bonginoreport--2020-02-23--There Are “Pandemic Bonds” That Pay Out Depending on Coronavirus’ Lethality

• Investors holding the World Bank 's pandemic bonds stand to either reap massive profits or lose hundreds of millions of dollars , depending on the coronavirus outbreak 's lethality .
• The instruments offer higher-than-average returns , but bondholders will lose their principal in the event of a qualifying pandemic .
• If certain criteria are met , the payment is sent to the World Bank 's Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility to fund relief efforts .
• The bonds are a novel way to connect the financial sector with epidemic relief and `` potentially save millions of lives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a 2017 statement .
• Others are n't so sure of the assets ' effectiveness in curbing an outbreak .
• The bonds ' triggers `` are very late , '' and the organization could 've funded relief efforts without the `` unnecessary , inappropriate , and ineffective risk-financing instruments , '' Olga Jonas , senior fellow at the Harvard Global Health Institute at Harvard University and former World Bank economist , told Business Insider .
• Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories .
A group of unique bondholders will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of millions of dollars as the coronavirus outbreak escalates .
So-called `` pandemic bonds '' were first introduced by the World Bank in 2017 as a response to the Ebola virus .
Investors holding the bonds enjoy higher-than-average interest rates , but stand to lose their cash in the event of a pandemic .
If certain criteria are met , the bonds ' principal is transferred to the World Bank 's Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility ( PEF ) to fund containment and relief efforts .
`` We are leveraging our capital market expertise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sector , our experience overcoming development challenges , and our strong relationships with donors and the insurance industry to serve the world 's poorest people , '' Jim Yong Kim , World Bank Group 's president , said in a 2017 statement , adding that the PEF can `` potentially save millions of lives . ''
The bank issued two tranches of pandemic-linked bonds and derivatives collectively worth $ 425 million in 2017 .
Bondholders enjoyed more than two years of strong returns and little to worry about as few outbreaks came close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the stability of the investment has suddenly been thrown into question as the deadly coronavirus spreads globally .
Triggers for the two classes of bonds The two tranches of pandemic bonds represent different risks of contagion .
The World Bank offered $ 225 million worth of Class A debt , which pay out 6.9 % annually .
The bonds default if pandemic-related deaths reach 2,500 in a single nation with an additional 20 or more deaths confirmed in an overseas country , according to the bank 's prospectus .
The Class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the debt to trigger and accordingly boast a higher interest rate , since holders are assuming more risk .
The bonds pay 11.5 % annually , but reach default after 250 deaths .
The bonds ' payout rate scales with the number of additional countries that experience than 20 confirmed deaths .
The World Bank issued $ 95 million worth of the Class B assets .
The coronavirus outbreak has so far killed more than 1,370 people and infected more than 60,000 , surpassing SARS in lethality earlier this month .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korea are the only nations currently hosting more than 20 infected individuals .
While the World Bank touts the debt as an efficient way to connect financial markets with epidemic relief , others have their doubts that the bonds help ailing nations at all .
The assets ' lengthy prospectus hides numerous requirements that gum up any effort to release funds when they 're most needed , according to Olga Jonas , senior fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health at Harvard University and former World Bank economist .
Funds can only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemics 12 weeks after the `` start of the event , '' according to a World Bank document .
The novel coronavirus strains were first reported on in late December , leaving funds locked up until late March .
Read more : A Wall Street firm lists its 5 best hedges for an unusual coronavirus-driven market crash - and shares what to do if it 's successfully contained Even once the deadline is met , the outbreak has to cause at least 20 deaths in two or more countries to trigger the bonds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago , no other nation is close , leaving the PEF frozen while the virus continues to spread .
`` The advertising was that there would be early , rapid , predictable , transparent financing available for outbreaks so that they do n't become pandemics , '' Jonas told Business Insider in an interview .
`` In order for that to happen you have to have early triggers .
The triggers in the design are very late . ''
A `` distraction '' from `` getting serious '' Jonas alleges that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue bonds to better prevent pandemics .
The former economist called the instruments a `` distraction '' from `` getting serious about supporting preparedness '' in developing countries .
The $ 500 million made available through the PEF is a paltry sum compared to the tens of billions of dollars the World Bank holds in liquid assets , she added .
`` The money on the table from [ the World Bank 's International Development Association ] did n't need to transit the PEF - and it certainly should not be paying for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk-financing instrument , '' Jonas said .
She added : `` If you were doing this with your own money at home , that 'd be grounds for divorce . ''
Even in the case of the bonds being triggered , Jonas does n't expect the funds to do much good .
The PEF 's insurance window covers up to $ 500 million through its bond and swap issuances , but allocates only as much as $ 196 million for coronavirus outbreaks .
Once released , 76 countries can apply to receive the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total amount sent to each country .
Compared to the $ 10 billion China is spending on virus control today , the amounts that could be released by the PEF are `` trivial , '' Jonas said .
The bonds would 've been useful `` if you are not able to finance the risk otherwise , '' she added .
`` The World Bank has excellent capacity to finance the risk otherwise . ''
Now read more markets coverage from Markets Insider and Business Insider : California wildfire victims could become PG & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - and assume the financial risk of future fires Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon says 'it 's too early ' for markets to react to Bernie Sanders ' booming campaign Amazon offshores its support hotline for truck drivers to India and Europe - and some truckers are slamming the unusual strategy as a potential safety issue

Investors holding the World Bank's pandemic bonds stand to either reap massive profits or lose hundreds of millions of dollars, depending on the coronavirus outbreak's lethality.
The instruments offer higher-than-average returns, but bondholders will lose their principal in the event of a qualifying pandemic.
If certain criteria are met, the payment is sent to the World Bank's Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility to fund relief efforts.
The bonds are a novel way to connect the financial sector with epidemic relief and "potentially save millions of lives," the World Bank's president said in a 2017 statement.
Others aren't so sure of the assets' effectiveness in curbing an outbreak.
The bonds' triggers "are very late," and the organization could've funded relief efforts without the "unnecessary, inappropriate, and ineffective risk-financing instruments," Olga Jonas, senior fellow senior fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health, told Business Insider.
Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.
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A group of unique bondholders will either reap massive profits or lose hundreds of millions of dollars as the coronavirus outbreak escalates.
So-called "pandemic bonds" were first introduced by the World Bank in 2017 as a response to the Ebola virus. Investors holding the bonds enjoy higher-than-average interest rates, but stand to lose their cash in the event of a pandemic.
If certain criteria are met, the bonds' principal is transferred to the World Bank's Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) to fund containment and relief efforts.
"We are leveraging our capital market expertise, our deep understanding of the health sector, our experience overcoming development challenges, and our strong relationships with donors and the insurance industry to serve the world's poorest people," Jim Yong Kim, World Bank Group's president, said in a 2017 statement, adding that the PEF can "potentially save millions of lives."
The bank issued two tranches of pandemic-linked bonds and derivatives collectively worth $425 million in 2017. Bondholders enjoyed more than two years of strong returns and little to worry about as few outbreaks came close to triggering the bonds' total default.
But the stability of the investment has suddenly been thrown into question as the deadly coronavirus spreads globally.
Triggers for the two classes of bonds
The two tranches of pandemic bonds represent different risks of contagion. The World Bank offered $225 million worth of Class A debt, which pay out 6.9% annually. The bonds default if pandemic-related deaths reach 2,500 in a single nation with an additional 20 or more deaths confirmed in an overseas country, according to the bank's prospectus.
Read more: JPMorgan has developed an AI tool to measure how the coronavirus is damaging markets — and its findings suggest the plunge is nowhere near finished
The Class B bonds have a lower bar for the debt to trigger and accordingly boast a higher interest rate, since holders are assuming more risk. The bonds pay 11.5% annually, but reach default after 250 deaths. The bonds' payout rate scales with the number of additional countries that experience than 20 confirmed deaths. The World Bank issued $95 million worth of the Class B assets.
The coronavirus outbreak has so far killed more than 1,370 people and infected more than 60,000, surpassing SARS in lethality earlier this month. Still, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, and Korea are the only nations currently hosting more than 20 infected individuals.
Debate over the bonds' efficacy
While the World Bank touts the debt as an efficient way to connect financial markets with epidemic relief, others have their doubts that the bonds help ailing nations at all. The assets' lengthy prospectus hides numerous requirements that gum up any effort to release funds when they're most needed, according to Olga Jonas, senior fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health and former World Bank economist.
Funds can only be released from the PEF for non-flu epidemics 12 weeks after the "start of the event," according to a World Bank document. The novel coronavirus strains were first reported on in late December, leaving funds locked up until late March.
Read more: Buy these 12 cheap stocks to reap big dividend payments as the market recovers from coronavirus, BTIG says
Even once the deadline is met, the outbreak has to cause at least 20 deaths in two or more countries to trigger the bonds. While China reached the fatality threshold weeks ago, no other nation is close, leaving the PEF frozen while the virus continues to spread.
"The advertising was that there would be early, rapid, predictable, transparent financing available for outbreaks so that they don't become pandemics," Jonas told Business Insider in an interview. "In order for that to happen you have to have early triggers. The triggers in the design are very late."
A "distraction" from "getting serious"
Jonas alleges that the World Bank didn't even need to issue bonds to better prevent pandemics. The former economist called the instruments a "distraction" from "getting serious about supporting preparedness" in developing countries. The $500 million made available through the PEF is a paltry sum compared to the tens of billions of dollars the World Bank holds in liquid assets, she added.
"The money on the table from [the World Bank's International Development Association] didn't need to transit the PEF — and it certainly should not be paying for an unnecessary, inappropriate, and ineffective risk-financing instrument," Jonas said.
She added: "If you were doing this with your own money at home, that'd be grounds for divorce."
Read more: Jim Rogers, the famed investor who earned a 4,200% return with George Soros, told us the best 2 assets to buy for profits after a 'total collapse' in markets
Even in the case of the bonds being triggered, Jonas doesn't expect the funds to do much good. The PEF's insurance window covers up to $500 million through its bond and swap issuances, but allocates only as much as $196 million for coronavirus outbreaks.
Once released, 76 countries can apply to receive the pandemic relief funds, watering down the total amount sent to each country. Compared to the $10 billion China is spending on virus control today, the amounts that could be released by the PEF are "trivial," Jonas said.
The bonds would've been useful "if you are not able to finance the risk otherwise," she added. "The World Bank has excellent capacity to finance the risk otherwise."
Now read more markets coverage from Markets Insider and Business Insider:
California wildfire victims could become PG&E's biggest shareholders after a settlement — and assume the financial risk of future fires
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon says 'it's too early' for markets to react to Bernie Sanders' booming campaign
Amazon offshores its support hotline for truck drivers to India and Europe — and some truckers are slamming the unusual strategy as a potential safety issue


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--Lindsey Graham: Senate FISA Probe Will Begin With Examination of Mystery Steele Dossier Source

A Senate investigation of the FBI ’ s abuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) will start off with a focus on a mysterious source for Christopher Steele who disputed much of the former British spy ’ s infamous dossier , Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday .
Graham said his first order of business during the probe will be to interview four FBI and Justice Department officials who interviewed the primary source for Steele ’ s dossier in January 2017 , he said in an interview on “ Sunday Futures with Maria Bartiromo.
” “ The first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people who heard from Russian sub-source that this dossier is a bunch of bar talk and hearsay , ” Graham said .
He is referring to an individual identified in the Justice Department inspector general ’ s report only as “ Primary Sub-Source.
” The inspector general ’ s report said the person was Steele ’ s only direct source for information that ended up in the dossier , which the FBI cited extensively in its four applications for FISA orders on Carter Page .
The source ’ s statements to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the inspector general ’ s report .
It said Steele ’ s source disputed much of what was attributed to him in the dossier , which was funded by the DNC and Clinton campaign .
( RELATED : DOJ Deems Two Carter Page FISA Orders ‘ Not Valid ’ ) “ The Primary Sub-source made statements during his/her January 2017 FBI interview that were inconsistent with multiple sections of the Steele reports , including some that were relied upon in the FISA applications , ” the report stated .
The source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Page ’ s involvement in what the dossier said was a “ well-developed conspiracy of cooperation ” between the Trump campaign and Russian government .
Graham said he also wants to know whether former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe were ever told about the Steele source ’ s contradictory statements about the dossier .
“ I want to find out when did Comey and McCabe understand it was not reliable and start from there , ” Graham said .
The report stated that David Laufman , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department ’ s counterintelligence and export control section , arranged and took part in the interview with the dossier source in January 2017 .
His deputy also participated .
An FBI counterintelligence investigator identified as “ Case Agent 1 ” and a “ Supervisory Intel Agent ” also took part in the interview .
The report is particularly harsh toward “ Case Agent 1 , ” who was involved in drafting the Page FISA applications .
“ Case Agent 1 was primarily responsible for some of the most significant errors and omissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report stated .
The Justice Department deemed the last two FISA orders granted against Page to be invalid , based largely on the FBI ’ s omissions of what Steele ’ s source said about the dossier .
Graham sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr on Feb. 14 asking that he make 17 current Justice Department and FBI employees identified in the inspector general ’ s report available for closed-door depositions .
Case Agent 1 is including on the list .
Graham has also said that he wants to have open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

A Senate investigation of the FBI’s abuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) will start off with a focus on a mysterious source for Christopher Steele who disputed much of the former British spy’s infamous dossier, Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday.
Graham said his first order of business during the probe will be to interview four FBI and Justice Department officials who interviewed the primary source for Steele’s dossier in January 2017, he said in an interview on “Sunday Futures with Maria Bartiromo.”
“The first thing I want to do is call the people who heard from Russian sub-source that this dossier is a bunch of bar talk and hearsay,” Graham said.
He is referring to an individual identified in the Justice Department inspector general’s report only as “Primary Sub-Source.”
The inspector general’s report said the person was Steele’s only direct source for information that ended up in the dossier, which the FBI cited extensively in its four applications for FISA orders on Carter Page.
The source’s statements to the FBI and DOJ officials were explosive, according to the inspector general’s report. It said Steele’s source disputed much of what was attributed to him in the dossier, which was funded by the DNC and Clinton campaign. (RELATED: DOJ Deems Two Carter Page FISA Orders ‘Not Valid’)
WATCH:
“The Primary Sub-source made statements during his/her January 2017 FBI interview that were inconsistent with multiple sections of the Steele reports, including some that were relied upon in the FISA applications,” the report stated.
The source said Steele misrepresented or embellished information regarding Page’s involvement in what the dossier said was a “well-developed conspiracy of cooperation” between the Trump campaign and Russian government.
Graham said he also wants to know whether former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe were ever told about the Steele source’s contradictory statements about the dossier.
“I want to find out when did Comey and McCabe understand it was not reliable and start from there,” Graham said.
The report stated that David Laufman, who served until 2018 as chief of the Justice Department’s counterintelligence and export control section, arranged and took part in the interview with the dossier source in January 2017. His deputy also participated. An FBI counterintelligence investigator identified as “Case Agent 1” and a “Supervisory Intel Agent” also took part in the interview.
The report is particularly harsh toward “Case Agent 1,” who was involved in drafting the Page FISA applications.
“Case Agent 1 was primarily responsible for some of the most significant errors and omissions in the FISA applications,” the report stated.
The Justice Department deemed the last two FISA orders granted against Page to be invalid, based largely on the FBI’s omissions of what Steele’s source said about the dossier.
Graham sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr on Feb. 14 asking that he make 17 current Justice Department and FBI employees identified in the inspector general’s report available for closed-door depositions. Case Agent 1 is including on the list. Graham has also said that he wants to have open hearings with Comey and McCabe.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--Pete Buttigieg May Have Plagiarized 2012 Tweet From Obama

Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg appeared to rip off a 2012 tweet from former President Barack Obama .
The tweet , which was posted to Buttigieg ’ s account with no attribution , read , “ If we can light up a high school gym—we can light a neighborhood .
If we can light up a neighborhood—we can light a city .
If we can light up a city—we can light up our country.
” ( RELATED : Bernie Breezes To Victory Over Joe Biden , Pete Buttigieg In Nevada Caucuses — Full Report ) Obama ’ s tweet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read , “ One voice can change a room .
And if it can change a room , it can change a city .
And if it can change a city , it can change a state.
” Meghan McCain mocked the similarities , saying , “ Oh COME ON !
I know Pete thinks he ’ s the next Obama but this is ridiculous.
” Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett took notice as well .
The Daily Caller reached out to Buttigieg ’ s campaign but has not yet received a response @ @ @ @ @ @

Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg appeared to rip off a 2012 tweet from former President Barack Obama.
The tweet, which was posted to Buttigieg’s account with no attribution, read, “If we can light up a high school gym—we can light a neighborhood. If we can light up a neighborhood—we can light a city. If we can light up a city—we can light up our country.” (RELATED: Bernie Breezes To Victory Over Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg In Nevada Caucuses — Full Report)
If we can light up a high school gym—we can light a neighborhood. If we can light up a neighborhood—we can light a city. If we can light up a city—we can light up our country. — Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) February 23, 2020
Obama’s tweet, posted on November 5, 2012, read, “One voice can change a room. And if it can change a room, it can change a city. And if it can change a city, it can change a state.”
Obama: “One voice can change a room. And if it can change a room, it can change a city. And if it can change a city, it can change a state.” — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 6, 2012
Meghan McCain mocked the similarities, saying, “Oh COME ON! I know Pete thinks he’s the next Obama but this is ridiculous.”
Oh COME ON! I know Pete thinks he’s the next Obama but this is ridiculous. https://t.co/xtlCMdr1HW — Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) February 23, 2020
Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett took notice as well.
The Daily Caller reached out to Buttigieg’s campaign but has not yet received a response at the time of publication.


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--Bernie Sanders Praises Communist Cuba Because of Their Literacy Program

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders praised former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro ’ s “ massive literacy program ” during a CBS “ 60 Minutes ” clip that aired on Sunday .
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper introduced the topic by playing a clip of an 1985 interview with government-access Vermont TV in which Sanders said the Castro regime “ educated their kids , gave them healthcare ” and “ totally transformed the society.
” “ We ’ re very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba , but , you know , it ’ s unfair to simply say everything is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooper , responding to the clip .
“ You know ?
When Fidel Castro came into office , you know what he did ?
He had a massive literacy program .
Is that a bad thing ?
Even though Fidel Castro did it ?
” “ A lot of dissidents imprisoned in Cuba , ” Cooper noted .
( RELATED : Trey Gowdy Doesn ’ t Believe That Russia Would Help Trump Against Bernie Sanders ) “ That ’ s right , ” said Sanders , “ and we condemn that .
Unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear , you want to , I do not think that Kim Jong-Un is a good friend .
I don ’ t trade love letters with a murdering dictator .
Vladimir Putin , not a great friend of mine.
” ( RELATED : Bernie Sanders Loses It When Bloomberg Calls Him The ‘ Best Known Socialist ’ Who ‘ Happens To Be A Millionaire With Three Houses ’ ) Last February , the Reagan Battalion Twitter account posted a video of Sanders reminiscing about watching the Nixon-Kennedy debates in 1960 and almost leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized the Cuban dictator .
( RELATED : Bernie Sanders Received Briefing On Russian Attempts To Help Him In 2020 Election And Sow Further Discord Among U.S .
Voters ) “ But I remember , for some reason , being very excited when Fidel Castro made the revolution in Cuba , ” he said .
“ I was a kid and I remember reading that.
” In a 1989 statement as mayor of Burlington , Vermont , Sanders praised the Cuban revolution as a “ very profound and very deep revolution , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better or for worse , the Cuban revolution is a very profound and very deep revolution , ” he wrote .
“ Much deeper than I had understood .
More interesting than their providing their people with free health care , free education , free housing … is that they are in fact creating a very different value system than the one we are familiar with.
” The Vermont senator , who easily won the Nevada Democratic caucuses on Saturday , took his wife to the former Soviet Union in 1988 .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sanders claimed that it was to establish a “ sister city ” program with Yaroslavl while he was serving as mayor of Burlington , Vermont .
“ The fact is that I went to establish a sister city program with Yaroslavl , then in the Soviet Union , now an important city in Russia which is still in existence today , ” Sanders told “ MSNBC Live ” in 2015 .
“ The purpose of that trip was a sister city .
Did it take place after my marriage ?
It did.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spent Lifetime ‘ Fighting Against Authoritarianism ’ ) However , the Guardian reported that the trip “ doubled as a honeymoon with his new wife , Jane.
” “ There are some things that [ the Soviet Union does ] better than we do and which were , in fact , quite impressive , ” Sanders said after a trip to the Soviet Union , according to the Washington Examiner .
“ Subway systems in Moscow costs 5 kopecs — or 7 cents .
Faster , cleaner , more attractive and more efficient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheap .
The train trip that we took from Leningrad to Moscow — for Soviet citizens — was very cheap .
”

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders praised former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro’s “massive literacy program” during a CBS “60 Minutes” clip that aired on Sunday.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper introduced the topic by playing a clip of an 1985 interview with government-access Vermont TV in which Sanders said the Castro regime “educated their kids, gave them healthcare” and “totally transformed the society.”
WATCH:
“We’re very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba, but, you know, it’s unfair to simply say everything is bad,” the Vermont senator told Cooper, responding to the clip. “You know? When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?”
“A lot of dissidents imprisoned in Cuba,” Cooper noted. (RELATED: Trey Gowdy Doesn’t Believe That Russia Would Help Trump Against Bernie Sanders)
“That’s right,” said Sanders, “and we condemn that. Unlike Donald Trump. Let’s be clear, you want to, I do not think that Kim Jong-Un is a good friend. I don’t trade love letters with a murdering dictator. Vladimir Putin, not a great friend of mine.” (RELATED: Bernie Sanders Loses It When Bloomberg Calls Him The ‘Best Known Socialist’ Who ‘Happens To Be A Millionaire With Three Houses’)
Last February, the Reagan Battalion Twitter account posted a video of Sanders reminiscing about watching the Nixon-Kennedy debates in 1960 and almost leaving “to puke” when both candidates criticized the Cuban dictator. (RELATED: Bernie Sanders Received Briefing On Russian Attempts To Help Him In 2020 Election And Sow Further Discord Among U.S. Voters)
Video: @BernieSanders, University of Vermont, 1986, recalls his excitement watching Castro’s revolution “rising up against the ugly rich people.” & his sick feeling watching JFK speak out against communism in Cuba. Also bashes the @nytimes for lying about communism. pic.twitter.com/OUqzLFbsvz — Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) February 21, 2019
“But I remember, for some reason, being very excited when Fidel Castro made the revolution in Cuba,” he said. “I was a kid and I remember reading that.”
In a 1989 statement as mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Sanders praised the Cuban revolution as a “very profound and very deep revolution,” the Washington Examiner reported.
“For better or for worse, the Cuban revolution is a very profound and very deep revolution,” he wrote. “Much deeper than I had understood. More interesting than their providing their people with free health care, free education, free housing … is that they are in fact creating a very different value system than the one we are familiar with.”
The Vermont senator, who easily won the Nevada Democratic caucuses on Saturday, took his wife to the former Soviet Union in 1988. Although the trip occurred right after their marriage, Sanders claimed that it was to establish a “sister city” program with Yaroslavl while he was serving as mayor of Burlington, Vermont.
“The fact is that I went to establish a sister city program with Yaroslavl, then in the Soviet Union, now an important city in Russia which is still in existence today,” Sanders told “MSNBC Live” in 2015. “The purpose of that trip was a sister city. Did it take place after my marriage? It did.” (RELATED: Bernie Claims He Spent Lifetime ‘Fighting Against Authoritarianism’)
WATCH:
However, the Guardian reported that the trip “doubled as a honeymoon with his new wife, Jane.”
“There are some things that [the Soviet Union does] better than we do and which were, in fact, quite impressive,” Sanders said after a trip to the Soviet Union, according to the Washington Examiner. “Subway systems in Moscow costs 5 kopecs — or 7 cents. Faster, cleaner, more attractive and more efficient than any in the U.S. — and cheap. The train trip that we took from Leningrad to Moscow — for Soviet citizens — was very cheap.”


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--The Democrat Party is Becoming the Socialist Party

Pelosi has repeatedly tried to distinguish the Democratic Party mainstream from the party ’ s socialist wing .
Pelosi told a college student at a January 2017 town hall that Democrats “ are capitalists ” rather than socialists .
When a CBS News reporter asked Pelosi in June 2018 if socialism is “ ascendant ” in the party , she answered : “ No.
” “ I do reject socialism as an economic system .
If people have that view , that ’ s their view , ” Pelosi told “ 60 Minutes ” in April 2019 .
“ That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party , ” she added .
But the socialist senator ’ s presidential campaign is demonstrating otherwise .
( RELATED : Bernie Rally Features Trotskyist Seattle Council Member Whose Party Wants To Seize Control Of Banks ) Sanders won two of the first three Democratic presidential contests — including an easy win in Saturday ’ s Nevada caucuses — and is the party ’ s clear frontrunner in national primary polls .
The RealClearPolitics polling average has Sanders running 12 points ahead of the next closest candidate , former Vice President Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary voters Sunday found Sanders ’ s lead over his primary rivals is only continuing to grow .
Sanders ’ s surge is consistent with polls showing that Democratic voters will choose socialism over capitalism when given the choice .
An August 2018 Gallup poll found that Democrats have a more positive view of socialism than they do of capitalism .
The poll was “ the first time in Gallup ’ s measurement over the past decade that Democrats viewed socialism more favorably than capitalism , ” Gallup noted .
A May 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Democrats said “ some form of socialism ” would be a “ good thing ” for America .
A majority of voters overall , however , said that socialism would be a bad thing for the country .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is proving House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrong.
Pelosi has repeatedly tried to distinguish the Democratic Party mainstream from the party’s socialist wing.
Pelosi told a college student at a January 2017 town hall that Democrats “are capitalists” rather than socialists.
When a CBS News reporter asked Pelosi in June 2018 if socialism is “ascendant” in the party, she answered: “No.”
“I do reject socialism as an economic system. If people have that view, that’s their view,” Pelosi told “60 Minutes” in April 2019.
“That is not the view of the Democratic Party,” she added.
WATCH:
But the socialist senator’s presidential campaign is demonstrating otherwise. (RELATED: Bernie Rally Features Trotskyist Seattle Council Member Whose Party Wants To Seize Control Of Banks)
Sanders won two of the first three Democratic presidential contests — including an easy win in Saturday’s Nevada caucuses — and is the party’s clear frontrunner in national primary polls.
The RealClearPolitics polling average has Sanders running 12 points ahead of the next closest candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden. A Morning Consult poll of Democratic primary voters Sunday found Sanders’s lead over his primary rivals is only continuing to grow.
Sanders’s surge is consistent with polls showing that Democratic voters will choose socialism over capitalism when given the choice.
An August 2018 Gallup poll found that Democrats have a more positive view of socialism than they do of capitalism.
The poll was “the first time in Gallup’s measurement over the past decade that Democrats viewed socialism more favorably than capitalism,” Gallup noted.
A May 2019 Gallup poll similarly found that 70% of Democrats said “some form of socialism” would be a “good thing” for America.
WATCH:
A majority of voters overall, however, said that socialism would be a bad thing for the country.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--Not Just Crazy Bernie: The Left’s History of Whitewashing Fidel Castro

You will hear some people today excuse Fidel Castro ’ s crimes by begging that he accomplished social goals .
Canada ’ s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have already beclowned themselves on that front .
They were merely the first .
Our own President Barack Obama opted for washing his hands , choosing to neither praise Castro after his death Friday , nor to condemn the tragedy his communist dictatorship has inflicted on the Cuban people for 57 years .
“ History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Obama , playing Pilate .
No social accomplishment , to be sure , could justify keeping an entire people hostage , denying them the right to elect their own leaders or exercise any human rights for half a century .
But there weren ’ t any accomplishments .
On the contrary , Castro destroyed a thriving society and imposed penury , either out of Marxist dogma or out of resentment that his out-of-wedlock birth had left him with a stigma among Cuba ’ s middle classes .
Cuba had problems in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But on a number of fronts , it was the lead country in Latin America , or among the very top .
Its social indicators were not just ahead of Asia and Africa , but also ahead of many European countries .
Many Europeans , including half of all my great-grandparents , immigrated to Cuba in the 20th century—barely a century ago—seeking to improve their lives economically .
They did , and their granddaughter , my mother , went to law school .
After 57 years of communism it is risible to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to improve his fortunes .
Risible in a dark , macabre way .
That ’ s anecdotal , but the numbers back up what 2 million Cuban-Americans today ( i.e.
, Cuban-born people who can speak freely ) know to be true .
A study by the State Department ’ s Hugo Llorens and Kirby Smith shows , for example , that in infant mortality , literacy rates , per capita food consumption , passenger cars per capita , number of telephones , radios , televisions , and many other indicators , Cuba @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Year ’ s Eve 1958 .
The United Nations statistics leave no doubt .
In infant mortality , Cuba ’ s 32 deaths per 1,000 live births was well ahead of Japan , West Germany , Luxembourg , Ireland , France , Italy , Spain ( 40 , 36 , 39 , 33 , 34 , 50 , and 53 respectively ) , and many others .
In food consumption , in terms of calories per day , Cuba was ahead of all of Latin America except cattle-rich Argentina and Uruguay .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 24 was ahead over everyone in Latin America expect oil-producing Venezuela ( 27 ) .
As for literacy rates , Cuba ’ s 76 percent in the late 1950s put it closely behind only Argentina , Chile , and Costa Rica .
Giant Brazil ’ s percentage , by comparison , was 49 percent .
And Cuba ’ s gross domestic product per capita in 1959 was higher than those of Ireland , Italy , Spain , Portugal , Greece , most of Latin America , Asia , and Africa , again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vital statistics , therefore , Cuba was on a par with Mediterranean countries and southern U.S. states .
And today ?
Castro ’ s communism has not just left Cubans economically pauperized , but politically bereft , a situation that Obama ’ s unilateral concessions to Castro ’ s little brother , the 85-year-old Raul , Cuba ’ s present leader , has only made worse .
According to the Cuban Committee for Human Rights and National Reconciliation , which is recognized by Amnesty International and Freedom House , so far this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrests during the first eight months .
This represents the highest rate of political arrests in decades .
Meanwhile , we are in the midst of a new Cuban migration crisis .
The United States is faced with the largest migration of Cuban nationals since the rafters of 1994 .
The number of Cubans fleeing to the United States in 2015 was nearly twice that of 2014 .
Some 51,000 Cubans last year entered the United States , and this year ’ s figures will easily surpass that .
The numbers of Cuban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama took office , when it was less than 7,000 annually .
President-elect Donald Trump has promised he will reverse Obama ’ s opening unless Raul Castro opens up Cuba politically .
This Castro won ’ t do and there were reports today that dissidents are being rounded up and carted off .
And so far , Trump ’ s statement on the “ brutal dictator ” Castro has been the moral one and the one closest to the mark : “ Fidel Castro ’ s legacy is one of firing squads , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the denial of fundamental human rights.
” Today , therefore , will be a day for clarity .
What world leaders say about the departed tyrant will reveal whether they have an inner moral compass or not .

You will hear some people today excuse Fidel Castro’s crimes by begging that he accomplished social goals. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have already beclowned themselves on that front. They were merely the first.
Our own President Barack Obama opted for washing his hands, choosing to neither praise Castro after his death Friday, nor to condemn the tragedy his communist dictatorship has inflicted on the Cuban people for 57 years.
“History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him,” said Obama, playing Pilate.
No social accomplishment, to be sure, could justify keeping an entire people hostage, denying them the right to elect their own leaders or exercise any human rights for half a century. But there weren’t any accomplishments.
On the contrary, Castro destroyed a thriving society and imposed penury, either out of Marxist dogma or out of resentment that his out-of-wedlock birth had left him with a stigma among Cuba’s middle classes.
Cuba had problems in 1958, as many societies do. But on a number of fronts, it was the lead country in Latin America, or among the very top. Its social indicators were not just ahead of Asia and Africa, but also ahead of many European countries.
Many Europeans, including half of all my great-grandparents, immigrated to Cuba in the 20th century—barely a century ago—seeking to improve their lives economically. They did, and their granddaughter, my mother, went to law school.
After 57 years of communism it is risible to think of a single European immigrating to Cuba to improve his fortunes. Risible in a dark, macabre way.
That’s anecdotal, but the numbers back up what 2 million Cuban-Americans today (i.e., Cuban-born people who can speak freely) know to be true.
A study by the State Department’s Hugo Llorens and Kirby Smith shows, for example, that in infant mortality, literacy rates, per capita food consumption, passenger cars per capita, number of telephones, radios, televisions, and many other indicators, Cuba led when Castro took over on New Year’s Eve 1958.
The United Nations statistics leave no doubt. In infant mortality, Cuba’s 32 deaths per 1,000 live births was well ahead of Japan, West Germany, Luxembourg, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain (40, 36, 39, 33, 34, 50, and 53 respectively), and many others.
In food consumption, in terms of calories per day, Cuba was ahead of all of Latin America except cattle-rich Argentina and Uruguay. In automobiles per 1,000 inhabitants, Cuba’s 24 was ahead over everyone in Latin America expect oil-producing Venezuela (27).
As for literacy rates, Cuba’s 76 percent in the late 1950s put it closely behind only Argentina, Chile, and Costa Rica. Giant Brazil’s percentage, by comparison, was 49 percent.
And Cuba’s gross domestic product per capita in 1959 was higher than those of Ireland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, most of Latin America, Asia, and Africa, again according to U.N. statistics.
In most vital statistics, therefore, Cuba was on a par with Mediterranean countries and southern U.S. states.
And today? Castro’s communism has not just left Cubans economically pauperized, but politically bereft, a situation that Obama’s unilateral concessions to Castro’s little brother, the 85-year-old Raul, Cuba’s present leader, has only made worse.
According to the Cuban Committee for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, which is recognized by Amnesty International and Freedom House, so far this year there have already been over 8,505 political arrests during the first eight months. This represents the highest rate of political arrests in decades.
Meanwhile, we are in the midst of a new Cuban migration crisis. The United States is faced with the largest migration of Cuban nationals since the rafters of 1994. The number of Cubans fleeing to the United States in 2015 was nearly twice that of 2014.
Some 51,000 Cubans last year entered the United States, and this year’s figures will easily surpass that. The numbers of Cuban nationals fleeing Cuba have now quintupled since Obama took office, when it was less than 7,000 annually.
President-elect Donald Trump has promised he will reverse Obama’s opening unless Raul Castro opens up Cuba politically. This Castro won’t do and there were reports today that dissidents are being rounded up and carted off.
And so far, Trump’s statement on the “brutal dictator” Castro has been the moral one and the one closest to the mark: “Fidel Castro’s legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.”
Today, therefore, will be a day for clarity. What world leaders say about the departed tyrant will reveal whether they have an inner moral compass or not.


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--It’s Becoming Increasingly Likely That AOC’s District Is on the Chopping Block

ew York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined the U.S. House of Representatives with guns blazing .
Wasting no time at all , she proved to her colleagues that she walks to the beat of her own drum and has no intention of following any form of a protocol or traditional manners in the House .
AOC ’ s extreme progressive policies and anti-American sentiments have created a divide amongst her own party , even with the head honcho herself , Nancy Pelosi .
With extreme missions including open-borders and healthcare for all , AOC is getting a little bit lonely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a plan .
Cortez announced seven House candidates who will receive money from her PAC ‘ Courage to Change.
” AOC took to twitter to say , “ it ’ s time to elect a progressive majority in Congress accountable to strong , grassroots movements that push support for issues like Medicare for All , a Green New Deal , racial justice , & more.
” No wonder Miss Cortez is a Sanders supporting socialist who admits her “ ambition right now is to be a little less lonely in Congress.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope for our country in writing that AOC “ may not last in Congress : Already in hot water for refusing to pay dues to her caucus ’ fundraising arm , the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee , she ’ s now devoting her resources instead to defeating Democrats.
” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been a thorn in the side of Democrats since the youngest member to ever join Congress arrived on the Hill .
When you have a D next to your name , but prove to be problematic for Pelosi , Schiff and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be long for the lawmaking world .
As the Post writes , “ Don ’ t be surprised when the established Democrats who ’ ll control redistricting after the 2020 Census does their best to eliminate her seat .
”

[otw_shortcode_dropcap label=”N” font=”Ultra” background_color_class=”otw-no-background” size=”large” border_color_class=”otw-no-border-color”][/otw_shortcode_dropcap]ew York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined the U.S. House of Representatives with guns blazing. Wasting no time at all, she proved to her colleagues that she walks to the beat of her own drum and has no intention of following any form of a protocol or traditional manners in the House. AOC’s extreme progressive policies and anti-American sentiments have created a divide amongst her own party, even with the head honcho herself, Nancy Pelosi.
With extreme missions including open-borders and healthcare for all, AOC is getting a little bit lonely on her socialist perch. Sadly, she has a plan. Cortez announced seven House candidates who will receive money from her PAC ‘Courage to Change.” AOC took to twitter to say, “it’s time to elect a progressive majority in Congress accountable to strong, grassroots movements that push support for issues like Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, racial justice, & more.”
No wonder Miss Cortez is a Sanders supporting socialist who admits her “ambition right now is to be a little less lonely in Congress.” The NY Post shines a shimmer of hope for our country in writing that AOC “may not last in Congress: Already in hot water for refusing to pay dues to her caucus’ fundraising arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, she’s now devoting her resources instead to defeating Democrats.”
“Don’t be surprised when the established Democrats who’ll control redistricting after the 2020 Census does their best to eliminate her seat.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been a thorn in the side of Democrats since the youngest member to ever join Congress arrived on the Hill. When you have a D next to your name, but prove to be problematic for Pelosi, Schiff and other longtime Democratic powerhouses, you may not be long for the lawmaking world.
As the Post writes, “Don’t be surprised when the established Democrats who’ll control redistricting after the 2020 Census does their best to eliminate her seat.”


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--20,000 Attend Kobe Bryant Memorial Service in L.A.

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant ’ s wife offered a poignant portrait of her NBA superstar husband and their daughter Monday at a packed memorial service for the two , who were among nine people killed last month in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles .
Speaking at times through tears , Vanessa Bryant praised her husband ’ s devotion to their family as she addressed thousands of fans gathered at Staples Center to remember Bryant and 13-year-old Gianna .
CLICK HERE to view the stream of the memorial via KTLA “ God knew they couldn ’ t be on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vanessa Bryant said .
“ He had to bring them home to have them together .
Babe , you take care of our Gigi.
” The service took place at the downtown arena where Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers for the final 17 seasons of his two-decade NBA career .
Thousands of Lakers fans , many wearing Bryant ’ s jersey or team colors , attended the tearful gathering to honor Los Angeles ’ most popular athlete and a global basketball icon .
The ceremony began with Beyonce performing her songs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with dozens of backup musicians .
Alicia Keys performed Beethoven ’ s “ Moonlight Sonata ” later in the program , and Christina Aguilera sang “ Ave Maria.
” After Jimmy Kimmel welcomed the crowd , Vanessa Bryant remembered the family ’ s life with Gianna and her three siblings and then eulogized her husband .
They had been together since 1999 .
“ He was the most amazing husband , ” she said .
“ Kobe loved me more than I could ever express or put into words .
I was fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at times .
… He was my everything.
” The mourners included Lakers greats such as Jerry West , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Magic Johnson and Pau Gasol .
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver joined Michael Jordan , Shaquille O ’ Neal , Phil Jackson and dozens of current NBA players , including Stephen Curry , Kyrie Irving and Los Angeles natives James Harden , Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan .
Celebrities such as Kanye West , Kim Kardashian , Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez also attended .
Jordan , the Chicago Bulls great whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s was starting in the late 1990s , praised Bryant as “ one of my dear friends .
He was like a little brother .
… As I got to know him , I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be.
” O ’ Neal and Bryant joined the Lakers together in 1996 , and they won three consecutive championships during eight tumultuous seasons in purple and gold .
Although their relationship was often publicly rocky , Shaq said the two were always friendly in private , even comparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCartney .
“ Kobe and I pushed each other to play some of the greatest basketball of all time , ” O ’ Neal said .
“ I ’ m proud nobody has accomplished what the threepeat Lakers have done since the Shaq and Kobe Lakers did it.
” O ’ Neal also got the biggest laugh in the somber service with a profane joke about an exchange in which Shaq told Kobe there was no “ I ” in team , but Bryant responded by noting that there is an “ M-E. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ podium by basketball stars Diana Taurasi and Sabrina Ionescu .
Kobe Bryant was a passionate advocate for women ’ s basketball , and Gigi Bryant was a promising young player .
“ If I represented the present of the women ’ s game , Gigi represented the future , and Kobe knew it , ” said Ionescu , the Oregon star who was mentored by Bryant .
Rob Pelinka , Bryant ’ s longtime agent before he became the Lakers ’ general manager in 2017 , referred to the day of the crash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world seemed to shift forever , for all of us.
” Pelinka was also Gigi Bryant ’ s godfather , and the families were close .
He also revealed that Bryant had texted him only moments before the crash , asking for help in securing an internship with a baseball agent for teenager Alexis Altobelli , who lost her parents and younger sister in the crash moments later .
“ Kobe lived to make other people ’ s lives better , all the way up to his final text , ” Pelinka said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alyssa Shapiro , 27 , of Huntington Beach , who said she was inspired to become a basketball player after watching countless Lakers games with her father .
The family ’ s love of the game — and Bryant ’ s work in women ’ s sports — prompted her to become a middle school girls ’ basketball coach .
Her team had played Gianna ’ s team and she would watch Bryant cheer for his daughter in the stands .
She said she went up to Bryant to introduce herself at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thank him for being such an inspiration to me , ” she said .
“ I grew up watching him on the screen .
… It made me realize he ’ s more than just that guy out on the court.
” The concourse was a sea of people dressed in the team colors of purple and yellow and others in black .
On the scoreboard , the Bryant family ’ s life flashes by in pictures .
The service began just hours after Vanessa Bryant sued the owner of the helicopter that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The wrongful-death lawsuit claimed that the pilot , Ara Zobayan , was careless and negligent by flying in cloudy conditions .
At the arena , fans were given a program containing photos , a purple KB pin and a T-shirt with photos of the father and daughter .
Money from ticket sales was to be given to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation , which supports youth sports programs in underserved communities and teaches sports to girls and women .
Bryant played his entire 20-year NBA career with the Lakers , who moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it opened in 1999 .
The five-time NBA champion ’ s two retired jersey numbers — 8 and 24 — hang high above the arena where he became the third-leading scorer in league history .
Lakers star LeBron James surpassed him on the night before Bryant ’ s death .
Bryant remained one of the most popular figures in Los Angeles well into retirement .
Dozens of public memorials and murals have been installed around the sprawling metropolis .

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant's wife offered a poignant portrait of her NBA superstar husband and their daughter Monday at a packed memorial service for the two, who were among nine people killed last month in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles.
Speaking at times through tears, Vanessa Bryant praised her husband's devotion to their family as she addressed thousands of fans gathered at Staples Center to remember Bryant and 13-year-old Gianna.
CLICK HERE to view the stream of the memorial via KTLA
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 24: Vanessa Bryant speaks during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant at Staples Center on February 24, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
“God knew they couldn't be on this Earth without each other,” Vanessa Bryant said. “He had to bring them home to have them together. Babe, you take care of our Gigi.”
The service took place at the downtown arena where Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers for the final 17 seasons of his two-decade NBA career. Thousands of Lakers fans, many wearing Bryant's jersey or team colors, attended the tearful gathering to honor Los Angeles' most popular athlete and a global basketball icon.
The ceremony began with Beyonce performing her songs “XO” and “Halo" with dozens of backup musicians. Alicia Keys performed Beethoven's “Moonlight Sonata” later in the program, and Christina Aguilera sang “Ave Maria.”
The two-hour program concluded with “Dear Basketball,” Bryant's Academy Award-winning short film.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 24: Christina Aguilera performs during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant at Staples Center on February 24, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
After Jimmy Kimmel welcomed the crowd, Vanessa Bryant remembered the family's life with Gianna and her three siblings and then eulogized her husband. They had been together since 1999.
“He was the most amazing husband,” she said. “Kobe loved me more than I could ever express or put into words. I was fire. He was ice. Vice versa at times. ... He was my everything."
The mourners included Lakers greats such as Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Pau Gasol. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver joined Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Phil Jackson and dozens of current NBA players, including Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving and Los Angeles natives James Harden, Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan. Celebrities such as Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez also attended.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 24: Michael Jordan speaks during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant at Staples Center on February 24, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Jordan, the Chicago Bulls great whose career was wrapping up as Bryant's was starting in the late 1990s, praised Bryant as “one of my dear friends. He was like a little brother. ... As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be."
O'Neal and Bryant joined the Lakers together in 1996, and they won three consecutive championships during eight tumultuous seasons in purple and gold. Although their relationship was often publicly rocky, Shaq said the two were always friendly in private, even comparing their dynamic to John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
“Kobe and I pushed each other to play some of the greatest basketball of all time,” O'Neal said. “I’m proud nobody has accomplished what the threepeat Lakers have done since the Shaq and Kobe Lakers did it.”
O'Neal also got the biggest laugh in the somber service with a profane joke about an exchange in which Shaq told Kobe there was no “I” in team, but Bryant responded by noting that there is an “M-E.”
Vanessa Bryant was followed on the podium by basketball stars Diana Taurasi and Sabrina Ionescu. Kobe Bryant was a passionate advocate for women’s basketball, and Gigi Bryant was a promising young player.
“If I represented the present of the women’s game, Gigi represented the future, and Kobe knew it,” said Ionescu, the Oregon star who was mentored by Bryant.
Rob Pelinka, Bryant’s longtime agent before he became the Lakers’ general manager in 2017, referred to the day of the crash as “when the axis of the world seemed to shift forever, for all of us.” Pelinka was also Gigi Bryant’s godfather, and the families were close.
He also revealed that Bryant had texted him only moments before the crash, asking for help in securing an internship with a baseball agent for teenager Alexis Altobelli, who lost her parents and younger sister in the crash moments later.
“Kobe lived to make other people’s lives better, all the way up to his final text,” Pelinka said.
Among the early arriving fans was Alyssa Shapiro, 27, of Huntington Beach, who said she was inspired to become a basketball player after watching countless Lakers games with her father.
The family’s love of the game — and Bryant’s work in women’s sports — prompted her to become a middle school girls’ basketball coach. Her team had played Gianna’s team and she would watch Bryant cheer for his daughter in the stands. She said she went up to Bryant to introduce herself at a game.
“I just wanted to thank him for being such an inspiration to me,” she said. “I grew up watching him on the screen. ... It made me realize he’s more than just that guy out on the court.”
The concourse was a sea of people dressed in the team colors of purple and yellow and others in black. On the scoreboard, the Bryant family’s life flashes by in pictures.
The service began just hours after Vanessa Bryant sued the owner of the helicopter that crashed in the fog last month. The wrongful-death lawsuit claimed that the pilot, Ara Zobayan, was careless and negligent by flying in cloudy conditions.
At the arena, fans were given a program containing photos, a purple KB pin and a T-shirt with photos of the father and daughter.
Money from ticket sales was to be given to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, which supports youth sports programs in underserved communities and teaches sports to girls and women.
Bryant played his entire 20-year NBA career with the Lakers, who moved from the Forum to Staples Center when it opened in 1999. The five-time NBA champion's two retired jersey numbers — 8 and 24 — hang high above the arena where he became the third-leading scorer in league history. Lakers star LeBron James surpassed him on the night before Bryant's death.
Bryant remained one of the most popular figures in Los Angeles well into retirement. Dozens of public memorials and murals have been installed around the sprawling metropolis.
A private funeral was held Feb. 7 in Orange County.


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--Goldman Sachs Lowers U.S. Q1 GDP Estimates to 1.2% Due to Coronavirus

A woman with a facial mask passes the New York Stock Exchange ( NYSE ) on February 3 , 2020 at Wall Street in New York City .
Goldman Sachs lowered its U.S. growth outlook for the first quarter as the domestic economy takes a hit from the global coronavirus outbreak .
The bank slashed its U.S. GDP growth forecast to just 1.2 % from 1.4 % , seeing a more severe drag from the epidemic .
That growth rate is drastically slower than the 2.1 % increase in the fourth quarter and 2.3 % for the full year 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the downside until the outbreak is contained , '' Jan Hatzius , Goldman 's chief U.S. economist , said in a note on Monday .
`` An increasing amount of companies [ are ] suggesting potential production cuts should supply chain disruptions persist into Q2 or later . ''
The number of coronavirus cases outside China surged recently , stoking fears of a prolonged global economic slowdown from the virus spreading .
Stocks suffered a steep sell-off on Monday , with the Dow dropping 800 points and erasing its gains on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alert to the `` highest level '' over the weekend , with the latest spike in numbers bringing the total infected to more than 750 — making it the country with the most cases outside mainland China .
Meanwhile , outside of Asia , Italy has been the worst affected country so far , with more than 130 reported cases and three deaths .
To be sure , Goldman still expects `` a negligible hit '' to U.S. overall activity from supply chain production disruptions because there seems to be ample inventory to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lower production outside of China due to supply chain disruptions has remained negligible thus far , and that most sectors have enough inventory to continue production as normal until at least Q2 , '' Hatzius said .
Goldman does see some of the activity lost coming back in the second quarter if the virus is contained .
The firm expects second-quarter U.S. GDP to tally 2.7 % .
Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis , and live business day programming from around the world .

A woman with a facial mask passes the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on February 3, 2020 at Wall Street in New York City.
Goldman Sachs lowered its U.S. growth outlook for the first quarter as the domestic economy takes a hit from the global coronavirus outbreak.
The bank slashed its U.S. GDP growth forecast to just 1.2% from 1.4%, seeing a more severe drag from the epidemic. That growth rate is drastically slower than the 2.1% increase in the fourth quarter and 2.3% for the full year 2019.
"The risks are clearly skewed to the downside until the outbreak is contained," Jan Hatzius, Goldman's chief U.S. economist, said in a note on Monday. "An increasing amount of companies [are] suggesting potential production cuts should supply chain disruptions persist into Q2 or later."
The number of coronavirus cases outside China surged recently, stoking fears of a prolonged global economic slowdown from the virus spreading. Stocks suffered a steep sell-off on Monday, with the Dow dropping 800 points and erasing its gains on the year.
South Korea raised its coronavirus alert to the "highest level" over the weekend, with the latest spike in numbers bringing the total infected to more than 750 — making it the country with the most cases outside mainland China. Meanwhile, outside of Asia, Italy has been the worst affected country so far, with more than 130 reported cases and three deaths.
To be sure, Goldman still expects "a negligible hit" to U.S. overall activity from supply chain production disruptions because there seems to be ample inventory to power manufacturing for a while.
"Lower production outside of China due to supply chain disruptions has remained negligible thus far, and that most sectors have enough inventory to continue production as normal until at least Q2," Hatzius said.
Goldman does see some of the activity lost coming back in the second quarter if the virus is contained. The firm expects second-quarter U.S. GDP to tally 2.7%.
Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world.


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--Biden Campaign Unveils Housing Plan, Offering $15k Tax Credit to First-Time Homebuyers

Joe Biden on Monday unveiled a $ 640 billion housing plan that includes a $ 15,000 tax credit for all first-time homebuyers .
The Democratic presidential candidate 's plan includes six `` Biden principles for housing '' : affordability , stability , safety and health , accessibility , energy efficiency and resilience , and closeness to good schools and jobs .
The $ 15,000 home tax credit would be accessible to an individual at the time of a home purchase and is aimed at reducing the wealth gap experienced by black and Hispanic communities due to their lower rates of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also wants to end `` redlining , '' the practice of banks denying services to people in a particular area that historically has been used to discriminate against minorities ; roll back Trump administration policies that he says are `` gutting fair lending and fair housing protections for homeowners '' ; and increase the supply of housing by lessening local zoning and land use regulations .
The plan would be paid for by raising taxes on corporations and large financial institutions , including a specific fee on `` certain liabilities of firms with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Joe Biden on Monday unveiled a $640 billion housing plan that includes a $15,000 tax credit for all first-time homebuyers.
The Democratic presidential candidate's plan includes six "Biden principles for housing": affordability, stability, safety and health, accessibility, energy efficiency and resilience, and closeness to good schools and jobs.
The $15,000 home tax credit would be accessible to an individual at the time of a home purchase and is aimed at reducing the wealth gap experienced by black and Hispanic communities due to their lower rates of home ownership.
The former vice president also wants to end "redlining," the practice of banks denying services to people in a particular area that historically has been used to discriminate against minorities; roll back Trump administration policies that he says are "gutting fair lending and fair housing protections for homeowners"; and increase the supply of housing by lessening local zoning and land use regulations.
The plan would be paid for by raising taxes on corporations and large financial institutions, including a specific fee on "certain liabilities of firms with over $50 billion in assets."


bonginoreport--2020-02-24--Here’s Every Lie the Lead Juror in the Roger Stone Case Told in Her Questionnaire

• The lead juror at Roger Stone ’ s trial said in a written questionnaire that she was “ not sure ” whether she posted online about the Russia investigation , though her Twitter feed shows that she posted multiple stories about the probe .
• Tomeka Hart ’ s responses on the jury questionnaire , a portion of which was obtained by the DCNF , are at the heart of Stone ’ s request for a retrial .
Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison last week .
• Stone alleges that Hart , a former Democratic congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selection process regarding her views of Stone and President Trump .
The lead juror at Roger Stone ’ s trial said in a written questionnaire for prospective jurors that she was “ not sure ” whether she posted online about the Russia investigation or Stone , and that she “ may have shared an article ” on social media on the topics , according to a portion of the document reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation .
But Tomeka Hart ’ s Twitter feed shows that she indeed posted multiple times about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Stone , who was sentenced on Thursday to 40 months in prison in a case that stemmed from the special counsel ’ s investigation .
Stone ’ s lawyers filed a motion on Feb. 14 alleging that Hart ’ s social media activity shows that she was biased against President Donald Trump and Stone .
Trump also criticized Hart during a press conference after Stone was sentenced .
Trump called Hart an “ anti-Trump activist , ” and suggested that she “ tainted ” Stone ’ s jury .
Hart , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2012 , commented negatively about Trump on Twitter and circulated news stories about the Russia probe .
In one Aug. 2 , 2019 post , she called all of Trump ’ s supporters racist .
Stone , 67 , has been one of Trump ’ s most longstanding supporters , and is sometimes credited with convincing the real estate mogul to run for president .
Judge Amy Berman Jackson , who presided over Stone ’ s case , said last Tuesday that she would decide after Stone ’ s sentencing whether to grant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly on reports about Hart during Stone ’ s sentencing on Thursday , but did say that the jury in Stone ’ s case acted with “ integrity.
” Jackson on Sunday rejected Stone ’ s request , filed Friday , that she recuse herself from the retrial decision because of her praise of the jury .
Stone is arguing that Hart gave misleading answers during the jury selection process .
Jackson ’ s rulings suggest that Stone faces an uphill battle in getting a retrial granted .
And judges are generally reluctant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ verdict without strong evidence of jury or prosecutorial misconduct .
In order for a retrial to be granted , Stone will have to convince Jackson that he has met two requirements for a retrial set by the Supreme Court , according to Leslie McAdoo Gordon , a criminal defense and security clearance attorney who practices in Washington , D.C .
The Supreme Court requires defendants to show that a juror provided materially false information , and that the information , had it been known , would have been a valid basis for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jury pool .
McAdoo Gordon said that Hart ’ s responses on her written jury questionnaire paired with her answers verbal interview during a process known as voir dire are enough to warrant a retrial .
“ I think he could satisfy the Supreme Court ’ s test for requesting a new trial , ” McAdoo Gordon told The DCNF .
She said that it appeared that Hart downplayed her awareness of the Russia probe in her written questionnaire .
That alone would not be enough to merit a retrial , McAdoo Gordon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Trump supporters and her failure to disclose those views during voir dire are enough to satisfy the Supreme Court ’ s requirement , according to the lawyer .
“ If that information had been presented to the judge that she thought all supporters of the president were racist , the judge would have excluded her , ” McAdoo Gordon said .
“ She minimized her answers to the voir dire and she was not honest in answering that question about whether she could be impartial.
” Hart came under scrutiny earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been the foreperson on Stone ’ s jury in a social media post in which she defended four prosecutors who withdrew from the case in protest over a sentencing recommendation .
Right-wing blogger Michael Cernovich tracked down some of Hart ’ s social media posts which showed that she was highly critical of President Trump and his supporters .
Trump weighed in on Stone ’ s sentence on Thursday , and said that he will decide on whether to pardon Stone after Jackson rules on whether to have another trial .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump said at a press conference in Las Vegas .
“ I think that ’ s the best thing to do , because I ’ d love to see Roger exonerated , and I ’ d love to see it happen because I personally think he was treated very unfairly.
” In one Aug. 19 , 2017 post , Hart referred to Trump as the “ # KlanPresident , ” an apparent reference to the Ku Klux Klan .
“ Co-signing and defending a racist and his racist rhetoric makes you racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Aug. 2 , 2019 .
The DCNF obtained one page of Hart ’ s written jury questionnaire on the condition that the document not be published in full .
Hart ’ s responses on the questionnaire and during the voir dire process on Nov. 5 show that she acknowledged having Democratic leanings .
But she also appears to have downplayed her awareness of developments in the Trump-Russia investigation .
During her voie dire interview , Hart said that her political views would “ absolutely not ” influence her opinion about Stone at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t pay that close ” attention the Russia investigation .
Hart and other prospective jurors filled out a 20-page , 56-question form in September 2019 during the jury selection process .
The questionnaire asked prospective jurors about their awareness of the Stone investigation , the Russia investigation , and their opinions about various people involved in the case .
The page viewed by The DCNF includes questions 21 , 22 , and 23 about Hart ’ s social media activity and awareness of news coverage about the Russia investigation .
In response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the news , Hart said “ not regularly ” but said that she followed CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper and MSNBC hosts Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes .
Hart offered a vague response regarding her awareness of the multiple investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
One question asked Hart whether she had written or posted anything regarding Stone , or the special counsel and House Intelligence Committee ’ s investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
“ I can ’ t remember if I did , ” wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1261 , “ but I may have shared an article on Facebook.
” Hart ’ s Twitter feed shows that she made far more than the single social media post that she indicated making in her jury questionnaire .
On Jan. 30 , 2019 , she retweeted a comment from CNN contributor Bakari Sellers criticizing conservatives who decried the circumstances of Stone ’ s arrest days earlier .
Sellers admonished conservatives for complaining about Stone ’ s arrest by pointing to several high-profile cases of African-Americans who were killed by police .
Hart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Russia probe in several posts , and appeared to support the notion that Trump associates colluded with Russia .
“ Fox News keeps pushing excuses for Trump Jr. ’ s collusion with Russia that are just really , really bad , ” reads a tweet she reposted on July 14 , 2017 .
In a May 29 , 2019 tweet of an article at The Hill , Hart emphasized remarks that Mueller made at a press conference he held that same day .
“ After that investigation , if we had confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crime , we would have said that , ” Hart quoted Mueller saying .
She also commented about the special counsel ’ s investigation on Facebook , though the post has now been deleted .
She linked to the post in a March 24 , 2019 tweet .
“ Ignoring the numerous indictments , guilty pleas , and convictions of people in 45 ’ s inner-circle , some Republicans are asserting that the Mueller investigation was a waste of time because he hasn ’ t found evidence of… , ” the tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 tweet linking to a now-deleted Facebook post , Hart wrote : “ In his press conference 45 said M Cohen lied a lot during his testimony , but told the truth when he said he had no knowledge/evidence that 45 colluded with Russia .
Then 45 said since Cohen lied about everything… ” It is still unclear if Stone ’ s legal team was aware of Hart ’ s social media activity before selecting a jury .
Grant Smith , Stone ’ s lead attorney , declined to talk about the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gag order issued by Judge Jackson .
Hart did not respond to an email seeking comment .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

The lead juror at Roger Stone’s trial said in a written questionnaire that she was “not sure” whether she posted online about the Russia investigation, though her Twitter feed shows that she posted multiple stories about the probe.
Tomeka Hart’s responses on the jury questionnaire, a portion of which was obtained by the DCNF, are at the heart of Stone’s request for a retrial. Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison last week.
Stone alleges that Hart, a former Democratic congressional candidate, withheld information during the jury selection process regarding her views of Stone and President Trump.
The lead juror at Roger Stone’s trial said in a written questionnaire for prospective jurors that she was “not sure” whether she posted online about the Russia investigation or Stone, and that she “may have shared an article” on social media on the topics, according to a portion of the document reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
But Tomeka Hart’s Twitter feed shows that she indeed posted multiple times about the Russia probe and at least once about Stone, who was sentenced on Thursday to 40 months in prison in a case that stemmed from the special counsel’s investigation.
Stone’s lawyers filed a motion on Feb. 14 alleging that Hart’s social media activity shows that she was biased against President Donald Trump and Stone. Trump also criticized Hart during a press conference after Stone was sentenced.
Trump called Hart an “anti-Trump activist,” and suggested that she “tainted” Stone’s jury.
Hart, who ran for Congress as a Democrat in 2012, commented negatively about Trump on Twitter and circulated news stories about the Russia probe. In one Aug. 2, 2019 post, she called all of Trump’s supporters racist.
Stone, 67, has been one of Trump’s most longstanding supporters, and is sometimes credited with convincing the real estate mogul to run for president.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who presided over Stone’s case, said last Tuesday that she would decide after Stone’s sentencing whether to grant a retrial. Jackson did not comment directly on reports about Hart during Stone’s sentencing on Thursday, but did say that the jury in Stone’s case acted with “integrity.”
Jackson on Sunday rejected Stone’s request, filed Friday, that she recuse herself from the retrial decision because of her praise of the jury. Stone is arguing that Hart gave misleading answers during the jury selection process.
Jackson’s rulings suggest that Stone faces an uphill battle in getting a retrial granted. And judges are generally reluctant to toss out a jury’s verdict without strong evidence of jury or prosecutorial misconduct.
In order for a retrial to be granted, Stone will have to convince Jackson that he has met two requirements for a retrial set by the Supreme Court, according to Leslie McAdoo Gordon, a criminal defense and security clearance attorney who practices in Washington, D.C.
The Supreme Court requires defendants to show that a juror provided materially false information, and that the information, had it been known, would have been a valid basis for a request to strike the juror from the jury pool.
McAdoo Gordon said that Hart’s responses on her written jury questionnaire paired with her answers verbal interview during a process known as voir dire are enough to warrant a retrial.
“I think he could satisfy the Supreme Court’s test for requesting a new trial,” McAdoo Gordon told The DCNF.
She said that it appeared that Hart downplayed her awareness of the Russia probe in her written questionnaire. That alone would not be enough to merit a retrial, McAdoo Gordon said.
But Hart’s comments about Trump supporters and her failure to disclose those views during voir dire are enough to satisfy the Supreme Court’s requirement, according to the lawyer.
“If that information had been presented to the judge that she thought all supporters of the president were racist, the judge would have excluded her,” McAdoo Gordon said.
“She minimized her answers to the voir dire and she was not honest in answering that question about whether she could be impartial.”
Hart came under scrutiny earlier this month after she revealed herself to have been the foreperson on Stone’s jury in a social media post in which she defended four prosecutors who withdrew from the case in protest over a sentencing recommendation.
Right-wing blogger Michael Cernovich tracked down some of Hart’s social media posts which showed that she was highly critical of President Trump and his supporters.
Trump weighed in on Stone’s sentence on Thursday, and said that he will decide on whether to pardon Stone after Jackson rules on whether to have another trial.
“I want the process to play out,” Trump said at a press conference in Las Vegas. “I think that’s the best thing to do, because I’d love to see Roger exonerated, and I’d love to see it happen because I personally think he was treated very unfairly.”
In one Aug. 19, 2017 post, Hart referred to Trump as the “#KlanPresident,” an apparent reference to the Ku Klux Klan.
“Co-signing and defending a racist and his racist rhetoric makes you racist. Point blank,” she wrote on Aug. 2, 2019.
The DCNF obtained one page of Hart’s written jury questionnaire on the condition that the document not be published in full.
WATCH:
Hart’s responses on the questionnaire and during the voir dire process on Nov. 5 show that she acknowledged having Democratic leanings. But she also appears to have downplayed her awareness of developments in the Trump-Russia investigation.
During her voie dire interview, Hart said that her political views would “absolutely not” influence her opinion about Stone at trial, and that she “didn’t pay that close” attention the Russia investigation.
Hart and other prospective jurors filled out a 20-page, 56-question form in September 2019 during the jury selection process.
The questionnaire asked prospective jurors about their awareness of the Stone investigation, the Russia investigation, and their opinions about various people involved in the case.
The page viewed by The DCNF includes questions 21, 22, and 23 about Hart’s social media activity and awareness of news coverage about the Russia investigation.
In response to a question about whether she watches the news, Hart said “not regularly” but said that she followed CNN’s Anderson Cooper and MSNBC hosts Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes.
Hart offered a vague response regarding her awareness of the multiple investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
One question asked Hart whether she had written or posted anything regarding Stone, or the special counsel and House Intelligence Committee’s investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“I can’t remember if I did,” wrote Hart, who was identified as Juror 1261, “but I may have shared an article on Facebook.”
“Honestly not sure.”
Hart’s Twitter feed shows that she made far more than the single social media post that she indicated making in her jury questionnaire.
On Jan. 30, 2019, she retweeted a comment from CNN contributor Bakari Sellers criticizing conservatives who decried the circumstances of Stone’s arrest days earlier. Sellers admonished conservatives for complaining about Stone’s arrest by pointing to several high-profile cases of African-Americans who were killed by police.
Hart referred to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe in several posts, and appeared to support the notion that Trump associates colluded with Russia.
“Fox News keeps pushing excuses for Trump Jr.’s collusion with Russia that are just really, really bad,” reads a tweet she reposted on July 14, 2017.
In a May 29, 2019 tweet of an article at The Hill, Hart emphasized remarks that Mueller made at a press conference he held that same day.
“After that investigation, if we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that,” Hart quoted Mueller saying.
She also commented about the special counsel’s investigation on Facebook, though the post has now been deleted. She linked to the post in a March 24, 2019 tweet.
“Ignoring the numerous indictments, guilty pleas, and convictions of people in 45’s inner-circle, some Republicans are asserting that the Mueller investigation was a waste of time because he hasn’t found evidence of…,” the tweet begins.
In a Feb. 28, 2019 tweet linking to a now-deleted Facebook post, Hart wrote: “In his press conference 45 said M Cohen lied a lot during his testimony, but told the truth when he said he had no knowledge/evidence that 45 colluded with Russia. Then 45 said since Cohen lied about everything…”
It is still unclear if Stone’s legal team was aware of Hart’s social media activity before selecting a jury.
Grant Smith, Stone’s lead attorney, declined to talk about the case. Stone and his lawyers remain under a gag order issued by Judge Jackson.
Hart did not respond to an email seeking comment.
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