News Story
Ex-FBI Agent John Connolly Appeals 40-Year Prison Sentence, Says He’s Not Guilty
By Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Ex-FBI agent John Connolly is trying to convince a Florida appeals court that he should be released from prison because he is not a murderer. The Miami Herald reports that appeals judges in Miami-Dade are revisiting the former agent’s conviction of murder with a firearm in a case connected to notorious…
Bloomberg Column: Republicans Need Quick Course in ‘Shutdown Showdown 101’
By Jonathan Bernstein Bloomberg Funding for the Department of Homeland Security is about to expire, and Republicans are bickering about what to do next. It’s time for a quick course in Shutdown Showdown 101. House Republicans passed a funding bill last month loaded with veto bait — riders that would block President Barack Obama’s executive…
Comey to Become First FBI Director to Speak Publicly About Race at Length
By Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com No FBI director has spoken publicly and at length about the issue of race. Until today. FBI Director James B. Comey plans to discuss the strained relationship between police officers and African Americans at a speech at Georgetown University, the New York Times reports. Comey is expected to discuss how well-intended…
FBI Billboards in Connecticut Urge Motorists to ‘Report Corruption Now!’
By Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Billboards have helped the FBI capture bank robbers, rapists and murderers. So why not corrupt politicians? The ctpost.com reports that the FBI has posted billboards in scandal-plagued cities in Connecticut, like Bridgeport, Waterbury and Hartford, to encourage residents to “Report corruption now!” The FBI said the billboards were posted because advertising…
Undocumented Immigrant Paid Nearly $500,000 After Being Shot by Border Patrol Agent
By Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The U.S. government was ordered to pay nearly $500,000 to an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who was shot by a Border Patrol agent on Nov. 16, 2010, the USA Today reports. U.S. District Court Justice James Soto said the agent’s “use of force was not justified” because the plaintiff, Castro Romo,…
Iowa Couple Accused of Torturing, Forcing Woman into Prostitution, Are Charged
By Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com An Iowa couple accused of torturing a 20-year-old woman and forcing her into prostitution was charged this week with sex trafficking and torture, Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. Charges in U.S. District Court allege Aldair Hodza, 36, and Laura E. Sorensen, 31, abducted the woman before subjecting her to sexual abuse, starvation and…
Republicans in Congress Reach Impasse on Funding for Homeland Security
By Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Homeland Security is within two months of running out of money, and Republican Congressional leaders acknowledge they don’t have the votes for their budget plan for the department. The New York Times reports that Republicans have reached an impasse after failing three times to pass a bill to finance Homeland Security….
FBI Investigates Hacking Attempt Targeting Jacksonville International Airport
By Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The FBI is investigating what appears to be a hacking attempt from a “foreign party” targeting Jacksonville International Airport, First Coast News reports. Investigators said the hacking attempt was unsuccessful. “There was an incident that occurred around Thanksgiving and the FBI is investigating,” JAA spokesperson Michael Stewart said in a statement….