News of the World

[DerVVulfman]

US JUDGE CONDEMNS FBI WHILE ORDERING
RELEASE OF MAN IN 'NEWBURGH FOUR' CASE

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A man convicted in 2010 of plotting to blow up New York City synagogues and a Jewish community center, and shoot down military planes, was ordered to be released from prison by a judge who said the defendant was part of a group manipulated by the FBI.

Four men, who became known as the "Newburgh Four," were caught up in a scheme in 2009 to attack the synagogues and community center, and launch stinger missiles at military aircraft, driven by what the judge describes as overzealous FBI agents and an "unsavory" confidential informant.

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon had already ordered the three other men in the group - Onta Williams, David Williams and Laguerra Payen - to be released last July.

The fourth man, James Cromitie, described as the ringleader by the government, was ordered released by the judge on Friday.

The judge called the case "notorious" and described the men as "hapless" petty criminals who were "easily manipulated" by the government in a sting operation.

Cromitie's lawyer was quoted in the New York Times as saying the judge's order was "at least some kind of vindication for what we believe was a tragic miscarriage of justice."

The four men were convicted of terrorism charges in 2010 and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Friday's order by the judge asked for Cromitie's sentence to be cut to time served plus 90 days. It did not reverse the conviction.

Judge McMahon said that Cromitie was a small-time "grifter" who was broke and unemployed when he was enlisted in the FBI-driven plot and provided fake bombs to plant in exchange for $250,000 in the "jihadist mission." Cromitie enlisted the other three men to serve as lookouts, according to the judge.

"The three men were recruited so that Cromitie could conspire with someone," the judge said. "The real lead conspirator was the United States. .... The FBI invented the conspiracy; identified the targets; manufactured the ordnance."

Cromitie was recruited by longtime FBI informant Shahed Hussain, whom the judge called a "villain." The judge wrote that Hussain's role was to infiltrate mosques and spot people who could be potential extremists.

Hussain offered "heavenly and earthly rewards, including as much as $250,000" to Cromitie "if he would plan and participate in, and find others to participate in, a jihadist 'mission,'" according to the judge.

So an FBI informant recruited Cromitie and gave him a plan to follow, and then the FBI busts them for it?  That's straight up entrapment if I ever heard it. 

Makes you wonder more about Ray Epps telling people to storm the Capital on January 6 and then gets a sweetheart deal.

PUTIN STOKES TENSIONS WITH U.S.,
DECLARES 1867 SALE OF ALASKA 'ILLEGAL'

A brief history of how Alaska became part of the United States: Russia sold it in 1867 for $7.2 million, a deal considered to be mutually beneficial at that time. Nowadays, Alaska, a detached piece of the USA, stands as one of the fifty states constituting the country and has been an integral part of it for over 150 years. Nonetheless, the Russians aren't content with this.

Interestingly, Vladimir Putin appears to have rethought the sale of Alaska to the Americans. It's not a joke: he's trying to give the impression that his influence extends not only to his country's future events but also plans to rewrite the past. Therefore, he signed a decree rendering the sale of Alaska illegal.

This is likely the beginning of a request for its return from the United States.

Putin and his propaganda specialists persistently build an image of Russia as an empire that makes demands against its neighbors and, if unheeded, resorts to war and other consequences. As witnessed in previous years with Georgia and Moldova, Ukraine experienced similar tactics as it was attacked by its neighboring country in 2022.

It appears that Moscow has claims against the United States now.

Vladimir Putin signed a decree declaring the sale of Alaska to the USA as illegal. This action signals the start of a demand for the territory's return and potentially entering into conflict with the superpower. However, this is just political posturing today, and no rational person would suggest that Russia could assault the United States. Nonetheless, as the saying goes, a continuous drip can erode a stone.

"Before Americans seize our properties abroad, they should remember, we also have something to reclaim." - stated Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of the State Duma, during a plenary sitting in the summer of 2022. At the time, Russians reacted nervously to the US-imposed sanctions on Moscow.

This propaganda tactic may not intimidate Washington's authorities but perfectly illustrates the Kremlin's new approach to international politics and its respect for agreements. Today in Russia, a fact clear and not disputed for years - that the Americans purchased Alaska legally in 1867 for $7.2 million - means nothing.

Interestingly, Alaska plays a significant role in the relationship between both countries. The USAF bases and USARAK (American Arctic military forces) are stationed here. Centers found in Fort Greely and Eielson are equipped with advanced machinery through which Americans could quickly launch an attack on Russia, including nuclear warheads.

Notably, Russia employed a similar propaganda mechanism in the case of Crimea, which was legally transferred to Ukraine during the USSR era. The result of this incident under Vladimir Putin's regime is well known.

So what?  He used this type of propaganda to attack Crimea. Then said he was going to take part of Ukraine to free it from Nazis. Now using this to legitimize what?  An attempt to legitimize influence in Alaska?

HOUSE DEMOCRAT KICKED OUT OF COMMITTEE
HEARING FOR SHARING "COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA"

Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) ejected Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) from a House committee hearing on US-Cuba relations, accusing Lee of spreading “communist propaganda.”

Rep. Lee wrote, “I was just kicked out of a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on Cuba policy because the Republican Chair didn’t like my views.”

“I’d share the livestream, but Republicans cut out the sound when I stood up to defend myself & call them out,” claimed Lee.

Salazar, a Cuban-American, defended her action by stating that Lee, a non-member, was not entitled to speak without the committee’s consent.

Rep. Salazar explained, “Today, I exercised my authority as Subcommittee Chairwoman to not allow an off-Committee Member to spread communist propaganda during my Cuba hearing.”

“Members are not entitled to join any Committee proceedings without full consent of the Committee Members,” she continued.

Lee, a proponent of normalizing US-Cuba relations, argued that she was silenced and that Salazar’s actions undermined democratic principles.

Rep. Salazar said, “Barbara Lee tried to disrupt an important discussion about the Biden Administration’s lenient policies toward the Cuban regime.”

“Barbara Lee is a communist sympathizer who was a personal friend to Fidel Castro, has visited Cuba 21 times, and has been a mouthpiece for the Cuban Regime since 1977,” continued Salazar.

Lee claimed, “She’s trying to silence me.”

“And what her move was today demonstrated that she really doesn’t believe in democracy. She believes in only her point of view; she does not believe in the inclusion of different points of views when we talk about Cuban policy,” alleged the lawmaker.
The incident underscores the ongoing debate over US-Cuba policy, with Salazar advocating for a tough stance and Lee pushing for normalization and an end to the embargo.

So during a hearing over Cuba policy, a woman who is not part of the committee and is a known friend of Cuba's Castro wonders why someone who is 'in-fact' Cuban kicks her out of the committee? Dense.

TRUMP THANKS DeSANTIS FOR ENDORSEMENT,
CALLING HIM 'GRACIOUS'

“He ran a really good campaign,” Donald Trump said of Ron DeSantis, who dropped out of the presidential race and backed Mr. Trump earlier on Sunday.

Former President Donald J. Trump on Sunday thanked Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida for endorsing him after suspending his campaign, calling Mr. DeSantis — once a top rival whom Mr. Trump spent significant time bashing in his speeches — “gracious.”

Speaking to a packed house at a historic theater in Rochester, N.H., Mr. Trump called Mr. DeSantis’s wife, Casey, a “really terrific person.” And he said that Mr. DeSantis “ran a really good campaign.”

“I will tell you, it’s not easy,” Mr. Trump said. “They think it’s easy to run this stuff, right? It’s not easy.”

He went on: “But as you know, he left the campaign trail today at 3 p.m.,” adding, “And in so doing, he was very gracious, and he endorsed me, so I appreciate that.”

NEW CHARGES AGAINST ALEC BALDWIN
IN FATAL "RUST" SHOOTING

Alec Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie "Rust," according to court documents filed on Friday in Santa Fe, New Mexico. These are new charges filed after earlier charges against Baldwin were dropped in April.

Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey filed the felony charges based on additional testimony given to the grand jury from seven witnesses listed in the indictment.

Prosecutors said in October that they were calling a grand jury to look into new evidence and would seek to re-charge Baldwin. They said that "additional facts" had come to light about the fatal shooting that occurred during filming on the outskirts of Santa Fe on Oct. 21, 2021.

Baldwin, a coproducer as well as star of the film, was pointing a gun towards Hutchins during a rehearsal when the gun went off, killing her. Director Joel Souza was also wounded in the shooting. Baldwin has said he was told that the gun was "cold," or unloaded, and that he did not pull the trigger.

"We look forward to our day in court," said Baldwin's attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel, in a statement Friday.

Both Baldwin and the armorer on set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, were charged with manslaughter in January 2023 following a lengthy investigation. Gutierrez-Reed is slated to go to trial in February.
Prosecutors dropped Baldwin's charges in April, saying at the time, "This decision does not absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled."

Friday's charges came after prosecutors received new analysis of the weapon from experts in ballistics and forensic testing, the Associated Press reported.

Baldwin and other "Rust" producers are also facing several civil lawsuits related to the shooting.

Production on the film resumed last spring in Montana, and wrapped up in May.