Former Obama Intelligence Official Helps Secure Bail for Molotov Cocktail-Throwing NYC Lawyer

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A former Obama administration intelligence official who worked in both the Departments of State and Defense has guaranteed bail for a human rights lawyer accused of firebombing a police vehicle in New York City.

The former official, Salmah Rizvi, told a judge the alleged firebomber is her “best friend.” Rizvi, now an attorney at the D.C.-based law firm Ropes & Gray, helped secure the release of fellow lawyer Urooj Rahman by agreeing to be a suretor for her bail. That means Rizvi is liable for the full cost of the $250,000 bail if Rahman fails to obey the court’s orders.

Rahman was released to home confinement over the objections of government attorneys after her arrest on Saturday for throwing a lit Molotov cocktail through the window of an NYPD vehicle. Evidence presented by prosecutors included images of Rahman holding a Molotov cocktail in the passenger seat of a van that was later found to be full of the necessary materials for making the explosive devices.

U.S. District Judge Margo Brodie acknowledged the strong evidence against Rahman, who was also accused of distributing the incendiary devices to other rioters, but agreed to grant her bail due to the “willingness of family and friends to sign on as suretors,” according to a report from Law360. . .

Rizvi entered the legal field after a career in the Obama administration’s intelligence community, where “her high-value work would often inform the President’s Daily Briefs,” according to her bio at the Islamic Scholarship Fund. The group gave Rizvi a law school scholarship sponsored by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a radical anti-Israel organization that has been tied to the funding of global terror networks. (Read more from “Former Obama Intelligence Official Helps Secure Bail for Molotov Cocktail-Throwing NYC Lawyer” HERE)

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Liberal Lawyer: Dem Senator Pretty Much Made the Trump White House’s Case in Rosenstein Hearing

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. . .Liberal lawyer Jonathan Turley, who is also a law professor at George Washington University, noted, [Sen. Mazie Hirono] pretty much made a solid defense…of the Trump administration. One of the best parts was when Hirono thought that 1,000 former DOJ lawyers saying otherwise meant something. Nope. As Rosenstein slapped her down, he noted that the DOJ has legions of lawyers, current and former:

Hirono raised reports that he discussed wearing a wire or using the 25th Amendment to remove Trump. . .

Hirono seems to be making a case for the Administration. She just prompted Rosenstein to say that he agreed with the view that there was no evidence of obstruction of justice. She then dug deeper and Rosenstein just said that “he agrees that there was no evidence of a crime” by Trump.

Hirono continued to dig deeper. She pressed Rosenstein on how a 1000 prosecutors disagreed with him. Rosenstein just said “we have a lot more than 1000 former prosecutors.” He said that while they did not know the full record, he did. Hirono cut him off again. Rosenstein said it was unfair. “Nobody was in favor of prosecution.”

(Read more from “Liberal Lawyer: Dem Senator Pretty Much Made the Trump White House’s Case in Rosenstein Hearing” HERE)

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Media Falsely Claimed Violent Riots Were Peaceful and That Tear Gas Was Used Against Rioters

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. . .Facts were no barrier to their narrative. They spun a tale of violent, jack-booted cops running rampant through the streets over innocent docile protesters, using tear gas to clear the area. It turns out none of that was true.

Every single major media outlet falsely reported that Park Police were unprovoked when they used “tear gas” to clear the area. If any of that were true, it might mark the first time in history that cops without gas masks launched tear gas in an area that the president of the United States easily walked through minutes later.

After thousands of false tweets, print stories, and broadcast stories to the contrary, local journalist Neal Augenstein of WTOP reported that a Park Police source said “tear gas was never used — instead smoke canisters were deployed, which don’t have an uncomfortable irritant in them.” Further, the source said the crowd was dispersed because of projectiles being thrown by the “peaceful protesters” at the Park Police and because “peaceful protesters” had climbed on top of a structure in Lafayette Park that had been burned the prior night. . .

Prior to getting the actual facts, nearly every major media outlet falsely reported that canisters of tear gas, not smoke canisters, were used against peaceful protesters. The false story spread internationally despite its lack of evidence. Here are just a few of the uncountable examples.

Reuters published a video it claimed showed U.S. Park Police using tear gas. The video did not show any such thing.

(Read more from “Media Falsely Claimed Violent Riots Were Peaceful and That Tear Gas Was Used Against Rioters” HERE)

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Mattis Condemns Trump as Threat to Constitution; President Trump Reacts to Criticism

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By Haaretz. . .As the protest wave entered its sixth day, Trump has been facing a new source of strong criticism, this time from former senior military commanders, most prominent among them his own former Secretary of Defense, retired General James Mattis.

In a statement first published by Atlantic Magazine, Mattis accused Trump of actively trying to sow division among Americans. “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us,” Mattis explained.

“We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort,” Mattis wrote, referring to the current wave of protests, riots and police violence. He added that “We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership.” . . .

With regards to the demands put up by the protesters in the streets – mostly, an end to violence and discrimination directed by police forces towards African American citizens – Mattis wrote: “It is a wholesome and unifying demand — one that all of us should be able to get behind.”

Mattis also criticized the use of the military on Monday to attack the protesters in front of the White House. “When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution,” he stated. “Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens.” (Read more from “Mattis Denounces Trump’s Military Response to Crisis” HERE)

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President Trump Reacts After Being Criticized by Former Defense Chief Jim Mattis

By The Blaze. President Donald Trump fired back harsh words against his former secretary of defense, Jim Mattis, on Wednesday, after the general publicly criticized the commander in chief for his response to the ongoing protests and rioting across the U.S. . .

A few hours after the article published, President Trump tweeted, “Probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis, the world’s most overrated General. I asked for his letter of resignation, & felt great about it. His nickname was ‘Chaos’, which I didn’t like, & changed to ‘Mad Dog’…”

The president added, “His primary strength was not military, but rather personal public relations. I gave him a new life, things to do, and battles to win, but he seldom ‘brought home the bacon”. I didn’t like his ‘leadership’ style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone!”

. . .White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnancy reacted to Mattis’ criticisms of President Trump on Twitter, too, writing, “Former Secretary Mattis’ ‘article’ is little more than a self-promotional stunt to appease the DC elite. President @realDonaldTrump is the law and order President that has restored peace to our nation’s streets. Mattis’ small words pale in comparison to @POTUS’ strong action.”

(Read more from “President Trump Reacts After Being Criticized by Former Defense Chief Jim Mattis” HERE)

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James Mattis Condemns Trump as a Threat to the Constitution

By Axios. Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis condemned President Trump for making a “mockery of our Constitution” in a statement to The Atlantic on Wednesday, saying he was “appalled” at the president’s response to mass protests in the wake of George Floyd’s killing[:]

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Instructions given by the military departments to our troops before the Normandy invasion reminded soldiers that “The Nazi slogan for destroying us…was ‘Divide and Conquer.’ Our American answer is ‘In Union there is Strength.’” We must summon that unity to surmount this crisis—confident that we are better than our politics.

Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.

We can come through this trying time stronger, and with a renewed sense of purpose and respect for one another. The pandemic has shown us that it is not only our troops who are willing to offer the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of the community. Americans in hospitals, grocery stores, post offices, and elsewhere have put their lives on the line in order to serve their fellow citizens and their country. We know that we are better than the abuse of executive authority that we witnessed in Lafayette Square. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution. At the same time, we must remember Lincoln’s “better angels,” and listen to them, as we work to unite.

(Read more from “James Mattis Condemns Trump as a Threat to the Constitution” HERE)

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Iran, Russia, China, Turkey Celebrate ‘Collapse’ of U.S.

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Authoritarian regimes throughout the world are pushing narratives that appear to gloat over and celebrate that chaos unfolding in the United States. On Monday, Iran’s media pushed stories that highlighted the “collapse,” while quoting Russian sources portraying that the US is flailing about as its world order comes crashing down.

The US became the world’s most powerful country, a global hegemonic superpower, after the Soviet Union and its client states fell apart in 1989. However, Russia, China, Iran and increasingly Turkey have all awaited the period when the world would become multi-polar again. They have sought to work more closely together, and they have sat frequently at global forums that the US does not attend.

To coordinate efforts against the US, these countries all have state media that is well funded, such as RT, TRT, Iran’s Tasnim and Fars News and numerous Chinese media outlets. The policies of these countries are to slowly undermine the US and wait for moments of US weakness to push their agendas.

The leadership in Turkey and Iran view their goal as undermining the US through a more religious lens linked with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Muslim Brotherhood that influences Tehran and Ankara respectively. Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sought to capitalize on the recent riots in the US, claiming that America is part of an “unjust order” in the world.

Iran’s former president made similar comments about the declining US “order.” This is a reference to the concept of the “axis of resistance” in Iran, and the defeat of US “arrogance.” Ever since the Islamic Revolution in Iran of 1979, there had been a call for a third way between the US and Soviet Union in the 1980s that would bring about the defeat of Western systems and the rise of political Islam rooted in Tehran and then in Ankara. (Read more from “Iran, Russia, China, Turkey Celebrate ‘Collapse’ of U.S.” HERE)

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China Threatens the UK After Boris Johnson Offers 3 Million Hong Kong Citizens Refuge

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China on Wednesday told Britain to “step back from the brink” and “stop interfering” in China’s affairs after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would offer 3 million Hong Kong citizens the right to come live in the UK. . .

“Today about 350,000 people hold British Nationals (Overseas) passports and another 2.5 million people would be eligible to apply for them. At present these passports allow for visa-free access for up to six months,” Johnson said.

“If China imposes its national security law, the British government will change its immigration rules and allow any holder of these passports from Hong Kong to come to the UK for a renewable period of 12 months and be given further immigration rights including the right to work which would place them on the route to citizenship.” . . .

China hit back, telling Johnson that his intervention would “backfire.”

“We advise the UK to step back from the brink, abandon their Cold War mentality and colonial mindset, and recognise and respect the fact that Hong Kong has returned” to China, Zhao Lijian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, said at a briefing, according to Agence France-Presse. (Read more from “China Threatens the UK After Boris Johnson Offers 3 Million Hong Kong Citizens Refuge” HERE)

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Cuomo to Trump: ‘Here in New York We Actually Read the Bible’ (VIDEO)

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) responded to President Trump’s display of the Bible in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church on Wednesday saying, “Here in New York we actually read the Bible.”

“The president held up the Bible the other day in Washington, D.C.,” Cuomo said during a Wednesday news conference. “Here in New York we actually read the Bible.”

The governor began the press conference by reading verses from the Bible that he said “are especially appropriate for today in this time of where we are,” as protests over the death of George Floyd continue to rock New York City and the country. . .

The New York governor’s comments come after Trump posed for photos in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church while holding a Bible. Shortly before the president walked to the church, protesters were forcibly cleared from Lafayette Square outside of the White House with the use of chemical irritants.

Several Democrats and some Republicans criticized the removal of the protesters for the photo opportunity including Cuomo, who said the Trump wants to make the demonstrations “a reality TV show of God and country.” (Read more from “Cuomo to Trump: ‘Here in New York We Actually Read the Bible'” HERE)

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Reports: President Trump Not Happy With Defense Secretary Mark Esper

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President Trump is not happy with his Defense Secretary, Mark Esper, for comments he made during a press briefing Wednesday opposing using active-duty military forces to quell violent riots across the country and distancing himself from what he called a “photo op” with Trump earlier in the week, according to reports.

Esper stated at a press conference Wednesday that he did not support using active-duty forces in a law enforcement role, just two days after the president ordered them to the capitol, warning he would use them if violence and looting continued.

“The option to use active duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act,” Esper said.

According to reports, the president was not happy with Esper’s comments. Bloomberg reported:

President Donald Trump and other top aides were upset that Defense Secretary Mark Esper publicly opposed the deployment of active-duty forces to confront protesters in U.S. cities, as Trump has suggested, and viewed the Pentagon chief’s remarks as out of line.

(Read more from “Reports: President Trump Not Happy With Defense Secretary Mark Esper” HERE)

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Establishment Takes out Rep. Steve King in Iowa Primary

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Rep. Steve King, the controversial nine-term Republican congressman from Iowa, lost a heavily contested primary race on Tuesday night to a well-funded state Sen. Randy Feenstra.

King’s loss in Iowa’s Republican primary contest marks the beginning of the end for the provocative lawmaker who for years had been a conservative lightning rod in Washington for his hardline views on issues ranging from immigration to abortion.

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tweeted early Wednesday that King’s “white supremacist rhetoric is totally inconsistent with the Republican Party, and I’m glad Iowa Republicans rejected him at the ballot.” . . .

The Iowa Republican has more recently become a pariah in his own party as more mainstream GOP lawmakers distanced themselves from his more extreme views and statements.

King was stripped of his committee assignments in 2018 for comments appearing to question the criticism of white nationalism. (Read more from “Establishment Takes out Rep. Steve King in Iowa Primary” HERE)

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3 More Ex-Cops Charged in George Floyd’s Death and Derek Chauvin Faces New Murder Charge

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Three more former police officers who were involved in the arrest of George Floyd in Minneapolis have been charged in connection to his death, and the officer who pressed a knee to Floyd’s neck faces a new charge of second-degree murder, according to court documents.

The three additional officers — Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng — have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. All four officers have been fired.

Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death last week. Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes, including two minutes in which Floyd was unresponsive, according to prosecutors. The bail for each officer has been set at $1 million.

“I strongly believe that these developments are in the interest of justice for Mr. Floyd, his family, our community and our state,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said when announcing the new charges Wednesday.

Floyd’s death has ignited anti-police brutality protests across the nation. Charges against the three other officers on the scene have been a key demand of demonstrators in Minneapolis and elsewhere. Ellison said the sweeping protests across the country did not play a factor in the decision to charge the former officers. (Read more from “3 More Ex-Cops Charged in George Floyd’s Death and Derek Chauvin Faces New Murder Charge” HERE)

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