Oregon may soon decriminalize the low-level possession of all drugs, massively reducing arrests

Under the proposed measure, low-level possession of illegal substances would be reclassified from a misdemeanor to a violation.

With opinions changing across the country over the need for urgent criminal justice reform, there’s no time like the present to enact a much-needed overhaul of laws that criminalize poverty and social ills such as drug use. And this November, voters in Oregon will have an opportunity to decriminalize the low-level possession of all drugs.

Under the proposed Measure 110, or the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act, the low-level possession of illegal substances would be reclassified from a misdemeanor to a violation, punishable by either a $100 fine or a health assessment.

Drug trafficking would remain a felony offense, while substantial possession of drugs would be reduced to a felony. Rehabilitation services would be expanded under the measure, and 24-hour Addiction Recovery Centers would also be opened.

By effectively decriminalizing the small-scale possession of drugs, the proposed measure would effectively halt one of the most pernicious means by which the “War on Drugs” has adversely impacted communities of color and poor communities that have suffered disproportionate over-policing and mass incarceration.

According to the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, the reclassifications proposed by the measure would see roughly 1,800 fewer Oregon residents facing conviction for felony possession of a controlled substance annually – leading to a mammoth 95-percent drop from current conviction rates.

The report from the commission also found that Measure 110 would be of particular benefit for communities of color, with racial disparities in arrests and convictions falling “substantially.” However, the benefits would also cut across the board – with Black people seeing a fall in arrests by 93.7 percent and an 82.9-percent fall for Asians, 86.5 for Hispanics, 94.2 for Native Americans, and 91.1 for whites.

The report also notes that “inequities [may] exist in police stops, jail bookings, bail, pretrial detention, or other areas” but there is not “sufficient or appropriate data to examine those stages.”

https://themindunleashed.com/2020/08/oregon-may-soon-decriminalize-the-low-level-possession-of-all-drugs-massively-reducing-arrests.html

AMP chairman David Murray resigns, top exec Boe Pahari stands down

AMP chairman David Murray has resigned and top executive Boe Pahari has stood down as AMP Capital chief executive after investors demanded accountability over the handling of the sexual harassment case at the troubled wealth giant.

AMP told the market on Monday morning Francesco De Ferrari would remain as chief executive and would replace Mr Pahari as AMP Capital chief executive on an interim basis. Mr Pahari will return to his previous role within AMP Capital's infrastructure equity business.

Non-executive director Debra Hazelton will replace Mr Murray as chair, effective immediately.

Former Treasury secretary John Fraser voluntarily resigned as non-executive director, as a result of Mr Murray's decision to leave the company.

"These changes respond to feedback expressed by some major shareholders regarding the appointment of Mr Pahari as AMP Capital CEO on 1 July 2020," AMP said in a statement.

AMP promoted Mr Pahari to lead AMP Capital after penalising him $500,000 – or a quarter of his annual bonus –as part of the settlement of a sexual harassment complaint made by former colleague Julia Szlakowski in 2018.

Details of the complaint were made public last week causing major investors and federal politicians to call for accountability and transparency.

Mr Murray said AMP needed to continue its "transformation" under Mr De Ferarri with the support and confidence of investors, institutional clients, employees, partners and clients, "without distractions".

"The board has made it clear that it has always treated the complaint against Mr Pahari seriously. My view remains that it was dealt with appropriately in 2017 and Mr Pahari was penalised accordingly. However, it is clear to me that, although there is considerable support for our strategy, some shareholders did not consider Mr Pahari’s promotion to AMP Capital CEO to be appropriate.

"Although the board’s decision on the appointment was unanimous, my decision to leave reflects my role and accountability as chairman of the board and the need to protect continuity of management, the strategy and, to the extent possible, the board," Mr Murray said.

New AMP chair Ms Hazelton acknowledged Mr Murray's leadership and thanked him for "professionalism, dedication and commitment" to AMP.

https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/amp-chairman-david-murray-resigns-top-exec-boe-pahari-stands-down-20200824-p55ol3.html

Hezbollah Shot Down Israeli Drone Over Southern Lebanon

Hezbollah announced late on August 22 that it had shot down an Israeli drone that had crossed the separation line into Southern Lebanon.

In a statement, Hezbollah said the drone, a DJI Mavic Pro quadcopter, was shot by one of its fighters after crossing the separation line from the Israeli side to an area located south of the Lebanese town of Ayta al-Shab.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged that one of their drones was lost near the separation line with Lebanon, saying that there is no fear of information leakage.

The DJI Mavic Pro, which is commercially available for less than $900, has been in service with the IDF since it was first released in 2016. The drone is equipped with a camera and can stay in the air for 27 minutes.

According to the Times of Israel, Mavic Pro drones are in service with the IDF’s Paratroopers Brigade, Golani Brigade, Nahal Brigade, Kfir Brigade and Givati Brigade. The drones are only used in non-secret missions.

The IDF has been anticipating an attack by Hezbollah since July 20, when a series of Israeli airstrikes on the Syrian capital, Damascus, killed a fighter of the Lebanese group.

Hezbollah has reportedly taken the decision to response the incident. The downing of the Israeli drone was not, for sure, the long-awaited response.

https://southfront.org/hezbollah-shot-down-israeli-drone-over-southern-lebanon-photos/

National Guard Can Assist at Polling Places with State Approval, Officials Say

Members of the National Guard wearing civilian clothes volunteered with operations at polling places in three states during the primaries and would not be barred from assisting in the November general elections if called upon by governors, according to the National Guard Bureau.

"Currently, there is no formal request," Army Master Sgt. W. Michael Houk, a spokesman for the Bureau, said Thursday of Guard assistance during the November elections.

Laws barring troops in uniform from participating in political activities do not apply to Guard members in civilian clothes activated by governors and paid for by the states, he added.

Houk explained that Guard members would be barred from assisting at polling places if they were operating with federal support under Title 32 of the U.S. Code. "That type of support is a no-go," he said.

Several hundred Guard members assisted at polling places in Kentucky, Wisconsin and New Jersey during the primaries under strict orders to stay out of the actual voting process.

Without public complaint from Republicans or Democrats, they essentially filled in for regular workers who stayed home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Guard officials said.

Maj. Steve Martin, a spokesman for the Kentucky National Guard, said Friday that 240 Guard members assisted in 44 of Kentucky's 120 counties during the June primary. All of them were volunteers in civilian clothes and were forbidden from wearing any insignia that might indicate they were National Guard, he said.

They assisted with cleaning polling places, traffic control, maintenance support and other non-political work.

"All of their duties were non-polling related," Martin said. "No federal dollars were involved."

The Kentucky Guard is prepared to assist on a similar basis in the November elections, he added, but "we have not received a formal request yet" from Gov. Andy Beshear.

The issue of troops being involved in politics was raised again Tuesday when two soldiers in Operational Camouflage Pattern uniforms briefly appeared in the background behind delegates from American Samoa during the virtual roll call vote at the Democratic National Convention.

The two soldiers were from the Army Reserve's 9th Mission Support Command. On Wednesday, the Army announced that an investigation was being launched into the incident.

In a statement, Lt. Col. Emanuel Ortiz, an Army spokesman, said, "Wearing a uniform to a partisan political event like this is prohibited."

In Wisconsin, nearly 700 National Guard soldiers and airmen served as polling station volunteers in 40 counties for the Aug. 11 primary due to a shortage of poll workers during the pandemic, according to an Army release.

"I could not be prouder of our service members who coordinate and plan these election call-ups on short notice, as we have to ensure the county clerks have exhausted their recruiting efforts and have a critical need," said Brig. Gen. Robyn Blader, the assistant adjutant general for readiness and training.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/08/23/national-guard-can-assist-polling-places-state-approval-officials-say.html

Sharyl Attkisson: Claim That Jill Biden Cheated on Ex-Husband is Fair Game — But Media Ignored This Scandal for Some Reason?

Investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson joined Steve Malzberg on Beat the Press Saturday on Russia Today.

During the interview Malzberg brought up the recent comments by Jill Biden’s former husband. According to reports Bill Stevenson, Jill’s ex, accused the potential First Lady of having an affair with Joe Biden and then lying about how they met in the 1970s.

The networks ignored this scandal last week during the convention when the report first broke.

Sharyl Attkisson said this alleged affair should be fair game for the media.

Sharyl Attkisson: What’s fair for the goose is fair for the gander. You know where I stand on that. If you think it’s relevant that Donald Trump may be accused of something like that and it’s fair to ask about it. Then I think it would be fair to ask from the potential next president’s wife.

But the media will NEVER touch it.

This is just the latest proof that the liberal media can never be trusted.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/08/sharyl-attkisson-claim-jill-biden-cheated-ex-husband-fair-game-media-ignored-scandal-reason-video/

It may sound unimaginable, but the fact is nothing is off limits to the left wing that is trying to take over America. The summer has been full of violent insurrection across the United States, which has shocked both conservative and liberals alike.

Nothing is off-limits, let your friends know. Watch and share the video to redpill your friends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kI97-N83Oo

The backup is on Jim's Library in case Youtube deletes this.

LBRY.TV

Tune in to the Ship Show today to hear about the most recent attempts to deplatform Qanons.

https://youtu.be/maOBjpH8WyA 10 PM Eastern, 7 PM Pacific today

Thank you so much for keeping the faith. Together we've got this.

https://isitwetyet.net/

Kim Jong Un in coma, sister set to take control, South Korean ex-diplomat alleges

It is not the first time that the leader’s absence has prompted rumors of health problems

A South Korean diplomat is speculating that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has fallen into a coma and that his sister, Kim Yo Jong, is poised to take the rogue nation's reins.

Chang Song-min, a former aide to South Korea’s late president Kim Dae-jung, made the sensational claims to South Korean media, according to the New York Post.

Chang suggested that Kim is in a coma, “but his life has not ended.”

“A complete succession structure has not been formed, so Kim Yo-jong is being brought to the fore as the vacuum cannot be maintained for a prolonged period.”

Chang’s allegation comes just days after South Korea’s spy agency said the North’s 36-year-old leader had delegated part of his authority to his close aides, including his younger sister, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

In a private meeting with lawmakers last week, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said that “Kim Yo-jong, the first vice department director of the Workers’ Party Central Committee, is steering overall state affairs on the delegation,” though Kim her brother still maintains “absolute authority.”

Still, doubt lingers as to the veracity of the diplomat’s claims. Nor was it the first time that Kim’s prolonged absence from the public spotlight has fueled speculation about his health.

In April, reports circulated that the leader of the Hermit Kingdom had had heart surgery after he was not seen in public for nearly three weeks. The North Korean government never explained Kim’s absence, including why he missed a commemoration that celebrated the 108th birthday of his late grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung.

After a video was released showing Kim moving around during the completion of a fertilizer factory near Pyongyang, a South Korean government official told Fox News that “our government believes” there was no indication that a medical procedure had occurred.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/kim-jong-un-coma-sister-take-control-south-korean-official-alleges