Hyperconnected employees experiencing ‘dark side’ of digital work
BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 2, 2024-- Immunome, Inc. (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: IMNM), a biotechnology company focused on developing first-in-class and best-in-class targeted cancer therapies, announced today that on December 2, 2024, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”) granted inducement awards consisting of non-statutory stock options to purchase 210,500 shares of common stock to 15 new employees under the Company’s 2024 Inducement Plan. The Compensation Committee approved the stock options as an inducement material to such employees’ employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). Each stock option has an exercise price per share equal to $14.08 per share, the Company’s closing sales price on December 2, 2024, and will vest over four years, with 25% of the underlying shares vesting on the one-year anniversary of the applicable vesting commencement date and the balance of the underlying shares vesting monthly thereafter over 36 months, subject to the new employees’ continued service relationship with the Company through the applicable vesting dates. The stock options are subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s 2024 Inducement Plan and the terms and conditions of an applicable stock option agreement covering the grant. About Immunome Immunome is a clinical-stage targeted oncology company committed to developing first-in-class and best-in-class targeted therapies designed to improve outcomes for cancer patients. We are advancing an innovative portfolio of therapeutics, drawing on leadership that previously played key roles in the design, development and commercialization of cutting-edge targeted cancer therapies, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). In addition to a portfolio of discovery-stage ADCs, our pipeline includes AL102, a gamma secretase inhibitor currently in a Phase 3 trial for treatment of desmoid tumors, as well as IM-1021, a ROR1 ADC, and IM-3050, a FAP-targeted radioligand, both of which are the subject of INDs expected to be submitted by the first quarter of 2025. For more information, visit www.immunome.com . Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release that are not purely historical in nature are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include Immunome’s expectations regarding progress of its pipeline and timeline for regulatory filings; and other statements regarding forecasts for the future. These forward-looking statements are based on Immunome’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect; consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the statements due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described in Immunome’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, filed with the SEC on November 13, 2024, and in Immunome’s other filings with the SEC. Except as required by law, Immunome assumes no obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statements included in this press release. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241202157049/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact Max Rosett Chief Financial Officer investors@immunome.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA WASHINGTON INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BIOTECHNOLOGY HEALTH PHARMACEUTICAL CLINICAL TRIALS ONCOLOGY SOURCE: Immunome, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/02/2024 06:26 PM/DISC: 12/02/2024 06:26 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241202157049/enGlancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") reminds investors of the upcoming February 3, 2025 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired ASP Isotopes Inc. ("ASP Isotopes" or the "Company") ASPI securities between October 30, 2024 and November 26, 2024 , inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you suffered a loss on your ASP Isotopes investments or would like to inquire about potentially pursuing claims to recover your loss under the federal securities laws, you can submit your contact information at www.glancylaw.com/cases/ASP-Isotopes-Inc/ . You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at shareholders@glancylaw.com to learn more about your rights. On November 26, 2024, Fuzzy Panda Research published a report which alleged that ASP Isotopes is "using old, disregarded laser enrichment technology to masquerade as a new, cutting-edge Uranium enrichment." The report quoted a former employee of Klydon (the company ASP Isotopes purchased its "proprietary" technology from) as stating scientists "did not think it would work on Uranium." The report revealed a series of experts interviewed stated the Company's reported cost estimates and timeline for building its HALEU uranium facilities was misleading to the point of being "delusional." The report further alleged the Company had significantly overstated the significance of its agreement with TerraPower, which was only a "non-binding" memorandum of understanding entered into to "put pressure on [TerraPower's] real suppliers." The report quoted a former TerraPower executive as stating that ASP Isotopes was "missing the manufacturing; They are missing the processes as well; They still have to develop the HALEU...the most important part." Finally, the report revealed that the Company's subsidiary, Quantum Leap Energy, which operates its nuclear fuels segment and to which the Company assigned the TerraPower memoranda of understanding, was completely absent from its registered South African address. The report revealed there were "zero signs" of their presence and "security guards and neighboring business about them all told us they had never heard of the companies." On this news, the Company's stock price fell $1.80 or 23.53%, to close at $5.85 per share on November 26, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. The stock continued to fall on the subsequent trading date, falling $0.83 or 14.19%, to close at $5.02 per share on November 27, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) the Company overstated the potential effectiveness of its enrichment technology; (2) the Company overstated the development potential of its high assay low-enriched uranium facility; (3) the Company overstated the Company's nuclear fuels operating segment results; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn , Twitter , or Facebook . If you purchased or otherwise acquired ASP Isotopes securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than February 3, 2025 to request appointment as lead plaintiff in this putative class action lawsuit. To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Charles Linehan, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com , or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241206366261/en/ © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Buccaneers are back to .500 and in position to control their playoff hopes down the stretch TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay’s bid for a fourth straight NFC South title and fifth consecutive playoff berth is gaining momentum. Fred Goodall, The Associated Press Dec 2, 2024 3:24 PM Dec 2, 2024 3:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles watches during the first half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones) TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay’s bid for a fourth straight NFC South title and fifth consecutive playoff berth is gaining momentum. Back-to-back wins over a pair of last-place teams , combined with Atlanta’s three-game losing streak, have propelled the Bucs (6-6) to a tie atop the division. Although the Falcons (6-6) hold a tiebreaker after sweeping the season series between the teams, Tampa Bay can control its own destiny by finishing strong against a less than imposing schedule. The Bucs, who are back in the thick of the race after beating the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, figure to be favored in four of their five remaining games. “Every week, we said it’s a playoff game, we got to take care of us. It’s not going to be easy. As it was (Sunday), it’s going to be a dog fight every week,” coach Todd Bowles said after Sunday’s 26-23 overtime win at Carolina. “We got to clean up some things, we know that, but it's hard to win in this league,” the coach said of the mistake-filled victory that lifted the Bucs back to .500. “We’ll take a win any way we can get it.” After facing Las Vegas (2-10) this week, the Bucs will finish with road games against the Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) and Dallas Cowboys (5-7), followed by home dates vs. Carolina (3-9) and the New Orleans Saints (4-8). What’s working Kicker Chase McLaughlin has been one of team’s most consistent performers, converting 21 of 23 field goal attempts. He was 4 of 5 against the Panthers, including 51-yarder to force overtime on the final play of regulation. He missed from 55 yards in OT before winning it with a 30-yard field goal on Tampa Bay’s next possession. What needs help Just when it appeared the defense was beginning to trend in the right direction, Carolina's Bryce Young threw for 298 yards without an interception against the Bucs in one of his better outings of the season. “In the first half, he did it with his feet and the second half he did it with his arm,” Bowles said. Stock up Running back Bucky Irving rushed for a career-best 152 yards and finished with 185 from scrimmage against Carolina, making him the first rookie since Miles Sanders in 2019 to have consecutive games with 150-plus yards from scrimmage. Stock down A week after playing well offensively and defensively in a 23-point rout of the New York Giants, the Bucs were sloppy against the Panthers. In addition to throwing two interceptions, Mayfield was sacked four times. Tampa Bay was penalized seven times for 54 yards, and the defense was only able to sack Young once. Injuries Mayfield (sore leg), linebacker K.J. Britt (sprained ankle) and safety Mike Edwards (hamstring) will be on the injury report this week. Bowles said he’s not sure what Mayfield's practice status will be when the team reconvenes Wednesday, however he expects the quarterback to play Sunday. Key numbers 37 and 101 — Wide receiver Mike Evans had another big day against Carolina, posting the 37th 100-yard receiving performance of his career — fifth among active players. He also moved ahead of Hall of Famers Steve Largent and Tim Brown for sole possession of ninth place on the all-time list for TD receptions with 101. Next steps The Buccaneers host Las Vegas in Tampa Bay's first home game in a month and the third consecutive outing against a last-place team. The Raiders (2-10) have lost eight in a row. ___ NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Fred Goodall, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) NFL Inactive Report Dec 2, 2024 3:52 PM Rams finally ran the ball well in New Orleans, and it kept them in the playoff race Dec 2, 2024 3:37 PM Justin Tucker's erratic season isn't getting any better, and it's hurting Baltimore's outlook Dec 2, 2024 3:32 PMBy Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times (TNS) It’s a brisk day in Johannesburg, a tiny mining town tucked among the Rand Mountains in the Mojave Desert. The landscape is vast and rugged, a mish-mash of rock, dirt and creosote bushes, swaths of gray and brown under a deep blue sky. The terrain appears completely untouched by man, but a closer look reveals dozens of cavities pocked across the rolling hills. They look like monster snake holes. Those curious holes are abandoned mines, and they’re driving a real-estate boomlet in a place that hasn’t had one in more than a century. As the price of gold climbs, the demand for Randsburg’s craggy land has been reawakened. “The market is heating up,” said David Treadwell, a real estate agent based in Hemet. “I get 2-3 leads per month on buyers looking for patented mine claims. If you can get the gold out of the ground, there’s money to be made.” Treadwell has carved out a niche for himself in the desert, selling multiple gold mining properties over the last few years. He helped his uncle sell a 47-acre gold mining property in 2017, buying ad space in a local mining journal to spread the word. “From there, people would call and say, ‘I saw you’re selling a gold mine. Wanna sell mine too?’” he said. Treadwell has sold mines to amateurs and professionals alike. Small claims sell for less than $50,000, while bigger properties with more potential bring in a few hundred thousand dollars or more. Last year, he sold the St. Elmo mine — a historic mining property in Atolia with 11 mining shafts on it, some of them hundreds of feet deep — to entrepreneur Sean Tucker. On a cold November Tuesday, a mile outside of town, Tucker’s bright yellow Diedrich D-120 drill rig pierces the desert silence. His two-man team is drilling holes and gathering samples, boring into the earth two feet at a time to see which spot has the most gold to set up larger mining operations next year. They crowd around the towering machine as the rig starts burrowing into the dirt with a 140-pound hammer, digging into the ground with swift, strong strokes. After about 30 seconds, the drill reaches two feet underground, creating an eight-inch-wide hole. They pull out the auger and take a sample of the excavated dirt. “There’s gold here,” he said with a smile. Then the drill goes back into the ground to burrow two feet further, or until they reach bedrock. There’s no time to waste. There are many holes to be dug, and the winter sun is fleeting. The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848 is one of the defining moments in California history, with roughly 300,000 forty-niners flocking here to make their fortune from the U.S. and abroad. California became a state by 1850 — the genesis of its evolution into the fifth-largest economy in the world. While most of the mining took place in Northern California and the Sierra Nevada mountains, Southern California experienced smaller, more disparate gold rushes in the following decades — in places like Big Bear, Azusa Canyon, Silverado Canyon in Orange County, the Cuyamaca Mountains of San Diego County and the Picacho District in Imperial County. One of the largest was in the Rand District in Kern County, where gold was discovered in 1895. The sun-blasted town of Randsburg sprang up virtually overnight, and the area’s largest mine, the Yellow Aster, produced the modern equivalent of more than $25 million over the next 30 years. Gold prices eventually stagnated after the Great Depression, hovering under $40 per ounce from 1933 to 1970. Most miners moved on. But over the last few years, the price of gold has soared to an all-time high; it currently sits at $2,630 per ounce. As a result, prospectors — both professional and amateur — are journeying back into these high desert mines for a chance at finding the the precious metal that moves mountains. “It’s a modern day gold rush,” Tucker said. “People are snapping up claims as quickly as possible.” In 2020, Tucker founded Gold Discovery Group, a gold mining operation based in Johannesburg, a mile from Randsburg. He owns 97 acres across five properties in the area and also leases the mining rights to 2,519 acres across 37 properties. Through geological surveys and historical documents, he estimates that there is $2 billion worth of gold under his properties. Of course, it’s not as simple as digging down and getting it. He needs drilling permits from the Bureau of Land Management, mining permits and reclamation plans to show how he plans to restore the land once he’s done mining it. But according to Tucker, the business model is there. His all-in sustaining cost — the total cost of getting the gold out of the ground — sits at roughly $1,220 per ounce. The price of gold is north of $2,600, leaving a profit margin of roughly $1,400. He’s spent about three and a half years acquiring permits and surveying the land, and he’s currently in the discovery phase, which involves drilling small holes to see which spots have the most gold. His team — master driller Martin Delgadillo and assistant driller Roderick McVay — has been permitted to drill 393 holes. So far, they’ve drilled 226. Working in the open desert can be brutal. The summer sun is unrelenting, with temperatures soaring past 100. Winter brings howling winds and freezing lows. Tucker has spent about $5 million so far and estimates he’ll spend $4 million more before his mines start producing gold. His plans call for placer mining, a process that involves separating gold from the dirt and gravel beneath the ground, which he estimates was deposited in Johannesburg through ancient flash-flood and heavy rain events. “It’s primal. There’s something in the ground that we want, and we’re getting it out,” Tucker said. “It’s what California was founded on, but now we’re coming back with modern technology.” No stranger to out-of-the-box endeavors, Tucker owned a pro bicycling team, Toyota-United, in the mid-2000s before founding Galleon Ventures, a deep-sea treasure hunting company that aimed to find sunken treasures in shipwrecks off the coast of Colombia. When drama within the Colombian government shut down his operation, he started seeking out a different kind of treasure: one buried in California. Tucker plans to start mining by next fall and will hire 80 people within the next three years. He owns an entire city block in Johannesburg, where he plans to build housing for the miners. “Now, we just have to hope the market stays where it is.” While California has come a long way since the gold rush, many of its mining towns haven’t. In its 19th century heyday, Randsburg boasted a population of 3,500 with churches, saloons, hotels and a thousand-seat opera house. Today, a sign leading into the community describes it as a “living ghost town.” A cluster of Old West-style wooden buildings line the quiet promenade, and a handful of shacks and ranches dot the surrounding hills. It is dead still on a Tuesday in November. The 2020 census lists a population of 45, with an average age of 73. Randsburg holds a special place in gold mining lore as the producer of the largest known nugget in California history. Known as the Mojave Nugget, the 156-ounce behemoth was found there with a metal detector in 1977 and now sits on display at the Natural History Museum of L.A. County. Many properties in the Randsburg area come with patented mining rights, which is key. If you lease mining rights from the BLM (which anyone can do if you pay the yearly fees ), you can mine the property, but you’re prohibited from building anything on top of it. If you buy a normal property, such as a house, you typically don’t get the mineral rights, so you can’t dig too far down — typically the limit is 20 feet. But if you buy a property with patented mineral rights, you own the surface and all the land beneath it, and you’re free to do whatever you want. Buyers can build a house or burrow hundreds of feet into the ground looking for gold. “In order to receive a patent back in the day, you had to prove the existence of significant mineral production,” Treadwell said, implying that properties with patents likely have plenty to mine beneath the surface. “ This one I’m listing is 1,700 feet north of the Calico mines , so chances are there’s something down there.” Plenty of gold is still being found. California led the nation in new gold discoveries last year, and a total of 10,373 gold-bearing locations have been unearthed in the Golden State, according an analysis of U.S. Geological Survey data by SD Bullion . Gregory Kuchan, a Douglas Elliman real estate agent, is currently listing a property with two mine shafts on it for $49,950. The lot spans 30 acres in Garlock, an old mining town-turned-ghost town just outside Randsburg. Kuchan, who’s based in Del Mar, said it’s outside his normal listing area, but he’s leaning into the forty-niner history and the gold rush potential to market the property. “You only need to find about 18 ounces to make this property pay for itself!” said the listing’s marketing materials. California’s original gold rush was an era of terror and lawlessness, as greed among miners led to murder, native massacres and citizen vigilantism. Things are more quiet today. But in the desert, there’s a muted sense of danger, a feeling that the normal protections of civilization are gone. Brian Fergusson, a 68-year-old crane operator who lives in Nevada and works in San Pedro, bought a 50-acre gold mine in Randsburg for $105,000 in 2020. He threw himself into the project, spending a week installing a 2,600-gallon water tank, an outhouse and a plywood shack to sleep in with stud walls and a steel door. Then, he went back to work. When he returned a few weeks later, it was all gone. “I’ve talked to people in the area, and there’s an extreme problem with thieves,” Fergusson said. “They don’t steal the gold — that requires work. If something sits on the land, someone will take it.” There’s also inherent danger in the mining itself: cave-ins are a problem, but bad air is the real killer. “You can crawl into a pocket with no oxygen without even realizing it, then black out and die,” he said. Related Articles Real Estate | 3 excellent Bay Area bottle shops (plus their holiday gift recommendations) Real Estate | Healthcare titan plans huge South Bay medical hubs in $800 million project Real Estate | Where is California’s cheapest place to live? Real Estate | Google pays San Jose advanced benefits as downtown village plan lags Real Estate | Developer targets starting construction of downtown San Jose housing project in early 2026 Fergusson has been prospecting as a hobby for about a decade, and finally bought his own claim after searching around for five years. He chose this one because a U.S. Geological Survey document said that 2,500 ounces of gold had been taken from the 20 mines on the property in the early 1900s, which would be worth more than $6.5 million today. Right after buying the land, he crushed up a piece of ore and found what miners call flour gold — tiny, fine specks of gold. The 20-30 pieces didn’t even add up to a 10th of a gram, but it was enough to know that there’s more to be found. Since then, he’s been drywashing, a waterless process that uses air to separate heavy materials, such as gold, from the lighter dirt and sediment. Fergusson has sunk money into other hobbies: rock climbing, scuba diving, etc. But this is the first hobby he’s had that pays him back. He expects the land value to go up as well; he spent $105,000 on his claim in 2020, and someone recently bought a smaller lot near his for $175,000. But for him, it’s about the hunt. “When you wash out the pan and there’s gold in the bottom, it’s euphoric,” he said. Rudy Salazar, a 61-year-old truck mechanic from Orange County, got into gold mining less as a hobby and more as a moneymaking opportunity. David Treadwell pointed him toward a 58-acre property in Randsburg, and he spent nine months staring at it on Zillow before pulling the trigger in 2022. “When I started looking into chasing gold, I realized the ground is still packed with it. Man has only scratched the surface,” Salazar said. “We’re all sitting on a gold mine in California. So why am I not going after it?” His land features five gold mines and shares a fence line with the famed Yellow Aster mine, so he’s confident that there’s plenty of gold beneath the surface. Reaching it will be the tricky part. As opposed to placer mines, his property holds lode mines. To get it out, he’ll need to extract the gold from veins hidden within solid rock. Salazar spends his days exploring the mine shafts and sampling veins to see which ones hold the most gold. He’ll ramp up operations within months or years, depending on the samples. In the meantime, it’s a struggling business venture — one that he spent his entire retirement savings on. He’s aware of history potentially repeating itself. During the gold rush, most miners didn’t find fortunes, but the merchants — people selling pans, or garment makers such as Levi Strauss and his copper-rivet blue jeans — did. So far in the modern gold rush, real estate agents are making more than the gold-seekers. “Getting a job that pays well, that’s real gold. People love the gold rush story, but I’m also aware of its outcome,” Salazar said. But he’s happy with the investment so far. And like so many Californians before him, he’s fueled by the promise of wealth, the secret riches buried in the earth, the “Eureka” moment always just out of reach. “I sit there alone. Everybody’s gone. My hands are waterlogged,” Salazar said. “It’s not easy. But I hope it pans out.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
BNT stock hits 52-week high at $60.03 amid robust growthOpinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of commentary online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• In the history of presidential pardons, the absolution granted to Hunter Biden by U.S. President Joe Biden stands alone. This clemency will register as one of the shameful culminating acts of a good man, and father, now inelegantly exiting the West Wing. The crimes committed by Hunter Biden, the youngest son of Joe Biden, are far from the most heinous ever to elicit the mercy of a U.S. president. Presidents have extended pardons to war criminals. Even setting aside the fact that the Bidens share a direct family bloodline doesn’t render the pardon granted by the 46th president historically rare — even though this one represents the first time a president has bestowed the extraordinary forgiveness to a direct progeny. What makes the president’s pardon historically consequential is the simple fact that it’s a pardon that Joe Biden said on several occasions he wouldn’t offer. He didn’t equivocate. So, now we’re left to question whether Joe Biden simply changed his mind or deliberately misled the American public in the heat of an election campaign from which he had yet to withdraw. When Joe Biden told the American public he would accept the will of the jury, which convicted Hunter Biden on gun charges earlier this year, he was clear. He vowed to respect the rule of law as our best leaders do. “I’m extremely proud of my son Hunter,” Joe Biden said after the conviction. “He has overcome an addiction. He is one of the brightest, most decent men I know. I abide by the jury decision. I will do that, and I will not pardon him.” Jurors found Hunter Biden guilty in June of lying to a federally licensed gun dealer, making a false claim on the application by saying he was not a drug user and illegally possessing a gun for 11 days. At the time of this past weekend’s pardon, he had yet to be sentenced. Before the pardon, Hunter Biden was also scheduled to face a judge to be sentenced on a felony tax evasion guilty plea. Now, the false equivalencies have begun in earnest. Shortly after Joe Biden’s grant of clemency was announced Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump wrote the following post on the Truth Social platform: “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 (January 6th) Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” Trump wrote. “Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” A spokesperson for the Trump transition team offered additional perspective in defense of Trump, who was found guilty of 34 felony charges related to a hush money payment to a porn actress in the 2016 campaign. The cases involving Trump and Hunter Biden bear no comparison, but that hasn’t prevented either side from arguing that they are victims of a politicized Department of Justice. “The failed witch hunts against President Trump have proved that the Democrat-controlled DOJ and other radical prosecutors are guilty of weaponizing the justice system,” Trump’s incoming White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said in a statement to Fox News. “That system of justice must be fixed, and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people,” said Cheung. To repeat: It’s a false equivalency. Trump and a group of his supporters attempted to overturn a fair and free election. He branded the Jan. 6 protesters (and associated insurrectionists) as patriots and now may soon use his sweeping constitutional powers to grant them the same courtesy that Joe Biden granted his son. At least, Trump has previously said he would consider pardons on a case-by-case basis. Even the sad spectacle of Trump potentially pardoning those who stormed the Capitol won’t completely eclipse one of the final acts of Joe Biden as U.S. president. He chose his son over country. He did so despite his stated intent that he wouldn’t.
A Connecticut couple has been charged in Minnesota with being part of a shoplifting ring suspected of stealing around $1 million in goods across the country from the upscale athletic wear retailer Lululemon. Jadion Anthony Richards, 44, and Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards, 45, both of Danbury, Connecticut, were charged this month with one felony count of organized retail theft. Both went free last week after posting bail bonds of $100,000 for him and $30,000 for her, court records show. They're due back in Ramsey County District Court in St. Paul on Dec. 16. According to the criminal complaints, a Lululemon investigator had been tracking the pair even before police first confronted them on Nov. 14 at a store in suburban Roseville. The investigator told police the couple were responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses across the country, the complaints said. They would steal items and make fraudulent returns, it said. Police found suitcases containing more than $50,000 worth of Lululemon clothing when they searched the couple's hotel room in Bloomington, the complaint said. RELATED STORY | Florida social media influencer arrested for stealing from Target According to the investigator, they were also suspected in thefts from Lululemon stores in Colorado, Utah, New York and Connecticut, the complaint said. Within Minnesota, they were also accused of thefts at stores in Minneapolis and the suburbs of Woodbury, Edina and Minnetonka. The investigator said the two were part of a group that would usually travel to a city and hit Lululemon stores there for two days, return to the East Coast to exchange the items without receipts for new items, take back the new items with the return receipts for credit card refunds, then head back out to commit more thefts, the complaint said. In at least some of the thefts, it said, Richards would enter the store first and buy one or two cheap items. He'd then return to the sales floor where, with help from Lawes-Richards, they would remove a security sensor from another item and put it on one of the items he had just purchased. Lawes-Richards and another woman would then conceal leggings under their clothing. They would then leave together. When the security sensors at the door went off, he would offer staff the bag with the items he had bought, while the women would keep walking out, fooling the staff into thinking it was his sensor that had set off the alarm, the complaint said. Richards' attorney declined to comment. Lawes-Richards' public defender did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday. "This outcome continues to underscore our ongoing collaboration with law enforcement and our investments in advanced technology, team training and investigative capabilities to combat retail crime and hold offenders accountable," Tristen Shields, Lululemon's vice president of asset protection, said in a statement. "We remain dedicated to continuing these efforts to address and prevent this industrywide issue." The two are being prosecuted under a state law enacted last year that seeks to crack down on organized retail theft. One of its chief authors, Sen. Ron Latz, of St. Louis Park, said 34 states already had organized retail crime laws on their books. "I am glad to see it is working as intended to bring down criminal operations," Latz said in a statement. "This type of theft harms retailers in myriad ways, including lost economic activity, job loss, and threats to worker safety when crime goes unaddressed. It also harms consumers through rising costs and compromised products being resold online." Two Minnesota women were also charged under the new law in August. They were accused of targeting a Lululemon store in Minneapolis.Fresh rallies in Georgia after PM said 'won battle' with pro-EU protesters