Connect with us

U.S.

Gunman Kills New Jersey Judge Esther Salas’ Son in Their Home, Injures Husband

Published

on

  • A gunman reportedly dressed as a FedEx Employee fatally shot U.S. District Judge Esther Salas’ son and injured her husband in their New Jersey home Sunday. Salas was home in the basement at the time but was unharmed.
  • Investigators searched for the shooter late Sunday and early Monday and later said a potential suspect in the case was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
  • Salas has received threats in the past and has worked on several high profile cases, including one involving a Real Housewife and others related to big New Jersey gangs. Just last week, she was assigned to a Jeffrey Epstein-related lawsuit against Deutsche Bank.
  • Authorities have not yet identified a motive, however, reports say the suspect was an attorney and self-described anti-feminist who brought a case before Judge Salas in 2015.

Shooting at Judge’s Home

After the son of a federal judge in New Jersey was shot and killed Sunday, authorities believe they may have identified a suspect in the shooting, who was also found dead. 

A gunman appeared at U.S. District Judge Esther Salas’ house in North Brunswick, allegedly dressed as a FedEx delivery person. Salas’ 20-year-old son, Daniel, opened the door with his father, Mark Anderl behind him. The gunman then shot both of them, killing Daniel and injuring Mark. He fled the scene and the Newark division of the FBI said a search was underway Sunday evening. 

On Monday morning, officials said a potential suspect tied to the case was found dead. According to NBC News in New York, officials found that an attorney believed to be the shooter in the case had died of a self-inflicted gun wound in the Catskills. Authorities are investigating whether or not a package addressed to Judge Salas is tied to this attorney.

That attorney was later identified as Roy Den Hollander, a self-described anti-feminist. He brought a case before Judge Salas in 2015.

Judge Salas’ High Profile Cases

Salas was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2010 and was confirmed in 2011, making her New Jersey’s first Hispanic woman to serve as a U.S. District Judge. Since serving in this role, she has handled several high-profile cases, including one involving Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice and her husband Joe. She sentenced them both to staggered sentences on fraud charges. 

She also handled cases involving members of the Grape Street Crips, which were in connection to a long-running drug trafficking network. In 2016 she sentenced a leader of the Grape Street Crips to 14 years in prison. She also sentenced a leader of the South Side Cartel, which has been described as one of the most violent gangs in Newark, to 45 years in prison. 

Just last week, she was assigned to a lawsuit filed against Deutsche Bank by numerous investors. The lawsuit alleges that the bank “made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Bank’s business, operational and compliance policies.”

It also claims that the bank failed to properly monitor high risk customers, including Jeffrey Epstein. 

Authorities have not identified a motive in this case, and are still looking into whether or not Salas herself may have been the target. According to ABC News, she has received threats in the past. Investigators are looking into whether or not those threats are tied to the shooting. 

Responses

“As a judge, she had threats from time to time, but everyone is saying that recently there had not been any,” North Brunswick Mayor Francis “Mac” Womack told ABC.

Leaders in New Jersey responded to the news by sending condolences to Salas and her family. Governor Phil Murphy called the shooting a “senseless act.

New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez said he hopes those responsible for this are “swiftly apprehended and brought to justice.”

See what others are saying: (NBC News) (ABC News) (Associated Press)
Update: This article was edited to include updated information about the suspect’s identity.

U.S.

White Supremacist Propaganda Reached Record High in 2022, ADL Finds

Published

on

 “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said.


White supremacist propaganda in the U.S. reached record levels in 2022, according to a report published Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center of Extremism.

The ADL found over 6,700 cases of white supremacist propaganda in 2022, which marks a 38% jump from the nearly 4,900 cases the group found in 2021. It also represents the highest number of incidents ever recorded by the ADL. 

The propaganda tallied by the anti-hate organization includes the distribution of racist, antisemitic, and homophobic flyers, banners, graffiti, and more. This propaganda has spread substantially since 2018, when the ADL found just over 1,200 incidents. 

“There’s no question that white supremacists and antisemites are trying to terrorize and harass Americans with their propaganda,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash.” 

The report found that there were at least 50 white supremacist groups behind the spread of propaganda in 2022, but 93% of it came from just three groups. One of those groups was also responsible for 43% of the white supremacist events that took place last year. 

White supremacist events saw a startling uptick of their own, with the ADL documenting at least 167, a 55% jump from 2021. 

Propaganda was found in every U.S. state except for Hawaii, and events were documented in 33 states, most heavily in Massachusetts, California, Ohio, and Florida.

“The sheer volume of white supremacist propaganda distributions we are documenting around the country is alarming and dangerous,” Oren Segal, Vice President of the ADL’s Center on Extremism said in a statement. “Hardly a day goes by without communities being targeted by these coordinated, hateful actions, which are designed to sow anxiety and create fear.”

“We need a whole-of-society approach to combat this activity, including elected officials, community leaders, and people of good faith coming together and condemning this activity forcefully,” Segal continued. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (The Hill) (The New York Times)

Continue Reading

Business

Adidas Financial Woes Continue, Company on Track for First Annual Loss in Decades

Published

on

Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 


Yeezy Surplus 

Adidas’ split with musician Kanye West has left the company with financial problems due to surplus Yeezy products, putting the sportswear giant in the position to potentially suffer its first annual loss in over 30 years. 

Adidas dropped West last year after he made a series of antisemitic remarks on social media and other broadcasts. His Yeezy line was a staple for Adidas, and the surplus product is due, in part, to the brand’s own decision to continue production during the split.

According to CEO Bjorn Gulden, Adidas continued production of only the items already in the pipeline to prevent thousands of people from losing their jobs. However, that has led to the unfortunate overabundance of Yeezy sneakers and clothes. 

On Wednesday, Gulden said that selling the shoes and donating the proceeds makes more sense than giving them away due to the Yeezy resale market — which has reportedly shot up 30% since October.

“If we sell it, I promise that the people who have been hurt by this will also get something good out of this,” Gulden said in a statement to the press. 

However, Gulden also said that West is entitled to a portion of the proceeds of the sale of Yeezys per his royalty agreement.

The Numbers 

Adidas announced in February that, following its divergence from West, it is facing potential sales losses totaling around $1.2 billion and profit losses of around $500 million. 

If it decides to not sell any more Yeezy products, Adidas is facing a projected annual loss of over $700 million.

Outside of West, Adidas has taken several heavy profit blows recently. Its operating profit reportedly fell by 66% last year, a total of more than $700 million. It also pulled out of Russia after the country’s invasion of Ukraine last year, which cost Adidas nearly $60 million dollars. Additionally, China’s “Zero Covid” lockdowns last year caused in part a 36% drop in revenue for Adidas compared to years prior.

As a step towards a solution, Gulden announced that the company is slashing its dividends from 3.30 euros to 0.70 euro cents per share pending shareholder approval. 

Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 

“Adidas has all the ingredients to be successful. But we need to put our focus back on our core: product, consumers, retail partners, and athletes,” Gulden said. “I am convinced that over time we will make Adidas shine again. But we need some time.”

See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (The New York Times) (CNN)

Continue Reading

U.S.

Immigration Could Be A Solution to Nursing Home Labor Shortages

Published

on

98% of nursing homes in the United States are experiencing difficulty hiring staff. 


The Labor Crisis 

A recent National Bureau of Economic Research paper has offered up a solution to the nursing home labor shortage: immigration. 

According to a 2022 American Health Care Association survey, six in ten nursing homes are limiting new patients due to staffing issues. The survey also says that 87% of nursing homes have staffing shortages and 98% are experiencing difficulty hiring. 

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) outlined in their paper that increased immigration could help solve the labor shortage in nursing homes. Immigrants make up 19% of nursing home workers.

With every 10% increase in female immigration, nursing assistant hours go up by 0.7% and registered nursing hours go up by 1.1% And with that same immigration increase, short-term hospitalizations of nursing home residents go down by 0.6%.

The Solution 

Additionally, the State Department issued 145% more EB-3 documents, which are employment-based visas, for healthcare workers in the 2022 fiscal year than in 2019, suggesting that more people are coming to the U.S. to work in health care. 

However, according to Skilled Nursing News, in August of 2022, the approval process from beginning to end for an RN can take between seven to nine months. 

Displeasure about immigration has exploded since Pres. Joe Biden took office in 2021. According to a Gallup study published in February, around 40% of American adults want to see immigration decrease. That is a steep jump from 19% in 2021, and it is the highest the figure has been since 2016.

However, more than half of Democrats still are satisfied with immigration and want to see it increased. But with a divided Congress, the likelihood of any substantial immigration change happening is pretty slim. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (KHN) (Skilled Nursing News)

Continue Reading