February 21, 2018


News and Views


BILLY GRAHAM AS A YOUNG PREACHER IS ONE OF MY EARLY MEMORIES. WE WEREN'T BAPTISTS, BUT MANY OF MY FRIENDS WERE, AND HE WAS WELL-LOVED. AS FAR AS I’VE EVER HEARD, HIS NAME HAS NOT BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH ANY UNPLEASANTNESS, EITHER. HE WAS A GOOD MAN. MAY HE REST IN PEACE.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/02/21/billy-graham-americas-pastor-has-died/858017001/?csp=chromepush
Billy Graham, America's pastor, has died
Cathy Lynn Grossman, Special for USA TODAY Published 8:26 a.m. ET Feb. 21, 2018 | Updated 11:41 a.m. ET Feb. 21, 2018

Photograph -- Rev. Billy Graham died at the age of 99. He was known for his charisma, but said "I despise all this attention on me...I'm not trying to bring people to myself, but I know that God has sent me out as a warrior." USA TODAY

The world's best-known evangelist, the Rev. Billy Graham, died Wednesday. He was 99.

From the gangly 16-year-old baseball-loving teen who found Christ at a tent revival, Graham went on to become an international media darling, a preacher to a dozen presidents and the voice of solace in times of national heartbreak. He was America's pastor.

Graham retired to his mountain home in Montreat, N.C., in 2005 after nearly six decades on the road calling people to Christ at 417 all-out preaching and musical events from Miami to Moscow. His final New York City crusade in 2005 was sponsored by 1,400 regional churches from 82 denominations. In recent years, he was plagued by various ailments, including cancer and pnemonia.

He took his Bible to the ends of the Earth in preaching tours he called "crusades." Presidents called on Graham in their dark hours, and uncounted millions say he showed them the light.

"The GREAT Billy Graham is dead," President Trump tweeted Wednesday. "There was nobody like him! He will be missed by Christians and all religions. A very special man."

Photograph -- The world's best-known evangelist, the Rev. Billy Graham, has died. He was 99. He was photographed on the porch of his mountaintop cabin in Montreat, N.C., on May 12, 2005. (Photo: ROBERT DEUTSCH, USA TODAY)

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, noting Graham's humble beginnings, said that "because he yielded himself to God, he was used to accomplish the extraordinary — forever impacting the lives of countless people."

On the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance following the 9/11 attacks, Graham spoke of the "mystery of iniquity and evil," of "the lesson of our need for each other" and, ultimately, of hope.

"He was so real, he made Christianity come true," said Susan Harding, an anthropologist at the University of California-Santa Cruz. "He was homespun, historical and newsworthy all at once. He could span the times from Christ to today, from the globe to you, all in one sentence."

Remembering Rev. Billy Graham
Fullscreen
Billy Graham sits on the porch of his cabin May 12, 2005, in Montreat, N.C. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY
Legacy: How Franklin Graham took the reins from a legendary preacher

Crusades: How the evangelist reached millions
Books: A look at all the books Billy Graham wrote
Quotations: Billy Graham's most notable quotes
The unknown: 16 lesser-known facts about the legendary evangelist
Gratitude: Why almost everyone wants to say thank you to Billy Graham

Grant Wacker, a Duke University professor of Christian history, says Graham represented "what most decent churchgoing people thought and ought to think."

His reputation was untouched by sex or financial scandals. When anti-Semitic comments came to light as transcripts of conversations with Richard Nixon surfaced, Graham was promptly and deeply apologetic.

He never built a megachurch, set up a relief agency, launched a political lobby or ran for office. Yet he redefined American Protestant life by popularizing Christianity's core message — Christ died for your sins — downplaying denominational details and proclaiming the joys found in faith.

Graham was, however, drawn to power. Eventually, he met, prayed with, comforted and joked with 12 U.S. presidents. He found a fine balance that allowed him to become America's pastor, Democrat or Republican. North or South.

President Obama meets with Rev. Billy Graham at the evangelist's home, along with Graham's son and successor Rev. Franklin Graham, right. (Photo: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)

When President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky came to light, Graham called for forgiveness. Clinton told Peter Boyer of The New Yorker, "He took sin seriously. But he took redemption seriously. And it was incredibly powerful the way he did it."

Former president George W. Bush has said it was a conversation with Graham that turned him from his drinking ways when he was young.

"I've never called him on a specific issue, but his influence is bigger than a specific issue, as far as I'm concerned. He warms your soul," Bush told an ABC 20/20 special on the preacher and politics.

Graham emphasized the joy to be found in belief, in contrast to evangelists such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, who routinely issued glowering condemnations of politicians or blamed natural disasters on modern culture. However, Graham did take an uncharacteristically political stand before the 2012 presidential election. He authorized full-page ads in major newspapers in October urging people to vote for politicians who opposed same-sex marriage on "biblical principles."

He brought to the microphone a "corny but effective humor," Wacker says, which made him a convivial talk-show guest. Graham logged more than 50 radio or television interviews with Larry King alone. YouTube has a tape of Woody Allen interviewing the evangelist, who draws almost as many laughs as the caustic, agnostic comedian.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association he founded, now led by his son, Franklin, used every communications innovation possible to carry the Gospel to any willing heart on Earth. More than 214 million people in 195 cities and territories heard God's call in Graham's voice and witnessed him deliver the Gospel in person or by satellite links. His projects included founding Christianity Today magazine in 1956 and writing more than 30 books.

High among his numerous honors: The Congressional Gold Medal awarded to Billy and his beloved wife, Ruth, in 1996, the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to him in 1983 and the Templeton Foundation Prize for Progress in Religion in 1982. He even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"Fundamentalists saw him as excessively liberal, and liberals saw him as too literalist in talking about sin and salvation. His wonderful balance between them is critical to his legacy," says John Wilson, editor of Books & Culture, a sister publication of Christianity Today magazine.

Graham's last decades were slowed by illness and injury. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1989, felled by broken bones, bouts of hydrocephalus and rounds of pneumonia.

Age, illness and bone-breaking falls left him struggling to deliver 20-minute sermons.

Graham's last crusade, in June 2005 in New York City, drew 242,000 people to Flushing Meadows; 8,786 made a new commitment to Christ and thousands more renewed or rejoiced in their faith.

Then he retired to his Montreat, N.C., mountaintop log cabin home where his five children grew up mostly without their traveling father to spend his days with Ruth. They shared Bible study, devotions and an endless recycling of the movie musicals she loved to watch. Those were bittersweet days, with Ruth bedridden and Billy relying on a walker. Their frequent prayer was, "Help me, Lord."

At her funeral in June 2007, Graham called Ruth the finest Christian he ever knew.

Though Graham's shoes could likely never be filled, his son, Franklin, has taken over in some aspects — leading The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and becoming a confidant of President Trump, including speaking at his inauguration.

Billy Graham delivers a sermon at age 27. (Photo: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)

But Franklin's message has swayed from his father's, leaving a mixed legacy for the Graham name.

Franklin has mocked both Islam and LGBT rights. He uses his following on social media to raise funds for "persecuted Christians," boycotts businesses that use gay couples in advertisements and blasts the separation of church and state as the godless successor to Cold War communism.

But his father's words for years offered peace and perspective.

Billy Graham lived through the explosion of religious diversity in America, the rise of the human potential movement and the trend to personalized spirituality. He also lived to see many tire of lonely seeking or a high-minded hopscotch from church to church, religion to religion.

Yet he remained steadfast in his response. In 1996, when he and Ruth were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, he once more shared his faith in God with some of the most powerful men on Earth:

"As Ruth and I receive this award, we know that some day we will lay it at the feet of the one we seek to serve."

REMEMBERING RELIGIOUS CRUSADER BILLY GRAHAM
Evangelist Billy Graham has died at age 99 | 3:51
The Rev. Billy Graham, counselor to presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, has died at age 99. (Feb. 21) AP


INTERVIEW WITH FAMILIES OF THE FALLEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON LEGISLATIVE ACTION FROM GUN CONTROL TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. IN ONE WAY, WE’VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, BUT IN ANOTHER, THIS IS MORE CONVINCING THAN ONLY HEARING POLITICIANS SPEAK ABOUT IT. IT’S A VERY GOOD INTERVIEW.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-students-set-to-press-gun-control-case-in-state-capital/
CBS/AP February 21, 2018, 6:01 AM
Florida students pressing gun control case in state capital

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Survivors of the Florida school shooting descended on the state's Capitol on Wednesday and had one overarching message: It's time for action. The students entered a gun-friendly political climate in Tallahassee, where lawmakers have rebuffed gun restrictions since Republicans took control of both the governor's office and the Legislature in 1999.

Some tearfully asked why civilians should be allowed to have weapons such as the AR-15, which was used in the attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School exactly one week ago.

When Florida's Senate President Joe Negron heard the question, he didn't directly answer: "That's an issue that we're reviewing." When another lawmaker said he supported raising the age to buy assault-style weapons to 21 from 18, the students broke into applause.

The Florida Senate opened its session by showing pictures of all 17 victims in the attack.

Shooting at high school in Parkland, Florida

"There are some really harrowing tales here," said Democratic Sen. Lauren Book of Broward County, who helped organize busloads of students who arrived at the Capitol late Tuesday night. She stayed overnight with the students in Tallahassee's Civic Center and said they stayed up until 5 a.m., researching, writing and preparing to talk with politicians.

"It has been a very, very difficult, tough night. It's in those quiet moments that the reality of this stuff, without all the noise sets in. In any given moment, there's tears. It's raw and it's there."

About 100 students from the high school made the 400-mile trip on three buses. They told the 500 students and parents waiting for them that they were fighting to protect all students.

"We're what's making the change. We're going to talk to these politicians. ... We're going to keep pushing until something is done because people are dying and this can't happen anymore," said Alfonso Calderon, a 16-year-old junior.

Despite their enthusiasm and determination, the students and their supporters aren't likely to get what they really want: a ban on AR-15s and similar semi-automatic rifles. Republican lawmakers are talking more seriously about some restrictions, but not a total ban.

Instead, they're discussing treating assault-style rifles like the one suspected gunman Nikolas Cruz is accused of using more like handguns than long guns. That could mean raising the minimum age to purchase the weapon to 21, creating a waiting period and making it more difficult for people who exhibit signs of mental illness from buying the weapon even without a diagnosis.

Democrats attempted to get a bill to ban assault rifles and large-capacity magazines heard on the House floor on Tuesday. Republicans, who dominate the chamber, dismissed it. Students who were at the Capitol ahead of their classmates found Republicans steered the conversation away from gun restrictions.

"We're not going to be the school that got shot, we're going to be the school that got shot and made something happen. A change is going to happen," said Rachel Catania, 15, a sophomore at Stoneman Douglas.

As the grieving Florida students demanded action, President Trump on Tuesday directed the Justice Department to move to ban devices like the rapid-fire bump stocks used in last year's Las Vegas massacre. It was a small sign of movement on the gun violence issue that has long tied Washington in knots.

"We must do more to protect our children," said Mr. Trump, a strong and vocal supporter of gun rights.

The students held a rally Wednesday to put more pressure on the Legislature.

"I really think they are going to hear us out," said Chris Grady, a high school senior aboard the bus.

State lawmakers have rebuffed gun restrictions since Republicans took control of both the governor's office and the Legislature in 1999. And Florida has a reputation for expanding gun rights. In 2011, Republican Gov. Rick Scott signed a law that banned cities and counties from regulating gun and ammunition sales.

Scott organized three committees to look at school safety, mental health and gun safety issues that met Tuesday and vowed to make changes. While Scott told reporters several times that "everything is on the table," he did not answer whether his proposal would include any bans on any type of weapons.

Instead, Scott said he is interested in making it harder for people who are temporarily committed to obtain a gun. He also pledged to increase spending on school safety programs and on mental health treatment.

Authorities said Cruz, 19, had a string of run-ins with school authorities that ended with his expulsion. Police were repeatedly called to his house throughout his childhood. His lawyers said there were many warning signs that he was mentally unstable and potentially violent. Yet he legally purchased a semi-automatic rifle.

Stoneman Douglas senior Diego Pfeiffer was realistic about what change would happen before the Legislature goes home March 9, but said anything is a good first step.

"The best-case scenario is we move a step forward and that's all we're asking here. We're asking to help save student lives," he said. "Whether it's funding or mental health or gun safety or any of that sort of stuff - I am pro any of that."

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



THIS LOOKS LIKE A COPY CAT SITUATION, I THINK; BUT SOMEBODY SAW SOMETHING, SAID SOMETHING, AND THE POLICE STOPPED ANOTHER SHOOTING PLOT. THAT'S THE WAY IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/el-camino-high-school-thwarted-attack-plot-los-angeles-sheriff-officials-brief-media-live-updates/
By CRIMESIDER STAFF CBS/AP February 21, 2018, 1:40 PM
Los Angeles sheriff's officials brief media on thwarted school attack plot -- live updates

WHITTIER, Calif. -- Authorities say they've thwarted a student's plot for a mass shooting at a Southern California high school. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday that a security guard at El Camino High School in Whittier overhead a "disgruntled student" threaten to open fire on the school on Friday, just two days after 17 people were gunned down at a Florida high school.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Nicole Nishida told The Associated Press deputies discovered "multiple guns and ammunition" after searching the 17-year-old student's home.

LASD sheriff Jim McDonnell said his department takes seriously threats of violence on school campuses. School related threats are on the increase in LA county, he said.

In the El Camino case, McDonnell said a security guard overheard the student say he was going to shoot up the school sometime in the next three weeks and that a semi-automatic weapon was registered to the student's home address. Two AR-15 rifles, two handguns, and 90 high capacity military-grade magazines were found at the student suspect's home, McDonnell said.

The student was arrested on charges of making criminal threats. The teen's brother, 28, has also been arrested on weapons charges. One of the rifles was registered to the brother, but the other was unregistered, McDonnell said.

The brother claimed responsibility for having the weapons, McDonnell said. The brother said he was in the military and had shipped the weapons over from Texas, where he had been stationed, a deputy said. The weapons were found in the home unsecured near the loaded magazines, according to the deputy.

Marino Chavez, the security officer with the Norwalk La Mirada School District who reported the threat, said he felt it was important to immediately contact the sheriff's department to "possibly prevent another tragic event."

"The sheriff's department can only respond if they are told," Chavez said.

Chavez said it was after lunch break and students were returning to class when he heard the threat about a school shooting within the next three weeks. He approached the student, questioned him and brought him to the office. The student confirmed what he said, but said he was only kidding, Chavez said.

"I said, well you can't say those things on a school campus," Chavez said.

The student said he was angry with a teacher's issue about headphones in class and because wasn't allowed to go to the teacher's class the next day, Chavez said.

The Los Angeles Sheriff's office is giving an update on the case Wednesday beginning at 1:45 p.m. ET. Watch the press conference in the player above.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



THIS IS ANOTHER SAD STORY OF ADOPTIVE PARENTS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THEIR DAUGHTER’S DEATH. WE NEED MORE CAREFUL ADOPTION LAWS. THE FATHER IS IN PRISON ON AN UNSTATED CHARGE, AND THE WIFE IS NOT MENTIONED HERE. BOTH ARE NOW CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER. YOU’VE HEARD THE (UNFORTUNATE) PHRASE, “AS UGLY AS HOMEMADE SIN?” IF YOU READ THIS STORY YOU’LL SEE HOW SUCH A COMPARISON CAME ABOUT. THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN ISOLATED SETTINGS LIKE THIS CAN BE TRULY BRUTAL AND GO UNDETECTED FOR YEARS. THIS CASE CAME TO LIGHT BECAUSE HER BROTHER TOLD SOME ADULT OUTSIDE THE FAMILY ABOUT IT AND BOTH WERE ARRESTED.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/erica-parsons-case-parents-charged-with-murder-years-after-n-c-girl-vanished/
By CRIMESIDER STAFF CBS/AP February 20, 2018, 12:27 PM
Erica Parsons case: Parents charged with murder years after N.C. girl vanished

Photograph -- Erica Parsons CBS AFFILIATE WBTV

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. -- The parents of a North Carolina girl who was missing for years before her father led them to her skeletal remains in 2016 will be charged with murder, reports CBS affiliate WBTV.

A grand jury on Monday indicted Sandy and Casey Parsons on charges of first-degree murder, felony child abuse, felony concealment of death and felony obstruction of justice in the death of their daughter Erica, the station reports. Erica Parsons went missing in 2011, when she would have been 13, but wasn't reported missing until two years later by her brother.

Sandy Parsons and his wife Casey are both serving sentences in separate federal prisons after being convicted of fraud for taking federal adoption assistance money meant for the girl long after she was last seen, the station reports.

Testimony at the fraud trial unveiled a pattern of abusing Erica, who was adopted and lived with the family from 2000 until she disappeared in 2011.

parsons3.jpg
Sandy and Casey Parsons WBTV

Sandy Parsons was in prison in August 2016 when he allegedly admitted that the girl's body was "discarded" on Dec. 19, 2011, and that it could be found in Pageland, S.C., near property owned by his family, reported WBTV. A judge approved an escort team to transport Parsons from prison to help investigators locate the body, and they uncovered the girl's remains in a shallow grave the next month, the warrant said.

No plea deal was offered in exchange for the information, officials have said.

"That day in South Carolina was tough on all of us," Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten said in announcing the charges Tuesday. "I saw some pretty tough cops take it pretty rough."

The body was returned to a Rowan County for an autopsy. On Jan. 9 the autopsy report was received from the medical examiner, which Auten called critical in moving forward with the case. The report, obtained by WBTV, found that Erica died of "homicidal violence of undetermined means." The coroner wrote "we cannot exclude the possibility of a terminal blunt force injury, suffocation or strangulation."

The autopsy found the girl was malnourished and had been abused over a long period of time. Sandy Parsons has allegedly admitted his "harsh treatment" of the girl, including beating her with a belt, bending her fingers backward, locking her in a closet and choking her. According to the warrant, UNC School of Medicine Dr. Cynthia Brown called the abuse "child torture."

Auten said he was at times critical that the medical examiner's report took such a long time to complete, but said the skeletal condition of the remains and the long period of time the body had been left undiscovered made the case unusual.

Auten said the case has "haunted" the community and law enforcement for years. He said he's relieved to be able to move forward with the prosecution phase and finally seek justice for the child.

"There's people that think the Parsons should have already been hung on the square," Auten said. "But they'll have their day in court. We'll let a jury decide their fate."

He said more than anything, he was glad that the girl's remains are back in Rowan County and that she was able to have a proper burial.

"We just did not want to leave a little girl out there," Auten said. "We wanted to bring her home."

Most horrific crimes – 62 photographs

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.


UPDATES ON THE STUDENT MOVEMENT FOR GUN CONTROL

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/21/president-trump-holds-listening-session-parents-students-prevent-school-massacres/358927002/?csp=chromepush
President Trump holds listening session with parents, students to prevent school massacres
Ledyard King and Gregory Korte, USA TODAY Published 2:41 p.m. ET Feb. 21, 2018 | Updated 4:10 p.m. ET Feb. 21, 201

Video -- President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he signed a memorandum directing Attorney General Jeff Sessions to propose regulations that would ban some gun accessories, including so-called “bump stocks." Time

WASHINGTON — President Trump promised tougher background checks and mental health screens for gun buyers as he met with students, parents and teachers at the White House Wednesday to discuss ways to prevent massacres like the one at a Florida high school last week.

"It’s not going to be talk like it has been in the past," Trump said.

The meeting, billed as a "listening session," was not expected to produce any immediate policies or regulations but rather lay the groundwork for possible changes in the future.

Among those attending: Six students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where a former student with a history of mental illness used an assault weapon to kill 17 people and wound another 15 a week ago. They were accompanied by their parents, as well as students and parents from three Washington, D.C.-area schools.

"Tell us your stories. America is looking on," Vice President Pence told them. "We want to hear your hearts today. I encourage you to be candid and be vulnerable."

The president is scheduled to meet with state and local officials on school safety at the White House Thursday — and with governors on Friday — as part of an ongoing dialogue following the tragedy in Parkland.

As Trump meets with advocates in the State Dining Room, students from Parkland and other activists descended on the Florida state capital in Tallahassee to press their case for tighter gun control measures, including a a [sic] ban on many semiautomatic rifles and large-capacity ammunition magazines.

In addition, protesters from the Washington, D.C. area, gathered outside the White House Wednesday afternoon to call for more gun restrictions and chanting slogans such as, “What do we want? Gun control! When do we want it? Now!” and “Hey hey! Ho ho! The NRA has got to go!”

Anti-gun protesters rally outside the White House Wednesday. (Photo: Ledyard King, USA TODAY)

Trump's meeting Wednesday came a day after he announced the signing of a memorandum instructing Attorney General Jeff Sessions to regulate the use of bump stocks, effectively banning the use of the devices that can enable rifles to mimic automatic weapons.

Bump stocks were found among the weapons used in the Las Vegas shooting that killed 58 people Oct. 1, but were not used by Nikolas Cruz, the shooter who used an AR-15 style assault rifle as he gunned down teachers and students.

Read More: Timeline: How Congress has responded to mass shootings

Read More: Florida school shooting: Judge orders social service records for Nikolas Cruz released

"We're going to be very strong on background checks," Trump told the students and parents Wednesday, saying he's open to ideas about how to prevent mass shootings. "It’s not going to be talk like it has been in the past. It’s been going on too long. Too many instances, and were going to get it done."

Those actions may test Trump's close relationship with the National Rifle Association, which took the rare step of endorsing him for president in 2016 before he had officially captured the GOP nomination for president.

"The eight-year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end," Trump told the annual National Rifle Association convention in May. "You have a true friend and champion in the White House."

Donald Trump speaks at last year's NRA convention in Louisville, Ky. (Photo: Alton Strupp, The Courier-Journal)

Now, Trump is suggesting he's open to several modest steps that can be taken which could draw support from both sides.

One idea that's gained bipartisan approval is a proposal to raise the minimum age required to buy a semi-automatic rifle like the one Cruz, 19, was able to purchase legally last year at a Broward County gun shop.

Gun control groups have blasted Trump and the GOP-led Congress for doing little to address gun violence.

Since Jan. 1, firearms have been used to kill 2,073 people in the U.S. and wound 3,551, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that tracks incidents of gun violence from media, law enforcement, government and commercial sources.

Gun rights advocates argue that the massacre should never have happened if law enforcement officials had simply done their job and investigated numerous leads suggesting Cruz had mental illness issues.

As recently as January, the FBI received a tip about Cruz and his "desire to kill people," but the information was never forwarded for investigation, the bureau confirmed Friday.

In a written statement, the FBI said a person close to Cruz contacted the agency's tip line Jan. 5 to report concerns about "Cruz’s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting." The informant was not identified in the FBI's statement.

"Under established protocols, the information provided by the caller should have been assessed as a potential threat to life," the FBI said.

Read More: Sheriff's office got 20 past calls about shooter

Read More: Florida school shooting: Judge orders social service records for Nikolas Cruz released



NIKOLAS CRUZ’S TOTAL SUPPORT NETWORK ALL, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A GROUP, FAILED HIM, AND NOW WE WILL PROBABLY EXECUTE HIM FOR HIS “SIN.” WHERE ARE OUR HOSPITALS FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE? MEDICATION ALONE IS JUST NOT ENOUGH; TALK OR GROUP THERAPY IS IN MY OPINION NECESSARY ALSO; AUTISM AND ADHD ARE BRAIN DISEASES I THINK RATHER THAN “MOOD DISORDERS;” AND THE DRUGS, ETC. DESCRIBED IN HERE, CLEARLY WERE NOT THE BEST PRESCRIPTIONS FOR HIM OR JUST POSSIBLY, HE WAS HIDING THE FACT THAT HE WAS THROWING THE PILLS AWAY RATHER THAN TAKING THEM. ALSO, IT DOESN’T SOUND LIKE HIS MENTAL HEALTH CARE INCLUDED CLOSE MONITORING. FINALLY, THE SCHOOL HAD SEPARATED HIM FROM THE OTHER STUDENTS QUITE A FEW TIMES FOR “MISBEHAVIOR,” AND POLICE HAD BEEN CALLED TO THE HOME ABOUT HIM IN THE RANGE OF 30 TIMES. THE HUSBAND IN THE FOSTER FAMILY (OR ADOPTIVE?) SPOKE OF HIM AS “THAT MONSTER” ACCORDING TO ONE OF TODAY’S ARTICLES. SOMEHOW THAT JUST DOESN’T SOUND TO ME AS THOUGH A LOT OF GENTLE CARING WAS AVAILABLE TO HIM, AND PROBABLY THAT WAS TRUE OVER HIS WHOLE LIFETIME.

AUTISM AND ADHD ARE BOTH DISEASES WHICH MAY BE BEYOND THE ABILITY OF THE TRULY “AVERAGE” PARENT TO DEAL WITH AT ALL, AT LEAST WITHOUT ACHIEVING “CONTROL” BY ABUSIVE MEANS. DID THEY BEAT HIM PERHAPS? AND, FINALLY, DID ALL THOSE PEOPLE, FROM THE FAMILY TO THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO THE POLICE REALLY DO THEIR BEST? OR DID THEY REALLY EXPECT HIM TO JUST “STRAIGHTEN HIMSELF OUT?” “PICK YOURSELF BY YOUR BOOTSTRAPS,” SO TO SPEAK?

MENTAL ILLNESS, ESPECIALLY WITH TWO OR MORE TYPES BEING ACTIVE AT THE SAME TIME LIKE THIS, IS VERY COMPLICATED TO UNDERSTAND, MUCH LESS TO TREAT. I BELIEVE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED, AND FOR AN EXTENSIVE PERIOD OF TIME. I BELIEVE THAT MANY OF THE MENTAL HEALTH DRUGS ARE HELPFUL, BUT MORE THAN THAT USUALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE. MENTAL HEALTH CARE IS DEFINITELY “THE RED-HEADED STEPCHILD” OF THE MEDICAL FIELDS IN THIS COUNTRY. WITH LESS MONEY BEING SPENT ON IT NOW RATHER THAN MORE – MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING IS ONE OF THOSE FIELDS OF HUMAN NEEDS THAT STRIKE “CONSERVATIVE” REPUBLICANS AS BEING A WASTE OF GOOD MONEY. IT’S CLEAR TO ME THAT WE SIMPLY AREN’T WALKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I HAVE NO FAITH THAT IT IS ALL GOING TO MAGICALLY CHANGE. I CAN GO WITH THE BAPTISTS ON THIS ONE AND PRAY ABOUT IT, BUT NOT BEING RELIGIOUS, THAT SOUNDS HIGHLY INSUFFICIENT TO ME. THIS IS A VERY, VERY, VERY SAD SITUATION – SAD THAT THE STUDENTS DIED, AND SAD THAT THE KILLER NEVER REALLY GOT A CHANCE TO LIVE. IT’S SAD, TOO, THAT THE GOOD PEOPLE IN THE USA CAN’T BRING THEMSELVES TO DISAPPOINT THE NRA, KKK, GUN FANCIERS, MILITIAS, AND LAST BY NOT LEAST, THE PARANOID CORE OF THAT MOVEMENT, BY BANNING THOSE RAPID-FIRE WEAPONS, WHETHER SEMI OR FULLY AUTOMATIC.

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Judge-Releasing-Confidential-DCF-Records-on-Parkland-Suspect-Nikolas-Cruzs-Past-474510303.html
CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING
DCF: Parkland Shooting Suspect Was Receiving Treatment, Medication When Probe Closed
The investigation was opened in September of 2016 after concerns Cruz was cutting his arms and posting about it on Snapchat
By Dan Krauth

Video – protest and students speaking, 8:37 duration

The Florida Department of Children and Families released further details after a judge granted an order to unseal a confidential report into Parkland school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz’s past that details him cutting his arms on social media and stating his intention to buy a gun.

DCF released the details Monday night. The agency said its Adult Protective Services division was called on Sept. 28, 2016, to investigate allegations that he was being victimized by his mother.

DCF said it found "no indicators of abuse or neglect as alleged" after an investigation involving mental health counselors, school personnel and law enforcement who had contact with Cruz.

The department also said that Henderson Behavioral Health, an independent organization, told DCF that Cruz was receiving mental health treatment services and that he was taking medication.

DCF Releasing New Details on School Shooting Suspect[MI] DCF Releasing New Details on School Shooting Suspect
The Florida Department of Children and Families is releasing new details from a 2016 report on Nikolas Cruz, the teen accused of killing 17 in a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. NBC 6's Dan Krauth reports.(Published Monday, Feb. 19, 2018)
DCF said it they received reports that Cruz did not own a firearm at the time, adding that Cruz lived with his mother and regularly attended school.

“DCF is absolutely heartbroken and disgusted by last week’s tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Once we learned that the shooter had involvement with the agency in 2016, we immediately began the process of asking a court to release these records detailing DCF’s only involvement with this person. We also conducted a thorough review to confirm that all processes and procedures were followed. In these investigations, DCF relies on the expertise of mental health professionals and law enforcement and these records show that DCF took the steps to involve these partners in investigating this alleged abuse. Cruz was receiving mental health services before, during, and after our investigation was closed, he was living with his mother, and attending school. Our focus will continue to be on working with our partners to best serve Florida’s communities.”

DCF emphasized that the investigation it carried out was "the only direct interaction DCF had with this individual."

Family Who Took in Suspected Parkland School Shooter Speaks

The investigation was opened after Cruz argued with his mother, according to the report. Lynda Cruz, who died in November 2017, was concerned. Video was found of Cruz cutting his arms and posting about it on Snapchat.

The summary of the report shows DCF investigated Cruz, who had just turned 18, as a “vulnerable adult due to mental illness." The report said he "...was on Snapchat cutting both of his arms,” and had “plans to go out and buy a gun."

According to the report, his mother said his behavior was the result of a breakup with a girl she said was cheating on Cruz.

The report also indicated that in 2015, Cruz had a book bag with hate signs including "I hate n----s."

According to the report, Cruz admitted to a counselor “that he was feeling depressed.” His mother had told investigators that he suffered from ADHD and autism.

The report also showed a crisis clinician from Henderson Mental Health determined Cruz was not a risk to himself or anyone else. “No other referrals or services were needed,” the Florida Department of Children and Families concluded.

2 More Parkland School Shooting Victims Laid to Rest

After three months of investigating, the report was closed finding “no indicators to support the allegations of inadequate supervision or medical neglect.”

DCF petitioned for the full report to be released.

"We don’t want to be the one party at the table, who looks like they’re hiding something or got something to hide, because we absolutely do not," attorney John Jackson, who is representing the Department of Children and Families, said at a hearing over the report.

DCF Releasing New Details on School Shooting Suspect[MI] DCF Releasing New Details on School Shooting Suspect

Video -- The Florida Department of Children and Families is releasing new details from a 2016 report on Nikolas Cruz, the teen accused of killing 17 in a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.(Published Monday, Feb. 19, 2018)

A Broward County circuit court judge ruled the public has a right to know the details of the full investigation and ordered the documents be released after redacting the names of DCF workers.

Cruz, 19, is facing murder charges in last week's shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that claimed 17 lives.

Get the latest from NBC 6 anywhere, anytime


N O T A N A C T O R ! ! FOR INFORMATION ON “CRISIS ACTORS” – SEE FACEBOOK POST AND WIKIPEDIA BELOW.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/david-hogg-shooting-survivor-responds-to-being-called-an-actor/
CBS NEWS February 21, 2018, 10:39 AM
Shooting survivor responds to being called an "actor"

David Hogg, who survived last week's mass shooting at a Florida high school, has become an outspoken voice in the national gun control debate. Now, he is responding to unsubstantiated allegations that he is an "actor."

"I'm not an actor in any sense, way, shape or form," Hogg, 17, told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Tuesday. "I am the son of a former FBI agent, and that is true. But as such, it is also true that I ... go to Stoneman Douglas High School and I was a witness to this."

"I'm not a crisis actor," he said. "I'm somebody that had to witness this and live through this, and I continue to have to do that."

Tampa Bay Times' Washington bureau chief, Alex Leary, said Tuesday that an aide to a Florida state lawmaker sent him an email saying two kids in a picture "are not students here but actors that travel to various crisis when they happen." One of those pictured was Hogg.


Alex Leary
✔
@learyreports
An aide to state Rep. Shawn Harrison, using state email, sent me this: "Both kids in the picture are not students here but actors that travel to various crisis when they happen." http://bit.ly/2EIDaGp

4:27 PM - Feb 20, 2018

Florida lawmaker’s aide fired after saying outspoken Parkland students are actors
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the full version of events that occurred Tuesday since the original post about how Parkland students were coming under attack for their outspok...

tampabay.com
6,996
7,961 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Leary and Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson reported that the aide, Benjamin Kelly, was asked for backup to his allegation. He then sent another email, which had a link to a conspiracy video on YouTube. The video showed Hogg in California. Conspiracy theorists have asked what Hogg was doing in another state, and some have called him a "crisis actor," Leary and Wilson report.

Kelly was apparently fired Tuesday by Rep. Shawn Harrison, R-Tampa.

"Tonight Mr. Kelly was terminated from his position as my District Secretary," Harrison tweeted. "I am appalled at and strongly denounce his comments about the Parkland students. I am again sorry for any pain this has caused the grieving families of this tragedy."


Shawn Harrison
@Shawnfor63
Tonight Mr. Kelly was terminated from his position as my District Secretary. I am appalled at and strongly denounce his comments about the Parkland students. I am again sorry for any pain this has caused the grieving families of this tragedy.

7:09 PM - Feb 20, 2018
5,029
3,145 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Hogg previously told CBS News he was in an environmental science class "when the first gunshot echoed through the hallways."

"We never had an active shooter drill at my school, and though we did talk about what to do in this type of situation, nothing could have prepared us for this," he said.

"Politicians and, more importantly, the American public must take action if we're going to prevent the next shooting," he said.

Speaking to Anderson Cooper, Hogg said he is not against the Second Amendment.

"I want every American to be able to own a gun that has a mentally stable mind -- a person that has a credible background, that doesn't have any previous like major convictions, and somebody that's not going to go out and commit these atrocities, because those are the people that are at fault here," he said.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



WHAT ARE “CRISIS ACTORS? THIS EXPLANATION COMES FROM MY FACEBOOK FRIEND. IT SEEMS THAT IN 2000 IN THE GEORGE W BUSH V GORE ELECTION, THE REPUBLICANS REALLY DID HIRE ACTORS TO STAGE AN INDIGNANT “PROTEST” AGAINST THE GORE DEMAND FOR A RECOUNT, AND STORMED THE ROOM WHERE IT WAS BEING HELD, FILLING IT UP. THE LEGITIMATE AUTHORIZED POLL WATCHERS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GET INSIDE TO DO THEIR JOB. THAT’S ANOTHER REPUBLICAN DIRTY TRICK. HOW COULD I POSSIBLY ADMIRE THOSE PEOPLE? SEE DEBORAH HARRISON VAN NESS’S COMMENT:

FACEBOOK:

Deborah Harrison Van Ness Apparently, there was an actual historical instance of "crisis actors" inserting themselves into American politics. That would be the "outraged citizens" (Republican operatives) who mobbed the Florida voting recounts in the travesty of justice that gave George W. Bush the presidency over Al Gore.



I ONLY RECOGNIZE ONE NAME IN THE BROOKS BROTHERS RIOT DISCUSSED BELOW, BUT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT ONE – ROGER STONE. WHERE DID HE POP UP AGAIN? IN THE EQUALLY UGLY TRUMP CAMPAIGN AS A SELF-DESCRIBED AND APPARENTLY PROUD “GOP HIT-MAN.” I GUESS WE ALL WANT DIFFERENT THINGS OUT OF LIFE.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooks_Brothers_riot
Brooks Brothers riot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Brooks Brothers riot was a demonstration at a meeting of election canvassers in Miami-Dade County, Florida, on November 22, 2000, during a recount of votes made during the 2000 United States presidential election. The name refers to a traditional brand of suits associated with conservative business dress.

The demonstration

Hundreds of paid GOP operatives descended upon South Florida to protest the state's recounts,[1] with at least half a dozen of the demonstrators at Miami-Dade paid by George W. Bush's recount committee.[2] Several of these protesters were identified as Republican staffers and a number later went on to jobs in the Bush administration.[3]

The "Brooks Brothers" name is a reference to the protesters' corporate attire; described as "50-year-old white lawyers with cell phones and Hermès ties", the astroturfing protesters were corporate-sponsored and flown in, as opposed to being local citizens concerned about counting practices.[4][2]

The demonstration was organized by Republican operatives, sometimes referred to as the "Brooks Brothers Brigade",[5] to oppose the recount of ballots during the Florida election recount. Realizing that they could not meet a court-ordered deadline, the canvassers decided to limit the recount to the 10,750 ballots rejected by computer, and moved the counting process to a smaller room closer to the ballot-scanning equipment to speed up the process, while restricting media access to 25 feet away while they continued. Republicans objected to this change of plans and insisted the canvassers must do a full recount. At this time, New York Rep. John Sweeney told an aide to "Shut it down."[2][4][6] The demonstration turned violent and according to The New York Times, "several people were trampled, punched or kicked when protesters tried to rush the doors outside the office of the Miami-Dade supervisor of elections. Sheriff's deputies restored order." DNC aide Luis Rosero was kicked and punched. Within two hours after the riot died down, the canvassing board unanimously voted to shut down the count, in part due to perceptions that the process wasn't open or fair, and in part because the court-mandated deadline was impossible to meet.[7][8][9]

The controversial incident was set in motion by John E. Sweeney,[10] a New York Republican who was nicknamed "Congressman Kick-Ass" by President Bush for his work in Florida.[11] Sweeney defended his actions by arguing that his aim was not to stop the hand recount but to restore the process to public view.[12] Some Bush supporters did acknowledge they hoped the recount would end. "We were trying to stop the recount; Bush had already won," said Evilio Cepero, a reporter for WAQI, an influential Spanish talk radio station in Miami. "We were urging people to come downtown and support and protest this injustice." A Republican lawyer commented, "People were pounding on the doors, but they had an absolute right to get in."[7] The protest prevented official observers and members of the press from getting in.[9][13]

PARTICIPANTS
A PARTIAL LIST:[3]

Roger Stone,[14] a self-described "GOP Hitman"[15] and former member of Nixon's Committee for the Re-Election of the President
Matt Schlapp, a former House aide who became the White House political director during the Bush administration
Garry Malphrus, who became deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council during the Bush administration
Rory Cooper, a former staffer for the National Republican Congressional Committee
Tom Pyle, a former Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) staffer
Roger Morse, a former House aide who became a lobbyist
Duane Gibson, a Don Young aide on the House Resources Committee who worked for Ted Stevens, then became a lobbyist associated with Jack Abramoff.[16]
Chuck Royal, legislative assistant to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)
Layna McConkey Peltier, a former Senate and House aide.[17]
Kevin Smith, a former GOP House aide
Steven Brophy, a former GOP Senate aide to Senators Fred Thompson, Bill Frist, and in 2003, Representative Marsha Blackburn. Currently V.P. at Dollar General.[18]
Jeff Bloemker, also a former aide to Sen. Thompson (R-TN)


ROGER STONE IN HIS SERVICES TO DONALD TRUMP

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/roger-stone-donald-trump-julian-assange_us_58bc24cae4b0d2821b4ec16c
POLITICS 03/05/2017 11:31 am ET Updated Mar 06, 2017
Former Trump Adviser Roger Stone Admits Collusion With WikiLeaks, Then Deletes It
The former adviser to Trump’s campaign previously claimed he had “back-channel communication” with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
By Marina Fang

Roger Stone, a confidant to President Donald Trump and former adviser to his campaign, acknowledged late Saturday that he had a “back channel” to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, amid mounting reports that multiple advisers to Trump’s campaign had undisclosed communication with Russian officials.

View image on Twitter

Holo Armor Battle Rhino
✔
@kristoncapps
Here's the screengrab of Roger Stone admitting the Trump campaign colluded with Asange and Wikileaks (I know, real stunner)

12:28 AM - Mar 5, 2017
1,128
1,285 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy

”Never denied perfectly legal back channel to Assange who indeed had the goods on #CrookedHillary,” Stone wrote Saturday night.

Stone later deleted the tweet, along with several other offensive tweets, including posts where he called various women “fat [and] stupid” and “you stupid ignorant ugly bitch.”

View image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on Twitter

Liam Stack
✔
@liamstack
Here are some things Trump advisor Roger Stone spent Saturday night saying to random people on Twitter

12:30 AM - Mar 5, 2017
12K
9,646 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy

View image on TwitterView image on Twitter

Lili Loofbourow
✔
@Millicentsomer
Here are the tweets Roger Stone deleted.

12:27 AM - Mar 5, 2017
10.8K
8,703 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Stone admitted in October that he had “back-channel communication with Assange” after WikiLeaks began releasing the hacked emails of John Podesta, campaign chairman for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

“I do have a back-channel communication with Assange, because we have a good mutual friend,” Stone said in October. “That friend travels back and forth from the United States to London and we talk. I had dinner with him last Monday.”

Stone denied having direct contact with Assange himself.

In August, even before the emails were released, Stone alluded to “PODESTA’S TIME IN THE BARREL.”]*

Trust me, it will soon the Podesta’s time in the barrel. #CrookedHillary

— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) August 21, 2016

Last week, Stone sneered at the ongoing FBI investigation into the Trump team’s ties to Russia, calling it a “witch hunt.”

“Sure, they’ll get my grocery lists,” he said. “They may get the emails between my wife and I, but here’s what they won’t get ― any contact with the Russians.”

The New York Times reported last month that Stone is one of several Trump advisers under FBI investigation for contact with Russian officials.

But Stone denied that he was being investigated, telling NBC that “they won’t find anything of this nature.”

“They’d be pretty bored if they wanted to look at my e-mails or transmissions because they won’t find anything of this nature,” he said. “I have no Russian clients. I’ve never been in touch with anyone in Russia.”

Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Here’s how.

HuffPost
BEFORE YOU GO
PHOTO GALLERY
Trump’s First 100 Days

Marina Fang
Reporter, HuffPost


[ABOUT THAT CURIOUS TURN OF PHRASE NEAR THE END OF THE STORY ABOVE, “PODESTA’S TIME IN THE BARREL.”* --

IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW WHAT THESE MYSTIFYING THINGS, THAT THE RICH AND FAMOUS MEN SAY WHEN THEY AREN’T IN FRONT OF A CAMERA, OR THEIR MOTHER, COULD ACTUALLY MEAN. THIS ONE IS EXPLAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE, BUT I WARN YOU, IT’S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST SICK/DIRTY/STOOPID THINGS THAT I’VE EVER SEEN. IT WILL BE TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO IMAGINE IT ON YOUR OWN, SO IF YOU REALLY HATE SUCH BEHAVIOR, DON’T GO TO URBAN DICTIONARY HERE. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Barrel%20Boy]



AFTER THAT LAST ONE, I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO “CLEANSE YOUR PALLET.” THE FATHER OF OUR COUNTRY, GEORGE WASHINGTON, MAY HAVE HAD A SECRET RELATIONSHIP, OR AT ANY RATE SOMEONE WHO WAS VERY CLOSE TO HIM, SUCH AS A CHILD, OR PERHAPS A COLLECTOR. THIS LOCK OF WASHINGTON’S HAIR WAS ACQUIRED BY A COLLECTOR, AND THEN IT WENT TO THE LIBRARY TUCKED INTO A BOOK, AND WAS PROBABLY FORGOTTEN. WHAT A NICE THING TO FIND!

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/16/586368906/n-y-college-says-forgotten-book-reveals-lock-of-george-washingtons-hair
AMERICA
N.Y. College Says Forgotten Book Reveals Lock Of George Washington's Hair
February 16, 20182:14 PM ET
AMY HELD

Photograph -- Union College says it recently stumbled across a surprising find in its archive: a lock of George Washington's hair.
Matt Milless/Union College

Apocryphal stories about our nation's first president abound.

Wooden dentures? Experts say disabusing the public of this myth is like ... well, pulling teeth. (And George Washington did have several pulled, having suffered mightily from dental problems.)

Cherry tree tale? A young George is said to have been unable to fib about chopping into his father's plant with a hatchet. A good story, but again, experts say they cannot tell a lie. It never happened.

And yet Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., says it has made an incredible and, experts believe, real find: a lock of George Washington's hair inside a "long-forgotten book." (The notion that he wore a wig is another myth, the onetime redhead actually powdered his long hair.)

Archivist John Reznikoff, who has earned a Guinness World Record for his celebrity hair collection, told the school, "Without DNA, you're never positive, but I believe it's 100 percent authentic."

The long-buried treasure was uncovered after an archivist surveying the school's oldest books in its Schaffer Library came across a leather almanac called Gaines Universal Register or American and British Kalendar for the year 1793.

The book's owner is believed to be Philip J. Schuyler. His father, Gen. Philip Schuyler is a school founder and one of Washington's close friends, having served under him in the Revolutionary War.

Union College says the hair was found in an envelope tucked between the pages of a 1793 leather almanac.
Matt Milless/Union College

The school's catalog librarian then found a series of handwritten notes tucked between the pages of the almanac, including a slim yellowed envelope inscribed: "Washington's hair, L.S.S. & G.B.S (crossed out) from James A. Hamilton given him by his mother, Aug. 10, 1871."

"At which part, I paused," Catalog Librarian John Myers told The Washington Post. He thought, "Not the Washington Washington's hair."

A peek inside revealed several strands tied together with a thread.

"It's kind of this very curious yellow-gray hair," Myers said. "I'm like, I'm no expert, but that really feels like the real deal."

View image on TwitterView image on Twitter

SmithsonianLibraries
✔
@SILibraries
We've found at least 2 flies and zero locks of George Washington's hair. @SchafferLibrary you've got us beat!

George Washington's Hair Discovered in Book: http://ow.ly/1fj930ip3rv

1:22 PM - Feb 14, 2018
57
19 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Susan Schoelwer, who is the Robert H. Smith senior curator at Mount Vernon, Washington's estate, says proving it is the real deal can be a problem. If the hair was cut, it won't contain the follicle — the part most easily tested. And if the shaft of the hair is tested, it can destroy the sample.

Schoelwer says short of DNA evidence, experts look at provenance.

The school, with the help of scholars, has come up with a theory: Washington's hair was given to family friends the Hamiltons — Alexander was part of Washington's Cabinet. James Hamilton, Alexander's son and Gen. Schuyler's grandson, then gave the envelope to his granddaughters, Louisa Lee and Georgina Schuyler. Remember, the initials on the envelope are L.L.S and G.B.S. and the school says the letters appear to match James Hamilton's handwriting.

"The Hamilton family gives it a good bit of credibility," Schoelwer says, although she is unable to authenticate the school's claim.

Taking the Boring Out of George Washington
NATIONAL
Taking the Boring Out of George Washington

But it seems like G.W. was doling out his locks like candy.

Schoelwer says Mount Vernon has five dozen hair samples that are reported to have come from Washington's head.

"It was a way of preserving a memento of someone," she said. "Usually hair was given out to close family and friends. But because of Washington's fame, a lot of people wanted it. When he died, they cut off his hair to give to people."

The school says it is unsure how Philip J. Schuyler's almanac, with the hair inside, wound up in their archives.

Plans for a public display are in the works.

"It is a way of feeling like you are in touch with a tangible connection to the man who is regarded as the indispensable figure in the founding of our country," Schoelwer says. "And I think that it's very very powerful."



http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43131795
Alex van der Zwaan arrives at the FBI's offices in Washington before Tuesday's court hearing
A lawyer has admitted making false statements to investigators examining links between Donald Trump's election campaign team and Russia.

Court documents accuse Alex van der Zwaan, 33, of making false statements when questioned about his work for Ukraine's Ministry of Justice.

He is the 19th person to be charged by special counsel Robert Mueller.

On Friday, 13 Russians were charged with tampering in the 2016 US election.

What is the accusation?

The charge against van der Zwaan make no reference to Mr Trump's 2016 election campaign.


Van der Zwaan appeared in court in Washington DC on Tuesday and the judge set sentencing for 3 April.

Court papers levelled the following accusations against him:
◾He deleted or did not produce emails sought by the special counsel's office
◾He made a false statement about when he was last in contact with "Person A", who has not been identified
◾He made a false statement about when he was last in contact with former Trump aide Rick Gates, who has already been charged by the special counsel with conspiracy to launder money

Mr Gates and his former colleague Paul Manafort, who went on to become Mr Trump's campaign chief, have also been charged by the special counsel with acting as "unregistered agents" of Ukrainian politician Viktor Yanukovych and his party.

Mr Yanukovych was a bitter rival of of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and defeated her to become president in 2010. He was later ousted.

Court documents say van der Zwaan worked for a firm tasked in 2012 with preparing a report for Ukraine's Ministry of Justice on the trial of Ms Tymoshenko.

Ms Tymoshenko was jailed the year before for criminally exceeding her powers, charges she said were politically motivated.

The legal firm's report concluded her trial was justified and that due process was followed.
◾Trump Russia affair: Key questions answered
◾Who's who in Russia scandal?
◾What does the special counsel do?

Who is Alex van der Zwaan?

The Dutch citizen works for the New York law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom based in London.

Last year, he married the art critic Eva Khan, whose father German Khan co-founded the Alfa Group, one of Russia's largest investment groups.

An article on their wedding in the Russian edition of Tatler magazine last year said that Van der Zwaan had Russian roots and worked with Russian oligarchs.

What else is happening?

On Friday, it was announced that 13 Russians had been charged by Mr Mueller. They are alleged to have posed as Americans, and opened financial accounts in their name, as well as organising and promoting political rallies within the United States.

Russia's foreign minister dismissed the charges as "blather" and President Trump said it was proof that there was no collusion between his camp and Russia.


MADDOW MUSINGS -- http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show

THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 2/20/18
Trump asks DoJ for recommendations on bump stock regulation
Rachel Maddow reports on Donald Trump pushing the Department of Justice for ways to regulate bump stocks by executive order instead of legislation from Congress. Duration: 1:21


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 2/20/18
Nepotism likely to save Kushner in White House security crackdown
Rachel Maddow reports on new confusion in the White House as a new policy of enforcing security clearances appears to be in conflict with the continued employment of the still-not-cleared Jared Kushner. Duration: 3:05


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 2/20/18
Americans google Alex van der Zwaan as Mueller issues new charges
Rachel Maddow reviews recent Ukrainian political history by way of explaining new charges in Robert Mueller's Trump Russia investigation against a lawyer who is also the son-in-law of a Ukranian-Russian oligarch, Alex van der Zwaan. Duration: 20:37


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 2/20/18
Mueller catches lawyer lying, brings new charges
Rachel Maddow reviews recent Ukrainian political history by way of explaining new charges in Robert Mueller's Trump Russia investigation against a lawyer who is also the son-in-law of a Ukrainian-Russian oligarch, Alex van der Zwaan. Duration: 5:02


HELP THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 2/20/18
Mueller follows the money overseas back to Washington
Ken Vogel, political reporter for The New York Times, talks with Rachel Maddow about the themes becoming visible in what is known so far about Robert Mueller's investigation. Duration: 4:37


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 2/20/18
US State Dept suggests asking Russia about US State Dept business
Rachel Maddow updates viewers on the search for answers about a visit to the U.S. but Russia's top spy officials. In the case of whether the State Department gave the sanctioned GRU chief, Igor Korobov, a travel waiver, State directed TRMS to get the answer from Russia. Duration: 4:50


HELP THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 2/19/18
New White House security rule could force Kushner, others out
Rachel Maddow looks at how a new White House rule to remove people who haven't been granted permanent security clearance from White House jobs could snare Jared Kushner and many others. Duration: 20:45


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 2/19/18
Students react to gun massacre with swell of #NeverAgain activism
Cameron Kasky, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, talks with Rachel Maddow about the impassioned gun safety activism he and his fellow students have engaged through the founding of the #NeverAgain movement and the upcoming March For Our Lives. Duration: 7:48