CLG: U.S. to Send 560 More Troops to Iraq, The countdown is on: Bridgegate trial set for September, Sanders's anti-TPP stance shot down by Democrats' platform committee

 News Updates from CLG
12 July 2016

http://www.legitgov.org/
All links are here:http://www.legitgov.org/#breaking_news

 

Previous edition: Two snipers dressed in military garb shoot 11 police officers 'from elevated positions' in Dallas

 

U.S. to Send 560 More Troops to Iraq | 11 July 2016 | The U.S. will send an additional 560 troops to Iraq as Iraqi forces eye a shift toward Mosul, the Islamic State extremist group's last significant holding in the country, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in Baghdad on Monday. The U.S. decision to add troops follows Iraqi forces' retaking of the Qayara air base, about 50 miles south of Mosul. U.S. and Iraqi forces see the site as an important staging ground for an offensive on Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, which remains under Islamic State control.

 

Chilcot report: Tony Blair could be sued for 'every penny' by families of soldiers killed in Iraq War | 08 July 2016 | The families of soldiers killed in Iraq have vowed to sue Tony Blair for "every penny". The former prime minister could face a civil lawsuit over allegations the abused his power to take the country to war following the publication of the Chilcot report on Wednesday. Sir John Chilcot concluded that Mr Blair had overstated the case for military action in March 2003 as there was "no imminent threat" posed by Saddam Hussein and it was not the "last resort". He also said the planning for the post-war clean up was "inadequate" and said there was not strong enough evidence to suggest Hussein had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

 

"Murdering the innocent is always evil..." Says George W. Bush | 8 July 2016 | Former President George W. Bush on Friday said his family is deeply saddened by the sniper attack in Dallas. "Laura and I are heartbroken by the heinous act of violence in our city last night," he said in a statement from Crawford, Texas. "Murdering the innocent is always evil, never more so than when the lives taken belong to those who protect our families and communities." Never in the history of the human race has any statement been more ironic.

 

Israel's Attorney General Probes Suspicions Surrounding PM Netanyahu | 11 July 2016 | Israel's attorney general says he is looking into suspicions surrounding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which are reportedly related to his personal fin-nces. Israel's Justice Ministry did not disclose the suspicions against Netanyahu in a statement late Sunday. But Israeli media have reported that they are linked to an alleged transfer of m-ney to Netanyahu or one of his family members. Police have recommended that Netanyahu's wife Sara be indicted for inflated household spending and misuse of state funds.

 

Theresa May to be Prime Minister by Wednesday evening as David Cameron quits | 11 July 2016 | Theresa May is to be confirmed as the new Prime Minister by Wednesday evening, says David Cameron - after Andrea Leadsom dramatically quit the Tory leadership race. The 22-strong Conservative Party board is in urgent talks over handing the Number 10 keys to the last woman standing - and it is a question of when, not if. Third-placed Michael Gove said he would not contest Mrs May - and 1922 Committee chairman Graham Brady said there was no chance 'whatsoever' of reopening the race. Labour and the Lib Dems called for an early general election after Andrea Leadsom's dropout speech, which you can read in full here.

 

Inmate Disarms Officer, Fatally Shoots 2 Bailiffs at Michigan Courthouse | 11 July 2016 | An inmate took an officer's gun and shot four people, including two fatally, while he was being moved from a holding cell inside the Berrien County Courthouse in St. Joseph, Michigan, today, officials said. The inmate first shot a county sheriff's deputy, then fatally shot two bailiffs, Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey said. The inmate then shot a civilian in the arm before he was taken down by a bailiff along with several other officers, Bailey said. The suspect was shot dead by officers, Bailey said.

 

Police use of killer robot to execute Dallas shooting suspect believed to be first in US history --Police's lethal use of bomb-disposal robot in Thursday's ambush worries legal experts who say it creates gray area in use of deadly force by law enforcement | 08 July 2016 | For what experts are calling the first time in history, US police have used a robot in a show of lethal force. Early Friday morning, Dallas police used a bomb-disposal robot with an explosive device on its manipulator arm to kill a suspect after five police officers were murdered and seven others wounded. This is not the first time a robot designed with other functions in mind has been used as a weapon, but this kind of repurposing has until now been limited to the military.

 

Hundreds arrested in protests over shootings by police | 10 July 2016 | After another night of intense, and sometimes violent, protests against the police shootings of black men, hundreds of demonstrators were either in jail or waiting to get out Sunday. At least 261 people were arrested in New York and Chicago and in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where two black men were shot to death by police. The killings have sparked several days of protests.

 

FBI warning of a cop-killing 'purge' in Louisiana raises tensions during Baton Rouge protest as thousands demonstrate across U.S. for a FIFTH night after shooting deaths of two black men at the hands of police --Protests raged on across the country, in New York, San Francisco, Denver, Florida, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia | 10 July 2016 | ...Officers were on high alert after the FBI noticed social media posts warning of a 'Baton Rouge Purge' throughout Saturday night. According to the rumors, there was just one rule to the violence: 'Kill every police.' Fireworks and rocks were thrown at police in St Paul, Minnesota - where Philando Castile was killed by police - as protests turned violent there. Three cops were injured. There were more protests across the country, with demonstrations against police brutality in New York, San Francisco, Denver, Florida, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City and Rhode Island.

 

Dallas police headquarters cordoned off after threat | 10 July 2016 | Dallas police headquarters and surrounding blocks were cordoned off and SWAT teams were deployed on Saturday after authorities received an anonymous threat against officers across the city, but a search for a "suspicious person" turned up no one, officials said. The incident occurred as the city remained tense following Thursday night's fatal shootings of five Dallas police officers by a former U.S. Army reservist. Police asked news organizations to stop airing live video from the area as they carried out the search.

 

Protests over shootings block roads in U.S. cities, arrests made | 10 July 2016 | Protests against the shootings of two black men by police officers shut down main arteries in a number of U.S. cities on Saturday, leading to numerous arrests, scuffles and injuries in confrontations between police and demonstrators. Undeterred by heightened concerns about safety at protests after a lone gunman killed five police officers in Dallas Thursday night, organizers went ahead with marches in the biggest metropolis, New York City, and Washington D.C., the nation's capital, among other cities.

 

Made Man in a Blue Vest: DeRay McKesson Is Debutante at Aspen One-Percenters Coming Out Party | 06 July 2016 | DeRay McKesson, a Teach For America Trojan horse who inserted himself into the Black Lives Matter Movement was one of the panelists at the Aspen Institute's annual "ideas festival," a social event where one-percenters showcase their current crop of "thought leaders." For the dude in the blue vest it was a kind of debutante ball, one of the official coming out parties that mark him as one of corporate America's made men.

 

Alton Sterling shooting protests resume in Baton Rouge | 09 July 2016 | Protests resumed in Baton Rouge on Saturday, four days after Alton Sterling was fatally shot by two police officers outside a convenience store. Members of the New Black Panther Party held a press conference to announce the resumption of demonstrations to protest the shooting, which was caught on video by witnesses with cellphone cameras...Protests in Baton Rouge have been largely peaceful although 31 people were arrested Friday night and early Saturday during a protest outside Baton Rouge police headquarters, Louisiana State Police said.

 

Thousands of Protesters Gather in US Cities After Dallas Shooting | 08 July 2016 | Thousands of protesters took to the streets throughout the country Friday for a second night in the wake of two controversial fatal police shootings that have sparked outrage around the country. They also came a night after five officers were killed and another seven injured in an ambush-style shooting in Dallas during a protest there. Gatherings took place in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Houston, Nashville, Phoenix, New York, and Washington D.C., among other cities, and were described as "peaceful" by participants and observers. In Atlanta, protesters blocked a major highway that runs through the city, creating traffic delays.

 

Police on alert nationwide: NYPD chief bans officers from being alone as cops in Washington, Boston and more are told to partner up in wake of Dallas shooting --NYPD chief James O'Neill said cops must work in pairs until further notice --Washington D.C.'s chief also ordered officers and supervisors to pair up --Cincinnati police will be using two-officer patrols throughout the weekend --In St Louis, chief Sam Dotson ordered all officers to wear bulletproof vests | 08 July 2016 | Police officers are on alert across the country in the wake of deadly sniper attacks in Dallas on Thursday night that left five cops dead. Police chiefs in New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, Las Vegas, St. Louis, and Nassau County have ordered officers to partner up for assignments. The NYPD's chief of department James O'Neill said until further notice, officers are banned officers from responding to calls alone.

 

Dallas police chief: Shooter had larger plans | 10 July 2016 | The gunman who killed five police officers in Dallas was plotting larger attacks, Dallas Police Chief David Brown said Sunday. "We're convinced that this suspect had other plans and thought that what he was doing was righteous and believed that he was going to target law enforcement -- make us pay for what he sees as law enforcement's efforts to punish people of color," Brown said in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union." Brown said police found bomb-making materials and a journal at the shooter's home that suggested he'd been practicing detonations and appeared ready to take aim at larger targets.

 

Afghanistan Army veteran Micah Xavier Johnson shot 12 cops at Dallas protest, killing five, saying 'he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers' --Police killed him using a bomb placed by a robot after a four-hour standoff near the Black Lives Matter protest | 08 July 2016 | The man who shot 12 police officers, killing five, at a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Dallas on Thursday night has been named as Micah Xavier Johnson, a 25-year-old Army reservist with no criminal history or ties to terror groups. Johnson, from Mesquite, Texas, a 20 minute drive from Dallas, reportedly told law enforcement that he was a veteran, and claimed to have acted alone, countering reports that as many as four gunmen were involved in the massacre. 'The suspect said...he was upset about the recent police shootings of black suspects. He said he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers,' Dallas Police Chief David Brown revealed at a 7:30am press conference. Around 11pm on Thursday, cops cornered Johnson at El Centro College and attempted to negotiate, but four hours later the talks failed and a robot was brought in to detonate a bomb and kill the suspect.

 

Bomb-making materials, rifles, ammunition found in shooter's home | 08 July 2016 | Investigators identified the dead suspect [in the Dallas police shootings] as 25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas, a military veteran who'd served in Afghanistan. Police said they searched his home Friday afternoon and found bomb-making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition and a personal journal of combat tactics. Investigators are analyzing information in the journal, a police statement said. Johnson served in the U.S. Army Reserve from March 2009 to April 2015, training as a carpentry and masonry specialist, according to records released by the Pentagon.

 

St. Louis County Police Chief: Ballwin Officer 'Was Ambushed. Period.' | 08 July 2016 | A Ballwin, Missouri, police officer is "fighting for his life," according to the chief of police, after he was shot during a traffic stop Friday morning. Ballwin Police Chief Kevin Scott, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar and St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger addressed the media during a news conference at Ballwin police headquarters Friday afternoon. The incident began with a traffic stop in the 300 block of New Ballwin Road, when the officer pulled over a vehicle for speeding.

 

The countdown is on: Bridgegate trial set for September | 11 July 2016 | The countdown has begun. With last Thursday's ruling halting the Bridgegate defendants' search for cell phones and computers used by Gov. Chris Christie and his staff in the early months of the scandal, the path is now cleared for the trial of two former associates of the governor -- former Port Authority executive William Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly, the governor's one-time deputy chief of staff. The two are accused of plotting deliberate lane closures at the George Washington Bridge on the first day of school in September 2013 in what has been described as an act of political retribution. U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton put the case on schedule for a trial date of Sept. 12.

 

No water guns, bike locks, gas masks, grappling hooks, tennis balls or pieces of string longer than 6 feet: what the city of Cleveland says you CAN'T bring to the Republican National Convention | 11 July 2016 | With protests raging nationwide and a controversial candidate set to seize his party's nomination in Donald Trump, the city of Cleveland has prohibited a long list of items from the area around the GOP convention – with an outright ban on gas masks and a strict limit on the allowable length of string. Under regulations released by the city, 'rope, chain, cable, strapping, wire, string, line, tape, or any similar material' in lengths greater than 6 feet are strictly prohibited within all public access areas in the zone surrounding the convention. The city rules cover an event zone that includes downtown and the Quicken Loans Arena.

 

Bernie Sanders to Endorse Hillary Clinton, Despite Democratic Platform Rejection of Anti-TPP Stance --Clinton, Sanders to hold joint event Tuesday, endorsement expected | 11 July 2016 | More than a month after the end of the last round of state primaries, it appears the Democratic presidential race between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders is officially set to conclude. The Sanders campaign released a statement Monday morning confirming what had been widely expected for days: The Vermont senator will join Clinton at a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., on Tuesday where he's expected to endorse her. The statement says the two will "discuss their commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top." [And yet: Obama's corporate takeover aka the TPP remains as an element of the DemocRATic platform. *Useless is as useless does.* --LRP]

 

Sanders's anti-TPP stance shot down by Democrats' platform committee | 09 July 2016 | A trade deal fight led by U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Saturday failed to fully materialize as rival and presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton announced a compromise to expand mandatory healthcare funding over the next decade. At a meeting of the Democratic Party draft platform committee in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday, supporters of Sanders were unable to influence the committee [of corporatist dirt-bags] to adopt strong language opposing the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact corporate takeover, marking a powerful blow to the efforts by the U.S. senator from Vermont to push the party further to the left. Sanders has headed the effort on the U.S. left to oppose the TPP and trade deals like it, which he says are unfair to American workers.

 

EMSA reports 9 passengers on diverted Delta flight show symptoms of illness | 10 July 2016 | A Delta Airlines flight stopped at Tulsa International Airport on Saturday afternoon for elevated levels of carbon monoxide affecting nine passengers during their flight, officials said. Delta Airlines' website indicates Flight 1817, an MD-90 aircraft set to arrive in Denver from Atlanta, was diverted to Tulsa at 3:10 p.m. A Tulsa police dispatcher said authorities received a call about 3 p.m. indicating the passengers had all become sick at the same time. [Emergency Medical Services Agency - EMSA]

 

Disabled cancer patient slammed to the ground by TSA guards, lawsuit claims | 02 July 2016 | A disabled teenage cancer patient was injured during a violent arrest by security agents at Memphis international airport, her family has alleged in a lawsuit filed against the Transport Security Administration. Hannah Cohen, 18, at the time of her arrest on 30 June 2015, and her mother had been on their way home to Chattanooga from St Jude's hospital in Memphis, where Hannah underwent her final treatment for a brain tumor...The brain tumor had left Hannah blind in one eye, deaf in one ear and partially paralyzed, so when the guards grabbed each of her arms, it startled her, she said...The guards slammed Hannah to the ground, her mother said, smashing her face into the floor, which the complaint alleges left her "physically and emotionally" injured.

 

30-Acre Brush Fire Burning Off 101 Freeway in Thousand Oaks | 11 July 2016 | (CA) Ventura County firefighters are battling a brush fire that is burning in Thousand Oaks off the 101 Freeway Monday afternoon, officials said. The blaze broke out off the heavily traveled freeway near Rancho Road, Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Mike Lindbery tweeted shortly before 11:45 a.m. The fire had scorched an estimated 30 acres, Lindbery said shortly after noon.

 

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CLG Editor-in-Chief: Lori Price. Copyright © 2016, Citizens for Legitimate Government ® All rights reserved.