Austin Serial Bomber, “No Collusion”

Serial Bomber: Texas authorities are investigating what appears to be the work of a serial bomber after two package explosions yesterday killed a teenager and wounded two women in Austin. The bombings come less than two weeks after a similar explosion killed a man.

Investigators are wondering whether race is a factor because all of the victims have been black.

Monday’s first attack killed a 17-year-old boy and wounded a 40-year-old woman. Police Chief Brian Manley said the boy had brought an unsolicited package into the kitchen at about 6:40 am when it exploded. As Manley was holding a news conference to talk about it, police were called to another explosion that injured a 75-year-old Hispanic woman.

Police say the bombs were dropped on doorsteps overnight or early in the morning and were not carried by the postal service or other private delivery companies.

Nothing to See Here: Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee announce that they have found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and that they have ended the witness-interview phase of their investigation.

Most importantly, the Republicans found contrary to what US intelligence agencies say, the Russians did not try to sway the election to Donald Trump. Representative Michael Conaway of Texas said, “The bottom line: The Russians did commit active measures against our election in ’16, and we think they will do that in the future,” Mr. Conaway said. But, he added, “We disagree with the narrative that they were trying to help Trump.”

The Republican report gives President Trump something concrete to lean on when he says there’s been no collusion.

The Democrats on the committee were not consulted about the Republican conclusions and will not see the report at least until today.

Former Director of National Intelligence Committee James Clapper said, “This is about partisan politics.” The most dependable report will ultimately come from Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

The Russia House: As expected, British Prime Minister Theresa May has blamed Russia for the nerve-agent attack on a former Russian spy and his daughter in England.

Sergei Skirpal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, are both in the hospital in critical condition.

“It is now clear that Mr. Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia,” May said in the House of Commons. “The government has concluded that it is highly likely that Russia was responsible for the act against Sergei and Yulia Skripal.”

She said that the poisoning was either a direct act of the Russian government or that they had lost control of a nerve agent they make.

May said, “We shall not tolerate such a brazen act to murder innocent civilians on our soil,” but what they can do about it is not immediately evident.

The Weather Report: A third nor’easter in less than two weeks is hitting the East Coast this morning, bringing heavy snow and coastal flooding to parts of New England. As much as two feet of snow are expected in some areas.

And after the storm passes, it’s supposed to be unseasonably cold. A couple of weeks ago, the buds were coming out.

Nation: The pilot of a tour helicopter that crashed into New York’s East River Sunday said that a loose tether strap on one of the passengers may have accidentally hit the emergency fuel cutoff switch, stalling the engine. The five passengers died. — New York’s Metropolitan Opera fired celebrated conductor James Levine last night, finding that after 40 years with the Met, he engaged in “sexually abusive and harassing conduct.” — Citing national security, President Trump has blocked the 4117 billion takeover of chip maker Qualcomm by Singapore-based Broadcom.

The Obit Page: French fashioner designer Hubert de Givenchy who draped Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly, and Audrey Hepburn in romantic elegance, has died at age 91.

Givenchy was one of the stars of postwar fashion design. He made his international  splash in 1961 when he dressed Hepburn’s character Holly Golightly in the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” wearing oversize glasses, a long black dress, and elbow-length gloves, first thing in the morning.

As The NY Times describes it, “For generations of young women dreaming of a glamorous life in the big city, the image of Ms. Hepburn as Holly came to represent a certain ideal, that of the rich bohemian throwing wild parties while wearing magnificently gorgeous gowns.” It was Givenchy who made that happen.

Pink Floyd: President Trump is visiting California today where he’ll take a look at the border wall prototypes outside San Diego. Right now they look like an art installation.

Dept. of Corrections: We picked up a story yesterday about the Florida gun advocate Jamie Gilt, whose four-year-old son shot her with a .45 caliber pistol. It’s true, but it happened two years ago. We fell into an internet wormhole and should have known better. Gilt avoided prosecution and was ordered to take a gun safety course.

The editorial staff if The Rooney Report has been ordered to take an internet safety course.

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It's Been Said

"Christians, get out and vote, just this time. You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won't have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians. I love you Christians. I'm a Christian. I love you, get out, you gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don't have to vote again, we'll have it fixed so good you're not going to have to vote."

  • Donald Trump courting the vote of the Christian right

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