UAMS First To Combine Laser Ablation Surgery With New Brain Mapping Tool https://digitalarkansasnews.com/uams-first-to-combine-laser-ablation-surgery-with-new-brain-mapping-tool/ LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The diagnosis of a brain tumor typically means the start of months of painful treatments and invasive surgeries. But one Pine Bluff woman is the very first to try a new form of neurosurgery, allowing her to walk out of the hospital the very next day. Ashley James was first diagnosed with brain cancer after walking into an Ohio emergency room for what she thought was a sinus headache. After answering the questions of doctors, they found the real culprit – Glioblastoma Multiforme, stage four.  “I ended up having a kiwi-sized tumor in my right frontal lobe,” James remembered.  In just hours, the then 33-year-old mom was being scheduled for neurosurgery – a procedure her doctors said would take just a few days to recover from. “They actually cut the skull open, and he went in there with a scalpel and just cut the tumor out,” said James. “I went in October 23Rd [2020] and got out November 13th. So, it was a very long two to three days.” The life-saving surgery had its side effects, including weakness on her left side she’s still working through today. So, when her cancer came back two years later after a move to Arkansas and a third pregnancy, this time with two more tumors, her new team of doctors at UAMS knew they had to be careful. So, they created something new. Neurosurgeon Dr. Analiz Rodriguez is the first to use two programs injunction to tackle Ashley’s tumors: lasers to kill the cancer cells, and a new tool called Quicktome that maps networks in the brain. “We can map movement, we can also map language areas,” Dr. Rodriguez explained. “These white areas,” she said pointing to a scan of Ashley’s brain, “is the program that we use to map out the highway systems of her brain.” Once in surgery, Dr. Rodriguez overlays the map with a live MRI, making sure vital parts of Ashley’s brain like those that control attention aren’t touched by the heat. The result is a minimally invasive surgery with a fast recovery rate.  “I was actually home the next day,” James said, recalling the days following her ablation.  James says she hopes to continue that conversation, sharing this new tech in the hopes other Glioblastoma patients will have a new way to treat their tumors.  “I’m definitely excited about being able to bring new knowledge to other patients in my situation.” Dr. Rodriguez says UAMS hopes to use this treatment with other patients depending on their cases. As for Ashley, she will continue chemo and radiation through the end of October. Read More…

Top Putin Ally Threatens ‘Cruel’ Attacks On New Country https://digitalarkansasnews.com/top-putin-ally-threatens-cruel-attacks-on-new-country/ Top officials in Belarus, a key Russian ally, are growing increasingly on edge this week about what they see as provocations—and warning that they might soon be forced into a harsh response. The head of the border committee of Belarus, Anatoly Lappo, claimed that Poland was acting “provocatively,” and that if any Polish attack takes place against Belarusian border officials, Belarus will not hold back. “[If] there will be at least one bullet in our border guards, the answer will be immediate and cruel,” Lappo said. It’s just the latest indication that Belarus could be laying the groundwork to potentially use force against neighboring countries by claiming provocations as a justification. The threats echoed the way Russia staged attacks against its own troops early this year in order to claim a reason to invade Ukraine. The warning comes just as Ukrainian forces prepare for possible attacks from Belarus. According to an assessment from Ukraine Security Service (SBU) Colonel Roman Kostenko, it is possible that Belarus may mobilize its forces to invade Ukraine. “This is a threat. It cannot be ruled out that they will make another dash from there in the north,” Kostenko, who is Secretary of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, said in an interview Ukrinform published this week. The potential threats from Belarus have prompted Ukraine to keep a defensive line along the shared Belarus-Ukraine border, Kostenko said. The Ukrainian Army, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service have also been hosting joint exercises near the border. “We know that Belarus is an enemy. We realize that they may go to war,” he added. Belarus has toed the line with Russia and the war in Ukraine for months now. While Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has been a key ally of Russia and allowed Moscow to use Belarus as a staging ground for the war, Lukashenko has also tried to distance his country from the war in some regards. He has accused the war of dragging on too long and repeatedly claimed he is interested in peace, not conflict. But Lukashenko himself appears to be bandwagoning on the idea that Ukraine and neighboring countries are acting out of turn right now. Earlier this week, he accused Ukraine of acting provocatively towards Belarus. “Ukraine conducts optical, electronic, and radio-technical reconnaissance of our territory, troops, and facilities, with their drones often violating the Belarusian state border,” Lukashenko said. “They say they are allegedly very concerned about Belarus’ entering the war and yet at the same time they continue provocations on the border.” Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin, too, said Russia’s war in Ukraine has resulted in national security threats to Belarus, in particular, due to other countries eyeing Belarus as a Russian ally. “Today we believe that the NATO forces in neighboring countries can become the core for creating attack groups against Russia and Belarus as its closest ally,” Khrenin said Thursday. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has increased its troop presence in neighboring countries near Belarus as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, due to a “pattern of aggressive actions against its neighbors and the wider transatlantic community.” NATO has deployed four multinational battlegroups of approximately 4,500 troops to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland as a part of the effort, which is aimed at deterring Russia. Nonetheless, Belarus is interpreting the rotational presence as a provocation, falling in line with Russia’s claims that NATO has long been provoking Moscow. “An analysis of the international situation and a forecast of its development allow making a number of main conclusions that testify to the presence of direct challenges to the military security of the Republic of Belarus,” Khrenin said Tuesday at a military security meeting with Lukashenko. According to Ukrainian intelligence the Security Service colonel Kostenko has reviewed, Belarus will enter the war if Russia is winning. But for now, Russia is struggling to maintain control of territories that it has seized. Last month Ukrainian forces pushed Russia out of several territories it had seized in the northeast and south of the country. This week Ukrainian forces continue to push into territories that Moscow claims to have absorbed into Russia via illegal annexation. Nonetheless, Russia has plans to send troops into Belarus shortly, Kostenko said. Read More Here

Report: Federal Agents Claim They Have Evidence To Charge Hunter Biden With Tax Crimes https://digitalarkansasnews.com/report-federal-agents-claim-they-have-evidence-to-charge-hunter-biden-with-tax-crimes/ Hunter Biden. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images After a four-year probe, federal agents investigating President Biden’s son Hunter believe they have gathered enough evidence to charge him with tax crimes and making a false statement related to a gun purchase, people familiar with the case told The Washington Post. U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David Weiss, a Trump appointee, will now have to decide whether or not to charge Biden, the people said. The probe began with agents looking into Biden’s finances in relation to his consulting work overseas, and over time began focusing on whether Biden reported all of his income and lied about his drug use on gun purchase paperwork in 2018, people familiar with the matter told the Post. In a statement to the Post, Biden’s lawyer, Chris Clark, said it is “a federal felony for a federal agent to leak information about a grand jury investigation such as this one. Any agent you cite as a source in your article apparently has committed such a felony. We expect the Department of Justice will diligently investigate and prosecute such bad actors.” Clark also said Biden’s legal team believes “the prosecutors in this case are diligently and thoroughly weighing not just evidence provided by agents, but also all the other witnesses in this case, including witnesses for the defense.” Former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies have long questioned Hunter Biden’s business ventures, particularly those overseas, and Trump’s first impeachment was tied to his July 2019 phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he pressured him to investigate both Joe and Hunter Biden. You may also like Survey reveals less than half of Americans plan to get flu shot this season Lizzo invited for an encore flute performance at James Madison’s home Russian war reporters warn Ukraine is threatening thin, fragile defensive lines in southern Kherson Read More Here

DOJ ‘closing In’ On Trump: Bombshell NYT Report Suggests Indictments Are Likely To ‘start Flying’ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/doj-closing-in-on-trump-bombshell-nyt-report-suggests-indictments-are-likely-to-start-flying/ On CNN Thursday, retired Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe reacted to the news that the Justice Department believes former President Donald Trump is hoarding more documents on his property — a development that experts believe is a sign prosecutors are seriously weighing charges against the former president. “What do you think where the Justice Department might be headed?” asked anchor Anderson Cooper. “It certainly suggests the Justice Department is closing in on indicting Donald Trump,” said Tribe. “Not simply for basically stealing top secret documents from the White House and secreting them in various locations … but also for violating the Espionage Act and, based on this recent reporting, obstruction of justice.” Specifically, Tribe argued, the DOJ has evidence Trump is investigating both a “national security inquiry” and a “criminal investigation.” “There are people whose lives are at stake if their identity has been revealed in some of these top secret documents, which clearly were marked ‘human resource.’ They were marked to indicate that they would reveal the identity or location of, basically, American spies abroad. They were marked signals intelligence. So this is very serious. And what I take these recent revelations to mean is that shortly after the midterm elections, indictments are likely to start flying.” “You believe that the Department of Justice might actually indict the former president?” Cooper pressed him. “I believe that it might well indict the former president for obstruction, for espionage,” said Tribe. “This is all quite apart from the possible indictment for seditious conspiracy and insurrection. I mean, it’s as though he is building a moat around Mar-a-Lago and then trying to swim in it himself. Basically, with every stroke he takes, with every move he makes, he is digging himself a deeper, deeper pit … his lawyers must be absolutely beside themselves because he makes matters worse. He says ‘I want my documents back.’ He brags about having taken them himself. Then he says the General Services Administration packed the boxes, but they deny it. You almost expect him to say my dog packed the boxes, except we know he doesn’t have a dog.” Watch below: Laurence Tribe says “indictments are likely to start flying” www.youtube.com Read More Here

Immigration Will Vex Biden No Matter Who Controls Congress https://digitalarkansasnews.com/immigration-will-vex-biden-no-matter-who-controls-congress/ WASHINGTON — At a recent White House ceremony honoring Hispanic heritage in the U.S., President Joe Biden spoke of how immigration has defined the nation and should be celebrated. “We say it all the time, but that’s who we are,” Biden said. “That’s the nation. We are a nation of immigrants.” Biden pledged himself to “fixing our immigration system for good.” He’s tackling near-term issues like reuniting migrant families separated during the previous administration and addressing clogs in the asylum system. And his border officials have worked to reduce the chaos along the U.S.-Mexico line. But an increasingly divided nation can’t agree on what a longer-term fix to the system should look like — basic questions like should there be more immigrants coming in, or fewer? And the future of key policies lies not with the White House or in the outcome of the midterm elections, but with the courts. Just Wednesday, a federal appeals court ruling left in limbo the fate of more than 600,000 immigrants known as “dreamers” who came to the U.S. as children. Biden said he would do everything to help them but cautioned it wasn’t all up to him. “While we will use the tools we have to allow dreamers to live and work in the only country they know as home, it is long past time for Congress to pass permanent protections for dreamers, including a pathway to citizenship,” Biden said in a statement. The political backdrop to all these challenges is stark. One in 3 U.S. adults believe an effort is underway to replace native-born Americans with immigrants for electoral gains, according to an AP-NORC study. Republicans running for Congress are using midterm campaign ads to warn of a coming “invasion.” Some GOP leaders have taken to busing or flying border crossers to Democratic-led areas as a political play to raise awareness of what they claim is ongoing mayhem at the border. Democrats, for their part, say they want to create a pathway to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came here as children, and they want policies that reflect the U.S. role as a haven for those fleeing persecution. But they can’t agree on what that should look like. And all the while, economists say the country needs more workers, not less, to meet its labor needs. Biden, who inherited a hardened system oriented by Donald Trump toward keeping immigrants out, has undone many of Trump’s most contentious policies. He’s worked to speed up the handling of asylum cases and boost the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. And despite record numbers of arrivals in recent months and all of those overheated campaign aids, border stations right now are largely free of the chaotic scenes that in past years sparked outrage — migrants huddling under a bridge or small children packed behind fences. Congress has repeatedly tried – and failed – to improve the nation’s tattered immigration system, chasing various proposals through the House and Senate only to see them collapse, often spectacularly. Despite the latest court ruling on dreamers, it’s doubtful Congress will be able to pass any substantive legislation to protect a new generation of immigrants the way the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program provided a route to legal status a decade ago in the Obama administration. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pointed to the most recent bills that have been approved by the Democratic-run House, but languished in the Senate, where Republicans are able to filibuster to block bills in the evenly split chamber. “House Democrats have twice passed the Dream and Promise Act: to finally offer Dreamers a permanent pathway to citizenship,” Pelosi said in a statement. “Senate Republicans must join us to immediately pass this urgent, necessary, House-passed legislation and send it straight to President Biden’s desk.” With action in Congress unlikely, the president is going to have to find ways to innovate if he wants to improve on the status quo, advocates say. Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, acknowledged the “very real and undeniable challenges” Biden is facing, particularly as migrants arrive in record numbers. But he says the administration is falling short in meeting the moment. “I have found this administration, particularly the White House, to be not creative nor open to creative approaches to provide relief,” he said, talking about migration issues that extend beyond the border. Debate about the DACA program has dragged on so long that many of those children are now in their mid-30s with children of their own who are U.S. citizens. And the limbo continues after Wednesday’s court ruling. If the program is ultimately ended by the courts, Biden is weighing possible executive action to provide some safeguards to the dreamers, according to administration officials familiar with the plan who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss preparations. The Trump administration claimed DACA was denying jobs to Americans by allowing migrants to supplant them. That idea has been disproven by economists and isn’t shared by a majority of Americans. Two-thirds feel the country’s diverse population makes the U.S. stronger, and far more favor than oppose a path to legal status for the DACA recipients, according to AP-NORC. But the deep anxieties expressed by some Americans help to explain how the issue energizes those opposed to immigration. And the idea of disarray at the U.S-Mexico border also animates those on both sides of the debate. Even as officials encounter more migrants than ever at the border, there’s a lull right now in the type of shocking turmoil that has defined the past few years. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say changes to their processing system deserve at least part of the credit for increased efficiency and improved communication with Mexican officials on when and where migrants are coming. “There is a lot of really thoughtful, detailed and careful work that’s being done to manage this flow,” said Commissioner Chris Magnus. He said migrants are vetted and screened rigorously, and careful steps are taken to make sure they are going into proper immigration pathways. Critics, including some Democrats, say the administration is letting too many people into the country and should be either deporting or detaining more. “If you don’t deport people, they will see the border as a speed bump,” Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, told Fox News. “We have to deport people. We have to deport people who aren’t supposed to be here.” Overall, migrants have been expelled 1.8 million times since the beginning of the pandemic under an emergency health authority known as Title 42, which allowed the government to immediately deport asylum seekers as long as their countries were considered safe. Although Biden in late March agreed to end the program, it has continued for now under a court order. Sergio Gonzales, executive director of the Immigration Hub, a nonprofit that advocates for immigration reform, said whether the rule ultimately stands or falls, migrants will continue coming to the border because they’re living in impoverished, dangerous countries and making a calculus that staying is worse than the journey, ”even though there is a danger in that too.” The U.S. is still trying to atone for the Trump-era family separations in which as many as 5,500 children were taken from their parents. So far, only about 600 families have been brought back together, in part because of considerable roadblocks thrown up under Trump. Lee Gelernt, the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer who sued over the separations and is managing the reunifications, said that while the Biden administration has been “constructively working” to reunite families, he worries that the separations — international news when they happened — have been largely forgotten. “The truth is, there are still hundreds of little children who are not back with their parents.” Read More Here

GOP Crisis In Herschel Walker Race Was Nearly Two Years In The Making https://digitalarkansasnews.com/gop-crisis-in-herschel-walker-race-was-nearly-two-years-in-the-making/ In early 2021, as football star Herschel Walker considered running for Senate, he approached some of Georgia’s top Republican operatives about advising his campaign. The operatives were warned about political vulnerabilities in Walker’s past — including allegations of violence against women — that were openly discussed in the state’s political circles, according to people familiar with the discussions. Walker’s reaction to being confronted with the allegations was also troubling, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. When the consultants would ask the candidate about even incidents in the public record, he would often get simultaneously defensive and aggressive, accusing the questioner of being a Democratic plant or ally of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the minority leader. Those consultants passed on working with Walker, but he pressed ahead with his campaign. After all, Walker’s overwhelming name recognition in Georgia as a Heisman Trophy-winning football star and backing from former president Donald Trump instantly made him so formidable that state and national Republican leaders didn’t mount a serious challenge in the primary, despite concerns about Walker’s baggage. Now, less than five weeks before the midterm elections, they’re stuck with him as those liabilities threaten to dominate the news and derail his campaign in a state widely viewed as a must-win for Republicans to retake the Senate. On Monday, the Daily Beast reported that Walker paid for an abortion in 2009, citing documentation including a receipt, a check image and a get-well card. The Washington Post has not independently verified the allegations. As a candidate, Walker has supported an absolute ban on abortions, with no exception for rape, incest or the health of the mother. Walker’s campaign initially denied the report and promised to sue the next day, but no lawsuit has been filed. “They keep telling me things like that, and it’s totally, totally untrue,” Walker said in an interview on Thursday with the conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. Walker added: “If that had happened, I would have said there’s nothing to be ashamed of there. People have done that — but I know nothing about it.” For now, Republicans are publicly rallying around Walker as his campaign said online donations have skyrocketed. The National Republican Senatorial Committee and the well-resourced Senate Leadership Fund — a super PAC aligned with McConnell that has committed more than $39 million to back Walker — said they would keep supporting him on the airwaves. And Trump, who urged Walker to run in the first place, said he believes Walker’s denials and is widely expected to hold a rally for him, though a close adviser said plans haven’t been finalized. “This guy is a better-than-even shot to win,” said Curt Anderson, a top strategist for the NRSC. “Herschel Walker has been called everything. Every name in the book. This is not a change in the race.” More quietly, though, Republican strategists are taking a couple weeks to measure and evaluate the fallout. The impact could take several weeks to register in opinion surveys. Walker was already trailing incumbent Democrat Sen. Raphael G. Warnock in most public polls. “Even the most staunch Republicans are rattled,” Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R-Ga.) said Wednesday night on CNN. “Every Republican knew that there was baggage out there, but the weight of that baggage is starting to feel a little closer to unbearable at this point.” This account of Walker’s candidacy is based on interviews with 19 people involved at various times with the Walker campaign, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to reveal internal matters. The Walker campaign did not respond to a detailed list of questions. The buzz about Walker running for office in Georgia began even before the current Senate race was open. During the runoff campaigns for Georgia’s two Senate seats leading up to Jan. 5, 2021, Republican operatives were already discussing that if incumbent Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue lost, Walker could challenge Warnock in 2022. Walker had been a repeat guest in the Trump White House as a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, and he spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention to vouch for Trump’s character. He also became a regular presence on Fox News as a contributor. Republican operatives discussed Walker’s potential weaknesses, including his struggles with mental health, which Walker had acknowledged in a book, and a rumored abortion, according to Liz Mair, a GOP opposition researcher working on the runoffs. Mair said she warned others that the abortion rumor would plague Walker as a candidate, but people thought they could keep it hidden. “Across the board, Republicans in the state knew about it and decided they didn’t care,” Mair said. “I don’t know if it was a moment of collective insanity when a bunch of people all said, ‘Seems like a genius plan.’ ” In March 2021, Trump went public with an official statement urging Walker to run. “Wouldn’t it be fantastic if the legendary Herschel Walker ran for the United States Senate in Georgia?” Trump said. “He would be unstoppable, just like he was when he played for the Georgia Bulldogs, and in the NFL. He is also a GREAT person. Run Herschel, run!” Walker’s football stardom made him a living legend in Georgia and overwhelmingly popular with Republican primary voters. “He comes in with 100 percent name ID, which you just don’t have, and high good will,” said Brian Robinson, a former spokesman for former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) and a political commentator in the state. “He was my first ever hero. I have not lived in a home where there was not some imagery of Herschel displayed. He was like the Pope for us.” Despite those advantages, Walker had trouble from the start attracting top political talent. Early on, he and his wife reached out to Nick Ayers, a former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, who was not taking clients at the time. Walker talked to Austin Chambers, a former aide to Perdue and former president of the Republican State Leadership Committee, and Paul Bennecke, a former executive director of the Republican Governors Association, but they didn’t come to an agreement. The campaign started working with Scott Farmer, who has advised Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), and Heath Garrett, an adviser to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and the late Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), then brought in a local team led by campaign manager Scott Paradise. A few months ago, amid widespread concerns that Republican Senate candidates were falling behind, Walker’s campaign brought on communications consultant Gail Gitcho and Timmy Teepell, a partner at Anderson’s firm, OnMessage Inc. Before he announced, Walker was made aware by other Republicans about much of the opposition research that was likely to confront him, including the mental health struggles he described in his book and the domestic violence allegations. A person familiar with the vetting process said the alleged abortion reported this week did not surface in the early research, and it is not clear if Walker was directly asked about the rumor. His family was involved in the early discussions, including his son Christian, who had at one point discussed taking a significant role in the campaign, and his current wife, Julie Blanchard. A Republican involved verified the recent claim by Walker’s son Christian that family members warned him against running. Christian Walker was treated as a constructive adviser early in the process and ultimately decided not to take a role in the campaign. Blanchard also initially resisted a run, though she came around as the candidate showed enthusiasm. Christian Walker did not respond to requests for comment. Some advisers to McConnell were initially interested in an alternative to Walker, with particular concern about Walker’s documented record of domestic abuse allegations. In the summer of 2021, Republicans made efforts to warn Walker not to mount a campaign before the Associated Press published a report that he had threatened to kill his ex-wife and alarmed associates. McConnell adviser Josh Holmes publicly shared the AP story on Twitter at the time, commenting, “This is about as comprehensive a takedown as I’ve ever read. My lord.” But challenging Walker in the primary — taking on a folk hero with Trump’s backing — looked futile. The state’s Republican governor, Kemp, stayed out of the Senate race. Kemp was already standing up to the former president in his own reelection, after crossing Trump by certifying Joe Biden’s win in the state. Walker coasted to the nomination with 68 percent of the vote, overcoming attacks from the distant runner-up, Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, who said Walker’s history of violence was disqualifying. “Nobody really saw him as beatable,” said Brendan Buck, a Republican consultant who grew up in Georgia. “If he was beatable, there are plenty of people who would love to be United States senators in the state of Georgia. But they all knew that he had the name ID, the general popularity among conservatives, and of course the Trump backing that made it an enormous hill to climb.” The campaign has struggled to respond to reports since the primary about Walker’s unacknowledged children and, finally, the alleged abortion. Walker was not initially forthcoming with his own advisers about at least some of the out-of-wedlock children, and NRSC staff members did not know about them until they were publicly reported. After the Daily Beast story about the abortion, Republican operatives discussed the wisdom of sticking with Walker, given the other possible paths to a majority ...

Going Through A Phrase – Just Say It! – Hamodia Jewish And Israel News https://digitalarkansasnews.com/going-through-a-phrase-just-say-it-hamodia-jewish-and-israel-news/ By Mordechai Schiller Our daughter-in-law, aka the novelist Ariella Schiller, is blessedly creative. And, mazel tov, we were recently blessed with a new granddaughter, baruch Hashem — Rachel Chaya Schiller. (Thank you, all the best to you!)A few people called and said, “I wanted to say mazel tov.” I told them, “If you want to, go right ahead and say it.” I don’t run with the Nike crowd. But sometimes you have to just do it. (I saw a kid in shul wearing blue suede Nikes. I half expected his T-shirt to say not to step on his shoes. But it said, “Now is the time to just put it off until tomorrow.”)Why do people say, “I want to thank you”? If they really want to, they should just say thank you. And why do people say, “I just called to say hello”? So, say hello. Who’s stopping you? Out with it. Any shrink will tell you it’s not healthy to repress your feelings. Speak right up. Say it loud; say it proud: Mazel tov! Hello! Thank you! Writers have a name for rambling introductions: “throat-clearing” (hot tea won’t help, but it couldn’t hurt). Of course, not every long introduction is superfluous. When my son Meir was 14, he wasn’t prepared to deal with 19th- century literature. After wading through 100 pages about water and whales, Meir came to me holding Melville’s Moby Dick and asked, “Where does this book start?” But the rest of us are not Melville. I mean, like, you know, we all (yup, sorry pal, that means you and I) fill our conversation and writing with verbal padding that doesn’t say anything. As Ralph Keyes wrote in The American Scholar (“Pause Fillers — Um, Like, Y’know, Sort of, If You Catch My Drift”): “These are the verbal equivalent of a facial tic. We all use them. I once listened to a recording of a radio interview I’d done and was appalled by how often I had repeated ‘you know.’ And it’s not just me.” William Safire quoted the pioneer linguist Leonard Bloomfield, who named these utterances “‘hesitation forms’ — the sounds of stammering (uh), stuttering (um, um), throat-clearing (ahem!), stalling (well, um, that is), interjected when the speaker is groping for words or at a loss for the next thought.” Saying “y’know,” isn’t asking if the listener knows or understands what you’re saying. It’s a pause with sound effects, a vocal ellipsis. To switch (not, Heaven forbid, mix) metaphors, it’s verbally treading water while gasping for breath. And it can give listeners or readers a sinking feeling. Former Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the longest-serving U.S. senator, gave a history lesson to his colleagues about the master Greek orator Alcibiades, who would sometimes stop in the middle of a speech and wait, as if struggling to find the right word. The silence kept audiences transfixed. Byrd asked, “Why don’t we do that anymore? I think there can be an art in the use of a pause. And I find nothing wrong with a pause. It does not have to be filled in with ‘you know.’” Then he added that “the phrase [you know] betrays a mind whose thoughts are often so disorganized as to be unutterable — a mind in neutral gear coupled to a tongue stuck in overdrive.” When politicians get their tongues stuck in overdrive, they often produce gaffes — embarrassing slips of the tongue. We demand our leaders be sapient, or at least show signs of brain waves. And we mercilessly heap disdain on people we were stupid enough to vote for. Armchair gaffe-ologists — pundits and amateur psychologists — have been having a field day with President Joe Biden, a self-proclaimed “gaffe machine.” Just to keep the bashing bipartisan, Biden’s predecessor fared worse. Mr. Trump has supplanted Mr. Richard Nixon as the man everybody loves to hate. But as Trump put it, “I know words; I have the best words.” And in this corner, the professorial Mr. Obama was often accused of elitist arrogance. He had a habit of starting sentences with a condescending “Look …” But he is not immune to plebeian gaffes. Speaking in Scotland, Obama said, “Since we’re in the Emerald Isles here, let me quote the Bard, William Shakespeare.” It was a double slip: The Emerald Isle is a nickname for Ireland. And Shakespeare was the bard of England, not Scotland. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Mr. George W. Bush earned a new word in recognition of his goofy gaffes: Bushisms. But, in his own words, “They misunderestimated me.” In the immortal words of another former President — John F. Kennedy — “Let me say this about that”: The eloquent JFK, as Ralph Keyes wrote, “loved to pepper his speeches and public statements with quotations. This not only perked up his prose, but improved his press by giving him an air of erudition. Kennedy was also, however, a misquoter of eloquence, who showed how creative and unreliable memory can be when using comments others have uttered.” Mark Liberman wrote on Language Log, “You can make any public figure sound like a boob, if you record everything he says and set hundreds of hostile observers to combing the transcripts for disfluencies, malapropisms, word formation errors and examples of non-standard pronunciation or usage.” But, as Mr. Nixon used to say, “Let me make one thing perfectly clear”: Unlike Dr. Seuss’ Horton the Elephant, politicians rarely say what they mean and mean what they say. Nor are they faithful one hundred per cent.“ The secret to success is sincerity. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” Nobody knows who coined that motto; it’s been credited to every working wit. But politicians live by it. And when they seem to stammer in simulated sincerity, it should give us pause. Please send smiles, sticks and stones to language@hamodia.com. Read More Here

Two Deputies Fired After Arrest Video Shows Them Punching And Kneeing A Man https://digitalarkansasnews.com/two-deputies-fired-after-arrest-video-shows-them-punching-and-kneeing-a-man/ Two Arkansas deputies who were caught on video violently arresting a suspect outside a convenience store in August have been fired, authorities said on Thursday. Crawford county sheriff Jimmy Damante told Fort Smith television station KHBS that Levi White and Zachary King had been fired but did not elaborate on the decision. A bystander recorded White, King and Mulberry police officer Thell Riddle arresting 27-year-old Randal Worcester outside a convenience store in the small town of Mulberry, about 140 miles (225 km) north-west of Little Rock, near the border with Oklahoma. An attorney for the deputies did not immediately respond to messages Thursday afternoon. The Mulberry police chief Shannon Gregory said Riddle remains on administrative leave. The bystander’s video of the 21 August arrest shows one of the deputies repeatedly punching and kneeing Worcester in the head before grabbing his hair and slamming him against the pavement. As that was happening, another officer was holding Worcester down, while a third kneed him over and over. Damante has said Worcester was being questioned for threatening a clerk at a convenience store in the nearby small town of Alma. Damante said Worcester tackled one of the deputies and punched him in the head before the arrest. The deputy suffered a concussion, Damante said. White has been a deputy with Crawford county since 10 January. King has been a Crawford deputy since 31 July 2019. Before that, he worked a year and a half as a civilian jailer for the county. The three officers were suspended after the arrest video was circulated on social media, and state and federal authorities launched investigations. State police wrapped up their investigation last month, and a special prosecutor has not announced whether the three will face charges. Worcester filed a federal lawsuit against the officers as well as local officials, saying they violated his constitutional rights. An attorney for Worcester called the firings a “step in the right direction”. “It’s just a single step in a very long journey to have justice for Randal and honestly for Crawford county as a whole,” attorney Adam Rose said. Worcester was treated at a hospital then jailed on charges including second-degree battery and resisting arrest. He was released the following day on a $15,000 bond. Worcester’s lawsuit said he has permanent injuries from the arrest that will require continued medical treatment. Read More Here

Why Wisconsin’s Senate Race May Be The Most Important In The Country https://digitalarkansasnews.com/why-wisconsins-senate-race-may-be-the-most-important-in-the-country/ If current polling holds, Democrats could control 52 seats–enough to codify abortion rights, if Mandela Barnes defeats incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson this November. According to the latest FiveThirtyEight Senate race forecasts, all Democratic incumbents in competitive races (Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, & New Hampshire) are favored to win. The polling analysis website also shows Democrat John Fetterman is favored in his race against Republican Mehmet Oz to fill the seat of Pat Toomey.  If all of the above holds true, Democrats would control 51 seats in the US Senate. They need 52, however, to get rid of the filibuster and codify abortion rights into law, a move supported by two-thirds of the country.  That’s why all eyes should be on Wisconsin, according to FiveThirtyEight: a toss-up race where incumbent Republican senator Ron Johnson leads Democrat Mandela Barnes by 1.5 points. Recently, the polling situation has improved for Johnson. He trailed in every poll in August but has a slight lead in three of four polls conducted in September. What Wisconsin Voters Care About In addition to forecasting which candidates are most likely to win this November, the latest survey shows what issues are most likely to drive voters to the polls. According to September’s Marquette Law School Poll, the top three issues for Wisconsin voters are inflation, crime, and a tie between election integrity and public schools.   Here is what Sen. Johnson and Lt. Gov. Barnes have said and done about each of those issues, so you are aware how your life could change if either is elected or re-elected next month. Inflation Sen. Ron Johnson What He’s Said: “I don’t think there’s one organization thing that’s actually going to reduce inflation. Every Democrat policy created inflation.” What He’s Done: Voted against August’s Inflation Reduction Act, which included lowering health care costs, lowering energy costs, and cutting the national deficit Voted against additional stimulus payments for families during the pandemic Forced a 10-hour reading of the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus plan to help the country emerge from the pandemic in 2021, to obstruct and delay its passage Cut taxes for the biggest corporations from 35% to 21% and approved a tax cut that benefited his donors What He’d Do: Push for higher taxes for one-third of Wisconsinites, specifically on the state’s lowest income earners Continue to cut taxes for the top 1%, like himself (Johnson’s net worth is an estimated $40 million) Put Medicare and Social Security benefits for more than 1 million residents at risk; Johnson believes both programs should be put up for a yearly vote and subject to budget negotiations Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes  What He’s Said: “We need an economy that works for working people, so let’s tackle inflation head-on by giving Americans a raise.” What He’s Done: Alongside Evers, sent COVID relief funds to Wisconsin small businesses Supported the governor’s push for more relief checks for lower and middle class families What He’d Do:  Cut middle class taxes by raising taxes on the top 1% Expand the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit Reduce child care costs by implementing universal pre-kindergarten and ensuring that no family spends more than 7% of their income on child care Allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices to cut prescription costs Incentivize companies to manufacture their products in America and crack down on Big Ag Crime Sen. Ron Johnson What He’s Said: “You have criminals and you have shooters. OK? I don’t know why the left always wants to blame guns.” What He’s Done: Cosponsored a bill that would prohibit the Department of Justice from tracking and cataloging people who purchase multiple guns Voted against a bill that would’ve required background checks on all gun sales Received $1.2 million in campaign donations from gun-related special interest groups What He’d Do: Block any legislation that includes gun safety and reform, including Pres. Biden’s proposed “ghost gun” legislation Continue accepting money from gun lobby groups  Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes  What He’s Said: “When our communities don’t have opportunity, gun violence and crime is what fills the void.” What He’s Done: Implemented common-sense police reform like banning chokeholds and de-escalation training Gave law enforcement the resources they need, like access to proper training and the ability to hire social workers to answer crisis calls What He’d Do:  Invest in good-paying jobs, education, and child care to prevent crime before it starts Put violent criminals in jail Get illegal guns off the streets through gun safety legislation Election Integrity Sen. Ron Johnson What He’s Said: “There has always been some voter fraud that the mainstream media and unfortunately, many officials just simply ignore. I’m not alleging anything because I have no proof. All I’m saying is there are enough irregularities to raise concerns [about the results of the 2020 election.]” What He’s Done: Agreed with Trump’s false claims of widespread election fraud after the 2020 election Made baseless claims that Democrats had “gamed the system” in Wisconsin Refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory until December 16th, 2020, when he conceded the election was legitimate and he would not object to the counting of electoral votes Push conspiracy theories about the January 6th attack on the US Capitol, at one point blaming Nancy Pelosi Downplayed the storming of the Capitol and voted to acquit Trump for his role in the insurrection What He’d Do: Support Trump’s projected 2024 campaign Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes  What He’s Said: “It’s time to deliver a clear message that America won’t allow those who would undermine our democracy to keep leading it. We must hold our leaders accountable.” What He’s Done: Advocated for fair maps and pushed back against lobbyists who made Wisconsin one of the most gerrymandered states in the country Encouraged every Wisconsinite to vote What He’d Do:  End partisan gerrymandering Pass a new voting rights act Enhance election security to stop foreign interference End the Senate’s filibuster Strengthen ethics rules for elected officials Public Schools Sen. Ron Johnson What He’s Said: “We stopped teaching values in so many of our schools. Now we’re teaching wokeness, we’re indoctrinating our children with things like CRT, telling some children they’re not equal to others, they’re the cause of other people’s problems.” What He’s Done: Supported less federal funding for public schools Advocated for charter schools and parental school choice Opposed Biden’s student loan forgiveness program for college students What He’d Do: Prioritize private school funding over public school funding Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes  What He’s Said: “[Technical college students] are getting a good education and putting themselves on a pathway to get good-paying jobs that are absolutely essential to our communities.” What He’s Done: Advocated for more resources and support for technical colleges Alongside Evers, increased state funding to Wisconsin public schools to ensure students of every income and ethnicity have access to the same educational opportunities What He’d Do:  Lower the cost of college at both four-year colleges and two-year technical schools Help families by introducing universal Pre-K Invest in better school nutrition programs Champion free technical education The Bottom Line Your vote matters–especially in Wisconsin. With multiple neck-and-neck races and important issues on next month’s ballot, make your plan to vote today, and encourage your friends and family to do the same. Click here to check your registration status. Visit our Voter Hub for more information on who and what is on your ballot. Christina Lorey A former producer, reporter, and anchor for TV stations in Madison and Moline, Illinois, Christina has been a coach and mentor for Girls on the Run and has organized events for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Read More Here

Sen. Ben Sasse Named Sole Finalist For University Of Florida Presidency https://digitalarkansasnews.com/sen-ben-sasse-named-sole-finalist-for-university-of-florida-presidency/ Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), the former president of a small university in Nebraska, has been named the sole finalist to be the next president of the University of Florida, the school announced Thursday. The lawmaker said he wants to return to academia as the country is rethinking “the radical disruption of work” after the pandemic. “UF is the most important institution in the nation’s most economically dynamic state,” he said in a statement. “Washington partnership isn’t going to solve these workforce challenges — new institutions and entrepreneurial communities are going to have to spearhead this work.” “If UF wants to go big, I’m excited about the wide range of opportunities,” Sasse added. If Sasse eventually accepts the position, Nebraska’s Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts will appoint a successor under state law. Sasse is expected to resign later this year once the review process takes place and pending final approval of the board, according to a person close to him who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Since he is the only finalist, he is expected to be approved. The university president, W. Kent Fuchs — who announced in January that he would “transition from president to professor” when his successor is appointed — has led the university since 2015. Fuchs touted his success in raising the university’s public stature, leading its $3 billion fundraising campaign and holding tuition steady. But he drew criticism from some faculty members who said he too often allowed political pressure from state leaders to influence areas including pandemic response, research and academic freedom on campus. The school’s candidates for a new president were kept secret in compliance with a law Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed in March. That search included “hundreds of candidates,” according to a letter sent to University of Florida alumni from Mori Hosseini, chair of the school’s board of trustees. Sasse was elected to the Senate in 2014 while serving as president of the Lutheran-affiliated Midland University, which he had led since 2010. He ran as a vocal critic of the Obama administration, specifically the Affordable Care Act. Once viewed as a powerful voice of dissent within the GOP during the earliest years of the Trump presidency, Sasse, 50, eventually became less vocal as it became clear his constituents and his party’s politics were closer line with the former president’s. Sasse was easily reelected in 2020, but far less vocal following years of disagreement with Trump and other party leaders. Before becoming a lawmaker, Sasse worked with several Christian organizations including the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals (ACE), where he was executive director, and multiple federal government agencies including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where George W. Bush nominated Sasse to be assistant secretary for planning and evaluation. Sasse was born and raised in Nebraska before heading to Harvard University for his undergraduate studies. He went on to earn his doctoral degree from Yale University where he studied the intersection of faith and politics in the two major political parties. Jacqueline Dupree and Susan Svrluga contributed to this report. Read More Here

Gas Prices Across Arkansas Increase According To AAA https://digitalarkansasnews.com/gas-prices-across-arkansas-increase-according-to-aaa/ Gas prices across Arkansas increase according to AAA  KATV Read More Here

Market Reverses With Jobs Data Due; Musk's New Twitter Demands https://digitalarkansasnews.com/market-reverses-with-jobs-data-due-musks-new-twitter-demands/ Dow Jones futures tilted lower overnight, while S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures fell on an AMD earnings warning. The stock market rally attempt lost ground Thursday, hitting resistance at short-term levels ahead of Friday’s key jobs report. X Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his lawyers made several demands related to the Twitter (TWTR) takeover deal. Meanwhile, the judge overseeing the Twitter case gave Musk until Oct. 28 to close the deal. But that move does mean that the Musk-Twitter trial, if it occurs, won’t start until November. TWTR stock fell. Separately S&P Global raised the Tesla (TSLA) credit rating to investment grade, a long-awaited move that will lower borrowing costs. But Tesla stock declined slightly, extending a sharp recent downtrend. Shockwave Medical (SWAV), Arista Networks (ANET), Eli Lilly (LLY), On Semiconductor (ON) and Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX) cleared or flirted with buy points during Thursday’s session. NBIX stock is on IBD Leaderboard, while Shockwave is on the Leaderboard watchlist. Microsoft (MSFT) and Google stock are on the IBD Long-Term Leaders. SWAV stock and Onsemi are on the IBD 50 list. ANET stock and On Semiconductor are on the IBD Big Cap 20. SWAV was Wednesday’s IBD Stock Of The Day. AMD Warning After the close, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) said third-quarter sales would be about $5.6 billion, far below the analyst consensus of about $6.7 billion. AMD blamed a weak PC market and ongoing inventory shifts. AMD stock fell 4% overnight. Shares had dipped 0.1% to 67.85 in Thursday’s regular session. AMD stock is still up for the week after hitting two-year lows last week. Intel (INTC), which vies with AMD in PC chips, retreated modestly. So did Nvidia (NVDA), which competes with AMD in graphics chips. Separately, Aehr Test Systems (AEHR), a small chip-equipment maker with exposure to the EV space, reported better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter profit. AEHR stock jumped in extended action. Shares are signaling a move to around the 50-day line, not far from a trendline entry. AEHR stock fell 3.1% to 13.88 in Thursday’s session. Jobs Report The Labor Department will release the September jobs report at 8:30 a.m. ET. Wall Street expects nonfarm payrolls to rise by 250,000, a solid gain but down from August’s 315,000. The unemployment rate is seen holding at 3.7%. Labor force participation and wage gains also will be key. The Federal Reserve wants to see labor markets easing substantially before backing off rate hikes. This week, the JOLTS survey showed job openings tumbled by 1 million in August, while weekly jobless claims rose more than expected. The ADP employment index showed solid private jobs higher, while ISM’s manufacturing and service gauges gave mixed readings on employment. A weak September employment report could spur markets to downshift Fed rate hike expectations in the coming months. But the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) looms on Oct. 13. Dow Jones Futures Today Dow Jones futures dipped 0.1% vs. fair value. S&P 500 futures declined 0.25%. Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.3%. Intel stock is on the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq, while AMD and Nvidia stock are notable S&P 500 and Nasdaq components. Remember that overnight action in Dow futures and elsewhere doesn’t necessarily translate into actual trading in the next regular stock market session. Join IBD experts as they analyze actionable stocks in the stock market rally on IBD Live Stock Market Rally The stock market rally attempt started off with the major indexes moving modestly to just below short-term resistance, then falling back, closing at session lows as Treasury yields moved higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 1.15% in Thursday’s stock market trading. The S&P 500 index gave up 1%. The Nasdaq composite shed 0.7%. The small-cap Russell 2000 lost 0.6%. The 10-year Treasury yield rose 7 basis points to 3.83%, as several Fed officials stuck to the central bank’s hawkish line. It jumped 14 basis points on Wednesday. The 10-year yield is now up for the week and not far from 12-year highs right around 4%. The 10-year Treasury yield falling Monday-Tuesday was a key tailwind for the new stock market rally attempt. U.S. crude oil prices rose 0.8% to $88.45 a barrel, their fourth straight advance. OPEC+ on Wednesday agreed to cut production quotas by 2 million barrels per day. ETFs Among the best ETFs, the Innovator IBD 50 ETF (FFTY) dipped 0.5%. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) edged down 0.3%, with MSFT stock a huge component. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) slipped 0.7%. SMH fell overnight, with AMD, Intel and Nvidia stocks all major components. Reflecting more-speculative story stocks, ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) edged up 0.3% and ARK Genomics ETF (ARKG) lost a fraction. TSLA stock is a major holding across Ark Invest’s ETFs. SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF (XME) backed off 0.45%. U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) sank 0.9%. The Energy Select SPDR ETF (XLE) added 1.8%. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) slumped 1.3%. Five Best Chinese Stocks To Watch Now Tesla Stock, Musk-Twitter Saga Tesla stock fell 1.1% to 238.13, even with the investment grade credit rating news. Shares have tumbled 10% this week, first on disappointing third-quarter deliveries and then on Twitter news. Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Tuesday appeared to reverse course, saying he wanted to go ahead with the $44 billion Twitter deal. But the two sides haven’t agreed on new terms. Musk reportedly wants the deal contingent on debt financing — an escape clause that wasn’t in the April takeover deal. He also wants to reserve the right to renew his fraud claims. Meanwhile, Musk’s lawyers filed a motion with Delaware’s Court of Chancery to stay the upcoming Twitter trial, saying the deal should now close before Oct. 28. Twitter immediately objected, saying it was an “invitation to mischief and delay.” Its lawyers also called on Musk to pay $44 billion, plus interest. However, the Chancery Court judge, in a temporary victory for Musk, late Thursday pushed back the Twitter trial, which was set to start Oct. 17. If the Twitter deal doesn’t close by Oct. 28, she’ll set November trial dates. TWTR stock slumped 3.7% on Thursday to 49.39, then fell slightly overnight after the judge delayed the Twitter trial. Shares dipped 1.35% on Wednesday after spiking 22% on Tuesday. Musk agreed in April to pay $54.20 a share for Twitter stock. Assuming Musk ends up buying Twitter, it’s possible he’ll need to sell further TSLA stock to finance the takeover. So that’s an overhang on Tesla shares. Tesla Vs. BYD: Which EV Giant Is The Better Buy? Stocks Near Buy Points NBIX stock rose modestly to close above a 109.36 flat-base buy point for the first time, according to MarketSmith analysis. While breakouts have struggled in 2022, Neurocrine is 7% above its 50-day line. LLY stock climbed slightly on fresh positive drug news, but was unable to close above a traditional buy point. ANET stock and Onsemi closed just above downward-sloping trendlines, which are slightly above their 50-day lines. Both are technically early buy points within new consolidations, but have rallied on light volume while Friday’s jobs report looms for the market rally. SWAV stock touched a trendline Thursday, then reversed slightly lower. Shares are still above their 21-day and 50-day lines. Shockwave stock will have a proper base after Friday. Market Rally Analysis The stock market rally attempt lost ground again Thursday. The major indexes hit resistance at the 21-day line soon after the open. They remained in flux but generally down for the rest of the session, closing near session lows. On Wednesday, stocks slashed losses even as Treasury yields jumped. But they struggled Thursday with the 10-year Treasury yield, and the dollar, up solidly for a second straight session. The major indexes remain sharply higher for the week. Investors weren’t ready to make big bets heading into Friday’s jobs report. The employment report could be pivotal for the market rally attempt. A strong move could trigger a follow-through day to confirm the new uptrend, with the likes of Arista Networks, On Semiconductor and Shockwave  being actionable. But a negative jobs report reaction could send the indexes tumbling toward their bear market lows again. Energy stocks continued to lead Thursday, but many look extended after running up for several sessions. Medical plays remain intriguing while the chip, networking, restaurant, insurance, fertilizer and several other groups have at least some names around buy points. On the downside, trash hauling firms such as Waste Connections (WCN) sold off hard. Solar stocks struggled again. Time The Market With IBD’s ETF Market Strategy What To Do Now While a few stocks flashed buy signals Thursday, at least intraday, there weren’t a whole lot of reasons to make new buys with the new market rally heading into the jobs report. Even if the market stages a follow-through in the next few days, that doesn’t mean investors should ramp up exposure quickly. The market would still face a number of technical challenges and economic headwinds while the AMD warning is just the latest grim news heading into earnings seasons. But get those watchlists ready. As a market rally builds momentum, you want to be ready to take advantage by spotting the potential big winners in advance. Read The Big Picture every day to stay in sync with the market direction and leading stocks and sectors. Please follow Ed Carson on Twitter at @IBD_ECarson for stock market updates and more. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Why This IBD Tool Simplifies The Search For Top Stocks Want To Get Quick Profits And Avoid Big Losses? Try SwingTrader Best Growth Stocks To Buy And Watch IBD Dig...

All Counties In Arkansas Under High Risk Of Wildfire Danger, Forecasters Say https://digitalarkansasnews.com/all-counties-in-arkansas-under-high-risk-of-wildfire-danger-forecasters-say/ A truck rolls past the burn ban sign at the Fountain Lake Fire Department on Arkansas 7 north of Hot Springs in this Dec. 11, 2017 file photo. (Special to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Richard Rasmussen) All 75 counties in the state remained under high risk of wildfire danger as of Thursday, according to a map from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. The National Weather Service said that dry conditions will persist statewide for the next several days — especially in the afternoon hours. Wildfire danger will remain elevated due to continued dry weather, dry ground fuels, gusty winds and low relative-humidity values, forecasters say.  Dry conditions are forecast to worsen through Wednesday, according to the weather service. An updated drought monitor showed western, central and northern portions of the state were facing extreme drought conditions.  Jeff Hood, a meteorologist with the weather service in North Little Rock, said those portions of the state are experiencing greater rainfall deficits. “They’ve seen less rain in the last 30 to 60 days than southern Arkansas, but regardless, all parts of the state are below normal as far as average rainfall goes,” Hood said. “So we’ve received less rain than we would typically experience in a normal year by far.” The meteorologist said the consistent sunny skies, wind, dry air and warm temperatures don’t help these conditions. “That basically just helped extract or pull all of the moisture out of the ground, especially the very shallow part of the ground,” he said. “So we’re starting to see vegetation go dormant, trees reflect the lack of water in the ground, so we’re seeing some trees going brown or dropping their leaves early.” Hood said a persistent area of high pressure and lack of rainfall contributes to dry air. According to an online map, 67 counties in Arkansas were under a burn ban as of Thursday. The weather service tweeted that numerous wildfires have occurred in the state. With many fires starting along area roads, forecasters encouraged people to secure any loose chains or straps on trailers and to be careful about parking or driving on dry, grassy areas. “Even metal dragging the ground at highway speed is enough to cause a spark, and as dry as things are, it only takes a spark to ignite a wildfire, especially next to the highway or freeway,” Hood said. Read More…

Ukraine Regains 150 Square Miles Of Land In Expanding Counteroffensive; Russia Blames NATO For Nuclear Rhetoric: Live Updates https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ukraine-regains-150-square-miles-of-land-in-expanding-counteroffensive-russia-blames-nato-for-nuclear-rhetoric-live-updates/ As Ukraine consolidates the territory it has recaptured in the northeastern Kharkiv province, it continues to make gains in the east and south of the country. Since the start of October, Kyiv’s forces have taken back more than 150 square miles of land in the southern Kherson province that had fallen to the Russians early in the war, Ukraine’s southern military command said Thursday. Spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk added the situation along the southern front remains fluid. At the same time, the Ukrainian counteroffensive that drove Russian troops out of Kharkiv and across the border has extended to the neighboring provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk, which make up the industrial Donbas region that Russia covets. Among the prize gains was the strategically important city of Lyman.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his officials announced Wednesday the retaking of villages in those provinces. Zelenskyy proclaimed, “The return of the Ukrainian flag means that a peaceful and socially secure life is once again possible for Donbas.”  With the attempted Russian annexation of four provinces as a backdrop, further Ukrainian progress in parts of Luhansk appears probable because of favorable terrain and lack of Russian reinforcements, according to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War.  “Ukraine’s ongoing northern and southern counteroffensives are likely forcing the Kremlin to prioritize the defense of one area of operations at the expense of another, potentially increasing the likelihood of Ukrainian success in both,” the institute said. TURNING POINT IN THE WAR? As Russia admits defeat in Kharkiv, Ukraine regains land, confidence Other developments: ►The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, met Thursday in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and praised not only Ukraine’s success on the battlefield but the country’s “ongoing efforts to strengthen its democracy and its economy.” She said the U.S. would provide an additional $55 million to repair heating pipes and other equipment. ►Sweden’s domestic security agency said its preliminary investigation of leaks from two Russian gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea confirmed they were caused by “detonations,” and that the findings have “strengthened the suspicions of serious sabotage.” ►Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., a prominent Kremlin critic who was jailed for allegedly spreading “false information” about the war in Ukraine, has been charged with treason by Russian authorities. ►The European Union on Thursday froze the assets of an additional 37 people and entities tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine, including officials involved in the annexation of four Ukrainian provinces. ►Polish officials said they are distributing potassium iodide tablets to regional firefighter stations in case Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is damaged. PUTIN SEIZES EUROPE’S LARGEST POWER PLANT: Putin also signs laws annexing Ukraine land; OPEC cuts oil production, helps Russia 2 Russians escaping draft seek US asylum after landing in Alaska Two Russians who said they’re escaping President Vladimir Putin’s military conscription are requesting U.S. asylum after landing on a remote Alaskan island in the Bering Sea, the office of Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said. Murkowski and fellow Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, both Republicans, said the Russians arrived at a beach near Gambell, an isolated community of about 600 people on St. Lawrence Island. Gambell is about 36 miles from the Chukotka Peninsula in Russia’s region of Siberia. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement the Russians arrived on a small boat Tuesday and were taken to Anchorage for screening and processing. The statement did not provide information on their asylum request. A statement from Sullivan urged federal authorities to come up with a plan in case “more Russians flee to Bering Strait communities in Alaska.” Kremlin accuses NATO of ‘pumping up’ nuclear talk A Kremlin spokeswoman on Thursday appeared to tamp down controversy over any nuclear option in Ukraine and blamed NATO for an escalation in nuclear rhetoric. “The Russian Federation is fully committed to the principle of the inadmissibility of nuclear war,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.  Zakharova said she won’t “participate in pumping up the degree of nuclear rhetoric,” saying it served the interests of NATO countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in announcing a partial military mobilization for his country last month, vowed to use “all available means” to deter attacks against Russia, an allusion to Russia’s tactical nuclear arsenal. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg then warned of “severe consequences for Russia” if Putin were to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. The U.S. issued a similar warning. Missile attacks draw close to Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia Russia launched two missile attacks Thursday that hit more than 40 apartment buildings in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, close to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, authorities said. At least seven people were killed and five were missing, regional Gov. Oleksandr Starukha said. The strikes came hours after Ukraine announced that Russian occupation forces had been driven out of three more villages in regions illegally annexed by Moscow. Each side has blamed the other for rocket attacks roaring harrowingly close to the Zaporizhzhia plant. Putin on Wednesday declared the plant Russian property, a decree quickly rejected by Ukraine. Contributing: The Associated Press SIX MONTHS OF WAR: The entire world is losing. A look at where we go from here. Read More Here

Biden’s Visit To Hagerstown Spotlights Increasingly Hot Trone-Parrott Race – Maryland Matters https://digitalarkansasnews.com/bidens-visit-to-hagerstown-spotlights-increasingly-hot-trone-parrott-race-maryland-matters/ Del. Neil Parrott (R-Washington) at a State House news conference earlier this year. Photo by Bruce DePuyt. During his visit to a Volvo truck plant in Hagerstown on Friday, President Biden is expected to spotlight the steps Democrats have taken to shore up the economy. His trip to Maryland — his second in six weeks — will also draw attention to the most competitive congressional race in the state, the battle between incumbent Rep. David Trone (D) and Del. Neil Parrott (R). The contest is a rematch. Trone crushed Parrott two years ago, securing a second term by nearly 20 points. But his district looks a lot different than it did in 2020. Although General Assembly leaders initially sought to pack a large number of Democrats into the 6th District — as they did more than a decade ago — they changed course following a successful legal challenge by Republicans. Their redrawn map, rushed through just before they adjourned for the year, puts fewer Montgomery County voters and more voters from Frederick County into the 6th, making it far more competitive. The Economist calls the 6th the only competitive district in Maryland. Parrott, they calculated, has a 53% chance of winning. (Incumbents in the other seven districts are said to have a 99% chance of winning re-election.) The website fivethirtyeight.com rates the district “highly competitive.” Politico projects a status quo election, with no change to the current 7-1 divide in the state’s congressional delegation. The Trone-Parrott race pits a successful businessman and wealthy self-funder against a conservative state legislator and engineer who decided to forgo a fourth term in Annapolis to take another run at a congressional seat. The fundraising battle favors Trone. The owner of a national chain of liquor stores, he routinely spends more than $10 million of his own money each election. As of June he had poured $12 million of his personal fortune into this year’s battle, despite not having a competitive primary. When he files a new campaign finance report on Oct. 15, that number will no doubt climb. The political environment may favor Parrott. The party that holds the White House almost always loses congressional seats in the midterms, and high inflation and economic uncertainty are expected to hurt Democrats in November, though the overturning of Roe vs. Wade looms as a wildcard. With three weeks to go until early voting, the race is coming to a boil. U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-Md.). Official congressional portrait. Trone is using his millions to pound Parrott on radio and TV and in mailings. He has called his challenger a “homophobic extremist who opposes same-sex marriage and trans rights [and] supports conversion therapy.” Trone notes that Parrott backed President Trump’s call to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a move that would likely result in people with pre-existing medical conditions losing their health coverage. He also labeled Parrott one of the “least effective” legislators in Maryland, due to his 90% failure rate in getting bills he sponsored passed. Parrott accuses Trone of teaming with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to advance White House-backed measures that exacerbated the deficit and fueled inflation. He opposes the decision to hire 87,000 new IRS agents, and he said that Trone’s support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act will lead to the “defunding” of local police. Trone supporters describe him as a workhorse who delivers for his district. In recent weeks the lawmaker has touted the $4.6 billion that Maryland will receive to improve bridges and highways, along with the $3 billion the state will get to improve broadband access, water systems, and public transportation. He has pressed the Postal Service’s inspector general to look into mail delays in Western Maryland, and he is co-founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force. The lawmaker has received endorsements from groups that advocate for labor, the environment, reproductive freedoms and gun safety. Parrott said in an interview that if Republicans retake the House, they will implement their Commitment to America, a pledge to toughen the nation’s borders, cut federal spending and  improve neighborhood safety. He is also touting “pro-parent” policies that have become popular among GOP office-seekers. Parrott’s call for an HIV ‘tattoo’ draws fire Parrott called a press conference on Wednesday to defend himself against charges he once supported tattoos for people with HIV. In a 2005 op-ed in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail, Parrott said tattoos could slow the spread of the disease. “This mark could be inconspicuously placed, perhaps in a spot covered by a bathing suit, warning only those who might engage in intimate encounters with the infected person,” he wrote. He suggested that compliance with a tattoo mandate could be enhanced if the government were “to provide medicine to the infected individual only after they have received the HIV tattoo.” At his news conference, Parrott accused Trone of digging up an old controversy to boost his re-election changes. He did not repudiate the tattoo concept, claiming instead that when he wrote his op-ed, AIDS was “a death sentence.” In fact, according to healthline.com, deaths from HIV were cut by half in the mid-1990s due to antiretroviral therapy, which “became the new treatment standard in 1997.” Parrott’s tattoo proposal is the subject of one of several ads that Trone is running on local TV. The spot features footage of children on a playground with “HIV” tattoos on their forearms. “Yeah, crazy,” a narrator intones. “In fact, the only thing crazier would be sending Neil Parrott to Congress.” More attacks on Parrott’s record can be expected in the coming weeks. As a state legislator, he advocated for a constitution amendment “to establish that a marriage between one man and one woman shall be the only domestic legal union valid or recognized in the state.” He also led efforts to block in-state tuition rates for undocumented immigrants, the abolition of the death penalty, and a measure to provide protections for transgender persons. In an interview, Parrott called Trone’s attacks “distracting” and “deceptive.” “That wasn’t a policy position. It was just a letter to the editor,” he added. “And it’s 20 years old. … He’s grasping at things that happened a long time ago.” Parrott said he has consulted with lawyers and is considering suing to have Trone’s ads taken off the air. Trone’s campaign manager, Cheryl Bruce, defended their focus on the issue. “Whether Neil Parrott supported government-mandated tattoos for people living with HIV in 2005 or yesterday, it doesn’t change the fact that this so-called solution was extreme and cruel,” she said in a statement. “Even [Wednesday], he did not apologize or show remorse for his position but rather fumbled through a half-hearted explanation saying he only changed his mind because of the availability of new medication.” In the meantime, Parrott is pushing back. He has embraced allegations that the Trone campaign is using “windowless” vans to recruit college students to become field workers, offering as much as $80 per hour. Students who sign up must agree to have tracking devices placed on their phones, Parrott alleged. Trone’s campaign said it “welcomes college students who are interested in volunteering.” But it is legal and common for candidates to pay campaign field workers. Parrott conceded that he pulled out of a Sept. 27 Frederick League of Women Voters debate because Trone and the league wanted the event held on Zoom. Parrott insisted it be held in-person, to prevent his rival from “hiding in his house” and reading off “cue cards.” Both camps have agreed to attend an Oct. 24 forum at Frostburg State University and an Oct. 26 forum sponsored by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. Read More Here

Man Gets Prison For Threatening Colorado Election Official https://digitalarkansasnews.com/man-gets-prison-for-threatening-colorado-election-official/ LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in prison for online threats he made against Colorado’s top elections official, in one of the first cases brought by a federal task force devoted to protecting elections workers nationwide from rising threats. The sentence came the same day an Iowa man was arrested for allegedly leaving voicemail threats for a local Arizona official and the Arizona’s Attorney General’s Office. In Nebraska, Travis Ford was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Lincoln, where he lives. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to sending threats to Secretary of State Jena Griswold on social media. It was the first guilty plea obtained by the U.S. Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which was launched last year after the 2020 presidential election, citing the potential effect on democracy of threats against election officials and workers. A national advocate for elections security, Griswold has received thousands of threats over her insistence the 2020 election was secure despite false claims by former President Donald Trump that it was stolen. Ford must report Jan. 11 to a federal prison that will be named later. After prison he must complete a year of supervision. Ford addressed the court Thursday, saying he takes responsibility for his actions and understands they were wrong. “I’m ashamed, and I’m embarrassed for not only putting myself but my family through this,” he said. Federal prosecutors had sought a two-year prison sentence, saying “there is a genuine need for general deterrence here.” Investigators discovered Ford made the threats numerous times last year over an Instagram account started by his brother to which Ford gained access. Prosecutors also said Ford made death threats against President Joe Biden and “a CEO of a major technology company.” Ford was not charged for those allegations. His attorney, Jason Troia of Omaha, had sought a shorter sentence. He said Ford had a favorable employment record, the threats were short lived and out of character and that Ford made the threats under duress because COVID-19 vaccine mandates fueled his antigovernment sentiment. U.S. District Judge John M. Gerrard rejected those pleas, sayng there’s “nothing special” about being steadily employed and countering that Ford made 18 serious threats over a three-month span. As for Ford’s threats being coerced by vaccine mandates, “This argument is complete nonsense,” Gerrard said. Prosecutors said Ford sent Griswold a series of threatening messages over Instagram in August. One read, “Do you feel safe? You shouldn’t.” Another read: “Your security detail is far too thin and incompetent to protect you. This world is unpredictable these days … anything can happen to anyone.” Federal officials said there was little to explain why Ford would make such threats, noting he has a loving relationship with his family and fiancé, is in good health and earned a good living. “Although the government does not currently have reason to believe that defendant will commit similar offenses here in the future, threats to elections workers across the country are an ongoing and very serious problem,” prosecutors said. They added that one recent survey found one in six election officials have experienced threats because of their job, and 77 percent said they feel the volume of threats has increased in recent years. The judge said he reduced Ford’s sentence to 18 months only because he has no criminal history and his remorse appears genuine. “These types of threats are not within the mainstream of public discourse,” Gerrard said. “They’re not even close to normal, and I will do nothing to normalize it.” Also on Thursday, the Justice Department announced the arrest of Mark Rissi, 64, of Hiawatha, Iowa, on suspicion of leaving a voicemail in September 2021 for Republican Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman. Prosecutors say Rissi’s message threatening to lynch Hickman. “This wasn’t a prank call. This wasn’t protected speech. This was a serious threat to me and my family,” Hickman said in a statement Thursday, which also called out other Arizona leaders for their silence as he and election officials have endured two years of threats. Prosecutors say Rissi left a voicemail weeks later with the Arizona Attorney General claiming the 2020 general election in Arizona was fraudulent and telling prosecutors, “Do your job … or you will hang with those (expletive) in the end. We will see to it. Torches and pitchforks. That’s your future.” Election officials in Arizona and other battleground states have been subjected to threats and intimidation by some Trump supporters since the 2020 election. Rissi — who was to appear in an Iowa federal court Thursday — faces up to five years in prison if convicted of each of two counts of making a threatening interstate communication and up to two years for a single count of making a threatening telephone call. Rissi’s case did not appear in online court records Thursday, and it wasn’t clear whether he yet had an attorney. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Read More Here

Walker Sticks To Abortion Denial, Blames Democrats https://digitalarkansasnews.com/walker-sticks-to-abortion-denial-blames-democrats/ WADLEY, Ga. (AP) — Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker remained defiant Thursday after successive reports alleging that he encouraged and paid for a woman’s 2009 abortion and later fathered a child with her. Digging in on his denials of The Daily Beast’s reporting, Walker, a football icon turned celebrity politician and staunch abortion foe, blamed the stories on Democrats and their “desperation” — a defensive tactic that Walker’s friend and ally, former President Donald Trump, used to weather myriad controversies on his way to the White House. “I know why you’re here. I do,” he told reporters after his first public campaign speech since The Daily Beast’s initial report Monday. “You’re here because the Democrats are desperate to hold on to this seat here, and they’re desperate to make this race about my family.” He went on to repeat: “This abortion thing is false. It’s a lie.” Walker promised in the hours after a Monday report to sue the news outlet, but has not followed up with confirmation he has done so. And he has yet to clarify why he initially said he had no idea what woman could be making such an abortion claim, only to have The Daily Beast follow up Wednesday with the woman saying she had had a long relationship with Walker that included a child he knows. Georgia GOP Senate nominee Herschel Walker smiles during remarks during a campaign stop at Battle Lumber Co. on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, in Wadley, Ga. Walker’s appearance was his first following reports that a woman who said Walker paid for her 2009 abortion is actually mother of one of his children – undercutting Walker’s claims he didn’t know who she was .(AP Photo/Meg Kinnard) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Meg Kinnard Georgia GOP Senate nominee Herschel Walker smiles during remarks during a campaign stop at Battle Lumber Co. on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, in Wadley, Ga. Walker’s appearance was his first following reports that a woman who said Walker paid for her 2009 abortion is actually mother of one of his children – undercutting Walker’s claims he didn’t know who she was .(AP Photo/Meg Kinnard) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Meg Kinnard PreviousNext The allegations, buoyed by an adult different Walker son declaring his father a liar, have rocked one of the nation’s most important Senate matchups. Walker is in tight contest with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, with the outcome potentially determining which party controls the Senate for the final two years of President Joe Biden’s term. Walker’s tempest hasn’t shaken support among among Republicans in Washington, where Senate control supersedes nearly all concerns in a competitive race. But the latest turns have rattled some party faithful in Georgia, especially after the Daily Beast’s follow-up report undercut Walker’s blanket denials. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t getting calls from Republicans who are very concerned and struggling with what they’re going to do in the voting booth,” Martha Zoller, a popular radio host in north Georgia and one-time congressional candidate, said in an interview. Indeed, Walker presents the latest balancing test for religious and cultural conservatives who must weigh their preference for Republican rule against an individual candidate accused of not reflecting their values. Trump, who urged Walker to run for the Senate, won the GOP presidential nomination and the White House in 2016 despite being twice-divorced, once a supporter of abortion rights and same-sex marriage, and being captured on tape bragging about “grabbing” women by their genitalia. Now, in Walker, conservatives face another political novice who characterizes abortion as a woman “killing her baby,” only to have allegations that he paid to end a pregnancy he helped conceive. Just months ago, also after a Daily Beast story, Walker acknowledged the existence of three children he’d not discussed publicly before, one now indirectly identified as the child of the woman who said she had the abortion. Those personal details come on top of stories detailing Walker’s exaggerations of business achievements and philanthropic efforts. Zoller, the Georgia radio host, said that no “committed Republican” would vote for Warnock but that many would consider backing the Libertarian nominee or skipping the Senate race altogether. “I think most won’t know until they’re standing there in the booth,” she said. “That’s how jarring these revelations are.” The state tilted narrowly to Biden in 2020 and sent Warnock to the Senate two months later. Even among national GOP luminaries, some of the defenses have been less than forceful. “He had a lot of concussions coming out of football; he suffered PTSD,” said Newt Gingrich, a former Georgia congressman and Republican House speaker, shortly after praising Walker as “a remarkable person.” The Daily Beast still has not identified the woman by name, saying it wants to protect her privacy. The initial report included paper evidence the woman provided. Those records include what appears to be a $575 receipt for an abortion procedure, a get-well card signed by Walker and a bank deposit receipt showing a $700 personal check from Walker, dated five days after the abortion receipt. In that story, The Daily Beast described the woman only as someone who was dating Walker in 2009, at the time of the abortion. Walker responded with conservative media interviews in which he said he had no idea who could make the allegation and then dismissed the personal check by claiming, “I send money to a lot of people.” The Daily Beast responded with the second report in which the woman said she was so well known to Walker that, according to her, they conceived another child years after the abortion. She decided to continue with the later pregnancy, though she noted that Walker, as he had during the earlier pregnancy, expressed that it wasn’t a convenient time for him, the outlet reported. Prior to his Senate bid, Walker had publicly acknowledged only his son, Christian Walker, whose mother was Walker’s first wife. He acknowledged three additional children as a result of reporting during the campaign. But those children have not been featured in his campaign. Christian Walker, a high-profile social media commentator who identifies as a conservative, has since Monday’s Daily Beast report issued several statements accusing his father of lying about his past and being an absent, violent father and husband. Asked about Christian Walker on Thursday, he said simply that, “I love my son so much. He’s a great little man. I love him to death. I will always love him no matter what.” Warnock, for his part, turns questions on Walker and abortion to the Republicans’ opposition to the procedure, rather than to Walker himself. He took that tack again Thursday as he campaigned in his hometown of Savannah, with his children, ages 6 and 3, in tow. The Daily Beast said the Walker campaign declined to comment on Wednesday’s story, and the candidate offered no illuminating details during his five-minute exchange with reporters in south Georgia. Walker began airing an ad this week, titled “Grace,” in which he mentions his struggles with mental illness that he wrote about in a 2008 memoir that details violent threats he made against his first wife. But the ad doesn’t allude to the abortion allegations. That’s not enough for someone with Walker’s known and alleged history, radio host Zoller said. During his Senate primary, Walker openly backed a national ban on abortions with no caveats — particularly notable at a time when the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court precedent had been overturned and Democrats in Congress had been discussing codifying abortion rights into federal law. When asked whether he’d allow exceptions in cases involving rape, incest or a woman’s health being at risk, Walker has said there are “no excuses” for the procedure. As nominee, however, Walker has often sidestepped questions about that position, a tacit nod to the fact that most voters, including many Republicans, want at least some legal access to abortion. His stock answer instead: “I’m for life.” —- Barrow reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writer Russ Bynum contributed from Savannah, Georgia. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Read More Here

Trump Says Banks Have ‘gone Woke’ And Should Be ‘penalised Very Severely’ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-says-banks-have-gone-woke-and-should-be-penalised-very-severely/ Former President Donald Trump said that banks have “gone woke” and should be “penalised very severely for it” during a recent speech at the right-wing Hispanic Leadership Conference in Miami. Mr Trump was the keynote speaker at the Florida event on Wednesday. The event was organised by the America First Police Institute. During the speech, the former president railed against banks he claimed have not done enough to support “the Hispanic community.” “The big banks like Chase and like Bank of America have done much less for the Hispanic community than they should,” he said. “They’ve gone woke and they should be penalised very severely for it, the banks have let the community down, let the country down.” Mr Trump did not give examples of how the banks have “gone woke” before or after his statement at the conference, nor did he elaborate on how exactly the banks have underserved Hispanic Americans. The former president isn’t the first Republican to complain about “woke banks.” Republican officials in West Virginia have made similar claims and have taken action against the institutions. Fox Business reports that Republicans in West Virginia moved to bar banking institutions including BlackRock, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan from entering into banking contracts with the state treasurer’s office or any state agency over what they deem as harmful policies. The policies that have rankled Republicans in West Virginia are commitments by major US banks to reach net-zero financed emissions by 2050. While these targets do not explicitly prevent banks from funding fossil fuel expansions, they would result in a reduction to financed emissions in the oil and gas sector by 26 per cent and power sectors by 60 per cent, according to an analysis by environmental activist organisation The Sierra Club. West Virginia collected $769m in severance taxes from the fossil fuel industry in the last fiscal year, accounting for 13 per cent of the state’s general revenue funds generated, according to the Weirton Daily Times. The state’s treasurer, Riley Moore, told Fox Business that the state would not stand for the banks’ decision to commit to fossil-fuel reduction. “We’re not going to pay for our own destruction, we’re not going to subsidize that,” he said. “They have weaponized our tax dollars against the very people and industry that have generated them to begin with. That is why we’re pushing back against this ESG movement.” ESG references environmental, social, and governance investing, which are policies intended to encourage companies to act ethically and responsibly with their investments. Governor Ron DeSantis called ESG policies a “woke ideological agenda” in a statement released just two months before Hurricane Ian destroyed portions of the state, becoming what meteorologists say is the worst storm Florida has faced since 1935. While the climate crisis does not increase the number of hurricanes that might occur in a year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that the warming of ocean waters does make the storms more powerful and contributes to heavier rainfalls, which then results in worse flooding. Mr DeSantis has proposed that the state’s Board of Administration fund managers discount any data regarding ESG policies when determining how to invest Florida’s pension money. Read More Here

U.N. Body Rejects Debate On China's Treatment Of Uyghur Muslims In Blow To West https://digitalarkansasnews.com/u-n-body-rejects-debate-on-chinas-treatment-of-uyghur-muslims-in-blow-to-west/ Narrow defeat seen as blow to West, U.N. credibility First attempt to put China’s rights record on agenda Muslim countries like Pakistan reject the motion China lobbied hard against debate on sidelines GENEVA, Oct 6 (Reuters) – The U.N. rights council on Thursday voted down a Western-led motion to hold a debate about alleged human rights abuses by China against Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang in a victory for Beijing as it seeks to avoid further scrutiny. The defeat — 19 against, 17 for, 11 abstentions — is only the second time in the council’s 16-year history that a motion has been rejected and is seen by observers as a setback to both accountability efforts, the West’s moral authority on human rights and the credibility of the United Nations itself. The United States, Canada and Britain were among the countries that brought the motion. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com “This is a disaster. This is really disappointing,” said Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress, whose mother died in a camp and whose two brothers are missing. “We will never give up but we are really disappointed by the reaction of Muslim countries,” he added. Qatar, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan rejected the motion, with the latter citing the risk of alienating China. Phil Lynch, director of the International Service for Human Rights, called the voting record “shameful” on Twitter. NEW TARGETS ‘TOMORROW’ China’s envoy had warned before the vote that the motion would create a precedent for examining other countries’ human rights records. “Today China is targeted. Tomorrow any other developing country will be targeted,” said Chen Xu, adding that a debate would lead to “new confrontations”. read more The U.N. rights office on Aug. 31 released a long-delayed report that found serious human rights violations in Xinjiang that may constitute crimes against humanity, ramping up pressure on China. Rights groups accuse Beijing of abuses against Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in the western region of Xinjiang, including the mass use of forced labour in internment camps. The United States has accused China of genocide. Beijing vigorously denies any abuses. ‘ENORMOUS PRESSURE’ The motion is the first time that the rights record of China, a powerful permanent Security Council member, has been on the council’s agenda. The item has stoked divisions and a diplomat said states were under “enormous pressure” from Beijing to back China. Countries like Britain, the United States and Germany, vowed to continue to work towards accountability despite Thursday’s outcome. read more But activists said the defeat of such a limited motion, which stopped short of seeking an investigation, would make it difficult to put it back on the agenda. Universal Rights Group’s Marc Limon said it was a “serious miscalculation”, citing the timing which coincides with a Western-led motion for action on Russia. “It’s a serious blow for the credibility of the council and a clear victory for China,” he said. “Many developing countries will see it as an adjustment away from Western predominance in the U.N. human rights system.” The event raised political dilemmas for many poor countries in the 47-member council who are loath to publicly defy China for fear of jeapordising investment. Others probably wanted to avoid future scrutiny themselves. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Miranda Murray, Nick Macfie, Bernadette Baum and Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Fulton County Prosecutor Investigating Trump Aims For Indictments As Soon As December – Local News 8 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/fulton-county-prosecutor-investigating-trump-aims-for-indictments-as-soon-as-december-local-news-8/ By Sara Murray and Jason Morris, CNN The Georgia prosecutor leading an investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election is aiming to quickly wrap up the grand jury’s work after the midterm elections and could begin issuing indictments as early as December, sources familiar with the situation tell CNN. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has said that her investigation into attempts to subvert the 2020 election will go quiet beginning later this week to avoid any appearance of influencing the upcoming election. But while her investigation will not make any overt moves in the next few weeks, her team is gearing up for a flurry of activity after Election Day. “I think her hands are tied, certainly, until after the midterms,” said Michael J. Moore, former US attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “She wants to pull some of the politics out of it, so to ensure that the investigation is not forgotten, instead of sort of rattling the sabers and subpoenaing other witnesses you would just say you know we’re going to take this time to reflect on the investigation.” The Georgia probe — set off by an hour-long January 2021 phone call from Trump to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asking him to “find” the votes necessary for Trump to win the Peach State — has steadily expanded. It now covers presentations on unfounded election fraud claims to state lawmakers, the fake elector scheme, efforts by unauthorized individuals to access voting machines in one Georgia county and a campaign of threats and harassment against lower-level election workers. “It has moved from just the idea of the phone call to the Secretary of State to a much broader investigation of tampering with the election,” said Danny Porter, former district attorney for Georgia’s Gwinnett County. For the past five months, the special grand jury has been scrutinizing those events to determine whether any of them may have been illegal. When the panel, which does not have the power to issue indictments, completes its work, it is expected to issue a report with recommendations, including whether anyone should face criminal charges. Legal experts noted that special grand juries are rarely used in Georgia, so there’s sparse precedent. But they said it’s possible Willis could seek indictments from regularly empaneled grand juries in the county before the special grand jury completes its work. “She has the power to bring a case before a grand jury basically anytime she feels like she has enough evidence to show that the crime has been committed, not beyond a reasonable doubt but by probable cause,” said Porter. “If she gathers that information, she doesn’t have to wait for the report.” It remains unclear who could face indictment. Prosecutors previously informed 16 pro-Trump electors who falsely claimed Trump won Georgia in a certificate sent to the National Archives that they could be targets in the probe. Former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani was also told that he was a possible target. None have been charged with crimes. Pursuing RICO charges Willis has said she could pursue RICO — Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations — charges as part of her investigation. Racketeering charges, sometimes used in gang-related activity, allow prosecutors to bring charges against multiple defendants. Willis could use the law to try to make the case that Trump and his allies were part of a criminal enterprise in their various efforts to pressure state officials, put forth fake electors and otherwise try to influence the election. While some legal experts have questioned whether such an approach would be successful in the case of election interference, Willis has made clear her affection for the RICO statute. “The reason that I am a fan of RICO is, I think jurors are very, very intelligent,” Willis said at a news conference about a broad gang-related indictment over the summer. “They want to know what happened. They want to make an accurate decision about someone’s life. And so, RICO is a tool that allows a prosecutor’s office and law enforcement to tell the whole story.” Willis recently fired off a public warning to potential targets of her election investigation: “The allegations are very serious. If indicted and convicted, people are facing prison sentences,” she told The Washington Post. A spokesperson for the district attorney’s office declined to comment for this story. Subpoenaing as to new witnesses Ahead of the quiet period, the grand jury has pressed forward with its investigative work. It has continued issuing subpoenas to new witnesses, albeit with the expectation that those witnesses will appear before the grand jury after the election, sources familiar with the probe told CNN. The grand jury recently heard from former Trump White House aide and current lawyer Boris Epshteyn. And prosecutors have said they plan to seek search warrants for unidentified targets, though a judge noted those would be sealed to deter witness intimidation or evidence tampering, according to a recent court filing. Still, several investigative leads remain unresolved. Willis still has not secured testimony from White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who was among the participants on the January 2021 call between Trump and Raffensperger. Meadows also made a surprise visit to a Cobb County location in December 2020, where officials were conducting an absentee ballot signature audit. Meadows has an October hearing scheduled in South Carolina where he could raise objections to a potential grand jury appearance. Former South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is fighting to quash a subpoena for grand jury testimony, as prosecutors seek more information about calls he made to Georgia officials in the wake of the 2020 election. And Willis still faces a decision about whether she wants to try to summon the former President to appear before the grand jury. “I would be surprised if she tried a stunt like that,” Moore, the former US attorney said of attempting to subpoena Trump, “and I would expect you would probably have litigation that would last months.” A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. The former President has previously denounced the Georgia probe as “A strictly political Witch Hunt!” The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Crawford County Sheriff Deputies Fired https://digitalarkansasnews.com/crawford-county-sheriff-deputies-fired/ Mulberry officer remains on suspension since rough arrest in August VAN BUREN – Two of three law officers caught on a bystander’s video while beating a man during an August arrest in Crawford County have been fired from their jobs, according to reports. Zack King and Levi White have been terminated from employment with the department, authorities confirmed Thursday. The deputies and a Mulberry police officer, Thell Riddle, were videotaped beating Randal Worcester, 27, Aug. 21. Worcester had been accused of threatening an Alma convenience store clerk before riding his bicycle to Mulberry where he was confronted by the officers. Adam Rose, an attorney for Worcester, said the Crawford County Sheriff’s office confirmed the deputies had been fired Thursday. More:Two Crawford County Sheriff’s deputies suspended over beating caught on video “I’m glad to see that Crawford County has decided to do the right thing and fire these officers,” Rose said. “However, this is only a single step in the right director, but nowhere near the end of the journey for justice.” Riddle remained on paid administrative leave Thursday. Rose said, “Their abuse of power and continual belittling of the community has finally come to an end.” A civil lawsuit has been filed against the law officers in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas in Fort Smith. More:Federal lawsuit filed against Arkansas law officers Rose said, It is interesting that the Crawford County Sheriff’s office has changed their tune from their initial defense and video statements, but glad they have finally decided to do the right thing. Now these former officers will have to take responsibility for their actions in our lawsuit.” Read More Here

Trump Asks CNN To Prove His 'Big Lie' About 2020 Elections Is False https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-asks-cnn-to-prove-his-big-lie-about-2020-elections-is-false/ Former President Donald Trump, who sued CNN for defamation early this week, said in an interview on Wednesday that the media should prove his allegations about the 2020 presidential election being rigged are false. CNN had termed Trump’s allegations a “big lie,” a term that Trump claimed was coined by anchors to malign his reputation. While talking to hosts John Solomon and Amanda Head on the Real America’s Voice network show “Just The News No Noise” on Oct. 5, Trump said CNN should “prove the big lie.” “They’ll say whatever comes to mind. They talk about the big lie. I said, well prove the big lie. The big lie is not a big lie at all. The big lie is the opposite,” said Trump. “All the stats—we have everything. Unfortunately, we haven’t had judges that want to look at it. They don’t want to change elections.” The former President filed a lawsuit against CNN on Monday, alleging defamation and seeking $475 million in punitive damages. “And so we sued CNN for a lot of money and we’ll see how that goes. I think it should go very well,” Trump said. The 29-page lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, accuses CNN of having “sought to use its massive influence—purportedly as a ‘trusted’ news source” to defame Trump “for the purpose of defeating him politically.” The effort resulted in CNN claiming credit for “[getting] Trump out” in the 2020 presidential election, attorneys for Trump said in the complaint (pdf) adding that the “libel and slander” against Trump has only escalated in recent months because CNN fears Trump’s presidential campaign for 2024. “CNN has been given the dreaded ‘Pants on Fire!’ designation by PolitiFact for its stories comparing Trump to Hitler,” said the attorneys. They were referring to two psychiatrists discussing coverage of Trump on CNN’s now-canceled “Reliable Sources” program. Allen James Frances, the chairman emeritus of Duke University’s department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, had said on the show: “Trump is as destructive a person in this century as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao were in the last century. He may be responsible for many more million deaths than they were. He needs to be contained, but he needs to be contained by attacking his policies, not his person.” Politifact, a fact-checking website operated by the Poynter Institute of MediaStudies had done a fact-check on the claim and rated it as “Pants on Fire” on its “Truth-O-Meter,” which means “the statement is not accurate and makes a ridiculous claim.” Trump’s attorneys said that “[o]ne of the most pervasive associations between [Trump] and Hitler that CNN has employed is its use of the term the ‘Big Lie’ in relation to the Plaintiff’s stated concerns about the integrity of the election process for the 2020 presidential election.” “The ‘Big Lie’ is a direct reference to a tactic employed by Adolf Hitler and appearing in Hitler’s Mein Kampf,” they wrote. According to a footnote on the lawsuit, Trump’s lawyers had earlier contacted CNN in July with a notice of soon-to-be litigation and had requested that the media stop referring to Trump’s comments on the 2020 elections as “lies.” However, CNN declined his request and said: “You have not identified a single false or defamatory statement in your letter.” In 2019, Trump’s lawyers had also sent a letter to CNN threatening to sue and seek “substantial” payment, but CNN dismissed it as a “PR stunt.” CNN hasn’t responded to The Epoch Times’ earlier requests for comments and the media has yet to offer any public statement on Trump’s recent lawsuit. Follow Venus Upadhayaya reports on wide range of issues. Her area of expertise is in Indian and South Asian geopolitics. She has reported from the very volatile India-Pakistan border and has contributed to mainstream print media in India for about a decade. Community media, sustainable development, and leadership remain her key areas of interest. Read More Here

First Proud Boys Leader Pleads Guilty To Jan. 6 Seditious Conspiracy https://digitalarkansasnews.com/first-proud-boys-leader-pleads-guilty-to-jan-6-seditious-conspiracy-2/ A lieutenant of longtime former Proud Boys chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio became the group’s first member to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot on Thursday, deepening the government’s case against an organization accused of mobilizing violence to prevent the inauguration of Joe Biden. Jeremy Bertino, 43, of Belmont, N.C., becomes a potential key witness for the Justice Department against Tarrio and four other Proud Boys leaders, some of whom had ties to influential supporters of President Donald Trump. The five Proud Boys defendants are set to face trial in December on charges including plotting to oppose by force the presidential transition, culminating in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol. At a hearing before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly in Washington, Bertino pleaded guilty to that count and to one count of illegal possession of firearms as a formerly convicted felon, punishable by 51 to 63 months in prison at sentencing under advisory federal guidelines, prosecutors said. From December 2020 to January 2021, Bertino “did knowingly combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with” the Proud Boys leaders “and other persons known and unknown, to oppose by force the authority of the Government of the United States and to delay by force the execution of the laws governing the transfer of power,” the two-page charging document alleges. In a sign of the sensitivity and potential importance of Bertino’s testimony, prosecutors agreed that if he provides “substantial cooperation,” they would seek leniency at sentencing and could enter Bertino into a Justice Department witness protection program. Bertino held a place in the top inner circle of Proud Boys leaders accused of conspiring to impede Congress with angry Trump supporters as lawmakers met to confirm the election results. Bertino’s home in North Carolina was searched in March at the same time that Tarrio was arrested on charges that he and at least four others “directed, mobilized and led” a crowd of 200 to 300 supporters onto Capitol grounds. Many in that crowd are accused of leading some of the earliest and most aggressive attacks on police and property. At the time of the search, Bertino allegedly possessed two pistols, a shotgun, bolt-action rifle and two semiautomatic AR-15 style rifles with scopes. Bertino was convicted in 2004 of first-degree reckless endangerment in New York state, a felony, and sentenced to five years of probation with a period of local jail time, according to court filings. Bertino’s testimony could implicate Tarrio, a former aide to GOP strategist Roger Stone, and co-defendant Joe Biggs, a former employee online Infowars show host Alex Jones. Stone and Jones are two prominent right-wing figures who promoted Trump’s incendiary and baseless assertions that the election was stolen. Stone remained in contact with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and in Washington in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 attack, coordinated post-election protests and privately strategized with figures such as former national security adviser Michael Flynn and ‘Stop the Steal’ organizer Ali Alexander, The Post has reported. Stone also communicated via encrypted texts after the 2020 election with Tarrio as well as Stewart Rhodes, the founder and leader of a second right-wing extremist group, the Oath Keepers, accused of playing an outsized role in planning for and organizing violence at the Capitol. Rhodes was on trial Thursday for seditious conspiracy in the same courthouse where Bertino pleaded. Tarrio and Rhodes were part of a Signal chat group titled “F.O.S.” — or Friends of Stone, and the pair met in an underground parking garage next to the Capitol the evening before Jan. 6 with leaders of two pro-Trump grass roots groups. Jones, meanwhile, promoted a Nov. 20, 2020, podcast by Tarrio in which he suggested in an expletive-laden call that Trump supporters infiltrate the Biden inauguration and turn it into a “circus, a sign of resistance, a sign of revolution.” That podcast, which featured Tarrio co-defendants Ethan Nordean and Biggs, a former Infowars employee, was first reported by online news site the Daily Dot and viewed by The Post. Rhodes, Tarrio, Nordean and Biggs have pleaded not guilty to seditious conspiracy and other charges. Stone, who has not been charged, has categorically denied involvement in the Jan. 6 breach. He has previously told The Post, “Any claim, assertion or implication that I knew about, was involved in or condoned the illegal acts at the Capitol on Jan. 6 is categorically false and there is no witness or document that proves otherwise.” An attorney for Alexander said he testified to a federal grand jury this summer after being assured he was not a target of the investigation. Jones’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Before Bertino, all four of 14 people hit with the historically rare charge of seditious conspiracy in the Capitol riots who have pleaded guilty were affiliated with the Oath Keepers. Tarrio and Bertino were not present in Washington on Jan. 6, the only two of more than 870 federally charged defendants who were not. But prosecutors alleged that Bertino was in direct contact with Tarrio, who oversaw events from Baltimore, and Nordean, who was in charge in Washington, according to a 10-count indictment against the pair and earlier charging papers. Released videos show Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio meeting Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes the day before the attack on the Capitol. (Video: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia) For instance, Bertino was Nordean’s guest in a Parler-linked video on Dec. 31 in which Bertino called Proud Boys “soldiers of the right wing” at war, and Nordean said that Americans must “desensitize” themselves to violence. On Dec. 30 and 31, according to his indictment, Tarrio exchanged messages with an individual who sent him a plan called “1776 Returns” to occupy “crucial buildings” in Washington, including the House and Senate. His indictment stated that the individual messaged Tarrio, the “revolution is [sic] important than anything,” to which Tarrio replied, “That’s what every waking moment consists of … I’m not playing games.” On Jan. 4, according to his indictment, Tarrio posted a voice message to a “Ministry of Self Defense” leaders group of Proud Boys, stating, “I didn’t hear this voice note until now, you want to storm the Capitol.” After the Capitol was breached, Tarrio wrote in a Telegram group chat, “We did this,” prosecutors said. That night, Bertino — previously identified as “Individual A” or “Person 1” in charging papers — messaged Tarrio “1776,” exulting with a profanity, and Tarrio replied “The Winter Palace,” according to the indictment. Prosecutors allege it is a reference to a Proud Boys planning document that had a section called “Storm the Winter Palace,” referring to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the former imperial palace in St. Petersburg that was raided by Bolsheviks, CNN first reported. Bertino also suggested to Tarrio that the election result could be invalidated if lawmakers failed to vote by midnight, an argument that echoed the effort by Trump’s own lawyers to deny Biden’s victory. Bertino has been on the radar screen of both the FBI and a House select committee investigating the events of Jan. 6. Bertino told the House panel that membership “tripled” after Trump famously urged the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” during a 2020 presidential debate, according to a video clip of his interview played in a House hearing in June. Social media posts, video recordings from Jan. 6 and earlier charging papers by the FBI also indicate that Nordean and Proud Boys leaders were motivated to confront police that day in part by what they perceived to be an insufficient response to the stabbing of Bertino outside Harry’s Bar in downtown Washington after a pro-Trump demonstration the previous month. In a Proud Boys live-stream video taken at the Capitol shortly before it was stormed, Nordean can be seen shouting at police through a bullhorn, “You took our boy in, and you let our stabber go” — an apparent reference to Tarrio’s arrest and the dismissal of ­charges against another man initially accused of being involved in a Dec. 12 melee. On Jan. 4, Nordean shared a post of a photograph of himself and Bertino captioned, “And fight we will,” and included a link to his podcast “Rebel Talk with Rufio,” in which he and Bertino discussed the stabbing. At least two other Proud Boys defendants have pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct Congress’s joint proceeding on Jan. 6 and agreed to cooperate with the government, Matthew Greene, 34, of Syracuse, N.Y., and Charles Donohoe, 34, of Kernersville, N.C. Read More Here

Chris Jones Shares Vision To Lift Up Arkansas During Arkansas Gubernatorial Debate – SWARK Today https://digitalarkansasnews.com/chris-jones-shares-vision-to-lift-up-arkansas-during-arkansas-gubernatorial-debate-swark-today/ PRESS RELEASE Chris Jones Shares Vision to Lift Up Arkansas During Arkansas Gubernatorial Debate; Sarah Sanders Doesn’t Show Up LITTLE ROCK – Dr. Chris Jones, the Democratic nominee for Arkansas governor, joined by third-party candidate Ricky Dale Harrington Jr., participated in Wednesday’s televised gubernatorial debate, hosted by KATV and moderated by KATV’s Chris May. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Republican nominee, did not show up and her absence was represented by an empty chair. “It’s always a great night to serve and show up for Arkansas, and it’s important that those seeking to be chief executive of the state show up to share the experience and values they’ll bring to the job, and to share their vision for the state,” Jones said. “I believe I showed that I’m the only candidate in this race with real plans to lead Arkansas forward. The conversation with Ricky and I was great, the only sad part is that Sarah didn’t respect Arkansas enough to show up.” The two candidates present addressed several important issues including teacher pay, the Dobbs decision, community safety, policing, healthcare, and fiscal responsibility. In several instances, Jones provided tangible examples of actions he would take to support Arkansans including his Teacher Pay Plus plan to improve school education, supporting rural hospitals by renegotiating the Medicaid reimbursement rate, and addressing specific infrastructure challenges – like the Diamond City water and sewage system which will fail in the next few years and runoff into the Arkansas River, if action isn’t taken.  “I’m thankful for the opportunity to speak to Arkansans, and I’m appreciative of the opportunity to show up,” said Jones in his closing remarks, crediting his upbringing as a 7th-generation Arkansan as the foundation for his success in education, business and leadership. “I see an Arkansas where everyone can work together at the table and really lift us all up and provide opportunities for all Arkansans – no matter what your last name is or how many zeroes you have in your bank account, no matter what you look like or where you live. That’s the Arkansas that we need, that we can have, and it starts with spreading PB&J (high-quality education starting with Preschool, solid infrastructure starting with Broadband, and real economic development starting with high-paying Jobs) across the state and then it builds to us being ready for a 21st century economy.” Sanders, who reportedly skipped the debate in favor of attending the Tiger Tunes performance at Ouachita Baptist University, denied several invitations from KATV to participate in the debate on any night. “The Republican nominee Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined our invitation to appear on this — or any other — night but that invitation stands throughout this debate,” said KATV’s Chris May as he began the debate. Sanders never showed up to accept the invitation. Sanders’ avoidance of the debate breaks from long-standing expectations of Arkansans that candidates seeking their votes show up for debates and put their plans on display for voters, but it’s not surprising since Sanders has avoided town halls, media interviews and public appearances throughout the campaign. Meanwhile, Jones’ grassroots campaign has focused on meeting voters across the state through his Promise of Arkansas and Walk A Mile In Your Shoes tours. Jones has visited every county of Arkansas to listen, learn and share his vision for spreading opportunity across the state like “PB&J” – high-quality education starting with Preschool, solid infrastructure starting with Broadband access for everyone, and real economic development starting with good paying Jobs. “Voters have a choice: A hard-working Arkansan who shows up for all Arkansans or my opponent. I work hard to meet every opportunity to share my experience and vision for lifting up every Arkansan across the state. I’m the only candidate running for governor with the executive leadership experience to do the job, and the only one who will show up everyday to make the Arkansas government work for all our neighbors – and actually wants to govern. My only ambition is to help unlock the promise of Arkansas, a state that created the foundation for my success, so that others can thrive as I have,” Jones said. “I’ll always show up for neighbors across our great state, share a vision and stand on my own merits. On the contrary, Arkansans are telling me that they don’t see or hear from Sarah Sanders. Together, we can choose community, progress and love over chaos, entitlement and extremism.” At this time, the only other gubernatorial debate scheduled is on PBS on Oct. 21.  Read More…

How To Register To Vote In Fayetteville: Registration Deadline For Upcoming Election Is Oct. 11 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/how-to-register-to-vote-in-fayetteville-registration-deadline-for-upcoming-election-is-oct-11/ File photo Voters who’d like to cast ballots in the upcoming November elections who haven’t registered to vote yet have just a few more days to do so. The registration deadline for the upcoming election is set for Tuesday, Oct. 11. Those who’d like to check their registration status can do so at voterview.ar-nova.org/. Information on how to register to vote in Arkansas in person or by mail, along with election day info, and more is below. In-Person Registration There are several ways to register for those who’d like to do so. In-person registration is available in Fayetteville at the following locations: Washington County Clerk’s Office – 280 N College Ave, Ste 300 Fayetteville Public Library – 401 W. Mountain St. Arkansas State Revenue Office – 3086 M.L.K. Jr Blvd. Local disability agencies Military recruitment offices Arkansas National Guard offices Through local voter registration drives. Registration by mail To register to vote by mail, download a registration application (English version / Spanish version), fill it out, and mail it to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office at: Arkansas Secretary of State ATTN: Voter Registration P.O. BOX 8111 Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-8111 Please note, if your voter registration application form is submitted by mail and you are registering for the first time, and you do not have a valid Arkansas driver’s license number or social security number, in order to avoid the additional identification requirements upon voting for the first time you must submit with the mailed registration form: (a) a current and valid photo identification; or (b) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address. Voters may also request a paper form be mailed to them online at the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office by filling out the form here. The voter registration FAQ here includes some helpful information, including a reminder that just because you submitted the application doesn’t mean you are registered. If registering by mail, your application must be mailed by the deadline date (in this case, by Tuesday, Oct. 11). According to the Washington County Clerk’s website, you can “consider yourself registered when – and only when – you receive an acknowledgment from your county clerk.” The process can take several weeks, and those who submit a registration application can follow up on the status of the application by calling the clerk’s office at 479-444-1711. Who can register to vote? The requirements to register to vote in the state of Arkansas are as follows. To register, one must: Be a U.S. citizen Be an Arkansas resident (residing in Arkansas at least 30days before the first election in which you will vote). Be 18 or turn 18 on or before the next election. Not be convicted of a felony without your sentence having been discharged or pardoned. Not be presently adjudged mentally incompetent as to your ability to vote by a court of competent jurisdiction. Must not claim the right to vote in any other county or state Election Day Information Election Day for the upcoming election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 8. Early voting will begin on Oct. 24, and will run until Nov. 7. On Election Day, voting locations will be open from 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. In the event that a runoff is required, the General Election Day Runoff will take place on Dec. 6, with early voting available from Nov. 29-Dec. 5. For information on early voting election sites, election day polling places, absentee voting options, sample ballots, and more, visit washingtoncountyar.gov. Flyer Newsletter The latest headlines from the Fayetteville Flyer, delivered straight to your inbox. Read More Here

First Proud Boys Leader Pleads Guilty To Jan. 6 Seditious Conspiracy https://digitalarkansasnews.com/first-proud-boys-leader-pleads-guilty-to-jan-6-seditious-conspiracy/ A lieutenant of longtime former Proud Boys chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio became the group’s first member to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot on Thursday, deepening the government’s case against an organization accused of mobilizing violence to prevent the inauguration of Joe Biden. Jeremy Bertino, 43, of Belmont, N.C., becomes a potential key witness for the Justice Department against Tarrio and four other Proud Boys leaders, some of whom had ties to influential supporters of President Donald Trump. The five Proud Boys defendants are set to face trial in December on charges including plotting to oppose by force the presidential transition, culminating in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol. At a hearing before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly in Washington, Bertino pleaded guilty to that count and to one count of illegal possession of firearms as a formerly convicted felon, punishable by 51 to 63 months in prison at sentencing under advisory federal guidelines, prosecutors said. From December 2020 to January 2021, Bertino “did knowingly combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with” the Proud Boys leaders “and other persons known and unknown, to oppose by force the authority of the Government of the United States and to delay by force the execution of the laws governing the transfer of power,” the two-page charging document alleges. In a sign of the sensitivity and potential importance of Bertino’s testimony, prosecutors agreed that if he provides “substantial cooperation,” they would seek leniency at sentencing and could enter Bertino into a Justice Department witness protection program. Bertino held a place in the top inner circle of Proud Boys leaders accused of conspiring to impede Congress with angry Trump supporters as lawmakers met to confirm the election results. Bertino’s home in North Carolina was searched in March at the same time that Tarrio was arrested on charges that he and at least four others “directed, mobilized and led” a crowd of 200 to 300 supporters onto Capitol grounds. Many in that crowd are accused of leading some of the earliest and most aggressive attacks on police and property. At the time of the search, Bertino allegedly possessed two pistols, a shotgun, bolt-action rifle and two semiautomatic AR-15 style rifles with scopes. Bertino was convicted in 2004 of first-degree reckless endangerment in New York state, a felony, and sentenced to five years of probation with a period of local jail time, according to court filings. Bertino’s testimony could implicate Tarrio, a former aide to GOP strategist Roger Stone, and co-defendant Joe Biggs, a former employee online Infowars show host Alex Jones. Stone and Jones are two prominent right-wing figures who promoted Trump’s incendiary and baseless assertions that the election was stolen. Stone remained in contact with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and in Washington in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 attack, coordinated post-election protests and privately strategized with figures such as former national security adviser Michael Flynn and ‘Stop the Steal’ organizer Ali Alexander, The Post has reported. Stone also communicated via encrypted texts after the 2020 election with Tarrio as well as Stewart Rhodes, the founder and leader of a second right-wing extremist group, the Oath Keepers, accused of playing an outsized role in planning for and organizing violence at the Capitol. Rhodes was on trial Thursday for seditious conspiracy in the same courthouse where Bertino pleaded. Tarrio and Rhodes were part of a Signal chat group titled “F.O.S.” — or Friends of Stone, and the pair met in an underground parking garage next to the Capitol the evening before Jan. 6 with leaders of two pro-Trump grass roots groups. Jones, meanwhile, promoted a Nov. 20, 2020, podcast by Tarrio in which he suggested in an expletive-laden call that Trump supporters infiltrate the Biden inauguration and turn it into a “circus, a sign of resistance, a sign of revolution.” That podcast, which featured Tarrio co-defendants Ethan Nordean and Biggs, a former Infowars employee, was first reported by online news site the Daily Dot and viewed by The Post. Rhodes, Tarrio, Nordean and Biggs have pleaded not guilty to seditious conspiracy and other charges. Stone, who has not been charged, has categorically denied involvement in the Jan. 6 breach. He has previously told The Post, “Any claim, assertion or implication that I knew about, was involved in or condoned the illegal acts at the Capitol on Jan. 6 is categorically false and there is no witness or document that proves otherwise.” An attorney for Alexander said he testified to a federal grand jury this summer after being assured he was not a target of the investigation. Jones’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Before Bertino, all four of 14 people hit with the historically rare charge of seditious conspiracy in the Capitol riots who have pleaded guilty were affiliated with the Oath Keepers. Tarrio and Bertino were not present in Washington on Jan. 6, the only two of more than 870 federally charged defendants who were not. But prosecutors alleged that Bertino was in direct contact with Tarrio, who oversaw events from Baltimore, and Nordean, who was in charge in Washington, according to a 10-count indictment against the pair and earlier charging papers. Released videos show Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio meeting Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes the day before the attack on the Capitol. (Video: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia) For instance, Bertino was Nordean’s guest in a Parler-linked video on Dec. 31 in which Bertino called Proud Boys “soldiers of the right wing” at war, and Nordean said that Americans must “desensitize” themselves to violence. On Dec. 30 and 31, according to his indictment, Tarrio exchanged messages with an individual who sent him a plan called “1776 Returns” to occupy “crucial buildings” in Washington, including the House and Senate. His indictment stated that the individual messaged Tarrio, the “revolution is [sic] important than anything,” to which Tarrio replied, “That’s what every waking moment consists of … I’m not playing games.” On Jan. 4, according to his indictment, Tarrio posted a voice message to a “Ministry of Self Defense” leaders group of Proud Boys, stating, “I didn’t hear this voice note until now, you want to storm the Capitol.” After the Capitol was breached, Tarrio wrote in a Telegram group chat, “We did this,” prosecutors said. That night, Bertino — previously identified as “Individual A” or “Person 1” in charging papers — messaged Tarrio “1776,” exulting with a profanity, and Tarrio replied “The Winter Palace,” according to the indictment. Prosecutors allege it is a reference to a Proud Boys planning document that had a section called “Storm the Winter Palace,” referring to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the former imperial palace in St. Petersburg that was raided by Bolsheviks, CNN first reported. Bertino also suggested to Tarrio that the election result could be invalidated if lawmakers failed to vote by midnight, an argument that echoed the effort by Trump’s own lawyers to deny Biden’s victory. Bertino has been on the radar screen of both the FBI and a House select committee investigating the events of Jan. 6. Bertino told the House panel that membership “tripled” after Trump famously urged the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” during a 2020 presidential debate, according to a video clip of his interview played in a House hearing in June. Social media posts, video recordings from Jan. 6 and earlier charging papers by the FBI also indicate that Nordean and Proud Boys leaders were motivated to confront police that day in part by what they perceived to be an insufficient response to the stabbing of Bertino outside Harry’s Bar in downtown Washington after a pro-Trump demonstration the previous month. In a Proud Boys live-stream video taken at the Capitol shortly before it was stormed, Nordean can be seen shouting at police through a bullhorn, “You took our boy in, and you let our stabber go” — an apparent reference to Tarrio’s arrest and the dismissal of ­charges against another man initially accused of being involved in a Dec. 12 melee. On Jan. 4, Nordean shared a post of a photograph of himself and Bertino captioned, “And fight we will,” and included a link to his podcast “Rebel Talk with Rufio,” in which he and Bertino discussed the stabbing. At least two other Proud Boys defendants have pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct Congress’s joint proceeding on Jan. 6 and agreed to cooperate with the government, Matthew Greene, 34, of Syracuse, N.Y., and Charles Donohoe, 34, of Kernersville, N.C. Read More Here

Biden Releases Marijuana Offenders From Prison To Make Room For Trump Administration https://digitalarkansasnews.com/biden-releases-marijuana-offenders-from-prison-to-make-room-for-trump-administration/ WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—President Biden announced that he was pardoning all people convicted under federal law of marijuana possession in order to make prison cells available for members of the Trump Administration. Announcing the decision from the Oval Office, Biden said, “At present, thousands of Americans are in prison for the possession of marijuana. Those thousands of prison cells are badly needed to accommodate the influx of Trump aides, associates, and family members.” Biden said that vacating the existing prison cells would save the American taxpayer billions “since the only alternative was to construct approximately forty thousand new cells that the incoming Trump prisoners would require.” Calling the decision to pardon the marijuana users “one of the easiest [he’s] ever made,” Biden said, “What’s worse, lighting up a spliff or stealing the nuclear codes? Come on, man.” Just minutes after Biden’s announcement, the former Trump attorney Rudolph Giuliani held a press conference at the Four Seasons Head Shop in Bethesda, Maryland. “I am holding in my hand a sworn affidavit from Donald J. Trump, indicating that, throughout the entire time he was President, he was high,” Giuliani said. Read More Here

News On Fringe Social Sites Draws Limited But Loyal Fans, Report Finds https://digitalarkansasnews.com/news-on-fringe-social-sites-draws-limited-but-loyal-fans-report-finds/ The appeal of platforms like Parler, Truth Social and Telegram is another symptom of the partisan divide in media, according to the Pew Research Center. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. This article is part of our Midterms 2022 Daily Briefing One-third of the people surveyed had heard of Parler, a service popular with fans of former President Donald J. Trump.Credit…Olivier Douliery/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Oct. 6, 2022Updated 4:50 p.m. ET Alternative social media platforms like Parler, Truth Social and Telegram are often described by progressives as hotbeds for fringe views and by conservatives as havens for free speech. Researchers say there is also another way to think of them: where few Americans go to get their news. A new report from the nonpartisan Pew Research Center found that only 6 percent of adults regularly seek out news from at least one of the seven more prominent alternative social media sites: BitChute, Gab, Gettr, Parler, Rumble, Telegram and Truth Social. No single site drew more than 2 percent of Americans looking for news, according to the report, which was released on Thursday. Of the 10,188 people surveyed, 38 percent had heard of Parler, a service popular with fans of former President Donald J. Trump. More than a quarter knew of Telegram, a fast-growing messaging app that has fueled foreign democracy movements but also attracted extremists and conspiracy theorists. Truth Social, a platform that Mr. Trump started this year and has recently used to promote far-right and conspiratorial ideas, was familiar to 27 percent of the people. Despite the platforms’ limited reach, most of the people who do frequent such places for news — “a small but satisfied community” who largely identified as Republican or Republican-leaning — said they found like-minded company there, according to Pew. Those who do not use the sites often associated them with misinformation, political bias and fringe ideas, the report found. Researchers described the presence of the sites as another symptom of the partisan divide in traditional and online media, calling them “a refuge for some who feel they do not have a home on the more established sites” like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. “We see evidence of these sites adding to the country’s growing political polarization in people’s choices around where they turn for news and also in what topics to discuss,” said Amy Mitchell, Pew’s director of journalism research. “It’s a relatively small segment of the American public that turns to these sites for news, but most who do are actually quite positive about their experiences there.” Each of the seven sites has explicitly portrayed itself as supporting free speech, with several specifically declaring their opposition to censorship and identifying themselves as alternatives to mainstream tech platforms, according to researchers. The report found that all of the sites except Gab went beyond legal requirements to moderate content by removing posts or by suspending or banning accounts that were deemed offensive or vectors for misinformation. Andrew Torba, chief executive of Gab, said in an email that “corporations shouldn’t decide what people get to say online,” adding that he believed that Gab was a more popular news destination than Pew had found it to be. Gettr said in a statement that it supported free speech and the democratic exchange of ideas online while also taking online harassment seriously. The company said it “has created a positive user experience that is making social media fun again, something the dying Big Tech social media platforms cannot claim.” In a statement, Rumble said that it allows users — 78 million a month as of August, it said — to express themselves and that its “mission is to protect a free and open internet.” The company added that it had strict moderation policies banning the incitement of violence, illegal content, racism, antisemitism, copyright violations and the promotion of groups designated by the U.S. and Canadian governments as terrorists, along with other restrictions. Truth Social described itself as “the leading obstacle to Big Tech’s suppression of dissenting viewpoints on social media” and said it had not expanded to all mobile devices but was still growing fast. Amy Peikoff, the head of policy and legal at Parler, said in a statement that offensive content or hate speech was often removed from the company’s apps hosted by Apple and Google, “as required by those companies’ guidelines.” On Parler.com, users have control over the material in their feeds, although the company removes clearly fraudulent content when it is reported, she said. “We do not generally attempt to do our users’ critical thinking for them,” Ms. Peikoff said. Telegram and BitChute did not respond to requests for comment. The sites themselves, as well as some of their backers, have been subject to bans. Mr. Trump started Truth Social after Facebook and Twitter, citing public safety risks, suspended him after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Parler was one of the fastest-growing apps in the country when Amazon, Apple and Google cut it off last year for hosting calls for violence around the time of the riot, causing it to disappear from the internet for weeks. In March, Brazil’s Supreme Court blocked Telegram in the country over disinformation concerns but lifted the ban two days later after the service took steps to comply with the court’s orders. This year, Pew researchers audited the seven sites and reviewed 1,400 popular accounts across the group, analyzing 585,470 posts published by the accounts. Larger social media platforms had blocked 15 percent of the accounts from earning money or banned them outright, the report found. Researchers found a prevalence of conservative values and identities among the accounts. One-quarter expressed a right-leaning political orientation or support for Mr. Trump, and 6 percent backed the QAnon conspiracy theory, according to the report. A third of the people who consume news on alternative social media said they had participated in person at a rally or other political activity that they learned about on the sites, and even more had donated money to accounts on the sites, researchers found. Read More Here

Whataburger & Mellow Mushroom | What To Know About Central Arkansas' Food Scene https://digitalarkansasnews.com/whataburger-food-scene/ With Whataburger announcing its groundbreaking in Little Rock and Mellow Mushroom permanently closing in the city, a lot is changing in the local food community. LITTLE ROCK, Ark — There’s so much exciting food news happening around the area. Some of our favorite eateries are expanding and new restaurants are moving in. But we’re also saying goodbye to some long-time staples.  Here’s what you need to know about the local food eatery community.  You may recall we shared the story of Kassi’s Cookies, the small but mighty boutique bakery that put Mayflower on the map.  While we were visiting Kassi we noticed several people driving in from Conway just to satisfy their sweet tooth.  Soon that drive won’t be necessary as owner Kassie Posey has announced she’s opening a second storefront in downtown Conway on Nov. 5th!  We love seeing restaurants we’ve previously featured continue their success!   Also expanding is Grandpa’s Catfish. This is one of central Arkansas’s oldest catfish restaurants and it’s rich with history.  Based out of Maumelle Blvd in North Little Rock, they are now mobile. The Townsends, who own Grandpa’s Catfish, tell us they’ve recently added a food truck to their operations. You can find its schedule on Facebook.   Speaking of restaurants with rich history, we have some sad news from Searcy. The Main Street Café has closed its doors after 31 years in business.  In a Facebook post the restaurant cited pandemic-related issues for its closure. No doubt many folks in White County will miss this staple.   You can add Mellow Mushroom to the list of local eateries calling it quits. While we have no information as to why it has closed, it’s reported as “permanently closed” online.   As for some good news, construction of the new West Little Rock Whataburger has begin. Crews can be seen clearing land at the site located at 17100 Chenal Parkway.  An official groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for next week, with an anticipated opening date in 2023. There’s no word yet on the Benton location.   Continuing with good news, we’ll soon have another coffee option in the Maumelle and North Little Rock communities.  Fayetteville-based 7 Brew Coffee is continuing it’s expansion into the central Arkansas market with the construction of one of it’s signature drive-thru coffee shops at the intersection of Maumelle Blvd and Crystal Hill Road. Read More…

Federal Agents See Chargeable Tax, Gun-Purchase Case Against Hunter Biden https://digitalarkansasnews.com/federal-agents-see-chargeable-tax-gun-purchase-case-against-hunter-biden/ Federal agents investigating President Biden’s son Hunter have gathered what they believe is sufficient evidence to charge him with tax crimes and a false statement related to a gun purchase, according to people familiar with the case. The next step is for the U.S. Attorney in Delaware, a Trump administration holdover, to decide on whether to file such charges, these people said. The investigation into Hunter Biden began in 2018, and became a central focus for then-president Donald Trump during his unsuccessful 2020 reelection effort. Initially, the investigation centered around Hunter Biden’s finances related to overseas business ties and consulting work. Over time, investigators with multiple agencies focused closely on whether he did not report all of his income, and whether he lied on gun purchase paperwork in 2018, according to the people familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing case. Agents determined months ago they had assembled a viable criminal case against the younger Biden. But it is ultimately up to prosecutors at the Justice Department, not agents, to decide whether to file charges in cases where prosecutors believe the evidence is strong enough to lead to a likely conviction at trial. Given the intense political interest in a criminal probe involving the son of a sitting president, Attorney General Merrick Garland has made clear that the U.S. Attorney in Delaware, David C. Weiss, who was nominated by Trump in late 2017, is supervising the case. Garland has vowed there will be no political or otherwise improper interference in the Hunter Biden case, and has not moved to push Weiss to make a decision, the people familiar with the matter said. It is not uncommon for Justice Department investigations to take years to finish. Justice Department policy would require any criminal tax charges to be approved by the department’s tax division. A spokeswoman for Weiss declined to comment, as did spokespeople for the Justice Department, and the FBI and the IRS, the two primary investigative agencies. Asked about the case, Chris Clark, a lawyer for Hunter Biden, accused investigators of leaking information. “It is a federal felony for a federal agent to leak information about a Grand Jury investigation such as this one,” Clark said in a written statement. “Any agent you cite as a source in your article apparently has committed such a felony. We expect the Department of Justice will diligently investigate and prosecute such bad actors. As is proper and legally required, we believe the prosecutors in this case are diligently and thoroughly weighing not just evidence provided by agents, but also all the other witnesses in this case, including witnesses for the defense. That is the job of the prosecutors. They should not be pressured, rushed, or criticized for doing their job.” Any charging decision involving the Biden case is especially fraught because Trump and his allies have made accusations of corruption in Hunter Biden’s business dealings a key line of attack against Democrats, both before and after the 2020 presidential race. At the height of the election campaign, Trump allies revealed that a Delaware computer shop owner had turned over to the FBI a laptop that had apparently belonged to Hunter Biden. Trump and others argued the data on the laptop showed evidence of unethical and possible illegal business deals; Joe Biden and his supporters denounced the efforts as a smear. In March, The Washington Post reported that two computer security experts had reviewed thousands of the emails purportedly from Hunter Biden’s computer and found they were authentic communications, based on cryptographic signatures from Google and other technology companies. It could not be determined for this article whether the laptop and its contents were useful in the Justice Department investigation. The Biden probe has proceeded with relatively little fanfare in recent months amid the much larger and more public Justice Department and FBI investigation into whether Trump mishandled classified material at Mar-a-Lago — and a separate federal investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump and his allies have sharply criticized federal law enforcement over both those cases. Questions about the younger Biden’s foreign business ventures have long dogged his father’s political life. Trump and his GOP allies specifically cite as ethical conflicts Hunter Biden’s past work for a Ukrainian gas company while his father was vice president, as well as his China-related business affairs. In a July 2019 phone call, Trump urged Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate both Joe and Hunter Biden — part of a pressure campaign that led to the first of Trump’s two impeachment trials in Congress. In December 2020 federal agents sought to interview the younger Biden, leading him to publicly acknowledge that he was under investigation. “I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors,” Hunter Biden said in a statement at that time. Clark, Hunter Biden’s lawyer, said in his statement Thursday that he has “had no contact whatsoever with any federal investigative agent. Therefore, a rendition of the case from such an ‘agent’ is inherently biased, one-sided, and inaccurate. It is regrettable that law enforcement agents appear to be violating the law to prejudice a case against a person who is a target simply because of his family name.” Republicans have pressed the Biden administration to appoint a special counsel to take over the investigation into the president’s son, arguing the step was needed to ensure public confidence in the probe’s outcome. Under Justice Department regulations, any special counsel would still answer to the attorney general, however. Garland chose not to make such an appointment, instead keeping the case with Weiss, whose previous career as a federal prosecutor stretches back decades and includes violent crime and white-collar cases. In the early days of the Biden administration, a Justice Department official said removing Weiss as U.S. Attorney as he was overseeing the Hunter Biden case would likely spark significant political backlash. In April, after White House chief of staff Ron Klain said Biden “is confident that his son didn’t break the law,” Garland was asked at a Senate hearing about how the Justice Department is handling the case. Weiss “is in charge of that investigation. There will not be interference of any political or improper kind,” Garland answered. “We put the investigation in the hands of a Trump appointee from the previous administration.” The primary focus of the tax investigation has been whether Hunter Biden did not declare income related to his various business ventures, including overseas. The gun paperwork part of the investigation stems from 2018, a time period in which Hunter Biden, by his own account, was smoking crack cocaine. In October of that year, Biden purchased a handgun, filling out a federal form in which he allegedly answered “no” to the question whether he was “an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?” According to a book Hunter Biden later wrote about his struggles with substance abuse, he was using drugs heavily that year. Prosecutions for false statements on gun-purchase forms are relatively rare, but they do happen. In the fiscal year that Hunter Biden purchased that handgun, Justice Department records show prosecutors received 478 referrals for lying on the forms. Of those, charges were filed in 298 cases, or about 60 percent of the time. Federal agents refer to such cases as “lying and buying.” Historically, prosecutors have significant discretion to decide which ones are worth federal resources. “A prosecutor can say they have bigger fish to catch, or they can decide to seek a deal,” said Joseph G. Green, a retired agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “As agents, we would always include as many charges as we could, but it’s ultimately up to the prosecutor to decide which ones they will bring.” Ann E. Marimow contributed to this report. Read More Here