Saturday, December 20, 2014


News Clips For The Day


http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/marco-rubios-fury-over-the-cuba-shift-shows-why-obama-made-the-right-move/2014/12/17/42ead216-8632-11e4-b9b7-b8632ae73d25_story.html?tid=rssfeed

Marco Rubio’s fury over the Cuba shift shows why Obama made the right move
By Dana Milbank Opinion writer 
December 17, 2014

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, the Republican Party’s point man on Cuba, seemed to be struggling to contain his fury as he responded to President Obama’s move Wednesday to normalize relations with the Cold War foe.

The Cuban American legislator, addressing a roomful of reporters and photographers in the Capitol, chopped the air with his right hand, fired off terse answers to questions and, frequently raising his voice, spat insults at the Obama administration:

“Absurd.”



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marco-rubio-says-rand-paul-has-no-idea-what-hes-talking-about-on-cuba/

Marco Rubio says Rand Paul "has no idea what he's talking about" on Cuba
CBS NEWS December 19, 2014

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, had said his Kentucky colleague Sen. Rand Paul "like many people who have been opining, has no idea what he's talking about."
Paul was the first of the major potential Republican presidential candidates to say anything positive about the President's move toward normalizing relations with Cuba. In an interview Thursday with WVHU, he said that he thought "opening up Cuba is probably a good idea." Paul feels the five-decade embargo against Cuba "just hasn't worked," and "probably, it punishes the people more than the regime because the regime can blame the embargo for hardship."
Rubio, who was interviewed on "The Kelly File" on Fox News, agreed that the embargo is imperfect, saying it "quite frankly has a bunch of holes in it," but he went on to say that "the embargo is not what's hurting people--it's the lack of freedom and the lack of competent leaders."


Rand Paul's Comments:

Senator Rand Paul        ✔ @SenRandPaul
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Hey @marcorubio if the embargo doesn't hurt Cuba, why do you want to keep it?

Senator Rand Paul        ✔ @SenRandPaul
Follow
The United States trades and engages with other communist nations, such as China and Vietnam. So @marcorubio why not Cuba?

Senator Rand Paul        ✔ @SenRandPaul
Follow
Senator @marcorubio is acting like an isolationist who wants to retreat to our borders and perhaps build a moat. I reject this isolationism.




Hating Obama vocally is many a Republican's primary way to feed some “red meat” to their base. They hate him no matter what he does. Senator Rand Paul, on the other hand, disputes Rubio's position. As far as I'm concerned, it's definitely time we normalized our relationship with Cuba. The era of reasonable fear that Cuba would be a tool of Russia in a nuclear conflict with the US is over, I think. On NPR radio a few minutes ago they said that our farmers may make billions more annually with Cuba as a new trading partner. Cuba buys almost all of its food, and they have been trading a great deal with China until this point. Hopefully Congress won't kill Obama's move on Cuban relations.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/video-appears-to-show-nypd-beating-teen/

Video appears to show NYPD beating teen
ByCRIMESIDER STAFFCBS NEWS
December 19, 2014

NEW YORK - The NYPD said its Internal Affairs Bureau is reviewing an incident after video of a violent confrontation between a teenager and police was posted online, reports CBS New York.

The video posted Wednesday shows three uniformed officers holding the teen while an officer in street clothing runs up and repeatedly punches him.
Witnesses reportedly believed the boy to be 12-years-old, but police said he's 16.
The NYPD said the teen was arrested with two others for allegedly assaulting another person with a cane.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nypd-officer-suspended-after-allegedly-punching-teen-suspect/

NYPD officer suspended after allegedly punching teen suspect
CBS/AP December 20, 2014

NEW YORK -- A New York police officer seen on a smartphone video punching a teenage suspect during an arrest has been suspended.

New York Police Department officials announced the suspension on Friday but didn't name the officer.

The arrest occurred Monday after police responded to a report of an assault in Manhattan. The video shows several uniformed officers struggling to handcuff a 16-year-old boy before a plainclothes officer rushes in and throws two punches.

In the video, which was posted online on Wednesday, a woman can be heard yelling at the officers to stop what they're doing.

Another woman says she can't believe what she's seeing after "everything that's happened," an apparent reference to the chokehold death of Eric Garner.

Garner's fatal confrontation with a police officer was partially caught on camera. A grand jury decision not to indict the officer in Garner's death sparked protests across New York and the U.S.

New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating Monday's incident.

"An individual that we have identified as a plainclothes anti-crime officer runs up and appears to strike the individual with a closed fist twice on the side of the body," Bratton said. "That officer has been suspended pending the investigation going forward."

"There doesn't seem to be any legitimate reason for it," police procedure expert Robert McRie, a professor at John Jay College, told CBS New York. "The arrestee was pinned up against the hood of a car, he wasn't moving at the time the blows were delivered and he was in no position to escape."

McRie added, "A police officer who does something like that to someone who's already subdued is due for disciplinary action."

Sources told CBS New York the teenager is named Denzel Funderburk. He and two others, ages 16 and 17, were allegedly screaming "murder gang" as they beat a man with a cane. The 20-year-old victim suffered a broken jaw.

According to CBS New York, all three teenagers were charged with gang assault. Funderburk was also arrested for assault, obstruction, criminal possession of a weapon and other charges, the station said.




The three youths were arrested for assault with a cane, which is a violent crime. I don't like these “punishment” beatings, however, because the extra violence on the part of the police involved is not, or should not be, within the police officer's rights and it is hardly “professional conduct.” That's what happened in the Rodney King case, one of the first of these cases to be caught on video. . Police should use no more violence than is actually necessary to complete the arrest.

Today's followup article on CBS does say that the police officer who threw the punches while the suspect was being held has been suspended for excess violence. I hope John Q Public will continue to walk around with their cell phone cameras and video these events when they occur. During the Ferguson demonstrations police arrested at least one member of the press for videoing the police activity. That, too, should not be within their rights. Freedom of the press is one of our most important rights in this society. Silence on abuses like these fosters more and more abuse.

When I searched “Plain clothes anti-crime officer” I got the following from Wikipedia. The Street Crimes Unit, described as a “plain clothes anti-crime unit.” Under the NYPD Street Crimes Unit, which supposedly was disbanded in 2002 following a police killing, I found the information below. That description as a type of police officer is apparently still in use within the NYPD, however, judging from today's CBS news article. I would like to know more about them, their record, and their mandate.


Street Crimes Unit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The New York Police Department's Street Crime Unit (motto: "We Own The Night") was a plain clothes anti-crime unit. The SCU was formed in 1971 as the "City Wide Anti-Crime Unit" and operated for decades tasked with the apprehension of armed felons from the streets of New York City, however it was disbanded in 2002, following the controversial killing of Amadou Diallo. …

Methods[edit]
From 1971-99, the unit was made up of 60 to 100 members. In 2000 it expanded to 300 members. It employed innovative methods, including possibly the earliest coordinated sting operations to elicit potential muggers. According to Criminal Justice Today: "The SCU disguised officers as potential mugging victims and put them in areas where they were most likely to be attacked."[3]

The SCU would go into high-crime neighborhoods and make a much larger number of firearms-related arrests in comparison to regular police departments. In 1973, the SCU

won recognition as an Exemplary Project from the U.S. Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. The LEAA was the United States' leading crime-reduction and crime-prevention funding agency. "In its first year, the SCU made nearly 4,000 arrests and averaged a successful conviction rate of around 80%. Perhaps the most telling statistic was the 'average officer day per arrest'." The SCU invested 8.2 days in each arrest, whereas the department average for all uniformed officers was 167 days."[4]



Law Enforcement Assistance Administration
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) was a U.S. federal agency within the U.S. Dept. of Justice. It administered federal funding to state and local law enforcement agencies, and funded educational programs, research, state planning agencies, and local crime initiatives.

The LEAA was established by the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and was abolished in 1982. Its predecessor agency was the Office of Law Enforcement Assistance (1965–1968). Its successor agencies were the Office of Justice Assistance, Research, and Statistics (1982–1984) and the Office of Justice Programs(1984–).[1]

LEAA included the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, which had its functions absorbed by the National Institute of Justice on December 27, 1979, with passage of the Justice System Improvement Act of 1979.[2] The Act, which amended the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, also led to creation of the Bureau of Justice Statistics.[3] LEAA also included the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals.

In March 1973, the LEAA ordered any police department receiving federal funding to end minimum height requirements, which most women could not meet.[4]



Office of Justice Programs – http://ojp.gov/

About Us

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems, by disseminating state-of-the art knowledge and practices across America, and providing grants for the implementation of these crime fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter into partnerships with these officers. Therefore, OJP does not directly carry out law enforcement and justice activities. Instead, OJP works in partnership with the justice
community to identify the most pressing crime-related challenges confronting the justice system and to provide information, training, coordination, and innovative strategies and approaches for addressing these challenges.

Office of Justice Programs Goals

Strengthen partnerships with state, local and tribal stakeholders.
Ensure integrity of, and respect for, science - including a focus on evidence-based, "smart on crime" approaches in criminal and juvenile justice.
Administer OJP’s grant awards process in a fair, accessible and transparent fashion - and, as good stewards of federal funds, manage the grants system in a manner that avoids waste, fraud and abuse.




http://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-korea-responds-to-sony-hack-attack-allegations/

North Korea responds to Sony hack attack allegations
CBS/AP December 20, 2014, 6:47 AM

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea on Saturday proposed a joint investigation with the U.S. into the hacking attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment, warning of "serious" consequences if Washington rejects a probe that it believes would prove Pyongyang had nothing to do with the cyberattack.

The proposal was seen by analysts as a typical ploy by the North to try to show that it is sincere, even though it knows the U.S. would never accept its offer for a joint investigation.

CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports that, according to law enforcement sources, North Korea hacked into the Sony network by stealing the login credentials of one of the company's computer system administrators. Once logged in, the hackers wiped out hard drives, stole personal data and revealed embarrassing e-mails.

The break-in escalated to terrorist threats that caused Sony to cancel the Christmas Day release of the movie "The Interview." The comedy is about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

On Saturday, an unidentified North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman in Pyongyang proposed the joint investigation with the U.S., saying the North knows how to prove it's not responsible for the hacking. He also said Washington was slandering Pyongyang by spreading unfounded rumors.


CBS News senior national security analyst Juan Zarate said on "CBS This Morning: Saturday" that North Korea's denial of any role in the attack are related to the FBI not wanting to reveal too much about what the U.S. knows about the country and how it obtained its information.

"North Korea knows that, and they know we're going to have difficulty talking publicly about the proof behind why they were behind the attack," Zarate said.

Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Seoul's Dongguk University, called the North's proposal a "typical" tactic the country has taken in similar disputes with rival countries. In 2010, North Korea proposed a joint investigation after a South Korean-led international team concluded that the North was behind a torpedo attack that killed 46 South Korean sailors, though Pyongyang denied its involvement. South Korea rejected the North's offer for the joint probe.

"They are now talking about a joint investigation because they think there is no conclusive evidence," Koh said. "But the U.S. won't accede to a joint investigation for the crime."

On Friday, President Obama declared that Sony "made a mistake" in shelving the satirical film about a plot to assassinate the North Korean leader, and pledged that the U.S. would respond "in a place and manner and time that we choose" to the hacking attack on Sony that led to the movie's withdrawal.

"I wish they had spoken to me first. ... We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship," Mr. Obama said at a year-end news conference, speaking of executives at Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Sony said it had had no choice but to cancel distribution of the movie because theaters were refusing to show it.

U.S. options for acting against North Korea are limited. The U.S. already has severe trade sanctions in place, and there is no appetite for military action. Even if investigators could identify and prosecute the individual hackers believed responsible, there's no guarantee that any located are overseas would ever see a U.S. courtroom. Hacking back at North Korean targets by U.S. government experts could encourage further attacks against American targets.

North Korea and the U.S. remain in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The rivals also are locked in an international standoff over the North's nuclear and missile programs and its alleged human rights abuses.

Earlier Saturday, North Korea angrily denounced a move by the United Nations to bring its human rights record before the Security Council and renewed its threat to further bolster its nuclear deterrent against what it called a hostile policy by the U.S. to topple its ruling regime.

Pyongyang "vehemently and categorically rejects" the resolution passed by the U.N. General Assembly that could open the door for its leaders, including Kim Jong Un, to be hauled before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, according to a Foreign Ministry statement carried by KCNA.

The Security Council is due to meet Monday to discuss Pyongyang's human rights situation for the first time.

The meeting caps almost a year of international pressure, and even though ally China could use its veto power to block any action against the North, the nonbinding resolution has broad support in the General Assembly and has drawn unusually strong and vitriolic protests from Pyongyang.




"The U.S. should bear in mind that it will face serious consequences in case it rejects our proposal for joint investigation and presses for what it called countermeasures while finding fault with" North Korea, the spokesman said in a statement carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA. "We have a way to prove that we have nothing to do with the case without resorting to torture, as the CIA does," he said, adding that the U.S. lacks any specific evidence tying North Korea to the hacking.... Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Seoul's Dongguk University, called the North's proposal a "typical" tactic the country has taken in similar disputes with rival countries. In 2010, North Korea proposed a joint investigation after a South Korean-led international team concluded that the North was behind a torpedo attack that killed 46 South Korean sailors, though Pyongyang denied its involvement. South Korea rejected the North's offer for the joint probe.... "I wish they had spoken to me first. ... We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship," Mr. Obama said at a year-end news conference, speaking of executives at Sony Pictures Entertainment. Sony said it had had no choice but to cancel distribution of the movie because theaters were refusing to show it. U.S. options for acting against North Korea are limited. The U.S. already has severe trade sanctions in place, and there is no appetite for military action. Even if investigators could identify and prosecute the individual hackers believed responsible, there's no guarantee that any located are overseas would ever see a U.S. Courtroom.... The Security Council is due to meet Monday to discuss Pyongyang's human rights situation for the first time.

I wonder what action the Security Council might take against North Korea. They only seem to deliver more and more economic sanctions. Of course, I wouldn't want to see a hot war rather than the current cold war status against them. It was interesting that Russia invited Kim Jong Un to visit Putin next month. Russia probably wouldn't want to have a military confrontation with the US, even with the assistance of North Korea. I think that though Putin talks threateningly, he is not up for a war, especially with the possibility of a nuclear interaction. I don't trust Putin to be honest in his dealings, but I do trust him to be basically intelligent.






http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obamas-fast-and-loose-press-conference/

Obama's fast and loose press conference
By JOHN DICKERSON CBS NEWS December 20, 2014

President Obama has a more than 11-hour flight ahead of him to Hawaii, but at his press conference on Friday it felt like he was already on vacation. He was loose as he joked with a Politico reporter about the magazine's new Brussels' bureau, admitted to another he'd forgotten the back half of her list of questions, and even interrupted his remarks to say "bless you" to someone who sneezed. Before leaving the podium he offered the traditional Hawaiian Christmas salutation (Bing Crosby earworm available here). But if it seemed like he might let slip the cocktail umbrella up his sleeve into a fruity drink, Obama was more serious about the messages he was sending to everyone from the North Korean dictator to Sony executives and the network television bosses who wouldn't air his address about immigration last month.

In November, President Obama's party took a pounding at the polls. In the press conference the day after, Obama avoided offering a word or descriptive phrase to encapsulate the catastrophe. (It's something he and past presidents have often done in the wake of a drubbing.) He then sort of refused to take the loss, reminding the world that he too had a constituency: the voters who elected him and re-elected him, a larger group than had just handed Republicans control of the Senate.

In the 40 days between that press conference and the one he gave Friday, the president has worked that same seam--unburdened and loose from having no more elections to face. First, he announced his support for strong net neutrality,then he announced a climate deal with China--secret and long in the making--that helped jump-start progress in global talks, then he issued the executive order protecting as many as 5 million undocumented immigrants. After that came an EPA ruling on ozone emissions, a budget deal to keep the government open, and the historic deal opening diplomatic relations with Cuba.

This press conference was an exclamation point on this dash in his presidency. Obama clearly seemed pleased with the way things have been going. He said he still remained open to working with Republicans, and he said nothing ill of them. His goal next year, he said, was to separate those things that he and Republicans agree on (tax reform, infrastructure improvements, and trade) from those things they will fight passionately over (everything else). 2015 is going to be an exciting year, with Republicans anxious to show they can govern and the president anxious to show he's still got more punch.

Obama did have a little chin music for network television executives whose representatives he didn't call on during the 45-minute event. He only called on female correspondents, in another sign that in ways big and small he's going to do things his way. The president said he thought Sony executives had made a mistake removing The Interview from theaters. "That's not who we are," he said.

In fact, Obama had a lot to say about who we are. Asked about race relations in America, he expanded his remarks to talk about the general resilience and goodness of the American people. It was his own long-standing paean to American Exceptionalism, though his critics say he is only capable of running down the country.

"The vast majority of people are just trying to do the right thing. People are basically good and have good intentions," he said. He said his general theme for the end of the year was, "We've gone through difficult times. ... But through persistent effort and faith in the American people, things get better. The economy has gotten better. Our ability to generate clean energy has gotten better. We know more about how to educate our kids. We solve problems. Ebola is a real crisis. You get a mistake in the first case because it's not something that's been seen before. We fix it. You have some unaccompanied children who spike at a border. And it may not get fixed in the time frame of the news cycle, but it gets fixed. And, you know, part of what I hope, as we reflect on the new year, this should generate is some confidence. America knows how to solve problem s. And when we work together, we can't be stopped."

The president said next year will be the fourth quarter of his presidency. An exciting time, he said. Perhaps that will be true if he's got surprises like the ones he unveiled in the past 40 days--the deals with China and Cuba were covert operations. But presidencies aren't like sporting events. Every morning after the final election of a second term, the valet will lay out the lame-duck suit on his chair. The president has vigorously resisted it so far. He will need to rest up on vacation because it will be waiting for him when he returns.



ear·worm
ˈi(ə)rˌwərm/
noun
1. 1.
short for corn earworm.
2. 2.
informal
a catchy song or tune that runs continually through a person's mind.




“This press conference was an exclamation point on this dash in his presidency. Obama clearly seemed pleased with the way things have been going. He said he still remained open to working with Republicans, and he said nothing ill of them. His goal next year, he said, was to separate those things that he and Republicans agree on (tax reform, infrastructure improvements, and trade) from those things they will fight passionately over (everything else).... Obama did have a little chin music for network television executives whose representatives he didn't call on during the 45-minute event. He only called on female correspondents, in another sign that in ways big and small he's going to do things his way.... In fact, Obama had a lot to say about who we are. Asked about race relations in America, he expanded his remarks to talk about the general resilience and goodness of the American people.... “... And, you know, part of what I hope, as we reflect on the new year, this should generate is some confidence. America knows how to solve problem s. And when we work together, we can't be stopped."

Writer John Dickerson of Slate.com seems to be a little annoyed at President Obama's humorous mood, and even suggested a little involvement with alcohol in his “cocktail umbrella” comment, but I personally doubt that Obama had had anything to drink. I think he has had a successful series of executive actions, and is not concerned about the conservative viewpoint. He did achieve half a dozen things that I wanted, as a progressive Democrat. If he's a little giddy that he's going on vacation, I think he deserves to relax. He has never complained about the abusive things that some of those people have aimed his way, and hasn't become discouraged. I hope he has a very merry Christmas in Hawaii.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-wont-stop-same-sex-marriage-in-florida/

​Supreme Court won't stop same-sex marriage in Florida
AP December 19, 2014

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday refused to block gay marriages in Florida, the latest of about three dozen states allowing same-sex weddings.

In a one-paragraph order, the court decided not to step into the Florida case. A federal judge previously declared Florida's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional and said same-sex marriage licenses could start being issued in the state after Jan. 5 unless the Supreme Court intervened.

"This is a thrilling day for all Florida families," Daniel Tilley, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties of Florida, said in a statement. "As we explained to the court, every day that the ban remains in place, couples are suffering real harms. We are grateful that the court recognized that, and that as a result, those days are finally coming to an end."

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has fought to uphold the state's ban, said in a statement that her goal was "to have uniformity" throughout the state while various legal challenges were pursued in both state and federal courts.

"Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has now spoken, and the stay will end on Jan. 5," Bondi said.

In August, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle declared the state's ban unconstitutional, but he put his ruling on hold until after Jan. 5 pending appeals.

Like many other judges and appellate courts, Hinkle ruled the ban approved by voters in 2008 violates the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.

Bondi had tried to persuade a federal appeals court in Atlanta to keep Hinkle's ruling on hold. The appeals court rejected the request so Bondi went to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who oversees emergency appeals from Florida, Alabama and Georgia.

The entire court wound up considering the petition. The order said only Thomas and Justice Antonin Scalia would have kept the stay in place.

Bondi said if the ban was struck down, some, but not all, county clerks in Florida would begin issuing marriage licenses, causing confusion throughout the state. She said that would happen because the lawsuit against Florida's ban only named the clerk in tiny Washington County in the Panhandle.

The state clerks association has warned its members that they could be risking misdemeanor prosecution under state law if they issue licenses before the question is fully settled. It is unclear how many plan to take that advice.

Tilley said his group expects "public officials in all of Florida's 67 counties to understand the significance of this development and look forward to full implementation of Judge Hinkle's decision across our state."

State judges in four South Florida counties have declared the same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional, but those decisions are also being appealed by Bondi and no marriage licenses have been issued.

On the federal level, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati has upheld the right of four states to decide whether to allow gay marriage.




“In a one-paragraph order, the court decided not to step into the Florida case. A federal judge previously declared Florida's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional and said same-sex marriage licenses could start being issued in the state after Jan. 5 unless the Supreme Court intervened.... Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has fought to uphold the state's ban, said in a statement that her goal was "to have uniformity" throughout the state while various legal challenges were pursued in both state and federal courts. "Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has now spoken, and the stay will end on Jan. 5," Bondi said.... The state clerks association has warned its members that they could be risking misdemeanor prosecution under state law if they issue licenses before the question is fully settled. It is unclear how many plan to take that advice. Tilley said his group expects "public officials in all of Florida's 67 counties to understand the significance of this development and look forward to full implementation of Judge Hinkle's decision across our state."

I hope this decision does result in Florida's citizens having the right to sleep and partner with whoever they want to. I just don't think gays hurt anybody by their listening to another drummer. If they aren't born gay, they become inclined in that direction at a very young age, and can't be “cured” of it. Besides, the American Psychiatric Association has stopped considering homosexuality a “mental illness.” The following article gives some history on the subject and is very interesting. http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/faculty_sites/rainbow/html/facts_mental_health.html –
“Facts About Homosexuality and Mental Health.” It's too long to include here, but I suggest you read it. I have placed it in my blog called Thoughts And Researches, at manessmorrison2.blogspot.com.






http://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-court-rejects-obama-decision-to-delist-great-lakes-wolf-popuation/

Federal court puts gray wolf back on endangered species list
CBS NEWS/AP December 19, 2014

A federal judge on Friday threw out an Obama administration decision to remove the gray wolf population in the western Great Lakes region from the endangered species list -- a decision that will ban further wolf hunting and trapping in three states.

The order affects wolves in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dropped federal protections from those wolves in 2012 and handed over management to the states.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C., ruled Friday the removal was "arbitrary and capricious" and violated the federal Endangered Species Act.

Unless overturned, his decision will prohibit further wolf hunting and trapping in the three states, all of which have had at least one hunting season since protections were removed. More than 1,500 Great Lakes wolves have been killed since federal protections were removed, said Jonathan Lovvorn, senior vice president of the Humane Society of the United States. The group filed a lawsuit that prompted Howell's ruling.

"We are pleased that the court has recognized that the basis for the delisting decision was flawed, and would stop wolf recovery in its tracks," Lovvorn said.

Since the federal protection was dropped, the Humane Society said Minnesota and Wisconsin had legalized the hunting and trapping of wolves in the Great Lakes region for the first time in more than 40 years. Wisconsin's wolf hunt ended this year after killing 154 wolves -- 80 percent of them in leghold traps. And in Minnesota, 272 gray wolves were killed -- 84 percent of the wolves in this year's late season were trapped.

"In the short time since federal protections have been removed, trophy hunters and trappers have killed more than 1,500 Great Lakes wolves under hostile state management programs that encourage dramatic reductions in wolf populations," Lovvorn said.

Collette L. Adkins Giese, a senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, said the ruling showed the government had acted prematurely.

"It's been clear for years that wolves in the Great Lakes region still need the protection of the Endangered Species Act," Giese said. "We're glad to see the court recognize that and are happy to know these wolf populations will now be safer and better able to survive and thrive in the long run."

There was no immediate reaction from officials in the three states. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Gavin Shire said the agency was disappointed with the decision.

"We are disappointed by the Court's decision. The science clearly shows that wolves are recovered in the Great Lakes Region and we believe the Great Lakes states have clearly demonstrated their ability to effectively manage their wolf populations," Shire said. "This is a significant step backward."




“U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C., ruled Friday the removal was "arbitrary and capricious" and violated the federal Endangered Species Act. Unless overturned, his decision will prohibit further wolf hunting and trapping in the three states, all of which have had at least one hunting season since protections were removed. More than 1,500 Great Lakes wolves have been killed since federal protections were removed, said Jonathan Lovvorn, senior vice president of the Humane Society of the United States. The group filed a lawsuit that prompted Howell's ruling. "We are pleased that the court has recognized that the basis for the delisting decision was flawed, and would stop wolf recovery in its tracks," Lovvorn said.... Collette L. Adkins Giese, a senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, said the ruling showed the government had acted prematurely. "It's been clear for years that wolves in the Great Lakes region still need the protection of the Endangered Species Act," Giese said. "We're glad to see the court recognize that and are happy to know these wolf populations will now be safer and better able to survive and thrive in the long run." There was no immediate reaction from officials in the three states. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Gavin Shire said the agency was disappointed with the decision.”

Why have so many wolves been killed in such a short time? Didn't the Fish and Wildlife Service put a limit on how many could be taken? Also, why is trapping rather than shooting allowed, since it has long been considered a very cruel and inhumane practice, causing animals to die in pain and starvation. I do wish more Americans had a gentler way of looking at animals. To me, they are valuable companions to the human race. Wolves are predators, true, but they serve an important function in wildlife populations as they weed out the diseased and genetically inferior.