1 Officials Say Five Dead As Tornadoes, Storms Drill Texas And Louisiana
Horror in the south as storms chewed through Texas and Louisiana, leaving destruction and death in it’s wake. Officials confirm three dead in Texas – a mother and her child killed in Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards says an EF-3 tornado – possibly stronger – hit the city of Ruston yesterday morning. At a news conference, Edwards added search and rescue teams are still operating, as a number of neighborhood are still inaccessible. According to Edwards, Union and Lincoln Parishes, along with the entire state of Louisiana, declared emergencies following the tornado as damage is still being assessed. Edwards has heard from several agencies, including the White House, that are ready to respond if necessary. The governor surveyed parts of the state from the air and said the damage is extensive. As Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker puts it, the situation is "bad, real bad." He adds, “We took a direct hit.”
2 Federal Officials Raid Home And Office Of Baltimore Mayor
Things are getting worse for Baltimore Democratic Mayor Catherine Pugh. Already under investigation by the Maryland Office of the State Prosecutor for sales of her "Healthy Holly" children's books, IRS agents executed search warrants at Pugh's two homes, City Hall, her lawyer's office, the home of one of her top aides and other locations linked to the mayor yesterday. Pugh reportedly had lucrative book deals with businesses that worked closely with the city – and she’s been on a paid leave of absence since April 1st due to health issues. But it’s not like she’s got a lot of support. As the news broke, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan tweeted shortly after calling on her to resign. He said she’s clearly not fit to lead and has lost the public trust. Hogan added that now more than ever, Baltimore needs strong and responsible leadership. While Hogan’s comments might not b unexpected – as he’s a Republican – Democrats aren’t exactly taking a “wait and see” attitude. “This is too much for our city,” Democratic City Councilman Zeke Cohen told reporters. “It puts all of us under a tremendous strain, and again it is not fair either to the people that live here, or the people that work here.”
3 Judge Busted For Helping Illegal Escape ICE
A Massachusetts state judge and court officer are facing federal charges for helping an illegal immigrant escape arrest by immigration authorities. Judge Shelley Joseph and court officer Wesley MacGregor have been indicted today in Boston on obstruction of justice and other federal charges. They are accused of allowing a twice-deported defendant to escape out the back door of a courthouse in Newton in April of 2018. Federal prosecutors said they did this after an ICE agent identified himself to the judge and the court. The plan was hatched after the suspect's lawyer told the judge what was happening – and essentially, Joseph scooted the defendant out a back door – while directing the ICE agent to wait in a front lobby. And part of the “hatchery” was recorded on tape. U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said the case is about the rule of law and those in the justice system cannot pick and choose which federal laws to follow. Both Joseph and MacGregor have pleaded not guilty and were released on bond.