Growing Chorus Of Republican Senators Calling For Gwen Berry Removal From Team USA
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 29, 2021

Growing Chorus Of Republican Senators Calling For Gwen Berry Removal From Team USA

It didn’t take too long for Republicans to start speaking out against Gwen Berry’s silent protest against the national anthem during the U.S. Olympic trials.

Over the weekend, the hammer thrower was seen turning off to the side and placing her hands on her waist while the national anthem played. She later said the timing of the “Star-Spangled Banner” came off like a setup after it was played five minutes late while Berry and two other competitors stood on the podium.

Now, in response to her silent protest, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) called for Berry to get kicked off Team USA ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, NY Post reports.

“I don’t think it’s too much, when athletes are competing to wear the Stars and Stripes — to compete under the Stars and Stripes in the Olympics — for them to simply honor that flag and our anthem on the medal stand,” Cotton told “Fox News Primetime.”

“If Ms. Berry is so embarrassed by America, then there’s no reason she needs to compete for our country. She should be removed from the Olympic team,” he added.

Cotton isn’t the only Republican politician speaking out against Berry. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) shared the same sentiments as Cotton in not wanting Berry to represent the US at the upcoming Olympics games.

“The entire point of the Olympic team is to represent the United States of America. That’s the entire point, OK?” Crenshaw said, as noted by The Washington Post. “It’s one thing when these NBA players do it [protest during the anthem]. OK, fine, we’ll just stop watching. But now, the Olympic team – and it’s multiple cases of this. They should be removed. That should be the bare minimum requirement, is that you believe in the country you’re representing.”

Crenshaw also found a way to link Berry’s silent protest to the current conversation around Critical Race Theory being taught in schools.

“Critical race theory, again, basically teaches that our institutions are racist, that our systems are deeply racist, that you can’t see the racism, because it’s subtle, and if you deny it, it’s because of your white fragility. But you’re teaching people this constantly, and this is what it results in. It results in these displays of hatred towards our own country, and it’s gotta stop.”

Following her protest in Oregon over the weekend, Berry said she didn’t even want to talk about the national anthem “because that’s not important. The anthem doesn’t speak for me. It never has.”

https://twitter.com/MzBerryThrows/status/1409522683642064909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1409522683642064909%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fhomenews%2Fhouse%2F560524-gwen-berry-battles-dan-crenshaw-over-flag-fight-yall-are-obsessed-with-me

On Monday, Berry responded to Crenshaw by sharing a video of his harsh critique on Twitter. “At this point, y’all are obsessed with me,” she said.

And on Tuesday, The View’s Meghan McCain weighed in and blasted Berry saying, “It’s not about you!”

“It is not appropriate or patriotic to go to a foreign country where you’re supposed to be representing America, and act like it’s just about you,” she said.

Check out McCain’s full rant below.

Black Teen’s Cause Of Death At Upper Middle Class Pool Party Has Changed
by Christian Spencer

June 29, 2021

Black Teen’s Cause Of Death At Upper Middle Class Pool Party Has Changed

A Black teen’s death is now a pending investigation as the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office take a deeper look into the situation.

Oluwatoyin Adewole Amuda, 18, died from a drowning “accident” at a former classmate’s swimming pool, but the case has changed from “accident” to “pending” until a investigators closely examine the case, NBC 4 Oklahoma reported.

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According to reports, around 2 a.m. on June 16, in the upscale residence on Villagio Drive in Deer Creek, the owner of the house was alerted by his daughter that Amuda was unresponsive in their pool. The homeowner went outside, pulled Amuda out of the pool, and performed CPR..

Firefighters were called and gave CPR to Amuda, who by 3 a.m., was pronounced dead.

In his report, Lt. W. Fretz, inquired if alcohol was served at the party. The homeowner said he didn’t know, but Fretz noticed two empty cans of beer, a small plastic empty vodka bottle, and an empty Jell-O package discarded on the ground, next to the patio kitchen.

Fretz also noticed three distinctive colors of vomit: red, yellow, and green; Fretz believes each color correlated with a Jell-O favor.

The homeowner told Fretz that the house is equipped with cameras but they haven’t worked for the past two years. It is not clear if Amuda got drunk and drowned on his own accord. Aaron Brillbeck, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, said toxicology results are pending. Brillbeck also said the teens at the party will be investigated.

The homeowner reported that marijuana was present.

“I understand the community’s frustration, but it’s important for our investigators to make sure this is done properly,” Brillbeck said. “His family deserves answers, the community deserves answers; we have to make sure we do this properly. Only we can do the investigation. We’re still gathering evidence. We’re still gathering information. We don’t want to put anything out before we know it’s 100 percent factual.””

Amuda’s family has retained an attorney.

South Carolina Lawyer Suspended Over Facebook Posts About George Floyd
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 29, 2021

South Carolina Lawyer Suspended Over Facebook Posts About George Floyd

A South Carolina lawyer had his license suspended for six months over controversial Facebook posts he made about George Floyd.

The Office of Disciplinary Counsel had received 46 complaints about lawyer David Paul Traywick after he made public statements on Facebook that included foul language and incited racial violence, The Charlotte Observer reported.

South Carolina’s Supreme Court suspended Traywick’s license for six months and ordered him to take a diversity class and an anger management assessment with a licensed therapist before getting his license back.

It was during the racial unrest that ignited following Derek Chauvin murdering George Floyd when Traywick took to Facebook to vent his frustration. The nation was in an uproar with an onslaught of Black Lives Matter protests across the country that sparked a worldwide movement. Confederate monuments were destroyed, buildings and blocks were vandalized, and many took to the streets to denounce racial and social injustice amid an international health pandemic.

“Here’s how much that (expletive) life actually mattered,” Traywick wrote on Facebook. “Stock futures up. Markets moved higher Monday and Tuesday. (Expletive) you. Unfriend me,” he added.

In the posts, Traywick identified himself as an attorney and referenced his law firm. The justices felt Traywick’s post could have further ignited the racial conflict at the time, not only among his Facebook friends but in the Charleston community, The New York Post reported.

Traywick’s posts “intended to incite and had the effect of inciting gender and race-based conflict beyond the scope of the conversation Respondent would otherwise have with his Facebook ‘friends,’” the justices said.

It was determined that the lawyer’s controversial posts “tended to bring the legal profession into disrepute” and violated the Lawyer’s Oath, which requires lawyers to “maintain the dignity of the legal system.”

Traywick admitted to the posts and agreed to the six-month suspension, the Associated Press reportsed.

Brazil’s President Bolsonaro Bans Fires, Redeploys Military To Protect Amazon
by Derek Major

June 29, 2021

Brazil’s President Bolsonaro Bans Fires, Redeploys Military To Protect Amazon

Reuters – Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday issued a broad 120-day ban on unauthorized outdoor fires as the country suffered its worst drought in decades ahead of the annual burning season in the Amazon rainforest.

On Monday, Bolsonaro redeployed the military to stop deforestation in the world’s largest rainforest.

Both moves repeat policies instituted by Bolsonaro annually since 2019, in response to international outcry that Brazil was not doing enough to stop destruction of the vital bulwark to climate change.

Neither policy has previously been effective in lowering deforestation or forest fires. Generally, criminals first cut down the valuable timber and later set fire to the area, clearing it for future agricultural use in speculative land grabs.

Deforestation in the Amazon has accelerated under Bolsonaro, hitting a 12-year-high in 2020 as an area seven times the size of London was cut down, according to national space research agency Inpe. Last year the region also recorded the most fires since 2017, Inpe data show.

Preliminary Inpe data show deforestation rose a further 25% in the first five months of 2021 from a year ago.

Scientists warn the risk for fires is greater this year due to extreme drought, with many parts of the Amazon recording drier weather than last year.

Between September and May, hydroelectric plants across the country have reported the lowest water inflows in 91 years, according to the Mines and Energy Ministry.

“To make matters worse, this is a year affected by La Niña, which especially makes it dry in the southern Amazon – which expands the window of deforestation and burning,” said the non-profit Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) in a statement.

Fire season, which generally peaks in August and September, is beginning to accelerate, with 23 major fires recorded so far this year, according to Matt Finer, who leads a fire tracking project for the Amazon Conservation non-profit. All the fires have been in Mato Grosso state at the southeastern edge of the Amazon, Finer said.

Bolsonaro issued this year’s fire ban in a decree published in the official government gazette on Tuesday. The decree redeploying the military was published Monday night.

This military deployment will be much more focused than past deployments restricted to 26 municipalities in four states – Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará and Rondônia. The most recent past deployment, which ended in April, was for the entire Amazon region.

Bolsonaro authorized the current deployment until the end of August.

(Reporting by Jake Spring and Ricardo Brito; Editing by David Gregorio)

New York Prosecutors To Indict Trump Insider, But Not Trump, Yet
by Derek Major

June 29, 2021

New York Prosecutors To Indict Trump Insider, But Not Trump, Yet

Reuters – New York prosecutors investigating former President Donald Trump’s business practices are likely to issue one or more criminal indictments this week – but not against Trump himself, according to people involved in the case.

Ronald Fischetti, an attorney representing Trump, said on Monday that based on discussions with prosecutors he expects “no charges” will be brought against Trump in the initial round of indictments. Others familiar with the case said prosecutors are preparing criminal charges against Allen Weisselberg, longtime chief financial officer for the Trump Organization, and also are considering criminal charges against the company.

After an almost three-year investigation of Trump’s property dealings, the initial charges by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr will focus mainly on whether Weisselberg and other company officials received corporate perks and benefits, such as rent-free apartments and leased cars, that were not reported properly on their tax returns, according to several people familiar with the investigation. The exact charges prosecutors are preparing are not known

The indictments would be the investigation’s first against top officials at Trump’s company, marking a critical shift from investigation to prosecution.

Prosecutors have been pressing Weisselberg, 73, to cooperate with their probe and provide testimony, so far without success. An indictment would increase that pressure. Weisselberg is among Trump’s closest confidants, having worked for the company since 1973 when it was run by Trump’s father, Fred.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James has also joined the investigation. Spokespeople for both the Manhattan and state prosecutors’ offices declined to comment. A lawyer for Weisselberg also declined to comment.

Trump’s lawyer, Fischetti, said the case is “embarrassing” and without merit.

“In my more than 50 years of practice, never before have I seen the District Attorney’s Office target a company over employee compensation or fringe benefits,” such as company cars or apartments, said Fischetti, a longtime white collar criminal lawyer.

“They say their investigation is continuing but it’s a pretty shallow indictment for all that,” he said.

Trump released a statement Monday night attacking the prosecutors as “rude, nasty and totally biased” and his company’s actions “in no way a crime.”

“They continue to be ‘in search of a crime’ and will do anything to frighten people into making up the stories or lies that they want, but have been totally unable to get,” Trump said.

MORE CHARGES EXPECTED

The wide-ranging criminal investigation has examined an array of potential wrongdoing, including whether Trump’s eponymous real estate company manipulated the value of its properties to reduce its tax burden and secure more favorable loans from creditors. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, testified to Congress that such practices were routine at the company. He has spoken multiple times with prosecutors.

More charges could be coming against the company or its officers in the weeks ahead, people familiar with the case said.

Since last fall, prosecutors have focused increasingly on the company’s use of perks and benefits as a form of compensation for corporate officials. Jennifer Weisselberg, the ex-wife of Allen Weisselberg’s son Barry, has met with prosecutors a half-dozen times, most recently 10 days ago. She provided boxes of tax and bank records as well as financial statements, her lawyer said.

Barry Weisselberg also worked for the Trump Organization, helping to manage two ice-skating rinks and a carousel in New York’s Central Park, all operated by the company under contracts with New York City. Those contracts have been terminated.

“Jennifer Weisselberg is continuing to provide prosecutors with a very wide range of documents and testimony, and was there during first-hand conversations about fringe benefits and other things, and is relaying conversations to prosecutors that she was privy to,” her lawyer, Duncan Levin, told Reuters.

Court filings, public records and documents subpoenaed in the investigation show that Allen and Barry Weisselberg received corporate perks and gifts potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars over their years with the Trump Organization. If they failed to account properly for that money on tax returns and other financial filings, it could put them in legal jeopardy.

Many of the benefits reaped by the Weisselbergs revolved around real estate.

In 2005, Barry married and moved into a Trump-owned unit in a building overlooking Central Park. In a 2018 deposition tied to his divorce, Barry said he and his wife didn’t pay rent during the five-plus years they lived there. The couple’s tax returns, subpoenaed by the District Attorney and reviewed by Reuters, do not appear to account for the free rent as either compensation or a gift.

Similar units rented for several thousand dollars a month at the time, real estate data showed, putting the value of the free apartment at around $200,000 over the couple’s residency.

After Barry’s divorce, he again moved into a Trump-owned apartment, where he also lived rent free, court records showed. A lawyer for Barry Weisselberg could not immediately be reached for comment.

During their marriage, Barry and Jennifer Weisselberg enjoyed other gifts and perks provided by his father, raising questions about whether some of those benefits also may have flowed from the Trump Organization.

When asked in his 2018 deposition if he considered that money to be a gift, Barry said he viewed the payments as “financial assistance.” When he was questioned on whether former President Trump ultimately covered any of those costs or other expenses for the couple, Barry said, “I don’t know.”

(Additional reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Jason Szep and Cynthia Osterman)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 29, 2021

Who Has The More Iconic Voice? Morgan Freeman or James Earl Jones? Twitter Responds

The voices of two notable movie icons—James Earl Jones and Morgan Freeman—have undoubtedly been immortalized through their many roles. The two are possibly the most recognizable figures when it comes to voiceovers with Jones as the voice of the Star Wars character, Darth Vader, and Mufasa from the iconic movie, The Lion King. Jones is even the voice of CNN.

But, some people will always remember the role of God that Freeman played in the movies Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty and, of course, the too many to count iconic voiceover roles he has been involved with over the years.

So who has the most iconic voice? That conversation erupted on Twitter when a user, Optix, started the conversation by asking:

People chimed in with their thoughts.

After looking at all of the related responses, James was the favorite amongst the users, with most referencing the Darth Vader baritone.

Leaked Data Reveal Neo-Confederate Group Includes Military Officers And Politicians
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 29, 2021

Leaked Data Reveal Neo-Confederate Group Includes Military Officers And Politicians

Recently leaked data shows that high-ranking government officials also share membership in explicitly racist or violent groups.

A hacker has unearthed membership data from the neo-Confederate Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) organization that reveals the public leaders involved with the racist group. Some of SCV’s membership includes military officers, politicians, public employees, and a national security expert who previously worked at the Department of Defense Secret Security Clearance,” The Guardian reported.

Hackers were able to get membership information from two white nationalist groups including the SCV and violent neo-Confederate groups such as the League of the South (LoS). They found that some of the members who are also high-ranking officials also participated in and committed acts of violence at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA

The racist organizations run state chapters across the country and have initiatives to dismantle the removal of Confederate monuments. Their intimidation tactics include lawsuits and flying the Confederate flag near public roadways and at NASCAR events.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5v_juXQWv0

The leaked data reveal the names and personal details of nearly 59,000 SCV members, including 91 members who work within the government and 74 people involved with branches of the armed forces, Yahoo reported.

One active member is Scott Wyatt, who serves the 97th district in Virginia’s house of delegates. Another member is Dr. Danny W. Davis, a professor and program director at Texas A&M University. Davis also works as a training consultant to the U.S. Army Reserve and reportedly joined the group to honor his “three great-grandfathers” who fought for the Confederate Army.

Davis believes that “when we start taking down monuments, I think that’s wrong,” he told The Guardian,  noting that the monuments “represent men who were fighting for something they believed in.”

He admitted that those beliefs “included slavery, but not only slavery” Davis said. “Do I think the right outcome came out of the Civil War? Yes.”

He also declared that he is “not a white supremacist,” and said some of the SVC members include “people like me who are interested in history” and “military veterans.”

by Andrea Blackstone

June 29, 2021

LeVar Burton And Fans Make Case For Him Permanently Hosting ‘Jeopardy!’

LeVar Burton will serve as a fill-in Jeopardy! host on July 26, but the icon has something bigger in mind, considering his significant track record in the entertainment industry.

The Star Trek actor and Reading Rainbow host says that he wants to permanently replace the late Alex Trebek as Jeopardy! host and his legion of dedicated fans are trying to make the case.

Per Yahoo News, “a petition to make him the next host of Jeopardy has amassed over 250,000 signatures.” And in a New York Times Magazine article, Burton revealed how much landing the job would mean to him, in addition to why he believes he is the one who should move Trebek’s legacy forward.

“It’s difficult to explain, but there’s something inside me that says this makes sense,” Burton told David Marchese of The New York Times Magazine. “I feel like this is what I’m supposed to do. I have been watching Jeopardy! more or less every night of my life since Art Fleming was host. Jeopardy is a cultural touchstone, and for a Black man to occupy that podium is significant.”

Burton’s contributions to Black culture are undeniable. In 1977, he brought Kunta Kinte to life in Alex Haley’s miniseries, Roots, and he never looked back. He later became known for promoting children’s literacy as Reading Rainbow’s host and executive producer. Then, Burton showcased his acting skills in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Lt. Cmdr. Junior Grade Geordi La Forge. Burton has appealed to a variety of audiences and has gained industry respect over the years.

Burton, 64, also told The New York Times Magazine that getting passed over as Jeopardy! host would hurt, but he would “get over it” and “be fine” if another candidate was selected instead.

 

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Burton’s fans have not forgotten about the actor’s Emmy-winning record or impactful entertainment resume. The strings of tweets give just a little idea about how much people are rooting for him.

 

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Derek Chauvin’s Cryptic Message to George Floyd’s Family Might Hint At Possible Plea Deal
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 29, 2021

Derek Chauvin’s Cryptic Message to George Floyd’s Family Might Hint At Possible Plea Deal

Derek Chauvin opted out of testifying during his murder trial but his one statement to George Floyd’s family came off cryptic and possibly hinted at his attempts to lessen his sentence.

Last Friday, Chuavin was sentenced to 22.5 years for murdering Floyd in May 2020. Now, it appears that the former officer is already in talks with federal prosecutors in an attempt to work out a plea deal, CBS Minnesota reports.

Ahead of his sentencing, Chauvin made a puzzling statement that left many wondering if there was an underlying message behind his words.

“Due to legal matters, I’m not able to give a full formal statement … I give my condolences to the Floyd family, there’s gonna be some other information in the future that will be of interest and I hope these will give you some peace of mind,” Chauvin told the Floyd family.

An apology for kneeling on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes wasn’t as forthcoming, but his reasoning for the fatal move might’ve been missing since a plea deal in the federal case would force him to publicly explain what he did to Floyd and why.

It’s a question Floyd’s brother Terrence Floyd asked the disgraced officer during the trial.

“We don’t want to see no more slaps on the wrist. We’ve been through that already,” Terrence Floyd said. “What was going through your head when you had your knee on my brother’s neck?”

As part of the possible plea deal, Chauvin could get a 20- to 25-year sentence that he would serve at the same time as the state sentence. He would also serve his time in federal not state prison. If Chauvin is found guilty of his civil rights charges in federal court, he could be facing life in prison, Fox News reports.

When sentencing Chauvin, Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, and cited Chauvin’s “abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty” he showed the Floyd family.

Bullet Wounds Uncovered In Remains Of Black Man Found In Search For Tulsa Massacre Victims
by Christian Spencer

June 29, 2021

Bullet Wounds Uncovered In Remains Of Black Man Found In Search For Tulsa Massacre Victims

The Tulsa massacre in 1921, one of America’s deadliest racial riots, resulted in an estimated 300 deaths of Black people and destroyed the homes of roughly 10,000 Black residents and nearly the entire Black population in Tulsa.

Amid the Tulsa mayhem, Black men were killed and placed in piles of grave sites by white rioters, making them difficult to identify, National Geographic reported. According to an announcement made last week, it was discovered that one of the victims had multiple gunshot wounds in the head and shoulder.

However, 35 coffins were recently discovered and 20 remains are being examined by a forensic team.

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The neighborhood of Greenwood, once referred to as Black Wall Street due to the Black institutes that once thrived there, is a burial ground of several dead Black men, women and children who cannot be identified.

Archeologists in the Oaklawn Cemetery in Tulsa, Okla., are searching for unmarked burial sites of victims, but for now, they have possession of bones, some of which belong to five youths and four adults.

One coffin is said to be made for an infant, but the human remains are difficult to make out.

One of the remains, originally found in October 2020 but was left in the ground until officials waited for a judge to grant permission to exhume the body, shows that a man was repeatedly shot in the head and shoulder.

Upon research, adult remains show men and women were killed in their 30s and 40s, with some experts believing women and children were killed the least compared to men, and men’s remains were placed in ordinary coffins compared to women and children having more decoratively designed coffins.

The remains were found in the “Original 18” section of the cemetery, a belief the bodies of 18 victims of the massacre were buried in unmarked graves, according to the official records for 1921, only 18 people were in unmarked graves.

“Funeral home records and other documents for 1921 show that at least 18 identified and unidentified African American massacre victims were buried in the city-owned cemetery,” Tulsa city officials have stated.

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