inquisitr--2020-12-21--Donald Trump Is Still ‘Desperately’ Looking For A Way To Overturn The Election, Columnist Says

In a Monday piece for Raw Story , columnist Amanda Marcotte argued that Donald Trump is still “ desperately ” looking for a way to overturn the results of the 2020 election .
Although she noted that his recent campaign against the election is also an attempt to “ defraud people , ” she argued that he is also looking for a legitimate way to maintain power in the White House .
Marcotte pointed to the recent piece in The New York Times that covered Trump ’ s alleged discussion about naming Sidney Powell to head a special counsel into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coup to cancel the election .
While the writer acknowledged that some people are contending that the purported coup plan is not troubling because the U.S. leader doesn ’ t have the power to enact it , she argued otherwise .
According to Marcotte , Trump truly believes there is a “ ‘ Get Out Of Democracy Free ’ card ” that he has yet to discover , pointing to longtime Republican operative Scott Jennings .
Jennings , who is close to the president ’ s team , told Politico that he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will work in his favor — not matter how long it takes .
The columnist concluded her piece by arguing that Trump would be restricting himself to fundraising , tweeting , and golfing if his battle against the election was “ just a grift.
” “ But he ’ s still actively looking for buttons to push — and entertaining violence as a way to get his way — and he still has many weeks left in office in which he can use his existing power to continue undermining democracy.
” The New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s personal lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , opposed Trump ’ s proposal to create a Powell-headed special counsel to focus on voter fraud .
Powell made headlines when she pushed unfounded conspiracy theories about fraud in the election , including one that suggested Joe Biden ’ s victory was linked to a Venezuelan plot to rig America ’ s electoral process .
As reported by ABC News , outgoing Attorney General William Barr on Monday pushed back on Trump ’ s purported plan to use the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he sees “ no basis ” for seizing voting machines at the moment .
Trump has pushed back against claims that he is planning to impose martial law to overturn the 2020 election .

In a Monday piece for Raw Story, columnist Amanda Marcotte argued that Donald Trump is still “desperately” looking for a way to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Although she noted that his recent campaign against the election is also an attempt to “defraud people,” she argued that he is also looking for a legitimate way to maintain power in the White House.
Marcotte pointed to the recent piece in The New York Times that covered Trump’s alleged discussion about naming Sidney Powell to head a special counsel into election fraud and consideration of a military coup to cancel the election. While the writer acknowledged that some people are contending that the purported coup plan is not troubling because the U.S. leader doesn’t have the power to enact it, she argued otherwise.
“The story isn’t just alarming because Trump is flirting with violence, either. It’s alarming because it’s proof that Trump is continuing to push these idiotic conspiracy theories because he really, truly does think there’s still a way for him to steal this election.”
According to Marcotte, Trump truly believes there is a “‘Get Out Of Democracy Free’ card” that he has yet to discover, pointing to longtime Republican operative Scott Jennings. Jennings, who is close to the president’s team, told Politico that he has a “supreme confidence” that things will work in his favor — not matter how long it takes.
The columnist concluded her piece by arguing that Trump would be restricting himself to fundraising, tweeting, and golfing if his battle against the election was “just a grift.”
“But he’s still actively looking for buttons to push — and entertaining violence as a way to get his way — and he still has many weeks left in office in which he can use his existing power to continue undermining democracy.”
The New York Times’ reporting claimed that Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, opposed Trump’s proposal to create a Powell-headed special counsel to focus on voter fraud. Powell made headlines when she pushed unfounded conspiracy theories about fraud in the election, including one that suggested Joe Biden’s victory was linked to a Venezuelan plot to rig America’s electoral process.
As reported by ABC News, outgoing Attorney General William Barr on Monday pushed back on Trump’s purported plan to use the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seize voting machines. In particular, Barr said he sees “no basis” for seizing voting machines at the moment.
Trump has pushed back against claims that he is planning to impose martial law to overturn the 2020 election.


inquisitr--2020-12-23--Nancy Pelosi Immediately Agrees With Donald Trump’s Call For $2,000 Stimulus Check To Americans, Ask

Nancy Pelosi Immediately Agrees With Donald Trump’s Call For $2,000 Stimulus Check To Americans, Asks For Vote

Nancy Pelosi jumped at Donald Trump ’ s suggestion that Americans receive a $ 2,000 stimulus check in the newest coronavirus relief deal , noting her immediate agreement with the idea and calling for a House vote .
Trump demanded on Tuesday that lawmakers send a new version of the COVID-19 relief package , saying that the plans for a $ 600 check for Americans must be increased to $ 2,000 .
“ I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $ 600 to $ 2,000 , or $ 4,000 for a couple , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I am also asking Congress to get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill.
” As the report noted , Trump ’ s suggestion drew immediate approval from the House speaker , who wrote on Twitter that Democrats were ready to back the president ’ s proposal .
“ Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks .
At last , the President has agreed to $ 2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Let ’ s do it !
” Pelosi tweeted .
Many had spoken out about the small sum included for Americans as part of the new deal , noting that it was half the amount given in the initial stimulus and not enough for families struggling with paying bills or facing potential eviction .
Other Democrats appeared to join Pelosi in backing Trump ’ s call for a larger stimulus .
Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan said that she and fellow Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had already drafted an amendment that would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not clear if it would have support among Republicans — or in the Senate , where it would also have to pass .
Pelosi had long been advocating for a new relief package that focused on giving direct aid to those impacted by the pandemic .
As The Inquisitr reported , she had previously pushed for $ 1,200 direct payments .
This was a number that Trump had also agreed to during negotiations that stretched on for months after the initial relief package was passed in the first few weeks after lockdowns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump raised other criticisms of the bill , which the Associated Press noted was the largest ever passed by Congress at close to 5,600 pages .
He objected to foreign aid included in it , noting that lawmakers would not have had the time to read the entire piece of legislation before voting on it .
He raised the idea of issuing a veto , which would require a two-thirds vote each from the House and Senate to override .

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inquisitr--2020-12-23--Donald Trump’s Blackwater Mercenary Pardons Could Suggest Plans For A ‘Private Army,’ Author Says

On Friday , Donald Trump pardoned four Blackwater mercenaries who were convicted of massacring Iraqi civilians in Nisour Square , Baghdad .
According to author Stephen O ’ Brien , the decision to offer clemency to the military contractors could be a sign of the president ’ s future plans .
“ DJT pardoning Erik Prince mercenaries sound a hell of a lot like he wants a private army , ” he tweeted .
As reported by The New York Times , Trump pardoned former Blackwater mercenaries Nicholas Slatten , Evan Liberty , Paul Slough , and Dustin Heard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the murder of 17 Iraqi civilians — including two boys aged 8 and 11 .
The publication noted that the Department of Justice made significant efforts to prosecute Slatten , who was sentenced to life in prison before Trump ’ s pardon .
Supporters of the mercenaries claimed they were unjustly punished for their crimes and argued that the investigation and prosecution were marred with concerning issues , MarketWatch wrote .
While former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince worked as a Trump official , The Intercept reported that he attempted to provide his military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group , which is currently involved in at least two conflicts in Africa .
The former U.S. Navy SEAL officer still owns the Blackwater trademark and revealed in August that the company is again getting involved in security services — the nature of which is still unclear .
With the recent pardons , some are speculating on Twitter that the president is providing a favor to Prince .
David Corn , D.C. bureau chief of Mother Jones , tweeted that it could be for the businessman reportedly lying to investigators in the Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brien and attorney Seth Abramson , suggest that Trump is vying for a private army .
According to Georgetown University professor Don Moynihan via Twitter , Trump ’ s decision to pardon the former Blackwater employees sets a concerning precedent that could mean less accountability for future mercenaries .
Trump ’ s recent decision to pull United States troops from Somalia was speculated by some to be part of a plan to make way for mercenaries backed by Prince .
The Blackwater founder has a long history that involves training CIA operatives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a training program for a terrorist hit squad .
The covert program was allegedly supported by then-Vice President Dick Cheney , in addition to other West Wing officials .

'Jersey Shore's Angelina Pivarnick Vows to Avoid Big Lavish Weddings After Breakup With Chris Larangeira
"If I'm going to ever get married, it would be an eloping and something very small with just a couple [of] people," Angelina Pivarnick said.
3h ago


inquisitr--2020-12-23--Justin Amash Slams Lawmakers Who Supported Coronavirus Package: ‘Don’t Vote For Anyone Who Voted For

Justin Amash Slams Lawmakers Who Supported Coronavirus Package: ‘Don’t Vote For Anyone Who Voted For This’

Outgoing Michigan Rep. Justin Amash on Monday slammed lawmakers who supported the recently passed $ 900 billion coronavirus stimulus package that many criticized for its lack of help for working Americans .
“ They passed 5,593 pages they didn ’ t read , ” he tweeted .
“ America , stop letting this happen .
Don ’ t vote for anyone who voted for this .
It ’ s not okay .
Representative government is important .
Too many people have come to accept oligarchy .
This doesn ’ t end well.
” Shortly before the remarks , the congressman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he called a “ towering pillar of corporatism ” — could have provided adequate cash relief to Americans if the package was put to the floor months ago for a deliberative process that allowed amendments .
As The Inquisitr reported , Amash has supported replacing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , both of whom he claims have prevented Congress from working the way it should .
The following day , Amash highlighted the small amount of time that lawmakers had to read the massive bill .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included stimulus checks valued at $ 600 , which is half the value of the first batch and significantly less than the $ 2,000 that progressive lawmakers wanted .
The legislation was viewed by some as a win for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , whose efforts were allegedly helped by President-elect Joe Biden .
As reported by Fox News , the package was approved by the House of Representatives by a 359-53 margin , with 50 Republicans and two Democrats opposed to it .
The Democrats who voted against the package were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who claimed that it didn ’ t provide nearly enough funding for working Americans .
Per CNBC , the package subsequently made its way through the Senate by a 92-6 margin .
The six lawmakers against the bill were all Republicans — Sens .
Ted Cruz , Marsha Blackburn , Rick Scott , Rand Paul , Ron Johnson , and Mike Lee .
CNBC noted that the benefits would come too late for many American citizens who have been evicted from their homes and businesses that have had to shutter permanently .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of writing a demand for checks as little as $ 1,200 and as much as $ 2,000 , he was reportedly convinced to walk back his plan out of fear that he would destroy negotiations .

Outgoing Michigan Rep. Justin Amash on Monday slammed lawmakers who supported the recently passed $900 billion coronavirus stimulus package that many criticized for its lack of help for working Americans.
“They passed 5,593 pages they didn’t read,” he tweeted. “America, stop letting this happen. Don’t vote for anyone who voted for this. It’s not okay. Representative government is important. Too many people have come to accept oligarchy. This doesn’t end well.”
Shortly before the remarks, the congressman suggested on Twitter that the legislation — which he called a “towering pillar of corporatism” — could have provided adequate cash relief to Americans if the package was put to the floor months ago for a deliberative process that allowed amendments.
As The Inquisitr reported, Amash has supported replacing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, both of whom he claims have prevented Congress from working the way it should.
The following day, Amash highlighted the small amount of time that lawmakers had to read the massive bill.
“I’ve spent ten years warning about the erosion of representative democracy resulting from increasingly centralized power, but even I didn’t imagine a Congress that would be handed a 5,593-page bill at 1:46 p.m., vote on it at 7:35 p.m., and then brag about the good job they did.”
The $900 billion plan that passed Congress included stimulus checks valued at $600, which is half the value of the first batch and significantly less than the $2,000 that progressive lawmakers wanted. The legislation was viewed by some as a win for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose efforts were allegedly helped by President-elect Joe Biden.
As reported by Fox News, the package was approved by the House of Representatives by a 359-53 margin, with 50 Republicans and two Democrats opposed to it. The Democrats who voted against the package were Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Rashida Tlaib, who claimed that it didn’t provide nearly enough funding for working Americans.
Per CNBC, the package subsequently made its way through the Senate by a 92-6 margin. The six lawmakers against the bill were all Republicans — Sens. Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn, Rick Scott, Rand Paul, Ron Johnson, and Mike Lee.
CNBC noted that the benefits would come too late for many American citizens who have been evicted from their homes and businesses that have had to shutter permanently.
Although Donald Trump was allegedly in the process of writing a demand for checks as little as $1,200 and as much as $2,000, he was reportedly convinced to walk back his plan out of fear that he would destroy negotiations.


inquisitr--2020-12-22--Joe Biden Undermined Progressives To Push Through Mitch McConnell’s Coronavirus Aid, Author Says

Author David Sirota , who was a senior adviser and speechwriter for Bernie Sanders ’ 2020 campaign , claimed on Tuesday that President-elect Joe Biden undermined progressives to ensure that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s coronavirus aid package was passed .
“ Buried in a NY Times report is news that Biden played a key role in undermining progressives & helping McConnell halve the stimulus bill – which is another sign that Biden ’ s longtime austerity zealotry is alive & well .
Don ’ t say you weren ’ t warned , ” he tweeted .
Sirota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Monday piece that spotlighted the forces behind the passing of the recent stimulus legislation .
The piece noted that Biden threw his support between the $ 900 billion plan that was supported by centrists in the Senate and House and amounted to less than half of the $ 2 trillion legislation that was proposed by top Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer .
The publication alleged that Biden ’ s support of the bill “ gave Democrats confidence to pull back on their demands.
” According to Republican Sen .
Senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was influential on his party ’ s lawmakers .
Author Matt Stoller also highlighted the revelation in The New York Times ’ piece and expressed concern .
“ Oh look Joe Biden is why the covid relief package is so small , ” he tweeted before he pointed to the article .
According to Stoller , the move is not out of the ordinary for the Democratic Party .
Biden has long touted his ability to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans .
As reported by CNN , before announcing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his relationships with GOP congressmen and claimed that America needs to begin working together again .
But many Democrats have criticized Biden for being overly friendly to Republicans .
Notably , Biden praised Republican Rep. Fred Upton during a paid speech ahead of an election against a Democratic opponent who received no praise from the former vice president .
The Biden-backed coronavirus package includes $ 600 checks for working Americans — half the value of those received in the first round .
As The Inquisitr reported , progressives have pushed for as much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was in the process of demanding anywhere from $ 1,200 to $ 2,000 checks before he was convinced to back down by White House aides who believed he would blow up negotiations .

Author David Sirota, who was a senior adviser and speechwriter for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign, claimed on Tuesday that President-elect Joe Biden undermined progressives to ensure that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s coronavirus aid package was passed.
“Buried in a NY Times report is news that Biden played a key role in undermining progressives & helping McConnell halve the stimulus bill – which is another sign that Biden’s longtime austerity zealotry is alive & well. Don’t say you weren’t warned,” he tweeted.
Sirota was referring to The New York Times’ Monday piece that spotlighted the forces behind the passing of the recent stimulus legislation. The piece noted that Biden threw his support between the $900 billion plan that was supported by centrists in the Senate and House and amounted to less than half of the $2 trillion legislation that was proposed by top Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.
The publication alleged that Biden’s support of the bill “gave Democrats confidence to pull back on their demands.” According to Republican Sen. Senator Susan Collins, Biden’s intervention was influential on his party’s lawmakers.
Author Matt Stoller also highlighted the revelation in The New York Times’ piece and expressed concern.
“Oh look Joe Biden is why the covid relief package is so small,” he tweeted before he pointed to the article.
According to Stoller, the move is not out of the ordinary for the Democratic Party.
“Democrats aren’t selling out their base or caving, this is who we are. We are the party of people who supported a craven wannabe Instagram influencer as President for eight years because we couldn’t get over our own upper class moral vanity clothed in social justice rhetoric.”
Biden has long touted his ability to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans. As reported by CNN, before announcing his 2020 bid, the former senator embraced his relationships with GOP congressmen and claimed that America needs to begin working together again. But many Democrats have criticized Biden for being overly friendly to Republicans. Notably, Biden praised Republican Rep. Fred Upton during a paid speech ahead of an election against a Democratic opponent who received no praise from the former vice president.
The Biden-backed coronavirus package includes $600 checks for working Americans — half the value of those received in the first round. As The Inquisitr reported, progressives have pushed for as much as $2,000 checks, and Donald Trump was in the process of demanding anywhere from $1,200 to $2,000 checks before he was convinced to back down by White House aides who believed he would blow up negotiations.


inquisitr--2020-12-22--Ted Cruz Is ‘Positioning Himself To Win’ The GOP’s 2024 Presidential Nomination, Commentator Says

Conservative commentator Mike Cernovich believes that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is on track to secure the Republican Party ’ s nomination in the 2024 United States presidential election .
“ Ted Cruz is positioning himself to win the nomination in 2024 , ” he tweeted on Tuesday .
“ He was only guy I thought could beat Trump in 2016 .
Most don ’ t know how genius Cruz is unless you were immersed in wonky SCOTUS stuff .
Seems like normal guy , he ain ’ t .
He ’ s putting in the work .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the lawmaker is learning how to best craft his public image to appeal to Americans .
In a subsequent tweet , he called Cruz a “ legitimate intellectual ” who is learning how to balance his intelligence with his attempts to be “ folksy.
” Cruz has long been rumored to be eyeing a 2024 run after failing to secure the GOP ’ s nomination in 2016 , which saw Donald Trump win and go on to win the general election .
Along with Cernovich , author Tomi T. Ahonen believes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 2024 nomination .
“ The most obvious 2024 candidate for Patriot Party is Ted Cruz , finished 2nd against Trump , ” he tweeted last week .
“ Or Marco Rubio .
Most obvious 2024 candidate for rump-GOP is Romney who clearly wants to run again .
Could be Kasich .
So 2024 election could be Biden vs Romney vs Cruz.
” Cruz will be up for a third Senate term in 2024 , which would make that year an ideal time to make a bid for the presidency .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that the politician would have to play his cards right to ensure that he doesn ’ t clash with Trump — his closest competitor in the 2016 primary who is not known for going easy on those that try to take the spotlight from him .
Although Trump has allegedly floated a 2024 bid , Axios claimed that the president is now planning to hold off on deciding whether to announce another campaign for the time being .
According to The Texas Tribune , Cruz ’ s recent political moves have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run .
He notably spent time on the campaign trail in November for Senate colleagues facing stiff competition and launched a fundraising committee to raise money for GOP congressional candidates .
The senator has also supported Trump ’ s refusal to concede the 2020 race to President-elect Joe Biden .
The publication claimed that this decision is likely a “ recognition ” that Trump will indefinitely remain a political force in the party .

Conservative commentator Mike Cernovich believes that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is on track to secure the Republican Party’s nomination in the 2024 United States presidential election.
“Ted Cruz is positioning himself to win the nomination in 2024,” he tweeted on Tuesday. “He was only guy I thought could beat Trump in 2016. Most don’t know how genius Cruz is unless you were immersed in wonky SCOTUS stuff. Seems like normal guy, he ain’t. He’s putting in the work. I’m watching closely.”
According to the commentator, the lawmaker is learning how to best craft his public image to appeal to Americans. In a subsequent tweet, he called Cruz a “legitimate intellectual ” who is learning how to balance his intelligence with his attempts to be “folksy.”
Cruz has long been rumored to be eyeing a 2024 run after failing to secure the GOP’s nomination in 2016, which saw Donald Trump win and go on to win the general election. Along with Cernovich, author Tomi T. Ahonen believes that Cruz is a frontrunner for the GOP’s 2024 nomination.
“The most obvious 2024 candidate for Patriot Party is Ted Cruz, finished 2nd against Trump,” he tweeted last week. “Or Marco Rubio. Most obvious 2024 candidate for rump-GOP is Romney who clearly wants to run again. Could be Kasich. So 2024 election could be Biden vs Romney vs Cruz.”
Cruz will be up for a third Senate term in 2024, which would make that year an ideal time to make a bid for the presidency. But Southern Methodist University professor Cal Jillson previously noted that the politician would have to play his cards right to ensure that he doesn’t clash with Trump — his closest competitor in the 2016 primary who is not known for going easy on those that try to take the spotlight from him.
Although Trump has allegedly floated a 2024 bid, Axios claimed that the president is now planning to hold off on deciding whether to announce another campaign for the time being.
According to The Texas Tribune, Cruz’s recent political moves have been laying the groundwork for a potential 2024 run. He notably spent time on the campaign trail in November for Senate colleagues facing stiff competition and launched a fundraising committee to raise money for GOP congressional candidates. The senator has also supported Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 race to President-elect Joe Biden. The publication claimed that this decision is likely a “recognition” that Trump will indefinitely remain a political force in the party.


inquisitr--2020-12-24--Donald Trump Slammed For Issuing Pardon To Jared Kushner’s Father: ‘The Clearing Of The Cronies Cont

Donald Trump Slammed For Issuing Pardon To Jared Kushner’s Father: ‘The Clearing Of The Cronies Continues’

Donald Trump is coming under fire after issuing a pardon to Jared Kushner ’ s father , part of a wave of controversial pardons as his term comes to an end .
As CNN reported , Trump on Wednesday named 26 new pardons , including Charles Kushner .
He had been convicted of tax evasion , with then-U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Chris Christie leading the prosecution against him .
He was also convicted of lying to Federal Election Commission .
The president also pardoned longtime ally and political adviser Roger Stone and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort .
Jared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roles in the White House , including taking the lead on Middle East issues and business initiatives , despite criticism that he did not have the proper experience to lead these measures .
The decision drew some immediate pushback , with many speaking out against Trump .
Adam Klasfeld of Law & Crime said that Trump ’ s actions appeared to be aimed to helping out those who have supported him in the past .
“ Trump pardons PAUL MANAFORT , ROGER STONE and CHARLES KUSHNER ( his son-in-law ’ s father ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pardons and three commutations .
The clearing of the cronies continues , ” Klasfeld tweeted .
As Jonathan Swan of Axios reported , Trump was expected to hand out pardons “ like Christmas gifts ” as he time in office came to an end .
He has already handed them out to two convicted Republican representatives , Duncan Hunter and Chris Collins .
They were the first two congressmen to endorse Trump ’ s 2016 election run , the outlet noted .
He also pardoned Alex van der Zwaan and former campaign aide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty through the Russia probe .
Trump had already pardoned former national security adviser Michael Flynn .
The president has been criticized in the past for pardoning those who had supported him , with the first of his presidency going to former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio .
He had been found guilty of criminal contempt for violating a judge ’ s order to stop traffic patrols that targeted Hispanic residents .
One of the most controversial came earlier in the week , when he issued a pardon to members of the military contractor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing Iraqi civilians in an attack in 2007 .
As NPR reported , the United Nations Human Rights Office issued a statement saying it was “ deeply concerned ” by the move .
“ These four individuals were given sentences ranging from 12 years to life imprisonment , including on charges of first-degree murder , ” spokesperson Marta Hurtado said in a statement .
“ Pardoning them contributes to impunity and has the effect of emboldening others to commit such crimes in the future .
”

Donald Trump is coming under fire after issuing a pardon to Jared Kushner’s father, marking the latest in a wave of controversial pardons as his term comes to an end.
As CNN reported, Trump on Wednesday named 26 new pardons, including Charles Kushner. He had been convicted of tax evasion, with then-U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Chris Christie leading the prosecution against him. He was also convicted of lying to Federal Election Commission. The president also pardoned longtime ally and political adviser Roger Stone and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Jared Kushner has served a number of top roles in the White House, including taking the lead on Middle East issues and business initiatives, despite criticism that he did not have the proper experience to lead these measures.
The decision drew some immediate pushback, with many speaking out against Trump. Adam Klasfeld of Law & Crime said that Trump’s actions appeared to be aimed at helping out those who have supported him in the past.
“Trump pardons PAUL MANAFORT, ROGER STONE and CHARLES KUSHNER (his son-in-law’s father), in a new wave of 26 pardons and three commutations. The clearing of the cronies continues,” Klasfeld tweeted.
Outgoing President Trump pardons Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, and Jared Kushner’s father Charles, whom then-US Attorney Chris Christie prosecuted for tax evasion, witness tampering and illegal campaign contributions. Current swamp status: pic.twitter.com/dyZoUj4y98 — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 24, 2020
As Jonathan Swan of Axios reported, Trump was expected to hand out pardons “like Christmas gifts” as his time in office came to an end. He has already handed them out to two convicted Republican representatives, Duncan Hunter and Chris Collins. They were the first two congressmen to endorse Trump’s 2016 election run, the outlet noted. He also pardoned Alex van der Zwaan and former campaign aide George Papadopoulos, who had both pleaded guilty through the Russia probe.
Trump had already pardoned former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
The president has been criticized in the past for pardoning those who had supported him, with the first of his presidency going to former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. He had been found guilty of criminal contempt for violating a judge’s order to stop traffic patrols that targeted Hispanic residents.
One of the most controversial came earlier in the week when he issued a pardon to members of the military contractor Blackwater who had been found guilty of killing Iraqi civilians in an attack in 2007. According to NPR, the United Nations Human Rights Office issued a statement saying it was “deeply concerned” by the move.
“These four individuals were given sentences ranging from 12 years to life imprisonment, including on charges of first-degree murder,” spokesperson Marta Hurtado said. “Pardoning them contributes to impunity and has the effect of emboldening others to commit such crimes in the future.”


inquisitr--2020-12-23--Andrew Yang Files To Run For New York City Mayor

Entrepreneur and former Democratic Party presidential candidate , Andrew Yang , has filed paperwork to run for mayor of New York City , Campaign Finance Board confirmed Wednesday .
Per New York Daily News , in the Democratic primaries , Yang will compete against former Citigroup executive Ray McGuire , former Housing and Urban Development Department secretary Shaun Donovan , City Councilman Ron Menchaca , Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams , former Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia and several others .
Yang rose to national prominence during the presidential primaries .
His 2020 campaign was centered around universal basic income and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a monthly stipend of $ 1,000 .
According to Fordham University political scientist Christina Greer , Yang ’ s presence is guaranteed to change the dynamics of the race , given that the businessman is a well-known figure , unlike most of his competitors .
“ It makes it more difficult for Ray McGuire because now you have two finance guys .
He has a lot of name recognition so it makes it more difficult for people without that , ” Greer said .
Education Reform Now Advocacy New York , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , recently released a poll which showed Yang leading the crowded field of candidates .
In the survey , the former presidential contender received 17 percent support .
Adams came in second with 16 percent .
All the other candidates were far behind the two men .
The poll also found that New York City ’ s current mayor Bill de Blasio , whose second term will end next year , is not particular popular .
A majority of Democratic voters said that they hold an unfavorable view of de Blasio and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier this month , The New York Times reported that Yang “ has begun to make overtures to several of the city ’ s political power brokers.
” The entrepreneur has reportedly met with New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and civil rights activist Rev .
Al Sharpton to discuss his mayoral campaign .
Bradley Tusk and Chris Coffey , who worked for de Blasio ’ s predecessor Michael Bloomberg , will allegedly advise Yang .
Susan Kang , a political-science professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could resonate with New Yorkers amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ His brand is very zeitgeisty in many ways .
He ’ s made a name for himself by promoting universal programs at a time when everyone needs universal programs , ” she said .
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak , Yang has called for monthly stimulus checks .
In June , he expressed support for a monthly stipend of up to $ 2,000 for all Americans .

Entrepreneur and former Democratic Party presidential candidate, Andrew Yang, has filed paperwork to run for mayor of New York City, Campaign Finance Board confirmed Wednesday.
Per New York Daily News, in the Democratic primaries, Yang will compete against former Citigroup executive Ray McGuire, former Housing and Urban Development Department secretary Shaun Donovan, City Councilman Ron Menchaca, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, former Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia and several others.
Yang rose to national prominence during the presidential primaries. His 2020 campaign was centered around universal basic income and his proposal to provide every American adult with a monthly stipend of $1,000.
According to Fordham University political scientist Christina Greer, Yang’s presence is guaranteed to change the dynamics of the race, given that the businessman is a well-known figure, unlike most of his competitors.
“It makes it more difficult for Ray McGuire because now you have two finance guys. He has a lot of name recognition so it makes it more difficult for people without that,” Greer said.
Education Reform Now Advocacy New York, a partner organization of Democrats for Education Reform, recently released a poll which showed Yang leading the crowded field of candidates.
In the survey, the former presidential contender received 17 percent support. Adams came in second with 16 percent. All the other candidates were far behind the two men.
The poll also found that New York City’s current mayor Bill de Blasio, whose second term will end next year, is not particular popular. A majority of Democratic voters said that they hold an unfavorable view of de Blasio and his overall favorability rating was at 39 percent.
Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that Yang “has begun to make overtures to several of the city’s political power brokers.”
The entrepreneur has reportedly met with New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton to discuss his mayoral campaign. Bradley Tusk and Chris Coffey, who worked for de Blasio’s predecessor Michael Bloomberg, will allegedly advise Yang.
Susan Kang, a political-science professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told the NYT that Yang’s platform could resonate with New Yorkers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“His brand is very zeitgeisty in many ways. He’s made a name for himself by promoting universal programs at a time when everyone needs universal programs,” she said.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Yang has called for monthly stimulus checks. In June, he expressed support for a monthly stipend of up to $2,000 for all Americans.


inquisitr--2020-12-23--William Barr Is Reportedly ‘Alarmed’ At Donald Trump’s Recent Behavior

Former Attorney General William Barr is allegedly “ alarmed ” by Donald Trump ’ s recent behavior in the White House , The New York Times reported .
“ Mr .
Barr , whose last day in the job is Wednesday , has told associates he had been alarmed by Mr. Trump ’ s behavior in recent weeks .
Other advisers have privately said they feel worn out and are looking forward to the end of the term , ” the publication claimed .
Despite Barr ’ s purported alarm at Trump ’ s recent behavior , he appeared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about electoral fraud prior to the election .
According to The Intercept , Barr attempted to weaponize his Department of Justice to help Trump in his now-failed battle against President-elect Joe Biden .
The publication alleged that many former DOJ officials claim that Barr ’ s public statements and actions have worked to bolster the U.S. leader ’ s political interests .
Notably , Donald Ayer , a former deputy attorney general who served in the George H.W .
Bush administration , told the outlet that Barr used the months before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primarily for the purpose of advancing the president ’ s election prospects.
” According to The New York Times , Barr is one of many people who have expressed concern about Trump ’ s behavior and worry about how it will play out over the next four weeks .
Trump has allegedly holed himself in the White House and has not golfed since the recent temperature decreases .
Before his alleged concerns over Trump ’ s behavior , CBC reported on Monday that Barr pushed back on the U.S. leader ’ s request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral fraud and Hunter Biden ’ s alleged financial activities .
The former Trump administration official said he has “ not seen a reason ” for a special counsel and suggested he would not appoint one before he left his position in the administration .
Barr previously clashed with the commander-in-chief on fraud in the presidential race and claimed he has not seen any evidence of widespread interference in the 2020 referendum .
Trump expressed frustration with Barr in his final weeks as attorney general .
Notably , the president was not happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to forgo announcing the recently revealed federal investigation into Hunter Biden — one that was started two years ago — before it was paused by the Justice Department due to the presidential race .

Former Attorney General William Barr is allegedly “alarmed” by Donald Trump’s recent behavior in the White House, The New York Times reported.
“Mr. Barr, whose last day in the job is Wednesday, has told associates he had been alarmed by Mr. Trump’s behavior in recent weeks. Other advisers have privately said they feel worn out and are looking forward to the end of the term,” the publication claimed.
Despite Barr’s purported alarm at Trump’s recent behavior, he appeared to support the head of state’s concerns about electoral fraud prior to the election. According to The Intercept, Barr attempted to weaponize his Department of Justice to help Trump in his now-failed battle against President-elect Joe Biden. The publication alleged that many former DOJ officials claim that Barr’s public statements and actions have worked to bolster the U.S. leader’s political interests.
Notably, Donald Ayer, a former deputy attorney general who served in the George H.W. Bush administration, told the outlet that Barr used the months before the election to use weaponize the DOJ “primarily for the purpose of advancing the president’s election prospects.”
According to The New York Times, Barr is one of many people who have expressed concern about Trump’s behavior and worry about how it will play out over the next four weeks.
“Mr. Trump has spent his days watching television, calling Republicans in search of advice on how to challenge the electoral outcome and urging them to defend him on television. As always, he turns to Twitter for boosts of support and to vent his anger.”
Trump has allegedly holed himself in the White House and has not golfed since the recent temperature decreases.
Before his alleged concerns over Trump’s behavior, CBC reported on Monday that Barr pushed back on the U.S. leader’s request for a special counsel that would investigate electoral fraud and Hunter Biden’s alleged financial activities. The former Trump administration official said he has “not seen a reason” for a special counsel and suggested he would not appoint one before he left his position in the administration.
Barr previously clashed with the commander-in-chief on fraud in the presidential race and claimed he has not seen any evidence of widespread interference in the 2020 referendum.
Trump expressed frustration with Barr in his final weeks as attorney general. Notably, the president was not happy with his former ally’s decision to forgo announcing the recently revealed federal investigation into Hunter Biden — one that was started two years ago — before it was paused by the Justice Department due to the presidential race.


inquisitr--2020-12-23--Donald Trump Has Committed ‘An Act Of Sedition,’ New York Attorney General Says

During an interview with SiriusXM ’ s Dean Obeidallah that aired on Wednesday , New York Attorney General Letitia James claimed that Donald Trump ’ s attempt to overturn the 2020 election results amounts to “ an act of sedition , ” Mediaite reported .
“ The days of President Trump are closely coming to an end , ” she said .
“ And the reality is is that this is an act of sedition .
This president is engaging in illegality , and the fact that he would even consider martial law is an affront to our values , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Fast Company , Dictionary.com defines sedition as “ incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government ” and any action that promotes such behavior — primarily in speech and writing .
James ’ accusation of sedition was linked to reports that Trump floated the idea of declaring martial law to cancel the results of the 2020 race .
The U.S. leader ’ s apparent willingness to indulge conspiracy theorists has allegedly alarmed White House officials as he continues to contest Democrat Joe Biden ’ s victory , which was certified by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ echoed James and argued that Trump ’ s attacks on American democratic institutions are creating a “ pretty good sedition case against himself.
” According to James , Trump must accept Biden ’ s victory and stop trying to find evidence of widespread fraud in places where it doesn ’ t exist .
The attorney also argued that the head of state ’ s battle against the election is acting as a “ distraction ” from more pressing issues like the coronavirus pandemic .
Columnist Amanda Marcotte previously opined that Trump is using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defraud people for cash and find a legitimate way to ensure he remains in the White House .
She claimed that Trump is still searching for an elusive way to overturn the 2020 electoral results and warned that there are still weeks left that could provide him with an opportunity to do so .
James ’ office notably opened a civil investigation into the Trump family ’ s dealings with Deutsche Bank , Teen Vogue reported .
But if the investigations uncover illegal activity , the probe could shift to a criminal inquiry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still liable to face charges for state crimes even if he finds a way to escape potential federal charges , such as through a pardon from Mike Pence following the commander-in-chief ’ s resignation from office .

During an interview with SiriusXM’s Dean Obeidallah that aired on Wednesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James claimed that Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election results amounts to “an act of sedition,” Mediaite reported.
“The days of President Trump are closely coming to an end,” she said.
“And the reality is is that this is an act of sedition. This president is engaging in illegality, and the fact that he would even consider martial law is an affront to our values, and to the Constitution.”
As noted by Fast Company, Dictionary.com defines sedition as “incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government” and any action that promotes such behavior — primarily in speech and writing.
James’ accusation of sedition was linked to reports that Trump floated the idea of declaring martial law to cancel the results of the 2020 race. The U.S. leader’s apparent willingness to indulge conspiracy theorists has allegedly alarmed White House officials as he continues to contest Democrat Joe Biden’s victory, which was certified by the Electoral College last week.
The Nation echoed James and argued that Trump’s attacks on American democratic institutions are creating a “pretty good sedition case against himself.”
According to James, Trump must accept Biden’s victory and stop trying to find evidence of widespread fraud in places where it doesn’t exist. The attorney also argued that the head of state’s battle against the election is acting as a “distraction” from more pressing issues like the coronavirus pandemic.
“And the reality is that this is nothing more than an attempt by President Trump to raise money. It’s fundraising. That’s all that this is. Fundraising. And that’s all that he cares about.”
Columnist Amanda Marcotte previously opined that Trump is using his campaign against the election to both defraud people for cash and find a legitimate way to ensure he remains in the White House. She claimed that Trump is still searching for an elusive way to overturn the 2020 electoral results and warned that there are still weeks left that could provide him with an opportunity to do so.
James’ office notably opened a civil investigation into the Trump family’s dealings with Deutsche Bank, Teen Vogue reported. But if the investigations uncover illegal activity, the probe could shift to a criminal inquiry. As noted by James, Trump is still liable to face charges for state crimes even if he finds a way to escape potential federal charges, such as through a pardon from Mike Pence following the commander-in-chief’s resignation from office.


inquisitr--2020-12-23--Joe Biden’s Team Is Signaling They Intend To Aggressively Retaliate Against Russia, Journalist Says

In a Wednesday piece on his Substack site , journalist Glenn Greenwald claimed that President-elect Joe Biden and his team are planning to aggressively retaliate against the Russian hackers that have allegedly infiltrated various United States government agencies and corporate servers .
“ Democrats ( along with some Republicans long obsessed with The Russian Threat , such as Mitt Romney ) are casting the latest alleged hack by Moscow in the most melodramatic terms possible , ensuring that Biden will enter the White House with tensions sky-high with Russia and facing heavy pressure to retaliate aggressively , ” he wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with his top national security advisers – has “ repeatedly threatened aggressive retaliation ” against Russia .
Despite this apparent aggression , Greenwald claimed that there is a lack of evidence thus far in support of claims that Russia is behind the attack .
Although the writer acknowledged that it ’ s “ perfectly plausible ” that the Kremlin is behind the attacks , he warned against accepting claims from American intelligence aimed at foreign adversaries when no evidence is provided .
The Intercept co-founder pointed to the most recent example that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that alleged documents from Hunter Biden ’ s laptop were Russian disinformation .
Greenwald noted that even subsequent evidence of Russia ’ s involvement would not diminish the danger of promoting intelligence community claims without proper analysis .
He pointed to one glaring example — the false claims that Iraq was in possession of weapons of mass destruction that drove Americans to invade the Western Asian country .
The writer also suggested that the Biden administration ’ s purported retaliation plans are “ reckless ” due to the lack of “ specifics.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is demonstrated , what is the U.S. supposed to do in response ?
If your answer is that they should hack Russia back , rest assured the NSA and CIA are always trying to hack Russia as much as it possibly can , long before this event.
” According to Politico , Biden ’ s administration will face the challenge of removing the alleged Russian hackers from American systems and deterring the country from trying again without sparking a full-scale cyberwar .
Dave Kennedy , a former NSA hacker who founded the cybersecurity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s administration should consider using disinformation campaigns , sanctions , and retaliatory cyberattacks .
As The Inquisitr reported , Reality Winner was imprisoned in 2018 for releasing National Security Agency intelligence that revealed Russia ’ s meddling in the 2016 presidential election .
The country allegedly used spear-phishing — which it also used on Democrat John Podesta ’ s email account — to try and break into U.S. election software firms .

In a Wednesday piece on his Substack site, journalist Glenn Greenwald claimed that President-elect Joe Biden and his team are planning to aggressively retaliate against the Russian hackers that have allegedly infiltrated various United States government agencies and corporate servers.
“Democrats (along with some Republicans long obsessed with The Russian Threat, such as Mitt Romney) are casting the latest alleged hack by Moscow in the most melodramatic terms possible, ensuring that Biden will enter the White House with tensions sky-high with Russia and facing heavy pressure to retaliate aggressively,” he wrote.
The columnist highlighted that Biden — along with his top national security advisers – has “repeatedly threatened aggressive retaliation” against Russia. Despite this apparent aggression, Greenwald claimed that there is a lack of evidence thus far in support of claims that Russia is behind the attack.
Although the writer acknowledged that it’s “perfectly plausible” that the Kremlin is behind the attacks, he warned against accepting claims from American intelligence aimed at foreign adversaries when no evidence is provided. The Intercept co-founder pointed to the most recent example that supports this rule — the media claims that alleged documents from Hunter Biden’s laptop were Russian disinformation.
Greenwald noted that even subsequent evidence of Russia’s involvement would not diminish the danger of promoting intelligence community claims without proper analysis. He pointed to one glaring example — the false claims that Iraq was in possession of weapons of mass destruction that drove Americans to invade the Western Asian country.
The writer also suggested that the Biden administration’s purported retaliation plans are “reckless” due to the lack of “specifics.”
“Even if Moscow’s responsibility is demonstrated, what is the U.S. supposed to do in response? If your answer is that they should hack Russia back, rest assured the NSA and CIA are always trying to hack Russia as much as it possibly can, long before this event.”
According to Politico, Biden’s administration will face the challenge of removing the alleged Russian hackers from American systems and deterring the country from trying again without sparking a full-scale cyberwar. Dave Kennedy, a former NSA hacker who founded the cybersecurity company TrustedSec, argued that Biden’s administration should consider using disinformation campaigns, sanctions, and retaliatory cyberattacks.
As The Inquisitr reported, Reality Winner was imprisoned in 2018 for releasing National Security Agency intelligence that revealed Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The country allegedly used spear-phishing — which it also used on Democrat John Podesta’s email account — to try and break into U.S. election software firms.


inquisitr--2020-12-23--Donald Trump Might Be Signaling To Georgia Voters To Turn On Mitch McConnell, Commentator Says

After Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to score a victory with the new $ 900 billion coronavirus aid package , President Donald Trump blew up Republican plans and demanded new legislation that offers $ 2,000 stimulus payments for Americans — effectively supporting progressive calls for higher checks .
According to progressive commentator Sam Seder , Trump ’ s recent announcement has sparked theories that he is making a play against McConnell .
“ Some people say that by calling for bigger checks and refusing to sign McConnells subpar stimulus Trump is signaling to GA Republican voters ‘ dont give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted .
Whether Trump is targeting McConnell ’ s power via the Georgia runoffs remains to be seen .
Per CNN , over 1.6 million votes have been cast in the elections thus far in the crucial races that put Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev .
Raphael Warnock against incumbent GOP Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , respectively .
Democrats must win both races to effectively take control of the Senate by giving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote .
As noted by Fox News columnist Tyler Olsen , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s demand for larger checks and could use this support as a weapon against their opponents .
Elsewhere , The New Yorker claimed Trump has realized that he can wield his power outside of his plan to overturn President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory , which has allegedly occupied much of his time in the post-election weeks .
“ At some point , Trump appears to have noticed that there was life outside his coup fantasy , and more scope for him to cause trouble — especially for the treacherous McConnell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that the head of state has “ created disarray ” for the GOP and could still walk back his recent demand .
McConnell acknowledged Biden ’ s victory last week after the Democrat was certified the winner of the 2020 election by the Electoral College .
As reported by Axios , Trump turned on McConnell for congratulating his opponent ’ s win , and his allies followed suit and took aim at the upper chamber leader .
Columnist Sasha Abramsky speculated that McConnell is cutting his losses with Trump in a bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration .
According to Seder and The New Yorker , Trump might be trying to damage the Republican leader ’ s influence on his way out .
McConnell fought against larger stimulus for months .
He must now decide whether to back off of his long push for less funding or stand in the way of the bipartisan push for more money for struggling Americans .

After Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to score a victory with the new $900 billion coronavirus aid package, President Donald Trump blew up Republican plans and demanded new legislation that offers $2,000 stimulus payments for Americans — effectively supporting progressive calls for higher checks. According to progressive commentator Sam Seder, Trump’s recent announcement has sparked theories that he is making a play against McConnell.
“Some people say that by calling for bigger checks and refusing to sign McConnells subpar stimulus Trump is signaling to GA Republican voters ‘dont give McConnell the Senate,'” he tweeted.
Whether Trump is targeting McConnell’s power via the Georgia runoffs remains to be seen. Per CNN, over 1.6 million votes have been cast in the elections thus far in the crucial races that put Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock against incumbent GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, respectively. Democrats must win both races to effectively take control of the Senate by giving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote.
As noted by Fox News columnist Tyler Olsen, both Democrats in the race already backed Trump’s demand for larger checks and could use this support as a weapon against their opponents.
Elsewhere, The New Yorker claimed Trump has realized that he can wield his power outside of his plan to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, which has allegedly occupied much of his time in the post-election weeks.
“At some point, Trump appears to have noticed that there was life outside his coup fantasy, and more scope for him to cause trouble — especially for the treacherous McConnell,” the publication wrote.
The outlet noted that the head of state has “created disarray” for the GOP and could still walk back his recent demand.
“If he doesn’t, the outcome of this particular saga could have big consequences for American pocketbooks, the run-off elections in Georgia, and the polity that Biden inherits.”
McConnell acknowledged Biden’s victory last week after the Democrat was certified the winner of the 2020 election by the Electoral College. As reported by Axios, Trump turned on McConnell for congratulating his opponent’s win, and his allies followed suit and took aim at the upper chamber leader.
Columnist Sasha Abramsky speculated that McConnell is cutting his losses with Trump in a bid to maintain his power during the forthcoming administration. According to Seder and The New Yorker, Trump might be trying to damage the Republican leader’s influence on his way out.
McConnell fought against larger stimulus for months. He must now decide whether to back off of his long push for less funding or stand in the way of the bipartisan push for more money for struggling Americans.


inquisitr--2020-12-23--Joe Biden Will Be Pressured By Iraq To Reverse Donald Trump’s Blackwater Pardons, Report Says

President-elect Joe Biden will reportedly face lobbying to reverse Donald Trump ’ s recently announced pardons for the Blackwater mercenaries involved in the 2007 Iraqi massacre , The Guardian reported .
Paul Slough , Dustin Heard , Evan Liberty , and Nicholas Slatten opened fire on a crowd of unarmed people in Nisour Square , Baghdad with grenade launchers , machine guns , and a sniper in what the publication called one of the “ lowest points ” in the United States ’ invasion of Iraq .
The massacre killed 14 people , including an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slatten after the initial move was thrown out by a federal judge .
An aide to Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa Khadimi said that the incoming head of state will definitely face heavy lobbying by Iraqi officials to walk back Trump ’ s decision .
“ It will be the first thing we discuss with him , ” he said .
The Guardian reported that Trump ’ s pardons have sparked outrage in Iraq , and Baghdad residents allegedly view his recent announcement as an insult to their people .
Dr. Haidar al-Barzanji , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the president has “ no right ” to offer clemency to the mercenaries on behalf of the victims ’ families .
The outrage doesn ’ t mean the pardons are unexpected .
A former classmate of Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubia ’ y , one of the Nisour Square casualties , claimed that Trump ’ s announcement did not come as a shock for many Iraqis .
“ The Americans have never approached us Iraqis as equals , ” she told AFP .
During the U.S. ’ s occupation of Iraq , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American military and logistics companies were often accused of “ heavy-handed and disrespectful behaviour towards locals.
” The Blackwater pardons are among several that Trump has granted to American military contractors and personnel that have been convicted of crimes against civilians and non-combatants in war zones .
The recent wave has sparked theories that Trump is eyeing a private army that could involve Blackwater founder Erik Prince , who has advised in the U.S. leader ’ s administration and has a long history of training CIA operatives and organizing foreign mercenaries .

President-elect Joe Biden will reportedly face lobbying to reverse Donald Trump’s recently announced pardons for the Blackwater mercenaries involved in the 2007 Iraqi massacre, The Guardian reported.
Paul Slough, Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, and Nicholas Slatten opened fire on a crowd of unarmed people in Nisour Square, Baghdad with grenade launchers, machine guns, and a sniper in what the publication called one of the “lowest points” in the United States’ invasion of Iraq. The massacre killed 14 people, including an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old.
Biden previously backed a new prosecution of Slatten after the initial move was thrown out by a federal judge. An aide to Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa Khadimi said that the incoming head of state will definitely face heavy lobbying by Iraqi officials to walk back Trump’s decision.
“It will be the first thing we discuss with him,” he said.
The Guardian reported that Trump’s pardons have sparked outrage in Iraq, and Baghdad residents allegedly view his recent announcement as an insult to their people.
Dr. Haidar al-Barzanji, an Iraqi researcher and academic, claims that the president has “no right” to offer clemency to the mercenaries on behalf of the victims’ families.
“It is at odds with human rights and against the law. In Iraqi law they can only be pardoned if the families of victims pardon them. I encourage the families of the victims to request a complaint against Trump when the Biden administration starts.”
The outrage doesn’t mean the pardons are unexpected. A former classmate of Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubia’y, one of the Nisour Square casualties, claimed that Trump’s announcement did not come as a shock for many Iraqis.
“The Americans have never approached us Iraqis as equals,” she told AFP.
“As far as they are concerned, our blood is cheaper than water and our demands for justice and accountability are merely a nuisance.”
During the U.S.’s occupation of Iraq, The Guardian claimed that contractors supporting the American military and logistics companies were often accused of “heavy-handed and disrespectful behaviour towards locals.”
The Blackwater pardons are among several that Trump has granted to American military contractors and personnel that have been convicted of crimes against civilians and non-combatants in war zones. The recent wave has sparked theories that Trump is eyeing a private army that could involve Blackwater founder Erik Prince, who has advised in the U.S. leader’s administration and has a long history of training CIA operatives and organizing foreign mercenaries.


inquisitr--2020-12-23--Mitch McConnell Left In ‘No-Win Situation’ After Donald Trump’s Surprise Demand For $2,000 Stimulus

Mitch McConnell Left In ‘No-Win Situation’ After Donald Trump’s Surprise Demand For $2,000 Stimulus Checks

Mitch McConnell has been put in a difficult spot after Donald Trump ’ s surprise demand that Americans receive a $ 2,000 stimulus check in the latest COVID-19 relief bill , a new report from Business Insider indicates .
As lawmakers in Congress were completing a new bill that included $ 600 direct payments to Americans , Trump released a statement blasting many aspects of the deal and saying the payment was inadequate .
As noted , his call was quickly embraced by Democratic leadership , which could now create a difficult decision for McConnell .
“ Democrats cheered his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leader Mitch McConnell and leaving him in a no-win situation , ” the report noted .
Many Democratic leaders have already begun pressing McConnell , including Sen. Chuck Schumer .
“ I ’ m in .
Whaddya say , Mitch ?
” he tweeted .
“ Let ’ s not get bogged down with ideological offsets and unrelated items and just DO THIS !
The American people deserve it.
” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi jumped at the president ’ s suggestion as well , saying she was prepared to immediately move through legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2,000 stimulus to Americans .
Business Insider pointed out that McConnell had been fighting against a larger stimulus for months , but now must decide whether he gives in to Trump ’ s call and goes back on his stance or blocks it and takes the blame for sinking what has quickly become a bipartisan push .
Many believe the president ’ s demand will throw a wrench into the upcoming Georgia Senate runoff races , which will determine which party controls the chamber going forward .
As Fox News columnist Tyler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats running in the race have already backed the proposal for a larger check and are using it as “ a cudgel with which to hammer their incumbent Republican opponents.
” If both were to win , it would bring the Senate into a 50-50 tie , allowing incoming Vice President Kamala Harris to break ties and ending McConnell ’ s power over legislation .
McConnell has not yet indicated whether he will support the new proposal , even as Democrats in the House are scrambling to put it into action .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together a proposal that would approve the $ 2,000 checks and could call for a vote on it Christmas Eve .
As the report noted , the House had already passed a $ 3 trillion relief package back in May that included $ 1,200 for adults and children with up to $ 6,000 per household , but McConnell had refused to bring it to the Senate floor for a vote .


inquisitr--2020-12-23--Many Of Donald Trump’s Senior Staff Aren’t Showing Up For Work Anymore As His Time Winds Down, Repor

Many Of Donald Trump’s Senior Staff Aren’t Showing Up For Work Anymore As His Time Winds Down, Report Says

Donald Trump is reportedly continuing his public quest to overturn the results of the presidential election and remain in office , but a new report indicates that staff in the White House are preparing for the end of his presidency — and some have even stopped showing up for work .
Trump continues to claim that the election was stolen through massive nationwide fraud , though has not been able to back these claims with evidence and has lost a series of court battles seeking to overturn the results .
While he has shown no sign that he would concede @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weijia Jiang of CBS News noted that White House staff have already received an email from Trump ’ s executive office detailing directions on the departure process .
Jiang noted on Twitter that employees start leaving the week of January 4 , though some have already checked out and simply stopped coming in to the White House .
Their absence has caused something of a power vacuum , Jiang suggested , which has allowed some to seize influence and push the voting fraud conspiracy theories with Trump .
“ WH sources say senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anymore , one explanation for why Sidney Powell can come and go as she pleases .
Some employees have already started other jobs .
And if there was any illusion about a Hail Mary , last night ’ s email intercepted , ” she reported .
Trump may be adopting a similar strategy .
As The Inquisitr reported , he has come under fire for largely disappearing from the public eye in the weeks since Election Day , even as COVID-19 cases have reached all-time highs and deaths have surged across all areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN indicated that he has mostly given up on carrying out his official duties , instead spending his time pushing conspiracy theories about the victory being stolen from him .
Trump has purportedly even let the crusade to overturn the results of the race take over other parts of the job .
“ Through it all , Trump has mostly abandoned the day-to-day running of government , ” the outlet noted .
Trump did step into COVID-19 stimulus negotiations this week , issuing a public statement saying that the $ 600 planned as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling for $ 2,000 instead .

Donald Trump is reportedly continuing his public quest to overturn the results of the presidential election and remain in office, but a new report indicates that staff in the White House are preparing for the end of his presidency — and some have even stopped showing up for work.
Trump continues to claim that the election was stolen through massive nationwide fraud, though has not been able to back these claims with evidence and has lost a series of court battles seeking to overturn the results. While he has shown no sign that he would concede to Joe Biden, a report from Weijia Jiang of CBS News noted that White House staff have already received an email from Trump’s executive office detailing directions on the departure process.
Jiang noted on Twitter that employees start leaving the week of January 4, though some have already checked out and simply stopped coming in to the White House. Their absence has caused something of a power vacuum, Jiang suggested, which has allowed some to seize influence and push the voting fraud conspiracy theories with Trump.
“WH sources say senior staff isn’t even showing up anymore, one explanation for why Sidney Powell can come and go as she pleases. Some employees have already started other jobs. And if there was any illusion about a Hail Mary, last night’s email intercepted,” she reported.
Trump may be adopting a similar strategy. As The Inquisitr reported, he has come under fire for largely disappearing from the public eye in the weeks since Election Day, even as COVID-19 cases have reached all-time highs and deaths have surged across all areas of the country. A report from CNN indicated that he has mostly given up on carrying out his official duties, instead spending his time pushing conspiracy theories about the victory being stolen from him.
Trump has purportedly even let the crusade to overturn the results of the race take over other parts of the job.
“Through it all, Trump has mostly abandoned the day-to-day running of government,” the outlet noted.
“At a Cabinet meeting last week, he spent much of the time complaining about his suspicions of voter fraud, according to a person familiar with the matter, leaving some attendees puzzled at the point of the gathering.”
Trump did step into COVID-19 stimulus negotiations this week, issuing a public statement saying that the $600 planned as a direct stimulus to Americans was inadequate, calling for $2,000 instead.


inquisitr--2020-12-25--Michael Cohen Says Prosecutors Have ‘Mounting Amount Of Evidence’ To Go After Donald Trump Post-Pres

Michael Cohen Says Prosecutors Have ‘Mounting Amount Of Evidence’ To Go After Donald Trump Post-Presidency

Donald Trump could be facing prosecution after his time in the White House comes to an end , Michael Cohen claims .
The president ’ s former personal lawyer said this week that ie believes Trump will face an entanglement of legal issues in the coming months , saying that prosecutors have significant evidence to pursue criminal charges and civil action against the former real estate mogul and his business empire .
“ It has to do with his finances , it has to do with his tax returns , it has to do with his properties , it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he had made and provided in order to obtain loans , ” he said in an interview with CBS News .
“ I do believe that there is a mounting amount of evidence that they will be prosecuting upon , ” he added .
“ Some of it of course is civil , and other parts of it are criminal.
” Cohen has already faced criminal charges for actions related to his work with Trump .
He was charged and ultimately pleaded guilty to charges related to hush money payments to women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , payments which were not reported as part of campaign spending .
Danya Perry , a former state and federal prosecutor , told NPR that there are already a number of potential investigations that could target Trump and his business empire .
“ Clearly , the president enjoyed immunity when he was in office , ” she said .
As The Inquisitr reported , Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. revealed earlier this year that he has sufficient evidence and grounds to investigate Trump and his company for potential tax fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reported investigation , a filing with the 2nd U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan showed that there has been an investigation into his business dealing stretching back years .
Cohen also told CBS News that he is not interested in receiving a pardon from Trump for his convictions , despite a number of other longtime allies receiving them .
Trump this week issued pardons to longtime political adviser Roger Stone and former campaign manager Paul Manafort , as well as two other men who had been convicted as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ der Zwaan and former campaign aide George Papadopoulos .
Trump has continually denied any wrongdoing , saying that investigations against him are politically motivated .

Donald Trump could be facing prosecution after his time in the White House comes to an end, Michael Cohen claims.
The president’s former personal lawyer said this week that he believes Trump will face an entanglement of legal issues in the coming months, saying that prosecutors have significant evidence to pursue criminal charges and civil action against the former real estate mogul and his business empire.
“It has to do with his finances, it has to do with his tax returns, it has to do with his properties, it has to do with the personal financial statements that he had made and provided in order to obtain loans,” he said in an interview with CBS News.
“I do believe that there is a mounting amount of evidence that they will be prosecuting upon,” he added. “Some of it of course is civil, and other parts of it are criminal.”
Cohen has already faced criminal charges for actions related to his work with Trump. He was charged and ultimately pleaded guilty to acts related to hush money payments to women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump, payments which were not reported as part of campaign spending.
Danya Perry, a former state and federal prosecutor, told NPR that there are already a number of potential investigations that could target Trump and his business empire.
“Clearly, the president enjoyed immunity when he was in office,” she said.
“And it’s possible, as a matter of law, that he could be indicted on Jan. 21.”
As The Inquisitr reported, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. revealed earlier this year that he has sufficient evidence and grounds to investigate Trump and his company for potential tax fraud. Though Vance has been quiet about the reported investigation, a filing with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan showed that there has been an investigation into his business dealing stretching back years.
Cohen also told CBS News that he is not interested in receiving a pardon from Trump for his convictions, despite a number of other longtime allies receiving them. Trump this week issued pardons to longtime political adviser Roger Stone and former campaign manager Paul Manafort, as well as two other men who had been convicted as a result of the Russia investigation, Alex van der Zwaan and former campaign aide George Papadopoulos.
Trump has continually denied any wrongdoing, saying that investigations against him are politically motivated.


inquisitr--2020-12-24--Republican Senator Lashes Out Against Donald Trump’s Controversial Pardons: ‘This Is Rotten To The C

Republican Senator Lashes Out Against Donald Trump’s Controversial Pardons: ‘This Is Rotten To The Core’

Donald Trump is facing some sharp scrutiny from his own party , with a Republican senator lashing out after the president ’ s controversial set of pardons this week .
On Tuesday , Trump handed down pardons to a number of prominent Republicans and many of his close allies , including longtime political adviser Roger Stone and former campaign manager Paul Manafort .
He had also pardoned two GOP representatives who were among the first to endorse him , as well as a group of private military contractors who had been convicted of killing civilians in Iraq .
Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed loyalty to Trump , including some who were caught up in the Russia probe .
He had pardoned Alex van der Zwaan and former campaign aide George Papadopoulos , both of whom pleaded guilty to charges that arose from Robert Mueller ’ s investigation .
The moves came under sharp scrutiny , with Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse joining the critics .
As The Hill reported , the Republican issued a statement speaking out against the move .
“ This is rotten to the core , ” Sasse said , noting that Manafort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violated the law and harmed Americans.
” Trump had also pardoned Charles Kushner , the father of his son-in-law , Jared Kushner .
The elder had pleaded guilty to 16 counts of tax evasion and retaliation against a witness for a sordid scheme .
As ABC News noted , Kushner hired a prostitute to ensnare his brother-in-law , arranging for them to have an encounter at a hotel rigged with a hidden camera .
He then sent the recording to his brother-in-law ’ s wife , his sister .
Sasse has been among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right , often speaking out against his controversial statements and policies .
Back in October , he warned that the GOP could be facing a “ wipeout ” in the upcoming election due to what he saw as Trump ’ s failure to forcefully speak out against China and his actions to cozy up to dictators .
“ The way he kisses dictators ’ butts .
I mean , the way he ignores that the Uighurs are in literal concentration camps in Xinjiang right now , ” he said in remarks recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He hasn ’ t lifted a finger on behalf of the Hong Kongers.
” As The Inquisitr noted , many others spoke out against Trump for the pardons , some some reporters noting that more were expected to be coming across the final weeks of his presidency .
Jonathan Swan of Axios reported that Trump was expected to he handing them out “ like Christmas gifts ” to close allies .

Donald Trump is facing some sharp scrutiny from his own party, with a Republican senator lashing out after the president’s controversial set of pardons this week.
On Tuesday, Trump handed down pardons to a number of prominent Republicans and many of his close allies, including longtime political adviser Roger Stone and former campaign manager Paul Manafort. He had also pardoned two GOP representatives, who were among the first to endorse him, as well as a group of private military contractors previously convicted of killing civilians in Iraq.
Many of those pardons already given were individuals who had showed loyalty to Trump, including some caught up in the Russia probe. He had pardoned Alex van der Zwaan and former campaign aide George Papadopoulos, both of whom pleaded guilty to charges that arose from Robert Mueller’s investigation.
The moves came under sharp scrutiny, with Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse joining the critics. As The Hill reported, the Republican issued a statement speaking out against the move.
“This is rotten to the core,” Sasse said, noting that Manafort and Stone had “flagrantly and repeatedly violated the law and harmed Americans.”
Trump had also pardoned Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The elder had pleaded guilty to 16 counts of tax evasion and retaliation against a witness for a sordid scheme. As ABC News noted, Kushner hired a prostitute to ensnare his brother-in-law, arranging for them to have an encounter at a hotel rigged with a hidden camera. He then sent the recording to his brother-in-law’s wife, his sister.
Sasse has been among Trump’s most vocal critics on the right, often speaking out against his controversial statements and policies. Back in October, he warned that the GOP could be facing a “wipeout” in the upcoming election due to what he saw as Trump’s failure to forcefully speak out against China and his actions to cozy up to dictators.
“The way he kisses dictators’ butts. I mean, the way he ignores that the Uighurs are in literal concentration camps in Xinjiang right now,” he said in remarks recorded from a telephone town hall with constituents. “He hasn’t lifted a finger on behalf of the Hong Kongers.”
As The Inquisitr noted, many others spoke out against Trump for the pardons, with some reporters noting that more were expected to be coming during the final weeks of his presidency. Jonathan Swan of Axios reported that Trump was expected to hand them out “like Christmas gifts” to close allies.


inquisitr--2020-12-24--Roger Stone Says He Will Sue Justice Department, Robert Mueller

President Donald Trump ’ s longtime confidant Roger Stone said on Thursday that he will sue the Department of Justice , former special counsel Robert Mueller and several other high-profile figures .
Per Newsweek , Stone posted the announcement to his Parler page .
The controversial GOP strategist said that he wants to sue Mueller , former CIA Director John Brennan , former FBI Director James Comey , former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein , former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jeanie Rhee and former federal prosecutor Michael Morando .
Stone added that he will also sue former Attorney General William @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts of witness tampering , lying to the U.S. Congress and obstructing House Democrats ’ investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
Trump commuted Stone ’ s sentence in July and , earlier this week , granted him a full pardon .
On Wednesday , the president issued 26 pardons .
Notably , he pardoned his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Charles Kushner , White House adviser Jared Kushner ’ s father .
This drew the ire of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers .
Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neither justice nor mercy , ” claiming that Trump is trying to protect himself from legal scrutiny .
GOP Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska described the decisions as “ rotten to the core.
” Stone expressed gratitude .
In an interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Wednesday evening , Stone thanked Trump and claimed that his prosecution was politically-motivated .
“ I have an enormous debt of gratitude to God almighty for giving the president the strength and courage to recognize that my prosecution was a completely politically motivated witch hunt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously reported by The Inquisitr , Trump recently pardoned Blackwater mercenaries Evan Liberty , Nicholas Slatten , Dustin Heard and Paul Slough .
The four men were involved in the deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians , two of whom were children .
Slatten was sentenced to life in prison .
Some saw the pardons as a favor to former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince .
Notably , David Corn , D.C. bureau chief of Mother Jones , said that Trump is rewarding Prince for lying to investigators during Mueller ’ s Russia probe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abramson , meanwhile , suggested that the commander-in-chief is trying to build a private army .

President Donald Trump’s longtime confidant Roger Stone said on Thursday that he will sue the Department of Justice, former special counsel Robert Mueller and several other high-profile figures.
Per Newsweek, Stone posted the announcement to his Parler page.
The controversial GOP strategist said that he wants to sue Mueller, former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jeanie Rhee and former federal prosecutor Michael Morando.
Stone added that he will also sue former Attorney General William Barr.
“My lawyers will be filing formal complaints for prosecutorial misconduct’s with DOJ office of professional responsibility at the same time I file a 25 million Dollar lawsuit against the DOJ and each of these individuals personally: In fact I am going to add Bill Barr to the lawsuit and I will handle his cross-examination personally.”
Stone was convicted on seven counts of witness tampering, lying to the U.S. Congress and obstructing House Democrats’ investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump commuted Stone’s sentence in July and, earlier this week, granted him a full pardon.
On Wednesday, the president issued 26 pardons. Notably, he pardoned his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Charles Kushner, White House adviser Jared Kushner’s father. This drew the ire of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York said that the pardons “serve neither justice nor mercy,” claiming that Trump is trying to protect himself from legal scrutiny. GOP Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska described the decisions as “rotten to the core.”
Stone expressed gratitude. In an interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Wednesday evening, Stone thanked Trump and claimed that his prosecution was politically-motivated.
“I have an enormous debt of gratitude to God almighty for giving the president the strength and courage to recognize that my prosecution was a completely politically motivated witch hunt,” the operative stated.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Trump recently pardoned Blackwater mercenaries Evan Liberty, Nicholas Slatten, Dustin Heard and Paul Slough. The four men were involved in the deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians, two of whom were children. Slatten was sentenced to life in prison.
Some saw the pardons as a favor to former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince. Notably, David Corn, D.C. bureau chief of Mother Jones, said that Trump is rewarding Prince for lying to investigators during Mueller’s Russia probe. Authors Stephen O’Brien and Seth Abramson, meanwhile, suggested that the commander-in-chief is trying to build a private army.


inquisitr--2020-12-24--Andrew Yang’s Non-Profit Has Reportedly Spoken To Joe Biden’s Administration About Recurring Checks

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang ’ s non-profit , Humanity Forward , has been in talks with President-elect Joe Biden ’ s administration about recurring checks , Business Insider reported .
The publication received the news from the non-profit ’ s press secretary , Greg Nasif .
“ I don ’ t want to give away too many details , but we have discussed with them our support for direct recurring economic relief , ” he said .
Yang , who is now making a play for mayor of New York City , founded the organization with the goal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential campaign — in particular , his signature proposal of a universal basic income .
Although it ’ s unclear if Biden ’ s administration would support recurring economic relief beyond the second round of stimulus checks currently in negotiation , Nasif said the incoming White House team is a “ group open to new ideas.
” “ I think our mission right now is to demonstrate to lawmakers that this is a really popular idea and it has bipartisan appeal , and it can really help our economy , starting with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Yang ’ s Humanity Forward announced in May that it would be giving 20 residents of Hudson , New York , who make less than $ 35,000 yearly recurring payments of $ 500 per month for five years .
The non-profit will track how each of the residents spends their money and analyze the results to determine the promise of UBI .
The movement previously doled out $ 1 million in $ 1,000 cash payments to 1,000 Bronx households .
Congress is currently in the process of negotiating stimulus checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The first wave of checks was valued at $ 1,200 each , and it appeared that the second would be just $ 600 each .
But Donald Trump blew up negotiations this week by demanding $ 2,000 per check — an amount that has been supported by progressive lawmakers and UBI advocates like Yang .
Yang and Humanity Forward previously connected with Trump ’ s White House about direct cash assistance to Americans .
Business Insider reported that the team is now focused on ensuring that the president ’ s recent demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fruition by connecting with allies in Congress .
Susan Kang , a political-science professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice , previously told The New York Times that Yang ’ s mayoral bid could resonate with voters due to the relevance of his platform ’ s universal programs amid the coronavirus pandemic .

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang’s nonprofit, Humanity Forward, has been in talks with President-elect Joe Biden’s administration about recurring checks, Business Insider reported.
The publication received the news from the nonprofit’s press secretary, Greg Nasif.
“I don’t want to give away too many details, but we have discussed with them our support for direct recurring economic relief,” he said.
Yang, who is now making a play for mayor of New York City, founded the organization with the goal of promoting and implementing policies from his presidential campaign — in particular, his signature proposal of a universal basic income. Although it’s unclear if Biden’s administration would support recurring economic relief beyond the second round of stimulus checks currently in negotiation, Nasif said the incoming White House team is a “group open to new ideas.”
“I think our mission right now is to demonstrate to lawmakers that this is a really popular idea and it has bipartisan appeal, and it can really help our economy, starting with the people who need it most,” he said.
“And I think if the Biden administration sees that, then I think we’re going to keep moving the ball forward on economic relief for the American people.”
Yang’s Humanity Forward announced in May that it would be giving 20 residents of Hudson, New York, who make less than $35,000 yearly recurring payments of $500 per month for five years. The nonprofit will track how each of the residents spends their money and analyze the results to determine the promise of UBI. The movement previously doled out $1 million in $1,000 cash payments to 1,000 Bronx households.
Congress is currently in the process of negotiating stimulus money for the next round of coronavirus aid. The first wave of checks was valued at $1,200 each, and it appeared that the second would be just $600 each. But Donald Trump blew up negotiations this week by demanding $2,000 per check — an amount that has been supported by progressive lawmakers and UBI advocates like Yang.
Yang and Humanity Forward previously connected with Trump’s White House about direct cash assistance to Americans. Business Insider reported that the team is now focused on ensuring that the president’s recent demand of $2,000 per American comes to fruition by connecting with allies in Congress.
Susan Kang, a political-science professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, previously told The New York Times that Yang’s mayoral bid could resonate with voters due to the relevance of his platform’s universal programs amid the coronavirus pandemic.


inquisitr--2020-12-24--Joe Biden CIA Appointee Worked With China Propaganda Organization, Report Says

A Friday report from The National Pulse claimed that a Joe Biden Central Intelligence Agency appointee who was placed in Barack Obama ’ s administration — Michael O ’ Hanlon — worked with a Chinese Communist Party-run propaganda organization in 2012 .
According to the publication , the think tank — the China Association for International Friendly Contact ( CAIFC ) — was identified by the United States government in 2018 to be engaged in “ undercover intelligence gathering ” operations as well as plans to pressure foreign officials into supporting select CCP policies .
O ’ Hanlon worked on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 2011 to 2012 .
The same year as the end of his CIA stint , he allegedly visited the CAIFC ’ s Peace and Development Research Center on August 23 , 2012 .
According to the think tank , O ’ Hanlon praised the organization during his appearance .
“ He came and hoped to hear opinions on Sino-U.S. relations and regional hot-spot issues from scholars of the center .
The opinions he got may provide references for his book about Sino-U.S. relations which he was writing with Steinberg , former U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Peace and Development Research Center read .
A report from U.S.-China Security and Economic Review commission identified the CAIFC as part of China ’ s United Work Front , which aims to “ co-opt and neutralize ” opposition to the CCP ’ s policies and authority .
As reported by CBN News , John Ratcliffe , U.S. director of National Intelligence , warned that China is the country ’ s top national security threat and is vying to dominate the world militarily , technologically , and economically .
Interestingly , O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support Ratcliffe ’ s worries .
“ It is the way that a great power , with a non-democratic government , chooses to seek to extend its influence worldwide , ” he said .
As Biden prepares to take over the White House , scrutiny has renewed on his and his son ’ s alleged links to China .
This scrutiny intensified after a video of Di Dongsheng , a professor at Renmin University in Beijing , China , claimed that Biden ’ s administration is favorable to Donald Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said that Barack Obama ’ s administration was easy to manipulate compared to George W. Bush and said that the East Asia country has officials placed in top levels of the U.S. government .
Di notably claimed that China has a regime agent working as vice president of a prominent Wall Street financial organization .
The purported agent allegedly helped China with a 2015 propaganda operation in Washington .

A Friday report from The National Pulse claimed that a Joe Biden Central Intelligence Agency appointee who was placed in Barack Obama’s administration — Michael O’Hanlon — worked with a Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-run propaganda organization in 2012.
According to the publication, the think tank — the China Association for International Friendly Contact (CAIFC) — was identified by the United States government in 2018 to be engaged in “undercover intelligence gathering” operations as well as plans to pressure foreign officials into supporting select CCP policies.
O’Hanlon worked on the CIA’s External Advisory Board from 2011 to 2012. At the end of his CIA stint, he allegedly visited the CAIFC’s Peace and Development Research Center on August 23, 2012. According to the think tank, O’Hanlon praised the organization during his appearance.
“He came and hoped to hear opinions on Sino-U.S. relations and regional hot-spot issues from scholars of the center. The opinions he got may provide references for his book about Sino-U.S. relations which he was writing with Steinberg, former U.S. Deputy Secretary,” a summary from the Peace and Development Research Center read.
A report from the U.S.-China Security and Economic Review commission identified the CAIFC as part of China’s United Work Front, which aims to “co-opt and neutralize” opposition to the CCP’s policies and authority.
“The United Front strategy uses a range of methods to influence overseas Chinese communities, foreign governments, and other actors to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijing’s preferred policies.”
As reported by CBN News, John Ratcliffe, U.S. director of National Intelligence, warned that China is the country’s top national security threat and is vying to dominate the world militarily, technologically, and economically. Interestingly, O’Hanlon spoke to CBN News and appeared to support Ratcliffe’s worries.
“It is the way that a great power, with a non-democratic government, chooses to seek to extend its influence worldwide,” he said.
As Biden prepares to take over the White House, scrutiny has renewed on his and his son’s alleged links to China. This scrutiny intensified after a video of Di Dongsheng, a professor at Renmin University in Beijing, China, claimed that Biden’s administration is favorable to Donald Trump’s for China’s interests. He also said that Barack Obama’s administration was easy to manipulate compared to George W. Bush and said that the East Asia country has officials placed in top levels of the U.S. government.
Di notably claimed that China has a regime agent working as vice president of a prominent Wall Street financial organization. The purported agent allegedly helped China with a 2015 propaganda operation in Washington.