1 Coast Guard Officer Accused Of Being A Domestic Terrorist
A U.S. Coast Guard officer working in the nation's capital now stands accused of being a domestic terrorist. As we’ve just learned, FBI agents arrested Lieutenant Christoper Paul Hasson and seized a stockpile of weapons and ammunition from his home in Silver Spring, Maryland last Friday. But authorities say that's just the tip of the iceberg. According to government court filings, Hasson had big plans for a terror attack on politicians and journalists – and he had a sizeable list of targets that included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. And it’s not like it’s a new fascination. Prosecutors charge that back in 2017, Hasson described an "interesting idea" that included "biological attacks followed by attack on food supply” in a draft email. In his words, “I am dreaming of a way to kill every last person on earth.” Prosecutors describe Hasson as a white nationalist who "intends to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country." Hasson is due in federal court today for a detention hearing. The alleged hit list also included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Richard Blumenthal, along with U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Maxine Waters, and former house member, Beto O'Rourke. Media targets included MSNBC hosts Chris Hayes and Joe Scarborough, as well as CNN’s Don Lemon and Van Jones.
2 Trump: Up To Barr To Decide What To Do With Mueller Report
Will we ever find out what’s in the Special Counsel investigation report? To ask President Trump, it’s up to newly-minted Attorney General William Barr to decide what to do with Robert Mueller's final report. Talking with reporters at the White House, Trump said it's totally up to Barr and he called the attorney general “a tremendous man.” We’ll find out soon – as the highly anticipated report could be finished as soon as next week. He is required to submit his findings to the attorney general. But it will be up to Barr to decide whether to send Congress the full report or a summary of the findings, and what to release publicly. When pressed by reporters if he thinks the report should be made public at all, he played cool. “I guess, from what I understand,” he offered. “That will be totally up to the Attorney General.”
3 Jussie Smollett Has Been Charged With Filing A False Report
It’s no scene for a TV show, “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett is being charged for filing a false police report over claims he was the victim of a racist and homophobic assault. A Cook County grand jury has indicted him on the felony charge after detectives presented their evidence. Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says detectives expect "to negotiate a reasonable surrender for his arrest" It’s unclear if that’s happened, but Smollett is due in court this afternoon. If convicted, Smollett faces up to three years in prison as well as fines. Not surprisingly, Smollett’s legal team says they’re ready for war. “Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked,” attorneys Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson say in a statement. “Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense.”