Latest news with #Gilmartin
Washington Post
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Memorial to victims of gun violence taken down at ATF headquarters
The Trump administration has removed a memorial honoring victims of gun violence from the main atrium of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, taking down about 120 portraits hung during the Biden administration. Justice Department spokesman Chad Gilmartin said that the decision to remove the portraits was not political and that officials are considering different ways to honor victims. 'The ATF will continue to honor the memory of all victims of violent crime while at the same time preserving the rights of law-abiding Americans,' Gilmartin said, referring to the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Former ATF director Steven Dettelbach — who was appointed by President Joe Biden — created the memorial at the agency's Northeast Washington headquarters last April to remind employees of the human toll of gun violence. The display includes photos of police officers killed by gunfire, children slain in mass school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida, and other victims. A nearby kiosk told the stories of each, and many of the victims' families would visit the memorial. 'The 'Faces of Gun Violence' exhibit is a permanent reminder of what ATF comes to work to do every day — a reminder of why agents risk their lives and why everyone at ATF dedicates their careers to this mission: to honor the fallen and protect the living,' Dettelbech said at a ceremony unveiling the memorial last year. 'This exhibit both honors and tells the stories of the victims of firearms violence. And it reminds us to keep front and center the lives, the stories, and the courage of those who have been impacted by firearms violence.' When the memorial was being planned, some officials within ATF disagreed with placing it prominently in the atrium of the building, according to one person familiar with the internal deliberations, who like some others interviewed spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic. Those people thought the photos could be traumatizing for ATF officials who had previously responded to deadly crime scenes and would have to pass by the memorial regularly, this person said. Gilmartin said the agency, which is part of the Justice Department and is responsible for regulating and tracking guns, wants to find a different way to honor the victims. Political controversy has long engulfed ATF, reflecting the divide between Republicans and Democrats on how to address gun violence in the country. While most of agency budget goes toward tracing guns and investigating violent crimes, ATF is also responsible for regulating the sale and licensing of firearms based on laws passed by Congress. President Donald Trump and his Republican allies say that there should be fewer gun restrictions and that Democrats have used ATF to tighten gun laws. Democrats have pushed for stricter gun laws but have struggled to pass those proposals in Congress. They say ATF has acted within its authority to interpret and implement federal gun laws. There is vastly more gun violence in the United States than in other economically prosperous countries and far fewer restrictions on gun ownership. Trump has strongly opposed most gun restrictions. His attorney general, Pam Bondi, has started rolling back Biden-era gun policies, rescinding an ATF rule that yanked licenses from federally licensed firearm dealers if they intentionally falsified records or sold weapons without running a background check. Brenda Haymon Joiner, a gun-control advocate whose slain father's portrait was included in the memorial, said she saw its dismantling as a sign of the new administration's priorities. 'I think of him daily,' Haymon Joiner, who works at the advocacy group Brady United, said of her father, Robert Godwin. 'And I was proud to know that his photo at the ATF was a reminder to the agency of who they're fighting for. Now, for all I know, his photo is sitting at the bottom of a trash can. The ATF used to be an agency dedicated to fighting for people. Now, it's crystal clear that its mandate has become fighting on behalf of gun industry profits.' The portraits were removed at a time of uncertainty for ATF. Trump has not nominated a permanent director for the agency. He tapped FBI Director Kash Patel to serve as interim director as he also led the FBI, but Patel was soon replaced by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Some Republicans in Congress have called for abolishing ATF altogether, and the Trump administration has proposed merging it with the Drug Enforcement Administration. The White House wants to slash the agency's approximately $1.5 billion annual budget by about a third, or nearly $500 million, according to budget documents released Friday. The proposal appears to cut much of the regulatory arm of ATF while leaving resources for gun tracing and investigating gun traffickers. 'The Budget bolsters the Second Amendment by cutting funding for ATF offices that have criminalized law-abiding gun ownership through regulatory fiat,' the budget proposal reads. 'The previous administration used the ATF to attack gun-owning Americans and undermine the Second Amendment by requiring near universal background checks; subjecting otherwise lawful gun owners to up to 10 years in prison for failing to register pistol braces that make it possible for disabled veterans to use firearms; the imposition of excessive restrictions on homemade firearms; and the revocation of Federal Firearms Licenses. '
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scranton school board to advertise vacancy following Gilmartin resignation vote
The Scranton school board will fill the vacancy after voting to accept Director Katie Gilmartin's resignation. Directors are expected to vote Monday to accept the resignation, which she submitted Friday. Following that vote, directors will have 30 days to fill the vacancy, according to board policy. The board president can call a special meeting to fill the spot if the regular board meeting falls beyond the 30 day window. If directors fail to appoint someone within 30 days, they can continue their efforts to fill the seat unless 10 or more residents file a petition with the Court of Common Pleas. The board is required to advertise the vacancy for 10 days on the district website and social media and no more than three days in published media, according to the policy. Directors also are required to set a deadline for candidates to submit applications, resumes, letters of interest and statements of financial interest. Directors will interview and select a candidate at a public meeting, using a scoring rubric to assess each one. The first candidate to receive an affirmative vote of the board majority will be appointed. Board President Ty Holmes said the seat will be advertised, candidates will be interviewed and directors will vote on the seat within the 30 day timeframe. 'It's a standard process,' he said. The candidate selected will serve the remainder of the term, which expires in December. The seat will be up for election in November, Holmes said. Gilmartin's seat is one of four up for grabs on the board, along with those held by Holmes, Vice President Danielle Chesek and Director Sean McAndrew. Gilmartin did not file paperwork to run for reelection in the May 20 primary election. Chesek is the only incumbent running for re-election. Holmes is not running for another term and McAndrew is seeking a Democratic nomination for one of three seats on Scranton City Council. Six people are running in the May primary election for Scranton school board. They are Joe Brazil, Chesek, John Howe, Jenna Strzelecki and Julien Wells, all of whom cross filed as Democrats and Republicans, and former director Carol Cleary, who is seeking a Democratic nomination. Gilmartin has served on the board since 2017 and was board president in 2020 and 2021.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scranton School Board Director Katie Gilmartin resigns
Lame-duck Scranton School Board member Katie Gilmartin has resigned, according to an agenda for the board's work session Monday night. Reached Monday, Gilmartin declined to comment on why she stepped down in the final year of her second four-year term. She did not file paperwork to run for reelection in the May 20 primary election. Katie Gilmartin (File photo) Currently serving on the board's community relations and personnel committees, Gilmartin was the school board president in 2020 and 2021. Scranton School Superintendent Erin Keating, Ed.D., released a statement Monday afternoon announcing Gilmartin submitted a letter of resignation Friday. The school board will consider Gilmartin's resignation at the board's regular meeting on April 7, Keating said. One of the numerous items on the board's agenda for the work session Monday at 7 p.m. at the West Scranton High School auditorium is listed as a 'Motion to Accept – Resignation of Director Gilmartin.' Pursuant to board policies, the board 'will take the necessary steps to fill the resulting vacancy. Further information regarding the process and the timeline will be shared with the community as it becomes available,' Keating's announcement said. The four seats on the school board that are up for grabs this year are held by Gilmartin, board President Ty Holmes, Vice President Danielle Chesek and Director Sean McAndrew. Of those four, only Chesek seeks reelection to the board. The candidates in the 2025 primary for Scranton School Board and how they filed — as Democrats or Republicans, or cross-filed in both parties — include Joe Brazil (D/R), Danielle Chesek (D/R), John Howe (D/R), Jenna Strzelecki (D/R), Mary Walsh (D/R), Julien Wells (D/R) and Carol Cleary (D). McAndrew, who has served on the board since 2020, is seeking a Democratic nomination for one of three open seats on Scranton City Council. Holmes, who is ending his first term on the board, had said that instead of seeking reelection he wants to focus on his health and other community endeavors. Gilmartin was a political newcomer when first elected to the school board in 2017, when she was the top vote-getter in both the primary and general elections. In March 2021, Gilmartin briefly resigned as board president before colleagues urged her to stay in that role. At that time, Gilmartin cited prior recent events, including the delayed start of hybrid instruction and the response to comments made by the president of the teachers union, as not representing her goals as president devoted to policy, professionalism and process. Gilmartin won election in the 2021 general election to both a two-year and a four-year seat and chose to take the four-year term that ends this year. Gilmartin also serves on the Scranton's Historical Architecture Review Board.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
Detective Gilmartin named Hometown Hero in 111th Saint Patrick's Day Award Dinner
PITTSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A man who literally put his life on the line for our safety was given a well-deserved honor on Monday. Detective Kyle Gilmartin, who was shot in the line of duty in Scranton in January of 2024, was named a Hometown Hero. The Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick gathered for its 111th Annual Saint Patrick's Day Award Dinner in Pittston, the first time it has been held in the city since 1956. Each year, awards are given to community leaders and residents who have regularly given back to their communities. This year, Detective Kyle Gilmartin was presented with the organization's first hometown heroes award for his courage, resilience, and bravery during service. Pharmaceutical company to close PA location 'I appreciate the hero award but I'm not a hero. The police officers I was with that night are the heroes and the surgeons and medical staff that brought me back to life. Without them I wouldn't be here,' Detective Gilmartin explained. Gilmartin, a former Scranton Police Detective, was shot twice in the head in January of 2024 as he and other officers were responding to gunfire in West Scranton. Gilmartin says he's still recovering, but the progress he has made so far has been remarkable. 'Detective Kyle Gilmartin went through a major bout earlier this year, and he's made tremendous strides, so we're happy to be honoring him tonight,' President of the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick Sean Rooney said. During his acceptance speech, Gilmartin named a number of local police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. These officers, Gilmartin says, are the real heroes. 'I also wanted to remind everybody, I survived, and you know there's a lot of great police officers from this area, two I believe graduated from Pittston Area, one graduated from Wyoming Area. Most importantly I'd like to thank God for giving me a second chance and to be able to thank everybody,' Gilmartin continued. The Friendly Sons say they plan to continue the Hometown Heroes Award in the years to come. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
13-03-2025
- Fox News
University of Central Florida suspends 2 fraternities for alleged hazing, including hitting pledges with cars
An investigation is underway at a Florida university after two fraternities were suspended for serious hazing allegations. The University of Central Florida has suspended fraternities Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon after multiple reports of "dangerous and degrading" hazing, a school official said in a statement shared with WKMG. According to an incident report obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, fraternity brothers at Sigma Chi allegedly hit pledges with a car as part of a hazing ritual. A sorority member whose house sits next door to Sigma Chi's told police she heard yelling, saw a car strike a young man and then heard someone shout "help!" and "my bones, my bones, they're broken," a report said. In the statement, UCF officials stated that both Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon are on interim organizational suspension and under active investigation by UCF Police for felony hazing, including "a risk of injury or death." A detective assigned to the case wrote in the report, "Sigma Chi brothers had allegedly forced new members to stand in front of cars while members of the organization hit them with cars." The outlet uncovered that Sigma Chi has been a repeat offender at UCF, having been suspended eight times between 2015 and 2020, including four suspensions in 2019 alone. One of those 2019 incidents involved allegations the fraternity had blindfolded a pledge and forced him to use cocaine. The national chapters have also temporarily suspended the UCF fraternities. The oldest incident occurred in November at a fraternity house off campus, according to records obtained by WKMG. The incident happened while UCF's main campus was closed and was not reported until Jan. 22. A second hazing incident allegedly occurred on campus at the Sigma Chi house. The log says the incident occurred between Feb. 3 and Feb. 24 and was reported March 7. A third incident, involving Sigma Chi, stems from allegations of a hit-and-run incident that occurred Feb. 24 on campus. The fourth hazing incident was reported March 4. Authorities have not released details about the specific incidents that led to the investigations or whether any individuals have been charged. It is also unclear how long the suspensions will last or what disciplinary actions the fraternities may face. This is the latest incident involving serious allegations within the school's Greek system, which has added to growing concerns about a hazing culture on campus. The suspensions follow last month's action against Phi Gamma Delta for alleged antisemitism, which reportedly involved "the use of hate symbols." "UCF unequivocally condemns hazing in all forms, and we are committed to holding individuals and organizations accountable for actions that threaten the safety and well-being of our students and others," Courtney Gilmartin, assistant vice president of strategic initiatives and communications, told WKMG. Gilmartin added that the fraternities' suspensions barred them from on- and off-campus activities, including recruitment and social events. Fox News Digital reached out to the university for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
