%%Post image thumbnail below.%%  # Episode Overview > - **Date Aired:** [[11-18-2023]] > - **Title:** Ketchup & Mustard > - **Episode:** 261 > - **Description:** Let's ketchup! > - **Link:** <https://rumble.com/v3wmbom-big-dig-energy-261-ketchup-and-mustard.html> # Replay %% Get embed URL then highlight and hit ALT + I%% <iframe src="https://rumble.com/embed/v3u0xzd/?pub=6eeyh" allow="fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" style="height:100%;width:100%; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; "></iframe> <br> # Greetings & Announcements It has been a weird and wonky and intermittently kinda sad week over here, but I appreciate you putting up with me not being able to focus on anything and being cool about it anyways. Thanks. <3 # Segments ## Pete Buttigieg: Dog Strangler? One of the unfortunate realities of ad revenue share on Twitter is the vast uptick in clickbait/comment bait on the site. Whether or not this tweet is that or simply just a cast of complete media illiteracy, it's kinda funny and has a "learning moment" attached to it so here goes: On November 14th, this account [tweeted](http://archive.today/E32W0)… a screenshot… of a tweet… which claimed that [[Pete Buttigieg]] is a dog strangler. "Why won't anyone discuss why a Teenage Buttigieg strangled 5 dogs?" the tweet dares us to ask. Why indeed. It has been liked nearly two thousand times, retweeted 1,600 times, and has a little over 93,000 views. SURELY there's something to it, right?  > "A local teen, Peter Buttigieg, has been arrested on suspicion of the recent killings of at least 5 dogs. Authorities say they were able to locate the suspected individual thanks to testimony of witnesses who saw the teen allegedly strangling a stray dog."  A few things here off the bat: The date and year are [mysteriously smudged](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-8F0ysbAAA_uTa?format=jpg&name=large). Despite the paper saying it continues on another page, the headline above the text is cut off, so it's not centered with the "story." And the grammar is also lacking… Which wouldn't necessarily be a tell in modern newspapers, but you better believe in the 90s it would **not** be. But for anyone who would like me to clear any remaining doubt, I did in fact look it up in the newspaper archives. **No results for "a local teen Peter Buttigieg."**  **No results for "teen Peter Buttigieg,"**  **And while there were results for just "Peter Buttigieg," they were all relating to winning prizes for writing essays and being on the honor roll in that timeframe.**  **Example: The South Bend Tribune - 02-22-2000**  ## Stacey Abrams Brother-in-Law Arrested for… Human Trafficking? Okay so this one isn't actually clickbait. I'm sure you've seen the story by now, but have you read into it that much? Yesterday, November 17th, a man named [[Jimmie Gardner]] was arrested in Tampa on charges of human trafficking, lascivious touching of a minor and battery.  A [press release](https://archive.is/PY0et) reads: **A MAN EXONERATED AFTER 27-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE ON RAPE CHARGES NOW FACES HUMAN TRAFFICKING CHARGES INVOLVING 16-YEAR-OLD VICTIM IN TAMPA**  > TAMPA, FL (November 17, 2023) — Jimmie Gardner, <u>**a youth motivational speaker and brother-in-law of former Georgia gubernatorial candidate [[Stacey Abrams]]**</u>, is facing <u>==**serious charges of human trafficking**==</u> and is currently in jail in Hillsborough County with no bond. Gardner is scheduled to face a judge in first appearance court in Tampa tomorrow. > > Tampa Police arrested Gardner this morning ==**after his 16-year-old victim**== called police to report **Gardner committed sex acts on her at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza.** **His victim says Gardner paid her money and later became angry and choked her when she refused to have sex. His booking charges include human trafficking, lewd and lascivious touching of certain minors, and battery.** > > **Gardner, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1984, was ==<u>wrongly convicted in the 1987 sexual assault of two women in West Virginia.</u>== He was exonerated in 2016 and released from prison 27 years after his wrongful conviction. <u>==Two years later, he married Georgia Federal Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner.==</u> <u>He currently lives in Georgia and works as a motivational speaker and emotional intelligence trainer for students and people who were formerly incarcerated.**</u> > > "Everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence. Our attorneys will prosecute this case as we would any other offender who is alleged to have committed these crimes. We take these charges very seriously," said State Attorney Suzy Lopez. ### Bond Set at $500,000 Well, [as of today](https://archive.is/4ceUx), his bond has been set at $500,000 and the story gets weirder.  > Jimmie Gardner, ==**motivational speaker and brother-in-law of former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams,**== made his first appearance virtually in a Hillsborough County courtroom Saturday, one day after he was arrested on allegations of human trafficking.  > A judge set his bond at $500,000 despite his attorney, Jeff Brown, being present to argue that Gardner is not a threat to the community. > > **=="He played baseball out of here, he's well known here, he was down here as a motivational speaker for a seminar," Brown said.==** > > ==**Also present in the courtroom was his wife, Georgia federal judge Leslie Abrams, who flew down from Albany, Georgia to support her husband.**== She is the sister of Stacey Abrams, who ran for Georgia Governor in 2018. > > According to authorities, 57-year-old Gardner made contact with a 16-year-old girl around 1:40 a.m. Friday and invited her back to his room at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza. > > Investigators said when she arrived, Gardner offered the girl money in exchange for sex, which she initially agreed to before changing her mind. > > That's when Gardner reportedly became angry - telling the girl she needed to leave the hotel room, which sparked a verbal argument that quickly became physical when Gardner started choking her. > > Police said they found the victim at the scene when they arrived, but Gardner had already left the hotel. > > ==**He later turned himself in to Tampa Police.**== > According to his website, Gardner was raised by his great-aunt in Tampa, and graduated from Tampa Bay Technical High School. > > In 1984, Gardner was drafted by the Chicago Cubs. Five years later, Gardner was wrongly convicted in the 1987 sexual assault of two women in West Virginia. > > He was exonerated and released from prison in 2016. > > "I've been fighting for this and I believe in God and praise," Gardner said in an interview with WHCS FOX 11 after being released. > > In the years after his release, Gardner became an advocate for criminal justice reform and inmate rights, and often spoke in Tampa. ### Baseball Career I ended up finding a newspaper clip from the [Tampa Tribune](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-jimmie-gardner-arm-i/135420125/) from July 31, 1987, detailing an arm injury.  Shortly after that, news stories about his baseball kinda dry up. ### Overturned Conviction BUT THEN… I went to the Michigan University Colllege of Law site to their national exoneration registry to read some details of his [previous charges](https://archive.is/l5Jm3), and I honestly don't know what to make of most of it, so let's have a look together:  ### Jimmie Gardner Website Also, his personal website (<https://jcgardnerspeaks.com/>), mentioned in an article we talked about above, has been taken down entirely.  Fortunately… the internet is forever.  ### Georgia House of Representatives Resolution 806 <div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 60%;"><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/viewer?embedded=true&url=https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20172018/170382" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> ### March 20, 2015 - Leslie Abrams Sworn in  ### February 2018 - House Resolution 806 ### May 23, 2018 - <https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/stacey-abrams-wins-georgia-battle-staceys-bid-become-first-black-n876616> Stacey Abrams wins election. ### May 24, 2018 - <http://archive.today/yFTWX> ### MSM Articles - Washington Post - 05-09-2017 - <https://archive.is/N6M37> - The Root - 05-25-2018 - <https://archive.is/ms5uO> ### Gardner House - 501(c)(3) EIN: 82-2995962 Link: <https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/822995962_202012_990EZ_2022082920298289.pdf> Site Page: <https://web.archive.org/web/20200609083804/https://www.jcgardnerspeaks.com/gardnerhouseinc> **WV Corporation Merger** - <https://archive.is/l8AXm> ### Deleted Social Media #### iHeartRadio Archive: <https://archive.is/IggoQ>  **Guests:** - **William Berkley** - 12-30-2020 - William Berkley developed a curriculum and organization called Recovery U, LLC. His organization is a curriculum-based recovery home for men who are returning home from prison in Charleston, West Virginia who suffer from addiction and other issues. His 67-bed transitional facility is changing lives and is reducing recidivism in his community. - **Community Activist Lajuana Logan** - 12-15-2020 - Many times we think that big changes can only come from government leaders, but local leaders are also out here getting things done. Lajuna Logan is a community activist out of West Virginia. She is a freedom fighter and social justice activist. She also works with grassroots organizations, helped start an annual Juneteenth celebration, and works with nonprofit organizations to implement youth programs. - **Errol Randle** - 12-01-2020 - From a West Virginia police officer to an emotional intelligence trainer, Errol Randle is using his past to impact his community in a positive way. Self-awareness and the ability to manage your emotions can make all the difference in defusing conflict and effective communication. Errol shares how he uses his experiences to improve relationships within organizations and even within policing. - **Interfaith Spiritual Leader Iman Salahudiin Hanif** - 11-17-2020 - Spirituality provides strength for many people, it keeps us grounded during difficult times. True compassion starts with humility and being able to put differences aside and appreciate people for who they are. Iman Salahudiin Hanif, out of Albany, GA, shares with us the power of interfaith connections and how we can heal our communities. Our country needs this message now more than ever. - **Cryptocurrency and Community Leader Wayne Marcel** - 11-03-2020 - Financial empowerment is a major goal for most people. Wayne Marcel teaches cryptocurrency as an option for people to take control of their own financial futures both locally and internationally. He gives back through partnering with international organizations in developing countries to give local citizens access to his training courses. - **GA Returning Citizen & Entrepreneur Stet Frazier** - 08-20-2020 - Wrongful conviction is deplorable, but over-incarceration is just as devastating. Stet Frazier was sentenced to life in prison for a first-time, non-violent drug charge and was denied justice at every turn. While inside, Stet never gave up and consistently fought for justice, he even wrote a 34-page petition to Congress. This episode goes into detail about his case and how various laws were used to deny countless individuals their right to freedom. - **German Social Justice Activist & Fitness Trainer Richard Houdershell** - 08-06-2020 - After serving 15 years from his life sentence, Richard Houdershell emerged as a changed man with a purpose to correct his past and put good back into the world. He was driven by the need to better his karma after making regrettable decisions as a young man, now he spends his time fighting for justice and lighting a path for others. Rick leads with vulnerability and strength; he was extremely active in the penitentiary during the time that I knew him. We go back 30 years! When he returned home, health and fitness remained his saving grace and now he's one of the top fitness trainers in Germany. Check out his website <https://www.richardhoudershell.com> for his 2 books and other blog posts about his experiences. - **Georgia Exoneree Calvin Johnson** - 09-22-2020 - It doesn't matter who you are, how many degrees you have, or if you are innocent, a wrongful conviction can happen to anyone. Calvin Johnson is an exoneree from the state of Georgia who spent 16 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. As soon as he was released, he started speaking and sharing his story around the world. It was important for people to understand how such a tragic event could happen to an innocent person and to let people know that it could happen to them too. Calvin was the first exoneree to sit on the board of the New York Innocence Project and also served on the board of the Georgia Innocence Project. - **NY Exoneree & Attorney [Jeffrey Deskovic](https://archive.is/sxp6P)** - 09-08-2020 - A wrongful conviction can happen to anyone, that's why we advocate so fiercely for our brothers and sisters inside. Jeffrey Deskovic is an exonerated man out of New York who was wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit. Now that he's home, he has started a non-profit organization, The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice that has brought 7 people home and has helped change 3 laws in New York. He even took it a step further, passed his bar exam and is now an attorney fighting for justice. - **Returning Citizen Turned Business Owner [Joshua Proby](https://archive.is/I5wui)** - 08-25-2020 - "Without purpose you have nothing", are not only words that Joshua Proby lives by, but they are the founding blocks for the brand he has built since being home. After spending 12 years in prison, Josh decided not to waste another minute and he began pursuing every path he dreamed about while he was locked up. He has been home for 2 years and is a proud father, husband, author, social activist, multiple business owner, and motivational speaker. His story is a testament to the power of transformation when emotional intelligence is applied. - **Georgetown Alumnus and Exoneree [Brian Ferguson](https://archive.is/XfzL1)** - 08-11-2020 - Brian was in college with a 4.0 GPA getting ready to go to law school when he was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he knew nothing about. He was sent to a maximum-security facility in West Virginia, that's he met Jimmie and they've been close friends since that day. 11 years later his case was overturned and he was finally exonerated. Brian has been active since gaining his freedom, he still fights for his brothers and sisters inside. He has worked in Washington, DC as the Director of the Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens and is currently obtaining his Master's Degree at Oxford University. - **[Lonnie and Jonnie Benniefield](https://archive.is/YAXQ4)** - Identical twins, Lonnie and Jonnie Benniefield are trailblazers. Both African American men are retired firefighters and certified paramedics out of Tampa, FL who have been active in their community for the last 30 years. In today's podcast episode, the brothers share their memories from decades of public service and growing up with Jimmie C., including playing baseball for Belmont Heights Little League with Jimmie C. and future Major League friends. - **[A. Scott Bolden](https://archive.is/uEvBj)** - 06-29-2020 - On the first episode of Choppin' It Up with Jimmie C., we talked with famed attorney, political commentator, and freedom fighter A. Scott Bolden. We discuss the current climate and how the current Black Lives Matter movement differs from any other past movement. We also talk about defunding the police and what that actually means and what happens next for all of us. - **Gwen Carr** - 06-14-2020 - This week Jimmie talks with Gwen Carr an activist, public speaker, author and is a member of Mothers of the Movement. She is also the mother of Eric Garner, a father who was killed by a New York Police Department officer who used an illegal chokehold. #### LinkedIn - 'Jimmie C. Gardner' Archive: <https://archive.ph/NvkVp> > **About:** Blessed to have spoken to numerous organizations,, institutions, and young adults about resiliency, determination, never giving up on themselves or life, and weathering the storm. Also, I have provided Emotional Intelligence Training and Mindfulness Training to countless individuals. Sharing my experiences and knowledge on being a 27 year Wrongful Conviction Survivor/Exoneree is the highlight of my life. > **[Services Provided:](https://archive.is/BJmtf)** Diversity & Inclusion, Life Coaching, Public Speaking, Leadership Development, Training  #### YouTube - 'JC Gardner Speaks' Archive: <https://archive.is/HNh3L> > **About:** This page is designed to motivate and inspire people to be resilient and determined to succeed in whatever their goals and or objectives may be. Trust God.  - Twitter: <https://web.archive.org/web/20200511223342/https://twitter.com/jcgardnerspeaks> - Cache: <https://archive.is/zX9HD> - <https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://twitter.com/jcgardnerspeaks*/> - Mentions: <https://twitter.com/search?q=(%40jcgardnerspeaks)>%20until%3A2018-01-01%20since%3A2015-01-01&src=typed_query&f=top - Comments: <https://twitter.com/search?q=(to%3Ajcgardnerspeaks)>%20until%3A2023-11-15%20since%3A2016-05-01%5C&src=typed_query&f=top  Jimmie Gardner v. David Ballard: <https://www.wvsd.uscourts.gov/sites/wvsd/files/opinions/2_12-cv-03386_Goodwin_3-25-16.pdf> J Abrams McLean - <https://archive.is/Rw9CH> %%Footer Starts Here%% ---  --- # Keep Digging %%Space%% ## Tags #Stream/BDE ### Footnotes & References