'I can't believe Hillary would be coasting into the primaries with her current margin of black support if most people knew how much damage the Clintons have done...'

From Professor Michelle Alexander, of the Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University, on Facebook:



She's the author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.

Chargers Announce They'll Stay in San Diego for 2016 (VIDEO)

At the San Diego Union-Tribune, "Chargers here for a year – then what?":

San Diego woke up Saturday morning with the Chargers still here, at least for one more season.

Team owner Dean Spanos announced Friday afternoon that while he's reached an agreement that would enable him eventually to join the Rams in Inglewood and tap into the greener financial pastures of the nation's second-largest media market, he'll renew negotiations with local government officials on building a new stadium here.

"This has been our home for 55 years," he said in the note addressed to Chargers fans, "and I want to keep the team here and provide the world-class stadium experience you deserve."

The announcement was greeted mostly with optimism from elected officials, sighs of relief from longtime backers of the NFL team, and caution if not skepticism from others weary of stadium machinations that have been going on for almost 15 years.

Now comes the hard part: working out an agreement on where a new stadium will be built and how it will be funded, and then getting approval from voters...

More.

PREVIOUSLY: "San Diego Chargers Should Stay in San Diego."

Hey, It's Shark Eat Shark Out There! (VIDEO)

Folks were tweeting a Newsweek story about this --- Newsweek?

Who even reads that dinosaur outlet anymore?

But CNN's got the video, from a South Korean aquarium. Shark turf wars --- who knew?

'Extremist With a Death Wish' — Citizens for Constitutional Freedom Throw David Fry Under the Bus

At the Facebook page for the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom.

I don't see the post buried there, but you can read the screencap, via Twitter:



And here's what looks like is a more recent thread, "A CALL TO DAVID FRY TO STAND DOWN IMMEDIATELY":

I am calling on David Fry, once again, to LEAVE THE MALHEUR WILDERNESS REFUGE. David is one of five holdouts at the refuge. He was not a part of the original group to go to the refuge. He had no part in the great amount of social, legal and political work that Ammon and other people did in the years prior to the takeover of the refuge. David is a Johnny-come-lately who was a media disaster from the start due to his wild public rants.

I remember when I first read some mentions of David in the media shortly after he went out to the refuge. Initially, I thought that he may have just been a naive young man who said some dumb things off the cuff in social media and was being slammed for it by left-leading media outlets. I opened a dialogue with David to find out if the reports about him were true. If he was being inappropriately maligned in the media, I wanted to be able to defend him. But if he was truly an extremist who had infiltrated the ranks at the refuge, I wanted to see him removed from the compound for the sake of the good people of the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (CCF). So I began an investigation.

David is in his late 20s. He believes in some very good foundational principles regarding issues of morality and freedom. However, David's worldview takes those principles and runs to the fringes. I don't believe that he is altogether mentally stable. He seems to have no sense of social propriety and sees every issue as either black or white with no layers of gray in the middle. Following my investigation, I spoke with David and told him that I felt that, even if his intent was good, his methods of communication were too extreme and would be damaging to the reputation of Ammon and the others at the refuge who did not share his extremist ideologies. I was in no position to tell him to leave the refuge, but I advised him that if I were in charge I would ask him to leave. I also recommended that if he was going to stay on at the refuge, at the very least - for the sake of the reputation of the others - he needed to stop making public statements on social media that were provocative. I recommended that if he wouldn't delete his previous inflammatory messages, to at least change their status from public to restricted.

David chose not to take any of my advice or counsel. Having worked for decades as a political strategist with a keen awareness of the psychology and propensities of the individuals I've worked with, I foresaw David as becoming a serious threat to Ammon's work and to the CCF as a whole. I sent numerous warnings to individuals I knew out at the refuge to ask them to boot David from the group. David later related to me that they had given him a firm warning that if he caused any more trouble that he would be asked to leave. But then more pressing matters began to rapidly accelerate over the next week and the issue of David Fry fell by the wayside.

Today, Ammon and other CCF leaders are in prison. LaVoy Finicum has been murdered. The militia has fled. And, to my shock and disgust, David Fry has become the self-appointed leader of a 5 person band of holdouts who are continuing to defy the FBI. They are armed and, at least as of this writing, they are determined to stay - come hell or high water. Up until yesterday, David Fry was simply a foolish young person with some socially inappropriate views. Today, David is putting the lives of other people at risk, as well as his own.

If any of the other members of David's party can see my words - PLEASE, abandon David and leave. He has become unhinged and seems to have a death wish. Yesterday he was screaming on video that the world was going to get to watch him get killed on live TV. Last night he sent out a Livestream of him and a few others smoking dope together. He is bringing shame upon the CCF and NO GOOD can come from following him.

David, if you continue to wield weapons and defy the federal authorities, they are going to kill you. For the love of God, lay down your arms and come out.

Jake Morphonios

Check for more at the Facebook page.

Surfer Rescued After Getting Tossed Onto Rocks Along U.C. Santa Barbara-Goleta Beach (VIDEO)

I walked this beach many, many times when I was in grad school at UCSB, but never when it as being pounded with El Niño surf.

Watch, at KEYT News 3 Santa Barbara, "Water Rescue at Goleta Beach."

WATCH: Donald Trump Hammers Ted Cruz in Iowa, Exhorts Supporters: 'We will run the table...' (VIDEO)

He's really confident.

It's an AP raw video out of Iowa:



And remember, he's being talked about is if he's the inevitable nominee, "Will Americans Upend the Political Order? Iowa May Tell."

Donald Trump Holds 6.3 Percent Lead in RCP's Iowa GOP Presidential Caucus Poll Average

Following-up, "The Iowa Caucuses Through Sabato's Crystal Ball."

The polling looks great for Trump in Iowa, based on the RCP average, here, "Iowa Republican Presidential Caucus."

But once again, how's the Trump Train's turnout machine shaping up? I sure hope he doesn't end up doing his own Howard Dean scream from Des Moines on Monday night, lol.

That said, the New York Times characterized Trump as the GOP nominee in its piece, or at least, accepted Trump's narrative as the inevitable one. Here, "Will Americans Upend the Political Order? Iowa May Tell."

Keep checking back for all your updates on all aspects of our crazy polarized political times.

WATCH: Ted Cruz Slams Donald Trump and Marco Rubio at Campaign Event in Iowa (VIDEO)

It's a raw video from Ruptly, out of Sioux City, Iowa:

Will Americans Upend the Political Order? Iowa May Tell

Well, I sure hope so.

At the New York Times, "Iowa Will Gauge Ardor to Upend Politics as Usual":

DES MOINES — The presidential race hurtled over the weekend toward a watershed moment: voting that will start to reveal the true depth of Americans’ desire to cast aside traditional politicians and Washington-style compromise and embrace disruptive outsiders appealing to their passions.

After a year of countless and often conflicting polls, more than 250,000 Iowans are expected to attend caucuses on a relatively mild Monday night and render judgment on insurgent candidates who would bar Muslims from the country (Donald J. Trump), oppose concessions to Democrats (Senator Ted Cruz of Texas) and pursue a high-tax, big-government agenda (Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont). Voters are poised to bring order to the race, or reorder politics, as in no other recent election.

Money, experience and endorsements — advantages that usually turn candidates like Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, into inevitable nominees — will be tested against the potent messages of rivals promising upheaval.

The importance of aggressive fund-raising and campaign commercials, which have cost a combined total of more than $100 million so far, will become suspect if the social-media-driven organizing by grass-roots groups helps yield upset victories for candidates like Mr. Sanders.

And the national mood about entrenched power — Wall Street, political dynasties and Washington — will almost certainly be reflected in the outcomes of the nominating contests this winter.

On the Republican side, Mr. Trump, who spent Saturday barnstorming across eastern Iowa, projected the supreme confidence that has defined his campaign. A Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll released Saturday found that 28 percent of likely Republican caucusgoers supported Mr. Trump, while 23 percent favored Mr. Cruz and 15 percent backed Senator Marco Rubio of Florida.

Mr. Trump, in an interview on Friday, barely dwelled on those two rivals, saying that he was already looking ahead to the prospect of a general election matchup against Mrs. Clinton, a former secretary of state and senator.

“Our popularity is strong enough to put states in play in November that Republicans don’t usually win anymore: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, Ohio,” Mr. Trump said. “I’m a little surprised that I’ve done this well, to tell you the truth. But my message is something that people want to hear, more than just going along with the usual politicians.”

Keep reading.

'It feels like a zombie apocalypse' — Last Malheur Holdouts Hope Against Hope (VIDEO)

The "zombie apocalypse" is below, showing the mess of items left behind when most of the remaining militiamen hightailed it out of there, fearing a Waco-style incursion by the feds. Considering the massive convoy of vehicles into the refuge, and the enormous numbers of LEOs, that was probably the smart thing to do.

Now, though, Sean and Sandy Anderson, David Fry, and Jeff Banta are all of whom remain at the compound, and they're definitely not giving up. I've blogged the reasons a few times already. Fry's crazy. Sean Anderson's got a troubling criminal background and is probably looking at some major time behind bars. His online rants have been threatening. And there's been talk among the holdouts of "suicide by cop." And of course they're heavily armed. Something like 20 additional firearms were left behind in the panicked exodus of the militiamen on Thursday.

In any case, at the Portland Oregonian, "Oregon standoff: Last of the occupiers 'hoping for a miracle'":

BURNS -- Six miles beyond an FBI roadblock, the four remaining holdouts at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge huddled around a small fire Saturday and waited for divine intervention.

That's what Sean Anderson told his hometown sheriff, who called from Idaho County, Idaho, to ask if he could help. Anderson, 47, and his wife, Sandy, 48, remain encamped at the Oregon wildlife refuge with Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nevada, and David Fry, 27, of Blanchester, Ohio.":

"I'm hoping for a miracle," Anderson told Sheriff Doug Giddings, who has been Idaho County's top law enforcement officer for eight years.

"I believe God put us here."

Their Saturday afternoon conversation was broadcast live on the Internet -- one of their only connections to the outside world. The video showed the four occupiers gathered beneath plastic tarps, sitting in lawn chairs next to a white truck.

"If we don't stand up 'til the end on this, then why did we come here in the first place?" asked Sean Anderson, who had recently moved with his wife to Riggins, a community of 400 people in Idaho County.

Giddings told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Saturday that he reached out to the Andersons to let them know their options. "I'm not speaking to him on behalf of anybody but me," he said, rebutting Sean Anderson's assertion that the sheriff was acting as an intermediary to the FBI.

"They pretty much are limited by the FBI to one decision, and that's to come out," Giddings said.

The four reiterated their key demand: assurances they won't face charges.

Until then, Banta said, "nothing's going to happen because we're just camping out."

The audio feed crackled as he squeezed a can of Coors Light in his hand. He started another sentence that Sandy Anderson finished. "We're armed but -- "

"We're always armed," the only woman at the refuge said...

Keep reading.

Plus, from Jennifer Dowling, at KOIN News 6 Portland, "Malheur occupiers: ‘All of us out or all dead’":

Near the refuge, a sign says “FBI Go Home” and roadblocks seal off 4 remaining occupiers — David Fry, Jeff Banta and married couple Sandy and Sean Anderson. They claim the FBI will let all but Sean Anderson go, and he believes it’s because of an online outburst:

“Don’t be afraid of those roadblocks, drive up there and shoot them. They are dishonorable, not following their oath.”

In a later clip, Anderson said he “thought that was the last day of my life and I was hoping American people would stand up.”

Ammon Bundy, through messages delivered first by his lawyer and now through a videotaped cell phone call with his wife Lisa Bundy, told the remaining occupiers to stand down and “go home to your families.”

But Sean Anderson rejected that plea from the now-jailed militia leader.

“Your husband and your brother-in-law and all your friends are in prison right now because they do what they want to do. I have to submit to people I don’t believe or trust. You say Ammon is directed by God. So am I.”

PREVIOUSLY: "They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)," and "WATCH: Sean and Sandy Anderson, Husband and Wife Occupiers at #Malheur, Post 'Last Dance' Video."

Plus, "Armed Militiaman David Fry, Among Last Holdouts at Malheur Reserve, Says He's Prepared to Die in Siege," and "'Bombastic, Paranoid, and Angry' — Update on David Fry, One of the Last Holdouts at Malheur Occupation."

WATCH: Wild Bill for America, Statement on Shooting Death of LaVoy Finicum (VIDEO)

Via Theo Spark.

It's an interesting discussion, which I agree with for the most part. Once LaVoy reached down, even if it was to the left side, which wasn't the side he kept a holstered weapon, the LEOs had reason to suspect a catastrophic threat to life.

And Wild Bill's discussion of the need for, and coming likelihood of, a massive campaign of civil disobedience is something I talk about every semester in my American government classes.

Watch:



PREVIOUSLY: "Last Holdouts Remain at #Malheur Refuge; LaVoy Finicum Protesters Roll Through Burns, Oregon (VIDEO)."

All Three Orange County Jailbreak Fugitives Now Back Behind Bars (VIDEO)

For the national media, this was a bigger story than the Oregon standoff.

Shows you where priorities lie.

At the O.C. Register, "O.C. jail escape: 2 remaining fugitives caught in San Francisco, being returned to Orange County tonight."

And at CBS News 2 Los Angeles:



It looks like this dude Captain Chris Wilson is getting thrown under the bus. More details at BuzzFeed, "All Three Escaped California Inmates Arrested."

Black Radical Cornel West Slams Hillary Clinton at Bernie Sanders Rally Ahead of Iowa Caucuses (VIDEO)

West slams Clinton for take that "Wall Street money."

And hey, maybe Cornel's gonna help mobilize the "Black Lives Matter" constituency, heh.

And Sanders takes the podium, nailing down to the bottom line issue: "We will win the caucus Monday night if there is a large voter turnout. We will lose the caucus on Monday if there is a low voter turnout."

I blogged about precisely that earlier today, "Can Bernie Sanders Turn Out the Votes in Iowa?"

Watch:

Last Holdouts Remain at #Malheur Refuge; LaVoy Finicum Protesters Roll Through Burns, Oregon (VIDEO)

Jennifer Dowling reports, for KOIN News 6 Portland:



More earlier report is here, "'Bombastic, Paranoid, and Angry' — Update on David Fry, One of the Last Holdouts at Malheur Occupation."

David Fry has uploaded a new "Defend Your Base" video to YouTube, indicating he's not ready to pack it in and wondering why he's not getting a deal from the feds. Listen, "Response to Ammon Bundy."

Top Iowa Elections Official Slams Ted Cruz Campaign on Public Shaming Mailers

Following-up from earlier today, "Wow! Ted Cruz Campaign Threatens Iowa Voters With Public Shaming if They Don't Caucus on Monday!"

At Politico, "Top Iowa elections official slams Cruz mailer" (via Memeorandum):

The Republican secretary of state says 'voting violation' piece is 'not keeping in the spirit of the Iowa Caucuses.'

AMES, Iowa — Iowa’s top elections official condemned Ted Cruz’s campaign on Saturday for sending mailers to Iowa voters designed to look like official documents that accuse them of a “VOTING VIOLATION” for failure to turn out in past elections.

Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate said in a statement that Cruz’s mailers, which has the words “official public record” printed in red at the top, “misrepresents the role of my office, and worse, misrepresents Iowa election law.”

“There is no such thing as an election violation related to frequency of voting,” said Paul, who was elected statewide as a Republican in 2014. “Any insinuation or statement to the contrary is wrong and I believe it is not in keeping in the spirit of the Iowa Caucuses.”

The controversial Cruz mailers show the name of the person receiving the mail at the top and then give them a grade on an A to F scale. Below, it shows their neighbors and their voting scores. It then urges them to caucus next week and warns, “A follow-up notice may be issued following Monday’s caucuses.”

Political science studies have shown that such voter-shaming and peer-pressure techniques can be effective to motivate less likely voters. Past campaigns have sent such mail but they come at the risk of backlash from voters who feel their — and their neighbors’ privacy — has been compromised.

Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said Saturday that the piece was “a standard mailer that folks at the Iowa Republican Party and other get-out-the-vote groups have used to help motivate low-propensity voters.”

“We're going to do everything we can to turn these folks out,” she said. She did not immediately respond to comment about Pate’s criticism.

The Republican Party of Iowa did not immediately respond to requests about whether they had sent such mailers in the past...

Keep reading.

These shaming mailers have been used abundantly by the Democrats. I'm literally sorry for Ted Cruz on this. It makes him look desperate.

Sarah Silverman at the Screen Actors Guild Awards Red Carpet

Not sure why they scheduled it on the weekend before the Iowa caucuses. Folks are more focused on politics than celebrities.

But what the heck? Maybe I'll blog a few pics.

Sarah Silverman's always interesting, in the Roxanne Barr way of being interesting, although nicer looking, heh.

.@SarahKSilverman didn't bring her purse to the red carpet — to prevent overshadowing her gorgeous gown. #sagawards pic.twitter.com/KisOdZ3ykX

— People Magazine (@people) January 31, 2016

I'm gonna see if I can find more pics of Silverman in that gown. She looks good.

ADDED: Via E! Online, "Alicia Vikander helping Sarah Silverman up the stairs on the #ERedCarpet: "At least she's good for something." It's a nice GIF of Ms. Silverman.

LATEST: Donald Trump Reclaims Lead in Final Des Moines Register Poll Before Iowa Caucuses

The Register's poll is said to be the gold standard of Iowa caucuses polling.

From Jennifer Jacobs, "Donald Trump reclaims lead in latest Iowa Poll":

Iowa Poll by @jaselzer:
TRUMP 28
Cruz 23
Rubio 15
Carson 10
Paul 5
Christie 3
Bush/Fiorina/Huck/Kasich/Santorum 2
Not sure 2
Jan 26-29

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 30, 2016

Donald Trump has muscled ahead in Iowa, regaining his lead on the brink of the first votes being cast in the 2016 presidential race.

Trump stands at 28 percent, while rival Ted Cruz has slid to 23 percent. But there’s still a strong case for Cruz in this race — he’s more popular and respected than Trump, the final Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll shows.

“The drill-down shows, if anything, stronger alignment with Cruz than Trump, except for the horse race,” said J. Ann Selzer, the pollster for the Iowa Poll.

Mainstream Republicans, faced with seeing governors Jeb Bush and Chris Christie stalling and the grim reality looming of a victory by a smash-mouth game show host or an ultra-conservative obstructionist, have gravitated toward Marco Rubio. The young-looking, first-term U.S. senator from Florida is now at 15 percent. Still, Trump gets more of their support.

“Donald Trump could win Iowa,” said Stuart Stevens, a Maryland-based GOP strategist who has worked on five presidential campaigns but is neutral this election cycle. “But he has little room for error. He is almost no one's second choice.”

Keep reading.

'Bombastic, Paranoid, and Angry' — Update on David Fry, One of the Last Holdouts at Malheur Occupation

This guy's not only a freakin' loon, he's a raving anti-Semite.

Ammon Bundy should have cut this guy loose a long time ago, but Fry stuck around the headquarters, largely because of his affinity for LaVoy Finicum.

John Sepulvado has the update, at OPB, "How a Digital Friendship Created an Unlikely Holdout":

David Fry’s online friendship with militant LaVoy Finicum led him to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, where he is one of the last remaining occupants.

Ten days into the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, David Fry was looking forward to going home. Shunned by the alpha-male militant leaders in the camp, Fry — a skinny, bespectacled 27-year-old from Ohio — was waiting to talk to one person before he left.

“I want to say goodbye to LaVoy, but then I have to go home,” Fry told OPB the afternoon of Jan. 14. “I think I make some of the guys nervous here because of the bad things people are saying about me.”

Those “bad things” included criticism that Fry supported the radical terrorist group ISIS and had repeatedly praised Adolph Hitler in long, anti-Semitic rants. OPB had just published an article about Fry hacking into the federally owned computers at the refuge, revealing those details and others.

Finicum, who had just returned to the refuge after meeting with elected leaders in Irons County, Utah, had yet to meet with Fry. But the militant leader did message Fry to stay put until he could talk with other members of the leadership.

Still, Fry expected to return to his rural home outside of Cincinnati that weekend.

“Before my dad gets back from his vacation,” Fry said.

Less than two weeks later, LaVoy Finicum would be shot dead on the side of a country road in deep snow, and David Fry would be one of the last militant holdouts on the compound...

Still more.

PREVIOUSLY: "Armed Militiaman David Fry, Among Last Holdouts at Malheur Reserve, Says He's Prepared to Die in Siege," and "#Malheur: Last Four Militia Members Are 'Desperate', Heavily Armed — Won't Leave Without Guarantees."

Here's That Mile-Long Blaine Cooper Rap Sheet ICYMI

Frankly, a lot of the folks out at Malheur are rank losers. Criminals and losers and poseurs.

Blaine Cooper's never been in the military but all he wears are military camouflage fatigues. This Ain't Hell notes that he failed to correct a TV interviewer last year for being identified as a U.S. Marine. Cooper claimed he didn't want to embarrass the correspondent.

JJ McNabb has the screenshot on Twitter.

That's a freakin' long rap sheet:

About that very long rap sheet, "I know it looks bad." pic.twitter.com/FpXP5r0WAz

— JJ MacNab (@jjmacnab) January 30, 2016

Check McNabb's feed. She interviewed Cooper and has updates on the calls for outside reinforcements at the refuge.

Update on My Cable News Watching Priorities for the Iowa Caucuses

Margaret Hoover and John Avlon are married Rockefeller Republicans. I don't recall CNN making note of that during the broadcast. I like CNN's coverage, but I quickly bailed out on these two losers. Besides, Fox's "The Five" is on right now, and they're both beautiful and hilarious.

Check back for more coverage of just about everything this weekend, lol.

.@CNN had on Margaret Claire Hoover and John Phillips Avlon -- and I promptly changed the channel to @FoxNews lol!

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) January 30, 2016

Mike Huckabee Super PAC Campaign Spot Blasts Ted Cruz in Bid for Evangelicals in Iowa (VIDEO)

Just saw this on "The Five" at Fox News.

The ad's out from Pursuing America’s Greatness, and it's good!

Ted Cruz is a phony:

Kristen Van Dyke Has Your Weekend Oregon Weather

She's great!

I forgot to post my Jackie Johnson update last night, so until I can get to the local weather, here's the lovely Kristen Van Dyke at KOIN News 6 Portland. Looks like awesome skiing conditions up there, although it's going to be a bitch out at Malheur if the holdouts keep holding out.

More on that shortly.

Until then:

An Iowa Win Might Make the Trump Train Unstoppable!

I've never felt this way before, but I swear I wish I was campaigning in Iowa right now, heh.

I don't think I even know anyone who lives there, but I can imagine living out of my van to travel all around the Hawkeye State to rally Trump voters. God, that'd be a blast.

At Politico.

MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #IACaucus #CaucusForTrumphttps://t.co/nU39QHzxxX pic.twitter.com/IrrzLCa2ev

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2016

Murrieta's Erica Harris Marries Man She Never Met in Person at Ontario International Airport (VIDEO)

Hey, there's hope for the crestfallen.

Cupid indeed strikes!

Dudes, you better be on Instagram to hook up with your long-desired hottie!

At CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

$65 Off Kindle Fire HDX 7

From the Gold Box deals, today at Amazon.

And see McKay Coppins, The Wilderness: Deep Inside the Republican Party's Combative, Contentious, Chaotic Quest to Take Back the White House.

BONUS: From John Sides and Lynn Vavreck, The Gamble: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential Election.

Can Bernie Sanders Turn Out the Votes in Iowa?

Sabato's Crystal Ball said that Sanders' support is in Iowa's more urban areas, so he's probably gonna have a shortfall of turnout in the more rural areas (which sounds funny, since it's Iowa for crying out loud).

See the Los Angeles Times, "Bernie Sanders tries to be the next Barack Obama in Iowa, not the next Howard Dean":

Bernie Sanders delighted in telling a crowd of a couple of thousand people here this week about his journey from “fringe candidate” to serious contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, rattling off poll results reflecting his momentum and boasting that “the energy, the enthusiasm is with our campaign.”

But shortly before Sanders took stage, an organizer for his presidential campaign asked members of the crowd to raise their hands if they had signed up to volunteer. Only a few did.

“Oh, no. Not a lot of people here, I don’t think,” he said. “We need each and every one of you to rise to the occasion.”

It was a glimpse of Sanders’ toughest challenge as his sweeping call for a political revolution faces its first concrete test Monday in the Iowa caucuses. Their outcome will reveal whether the Sanders campaign operation, which has defied expectations with the enthusiasm it has drawn from disaffected liberals and college students, can harness that energy into votes the way Barack Obama did in 2008 when he beat the same establishment favorite Sanders now faces, Hillary Clinton.

Obama bested Clinton by motivating huge numbers of voters who normally wouldn’t participate in the caucus process to show up. Sanders himself is doubtful his campaign can reproduce the turnout Obama achieved, saying this week that the 2008 election “is really going to stay in the history books. It was an unbelievable campaign. In places they ran out of ballots, as I understand it.”

But he will be using a lot of the same organizational tools Obama did in claiming victory over a front-runner who seemed to have all the advantages in getting out the vote.

Targeting technologies pioneered by Obama’s campaign have made it possible for outsider candidates like Sanders to turn out Iowans who a decade ago might have showed up at a rally and then faded away before the caucuses. Now, computers can quickly link them up with a caucus coach who can walk them through the bewildering voting process and even make sure they have a ride on election night.

But ultimately, much of the work of sealing a commitment from voters happens through human contact. And to avoid the disappointment fellow Vermonter Howard Dean endured in the 2004 caucuses, when he failed to leverage similar insurgent momentum, the Sanders campaign has been rushing to build the infrastructure to capture enthusiasm and turn it into votes...

Keep reading (via Memeorandum).

It's all about the college students for Sanders. Seriously. If young people are away at college, the campaign has to get them back to Iowa. And the winner is the one who wins the most precincts around the state, not the most individual votes, so a concentration of votes around the college towns hurt Sanders.

But we'll see. We'll see.

I really don't want to see Sanders' version of the Dean Scream on caucus night.

Wow! Ted Cruz Campaign Threatens Iowa Voters With Public Shaming if They Don't Caucus on Monday!

I swear I despise far left-wing public shaming and intimidation tactics, and guess what? Ted Cruz's campaign is fully down with them, going so far as sending targeted mailers threatening to out Iowa residents as scofflaw non-voters if they don't caucus in Monday's presidential caucuses.

See Sarah Rumpf, at IJR, "He Said He Was An Undecided Iowan Until He He Received This Controversial Mailer From Ted Cruz" (via Memeorandum):

As Iowans prepare to head to the caucuses on Monday for the nation’s first votes in the presidential primaries, the campaigns are pulling out all the stops. The mailer sent out by one Republican campaign, however, might end up backfiring.

Tom Hinkeldey, a resident of Alta, Iowa, tweeted a photo (which was later deleted because it included his personal address) on Friday evening of a mailer Sen. Ted Cruz’s campaign sent addressed to his wife, Steffany. The mailer was a large card printed to look like a manila envelope on one side and was labeled in all capital letters, “ELECTION ALERT,” “VOTER VIOLATION,” “PUBLIC RECORD,” and “FURTHER ACTION NEEDED.”

On the other side, the mailer said in red letters at the top, “VOTING VIOLATION.” The text then reads:

You are receiving this election notice because of low expected voter turnout in your area. Your individual voting history as well as your neighbors’ are public record. Their scores are published below, and many of them will see your score as well. CAUCUS ON MONDAY TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE and please encourage your neighbors to caucus as well. A follow-up notice may be issued following Monday’s caucuses.

The mailer then listed his and Steffany’s name, along with five of their neighbors...

Keep reading.

The Cruz campaign confirmed they're using the mailers, saying that their targeting was "'very narrow, but the caucuses are important and we want people who haven’t voted before to vote'."

Jay Caruso writes at Red State:

In my view, this is not how you go about convincing people and persuading them. This is a Donald Trump tactic and Cruz’s team should know better. Shaming people into voting is a great way to get them to vote for somebody else if they decide to do so.

Either way, this could turn into one of those things that the media will harp on for the next two days and throw Cruz off message.

More at Memeorandum.

Francisco Sanchez, Illegal Immigrant Suspect in Kathryn Steinle Murder, Wants Case Dismissed

Flashback to July, "Deported 5 Times Previously, Illegal Alien Confesses to Murder of Kathryn Steinle at San Francisco's Pier 14."

Well, here's an update, at the Los Angeles Times, "Mexican national accused of shooting woman on San Francisco pier wants case dismissed."

More, at Yahoo News, "Lawyer: Fatal San Francisco pier shooting was an accident":

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The lawyer for a Mexican national charged with fatally shooting a young San Francisco woman as she walked on a city pier wants his client's murder charge dismissed, saying the killing that rekindled the national debate over illegal immigration was an accident.

The judge canceled a hearing scheduled for Friday, saying he wants more time to consider the issue. Attorneys will argue the matter on March 24...

Well, I hope Bill O'Reilly hasn't moved on from this case. If Sanchez's case is dismissed there are going to be howls of protest, rightfully so.

WATCH: 'Ambushed and Assassinated' Protesters at Harney County Courthouse, Burns, Oregon (VIDEO)

Following-up from yesterday, "'Ambushed and Assassinated' — Residents in Burns, Oregon, React to Shooting Death of LaVoy Finicum."

Here's Jennifer Dowling, for KOIN News 6 Portland:

Mind-Numbing Dissonance of the Left

Heh.

This is good, at iOTW Report.

Rita Ora Posts More Snaps from Terry Richardson Photo Shoot

Following-up, "Rita Ora for 'Lui' Magazine."

At London's Daily Mail, "Rita Ora dares to bare in nude photographs as more raunchy snaps emerge from her steamiest ever photoshoot."

VIDEO: Ammon Bundy's Attorneys Address the Media Outside Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, January 29, 2016

Following-up from yesterday, "LATEST: Judge Stacie F. Beckerman Won't Release Bundy Defendants as Long as Malheur Siege Continues (VIDEO)."



The attorneys discuss efforts to contact the last holdouts at the Malheur refuge. Recall, that they created a video to reach out and facilitate communication.

ICYMI, "WATCH: Ammon Bundy Implores Malheur Occupation Holdouts to Surrender and Go Home (VIDEO)."

Lavoy Finicum Family Releases Statement: Challenges FBI, Announces Funeral Services (VIDEO)

Boy, the news just keeps breaking.

Following-up, "Family Members Challenge FBI Account of LaVoy Finicum's Shooting Death — #OregonStandoff."

At FOX News 13 Salt Lake, "Family of LaVoy Finicum releases statement; funeral to be held in Kanab February 5":

KANAB, Utah -- The day after the FBI released footage from an incident in Oregon that ended with the death of protester LaVoy Finicum, the man's family has released a statement saying they don't believe the fatal shooting was justified.

The nearly three-page statement from the family opens by saying "We know that there are always at least two sides to every story. We also know and recognize that the FBI and law enforcement agencies involved will do everything in their power to make it appear as if the needless death of our husband, father, grandfather, brother and son, LaVoy Finicum, was justified."

The family states they believe the standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was on track for a peaceful resolution and that the authorities should have been more patient rather than seeking a confrontation.

As to the video, the family states they believe Finicum was moving away from the vehicle to "draw any hostility or violence away from the others" when he was shot.

They further state he was not holding a weapon and said from their view it appeared he was gesturing or trying to keep his balance, not trying to reach for a gun in a pocket.

The family’s attorney, Todd McFarlane, spoke to FOX 13 on the phone Friday night.

“I would have to see a lot better, clearer, slow motion, blown up version, to be in a position to say that it looked like to me that he was going for something in his pocket or on his hip," McFarlane said.

FBI Special Agent in Charge for Oregon, Greg Bretzing, said in a statement of that portion of the video: "On at least two occasions, Finicum reaches his right hand toward a pocket on the left inside portion of his jacket. He did have a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in that pocket."

Finicum's family said they are not "accepting at face value" the FBI's statement Finicum was armed, but they state even if he was armed they don't think he was posing a threat through is actions.

McFarlane said: “Why would he put his hand down there and then raise his hand again? I would be more inclined to say that he was moving around, using his hands and arms again gesturing, and trying to keep his balance."

Finicum was shot by an OSP trooper, and 30 seconds after that, law enforcement, according to Bretzing, deployed "flash bangs to disorient any other armed occupants. Shortly after that, they deployed less-lethal sponge projectiles with OC capsules. Those OC capsules would be similar to pepper spray."

The family goes on to offer their interpretation of the legality of the FBI and Oregon State Police's actions, citing Supreme Court precedent, and they claim their loved one was left lying in the snow as agents "terrorized" the others in the vehicle that had crashed while avoiding a police road block...

Still more.

At they've got the family's statement in a Scribd document embedded at the post.

WATCH: Ammon Bundy Implores Malheur Occupation Holdouts to Surrender and Go Home (VIDEO)

The last holdouts reportedly said they didn't believe Ammon Bundy wanted them to leave the compound.

John Sepulvado's been up at the refuge all day, reporting in real time on Twitter.

Both he and Amanda Peacher have tweeted this video of Ammon Bundy pleading for the last holdouts to leave the refuge:



More, at OPB, "Attorneys, Bundys Release New Videos Pleading With Occupiers to Surrender." (There's another video at that link.)

'Ambushed and Assassinated' — Residents in Burns, Oregon, React to Shooting Death of LaVoy Finicum

Very interesting juxtaposition, between a national outsider take on the impact of the occupation on Burns, Oregon, seen here, "Burns, Oregon: Torn Apart by the Malheur Occupation"; and a local newspaper's version, familiar and intimate.

See the Eugene Register-Guard, "MALHEUR STANDOFF: Protestors in Burns react to video of Finicum shooting":

Updated with video: #MalheurOccupation divides Eastern Oregon community. No end in sight. https://t.co/yKDqbRgYJo pic.twitter.com/0PA0O8KEnu

— Chris Pietsch (@ChrisPietsch) January 30, 2016

BURNS — As residents debated the shooting death of LaVoy Finicum — a spokesmen of the weekslong occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, who was shot and killed Tuesday during a traffic stop by state and federal officials on a state highway north of here — a small protest broke out Friday afternoon at the Harney County Courthouse.

The shooting of Finicum by an Oregon State Police trooper “was the needless taking of a life,” asserted Monte Siegner, 79, wearing a cowboy hat and holding a handmade sign that said “Ambushed & Assassinated.”

Siegner, from the small community of Riverside, about 60 miles east, stood with his son, Clint Siegner, 43, who drove from Eagle, Idaho, on Friday to support his father.

The younger Siegner stood with a sign that said, “Federal Supremicists Murdered an Innocent Man.”

“Terrible,” he said. “It didn’t have to happen. The FBI says it’s been doing everything for a peaceful resolution, and then they arm on the highway and have that kind of show of force? It’s not about peace.”

Both men, part of about 25 people who joined the protest, including members of the Pacific Patriot Network, which is encouraging people from across the country to come to Burns on Monday for a rally to tell the FBI to leave and let the last four occupiers at the refuge go, say they have seen the FBI aerial video of Finicum’s shooting.

Released publicly Thursday, it shows Finicum quickly jumping from his vehicle after it swerved and plowed into a deep snowbank at a law enforcement traffic stop. After exiting the vehicle, Finicum rapidly steps in one direction then another in the snow, repeatedly turning and alternately raising his arms high and lowering them and reaching into his jacket, as two law enforcement officers, handguns drawn and aimed, move in on him. Finicum’s vehicle had previously sped away from another traffic stop in which occupation leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy and others were arrested and charged with federal felonies.

Authorities said Finicum had a loaded gun in his jacket.

“I think it’s a bunch of garbage,” said B.J. Soper, 39, of Redmond, one of the founders of the Pacific Patriot Network, standing with others in front of the courthouse, as sheriff’s deputies could be seen holding rifles at the ready, keeping watch on the rowdy crowd. “There is confirmed eyewitness testimony that LaVoy Finicum was shot in cold blood.”

Asked if he thought Finicum was going for his gun, Soper said no.

He was reaching down “because he was shot in the hip,” Soper said. “And then the chest, and then the final shot that took him to the ground.”

Law enforcement officials have not said how many times Finicum was shot or where he was hit...

Keep reading.

RELATED: "Bundy Militia Supporters Protest at Harney County Courthouse, Calling Lavoy Finicum's 'Death a Murder'."

Burns, Oregon: Torn Apart by the Malheur Occupation

This story, from Julie Turkewitz, at the New York Times, takes a step back from the breaking news cycle, assessing the costs of the occupation on local residents. It's been harsh.

See, "Oregon Town Torn Apart by Protest at Wildlife Refuge":

Aside: I have seen many small communities get slammed by the media storm. 1/3

— julieturkewitz (@julieturkewitz) January 29, 2016

Usually people get tired very, very fast. 2/3

— julieturkewitz (@julieturkewitz) January 29, 2016

But Burns has been exceptionally welcoming to reporters. Feeding us. Talking to us. Making sure we're safe. I continue to be amazed. 3/3

— julieturkewitz (@julieturkewitz) January 29, 2016

The arguments that broke out in Harney County early on, shortly after the seizure of the Malheur refuge, feel almost quaint now, people said: Were the ideology and tactics of the occupiers valid? Many people supported the goals of the protesters — the return of federal lands to local or private control and the release from prison of two local ranchers convicted of arson for a fire that spread to public land — but disagreed with their illegal armed showdown.

As things dragged on, the questions and fears got darker — about whether the F.B.I. and other law enforcement agencies were doing the right thing and whether the nightmare sympathizers arriving in town — guns on their hips — should be seen as specters of intimidation or of comfort.

After this week’s events, the county has been thrown into kind of debate that was, until now, a headline from somewhere else like Ferguson, Mo., or Baltimore: police violence. The F.B.I. released the video Thursday showing Oregon State Police troopers shooting Mr. Finicum, 54, after he tried to drive around a roadblock and reached for his gun. The state police hoped the release of the video would quell speculation and accusations that Mr. Finicum was gunned down with his hands up. But not everyone was satisfied, and many citizens who watched the video do not accept the F.B.I.’s account of what happened....

Linda Gainer, 63, runs a restaurant about six miles from the refuge. She is one of many people who say the occupation has torn her community apart. Ms. Gainer has fed nearly everyone involved with the standoff: occupiers, F.B.I. agents, journalists, visiting environmentalists and others, but has received criticism for permitting the occupiers to buy food from her cafe.

“People say that we’re unpatriotic, we’re terrorists,” she said.

“You shouldn’t go around and say nasty things about people just because you don’t agree on something,” she said.

Some residents are simply leaving, which does not bode well for a place that has long struggled with an eroding economy and population. For instance, the 17 employees of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge were relocated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, which received “nonspecific” threats about taking them hostage, said Jason Holm, a spokesman for the agency, which runs the refuge.

One Malheur employee, speaking anonymously to protect his safety, said he was living apart from his wife and young children. His family has lived in the area for decades, he said, but is considering moving on for good. “It makes us very angry,” he said.

The Harney County sheriff, Dave Ward, who has been a vocal opponent of the occupation, said the tires of his wife’s vehicle were slashed, prompting her to leave town. The authorities are investigating the matter; no arrests have been made.

Four of the area’s top public officials have resigned since the occupation: the county school superintendent, the principals of the county middle and high schools, and the head of the fire department. The fire chief, Chris Briels, is a supporter of the occupation, and resigned when other officials refused to allow the Bundy group to a host a meeting in town. The educators cited nonoccupational reasons for leaving, saying they wanted to spend more time with grandchildren or seek a position in a larger school...

More.

New Victoria Sharp Statement Says LaVoy Finicum Shot with 'Gun in His Holster and Hands in the Air...' (VIDEO)

Ms. Sharp as featured in the Reuters piece I covered here, "Family Members Challenge FBI Account of LaVoy Finicum's Shooting Death — #OregonStandoff."

According to the article:

The FBI video was released hours after Todd Macfarlane, a lawyer for Finicum's relatives, said other evidence may exist that shows Finicum was not threatening authorities.

Macfarlane said one potential source of information about the shooting was Victoria Sharp, a woman who says she was friends with some of the armed protesters and claims she was at the scene and watched Finicum die.

Sharp said in an interview with Reuters that Finicum was shot with his gun in his holster and his hands in the air, shouting and walking toward police.

Neither state nor federal law enforcement would comment on whether Sharp was at the scene or on her description. Reuters was not able to independently confirm her version of the events.

Here's the video, "Eyewitness claims Oregon occupier had 'hands in the air'."

PREVIOUSLY: "#Malheur Occupier Victoria Sharp Says LaVoy Finicum Had 'Hands Up' Before Police Opened Fire (AUDIO)."

Family Members Challenge FBI Account of LaVoy Finicum's Shooting Death — #OregonStandoff

Following-up from early this morning, "Reaching for Waistband? Slow-Motion Footage Shows Moments Leading to LeVoy Finicum Killing (VIDEO)."

At Reuters, "Family of slain Oregon protester challenges FBI account of his death":

As four armed anti-government protesters held their ground at a U.S. wildlife refuge in Oregon on Friday, the family of a protester killed by police said he seemed to have been shot in the back with his hands up, although authorities said he was reaching for a gun.

Relatives of Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, 54, a spokesman for the group that seized buildings at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, said he posed no threat and they were not accepting the authorities' assertion that he was armed.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation released video on Thursday of state police fatally shooting Finicum, and contended it showed him making a move for a gun in his coat pocket.

"LaVoy was not 'charging' anyone. He appears to have been shot in the back, with his hands in the air," the family of the Arizona rancher said in a statement through their attorney.

"At this point we will await the outcome of any investigation, but based on the information currently available to us, we do not believe that LaVoy's shooting death was justified."

Four armed protesters were still holed up on Friday at the remote refuge, 30 miles (48 km) from Burns, a small ranching community in the state's rural southeast. The FBI says it is working "around the clock" to negotiate with the holdouts.

Ammon Bundy, who led the occupation that began on Jan. 2, was arrested on Tuesday along with other protesters including his brother, Ryan...

Keep reading.

I'm sure family members will be able to review the autopsy report. And c'mon, it's not like Finicum was just peacefully surrendering. He almost plowed down one LEO right there in the snow.

As always, check back for updates...

FBI and OSP Launched Highway Ambush on #Bundy Militiamen in 'Divide and Conquer' Strategy

Well, the militiamen were about as isolated you could be, way out there on far end of U.S. 395.

And it was an ambush, pure and simple.

At the Portland Oregonian, "Strategy for Oregon standoff arrests: 'The best way is to divide and conquer'":

After waiting for nearly a month, staying mostly out of sight and trying unsuccessfully to negotiate behind the scenes with the leaders of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge takeover, federal agents and state police in the last week were facing intensified pressure from the Harney County community and Oregon's governor to end the occupation.

When they became aware that the key figures were planning to head north to the next county along a remote, two-lane stretch of highway, they no doubt considered it a prime opportunity to arrest them, former FBI agents and police experts say.

"The best way is to divide and conquer,'' said Clint Van Zandt, a former FBI chief hostage negotiator. "If we know through intelligence that the leadership of the group is leaving, what we need to do is intercept and arrest them.''

The FBI and state and local police early on seemed to hope that a "wait-them-out" approach would work. But they probably soon realized that they had a future chance to make arrests when Ammon Bundy and members of his inner circle began attending meetings outside the refuge.

"I'm sure that thought came up as time went by and they noticed them coming and going from the refuge," Van Zandt said.

On Tuesday, the masterminds of the armed siege were separated from the refuge and the other occupiers, a core group that seemed to fluctuate between 20 to 40 people since the takeover began Jan. 2. They likely were armed but wouldn't have access in their trucks to a big stash of weapons and other ammunition.

And the narrow spot along U.S. 395 between Burns and John Day, hemmed in by tall snow banks, was isolated from homes and businesses, leaving few options for an escape route, experts said Friday.

"Frankly to take someone mobile on the road is a lot safer than in one location, such as the refuge or around a populated area where a lot of people could be watching or reacting,'' said Danny Coulson, who served as special-agent-in-charge of the FBI in Oregon before becoming the agency's deputy assistant director in charge of terrorism operations.

Moving in just before dark was also ideal.

"You want to do it in daylight so everybody can see what's going on,'' Van Zandt said...

Still more.

Pacific Patriots Network Issues 'Call to Action', Urging 'Any and All Americans to Come to Burns, Oregon...'

The FBI and OSP set up all kinds of roadblocks around the wildlife reserve yesterday. Anyone attempting to cross the lines would be arrested.

So it's interesting about the PPN's "Call to Action." What, are a bunch of cowboys and ranchers going to hole up at all the hotels in Burns, Oregon, and reminisce each morning over eggs, biscuits and gravy at the local diner?

We'll see.

At the Portland Oregonian, "'Thousands' called to Burns to tell FBI to leave after occupation leader's arrest."

Here's PPN's statement, "IN RESPONSE TO THESE EVENTS, PACIFIC PATRIOTS NETWORK IS ISSUING CALL TO ACTION":

militant supporters are meeting online RIGHT NOW to discuss a potential rescue attempt. this as PPN calls for this https://t.co/Pn4JotPMZy

— John Sepulvado (@JohnLGC) January 29, 2016

They're calling on ppl from throughout the country to come to Harney County.

— John Sepulvado (@JohnLGC) January 29, 2016

Calling on any and all Americans to come to Burns, Oregon to come to the aid of the American people standing against these violent, malicious and deceitful tactics. Come stand together with other Americans, and express our Constitutional right to PEACEFULLY assemble and air our grievances.

This operation will demand the following:

- Immediate detention by Oregon State Police of the FBI special agent in charge along with all agents and LEO involved in the shooting death of Lavoy Finicum. A first hand eyewitness account presents reasonable cause for arrest while the investigation takes place.

- Immediate removal of all militarized FBI personnel and equipment from Harney County. All State and County Law Enforcement officers are not included and requested to stay and assist in the process to keep the peace.

- Immediate resignation of Judge Steve Grasty, Sheriff David Ward, County commissioner Pete Runnels, and County commissioner Dan Nichols.

In order to successfully accomplish our mission, we will need any and all Americans to PEACEFULLY assemble within Burns, Oregon immediately. The success of this mission depends fully on the number of people that will come to PEACEFULLY stand and demand the items above be initiated.

A letter of intent will be legally served on the FBI special agent in charge at the time of Lavoy Finicum's death, Judge Steven Grasty, Sheriff David Ward, Dan Nichols and Pete Runnels by January 29th, 2016. We will request to escort the FBI presence out of Harney County, Oregon and once complete, the attention will return to the resignation of the County elected officials.

PPN is dedicated to a PEACEFUL operation. If you have any ill intent, please do not come. We do not need you. Please come prepared with civilian attire and adhere to the policy of no long guns within the community.

Please come self sufficient and able to care for yourself for the time you plan to stay. Donations arrive daily but they are not sustainable for a large or lengthy contingency.

We ask that you email us at volunteer@pacificpatriotsnetwork.comg if and when you are planning to come and stand in Burns, Oregon.

Peaceful. No long guns. Good luck with that.

PREVIOUSLY: "Bundy Militia Supporters Protest at Harney County Courthouse, Calling Lavoy Finicum's 'Death a Murder'."

Bundy Militia Supporters Protest at Harney County Courthouse, Calling Lavoy Finicum's 'Death a Murder'

Here's Jennifer Dowling, of KOIN News 6, on Twitter, "Group of protesters stands outside Harney Co. Courthouse, calls Lavoy Finicum's death a 'murder'."

Previous Malheur blogging is here.

Donald Trumps Gloats, Ted Cruz 'Got Pummeled' at the GOP Debate (VIDEO)

Heh.

Gotta love the boxing metaphor from the casino mogul.

He's glad he missed the debate.



More, at WSJ, "Donald Trump Calls Ted Cruz ‘Anchor Baby’ in Latest Eligibility Jab."

Bac Duong, Orange County Jail Escapee, Taken Back Into Custody (VIDEO)

He turned himself in.

One down two to go.

At the O.C. Register, "Orange County jail escape: Bac Duong, one of the three escaped inmates, in custody":

Bac Duong, one of the three inmates who escaped from the Orange County Men’s Central Jail, turned himself in Friday morning, said Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens.

Duong, 43, was arrested about 11:50 a.m. after he got in touch with a woman in Santa Ana. He was arrested without incident near the Auto Electric Rebuilders shop at 1421 N. Harbor Blvd.

Trin Nguyen, whose father-in-law owns the shop, said Duong walked into the building and told his wife that he wanted to turn himself in. He said his wife seemed scared. She called police.

Nguyen, who has known Duong for 10 years, said “he's a good friend of mine, he's a good person. I think he was scared. He just showed up and told my wife.”

Other employees at the store also spoke to the throng of media:

[VIDEOS EMBEDDED AT THE STORY.]

The other inmates – Hossein Nayeri and Jonathan Tieu – were not arrested and are still fugitives. After the arrest, investigators conducted a car-by-car search in the Auto Electric Rebuilders parking lot with their guns drawn. They are also searching an adjacent motel.

Duong had been held on an attempted murder charge after a shooting in Santa Ana in November.

Investigators said Duong stole a car on Saturday, and they believe all three inmates were living in the white utility van. That GMC van is still missing...

More.

CNN's been giving the O.C. jailbreak story more airtime than the Malheur siege. I don't know, but white militiamen probably aren't going to get as much sympathy from the network's leftists than the other two suspects, who're Iranian and Vietnamese (hardly oppressed minority groups, but still).

Izabel Goulart at Paris Fashion Week

A short break from the Oregon standoff.

At WWTDD, "Izabel Goulart Delicious Sideboob and Shit Around the Web."

And at London's Daily Mail, "Izabel Goulart displays plenty of sideboob in risqué plum dress at Valentino… after wowing in a series of stunning outfits at Paris Fashion Week."

She's classy.

Malheur Militiaman Sean Anderson Has 'Extensive History of Criminal Convictions', Including Resisting Arrest

Following-up, "LATEST: #Malheur Holdouts Reject FBI Surrender Deal: Sandy Anderson Won't Leave Husband Sean."

The word's now that Sean Anderson's become the leader of the remaining holdouts at the compound.

He's the one seen earlier this week in the bizarre livestream, "'They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)."

He and his wife also posted that "last dance" video, which gives you some insight to their state of mind, "WATCH: Sean and Sandy Anderson, Husband and Wife Occupiers at #Malheur, Post 'Last Dance' Video."

While David Fry's clearly not right in his head, Anderson's probably more worried about doing a serious time in federal prison, and is perhaps intent to make the siege into an apocalyptic last stand. He's got a long history with the criminal justice system, and who knows? Maybe he'll attempt to resist going back in by any means necessary.

See the Portland Oregonian, "Four holdouts want charge dropped for one to end occupation":

Officials from the U.S. Marshals Service wouldn't comment on whether there was an outstanding warrant for Anderson's arrest, and the FBI didn't respond to a request for information.

But court records show Anderson has an extensive history of criminal convictions in Wisconsin.

He has an outstanding bench warrant related to an August 2014 arrest. Anderson was charged with resisting an officer, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors.

Wisconsin court records show Anderson was convicted of misdemeanor disorderly conduct in 1998, 2008 and 2009. He was convicted of criminal trespassing in 2002.

The court documents and Anderson's Facebook page indicate he lives in Janesville, Wisconsin. Anderson wears a vest with a patch from Wisconsin III%, a patriot group, in his Facebook photo. Field & Stream magazine reported that Anderson and his wife recently moved to Riggins, Idaho.

Anderson owns Hurricane Outdoor Supply, which lists a Riggins address on Facebook. The company sells camping, hiking, hunting, survival and tactical gear.

Anderson has posted prolifically to Facebook. At 3:14 a.m. Wednesday, he wrote: "My last words ..... Woop woop." It appeared to be a reference to losing cellphone service.

In Fry's live-stream video, Anderson yelled, "They're going to murder all of us," referring to the FBI and other officers who began surrounding the refuge.

"American people better wake up and get here and fight for your country right now, it is on," he said. "If they stop you from getting here, kill them."

Anderson appeared in a video Fry posted Thursday morning that was called "Update: Maybe Last Dance? Husband and Wife."

He and his wife danced slowly to "Tangled Up in You," a song by Staind blasting out of the door of a nearby pickup, with an American flag on a pole laid up against the side.

Both Andersons are dressed in camo gear, Sean Anderson with a small copy of the Constitution tucked in his chest pocket. Cases of water and beer rested near their feet, surrounded in sagebrush. Another American flag was wedged among rocks nearby.

After the dance, Sean Anderson turned to the camera, sniffling. "We want to live," he said.

"We're free Americans," he said. "This isn't Nazi Germany. We don't need checkpoints. We don't need felony charges."

Anderson said he and the others were simply camping in the desert, hurting no one.

The holdouts' families, however, are concerned that their loved ones may get hurt.

Check back for continued coverage...

LATEST: #Malheur Holdouts Reject FBI Surrender Deal: Sandy Anderson Won't Leave Husband Sean

The siege continues.

Previously, "LATEST: Malheur Holdout David Fry Posts New Video; Refusing to Surrender, Demanding Pardon (VIDEO)," and "WATCH: Sean and Sandy Anderson, Husband and Wife Occupiers at #Malheur, Post 'Last Dance' Video."

Now, at Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Militants Say Negotiations With FBI Stall At Malheur Refuge":

.@OPB has obtained audio from inside the compound currently -- we'll give an update at noon.

— John Sepulvado (@JohnLGC) January 29, 2016

Sean Anderson says LaVoy Finicum's death is like "another waco." Says he's "ready for them."

— John Sepulvado (@JohnLGC) January 29, 2016

Wow. Sandy Anderson says Sean told her to leave, she refused. everyone was ready to go. she wouldn't leave him. Jeff & David then stayed.

— John Sepulvado (@JohnLGC) January 29, 2016

it also seems that while david fry is the most vocal, but sean is now the leader.

— John Sepulvado (@JohnLGC) January 29, 2016

They're calling on ppl from throughout the country to come to Harney County.

— John Sepulvado (@JohnLGC) January 29, 2016

A deal w/FBI was almost in place Thurs., but Sandy Anderson decided not to leave husband Sean. https://t.co/K5f8A9huYC #Oregonstandoff

— Amanda Peacher (@amandapeacher) January 29, 2016

OPB obtained audio of a conversation Friday morning from one of the four remaining occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

The remaining militants inside are David Fry of Blanchester, Ohio, husband and wife Sean and Sandy Anderson of Janesville, Wisconsin, and Jeff Banta of Elko, Nevada.

During the conversation, Sean Anderson said the group is not going to negotiate with the FBI at this time, and they are prepared to wait until all their supplies are depleted.

He also said that the militants don’t plan to shoot at law enforcement unless they are shot at first.

According to the conversation and other details obtained from Fry’s family members, a deal with the FBI seemed to be in place Thursday, but it required Sean Anderson to turn himself in to the police. His wife, Sandy, refused to leave him.

Fry and Banta were said to have accepted the negotiated deal, but because of Sandy Anderson’s refusal, the four made a pact to stay together until the end of the standoff.

In a new video released Friday, Fry said he and the other militants were testing the negotiation boundaries when they asked the FBI to be released without charges...

Still more.

Anderson and Fry are freakin' crazy bastards, and armed to the teeth, because something like 20 additional firearms were left behind at the compound yesterday amid the mass of activity.

As always, expect updates...

LATEST: Judge Stacie F. Beckerman Won't Release Bundy Defendants as Long as Malheur Siege Continues (VIDEO)

And the siege is continuing, alright.

Previously, "#Malheur: Last Four Militia Members Are 'Desperate', Heavily Armed — Won't Leave Without Guarantees," and "LATEST: Malheur Holdout David Fry Posts New Video; Refusing to Surrender, Demanding Pardon (VIDEO)."

And here the latest, at the Portland Oregonian, "Judge won't release Oregon standoff defendants as long as refuge occupation continues":

A federal judge made it clear Thursday that she won't release any of the alleged federal conspirators accused in the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge as long as the occupation is still active.

"So long as that situation is ongoing, I'm not going to release anybody from custody,'' U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman said during the first court appearance for three more people charged in the case.

The continued occupation only increases the defendants' danger to public safety and risk of flight, Beckerman said.

Her remarks in court followed a public statement a couple of hours earlier from jailed protest leader Ammon Bundy for the holdouts to go home. One of his attorneys read Bundy's statement outside the federal courthouse.

The latest federal complaint involved Jason Patrick, 43, of Bonaire, Georgia, Duane Leo Ehmer, 45, of Irrigon, and Dylan Anderson, 34, of Provo, Utah,, all arrested Wednesday by the FBI at checkpoints outside the refuge as they were leaving.

They're among 11 people charged so far with the federal offense of conspiracy to impede federal officers from their official duties through use of force, intimidation or threats.

After siege leaders were arrested Tuesday and occupation spokesman Robert "LaVoy" Finicum was fatally shot, the FBI and state police directed all remaining protesters at the bird sanctuary to leave, according to the complaint's affidavit.

Patrick, Ehmer and Anderson remained...

Still more.

Expect updates...

LATEST: Malheur Holdout David Fry Posts New Video; Refusing to Surrender, Demanding Pardon (VIDEO)

Here's the latest on the siege, from OPB's John Sepulvado, "militants spoke to fbi today -- david fry says first demand about meeting with fed prosecutors hasn't been met," and "shorter david fry: the only chance we have to escape, get a pardon, is in a group."

Fry's apparently citing President Bill Clinton's pardon of big-money Democrat donor Marc Rich, who was pardoned on January 20, 2001, just moments before Clinton left office.

It's a good bet that Fry's on drugs right now. Seriously, he's talking a mile-a-minute at the video.

Commenters at the YouTube clip are snarking that he's on meth.

PREVIOUSLY: "Armed Militiaman David Fry, Among Last Holdouts at Malheur Reserve, Says He's Prepared to Die in Siege," and "#Malheur: Last Four Militia Members Are 'Desperate', Heavily Armed — Won't Leave Without Guarantees."

Keep checking back for updates throughout the day.

Reaching for Waistband? Slow-Motion Footage Shows Moments Leading to LeVoy Finicum Killing (VIDEO)

The FBI tried mighty hard to tamp down "inaccurate, some inflammatory" versions of the shooting on U.S. 395.

Previously, "Dramatic Footage Shows FBI and OSP Ambush LaVoy Finicum, Shoot and Kill Reaching for Waistband (VIDEO)."

The Portland Oregonian's now got a story on the failure of the agency to quash conspiracies surround the death of LaVoy Finicum.

See, "Video of LaVoy Finicum's death fuels rampant rumors, debate":

BURNS -- In a rare move, the FBI on Thursday released footage of Robert "LaVoy" Finicum's fatal shooting two days earlier at the hands of Oregon State Police troopers.

It's unusual for law enforcement agencies to release video footage of police shootings so quickly. Doing so, FBI officials hoped, would dispel rumors about Finicum's death.

Instead, the debate grew louder.

For those inclined to believe the police account of the shooting – that Finicum was shot after resisting arrest on a remote highway between Burns and John Day – the grainy, soundless video offered confirmation.

But for those who believed a different account – that Finicum had his hands up in surrender when police killed him – the video stoked more furor.

People argued on social media, in the comments sections, in the aisles of the local Safeway and over meals at McDonald's. Did the video offer clear evidence that police were justified in shooting Finicum, or were doubters right to use the words "murder" and "execution?"

What is clear: During an Oregon State Police and FBI operation to arrest Finicum and several other leaders of the standoff at Malheur National Wildife Refuge, authorities stopped two vehicles traveling north on U.S. 395.

Inside were eight people, including several key members of the group that seized the wildlife refuge headquarters on Jan. 2.

Three people inside the Jeep – including Ammon Bundy, the son of controversial rancher Cliven Bundy and a leader of the refuge takeover -- were arrested.

From a white truck driven by Finicum, occupation leader Ryan Payne also emerged to surrender. The truck stayed idle for several minutes, then Finicum sped away.

After two bends in the road, he encountered a police roadblock and veered into a snowbank. The truck was stuck. Finicum emerged with arms outstretched, then lowered them and appeared to reach left into his jacket pocket. He raised his hands again, then reached again into the pocket. Police shot him, and he fell onto his back.

Finicum raised his right hand, then lay still as police focused on removing three remaining passengers from the truck.

"We did everything we could to bring this to a peaceful resolution," said Greg Bretzing, a special agent in charge with the FBI.

That did little to allay doubters' concerns...

Keep reading.

There're additional investigations underway, and no doubt we'll have the release of further video evidence, including both body-cams and dash-cams.

Check back here for all the latest on the siege.

Weekend Storm to Dump Lots More Rain and Snow in California's Sierra Nevadas (VIDEO)

Heh.

The leftist climate fear-mongers won't have the "drought" to use as a collective hammer this year. The El Niño weather pattern's blasting the Southwestern U.S. with all kinds of precipitation.

Previously, "El Niño's Helping, But Still a Ways to Go."

And here's an update, from KCRW News 3 Sacramento:

VIDEO: LaVoy Finicum Talks About Caring for #Maleur Refuge Property

Following-up from earlier today, "FBI Releases Footage Shot from Aircraft Showing Police Chase of LaVoy Finicum in Rural Oregon."

Watch, via the Portland Oregonian:



I've got updates from Malheur in the pipeline. The remaining occupiers may have turned down a chance to leave peacefully.

Stay tuned.

Footage Shows Victoria Sharp Surrendering to Police After LaVoy Finicum Killing — #Malheur (VIDEO)

Following-up from previously, "Footage Shows Ryan Payne Surrendering to Police After LaVoy Finicum Killing — #Malheur (VIDEO)."

Watch, here's another clip, via the Portland Oregonian, "This excerpt shows Victoria Sharp surrendering to the FBI and OSP."

And check back for more breaking updates throughout the day.

Meanwhile, at OPB, "Day 28 of Malheur occupation: 5 things you need to know."

Footage Shows Ryan Payne Surrendering to Police After LaVoy Finicum Killing — #Malheur (VIDEO)

Following-up from previously, "Footage Shows Ryan Bundy Surrendering to Police After LaVoy Finicum Killing — #Malheur (VIDEO)."

Watch more footage, via the Portland Oregonian, "Watch this excerpt showing Ryan Payne surrending after LaVoy Finicum was murdered."

Check back for updates. It turns out David Fry just woke up. They've got it terribly bad up there, lol!

Footage Shows Ryan Bundy Surrendering to Police After LaVoy Finicum Killing — #Malheur (VIDEO)

Following-up from earlier, "FBI Releases Footage Shot from Aircraft Showing Police Chase of LaVoy Finicum in Rural Oregon."

Here's more, via the Portland Oregonian, "The FBI released video footage of the traffic stop that ended in the death of Robert Finicum, one of the spokesmen for the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. This excerpt shows Ryan Bundy getting out his car."

Check back for updates throughout the day.

Media personnel are trying to make contact with David Fry at the Malheur compound. He's not been answering his calls, although power remains on at the headquarters.

English as Second Language Teacher Arrested in O.C. Jailbreak Case (VIDEO)

At the O.C. Register, "O.C. jail escape: Lake Forest teacher, who worked in lockup, is arrested in breakout":

An English as a Second Language teacher from the Rancho Santiago Community College District who worked in the jail has been arrested in connection with the escape of three inmates, Orange County Sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock said Thursday.

Nooshafarin Ravaghi, 44, of Lake Forest is accused of helping the three inmates escape, aiding them by bringing Google Maps, which Hallock said might be useful because they show the roof of the jail. The three inmates, Hossein Nayeri, Jonathan Tieu and Bac Duong, rappelled from the roof last Friday when they escaped.

Ravaghi denied bringing cutting tools into the jail, Hallock said.

Hallock said Ravaghi and one of the escapees, Hossein Nayeri, had a student-teacher relationship that “developed into a closer relationship.” She had been cleared to teach at the jail since July of 2015.

Hallock said as many as 10 arrests have been made, but the three escapees are still at large. Authorities have not released names of the people arrested because they don’t want to hinder the investigation.

Investigators believe the three escapees stole a utility van Saturday in the South Los Angeles area.

“Investigators feel strongly that these inmates may be living out of this vehicle,” Hallock said.

On Saturday, Duong answered a for-sale advertisement for a white GMC Savanna, took the car for a test drive and didn’t return the car, Hallock said. The van’s license plate number is 8U66466...

More.

PREVIOUSLY: "Experts Question Detention and Security Protocols at Orange County Jail."