Source: GQ
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Republicans on House’s Trump-Russia Probe Not That Interested in Trump or Russia
Only three of the 13 House intel committee Republicans regularly show up to grill Russia-related witnesses. Meanwhile, GOP staffers are chasing the trail of the pee tape dossier.
By Betsy Woodruff and Spencer Ackerman
In front of cable news cameras and on Twitter, the tensions between Republicans and Democrats on the House intelligence committee’s Trump-Russia investigation are pointed and more than occasionally nasty.
But inside the Secure Compartmented Information Facility while members of the intel committee grill Obama administration alums and Trump allies, things can get even messier. Rep. Devin Nunes,
who has ostensibly stepped back from the probe, still controls its
subpoena power—and significant aspects of its agenda. Nunes’ staffers
are tracking down leads. Just not those about Trump.
People
familiar with the probe say it’s becoming increasingly clear where the
committee’s Republican staffers are focusing their energy—and it’s not
on the possible collusion between the Kremlin and Trump Tower.
Three
knowledgeable sources told The Daily Beast that usually just three of
the 13 Republican congressmen on the committee are regulars when
witnesses are grilled behind closed doors. A few additional members
sometimes attend parts of the probe’s interviews.
Rep. Trey Gowdy
asks the most questions of any Republican there, according to a source
in the room during the talks. He often asks the same things of every
witness: whether he or she knows of any “collusion, cooperation, or conspiracy.”
Rep. Tom Rooney is the only other Republican to ask a significant number
of questions. Rep. Mike Conaway, the chair of the probe, is present but
doesn’t ask as much.
“Just listening to those guys, it’s
not like they’ve been prepared exquisitely by staff,” said the source
who’s been in the room during questioning.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Daily Beast
Trump, Bannon, and THE Prince of Wales, Part 2
By Steven Jonas
In Part 1 of this two-part series , I wrote that I think that, with Steve Bannon at his side (actually out in front of him in the present lead-up to the Big Event), as the various investigations close in on him, Pres. Trump is preparing to resign (with pardons all round). I noted that there are certain parallels on both the personal and political sides between Trump and history's most famous Prince of Wales. Part I was devoted primarily to my description and analysis of the events that are taking place and in view will take place in the run-up to that predicted resignation. (By the way, I am not the only one making it.) Then I described briefly the run-up to the abdication of the Prince, before he could be crowned at Edward VIII of Great Britain (see also, further, below).
The common interpretation
of this event focuses on the Prince's then impending marriage to a U.S.
divorcee, Mrs. Wallis Simpson. Actually,
at the time she was in her second marriage and would have to be divorced again
before she could marry the Prince.
However, history has shown that the primary reasons behind the Prince's
abdication were political, not social.
It is to those reasons, as well as subsequent political events involving
the Prince (who became the Duke of Windsor following his abdication) that this
column is devoted.
Like many members of the British aristocracy and
industrial ruling class as well, in the 1930s the Prince became quite attracted
to Nazi Germany and fascism. This attraction
was both for how it controlled its working class at home and how, it was hoped,
it would eventually lead the destruction of the hated Soviet Union abroad. In fact, after his abdication, in Nov. 1937
the Duke had a private meeting with Adolf Hitler that lasted for 50
minutes. There is no extant record of
what was discussed at that meeting.
But when he was still the Prince of Wales, as the
war clouds began to spread over Europe once again in the mid-1930s, he had made
it quite clear that he was sympathetic to the "German way of doing things." (Although he didn't think that they should be
doing what they were doing to the Jews, to him that always seemed to be a minor
point). He was also close to the
homegrown fascists led by Sir Oswald Mosely and
his British Union of Fascists and the very
upper class, very Right-wing "Cliveden Set," which counted many Hitler-admirers
among its membership. The political
ruling class, dominated by the Conservative (Tory) Party at the time, was split
on the subject. They were concerned with
German rearmament and Hitler's increasingly aggressive foreign policy on the
one hand, but on the other they thought too that he might be able to be focused
in what he had called the "Drang nach Osten," the drive to the East, to destroy
the jointly hated communists and the Soviet Union.
In the meantime, as his father was failing, Edward
was getting closer to throne. Also in
the meantime, he serially spurned a wide variety of royal matches from Europe
who were offered to him. And then
lightning struck in the form of Wallis Simpson, a once divorced, currently
married U.S. from Baltimore. An affair
was struck up in 1934 (during which time she apparently also had a dalliance
with the then Nazi Ambassador to the U.K., the former successful wine merchant
(by marriage) Joachim von Ribbentrop [who had purchased the Prussian "von" for
himself].) At the same time Edward's
pro-Nazi leanings were becoming widely known.
Which presented difficulties for the British political elite, if not the
pro-Nazi aristocracy. Edward would be
becoming King. Hitler and Mussolini were both presenting "problems." Then, despite the hoped-for "Drang nach Osten"
(to get Hitler to focus exclusively on it was the real purpose of the Munich Agreement of 1938),
the U.K. might once again be facing a heavily armed Germany on the European
mainland.
Click here for the full article.
Source: OpEdNews.com
Transgender Inmate Accuses Suffolk County of Unfair Medical Treatment
By Alan Feuer
In
2012, after falling prey to drug use and depression, an Iraq war
veteran named Jessica Sunderland was arrested in connection with a
string of burglaries on Long Island and found herself locked up in the
Suffolk County jail.
In
her stay of 16 months, she experienced more than the usual ordeals.
Formerly known as Jeremy, Ms. Sunderland was in the middle of
transitioning to female and claimed her jailers had denied her the
hormone treatment that she had been getting under doctors’ orders for
the preceding two years.
Even
though she filed two grievances with jail officials and asked a local
judge to put her back on hormones, she said that did not happen until
after she left Suffolk County in 2014 for the upstate prison where she
served her sentence. Before leaving, she sued the county in a
slow-moving case that will soon have its first major review by a federal
judge. In pursuing litigation, Ms. Sunderland, 31, has joined a growing
list of transgender inmates who have used the courts to challenge what
they have called an unfair lack of medical treatment in the nation’s
prisons and jails.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The New York Times (via The Empire Report)
City Board of Elections Admits It Broke the Law, Accepts Reforms
The New York City Board of Elections is admitting it broke state and
federal law when it improperly removed voters from the rolls ahead of
the presidential primary last spring, including more than 117,000 voters
in Brooklyn.
That’s according to a draft consent decree announced Tuesday— nearly a
year after the Board was sued in federal court for violating the
National Voter Registration Act and state election law.
The Brooklyn voter purge was first reported by WNYC just days before last spring’s primary election.
As a part of the settlement, the Board agreed to a series of remedial
measures that will be in place at least through the next presidential
election, November 2020 — pending court approval. The deal restores the
rights of improperly purged voters and establishes a comprehensive plan
to prevent illegal voter purges in future elections.
Click here for the full article.
Source: WNYC (via The Empire Report)
Police Issue Alert for 21-Year-Old Missing Upstate Woman
Police are asking people in 12 Upstate counties including Cayuga
County to be on the look out for a 21-year-old missing woman, according
to a state alert.
Authorities issued the alert at 4:13 p.m. for Starrlita Smith, a
developmentally disabled woman who may be in need of medical attention,
according to the New York State Missing Person's Clearinghouse.
She's described as 120 pounds, 5-feet, 5-inches with brown hair and brown eyes.
Click here for summary.
Source: syracuse.com (via The Empire Report)
Federal Appeals Court Blocks NY Ban on ESCO Sales to Low-Income Customers
By Tim Knauss
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Independent energy marketers won a court injunction
Monday temporarily blocking a New York state policy that would prevent
the marketers from selling electricity and natural gas to low-income
customers.
The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit marks yet another ping pong-like reversal in a legal battle that has run for more than a year.
The state Public Service Commission is trying to prevent energy
service companies, also known as ESCOs, from selling energy to
low-income customers unless they can demonstrate they will save
customers money. The commission argues that ESCOs usually charge higher
prices, a contention that ESCOs dispute.
The federal appeals court Monday granted a temporary injunction
preventing state officials from implementing the policy. The PSC
appealed the stay, which will remain in place until the court considers
legal arguments.
A similar order
was granted earlier this year by a state appeals court, which later
lifted its stay. The state policy remains under litigation in both state
and federal court.
Click here for the full article.
Source: syracuse.com (via The Empire Report)
Former Top US Military Official 'Increasingly Concerned' About North Korea
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Twitter Promises Greater Ad Transparency in Bid to Head Off US Regulations
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Legislation Signed Allowing Children in Foster Care to Visit Siblings
Governor Andrew Cuomo today signed legislation to affirmatively give siblings separated by foster care the right to visit and contact each other.
"This action will allow some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers to preserve family bonds that otherwise would be severed due to no fault of their own," Governor Cuomo said. "I'm proud to sign this compassionate legislation, which will bring us closer to a stronger and more humane New York for all."
Although children with active abuse or neglect cases in foster care may file motions for visitation or contact with a sibling, the current law was ambiguous and unclear on whether other children in foster care could petition for this right, creating unnecessary obstacles for siblings to maintain ties.
Under the bill (A.7553/S.4835), amendments to the Family Court Act and the Social Services law allow contact or visitation between siblings, including half siblings, that have been separated by foster care. This includes: children who are in foster care as a result of voluntary placement by a parent or guardian; children who are in foster care as a result of a court ruling and "judicial surrender" of parental rights; and a child who is in foster care and whose sibling is not currently in foster care.
Senator Tony Avella said, "Our most vulnerable children deserve a chance to grow and thrive among loved ones, and by providing the opportunity for our youngest New Yorkers to interact with their siblings, we will establish a better New York for all. I commend the Governor for signing this measure and helping our kids develop while enjoying time with their brothers and sisters.
Assemblyman David Buchwald said, "Sibling relationships are tremendously important particularly when children face difficult circumstances like foster care. I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this legislation and bringing fairness to our foster care system. This action will lead to stronger relationships and families in communities across the state."
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"This action will allow some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers to preserve family bonds that otherwise would be severed due to no fault of their own," Governor Cuomo said. "I'm proud to sign this compassionate legislation, which will bring us closer to a stronger and more humane New York for all."
Although children with active abuse or neglect cases in foster care may file motions for visitation or contact with a sibling, the current law was ambiguous and unclear on whether other children in foster care could petition for this right, creating unnecessary obstacles for siblings to maintain ties.
Under the bill (A.7553/S.4835), amendments to the Family Court Act and the Social Services law allow contact or visitation between siblings, including half siblings, that have been separated by foster care. This includes: children who are in foster care as a result of voluntary placement by a parent or guardian; children who are in foster care as a result of a court ruling and "judicial surrender" of parental rights; and a child who is in foster care and whose sibling is not currently in foster care.
Senator Tony Avella said, "Our most vulnerable children deserve a chance to grow and thrive among loved ones, and by providing the opportunity for our youngest New Yorkers to interact with their siblings, we will establish a better New York for all. I commend the Governor for signing this measure and helping our kids develop while enjoying time with their brothers and sisters.
Assemblyman David Buchwald said, "Sibling relationships are tremendously important particularly when children face difficult circumstances like foster care. I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this legislation and bringing fairness to our foster care system. This action will lead to stronger relationships and families in communities across the state."
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
The DEA Says It Came Under Fire During a Deadly Drug Raid. Its Own Video Suggests Otherwise
A newly public surveillance video seems to show that the agency’s account of a raid in Honduras — where four civilians died — was not accurate.
by Mattathias Schwartz
This story was co-published with The New York Times. Leer en español.
The Drug Enforcement Administration has for five years
steadfastly defended the behavior of its agents in a late-night drug
seizure carried out with Honduran forces on the remote Mosquito Coast, a
mission that resulted in the deaths of four Honduran civilians.
In the DEA’s view, the dead — one man, two women and a 14-year-old
boy — were among those on a boat that shot at a canoe carrying a joint
DEA-Honduran anti-drug team. The DEA said it had evidence in the form of
night-vision video taken from a surveillance plane showing an “exchange
of gunfire” between the two vessels after the larger boat collided with
the canoe carrying the agents.
Now, for the first time, the three-hour video has been released to
the public. It strongly suggests that the DEA’s account of crossfire in
the May 2012 mission was not accurate. The release of the video, under a
Freedom of Information Act request, follows a scathing report published by the inspectors general of the Departments of Justice and State earlier this year that challenged the DEA’s version of events.
The video shows numerous flashes of light consistent with gunshots
originating from the anti-drug unit, according to Bruce Koenig, a
forensic expert hired by ProPublica and The New York Times to analyze
the images.
Mr. Koenig, who formerly was supervisor of the F.B.I.’s forensic
audio/video group, examined the video frame by frame and concluded that
only one flash originates from the passenger boat. In Mr. Koenig’s view,
that flash could have been caused by a bullet striking the engine,
which was later found to have a bullet hole. Infrared cameras detect
heat and turn it into bright spots on video, so a muzzle flash from a
gunshot and a spark from a bullet ricocheting off a metal surface can
create similar flares.
Click here for the full article.
Source: ProPublica
The Voter Fraud Commission Wants Your Data — But Experts Say They Can’t Keep It Safe
Newly revealed records show sloppy practices that could put millions of people’s information at risk.
by Jessica Huseman and Derek Willis
The voter-fraud-checking program championed by the head of the
Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity suffers from data
security flaws that could imperil the safety of millions of peoples’
records, according to experts.
Indivisible Chicago, a progressive advocacy group in Illinois, filed a
public-records request with Illinois and Florida for information on the
Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program.
Crosscheck was
created and run by the Kansas secretary of state’s office and is often
cited by Kris Kobach, Kansas’ secretary of state, as a way to identify
voters casting ballots in more than one state. Indivisible Chicago then posted emails and other documents it received, including messages exchanged between elections officials in Illinois and Florida and Crosscheck.
The emails and records revealed numerous security weaknesses.
Crosscheck’s files are hosted on an insecure server, according to its
own information. Usernames and passwords were regularly shared by email,
making them vulnerable to snooping. And passwords were overly
simplistic and only irregularly changed.
“It blows my mind — this is complete operational security
incompetence,” said Joe Hall, the chief technologist for the Center for
Democracy & Technology, an organization that promotes internet
freedom. “You should consider all of that stuff in the hands of people
who are clever enough to intercept someone’s email.”
The Kansas secretary of state’s office did not respond to emailed questions about Crosscheck’s security.
Click here for the full article.
Source: ProPublica
In Memoriam: Police Officer Craig Lehner
Governor
Andrew Cuomo today directed that flags on all state government
buildings be flown at half-staff on Wednesday, October 25 to honor
Buffalo Police Officer Craig Lehner, who died in the line of duty while
training with the underwater recovery team. To commemorate the life of
Officer Lehner, the Peace Bridge and Niagara Falls in Western New York
will also be illuminated blue on Wednesday evening.
"This exceptional law enforcement officer, who was taken from us far too soon, will always be remembered in Western New York and beyond," Governor Cuomo said. "The family of New York grieves for Officer Craig Lehner, who devoted his life to serving and protecting the people of this state, and asks that everyone keep his loved ones and colleagues in their prayers during this difficult time."
"On behalf of our deeply saddened community and state, and as a fellow resident of Buffalo, I would like to extend my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Officer Lehner, a true hometown hero," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "His death is a reminder of the daily dangers that law enforcement face in the line of duty. His selfless service to country and community touches all of us in Buffalo and beyond."
At 34-years-old, Officer Lehner was a nine-year veteran of the Buffalo Police Department. In addition to serving on the department's underwater recovery team, Lehner worked as a K-9 officer with his partner Shield, a 4-year-old German shepherd. Lehner also served as an Army National Guard military police officer for 16 years, assigned to the 105th military Police Company at Masten Armory in Buffalo. A staff sergeant, he was deployed to Iraq in 2011 and served at Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba in 2014 until 2015. During his time in the service, he was awarded more than a dozen medals, including the Army Commendation Medal, Air Assault Badge, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and five Army Achievement Medals.
On the day Officer Lehner is laid to rest, the Peace Bridge will be illuminated in blue along the bridge arches, truss, and spine. The lights will commence at dusk on Wednesday, October 25 and will continue until 1 a.m. The 176-foot Niagara Falls will also be awash in blue light for 15 minutes, at the top of every hour, from 7 - 11 p.m. to commemorate the life of Officer Craig Lehner.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"This exceptional law enforcement officer, who was taken from us far too soon, will always be remembered in Western New York and beyond," Governor Cuomo said. "The family of New York grieves for Officer Craig Lehner, who devoted his life to serving and protecting the people of this state, and asks that everyone keep his loved ones and colleagues in their prayers during this difficult time."
"On behalf of our deeply saddened community and state, and as a fellow resident of Buffalo, I would like to extend my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Officer Lehner, a true hometown hero," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "His death is a reminder of the daily dangers that law enforcement face in the line of duty. His selfless service to country and community touches all of us in Buffalo and beyond."
At 34-years-old, Officer Lehner was a nine-year veteran of the Buffalo Police Department. In addition to serving on the department's underwater recovery team, Lehner worked as a K-9 officer with his partner Shield, a 4-year-old German shepherd. Lehner also served as an Army National Guard military police officer for 16 years, assigned to the 105th military Police Company at Masten Armory in Buffalo. A staff sergeant, he was deployed to Iraq in 2011 and served at Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba in 2014 until 2015. During his time in the service, he was awarded more than a dozen medals, including the Army Commendation Medal, Air Assault Badge, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and five Army Achievement Medals.
On the day Officer Lehner is laid to rest, the Peace Bridge will be illuminated in blue along the bridge arches, truss, and spine. The lights will commence at dusk on Wednesday, October 25 and will continue until 1 a.m. The 176-foot Niagara Falls will also be awash in blue light for 15 minutes, at the top of every hour, from 7 - 11 p.m. to commemorate the life of Officer Craig Lehner.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Trailblazers in Black History: Roxanne Shante
This video was published on YouTube on February 14, 2017.
“Roxanne
Roxanne” is
another hip-hop biopic in the footsteps of “Straight Outta Compton,”
but instead of the story of a West Coast gangsta rap group, it’s the
story of a 15-year-old girl named Roxanne Shante who started the biggest
rap beef war in history.
Source: VICE News
Keith Olbermann: John Kelly and Sarah Huckabee Sanders Must Resign
Warning: Some segments contain strong language.
Source: GQ
Will Central Americans, Haitians ‘Protected’ by U.S. Be Sent Home?
The Department of Homeland Security is considering whether to extend
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to designees whose home countries are
recovering from natural disasters or civil wars.
“These are folks that have been in this
country for years. Some have been here for almost two decades,” said
Armando Carmona, a spokesperson for the National TPS Alliance,
which is leading a campaign to maintain the protection. “They work
here, they’ve built families here, they have U.S. citizen children.”
Expiration dates for the protection vary by
country, with Nicaragua and Honduras facing Jan. 5 expiration dates. DHS
decisions on whether they'll get extensions are expected by Nov. 6.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Extreme Weather, Climate Change Costing Taxpayers Billions
WASHINGTON — Climate change is costing
taxpayers billions of dollars in disaster relief and the tab will only
increase as extreme weather events become more common, according to a
new government study.
The federal government has spent an estimated
$350 billion over the past decade responding to extreme weather and fire
events, which are exacerbated by climate change, according to the
Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. It comes as Congress
moves to approve billions of dollars in extra funding for hurricane
relief.
"Climate change impacts are already costing
the federal government money, and these costs will likely increase over
time as the climate continues to change," the report found.
Click here for the full article.
Applications Being Accepted for $25 Million Grant Program to Protect NY Schools, Day Care Centers from Hate Crimes
Applications from non-profit nonpublic schools and day care centers, including those that are housed in community centers and non-profit cultural museums, are now being accepted for the $25 million Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Grant program. The program provides grants to help strengthen security measures and help prevent hate crimes or attacks against these facilities because of their ideology, beliefs or mission.
"New York knows its diversity is its strength, and as a people we have zero tolerance for those who seek to use division and hate to divide us," Governor Cuomo said. "This funding will help eligible schools, day care centers and cultural museums that are at risk of hate crimes because of their beliefs or mission take additional steps to increase the security of their facilities and keep our communities safe. With this action, we are taking one more step toward a safer, stronger and more just New York for all."
The grant, which is administered by the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, will provide up to $50,000 in funding for additional security training needs, cameras and state-of-the-art technology, door-hardening, improved lighting and other related security upgrades at each eligible facility. Organizations that operate more than one facility may submit up to three applications for a total request of up to $150,000. Applications for these awards are due by 4 p.m. on December 18, 2017.
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Roger L. Parrino Sr. said, "Schools and day care centers should be a safe place for children to learn and grow. I applaud Governor Cuomo's actions to provide this funding to organization that could be targeted by individuals or groups because of their beliefs. Investing in our children's safety is an investment in our future."
The $25 million Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Grant program is just one piece of an extensive effort launched by Governor Cuomo to combat hate crimes in New York. The FY 2018 State Budget established a statewide Hate Crimes Task Force to mitigate recent incidents of bias-motivated threats, harassment, and violence in New York. The Task Force will engage county leaders, district attorneys, school district leaders, local police departments and other key stakeholders to identify and investigate hate motivated crimes and bias related trends, community vulnerabilities and discriminatory practices.
Additionally, the Governor established a telephone hotline and text line through the Division of Human Rights to report incidents of bias and discrimination. Texts are monitored by the State Police, who handle any potential criminal matters. Cases of discrimination that are covered by the New York State Human Rights Law may be further investigated by the Division. A $5,000 reward is also being made available for any information leading to an arrest and conviction for a hate crime.
All New Yorkers who have experienced bias or discrimination are encouraged to call DHR's toll-free hotline at (888) 392-3644 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday or text "HATE" to 81336. If you want to report a crime or fear for your safety, call 911 immediately.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"New York knows its diversity is its strength, and as a people we have zero tolerance for those who seek to use division and hate to divide us," Governor Cuomo said. "This funding will help eligible schools, day care centers and cultural museums that are at risk of hate crimes because of their beliefs or mission take additional steps to increase the security of their facilities and keep our communities safe. With this action, we are taking one more step toward a safer, stronger and more just New York for all."
The grant, which is administered by the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, will provide up to $50,000 in funding for additional security training needs, cameras and state-of-the-art technology, door-hardening, improved lighting and other related security upgrades at each eligible facility. Organizations that operate more than one facility may submit up to three applications for a total request of up to $150,000. Applications for these awards are due by 4 p.m. on December 18, 2017.
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Roger L. Parrino Sr. said, "Schools and day care centers should be a safe place for children to learn and grow. I applaud Governor Cuomo's actions to provide this funding to organization that could be targeted by individuals or groups because of their beliefs. Investing in our children's safety is an investment in our future."
The $25 million Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Grant program is just one piece of an extensive effort launched by Governor Cuomo to combat hate crimes in New York. The FY 2018 State Budget established a statewide Hate Crimes Task Force to mitigate recent incidents of bias-motivated threats, harassment, and violence in New York. The Task Force will engage county leaders, district attorneys, school district leaders, local police departments and other key stakeholders to identify and investigate hate motivated crimes and bias related trends, community vulnerabilities and discriminatory practices.
Additionally, the Governor established a telephone hotline and text line through the Division of Human Rights to report incidents of bias and discrimination. Texts are monitored by the State Police, who handle any potential criminal matters. Cases of discrimination that are covered by the New York State Human Rights Law may be further investigated by the Division. A $5,000 reward is also being made available for any information leading to an arrest and conviction for a hate crime.
All New Yorkers who have experienced bias or discrimination are encouraged to call DHR's toll-free hotline at (888) 392-3644 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday or text "HATE" to 81336. If you want to report a crime or fear for your safety, call 911 immediately.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Gen. Dunford Holds News Conference on Military Operations, Attack in Niger
This video was published on YouTube on October 23.
Source: ABC News
Bonus report: New Details on Niger Ambush That Killed 4 US Soldiers
Mayor de Blasio Makes An Announcement on School Lunch
This video was published on YouTube on October 23.
Source: NYC Mayor's Office
Sanders to Host Annual Hurricane Sandy Remembrance and Recovery Walk
State Senator James Sanders Jr. (D-Rochdale Village, Far Rockaway) will host his annual Hurricane Sandy Remembrance and Recovery Walk on October 29 beginning at 4 p.m.
Attendees will gather at Rockaway Beach at Beach 67th Street for a prayer and moment of silence and reflections by elected officials, community leaders and residents. Attendees will then walk from the beach to Battalion Pentecostal Assembly Church, located at 454 Beach 67th Street in Arverne, for a free emergency preparedness class conducted by the U.S. Army, World Cares NY and NYLAG Storm Response Unit.
New York Legal Assistance Group will also be speaking to homeowners about current and long-term flood insurance rates current and long-term flood risk, and the New York State Home Resiliency Audit program that the state has funded through FloodHelpNY.
Others collaborating with the senator for the event are: Ready Rockaway, The Rockaways Call to Action, The Child Center of NY – Beach 41st , The Heart of Rockaway, Friends of Beach 59th Street, Rockaway Storm Protection Group, Bell Harbor Property Association, Queens Public Library – Far Rockaway Branch, and Ambassadors SDA Church.
Source: The Office of State Senator James Sanders, Jr.
New York Legal Assistance Group will also be speaking to homeowners about current and long-term flood insurance rates current and long-term flood risk, and the New York State Home Resiliency Audit program that the state has funded through FloodHelpNY.
Others collaborating with the senator for the event are: Ready Rockaway, The Rockaways Call to Action, The Child Center of NY – Beach 41st , The Heart of Rockaway, Friends of Beach 59th Street, Rockaway Storm Protection Group, Bell Harbor Property Association, Queens Public Library – Far Rockaway Branch, and Ambassadors SDA Church.
Source: The Office of State Senator James Sanders, Jr.
Brooklyn Woman Charged with Murder in Home Invasion Robbery That Caused 91-Year-Old Man’s Death
By Kerry Burke and John Annese
A Brooklyn woman shopped and kept house for an elderly couple – and then, cops said, she sold them out.
A teary Suzette Troutman was busted Monday on murder and other charges
in the home invasion robbery that led to the death of beloved
91-year-old grandfather Waldiman Thompson.
The once-trusted aide and alleged mastermind of the robbery is the
second person arrested in the cruel daytime heist at the
Bedford-Stuyvesant home Thompson shared with his 100-year-old wife,
Ethlin. Troutman was hired about two years ago to help the couple with
odd jobs, as well as shopping and housekeeping, but on Oct. 11, she
helped herself, according to police and Ethlin Thompson’s brother.
With a toddler in tow that day, Troutman drove her nephew and another
man to the Thompsons’ home, where thieves tied up the couple, took a
paltry $5,000 and left Waldiman Thompson to die of a heart attack,
authorities said.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The New York Daily News (via The Empire Report)
MTA Announces Plan to Replace MetroCard with Contactless Payment System
By Zoe Rosenberg
Soon coming to the New York Transit Museum’s archives:
the MetroCard. The MTA is expected to move forward with a plan to roll
out electronic readers for a pay-as-you-go system that will allow subway
and bus riders to wave a cellphone or certain kinds of credit or debit
cards to pay their fare.
The New York Times reports
that the MTA is expected to confirm a $573 million contract for the
system that will replace the MetroCard. “It’s the next step in bringing
us into the 21st century, which we need to do,” said MTA chairman Joe
Lhota. “It’s going to be transformative.”
Here’s how it will work: the MTA will install electronic
readers on 500 subway turnstiles and 600 buses beginning in late 2018,
with the goal of reaching the entire transit system by 2020. The new
system will allow riders to use their cellphone, debit or credit card,
or a new tap card to pay for trips on the system, the New York Post says.
The tap card will address a concern raised around the
phasing-out of the MetroCard about making the new payment system
equitable for the economically disadvantaged. The MetroCard will be
gradually phased out, but will be an option of pay alongside the new
electronic scanners through 2023.
Click here for the full article.
Source: CURBED NEW YORK (via The Empire Report)
Weinstein Company Faces Civil Rights Inquiry by New York Attorney General
By Megan Twohey
The
New York attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, has opened an inquiry
into the Weinstein Company examining whether allegations of sexual
misconduct and harassment against its co-founder Harvey Weinstein
reflect broad gender discrimination and other civil rights violations.
“No
New Yorker should be forced to walk into a workplace ruled by sexual
intimidation, harassment or fear,” Mr. Schneiderman said in a statement
on Monday. “If sexual harassment or discrimination is pervasive at a
company, we want to know.”
On
Monday, the attorney general’s Civil Rights Bureau sent a subpoena to
the company seeking a long list of documents, including personnel files;
criteria for hiring, promoting and firing; formal and informal
complaints of sexual harassment or other discrimination based on gender
or age; and records showing how such complaints were handled, according
to a person who has seen the confidential subpoena and who spoke on the
condition of anonymity. The office is also seeking any documents and
communications related to private out-of-court settlements struck with
accusers, the person said.
The
civil investigation places heightened scrutiny on an already reeling
entertainment company. The inquiry will also examine whether the company
itself bears financial responsibility for any misconduct.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The New York Times (via The Empire Report)
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