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'Tiger King' Joe Exotic offers Trump advice on how he can defeat Kamala Harris

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13801905/tiger-king-joe-exotic-interview-donald-trump-kamla-harris-election.html

'Tiger King' Joe Exotic has given an in-depth jailhouse interview discussing the impending election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

Exotic, in the midst of his 21-year murder-for-hire sentence, spoke at length about how the Republican could beat Harris come November, while offering some of his own critiques.

The 55-year-old zookeeper also had some advice for the former president, like dialing back on his trademark name-calling.

Exotic was convicted of two counts of hiring hit men to murder his own critic, wildlife activist Carole Baskin, in 2019. He was also jailed for violating federal conservation laws, following the bust of his illegal big cat petting zoo.

The 2020 Netflix smash hit Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness told the story of Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Allen Maldonado, and the spiral that led to his conviction. He now wants a pardon, and a high-ranking government position.

'[Trump] has to explain to the people what we can do to better the lives of the American people,' Exotic told Newsweek from FMC Fort Worth in Texas.

'We can't afford gas, we can't afford rent, we can't afford food. 'We have to give back to where the American people can take care of the American people,' the former Oklahoma zoo owner said. 'If he would just explain some of this to the American public, he would win on a landslide.'

The convict added how he is hoping to secure a place on Trump's cabinet should he eke out a win. To do so, Trump will need to 'keep his mouth shut [and] get on track,' he said.

'Concentrate on explaining to the American people [the value of] drilling our own oil, our gas, and our own coal,' he told the outlet over the phone. 'Get back to how we're going to sustain America without having to pay every other country for the same thing that we can provide here.'

The words of advice come a year-and-a-half after Exotic announced his own candidacy for president as a Democrat, before suspending his campaign amid efforts to appeal his conviction. On July 15, 2021, a U.S. appeals court ruled his sentence for two murder attempts were wrongly treated as separate, reducing it from 22 years to 21.

In a rare interview in July, Exotic - revealing he now has prostate cancer - said he is not satisfied with that outcome, and is seeking an appeal to the entire case. 'I'm actually appealing my whole case, to overturn my conviction,' he told News Channel 8 from a prison in Florida at the time, before being transferred to the federal pen in Fort Worth.

Of the past five years, he said, 'It's been rough, it really has.' Speaking to Newsweek, he said he's also hoping to secure a presidential pardon from the former president, despite already doing so toward the end of his first term.

He also expressed his wish to become the head of the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service, even though the agency does not allow even regular employees that have felony convictions. 'I want to be the director of the Fish and Wildlife Service,' he said. 'I can save this country several million dollars because it's over regulated.

Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in Massachusetts

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-monitor-compliance-federal-voting-rights-laws-massachusetts

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in two cities in Massachusetts for the Sept. 3 primary election. The department will monitor in the Cities of Methuen (in Essex County) and Lowell (in Middlesex County).

The Justice Department enforces the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country. In addition, the division also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, where authorized by federal court order.

The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Act and Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.

Updated August 30, 2024

Former Customs and Border Patrol Agent Found Guilty of Federal Civil Rights and Kidnapping Charges for Sexually Assaulting and Abducting Minor Victim

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-customs-and-border-patrol-agent-found-guilty-federal-civil-rights-and-kidnapping

After deliberating for two days, a jury found a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent, Aaron Mitchell, guilty of both a federal civil rights offense and a kidnapping charge for sexually assaulting and kidnapping a victim who was a minor. The jury also found that the defendant’s conduct included aggravated sexual abuse, kidnapping and resulted in bodily injury.

“The heinous crimes committed against a young middle school student by an individual sworn to uphold the law are unspeakable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant had a duty to protect his community but instead he abused his power, kidnapped, cuffed and restrained a young girl, and repeatedly sexually assaulted her in his apartment for hours. With this verdict, the jury has done us all a great service by holding accountable this former federal law enforcement official. The Justice Department will continue to stand up for sexual assault victims, especially children, and we will prosecute law enforcement officials who break the law with every tool at our disposal.”

“We count on our law enforcement officers to protect children, schools and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “This defendant dishonored his badge and his colleagues by ignoring his oath and harming the most vulnerable among us. Thanks to the Douglas Police Department and the FBI for investigating this case with dedication and compassion, and for vindicating the rights of a courageous victim.”

“Mitchell not only broke his oath, but the trust instilled in him as a law enforcement officer. Public servants, particularly in law enforcement, must be held to the highest of ethical standards. Those falling short must be rooted out and firmly held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to uncovering those who attempt to hide their acts of violence behind the badge. We would like to thank our investigators and the Douglas Police Department for their support and assistance in this case.”

During a two-week trial, jurors heard evidence that, on the morning of April 25, 2022, Mitchell traveled to Douglas, Arizona, where he abducted a 15-year-old female middle school student, restrained her, drove her to his apartment and sexually assaulted her.

According to evidence presented at trial, Mitchell found the child waiting for school to start, introduced himself as a law enforcement officer, and asked for her papers. Next, after flashing his police badge and credentials, Mitchell ordered the child into his car and explained that he was taking her to the police station. Instead, Mitchell drove the child miles away from her school, pulled over and restrained her hands and feet with two pairs of handcuffs. The victim testified that, after being handcuffed, the defendant told her to do everything he said because he didn’t want to have to hurt her.

Once the defendant forced the victim into his apartment, he repeatedly sexually assaulted her over the course of several hours. Mitchell eventually returned the victim to the area of the middle school where he had abducted her earlier that morning and reminded her not to tell anyone. The victim immediately reported the abduction and sexual assaults to her friends, family members and multiple law enforcement agencies. During an interview with police, the defendant exclaimed that the victim “better hope I don’t get out of here.”

An examination of the defendant’s cellphone revealed that the defendant had conducted numerous searches regarding rape and how to stop someone from screaming and, while he had the child captive in his apartment, he conducted an additional internet search for how long it takes to smother someone.

A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Douglas Police Department and FBI Phoenix Field Office, Sierra Vista Resident Agency investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carin Duryee for the District of Arizona and Trial Attorney MarLa Duncan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

Updated August 30, 2024

Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor and will open before the election

https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-film-apprentice-release-details-d749e3c6da028a45921d493db6f5bf70

NEW YORK (AP) — After struggling to drum up interest following its Cannes Film Festival premiere, “The Apprentice,” starring Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump, has found a distributor that plans to release the film shortly before the election in November.

Briarcliff Entertainment will release “The Apprentice” on Oct. 11 in U.S. and Canadian theaters, just weeks before Americans cast their ballots on Nov. 5.

Director Ali Abbasi, the Danish Iranian filmmaker, had prioritized getting “The Apprentice” into theaters before voters head to the polls. After larger studios and film distributors opted not to bid on the film, Abbasi complained in early June on X that “for some reason certain power people in your country don’t want you to see it!!!”

>Steven Cheung, communications director for the Trump campaign, in a statement Friday called the film’s release “election interference by Hollywood elites right before November.”