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January 2015

Posted by Leslie Eastman on January 25, 2015 14 Comments
Egypt has three icons that symbolize its ancient glories: 1) The pyramids 2) The Great Sphinx 3) The golden mask of the boy king, Tutankhamun. And while the pyramids and Great Sphinx are safe from the threat of destruction at the hands of Muslim extremists, the famous mask has been damaged by too much care and concern. There are many versions of how the damage happened, but it seems the beard was accidentally knocked off and epoxy, which is designed for use on stone-work and not metal, was slathered on in the repair attempt. Additionally, the mask was scratched in an attempt to remove excess glue that had smeared. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] (Photo: Mohamed El-Shahed, AFP/Getty Images)[/caption] However, it seems that one of history's greatest treasures can be properly restored to its original glory.

Posted by Amy Miller on January 25, 2015 2 Comments
Today, Islamic extremist group Boko Haram launched a three-front assault on northeast Nigeria's largest city, Maidguri, and also raided villages in Adamawa state, burning homes and abducting women and children. Via Fox News:
In Maiduguri, troops blocked roads into the city, which also prevented civilians from escaping. "Coordinated air and land operations are being conducted now," Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Chris Olukolade posted on Twitter. He said the 12-hour curfew in place in Maiduguri for more than a year is extended to 24 hours. "We believe hundreds of thousands of civilians are now at grave risk," Amnesty International said. More than 200 combatants have been killed, mainly insurgents, according to soldiers and civilian self-defense fighters who counted bodies. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not allowed to speak to reporters.
Although forces in Maiduguri were able to fight back the wave of insurgents, the army at Monguno, just north of Maiduguri, was overwhelmed and Boko Haram was able to seize control of the city.

Posted by Mike LaChance on January 25, 2015 11 Comments
A man named Ahmad Rashidi was interviewed on Meet the Press today and provided an alarming look into the goals of ISIS. He claims they want to be "better" than al-Qaeda and orchestrate an attack "more brutal" than the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Andrew Johnson of National Review has more:
Man Who Escaped ISIS: They Want to Plan an Attack ‘More Brutal’ than 9/11 The Islamic State is “happy” about the air strikes by the United States because it validates their efforts in emerging as a global threat, says a man who escaped after a month with the group. Ahmad Rashidi was captured by the Islamic State when he went to Syria from London to retrieve the two daughters of a family friend; the teenage girls had fled England to marry Islamic State fighters. When Rashidi found one of the girls, her husband accused him of being a spy and he was taken prisoner and tortured. He later won the favor of his capturers by telling them he was a doctor; Rashidi is, in fact, a first-year medical student. While embedded with the Islamic State for a month, Rashidi gained access to their computers and communications. He told NBC News’s Richard Engel that the group communicates with its contacts “every day” and is not worried about the West’s response to its attacks. In fact, the Islamic State was “happy” about the American military’s response of air strikes because it proved to the group’s leaders that they were considered as important a threat as al-Qaeda. “They want to be more . . . better than al-Qaeda,” he told Engel. “This is why they need to do something more brutal than the World Trade Center.”
Here's the video: Speaking of Syria, there are new developments in American policy.

Posted by Amy Miller on January 25, 2015 11 Comments
Yesterday, the Islamic State released a video they claim contains an image of the decapitated body of Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa. A second hostage, journalist Kenji Goto, appears in the video holding a photo of what ISIS claims is the remains of Yukawa, and in accompanying audio relays a proposed hostage trade. Via the New York Times:
In the three-minute audio recording released Saturday, the voice of a man who claimed to be Mr. Goto said Mr. Yukawa had been “slaughtered” and blamed Mr. Abe’s failure to pay the ransom. (In the audio, the voice says he is Kenji Goto Jogo; it remained unclear late Saturday why that was different from the name given by the Japanese government and his own website.) The audio is addressed to Mr. Goto’s wife, telling her that the Islamic State was now demanding the release of the woman imprisoned in Jordan, Sajida Mubarak al-Rishawi. “They no longer want money,” the voice says in accented English. “You bring them their sister from the Jordanian regime, and I will be released immediately. Me for her. Don’t let these be my last words you ever hear. Don’t let Abe also kill me.”
Although officials are hesitant to deny the authenticity of the video, it did significantly differ from previous messages from the Islamic State. Fox explains:

Posted by Leslie Eastman on January 25, 2015 1 Comment
Four years ago, many of us were glued to the TV and social media streams following the dawn of "Arab Spring". One of the most dramatic moments of that era was the start of massive pro-democracy demonstrations in Egypt's Tahrir Square. After ousting the reviled Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptians used their vote to elect a Muslim Brotherhood "community organizer"; and the ensuing meltdown led to his ouster and the nation declaring the group illegal. In April 2014, I noted the country had sentenced over 600 alleged supporters of the country’s ousted Islamist president to death, including the Muslim Brotherhood’s spiritual leader -- the aptly named Mohammed Badie. Those sentences have now been revoked.
Egypt’s top appeals court Saturday revoked death and life sentences against more than 500 backers of deposed Islamist president Mohammad Mursi and ordered a retrial for them in a case that has raised international concerns over the operation of the justice system in the country. The Court of Cassation delivered the ruling at a hearing in which prosecution and defence lawyers alike demanded the cancellation of the verdicts delivered by a lower court last year, citing legal flaws. ...On Saturday, lawyer Mohammad Toson argued in a brief hearing that the Criminal Court issued the rulings without listening defense lawyers and witnesses. No date has been set yet for the start of the retrial.
The ruling also included Badie's sentence.

Posted by Andrew Branca on January 25, 2015 106 Comments
Thanks to a tip from commenter Gremlin1974 right here on Legal Insurrection I was directed to this relatively high-quality body camera footage of a police officer engaging a suspect with gunfire, following the suspect pointing a pistol at the officer. Further details of the event were reported by local news station Fox 23 and by Chuck Ross at the Daily Caller. The shooting took place on January 16, 2015 in Muskogee, OK. The ex-girlfriend of 21-year-old Terence Walker, black, was getting married, an event to which he took umbrage. His solution was to threaten to shoot her on her wedding day, including such details as noting that he had a particular bullet selected just for her. When the bride approached her pastor in tears and shared these threats, he immediately called 911, saying of Walker: "He’s here with a gun,” Jones said of Walker on the 911 call. “I need a police officer because I got to stop this. I got a whole bunch of people here, and I don’t need nobody hurt." Police Officer Chansey McMillin, white, was dispatched to the scene. The body camera released begins as his vehicle is pulling into the church parking lot, captures the shooting itself, and continues for several more minutes until the crime scene has been secured and McMillin is on his way to the police station for debriefing.

Posted by Mike LaChance on January 25, 2015 12 Comments
As the race for 2016 shifts into gear, old conflicts are reemerging between Hillary Clinton supporters and Team Obama; this time, it's over access to Obama's massive email lists. Amie Parnes and Niall Stanage of The Hill reported:
Obama, Clinton tensions build over email lists ahead of 2016 New tensions are emerging in the relationship between allies of President Obama and Hillary Clinton. At issue is the fate of the political equivalent of gold dust — the enormous email list, comprised of many millions of supporters and donors, that the Obama team has compiled over the course of his two presidential campaigns. The Clinton camp would dearly love to get its hands on the list, but there is no promise as yet that the president’s aides will comply. There are “large concerns” about the lists among Clinton supporters, one Hillary ally told The Hill. To the Clintons and their friends, it’s near unthinkable that a Democratic president — who has plenty of reasons to want a member of his party to succeed him — would withhold such a valuable commodity. But Team Obama has long believed that the president’s support is built upon the bedrock of his personal qualities rather than mere party identification. His people are loath to be seen as treating the passion of his supporters in a cavalier fashion. “There’s a lot of data — voter data, massive email lists — that Obama built and there are a lot of people who want to make sure that he spreads that wealth,” the Clinton ally said. “They want to make sure he doesn’t take it in a suitcase back to Chicago and move on. No one wants to see it disappear or have it used just to build a library.”
Democrats are probably hoping everyone has forgotten how ugly the conflict between Hillary and Obama became during the 2008 Democratic primary. There's plenty of evidence that the rift never healed.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on January 25, 2015 15 Comments
Congress now under Republican control is working on immigration reforms one bill at a time. Their latest endeavor is the Secure Our Borders First Act. The bill was released from the House Homeland Security Committee this week and has sister legislation being considered in the Senate. Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas is the Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. Some reports indicate the bill actually removes border fencing. We reached out to Chairman McCaul's office who indicated reports of fence removal were, "simply wrong." Further, we read the bill and also found no indication of fence removal. So what does the border security bill do about fencing? The bill does not require the building of a wall or fence along the entirety of America's southern border. Rather, it mixed security measures depending on the location. The southern border (for the purposes of implementing security) have been divvied up into multiple sectors. Security in each sector vary depending on severity of threat and include areal surveillance, tower watch, manned patrols, and other tactics. The bill requires regular assessment of each sector in order to shift tactics as needed.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on January 24, 2015 12 Comments
A three-day long controversy broke out recently over the use of the term "No-Go Zones" with regard to certain European cities in light of the Charlie Hebdo and HyperCasher supermarket attacks by Islamic radicals. Steve Emerson of The Investigative Project, a longtime expert on terrorism and its connection to Islamist radicals, made a misstep when he overstated the case while appearing on Fox News.  That created a near-perfect storm of groups just waiting to jump all over him: Fox News haters like the NY Times (even though it previously used the term) and the liberal entertainment media; British and European politicians who prefer not to deal with the sources and implications of domestic terror; and groups that have made professions of tarring people with the Islamophobia epithet. Emerson handed it all to them on a silver platter, as Theodore Dalrymple at City Journal explains:
Steven Emerson, the expert on terrorism, has caused a sigh of relief among the bien pensants of the Western world. By making inaccurate and false claims on Fox News, he has enabled them to pour righteous scorn on him and thereby avoid thinking about uncomfortable social realities.
A defense of Emerson's basic point, if not his specific description, is provided by the Gatestone Institute, European 'No-Go' Zones: Fact or Fiction? Part 1, France. (added) See also, Jonathan Tobin, ‘No-Go Zones’ Are Not a Conservative Meme. Regardless of whether "No-Go Zone" is a proper term in a general way, there is no doubt that there are cities and sections of many cities in Europe which are no-go zones for those publicly identifying as Jewish by dress (e.g., wearing a kippah/yarmulke) or symbols (e.g. wearing a Star of David) or appearance (e.g., long beard in combination with dress and symbols). We have explored the problem of Walking While Jewish repeatedly over the years, including recently regarding "Kippah Walks" in placed like Copenhagen to protest harassment of Jews on the street, frequently by groups of Muslim young men. Though it's not only men, as this woman in Copenhagen demonstrated with her Heil Hitler shout when she spotted Jews at a restaurant:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on January 24, 2015 4 Comments
Texas' new Agricultural Commissioner, Sid Miller, granted amnesty to cupcakes as his first act of office. "I'm announcing that I am giving full amnesty to the cupcakes in Texas. I'm also granting full pardon to pies and cookies and brownies and cakes and homemade candies," Miller said in his announcement. In Texas, the Department of Agriculture administers the school lunch program responsible for restrictive dietary guidelines. Guidelines were put in place to combat childhood obesity, but as Miller points out, the figures haven't changed in the ten years stringent dietary restrictions have been in place. "We're getting out of the school mandate business," Miller said. Miller explained further on Fox and Friends:

Posted by Amy Miller on January 24, 2015 36 Comments
Just minutes ago at the Iowa Freedom Summit, one of 2016's dark horses catapulted himself out of the murky waters of presidential speculation and into the spotlight. That person was Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Even before Walker took the stage attendees knew that something big was about to happen: Once he took the stage, it was all over; and by "all over," I mean, "he blew the crowd away."

Posted by Amy Miller on January 24, 2015 2 Comments
We still have over a year to go before the Iowa Caucuses (February 1, 2016---are you EXCITED?????) but GOP movers and shakers are already descending on Iowa to shake hands, make speeches, and (most importantly) soak in as much of the limelight and media attention as they possibly can. This is the first major event that will bring the presidential hopefuls together under one roof, which means that it's also the first time that newcomers to the game will be able to set themselves apart before a national audience. From the Des Moines Register:
...make no mistake: The campaign is on. Aspirants will spend Saturday trying out messages, drawing contrasts and making contacts. Some may leave Des Moines with national buzz and a higher profile. Some may set themselves back. "It's a real test," said longtime GOP strategist Ed Rollins. "This is the first impression for some of these candidates, and the first impression is very, very important. Who shines?" No fewer than 23 Republican luminaries are committed to attend, including at least eight who have signaled interest in the presidency. Activists have snapped up every last one of the auditorium's 1,251 seats, and 800 more have signed on to a waiting list. About 150 journalists have secured credentials, and organizers are turning down late-arriving requests.
Not every hopeful will be in Iowa this weekend; although popular speakers like Ted Cruz, Chris Christie, and Sarah Palin will be there with bells on, other high-profile would-be candidates like Rand Paul, Bobby Jindal, and Jeb Bush have elected to skip the event.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on January 24, 2015 16 Comments
Since I last reported on the Disneyland Measles Outbreak, the number of infected people in California has expanded to 68 and has prompted a warning from a state official.
It’s really difficult to tell now when the last day of exposure might be,” said Dr. Gil Chavez, deputy director of the state’s Center for Infectious Diseases. “For the time being, if you are not vaccinated or if you have an infant who is too young to be vaccinated, you should avoid going to Disneyland.” In all, 59 measles cases have been confirmed statewide, including 13 in San Diego County. Disneyland is associated with 41 of those patients, including five of the park’s employees. Disneyland did not respond directly to the Wednesday recommendation from public-health officials. It referred journalists to a recent statement made by Dr. Pamela Hymel, the park’s chief medical officer, that said Disney was notified of the outbreak on Jan. 7. The company has offered vaccinations and immunity tests to its workers. “Cast members who may have come in contact with those who were positive are being tested for the virus. While awaiting results, they have been put on paid leave until medically cleared,” Hymel said.
I was mulling the idea of taking advantage of the situation, as my family is up-to-date on its vaccinations. However, concerns are increasing about the number of vaccinated individuals becoming ill with the disease. Some medical experts have also expressed concern about the five patients who contracted measles despite being fully vaccinated.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on January 24, 2015 17 Comments
Britain stood alone. In today's terms, the liberal punditry and political machine would tell us that Britain was on the wrong side of history, and that the rising tide in mainland Europe needed to be accommodated, joined, and imported, not fought. Except Britain wasn't on the wrong side of history, because the number of countries and people adhering to an ideology doesn't make right or wrong. Not then, or now. Britain had a leader who saw that point. 50 years ago today Winston Churchill died.

Posted by Amy Miller on January 24, 2015 20 Comments
California's seven Supreme Court judges have voted unanimously to prohibit state judges from holding membership in the Boy Scouts of America; the ruling is based on the grounds that the Scouts discriminate against gays. California is one of several states that has rules on the books banning judges from holding memberships in groups that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation; the court, however, also carved out an exception for non-profit youth groups, including the Boy Scouts. Everything changed, however, when an ethics advisory committee recommended the ban last year. The San Francisco Gate has the history:
California has been among 23 states with an ethical code that prohibits judges from belonging to organizations that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. But the state’s Supreme Court in 1996 approved an exemption, unique to California, for “nonprofit youth organizations” to accommodate judges affiliated with the Boy Scouts. The Bar Association of San Francisco and other legal organizations sought to repeal that exemption in 2003. The court refused, and instead instructed judges to disclose connections to the Boy Scouts when they heard cases involving gay rights and related issues, and to disqualify themselves for any conflicts of interest. At the time, the Scouts also barred gay youths as members, a policy the U.S. Supreme Court had upheld in 2000. The organization repealed that ban at a national meeting in May 2013, effective the following January, but maintained the prohibition on gay and lesbian youth leaders. “The people of California have a right to an impartial and unbiased judiciary,” Richard Fybel, a state appeals court justice in Santa Ana and chairman of the high court’s ethics advisory committee, said Friday. “This is important to accomplishing that.”
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