Holocaust Survivors Are Demanding Answers After A Naked Game Of Tag Was Filmed Inside A Nazi Gas Chamber

Screenshot/Artur Żmijewski

Groups representing Holocaust survivors are demanding an explanation after Polish artists were allowed to film naked people playing tag inside a former Nazi concentration camp gas chamber.

On Wednesday, the Organization of Holocaust Survivors in Israel and the Simon Wiesenthal Center sent a letter to Polish President Andrzej Duda asking if the artists gained "permission from the Stutthof administrators to make this video," what the rules of conduct are at the site, and how they are enforced.

The groups also inquired if there had been an investigation into the video's creation.

Although the video was filmed and displayed at art exhibitions years ago, researchers just recently discovered it was filmed inside the Stutthof concentration camp in Poland, prompting further outcry and clarification from Polish leaders.

Artist Artur Żmijewski shot the video in 1999 and it was later displayed, with some controversy, at a 2015 exhibition called "Poland - Israel - Germany - The experience of Auschwitz" at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow, The Times of Israel reported. In the film, naked men and women file into the gas chamber at Stutthof and proceed to run around, laughing, playing tag for nearly five minutes.

Pool / Getty Images

About 65,000 people died at the camp between 1939 and 1944, according to the Muzeum Stutthof, and it "became a camp of mass- extermination" toward the end of the war.

“At the time, no comment or word of critique was heard from Polish official sources regarding the video, neither from the Prime Minister’s office, nor from any official/ government representative- not Poland’s Ministry of Culture or Foreign Ministry, or from Krakow’s city mayor,” the organizations wrote.

In his description, Żmijewski explains that the "Game of Tag" attempts to "face the trauma of Holocaust and to radically deal with it."

"This work is full of cruel fun, sadism, nudity and childish carelessness at the same time. It is full of innocence, laughter, juvenile amusement. It was all about the visual reconstruction of a situation. Just as it was back then: naked people in a gas chamber. But instead of horror, we have giggles, toys, erotic games, innocent frolics. What a relief!," he concludes.

The Krakow museum pulled the controversial art piece from the 2015 exhibition after protests by Jewish organizations, but then reinstated it, defending their right to "freedom of artistic expression," the Times reported.

The location of the film was recently determined after comparing footage from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's visit in July, to the film, the BBC reported, prompting the groups to "demand clarifications from the Polish leaders and the administration of the Stutthof concentration camp site (and museum)."

"This is a problem that needs to be addressed. If people are not sufficiently sensitive to the terrible acts of the Holocaust and do not respect its victims then proper conduct in the sites in Poland cannot be properly secured," David Schonberg, a Jewish lawyer who first noticed the connection, told the BBC.

"This also requires proper scrutiny of these sites and making sure that objectionable materials that are so insensitive to the memory of the Holocaust will not be brought on public display."

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Leaked Documents Show Trump Plans To Dramatically Shrink, Break Up Two National Monuments

A natural bridge in Bears Ears National Monument.

Andrew Cullen / Reuters

The Trump administration plans to break up and dramatically reduce the size of two national monuments in Utah, potentially handing a victory to rural conservatives while also guaranteeing a barrage of legal challenges by conservationists and Native American groups.

The plans, which will be announced on Monday with President Trump visits Salt Lake City, would see both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments divided into multiple smaller preserves, according to maps obtained Thursday by the Wilderness Society. Bears Ears, currently a 1.3-million-acre monument in Utah's San Juan County, would be split into the Indian Creek National Monument and the Shash Jha National monument.

A map obtained by the Wilderness Society shows planned reductions to Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah.

Wilderness Society

Grand Staircase-Escalante, which currently spans 1.8 million acres in Garfield and Kane counties in southern Utah, would be broken up into three new federal lands: Escalante Canyon National Monument, Grand Staircase National Monument, and Kaiparowits National Monument, according to the maps.

A map obtained by the Wilderness Society shows planned reductions to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah.

The Wilderness Society / Via wilderness.org

The Washington Post first reported the proposed reductions Thursday, adding that the three monuments carved out of Grand Staircase-Escalante would by reduced by about 50% from its current size to less than one million acres. Bears Ears would be slashed in size by 85%, with the two new monuments replacing it adding up to just over 200,000 acres.

Two sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to BuzzFeed News that plans to split the monuments were being considered, though those plans could still change before Trump arrives in Utah on Monday to make a formal announcement.

When asked about the maps and proposed changes, a spokesperson for the Interior Department — which manages national monuments and public lands — said they "are pushing inaccurate information," but did not elaborate.

The expected reductions are the result of a review focusing on all large national monuments — which in the West are typically preserves akin to national parks — that were created since 1996. Trump ordered Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to carry out the review earlier this year. It wrapped up in August and resulted in recommendations to modify several monuments, though the Trump administration has thus far released few details about the review process or the specifics of its conclusions.

Earlier this month, a number of environmental groups sued the Trump administration over that lack of information and its failure to respond to multiple information requests.

Utah lawmakers with Ryan Zinke in Bears Ears on May 8, 2017.

Michelle Price / AP

The expected reductions also mark the latest salvo in a long-running conflict between those who want increased protections for publicly owned land in the West — typically conservationists and Native American tribes — and those who want to allow grazing, logging, and mining on public lands in addition to things like recreation.

The conflict over public land goes back decades and is at the heart of high profile incidents such as the armed standoffs led by the Bundy family in 2014 and 2016.

In the final days of President Obama's term, a coalition of Native American tribes and conservationists successfully lobbied the president to create Bears Ears National Monument. The groups had long argued that the region included both sensitive ecosystems as well as a multitude of sacred and historical sites.

However, ranchers, some local officials, and the entire congressional delegation from Utah condemned the monument, saying it negatively impacted the local economy — arguments that have also been lobbed at Grand Staircase-Escalante since President Clinton created it in 1996. Utah's political leaders also vowed to fight the Bears Ears designation and the Antiquities Act, the 1906 law that gives presidents the power to create national monuments out of existing federal land.

Trump's visit to Utah and the expected reductions to the monuments represent the latest fruition of those efforts to undo Bears Ears and, more generally, scale back federal influence over public land in the West.

The Upper Gulch section of the Escalante Canyons in Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument .

Douglas C. Pizac / AP

Still, the battle between monument supporters and critics is likely to rage on for the foreseeable future. Jamie Williams, president of the Wilderness Society, condemned the expected reductions, saying in a statement that the Trump administration was "bowing to special interests, including oil and mining companies."

"There will be outrage if the President moves forward with the plans outlined in these maps," Williams said. "Fortunately the law is on the side of protecting these valued lands and once again the President’s actions will be met on the courthouse steps."

In a statement to BuzzFeed News, Rep. Raúl Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, referred to the changes as "plans to destroy" the monuments and called them "illegal" and "deeply insulting."

"Next week he’ll travel to Utah to desecrate a national monument sacred to Native Americans," he added. "The president needs to get off Twitter, turn off Fox and Friends and try to learn something about what national monuments are and how and why they’re created."

A host of other Native American and conservation groups have also vowed to fight the Trump administration in court over any changes to the monuments.

Western lawmakers, however, have spoken positively about the prospect of changes. Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, told the Post he believes Trump's coming announcement "will represent a balanced solution and a win for everyone on all sides of this issue."

And Rep. Rob Bishop, also a Utah Republican, thanked Trump in a statement Thursday, praising his "commitment to listen to local voices and elected leaders from our communities."

"The President has stood against prior abuses of executive power," Bishop continued, "and his administration has demonstrated a commitment to work in concert with local communities to protect unique public antiquities and objects the right way."

LINK: The Trump Administration Is Being Sued Over Its Secretive Plan To Shrink National Monuments

LINK: Obama Creates Two More National Monuments, And A Possible Land War

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Undocumented Mexican Man Found Not Guilty In Death Of Kate Steinle

Jim Steinle, father of Kate Steinle, speaks during a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 21, 2015.

Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

A jury on Thursday found the undocumented immigrant who shot and killed 32-year-old Kate Steinle on a San Francisco pier in 2015 not guilty in her death.

Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, who was in the US illegally after previous deportations, had been released from a San Francisco jail several months before the shooting — in spite of a request by federal immigration authorities that he continue to be detained. The case drew attention to San Francisco's "sanctuary city" policies, which then-candidate Donald Trump blamed for Steinle's death at the Republican National Convention.

Jurors considered charges of murder and involuntary manslaughter, and they found Garcia Zarate not guilty. He was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Jose Ines Garcia Zarate

San Francisco Police Department via AP

Lawyers for Garcia Zarate had argued that characterizing him as a violent immigrant didn't line up with the evidence. The bullet that killed Steinle first ricocheted off the concrete walkway, which they said showed the shooting had been an accident, the Associated Press reported. Zarate had picked up the gun while it was wrapped in clothing, his attorneys said, and didn't know what he was holding until the gun went off.

But prosecutors argued that Garcia Zarate brought the gun with him and pointed it at Steinle after sitting on the pier for more than 20 minutes and thinking about his actions. Jurors were instructed to consider charges against him of first- and second-degree murder, and involuntary manslaughter.

"He did kill someone. He took the life of a young, vibrant, beautiful, cherished woman by the name of Kate Steinle," San Francisco Deputy District Attorney Diana Garcia told the jury on Nov. 21, according to the AP.

Defense attorney Matt Gonzalez had on Nov. 20 told jurors that prosecutors' version of events was a "wild narrative of a desire to hurt someone he does not know."

Deliberations lasted six days after the monthlong trial.

Her father Jim Steinle had previously testified at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee about her death and the need for a better system to get undocumented immigrants with felony records off of US streets — suggesting it could be called Kate's Law.

"Due to unjointed laws and basic incompetence of the government, the US has suffered a self-inflicted wound in the murder of our daughter by the hand of a person that should have never been on the streets in this country," he said.

Kate's Law became a rallying cause for some conservatives, particularly on then-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly's program, and a frequent campaign talking point for Trump as he advocated for building a wall at the US-Mexico border.

"This senseless and totally preventable act of violence committed by an illegal immigrant is yet another example of why we must secure our border immediately," Trump said in a statement after Steinle's death. "This is an absolutely disgraceful situation and I am the only one that can fix it. Nobody else has the guts to even talk about it. That won't happen if I become president."

He again spoke about her death at the Republican National Convention.

"My opponent wants sanctuary cities," Trump said. "But where was the sanctuary for Kate Steinle?"

Kate's Law was passed by the House of Representatives in June 2017, stripped of language that would have required mandatory minimum prison sentences for deported felons who reenter the US. It has not yet been voted on in the Senate.

Her brother Brad Steinle has also accused Trump of sensationalizing her death, adding he doesn't believe the construction of a border wall shows common sense.

“Donald Trump talks about Kate Steinle like he knows her,” he told CNN in 2015. “I’ve never heard a word from his campaign manager, I’ve never heard a word from him … I don’t want to be affiliated with someone who doesn’t have the common courtesy to reach out and ask about Kate, and our political views and what we want.”

LINK: California Just Became The Largest Sanctuary State In A Rebuke To Trump

LINK: Man Accused Of Killing Woman On S.F. Pier Was Wanted For Deportation, But Set Free

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There Was An Earthquake On The East Coast And People Were, Ahem, Shook

2017 ain’t over yet.

Happy Earthquake Day, everyone!

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Authorities Say YouTube's Toy Freaks Dad Is Under Investigation — But They Won’t Say Who’s In Charge

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said it referred the case to a similar agency in Missouri, where Chism currently lives.

Top Notch Lawn Care / Via youtube.com

YouTube, citing potential “child endangerment,” pulled down the Toy Freaks channel almost two weeks ago after a single dad posted questionable videos of his two young daughters. And while law enforcement authorities told BuzzFeed News that there is an ongoing investigation into the matter — no official will say which agency, exactly, is leading it.

The dad, Greg Chism, made wildly popular videos showing his youngest daughter terrified when he placed creatures like a frog and lobster near her and her sister as they were in the bathtub—they were both wearing swimsuits.

He also dressed them up like babies as they pretended to engage in infantile behavior. And in one video the younger daughter “pees” on her older sister.

The channel had over 8 million subscribers. Chism deleted his other channels himself, a spokesperson for the father told BuzzFeed News. "We take child safety extremely seriously and have clear policies against child endangerment,” YouTube told BuzzFeed News at the time.

Toy Freaks

On Monday YouTube said it deleted over 150,000 videos — capable of raking in thousands of dollars a month — of exploitative content depicting children as part of a concerted effort to scrub questionable content from the site.

A spokesperson for YouTube said on Nov. 22 the company is not aware of any law enforcement authorities that reached out to Google, its parent company, about the videos. YouTube did not answer follow-up questions sent on Wednesday.

The potential investigation has apparently bounced from agency to agency in two states, and authorities won’t publicly say who is in charge.

Chism is affiliated with Freak Media LLC, a company registered to an address in Granite City, Illinois. Freak Media LLC submitted a trademark application for “Toy Freaks,” according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. Public records show Chism moved in 2017 to Foristell, Missouri.

A representative from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday that the family no longer lives in Illinois “and we have contacted the Missouri Department of Children and Families hotline about the concerns raised in these inquiries.”

Rebecca Woelfel, the communications director for the Missouri Department of Social Services, told BuzzFeed News three times that the agency could not comment, due to confidentiality.

On Wednesday evening, the Times of London reported that child protection officials in both states had received reports of possible abuse in regards to the videos — but the report cited an unnamed man from Illinois who was, according to the paper, asked to give a statement to officials.

Aaron Perlut, Chism’s spokesperson, told BuzzFeed News on Thursday that Chism was not interested in commenting further and said that “Greg is simply a single dad trying to care for two young girls and provide for them.”

Chism’s attorney, Joel Green, stopped responding to repeated requests for comment from BuzzFeed News.

Madison County State’s Attorney’s office, in Illinois, said local law enforcement initially got a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a non-profit. YouTube says it flags possible child endangerment content and objectionable comments to NCMEC, which refers them to law enforcement.

The Granite city police initially “received information regarding a possible missing child that was believed to be in the videos in question,” Detective Lieutenant Nick Novacich told BuzzFeed News.

Police and prosecutors found that the child or children wasn't missing — but in the process of investigating both offices “then discussed the potential for criminal charges to be filed regarding the activity in the videos,” Novacich said.

Last week, Green, Chism’s lawyer, told BuzzFeed News that they weren’t aware of a GCPD investigation. “We have not been contacted by the police department and have no knowledge of any current or pending investigation, but will of course cooperate with law enforcement, should an investigation be initiated,” Green said.

Ultimately, no charges were filed. Novachich said there was no “probable cause” for an arrest, and prosecutors said “the locations in the videos raising concerns do not appear to match the house in Granite City. The investigation also indicated the individuals did not live at the house in Granite City at the time the reviewed concerning videos were created.”

The disturbing videos — which depict children in upsetting or vulnerable situations but don't always show literal physical endangerment — are new territory for law enforcement. As a result, it can be unclear which agencies are responsible for investigating this content. “Everyone is disturbed by this but finding the proper criminal aspect to being a bad parent at times is challenging,” Granite City Police Chief Rich Miller told BuzzFeed News.

“I think it is fair to say that we were all alarmed by the bizarre content of the videos,” said Tom Gibbons, Madison County state's attorney added.

Novacich said that “due to the nature of the videos” the investigation was referred to NCMEC. “The video evidence indicated another jurisdiction was more likely to be involved, allowing [NCMEC] the option to direct their resources and information to the appropriate jurisdiction,” prosecutors said.

But the Vice President of NCMEC’s Exploited Children Division, John Shehan, told BuzzFeed News that while the videos were “weird,” they were still “kind of outside the scope of what NCMEC deals with specifically.” NCMEC, citing policy, wouldn’t comment further on Chism.

Novacich later said, seemingly contradicting his earlier statement, that "this is an on-going investigation and will not comment further at this time. We will advise you, through our State’s Attorney’s office, if charges are going to be filed."

Miller on Wednesday also said, “with the subject moving out of the area other jurisdictions are also looking into the facts to see if any activity arises to a level of criminal charges.”

When asked what “other jurisdictions” are currently investigating, he responded: “The father lives somewhere in Missouri and we are not certain who there is investigation but have been told it is being looked into.”

Chism currently resides in Saint Charles County, Missouri.

Both the Saint Charles County police department and the Saint Charles County district attorney’s office told BuzzFeed News that they were not aware of an investigation.

A spokesperson for the FBI office in Missouri, citing policy, wouldn’t confirm if an investigation was ongoing.

Ellie Hall contributed reporting.

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This Dude Accidentally Sent His Mom A Very Scandalous Picture Of His GF And People Are Cringing

Luckily mom seems oblivious, for now.

Vallance has even taken the plunge and introduced Meghan to his mom, and that went great too!

"They get along well thankfully," he said of his GF and his mom.

It's a good sign, because Vallance said he and his mom are pretty tight, and he is pretty open with her about everything.

"She's very comfortable with me and I'm comfortable with her," he said.

Maison Vallance

Recently, Vallance's mom asked him to find a shirt she had given him, which had his last name on it. He searched his room, and when he found it, he had Meghan pose with it on his bed to send to his mom.

Maison Vallance

Um.

Maison Vallance

What are THOOOSEEE?

Maison Vallance

If you're wondering, Vallance's mom didn't notice anything off about the pic (or so he thinks).

Vallance said he doesn't think she's clicked open the photo on iMessage.

He plans on telling his mom about it though, and promised to share her response with BuzzFeed News. He predicts it will be along the lines of, "what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I think it will be funny and I'll just say, OK lets forget about this now," he said.

Maison Vallance

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Russell Simmons Is Stepping Down From His Companies Amid Allegations Of Sexual Assault

Jerritt Clark / Getty Images

Music mogul Russell Simmons is stepping down from his companies after screenwriter Jenny Lumet accused him of of forcing her to have sex with him in 1991.

Lumet, the daughter of director Sidney Lumet, penned a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, detailing how the Def Jam co-founder allegedly offered to give her a ride home, but instead instructed the driver of the car to lock the doors and take her to his place. It was there that he sexually assaulted her, Lumet writes.

"There is so much guilt, and so much shame," Lumet wrote in her column. "There is an excruciating internal reckoning. As a woman of color, I cannot express how wrenching it is to write this about a successful man of color. Again, shame about who I was years ago, choices made years ago. In this very moment, I feel a pang to protect your daughters. I don't think you are inclined to protect mine."

Simmons released a statement Thursday morning stating he is "removing [himself] from the businesses that [he] founded," including Def Jam Recordings and Rush Communications.

I have been informed with great anguish of Jenny Lumet’s recollection about our night together in 1991. I know Jenny and her family and have seen her several times over the years since the evening she described. While her memory of that evening is very different from mine, it is now clear to me that her feelings of fear and intimidation are real. While I have never been violent, I have been thoughtless and insensitive in some of my relationships over many decades and I sincerely and humbly apologize.

This is a time of great transition. The voices of the voiceless, those who have been hurt or shamed, deserve and need to be heard. As the corridors of power inevitably make way for a new generation, I don’t want to be a distraction so I am removing myself from the businesses that I founded. The companies will now be run by a new and diverse generation of extraordinary executives who are moving the culture and consciousness forward. I will convert the studio for yogic science into a not-for-profit center of learning and healing. As for me, I will step aside and commit myself to continuing my personal growth, spiritual learning and above all to listening.

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Trump Has A Plan To Replace Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson With The CIA Chief

Jim Watson / AFP / Getty Images

President Trump is currently planning to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with CIA chief Mike Pompeo, several news outlets confirmed on Thursday.

The plan, which is reportedly being overseen by Trump's chief of staff, would also replace Pompeo with Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas who is an ally of Trump's on national security matters.

The news was first reported by the New York Times. As always with the Trump administration, nothing is set in stone until it actually happens. BuzzFeed News didn't immediately confirm the planned moves.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.

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An Army Veteran Said Al Franken Cupped Her Breast While Taking A Photo In 2003

An Army veteran from Ohio accused Democratic Sen. Al Franken on Thursday of groping her during a photo op while he was on a USO tour in December 2003.

Stephanie Kemplin, 41, told CNN that when she was deployed in Kuwait, the Minnesota senator cupped her breast while taking a photo with her.

She is now the fifth woman who has accused Franken of inappropriate touching in recent weeks.

In a statement provided to BuzzFeed News on Thursday, a spokesperson for Franken said, "As Sen. Franken made clear this week, he takes thousands of photos and has met tens of thousands of people and he has never intentionally engaged in this kind of conduct. He remains fully committed to cooperating with the ethics investigation."

Franken has previously apologized for crossing a line with some women and has said he would "gladly cooperate" with the ethics investigation that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called for.

Kemplin said she met Franken while he was visiting US troops in Kuwait during the Iraq war. As a fan of Saturday Night Live, she said that she got in line to take a photo with Franken, who was then a comedian on the show.

"When he put his arm around me, he groped my right breast," Kemplin told CNN. "He kept his hand all the way over on my breast. I've never had a man put their arm around me and then cup my breast. So he was holding my breast on the side."

Kemplin said that Franken's hand was on her breast for 5 to 10 seconds.

"It was long enough that he should have known if it was an accident," she said, adding that she was confident it wasn't accidental.

"I remember clenching up and how you just feel yourself flushed," she said. "And I remember thinking -- is he going to move his hand? Was it an accident? Was he going to move his hand? He never moved his hand."

Kemplin said that finally she shifted her position to get Franken's hand off her breast before the photo was taken. In the photo provided to CNN, she is seen smiling with Franken whose hand is around her back.

Kemplin did not return BuzzFeed News' request for comment.

Twitter: @CNN

Kemplin described feeling "frozen and numb" and said she was embarrassed by the incident, but did not confront Franken about it at the time.

"I was in a war zone... You were on a USO tour — are you trying to boost the morale of the troops or are you trying to boost your own?" she said. "I just feel so sorry for that young girl in that picture."

Kemplin, who is registered Republican and voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 elections, said that she discussed the incident with her family members and an ex-boyfriend, but did not confide in any fellow soldiers.

The White House has dismissed comparisons between Trump — who has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen women — and Franken, because "Franken admitted wrongdoing and the president hasn't."

Kemplin, who was honorably discharged in 2008, said she was sexually assaulted by a specialist with whom she shared her tent just months before the encounter with Franken. She said the specialist was found not guilty of indecent assault.

Mark Wilson / Getty Images

Morning news anchor Leeann Tweeden was the first to accuse Franken of groping her without consent, prompting four other women to accuse the senator of similar behavior.

Lindsay Menz alleged that Franken grabbed her butt in 2010 as they were taking a photo together at the Minnesota State Fair.

Two women, who spoke anonymously to HuffPo, alleged that Franken touched them inappropriately during photo ops. One said he grabbed her butt at an event hosted by the Minnesota Women's Political Caucus in 2007, and the other alleged that Franken cupped her butt during a 2008 Democratic fundraiser in Minneapolis.

Following the allegations, Franken apologized for letting people down, saying that he will be accountable for his actions and work to regain the public's trust. He has also acknowledged that he "crossed a line for some women" during encounters where he greeted or embraced them for a photo, but has refused to "speculate" on whether he will resign.

"Some women have found my greetings or embraces for a hug or photo inappropriate, and I respect their feelings about that," Franken said in an earlier statement. "I’ve thought a lot in recent days about how that could happen, and recognize that I need to be much more careful and sensitive in these situations. I feel terribly that I’ve made some women feel badly and for that I am so sorry, and I want to make sure that never happens again."

LINK: Al Franken Says He'll Be "Accountable" For Sexual Harassment Allegations

LINK: Al Franken Acknowledges His Behavior "Crossed A Line" For Too Many Women

LINK: A Woman Says Sen. Al Franken Grabbed Her Buttocks While Taking A Photo In 2010

LINK: Sen. Al Franken Says He'll Cooperate With Investigation Into Allegations He Groped Four Women

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A Woman Who Accused Conyers Of Sexual Harassment Spoke Out For The First Time

Marion Brown, a former employee of Democratic Rep. John Conyers, spoke out for the first time Thursday, saying “it was sexual harassment, violating my body, propositioning me for sex.”

Brown's comments came on NBC's Today Show.

As BuzzFeed News first reported, Conyers settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 with brown, who alleged she was fired because she would not “succumb to [his] sexual advances.”

Meanwhile, the AP reported that Conyers was hospitalized on Thursday. A spokesperson told a local station it was due to a "stress-related illness."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.

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This Woman Needed To Find An Old Toy Truck For Her Disabled Brother And The Response Was Amazing

Cassie Gretschel’s little brother, Max, loves a specific, discontinued Tonka toy truck that his family has been getting him for Christmas for the past 17 years. But they’ve been getting harder and harder to find, so she asked the internet for help and cue the feels.

Cassie Gretschel has bought the same Tonka truck for her 25-year-old brother, Max, every Christmas for the past 17 years. Max is mentally and physically disabled, and this particular truck is "literally the only thing he will play with."

Cassie Gretschel

Finding this certain truck, however, she says is like "mission impossible." The Tonka Police Hummer truck was manufactured in 2000 and has since been discontinued. Every year, Gretschel and her parents scour eBay to ensure Max has one under the tree. She even has eBay alerts set up on her phone to make sure she never misses an opportunity to buy one.

Cassie Gretschel

"They used to be really easy to find because we would just get orange ones and then I made the mistake of finding a blue one on Ebay and now he only wants blue ones," the 30-year-old from Maryland told BuzzFeed News Wednesday night.

Cassie Gretschel'

For Max, who Gretschel said was born with brain damage and multiple sclerosis, Tonka "only came out with a couple of toys over the years with levers that are super handicapped friendly."

Cassie Gretschel'

Her brother, who is also visually impaired and spends most of his time in a wheelchair, the truck's bright colors and structure is "pretty much the holy grail for a visually impaired kid who can crawl behind it without it going into the other room."

Other models with rubber tires frustrate him, she added because they come off immediately. He also notices if its signature metal hook is missing.

The 25-year-old plays with the trucks every day for hours, his sister said, literally running them into the ground.

"We have piles of them," she laughed. "Twelve are still active and then we have a few others we keep on hand for spare parts in case we need to repair."

Cassie Gretschel'

As a last resort, Gretschel, who is an artist, created a silicone mold of the police truck so she can make one herself if necessary. She said she had even tried customizing the toys herself, airbrushing, painting, and accessorizing ones Max already owned, but her brother "can tell the difference."

Cassie Gretschel'

Worried about hunting down this year's Tonka toy truck, Gretschel took to Reddit in hopes of finding some people who had the trucks as kids and she could purchase one for Max.

Cassie Gretschel'

Touched and determined, Reddit users swarmed the comment section asking if other models "were close enough."

"Although I don't have that Adventure model, I do have the police model that I'd be happy to send you to share with your brother this Xmas. From what you say, I don't think that this is going to fit the bill though. Here is a photo of what it looks like. Let me know!" someone wrote.

"I found one on Ebay and bought it. It's this one. I'll PM so I can send it to you when it arrives. Ebay says I should have it by the 6th. You'll have it soon after that. Yep, I know blue is preferred, but I'm hoping this one will work. I couldn't find a blue one," another user said.

"Here's one posted on Ebay France. If you need help ordering, my boyfriend lives in Le Mans, France and has been helpful with this sort of thing before. However, according to the post, the item is located in US! I can ask him to contact the seller if there's a language barrier! Good luck OP, and Happy Holidays!"

Soon, Reddit users started sending messages to Tonka asking if they could help, and the toy truck company responded.

View Video ›

Facebook: tonka

People on Reddit were floored that Tonka was joining the effort to find Max's truck. "Dude, Tonka just earned a new fan. Gonna buy the kids some Tonka toys this Xmas. How could I not support such a cool company after this," someone wrote.

Reddit

Tonka told BuzzFeed News "a massive outpouring of people" sent emails and private messages.

"People were even looking for employees through LinkedIn and contacting their private emails," Jessica Gonzalez, a spokeswoman with Funrise Toy Corp., which owns Tonka, said Wednesday. "As soon as we received the first email, no one at this office batted an eye and we began searching for the toy immediately. We actually get a few stories like this sent to us every year and we always send toys to help however we can, but we’ve never been contacted like this through a viral post."

"This one is tough because it’s such an old toy, we have to do extra digging," Gonzalez added, however, the company got their "address and we plan on sending her as many of those hummer trucks we can find as well as some additional Tonka trucks. Since he has special requests like, no rubber wheels, action levers, and a need for bright colors (he's legally blind), we plan on making some custom adjustments to some other vehicles in hopes that he’ll like those as well."

"My brother is about the same! He is 27 but has regressed to the point where he is in diapers and has no means of verbal communication. A few years ago, McDonald's had these Beanie Babies they packed in their kids meal, and for some reason my brother got ahold of one that was a monkey and he has always kept it in his hands ever since. For years, my dad would go on eBay just to find the exact same one (since it was specifically the Happy Meal toy, and not an actual Beanie Baby) so that any time my brother loses his Beanie Baby monkey, we have one to immediately replace it with. Sometimes it gets stressful, because his tantrums have really decreased after he found his Beanie Baby monkey, so when he misplaces it, we're all searching for a replacement to calm him down.
My brother will never know that the 1 Beanie Baby monkey he has is actually hundreds (by this time) of different Beanie Baby monkeys that look exactly alike.
Good luck with the trucks! True love lives on!"

"As someone who is a guardian of a man with Down Syndrome, I'm half laughing and half crying because I know your frustration, and I can totally empathize with you. The hoops you jump through to get everything 'just right!'," someone shared.

"My oldest son has autism and I felt the exact same way. We've custom printed posters and shirts, built toys, searched the internet for hours for insane products we know don't actually exist," another user said.

A bit overwhelmed by how many people got involved, Gretschel said she didn't "expect it to go this crazy," as she was "just trying to find a lead" on a 2000 Tonka toy truck after one she had found in the UK ended up falling through.

Cassie Gretschel

"It can get a little desperate," she said, since not only does Max get one for Christmas, he looks forward to playing with a new truck on his birthday in May, too.

Cassie Gretschel

"We have at least one red one hidden in a closet for back up so we never miss a gift," Gretschel continued. "It's like an all year mission, but we haven't failed him yet."

When he's not playing with trucks, Max sails in the summer and often participates in marathons thanks to a group called Athletes Helping Athletes. He also lives in a group home in Baltimore, where he has "a lot of friends" and is in the drama club.

Cassie Gretschel

"People expect me to treat him differently but it's just like having a little brother who never grew up," she said. "I still treat him like my annoying little brother, but I never want to let him down."

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Trump Blasts The UK Prime Minster On Twitter, But Only After Tweeting The Wrong Account

President Trump, left, and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May at a G-20 meeting in July, 2017.

John Macdougall / AP

President Trump on Wednesday fired back at British prime minister Theresa May's criticism of him retweeting anti-Muslims videos, telling her on Twitter to instead focus on her own domestic issues.

"Don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!" he tweeted.

However, his tweet to the leader of a historic ally only came minutes after his original message misfired when he addressed it to the wrong Theresa May, mistakenly directing it to a Twitter handle belonging to one "Theresa Scrivener" with six followers.

Twitter

Trump's retort to May only adds to tensions between historical allies who have repeatedly referred to their "special relationship." The latest spat between the two world leaders was sparked after Trump retweeted three anti-Muslim videos posted by the deputy leader of the far-right British political party Britain First.

The White House defended Trump's actions by saying that he was drawing attention to a national security issue, but one of the videos that purports to show a Muslim migrant beating up Dutch boy on crutches was debunked.

Trump's tweets drew criticism from around the world, including May, whose spokesperson said it was "wrong for the president to have done this."

"Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions," the spokesperson said. "They cause anxiety to law-abiding people. British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right, which is the antithesis of the values which this country represents: decency, tolerance and respect."

His reference to "Radical Islamic Terrorism" taking hold in the UK is also a common refrain that British officials and experts say is not rooted in numbers.

In October, Trump tweeted: "'United Kingdom crime rises 13% annually amid spread of Radical Islamic terror.' Not good, we must keep America safe!"

However, official British statisticians have said the rise was due to both an increase in crime and improved logging of incidents by police.

LINK: Trump Retweeted Anti-Muslim Videos Posted By Far-Right Group Britain First

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Suspected Serial Killer Who Terrorized Tampa Neighborhood Is Caught After McDonald's Flub

Police say they were onto Howell Donaldson after he asked a McDonald’s coworker to hold a bag containing a handgun connected to four killings.

At left, booking photo for Howell Emanuel Donaldson. At right, the father of a shooting victim is embraced by the mayor.

AP/Tampa Police

Residents in Tampa under siege by a serial killer who appeared to attack at random are resting easier Wednesday after he was arrested and charged with four counts of murder.

Howell Donaldson, 24, is suspected of killing four people in the city's Seminole Heights neighborhood, according to Tampa police.. He was arrested Tuesday at the McDonald's where he worked and apparently gave himself away by asking a coworker to hold a bag containing a gun.

As Donaldson left work to get a payday loan, the employee notified a police officer doing paperwork in the seating area of the restaurant, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

The gun inside the bag was reported to be a loaded .40-caliber gun pistol.

Police later linked cartridges found at the crime scenes to Donaldson's weapon, according to an affidavit, and Donaldson allegedly admitted to owning the gun and the type of ammunition used in the killings, though he denied responsibility.

Police said a search of Donaldson's car revealed blood-stained clothing that matched surveillance footage from near where the shootings took place. And his phone's location data in October revealed that he had been in the Seminole Heights neighborhood "within minutes of the murders," officials added.

The killings left the neighborhood on edge as police warned people not to walk alone, even with more officers being deployed to the area.

Most of the victims were shot in October and November while getting off a city bus or returning home from work. They included Benjamin Mitchell, 22; Monica Hoffa, 32; Anthony Naiboa, 20; and Ronald Felton, 60.

Investigators say it's still not clear why the Seminole Heights neighborhood was targeted. In January, Donaldson graduated from St. John's University in New York, where the school spokesman told the Associated Press he was a walk-on for the men's basketball team during the 2011-12 season.

Donaldson could face the death penalty.

As investigators continued to work the case, city officials and loved ones of the victims reacted with gratitude and relief Wednesday after the charges were announced.

"I can't thank the person who called us about the gun in the bag enough for standing up and doing the right thing," said Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan at the news conference.

Robert Hoffa, the uncle of Monica Hoffa, said the families would not left the victims be forgotten.

"Benjamin, Monica, Anthony and Ronald — we will not let their names die in vain," he said.

On Tuesday after the arrest, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckthorn said that the city had been engaged in a struggle between good and evil.

"Well tonight, goodness has won," he told reporters. "Tonight, in the battle between darkness and light, light has won."

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That False Video Trump RTd First Traveled Through Anti-Muslim And Pro-Trump Fever Swamps Online

On Monday, President Trump retweeted three anti-Muslim videos posted by the deputy leader of a far-right British political party.

Twitter / Via Twitter: @JaydaBF

One of the videos, claiming to show a "Muslim migrant" assaulting a "Dutch boy on crutches," is false. But it lived for for months on pro-Trump Twitter accounts and in anti-Muslim fever swamps online. Here's the history of the the video's journey to the president's Twitter account.

The video first appeared on a Dutch video site, Dumpert.nl, on May 13, 2017, the fact-checking website Snopes reported. The original title did not reference Muslims or migrants.

Dumpert / Via dumpert.nl

A day later, on May 14, 2017, Dutch police found and arrested the attacker thanks to the posted video, according to a report from De Telegraaf, a Dutch news organization.

The news report neither mentions the 16-year-old boy's religion or if he's a migrant, but does say his hometown is Monnickendam, a small town in the Netherlands.

So how did the words "Muslim" and "migrant" associated with a video showing a Dutch boy beating up another Dutch boy appear? It looks like it began with a pro-Trump Twitter account.

Via Twitter: @StockMonsterVIP

The account, StockMonsterVIP tweeted the video with the Dutch website's logo in the upper right-hand-corner and added the word "migrant." StockMonsterVIP's tweet came just a day after it was originally posted there, and on the same day as the teen's arrest, May 13th, 2017.

The video received at least 5,037 retweets.

The Twitter account, which often tweets pro-Trump memes and news reporters, is also followed by retired Lt. Gen. and ousted Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, as well as President Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., who is very active on Twitter.

Via Twitter: @StockMonsterVIP

Also in May, the video made rounds on the notorious and pro-Trump Reddit forum, The Donald, receiving 224 comments.

Via reddit.com

And the word "Muslim?" Just one day after the video appeared on the internet, anti-Muslim activist Pamela Geller posted the video on her website with the title: "VIDEO: Muslim Migrant beats up helpless disabled Dutch boy on crutches."

Via pamelageller.com

"More of the diversity and multiculturalism Syrian refugees bring to the West," Geller wrote. "This is what the Democrats want for disabled Americans."

Geller also tweeted a link to her story containing the video.

Via Twitter: @PamelaGeller

The next day, Alex Jones' website Prison Planet also posted Geller's post — with "Muslim Migrant" in the headline — along with the video.

Via prisonplanet.com

Paul Joseph Watson, an editor at Infowars — the Alex Jones media property which also owns Prison Planet — tweeted a critique about Trump's retweet, questioning the "optics" of retweeting Britain First.

When asked if it's also "not great optics" for the video and headline to be posted on the website for which he works — and was sourced from an anti-Muslim activist — Watson said, "I didn't comment on the content of the videos, I commented on the optics of retweeting Britain First."

"I wrote in the past about Syrian rebels ransacking Christian churches, as seen in the video Trump retweeted," Watson continued, implying his tweet was in reference to another other video retweeted by Trump.

Months after the words Muslim and migrant were added to the video, it reappeared on the video sharing website, LiveLeak, on August 28, 2017, according to Snopes.

Via liveleak.com

This time the title was, "Refugee beats up Dutch boy on crutches."

A little more than a month later, the far-right and fringe British political group's deputy leader, Jayda Fransen, tweeted the video for the first time.

Fransen posted the same video almost two months later.

It is unclear how President Trump, who does not follow Jansen, came across the video but conservative writer and commentator Ann Coulter, who Trump does follow, retweeted the video on the same day Fransen posted it for the second time on her account.

Still, it's not even clear Trump himself hit the RT button.

When White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah was asked how the president came across the video on Wednesday.

Shah said, "Look, we are not going to be focusing on process. I know you guys want to. We are going to be focusing on the issues."

Charlie Warzel contributed to this report.

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Some Senate Republicans Skeptical Of Trump’s New HHS Pick And His “Big Pharma” Past

Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images

Several Republicans raised concerns Wednesday that President Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services is too close to the pharmaceutical industry, questioning whether he would work to reduce rising drug prices if confirmed.

While the majority of Republicans at the Senate Health Committee’s hearing supported Trump’s pick, citing his six years at HHS under President George W. Bush’s administration, some raised concerns inspired by Azar’s 10-year employment with major pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co., and questioned whether he would be committed to lowering the cost of medicines for consumers.

Sen. Rand Paul, who recently returned to the Senate after having six ribs broken in a fight with his neighbor, grilled Azar about his “Big Pharma” past, accusing pharmaceutical companies of “manipulating the government” for their own gain.

Azar stated in his opening remarks at the hearing that lowering drug prices was one of his top four priorities going into the position of secretary, by fighting “gaming in the system by patents and exclusivity agreements.” Paul, however, was not convinced.

"You’ve got some convincing to make me believe that you’re gonna represent the American people and not Big Pharma,” Paul said, adding that he knew that suggestion was “insulting,” but that he and his colleagues “all have our doubts, because Big Pharma manipulates the system to keep prices high.”

Paul’s central concern was regulations upheld by multiple presidential administrations that prevent the reimportation of drugs made in the US and sold for lower prices in other countries, including Canada and the European Union. Paul argued that these laws prevent competition and access to cheaper pharmaceuticals that would lower drug prices in the US.

Azar conceded that there were “clearly abuses” by pharmaceutical companies “in the system,” but that past HHS secretaries from both parties had not been able to determine that importing drugs from Europe could be safe for American use and that he was “against unsafe reimportation.”

“That’s BS and the American people know it’s BS,” Paul countered, stating that past secretaries were “beholden to the drug companies” and that he could not trust their opinions on this matter.

“This isn’t capitalism,” Paul said, raising his voice. “Walmart is capitalism, Bill Gates was capitalism, Big Pharma is not. They’re trying to maximize their profit by using government, and we’re letting them do it.”

Paul finished his questioning by stating that unless Azar was open to exploring this controversial strategy of reimporting drugs, “I can’t support you.”

Azar did not get a chance to fully respond to Paul’s statements, as they had run out of time.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins echoed Paul’s concerns about misbehavior in pharmaceutical companies. Murkowski told Azar that she was interested in hearing his responses to Paul’s questions. She said that this issue was of particular concern to citizens of Alaska, as their “neighboring state is Canada,” and many of Alaska’s citizens wonder why the government can’t “do more about safely reimporting drugs” from a country right next door to them.

Collins picked up Paul’s concern over the lack of competition in the pharmaceutical market, referencing a study that found that some drug companies may be blocking potential competitors from being able to get FDA approval to create generic versions of a drug, thereby driving up costs.

Azar responded that he was aware of that issue as “one of the abuses that occur” in the pharmaceutical industry, and that he planned to look into it.

Though the HELP Committee is able to question Azar in these hearings, his appointment to the post is up to a vote by the Senate Finance Committee, who has not yet scheduled their hearing on Azar’s nomination.

If Azar is confirmed to his position by the Senate, he will replace former HHS Secretary Tom Price, who resigned under pressure in late September due to reported misuse of private planes using taxpayers’ money.

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