give Russia powerful new weapons at time when Kyiv’s forces are reclaiming captured territory across large swaths of southern and eastern Ukraine, successes that are due in part to Western-supplied artillery. “The progression from drones to surface-to-surface missiles could give the Russians more options and a lot of punch,” said Farzin Nadimi, an expert on Iranian weapons at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a Washington think tank. Iran possesses one of the largest and most diverse arsenals of short- and medium-range missiles in the Middle East. While Iranian weapons designers have struggled with reliability problems, the newest versions of the Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar are considered by experts to be both potent and reasonably accurate at relatively short distances, Nadimi said. Some models come with electrooptic guidance systems that allow missile operators to guide them in their final approach to the target. Iran previously provided the same missiles to proxy militia groups in the Middle East, most notably Houthi fighters in Yemen. Houthi forces have displayed Iranian-designed missiles in military parades and used them in attacks against oil refineries and other civilian targets in neighboring Gulf countries. Russia already possesses an array of unarmed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, which are used mainly for surveillance and artillery spotting. But Moscow has not invested in large fleets of armed drones of the type that U.S. forces have routinely used in military campaigns in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Moscow did command a vast arsenal of precision-guided missiles and rockets at the outset of the Ukraine invasion, but U.S. officials say its stockpile has been dramatically reduced over the course of the war, now in its seventh month. According to a presentation by a senior U.S. intelligence official on Friday, Russia’s growing reliance on countries like Iran and North Korea is evidence of the impact of sanctions and export controls imposed by Western countries in the wake of the Ukraine invasion. According to the information presented by Deputy Director of National Intelligence Morgan Muir, Russia has lost more than 6,000 pieces of equipment since the start of the war, and was “expending munitions at an unsustainable rate.” Blocked by sanctions from obtaining Western electronics, Russia is “turning to countries like Iran and North Korea for supplies and equipment,” including drones, artillery munitions and rockets, Muir said, addressing a group of top international finance officials at the Treasury Department. Muir also noted that Russia’s defense industry depends heavily on imports for material such as microprocessors and optical and thermal imaging technology. Read More Here

Father Of 4 Is ID'd As Victim Killed In Hit-And-Run Crash At Pomona Taco Stand; 12 Others Injured https://digitalalaskanews.com/father-of-4-is-idd-as-victim-killed-in-hit-and-run-crash-at-pomona-taco-stand-12-others-injured/ POMONA, Calif. (KABC) — Officials and family members on Saturday identified a 52-year-old man who was killed when a hit-and-run driver slammed into a popular taco stand in Pomona, injuring 12 others. Gilberto Cazares Payan’s name was released by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. His goddaughter told ABC7 that Payan was a father of four, adding that he was visiting the taco stand to pick up dinner Friday night when the violent collision occurred. The crash happened just before 7:45 p.m. in the area of West Holt Avenue and Dudley Street, near Kiwanis Park, according to the Pomona Police Department. The driver’s vehicle ended up under the stand’s pop-up tent, scattering chairs and tables in its wake. “As soon as you heard the hit, you see the man right there, he was already laying down,” said witness Carlos Gonzalez. “It’s all in a split-second, so when you turn around, everything was already done.” Payan was pronounced dead at the scene by firefighter-paramedics. Twelve others were hospitalized, three of them with critical injuries, police said. Updates on their respective conditions were not available Saturday. The driver, a 26-year-old Pomona woman, ran from the crash site but turned herself into police just before 11 p.m. She was booked on suspicion of two felonies, police said in a statement: vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and hit-and-run with death/injury The suspect has not been publicly identified. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, police said. Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Which Side Are You On, Anyway? Rethinking Academic Freedom https://digitalalaskanews.com/which-side-are-you-on-anyway-rethinking-academic-freedom/ UNITED STATES “It’s Not Free Speech: Race, democracy, and the future of academic freedom” by Michael Bérubé and Jennifer Ruth is published by Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, United States. ISBN: 978-1421443874. The most interesting aspect of Michael Bérubé and Jennifer Ruth’s It’s Not Free Speech is not their proposal for still more committees charged with academic governance. No matter how carefully their mandates are written, such committees will almost certainly fail to deal adequately with professors whose scholarship in their area, such as electrical engineering, is impeccable but who publish essays in newspapers saying that climate change is a hoax. Nor is it clear to me how universities can ensure that a professor who is highly respected in his field but has written in a blog that vaccines cause autism could be kept off a committee judging another professor who has made insulting comments about minorities or women. Staffing the committees Bérubé and Ruth call for could end up requiring still more committees to adjudge the membership of the first committee – and on and on. My scepticism about Bérubé and Ruth’s proposed solution aside, It’s Not Free Speech is extremely valuable for a number of reasons, starting with its discussion of Critical Race Theory (CRT) which is signalled by its subtitle: Race, democracy, and the future of academic freedom. They trace CRT from its beginnings in the 1970s, when it emerged from Critical Legal Theory, through the attacks on it in the 1990s (because it inspired the introduction of campus speech codes) and, most importantly, to the present. In September 2020, in the waning days of the presidential election, then president Donald Trump issued an executive order banning CRT-inspired education from the federal government and characterised CRT as being “divisive, un-American propaganda”. Trump’s attack was quickly parroted by officials in some 20 states that have legislated against CRT in their schools and universities. In CRT’s earliest days, white legal scholars objected to phenomenological differences between evidence – first person narratives, allegory, storytelling, interdisciplinary treatment of the law – and the traditional “putatively disembodied voice of [legal] authority”. According to Professor Mari Matsuda, who teaches at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa’s William S Richardson School of Law, CRT proposes a different phenomenology for the law by recognising that “those who have experienced discrimination speak with a special voice to which we should listen” and to which we should respond by ameliorating the situation. Dr James Lindsay, one of many who is part of the cottage industry devoted to attacking CRT, lumps it in with “post-colonialism, black feminism … intersectional feminism, Critical Race (legal) Theory and Queer Theory”. This list, I hasten to add, seems at best eclectic and at worst indicative of profound ignorance of these theories and analytical schools. Lindsay, who is not connected with any university, does, however, get one thing right: these theories and analytical approaches “describe the world critically in order to change it”. (Bérubé and Ruth missed a chance for some fun here, for whether Lindsay knows it or not, he’s channelling his inner Karl Marx, for this is almost a direct quote from his 1845 attack on Ludwig Feuerbach and his philosophical attempt to describe the world.) CRT does seek to change the world. Or, to put it another way, CRT shows precisely what its critics deny: that the law is shot through with structural racism and, as Bérubé and Ruth discuss (and we will see in a moment), so too is the marketplace (of ideas) defence of free speech. It’s well known that the person most responsible for turning CRT into political kryptonite – whose arguments Republicans like Virginia’s new governor Glenn Youngkin seek to use to fatally weaken many Democrats – is Christopher Rufo. Within days of Rufo appearing on Tucker Carlson Tonight, Trump moved against CRT. What Bérubé and Ruth add to our knowledge of Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, is that such right-wing think tanks truck in some serious “whackadoodlery”, to borrow a term Bérubé and Ruth use to describe the McCarthyite Red Scare of the 1950s. Among the beliefs that circulate in this eco-sphere are ‘intelligent design’, that climate change is a hoax and that neo-Nazi beliefs about race and intelligence are correct. As well, these think tanks are making a concerted effort to “suppress knowledge of America’s history of racism”. Extramural speech In the first part of their book, Bérubé and Ruth, both of whom have held senior positions in the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), tease out the difference between academic freedom and extramural speech. In the United States, this second group of statements comes under the protection of the First Amendment to the Constitution; later they question, given the flourishing of hate speech both in the American political arena and on social media, whether an absolutist reading of the clause that “Congress shall make no law … abridging [limiting] freedom of speech” is an unalloyed good. Early in the book, however, they show that as late as the early 1960s, universities dismissed faculty members whose speech they deemed to have transgressed public morals or acceptable politics. Their central example here is the firing of Professor Leo Koch in 1960 by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for writing an article in the student newspaper supporting sex before marriage and contraception. Within a few years Koch’s views would be unremarkable, while university administrators and the AAUP would still be wrestling with the question: What role does the university have when the professor’s extramural speech is about matters of public debate but has no relation to his or her expertise? (Koch, for the record, was a biology professor, so his views could have been construed as being informed by his academic specialty and, hence, what the university was paying him for). In 1970, the AAUP reiterated its 1940 position that extramural speech occurs when the professors speak as citizens and, ipso facto, cannot be used as a cudgel against him or her. State governments have begged to disagree. Citing the fact that they fund state colleges and universities, at various times legislators have argued that not only do they have the right to pressure administrators to crack down on extramural speech but, also, that they have the right to crack down on speech within classrooms. This academic year will see, for example, Florida conduct its second survey of students and faculty opinions, and, assuming it passes this fall, Texas universities will be required to hold the teaching of CRT (even by tenured professors) as cause for being fired. With their fine eyes for detail, Bérubé and Ruth note that state governments which exercise their oversight power zealously can end up producing some rather odd results. Pennsylvania State University, which is often considered the ninth Ivy League school, receives approximately 4% of its operating revenue from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This contribution, critics of the university in the state legislature claim, buys the legislature the right to monitor and demand the cancellation of courses or schools of thought they, the legislators, find offensive. What, then, is a firing offence today? Put another way, what kind of speech is not protected by academic freedom? One example, Bérubé and Ruth discuss concerns Dr James Tracy who, until he was fired in 2015, had been a professor in the school of communication and multimedia studies at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton. Tracy claimed that the 20 children and six staff shot to death at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 was a “false flag” operation, an agit prop performance put on by supporters of gun control. Further, he harassed Veronique and Lenny Pozner, parents of one of the slain students, demanding, among other things, “proof that Noah had once lived”. After being dismissed, Tracy sued FAU claiming it had abridged his First Amendment rights. FAU won the case. He remained dismissed but for the wrong reason, Bérubé and Ruth argue. FAU won the case on insubordination – not on the grounds of intellectual unfitness and, hence, being unable to hold a position that includes academic freedom. The failures of universities More than once, Bérubé and Ruth argue that their former colleagues at the AAUP make serious category errors. The discussion that begins Chapter 5 takes the AAUP to task for the policy document that says: “An institution of higher learning fails to fulfil its mission if it asserts the power to proscribe ideas – and racial or ethnic slurs, sexist epithets or homophobic insults almost always express ideas, however repugnant.” Why, Bérubé and Ruth ask, did the AAUP choose these examples, there being “no value in dignifying [them] by calling them ‘ideas’”. No doubt wanting to get away from the philosophically messy question of how we could even understand phrases ‘ethnic slur’ or ‘sexist epithets’ unless they expressed some sort of an idea, Bérubé and Ruth emphasise that their analysis really turns on the sentence that comes after the word ‘repugnant’: “Indeed, by proscribing any ideas, a university sets an example that profoundly disserves its academic mission.” In a nice turn of phrase, they write that this “dogmatic proscription of proscription suffuses the document” and leads to what they find to be an emblematically incorrect statement: “A college or university sets a perilous course if it seeks to differentiate between high-value and low-value speech.” By contrast, they argue that higher education’s “primary fun...

Ableism Is On The Ballot – The Boston Globe https://digitalalaskanews.com/ableism-is-on-the-ballot-the-boston-globe/ John Fetterman is recovering from a stroke. You may have heard something about that. In fact, it might be all anyone is hearing these days about the Democratic US Senate nominee from Pennsylvania. In recent interviews, Fetterman, the state’s lieutenant governor, has spent most of his time answering questions about the stroke he suffered in May and its lingering effects. Some reporters have dwelled on what they’ve called Fetterman’s verbal stumbles and stutters. What’s also been revealed is the ableism underlying questions about whether someone with health challenges should run for public office. “People believe disability is synonymous with negativity, and they don’t have a more expansive understanding of what disability is or an experience that’s more comprehensive,” Heather Watkins, a Boston disability rights activist, told me during a recent conversation. “They don’t understand that you could be in need of care, a caregiver, and a community builder all at once. They see disability through the prism of a limitations lens only, and it has a much wider lens than that.” Get Weekend Reads from Ideas A weekly newsletter from the Boston Globe Ideas section, forged at the intersection of ‘what if’ and ‘why not.’ According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 percent of adults nationwide live with a disability. That’s about 61 million people. “It’s either pity or pedestal. Sadness or ‘super-crip.’ It’s not that full-bodied range of experience,” Watkins said. “People tend to focus on what they believe are these small facets that really are just so reductive. It’s not surprising, but it’s troubling.” More than 795,000 people in the United States will suffer strokes this year. As a result of Fetterman’s, he has some hearing issues and uses a closed-captioning video to read reporters’ questions in real time. Occasionally he swings and misses before hitting the word he wants to say. But his speech is not garbled. His answers aren’t canned or scripted. Fetterman seems to be doing well. Yet by his own admission he “almost died” when he landed in the hospital days before he won his state’s Democratic primary. In a surgical procedure, he received a pacemaker with a defibrillator. While his cardiologist, Dr. Ramesh Chandra, said that Fetterman “should be able to campaign and serve in the US Senate without a problem” as long as he maintains a healthy lifestyle and takes his medication, there’s room for legitimate concern about whether his long-term health will allow him to handle the demands of being a senator. In a New York Magazine cover story, Fetterman said, “Running for the Senate, in the biggest race in the country, and having to recover at the same time is unprecedented.” Part of that recovery has meant enduring a steady wave of lies and insults. Fox News’s Tucker Carlson falsely claimed that Fetterman is “brain damaged.” Nepotism’s nadir Meghan McCain tweeted, “How can someone be a Senator without being able to speak or understand small talk?” So much of this blather echoes Republican chatter about President Biden’s mental faculties because of a stutter he’s had since childhood. Worst of all has been Mehmet Oz, Fetterman’s feckless Donald Trump-endorsed Republican opponent. He has demanded that Fetterman release his medical records and has cracked jokes about Fetterman’s health. That’s a doctor mocking a man recovering from a stroke. Of course, this is all borrowed from Trump, who once imitated a disabled New York Times reporter. Too bad Fetterman can’t get Trump to dictate a doctor’s note touting Fetterman’s “extraordinary” stamina — which is exactly what Trump did for himself in 2015 when asked for his own medical records. There’s a reason why two of this nation’s most popular presidents concealed their health issues. The public never knew that Franklin D. Roosevelt had polio or that John F. Kennedy suffered from various chronic illnesses. Politicians want to project strength. Selina Meyer, the fictional vice president on HBO’s “Veep,” shunned wearing her glasses in public because she says they’re “like a wheelchair for the eye.” Such attitudes are a disservice to voters, said Watkins, who was born with muscular dystrophy. She views the narrow focus on Fetterman’s health as a missed opportunity for rare conversations about having a disability and what it means to live in an ableist culture. “If you’re going to talk about his disability, can we hear about how it’s contributing to his experience?” asked Watkins, who serves on the board of the Boston-based Disability Policy Consortium. “You don’t have to reduce it or erase it. You can include it in a way that informs his perspective and helps contribute to policy measures that he would put forth now and in the future.” With a few weeks to go before one of November’s most closely watched races, Fetterman is leading Oz in several polls. But also watch this — ableist attacks on Fetterman’s health will accelerate. Like Barack Obama releasing his birth certificate, Fetterman can share every medical record and then some. It’s too late to stanch the lies. His recovery has already been weaponized, and when Republicans go low, they always find a way to go lower. Renée Graham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at renee.graham@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @reneeygraham. Read More Here

Response To Racicot-Brown Endorsement https://digitalalaskanews.com/response-to-racicot-brown-endorsement/ Buffoonery Whatever credibility Mark Racicot and Bob Brown may have enjoyed years ago when they ran as Republicans (only to govern as progressives) they have completely forfeited by their unrecanted endorsement of Joe Biden for the presidency and its disastrous outcome. Their recent attack piece on Ryan Zinke (Zinke enables threat to democracy, Oct. 10) is pure buffoonery and belongs in the same round file as Liz Cheney’s reputation. The clear and present danger to democracy is Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice and its attempt to silence and persecute conservative, populist and pro-life Americans, not Donald J. Trump. The citizens of western Montana need to follow the lead of their Wyoming neighbors. Elect Ryan Zinke. — Michael Boharski, Kalispell Bravo! Regarding Marc Racicot and Bob Brown’s joint letter of Oct. 10: proof that integrity, truth, honor and character are still alive and well in these two Montana Republican statesmen. Bravo! — Richard Schaus, Kalispell Character attack Marc Racicot and Bob Brown’s op-ed is one of the most sanctimonious public declarations of another person’s character that I have read. I have to temper such opinion with remembering that it was made by two ex-politicians and is a few weeks before the election and we peons need to be reminded of how rotten the opponents are. What the opponents believe is important to shout out but in the eyes of politicians that seems to be secondary to making the general public aware of how evil they are in comparison to themselves. Even if the allegations against Ryan Zinke are true, they are like a teaspoon of water in an ocean compared to what we are confronted with from today’s Democratic Party. Do you two understand that most of us sense that our democracy has only one finger sticking out of the grave? Elections: Monica Tranel’s party has no desire to devise a system where only citizens vote only once. They are though concerned about monitoring every penny in our bank account and everything on our personal computers. Border: Presently, we are not a sovereign nation. Non-citizens are dictating border policy. Justice: our system is broken. Freedom of speech: taken from us every day and if Monica Tranel’s party has its way only one news outlet will prevail. And you two are obsessed with the evil of people not even in office. I am 80 years of age. I have never witnessed a political party changing our nation as they are today while their news cronies proclaim all the evils that exist in other people not in power. You state that, “Monica Tranel, may be a few clicks to the left of us on some issues.” In areas that really matter…not really. — Bob Penna Kalispell They’re at it again Previous Montana Gov. Marc Racicot (1993-2001) and previous Montana Secretary of State (2001-2004) and Senate President (1994-1996) and lobbyist (1997) Bob Brown have earlier taken to these pages to campaign for changes in Montana voting laws and now to influence the upcoming elections. Montanans, especially in Butte, vividly recall their previous influence in the catastrophic 1997 deregulation of electric power rammed through at the end of the legislative session which enabled the Montana Power Company to speedily begin selling off its now vastly more valuable assets and plunge the proceeds into becoming Touch America, a glamorous fiber-optic communication outfit pushed by Goldman-Sachs that went bankrupt in 2003. The decision to convert likely took place in 1996. Three thousand Montanans were subsequently thrown out of work, their retirement plans were gutted, and electric bills from the new out-of-state owners went through the roof. Depression, alcoholism, spousal abuse and suicides followed closely. Before asking Montanans to consider their latest proposals, perhaps these two politicians might first formally apologize to the people of our State for their roles in this historical debacle. Particularly the folks in Butte deserve no less. — Andy Palchak, Kalispell Dems are the real threat In a recent op-ed, a former Republican Governor of Montana and a former Republican Secretary of State both endorsed a liberal Democrat for the western Congressional district. Supporting Democrats means the support of the following: inflationary monetary policies, destruction of our energy and fuel supplies, historic national debt, a war on police and law enforcement, rising crime levels, limitations on your liberty, weaponizing the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the IRS, reducing parental control of your children’s education, destroying the integrity of our elections, the sexual mutilation of our children, and open borders and illegal immigration. With apologies to Thomas Paine, these two members of the narcissistic elite are “nothing better than the principal ruffians of some restless gang.” “In America, the Law is King, and in free countries the law ought to be king, and there ought to be no other.” Supporting a Democrat means that one is supporting the most lawless administration in our history and encouraging the perpetuation of the above stated policies at the national and State levels. To quote Thomas Paine again, “The present state of America is truly alarming to every man who is capable of reflection.” Former Democrat Representative Tulsi Gabbard recently fled the Democrat party. Several local Democrat candidates are distancing themselves from the Biden Administration in a futile attempt to persuade voters in Flathead County that it is OK to vote for a Democrat. They promise everything and deliver nothing. Do not listen to the siren call of those who would tell us that Democrats are good people with innovative ideas. They do not have good ideas. Their ideas would destroy the values upon which this nation was founded. The ideas that the aforementioned Republican politicians claimed that they were supporting is the opposite of what Democrats are implementing. It is self-evident that here in Flathead County, every Republican must be elected. All those who would truly support Montana values, liberty, private property, and limited government dedicated to protecting the People’s God-given rights must vote Republican on Nov. 8. The real threat to our representative republic is the Democrats in sheep clothing hiding their predatory and tyrannical instincts. And once again, quoting Thomas Paine, “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.” Save Montana and America, Vote Republican! — Rep. John Fuller, R-Whitefish Read More Here

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Suspected Stockton Serial Killer Caught With Gun While 'out Hunting,' Police Chief Says https://digitalalaskanews.com/suspected-stockton-serial-killer-caught-with-gun-while-out-hunting-police-chief-says-2/ A man has been arrested in Stockton in connection to a series of killings in the city and one in Oakland, authorities announced on Saturday. He could face charges for the murders of six men that were linked through ballistics. Wesley Brownlee, 43, was arrested overnight “while out hunting,” police Chief Stanley McFadden said at a news conference with City Manager Harry Black, Mayor Kevin Lincoln and San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar.McFadden believes they “stopped another killing.” The police chief said the arrest was made possible thanks to community tips and the work of the police department.”Our surveillance team followed this person while he was driving. We watched his patterns and determined early this morning he was on a mission to kill. He was out hunting,” McFadden said. | LEARN MORE | Stockton serial killings: Everything we know and don’t know so far about the victims and suspectHe was caught around 2 a.m. at Winslow Way and Village Green Drive and was wearing dark clothing with a mask around his neck and armed with a firearm in his waistband, police confirmed to KCRA 3. Authorities are now working to identify if the weapon found is linked to the other shootings. Police confirmed that he is the sole suspect “at this time” and is believed to be the person of interest captured on video from shooting scenes.Authorities said that Brownlee has lived in Stockton off and on, while also living in other cities. He has a criminal record, though police did not detail the previous crimes. According to public records, Brownlee has a criminal history in California and Arizona connected to past drug violations, traffic violations, and a DUI.Stockton’s mayor said the city will be able to get past this and that public safety is their number one priority.”I want to make this very very clear, to the people of Stockton, to the United States and around the world. When the people of Stockton come together and we unite we can get things done. Stockton will be a place where people can live, raise a family and grow a business,” Mayor Kevin Lincoln said.Video below: Stockton mayor speaks on arrest Salazar on the arrest of Brownlee said, “The crime was solved because we’re Stockton. You don’t come to our house and bring this reign of terror.” Video below: San Joaquin County DA speaks on arrestBrownlee will appear in court on Tuesday afternoon, officials said. Salazar said the district attorney’s office is working to determine the charges against him.Officials are still unsure what the motive behind the killings are, but said his patterns were consistent. It’s unclear if the gun police found on Saturday is linked to all seven shootings. “I am grateful for the work of the Stockton Police Department and law enforcement agencies who lent their support to this investigation, including the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Firearms and Bureau of Forensic Services,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “When we face a challenge or threat to the safety of Californians, we stand stronger when we stand together. Because of our collaborative work, the citizens of Stockton and California communities can feel comfort in knowing that this suspect is now in custody.”Who are the victims?| MORE | What we’re learning about victims of the Stockton serial killingsSix men were killed — five in Stockton this year and one in Oakland last year. The victims were identified by police as:35-year-old Paul Alexander Yaw43-year-old Salvador William Debudey Jr.21-year-old Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez52-year-old Juan Cruz52-year-old Lorenzo LopezThe victim in Oakland was a 40-year-old Hispanic man. Affiliate KTVU reported that the coroner identified the man as Juan Miguel Vasquez Serrano.A 46-year-old Black woman is the only known survivor of the shootings. Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden said the woman biked to an encampment at Park and Union streets in Stockton where she was shot on April 16, 2021, at around 3:30 a.m.The woman was by a tent when she saw a man, dressed in all dark clothing, wearing a dark face mask and a dark jacket. She said the man was anywhere between 5 foot 10 inches to 6 foot 2 inches.The woman told police that no words were exchanged between them and that she tried defending herself by advancing toward him. She was hit multiple times by gunfire.Where did the shootings happen?Most of the deadly shootings happened in Stockton within a four-mile radius of one another. The shooting where the woman survived happened to the south of the five deadly shootings.Here’s a map with more information:Authorities ask for people to continue to send in tipsMcFadden said it is still a “very active investigation.” “Just because an arrest was made, does not mean the investigation stops,” McFadden said. He said they still need more tips to come in. A tip line will remain open for people to submit information at 209-937-8167. People can email tips to at policetips@stocktonca.gov. Video surveillance can be submitted to Stocktonpdca.evidence.com. This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 as we learn more about the suspect arrested and the series of killings.Here is where you can download our app for the latest.-KCRA 3’s Hilda Flores contributed to this report. STOCKTON, Calif. — A man has been arrested in Stockton in connection to a series of killings in the city and one in Oakland, authorities announced on Saturday. He could face charges for the murders of six men that were linked through ballistics. Wesley Brownlee, 43, was arrested overnight “while out hunting,” police Chief Stanley McFadden said at a news conference with City Manager Harry Black, Mayor Kevin Lincoln and San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar. McFadden believes they “stopped another killing.” The police chief said the arrest was made possible thanks to community tips and the work of the police department. “Our surveillance team followed this person while he was driving. We watched his patterns and determined early this morning he was on a mission to kill. He was out hunting,” McFadden said. | LEARN MORE | Stockton serial killings: Everything we know and don’t know so far about the victims and suspect He was caught around 2 a.m. at Winslow Way and Village Green Drive and was wearing dark clothing with a mask around his neck and armed with a firearm in his waistband, police confirmed to KCRA 3. Authorities are now working to identify if the weapon found is linked to the other shootings. Police confirmed that he is the sole suspect “at this time” and is believed to be the person of interest captured on video from shooting scenes. Authorities said that Brownlee has lived in Stockton off and on, while also living in other cities. He has a criminal record, though police did not detail the previous crimes. According to public records, Brownlee has a criminal history in California and Arizona connected to past drug violations, traffic violations, and a DUI. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Stockton’s mayor said the city will be able to get past this and that public safety is their number one priority. “I want to make this very very clear, to the people of Stockton, to the United States and around the world. When the people of Stockton come together and we unite we can get things done. Stockton will be a place where people can live, raise a family and grow a business,” Mayor Kevin Lincoln said. Video below: Stockton mayor speaks on arrest Salazar on the arrest of Brownlee said, “The crime was solved because we’re Stockton. You don’t come to our house and bring this reign of terror.” Video below: San Joaquin County DA speaks on arrest Brownlee will appear in court on Tuesday afternoon, officials said. Salazar said the district attorney’s office is working to determine the charges against him. Officials are still unsure what the motive behind the killings are, but said his patterns were consistent. It’s unclear if the gun police found on Saturday is linked to all seven shootings. “I am grateful for the work of the Stockton Police Department and law enforcement agencies who lent their support to this investigation, including the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Firearms and Bureau of Forensic Services,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “When we face a challenge or threat to the safety of Californians, we stand stronger when we stand together. Because of our collaborative work, the citizens of Stockton and California communities can feel comfort in knowing that this suspect is now in custody.” Who are the victims? | MORE | What we’re learning about victims of the Stockton serial killings Six men were killed — five in Stockton this year and one in Oakland last year. The victims were identified by police as: 35-year-old Paul Alexander Yaw 43-year-old Salvador William Debudey Jr. 21-year-old Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez 52-year-old Juan Cruz 52-year-old Lorenzo Lopez The victim in Oakland was a 40-year-old Hispanic man. Affiliate KTVU reported that the coroner identified the man as Juan Miguel Vasquez Serrano. A 46-year-old Black woman is the only known survivor of the shootings. Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden said the woman biked to an encampment at Park and Union streets in Stockton where she was shot on April 16, 2021, at around 3:30 a.m. The woman was by a tent when she saw a man, dressed in all dark clothing, wearing a dark face mask and a dark jacket. She said the man was anywhere between 5 foot 10 inches to 6 foot 2 inches. The woman told police that no words were exchanged between them and that she tried defending herself b...

'SNL' Takes On The January 6 Committee And Trump – KION546 https://digitalalaskanews.com/snl-takes-on-the-january-6-committee-and-trump-kion546/ By Frank Pallotta, CNN Business “Saturday Night Live” opened this week’s episode taking on one of the most notable moments in news as of late: the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection. Kenan Thompson, who played Rep. Bennie Thompson, opened the NBC variety show by introducing the crowd to the committee’s ninth and final hearing. “January 6 was one of the most dramatic and consequential moments in our nation’s history, so to fight back we assembled a team of monotone nerds to do a PowerPoint,” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson said. He then went on to say the committee has been looking into the attack for more than a year but this session would be a “little different.” “We are going to summarize our findings, hold a history-making vote and then and only then we all get to have a little treat,” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson said bringing out pastries. After this introduction, Rep, Liz Cheney, played by Heidi Gardner, took the floor. “Over the past few months, this bipartisan committee has presented our case to all Americans,” she said. “Whether you’re a Republican who’s not watching or a Democrat who’s nodding so hard your head is falling off, one person is responsible for this insurrection: Donald Trump. And one person will suffer the consequences: Me.” Gardner’s Cheney said audiences may be wondering what makes her so tough, and she said that she would ask the audience, “Who’s your dad? Is it Dick Cheney?” “So yeah, I guess you could say I have big Dick Cheney energy,” she said. The committee then went over some of its evidence including a video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, played by Chloe Fineman, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, played by Sarah Sherman, in a bunker. “Hello, DoorDash? It’s Chuck Schumer,” Sherman’s Schumer said on a phone from the bunker. “Yes, we still haven’t received our lunch order. And I did change our drop off location due to some unfortunate treason, but it should have arrived by now.” The committee then went to evidence of then-President Donald Trump asking a bunch of people if he lost the election including a White House janitor who said that he did, in fact, lose the election. Trump even asked a dog who “shook his dead side to side.” “Donald was desperate to hang on to power,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger, played by Andrew Dismukes, said. “While real heroes like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer were the ones actually running this country. Then it immediately cut to Sherman’s Schumer and Fineman’s Pelosi talking to then-Vice President Mike Pence. “Let me tell you, if Trump comes here right now I’m going to punch him right in the face,” Fineman’s Pelosi said. “I’ll go to jail, but I’ll be happy.” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson then asked Gardner’s Cheney for any final thoughts. “The fact is that Trump planned to declare victory no matter the results,” she said. “Look at this video of the President a day before the election.” The video shown was of James Austin Johnson as Trump on the phone saying the “votes don’t matter.” “What even is a vote?” he said. The committee then took a vote to subpoena Trump. They all voted yes and thought he would actually show up. “Alright, I can already see that this is a complete zero,” Thompson’s Bennie Thompson said. “I want to thank my colleagues for throwing their summers and in some cases their careers to serve on this committee.” He then added it was “a fun country while it lasted.” After that, it led to the show’s signature phrase, “Live… from New York! It’s Saturday night!” The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here