Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of April 19, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am.

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1. Agents Ousted (link)

You knew people were going to lose their jobs over the Secret Service scandal in Columbia, and it began yesterday. Three agents lost their jobs and more could be on the way. According to FOX News:

One supervisor was allowed to retire, and another faces termination proceedings. The third, a non-supervisory employee, resigned, the agency said.

It is unclear if more firings are imminent, but one federal law enforcement official said the number of firings would be between two and "a handful."

It's always funny to me that people are allowed to retire or resign after scandals like this. It's almost like the organization wants to stay away from firing people because of how it may tie the organization to the scandal. Will this scandal grow? I think so and the details might not be pretty at all.

2. Austin PD Facing Backlash (link)

The Austin Police Department may take another look into how they deal with dogs after facing backlash from around the country and world. According to the report the Police will look at all aspects to determine what went wrong. According to the Stateman:

In a case that has received international attention after it went viral on Facebook, Michael Paxton’s blue heeler, Cisco, was shot Saturday afternoon by officer Thomas Griffin, who was responding to a call about a domestic disturbance. Griffin arrived at the wrong address by mistake — Paxton’s home — and shot the dog after he said it charged at him, something Paxton denies.

So what went wrong? How about the officer going to the wrong house? Here is how it all went down according to the dispatcher:

The 911 call features a woman who said she was driving past a home in the 2600 block of East Fifth Street and saw a man who appeared to be drunk and a woman trying to get away from him. The video shows Griffin arriving about 4:45 p.m., and he can be heard trying to verify which home was referenced. Not long after leaving his patrol car, Griffin is heard shouting, "Show me your hands" and then, "Get your dog!" That was followed by Cisco's bark and a single gunshot.

Paxton begins yelling at Griffin, saying, "Why did you shoot my dog?"

"Why didn't you get your dog when I told you to get your dog?" Griffin replied.

"I didn't know; I just came around the corner, you pulled a gun out and told me to put my hands up," Paxton is heard saying. "I didn't know anybody was here."

Paxton is heard saying the dog would not have bit Griffin, but Griffin replied that there was no way he could have known that. Griffin said he approached with his gun drawn because he was responding to a disturbance. Griffin can later be heard on the audio telling his supervisor that the dog jumped at him, which Paxton denies.

Austin police policy states that an officer is authorized to use deadly force against an animal "which reasonably appears ... to pose an imminent threat to the safety of officers or others."

I am a dog lover, but I have no problem with Austin's policy on this. Officers don't know if a dog is going to bite/attack or not. My big problem is the fact that the police showed up to the wrong house.

3. Leppert Spends Millions (link)

Tom Leppert should be doing a lot better in the polls than how he is currently doing.

Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert has spent "several million dollars" over the last week to buy airtime to run television ads for his U.S. Senate campaign between now and the May 29 primary, he confirmed today.

"We’ve got several million dollars' worth of buys we’ve made in just the last week or so," Leppert said.

Leppert reminds me a lot of Mitt Romney. No one really thinks he is conservative enough to win, but he's got money and can sound conservative. I still believe Ted Cruz is the most conservative in the race though.

4. Kristen Powers Gets Voter ID (link)

Democrats should listen to Kristen Powers when it comes to Voter ID. According to the Daily Caller:

On Wednesday night’s “Special Report” during the weekly online segment, Fox News contributor and Daily Beast columnist Kirsten Powers said her party — the Democratic Party —is “trapped in the past” in their opposition to voter ID laws.

“This is one of those arguments that I feel Democrats are sort of trapped in the past … At one point, I think this was true in extremely rural places or, you know, with people who were, you know, couldn’t read or couldn’t write — you know, in a different time,” she said. “Or when African-Americans were very afraid of the government — things like that.”

Every now and then Democrats say something smart.

5. Dumb story of the morning (link)

Moron.

A 20-year-old in Letcher County admits he stole gas from a police cruiser!

Once he posted the picture of him in the act and making an obscene gesture on Facebook, it spread like wildfire and Jenkins police began investigating.

Michael Baker's girlfriend snapped the picture they say was meant to be a joke.

It was not so funny when Baker was put in the back of one of those cruisers.

"We was just standing there and thought it would be funny to take a picture and then post it on Facebook," said Baker.

At first, Baker and his girlfriend were apprehensive to talk about what really happened last Friday.

"Yeah, we're sorry, but it was just a joke. I mean if we was going to steal gas, we wouldn't put it nationwide on Facebook. We don't steal anyway, but we're sorry," said Joann Sandelin, Baker's girlfriend.

As the interview continued, Baker loosened up and his honesty might surprise you.

"I got a little bit of gas. I ain't gonna lie but not much. I couldn't get much. I tried but there wasn't much in it," said Baker.

A little gas or a lot of gas, it is still the same crime in the eyes of law enforcement.

"If they're going to do it to a police car, they're going to do it to just about anybody," said Jenkins Police Chief Allen Bormes.

Baker spent a night in jail for his offense and was charged with theft by unlawful taking, but he says he is not sorry for what he did.

6. Good Brews Good News of the Day (link)

Kid gets to be Batman for the day.

"I just want to say, That was fun."

So said a young man named Kye, 7, whose wish as he battles leukemia was to star in a Batman movie. Instead, he spent Saturday fighting villains on a Batman adventure courtesy of Arlington police and firefighters and A Wish With Wings.

Kye's surprise adventure included apprehending The Joker during an attempted bank robbery.

Everyday, Good Brews Coffee & Tea Lounge brings you the Good News of the Day! 

Other Top Stories:

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.

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