Daughter of US Congressman Uses Official License Plates For Lyft Ride Sharing

Representative Elijah Cummings' daughter Adia (pictured together at her graduation) used his car with Congressional plates while working for Lyft.

[From article]

Thousands of drivers work part-time for Lyft to make a little bit of extra money on the side, but not many of them are congressmen earning a $174,000 salary.
So it's no wonder eyebrows were raised when Democrat Elijah Cummings' Honda - complete with Congressional plates - was spotted picking up cab fares around Washington, DC.
The black car carrying a sticker for the car service app was spotted by eagle-eyed Lyft user Dustin Andres, who asked: 'So, which member of Congress drives Lyft in DC?'
The vehicle was carrying plates for Maryland's 7th Congressional District - which Cummings represents - as well as the pink Lyft logo.
However, it has since emerged that his daughter was the mystery taxi driver.
When questioned about the car, Cummings told the Washington Post that his daughter, Adia, was working part-time for Lyft to help pay her for college.
'In an effort to earn some extra money to pay her expenses at school, she signed up for a part-time position with one of the ride-sharing companies,' the congressman said.
'They, in turn, gave her a sticker to apply to the windshield of the car,' he added.
The plates allow drivers to park cars in designated areas near certain buildings in Washington, DC, including the Capitol.
Cummings says he has asked Adia to remove the plates but said she could continue to use the car, which he owns and is not taxpayer-funded.
Adia is looking for a job after graduating from Howard University in May.
'My daughter has now graduated from Howard and I could not be more proud of her,' Cummings told CNN.
'I have told her she can continue to use my car while she pursues full-time employment,' he added.
Lyft drivers do not have to own the car they use, but they must be insured.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3621092/So-member-Congress-drives-Lyft-DC-Democrat-Elijah-Cummings-daughter-uses-car-official-plates-ferry-passengers-Washington.html

Daughter of Democrat Congressman Elijah Cummings uses his car with official plates to ferry Lyft passengers around Washington
Democrat Elijah Cummings' Honda was spotted sporting a Lyft sticker
Representative's black Honda was also carrying Congressional plates
His daughter, Adia, had been working for Lyft to pay for college expenses
Congressman apologized and asked her to remove the license plates
By OLLIE GILLMAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 23:13 EST, 1 June 2016 | UPDATED: 00:14 EST, 2 June 2016

Justice Department Reports On Ferguson, Missouri

[From article]
“Darren Wilson’s actions do not constitute prosecutable violations under the applicable federal criminal civil rights statute, 18 U.S.C. § 242, which prohibits uses of deadly force that are ‘objectively unreasonable,’ as defined by the United States Supreme Court. The evidence, when viewed as a whole, does not support the conclusion that Wilson’s uses of deadly force were “objectively unreasonable” under the Supreme Court’s definition. Accordingly, under the governing federal law and relevant standards set forth in the USAM [United States Attorneys’ Manual], it is not appropriate to present this matter to a federal grand jury for indictment, and it should therefore be closed without prosecution.”
[. . .]
During the initial encounter, Brown had tried to wrest Wilson’s gun from him by reaching into Wilson’s Chevy Tahoe SUV. Wilson’s story was corroborated, to quote the report, “by bruising on Wilson’s jaw and scratches on his neck, the presence of Brown’s DNA on Wilson’s collar, shirt, and pants, and Wilson’s DNA on Brown’s palm.” Later on, the evidence also showed that Brown was running toward Wilson at the time Wilson fired the fatal shots, not knowing whether Brown was armed or not.
[. . .]
Eric Holder owes Wilson an apology for the unnecessary anguish that Wilson has suffered. As the Attorney General for all Americans, he must tell the protestors once and for all that their campaign has been thoroughly misguided from start to finish, and that their continued protests should stop in the interests of civic peace and racial harmony. In light of the past vilification of Wilson, it is not enough for the DOJ to publish the report, and not trumpet its conclusions. It is necessary to put that report front and center in the public debate so that everyone now understands that Wilson behaved properly throughout the entire incident.
[. . .]
It would be one thing to argue that the illegal killing of Michael Brown stemmed from a corrupt and racist culture inside that department. But once it is established that Wilson was fully justified in acting as he did, it is impossible to explain how the culture and norms of the police could have contributed to any illegal act. Indeed, the only plausible inference cuts the opposite way. The ability of Wilson to handle himself well under extreme pressure reflects approvingly on his conduct and on the ethos of the Ferguson Police Department.
[. . .]
“African Americans experience disparate impact in nearly every aspect of Ferguson’s law enforcement system. Despite making up 67% of the population, African Americans accounted for 85% of FPD’s traffic stops, 90% of FPD’s citations, and 93% of FPD’s arrests from 2012 to 2014.”
[. . .]
The two DOJ reports do not cohere. The first shows that Wilson’s use of force against Michael Brown was fully justified. The second uses that incident to launch a scathing attack against Ferguson, leading to the resignation of its key officials for conduct that looks on balance to be no better or worse than that in other cities around the country. The serious consequence of the second high-profile report is to keep alive the image that racial injustice is alive and well in the United States. What the report fails to understand is that it is as dangerous to exaggerate the risk of racial injustice as it is to ignore it. In a sad sense, the overheated DOJ report contributes to the inflamed atmosphere that led to the most recent shootings in Ferguson.

http://www.hoover.org/research/race-baiting-and-ferguson

Race Baiting And Ferguson
by Richard A. Epstein
Monday, March 16, 2015

US Government Officials Warn of Dictatorship

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/09/2-u-s-supreme-court-justices-and-numerous-other-top-government-officials-warn-of-dictatorship.html

2 U.S. Supreme Court Justices – And Numerous Other Top Government Officials – Warn of Dictatorship Posted on September 18, 2012
by WashingtonsBlog

Mexican Officials Courageous Unlike Americans


Mexican officials working under their brave President show more courage than American police who focus on low level street dealers. Drug corruption is as pervasive in the US but there is no priority here to eliminate high level importers and money launderers. Without active cooperation from high level law enforcement agencies the drugs could never enter the country in the humongous amounts they do now. Local, state and US public officials have a go along to get along attitude. They are more interested in getting home safely and spending their pensions than eliminating major criminal empires. Harvard Law School's White House promoter of hope and change ignores government corruption. Obama appointed many admitted criminal rogues to high level positions in his administration. His AG refuses to prosecute allies. The public is marginally interested in this as an issue. It is easier to give money to the politicians than to fight for freedom.

http://bostonherald.com/news/international/americas/view.bg?articleid=1219516&srvc=news&position=recent

Mexican navy kills top cartel kingpin in shootout
By Associated Press
Boston Herald
Thursday, December 17, 2009 -