THE CASH STUFF FOR THURSDAY, NOV. 24, 2022

 FBI DETERMINES WHERE

HBCU BOMB THREATS

ARE COMING FROM

By Cash Michaels

Contributing writer

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has narrowed down who they believe is responsible for a series of bomb threats earlier this year to over several historically Black colleges (HBCUs), including some here in North Carolina, in addition to dozens of high schools and junior high schools across the country, and on a separate occasion, 19 HBCUs between Feb. 8th and March 31st.

North Carolina Central University in Durham, Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, and Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth  City were among the North Carolina HBCUs affected.

Last week, the FBI announced that one stream of racially-motivated bomb threats to HBCUs  and churches has been linked to a boy, but because the suspect is a juvenile, his identity cannot be revealed  under federal statutes, and there are limitations “for charging under-age perpetrators with federal crimes.” According to the FBI, “This individual is under restrictions and monitoring of his online activities.”

Per another stream of racially-motivated bomb threats, the FBI has identified six suspects in their ongoing probe that were using “sophisticated methods to try to disguise the source of the threats” to 49 HBCUs.

And yet another stream of bomb or active shooter threats being investigated by the FBI involves over 250 colleges (including seven HBCUs) and more than 100 high schools, and several junior high schools, starting on June 7th. According to federal authorities, these threats were coming from foreign internet addresses.

FBI officials add that they have been running traces on many of the telephone calls, emails, text messages and other communications, tracking the bomb and active shooter threats overseas.

Since the beginning of the year, HBCU officials have called for greater security measures for their campuses from state and federal authorities.

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NC NAACP WANTS CURRENT

CASE DECIDED BEFORE GOP

TAKES OVER NC HIGH COURT

By Cash Michaels

Contributing writer

Before the current 4-3 Democrat-majority NC Supreme Court turns in its robes on Dec. 31st to make way for the new 5-2 Republican-led state High Court, the NC NAACP would like for it  to finish up an important piece of  judicial business.

That “business” is the case, “NC NAACP v. Moore.”

Three months ago, Democrats on the current 4-3 state Supreme Court  ruled that in 2018, because the Republican-led NC House knew that at least 28 of it’s members had been elected from voting districts that the U.S. Supreme Court had previously ruled were part of a constitutionally illegal racial gerrymander, then that legislature probably did not have the authority to put a constitutional amendment mandating voter ID in the state Constitution.

But the Democrat majority sent the issue back to the trial court to study and get a definitive answer.

Legally, however, that order has to pass through the GOP-majority state appellate court before it gets to the Superior Court. According to published reports, the Appeal Court has been holding the order since September.

The NC NAACP  is now asking the state Supreme Court to issue a “writ of mandamus,” commanding the state appellate court to cease the delay, and send the mater back to the trial court for determination.

In its petition to the state Supreme Court, the NC NAACP presented evidence in the form of a September email from the clerk of the NC Court of Appeals proving that at least three Republican appellate court judges have no intention of sending the High Court order down to Wake Superior Court anytime soon.

“Given the additional factual inquiry the this court has ordered the trial court to conduct, additional delays in resolving this case may be inevitable, the NC NAACP petition states. “But there is no reason to allow the inexplicable delay caused by the Respondent Court of Appeals to drag on indefinitely. Blocking the trial court from fulfilling this Court’s order.” 

Needless to say, the sooner the High Court order is set to the Superior Court judge, who happens to be a Democrat, the sooner the outstanding issues can be decided prior to the current High Court losing its authority, legal observers say.

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