Armed men arrested in Philadelphia were trying to deliver fake ballots
(CNN/KMOV) — Two armed Virginia men who were arrested Thursday outside the Philadelphia Convention Center were “coming to deliver a truck full of fake ballots” to the city, CNN affiliate KYW reported, citing prosecutors.
The center is one of the places where election workers have been counting votes from the 2020 general election, which includes the race for president.
Text messages reveal that the men were concerned about the tallying of votes at the convention center, prosecutors said, according to KYW.
Antonio LaMotta, 61, and Joshua Macias, 42, both of Chesapeake, Virginia, were arrested Thursday night outside the center on suspicion of carrying handguns in Pennsylvania without permits, authorities said.
Philadelphia police said they found the men Thursday night after receiving a tip that people with firearms were heading to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in a silver Hummer truck.
Officers found a silver Hummer a block from the center — parked and unoccupied — around 10:20 p.m. Thursday, about seven minutes before finding the men, who acknowledged the Hummer was theirs, police said.
Both men were carrying loaded handguns, and police found an AR-type rifle in the Hummer, authorities said at a news conference Friday. About 160 rounds of ammunition were found in the weapons and the vehicle, authorities said.
Stickers and a hat with logos of the QAnon conspiracy movement were found in the vehicle, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said.
LaMotta and Macias were charged with having a concealed firearm without a license and carrying a firearm on a public street or public property, Krasner said.
“This alarming incident is still very much under investigation regarding additional charges,” Krasner said.
LaMotta and Macias were arraigned Friday night, and a judge set bail at $750,000 each, Krasner’s spokeswoman Jane Roh said.
Details about the alleged fake ballots — including where they came from, whether they were found in the Hummer, or what was marked on them — weren’t immediately available.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the men had legal representation. CNN has sought comment from the Philadelphia Public Defenders Office and LaMotta’s relatives.
A woman who was traveling with the men has not been arrested, Krasner said.
Suspect said he needed to take leave to go to Philadelphia, employer says
LaMotta told his work supervisor a few days ago that he needed leave for an “assignment” in Philadelphia, according to the CEO of the company that employs him.
LaMotta works in the Virginia area for Nationwide Investigations & Security, a Houston-based security services firm, according to company CEO Allen Hollimon and LaMotta’s personal website.
Hollimon told CNN that LaMotta this week told his supervisor he needed to take leave for the “assignment” in Philadelphia that was not assigned through the company.
Hollimon said he did not know why LaMotta was in Philadelphia and emphasized that he believes he is “a good guy.”
“He’s a very devoted guy. I’ve never had an issue with him,” Hollimon told CNN. “He’s not a threat.”
LaMotta’s website, which has since been taken down, described him as a “crisis response, security, fugitive recovery agent, bodyguard, security contractor.”
The website included his date of birth and hometown, both of which matched information shared by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.
The website displayed pictures of him posing beside a silver Hummer. It also detailed his work experience, including his work at Nationwide Investigation & Security, as well as documents related to a military discharge.
The website detailed other work experience, including for the Virginia city of Chesapeake, where he lives.
LaMotta was a facilities maintenance technician for the city from August 2014 to May 2019, Chesapeake spokesman Heath Covey told CNN. Cover said he could not provide details about why LaMotta left the job.
CNN’s Patrick Cornell, Julian Cummings, Laura Ly, Mark Morales, Ganesh Setty and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.
via: https://www.kmov.com/news/report-armed-men-arrested-in-philadelphia-were-trying-to-deliver-fake-ballots/article_12ee5e77-a724-5633-9c52-6bc3ae91a28b.html
Photo Credit: cnn.com
Tekashi 6ix9ine mocks the death of Chicago rapper King Von
Controversial Brooklyn snitch Tekashi 6ix9ine was seen mocking the death of Chicago rapper King Von on social media Friday, reportedly due to his ongoing feud with King Von associate, rapper Lil Durk.
An Instagram post from blogger DJ Akademiks suggested that Durk may have learned of his friend’s death from fans while streaming on Instagram Live. Within the comment section, 6ix9ine responded with a crying laughing emoji, mocking the “All Love” artist and the late Von.
Tekashi has been feuding with Chicago-based rappers for much of his career, often seen trolling artists from the Windy city online. Uproxx reports that Durk even claimed Tekashi’s new management attempted to pay him to participate in a fake “troll war” with the rainbow-haired artist as a form of promotion. Durk refused, but was still subject to jabs from the “Gummo” artist. Durk also fired back on occasion, dissing 69 on Drake single, “Laugh Now, Cry Later.”
The 26-year-old King Von was involved in a fight between two groups of men outside the Monaco Hookah Lounge in downtown Atlanta when the altercation escalated to shots being fired. A total of six people were allegedly shot with three staying at the scene of the crime and three others running away, but still ending up at the hospital.
Three of those shot died from their wounds, including King Von, though it’s unclear who shot him.
via: https://pagesix.com/2020/11/07/tekashi-6ix9ine-mocks-the-death-of-chicago-rapper-king-von/?_ga=2.212823831.2026506654.1604801803-1483909753.1590005431
Photo Credit: pagesix.com
Anderson Cooper sorry for calling Trump ‘an obese turtle’
Anderson Cooper has apologized for calling President Trump “an obese turtle.”
On Thursday night, after Trump gave an angry speech claiming that non-evidenced election fraud was behind his lacking in electoral votes, Cooper insulted the president while live on CNN.
“That is the president of the United States. That is the most powerful person in the world. And we see him like an obese turtle on his back flailing in the hot sun, realizing his time is over,” the news anchor quipped.
Many found the comment inappropriate.
On Saturday, after Joe Biden had been declared the winner of the presidential race, Cooper, 53, apologized for the remarks during an interview with Andrew Yang.
Cooper had asked Yang about the very real possibility that Trump refuses to concede to Biden.
“I’m happy to say, it seems like Trump is going to be, in your words, an obese turtle on his back, just flailing around, Anderson,” Yang replied.
“By the way, I should say, I regret using those words because that’s not the person I really wanna be,” Cooper apologized. “It was in the moment, and I regret it.”
via: https://nypost.com/2020/11/07/anderson-cooper-sorry-for-calling-trump-an-obese-turtle/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
Missouri poll worker with COVID-19 still worked shift, died after election
A Missouri poll supervisor worked on Election Day despite knowing they were infected with the coronavirus — and has since died, local officials said Thursday
The election judge supervisor in St. Charles County got a positive COVID-19 test back on Oct. 30 and broke the recommended 14-day quarantine period to work at a polling site, county health officials said.
The county did not say when the person — who wasn’t publicly identified — died nor did it release an official cause.
The nine other election workers at the Blanchette Park Memorial Hall polling site were contacted by health department epidemiologists and advised to get tested for the virus, the officials said.
The county said it’s unlikely the supervisor had close contact with any of the 1,858 voters who were at the polling place on Tuesday, since tasks like handing out ballot materials wouldn’t fall under their job description.
Still, anyone who was at that polling site should be watchful for COVID-19 symptoms, the officials said.
All election workers in the county were mandated to wear masks or face shields at all times, and plexiglas barriers separated them from voters, St. Charles County Director of Elections Kurt Bahr said.
The county’s director of public health reminded anyone infected with the virus to “be responsible to others in the community.”
“There is no more important duty than protecting the health of our families, friends and those who reside in the community with us,” Demetrius Cianci-Chapman said.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/11/05/missouri-poll-worker-with-covid-19-still-worked-shift-died-after-election/
Photo Credit: AP
Colorado cop placed on leave after threatening Democrats in Facebook post
A Colorado police officer was reportedly placed on administrative leave after threatening Democrats in a ranting Wednesday Facebook post — suggesting he wanted to “beat the hell” out of members of the party.
“Democrats you were scared of Trump now’s the true time to be afraid,” Jason Taft, an officer with the Platteville Police Department wrote on Facebook.
“If for some reason we lose do we get to be little bitches and beat the hell out of the other party like they did,” he said.
Platteville police Chief Carl Dwyer told the Denver Post he found out about Taft’s post the same afternoon it was written.
Taft, who joined the force in January 2018, was subsequently disciplined.
In the same post, which was still public Thursday night, Taft told Democrats to “please meet me at the battle grounds.”
He also later left a comment on the post, declaring he was willing to lose his job in order to beat up Democrats.
“I’m ready to leave my job just so I can hurt these people that act like they know what real life is about. They are a bunch of time out in the corner billy people,” Taft commented, according to The Denver Post.
“Dems you thought you made a scene or statement with BLM just wait this it will be fun!” he wrote.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/11/05/colorado-cop-placed-on-leave-after-threatening-dems-on-facebook/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
Missouri police instructor fired for alleged use of racial slur during training
A white police instructor in Missouri was terminated for allegedly using racial slurs during an officer training session, department officials said.
St. Louis County Police Chief Mary Barton fired the unidentified contract instructor late last month after initially suspending her as an investigation was conducted.
“It has now been brought to conclusion and the existing contracts with the instructor and her company have been terminated,” Barton wrote in an Oct. 28 letter to officers obtained by The Post.
“To those that brought this behavior to the department’s attention, I extend to you my sincerest appreciation.”
Officers first alerted supervisors about the instructor – later identified in reports as Jan Mirikitani – on Oct. 20, KSDK reported. Sources said she used a racial slur during the session and claimed EBT cards should not be used to pay for hair or nail treatments, according to the station.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Thursday identified Mirikitani as the instructor involved. Mirikitani denied the allegations.
“This is not what it appears,” she wrote the newspaper in an email. “We are living in a time when an allegation is accepted as truth, regardless of all remaining facts and context.”
Mirikitani has been a trainer and consultant for local and federal police forces for more than three decades, the newspaper reported, citing the Law Enforcement Training Advisory Commission’s website.
She has also led more than 25 courses throughout her career, including sessions titled “Hire for Character” and “Communicating with an Angry Public,” the Post-Dispatch reported.
Mirikitani is not licensed by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, which has no record of the woman, a spokesman for the Missouri Department of Public Safety told the newspaper.
But police academies can contract unlicensed instructors, spokesman Mike O’Connell told the Post-Dispatch.
The St. Louis-based Ethical Society of Police said the incident marked the third known usage in the past several years of derogatory terms by local officers in training sessions, KSDK reported.
“We believe that additional steps are needed to ensure such an incident will not occur again,” the organization wrote in a letter. “We are asking for better checks and balances at [St. Louis County Municipal Police & Fire Academy] and regular evaluations by class participants.”
A St. Louis County police spokesman declined additional comment when reached by The Post on Friday.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/11/06/police-instructor-allegedly-used-racial-slur-during-training/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
Lori Loughlin Is Apparently a ‘Wreck’ in Prison, Just Days Into Her Sentence
Lori Loughlin has begun her prison sentence, reporting to California’s Dublin Federal Correctional Institute on Friday. It hasn’t even been a week in there, and already multiple sources are talking to Us Weekly about what a hard time Loughlin is having.
Loughlin, of course, was sentenced to two months in prison, a $150,000 fine, two years of supervised release, and 100 hours of community service for paying $500,000 with her husband to make it appear that their daughters Olivia Jade and Isabella were rowing team recruits in order to guarantee their admission into the University of Southern California. The couple was charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, money laundering, and bribery in the college admissions cheating scandal; Loughlin pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud as part of a plea agreement.
Us spoke to two sources about Loughlin’s time behind bars so far. One said that Loughlin was a “wreck.”
Another elucidated, saying, “Lori really went into prison strong, she had her faith and the support of her family, but the first few days and road ahead are daunting.”
The first source added that in the weeks before Loughlin checked herself in, the actress was very scared. “Lori tried her best to be brave and look at the end result but there was nothing that could dissipate her fears,” the source. “It’s only two months but she’s dreading it. Her mind keeps telling her that something will go horribly wrong in prison or that her stay could be prolonged.”
As for Loughlin’s daughters, Olivia and Isabella, they’re also struggling seeing their mom go to jail. A source told E! last Friday that “the girls were there saying their goodbyes before Lori headed off. It was a big moment for their family and everyone was very upset. Although the girls knew it was coming and have had time to prepare, it’s still devastating to see their mom go. Both Olivia and Bella are very distraught over it. They are grateful it is for only two months but are anxious knowing they will have a very different and hard holiday season this year.”
via: https://currently.att.yahoo.com/lifestyle/well-lori-loughlin-apparently-wreck-144700643.html
Photo Credit: yahoo.com
Elfen’s TBT R&B Album Cheryl Lynn Preppie
This album came out in late 1983 and the single Encore and This Time hit #1 on the R&B Charts! FUN TBT FACT On November 12th of this year NBC aired a made for TV movie Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story.
