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<p>The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear <em><a href="https://2244cf6a.streaklinks.com/CRzAkocXl72uz8HaSQ6vergI/https%3A%2F%2Fzwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me%2FL0%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Fbecketfund.org%252Fcase%252Fmahmoud-v-taylor%252F%2F1%2F0100019476054d48-f63a9818-5e7e-442b-94d5-c50e12b77775-000000%2FKGm0y0oL3c0jycuMl5u0vA4A2ng%3D409" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://2244cf6a.streaklinks.com/CRzAkocXl72uz8HaSQ6vergI/https%253A%252F%252Fzwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me%252FL0%252Fhttps%253A%25252F%25252Fbecketfund.org%25252Fcase%25252Fmahmoud-v-taylor%25252F%252F1%252F0100019476054d48-f63a9818-5e7e-442b-94d5-c50e12b77775-000000%252FKGm0y0oL3c0jycuMl5u0vA4A2ng%253D409&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737292324231000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3VunyutOEYi166ZzWoU9GW">Mahmoud v. Taylor</a></em>, a case involving parents&#8217; right to opt their children out of LGBT content pertaining to sexuality and gender.</p>
<p>Parents in Maryland from differing faith backgrounds, including Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians, filed a lawsuit in 2023 after they were denied the right to opt their children out of lessons concerning 20 books on so-called &#8220;inclusivity&#8221; picked by the Montgomery County Board of Education.</p>
<p>After the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the parents, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a non-profit law firm representing the parents, appealed to the Supreme Court. On Friday, the high court agreed to hear the case.</p>
<p>“Cramming down controversial gender ideology on three-year-olds without their parents’ permission is an affront to our nation’s traditions, parental rights, and basic human decency,” Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, <a href="https://becketfund.org/case/mahmoud-v-taylor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement sent to The Daily Wire. “The Court must make clear: parents, not the state, should be the ones deciding how and when to introduce their children to sensitive issues about gender and sexuality.”</p>
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<p>Becket&#8217;s website says the <span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0">Montgomery County Board of Education announced over 20 new “inclusivity” books for its </span></span><span class="TrackChangeTextInsertion TrackedChange SCXW160123467 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0">p</span></span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0">re-K through eighth grade classrooms in the fall of 2022. Initially, parents were assured that they would be notified when the books were read and could opt their children out.</span></span></p>
<p>However, the school board in March 2023 said their policy changed; parents were no longer going to be notified about the LGBT content nor would they be permitted to opt out their children. One board member even claimed that a parent opting their child out of the content because it <span data-contrast="none">“offends your religious rights or your family values or your core beliefs is just telling [your] kid, ‘Here’s another reason to hate another person.'&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0">The books in question discuss </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0">pride parades, </span></span><span class="TrackChangeTextInsertion TrackedChange SCXW160123467 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0">gender transitions, and pronoun preferences for children, according to Becket.</span></span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0"> One book for three- and four-year-olds asks kids to search for images from a word list that includes “intersex flag,” “[drag] queen,” “underwear,” “leather,” and the name of a celebrated </span></span><span class="TrackChangeTextInsertion TrackedChange SCXW160123467 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0">LGBT</span></span></span><span class="TrackChangeTextInsertion TrackedChange SCXW160123467 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0">Q activist and </span></span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW160123467 BCX0">sex worker.</span></span></p>
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<div>The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in the spring.</div>
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The U.S. Supreme Court Poses For Official Group Photo

Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Case On Parental Rights And LGBT Content In Schools

Education

LGBTQ

Maryland

Supreme Court

U.S.

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/maryland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maryland</a> GOP Governor Larry Hogan said Friday that he saw &#8220;what appeared to be dozens of large drones&#8221; flying above his home in Maryland on Thursday evening. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hogan’s comments come as mystery <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unidentified-drones-entered-airspace-over-u-s-navy-weapons-station" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drone sightings</a> have been reported across northeastern states. He demanded more answers from the Biden administration, which has provided little information on the origin or nature of the drones. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Last night, beginning at around 9:45 pm, I personally witnessed (and videoed) what appeared to be dozens of large drones in the sky above my residence in Davidsonville, Maryland (25 miles from our nation’s capital),” Hogan posted on X alongside a video taken from his home. “I observed the activity for approximately 45 minutes.”</span></p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Last night, beginning at around 9:45 pm, I personally witnessed (and videoed) what appeared to be dozens of large drones in the sky above my residence in Davidsonville, Maryland (25 miles from our nation’s capital). I observed the activity for approximately 45 minutes.</p>
<p>Like… <a href="https://t.co/Ipx8ctLmhs">pic.twitter.com/Ipx8ctLmhs</a></p>
<p>— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLarryHogan/status/1867608947525386534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Like many who have observed these drones, I do not know if this increasing activity over our skies is a threat to public safety or national security,” Hogan added. “But the public is growing increasingly concerned and frustrated with the complete lack of transparency and the dismissive attitude of the federal government. The government has the ability to track these from their point of origin but has mounted a negligent response. People are rightfully clamoring for answers, but aren’t getting any.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a joint statement on Thursday, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security suggested that people may be reporting manned aircraft. They added that they did not believe the drones to be a security threat. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are being told that neither the White House, the military, the FBI, or Homeland Security have any idea what they are, where they came from, or who has launched or is controlling them–and that they pose no threat,” Hogan said.  </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“That response is entirely unacceptable. I join with the growing bipartisan chorus of leaders demanding that the federal government immediately address this issue. The American people deserve answers and action now,” he added. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have called for the Biden administration to give more information on the drones, which have been spotted over multiple states, including New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and Maryland. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> “The Biden Administration continues to be dismissive of New Jersey residents who have witnessed these drones in swarms, including coming from the ocean, following a Coast Guard lifeboat, and flying over extremely sensitive military bases like Naval Weapons Station Earle in my congressional district,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) <a href="https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=413455" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in response to the joint DHS/FBI statement. “ The American people and our trained local law enforcement officials have rightfully asked for real answers—not doublespeak from top Biden officials who still admit they do not know the origin or intent behind this unidentified drone activity.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Smith said he would hold a press conference on Saturday in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, with local law enforcement to discuss the drone situation. </span></p>


Maryland Senate Candidate Larry Hogan Speaks To The Press After Touring Public Elementary School

Former Republican Gov Says He Witnessed Mystery Drones Above Home, Demands Answers

Air and Space

Biden Administration

Department of Homeland Security

Drones

Larry Hogan

National Security

Politics

<p>Control of the Senate is on the ballot today, and while Republicans have a straightforward path to flipping the upper chamber, Democrats need to pull off some upsets to maintain control.</p>
<p>Fifty-one senators, including four independents, are in the Democratic caucus in the Senate, compared to 49 Republicans. That breakdown will likely change as numerous Senate races are decided on Tuesday night, and possibly in the days after.</p>
<p>Here are 10 races to watch.</p>
<h4>Arizona — Open Seat</h4>
<p>After Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced earlier this year that she was retiring from the Senate, the race for her seat was blown wide open. While Sinema became an independent in 2022, she still caucuses with the Democrats, meaning her seat would be a big flip for Republicans if they can win on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Republican candidate Kari Lake, who lost the gubernatorial election in 2022, is currently trailing in the polls against Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego. Gallego enjoyed a nearly eight-point lead in the <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/arizona/lake-vs-gallego" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RealClearPolitics</a> polling average in early October, but Lake has cut into that lead, trailing by less than 3 points as of Tuesday afternoon.</p>
<p>Much of the Arizona Senate race has centered on the border crisis, as Lake has hammered Gallego over his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-arizona-senate-candidate-supported-amnesty-flip-flopped-on-illegal-aliens-voting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support for amnesty</a> and his vote against House Joint Resolution 24, which sought to prevent illegal immigrants from voting in local elections in Washington, D.C.</p>
<p>Cook Political Report rates the race as <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lean Democrat</a>.</p>
<h4>Maryland — Open Seat</h4>
<p>Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is hoping to give the GOP a Senate seat in one of the most unlikely of states as he faces off against Democrat Angela Alsobrooks. Hogan was a popular governor in the blue state, winning two terms as a Republican. He has campaigned as a moderate willing to reach across the aisle, focusing on addressing economic issues and taxes.</p>
<p>Alsobrooks, a former county executive for Prince George County, Maryland, is pushing for pro-abortion policies and a ban on so-called assault weapons, claiming that &#8220;gun violence is the number one killer of children in America.&#8221; The Democrat leads Hogan in almost every recent <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/maryland/hogan-vs-alsobrooks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a>, and Cook Political Report rates the race as likely Democrat. But if Republicans have a strong night on Tuesday, it could be evidenced by how well Hogan performs in deep-blue Maryland.</p>
<h4><strong>Michigan — Open Seat</strong></h4>
<p>Similar to Arizona, Michigan&#8217;s 2024 Senate race will decide who will replace a retiring senator — in this case, 74-year-old Democrat Debbie Stabenow. Both of Michigan&#8217;s Senate seats have been controlled by Democrats since Republican Spencer Abraham lost his re-election bid to Stabenow in 2000. The party&#8217;s nearly-25 years of controlling Michigan&#8217;s Senate seats, however, is up for grabs as Republican Mike Rogers is running in a tight race against Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin.</p>
<p>Slotkin was the clear favorite to win the race early on, but Rogers has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mi-republican-senate-candidate-gains-ground-on-dem-opponent-new-polls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cut into</a> the Democrat&#8217;s lead in the polls. Both Slotkin and Rogers have focused heavily on the economy, with Rogers accusing Slotkin of supporting a controversial Chinese-owned electric vehicle plant being built in Big Rapids, Michigan. Slotkin, meanwhile, has attempted to tie Rogers to Big Pharma and has touted her support of abortion.</p>
<p>Slotkin currently leads in the RealClearPolitics average by 2.3 points, and Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.</p>
<h4>Montana — Democrat Seat</h4>
<p>Longtime Democrat Sen. Jon Tester is in an uphill battle to keep his Senate seat, which he&#8217;s held since 2007. Republican candidate Tim Sheehy, a retired Navy SEAL, is challenging Tester, focusing on the border crisis that has exploded under the Biden-Harris administration.</p>
<p>Montana represents one of the Republican Party&#8217;s best chances to flip a seat in the Senate with Cook Political Report rating the race lean Republican. Tester winning re-election could be vital to the Democratic Party&#8217;s narrow path to keeping control of the Senate. Polling on the Montana race has shown Sheehy leading Tester by nearly 8 points on average, according to <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/montana/sheehy-vs-tester" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RealClearPolitics</a>.</p>
<h4>Nebraska — Republican Seat</h4>
<p>Republican Sen. Deb Fischer is running for re-election against independent candidate Dan Osborn, a Navy veteran. Fischer has served in the Senate since 2013 and has won each of her elections by wide margins. But polling from this year&#8217;s race shows a much closer contest than what Fischer is used to.</p>
<p>Osborn reportedly asked the Democratic Party to keep a candidate off the ballot to form a coalition behind him, but then said he would <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/15/dan-osborn-spurns-democrats-other-parties-whose-help-he-sought-in-senate-race/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not accept</a> the Democratic Party&#8217;s endorsement following the primaries. While an Osborn upset in Nebraska wouldn&#8217;t help push the Democrats closer to a majority, it could potentially hurt the GOP&#8217;s numbers and its path to taking control of the Senate.</p>
<p>Fischer leads in the polls by just over 2 points, according to FiveThirtyEight&#8217;s average. Cook Political Report rates the race as lean Republican.</p>
<h4>Nevada — Democrat Seat</h4>
<p>Nevada Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen is in a close race against Republican Sam Brown in what would be a huge pick-up for Republicans if Brown can pull off the upset. Rosen won her first term as senator in the 2018 election after serving as a congresswoman from Nevada&#8217;s 3rd District for one term.</p>
<p>Brown, a U.S. Army veteran who was wounded while serving in Afghanistan in 2008, a political outsider is hoping to burst onto the scene with a victory over Rosen. An upset for Brown seemed far from reach just two months ago when Rosen led in the <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/nevada/brown-vs-rosen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RCP average</a> by 10 points, but Brown has chipped away at the Democrat&#8217;s lead, now trailing by just four points. In one recent poll, Brown was tied with Rosen, and in another, he was leading by 1 point.</p>
<p>Cook Political Report rates the race as lean Democrat.</p>
<h4>Ohio — Democrat Seat</h4>
<p>In what Cook Political Report is rating as another toss-up race, Democrat Sherrod Brown has been <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/ohio/brown-vs-moreno" target="_blank" rel="noopener">losing ground</a> in the polls against Republican Bernie Moreno. Brown, who has been in office since 2007, has attempted to present himself as a moderate, especially on energy, vowing that he “will not turn my back on Ohio’s rural electric co-ops, Ohio energy workers, and Ohio families whose energy bills are already too high.” In September, however, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ohio-dem-senator-to-hold-event-with-group-pushing-to-close-states-largest-coal-plant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">participated in a campaign event</a> alongside a radical environmentalist group pushing to close the state’s largest coal plant.</p>
<p>Moreno, a Colombian-born businessman, supports stronger border security and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bernie-moreno-touts-historically-powerful-trump-endorsement-after-ohio-primary-win-previews-day-1-agenda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that &#8220;energy dominance&#8221; will be one of his top issues if he is elected. Moreno has also pushed to abolish the Department of Education, arguing that it has a &#8220;stranglehold on our kids.&#8221;</p>
<p>Moreno leads by just 1.7 points in the RealClearPolitics average.</p>
<h4>Pennsylvania — Democrat Seat</h4>
<p>In Pennsylvania, Democrat Sen. Bob Casey is running for his fourth term against Republican businessman Dave McCormick. The battleground state Senate race is another chance for Republicans to steal a seat from the Democrats. McCormick has recently surged in the polls, saying that Pennsylvanians “can see now it’s between a seventh-generation Pennsylvanian, an outsider, a business guy, someone who went to West Point and served in combat, versus a guy who’s been in elected office for 30 years and has been weak in a 99% vote for these liberal policies.&#8221;</p>
<p>In recent weeks, Casey has attempted to tie himself to former President Donald Trump, dropping a campaign that says “Casey bucked Biden to protect fracking and he sided with Trump to end NAFTA and put tariffs on China to stop them from cheating.”</p>
<p>Casey leads McCormick by <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/pennsylvania/mccormick-vs-casey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1.8 points</a> in the RCP average of polls, and Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.</p>
<h4>Texas — Republican Seat</h4>
<p>Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is seeking to fend off an upset bid from Democrat Rep. Colin Allred and keep the Texas Senate seat in the GOP&#8217;s hands. Allred, a former NFL linebacker, has gone along with the Biden-Harris agenda <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/colin-allred/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100%</a> of the time. During a recent debate, Cruz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ted-cruz-blasts-his-dem-opponents-radical-and-extreme-record-during-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> Allred&#8217;s &#8220;radical and extreme&#8221; record, pointing out that the Democrat voted in favor of the leftist “Equality Act,” a bill that prohibited discrimination based on “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.”</p>
<p>For Democrats to maintain control of the Senate, they would likely have to pull off a win in Montana or a major upset over Cruz in Texas. Cook Political Report rates the Cruz-Allred race as lean Republican.</p>
<h4>Wisconsin — Democrat Seat</h4>
<p>The fourth and final Senate toss-up race, according to Cook Political Report, is the Wisconsin contest between incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Eric Hovde. Baldwin, a senator since 2013, has seen the <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/wisconsin/hovde-vs-baldwin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polls</a> grow closer in recent weeks. Hovde, like many Republicans, is focused on immigration and the economy and is hoping to ride some momentum from Trump, who has been focusing on the battleground state.</p>
<p>Baldwin leads Hovde by just 1.8 points, according to the RealClearPolitics average.</p>
<p><a href="https://election.dailywire.com/?_gl=1*1ekafg9*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDY4ODI4NC44NC4xLjE3MzA2OTQwMDYuNTkuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE&#8217;S ELECTION HUB FOR SENATE FORECASTS AND POLLING</strong></a></p>


Dave McCormick sign

10 Senate Races To Watch On Election Day

2024 Election

Arizona

Democrats

Michigan

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Republicans

Texas

U.S. Senate

Wisconsin

<p>The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/maryland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maryland</a> Department of State Police (MDSP) agreed to shell out $2.75 million in back pay to black applicants who failed a simple written test and female applicants who failed a basic physical test.</p>
<p>Because black applicants failed the written test at a higher rate than white applicants, and female applicants failed the physical test at a higher rate than male applicants, the U.S. Department of Justice determined the tests were racist and sexist. Last week, the DOJ <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-secures-agreement-maryland-department-state-police-resolve-allegations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that it had reached a settlement agreement with the MDSP that included paying those who failed the test $2.75 million in back pay as if they would have been hired had they not failed the tests, and changing the tests so that equal numbers of black applicants and female applicants pass, among other provisions.</p>
<p>The written test, called the Police Officer Selection Test (POST), consists of 75 questions and includes a basic math, reading comprehension, and grammar section. It also has a short section about writing police reports. Applicants need only an aggregate score of 70% on all components to pass, as well as a 70% score on each of the reading, grammar, and report writing components.</p>
<p>A copy of the test <a href="https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Careers/Trooper%20and%20Cadet%20Application%20Documents/POST%20Study%20Guide_MSP.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found online</a> includes early grade-school level math and reading comprehension questions. The first sample test question is about basic time-telling skills.</p>
<div id="attachment_809539" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-809539" class="size-medium wp-image-809539" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-08-at-1.10.10-PM-300x116.png" alt="A sample test question from the Maryland Department of State Police's former written test." width="300" height="116" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-08-at-1.10.10-PM-300x116.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-08-at-1.10.10-PM.png 366w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-809539" class="wp-caption-text">Maryland Department of State Police</p></div>
<p>Several questions following that sample include simple math skills.</p>
<div id="attachment_809547" style="width: 305px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-809547" class="size-medium wp-image-809547" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-08-at-2.32.38-PM-295x300.png" alt=" A sample test question from the Maryland Department of State Police's former written test." width="295" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-08-at-2.32.38-PM-295x300.png 295w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-08-at-2.32.38-PM.png 348w" sizes="(max-width: 295px) 100vw, 295px" /><p id="caption-attachment-809547" class="wp-caption-text">Maryland Department of State Police</p></div>
<p>The sample test questions for reading comprehension include a few paragraphs that include the answers in the provided paragraph. The section about filling out police reports includes a blank copy of a police report and a paragraph about a reported crime. Applicants would then be asked questions the answers for which could be found in the paragraph. The grammar section asks only the most basic questions, requiring applicants to know the difference between &#8220;its&#8221; and &#8220;it’s,&#8221; as well as simple conjugation (the test does not use the word “conjugation”) and spelling.</p>
<div id="attachment_809559" style="width: 251px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-809559" class="size-medium wp-image-809559" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-08-at-2.38.39-PM-241x300.png" alt="A sample test question from the Maryland Department of State Police's former written test." width="241" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-08-at-2.38.39-PM-241x300.png 241w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screen-Shot-2024-10-08-at-2.38.39-PM.png 375w" sizes="(max-width: 241px) 100vw, 241px" /><p id="caption-attachment-809559" class="wp-caption-text">Maryland Department of State Police</p></div>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1371936/dl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> against the MDSP, applicants can take the POST up to four times within a 12-month period. If they fail to get 70% on those four attempts, they must wait one year from the final failure date in order to try again. Failing this test will also prevent them from moving forward in the hiring process.</p>
<p>Since 2017, according to the lawsuit, approximately 91% of white applicants passed the POST at least once, compared to just 71% of black applicants. Because of this disparate impact &#8212; and without showing how a test about basic math and reading skills can be racist &#8212; the DOJ determined the MDSP violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, claiming the test discriminated against black applicants.</p>
<p><b><a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a></b></p>
<p>As for the physical test, applicants were required to complete 18 push-ups within a minute, 27 sit-ups within a minute, reach about 1.5 inches beyond their toes while sitting, and run 1.5 miles within 15 minutes and 20 seconds. Applicants were allowed to take the physical test up to three times in a given year, and would not move forward in the application process if they failed all three times.</p>
<p>According to the lawsuit, 81% of male applicants passed the physical test at least once, compared to only 51% of female applicants. Using the same logic as the written test, the DOJ determined the physical test was somehow discriminatory because women failed at a higher rate than men.</p>
<p>DOJ argued that “using the POST as a pass/fail screening device for its selection of entry-level troopers which (i) results in a disparate impact on African-American candidates, (ii) is not job related for the position in question or consistent with business necessity, and (iii) does not otherwise meet the requirements of Section 703(k) of Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(k).”</p>
<p>The DOJ similarly argued that the physical test “as a pass/fail screening device for its selection of entry-level troopers which (i) results in a disparate impact on female candidates, (ii) is not job related for the position in question or consistent with business necessity, and (iii) does not otherwise meet the requirements of Section 703(k) of Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(k).”</p>
<p>The MDSP agreed to a settlement with the DOJ, and must now provide written and physical tests that result in similar pass/fail rates for applicants regardless of sex or race &#8212; it is unclear how the MDSP can accomplish that without reducing standards. The MDSP must also provide data to the DOJ about its new tests to ensure it is complying with the DOJ’s demands, pay $2.75 million in back pay to applicants who failed the test and therefore weren’t hired (the assumption being they would have otherwise been hired), and hire up to 25 of the failed applicants.</p>
<p>One option for the MDSP is to adopt the physical test required of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, which lowered its standards to attract more female applicants, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-police-dept-changes-standards-to-increase-number-of-female-officers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The previous physical test in Nashville was similar to the one in Maryland, but the new test &#8212; called an “agility” test &#8212; “consists of a 99-yard agility run, a rescue simulation (dummy drag), chain link fence climb, solid wall climb and a 500 yard run,” <a href="https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/Civil-Service-Test-Comparison-Public-Report.pdf?ct=1667220679" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the MNPD</a>. When Nashville implemented the different test, the fail rate fell from 6% to 2%.</p>


State Trooper Police Car from Maryland State Police

Maryland State Police Shell Out $2.75 Million To Black, Female Applicants Who Failed Basic Tests

Department of Justice

Discrimination

General

Lawsuit

Police

<p>A federal judge on Tuesday said that the University of Maryland must allow a pro-Palestinian group to hold a rally on October 7, the anniversary of Hamas&#8217; terrorist attack on Israel.</p>
<p>“Even if pro-Israel groups see October 7 as somehow sacrosanct, it is at least fair argument for pro-Palestine groups to see the date as sacrosanct as well, symbolic of what they believe is Palestine’s longstanding fight for the liberation of Gaza,” U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.567249/gov.uscourts.mdd.567249.35.0_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in his injunction blocking the university from canceling the event.</p>
<p>“SJP [Students for Justice in Palestine] says it chose October 7 specifically because October 7 marks the beginning of what it calls Israel’s most recent ‘genocidal campaign’ which, SJP claims, has resulted in the death of over 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza. &#8230; No other date, as SJP sees it, can make the point of their mission quite as forcefully as October 7; to SJP, it is unique. That, in the Court’s view, fortifies SJP’s claim of irreparable harm.”</p>
<p>Even though he ruled the event must proceed, Judge Messitte noted that SJP “has picked a particularly controversial date to hold an event to commemorate Gaza War dead, to decry what it terms Israeli ‘genocide’…on October 7, a day when it has been widely reported that Hamas fighters invaded Jewish settlements near Gaza, killing some 1,200 occupants, torturing others, and taking some 250 hostages.&#8221;</p>
<p>The University System of Maryland banned all events on October 7 after University of Maryland President Darryll Pines came under fire for defending SJP&#8217;s planned event. The group, backed by lawyers from the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), sued the university system after it said SJP would have to hold its event on a different day.</p>
<p>In response to the lawsuit, the university suggested that it cancelled events on October 7<sup>th</sup> because of anti-black racism.</p>
<p>Patricia Perillo, the University of Maryland&#8217;s vice president of student affairs, said in an affidavit that “In late August, 2024, my team and I became aware of a new, more angry, aggressive and violent tone to the messages the University was receiving, centered around SJP hosting an event on campus on October 7. For example, on August 26, 2024, an individual emailed University President Darryll J. Pines, who is Black, advising that if the University was going to permit SJP’s event to go forward, ‘then my Klan Rally with sheets and a noose are also approved.’”</p>
<p>The writer of the email in question raises the specter of KKK rallies to highlight how Jewish students would feel if SJP was allowed to proceed with its plan to mark October 7 by covering campus with Palestinian flags. The university&#8217;s filing seems to willfully misread the email.</p>
<p>Judge Messitte&#8217;s ruling makes clear the actual context, saying that a letter from Jews said they found the October 7 event “disgusting” because it was like “granting permission to white supremacists to burn a cross on campus on the day commemorating the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”</p>
<p>The Daily Wire previously reported that Pines misrepresented ChatGPT output about Palestine as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-of-maryland-president-plagiarized-from-chatgpt-to-justify-anti-israel-oct-7-rally">“faculty scholarship”</a> in order to rebuff a Jewish critic, and threatened to call the police on a Jewish resident for sending emails criticizing the school&#8217;s handling of anti-Semitism, all while claiming that the October 7 event itself was protected by free speech.</p>
<p>Judge Messitte wrote that “SJP has held more than 70 events on campus since October 7, 2023, including meetings, protests, sit-ins, and demonstrations, all without significant disruption or conflict.” He said if Maryland really did fear violence it had other options, such as bringing in extra security or installing metal detectors.</p>
<p>He said the First Amendment and precedent make granting an injunction an easy legal call. The free-speech group FIRE lauded the judge’s decision, saying “Students have a First Amendment right to speak on their public campus on October 7th, and UMD&#8217;s effort to delay that speech to a day that&#8217;s more convenient for them was, plain and simple, unconstitutional.&#8221;</p>
<p>SJP has itself tried to proscribe Jewish students&#8217; free speech. When the Institute for Israel Studies invited the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Michael Herzog, to speak on campus in 2022, SJP issued a statement saying that &#8220;students and community members of good conscience&#8221; should &#8220;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkOHxW9r5uO/?img_index=1">wholeheartedly oppose the event,</a>&#8221; and that &#8220;The University of Maryland should stand in morality by disallowing Herzog&#8217;s presence on campus.&#8221;</p>
<p>And in a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9yDEB3PJv6/?img_index=2">“statement of views,”</a> the SJP chapter said in July that “UMD SJP unequivocally states that the Zionist state of Israel has no right to exist,” and that Palestinians have “the right to resist.”</p>
<p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-of-maryland-president-copied-rocket-science-paper-from-aussie-student">University of Maryland President Copied Rocket Science Paper From Aussie Student</a></strong></p>


University of Maryland President Darryll Pines (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Federal Judge Says University Must Let Anti-Israel Group Hold Oct. 7 Event

Israel

Palestine

Students for Justice in Palestine

<p>An illegal immigrant who was released by border agents went on to allegedly kill his girlfriend in Maryland.</p>
<p>Gerber Luis Sanchez-Centeno, 23, has been arrested and charged with murdering Dania Cruz-Mejia, 18, the Montgomery County Department of Police said in <a href="https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=45871" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press release</a>.</p>
<p>Cruz-Mejia was found unconscious after her family members went to her home to check on her after not hearing from her for some time. Around 4:20 p.m. on September 18, first responders went to the home and performed life-saving measures on Cruz-Mejia, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.</p>
<p>After a brief investigation, Sanchez-Centeno was identified as a suspect in the murder and was arrested on September 20. He was charged with first-degree murder.</p>
<p>Weeks before the murder, Sanchez-Centeno illegally entered the U.S. and was fitted with a GPS tag before he was released into the community, Newsweek <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/illegal-immigrant-murder-girlfriend-maryland-1960144?utm_medium=Social&amp;utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1727436453" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. By August 8, however, authorities stopped supervising Sanchez-Centeno after he disappeared.</p>
<p><b><a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a></b></p>
<p>James Covington, spokesman for Baltimore’s Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), told Newsweek that “Gerber Luis Sanchez-Centeno is an unlawfully present 23-year-old Salvadoran national.”</p>
<p>&#8220;U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Sanchez June 2 after he unlawfully entered the United States near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. Later that day, ERO El Paso placed Sanchez into the Alternatives to Detention program with a GPS monitor,” Covington continued. &#8220;ERO El Paso terminated Sanchez from [Alternatives to Detention] Aug. 8, as he absconded from the program.”</p>
<p>&#8220;ERO Baltimore lodged an immigration detainer against Sanchez Sept 23, 2024 with the Montgomery County Detention Center,&#8221; he added.</p>
<p>Cruz-Mejia, the victim, had arrived in the U.S. five months before her murder and was studying cosmetology and learning English, Newsweek reported.</p>
<p>&#8220;I went into despair. I went into my principal&#8217;s office and I just broke down. It was just so painful,&#8221; her teacher, Vivian Salazar, told the outlet. &#8220;She was just so excited about learning English, when most kids don&#8217;t express themselves, they don&#8217;t speak. But she wasn&#8217;t afraid.”</p>
<p>The victim’s sister, Maria, also told Newsweek that it “was the saddest day” when she found out Cruz-Mejia was murdered.</p>
<p>&#8220;She was a happy girl. She was always very positive to any challenges, problems, that she endured,” Maria told the outlet. &#8220;When they told me, it was the saddest day. Dania was one of the people I most loved in my life.”</p>


Gerber Sanchez Centeno Mugshot

Illegal Immigrant Allegedly Kills Girlfriend Weeks After Being Released By Border Agents

Illegal Immigrant Allegedly Kills Girlfriend Shortly After Being Released By Border Agents

Crime

illegal alien

Illegal Immigration

Murder

<p>Angela Alsobrooks, the Democrat Party&#8217;s U.S. Senate nominee in Maryland, saved thousands of dollars in taxes by taking tax breaks that she did not legally for, according to a new report.</p>
<p>CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/22/politics/angela-alsobrooks-improper-tax-deductions/index.html">reported</a> that for more than 10 years she claimed a homestead tax exemption on a home she owned in Washington, D.C. — and a home she owned in Maryland — that can only apply to a person&#8217;s primary residence, not multiple residences.</p>
<p>She also reportedly saved $14,000 in taxes over a 12 year period on her home in D.C. by &#8220;using tax exemptions meant for the district’s primary residents, lower income residents and senior citizens,&#8221; the report said. By &#8220;violating state and local tax relief requirements&#8221;, she reportedly cut her tax bill in half.</p>
<p>She received a homestead exemption on the property that she owned in Maryland starting in 2008, even though she eventually started renting it out. She is estimated to have saved thousands of dollars in taxes by claiming the homestead exemption, even though she did not qualify for it.</p>
<p>An adviser for Alsobrooks claimed that she had no idea of the alleged violations but that her lawyers were working with the relevant authorities to rectify the problem.</p>
<p>Alsobrooks’ campaign tried to throw dirt at her opponent, former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, claiming that he also got a tax break on his home in 2016 while living in the governor&#8217;s mansion. However, the report noted that governors and federal officials are excluded from the residency requirements.</p>
<p>The Maryland Republican Party called for an investigation into Alsobrooks over CNN&#8217;s report, saying that she may have committed fraud.</p>
<p>&#8220;Angela Alsobrooks saved thousands in taxes by fraudulently claiming tax deductions that she was not eligible for on multiple properties in Prince George’s County and DC,&#8221; the state party said. &#8220;Marylanders deserve to have all of the facts about this alleged fraud before they vote. There needs to be a full investigation before the election.&#8221;</p>


Democratic Senate Nominee Angela Alsobrooks Holds Rally In Frederick, Maryland

Democrat Senate Nominee Angela Alsobrooks Took Major Tax Breaks She Didn’t Qualify For: Report

Taxes

<p>The president of the University of Maryland will face an internal probe after The Daily Wire exposed extensive plagiarism in his published writing.</p>
<p>On Wednesday evening, Darryll Pines sent an email to all university faculty under the subject “A forthcoming impartial review.”</p>
<p>&#8220;Just yesterday, a blogger contended that I co-authored papers in 2002 and 2006 on the topic of structural health monitoring that used language from an online tutorial without citation,&#8221; Pines wrote. &#8220;While I am steadfast that our results, data and findings are sound, I acknowledge recurrent language in the introductory sections.”</p>
<p>“While I do not believe there is merit to these claims, an impartial review is in the best interest of the university. Consistent with existing policies related to research conduct, I have asked the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) to begin an independent review. The findings of the ORI review will be shared with the University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay Perman through our Office of Faculty Affairs in the Provost’s Office,” the email continued.</p>
<p>The email is somewhat contradictory, as Pines acknowledges “recurrent language,&#8221; but denies that he plagiarized outright.</p>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-799291" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-review.png" alt="" width="1322" height="1642" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-review.png 1322w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-review-242x300.png 242w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-review-464x576.png 464w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-review-768x954.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-review-1237x1536.png 1237w" sizes="(max-width: 1322px) 100vw, 1322px" /></div>
<p>On Tuesday, The Daily Wire identified <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-of-maryland-president-copied-rocket-science-paper-from-aussie-student" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a 1,500-word section of a 5,000-word paper</a> published in 2002 which Pines had lifted from a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/19970216154235/http://www.monash.edu.au/cmcm/wavelet/whistory.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tutorial website created by an Australian student in 1996.</a> Pines only changed the British-style spellings.</p>
<p>Pines and his co-author published another paper using the exact same stolen language in a 2006 paper.</p>
<p>Prior to the publication of The Daily Wire’s story, a spokeswoman for Pines seemed to defend the duplicated text, also calling it “recurrent language” and saying “the use of customary or common language in introductory material does not speak to the integrity of the data or the veracity of the findings.”</p>
<p>That drew shock and outrage from several academics, who said that no academic would consider 1,500 straight words pasted from an un-cited, little-unknown author to be “customary or common language,” or acceptable to use in a paper.</p>
<p>Online, some students speculated that if Pines was not punished, students punished for academic dishonesty would have grounds to contest their punishments.</p>
<p>Reporting on the fallout, The <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/higher-education/university-of-maryland-darryll-j-pines-ZUVIHYS4Z5EFJIY7BUSVFGY6XA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Baltimore Banner</a> quoted SPIE, an engineering society that published the 2002 paper, saying it “considers plagiarism by authors and contributors in any form, to any degree, to be unethical, unacceptable, and a serious breach of professional conduct.”</p>
<p>It also quoted Jonathan Bailey, a “plagiarism expert,” who seemed to both acknowledge that the plagiarism was real and major, but dismiss it because the media outlet flagging it was not liberal.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>The evidence against Pines “appears to be one of the stronger” cases, he said, saying “we have whole sections of a paper that are near verbatim or verbatim.”</p>
<p>Yet “the uptick in plagiarism accusations over the last year has targeted people of color, in particular,” the Banner claimed, paraphrasing Bailey.</p>
<p><span class="Apple-converted-space">(The Daily Wire did not look into Pines because he is black, but because of an incident this month in which he falsely <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-of-maryland-president-plagiarized-from-chatgpt-to-justify-anti-israel-oct-7-rally" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed off ChatGPT output</a> as original Maryland &#8220;faculty scholarship.&#8221;)</span></p>
<p>“Bailey said as someone who ‘cares deeply about plagiarism,’ he finds the accusations frustrating for both himself and universities that have to investigate serious allegations even when they come from, as Bailey views it, a place of bad faith,” the Banner continued.</p>
<p>The paper did not say why reporting on academic misconduct was “bad faith,” except that “The Daily Wire is a conservative publication who often rail against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives,” seemingly suggesting that standards should not apply to scholars like Pines, a rocket scientist who this year co-authored  papers titled &#8220;Stereotypes and implicit biases in engineering: Will students need to &#8216;Whistle Vivaldi&#8217;?&#8221; and &#8220;Understanding the ‘Us All’ in Engineering 4 Us All through the Experiences of High School Teachers.&#8221;</p>
<p>A side-by-side of the student&#8217;s 1996 website and Pines&#8217; paper is below. The Daily Wire&#8217;s original story is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-of-maryland-president-copied-rocket-science-paper-from-aussie-student">here</a>.</p>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-797593" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1.png" alt="" width="1799" height="10212" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1.png 1799w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1-53x300.png 53w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1-768x4360.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1-361x2048.png 361w" sizes="(max-width: 1799px) 100vw, 1799px" /></div>


University of Maryland President Darryll Pines (Julia Nikhinson/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

University of Maryland President Acknowledges ‘Recurrent Language,’ Submits To Plagiarism Review

College

Plagiarism

University of Maryland

<p>University of Maryland President Darryll Pines appears to have committed significant plagiarism, lifting large portions of two academic journal articles from a tutorial website made years prior by an Australian student, a Daily Wire investigation found.</p>
<p>A 1,500-word stretch of a 5,000-word paper by Pines and a co-author published in 2002 — accounting for nearly a third of the paper — is virtually identical to a <a href="https://www.dmsa.unipd.it/andreap/wavelet/wavelet.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tutorial website</a> called “Surfing the Wavelets” published in 1996 by Joshua Altmann, who at the time of publishing was a university student in Australia.</p>
<p>Pines does not cite or mention Altmann or the website, which says it was last updated in October 1996. Pines and his co-author, Liming Salvino, then recycled much of that paper, including almost all the uncredited Altmann language, for another peer-reviewed paper in 2006.</p>
<p>Pines, a rocket scientist and diversity activist, does not appear to have made any changes to Altmann’s work except removing some sentences and Americanizing the Australian’s British spelling (turning “analyse&#8221; to &#8220;analyze,&#8221; e.g.) — but Pines missed two such words, “endeavour” and “modelling,” which remain in his work with the spelling commonly used abroad.</p>
<p>Pines&#8217;s systematic editing of British words suggests he did copy the language, but deliberately manipulated Altmann’s text to look like his own. The finding of significant past plagiarism comes after Pines this month presented what he said was “faculty research” defending a pro-Palestine rally planned for October 7, but which actually came from ChatGPT.</p>
<p><b><a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726665846407000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0AO_BnWzjBHW-hvzLTw1hC">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a></b></p>
<p>When Altmann published the tutorial in 1996, he had recently been working in a restaurant and was a student at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. At the time, Pines had a doctorate from MIT and was leading a University of Maryland program “to increase the number of underrepresented minority PhDs in four departments within the College of Engineering.&#8221;</p>
<p>Another scientist cited Altmann’s online tutorial in his Ph.D. dissertation in <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Acoustic_noise_removal_by_combining_wiener_and_wavelet_filtering_techniques_%28IA_acousticnoiserem00forn%29.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1998</a>.</p>
<p>The duplicated language is highlighted here:</p>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-797593" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1.png" alt="" width="1799" height="10212" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1.png 1799w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1-53x300.png 53w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1-768x4360.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-altmann-1-361x2048.png 361w" sizes="(max-width: 1799px) 100vw, 1799px" /></div>
<p>Pines’s <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/252446892_Health_monitoring_of_one_dimensional_structures_using_empirical_mode_decomposition_and_the_Hilbert-Huang_Transform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2002 paper</a>, “Health monitoring of one dimensional structures using empirical mode decomposition and the Hilbert-Huang Transform,” was published in the journal Smart Structures and Materials, part of the SPIE engineering association.</p>
<p>In 2006, Pines and Salvino reused a large portion of that paper — including nearly the entire uncredited Altmann section — for a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223597065_Structural_health_monitoring_using_empirical_mode_decomposition_and_the_Hilbert_phase" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paper</a> published in the Journal of Sound and Vibration, “Structural health monitoring using empirical mode decomposition and the Hilbert phase.” The above chart looks almost the same whether comparing Altmann to Pines’s 2002 or 2006 papers.</p>
<p>Where Altmann writes the word “endeavor,” Pines’s 2002 article says “endevour,” as if someone tried to Americanize the Australian’s British-style language but removed the wrong letter. The 2006 article also mirrors Altmann’s language in using the British “modelling,” though the 2002 article does not, perhaps because an editor at that journal changed it to the American “modeling.”</p>
<p>Pines&#8217; papers do not contain any footnotes to Altmann. Instead, his footnotes are the same as Altmann&#8217;s, down to the page numbers.</p>
<p>In virtually the only instance where Pines tried to paraphrase, he managed to add multiple errors. Altmann writes, “Several techniques can be used to enhance the characteristics that are otherwise not readily observable.” Pines’s 2002 paper says “This led to the emergence of several techniques that could be used to enhance the characteristics that <i>would</i><i> otherwise not readily observable</i>.” That passage in his 2006 paper has an additional inserted typo (one apparently again caught by the more vigilant 2002 editor), saying “This <i>lead</i> to the emergence.”</p>
<p>Katie Lawson, a spokeswoman for the University of Maryland, did not deny that the language was copied, but suggested there would be no repercussions for the president.</p>
<p>“It is not uncommon for historical and technical reviews to use recurrent language to provide a framework for past work. Establishing this shared understanding in the scientific community is what allows for applications of new technology, which is what Dr. Pines and Dr. Salvino explored in testing a new application of the Hilbert phase. The use of customary or common language in introductory material does not speak to the integrity of the data or the veracity of the findings,” she said in an email.</p>
<p>Lawson declined to respond to questions about whether University of Maryland students and faculty are required to cite their sources when using extensive verbatim work of others, and what would happen if they did not.</p>
<p>IEEE, a professional engineering society, says “Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, (a) uncredited copying of someone else’s work, (b) using someone else’s material without clear delineation or citation, and (c) uncited reuse of an author’s previously published work that also involves other authors.” It said it “is a type of copyright infringement, and as such may also subject the author(s) to legal liability.&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="https://pspb.ieee.org/images/files/PSPB/opsmanual.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IEEE’s policies</a> say that it considers “uncredited verbatim copying of a large portion (greater than 20% and up to 50%) within an article” as its second-most serious offense. It said the actions that “shall” be taken in such a case include the publication of a “Notice for Publishing Misconduct,” rejection of all articles currently being reviewed by the author, and possible prohibition of future publishing.</p>
<p>The society recommends that the offender be required to submit an apology to the victim and the journal editor, with more severe punishment if he refuses.</p>
<p>The Daily Wire reported this month that Pines <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-of-maryland-president-plagiarized-from-chatgpt-to-justify-anti-israel-oct-7-rally" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plagiarized from ChatGPT</a> and passed the writing off as original research he had gathered from faculty experts. “I have consulted with Middle East Scholars and Historians on our campus regarding the origin and history of the Palestinian Flag. The general consensus opinion from these faculty scholars is as follows,” he wrote, followed by output that in reality came from ChatGPT.</p>
<p>He used the veneer of &#8220;expert scholarship&#8221; to end a debate with a Jewish critic who objected to his decision to allow a pro-Palestinian group that advocates for “armed struggle” to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-of-maryland-prez-said-anti-israel-protesters-could-rally-on-10-7-then-threatened-to-call-police-on-jew-for-complaining" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hold an event on October 7</a>, the anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel. When The Daily Wire asked him about the false attribution, he ignored the inquiry.</p>
<p>Pines is credited with many journal articles and academic accomplishments, but his scientific achievements often come with him as just one member of a larger group. In the plagiarized articles, he is the lead author.</p>
<p>His journal articles co-authored this year include “Stereotypes and Implicit Biases in Engineering: Will Students Need to ‘Whistle Vivaldi’?” and “Understanding the ‘Us All’ in Engineering 4 Us All through the Experiences of High School Teachers.”</p>
<p>Pines’s story is similar to that of former Harvard president Claudine Gay, who resigned following the exposure of her own plagiarism. Both Pines and Gay came under fire for their handling of anti-Semitism on campus, and were uncovered as plagiarists in the ensuing scrutiny.</p>
<p><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-of-maryland-prez-said-anti-israel-protesters-could-rally-on-10-7-then-threatened-to-call-police-on-jew-for-complaining" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>U of Maryland Prez Said Anti-Israel Protesters Could Rally On 10/7—Then Threatened To Call Police On Jew For Complaining</b></a></p>


Darryll J. Pines, PhD is appointed the 34th President of University of Maryland at College Park on February, 14, 2020. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

University of Maryland President Copied Rocket Science Paper From Aussie Student

<p>Virginia and Maryland share a border, a climate, and a proximity to Washington, D.C. But only one has a Republican governor—and it&#8217;s outperforming the other on a number of important metrics.</p>
<p>A letter from Virginia Secretary of Finance Stephen E. Cummings comparing the commonwealth’s finances to those of its neighbor said that between January 2022 and June 2024, Virginia added 259,000 jobs, while Maryland added only 73,000, making it last in the nation.</p>
<p>When it comes to the number of net inbound U-Hauls — which suggests the rate of people moving to the state — Virginia ranked 10th, while Maryland ranked 44th.</p>
<p>Cummings&#8217;s letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Daily Wire,  was addressed to a Democrat state senator who had requested the comparison.</p>
<p>The letter said under Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Virginia has built up its cash reserves, or rainy day fund, ending fiscal year 2024 with a $1.2 billion surplus and ending 2023 with $3 billion more than forecast.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Meanwhile, a spending crisis looms on the horizon for Maryland, whose operations were unsustainable and only made possible by draining its existing rainy day fund.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>“The Comptroller of Maryland issued an economic report for 2023 that sounded an alarm for their economic situation,” the letter said. “The Maryland General Assembly adopted a budget in which FY 2025 general fund spending was more than $1.4 billion below FY 2024 levels, the vast majority of this reduced spending was in capital outlay and relied on withdrawals from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to support ongoing spending,” it said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>“The Maryland Department of Legislative Services estimates that ‘ongoing spending exceeds ongoing revenues in fiscal year 2025 by $485 million. The structural deficit increases to $1.7 billion in fiscal year 2026 and reaches over $3 billion by fiscal year 2028,” it said.</p>
<div id="attachment_301837" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-301837" class="size-full wp-image-301837" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Winsome-Sears-scaled.jpg" alt="CHANTILLY, VIRGINIA - NOVEMBER 02: Virginia Republican candidate for lieutenant governor Winsome Sears takes the stage with her family during an election night rally at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles on November 02, 2021 in Chantilly, Virginia. Virginians went to the polls Tuesday to vote in the gubernatorial race that pitted Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin against Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe." width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Winsome-Sears-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Winsome-Sears-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Winsome-Sears-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Winsome-Sears-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Winsome-Sears-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Winsome-Sears-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><p id="caption-attachment-301837" class="wp-caption-text">Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</p></div>
<p>Bond rating service Moody’s downgraded Maryland to a “negative outlook” in May, writing that “The negative outlook incorporates difficulties Maryland will face to achieve balanced financial operations in coming years without sacrificing service delivery goals or adding to the weight of the state government’s burden on individual and corporate taxpayers.”</p>
<p>“There are clear winners and losers in the US economy over the past decade and, in particular, after the pandemic,&#8221; Cummings wrote. &#8220;Lower cost, business friendly states have captured the vast majority of domestic migration at the expense of higher cost, less attractive business environments leading to growth in population, economies and state revenues available to fund programs while further reducing tax burdens on individuals and companies.”</p>
<p>The comparison suggests that even when it comes to enjoying government services, big-spending Democrat states might be worse off in the long-run, with out-of-control costs eventually coming due. Maryland was forced to cut $1.3 billion from its transportation funding due to its budget crisis, the letter said.</p>
<p>Virginia is a typically Democrat-leaning state that elected Youngkin in 2021. The former business executive is limited to a single term under the state’s constitution, but his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginia-lt-gov-winsome-earle-sears-files-to-run-for-governor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lieutenant governor, Winsome Sears</a>, announced her campaign for governor this month.</p>
<p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blue-states-have-worse-inequality-than-red-ones-new-census-data-shows">Blue Vs. Red: Income Inequality Far Worse In Dem-Run States, New Census Data Shows</a></strong></p>


Glenn Youngkin

Republican-Led Virginia Demolishes Its Democrat-Controlled Neighbor In Economic Comparison

Economics

Virginia

<p>University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines defended his decision to allow anti-Israel protesters to rally on the anniversary of October 7 with what he said was original &#8220;faculty research&#8221; that proves that the Palestinian flag does not support terrorism. But the &#8220;research&#8221; was actually copied from ChatGPT, The Daily Wire found.</p>
<p>Pines passed off the text in an effort to justify his decision to allow the university&#8217;s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) to reserve a main campus quad on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-of-maryland-will-let-anti-israel-group-hold-oct-7-rally">anniversary</a> of Hamas&#8217;s attack on Israel to &#8220;honor&#8221; the “martyrs.” Pines sent the text in response to an email from a Maryland resident who inquired if Pines, who is black, would be as supportive of groups flying the Confederate Flag on campus as he is of flying the Palestine flag.</p>
<p>“I have consulted with Middle East Scholars and Historians on our campus regarding the origin and history of the Palestinian Flag. The general consensus opinion from these faculty scholars is as follows,&#8221; Pines wrote.</p>
<p>The four paragraphs that followed — punctuated by a curt “I will not be responding to any further inquiries on this matter” — did not come from faculty scholars, but rather directly from the artificial intelligence service ChatGPT, after being modified to be more pro-Palestinian.</p>
<p>Pines wrote in his first paragraph that “The Palestinian flag is not generally considered a symbol of hate but rather a symbol of national identity, aspiration, and the struggle for statehood and self-determination,” though it “can be viewed differently depending on one&#8217;s perspective.”</p>
<p>When The Daily Wire asked ChatGPT “Is the Palestinian flag a symbol of hate?” the first paragraph of its response said that “its interpretation can vary widely depending on one&#8217;s perspective. For many Palestinians and their supporters, the flag is a symbol of identity, resistance, and the aspiration for statehood and self-determination.”</p>
<p>Pines wrote, and underlined, that “For Palestinians, the flag is a powerful symbol of their quest for self-determination, statehood, and the right to return.”</p>
<p>When ChatGPT was asked “Is the Palestinian flag a symbol of hate or national identity,” it said “For Palestinians, the flag is a powerful symbol of their national identity and cultural heritage. It represents their history, aspirations, and desire for self-determination and statehood.”</p>
<p>ChatGPT does not answer questions the same way each time, but reuses certain phrases. Almost all of the exact phrases in Pines’ email appeared in various orders and permutations when The Daily Wire asked similar questions, or the same question multiple times. The overall structure and tone of the answer is also unmistakably artificial intelligence. That makes it very likely that the text came from ChatGPT, and likely that the AI answer generated at the University of Maryland hewed even more closely to Pines’ email than The Daily Wire&#8217;s attempts to replicate it.</p>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-791477" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-gpt.png" alt="" width="1802" height="3149" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-gpt.png 1802w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-gpt-172x300.png 172w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-gpt-330x576.png 330w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-gpt-768x1342.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-gpt-879x1536.png 879w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-gpt-1172x2048.png 1172w" sizes="(max-width: 1802px) 100vw, 1802px" /></div>
<p>His response contained a sentence about how the flag &#8220;was formally adopted by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1964” (the PLO is a US-designated terror-supporting organization) and has “horizontal black, white, and green stripes with a red triangle on the left.”</p>
<p>ChatGPT says the flag “was adopted by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1964” and has “horizontal black, white, and green stripes with a red triangle on the hoist side.”</p>
<p>Pines&#8217;s original writing and alterations stand out because they are often grammatically incorrect or poorly written. In addition to the unusual capitalization of “Middle East Scholars and Historians on our campus,” Pines added transitional words like &#8220;thus,&#8221; which appear out of place.</p>
<p>ChatGPT concludes: “In summary, while the Palestinian flag can be seen as a symbol of resistance and national identity for Palestinians, its interpretation can be influenced by various political and ideological perspectives. It&#8217;s important to approach such symbols with an understanding of the broader historical and political contexts in which they are used.”</p>
<p>“Thus, the Palestinian flag is primarily a symbol of Palestinian national identity, statehood, and the struggle for self-determination,&#8221; Pines&#8217;s message ends. &#8220;It is not inherently a symbol of hate but is deeply connected to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and thus its meaning can be interpreted differently depending on one&#8217;s political stance. While it may be perceived negatively in certain contexts, especially in Israel, it is recognized globally as the flag of a people seeking statehood and international recognition.”</p>
<p>Pines said that he had personally “consulted” with multiple scholars, implying that he synthesized the “consensus opinion from these faculty scholars.” It is possible that a University of Maryland “Middle East Scholar” used ChatGPT to gather information that was supposedly in his area of expertise, and sent it to Pines representing it as his own work, with Pines then in turn positioning it as his own. Pines did not respond to questions from The Daily Wire.</p>
<p>Pines’s sympathies with pro-Palestinian elements on campus came to the fore after he responded to the Hamas terror attack and pro-Palestine uprisings on college campuses by forming a “MD Joint Presidential-University Senate Task Force on Antisemitism and Islamophobia,” co-chaired by the anti-Israel Muslim professor Shibley Telhami.</p>
<p>There is evidence that Pines is close with, and working closely with, Telhami, including his personal response to the mother of a university student who objected to the anti-Israel views held by task force members.</p>
<p>“It’s LUDICROUS that someone who holds hateful views towards Israel (only democracy in the Middle East) and Jews is Chair of a Task Force on antisemitism,&#8221; the parent wrote to task force members. &#8220;Would you have a KKK Member on this Taskforce?”</p>
<p>Pines threatened to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-of-maryland-prez-said-anti-israel-protesters-could-rally-on-10-7-then-threatened-to-call-police-on-jew-for-complaining" target="_blank" rel="noopener">call the police on her</a> for making “inappropriate” remarks. He added, &#8220;Members of our leadership team, and members of the Task Force care deeply about the safety and well being of every member of our campus community. Thus, the Task Force&#8217;s ongoing work is very important, and all of its members are deserving of our utmost respect and support.&#8221;</p>
<p>The mother had not included Pines on her emails, leading her to believe that Telhami enlisted him to respond.</p>
<p>Pines sent the ChatGPT information falsely attributed to &#8220;faculty scholarship&#8221; in an August 28 email to another Jewish resident who pressed him on the SJP rallies. His email also echoed SJP&#8217;s false claim that Israel has killed 150,000 people, and claimed SJP does not support terrorism.</p>
<p>SJP said on Instagram that it “unequivocally stands by international law as it outlaws the indiscriminate killing of civilians and establishes the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_WntvnPe2D/?img_index=5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">right of Palestinians to carry out armed struggle,</a>” and that it &#8220;<span style="color: #000000;">unequivocally states that the Zionist state of Israel has <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9yDEB3PJv6/?img_index=5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">no right to exist</a>.” </span></p>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-790905" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-1.jpg" alt="" width="886" height="436" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-1.jpg 886w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-1-300x148.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-1-768x378.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px" /></div>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-791469" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines3-1.jpg" alt="" width="936" height="694" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines3-1.jpg 936w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines3-1-300x222.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines3-1-777x576.jpg 777w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines3-1-768x569.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" /></div>
<p>After The Daily Wire reported on the rally, and Pines’s refusal to cancel it despite the pleading of a campus rabbi, the University System of Maryland, which oversees all state public universities, intervened to ban all campus groups from hosting events on October 7. Pines then issued his own statement on the shutdown, implying that the university was cancelling the rally to protect pro-Palestinian protesters, even though he acknowledged that the police told him there was no evidence of threats to protesters.</p>
<p>Several university presidents have stepped down after enabling anti-Zionism on campus, which often fit with a broader leftist agenda against “colonialism.” One of those presidents, Harvard&#8217;s Claudine Gay, also resigned after journalists discovered she had plagiarized much of her academic writing.</p>


University Of Maryland President Plagiarized From ChatGPT To Justify Anti-Israel Oct. 7 Rally

Universities

<p>University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines threatened to call the police on a Jewish woman for emailing criticism of the school’s response to anti-Semitism, the same week he said freedom of speech meant he couldn&#8217;t stop an anti-Israel group from reserving a campus quad on the anniversary of Hamas&#8217;s October 7 attack, according to emails obtained by The Daily Wire.</p>
<p>The emails show that on August 24, Pines emailed the woman — the mother of a student, who had never emailed the president — asking her to halt all communications with members of the school&#8217;s anti-Semitism task force, lest he &#8220;pursu[e] further action, including, without limitation, seeking the assistance of our University of Maryland Police Department.&#8221;</p>
<p>On August 28, Pines replied to another Maryland resident who expressed concern about the university granting Students For Justice in Palestine (SJP) a reservation to take over nine acres in the center of campus for an October 7 event, similar to one held on the second day of school honoring Palestinian &#8220;martyrs.&#8221; In the email, Pines defended the group, saying it “simply wanted to exercise their first amendment and free speech right to honor those Palestinian lives that have been lost as a result of this conflict.&#8221;</p>
<p>Pines in the email echoed SJP&#8217;s false claim that &#8220;approximately 150,000 lives [have been] lost during this conflict.” Even Hamas estimates the total number killed to be 40,000.</p>
<p>A day after Pines defended SJP&#8217;s planned event, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-of-maryland-will-let-anti-israel-group-hold-oct-7-rally">reported</a> that the president had approved the event over the objections of the campus rabbi, who conveyed the concerns of Jewish parents and students to Pines. On September 1, the University System of Maryland <a href="https://www.usmd.edu/newsroom/news/2427">intervened</a>, prohibiting all student groups from hosting events on October 7.</p>
<p>The same day, Pines sent an <a href="https://president.umd.edu/articles/remembering-the-one-year-anniversary-of-october-7-2023">email</a> to the university community suggesting the planned SJP event was cancelled to ensure the &#8220;safety&#8221; of the protesters, even though he acknowledged that &#8220;UMPD has assured me that there is no immediate or active threat to prompt this assessment.&#8221; His email did not describe why the October 7 date was significant except to say that it was the “upcoming one-year anniversary of October 7, 2023.”</p>
<p>The University of Maryland was one of several American schools whose campuses were wracked with anti-Semitism in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that left more than 1,200 dead. In response, Pines announce the creation of a task force dedicated to fighting both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia — though there was no evidence of rampant Islamophobia on campus. The task force included a number of anti-Israel voices, including co-chair Shibley Telhami, who has accused Israelis of poisoning Arabs’ drinking water and smashing children&#8217;s toys, among other claims.</p>
<p>Pines&#8217;s task force also excluded some pro-Israel voices who were nominated, such as Gilad Chen, a Jewish professor, and Jeffrey Herf, a Holocaust expert.</p>
<p>All of this led one Jewish mother of a University of Maryland student to reach out to the task force, pressing it for information about its actions and raising concerns about its composition and asking where the boundaries of acceptable anti-Israel activity would be drawn. After becoming frustrated by a lack of information, she eventually called attention to Telhami&#8217;s social media posts and said &#8220;It’s LUDICROUS that someone who holds hateful views towards Israel (only democracy in the Middle East) and Jews is Chair of a Task Force on antisemitism!!!!  Would you have a KKK member on this Taskforce?&#8221;</p>
<p>The Daily Wire is withholding the names of the parent, and the other Maryland resident who contacted Pines. The parent told The Daily Wire that &#8220;the hypocrisy of it all is shocking,” and that Pines&#8217;s missive only proved the “double standard” that she and other Jewish community members pressed him about.</p>
<p>“There was nothing [harmful in my emails], it was literally begging for accountability,&#8221; she said. &#8220;You established a task force and announced it, and now we’re just asking who’s on it, what’s it doing and when is it being rolled out?”</p>
<p>Pines, who did not respond to a request for comment, did not address the parent&#8217;s questions. Rather, he went on the attack, the emails show.</p>
<p>“It has come to my attention that you have recently sent several emails to certain members of our leadership team and faculty, as well as to the co-chairs of the UMD Joint Presidential-University Senate Task Force on Antisemitism and Islamophobia,&#8221; Pines wrote. &#8220;It is our view that those communications contain INAPPROPRIATE remarks and UNFOUNDED accusations, and otherwise reflect unacceptable behavior by any member of our community.&#8221;</p>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-790903" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-2.jpg" alt="" width="886" height="916" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-2.jpg 886w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-2-290x300.jpg 290w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-2-557x576.jpg 557w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-2-768x794.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px" /></div>
<p>“Immediately cease and refrain from sending any further communications to any members of the Task Force in connection with their work,&#8221; Pines added. Please know that should you fail to comply with this request, we will consider pursuing further action, including, without limitation, seeking the assistance of our University of Maryland Police Department (UMPD).&#8221;</p>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-790905" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-1.jpg" alt="" width="886" height="436" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-1.jpg 886w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-1-300x148.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/09/pines-1-768x378.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px" /></div>
<p>Meanwhile, Pines&#8217;s email to the other resident&#8211;which he also fired off after that resident suggested that Pines, who is black, would have a different standard for speech aimed at blacks compared to speech aimed at Jews&#8211; seemed to contain &#8220;inaccurate&#8221; claims of its own.</p>
<p>Pines claimed that SJP “have both publicly and on social media condemned the horrific attack by Hamas that happened last fall on October 7, 2024 [sic].”</p>
<p>The Daily Wire reviewed the University of Maryland SJP chapter&#8217;s Instagram posts dating back to the terrorist attack and found none condemning Hamas or the terrorist attack. The group posted nothing on October 7, and the next day posted a “demand” that the university boycott and divest from Israel. It subsequently called the Israeli army “war criminals” using a “charade of self-defense” and demanded “Hands off Rahah Now,” referring to the location where Hamas was keeping an American hostage, who it later killed.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9yDEB3PJv6/?img_index=5">“statement of views,”</a> the SJP chapter said in July that “UMD SJP unequivocally states that the Zionist state of Israel has no right to exist,” and that Palestinians have “the right to resist.&#8221;</p>
<p>“SJP unequivocally stands by international law as it outlaws the indiscriminate killing of civilians and establishes the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_WntvnPe2D/?img_index=5">right of Palestinians to carry out armed struggle</a>,” the group wrote this week on Instagram.</p>
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<p style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;line-height: 17px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-top: 8px;overflow: hidden;padding: 8px 0 7px;text-align: center"><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_WntvnPe2D/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by UMD SJP (@umd_sjp)</a></p>
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<p>“UMD SJP will NOT back down to threat by Zionists. We will remain committed to advocating for Palestine and we will still find ways to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_bTHNQvMM3/?igsh=Zzh4d2gzMWJqb3pr&amp;img_index=5">honor the martyrs</a> of this genocide and mark one year of resistance! WE WILL NOT STOP,” it added soon after.</p>
<p>“We honor the lives of all martyrs of this genocide,” it said, saying “over 186,000 Palestinians [sic] have been brutally murdered by the Zionist entity within the past year.”</p>


UMD Students for Justice in Palestine / Instagram

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