Stacey Abrams Covers Marie Claire’s April Issue!
American politician, lawyer, voting rights activist, and author Stacey Abrams covers the April 2021 issue of Marie Claire magazine photographed by AB+DM.
On her success: “My success is tied at the most base level with the success of my people, and my people are the South. My people are Americans. My people are people of color. My success can only ever be real if I’m doing it for the success of others.”
On defending voting rights: “I want to be defending voting rights. I want us to effectively leverage the census and redistricting, and I want us to serve the disproportionately harmed communities. I want us to rebuild the public infrastructure of the South, using COVID not as an excuse for what was broken but as a template for what we need to do right.”
On change: “Because there’s nothing permanent about the change that we’re making until people believe it’s a change they should defend and maintain. And so every election, every fight, you’ve got to remind people that they have the capacity to win, and you have to do it anew.”
On continuing her work in Georgia: “If you can do it [in Georgia], you can prove that it is possible in enclaves that have given up. If you can do this stuff in the Deep South— if you can elect a Black Southern preacher and a Jewish son of an immigrant to the U.S. Senate while Donald Trump sits in the White House, then, by God, everything else is possible.”
Style Credits:
Cover: Thom Browne Cape | Tory Burch Top | LaPointe for 11 Honoré Pants | White Space Earrings | Bernard James Bracelet | Sarah Flint Shoes
Image 1: Sansovino 6 Poncho and Dress
Image 2: Sergio Hudson Coat Dress | Tiffany & Co. Earrings and Necklace | Kahmune Shoe
#RHOA: Kenya and Drew BEEFING about a Restaurant Check?
Last night’s episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta wasn’t as juicy as some of the most recent ones we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks. That being said, it did bring up an interesting point of contention between an unlikely duo — Kenya Moore and Drew Sidora — who just so happened to grab dinner together. After watching, now all we want to know is — would you ever let Kenya pick up your dinner tab if you were Drew?
Now keep it all the way real — love her or hate her, Kenya has been running this season. If you recall, she was the one who organized the RHOA ladies to go on their getaway trip to South Carolina — one which has spanned most of the season thus far. Luckily for viewers, the trip also gave us one of the most entertaining and scandalous moments of RHOA history — #Strippergate. As a side note, while we’ve also seen Kenya seemingly make up with her old frienemy Marlo this season, we’ve also watched episode after episode as the Gone With The Wind Fabulous diva has escalated old tensions with her other friend/foe, Porsha.
As season 13’s cast newbies have been concerned, as per her usual — Kenya’s actions have remained quite polarizing. While things between her and LaToya have been bizarrely too close for comfort, the initially friendly vibes been Kenya and Drew quickly took a nosedive within the first few episodes of the season — when Drew exposed to the other RHOA ladies that Kenya (and LaToya) would be flying via private jet to their South Carolina vacation spot despite everyone else being organized to take a several hour-long bus ride there.
What’s also important to note is that Drew is one of the several RHOA women currently on the cast that has a young daughter. All of those ladies were really shocked, hurt, and disappointed when at the beginning of the South Carolina trip — they all found out that Kenya had brought her child along on the vacation with her nanny. Understandably, Drew and the other women were very upset because they would have appreciated it if Kenya would have given them the option to bring their own daughters on the vacay as well.
All that being said, I can’t be the only viewer who was caught off guard when Drew and Kenya randomly sat down for dinner in last night’s episode. As Drew said, she initiated the meeting with Kenya despite their rocky start because her goal was to give a relationship with each of the women already on the show a fair shot. Although her intentions being good and genuine — once she and Kenya discussed some of their aforementioned points of conflict, things between them went all the way left.
Clearly, Kenya and Drew’s communication that night was just completely off. To be real, both of them were cutting each other off — but Kenya was definitely being super on the defensive and argumentative from the jump and throughout their conversation. It’s weird because things between the two didn’t seem to get that heated, but the night wrapped up when both women asked for the check — shortly after they just received their full plates of food. While Kenya offered to put the bill on her card, Drew quickly interjected to let their waitress know that the bill would be split.
In her confessional, Kenya said, “Broke b*tches split checks, okay? I’m not going to sit here and calculate how much tax I owe on a check.”
Now let me be very clear — I 100% agree with Drew. Broke or not, there is no way I’m having someone that I don’t know that well or don’t get along with that well to pay for my check. I don’t need them thinking that they didn’t me any favors, and I don’t want them having anything to hold over my head. While we’re both grown and can afford to pay the bill in full — let’s just put on our thinking caps, calculate this tax, and pay for our own separates orders — just as the ladies ended up doing on the show.
Overall, it doesn’t seem like things between Kenya and Drew will be getting better anytime soon, but only because the communication between the two just seems like it can’t get right. Regardless, as we saw yesterday, Kenya’s been doing some therapy and self-reflection on her part — so maybe that will help her communicate with everyone in her life better, friends and family included.
What do y’all think, would you have let Kenya pay the tab after the type of dinner she Drew had?
#NewMusic from Ruff Endz New Single “Be the One”!
Veteran duo Dante Jordan and David Chance aka R&B group Ruff Endz return with their brand new single called “Be the One”.
The catchy and uptempo modern R&B jam will be included on the group’s upcoming fifth album “Rebirth”. “Be the One” was written by Chance and co-written by Jordan.
They add: “The inspiration behind “Be The One” is based on our own experiences and the experiences of most people I know. When a man has finally found the one lady that he feels is his soulmate or his ride or die, he is willing to put it all on the line for her and will put her worries to rest. We hope to help change the narrative with this song in our community to show that men need love and want to be in love too.”
LISTEN HERE
The upcoming album “Rebirth” is set to release on April 2nd via the SRG/ILS label. This is the first new album from Ruff Endz since they released “Soul Brothers” back in 2018.
#HipHopNews: ‘Bodak Yellow’ Goes Diamond: Cardi B Becomes First Female Rapper to Achieve The Status!
Cardi B’s breakout single ‘Bodak Yellow‘ has officially gone diamond for moving more than 10 million copies.
With this, she has become the first female rapper in history to achieve the feat (for a single). Lauryn Hill recently became the first female emcee to accomplish a diamond selling album with The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Cardi originally shared a video message on Twitter, taking about how tired and stressed she was due to everything going on, most specifically the rehearsals for her upcoming GRAMMYs performance. She said they wanted to take her to a hotel to meet with the Atlantic Records team.
The ‘Up‘ rapper didn’t reveal what the meeting was about but said it “really uplifted” her. But the cat’s out of the bag. Her close associate Brooklyn Johnny shared a video on his Instagram stories where he revealed that the “meeting” was to present her with the coveted RIAA Diamond award. Congrats to Cardi and her team!
Piers Morgan Quits 'Good Morning Britain' Following Meghan Markle!
The TV host sparked widespread condemnation when he suggested he didn't believe Markle's claims about feeling suicidal, with more than 41,000 people complaining to broadcaster regulator Ofcom.
Piers Morgan is leaving his Good Morning Britain breakfast news show on U.K. network ITV.
In a somewhat fast-paced turn of events, the news was announced just an hour after it was revealed that broadcasting regulator Ofcom was investigating the host following comments he made about Meghan Markle on Monday's episode. More than 41,000 people complained.
"Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain," ITV said in a short statement. "ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add."
Morgan faced widespread condemnation Monday after his one-man tirade against Prince Harry and Markle in a show that was almost entirely dedicated to their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. His most contentious comments were those made in reaction to Markle's claims about her own mental health, disputing her story about feeling suicidal and turning to the palace for support, only to be turned down.
"Who did you go to? What did they say to you? I'm sorry, I don't believe a word she said, Meghan Markle," he said. "I wouldn't believe it if she read me a weather report."
On Monday, mental health charity Mind, which has teamed with ITV on a mental health initiative, said that it was "disappointed and concerned" about his comments and that it was in discussions with the broadcaster about them. In ITV's earnings call Tuesday morning, CEO Carolyn McCall confirmed that network execs were talking to Morgan about his conduct.
Earlier on Tuesday, Morgan stormed off the set of Good Morning Britain after being called out by the show's weatherman, Alex Beresford, for his "diabolical" dismissal of mental health and suicide.
Beresford brought up Morgan's previous relationship with Markle, suggesting that he was somewhat obsessed with the royal, which led to him dramatically leaving the set. "I understand you don’t like Meghan Markle, you’ve made it so clear a number of times on this program, a number of times," Beresford said.
Morgan returned to the studio for a segment featuring Markle's estranged father, Thomas Markle.
Kanye West’s Former Bodyguard Is Apparently Making a Documentary About His Time Working for the Rapper!
Kanye West’s former bodyguard Steve Stanulis is apparently shopping around the story of his time working with the controversial rapper to various streaming services.
The former NYPD officer and Chippendales dancer told Page Six that two studios have approached him about the potential project and that he wants to start filming as soon as next month. “They see this as a 48 Hours for real, or a Lethal Weapon for real,” he explained. “It comes from my mouth, I worked with [West] two separate times.” He added, “Every day was a new adventure. There are a ton of stories I haven’t told.”
Stanulis says he worked with the rapper in 2016 during notable moments in his career, such as the Met Gala, during New York Fashion Week, and when he had a “meltdown” before a Saturday Night Live performance. While Stanulis claims, “I was one of his favorite guys,” their relationship has since devolved. In 2016, Page Six reports that West threatened his former bodyguard with a $30 million lawsuit after he complained about working for the rapper in an interview with a U.K. newspaper, claiming that Stanulis was violating his confidentiality agreement. At the time, a representative for West reportedly told Gossip Cop, “This sad, parasitic maniac has violated every basic human tenet of decency with his story of lies.” But Stanulis countered, “He’s trying to bully me with this ridiculous lawsuit.”
Last year, the bodyguard also went on the Hollywood Raw podcast to talk about his time with West, calling him the “neediest, moodiest, and worst tipper” he’s worked for and one of his “least favorite people” with “ridiculous rules.” He also recounted the time West allegedly almost got in a fight with an Italian dignitary’s security team because West got a little tipsy and went into the wrong suite at the Waldorf Astoria.
But while a huge multimillion-dollar lawsuit would be a deterrent to most people telling their story, Stanulis is using the event as the jumping-off point for his proposed documentary. “It starts off with the $30 million lawsuit, and works backwards, with all the craziness. Why not address the elephant in the room?” he explained. “They threatened to sue me two separate times—once back in the day, and then on a podcast this year. It went viral, and they threatened to sue me again for $10 million, and my attorney countered and it just went away.” He added that he hopes the documentary will make it so “nobody has to ask me about this ever again. I swear to you—no matter what I do…somewhere along the line [the job with West] comes up.” But with the release of the film, he says there will be “nothing left to be said. I’m saying it all.
HBO Addresses Concerns That Makeup Artist Darkened an Extra's Skin on Lovecraft Country!
HBO has admitted that a makeup artist on the set of Lovecraft Country "should not have" darkened an extra's skin for a scene.
One background actress, Kelli Amirah, claimed on social media in recent weeks that the makeup team was "putting me in blackface" by making her face and her hands look darker to match another actress' skin tone.
She shared two TikTok videos in February alleging she was on set getting her hair and makeup done when the artists started talking about how her skin was lighter than that of another star.
"I notice my foundation is getting darker and darker," she recalled in a Feb. 19 video. "I was so uncomfortable. I had no idea they were going to do this to me. And if I knew beforehand, I would not have accepted the job." The 23 year old added, "Who thought that this was a good idea?"
She noted that she didn't feel she had any power to speak up at the time. "I have no clout, no pull, no nothing. This job is the first time I've ever had my own lil trailer on set," Kelli said. "I'm getting special treatment, sitting in between the big leagues."
On TikTok, she said she got her hair and makeup done with Lovecraft Country stars Courtney B. Vance and Jurnee Smollett.
In a follow-up video, she confirmed she was talking about her time on Lovecraft Country, which premiered in August 2020 on HBO. Kelli appeared as a young version of the character Osberta (Carol Sutton) in an old photo of her wedding day. As Kelli described, the scene in episode seven was about Atticus "Tic" Sampson Freeman trying to find out more info about his family.
On Monday, March 8, HBO responded to her experience. "We were very disappointed to learn of Ms. Amirah's experience," a spokesperson for HBO told E! News. "This should not have happened, and we are taking steps to ensure this doesn't occur again in the future."
Lovecraft Country follows Tic (Jonathan Majors) on a cross-country road trip in the Jim Crow era of the 1950s. Among the executive producers are Jordan Peele, J.J. Abrams and creator Misha Green.
The network issued its statement after Kelli addressed the incident further on Twitter over the weekend, elaborating on why she felt so uncomfortable.
On Saturday, March 6, she wrote in a thread, "I've been getting a lot of very valid critiques for my complacency in allowing Lovecraft Country to darken my skin as a photo double for some set photography briefly featured in an episode. It's uncomfortable but it's not wrong. I was weak and complacent in that moment."
Jamie Foxx Acquires Ownership Of Brown Sugar Bourbon Whiskey!
Triple threat star Jamie Foxx is now in the wine and spirit business and announced this week that he’s acquired the flavored whiskey brand BSB-Brown Sugar Bourbon. As the owner, Foxx will guide the creative direction and lend his entrepreneurial talents to help with the brand’s expansion.
“I’ve always lived by the rule that life is short, and you need to go out and do what you want to do. Owning a brand that brings sweet life to the party has always been a goal, and with BSB we’re making it happen,” Foxx told the Associated Press of his latest endeavor. “Before the quarantine I watched bottles of BSB disappear at all my celebrations and knew this was a brand I wanted to bring into the spotlight. Anyone who tries BSB is going to love it just like I do.”
Founded in Washington state in 2016, BSB is an ultra-smooth, award-winning flavored whiskey that features distinct notes of brown sugar and cinnamon
“We are extremely fortunate that Jamie was introduced to our brand at one of his legendary parties. I have no doubt that Jamie will lead BSB to new heights. We can think of no better creative force than Jamie, and we look forward to watching him introduce BSB to the world,” said Sean M. Penn, CEO of BSB Spirits.
BSB is distributed nationally by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and is available nationwide at retailers and online. To celebrate Foxx’s takeover, the whiskey also has a redesigned bottle and is offering two new products, BSB-Brown Sugar Bourbon and BSB 103.
“Ya’ll ain’t ready … but I am. It’s been a long time coming … now you can blame it on the @brownsugarbourbon,” The Django Unchained star commented on Twitter when he announced the news to his followers.
Timbaland & Swizz Beatz’s Verzuz Acquired By Triller Network!
Timbaland and Swizz Beatz’s Verzuz has a new home in Triller Network. In a new interview with Billboard the duo, who launched the virtual feature in the beginning of a nationwide quarantine last March, spoke on the acquisition and the fact that 43 artists who have previously participated will get shares.
Swizz Beatz said, “I don’t think there’s another company in the world that would let us bring in 43 artists-friends to participate in ownership of a company that’s valued at over a billion plus dollars. They came very strong and also with many creatives that are owners in the company already. That was a sign for us of being a perfect fit — and very disruptive.”
He added that the best part about the deal was “hearing everybody being so floored about having shares in the company and feeling like they belong. That’s the real currency. It’s going to take the creative to save the creative.”
Artists who have participated so far include: Ashanti & Keshia Cole, Jeezy & Gucci, Babyface & Teddy Riley, Monica & Brandy, and Too Short & E-40, just to name a few.
After previously turning down TV deals, Swizz Beatz said it was the artists’ ownership factor that set Triller Network apart from platforms like Apple Music and Instagram, where Verzuz was born.
“We have nothing but great things to say about them. And Instagram and Twitter have always been great supporters. But after listening to all the deals there were coming to us, we said, you know what? We’d like a partner that we can grow with. But that partner would have to totally be about the creatives. They had to accept everybody, not just me and Tim, because we noticed there are a lot of companies and businesses that aren’t used to having many creatives as owners, as leaders with voices. They’re cool with having one or two people from the culture but not 43. Me and Tim were coming with our family. Triller was the only company that accepted that.”
Timbaland added, “It was about making a difference and sharing that gift. As Swizz said, we started doing this out of love, giving it back and connecting to the world. And we just wanted to share that gift. It just feels good to give back to our creative community with a blessing in this type of structure. Think about it. Creatives build so many platforms, but you never see those creatives as part of the IPO.”
When asked if future participants will have shares, Swizz Beatz explained:
“We want to keep it organic and decide as we go along. Going forward, people will be truly incentivized in a great way. But these 43 artists are special because they played a big part in the process. They believed in us when our service was bad; took risks and came out of their houses during COVID-19 to do something for free, for their fans and love of the arts.”
While Triller has acquired Verzuz, it will still be available on the current platforms it airs as well.
Timbaland continued, “We’re just getting started. We have so much more to do. We expanded into Verzuz sports with the NFL Pro Bowl in January and want to move into comedy. We just want to be disruptive. We’ve broken a barrier because I feel like creatives have lost their place in the world. And this puts a light back on them. So Verzuz is going to be very versatile.”
Swizz Beatz concluded, “Also just to add to that, we’re thinking global and not just domestic. We’re hitting Africa, Asia, and India when the time is right. There are creatives all over the world and Verzuz is the hub for creativity. Of course, we’re going to keep it organic. We’re not going to make this announcement and try to get all fancy real quick. But we never built this to be in a box; actually creating this meant stepping outside of the box. So Tim and I have to keep pushing the envelope and inspiring others. The sky’s not the limit, it’s just the view.”
Papa John's founder says he's been working to get the N-word out of his vocabulary for the 'last 20 months'!
The former CEO of Papa John's is assuring the public he's been working on not using racist language, an effort that has apparently been ongoing for nearly two years.
John Schnatter, the Papa John's founder who in 2018 stepped down as chairman after admitting he used the N-word during a conference call, told One America News Network the pizza chain's board has painted him "as a racist" when "they know he's not a racist," per Mediaite. From there, Schnatter described his "goals," evidently including no longer saying racial slurs.
"We've had three goals for the last 20 months," Schnatter said. "To get rid of this N-word in my vocabulary and dictionary and everything else, because it's just not true, figure out how they did this, and get on with my life."
The former pizza boss also told OANN he "used to lay in bed" after his ouster wondering "how did they do this," and he called on Papa John's to come out and declare that it "didn't follow proper due diligence" and that he actually "has no history of racism."
Schnatter stepped down as Papa John's chair after Forbes reported that he "used the N-word on a conference call" that had been "designed as a role-playing exercise for Schnatter in an effort to prevent future public-relations snafus." He apologized at the time, saying "racism has no place in our society." Shortly after, though, Schnatter said he resigned because the board asked him to "without apparently doing any investigation" and that he now regrets doing so.
Later, Schnatter would vow that a "day of reckoning" would come in a bizarre 2019 interview, in which he also famously declared he's eaten "over 40 pizzas in the last 30 days."
Update: In a statement on Monday, Schnatter said he has been seeking to eliminate "false perceptions in the media" and that "on OANN, I tried to say, 'Get rid of this n-word in (the) vocabulary and dictionary (of the news media), and everything else because it's just not true,' – reflecting my commitment to correct the false and malicious reporting by the news media about the conference call."\\
Diddy Fuels Miracle Watts Dating Rumors!
Are Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and Miracle Watts dating? The rapper and Instagram model have fueled speculation that they may be closer than just friends after they have been spotted together on several occasions.
Most recently, it appears that Diddy has taken the 28-year-old beauty on a vacation to a tropical land, where he currently also links up with DJ Khaled. The Bad Boy Entertainment founder has posted a video of him hanging out with "I'm the One" hitmaker on the beach, teasing that they're working on some new music together.
The 51-year-old New York City native also posted photos from the tropical vacation. While it wasn't clear where the photos were taken and Miracle wasn't featured in any of his pictures, the model shared her own snaps on her Instagram account and upon a close inspection, it seems that they're at the same place around the same time.
This isn't the first time people have noticed the connection between Diddy and Miracle. Earlier this year, The Miracle Lash owner celebrated her 27th birthday with a huge party, during which Ciroc and DeLeoin Tequila, Diddy's newest drink, were served. Miracle was also spotted sitting right next to Diddy at his New Year's Eve party, which was significantly downsized after his annual lavish party was canceled.
Diddy has never publicly confirmed he's in an exclusive relationship since his longtime romance with Ciara ended for good in 2018 after they dated on-and-off since 2012. He was previously also in a longtime relationship with late model Kimberly Porter, with whom he shared three children together.
As for Miracle, she gained popularity after Drake gave her a shout-out on the track "2 On Thotful". She was previously rumored to be dating August Alsina.
Pepé Le Pew Will Not Be In ‘Space Jam 2’!
Space Jam 2 has removed Looney Tunes character Pepé Le Pew from the “Space Jam 2.”
Lola Bunny got a drawing change to stop the sexualization of women, and now the lover boy, woman-crazed and often seen as offensive skunk, is also getting the boot. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the decision to remove Pepé from the sequel was made more than a year ago.
The news came out Sunday following a New York Times article, which called out the character for its problematic history. In the New York Times article, written by columnist Charles M. Blow, Blow said Pepé “normalized rape culture.” While we know that the character won’t be featured in the film, there are no details on whether or not Warner Bros. will wipe Pepé completely from its brand.
People online responded to the change, highlighting how Pepé’s character has long been controversial. “Literally no one would complain if the character just never appeared in the movie. Nobody is desperate to see Pepe Le Pew in fucking Space Jam 2. But because the character was removed, now everyone is calling Cancel Culture,” said a Twitter user.
According to Deadline, Pepé was slated to appear in one scene in the film in which he would be reportedly recovering from his problematic behavior and learning about consent in a rehabilitation program. However, the film’s new director is Malcolm D. Lee, and since Lee came on board, the decision was made to remove it.
Bethenny Frankel Apologizes to Meghan Markle criticism after Oprah interview: 'Racism must feel suffocating'!
Bethenny Frankel has a little sympathy for Meghan Markle after all. The former Real Housewives of New York City star did an about-face on Sunday night after watching Oprah's explosive interview with Markle and Prince Harry.
"Emotional distress & racism must feel suffocating & powerless," Frankel tweeted. "I'm a polarizing, unfiltered(often to a fault)flawed person w a voice. When I heard of the interview,during a pandemic, it felt like a surprising choice. I'm sorry if it hurt or offended you."
Frankel drew outrage for saying she had no sympathy for the Duchess of Sussex ahead of Sunday's anticipated sit-down.
"Cry me a river... the plight of being a game show host, fairly unknown actress, to suffering in a palace, with tiaras and 7-figure weddings for TWO WHOLE YEARS to being a household name w @Oprah on speed dial, fetching 7m for interviews, hundreds of millions in media deals," Frankel tweeted. (Markle confirmed neither she nor Prince Harry was paid for the interview.)
Frankel added, "I 100% give Harry a break. This isn’t the way to generate less press & cannot be filed under the guise of wanting privacy to prevent a repeat of previous events."
The 50-year-old podcast host was slammed for her white "privilege." Selling Sunset star Chrishell Stause tweeted at Frankel, "When I woke up to your asinine comparison, during a pandemic, it felt like a surprising choice.
Bruno Mars Takes To Twitter To Beg The Grammy’s For His Band ‘Silk Sonic’ To Perform!
Bruno Mars isn’t too proud to beg, despite selling millions of records and winning countless awards.
The singer is requesting that his band, Silk Sonic, be added to the Grammy’s lineup at the last minute.
The “24K Magic” singer revealed earlier this month that he and Anderson.Paak are working on a Silk Sonic album. Their first song, “Leave the Door Open,” was released on Friday and will feature on the duo’s upcoming collaboration album.
After the Recording Academy announced the lineup for the upcoming award show, including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, and John Mayer, Mars took to Twitter to request that the lineup be changed.
According to Bruno, Silk Sonic will adhere to all safety protocols and even joked that they are willing to audition for the role.
He went on to say that the duo “hasn’t been able to play in a while” and that they “just want to sing.”
Mars told organizers that “as many covid tests as we need” will be conducted.
“I promise we won’t be extra. We just really want a gig again. I hope you’ll consider this request and give us the opportunity to shine. Love, Silk Sonic.”
Fans are likely to be surprised that the artist is begging to be added as an addition on the Grammy’s since his 2016 album, “24k Magic” earned him an album of the year, a record of the year for the title track, and at the 2018 Grammy’s he won song of the year for “That’s What I Like.”
FBI Releases New Video Of Suspect Planting Bombs Before Capitol Riot!
The FBI released new videos Tuesday that investigators said show the person suspected of planting two pipe bombs the night before the January riot at the Capitol.
"These pipe bombs were viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in injury or death. We need the public's help to identify the individual responsible for placing these pipe bombs, to ensure they will not harm themselves or anyone else," said Steven D'Antuono, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington field office.
The FBI said the bombs were planted between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET Jan. 5, outside the national offices of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee. Both are a few blocks from the Capitol.
Videos made public last month showed the person believed to be the suspect walking through the neighborhood, wearing a gray hoodie, a mask and carrying a backpack. The FBI said the suspect also wore distinctive footwear — Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes with black, gray and yellow details.
The newly released videos show the suspect walking on the sidewalk a few blocks from the Capitol, then stopping to put down the backpack before beginning to walk again. Other scenes show the person sitting down on a park bench and walking down an alley.
Investigators said both devices appeared fully functional, made out of metal pipe an inch in diameter, containing homemade black powder, with a common windup timer attached. They did not go off.
The devices' discovery pulled dozens of police away from their usual posts about 90 minutes before rioters stormed the Capitol. Steven Sund, the former chief of the Capitol Police, has said he believes the bombs were planted as a diversionary tactic.
In releasing the video, the FBI said agents hope someone may recognize the suspect's gait, body language or other mannerisms. Agents said the suspect might also have taken something from a vehicle parked a few blocks from the Capitol between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 5.
The FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information that leads to the identification of the suspect.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘GET OUT & PUSH’
Did we just find the cover to our next book?
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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