Oberlin College&#8217;s president is still saying that Gibson&#8217;s Bakery, which won a $44 million judgment against the Ohio school in a libel lawsuit back in June, has a history of racism, according to an interview she gave to CBS&#8217;s Ted Koppel.
<a href="https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/11/ted-koppel-despite-verdict-oberlin-college-president-still-makes-allusions-to-a-pattern-of-racist-behavior-by-gibsons-bakery/#more-299344">Legal Insurrection</a>, which closely followed the case between Oberlin and Gibson&#8217;s Bakery reports that Carmen Twillie Ambar told Koppel that the school&#8217;s campaign against the bakery wasn&#8217;t necessarily the result of a single &#8220;racial&#8221; incident, but rather a &#8220;series of things that happened&#8221; before the incident that gave rise to the lawsuit.
In November of 2016, Gibson&#8217;s Bakery, which also sells sundries and alcohol, caught an African-American Oberlin student stealing two bottles of wine. A chase ensued between a bakery employee and the alleged shoplifter and ended with an altercation between Gibson&#8217;s Bakery employees and three students. The three students were arrested and one was later charged with theft and use of a false ID.
What should have been a straightfoward incident exploded when Oberlin students began protesting the bakery, accusing it of racism and discrimination. Worse, according to emails unearthed during the discovery phase of the trial, the College appeared to have encouraged the protests and reimbursed students who purchased materials for demonstrations.
Gibson&#8217;s sued Oberlin for libel and won. A jury awarded the bakery a staggering $11 million in their lawsuit and later, after a separate trial on punitive damages, an additional $33 million. A court later reduced the settlement to $25 million to come in line with Ohio&#8217;s tort caps, but Gibson&#8217;s was awarded $6.5 million in legal fees.
As Legal Insurrection&#8217;s Prof. William Jacobson points out, Oberlin may have lost in court, but they&#8217;re determined to win in the court of public opinion. They tried to get one of the bakery&#8217;s employee&#8217;s Facebook posts unsealed, ostensibly to prove that he was motivated by racial animus (it failed), they&#8217;ve appealed the jury verdict claiming their own &#8220;free speech&#8221; was violated when they lost the libel trial and were relieved of nearly $50 million. They agreed to the interview with CBS, perhaps believing the mainstream media network might take their side.
The school&#8217;s president ended up suggesting that Oberlin has done nothing wrong because the bakery has a history of discrimination (emphasis added).
<blockquote>KOPPEL: …. But to this day, the president of Oberlin makes allusions to a pattern of racist behavior, if not the specific incident that set things off three years ago.
AMBAR: Well, the students pled guilty to the shoplifting. Um, there has been some debate about whether it was shoplifting or  false ID.
KOPPEL: It was both.
AMBAR: Right. Well, I think that, that one of the things that the college has always said is that the college has not, doesn’t condone shoplifting, doesn’t condone bad behavior by its students in any way, shape or form. But what led up to the protest, and I think that’s sort of kind of the core issue here, was some series of things that happened before. Some perspectives about people’s experiences in the store.
KOPPEL: Tell me about, tell me about those then. And be specific. What specific incidents are you referring to that happened before?
AMBAR: Right, well, I think that the specific incidents would be, the perception by faculty and students and staff and other people in the town that there had been disparate treatment with respect to people of color in the store. The way I would phrase it, kind of different lived experiences.</blockquote>
Lived experiences are, of course, not concrete. And Ambar seems to tread perilously close to reiterating the sentiment that Oberlin was punished for: smearing the bakery with allegations of racism.
Oberlin College <a href="https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/lorain-county/oberlin-college-announces-it-will-appeal-verdict-in-gibsons-bakery-case/95-2dcde2a4-086d-4092-8640-a9aa74352f90">announced in early October</a> that it intends to appeal the jury verdict, citing the long-term financial health of the school (something that has, apparently, never bothered them before). The college also claims that the award &#8220;sets a troubling precedent for free speech.&#8221;
&#8220;The College and the town of Oberlin have been vital to one another since 1833, and we value our long-term relationships with the town’s citizens and businesses. We also have a mission to support free inquiry, allow faculty and students to ask difficult questions and to reach and express their own conclusions. The judgment in this case effectively punishes us for doing just that,&#8221; Oberlin said in a statement. &#8220;The verdict and judgment in this case set a precedent that endangers free speech on campuses and for all Americans. The jury was allowed to award substantial damages for speech that is protected by the Constitution. The case should absolutely be reviewed by an appellate court.&#8221;
Gibson&#8217;s, in turn, has filed a cross-appeal, challenging the court&#8217;s revision of the jury&#8217;s award, suggesting that the award cap violates their due process rights.

West Palm Beach, Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum

Despite $44M Libel Verdict, Oberlin College Still Saying Gibson&#8217;s Bakery Had A Pattern Of Racist Behavior

Free Speech

Ohio

President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign launched a “Make Campus Great Again” program for the fall, and College Democrats aren’t happy about it.
The program kicked off at the University of Akron on Monday, with more than 50 students from that school and Cleveland State University, Walsh University, and Kent State University gathered at an event to show support for Trump and get trained on registering voters for the 2020 election. The program is managed by Trump Victory, a joint entity between the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee, working with the Ohio Federation of College Republicans. The two groups teamed up to launch a Trump Victory Leadership Initiative throughout Ohio colleges and universities to train and recruit campus activists for the president’s re-election efforts.
The campaign was not expecting such a large turnout, so additional attendees ended up standing. As student activists gathered, the College Democrats of Ohio released <a href="https://twitter.com/collegedemsohio/status/1173684721127002112?s=21">a statement</a> saying the president “is not welcome on our campuses.”
“From siding with for-profit colleges to attacking Title IX protections the Trump Administration is working consistently to attack the interests of college students,” said College Democrats of Ohio President Eva Holtkamp in the statement. “Students know that Trump is bad for our future, which is why youth voter turnout across the country jumped in 2018.”
As for the Trump administration’s support of for-profit colleges, the U.S. Education Department rescinded an Obama-era rule that required for-profit colleges — but not nonprofit colleges — post debt-to-earnings ratios. That rule also didn’t consider other reasons why students might not find well-paying jobs after graduation, the Trump administration said.
And the Trump administration did not attack Title IX protections; rather, it strengthened them by requiring colleges to provide due process for students accused of sexual misconduct and ensuring the definition of sexual harassment and assault was consistent with what the Supreme Court has previously ruled.
“Ohio’s students are organizing to vote Donald Trump out of the White House,” Holtkamp continued.
RNC spokesperson Mandi Merritt responded to the Democrats’ statement, saying it demonstrated the lack of freedom of thought on college campuses.
“The Democrats’ statement proves our point that freedom of thought is being suppressed on campuses across America. The ‘Make Campus Great Again’ program is giving students the support and resources they need to stand up and speak up when Leftists threaten to shut down free think. Trump Victory is proud to support students who value President Trump’s winning agenda and encourage a climate where differences in opinion are encouraged, not suppressed,” Merritt said.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel added that conservatives on college campuses have been subjected to bullying for their political views.
“Freedom of thought is being suppressed in college classrooms across America. Conservative students, in particular, are being bullied by liberal professors and peers to either submit to the socialist, Leftist ideology or sit quietly,” McDaniel said. “The RNC and our joint ‘Trump Victory’ operation launched ‘Make Campus Great Again’ to give students the support and resources they need to stand up and speak up. When it comes to issues college students care about, like securing a job after graduation, the choice is clear: a booming economy under President Trump or a government takeover of every aspect of their lives under Democrat leadership.”
For example, just this week Boston University <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/51922/straight-out-leftist-playbook-boston-univ-cuts-james-barrett">stymied an appearance</a> by Daily Wire Editor-In-Chief Ben Shapiro by cutting the potential audience in half and demanding a large security fee.

mcga_launch.jpg

Trump Victory Launches ‘Make Campus Great Again’ Event, Democrats Pounce

Donald Trump

Education

Republican National Committee (RNC)

Early Monday, thousands of United Automobile Workers (UAW) union members began a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/51813/watch-gm-strike-officially-begins-heres-how-much-james-barrett">national strike</a> of General Motors in what many feared might turn out to be a painful and ultimately costly showdown between workers and management. According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/17/white-house-general-motors-strike-1735740">Politico</a>, the Trump administration is trying to save both sides the trouble by intervening in a way that aligns more with the goals of the union, a move that could end up having a significant impact on the 2020 election. The White House, however, denies the claim.
In what is the union&#8217;s first national strike in over a decade, UAW members, including those employed at the GM plant in Flint, Michigan, picked up the picket signs early Monday and called on the company&#8217;s leadership to come to terms with embattled union leaders for higher wages, increased job security, and better health care coverage. The national strike involves around 48,000 UAW members employed by GM.
<a href="https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2019/09/15/uaw-strike-gm-autoworker-contract-talks/2333883001/">The Detroit Free Press</a> reported Monday that the strike could end up costing GM around $400 million a day, while the striking autoworkers would find themselves taking home just $250 a week in strike wages from the UAW&#8217;s $850 million fund. As workers told reporters that they feared the fallout of the impasse, the White House has reportedly decided to step in on the side of the union — or at least that&#8217;s what Politico&#8217;s sources say.
&#8220;The White House is seeking to end the United Auto Workers strike against General Motors with an agreement that would reopen an assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio that GM shut down in March,&#8221; Politico reported Tuesday. The White House&#8217;s efforts would effectively align the administration with the UAW.
&#8220;Federal mediation is always possible, if that&#8217;s what they want,&#8221; Trump told the press Monday, in comments reported by Politico. &#8220;Hopefully, they&#8217;ll be able to work out the GM strike quickly. We don&#8217;t want General Motors building plants outside of this country.&#8221;
Citing &#8220;two people close to the matter,&#8221; Politico names both National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow and White Houst trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro as allegedly being engaged in the discussions.
While the move could end up helping Trump in both Michigan and Ohio in 2020 — both states which were key in his electoral victory in 2016 and in which his approval ratings have been declining — Deputy Press Sec. Judd Deere told Politico that its big &#8220;White House intervenes&#8221; scoop is &#8220;false.&#8221;
&#8220;This story is false,&#8221; Deere told the left-leaning outlet. &#8220;The Trump Administration, including Larry Kudlow and Peter Navarro, are not involved in the negotiations between the UAW and GM. As President Trump has said, we would like to see a fair and speedy conclusion to these talks.&#8221;
In its <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2019/09/16/strike-uaw-workers/2338281001/">coverage</a> of the strike the Detroit Free Press spoke to a number of the striking UAW members, some of whom expressed concern about the potential impact of the walkout.
&#8220;My concern is not just for myself, but for the many other families that are affected by this strike,&#8221; UAW member Ralph Burchart told the Free Press&#8217;s Phoebe Wall Howard. &#8220;Our kids are grown and married, but I have co-workers with younger children who would have a much harder time of it if this is an extended strike. My hope and prayer is that a reasonable contract that benefits both parties would be agreed upon sooner rather than later.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/49407/will-trump-win-latest-trumps-national-and-state-josh-hammer">Will Trump Win? The Latest On Trump’s National And State-By-State Approval Ratings.</a>
This article has been revised for clarity.

donald_trump_gm_gi.jpg

Report: Trump Sides With The Union In GM Strike; White House Responds

Michigan

Trump Administration

On Thursday, a former Ohio high school cheerleader accused of murdering her newborn daughter and burying her in her family’s backyard was acquitted of all murder-related charges.
Brooke Skylar Richardson, who is now 20, was acquitted of aggravated murder, involuntary manslaughter, and child endangerment. She was sentenced to three years&#8217; probation for a lesser charge of gross abuse to a corpse.
WATCH:
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NEW: Brooke Skylar Richardson, 20, who prosecutors said killed and buried her unwanted newborn in her Ohio backyard, broke down after she was found not guilty on the most serious charges, including aggravated murder; she was convicted of abusing a corpse. <a href="https://t.co/8ZaJu9BbSb">https://t.co/8ZaJu9BbSb</a> <a href="https://t.co/QWobZBD5c1">pic.twitter.com/QWobZBD5c1</a>
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABCWorldNews/status/1172253550040076288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>
On May 7, 2017, Richardson, who was 18 years old at the time, secretly gave birth to her daughter at 33 weeks&#8217; gestation and buried her in her family&#8217;s backyard. The remains of the baby were found roughly two months later, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/ohio-ex-cheerleader-found-not-guilty-killing-newborn-daughter-she-n1054086">NBC News</a>, after an OB-GYN reported that the teen told her she gave birth to a stillborn and buried her.
Due to the baby&#8217;s decay, the cause of death was unable to be determined, subsequently straining the jury&#8217;s ability to determine that the baby was murdered by Richardson beyond a reasonable doubt.
The prosecution team argued that the teen set up &#8220;the perfect crime&#8221; to murder her baby girl and protect her &#8220;perfect life.&#8221;
&#8220;Shortly, after murdering her daughter and placing her daughter in the dirt, and not even having the decency to cover it with a blanket, she sent two elated text messages: My belly is back, my belly is back,&#8221; assistant prosecutor Steven Knippen said in court, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/ohio-ex-cheerleader-found-not-guilty-killing-newborn-daughter-she-n1054086">NBC</a>.
The prosecution argued that the defendant&#8217;s &#8220;mother was obsessed with her appearance and constantly monitored her weight,&#8221; <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/ohio-woman-killing-newborn-text-mom-burying-baby-prosecutors">Fox News</a> reported.
Knippen also asked why the baby, if born a stillborn, was secretly buried.
&#8220;If it came out not breathing, why didn&#8217;t she try to get it help?&#8221; the prosecutor asked. &#8220;If she thinks something is wrong, why didn&#8217;t she get her parents, her brother, call 911 or go to the hospital?&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/cheerleader-18-showed-flat-belly-19570386">The Daily Star</a> reported that Richardson sent a gym selfie to her mother the day the baby was buried, holding up her T-shirt and showing off her belly. &#8220;I am literally so excited now just for dinner to wear something cute yayyyy my belly is back and now I&#8217;m takin (sic) this opportunity to make it amazing,&#8221; the text reportedly said.
Before sentencing was doled out, Tracy Johnson was one of the many people to offer a statement before the court. Johnson is the baby&#8217;s paternal grandmother — the mother of the baby&#8217;s father, Trey Johnson, according to the <a href="https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/brooke-skylar-richardson-learn-her-sentence-today-after-acquittals-most-serious-charges/4o33pZaW9gLzn9mpDOEe7O/">Dayton Daily News</a>.
&#8220;Her selfish decision was not her only choice,&#8221; Johnson said of Richardson. &#8220;She had a way out.&#8221;
During her sentencing on Friday, Richardson acknowledged that she can be &#8220;selfish&#8221; but noted that she is &#8220;getting better.&#8221;
&#8220;I would do anything you ask,&#8221; she told the judge, according to <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/judge-rules-brooke-skylar-richardsons-family-can-give-baby-annabelle-a-proper-burial-56017">Inside Edition</a>. &#8220;I can sometimes be selfish, but I&#8217;m getting better. I&#8217;m forever sorry. I&#8217;m so sorry. I&#8217;ve hurt a lot of people. I am really, really sorry. And I understand.&#8221;
According to Ohio-based NBC affiliated <a href="https://www.nbc4i.com/news/state-news/prosecutor-woman-killed-her-baby-to-keep-her-perfect-life/">WCMH</a>, Richardson will be eligible to remove the charges from her record if she abides by the terms of her probation for the next three years.
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Brooke Richardson

WATCH: Woman Cleared Of Murdering Newborn Daughter, Secretly Burying Her In Backyard

Crime

A man from Toledo, Ohio, was charged Friday with illegally stockpiling ammunition and for making threats against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), whom he said “should be shot.”
Timothy J. Ireland, 41 was also charged in U.S. District Court “with being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a fugitive in possession of a firearm, and making interstate threats,” the Toledo Blade reported. The interstate threat charge was related to his statements regarding Ocasio-Cortez.
Ireland faces up to 25 years in prison – the threat charge has a maximum sentence of five years and each firearms charge has a maximum sentence of 10 years, according to the Blade. More from the outlet:
<blockquote>The United States Capitol Police received information on July 23 that threatening statements were posted on Facebook, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case. The statements were perceived to be threats against Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.
A screen shot was provided to Capitol Police of a news story related to the congressman with linked comments that stated: “She should be shot. Can’t fire me, my employer would load the gun for me.”
The statement was made from a Facebook page whose listed user was Tim Ireland of Toledo, according to the complaint. U.S. Capitol Police officers stated in the complaint that Ireland admitted in a call with them on Aug. 2 to making the statement and that “he was very proud of that post he made.” He also said he has firearms and always carries them concealed, according to the complaint.</blockquote>
Neither Ireland’s attorney, nor Ocasio-Cortez’s office commented for the Blade article.
Ocasio-Cortez is one of conservatives’ most disliked congresswomen due to her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/48556/ocasio-cortez-says-concentration-camp-comments-not-ryan-saavedra">consistently</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/45036/ocasio-cortez-lies-about-southern-border-wall-ryan-saavedra">false statements</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/43194/aocs-green-new-deal-proposal-one-stupidest-ben-shapiro">radical policy proposals</a>.
She was previously included on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/43747/former-coast-guard-lieutenant-self-proclaimed-ashe-schow">a hit list</a> compiled by a self-proclaimed white nationalist, Christopher Paul Hasson, who was arrested in February. Hasson had read the manifesto of Anders Behring Breivik, a right-wing terrorist who murdered 77 people in Norway in 2011. The former U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant also included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), whom he referred to as “Sen blumen jew,” on the list.
Ocasio-Cortez is part of a “squad” of four congresswomen who routinely spout anti-Semitic language. Another member of the squad, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/45643/man-arrested-allegedly-calling-death-threat-ilhan-ashe-schow">received a threat</a> from a 55-year-old New York man.
In April, Patrick W. Carlineo, Jr., was arrested for allegedly calling Omar’s office the previous month, asking her staffer if the congresswoman was a terrorist, and suggesting he’d “put a bullet in her [expletive] skull.” Carlineo’s threats could land him up to 10 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine.

Man Charged After Saying Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ‘Should Be Shot’ And Stockpiling Ammunition

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

On Wednesday night, billionaire Oprah Winfrey doled out some wisdom in the wake of recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, that took the lives of 31 innocents. The media mogul took a deeper approach than we are used to from Hollywood, taking aim at the &#8220;morality&#8221; issue plaguing the United States.
&#8220;I think what people are missing is a core moral center,&#8221; Winfrey <a href="https://extratv.com/2019/08/07/oprah-winfrey-speaks-out-on-mass-shootings/">told</a> &#8220;Extra&#8221; reporter Renee Bargh.
&#8220;Churches used to do that,&#8221; the former talk show host explained. &#8220;It was a central place you could come to and there was a core center of values about a way of living and being in the world. Until we can return to that, however that is, in whatever form, we will continue to be lost.&#8221;
&#8220;That&#8217;s why I actually believe storytelling is a form of a new religion because it&#8217;s a place where people can gather and be inspired and see themselves and get filled,&#8221; she added.
After an armed man murdered nearly dozens of innocents in an El Paso area Walmart on Saturday, Gov. Greg Abbot (R-TX) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/50216/breaking-shooting-el-paso-multiple-fatalities-frank-camp">released</a> a statement assuring Texans that the state&#8217;s government will be doing all they can to &#8220;ensure justice is delivered to the [perpetrator] of this heinous act.&#8221;
&#8220;Today, the El Paso community was struck by a heinous and senseless act of violence. Our hearts go out to the victims of this horrific shooting and to the entire community in this time of loss,&#8221; Abbot said on Saturday. &#8220;While no words can provide the solace needed for those impacted by this event, I ask that all Texans join Cecilia and me in offering our prayers for the victims and their families. The state of Texas and the Department of Public Safety are assisting the El Paso Police Department as they conduct their investigation. We have deployed troopers, special agents, Texas Rangers, tactical teams, and aircraft to the scene in a support role. The state of Texas will do everything it can to ensure justice is delivered to the perpetrators of this heinous act.&#8221;
The following day, nine more people were murdered in Dayton by another mass shooter. Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) said he and his wife Fran were &#8220;absolutely heartbroken&#8221; in the hours following the tragedy.
&#8220;Fran and I are absolutely heartbroken over the horrible attack that occurred this morning in Dayton,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;We join those across Ohio and this country in offering our prayers to victims and their families. I have spoken with Mayor Nan Whaley and offered any assistance on behalf of the state. I have been briefed by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol has offered assistance to local law enforcement as they investigate this heinous act. I commend Dayton Police and other first responders for their bravery and quick response to save lives and bring an end to this tragedy.&#8221;
In recent years, rumors have flown over a possible Winfrey run for the White House. But the celebrity quieted the whispers last summer, telling British Vogue that politics is just, well, too dirty. &#8220;In that political structure — all the non-truths, the bulls***, the crap, the nastiness, the backhanded backroom stuff that goes on — I feel like I could not exist,&#8221; she said, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/03/entertainment/oprah-winfrey-vogue-trnd/index.html">according</a> to CNN. &#8220;I would not be able to do it. It&#8217;s not a clean business. It would kill me.&#8221;
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Oprah Winfrey

WATCH: Oprah: Mass Shootings A Symptom Of Lost ‘Values,’ Drift From ‘Moral Center’

Dayton Shooting

El Paso Shooting

Texas

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) revealed on Wednesday that he will be using President Donald Trump’s visit to Dayton, Ohio as an opportunity to give the president a list of demands face-to-face, including expanding government-run health care.
&#8220;I spent much of yesterday wrestling with the right thing to do when President Trump visits Dayton today,&#8221; Brown said in a statement. &#8220;I decided I have a responsibility to Ohioans to use this opportunity to look the President in the eye and urge him to do the right thing.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I wrestled with the right thing to do when Trump visits Dayton today. I decided I have a responsibility to look him in the eye and urge him to do the right thing. <a href="https://t.co/OpMtDNheiO">pic.twitter.com/OpMtDNheiO</a>
— Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSherrodBrown/status/1159101195652349958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>
Trump confirmed a day prior that he will be traveling to Dayton to pay his respects to first responders, law enforcement officers, and victims of a mass shooting that occurred over the weekend. A gunman took the lives of nine people and injured more than 30 others after he opened fire on a crowd outside of a bar early Sunday morning.
Following what Trump referred to as an &#8220;unspeakable act of evil,&#8221; the president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/50246/watch-trump-urges-nation-condemn-white-supremacy-molly-prince">addressed the nation</a>, calling for bipartisan cooperation on determining a potential solution to a recent slew of mass shootings.
The president also urged reform of America’s mental health laws, which he contended would not only better identify the &#8220;mentally disturbed individuals&#8221; who may commit future acts of violence, but would also treat them prior to any violent incidents occur.
&#8220;Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Not the gun.&#8221;
&#8220;I will tell the President [when he comes to Dayton that] if he is serious about supporting mental health, he must support Medicaid expansion and [the] Affordable Care Act that provide care for so many,&#8221; Brown responded in his statement.
The president, however, has long opposed both Medicaid expansion and the Affordable Care Act, more commonly referred to as &#8220;Obamacare,&#8221; in favor of more private and competitive options. Brown’s office refused to comment when asked if the senator believes expanding governmental health programs is the only way to support mental health reform.
Brown, a vocal critic of the president, also stated that he will demand that Trump tell Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to bring the Senate back into session and subsequently vote on &#8220;gun safety&#8221; legislation. Brown is seemingly referring to H.R. 8, a bill requiring background checks for firearm sales between private parties, that recently passed in the House.
The Ohio senator reversed his decision to meet with the president in Dayton after he had initially declined the opportunity.
&#8220;We are also angry — angry that shooting after shooting politicians in Washington and Columbus refuse to pass sensible gun-safety laws to protect our communities,&#8221; Brown <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSherrodBrown/status/1157992270706216960?s=20">tweeted</a> on Sunday. &#8220;We are still learning about the attack in Dayton and we don’t know exactly what, if anything could have prevented this specific tragedy. But we know thoughts and prayers are not enough, we have a responsibility to act.&#8221;
&#8220;I don’t have any interest because of what he’s done on this, total unwillingness to address the issue of guns, his racist rhetoric,&#8221; Brown said during a Sirius XM radio interivew on Tuesday. &#8220;I don’t know what he’s going to say and do there. I mean, I welcome him to the state in some sense, but not about this.&#8221;
Brown was mulling over his own presidential run in 2020 due to his successful track record in the Rust Belt, a region that largely helped elect Trump in 2016. While Trump edged out Hillary Clinton by eight points in Ohio, Brown beat out his Republican challenger in the 2018 midterm election by just over six points. Moreover, he was the only Democrat to win statewide election in 2018, aside from judicial candidates.

Senate Democrats Press Conference

Democratic Ohio Senator Using Trump’s Visit To Dayton To Push Obamacare

Obamacare

Shooting

Ohio state Rep. Candice Keller, a Republican, was hit with backlash for a Facebook post linking &#8220;drag queen advocates,&#8221; gay marriage, and the breakdown of the family, among other factors, to Sunday&#8217;s mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, which left nine innocents dead.
&#8220;After every mass shooting, the liberals start the blame game,&#8221; Keller wrote on Facebook in a post which has since been removed. &#8220;Why not place the blame where it belongs?&#8221;
&#8220;The breakdown of the traditional American family (thank you, transgender, homosexual marriage, and drag queen advocates); fatherlessness, a subject no one discusses or believes is relevant; the ignoring of violent video games; the relaxing of laws against criminals (open borders); the acceptance of recreational marijuana; failed school policies (hello, parents who defend misbehaving students): disrespect to law enforcement (thank you, Obama); hatred of our veterans (thank you professional athletes who hate our flag and National Anthem); the Dem Congress, many members whom are anti-Semitic; the culture, which totally ignores the importance of God and the church (until they elect a President); state officeholders, who have no interest whatsoever in learning about our Constitution and the Second Amendment; and snowflakes, who can&#8217;t accept a duly-elected President,&#8221; the post continued.
Keller added, &#8220;Did I forget anybody? The list is long. And the fury will continue.&#8221;
Ohio Republican Party leader Jane Timken called for Keller to resign for the &#8220;shocking&#8221; comments, USA Today <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/08/06/ohio-gop-leader-tells-lawmaker-resign-over-dayton-shooting-post/1930213001/">reported</a>.
&#8220;While our nation was in utter shock over the acts of violence in El Paso and Dayton, Republican State Representative Candice Keller took to social media to state why she thought these acts were happening,&#8221; Timken said in a statement, according to the outlet. &#8220;Candice Keller&#8217;s Facebook post was shocking and utterly unjustifiable. Our nation is reeling from these senseless acts of violence and public servants should be working to bring our communities together, not promoting divisiveness.&#8221;
&#8220;Establishment moderates have never been fans of mine because I ran against their endorsement and won,&#8221; Keller responded to the calls for her resignation. &#8220;As the only conservative in this race, I will be taking my Senate campaign to the voters to decide.&#8221;
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, too, said Keller should resign.
&#8220;It&#8217;s very embarrassing. She doesn&#8217;t represent the people in her community with those comments,&#8221; Jones said to The Enquirer. &#8220;She&#8217;s made a laughingstock out of Butler County, which is a shame.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/us/candice-keller-ohio.html">According</a> to The New York Times, Michael Ryan, the Republican vice mayor of the city of Hamilton, called Keller&#8217;s post &#8220;a ridiculous statement to make&#8221; via Twitter. &#8220;This isn&#8217;t a time for politics. This is a time for grieving, coming together and healing,&#8221; he said.
As noted by USA Today, &#8220;Keller is not obligated to resign from the Ohio House of Representatives. Ohio lawmakers can be voted out of office or removed from their position if they are convicted of a felony. Another less-used method in the Ohio Constitution allows for the removal of a lawmaker via a vote of two-thirds of the Ohio House of Representatives. Elected officials can also be removed for &#8216;any misconduct involving moral turpitude&#8217; after a complaint and hearing.&#8221;

Flowers

Republican Calls On GOP Rep. To Resign For Linking ‘Drag Queen Advocates,’ Family Breakdown To Mass Shooting. Here’s Her Response.

Murder

The mayor of Dayton, Ohio, encouraged her constituents to protest the arrival of President Donald Trump when he travels to the city to pay his respects to the victims of a recent mass shooting.
“I have lots of protesters all the time and even my friends protest me from time to time, so I’m glad that they’re using their right to give free speech comment,” Democratic mayor Nan Whaley told reporters on Tuesday. “Look, I know that [Trump has] made this bed and he’s got to lie in it.”
“His rhetoric has been painful for many in our community,” she continued. “I think the people should stand up and say they’re not happy if they’re not happy that he’s coming.”
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Whaley’s comments come on the heels of a mass shooting that occurred in Dayton over the weekend. A gunman took the lives of nine people and injured more than 30 others after he opened fire on a crowd outside of a bar early Sunday morning.
Following the tragedy, Trump addressed the nation, urging all Americans to come together to condemn racism, and called for bipartisan cooperation on determining potential solutions to a recent slew of mass shootings.
“These barbaric slaughters are an assault upon our communities, an attack upon our nation, and a crime against all of humanity,” Trump said at the time. “We are outraged and sickened by this monstrous evil, the cruelty, the hatred, the malice, the bloodshed, and the terror.”
Whaley referred to Trump’s remarks as “unhelpful” and further noted that she intended to tell him that face-to-face when he arrived in the Ohio town.
“I’m disappointed with his remarks, I mean, I think they fall really short. He mentioned, like, gun issues one time,” Whaley said. “I think watching the president over the past few years on the issues of guns, I don’t know if he knows what he believes, frankly.”
The Dayton mayor confirmed that Trump had reached out to her on the day of the shooting and stated that he would be traveling to Ohio to visit the victims. He would also be meeting with the mayor’s office upon his arrival.
“I have no sense of what’s in President Trump’s mind at all,” Whaley said. “I can only hope that as president of the United States that he’s coming here because he wants to add value to our community, and he recognizes that that’s what our community needs. That’s all I can hope.”
However, she later took a shot at the president for a gaffe he made during his address to the nation. The scripted remarks erroneously made one reference to the mass shooting in Toledo, rather than Dayton.
“He didn’t tell me, he said sometime this week,” Whaley replied when asked when the president was arriving. “I mean, I’ve heard that he’s coming Wednesday, but I’ve not gotten a call. And you know, he might be going to Toledo, I don’t know.”

Nan Whaley

WATCH: Dayton Mayor Encourages Trump Protests When Trump Pays His Respects To Shooting Victims

[UPDATE 3]
NBC News has released an audio recording in which multiple gunshots can be heard, and video footage of people fleeing the scene of the Dayton shooting (disturbing content warning):
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[UPDATE 2]
Officials in Dayton have released the names of the shooting victims, one of whom is allegedly the suspected shooter’s sister, reports <a href="https://www.whio.com/news/local/dayton-shooting-names-the-victims-released/lp7KuvzUNYqnMiPix1xUoJ/">WHIO</a>:
<ul>
<li>Monica Brickhouse, 39</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Megan Betts, 22</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Nicholas Cumer, 25</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Derrick Fudge, 57</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Thomas McNichols, 25</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Lois Oglesby, 27</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Saeed Saleh, 38</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Logan Turner, 30</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Beatrice Warren-Curtis, 36</li>
</ul>
[UPDATE 1]
According to <a href="https://www.apnews.com/ca6a0e7c3ed043f8a8e41569b3266fa4">The Associated Press</a>, a &#8220;law enforcement official&#8221; revealed the identity of the shooter. Per Daily Wire policy, neither the shooter’s name nor face will be printed.
[Original Story]
At approximately 1 a.m. on Sunday morning, a suspect <a href="https://www.apnews.com/3b1b785f5b364d9da050bec3d0d48312">opened fire</a> in the Oregon District of Dayton, Ohio. The suspect killed nine people, and injured another 27.
Within minutes, nearby police officers neutralized the suspect, killing him in the process.
During a press conference, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley offered details about the incident:
<ul>
<li>The shooter wore body armor, and was carrying a .223-caliber &#8220;AK-like gun.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>He used high-capacity magazines and had on his person &#8220;additional magazines.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Including the shooter, ten are dead.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Of the 27 injured, 15 have been discharged from local hospitals.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>It took less than one minute for Dayton police officers to &#8220;neutralize the suspect.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>At 8 p.m., a vigil will be held for the victims and their families.</li>
</ul>
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Dr. Gregory Semon, a trauma surgeon at Miami Valley Hospital, spoke about the injured at the press briefing:
<blockquote>Our facility received a total of 16 patients, of which 12 have already been treated and released. We do have a total of four patients that are currently admitted and one remains in critical condition. Some of those patients have undergone, or will undergo, surgery later today.</blockquote>
Elizabeth Long of Kettering Health Center added that victims were taken to three different hospitals. Nine individuals were treated at Grandview Medical Center. Three are in &#8220;serious condition.&#8221;
&#8220;The injuries ranged from gunshot wounds to the lower extremities to abdominal wounds,&#8221; Long stated. &#8220;One person came in for a laceration to a foot that happened during the chaos right after that incident.&#8221;
One victim was brought to Kettering Medical Center, and is in &#8220;serious condition.&#8221; Two others were &#8220;treated and released&#8221; at another hospital.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine offered the following statement on Twitter:
<blockquote>Fran and I are absolutely heartbroken over the horrible attack that occurred this morning in Dayton. We join those across Ohio and this country in offering our prayers to victims and their families. I have spoken with @nanwhaley and offered any assistance on behalf of the state.
I have been briefed by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol has offered assistance to local law enforcement as they investigate this heinous act. I commend Dayton Police and other first responders for their bravery and quick response to save lives and bring an end to this tragedy.
I have ordered that flags in Ohio remain at half mast in honor and memory of the victims who lost their lives this morning.</blockquote>
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I have spoken with <a href="https://twitter.com/nanwhaley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nanwhaley</a> and offered any assistance on behalf of the state. I have been briefed by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol has offered assistance to local law enforcement as they investigate this heinous act.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeDeWine/status/1157971314252144640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>
The governor then issued a memo stating that all flags be flown at half-staff:
<blockquote>In honor of the lives of the victims of the attack perpetrated on August 04, 2019, in the Oregon district of Dayton, Ohio, I hereby proclaim by the authority of vested in me as governor of the State of Ohio by the Ohio constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio shall be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the State of Ohio effective immediately until further notice.</blockquote>
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I have ordered that the flags be lowered to half staff at all public buildings to honor the victims of the shooting at the Oregon District in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dayton?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dayton</a>. <a href="https://t.co/roAI2ZfHsS">pic.twitter.com/roAI2ZfHsS</a>
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeDeWine/status/1158051464880807936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>
This is a breaking story. Refresh this page for updates as more information becomes available&#8230;

Police

Mass Shooting In Dayton, Ohio; 9 Killed, 27 Injured

A case of corruption has become political as a former juvenile court judge was ordered to prison, refused to go, and was dragged from the courtroom after she went limp in protest.
Tracie Hunter was elected in November 2010 to serve as a judge for Hamilton County Juvenile Court in Ohio. Due to an election dispute and a prolonged lawsuit, she was not sworn in until 2012. On January 10, 2014, she was suspended pending nine felony indictments.
Hunter was accused of tampering with evidence, forgery, theft and having an unlawful interest in a public contract. She had allegedly backdated and signed court orders to keep them from being appealed. She plead not guilty and was convicted on one felony count — a charge that she “provided a confidential document to her brother when he faced a disciplinary hearing in his court job,” Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/after-years-of-legal-challenges-former-democrat-judge-ordered-to-jail-dragged-out-of-courtroom-in-cincinnati">reported</a>. She was sentenced to six months in prison. The jury could not reach a decision for the eight other counts, so a mistrial was declared.
Before her second trial, the eight remaining felony charges were dropped. Her prison sentence had been delayed pending the additional charges, but after her appeal failed, she was ordered to jail.
Hunter protested her sentence in a Cincinnati courtroom on Tuesday and had to be physically removed. Video from the court, published by Fox News, shows an officer holding Hunter under her arms and dragging her across the floor. The outlet reported that Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Patrick Dinkelacker had received numerous postcards supporting Hunter. He said they constituted intimidation and “flat-out failed.”
Hunter, a Democrat, has long accused Prosecutor Joe Deters, a Republican, of defamation and had butted heads with his office while she was still a judge. Deters himself had been accused of theft in 2003 but was acquitted. Deters wrote that Hunter had “never once shown remorse” for her crimes, according to <a href="https://www.fox19.com/2019/07/22/tracie-hunter-be-sentenced-monday/">Fox 19</a>.
“She has been incredibly disrespectful to you and the justice system,” he wrote. Deters also implied Hunter “has some sort of medical condition” and suggested she undergo a medical evaluation.
Hunter’s attorney, David Singleton, pushed back hard on the suggestion and pointed out that Hunter had lost everything over her conviction.
“I can’t believe Deters would ask for her to be evaluated. There is no issue whatsoever about her not being competent or understanding. Absolutely not,” Singleton said, according to Fox 19.
“She has gotten up each morning not knowing whether that was going to be the day she was going to jail,” he added. “I know the impact that this has had on her life. We believe it would be profoundly unjust and unfair and a waste of taxpayer dollars to incarcerate her even for a minute.&#8221;
Fox reported that Sheriff Jim Neil, a Democrat, said Monday that “Ms. Hunter’s well-being and safety will be my No. 1 priority.” He also said she may be eligible for early release programs, so she may not serve a full six months.
The Cincinnati Enquirer <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/07/23/sheriffs-office-tracie-hunter-says-she-injured-while-being-taken-jail/1804306001/">reported</a> that Hunter claims she was injured while being dragged from the courtroom. A spokesman for Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said they were investigating her claims.

Former Judge Dragged Out Of Courtroom After Refusing To Go To Jail

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority of the U.S. Supreme Court in its recent decision in <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/18pdf/17-1717_4f14.pdf">The American Legion v. American Humanist Association</a>, warned, “A government that roams the land, tearing down monuments with religious symbolism and scrubbing away any reference to the divine will strike many as aggressively hostile to religion.”
Officials with the City of New Philadelphia, Ohio may be close to sending that very message.
Of course, city officials may not be entirely to blame. An activist organization, whose chief mission for years has been to scrub away any reference to the divine, aggressively driving religion from public view, and provoking local officials to do likewise, demanded that city officials tear down a much beloved, historic plaque featuring the Ten Commandments.
The plaque, given by the Welty Middle School Class of 1926, is just one year younger than the “peace cross” that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld as perfectly constitutional in The American Legion. It joins a long tradition of displaying the decalogue in public — including in the Supreme Court’s own courtroom. That it is a religious symbol on public property is no longer of any consequence.
City officials consulted their attorneys after receiving a demand to remove the historic plaque. The attorneys explained that the Supreme Court of the United States would have to overturn a past Supreme Court decision in order to leave alone the gift from the Welty Middle School Class of 1926. Ironically, on the same day the school district announced that the historic plaque had to be removed, the Supreme Court announced that such a plaque is now “presumptively constitutional.”
In The American Legion, the justices went beyond ending the specific war on veterans memorials. A majority of seven justices explained that “religiously expressive monuments, symbols, and practices” along with the “passage of time gives rise to a strong presumption of constitutionality.”
Not only that, but part of the legal analysis also included a warning against seek-and-destroy missions by those otherwise tempted to skirmish after the war’s end. As Justice Alito explained in The American Legion, “a campaign to obliterate items with religious associations may evidence hostility to religion even if those religious associations are no longer in the forefront.” In other words, campaigns, like that waged in New Philadelphia, will no longer be tolerated by the courts.
It appears that some officials may be reconsidering the agenda-driven complaint of the secularist group and even the less-than-up-to-date advice of their attorneys. That’s good. As the law firm that represented The American Legion before the U.S. Supreme Court, our advice is simple: Put it back up.
The justices in The American Legion, in addition to ending the war on “religiously expressive monuments, symbols, and practices,” placed the burden of proof on those who would complain about its presence. Prior to The American Legion, those asserting mere offense at the public display of a cross, Star of David, or Ten Commandments display only need to complain. Cities, counties, and schools were then forced to defend an uphill battle to keep the monument, symbol, or practice.
Not anymore. Now, those despising the presence of any “religiously expressive” display bear the burden of proof. They must now demonstrate precisely how the “monument, symbol, or practice” violates the First Amendment. In light of the court’s “strong presumption of constitutionality” for displays, in keeping with the history and tradition of our country, that will often be almost impossible.
History tells us that wars often end by treaties, but sometimes not everyone gets the message right away. Hiroo Onoda famously did not get the message of the end of World War II. He spent 29 years after the end of World War II deep in the Philippines, maintaining his post until the emperor of Japan finally relieved him of duty.
Onoda may have had an excuse. He was not in direct contact with headquarters and, with respect to any leaflets he saw detailing the end of the war, he chalked them up to propaganda. But twenty-first century Americans — like officials in New Philadelphia — have instant access to information, including decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States.
The City of New Philadelphia and Welty Middle School should reverse course. Now that they know that the war on religious symbols — like a display of a 92-year old plaque featuring the Ten Commandments — is over, continuing to remove such displays can only communicate only one thing to the students and the community at-large: Religion has no place in public.
That’s the wrong message. But, as the Supreme Court has now explained, that war is over.
Jeremy Dys (<a href="https://twitter.com/jeremydys">@JeremyDys</a>) is Deputy General Counsel for First Liberty Institute, a non-profit law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom for all Americans. Read more at <a href="http://firstliberty.org">FirstLiberty.org</a>.

DYS: The Ten Commandments Have A Place In The Public Square

Lawsuit

Religion

Samuel Alito

Supreme Court

After an atheist group complained, a Ten Commandments plaque that had been displayed at an Ohio middle school for almost 100 years was removed.
<a href="https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2019/july/atheist-group-forces-removal-of-ten-commandments-plaque-from-ohio-middle-school">CBN</a> notes that the complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) was triggered by a disgruntled parent of a child at Welty Middle School in New Philadelphia. FFRF’s April 12 letter stated that the plaque was a &#8220;flagrant violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment,” adding, &#8220;The district&#8217;s promotion of the Judeo-Christian bible and religion over nonreligion impermissibly turns any non-Christian or non-believing student into an outsider. Schoolchildren already feel significant pressure to conform to their peers. They must not be subjected to similar pressure from their schools, especially on religious questions.&#8221;
As the <a href="https://www.timesreporter.com/news/20190625/ten-commandments-plaque-removed-from-welty-middle-school">Times-Reporter</a> noted, New Philadelphia Schools Superintendent David Brand issued a statement explaining why the district complied with the demand for the plaque’s removal and argued that the district simply could not afford to challenge FFRF:
<blockquote>Rather than meeting with the District to begin a dialogue, FFRF sent a letter from its office in Wisconsin and then used the local media to further the issue. Since receiving the letter, the District has gathered more information, listened to interested community members, and reviewed its options. As background, the plaque was a gift from the Class of 1926 to the District in 1927. To the best of its knowledge, the District believes the plaque has been displayed in the District ever since. With over 90 years on display, the plaque is recognized as part of the tradition and history of New Philadelphia City Schools.
While the plaque is a well-established and historic piece of New Philadelphia City Schools history, the laws of the United States are pretty clear regarding the display of the Ten Commandments in a school setting. To preserve the plaque, the District would need to overturn a U.S. Supreme Court decision from 1980. Additionally, the District would need to become the first public school to successfully defend a Ten Commandments display in a school setting.
Despite offers from local law professionals to help the district, the ‘costs’ of defending are substantial. In addition to funding multi-year litigation, the District will divert staff, time, and energy from the District’s true purpose — student learning. Even more troubling, if the District’s case is unsuccessful as all other school cases have been, FFRF can seek for the District to pay FFRF’s legal fees, which have in at least one instance, exceeded $900,000.00. Clearly, challenging the issue legally would be an enormous risk and burden to the local taxpayers.
The District will review the process to donate the plaque to preserve the history of the 92-year-old Ten Commandments plaque. Furthermore, rather than engaging FFRF in an action where the community’s resources are at stake, the District will consider filing an amicus brief in a forthcoming case on the matter. While members of the District do not agree with FFRF’s conduct, the District believes acting on its own terms is the most effective way to oppose FFRF and to continue to serve its students.</blockquote>
<a href="https://www.westernjournal.com/ct/school-district-rolls-atheist-group-1-letter-removes-historic-plaque-installed-1927/">The Western Journal</a> noted regarding FFRF:
<blockquote>What the group does is descend upon a school district. After usually just a single complaint from an individual, they wage a media war against the entity in question. They turn their lawyers loose and — if the entity isn’t inclined toward a protracted court case — get what they want.
The case that Brand is referencing, by the by, is Stone v. Graham. In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court declared that a Kentucky law that posted a copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom was in violation of the establishment clause.</blockquote>
The plague was a gift from the class of 1926.

Ohio School Removes Ten Commandments Plaque Displayed For Almost 100 Years After Atheist Group Objects

Atheism

Bible

On Thursday, Oberlin College was hit with $33 million in punitive damages thanks to Ohio jurors, who agreed the school participated in and encouraged protests defaming a local bakery as racist.
Ohio law capped the punitive damages at $22 million &#8212; twice what the jurors charged Oberlin in compensatory damages a week earlier.
As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/48416/oberlin-hit-33-million-punitive-damages-after-ashe-schow">previously reported</a>, Oberlin&#8217;s vice president and general counsel, Donica Thomas Varner, sent a community wide email blasting the jury for its findings, claiming the jurors ignored &#8220;clear evidence&#8221; that Oberlin was not at fault and insisting the school was being &#8220;held liable for the independent actions of their students.&#8221;
But school administrators, including interim vice president and dean of students Meredith Raimondo, participated in protests deeming the bakery as racist because a bakery employee held a black Oberlin student accountable for shoplifting and using a fake ID to purchase alcohol.
Oberlin is still remaining obstinate even after being hit with the massive $33 million fine.
The New York Times, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/14/us/oberlin-bakery-lawsuit.html">while reporting on the punitive damages</a> rewarded to the Gibson family, who own Gibson&#8217;s Bakery, included a line from an email sent to the Oberlin community by president Carmen Twillie Ambar, which said, &#8220;none of this will sway us from our core values.&#8221;
Those &#8220;core values&#8221; apparently mean supporting students who make false accusations of racism.
The Times also quoted a statement from the college that blamed Gibson&#8217;s Bakery for the whole ordeal.
&#8220;Gibson bakery&#8217;s archaic chase-and-detain policy regarding suspected shoplifters was the catalyst for the protests,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;The guilt or innocence of the students is irrelevant to both the root cause of the protests and this litigation.&#8221;
Oberlin is essentially saying that the bakery should have just let the shoplifter go in order to adhere to current &#8220;woke&#8221; theology.
Here&#8217;s what happened: A black Oberlin student, Jonathan Aladin, tried to use a fake ID to purchase alcohol from bakery employee Allyn Gibson. Gibson refused to accept the fake ID and noticed two additional bottles of alcohol hidden under Aladin&#8217;s shirt. Gibson told Aladin he was calling the cops. Aladin, according to Gibson&#8217;s lawsuit against Oberlin, knocked the phone out of Gibson&#8217;s hand and ran from the store. Gibson chased after him. When police arrived, Gibson was being physically attacked by Aladin and the two other students who accompanied him to the store &#8212; Cecelia Whettstone and Endia Lawrence.
All three students pleaded guilty. Aladin acknowledged race was not a factor in his treatment.
Yet to Oberlin, Gibson is a racist for trying to hold Aladin accountable because he is black.
Jurors saw through Oberlin&#8217;s &#8220;defense&#8221; and hit them with tens of millions of dollars in damages. Oberlin tried to claim it was too poor to pay &#8212; a claim that failed to sway jurors.
David French, a senior writer for National Review who has covered campus insanity for years, <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/06/the-oberlin-trial-is-a-blueprint-for-fighting-back/">wrote</a> that the Oberlin trial provided a &#8220;blueprint for fighting back.&#8221;
&#8220;The case represents an important moment &#8212; the moment when the American legal establishment learned that it can potentially impose steep costs on institutions that participate in the kind of cruel, malicious, and vicious mob tactics that have become an all-too-familiar part of the American political landscape,&#8221; French wrote. &#8220;It turns out that the law can indeed offer an answer to the worst forms of illiberal behavior.&#8221;
Increasingly over the last half-decade, colleges and universities have gotten away with stepping on the constitutional rights of students, faculty, and outsiders in the name of social justice. Jurors in Ohio just provided a big check on whether such behavior is acceptable anymore.

Oberlin Remains Obstinate After Being Fined $33 Million For Supporting Racism Charge Against Bakery

Racism

Social Justice

For weeks, residents in North Olmsted, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland, couldn&#8217;t use their key fobs to open their cars or garage doors.
The problem started in late April, <a href="https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cuyahoga-county/key-fobs-and-garage-openers-mysteriously-stop-working-in-north-olmsted-neighborhood/95-2f26ef13-0019-497b-b4aa-0c94209313bd">according to WKCY3</a>. The media outlet interviewed resident Cory Branchick, who said when the problem first started she assumed the battery in her key fob had died.
&#8220;So, I got a battery and that didn&#8217;t work,&#8221; she told WKYC3.
&#8220;It only happens when I&#8217;m only in the driveway,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Anywhere else when I got to work or when I go to the grocery store, the key fob works.&#8221;
Branchick told the outlet that 10 of her neighbors were having the same issue, and residents who lived on other streets in the area were also experiencing the problem. Some residents only had their key fob stop working, others couldn&#8217;t operate their garage doors, while still others found both had stopped working
For weeks police looked into the issue &#8212; but not before residents ran wild with speculation. Maybe something at the airport was interfering with the device. Maybe NASA was involved.
North Olmsted City Councilman Chris Glassburn said something must be interfering with fobs&#8217; radio frequencies and suggested maybe the utility companies&#8217; equipment in the area was responsible. AT&amp;T and First Energy investigated, <a href="https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cuyahoga-county/first-energy-channel-3-test-mysterious-interference-of-key-fobs-and-garage-doors-in-north-olmsted-neighborhood/95-2b4c99c5-aad8-4757-8fde-f886fe6cc387">but found nothing</a>. First Energy even turned off residents&#8217; power, yet the interfering frequency remained.
&#8220;We really thought it was going to be the utilities,&#8221; Glassburn told WKYC3.
Glassburn said he would continue to investigate.
A week later, residents finally <a href="https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cuyahoga-county/officials-figure-out-why-key-fobs-garage-door-openers-in-north-olmsted-mysteriously-stopped-working/95-3c1fa2cc-fe13-4945-a389-5b170ea7971f">had their answer</a>.
Glassburn had set out with a retired communications employee and searched for the source. Using a de-amplifier, they found the signal and were able to enter the residents&#8217; home with permission from a neighbor. In the home they found a homemade device had been causing the interference.
&#8220;It was a man-made custom device that was designed to notify the resident someone was in their home,&#8221; Glassburn told WKCY3. &#8220;We turned it off and went outside pressed our clickers and everything started working again. It was like magic.&#8221;
The resident who created the device had special needs and was unaware of the problems his invention was causing his neighbors, Glassburn <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/04/us/key-fobs-north-olmsted-ohio.html">told</a> The New York Times.
The councilman said the device causing all the trouble was the size of a shoe box, and hadn&#8217;t been properly designed.
&#8220;It was putting out a signal continuously and only was the signal interrupted would it tell them another individual was in the part of the home.&#8221;
The resident agreed to turn the device off and not make any more. City officials told WKYC3 there was no &#8220;malicious intent&#8221; on the part of the resident who created the device.
Mystery solved.
While this may have been a small and simple mystery, it is a good example of a community actually coming together &#8212; residents and government &#8212; to solve a problem. Glassburn actually stepped out to help his constituents, something rarely seen in higher levels of government today.

People In This Small Ohio Town Couldn’t Open Their Cars Or Garages For Weeks. The Mystery Has Been Solved.

A female Democrat state representative from Ohio, Rep. Janine Boyd, drafted an amendment last week seeking to have black babies exempted from pro-life legislation dubbed the &#8220;heartbeat bill,&#8221; which bars babies with detectable heartbeats (around six weeks gestation) from being killed via abortion.
As <a href="https://www.lifenews.com/2019/04/11/democrat-legislator-offers-amendment-to-specifically-kill-black-babies-in-abortion/">reported</a> by LifeNews, Boyd&#8217;s bill &#8220;would have given an exemption to African American women to abort their unborn babies for any reason up to the state&#8217;s current abortion limit, 20 weeks.&#8221;
Ironically, Boyd &#8220;likened restrictions on abortion to slavery as she urged her fellow lawmakers to support the measure,&#8221; the outlet noted.
&#8220;Black slaves were once treated like cattle and put out to stud in order to create generations of more slaves,&#8221; argued the Democrat. &#8220;Our country is not far enough beyond our history to legislate as if it is.&#8221;
Thankfully, Amendment 0291 failed, and the heartbeat bill was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/45878/ohio-governor-signs-bill-protecting-unborn-babies-amanda-prestigiacomo">signed</a> by Republican Governor Mike DeWine on Friday.
Former Planned Parenthood executive turned pro-life advocate Abby Johnson ripped Boyd&#8217;s targeted amendment, snarking that &#8220;apparently a 38% national abortion rate in the African-American community isn&#8217;t enough.&#8221;
&#8220;A female, African-American democratic state representative from Ohio presented this amendment to the Ohio Heartbeat bill. This amendment would have made an exception for African-American babies&#8230;because apparently a 38% national abortion rate in the African-American community isn&#8217;t enough,&#8221; posted Johnson to Facebook. &#8220;The amendment was struck down 11-7.&#8221;
<div class="embed"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" frameborder="0" height="469" width="500"></iframe></div>
&#8220;To reference owning humans as a defense of dismembering them is moral myopia. If it is wrong to own humans, it is also wrong to intentionally kill them,&#8221; said pro-life group Created Equal president Mark Harrington, according to LifeNews.
&#8220;Referencing abortion to avoid consigning children to slavery, she seems to suggest black children today should likewise not be born&#8212;which is exactly the purpose of her amendment,&#8221; Harrington continued. &#8220;Every human being is valuable regardless of the color of his or her skin. To suggest that only black babies should be killed in Ohio is shocking racism not befitting of a representative of the Ohio House.&#8221;
Black babies are disproportionately victimized by abortion in the United States. As <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/lets-talk-about-the-black-abortion-rate-1531263697">noted</a> by Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Riley, &#8220;black women terminate pregnancies at far higher rates than other women,&#8221; nationally. &#8220;In 2014, 36% of all abortions were performed on black women, who are just 13% of the female population,&#8221; said Riley.
&#8220;The little discussed flip side of &#8216;reproductive freedom&#8217; is that abortion deaths far exceed those via cancer, violent crime, heart disease, AIDS and accidents,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;Racism, poverty and lack of access to health care are the typical explanations for these disparities. But black women have much higher abortion rates even after you control for income. Moreover, other low-income ethnic minorities who experience discrimination, such as Hispanics, abort at rates much closer to white women than black women.&#8221;
Additionally, looking at the reality that most Planned Parenthood clinics are <a href="https://www.frc.org/op-eds/sen-cassidy-was-right-most-planned-parenthood-businesses-are-in-urban-areas">located</a> in urban areas, and Boyd&#8217;s amendment as examples, one could surmise that black babies in the womb are being targeted.

Ohio Democrat Drafts Amendment Seeking To Make Black Babies Exempt From Pro-Life Law

Abortion

On Sunday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) had Inforwars reporter Kaitlin Bennett booted from an event described by Team Sanders as open to the public. While the removal of Bennett is troubling on its face, since the 23-year-old is part of the media, it was ironically argued that Bennett, who did nothing disruptive at all, had to go because the event was paid for by the socialist hero and they have the freedom to associate with whomever they so choose without coercion.
This seems rather inconsistent with Sanders&#8217; ideology, to put it mildly.
&#8220;I am a conservative journalist and was just ejected from a [Bernie Sanders] rally for expressing my 1st amendment. I was just sitting there and was told I had to leave, with no reason given except that his campaign didn&#8217;t want me there. THIS is actual fascism,&#8221; Bennett protested via Twitter, captioning a video of her encounter with a man who was seemingly a rep for Sanders&#8217; team.
In the corresponding video, Bennett is seen sitting down at the event when she is approached by a male rep from Team Sanders informing her that she must leave the premises. In response, the reporter contends that the event is open to the public per Sanders&#8217; website and asks for reasoning concerning her ejection.
&#8220;So, I&#8217;m being ejected from a public event?&#8221; Bennett asks for clarification.
Ironically, the Sanders rep tells Bennett that it is an event that they paid for and can have her kicked out if they want to.
&#8220;Ma&#8217;am, this is an event that we paid, this is an event we&#8217;ve bought the space for.&#8221;
In a follow-up tweet captioning an encounter the 23-year-old had with security manning the event, Bennett wrote, &#8220;The police officer agreed with me that I did nothing wrong, but booted me anyway. On my way out, the private security officer told me he supports me but has to do his job.&#8221;
&#8220;Thank you [Bernie Sanders] for exposing how intolerant the left really is towards dissenting opinions,&#8221; she added.
Attendance for the rally Bennett apparently attended is <a href="https://m.facebook.com/events/2105994656103607?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22:%22%5B%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22:%5C%22page%5C%22,%5C%22mechanism%5C%22:%5C%22main_list%5C%22,%5C%22extra_data%5C%22:%5B%5D%7D%5D%22%7D&amp;aref=0&amp;ref=page_internal">described</a> on Bernie Sanders&#8217; official Facebook page as follows (emphasis added):
<blockquote>
Join Bernie Sanders at a rally in Pittsburgh on Sunday. This event is outdoors, free and open to the public. Tickets are not required by an RSVP is encouraged. Entrance is provided on a first come, first served basis. 
</blockquote>
Bennett made a name for herself in 2018 when she posed with her AR-10 rifle in a college graduation photo on the Kent State campus.
&#8220;Now that I graduated from [Kent State], I can finally arm myself on campus. I should have been able to do so as a student- especially since 4 unarmed students were shot and killed by the government on this campus. #CampusCarryNow,&#8221; she wrote in a tweet accompanying the photo.
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Now that I graduated from <a href="https://twitter.com/KentState?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KentState</a>, I can finally arm myself on campus. I should have been able to do so as a student- especially since 4 unarmed students were shot and killed by the government on this campus. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CampusCarryNow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CampusCarryNow</a> <a href="https://t.co/a91fQH44cq">pic.twitter.com/a91fQH44cq</a>
&#8212; Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) <a href="https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/995699996212322304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
</div>
She&#8217;s since been criticized for displaying antagonizing behavior in on-the-street reporting segments for Infowars. But, again, the Sanders team booted Bennett without even offering an explanation.
Journalist Andy Ngo protested Bennett&#8217;s ejection, writing via Twitter: &#8220;It&#8217;s wrong to preemptively remove someone from your public event for their political views, [Bernie Sanders]. [Fox 8 News], you reported this was a free &amp; public event. Did the Sanders campaign ever dispute this?&#8221;
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en">
It&#8217;s wrong to preemptively remove someone from your public event for their political views, <a href="https://twitter.com/BernieSanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BernieSanders</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/fox8news?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fox8news</a>, you reported this was a free &amp; public event. Did the Sanders campaign ever dispute this? <a href="https://t.co/f3ltK3TM9u">https://t.co/f3ltK3TM9u</a> <a href="https://t.co/y2Zt5xolPH">pic.twitter.com/y2Zt5xolPH</a>
&#8212; Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1117602169018929157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>
The Daily Caller&#8217;s Jessica Fletcher echoed the sentiment: &#8220;I don&#8217;t agree with gun girl on a lot of things, but this is absolutely ridiculous. Kicking her out of a public event for simply sitting in the crowd is not what America is about.&#8221;
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en">
I don&#8217;t agree with gun girl on a lot of things, but this is absolutely ridiculous. Kicking her out of a public event for simply sitting in the crowd is not what America is about. <a href="https://t.co/oXL2Z7uFXF">pic.twitter.com/oXL2Z7uFXF</a>
&#8212; Jessica Fletcher (@heckyessica) <a href="https://twitter.com/heckyessica/status/1117512181568946176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>
&#8220;People are becoming so divided they can&#8217;t even attend rallies anymore,&#8221; journalist Tim Pool said. &#8220;If people can&#8217;t be exposed to new ideas then what happens next?&#8221;
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
People are becoming so divided they can&#8217;t even attend rallies anymore.
If people can&#8217;t be exposed to new ideas then what happens next? <a href="https://t.co/aDlTxZXhNO">https://t.co/aDlTxZXhNO</a>
&#8212; Tim Pool (@Timcast) <a href="https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/1117508637998637056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>
WATCH:
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I am a conservative journalist and was just ejected from a <a href="https://twitter.com/BernieSanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BernieSanders</a> rally for expressing my 1st amendment. I was just sitting there and was told I had to leave, with no reason given except that his campaign didn&#8217;t want me there. THIS is actual fascism. <a href="https://t.co/iyaMwAHMMU">pic.twitter.com/iyaMwAHMMU</a>
&#8212; Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) <a href="https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1117481916406665224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
The police officer agreed with me that I did nothing wrong, but booted me anyway. On my way out, the private security officer told me he supports me but has to do his job. Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/BernieSanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BernieSanders</a> for exposing how intolerant the left really is towards dissenting opinions. <a href="https://t.co/lzFX1s8gjP">pic.twitter.com/lzFX1s8gjP</a>
&#8212; Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) <a href="https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1117485330343649282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>

WATCH: Bernie Sanders Has Infowars Reporter Booted From Public Event For Most Ironic Reason Ever

Bernie Sanders

Infowars

Pro-lifers in Ohio are celebrating having a &#8220;real&#8221; pro-life representative in the governor&#8217;s mansion after Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, signed a so-called &#8220;heartbeat bill&#8221; into law on Thursday &#8212; legislation that was twice vetoed by allegedly pro-life former Governor John Kasich.
&#8220;The signing of this bill today is consistent with that respect for life and the imperative to protect those who cannot protect themselves,&#8221; DeWine said before signing the bill, <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/11/ohio-gov-mike-dewine-signs-heartbeat-abortion-bill/3437541002/">according</a> to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The legislation protects unborn babies with beating hearts, which can be detectable at around six weeks gestation, from the fatal procedure of abortion.
The bill, which includes an exception for the life of the mother, was introduced to the House on Tuesday and signed by the governor by 3:30 p.m. local time on Thursday.
A <a href="https://www.apnews.com/3a9b3bc0e14d47aa8691aca84c32f391">handful</a> of states have passed heartbeat protections for the unborn, such as Mississippi and Kentucky. Republican Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia, who&#8217;s been threatened by Hollywood actors with a boycott, currently has such legislation awaiting his signature.
&#8220;Pro-life Ohio thanks Governor DeWine for taking a courageous stand on behalf of unborn children with beating hearts,&#8221; praised Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis.
Janet Porter, pro-life advocate and the &#8220;architect&#8221; of the Ohio &#8220;heartbeat&#8221; bills, was overjoyed by the prospect of Gov. DeWine signing the legislation. During an interview soon after the bill passed the state House and Senate, Porter praised DeWine and took a swipe at Kasich: &#8220;We&#8217;ve been talking about how we were gonna end abortion. Today, it happened,&#8221; she said, adding,&#8220;We finally have a pro-life governor. And it&#8217;s just a great day here in Ohio.&#8221;
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Gov. Mike DeWine is expected to sign the Ohio Heartbeat Bill this afternoon! Stay tuned!
Watch Mark and Janet Porter discuss the passage of this 6-week abortion ban in the Ohio General Assembly yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/ZATOWZTcyk">pic.twitter.com/ZATOWZTcyk</a>
&#8212; Created Equal (@createdequalorg) <a href="https://twitter.com/createdequalorg/status/1116364411416076288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>
Kasich, who signed a 20-week abortion ban during his tenure in office, claimed he couldn&#8217;t sign the bill over concerns &#8220;about the legal bill taxpayers would foot,&#8221; according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
&#8220;Today is a historic day,&#8221; said Created Equal President Mark Harrington in a statement sent to The Daily Wire. &#8220;The legislature and Governor DeWine have declared that no longer should the beating hearts of humans too young to be born be violently torn apart by abortion.&#8221;
&#8220;If pro-abortion lobbies present a legal challenge to this Act, we will defend these babies all the way up to the Supreme Court. Changes on the bench signify an even better day for preborn babies may be on the horizon,&#8221; he added.
Such challenges have already rolled in. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has already promised a lawsuit.
WATCH:
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;The government&#8217;s role should be to protect life from the beginning to the end,&#8221; DeWine said.
Ohio governor signs ban on abortion after 1st heartbeat. Opponents in Ohio have already vowed to sue. <a href="https://t.co/JqFONOAtnI">https://t.co/JqFONOAtnI</a> <a href="https://t.co/8SgeL6MwZI">pic.twitter.com/8SgeL6MwZI</a>
&#8212; WLWT (@WLWT) <a href="https://twitter.com/WLWT/status/1116435646103597065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
</div>

WATCH: Ohio Governor Signs Bill Protecting Babies With Detectable Heartbeats From Abortion. Former Governor John Kasich Vetoed It Twice.

John Kasich

The 23-year-old who claimed to be missing Illinois boy Timmothy Pitzen appeared in court Tuesday afternoon after being charged with lying to federal agents.
Brian Michael Rini last week claimed to Pitzen after he was seen wandering in a Newport, Kentucky neighborhood looking disheveled. Police ran a DNA test on him to confirm his identity and revealed that he was not Pitzen. He was then arrested for lying to federal agents, and appeared in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati on Tuesday for a detention hearing.
At the hearing, a federal magistrate ordered Rini to be &#8220;detained pending further proceedings,&#8221; <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/04/08/brian-rini-man-accused-saying-he-timmothy-pitzen-court/3403446002/">according to the Cincinnati Enquirer</a>.
Rini&#8217;s federal public defender Richard Monahan said during the hearing that Rini &#8220;has a significant mental health past&#8221; and was previously hospitalized for these issues.
After Rini told residents of Newport, Kentucky that he was Pitzen, he claimed to have abodominal pain. He was taken to Cincinnati Children&#8217;s Hospital Medical Center and released after staying for more than a day, the Enquirer reported. Rini also reportedly said he falsely claimed to be Pitzen because &#8220;he wished he had a father like Timmothy&#8217;s&#8221; and that he chose to impersonate the missing boy because his case had recently been rebroadcast on &#8220;20/20.&#8221;
The Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/65bce30f5328485c916d1f5e746bbe20">reported</a> that Rini had twice previously claimed to be a juvenile sex trafficking victim. He had been released from an Ohio prison in March after serving a year-long sentence for burglary and vandalism. Rini, who is actually from Medina, Ohio, had told people he had purchased a $400,000 home. He and friends then broke into that home and threw a party, which resulted in <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/09/timmothy-pitzen-brian-rini-ordered-detained-judge-hearing-claimed-arrested/3413123002/">more than $1,000 in damage</a>, according to USA Today.
Timmothy Pitzen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/45555/teen-claims-be-illinois-boy-who-disappeared-2011-ashe-schow">went missing in 2011</a> when he was 6 years old. His mother had pulled him out of his Aurora, Illinois school and taken him on a short vacation. After three days, she was found dead in a hotel room by apparent suicide. She left a note saying &#8220;Tim is somewhere safe with people who love him and will care for him,&#8221; adding, &#8220;You will never find him.&#8221;
Pitzen would have been 14 at the time Rini made his claims last week. Rini at the time claimed that he had been held captive for seven years by two men and had just escaped from a Red Roof Inn across the bridge in Ohio.
Rini&#8217;s alleged deception calls to mind that of Frederic Bourdin, a French man who repeatedly claimed to be missing children, including Nicholas Barclay of Texas. Bourdin, like Rini, was 23 when he claimed to be the missing teenager, and was even flown to the U.S. and lived with Barclay&#8217;s family until a private detective determined he was not their missing family member.
While Rini&#8217;s claims were disproven by a DNA test, law enforcement released a statement last week saying police have &#8220;not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family.&#8221;
Magistrate Judge Karen Litkovitz said during Rini&#8217;s hearing that he was on parole and had other warrants out for his arrest relating to other crimes, according to the Enquirer.

Man Who Claimed To Be Missing Illinois Child Appears In Court

Children

Eighth grader Tyler Carlin needed an idea for a history project. He chose to create a replica of the battlefield cross, which is used on the battlefield or at camp to mark the death of a fallen soldier.
Carlin <a href="https://insider.foxnews.com/2019/03/21/ohio-student-suspended-making-replica-battlefield-cross-history-project">told Fox News</a> that his teacher knew he would be making the replica and said it would be alright. But when Carlin showed up to his Ohio school with his project &#8212; made from a helmet, boots and a Nerf dart gun &#8212; it was promptly taken away. He also said he was given a 3-day in-school suspension.
&#8220;I just sat in a room all day. An administrator thought it was stupid that I got this, so she brought me a doughnut and played cards with me,&#8221; he said on &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends.&#8221; His attorney, Travis Faber, is demanding the school expunge the &#8220;ridiculous&#8221; suspension from the middle school student&#8217;s record and had asked the school to delay Carlin&#8217;s suspension &#8212; to no avail.
&#8220;We are greatly concerned about the message the actions of the Celina School District will send to our community&#8217;s youth,&#8221; <a href="http://www.wtol.com/2019/03/20/veteran-is-prevented-speaking-celina-board-education-meeting/">Faber told WTOL</a>. &#8220;He [Tyler] should be thanked for his hard work and dedication to our veterans and to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.&#8221;
Further, Faber told the media outlet that an Army staff sergeant was barred from speaking on Carlin&#8217;s behalf during a school board meeting.
The veteran, Janice Holdheide, attended Celina City School board of education meeting Monday night, but was prevented from speaking up for the 13-year-old, according to WTOL. Holdheide had heard about Carlin&#8217;s situation and wanted to stand up for the student who had attempted to honor fallen soldiers. But when she started to speak, WTOL reported, &#8220;the board interrupted her and said they would not hear what she had to say.&#8221;
Holdheide then took to Facebook to publish her prepared remarks.
&#8220;I fought for this great country, and I fought for this young man to exercise his First Amendment right. I have buried friends and comrades and survived the horrors of war only to come home and find such a disrespectful action taken by this school system in my hometown,&#8221; she wrote.
School board president Carl Huber told WTOL that he could not discuss student disciplinary actions without a parent or guardian&#8217;s permission and said in a statement published by the news outlet that he had informed Holdheide that the &#8220;board is not allowed to publicly discuss this matter,&#8221; when she was interrupted.
Huber also told the outlet that he had asked Carlin&#8217;s family to authorize him &#8220;to make a truthful and accurate statement about the situation.&#8221;
On Wednesday, the leader of Veterans Forever Inc. announced the group had created shirts to support Carlin, <a href="https://www.whio.com/news/local/celina-city-schools-suspend-student-for-fallen-soldier-art-project/ZCSIJsbfI6OE6muBfkce3M/">according to WHIOTV7</a>.
&#8220;I just wanted this poor innocent kid to understand that his beliefs was correct that you should always stick up for a veteran and it&#8217;s a sad situation that Tyler&#8217;s now in trouble for trying to do the right thing for a veteran,&#8221; Craig Obringer, a spokesman for the group, told the media outlet.
The outlet reported that proceeds would go into a fund that provides flags and flag poles for veterans.

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