Shooter 911 Released, Inside Trump Rally

Orlando Tapes: After releasing redacted transcripts of calls to 911 by Orlando Shooter Omar Mateen, the Justice Department knuckled and released the full text. The first version had been scrubbed of names and references to Islam to deny Mateen a post-death platform.

The first call to 911 goes, in part:

Orlando Police Dispatcher: Emergency 911, this is being recorded.

Omar Mateen: In the name of God the Merciful, the beneficent [said in Arabic]

OD: What?

OM: Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God [said in Arabic]. I wanna let you know, I’m in Orlando and I did the shootings.

OD: What’s your name?

OM: My name is I pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State.

OD: Ok, What’s your name?

OM: I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may God protect him [said in Arabic], on behalf of the Islamic State.

Following the release of the censored transcripts politicians loudly objected. House Speaker Paul Ryan, said, “The administration should release the full, un-redacted transcript so the public is clear-eyed about who did this, and why.”

Gunbeat: The Supreme Court yesterday declined to hear a case challenging Connecticut’s banning many semi-automatic guns, making it a crime to possess or sell them. The intent of the law is to get rid of the assault rifles used in mass shootings like the Newtown school massacre in Connecticut. The absence of a decision means the Supreme Court is leaving such issues to the states.

In Connecticut yesterday a judge heard arguments about whether to dismiss a lawsuit brought by families of the Newtown shooting against Remington Arms Co., which made the assault rifle used in the massacre.

The defendants, which include a distributor and dealer, say the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act shields them from lawsuits. Basically under the law, you can sue a ladder manufacturer if you fall screwing in a light bulb, but you can’t sue the maker of the assault weapon that killed your children. A lawyer for the Newtown families asked in court, “How did a weapon used in Vietnam and streets of Fallujah end up on the floor of Vicky Soto’s first grade classroom?”

Nation: The Jeep Grand Cherokee that rolled down his driveway and killed “Star Trek” actor Anton Yelchin was under recall because many drivers couldn’t tell when the transmission was in park, and the cars had a tendency to roll away.

You’re Fired: Reality show meets reality. Donald Trump fired his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Trump PR manager Hope Hicks said in a statement, “The Donald J. Trump Campaign for President, which has set a historic record in the Republican primary having received almost 14 million votes, has announced that Corey Lewandowski will no longer be working with the campaign.”

The Trumpies didn’t give an explanation, but Lewandowski had clashed with both the press and the campaign’s chief strategist, Paul Manafort. Although, you’d think they would hang on to a guy who helped steer them to that record number of votes.

The campaign also fired an aide who tweeted gleefully about Lewandowski’s firing. Evidently Trump is the only one in the house allowed to make cruel fun of other people.

The Money Poll: Hillary Clinton has $42 million in the bank for the general election; Donald Trump, $1.3 million.

Campaign Notes: Jared Yates Sexton, a writing teacher at Georgia Southern University and a part-time political reporter attended a Donald Trump event over the weekend and tweeted the following developments:

-“Trump event like a security state. Just watched a girl get denied for being ‘too alternative.’”

-“Big seller is a shirt that says Trump That Bitch. Everyone wearing one is being asked to pose for pictures. Big thumbs up. Big grins.”

-“Just got told I don’t ‘look right.’”

-“Crowd member just shouted ‘gays had it coming’”

-“Saying Orlando shooter shouldn’t of been here as child of immigrants”

-“Bragging that he took credentials from WA Post. Crowd yells Kill them all.”

-“Trump comparing immigrants to snakes”

-“Rally ends. Crowd on way mumbling about immigrants. Vendors yelling HILLARY SUCKS BUT NOT LIKE MONICA. America. 2016.”

-30-

Friday, May 17, 2024

Page Two

The Most Corrupt Justice

Monday, October 2, 2023

Democracy and Video in the Dark

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Page Two: Do the Right Thing

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Page Two: Sound Recall

Monday, September 13, 2021

Page Two: Cuomo Must Go

Friday, August 13, 2021

Trump and the Truth

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The “Great” President

Monday, March 30, 2020

The Wright Stuff

Saturday, February 29, 2020

It's Been Said

"In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate, and I should have, no excuses."

-Andrew Cuomo, resigning as governor of New York after accusations of sexual harassment

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