Month: August 2022

Gibbs benefited both from Trump’s support and from ads funded by House Democrats, presumably because Democrats thought him to be a more beatable candidate than Meijer, who was one of only 10 House Republicans to vote in favor of Trump’s impeachment. The district in Western Michigan is a priority for Democrats because, as it is now drawn, it is one of the few House districts in the country represented by a Republican that President Joe Biden won in 2020.

“The fact that we have the establishment left and the extreme right locking arms in common cause paints a very telling picture of where our politics are in 2022,” Meijer told host Margaret Brennan.

The spending on ads focused on Gibbs by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee drew complaints from some House Democrats. “No race is worth compromising your values ​​in that way,” said Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.).

For his part, Meijer suggested Sunday that as long as Biden is not particularly popular, the Democrats’ strategy could backfire and lead to Gibbs and others like him being elected.

“While I think there was certainly a cynical calculus at play with the Democrats meddling, this is a risky strategy,” he said, adding: “It is easy to see that strategy backfiring in a spectacular way, which is all the more reason why we should not be embracing the zero-sum idea of ​​politics.”

Meijer lost by 3 percentage points. He said he was encouraged that despite the efforts of Trump and House Democrats, he still managed to draw almost half of the primary vote.

“We should not be embracing this notion that if we can keep a problem alive, keep it festering, but be able to gain a marginal advantage in the process, that somehow equates to a victory,” he said. “I think it’s a dark and cynical way of viewing our politics that, frankly, 48 percent of the electorate in the primary here rejected. They stood against that cynicism.”

California’s McKinney Fire has burned more than 60,000 acres since it first ignited just south of the Oregon border late last month and is suspected of killing tens of thousands of fish in the Klamath River, officials said Saturday.

The Karuk Tribe said in a statement that multiple species of fish were found belly up Friday near Happy Camp, California, along the main stem of the Klamath River.

Tribal fisheries biologists believe a flash flood caused by heavy rains over the burn area caused a massive debris flow that entered the river at or near Humbug Creek and McKinney Creek, which dropped oxygen levels in the Klamath River to zero on Wednesday and Thursday nights, according to the tribe.

The tribe said it believes the impact area is limited to 10 or 20 miles of river.

WASHINGTON TOWN EVACUATES DUE TO GROWING WILDFIRE

Photos from the Karuk taken about 20 miles downstream from the flash flood in the tributary of Seiad Creek showed several dozen dead fish floating amid sticks and other debris in thick, brown water along the river bank.

The blaze erupted on July 29 and has become one of California’s largest wildfires, burning more than 90 square miles in the Klamath National Forest. Gusting winds brought on by thunderstorms stoked the fire’s rapid spread.

The fire has destroyed more than 100 buildings, including residences, and killed four people. Three of the four victims were allegedly from Klamath River, a scenic town of 200 people.

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The fire was 40% contained as of Saturday night. More than 3,500 fire personnel were involved in battling the blaze.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., said Sunday that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) decision to meddle in the GOP House primary for Michigan’s 3rd District was “risky” and “paints a very telling picture of where our politics are in 2022.”

Meijer joined CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Sunday, following his loss to Trump-backed candidate John Gibbs on Tuesday.

“So we had a scenario where not only did I have the former president aligned against me but in a rare showing of bipartisan unity, Nancy Pelosi and the House Democratic Campaign Committee also united to try to knock me off the ballot. Now, this just highlights the cynicism and hypocrisy of our politics today. And frankly, it will be unknowable what that ultimate impact was. But the fact that we have the establishment left and the extreme right locking arms in common cause paints a very telling picture of where our politics are in 2022,” Meijer told CBS’ Margaret Brennan.

The DCCC said it was spending $425,000 on an ad boosting Gibbs in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.

REP. PETER MEIJER ON HOUSE DEMOCRATS’ CAMPAIGN ARM FUNDING HIS PRIMARY OPPONENT: POLITICAL JIU-JITSU

“Do you think that ad really made a difference? I mean, Democrats aren’t voting in this primary, it’s Republicans. Why did Michigan Republicans fall for this ad?” Brennan asked.

“I should note that this ad was not aimed at, it was not playing on MSNBC. It was not playing in places where Democratic voters might see it. It was targeted in places to try to sway and convince Republican primary voters to try to give my primary challenger a boost up and over. And I should add that my defeat was by roughly 3% out of over 100,000 votes cast, we lost by less than 4,000 votes,” Meijer said.

Brennan also asked if he believed the Democrats’ strategy was going to be successful.

“So while I think there is certainly a cynical calculus at play with the Democrats’ meddling, this is a risky, dangerous strategy. Where President Biden is in his approval is so in the gutter that it is hard to see that strategy – it is easy to see that strategy backfiring in a spectacular way, which is all the more reason why we should not be embracing the zero-sum idea of ​​politics,” he said.

AFTER TRUMP-BACKED CANDIDATE VICTORIES, SOME DEMOCRATS QUESTION PARTY’S MEDDLING IN GOP PRIMARIES

Democratic groups across the US, including the Democratic Governors Association, have been throwing money behind Trump-backed candidates like Gibbs or Maryland Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox in an effort to elect GOP candidates they believe Democrats will have a better chance of beating in the general election.

Several House Democrats have spoken out against the DCCC’s strategy, including Rep. Kathleen Rice, DN.Y., who said the move was “unconscionable.”

The DCCC celebrated Gibbs’ victory and suggested it would seal the deal for Democrats in the general election.

“Last night, Donald Trump’s dream became the GOP’s nightmare. John Gibbs’ winning this primary seals the fate of Republicans hoping to keep this now Democratic-leaning district,” the DCCC told Fox News Digital.

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He is considered armed and dangerous.

In a statement today from the Butler Twp. police, they said Marlow may have fled Ohio.

— At a 6 pm Saturday press conference, Butler Twp. Chief Porter said, “I want to extend my deepest sympathies to the families who lost loved ones yesterday. This has been a difficult time for all of us in the community and surrounding areas. All of us here at the Butler Twp. Police Department, as well as all of our local state and federal partners here today are working continuously to provide justice for all of the victims and their families. The victims families have been notified and victim specialists are working with them to provide resources and support.

He said Marlow remained the primary suspect in the shooting. They believe following the shooting he traveled west on Interstate 70.

Porter said police are aware that Marlow released a video on the internet some time after the shooting where he discussed why he shot the four people. He said dozens have been interviewed about Marlow.

“We understand the ideas and languages ​​in the video are starting. And that is why our investigators are working around the clock to ensure Mr. Marlow is brought into custody,” Porter said.

Porter said he had a message for Marlow, “I want you to know that we want to help you. You have the ability to resolve the situation peacefully if you turn yourself into law enforcement as soon as possible. Again, we want to end this peacefully. Now is the right time to call 911 and turn yourself in.”

— Porter said killed in the shooting were Clyde Knox, 82, Eva Knox, 78, Sarah Anderson, 41, and a Kayla Anderson, 15. The Knox couple was killed in their home and the Andersons were killed in a separate home.

Vandalia school superintendent Robert O’Leary said the district has provided counselors and therapists for students and their families and will continue this through next week.

“Yesterday we tragically lost a member of the aviator family and our hearts prayers and supports are with the Anderson family. Kayla’s friends, her classmates and all of our students. In the words of those who knew her about her best about her Kayla was a friend to many. She was kind and as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. She was a ray of light.”

“Our priority right now is for that light to live through all of us. And we will focus our efforts in bringing that beauty, that joy and love to all of our students and our staff and the entire community. Yesterday I was able to make a phone call to the leaders of our faith community. Our staff was able to reach out to Samaritan behavior. And we had pastors, youth ministers and therapists available in about 30 minutes sort of time to go out to provide supports for students who were very close to Kayla.”

On Saturday, students and parents gathered at the high school to remember Kayla, who was described as a “special student who made others smile.”

— The FBI is helping with the investigation as Marlow could have crossed state lines. In a statement on Twitter, the FBI said: The #FBI and Butler Twp. Police are searching for Stephen Marlow, a person of interest in multiple shootings today. He was last seen in a white 2007 Ford Edge with Ohio license plate JES 9806. Call 937-233-2080, 1-800-Call-FBI or http://tips.fbi.gov with info.

— Wanda Pence has lived in her Hardwicke home, located across the street from where two of the shootings took place, since the 1970s. She told the Dayton Daily News today she’s always felt safe in her neighborhood.

“People don’t even run stop signs in this neighborhood,” she said. “You hear all the time on the news, ‘Oh this is a really quiet neighborhood, nothing ever happens here.’ But it’s the truth; nothing ever happens here. I’m just shocked.”

Pence said while she’s not particularly close with her surrounding neighbors, everyone is friendly when they see each other outside.

“It’s just very disheartening that this happened here,” she said. “We’ll just have to process this. It’s certainly going to affect the neighborhood and give it a different feel.”

— One nearby neighbor who declined to give his name on Saturday said he has lived in the neighborhood for over three decades.

Visibly upset, the man said he and his wife had offered up their home as an area for victim’s families to gather in the immediate aftermath of the shootings.

The man said he did not know the alleged shooter but that he’d recently heard there were what seemed to be minor issues with Marlow and other neighbors, including residents on Hardwicke Place.

“He’d holler at them and say, ‘Keep the noise down, you’re too noisy in this neighborhood,’” the man said, noting that he’d didn’t personally witness Marlow yelling, but had heard this from others in the neighborhood. “They said he did that all the time, he’d holler at you if you were outside.”

— Marlow has connections to Chicago, where he lived for some time; Lexington, where he attended college; and Indianapolis, the FBI said.

Marlow graduated from Butler High School in 2001 and graduated from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, according to background check obtained by the Dayton Daily News.

He lived and worked in Chicago as a trader from 2006 to 2018, according to his LinkedIn profile. He most recently lived with his parents on Haverstraw Avenue, one of the streets where a part of the shooting took place, police said.

— Butler Twp. police said they do not think there is an ongoing threat to the neighborhood.

— The city of Vandalia have closed a number of public areas in the city out of caution as Stephen Marlow, 39, remains at large. In a statement the city said, the Recreation Center and all outdoor activities, as well as Cassel Hills Golf Course, Cassel Hills Pool and the Vandalia Senior Citizens Center will also be closed Saturday.

These closures are being implemented solely as a precaution, as there have been no known targeted threats towards any City facility.

Vandalia residents will see an increased police presence this evening and tomorrow, and City leaders will continually evaluate the situation and make any necessary adjustments.

— A prayer event has been organized in the community and will be held at 5 pm Monday in the Butler High School parking lot. The event is meant to show a message of hope, strength, love and support amid the recent tragedy, according to a Facebook post by the City of Vandalia.

— Neighbors are in shock about the shooting. Wendy Chapman lives next door to one of the Hardwicke Place houses wrapped with crime scene tape. “I don’t know how to feel. I’m still stunned,” she said, describing the neighborhood as “so quiet. … At this point, I’m pissed off. I feel violated. My question is why. I can’t even imagine.”

Our previous story:

Four people were shot and killed late Friday morning in a quiet neighborhood in Butler Twp., and police said Friday afternoon they were seeking a person of interest in connection with the crime.

PHOTOS: Police investigate shooting in Butler Township

Butler Twp. Police Chief John Porter said officers were dispatched to the area of ​​Hardwicke Place and Haverstraw Avenue around 11:45 am and located “multiple crime scenes” and four victims with gunshot wounds. All four people died at the scene.

The chief identified 39-year-old Stephen Marlow as a person of interest in the deaths. Police described him as a 5-foot-11, 160-pound white male with short brown hair. He was last seen wearing shorts and a yellow T-shirt, and Porter said he was possibly driving a white 2007 Ford Edge SUV with Ohio license plate JES-9806.

Two homes were surrounded by crime scene tape near the intersection of Hardwicke and Haverstraw. One of the homes, in the 7200 block of Hardwicke, shares part of a back fence with a house in the 2600 block of Haverstraw that is owned by a Marlow family, according to county property records.

“If anyone sees (Stephen) Marlow or knows of the vehicle, they should call 911 immediately and not approach him, as he is likely to be armed and dangerous,” Porter said. “We don’t believe that there is any ongoing threat to the neighborhood at this time, but we will continue to have crews in the area in case Marlow would return.”

The names of the victims have not been released, and it is not clear what led to the shooting.

“We are working to determine if there is any reason for this horrible tragedy or if mental illness played any role,” Porter said.

A man at the scene of Friday’s shootings would not give his name, but said his daughter and granddaughter were killed in the shootings.

The Butler Twp. neighborhood where the shooting happened sits about a mile west of the Miller Lane development, just south of Little York Road.

“This is the first violent crime in this neighborhood in recent memory,” Porter said.

Wendy Chapman lives next door to one of the Hardwicke Place houses wrapped with crime scene tape.

“I don’t know how to feel. I’m still stunned,” she said, describing the neighborhood as “so quiet. … At this point, I’m pissed off. I feel violated. My question is why. I can’t even imagine.”

She described her neighbors — a couple and their daughter — as a “nice, normal family.”

“We weren’t close but always very friendly. Their teen daughter, she was friendly,” Chapman said. “We’d always see them out there when we were out there cutting grass and always (talk) back and forth. You know… just neighbor stuff.”

Porter encouraged residents in the area to remain vigilant and to review any security camera footage they may have from earlier Friday.

“We ask that anyone with any possible information regarding this incident or the whereabouts of Marlow to call our dispatch center at 937-233-2080.”

Marlow, 39, of Haverstraw Avenue, was convicted of aggravated burglary and aggravated menacing in February 2020, stemming from a July 2019 incident in Vandalia. He was sentenced to five years of community control but that probation was terminated Feb. 9, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.

Porter said Butler Twp. police were getting support from Vandalia police and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, as well as state and federal officials. He said the Dayton Bomb Squad was brought in as “an abundance of caution” to ensure there are no further imminent threats to the normally quiet neighborhood.

A man who identified himself as a relative said his daughter and granddaughter were dead inside one of the houses. The man, who did not give his name to him, had come from inside a section of the crime scene tape where others had gathered to learn what happened.