Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (L) and AG Avichai Mandelblit. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
If Netanyahu’s lawyers don’t act within 11 days, the attorney general warned they may lose the right to pursue dropping some or all charges against the prime minister.
Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lawyers on Sunday that if they don’t set a date for pre-trial hearings by May 10, he will proceed with the criminal charges without hearing Netanyahu’s side first, as is customary in such proceedings.
Netanyahu’s legal representatives say they have delayed making an appointment to go over the charges because they haven’t been paid.
They have also used this reason for not going to get the boxes of documents that Avichai Mandelblit’s office has collected over the course of the years-long investigations into the prime minister’s affairs.
Mandelblit appears unwilling to consider any further delays. In March, the attorney general announced his intent to indict Netanyahu, agreeing to freeze the hearing process only to accommodate the the nation’s Knesset campaign and elections.
A disagreement over money “does not justify any delay in transferring the core investigative materials to the prime minister or to his representatives, and in any event, this does not affect the date of the hearing,” he warned Netanyahu’s lawyers, reminding them via letter that the proceedings must take place before July 10.
Mandelblit’s office further cautioned that “if the prime minister elects not to hold the hearing, the attorney general will make a final decision on his cases on the basis of the evidence at his disposal.”
Unless Netanyahu’s lawyers can bring convincing arguments against the evidence, Mandelblit is planning on indicting the prime minister for fraud and breach of trust in what are known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. In the last case, the more serious charge of bribery has been added as well.
In Case 1000, Netanyahu allegedly received expensive gifts in exchange for favors to millionaires who supplied him with good such as cases of champagne and cigars. In Case 2000, he allegedly made a deal with the publisher of Yedioth Ahronoth for more flattering coverage in exchange for favorable treatment in comparison to competitor Israel Hayom, which is overtaking the older daily.
Case 4000 contains the allegation of bribery because Netanyahu is accused of influencing regulatory decisions that led to Bezeq’s controlling shareholder Shaul Elovitch receiving hundreds of millions of dollars. Netanyahu’s alleged quid pro quo in this case is also related to positive news coverage in Elovitch’s Hebrew news site, Walla.
The prime minister has steadfastly denied all the charges, calling them a conspiracy to topple him from power by the left.
In the most recent elections in April, Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc emerged victorious, notwithstanding the prime minister’s well-known legal woes.
The court’s decision overturned the original ruling, when the judge rejected the request for such an assessment.
The Palestinian terrorist who raped and murdered 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher nearly three months ago will be allowed to undergo psychiatric evaluation to see if he is mentally competent to stand trial, the Walla! news site reported Monday.
This decision of the Jerusalem District Court overturned the ruling made during the terrorist’s initial remand hearing, when the judge rejected the request for such an assessment.
The 29-year-old resident of Hebron was charged with the brutal stabbing and sexual assault of the Israeli teenager in a Jerusalem forest on February 7 based on DNA, recovery of the murder weapon and other evidence, and his own confession. He was caught only a few days after fleeing the scene.
Irfaiya’s home was demolished by the IDF 10 days ago, after the High Court of Justice rejected an appeal to stay the order based on the killer’s mental state.
“The petitioners did not specify at all what mental defect the terrorist is suffering from, how severe it is and how it affects his actions,” the judges stated. “Moreover, even during the terrorist’s arrest proceedings, the Jerusalem District Court rejected his request for a psychiatric examination by the district psychiatrist, since insufficient evidentiary basis was laid before it to justify it.”
Notwithstanding lack of evidence, the three district court judges overseeing the hearings in Irfaiya’s indictment have now decided to send him for an official assessment of his mental state.
No Palestinian terror group claimed credit for Irfaiya’s act, although he stated at the time that he had nationalistic motives for killing Ansbacher. The reported reason for the distancing is the element of sexual assault.
As Palestinian Prisoners Club Director Qadura Fares told Ha’aretz after Irfaiya was caught, “That would make the case a criminal one, as far as we’re concerned, and we object to anyone committing a criminal offense trying to pass it off as a nationalist act.”
Irfaiya’s family has reportedly not asked for legal aid from Palestinian authorities, and he is being represented by a public defender.
Germany, under its Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has refused to ban Iran's proxy, Hezbollah, from operating in Europe. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
You would think that Germany, today’s Germany, would be a staunch ally of the U.S., to stand with us against the terrorism of the likes of Iran and its Islamic culture of hate. You would think that after our freeing Germany from the horror of its own Nazi regime with the blood of hundreds of thousands of our own irreplaceable youth, after freeing post WWII Germany from the claws of Russian Communism and after seeing to it that Germany rose to the heights of being the moral and economic leader of Europe, that the Germans would have some sense of loyalty to America. No way. It’s still “Deutchland Uber Alles!” for them. Currently acting as the agents for Iran, they seem to be blinded by their greed rather than being able to understand that an alliance with the likes of that nation, they are acting to feed the flames of terrorism emanating from Tehran. Once again, the Germans are making a decision that will likely cause another world-wide conflagration. And it will surely be us again, who will have to sacrifice to free them and their continent from their arrogance and stupidity.
After President Obama together with the EU (led by Germany) birthed the disastrous deal (JCPOA) that gave Iran the green light to develop nuclear weapons, incoming President Trump nixed the deal and asked Europe to join with us in sanctioning Iran for its treaty violations. However, Europe’s “big three” (led by Germany) ordered their businesses to ignore America’s imposed sanctions and to continue dealing with Iran. In short, Europe, the continent that owes its current freedoms to us, has turned its backs on its frequent savior to curry the favor of trading with and energizing the terrorists of Iran. Germany, under its Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has refused to ban Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, from operating in Europe. They play the game of stupidity in claiming that they only support the “political wing” rather than the “military wing” of that terrorist group. Nonsense! That organization, Hezbollah, itself proudly proclaims, “We are an openly Islamist, terrorist organization!” And in willful refusal to face reality, the EU, (led by Germany) permits funds to flow into Hezbollah’s coffers, feeding the frenzy of terror that is overwhelming their own continent.
Michael Rubin, an acknowledged Iran expert, wrote recently in the Washington Examiner: “For German authorities across from the political spectrum, human rights is only a tool with which to dress its foreign policy rhetoric…For German authorities, the primary goal is commercial benefit. The execution of gays, slaughter of Jews, repression of other minorities, and terrorism are inconveniences to ignore.” Rubin is right on the money. Germany, leads the EU pack of hypocrites who once again side with the bad guys who will eventually engulf their continent in flames and end up begging for us to bail them out. We say, “Never Again!”
It's sad that the NYT, once the Titanic of newspapers, referred to in the past as The Gray Lady because of its trusted respectability in reporting and objectivity, is now no more than a politically biased, bigoted, Jew hating daily that according to all reports is in big trouble. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
“What is the difference between the New York Times and a roll of Charmin toilet paper?” Answer: “Not much, they are both suitable for flushing down the drain.” It’s sad that the NYT, once the Titanic of newspapers, referred to in the past as The Gray Lady because of its trusted respectability in reporting and objectivity, is now no more than a politically biased, bigoted, Jew hating daily that according to all reports is in big trouble. Its readership has plummeted over 50% since 2005 and its staff has been reduced to a bare minimum to stave off the slide into bankruptcy.
Last week that publication that sadly is the favorite of Jews in The City and around the country sank deeper into the murky depths of its long time hatred of Israel and its alienation of Jews, by printing a vile cartoon that pictured a blind President Trump in a yarmulke, being led by a German breed dog (a dachshund) with a Jewish star hanging from its neck and a face featuring a contorted image of Bibi Netanyahu
Last week that publication that sadly is the favorite of Jews in The City and around the country sank deeper into the murky depths of its long time hatred of Israel and its alienation of Jews, by printing a vile cartoon that pictured a blind President Trump in a yarmulke, being led by a German breed dog (a dachshund) with a Jewish star hanging from its neck and a face featuring a contorted image of Bibi Netanyahu. Outrageous in its attempt to depict Israel’s prime minister as a Jewish-Nazi dog controlling our president. Do you recall the comment of Jew/Israel hating Congresswoman Ilhan Omar declaring that Jews control this nation with its hundred dollar “Benjamins?” The NYT now echoes her dangerous sentiments to its millions of readers. We now know where they stand.
Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, to his credit, body slammed the NYT as “a cesspool of hostility towards” Israel. He continued, “The same New York Times that a century ago mostly hid from their readers the Holocaust of the Jewish people has today made its pages a safe-place for those who hate the Jewish state.” That paper’s Pulitzer Prize winning self-hating Jewish columnist, Tom Friedman, depicted Israel as “Yad Vashem with an air force.” Friedman, the leading columnist, the shining star of the NYT, earned the wrath of former NYC Mayor Ed Koch who responded to one of Friedman’s frequent condemnations of Israel: “Of all the anti-Semitic slurs, one of the worst is that Jews control the world. Last week we heard yet another version of the same old lie, this time from Tom Friedman.” This NYT trope of Israel leading the world is not a new one.
It’s time for all readers/subscribers of the NYT to cancel their habit of starting off the day reading the biased, bigoted and extremely dangerous venom spouted by that sheet. Once upon a time, opening up its pages on the subway or in the Automat or carrying it folded beneath your arm while chugging to work was a sign of culture and sophistication. No more. It’s now a symbol of outright hatred. Flush it!
Seventy-five years after European Jewry was destroyed—principally because our people had no refuge, no place to call their own—it is painful to read calls to end Jewish self-determination in America’s “paper of record”. It is similarly difficult to read writers in the Times put Rep. Ilhan Omar’s antisemitic remarks into some kind of “context”.
But the Times’ Jew-as-dog cartoon was one too much.
Your editor’s reference to the cartoon’s content as merely “offensive” displays a willing ignorance of two millennia of antisemitism. The image was quite clearly not intended to cause offense, but rather to arouse hatred. And when people are taught to hate, bloodshed invariably follows.
My family cancelled its subscription today. We have concluded that no Jew with a modicum of self-respect, or an instinct of self-preservation, would do otherwise.
Most sincerely,
Howard H. Wiesenfeld
How Are Ride Share Companies Going to Survive?
Dear Editor,
I read your article “Carl Icahn Sold his Stake in Lyft to George Soros Before its IPO” and still wonder how these ride-share companies are even supposed to make money. And this is before we even get into the environmental disaster that these extra vehicles are causing.
Lyft co-founders John Zimmer and Logan Green rang the Nasdaq opening bell remotely on Friday from a downtown Los Angeles warehouse in a ceremony attended by Lyft drivers, employees and their families, and the stock went up and down since.
Meanwhile, Icahn didn’t give a reason for his sale of his Lyft stake but was reportedly unhappy that Zimmer and Green were given super-voting shares that gave them outsized voting power at the company.
In any case, I still am curious to see how companies like Lyft and Uber progress from here. I wouldn’t expect the standardization of autonomous vehicles anytime soon, and investors had already been helping these companies make the rides their workers provide artificially cheap. As it is, I’ve wondered where people are getting this money to afford paying for these car services when a subway or bus ride costs $2.75 and a bike ride is virtually free. What happens if Lyft has to start charging significantly more?
These vehicles are not the way of the future in cities anyway. Buses and trains can move thousands of passengers at rates far more efficient than vehicles that often have one or two occupants. All of the space taken up by these vehicles adds up quickly, as do the toxic emissions that are harmful to the environment, life, and contribute to climate change.
If only our country had the same enthusiasm about walking, biking, skating, and riding buses and trains as it did for cars, then maybe we would be able to create a more just society where getting around is cheap, sustainable, and brings together the community.
Sincerely,
Amber Rasey
Thrilled About New Israeli Eatery in NYC
Dear Editor,
I’m salivating just from reading your article “Famous Israeli Chef Bringing Kosher Tastes To Hell’s Kitchen.” I can’t wait to go try some of Eyal Shani’s tasty Israeli food in Hell’s Kitchen in a few months. The place sounds so cool, and I for one can hardly wait. It’s another great chance for Israeli food and culture to spread and bring joy and fulfillment to people’s lives. People from all corners of the world come to New York, and soon they will get an authentic taste of Israeli cuisine in the middle of the Big Apple. We need more of this healthful, environmentally friendly, and delicious food.
John T. Earnest came to a small synagogue in a small California city of 50,000 with a rifle and big dreams of killing Jews. In a manifesto posted on 8chan, he boasted, "I would die a thousand times over". The Neo-Nazi wannabe killer listed Adolf Hitler as his inspiration. "My act will inspire others to take a stand as well,” he wrote in his manifesto. “And when this revolution starts gaining traction (if I am not killed) I expect to be freed from prison and continue the fight.” Photo Credit: www.10news.com
Courage and bravery in the face of murderous hate in a small city in California
John T. Earnest came to a small synagogue in a small California city of 50,000 with a rifle and big dreams of killing Jews. In a manifesto posted on 8chan, he boasted, “I would die a thousand times over”.
The Neo-Nazi stopped in the lobby and opened fire on Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein and the children. Rabbi Goldstein rushed to get the children out of the hall. He was wounded, and lost his right index finger, but kept saving the children. Photo Credit: Facebook
The Neo-Nazi wannabe killer listed Adolf Hitler as his inspiration. “My act will inspire others to take a stand as well,” he wrote in his manifesto. “And when this revolution starts gaining traction (if I am not killed) I expect to be freed from prison and continue the fight.”
Inside, an elderly Rabbi, a 60-year old woman, an 9-year-old girl, and other Jewish worshipers celebrating the final day of Passover showed him the true meaning of courage.
The older congregants in the sanctuary of Chabad of Poway, the city’s sole Orthodox Jewish synagogue, were reciting Yizkor, the prayer for deceased loved ones, an occasion that can summon even the most secular Jew to the synagogue, while the younger children were playing in the synagogue’s hall.
Had Earnest opened fire in the sanctuary, many of the congregants asking the Lord to embrace their parents and grandparents, and unite their souls with those of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all of their forefathers, would have joined them in death. But instead, the Neo-Nazi was drawn after the Rabbi and the congregation’s children who embodied the innocence and goodness he was driven to destroy.
The Neo-Nazi stopped in the lobby and opened fire on Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein and the children.
Rabbi Goldstein rushed to get the children out of the hall. He was wounded, and lost his right index finger, but kept saving the children. Lori Gilbert Kaye, a 60-year-old longtime congregant, jumped in to stop a bullet meant for the Rabbi and was killed. Her husband, a doctor, would fight to keep her alive.
Lori Gilbert Kaye, a 60-year-old longtime congregant, jumped in to stop a bullet meant for the Rabbi and was killed. Her husband, a doctor, would fight to keep her alive. Photo Credit: Facebook
Almog Peretz, an Israeli tourist who had faced Islamic terror at home, grabbed more children and rushed them to safety. He was shot in the leg, but that didn’t stop Peretz who recalled being under fire in Israel.
His brother-in-law, Israel Dahan, flipped over a table to shield the children. His daughter, 9-year-old, Noya Dahan, was hit by in the leg. But the 9-year-old girl later insisted on sharing a photo of herself smiling from the hospital.
Shimon Abitbul, an Israeli grandpa visiting his family, covered his grandson with his body.
Earnest had come in vowing to kill as many Jews as he could. He had boasted of his bravery and of his willingness to die. “Fear is the only thing holding you back,” he had bragged.
But in the face of their courage, he faltered. His rifle jammed. An Iraq War vet congregant rushed at him. And he ran for it.
The Neo-Nazi had brought a soundtrack including the Pokemon theme song and a track from a Halo video game to inspire him. His intended victims had brought their faith in God.
He had expected to break them. Instead their determination broke him.
An off duty Border Patrol officer who was a member of the congregation fired at him as he ran. The shots missed the killer, but struck his car. While the congregants waited for the police, Rabbi Goldstein, his bloody fingers wrapped in a prayer shawl, delivered a sermon encouraging his congregants to be brave. Earnest, afraid that he might be shot by police, called 911, left the car, raised his hands and surrendered.
The older congregants in the sanctuary of Chabad of Poway, the city’s sole Orthodox Jewish synagogue, were reciting Yizkor, the prayer for deceased loved ones, an occasion that can summon even the most secular Jew to the synagogue, while the younger children were playing in the synagogue’s hall. Photo Credit: ChabadofPoway.com
The attack on Chabad of Poway did not happen in a vacuum. The Chassidic Jewish group has been a mecca for anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, including claims that they served as the interface between Putin and Trump. That claim didn’t appear in some fringe publication, but in a popular Politico article.
Earnest’s manifesto had expressed hatred not just for Jews, but for Trump as, “Zionist, Jew-loving”. Those were the same sentiments featured in an anti-Semitic cartoon in the New York Times of President Trump wearing a Jewish skullcap and being led around by a long-nosed dog with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s face in another convergence of alt-left and alt-right anti-Semitism.
The quiet city where a Neo-Nazi gunman opened fire is over 2,700 miles away from the headquarters of the New York Times and Politico, but anti-Semitic conspiracy theories have a ubiquitous appeal for socialist fanatics, whether their role model is Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin. The events thousands of miles apart showed how compelling anti-Semitism is for the urban newspaper editor and the deranged thug, for their shared dreams of a racial war that will fracture America into the broken horror of their utopia.
To Politico and to the gunman, a small synagogue in a small city was an outpost of the hidden empire of the Jewish conspiracy. To the alt-left media, a Chabad Rabbi might be the hidden link between Republicans and Moscow. To alt-righters like Earnest, it was a chain in a conspiracy of usury and war. To the New York Times, Politico and the Neo-Nazi killer, President Trump was just a dupe of the Jews.
In a fractured society, anti-Semitism is a language shared by a Neo-Nazi like John Earnest and an Islamist like Rep. Omar and the leftists in the mainstream media. Jewish conspiracy theories are ancient, but are still kept alive by diverse fanatics who use them to make sense out of a chaotic multicultural landscape.
9-year-old, Noya Dahan, was hit by in the leg. But the 9-year-old girl later insisted on sharing a photo of herself smiling from the hospital.
The world of the alt-left and the alt-right, of Islamists, Nazis and Marxists, makes so much sense if you assume that a tiny minority of a few million can be blamed for everything that stands in their way.
The New York Times wants people to believe that there would be peace in the Middle East if it weren’t for the Jews. Politico wanted its readers to believe that Trump would be in jail if it weren’t for the Jews. And John Earnest believed that he would have a girlfriend and a satisfying life if it weren’t for the Jews.
Why the Jews?
John Earnest’s rantings give us part of the answer. The 19-year-old who had spent his life playing video games wanted to be a hero. But he didn’t want to join the military or the police. Nor did he want to follow through on becoming a nursing student and doing the hard work of taking care of people.
Instead, he loaded up a video game soundtrack and went after the easiest and softest target in the area.
The vast conspiracy theories about the Jews would allow him to play a hero by opening fire with a rifle on elderly congregants and children. He imagined that this act of terror would turn inspire others.
But the heroism of anti-Semitism isn’t just celebrated on 8chan.
Every media attack on Israel is treated as an act of courage. After three generations of ceaselessly attacking Israel, the New York Times recently ran an op-ed titled, Time to Break the Silence on Palestine. Media critics of Israel claim that they’re a beleaguered minority constantly being silenced and muzzled, when theirs are the only voices we hear from anymore. Like Earnest, they too want to be heroes.
It takes no courage to shoot elderly people with a gun. Or to run another anti-Semitic hit piece against people who are almost as unarmed. But such is the courage that the alt-left and the alt-right celebrate.
Anyone can be an anti-Semite. The material is familiar and simple. And so anyone can be a hero.
Anti-Semitism is the last refuge of cowards. It’s the laziest hatred that requires the least creativity. The alt-left revived anti-Semitism as anti-Zionism. The alt-right dressed it up in hipster irony, in anime and video game references. But all they’ve done is slap a little fresh paint on a beat-up old car.
Makeshift memorial across the street from the Chabad of Poway
John Earnest was a coward. Not just because he ran when his weapon jammed and he feared facing down the grandparents and parents of the children he had just tried to murder without a gun in hand.
He was a coward because he blamed his problems on the oldest, worn-out bigotry on the books. Instead of finding the courage to live a meaningful life, he took away his own options with a murderous fantasy. But the even bigger cowards are to be found in an alt-right internet culture that egged him on for laughs. His true counterparts are the Islamic terrorists who, instead of building working societies, plot acts of mass murder in revenge for the historical conspiracy theories they blame for everything.
“You know, with the loss of my index finger, it’s going to be a scar for the rest of my life – to both – to remind us of literally how vulnerable we are, but also how brave we need to be. Everyone needs to be a hero. Everyone needs to step up and do something in the face of terror,” Rabbi Goldstein said.
A meaningful life is made up of bravery built on vulnerability.
Victimhood culture tells its victims that their vulnerability is a crime committed against them by a conspiracy of Jews, infidels, or racists that must be met with grievance and violence. Like Earnest, they believe that they are doomed. Their only salvation can come from destroying the lives of others.
And that is cowardice.
John Earnest didn’t really hate Jews. He hated himself. He tried to kill what he hated about himself by killing Jews. His failure is not unique. Earnest admired Hitler who tried to kill what he hated about Germany by killing Jews. His counterparts on the alt-left consist of socialists who tried to kill the flaws in Communism by killing Jews, and the Islamists who tried to do the same for the flaws in the Caliphate.
Other peoples, including, most recently Christians in Sri Lanka, can be substituted for Jews.
No amount of dead Jews would have saved Earnest from seeing the emptiness in the mirror. Just as no amount of dead Israelis will reconcile the contradictions of Islam and rebuild the Caliphate. Hitler and Stalin couldn’t make socialism work no matter how many Jews they killed. And no matter how many Jewish children he drowned, an ancient Pharaoh could never escape the fact that he wasn’t a god.
The Jews whom John Earnest came to kill had a secret. But it did not involve international finance, war or global conspiracies. It was a story of redemption for a man about to damn himself forever.
The end of Passover marks the splitting of the sea. As the waters parted, the Jewish slaves fled into the depths, expecting death, as the Egyptian armies closed on them. In the hall of Chabad of Poway, a few Jews fled, bleeding, with children in their arms, expecting death. Instead, miraculously, they were saved.
And Pharaoh watched, unbelieving, as suddenly a higher power made Its presence known in this world. (Front Page Mag)
Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is an investigative journalist and writer focusing on the radical Left and Islamic terrorism.
You thought that Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s comments about foreign loyalty or “Benjamins” were problematic. The International Edition of the New York Times just said “let me show you what we can do.”
At a time of rising antisemitism, when we have become increasingly exposed to the notion of dog whistles and tropes that are antisemitic, when there is a lively and active debate about this issue in the US, the New York Times International Edition did the equivalent of saying “hold my beer.”
You thought that Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s comments about foreign loyalty or “Benjamins” were problematic. The International Edition of the New York Times just said “let me show you what we can do,” with a cartoon of a yarmulke-wearing, blind US President Donald Trump being led by a dog with a Star of David collar and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s face for a head.
I didn’t believe the cartoon was real when I first saw it. Many of my colleagues didn’t believe it either. I spent all day Saturday trying to track down a hard copy. I phoned friends, I got a PDF of the edition, and even then I didn’t believe it. I had to see for myself. So I drove to a twenty-four hour supermarket. There on the newsstand was the April 25 edition. I flipped gingerly through, fearing to see page sixteen. And then I found it. It stared back at me: That horrid image of a blind President Donald Trump with a yarmulke being led by a dog with the face of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Worse, the dog was wearing a Star of David as a collar.
This is what the New York Times thinks of us. Even if they subsequently said it was an error, they thought it was ok to print a cartoon showing the US President being blindly led by the “Jewish dog”? And not only that, those who watched as it went to print thought it is fine to put a Jewish skullcap on the President. Dual loyalty? No need to even wrestle with that question. It used to be we were told that Trump was fostering “Trump antisemitism” and driving a new wave of antisemitism in the US. But the cartoon depicts him as a Jew. Well, which is it? Is he fostering antisemitism, or is he now a closet Jew being led by Israel, depicted as a Jewish dog? We used to say that images “conjured up memories” of 1930s antisemitism. This didn’t conjure it up, this just showed us what it looked like.
The Nazis also depicted us as animals. They also put Stars of David on us. The anti-Semites have compared us to dogs and pigs and monkeys before. It used to be that it was on the far-Right that Jews were depicted as controlling the world, like an octopus or spider. But now we see how mainstream it has become to blame the Jews for the world’s problems. The cartoon comes in the context of numerous similar antisemitic statements and “dog whistles.” In this case it isn’t only “the Jews” but also Israel “leading” the US President. The cartoon is clear as day. It presented the Jews, as symbolized by that Star of David collar, secretly controlling the US president and he is led by Israel, the Jewish state.
No other minority group is subjected to such unrelenting and systematic hatred by mainstream US newspapers. No one would dare to put an Islamic leader’s face on a dog, with Islamic symbols leading the President. Of course not. The editor would stop that. They’d be sensitive to this issue. They would err on the side of not being offensive. The night editor, the duty editor or someone would say “this doesn’t look right.” Imagine the days when racists tried to depict US President Barack Obama as a closet Muslim. We know the tropes. So why put a yarmulke on Trump’s head? When it comes to Jews and Israel, there is no depth to which they will not sink. And an apology after the fact isn’t enough.
This cartoon didn’t end up in the International Edition of the New York Times by mistake. It was chosen, it was put on a page by someone, it was checked and re-checked. I know. I’m an Oped Editor. When I used to run cartoons in my section, no fewer than four people would see it before it goes to print. At the International Edition of the New York Times it should have been more than four. And they all thought it was fine? What that tells you is that there is a culture of antisemitism somewhere in the newsroom.
There isn’t just one problem with this cartoon. There are numerous problems. Problem one is putting a yarmulke on the President in a negative way. What is being said there? That he is secretly a Jew. Then making him blind and having him led by Israel. That implies Israel controls US policy or controls America. Problem Two. Then they put a dog leash with a Star of David which is antisemitic in numerous ways. Problems three and four. You’d think that after the Holocaust any use of the Star of David would automatically raise questions in a news room. But no. Then they put the Israeli Prime Minister’s face on a dog. On a dog. Problem number five.
So this cartoon wasn’t just mildly antisemitic. It wasn’t like “whoops,” it was deeply antisemitic. The New York Times acknowledges this in a kind of pathetic way. They admitted that the cartoon “included antisemitic tropes.” Then they note “the image was offensive and it was an error of judgement to publish it.” That’s not enough. An error of judgement would imply that it was just a kind of mistake. “tropes” would imply that to some people it is antisemitic, but it’s not clear as day.
This is clear as day. This isn’t like some story of unclear antisemitism. This isn’t a dog whistle. This is a dog. This is antisemitic on numerous levels. It’s time to say no more. It’s time to say “they shall not pass.” This should be a defining moment. It is a defining moment because one of America’s most prestigious newspapers did this, not some small newspaper somewhere. That it was the International edition doesn’t make it any less harmful. In fact it shows America’s face to the world and gives a quiet signal to other anti-Semites. How can we demand that there be zero tolerance for antisemitism and antisemitic tropes when this happens?
People must speak up against the cartoon fiasco and demand a real accounting and also demand a real conversation. Not another set of excuses where we all pretend it’s not clearly antisemitism, and it’s not clearly an attack on Jews and “dual loyalty.” We need to hear contrition and explanations and the public should be included and the New York Times should listen to how harmful and offensive this was.
(Jerusalem Post)
This article was originally published in the Jerusalem Post. To read more, please visit: jerusalempost.com
A team of hedge funds who want to take control of Bed Bath & Beyond’s board went public last week with a 168-page manifesto that accused the retailer of, among other things, “excessive compensation” and self-dealing. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
A team of hedge funds who want to take control of Bed Bath & Beyond’s board went public last week with a 168-page manifesto that accused the retailer of, among other things, “excessive compensation” and self-dealing.
The hedge funds — Legion Partners, Macellum Capital and Ancora Partners — said Bed Bath & Beyond’s founders have enriched themselves through the company, including the family of co-founders Leonard Feinstein and Warren Eisenberg.
The funds referred to Bed Bath & Beyond’s $67 million purchase of the Buy Buy Baby chain in March 2007, which was reportedly founded by Feinstein’s two sons. More, they claimed that part of the $67 million purchase was a $19 million debt repayment, which left roughly $86 million in the sons’ pockets.
In addition, they took aim at the chain’s $1 million acquisition of Chef Central in 2017, referring to it as a “failed retailer” that had been founded by the son of Eisenberg.
“It’s not just family members who got rich off Bed Bath & Beyond, the hedge funds claimed,” reported the New York Post. “Between 2003 and 2017, the founders paid themselves and Bed Bath & Beyond Chief Executive Steven Temares $313 million — even as the company’s market cap fell by $8 billion, they said. Pay for founders Eisenberg and Feinstein has included “excessive perks,” including $229,850 for car services in 2017 and $63,700 for their tax planning needs, the hedge funds said.”
On April 26, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. released a statement in response to the presentation. It said, in part, that the company is “executing on a comprehensive multi-year transformation plan to strengthen its position as the expert for the home and heart-felt life events. The plan is well underway and delivering results. The Company’s Board of Directors and management are open to value enhancing ideas from all shareholders, and will carefully review the merits of the Activist Group’s presentation for opportunities to incorporate their feedback into its plan.”
Bed Bath & Beyond, the statement continues, “always welcomes investor input toward the goal of driving shareholder value and returns. In fact, many of the transformational changes underway are a result of shareholder input throughout the last couple of years. While we have been and continue to be open to engaging with the Activist Group, we note that the Activist Group has steadfastly declined to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Company, and instead, has chosen only to release its perspectives in a public forum.
“Earlier this week, in response to shareholder feedback and in connection with its commitment to accelerating refreshment at the Board-level, the Company announced the transformation of its Board of Directors and additional governance enhancements. With these changes, the Board will comprise 10 directors, nine of whom are independent and eight of whom have been appointed in the last two years. The Company offered the Activist Group the opportunity to participate collaboratively in this Board and governance transformation, but the Activist Group declined.”
Amazon head Jeff Bezos – the richest man in the world — is reportedly considering purchasing Chelsea’s Walker Tower’s top-floor penthouse, which has been on the market for $35 million. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Amazon head Jeff Bezos – the richest man in the world — is reportedly considering purchasing Chelsea’s Walker Tower’s top-floor penthouse, which has been on the market for $35 million.
“The pad is reportedly for sale after its owner, Emirati businessman Khadem al-Qubaisi, was accused of purchasing it with the proceeds from an international money-laundering scandal now under investigation by the feds,” says PageSix.com. “It sold for $50 million in 2014 to al-Qubaisi in an all-cash deal then setting a record for the most expensive home ever sold in downtown Manhattan. It went back on the market for $70 million in 2015, but the price has been chopped numerous times.”
According to the KDS Development Group, which boasts a portfolio that includes the record-setting Walker Tower, “the 47 units, 24-stories, and 200,000 square feet of Walker Tower’s conversion incorporated the building’s original design details and includes all of the conveniences of modern, upscale residential living. The elaborate brick façade has been painstakingly restored and new façade elements have been constructed in the spirit of the Art Deco ornamentation that Ralph Walker made famous through architectural masterpieces in New York City.”
Built before neighborhood height limits were enacted, the firm’s web site continues, Walker Tower “rises high above its surroundings and features stunning and protected 360-degree Manhattan views, soaring ceilings. Apartments feature oversized tilt-and-turn windows, Smallbone of Devizes kitchens, Nanz hardware, French herringbone oak flooring, built-in zoned humidification system, and radiant floor heating throughout. Sales shattered market records, including the most expensive home sold in Downtown Manhattan.”
According to CNN Business, Bezos has made the same $81,840 salary for two decades. “He has never taken a stock award. Bezos doesn’t need it — he already owns 16% of Amazon, a stake worth more than $100 billion. But Amazon pays a ton of money every year to keep its CEO safe. Bezos has received $1.6 million in security-related services and business travel each year since 2010 and at least $1.1 million since 2003 when the company first started reporting security expenses as part of Bezos’ total compensation.”
The Amazon founder and MacKenzie Bezos announced their divorce in separate posts on Twitter last week. The couple, “whose marriage was splashed all over the tabloids in the wake of Bezos’ private emails to another woman being leaked, praised each other in their dueling tweets that also revealed that the Amazon founder will hold on to much of the couple’s assets. The settlement leaves MacKenzie Bezos with a stake in the online shopping giant worth more than $35 billion,” reported USA Today.
Bezos tweeted, “I’m grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process and am very much looking forward to our new relationship as friends and co-parents.”
Philanthropist and art collector Leonard A. Lauder, 86, is said to be writing a book about his storied life and career. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Philanthropist and art collector Leonard A. Lauder, 86, is said to be writing a book about his storied life and career.
Lauder serves as the chairman emeritus of the Estée Lauder Companies, which operates a variety of cosmetics brands like Clinique, MAC and La Mer.
“It is believed that his late wife, Evelyn, the beloved socialite and philanthropist who died in 2011, is featured heavily in the book, as well as their work for causes including breast-cancer awareness and treatment,” reported PageSix.com. “The son of Estée Lauder, his influential art holdings have included the $1 billion collection of Cubist works he donated to the Met in 2013. The book’s repped by Robert Barnett, whose clients have also included Barbra Streisand and Jack Welch.”
Lauder, of course, is the chairman emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. He was chief executive officer until 1999. Today, Estée Lauder operates several brands in the cosmetic industry, including Estée Lauder, Clinique, MAC Cosmetics, Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Smashbox and La Mer.
“I have been blessed with a wonderful life,” he told WWD in confirming a report about the book in The New York Post. “In my business career and my personal life, I have had challenging and exciting experiences and been surrounded by outstanding people. I want to tell the unique story of my mother and father, the company they founded, and all we have accomplished. I want to convey the business lessons I’ve learned in the hopes that they can guide others. I want to tell the story of my philanthropy and my art collecting. For years, I have been asked to do this; now is the time.”
In April 2013, Lauder promised his collection of 81 Cubist paintings, works on paper, and sculptures, consisting of 34 pieces by Pablo Picasso, 17 by Georges Braque, 15 by Fernand Léger, and 15 by Juan Gris, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, according to Wikipedia. His net worth as of February 2019 is estimated at $13.2 billion.
Founded in 1946, the technologically advanced, innovative company has gained a worldwide reputation for elegance, luxury and superior quality. Its products come with a promise to uphold the finest standards of excellence. “Through extensive research and stringent product evaluation, we are pleased to bring you skincare, makeup and fragrance products that are both gentle and highly effective,” the company promises on its web site.
“No doubt the tome will be chockablock with the wisdom that Lauder is renowned for sharing inside and outside of the company, be it the benefits of always sending a thank you note or a master class in selective distribution,” reported WWD. “Despite his accomplishments, Lauder is as engaged as ever. “You can’t learn anything with your mouth open all the time,” he told WWD last year. “Listen, listen, listen. You’ll be amazed, if you are willing to listen, what you can learn.”
The sex crimes trial of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been postponed from June 3 to September 9. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The sex crimes trial of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been postponed from June 3 to September 9.
Judge James Burke kept the media and public out of Friday’s court appearance, responding to the request of both prosecutors and defense attorneys. The judge tossed newsmen and curious outsiders. Prosecutors made their case that still more accusers be given the opportunity to testify.
The allegations against Weinstein to be discussed at the hearing are “highly inflammatory”, Burke said, “and letting the public in would “result in a violation of both the defendant’s right to an impartial jury panel and his right to a fair trial,” reported The Guardian. “The publication of this information at this time would serve no purpose other than to arouse negative public sentiment toward the defendant,” he said, adding it would have a “devastating effect” on Weinstein’s ability to get a fair trial.”
Nearly 90 women have insisted that Weinstein was guilty of sexual misconduct. Reporters reportedly lobbied for the hearing to be conducted in the open, arguing that the case against Weinstein has been made so publicly already that no harm could be done.
“This criminal case is a matter of immense and legitimate public interest,” said attorney Robert Balin, speaking on behalf of no fewer than 14 news organizations.
“Simply put, Weinstein is the focal point of the #MeToo movement and the alleged ‘bad acts and uncharged crimes’ at issue here have been indelibly burned into the public consciousness already,” Balin wrote. “As such, the Parties are unable to demonstrate (as they must) that there is a substantial probability that the repetition of this widely known information in open court will have a meaningful effect on the opinions of potential jurors or otherwise prejudice Weinstein’s right to a fair trial.”
According to Variety, the prosecution has filed sealed motions “to allow testimony from “Sandoval” and “Molyneux” witnesses. In New York, the “Molyneux rule” allows prosecutors to introduce evidence of uncharged conduct if it helps establish a pattern of behavior. Under People v. Sandoval, the prosecution may introduce such testimony to undermine a defendant’s credibility, should the defendant choose to testify.”
Weinstein’s attorney, Jose Baez, told the news media that he viewed the delay as supportive of a defense keen designed to discredit accusers, and prove that any encounters were consensual. “We had a very good day in court today. We’re glad that the trial got back to September,” Baez told reporters. “This is going to give us an ample opportunity to dig into the case.”
Donald Trump, Jr. wasn’t immediately sold on the sprawling $4.5 million, seven-room Bridgehampton home he and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, 50, are now in contract to buy, according to sources. “One of the first questions Don Jr. asked was where he could store his guns,” a source said. So the couple decided they would simply add a brand-new room, dedicated to Don Jr.’s firearms.” – Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The “revelation” that Donald Trump, Jr. likes guns is hardly news – he has been open about that fact since his father declared for the presidency – but it was apparently enough to get folks in the real estate and media worlds buzzing.
“Donald Trump Jr. only had one requirement when house hunting in the Hamptons — a special room to store his beloved guns,” The New York Post has reported.
“The 41-year-old first son wasn’t immediately sold on the sprawling $4.5 million, seven-room Bridgehampton home he and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, 50, are now in contract to buy, according to sources. “One of the first questions Don Jr. asked was where he could store his guns,” a source said. So the couple decided they would simply add a brand-new room, dedicated to Don Jr.’s firearms.”
There are “a lot of gun owners out here, and there is a big hunting season in the spring and fall,” the source told the Post. “Don Jr. loves to hunt. He is looking forward to spring and fall hunting season in the Hamptons.”
Of more immediate concern to Trump, Jr., however, is the defamation lawsuit that was recently filed against him by former Massy Energy CEO and U.S Senate candidate Don Blankenship.
“Last Thursday my attorneys filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump, Jr.,” a press release from Blankenship reads. “The lawsuit has to do with slanderous defaming tweets Trump Jr sent out around May 3rd last year, ie, a few days before the West Virginia Primary election. Essentially, Junior’s tweets said, “that I went to prison for actions that led to the deaths of twenty-nine coal miners”. This statement is totally false.”
Blankenship and his handlers drafted a press release Thursday night “explaining why we sued Trump Jr. Our intent was to inform as many Americans as possible. We sent the press release to a company called PR Newswire. PR Newswire is a major distributor of news stories and articles throughout the country.PR Newswire charges a fee for distributing press releases and we were paying that fee in advance. However, PR Newswire refused to distribute our release. They sent us an email explaining why.
“We then sent them another press release,” it continues, “and again offered to pay them their regular fee to distribute it. This second press release simply said that PR Newswire would not distribute our first press release announcing the lawsuit against Trump Jr. We attached to this second press release their email to us. PR Newswire then sent us another short email saying that they “would not partner with Don Blankenship”.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has been preparing for a potential presidential run, despite what has become a very crowded Democratic primary field with a handful of Senators and members of Congress, an Indiana mayor, and an entrepreneur entering the race. In recent weeks, Mr. de Blasio has retained the services of a Democratic fundraiser, toured Iowa and New Hampshire — two presidential battleground states, and held fundraising dinners with donors across the country.
The New York mayor, whom residents overwhelming say should not enter the crowded Democratic field, delivered remarks at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington.
When asked by reporters whether he intends on entering the 2020 presidential race, Mr. de Blasio has said that he is “not ruling anything out,” adding that he will talk to members of his family before making a final determination.
Mr. de Blasio has tasked two political advisers with assisting him in his aspirations to become a nationally-recognized politician. Mike Casca, a senior aide to Senator Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential run, departed Mr. de Blasio’s office earlier this month as the mayor’s communications chief to join his political action committee.
Fairness PAC, Mr. de Blasio’s political action committee, raised roughly $600,000 last year — and dispersed almost the same amount.
Jon Paul Lupo, who serves as the mayor’s Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, tapped Washington-based digital firm Trilogy Interactive to assist Mr. de Blasio’s PAC.
Stacey Bashara, a partner at Trilogy Interactive, told The New York Times earlier this month that she planned to reform Mr. de Blasio’s email list.
“The work we’ve been hired to do is for Fairness PAC,” she told The Times. “There’s been no conversation beyond that.”
A Quinnipiac University poll released early this month showed that 76% of likely voters in New York City think that Mr. de Blasio should not enter the 2020 presidential race. 47% of voters told Quinnipiac that it would be bad for New York City if the mayor enters the race.
“I’m glad I could unify the people of New York City,” Mr. de Blasio told reporters earlier this month at a press conference, speaking about the new poll.
“I have spent a lot of time in dead last in many a poll in many a race,” he told The Times earlier this year. “It’s not where you start. It’s where you end.”
Mr. de Blasio said the same thing recently during a speech at Al Sharpton’s yearly National Action Network convention.
“Time and time again, people will tell you what you can’t do,” he said, according to The Times. “But don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do. Don’t let anyone talk you out of your own power.”
Lawyers for the woman who is alleged to have sexually serviced New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft are arguing in court that videos said to show the acts in question should not be released. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Lawyers for the woman who is alleged to have sexually serviced New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft are arguing in court that videos said to show the acts in question should not be released.
Lei Wang, 45, is one of a quartet of women who were placed under arrest in connection with the Jupiter, Florida Orchids of Asia Day Spa probe.
“Investigators were led to Orchids of Asia in Jupiter, where covert surveillance cameras were installed after investigators got a “sneak-and-peek” warrant and used a bomb threat to install them–legal under the Patriot Act,” USA Today reported. “Wang’s attorneys in court filings argued for a protective order on the videos, alleging they were improperly obtained and shouldn’t be disclosed. They argue a release would violate Wang’s right to privacy and would make it difficult for her to get a fair trial. They also argue the videos are “medical records” and thus confidential and not allowed for release in a records request.”
Court records are said to read, “Here, the police created and seized medical records of therapeutic massage sessions without any notice to the affected parties.”
The videos, compiled over five days in January – taken by hidden cameras put in place by Jupiter police offers — have been the focus of the emotional court battles. There has also been an alleged leak.
“I’m not messing around with this,” Marx said, choosing to piggyback on a “protective order” last week from County Judge Leonard Hanser in Kraft’s misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution cases,” according to the South Florida SunSentinel. “The court rulings mean that the videos must remain sealed, for now, to protect fair trial rights for Kraft, Zhang and Wang. Under the orders, the videos could become available once juries are sworn in, or if other events happen, such as the charges being dropped or the cases ending in plea agreements.”
Last week, CNN reported, Judge Leonard Hanser “cited Kraft’s fair trial rights when he ordered that the footage could only be released under the following circumstances: when a jury is sworn in for trial; when the case is resolved via plea agreement or the state decides that it no longer wants to pursue the charges.”
In February, Kraft was charged with two accounts of soliciting prostitution at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida as part of a larger investigation into possible human trafficking within Florida massage parlors, according to The Sagamore. “(No evidence of trafficking has been found at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa at this time.)”
H&R Block co-founder Henry Bloch passed away on Tuesday at 96-years-old at St. Luke's Hospice in Kansas City, Missouri. Photo Credit: fox4kc.com
H&R Block co-founder Henry Bloch passed away on Tuesday at 96-years-old at St. Luke’s Hospice in Kansas City, Missouri.
Mr. Bloch founded the nationwide tax preparation service in 1955 with his brother, Richard, after the IRS stopped providing income tax preparation services to American consumers.
According to The Associated Press, Mr. Bloch’s brother Richard, who passed away in 2004, told reporters that him and his brother used the word “Block,” instead of Bloch, to insure that consumers spelled the company’s name correctly.
Mr. Bloch retired as the company’s Chief Executive Officer in 1992 and later as Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2000.
“Through his honesty and integrity, Henry embodied the best of American business, entrepreneurship and philanthropy. In so many ways, he was ahead of his time and a model for today’s entrepreneur,” Jeff Jones, the president and Chief Executive of H&R Block said in a statement. “His vision lives on through our H&R Block associates and the many philanthropic organizations that he supported.”
In 2011, Mr. Bloch and his wife, Marion, created the Marion and Henry Block Family Foundation to contribute to the local Kansas City community.
Mr. Bloch and his wife were also life-long benefactors of various organizations in the Kansas City area, including St. Luke’s Hospital, the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and the Nelson-Atkins art museum. Mr. Bloch, at one point in time, served as Chairman on the Nelson-Atkins art museum’s Board of Trustees.
“This is an enormous loss to the community and to the Nelson-Atkins,” Richard Green, the current Chairman of the Museum’s Board of Trustees, said in a statement. “Henry Bloch had an unfailing vision and enthusiasm that was borne of genuine gratitude. The Nelson-Atkins was truly fortunate to benefit from Henry’s leadership, guidance, and passion for the arts. It is now our responsibility to reflect his wonderful example as we move into the future.”
“This is a sad day. Henry has been a fundamental pillar of leadership for the Nelson-Atkins for so many years,” Shirley Bush Helzberg, a former Chairwoman of the Museum’s Board of Trustees, said in a statement. “His steadfast support and keen eye for sound business practices will be sorely missed. And he was a true gentleman.”
“Over the years, I have enjoyed giving back. And in the process I have learned that true success is not measured in what you get, but in what you give back,” Mr. Bloch once said, according to a statement released by the company he founded.
Mr. Bloch made a generous contribution to the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 2012 — resulting in the university naming its School of Business Management after him.
Following the shooting attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, which occurred exactly six months before Saturday’s attack, Edelman had tweeted his sorrow. Edelman also paid tribute to the 11 victims by wearing an Israeli baseball cap at a game. Photo Credit: Patriots.com
Julian Edelman, wide receiver for the New England Patriots, stepped up again to stand with the victims of terror, after the latest senseless shooting attack on a San Diego-area Chabad synagogue that left one woman dead and three other people injured. “I’m so sad to be writing about another attack on a Synagogue today on the Shabbat and on the last day of Passover. I’m so sorry for the loss and we are with you San Diego. I’m sad and angry, but also proud of the strength of our community. You can’t break us,” Edelman tweeted. As reported by VIN News, his statement was retweeted roughly 3,000 times and liked more than 24,800 times in the hours following the attack.
The San Diego terror attack left the Rabbi, a girl and another man injured. The 61-year old woman who was killed in the tragic hate crime, will be remembered as a hero for selflessly jumping to shield the Rabbi. The members of the community were applauded for their strength in protecting each other and acting swiftly to minimize the damage. The 19-year-old suspect, John T. Earnest of San Diego, is in custody.
Edelman’s father is Jewish and the football star has also shown his support for the Jewish community in the past. Following the shooting attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, which occurred exactly six months before Saturday’s attack, Edelman had tweeted his sorrow. Edelman also paid tribute to the 11 victims by wearing an Israeli baseball cap at a game. In his post-game interview he said, “You know, it’s just to let the people out in Pittsburgh know that I’m thinking about them, sending vibes. They’re in our prayers,” Edelman had told the press in early November. “That was a big hit to our community and it’s uncalled for. So, I just let them know I’m behind you, I’m supporting.”
Edelman, 32, has been with the Patriots since 2009. This year, he was named Super Bowl MVP following the team’s victory at Super Bowl LIII, in which he had 10 catches for 141 yards receiving, more than half of his team’s total receiving yardage. He holds the Super Bowl records for both career punt returns (8), and first-half receptions in a single game (7).
