AMHERST MAN ARRAIGNED ON HATE CRIME CHARGE

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 18-year-old Christian McCaffery of Amherst has been arraigned before Amherst Town Court Judge Kara Buscaglia on one count of Aggravated Harassment in the 2nd Degree as a hate crime, a Class “E” felony.

The defendant is alleged to have engaged in a months long campaign of harassment directed towards the victim who is Jewish.

Town of Amherst Police and the District Attorney’s Office are also investigating a suspicious house fire at the home of the victim.

A return date has been set for January 13 in Amherst Town Court. Pursuant to the new bail statutes, the defendant was released on his own recognizance.

If convicted on the charge, he faces a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4years in prison.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan D. Haggerty of the DA’s Tactical Prosecution Unit.

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Major donor believes Democrats ‘squandered’ chance to draft party’s next ‘Lebron James’



A big-time donor for President Joe Biden thinks the Democrats missed a big opportunity by passing the ball to Vice President Kamala Harris without a convention, and he won’t be funding her run.

John Morgan, a Florida attorney and major donor for previous Democratic candidates, shared his views with Fox News host Neil Cavuto on Tuesday afternoon on why he’s not giving the Democratic presidential nominee any money.

“Harris brings a lot of great things to the table,” Morgan said. “Is she the best messenger? Is she the best person? Is her way the best way to go forward? And for me, I don’t think so.”

He compared the convention process to a fantasy basketball draft, noting that any smart player’s top draft should be a no-brainer.

“We would pick Lebron James,” Morgan said. “We had that type of opportunity but they seem to be squandering it by taking a lesser pick.”

Read also: ‘I’m out’: Major Biden donor reveals why he’s not backing Kamala Harris

Cavuto pressed Morgan on who he thinks his party’s Lebron James is, and he listed off several party favorites: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Witmer – noting that a vetted combination of star players would be the strongest choice.

But that ship has sailed, Morgan said, adding that whoever she picks as a running mate is irrelevant at this point.

“The deal is done. I don’t think there’s anything more that can be done,” Morgan said. “People vote for president, they don't vote for vice president.”

Watch the clip below or at this link.

‘Homesick’ MAGA rioter who tried to claim asylum in Ireland arrested on return to U.S.



Wisconsin Trump supporter Paul Kovacik tried to flee the country and claim asylum in Ireland — only to grow homesick, return to America, and promptly get arrested.

In a legal filing flagged by Politico's Kyle Cheney it was revealed that Kovacik late last year fled to Dublin to claim asylum shortly before he was to begin what was supposed to have been a 90-day prison sentence.

However, it seems that Kovacik couldn't last more than seven months in a foreign country.

"On June 19, 2024, Kovacik decided to voluntarily return to the United States from Ireland," the court filing states. "Kovacik advised that he... had recently decided to voluntarily withdraw his asylum claim and return to the United States because he felt 'homesick.'"

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Kovacik then flew into Minneapolis, where he was "promptly arrested" and taken to Hennepin County Jail before being transferred to a prison in Chicago where he is currently serving his original 90-day prison sentence.

However, even after getting out of jail, he may get additional time, as the court filing states that "there is probable cause to believe that" he broke the law that "makes it a crime to fail to surrender for service of a sentence pursuant to a court order."

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