Usa Thread

[Coss]

Guest List at Trump Jr.’s Meeting With Russian Expands Again

 

A Russian businessman who helped arrange a meeting for Donald Trump Jr. to receive potentially damaging information about Hillary Clinton in June 2016 sent his own emissary to the session at Trump Tower, according to his lawyer.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/us/politics/trump-meeting-russia.html?mtrref=undefined

 

 

Trump’s Misleading Defense of Son

 

President Donald Trump emphasized that an attorney who met with his eldest son during the 2016 presidential campaign was a “Russian lawyer†and “not a [Russian] government lawyer.â€

 

That may be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that Donald Trump Jr. agreed to sit down with a “Russian government attorney†as “part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump,†according to an email exchange setting up the meeting.

 

http://www.factcheck.org/2017/07/trumps-misleading-defense-son/

 

 

For the second time in less than 24 hours, Republicans' healthcare plans have gone down in flames

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s back-up plan for his healthcare overhaul has already come apart less then 24 hours after he introduced it.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/republican-health-care-plan-obamacare-repeal-only-bill-blocked-2017-7?r=US&IR=T

[Coss]

[bust]

Lawyer: It is 'reasonable' that Minneapolis cops linked to fatal shooting feared ambush

 

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The attorney for a Minneapolis police officer whose partner fired a shot through the patrol car window that killed an Australian woman, said Wednesday that it was reasonable for the officers to have feared that they might be targets of an ambush.

The victim, Justine Damond, 40, an Australian meditation instructor who moved to the U.S. in 2015 to be with her fiance, had called 911 to report sounds of a woman screaming. She was unarmed and wearing pajamas when she approached the police car in the dark alley just before midnight.

Investigators say Officer Matthew Harrity, 25, who has been with the police department for a year, was driving the squad car and his partner, Officer Mohamed Noor, 31, a two-year veteran of the force who fired the fatal shot, was seated on the passenger side.

Harrity’s attorney Fred Bruno told the Star Tribune “it’s certainly reasonable†to assume any officer would be concerned about an ambush. He referenced the recent death of a New York City officer killed in her squad car.

Investigators say the officers were driving with all squad lights off through the alley behind Damond's home when the shooting occurred.

As they reached West 51st Street, Harrity, according to the police department's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), "indicated that he was startled by a loud sound near the squad." Immediately afterward, Damond approached the driver’s side window of the vehicle.

Flowers and signs memorializing Justine Damond are placed on the stairs of the Lake Harriet Spiritual Community center on July 18, 2017 in Minneapolis. Damond was shot by a police officer answer hre 911 call. (Photo: Stephen Maturen, AFP/Getty Images)

Harrity told agents that Noor fired his weapon, striking Damond through the open driver’s side window. The officers immediately left the squad car and provided medical attention, but Damond died at the scene of a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Police said neither the officers' body cams nor the dash cam on the car were working. Both officers have been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.

Noor, a Somali-American, has declined to be interviewed by BCA agents. The bureau says it cannot legally compel the testimony of either officer.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the death a homicide, a finding that does not necessarily mean charges will be filed in the case.

A transcriptof Damond's 911 calls shows she reported a woman screaming.

"Hi, I’m, I can hear someone out the back and I, I’m not sure if she’s having sex or being raped" Damond tells the dispatcher.

Asked if she can hear the woman screaming, Damond replies: "Yeah. It sounds like sex noises, but it’s been going on for a while and I think she tried to say help and it sounds distressed." The dispatcher says police are already on the way.

Eight minutes later, Damond calls back to say that the police haven't shown up yet.

— Operator: You’re hearing a female screaming?

— Caller: Yes, along behind the house.

— Operator: Yup, officers are on the way there.

— Caller: Thank you.

Moments later, the squad car with Harrity and Noor arrives in the alley.

Investigators are looking for witnesses to the incident, including a young male bicyclist they say stopped and watched officers give medical assistance, the Star-Tribune reports.

On Tuesday evening, Mayor Betsy Hodges, Assistant Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and City Council Member Linea Palmisano, spoke to reporters, including members of the foreign media, to say they are still limited by the ongoing investigation.

“We do have more information, though it’s frustrating to have some of the picture but not all of it,†Hodges said.

“We cannot compel Officer Noor to make a statement; I wish we could,†she said, quickly clarifying: “I wish that he would make a statement.â€

In Australia, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull weighed in on the issue Wednesday, calling the fatal shooting "shocking" and "inexplicable." He said his consulate-general in Chicago is seeking answers from U.S. authorities, Reuters reported.

"How can a woman out in the street in her pajamas seeking assistance be shot like that?" the prime minister asked in an interview with Nine Network, an Australian TV station. "It is a shocking killing, and yes, we are demanding answers on behalf of her family."

The Australian media has likewise expressed dismay over the shooting and Damond's father pleaded Tuesday for "the light of justice" in the case.

"We thought yesterday was our worst nightmare but we awoke to the ugly truth and it hurt even more," said John Ruszczyk, Damond's father, who lives in Harbord, Australia.

"Justine, our daughter, was so special to us and to so many others," he said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

The headline on a story in the The Daily Telegraph of Sydney read, "American Nightmare," while The Courier Mail topped its article with, "Shot dead in her pyjamas, Why on earth did U.S. cops kill Aussie who called for help?"

The incident has also raised concerns of a possible backlash within Minneapolis' large Somali-American community. On Tuesday, according to the Star-Tribune, a Minneapolis Somali-American police officer anonymously spoke on behalf of himself and eight Somali-American colleagues, expressing both condolences to the victim's family, as well as fear for members of his community.

“We can’t imagine the pain and suffering the victim’s family is going through and our hearts go out to them,†he said, adding the media has been staking out the homes of some of the officers.

“This is scaring our families," he said, according to the newspaper. "It’s difficult to deal with some media groups going to other Somali officers’ houses who are not involved in this shooting. It makes it hard to do this job when you’re worried about your family.â€

The shooting came just weeks after Jeronimo Yanez, a former St. Anthony, Minn., police officer, was acquitted in the fatal shooting of Philando Castile, an African-American. Two years ago, a pair of Minneapolis police officers were not charged after shooting and killing Jamar Clark during a scuffle.

[Flashermac]

Sounds like the lawyer is grasping at straws. So maybe Noor fired because he thought she was a zombie. That will be the attorney's next claim.

 

Odd that both of these shootings involved a minority policeman. The cop himself has yet to say why he fired. Does he even know? Initial reports were that the policeman at the wheel was shocked by his partner's action.

[Steve]

What is fundamentally different with this tragic shooting and the plethora of unarmed shootings that people marched over? Really, they are all tragic. The difference is how the media is treating it. Not a word from Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter people which is always trotted out on forums and comment section in police shootings. It took days if not weeks for the cop in the Castile case (he was shot in front of his girlfriend and her small daughter), same state, to be released. No police video or audo in that case for months. The police chief didn't cast doubt on it. There is always a "wait till we get all the facts". Not this time...hmmm. (sarcastically). At some point these police shootings of unarmed people was going to change dynamics just from the sheer number.

[Steve]

Too much shooting in the states, come and live in NZ

 

Last year I looked seriously into NZ. Tough to get a visa though, if you don't tick off all the boxes. I applied to jobs for a work visa, etc. I will visit at some point if I can. NZ is definitely a place I've envisioned visiting and living in. I'd probably not live in Auckland, I'd like the smaller cities, Christchurch, Wellington, possibly. Open a small business, enjoy life, continue my 20 year support of the All Blacks, find a pub that shows the Arsenal, learn the Haka but my knees are shot.

[Coss]

You'll fit right in.

[Steve]

yep read about this earlier. She actually was the one who called for help on 911

There are a few stories of the person making the emergency call ends up getting shot or they call 911 to help with someone and the cop ends up shooting the person they called for help with, a family member. I can tell you from personal experience as a kid and this was decades ago, that our area rarely called 911 because the Philly police at that time (and to some extent still do) had a very high incident of police brutality and if you called 911 they would just shoot anyone or arrest anyone, even the person who called. They arrested the caller if the caller was upset and yelling, pretty much, neighborhoods such as mine handled 'justice' and 'emergencies' internally. Not ideal but the alternative, calling 911, wasn't better. Some one broke into your home and you could get to a phone you called that neighbor or relative on your street that could handle himself well. I had several brothers and male cousins staying with us so we never had to make that call. But my older brothers got a call once in a while, one of them is about 6'3, 250lbs. (and no I am no where as big, I'm the runt of the litter, 5'8, 175lbs) . Some question the logic of that but its normal reaction when you deem the authorities as a threat. When Sicily was ruled by foreign powers,at one time the French, the forebearer of the modern mafia formed because they handled justice. Same thing happened in northern Ireland, the IRA acted as a de facto law enforcement because no one was going to call the British when they perceived them as the enemy rightfully or wrongfully.

 

http://www.seattleti...ective-custody/

 

http://www.carbonate...ses-say-unarmed

 

http://www.nydailyne...ticle-1.2762748

[Steve]

The new so called 'Blue Lives Matter' laws states like Louisiana and others have are basically laws that make it virtually impossible for cops to be convicted of murder. All the cop has to do is say he felt his life was threatened. It doesn't question the absurdity of the threat, such as the 12 year old boy in a park in Cleveland with a toy gun and was shot literally upon arrival, as soon as the cop opened the car door. And this is in an open carry state where its legal to have a gun on you publicly. No conviction. Or the Walter Scott case where the cop got off claiming fear of life while on video shooting a fleeing man in the back and planting evidence on him.

 

Cops have an extremely high degree of suicide and domestic violence. Far above the rates for virtually all professions. Yet, they have great press. The 'its a tough job' is trotted out and it is. Its stating the obvious. It's also a job that isn't forced on anyone. Just like my 4 older brothers who joined the military and a few saw combat. They knew it was a possibility.

 

The right has elevated cops to deity, while demonizing teachers. Why? Teachers and teacher unions are huge and vote Democrat. Teacher unions are vilified. But you never, ever hear the anti union chants against police unions who have some of the cushiest contracts of any blue collar/middle class profession. Why? They (and the firefighters union) tend to vote Republican in national elections.

 

I have a HS classmate who is a Penna. cop and I have a very good friend who is an LA county deputy sheriff who I introduced to his wife and they have two beautiful kids. From what I know of them they are great guys. The problem and they will tell me privately is that if you are a cop that tries to stop or report the bad ones you are ostracized and your career will suffer.

 

 

 

There is a 2006 FBI report stating that law enforcement nationally has been infiltrated by white supremacists.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/fbi-white-supremacists-in-law-enforcement/

 

NOTHING has been done about by the justice department. Shocking..but maybe if I really think about it, I shouldn't be. If there was a report of moslem extremists, chinese american double agents, infiltrating law enforcement, it would be a top priority, but since neo nazis and KKK members don't affect the 86% of the population that isn't Black (in theory as to effect), who cares? You're white, doesn't affect you.

 

The country seriously fucked up. It will reach a breaking point in some form or fashion. My personal opinion and I've stated this before, is its reminiscent of the fall of Rome. It will be a too little, too late proposition. I think a lot of things we see bad going on is out of fear by some groups over demographic and economic changes. The 1% have a divide and conquer strategy that has worked not only in America but historically. Why re-invent the wheel?

 

The 1% pays for the elections so they call the shots. China is not perfect but they have a strategy that makes China win. America doesn't and have sped up its own demise and downward spiral.

 

If a President Chocolat Steve was elected, among a myriad of things.

1. No kid leaves HS without knowing basic coding along with the 3 R's (reading, writing, arithmetic). We live in a society that its a must to know it. Even if you don't use it. I don't care if you are going to be a dancer, painter or football player, the world is tech.

2. Massive infrastructure spending. 90 percent of Americans haven't been to the other G8 nations and so are woefully ignorant of just how decrepit our infrastructure is and it would solve a lot of employment issues. Those coal miners could transition to local projects. Same with the urban poor. Only use U.S. companies with U.S. labor. Those dollars are recycled locally, organically creating more jobs. These include STEM related jobs

3. Demographic and economic trends is now pretty much a precise science. Carrot for jobs that are needed. Free or reduced tuition for majors in desperately needed occupations. Google and the tech industry lacks programmers with the skills needed and want sub continent asians because they can't find enough domestic talent. Free tuition for those majors, zero if you want to major in women's studies, african american or chicano studies, LBGT studies or even white studies if there is such a thing. Do that in your own spare time or through electives. Do the carrot and stick with regards to the free tuition proposal Bernie Sanders suggests.

4. Areas that are over invested in dying industries (coal for example). They knew that 20 or 30 years ago. Those areas should have been transitioned into new, needed jobs. The now deceased Senator Byrd of West Virginia used his power to move some of the FBI processing of paperwork to that state. When I need to get an FBI background check done its send to W. Virginia. Doesn't take much for a coal miner to learn how to process paperwork. That building had to be built, local labor. That building needs security, janitors, etc. Re-start 'Enterprise zones' that was proposed in the '90s for such chronically poor areas.

[Steve]

surprised OJ hasn't been mentioned. But perhaps its a sign that its pretty much non news, and 'who cares' Will be out on parole. He was arrogant after getting off that murder charge. A smarter man, with so much negative notoriety would have lived out a quiet life or simply leave the country altogether. He's into blondes, he could have lived the life in any number of eastern European countries with that 10-20k (not sure how much) pension he had.

 

The sentence was definitely payback no matter what the judge says. Up to 33 years for taking back your own stuff? No one hurt? lolol...it was payback. Not many had any sympathy for him. Parole is fair after 9 years. His dumbass gets in trouble again, he could die in prison and no one but his kids would care.