By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Six members of the Russian government are accused of hacking into the Democratic National Committee’s computer during the 2016 presidential election.

The Justice Department has collected enough evidence to produce charges next year, two people familiar with the investigation told the Wall Street Journal.

Allegations that President Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia have prompted a very active, widening special counsel investigation that has already netted charges against three Trump aides.

One former aide, George Papadopoulos, is cooperating with authorities after he was accused of setting up a meeting with Russian officials who had “dirt” and thousands of emails on Hillary Clinton

Detroit Metro Airport

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

The FBI is investigating a couple of strangers who were caught engaging in a sex act while in their seats on Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Detroit.

WDIV-TV reports a 48-year-old woman was performing oral sex on a 28-year-old man, prompting complainants from passengers.

But charging the pair may be tough.

“It’s going to be very hard to find that this is criminal conduct under the federal code because it’s not a threat to the safety of the airline or other passengers,” said Peter Henning, now a Wayne State University law professor.

“It’s certainly distasteful, but it was not disruptive or interfering with the operation of the plane — and that’s typically what (airline incident) charges involve,” he said. “The embarrassment is probably the biggest punishment they can receive.”

The FBI took over the case from airport police after the plane landed. The pair was taken into custody.

Stephen Paddock

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

The FBI believes it is closer to determining what motivated Stephen Paddock to spray bullets into a crowd of concert attendees in Las Vegas, killing 58 and injuring hundreds of others.

But investigators said there is “absolutely” no evidence the 64-year-old man is tied to domestic terror or hate groups, the Las Vegas Sun reports. 

They have a theory but aren’t ready to share it.

“We do know a lot more (about Paddock) than when we started,” Rouse told the Las Vegas Sun Wednesday afternoon. “I feel like we are going in the correct direction to understand why this happened.”

As far s a motive, Rouse indicated, “When we’re done, we’ll have as close to an answer on the why as you’re going to be able to come to without talking with (Paddock).”

Investigators have pursued hundreds of tips.

Sayfullo Saipov

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

The 29-year-old driver who plowed a truck into innocent people on a New York City bike path Tuesday, killing eight and injuring in 12, was a recently radicalized immigrant who plotted the attack about a year ago after getting his inspiration from ISIS videos, according to a criminal complaint filed against him on Wednesday.

Sayfullo Saipov, 29, was charged with an outstanding count of providing material support to a terrorist organization and one count of violence and destruction of a motor vehicle in connection with the deadliest terror attack in New York City since Sept. 11, 2001.

A day after President Trump called for the death penalty against the Uzbek immigrant, Trump on Thursday morning tweeted that he’d “love” to transfer the suspect to Guantanamo, “but statistically that process takes much longer” than the federal system.

He implored the court system to “move fast. DEATH PENALTY.”

Would love to send the NYC terrorist to Guantanamo but statistically that process takes much longer than going through the Federal system…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2017