Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins died early Saturday morning after being hit by an automobile.
<a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33706232/pittsburgh-steelers-qb-dwayne-haskins-dies-being-hit-car">According</a> to ESPN, Haskins “was struck by a dump truck while he was walking on a South Florida highway.” He was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene, as the accident resulted in Interstate 595 being shut down for several hours.
“He was just walking on the highway and got hit,” <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2022/04/09/steelers-qb-dwayne-haskins-killed-in-auto-accident/50047393/">said</a> Lt. Indiana Miranda, a spokesperson with the Florida Highway Patrol, per The Associated Press.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette <a href="https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2022/04/09/dwayne-haskins-pittsburgh-steelers-car-accident/stories/202204090034">reported</a>, “Haskins, 24, was in Florida training with other Steelers teammates, including quarterbacks and wide receivers. According to a team source, he was apparently headed to the airport to return to Pittsburgh when the accident occurred.”
“I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement. “He quickly became part of our Steelers family upon his arrival in Pittsburgh and was one of our hardest workers, both on the field and in our community. Dwayne was a great teammate, but even more so a tremendous friend to so many. I am truly heartbroken.”
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We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Dwayne Haskins. 
May he rest in peace. <a href="https://t.co/PsDEx9RI5J">pic.twitter.com/PsDEx9RI5J</a>
&mdash; Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) <a href="https://twitter.com/steelers/status/1512837750738751490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Haskins attended Ohio State University and was the second runner-up for the 2018 Heisman Trophy. He was the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, chosen by the Washington Redskins, which has since changed its name to the Washington Commanders. He spent two seasons in Washington before being released by the team in 2020. Haskins signed with the Steelers and backed up two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger last season. Roethlisberger announced his retirement in January, and Haskins was expected to compete for the starting QB position this year.
“The world lost a great person today,” tweeted Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt. “When Dwayne first walked into the locker room I could tell he was an upbeat guy. He was always making people smile, never taking life for granted. His impact on me will last…forever.”
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The world lost a great person today. When Dwayne first walked into the locker room I could tell he was an upbeat guy. He was always making people smile, never taking life for granted. His impact on me will last a forever.
&mdash; TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) <a href="https://twitter.com/_TJWatt/status/1512822837446426625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In a statement released Saturday morning, Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said he was “absolutely heartbroken to hear the news,” describing Haskins as “a talented young man who had a long life ahead of him.”
“I know I speak for the rest of our team in saying he will be sorely missed,” said Rivera. “Our entire team is sending our heartfelt condolences and thoughts and prayers to the Haskins family at this time.”
Dan and Tanya Snyder, co-owners of the Washington Commanders, issued a joint statement describing Haskins as “a young man with a tremendous amount of potential who had an infectious personality.”
Urban Meyer, who coached Haskins in college, <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachUrbanMeyer/status/1512828045828280325">called</a> him “one of the greatest QB’s in Ohio State history, but an even better son, teammate, and friend.”

PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 21:  Dwayne Haskins #3 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to pass during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field on August 21, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Dies After Being Struck By Vehicle While Walking On Highway

Pittsburgh

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva – who describes himself as “a proud Democrat” – has endorsed a Republican running to become California’s Attorney General, the top law enforcement officer in the nation’s most populous state.
Villanueva appeared at a press conference on Thursday morning to show his support for Nathan Hochman, a moderate Republican who was appointed to serve as Assistant U.S. Attorney General in 2008 by then-President George W. Bush.
Hochman is running against incumbent Rob Bonta, a progressive Democrat closely aligned with the criminal justice reform movement.
“I’m a supporter of Nathan’s because it’s time we get serious about reducing crime, ending homelessness, and holding those in power accountable when they abuse that power or engage in corruption,” said Villanueva. “I want a partner at the state attorney general’s office … that will actually hold criminals accountable. We also need smart and intelligent leaders who can help law enforcement across the state and target and arrest the most notorious criminals, get guns off the streets, and investigate major crime sprees and political corruption.”
Bonta’s office is currently reviewing several investigations conducted by Villanueva’s department. An L.A. County official <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-01/attorney-general-sheriff-public-corruption-unit">claimed</a> in a letter to Bonta that the sheriff had “used these investigations to discourage legitimate oversight of himself and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and to retaliate against any public official who criticizes him or the Sheriff’s Department.”
Many California insiders expect the AG race to be a referendum on so-called “reform-minded” prosecutors in the state, notably L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón and San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Hochman claims AG Bonta, Gascón, and Boudin have “formed an alliance,” describing the trio as “The Let ‘Em Go Guys,” referencing their progressive policies he says have “emboldened criminals and hurt victims.” Law enforcement groups have criticized them for being “soft on crime” and advocating for strict oversight of police officers.
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LET ‘EM GO GUY AG Bonta and his fellow LET ‘EM GO GUYS DAs Gascon and Boudin have formed an alliance that has emboldened criminals and hurt victims. We need to let them go and bring in someone who will do the job <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NathanHochmanforAG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NathanHochmanforAG</a> <a href="https://t.co/VIa1RRT5O3">pic.twitter.com/VIa1RRT5O3</a>
&mdash; Nathan Hochman (@NathanHochmanAG) <a href="https://twitter.com/NathanHochmanAG/status/1500322132026281992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“Rob Bonta is a supporter of George Gascón and Chesa Boudin, and their philosophies in their district are, ‘Don’t put people in jail who’ve committed violent and serious offenses for the full extent of the law,’” Hochman <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/AG-Rob-Bonta-calls-himself-the-people-s-16285805.php">told</a> the San Francisco Chronicle last year.
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Proud to support <a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeGascon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GeorgeGascon</a> for Los Angeles County District Attorney! He is a powerful and courageous reformer who will infuse our criminal justice system with more compassion, humanity, and safety! <a href="https://t.co/D8mTmC2EqS">pic.twitter.com/D8mTmC2EqS</a>
&mdash; Rob Bonta (@RobBonta) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobBonta/status/1232884696876339200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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During Thursday’s press conference, Hochman committed to Sheriff Villanueva to be a staunch ally of law enforcement if elected California’s top cop.
“I’m not going to defund the police,” vowed Hochman. “I will provide more funds to the police so that they can do a better job, and I will treat them as partners in the solutions, rather than as enemies and part of the problem.”
Bonta became the first Filipino American to serve as California’s attorney general last year after being appointed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill a vacancy left by Xavier Becerra, who had resigned to join President Joe Biden’s cabinet as Health and Human Services secretary.
The Mercury News reported that Bonta had been “a favorite of law enforcement groups,” but he told the outlet that he would stop accepting contributions from police and prison guard unions in his new role. As a member of the state Assembly, Bonta advocated to end cash bail and abolish the death penalty.
On Thursday, Hochman lashed out at Bonta, pointing out that he had “never been a member of law enforcement” before his appointment and was selected by Newsom “without any qualifications to bring safety or security to Californians.”
“I commit to you, as California’s next attorney general, that I will do my job. I will enforce the laws of California and bring safety and security back to this state,” said Hochman during Thursday’s press conference. “People are fed up, they’re frustrated, they’re looking for fighters, and I will be that fighter.”
The primary election is set for June 7, with the general election slated for November 8. Sacramento County D.A. Anne Marie Schubert, a former Republican who is now an independent, has also entered the race, along with Republican Eric Early, an attorney who got trounced when running against Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) in 2020.
RELATED:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-attorney-general-vows-to-reject-all-campaign-donations-from-law-enforcement">California Attorney General Vows To Reject All Campaign Donations From ‘Law Enforcement’</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-ag-launches-police-shooting-investigation-teams-to-probe-officer-involved-killings">California AG Launches ‘Police Shooting Investigation Teams’ To Probe Officer-Involved Killings</a></li>
</ul>

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva

Democrat L.A. County Sheriff Endorses Republican Candidate For Attorney General

Alex Villanueva

Attorney General

California

On Tuesday night, The Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro will deliver a formal response to President Joe Biden’s first official State of the Union address.
Shapiro’s “The Real State of the Union” will be broadcast live across all Daily Wire platforms, on YouTube, and DailyWire.com 15 minutes after Biden finishes his remarks. This will be the first time Shapiro issues a formal response to the State of the Union.
“Joe Biden’s presidency has been an unmitigated disaster,” Shapiro said. “My response to his State of the Union speech will be immediate, responsive to his address, and free of focus group tested lines. It will be the pure, unvarnished truth. We will hold the president accountable for his record and his lies.”
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Biden is giving his State of the Union address tomorrow night, but what is the *actual* state of the union?
Tune in right after the SOTU address to watch <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benshapiro</a>&#39;s response to the address and his full breakdown of the first year of Biden&#39;s presidency. <a href="https://t.co/HqYdFsc75r">pic.twitter.com/HqYdFsc75r</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1498395439955128330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“He’s going to lie to you, like, a lot,” Shapiro added in a video promoting “The Real State of the Union” response. “Everything has gotten worse in one short year. Every single thing that Joe Biden touches, as President Trump says, has turned to crap.”
“I’m going to tell you where we’re really at in this country,” Shapiro vowed. “I will destroy his State of the Union with facts and logic.”
Starting at 8:15 pm ET, Shapiro will be joined by Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing, along with Daily Wire hosts Michael Knowles, Matt Walsh, and Andrew Klavan, to break down the first year of Biden’s presidency, cover the president&#8217;s SOTU speech, then give his rebuttal.
On Monday, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/02/28/biden-state-of-the-union/">cited</a> an unnamed source who reportedly told the outlet that Biden had “revised” his upcoming address “to portray Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine as a major crisis facing the West…shifting the tenor of a speech that his team had long hoped would launch a reset of his administration.”
The Post reported:
<blockquote>This new heavy dose of foreign policy is one of several ways the speech will depart from the typical State of the Union address, which modern presidents usually use to sell domestic ideas and exhibit sunny optimism. This year, Biden must also contend with a 40-year record in the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/02/10/cpi-inflation-january/?itid=lk_inline_manual_5">pace of inflation</a>, which he plans to address under the rubric of “lowering costs,” according to one person briefed on the address, along with voter angst driven <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/01/21/homicide-rates-have-soared-nationwide-mayors-see-chance-turnaround-2022/?itid=lk_inline_manual_5">by high crime</a> and lingering <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/coronavirus/?itid=lk_inline_manual_5">coronavirus</a> restrictions.</blockquote>
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/two-democrats-and-one-republican-are-now-scheduled-to-respond-to-bidens-state-of-the-union">Two Democrats (And One Republican) Are Now Scheduled To Respond To Biden&#8217;s State Of The Union</a>

Ben Shapiro

Ben Shapiro To Deliver Formal Response To Biden Speech: ‘The Real State of the Union’

Joe Biden

State of the Union

The Daily Wire

The chief of staff of Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of public intoxication following an incident with officers from the Azusa Police Department.
Azusa is located about 20 miles east of downtown L.A. and is one of the dozens of cities in L.A. County that <a href="https://www.foxla.com/news/city-of-azusa-issues-vote-of-no-confidence-in-la-county-da-george-gascon">issued</a> a vote of no-confidence in D.A. Gascón, the target of a renewed attempt to recall the progressive prosecutor from office.
KFI News broke the story on Tuesday morning.
The Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-21/l-a-d-a-george-gascons-chief-of-staff-arrested-for-public-intoxication">reported</a>, “Joseph Iniguez, 36, was arrested shortly before midnight during a traffic stop on Dec. 11, according to L.A. County jail records.” According to the Times, “Iniguez said the arrest was unjust, claiming officers detained him as punishment for filming the encounter” during an exclusive interview on Tuesday morning.
Iniguez said he was returning home from a wedding with his fiancé and claimed the couple “stopped at a drive-through restaurant in Asuza (sic) when they were approached by police,” the Times reported.
However, sources within the Azusa Police Department reportedly told KFI’s Steve Gregory that law enforcement came into contact with Iniguez and his companion during “a traffic stop.”
Gregory <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/john-and-ken-on-demand-20635765/episode/john-ken-show-hour-4-90766042/">reported</a> that police were questioning the driver, Iniguez’s partner, when Iniguez exited the vehicle and started recording the interaction with his cell phone.
“Sources closer to the case have characterized Iniguez’s behavior as belligerent, and at one point, saying ‘You really effed up,’” Gregory said. “Not only is he the chief of staff of the D.A.’s office, but he also heads up the Justice Integrity Unit, which oversees police conduct.”
Gregory reported that Iniguez was released from jail a few hours after he was arrested and had “sobered up,” citing undisclosed sources.
Since the Azusa Police Department does not have a body-camera program in place, the only video of the altercation that exists is believed to have been captured by Iniguez’s cell phone.
“I wanted to record to preserve whatever was going to happen between that officer and my fiancé, because he was not DUI,” Iniguez told the Times.
Iniguez has not yet released the video to any media outlets to back up his claims.
Still, KFI reported that Iniguez filed a personnel complaint against all of the officers involved with his arrest.
“This happens to people all of the time, all across the county … it’s been a traumatic experience knowing that an officer on a whim can place those cuffs on you,” said Iniguez, per the Times.
It remains to be seen which law enforcement agency will be responsible for investigating the incident, as the case presents concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
Iniguez, a former deputy district attorney in L.A. County, was a candidate to become D.A. but withdrew from the race in 2019 to serve as co-chair of Gascón’s campaign.
The L.A. Times reported:
<blockquote>After Gascón’s victory, Iniguez was elevated to serve as the office’s interim chief deputy prosecutor, effectively making him the second-in-command of the largest prosecutor’s office in the U.S. It was a decision that drew the ire of some longtime deputy district attorneys. Gascón recently called on his former chief deputy in San Francisco, Sharon Woo, to take over that post, and Iniguez moved into the chief of staff role.</blockquote>
Related:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-county-sheriff-supports-recall-effort-against-d-a-gascon">Los Angeles County Sheriff Supports Recall Effort Against D.A. Gascón</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-d-a-gascon-launches-campaign-to-stop-right-wing-recall-attempt-from-trump-mega-donors">Los Angeles D.A. Gascón Launches Campaign To Stop ‘Right-Wing Recall Attempt’ From ‘Trump Mega-Donors’</a></li>
<li> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blm-leader-assures-l-a-county-d-a-gascon-we-have-your-back">BLM Leader Assures L.A. County D.A. Gascón: ‘We Have Your Back’</a></li>
</ul>

Joseph Iniguez and George Gascon

Los Angeles D.A. Gascón’s Top Aide Files Complaint Against Police After Arrest For Public Intoxication

George Gascon

Los Angeles County

Police

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón held a press conference on Wednesday to reflect on his record during his first year in office.
The media event comes just two days after a group organizing a drive to recall Gascón announced they were renewing their efforts after falling short in their first attempt. The recall campaign has the support of L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, a frequent critic of Gascón, who has <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/violent-crime-los-angeles-rapid-pace-sheriffs-statistics-show">blamed</a> the district attorney for emboldening criminals.
Gascón and Villanueva have quickly emerged as rivals over the past year in L.A. County, which has more than ten million residents and is the largest criminal justice jurisdiction in America.
During Wednesday’s news conference, D.A. Gascón was asked about Sheriff Villanueva’s support for the recall campaign.
“My dad used to say, when you wrestle with a pig, you both get muddy and the pig likes it,” said Gascón.
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NEW: L.A. D.A. George Gascon was asked to respond to L.A. Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s call for him to be recalled. 
“My dad used to say, when you wrestle with a pig, you both get muddy and the pig likes it,” Gascon said, adding he didn’t use the word to demean law enforcement. <a href="https://t.co/2IHhvH9XIq">pic.twitter.com/2IHhvH9XIq</a>
&mdash; Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillFOXLA/status/1468716014338809857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Gascón added that he did not choose the word “pig” because of Villanueva’s role in law enforcement, but he reserves the term for “people that often act in ways that I believe &#8230; are not consistent with the decorum that certainly a public official should engage in.”
Shortly after Gascón made the remarks, a recall committee working to oust him from office issued a statement that claimed the progressive prosecutor “shockingly responded” to a question about Villanueva “by directly analogizing the Sheriff with a pig.” The group also accused Gascón of defending “his pro-criminal policies amidst a wave of crime” in L.A. County and evading questions about “connections between rising crime and his policies.”
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Gascon offers full throated defense of his first year of a more lenient approach to prosecution than predecessors “We offered one solution in the past..long prison sentences..like factory making widgets.” <a href="https://t.co/6QBr6gHMNN">https://t.co/6QBr6gHMNN</a>
&mdash; Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) <a href="https://twitter.com/StoltzeFrankly/status/1468692081644236803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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“That press conference was an embarrassment – George Gascon is completely tone deaf to the impact his policies are having on victims and public safety,” said Desiree Andrade, co-chair of the Recall D.A. Gascon campaign. “Gascon’s defiance of reality and attempt to double-down on his pro-criminal agenda in the face of out-of-control crime demonstrates the urgency and necessity of removing him from office immediately.”
Andrade’s son was murdered in 2018, and she has said she opposes Gascón because her son’s killers would be eligible for parole under his new policies.
Gascón was elected in November 2020 and issued a set of special orders last December that sparked a backlash from law enforcement groups, deputy DAs in his own office, and families impacted by violent crime. The directives included stopping the practice of trying juveniles as adults, ending cash bail for low-level nonviolent offenses, taking the death penalty off the table, and a ban on prosecutors seeking all sentencing enhancements – a change that he later scaled back after public outcry.
Gascón did not campaign on eliminating most sentencing enhancements, and his plan to do so, along with other elements of his progressive agenda, was met with immediate resistance. Victims’ families and prosecutors connected with media outlets, and their stories, helped create support for a recall effort.
Related:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-county-sheriff-supports-recall-effort-against-d-a-gascon">Los Angeles County Sheriff Supports Recall Effort Against D.A. Gascón</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-d-a-gascon-launches-campaign-to-stop-right-wing-recall-attempt-from-trump-mega-donors">Los Angeles D.A. Gascón Launches Campaign To Stop ‘Right-Wing Recall Attempt’ From ‘Trump Mega-Donors’</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blm-leader-assures-l-a-county-d-a-gascon-we-have-your-back">BLM Leader Assures L.A. County D.A. Gascón: ‘We Have Your Back’</a></li>
</ul>

L.A. County D.A. Gascón Compares L.A. County Sheriff To ‘A Pig’

The Los Angeles Fire Department is investigating a firefighter’s alleged unorthodox method of protesting the city’s vaccine mandate after receiving a hand-delivered letter to comply with the requirement.
The Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-11-24/lafd-investigating-firefirefighter-accused-of-despicable-act-vaccine-mandate-protest">reported</a>, “The LAFD member responded to receiving the non-compliance letter by dropping his pants and wiping his buttocks with the letter, leaving fecal matter on the document, before dropping it to the ground, according to the Stentorians of Los Angeles City, a group representing African American firefighters.”
A spokesperson for the fire department told the Times on Wednesday that the alleged incident happened on November 18 and that the employee “responded inappropriately.”
“The department is aware of the seriousness of the allegations and took immediate action upon learning of this incident,” said LAFD spokeswoman Cheryl Getuiza, adding the person “will face the consequences of any inappropriate acts.”
Getuiza went on to tell the outlet that the employee is on paid administrative leave.
“No matter how our members react, all city employees must abide by the city ordinance – either file for an exemption, get vaccinated, or face termination,” Getuiza said.
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An L.A. firefighter is under investigation after allegedly wiping his non-compliance vaccine mandate letter between his buttocks at the station <a href="https://t.co/zKuGT5H15k">https://t.co/zKuGT5H15k</a>
&mdash; Los Angeles Times (@latimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/latimes/status/1463689648031469574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The L.A. Times provides more details about the alleged incident:
<blockquote>An LAFD captain and a chief officer witnessed the incident, the Stentorians said in a statement sent to the Board of Fire Commissioners and city leaders. It took place at Fire Station 69 in Pacific Palisades, the group said. …
The group called on the mayor, City Council and fire commission “to take swift and immediate action to deter any city employee from feeling entitled and not encouraged but empowered to behave in such an embarrassing and threatening manner.”
The Stentorians described the act as a “terminable” offense. Their statement included a photo of a man holding what appeared to be a discolored document.</blockquote>
In October, the L.A. City Council approved a plan that pushed back the deadline given for city workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to December 18. The initial cutoff date was October 20. However, the extension came with a price for unvaccinated holdouts who have $65 deducted from their paychecks twice a week to cover the costs of COVID-19 testing.
City workers who have not requested an exemption or already provided evidence of vaccination must “show proof of full compliance” by December 18, <a href="https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2021/21-0921_misc_4_10-19-2021.pdf.pdf">the updated plan says</a>, adding, failure to comply with the requirements “shall result in appropriate and immediate corrective action.”
“Employees must be vaccinated by December 18, and we are putting a rigorous testing program into place in the meantime,” said Democratic Mayor Eric Garcetti in a statement issued last month. “Let me be clear: any employee who refuses to be vaccinated by this date should be prepared to lose their job.”
Courthouse News <a href="https://www.courthousenews.com/la-sets-december-deadline-for-city-workers-to-get-covid-vaccine/">noted</a> at the time:
<blockquote>The mayor and other elected officials have stopped just short of promising to fire unvaccinated employees. That’s in part because officials fear what will happen to city services should there be widespread firings or resignations. And in general, terminating some city employees, particularly ones represented by certain labor unions, can be a long and costly process. </blockquote>
Related:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-pushes-back-deadline-for-city-workers-to-get-vaxd">Los Angeles Pushes Back Deadline For City Workers To Get Vaccinated</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-fire-captain-in-hot-water-after-calling-citys-vax-mandate-a-tyranny">Los Angeles Fire Captain In Hot Water After Calling City’s Vax Mandate A ‘Tyranny’</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/l-a-firefighters-and-cops-launch-groups-to-fight-vax-mandate-for-city-workers">L.A. Firefighters And Cops Launch Groups To Fight Vax Mandate For City Workers</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundations annual Valor Awards at Dodger Stadium.

L.A. Firefighter Under Investigation For Allegedly Dropping Pants And Wiping Buttocks With Vaccine Mandate Letter

COVID-19 Vaccine

Los Angeles

Vaccine Mandate

A Missouri-based conservative political action committee has canceled a fundraiser featuring Donald Trump Jr. after a payment processor owned by the nation’s largest bank reportedly canceled its contract with the group, refunded $30,000 in ticket sales, then said it had made a mistake and reversed its decision.
The Defense of Liberty PAC event was scheduled for December 3 in St. Charles, a suburb of St. Louis. The organization was expecting approximately 3,000 people to attend. An organizer said tickets ranged from $70 to $250 and included a $500 per person pre-event with Trump Jr.
<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/11/17/donald-trump-jr-event-canceled-after-chase-bank-ends-deal-with-missouri-conservative-group/">According</a> to the Missouri Independent, WePay, a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase, told the PAC last week that it was cutting ties and would not do business with the group in the future, citing a terms of service violation.
A copy of a message sent to the PAC that was forwarded to The Independent reportedly said, in part, “Per our terms of service, we are unable to process for hate, violence, racial intolerance, terrorism, the financial exploitation of a crime, or item or activities that encourage, promote, facilitate, or instruct others regarding the same.”
<blockquote>The outlet reported, “On Wednesday night, after The Independent reported that the event was canceled and the reason, a spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase wrote in an email that the decision had been a mistake.”
“After further review, we determined that this organization didn’t violate terms of service, and we are reaching out to the client to discuss reinstating the account,” the statement said. “To be clear, we have never and would never close an account due to a client’s political affiliation.”</blockquote>
Former state Rep. Paul Curtman, a Republican who founded the PAC, told The Independent that even though WePay reversed course, the disruption would still result in the event being canceled and rescheduled. Organizers are considering dates in February.
The group’s <a href="https://www.thedefenseofliberty.com/">website</a> says the gathering is “being rescheduled due to leftist attempts to cancel us.”
State Sen. Bill Eigel, a Republican who is also involved with the Defense of Liberty PAC, tweeted on Thursday: “The damage is done and we will be unable to complete the event on 3 December due to the loss of ticket selling days. Too little too late from @jpmorgan. We will not let the #cancelculture silence us and @DonaldJTrumpJr – this fight is just beginning.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The damage is done and we will be unable to complete the event on 3 December due to the loss of ticket selling days. Too little too late from <a href="https://twitter.com/jpmorgan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jpmorgan</a>. We will not let the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cancelculture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cancelculture</a> silence us and <a href="https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DonaldJTrumpJr</a> —this fight is just beginning. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/moleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#moleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZyUwcWyhWQ">https://t.co/ZyUwcWyhWQ</a>
&mdash; William Eigel (@BillEigel) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillEigel/status/1461346544641134592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The Independent <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/11/18/despite-chase-bank-reversal-donald-trump-jr-event-in-st-charles-remains-canceled/">reported</a>, “Chase is facing other fallout from the controversy,” and:
<blockquote>State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick on Thursday issued a news release that the reversal came after he wrote a letter to Chase CEO Jamie Dimon that the state will not do business with the bank “or any other financial institution that discriminates against customers based on mainstream political ideology so long as that discrimination continues.”
Chase is not currently holding any state deposits, Fitzpatrick wrote in a text message to The Independent. …
And U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley sent a letter Thursday to Dimon demanding “a full accounting” of how the decision was made and why Defense of Liberty PAC was associated with hate, violence, racism or terrorism.
“If your goal was to use the power of your company to stealth-cancel a conservative event, then you succeeded—to the detriment of the people of Missouri,” Hawley wrote.</blockquote>
The Defense of Liberty PAC held its annual dinner in August and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/151507893588509">featured</a> The Daily Wire’s Candace Owens as the headliner.

Donald Trump Jr.

Conservative PAC Cancels Event With Trump Jr. After JPMorgan Chase Subsidiary Cuts Ties With Group, Then Backpedals

Missouri

A former housing official who served under the Trump administration launched a campaign last week for the U.S. House, entering a race where he will attempt to primary a fellow Republican representing a district in West Michigan.
Republican John Gibbs is running against freshman U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), who voted to impeach President Donald Trump on a charge of inciting insurrection after an unruly mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in January.
At the time, Meijer <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/01/14/peter-meijer-trump-impeachment-vote/4164012001/">acknowledged</a> the move “may have been an act of political suicide,” but still defended his actions as “necessary for the good of the country.” He was one of only ten Republicans to join the Democrats pushing impeachment. Since then, Gibbs has been the fourth candidate to announce a primary challenge against Meijer.
“AMERICA FIRST, AMERICA ALWAYS,” <a href="https://twitter.com/votejohngibbs/status/1459565932871880708">tweeted</a> Gibbs on Saturday. “America is much more than just an idea, a creed, or a document. Rather America is her people, and our people are the consciousness of our culture, heritage, language, customs, and faith, which we share in continuity with our forefathers.”
The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2021/11/12/trump-staffer-gibbs-launches-campaign-congress-district-held-meijer/8592328002/">reported</a>, “Gibbs, a Michigan native from Lansing, was nominated last year by former President Donald Trump to serve as director of the Office of Personnel Management, but the Senate never confirmed him to the post.”
After his nomination, CNN had reportedly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/politics/john-gibbs-opm-kfile/index.html">revealed</a> several controversial social media posts from Gibbs, including tweets from 2016 that referred to some Republicans as “cucks” and accused Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager of participating in a satanic ritual. That Twitter account is currently set to private, meaning only approved followers can view its posts.
Gibbs had spent several years as the acting assistant secretary for community planning and development at the Department of Housing and Urban Development under former Secretary Ben Carson.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Dr. Carson, thank you for the vote of confidence! It was a great honor serving under you and I look forward to keeping up the fight in the US Congress! 🇺🇸🙏🏿✨ <a href="https://t.co/fJmUr20ziz">https://t.co/fJmUr20ziz</a>
&mdash; John Gibbs For MI-03 (@votejohngibbs) <a href="https://twitter.com/votejohngibbs/status/1459248138024333315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In a statement issued on Saturday night to the Save America PAC followers, former President Trump called out Rep. Meijer by name, along with other Congressional Republicans.
“Saving America starts by saving the GOP from RINOs, sellouts, and known losers!” wrote Trump.
FOX News <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/trump-aims-oust-apos-rinos-144104831.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALzNj2EsS62P6m9AHPBcfu49YROVi9mHjZ9NcCJQFixxoqAbG8Egrp_pJPfuV0qZxmU9v1r8l32wQN9hoYAyWH6cHpH2ogSxdmg4Z1X_GT9hGIpqhosJy9aKXc3Y5VsdvPa3gU9XSsCXaufCsFMbdfDoebUbNbe_4hTXldVrh3bW">reported</a> that Trump mentioned GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska and “called for primaries of 11 other representatives in his statement to face primary battles, most of whom voted in favor of the Democrats’ $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill on Nov. 5.”
“Any interest from good and SMART America First Republican Patriots to run primary campaigns against Representatives Tom Rice, John Katko, Don Bacon, Don Young, Fred Upton (challenge accepted), Andrew Garbarino, Peter Meijer (challenge accepted), Nancy Mace, Jaime Herrera Beutler (challenge accepted) and Chris Smith?” he reportedly wrote.
“You will have my backing!” Trump continued.
FOX noted that Rep. Meijer was included on Trump’s list despite voting against the infrastructure package.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Trump staffer John Gibbs launches campaign for Congress in district held by Rep. Peter Meijer <a href="https://t.co/Dhi3ZZyef1">https://t.co/Dhi3ZZyef1</a> via ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/detroitnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@detroitnews</a>⁩ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MI03?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MI03</a>
&mdash; Melissa Nann Burke (@nannburke) <a href="https://twitter.com/nannburke/status/1459520313159565317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
More details from The Detroit News:
<blockquote>Gibbs&#8217; campaign website says he&#8217;s been &#8220;called, for the sake of our state and our country, to the high purpose of serving my community in Congress, in Michigan’s 3rd Congressional district.&#8221;
Michigan is in the middle of redistricting based on the 2020 Census count, so it&#8217;s unclear what the contours of the 3rd District might ultimately look like. The existing district includes Ionia, Barry and Calhoun counties along with portions of Kent and Montcalm counties.
Gibbs on his site touts a number of GOP issues such as opposition to abortion, Second Amendment rights and election integrity and also bashes President Joe Biden, using the expression, &#8220;Let&#8217;s Go Brandon!&#8221; — a conservative code phrase meaning “F— Joe Biden.”</blockquote>

Republican Candidates

Former Trump Official Launches U.S. House Campaign To Primary Michigan Republican

Donald Trump

Michigan

Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, appeared on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” on Sunday to discuss several topics including the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which President Joe Biden is expected to sign into law on Monday.
Stephanopoulos pressed Barrasso on why he voted against the package, citing a White House fact sheet that says Wyoming would receive $1.8 billion for federal-aid-highway apportioned programs, $225 million for bridge repair and replacement, $100 million for broadband internet expansion, $335 million allotted to water infrastructure.
“I was one of the original negotiators at the White House with President Biden and ultimately I voted against it because they did use a lot of budget gimmicks and they are adding $256 billion to the debt,” said Barrasso. “Some of the issues in there, in terms of energy, I think is going to make energy even more expensive and I think is going to make the grid less reliable.”
“And of course the big thing is they handcuffed this infrastructure bill to this big, massive, tax and spending bill, which every Republican is united in our efforts to try to drive a stake through the heart of this effort which the Democrats are pushing because they are so addicted to taxing and spending.”
Barrasso, who is the Chair of the Senate Republican Conference, also criticized Biden’s scaled-back Build Back Better plan, which he claimed would increase inflation and negatively impact Americans, especially those on fixed incomes.
“The problem is the Democrats are now saying we want to go all in with this massive tax and spending bill, which is going to harm American families,” said Barrasso. “People are going to pay higher prices. They’re going to be higher taxes and, of course, we’re going to see an increase in the debt.”
“This is not really just $2 trillion,” he continued. “I think it’s much closer to $4 trillion because what the Democrats have added in after their election losses has been tax breaks for millionaires.”
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Asked why he voted against infrastructure bill despite benefits to his state Wyoming, <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnBarrasso?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnBarrasso</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/GStephanopoulos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GStephanopoulos</a> Democrats used “budget gimmicks.” 
“They handcuffed this infrastructure bill to this big, massive tax and spending bill.” <a href="https://t.co/YPH88OvN4P">https://t.co/YPH88OvN4P</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZjIkKsAmIH">pic.twitter.com/ZjIkKsAmIH</a>
&mdash; This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1459904033666306056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED VIA <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-11-14-21-brian-deese-sen/story?id=81152029">ABC NEWS</a>:
<blockquote>STEPHANOPOULOS: Let&#8217;s talk about the infrastructure bill he&#8217;s going to sign into law tomorrow, bipartisan infrastructure bill. The White House has put out a fact sheet showing the benefits to your state of Wyoming. I want to show it to our audience right now.
They say $1.8 billion for highways, $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs, $100 million for broadband, $335 million for water infrastructure, and $72 million for airports.
Why did you vote against a bill that provides so many benefits to your state?
BARRASSO: Well, you know, I was one of the original negotiators at the White House with President Biden, and ultimately, I voted against it because they did use a lot of budget gimmicks and they are adding $256 billion to the debt, and some of the issues in there in terms of energy I think is going to make energy even more expensive, and I think it&#8217;s going to make the grid less reliable.
And then, of course, the big thing is they handcuffed this infrastructure bill to this big, massive tax and spending bill, which every Republican is united in our efforts to drive a stake through the heart of this effort which the Democrats are pushing because they are so addicted to taxing and spending.</blockquote>

Senate Republicans Discuss Rising Energy Prices

GOP Senator Warns Infrastructure Bill Includes ‘Budget Gimmicks’ That Will Increase Energy Costs, Make Grid ‘Less Reliable’

Infrastructure

On the next episode of “The Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special,” former Google CEO Eric Schmidt discusses what he describes as the coming “network of artificial intelligence system control,” its possible advantages and pitfalls, and warns that mankind must change our philosophy to deal with its impact on humanity.
“Our world will be surrounded by digital intelligences, and these intelligences are partially like humans, and they’ll make things more efficient. They’ll make new discoveries,” said Schmidt. “They’ll help educate our children. They’ll discover new things. We can talk to them. They’ll provide companionship. They’ll also change the way we think about war and our own identity.”
Schmidt, a Democrat and billionaire, recently co-authored a book with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and MIT’s Daniel Huttenlocher titled, “The Age of AI And Our Human Future.” He told Shapiro that the trio wrote the book “to have a philosophical discussion about what we’re doing to humans with this technology.”
“If you look at what happened with social media, people like myself who helped build these systems had no idea that they would be used by, for example, the Russians to try to change our elections, or the addictive behavior would drive people crazy,” Schmidt said. “We didn’t know that this would have happened. … But this time, these tools are much more powerful. They are much more capable of, for example, driving you crazy, making you addicted, and also educating you and making you more powerful.”
Schmidt predicted that the world is about to enter “a new epoch of human experience,” comparing the idea to evolving from the primitive Dark Ages to the Age of Reason.
Partial transcript as follows:
<blockquote>Ben Shapiro: I want to talk to you about what, exactly, these technologies are going to look like on a more practical level. You talk about them teaching your kids, or you talk about them educating you, creating new innovations. How fast are we going to get to this sort of very sophisticated AI, because right now, one of the limitations on AI is that it doesn’t seem to be capable of the sort of mass innovation that humans are capable of at this point. But you’re talking about essentially machines being able to create new machines, which is a different sort of thing. How is humanity going to deal with that, and what does that mean for the future of, say, work and job creation?
Eric Schmidt: We don’t really know. There is a dispute, even among the authors, on how quickly this stuff will happen. I would say 15 years. Others would say 25 years. Does it really matter? There is so much investment in this space that I can tell you that it’s going to happen in some form, and it will happen more quickly than we think. And we’re not prepared for it. When I say we’re not prepared for it, we’re not prepared for the new companies, the impact on the development of children. How do you raise a child where the child’s best friend is not human? … Is that okay? That’s a really significant change in human existence, which is being built now in various forms. Do we really want to put our kids through that? I’m not sure. But I want to have the debate about it.</blockquote>
Schmidt went on to address the possibility of AI technology resulting in mass unemployment, casting doubt that innovation would collectively eliminate meaning and jobs.
“Some of these jobs will go away, but they are going away because the markets are getting more efficient,” he said. “I’m a capitalist. Capitalism makes [the] market more efficient. More efficient markets produce different jobs in a larger space.”
“There will be lots of jobs, but AI will displace a lot of current jobs,” Schmidt continued. “You’re going to see people pushed into more human roles, and there will be lots of them.”
In pursuit of individual freedom, Schmidt estimated that up to 20% of people might become overwhelmed by the network of AI system control, revolt against the digital world and the influence it has over them, detach from it, and become “naturalists.”
“The AI system is going to get so good that it will be able to generate addiction for you that is so precise, that you’ll be consumed by it,” Schmidt predicted. “Why do I know this? Because it’s reproducible. We collectively as the tech industry can see what you care about, and give you more and more and more and more.”
Schmidt also warned of a new proliferation of potential problems associated with what is to come. For example, he noted that China has been “over-investing” in sophisticated AI systems that are not based on Western values of democracy and free speech, and he spoke of the possibility of American technology companies being regulated by Europe.
This episode of “The Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special” will be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/sunday-special">available</a> to Daily Wire users at midnight Central Time.

Shapiro and Schmidt

EXCLUSIVE: Ben Shapiro Talks To Fmr Google CEO Eric Schmidt About The Coming ‘Network Of Artificial Intelligence System Control’ And Its Impact On Humanity

Artificial Intelligence

Google

As world leaders came together at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, mounds of trash reportedly continued to pile up “just a short way” from the global summit.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/11/world/europe/glasgow-garbage-strike.html?smid=tw-nytimes&amp;smtyp=cur">reported</a>, “Outside the gleaming center of Scotland’s largest city, dumpsters and trash cans are overflowing.” According to the outlet, “The city’s rat population has surged, with four garbage workers hospitalized because of attacks over the past five months. And litter is strewn across streets.”
Fly-tippers have been discarding rubbish underneath the M8 motorway, among other places in the city, including construction waste, bathtubs, and general household waste.
The Times described the scene as “&#8230; the reality of today’s throwaway society,” made worse by an eight-day strike staged by the city’s garbage collectors that concluded on Monday. Workers complained about low pay, disrespectful treatment from management, and adverse working conditions. They threatened another work stoppage before Christmastime if pay raises are not granted.
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Away from the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow’s gleaming center, dumpsters are overflowing, the city’s rat population has surged and litter is strewn across streets after an eight-day strike by garbage collectors that ended on Monday.<a href="https://t.co/N3oYVwcbCt">https://t.co/N3oYVwcbCt</a>
&mdash; The New York Times (@nytimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1458812043809771528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Chris Mitchell, a top official for the GMB Scotland trade union that represents approximately 1,000 garbage collectors in Glasgow, claims the government has “abandoned low paid workers who have saved this nation” during the pandemic ever since COVID-19 infections have decreased.
More details from the Times:
<blockquote>In parts of the city, trash is now collected only once every three weeks, down from once every two weeks about a year ago. That means garbage collectors, many of whom make less than 20,000 British pounds ($27,000) a year, have to carry heavier loads up and down steps.
On top of the less frequent collections, volumes of trash per household climbed over the past two years, a reflection of increased spending on takeout and online deliveries, according to Mr. Mitchell.
“The pandemic has created waste upon waste upon waste,” he said.</blockquote>
The Glasgow City Council’s website <a href="https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/cop26#:~:text=Glasgow%20was%20chosen%20by%20the,achieving%20carbon%20neutrality%20by%202030.">indicates</a> that it was chosen to host COP26 partly due to its “commitment to sustainability,” adding that the town was recently “awarded the status of Global Green City” and has “an ambitious target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.”
During the two-week conference, thousands of protesters and youth organizers have gathered in the streets of Glasgow for a series of demonstrations expressing frustration with the world leaders in town. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, 18, recently <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/08/cop26-what-you-need-to-know-as-climate-talks-enter-closing-week.html">led a protest</a> near the international summit, describing the meeting as “a PR event” and a “two-week long celebration of business as usual and blah, blah, blah.”
“It is not a secret that COP26 is a failure,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-59165781">said</a> Thunberg. “It should be obvious that we cannot solve the crisis with the same methods that got us into it in the first place.”
“The people in power can continue to live in their bubble filled with their fantasies, like eternal growth on a finite planet and technological solutions that will suddenly appear seemingly out of nowhere and will erase all of these crises just like that.”
“All this while the world is literally burning, on fire, and while the people living on the front lines are still bearing the brunt of the climate crisis.”
Related:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hypocrisy-hundreds-of-private-planes-flock-to-climate-conference-in-scotland">Hypocrisy: Hundreds Of Private Planes Flock To Climate Conference In Scotland</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/media-finally-calls-out-hypocrisy-of-climate-conference-over-the-food">Media Finally Calls Out Hypocrisy Of Climate Conference – Over The Food</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-widely-mocked-after-appearing-to-struggle-to-stay-awake-during-climate-change-conference">Biden Widely Mocked After Appearing To Struggle To Stay Awake During Climate Change Conference</a></li>
</ul>

BRITAIN-UN-CLIMATE-COP26

Report: Dumpsters Overflow And Trash Piles Up Near Global COP26 Climate Summit

Climate Change

A sold-out Houston music festival attended by an estimated 50,000 people turned deadly on Friday night after a headliner began to perform.
The Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-scott-astroworld-dead-injured-crowd-surge-6c697502318c50ba4b57aa1c6f71f9bf">reported</a>, the crowd gathered for the two-day event in NRG Park at Astroworld “suddenly surged toward the stage during a performance by rapper Travis Scott, squeezing fans so tightly together that they could not breathe or move their arms and killing eight people in the chaos” and hospitalizing several others. According to the outlet, “As a timer clicked down to the start of the performance, the crowd pushed forward.”
“Everyone was passing out around you, and everyone was trying to help each other. But you just couldn’t move. You couldn’t do anything. You can’t even pick your arms up,” Nick Johnson, a high school student who attended the concert, told the AP. “It just got worse and worse.”
Officials called off the event about 40 minutes after law enforcement observed concertgoers “going down.” Authorities said a “mass casualty incident” had occurred at 9:38 p.m.  <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/For-37-minutes-after-officials-declared-a-mass-16598473.php">According</a> to the Houston Chronicle, “concert attendees said Scott appeared to play his whole set and finished at 10:15 p.m.”
Scott, who CNN identified as an organizer of the Astroworld Festival, “was on the outdoor stage when he paused and looked at the crowd in confusion as an ambulance with flashing lights move through the audience,” the outlet <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/07/us/houston-astroworld-festival-sunday/index.html">reported</a>.
Kylie Jenner, pregnant with Scott’s second child, <a href="https://screenrant.com/kuwtk-kylie-jenner-astroworld-tragedy-videos/">reportedly</a> attended the show and posted video clips of Scott’s performance on social media as first responders navigated through the crowd to provide medical attention. Jenner deleted the videos, and on Sunday, she said the couple did not know what had happened at the concert until later.
“I want to make it clear we weren’t aware of any fatalities until the news came out after the show and in no world would have continued filming or performing,” she <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Kylie-Jenner-says-she-and-Travis-Scott-weren-t-16599183.php">posted</a> on Instagram.
On Saturday morning, Scott had issued a statement that said he was “absolutely devastated by what took place.”
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<a href="https://t.co/ijXKslw7E2">pic.twitter.com/ijXKslw7E2</a>
&mdash; TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) <a href="https://twitter.com/trvisXX/status/1457018948109705217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote>
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“Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life,” Scott said. “I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. Thank you to Houston PD, Fire Department and NRG Park for their immediate response and support. Love You All.”
City officials said the victims&#8217; ages ranged from 14 to 27, while one person’s age is unknown. On Saturday, Democratic Mayor Sylvester Turner said the families of six of the eight deceased had been notified.
<a href="https://archive.md/JcORs">More details</a> from the Houston Chronicle:
<blockquote>The <a href="https://archive.md/o/JcORs/https:/www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Astroworld-one-of-the-10-deadliest-concerts-in-16597926.php">mass casualty event</a> is now a criminal investigation involving police homicide and narcotics divisions, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said. Some people were trampled, and autopsy reports are being conducted, according to law enforcement officials. 
 The chief also <a href="https://archive.md/o/JcORs/https:/www.houstonchronicle.com/lifestyle/article/Social-media-posts-show-fans-begging-to-stop-the-16598071.php">addressed swirling narratives about nefarious drug activity</a> at the event, but urged caution in rushing to assess those claims. He confirmed, however, that one security officer went unconscious after feeling a prick in his neck during the melee. He was revived after medical authorities administered Narcan, or Naloxone, and they discovered a prick similar to what one would expect from an injection, Finner said.</blockquote>

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Jeffrey Cawood