wild casino bonus
Police experts are questioning whether Worcester officers accused of illegal sex acts will face consequences. The Worcester Police Department was rocked by a blistering 41-page report by the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this month that said police engaged in illegal sex acts with prostituted women that in several cases they went on to arrest, and used excessive force and racial bias in their policing. But DOJ officials clarified at a community meeting on Wednesday that their report is civil, not criminal. Filing charges was not within investigators’ purview and instead any evidence of criminal behavior has been forwarded to criminal assistant U.S. attorneys. Mass. Gov. Maura Healey said in an interview with MassLive on Friday that the situation in Worcester highlights the importance of the state’s new Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Commission , which certifies officers and can bar those it decertifies from future police work in Massachusetts. “The allegations are very alarming,” said Healey, who previously served as the state’s Attorney General. “And it’s important that the work continues by the city and POST.” Yet, the question remains: Will this report spark real change? Putting the burden on survivors For Jane Anderson, a former prosecutor with experience in human trafficking, sexual assault, and domestic violence cases, how some Worcester officials have responded to the report offers hints as to how things might progress. The first response to the report came from outside attorney Brian Kelly, who called the report “unfair, inaccurate, and biased” and further said the report used “anonymous allegations that serve to unfairly defame an entire police department.” Kelly was hired by the city and his statement was approved by the city manager . Worcester police union officials later used similar language to attack the report . Calling the Worcester DOJ report, or any such report detailing sexual assault, into question over “anecdotal” evidence, “means that you’re dismissing disclosures by victims,” and “puts the burden on a survivor or victim to say, ‘What is enough for you?’” Anderson said. Anderson works for AEquitas , a nonprofit group that aims to better prosecution practices in gender-based violence and human trafficking. While she could not comment on specifics of the DOJ report, Anderson offered a broad insight into the legalities and realities of cases like Worcester’s. “Perpetrators of sexual assault, of human trafficking, they can formulate what we sometimes refer to as the ‘perfect plan,’” Anderson explained. “That ‘perfect plan’ is to abuse and exploit — and get away with it. That ‘perfect plan’ includes finding somebody that is accessible, is vulnerable or you can instill a vulnerability in. And it will be someone that you think will never tell anybody — or if they do tell somebody, they won’t be believed,” she said. Multiple women told DOJ investigators that Worcester police officers engaged in unwanted sexual contact with them during undercover operations, took advantage of them sexually in vulnerable situations, and threatened arrest if they did not perform sex acts, according to the report. Besides body camera footage — accountability technology that was only adopted in Worcester in 2023 — a victim’s words may sometimes be the only evidence in a law enforcement sexual assault case, and therefore become even more important in these types of cases, Anderson said. Out of time? In his initial statement on behalf of the city, attorney Kelly accused federal officials of “racing to publish an inaccurate report before the change in presidential administrations.” Thomas Nolan , a former Boston Police lieutenant and Boston University criminal justice professor, fears the entire “issue will likely become moot” due to that change in administration. The report was prepared by the Department of Justice under President Joe Biden but will move forward through the Department of Justice under President-elect Donald Trump. “I don’t see a good outcome for victims here. That is, unless there’s somebody at the federal level who is willing to pick up the ball ... and move this case forward,” Nolan said. Nolan cited former Attorney General Jeffrey Sessions’ past communications in 2017 after Donald Trump first took office. “One of his first orders of business was... to communicate to law enforcement agencies throughout the country that the federal government, and the DOJ in particular, had no interest in assuming any oversight role of any local police departments,” Nolan said. He added that he expects the same policy to start up again in 2025. Representatives for the incoming Trump administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report on Worcester’s police. Nolan said there will be “no mechanism with which the DOJ can coerce, cajole or in any way compel the city of Worcester and the Worcester Police Department to do anything.” The police department’s authority figures — including the chief — likely enabled the problems laid out in the report to persist, Nolan said. “This type of behavior... can’t go on without the cadre of leadership being aware of this, and tacitly approving it and condoning it. [A police department] doesn’t operate in a vacuum,” Nolan said. Two Worcester Police unions released statements that called the report “inaccurate,” but also said the “experiences of these women are important and should be investigated.” Nolan said the unions’ comments on wanting to get to the bottom of investigations were “disingenuous.” “The mayor knows this, and especially the police union knows this, that they’re not going to give the names of victims who’ve reported being sexually assaulted to the Department of Justice, or to the police who failed to investigate it or prevent it in the first place,” Nolan said. State and local consequences Dennis Galvin, president of police reform advocacy group Massachusetts Association for Professional Law Enforcement (MAPLE), predicts that there will be consequences at the state and local level. Galvin, who retired at the rank of Massachusetts State Police major after 29 years in 2004, believes there’s no way the Worcester officers will go unchecked after the allegations because of the newly-implemented POST Commision. “The chief is going to have to work with the POST Commission because these are serious allegations. Whenever there’s an allegation of criminal activity, it’s no longer where they can keep it in-house,” Galvin said. Newly implemented police reform laws will require Worcester police to have a written investigation with a written finding including testimony and evidence, Galvin said. In discussion of how this could have happened, Galvin named a preventative measure called Early Intervention Systems (EIS) , a data-driven tool used by departments to check for officer misconduct by looking at performance indicators like use of force, citizen complaints and arrests. Intervention like additional training and counseling can happen as a result. The Worcester Police Department implemented EIS in 2008, according to a document about the initiative on the department’s “Policies & Procedures” webpage. The document was updated in 2015 to include “triggering criteria” where an officer would be flagged for their behavior. In a statement to MassLive, WPD spokesperson Joe Cersosimo said the EIS system is still in place and “only one part of the system that promotes accountability,” and that “policy review is an ongoing business to stay current professionally.” The DOJ report accused Worcester of not having “proper controls” in place, “including strong policies, training, and supervisory techniques” to initially prevent officers’ behavior, and that there was nothing to stop the same problems from happening in the future. If the Worcester department “were mindful of the ways they did business, the allegations... would never have occurred in the first place,” Nolan said. Due process Anderson — of AEquitas — said it was appropriate to have the involvement of federal officials in Worcester due to provisions in the U.S. Constitution. Anderson brought up a webinar hosted in 2021 by AEquitas, which invited DOJ members to discuss the exploitative relationship dynamic between sexual offenders when they are law enforcement members and their victims, and how that violence is prosecuted. Sexual contact from a police officer directed toward a person in their custody violates that person’s constitutional right in the 14th Amendment and causes the case to fall under federal jurisdiction, an AEquitas speaker explained. This is because the Amendment’s “due process clause has been held to include the right to bodily integrity.” Action taken against offending police officers can be carried out in a few different ways, Anderson explained. This includes the possibility of a federal criminal justice process that would result in charges, or if a police department took internal administrative disciplinary action — both of which could happen concurrently in a case like this, Anderson said. “There’s probably going to be some background conversations about, ‘Who should go first?’” Anderson said of cases like Worcester’s. But the question of who will be having those conversations is still unknown, she said, meaning there’s not yet a clear answer on when, or if, there will be arrests of officers in Worcester stemming from the DOJ report. According to the Department of Justice, the next step is for the department to begin negotiations with the Worcester Police Department and city officials to create some type of agreement stipulating what reforms the police department will adopt and how and when they will adopt them, Assistant Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Michelle Leung told a group of community members during a breakout session on Wednesday. “This makes sure that it’s serious. It’s not just a verbal promise,” she said. As for criminal charges, criminal assistant U.S. attorneys to whom Justice Department officials said they had passed on information, decide on their own whether to open a case and file charges. DOJ officials declined to comment on any criminal investigations related to the investigation into Worcester police and refrained from confirming whether any such investigations are taking place. More Worcester Stories
Who is David Sacks?
None
Manhattan police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione , suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while carrying a gun, mask and writings linking him to the ambush. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here's the latest: Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. ▶ Read more about Luigi Mangione Peter Weeks, the Blair County district attorney, says he’ll work with New York officials to try to return suspect Luigi Mangione there to face charges. Weeks said the New York charges are “more serious” than in Blair County. “We believe their charges take precedent,” Weeks said, promising to do what’s needed to accommodate New York’s prosecution first. Weeks spoke to reporters after a brief hearing at which a defense lawyer said Mangione will fight extradition. The defense asked for a hearing on the issue. In the meantime, Mangione will be detained at a state prison in western Pennsylvania. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said Tuesday it will seek a Governor’s warrant to secure Mangione’s extradition to Manhattan. Under state law, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul can issue a warrant of arrest demanding Mangione’s return to the state. Such a warrant must recite the facts necessary to the validity of its issuance and be sealed with the state seal. It would then be presented to law enforcement in Pennsylvania to expedite Mangione’s return to New York. But Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks says it won’t be a substantial barrier to returning Mangione to New York. He noted that defendants contest extradition “all the time,” including in simple retail theft cases. Dickey, his defense lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Mangione will continue to be housed at a state prison in Huntingdon. He has 14 days to challenge the detention. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor’s warrant out of New York. Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was quieted by his lawyer. Luigi Mangione, 26, has also been denied bail at a brief court hearing in western Pennsylvania. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. That’s with some intervention from owner Elon Musk. The account, which hasn’t posted since June, was briefly suspended by X. But after a user inquired about it in a post Monday, Musk responded “This happened without my knowledge. Looking into it.” The account was later reinstated. Other social media companies such as Meta have removed his accounts. According to X rules, the platform removes “any accounts maintained by individual perpetrators of terrorist, violent extremist, or mass violent attacks, as well as any accounts glorifying the perpetrator(s), or dedicated to sharing manifestos and/or third party links where related content is hosted.” Mangione is not accused of perpetrating a terrorist or mass attack — he has been charged with murder — and his account doesn’t appear to share any writings about the case. He shouted something that was partly unintelligible, but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He’s there for an arraignment on local charges stemming from his arrest Monday. He was dressed in an orange jumpsuit as officers led him from a vehicle into the courthouse. Local defense lawyer Thomas Dickey is expected to represent the 26-year-old at a Tuesday afternoon hearing at the Blair County Courthouse. Dickey declined comment before the hearing. Mangione could have the Pennsylvania charges read aloud to him and may be asked to enter a plea. They include possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. In New York, he was charged late Monday with murder in the death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. A felony warrant filed in New York cites Altoona Officer Christy Wasser as saying she found the writings along with a semi-automatic pistol and an apparent silencer. The filing echoes earlier statements from NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny who said Mangione had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America.” Mangione is now charged in Pennsylvania with being a fugitive of justice. A customer at the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione was arrested said one of his friends had commented beforehand that the man looked like the suspect wanted for the shooting in New York City. “It started out almost a little bit like a joke, my one friend thought he looked like the shooter,” said the customer, who declined to give his full name, on Tuesday. “It wasn’t really a joke, but we laughed about it,” he added. The warrant on murder and other charges is a step that could help expedite his extradition from Pennsylvania. In court papers made public Tuesday, a New York City police detective reiterated key findings in the investigation he said tied Mangione to the killing, including surveillance footage and a fake ID he used to check into a Manhattan hostel on Nov. 24. Police officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, found that ID when they arrested Mangione on Monday. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione doesn’t yet have a lawyer who can speak on his behalf, court officials said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and ski cap. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. Mangione’s cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione, announced Tuesday morning that he’s postponing a fundraiser planned later this week at the Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore, which was purchased by the Mangione family in 1986. “Because of the nature of this terrible situation involving my Cousin I do not believe it is appropriate to hold my fundraising event scheduled for this Thursday at Hayfields,” Nino Mangione said in a social media post. “I want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. My family and I are heartbroken and ask that you remember the family of Mr. Thompson in your prayers. Thank you.” Officers used New York City’s muscular surveillance system . Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door to door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later , those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian’s instincts. A customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos New York police had publicized. He remains jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late Monday evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. It’s unclear whether Luigi Nicholas Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday’s arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.”
Crusader against military coupsI’m A Celeb viewers slam GK Barry and brand her ‘lazy’ after spotting issue
Indianapolis (7-8) at New York Giants (2-13) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox. BetMGM NFL Odds: Colts by 7 1/2. Against the spread: Colts 9-6; Giants 4-11. Series record: Colts lead 12-7. Last meeting: Giants beat the Colts 38-10 on Jan. 1, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. Last week: Colts beats Titans 38-30; Giants lost to Falcons 34-7. Colts: overall (21), rush (8), pass (28), scoring (21) Colts defense: overall (29), rush (28), pass (24), scoring (23) Giants offense: overall (32), rush (22), pass (29), scoring (32) Giants defense: overall (22), rush (31), pass (7), scoring (25) Turnover differential: Colts minus-2; Giants minus-10. DT DeForest Buckner had a tackle for a loss in his fifth straight game and had a pass defended against Tennessee. He has sacks in three of the past four games and is one of three players with seven or more sacks in each of the past six seasons. The Giants have allowed 18 sacks in the past five games. WR Malik Nabers has 97 receptions, breaking the team record of 91, set by Odell Beckham in 2014 and matched by Saquon Barkley in 2018. Nabers needs three catches in the final two games to become the fifth rookie in NFL history with at least 100. Puka Nacua of the Rams set the league rookie record of 105 receptions last season, but Raiders tight end Brock Bowers also is in contention to break it with 101 catches this season. Indianapolis broke a 68-year-old franchise record by rushing for 335 yards against the Titans. Look for the Colts to keep running the ball. Despite losing tackle Dexter Lawrence and linebacker Bobby Okereke to season-ending injuries last month, New York's run defense has gotten better with Elijah Chatman, Jordon Riley and Elijah Garcia in the middle. The Giants held Derrick Henry of the Ravens to 67 yards two weeks ago and Bijan Robinson of the Falcons to 94 last weekend. Colts: QB Anthony Richardson (back, foot) missed practice Thursday and Friday and was listed as questionable, along G Quenton Nelson (ankle), LB E.J. Speed (knee) and TE Mo Alie-Cox (toe). Giants: LB Micah McFadden (neck), C John Michael Schmitz (ankle), CB Greg Stroman (shin-shoulder) and S Raheem Layne (knee) are all out. ... Nabers (toe) also missed the first two days, but he usually finds a way to play. The Colts had won four straight until the Giants snapped the streak in the 2022 season. The teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Colts winning both. The most memorable game was the 1958 championship game which Baltimore won 23-17 in overtime on Alan Ameche's 1-yard run. It was the first NFL title game decided in OT. The Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in March 1984. The Colts have alternated wins and losses each of the past five games. ... Indy is 3-5 on the road this season heading into its final game regular-season game outside Indianapolis. ... Richardson broke the Colts single-season record for TD runs by a quarterback (six) last week and he needs two more to pass Jacoby Brissett (11) for No. 5 on the franchise's career list. ... Only three players have more games with 100 yards rushing this season than Jonathan Taylor (six). He's also second on the franchise list with 53 total TDs over a player's first five seasons, trailing Hall of Fame RB Lenny Moore (55). ... Indy's defense has allowed 48 plays of 20 or more yards this season, the fifth fewest in the NFL. ... The Colts have allowed the fewest points (12) on opening possessions and are tied with Pittsburgh for the NFL lead with five red zone takeaways. Giants: New York has lost a franchise-record 10 straight games and is 0-8 at MetLife Stadium. The only winless season at home was in 1974 when they played at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, while Giants Stadium was being built. ... RB Tyrone Tracy caught his first TD last weekend. He has rushed for five. ... Nabers' 97 catches are fifth in the league entering Week 17. Nabers and Tracy can become the NFL’s third pair of rookie teammates each with 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage. Tracy needs 16 yards and Nabers 29. ... WR Wan’Dale Robinson has a career-best 78 receptions. ... OLB Brian Burns has sacks in his past two home game. ... ILB Darius Muasau led the Giants with 11 combined tackles last weekend. ... S Dane Belton has had at least five tackles in three straight games. Why not Taylor coming up big two weeks in a row. The Colts running back won the AFC offensive player of the week award rushing for 218 yards and three touchdowns against the Titans. He has 76 carries for 421 yards over the past three games and has his first 1,000-yard season since winning the 2021 rushing crown. The Giants are next to last stopping the run. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflCrexendo CEO Jeffrey Korn sells $36,750 in stock
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has sought reforms in India's Priority Sector Lending (PSL) framework to enable the setting up of more Development Finance Institutions (DFI) to provide funds to new and emerging sectors such as digital infrastructure, green initiatives, healthcare, and innovative manufacturing. "The current Development Finance Institutions like SIDBI and NABFID have their roles cut out as they have earmarked sectors to finance. Therefore, CII has suggested setting up of a high-level committee to look at the revision of Priority Sector Lending norms and also explore the need for any new DFIs to cater to some of the new and emerging sectors," the CII said in a statement on Sunday. Despite its massive success, the PSL framework requires regular recalibration to remain relevant. This recalibration is essential to ensure that the financial resources are optimally distributed, in harmony with our vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the statement said. For instance, while agriculture contributes 14 per cent of the GDP today, its PSL allocation remains at 18 per cent, unchanged from when its GDP share exceeded 30 per cent. Similarly, sectors like infrastructure and innovative manufacturing lack adequate PSL focus despite their potential to drive economic growth, it added. India’s economy has evolved rapidly over the past few decades, with employment focus shifting to newer sectors because of increased education levels in the society and higher disposable incomes, the statement said. The PSL is a vital policy tool in India, aimed at ensuring that key sectors crucial to the nation’s development receive adequate financial support. Mandated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), PSL obligates banks to allocate a specified proportion of their loans to sectors such as agriculture, education, housing, and small industries. The framework ensures equitable credit distribution, contributing to the socio-economic growth of underserved areas. CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said: "Sectors like agriculture have reduced contribution to GDP from 30 per cent in the 1990s to about 14 per cent now. Hence, it is time that the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) framework be reviewed every 3-4 years to align based on emerging priorities and PSL allocations should be in line with GDP contributions and sectoral growth potential. For instance, we could look at the inclusion of Emerging and High-Impact Sectors, including digital infrastructure, green initiatives, healthcare, and innovative manufacturing." The industry chamber has, therefore, recommended inclusion in PSL of sectors like green energy projects, electric vehicles, and climate-resilient agriculture along with sectors like digital technologies, artificial intelligence and healthcare innovation. The CII has further pointed out that besides the above sectors, Infrastructure and manufacturing are poised to make substantial contributions to India’s economic growth. It said that its recommendation is that of transition to outcome-based metrics, where the focus needs to shift from absolute lending targets to measurable developmental outcomes, ensuring impact-driven credit distribution.Sharon model train railroader all onboard with technology for upcoming showNone
Taylen Green leads Arkansas to 39-26 victory over Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl
WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under President-elect Donald Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday that those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth has embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. But Hegseth has been fighting to save his nomination as he faces allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault and over his views questioning the role of women in combat. He spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to win the support of Republican senators, who must confirm him to lead the Pentagon, doing a radio interview and penning an opinion column. Some service members have complained in the past about the Pentagon’s DEI programs, saying they add to an already heavy workload. The Pentagon still has a long way to go in having a general officer corps or specialty occupations such as pilots that have a racial and gender makeup reflective of the country. A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the list said senior leaders are hoping that once Trump is sworn in, they will be able to discuss the issue further. They are prepared to provide additional context to the incoming administration, the official told The Associated Press, which is not publishing the names to protect service members’ privacy. Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday that the list would have “considerable, wide and deep consequences.” He said when military members see people singled out, they will start focusing on their own survival rather than the mission or their job. “You will drive people out,” Hagel said. “It affects morale as widely and deeply as anything — it creates a negative dynamic that will trickle through an organization.” The list, which was first reported by The New York Post, includes nine Air Force general officers, seven Navy admirals of different ranks and four Army general officers. Eight of those 20 are women even though only 17% of the military is female. None are Marines. One female Navy officer was named because she gave a speech at a 2015 Women’s Equality Day event, where she noted that 80% of Congress is male, which affects what bills move forward. The officer also was targeted because she said “diversity is our strength.” The phrase is a widely distributed talking point that officers across the Pentagon have used for years to talk about the importance of having a military that reflects different educational, geographic, economic, gender and racial backgrounds in the country. An Air Force colonel, who is white, was called out for an opinion piece he wrote following the death of George Floyd, saying, “Dear white colonel, we must address our blind spots about race.” A female Air Force officer was targeted because of “multiple woke posts” on her X feed, including a tweet about LGBTQ rights, one about “whiteness” and another about honoring the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on a stamp. Another female Air Force officer was on the list because she “served as a panelist for a diversity, equity and inclusion” discussion in 2021. The list names an Army officer who traveled to 14 historically Black colleges to expand the military’s intelligence recruitment efforts, and an Air Force officer partly because he co-chairs the Asian-Pacific Islander subgroup of the service’s diversity task force. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition team, said in a statement that “No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.” But in an interview Wednesday for Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM satellite radio show, Hegseth said Trump told him he wanted a “warfighter” who would clean out the “woke crap.” Hegseth got a boost Friday from Trump, who posted on his social media site that Hegseth “will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense.” The president-elect added that “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Jones told the AP in June that his American Accountability Foundation was investigating scores of federal employees suspected of being hostile to Trump’s policies. The work aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s far-reaching Project 2025 blueprint for a conservative administration. A letter Jones sent to Hegseth containing the list, dated Tuesday, says “purging the woke from the military is imperative.” The letter points to tensions with Iran, Russia and China and says “we cannot afford to have a military distracted and demoralized by leftist ideology. Our nation’s security is at stake.” Conservatives view the federal workforce as overstepping its role to become a power center that can drive or thwart a president’s agenda. During the first Trump administration, government officials came under attack from the White House and congressional Republicans, as Trump’s own Cabinet often raised objections to some of his more singular or even unlawful proposals. ___ AP writer Courtney Bonnell contributed from Washington. Advertisement Advertisement
Nigeria’s Current Economic Difficulties a Blessing, Curse to Businesses –NnejiCII proposes reforms in PSL framework; calls for more Development Finance Institutions in budget demands