My Washington Times 'On Crime' Column: 'The Short Life of Hughie McLoon: A True Story Of Baseball, Magic And Murder'

 The Washington Times ran my On Crime column on Allen Abel’s The Short Life of Hughie McLoon. 

Veteran sportswriter, reporter, and author Allen Abel’s “The Short Life of Hughie McLoon: A True Story of Baseball, Magic, and Murder,” recounts the life of a deformed youngster who navigates through 19th-century professional baseball, boxing and organized crime in Philadelphia, my hometown.

 

As Mr. Abel tells it, the professional athletes at the time were a superstitious lot, and sports teams adopted human mascots, such as a short hunchback, as good luck charms.

 

Hughie McLoon (1902-1928) was deformed by a fall at the age of 3. He became one of the best-known mascots after he told Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack in 1916 that he could break the teams’ losing streak. The legendary baseball manager hired McLoon as a bat boy and McLoon stayed with Mack for three years and then shifted to boxing, where he brought good luck to several legendary boxers.

 

This led to his becoming a boxing manager and a manager of a Philadelphia speakeasy during Prohibition for Max “Boo Boo” Hoff, the Philadelphia king of illegal booze.

 

I reached out to Allen Abel and asked him why he wrote the book.

 

“After a dozen years on the Hill and in the White House briefing room, writing the 100% true biography of a murdered hunchbacked bat boy was a delicious change-of-pace,” Mr. Abel said. “Philadelphia was politically corrupt, morally bankrupt, murderously violent, and too drunk to care. Philly embraced Prohibition with all the passion of Donald J. Trump kissing Rosie O’Donnell.”

 

I asked how he would describe Hughie McLoon..

 

“He’s a wise-cracking, street-smart, umpire-baiting, fatherless boy searching for love and acceptance and finding it at the highest level of sport, celebrity, and organized crime — a broken boy who lived a leprechaun’s life and died a gangster’s death.” 

You can read the rest of the column below or via the below link:

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/mar/30/book-review-the-short-life-of-hughie-mcloon/

A Little Humor: The Curse Of The Diamond

 I recall being seated next to a woman at a wedding. 

I could not help but notice the huge diamond she wore on a necklace. 

I told her that her diamond was the largest I’d ever seen. 

Although my comment was an observation rather than a compliment, she thanked me 

“It is the Youngman Diamond,” she said. “The Youngman Diamond is rare, beautiful and large, but alas, it comes with a curse.” 

“What’s the curse?” 

“Mr. Youngman, my husband.”    

Note: The above photo is of the late actress Elizabeth Taylor.

Babylon Bee: Nike Factory Graciously Offers To House Unaccompanied Migrant Children

 Gotta love the Babylon Bee’s spot-on satire. 

BEAVERTON, OR—Sneaker manufacturer Nike has graciously reached out to the Biden administration with an offer to house thousands of unaccompanied migrant children at their factories around the globe.

 “Nike is committed to being a good corporate citizen. We are proud to assist the Biden administration by caring for these unaccompanied migrant children,” a spokesman for the company said Friday. “We have plenty of factories all around the globe with lots of room for kids. We’re here to help!” 

The spokesman said that the migrant children will be fed, clothed, and educated by Nike employees until permanent homes can be found for them. In addition to a regular school curriculum, Nike said they will focus heavily on recreational activities. 

“The core of our plan is our arts and crafts program,” the spokesman said. “These lucky kids will get to spend up to 18 hours each day on fun activities such as leather-working, sewing, and embroidery. What could possibly be more fun than that?” 

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the move makes sense on many levels. “When it comes to looking after thousands of orphaned children from impoverished countries, nobody has more experience than Nike,” she noted.  

You can read other humor pieces via the below link:

https://babylonbee.com 

Nation To Observe Vietnam War Veterans Day

I’m thinking of my late brother Ed Davis (seen in the above photo), as today is Vietnam Veterans Day. 

My older brother served in the U.S. Army at Chu Lai in South Vietnam in 1968. 

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk on "Yankee Station" in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of North Vietnam in 1970-1971. 

David Vergun at the DoD News offers a piece on Vietnam Veterans Day. 

On March 29, Americans will come together to commemorate the service and sacrifices made by the nearly 3 million service members who served in Vietnam. 

In 2012, President Barack Obama signed a presidential proclamation, designating March 29 as the annual observance of Vietnam War Veterans Day. 

The signing of the proclamation marked the 50th anniversary of the departure of the last American troops from Vietnam — March 29, 1973. Only U.S. embassy personnel and support staff remained in South Vietnam until the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. 

"The Vietnam War is a story of service members of different backgrounds, colors and creeds who came together to complete a daunting mission," the proclamation states. "It is a story of Americans from every corner of our nation who left the warmth of family to serve the country they loved. It is a story of patriots who braved the line of fire, who cast themselves into harm's way to save a friend, who fought hour after hour, day after day to preserve the liberties we hold dear." 

More than 58,000 Americans were killed and many thousands more were wounded and injured or determined to be missing. 

The proclamation also states: "In one of the war's most profound tragedies, many of these men and women came home to be shunned or neglected — to face treatment unbefitting their courage and a welcome unworthy of their example. We must never let this happen again." 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

Nation to Observe Vietnam War Veterans Day > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Story

You can also read my previous post on the Vietnam War via the below link:

Paul Davis On Crime: The Vietnam War Was Winnable  

Note: Below is a photo of me and a photo of the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk:

The Vietnam War Was Winnable

 Today is National Vietnam Veteran’s Day. 

Back in 1970 and 1971, I was an 18 and 19-year-old sailor stationed aboard the USS Kitty Hawk as the aircraft carrier launched combat aircraft against North Vietnam from “Yankee Station” in the Gulf of Tonkin during the final years of the Vietnam War. 

I recall that nearly every pilot, intelligence officer and seasoned military man I spoke to aboard the carrier was disgusted with the conduct of the war. 

They thought we should win it. 

If only, I was told, we were allowed to unleash the full power of the aircraft carrier, the North Vietnamese would quickly surrender. 

I agreed then and now, after all these years in which I’ve interviewed many soldiers, airmen, sailors, Marines and CIA officers who fought in the war, I still agree. 

We could have – we should have - won the Vietnam War. 

Militarily, we did win, as we never lost a battle over company strength during our entire time there, and when the North Vietnamese defeated the South Vietnamese in 1975, there were no American combat troops in the country. 

We lost the war only in the sense that America lacked a political will to go all out and defeat the communists. 

If only Ronald Reagan had been the president in the 1970s. 

James Roberts, the president of the American Veterans Center, offers a piece in the Washington Times on how the Vietnam War was in fact winnable.   

In the summer of 1967, Air Force Col. Robin Olds (later brigadier general) returned to the U.S. following a tour of duty in Vietnam. Olds had been an ace pilot in World War 11 and achieved fame in Vietnam for his bravery, Hollywood good looks and strategic and tactical brilliance.

Invited to the White House to brief President Johnson, Olds said, “Mr. President, get us out of this G…damned war.” 

When LBJ asked how, Olds replied, “Win it.” 

“Win it” probably sounds delusional in today’s world where the prevailing opinion is that the Vietnam War was “unwinnable and irredeemable,” in the words of documentary producer Ken Burns. A lost cause from the beginning. 

In 2005, Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster, World War 11 hero, NATO commander, West Point superintendent, staff secretary to President Eisenhower and deputy U.S. commander in Vietnam from 1968-69, was asked his opinion about Vietnam. He answered emphatically that the war was winnable (an opinion shamed by most Vietnam veterans, in my experience). 

No offense, Mr. Burns, but I agree with Goodpaster. And with President Reagan, who called Vietnam “a noble cause.” 

The cause and the American forces who prosecuted the war (while never losing a battle) were quite simply betrayed by the political leadership in Washington, beginning with President Johnson, aided by the civilian leadership at the Pentagon, led by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, who were in turn abetted by an increasingly corrupt news media and many craven military leaders in the Pentagon who knew and said privately what was needed to win the war, but were dissuaded from speaking out publicly (or resigning in protest) by the lies, false promises and promotions proffered by the civilian leadership. 

The result was the catastrophe that unfolded in April 1975, when the North Vietnamese army invaded and conquered South Vietnam, producing the indelible images of helicopter evacuations from the roof of the U.S. embassy in Saigon, plus the accompanying tragedy of tens of thousands of South Vietnamese refugees drowning at sea as they tried to escape, hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese interned in concentration camps, and more thousands murdered by the communist regime; not to mention the more than 2 million people in neighboring Cambodia tortured and liquidated by the psychopathic Pol Pot regime. Domestically, the Vietnam War poisoned the political atmosphere in the U.S., helped create a hostile and cynical press corps, and fostered a loss of confidence in American institutions that persists to this day. 

… When Col. Olds told LBJ to “win the war”: I think he meant that he should use the full resources of the United States to bring the war to a swift and victorious conclusion, which is to say ensuring an independent South Vietnam. 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/mar/26/the-vietnam-war-was-winnable/  

You can also read my Counterterrorism magazine on the lessons of the Vietnam War via the below link:

Paul Davis On Crime: My Piece On The Vietnam War And The Lessons Learned For Iraq, Afghanistan And The War On Terrorism 

Defense Department Linguist Pleads Guilty To Transmitting Highly Sensitive Classified National Defense Information To Aid A Foreign Government

 The U.S. Justice Department released the below information: 

WASHINGTON – A Minnesota woman pleaded guilty today to one count of delivering national defense information to aid a foreign government.   

According to court documents, Mariam Taha Thompson, 63, formerly of Rochester, Minnesota, worked as a contract linguist at an overseas U.S. military facility where she was entrusted with a top secret government security clearance. Thompson pleaded guilty to transmitting highly sensitive classified national defense information to a foreign national who she believed would provide the information to Lebanese Hizballah, a designated foreign terrorist organization. 

“Thompson jeopardized the lives of members of the U.S. military as well as other individuals supporting the United States in a combat zone when she passed classified information to a person she knew was connected to Lebanese Hizballah, a foreign terrorist organization which intended to use the information to hurt this country,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department's National Security Division. “To describe this conduct is to condemn it. She will now be held to account for this disgraceful personal and professional betrayal of country and colleagues.” 

“The United States entrusted the defendant with highly-sensitive classified information regarding one of its most critical tools — human intelligence in an active combat zone,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia. “The defendant’s complete betrayal of that trust placed the lives of American men and women on the battlefield, and their allies, in grave danger. Thompson’s arrest and prosecution demonstrate that those who intentionally compromise classified information that is entrusted to them will face swift and dire consequences.” 

“It’s astounding that an American working for the U.S. military overseas would abandon her country in favor of terrorists,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. for the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI and its partners placed a high priority on this case because the defendant provided classified defense information to a foreign terrorist organization, information that put members of the U.S. military in harm’s way.” 

“Today’s plea is an example of the FBI’s work and commitment to protecting the United States and our national defense information,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono for the FBI Washington Field Office. “Holding a top secret government security clearance bears a responsibility and commitment to our nation, and betrayal of that trust will not be tolerated. The FBI is charged with safeguarding our nation’s information and will work diligently, along with our partners, to protect intelligence and national security information and relentlessly pursue those who choose to betray their country." 

During today’s plea hearing, Thompson admitted that, beginning in 2017, she started communicating with her unindicted co-conspirator using a video-chat feature on a secure text and voice messaging application. Over time, Thompson developed a romantic interest in her co-conspirator. Thompson learned that the unindicted co-conspirator had a family member who was in the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior, and that the unindicted co-conspirator claimed to have received a ring from Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Lebanese Hizballah. 

In December 2019, while Thompson was assigned to a special operations task force facility in Iraq, the United States launched a series of airstrikes in Iraq targeting Kata’ib Hizballah, an Iranian-backed foreign terrorist organization. These airstrikes culminated in a Jan. 3, 2020, strike that resulted in the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Suleimani, as well as the founder of Kata’ib Hizballah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. 

Following Suleimani’s death, the unindicted co-conspirator started asking Thompson to provide “them” with information about the human assets who had helped the United States to target Suleimani. Thompson admitted that she understood “them” to be Lebanese Hizballah, including an unnamed high-ranking military commander. 

After receiving this request for information in early January 2020, Thompson began accessing dozens of files concerning human intelligence sources, including true names, personal identification data, background information and photographs of the human assets, as well as operational cables detailing information the assets provided to the U.S. government. Thompson used several techniques to pass this information on to the unindicted co-conspirator, who told her that his contacts were pleased with the information, and that the Lebanese Hizballah military commander wanted to meet Thompson when she came to Lebanon. 

When she was arrested by the FBI on Feb. 27, 2020, Thompson had used her access to classified national defense information to provide her co-conspirator with the identities of at least eight clandestine human assets; at least 10 U.S. targets; and multiple tactics, techniques and procedures. Thompson intended and had reason to believe that this classified national defense information would be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of Lebanese Hizballah. 

Thompson faces a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only. The sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Today’s guilty plea was the result of the significant cooperation between law enforcement, the Department of Defense and the intelligence community in the successful resolution of this investigation led by the FBI Washington Field Office. 

National Security Division Trial Attorneys Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia John Cummings are prosecuting the case.

My Philadelphia Weekly 'Crime Beat' Column On Pagan And Convicted Murderer Freddie Augello: 'I Didn't Kill April Kauffman'

 Philadelphia Weekly ran my Crime Beat column on former Pagan and convicted murderer Freddie Augello and his claim that he didn't murder New Jersey radio personality April Kauffman 

As I wrote two Crime Beat columns on Annie McCormick's book about the April Kauffman murder, I felt it was fair to print and post his comments. 

You can read the column via the below link or pages:

Former Pagan Freddie Augello says he didn’t kill April Kauffman - Philadelphia Weekly

You can read my two previous Crime Beat columns on April Kauffman via the below links:

Paul Davis On Crime: The Doctor, The Hitman, And The Motorcycle Gang: My Philadelphia Weekly 'Crime Beat' Column On ABC Action News Reporter Annie McCormick And Her Book On A Murder-For-Hire

Paul Davis On Crime: Wrapping Up The Kauffman Killing: My Philadelphia Weekly 'Crime Beat' Column On Action News Reporter Annie McCormick And Her Book, 'The Doctor, The Hitman, And The Motorcycle Gang'

You can also read my Washington Times On Crime column on Ralph Cipriano and George Anastasia's book on the murder of April Kauffman via the below link:

Paul Davis On Crime: A Doctor High On Greed, A Biker Gang High On Opioids And The Woman Who Paid The Ultimate Price: My Washington Times 'On Crime' Column On 'Doctor Dealer' 

Note: You can click on the above column to enlarge.

Ralph Cipriano: More Prosecutorial Misconduct In Carl Holmes Case; D.A. Krasner Failed To Disclose Personal Conflicts In Rabid Crusade Against Cop

Ralph Cipriano at BigTrial.net offers a piece on Philly DA Larry Krasner personal conflict in prosecuting former cop. 

In indicting and prosecuting former Police Chief Inspector Carl Holmes, District Attorney Larry Krasner failed to disclose a personal conflict of interest in the case -- namely that Krasner as a defense lawyer in 1996 represented the convicted robber of a 7-11 who pointed his gun at Holmes, and was found guilty of assaulting him.  

Krasner also represented Christopher Butler, who was sentenced to 6 to 12 years for the robbery, in a civil rights suit against the city claiming excessive force that was settled in 1997 for $80,000. 

As a result, Greg Pagano, Holmes's lawyer, filed a motion in Common Pleas Court to disqualify Krasner as prosecutor. The motion to disqualify Krasner as prosecutor because of Krasner's undisclosed conflicts came on the same day that Judge Kai Scott dismissed the second of three sex abuse cases filed against Holmes over decade-old allegations made by three women who are former cops.

"Philadelphia District Attorney, Lawerence Krasner, failed to notify this Court, Supervising Grand Jury Judge, the investigating grand jurors and defense counsel of his role in the criminal trial, post-trial, criminal appeal and civil cases, directly related to the testimony and credibility of Carl Holmes," Pagano wrote.  

"Under the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct, DA Krasner has a duty to disclose that which is material to a defendant’s innocence. Mr. Krasner’s role as defense counsel to Mr. Butler in criminal and civil proceedings, attacking Mr. Holmes’ credibility and police work constitutes Brady/Giglio material," Pagano wrote. 

The case against Holmes has already been marked by prosecutorial misconduct in the D.A.'s office. 

In January, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Karen Simmons twice admonished Assistant District Attorney Rachel Black for a lack of candor regarding the ability of one of the complainants to show up in court to testify against Holmes.  

Judge Simmons caught ADA Black telling a bald-faced lie -- that a complaining witness who had accused Holmes of sexual abuse couldn't appear in a Philadelphia courtroom because she had serious health problems and was supposedly hiding out in Florida, in fear of catching COVID.  

The truth was that the witness herself, Elisa Diaz, in one Facebook post after another, had dismissed the pandemic as a hoax and a sham. She had previously driven from Pennsylvania down to Florida in a fully equipped RV, and so she was perfectly capable of driving back up to Philadelphia to testify in court. 

And in court, when confronted with Diaz's Facebook posts, ADA Black immediately flipped her story, saying that the health concerns that she had about Diaz appearing in court weren't about Diaz's own health; no ADA Black was supposedly concerned about the Philadelphians that Diaz might infect, because she didn't wear a mask. 

That tap dance only served to further anger the judge.  

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

More Prosecutorial Misconduct In Carl Holmes Case; D.A. Krasner Failed To Disclose Personal Conflicts In Rabid Crusade Against Cop | Big Trial | Philadelphia Trial Blog 

Babylon Bee: Filibuster Conveniently Revealed To Be Racist The Moment It Stands In Way Of Dems' Agenda

 Gotta love the Bee’s spot-on satire:

WASHINGTON D.C.—In the daily list of brand new things suddenly thought to be racist, the Senate’s filibuster has been added, making it the 83,456,718,514th thing to recently be revealed as racist that no one gave even two thoughts about mere months ago.

“The filibuster is as bad as Jim Crow,” said left-wing pundit Matthew Cook. “No, it’s worse than that. It’s as bad as a box of Uncle Ben’s rice. Maybe even as bad as the white supremacist concept of punctuality.”

You can read the rest of the piece and other humor pieces via the below link:

Filibuster Conveniently Revealed To Be Racist The Moment It Stands In Way Of Dems' Agenda | The Babylon Bee 

My Philadelphia Weekly 'Crime Beat' Column On Pagan And Convicted Murderer Freddie Augello: 'I Didn't Kill April Kauffman'

Philadelphia Weekly ran my Crime Beat column on former Pagan and convicted murderer Freddie Augello and his claim that he didn't murder New Jersey radio personality April Kauffman 

As I wrote two Crime Beat columns on Annie McCormick's book about the April Kauffman murder, I felt it was fair to print and post his comments. 

You can read the column via the below link or pages:

Former Pagan Freddie Augello says he didn’t kill April Kauffman - Philadelphia Weekly

You can read my two previous Crime Beat columns on April Kauffman via the below links:

Paul Davis On Crime: The Doctor, The Hitman, And The Motorcycle Gang: My Philadelphia Weekly 'Crime Beat' Column On ABC Action News Reporter Annie McCormick And Her Book On A Murder-For-Hire

Paul Davis On Crime: Wrapping Up The Kauffman Killing: My Philadelphia Weekly 'Crime Beat' Column On Action News Reporter Annie McCormick And Her Book, 'The Doctor, The Hitman, And The Motorcycle Gang'

You can also read my Washington Times On Crime column on Ralph Cipriano and George Anastasia's book on the murder of April Kauffman via the below link:

Paul Davis On Crime: A Doctor High On Greed, A Biker Gang High On Opioids And The Woman Who Paid The Ultimate Price: My Washington Times 'On Crime' Column On 'Doctor Dealer' 

Note: You can click on the above column to enlarge.

Babylon Bee: Neighbors With 'Black Lives Matter', 'Asian Lives Matter', And 'Hispanic Lives Matter' Yard Signs Getting Awfully Close To 'All Lives Matter'

 Gotta love the Bee’s spot-on satire. 

ANN ARBOR, MI—According to sources, some residents of a local upper-class suburb have accumulated "Black Lives Matter", "Hispanic Lives Matter", and "Asian Lives Matter" signs in their perfectly manicured front yards. Experts warn, however, that with the addition of more people groups every day, they are getting dangerously close to saying "All Lives Matter." 

"We need to guard against this," said local sociology professor Dr. Cam Duncatilly as she added a "Trans Lives Matter" and "Indigenous Lives Matter" sign in her front yard. "We have to make sure that as we add more minorities, we stop short of the damnable heresy of 'All Lives Matter.'"

Some scientists have warned that affluent white suburbanites could run out of lawn space for all the signs very soon.  

"Limited space is a growing concern," said Duncatilly-- who also identifies as a scientist. 

Thankfully, a solution has been proposed to help cut down on yard signage. Many have discovered they can get the same message across by putting up a single sign that simply says "White Men Are The Worst". 

Brilliant! 

You can read other humor piece via the below link:

https://babylonbee.com/ 

Philadelphia Man Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison For Gun Trafficking: The Defendant’s Sentence Comes Nearly Three Weeks After His Sister Was Sentenced To Prison For The Same Crime

 The U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of PA released the below: 

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Mario Ramirez, 33, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to  14 years in prison, and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gene E.K. Pratter for trafficking weapons, conspiracy, and being a felon in possession of firearms as part of his family’s firearms trafficking ‘business’ in Philadelphia. The defendant committed these crimes while under the supervision of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a prior gun offense.  

In March 2020, the defendant pleaded guilty to all charged offenses in two separate Indictments. First, in January 2019, the defendant was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms stemming from the recovery of four of the defendant’s firearms which he had stored in his mother’s home in Philadelphia. 

Then in October 2019, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license, dealing in firearms without a license, and being a felon in possession of firearms, all stemming from a law enforcement operation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in the fall of 2018. During the operation, ATF purchased 35 firearms, including machinegun conversion kits and 11 self-made, non-serialized firearms, in eight transactions from the defendant, who conspired with co-defendant Matthew “Montana” Stephens who had brokered the sales and received a percentage of each sale as a fee. 

On March 4, 2021, the defendant’s sister, Elena Ramirez, was sentenced to three years in prison for trafficking firearms and ammunition – sales which were also brokered with the assistance of Stephens. 

“Mario Ramirez added to the chaos and carnage on the streets of our city by illegally selling firearms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “When he was arrested on these charges, his sister stepped in to fill the gap – and now they will both face the consequences of their actions in federal prison.” 

“Firearms trafficking continues to help fuel violent gun crime throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Illegally selling firearms presents an obvious threat toward the safety of our communities.  Had it not been for the collaborative work between investigators and the United States Attorney’s Office, dozens of firearms would have been on the streets of Philadelphia where they would have been used in an untold number of violent crimes.” 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   

The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. De Souza.

Stu Bykofsky: In D.A. debate, Peruto Stands Alone

 Stu Bykofsky offers his take on the Zoom Philadelphia district attorney debate in a post on his website.

District Attorney Larry Krasner likes boogeymen. 

Although Frank Rizzo has been dead 30 years, Krasner mentioned him four times during Monday afternoon’s Zoom district attorney debate sponsored by the Philadelphia Bar Association. He waved the name like an amulet to ward off evil. 

Then, on the subject of immigration (which was actually about illegal immigration) Krasner reached into his magic bag for a Donald J. Trump red herring, saying he and Mayor Kenney fashioned a document to withdraw cooperation with ICE. They did that because of Trump’s, you know, horrible and inhumane policies. 

Except for this: It was nimrod Mayor Michael Nutter who was browbeaten by Open Border types into ending the agreement with ICE, and this happened under President Barack Obama, the deporter-in-chief, he was sometimes called. 

This question asked by moderator Riley Ross was would the candidates maintain Philadelphia’s Sanctuary City status.  

Krasner would, of course, because there are few laws he likes to enforce. Sadly, his Democratic challenger, Carlos Vega, agreed, after some double-talk about how illegals are “victimized twice.” No, they are the perps, not the victim.  

Republican candidate Chuck Peruto said he wasn’t much interested in prosecuting garden variety illegals, but if they committed a felony, they’d get time — before being deported. 

Wow! Enforcement would a relief, because Philly policy is to “protect” all illegals — even those who have committed a felony.   

… In opening comments, Krasner said he should be reelected because, “promises made, promises kept.” 

Odd that he hates Trump but stole a campaign motto. 

Peruto said, yeah, you kept promises, but they made things worse. He also called Krasner a “politician” for dredging up Rizzo, who has nothing to do with anything. Peruto certainly did stand alone.  

Vega said the city is “more dangerous” than at any time in the last 30 years and victims need a protector who “looks like them,” and told a politically incorrect truth when he said most homicide victims in Philly were people of color. 

Krasner said crime is up everywhere, even in Republican cities, so he can’t blamed for the crime spike here.

Vega said his failure to prosecute and to reduce charges helped explain the rising crime rate, and Peruto said Krasner’s policy of not prosecuting shoplifting crimes under $500 promoted “Christmas shopping,” of the illegal kind.  

Defense attorney Peruto has been a life-long Democrat who is running to defeat Krasner if he gets past underdog Vega in the primary. 

… Does Krasner under-charge on many crimes? 

“Absolutely,” said Peruto, while Vega pussyfooted. Peruto talked about everything from gun violence to car break-ins. 

Vega recovered by citing 180 gun arrests, with 114 dismissed by the D.A. in a city that supposedly has a gun crisis. That might have been his strongest point. 

Krasner’s was his charge that Vega refiled charges against a convict that Krasner’s conviction integrity unit got sprung, and Vega used the testimony of two officers who allegedly coerced confessions. 

The biggest surprise from Peruto was his belief that those convicted, having gone through trial and appeals, were rarely not guilty. 

He sounds like a D.A. already. 

You can read the rest of the post via the below link:

https://stubykofsky.com/in-d-a-debate-peruto-stands-alone/ 

Ralph Cipriano: Philadelphia Inquirer Covers Up Prosecutorial Misconduct In D.A. Krasner's Office

 I’m proud to have been a contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1999 to 2017. (I’m now a contributor to the Washington Times and I write the Crime Beat column for Philadelphia Weekly). 

So it was sad to read Ralph Cipriano’s piece on BigTrial.net about how the once great newspaper is slanting their news coverage for Philly DA Larry Krasner. 

We all knew The Philadelphia Inquirer was in the tank for District Attorney Larry Krasner. 

For the last couple of years, the Inquirer has gone out of its way to censor all negative news about our progressive D.A. and his lenient, criminal-friendly policies that have resulted in scores of armed and dangerous criminals being released from jail, so they can reek more mayhem.  

Ever wonder why Philadelphia every day is setting new records for shootings and murders? Look no further than the disastrous policies of Larry Krasner. 

But don't expect the Inquirer to ever tell you that. Especially since Krasner faces a tough reelection battle in the May 18th Democratic primary against Carlos Vega, who happens to be a real prosecutor.  

This morning, however, the Inquirer committed a few new crimes against journalism. First, they printed a story that said the district attorney's office was withdrawing three sexual assault charges against Carl Holmes, a former chief inspector in the police department.  

But then the Inquirer deliberately omitted the main reason why Common Pleas Court Judge Karen Simmons tossed those charges -- on Jan. 7th, the judge caught Assistant District Attorney Rachel Black lying about an alleged victim's availability to appear in court.  

Next, the Inquirer not only refused to report Assistant District Attorney Black's prosecutorial misconduct, they also printed a new alibi from the D.A.'s office to explain why the alleged victim didn't show up in court, an alibi that Black, as well the alleged victim herself, had never previously made.  

It's called slanting the news, and that's what the Inquirer is deliberately doing to ensure that Krasner gets reelected, so that his progressive policies can result in more shootings and more murders. 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

Inky Covers Up Prosecutorial Misconduct In D.A. Krasner's Office | Big Trial | Philadelphia Trial Blog 

A Little Humor: Her Guardian Angel

A woman is walking on the road and a voice shouts out, “Don’t take a step further.” She obeys and suddenly a ton of bricks fall on the place where she would have otherwise been. 

She thinks she imagined it and keeps walking until suddenly the voice calls out again. “Don’t take a step further.” She stops and a car skids past. 

Then suddenly she hears the voice saying “I am your guardian angel, and I will warn you before something bad happens to you. Now do you have any questions to ask me?” 

“Yes!” Shouts the woman, “Just where were you on my wedding day?!” 

Note: The above photo is of actor Henry Travers as Clarence Odbody, the Guardian Angel in It’s a Wonderful Life. 

Six Years Later, Another Executive In ‘Fat Leonard’ Navy Bribery Scandal Extradited to US

 Todd South at the Navy Times offers a piece on another person charged in the “Fat Leonard” U.S. Navy bribery and fraud scandal. 

 A 41-year-old Thai woman was recently extradited and charged with defrauding the U.S. Navy to the tune of $5 million for her alleged role in the infamous “Fat Leonard” bribery case. The scandal has so far seen at least 33 people charged and the ruin of high-ranking officials, and cost taxpayers an estimated $35 million. 

 Pornpun Settaphakron pleaded not guilty on Monday in federal court in San Diego to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and multiple counts of false claims, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office statement. 

Prosecutors allege that Settaphakron turned in $5 million worth of false claims while she managed the Thailand office of the Singapore-based contractor Glenn Defense Marine Asia. The judge ordered her detained. Her next court appearance is scheduled for April 9.

That defense company was owned and operated by Leonard Glenn Francis, commonly known as “Fat Leonard.”

Francis’ company, GDMA, performed services ranging from docking, refueling and sewage removal in Singapore and throughout the region.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:  

Six years later, another executive in ‘Fat Leonard’ Navy bribery scandal extradited to US (navytimes.com)

You can also read my Counterterrorism magazine piece on the Fat Leonard case via the below link:

Paul Davis On Crime: My Piece On The 'Fat Leonard' U.S. Navy Bribery And Fraud Case 

Babylon Bee Exclusive: We Have Obtained A Copy Of Joe Biden's Day Planner

The Babylon Bee takes a satirical shot at Creepy, Sleepy Joe.

Joe Biden's day planner was left on a table at a Washington DC Denny's this week. Before returning to the White House, our staff was able to take pictures of the contents of Biden's rigorous schedule. It is truly amazing that a man of Biden's age has enough vim and vigor to accomplish so much every day.

 Here are just a few examples from Biden's dense schedule:

• Muffins
• Nap (many, many naps)
• Crossword puzzle day
• Do the green screen thingy
• Napppppp
• Also, sleep (which is different from naps)
• Test new drones
• note to self: Stop using the term "colored people" it's bad now
• Cash that Xi money
• Turkey (he was not sure if this was in reference to the country or the poultry)
• Call Obama (recurring in planner. Keeps getting voicemail)
• Tell Kamala to do the thing
• Remember what the thing is
• Detailed notes on who he can and cannot sniff at various events
• Yell at cloud
• Parsnips 
• Tape Blue Bloods (starring Tom Selleck)
• John Wayne-a-thon
• Strategy meeting @ CNN

You can read other humor pieces via the below link:

https://babylonbee.com/