Lois Lerner Attacked By The Racist Right!

Been over a year for the IRS scandal.

Been over a year for the Benghazi scandal.

Been over a year since the former IRS official who is constantly hounded by Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) over her role in the alleged targeting of Tea Party affiliated groups. She got death threats because of the continuous name drops from the likes of King Hippo (aka Rush Limbaugh) and P*ssy Ass Sean Hannity (aka That Guy Who Helped Obama Win).

This week brought some fireworks at the umpteenth congressional hearing. Issa and his counterpart Congressman Elliah Cummings (D-MD) got into a heated confrontation during Lois Lerner's testimony.

Cummings slammed Issa for not allocating time for him talk. He also called to question to why Issa's committees netting no smoking gun results.

Lerner’s lawyers had said she would simply plead the Fifth again, and asked lawmakers to reconsider a public hearing, citing the numerous death threats the former IRS official had received since the scandal first surfaced. It was also reported that she wanted immunity in exchange for answering questions. But Issa said that she would not be granted any such protections when she appears this Wednesday before his committee.

No new friends. A testy spat between Republican Darrell Issa and Democrat Elliah Cummings.

The IRS targeting controversy has taken several twists since Lerner first declined to testify up through her testimony this coming week. It was revealed that the tax agency had also included progressive groups on its so-called Be On The Look Out lists, though not in the same kind of numbers or frequency as Tea Party groups. The Treasury Department’s inspector general -- who first uncovered the targeting –- said he was dismayed that he hadn’t picked up on the targeting of progressive groups during his investigation.

Republicans, in the meantime, have continued to make the case that there was a larger political motivation behind the targeting and have sought to tie the IRS' watch lists to influence from higher up in the Obama administration. Lerner will likely be pressed hard on this.

The IRS, which is currently being investigated by six different entities over the controversy, is also trying to revamp the rules it uses for weighing how to apply tax exempt status to political organizations. Under the drafted rule, the IRS would limit the amount of "candidate-related political activity" that groups claiming to be social welfare organizations can conduct. The IRS would also define candidate-related political activity to include certain communications such as direct advocacy for a certain candidate, voter registration drives and offering up grants and donations.

Republicans have strongly objected to the proposal, calling it a violation of free speech. Democrats have argued that it would bring some clarity into a tax-exempt application process that -- as demonstrated by the IRS mess -- clearly needs it.

Speaker Knockerz Passed Away!

Upcoming rap producer Speaker Knockerz was found dead in South Carolina.

Rapper and music producer Speaker Knockerz was found dead.

He produced singles for T.I., Ludacris, Gucci Mane, Young Scooter, Waka Flocka, Future and 2 Chainz.

He released a mixtape this year called Married To The Money.

According to the Associated Press, Derek McAllister (aka Speaker Knockerz) was found dead in his home near Columbia, SC.

Billboard reports the 19-year-old emcee was discovered in his garage on Two Notch Road in Columbia. Coroner Gary Watts said foul play is not suspected and an autopsy found no sign of trauma. Results are pending for a toxicology test.

The Richland County Sheriffs Department is investigating.

McAllister may have been missing for at least two days before being found. A Facebook user who identified herself as the rapper's mom said he was last seen Tuesday night while in a black Camaro. "It's not like him not to communicate or come home for this long period of time," Mesha Wilson reportedly wrote. "I pray that my son is ok."

Though unsigned, the rapper's videos on YouTube average somewhere between 200,000 to 3 million-plus views. Soon after his death was made public, #RIPSpeakerKnockerz became a Twitter trend in the United States. Friend and collaborator Zack Dillan, who directed many of the artist's videos, was among the mourners.

We here at Journal de la Reyna send our condolences to the family of Speaker Knockerz.




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Irish Spring!

Jobs were added year and President Barack Obama's critics will continue to complain.

The unemployment numbers are up. The added jobs for February was 175,000. This drove unemployment numbers to 6.7%.

U.S. hiring improved in February from the previous two months despite a blast of wintry weather, likely renewing hopes that growth will accelerate this year.

The Labor Department said Friday that employers added 175,000 jobs last month, up from just 129,000 in January, which was revised up from 113,000. December's gain was also revised higher.

The unemployment rate rose to 6.7 percent from a five-year low 6.6 percent. More Americans started looking for work but didn't find jobs. That's still an encouraging sign because more job hunters suggest that people were more optimistic about their prospects.

The figures were a welcome surprise after recent economic reports showed that harsh weather had closed factories, lowered auto sales, and caused existing-home sales to plummet.

"Over the past three months, payrolls growth has averaged 130,000, which is pretty respectable given the widespread weather disruptions," tweeted University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers.

The low temperatures and snow storms that hit the eastern half of the country in February might still have held back hiring. The number of Americans who said weather forced them to work part time rather than full time reached the highest level for February in the 36 years that the government has tracked the figure. The average work week fell.

Some recent reports hint that the economy will accelerate as the weather warms. The number of people who applied for unemployment benefits fell last week and is at about the same level as before the Great Recession.

The two most weakest leaders in the Republican Party continues to obstruct the president's job proposals.

Applications essentially reflect layoffs. The decline suggests that companies are confident about future growth, because layoffs would rise if employers expected business to weaken. Instead, businesses advertised more jobs online last month, according to the Conference Board. Online job ads rose 268,100 in February to 5.19 million.

Still, other factors are weighing on the economy. Auto makers and other manufacturers build up big stockpiles of goods in the second half of last year. That means they are likely producing fewer goods this year and is probably one reason factory orders are down.

Most economists forecast the economy will grow at a 2 percent annual pace or less in the first three months of the year, down from a 2.4 percent pace in the final three months of 2013. But they expect growth to accelerate in the spring and summer to roughly a 3 percent pace.

Isaiah Washington Returns To Grey's Anatomy!

An old friend returns to hit ABC drama.

The controversial actor returns back to the medical drama for a minor role as the former beau of character Sandra Oh. 

The creators of the hit drama have signaled the return of Isaiah Washington after he was given the ax after he called actor T.R. Knight an anti-gay slur.

Now I've been watching at best most of the Grey's Anatomy episodes alongside Scandal. I am a huge fan of Shonda Rhimes and her shows.

Ir's reported that Oh is resigning from the show so I guess as her character Dr. Cristina Yang closes out a relationship with her ex-hubby Dr. Owen Hunt (played by Kevin McKidd) and fling with Dr. Shane Ross (played by Gaius Charles), her old flame Dr. Preston Burke (played by Washington) will return.

Washington exited the series in 2007 after an on-set clash the year before.

Washington's return as Dr. Preston Burke coincides with the announced departure of series star Sandra Oh at the season's end in May. Her character, Dr. Cristina Yang, was engaged to Washington's Burke at one point in the long-running drama.

The date of Washington's episode was not announced.

During the controversy involving him, Washington also used the epithet backstage at the 2007 Golden Globe awards. He publicly apologized and tried to make amends by meeting with gay-rights organizations.

GOP Obstruction Claims Another Obama Nominee!

The racist right reacts to Obama's nominee for U.S. Attorney for Civil Rights. His confirmation was declined when seven lily liver Democrats sided with the ignorance endorsed Republican minority.

Just because someone defended an accused criminal doesn't mean the person is the criminal.

But in this case, the racist right once again rears its ugly head in the confirmation hearing Debo Adegbile.

Adegbile, a nominee for the position of U.S. Attorney for Civil Rights was rejected by Republicans and seven Democrats over the accusation of him being linked to a "cop killer".

The racist right managed to scream bloody murder of a limited role Adegbile played in the trial of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Abu-Jamal was convicted in 1981 for the murder of a Philadelphia police officer.

Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Orin Hatch (R-UT), John Cornyn (R-TX) and John Barrasso (R-WY).

Abu-Jamal was heading for the gas house, but was commuted to life in the iron college back in 2012. Now he's presence once again riles up the racist right.

Mumia Abu-Jamal (pka Wesley Cook) became involved in black nationalism in his youth, and was a member of the Black Panther Party until October 1970. Alongside his political activism, he became a radio journalist, eventually becoming president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. On December 9, 1981, Officer Daniel Faulkner was shot dead while conducting a traffic stop on Abu-Jamal's brother, William Cook. Abu-Jamal was injured by a shot from Faulkner and when further police arrived on the scene, he was arrested and charged with first degree murder.

Senator Jeff Session (R-Alabama).

The seven voted with 44 Republicans to sustain a procedural roadblock against the nomination of Adegbile, a former director at the Legal Defense Fund of the civil rights group NAACP, to head the Justice Department's civil rights division.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid eventually joined the seven fellow Democrats in a maneuver to preserve his right to bring up the nomination again. The final vote was 47 for and 52 against, with 51 votes needed for the nomination to proceed.

The vote was a tough one for Democrats, many of whom face challenges in elections in November and are leery of allowing themselves to be portrayed as soft on crime.

This is reported by Reuters.

Of course, this is what the Republican Party does. They literally act like a bunch of idiots.



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Marissa Alexander Could Get 60 In The Iron College!

Mom of three who fired a slug into the ceiling could get more time if the state prosecutor finds enough evidence to charge her. Marissa Alexander's trial will be coming up soon. The controversial shooting has proven that Florida's stand your ground law a joke. White guy kills Black person and gets no time in the iron college. Black person fires a slug and its lock 'em up!

A horrible result of shooting into a ceiling put Marissa Alexander in the iron college for 20 years.

A mistrial has her out for the time being. But the state prosecutor is seeking for longer sentence. She wants to put Alexander in the iron college for life. Just for shooting a slug into the ceiling to keep her abusive husband away.

The state known for its stupidity continues to be in the news again. They flock to Florida because of their low income taxes, the warmth and the weak gun laws.

We allow a man shoot and kill an unarmed teen. The teen was carrying a pack of Skittles and an Arizona ice tea on his way to his father's home. The shooter says the teen "was up to no good" and "those fucking punks always get away!"

We allow a man shoot and kill an unarmed teen. The teen and his friends were at a gas station and they get into an argument over hip-hop music being played loud. The shooter had called hip-hop "rap crap" or "thug music".

We allow a man shoot and kill an unarmed man. The man was texting on the phone in a movie theater. The shooter claimed that his life was in danger over a bag of popcorn and the man's towering height. The shooter had confronted other moviegoers over them being on the phone.

Wikipedia has a brief detail about the situation. It involves Angela Corey, a controversial state attorney who is accused of institutional racism. She would allow this woman who has no criminal record get life in the iron college for shooting into a ceiling

Angela Corey, the Florida state attorney who prosecuted the 31-year-old Marissa Alexander for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and obtained a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison generated controversy in the midst of the Trayvon Martin case.

Alexander argued that she fired a warning shot from a gun she was licensed to carry to defend herself from a life-threatening beating from her self-admitted abusive estranged husband, Rico Gray.

Alexander's shot hit the wall and deflected into the ceiling, injuring no one. Alexander, who had no previous criminal record or arrests, attempted a Stand Your Ground defense prior to trial but was unsuccessful.

State Attorney Corey met with the defendant and offered her a three year plea deal. Alexander rejected the offer and took her case to trial. A jury convicted her in twelve minutes and, because of the Florida 10-20-Life mandatory minimum statute, she was sentenced to a 20 years in prison.

Corey has been criticized for her handling of the case by Florida Democratic Congresswoman, Corrine Brown, who argued that Corey overcharged Alexander and the result of Alexander's case was a consequence of institutional racism.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, anti-domestic violence advocates, civil rights groups, and others have also supported the call for Alexander's release from prison.

Angela Corey wants to put Marissa Alexander in the iron college for life.

On September 26, 2013, an appellate court ordered a new trial, finding that the jury instructions in Alexander's trial impermissible and it shifted the burden of proof from the prosecution to the defense.

Alexander was released on bail on November 27, 2013 and required to stay under house arrest.

Angela Corey is now seeking to put Marissa in prison for 60 years rather than the original 20.

This is the woman who allow George Zimmerman to walk. Corey let Zimmerman continue on his path to destruction. Since his freedom, the asshole has created over a dozen incidents that would have put a Black person in the iron college.

This is the woman who allowed Michael Dunn get off with murder of Jordan Davis on a technicality. Although Dunn got 60 in the iron college, he didn't get life in the iron college for his deliberate murder of an unarmed teen.

This is a travesty of justice.

How could you put a woman who fired a slug into the ceiling of her own home in the iron college for life?

Here's a commentary from The Black Authority. Take discretion in viewing this. He's offering an opinion that may not be suitable for most audiences.

It Was The Phone That Killed Cali Teen!

A teen who was a star soccer player at her junior high school was killed by a freight train. Jenna Betti went to retrieved her phone and mistaken the train distance. She was struck and killed. This is one of the selfie photos Jenna took with her heartbroken mother.

We're in the digital age.

About 90% of American citizens own and operate a phone. The land line phone is on the decline and most Americans are now getting all their needs through their phone.

And with the phone comes the responsibility. Smartphone theft is on the rise and people are losing their lives over this. The companies and software developers are working to prevent this from happening. They are creating freeware and anti-theft tools to keep track of a stolen phone.

States are passing stricter laws that fine, vehicle operators who are on the road while on the phone.

I admit that I often do a lot of texting on the phone while operating a vehicle. That is extremely dangerous.

Many Americans lost their lives on the highways because of a five second text or a phone conversation.

You don't get an opportunity to avoid a hazard when you're arguing with a friend or family member.

You crash into a vehicle. Either you kill someone or you're the one!

We all must use common sense when using a cellphone!

A 14-year old girl paid the price for her phone. She lost her life when a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway train struck and killed her in California.

Jenna Betti from Martinez was trespassing on the railroad tracks with her boyfriend. Upon hearing a freight train approaching, they first moved off the tracks. But somehow, Betti dropped her phone. She went to retrieve her phone and got caught off guard by the speed of the train. The train struck her and killed her upon impact.

The girl and her boyfriend didn't use common sense when they walked on the tracks. Then of course, instead of moving off the tracks, the young teen decided that the phone was more important than her life.

Jenna's mother Denna posted on the social networks about her daughter's death. Denna wrote, "She didn't judge the approach, and the train creates a vacuum, we were told, and it sucks you in."

"Thank you for all your love, support and prayers during this very difficult time," her mother wrote. "Why they made such a horrible decision we'll never know."

It's probably safer to watch a train approach from a distance.

It is extremely dangerous for anyone to walk on railroad tracks. No matter what the situation, a train can come and you wouldn't even know it. Many people paid the price for trespassing on the tracks.

It's a class A misdemeanor for anyone caught on the railroad tracks. The individual could be arrested for trespassing or impeding on the right-of-way of transit.

It's a CLASS THREE FELONY if you're caught putting something on the tracks to derail or impede on the transit of a train. You can go to the iron college if you put something on the tracks and cause a train to derail.

If you're stuck on the tracks call the police or the rail company to inform the operator of the train.

A train can't stop like a car and semi-truck. It could take up to a full mile to come to a complete stop.

We here at Journal de la Reyna send our condolences to the family of Jenna Betti.