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Free Press? Justice Department Obtained Records of Fox News Journalist
This is just getting ridiculous…
The Justice Department obtained a portfolio of information about a Fox News correspondent’s conversations and visits as part of an investigation into a possible leak, The Washington Post reported Monday
— in the latest example of the government seizing records of journalists.
The information follows the charge that the department secretly obtained two months of phone records from Associated Press journalists as part of a separate leak probe.
In the case involving Fox News’ James Rosen, a government adviser was accused of leaking information after a 2009 story was published online which said North Korea planned to respond to looming U.N. sanctions with another nuclear test.
The Post reported that federal investigators, in pursuing the case, obtained email records from Rosen — but also records of his visits to the State Department headquarters by tracking security-badge information. According to the article, a court affidavit said they used the badge records to log his visits as well as the movements of the adviser, Stephen Jim-Woo Kim.
An FBI agent said in the affidavit that the visits suggested a “face-to-face” meeting.
Immigration Bill Facts: BIG Problems With Senate’s S.744 Immigration Reform Bill
4 BIG Problems With Senate’s S.744 Immigration Reform Bill
No.1: Won’t Stop the Next
Amnesty The Gang of Eight promises that the bill will end illegal immigration with tough new enforcement.
No.2: Floods Labor Markets & Communities with 33 Million in First Decade
While 20 million Americans can’t find a full time job, much of bill based on claim of labor shortages.
No. 3: Adds Massive Unfunded Mandate to Government Spending & Debt
A Heritage Foundation study calculates that11 million illegal aliens will receive $9.4 Trillion in government services over their lifetime, but only pay $3.1 Trillion in taxes. That equals a gigantic (a) addition to the national debt, or (b) increase in taxes for other Americans, or (c) combination of both.
No. 4 Hides Special Interest Payoffs in a Giant Bill
Much bad lawmaking to appease Special Interests can be hidden in nearly 900 pages.
Gang of Eight Amnesty Bill – Bad for America:
Rubio Deceives the Public on Amnesty Bill — Again
By Jeremy Beck, Friday, May 10, 2013, 9:21 AM EDT
The Judiciary Committee markup of S. 744 exposed the Gang of Eight legislation as an amnesty-first bill. Given multiple opportunities to vote on amendments that would require concrete enforcement before illegal aliens could apply for legal status and work permits, the bill’s sponsors voted “no” (see Chris Chmielenski’s live blogging on the mark up). At the same time, they sent their chief spokesman, Sen. Rubio to Fox News to deceive the public.
By voting down amendments from Senators Grassley and Cruz to require enforcement before the amnesty process would begin, the Senate Judiciary Committee left the amnesty-first foundation of the bill in tact. That is to say, as soon as Secretary Napolitano submits two plans (one to secure a border she has already deemed secure; another to say where she thinks fencing should be added) – as soon as those two plans are submitted, the bill would allow 11 million illegal aliens to apply for legal status, Social Security Numbers, and work permits to seek jobs alongside 20 million unemployed Americans.
The enforcement-first amendments failed but Senators Grassley, Cornyn, and Sessions were able to expose the amnesty-first nature of the bill that the Gang of Eight’s top spokesperson, Senator Rubio has desperately tried to hide from the public. His appearance Thursday on Fox News was a marked display of deception.
As the conservative ambassador for the Gang of Eight, Sen. Rubio must have been aware of the recent Fox News polling that suggests the public’s support for a “path to citizenship” hinges on whether or not enforcement measures come first. He must be aware that the same polling finds the public rejects immigration increases of any kind.
The Fox News segment introduced Senator Rubio with this:
“Proponents point to security hurdles or triggers the bill requires before the rest can be implemented. Senator Marco Rubio, the bill’s most vocal conservative advocate, concedes the border security hurdle could be the tallest.”
(I can only assume that by “security hurdles or triggers,” Fox News means the two Napolitano-submitted plans mentioned above. They are the only things required before “the rest” of the bill is set in motion.)
Then Rubio said: “The trigger means something must happen before green cards are given to people that used to illegally be here.”
Rubio is a skilled politician. He knows there are no enforcement triggers before illegal aliens get legalized (amnesty). But he understandably didn’t want to get into that in front of Fox News’ audience, so he jumped to green cards, most of which would be granted a full 10 years (to hide costs) after illegal aliens get their amnesty.
Rubio was even more deceptive – to the point of flat out misrepresenting his bill – later in the interview when Fox News raised the issue of future immigration. Sen. Sessions discussed his estimate of 50 million new foreign job seekers (30 million permanent + 20 million temporary) being added in the first ten years alone due to Rubio’s bill: “a big percentage of those,” Sessions said, “will be low-skilled workers competing with unemployed Americans.”
Rubio responded with “The idea that somehow 11 million people will be legalized in one day, one week, one month, or even one year is absurd.” I looked back and couldn’t find where Sessions had suggested such a thing but Rubio must have gone into the interview with a mission to sell the public on triggers so he continued:
“They have to undergo a background check, a national security check, they have to prove they’ve been here continuously since December of 2011, they have to pay a fine and start paying taxes, they have to pay an application fee, and they don’t qualify for any federal benefits. Every business has to comply with e-verify. You won’t be able to hire illegals unless you’re willing to pay enormous taxes and face jail time if you do it on purpose.” (emphasis mine)
There is no E-Verify trigger for “11 million people to be legalized” in Rubio’s bill.
Maybe Rubio got carried away, maybe he got confused – maybe he was the victim of editing (you can see a blip just before he mentions E-Verify) – maybe the pressure to invent actual enforcement was just too much. Whatever the reason, Rubio misled millions of viewers with that statement.
The Gang of Eight didn’t do Rubio any favors by sending him out to obscure the amnesty-first nature of their bill on the same day Schumer, Durbin, Flake, and Graham were voting down enforcement-first amendments. But that doesn’t justify the level of deception he undertook on Thursday.
JEREMY BECK is the Director of the Media Standards Project for NumbersUSA
NumbersUSA’s blogs are copyrighted and may be republished or reposted only if they are copied in their entirety, including this paragraph, and provide proper credit to NumbersUSA. NumbersUSA bears no responsibility for where our blogs may be republished or reposted.
VIDEO: White House Offices Evacuated, no Danger to Obama
White House offices evacuated, no danger to Obama
Prince Harry Michelle Obama Enjoy White House Tea Time TOGETHER!
Boehner presses Obama, White House for Benghazi emails
VIDEO: Breaking Politics News
Obama calls on Congress to help more homeowners
White House offices evacuated, no danger to Obama
13 killed in blasts near Turkish-Syrian border
Weekly Polling Analysis March 16-22, 2013
POLLING ANALYSIS
March 16-22, 2013
MUST READ:
According to Fox News, 68% of register voters think the national debt is an immediate problem that should be dealt with right away; 27% say it is a problem, but solving can wait a few years; and 4% say it is not a problem.
According to Fox News, 85% of registered voters think cutting the budget deficit is a worthy goal in itself.
According to Fox News, when given two choices. 38% of registered voters think a higher priority for Congress should be to spend money to create jobs. 54% say cutting spending to cut the deficit should be the priority.
According to the Economist, 20% of adults think federal workers and contractors should be spared from the effects of the sequester spending cuts; 54% think members of the military should; 40% think people who receive government assistance should; and 17% said not the categories above should be spared.
President Obama: Average approval from early to late March was 48% according to RealClearPolitics. Average disapproval was 47.4%. (The average one week ago, which covered late February to mid-March, was 48.3%. Average disapproval was 46.3%)
Here are the polls released this week on Presidential job approval:
- ARG: 49% of adults approve, up from 48% in March 2012. 46% disapprove, the same percentage as a year ago.
- CNN: 47% of adults approve, down from 51% in March 2012. 50% disapprove, up from 45% one year ago. Among Independents, 41% currently approve and 53% disapprove.
- Economist: 48% of adults approve and 46% disapprove.
- Fox News: 47% of registered voters approve, the same as in March 2012. 47% disapprove, up from 45% one year ago.
- Pew: 47% of adults (42% of Independents) approve and 46% (50% of Independents) disapprove.
Gallup tracks President Obama’s job approval on a weekly basis. The average one week ago (March 4-10, 2013) showed 49% approved and 44% disapproved. The latest weekly numbers available (March 11-17, 2013) showed 48% approve and 46% disapprove. Last year at this time (March 12-18, 2012), 46% approved and 47% disapproved.
Rasmussen conducts a daily tracking poll. One week ago (March 15), 50% approved and 48% disapproved. On March 22, approval was 52%; disapproval was 47%. Last year at this time, the President’s approval was 47% and his disapproval 51%.
Congress: Average approval for early to mid-March was 13.7% according to the RealClearPolitics average. Average disapproval was 81.3%. (The average one week ago, which covered early to early March, was 14.2%. Average disapproval was 79.2%)
Here are the polls released this week on Congressional job approval:
- Economist: 8% of adults approve and 68% disapprove.
- Fox News: 14% of registered voters approve and 79% disapprove.
Right Track/Wrong Track: According to the RealClearPolitics average, which covered mid-February to mid-March, 33.8% think the country is headed in the right direction while 53.8% think it is headed in the wrong direction. (One week ago, the right track average, which covered mid-February to early March, was 33.4%. The wrong track average was 59.6%.)
Here are the polls released this week on the direction of the country:
- Economist: 30% of adults think the country is headed in the right direction and 56% think it is headed in the wrong direction.
- Rasmussen: 31% of likely voters think the country is headed in the right direction and 60% think it is headed in the wrong direction.
ISSUE SPECIFIC
Budget Deficit & Spending:
According to Gallup, 72% of adults (71% of Independents) would vote for a federal government program that spent government to put Americans to work on urgent infrastructure projects.
According to Gallup, 72% of adults (69% of Independents) would vote for a federal government program that spent government to put create more than one million new jobs.
According to Rasmussen, 20% of likely voters think the current federal deficit is too small. 59% think it is too big and 13% say it’s about right.
According Rasmussen, 16% of likely voters think it is possible to balance the federal budget without cutting spending. 71% disagree and say it is not possible. 13% are not sure.
According to Rasmussen, 87% of likely voters consider it at least somewhat important to balance the federal budget. Only 10% feel it’s not very or not at all important to balance the budget. According to Fox News, 85% of registered voters think Congress should be required to balance the budget; 13% think it should not be required to.
According to Fox News, 49% of registered voters think the sequester was a good idea while 37% think it was a bad idea.
According to CNN, 21% of adults (the same number of Independents) say the sequester spending cuts have affected the economy a great deal, 39% (37% of Independents) say they have affected it somewhat; 21% (23% of Independents) say the sequester spending cuts have not affected the economy much; and 15% (16% of Independents) say the sequester has not affected the economy at all.
According to CNN, 11% of adults (14% of Independents) say the sequester spending cuts have affected their personal financial situation a great deal, 24% (27% of Independents) say they have affected their situation somewhat; 21% (19% of Independents) say the cuts have not affected them much; and 43% (46% of Independents) say the sequester spending cuts have not affected them at all. According to the Economist, 28% of adults think the sequester spending cuts will have a major effect on them personally; 34% think they will have a minor effect; 14% think they will have no effect; and 24% are not sure.
According to the Economist, 46% of adults think the sequester spending cuts will have a major effect on the military; 26% think they will have a minor effect; 5% think they will have no effect; and 22% are not sure.
According to the Economist, 42% of adults think the sequester spending cuts will have a major effect on Americans who receive government benefits; 28% think they will have a minor effect; 8% think they will have no effect; and 21% are not sure.
President Obama approval on the issue:
Economy & Jobs:
According to ARG, 40% of adults think the country is in a recession and 38% think it is not. 22% are not sure.
According to Gallup, “Americans’ confidence in the economy continued to improve last week as the U.S. stock market hit all-time highs before slipping on Friday. Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index rose to -14 — the highest since the -13 reading for the week ending Feb. 24, before the budget sequestration cuts took effect on March 1. With last week’s score — up from -17 the prior week — confidence is inching closer to the weekly five-year high of -8 reached in early February.”
According to Fox News, 28% of registered voters feel confident about the economy and 65% feel nervous.
According to ARG, 6% of adults think the economy is in excellent shape; 10% think it is in very good shape; 28% think it is in good shape; 26% think it is in bad shape; 12% think it is in very bad shape; and 17% think it is in terrible shape.
According to the Economist, 29% of adults think the economy is getting better; 33% think it is getting worse; and 32% think it is stuck in neutral. According to ARG, 46% of adults think the economy is getting better; 28% think it is getting worse; and 19% think it is stuck in neutral.
President Obama approval on the issue:
- ARG: 47% of adults approve, up from 44% in March 2012. 50% disapprove, the same percentage as a year ago.
- Economist: 43% of adults approve and 46% disapprove.
Health Care:
According to Fox News, 30% of registered voters would repeal the entire 2010 health care law; 25% would repeal parts; 20% would expand it and 20% would keep it as is.
According to Kaiser, 37% of adults have a favorable view of the 2010 health care law, down from 41% one year ago and from 46% in April 2010, right after the law was passed. 40% of adults have an unfavorable view of the 2010 health care law – the same percentage as one year ago and in April 2010.
According to Kaiser, 40% of adults have a favorable view of the individual mandate in the bill while 60% have an unfavorable view.
According to Kaiser, 21% of adults believe they and their family will be better off under the 2010 health care law. 29% say they will be worse off and 40% say it won’t make any difference.
Regulations:
According to Fox News, 26% of registered voters think the more than 1,000 regulations added since election day will help the economy. 50% think they will hurt.
Taxes:
According to Gallup, 79% of adults (78% of Independents) would vote for a law that cut taxes for businesses and manufacturers that created jobs in the U.S.
According to Fox News, when asked what bothers them most about the tax code, 10% of registered voters said the amount they pay; 8% said the complexity; 38% said that some Americans don’t pay their fair share; and 43% said the way the government spends their money.
Karl Rove: “What Universe Is Nancy Pelosi Living In?”
On Monday morning, Fox News contributor Karl Rove reacted to comments made by Nancy Pelosi on CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ in which the Democratic leader claimed of President Obama that the commander in chief “has always been very respectful of the views of the Republicans in Congress, their leadership and their membership; he has always tried to accommodate them. The idea that but for that, we would have gotten all these things done is really just not reality.”
Rove’s initial response? “What universe is she living in? He has not respected Republicans from day one,” he said.
“[This is a guy who uses] rhetoric that not only attacks [Republicans'] policies but continually questions their motivations,” he said, adding that Pelosi lives “in a different place” to make such claims.
“It’s fine for a president to disagree with their policies. But the thing this man does, though, is he questions their motivations. He constructs straw arguments about what he claims they’re for, and then demolishes them.”
Crossroads Video: “Obama’s Mess”
In case you missed it on Fox News, Crossroads GPS released a new video this morning, entitled “Obama’s Mess” – which sums up Obama’s relationship with the sequester.
On the sequester, we’ve heard Obama say:
- “A bad idea.”
- “A manufactured crisis.”
- “..first responders lose their jobs”
- “…teachers laid off…”
- “…air traffic controllers and airport security…
- “hardship on a whole lot of people”
- “A bad idea.”
This video tells a different story:
- “The sequester was the administration’s idea…”
- “We have an idea for the trigger” [Obama Budget Director Jack] Lew said. “Sequestration.”
- Woodward: “Obama ‘mistaken’ on sequester”
- Baucus: “The White House recommended it, frankly.”
Common Cents: A Vacation from My Problems
Common Cents: A Vacation from My Problems
It’s difficult to break the gridlock in Washington. No one seems to be able to come to an agreement on anything. Take government spending, for example. Some deny the U.S. has a spending problem, and others are absolutely, positively sure the debt going to take us under, but there is one thing they can all agree on: It’s time for a week-long break. The sequester spending cuts will take effect on March 1, and uncertainty is high over what will happen. Is it really the best time for a vacation?
WHAT SPENDING PROBLEM?
President Obama: “We don’t have a spending problem.” (Stephen Moore, “The Education of John Boehner,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/6/13)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi: “[I]t is almost a false argument to say we have a spending problem, we have a budget deficit problem.” (Fox News Channel, “Fox News Sunday,” 2/10/13)
Sen. Tom Harkin: “I want to disagree with those who say we have a spending problem. Everyone keeps saying we have a spending problem. And when they talk about that, it’s like there’s an assumption that somehow we as a nation are broke.” (Tom Harkin, C-SPAN, 2/14/13)
Rep. Steny Hoyer: We Have A “Paying-For” Problem. “The country has a paying for-problem. We haven’t paid for what we bought. We haven’t paid for our tax cuts. We haven’t paid for the war. … If we don’t pay, we shouldn’t buy.” (“Dem Leader Refuses to Say We Have a Spending Problem—U.S. Has a ‘Paying-For Problem,” Fox News, 2/12/13)
Washington Post: “Obama: Job of debt reduction nearly done” (Lori Montgomery, “Obama: Job of debt reduction nearly done,” Washington Post, 2/11/13)
OH, WE DEFINITELY HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney: “Of course the president believes that we have a spending problem.” (Donovan Slack, “W.H.: We have a spending problem,” POLITICO, 2/11/13)
Rep. Paul Ryan: “It seems like they’re just trying to sweep our fiscal problems under the rug and call it a day, … We’ve spent years debating — inside groups, outside groups — talking about a debt crisis. And now they’re trying to suggest that the problem is nearly solved, and don’t worry about it.” (Karen Tumulty and Lori Montgomery, “Is the deficit losing its urgency?” Washington Post, 2/13/13)
SO LET’S GO ON A WEEK-LONG VACATION
Congress Taking Week Off Before March 1 Sequester Deadline: “A divided Congress will take next week off and then return to a familiar conflict: a looming, self-inflicted budget deadline that threatens economic stability with no resolution in sight on how to resolve it.” (Susan Davis, “Congress has no clear path to avoid broad budget cuts,” USA Today, 2/13/13)
- FLASHBACK: Pelosi: No Vacation Until We Deal With Sequester: “The House should not recess and Members of Congress should not go home until we finish our work, reach an agreement, and avert this crisis.” (Igor Bobic, “Pelosi To Boehner: No Recess Until We Replace Sequester,” Talking Points Memo, 2/11/13)
Obama Off To Palm Beach. “President Obama will be enjoying a little R and R — and no doubt some golf — this weekend during a vacation in West Palm Beach.” (Donovan Slack, “Obama to vacation in Palm Beach,” POLITICO, 2/13/13)
Weekly Polling Analysis
POLLING ANALYSIS
February 2-8, 2013
MUST READ:
According to Fox News, when given two choices, 15% of registered voters (11% of Independent registered voters) said increasing spending would be more likely to strengthen the economy. 73% (76% of Independent voters) think cutting government spending would be more likely to help. 7% (8% of Independents) said neither would help.
According to Fox News, 83% of registered voters (87% of Independent registered voters) say the federal government has a spending problem. 14% (11% of Independents) say it does not.
President Obama: Average approval from mid-January to early February was 51% according to RealClearPolitics. Average disapproval was 43.6%. (The average one week ago, which covered early to late January, was 52.3%. Average disapproval was 42.8%)
Here are the polls released this week on presidential job approval:
- Economist: 46% of adults approve and 46% disapprove.
- Fox News: 49% of registered voters approve, up from 48% in February 2012; 45% disapprove – the same number as one year ago. Among Independent registered voters, 43% approve and 48% disapprove.
- Public Policy Polling: 49% of registered voters approve and 48% disapprove.
- Quinnipiac: 46% of registered voters (40% of Independent registered voters) approve and 45% (47% of Independents) disapprove.
Gallup tracks President Obama’s job approval on a weekly basis. The average one week ago (Jan. 21-27, 2012) showed 52% approved and 43% disapproved. The latest weekly numbers available (Jan. 28-Feb. 3, 2012) showed 53% approve and 42% disapprove. Last year at this time (Jan. 30-Feb. 5, 2011), 46% approved and 47% disapproved.
Rasmussen conducts a daily tracking poll. One week ago (Feb. 1), 56% approved and 44% disapproved. On Feb. 8, approval was 52%; disapproval was 47%. Last year at this time, the President’s approval was 50% and his disapproval 49%.
Congress: Average approval for early January to early February was 15.6% according to the RealClearPolitics average. Average disapproval was 78.7%. (The average one week ago, which covered early to late January, was 15.4%. Average disapproval was 78.6%)
Here are the polls released this week on Congressional job approval:
- Economist: 11% of adults approve and 64% disapprove.
- Fox News: 17% of registered voters approve, up from 13% in February 2012; 77% disapprove, down from 79% one year ago. Among Independent registered voters, 12% approve and 84% disapprove.
Right Track/Wrong Track: According to the RealClearPolitics average, which covered mid-January to early February, 37.4% think the country is headed in the right direction while 55.6% think it is headed in the wrong direction. (One week ago, the right track average, which covered mid- to late January, was 37.4%. The wrong track average was 55.8%.)
Here are the polls released this week on the direction of the country:
- Economist: 30% of adults think the country is headed in the right direction and 54% think it is headed in the wrong direction.
- Rasmussen: 39% of likely voters think the country is headed in the right direction and 53% think it is headed in the wrong direction.
ISSUE SPECIFIC
American Dream:
According to Fox News, 24% of registered voters (23% of Independent registered voters) think the country is stronger and more powerful than it was five years ago; 48% (49% of Independents) think it is weaker and less powerful; and 27% (the same number of Independents think it is the same.
According to Fox News, 65% of registered voters (62% of Independent registered voters) say it is still possible to achieve the American Dream if an individual works hard. 29% (31% of Independents) say it is not.
Budget Deficit & Spending:
According to Fox News, 54% of registered voters (56% of Independent registered voters) think the proposal to withhold lawmakers’ pay until they pass a budget is a gimmick. 40% (41% of Independents) think it is a serious proposal that could result in Congress passing a budget.
According to Rasmussen, 36% of likely voters think the president and Congress should stop the automatic spending cuts from going into effect next month. 30% ay Congress and the president should not stop the automatic spending cuts; 34% are undecided.
According to the Economist, 58% of adults think the budget deficit is a “very important issue” facing the U.S.
President Obama approval on the issue:
- Economist: 33% of adults approve and 51% disapprove.
- Fox News: 33% of registered voters (26% of Independent registered voters) approve and 61% (69% of Independents) disapprove.
Economy & Jobs:
According to Fox News, 40% of registered voters (44% of Independent registered voters) think the worst is over when it comes to the economy’s problems. 52% (51% of Independents) think the worst is yet to come.
According to Rasmussen, 45% of adults believe it would be bad for the economy if the government does more hiring. 10% think it would have no economic impact, while 15% are not sure.
According to Gallup, “U.S. Economic Confidence improved to -13 in January, matching the five-year monthly high set in November 2012. Economic confidence improved steadily from September to November before falling back to -17 after the presidential election, but has now returned to its pre-election peak.”
According to the Economist, 80% of adults think the economy is a “very important issue” facing the U.S.
According to the Economist, 24% of adults believe the economy is getting better, X35% believe it is getting worse; and 33% believe it is stuck in neutral.
President Obama approval on the issue:
- Economist: 37% of adults approve and 49% disapprove.
- Fox News: 42% of registered voters (38% of Independent registered voters) approve and 55% (60% of Independents) disapprove.
Entitlements:
According to Rasmussen, 56% of likely voters say, as long as they are able to cover the cost of their decision, people should have the right to pick their own Social Security and Medicare retirement age. 24% don’t think Americans should have that option; 19% are unsure.
Stimulus:
According to Fox News, 34% of registered voters (34% of Independent registered voters) say the 2009 federal stimulus worked. 60% (58% of Independents) say it did not.
According to Fox News, 29% of registered voters (24% of Independent registered voters) would favor another stimulus bill. 61% (67% of Independents) would oppose it.
Taxes:
According to Fox News, 61% of registered voters (the same number of Independent registered voters) say their paychecks are smaller this year because of taxes being taken out. 26% (25% of Independents) say their paychecks are not smaller.
According to Fox News, 68% of registered voters (72% of Independent registered voters) say middle class taxes will go up this year. 25% (22% of Independents) say they will not.
According to Rasmussen, when given four options, 43% of adults believe the sales tax is the one that is most fair. 26% rate an income tax is the most fair 6% said property taxes and 5% said payroll taxes.
According to Rasmussen, 49% of adults believe they pay more than their fair share of taxes. 29% don’t think they pay more than their fair share. 23% are not sure. Only 24% of adults believe wealthy Americans pay their fair share in taxes. 21% think wealthy Americans pay more than their fair share in taxes, while 49% feel they pay less than their fair share.
View of Government:
According to Fox News, 58% of registered voters (65% of Independent registered voters) say the federal government is too powerful and is restricting freedoms 38% (29% of Independents) say they are comfortable with the current role of the federal government.
Public Notice is an independent non-profit dedicated to providing facts and insight on the economy and how government policy affects Americans’ financial well-being.
Fear of Being Committed May Have Caused Connecticut Gunman to Snap
Exclusive from FoxNews:
The gunman who slaughtered 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school may have snapped because his mother was planning to commit him to a psychiatric facility, according to a lifelong resident of the area who was familiar with the killer’s family and several of the victims’ families.
Adam Lanza, 20, targeted Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown after killing his mother early Friday because he believed she loved the school “more than she loved him,” said Joshua Flashman, 25, who grew up not far from where the shooting took place. Flashman, a U.S. Marine, is the son of a pastor at an area church where many of the victims’ families worship.
“From what I’ve been told, Adam was aware of her petitioning the court for conservatorship and (her) plans to have him committed,” Flashman told FoxNews.com. “Adam was apparently very upset about this. He thought she just wanted to send him away. From what I understand, he was really, really angry. I think this could have been it, what set him off.”
A senior law enforcement official involved in the investigation confirmed that Lanza’s anger at his mother over plans for “his future mental health treatment” is being looked at as a possible motive for the deadly shooting.
