Controversial S#!T

Kanye West's campaign has spent millions trying to get his name on ballots from a bunch of states -- and most of the loot has gone to companies specializing in just that ... but which also have tangential ties to President Trump.

Ye's campaign filed its first financial report Friday with the FEC, and if you tally up his disbursements (what he/his campaign have spent personally) ... it comes to just under $6 million. If you go into the raw data, you can see exactly what he's spent and on what.

Between July and August, Ye and co. spent a little over $4 million on ballot access services -- sending hundreds of thousands to a handful of orgs that ... well, help someone get on a ballot (and quickly). There are three main LLCs he's gone to repeatedly, and some are headed up by guys that either used to work for Trump's campaign ... or were trying to.

One of the ballot companies Kanye hired is Fortified Consulting -- which, according to the Washington Post, has the same address of a consulting firm called the Lincoln Strategy Group ... run by a dude named Nathan Sproul, who worked on DT's 2016 campaign.

Here's another ... Ye dished out about a mil to a company called Atlas Strategy Group -- which is led by another guy named Gregg Keller ... who interviewed to be Trump's campaign manager in 2016. Interestingly, one other BAS company he used was one recently used by Pete Buttigieg ... Millennial Strategies based out of NYC. So ... not total bad optics, right???

Fact is, the money trail appears to lend at least some credence to the theory Kanye has allowed his campaign to be infiltrated by GOP operatives ... Trump ones, at that.

New York's top prosecutor is taking the Daniel Prude case out of the local jurisdiction's hands and putting the decision of whether to bring charges squarely with the people.

Attorney General Letitia James says she'll be convening a grand jury soon to review the case and see if any crime had been committed by the Rochester police officers ... who put a spit sack over Prude's head earlier this year, which ultimately lead to his death.

As we reported ... Prude's brother called 911 for help after Daniel was acting erratically. He was intercepted in the snowy streets, completely naked. While complying with officers' demands at first, Prude eventually tried standing up ... and was pinned to the ground.

With a knee to his back and a hood over his head, Prude eventually lost consciousness. He was placed on life support and died 7 days later. His death was ruled a homicide by complications of asphyxia while being restrained, plus other contributing factors.

Empaneling a grand jury essentially takes the power to charge anyone out of a prosecutor's purview and puts it with grand jurors, who'll take a look and be presented an argument one way or another by the lead investigative office -- in this case, the New York Attorney General.

Safe to say, if the AG is making this move ... it's because she wants impartial people to judge what happened and then determine if charges should be filed. So far, seven of the cops have been suspended with pay, but no charges have been filed.

Rochester's mayor, Lovely Warren, decried Prude's death this past week ... claiming ignorance over the true nature of his detainment. Not everyone is satisfied with that explanation, especially since Prude died 6 months ago.

Rihanna appeared bruised and battered as she made a quick pit stop in L.A. -- turns out she's the latest victim of the electric scooter.

RiRi rolled up to Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica Friday night, where she was trying to lay low in her Escalade while some staffers brought out food and drinks to her curbside. At one point, she removed her sunglasses ... and paps captured her looking the worse for wear -- a black eye and some swelling in her face.

Several media outlets posted the photos and suggested she'd been in some sort of physical altercation ... remembering the Chris Brown beating back in 2009. Not the case -- her rep tells us Rihanna was on an e-scooter a few days ago and ate it after the scooter flipped over, smacking her in the face and forehead.

We're told it looks worse than it is and she's healing.

It's not a wonderful day in Mister Rogers' neighborhood, at least not when Donald Trump's in it ... so says his widow, who's got some choice of words for the President.

Joanne Rogers ripped Trump a new one after he decided to host his latest rally in Fred's hometown of Latrobe, PA -- which reportedly broke COVID-19 protocols by hosting more people than the legal limit set at 250 ... instead, the crowd was 7,000 strong.

She tells the Daily Beast she thinks Trump's a "horrible person," adding that she'd probably go into mourning if he's re-elected come November. Joanne says Trump's such a liar she can't trust anything he says, even the smallest thing.

Then comes a scathing line ... "This man is pathologically ill. Mentally ill." BTW, Joanne is a big Biden fan -- saying he's not too old at age 77 (she's 92), adding any gaffes Biden makes while speaking in public are probably a result of a stuttering issue he had when he was younger, rather than any mental ineptitude, as the Trump campaign has often suggested.

The internet is abuzz at the fact that there's actually a high school team called the "Cotton Pickers" -- something a local reporter made public, and which he now regrets.

KIII 3 Sports' Chris Thomasson tweeted a video Friday of the Robstown High School football team taking the field for their season opener against the London High School Pirates near Corpus Christi, TX ... but he also dropped Robstown's team name, the Cotton Pickers.

The guy's tweet got picked up and spread like wildfire, with many people aghast and outraged there could actually be a team with such racist connotations -- especially in Texas, no less. Their mascot isn't very subtle either -- it depicts a cotton plant, straight up. And yes, there are Black players on the football and other sports team ... so, what gives?

That same reporter followed up and said he didn't mean to stir the pot by dropping the full name -- he says he never says the full thing on air and usually just refers to the team as the "Pickers." He also provided context ... saying "Cotton Pickers" is something the school board there recently voted to stick to after consulting the community, which is apparently predominantly Latino. Many of those folks do, in fact, pick cotton and don't view it as a slur.

There are some local reports of residents there even being proud of the name -- as they view it as honest work steeped in local tradition and heritage ... from their POVs anyway.

That said, Thomasson acknowledges it's probably time to change the name, adding he's advocated for that for years. Fact is, the history of cotton picking in this country usually conjures up just one thing for most -- AKA, slavery -- and that alone should be reason enough to pivot.

A university professor who posed as a Black woman for years had her own family completely in the dark about her double life ... and now, they're utterly ashamed.

Jessica Krug -- who says she publicly identified as North African, African-American and of Caribbean descent through most of her adult life -- outed herself Thursday in a Medium post, saying she'd been living a lie ... since she isn't Black at all, just a white Jewish woman.

Krug apologized for what she described as being a "culture leech," saying she'd finally seen the error in her ways ... and that her appropriation was, in fact, anti-Black and colonial.

While it's somewhat commendable she didn't go the route of Rachel Dolezal -- who, more or less, stuck to her guns on identifying as Black -- the damage was already done. George Washington University, where she taught African and Latin American Studies, announced she won't be teaching this semester ... this after her own department tore her a new one.

Not only that, but Krug's own family came out this week and said they were utterly oblivious to the fact she'd been lying about her race. Granted, it sounds like she's estranged.

Her sister-in-law -- who spoke to CNN -- says her husband (Krug's blood brother) hadn't spoken to Jessica in 20 years ... but went on to confirm that she is certainly not Black, going on to call her "white as snow white" and establishing her Kansas City upbringing.

A potentially big development in the Breonna Taylor killing ... at least one of the cops who raided her home appears to have been wearing a body cam, raising questions about the police department's earlier statements that there was no body cam video of the shooting.

Officer Tony James is seen in this photo clearly wearing a body cam. The photo was obtained by VICE news, and it contradicts the police chief, who said after the shooting the officers involved are in divisions that don't require body cams.

What we don't know ... was the camera operational during the shooting? If it was, it could be the critical piece of evidence to determine exactly what happened inside Breonna's home.

A second officer -- Myles Cosgrove -- was also photographed with a body cam mount, but a camera was not attached.

Breonna, who was shot multiple times in the raid, and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were sleeping on March 13 when cops came to execute a search warrant involving her ex-boyfriend. They used a battering ram to gain entry and Walker fired a warning shot from inside.  He says cops never identified themselves ... police say they did.

Walker's shot hit a cop, and officers responded with 35 rounds. One officer blindly fired 10 rounds. When cops wrote up their report they said Breonna was not injured.  That was a lie.

As we reported, local prosecutors tried to squeeze a plea deal out of Breonna's ex-boyfriend, telling him if he would say Breonna was dealing drugs they would cut him a sweet deal -- possibly probation instead of 10 years in prison. Cops have no evidence Breonna was involved in drugs and the family says it's a shocking case of trying to smear Breonna's name in order to protect the cops who killed her. The ex-boyfriend rejected the deal.

Donald Trump is denying that he declined to visit a military cemetery because he reportedly said, "Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers."

Trump blasted The Atlantic for its story, claiming Trump made repeated disparaging remarks about soldiers who were killed or injured during battle.

The mag also claimed Trump called the 1,800 soldiers who died during a famous WWI battle "suckers" for getting killed.

Trump claims the reason he skipped a visit to the military cemetery was because his helicopter couldn't fly because of bad weather and the Secret Service didn't feel it was safe to drive there.

As you know, Trump had incredibly harsh words for Senator and military hero John McCain, saying he wasn't a war hero because he was captured during the Vietnam War.

Trump had harsh words for McCain even after the Senator died of brain cancer.

It's become the tactic of choice for domestic terrorists ... using a car as a weapon to attack protesters.

A Ford Taurus careened through a Black Lives Matter protest Thursday night, as at least 350 people peacefully assembled in Times Square, protesting the death of Daniel Prude at the hands of Rochester police.

The driver gunned it as dozens of protesters ran for cover. Miraculously, no one was injured, but cops are still on the hunt for the driver.

Prude died days after cops put a spit hood over his head, cutting off oxygen. Before officers used the spit hood, you hear Prude plead with cops to let him go. He eventually lost consciousness after cops held him face down for 2 minutes. Only when officers noticed fluid coming out of his mouth did they show concern.

Prude's death was ruled a homicide, and 7 officers have been suspended after the body cam was released. So far, no arrests have been made or charges filed.

Tekashi 6ix9ine dropped first album since being released from prison, and he's definitely leaning into the whole snitch thing.

The album's called "TattleTales," and there's a special cameo in the music video, "TUTU," by none other than Blac Chyna. BC makes her presence known with pink boots and sprinkles.

The album has big stars, including Nicki Minaj, Smilez and Akon.

As we reported, Tekashi is a free man, with strings attached. He completed home confinement last month, but he has to keep his nose clean for 5 years while he's on probation.

Tekashi faced 47 years in prison but copped a deal, agreeing to testify against his former gang members. He was sentenced to 24 months back in December and had already served 13. He was released early to home confinement because of coronavirus.

Graphic new video shows Daniel Prude -- a 41-year-old Black man -- having a hood placed over his head by police, who then press his face into the ground for 2 minutes until he stops breathing ... leading to his death days later.

The disturbing incident happened back on March 23 in Rochester, NY when Prude's brother called for help because Daniel was acting erratically and went out into the cold night with no clothes. This police body cam footage was just released.

Cops arrived to find him in the nude, but Prude complied when they told him to sit down and handcuffed him.

The video shows Prude spitting at one point, then yelling and pleading with officers to let him go before they place a "spit hood" over his head. Moments later when he tries to stand up, they wrestle him down and hold him face down for more than 2 minutes.

After noticing fluid seeping from his mouth, some of the officers become concerned and realize he's unconscious. He never woke up again.

Prude was taken to the hospital and placed on life support, but died a week later. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide, caused by "complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint" as well as "excited delirium" and PCP intoxication.

Daniel's family released the footage Wednesday, claiming it shows the excessive police force used during the incident. Prude's brother said ... "I placed a phone call for my brother to get help. Not for my brother to get lynched."

Protests are erupting in upstate NY over his killing, which looks tragically similar to what happened to George Floyd 2 months later ... sparking the worldwide Black Lives Matter movement.

The 4 cops involved in Prude's arrest are still on the force. New York's Attorney General Letitia James said she is investigating the incident.

Damian Daniels, the African-Amerian Army vet killed by cops in Texas, was desperately in need of mental counseling, and not sheriff's deputies responding with force ... according to the family's lawyer.

Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt and Damian's brother, Brendan, joined us on "TMZ Live" to discuss the case which is stirring outrage in the San Antonio area and beyond. Brendan says his family was doing everything they could to avoid having police check on Damian -- a combat veteran who was experiencing some mental distress.

He told us why they purposely called the Red Cross, and not cops, to do a welfare check on his brother just over a week ago -- but in the end, he says the Red Cross ended up calling the Bexar County Sheriff's Department. Brendan and Lee believe that's where things took a horrible turn.

When deputies arrived at Damian's home he was armed, and a struggle ensued with deputies who ended up fatally shooting him. The Sheriff's Dept. claims Damian was suicidal, but Lee and Brendan say that's just not true.

They know Damian was hurting, struggling with mental issues brought on by several recent deaths in their family -- but they don't believe for a second he was threatening to anyone. As for his weapon ... Texas is an open-carry state and the gun was legally owned. Brendan says his brother actually got it while serving America in the Army.

A Bay Area police officer's been charged with voluntary manslaughter for shooting and killing a black man who was wielding a bat in Walmart.

The San Leandro cop, Jason Fletcher, made no attempt to de-escalate the situation before fatally shooting 33-year-old Steven Demarco Taylor ... according to Alameda County District Attorney, Nancy E. O’Malley.

The D.A. claims Taylor didn't pose an imminent threat of death or great bodily injury to Fletcher or others in the store, and says she made the decision Wednesday to charge the officer with manslaughter.

As we reported ... cops responded to the Walmart outside Oakland on the afternoon of April 18, and encountered Taylor with an aluminum bat in his hands.

Police say they used Tasers on him first near the shopping carts area, but video showed he was shot multiple times by either a Taser or a gun ... even after he had dropped the bat and fallen limp to the ground.

Prosecutors claim Fletcher did use a stun gun on Taylor first, but then shot him in the chest. The entire encounter lasted roughly 40 seconds.

Black Americans are in the midst of 2 pandemics -- COVID-19 and the systemic racism that took root 401 years ago ... so says civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

Ben joined "TMZ Live" on Thursday and didn't mince words ... saying there's a hypocritical justice system when it comes to how Black Americans are treated, and the fatal shooting of Dijon Kizzee in L.A. is just the latest evidence.

Kizzee's family has hired Crump, who says he's assembling a "dream team" of attorneys to push the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. for more evidence. As you know, home security footage shows deputies firing on Kizzee at least 15 times as he was running away from them.

Crump finds Kizzee's death especially outraging because Kyle Rittenhouse killed 2 protesters in Kenosha, and was still able to walk right by police while brandishing his firearm.

He says it's a clear sign of the systemic racism Black Americans have faced since 1619 ... the first year African slaves were brought to American soil. You've gotta see his take on what he's now calling "COVID-1619."

Crump, who also reps Breonna Taylor's family, is baffled by the fact the L.A. County Sheriff's deputies were not wearing body cams ... but he's thankful that, especially in L.A., cameras are always rolling.

Ya knew this was coming ...

The Charlotte Hornets have officially cut ties with play-by-play guy John Focke ... after the broadcaster says he "mistyped" when tweeting out the N-word last month.

Remember, Focke was tweeting about the Utah vs. Denver playoff series and went to comment on the teams ... only he didn't say "Nuggets."

"Shot making in this Jazz-(n-word) game is awesome!" Focke posted in the since-deleted tweet. "Murray and Mitchell going back and forth what a game!"

Focke quickly apologized, saying, "I don’t know how I mistyped, I had (and have) no intention of ever using that word."

The Hornets have concluded their investigation into the incident ... and have decided to part ways with the first-year broadcaster.

"The Charlotte Hornets announced today that John Focke will not return as the team's radio broadcaster due to a violation of the organization's social media policy," the team said Friday.