December 8, 2017


News and Views


WILL THIS BE ONE DAY OF RAGE, OR THE FIRST OF MANY? TILLERSON CAME OUT TO “EXPLAIN” TRUMP’S STATEMENT, AS USUAL. AS FOR WHETHER THIS WILL INVOLVE US IN ANOTHER WAR OVER THERE, BESIDES SYRIA, IT’S CLEAR TO ME WE’RE ALREADY AT THAT POINT.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/west-bank-clashes-on-day-of-rage-after-u-s-jerusalem-move/
CBS NEWS December 8, 2017, 7:52 AM
Clashes erupt on “Day of Rage” after U.S. Jerusalem move

Hundreds of Palestinians clashed with Israeli forces in the West Bank and Gaza on Friday in protests which were part of a so-called "Day of Rage" over U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Dozens were wounded in skirmishes, and at least one Palestinian was killed in Gaza, according to the French news agency AFP.

Demonstrators were furious with the United States for, in their view, unilaterally siding with Israel, CBS News correspondent Seth Doane reports.

Bracing for violence, hundreds of additional Israeli security forces were deployed early Friday morning, while the faithful of all ages, including young men, were allowed into the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem's Old City. One of the holiest sites for Muslims, the mosque is at the heart of the controversy over President Trump's decision, Doane reports.

Across the region, protesters filled streets in Egypt, Jordan, and in Turkey, where signs read, "Jerusalem belongs to Islam." In Pakistan, both U.S. and Israeli flags were burned.

In Gaza City overnight, protesters set fire to a symbolic casket with a picture of President Trump, and elsewhere, a poster of the U.S. president was laid in a roadway for vehicles to drive over.

But clashes with police sparked earlier in the week in Bethelem, Doane reports, where he met 21-year-old university student Nasri Qumsieh.

"We are looking forward that the America is the country that will make peace here – this is how we used to look at America," Qumseih told CBS News.

But Jerusalem's mayor, Nir Barkat said he thought Mr. Trump's change of policy would ultimately bring peace.

"He is keeping his promise in the campaign and for us, in Jerusalem. It's a major, important milestone in our current future and in the future, and I thank him for that," Barkat said.

People were waiting to see if Friday's "Day of Rage" would mark an end to this cycle of protests, Doane reports, or if a new intifada was indeed on its way.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday that it would likely be several years before the United States opened an embassy in Jerusalem.

He said it would "take some time" to acquire a site for the embassy, develop building and construction plans, obtain authorizations from the Israeli government, and actually build the embassy.

He said Trump's recognition of the city as Israel's capital "did not indicate any final status for Jerusalem," and that the United States was making clear that Jerusalem's borders would be left to Israelis and Palestinians to "negotiate and decide."

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


EITHER ALL THESE CHARGES ARE LIES, OR THIS DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR IS A MASTER CRIMINAL. I’M SORRY TO SEE ANY LEADERS GET INTO SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, OF COURSE, BUT I WANT THE DEMOCRATS TO BE VERY HONORABLE. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY POLITICIANS COME TO OFFICE AS MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE AND LEAVE MULTIMILLIONAIRES, AND THAT'S NO ACCIDENT I FEEL SURE.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brian-joyce-former-massachusetts-state-senator-arrested/
CBS/AP December 8, 2017, 11:08 AM
Former Sen. Brian Joyce arrested after federal indictment

Photograph -- Former Massachusetts state Sen. Brian Joyce CBS BOSTON

BOSTON -- Former Massachusetts state Sen. Brian Joyce was arrested Friday and accused in a federal indictment of using his office for personal profit. Court documents allege Joyce, a Democrat from Milton, schemed to defraud the state by "conspiring to accept and accepting a stream of concealed bribes and kickbacks from private individuals," in exchange for official actions as a senator.

The 104-page indictment includes a number of charges including racketeering, extortion, wire fraud and money laundering. Joyce "violated the public's trust" and "decided to take the path of greed," federal law enforcement officials said, CBS Boston reported.

Joyce, 55, was expected to appear before a federal magistrate later in the day. His attorney, Howard Cooper, said was he was "reviewing the charges."

Joyce's law office in Canton was raided by the FBI in February 2016 in what was then described as "court-authorized activity in connection with an ongoing federal investigation." Cooper said at the time that Joyce was cooperating and believed he had done nothing wrong.

Joyce, who had served as assistant majority leader, said shortly after the investigation was announced last year that he would not seek re-election to the Senate. He had represented his district since 1998.

Court documents outline a number of complex schemes in which Joyce allegedly concealed payments made to him in exchange for official actions, including using his law office as a "money laundering conduit," and by making "false statements and omissions" to the state Ethics Commission.

In one case, prosecutors alleged Joyce used his position to exert influence on behalf of a New York-based energy brokerage business and formed a shell company to collect "concealed kickbacks" from the firm.

CBS Boston reports that in February 2016, the FBI and IRS raided Joyce's Canton office.

In 2015, then-Senate President Stan Rosenberg asked the commission to review Joyce's conduct after The Boston Globe reported on potential conflicts of interest focusing on whether he used his position to boost his law practice.

In an unrelated case last year, Joyce agreed to pay nearly $5,000 to resolve issues raised by state campaign finance regulators, including using campaign funds for his son's 2014 high school graduation party. Joyce said there had been no finding of wrongdoing on his part in that case.

The arrest is the second blow to the state Senate in the past week. Rosenberg announced Monday he was stepping aside as president of the chamber during a Senate Ethics Committee investigation into the circumstances surrounding reported sexual misconduct allegations by several men against his husband, Bryon Hefner.

Harriette Chandler, a Worcester Democrat who is currently serving as acting Senate president, released a brief statement Friday following Joyce's arrest.

"Law enforcement has done its job today," said Chandler. "This case now moves to the courts, and I am confident that the justice system will come to a fair and just conclusion in the days to come."

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



“HE (BRAILSFORD) IS ONE OF THE FEW POLICE OFFICERS IN THE U.S. TO BE CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR SHOOTING SOMEONE WHILE ON DUTY.” YOU WILL NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT HE WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES. IT’S TIME WE DO EXTENSIVE PSYCHIATRIC SCREENING ON ALL POLICE CADETS AND OFFICERS, WHEN FIRST HIRED AND THEN PERIODICALLY INTO THE FUTURE. WE ALSO NEED TO GIVE OFFICERS WHO ARE DEMONSTRABLY KILLING EGREGIOUSLY A MURDER CHARGE, AND THAT RARELY HAPPENS. A POLICE UNIFORM DOESN’T CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED. WE GIVE THEM TOO MUCH PERSONAL DISCRETION.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mesa-police-shooting-daniel-shaver-seen-crawling-begging-in-disturbing-video/
By CRIMESIDER STAFF CBS/AP December 8, 2017, 1:03 PM
Mesa Police shooting: Daniel Shaver seen crawling, begging in disturbing video

IMAGE: BODYCAM SHOT OF VICTIM/SUSPECT BEGGING ON HIS KNEES WITH ARMS IN THE AIR
NEWS SHOT -- Texas man Daniel Shaver was killed in January 2016 in his hotel room while traveling for work. CBS DALLAS/FORT WORTH
VIDEO -- Posted: Dec 08, 2017 8:53 AM EST, The Mesa Police Department released dramatic body camera video Thursday, just hours after their former officer was acquitted in the murder trial of an unarmed man.

MESA -- Police in Mesa, Arizona released disturbing body camera video on Thursday hours after a former officer was acquitted of a murder charge in the fatal shooting of an unarmed man.

The verdict cleared Philip Brailsford, 27, of criminal liability in the 2016 death of Daniel Shaver, of Granbury, Texas. He was also found not guilty of reckless manslaughter, reports CBS Phoenix affiliate KPHO-TV.

The shooting occurred at a hotel in the Phoenix suburb where officers responded to a report of someone pointing a gun out of a window. The video, obtained by KPHO, shows Brailsford pointing a gun at Shaver as Shaver lies on the ground, holds his hands in the air, cries and begs the officer not to shoot.

[WARNING: Graphic content] Bodycam video shows deadly Mesa police shooting

Brailsford orders Shaver, 26, to lay face-down in a hallway and refrain from making sudden movements - or risk being shot. He also orders a woman in the hallway to lie on the ground. Shaver is seen complying with the officer's order to put his hands on top of his head and cross his left foot over his right foot.

"Young man, you are not to move. You are to put your eyes down look down at the carpet you are to keep your fingers interlaced behind your head you are to keep your feet crossed," Brailsford says. "If you move, we are going to consider that a threat, and we are going to deal with it and you may not survive it, do you understand me?"

"Yes sir," Shaver says.

Brailsford then orders the woman to kneel, put her hands in the air and crawl towards officers. Officers then apparently handcuff her out of the view of the camera.

Brailsford then orders Shaver to kneel, and yells for him to keep his legs crossed, to which Shaver replies, "I'm sorry."

Shaver is then seen putting his hands behind his back. The officer yells, "Hands up in the air!," and Shaver complies.

"You do that again we're shooting you, do you understand?" the officer says.

"Please, do not shoot me," Shaver is heard saying, his hands in the air.

"Then listen to my instructions!" the officer yells.

"I'm trying to just do what you say," Shaver says.

"Don't talk! Listen!" Brailsford yells. He orders Shaver to keep his hands up.

"Your hands go back in the small of your back or down, we are going to shoot you, do you understand me?" Brailsford yells.

"Yes sir," Shaver says, sobbing.

ex-mesa-ariz-cop-philip-brailsford-in-court-120717.jpg
Philip Brailsford in court on December 7, 2017 KPHO-TV

Brailsford then orders Shaver to crawl towards him, to which Shaver again says, "Yes, sir," as he cries. As Shaver inches forward, he is seen reaching toward the waistband of his shorts, and Brailsford opens fire. Brailsford said he fired his rifle because he believed Shaver was grabbing a handgun in his waistband.

The detective investigating the shooting had agreed Shaver's movement was similar to reaching for a pistol, but has said it also looked as though Shaver was pulling up his loose-fitting basketball shorts that had fallen down as he was ordered to crawl toward officers.

The investigator noted he did not see anything that would have prevented officers from simply handcuffing Shaver as he was on the floor.

During the trial, Brailsford testified that he believed 100 percent that Shaver was reaching for a gun and that if in the same situation again, he would make the same decision, KPHO says.

While no gun was found on Shaver's body, two pellet rifles related to his pest-control job were later found in his room.

Brailsford's attorney Michael Piccarreta put an arm around his client after the verdict was read.

"There are no winners in this case, but Mitch Brailsford had to make a split-second decision on a situation that he was trained to recognize as someone drawing a weapon and had one second to react," Piccarreta said. "He didn't want to harm Mr. Shaver... The circumstances that night that were presented led him to conclude that he was in danger. Try to make a decision in one second, life or death. It's pretty hard."

Piccarreta also said he wasn't sure his client would be interested in trying to get his police job back.

Shaver's widow, Laney Sweet, and Shaver's parents have filed wrongful-death lawsuits against the city of Mesa over the shooting death.

screenshot-2016-03-07-14-51-00.png
Texas man Daniel Shaver was killed in January 2016 in his hotel room while traveling for work. CBS DALLAS/FORT WORTH

Sweet shook her head "no" after the jury's decision and said she wasn't going to answer any questions. Shaver's parents didn't respond to reporters' questions as they left the courtroom.

During his trial testimony, Brailsford described the stress that he faced in responding to the call and his split-second decision to shoot Shaver.

Brailsford told jurors that he was terrified for the safety of officers and a woman who was in the hallway. He also said he felt "incredibly sad" for Shaver.

Brailsford served as a Mesa officer for about two years before he was fired for violations of departmental policy, including unsatisfactory performance.

He is one of the few police officers in the U.S. to be charged with murder for shooting someone while on duty.

The shooting occurred as police departments across the U.S. became focal points of protests over deadly encounters with law enforcement.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



WE DIDN’T GET ANY SNOW HERE, WE ALMOST NEVER DO, BUT THERE WAS AT LEAST AN HOUR’S WORTH OF LIGHTNING AND THUNDER. IT SEEMS TO BE OVER NOW. IT COULD BE THAT THE REALLY COLD WEATHER WILL MOVE IN AFTER THAT FRONT GOES THROUGH. I JUST POKED MY HEAD OUT THE DOOR, AND IT IS DEFINITELY COLD – 40S OR SO.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/snow-in-texas-san-antonio-austin-houston-atlanta-winter-weather-schools-closed-southern-u-s-panic/
CBS/AP December 8, 2017, 11:10 AM
People panic as wintry mix blankets the Deep South

ATLANTA -- Snow fell across parts of the Deep South early Friday, causing Southerners to panic and rush toward the grocery store even as forecasters predicted any accumulations would melt quickly.

The forecast called for a mix of rain and snow across several Deep South states. Parts of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi reported snow flurries before dawn. Students got an unexpected holiday as dozens of school systems closed ahead of the wintry weather.

"It's the first snow of the season and any time you even mention snow in the South, you're going to get people a little panicky," said David Nadler, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's office south of Atlanta.

In Alabama, Glenn Thompson said he didn't have any trouble getting to work early Friday at a Texaco station in the northeastern town of Heflin despite snow that was still falling.

"We probably got about an inch. As long as the temperature doesn't drop we'll be fine," said Thompson, who works in the shop. "The roads are wet but they're clear. We've still got people coming through (but) they closed schools for the day in Cleburne County."

Forecasters said ground temperatures were warm enough that the storm should bring only a fleeting brush with winter. Still, the threat of even a half inch of snow was cause for alarm in a region that doesn't see regular snowfall.

The frigid temperatures behind a cold front that combined with moisture off the Gulf of Mexico to bring the weather to parts of the South also yielded a rare snowfall in South Texas. It knocked out power to thousands, caused numerous accidents along slick roadways and also prompted schools to close.

CBS Dallas-Fort Worth reports Friday marked the first freeze for north Texas in nearly a year.

Snow and sleet fell Thursday in Laredo and other communities on the border with Mexico.

The weather band also brought snow to San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Houston and elsewhere.

In Atlanta, the morning commuter seemed lighter than usual with many people apparently opting to say off the roads. Cars moved along the interstate at a steady clip and commuter buses seemed less crowded than usual. The streets were wet, but temperatures remained in the 40s well above freezing.

Georgia road crews took no chances ahead of Friday's morning rush hour and pre-treated bridges and overpasses late Thursday with a briny water-and-salt mix against any snow or ice.

The National Weather Service said a half inch to an inch of snow is forecast across many areas of the South by Friday night. Winter weather advisories have been posted for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas. The advisories were issued for cities including Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and Birmingham, Alabama.

Weather service meteorologist Kent McMullen said the first reports of snow came in the north Georgia mountains. Snow also was reported falling early Friday in the suburbs north of Atlanta, with drizzle reported in other parts of the state.

The forecast called for rain and snow most of the day, changing to snow Friday night.

"There's a lot of uncertainty right now" about just where the snow could fall and in what amounts, Nadler cautioned.

Forecasters said the biggest chance for snow was along the Interstate 85 corridor from Alabama crossing Georgia through Atlanta and into South Carolina once the temperature begins falling. Temperatures by sundown Thursday had already begun to dip in Atlanta, where tailgating football fans shivered and huddled around small barbeque grills atop downtown parking decks before a night game between the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and the visiting New Orleans Saints.

For Friday, Nadler said, temperatures in the Atlanta area were expected to range from 35-40 degrees Friday morning with little fluctuation the rest of the day.

"We're not expecting temperatures to drop below freezing until sometime Friday evening," Nadler said.

The weather service warned that black ice was possible on roads Saturday morning with low temperatures of 20 degrees to the lower 30s.

Highs are expected to reach the 40s by Saturday afternoon with mostly sunny skies.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.


READER COMMENTS

MR. SIMONDS IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THE KILLINGS ARE NOT ONLY A CRIME, BUT THEY ARE UNNECESSARY.

Dan Simonds · Roanoke, Alabama
As always, this will cost the taxpayers millions of dollars. This cop was just waiting for an excuse to kill that boy. One of them could have handcuffed him while he was already down instead of making him do something where the odds were he would do something by mistake and get murdered. To many coward cops in this country are costing taxpayers millions of dollars.

“SADLY, THE POLICE HAVE LOST THEIR WAY.” SO TRUE! THIS OFFICER REALLY WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE AND GOADING, WHICH I SAW IN TWO OTHER VIDEOS OF THIS KIND AS WELL. THAT ISN’T NECESSARY TO CONVINCE A SUSPECT THAT HE NEEDS TO OBEY, AND BEING INHUMANE SHOULDN’T BE CONSIDERED A GOOD CHARACTERISTIC IN A “PEACE OFFICER.” WE NEED TO CALL THEM THAT, AND ONLY THAT, PERHAPS, AND WE WOULD NO LONGER BELIEVE THAT A CRUDE AND ABUSIVE MANNER IS A GOOD THING.

Bruce Gibson · Florida International University
I remember seeing "Officer Friendly" come visit the elementary school that my children attended. Does this cop look like Officer Friendly? Sadly, the police have lost their way. This man was obviously terrified and probably unable to think when confronted by this aggresive "law enforcement" officer. The cop acted like he wanted to kill him. The public are either terrified of police (I am) or filled with hate because of actions like this.
Like · Reply · 21 mins

I THINK THERE IS A GREAT DEAL THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE LIFE OF A POLICEMAN. I STILL DO BELIEVE THAT THEY AREN'T ALL BAD PEOPLE, THOUGH.

Dan Simonds · Roanoke, Alabama
This wasn`t about tactics. There were more than one cop on scene and they should have cuffed and searched him while he was on the floor. It is also a police tactic to force a perp into a situation that would give the cop reason to murder.

Jim Philippi
Murder. The guy was on the floor, arms stretched out, legs crossed. At that point couldn't an officer walk to him and make the arrest? If his training official would have done the same thing it does not bode well.
Like · Reply · 8 · 1 hr

Elijah Lynn
I agree, this isn't even just manslaughter. It is evident that he INTENDED to shoot that man. "If you make another mistake we will shoot you" what was his first mistake, stepping outside his room?

Ray Tomlinson
That dirty cop had every intention of shooting him before he came out of his room.
I cannot understand how the jury found him innocent of FIRST degree murder.
Someone got to the jury - yes jury tampering - from behind the badges in Mesa.
I can never trust another Mesa cop again. They are bullies on the street and this video has proven they are bullies and jerks from day one.
After all he told the guy he was going to shoot him - AND HE DID.
Like · Reply · 8 · 2 hrs · Edited

YES, THERE SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES FOR ATTACKING A POLICE OFFICER, BUT THERE ALSO SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES FOR UNNECESSARILY SHOOTING AN UNARMED MAN ON HIS KNEES AND WITH HIS HANDS IN THE AIR. THAT’S MURDER.

Troy Hartwell
I was a federal agent, and I was trained to say if "I will shoot you". This puts a level of seriousness into the situation and lets the bad guy know there are consequences for his/her actions.
Reply · 35 mins

I AGREE WITH BETTY. THE BLUE WALL OF SILENCE EXTENDS TO THE PUBLIC WHO ENABLE THE BAD COPS, ALSO.

Betty Braastad · University of Houston
Yes! What is so shockinng to me is that a jury wouldn't convict him!? I'm not shocked that a cop couldn't take down an unarmed man, 20 feet away from him, legs crossed and trying to crawl (presumably drunk) without shooting him. I think that I would trust a thief on the street before I'd trust this 'officer' to protect me or mine!
Reply · 1 · 33 mins

AND HERE NEXT IS THE RADICAL RIGHTIST POINT OF VIEW. THIS IS A GUY THAT I WOULDN’T WANT TO HAVE ON ANY JURY IN THE LAND. EVEN WORSE, THE SECOND COMMENTER RESPONDING TO WHAT HE SAID SHOWS THAT HARTWELL IS HIMSELF A POLICEMAN. HE IS THE ONE WHO CAPITALIZED THE PHRASE “AMERICAN CITIZEN” FOR EMPHASIS APPARENTLY. SECONDLY, THE “ILLEGAL ALIEN” WAS TRIED AND JUDGED NOT GUILTY. THAT’S THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF JUSTICE. PEOPLE ARE JUDGED ON THE BASIS OF EVIDENCE, AND THEN SET FREE IF THEY ARE FOUND NOT GUILTY. WHAT DO THESE ALT-RIGHT AMERICANS WANT ANYWAY? PUBLIC HANGINGS? STONING? BURNING AT THE STAKE? WE SHOULD ALL GO TO THE LIBRARY AND READ SOME HISTORY, ESPECIALLY THE REASONS WHY THOSE PROTECTIONS FOR CITIZENS WERE WRITTEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT WAS DIRECTLY IN RESPONSE TO THE LIVES THEY HAD EXPERIENCED IN EUROPE BEFORE THEY GLADLY LEFT.

Troy Hartwell
Juries are interesting mechanisms, look an illegal alien in California was found not guilty of shooting an American Citizen, and it was the jury that set him free from murder.
Reply · 27 mins

BERTILLI HERE CLEARLY DOESN’T LIKE POLICEMEN MUCH, BUT WHAT HE SAYS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IS CORRECT. THAT’S WHY YOU HAVE COPS GO OUT IN PAIRS. AN INTELLIGENT AND EFFICIENT COOPERATION WOULD HAVE ALMOST CERTAINLY SOLVED THE PROBLEM. I SAW A VIDEO OF A POLICE TRAINING MOMENT IN WHICH THE OFFICER USED HIS GUN IMMEDIATELY, AND THE TRAINOR SAID THAT THINGS HAPPEN TOO FAST NOT TO DO THAT, IN OTHER WORDS THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY TOLD TO DO THAT. SEVERAL OF THE VIDEOS I’VE SEEN, LIKE THIS ONE, DO LOOK MORE LIKE TARGET SHOOTING THAN SELF-PROTECTION, HOWEVER.

Rodney Bertelli
After watching the full video, it is clear that that Killer Cop could not wait to get his first kill. When the dude was face down, hands interlaced and feet crossed, one of the other keystone cops could have moved up to cuff the guy, while Mr. Trigger Happy covered him. This scenario was flawed from the beginning. Why in the world would you allow the guy to move once in that position? The answer lays in the killers dialogue when he told the guy, you move wrong I shoot you'. The cop tried and succeeded in creating the environment for the killing of an unarmed man. He forced the man to move.

FOUR COMMENTS ABOUT TRAINING ISSUES

Thomas Ashbeck · Mesa, Arizona
Real police training is so necessary. It's obviously lacking.
Like · Reply · 8 · 3 hrs

Morrison John
You can't train sadistic murderers.
Reply · 2 · 1 hr

Troy Hartwell
What type of training? what would have prevented this? Oh I know the bad guy doing exactly what he was told instead of reaching on his body where weapons are traditionally kept.

Reply · 38 mins

“OFFICERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITHOUT CAUSING THE PRESUMED SUSPECTS TO BECOME DISTRESSED TO WHERE THEY CAN'T EVEN THINK.” YES, INDEED. OFFICER COMMUNICATION AND NEGOTIATIONS ARE CRUCIAL AND WOULD BE A LIFE SAVER IF THEY WERE USED MORE OFTEN – AND IF OFFICERS WERE TRAINED MUCH MORE EXTENSIVELY IN THAT PART OF THEIR JOB. THEY AREN’T A SPECIALIZED FORM OF “HIRED GUN,” AFTER ALL, BUT A SERVANT OF ALL THE PEOPLE. I WILL USE THAT PHRASE AGAIN – “PEACE OFFICERS.”

Bob Hernandez
I believe if officers are in this type of situation that rubber bullets or bean bag or even a tazer should have been used. Officers should be able to communicate without causing the presumed suspects to become distressed to where they can't even think.
Like · Reply · 9 · 3 hrs

I AGREE THAT BEAN BAGS WOULDN’T ALWAYS BE ENOUGH, BUT THIS KILLING WAS SO CLEARLY NOT NECESSARY THAT I HAVE NO SYMPATHY WITH THE POLICEMAN.

Mark Krotz
Sure. As soon as all the criminals shooting at police promise to only use rubber bullets and bean bags.
Reply · 1 · 3 hrs

THIS COMMENT IS VERY WELL TAKEN INDEED. OFFICERS REALLY SHOULDN’T BE SO “NERVOUS” THAT THEY SHOOT AT THE DROP OF THE HAT. BESIDES, I’M NOT CONVINCED THAT FEAR IS THE REASON BEHIND MANY OF THESE CASES, BUT RATHER THE THRILL OF CAUSING INJURY – JUST LIKE WHEN MEN GO OUT WITH GUNS AND KILL DEER. IF THEY NEED TO HUNT FOR FOOD, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO REGRET THE DEATH OF THE LOVELY DEER. ATTITUDE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

Elijah Lynn
Mark Krotz The job of the police is to protect civilians, not protect themselves.
Reply · 3 · 1 hr



“TIM KAINE AFTER A DRAWN-OUT 2008 PRIMARY — MOVED TO MAKE SIMILAR CHANGES TO THE SUPERDELEGATE SYSTEM, BINDING THE VOTES TO STATE RESULTS. BY THE TIME THE PROPOSAL GOT TO THE RULES COMMITTEE, IT WAS DEAD IN THE WATER. (KAINE, CLINTON'S VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK LAST YEAR, SAID RECENTLY THAT HE'S "LONG BELIEVED" SUPERDELEGATES SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.)”

I DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TIM CAINE WHEN HILLARY NOMINATED HIM, AND I THOUGHT THAT HE LOOKED LESS STRONG THAN I LIKE. AFTER KNOWING HIM AND HEARING HIS POSITIONS ABOUT THE TRUMP/RUSSIA SCANDAL, I LIKE HIM A GOOD BIT MORE NOW, AND ON THIS MATTER OF SUPERDELEGATES, I AGREE 100%. THEY SIMPLY SHOULDN’T EXIST. THEY HAVE NO USEFUL PURPOSE EXCEPT TO CANCEL OUT THE POPULAR VOTE, UNLESS IT IS TO GIVE THE BIGGEST WIGS IN THE PARTY EVERYTHING THEY WANT.

THIS ARTICLE IS EXCELLENT, AND THE SUBJECTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I DIDN’T IN THE PAST PAY LOADS OF ATTENTION TO THE CONVENTIONS, BUT THIS TIME I HAD A HORSE IN THE RACE, AND I CARED A GREAT DEAL. MOST PEOPLE SPEAKING UP ON THIS DO BELIEVE THAT THE 2016 CONVENTION WAS UNFAIR, EVEN BEFORE THAT SUPER BIG BIT OF PULL WENT TO CLINTON. I THINK WE SHOULD LET THE POPULAR VOTE CHOOSE THE CANDIDATES DIRECTLY UNLESS SOME FORM OF DISHONESTY IS ALLEGED, OR UNLESS THERE IS A TIE, WITH THE HIGHEST VOTE RECEIVED DELINEATING THE PRESIDENT AND THE SECOND HIGHEST THE VICE PRESIDENT. THAT WOULD SAVE TIME, MONEY AND BAD TEMPERS.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/unity-commission-vote?utm_term=.osRyx7P3lo#.arrAPMJL01
The Bernie-Hillary Unity Commission Is About To Vote On Changing Superdelegates, Caucuses, And More. Here Are The Details.
Ruby Cramer
BuzzFeed News Reporter
The Bernie-Hillary Unity Commission Is About To Vote On Changing Superdelegates, Caucuses, And More. Here Are The Details.
Originally posted on December 7, 2017, at 3:44 p.m.
Updated on December 7, 2017, at 4:48 p.m.

A year and a half ago, Sanders and Clinton forces formed a commission to make the Democratic primary more fair. This weekend, they will vote on recommendations to vastly reduce the number of superdelegates, change the caucus process, and set new rules at the DNC. But that doesn't mean the changes will be adopted.

Photograph -- Lisa Lake / Getty Images

After the contentious primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Party formed the Unity Reform Commission to make the nominating process more fair. This weekend, after four meetings over the course of seven months, the commission will gather for a final time to vote on recommended changes to the superdelegate system, caucus process, voter registration, and other rules.

The proposals, guided by the commission's official mandate, are significant. Members of the 21-person commission are still finalizing the language in the report they will present this weekend, but Democrats in and around the Unity Reform group say the recommendations would effectively reduce the number of superdelegates by about 60%, require absentee voting and mandatory vote counts in caucuses, encourage states to allow same-day party and voter registration, and set new guidelines at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that the party remains neutral during presidential elections.

Still, even if the Unity Reform Commission votes in favor of the proposals, that doesn't mean the changes are guaranteed. There's still a months-long, somewhat complicated process ahead before a final vote in 2018, cast by the DNC's 447 members. The result will either widen or help shrink the divide between grassroots progressives and the party — one that DNC chair Tom Perez has so far struggled to close.

Here’s what you need to know about the Unity Reform Commission, their proposed changes, and what happens after this weekend.

First, how’d we get here?

The Clinton–Sanders primary was a hard-fought contest of policy and message that few could have predicted: Sanders, a little-known US senator from Vermont and Democratic socialist, mounted a real challenge against Clinton, a candidate with all the donors and endorsements on her side, and he almost won.

The Clinton–Sanders primary will also be remembered as a race that exposed structural flaws in the nominating process and helped ignite a deep and bitter distrust among grassroots progressives toward the DNC and its leadership in Washington.

At points, Sanders campaigned as much against the party as against Clinton, raising questions about the debate process, superdelegate system, and closed primaries. In July 2016, WikiLeaks published hacked emails from the DNC that showed an internal bias against Sanders. By early 2017, as Democrats prepared to elect a new DNC chair, every major candidate agreed that the primary process had been unfair — and required a significant fix.

Enter the Unity Reform Commission.

Clinton and Sanders allies formed the commission at the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia. Representatives from both camps — led by operatives such as Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ campaign manager, and Charlie Baker, Clinton's chief administrative officer — crafted a two-page resolution to establish the group.

Delegates unanimously approved the resolution on the floor of the convention. The resolution functions as the commission’s “mandate,” outlining specific changes to consider, as well as the process and timetable for making those changes — details hashed out at the convention as a kind of Clinton–Sanders compromise. The recommendations up for a vote this weekend largely reflect what's already in the mandate. This is key when it comes to the final vote in 2018. (More on that below.)

How will the voting work?

The commission will meet this weekend in Washington, DC. On Friday, members will discuss each proposed change, and have the chance to introduce amendments to the final report, Democrats said. Votes will take place on each individual proposal. To pass, they need a simple majority of the 21-member commission, which is made up of appointees chosen by Clinton, Sanders, and Perez.

After the vote, the next step in the process begins.

Based on which recommendations do and do not pass this weekend, the Unity Reform Commission will make revisions to their final report. The report then goes to the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee. The Rules and Bylaws Committee then has six months to put together their own report of sorts — a proposal with specific language to change the rules as they currently exist in the DNC Charter and Bylaws. After that process has concluded, the Unity Reform Commission will review the Rules and Bylaws Committee report and decide if it sufficiently reflects their own report. If they decide it does not, the original Unity Reform Commission report will still go before DNC members for a vote. If they decide it does, then the Rules and Bylaws Committee report alone will go before DNC members for the final vote.

When will the final DNC vote take place?

Probably during the party's fall meeting in 2018. There is a chance the process could conclude sooner, and the vote could take place at the DNC's spring meeting instead. But most Democrats anticipate a fall vote.

At that point, the changes need two-thirds support to pass. That's about 295 DNC members.

The proposed changes fall into four main categories: superdelegates, caucuses, voting, and "party reform."

Clinton in 2016.
Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Clinton in 2016.

1. The big one: superdelegates.

The superdelegate system has been perhaps the most contentious topic of discussion among members of the Unity Reform Commission. It's also the area where activists and Sanders supporters want to see the biggest change.

Under the current system for choosing a Democratic nominee, candidates compete in primaries and caucuses, amassing a number "pledged delegates" tied to their performance. In 2016, the candidate to hit 2,382 delegates became the nominee. Apart from the delegates decided by voters, usually around 700 people, called superdelegates, get their own unpledged delegate to award to the candidate of their choosing, regardless of voters. Superdelegates are DNC members; Democratic governors, US senators, and members of Congress; and distinguished leaders like former presidents, vice presidents, and party chairs. Their unpledged delegates make up about 30% of the 2,382 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

The Unity Reform Commission will propose a new system: The superdelegates who are elected officials and distinguished party leaders would remain unpledged delegates. In 2016, that group numbered 280 people, according to Vox. The rest, DNC members (there are 447), would keep the title of superdelegate, but their votes would be bound proportionally to the vote count in their states.

The proposal, outlined by people in and around the commission this week, would effectively eliminate about 60% of superdelegates, though not in name. (As you'll hear some Democrats joke, DNC members want to keep their lanyards.)

The idea is the same one agreed upon and proposed in the 2016 mandate. But the topic was still a source of debate this year among commission members. At the Unity Reform Commission meeting in October, one of the members leading the charge on superdelegates, former Nevada state assembly member Lucy Flores, voiced a concern about creating "two categories" of superdelegates — putting rank-and-file members and activists a step below elected officials. "Those voices should not be treated as any lesser than others," she told other commission members.

2. Caucuses.

Hillary Clinton called them "creatures of the parties' extremes." Bernie Sanders won most of them in 2016. Iowa Democrats, who host the first caucus in the nominating process each year, are dead set on protecting the process. Still, many in the party agree that the caucus system could certainly be improved, particularly to make the process more fair for lesser-known candidates.

The Unity Reform Commission will put forward a few changes.

One is a measure to make total vote counts public. This would benefit candidates who may not meet what's called the "viability threshold" in each caucus, meaning they do not receive support from 15% of caucus attendees and are therefore disqualified, releasing their supporters to go caucus for a different candidate. In 2016, for instance, Martin O'Malley did not receive enough support in many caucuses to meet the viability threshold, so he scored zero delegates. Under the new rule, that wouldn't change, but a vote count would show him with, say, 4% support, perhaps allowing him to point to some success and advance in the race.

Another change the commission is considering: absentee ballots in caucuses. The measure would address perhaps the biggest concerns about the caucus process, which are accessibility and flexibility. If voters can't show up in person to a caucus at the allotted time — because of work or family obligations — they cannot participate in the primary. Caucus absentee ballots are already available in Nebraska's Democratic caucus.

3. Voting Rules.

As of Thursday, Democrats said, there is no language in the Unity Reform Commission report about mandating open primaries, which allow voters to participate in a primary regardless of party registration. But expect to see the commission address concerns about states like New York, which make it difficult for voters to change their party registration at the last minute. Ahead of the 2016 primary there, the deadline was Oct. 9, 2015, almost 200 days before the primary. As Sanders and his aides saw it, they were missing out on a key voting bloc — 27% of eligible voters who had chosen to list themselves as independents and likely missed the registration deadline to participate in the Democratic primary.

The Unity Reform Commission will propose a system to penalize states like this, by docking their number of pledged delegates, should they not adjust deadlines.

Also expect to see language encouraging states to pursue same-day party and voter registration, and to do so through litigation if necessary.

Former interim DNC chair Donna Brazile with her new memoir.
Kamil Krzaczynski / Getty Images
Former interim DNC chair Donna Brazile with her new memoir.

4. "Party Reform."

This category is aimed broadly at making the Democratic National Committee more transparent and fair during presidential elections. Since 2016, the DNC has been a major source of resentment among progressives and Sanders supporters. Donna Brazile, the veteran Democrat who took over as interim DNC chair last year after the WikiLeaks scandal, reignited that fury last month with a new memoir, Hacks, which portrayed the primary as "rigged." In an explosive excerpt released in Politico, Brazile cited a joint fundraising agreement signed between Clinton and the DNC. That agreement gave her campaign some say in hiring and strategic decisions at the DNC before the start of the primary. (Sanders also had a joint fundraising agreement with the DNC, but his did not grant the same authority, nor did his campaign know about the terms of Clinton's agreement, former aides said.)

As such, the Unity Reform Commission has added language to their final report to address joint fundraising agreements, sources said.

They will also tackle another concern raised by Brazile's book: that the same Democratic law firm, Perkins Coie LLP, represented both Clinton's campaign and the DNC, including in matters like joint fundraising agreements. "The nexus here of a single law firm representing both sides of the equation in the Clinton campaign and the DNC — that was completely unethical," former top Sanders aide Mark Longabaugh said after the release of Brazile's memoir. Weaver, the former campaign manager, similarly described the arrangement as an "obvious conflict." Perkins Coie declined to comment on the Brazile book, or the charges from Sanders allies.

Members are looking at a rule change to prohibit vendors and consultants from working for a campaign and the DNC at the same time in scenarios where there might be a "dispute."

So, will the changes actually pass? And will they be enough?

The Democrats involved know the stakes are high. Sanders voters in particular want to see the DNC take meaningful steps toward a fair process. Still, there is precedent for "reform" committees that begin with big promises and ultimately fall short.

The "Democratic Change Commission" — formed under DNC chair Tim Kaine after a drawn-out 2008 primary — moved to make similar changes to the superdelegate system, binding the votes to state results. By the time the proposal got to the Rules Committee, it was dead in the water. (Kaine, Clinton's vice presidential pick last year, said recently that he's "long believed" superdelegates should be eliminated.)

One concern here is that the vote on reducing superdelegates comes down, in the end, to superdelegates themselves — the 447 DNC members who will either vote to strip themselves of power or keep it. But this time around, Unity Reform Commission members are more optimistic. They point to the mandate, which clearly lays out the proposed superdelegate system and was approved by delegates, including DNC members, on the floor of the convention last summer.

As Weaver put it at the last Unity Reform Commission meeting: "This was passed unanimously at the quadrennial Democratic National Convention, the highest authority in the Democratic Party — which means that every superdelegate, including all the DNC members and all the electeds, already voted for this."

Ruby Cramer is a political reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York.
Contact Ruby Cramer at ruby.cramer@buzzfeed.com.


ONE DISHONEST CLINTON DEMOCRAT HAS POSTED A SUGGESTION TO WOMEN TO FALSELY ACCUSE BERNIE SANDERS OF GROPING THEM. HER NAME IS GABY FANE. SEE THE INFORMATION BELOW. THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, OF THE LIBERAL GROUPS ANYWAY, WHO WOULD BELIEVE THAT STORY.

https://lawandcrime.com/exclusive/apparent-hillary-clinton-supporters-are-plotting-to-falsely-accuse-bernie-sanders-of-sexual-assault/
Hillary Clinton Supporters Are Apparently Plotting To Falsely Accuse Bernie Sanders Of Sexual Assault
by Colin Kalmbacher | 1:46 pm, December 8th, 2017

Apparent Hillary Clinton supporters on Twitter are plotting to falsely accuse Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) of sexual harassment in order to force his resignation.

A tweet sent at 9:14 a.m. on December 7 by Gabrielle Fane reads:

So who’s ready to be an Anonymous caller to say Bernie grabbed my waist during a selfie? All we need is 8 and we can push him out. #AlFranken

Fane’s Twitter handle is @gabyfane and her bio reads: “‘We are the ones we have been waiting for.’ – Barack Obama CA, NYC, NJ, UK, CA, PDX #StillWithHer” Notably, Fane’s bio also contains a donut emoji, which is widely understood among online left-leaning communities to be a symbol for liberals and Democrats opposed to socialists and the so-called Sanders wing of the Democratic Party.

A long-time supporter of liberal Democrats, Fane penned an election-eve Facebook post on November 8, 2016 which was decidedly anti-Trump and apparently pro-Clinton.

She wrote, in an introduction to a letter from the principal at her daughter’s school describing racist and anti-Semitic incidents, “A letter from my daughters school. For those who think that their is nothing to worry about with a Trump presidency. This is real and I hate that my child and other children have to deal with this in 2016. #trump #hillary #election2016.”

On October 31, 2016, Fane shared a video criticizing Donald Trump‘s record on LGBT issues and praising Clinton’s record.

Fane followed up her original tweet by writing, “I’m sorry but I don’t think the things @SenFranken was accused of were the sexual assault and a few of the accusers were anonymous. I know you Bernie’s like to think things have always been the same but 10ys ago things were different.”

In the aftermath of Fane’s Sanders-focused tweet being shared and harshly criticized by other users on Twitter , Fane protected her account–meaning her tweets are now no longer publicly accessible.

Many users took screenshots of Fane’s Sanders-focused tweet, however, and tweets containing those screenshots are now being heavily shared on the microblogging site. As of this afternoon, the false accusation contretemps aimed at Sanders is on the verge of becoming a viral blemish on the #metoo movement.

Many Twitter users questioned the wisdom of a campaign to falsely accuse Senator Sanders or to potentially sully the #metoo movement with such a risky venture. Many Democrats are upset about Senator Al Franken (DFL-MN) resigning after multiple women accused Franken of sexually assaulting and groping them over the years.

Upset Democrats have registered their discontent with Franken’s precipitous downfall in various ways, including: (1) suggesting Franken’s accusers are rightwing plants; (2) slut-shaming the women who have come forward; and (3) fearfully reproving those who called for Franken’s resignation out of concerns that he could be replaced by a Republican in the U.S. Senate.

The third response is curiously misplaced because Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is a progressive member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (the Minnesota-specific party that works and caucuses with the Democratic Party nationally) and will almost certainly replace Franken with a member of the same party.

But the idea of weaponizing the #metoo movement against committed left-wing politicians is a new look for the Hashtag Resistance. Though some Clinton partisans have favorably responded to the idea of falsely accusing the democratic socialist Sanders in retribution for the tanking of neoliberal Franken, most replies to Fane’s suggestion have been decidedly negative. One user wrote:


Hardcase
@roflmaoism
Replying to @gabyfane @SenFranken
I’m not even a Bernie fan but the fact that you trivialize the accusations of actual sex assault victims by encouraging false accusations, and dismiss the women who accused Franken speaks volumes about where you stand and who you enable.
10:33 AM - Dec 8, 2017
12 12 Replies 69 69 Retweets 600 600 likes
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Law&Crime reached out to Fane via Facebook and Twitter but no response was forthcoming at the time of publication.

[image via screengrab/shutterstock.com]

Follow Colin Kalmbacher on Twitter: @colinkalmbacher



MEN CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN DISRESPECTFUL EITHER VERBALLY OR PHYSICALLY TOWARD WOMEN AS LONG AS I WAS IN THE WORK WORLD – 1970 OR SO. IT’S BAD ENOUGH TO BE MOLESTED, BUT TO BE FIRED IF YOU TELL ON THE GUY IS REALLY UNACCEPTABLE, AND THAT IS WHAT ALWAYS HAS AND UNDOUBTEDLY STILL DOES HAPPEN. I WANT TO SEE MORE WOMEN FILING LAWSUITS ON THOSE GROUNDS. “HIT’M IN THE POCKETBOOK,” AS THEY SAY.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sen-bernie-sanders-calls-for-cultural-revolution-over-treatment-of-women-sexual-misconduct-congress/
By EMILY TILLETT CBS NEWS December 7, 2017, 9:01 AM
Sen. Bernie Sanders calls for "cultural revolution" over treatment of women

VIDEO – CBS NEWS INTERVIEW

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, says the U.S. needs a "cultural revolution" to change the way women are treated, reiterating his call for the resignation of Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, over new sexual misconduct allegations. He spoke about why he now believes Franken should step down on "CBS This Morning" on Thursday.

Sanders joined the chorus of more than 30 lawmakers calling for Franken to resign from the Senate after previously saying it should be up to the people of Minnesota to decide his fate. Asked about his change of heart, Sanders said, "I think the additional evidence that came forward but I think what we have got to recognize as a nation, that this is a problem impacting not only high profile men."

"What I worry about right now as I speak is that in restaurants, in offices all over this country where you have bosses that are not famous, there is harassment, women are being intimidated, and we need a cultural revolution in this country," he said.

Sanders said the current national conversation should include a "woman's right to control her own body," saying that the U.S. has "a lot of work to do to protect women's equality in this country."

When pressed on the possibility of Alabama Judge Roy Moore joining the Senate amid numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against minors, Sanders delivered a stern warning to President Trump instead.

"Let me take it a little step further. We have a president of the United States who acknowledged on a tape -- widely seen all over this country -- that he assaulted women," Sanders said. "So I would hope that maybe the president of the United States might pay attention to what's going on and also think about resigning."

Meanwhile, as the federal government faces a potential shutdown, Sanders said the Republicans would be to blame -- not Democrats, as Mr. Trump has suggested.

"It's certainly not going to be Democrats' fault. Let us all remember, last I heard Republicans control the U.S. Senate, Republicans control the U.S. House, and what is going on right now is Republicans want huge increases for military spending, but they don't want to provide another nickel to make sure we can lower student loans in this country, that we can deal with the crisis of pensions in this country," he said.

He added, "We have enormous issues we have got to deal with, and instead of giving tax breaks to billionaires, maybe it's time the Republican Party started looking at the needs of the middle class and the working class of this country."

House leaders have planned a Thursday vote on a bill that would keep federal agencies functioning through December 22 and Senate approval was expected to follow.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



WHO WANTS TO GO TO HIS OLD PARTY ANYWAY? THESE LITTLE DISCRIMINATIONS THAT HE PRACTICES MAKE HIM SEEM IMMATURE, AND THEREFORE EVEN LESS DESIRABLE AS A PRESIDENT.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-didnt-invite-democrats-in-congress-to-the-white-house-hanukkah-party-reports-say/
By REBECCA SHABAD CBS NEWS December 8, 2017, 8:26 AM
Trump didn't invite Democrats in Congress to the White House Hanukkah party, reports say


Photograph -- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leaves the chamber to meet with Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill in Washington, early on Wed., May 10, 2017. AP

President Trump did not invite Democrats in Congress to the White House Hanukkah party on Thursday evening, according to The New York Times. Their exclusion means that the overwhelming majority of Jewish lawmakers were not present.

"It's deeply unfortunate that the White House Hanukkah Party — a bipartisan event bringing together Jewish and non-Jewish leaders alike to celebrate the Festival of Lights since 2001 — has turned into a partisan affair under this administration," Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-New York, said in a statement, according to the report.

The two Jewish Republicans in Congress, Reps. David Kustoff, R-Tennessee, and Lee Zeldin, R-New York, attended the party, their offices told the Times. The 20 Jewish Democrats in Congress were not invited.

Mr. Trump also didn't invite leaders of the Reform Jewish movement, including Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism. They have largely been critical of the administration's policies. He also didn't invite officials from J Street, the pro-Israel lobbying group that supports a two-state solution.

During the event, the president celebrated his decision to formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital a day earlier.

"I know for a fact there are a lot of happy people in this room — Jerusalem," Trump said, adding that "this one will go down as especially special.

Other attendees included Vice President Mike Pence, First Lady Melania Trump, President Trump's daughter and son-in-law Ivanka and Jared Kushner, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Veterans Secretary David Shulkin.

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



IN MY HOME GROWING UP WE HAD HALF A DOZEN FRUIT TREES IN THE BACK YARD. IF WE DIDN’T PICK UP THE FRUIT FAST ENOUGH, WASPS AND BEES WOULD FIND THEM. NOT ONLY DID WE RISK BEING STUNG AT THAT POINT, BUT THE POOR INSECTS WOULD TRULY GET DRUNK, FALLING DOWN WHEN THEY TRIED TO WALK. IT SEEMS THAT MANY ANIMALS BESIDES HUMANS ARE ATTRACTED TO ALCOHOL. THIS OPOSSUM STORY IS ONE OF A KIND, THOUGH. “POSSUMS” AS THEY ARE CALLED IN THE SOUTH ARE EITHER FELT TO BE EXTREMELY CUTE OR EXTREMELY HIDEOUS. I THINK THEY’RE CUTE, BUT THEN I LIKE MICE, TOO.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/opossum-breaks-into-florida-liquor-store-gets-drunk/
AP December 2, 2017, 11:02 PM
Opossum breaks into Florida liquor store, gets drunk

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -- An opossum that apparently drank bourbon after breaking into a Florida liquor store sobered up at a wildlife rescue center and was released unharmed.

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge officials say the opossum was brought in by a Fort Walton Beach, Florida, police officer on Nov. 24. A liquor store employee found the animal next to a broken and empty bottle of bourbon.

"A worker there found the opossum up on a shelf next to a cracked open bottle of liquor with nothing in it," said Michelle Pettis, a technician at the refuge. "She definitely wasn't fully acting normal."

Pettis told the Northwest Florida Daily News the female opossum appeared disoriented, was excessively salivating and was pale. The staff pumped the marsupial full of fluids and cared for her as she sobered up.

"We loaded her up with fluids to help flush out any alcohol toxins," Pettis said. "She was good a couple of days later."

Pettis says the opossum did not appear to have a hangover.

The store owner, Cash Moore, says he never had an opossum break in before.

"She came in from the outside and was up in the rafters, and when she came through she knocked a bottle of liquor off the shelf," Moore said. "When she got down on the floor she drank the whole damn bottle."

"But it just goes to show that even the animals are impressed with Cash's," he said.

The animal was released on Thursday.

Animals doing people things

© 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.