Navy Removes Captain of Coronavirus-Plagued Carrier Who Wrote Letter Pleading for Help

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The U.S. Navy has removed Capt. Brett Crozier from his command of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, after the media obtained a letter he wrote begging for help for sailors amid a spreading COVID-19 outbreak on the aircraft carrier. . .

Last week, the ship was forced to dock in Guam with its roughly 4,800 crew members on board after roughly 100 tested positive for coronavirus. On Monday, Capt. Crozier sent a letter to senior military officials, pleading for help and pushing for a coordinated effort to remove most of the crew from the ship, warning that “the spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating.”

“This will require a political solution but it is the right thing to do,” Crozier wrote. “We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors.” . . .

On Thursday, acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly announced Capt. Crozier had been removed from command of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

“I don’t know who leaked the letter to the media,” Sec. Modly said during a briefing. “That would be something that would violate the principles of good order and discipline, if he were responsible for that. But I don’t know that.” (Read more from “Navy Removes Captain of Coronavirus-Plagued Carrier Who Wrote Letter Pleading for Help” HERE)

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China Is Lying About COVID-19 Death Toll and Confirmed Cases, and the U.S. Intel Community Knows It

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The Chinese government is underreporting the outbreak of the coronavirus in its country, the U.S. intelligence community concluded in a classified report to the White House, three U.S. officials confirmed to Bloomberg News Wednesday.

The officials were not at liberty to discuss the details of the secret report, which was sent to the White House last week, but confirmed that the upshot of the report is that “China’s public reporting on cases and deaths is intentionally incomplete.”

Two officials told the news outlet that the report confirms that the communist country’s publicly reported numbers are “fake.”

As of Wednesday, China had reported about 82,000 confirmed cases of the virus resulting in around 3,300 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Those figures pale in comparison to the 190,000 cases and more than 4,000 deaths already recorded in the United States.

During a press briefing Tuesday, Dr. Deborah Birx, a leading health official on the White House coronavirus task force, said that China’s public reporting, or lack thereof, greatly influenced how the officials responded to the outbreak within America. (Read more from “China Is Lying About COVID-19 Death Toll and Confirmed Cases, and the U.S. Intel Community Knows It” HERE)

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Florida Sheriff Who Arrested Pastor Now Releasing 163 Actual Criminals (While You’re Locked in at Home)

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In case you still think every unilateral action taken by local officials is driven by science and intrepid concern for public safety and health, I present to you the case of Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.

On Monday, after holding a virtue-signaling press conference lecturing the public on the Bible, Chronister arrested Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne for holding services on Sunday, even though his lawyer says he was following CDC guidelines for sanitation and social distancing.

“His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk and thousands of residents who may interact with them this week in danger,” the sheriff said.

The sheriff really cares about human life and public safety, right?

Well, now channel 10 news in Tampa is reporting that Chronister has released 163 prisoners as a “precautionary” measure to avoid spreading the virus in jail, as if somehow taking them out of the ultimate quarantine into the general population will stop the spread, and as if criminals will actually abide by the home confinement Chronister so zealously wants to impose on all citizens.

Chronister repeated the same disingenuous line that these criminals are all low-level. “These defendants are the lowest public safety risk,” Chronister said. “They were merely sitting in jail because they could not afford to pay the amount it would take to bond out.”

The problem is that most people who wind up in jail these days, especially with the trend of leniencies up and down the system, usually are serious criminals or repeat offenders. Non-serious criminals simply don’t serve time any more. These releases don’t take into account prior history and plea bargains, which are ubiquitous throughout the system. Judges will often keep people locked up for “low-level” crimes, if they have priors and have been arrested for more serious charges that were pled down.

Channel 10 lists the criminal charges among those released by the sheriff, and the bulk of them were locked up for theft, burglary, and drugs. Yes, some of them could be relatively low-level, but what we’ve seen nationwide is that it is usually high-level criminals who are rearrested and jailed on these sorts of crimes. Any cop looking at these crimes will tell you that these are not people who just simply couldn’t pay their bail and will stay out of trouble if released.

Last week, a woman in Utah was violently attacked by a man who broke into her home after he was released under coronavirus jailbreak because he was “only” serving time for drug charges.

As the streets remain quiet and lined with vacant stores, is now the time to release career burglars? Farther south in Florida, Palm Beach County is experiencing a rash of burglaries. “We have seen an uptick in the number of burglaries because, unfortunately, some people are trying to take advantage of others during this time of crisis,” said state attorney Dave Aronberg in an interview with WPTV.

Palm Beach County is under a shelter-in-place order, even as the rest of the state has not ratcheted the restrictions to that level yet. It turns out criminals don’t follow emergency edicts the same way they don’t follow basic laws.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that none of this jailbreak is rooted in concern for public health, and it certainly will not be limited to low-level offenders. California Governor Gavin Newsom commuted the sentences of 14 people charged with murder, citing coronavirus and the concern of spreading the disease for expediting their release. Several of them were convicted of murdering children, and one was convicted of murdering a pregnant woman. Two of them are immigrants who should be deported, but Newsom does not cooperate with ICE to ensure safe transfer, even of other countries’ murderers.

These jailbreaks are now occurring in every major city in both blue and red states. Despite Governor Greg Abbott’s efforts to block jailbreak, Harris County, Texas, still plans to release 1,000 inmates. But fear not, Houstonians, Mayor Sylvester Turner has begged criminals not to commit crime, so you will be safe. “Until the coronavirus is resolved, criminals take a break. Okay. Stay home. Stay home and don’t commit any crimes,” implored the Houston mayor on Monday. “Wait till the coronavirus is over and then we’ll all be okay.”

Thus, as pastors and business owners get arrested, just remember that if you are caught violating your home arrest, you can just tell the cops you are on your way to committing a “low-level” crime and you will be let off the hook. Whether you like it or not, this is what must be done for your well-being. It’s all in the scientific models and projections. A message brought to you by the Ministry of Truth in “1984.” (For more from the author of “Florida Sheriff Who Arrested Pastor Now Releasing 163 Actual Criminals (While You’re Locked in at Home)” please click HERE)

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Schiff Drafting Legislation to Set up 9/11-Style Commission to Review Coronavirus Response

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Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is drafting legislation that would set up an independent commission that would investigate why the country was unprepared for the coronavirus pandemic.

“After Pearl Harbor and 9/11, we looked at what went wrong to learn from our mistakes,” the House Intelligence Committee chairman said in a tweet. “Once we’ve recovered, we need a nonpartisan commission to review our response and how we can better prepare for the next pandemic.”

Schiff did not give specifics regarding when the legislation will be dropped, but suggested it would be after Congress finishes the task at hand: mulling a series of stimulus packages aimed at alleviating the economic impact of the pandemic. Sources familiar with the legislation told NBC News the legislation is “very preliminary.” (Read more from “Schiff Drafting Legislation to Set up 9/11-Style Commission to Review Coronavirus Response” HERE)

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Senators Demand Secret Footnotes in Report on Obama Spying Be Revealed

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Two senators are urging the director of National Intelligence to work with the Justice Department to declassify the contents of four footnotes Michael Horowitz’s inspector general report on FISA abuse, contending it mischaracterized evidence about the government’s secret surveillance of the Trump campaign

The information blacked out “is significant not only because it contradicts key statements in a section of the report, but also because it provides insight essential for an accurate evaluation of the entire investigation.”

Horowitz’s report found the Obama FBI and Justice Department made 17 “significant errors or omissions” in its applications for warrants to spy on the Trump campaign.

But the report concluded the FBI’s surveillance of the Trump campaign was not motivated by political bias, even the warrants would not have been issued without the submission of the dubious, Democratic Party-funded Steele Dossier as evidence.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., addressed the request to acting ODNI Director Richard Grenell. (Read more from “Senators Demand Secret Footnotes in Report on Obama Spying Be Revealed” HERE)

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FBI Says Skyrocketing Demand for Guns Has Broken Record for Background Checks; Gun Control Activists Freak Out at Trump

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By The Blaze. The panic over the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in such a demand for gun purchases that the FBI has noted a record-breaking number of gun background checks.

The FBI says they fulfilled 3.7 million background checks for the month of March, the largest monthly number they have ever seen.

Previously the record for monthly background checks was 3.3 million in December of 2015.

The record set for March is more than one million higher than that from a year previous in March, when the FBI said they fulfilled 2.64 million checks.

Gun store owners have reported a skyrocketing demand for firearms, and many have sold out their inventory. Long lines delay new gun owners, many of which are frustrated by the gun control laws they face. (Read more from “FBI Says Skyrocketing Demand for Guns Has Broken Record for Background Checks” HERE)

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Trump Coronavirus Guidance on Keeping Gun Stores Open Draws Criticism

By Reuters. Gun control activists on Monday criticized guidance issued by President Donald Trump’s administration recommending that states find that gun stores are critical businesses that can stay open during the coronavirus crisis.

The new guidance, issued on Saturday by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, offers the administration’s views on which workers are essential during the pandemic at a time when state governors have ordered numerous “non-essential” businesses to close to try to limit the spread of the virus. The agency is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Gun control advocates said gun rights groups are sowing fear during the pandemic in order to boost firearms sales, adding that increased gun ownership during the crisis could lead to more domestic violence.

“Adding more guns to more homes during a time of more anxiety could lead to more deaths. And that’s the last thing we need when our hospitals are already bursting at the seams,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, a leading gun control group. (Read more from “Trump Coronavirus Guidance on Keeping Gun Stores Open Draws Criticism” HERE)

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Coronavirus Forces Farmers to Scrap Food They Can’t Sell

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A tractor with a 35-foot blade mowed down one million pounds of green beans ready to be picked at R.C. Hatton’s Pahokee fields.

Those crops should have been going to South Florida’s restaurants, cruise ships, school cafeterias, airlines and even theme parks. . .

The total shutdown of the hospitality industry, to stem the spread of the coronavirus, means farmers who grew crops intended for everyone from small, independent restaurants to busy hotels are stuck with millions of pounds of produce that will soon be left to die on the vine.

And even food banks, soup kitchens and rescue missions, which have seen a surge of unemployed workers making hours-long lines for boxes of donated fresh fruits and vegetables, are saturated with farm donations.

“It’s catastrophic,” said Tony DiMare, vice president of the third-generation-owned DiMare tomato company. “It’s a dire situation, and there’s no relief in sight.” (Read more from “Coronavirus Forces Farmers to Scrap Food They Can’t Sell” HERE)

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Governor Declares Religious Services ‘Essential’ During Coronavirus

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As authorities arrest pastors for holding Sunday services in defiance of social distancing orders, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that religious services are to be considered essential in his state.

Abbott issued an executive order relating to state-wide continuity of essential services and activities during the coronavirus pandemic. The order mandated that all Texans will minimize social gatherings and in-person contact with people who are not in the same household, and, among other statutes, clarified that religious services conducted in churches, congregations and houses of worship are to be considered essential services.

“‘Essential services’ shall consist of everything listed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 2.0, plus religious services conducted in churches, congregations, and houses of worship,” the order stated. “Other essential services may be added to this list with the approval of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.”

The governor encouraged those involved in essential services to practice good hygiene, environmental cleanliness, sanitation, social distancing and working from home when possible.

(Read more from “Governor Declares Religious Services ‘Essential’ During Coronavirus” HERE)

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Donald Trump Responds to Illegals Not Getting Stimulus Checks; Trump Administration Urged to Release Illegal Aliens

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By Breitbart. President Donald Trump was asked by a reporter on Wednesday about “undocumented” immigrants not getting a stimulus check from the government as part of the coronavirus economic rescue package.

“Well, you know, you are saying undocumented, meaning they came in illegally,” Trump said. “A lot of people would say that we have a lot of citizens right now that won’t be working, so what are you going to do?” . . .

“It’s a very sad question, I must be honest with you, but they came in illegally and we have a lot of people that are citizens in our country that won’t be able to have jobs,” Trump said. (Read more from “Donald Trump Responds to Illegals Not Getting Stimulus Checks” HERE)

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Trump Administration Urged to Release Illegal Aliens Amid Coronavirus

By New York Post. The Trump administration is facing a looming deadline to figure out whether it will continue to hold illegal immigrant detainees at migrant detention centers amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus.

Over the weekend, a federal judge ordered the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to either release illegal migrant minors in their custody or explain why they must remain detained amid the virus outbreak.

The judge also warned that ICE officials will be given a week to show the court that three specific family detention centers are providing adequately hygienic conditions for migrants being housed there.

The judge described conditions at those centers as “hotbeds of contagion.” (Read more from “Trump Administration Urged to Release Illegal Aliens Amid Coronavirus” HERE)

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President Trump Tweets That Iran Is Planning a ‘Sneak Attack’ on U.S. Forces

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By The Blaze. President Donald Trump reported in a tweet Wednesday afternoon that “Iran or its proxies” are preparing to launch a “sneak attack” on U.S. troops or assets stationed in Iraq.

Trump also warned the Iranian government and its partners in the region that if such an attack were to take place, the U.S. would retaliate.

“If this happens, Iran will pay a very heavy price, indeed!” the president wrote.

In the tweet, Trump did not cite any specific evidence or elaborate on the details of the alleged forthcoming attack. (Read more from “President Trump Tweets That Iran Is Planning a ‘Sneak Attack’ on U.S. Forces” HERE)

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Trump Claims Iran or Its Proxies Planning a ‘Sneak Attack,’ Warns of a ‘Heavy Price’

By Washington Post. . .The saber-rattling from Trump comes as Iran-backed militias are becoming more audacious in attacking U.S. personnel in Iraq, with rocket strikes on military bases occurring more frequently and, for the first time, in broad daylight.

U.S. officials say they are receiving near-daily reports of “imminent” attacks planned against U.S.-linked military or diplomatic facilities. . .

Asked about his comments later Wednesday at a White House briefing, Trump declined to share more specifics about a potential threat but vowed a robust response if an attack were carried out, saying, “It’s going to be very painful for the other side.” (Read more from “Trump Claims Iran or Its Proxies Planning a ‘Sneak Attack,’ Warns of a ‘Heavy Price’” HERE)

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