Dishwasher, a Christian, Awarded $21 Million in Lawsuit Over Working Sabbath

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By The Blaze. A former Miami hotel dishwasher was awarded a $21 million settlement in court after being made to work Sundays despite conflicts with her Catholic missionary work and eventually getting fired, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Although the jury awarded 60-year-old Marie Jean Pierre $21 million in damages, punitive damages in federal court are capped so she will likely receive around $500,000. But her attorney said it wasn’t about the money in the first place. . .

Pierre was hired to work at the Conrad Miami hotel in 2006. She said she told her employer at the time of her hiring that she could not work Sundays because she is a member of Soldiers of Christ Church, which is a Catholic missionary group.

The scheduling arrangement was fine from 2006 until 2009, when the hotel began scheduling her on Sundays. After she told them she’d have to quit if she was forced to work on Sundays, the hotel again accommodated her requests.

The issue resurfaced in 2015, when according to the lawsuit her manager demanded that she work Sundays of swap shifts with other coworkers to have the day off. (Read more from “Dishwasher, a Christian, Awarded $21 Million in Lawsuit Over Working Sabbath” HERE)

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Hotel Dishwasher Awarded $21 Million After Boss Made Her Work on Sundays

By NBC News. . . Marie Jean Pierre, who worked as a dishwasher at the Conrad Miami, sued Virginia-based Park Hotels & Resorts, formerly known as Hilton Worldwide, in 2017 for violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The landmark law bans employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

The award was filed on Tuesday with the U.S. District Court in Miami. The jury also found she was due $35,000 in back wages and $500,000 for emotional pain and mental anguish.

Pierre, 60, is a mother of six and a member of the Soldiers of Christ Church, a Catholic missionary group that helps the poor, her attorney said. . .

Sometime in 2015, the kitchen manager at the Conrad Miami, “demanded” Pierre work Sundays, the lawsuit states and for a short time allowed her to swap shifts with other coworkers to have the day off.

On March 31, 2016, Pierre says she was fired for alleged misconduct, negligence and “unexcused absences,” according to the lawsuit. (Read more from “Hotel Dishwasher Awarded $21 Million After Boss Made Her Work on Sundays” HERE)

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After Ignoring Angel Moms, Senate Dems Hold Rally for Government Workers Affected by Shutdown

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Senate Democrats held a shutdown rally in front of the Capitol Wednesday morning, holding giant photos of government workers affected by the shutdown.

“Each one of these Americans has a different story about how the shutdown is hurting them and their families,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. “As the Trump shutdown drags on, more and more Americans are hurt,” Schumer intoned. He went on to share the story of a federal food safety inspector for the Department of Agriculture who has missed a paycheck and now doesn’t know how he’s going to be able to afford his medical bills.

This rally came a day after a group of Angel Moms (mothers of those killed by illegal immigrants) wielded giant photos of their murdered children at the offices of Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. . .

Angel Mom Sabine Durden, whose son Dominic was killed by an illegal alien in 2012, reacted to Schumer’s rally on Twitter, saying: “Really? They can still hug their children, many of us Angel moms will never b able to do that. I would give up everything to just have my son for 1 hour.”

Asked for comment, Durden told PJ Media: “How incredibly insulting to those who would give up EVERYTHING to have their loved ones back for just a few hours. He’s showing his true colors and they are NOT red/white and blue. This little show is exactly what we talked about when we went to his office and he didn’t make time to even meet us for a minute. Those workers will get their pay, I will NEVER get my son back. Shameful and I wish he would fight this hard for Americans who suffered the ultimate loss because they are not helping to secure our borders .”

(Read more from “After Ignoring Angel Moms, Senate Dems Hold Rally for Government Workers Affected by Shutdown” HERE)

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Gillette Tells Men They’re Repulsive Creeps. Now Give Them Your Money, You Piece of Garbage

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Are you a man? That is to say, are you a genetic male who also happens to identify as a “man,” for some increasingly antiquated reason? If so, are you under the mistaken impression that you’re not a rapist?

Our society has come a long way in shaming men for behaving in any way that anybody anywhere doesn’t like, and reminding men that we’re all complicit even if we don’t behave that way. But it’s not nearly enough. The mere fact of maleness is shameful and problematic. Men and boys everywhere need to be reminded that we’re evil. We must learn to hate ourselves as much as everyone else hates us. The patriarchy must be castrated. . .

Alexandra Bruell, WSJ:

Gillette is embracing the #MeToo movement in a new digital ad campaign aimed at men, the latest message from an advertiser attempting to change societal norms…

“This is an important conversation happening, and as a company that encourages men to be their best, we feel compelled to both address it and take action of our own,” said Pankaj Bhalla, Gillette brand director for North America in an emailed statement. “We are taking a realistic look at what’s happening today, and aiming to inspire change by acknowledging that the old saying ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ is not an excuse. We want to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and hope all the men we serve will come along on that journey to find our ‘best’ together.”

(Read more from “Gillette Tells Men They’re Repulsive Creeps. Now Give Them Your Money, You Piece of Garbage” HERE)

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Another State to Propose Banning Abortion on Babies With Beating Hearts

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By Life Site News. The Missouri legislature is slated to debate legislation that would protect preborn babies from abortion as soon as their heartbeats can be detected, as part of a national trend toward more comprehensive pro-life laws that protect babies early in pregnancy.

Introduced by state Sen. Andrew Koenig and state Rep. Nick Schroer, H.B. 126 (S.B. 139 in the Senate) requires abortionists to test for a fetal heartbeat prior to abortion. If one can be found, the woman seeking the abortion must be given the opportunity to hear it and the abortion cannot be committed except in cases of “medical emergency.”

Women would not be punishable, but abortionists who don’t perform the test would face six-month suspensions of their medical licenses and a $1,000 fine. Physicians who do test and abort the child anyway would permanently lose their licenses and be barred from applying for a new one. . .

That’s much earlier than the current limits defined by Roe v. Wade, but many pro-lifers argue that, in light of President Donald Trump having nominated two justices to the Supreme Court so far, now is the time for state legislatures to enact legislation that would provoke a new U.S. Supreme Court case. If Roe is overturned, Americans would be free for the first time since 1973 to vote directly on every aspect of abortion’s legality. (Read more from “Another State to Propose Banning Abortion on Babies With Beating Hearts” HERE)

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Battles expected in many states over abortion-related bills

By AP. On each side of the abortion debate, legislators and activists emboldened by recent political developments plan to push aggressively in many states this year for bills high on their wish lists: either seeking to impose near-total bans on abortion or guaranteeing women’s access to the procedure.

For abortion opponents, many of whom will rally Friday at the annual March for Life in Washington, there’s a surge of optimism that sweeping abortion bans might have a chance of prevailing in the reconfigured U.S. Supreme Court that includes Donald Trump’s appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Legislators in at least five states — Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Florida and South Carolina — are expected to consider bills that would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, possibly just six weeks into a pregnancy.

Conversely, results of the midterm elections buoyed supporters of abortion rights in several states, including New York, Rhode Island, Maryland, Massachusetts and New Mexico. Abortion-rights groups there are now hopeful that lawmakers will pass bills aimed at protecting access to abortion even if the Supreme Court eventually reversed or weakened the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a nationwide right to abortion. Tuesday will mark the 46th anniversary of that ruling. (Read more from “Battles expected in many states over abortion-related bills” HERE)

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State Bans Transgender ‘Discrimination,’ Treatment for Unwanted Gay Attraction

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In a move various media outlets are hailing as “historic,” the New York legislature passed two bills this week that add “gender identity” to the state’s wide-ranging non-discrimination rules and banning medical professionals from treating minors for unwanted homosexual attraction.

The so-called Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) bans “discrimination based on gender identity or expression,” making gender-confused individuals a protected class for the purposes of housing, employment, and public accommodation regulations, and adds “gender identity or expression” to the list of factors that can elevate crimes to the status of “hate crimes.”

GENDA passed the State Assembly 100-40 and the State Senate 42-19 on Tuesday morning, the Daily Beast reported, after eight years of the bill passing the Assembly but dying in the Republican-controlled Senate. Last fall’s midterm elections delivered the Senate to Democrats, all 39 of whom co-sponsored the legislation.

“We are finally welcoming a fairer and more equal New York because of the bold and tireless leadership of trans and gender non-conforming New Yorkers,” LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York executive director Eric Lesh declared.

“This is an issue of basic fairness, and today marks an historic day for those in the LGBTQ community who fought tirelessly for the passage of this bill,” said New York Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has pledged to sign GENDA. “I applaud the Legislature for acting quickly to pass this critical component of our Justice Agenda.” (Read more from “State Bans Transgender ‘Discrimination,’ Treatment for Unwanted Gay Attraction” HERE)

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White House Releases Statements on ISIS Attack Against U.S. Troops in Syria

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By Townhall. The White House released a series of statements Wednesday afternoon condemning the ISIS attack on U.S. troops in Syria.

“Our deepest sympathies and love go out to the families of the brave American heroes who were killed today in Syria. We also pray for the soldiers who were wounded in the attack. Our service members and their families have all sacrificed so much for our country,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said.

(Read more from “White House Releases Statements on ISIS Attack Against U.S. Troops in Syria” HERE)

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U.S. Troops Killed in Syria Suicide Attack Claimed by ISIS

By CBS News. Four Americans, including two U.S. service members, were among those killed in an attack in northern Syria Wednesday, the same day Vice President Mike Pence said ISIS, which claimed responsibility for the attack, “has been defeated.”

U.S. Central Command said in a statement Wednesday that an apparent explosion killed two service members, a Department of Defense civilian and a Pentagon contractor while they were “conducting a local engagement in Manbij, Syria.” Three service members were also injured.

“Initial reports indicate an explosion caused the casualties, and the incident is under investigation,” the statement said.

The attack comes just weeks after President Trump declared ISIS defeated and said U.S. troops were coming home. Speaking to a gathering of U.S. ambassadors at the State Department on Wednesday, after the Pentagon confirmed the deaths of American troops in Syria, Pence repeated both of Mr. Trump’s assertions. (Read more from “U.S. Troops Killed in Syria Suicide Attack Claimed by ISIS” HERE)

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CNN Analyst Called out Conservative Commentator for His ‘White Privilege’…but He’s Black

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Well, if you want to talk about a rake-stepping moment hitting CNN, there are many, but this one might be one of the worst and we’re not even 30 days into 2019. CNN’s Areva Martin did a radio interview on David Webb’s show on SiriusXM Tuesday and tried to criticize him for exercising white privilege; they were talking about applying for media jobs. There was only one problem: Webb is black. He’s a frequent guest on Fox News and a known conservative commentator. It’s a rather cringe-worthy moment (via WaPo):

. . .“How do I have the privilege of white privilege?” Webb asks.

“David, by virtue of being a white male you have white privilege. This whole long conversation, I don’t have time to get into — ”

Webb then interrupts her to let her know he’s a black man, causing Martin to take a pause.

“You see, you went to white privilege; this is the falsehood in this,” Webb replies. “You went immediately with an assumption. Your people, obviously, or you didn’t look.

(Read more from “CNN Analyst Called out Conservative Commentator for His ‘White Privilege’…but He’s Black” HERE)

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Secret Service Fact Checks Nancy Pelosi: We Are Fully Prepared and Able to Handle Trump’s State of the Union Address

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By Townhall. The United States Secret Service is pushing back against claims from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that agents are incapable of providing sufficient security for President Trump’s State of the Union address due to the government shutdown.

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“The U.S. Secret Service was designated as the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating, planning, exercising, and implementing security for National Special Security Events by Public Law 106-544, December 19, 2000. However, both the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security have not been funded for 26 days now – with critical departments hamstrung by furloughs,” Pelosi wrote in a letter to the president Wednesday.

(Read more from “Secret Service Fact Checks Nancy Pelosi: We Are Fully Prepared and Able to Handle Trump’s State of the Union Address” HERE)

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Everyone Rejects Pelosi’s Excuse for Cancelling State of the Union

By Breitbart. Multiple reports indicate that the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security both reject Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s stated reason for asking the President of the United States to postpone the State of the Union address. . .

Pelosi blamed a lack of available security due to the ongoing partial government shutdown: “This requires hundreds of people working on the logistics and security of it. Most of those people are either furloughed or victims of the shutdown. The president’s shutdown. But that isn’t the point. The point is security. … [It’s] a security decision which is completely out of my hands.”

(Read more from “Everyone Rejects Pelosi’s Excuse for Cancelling State of the Union” HERE)

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CAUGHT: ‘To Catch a Predator’ Host Busted by Police

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Former “To Catch A Predator” host Chris Hansen has been arrested and charged with writing a bad check and larceny after agreeing to pay a vendor nearly $13,000 for marketing materials.

Hansen, 59, promised Peter Psichopaidas, owner of Promotional Sales LTD., $12,998.05 for 355 ceramic mugs, 288 T-shirts, and 650 vinyl decals, according to the Stamford Advocate. Hansen said he would pay for the merchandise before it was delivered.

“Three months after receiving invoices for the goods in September 2017, a person working for Hansen sent a Hansen News LLC check for the entire amount, police said. But police said the check bounced and Psichopaidas spoke to Hansen, who apologized and attempted to make a partial payment. Psichopaidas filed a complaint with police last April when he was still not paid,” the Advocate reported. . .

The arrest affidavit, according to WGN TV, notes that Hansen “bailed” after he agreed to provide police with a statement. Investigator Sean Coughlin of the Stamford Police Department warned Hansen that he could be arrested for larceny, according to the affidavit. . .

Hansen had used similar marketing materials as incentives for those who sent money to the former NBC host’s Kickstarter campaign to revive “To Catch A Predator” in 2015. The new show was to be called “Hansen vs. Predator,” according to the Wrap, and people who donated money could receive the coffee mugs or t-shirts. Other fundraising incentives included a private screening of the new show with Hansen and his crew and an outgoing voicemail message from the host himself, a surefire way to scare off spam callers. It is unclear when Promotional Sales provided Hansen with the items for which he did not pay. (Read more from “CAUGHT: ‘To Catch a Predator’ Host Busted by Police” HERE)

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FBI Foils Terror Plot on White House

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Federal law enforcement officials announced on Wednesday that authorities foiled a terror plot against the White House and other government buildings in Washington, D.C.

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U.S. Attorney B.J. Pak said that federal authorities, including the Atlanta Joint Terrorism Task Force, had been investigating (the alleged terrorist), 21, for a year after receiving the tip.

“(The alleged terrorist) is charged as the result of a year-long investigation by FBI Atlanta’s Joint Terrorism Task Force,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We want to thank the Forsyth County Sheriff Office and Gwinnett County Police Department for assisting us with his arrest. The investigation is continuing, but at this stage it is believed (the alleged terrorist) was acting on his own.”

The AJC notes that “(the alleged terrorist) allegedly said he planned to travel to ‘hijra,’ a term said to refer to Islamic State territory.” . . .

WXIA-TV reported: “(The alleged terrorist)has been charged with violating Title 18USC 844(f)(1), an ‘attempt to damage by means of an explosive any building owned, possessed, or leased by the United States or any department or agency thereof, or any institution or organization receiving federal financial assistance.'”

(Read more from “FBI Foils Terror Plot on White House” HERE)

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