By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on December 15, 2023 An Editorial Opinion October 7, 2023, armed Hamas soldiers launched a surprise attack against Israel and killed 1,200 men, women, and children on Israeli soil. They also kidnapped more than 240 hostages, including some American citizens. Hamas’ invasion of Israel was a terrorist attack that was pre-planned months in advance. Israeli intelligence agencies had advance knowledge of the widespread attacks, but failed to prevent or adequately defend against them. This catastrophic failure of Israeli national intelligence agencies occurred on the watch of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a veteran current and former Prime Minister, who is generally regarded in the international community as a ruthless and lawless "thug." Netanyahu’s hard-line coalition government views all Palestinians as "inferior beings" and potential Hamas terrorists. Israel, itself, was created in 1948 by a United Nations edict in the territory that was known around the world as “Palestine.” It was a British colony from 1917 to 1948.  Prior to British rule, Palestine had been a multicultural country for 3,000 years. Over the objection of Palestinians, the U.N. edict divided Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state at the end of British rule on May 14, 1948. The U.N. edict also permitted the unlimited immigration of Jews into Palestine.   Unlimited immigration into a sovereign nation is a hot-button issue that drives Americans crazy when it pertains to our southern border with Mexico. The British, who held the colonial mandate for Palestine until May 1948, also opposed both the creation of a Jewish state and an Arab state in Palestine, as well as unlimited immigration of Jewish refugees to the region.  Great Britain wanted to preserve good relations with the Arab world to protect its vital political and economic interests in Palestine. America’s Knee-Jerk Response to the October 7th Hamas Attack America’s knee-jerk response to the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack was to pour billions of dollars in weapons and aid into Israel to support its war against Hamas.  America is Israel’s staunchest ally. Since October 7th, no right-thinking American has objected to Israel defending itself from Hamas attacks. No right-thinking American has objected to Israeli military operations that target the Hamas soldiers, terrorists, and weapons of war that were involved in the October 7th attacks. Unfortunately, Netanyahu and his War Cabinet have used the October 7th Hamas attacks as a license to commit genocide against innocent Palestinian men, women, and children who are NOT Hamas soldiers, terrorists, or jihadists. A weak, senile, and embarrassing President Joe Biden is too impotent to stop Israel's indiscriminate and mass killing of innocent Palestinians.  What is more, Biden is consumed with saving Hunter Biden, his crack and powder cocaine-addicted son, from going to prison for tax evasion and lying on a federal application form for a gun purchase. At the end of the day, Joe Biden is no match for international thugs like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel is Engaged in a Full-Scale Campaign of Genocide Against the Palestinian People in Gaza Since the October 7th Hamas attack, more than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed, with 70% of them women and children, according to U.N. health officials in Gaza. The vast majority of its 2.2 million people are displaced, and an estimated half face starvation amid an unfolding humanitarian crisis. This is genocide.   Here’s why: We can now add hospitals and other U.N. designated "safe zones" to the growing list of Israeli-designated Hamas bombing targets. Tragically, the progeny of World War II Nazi genocide victims are inflicting their own version of genocide upon innocent Palestinian men, women, and children in Gaza – simply because they can. What is worse, no nation is restraining the Israel's campaign of genocide. Israel and the United States know how to track down and kill terrorists and jihadists, as well as their leaders and financiers.  Both nations have done this before – in many places and for many decades.  This time, Israel, with the tacit blessing of the United States, has decided that genocide is an easier and quicker option for killing defenseless Palestinians in Gaza. The Foreseeable Consequences of Israel’s Campaign of Genocide Against the Palestinians in Gaza Unfortunately, Israel’s campaign of genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza, while giftwrapped as “national defense,” is actually murder on a grand scale. This military campaign will do nothing to secure and promote the safety of Israelis at home or abroad. In fact, Netanyahu's campaign of genocide will likely produced a million new Hamas terrorists and jihadists. It certainly will not produce new ambassadors of goodwill for Israel within the Arab world. One day Benjamin Netanyahu will be gone from power in Israel, but the future Hamas terrorists and jihadists he has spawned will inflict their pain in the Middle-East and around the world for the next 50 years.  There are not enough national intelligence agencies and counter-terrorism programs to identify them, monitor them, and/or stop them from committing future acts of terrorism. Israel has lost the moral high ground in its war against Hamas.  The country is diplomatically isolated from the rest of the world because of its campaign of genocide in Gaza. On December 8, 2023, the United States vetoed a U.N.-sponsored resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. This Joe Biden-authorized veto was politically-motivated, dumb, and inexcusable. It was Biden's cheap grab for campaign contributions from American citizens who are Jewish. Yet, it makes America an accessory to genocide. All that is happening in Israel today is a concerted effort by Netanyahu to cover up for his national intelligence agencies' inexplicable blunder in failing to prevent the October 7th Hamas attack. This is why the Israeli military is indiscriminately bombing innocent Palestinian men, women, and babies. The Israelis are inflicting inhumane punishment against an entire race of Arab people in Gaza for the Hamas attacks, rather than hunting down the terrorists and jihadists who committed and financed them. So that we are clear, I support Israel's right to exist as a nation, but I condemn Israel’s real-time, televised, unrelenting campaign of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.  Genocide is a bridge too far for me.

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on December 13, 2023 An Editorial Opinion There is a reason why African-Americans lag behind every ethnic group in the United States in the accumulation wealth.  We are the only ethnic group in the nation that does not engage in networking with each other. We mistakenly believe that wealth, power, and influence come from the clothes we wear, the car we drive, the size of our home, and who we party with. We strive for celebrity status and “vanity wealth,” rather than business ownership and corporate influence and power.  “Vanity wealth” is derived from items like: (a) designer shoes, purses, and clothes, (b) high-priced but mass-produced jewelry, (c) luxury cars, and (d) expensive homes.  While our display of vanity wealth may impress our friends, neighbors, and poorer blacks, it is meaningless to the financial institutions that power the world’s economic engines. We have plenty of black celebrities and professional athletes who get mobbed by autograph seekers when they stroll through the mall.  However, these individuals have no power and influence with the leaders of the United States, Russia, China, India, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, and a host of other influential countries that drive international commerce. Our celebrities and professional athletes, who are great people and very accomplished in their craft, do not own or run any Fortune 500/New York Stock Exchange companies. They are not major defense or national security contractors.  They do not own Wall Street banks or accredited financial institutions. They do not own Silicon Valley-based international technology companies. They do not own international multimedia empires like Rupert Murdock, John Malone, the Newhouse family, or the Walt Disney companies. They do not manufacture airplanes, trains, trucks, buses, cars, or yachts. They do not own or run any major international oil and gas companies.  They do not mine uranium, copper, lithium, diamonds, or gold.  They do not own or run global telecommunications companies. They do not own major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Costco, H&M, the Gap, and DSW. They do not own Cisco, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, PayPal, Cash App, and other Internet-based infrastructure and social media companies. They do not own or run any major airlines or space exploration companies. They do not own or run international solar, wind, and hydrogen powered clean energy companies. They do not set monetary policies or the price of gold each day. They do not own skyscrapers in any of the world's major cities.  They do not serve on the board of directors for the SWIFT organization that oversees international transfers of money between banks. They do not own major league football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, rugby, NASCAR racing, or yachting teams. They do not own any venue where major professional sports are played. The Failure of Blacks to Network With Each Other is More Fatal to Our Economic Progress as an Ethnic Group Than White Racism For the most part, African-Americans do not buy goods and services from their reservior of highly-qualified and capable black vendors.  We do not bank with black-owned banks.  We do not use black doctors, lawyers., architects, engineers, investment advisors, real estate brokers, management consultants, or other black professionals, unless they are employed by white-owned firms. As a people, we tend to beg for what we need and buy what we want. Today, we are an at-risk population because of our choices in lifestyle, our political impotency, and wholesale adoption of destructive cultural values. Today, the real question is not what c;othes we wear, or what car we drive, or the size of our house.  Instead, global financiers want to know what businesses we own.  What annual revenues do these businesses generate?  Can these businesses be replicated around the world, and at what cost? As a people, we rarely discuss economic empowerment, privately or publicly.  We tend to talk about VIP parties, the accumulation of material things, and gossip incessantly about the lives of other people. At this juncture, the failure of African-Americans to network with each other is more fatal to our progress as an ethnic group than white racism. What is worse, we have allowed ourselves to become a race of beggars and consumers. At one time, had a thriving "Black Wall" in the Greewood community of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Now, we beg for jobs, contracts, access to VIP parties, and donations for churches, schools, and charities.  We are constantly on our knees begging everybody for something. At the same time, we spend nearly every dollar we make enriching businesses and vendors from other ethnic groups in America that have zero interest in reinvesting in us or our communities. This is the biggest reason why African-Americans are falling further behind every ethnic group in America each year. We do not help ourselves, via networking. We are always looking for a white "savior" to rescue us. That calvary ain't coming anymore! Will this sad paradigm change?  Not in my lifetime.  We are in a rut and there is no dynamic leadership on the horizon in today's African-American community.

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on December 12, 2023 The Olivia and William Carmichael Family. My maternal grandmother, Oda Etta Carmichael, was born on January 12, 1890. Etta is the little girl who is standing next to her mother Olivia (second from the left on the front row). My family’s story begins when Dougald A. Carmichael and his wife Katheryn Carmichael, both of whom were born in 1817 in Scotland, migrated to America in the late 1830s. The new immigrants initially settled in South Carolina. Dougald and Katheryn, who were white, had six sons -- James, George, John, Thomas, William and Robert -- and one daughter named Ann. As recorded in the 1850 U.S. Census, the Carmichael family was living and farrming in Hinds County, Mississippi. The Census records listed them as Dogold and Catherine Carmichael. However, their true names were Dougald and Katheryn Carmichael. The 1850 U.S. Census Slave Schedule for Dougold and Katheryn Carmichael shows that they owned two black female slaves. One was a 31-year-old slave and the other one was a 12-year-old child. Dougold and Katheryn's son, William Carmichael, who was born on December 5, 1838, met and fell in love with a beautiful “mulatto” girl in Hinds County named Olivia Williamson, who was born on April 20, 1847. Olivia's "mulatto" racial classification is confirmed in the 1870 U.S. Census, which was the first time African-Americans were counted in the census in Southern states as full citizens. Prior to 1870, blacks in slaveholding states were counted as "Slaves" or "Free Coloreds." Slaveowners listed the number and description of their slaves on U.S. Census Slave Schedules. The names of slaves were irrelevant for census counting purposes. Under the Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787, three out of every five slaves were counted when determining a state's total population for legislative representation and taxation. Olivia Williamson’s biological father was reputed to be Michael Daley, a white immigrant from Ireland who was born in 1798. [U.S. Census records for 1880 record Daley's name as "Michael Dailey"]. Daley, who was married but had no biological children with his wife Bridget, lived and farmed on land he owned in adjoining Madison County, Mississippi. There is evidence that Olivia Williamson was one of the 13 female "Free Coloreds" in Hinds County in 1850. The evidence also suggests that Michael Daley secured Olivia's freedom shortly after her birth in 1847. The First Interracial Marriage in the Carmichael/Varnado/Watkins Family Occurred in 1865 Olivia and William Carmichael married in Crawford Station, Mississippi, on March 25, 1865 -- about two weeks before General Robert E. Lee surrendered his 28,000 confederate troops to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox. This young interacial couple lived in Canton (Madison County), Mississippi. Their love for each other was more powerful than the entrenched and prevailing racial customs in Mississippi at the time. Olivia and William Carmichael were my maternal great-grandparents. Olivia Williamson Carmichael, circa 1893. William Carmichael, circa 1893. During the next 36 years, Olivia and William Carmichael would start a large family and build bridges for a host of former Madison and Hinds County slaves and their descendants to help them get a basic education, secure good jobs, own land, and vote in Mississippi. On February 26, 1887, Olivia Carmichael broke the color barrier in Mississippi by becoming the first black female to own land in her name, alone. Michael Daley signed and recorded a Warranty Deed that transferred title to his Madison County property to Olivia. Daley's conveyance of land to Olivia Carmichael 136 years ago empowered her as a black woman and boosted the Carmichael family's socio-economic clout in Mississippi's property ownership-based society. Olivia and William Carmichael had nine children, one of whom was Oda Etta Carmichael (my maternal grandmother). All of their children engaged in a lifetime of bridge-building, as well. Etta, who stands at the knee of her mother Olivia in the featured photograph to this article, and her eight siblings attended local schools in Mississippi for “colored” children, where they excelled in academics. All of the Carmichael children did well in life. They eventually became highly successful land owners, businessmen, educators, service professionals, and homemakers. Olivia and William Carmichael and their progeny are credited with the rise of the black middle-class in Hinds County, Mississippi during the Reconstruction, Post-Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and Post-Jim Crow eras. There are also credited for giving our family a significant headstart in life. Finally, Olivia and William Carmichael taught our family that "love sees no color." As a result of this invaluable lesson, there are (and have been) a lot of interracial couples in the Carmichael/Varnado/Watkins extended family for many decades. The Huge Economic Impact of Carmichael Family Member Doris Louise Varnado Conic Nowhere is the impact of Olivia and William Carmichael's emphasis on economic empowerment clearer than the case of Doris Louise Varnado (1915 to 1998) and Frank N. Conic (1911 to 2005). Doris L. Varnado was Olivia's grand-daughter. Her mother was Oda Etta Carmichael. Doris and her husband Frank N. Conic owned and operated Conic Beauty and Barber Supply Company at 615 North Farish Street in Jackson, Mississippi from 1950 to 1975. They were also civil rights icons in Jackson from the 1940’s through the 1970s. Conic Beauty and Barber Supply Company operated in Jackson, Mississippi from 1950 to 1975. From left to right: Doris V. Conic, Myrtle C. Johnson, Frank N. Conic, and Jack Johnson. Frank Conic was the son of John Edgar Conic, Sr., a prominent black businessman in Jackson. Frank’s father operated the City Barber Shop and was the only independent distributor of the Chicago Defender and Pittsburg Courier newspapers in Jackson for 30 years. Both newspapers were influential black-owned weekly publications that called for improvements in housing, healthcare, and education for African-Americans. Long before Doris and Frank Conic retired in 1975, their business was delivering beauty supplies throughout the entire State of Mississippi. Their sales grossed more revenues than any other African-American business in Jackson. Doris and Frank Conic were the first African-American members of the Carmichael family who traveled the world and established an international network of business relationships. They served as our family's private mentors on international travel and global business in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Voting in Mississippi Prior to the Passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 In Southern states, very few African-Americans dared to exercise their right to vote during the Jim Crow era. Two Mississippians who did were Doris and Frank Conic. The Conics paid the poll taxes that white segregationist officials imposed upon blacks to discourage them from voting and did so each year from 1940 until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Epilogue William Carmichael died on March 24, 1901. Olivia Carmichael died on June 20, 1927. In 2023, the Olivia and William Carmichael family commenced its seventh generation of family members with the birth of my great-granddaughter, Azayah Jordan Deese. Today, there are hundreds of immediate and extended Carmichael/Varnado/Watkins family members living, studying, and working in the United States and around the world. Every day, the bloodline of Olivia and William Carmichael is positively impacting the quality of life (in objectively measured ways) for millions of people in the fields of medicine, business, education, multimedia, finance, and energy. Since the 1830s, our family has overcome and/or outlasted every adversity we have encountered in America. Our familial foundation, business network, and interpersonal relationships are rock solid and truly global in nature. Because of Olivia and William Carmichael, our family has known since March 25, 1865 that "love sees no color." Michael Daley's conveyance of his land in Mississippi to his "mulatto" daughter Olivia (in her name only) in 1887 affirms that love trumps all.

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on December 11, 2023 An Editorial Opinion An exclusive Wall Street Journal poll released over the weekend found that Donald Trump would lead Joe Biden by 4 percentage points, 47% to 43%, if only those two candidates were on the ballot. Adding five possible third-party and independent candidates to the mix, Trump leads Biden by 6%. The poll also found 49% of voters think Trump’s policies have helped them, while only 23% of voters think Biden’s policies have helped them. Voters think Donald Trump would be better able to handle the economy, inflation, crime, border security and the war between Israel and Hamas, while Joe Biden is better able to handle abortion and tone in politics. Border security seems to be the biggest issue where Joe Biden falters, with Donald Trump leading against him by 30%. Concerns about Joe Biden’s age and cognitive abilities have also been spotlighted on the campaign trail, stemming from reports of him falling, sometimes mixing up countries and dates, and making inexplicable other blunders. Trump’s 91 felony counts in pending four criminal cases have not caused voters to sour on him.  In the court of public opinion, Trump has been pardoned for any crimes he may have committed. Biden’s apparent senility seems to be getting worse, and voters are not buying whatever he is selling. The WSJ poll was conducted from Nov. 29 to Dec. 4 with a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points. Barring divine intervention, I have predicted on multiple occasions since August 2022 that Donald Trump will win the presidency in 2024.  Every prediction I have made since 2015 regarding Trump’s presidential election outcomes have come true. If Donald Trump is elected president, all of his criminal cases will fade away and his revenge tour will begin in earnest. On December 7, 2023, Axios published an insightful article on the new Cabinet members and White House staffers who will help Donald Trump administer his revenge.  No agency of government will step up to reign-in Trump’s brutal and widespread campaign of retribution against his perceived enemies and critics. The first head on Donald Trump’s presidential chopping block in January 2025 will be Special Counsel Jack Smith’s.  The second head will be Attorney General Merriclk Garland’s. Both men will likely get a Trump-ordered opportunity to experience federal a criminal prosecution, conviction, and prison, first-hand. Remember, you heard this bold new prediction here first!

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on October 11, 2023; Updated on December 10, 2023 An Editorial Opinion Between November 2, 2021, and August 8, 2023, historically black Alabama A&M University paid Tripp Skipper’s lobbying firm, Skipper Group, $220,000 to pal around with MAGA extremist Tommy Tuberville and other MAGA politicians of his ilk. Tuberville, whose lips drip with racist comments about black Americans, is one of the most despised politicians in the United States. Dr. Daniel K. Wims, who is Alabama A&M’s MAGA-wannabe president, doled this money out at the rate of $10,000 to $30,000 per month for the joy of hobnobbing with Alabama’s loudest circle of MAGA politicians on campus and elsewhere. Tuberville is best known for his racist remarks in October 2022 about reparations for descendants of slavery ("they think the people who do crime are owed that") and his May 2023 open embrace of white nationalists in the armed forces (“I call them Americans”). Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s brand of racism has caused his own brother, Charles Tuberville, to distance himself from the Senator. Yet, Alabama A&M’s President Daniel K. Wims continues to pay Skipper Group big bucks to maintain his place within Tuberville’s MAGA political orbit. In addition to his proud displays of racism, Tuberville is ostracized in Washington because of his blockage on high level military promotions that require Senate confirmation. The leaders of both political parties in both Houses of Congress view Tuberville as a political buffoon. Tuberville is also universally regarded in Congress as ineffective and ignorant. U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) is three times more effective than Tuberville in bringing direct federal dollars to Alabama. Alabama is set to have over $304 million in “congressional directed spending,” or earmarks in the U.S. Senate’s fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill. Of this amount $232, or 76%, was attributed to Sen. Britt. Only $72 million came from the efforts of Tuberville. What Does Alabama A&M Get for the Money It Spends on Skipper Group? Skipper Group, which is headquartered in Auburn, Alabama, bills itself as a “government relations, business development, and public affairs firm. Its website claims that Skipper Group is “forward thinking, well connected, and cross-trained in multi-practice areas.” The lobbying firm also offers “targeted media relations and opinion leader education.” Dr. Wims has bought $220,000 worth of lobbying services, targeted media relations, and opinion leadership education from this two-man firm, which was founded in 2013 by Tripp Skipper. Skipper is a former Congressional aide who worked in Alabama for devoted MAGA Congressmembers Mike Rogers (R-Alabama), Robert Aderholt (R-Alabama), and former U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama). He only worked as a Congressional aide in Washington for 2 years (1998-2000). Tripp Skipper was a member of Tuberville's transition committee in 2020 and remains a "close advisor" to the Senator. Skipper Group lists 20 clients on its website, including the Tommy Tuberville Foundation and Take Back Our Republic, an all-white group of conservative GOP election law reform activists. Noticeably absent from Skipper Group’s website is any reference to historically black Alabama A&M as a client, even though the university is larger in size and asset value than listed Skipper Group clients like the Alabama Business Council and Take Back Our Republic. According to the firm's website, Skipper Group has only raised $6.2 million in contracts for its group of 20 listed clients since 2017. While Alabama A&M announced an $8.1 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant on July 1, 2023, to upgrade the Bulldog Transit System, this money came from President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill, which Tuberville vigorously opposed. Alabama A&M has won millions of dollars in other federal government grants this year through the hard work of dedicated university employees and without any help from Skipper Group. Finally, Skipper Group also helped Alabama A&M get favorable news articles published in Yellowhammer News, which is considered the unofficial online news site for Alabama's MAGA Republicans. Yellowhammer simply repackages and republishes soft news stories and photos that appear on the university’s social media platforms. Yellowhammer has not publish one article about the U.S. Departments of Education's September 18, 2023 letter to Gov. Kay Ivey that put the state on notice about its $527,280,064 debt to Alabama A&M based upon the state's chronic underfunding of the university over the past 30 years. Dr. Wims Uses Black Consultants and Lobbyists for Window-Dressing Purposes Although Skipper Group gets the big Alabama A&M lobbying bucks, Dr. Wims engages in just enough window-dressing to convince the university community that he is committed to black economic empowerment. Wims' so-called "commitment" is a mirage. While Dr. Wims has paid Skipper Group $220,000 to lobby for the university, Washington-based Pine Street Strategies, has only been paid a measly $5,000 as a speaker's fee in a lecture series. This money was paid on January 12, 2023. Pine Street is managed by Donald Calloway, a former lobbyist and current management consultant who has far more presence, credibility, and respect in Washington, D.C. than Skipper Group. Neither Donald Callaway, nor Pine Street Strategies, has ever lobbied for Alabama A&M. Today, Pine Street serves as a management consultant to institutions of higher education on a wide range of matters involving strategic growth initiatives. Dr. Wims paid Dentons Global Advisors, a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm, $7,500 on August 29, 2023. This payment was made to reassure MAGA politicos in Washington that Wims is committed to the Republican Party and its agenda. Dentons assigned Ja’Ron Smith, a former deputy assistant to President Donald Trump and MAGA Republican, to serve as the firm's public face on the Alabama A&M’s account. The Wims Effect Dr. Wims is on a journey to change the socio-political culture of Alabama A&M. This is why Wims hugs and French-kisses MAGA Republicans when no one is looking. This is also why Dr. Wims tried to end the Magic City Classic, as we know it today. Dr. Wims' posturing for Donald Trump's MAGA movement is a misguided move by an elitist HBCU president who does NOT respect his board of trustees or university community. Dr. Wims has hijacked Alabama A&M and is taking the university on a journey to a place where no historically black university wants to go -- Misery Land. As a people and as a university, we have been to Misery Land before. It was an awful place and a horrible experience. Not one of Wims' paid-for new MAGA friends is going to help Alabama A&M University collect one dime of the $527 million that the state of Alabama owes the university! They see more value in building new prisons in the state with the $527 million owed to Alabama A&M. Finally, in a classic display of 1950s-era second-class citizenship, Tripp Skipper will not even publicly acknowledge on Skipper Group's website that Alabama A&M is his firm's client. Tripp Skipper is merely taking big money from a historically black institution that is in the midst of a self-induced identity crisis.

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on December 9, 2023 An Editorial Opinion Hunter Biden is represented in his federal criminal cases by Washington, D.C.-based attorney Abbe Lowell, a partner in Winston & Strawn, LLP. I personally worked with Abbe Lowell in the case of U.S. v. Richard Scrushy, an 85-count healthcare fraud case brought by federal prosecutors in Birmingham, Alabama against former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy from 2003 to 2005.  At the time, Lowell was a partner in the Washington/New York law firm of Chadbourne & Parke. Scrushy hired Abbe Lowell early in the case on the strength of his national reputation.  I was the lead defense attorney in Scrushy's criminal case, a choice that did not sit well with Lowell. In 2003, my track-record in state and federal civil and criminal trials was 152 straight victories, with 0 losses.  I did not know of any criminal cases Abbe Lowell had tried that resulted in “Not Guily” jury verdicts for his clients. In 2004, I allowed Abbe Lowell to take the lead in one of the many pretrial court hearings in Scrushy's case.   Lowell was arrogant and awful.  Lowell’s arrogance at the courthouse turned off courthouse security officers, courtroom personnel, the judge’s law clerk, and the U.S. Magistrate who was conducting the hearing. After the hearing, I consulted with Scrushy and we fired Abbe Lowell.  He was stunned by his firing, especially since the decision to terminate Abbe Lowell was made by a black attorney whom Lowell viewed was inferior to him in every way. In my view, Abbe Lowell did not possess the knowledge, skills, and trial abilities necessary to win a high-profile, complex criminal case in a situation where losing was not an acceptable option.  I ran the Scrushy criminal defense team like a Navy Seals rescue mission.  I quickly discovered that Lowell was not capable of performing at the level expected of a Navy Seal.  The other defense team members I had assembled could, and they did. I later learned that Abbe Lowell’s national reputation and legal persona had been carefully crafted and widely promoted by Washington public relations firms. On June 28, 2005, my defense team won Richard Scrushy‘s criminal case by defeating prosecutors on all 85 felony counts, via extensive pretrial motions and our full-court press on government witnesses during a trial that lasted six months. No white-collar criminal defendant before or since the Richard Scrushy case has defeated federal prosecutors on 85 felony charges in a single-defendant case. The Washington Post called the "Not Guilty" verdicts in Scrushy's case a "miracle," while the New York Times referred to them as a "stunner." Fortune Magazine called me,"The Man Who Saved Richard Scrushy." My record-setting victory in Richard Scrushy's case is featured in a May 2020 Netflix documentary titled, “Trial by Media,” Episode 4, “King Richard.”  Abbe Lowell's association and disassociation with the case is discussed in the documentary. As expected, Abbe Lowell never congratulated me or my defense team on our landmark courtroom victory in Richard Scrushy's case. Lowell is a little man with a big ego. U.S. v. Hunter Biden Today, Abbe Lowell is best recognized for his criminal defense of U.S. Senator Bob Menendez in his first federal bribery trial (2015 to 2018).  Subsequent to the jury deadlocking (reportedly 10 – 2 for acquittal), the trial judge declared a mistrial and acquitted Menedez's co-defendants of six of the collective eighteen federal charges against them based on arguments Lowell and co-counsel made.  Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Department of Justice dropped its case against Mr. Menendez. In September 2023, the Department of Justice indicted Menendez again on federal bribery charges. The case is pending. Hunter Biden’s criminal cases will be tried in Delaware for the three felony gun-related charges and in Los Angeles for the three felony tax charges and six misdemeanors.  Abbe Lowell represents Hunter Biden in both cases. Biden is paying Winston & Strawn a fortune in legal fees for Abbe Lowell’s legal services. Lowell is actually gifted in milking his high-profile clients for legal fees. To avoid a prison sentence for Hunter Biden, Abbe Lowell must win Biden’s two criminal cases on all charges in the indictments. Absent a presidential pardon from his father, I firmly believe Hunter Biden will lose his criminal cases and go to prison because the criminal defense skills needed to win these cases is not present. Finally, President Joe Biden should pardon Hunter Biden while he still has the mental capacity to do so. Hunter Biden, who is a recovering crack and powder cocaine addict, will not survive as an inmate in the federal prison system. Illegal and illicit drugs of all kind are plentiful inside the federal prison system. An emotionally fragile and struggling drug addict like Hunter Biden will likely gain access to these drugs again and overdose on them in a prison environment.

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on December 7, 2023; Updated December 8, 2023 After U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s attempt to “fix” Hunter Biden’s federal gun possession-related charges and tax case unraveled in June under scrutiny from Congressional Republicans and a Delaware federal judge, the Department of Justice finally indicted Biden on three felony tax charges in Los Angeles, California today. The new indictment also included six misdemeanor tax-related charges. The indictment outlined Hunter Biden's four years of wild spending that included his failure to report all of his income to the Internal Revenue Service and his rampant use of phony business deductions to cover his expense on prostitutes, sex clubs, drug purchases, and other non-deductible expenses. In September 2023, Hunter Biden was indicted in Delaware on three federal felony charges for false statements he made on a federal application for the purchase of a firearm. Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison in each case. He still faces potential federal criminal charges in Washington, D.C. for lobbying for foreign government without registering as an agent for these clients. Merrick Garland’s “sweetheart” plea deal had Biden pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges, with no jail time. This plea deal blew up in court under the scrutiny of a federal judge who smelled a “rat” in the way the Department of Justice handled Biden’s case. Hunter Biden’s plea deal is proof positive that Garland’s Department of Justice is more than willing to “fix” cases for politically connected criminal defendants. The term they use for "fixing" a criminal case is "prosecutorial discretion." As of this date, Garland's Department of Justice is still trying to “fix” criminal cases involving current executives of the Atlanta-based Southern Company and former executives of its affiliate, Alabama Power Company. Hunter Biden’s father, Joe Biden, is a sitting U.S. president with the unfettered power to pardon his son. It is unknown whether Joe Biden will exercise this power to spare his drug-addict son from experiencing the ordeal of criminal trials in two different federal venues and federal prison time, if convicted.

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on December 5, 2023 An Editorial Opinion 1819 News co-founder, president, CEO, and publisher Kenneth Bryan Dawson is about five weeks away from escaping prosecution on federal and state charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm on January 18, 2019. As Jeff Martin of the Montgomery Independent reported today, Dawson was arrested on January 18, 2019, for hunting on baited land, which is a misdemeanor. Reportedly, Dawson was hunting with a rifle. Dawson posted bond and was released from jail on the same day. Kenneth Bryan Dawson’s criminal court docket sheet for this Elmore County, Alabama District Court case may be reviewed by clicking here. The case name is: State of Alabama v. Kenneth Bryan Dawson, DC-2019-000168.00. On May 5, 2019, Dawson pled guilty to this misdemeanor charge and paid a fine of $500.. As the docket sheet in Kenneth Bryan Dawson’s case shows, neither the Elmore County prosecutor, nor judge assigned to his case, ordered a criminal history report on Dawson. Had they done so, the report would have confirmed that Dawson was a career criminal, as defined under Alabama and Colorado state laws. Kenneth Bryan Dawson is a convicted cocaine trafficker, serial motor vehicle thief, and attempted murderer in Colorado. Dawson is not permitted to possess a firearm for any purpose, nor is he allowed to be in the presence of others who possess firearms. Dawson meets the definition of a “Habitual Offender” under Colorado and Alabama laws. Yet, the judge in Dawson's Elmore County case did not enhance his fine or sentence based upon Dawson's “Habitual Offender” status. In fact, the docket sheet shows that this "enhancement" factor was completely ignored by the judge. In any event, Dawson’s attempted murder conviction is a crime of violence, as defined under federal criminal law. Dawson’s multiple Colorado felony convictions make him a “Habitual Offender.” Kenneth Bryan Dawson is also reported to be a longtime federal law enforcement informant. There is no public record where Dawson’s gun rights were restored to him by the states of Colorado or Alabama, or by the federal government. The five-year statute of limitations under federal and Alabama state laws for prosecuting Kenneth Bryan Dawson for possessing a firearm on January 18, 2019, will expire on January 16, 2024. (There was a Leap Year in 2020 when February had 29 days). Kenneth Bryan Dawson is the man who greenlighted 1819 News’ November 1, 2023, media “hit job” on Smiths Station, Alabama Mayor Fred “Bubba” Copeland. An emotionally distraught Copeland committed suicide three days after 1819 News “outed” Copeland’s cross-dressing fetish (in the privacy of his home) and exposed his amateur works of erotic fiction. The premeditated "hit job" by Kenneth Bryan Dawson and 1819 News targeted Bubba Copeland because of his cross-dressing fetish/gender identification. This homicide qualifies as a federal hate crime under 18 U.S.C. § 249 that resulted in Bubba Copeland's death. This "hit job" also rises to the level of premeditated murder under Alabama state criminal statutes. To date, the prime suspects in this hate crime/homicide are Kenneth Bryan Dawson, 1819 News Editor-in-Chief Robert Jeffrey Poor, and 1819 News reporter Michael Craig Monger. Will federal and state law enforcement officials in Alabama have the courage to prosecute Kenneth Bryan Dawson for being a felon in possession of a firearm on January 18, 2019? Does Dawson’s status as a federal law enforcement informant give him immunity from prosecution? We will know the answer to both of these questions by January 16, 2024.

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on November 11, 2023 An Editorial Opinion His real name is Robert Jeffrey Poor. He is the editor-in-chief of 1819 News. In Alabama, he is known as Jeff Poor. On November 1, 2023, Jeff Poor and 1819 News president, CEO, and publisher Kenneth Bryan Dawson signed off on publishing a highly controversial article by reporter Michael Craig Monger that “outed” Smiths Station, Alabama mayor, businessman, and pastor Fred “Bubba” Copeland’s cross-dressing behavior and works of erotic fiction. The article was a news media “hit job” that caused Bubba Copeland to commit suicide. As a result, Copeland became the latest victim of "homicide journalism" in America. State of Indiana v. Robert Poor This was not the first time Jeff Poor has endangered the life of another human being. On June 4, 2017, Poor entered the realm of criminal endangerment in Indianapolis, Indiana. The case against him was State of Indiana v. Robert Poor, Case No. 49-G12-1706-CM-020744, Marion Superior Court, Criminal Division 12. [The docket sheet in Jeff Poor’s criminal case may be viewed by clicking here.] On June 4, 2017, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers arrested a very drunk Jeff Poor for “Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person.” Poor spent a night in jail before he was released on a cash bond. Thankfully, no man, woman, or child was injured or killed during Jeff Poor’s drunken road excursion in Indianapolis. On November 9, 2017, Jeff Poor pleaded guilty to the charge. He paid a $725 fine and was sentenced to 365 days in jail. Poor was given credit for the one day he spent in jail. Poor was placed on probation for 363 days and his sentence was suspended for 363 days. Poor’s driver’s license was also suspended for 90 days. Jeff Poor was required to enter and complete an alcohol and drug treatment program and he was subject to random drug and alcohol testing. Jeff Poor joined 1819 News in August 2022. He was promoted to editor-in-chief of 1819 News in June 2023. Prior to joining 1819 News, Poor worked as a reporter for Alabama-based Yellowhammer News from December 2017 to February 2022. Jeff Poor is also a former contributor to Breitbart News. 1819 News' Absence of Proper Journalistic Disclosures At no time during 1819 News' reporting on Bubba Copeland did this ultra-conservative "law and order"news organization disclose the extensive criminal history of Kenneth Bryan Dawson or the drunk driving/endangerment criminal charge against Jeff Poor. Even when Dawson and Poor appeared on Dawson's podcast show last week to defend their decision to "out" Bubba Copeland, the two men failed to disclose their own sordid criminal histories. However, this did not stop a self-righteous Bryan Dawson and sanctimonious Jeff Poor from hinting (without offering any evidence) that some aspects of Bubba Copeland's cross-dressing activities and works of erotic fiction might have been criminal in nature. The Lee County, Alabama Sheriff's office announced last week that it had examined Copeland's electronic devices and found no evidence of any criminal activity. In Alabama, Kenneth Bryan Dawson and Robert Jeffrey Poor use a variation of their names that omits their first name. This name obfuscation makes the discovery of their criminal histories in other states difficult for members of the general public to find. In contrast to Bryan Dawson and Jeff Poor, the publicly available evidence thus far establishes that Fred “Bubba” Copeland lived a life that was free of crime. What is more, Copeland has no reported criminal record, anywhere. The only hint of criminal activity related to Bubba Copeland comes from the mouths of two men with documented criminal histories. While Bryan Dawson has occasionally discussed his extensive criminal history in public settings, Jeff Poor has not. Coming soon -- Who are the big money donors propping up Bryan Dawson, Jeff Poor, and 1819 News, and why?

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on December 4, 2023 Today is a milestone event in the ten-year history of publication of articles on Donald Watkins Facebook page and www.donaldwatkins.com. On December 27, 2019, I published an article titled, “The Rothschilds: Controlling the World’s Money Supply for More Than Two Centuries.” Today, this article has been viewed by more than 300,000 Google-verified readers worldwide. It is the most read article on my website. This article is often cited in reference materials, financial publications, and educational journals as an accurate historical account of the Rothschild family’s wealth, power, and influence around the world. I am proud of this milestone digital media publication event, as well as the article’s recognition in the international world of business and finance. The primary audience for most of my articles is Carmichael/Varnado/Watkins family members and their business partners who live and work around the world. There are scores of readers in these two categories who rely upon the information presented in these articles. They must always have access to the unfiltered truth about socio-economic, political, financial, and cultural conditions in the United States and abroad. We use this information to successfully navigate the seas of business and life. This is why I never seek advertising revenues, nor request subscription fees on my digital media platforms. Likewise, I never seek or accept money from anybody at any time to influence or control the content of my articles. Furthermore, I do not sell or share my Google Dashboard analytical information with anyone. To the extent that my articles benefit readers beyond my family members or business partners, I am happy for them. The Rothschilds article was written because it best describes a business model that I am implementing abroad in the waste-to-energy industry. This article is one of the business tools we use daily to reach our goals in this worldwide industry.

By: Donald V. Watkins December 3, 2023 An Editorial Opinion During the past 30 days, I have written extensively about the media “hit job” that Kenneth Bryan Dawson and 1819 News carried out on Smiths Station, Alabama Mayor Fred “Bubba” Copeland, which caused Copeland to commit suicide on November 3, 2023. Copeland’s death was facilitated by the publication of information that was impermissibly sourced to Dawson, a career criminal and law enforcement informant, by a federal law enforcement agent, in violation of federal statutes and Department of Justice policy guidelines. Copeland's death was the tragic result of a hate crime. In 2017, I wrote extensive articles about University of Alabama honors student Megan Rondini, who committed suicide in 2015 after she realized that the man she designated as her rapist in a police report would not be prosecuted because his father was a wealthy Crimson Tide football program donor. The criminal justice system in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama failed Megan Rondini. She responded by taking her life. Rondini's tragic death was heartbreaking for millions of Americans. In 2020, former Alabama state senator E.B. McClain committed suicide after he was targeted by Birmingham federal prosecutors, wrongfully charged with bribery, convicted in a rigged trial, served his sentence, and slumped into a deep depression. The federal criminal justice system failed McClain, who was a modern-era COINTELPRO victim. The COINTELPRO program worked as intended in McClain's case. In 2012, Soul Train creator, producer, and host Don Cornelius killed himself after enduring serious illnesses, business setbacks, and a nasty divorce. Cornelius had all of the material things in life, but he lacked peace of mind. His death was senseless and preventable. Over my 50-year career, I have encountered scores of rape and incest victims, media “hit job” victims, COINTELPRO victims, and men, women, and children who were the victims of incessant bullying, physical and/or emotional abuse who either killed themselves to escape this abuse, or who tried to commit suicide. Working together, we stopped nearly all of these emotionally distraught victims from killing themselves. A few of them were not emotionally strong enough to hold on long enough until we could get them to the "other side of midnight." For Those Who are Struggling with Despair and Who are on the Verge of Giving Up -- Please Don't Do It! This article is written especially for the victims of abuse who think their lives are not worth living and those who are wallowing in depression while contemplating suicide. Suicide is NEVER the answer. Whatever the abuse is, we will work with you to stop it and get you the help you need. Your life matters to us. For six generations, the Carmichael/Varnado/Watkins family has intervened to stop the abuse of human beings and help the abused get to the "other side of midnight." We are committed to serving the “least of these my brethren,” without fear or favor. We ask for nothing in return. Our blessings come from God. As an American family, we have weathered every kind of adversity imaginable in life since the 1830s. We were helping the victims of abuse while some of our ancestors were still enslaved in Mississippi and Kentucky prior to the Civil War. God has blessed our family with the relationships and resources needed to help stop your suffering. We are non-judgmental. We do not second-guess your journey in life. We only care about helping you navigate to the "other side of midnight." No abuser is too powerful for us to neutralize. We fear no man or woman, no matter what title he/she holds, nor what his/her status is in the community. Your life matters to God, and to us. We do not denigrate or condemn any person. We uplift all people. Our family members positively impact the lives of millions of people around the globe on a daily basis. We work in fields of medicine, business, education, energy, human rights, and life sciences. If you contact a Watkins family member anywhere in the world and ask for help in stopping an abuser from hurting you, he/she will respond immediately. We are often more effective than a government agency because our help is not dependent on how big and powerful the abuser is. We will level the playing field for you, without hesitation or reservation. You deserve a chance to live your life, free of the pain and suffering that is inflicted by an abuser. Our family's blessings in life have come from stopping the abuse of others and from saving lives. “To whom much has been given much is required.” Luke 12:48. Our family understands this Biblical verse and has lived by it for six generations. We value your life. We love you for who you are, unconditionally. You are never alone. Reach out to a Watkins family member if you start thinking that your life is not worth living. Your happiness is our joy.

By: Donald V. Watkins Copyrighted and Published on November 25, 2023 An Editorial Opinion On January 25, 2023, 1819 News announced the departure of Caleb Crosby as the President and CEO of the Alabama Policy Institute (API).  According to 1819 News, “Crosby's leadership and vision were also credited for the formation and successful launch of both Rightside Radio and 1819 News.” 1819 News was launched in October 2021, with $1,077,500 that was funneled from API’s coffers to a non-profit affiliated it owned named 1819 Media, LLC.  1819 News is run by convicted cocaine trafficker, serial motorcycle and ATV thief, and attempted murderer Kenneth Bryan Dawson. He is the founder, president, chief executive officer, and publisher of 1819 News. It was Caleb Crosby who brought Dawson into the API fold and trusted Dawson to do what was needed with the $1,077,500 1819 Media received from API. In its January 25th article, 1819 News omitted any mention of the October 26, 2022, complaint that Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Caleb Crosby, his Washington-based Senate Leadership Fund, and the litany of persons and entities that allegedly acted in concert with Crosby to violate federal campaign finance laws by unlawfully laundering campaign contributions to candidates for elective office in Florida. The purpose and effect of the alleged money laundering scheme was to illegally hide the identities of the true source or sources of contributions by routing contributions through conduit non-profits to Super-PACs, which would ultimately fund electioneering activities. Caleb Crosby and his Senate Leadership Fund were expressly named as "Respondents" in the CREW complaint. Within two months after the CREW complaint was filed with the FEC, Caleb Crosby fled API. Thereafter, API began the legal process of distancing itself from a very toxic Kenneth Bryan Dawson and 1819 Media. On December 9, 2022, Dawson formed a “for-profit” corporate entity named 1819 News, LLC. This entity continues to function as the multimedia news/propaganda wing of API. On May 11, 2023, API and Dawson dissolved 1819 Media as a legal entity. API continues to maintain editorial control over Dawson's 1819 News, via funding from API-affiliated mega-donors. Likewise, 1819 News continues to promote the causes and people affiliated with API. "Follow the Money" API's transfer of $1,077,500 to 1819 Media fits the pattern of money laundering that is alleged in the CREW complaint.  API's infusion of cash to 1819 Media and Kenneth Bryan Dawson was so massive that 1819 Media ended the 2021 tax year with a surplus of $590,251. Beyond the $1,077,500 funneled to 1819 Media, API declared an additional $405,177 in Part III(4)(b) of its Form 990 for “expenses” related to "news media services." In all, three-fourths of API's money for 2021 was channeled into media activities, with Kenneth Bryan Dawson getting the lion's share of this money. What Did API Board Members Know About Dawson, and When Did They Know It? In Part VI(A)(5) of API’s 2021 tax return, the non-profit organization claimed that it did not “become aware during the year of a significant diversion of the organization’s assets.” API’s Form 990 for 2021 also affirms that its board members had actual aknowledge of the $1,077,500 in cash that was transfered to 1819 Media and Dawson, and approved or ratified it. In fact, API certified in Part VI(B)(11)(a) that a copy of the 990 was provided to each board member before it was filed with the Internal Revenue Service. One of the board members listed on the Form 2021 for 2021 who received a copy of the tax return before it was filed is Huntsville, Alabama attorney Rod Steakley. Based upon Steakley's legal experise and professional background, he should have conducted heightened scrutiny on: (a) API’s transfer of $1,077,500 to 1819 Media and (b) Kenneth Bryan Dawson’s extensive criminal history. Steakley also serves as the longtime outside legal counsel to Alabama A&M University. So, what happened to 1819 Media's $590,251 surplus in 2022? The answer to this question is shrouded in secrecy because API has not made its Form 990 for 2022 publicly available. The Form 990 for 2022 was originally due on May 15, 2023.  Assuming API sought and received a one-time automatic 6-month extension for filing the Form 990, it would have been due on November 15, 2023. A Web of Deceit, a Firestorm of Controversy, and Multiple Criminal Investigations API has engaged in a web of deceit concerning the creation of 1819 Media and the true nature and scope of its history with Kenneth Bryan Dawson. This web of deceit is described in detail in an exclusive November 23, 2023, Thanksgiving Day article we published on this website. Today, API, Kenneth Bryan Dawson, and 1819 News are swept up in a firestorm of controversy in the aftermath of a November 1, 2023, 1819 News article that “outed” Smiths Station, Alabama Mayor Fred “Bubba” Copeland’s cross-dressing (in the privacy of his home) and his James Patterson-style works of erotic fiction.  An embarrassed and emotionally distraught Copeland responded to this article by killing himself two days later. Copeland’s suicide is the subject of a homicide investigation by the Lee County, Alabama Sheriff’s and District Attorney’s offices. The CREW complaint of alleged campaign finance law violations is reportedly the subject of state and federal criminal investigations in Florida. API's $1,077,500 transaction with 1819 Media and Kenneth Bryan Dawson cries out for a criminal investigation by Alabama-based FBI and IRS Criminal Division law enforcement officials. It is dripping with the stench of alleged "theft by charitable fraud," money laundering, and federal tax fraud. Former president Donald Trump was indicted on 91 felony counts (including a Georgia state RICO charge) in four different state and federal jurisdictions on far less objective evidence than is present in the alleged API/1819 Media/Kenneth Bryan Dawson charitable fraud, tax fruad, and FEC money laundering case.