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U.S. Reps. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) and John Garamendi (D-Fairfield) have asked U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to direct the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the Antioch Police Department.
The police department has been under investigation by the FBI and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for more than a year for possible civil rights violations. It has come under fire during the past several weeks for racist and homophobic text messages circulated among at least 45 of its officers.
DeSaulnier and Garamendi issued a joint statement, saying the department is “demonstrating a pattern of unconstitutional discrimination, use of force, and violations of the constitutional rights of Antioch citizens.”
“The recent report from the joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office revealed shocking and disturbing text messages and communications involving nearly four dozen former and current Antioch officers,” they said. “In these messages, officers used racial slurs, shared homophobic and sexist comments, made threats against the mayor, and revealed blatant violations of citizens’ constitutional rights.
“In one example, an APD officer admitted that he has falsified police reports to indicate that a suspect confessed when they had not. The messages also reveal disturbing images shared between the officers of citizens they have assaulted in hospital beds, and alarming comments and photos depicting and referencing African Americans as gorillas and monkeys.”
DeSaulnier and Garamendi also said “From this report, we know that at least 45 officers are involved in the specific text messages referenced, which is over half of the total 99 sworn officers currently employed by the Antioch Police Department. The messages in this report paint a clear picture of a systemic culture of racism, intolerance, and cruelty at the Antioch Police Department that is unacceptable for those sworn to protect and serve their community.”
DeSaulnier and Garamendi asked for a response to their request from the Justice Department by May 5.
The Antioch Police Department is also being sued by six plaintiffs represented by Bay Area civil rights attorney John Burris, who is advocating for federal oversight of the department. The Antioch City Council said this week it is pursuing audits of the department’s hiring and promotion practices, its internal affairs department, and its equity practices and culture.
In the meantime…
The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to pass a resolution marking Israel’s 75th anniversary, heralding the importance of the US-Israel relationship and urging the expansion of the Abraham Accords.
H.Res.311 passed 401-19, with 18 progressive Democrats opposing the measure amid growing comfort within the party to take such public stances against Israel.
Guess who was one of those Democrats? Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord). The very clown endorsed by this local rag. What a joke.
I thought DeSaulnier was more of centrist. Instead, he’s shown his true socialist colors. He voted not to support Israel along with LIhan Omar and Rashida.
Another Democrat rat gone astray.
A solidified U.S.-Israel alliance is important towards maintaining geo-political stability in that region.
On the other hand, perhaps the opposition arose from not wanting to appear as though they also endorse an extreme right-wing, fundamentalist Netanyahu dictatorship that has embroiled Israel and its more secular-minded citizens.
The same conflict is occuring in the United States.
The opposition? You mean like DeSaulnier, Omar, and Tlaib? Oh, so you’re saying that an extreme right-wing scenario is occurring in the United States too? Really?
You must be mixed up. You must be referring to all the lawlessness that you Democrats brought about and won’t do anything to fix it. You must be referring to all the burned out cars and buildings brought about by riots that BLM and Antifa created. Visited Portland or Seattle at night lately, Winslow? How’s Oakland and San Francisco looking these days? You liberals are a special breed indeed.
Why don’t you ask Omar and Rashida why they support Hamas? By the way, was it not Rashida Tlaib who removed her tweet after stating: ‘river to the sea’ phrase? The phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is associated with calls for Israel’s elimination.
In August 2022, an estimated 1,100 rockets were launched from Gaza by Islamic Jihad. At least 200 malfunctioned and exploded within the Gaza Strip, and the Iron Dome intercepted 380. But when Israel defends itself, people like you are the first to criticize. Most likely, you appear to be one of them.
I’ll take Netanyahu over DeSaulnier, Tlaib, and Omar every time.
Malcolm Hex…
Are we to safely assume that Congressmen DeSalnier and Swalwell are not reflective of their constituents in Contra Costa and Alameda counties?
If so, why and how did they get elected?
Malcom H…
Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar, a Somali-born lawmaker represent America’s commitment to diversity…most notably in congressional politics.
Their presence is countered by congressional representatives like Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jim Jordan and other more conservative legislators.
With Republicans controlling the House and a Democratic majority in the Senate, we now have a certain degree of balance and this is a good day for America.
Only the Supreme Court needs more balance in terms of perspective as there are still two far-right leaning justices (Alito and Thomas) who no longer represent the best interests of an emerging and evolving America.
>>>>If so, why and how did they get elected?
with Swallwell he was elected each time with very big margins. Which seems to say only a minority who didn’t vote for him make their way to this forum. Huh.
@Jesse Wilkins stated the following:
“Are we to safely assume that Congressmen DeSalnier and Swalwell are not reflective of their constituents in Contra Costa and Alameda counties? If so, why and how did they get elected?”
Answer: Were the German people safe to assume that Hitler was not reflective of his constituents in Germany? Is so, how and why did he get elected?
So much for your argument.
@Betty G
Omar and Rashida are anti-semites. I presented FACTS which you apparently won’t debate. Instead, you side-step the real issues and rant about the balance of the Supreme Court. So typical of the left.
@Shale
So, you support a clown who stated that he has proof Trump is a Russian agent. Yet, after a two year investigation by the DOJ, Trump was cleared of any wrongdoing. It was Swalwell and the other tool, Adam Schiff, who helped spearhead that investigation. Bob Mueller went from being the your savior to the devil. You Democrats could not stand the truth, and attempted to impeach Trump. That also didn’t work out for you, did it?
Now, Swalwell gets called out for his alleged affair with Chicom Fang Fang. Marjorie Taylor Greene called out Swalwell the same way Swalwell called out Trump.
What goes around comes around.
“Were the German people safe to assume that Hitler was not reflective of his constituents in Germany? Is so, how and why did he get elected?”
^ The same could be said of POTUS45 being elected in 2016. The 2020 election was a whole ‘nother story and the January 6th aftermath spoke volumes in regards to a fanatical and violent following. See the parallels?
As for Omar and Rashida, they were duly elected by their constituents…no different than Boebert and Greene.
I do agree with Mr. Hex in that Rep. Stalwell leaves much to be desired…he tends to be a bit self-righteous at times.
@Malcom Hex:
There is a distinct difference between being anti-Semitic and against repressive Netanyahu governmental policies in Israel.
Hundreds of thousands of secular Israeli citizens are protesting against his anti-democracy, totalitarian stance and he was re-elected only by the smallest of margins.
Given the facts, it is difficult to picture any American with reasonable literacy and intelligence supporting former POTUS45 in 2024. Then again, repressive red state mindsets are not reflective of our country as a whole.
Both Republicans and Democrats need to provide better presidential candidates if we are to move forward as a nation.
@Marc Jensen
You stated that Omar and Rashida were duly elected by their constituents…no different than Boebert and Green.
That is not the point. Omar and Rashida are anti-semites. By the way, wasn’t it Omar who said “some people” in reference to the radical Islamic terrorists who brought down those planes on 911?
There is no defense for what they said, and continue to say about Israel.
@Kylie Jackson.
Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump had been in office. On the other hand, the current fool that resides in the White these days shakes hand with inanimate objects. Proud of that? Proud of what is going on at our southern boarder? Lots of fentanyl laced in cocaine, opiates, etc., coming across our borders. Yet, Joe the jackass dismisses the reality. Yeah, your president is about as weak as they come.
@Malcom Hex…how can one accurately establish that the Russia-Ukraine war was preventable had POTUS45 been president?
It should also be noted that being anti-Netanyahu is not synonymous with being anti-Semitic. As a person of Jewish descent, I am proud of my ethnic heritage but wary of the political agenda that Mr. Netanyahu advocates.
“Both Republicans and Democrats need to provide better presidential candidates if we are to move forward as a nation.” source: Kylie Jackson
Concurring…Trump, Biden, DeSantis, Haley, et al are not stellar presidential candidates for 2024.
We can do do better.
The DOJ should investigate the Antioch Police Department and the 22 officers held accountable for their racist, homophobic commentaries.
@ Mr. Reubens
The Russia Ukraine war was preventable, Mr. Reubens. Let us take a trip down memory lane.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began to arise on Obama’s watch. And what did Obama send Ukraine? The White House approved $53 million aid package for Ukraine, which included counter-mortar radar, radios, vehicles, patrol boats, body armor, helmets and night-vision goggles. BUT NO ARMS. Obama gave the Ukrainians nothing to defend themselves with. Zelenskyy couldn’t believe it. And at that time, he wasn’t asking for much.
Ah, but when Trump wanted to help Ukraine out, he was attacked by members of your party. Remember the transcript between Trump and Zelenskyy? I have it, you should read it. But Nancy Pelosi went after Trump and called for impeachment. Yeah, so much for you Democrats helping out Ukraine. We could have loaded Ukraine to the teeth, which would have given Putin and his thugs something to think about.
Regarding Netanyahu… Israel is fortunate to have such a strong leader. And considering what Jewish people have gone through, including the antisemitism that exists today, I would think more Jewish people in this country would support him.
Mr. Reubens, I visited what I believe is the most important museum in the world, The National Holocaust Museum in Washington DC a few years back. I was inspired by the stories and bravery of the Jewish people during the Nazi era. I can tell you, I did not walk out of there with dry eyes.
Leadership counts. That clown in Washington is senile and weak. The problem is, you Democrats would rather vote for an incompetent idiot who shakes hands with people who aren’t there. I will say this though: Mr. Kennedy appears to be a much better option for you Democrats. He reminds me of a moderate Democrat with common sense. As for me, I’ll choose DeSantis.
And you are correct, we can do better. Much better.
We are drifting off topic as this thread is about Antioch Police officer improprieties, not U.S. presidents and members of Congress or anti-Semitism.
The Antioch police officers who participated in these racial and homophobic texts should be FIRED…no further questions asked.
>>>The Russia Ukraine war was preventable
It was. Putin could have decided taking care of his country was a better idea than pretending a neighbor was ‘threatening’.
And Obama could have given Ukraine arms – which he didn’t.
@Malcon Hex:
Not arming the Ukraine aside, President Obama’s administration has a pretty good track record. Under his watch, Osama Bin Laden was finally taken out, Obamacare provided broader health insurance options, and Obamaphones ensured that even the impoverished and homeless had access to cell phone communications.
His only flaw was acquiescing to Iran who reneged on their part of the nuclear agreement and who remain a constant threat to Israel.
Back to topic…kudos to Rep. DeSaulnier for investigating Antioch police racist and homophobic improprieties. Upon further review and confirmation of their phone texts, all of the officers involved should be FIRED.
It is time for a peace truce between Russia and Ukraine & it’s not rocket science…(1) allow Russia to keep possession of the Crimean Peninsula on the condition that: (2) Russian troops leave the Ukraine, and (3) the Ukraine agrees not to join NATO until 2030.
Under these mutually agreed upon provisions, it won’t really matter who the next POTUS will be in regards to the Ukraine.
The next president should also suspend all foreign aid and devote those fiscal resources to domestic improvements.
>>>And Obama could have given Ukraine arms – which he didn’t.
which further confirms my point Putin had no reason to be ‘afraid’. Thanks for confirming.
Voter perception of a candidate’s integrity and decency will also come into play if 2024 is a repeat of the 2020 Biden-Trump presidential election.
@Shale:
Obama didn’t give arms the Ukraine because he’s a coward. Now we’re playing catch-up because of what Obama didn’t do. At least the your current clown in chief had the courage to do the opposite. Of course By the way,Putin wasn’t afraid because he was dealing with Obama and saw him as weak.
@Fountains:
Ukraine is a country, not a territory. Ukraine has every right to join NATO when and if they so choose. Who are you to tell Zelensky what to do? Also, you said it’s time for a peace truth. Really? Initiated by whom? Russia attacked Ukraine, not the other way around. Based on your logic, you would rather see Ukraine capitulate to the Russians. Screw that.
@Croft
You said Obama’s only flaw was acquiescing to Iran who reneged on their part of the nuclear agreement and who remain a constant threat to Israel. Iran isn’t just a threat to Israel, Iran is a threat to the entire region. Obama screwed things up so bad, that now Iran is helping the Russians. BTW, Some of the dozens of mortars and rockets that are fired into Israel by Gaza-based terrorists are made in Iran and smuggled into in.
The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to pass a resolution marking Israel’s 75th anniversary, heralding the importance of the US-Israel relationship and urging the expansion of the Abraham Accords. H.Res.311 passed 401-19, with 18 progressive Democrats opposing the measure. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) was one of them.
@Malcom Hex
It is not America’s responsibility to subsidize foreign wars. This conflict is between Ukraine and Russia…no different than the Viet Nam War between the North led by the intrepid Ho Chi Minh and the corrupt South Vietnamese Diem government.
Democracy is oftentimes a misleading concept considering that Israel, Hungary and Turkey consider themselves democracies.
Looking back, the United States also has a history of supporting despotic governments like Cuba (Bautista), The Phillipines (Marcos), Iran (the Shah), Israel (Netanyahu) and countless other questionable countries scattered throughout the globe.
No more U S. taxpayer dollars +aka foreign and military aid) to these imposters!
@Rolando
Yeah, I guess we should have stayed out of Europe in WWII, right? After all, Germany invaded Poland, France, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, UKRAINE, and many more countries. Yeah, we should have stayed out of that too, right?
As for Vietnam, you called South Vietnam corrupt, yeah? You need to check your history buddy to find out just how corrupt Vietnam was and is today. It appears that the little red flag with the gold star represents your ideology, perhaps?
As for Israel, it’s the only democracy in the Middle East. Yet, you make no mention of militant Hamas and the missiles they fire at Israel. I find it interesting how you folks on left side-step things like that. Rashid and Omar would be so proud of you. Educate yourself at the National Holocaust Museum some day, buddy.
You can also take a trip to Miami sometime and tell the Cuban folks down there how much you adore Castro. I guarantee you will get an earful and more. A lot more.
And circling back to the Russian. The Russians (Soviets) occupied the following countries during WWII: Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Poland and eastern Germany. Ask those folks who lived under Soviet domination how they feel about the Russians.
You apparently have learned nothing from history.
Malcom Hex…the United States was reluctant to enter World War II most notably the European conflict after having to bail out France and Great Britain during World War I.
They were forced into it due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor as Japan and Germany were Axis allies. If Japan hadn’t attacked the United States first, chances are American involvement would not have occured so expediently.
As for Middle Eastern democracy, isn’t Turkey another so-called ‘democracy’ but in name only?
In Viet Nam, the Viet Nam War is referred to as the ‘American War’ because the United States took it upon themselves to prevent the unification of Viet Nam by supporting the corrupt Diem regime (aka dictatorship) of South Viet Nam. Ho Chi Minh is considered the Abraham Lincoln of Viet Nam and is duly honored for driving out both the French colonialists and U.S. military forces.
The Cubans who detest Castro were the wealthy ones living well under the prior Bautista regime…another dictatorship supported by the United States.
That said, one way to ease the upcoming congressional budget battle would be to eliminate ALL foreign aid to.other countries and apply those fiscal resources to improving life here at home.
U.S. foreign aid amounts to roughly 1% of the proposed federal budget and so we are looking at roughly $300B that could be better spent.
Excessive welfare to other countries is just as counterproductive as granting excessive social entitlements in the United States.
@Terrence Hall…the United States has allocated roughly $300B+ towards foreign aid from 2013-2023. This comes to approximately $30B+ per year on these entitlements.
The 10 countries that receive the most U.S. foreign aid:
Afghanistan ($4.89 billion)
Israel ($3.3 billion)
Jordan ($1.72 billion)
Egypt ($1.46 billion)
Iraq ($960 million)
Ethiopia ($922 million)
Yemen ($809 million)
Colombia ($800 million)
Nigeria ($793 million)
Lebanon ($790 million)
Now why Israel receives so much money is questionable given that they are not a 3rd world country like some of the others listed.
It appears that the majority of our country’s foreign aid goes to the Africa and the Middle East which is troubling.
Cutting $30B in foreign aid from the federal budget would be a sound move but it will not resolve the national debt.
On the other hand, I concur that this money could be better spent on domestic issues.
1% towards foreign aid in the proposed federal budget is about $31 billion and still too much money to give away freely with nothing in return.
The bulk of these fiscal resources go to Afghanistan, Israel, and various African nations.
“I concur that this money could be better spent on domestic issues.”
$31B divided among the current U.S. 109,000,000 African American population would be a positive FIRST step towards slavery reparations…about $32K each.
@Terrence Hall
Wrong. The United States was not reluctant to enter WWll. WWll came to America via Pearl Harbor. You then offer your own opinion with the “chances are argument.” That’s your opinion, not FACT.
As for Turkey, nice try to twist how that government works. It’s not a democracy and you know it. Turkey is under authoritarian rule. Turkey calls itself a democracy but isn’t. Think Erdogan.
You stated that the United States took it upon itself to divide Vietnam. Wrong. The Geneva Accords were signed in July of 1954 and split Vietnam at the 17th parallel. North Vietnam would be ruled by Ho Chi Minh’s communist government and South Vietnam would be led by emperor Bao Dai.
As for Cuba, another one of your twisted truths. There were many Cubans, besides the wealthy ones, who detested Fidel Castro and his goons. Talk to the Cubans in Miami about that, they have a different take.