thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-16--Trump Thrills Base With Moves To Protect School Prayer, Funding For Religious Groups

Under orders from Trump , nine Cabinet departments proposed rules intended to remove “ regulatory burdens ” on religious organizations participating in federal programs by eliminating a requirement that they refer people to alternative providers upon request .
Much of that follows through on an executive order Trump from 2018 that aims to put religious groups on equal footing when competing for federal grants and other funding .
At the same time , the Education Department issued its first updated guidance on school prayer since 2003 .
While Trump promised “ big action ” this month , the new guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The expansion of faith-based groups ’ ability to participate in government programs is a significant show of support for an evangelical constituency long a vital part of Trump ’ s base and it follows a Christian magazine ’ s call for his removal from office .
Trump planned to announce the guidance on school prayer at a White House event later Thursday .
A directive orders states to verify that school districts have no policies limiting constitutionally protected prayer and to refer violators to the Education Department .
That ’ s much like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes further in requiring states to provide ways for making complaints against schools .
Students can pray on their own or together during lunch or other free times , for example , and student speakers can pray at assemblies or sports games as long as they weren ’ t chosen to speak based on their religious perspectives , according to the guidance .
Hours before Trump ’ s event , federal agencies announced moves to bolster faith-based organizations .
For example , a proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations inform clients that they can also receive services from groups without connection to a particular religion .
The regulations “ will make it more difficult to access critical social services , just because someone is LGBTQ or a different faith , ” the American Civil Liberties Union tweeted .
“ It ’ s 2020 and religious freedom is STILL not a license to harm others.
” “ The White House isn ’ t saying whether one should pray or to whom or what they should pray to , ” Moore said by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are simply making it clear that in the United States students have First Amendment rights also , and our ` separation of church and state ’ wasn ’ t intended to suppress a vibrant religious life in America but to facilitate it.
” About 8 in 10 self-identified white evangelical Protestants approved of Trump ’ s performance , according to AP-NORC polling last month .
But the president has nonetheless moved to shore up his already strong connection to this bloc since an editorial in the magazine Christianity Today called for his removal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school prayer , Trump could revive a debate that had largely fallen to the periphery of national politics in recent years .
Calls for stronger school prayer protections reached a crescendo in the 1980s and 1990s , with champions including President Ronald Reagan .
Public schools have been barred from leading students in classroom prayer since 1962 , when the Supreme Court said it violated a First Amendment clause forbidding the establishment of a government religion .
Later decisions extended the ban to school graduation ceremonies and , under certain circumstances , school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the firewall protects religious minorities and ensures fair treatment of all faiths .
But many on the Christian right say courts and schools have pushed too far against the right to free religious expression .
Also Thursday , the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a memo that agencies must work to bring grant-making by entities that receive federal money , as well as their own grant-making , in line with the Supreme Court ’ s interpretation of the First Amendment .
Trump ’ s 2018 executive order created the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a successor to previous White House faith-based initiatives .
Leading the effort now is longtime Trump faith adviser and pastor Paula White .
Her appointment in November drew opposition from religious progressives who object to White ’ s association with the “ prosperity gospel , ” an assertion that God rewards believers with personal and financial success .
One prominent secular group , the nonprofit Freedom from Religion Foundation , views the federal regulations for faith-based groups as “ a very bad move , ” co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor said by email .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to cover no real new ground , ” but added , “ How he portrays the rules may be very different from the reality .
”

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In a bid to solidify his evangelical base, President Donald Trump took steps Thursday to give religious organizations easier access to federal programs and he reaffirmed students’ rights to pray in public schools.
Under orders from Trump, nine Cabinet departments proposed rules intended to remove “regulatory burdens” on religious organizations participating in federal programs by eliminating a requirement that they refer people to alternative providers upon request. Much of that follows through on an executive order Trump from 2018 that aims to put religious groups on equal footing when competing for federal grants and other funding.
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At the same time, the Education Department issued its first updated guidance on school prayer since 2003. While Trump promised “big action” this month, the new guidance appears to make few major changes.
The expansion of faith-based groups’ ability to participate in government programs is a significant show of support for an evangelical constituency long a vital part of Trump’s base and it follows a Christian magazine’s call for his removal from office.
Trump planned to announce the guidance on school prayer at a White House event later Thursday. A directive orders states to verify that school districts have no policies limiting constitutionally protected prayer and to refer violators to the Education Department. That’s much like the 2003 guidance, but the directive goes further in requiring states to provide ways for making complaints against schools.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new guidance on constitutional prayer in public schools inside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 16, 2020. Tom Brenner / Reuters
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Students can pray on their own or together during lunch or other free times, for example, and student speakers can pray at assemblies or sports games as long as they weren’t chosen to speak based on their religious perspectives, according to the guidance.
“Our actions today will protect the constitutional rights of students, teachers, and faith-based institutions,” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said in a statement.
Hours before Trump’s event, federal agencies announced moves to bolster faith-based organizations. For example, a proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services would eliminate a requirement that religious-based social service organizations inform clients that they can also receive services from groups without connection to a particular religion.
Civil rights advocates said the administration risked empowering discriminatory behavior in the name of religious freedom.
The regulations “will make it more difficult to access critical social services, just because someone is LGBTQ or a different faith,” the American Civil Liberties Union tweeted. “It’s 2020 and religious freedom is STILL not a license to harm others.”
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But Johnnie Moore, a member of Trump’s evangelical advisory board, lauded the moves as a fresh sign of Trump’s commitment to religious freedom.
“The White House isn’t saying whether one should pray or to whom or what they should pray to,” Moore said by email. He added that “they are simply making it clear that in the United States students have First Amendment rights also, and our `separation of church and state’ wasn’t intended to suppress a vibrant religious life in America but to facilitate it.”
About 8 in 10 self-identified white evangelical Protestants approved of Trump’s performance, according to AP-NORC polling last month. But the president has nonetheless moved to shore up his already strong connection to this bloc since an editorial in the magazine Christianity Today called for his removal from office.
By returning attention to school prayer, Trump could revive a debate that had largely fallen to the periphery of national politics in recent years. Calls for stronger school prayer protections reached a crescendo in the 1980s and 1990s, with champions including President Ronald Reagan.
Trump's directive requires states to provide ways for making complaints against schools for limiting constitutionally protected prayer. Tom Brenner / Reuters
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Public schools have been barred from leading students in classroom prayer since 1962, when the Supreme Court said it violated a First Amendment clause forbidding the establishment of a government religion. Later decisions extended the ban to school graduation ceremonies and, under certain circumstances, school athletic games.
Civil liberties groups say the firewall protects religious minorities and ensures fair treatment of all faiths. But many on the Christian right say courts and schools have pushed too far against the right to free religious expression.
Also Thursday, the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a memo that agencies must work to bring grant-making by entities that receive federal money, as well as their own grant-making, in line with the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First Amendment.
Trump’s 2018 executive order created the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative, a successor to previous White House faith-based initiatives. Leading the effort now is longtime Trump faith adviser and pastor Paula White. Her appointment in November drew opposition from religious progressives who object to White’s association with the “prosperity gospel,” an assertion that God rewards believers with personal and financial success.
One prominent secular group, the nonprofit Freedom from Religion Foundation, views the federal regulations for faith-based groups as “a very bad move,” co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor said by email. Gaylor said most of the proposals “appear to cover no real new ground,” but added, “How he portrays the rules may be very different from the reality.”
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She spoke of a “missed opportunity” by the administration to provide “guidance about not crossing the line” to schools and teachers on requiring students to engage in activities with a religious component, regardless of potential personal objections.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-16--Tennessee Governor Says He Will Sign Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Bill

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) — Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee announced Tuesday that he ’ ll sign into law a measure that would assure continued taxpayer funding of faith-based foster care and adoption agencies even if they exclude LGBT families and others based on religious beliefs .
The GOP-controlled Senate gave the bill final passage on the first day of the 2020 legislative session after it was initially approved by the House last April .
The bill was sent to the Republican governor amid warnings by critics of possible negative consequences for Tennessee ’ s reputation .
Lee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , confirmed in a statement Tuesday evening that the governor would sign the bill .
Earlier , before the Senate vote , Lee declined to weigh in after saying he had not read the two-page bill .
A handful of states to date have enacted similar legislation i ncluding Kansas , Oklahoma , Texas , Alabama , South Dakota , North Dakota , Virginia , Mississippi and Michigan .
But Michigan agreed in settling a lawsuit to no longer turn away LGBT couples or individuals because of religious objections .
Nationally , supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against potential lawsuits hostile to the group ’ s religious beliefs .
However , critics counter that the proposals attack LGBT rights and limit the number of qualified families seeking t o adopt or foster needy children .
Rose conceded he thought the bill wasn ’ t necessary , pointing out that President Donald Trump ’ s administration is currently proposing a rule that would impose the same protections .
Yet he said he advanced the bill this year because there was no guarantee Trump would be reelected later this year .
Dickerson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate ’ s five Democrats in opposition .
He said the bill would allow certain groups to limit the families where children could be sent , adding “ I expect that waiting list to increase somewhat.
” He added , “ This will have a direct fiscal impact on the state , not to mention the humanitarian impact and emotional impact on those c hildren who ... will now be in a foster setting for a longer time.
” In 2011 , Illinois declined to renew its state contract with Catholic Charities adoption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child placement to same-sex couples .
Catholic Charities has also stopped handling adoptions in Washington D.C. , Massachusetts and San Francisco over concerns they would be required to act against their religious beliefs .
If the proposal bec omes law as the governor has signaled , current adoption practices in Tennessee aren ’ t expected to change .
Some faith-based agencies already do not allow gay couples to adopt .
But this measure would provide legal protections to agencies that do .
“ The foster care system is at a critical juncture where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reduce the number of children placed in harmful group homes and to expand family home options for children who can not safely return to their family of origin , ” said Currey Cook , counsel and director of Lambda Legal .
“ Children who need more homes , not fewer , should not suffer as part of efforts to chip away at equality for LGBTQ families.
” Republican Rep. David Byrd confirmed he doesn ’ t plan to seek reelection this year .
Byrd had been accused of sexual misconduct by three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basketball coach and a teacher decades ago , before being elected .
He was reelected in 2018 despite the accusations .
“ I told my caucus I wouldn ’ t go run , and I hate to go back on my word , even though I ’ m getting a lot of pressure put on me in my district to run , ” Byrd told The Associated Press .

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced Tuesday that he’ll sign into law a measure that would assure continued taxpayer funding of faith-based foster care and adoption agencies even if they exclude LGBT families and others based on religious beliefs.
The GOP-controlled Senate gave the bill final passage on the first day of the 2020 legislative session after it was initially approved by the House last April. The bill was sent to the Republican governor amid warnings by critics of possible negative consequences for Tennessee’s reputation.
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Lee’s communication director, Chris Walker, confirmed in a statement Tuesday evening that the governor would sign the bill. Earlier, before the Senate vote, Lee declined to weigh in after saying he had not read the two-page bill.
“We are off to a fine start this session,” state Sen. Steve Dickerson joked while debating against the bill earlier as the lone Republican opposed.
A handful of states to date have enacted similar legislation i ncluding Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, South Dakota, North Dakota, Virginia, Mississippi and Michigan. But Michigan agreed in settling a lawsuit to no longer turn away LGBT couples or individuals because of religious objections.
Nationally, supporters argue such measures are needed to protect against potential lawsuits hostile to the group’s religious beliefs. However, critics counter that the proposals attack LGBT rights and limit the number of qualified families seeking t o adopt or foster needy children.
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“This bill is solely about freedom,” said Sen. Paul Rose, the Republican sponsor of the bill.
Rose conceded he thought the bill wasn’t necessary, pointing out that President Donald Trump’s administration is currently proposing a rule that would impose the same protections. Yet he said he advanced the bill this year because there was no guarantee Trump would be reelected later this year.
Trump’s proposal would rescind an Obama-era rule that prevented foster care agencies from receiving federal funds if they discriminated against families based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Ultimately, 20 Republicans approved the bill while five other Republican members simply voted “present” even after some questioned the bill’s benefits.
Dickerson was the only Republican to join the Senate’s five Democrats in opposition. He said the bill would allow certain groups to limit the families where children could be sent, adding “I expect that waiting list to increase somewhat.”
He added, “This will have a direct fiscal impact on the state, not to mention the humanitarian impact and emotional impact on those c hildren who ... will now be in a foster setting for a longer time.”
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In 2011, Illinois declined to renew its state contract with Catholic Charities adoption services due to its policy of refusing child placement to same-sex couples. Catholic Charities has also stopped handling adoptions in Washington D.C., Massachusetts and San Francisco over concerns they would be required to act against their religious beliefs.
If the proposal bec omes law as the governor has signaled, current adoption practices in Tennessee aren’t expected to change. Some faith-based agencies already do not allow gay couples to adopt. But this measure would provide legal protections to agencies that do.
For example, denied applicants couldn’t sue an agency for damages if the religious belief or moral conviction was cited as a reason.
The legislation sparked opposition from civil rights and foster advocates.
“The foster care system is at a critical juncture where it is required by new federal law to reduce the number of children placed in harmful group homes and to expand family home options for children who cannot safely return to their family of origin,” said Currey Cook, counsel and director of Lambda Legal. “Children who need more homes, not fewer, should not suffer as part of efforts to chip away at equality for LGBTQ families.”
Over in the House, lawmakers had less on tap on opening day though an unrelated political development unfolded.
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Republican Rep. David Byrd confirmed he doesn’t plan to seek reelection this year. Byrd had been accused of sexual misconduct by three women when he was their high school basketball coach and a teacher decades ago, before being elected. He was reelected in 2018 despite the accusations.
Byrd said he told GOP colleagues in an August closed door gathering that he wouldn’t run again, as The Tennessean had reported.
“I told my caucus I wouldn’t go run, and I hate to go back on my word, even though I’m getting a lot of pressure put on me in my district to run,” Byrd told The Associated Press.
Byrd had apologized to one of the women in a phone call she recorded in early 2018, but didn’t detail his action and denied anything happened with other students.
He said he might change his mind and seek reelection if protests continue over the allegations. Another Republican has filed for his seat.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-16--Trump Administration Illegally Withheld Ukraine Aid, Congressional Watchdog Finds

The U.S. Government Accountability Office , a nonpartisan agency that works for Congress , found that the Office of Management and Budget violated federal law under the direction of President Donald Trump .
“ Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law , ” the report reads in part .
“ OMB withheld funds for a policy reason , which is not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act ( ICA ) .
The withholding was not a programmatic delay .
Therefore , we conclude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , the House of Representatives voted to send articles of impeachment against Trump to the Senate , where lawmakers will determine in an upcoming trial whether the president should be removed from office .
The two articles of impeachment ― abuse of power and obstruction of Congress ― relate to Trump ’ s efforts to get Ukraine to publicly commit to investigating former Vice President Joe Biden , a front-runner in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race .
Several current and former State Department officials testified during a monthslong impeachment inquiry in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration withheld over $ 240 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine as part of that pressure campaign .
The Office of Management and Budget ― a federal bureau within the executive office that oversees the president ’ s budget and the performance of federal agencies ― rejected GAO ’ s findings Thursday , claiming its handling of the aid was consistent with the law .
“ We disagree with GAO ’ s opinion , ” OMB spokeswoman Rachel Semmel told HuffPost in a statement .
“ OMB uses its apportionment authority to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the President ’ s priorities and with the law.
” Though GOA ’ s decisions are significant , the office doesn ’ t have the authority to compel other agencies to take action in response to its findings .
Rep. Doug Collins ( R-Ga. ) , the top Republican on the House judiciary committee , told HuffPost he hadn ’ t read the report but that he was skeptical of the conclusion .
“ How can money that does not need to be appropriated until September 30 — and it was appropriated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that ’ s illegal ?
” Collins said .
As noted in the GAO report , Congress appropriated $ 250 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine for fiscal 2019 .
OMB had until the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30 to release the funds before they would expire .
OMB repeatedly delayed the release of funds , stating on apportionment schedules that withholding the aid was necessary “ to determine the best use of such funds , ” according to GAO .
Asked about the unlawful delays in aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money was necessary to ensure it was not spent “ in a manner that could conflict with the President ’ s foreign policy .
”

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The Trump administration illegally withheld congressionally approved U.S. aid to Ukraine in the summer of 2019, according to a congressional watchdog report released Thursday.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan agency that works for Congress, found that the Office of Management and Budget violated federal law under the direction of President Donald Trump.
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“Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law,” the report reads in part. “OMB withheld funds for a policy reason, which is not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA). The withholding was not a programmatic delay. Therefore, we conclude that OMB violated the ICA.”
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to send articles of impeachment against Trump to the Senate, where lawmakers will determine in an upcoming trial whether the president should be removed from office.
The two articles of impeachment ― abuse of power and obstruction of Congress ― relate to Trump’s efforts to get Ukraine to publicly commit to investigating former Vice President Joe Biden, a front-runner in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race.
Several current and former State Department officials testified during a monthslong impeachment inquiry in the House last year that the Trump administration withheld over $240 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine as part of that pressure campaign.
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Trump has claimed he did nothing wrong in asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Biden.
The Office of Management and Budget ― a federal bureau within the executive office that oversees the president’s budget and the performance of federal agencies ― rejected GAO’s findings Thursday, claiming its handling of the aid was consistent with the law.
“We disagree with GAO’s opinion,” OMB spokeswoman Rachel Semmel told HuffPost in a statement. “OMB uses its apportionment authority to ensure taxpayer dollars are properly spent consistent with the President’s priorities and with the law.”
But Democrats quickly seized on the report’s conclusions.
In a news conference Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said GAO’s findings reinforce the need for the Senate to call witnesses and obtain relevant documents during the impeachment trial.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate committees on appropriations and budget, emphasized the troubling nature of GAO’s findings.
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“The bombshell legal opinion from the independent [GAO] demonstrates, without a doubt, that the Trump Administration illegally withheld assistance from Ukraine,” Van Hollen tweeted. “The public evidence shows that the president himself ordered this illegal act.”
This bombshell legal opinion from the independent @USGAO demonstrates, without a doubt, that the Trump Administration illegally withheld assistance from Ukraine and the public evidence shows that the president himself ordered this illegal act. pic.twitter.com/bkwyQ4Vk3K — Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) January 16, 2020
Though GOA’s decisions are significant, the office doesn’t have the authority to compel other agencies to take action in response to its findings.
Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), the top Republican on the House judiciary committee, told HuffPost he hadn’t read the report but that he was skeptical of the conclusion.
“How can money that does not need to be appropriated until September 30 — and it was appropriated before September 30 — how are they saying that’s illegal?” Collins said.
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As noted in the GAO report, Congress appropriated $250 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine for fiscal 2019. OMB had until the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30 to release the funds before they would expire.
OMB repeatedly delayed the release of funds, stating on apportionment schedules that withholding the aid was necessary “to determine the best use of such funds,” according to GAO.
However, OMB suddenly released the aid to Ukraine on Sept. 11 following a whistleblower complaint about Trump’s July 25 call with Zelensky and the House’s decision to investigate the president’s Ukraine dealings.
Asked about the unlawful delays in aid, OMB told GAO that withholding the money was necessary to ensure it was not spent “in a manner that could conflict with the President’s foreign policy.”
“The ICA does not permit deferrals for policy reasons,” the GAO report notes. “OMB’s justification for the withholding falls squarely within the scope of an impermissible policy deferral. Thus, the deferral of USAI funds was improper under the ICA.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-16--Ukraine Launches Investigation Into Possible Surveillance Of Marie Yovanovitch

KYIV , Ukraine ( AP ) — Ukrainian police said Thursday they have opened an investigation into the possibility that the U.S. ambassador came under illegal surveillance by an unknown party before she was recalled from her post in May .
The announcement came two days after Democratic lawmakers in the United States released a trove of documents that showed Lev Parnas , an associate of President Donald Trump ’ s personal lawyer , communicating about the removal of Marie Yovanovitch as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine .
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said in a statement that Ukrainian police “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affairs of the United States ” by conducting the probe .
“ The published messages contain facts of possible violations of Ukrainian law and of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations , which protect the rights of diplomats on the territory of another state , ” the ministry ’ s statement continued .
The Interior Ministry also said it has requested the FBI provide relevant materials .
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov “ suggested that the U.S. side take part in the investigation , ” the statement said .
There was no immediate comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former diplomat assessed as extraordinary .
“ This has to be a first in American history , ” Nick Burns , who rose to become the third-ranking official at the State Department before his retirement , wrote on Twitter .
“ A foreign government rushing to the defense of a senior U.S. career ambassador to defend her from people deputized by the President of the United States .
And the Secretary of State refuses to say one word in her defense.
” Democrats in the House of Representatives released the files this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment to the Senate for Trump ’ s trial .
A House committee chairman said Wednesday that the newly disclosed materials included text messages between Parnas and a Republican candidate for Congress that raised questions about the possible surveillance of Yovanovitch before she was ousted by the Trump administration .
“ Our goal is to investigate whether there actually was a violation of Ukrainian and international law , ” the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said .
“ Or whether it is just bravado and fake information in the informal conversation between two U.S. citizens.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump impeachment , Ukraine said it was opening an investigation into reports that Russian hackers gained access to computers of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma .
Hunter Biden , the son of Trump opponent and former U.S. vice president Joe Biden , was on the board of that company .
The impeachment inquiry began with allegations that Trump had tried to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy into investigating Burisma by withholding promised military aid .
The FBI also has been invited to take part in the Burisma hacking investigation , the Ukrainian Interior @ @ @

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian police said Thursday they have opened an investigation into the possibility that the U.S. ambassador came under illegal surveillance by an unknown party before she was recalled from her post in May.
The announcement came two days after Democratic lawmakers in the United States released a trove of documents that showed Lev Parnas, an associate of President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, communicating about the removal of Marie Yovanovitch as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
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The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said in a statement that Ukrainian police “are not interfering in the internal political affairs of the United States” by conducting the probe.
“The published messages contain facts of possible violations of Ukrainian law and of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, which protect the rights of diplomats on the territory of another state,” the ministry’s statement continued.
The Interior Ministry also said it has requested the FBI provide relevant materials. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov “suggested that the U.S. side take part in the investigation,” the statement said.
There was no immediate comment from the State Department — which one former diplomat assessed as extraordinary.
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“This has to be a first in American history,” Nick Burns, who rose to become the third-ranking official at the State Department before his retirement, wrote on Twitter. “A foreign government rushing to the defense of a senior U.S. career ambassador to defend her from people deputized by the President of the United States. And the Secretary of State refuses to say one word in her defense.”
Democrats in the House of Representatives released the files this week as they prepared to send articles of impeachment to the Senate for Trump’s trial.
A House committee chairman said Wednesday that the newly disclosed materials included text messages between Parnas and a Republican candidate for Congress that raised questions about the possible surveillance of Yovanovitch before she was ousted by the Trump administration.
“Our goal is to investigate whether there actually was a violation of Ukrainian and international law,” the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said. “Or whether it is just bravado and fake information in the informal conversation between two U.S. citizens.”
In another move touching on the Trump impeachment, Ukraine said it was opening an investigation into reports that Russian hackers gained access to computers of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma.
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Hunter Biden, the son of Trump opponent and former U.S. vice president Joe Biden, was on the board of that company. The impeachment inquiry began with allegations that Trump had tried to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy into investigating Burisma by withholding promised military aid.
The FBI also has been invited to take part in the Burisma hacking investigation, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-16--Watch Fox's Lou Dobbs Smile From Ear To Ear As He Receives Validation From Donald Trump

A man who always liked me , because he ’ s smart , so smart , the great Lou Dobbs @ @ @ @ @ first , he said , ‘ he ’ s the best since Reagan.
’ Then @ @ @ @ @ more and more and he said ‘ he ’ s even better than Reagan.
’ @ @ @ @ @ , somebody told me , and I watch all the time , but somebody has @ @ @ @ @ actually , tremendous audience and very , everybody in this room watches , but Lou @ @ @ @ @ s the greatest of them all.
’ I said ‘ does that include Washington and @ @ @ @ @ said ‘ yes.
’ Now I don ’ t know if he was for real @ @ @ @ @ OK .
He is .
Great show Lou .

A man who always liked me, because he’s smart, so smart, the great Lou Dobbs. You know, at first, he said, ‘he’s the best since Reagan.’ Then he got to know me more and more and he said ‘he’s even better than Reagan.’ Then a few weeks ago, somebody told me, and I watch all the time, but somebody has a very important show, actually, tremendous audience and very, everybody in this room watches, but Lou Dobbs says ‘he’s the greatest of them all.’ I said ‘does that include Washington and Lincoln?’ And he said ‘yes.’ Now I don’t know if he was for real, but that’s OK. He is. Great show Lou.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-16--Microsoft Says It Plans To Go Carbon Negative By 2030

Microsoft unveiled new plans on Thursday for the company to be “ carbon negative ” by 2030 , meaning it will go beyond maintaining a zero carbon footprint and actively remove carbon dioxide from the Earth ’ s atmosphere .
“ We must take responsibility to address the carbon footprint of our own technology and company , ” he said .
Companies with the resources to go beyond net zero emissions , a Microsoft statement urged , should do so by making up the difference for those that can ’ t or won ’ t .
The company plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emissions — going back to its 1975 founding — by 2050 , Nadella added .
That includes all the carbon the company has emitted directly or through its electricity consumption .
The massive company , which employs nearly 150,000 people , anticipates it will emit 16 million metric tons of carbon this year alone .
To meet its ambitious goal , Microsoft is starting a $ 1 billion “ climate innovation fund ” to accelerate carbon reduction technology ― something that remains expensive and not widely available .
Beyond expanding carbon-absorbing forests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carbon directly from the air , capturing and storing carbon underground , developing tools to help carbon dissolve in water , and more .
The more immediate move , however , will be meeting new goals to shift the company ’ s entire operation to renewable energy sources by 2025 .
“ This is the decade for urgent action , for Microsoft and for all of us , to take bold steps forward to address our most pressing challenges , ” Nadella said .
Scientists agree .
From 2014 to 2018 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned in 2018 that humanity has just under a decade to get climate change under control .
Nadella ’ s announcement comes just a few months after Microsoft workers released a letter disparaging the company for working with oil and gas companies , calling its leaders “ complicit ” in climate change .
“ If we want to make real impact , all of us need to mobilize , work together , and demand a fundamental change in Microsoft ’ s priorities , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was released ahead of the global climate strike , which they participated in alongside Google and Amazon employees .
But Microsoft said Thursday it will keep working with oil and gas companies , arguing that is what ’ s necessary to change the industry .
“ It ’ s imperative that we enable energy companies to transition , ” a statement said , “ including to renewable energy and to the development and use of negative emission technologies like carbon capture and storage and direct air capture .
”

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Microsoft unveiled new plans on Thursday for the company to be “carbon negative” by 2030, meaning it will go beyond maintaining a zero carbon footprint and actively remove carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere.
The tech company’s CEO Satya Nadella revealed the climate change-combatting goals during a company meeting.
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“We must take responsibility to address the carbon footprint of our own technology and company,” he said. Companies with the resources to go beyond net zero emissions, a Microsoft statement urged, should do so by making up the difference for those that can’t or won’t.
The company plans to eliminate the impact of its own historic emissions — going back to its 1975 founding — by 2050, Nadella added. That includes all the carbon the company has emitted directly or through its electricity consumption. The massive company, which employs nearly 150,000 people, anticipates it will emit 16 million metric tons of carbon this year alone.
To meet its ambitious goal, Microsoft is starting a $1 billion “climate innovation fund” to accelerate carbon reduction technology ― something that remains expensive and not widely available. Beyond expanding carbon-absorbing forests, current prospects include using materials that absorb carbon directly from the air, capturing and storing carbon underground, developing tools to help carbon dissolve in water, and more.
The more immediate move, however, will be meeting new goals to shift the company’s entire operation to renewable energy sources by 2025.
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“This is the decade for urgent action, for Microsoft and for all of us, to take bold steps forward to address our most pressing challenges,” Nadella said.
Scientists agree. From 2014 to 2018, the planet recorded its five hottest years ever, and the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned in 2018 that humanity has just under a decade to get climate change under control.
Nadella’s announcement comes just a few months after Microsoft workers released a letter disparaging the company for working with oil and gas companies, calling its leaders “complicit” in climate change.
“If we want to make real impact, all of us need to mobilize, work together, and demand a fundamental change in Microsoft’s priorities,” they wrote in the September letter, which was released ahead of the global climate strike, which they participated in alongside Google and Amazon employees.
But Microsoft said Thursday it will keep working with oil and gas companies, arguing that is what’s necessary to change the industry.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-16--Supreme Court Chief Justice, Senators Sworn In Ahead Of Trump Impeachment Trial

The largely ceremonial , made-for-TV moment marks the official start of the trial , which will begin in earnest Tuesday with opening arguments from the House prosecutors , followed by a response from the president ’ s defense team .
The House Democrats serving as managers for the trial entered the Senate chambers around noon to formally deliver the articles of impeachment , which were then read by Rep. Adam Schiff ( D-Calif. ) , chairman of the House Intelligence Committee .
Senators sat in their seats stone-faced and listened ; some jotted notes on pads of paper .
Soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will preside over the proceedings over the next several weeks , entered the chamber , escorted by two senators from each party : Republicans Roy Blunt ( Mo . )
and Lindsey Graham ( S.C. ) along with Democrats Patrick Leahy ( Vt. ) and Dianne Feinstein ( Calif. ) .
He was then sworn in by Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) , the president pro tempore of the Senate .
Next , Roberts administered an oath to senators , who serve as jurors in the trial .
They stood , raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ do impartial justice according to the Constitution.
” Each senator then signed the oath book at the front of the room .
( One senator , Oklahoma Republican Jim Inhofe , missed the proceedings due to a family issue but will be sworn in next week . )
“ The feeling in the Senate chamber was solemn , serious , and profound , ” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) told reporters afterward , adding that the “ eyes of history ” are upon the chamber .
The House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his dealings with Ukraine .
The president withheld funds approved by Congress from the country and asked its president to investigate the son of former Vice President Joe Biden , his potential 2020 rival .
Trump then blocked Congress from seeing documents and relevant witnesses from testifying about what happened .
The White House has said Trump did nothing wrong , and most Republican lawmakers ― even those now serving as jurors ― have defended him .
Trump , meanwhile , responded on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone call with Ukraine ’ s leader that set off the impeachment inquiry had been “ perfect.
” During the trial , all senators will be prohibited from speaking and may only submit questions in writing to the chief justice , according to the Senate ’ s rules .
All electronics are forbidden on the floor ; senators will be required to leave their phones in a cubby outside the chamber floor .
The proceedings will run six days a week , except Sundays , with each day taken up by at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats have called for fact witnesses during the trial , Republicans have resisted committing to their inclusion , arguing that senators should make a decision on witness testimony after the presentation of evidence .
Schumer said Thursday that he may force votes next week as the trial opens on witnesses if a rules resolution authored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) does not allow for them .
McConnell has not unveiled that resolution , which lays out the procedures governing the trial , but he is expected to do so @ @ @

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WASHINGTON ― Senators and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts were sworn in on Thursday as the upper chamber gets ready to begin the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump ― the third involving a president in American history.
The largely ceremonial, made-for-TV moment marks the official start of the trial, which will begin in earnest Tuesday with opening arguments from the House prosecutors, followed by a response from the president’s defense team.
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The House Democrats serving as managers for the trial entered the Senate chambers around noon to formally deliver the articles of impeachment, which were then read by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Senators sat in their seats stone-faced and listened; some jotted notes on pads of paper.
Soon after 2 p.m., Roberts, who will preside over the proceedings over the next several weeks, entered the chamber, escorted by two senators from each party: Republicans Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.) along with Democrats Patrick Leahy (Vt.) and Dianne Feinstein (Calif.). He was then sworn in by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the president pro tempore of the Senate.
“God bless you,” Grassley told Roberts after he took the oath.
Next, Roberts administered an oath to senators, who serve as jurors in the trial. They stood, raised their right hands and vowed under oath to “do impartial justice according to the Constitution.” Each senator then signed the oath book at the front of the room. (One senator, Oklahoma Republican Jim Inhofe, missed the proceedings due to a family issue but will be sworn in next week.)
“The feeling in the Senate chamber was solemn, serious, and profound,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters afterward, adding that the “eyes of history” are upon the chamber.
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The House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump in December for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his dealings with Ukraine. The president withheld funds approved by Congress from the country and asked its president to investigate the son of former Vice President Joe Biden, his potential 2020 rival. Trump then blocked Congress from seeing documents and relevant witnesses from testifying about what happened.
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), a vocal supporter of impeachment since Trump was first elected, sat in the Senate chamber to witness the proceedings.
The White House has said Trump did nothing wrong, and most Republican lawmakers ― even those now serving as jurors ― have defended him. Trump, meanwhile, responded on Twitter by reiterating that his July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s leader that set off the impeachment inquiry had been “perfect.”
I JUST GOT IMPEACHED FOR MAKING A PERFECT PHONE CALL! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2020
During the trial, all senators will be prohibited from speaking and may only submit questions in writing to the chief justice, according to the Senate’s rules. All electronics are forbidden on the floor; senators will be required to leave their phones in a cubby outside the chamber floor. The proceedings will run six days a week, except Sundays, with each day taken up by at least 5 hours of the trial.
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While Democrats have called for fact witnesses during the trial, Republicans have resisted committing to their inclusion, arguing that senators should make a decision on witness testimony after the presentation of evidence.
Schumer said Thursday that he may force votes next week as the trial opens on witnesses if a rules resolution authored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) does not allow for them. McConnell has not unveiled that resolution, which lays out the procedures governing the trial, but he is expected to do so next week.
Democratic Reps. Val Demings (Fla.), Zoe Lofgren (Calif.), Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), Adam Schiff (Calif.) and Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.) walk to the Senate on Thursday to present the articles of impeachment. Julio Cortez/Associated Press
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts walks to the Senate chamber at the Capitol on Thursday. Matt Rourke/Associated Press


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-17--Trump Meets With LSU Football Team, Makes It About Impeachment

President Donald Trump welcomed the Louisiana State University football team , the 2019 college national champions , to the White House Friday with several wisecracks about his impeachment trial .
During the ceremony , Trump invited the team to the Oval Office to see the Resolute desk , where he said “ a lot of presidents , some good , some not so good ” have worked .
“ But you ’ ve got a good one now , even though they are trying to impeach the son of a bitch , ” Trump said to laughs from his audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He went on to tout the economy and the military .
“ We took out those terrorists like , like your football team would ’ ve taken out those terrorists , right ?
” Trump said .
The ceremony was not without praise for the team and its leaders .
Trump predicted quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow , widely expected to be the first pick in the NFL ’ s April draft , is “ going to be so rich.
” And he praised head coach Ed Orgeron .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I told them today , that ’ s my football coach , ” Trump said of the Orgeron , noted for his deep , gravelly voice .
“ There ’ s nobody that can play the role better.
” The LSU Tigers defeated the Clemson Tigers on Monday in New Orleans , giving the school its fourth football national title .
Trump and his wife , first lady Melania Trump , attended the game .

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President Donald Trump welcomed the Louisiana State University football team, the 2019 college national champions, to the White House Friday with several wisecracks about his impeachment trial.
During the ceremony, Trump invited the team to the Oval Office to see the Resolute desk, where he said “a lot of presidents, some good, some not so good” have worked.
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“But you’ve got a good one now, even though they are trying to impeach the son of a bitch,” Trump said to laughs from his audience, which included several members of Congress.
He went on to tout the economy and the military.
“We took out those terrorists like, like your football team would’ve taken out those terrorists, right?” Trump said.
The ceremony was not without praise for the team and its leaders. Trump predicted quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, widely expected to be the first pick in the NFL’s April draft, is “going to be so rich.” And he praised head coach Ed Orgeron.
“If I was casting a movie, I told them today, that’s my football coach,” Trump said of the Orgeron, noted for his deep, gravelly voice. “There’s nobody that can play the role better.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-17--Trump Taps Lawyer Dershowitz, Others For Impeachment Trial Defense

WASHINGTON , Jan 17 ( Reuters ) - Former independent counsel Ken Starr , who paved the way for the impeachment of Democratic President Bill Clinton in 1998 , and prominent lawyer Alan Dershowitz will join President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial defense team , Trump ’ s legal team and a source said on Friday .
The team will be led by White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Trump private attorney Jay Sekulow .
Trump adviser Pam Bondi and former independent counsel Robert Ray will also be on the team , according to the source who is familiar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The House voted to impeach Clinton after Starr investigated his sexual affair with a White House intern .
The Senate acquitted Clinton .
Dershowitz has been a well-known figure in U.S. legal circles for decades .
He is a Harvard Law School professor and was part of the so-called “ Dream Team ” of lawyers who won a 1995 acquittal of former National Football League star and actor O.J .
Simpson on charges of murdering his wife and a friend of hers .
Trump ’ s legal team issued a statement saying Dershowitz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address the constitutional arguments against impeachment and removal from office .
“ While Professor Dershowitz is non partisan when it comes to the constitution - he opposed the impeachment of President Bill Clinton and voted for Hillary Clinton - he believes the issues at stake go to the heart of our enduring Constitution , ” the Trump legal team said .
“ He is participating in this impeachment trial to defend the integrity of the Constitution and to prevent the creation of a dangerous constitutional precedent .
”

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WASHINGTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Former independent counsel Ken Starr, who paved the way for the impeachment of Democratic President Bill Clinton in 1998, and prominent lawyer Alan Dershowitz will join President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial defense team, Trump’s legal team and a source said on Friday.
The team will be led by White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Trump private attorney Jay Sekulow. Trump adviser Pam Bondi and former independent counsel Robert Ray will also be on the team, according to the source who is familiar with the team’s composition.
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The House voted to impeach Clinton after Starr investigated his sexual affair with a White House intern. The Senate acquitted Clinton.
Dershowitz has been a well-known figure in U.S. legal circles for decades. He is a Harvard Law School professor and was part of the so-called “Dream Team” of lawyers who won a 1995 acquittal of former National Football League star and actor O.J. Simpson on charges of murdering his wife and a friend of hers.
Trump’s legal team issued a statement saying Dershowitz will present oral arguments at the trial to address the constitutional arguments against impeachment and removal from office.
“While Professor Dershowitz is non partisan when it comes to the constitution - he opposed the impeachment of President Bill Clinton and voted for Hillary Clinton - he believes the issues at stake go to the heart of our enduring Constitution,” the Trump legal team said. “He is participating in this impeachment trial to defend the integrity of the Constitution and to prevent the creation of a dangerous constitutional precedent.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-17--Barack Obama Celebrates 'My Star' Michelle's Birthday With Sweetest Photos And Message

Former President Barack Obama sent Michelle Obama the sweetest of messages on social media to mark her 56th birthday on Friday .
Obama shared a series of what appeared to be photo booth pictures of himself cuddling , kissing and joking around with the former first lady .
“ In every scene , you are my star , ” Obama captioned the four black and white snaps .
“ Happy birthday , baby !
” he added .
Obama marked his wife ’ s birthday in 2019 with a throwback snap , below .
“ I knew it way back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it today ― you ’ re one of a kind , ” he wrote then .
I knew it way back then and I ’ m absolutely convinced of it today — you ’ re one of a kind , @ MichelleObama .
Happy Birthday !
pic.twitter.com/ejqm0uC9J4 — Barack Obama ( @ BarackObama ) January 17 , 2019 In 2018 , he praised the “ strength , ” “ grace ” and “ determination ” of his “ best friend ” with this birthday post : Obama ’ s latest message was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it “ relationship goals ” and “ so cute.
” President Donald Trump claimed in 2018 to be “ very busy to be running out looking for presents ” on wife Melania Trump ’ s 48th birthday .
For her 49th birthday , the White House bizarrely shared a photo of the first lady seated alone on a sofa , surrounded by media .

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Former President Barack Obama sent Michelle Obama the sweetest of messages on social media to mark her 56th birthday on Friday.
Obama shared a series of what appeared to be photo booth pictures of himself cuddling, kissing and joking around with the former first lady.
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“In every scene, you are my star,” Obama captioned the four black and white snaps. “Happy birthday, baby!” he added.
In every scene, you are my star, @MichelleObama! Happy birthday, baby! pic.twitter.com/hgMBhHasBj — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 17, 2020
Obama marked his wife’s birthday in 2019 with a throwback snap, below.
“I knew it way back then and I’m absolutely convinced of it today ― you’re one of a kind,” he wrote then.
I knew it way back then and I’m absolutely convinced of it today — you’re one of a kind, @MichelleObama. Happy Birthday! pic.twitter.com/ejqm0uC9J4 — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 17, 2019
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In 2018, he praised the “strength,” “grace” and “determination” of his “best friend” with this birthday post:
Obama’s latest message was celebrated on Twitter, where people called it “relationship goals” and “so cute.”
Oh my God, so cute! — Cissy Chapel (@ChapelCissy) January 17, 2020
Relationship goals — clownlito (@Bredyn10) January 17, 2020
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My forever First Family!! — SAM6 (@travelong6) January 17, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-17--Court Tosses Landmark Youth Climate Change Lawsuit

Kevin Lamarque / Reuters Kelsey Juliana , a lead plaintiff in the climate lawsuit against the federal government , speaks outside the Supreme Court in September .
A federal appeals court on Friday dismissed a landmark climate justice lawsuit that 21 children and young adults from around the country brought against the federal government .
In its 2-1 decision , the 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco acknowledged the gravity of the climate crisis but ruled the case lacks legal standing to proceed to trial .
“ Reluctantly , we conclude that such relief is beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D. Hurwitz wrote in his opinion .
“ Rather , the plaintiffs ’ impressive case for redress must be presented to the political branches of government.
” The lawsuit , called Juliana v. U.S. and filed by the nonprofit Our Children ’ s Trust , asserts that the federal government is violating the plaintiffs ’ constitutional rights to life , liberty and property by promoting fossil fuel production and failing to take action on climate change .
Originally filed in 2015 against the Obama administration , the lawsuit later shifted to the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ derail U.S. actions to combat climate change and to boost domestic fossil fuel production as part of its “ energy dominance ” agenda .
“ We are suing because none of us and none of you have time to wait , ” Kelsey Juliana , an activist from Oregon and the lead plaintiff in the case , said at an event on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in April 2017 .
In a jaw-dropping dissenting opinion , Judge Josephine Staton wrote that “ the government accepts as fact that the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out for a concerted response—yet presses ahead toward calamity.
” “ It is as if an asteroid were barreling toward Earth and the government decided to shut down our only defenses , ” she added .
“ Seeking to quash this suit , the government bluntly insists that it has the absolute and unreviewable power to destroy the Nation.
” Our Children ’ s Trust vowed Friday to continue its legal fight by asking the full 9th Circuit to review the decision .
“ The Juliana case is far from over , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive director and chief legal counsel , said in a statement .
“ The Court recognized that climate change is exponentially increasing and that the federal government has long known that its actions substantially contribute to the climate crisis .
Yet two of the judges on the Panel refused to set the standard for redressing the constitutional violation , to protect our Nation ’ s children .
The standard is a question of science that should be determined at trial .
”

Kelsey Juliana, a lead plaintiff in the climate lawsuit against the federal government, speaks outside the Supreme Court in September. Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
A federal appeals court on Friday dismissed a landmark climate justice lawsuit that 21 children and young adults from around the country brought against the federal government.
In its 2-1 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco acknowledged the gravity of the climate crisis but ruled the case lacks legal standing to proceed to trial.
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“Reluctantly, we conclude that such relief is beyond our constitutional power,” Judge Andrew D. Hurwitz wrote in his opinion. “Rather, the plaintiffs’ impressive case for redress must be presented to the political branches of government.”
The lawsuit, called Juliana v. U.S. and filed by the nonprofit Our Children’s Trust, asserts that the federal government is violating the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights to life, liberty and property by promoting fossil fuel production and failing to take action on climate change. Originally filed in 2015 against the Obama administration, the lawsuit later shifted to the Trump administration, which has worked aggressively to derail U.S. actions to combat climate change and to boost domestic fossil fuel production as part of its “energy dominance” agenda.
“We are suing because none of us and none of you have time to wait,” Kelsey Juliana, an activist from Oregon and the lead plaintiff in the case, said at an event on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in April 2017.
In a jaw-dropping dissenting opinion, Judge Josephine Staton wrote that “the government accepts as fact that the United States has reached a tipping point crying out for a concerted response—yet presses ahead toward calamity.”
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“It is as if an asteroid were barreling toward Earth and the government decided to shut down our only defenses,” she added. “Seeking to quash this suit, the government bluntly insists that it has the absolute and unreviewable power to destroy the Nation.”
Our Children’s Trust vowed Friday to continue its legal fight by asking the full 9th Circuit to review the decision.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-17--Ken Starr Is On Trump's Impeachment Defense Team And Monica Lewinsky Has Thoughts

This was the independent prosecutor who had investigated me , a former White House intern ; the man whose staff @ @ @ @ @ of F.B.I .
agents ( Starr himself was not there ) , had hustled me @ @ @ @ @ the Pentagon and informed me that unless I cooperated with them I could face 27 @ @ @ @ @ was the man who had turned my 24-year-old life into a living hell in his @ @ @ @ @ President Bill Clinton on charges that would eventually include obstruction of justice and lying under @ @ @ @ @ maintained a long-term extramarital relationship with me .

This was the independent prosecutor who had investigated me, a former White House intern; the man whose staff, accompanied by a group of F.B.I. agents (Starr himself was not there), had hustled me into a hotel room near the Pentagon and informed me that unless I cooperated with them I could face 27 years in prison. This was the man who had turned my 24-year-old life into a living hell in his effort to investigate and prosecute President Bill Clinton on charges that would eventually include obstruction of justice and lying under oath — lying about having maintained a long-term extramarital relationship with me.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-17--Sen. Martha McSally Won't Apologize To CNN's Manu Raju: 'Called It Like It Is'

Various media organizations are calling out Sen. Martha McSally for slurring CNN reporter Manu Raju ’ s professionalism on Thursday by calling him “ a liberal hack.
” But don ’ t expect an apology from the Arizona Republican , who told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Thursday night that she just “ called it like it is.
” Raju had simply asked McSally if she thought the Senate should consider new evidence in the pending impeachment trial .
On Friday , the National Press Club and the National Press Club Journalism Institute released a joint statement in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Manu Raju is a consummate professional who is respected by his journalistic peers and the people he covers , politics notwithstanding .
Stating the contrary is factually and ethically wrong.
” The Radio and Television Correspondents Association also released a statement on Friday that , frankly , had a little more oomph , saying the organization “ strenuously objects to insults being directed towards any journalist.
” The statement noted that Raju has politely asked “ a timely and relevant question about the impeachment trial ” and described the senator ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly in the halls of the Congress.
” It continued : “ A reporter ’ s job is to ask questions .
We ask all members of Congress to respect the role of the free press in our democracy and to respect the long tradition of reporters asking questions of our elected representatives on behalf of the American people.
” But McSally didn ’ t seem too concerned about the largely negative response to her remarks when she appeared on Ingraham ’ s show .
“ No , Laura , I do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she ’ d called Raju a “ liberal hack ” not once but twice .
McSally then accused “ these CNN reporters ” of being “ in cahoots with the Democrats ” as they “ run around trying to chase Republicans and ask trapping questions.
” “ I ’ m a fighter pilot .
I called it like it is .
That is what we see out of the mainstream media , and especially CNN , every single day so obviously I ’ m going to tell the truth , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s laughable.
” When Ingraham later asked the senator a variation of Ranu ’ s question , McSally stonewalled again , albeit much more politely than she did with Ranu , as the clip below shows .

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Various media organizations are calling out Sen. Martha McSally for slurring CNN reporter Manu Raju’s professionalism on Thursday by calling him “a liberal hack.”
But don’t expect an apology from the Arizona Republican, who told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Thursday night that she just “called it like it is.” Raju had simply asked McSally if she thought the Senate should consider new evidence in the pending impeachment trial.
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On Friday, the National Press Club and the National Press Club Journalism Institute released a joint statement in response to McSally’s hack attack:
“Manu Raju is a consummate professional who is respected by his journalistic peers and the people he covers, politics notwithstanding. Stating the contrary is factually and ethically wrong.”
The Radio and Television Correspondents Association also released a statement on Friday that, frankly, had a little more oomph, saying the organization “strenuously objects to insults being directed towards any journalist.”
The statement noted that Raju has politely asked “a timely and relevant question about the impeachment trial” and described the senator’s response as “inappropriate anywhere, but particularly in the halls of the Congress.” It continued:
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“A reporter’s job is to ask questions. We ask all members of Congress to respect the role of the free press in our democracy and to respect the long tradition of reporters asking questions of our elected representatives on behalf of the American people.”
But McSally didn’t seem too concerned about the largely negative response to her remarks when she appeared on Ingraham’s show.
“Senator, do you regret what you said?” Ingraham asked.
“No, Laura, I do not,” McSally replied and reminded Ingraham that she’d called Raju a “liberal hack” not once but twice.
McSally then accused “these CNN reporters” of being “in cahoots with the Democrats” as they “run around trying to chase Republicans and ask trapping questions.”
She added:
“I’m a fighter pilot. I called it like it is. That is what we see out of the mainstream media, and especially CNN, every single day so obviously I’m going to tell the truth, and I did it today, and it’s laughable.”
When Ingraham later asked the senator a variation of Ranu’s question, McSally stonewalled again, albeit much more politely than she did with Ranu, as the clip below shows.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-17--6 Suspected Neo-Nazis Have Now Been Arrested In Lead-Up To Virginia Gun Rally

“ We have received credible intelligence from our law enforcement agencies of threats of violence surrounding the demonstration planned for @ @ @ @ @ ” Northam said in a tweet .
“ This includes extremist rhetoric similar to what @ @ @ @ @ incidents , such as Charlottesville in 2017.
” Organizers of the rally , anti-gun control @ @ @ @ @ , falsely accused Democratic leaders of inviting violent groups to the rally following the temporary @ @ @ @ @ [ Democrats ] would love for it to degenerate to ‘ violence , rioting , @ @ @ @ @ to smear gun owners , ” the group said in a statement .
“ Has @ @ @ @ @ violent groups to attend for the purpose of disrupting our peaceful assembly ?
”

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Six neo-Nazis have been arrested just days before a gun rally in Virginia is expected to draw thousands, including far-right extremists.
Three Georgia men were arrested Friday on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and participating in a criminal street gang as members of The Base, a white supremacist group that seeks to start a race war. The suspects are Luke Austin, Michael Helterbrand and Jacob Kaderli, The Associated Press reported.
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The men are accused of seeking out antifascists to kill, and were planning to “overthrow the government and murder a Bartow County couple,” the Floyd County Police Department said in a statement.
Left to right: Luke Austin Lane, Jacob Kaderli and Michael Helterbrand are all suspected neo-Nazis who allegedly planned to target and kill antifascists. Floyd County Police Department
Atlanta Antifascists, a group that works to confront and expose fascists throughout Georgia, told HuffPost the news of the arrests “underscores that organized white supremacists remain a threat to our communities.”
“Targeting people as members of our group has become a favorite pastime of violent white supremacists,” Atlanta Antifascists said. “Many of these people are not even connected to organized antifascism at all — they simply have become caught in the crosshairs. This is part of a concerted attempt by fascists to create a general attitude of terror and paranoia. We extend our solidarity to all members of the community targeted by white supremacy and fascism and encourage everyone to watch out for each other and keep each other safe.”
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The arrests came a day after three other suspected neo-Nazis affiliated with The Base were arrested in Maryland. One of the men, Patrik Mathews, fled Canada earlier last year after his white supremacy ties were discovered. A former reservist in the Canadian Army, Mathews trained as a combat engineer and is an explosives expert.
Patrik Mathews fled Canada after his white supremacy ties were discovered. RCMP
Authorities said Mathews is a top recruiter for the terrorist group and was allegedly planning to start violence at Monday’s gun rally in Virginia along with accomplices Brian Lemley and William Bilbrough IV. Police found guns and more than 1,500 rounds of ammunition during the arrests.
Monday’s rally in Richmond is expected to draw thousands of people who oppose recent gun control bills introduced in the state legislature, including one that would require universal background checks for firearm purchase and another that would limit people from buying more than one handgun per month.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) declared a temporary state of emergency on Wednesday banning all guns from the state Capitol grounds amid threats of violence from far-right extremists.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-17--Unions Are Leveraging The Democratic Debates At The Bargaining Table

KEREM YUCEL via Getty Images After a 15-year legal fight , CNN settled a dispute with former employees just before the latest Democratic debate .
But it was no coincidence that a 15-year legal battle happened to end right before CNN was slated to host the seventh debate of the 2020 Democratic primary season .
If CNN didn ’ t resolve the case , officials at the workers ’ union ― the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians , an affiliate of the Communications Workers of America ( NABET-CWA ) ― informed the Democratic National Committee that members would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential candidates to refuse to participate in the debate .
Any candidate who did take part would essentially be a scab .
“ Without the political dynamics I am absolutely convinced we would be back in litigation , ” said NABET-CWA President Charlie Braico .
“ CNN did everything they could to delay and postpone .
They pulled every trick out of the bag .
Without the political pressure of last week and this week , who knows how long this would have gone on.
” The CNN settlement is one example of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats ’ crowded , progressive field and leveraging the presidential primaries to deliver for their members .
In a contest where every candidate is jockeying aggressively for labor endorsements , the threat of a picket line has proved persuasive .
It has given labor groups a pressure point to squeeze employers they feel have not been bargaining in good faith .
The December debate had been moved to Loyola Marymount because of another labor dispute at the University of California , Los Angeles , where the debate ’ s sponsors , “ PBS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled the event .
The American Federation of State , County and Municipal Employees , which represents workers in the public university system , had been boycotting UCLA over an outsourcing dispute , and the union asked candidates not to appear there .
Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) has been walking picket lines for decades , and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
has been a close ally of labor during her years in Washington .
But just about everyone from former Vice President Joe Biden to entrepreneur Andrew Yang has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the union requests .
It may be one indicator of labor ’ s renewed political clout in the Democratic Party .
Rachel Sulkes , spokesperson for Unite Here Local 11 , said the planned picket at Loyola Marymount grew into a far bigger deal than the union foresaw .
The contract with Sodexo , covering about 150 workers , had expired in April last year , and the union had made little progress at the bargaining table .
Sulkes said that once Sodexo canceled bargaining sessions and tried to push negotiations into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more aggressive .
Sulkes said DNC Chair Tom Perez , who ’ s no stranger to mediating labor disputes , contacted them to find out why his debate was falling apart .
Not long after it became clear the event was in jeopardy , the union and Sodexo reached a tentative agreement that will raise workers ’ compensation by 25 % over three years .
Sulkes attributes the breakthrough to the pressure felt by Sodexo and the university .
Even though Loyola Marymount wasn ’ t party to the workers ’ contract , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holder with Sodexo .
“ I think we took everybody by surprise , including ourselves , ” Sulkes said of the picket threat ’ s success .
“ I ’ m glad to hear these candidates , that we ’ re putting them to work .
They have to show they support workers .
This is how the greater public learns .
Most people didn ’ t even know the university had a union.
” Back in 2003 , the network terminated its contract with Team Video Services , the company employing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work in-house .
Some of those technicians were hired directly by CNN as non-union workers , but many were not .
Their union , NABET-CWA , argued that CNN was obligated to hire and negotiate with the fired workers , and that refusing to do so amounted to union-busting .
An administrative law judge and the NLRB ruled in the workers ’ favor .
But CNN managed to tie up the case for a decade and a half through appeals and mediation ― a long journey even by the standards of the NLRB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of dollars .
Braico said the case dragged on for so long that roughly half a dozen of the workers have died .
Many endured long spells of unemployment after being dropped by CNN .
Some never returned to the broadcast industry , he said .
When CNN aired a Democratic presidential debate in Detroit last July , the union did not call for a boycott because it was in mediation with the network at the NLRB ; to do so would have been considered bad faith .
But once mediation ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free to stir up trouble for the network ’ s next big debate .
“ We had pretty much had it , ” Braico said .
“ We looked at the fact that they were a broadcast sponsor and said , ‘ Hey , if we put up a picket line , there ’ s probably a good chance the candidates will respect [ it ] .
’ As we got deeper into it , it started to come together.
” The NLRB called the CNN settlement “ the largest monetary remedy ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The money will be divided up among more than 300 families , with the amounts varying from one to the next , mitigated by each workers ’ earnings since CNN let them go .
In the case of workers who ’ ve died , the money will go to their estates .
Braico said the settlement will be “ life-changing ” for some .
It probably will be for Kathy McLaughlin , who ’ d worked at CNN as a camera technician for eight years before the Team Video Services contract was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a job with CNN but wasn ’ t hired , leading to years of erratic freelancing and a significant drop in income .
McLaughlin , who ’ s still working in the industry today , said she always viewed the move by CNN as an effort to rid itself of the union and its contract .

After a 15-year legal fight, CNN settled a dispute with former employees just before the latest Democratic debate. KEREM YUCEL via Getty Images
CNN settled a long and ugly dispute at the National Labor Relations Board last week, agreeing to pay $76 million to hundreds of unionized broadcast technicians who lost their jobs in 2003. In a country where legal remedies for breaking labor law tend to be weak, the surprisingly large pile of backpay made headlines.
But it was no coincidence that a 15-year legal battle happened to end right before CNN was slated to host the seventh debate of the 2020 Democratic primary season. If CNN didn’t resolve the case, officials at the workers’ union ― the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians, an affiliate of the Communications Workers of America (NABET-CWA) ― informed the Democratic National Committee that members would picket the event and they asked the presidential candidates to refuse to participate in the debate. Any candidate who did take part would essentially be a scab.
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Four days before the Jan. 14 debate, CNN’s check was finally in the mail.
“Without the political dynamics I am absolutely convinced we would be back in litigation,” said NABET-CWA President Charlie Braico. “CNN did everything they could to delay and postpone. They pulled every trick out of the bag. Without the political pressure of last week and this week, who knows how long this would have gone on.”
In an email, a CNN spokesperson said the network was “pleased to have resolved a longstanding legal matter,” but didn’t address the accusation that it intentionally stalled the case for years.
The CNN settlement is one example of how unions are taking advantage of the Democrats’ crowded, progressive field and leveraging the presidential primaries to deliver for their members. In a contest where every candidate is jockeying aggressively for labor endorsements, the threat of a picket line has proved persuasive. It has given labor groups a pressure point to squeeze employers they feel have not been bargaining in good faith.
In December, the hospitality workers’ union Unite Here effectively wielded the threat of a picket at a debate site to secure a new contract for cafeteria employees at California’s Loyola Marymount University. Months earlier, the union had hit a wall bargaining with the school’s contractor, the food service giant Sodexo. Shortly after the picket threat, the union and Sodexo reached a deal.
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The December debate had been moved to Loyola Marymount because of another labor dispute at the University of California, Los Angeles, where the debate’s sponsors, “PBS NewsHour” and Politico, had originally scheduled the event. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents workers in the public university system, had been boycotting UCLA over an outsourcing dispute, and the union asked candidates not to appear there.
Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to McDonald's cooks and cashiers on a picket line in December. Patrick Fallon / Reuters
Of course, this tactic only works if prominent Democrats feel compelled to honor the picket line ― which, in turn, can quash an event and embarrass both the employer and the DNC.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has been walking picket lines for decades, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has been a close ally of labor during her years in Washington. But just about everyone from former Vice President Joe Biden to entrepreneur Andrew Yang has seemed willing and even eager to abide by the union requests. It may be one indicator of labor’s renewed political clout in the Democratic Party.
“I think Democrats finally, overall, are realizing that labor is very valuable and not an afterthought,” said Unite Here President D. Taylor. “When they actually do real, tangible things [like this], it is helpful. It’s not determinative, but it’s helpful.”
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Rachel Sulkes, spokesperson for Unite Here Local 11, said the planned picket at Loyola Marymount grew into a far bigger deal than the union foresaw. The contract with Sodexo, covering about 150 workers, had expired in April last year, and the union had made little progress at the bargaining table. Sulkes said that once Sodexo canceled bargaining sessions and tried to push negotiations into 2020, the union decided to get more aggressive.
The week before the debate, the union began reaching out to campaigns. Warren and Sanders quickly agreed they would not cross a picket line.
“Then it just snowballed,” Sulkes said.
At one point, she said, she was in a meeting with union leadership and had to keep interrupting to let them know that additional candidates had announced they were bailing on the debate. Union staffers were thrilled.
Sulkes said DNC Chair Tom Perez, who’s no stranger to mediating labor disputes, contacted them to find out why his debate was falling apart. Not long after it became clear the event was in jeopardy, the union and Sodexo reached a tentative agreement that will raise workers’ compensation by 25% over three years. Sulkes attributes the breakthrough to the pressure felt by Sodexo and the university. Even though Loyola Marymount wasn’t party to the workers’ contract, it risked public embarrassment as the contract holder with Sodexo.
“I think we took everybody by surprise, including ourselves,” Sulkes said of the picket threat’s success. “I’m glad to hear these candidates, that we’re putting them to work. They have to show they support workers. This is how the greater public learns. Most people didn’t even know the university had a union.”
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The resolution at CNN was much longer in the making.
Back in 2003, the network terminated its contract with Team Video Services, the company employing the unionized broadcast technicians, to bring the work in-house. Some of those technicians were hired directly by CNN as non-union workers, but many were not. Their union, NABET-CWA, argued that CNN was obligated to hire and negotiate with the fired workers, and that refusing to do so amounted to union-busting. An administrative law judge and the NLRB ruled in the workers’ favor.
“Without the political pressure of last week and this week, who knows how long this would have gone on.” - Charlie Braico, president of NABET-CWA
But CNN managed to tie up the case for a decade and a half through appeals and mediation ― a long journey even by the standards of the NLRB and one that likely cost the network millions of dollars. Braico said the case dragged on for so long that roughly half a dozen of the workers have died. Many endured long spells of unemployment after being dropped by CNN. Some never returned to the broadcast industry, he said.
When CNN aired a Democratic presidential debate in Detroit last July, the union did not call for a boycott because it was in mediation with the network at the NLRB; to do so would have been considered bad faith. But once mediation ended without a resolution, the union was free to stir up trouble for the network’s next big debate.
“We had pretty much had it,” Braico said. “We looked at the fact that they were a broadcast sponsor and said, ‘Hey, if we put up a picket line, there’s probably a good chance the candidates will respect [it].’ As we got deeper into it, it started to come together.”
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Responses from the candidates’ campaigns suggested the picket would torpedo the debate.
“Suddenly, the settlement talks started to move,” Braico said.
The NLRB called the CNN settlement “the largest monetary remedy” in the agency’s 84-year history. The money will be divided up among more than 300 families, with the amounts varying from one to the next, mitigated by each workers’ earnings since CNN let them go. In the case of workers who’ve died, the money will go to their estates. Braico said the settlement will be “life-changing” for some.
It probably will be for Kathy McLaughlin, who’d worked at CNN as a camera technician for eight years before the Team Video Services contract was dropped. She then interviewed directly for a job with CNN but wasn’t hired, leading to years of erratic freelancing and a significant drop in income. McLaughlin, who’s still working in the industry today, said she always viewed the move by CNN as an effort to rid itself of the union and its contract.
“In the back of my mind I always hoped there would be a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said of the case. “I got into debt a decade ago and this is going to help. ... I’m very proud of our union and all these years of fighting.”
Even so, Braico said he and other union staffers haven’t exactly been celebrating. The fact that it took so much litigation and the near derailing of a presidential debate to get backpay for workers shows that the system isn’t working and that labor law is “broken,” he said.
“For us to have to threaten to take the debate off the air ... it happened to work here, but our systems and our laws should be better,” Braico said.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-17--Chris Collins, First U.S. Lawmaker To Endorse Trump, Gets 26-Month Prison Sentence

Collins , the first member of Congress to endorse Trump ’ s 2016 presidential bid , used his position as the largest shareholder in the Australian biotechnology company Innate Immunotherapeutics to illegally give other stockholders an inside tip that a test of the company ’ s main product had failed .
“ You were a member of the ( company ’ s ) board , that has legal significance .
You owed a duty to Innate and you betrayed that duty , ” U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick said during the sentencing , according to Matthew Russell Lee of InnerCityPress.com @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at my wife , she had her credit card canceled .
My daughter had her brokerage account canceled .
I apologize to the FBI for lying to them .
I ’ ll be paying the consequence for that here momentarily , ” Collins said .
Before the criminal investigation , Collins had used his Trump endorsement to raise his profile in Washington .
He bragged about the clout he gained from his early backing of Trump , claiming it made him “ significantly more visible.
” And he was an early adopter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ style , a copycat routine that has become popular throughout the GOP .
Collins , who represented a district that covers much of western New York , committed the crime that sent him to prison while he was visiting the White House for a June 22 , 2017 , congressional picnic .
He received an email from the CEO of Innate Immuno announcing that the company ’ s main drug the company ’ s future hinged on had failed a key test .
Collins then called his son , another shareholder , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell him about the news and to plan for them to dump the stock .
The next morning Collins , his son and the father of his son ’ s fiancée sold their stock in the company before the drug test failure was announced and while a freeze on trading was in place for the company ’ s shares in Australian stock markets .
They each saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling early .
The company stock plunged 92 % after it publicly announced the drug ’ s failed test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his odd position as the largest shareholder of Innate Immuno attracted attention .
The Wall Street Journal and The Buffalo News both reported in January 2017 on suspicious trades Collins and other House Republican lawmakers made as Congress passed a bill that included provisions beneficial to Innate Immuno and other biotechnology firms .
He also reportedly bragged to colleagues about how many “ millionaires I ’ ve made in Buffalo.
” An investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics in 2017 found that Collins violated House ethics rules by providing nonpublic information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Health in his official capacity to discuss Innate Immuno drug trials .
Collins , 69 , was indicted and arrested for wire fraud , conspiracy to commit securities fraud and lying to the FBI on Aug. 8 , 2018 .
After his arrest Collins initially said he would not run for reelection in 2018 .
But he reversed course , ran for his seat and won by less than one percentage point .
He had won reelection in 2016 with 67 % of the vote .
His resignation from office became official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buffalo News for “ making up fake news on folks [ the paper ] can ’ t beat at the ballot box.
” He called his then-colleague Rep. Louise Slaughter , a Buffalo-area Democrat who has since died , a “ despicable human being ” for filing an ethics complaint against him .
And he attacked investigations into his activities as a “ partisan witch hunt.
” In the wake of his guilty plea , his lawyers argued in court for a lenient sentence , saying his actions were impulsive and that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career .

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A judge on Friday sentenced former Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), an early and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, to 26 months in prison after he pleaded guilty last September to conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
Collins, the first member of Congress to endorse Trump’s 2016 presidential bid, used his position as the largest shareholder in the Australian biotechnology company Innate Immunotherapeutics to illegally give other stockholders an inside tip that a test of the company’s main product had failed.
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“You were a member of the [company’s] board ― that has legal significance. You owed a duty to Innate and you betrayed that duty,” U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick said during the sentencing, according to Matthew Russell Lee of InnerCityPress.com.
“It makes people believe the market is rigged,” Broderick added.
Federal prosecutors earlier this week urged a sentence of close to five years.
Collins cried as he spoke to the court shortly before his sentencing.
“I have no excuse. I tarnished my reputation,” he told the judge, as reported by The Washington Post.
“It’s hard to look at my wife ― she had her credit card canceled. My daughter had her brokerage account canceled. I apologize to the FBI for lying to them. I’ll be paying the consequence for that here momentarily,” Collins said.
Before the criminal investigation, Collins had used his Trump endorsement to raise his profile in Washington. He bragged about the clout he gained from his early backing of Trump, claiming it made him “significantly more visible.” And he was an early adopter of Trump’s bullying and blustering style, a copycat routine that has become popular throughout the GOP.
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Collins, who represented a district that covers much of western New York, committed the crime that sent him to prison while he was visiting the White House for a June 22, 2017, congressional picnic. He received an email from the CEO of Innate Immuno announcing that the company’s main drug on which the company’s future hinged had failed a key test. Collins then called his son, another shareholder, from the South Lawn of the White House to tell him about the news and to plan for them to dump the stock.
The next morning Collins, his son and the father of his son’s fiancée sold their stock in the company before the drug test failure was announced and while a freeze on trading was in place for the company’s shares in Australian stock markets. They each saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling early. The company stock plunged 92% after Innate Immuno publicly announced the drug’s failed test.
Well before Collins broke the law, his odd position as the largest shareholder of Innate Immuno attracted attention. The Wall Street Journal and The Buffalo News both reported in January 2017 on suspicious trades Collins and other House Republican lawmakers made as Congress passed a bill that included provisions beneficial to Innate Immuno and other biotechnology firms. He also reportedly bragged to colleagues about how many “millionaires I’ve made in Buffalo.”
After seeing his political profile soar as an early backer of President Donald Trump, former Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) is headed to prison. John Normile via Getty Images
An investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics in 2017 found that Collins violated House ethics rules by providing nonpublic information to investors and visiting the National Institutes of Health in his official capacity to discuss Innate Immuno drug trials.
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Collins, 69, was indicted and arrested for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and lying to the FBI on Aug. 8, 2018. After his arrest, Collins initially said he would not run for reelection in 2018. But he reversed course, ran for his seat and won by less than one percentage point. He had won reelection in 2016 with 67% of the vote. His resignation from office became official last Oct. 1.
Collins was first elected to his House seat in 2012. A former mechanical engineer and business owner, he served as Erie County executive from 2007 to 2011.
Throughout the investigation into his illegal conduct, Collins struck a Trumpian pose as an innocent targeted as part of a “partisan witch hunt.”
He attacked The Buffalo News for “making up fake news on folks [the paper] can’t beat at the ballot box.” He called his then-colleague Rep. Louise Slaughter, a Buffalo-area Democrat who has since died, a “despicable human being” for filing an ethics complaint against him. And he attacked investigations into his activities as a “partisan witch hunt.”
In the wake of Collins’ guilty plea, his lawyers argued in court for a lenient sentence, saying that his actions were impulsive and that he has suffered enough by losing his political career.
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Collins’ son and the father of his son’s fiancée also pleaded guilty in the case and await sentencing
Quickly joining Collins in early 2016 as Trump’s second official backer on Capitol Hill was then-Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) ― who also now faces prison time. Hunter pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance laws in December, gave up his House seat earlier this week and awaits sentencing. Like Collins, Hunter initially characterized the charges facing him as a “witch hunt.”