Az Cops Shoot And Kill Marine In Botched Marijuana Raid, No Pot Found

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On May 5 at around 9:30 a.m., several teams of Pima County, Ariz., police officers from at least four different police agencies armed with SWAT gear and an armored personnel carrier raided at least four homes as part of what at the time was described as an investigation into alleged marijuana trafficking.

One of those homes belonged to 26-year-old Jose Guerena and his wife, Vanessa Guerena. The couple's 4-year-old son was also in the house at the time. Their 6-year-old son was at school.

As the SWAT team forced its way into his home, Guerena, a former Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq, armed himself with his AR-15 rifle and told his wife and son to hide in a closet. As the officers entered, Guerena confronted them from the far end of a long, dark hallway. The police opened fire, releasing more than 70 rounds in about 7 seconds, at least 60 of which struck Guerena. He was pronounced dead a little over an hour later.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department initially claimed (PDF) Guerena fired his weapon at the SWAT team. They now acknowledge that not only did he not fire, the safety on his gun was still activated when he was killed. Guerena had no prior criminal record, and the police found nothing illegal in his home. After ushering out his wife and son, the police refused to allow paramedics to access Guerena for more than hour, leaving the young father to bleed to death, alone, in his own home.

I can now report a number of new details that further call into question the police account of what happened that morning. But first some context:

The Pima County Sheriff's Office has now changed its story several times over the last few weeks. They have issued a press release (PDF) scolding the media and critics for questioning the legality of the raid, the department's account of what happened, and the department's ability to fairly investigate its own officers.

They have obtained a court order sealing the search warrants and police affidavits that led to the raids, and they're now refusing any further comment on the case at all. When I contacted Public Information Officer Jason Ogan with some questions, he replied via email that the department won't be releasing any more information. On Saturday, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik told Arizona Daily Star columnist Josh Brodesky that he may never release the search warrants and police affidavits. Dupnik rose to national prominence earlier this year after claiming combative political rhetoric contributed to Jared Loughner killing six people and wounding 19 others, including Rep. Gabielle Giffords, last January.

The department's excuses for keeping all of this information under wraps make little sense. In his May 18 press release (PDF), for example, Ogan wrote, "The investigation that lead to the service of the search warrants on May 5 is a complicated one involving multiple people suspected of very serious crimes. Sometimes, law enforcement agencies must choose between the desire of the public to quickly know details, and the very real threat to innocent lives if those details are released prematurely." Dupnik used the same line of reasoning with Brodesky.

"Those are the real sensitive parts of why we are having difficulty with trying to put information out publicly--because we don't want somebody getting killed," Dupnik said.

The problem with that explanation is that the search warrants and affidavits weren't sealed until four days after the raids were executed, right at about the time the troubling questions about Jose Guerena's death began to make national headlines. If revealing the details of this investigation -- which remember, was initially described by the Sheriff's Department as a marijuana investigation -- could endanger lives, why weren't the warrants and affidavits sealed from the start?

It isn't difficult to understand why some would suspect a cover-up, or at least an attempt to suppress details until the department can come up with a narrative that mitigates the damage. In any case, it's awfully audacious for a police agency to scold the media for not trusting them and for "spreading misinformation" just days after revealing they themselves released bad information.

Full Story At HuffPo http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/25/jose-guerena-arizona-_n_867020.html

Is Glenn Beck Getting High On His Own Supply?

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When Glenn Beck had one of his crying spells during the announcement of his 9/12 ralley, he said "Man! - I'm turning into a frickin' televangalist."

It just went right passed me because it sounded so rediculous. But since then, that is exactly what has happened. Beck got a few chalkboards and turned his studio into a classroom with a focus on the founding fathers and the constitution.

The problem was that many viewers never warmed up to Professor Becks Revisionist History Class. Before long out went the founding fathers and the constitution, in came Jesus Christ and the bible. Beck has long predicted the demise of his show and has said that he'll go out with a bang. I don't think he's going anywhere.

Especially now that it appears that May 21, 2001 will not be the end of the world. How could it be? - Glenn Beck has been chosen by God to save the land of Israel. Last night at 1 AM Eastern Time, Glenn prayed hard and made the decision.

"I didn’t make the decision of where—We’ve reserved so many sites. Last night at 1 AM Eastern Time I made the Decision, because we had to be on the phone and give a decision to, to all of these places in Israel. One AM, man. I prayed on this one hard. Because, what I am going to announce tomorrow—I thought it was going to be rough going yesterday—heh. Now with what the president has done—Let me tell you something. This is going to be a life-altering event. It will take profound courage to stand in Israel. Because I believe the very Gate of Hell have been opened against them but the very Gates of Heaven are about to open up the other way."

This must be why we will all be spared today because May 21, 2001 will not be the end of the world. God has spoken and he or she has tasked Glenn with saving the promised land. It's either that or Glenn is getting high on his own supply.

Chico Brisbane.

Newt Can't Seem To Follow His Own Advice: When You're In A Hole, Stop Digging

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Newt Gingrich continues to try and dig himself out of the hole he’s dug for himself, calling Rep. Paul Ryan to apologize for his comments on his Medicare overhaul and defiantly appearing on Fox News Channel to push back at the suggestion that his fledgling presidential campaign has suffered a mortal wound.

“I made a mistake,” Gingrich said on Greta Van Susteren’s program Tuesday evening. “And I called Paul Ryan today who is a very close, personal friend, and I said that. The fact is that I have supported what Ryan has tried to with the budget.”

After calling Ryan's plan "radical" and "social engineering" last week, Gingrich has not surprisingly done an about face last night on Fox News by saying that Ryan’s plan is “one I am happy to say I would have voted for. I will defend. And I will be glad to answer any Democrat who attempts to distort what I said.”

Perhaps Newt should call Rush Limbaugh and try to explain it to him. Or better yet, perhaps Newt Gingrich should follow the advice that he has given to so many others time-and-time again. "When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging."

Then, when pressed by Van Susteren, he said, “Look, I made two mistakes.”

Gingrich tried to explain his criticism of Ryan’s plan Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” when he called the proposal to transform Medicare into a private insurance program “right-wing social engineering.” He also suggested then that he supported some kind of individual requirement to purchase health insurance, the cornerstone of GOP opposition to the Democratic healthcare initiative.

That got Gingrich slammed by conservative pundits such as Charles Krauthammer and Rush Limbaugh, as well as politicians such as South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Ryan, too, was clearly chagrined, saying in a radio interview, “With allies like that, who needs the left?”

Gingrich, on Fox, said he erred in “some of the words I used” and praised Ryan for starting the “process” of having an “honest conversation” about entitlement reform.
As he has toured Iowa this week, Gingrich and his nascent campaign have been furiously trying to right the ship and dispel the notion that the former House speaker is an undisciplined candidate who is out of step with the modern GOP.

Gingrich had similar problems during the run-up to U.S. and allied operations in Libya, at times appearing to be on both sides of the question of whether America should intervene.
Democrats have seized on Gingrich’s words, using them as a GOP indictment of Ryan’s plan as too “radical” and are already trying to use them in competitive House districts.

“Any ad which quotes what I said on Sunday is a falsehood, ‘cause I have said publicly that those words were inaccurate and unfortunate,” Gingrich said. “When I make a mistake, and I’m going to on occasion, I am going to stand up and share with the American people ‘That was a mistake' because that way we can have an honest conversation.”

Gingrich took exception with Van Susteren’s suggestion that he had “blown up the Republican Party.”

“I think that’s pretty exaggerated, on every front,” he said. He said the campaign has been seeing “huge crowds” in Iowa.

He said he was "laughing" at the suggestion by the Wall Street Journal editorial board that he wasn't dedicated to substantive change.

"Our record of achieving real change. . . is a pretty good standard to set," he said.
Gingrich also refused to comment on a report that his wife, Callista, ran up a titanic bill at theTiffany jewelery company.

"I'm not commenting on stuff like," he said. "Frankly, I don't want to play the gotcha games in Washington."

Gay RI House Speaker Supports Civil Unions Over Same-Sex Marriage

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The protests started as soon as Rhode Island's openly gay House Speaker Gordon Fox voted down gay marriage legislation and said he'd back civil unions instead. A cop-out, gay marriage supporters said. A compromise for no one. One man made a sign proclaiming, "Fox Hunting Season is Open."

"These folks were looking for a champion," Fox, a Providence Democrat, told The Associated Press. "It hurts me to think that I'm not quite their champion at this point. That bothers me.

Because so many people were waiting for so long ... but you have to be able to move votes."
Gay rights advocates had hoped Fox would help them make this the year that Rhode Island legalized same-sex marriage, joining Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Iowa.

Fox became speaker last year, and newly elected Gov. Lincoln Chafee is a longtime supporter who called on lawmakers to pass gay marriage in his inaugural address. But those hopes faded with Fox's announcement late last month. Many supporters of the measure felt betrayed, saying civil unions treat gay couples as second-class citizens.

"In my opinion he's a self-loathing homophobe," said Gary D'Amario of Cranston, who attended a rally at the Statehouse called after Fox made his decision.

"What was Speaker Fox thinking?" asked the Rev. Duane Clinker of Providence's Open Table of Christ United Methodist Church, a supporter of gay marriage. "I think he forgot he had friends."
Fox said the criticism has stung. But he chalks it up to disappointment and years of frustration.

"I believe they have a higher expectation of me," Fox said, because of his sexual orientation. "I think it's also people that want this badly, that may not understand the process as much. ...

When they say `Oh we've now got a gay speaker of the House, now anything is possible.'"

Voter to Newt: You're An Embarrassment To Our Party

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Yesterday, Newt Gingrich got an ear full from a Republican voter who was angry over comments that Gingrich made about the GOP budget plan.

Gingrich had described Rep. Paul Ryan's plan as “right-wing social engineering” and “radical."

Kudos to Newt thought. He handled the embarrassing sutuation like a gentleman and just walked away. A sign that "the ideas guy" was fresh out.

Voter: Speaker Gingrich, what you just did to Paul Ryan is unforgivable.

Gingrich: I didn’t do anything to Paul Ryan!

Voter: Yes, you did. You undercut him and his allies in the house.

Gingrich: No, I –

Voter: You’re an embarrassment to our party.

Gingrich: I’m sorry you feel that way.

Voter: Why don’t you get out before you make a bigger fool of yourself.

CNN's Don Lemon Comes Out At Long Last

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In his book “Transparent,” CNN Anchor Don Lemon has a lot to say about reporting for television and about journalism in general. But he knows enough about news to recognize what will get this book noticed.

“People are going to say: ‘Oh, he was molested as a kid and now he is coming out.’ I get it,” he said.

Few national television news anchors or hosts have publicly acknowledged being gay. Rachel Maddow is perhaps the best known. Her MSNBC colleague, Thomas Roberts, has also come out as gay.

Mr. Lemon has not made a secret of his sexual orientation in his work life; many of his CNN co-workers and managers have long been aware that he is gay. But he still acknowledged that going public in his book carries certain risks.

“I’m scared,” he said in a telephone interview. “I’m talking about something that people might shun me for, ostracize me for.”