Here is a news article: The Trump administration has denied a request from the House Oversight Committee for more information on payments that former national security adviser Michael Flynn received from foreign governments, including from the Kremlin-backed television station RT and other Russian firms.

 Legislative affairs director Marc Short said the committee is requesting documents that are not in possession of the White House because they involved Flynn's activity prior to President Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. Other documents sought by the committee, from after Jan. 20, involve sensitive information, he said.

 "It is unclear how such documents would be relevant to the stated purpose of the committee's review, which according to your letter is to examine Lt. Gen. Flynn's disclosure of payments related to activities that occurred in 2015 and 2016, prior to his service in the White House," Short wrote in a letter dated April 19 that was sent to committee leaders.

 ADVERTISEMENT

 In March, the committee sent a letter to the White House, the Defense Department and several other administration heads asking for a range of records related to the payments received by Flynn, who also worked on Trump’s campaign and the presidential transition.

 On Tuesday morning, the committee reviewed a batch of documents responsive to the request from the Pentagon behind closed doors.

 Those documents, said both chairman Jason Chaffetz Jason ChaffetzTucker Carlson: Ruling class cares more about foreigners than their own people Fox's Kennedy chides Chaffetz on child migrants: 'I’m sure these mini rapists all have bombs strapped to their chests' After FBI cleared by IG report, GOP must reform itself MORE (R-Utah) and ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), suggest that Flynn broke the law by declining to disclose the payments from both Russia and Turkey in his application to renew his security clearance.

 "Personally, I see no data to supper the notion that Gen. Flynn complied with the law," Chaffetz said.

 But both Chaffetz and Cummings stopped short of accusing the White House of obstructing their investigation.

 "I wouldn't call it obstruction," Cummings said.

 Flynn had also declined to disclose the payments in his original financial disclosure forms submitted in February.

 He filed an amended disclosure last month reporting payments for speeches from three Russian-linked companies, including RT, but the move has remained under scrutiny amidst the FBI’s ongoing investigation into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia during the election.

 According to Cummings, Flynn applied to renew his security clearance — using a form called a SF-86 — in January of 2016, just month after he traveled to Moscow to give a paid speech. During a dinner at that appearance, he was seated with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 There is "no evidence in the documents that he reported funds he received for his trip" and "no evidence he sought permission to obtain these funds from a foreign source," Cummings said Tuesday, noting that knowingly falsifying or concealing a material fact in an SF-86 is a felony.

 Flynn was forced to resign in February after it came to light that he had misled Vice President Pence and the public about the content of a phone call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyac.

 The former intelligence official has offered to testify before the Senate and House Intelligence committees — which are both investigating Russian interference in the election — in exchange for immunity, but neither committee has accepted the offer.

 Chaffetz said Tuesday that Flynn could potentially be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars in remittance to the U.S. government.

 But the authority to levy that penalty would rest with the administration — not with the committee.

 Although Cummings said that he would like to see Flynn appear before the committee, such a hearing appears unlikely. Chaffetz argued that the "lead" in any Russia-related investigations is the Intelligence Committee. Oversight, he said, is in "more of a support role."

 "I highly doubt" the committee will call Flynn to testify, Chaffetz said.

 This story was updated at 11:56 a.m. ||||| The lead Democrat and Republican on the House Oversight Committee meted out a rare bipartisan rebuke of former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn on Tuesday after seeing private information that confirmed the former administration official failed to disclose foreign income from Russia and Turkey.

 [Flynn did not initially reveal income from Russia-related entities]

 The public criticism by the senior Republican on the House’s chief investigative panel is unusual and presents a dilemma for the White House, which was accused of failing to provide everything the committee asked for — an assertion White House press secretary Sean Spicer disputed.

 Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and the panel’s ranking Democrat, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), suggested that Flynn broke the law. Flynn was ousted in February after misleading Vice President Pence about his contacts with the Russian ambassador.

 The lawmakers said they believe Flynn neither received permission nor fully disclosed income he earned for a speaking engagement in Russia and lobbying activities on behalf of Turkey. They reached the conclusion after viewing two classified memos and a disclosure form in a private briefing Tuesday morning.

 (Adriana Usero/The Washington Post)

 “Personally I see no evidence or no data to support the notion that General Flynn complied with the law,” Chaffetz told reporters after the briefing.

 Added Cummings: “He was supposed to get permission, he was supposed to report it, and he didn’t. This is a major problem.”

 The bipartisan criticism of Flynn is a striking departure from the partisan discord that has defined recent Oversight Committee investigations. Democrats have often complained of being shut out of major decisions in high-profile investigations such as the Benghazi probe.

 It comes as the House and Senate intelligence committees move into a new phase of their investigations into Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 election, including alleged ties between campaign aides and Russian officials. The FBI is also investigating Russia’s suspected interference in the elections and ties to the Trump campaign.

 After a rocky start, the House Intelligence Committee is gaining steam with a new head of the Russia investigation. Rep. K. Michael Conaway (R-Tex.) — who stepped in after the committee’s chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), recused himself — has scheduled a classified briefing next Tuesday with the directors of the FBI and National Security Agency. He has invited former CIA director John Brennan, former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. and former acting attorney general Sally Yates to testify in an open hearing.

 The Senate is also taking action. Yates and Clapper are scheduled to testify before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on May 8.

 Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said Tuesday that his panel had “finished the initial round” of over 20 interviews and planned to “pick that pace up” with more in the near future.

 (Reuters)

 Flynn is on the list of officials Burr hopes to bring in for an interview. The senator noted the panel had been interested in speaking to him “from the beginning.”

 “In many cases in investigations like this, you get one shot at people,” Burr said, explaining why they had not yet invited him. “So we want to make sure we’re as thorough as we possibly can be.”

 Chaffetz and Cummings stressed Tuesday that as a former military officer, Flynn would have needed special permission for his December 2015 appearance at a gala sponsored by RT, the Russian-government-funded television station, for which he was paid $45,000. For his work lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government, he was paid more than $500,000.

 “It does not appear that was ever sought, nor did he get that permission,” Chaffetz said.

 The Republican later added that while Flynn was clearly not in compliance with the law, “it would be a little strong to say that he flat-out lied.”

 Democrats immediately pounced on the news, claiming that it was yet another drip of damaging information implicating the Trump world’s relationship with Russia.

 “The disturbing news that General Flynn may have violated the law in connection with his security clearance may be just the tip of the iceberg,” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday. “These revelations highlight the importance of the intelligence committee working in a bipartisan way to request and receive documents with respect to any financial arrangements Flynn and others in similar positions may have had with foreign governments,” he said.

 According to the New York Times, Flynn isn’t the only member of Trump’s team who left his contacts with foreign officials off his official security-clearance application — Jared Kushner left his meetings with Russian officials off the same form.

 Chaffetz and Cummings stressed that Flynn’s omission could cost him. Violations of this nature can be punished by up to five years of jail time. The FBI could open an investigation into the matter, and if it has not already, Congress could ask them to do so.

 Those decisions will probably be up to the Justice Department’s new deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, whom the Senate confirmed Tuesday by a vote of 94 to 6. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from matters involving the Trump campaign.

 The bar for prosecution is high. The law requires investigators to show that Flynn “knowingly and willfully” made false statements. Prosecutors would not be able to make a case if Flynn’s forms were inaccurate because of carelessness or an honest mistake.

 Chaffetz stressed that the government should “recover the money” paid to Flynn by foreign entities, a figure that would at least be in the tens of thousands of dollars. But Chaffetz announced last week that he would resign from Congress in 2018 and perhaps leave much sooner — setting off a scramble to replace him. On Tuesday, Chaffetz also said the House Intelligence Committee would be the panel to compel any testimony from Flynn.

 Spicer would not say in his Tuesday briefing whether Flynn may have broken the law.

 “That would be a question for him and the law enforcement agency. I don’t know what he filled out or what he did or didn’t do,” Spicer told reporters. “He filled that form out before coming here, so it would be up to the committee and other authorities to look at that.”

 He insisted the Trump administration had provided all the documents Congress requested.

 “Every document they asked for it’s my understanding they’ve gotten,” he said.

 The Oversight Committee asked the White House in March for documents pertaining to Flynn’s security-clearance applications, the vetting that occurred before he was named national security adviser, and all of his contacts with foreign agents, including any payments received. In particular, the committee heads requested to see a disclosure form known as the SF86, on which Flynn was obligated to declare any foreign income.

 On April 19, the White House sent the committee a reply, stating that any documents related to Flynn from before Jan. 20 — the day Trump took office — were not in its possession and that any documents from after that date did not seem relevant to the investigation.

 Spicer added Tuesday that records requests for Flynn’s conversations with foreign contacts were “unwieldy,” arguing it was Flynn’s job “to talk with foreign counterparts on a daily basis.”

 “To document every call that he may have made is not exactly a request that is able to be filled,” he said.

 [Oversight Committee jockeying heats up in wake of Chaffetz announcement]

 Flynn counsel Rob Kelner of Covington & Burling said his client has spoken extensively with the government about the matter. “As has previously been reported, General Flynn briefed the Defense Intelligence Agency, a component agency of DoD, extensively regarding the RT speaking event trip both before and after the trip, and he answered any questions that were posed by DIA concerning the trip during those briefings,” Kelner said in a statement.

 [Here’s what we know about Trump’s ties to Russian interests]

 The documents that committee members reviewed Tuesday came from the Defense Intelligence Agency and showed that Flynn had not declared any income from Russian or Turkish sources, committee leaders said.

 Kelner also noted that lawmakers might be interested in seeing documents that could shed light on what Flynn told the White House and his foreign contacts before he was named national security adviser, and what led to his exit less than a month later. During the transition period, Flynn told the incoming White House that he might need to register as a foreign agent.

 David Nakamura and Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report.

 Read more at PowerPost ||||| WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the congressional probe of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election (all times local):

 11:20 a.m.

 The senior members of Congress on the House Oversight Committee says classified military documents show that the Trump administration's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, did not ask permission or inform the U.S. government about payments he received for appearances before Russian organizations in 2015 and for lobbying that helped Turkey's government.

 Flynn's failure to obtain permission from military authorities for the payments raises concern whether Flynn violated a constitutional ban on foreign payments to retired military officers. That's according to Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings.

 The two leaders of the oversight committee said there was no evidence Flynn complied with federal law. They said Flynn could be criminally prosecuted, and they said Flynn should surrender the money he was paid.

 ___

 10:55 a.m.

 The White House is refusing to provide lawmakers with information and documents related to President Donald Trump's first national security adviser's security clearance and payments from organizations tied to the Russian and Turkish governments.

 The White House was responding to requests made last month by the House Oversight committee. The committee made six requests, and the White House cited reasons it could not comply with each of them.

 Trump has said he fired Michael Flynn because of misleading comments he made to the vice president about his discussions with the Russian ambassador during the transition. Flynn is among the Trump associates being investigated by Congress and the FBI for possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

 _____

 8:45 a.m.

 Former acting attorney general Sally Yates is scheduled to appear at a congressional hearing next month on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

 Yates is to appear May 8 along with James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence.

 The hearing before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee was announced Tuesday morning.

 It will mark her first appearance on Capitol Hill since she was fired in late January after refusing to defend President Donald Trump's travel ban. ||||| WASHINGTON — Michael T. Flynn, President Trump’s first national security adviser, may have violated federal law by not fully disclosing his business dealings with Russia when seeking a security clearance to work in the White House, top House oversight lawmakers from both parties asserted on Tuesday.

 The revelation came after Representative Jason Chaffetz, Republican of Utah and chairman of the House oversight committee, and other lawmakers on the panel examined classified documents related to Mr. Flynn, including a form he filled out in January 2016 to receive his security clearance. The form is known as an SF-86 and is required by anyone in the government who handles classified information.

 As part of the review, Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland, the committee’s senior Democrat, said Mr. Flynn did not disclose in those documents payments totaling more than $45,000 that he received from the Russian government for giving a speech in Moscow in 2015, among others.

 The development is the latest trouble for Mr. Flynn, who also did not disclose payments from Russian-linked entities on a financial disclosure form that the Trump administration released in late March. Earlier in March, Mr. Flynn filed papers acknowledging that he worked as a foreign agent last year representing the interests of the Turkish government, causing another uproar and more unfavorable headlines for the Trump administration. |||||
A summary of this is?

– Michael Flynn's Russia headache just got worse: The two heads of the House Oversight Committee say the erstwhile national security adviser probably broke the law in regard to his foreign business dealings, reports the Washington Post. GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings say they reviewed classified military documents and found that Flynn never received the proper permission to accept payments for a speech in Russia and for lobbying on behalf of Turkey. That means Flynn could face criminal prosecution and may have to surrender any money received, reports the AP. "As a former military officer, you simply cannot take money from Russia, Turkey, or anybody else," said Chaffetz of the former general, per the New York Times. “"And it appears as if he did take that money. It was inappropriate, and there are repercussions for a violation of law." Added Cummings: "He was supposed to get permission, he was supposed to report it, and he didn’t." The White House has denied the panel's request for more documents related to Flynn's hiring and subsequent departure, reports the Hill. Flynn resigned in February over phone calls he made to the Russian ambassador before assuming office. (His lawyer has floated the idea of immunity in exchange for testimony.)


Article:
Story highlights Officer who shot Michael Brown treated for "swollen face," police say

 Police, witnesses offer starkly contrasting accounts of Brown's shooting

 Witnesses, Brown's friend say the officer opened fire after a verbal altercation

 Police chief: Brown assaulted the officer and struggled with him over his weapon

 It's a case of he said, he said. The accounts of why a police officer fatally shot Michael Brown on a street in Ferguson, Missouri, on Saturday couldn't be more disparate.

 One side says the teenager was surrendering, his hands in the air to show he was unarmed, when the officer opened fire. Authorities counter that Brown attacked the officer in his car and tried to take his gun.

 The St. Louis suburb of 21,000 was wracked by violence as protesters outraged over the 18-year-old's shooting faced off with police.

 Although there were reports that some demonstrations were peaceful -- protesters held up their hands, as Brown reportedly did, and others demanded a fair inquiry, chanting, "No justice, no peace" -- there were also reports of fires, looting, vandalism and attacks on police officers.

 As federal civil rights investigators and the FBI carry out their own inquiry into the case, tensions are running high in Ferguson, where there's a history of distrust between the predominately black community and the largely white police force.

 JUST WATCHED Ferguson Police chief: We want the truth Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Ferguson Police chief: We want the truth 03:15

 JUST WATCHED Teen shooting in Missouri sparks riots Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Teen shooting in Missouri sparks riots 02:14

 JUST WATCHED Mom: 'You took my son away from me' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Mom: 'You took my son away from me' 01:52

 Brown was African-American. Police have not identified the shooter, but a witness told CNN on Tuesday that the officer who opened fire is a Caucasian male.

 The dispute between distraught Ferguson residents and police isn't likely to be settled soon.

 One thing is sure, though: What police say was self-defense by the yet-to-be-named officer doesn't jibe with the accounts of those who say they saw the encounter.

 Here's what CNN has learned:

 Brown was spending the summer in the neighborhood with his grandmother Desuirea Harris, she told CNN affiliate KMOV . She described him as "a good kid."

 Family members say he was a recent graduate of nearby Normandy High School and was going to begin classes at Vatterott College on Monday.

 Brown and a friend were walking to Harris' house, his mother and grandmother said, when a Ferguson police officer confronted them.

 This is where the stories part ways.

 Dorian Johnson, 22, told CNN that he and Brown were walking in the middle of the street when a white male officer pulled up and told them, "Get the f*** on the sidewalk." The young men replied that they were "not but a minute away from our destination, and we would shortly be out of the street," Johnson said.

 The officer drove forward but stopped and backed up, almost hitting the pair, Johnson said.

 "We were so close, almost inches away, that when he tried to open his door aggressively, the door ricocheted both off me and Big Mike's body and closed back on the officer," Johnson said.

 Still in his car, the officer then grabbed Brown by his neck, Johnson said. Brown tried to pull away, but the officer kept pulling Brown toward him, he said.

 JUST WATCHED Missouri City Erupts after Teen's Death Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Missouri City Erupts after Teen's Death 07:16

 JUST WATCHED Police chief: 'We can get to the truth' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Police chief: 'We can get to the truth' 02:32

 JUST WATCHED Protests over teen's death turn violent Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Protests over teen's death turn violent 02:03

 The officer drew his weapon, and "he said, 'I'll shoot you' or 'I'm going to shoot' " and almost instantaneously fired his weapon, hitting Brown, Johnson said.

 Johnson and a bloodied Brown took off running, and Johnson hid behind the first car he saw, he said. The officer got out of his car.

 "I saw the officer proceeding after my friend Big Mike with his gun drawn, and he fired a second shot and that struck my friend Big Mike," Johnson told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "And at that time, he turned around with his hands up, beginning to tell the officer that he was unarmed and to tell him to stop shooting. But at that time, the officer firing several more shots into my friend, and he hit the ground and died."

 "We wasn't committing any crime, bringing no harm to nobody, but my friend was murdered in cold blood," he told KMOV

 Witness Tiffany Mitchell was picking up Piaget Crenshaw for work when she saw Brown and the officer "tussling through the window." Mitchell and Crenshaw concurred with Johnson, saying Brown appeared to be trying to pry himself away from the officer's grasp. Brown had his hand on the police cruiser, trying to push himself away, Mitchell said.

 Mitchell reached for her phone to record the encounter.

 "I didn't get the video because a shot was fired through the window so I tried to get out of the way," she said.

 After that shot, Brown broke free from the officer's grasp, both women told CNN, and started running, but he only got about 20 feet from the squad car by Crenshaw's estimate.

 "The cop gets out of his vehicle shooting," Mitchell said. "(Brown's) body jerked as if he was hit from behind, and he turned around and he put his hands up. ... The cop continued to fire until he just dropped down to the ground, and his face just smacked the concrete."

 Added Crenshaw, who said she was watching the incident unfold from a nearby balcony, "The (officer) actually shot kind of carelessly. They shot my neighbor's building that was on the opposite side of the police car. They then later came and removed that bullet. ... Anybody could've been standing right there."

 That Brown was unarmed is undisputed -- St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said every casing found at the scene was from the officer's weapon -- but he said at a Sunday news conference that Brown was not an innocent victim.

 "The genesis of this was a physical confrontation," Belmar said, adding that Ferguson police asked his office to investigate the case.

 Without revealing what led to the dispute, Belmar said the preliminary investigation showed that the Ferguson officer tried to exit his vehicle, but Brown pushed him back into the car, "where he physically assaulted the police officer" and struggled over the officer's weapon, Belmar said.

 A shot was fired inside the police car, and Brown was eventually shot about 35 feet away from the vehicle, Belmar said.

 JUST WATCHED Looting breaks out during protest Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Looting breaks out during protest 01:01

 JUST WATCHED Ferguson mayor: Remain calm Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Ferguson mayor: Remain calm 02:47

 JUST WATCHED Fatal police shooting sparks protests Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Fatal police shooting sparks protests 01:04

 The officer was taken to an area hospital where he was treated for a "swollen face," Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson said, adding he had not personally seen the officer's injury.

 He was released the same day. Jackson said he has spoken to the officer, who was "very shaken about what happened that day and the aftermath. ... He's hurt."

 It's unclear how many times Brown was shot. Mitchell said it was "more than about five or six" times. Johnson said it was more than three, and Brown's mother said she was told he was shot eight times. Some witnesses said they heard as many as 10 shots. Belmar said only that it "was more than just a couple."

 The chief didn't explain how Brown got so far away from the car or whether he was surrendering. He said he was declining to disclose certain details because he didn't want to "prejudice" the case.

 The officer is on paid administrative leave. There's no word on when authorities will identify him, but Belmar said he has been with the force six years and is "unaware of any other issues that he's been involved in."

 He will be required to undergo two psychological evaluations before returning to duty, the chief said.

 Meanwhile, Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, didn't need to know his identity to direct some pointed words at the man who shot the son she knew as a "gentle giant."

 "You're not God. You don't decide when you're going to take somebody from here," she told KSDK. ||||| Michael Brown was shot and killed by a Ferguson police officer Saturday afternoon. (Photo: None Family via KSDK TV)

 Michael Brown, the 18-year-old shot dead Saturday night in an altercation with a police officer in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, had been eager to start college Monday, his mother said.

 "He wanted to be really good in visual arts and heating and cooling," Lesley McSpadden told USA TODAY. "He was really good with his hands and taking things apart and putting them back together. He was almost like a healer.

 "He fixed things. He didn't create problems. He fixed things. My son was sweet. He didn't mean any harm to anybody."

 A sobbing McSpadden later spoke at a press conference Monday evening alongside Michael Brown, Sr., the late teen's father. Together, they pleaded for people not to riot or be violent and to reflect the peaceful nature of their dead child.

 "He was a good boy," said Brown's father who wore a shirt with his son's photo on it. "He didn't deserve none of this. We need justice for our son."

 Brown's parents asked anyone who witnessed the fatal shooting to come forward and speak to authorities. They also asked anyone with video or other recordings to turn that information over to federal investigators, the NAACP or Brown's family.

 Brown's family has retained attorney Benjamin Crump, best known as the attorney for the family of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a white neighborhood watch volunteer, in Florida.

 Crump, who stood by the parents at the evening press conference, said too many unarmed young men of color have died at the hands of authorities or those acting as authorities.

 "I don't want to sugarcoat it, their baby was executed in broad daylight," the attorney said of Brown. "We want to know and see exactly what happened because this family rejects what the police authorities said at their press conference."

 Crump went on to say that Brown's death is an echo of the problems that led to the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis and Eric Garner.

 Brown, who dreamed of owning his own business one day, had graduated from Normandy High School in St. Louis and was set to start classes Monday at Vatterott College, a local trade school

 His death sparked a wave of anger that exploded into a night of rioting and looting that led to more than 30 arrests and two officers injured,

 McSpadden described her son as a sweet young man, a "gentle giant."

 "He was a big teddy bear," she said. "He touched everybody. My son was the type of person that everybody flocked to him. Everybody wanted to know about Michael. Everybody wanted to be around Michael."

 McSpadden said she does not want her son's death to be a reason for rioting.

 "I would not want them to get out there and use my son's situation for their personal anger," she said. "That's not what I want them to do. We are out there marching for justice for my son and peace for my family."

 She said she wants the officer who killed her son to face the criminal justice system.

 "He needs to be held accountable for what he did," McSpadden said.

 Lesley McSpadden is comforted by her husband, Louis Head, after her son, Michael Brown, 18, was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Mo., on Aug. 9, 2014. (Photo: Huy Mach, AP)

 Those who knew Brown say they have a hard time believing that the quiet, funny teen who loved rap music could have been involved in such an altercation.

 Gerard Fuller, 18, has known Michael Brown since they met in second grade at Pine Lawn Elementary School in St. Louis. Fuller remembered his friend as a giant who was extremely kind. The two young men attended elementary, middle and high school together.

 Fuller said when he heard the news that Brown was killed in a confrontation with police officers, he was devastated. And he said he instantly thought the police were lying.

 "In all my time knowing him, I never saw him get into a fight or an altercation with anybody so I know he wouldn't go for a police officer's gun," Fuller told USA TODAY. "I just know he wouldn't do that."

 Fuller, who lives in an apartment complex behind Brown's grandmother where the teen was killed Saturday, thinks the officer who shot Brown may have been intimated by him because of the teen's size.

 "They (police) ride up and down the street always ---like they mess with people around Ferguson but I would never think it would go this far," Fuller said.

 He added that he believes police officers often stop people walking around in the neighborhood without reason.

 Fuller said ever since elementary school, Brown had big dreams. While many students wanted to be football or basketball players, "He was the only person who would say I want to own my own business," said Fuller, who heads to Arkansas Baptist College Friday.

 As the two matured, Brown became a quiet figure who would walk around with headphones listening to rap artists like Tupac and Young Jeezy. Recently, Brown even did some rapping of his own, posting songs on Fuller's Facebook page, Fuller said.

 He and Brown often talked about their futures and memories from the tight knit community. Fuller last saw Brown Wednesday when the two talked about their childhoods and the futures ahead of them.

 "He said he wasn't going to end up like some people on the streets," Hershel Johnson, a friend of Brown since middle school, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "He was going to get an education. He was going to make his life a whole lot better."

 In one of the last posts identified by the newspaper as Brown's Facebook page, the teen posts a prophetic message. "if I leave this earth today," it said, "at least youll know i care about others more then I cared about my damn self."

 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1opxPsH ||||| During the altercation a shot was fired inside the car, Belmar said. The officer and Brown then got out of the car, and at that point the fatal shooting occurred, Belmar said. Brown was shot "more than just a couple of times," but it was unclear how many shots were fired, Belmar said. ||||| Ferguson, Missouri (CNN) -- Hours after federal civil rights investigators and the FBI opened an inquiry into the death of a teenager shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, violence flared again in the St. Louis suburb.

 Police Chief Thomas Jackson told CNN shots were fired Monday night in Ferguson, and police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd that had gathered in an area where looting occurred Sunday.

 "Officers were brought in to quell the hostilities," he said. "Tear gas was deployed."

 The Saturday-night shooting, which left 18-year-old Michael Brown dead, has fueled rising tensions in the town of 21,000 and sparked national debate.

 One side says the African-American teenager was surrendering, his hands in the air to show he was unarmed, when the officer opened fire. Authorities counter that Brown had attacked the officer in his car and tried to take his gun.

 After a vigil for the teen devolved into chaos Sunday when violence and looting broke out among some protesters, NAACP President Cornell William Brooks called Monday for people protesting Brown's death to do so nonviolently.

 "We have seen young people giving in to violence and frustration and rage. It may be inexcusable. It is not unexpected," Brooks told reporters. "But I say to my young brothers and sisters, note the young man whose rage is your heart, note that he was nonviolent. He never got into a fight. If you want to honor his memory, honor his memory by seeking justice nonviolently."

 Witnesses to Brown's shooting say he was unarmed and had his hands in the air when the police officer shot him.

 Authorities tell a different story. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar says the officer tried to get out of his vehicle just before the shooting, but Brown pushed him back into his car.

 Brown "physically assaulted" the officer, Belmar said, and the teen tried to get the officer's weapon.

 Brown was shot about 35 feet from the vehicle, the chief said, declining to provide more details. The officer's name has not been released by authorities.

 "The genesis of this was a physical confrontation," Belmar said, adding that his department has been called in to conduct an independent investigation.

 The Ferguson Police Department said its cars are not equipped with dashboard cameras.

 Shell casings collected at the scene were from the officer's weapon, Belmar said.

 Monday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said the shooting "deserves a fulsome review" by federal investigators.

 "At every step, we will work with the local investigators, who should be prepared to complete a thorough, fair investigation in their own right. I will continue to receive regular updates on this matter in the coming days," Holder said in a statement. "Aggressively pursuing investigations such as this is critical for preserving trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve."

 Mother: 'No violence, just justice'

 The lawyer representing Brown's parents called Monday for a swift investigation.

 "We want this investigation to be done fairly, and we make a demand to the Justice Department to come in and help restore trust and confidence in the process of equal justice. ... This family is very distrustful. This community is very distrustful," attorney Benjamin Crump told reporters, calling for witnesses to come forward.

 Brown's parents urged people to remain calm.

 "No violence, just justice," the teen's mother, Lesley McSpadden, told reporters.

 McSpadden said her son recently graduated from high school and was supposed to start college Monday.

 "We can't even celebrate," she said. "We've got to plan a funeral."

 Standing beside the teen's family, Brooks said the NAACP is committed to determining what happened.

 "We are committed to this family, committed to seeking justice, committed to being a presence, day-in and day-out," he told reporters.

 Mayor calls for calm

 "Obviously, the events of last night are not indicative of who we are," Ferguson Mayor James Knowles said on CNN on Monday morning, adding that Sunday night's chaos was "not constructive" and was only "bringing down the community."

 St. Louis County Police said 32 people were arrested and shots were fired at police.

 Monday, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch said charges had been filed against about 10 people in connection with burglaries of several businesses.

 "What occurred last night, the mob action, we know certainly is not representative of what's going on and what the people in the neighborhood necessarily think," he said.

 Flanked by several from the community Sunday, McSpadden was McSpadden was emotional as she shouted into a television reporter's microphone.

 "You took my son away from me! You know how hard it was for me to get him to stay in school and graduate? You know how many black men graduate? Not many!" she said. "Because you bring them down to this type of level where they feel they don't got nothing to live for anyway! (They feel) they gonna try to take me out anyway!"

 Others who gathered shouted at police.

 "We will stay out here as long as you are!" they screamed at officers.

 Many of the officers appeared stoic, watching young men kneel before them and raise their hands up to symbolize surrender, but one officer can be heard on video yelling back, calling protesters "animals."

 Some in Ferguson are demanding that the name of the officer who shot the teenager be released.

 Monday afternoon, Jackson -- the police chief -- said he plans to release the name in the next 24 hours. Authorities want to make sure the officer is in a safe location, he said.

 'Lost control'

 "Last night, everything lost control," Knowles said Monday.

 He was asked about the officer who called protesters "animals."

 "The officers did their best. They're only human," Knowles responded, adding that not every police officer present was from the Ferguson department.

 Sunday's gathering became more intense as some people broke windows at a store and began taking things from it. They threw rocks and bottles. Gunshots rang out.

 Antonio French, an alderman in St. Louis, said a QuikTrip gas station was looted and an ATM dragged out.

 "This QuikTrip is where things started (Saturday) with this case, based on various accounts," French said.

 The slain teenager and a friend were "accused of stealing gum from the store or some sort of cigarettes," the alderman said.

 "People have a lot of anger and are frustrated," French said. "They don't have recourse in the system, and it happens often in this country, and it has boiled over. I think people are angry and looking for a reason to let it out tonight."

 Knowles said he wants to let the independent investigation into Brown's death take its course. He plans to meet with Brown's parents soon and will meet with clergy in Ferguson and African-American leadership in the town.

 Whatever the investigation's findings, "we will deal with that," he said.

 Multiple gunshots

 An autopsy will determine how many times Brown was shot. The medical examiner for St. Louis County, Mary Case, said Monday afternoon the autopsy is complete, but she would not give details and said St. Louis County police will release the information.

 Toxicology results on Brown's body are pending.

 On the number of times Brown might have been shot, Belmar has said, "It was more than just a couple."

 "We don't know what happened, and there are lots of conflicting stories," Knowles said. "Unfortunately, there will have to be some time taken to understand what happened. Hopefully, we will get to an understanding, and justice will be served."

 The officer who shot Brown is on paid administrative leave during the investigation and will be available to talk to county homicide detectives.

 He has been with the force for six years and will be required to undergo two psychological evaluations before returning to duty, Belmar said.

 Crump, who also handled the case of Trayvon Martin in Florida, said Monday that Brown's family is "devastated" and doesn't believe that the teenager got into a physical confrontation with police.

 Martin, 17, was killed in 2012 by a Florida neighborhood watch organizer who was acquitted last year of murder charges.

 The high-profile case sparked a heated nationwide discussion of race as well as debate over Florida's "stand your ground" law.

 Monday, Crump said Brown's shooting once again highlights "the senseless death of a young boy of color at the hands of people who are supposed to protect and serve them."

 "Their son was doing all the right things," Crump said. "Graduating from high school, never been in trouble. And for this to happen, for him to be killed in broad daylight ... they want answers just like everybody else in the community."

 Trayvon Martin case fast facts

 Opinion: How many unarmed people have to die?

 CNN's Ashley Fantz and Catherine E. Shoichet wrote in Atlanta, and George Howell reported from Missouri. CNN's Devon Sayers, Shawn Nottingham, Eliott C. McLaughlin, Shimon Prokupecz, Julian Cummings, Jason Carroll, Dave Mattingly, Dave Alsup, Melanie Whitley, Joe Sutton, Faith Karimi, Mayra Cuevas, Shirley Henry, Julian Cummings and Tristan Smith contributed to this report. |||||Summary:

– The St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Mo., was the scene of another evening of rioting and unrest last night as largely young, black crowds faced off against a mostly white police force that reportedly responded with tear gas, reports the Los Angeles Times. But the family of slain teenager Michael Brown, 18, asked the community to remain peaceful so that no more lives will be lost. "No violence, just justice," his mother told reporters. While some demonstrators got down on their knees with their hands raised in symbolic surrender, others shouted, "We will stay out here as long as you are!" Some of the police did not appear to respond to the taunts, while others were caught on camera calling the protesters "animals," reports CNN. Two very different stories have emerged surrounding the shooting of Brown, who was set to start technical college yesterday, two days after he was killed, reports CNN in another review of the details. While the police report suggests Brown, who'd been walking with a friend in the street, attacked an officer in his police car and tried to take his gun when the officer told him to use the sidewalk, witnesses say the officer fired after a verbal altercation and that as Brown turned away and fled he was shot once, then at least twice more after he put his hands in the air. Police have not disputed that Brown was unarmed. The police officer who shot him, a six-year veteran of the force, is on paid administrative leave. USA Today reports that one of Brown's last Facebook posts included the words: "if I leave this earth today, at least youll know i care about others more then I cared about my damn self." The FBI, meanwhile, has taken over the investigation.


Tweet with a location

 You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more ||||| Retail site Yandy.com on Thursday removed a sexy handmaid costume, inspired by The Handmaid’s Tale, following outcry on social media.

 The Halloween costume, which referred to both the dystopian Margaret Atwood novel and Hulu series, was depicted as a bright red mini dress and cape with high heels. BuzzFeed News reported on the costume earlier Thursday, chronicling the Twitter responses that ranged from confusion to disgust.

 Here’s part of the statement from Yandy:

 Over the last few hours, it has become obvious that our “Yandy Brave Red Maiden Costume” is being seen as a symbol of women’s oppression, rather than an expression of women’s empowerment. This is unfortunate, as it was not our intention on any level. Our initial inspiration to create the piece was through witnessing its use in recent months as a powerful protest image.

 The red cloaks and white bonnets worn by handmaids (aka the fertile women in the fictional Gilead who are subjected to ritualized rape and forced pregnancy) in The Handmaid’s Tale have been adopted as symbols of feminism. Most recently, women wore outfits inspired by the narrative to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

 But the “brave red maiden costume” was much more revealing. Here was Yandy’s original description of the costume:

 An upsetting dystopian future has emerged where women no longer have a say. However, we say be bold and speak your mind in this exclusive Brave Red Maiden costume.

 Some people on Twitter thought the execution of the costume was confusing, while many others found it completely appalling.

 Wait. Is this…sexy handmaid? This is so far from the point I can't even. — Noncompliant (@_noncompliant_) September 20, 2018

 capitalism wins again https://t.co/eYurdOvoUE — Alexandra DeSanctis (@xan_desanctis) September 20, 2018

 Great moments in self-satire. https://t.co/Ug6tFCRXs2 — Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) September 20, 2018

 WTF WHO THIUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA I JUST WANNA TALK https://t.co/DsHBarTujG — Kozmo (@kozmos92) September 21, 2018

 Of course, some people made jokes.

 When you have a protest at the Capitol at 4 and happy hour plans at 5. https://t.co/gOZ9IEMVio — Alyssa E. Hackbarth (@AlyssaEinDC) September 20, 2018

 And still others had even found the silver lining.

 is it wrong if i think the slutty handmaid's tale costume is accidentally brilliant and subversive despite that not being the intention behind it at all — sophie bee (@pogform) September 20, 2018

 The retail site seems to be erring on the side caution. Yandy’s statement said: “Given the sincere, heartfelt response, supported by numerous personal stories we’ve received, we are removing the costume from our site.”

 Luckily, there are still plenty of other sexy costumes to choose from.

 H/T Jezebel |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– Halloween costumes based on popular TV shows usually do well their first year out, but one new getup was nixed before the first pumpkin was carved. The Daily Dot reports Yandy.com, a retail site known for its sexy costumes, yanked one based on the Hulu series The Handmaid's Tale after "confusion and disgust" was the main reaction to it online. The costume, labeled "Yandy Brave Red Maiden Costume" and listing for $64.95, consisted of a short red dress, matching red cape, and white bonnet. The sultry-looking blonde model sporting the costume wore black high heels. The accompanying description: "An upsetting dystopian future has emerged where women no longer have a say. However, we say be bold and speak your mind in this exclusive Brave Red Maiden costume." This all prompted an outcry on Twitter, namely because the concept behind the Hulu show, based on the Margaret Atwood novel, revolves around handmaidens who are raped and forced to carry pregnancies to term for elite families. Others tried to make light of it, noting that knockoffs of the handmaiden costumes are often worn at protests advocating for women's rights. And that seems to have been Yandy's original intent, at least according to a statement it put out after the pushback started. "It has become obvious that our … [costume] is being seen as a symbol of women's oppression, rather than an expression of women's empowerment," it said, adding that the costume has been pulled.


Here is a news article: In June 2009, the mother of a fourth-grader made a discovery that is now the latest incident under investigation at Miramonte Elementary School: a teacher's aide was allegedly writing love letters to her 11-year-old son.One letter, meant as a short-term farewell note, included a passage that the mother found especially disturbing: "When I was writing this letter, I was crying. My heart was breaking into pieces," wrote the teacher's aide, who has been identified as Areceli Luisjuan. "Oh! I didn't tell you that I like when you put your arm around my shoulder, and if I told you not to do that it's because I don't want to put you in trouble, but I like it…"The episode has become the subject of a law enforcement inquiry and an internal review by the Los Angeles Unified School District . According to the mother, however, sheriff's deputies and the school system failed to take her seriously the first time she brought the matter to their attention.The second look is part of a wide-ranging review of everything and everyone associated with Miramonte, a school that exploded into public attention with last week's arrest of veteran teacher Mark Berndt.Berndt, 61, faces 23 counts of lewd conduct charges for, among other things, allegedly taking pictures of students who were being spoon-fed his semen as part of what he called a "tasting game."After Berndt's arrest, allegations emerged against a second teacher, Martin Bernard Springer, 49, who was charged Tuesday with fondling a 7-year-old girl in his class.The Berndt case in particular has raised questions about whether the school properly handled misconduct issues in the past.The love letter was first detailed in a July 2009 article in Hoy, a Spanish-language publication that is part of the same publishing group as The Times. In interviews with The Times this week, the mother recounted her experience in Spanish.Efforts to reach Luisjuan were unsuccessful."When you get close to me, even if you give me the chills I like that," continued the letter, which is written in English. "Don't tell nobody about this!" (The word "chills" is underlined.)At the bottom, the writer penned the student's name four times, signed it "Sad Girl" and then added: "Read the letter and throw it away. I don't want your mom or brother to find it."The mother, whose name is not being released to protect the identity of her son, a minor, said she believes there were about three letters, although she only had one to show to a reporter. The first item she found, in 2009, was a drawing of a crying woman that also was labeled "sad girl."She noticed the drawing when it happened to tumble from its perch in her son's room. The fall also dislodged a cellphone number from a corner of the frame. When she confronted her son, he showed her two letters.The crying picture, she later learned, was prompted by Luisjuan's pending relocation to a nearby middle school. The transfer apparently was planned before the mother complained, she said.The mother, who said the aide appeared to be in her 50s, immediately went to see her son's teacher. But the teacher told the mother that she could get into trouble for making up stories.In an incident with Berndt, children who reported that he appeared to be masturbating behind his desk were reportedly told the same thing, a former Miramonte student said.The mother in the latest case said she is struck by the resonance with her experience."When the mother abuses her kid and they find out at school they throw all the authorities at you," she said Tuesday. "But what happens when it's the other way around? I couldn't do anything."She did not produce the letters at the time of her first complaint.She said she next went to the Sheriff's Department, which directed her to return to the school to handle the matter.At a second meeting, those present included the mother, her son, the teacher, Luisjuan and an assistant principal.According to the mother, Luisjuan admitted writing letters and drawing the picture. Luisjuan compared her affection to that of a grandmother for a grandson, the mother said. The mother was sent home, but not before she insisted on a written record of the meeting, which she kept."Why would they pay attention to me?" the mother said. "I'm a single mother and Mexican."The aide delivered the final letter, the one quoted above, on the same day as the meeting, June 23, 2009. She also allegedly gave the boy a gift: a crystal, heart-shaped bowl full of candy.When asked about the incident by Hoy, L.A. Unified spokeswoman Gayle Pollard-Terry said that "as of today" Luisjuan no longer works for the school system.This week, district officials had trouble finding a record of either the employee or what had happened. It was being researched, spokesman Thomas Waldman said. ||||| -/AFP/Getty Images Mark Henry Berndt, 61 has been arrested for allegedly taking photos of blindfolded and gagged students with roaches on their faces and spoons of semen to their mouths.

 A lawyer for alleged victims at Miramonte Elementary School is implicating a third teacher at the troubled campus where one staffer allegedly fed students his semen and another fondled second-graders.

 Two female students allegedly abused by teacher Mark Berndt claim their female teacher regularly pulled them out of class and escorted them to Berndt’s door for his twisted games, lawyer Brian Claypool told the Daily News Tuesday.

 Berndt, 61, was arrested last week and charged with binding and blindfolding dozens of students and subjecting them to lewd acts for his sexual pleasure between 2005 and 2010, authorities said.

 ENTIRE STAFF SUSPENDED IN SEX ABUSE PROBE AT LOS ANGELES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 “I believe she aided and abetted him in carrying out abusive acts. I believe she worked in concert with Mr. Berndt,” Claypool said of the third, unnamed teacher. “They had adjoining classrooms, and he’d come in every other day in the middle of the day, and he’d go up to her and whisper in her ear. She’d start giggling and then pick out two pretty girls and walk them over to the door.”

 Claypool said he interviewed both of the girls involved, and they independently corroborated each other’s story. They also told him Berndt regularly acted as the female teacher’s substitute and brought food to her classroom covered with a creamy substance, he said.

 GIRL WAS VICTIM OF BOTH TEACHERS CHARGED IN L.A. CHILD ABUSE CASES

 “He would tell them, ‘Your teacher will be out again tomorrow, so I’m having a party for you,’” Claypool, who represents five victims in the overall case, said. “He would make food and bring in for kids and say, ‘Don’t tell your parents.’ He made homemade cookies with semen as the cream and fed it to the kids.”

 Investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have not publicly identified any suspects beyond the two teachers arrested last week.

 A prosecution source said the District Attorney’s Office was not aware of a related case involving a female teacher.

 “I am 100% sure this (female) teacher had to have known something,” Claypool told The News.

 Asked what motivation she might have had for letting a colleague abuse her students, Claypool said that was a question for investigators.

 TWO TEACHERS CHARGED IN L.A. CHILD ABUSE CASES KNEW EACH OTHER

 “Maybe it was for control, the thrill of getting away with something. The pretext for all of this was a game,” he said.

 He said he’s demanding that Berndt be tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

 Miramonte, meanwhile, is closed Tuesday and Wednesday after parents staged a protest at the campus Monday morning.

 District officials announced Monday night that the entire staff would be temporarily transferred as investigators continue to probe what staffers might have known about the two teachers: Berndt and Martin Springer.

 The “clean sweep” is meant to rebuild confidence, Los Angeles Superintendent of Schools John Deasy said.

 Springer, 49, was arrested Friday on suspicion of fondling two girls inside his classroom sometime in the last three years.

 Investigators have not disclosed any evidence of conspiracy between the two men.

 Claypool said students have described them as “best buds.”

 The sickening case went public last week when authorities said Berndt photographed dozens of students in shocking situations for his own kicks.

 Some pics show children with a giant live cockroach crawling on their faces or a blue plastic spoon allegedly filled with his semen up to their mouths, authorities said.

 Berndt allegedly told the kids they were playing a “tasting game,” a Sheriff's Department source told The News.

 District officials originally said they were not aware of any complaints against the teachers, but prior accusations have since surfaced.

 On Saturday, authorities revealed that a female student may have been the victim of both teachers.

 The girl and her parents complained to school officials in 2008 when she was a student in Berndt's second-grade class and brought home strange pictures, the Los Angeles Times reported.

 Officials dismissed the complaints, and the girl was transferred to Springer's class, where he allegedly touched her on the leg and thigh during the school day, sources told The Times.

 Last Thursday, authorities acknowledged that 18 years ago, a 10-year-old girl claimed Berndt tried to fondle her. The case was investigated by the Sheriff's Department, but prosecutors declined to pursue the case citing a lack of evidence, officials said.

 Berndt was removed from his classroom last year after a pharmacy photo technician printed some of the disturbing images and alerted local police.

 ndillon@nydailynews.com |||||
A summary of this is?

– A third teacher has been implicated in the burgeoning child sex scandal at Miramonte Elementary School in Los Angeles. A lawyer said two victims were regularly escorted by a female teacher to the classroom of Mark Berndt, 61, who has been charged with 23 counts of lewd conduct, reports the New York Daily News. “I believe she aided and abetted him in carrying out abusive acts. I believe she worked in concert with Mr. Berndt,” said Brian Claypool, who is representing five possible victims in the case. “They had adjoining classrooms, and he’d come in every other day in the middle of the day, and he’d go up to her and whisper in her ear. She’d start giggling and then pick out two pretty girls and walk them over to the door," added Claypool, who did not name the teacher. Miramonte, one of the nation's biggest elementary schools, remains closed today following major protests after the arrest of two teachers charged with sex abuse and the announcement that the entire staff will be replaced. Investigators are also now looking into a "love letter" written by a school aide to an 11-year-old boy describing her "chills" when she was close to him, and telling him to throw the letter away so it wouldn't be found by the boy's brother or mother, reports the Los Angeles Times.


Article:

Updated and corrected.

 On a muggy Fourth of July night just outside Austin, Rep. Beto O’Rourke walked on stage wearing a light blue button-down, with a Texas-size American flag in the background. But rather than one of his campaign rallies in his Senate bid against Republican Ted Cruz, the Democrat was in front of the thousands that came out for Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic, an annual celebration of country music started by the legendary singer 45 years ago.

 Met with a mix of wild cheers and a fair share of booing on the soggy holiday, O’Rourke explained why this Independence Day mattered even more to the country, expressing hope that “the big, bold, confident, strong people of the state of Texas” would help show the rest of the United States that there’s no need to be afraid of immigrants, Muslims or anyone else who might be considered different.

 “It’s my honor to be here tonight, to be able to work with so many of you,” he said just before the fireworks, “to be with legends like Ray [Benson] and Willie, who ensure that in times of disappointment and darkness that we meet that with power and joy and rock-and-roll music.”

 Soon after, O’Rourke, whose punk-rock roots would later be rehashed by the Cruz campaign, shed his button-down for a black T-shirt and guitar and joined Nelson and the rest of his band on stage for spirited renditions of “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” to close out the show.

 For Nelson, the jam session with O’Rourke was the latest in a career filled with activism and liberal-leaning political stances that have largely gone against the norm for country-music culture.

 But for some of Nelson’s fans, his partnership with O’Rourke was the breaking point. After Nelson announced Wednesday that he would be headlining a Sept. 29 rally for O’Rourke in Austin, fans have taken to social media to boycott and publicly disown the country legend.

 On Nelson’s Facebook page, where he posted an article from news outlet Austin360 with the announcement, some of the most striking remarks accuse the performer of aligning with what they believe to be the “socialist” positions of O’Rourke.

 “Goodbye Willie,” David R. Williams posted on Facebook. “I don’t support socialist commies! You’re not going to advertise on my FB page either.” He added: “Like we say in Texas, Now Git.”

 “Open your eyes Willie!” Claudia Kirby Heathington wrote. “Beto is a Socialist who probably has lied to you. This is a real shame you support him.”

 “Wow what a let down,” Melanie Philip said. “You would pick a socialist agenda and an Anti American fellow like BETO, shame on you.”

 One man was so disgusted with Nelson that he offered up his ticket to one of the legend’s upcoming shows.

 “I am no longer willing to watch that hippie guitarist who supports that … socialist running for Senate,” Dakota Bell tweeted Wednesday.

 Someone buy my Willie Nelson ticket for Friday, November 16. I am no longer willing to watch that hippie guitarist who supports that damn socialist running for Senate. — Dakota Boll (@BollDakota) September 13, 2018

 Others were much more supportive of Nelson and questioned those skeptical of the country legend.

 “Not sure what went wrong in your life that would make you insult Willie Nelson,” tweeted Wheeler Walker Jr., a country singer and songwriter, on Thursday. “You can argue politics all you want but you cannot argue Willie.”

 Not sure what went wrong in your life that would make you insult Willie Nelson. You can argue politics all you want but you cannot argue Willie. — Wheeler Walker, Jr. (@WheelerWalkerJr) September 13, 2018

 In a news release announcing the concert, Nelson offered insight as to why he’s backing O’Rourke.

 “My wife Annie and I have met and spoken with Beto and we share his concern for the direction things are headed,” Nelson said in the release. “Beto embodies what is special about Texas, an energy and an integrity that is completely genuine.”

 The outrage comes as O’Rourke and Cruz are entangled in a tight Senate race, described by the incumbent as a “dogfight,” that has gained national spotlight in recent months.

 Nelson’s political activism goes back decades, with his support of the environment, same-sex marriage and, famously, marijuana legalization. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter invited him to perform at the White House. Nelson later said that during the visit he smoked what he called a “big fat Austin torpedo” on the roof of the White House. He has supported President Barack Obama, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Hillary Clinton in recent years.

 He even released a song last year inspired by President Trump, called “Delete and Fast-Forward.”

 “Delete and fast-forward the news. The truth is the truth, but believe what you choose,” Nelson sings. “When we blow the whole world back to where it began, just delete and fast-forward again.”

 Correction. The original version of this story incorrectly said this is the first public concert Nelson has held for a political candidate. The story and the headline have been corrected.

 More from Morning Mix

 More than half of transgender male adolescents attempt suicide, study says

 ‘What extinction looks like’: A young orca’s presumed death cuts endangered whale population to 74

 ‘I’m Julie Chen Moonves’: Les Moonves’s wife stands by him in return to CBS ||||| See more of Willie Nelson on Facebook ||||| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites. ||||| After bringing Beto O’Rourke onstage during his Fourth of July Picnic this summer, Willie Nelson is doubling down on his support of the U.S. Senate candidate, headlining a rally and concert set for Sept. 29 at Auditorium Shores.

 Also on the bill are Leon Bridges, Joe Ely, Carrie Rodriguez, Tameca Jones, and Nelson’s sons Lukas and Micah Nelson. (Update, Sept. 19: An initial report of Leon Bridges being on the bill was unconfirmed when the show was announced on Sept. 12, but Bridges confirmed on Sept. 19 that he will be on the bill.)

 Admission is free but requires an RSVP via O’Rourke’s website.

 A press release from Nelson’s publicist describes the event as “the first public concert Nelson has held for a political candidate.”

 “My wife Annie and I have met and spoken with Beto and we share his concern for the direction things are headed,” Nelson said in the press release. “Beto embodies what is special about Texas, an energy and an integrity that is completely genuine.”

 Nelson’s new album “My Way,” featuring standards associated with the repertoire of Frank Sinatra, comes out Friday on Legacy Recordings.

 RELATED: More Willie Nelson news on Austin360

 Will Beto jam with Willie again? That’s what happened during the encore of the July Fourth Picnic, when O’Rourke joined in on acoustic guitar for the finale of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and “I’ll Fly Away.”

 So @BetoORourke not only stuck around to sing with @WillieNelson, he played guitar with him. pic.twitter.com/HZdod0WLqr — Peter Blackstock (@Blackstock360) July 5, 2018 |||||
What is a summary?

– A free Willie Nelson concert in the heart of the Lone Star State seems like something that would attract fans of all political stripes, but there's a good chance the Sept. 29 event will feature a largely left-leaning crowd. That's because the country crooner is headlining a "Turn Out for Texas" rally in Austin for Beto O'Rourke, the Democratic challenger to GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, and many of Nelson's fans aren't happy about it, KTRK reports. Per Austin360, it's "the first public concert Nelson has held for a political candidate," the singer's publicist says in a release, though Rolling Stone notes he's put on private concerts for politicians in the past. "My wife Annie and I have met and spoken with Beto and we share his concern for the direction things are headed," Nelson says in the release. "Beto embodies what is special about Texas, an energy and an integrity that is completely genuine." The site notes Nelson even brought O'Rourke out on stage during his Fourth of July concert. None of this pleases Nelson's more conservative fans, who see his ties to O'Rourke as a "breaking point," per the Washington Post. "I am certain you've lost your mind," one commenter wrote on Nelson's Facebook page, while another noted: "Willie's position is proof positive that marijuana use over time kills brain cells." Still others are dumping already purchased tickets to future Nelson shows. Many, however, applauded Nelson's decision. "So glad you are involved in this good cause. I have always been a fan, and am now a bigger fan," noted one well-liked post. The Post notes Nelson has long been politically active, throwing his support behind Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders, and advocating for pot legalization, gay marriage, and the environment.