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Category: National

  • Russia initiates terrorism investigation into Washington Examiner journalists over Crimea article

    Russian authorities have initiated criminal proceedings after The Washington Examiner, a D.C.-based magazine and website, published an article urging Ukraine to bomb Russia’s newly opened bridge to Cr

    Russian authorities have initiated criminal proceedings after The Washington Examiner, a D.C.-based magazine and website, published an article urging Ukraine to bomb Russia’s newly opened bridge to Crimea.

    Washington Examiner editorial director Hugo Gurdon and columnist Tom Rogan are both being criminally investigated in connection with the article, “Ukraine Should Blow Up Putin’s Crimea Bridge,” a spokeswoman for Russia’s Investigative Committee said Friday.

    The article was written by Mr. Rogan, 32, and published on the Examiner’s website Tuesday, the same day Russian President Vladimir Putin personally oversaw the opening of a controversial 12-mile bridge connecting the country’s mainland with Crimea, a peninsula in the Black Sea annexed from Ukraine in early 2014.

    “Ukraine has the means to launch air strikes against the bridge in a manner that would render it at least temporarily unusable,” Mr. Rogan wrote in the article.

    “Bombing the bridge,” he added, “would thus be a very personal rebuke to Putin’s ambitions and his propaganda narrative.”

    Russia’s Investigative Committee announced Thursday that it had opened a criminal case against Mr. Rogan, and the committee confirmed Friday that its probe had been widened to encompass the Examiner’s editorial director as well.

    “According to the investigators, Gurdon had negotiated the approval and published Tom Rogan’s article on the Washington Examiner’s website, calling for blowing up the Crimean Bridge by carrying out bomb attacks,” said Svetlana Petrenko, the committee’s spokeswoman.

    Investigators believe the article’s publication violates Russia’s law against publicly calling for terrorist activities on the territory of the Russian Federation, Ms. Petrenko said.

    “In the actions of Hugo Gurdon, propaganda of terrorism is seen,” she said in a statement.

    In an editorial, The Washington Examiner described Russia’s response to the article as “wacky.”

    “Our writers don’t normally advocate destruction of bridges, but then again, most bridges aren’t built as part of an illegal armed invasion of another sovereign nation,” the editorial said. “Crimea is rightly Ukrainian. Russia controls it through illegal force, and this bridge is an effort to cement that control.

    “In America, the right to express that opinion to whomever we want is protected,” the editorial said.

  • Trump calls Texas shootings a ‘horrific attack’

    President Trump called Friday’s school shooting in Texas a “horrific attack” and said the government must do more to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

    President Trump called Friday’s school shooting in Texas a “horrific attack” and said the government must do more to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

    “This has been going on for too long in our country,” Mr. Trump said at the White House, calling it “a very sad day.”

    Mr. Trump said the administration is “closely monitoring” the situation in Texas, where at least nine people were killed Friday morning in a shooting at a high school in Santa Fe.

    “My administration is determined to do everything in our power to protect our students, secure our schools and keep weapons out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves and to others,” the president said. “Everyone must work together at every level of government to keep our children safe. May God be with the victims, and with the victims’ families.”

  • Russia will ‘fight’ for German pipeline project despite U.S. opposition: Putin

    President Vladimir Putin on Friday vowed to oppose any actions from the Trump administration targeting Nord Stream 2, a pipeline project expected to significantly increase Russia’s natural gas exports

    President Vladimir Putin on Friday vowed to oppose any actions from the Trump administration targeting Nord Stream 2, a pipeline project expected to significantly increase Russia’s natural gas exports to Europe.

    Mr. Putin defended the project in the wake of news outlets reporting this week that President Trump has pressured German Chancellor Angela Merkel to withdraw her support for the pipeline in lieu of possibly provoking a transatlantic trade war.

    “Donald is not just the U.S. president, he’s also a good, tough entrepreneur,” Mr. Putin said at a joint news conference held with Ms. Merkel in Sochi, The Moscow Times reported.

    “He’s promoting the interests of his business, to ensure the sales of liquefied natural gas on the European market,” Mr. Putin added. “I understand the U.S. president. He’s defending the interests of his business, he wants to push his product on the European market. But it depends on us, how we build our relations with our partners, it will depend on our partners in Europe.”

    “We believe it (the pipeline) is beneficial for us, we will fight for it,” said Mr. Putin.

    The pipeline is expected to transport upwards of 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Russia to Germany beginning in 2019, doubling Russia’s current exports and consequently reducing Germany’s demand for resources from competing countries.

    Mr. Trump urged Ms. Merkel in April to withdraw support for the pipeline in exchange for kickstarting a new trade deal between the U.S. European Union, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing U.S. and European officials.

    The U.S., German and their allies have been at odds with Russia particularly after Mr. Putin’s government annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, though leaders in both Berlin and D.C. have advocated for being on better terms with Moscow as of late.

    “We have a strategic interest in having good relations with Russia” Ms. Merkel said Friday.

  • Woman faces prison after disabled son’s estate missing $400K

    A Michigan woman who authorities say embezzled more than $400,000 from her disabled 9-year-old son’s estate faces prison after entering a plea to resolve the case.

    CHARLOTTE, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan woman who authorities say embezzled more than $400,000 from her disabled 9-year-old son’s estate faces prison after entering a plea to resolve the case.

    The Lansing State Journal reports 32-year-old Kasie Pruden-Rivera of Eaton County will be sentenced next month after pleading no contest to embezzling more than $100,000. The plea isn’t an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing.

    Investigators say Pruden-Rivera received nearly $650,000 on behalf of her son and spent about $240,000 on a house, but that the rest is unaccounted for. Prosecutors say Pruden-Rivera will likely face no more than 20 months in prison because she has no previous convictions.

    Court records say her son has cerebral palsy, permanent brain damage and other health problems. The money was from a settlement after her son suffered seizures and brain damage shortly after birth at an Army hospital.

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    Information from: Lansing State Journal, http://www.lansingstatejournal.com

  • Trump calls for prison reform, more job training for inmates

    President Trump said Friday that the U.S. can reform prisons and release more inmates without endangering communities

    President Trump said Friday that the U.S. can reform prisons and release more inmates without endangering communities

    Hosting a summit on prison reform at the White House with state and federal officials, faith leaders and others, the president said legislation moving through Congress can help to reduce crime and save tax dollars.

    “Our whole nation benefits if former inmates are able to reenter society as productive, law-abiding citizens,” Mr. Trump said.

    About 620,000 inmates are released from prison annually after completing their sentences. But the president said that more than 33 percent of federal inmates, and more than three-fourths of state inmates, are re-arrested within five years.

    “We want former inmates to find a path to success so they can support their families and support their communities,” the president said. “Crucial to this effort is helping former prisoners find jobs. It is not merely a waste of money, but a waste of human capital … to put former inmates on public assistance instead of placing them into a steady job where they can pay taxes, contribute to their country, gain dignity and pride that comes with a career.”

    The event was moderated by Van Jones, a former Obama administration official and CNN commentator who has frequently criticized Mr. Trump. The president thanked Mr. Jones “primarily because he constantly says such nice things about me.”

    “Not too often … it does feel good,” Mr. Trump joked.

    Among those attending was Freedom Partners Chairman Mark Holden, who said the goal is for Congress to approve prison reform this year.

    “States have proven that preparing prisoners for reentry starting on day one of their sentences will increase public safety, reduce recidivism, bring incarceration rates down and save taxpayers money,” Mr. Holden said.

  • David Duke, ex-Klan leader, ordered to turn over records related to deadly Charlottesville rally

    Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke was ordered by a federal magistrate Thursday to turn over data related to last summer’s deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

    Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke was ordered by a federal magistrate Thursday to turn over data related to last summer’s deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

    Ruling from New Orleans federal court, U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Wilkinson directed Mr. Duke, 67, to comply with most of the requests contained in a subpoena issued as part of a lawsuit initiated by several Charlottesville residents against more than a dozen individuals involved in the infamous Aug. 12 rally.

    “Although Duke is not a named defendant,” the magistrate wrote, “… he is specifically identified in plaintiffs’ first amended complaint as a co-conspirator with the named defendants who allegedly participated himself in the coordination, planning, fund-raising for and execution of defendants’ activities in Charlottesville that are the basis of the lawsuit.”

    Plaintiffs led by the Integrity First for America nonprofit group sued several “Unite the Right” participants in Charlottesville federal court after the rally resulted in chaos that culminated in violated clashes and the deaths of two police officers and a counterprotester, alleging “severe physical and emotional injuries resulting from Defendants’ planned and executed violence, harassment and intimidation.”

    Mr. Duke was not sued personally over his participation, but plaintiffs claim his communications are pertinent to their suit and obtained a subpoena seeking certain electronically stored information. He subsequently filed a motion to quash in New Orleans federal court, but ultimately had the bulk of his objections overruled with Thursday’s order.

    The magistrate’s order directed Mr. Duke to turn over documents by June 18 including records and communications related to the litigation and “Unite the Right” rally, including any conversations he conducted through email or social media with other participants in the weeks preceding their protest. He ruled partially for Mr. Duke, however, and dismissed three of the 14 document requests contained in the plaintiffs’ subpoena as broadly worded.

    Mr. Duke did not immediately return an email seeking comment. His attorney previously called the document request “overbroad” and “unduly burdensome.”

    “While some burden may be imposed upon movant in responding to these requests, I cannot conclude that his burden or expense is outweighed by the likely benefit to the truth-finding objective of requiring production,” the magistrate ruled. “The discovery these requests seek is important to resolving plaintiffs’ claims of conspiracy, coordination, planning and funding – all of which are significant to the intent element of several of the causes of action.”

    Roberta Kaplan, an attorney for the plaintiffs, previously said the requested documents “are essential to discovering the full extent of the conspiracy to plan and commit violence in Charlottesville.”

    A former grand wizard of the KKK, Mr. Duke successfully ran as a Republican in 1989 for the Louisiana House of Representatives, holding that seat until 1992. He unsuccessfully ran for governor of Louisiana in 1991 and for U.S. Senate in 2016. He currently hosts a white nationalist radio program.

  • Sessions: Trump administration will defend religious freedoms

    Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday the Trump administration will not treat religious individuals as an “afterthought” and vowed that the Justice Department will get involved in more cases rega

    Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday the Trump administration will not treat religious individuals as an “afterthought” and vowed that the Justice Department will get involved in more cases regarding freedom of religion.

    Mr. Sessions’ remarks came at a meeting of the Council for National Policy, a conservative networking organization founded in 1981.

    “The threats to religious freedom are threats to our First Amendment right to freedom of speech,” Mr. Sessions told the group.

    In October, the Justice Department issued a directive to give religious organizations and individuals stronger protections to express their beliefs, even when they conflict with government regulations.

    The directive was criticized because it provided stronger protections for employers making hiring decisions based on their religious faith. Some claimed the directive would lead to discrimination against individuals whose sexual orientation clashed with their employers’ faith.

    The department directive came on the heels of the Trump administration announcing it would expand religious exemptions for employers who object to providing insurance coverage for birth control.

    Former Sen. Sam Brownback was confirmed in February as the United States’ ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. Mr. Brownback is the first former politician and first Catholic to hold that position, which has existed through previous administrations.

    “The Trump administration understand the value of free religious expression,” Mr. Sessions told the crowd.

    The Justice Department has also become fairly active in defending religious liberty cases under the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the department filed court papers alleging that Georgia Gwinnett College violated the constitutional rights of a student who claimed he was told he couldn’t distribute fliers promoting his Christian faith in a campus open space. In its 26-page statement of interest, the department said the students’ right to free speech was violated.

    Mr. Sessions emphasized the link between freedom of speech and freedom of religion, two constitutional protections, in his speech Friday.

    “I would argue that free expression of religious views and values is doubly protected in the First Amendment,” he said.

  • Mark Inch, Federal Bureau of Prisons director, resigns

    The embattled director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons abruptly announced his resignation Friday, the Justice Department confirmed.

    The embattled director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons abruptly announced his resignation Friday, the Justice Department confirmed.

    No reason was given for the departure of Mark Inch, who had been named to the position in September.

    Hugh J. Hurwitz, assistant director of the Bureau of Prisons‘ Reentry Services Division, will serve as acting director, according to a department statement. The bureau runs the nation’s largest federal dentition system, overseeing 122 facilities, 39,000 workers and 186,000 inmates across the country.

    “Hugh has honorably served the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the American people throughout his distinguished career of federal service,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. “I would also like to thank Mark Inch for proudly serving the Department of Justice as the director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and wish him luck in his future endeavors.”

    The announcement came as the White House held a Friday summit on prison reform.

    The bureau has been the target of a probe by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. For the past year, the bureau has been dogged by sexual harassment staffing shortages. An April USA Today article alleged the bureau had used hundreds of staffers to fill guard posts because of shortages and overtime rules.

    It is not clear if the allegations are related to Mr. Inch’s resignation.

    Mr. Hurwitz began his career at the bureau as a law clerk in 1988. He has also held positions at the FDA, Department of Education and NASA before returning to the bureau in 2015.

  • Governor struck while biking says helmet saved his life

    Maine Gov. Paul LePage revealed Friday that he was stuck by a vehicle while biking in Florida last fall and credited a bicycle helmet with saving his life.

    ROCKPORT, Maine (AP) — Maine Gov. Paul LePage revealed Friday that he was stuck by a vehicle while biking in Florida last fall and credited a bicycle helmet with saving his life.

    LePage told MaineToday Media the impact cracked his helmet into two pieces and “sent me flying 40 feet.” The crash exacerbated a shoulder injury, which will require shoulder surgery.

    “Without a helmet, I wouldn’t be here,” the governor said.

    LePage revealed the news at Maine International Trade Day, saying he was knocked off his bike the day before Thanksgiving. He acknowledged he kept the matter quiet, initially brushing off questions.

    The accident happened on Nov. 22 while he and his wife, Ann, were riding their bikes in Daytona Beach, not far near their Florida home in Ormond Beach, he said. LePage was taken to a hospital, but his wife was unhurt.

    LePage said a young woman who was uninsured and distracted cut him off while making a turn, hitting him as his wife followed behind. The official police report, however, indicates the SUV driver had an insurance policy number, and it does not cite distraction as a cause.

    The motorist, who was in a Dodge Durango, told the officer she thought she had time to turn without hitting the bicyclist, according to the police report.

    A Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman declined to say if the governor had been accompanied by his state police security detail while on the bike ride.

    The accident came up when LePage mentioned surgery could interfere with his plans for a trade mission to Taiwan before he leaves office in January.

    This isn’t the first time LePage kept medical details to himself. In September 2016, he underwent a weight-loss operation at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. The bariatric surgery wasn’t disclosed until months later.

  • Judge avoids ruling on law protecting Confederate monuments

    A judge has ruled a city in South Carolina can change the listing of names of soldiers killed in World War I on a private monument so they are no longer listed as “colored” or “white.”

    COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A judge has ruled a city in South Carolina can change the listing of names of soldiers killed in World War I on a private monument so they are no longer listed as “colored” or “white.”

    But Circuit Judge Frank Addy’s ruling Friday avoided a decision on whether South Carolina’s Heritage Act is constitutional. The law prevents changes on public monuments honoring the Confederacy and other historical events and figures without a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.

    Addy decided since the American Legion was a private organization, it could change the monument that stands on public land in downtown Greenwood. His ruling indicated public monuments on public land are different.

    Addy wrote he made his decision with full respect for the laudable objectives of the Heritage Act.