Free Republic

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf's home was vandalized early Tuesday with messages spray painted on the sidewalk, driveway and garage. About a dozen people wearing masks drove up to the mayor's home, started yelling and lit off fireworks around 2 a.m., neighbors said. "There was a real thick layer of smoke and a lot of noise," neighbor Desiree Alexander said. Police are investigating the incident. Justin Berton, a spokesperson for Schaaf, provided the following statement: “An attack at the home of a publicly elected official does not advance democracy. Around 2 a.m. vandals shot projectiles at the Mayor’s home, set off...

Full title: Mayor of Oakland warns against ‘scapegoating’ lavishly paid city employees who failed to inspect deathtrap warehouse in 30 years. The Ghost Ship warehouse/artists’ colony fire makes for a compelling drama. And everyone knows that for a drama, you need villains, especially when a tragedy is as vivid as the horrible deaths of 36 mostly young adult creative explorers. The mainstream media found a ready made figure in Derick Almena, the man who rented the warehouse and set up the colony, whose solipsistic tweets focused on his own suffering not the fire victims. His appearance on the Today Show...