OBAMA SILENT ON VIOLENT, POST-ELECTION PROTESTS

By Rick Jensen

Why does President Obama refuse to condemn violent protesters?

On CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Leslie Stahl asked President-elect Trump to address the violence.

“When we interviewed him on Friday afternoon Mr. Trump said he had not heard about some of the acts of violence that are popping up in his name… or against his supporters,” Stahl reported., “Nor he said had he heard about reports of racial slurs and personal threats against African Americans, Latinos and gays by some of his supporters.”Here’s the back-and-fourth Stahl had with Trump:

Donald Trump: “I am very surprised to hear that– I hate to hear that, I mean I hate to hear that—-”

Lesley Stahl: “But you do hear it?”

Donald Trump: “I don’t hear it—-I saw, I saw one or two instances…”

Lesley Stahl: “On social media?”

Donald Trump: “But I think it’s a very small amount. Again, I think it’s—-”

Lesley Stahl: “Do you want to say anything to those people?”

Donald Trump: “I would say don’t do it, that’s terrible, ’cause I’m gonna bring this country together.”

Lesley Stahl: “They’re harassing Latinos, Muslims—-”

Donald Trump: “I am so saddened to hear that. And I say, “Stop it.” If it– if it helps. I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: Stop it.”

Yes, president-elect Trump looked directly into the camera and said, “Stop it.”

Not the most eloquent language to engage people, and he did it nonetheless.

The very next day, Monday, November 14, President Obama addressed the nation on cable, broadcast TV and radio.

His first press conference since the election was casual with the friendly crowd of reporters, waxing along rather vaguely about issues domestic and international.

What he did not do was address the violent protesters.

Why not?

After all, protesters burning cars and looting stores are reacting to President Obama being replaced by someone who frightens them (at least the ones who are not being paid to do so).

These are, ostensibly, his people. They would not be rioting if he were elected to a third term, no matter that hypothetical concept’s lack of constitutional authority.

Some people suspect Obama wants the protests to continue; to create more fear and dissent towards a Trump presidency.

I really don’t know and cannot understand why he refuses to show such leadership.

Now, it’s unlikely they will stop, especially those who are paid by left-wing organizations to keep the protests and violence going.

The Washington Times reported …. “The far-left ANSWER Coalition and Socialist Alternative rushed to organize protest marches in major U.S. cities within hours of Mr. Trump’s presidential victory Tuesday, as did MoveOn.org, which has reportedly received funding from Mr. Soros, a billionaire.”

Republican Kellyanne Conway, who smashed the “glass ceiling” as the first woman to manage a successful presidential campaign, is calling upon Hillary Clinton and President Obama to publicly address the protesters, asking them for calm.

People, mostly Republicans in the Trump campaign, have publicly asked him to make such a plea.

Is it possible that President Obama is so privately angry at Trump’s win that he doesn’t care what the protesters do?

This is the irrational part.This is still your country, Mr. President.Why not speak to them?

It would be helpful for the country if President Obama would address the protesters and ask them to do so respectfully without violence.

Thanks to Wikileaks, we all know for a fact that radical leftist groups whose leaders say they were paid by the DNC and Hillary campaign instigated the violence at Trump rallies.

Now, with evidence these new violent protests are also funded by leftwing groups, it makes even more sense for the liberal President to speak directly to them.

He had another opportunity on Thursday, November 17, and chose to encourage protesters to keep protesting without admonishing violent leftists to do so lawfully.

Silence is consent.

#EpicFail

Justices Rule In Favor Of Woman Alleging ‘Warrantless Intrusion’ By Officer

Olivia Covington for www.theindianalawyer.com

Although a police officer believed that a Hamilton County woman could have been injured after being stuck under her car, the facts surrounding the situation did not lend themselves to an emergency situation that could justify the “warrantless intrusion” of stopping the woman’s car after she drove away.

That is the opinion handed down by the Indiana Supreme Court Tuesday in Mary Osborne v. State of Indiana, 29S02-1608-CR-433. Mary Osborne was at a gas station in Fishers when she became stuck under her vehicle. Officer Jason Arnold received a call from dispatch about Osborne’s situation and drove toward the gas station to investigate, but dispatch informed him that Osborne had freed herself and driven away before he arrived.

As he was pulling into the gas station, Arnold saw Osborne’s car leaving. He began to follow her and did not see any driving infractions or criminal conduct, but still chose to initiate a traffic stop because he was “concerned that (she) potentially could have been seriously injured.”

Arnold saw no injuries on Osborne’s body, but did notice signs of intoxication. After she failed multiple sobriety tests, she was arrested and charged with Class A misdemeanor operating a vehicle while intoxicated in a manner that endangers a person and Class C misdemeanor operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.08.

Osborne moved to suppress the evidence, claiming that Arnold’s warrantless stop violated her federal and state constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure. The trial court denied that motion but the Court of Appeals agreed with her. In oral arguments before the Indiana Supreme Court last month, the state argued that Arnold’s actions were lawful because he genuinely believed that Osborne might have been injured as a result of being stuck under her car. http://www.theindianalawyer.com/justices-consider-rights-of-privacy-vs-public-safety-in-4th-amendment-case/PARAMS/article/41665

While the justices did not contend that Arnold’s motives weren’t pure in their Tuesday opinion, Justice Mark Massa, wrote the facts of the case “‘(do) not establish an exigency sufficient to justify (the) warrantless intrusion’ of stopping Osborne’s car.”

Massa pointed specifically to the Indiana Court of Appeals decision in Trotter v. State, 933 N.E.2d 572, 577 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010), which found that although police officers believed Trotter may have been intoxicated and passed out inside a home, the officers were not met with circumstances that would have caused a reasonable belief that Trotter was in need of emergency assistance.

Similarly, in Osborne, Massa wrote that Osborne had freed herself from the car and was driving normally, and that Arnold did not see her commit any traffic infractions or criminal activity. Those facts do not constitute an emergency that would make Arnold’s stop of Osborne permissible, he said.

“In a close case on these unique facts, we err, if at all, on protecting the privacy rights of Hoosiers against intrusion by the State,” Massa wrote. “Accordingly, we find that the State has failed to carry its burden of showing that an exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment justified the stop.”

The justices also found that the stop was impermissible under Article 1 Section 11 of the Indiana Constitution and reversed the trial court’s denial of Osborne’s motion to suppress the evidence. All justices concurred.

Full 7th Circuit Hears LGBT-Workplace Bias Appeal

IL for www.theindianalawyer.com

The entire 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has heard arguments on whether the 1964 Civil Rights Act covers workplace discrimination against LGBT workers.

A lawyer for Ivy Tech Community College in South Bend sued by former teacher Kimberly Hively, a lesiban, told the Chicago-based court Wednesday it does not and that only Congress can extend those protections.

But Judge Richard Posner said courts sometimes broadened a law’s scope and suggested it may be time to broaden the 52-year-old landmark law.

Posner asked, “Who will be hurt if gays and lesbians have a little more job protection?” Barnes & Thornburg LLP attorney John Maley said he couldn’t think of anyone. Posner responded, “So, what’s the big deal?”

The law bars workplace bias based on race, religion or sex. Maley said Congress didn’t intend for the word ‘sex’ to include sexual-orientation discrimination.

“For too long, LGBT employees have been forced to conceal their true identity at work for fear of backlash and discrimination. It’s nothing short of a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ policy in the workplace,” said Greg Nevins, counsel and workplace fairness program director for Lambda Legal, in a statement following the arguments. “In 2017, hardworking employees should not have to live in the closet in order to keep their jobs.”

Lambda Legal is representing Hively before the 7th Circuit. She filed her lawsuit against Ivey Tech pro se in August 2014, claiming she was denied full-time employment and promotiosn after she had been seen kissing her then-girlfriend in the parking of the school. She argued it was a violation of Title VII, but the trial court dismissed her lawsuit. The 7th Circuit affirmed earlier this year, leading Lambda Legal to request a rehearing en banc.

This story will be updated. 

Since 1996, Tropicana Evansville has celebrated the spirit of the holiday season by hosting charity slot and blackjack tournaments in the month of December.  These tournaments are unique in that players’ entry fees are either a new toy valued at $10 or more, or $10 or more in cash.  The generosity of Tropicana Evansville’s players is exhibited through the many toys collected and money donated.  This year’s tournaments will be held Thursday, December 1 through Sunday, December 4.

All proceeds benefit two area organizations, Salvation Army’s Toy Town and Santa Clothes Club. Tropicana Evansville has a 20-year history with both organizations and has donated more than 20,699 toys ($206,990 value) and $41,110 to assist them in their efforts over the years.

Please join Tropicana Evansville’s Sponsorship & Donations Coordinator, Kim Henning, Salvation Army Captain, Scott Strissel and President of Santa Clothes Club, Doug Duell for the announcement of this year’s charity tournament community contribution results onTuesday, December 6, 2016 at 9:30AM (CST) in Tropicana Evansville’s riverfront pavilion.

About Tropicana Evansville

Tropicana Evansville is a casino, hotel and entertainment facility situated on the Ohio river in Evansville, Indiana that includes a 2,700 passenger riverboat casino, a 243 room hotel, a 96 room boutique hotel, an executive conference center, a 1,660 vehicle parking garage and Riverfront Pavilion housing pre-boarding facilities, retail shops, restaurants and lounge area.

 

About Tropicana Entertainment

Tropicana Entertainment Inc. (OTCQB:  TPCA) is a publicly traded company that, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates eight casinos and resorts in Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Missouri, New Jersey and Aruba. Tropicana properties collectively have approximately 5,526 hotel rooms, 8,075 slot positions and 277 table games. The company is based in Las Vegas, Nevada and is a majority –owned subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises, L.P. (NASDAQ:  IEP).