Newspaper Page Text
4A Friday, November 2, 2018
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
STATE/NATION
SYNAGOGUE MASSACRE
Funerals extend for 3rd day
as suspect pleads not guilty
GENE J. PUSKAR I Associated Press
A painted rock in memory of Rose Mallinger, 97, is part of a makeshift memorial
Wednesday, Oct. 31, outside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, to the 11
people killed during worship services Saturday.
BY MARYCLAIRE DALE
Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — The anti-Semitic
truck driver accused of gunning down
11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue
pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal
charges that could put him on death
row, as funerals for the victims of the
deadliest anti-Semitic attack in Ameri
can history continued for a third day.
Robert Bowers, 46, was arraigned
one day after a grand jury issued a
44-count indictment charging him with
murder, hate crimes, obstructing the
practice of religion and other crimes.
It was his second brief appearance in a
federal courtroom since the weekend
massacre at Tree of Life synagogue in
Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.
“Yes!” Bowers said in a loud voice
when asked if he understood the
charges.
Authorities say Bowers raged against
Jews during and after the massacre. He
remains jailed without bail.
Bowers, who was shot and wounded
during a gun battle that injured four
police officers, walked into court under
his own power, his left arm heavily
bandaged. He was in a wheelchair at
his first court appearance Monday.
Bowers frowned as the charges were
read but did not appear to have a reac
tion as a federal prosecutor announced
he could face a death sentence. He
told a prosecutor he had read the
indictment.
One of his federal public defenders,
Michael Novara, said Bowers pleaded
not guilty, “as is typical at this stage of
the proceedings.”
Bowers had been set for a prelimi
nary hearing on the evidence, but fed
eral prosecutors instead took the case
to a grand jury.
The panel issued the indictment as
funerals continued for the victims,
including a husband and wife married
at Tree of Life 62 years ago.
Marc Simon, the son of Bernice and
Sylvan Simon, recalled his parents as a
“beacon of light” whose example can
help “eliminate the hate that led to
their untimely deaths.”
Family members recalled the Simons
as warm and welcoming, and dedicated
to their faith and one another.
Their daughter, Michelle Simon Weis,
said she enjoyed going with her mother
to Costco, where Bernice, 84, make sure
to try the food samples. Weis said she
dreamed her father, 86, could now drive
a sports car as fast as he wanted without
“Mom telling him to slow down.”
The day’s other funeral was being
held for Dr. Richard Gottfried, a den
tist who worked part-time at a clinic
treating refugees and immigrants.
The oldest victim, 97-year-old Rose
Mallinger, will be honored at the last
service Friday. Her daughter was
injured in the attack.
Racial bias allegations probed at Coast Guard Academy
BY MICHAEL MELIA
Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. —
The Department of Home
land Security’s inspector
general is investigating alle
gations of racial discrimina
tion at the U.S. Coast Guard
Academy and inadequate
follow-up by the school’s
leadership, the agency said
Thursday.
The investigation will
bring a new layer of scru
tiny to the service acad
emy that is already under
pressure from Congress
to address concerns about
racial insensitivity, dispari
ties in discipline and the
administration’s handling of
complaints.
The probe began within
the past few months and
could take up to a year, Arlen
Morales, a spokeswoman
for the Office of Inspector
General, told The Associ
ated Press. It will look into
how the academy responds
to allegations of race or eth
nicity-based discrimination.
Ultimately, the academy will
be required to provide a cor
rective action plan, with the
inspector general’s office
updating Congress on any
shortcomings.
The academy is cooper
ating with the investigation,
spokesman David Santos
said.
The academy has made
strides with mentoring pro
grams and other initiatives
to recruit and retain minori
ties, but it is also clear work
remains to be done, said U.S.
Rep. Joe Courtney.
“It’s an issue that’s got to
once and for all get fixed,”
said Courtney. “What I think
is good about the IG’s office
is they give perspective in
terms of solutions. That
would be welcome.”
One of the nation’s small
est service academies, the
Coast Guard Academy is
overseen by Homeland Secu
rity, unlike others such as the
U.S. Military Academy and
the Naval Academy, which
are run by the Defense
Department. It enrolls over
1,000 cadets, who attend
the school tuition-free and
graduate as officers with a
bachelor of science degree
and a requirement to spend
five years in the service.
Oprah, Pence
offer visions of
‘Georgia values’
BY BILL BARROW
AND JEFF MARTIN
Associated Press
MARIETTA - In a
rousing speech in the
Republican-leaning sub
urbs of Atlanta, Oprah
Winfrey urged voters on
Thursday to make history
by backing Democratic
gubernatorial candidate
Stacey Abrams in next
week’s election.
Winfrey called Abrams
a “changemaker” who
represents the values of all
Georgians.
“I am here today
because Stacey Abrams
cares about the things
that matter,” she said to a
mostly female audience
north of downtown Atlanta.
Seventy-five miles north,
Vice President Mike Pence
stood alongside Abrams’
opponent, Brian Kemp, in
Dalton, and mocked the
billionaire media icon who
grew up in Mississippi as
just another liberal out
sider trying to impose on
Republican-run Georgia.
“Stacey Abrams is being
bankrolled by Hollywood
liberals,” Pence said.
Pence drew boos from
the crowd when he men
tioned that “Oprah is in
town” and noted that actor
Will Ferrell was recently
in Georgia for Democrats.
“I’d like to remind Stacey
and Oprah and Will Ferrell,
I’m kind of a big deal, too,”
Pence said, adding “a mes
sage for all Stacey Abrams’
liberal Hollywood friends:
This ain’t Hollywood. This
is Georgia.”
The competing scenes
— from the candidates, to
the audiences, to the head
liner guests — underscore
the choice Georgia voters
face Tuesday in one of the
nation’s premier midterm
matchups. After Thurs
day’s dueling outsiders,
former President Barack
Obama will follow on Fri
day for Abrams. President
Donald Trump will appear
with Kemp on Sunday and
previewed his argument
on Thursday.
“I’ve always liked
Oprah,” he told report
ers at the White House.
“Oprah’s good, but the
woman that she’s support
ing is not qualified to be
the governor of Georgia by
any stretch of the imagina
tion.” Trump did not detail
why he found Abrams
unqualified.
More than 1.5 million of
the state’s almost 7 million
registered voters have cast
ballots already.
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STACEY
ABRAMS
Our Voices. Our Votes. Our Time.
GOVERNOR
I
Early Voting Is Now Open!
Election Day Is November 6.
A DIVERSE AND THRIVING GEORGIA ECONOMY
WITH HIGH-PAYING JOBS IN ALL 159 COUNTIES
Stacey Abrams is a successful small business owner who will help Georgia businesses
access the capital, skilled workforce, and infrastructure they need to thrive and create jobs
in every region of our state.
HIGH-QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
FOR ALL GEORGIANS
Stacey Abrams will expand Medicaid for 500,000 Georgians who need health insurance,
creating 56,000 jobs—60% of which will be outside of Metro Atlanta—and saving our
rural hospitals from closure.
PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR GEORGIA’S CHILDREN
FROM CRADLE TO CAREER
Stacey Abrams will be the Public Education Governor you can trust to fight for our public
schools so Georgia’s children can reach their full potential no matter their zip code or
family income.
STACEYABRAMS.COM/VOTE
Questions about voting?
Call the Voter Protection Hotline
at 1-888-730-5816.
Paid for by Stacey Abrams for Governor
1270 Caroline Street Suite D120-447 • Atlanta, GA 30307
