The full scope of the devastion in Oklahoma is more apparent this morning. Sadly most of the news is not good. There is also the chance of more tornadoes today. From NBCNews
“At least 51 people, including 20 children, were among the victims of an enormous tornado that roared through the suburbs of Oklahoma City Monday, pulverizing entire city blocks and leaving behind miles of mangled cars and splintered wood.
Officials warned the death toll was likely to climb, making it among the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.
Forecasters warned that more “large and devastating” tornadoes were possible Tuesday with cities including Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Shreveport, Texarkana and Little Rock potentially at risk.”
More From CBSHouston
“A monstrous tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods with winds up to 200 mph, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. At least 51 people were reported killed, according to CBS News.”
Many of the victims were children. It’s just so sad. Please keep these folks suffering loss and damage to their homes in prayer. And all those working on rescue and recovery efforts as well.
UPDATE
The death toll continues to rise. From KFOR-TV
“Officials have confirmed at least 91 people have been killed in the Moore tornado Monday.
The medical examiner’s office confirmed at least 233 people have been injured.
That number is expected to rise as recovery efforts continue Tuesday morning and daylight arrives.”
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In other news….
This woman should be spending time in prison. From TheWeeklyStandard
“Perhaps no other IRS official is more intimately associated with the tax agency’s growing scandal than Lois Lerner, director of the IRS’s Exempt Organizations Division. Since admitting the IRS harassed hundreds of conservative and Tea Party groups for over two years, Lerner has been criticized for a number of untruths—including the revelation that she apparently lied about planting a question at an American Bar Association conference where she first publicly acknowledged IRS misconduct.”
“The trouble with this defense is that, prior to joining the IRS, Lerner’s tenure as head of the Enforcement Office at the Federal Election Commisson (FEC) was marked by what appears to be politically motivated harassment of conservative groups.”
“One of the most shocking things about the current IRS scandal is the revelation that the agency asked one religious pro-life group to detail the content of their prayers and asked clearly innappropriate questions about private religious activity. But under Lerner’s watch, innappropriate religious inquiries were a hallmark of the FEC’s interrogation of the Christian Coalition. According to Bopp’s testimony:”
And does anyone doubt that this is exactly why she’s received her newer assignments? Me neither.
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We also have attempts to intimidate reporters seeking answers at the IRS office in Cincinnati. From ABCNews
“As we traveled the public hallways of the building – watched over by security cameras – an armed uniformed police officer with the Federal Protective Service followed us. We were looking for a particular office—of someone who would not want to be seen talking to reporters–but chose to bypass it because of our official babysitter.
Asked why we were being escorted in a public building, the officer identified himself as Insp. Mike Finkelstein and said he was only trying to make sure that the newsmen were not a “nuisance.” He brushed aside further questions. The cop said a supervisor would call to explain.”
“One of the reporters wanted to know if the act of following the journalists was an effort intended to scare off any federal employee who might have considered speaking to the press. That’s sure what it looked like; and, even if that wasn’t the goal, it was the effect.”
Chicago style.
Next is the ever changing talking points. Regardless of whether it’s Benghazi, the IRS, or the AP story, the issue of a continually changing narrative seems to be a theme. From Politico
“The White House on Monday once again added to the list of people who knew about the IRS investigation into its targeting of conservative groups — saying White House chief of staff Denis McDonough had been informed about a month ago.
Press secretary Jay Carney said again that no one had told President Barack Obama ahead of the first news reports: not his top aide McDonough, nor his chief counsel Kathy Ruemmler, nor anyone from the Treasury Department.”
“Monday’s revelation amounts to the fifth iteration of the Obama administration’s account of events, after initially saying that the White House had first learned of the controversy from the press.”
Quick, blame the video or something! 🙄
And there’s much more on this. Here are some examples.
A bushel of Pinocchios for IRS’s Lois Lerner, from TheWaPo
Senior W.H. staff knew of IRS investigation, did not tell Obama, from Politico
Riiiight. 😉
The True Scandal, fromNationalReview
“A tea-party group targeted by Democrats gets attention from the IRS—and the FBI, OSHA, and the ATF.”
“Two months later, the IRS initiated the first round of questions for True the Vote. Catherine painstakingly answered them, knowing that nonprofit status would help with the organization’s credibility, donors, and grant applications. In October, the IRS requested additional information. And whenever Catherine followed up with IRS agents about the status of True the Vote’s application, “there was always a delay that our application was going to be up next, and it was just around the corner,” she says,
As this was occurring, the FBI continued to phone King Street Patriots. In May 2011, agents phoned wondering “how they were doing.” The FBI made further inquiries in June, November, and December asking whether there was anything to report.”
“On the same day they received the questions from the IRS, Catherine says, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) launched an unscheduled audit of their machine shop, forcing the Engelbrechts to drop everything planned for that day. Though the Engelbrechts have a Class 7 license, which allows them to make component parts for guns, they do not manufacture firearms. Catherine said that while the ATF had a right to conduct the audit, “it was odd that they did it completely unannounced, and they took five, six hours. . . . It was so extensive. It just felt kind of weird.””
The fourth shoe is coming according to Drudge Editors and Dem. Sen. Max Baucus.
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And we have yet another example of govt agencies harrassing people, and once again, an ever changing story. From NBCNews
“The Justice Department’s secret subpoena for AP phone records included the seizure of records for five reporters’ cellphones and three home phones as well as two fax lines, a lawyer for the news organization tells NBC News.”
“David Schulz, the chief lawyer for the AP, said the subpoenas also covered the records for 21 phone lines in five AP office lines — including one for a dead phone line at office in Washington that had been shut down six years ago. The phone lines at four other offices – where 100 reporters worked — were also covered by the subpoenas, Schulz said.”
We know they also targeted at least 3 Fox reporters as well. From WeaselZippers
Jay Carney would like to remind everyone that leaks will not be tolerated. From TalkingPointsMemo
“Insisting repeatedly that he can’t comment on the Department of Justice’s 2009 probe of Fox News reporter James Rosen, White House press secretary Jay Carney on Monday emphasized the severity of leaks related to national security.
Carney said that President Barack Obama has long valued the First Amendment and an open press, but that leaks of classified information “are not tolerated.” The White House spokesman said that the media shield law proposed by Obama strikes that balance.
“I think it is very important that leaks are not tolerated,” Carney said.”
Well, except for those that benefit and come from the administration right Jay? 🙄
From Breitbart
“The Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General published a new report Monday that confirms former U.S. Attorney for Arizona Dennis Burke leaked a document intended to smear Operation Fast and Furious scandal whistleblower John Dodson.”
Apparently some leaks are more equal than others.
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Democrats are planning an attempt to place restrictions on crisis pregnancy centers. Of course no such restrictions for abortion mills were not included. This is just rich. Gosnell they ignore. His victims, they ignore. And they don’t seem real concerned with full disclosure from Planned Parenthood before for an abortion. In fact, quite the opposite. From TheHill
“Democrats in the House and Senate are looking to stop what they say are deceptive advertising practices by anti-abortion health clinics that imply they offer abortion services, but instead encourage birth and promote adoption.
The legislation is aimed at crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), which are clinics often set up by a church or other anti-abortion groups. Democrats in Congress and other pro-abortion groups say these clinics are known to indicate they can perform abortions in order to attract pregnant women patients, and then try to convince them to carry their babies to term.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the House sponsor of the Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women’s Services Act (H.R. 2030), said CPCs should not be allowed to deceive women who are seeking information about their pregnancy.”
But this enabler who sponges blood money from abortion groups wouldn’t dare try this on PP, where it’s actually needed. Hypocrite.
Meanwhile some actual honesty and following of the law is completely lacking from Planned Parenthood. From TheBellinghamHerald
“An Everson man who impregnated a preteen girl and forced her to have an abortion must serve a six-year prison sentence, then leave the country.”
“He brought the girl to a Planned Parenthood clinic in August 2012. She told staff members that her 14-year-old boyfriend impregnated her, but she couldn’t give the boy’s name or address.
Six weeks after the abortion, the girl told a detective how she had really become pregnant. Gonzalez-Jose had insisted “it would be best for her” to not have the baby, according to the documents.”
Perhaps their new-found fondness of honesty will let them explain how a 14 year old girl, accompanied by a non-family member adult male, can get an abortion in one of their clinics without serious questions being asked and the authorities alerted?
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Wandering Views 