Saturday, October 30, 2021
Favre, Mississippi auditor feud over welfare-paid contract
Photo by: Rogelio V. Solis/AP |
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Retired NFL player Brett Favre and Mississippi Auditor Shad White are feuding over the auditor saying Favre failed to make speeches after being paid by welfare money.
Friday's Twitter spat happened days after Favre repaid $600,000 to the state. That's last portion of the $1.1 million that the auditor said Favre received.
The auditor says Favre still owes $228,000 in interest, and the state could sue if that's not paid.
Favre says he would never knowingly take money from the needy, but he bristles at the auditor saying he failed to show up for speeches. White says Favre's contract required speeches, and those did not happen.
Wisconsin elections official: Sheriff's allegations 'totally false'
RACINE, Wis. - The Wisconsin Elections Commission chair told FOX6 News Friday, Oct. 29 that the Racine County sheriff's allegations that election laws were broken are "totally false."
It stems from an investigation, started by the sheriff, after receiving a complaint from the daughter of a nursing home resident who died in October 2020 and suffered from severe cognitive difficulties – yet voted in the September 2020 election.
"In this particular complaint, I didn't go out looking for a complainant. Rather the complaint came to us," Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said.
Schmaling said Thursday that families of eight residents of Ridgewood Care Center in Mount Pleasant told investigators that their loved ones did not have the capacity to vote, but cast ballots anyway.
In past years, investigators said about 10 residents at the facility; in 2020, that number rose to 42.
Ridgewood Care Center
"Voting is good, and there's nothing wrong with more voting," said Sgt. Michael Luell with the Racine County Sheriff's Office. "But if you're manipulating people, taking advantage of people, preying on people who are in cognitive decline. I think that's some of the concerns that the families have."
A person's mental capacity can only be determined by a judge, not a family member. Schmaling alleges that the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) broke the law.
"The Racine County sheriff accusations are totally false, with regards to the Wisconsin Elections Commission," WEC Chair Ann Jacobs told FOX6 News. "We did not act in violation of the law."
Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling
The WEC voted 5-1 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when nursing homes were limiting visitors, that municipalities should not send special voting deputies (SVDs) into nursing homes – instead providing staff guidance on how to help residents vote.
Friday, Jacobs said the Thursday news conference held by Schmaling – a Republican and supporter of former President Donald Trump – is "political grandstanding."
"Entirely missing from yesterday’s press conference was the fact that if the SVDs are unable to speak with the residents, that the residents do get an absentee ballot. And that happens all the time, even in non-COVID times," said Jacobs. "The idea that the only way to vote was with an SVD is false, and what we did was effectuate those residents' ability to vote."
An audit released last week by the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau did not find any widespread fraud in the state but did determine that the WEC violated state statutes by not sending or attempting to send SVDs to nursing homes – directing clerks to mail absentee ballots to those who requested them instead.
Schmaling called for the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to open an investigation.
A DOJ spokesperson told FOX6 that the department was in contact with Schmaling and advised that certain interviews be conducted, that had not been at the time – noting no charges have been filed by the Racine County District Attorney's Office, and it is not aware of similar allegations elsewhere in the state.
From: https://www.fox6now.com/news/election-law-investigation-racine-county
Bombshell Press Conference: Wisconsin Sheriff Shows Massive Voter Fraud in Nursing Homes Helped Steal 2020 Election
Until this morning, only a handful of people were aware that Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling would be unveiling the results of an extensive investigation into Wisconsin voter fraud. The surprise press conference was quickly picked up by Right Side Broadcasting Network and others, and the bombs were dropped left and right.
According to The Gateway Pundit:
Today during the press conference the Racine Sheriff’s Office brought forth evidence that the Wisconsin Election’s Commission BROKE THE LAW.
The Wisconsin Election’s Commission took advantage of senior citizens in nursing homes who had their votes stolen. This was illegal behavior against Wisconsin State Law. The Wisconsin Election Commission sent out instructions to nursing homes in all 72 counties on how to break state law with their residents!
There were nearly 200,000 more “indefinitely confined voters” who allegedly voted in 2020 than in 2016. This fact alone should draw massive investigations at both the state and federal level, and perhaps if former Attorney General William Barr wasn’t part of the Deep State that installed Joe Biden, there would have been investigations across the country. Instead, we’ve just been fed an incessant series of lies telling us there was no voter fraud and Joe Biden is the most popular president in American history.
Sheriff Schmaling has submitted the results of his investigation to the Attorney General. The way it’s laid out during the press conference, one would think this is a slam dunk prepared to happen. But it’s 2021 and the conspiracy to install Joe Biden last year is so widespread, there’s no telling whether this will get the attention it desperately deserves.
Friday, October 29, 2021
Biden Wants To Give Separated Illegal Immigrants $450,000 Per Person
The Biden administration is mulling a plan to offer immigrant families separated during the Trump administration $450,000 per person in compensation, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter.
The payments - part of an inter-agency solution to several lawsuits filed on behalf of separated parents and children claiming lasting psychological trauma could amount to nearly $1 million per family, though 'the final numbers could shift,' according to the report.
According to sources, most of the families crossing into the US from Mexico included one parent and one child. Depending on circumstances, many families could get smaller payouts.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents families in one of the lawsuits, has identified about 5,500 children separated at the border over the course of the Trump administration, citing figures provided to it by the government. The number of families eligible under the potential settlement is expected to be smaller, the people said, as government officials aren’t sure how many will come forward. Around 940 claims have so far been filed by the families, the people said. -WSJ
In total, the potential payout could reach $1 billion or more.
Throughout the Trump administration, thousands of children were separated from their parents (and coyotes paid to bring them into the country) after they had crossed illegally into the country from Mexico. The lawsuits allege some of the children suffered various ailments - including malnutrition, heat exhaustion, and were kept in freezing cold rooms with little medical attention. Some claim lasting mental health problems due to the trauma of being without their parents for several months.
The average amount sought through the courts is roughly $3.4 million per family, according to the report.
"President Biden has agreed that the family separation policy is a historic moral stain on our nation that must be fully remedied," said ACLU deputy director, Lee Gelernt. "That remedy must include not only meaningful monetary compensation, but a pathway to remain in the country."
Senate Republicans slammed the plan on Thursday afternoon following the WSJ's report.
"The Biden administration’s promises of citizenship and entitlement programs have already caused the worst border crisis in history—a huge cash reward will make it even worse," said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR).
The discussions about the payouts have taken place over the past few months among a group of dozens of private lawyers representing the families and government lawyers. Some government lawyers have viewed the payouts as excessive for people who had violated the law by crossing the border, the people said. One government lawyer threatened to remove his name from the case out of disagreement with the potential settlement offer, the people said. -WSJ
"It is a complicated, complex piece of litigation” - trying to resolve hundreds of separate lawsuits at the same time, and "sometimes even more complex to try the cases" said Margo Schlanger, who ran the civil-rights office during the Obama administration at the Department of Homeland Security and now teaches at the University of Michigan law school.
What will the reparations crowd think of this?
Nearly 180 reports made to DOJ regarding clergy, institutional abuse in Wisconsin
MADISON – An investigation seeking reports of abuse by members of the clergy in Wisconsin has generated nearly 180 reports from residents across the state, according to the Department of Justice.
The investigation, which launched in April, sought out reports of abuse at the hands of clergy members within the Catholic church and other denominations as reports of institutional abuse continued to surface across the state.
“Thank you to the courageous people who have come forward to provide information about clergy and faith leader abuse,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul in a statement Thursday. “This review seeks to help bring healing to survivors and to help stop future harm, and we continue to encourage survivors and others with information to report.”
Since opening the inquiry in April, the Department of Justice has received about 180 reports of abuse by clergy and faith leaders or related to how a religious organization has responded to abuse. Reports have concerned clergy and faith leaders from multiple different religious organizations, as well as some reports of abuse not related to any religious organization, according to the department. Some reports include claims against multiple abusers.
Of the reports received, 80% have been reports of abuse, while 20% have related to how an institution handled a claim of abuse, according to the department. The ages of those reporting abuse range from under 18 to over 75. About 40% of the individuals who have reported to the clergy hotline have not reported to a law enforcement agency or a religious entity before.
Kaul said so far, he's happy with what has been accomplished.
"It's really encouraging to see that so many people regard our reporting system as one that provides a safe and trusted place to report," he said. "I'm very positive about how things are going."
Advocates are also happy to see the investigation moving forward and people having their stories heard and taken seriously.
"The number 200 is only a small fraction of the total number of victims and we hope what he's gathering will tell a narrative about what happened in Wisconsin," said Sarah Pearson, of the organization of Ending Clergy Abuse Wisconsin.
UW-Parkside reaches 70 percent vaccination rate
Photo by: vaccine |
KENOSHA, Wis. — UW-Parkside in Somers announced on Thursday that the student vaccination rate has exceeded 70 percent.
UW System President Tommy Thompson visited UW-Parkside on Thursday to celebrate the university’s achievement. Thompson congratulated the faculty, staff, and students of the university.
“I saw first-hand the amount of hard work that UW-Parkside put in to make this possible," he said. "Chancellor Deborah Ford, faculty, and staff deserve a great deal of credit for this achievement.”
The UW system has implemented a “70 for 70” campaign to encourage students to get the vaccine. In this system, fully vaccinated students who attend a university above the 70 percent threshold are eligible to win one of 70 scholarships, each of which is worth $7,000. This campaign ends on Oct. 31. Several other UW campuses, including UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, and UW-Whitewater, have already passed the threshold.
UW-Parkside Chancellor Debbie Ford touted the achievement as a great day for the campus community.
“We have all worked very hard to achieve this goal, and with that achievement strengthen the commitment we made to each other when this pandemic first hit – to protect the safety and health of everyone at Parkside. Let’s keep going," Ford urged.
To learn more about UW-Parkside vaccination efforts, including more information on the “70 for 70” campaign, visit www.uwp.edu/RangerRecovery/70-for-70.
From: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/uw-parkside-reaches-70-percent-vaccination-rate
Wisconsin election law violations, Racine County sheriff alleges
RACINE, Wis. - Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling unveiled on Thursday, Oct. 28 the results of an investigation into possible election law violations throughout Racine County and Wisconsin. While the sheriff alleges the law has been broken, he is not yet recommending charges.
"Election statute was in fact not just broken, but shattered by members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission," Schmaling said.
The case started with Shirley, a resident of the Ridgewood Care Facility in Mount Pleasant, who died in October 2020 and voted in the presidential election. Her daughter, Judy Westphal-Mitchell, filed a complaint alleging her mother with "diminished mental capacity" was taken advantage of.
Racine County Sgt. Michael Luell investigated the issue.
"Judy was obviously concerned and asked, you know, ‘How can you actually do this?’ And she was informed that the employees would inquire as to how the resident had voted in the past and they would basically follow those guidelines and vote accordingly," Luell said. "Judy, quite astutely asked, ‘Are you telling me that if my mother can only recall JFK, that the staff would have voted Democrat for her?’ And the answer is yes."
"How could my mother know that her vote was recorded accurately, she couldn't see. Judy was informed by the staff that the staff hoped that the other employees would be honest."
Luell found the Ridgewood Care Facility had an unusual surge in voting activity in 2020. In past years it was roughly ten voters, but in 2020 it rose to 42. Families of eight of them say they think their relatives didn't have the cognitive ability to vote.
"VH would ask her own son, who are you? She couldn't even recognize her own son. And she, she happened to vote in two elections in 2020, but no other elections," said Sgt. Michael Luell, Racine County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer.
The sheriff accuses the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) of breaking the law. The commission is equally divided between Democrats and Republicans. They voted 5-1 during the pandemic – when nursing homes were limiting visitors – that municipalities across the state should not send special voting deputies into nursing homes. In normal years, they are deputized by clerks – pairs of them normally help nursing home residents vote.
"That means the staff at the facility absolutely, positively cannot, by this law. assist in the execution of the vote," Luell said.
Sgt. Michael Luell, Racine County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer
But the WEC gave nursing home staff tips on how to help.
"That is the completion of the crime right there. Crimes throughout the state. All 72 counties, every nursing home, resident care facility, right there," Luelle alleged.
Sheriff Schmaling is now asking Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to investigate statewide.
Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling
Wisconsin Democrats called the Racine investigation a waste of taxpayer money and a publicity stunt, while former President Donald Trump urged people to watch the news conference.
The investigation only related to this one nursing home. But Sheriff Schmaling said he expects Thursday's announcement will lead to others across the state coming forward.
Schmaling is calling on Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to launch an immediate investigation.
Read and see more: https://www.fox6now.com/news/wisconsin-election-law-violations-racine-county-sheriff-reveals-findings
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Video: Reckless driver spins donuts around MPD squad car
Photo by: TMJ4 |
MILWAUKEE — A video circulating on social media showcases the latest reckless driving incident in Milwaukee.
A video posted to Reddit shows a driver spinning donuts around police officers in a squad car near 31st and Holmes before driving away on Sunday, Oct. 24. According to Milwaukee police, officers were at the scene of a vehicle what was suspected of being a recently stolen. Police were waiting for the vehicle to be towed and could not leave the scene without risking the suspected stolen car from being driven off, MPD said.
The video:
At that time, police say a driver of a different vehicle began driving donuts around the squad car. Police asked for a second squad to respond, however, by the time the second squad car arrived, the reckless driver was gone.
Milwaukee police continue to seek the reckless driver. Anyone with information is asked to contact Milwaukee police at 414-935-7252 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or P3 Tips App.
From: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/video-reckless-driver-spins-donuts-around-mpd-squad-car
Racine federal agent shot, documents show what happened before, after
RACINE, Wis. - Unsealed search warrants show the shocking actions a Racine suspect took before shooting a federal agent and then turning the gun on himself.
The warrants paint a disturbing picture of what happened moments before a federal agent with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was shot on Clairmont Street in Racine on Wednesday, Oct. 6.
During a "multi-jurisdictional operation," authorities surrounded the home of 36-year-old Cody Herman, wanted on charges of substantial battery – intentionally causing bodily harm, battery, second-degree recklessly endangering safety and stalking. Herman was also under state supervision.
Warrant served in Racine neighborhood leads to shooting, wounding of federal agent
After authorities knocked on the door and announced themselves, one or more shots were fired from the premises, striking the shoulder of a federal law enforcement officer. Police formed a perimeter.
"We saw them jump the fence, and a couple seconds later, we heard glass break," said a witness.
An alert was sent out to neighbors, telling them to seek shelter.
"It was just a crazy, chaos scene," said a witness. "We didn’t know what to expect."
According to the search warrants, the suspect’s girlfriend exited the building. She told police her 13-year-old daughter and the suspect’s 10-year-old son were staying in the home – and that they were asleep and knew police were outside.
Warrant served in Racine neighborhood leads to shooting, wounding of federal agent
When they realized the home was surrounded, "Herman then used a lot of cocaine and asked (his girlfriend) to kill him. She refused."
The girlfriend told police Herman went into the basement. She heard a gunshot and saw him slumped over.
Several children and adults exited the residence.
Once authorities went inside the home, they found Herman dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Inside, authorities uncovered cellphones, guns, ammunition, drug paraphernalia and baggies containing a white substance.
The federal agent was taken to the hospital. That agent, recovering from his injury, has not been identified.
According to the FBI, they are investigating this matter as an assault on a federal officer.
From: https://www.fox6now.com/news/racine-federal-agent-shot-documents-show-what-happened-before-after
In a desperate bid to keep this year’s murder count under 800, CPD brass plans to have hijacking, gang, and murder cops sit on street corners
Chicago Police Department leaders this week prepared to order all officers who support detectives and the citywide carjacking teams to sit in patrol cars on street corners in violence-prone neighborhoods as CPD brass desperately tries to keep the city’s homicide total below 800 for the year, according to department communications provided to CWBChicago.
Under the plan, which one commander hoped would be “changed, modified, or rescinded,” all officers assigned to the detective division, including gang investigators, vehicular hijacking investigators, and video evidence specialists, will be required to wear their uniforms and “sit in a box” between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Sitting in a “box” is CPD slang for being assigned to sit in a car at a fixed position in a high-crime area. It’s also known as “scarecrow policing.”
“Our chain of command did not come up with this,” one supervisor wrote. “This is coming from the superintendent.” A second source said the order came from CPD’s second-in-command, First Deputy Supt. Eric Carter.
The plan would bring violent crime investigations to a near-halt, the second source said, because the cops who do much of the leg work to support detectives that investigate murders, shootings, carjackings, and other crimes will be sitting in cars on the streets.
Protest held in Ripon's Rotary Square against Smuckers’ vaccine policy
Individuals march around Ripon’s Rotary Square to voice their concerns surrounding the J.M. Smucker Co.’s COVID-19 vaccine policy.
Joe Schulz photo |
A vaccination policy from a local employer drew about 20 protesters to Ripon’s Rotary Square last week Thursday.
Several individuals in the crowd said they were either current or former J.M. Smuckers Co. employees, while others described themselves as concerned community members.
Individuals who said they either worked for or used to work for the company declined to be named.
Those in attendance felt it was wrong for a private company to mandate that employees receive a vaccine.
“My body, my choice; it should not be forced on anyone,” said one woman, who claimed to work for the company, already had COVID-19 and didn’t want to get vaccinated. “... Been there, done that. It’s a choice. That’s why we live in America.”
Another individual, a middle-aged male, said he used to work for the company, but quit because of its vaccination policy.