Authorities arrest woman who sent threatening letter to Sen. Collins

Federal authorities charged a woman Monday with sending a threatening letter to the home of Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) in October.

An affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Bangor and reviewed by The Associated Press says Suzanne Muscara mailed starch to the senator's husband, Thomas Daffron, with a letter that claimed to have been coated with "ricin residue."

The 37-year-old from Burlington, Maine, was reportedly arrested on Friday.

The unsigned letter, which claimed Collins "betrayed the people of Maine," was sent shortly after the Republican senator's vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh amid allegations of sexual assault.

Kavanaugh has denied the accusations.

Muscara, who is set to appear in court on Monday, faces up to 10 years in prison, according to the AP.

Collins's spokeswoman Annie Clark released a statement Monday commending authorities on the arrest.

"Senator Collins and Mr. Daffron greatly appreciate the extraordinary efforts made by state and federal law enforcement agencies which culminated in an arrest in this case,” she said.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/437870-fbi-arrests-woman-who-sent-threatening-letter-to-collins

Parents Charged In College Admissions Scam Now Hiring "Prison Life Consultants"

In news that should surprise no one, affluent Hollywood elites are scared shitless of going to jail, but they have every intention of doing so fully prepared for the experience.

The parents once seeking "consultation" on the easy way to get their kids into elite universities are now seeking another type of consultation: what prison life could be like.

As a result of the "largest college admissions scandal in history", actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman were among 15 other parents and celebs who appeared before a judge last Wednesday afternoon, accused of cheating to get their kids into elite universities like USC and Yale. Most defendants have remained mum on their legal strategies as they head to "face the music" as a result of their involvement in the scheme.

Some parents are considering plea deals, while others are seeking out consultants to help them with advice on what prison life could be life. Parents are seeking advice from a former convicted felon, Justin Paperny, who now works as a "prison consultant". He recently told CBS that he had been hired by one parent charged in the scheme, while he is "in talks" with others.

He said: "They're scared and it's 'Can I survive in prison? Am I cut out for prison?' What's most surprising to me about the first conversation is how many of them didn't view their actions as criminal."

Paperny recounts parents asking additional questions like: ""What's it like? What will my job be? Can my family visit? Is there email? Is there internet?" He has said the more important conversations he's been having with his "clients" have been about accepting responsibility, which can lead to a lighter sentence.

What is his sage-like advice, that frightened parents are probably paying tens of thousands of dollars for?

"I would encourage defendants, any defendants, if they broke the law to own it, to acknowledge it, to run not walk towards taking a plea agreement. Those that respond more appropriately should get better prison sentences."

We have been following the admissions scandal at length. We recently wrote about how financial speaking gigs and elite high schools helped facilitate the scam for years.

As a result of the scandal, UCLA's Men's Soccer Coach and former U.S. Men's national team player Jorge Salcedo recently resigned from his position at the university. We also wrote about how students were being encouraged to fake learning disabilities in order to cheat on college entrance exams.

We also profiled one Harvard test-taking "whiz" that was responsible for helping students at the center of the scandal get high scores on admissions tests. Prior to that, we reported on the tipster who gave the SEC the lead on the admissions scandal. He was in the midst of being investigated for a pump and dump scam at the time.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-08/parents-charged-college-admissions-scam-now-hiring-prison-life-consultants

Kek

Commander out at California Air National Guard after boot urination scandal

FRESNO, Calif. — The head of the California Air National Guard, Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison, was relieved of command and replaced by Brig. Gen. Gregory Jones two months after a newspaper detailed the fallout from a scandal involving someone urinating in the boots of a service member.

A Guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, on Friday confirmed the shake-up, but he did not have additional details.

The command change follows a Los Angeles Times report on allegations that whistleblowers at the Guard’s Fresno base suffered reprisals for questioning actions or conduct, including an incident in which a female guardsman discovered urine in her boots.

In interviews with the Times, several current and former members of the Guard described a culture of retaliation by high-ranking officers and mistrust in the inspector general system intended to hold them accountable.

At least five Guard members from the 144th Fighter Wing filed formal complaints.

The urine incident and its aftermath fueled suspicions within the Guard that high-ranking officers, including Garrison, mishandled two investigations to find the perpetrator and tried to bury the episode to protect someone who may have been involved, according to interviews and Guard records obtained by the Times.

The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. Jennifer Pineda, a 15-year veteran of the guard, was about to change into her uniform in a women’s bathroom at the 144th when she discovered her boots had been soiled.

Members of the 144th’s security forces conducted two investigations, according to internal investigative records obtained by the Times. Both were inconclusive, and the case was closed.

Pineda filed a whistleblower complaint, in which she wrote that she feared she would be forced out of the military because some had speculated that she urinated in her own boots "for attention." She wanted the DNA test to clear her name.

The California Air National Guard is the second largest unit in the Air Guard, a force of more than 100,000 pilots, other officers and enlisted people. The 144th is the biggest wing in the state, home to roughly 115 officers, including about two dozen fighter pilots, and more than 1,000 enlistees in support units.

Jones has served as assistant adjutant general since December 2017.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/04/06/commander-out-at-california-air-national-guard-after-boot-urination-scandal/

Suspended Broward Sheriff Scott Israel job-shopping in Opa-locka

Former Sheriff Scott Israel has insisted that his removal from office was a naked power grab, and that he will be reinstated as Broward’s top lawman one way or another.

He’s also hedging his bets: In a power play of his own one county south, Israel has emerged as one commissioner’s favorite candidate for police chief in Opa-locka.

It’s a would-be marriage that links Broward’s most controversial politician with Miami-Dade’s most chaotic and dysfunctional city. And it has politicians and observers on both sides of the county line reaching for the popcorn.

Opa-locka Commissioner Alvin Burke appears poised to push for the hiring of Israel, who worked for decades at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department before a short stint as police chief in North Bay Village. He was elected sheriff in 2012, overseeing the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s 5,600 sworn and civilian personnel.

Standing in Burke’s way is Interim City Manager Newall J. Daughtrey — and possibly the city’s charter.

In a March 27 email, Daughtrey accused Burke of trying to strong-arm him into hiring Israel. “Please understand that I cannot follow your directive to terminated the chief of police and hire Scott Israel at this time for reasons discussed,” Daughrey wrote to Burke, without elaborating on what his reasons were. Daughtrey’s attorney, Michael Pizzi, then wrote to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ chief investigator, Melinda Miguel, who doubles as the head of a state government oversight board, seeking help in protecting Daughtrey’s job.

All financial transactions in Opa-locka, including employee contracts, must be approved by the oversight board, established by former Gov. Rick Scott in 2015 when he declared a state of emergency in Opa-locka. The action followed a whistle-blower complaint that the city was in financial ruin. Now, the board is overseen by DeSantis, who was sharply critical of Israel during his campaign, and wasted little time in removing him from office after his election.

Israel’s attorney, Ben Kuehne, reiterated Israel’s desire to be returned to office in Broward.

“Sheriff Israel was elected by the people of Broward County to serve as sheriff through the election of 2020,” Kuehne said Monday. “He fully intends to fulfill the will of Broward voters. He fully intends to serve in the capacity of sheriff of Broward County, and is currently challenging the governor’s action in suspending him for reasons Sheriff Israel maintains are not supported by the Florida Constitution.”

Kuehne declined to specify whether Israel wishes to be Broward’s sheriff or Opa-locka’s police chief. “He is a career law enforcement officer,” Kuehne said. “To the extent he can provide guidance to any government entity or municipality concerning effective law enforcement, he is honored to be able to do that.”

At the moment, he is mostly providing more turmoil.

When Daughtrey refused to hire Israel, Burke began efforts to fire Daughtrey.

The agenda for Opa-locka’s next commission meeting, on April 10, includes this as Item 5 under “Administration”: “A resolution of the City Commissioni…terminating the interim city manager, Newall J. Daughtry…” The next agenda item seeks to appoint another man, Darvin Williams, to be city manager.

“It is a shame that after all the city has gone through, there would still be attempts to force city officials to break the law, Pizzi said of Burke’s efforts to force Israel’s hiring. “Mr. Daughtrey is being fired once again because he refuses, and will never violate the city charter and take illegal orders…Hopefully, the state will have the courage to stop the city from continuing down the same path that led to a fiscal crisis, and a crisis in public confidence.”

Daughtrey was fired by a previous commission in October of 2018. He was rehired by the current commission after filing a whistle-blower suit against the city alleging that he had been terminated for exposing the former mayor’s outstanding water bill of $100,000 — as well as other acts of potential corruption.

Opa-locka already has a police chief, James Dobson, and by city charter, commissioners do not have direct authority over personnel decisions, a power that only the city manager holds.

Long considered one of the most poorly governed cities in Florida, Opa-locka now is nearly bankrupt, and has been under FBI investigation for corruption. South Florida leaders have wondered whether the new governor will take action if Opa-locka’s elected officials are unable to stabilize the city’s finances.

DeSantis removed Israel from office in January, citing neglect of duty and incompetence in his letter of suspension.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228960809.html

Migrants started fires and attacked police at the Greek-North Macedonian border, demanding it’s reopened

Hundreds or thousands of migrants that have been smuggled across the Mediterranean and are on their way up through Europe, confronted riot police at the border between Greece and North Macedonia.

When they failed to break through the border post, grass areas were set on fire.

Much turmoil arose when the migrants tried to force the since 2016 closed border, which they, through mass action and coordinated campaigns in social media, are trying to compel the authorities to reopen.

The area has long been heavily strained. The migrant camp in nearby Thessaloniki is overcrowded and further pressure through a reopening of the former migrant route would, according to analysts, make the situation even more untenable.

https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/04/migrants-started-fires-and-attacked-police-at-the-greek-north-macedonian-border-demanding-its-reopened/

Seems to be a WW theme.