Welcome to the America’s Criminologist Podcast for February 7, 2025. This is Dr Currie Myers with some interesting criminal justice news and events that have occurred in the United States recently.
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My new book, “The Advent of Feral Man” is now available on Substack drcurriemyers.substack.com for all paid subscribers. In this book, I present compelling evidence that within the last decade, America is going into a quick decent into the “wilding” of human beings. A phenomenon that is perpetuated by the lack of faith, family, and formation in our human development. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Don’t forget my podcast also available on Spotify on America’s Criminologist with Dr. Currie Myers. And please join me on X. This is a very important platform for distributing my work. @DrCurrieMyers
This week on the Lou Desmond & Company Show, I was the co-host with Lou and my guest was Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland of Terrell County, Texas. The show can also be seen on video at this link! Thaddeus C. Cleveland is the Sheriff for Terrell County, Texas. He was first appointed as Sheriff on May 17, 2022, and later elected to office. Sheriff Cleveland spent just over 26 years in the United States Border Patrol and the last 11 years of his career as the Patrol Agent in Charge of the Sanderson Border Patrol Station. In this interview Dr. Myers, Lou and Sheriff Cleveland discuss the current border situation, the huge difference between Biden and Trump on border policies, which in just two weeks as president as resulting in an 80% reduction in border crossings already. We also discussed the Great War on Terror (GWOT) that is now focused on the Mexican Drug Cartels and ways that we can apply focused deterrence on the Cartels!
Here are my pressing issues that I have offered an opinion on as an applied criminologist, ethicist and career law enforcement officer at the local, state, and federal level:
I am mad, disappointed, and concerned. With the great effort of the DOGE team, significant fraud, waste, and abuse have been located in government spending. But there is one agency in particular that needs to be called out, fully investigated and then shuttered. That agency is USAID or the United States Agency for International Development. USAID is an independent agency of the United States federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. There have been several instances where USAID grants have been misused or redirected for purposes that raise serious concerns, including potential political weaponization and support for extremist-linked organizations. Some key findings include:
USAID awarded a $110,000 grant to Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), a nonprofit with alleged ties to designated terrorist organizations. Despite warnings from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, USAID reportedly failed to investigate the allegations for over eight months. This case has raised concerns about the agency’s oversight and accountability in distributing taxpayer-funded grants foreignaffairs.house.gov.
USAID has been criticized for funding initiatives that align with certain ideological or political agendas. For instance, some grants have been linked to groups advocating for social justice movements or policies that critics argue push political narratives rather than focusing on humanitarian aid.
Reports have surfaced alleging that USAID funds were used for events such as taxpayer-funded drag shows abroad, sparking controversy over the agency’s priorities and potential misuse of resources foreignaffairs.house.gov.
Reports show that USAID funds have gone to Politico ($32M), BBC (3.2M), and the NY Times (3.1M). Further USAID funneled money to the Department of Defense which provided $9.1M to Reuters for "ACTIVE SOCIAL ENGINEERING DEFENSE (ASED) LARGE SCALE SOCIAL DECEPTION (LSD)."
USAID funds have also been used to support media sources, activities related to illegal immigration, and left-wing prosecutors. A report from the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund revealed that George Soros has spent over $50 million to support the elections of at least 70 progressive prosecutors across the U.S. These prosecutors have implemented policies that are often viewed as soft on crime, including reduced bail, non-prosecution of certain offenses, and early release of criminals. High-profile figures like Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and Los Angeles DA George Gascón have benefited from this fundingwashingtonexaminer.com. Left-wing organizations, including those with financial backing from major Democratic donors, have supported initiatives that assist illegal immigrants. This includes legal aid, sanctuary city policies, and advocacy for more lenient immigration enforcement. Additionally, reports have shown that some NGOs use taxpayer or private funds to assist illegal immigrants in crossing the border and remaining in the U. S. washingtonexaminer.com. Wealthy left-wing donors, including Soros, have funded media organizations that promote progressive narratives. Organizations like ProPublica and Media Matters have received funding to push left-wing messaging and influence public opinion washingtonexaminer.com. These financial efforts collectively contribute to policies and narratives that align with progressive and leftist agendas, affecting law enforcement, immigration policy, and public perception. A review of staff at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has identified only 294 of the agency’s 14,000 employees as essential to administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. The internal review, originating from within USAID, appears to have been initiated by President Donald J. Trump’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who is also currently serving as the agency’s acting director.
Revolutionizing Law Enforcement: A Mind, Spirit, and Body Approach to Policing
Law enforcement is at a crossroads. Officers are overworked, undertrained, and burdened by administrative constraints that stifle personal and professional growth. To build a more resilient and effective police force, agencies must pivot toward a holistic development model that prioritizes mind, spirit, and body. This model proposes an eight-hour work shift with an additional mandatory hour dedicated to personal development, supported by state-of-the-art fitness centers, advanced learning facilities, and spiritual guidance programs. A fundamental shift in budget allocations is necessary to make this vision a reality, ensuring that officers receive the training, wellness support, and community engagement opportunities they need to excel. To read the full perspective click here!
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Okay here is my five-minute blitz on CJ News and Information for this week:
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s office furiously tried to backpedal Monday after he boasted that he had opened his home to a migrant and taunted the Trump administration “to try to get her.’’ A rep told The Post that the loose-lipped Jersey leader had been “misinterpreted” and that no such situation had occurred — even though Murphy had dared the feds to come after the migrant...His incendiary comments created a firestorm, forcing a representative to try to walk them back to The Post. Murphy was just referring to a legal resident who is in his circle of friends and was worried about President Trump’s return to the White House, the governor’s rep said. “No one’s ever lived in the home” under those circumstances that the governor described, the representative insisted. The rep did not explain why Murphy, who lives with his family in a mansion in Middletown, NJ, would dare the Trump administration to go after the woman at his home if she wasn’t there. Seriously, Govenor. You have stuck your entire foot in your mouth, and you know it!
In the latest move indicating the federal bureaucracy is resigning itself to the prerogatives of the Donald Trump administration — as opposed to fighting them — the FBI has agreed to turn over the details of the roughly 5,000 FBI agents who played a role in investigating cases relating to Jan. 6. “There are more than 13,000 agents and 38,000 total FBI employees.” The move is already the subject of a lawsuit by FBI employees against the DOJ, accusing it of violating both their Constitutional rights and federal privacy laws by painting the demand — and requiring them to take a survey about what role they might have played in the investigation — as part of a “purge.” There is a lot of misinformation on this issue. Employees will be afforded due process here. Now if any FBI agents were involved in the politicalization of a case then all hands are off!
And from the land of unicorns and rainbows, A Washington State Democrat has filed a bill allowing felons to volunteer in the state’s schools. Rep. Tarra Simmons, an ex-con who was imprisoned for theft, drug, and firearms offenses, is the lead sponsor of House Bill 1189. That legislation would require school districts to inform applicants that if they submitted “proof of rehabilitation,” they could volunteer in schools, regardless of their convictions. People with criminal records are already allowed to teach in Seattle schools. Ian Golash, a teacher and department head at Chief Sealth High School, had multiple arrests in Oregon, including for assault, parole violation, and criminal harassment. Oh, he’s also a big supporter of Hamas and was put on paid administrative leave after supporting the terrorist organization and denying the Oct. 7, 2023, atrocities in Israel. Listen folks, I am not against giving former offenders the opportunity to work but come on really, in our school system?
Imagine working for a police chief who encourages…no demands… that his officers not enforce the law. Imagine that same police chief, however, tells you to go out and enforce only “certain” laws. Most police officers I know would have zero respect for such a “leader,” a political hack only concerned about their reputation, not with his officers but with the people he works for. Such is the case of Mammoth Lakes, California Police Chief Daniel Casabian. Casabian is the type of chief who wants to look like a good guy but doesn’t care about the positions he places his officers in. Last week, Casabian posted a message on the Mammoth Lakes Police Department’s Facebook page as follows: “The topic of immigration enforcement is of great concern in our community. I am sharing this message today to remind our residents and visitors that there has been no change in the procedures and policies of the Mammoth Lakes Police Department regarding immigration. Our Agency does not enforce Federal Law, and we do not inquire about the legal status of anyone that we encounter. Our priority is the public safety of our community, and we want any victims or witnesses of a crime to feel comfortable communicating to us without fear of being detained for their legal status. MLPD is a proud member of the California Police Chiefs Association, and we stand behind their statement regarding the enforcement of immigration laws.” Chief, let me ask a question. How do you identify people you take enforcement action on? With ID and by running criminal registries, right? Your officers know whether or not a person may be in this country illegally and if you know then you are concealing that from federal law enforcement, and it is a violation of federal law. It is time to indict police chiefs and sheriffs that fail to act upon criminal law in this country. It is a violation of their oath of office.
Here’s another fraud case. A small Philadelphia corner grocery store is the scene of yet another example of squandered taxpayer money. In this case, “nearly $2 million” in food benefits meant for the hungry went to one person. Store owner Jenny Espinal Tejada, 34, was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison. She must pay more than $1.8 million in restitution and forfeit “the proceeds of her offenses, for defrauding the U.S. government,” according to a press release from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s U.S. Attorney’s Office. Espinal Tejada “pleaded guilty in October to one count of wire fraud and one count of defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program” (SNAP).
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This is Dr Currie Myers, America’s Criminologist. To view my work please visit drcurriemyers.substack.com and please share and like our page! And if you like my work here, you might want to follow me on my other Substack page, St Michael's Group | Dr Currie Myers | Substack, which focuses on reignited faith, family and formation back into our lives!
Stay safe and have a great weekend!
Dr C
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