The amusement ride where a 14-year-old boy tragically fell to his death will be taken down, the manufacturer said Thursday.
In a <a href="https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-tyre-sampson-orlando-free-fall-ride-taken-down-20221006-5qipuooggbcgtjrugpm3oifxmu-story.html#ed=rss_www.orlandosentinel.com/obf/rss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> Thursday, Orlando Slingshot, the company who built the now-infamous &#8220;Orlando Free Fall&#8221; tower drop ride at ICON Park in Orlando, announced that it would take down the ride. The company also announced it would honor 14-year-old Tyre Sampson with a scholarship in his name. The announcement came months after state investigations found that the ride&#8217;s safety protocols were not followed and the machinery was tampered with, all of which led to Sampson&#8217;s death.
“We are devastated by Tyre’s death,&#8221; Orlando Slingshot CEO Ritchie Armstrong said. &#8220;We have listened to the wishes of Tyre’s family and the community, and have made the decision to take down the FreeFall. In addition, Orlando Slingshot will honor Tyre and his legacy in the classroom and on the football field by creating a scholarship in his name.”
ICON Park also released a statement agreeing with the decision. “Tyre’s death is a tragedy that we will never forget,” the statement read. “As the landlord, ICON Park welcomes and appreciates Orlando Slingshot’s decision to take down the ride.”
The time frame is not set in stone, however, as the manufacturer and the park are awaiting approvals from the involved parties and the relevant state agencies. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is also still conducting its investigation, and nothing can proceed until the investigation is complete. The agency told the Orlando Sentinel that there is no real time frame for when it will be completed. Details about the scholarship are not available yet, either.
Benjamin Crump and Bob Hilliard, lawyers for the family, praised the decision in a statement of their own. “While this announcement is long overdue, the news today is a relief to Tyre Sampson’s grieving father, who has been advocating for this since the day Tyre fell to his death,&#8221; the lawyers said, via <a href="https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2022/10/06/orlando-freefall-coming-down-after-14-year-old-boy-fell-to-his-death/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">News 6 Orlando</a>. &#8220;The Orlando Free Fall ride never should have been permitted to operate under those faulty conditions. Theme parks, their parent companies, and regulatory agencies must do better to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening to any other family.”
An <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-details-emerge-in-death-of-teen-who-fell-from-florida-amusement-park-ride">autopsy</a> published in June revealed that Sampson was nearly 100 pounds over the ride&#8217;s posted weight limit. The autopsy stated that Sampson weighed 383 pounds at the time of his death. The weight limit on the drop tower was 287 pounds.
In April, a safety inspection by the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/safety-expert-says-death-of-teen-at-florida-amusement-park-was-criminal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services</a> found that the ride had been manually tampered with. The seat Sampson was sitting in on the ride had an opening between the seat and the safety harness that was visibly wider than the rest of the seats on the ride. The safety sensors had also been manually adjusted, indicating that the seat was in the correct position when it really was not.
Furthermore, resistance tests showed that the harness could be forced open when pushed with enough force. Investigators found that two individuals close to Sampson&#8217;s measurements could easily slip through the seat openings.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried approved of the decision on Twitter, and expressed her condolences to the family. &#8220;While the investigation is ongoing, I hope that this news brings a measure of comfort to the family of Tyre Sampson and to the Orlando community,&#8221; Fried wrote on <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiFriedFL/status/1578151873197969408?s=20&amp;t=4GzgVgVubgA6vtkDq53MhA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>.

US-NEWS-FLA-AMUSEMENTPARK-DEATH-OS

Tower Drop Ride Where 14-Year-Old Tragically Died To Be Taken Down

Benjamin Crump

Death

Florida

A federal judge in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York</a> blocked much of the state&#8217;s restrictive concealed carry law passed earlier this year.
In a lawsuit brought by a group of New York state gun owners, Northern District of New York Judge Glenn T. Suddaby <a href="https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/new-york-gun-law-temporary-restraining-order/97cb10daaf586bfc/full.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> Thursday that much of the state&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/all-of-ny-a-gun-free-zone-controversial-anti-gun-legislation-takes-effect-in-new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Concealed Carry Improvement Act</a>&#8221; violates the Supreme Court&#8217;s orders in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-scotus-strikes-down-new-york-concealed-carry-restrictions-restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NY State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen</a>, and by extension, the Second Amendment rights of New Yorkers. Suddaby blocked much of the law from taking effect, but he gave New York state officials three days to appeal the ruling before it takes effect.
First, the ruling struck down the law&#8217;s requirement that a person must have &#8220;good moral character&#8221; to obtain a concealed carry permit. In his opinion, Suddaby blasted the restrictions for severely curtailing New Yorkers&#8217; Second Amendment rights. &#8220;In essence, New York State has replaced its requirement that an applicant show a special need for self-protection with its requirement that the applicant rebut the presumption that he or she is a danger to himself or herself, while retaining (and even expanding) the open-ended discretion afforded to its licensing officers,&#8221; Suddaby wrote in the opinion.
&#8220;Simply stated, instead of moving toward becoming a shall-issue jurisdiction, New York State has further entrenched itself as a shall-not-issue jurisdiction. And, by doing so, it has further reduced a first-class constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense&#8230; into a mere request (which is burdened with a presumption of dangerousness and the need to show &#8216;good moral character&#8217;).&#8221;
While it struck down the &#8220;good moral character&#8221; requirement, the decision upheld other requirements to obtain a concealed carry permit. Suddaby upheld the requirement that applicants submit four character references, but struck down other requirements for contact information from the applicant&#8217;s spouse and family, as well as the requirement to disclose all <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-to-screen-gun-applicants-social-media-accounts-in-wake-of-scotus-2a-rebuke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media accounts</a>; Suddaby especially pointed out pseudonymous social media accounts, citing the example of pseudonyms used to protect identities in publishing and the press.
He also upheld a provision letting licensing officers procure &#8220;other information&#8221; in license applications, on the grounds that such information is very limited in scope; he also opened the door to revisiting that provision at trial. He also upheld the requirement that applicants receive 18 hours of firearms training. However, he blocked the requirement to meet in-person with a licensing officer before receiving a concealed carry permit.
Suddaby also struck down many of the &#8220;sensitive locations&#8221; where the law bans carrying firearms, writing that state officials &#8220;have simply not met their burden of &#8216;sift[ing] the historical materials for evidence to sustain New York State&#8217;s statute.’”
He upheld bans on carrying a firearm at government buildings, polling places, public areas temporarily restricted by a government entity, schools, and protests and other constitutional assemblies. He also upheld a ban on carrying in places of worship, but made an exception for &#8220;those persons who have been tasked with the duty to keep the peace&#8221; at such places.
However, he blocked the state from banning firearms on public transportation; at amusement parks, entertainment venues, and places where alcohol is served; in Times Square; at health care, behavioral health, or drug dependency care centers; libraries, public playgrounds, public parks, and zoos; child and family services centers and child care centers like daycares; summer camps; centers for the developmentally disabled; addiction centers; mental health centers; disability centers; domestic violence and emergency shelters; and residential properties, except for fenced-in farmland or hunting ground.
Suddaby issued a temporary restraining order blocking the law being enforced pending a hearing later this month for a preliminary injunction; he gave state officials three days to file an appeal with the Second Circuit before the order takes effect.

Gun and Gavel

Federal Judge Blocks New York’s New Concealed Carry Restrictions

Federal Court Blocks New York's Restrictive New Concealed Carry Law

Concealed Carry

Court

Gun Laws

Guns

New York

Conservatives on social media mocked the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> and had fun with a photo of Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> at the presidential podium Wednesday.
DeSantis attended a press conference with President Joe Biden and state and local officials Wednesday afternoon. Live footage showed the Florida governor speaking behind a podium emblazoned with the seal of the President of the United States. DeSantis is considered a top contender to challenge Biden in 2024, and critics mocked the poor planning and optics of the photo.
The Twitter storm started when Republican Governors Association Communications Director Jesse Hunt shared a picture of Fox News&#8217; coverage of the press conference on Twitter. &#8220;It’s moments like this when many in the national press should realize their preconceived notions about Ron DeSantis and his leadership style are way off base,&#8221; Hunt wrote.
The photo showed DeSantis speaking behind the presidential podium while Biden and Florida Democratic Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried, who previously ran to challenge DeSantis for the governorship, stood behind him.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It’s moments like this when many in the national press should realize their preconceived notions about Ron DeSantis and his leadership style are way off base <a href="https://t.co/oL8H1xywc3">pic.twitter.com/oL8H1xywc3</a>
— Jesse Hunt (@JJHunt10) <a href="https://twitter.com/JJHunt10/status/1577735903279300614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
Conservatives on Twitter quickly pointed out the irony of giving one of Biden&#8217;s chief political rivals an easy photo op behind a presidential podium, and mocked the White House advance media team for it.
&#8220;The Biden White House arranged a photo op for Ron DeSantis to speak at a podium with the presidential seal. Wow,&#8221; radio talk show host <a href="https://twitter.com/LarryOConnor/status/1577801504328716289?s=20&amp;t=BeqvUvtI8nlGfrlrr2VZug" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry O&#8217;Connor</a> wrote on Twitter.
&#8220;The Biden Advance Team letting DeSantis speak from behind the presidential seal is something to behold,&#8221; conservative radio host <a href="https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/1577736045797511168?s=20&amp;t=HT4vFjLBfLkv_GzkTxQxHQ">Erick Erickson</a> wrote.
&#8220;I can’t believe the Biden advance team allowed this to happen. Amazing!😂&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/FERChatterjee/status/1577744407784103936?s=20&amp;t=jvJqSgIZQ4xjzYByDOZa4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neil Chatterjee</a>, Former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, tweeted.
&#8220;Tough day for the WH advance team,&#8221; Daily Wire host <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1577756357620637698?s=20&amp;t=lW7f_yFhC1AP0RuTbHy4SA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Knowles</a> joked.
Other users pointed out that standing behind a presidential podium is a fitting aesthetic for DeSantis.
&#8220;He looks good behind that podium,&#8221; AEI Senior Fellow and Washington Post columnist <a href="https://twitter.com/marcthiessen/status/1577736698443841547?s=20&amp;t=WGFr1c1QS85dZ6Za86XsAA">Marc Thiessen</a> tweeted.
&#8220;Looks good to me,&#8221; Fox News contributor <a href="https://twitter.com/LisaMarieBoothe/status/1577737231753691136?s=20&amp;t=AllkOoVOpAmfTnDg-RkafA">Lisa Boothe</a> added.
&#8220;Man, DeSantis behind the presidential seal looks just about perfect,&#8221; NewsBusters Managing Editor <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1577735917997113345?s=20&amp;t=ZnG0SJ71jd4gZYY_562Ilg">Curtis Houck</a> said.
&#8220;Thanks to Biden’s advance team for providing us a glimpse into the future,&#8221; blogger and podcast host <a href="https://twitter.com/TheVFCastro/status/1577747524890378260?s=20&amp;t=aqtNiYCf5Je8SmEBxd4XoQ">Vanessa Castro</a> tweeted. &#8220;DeSantis speaking in front of the Presidential Seal is a good look.&#8221;
&#8220;Safe bet we’ll see that again in 2024,&#8221; television host <a href="https://twitter.com/davebriggstv/status/1577742538877845504?s=20&amp;t=BTtd-lNnsIhlNxtpGdTEQQ">Dave Briggs</a> opined.
&#8220;DeSantis is president now. That&#8217;s how it works,&#8221; another Twitter user chimed in.
&#8220;Prescient,&#8221; wrote another.
&#8220;President Ron DeSantis, has a nice ring to it am I right?&#8221; another user said.
Meanwhile, DeSantis and Biden struck a note of unity while discussing relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ian Wednesday. Biden, who has a notoriously adversarial relationship with DeSantis and has traded barbs repeatedly with the Republican governor over major policies, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-praises-desantis-for-remarkable-response-to-hurricane-ian-i-think-hes-done-a-good-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> him for effectively managing the state&#8217;s response to the disaster. “What the governor’s done is pretty remarkable,” Biden admitted at the press conference. “I think he’s done a good job.”
It wasn&#8217;t all love between the two leaders, however. Later in the press briefing, Biden declared that the debate around climate change was over in the wake of the disaster. &#8220;I think the one thing [the hurricane] has ended is the discussion about whether or not there is climate change and we should do something about it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Good grief <a href="https://t.co/jiF7antEng">pic.twitter.com/jiF7antEng</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1577772022855245834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2022</a></blockquote>

DeSantis speaks Hurricane Ian

‘A Glimpse Into The Future’: Conservatives Bust Biden, Have Fun With Photo Of DeSantis Behind Presidential Podium

'A Glimpse Into The Future': Conservatives Bust Biden, Have Fun With Photo Of DeSantis Behind Presidential Podium

2024 Election

Hurricane Ian

Joe Biden

Ron DeSantis

Twitter

Police in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a> booked a furry bandit into custody for allegedly causing two citywide power outages in the span of three days.
A raccoon found its way to the electrical grid substation in Seguin, Texas, on Saturday night, causing a citywide power outage. Power was restored early Sunday morning, but it was knocked out again Monday evening, reportedly by the same raccoon. Seguin police posted a press release on Facebook announcing that the suspect had been taken into custody, and included a photograph of the masked marauder, whom they dubbed &#8220;Ricky Raccoon.&#8221;
&#8220;On October 1, 2022 at approximately 11:45 pm, the City of Seguin experienced a city wide power outage,&#8221; Seguin police wrote. &#8220;After further investigation, the suspect was described as a black &amp; white male, approximately 2-09, 35 lbs. On October 3, 2022 at approximately 8:45 pm, the City of Seguin&#8217;s East substation was struck again by the electric bandits. Through the assistance of Seguin Electric Department, Police took Ricky Raccoon (3, Seguin) into custody. Ricky would not advise if he had further accomplices in his act. This is an on going investigation, and city departments are working to assure our furry￼ bandits do not strike again.&#8221;
Hundreds of residents were left without power after the raccoon somehow made its way into a substation transformer on October 1, police told the <a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Seguin-power-outage-raccoon-17481849.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Antonio Express-News</a>.
City officials said the incident occurred when the animal climbed onto a high-voltage wire and touched a part of the circuit that was grounded, causing the outage. Power crews from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the city&#8217;s Electric Department had power restored to the city by around 1:30 a.m. local time.
Then on October 3, residents lost power again after <a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/raccoon-Seguin-power-outage-17485566.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another raccoon</a> got into the substation transformer on the east side of the city. Police said in another social media post at around 9 p.m., via the Express-News, that LCRA and Electric Department crews were working to restore the power.
Jennifer Sourdillia, a spokesperson for the city of Seguin, said the exact same thing happened in a different part of the substation. Power was restored after about an hour on Monday night. Sourdillia explained that the city has a contingency plan for events like this. &#8220;If this occurs, the city of Seguin has a plan in place, typically for emergencies, that allows us to feed circuits from a different substation to restore power to our customers in a timely manner.&#8221; The spokeswoman said that it was two separate raccoons that were behind the two incidents; both of those raccoons have died.
While it is unusual that multiple incidents would happen in such a short span of time, Sourdillia told local news outlet <a href="https://seguintoday.com/2022/10/05/city-says-raccoons-to-blame-for-recent-power-outages-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seguin Today</a> that it does happen. “Although, it is a little bit rare, it does happen. It does happen in other communities. It just hasn’t really normally happened here in Seguin very often and it’s just kind of ironic that it happened in two different incidents very close together in the same timeframe which is really unusual,” said Sourdellia.
In total, some 14,500 residents lost power on Saturday night, and another 2,200 lost power on Monday.

raccoon

Raccoons Cause 2 Power Outages In 3 Days In Texas Town

Animals

Energy

Police

Texas

Officials issued a warning to Americans after a drug bust found thousands of deadly rainbow <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fentanyl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fentanyl</a> pills in a box of Legos.
In a press release Tuesday, the <a href="https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2022/10/04/trafficker-quantities-rainbow-fentanyl-arrive-new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drug Enforcement Administration</a> (DEA) and New York City and state police officials announced the seizure of more than 15,000 of the rainbow-colored fentanyl pills a part of an ongoing investigation into a fentanyl trafficking network. The seizure is the largest to date in New York City; it comes as multiple cities across the country are finding more of the deadly drug in bright colors aimed toward children.
“Rainbow fentanyl is a clear and present danger, and it is here in New York City,” Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, said in a statement. “Approximately forty percent of the pills we analyze in our lab contain a lethal dose; and in a recent 15-week enforcement operation, DEA New York seized half a million lethal pills. These staggering statistics underscore the importance of reminding the public that just one pill can kill; and this operation alone removed the equivalent of 500,000 lethal doses of fentanyl from circulation in the Empire State. In the same reporting period, DEA seized the equivalent of over 36 million lethal doses nationally.”
According to the release, New York-based DEA agents were conducting surveillance as part of their drug trafficking operation when they observed a female suspect carrying a large unknown object in a black tote bag, then entering a vehicle with the bag. Local police and DEA agents stopped the vehicle; they found the suspect in the back seat of the car with two black tote bags and a yellow Lego box. Inside the Lego box were several brick-shaped packages covered with black tape. One of the packages was partially opened, revealing the pills.
A subsequent examination found over 15,000 pills. The pills were in multiple colors and marked with the number 30 and the letter &#8220;M,&#8221; symbolizing 30 mg oxycodone pills. Agents and officers also learned that the pills originated in Mexico.
&#8220;The case highlights Mexican cartels’ most recent tactics to attract the public while deceiving them about the lethal drugs,&#8221; the DEA said in the press release. &#8220;The Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel are mass-producing fentanyl pills in rainbow colors to not only brand their products, but use colors and dyes to mimic candy and/or legitimate prescription drugs.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rainbow-colored-fentanyl-pills-pouring-over-southern-border-hit-american-cities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rainbow fentanyl</a> was discovered in August when 15,000 pills were found at the port of entry in Nogales, Arizona. Agents at the Nogales port of entry seized more than a million fentanyl pills in the first week of August, The Daily Wire reported. But DEA officials had reported seizing similar pills in the Washington, D.C., area over the past 18 months. And the Multnomah County, Oregon, Sheriff&#8217;s Department found several grams of rainbow fentanyl resembling sidewalk chalk, a form considered more potent than pressed pills.
The DEA advised the public to be aware of the &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dea-issues-warning-over-emerging-trend-of-rainbow-fentanyl-across-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emerging trend</a>&#8221; of rainbow fentanyl in August. “In August 2022, DEA and our law enforcement partners seized brightly-colored fentanyl and fentanyl pills in 18 states,&#8221; the agency said. &#8220;Dubbed ‘rainbow fentanyl’ in the media, this trend appears to be a new method used by drug cartels to sell highly addictive and potentially deadly fentanyl made to look like candy to children and young people.”
DEA told <a href="https://abc7ny.com/rainbow-fentanyl-lego-box-drug-trafficking-dea-seizure/12294002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC7 New York</a> Wednesday that it is important to warn Americans of rainbow fentanyl ahead of Halloween, since the pills are made to look like common candy.

Lego Box

DEA, NY Officials Seize 15,000 Rainbow Fentanyl Pills Hidden In A Box Of Legos In NYC

Drug Cartels

Drugs

Fentanyl

New York City

Five current or former employees of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/internal-revenue-service-irs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IRS</a> have been charged with scheming to defraud hundreds of thousands of dollars in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/covid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID</a> relief.
The Department of Justice announced in a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/five-current-or-former-irs-employees-charged-defrauding-federal-covid-19-relief-programs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> Tuesday that the five individuals had each been charged with separate counts of wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fraud</a> after they defrauded the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which provided economic relief to small business owners and individuals affected by the COVID pandemic. The fraudulent loans ranged from as little as $11,000 to more than $170,000.
“These individuals – acting out of pure greed – abused their positions by taking government funds meant for citizens and businesses who desperately needed it,” U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, Kevin G. Ritz, said in a statement. “I thank our law enforcement partners for rooting out this fraud. Our office will not hesitate to pursue and charge individuals who steal from our nation’s taxpayers.”
The first suspect was employed by the IRS as a Program Evaluation and Risk Analyst in the Human Capital Office. According to the criminal indictment, the suspect filed four fraudulent EIDL applications, seeking more than $500,000 in funds; he received a total of $171,400 in funds. The suspect allegedly spent the relief money on a Mercedes-Benz and placed the rest of his funds into a personal investment account. He is charged with two counts of wire fraud and an additional two counts of money laundering.
The second suspect worked for the IRS as a contact representative in the Wage and Investment Service Centers Department. According to the indictment, she allegedly sought at least $32,500 in loans from multiple PPP and EIDL applications; she received $11,500 in funds. She spent the funds on manicures, massages, and luxury clothing. She also obtained more than $16,050 in fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits from the Tennessee Department of Labor. She is charged with three counts of wire fraud.
The third suspect worked as a Management and Program Assistant in Information Technology. According to the DOJ, she allegedly submitted EIDL applications for a fashion business, seeking more than $300,000 in loans and obtaining $28,900. She allegedly spent the loan funds on Gucci apparel and a vacation in Las Vegas. She plead guilty to one count of wire fraud Tuesday.
The fourth suspect worked as a Contact Representative in the Wage and Investment Service Centers Department. He allegedly applied for four PPP and EIDL loans, seeking more than $113,000; he received $66,666 in funds. He allegedly spent the money on a Gucci satchel and other personal items. He plead guilty to a single count of wire fraud in August.
The fifth suspect worked as a Lead Management and Program Assistant in the Human Capital Office. She allegedly applied for four PPP and EIDL loans, seeking more than $133,000 in loans; she received more than $123,000. She then allegedly spent the funds on jewelry and trips to Las Vegas. She also plead guilty to one count of wire fraud in July.
Each wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The first suspect could also face up to 10 years in prison for each money laundering charge.
The five IRS agents are just the latest in a cast of characters convicted of millions of dollars in COVID-related fraud in 2022 alone. So far this year, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/twin-brothers-ran-1m-covid-19-scheme-bought-camaro-and-crypto-doj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">twin brothers</a> in Maryland, a pair of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/two-charged-with-running-alleged-3-3-million-fraudulent-covid-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Jersey</a> residents, hundreds of foreign nationals from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nigerian-prince-alert-feds-coronavirus-loan-program-paid-1-billion-to-people-who-applied-from-other-countries">Nigeria, Pakistan, Mexico, and India</a>, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/convicted-murderer-led-2-million-pandemic-related-unemployment-scheme-in-california-prosecutors-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted murderer</a> serving a life sentence, an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/previously-deported-illegal-alien-pleads-guilty-to-covid-relief-fraud-other-charges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">illegal alien</a>, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/power-rangers-star-austin-st-john-arrested-as-part-of-covid-fraud-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Power Ranger</a> have all been prosecuted for COVID fraud.

Views Of The IRS Headquarters During Tax Filing Season

Current, Former IRS Employees Took Thousands In Fraudulent COVID Relief, Spent It On Gucci, A Mercedes, And Trips To Vegas: Report

COVID

Department of Justice

Fraud

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-kingdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Kingdom</a> Home Secretary Suella Braverman said it is &#8220;not racist&#8221; for British people &#8220;to want to control our borders.&#8221;
In a speech given at the Conservative Party conference Tuesday, Braverman stressed that one of her core missions as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/great-britain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Britain</a>&#8216;s top immigration and national security official is securing the nation&#8217;s borders. As part of that, Braverman stressed the need to institute migration policies that maintain the British economy and cultural identity. Furthermore, Braverman asserted that it is not bigoted to want to protect the integrity of the nation&#8217;s borders.
<div role="button" aria-label="14 minutes, 12 seconds identity politics has led us astray">
<div class="segment style-scope ytd-transcript-segment-renderer" role="button" aria-label="17 minutes, 51 seconds we need to take back control">
<div class="segment style-scope ytd-transcript-segment-renderer" role="button" aria-label="10 minutes, 22 seconds firstly legal migration now I backed">
&#8220;I backed Brexit because I wanted Britain to have control over our migration and to cut overall numbers,&#8221; Braverman said. &#8220;Brexit was meant to give us a say on how we determine our own migration policy. We should use our newfound control to deliver the kind of migration that grows our economy.&#8221;
On the other hand, Braverman stressed that the country should train more blue-collar workers from within the British population, instead of leaning on low-skilled foreign laborers. &#8220;We need to end the abuse of the rules and we need to cut down on those numbers that aren&#8217;t meeting the needs of our economy,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And we mustn&#8217;t forget how to do things for ourselves. There is absolutely no reason why we can&#8217;t train up enough of our own [truck] drivers or butchers or fruit pickers. The way we build a high-skilled, high-wage economy is by encouraging business to invest in capital and domestic labor, not relying wholly on low-skilled foreign workers.&#8221;
</div>
<div role="button" aria-label="14 minutes, 12 seconds identity politics has led us astray">
<div class="segment style-scope ytd-transcript-segment-renderer" role="button" aria-label="17 minutes, 51 seconds we need to take back control">
Braverman then rejected leftist rhetoric that decries controlling immigration as racist. &#8220;It&#8217;s not racist for anyone, ethnic minority or otherwise, to want to control our borders,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s not bigoted to say that we have too many asylum seekers who are abusing the system. It&#8217;s not xenophobic to say mass and rapid migration places pressure on housing, public services and community relations. I reject the Left’s argument that it is hypocritical for someone from an ethnic minority to tell these truths.”
&#8220;My parents came here through legal and controlled migration,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;They spoke the language. They threw themselves into the community. They embraced British values. When they arrived, they signed up to be part of our shared project because the United Kingdom meant something distinct. Integration was part of the quid pro quo. Now that didn&#8217;t mean abandoning their heritage, but it did mean adopting British identity, an identity of which we should all be proud. This is the best place on Earth to come and live in, but I fear that we are losing sight of the core values and the culture that made it so. The unexamined drive towards multiculturalism as an end in itself combined with the corrosive aspects of identity politics has led us astray.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;It&#8217;s not racist for anyone, ethnic minority or otherwise, to want to control our borders,&#8221; says Home Secretary Suella Braverman, &#8220;it&#8217;s not bigoted to say that we have too many asylum seekers who are abusing the system&#8221;<a href="https://t.co/d2b6Mcryax">https://t.co/d2b6Mcryax</a> <a href="https://t.co/GSX3hz5DV7">pic.twitter.com/GSX3hz5DV7</a>
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1577345119296028678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
Braverman announced a plan to help control immigration from France Tuesday, as the U.K. struggles with an increase in migration across the English channel. The plan would ban any migrants who enter the country illegally from across the English Channel from claiming asylum, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-propose-asylum-ban-channel-migrants-the-times-2022-10-03/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> reported. The U.K. is also forging ahead with plans to deport migrants to Rwanda, despite ongoing legal challenges, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-rwanda-immigration-migration-9923a536a41a7cc329db2faf98ad8d4e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a> reported.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Conservative Party Conference – Day Three

WATCH: U.K. Home Secretary Champions Border Security, Controlling Immigration: ‘It’s Not Racist’ To ‘Want To Control Our Borders’

U.K. Home Secretary Champions Border Security, Controlling Immigration: 'It's Not Racist’ To ‘Want To Control Our Borders'

Border

Illegal Immigration

Racism

United Kingdom

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-hampshire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Hampshire</a> is sending two National Guard units to assist the worsening <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/border-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">border crisis</a>.
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu said in a press release Monday that the two units would be dispatched to the border in response to a federal mobilization order from the Department of Defense. This is the second time in two years that the Granite State has sent National Guardsmen to assist U.S. Customs and Border Patrol at the border, as the crisis continues under the Biden administration.
“New Hampshire is grateful for the heroic men and women of our National Guard,” Sununu said in the <a href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news-and-media/two-nh-national-guard-units-deploy-southern-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “They answered the call to serve during the COVID pandemic, and are now answering our nation’s call — deploying to the ongoing humanitarian crisis along our southern border. As these brave men and women deploy, New Hampshire stands by our National Guard and we wish everyone a safe and speedy return home.”
According to the release, approximately 44 soldiers from the 941st Military Police Battalion headquarters will be deployed to a sector of the border approximately 250 miles long that extends to the Gulf of Mexico. From there, those soldiers will be deployed to provide command and control over four other subordinate companies from New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Kentucky, approximately 500 soldiers in total. The border deployment is the unit&#8217;s first.
In addition to the 941st Battalion, another group of soldiers, approximately 120, from the 237th Military Police Company, will also be deployed, primarily to surveillance sites along the same sector. The guardsmen will communicate with Border Patrol agents, identifying and notifying agents of any illegal border crossings, to assist their efforts to stem the flow of migrants, illegal drugs, weapons, and money. However, the soldiers are prohibited from actually interacting with border crossers.
Both units will be deployed for a year.
Both units supported New Hampshire&#8217;s response efforts during the height of the COVID pandemic, assisted the <a href="https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article/2470087/nh-guard-members-backstop-state-prison-corrections-officers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Corrections</a> during a staffing shortage at state prisons in 2021, supported local hospitals, and responded to <a href="https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/national-guard-to-be-on-standby-in-manchester-man-accused-of-encouraging-riot/article_9a9721d9-86e2-52ee-bc3e-90b297a9e3d4.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">civil disturbances</a> during the protests after the death of George Floyd. The 237th company also previously deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 and 2013.
The press release also noted that a previous National Guard unit deployed to the southwest border between October 2020 and November 2021; the soldiers on that deployment assisted in more than 200,000 apprehensions, drug seizures totaling more than $893 million, and 20 migrant lives saved.
Local news outlet <a href="https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-national-guard-us-mexico-border-2022/41495733" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WMUR</a> reported Monday that the deployment came in response to a federal mobilization order from the Department of Defense. More than 12 states deployed Guard units from their state to assist the effort, Sununu told WMUR. The Guard&#8217;s presence &#8220;will allow the agents to focus more on the ground and dealing with people coming directly across the border,&#8221; New Hampshire National Guard spokesman Greg Heilshorn told the outlet.
The border crisis has continued to escalate under the Biden administration. Authorities made more than <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2022/09/19/u-s-mexico-border-arrests-record-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two million arrests</a> of illegal immigrants at the border during fiscal year 2022, the first time border officials crossed that threshold.
In September, House Republicans sent a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers after reports surfaced that Venezuela was sending <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-demand-answers-from-biden-admin-over-reports-that-violent-sick-convicts-headed-to-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criminals</a> across the border. In addition to the flow of migrants, lethal drugs like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dea-issues-warning-over-emerging-trend-of-rainbow-fentanyl-across-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fentanyl</a> have also been pouring across the border at high rates.

National Guard

New Hampshire Sends 2 National Guard Units To Assist CBP At Southern Border

Border Crisis

Department of Defense

New Hampshire

Southern Border

A blind army veteran is at the center of a burgeoning legal fight between the Seattle Seahawks and his wife&#8217;s campaign for U.S. Senate.
The Seattle Seahawks issued a cease-and-desist letter to Washington state Republican Senate candidate Tiffany Smiley, over the inclusion of what looks like a team jersey in one of her ads. But the Seahawks previously honored Smiley&#8217;s husband, former U.S. Army Major Scotty Smiley, for his service. The decision is part of a larger legal battle that appears to be brewing between the Tiffany Smiley campaign and <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-senate-candidate-tiffany-smiley-criticizes-seattle-times-starbucks-seahawks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several Seattle institutions</a>.
&#8220;It has been brought to our attention that the Smiley for Washington campaign is making commercial use of trademarks and/or copyrights belonging to [the Seahawks] in connection with its “Game Day” television ad,&#8221; the team wrote in its <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wsJhuftgMYWFbhBpZDCQOSig-rXRIYTz/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to the Smiley campaign.
&#8220;Absent an agreement with the National Football League (“NFL”) or the Seahawks, third parties are prohibited from using Seahawks Trademarks in any manner that may suggest that it is in any way endorsed by, or otherwise affiliated with, the NFL or the Seahawks. Given that the Smiley for Washington campaign has no such agreement with the NFL or the Seahawks, we must ask that it immediately cease its unauthorized commercial use of Seahawks Trademarks&#8230; It is our hope to resolve this matter quickly and amicably.&#8221;
In the ad, Smiley is discussing the impact of inflation on her family&#8217;s grocery bills on football Sundays. The ad cuts to her husband for less than two seconds; in the original cut of the ad, he could be seen wearing a dark blue jersey with neon green stripes and what looks like an NFL shield. But it is not immediately clear that the jersey is a Seahawks jersey. The Smiley campaign published an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7st-x0xWHw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">updated version</a> of the ad in which all distinct markings are removed, and Scotty Smiley is wearing a plain blue jersey.
Seattle-based radio talk show host Ari Hoffman called out the Seahawks over the move, pointing out that in 2014, the team honored him as part of their &#8220;Salute to Service&#8221; initiative. &#8220;Hey @Seahawks. You guys honored Scott Smiley in 2014,&#8221; Hoffman <a href="https://twitter.com/thehoffather/status/1576415146289041408?s=20&amp;t=3mQtmrhJuKX8f81adaV9sQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>. &#8220;Now you&#8217;re mad about him wearing a Seahawks jersey in a campaign ad because his wife is running as a Republican for Senate. How about you guys focus on football instead of politics? You got enough trouble winning these days.&#8221;
Hoffman also shared pictures of Smiley at the Seahawks&#8217; stadium in his army uniform, then ripping open his shirt to reveal a Seahawks jersey underneath. Hoffman questioned whether that jersey was the one he wore in the ad, and whether the team gave him the jersey.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I wonder if this is the same jersey from the ad. It&#39;s hard to tell in the ad because you just see part of the top of his shoulders, which demonstrates exactly why these copyright claims are bogus. 
I am also curious if the Seahawks gave him the jersey <a href="https://t.co/aGlfqqGr7d">pic.twitter.com/aGlfqqGr7d</a>
&mdash; Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) <a href="https://twitter.com/thehoffather/status/1576449101918765056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Seattle-area journalist Brandi Kruse said on Twitter that they had, and also pointed out that while they sent Smiley a cease-and-desist notice, they did not level similar notices against a Democrat running for re-election to the Washington State Legislature. &#8220;Hey @Seahawks: You sent a cease and desist letter to the @SmileyForWA (R) camp because her hero husband who was blinded serving our country wore the jersey YOU gave him for TWO seconds in a campaign ad,&#8221; Kruse wrote. &#8220;You said it could suggest an endorsement.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🧵 Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/Seahawks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Seahawks</a>: You sent a cease and desist letter to the <a href="https://twitter.com/SmileyForWA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SmileyForWA</a> (R) camp because her hero husband who was blinded serving our country wore the jersey YOU gave him for TWO seconds in a campaign ad. You said it could suggest an endorsement. <a href="https://t.co/HWjSSsr4J4">pic.twitter.com/HWjSSsr4J4</a>
&mdash; Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandiKruse/status/1576267324667330561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So how do you explain this from a Democratic candidate’s campaign page?&#8221; Kruse added, sharing screenshots of Democratic State Representative Tarra Simmons spending the day with the team promoting her &#8220;work to advance racial and social justice,&#8221; in an explicit campaign message on Facebook. &#8220;@TarraSimmons5 has done AWESOME things with her life — but so has the Smiley family. Are you a football team or a political organization?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
So how do you explain this from a Democratic candidate’s campaign page? <a href="https://twitter.com/TarraSimmons5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TarraSimmons5</a> has done AWESOME things with her life — but so has the Smiley family. 
Are you a football team or a political organization? <a href="https://t.co/ChJdd7RegA">pic.twitter.com/ChJdd7RegA</a>
&mdash; Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandiKruse/status/1576267332623953920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;The @Seahawks have every right to protect their brand – but do they apply their own rules evenly?&#8221; Kruse <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandiKruse/status/1576268212559192065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a>.
<a href="https://hopeunseen.com/about/">Scotty Smiley</a> was deployed to Iraq in 2005, when a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb; shrapnel entered his eyes, permanently blinding him. He continued to serve until 2015, the first blind active-duty officer in military history.
Tiffany Smiley is locked in a tight Senate race against incumbent Democrat Patty Murray. A recent poll from the <a href="https://www.thetrafalgargroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/WA-General-Poll-Report-0926.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trafalgar Group</a> found the Smiley trails Murray by just 2 points.

Seattle Seahawks helmet

GOP Senate Candidate’s Blind Army Vet Husband At Center Of Legal Fight Between Her Campaign And The Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks Issues Cease-And-Desist Against WA GOP Senate Candidate. The Team Previously Honored Her Veteran Husband 

2022 Midterms

Republican

Seattle Seahawks

U.S. Senate

Veterans

Washington

Georgia Gov.<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/brian-kemp"> Brian Kemp</a> (R) blasted Stacey Abrams after she lost a court battle over her 2018 election defeat.
Appearing on &#8220;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6313159253112">Fox News Sunday</a>,&#8221; Kemp lashed out at Abrams for using the legal fight over her loss four years ago to further her personal and political gain. Her lawsuit claimed that Georgia had suppressed voters, but Kemp pointed out that the state had record turnout in the May primaries after the state legislature had passed a voter integrity law in 2021.
&#8220;Stacey Abrams and her group lost on every single count in that ruling Friday,&#8221; Kemp told host Shannon Bream. &#8220;It&#8217;s sad that since day one, she&#8217;s used this whole process to line her pockets, sow distrust in Democratic institutions, and build her celebrity status. And using the legal system for her own political gain, quite honestly. Thankfully, [Northern District of Georgia] Judge [Steven] Jones made it clear to all Georgians and people around the country, that in our state it&#8217;s easy to vote and hard to cheat. And look, she&#8217;s spinning that narrative, Shannon. I mean, we just had record turnout in our primaries, not only in the Republican primary, but also in the Democratic primary.&#8221;
Judge Jones ruled against Abrams on Friday in a lawsuit brought in the district court by Fair Fight Action, a nonprofit founded by Abrams to combat so-called &#8220;voter suppression&#8221; after she lost to Kemp in the 2018 gubernatorial election, The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/30/us/politics/voting-lawsuit-georgia.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Times</a> reported.
&#8220;This is the same crowd that cost us the [MLB] All-Star Game, saying the new law that we passed to protect the integrity of the vote was &#8216;suppressive&#8217; and &#8216;Jim Crow 2.0,&#8217; and we&#8217;ve had record turnout. And even though we lost the All-Star Game and Major League Baseball caved to [Abrams] and that narrative, thankfully the Braves won the World Series, hopefully we&#8217;re gonna beat the Mets tonight and win the division, and then repeat.&#8221;
The suit challenged a host of voting laws in the state, including absentee ballot provisions, oversight of voter rolls, and a law that requires voter identification information to match their government ID.
“Although Georgia’s election system is not perfect, the challenged practices violate neither the constitution nor the Voting Rights Act,” Jones wrote in the <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23116291/9-30-22-fair-fight-order.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">288-page order</a>.
&#8220;Judge Jones’ ruling exposes this legal effort for what it really is: a tool wielded by a politician hoping to wrongfully weaponize the legal system to further her own political goals,&#8221; Kemp said in a statement Friday via <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-judge-slaps-down-stacey-abrams-election-lawsuit-state-biden-labeled-jim-crow-2-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.

Brian Kemp

Brian Kemp Blasts Stacey Abrams After She Loses Court Battle Against Georgia Voter Integrity Laws

Georgia

Lawsuit

Stacey Abrams

Voter Supression

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell vowed that Hurricane Ian relief would be provided to &#8220;all communities&#8221; after Vice President Kamala Harris discussed the Biden administration&#8217;s general policy of providing &#8220;climate resilience&#8221; resources on an equitable basis.
Appearing on &#8220;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/fema-administrator-says-our-focus-right-now-is-supporting-the-people-of-florida-after-ian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Face the Nation</a>&#8221; Sunday, Criswell was asked to respond directly to the comments made by Harris. Criswell claimed that the vice president was speaking in the longer term. Still, she also reassured Americans that the federal government resources would support all people affected by the natural disaster.
&#8220;[O]ur programs support everybody,&#8221; Criswell told host Margaret Brennan. &#8220;I would say I believe some of the things the vice president was talking about are the long-term recovery and rebuilding these communities to be able to withstand disasters, so they can have less impact. We&#8217;re going to support all communities. I committed that to (Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis), I commit to you right here that all Floridians are going to be able to get the help that is available to them through our programs.&#8221;
Harris raised eyebrows on Friday when she told attendees at the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum that officials would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-harris-blasted-for-pushing-racist-policy-in-response-to-hurricane-damage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">favor</a> low-income and minority groups when it came to distributing &#8220;climate resilience&#8221; resources.
“It is our lowest income communities and our communities of color that are most impacted by these extreme conditions and impacted by issues that are not of their own making,” Harris said. “And so we have to address this in a way that is about giving resources based on equity, understanding that we fight for equality, but we also need to fight for equity, understanding not everyone starts out at the same place.”
“And if we want people to be in an equal place, sometimes we have to take into account those disparities and do that work,&#8221; she added.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates later said the vice president&#8217;s comments related to a general Biden administration policy of distributing &#8220;climate resilience&#8221; resources around the country.
Many commentators related the general policy Harris was discussing to disaster relief in Florida, which had been battered by Hurricane Ian.
Christina Pushaw, Director of Rapid Response for DeSantis&#8217; re-election campaign, pushed back on Harris&#8217;s comments and demanded clarification from the Biden administration.
&#8220;This is false. @VP&#8217;s rhetoric is causing undue panic and must be clarified,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1575974738794774529" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pushaw</a> wrote on Twitter. &#8220;FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background. If you need assistance visit disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is false. <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>&#39;s rhetoric is causing undue panic and must be clarified. FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background. If you need assistance visit <a href="https://t.co/x9X8AstnzL">https://t.co/x9X8AstnzL</a> or call 1-800-621-3362. <a href="https://t.co/idsw1PX86x">https://t.co/idsw1PX86x</a>
&mdash; Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1575974738794774529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;[T]he areas of SWFL hardest hit by the storm are mostly white but greatly varied in socioeconomic status,&#8221; she added in a <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1576001214403051520?s=20&amp;t=f6v8jr6OmByXyWveF5ETzg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reply</a>. &#8220;None of that matters; rescuers are helping everyone they possibly can and people are getting the assistance they need.&#8221;
This article has been updated to clarify the Biden administration policy regarding aid related to natural disasters.

Kamala Harris

‘We’re Going To Support All Communities’: FEMA Administrator Vows To Help ‘Everybody’ After VP Harris’s ‘Equity’ Comments

FEMA Administrator Vows To Help 'Everybody' After VP Harris's 'Equity' Comments

Equity

Face The Nation

FEMA

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said Hurricane Ian&#8217;s damage to Florida&#8217;s Gulf Coast communities was a &#8220;character-altering event.&#8221;
Appearing on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1576569792617652225?s=20&amp;t=79Xrswz0B2yjFRYSO_g7nQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This Week</a>&#8221; Sunday, Rubio said that buildings in areas hit hardest were flattened, and still others would be rendered uninhabitable and need to be razed. He also said that the damage would change the economic character and nature of the places affected.
&#8220;There are entire communities &#8212; Fort Myers Beach no longer exists,&#8221; Rubio told co-anchor Jonathan Karl. &#8220;I mean, it’ll have to be rebuilt. It’ll be something different&#8230; And even the structures that are standing &#8212; I was with the Coast Guard two days ago as we went overhead on it &#8212; even the structures that are standing have been damaged by water, probably uninhabitable and have to be razed.&#8221;
&#8220;Obviously, the human toll is still being calculated, and that &#8212; that has no price,&#8221; he added. &#8220;It’s extraordinary and we fear that number will continue to rise.&#8221;
Rubio said further that Sanibel Island, a popular tourist spot, is inaccessible because of damage to the bridge connecting it to the mainland.
&#8220;It’s not just the parts that were washed away, that entire bridge is structurally compromised potentially,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So, it will have to be rebuilt and that will take a while.&#8221;
In the meantime, getting people off the island is a priority for first responders conducting rescue operations.
&#8220;This is a character-altering event,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;It will change the character and the nature of these communities. They’ll be rebuilt, but you can’t rebuild something that is a slice of old Florida and bring it back. It will be something new, but it won&#8217;t be the same, and that’s the most heartbreaking part about it from an economic standpoint.&#8221;
Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday on the Gulf Coast of Florida at nearly the strength of a Category 5 storm. With winds exceeding 150 miles per hour, the system was tied for the fourth-strongest hurricane ever to hit the Sunshine State.
On Thursday afternoon, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno shared <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-were-incredibly-hard-hit-stunning-video-shows-submerged-houses-blown-out-bridges-following-hurricane-ian">footage</a> showing destroyed neighborhoods and infrastructure along the coastline. Homes and streets were flooded as some residences smoldered with fire, beachfront structures were reduced to scraps, and portions of bridges were washed away or submerged.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This morning Sheriff Carmine Marceno took a tour of Lee County to begin assessing damage caused by Hurricane Ian. We are devastated. Our hearts go out to every resident who is impacted. The Lee County Sheriffs Office is mobile and will stop at nothing to help our residents. <a href="https://t.co/S4OsB8ajRv">pic.twitter.com/S4OsB8ajRv</a>
&mdash; Carmine Marceno &#8211; Florida’s Law and Order Sheriff (@SheriffLeeFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/SheriffLeeFL/status/1575529164899340289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Lee County, where Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island are both located, is home to nearly 800,000 people, according to data from the Census Bureau. The region is a major tourism hub on the Gulf Coast.
According to data from PowerOutage.US, roughly 89% of Lee County homes and businesses were without power as of Thursday afternoon.
Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report.

Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio: Hurricane Ian Damage To Florida’s Gulf Coast A ‘Character-Altering Event’

Marco Rubio: Hurricane Ian Damage To Florida's Gulf Coast A 'Character-Altering Event'

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John Rigolizzo