Thursday Open Thread | #Bernie Sanders calls for mandatory investigations of any deaths in police custody

In a testament to the lack of accountability for America’s police, law enforcement agencies aren’t even required to maintain records of lethal encounters or report them to the federal government. So there aren’t official nationwide statistics on the number of Americans who die at the hands of police.

At a press conference Wednesday, Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders said he would back legislation that would force police departments to report civilian killings.

“When individuals die under police apprehension or police custody, should that be mandatory? Yes,” Sanders told The Guardian. Shockingly, not all public officials agree; Attorney General Loretta Lynch has said she opposes forcing local departments to report killings to the federal government.

About SouthernGirl2

A Native Texan who adores baby kittens, loves horses, rodeos, pomegranates, & collect Eagles. Enjoys politics, games shows, & dancing to all types of music. Loves discussing and learning about different cultures. A Phi Theta Kappa lifetime member with a passion for Social & Civil Justice.
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67 Responses to Thursday Open Thread | #Bernie Sanders calls for mandatory investigations of any deaths in police custody

  1. Ametia says:

    WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2016
    Chauncey DeVega-WARN

    “I Love the Poorly Educated”: Donald Trump, Nevada, “The Warriors”, and “A Face in The Crowd”

    http://www.chaunceydevega.com/2016/02/i-love-poorly-educated-donald-trump.html

  2. Ametia says:

    BWA HA HA HA

    Former Mexican President: We’re ‘Not Paying For That F*cking Wall’
    by Alex Griswold | 2:49 pm, February 25th, 2016

    VIDEO:
    http://www.mediaite.com/online/former-mexican-president-were-not-paying-for-that-fcking-wall/

  3. yahtzeebutterfly says:

    On this day in 1870 Hiram Rhodes Revels was sworn into the U.S. Senate.

    You can click this link to learn more about him.

  4. rikyrah says:

    tee hee hee

    ………………..

    Poll: Trump Crushing Rubio in Florida

    Marco Rubio is getting trounced by Donald Trump in his own home state, according to a new Florida poll released Thursday from Quinnipiac University. The results show frontrunner Trump holding a 44-28 percent lead over second-place Rubio, the junior senator from the Sunshine State

  5. rikyrah says:

    Well, this is who they are:

    Pro-Trump Robocall: Don’t Vote for Cuban

    A xenophobic pro-Donald Trump robocall urges voters in Vermont and Minnesota not to vote for a “Cuban” like Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz. The call comes from the American National PAC and is voiced by its founder William Daniel Johnson, the leader of the white nationalist American Freedom Party, who is also a lawyer by day assisting Chinese and Japanese businesses with entering the U.S.

    “The white race is dying out in America and Europe because we are afraid to be called ‘racist,'” the call said. “I am afraid to be called racist. Donald Trump is not a racist, but Donald Trump is not afraid. Don’t vote for a Cuban. Vote for Donald Trump.”

    Trump had previously disavowed the super PAC that released controversial robocalls on his behalf in Iowa.

  6. rikyrah says:

    Rubio just launched a searing attack on Trump. Here’s why it may fail.

    At a rally late yesterday, Rubio called out Trump by name and faulted him for being insufficiently hostile to Obamacare and insufficiently supportive of Israel. “He thinks parts of Obamacare are pretty good,” Rubio scoffed, before casting himself as the only true scourge of the law. Rubio noted that Trump “has said he’s not going to take sides on Israel versus the Palestinians because he wants to be an honest broker.”

    Rubio also hit Trump for being inexperienced and ignorant on foreign policy, arguing that he’d be tougher and more knowledgeable.

  7. rikyrah says:

    Radley Balko ✔ @radleybalko
    SC woman jailed for unpaid court fees was denied water, medical care, died in her cell. http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20160224/PC16/160229636

    • Ametia says:

      OMG, devastating! EVIL, EVEIL

      Well, let’s see if Hillary will make a guest appearance to the family of Joyce Curnell, while she’s in SC. Just sayin!

  8. Ametia says:

    YAASSSS!

  9. Ametia says:

    LMBAO

  10. Ametia says:
  11. rikyrah says:

    Man…..

    see, folks mocked us when our antennae went up…

    But…..we’ve read enough John Grisham novels…

    to recognize when truth is stranger than fiction.

    ……………………………

    Report: Sheriff was told he had no authority in Scalia death
    18 hours ago

    DALLAS (AP) — A sheriff’s report offers a detailed account of the hours after Antonin Scalia’s body was found in Texas, describing how the owner of the luxury resort where the Supreme Court justice died told the sheriff he had no authority in the matter. The report also includes a reference to a pillow that spawned conspiracy theories. A look at the sheriff’s account:

    RELUCTANCE TO USE SCALIA’S NAME

    When the body of the 79-year-old Scalia was found Feb. 13 in his bed at the Cibolo Creek Ranch, ranch owner John Poindexter was initially vague when reporting the death to authorities, the report said.

    Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez complained that he was delayed in responding because Poindexter would not reveal during a phone call who had died.

    “I then advised Poindexter that a death reported in Presidio County was under my jurisdiction and that it should be reported to my office,” Dominguez wrote. “He then stated to me that this death was way beyond my authority and that it should go to the Feds.”

    After a series of phone calls, Dominguez met U.S. marshals at the ranch near Marfa, about 190 miles southeast of El Paso, where they were taken to Scalia’s room. They found the jurist face-up in his bed, with sheets pulled to his chin and his hands at his side.

    http://news.yahoo.com/scalias-many-health-problems-unknown-public-death-090005167–politics.html

  12. Ametia says:

    Can not wait to see the entire In Performance at the White House. This is the last one for POTUS

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLhPUP-sfQU

  13. rikyrah says:

    Senate Republicans Lose Their Minds on a Supreme Court Seat
    By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
    FEB. 24, 2016

    Following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, Senate Republicans apparently believe they can profit by creating a political crisis that the nation has never seen before. On Tuesday, the leadership doubled down on its refusal to take any action on any nominee from President Obama to replace Justice Scalia.

    Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader who seems to have lost touch with reality and the Constitution, accused Mr. Obama of plunging the nation into a “bitter and avoidable struggle” should he name anyone to the court.

    Forget an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. Top Republicans are pledging not to hold hearings or even to meet with a nominee.

    In a statement dripping with sarcasm, Mr. McConnell said that Mr. Obama “has every right to nominate someone,” and “even if doing so will inevitably plunge our nation into another bitter and avoidable struggle, that is his right. Even if he never expects that nominee to actually be confirmed but rather to wield as an electoral cudgel, that is his right.”

    Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the majority whip, said, “We believe the American people need to decide who is going to make this appointment rather than a lame-duck president.”

    These statements are so twisted that it’s hard to know where to begin. Let’s take them one by one.

  14. Liza says:

    “Shockingly, not all public officials agree; Attorney General Loretta Lynch has said she opposes forcing local departments to report killings to the federal government.” This, this is just crazy. This is the reason we don’t even have an accurate count of the number of people killed by police over time. And then, of course, there are the people who are just maimed and disabled. But who’s counting?

    The positions that Bernie Sanders has taken with respect to police brutality, police accountability, and citizen deaths while in police custody have earned him many points with me. MANY points.

    AG Lynch doesn’t want to do anything that identifies a specific cop (in a negative way).

    • Ametia says:

      “AG Lynch doesn’t want to do anything that identifies a specific cop (in a negative way).”

      AG Lynch NEEDS TO DO HER FUCKING JOB.

      Such a DISAPPOINTMENT

      • Liza says:

        Yeah, I used to wonder if she was just acting slowly and cautiously, but now I believe that she really doesn’t want to prosecute individuals very often, especially cops. That needs to change with the next AG.

    • sunshine616 says:

      Seriously….who the fuck does she owe favors to or paid her ass off. She’s a disgrace to the word justice and I’m sick of her do nothing, cops are religion attitude….disappointment doesn’t cover it. She’s an awful replacement for Holder and I can’t believe the white republican congress gave her such a hard time… She’s everything they could’ve wanted and more….guess they really are dumb and racist cuz if they weren’t just looking at her skin color they would’ve noticed that she’s their biggest cheerleader.

      • Ametia says:

        Hi Sunshine. Good to see your FONTS!

        Unless AG Lynch is doing some really tops secret investigations about these KILLER Cop, I’m not sure why this woman is Attorney General.

        Except for that fucking FIFA investigation she’s been lauded for…..

        WHAT ELSE?

  15. Ametia says:

    This is the Washington Post, Ya’ll Now they want to get after GOP?!!! GTFOH

    The Post’s View

    GOP leaders, you must do everything in your power to stop Trump
    By Editorial Board February 24 at 3:08 PM

    THE UNTHINKABLE is starting to look like the inevitable: Absent an extraordinary effort from people who understand the menace he represents, Donald Trump is likely to be the presidential nominee of the Republican Party. At this stage, even an extraordinary effort might fall short. But history will not look kindly on GOP leaders who fail to do everything in their power to prevent a bullying demagogue from becoming their standard-bearer.

    A few days ago we criticized Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus for his assertion that a Trump victory in November would silence the doubters. “Winning is the antidote to a lot of things,” Mr. Priebus had said. We argued that winning would not erase the bigotry and ugliness of Mr. Trump’s campaign, nor remove the dangers of a Trump presidency. On Wednesday, the GOP chairman, perhaps wanting to show that he can match Mr. Trump in eloquence, responded: “That is the stupidest editorial that I have ever seen.”

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/gop-leaders-you-must-do-everything-in-your-power-to-stop-trump/2016/02/24/d993b548-db0e-11e5-891a-4ed04f4213e8_story.html?wpmm=1&wpisrc=nl_opinions

  16. rikyrah says:

    Justice Scalia spent his last hours with members of this secretive society of elite hunters
    February 24 at 7:37 PM

    When Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died 12 days ago at a West Texas ranch, he was among high-ranking members of an exclusive fraternity for hunters called the International Order of St. Hubertus, an Austrian society that dates back to the 1600s.

    After Scalia’s death Feb. 13, the names of the 35 other guests at the remote resort, along with details about Scalia’s connection to the hunters, have remained largely unknown. A review of public records shows that some of the men who were with Scalia at the ranch are connected through the International Order of St. Hubertus, whose members gathered at least once before at the same ranch for a celebratory weekend.

    Members of the worldwide, male-only society wear dark-green robes emblazoned with a large cross and the motto “Deum Diligite Animalia Diligentes,” which means “Honoring God by honoring His creatures,” according to the group’s website. Some hold titles, such as Grand Master, Prior and Knight Grand Officer. The Order’s name is in honor of Hubert, the patron saint of hunters and fishermen.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/justice-scalia-spent-his-last-hours-with-members-of-this-secretive-society-of-elite-hunters/2016/02/24/1d77af38-db20-11e5-891a-4ed04f4213e8_story.html?tid=ss_tw

  17. rikyrah says:

    Rubio endorser struggles to name Rubio accomplishments
    By NICK GASS 02/24/16 12:01 PM EST

    One of Marco Rubio’s newest congressional endorsers struggled to point to one specific thing he has seen over the course of the last year from the Florida senator that, as MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts asked, “demonstrates presidential character.” Not only that, but he also called some of the Rubio’s past actions “frustrating.”

    At the end of his interview, freshman Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-Nev.) was asked the question about what he has seen from Rubio over the course of his last year in Congress. Hardy took office in January 2015, a little more than three months before Rubio announced his candidacy.
    “On the Hill, I have not seen that. He’s been running for a presidential race most of this year,” Hardy said. “As far as his policies in the past, I know that he’s done some things that even have been a little frustrating for an individual like myself at times.”

  18. rikyrah says:

    I’m here to do my job,’ says senator who isn’t doing his job
    02/25/16 08:00 AM—UPDATED 02/25/16 08:45 AM
    By Steve Benen

    After some vacillating that left his intentions unclear, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has made up his mind. When it comes to dealing with the Supreme Court vacancy, the far-right Iowan won’t hold a hearing on President Obama’s unnamed nominee; he will not support a vote on the nominee; and he’s not even sure whether or not he’ll accept a White House invitation to have a conversation about the nominee.

    The ridiculous posture leaves Grassley in the unenviable position of becoming a laughingstock for the ages. As of yesterday, however, the Republican senator said he just doesn’t care about history’s judgment.

    “Do you think I spend my days wondering about how Chuck Grassley will go down in history?” he told reporters on Wednesday, according to The Des Moines Register.

    “I don’t care if I ever go down in history,” added Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “I’m here to do my job.”

    Those six words – “I’m here to do my job” – may be the most interesting Grassley has uttered in quite some time, because it suggests the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has grown confused about what his job actually is.

    If Grassley were there to do his job, he’d fulfill his duties, honor the constitutional process, and start preparation for confirmation hearings. Not to put too fine a point on this, but on the modest list of responsibilities given to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s chairman, this ranks at the top.

  19. rikyrah says:

    since the beginning, there’s been something fishy.

    sounds right out of a Grisham novel.

    …………………..

    Scalia’s Death Gets More Intriguing
    by BooMan
    Wed Feb 24th, 2016 at 11:53:33 PM EST

    Nothing makes people more suspicious than secret orders and secret societies. I remember reading a lot about how both George W. Bush and John Kerry had belonged to Skull & Bones at Yale. That was supposed to be proof that the game was rigged, as the Bonesmen were going to control the White House either way the 2004 election turned out. Going back a little further, I remember some people freaking out about how many Reaganites belonged to the secretive Bohemian Grove club in San Francisco.

    Now, I had never heard of The International Order of St. Hubertus, which was apparently established at the 1966 summer retreat of the Bohemian Grove. Actually, that’s not quite right. The society’s U.S. chapter was launched in 1966, but the organization itself was founded in 1695 by the Habsburg Count, Franz Anton von Sporck.

    Members of the worldwide, male-only society wear dark-green robes emblazoned with a large cross and the motto “Deum Diligite Animalia Diligentes,” which means “Honoring God by honoring His creatures,” according to the group’s website. Some hold titles, such as Grand Master, Prior and Knight Grand Officer. The Order’s name is in honor of Hubert, the patron saint of hunters and fishermen.

    I’m not sure why a secret hunting society has a website, but what do I know?

    In any case, Antonin Scalia was attending a retreat of this St. Hubertus society in Texas when he unexpectedly died in his sleep. As we know, the remoteness of the location combined with the fact that he died over the weekend meant that things were handled in an unorthodox way. His body wasn’t examined by a coroner or other professional before his death was certified as arising from natural causes. Because his family didn’t ask for one, no autopsy was performed. And now we find out that he traveled to this ranch with a member of this secret society.

  20. rikyrah says:

    Black-ish was superb last night

    • Liza says:

      It is truly an outrage. But make no mistake, these GOP scumbags in Congress have lowered the bar, permanently. If they ever elect another president, that person will be equally disrespected. That’s just how it goes, things like this do not move in reverse very easily.

    • Liza says:

      Well, with all due respect to Mr. Trump, Mr. Romney has avoided becoming a reality TV star, so that should count for something. Mr. Trump, on the other hand, is in the same peer group as Honey Boo Boo. Come to think of it, her family is probably very representative of his supporters.

  21. rikyrah says:

    Good Morning, Everyone :)

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