An Arkansas man has been arrested for allegedly driving his car into a Ten Commandments monument at the state Capitol early Wednesday morning. Interestingly, this is the second time that Michael Tate Reed, 32, has been arrested for driving into a religious monument. The last time was in 2014, when he ran over another Ten Commandments display at the Oklahoma State Capitol. That time he said Satan made him do it and he reportedly threatened to kill President Obama.

But Reed seems to be non-partisan–he also recently threatened President Trump on social media. He had also planned for the event by creating a GoFundMe page, with which he hoped to raise enough money to replace his car. Around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Reed drove his car straight into the statue, while shouting, “Oh my goodness, Freedom!” He also streamed the incident on Facebook Live.

Before the crash, he said in the Facebook video that he was back at it with “white plans,” but it’s unclear what he meant by that. He also said that he is a Christian but added, “one thing I do not support is the violation of our constitutional right to have the freedom that’s guaranteed to us, that guarantees us the separation of church and state, because no one religion should the government represent.” Finally, he asked people who support his cause to use the hashtag #Checkmate on social media.

NEW: Man accused of knocking over 10 Commandments statue at AR Capitol did the same thing in OK, 3 years ago:https://t.co/3F8dJsNdur #arpx pic.twitter.com/YtdpH2j292

— Emma Pettit (@EmmaJanePettit) June 28, 2017

The monument crumbled and Reed was taken to the hospital and then to jail. The stone statue had only been up for a day, but Republican State Senator Jason Rapert was confident a new monument would be up soon. He sponsored a law that took effect in 2015, which allowed private citizens to fund the religious monument and put it outside the Capitol. Opponents of that bill said that escaping a government-established religion was one of the things the colonists fled when they first set foot in America.

The crash sparked both criticism and support on social media. Some hailed him as a hero and patriot for standing up for the constitution, while others said the opposite. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee did not exactly support what happened.

Some idiot in my home state broke all 10 commandments at the same time. He wasn’t Moses and it wasn’t Mt. Sinai. https://t.co/r8hXrJ32JZ

— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 28, 2017

But others definitely did.

some idiot legislator thought it was okay to place a religious statue in a place where governing occurs, despite separation of church and st https://t.co/1CmKRwVTZg

— John Hornor (@johnhornor) June 28, 2017

Reed was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder back in 2015. Later that year, he sent a letter to the Tulsa World describing why he had destroyed the monument at the state’s Capitol. He wrote that he got his inspiration from Dracula movies, that he thought he was the incarnation of a British occult leader called Aleister Crowley, and that a killer virus in the shape of Michael Jackson’s spirit had infected meat. He said that at the time of the 2014 crash he was also trying to get in touch with Satan’s high priestess, Gwyneth Paltrow.

After the earlier incident, many Republican lawmakers tried to paint what happened as politically motivated or an act of violence or terrorism, but Reed’s family insisted it was his illness. He was released from a mental health facility after doctors found a combination of medicines that seemed to work for him. It’s not clear what prompted Wednesday’s crash, but hopefully, he will get proper care.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Man Arrested for Driving His Car Into Ten Commandments Display at Arkansas Capitol appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Congressman Steve Scalise Shot at GOP Baseball Practice

This morning, a gunman armed with a rifle opened fire at a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, where the Republican congressional baseball team was practicing. The House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and at least four others were injured–including one congressional aide and two law enforcement officers. Reportedly, the gunman, who has been identified as James T. Hodgkinson, was standing outside the fence and aimed at the only exit. He fired multiple shots, at least 50, according to eyewitnesses. Bullets also hit a nearby YMCA.

Active shooter situation during this mornings trip to the Y. Terrifying. Am ok. Sheltered in place & under lockdown. pic.twitter.com/iJs6fZpjiK

— Joseph Miscavige (@JoeMiscavige) June 14, 2017

Scalise was shot in the hip and is in stable condition. Capitol police officers were right there and shot the gunman, who was wounded and taken to the hospital. “Nobody would have survived without the Capitol Hill police. It would have been a massacre without them,” said Kentucky Senator Rand Paul.

Congressional baseball field shooting went on for 10 minutes. @SenRandPauI says w/out police presence would be “killing field” “a massacre”

— Valerie (@valonfox) June 14, 2017

According to a press conference held by President Donald Trump, the shooter has died as a result of his injuries.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: June 14, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

A group of pro-pot federal lawmakers has teamed up to announce the formation of the first-ever Congressional Cannabis Caucus. The bipartisan effort will work on legislation related to marijuana legalization and regulation, proving that perhaps Congress is taking the issue of marijuana legalization seriously.

During a press conference last Thursday afternoon, Representatives Earl Blumenauer (R-Oregon), Dana Rohrabacher (R-California), Don Young (R-Alaska), and Jared Polis (D-Colorado) joyfully announced the creation of the coalition. Unsurprisingly, all four of the representatives hail from states where recreational marijuana is legal.

“We’re stepping forward together to say we’ve got to make major changes in our country’s attitude toward cannabis,” Rep. Rohrabacher said at the start of the press conference. “And if we do, many people are going to live better lives, it’s going to be better for our country, better for people, and it makes economic sense at a time when every penny must count for government.”

Rohrabacher and company discussed the importance of protecting the rights of individuals who reside in states where recreational marijuana is legal. Earlier this month Rohrabacher introduced HR 975, otherwise known as the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2017, which would allow state law to supersede federal law when it comes to the Controlled Substance Act.

The appointment of Sen. Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General, a staunch marijuana critic, left many marijuana advocates wary of whether there will be any legislative change under the Trump Administration. In the past Sessions has called the drug “dangerous” and has joked that “good people don’t smoke marijuana.” However, Sessions said during his confirmation hearing that he would need to use “good judgment” when deciding how to enforce federal marijuana laws.

“Because of the conflicts between Federal and State law, marijuana-related issues are no longer theoretical–they are real, and they are affecting real people in Alaska and across the country,” Young said in a written statement. “I look forward to working with the Congressional Cannabis Caucus to educate my colleagues in the House on the issues we are facing in Alaska, and hopefully to also develop solutions to these problems.”

According to Salon, several of the marijuana industry’s top leading lobbying groups and associations–including NORML, the Marijuana Policy Project, and the Drug Policy Alliance, among others–issued a joint statement on Thursday thanking the lawmakers leading the charge on cannabis policy.

“The establishment of a Cannabis Caucus will allow members from both parties, who represent diverse constituencies from around the country, to join together for the purpose of advancing sensible cannabis policy reform,” the statement read.

With marijuana legalization approval ratings at an all time high, we’ll have to wait and see if the bipartisan efforts of these state representatives can make some more headway with updating current legislation.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Congress Now Has a Bipartisan Cannabis Caucus appeared first on Law Street.

A landmark bill was just passed in California which will make vaccinations necessary for all students, unless they have a medical exemption or the parents choose to homeschool their children. This law eliminates the personal and religious belief exemptions completely, and was met with overwhelming praise, although not without protest. It has been the subject of heated debate for the past few months, although it was finally approved last Tuesday. The Golden State has been forced to take extra precautions after a measles outbreak at Disneyland wreaked havoc on the public, leaving over a hundred people infected.

California Legislature passes mandatory public school vaccination bill #SB277 http://t.co/Rpt3bJvNPI pic.twitter.com/wepXmF011C

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 29, 2015

The bill passed with bipartisan support in the Assembly before it was sent to California Governor Jerry Brown, who hastily signed it, enabling it to finally become a law. Politicians have mixed views on this topic, although it seems that the consensus is that vaccinations are necessary to protect the health of the general public. Recent events have caused numerous bills to be proposed throughout the country, although California’s is one of the first to be set in motion.

Two other states, West Virginia and Mississippi, have already imposed similar laws, and they have proven to very successful so far. California made a wise decision in following the lead of its southern counterparts and given how prominent a state California is, it will likely be a model for other states to follow if all goes well. Many states seem to be interested in implementing similar legislation, and so all eyes will be on California to see just how such actions impact its citizens.

This preventative measure is aimed at schools–both public and private institutions–as well as day care centers. This law also creates clear guidelines for future requirements regarding vaccines so that there are no questions of procedure or exemption. There will now be two vaccination checkpoints for children, one at the kindergarten level, and one in seventh grade. A grandfather clause was also created, which will allow children to wait until the next checkpoint to be vaccinated if they missed the first one due to a personal belief exemption before this change was instituted.

The subject of vaccination has proven to be a very contentious topic in the United States in recent years. But what’s most important is the science behind this decision, and the experts believe that this law is imperative for preventing future outbreaks. Pediatricians in California have high hopes for this new policy, announcing their beliefs that it will most likely increase immunization rates and stop diseases from spreading. The goal is to protect the masses, not only children, but entire communities. So long as the vast majority of people are vaccinated, then the chances of another outbreak are astronomically low. Research has proven that such stringent rules help to create safer environments, so why do so many still have a problem with vaccines?

While the reasons for the opposition to vaccines do merit some recognition, since there is always the microscopic chance of complications, it is obvious that the pros far outweigh the cons in this situation. Many people believe that they can cause disorders such as autism, despite most research debunking this theory. Most other objections are due to personal or religious reasons. Parents used to be able to simply check a box to decide whether or not to inoculate solely based on their beliefs. While this law makes vaccinations mandatory for the majority, there will still be a few opportunities for exemptions. If parents completely refuse to vaccinate their children, then they must pledge to homeschool their children. Medical exemptions will still be available to those with serious health conditions, although this decision will be left up to the professionals. It was also announced that an amendment might be added to the law, and if passed, would make it so that doctors can use family medical histories of patients when evaluating children for medical exemptions.

Actor Jim Carrey made headlines for speaking out in disgust against the new law, even going so far as to call Brown a fascist. In his infamous Twitter rant, he accused the California legislature of being corrupt and knowingly poisoning children by requiring vaccinations. Carrey is only one of many to voice his furor, although it seems that there are far more supporters than protestors for this law.

Numerous groups have also announced their opposition, including the California ProLife Council, California Nurses for Ethical Standards, and the National Vaccine Information Center. Angry parents joined these groups in posting on social media to express their outrage. There have been many disputes between parents regarding this new legislation, and thousands have even stormed the capitol in protest. One major argument that protestors use against this law is that it takes away a parent’s ability to control what goes into their children’s bodies.

No one died during the measles outbreak at Disneyland, although it was still extremely scary for everyone involved and brought much unwanted attention to California. Disneyland is a major tourist destination that attracts millions of visitors a year, and so such a powerful disease infiltrating this popular institution seemed shocking at the time. Such an outbreak in California was upsetting to many after the disease was supposedly eradicated years ago. This was only the latest event in American history to trigger a national debate on the necessity of vaccines. There was also a recent outbreak of whooping cough in a Los Angeles school district where 90 students were infected, although experts believe that this incident could have been prevented. Officials of this district are praising this new law, as they believe that it will definitely help combat future outbreaks.

This law will not take effect until July of 2016, so those who are unhappy have time to move to another state. Some parents find it to be too drastic and have said that they will sue school districts just to get their child admitted without being vaccinated, although it does not seem that they will be triumphant. This law would mandate the entire state to follow through with the law, with very few exceptions. The hope is that given all of the research and findings associated with the benefits of vaccinations, parents will open their minds to the possibility of vaccines benefiting the public.

Toni Keddell

Toni Keddell is a member of the University of Maryland Class of 2017 and a Law Street Media Fellow for the Summer of 2015. Contact Toni at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Controversy in California: Childhood Vaccines Now Mandatory appeared first on Law Street.

I’ve lived in Washington, DC for almost five years, and I’ve gotten used to pretty much any kind of disruption to my day because of security concerns. Whether it’s having to walk all the way around the White House complex due to it being shut down for security reasons, or not being able to cross the street because President Obama’s motorcade is coming through, minor interruptions to my day have become the norm. But last month, a man took even the most jaded DC residents, and the country, by surprise when he landed a gyrocopter in front of the U.S. Capitol Building. That man, Doug Hughes, was just indicted on six counts as a result of his misadventures, and could face a sentence of more than nine years in prison if found guilty.

Hughes is 61 and works as a mailman in Ruskin, Florida. He drove the gyrocopter up to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, then flew it to DC and landed it on the Capitol lawn. Hughes was completely aware that what he was doing was against the law; in fact, breaking the law was sort of the point, as it would allow him to attract attention and publicity for his cause. He was trying to deliver 535 letters (one for each member of Congress) to the Capitol building, protesting the power that big money plays in Washington politics. Hughes’ contraption looked like this:

#Gyrocopter pilot due in court today pic.twitter.com/aZOn3exMrb

— 10 News (@WTSP10News) May 21, 2015

The charges against Hughes include two felonies and four misdemeanors. One issue is that he didn’t have any sort of license to operate his “aircraft”–the felony charges are to that effect. The misdemeanor charges include three counts of violating national defense airspace, and for mislabeling his gyrocopter as a mail-delivery vehicle. Regardless of the jail time that Hughes is probably going to serve, he’s received quite a bit of attention for his message as a result of the stunt. When he came back to DC for his hearing, he was met by plenty of supporters. He appeared in the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse just a few blocks away from where he landed his gyrocopter this Spring, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He doesn’t contest that he flew the gyrocopter onto the Capitol lawn, just that he caused no damage when he did so.

#Gyrocopter pilot: “I’ll never do anything like this again, but I would do it exactly the way that I did.”@wusa9 pic.twitter.com/0RPHwliqaZ

— Andrea McCarren (@AndreaMcCarren) May 21, 2015

He also pledged to continue his fight against the influence of money in politics, and to continue to educate voters. Hughes stated:

Over time, the Congress, our Congress, has rewritten the rules to define an open marriage: They’re in bed with lobbyists, special interests, Wall Street and big banks. We are not asking, we are demanding that our government honor the vows of fidelity implicit in the Constitution…As long as I am free, I am going to keep introducing voters to solutions to the problems of corruption that the vast majority of voters recognize and oppose.

While Hughes certainly seems passionate about his cause, and did receive attention for the gyrocopter stunt, violating multiple laws really isn’t a great way to make a compelling argument for a cause, no matter how worthy the it is. Unfortunately for Hughes his actions, and the legal issues he’s going to have moving forward, probably won’t do much to advance his cause in the end.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Man Who Landed Gyrocopter Near Capitol Building Indicted appeared first on Law Street.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever accidentally left in a bathroom? A cell phone? Purse? Credit card? How about a Glock pistol?

If you were lucky enough to find the missing item, who returned it to you? A co-worker? Boss? Janitor? Perhaps an eight-year-old child?

Here’s the situation: you are a member of House Speaker John Boehner’s police detail. You are protecting your charge when suddenly, nature calls. You answer this call in a lavatory at the Capitol. As you walk back to your post, you do not notice that you left your gun inside the restroom, in plain sight.

The firearm, a loaded Glock, was found by a child who was visiting the Capitol with his parents.

Courtesy of Giphy.com.

You might think to yourself, “How could I have done that!? The gun did not even have a safety on it. I hope no one else ever does what I just did. Come to think of it, I wonder how many times something like this has happened before. I’ve heard of instances where housekeepers or janitors have found unattended guns, but never one where a kid found one. Oh dear. Well, at least Capitol Police are not required to disclose any details about this incident.”

^^But of course, these are all just hypothetical thoughts, and no one knows the true identity of the individual who left his gun in the Capitol restroom. The only thing the public knows about the absent-minded individual is that he got suspended for six days without pay, and could potentially be fired.

Corinne Fitamant

Corinne Fitamant is a graduate of Fordham College at Lincoln Center where she received a Bachelors degree in Communications and a minor in Theatre Arts. When she isn’t pondering issues of social justice and/or celebrity culture, she can be found playing the guitar and eating chocolate. Contact Corinne at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post This is Probably the Worst Way to Forget Your Glock appeared first on Law Street.