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Hurricane Lee has potential to be ‘extremely dangerous’, can ‘intensify’ into Cat 5 storm

Forecasters predict that Hurricane Lee, currently swirling in the Atlantic as a Category 2 storm, will intensify into a major hurricane that could eventually become a Category 5 storm.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Lee is expected to rapidly intensify into an “extremely dangerous major hurricane” by Friday — meaning maximum winds would surge 35 mph in 24 hours or less. The NHC said that large ocean swells are expected to reach the Lesser Antilles by Friday and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Hispaniola by the weekend, adding that “these swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.” The latest forecasts show Lee will “remain a very strong major hurricane through the weekend,” according to the NHC, with environmental conditions looking favorable for Lee to strengthen into a Category 5 hurricane with winds up to 160 mph by Saturday morning.

So far, there’s no direct threat of landfall and officials have not issued any storm or hurricane watches or warnings for places that could be in Lee’s path, but the hurricane center said “interests in the Leeward Islands should monitor the progress of Lee.” The forecast track indicates that .the Leeward Islands, where the Caribbean and Atlantic meet, should stay alert. The Leewards include the Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Saint Martin and Saint Kitts.

Hurricane Lee is not currently forecast to impact the United States, but its long-term track remains unclear. Meteorologists will continue monitoring the storm for signs it could move off its path over the open ocean and turn toward the mainland U.S. coast.

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‘That ’70s Show’ actor Danny Masterson sentenced to 30 years to life for two rapes

Former “That ’70s Show” actor Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison on Thursday after he was convicted of raping two women. Masterson will serve two 15-year sentences consecutively, one for each charge. He must also register as a sex offender.

A Los Angeles jury of seven women and five men found Masterson, 47, guilty of two counts of forcible rape on May 31 after seven days of deliberations. That verdict came in a second trial after a jury failed to reach verdicts on three counts of forcible rape in December and a mistrial was declared. Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence in the Church of Scientology − where all three women were also members at the time − to avoid consequences for decades after the attacks. The women blamed the church and said that when they reported him to Scientology officials, they were told they were not raped and were warned against going to law enforcement to report a member of such high standing.

Both attacks took place in Masterson’s California home in 2003, when he was at the height of his fame on the Fox sitcom “That ’70s Show.” The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on a third count, an allegation that Masterson also raped a longtime girlfriend.

LA Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo sentenced the actor after hearing statements from the women about the trauma they experienced and the suffering caused by the disturbing memories in the years since. Judge Olmedo said: “Mr Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person’s choice and voice. Your actions 20 years ago today were criminal, and that’s why you are here.”

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Judge rules Donald Trump liable for defamation in second E. Jean Carroll case

A federal judge in New York ruled Wednesday that former President Donald Trump is liable for making false statements about writer E. Jean Carroll in 2019 after she alleged that he sexually assaulted her.

In a 25-page ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan said Trump acted with actual malice in making statements about Carroll when she accused Trump of assaulting her years ago. Kaplan said in his ruling: “[T]he jury found that Mr. Trump knew that his statement that Ms. Carroll lied about him sexually assaulting her for improper and ulterior purposes was false or that he acted with reckless disregard to whether it was false.”

Kaplan presided over the May civil trial in which a jury found Trump had sexually abused Carroll during an encounter in the dressing room of a New York department store in the 1990s, and then defamed her after he left office by calling her claims a made-up “con job.” The jury awarded Carroll a total of $5 million in damages — a verdict Trump is appealing to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The second case focuses on similar comments Trump made about Carroll when she first went public with her claims in 2019 while he was president. Kaplan wrote: “The truth or falsity of Mr. Trump’s 2019 statements therefore depends — like the truth or falsity of his 2022 statement — on whether Ms. Carroll lied about Mr. Trump sexually assaulting her. The jury’s finding that she did not therefore is binding in this case and precludes Mr. Trump from contesting the falsity of his 2019 statements.” A trial set for Jan. 15 will only determine how much Trump will have to pay her in light of the summary judgment; Kaplan wrote: the trial “shall be limited to the issue of damages only.” Additionally, Kaplan denied a bid from Trump’s attorneys to reduce any damages Carroll might get in the case because of the earlier $5 million verdict.

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Advocacy group cites 14th amendment in lawsuit to ban Donald Trump from 2024 ballot

A lawsuit filed Wednesday by a Washington-based advocacy group (six Republicans and unaffiliated Colorado voters) seeks to to block former President Donald Trump from the 2024 Republican primary ballot, citing the 14th Amendment’s ban on insurrectionists holding public office. A post-Civil War provision of the 14th Amendment says any American official who takes an oath to uphold the US Constitution is disqualified from holding any future office if they “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” or if they have “given aid or comfort” to insurrectionists.

The lawsuit, from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (“CREW”), is the first high-profile legal case attempting to use the 14th Amendment to derail Trump’s presidential campaign. Krista Kafer, a columnist for the Denver Post and a Republican activist who is among those who filed the suit, said in a statement: “As a longtime Republican who voted for him, I believe Donald Trump disqualified himself from running in 2024 by spreading lies, vilifying election workers and fomenting an attack on the Capitol. Those who by force and by falsehood subvert democracy are unfit to participate in it. That’s why I am part of this lawsuit to prevent an insurrectionist from appearing on Colorado’s ballot.” CREW said in a statement Wednesday: “Based on its laws, the calendar, and our courageous set of plaintiffs and witnesses, Colorado is a good venue to bring this first case, but it will not be the last.”  The group also includes former US Rep. Claudine Schneider and former Colorado Senate Majority Leader Norma Anderson.

The GOP primary in Colorado is on March 5, Super Tuesday, and Trump has a commanding lead in the GOP primary race, according to recent polling. In a statement after the lawsuit was filed, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said those promoting the 14th Amendment are “are stretching the law beyond recognition, much like the political prosecutors in New York, Georgia, and DC” (referring to Trump’s ongoing criminal indictments.)

Trump’s federal criminal trial on charges stemming from his efforts to overturn the 2020 election is scheduled to begin March 4. He has pleaded not guilty.

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School districts close in Pennsylvania as manhunt for escaped killer widens

The Pennsylvania manhunt for convicted killer Danelo Cavalcante was widened, while local schools in the area were shut down on Tuesday after the suspect was spotted on trail camera footage breaking past a police perimeter.

The 34-year-old Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, and during the six-day search to locate him, multiple sightings have been reported with law enforcement setting up a two-mile perimeter around a wooded area where he was believed to be holed up. Officials later broadcast a message from the killer’s mother, who urged her son to surrender.

In an update on Tuesday, police said that Cavalcante had been caught on camera managing to sneak past the perimeter the night before. As a result, police expanded the police perimeter and shuttered the Kennett Consolidated School District in Chester Count out of abundance of caution. George Bivens, deputy commissioner of operations for the Pennsylvania State Police, said during a news conference Tuesday: “You’re dealing with someone who is desperate and doesn’t want to be caught. If he can find some shelter, if he can find some food, he’s going to take advantage of whatever he finds … He’s a bad guy. He needs to be in custody and we are determined to capture him.”

Cavalcante was sentenced to life without parole for stabbing his ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandão, 31, to death in front of her two small children. Cavalcante is also wanted for a 2017 murder in Brazil. Authorities haven’t disclosed how Cavalcante managed to escape, but said it occurred while he was awaiting transfer to state prison. Members of the public have been urged to secure their homes, outbuildings and vehicles while the suspect remains at large.

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Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio sentenced to 22 years for part in Jan. 6 attack

Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of Proud Boys, was sentenced on Tuesday to 22 years in prison – the longest prison sentence handed down for any individual charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of 33 years in prison, despite the fact that Tarrio wasn’t present in Washington on the day of the attack.

Henry “Enrique” Tarrio has been in jail since his 2022 arrest and was convicted earlier this year by a Washington, D.C. jury on multiple charges including seditious conspiracy. Tarrio’s co-defendant Ethan Nordean was sentenced last week to 18 years, while others received terms of between 10 and 17 years. Prosecutors described Tarrio as the “primary organizer” of the conspiracy for which he and his co-defendants were convicted, who used his influence “to condone and promote violence” in others, adding, “He was a general rather than a soldier.”

After the 2020 presidential election, according to evidence presented at trial, Tarrio began posting on social media and in message groups about a “civil war,” later threatening, “No Trump…No peace. No Quarter.” And as Jan. 6 approached, he posted about “revolt.” His co-defendants — Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola — gathered with other Proud Boys members on the day of the riot and marched toward the Capitol, interfering with police and ultimately forcing entry into the building where Congress was attempting to certify President Biden’s victory.  The Proud Boys defendants and the group they led to the Capitol that day were a “tidal wave of force” at the start of the attack and played a “pivotal” role in the violence on Jan. 6, according to prosecutors.

Tarrio asked for leniency during Tuesday’s hearing. apologizing for the events of Jan. 6 and to law enforcement and Washington, D.C., residents. Said Tarrio: “The citizens of D.C. deserve better. What happened on Jan. 6 was a national embarrassment … To the men and women of law enforcement who answered the call that day, I am sorry. I am not a political zealot. Inflicting harm or changing the results of the election was not my goal. Please show me mercy.”

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5 killed, 3 injured in crash on I-85 in Atlanta on Labor Day

An Atlanta crash early Monday on the SR 316 westbound ramp to Interstate 85 southbound killed five people, with three people injured. The deaths were just 5 of 17 reported in Georgia on Labor Day, according to Georgia’s Department of Public Safety.

According to a news release from Gwinnett County police, the accident occurred just before 4 a.m. local time in Gwinnett County, with 911 calls reporting a vehicle going “over the wall of the raised ramp, falling onto the Interstate 85 southbound Collector-Distributor to Pleasant Hill Rd.” County fire personnel identified five people dead at the scene, while three others were taken to local hospitals. The ramp from Highway 316 West to I-85 South was closed for several hours on Monday before reopening.  Gwinnett police officials posted on Facebook: “The main I85 SB travel lanes are clear and reopened. The C-D from both I85 SB and SR316 WB remain closed and will be closed for an extended period of time while the Gwinnett County Police Accident Investigation Unit handles the investigation.” Investigators are still trying to determine what led to the collision, police said in the news release.

Witnesses are encouraged to call (678-442-5653) or email (pdaccidentinvestigationunit@gwinnettcounty.com) GCPD Investigators with any information.

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President Biden takes aim at Donald Trump in Labor Day speech

President Joe Biden took several jabs at former President Donald Trump in a Labor Day speech Monday, taking aim at his real estate mogul reputation. Biden never mentioned Trump by name; but audience members booed when he referred to “the last guy.” Said Biden: “When the last guy was here, we were shipping jobs to China. Now we’re bringing jobs home from China. When the last guy was here, your pensions were at risk. We helped save millions of pensions with your help. When the last guy was here, he looked at the world from Park Avenue. I look at it from Scranton, Pennsylvania, I look at it from Claymont, Delaware.”

While addressing union workers before a parade in Philadelphia, Biden said: “The guy who held this job before me was just one of two presidents in history … who left office with fewer jobs in America than when he got elected to office. By the way, you know who the other one was? Herbert Hoover. Isn’t that kind of coincidental?” Biden later touted his infrastructure deal, saying: “Guess what? The great real estate builder, the last guy, he didn’t build a damn thing. Under my predecessor, infrastructure week became a punchline. On my watch, infrastructure has been a decade and it’s a headline.”

Biden continued to list achievements of his first term, and said: “All I hear from my friends on the other side is what they say is wrong with America. They keep telling us America’s failing. They’re wrong. I’ve got news for them: America has the strongest economy in the world right now, today.”

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung defended the former president’s record: “President Trump produced a booming economic recovery, and record low unemployment for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and women. Joe Biden is the destroyer of America’s jobs and continues to fuel runaway inflation with reckless big government spending. President Trump’s vision for America’s economic revival is lower taxes, bigger paychecks and more jobs for American workers.”

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Former Proud Boys Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl sentenced for seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 case

Two former Proud Boys leaders were sentenced on Thursday for their actions during the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly handed down sentences for Joseph Biggs, the former leader of the group’s Florida chapter, and  Zachary Rehl, the former leader of the Proud Boys’ Philadelphia chapter, who both had convicted of seditious conspiracy.  Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison (one of the longest sentences yet for someone charged in the Jan. 6 attacks), and Rehl was sentenced to 15 years in prison . Biggs, a U.S. army veteran, was a close ally of the former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio.  He was convicted in May alongside two other Proud Boys leaders following a more than four-month-long trial.

Judge Kelly accepted the government’s recommendation to apply an enhancement that effectively labeled Biggs’ crimes as acts of terrorism in seeking to influence the actions of government through threats and use of force. Biggs’ sentence is the second longest for any defendant charged in connection with the Capitol attack; Rehl’s sentence is the third longest. Tarrio is set to be sentenced next Tuesday.

During the assault on the Capitol, prosecutors said Biggs played a role in four separate breaches of law enforcement lines, and after entering the building made his way to the Senate chamber. Biggs’ attorney Norm Pattis argued for leniency, claiming that much of the statements pointed to by the government should be protected under his rights to free speech and, despite his guilt as determined by the jury, “we think that the crimes are overstated in this case and that the case was overproven.”

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Donald Trump pleads not guilty to Georgia election interference charges

Former president Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges of illegally trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia, and also sought to sever his case from other defendants.

Trump surrendered last week on charges filed by Fulton County Distict Attorney Fani Willis in which he is accused of illegally scheming to overturn the 2020 election result in Georgia. Filed under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, (RICO), the case charges Trump with 13 counts including soliciting a public officer to violate their oath, conspiring to impersonate a public officer, conspiring to commit forgery in the first degree and conspiring to file false documents. Other defendants in the case include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, as well as former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

Trump’s filing means he won’t have to show up for an arraignment hearing that Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee had set for Sept. 6. Several of the other people charged in the indictment had already waived arraignment in filings with the court, as well. Also on Thursday, Trump’s attorneys also asked Judge McAfee to separate his case from those of defendants (lawyers Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell) who have asked for an expedited trial, scheduled to start on Oct. 23. Attorney Steve Sadow said in a court filing that it gives Trump less than two months to prepare a defense, and would “violate President Trump’s federal and state constitutional rights to a fair trial and due process of law.” 

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