bonginoreport--2020-05-07--Bridgegate Fraud Convictions Unanimously Overturned by SCOTUS

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - Two aides to former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who were at the center of the “ Bridgegate ” scandal engaged in corruption and abuse of power but not criminal acts , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday as it unanimously threw out their convictions and placed new limits on political corruption prosecutions .
The justices sided with Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni , both convicted for their roles in a scheme to engineer traffic chaos in September 2013 on the world ’ s busiest bridge to punish a local Democratic mayor who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gubernatorial re-election bid .
“ The evidence the jury heard no doubt shows wrongdoing - deception , corruption , abuse of power .
But the federal fraud statutes at issue do not criminalize all such conduct , ” liberal Justice Elena Kagan wrote on behalf of the court in the 9-0 ruling .
The decision marked the latest instance in which the court hemmed in prosecutors in political corruption cases .
The court in 2016 threw out Republican former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell ’ s bribery conviction in another ruling that narrowed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kelly , a former Christie deputy chief of staff , and Baroni , a former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey , were convicted in 2016 of wire fraud and misusing Port Authority resources .
The Supreme Court ruled that their actions did not fit within the definition of fraud under federal law .
“ Having been maligned , I now stand with my family and friends knowing that due process worked .
While this may finally have made this case right for me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have truly been held accountable , ” Kelly said in a statement .
Kelly will serve none of her 13-month prison sentence , which was put on hold while she appealed .
Baroni started serving his 18-month sentence but was released when the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case last year .
“ Although the process of getting to this day has been an ordeal , Bill is heartened that the system ultimately worked , even as he recognizes how often it fails others who are less fortunate , ” Baroni ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
Kagan wrote that the federal fraud laws would be violated only if the aim of the two defendants was “ to obtain the Port Authority ’ s money or property.
” The scheme was an exercise of “ regulatory power ” that does not constitute “ property ” under the fraud laws , Kagan added .
Prosecutors accused Kelly and Baroni of creating days of lane closures on the George Washington Bridge , which connects Fort Lee , New Jersey , to New York City , the most populous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gridlock and were intended to punish Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich , according to prosecutors .
The traffic was so bad that local authorities at the time called it a threat to public safety because it delayed emergency responders .
Christie denied involvement and was not charged .
The scandal sullied Christie ’ s reputation , damaged his campaign for the 2016 Republican U.S. presidential nomination and contributed to his sagging public approval ratings in New Jersey .
Christie said on Thursday the prosecutions should never have been approved , blaming what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic former President Barack Obama ’ s administration .
Christie served as an adviser to President Donald Trump in 2016 .
Trump , who later fired Christie as head of his transition team after being elected president , welcomed the ruling by also blaming the prosecution on Democrats .
“ The Democrats are getting caught doing very evil things , and Republicans should take note , ” Trump wrote on Twitter .
The ruling came just hours before the Justice Department , under pressure from Trump , asked a judge to drop criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former national security adviser Michael Flynn , who had tried to walk back his guilty plea on charges of lying to the FBI about contacts with the former Russian ambassador to Washington .
McDonnell and former media mogul Conrad Black , who also was prosecuted in a corruption case , filed legal briefs in support of Kelly and Baroni .
Trump in 2019 granted a full pardon to Black , who was convicted in 2007 of fraud and obstruction of justice and spent 3-1/2 years in prison .
Mark Coyne , a Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Supreme Court ruling , which he said speaks for itself .
Kelly told Port Authority executive David Wildstein in an email a month before the traffic chaos that it was “ time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee , ” and they helped invent a sham “ traffic study ” to justify the lane closures .
Wildstein , the accused Bridgegate mastermind , was sentenced to probation in 2017 after pleading guilty and cooperating with prosecutors .

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two aides to former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who were at the center of the “Bridgegate” scandal engaged in corruption and abuse of power but not criminal acts, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday as it unanimously threw out their convictions and placed new limits on political corruption prosecutions.
The justices sided with Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni, both convicted for their roles in a scheme to engineer traffic chaos in September 2013 on the world’s busiest bridge to punish a local Democratic mayor who refused to endorse Republican Christie’s gubernatorial re-election bid.
“The evidence the jury heard no doubt shows wrongdoing - deception, corruption, abuse of power. But the federal fraud statutes at issue do not criminalize all such conduct,” liberal Justice Elena Kagan wrote on behalf of the court in the 9-0 ruling.
The decision marked the latest instance in which the court hemmed in prosecutors in political corruption cases. The court in 2016 threw out Republican former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell’s bribery conviction in another ruling that narrowed the types of conduct that can warrant prosecution.
Kelly, a former Christie deputy chief of staff, and Baroni, a former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, were convicted in 2016 of wire fraud and misusing Port Authority resources. The Supreme Court ruled that their actions did not fit within the definition of fraud under federal law.
“Having been maligned, I now stand with my family and friends knowing that due process worked. While this may finally have made this case right for me, it does not absolve those who should have truly been held accountable,” Kelly said in a statement.
Kelly will serve none of her 13-month prison sentence, which was put on hold while she appealed. Baroni started serving his 18-month sentence but was released when the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case last year.
Slideshow ( 4 images )
“Although the process of getting to this day has been an ordeal, Bill is heartened that the system ultimately worked, even as he recognizes how often it fails others who are less fortunate,” Baroni’s lawyer, Michael Levy, said in a statement.
Kagan wrote that the federal fraud laws would be violated only if the aim of the two defendants was “to obtain the Port Authority’s money or property.” The scheme was an exercise of “regulatory power” that does not constitute “property” under the fraud laws, Kagan added.
Prosecutors accused Kelly and Baroni of creating days of lane closures on the George Washington Bridge, which connects Fort Lee, New Jersey, to New York City, the most populous U.S. city.
The closures caused traffic gridlock and were intended to punish Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, according to prosecutors. The traffic was so bad that local authorities at the time called it a threat to public safety because it delayed emergency responders.
‘POLITICAL CRUSADE’
Christie denied involvement and was not charged. The scandal sullied Christie’s reputation, damaged his campaign for the 2016 Republican U.S. presidential nomination and contributed to his sagging public approval ratings in New Jersey.
Slideshow ( 4 images )
Christie said on Thursday the prosecutions should never have been approved, blaming what he called a “political crusade” by Democratic former President Barack Obama’s administration.
Christie served as an adviser to President Donald Trump in 2016. Trump, who later fired Christie as head of his transition team after being elected president, welcomed the ruling by also blaming the prosecution on Democrats.
“The Democrats are getting caught doing very evil things, and Republicans should take note,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
The ruling came just hours before the Justice Department, under pressure from Trump, asked a judge to drop criminal charges against the Republican president’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who had tried to walk back his guilty plea on charges of lying to the FBI about contacts with the former Russian ambassador to Washington.
McDonnell and former media mogul Conrad Black, who also was prosecuted in a corruption case, filed legal briefs in support of Kelly and Baroni. Trump in 2019 granted a full pardon to Black, who was convicted in 2007 of fraud and obstruction of justice and spent 3-1/2 years in prison.
Mark Coyne, a Justice Department lawyer, said prosecutors are bound by the Supreme Court ruling, which he said speaks for itself.
Kelly told Port Authority executive David Wildstein in an email a month before the traffic chaos that it was “time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” and they helped invent a sham “traffic study” to justify the lane closures. Wildstein, the accused Bridgegate mastermind, was sentenced to probation in 2017 after pleading guilty and cooperating with prosecutors.


bonginoreport--2020-05-07--Michigan Governor Extends Lockdown Until May 28th

LANSING , Mich. – Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer has extended Michigan ’ s stay-at-home order an additional two weeks .
It is now in effect until May 28 .
READ : Here are the 6 stages in Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s plan to fully reopen the state The governor ’ s “ Stay Home , Stay Safe ” states that up to May 28 , Michiganders can ’ t leave their homes except to run critical errands , engage in safe outdoor activities or to go to specified jobs .
Whitmer ’ s first stay-at-home order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) was in effect through the end of April .
It was extended until May 15 , and on Thursday , she put it in line with her current state of emergency .
Whitmer also announced manufacturing workers , including those at Michigan ’ s Big 3 auto companies , can resume work Monday ( May 11 ) as part of her “ MI Safe Start Plan.
” • None Legislators suing .
Whitmer say she can ’ t ‘ rule the entire state on her own ’ “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our businesses , and our working families , ” Whitmer said .
“ We ’ re not out of the woods yet , but this is an important step forward on our MI Safe Start plan to re-engage our economy safely and responsibly .
As we continue to phase in sectors of our economy , I will keep working around the clock to ensure our businesses adopt best practices to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19 .
When we all keep doing our part , we can reduce the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safely and responsibly.
” Manufacturing companies are required to take steps to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19 , which includes daily entry screenings for everyone entering the facility , a questionnaire covering symptoms and exposure to people with possible COVID-19 and temperature checks as soon as no-touch thermometers can be obtained .
Companies must also create dedicated entry points at every facility and suspend entry of all non-essential in-person visits , including tours .
MORE : Whitmer unveils new coronavirus response plan for Michigan “ Throughout this worldwide crisis , Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure that scientific data and the health and safety of all Michiganders was the priority in managing pandemic decisions , '' UAW President Rory Gamble said in a statement .
`` Gov .
Whitmer has at all times been inclusive and focused on building consensus to do what is right for the health and safety of UAW members and all of Michigan ’ s working men and women .
The UAW will continue to have dialogue and aggressively pursue all avenues over the health and safety of our members , their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go into our next phase of battling this pandemic while worksites reopen.
” • None Path for Metro Detroit automotive industry to reopen becoming more clear • None Fiat Chrysler CEO expects all plants in North American to reopen within 3 weeks “ Gov .
Whitmer has brought together leaders in business and labor to ensure our workers can return to the job safely , '' said John Walsh , President and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association .
`` The safety of our workers is our top priority and I am confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the worker protections included in today ’ s order .
We believe the manufacturing industry has a big role to play in Michigan ’ s economic recovery and we ’ re ready to lead the way .
I look forward to continuing to work closely with the governor to bring the manufacturing industry back up to full strength.
” Manufacturing facilities must train workers on how COVID-19 is transmitted from person to person , signs and symptoms of COVID-19 , steps they have to take to notify the business about signs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal protective equipment .
All businesses in the state -- including manufacturers -- will require masks when workers can ’ t consistently maintain six feet of separation from others , and consider face shields for those who can not consistently maintain three feet of separation from other workers .
When she last extended her stay-at-home order , Whitmer lifted restrictions on some businesses linked to outdoor activities , such as golf and motorized boating , can reopen .
The measure immediately replaced the one that was scheduled to expire .
Michigan has more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People are now required , rather than encouraged , to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces such as grocery stores if they can medically tolerate it .
Employers must provide non-medical grade masks to their in-person employees .
READ : Here ’ s what was reopened in the revised stay-at-home order Landscapers , lawn-service companies , plant nurseries and bike repair shops can resume operating , subject to social-distancing rules .
Stores selling nonessential supplies can reopen for curbside pickup and delivery .
Big-box retailers no longer have to close off garden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , flooring and carpet .
Whitmer said people with multiple in-state homes can resume traveling between them , though it is strongly discouraged .
“ The vast majority of people in this state are doing the right things .
We ’ ve seen the curve get pushed down , ” Whitmer said .
“ I think it ’ s appropriate to reevaluate along the way .
At this point we feel like ’ s good to have our first wave of reengagement in this way.
” The order continues to prohibit in-person work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect life , with exemptions for various critical jobs .
Restaurants remain closed to dine-in customers under a separate measure , and bars , movie theaters , gyms and other sports facilities also are still shuttered .

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has extended Michigan’s stay-at-home order an additional two weeks. It is now in effect until May 28.
READ: Here are the 6 stages in Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s plan to fully reopen the state
The governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” states that up to May 28, Michiganders can’t leave their homes except to run critical errands, engage in safe outdoor activities or to go to specified jobs.
Whitmer’s first stay-at-home order, issued to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) was in effect through the end of April. It was extended until May 15, and on Thursday, she put it in line with her current state of emergency.
Whitmer also announced manufacturing workers, including those at Michigan’s Big 3 auto companies, can resume work Monday (May 11) as part of her “MI Safe Start Plan.”
“This is good news for our state, our businesses, and our working families,” Whitmer said. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but this is an important step forward on our MI Safe Start plan to re-engage our economy safely and responsibly. As we continue to phase in sectors of our economy, I will keep working around the clock to ensure our businesses adopt best practices to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19. When we all keep doing our part, we can reduce the risk of a second wave and re-engage our economy safely and responsibly.”
Manufacturers reopening
Manufacturing companies are required to take steps to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19, which includes daily entry screenings for everyone entering the facility, a questionnaire covering symptoms and exposure to people with possible COVID-19 and temperature checks as soon as no-touch thermometers can be obtained.
Companies must also create dedicated entry points at every facility and suspend entry of all non-essential in-person visits, including tours.
MORE: Whitmer unveils new coronavirus response plan for Michigan
“Throughout this worldwide crisis, Gov. Whitmer has been a leading voice to make sure that scientific data and the health and safety of all Michiganders was the priority in managing pandemic decisions," UAW President Rory Gamble said in a statement. "Gov. Whitmer has at all times been inclusive and focused on building consensus to do what is right for the health and safety of UAW members and all of Michigan’s working men and women. The UAW will continue to have dialogue and aggressively pursue all avenues over the health and safety of our members, their families and their communities as we cautiously go into our next phase of battling this pandemic while worksites reopen.”
“Gov. Whitmer has brought together leaders in business and labor to ensure our workers can return to the job safely," said John Walsh, President and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association. "The safety of our workers is our top priority and I am confident that Michigan manufacturers are prepared to deliver on the worker protections included in today’s order. We believe the manufacturing industry has a big role to play in Michigan’s economic recovery and we’re ready to lead the way. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the governor to bring the manufacturing industry back up to full strength.”
Manufacturing facilities must train workers on how COVID-19 is transmitted from person to person, signs and symptoms of COVID-19, steps they have to take to notify the business about signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and the use of personal protective equipment.
All businesses in the state -- including manufacturers -- will require masks when workers can’t consistently maintain six feet of separation from others, and consider face shields for those who cannot consistently maintain three feet of separation from other workers.
Restrictions loosened during last extension
When she last extended her stay-at-home order, Whitmer lifted restrictions on some businesses linked to outdoor activities, such as golf and motorized boating, can reopen.
The measure immediately replaced the one that was scheduled to expire. Michigan has more than 4,000 deaths related to COVID-19.
People are now required, rather than encouraged, to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces such as grocery stores if they can medically tolerate it. Employers must provide non-medical grade masks to their in-person employees.
READ: Here’s what was reopened in the revised stay-at-home order
Landscapers, lawn-service companies, plant nurseries and bike repair shops can resume operating, subject to social-distancing rules. Stores selling nonessential supplies can reopen for curbside pickup and delivery. Big-box retailers no longer have to close off garden centers and areas dedicated to selling paint, flooring and carpet.
Whitmer said people with multiple in-state homes can resume traveling between them, though it is strongly discouraged.
“The vast majority of people in this state are doing the right things. We’ve seen the curve get pushed down,” Whitmer said. “I think it’s appropriate to reevaluate along the way. At this point we feel like’s good to have our first wave of reengagement in this way.”
The order continues to prohibit in-person work that is not necessary to sustain or protect life, with exemptions for various critical jobs. Restaurants remain closed to dine-in customers under a separate measure, and bars, movie theaters, gyms and other sports facilities also are still shuttered.


bonginoreport--2020-05-07--Biden Accuser Has First Sit Down Interview With Megyn Kelly

Megyn Kelly sat down with Tara Reade for an interview to get her response to Joe Biden ’ s denial .
Reade tells Kelly that Biden shouldn ’ t be running for president based on character and says that , at least emotionally , she wishes he would withdraw his candidacy and be held accountable .
The first thing Reade tells Kelly is that , while Biden ’ s candidacy claims that Reade should be able to safely come forward and tell her story , it ’ s not been safe at all .
She says she ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media and they ’ ve said horrible things about her and TO her .
While Biden himself hasn ’ t , Reade says she believes there ’ s a measure of hypocrisy for both Biden and his campaign .
When asked what she would say to Biden , Reade responded “ I want to say , you and I were there Joe Biden .
Please step forward and be held accountable .
You should not be running on character for the president of the United States.
” Kelly asked if Reade wants Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I wish he would , but he won ’ t .
But I wish he would .
That ’ s how I feel emotionally.
” Kelly followed up , asking if Reade wants an apology from Joe .
“ I think it ’ s a little late , ” she said .
UPDATE : I would just add that the big thing about this interview that struck me is , why hasn ’ t anyone in the MSM done this interview ?
Why does Joe Biden get the last word ?
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t happen , and yet no one in the MSM has yet interviewed Reade to find out what she thinks about his denial ?
Thank you Megyn Kelly for doing what the MSM won ’ t do .
UPDATE : Here ’ s more of Kelly ’ s interview with Reade , who says she would absolutely go under oath and submit to cross examination .
Watch and see what she says when asked if she ’ d submit to a lie detector test…

Megyn Kelly sat down with Tara Reade for an interview to get her response to Joe Biden’s denial. Reade tells Kelly that Biden shouldn’t be running for president based on character and says that, at least emotionally, she wishes he would withdraw his candidacy and be held accountable.
Watch:
The first thing Reade tells Kelly is that, while Biden’s candidacy claims that Reade should be able to safely come forward and tell her story, it’s not been safe at all. She says she’s been attacked by blue-check Biden surrogates on social media and they’ve said horrible things about her and TO her. While Biden himself hasn’t, Reade says she believes there’s a measure of hypocrisy for both Biden and his campaign.
When asked what she would say to Biden, Reade responded “I want to say, you and I were there Joe Biden. Please step forward and be held accountable. You should not be running on character for the president of the United States.”
Kelly asked if Reade wants Biden to withdraw, and she quickly responded “I wish he would, but he won’t. But I wish he would. That’s how I feel emotionally.”
Kelly followed up, asking if Reade wants an apology from Joe. “I think it’s a little late,” she said.
Watch the video for more…
UPDATE: I would just add that the big thing about this interview that struck me is, why hasn’t anyone in the MSM done this interview? Why does Joe Biden get the last word? He goes on MSNBC declaring it didn’t happen, and yet no one in the MSM has yet interviewed Reade to find out what she thinks about his denial? Thank you Megyn Kelly for doing what the MSM won’t do.
UPDATE: Here’s more of Kelly’s interview with Reade, who says she would absolutely go under oath and submit to cross examination. Watch and see what she says when asked if she’d submit to a lie detector test…
MK EXCLUSIVE: Will Tara Reade go under oath or take a polygraph? pic.twitter.com/aBXohhg14n — Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 7, 2020


bonginoreport--2020-05-07--Flynn Prosecutor Withdrew From Case Amid Controversy Hours Before DOJ Dropped Case

A top prosecutor removed himself Thursday from the criminal case against former national security advisor Michael Flynn , as well @ @ @ @ @ other court cases involving Flynn .
The Justice Department prosecutor , Brandon Van Grack , @ @ @ @ @ court filing why he is withdrawing from Flynn 's case .
He heads a unit @ @ @ @ @ the Foreign Agents Registration Act .
Van Grack also withdrew from at least two other @ @ @ @ @ filings show .
Flynn is listed as an interested party in both of those cases @ @ @ @ @ in U.S. District Court in Washington , D.C. , and all are presided over by @ @ @ @ @ , President Donald Trump 's first national security advisor , was charged as part of @ @ @ @ @ 's Russia probe with lying to FBI agents about his discussions with Russia 's ambassador @ @ @ @ @ Trump took office .
Flynn pleaded guilty to one count of lying to federal agents @

A top prosecutor removed himself Thursday from the criminal case against former national security advisor Michael Flynn, as well as from at least two other court cases involving Flynn.
The Justice Department prosecutor, Brandon Van Grack, did not say in a court filing why he is withdrawing from Flynn's case. He heads a unit responsible for prosecuting violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Van Grack also withdrew from at least two other active cases Thursday, court filings show. Flynn is listed as an interested party in both of those cases. All three cases are in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., and all are presided over by Judge Emmet Sullivan.
Flynn, President Donald Trump's first national security advisor, was charged as part of former special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe with lying to FBI agents about his discussions with Russia's ambassador to the United States before Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty to one count of lying to federal agents.


bonginoreport--2020-05-08--Fifty-Three Transcripts From House Intel Russia Probe Released

The House Intelligence Committee on Thursday released transcripts of 53 interviews conducted as part of the panel ’ s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election .
Chairman Adam Schiff released the documents , which total more than 6,000 pages , after an intense pressure campaign from House Republicans and Richard Grenell , the acting director of national intelligence .
The committee had voted in September 2018 to release the transcripts , which were conducted with Obama administration officials , Trump associates and various other individuals .
Sources familiar with the documents have told The Daily Caller News Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe , former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former Obama National Security Adviser Susan Rice contain noteworthy revelations .
( RELATED : CNN Hires Andrew McCabe As A Contributor ) The committee also interviewed Michael Sussmann and Marc Elias , two lawyers who commissioned the Steele dossier on behalf of the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee .
The committee interviewed several Trump associates , including Steve Bannon , Roger Stone , his son-in-law Jared Kushner , and his son , Donald Trump Jr .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2018 , that said the investigation turned up no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government .
The special counsel ’ s office arrived at the same conclusion following its investigation , according to a report released on April 18 , 2019 .
The interviews can be found here .
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 House Intelligence Committee on Thursday released transcripts of 53 interviews conducted as part of the panel’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
Chairman Adam Schiff released the documents, which total more than 6,000 pages, after an intense pressure campaign from House Republicans and Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence.
The committee had voted in September 2018 to release the transcripts, which were conducted with Obama administration officials, Trump associates and various other individuals.
Sources familiar with the documents have told The Daily Caller News Foundation that transcripts of the interviews with former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former Obama National Security Adviser Susan Rice contain noteworthy revelations. (RELATED: CNN Hires Andrew McCabe As A Contributor)
The committee also interviewed Michael Sussmann and Marc Elias, two lawyers who commissioned the Steele dossier on behalf of the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee. The committee interviewed several Trump associates, including Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and his son, Donald Trump Jr.
The committee released a report on April 27, 2018, that said the investigation turned up no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government. The special counsel’s office arrived at the same conclusion following its investigation, according to a report released on April 18, 2019.
The interviews can be found here.
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--2020-05-08--Daily Positive Cases Continue to Decline Nationally

Nate Silver has been grousing on his Twitter feed lately that graphs like this one are highly misleading , amounting to near malpractice by the media .
What ’ s wrong with the graph ?
The numbers there are accurate , aren ’ t they ?
Sure , says Silver , but the raw number of new cases in the U.S. doesn ’ t really tell us whether things are getting better or worse .
The other variable we need to know is how many tests are being done .
If you test 1,000 people and find 100 infections and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people and find 100 infections , is the epidemic stable ?
Or has it actually diminished over those 30 days ?
To phrase that differently , how many more infections might we have found on day one if we had tested 5,000 people then instead of 1,000 ?
That ’ s been our problem all along , insufficient testing .
Maybe the average number of daily cases in the U.S. right now is much higher than it was on April 1 .
Or maybe it was much higher on April 1 and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we weren ’ t testing nearly as much then .
On April 1 , the U.S. conducted 107,000 coronavirus tests nationwide .
We ’ ve been over 200,000 daily for the past 10 days and lately at closer to 250,000 .
Comparing case counts from early April to now is apples and oranges .
In fact , says Silver , by harping on the raw number of new cases and ignoring the rate of positive cases relative to the total number of tests , the media is playing into Trump ’ s hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like hearing how high the number of new daily infections is , which incentivizes them not to pursue more testing .
The more tests we do , the more infections we ’ re going to find , right ?
Bad optics !
But finding more infections is a crucial part of containing the epidemic , along with contact tracing .
If the media paid more attention to rates of positive cases relative to testing instead of obsessing about the raw number , the incentive would go the other way .
More testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out that the positivity rate is shrinking , notes an encouraged Scott Gottlieb .
A ray of light through the gloom : That ’ s real improvement .
But it ’ s just one metric .
Another metric , one which really is apples-to-apples over time , is deaths .
The numbers there are less encouraging : Today ’ s eye-popping number of 2,746 comes with an asterisk : It includes nearly 1,000 from New York that didn ’ t happen within the past day but were belatedly confirmed as COVID-related by health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so , yesterday saw nearly 2,000 deaths recorded .
The day before that saw nearly 2,600 , thanks to some catch-up in weekend reporting .
These are big numbers .
And they ’ re not meaningfully improving .
The trend in deaths isn ’ t looking great compared to other countries either : Bear in mind that daily deaths have dropped dramatically in New York over the last few weeks .
The fact that deaths across the entire U.S. are holding roughly steady with NY in decline means that deaths are increasing elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the New Atlantis to get a sense of how hard some states have been hit relative to other leading causes of death .
In New York the number of deaths from COVID-19 is so enormous that for the moment it ’ s outstripped deaths from all other causes .
In 10 states ( plus D.C. ) , though , coronavirus deaths now outpace deaths from heart disease , normally the leading cause of fatalities in the U.S. Alzheimer ’ s disease kills twice as many people in the U.S. every year as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now COVID-19 is outpacing deaths from that illness in no fewer than 27 states .
It ’ d be nice if we had a plan to deal with that , but we don ’ t .
So here we are , clinging to glimmers of good news in the data .

Nate Silver has been grousing on his Twitter feed lately that graphs like this one are highly misleading, amounting to near malpractice by the media.
What’s wrong with the graph? The numbers there are accurate, aren’t they? Sure, says Silver, but the raw number of new cases in the U.S. doesn’t really tell us whether things are getting better or worse. The other variable we need to know is how many tests are being done. If you test 1,000 people and find 100 infections and then a month later you test 5,000 people and find 100 infections, is the epidemic stable? Or has it actually diminished over those 30 days?
To phrase that differently, how many more infections might we have found on day one if we had tested 5,000 people then instead of 1,000?
That’s been our problem all along, insufficient testing. Maybe the average number of daily cases in the U.S. right now is much higher than it was on April 1. Or maybe it was much higher on April 1 and we only think it’s lower because we weren’t testing nearly as much then. On April 1, the U.S. conducted 107,000 coronavirus tests nationwide. We’ve been over 200,000 daily for the past 10 days and lately at closer to 250,000. Comparing case counts from early April to now is apples and oranges.
In fact, says Silver, by harping on the raw number of new cases and ignoring the rate of positive cases relative to the total number of tests, the media is playing into Trump’s hands. Trump and his allies don’t like hearing how high the number of new daily infections is, which incentivizes them not to pursue more testing. The more tests we do, the more infections we’re going to find, right? Bad optics! But finding more infections is a crucial part of containing the epidemic, along with contact tracing. If the media paid more attention to rates of positive cases relative to testing instead of obsessing about the raw number, the incentive would go the other way. More testing means a lower rate.
It turns out that the positivity rate is shrinking, notes an encouraged Scott Gottlieb. A ray of light through the gloom:
Daily positive cases of covid19 as a percent of total daily tests continues to fall nationally, a very good sign as covid testing expands. Declining positivity could be a leading indicator of an epidemic starting to decline. 10% is still high but it's coming down at a steady pace pic.twitter.com/xVP56dxUmV — Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) May 7, 2020
Another way of looking at falling covid19 positivity rate across the country. Daily tests are rising, positive cases remaining largely flat, and the positivity rate declining. We're testing more to find same number of cases, suggesting that density of epidemic may be declining. pic.twitter.com/maMYuiG2n8 — Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) May 7, 2020
That’s real improvement. But it’s just one metric. Another metric, one which really is apples-to-apples over time, is deaths. The numbers there are less encouraging:
US daily numbers via @COVID19Tracking: Newly reported deaths
Today: 2,746
Yesterday: 1,949
One week ago (4/30): 2,138 Newly reported cases:
T: 28K
Y: 25K
4/30: 29K Newly reported tests:
T: 319K
Y: 242K
4/30: 230K Positive test rate:
T: 9%
Y: 10%
4/30: 13% — Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) May 7, 2020
Today’s eye-popping number of 2,746 comes with an asterisk: It includes nearly 1,000 from New York that didn’t happen within the past day but were belatedly confirmed as COVID-related by health authorities within the past day. Even so, yesterday saw nearly 2,000 deaths recorded. The day before that saw nearly 2,600, thanks to some catch-up in weekend reporting. These are big numbers. And they’re not meaningfully improving.
The trend in deaths isn’t looking great compared to other countries either:
It's possible! Lots of other countries are doing it! We're the only rich country facing death tolls this high, this consistently, for this long. Even the worst-hit EU countries have begun sustained decline; we haven't. Our govt is doing uniquely badly. https://t.co/GG21fEJ24U — Jeremy Konyndyk (@JeremyKonyndyk) May 6, 2020
Bear in mind that daily deaths have dropped dramatically in New York over the last few weeks. The fact that deaths across the entire U.S. are holding roughly steady with NY in decline means that deaths are increasing elsewhere.
Spend a minute with this visualization at the New Atlantis to get a sense of how hard some states have been hit relative to other leading causes of death. In New York the number of deaths from COVID-19 is so enormous that for the moment it’s outstripped deaths from all other causes. In 10 states (plus D.C.), though, coronavirus deaths now outpace deaths from heart disease, normally the leading cause of fatalities in the U.S. Alzheimer’s disease kills twice as many people in the U.S. every year as flu and pnuemonia combined — and right now COVID-19 is outpacing deaths from that illness in no fewer than 27 states.
It’d be nice if we had a plan to deal with that, but we don’t. So here we are, clinging to glimmers of good news in the data.


bonginoreport--2020-05-08--Illinois Governor Says It May Be Another Year Before Churches Can Reopen

It could be more than a year before churches are allowed to resume their in-person gatherings , according to Democratic Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker .
Pritzker announced a to reopen Illinois that gives guidance to schools , businesses , churches , and other religious centers about when they will be allowed to reopen .
In phase three , gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed .
In phase four , gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed .
Gatherings of more than 50 people will not be allowed until phase five .
During a press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ churches will be held to the same standards and will not be allowed to hold in-person services of more than 50 people until phase five , even if it takes more than a year to get to that position .
[ Related : 'This is censorship ' : Google suspends evangelical church 's app for violating coronavirus 'sensitive events ' policy ] '' You know that in phase three , there can be gatherings , church gatherings , of 10 or fewer .
In phase four , 50 or fewer .
So that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me , '' Pritzker said .
`` I 'm not the one providing that guidance .
It really is what the scientists and epidemiologists are recommending . ''
Pritzker said the state entered phase two on Friday and will enter phase three on May 29 at the earliest .
Face masks will be recommended in public until phase five is reached .
Schools , restaurants , and bars will not reopen until phase four .
Phase five can not begin until a vaccine is widely available or a highly effective therapeutic drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has said a vaccine is away from being available to the public .

It could be more than a year before churches are allowed to resume their in-person gatherings, according to Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Pritzker announced a five-phase plan to reopen Illinois that gives guidance to schools, businesses, churches, and other religious centers about when they will be allowed to reopen. In phase three, gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed. In phase four, gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed. Gatherings of more than 50 people will not be allowed until phase five.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Pritzker confirmed that churches will be held to the same standards and will not be allowed to hold in-person services of more than 50 people until phase five, even if it takes more than a year to get to that position.
[Related: 'This is censorship': Google suspends evangelical church's app for violating coronavirus 'sensitive events' policy]
"You know that in phase three, there can be gatherings, church gatherings, of 10 or fewer. In phase four, 50 or fewer. So that's the guidance that's been given to me," Pritzker said. "I'm not the one providing that guidance. It really is what the scientists and epidemiologists are recommending."
Pritzker said the state entered phase two on Friday and will enter phase three on May 29 at the earliest. Face masks will be recommended in public until phase five is reached. Schools, restaurants, and bars will not reopen until phase four.


bonginoreport--2020-05-08--Biden Accuser Hires Lawyer Who Previously Advocated for Christine Blasey Ford

Tara Reade now has legal representation through Wigdor LLP as she pushes forward with allegations that Joe Biden sexually harassed and assaulted her when she worked in his Senate office in 1993 .
Douglas Wigdor , the firm 's partner , has a long history of representing accusers in high-profile sexual misconduct cases .
He represents six women who accused movie producer Harvey Weinstein , now a convicted sex offender , of misconduct .
He represented Juliet Huddy in connection with her claims against former Fox News host Bill O ’ Reilly .
Wigdor was a vocal supporter of Christine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not legally represent her during Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh 's nomination , during which time she accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were in high school .
`` Her harrowing account is credible and supported by numerous 'outcry ' witnesses from decades ago , '' a press release from the firm on Thursday said of Reade 's claims .
`` We at Wigdor LLP firmly believe that every survivor of sexual assault has the right to competent legal counsel , and we will represent Ms. Reade zealously , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual violence . ''
Wigdor supported President Trump in the 2016 election but has also supported Democrats such as New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries .
The firm said that its representation of Reade `` has absolutely nothing to do with politics . ''
`` We have decided to take this matter on because every survivor has the right to competent counsel , and that is exactly what we will provide , '' the firm said .
The announcement of Reade 's legal representation followed news that former Fox News host Megyn Kelly interviewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden personally denied her allegations on Friday .
Reade , 56 , that in 1993 , Biden sexually harassed her by inappropriately touching her hair and neck and sexually assaulted her by forcibly kissing her and penetrating her with his fingers in a semiprivate area of the Senate office building complex .
She revealed harassment allegations in spring 2019 but did not accuse Biden of assault until the end of March .
Reade says that she complained about the harassment , but not the assault , to top staff members and then was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job .
Three top staffers vehemently deny hearing about her allegations , but two former interns have said they remember Reade abruptly losing her intern supervision duties .
Several friends of Reade ’ s have said that they remember hearing about either the harassment or the alleged assault , with varying degrees of detail , around the time it happened or in the '90s .

Tara Reade now has legal representation through Wigdor LLP as she pushes forward with allegations that Joe Biden sexually harassed and assaulted her when she worked in his Senate office in 1993.
Douglas Wigdor, the firm's partner, has a long history of representing accusers in high-profile sexual misconduct cases. He represents six women who accused movie producer Harvey Weinstein, now a convicted sex offender, of misconduct. He represented Juliet Huddy in connection with her claims against former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly. Wigdor was a vocal supporter of Christine Blasey Ford in cable news interviews but did not legally represent her during Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's nomination, during which time she accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were in high school.
"Her harrowing account is credible and supported by numerous 'outcry' witnesses from decades ago," a press release from the firm on Thursday said of Reade's claims. "We at Wigdor LLP firmly believe that every survivor of sexual assault has the right to competent legal counsel, and we will represent Ms. Reade zealously, just as we would any other victim of sexual violence."
Wigdor supported President Trump in the 2016 election but has also supported Democrats such as New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.
The firm said that its representation of Reade "has absolutely nothing to do with politics."
"We have decided to take this matter on because every survivor has the right to competent counsel, and that is exactly what we will provide," the firm said.
The announcement of Reade's legal representation followed news that former Fox News host Megyn Kelly interviewed Reade in her first on-camera appearance since Biden personally denied her allegations on Friday.
Reade, 56, alleges that in 1993, Biden sexually harassed her by inappropriately touching her hair and neck and sexually assaulted her by forcibly kissing her and penetrating her with his fingers in a semiprivate area of the Senate office building complex. She revealed harassment allegations in spring 2019 but did not accuse Biden of assault until the end of March.
Reade says that she complained about the harassment, but not the assault, to top staff members and then was retaliated against and told to find a job. Three top staffers vehemently deny hearing about her allegations, but two former interns have said they remember Reade abruptly losing her intern supervision duties. Several friends of Reade’s have said that they remember hearing about either the harassment or the alleged assault, with varying degrees of detail, around the time it happened or in the '90s.


bonginoreport--2020-05-08--Dow Jones Index Somehow Closes Up 400 Points on News of Worst Jobs Report Ever

Stocks rose on Friday even after the ugliest monthly jobs report ever as investors bet the worst of the coronavirus and its impact on the economy has passed .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 455.43 points , or 1.9 % , to 24,3331.32 , closing near its session high .
The S & P 500 gained 1.6 % , or 48.61 points , to 2,929.80 , while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.5 % , or 141.66 points , to 9,121.32 .
All three averages posted their first weekly advance in three .
The Dow and S & P 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the week , respectively , while the Nasdaq jumped 6 % .
`` You have investors that seem to be able to look through the tsunami of negative economic data and earnings and towards the potential for a gradual reopening of the economy , '' said Art Hogan , chief market strategist at National Securities .
The Labor Department said a record 20.5 million jobs were lost last month , adding the unemployment rate jumped to 14.7 % from 4.4 % .
Both the spike in job losses and the unemployment-rate surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sure , neither print was as bad as feared .
Economists polled by Dow Jones expected a loss of 21.5 million jobs and an unemployment rate of 16 % .
Stocks have rallied aggressively off their March lows as investors bet on an eventual reopening of the economy and that many tech companies would see solid revenue even through the shutdowns .
Apple said Friday it will reopen stores starting next week , with temperature checks and a limited number of customers in the location at one time .
The S & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % from its virus low and is just 13.6 % away from its record high .
The Nasdaq Composite is more than 35 % off its lows and is now up 1.6 % for 2020 .
Gains from Facebook , Amazon Alphabet and Apple helped lift the index back into positive territory for 2020 .
At one point , the Nasdaq was down more than 25 % year to date .
`` It 's amazing really given we 're still working from home , '' said JJ Kinahan , chief market strategist at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back its 2020 losses .
`` Our reality is we 're working from home and some of the economic demand would seem to be less , yet these stocks continue to fight through . ''
Kinahan also noted the market continues to price in a swift reopening of the U.S. economy after the coronavirus forced economic activity to a near screeching halt .
`` There 's this sense of , 'OK , we 're going to get back to work and things are going to be better . '
But at what pace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will that be sustainable ? ''
Stocks that would benefit from reopening the economy rose again Friday .
Airline stocks such as Delta , American and United all gained at least 4.8 % .
Disney climbed 3.4 % while MGM Resorts advanced 4.4 % .
`` It 's a bad environment , '' said Robert Tipp , chief investment strategist at PGIM Fixed Income , about the health and economic situation .
`` But in terms of markets , they appear to be attractively priced relative to what 's going on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ aided after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer spoke to Chinese Vice Premier Liu He late on Thursday about the phase one trade deal signed in January .
In a statement , they said both sides `` agreed that in spite of the current global health emergency , both countries fully expect to meet their obligations under the agreement in a timely manner . ''
The call and subsequent statement came amid rising tensions between both countries , as U.S. officials criticized China 's initial handling of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and CEO of Marketfield Asset Management , said the market 's recent moves — which have been tame compared to others seen this year — suggest `` an understandable fatigue with the constant stream of conflicting information about the progress of the virus and potential for happier and more drastic outcomes in the months ahead . ''
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Stocks rose on Friday even after the ugliest monthly jobs report ever as investors bet the worst of the coronavirus and its impact on the economy has passed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 455.43 points, or 1.9%, to 24,3331.32, closing near its session high. The S&P 500 gained 1.6%, or 48.61 points, to 2,929.80, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.5%, or 141.66 points, to 9,121.32. All three averages posted their first weekly advance in three. The Dow and S&P 500 were up 2.5% and 3.5% for the week, respectively, while the Nasdaq jumped 6%.
"You have investors that seem to be able to look through the tsunami of negative economic data and earnings and towards the potential for a gradual reopening of the economy," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National Securities. The Labor Department said a record 20.5 million jobs were lost last month, adding the unemployment rate jumped to 14.7% from 4.4%. Both the spike in job losses and the unemployment-rate surge are post-World War II records. To be sure, neither print was as bad as feared. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected a loss of 21.5 million jobs and an unemployment rate of 16%.
Stocks have rallied aggressively off their March lows as investors bet on an eventual reopening of the economy and that many tech companies would see solid revenue even through the shutdowns. Apple said Friday it will reopen stores starting next week, with temperature checks and a limited number of customers in the location at one time. The S&P 500 has bounced more than 30% from its virus low and is just 13.6% away from its record high. The Nasdaq Composite is more than 35% off its lows and is now up 1.6% for 2020. Gains from Facebook, Amazon Alphabet and Apple helped lift the index back into positive territory for 2020. At one point, the Nasdaq was down more than 25% year to date.


bonginoreport--2020-05-08--Kayleigh McEnany Turns the Tables on the Press Again

Along with reporters donning masks ( which led to muffled questions ) , Friday ’ s abbreviated White House Press Briefing was tough sledding for the liberal media .
Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany began her third briefing highlighting the Justice Department dropping the Michael Flynn case and citing NewsBusters before ending later with a zing to a perturbed Paula Reid from CBS .
And for the supposed geniuses at CNN and MSNBC , they did n't carry Friday 's briefing .
This was despite the fact that the liberal media routinely threw fits over the lack of daily briefing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post and brought them back , they 've decided to stop caring .
McEnany ended her passionate defense of Flynn and torching of the Deep State with a quote from Montesquieu and a nod to this post from our own Nicholas Fondacaro : And then as she left the podium 11 minutes later ahead of a White House event , Reid feigned outrage that McEnany started with the Flynn news .
Instead of ignoring her , McEnany gave her a friendly glare before saying “ justice matters ” ( click “ expand ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes to 1:00 .
I 'm sorry to cut this short .
But as you know , you guys were supposed to meet with three minutes go with the President of the United States .
MCENANY : So , I will leave you guys with that .
I hope you have a wonderful weekend -- - REID : -- - why did you spend the first part of this briefing talking -- - MCENANY : -- - and thanks so much everyone .
REID : -- - about Mike Flynn when both the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - were exposed to coronavirus amid historic unemployment ?
Is that 's what really what 's top of mind today for the White House .
In between , there were plenty of fireworks .
Fake News Jim Acosta led off on the economy , but instead of asking it in a straightforward manner , he had to jab with this kicker : “ What is the President plan to get this country out of this ditch ?
” In his third question , he highlighted the media ’ s doubled-mindedness of wondering about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decrying efforts to reopen : After the AP ’ s Zeke Miller wondered why anyone should go back to work when two people at the White House recently tested positive for the virus , ABC ’ s Jonathan Karl focused on a liberal media fixation of the President not wearing a mask ( despite the fact that he ’ s perhaps the most-tested person in the country ) .
But the real fireworks came when taxpayer-funded Yamiche Alcindor of PBS unsuccessfully tried to trap McEnany by citing the latest from CNN ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements she made while a CNN guest ( and paid political commentator ) .
Like she did in the past , McEnany turned the tables on the liberal media by asking them ( along with KFILE ) to look into past false claims about Russian collusion made by any number of former Obama officials they routinely suck up to ( click “ expand ” ) : But I -- - I would encourage the individual who did that analysis of my past , rather than focusing on me , he really should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN has on their network .
He should be focused on , I mean , my -- - over here , Jim Clapper , who said , you know , ten days before he privately told investigators there was no evidence of collusion , that Watergate pales in comparison to the Russia probe .
I ’ d encourage them to look at Samantha Powers , who ’ s privately saying , `` I 'm not in possession of any evidence of collusion . ''
Ambassador Rice : `` I do n't recall intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch : `` I do not recall that being brief to me . ''
And for three years -- - two years , probably more than that , CNN ran with the collusion narrative and if the American people are watching right now , they ’ re probably very confused as to some of the quotes I read cause those individuals were saying much different things publicly than they were saying privately and I ’ m very grateful that those transcripts were released yesterday and perhaps KFILE should do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying goes , that ’ s going to leave a mark .
To see the relevant transcript from May 8 ’ s briefing , click “ expand.
” KAYLEIGH MCENANY : In the words of renowned political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu , there is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice .
I hope the media will take these questions very seriously , will report the facts .
There was heavy interest in the first iteration of Flynn news from many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coverage than the exoneration Michael Flynn got today .
That was a report by the Media Research Center .
So , these facts are important , and thank you very much for those who have taken interest in reporting .
JIM ACOSTA : I wanted to ask you .
Putting aside the situation with Michael Flynn , today the unemployment rate hit the highest point since the Great Depression .
What is the President plan to get this country out of this ditch ?
MCENANY : Yeah , no , this President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President got us to a place where we had the lowest employment rate in the history of this country .
Historic lows for black Americans , Hispanic-Americans , and disabled veterans .
As the President has noted , I think that this is right .
We have to put a stop to the economy .
It was a pod .
This was n't some economic catastrophe that organically happened .
It was decided upon by the President of the United States to stop the United States economy because we had to save 2.2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that range because American lives ?
That 's what mattered most and so this President , when faced with tough decision to put a pause on the hottest economy in modern history , said American lives matter most and that ’ s what he did .
And I can tell you this , the President who got us to the hottest economy in modern history , he ’ s done it once and he can do it again .
ACOSTA : Isn ’ t there a problem with -- - is n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President wants people to get back to work , he wants a governess to reopen their states , but if Americans are n't covered going to restaurants and movie theaters or the beach or whatever , how do you get this economy moving again ?
What -- - what ’ s the plan ?
MCENANY : I can tell you there 's a lot of pent up demand in this country .
There ’ s a lot of people who do want to go out to restaurants , who do want to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go back to their jobs .
We see it and we hear about it every day .
People can trust that we have a President who wants to reopen and reopen safely and these are data-driven guidelines to reopening .
The President has those in place , so there is no reason to be concerned , because we have a President who always looks at the data , as Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx have repeatedly noted .
Zeke ?
ZEKE MILLER : Kayleigh , there was a second confirmed case of Cova @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apparently , a member of the Vice President ’ s staff .
That 's two in two days in a building where people are being tested now , including the President and the vice President , every day and have had their temperature checked .
Why should the average American who ’ s work places doesn ’ t have access to these rapid tests feel comfortable going to work if the White House is n't even safe for people ?
JONATHAN KARL : Kayleigh , did -- - did -- - the President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President go down to the World War II memorial with a group of seven American heroes all in their 90s .
Did he give any consideration to wearing a mask given that his valet just tested the positive when he ’ s with some of those in the most vulnerable population .
Did he -- - did he consider wearing a mask while he was with these veterans ?
MCENANY : Well , this President is regularly tested .
This President will make the decision as to whether he will wear a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that those veterans are protected .
They made the choice to come here , because they have chosen to put their nation first .
They wanted to be with their commander in chief on this momentous day .
It was their choice to come here , and I can tell you that the President always puts the safety of our veterans first and the American people first .
YAMICHE ALCINDOR : In 2015 , shortly after the President said that some Mexican immigrants are racist and criminal , you said that language was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that today ?
MCENANY : Well , I 'm actually glad you asked that , because for about the first four weeks of the election , I was watching CNN and I was naively believing some of the headlines that I saw on CNN and I -- - ALCINDOR : That question isn ’ t asking you to read those headlines .
I just want to know if you still believe that .
MCENANY : I ’ m actually -- - I ’ m actually not going to read the headlines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came around to supporting the President .
In fact , CNN hired me .
I was on many eight-on-one panels where I proudly supported this President who I believe is one of the best Presidents , if not the best President this country will ever have .
But I -- - I would encourage the individual who did that analysis of my past , rather than focusing on me , he really should be focused on some of the very guests CNN has on their network .
He should be focused on , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , Jim Clapper , who said , you know , ten days before he privately told investigators there was no evidence of collusion , that Watergate pales in comparison to the Russia probe .
I ’ d encourage them to look at Samantha Powers , who ’ s privately saying , `` I 'm not in possession of any evidence of collusion . ''
Ambassador Rice : `` I do n't recall intelligence or evidence of any collusion . ''
Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch : `` I do not recall that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for three years -- - two years , probably more than that , CNN ran with the collusion narrative and if the American people are watching right now , they ’ re probably very confused as to some of the quotes I read cause those individuals were saying much different things publicly than they were saying privately and I ’ m very grateful that those transcripts were released yesterday and perhaps KFILE should do an analysis of that .
[ TO EBONY BOWDEN ] Yes .
ALCINDOR : Are you walking back those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you stand by those comments that you made ?
MCENANY : I support this President .
There is no questioning that .
So honored to work for him .
MCENANY : Oh , two minutes to 1:00 .
I 'm sorry to cut this short .
But as you know , you guys were supposed to meet with three minutes go with the President of the United States .
MCENANY : So , I will leave you guys with that .
I hope you have a wonderful weekend -- - REID : -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of this briefing talking -- - MCENANY : -- - and thanks so much everyone .
REID : -- - about Mike Flynn when both the President and Vice President REID : -- - were exposed to coronavirus amid historic unemployment ?
Is that 's what really what 's top of mind today for the White House ?

Along with reporters donning masks (which led to muffled questions), Friday’s abbreviated White House Press Briefing was tough sledding for the liberal media. Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany began her third briefing highlighting the Justice Department dropping the Michael Flynn case and citing NewsBusters before ending later with a zing to a perturbed Paula Reid from CBS.
And for the supposed geniuses at CNN and MSNBC, they didn't carry Friday's briefing. This was despite the fact that the liberal media routinely threw fits over the lack of daily briefing, but now that McEnany has assumed the post and brought them back, they've decided to stop caring.
McEnany ended her passionate defense of Flynn and torching of the Deep State with a quote from Montesquieu and a nod to this post from our own Nicholas Fondacaro:
I hope the media will take these questions very seriously, will report the facts. There was heavy interest in the first iteration of Flynn news from many years ago, that got four times the coverage than the exoneration Michael Flynn got today. That was a report by the Media Research Center. So, these facts are important, and thank you very much for those who have taken interest in reporting.
And then as she left the podium 11 minutes later ahead of a White House event, Reid feigned outrage that McEnany started with the Flynn news.
Instead of ignoring her, McEnany gave her a friendly glare before saying “justice matters” (click “expand”):
MCENANY: Oh, two minutes to 1:00. I'm sorry to cut this short. But as you know, you guys were supposed to meet with three minutes go with the President of the United States. REID: Kayleigh --- MCENANY: So, I will leave you guys with that. I hope you have a wonderful weekend --- REID: --- why did you spend the first part of this briefing talking --- MCENANY: --- and thanks so much everyone. REID: --- about Mike Flynn when both the President and Vice President MCENANY: Justice matters. REID: --- were exposed to coronavirus amid historic unemployment? Is that's what really what's top of mind today for the White House.
In between, there were plenty of fireworks.
Fake News Jim Acosta led off on the economy, but instead of asking it in a straightforward manner, he had to jab with this kicker: “What is the President plan to get this country out of this ditch?”
In his third question, he highlighted the media’s doubled-mindedness of wondering about economic relief amid great financial ruin then decrying efforts to reopen:
Isn’t there a problem with --- isn't it a problem, though? The President wants people to get back to work, he wants a governess to reopen their states, but if Americans aren't covered going to restaurants and movie theaters or the beach or whatever, how do you get this economy moving again? What --- what’s the plan?
After the AP’s Zeke Miller wondered why anyone should go back to work when two people at the White House recently tested positive for the virus, ABC’s Jonathan Karl focused on a liberal media fixation of the President not wearing a mask (despite the fact that he’s perhaps the most-tested person in the country).
But the real fireworks came when taxpayer-funded Yamiche Alcindor of PBS unsuccessfully tried to trap McEnany by citing the latest from CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski (aka KFILE) about statements she made while a CNN guest (and paid political commentator).
Like she did in the past, McEnany turned the tables on the liberal media by asking them (along with KFILE) to look into past false claims about Russian collusion made by any number of former Obama officials they routinely suck up to (click “expand”):
But I --- I would encourage the individual who did that analysis of my past, rather than focusing on me, he really should be focused on some of the very guests CNN has on their network. He should be focused on, I mean, my --- over here, Jim Clapper, who said, you know, ten days before he privately told investigators there was no evidence of collusion, that Watergate pales in comparison to the Russia probe. I’d encourage them to look at Samantha Powers, who’s privately saying, "I'm not in possession of any evidence of collusion." Ambassador Rice: "I don't recall intelligence or evidence of any collusion." Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch: "I do not recall that being brief to me." And for three years --- two years, probably more than that, CNN ran with the collusion narrative and if the American people are watching right now, they’re probably very confused as to some of the quotes I read cause those individuals were saying much different things publicly than they were saying privately and I’m very grateful that those transcripts were released yesterday and perhaps KFILE should do an analysis of that.
As the saying goes, that’s going to leave a mark.
To see the relevant transcript from May 8’s briefing, click “expand.”


bonginoreport--2020-05-08--Australian Researchers: More Deaths Projected From Suicide in Lockdown Than Coronavirus

Australian researchers projected Thursday that more deaths may come from suicides increasing in lockdown than from the coronavirus itself .
@ @ @ @ @ predicted an additional 750 to 1,500 suicides per year for up to five years as @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic and economic shutdowns imposed to curb its spread , ” according to @ @ @ @ @ UK Telegraph .
The model predicts that the increase in suicides will be much higher @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus deaths .
The suicides will also affect young people due to widespread closures , @ @ @ @ @ newly projected suicides being young people .
Coronavirus lockdowns continue around many parts of the @ @ @ @ @ questioned the efficacy of the policies , which are now wreaking havoc on the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ RELATED : Evidence Suggests The Lockdown Didn ’ t Help Stop Coronavirus ) President Trump @ @ @ @ @ possibility that suicides will increase due to businesses failing and people being forced to stay @ @

Australian researchers projected Thursday that more deaths may come from suicides increasing in lockdown than from the coronavirus itself.
Researchers at Sydney University “predicted an additional 750 to 1,500 suicides per year for up to five years as a result of the impacts of the pandemic and economic shutdowns imposed to curb its spread,” according to a piece published in the UK Telegraph.
The model predicts that the increase in suicides will be much higher than the nation’s coronavirus deaths. The suicides will also affect young people due to widespread closures, with 30% of the newly projected suicides being young people.
‘Suicide rates in Australia are forecast to rise by up to 50 per cent due to the economic and social impacts of the coronavirus and tipped to outstrip deaths from the pandemic by up to 10 times.’ And these people will not have a median age of 80. https://t.co/315AM6OMaU — Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) May 6, 2020
Coronavirus lockdowns continue around many parts of the world, but some have questioned the efficacy of the policies, which are now wreaking havoc on the U.S. and world economy. (RELATED: Evidence Suggests The Lockdown Didn’t Help Stop Coronavirus)
President Trump has repeatedly warned of the possibility that suicides will increase due to businesses failing and people being forced to stay inside.


bonginoreport--2020-05-08--47% of All Leisure and Hospitality Jobs Were Lost in April

A torrent of layoffs in the leisure and hospitality industry led the U.S. economy to its worst month of job losses in modern history .
The industry , which includes waiters , bellhops , bartenders and casino employees , suffered by far the largest losses in April as the coronavirus and efforts to contain its spread kept Americans homebound .
The leisure and hospitality industry lost 7.7 million jobs , or 47 % of total positions .
The vast majority of the industry 's layoffs were in food service , where the government said nearly 5.5 million chefs , waiters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employment .
Casinos and amusement parks also cut more than 1 million workers last month as Americans refrained from travel and shored up finances amid the ongoing U.S. pullback .
The Cheesecake Factory , for example , furloughed 41,000 hourly workers at the end of March .
The struggling restaurant chain saw its March same-store sales decline 46 % as dining room closures tanked its business .
The company is forecasting that 15 % of its dining rooms will reopen by the end of May .
The job losses at The Cheesecake Factory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report instead of the March print because of the way the government surveys businesses and households .
The health-care and education sector also saw some of April 's steepest job cuts with a loss of 2.5 million .
Health care comprised the majority of that decline as a contraction in revenue , the result of fewer elective and routine procedures forced hospitals and clinics to cut 1.4 million employees .
Dental offices , which are categorized under the broader health-care subsector , cut more than 500,000 payrolls .
`` The changes in these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( COVID-19 ) pandemic and efforts to contain it .
Employment fell sharply in all major industry sectors , with particularly heavy job losses in leisure and hospitality , '' the Labor Department said in a release .
`` In health care , employment declined by 1.4 million , led by losses in offices of dentists ( -503,000 ) , offices of physicians ( -243,000 ) , and offices of other health care practitioners ( -205,000 ) .
Employment also declined in social assistance ( -651,000 ) , reflecting job losses in child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual and family services ( -241,000 ) , '' the government said .
The professional and business services sector , which includes lawyers , accountants , engineers and temporary workers ( such as laborers , office clerks and packagers ) lost 2.1 million jobs .
Temporary help workers , typically contracted on a per diem or per-project basis , comprised nearly 1 million of that industry 's losses .
The industry figures came as part of the Labor Department 's April 2020 jobs report , which showed that payrolls plunged by 20.5 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 14.7 % , record levels in the post-World War II era .
Those numbers are dire reminders of the millions of Americans who 've lost their jobs in recent weeks thanks to the coronavirus and government strategies to stop Covid-19 .
State governments across the country ordered the majority of businesses closed to slow the spread of Covid-19 .
State governors in New York , California and New Jersey all ordered a wide swath of their commerce closed , shuttering firms including bookstores , dine-in restaurants and florists .
But such efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has killed more than 75,000 Americans and infected more than 1.2 million in the U.S. , has forced thousands of managers to lay off employees to offset the abrupt halt to sales .
Click here for the latest news on the coronavirus .
Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis , and live business day programming from around the world .

A torrent of layoffs in the leisure and hospitality industry led the U.S. economy to its worst month of job losses in modern history.
The industry, which includes waiters, bellhops, bartenders and casino employees, suffered by far the largest losses in April as the coronavirus and efforts to contain its spread kept Americans homebound.
The leisure and hospitality industry lost 7.7 million jobs, or 47% of total positions.
The vast majority of the industry's layoffs were in food service, where the government said nearly 5.5 million chefs, waiters, cashiers and other restaurant staff lost employment. Casinos and amusement parks also cut more than 1 million workers last month as Americans refrained from travel and shored up finances amid the ongoing U.S. pullback.
The Cheesecake Factory , for example, furloughed 41,000 hourly workers at the end of March. The struggling restaurant chain saw its March same-store sales decline 46% as dining room closures tanked its business. The company is forecasting that 15% of its dining rooms will reopen by the end of May.
The job losses at The Cheesecake Factory would be reflected in the April jobs report instead of the March print because of the way the government surveys businesses and households.
The health-care and education sector also saw some of April's steepest job cuts with a loss of 2.5 million. Health care comprised the majority of that decline as a contraction in revenue, the result of fewer elective and routine procedures forced hospitals and clinics to cut 1.4 million employees.
Dental offices, which are categorized under the broader health-care subsector, cut more than 500,000 payrolls.
"The changes in these measures reflect the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it. Employment fell sharply in all major industry sectors, with particularly heavy job losses in leisure and hospitality," the Labor Department said in a release.
"In health care, employment declined by 1.4 million, led by losses in offices of dentists (-503,000), offices of physicians (-243,000), and offices of other health care practitioners (-205,000). Employment also declined in social assistance (-651,000), reflecting job losses in child day care services (-336,000) and individual and family services (-241,000)," the government said.
The professional and business services sector, which includes lawyers, accountants, engineers and temporary workers (such as laborers, office clerks and packagers) lost 2.1 million jobs. Temporary help workers, typically contracted on a per diem or per-project basis, comprised nearly 1 million of that industry's losses.
The industry figures came as part of the Labor Department's April 2020 jobs report, which showed that payrolls plunged by 20.5 million last month while the unemployment rate rocketed to 14.7%, record levels in the post-World War II era.
Those numbers are dire reminders of the millions of Americans who've lost their jobs in recent weeks thanks to the coronavirus and government strategies to stop Covid-19.
State governments across the country ordered the majority of businesses closed to slow the spread of Covid-19. State governors in New York, California and New Jersey all ordered a wide swath of their commerce closed, shuttering firms including bookstores, dine-in restaurants and florists.
But such efforts to stanch the spread of the disease, which has killed more than 75,000 Americans and infected more than 1.2 million in the U.S., has forced thousands of managers to lay off employees to offset the abrupt halt to sales.
— CNBC's Amelia Lucas contributed to this report.
Click here for the latest news on the coronavirus. Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world.


bonginoreport--2020-05-09--42% Think Coronavirus Will Cause People to Permanently Move Out of Large Cities

Forty-two percent ( 42 % ) of American voters think it ’ s at least somewhat likely that -- as a result of the coronavirus -- many people will permanently move out of the large cities like New York , according to a new Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen .
The total includes 40 % of urban voters , 40 % of those in the suburbs , and 47 % of rural voters .
Overall , 12 % of voters consider such an exodus from large cities to be Very Likely .
Thirty-nine percent ( 39 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than many people will leave such huge cities behind .
The numbers were a bit higher among black ( 50 % ) and Hispanic ( 48 % ) voters .
`` A Number of the Day I released earlier highlighted just how unique New York ’ s population density is compared to the rest of America , '' Rasmussen said .
`` The most densely populated county in the United States is Manhattan , with 67,000 residents per square mile .
By way of comparison , the average U.S. city has a population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mile .
In other words , Manhattan has more than 40 times the population density of the average city .
The U.S. as a whole has about 90 people per square mile .
After Manhattan , the next three most-populated counties are also in New York : Brooklyn , the Bronx and Queens . ''
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that Eric Schmidt , the former executive chairman of Google parent company Alphabet will lead a 15-member commission on “ reimagining ” a post-COVID-19 New York City .
Schmidt 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into future urban planning .
Just the News Daily Poll respondents were asked “ As a result of the coronavirus , how likely is it that many people will permanently move out of large cities like New York ? ''
They replied as below : • 34 % Not Very Likely • 10 % Not at All Likely The national survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted April 30-May 2 , 2020 by Rasmussen , a polling veteran .
Margin of sampling error : +/- 2.8 % for full sample .
To see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question , click below : To see the methodology and sample demographics for this polling question , click below :

Forty-two percent (42%) of American voters think it’s at least somewhat likely that--as a result of the coronavirus-- many people will permanently move out of the large cities like New York, according to a new Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen.
The total includes 40% of urban voters, 40% of those in the suburbs, and 47% of rural voters. Overall, 12% of voters consider such an exodus from large cities to be Very Likely. Thirty-nine percent (39%) of white voters consider it likely than many people will leave such huge cities behind. The numbers were a bit higher among black (50%) and Hispanic (48%) voters.
Image Just the News Daily Poll With Scott Rasmussen
"A Number of the Day I released earlier highlighted just how unique New York’s population density is compared to the rest of America," Rasmussen said. "The most densely populated county in the United States is Manhattan, with 67,000 residents per square mile. By way of comparison, the average U.S. city has a population density of about 1,600 people per square mile. In other words, Manhattan has more than 40 times the population density of the average city. The U.S. as a whole has about 90 people per square mile. After Manhattan, the next three most-populated counties are also in New York: Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that Eric Schmidt, the former executive chairman of Google parent company Alphabet will lead a 15-member commission on“reimagining” a post-COVID-19 New York City. Schmidt's selection was aimed at integrating technology best-practices into future urban planning.
Just the News Daily Poll respondents were asked “As a result of the coronavirus, how likely is it that many people will permanently move out of large cities like New York?" They replied as below:
12% Very Likely
30% Somewhat Likely
34% Not Very Likely
10% Not at All Likely
14% Not Sure
The national survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted April 30-May 2, 2020 by Rasmussen, a polling veteran. Margin of sampling error: +/- 2.8% for full sample.
To see the full demographic cross-tabulations for this polling question, click below:
To see the methodology and sample demographics for this polling question, click below:


bonginoreport--2020-05-09--SCOTUS Rules Encouraging Illegals to Remain in U.S. Is a Crime

The Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal statute that forbids encouraging illegal aliens to remain in the U.S. unlawfully in a decision Thursday .
The Supreme Court justices voided an earlier decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals , which had ruled that a federal anti-harboring statute was unconstitutional on the grounds that it violated the First Amendment by restricting free speech .
The ruling by the nation ’ s highest court Thursday upholds the law .
The Supreme Court not only vacated the appeals court ’ s decision , but also criticized the judges for “ drastically ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bader Ginsburg , a liberal stalwart of the bench , wrote the high court ’ s opinion .
“ [ T ] he appeals panel departed so drastically from the principle of party presentation as to constitute an abuse of discretion , ” Ginsburg wrote , and later stated that “ a court is not hidebound by the precise arguments of counsel , but the Ninth Circuit ’ s radical transformation of this case goes well beyond the pale.
” ( RELATED : Trump ’ s Win With Appeals Court Prevents Release Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a close a court battle that lasted roughly 10 years .
A grand jury indicted California immigration consultant Evelyn Sineneng-Smith in 2010 for multiple violations of anti-harboring laws , which make it a felony to “ encourag [ e ] or induc [ e ] an alien to come to , enter , or reside in the United States , knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to , entry , or residence is or will be in violation of law.
” Sineneng-Smith encouraged illegal alien clients to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to remain legally in the country , despite them not qualifying for the certification , according to the indictment .
She would charge her clients a fee for this service , and allegedly made millions off of the scheme .
Sineneng-Smith earned more than $ 3.3 million off of her clients , legal affairs outlet Jurist reported .
In a challenge to the decision , Sineneng-Smith argued that the law violated her right to free speech .
The Ninth Circuit reversed her conviction , finding that the entire law was invalid as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Ninth Circuit ’ s reversal however , was not based on arguments presented by her defense , but by third party arguments submitted to the panel of judges .
The Supreme Court ruled that the Ninth Circuit overstepped its authority by injecting an argument not made by the defendant herself .
The decision ultimately reaffirms that parties — not the courts — shape issues in a court case .
The case is now to be sent back to the Ninth Circuit “ for reconsideration … bearing a fair resemblance to the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hailed by immigration hawks .
“ We applaud the Court ’ s well-reasoned decision , ” Dale L. Wilcox , executive director and general counsel of Immigration Reform Law Institute , said in a statement .
“ Unfortunately , the Court did not have to reach the issue of whether this important statute is constitutional , but it did keep the law in place .
When and if the overbreadth issue is brought up properly by a defendant in the future , we will be there , ” Wilcox said .
Content created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal statute that forbids encouraging illegal aliens to remain in the U.S. unlawfully in a decision Thursday.
The Supreme Court justices voided an earlier decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which had ruled that a federal anti-harboring statute was unconstitutional on the grounds that it violated the First Amendment by restricting free speech. The ruling by the nation’s highest court Thursday upholds the law.
The Supreme Court not only vacated the appeals court’s decision, but also criticized the judges for “drastically” straying from judicial norms.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal stalwart of the bench, wrote the high court’s opinion.
“[T]he appeals panel departed so drastically from the principle of party presentation as to constitute an abuse of discretion,” Ginsburg wrote, and later stated that “a court is not hidebound by the precise arguments of counsel, but the Ninth Circuit’s radical transformation of this case goes well beyond the pale.” (RELATED: Trump’s Win With Appeals Court Prevents Release Of 250 ICE Detainees)
The decision brings to a close a court battle that lasted roughly 10 years.
A grand jury indicted California immigration consultant Evelyn Sineneng-Smith in 2010 for multiple violations of anti-harboring laws, which make it a felony to “encourag[e] or induc[e] an alien to come to, enter, or reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law.”
Sineneng-Smith encouraged illegal alien clients to apply for a certification that would allow them to remain legally in the country, despite them not qualifying for the certification, according to the indictment. She would charge her clients a fee for this service, and allegedly made millions off of the scheme.
Sineneng-Smith earned more than $3.3 million off of her clients, legal affairs outlet Jurist reported.
In a challenge to the decision, Sineneng-Smith argued that the law violated her right to free speech. The Ninth Circuit reversed her conviction, finding that the entire law was invalid as an over broad restriction of speech.
The Ninth Circuit’s reversal however, was not based on arguments presented by her defense, but by third party arguments submitted to the panel of judges.
The Supreme Court ruled that the Ninth Circuit overstepped its authority by injecting an argument not made by the defendant herself. The decision ultimately reaffirms that parties — not the courts — shape issues in a court case.
The case is now to be sent back to the Ninth Circuit “for reconsideration … bearing a fair resemblance to the case shaped by parties.”
The decision was hailed by immigration hawks.
“We applaud the Court’s well-reasoned decision,” Dale L. Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of Immigration Reform Law Institute, said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, the Court did not have to reach the issue of whether this important statute is constitutional, but it did keep the law in place. When and if the overbreadth issue is brought up properly by a defendant in the future, we will be there,” Wilcox said.
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.