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Don't be fooled — DeSantis' own state has worse crime than the 'woke' cities he attacks: analyst
June 06, 2023
Former President Donald Trump was infamous for campaigning on fear of crime — and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, now challenging Trump for the nomination in 2024, is determined to outdo him, telling voters to fear criminal justice reform and progressive cities as morasses of violence and danger. But DeSantis' own state reportedly doesn't prove his point.
In reality, wrote Radley Balko for The Daily Beast, DeSantis' panic on crime gets everything wrong — including the fact that it's worse in his own state than in many of the liberal jurisdictions he condemns.
"We can start with the First Step Act, Trump’s uncharacteristically hopeful and optimistic criminal justice reform bill (which, naturally, he later regretted). DeSantis recently called the law a 'jailbreak bill' that 'allowed dangerous people out of prison who have now re-offended, and really, really hurt a number of people,'" wrote Balko. "There's no evidence for any of this. If a significant number of prisoners released under the FSA have gone on to commit new violent or sex crimes, we'd know their names. Their photos would be on the cover of the New York Post, their names emblazoned in Fox News chyrons."
The only example DeSantis provided of this is Glynn Neal, who stabbed a staffer for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) shortly after being released from prison — but in fact, the First Step Act "reduced his sentence by a matter of days" and he was getting out anyway. On the contrary, people released under the FSA are reoffending at a third the rate of the general prison population — meaning the law is, if anything, actually reducing crime.
"As governor, DeSantis has already demonstrated his commitment to corrupting law enforcement. Earlier this year he forcibly removed a state’s attorney — Andrew Warren — from office. Warren was among the new breed of progressive prosecutors who 'take it upon themselves to determine which laws they like and will enforce and which laws they don’t like and won’t enforce,' DeSantis said, 'and the results of this in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco have been catastrophic,'" wrote Balko. But actually, "The murder rate in San Francisco is significantly lower than that of the entire state of Florida — an incredible statistic, given that crime is usually more concentrated in cities. The murder rate in Los Angeles is significantly lower than major Florida cities like Miami and Tallahassee. And Jacksonville has consistently had the highest murder rate in the state, despite a series of Republican mayors and lead prosecutors."
This isn't the first time Republicans have failed to check statistics in their own states before lying about crime in Democratic-controlled cities — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) made crime in New York City a huge focus of his attacks on Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg, despite his own district containing the so-called "Danger City" of Mansfield, where crime is far worse.
Moreover, noted Balko, things are unlikely to improve under DeSantis' leadership, as he has set up a policy of importing police officers from areas with "anti-cop" policies — and many of the police who have taken up the offer have criminal charges themselves.
"The more voters get to know [DeSantis], the less they seem to like him," concluded Balko. "If he manages to find some charisma, he could be a considerable force — and an enormously destructive one. But there's little reason to think he'll make the country any safer."
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New reporting this week revealed that special counsel Jack Smith secured testimony from former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, a massively important figure who was close to former President Donald Trump for years. That could make insurrection-related charges more likely.
A key takeaway, said New York University law professor Ryan Goodman on CNN's "OutFront," is that the January 6 investigation — long considered less likely than the classified documents investigation to produce charges against Trump — should not be ruled out so quickly.
"If you had [Meadows] and he really did give you those keys to the kingdom — we don't fully know that yet, but if so, how much — how does that change your view on the potential slate of charges related to January 6th?" asked Burnett.
"I think it really rachets up the likelihood that there will be charges against Donald Trump for January 6th, and especially the false slate of electors, which we know is one of the most robust parts of the investigation and there would have to have been court approval of the Justice Department's criminal theory of the case, because they have approved search warrants in that case," said Goodman.
The key question to ask here, argued Goodman, is "Why would they give Meadows immunity?"
"They would give him immunity because he could go — he could give them access to the star suspect," Goodman added. "That's the reason that you would give somebody immunity who otherwise has a lot of criminal jeopardy on his own. That's the deal. And so that's why it's enormously significant if he's cooperating."
Watch the interview below or at the link.
Ryan Goodman says Mark Meadows testimony makes January 6 charges likelier www.youtube.com
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‘Shame on them’: Marjorie Taylor Greene says lawmakers who support Ukraine aid don't want world peace
June 06, 2023
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Tuesday slammed members of both parties over their support for Ukraine amid the Eastern European country’s ongoing conflict that began with Russia’s unprovoked invasion last year.
“I’m going to fight Ukraine funding,” Greene told reporters in an exchange captured on video she posted on Twitter.
“I’m purely disgusted with this town that they are so bloodthirsty for murder and death in Ukraine. Ukrainian civilians are being killed constantly, Russian soldiers are dying, and Ukrainian soldiers are dying, and then other people that go there to fight this war are dying."
The congresswoman continued:
“I can't understand why Washington can't be focused on world peace and bringing these two countries together to end that war, rather than beating their chests and beating their war drums and demanding the American people pay for it. I think it's I think ridiculous and shame on them. Shame on them.”
Despite her opposition to aiding Ukraine, Greene said she didn’t believe her views would compel her to abandon her support for the party’s leadership.
“That isn't about supporting the leadership team, they bring votes to the floor and that's what happens here,” Greene said.
“I will whip against it. I will message against it. I'm already doing it. They already know, I've already told them, and I'll continue the message against it.”
Greene said the money would be better spent funding border security addressing domestic issues such as homelessness and the Fentanyl crisis.
“Why are we funding Ukraine? I cannot comprehend it,” Greene said. “Normal people don't get it. Washington so stupid for things like this.”
Watch the video below or click here.
\u201cI will not vote for Ukraine funding and I will whip against it.\n\nPoliticians in Washington are beating the war drums and demanding the American people pay for it.\n\nWashington is so stupid for things like this.\u201d— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1686092785
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