James48
James48's JournalMichigan woman under investigation, accused of 'harassing' anti-mask nurses on Twitter
Source: MLive
A Michigan sheriff’s department that previously said it would not enforce statewide mask laws, is attempting to enforce a seldom-used law against a woman who has called out anti-mask nurses online.
Kasey Helton of Howell in Livingston County is facing possible criminal charges after writing a series of Twitter messages criticizing nurses who’ve taken stances against the use of masks in the fight against spread of the coronavirus.
The Livingston County Sheriff Department has filed a criminal complaint against me related to the Twitter posts I made this week about the nurses who publicly spread health misinformation,” Helton said in a message posted to her Twitter account Monday evening.
Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy confirmed an investigation into the conduct of a Kasey Helton, a Livingston County resident, began Monday, Dec. 13, and a warrant review request has been submitted to the Livingston County Prosecutor’s Office. Murphy said the investigation began Monday, when “a citizen from the county came forward, as they felt harassed, bullied and intimidated.”
Read more: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2021/12/michigan-woman-under-investigation-accused-of-harassing-anti-mask-nurses-on-twitter.html
Note: the Sheriff is a right-wing hack who refused to enforce mask mandates last spring. He is also the former County Republican chair. The person being accused of a felony is the former Democratic candidate who ran for county commissioner in the last election. This is a political prosecution to silence the democrat.
Helton clipped video from the public comments section of a school board meeting where these right-wing anti-vaxx, anti-mask nurses were spewing all kinds of misinformation. Helton simply showed the video clip, and commented on what was factually incorrect. As a result of her citizen journalism, Helton is being investigated for a felony charge.
Read the story- and follow the link to Hekton’s Twitter to read more. Gonna need some real lawyers here to help.
Help the striking Kellogg workers
Here is a link to the Striker’s Relief Fund:
1,400 workers across four cities.
To Donate to the Striker Relief fund, click here:
https://msha.ke/bctgm/?fbclid=IwAR364lvoBCEbztGTs0mmsXx0olR5Lh94fpV_RfYlxmanRRow4GCGOnQlXAA#strike-funds
Government Shutdown in two days.
I don’t know why it’s not yet making news, but we could very well have a government shutdown in just two more days. Republicans are tossing hand grenades into the discussion of what to put in a continuing resolution. They want death promoting anti-vaccine crap. The federal government is going to get hit with a shutdown on FRIDAY.
https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/12/vaccine-mandates-duration-throw-hurdles-short-term-measure-avoid-shutdown/187193/
European thinktank adds U.S. to list of "backsliding" democracies for 1st time
Stockholm — The United States has joined an annual list of "backsliding" democracies for the first time, the International IDEA think-tank said on Monday, pointing to a "visible deterioration" that it said began in 2019. Globally, more than one in four people live in a backsliding democracy, a proportion that rises to more than two in three with the addition of authoritarian or "hybrid" regimes, according to the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
"This year we coded the United States as backsliding for the first time, but our data suggest that the backsliding episode began at least in 2019," it said in its report titled "Global State of Democracy 2021."
"The United States is a high-performing democracy, and even improved its performance in indicators of impartial administration (corruption and predictable enforcement) in 2020. However, the declines in civil liberties and checks on government indicate that there are serious problems with the fundamentals of democracy," Alexander Hudson, a co-author of the report, told AFP.
"A historic turning point came in 2020-21 when former president Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election results in the United States," the report said.
more:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-backsliding-democracy-list-idea-thinktank-global-democracies/
U.S. will accept WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines for international visitors
Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - The United States will accept the use by international visitors of COVID-19 vaccines authorized by U.S. regulators or the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said late on Friday.
On Sept. 20, the White House announced the United States in November would lift travel restrictions on air travelers from 33 countries including China, India, Brazil and most of Europe who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It did not specify then which vaccines would be accepted.
A CDC spokeswoman told Reuters Friday, "Six vaccines that are FDA authorized/approved or listed for emergency use by WHO will meet the criteria for travel to the U.S."
Late on Friday, the CDC said that "earlier this week, to help them prepare their systems we informed airlines" of the vaccines that would be accepted and added "CDC will release additional guidance and information as the travel requirements are finalized."
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-will-accept-who-approved-covid-19-vaccines-international-visitors-2021-10-08/
Looks like Europeans with AstraZeneca Oxford or the Chinese Sinopharm jabs will be allowed in the USA shortly. If it has WHO acceptance, we'll soon recognize it too, says the CDC. Regulations not yet published- but will be soon.
More details at the link.
FEMA Covid Funeral Relief
I think it’s time to change the qualification requirements for FEMA Covid Funeral Relief.
FEMA has been paying for funerals up to $35,500 for any Covid death since early in the pandemic. https://www.fema.gov/disaster/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance/faq
I say Congress needs to change the payment criteria. Effective October 1, we should require proof of full vaccination at least two weeks prior to Covid diagnosis and death.
If they’ve had the shot(s), and somehoo on w then die of Covid- then fine, FEMA will pay as currently. Up to $35.5k.
But if they are unvaccinated, they should get nothing. Or maybe a $1,000 unvaccinated consulation prize for dying unvaxxed.
EPA Admits to Altering Science Under Trump, Pledges New Course
Source: Govexec.com
Senior leaders at the Environmental Protection Agency improperly meddled in the work of career scientists when reviewing the approval of certain pesticides in 2018, according to a new report and the agency’s own admission.
The top officials changed and omitted items from documents related to the decision to grant licenses to three dicamba pesticides, the EPA inspector general found, and created a culture in which career employees felt “constrained” and “muted” from speaking up. In addition to violating EPA’s scientific integrity policies, the tampering left the agency vulnerable to lawsuits. The IG report followed widespread allegations of political interference in the work of career scientists under the Trump administration and comes amid a governmentwide Biden administration review into instances of such meddling.
The licenses for the pesticides, aimed at protecting cotton and soybean plants, were granted without the typical peer review panels. EPA scientists told the IG such reviews would not have impacted the results, due to the unusual level of involvement by several officials at the deputy assistant administration level. Those leaders removed career employees' assessment of concerns raised by stakeholders, the IG found, and the career staffers ultimately did not sign their names to final documents due to management’s revisions.
Read more: https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/05/epa-admits-altering-science-under-trump-pledges-new-course/174295/
They changed the data and damaged the nation.
Newport man pleads guilty to smashing teen's face with bike lock because he is Black
Newport man pleads guilty to smashing teen's face with bike lock because he is Black
By Tresa Baldas
Detroit Free Press
Nine months after a Black teenager had his teeth smashed out at a beach, the man who pummeled his face with a bike chain admitted in federal court that his actions were about hate: He attacked the teen because of his race.
And before he pulled out the bike chain, court records show, he told the victim that Black people weren't welcome at the beach and that Black lives don't matter.
Lee Mouat, 43, of Newport, now faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to willfully causing bodily injury to an 18-year-old because of the teen's race. He entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Stephen J. Murphy III. The incident happened last June at Sterling State Park in Monroe, where Mouat confronted a group of Black teenagers, including the victim, 18-year-old Devin Freelon Jr.
More:
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/03/30/michigan-man-pleads-guilty-smashing-black-teens-face-lock/4812192001/
Senate passes bill allowing VA to vaccinate all veterans, spouses
Source: Stars and Stripes
By NIKKI WENTLING STARS AND STRIPES
WASHINGTON -- The Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday evening that would order the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer vaccinations to any veteran who wants one, regardless of whether they are enrolled in VA health care.
Under the Saves Lives Act, veterans' spouses and caregivers would also become eligible for vaccines through the VA. The department is currently vaccinating only employees and veterans enrolled in VA health care, as well as some veteran caregivers.
"Vaccines are our best shot at ending this pandemic," said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. "Unanimous passage of Saves Lives Act brings us one step closer to our goal of providing free vaccination services to every veteran, spouse, child and caregiver at VA."
(Snip)
There are about 6 million veterans who actively use VA health care, as well as 450,000 employees. As of Wednesday, about 1.4 million veterans had been fully vaccinated by the VA, including slightly more than 1 million veterans. The legislation would add millions more people to the population that the VA is responsible for vaccinating. Dr. Richard Stone, the VA's acting undersecretary for health, said at the end of February that the VA had the ability to vaccinate between 350,000 to 600,000 people each week - about double the number it was vaccinating at the time.
Read more: https://www.stripes.com/news/us/senate-passes-bill-allowing-va-to-vaccinate-all-veterans-spouses-1.666209
Only about 60% of all veterans are eligible for VA health care- mostly those who have service connected ailments, or those who are low income. You may have read about several cases where veterans were recently denied vaccine, because only those eligible can get medical treatment from the VA.
This is needed. We need to push this through. It's H.R. 1276, the “Save Lives Act”, and is sponsored by Rep. Mark Takano.
The VA has the capability to vaccinate at twice the rate it currently is, and could vaccinate far more veterans if only it were legal for them to do so, and if adequate supplies of vaccine were made available to the VA for all veterans- not just the 60% who are eligible for regular VA care.
Dozens of Lawmakers Call on Biden to Replace Entire USPS Board
Source: Govexec.com
By Eric Katz
A group of 50 Democratic lawmakers is pressuring President Biden to remove all existing members of the U.S. Postal Service’s Board of Governors and replace them with his own nominees.
Such a move would likely allow the board to fire Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who has faced significant criticism for his reform strategies since taking office last year. All six current board members were appointed by President Trump, though two of them—including Chairman Ron Bloom—are Democrats. Still, the lawmakers said the entire board in its current makeup has failed, citing ongoing mail delays and operational changes in the run up to last year’s election.
“Under the tenure of this [board], the Postal Service was blatantly misused by President Trump in an unsuccessful gambit to influence a presidential election, the Postal Service is currently failing to meet its own service standards with historically low rates of on-time delivery, and conflicts of interest appear to be a requirement for service,” said a letter spearheaded by Reps. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., who lead House subcommittees on government operations, trade and oversight, respectively. “It is time to remove all governors and start over with a board vested with the expertise and acumen this nation needs in its Postal Service leadership.”
(Snip)
In their letter on Thursday, the lawmakers noted Bloom’s praise for DeJoy in saying he should be removed. They also cited the board for failing to speak out as DeJoy implemented operational reforms that led to delays, withheld analyses underlying his decisions, faced rebuke in an inspector general’s report and announced new changes this year. While the House members criticized DeJoy for his handling of mail ahead of the presidential election, USPS was overwhelmingly successful in delivering mailed ballots on time.
Read more: https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/03/dozens-lawmakers-call-biden-replace-entire-usps-board/172769/
This letter was sent today- asking fir the entire USPS Board to be fired and replaced. A copy of the letter can be found here:
https://connolly.house.gov/uploadedfiles/letter_to_biden_bog.pdf
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