alternet--2020-09-29--‘It was all a hoax’: NYT destroys Trump’s claims of business success in second blockbuster on his ta

‘It was all a hoax’: NYT destroys Trump’s claims of business success in second blockbuster on his taxes

President Donald Trump 's tax returns have resulted in a second bombshell story by The New York Times .
`` From the back seat of a stretch limousine heading to meet the first contestants for his new TV show `` The Apprentice , '' Donald J. Trump bragged that he was a billionaire who had overcome financial hardship . '
I used my brain , I used my negotiating skills and I worked it all out , '' he told viewers .
`` Now , my company is bigger than it ever was and stronger than it ever was .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the newspaper reported Monday evening .
`` Months after that inaugural episode in January 2004 , Mr. Trump filed his individual tax return reporting $ 89.9 million in net losses from his core businesses for the prior year .
The red ink spilled from everywhere , even as American television audiences saw him as a savvy business mogul with the Midas touch .
Twelve years later , that image of the self-made , self-saved mogul , beamed into the national consciousness , would help fuel Mr. Trump 's improbable election to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` But while the story of `` The Apprentice '' is by now well known , the president 's tax returns reveal another grand twist that has never been truly told — how the popularity of that fictional alter ego rescued him , providing a financial lifeline to reinvent himself yet again .
And then how , in an echo of the boom-and-bust cycle that has defined his business career , he led himself toward the financial shoals he must navigate today .
Mr. Trump 's genius , it turned out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was making himself famous — Trump-scale famous — and monetizing that fame , '' the newspaper reported .
The NBC show `` The Apprentice '' made Trump over $ 400 million .
`` By analyzing the tax records , The New York Times was able to place a value on Mr. Trump 's celebrity .
While the returns show that he earned some $ 197 million directly from 'The Apprentice ' over 16 years — roughly in line with what he has claimed — they also reveal that an additional $ 230 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the newspaper reported .
When contacted , the Trump campaign complained about the newspaper reporting on Trump 's finances before Tuesday 's debate .
`` In response to a request for comment , a White House spokesman , Judd Deere , did not dispute any specific facts , '' the newspaper reported .
`` Instead , he delivered a broad attack , calling the article 'fake news ' and 'yet another politically motivated hit piece full of inaccurate smears ' appearing 'before a presidential debate . '
'' `` This article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from those returns , which include personal and business tax filings for Mr. Trump and his companies spanning more than two decades .
Every dollar is disclosed for the first time : $ 8,768,330 paid to him by ACN , a multilevel marketing company that was accused of taking advantage of vulnerable investors ; $ 50,000 from the Lifetime channel for a `` juicy nighttime soap '' that never materialized ; $ 5,026 in net income from a short-lived mortgage business ; and $ 15,286,244 from licensing his name to a line of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Mr. Trump was not terribly discriminating in his choice of endorsements .
He slapped his name on everything from steaks and vodka to a board game and cologne . ''

President Donald Trump's tax returns have resulted in a second bombshell story by The New York Times.
"From the back seat of a stretch limousine heading to meet the first contestants for his new TV show "The Apprentice," Donald J. Trump bragged that he was a billionaire who had overcome financial hardship. 'I used my brain, I used my negotiating skills and I worked it all out," he told viewers. "Now, my company is bigger than it ever was and stronger than it ever was.' It was all a hoax," the newspaper reported Monday evening.
"Months after that inaugural episode in January 2004, Mr. Trump filed his individual tax return reporting $89.9 million in net losses from his core businesses for the prior year. The red ink spilled from everywhere, even as American television audiences saw him as a savvy business mogul with the Midas touch. Twelve years later, that image of the self-made, self-saved mogul, beamed into the national consciousness, would help fuel Mr. Trump's improbable election to the White House," The Times reported.
"But while the story of "The Apprentice" is by now well known, the president's tax returns reveal another grand twist that has never been truly told — how the popularity of that fictional alter ego rescued him, providing a financial lifeline to reinvent himself yet again. And then how, in an echo of the boom-and-bust cycle that has defined his business career, he led himself toward the financial shoals he must navigate today. Mr. Trump's genius, it turned out, wasn't running a company. It was making himself famous — Trump-scale famous — and monetizing that fame," the newspaper reported.
The NBC show "The Apprentice" made Trump over $400 million.
"By analyzing the tax records, The New York Times was able to place a value on Mr. Trump's celebrity. While the returns show that he earned some $197 million directly from 'The Apprentice' over 16 years — roughly in line with what he has claimed — they also reveal that an additional $230 million flowed from the fame associated with it," the newspaper reported.
When contacted, the Trump campaign complained about the newspaper reporting on Trump's finances before Tuesday's debate.
"In response to a request for comment, a White House spokesman, Judd Deere, did not dispute any specific facts," the newspaper reported. "Instead, he delivered a broad attack, calling the article 'fake news' and 'yet another politically motivated hit piece full of inaccurate smears' appearing 'before a presidential debate.'"
Regardless, the newspaper provided details.
"This article is based on an examination of data from those returns, which include personal and business tax filings for Mr. Trump and his companies spanning more than two decades. Every dollar is disclosed for the first time: $8,768,330 paid to him by ACN, a multilevel marketing company that was accused of taking advantage of vulnerable investors; $50,000 from the Lifetime channel for a "juicy nighttime soap" that never materialized; $5,026 in net income from a short-lived mortgage business; and $15,286,244 from licensing his name to a line of mattresses," the newspaper reported. "Mr. Trump was not terribly discriminating in his choice of endorsements. He slapped his name on everything from steaks and vodka to a board game and cologne."


alternet--2020-09-29--Ohio just ordered GM to repay $28 million in tax breaks for closing Lordstown auto plant

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom .
Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox .
The state of Ohio on Monday ordered General Motors to repay $ 28 million in public subsidies for reneging on its promise to keep its sprawling Lordstown plant open .
The automaker , which had pledged to keep operations going until 2040 , closed its assembly plant last October , drawing criticism from elected officials in both political parties , including President Donald Trump .
At the time , GM cited the collapsing market for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chevrolet Cruze .
But state officials said the closure violated the terms of two economic development agreements GM signed with Ohio more than a decade ago .
Between 2009 and 2016 , the company received more than $ 60 million in tax credits to maintain operations at the massive plant , which employed over 4,000 people .
On Monday , the Ohio Tax Credit Authority said GM must pay back roughly half of those tax benefits , as well as provide an additional $ 12 million in community support in the Mahoning Valley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant was located .
The funds are targeted for education and job training at Youngstown State University and other colleges , community programs and infrastructure projects .
The payments are due by Dec. 31 , 2022 , the tax authority said .
In a statement , GM said it has agreed to the terms of the deal .
“ Today 's action protects taxpayer dollars , while also allowing for continued investment in the local community , '' Lydia Mihalik , director of Ohio Development Services Agency and chairperson of the Ohio Tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Our team at Development is committed to ensuring taxpayers get a good return on their investments , supporting Ohio businesses and strengthening communities across the state . ''
Although the clawback falls short of the total $ 60.3 million that GM received , the state 's action is significant , said Greg LeRoy , executive director of Good Jobs First , a nonprofit agency that tracks corporate subsidies and violations .
“ The $ 28 million still stands as the biggest clawback we can point to '' nationwide , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have pursued a total refund .
“ It 's kind of a two-thirds of a loaf for taxpayers . ''
In June , The Business Journal and ProPublica first reported that Ohio had found GM in breach of its tax agreements and that economic development officials had recommended a 100 % clawback .
Some of the state 's most prominent elected officials then called for a full refund .
Among the most vocal was state Attorney General David Yost , who filed a scathing brief with the tax authority this summer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that the small cars manufactured at the plant were less popular — that gutting the manufacturing base of the Mahoning Valley by closing Lordstown was just business , '' Yost said in his brief .
“ Ohio welcomes its long and continuing relationship with GM , but we want our money back .
It 's just business . ''
On Monday , Yost lauded the clawback agreement .
“ It 's good news to hear that GM will repay the financial incentives it was offered , '' he said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing the details and watching further business relations flourish in the state . ''
GM initially told state officials it should n't be held responsible for repaying the tax credits , and it asked them to forgive “ all , or a significant portion '' of them .
The automaker highlighted its investment in a $ 2.3 billion battery manufacturing plant , now under construction in Lordstown .
Dubbed Ultium Cells LLC , the project is a joint venture with LG Chem .
The new battery plant is expected to employ about 1,100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per hour , lower than those who work in auto assembly .
State officials took that issue under consideration , which led to a modified forbearance agreement with GM .
At the same time , the tax authority awarded GM a new tax credit to support the battery plant .
In return for a promise to create 1,000 jobs , the company will receive a 15-year tax break estimated to be worth $ 13.8 million over its term .
On Monday , GM spokesman Dan Flores said in a statement that the automaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its “ substantial manufacturing presence across the state of Ohio , including our significant investments in the Mahoning Valley . ''
Gov .
Mike DeWine , who had been reluctant to press GM for a full refund , welcomed the tax authority 's decision .
“ GM has been a major employer in the state of Ohio for decades , investing in both the economy and our workforce , '' he said .
“ While the decision to close the Lordstown plant was terrible news for workers and their families in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring relief as well as investment by GM , who has committed to investing $ 12 million in the local community for workforce , education and infrastructure needs . ''
JobsOhio , the private development arm that is contracted with the state to spearhead economic development projects , said Ultium Cells will generate $ 45 million in new payroll per year .
The tax incentives take effect on Jan. 1 , 2023 , and will remain in place until Dec. 31 , 2037 , the tax authority said .
Work is underway at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturing plant that will produce lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles .

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.
The state of Ohio on Monday ordered General Motors to repay $28 million in public subsidies for reneging on its promise to keep its sprawling Lordstown plant open.
The automaker, which had pledged to keep operations going until 2040, closed its assembly plant last October, drawing criticism from elected officials in both political parties, including President Donald Trump. At the time, GM cited the collapsing market for small cars; Lordstown produced the compact Chevrolet Cruze.
But state officials said the closure violated the terms of two economic development agreements GM signed with Ohio more than a decade ago. Between 2009 and 2016, the company received more than $60 million in tax credits to maintain operations at the massive plant, which employed over 4,000 people.
On Monday, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority said GM must pay back roughly half of those tax benefits, as well as provide an additional $12 million in community support in the Mahoning Valley, the economically depressed region where the plant was located. The funds are targeted for education and job training at Youngstown State University and other colleges, community programs and infrastructure projects.
The payments are due by Dec. 31, 2022, the tax authority said. In a statement, GM said it has agreed to the terms of the deal.
“Today's action protects taxpayer dollars, while also allowing for continued investment in the local community," Lydia Mihalik, director of Ohio Development Services Agency and chairperson of the Ohio Tax Credit Authority, said in a statement. “Our team at Development is committed to ensuring taxpayers get a good return on their investments, supporting Ohio businesses and strengthening communities across the state."
Although the clawback falls short of the total $60.3 million that GM received, the state's action is significant, said Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First, a nonprofit agency that tracks corporate subsidies and violations.
“The $28 million still stands as the biggest clawback we can point to" nationwide, he said. Yet he believes that the state should have pursued a total refund. “It's kind of a two-thirds of a loaf for taxpayers."
In June, The Business Journal and ProPublica first reported that Ohio had found GM in breach of its tax agreements and that economic development officials had recommended a 100% clawback. Some of the state's most prominent elected officials then called for a full refund. Among the most vocal was state Attorney General David Yost, who filed a scathing brief with the tax authority this summer.
“GM complains that consumer preferences changed, and that the small cars manufactured at the plant were less popular — that gutting the manufacturing base of the Mahoning Valley by closing Lordstown was just business," Yost said in his brief. “Ohio welcomes its long and continuing relationship with GM, but we want our money back. It's just business."
On Monday, Yost lauded the clawback agreement. “It's good news to hear that GM will repay the financial incentives it was offered," he said in a statement. “I look forward to seeing the details and watching further business relations flourish in the state."
GM initially told state officials it shouldn't be held responsible for repaying the tax credits, and it asked them to forgive “all, or a significant portion" of them. The automaker highlighted its investment in a $2.3 billion battery manufacturing plant, now under construction in Lordstown. Dubbed Ultium Cells LLC, the project is a joint venture with LG Chem. The new battery plant is expected to employ about 1,100 workers earning $10 to $17 per hour, lower than those who work in auto assembly.
State officials took that issue under consideration, which led to a modified forbearance agreement with GM.
At the same time, the tax authority awarded GM a new tax credit to support the battery plant. In return for a promise to create 1,000 jobs, the company will receive a 15-year tax break estimated to be worth $13.8 million over its term.
On Monday, GM spokesman Dan Flores said in a statement that the automaker appreciates the tax credit authority's recognition of its “substantial manufacturing presence across the state of Ohio, including our significant investments in the Mahoning Valley."
Gov. Mike DeWine, who had been reluctant to press GM for a full refund, welcomed the tax authority's decision.
“GM has been a major employer in the state of Ohio for decades, investing in both the economy and our workforce," he said. “While the decision to close the Lordstown plant was terrible news for workers and their families in the Mahoning Valley, today's announcement will bring relief as well as investment by GM, who has committed to investing $12 million in the local community for workforce, education and infrastructure needs."
JobsOhio, the private development arm that is contracted with the state to spearhead economic development projects, said Ultium Cells will generate $45 million in new payroll per year. The tax incentives take effect on Jan. 1, 2023, and will remain in place until Dec. 31, 2037, the tax authority said.
Work is underway at the site, a nearly 2 million-square-foot manufacturing plant that will produce lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles.


alternet--2020-09-29--There's one anecdote in the NYT tax returns story that proves that Trump is the worst businessman

If nothing else , this weekend 's revelation about Donald Trump 's tax returns prove that he is a business failure .
Nothing summarizes the New York Times story better than this : To be clear , he was fabulously successful as a TV reality star : `` 'The Apprentice , ' along with the licensing and endorsement deals that flowed from his expanding celebrity , brought Mr. Trump a total of $ 427.4 million . ''
Those earnings were legit .
His problem is that just like bankrupting a casino—literally a money-printing operation—his investments using that money have all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he 's so deeply in debt that `` he is personally responsible for loans and other debts totaling $ 421 million , with most of it coming due within four years . ''
And that does n't even include $ 72.9 million that he likely owes the IRS for bullshit tax refunds .
Trump 's businesses reported just $ 34.7 million cash on hand in 2018 , meaning that Trump corp will have to start selling assets off to pay off those debts .
It also explains why he 's so adamant about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his properties , like overcharging Secret Service personnel for stays at his golf resorts .
But nothing was funnier than this one vignette from the story : Nothing beyond his earnings from The Apprentice have been as successful as the $ 176.5 million Trump made from his share in these properties .
Now look at how he got there : • Trump 's partner says `` fuck it '' and sells • Trump says he did n't approve sale , sues , and gets 30 % of the properties • Some other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank Got it ?
Everything Trump has managed has failed and is deeply in debt .
He somehow lucked into this 30 % share of this one project that someone else took over , and it made him $ 176.5 million .
When he had control , it was a failure .
When someone else took over , it made a ton of money .
Does anything prove his shiftiness as a businessman better than that ?
Or does bankrupting a casino still win ?

If nothing else, this weekend's revelation about Donald Trump's tax returns prove that he is a business failure. Nothing summarizes the New York Times story better than this:
To be clear, he was fabulously successful as a TV reality star: "'The Apprentice,' along with the licensing and endorsement deals that flowed from his expanding celebrity, brought Mr. Trump a total of $427.4 million." Those earnings were legit. His problem is that just like bankrupting a casino—literally a money-printing operation—his investments using that money have all been stunning failures.
In fact, he's so deeply in debt that "he is personally responsible for loans and other debts totaling $421 million, with most of it coming due within four years." And that doesn't even include $72.9 million that he likely owes the IRS for bullshit tax refunds.
Trump's businesses reported just $34.7 million cash on hand in 2018, meaning that Trump corp will have to start selling assets off to pay off those debts. It also explains why he's so adamant about charging the federal government for the use of his properties, like overcharging Secret Service personnel for stays at his golf resorts.
But nothing was funnier than this one vignette from the story:
After plans for a Trump-branded mini-city on the Far West Side of Manhattan stalled in the 1990s, Mr. Trump's stake was sold by his partner to Vornado Realty Trust. Mr. Trump objected to the sale in court, saying he had not been consulted, but he ended up with a 30 percent share of two valuable office buildings owned and operated by Vornado.
His share of the profits through the end of 2018 totaled $176.5 million, with depreciation factored in. He has never had to invest more money in the partnership, tax records show.
Nothing beyond his earnings from The Apprentice have been as successful as the $176.5 million Trump made from his share in these properties. Now look at how he got there:
Trump plan for mini-city fails
Trump's partner says "fuck it" and sells
Trump says he didn't approve sale, sues, and gets 30% of the properties
Some other company manages those properties, and makes bank
Trump makes $176.5 million
Got it? Everything Trump has managed has failed and is deeply in debt. He somehow lucked into this 30% share of this one project that someone else took over, and it made him $176.5 million.
When he had control, it was a failure. When someone else took over, it made a ton of money. Does anything prove his shiftiness as a businessman better than that?
Or does bankrupting a casino still win?


alternet--2020-09-29--How might Trump's nominee rule on immigrants? A hate group just gave her a thumbs-up

How does impeached President Donald Trump 's illegitimate nominee to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Supreme Court rank when it comes to rulings on immigration ?
Well , the fact that Amy Coney Barrett appeared to get a thumbs-up from the Center for Immigration Studies ( CIS ) , an anti-immigrant hate group founded by dead white nationalist and eugenicist John Tanton , is incredibly worrying , to say the least .
Vox 's Nicole Narea reports that in her three-plus years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit , Amy Coney Barrett has mostly decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration on its discriminatory `` public charge '' rule punishing working families , and in another case deciding against a U.S. citizen who sued after his wife was denied permanent residency under disturbing circumstances on the part of the federal government .
`` In January 2019 , Barrett refused to reconsider a case brought by a naturalized US citizen , Moshin Yafai , whose wife , Zahoor Ahmed , a citizen of Yemen , was twice denied a green card , '' Narea reported .
`` The consular officer had denied Ahmed 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegedly tried to smuggle her two children across the border , even though Ahmed and her husband had provided documentation to the embassy that their children had died in a drowning accident . ''
That case appeared to strike a particular chord with CIS .
`` One of the eugenicist John Tanton 's favorite think tanks is praising Trump 's Supreme Court nominee thanks to her decisions denying certain brown people access to visas , '' tweeted investigative journalist Jean Guerrero , who has previously detailed the group 's sordid association with White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miller .
Narea writes that in another anti-immigrant decision by Barrett , she waved away a case brought forward by an asylum-seeker who sought protection in the U.S. after he witnessed gang members murder a friend in El Salvador .
Gerson Alvarenga-Flores ' case , however , encountered an obstacle due to an inconsistency that could have been due to a language issue .
`` He claimed that he had been attacked by gang members while in a taxi and , on another occasion , said he was approached by them on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the judge nevertheless concluded that his account of being targeted by gangs was n't credible , '' she continued , `` without even considering whether he would have deserved humanitarian protection . ''
Barrett sided with the immigration judge , also pointing to the discrepancy .
In one of the last Supreme Court decisions of her life , Bader Ginsburg ruled against the Trump administration 's unlawful move ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) program .
Should the impeached president get his Supreme Court nominee installed and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he 'll again move to end DACA and deport hundreds of thousands of young immigrants—and this time will likely have the hyper-conservative court he needs to ensure a ruling in his favor .
`` Confirming Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court would be a disaster for immigrant communities across this country , '' tweeted Daniel Altschuler , managing director of Make the Road Action .
`` Americans need Supreme Court Justices who will defend the Constitutional rights of every American and deliver equal justice for all under the law , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy Coney Barrett 's record makes it clear she will not . ''

How does impeached President Donald Trump's illegitimate nominee to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Supreme Court rank when it comes to rulings on immigration? Well, the fact that Amy Coney Barrett appeared to get a thumbs-up from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), an anti-immigrant hate group founded by dead white nationalist and eugenicist John Tanton, is incredibly worrying, to say the least.
Vox's Nicole Narea reports that in her three-plus years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Amy Coney Barrett has mostly decided against immigrants, siding with the Trump administration on its discriminatory "public charge" rule punishing working families, and in another case deciding against a U.S. citizen who sued after his wife was denied permanent residency under disturbing circumstances on the part of the federal government.
"In January 2019, Barrett refused to reconsider a case brought by a naturalized US citizen, Moshin Yafai, whose wife, Zahoor Ahmed, a citizen of Yemen, was twice denied a green card," Narea reported. "The consular officer had denied Ahmed's green card on the grounds that she allegedly tried to smuggle her two children across the border, even though Ahmed and her husband had provided documentation to the embassy that their children had died in a drowning accident."
That case appeared to strike a particular chord with CIS. "One of the eugenicist John Tanton's favorite think tanks is praising Trump's Supreme Court nominee thanks to her decisions denying certain brown people access to visas," tweeted investigative journalist Jean Guerrero, who has previously detailed the group's sordid association with White House aide and noted white supremacist Stephen Miller.
Narea writes that in another anti-immigrant decision by Barrett, she waved away a case brought forward by an asylum-seeker who sought protection in the U.S. after he witnessed gang members murder a friend in El Salvador. Gerson Alvarenga-Flores' case, however, encountered an obstacle due to an inconsistency that could have been due to a language issue. "He claimed that he had been attacked by gang members while in a taxi and, on another occasion, said he was approached by them on a bus," Narea reported.
"But the judge nevertheless concluded that his account of being targeted by gangs wasn't credible," she continued, "without even considering whether he would have deserved humanitarian protection." Barrett sided with the immigration judge, also pointing to the discrepancy.
In one of the last Supreme Court decisions of her life, Bader Ginsburg ruled against the Trump administration's unlawful move ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Should the impeached president get his Supreme Court nominee installed and then manage to remain in office next year, he'll again move to end DACA and deport hundreds of thousands of young immigrants—and this time will likely have the hyper-conservative court he needs to ensure a ruling in his favor.
"Confirming Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court would be a disaster for immigrant communities across this country," tweeted Daniel Altschuler, managing director of Make the Road Action. "Americans need Supreme Court Justices who will defend the Constitutional rights of every American and deliver equal justice for all under the law," tweeted Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith. "Amy Coney Barrett's record makes it clear she will not."


alternet--2020-09-29--Critics say Trump tax dodging exposes system rotten to the core: 'The American people should be pis

Critics say Trump tax dodging exposes system rotten to the core: 'The American people should be pissed off'

While President Donald Trump 's long-running effort to game the U.S. tax code for his own financial benefit was the central focus of explosive new reporting on the billionaire 's tax returns by the New York Times , progressive observers and lawmakers were quick to note that the behaviors revealed by the documents are commonplace among America 's wealthy elite—a fact they said is cause for widespread outrage and a renewed push in Congress for transformational change to a system that is fundamentally rotten .
`` The American people should be angry about President Trump 's tax evasion , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be much more angry about how much of what Trump did is legal , '' Morris Pearl , the chair of advocacy group Patriotic Millionaires , said in a statement Monday .
`` The American people should be more angry about how many other millionaires and billionaires are able to avoid supporting the country that made them rich in the first place . ''
`` Most of all , '' Pearl added , `` the American people should be pissed off about the fact that instead of offering them healthcare , or affordable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , their government instead prioritizes protecting the wealth of the rich , powerful , and selfish . ''
Frank Clemente , executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness , said he hopes the new reporting provides `` a wake-up call to Congress . ''
`` If we are going to create an economy that works for all of us , not just those at the top , '' said Clemente , `` we need to create a fair share tax system that closes loopholes , cracks down on tax cheats , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of the United States—from dodging their tax obligations for decades on end . ''
Based on more than two decades of tax records the president has long fought to conceal from the public and Congress , the Times report details how Trump has repeatedly exploited gaping loopholes and business-friendly provisions in the U.S. tax code to massively reduce his federal income tax bill .
The result of Trump 's maneuvering , according to the Times , was that the billionaire paid just $ 750 in federal income taxes in both 2016 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 15 years before his White House victory .
`` Trump 's tax returns tell us that he 's either a very bad businessman or a tax cheat—likely both , '' tweeted Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , alluding to Trump 's use of major business losses to dodge income taxes .
`` But more importantly , '' Sanders added , `` it shows how the wealthy , unlike most Americans , are able to avoid paying taxes .
The top 1 % is responsible for 70 % of unpaid taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rich . ''
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
echoed Sanders , arguing that the revelations in the Times reporting are `` about more than one man 's personal tax scams . ''
`` Donald Trump is a liar , a cheater , and a crooked businessman , yes , '' said Warren .
`` But he 's also taking advantage of a broken , corrupt , and unequal system that 's built for people like him to do what he did . ''
Since taking office in 2017 , Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make the U.S. tax system even friendlier to the wealthy and large corporations while leaving working- and middle-class families in the dust .
Steve Wamhoff , federal policy director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy , noted in a statement that the Times reporting does `` not include Trump 's tax returns for 2018 and 2019 , the first two years after the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act went into effect .
The law opened new tax avoidance opportunities for wealthy business owners . ''
`` There are two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us follow and another far more generous one for the very rich , '' said Wamhoff .
`` While it is common for the wealthy to use the tax code this way , Trump is in a league of his own .
His losses seem to be , in many cases , more than just paper losses .
Anything he is personally involved in tends to lose money .
And it is possible that his various maneuvers do , in fact , exceed what is allowed by the law . ''
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and imposing a wealth tax , analysts said in response to the Times reporting that congressional Democrats must also prioritize enforcement of the nation 's tax laws by adequately funding the IRS , which has been crippled in recent years by Republican budget cuts .
`` Right now the IRS is fighting with paper swords , '' tweeted Binyamin Appelbaum , economics writer for the Times Editorial Board .
`` Making rich people follow the law is a matter of justice and oh , by the way , it would also be hugely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a billionaire cheats on their taxes , that 's less money for roads , schools , etc . ''
Pearl of the Patriotic Millionaires said that `` it seems obvious that Trump has committed some amount of criminal tax evasion , but that 's not the biggest issue here . ''
`` The real problem is a system that provides such absurd loopholes to the ultra-wealthy in the first place , and a deliberately underfunded IRS that lacks the capacity to properly prosecute rich people 's criminal tax evasion , '' said Pearl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly egregious , but he 's far from unique . ''
In July , as Common Dreams reported , the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the amount of unpaid taxes between 2011 to 2013 averaged just over $ 380 billion per year—a figure Sanders decried at the time as `` an absolute outrage . ''
`` Congress is leaving hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes uncollected from the wealthy , '' Sanders added .
`` Make no mistake : the primary beneficiaries of IRS funding cuts are wealthy tax cheats and large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second that the wealthiest country on Earth is unable to make critical investments to meet people 's basic needs in terms of healthcare , food security , education , and unemployment . ''
Writing for the Discourse Blog on Monday , journalist Paul Blest argued that the U.S. tax system in its present form `` invites manipulation by anyone rich enough to do it . ''
But , Blest added , the tax code 's current construction is the result of deliberate policy decisions and thus—with adequate political will—reversable .
`` It really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; the government can act to heavily tax the rich and powerful and use the money to fund public services and has in the past , '' wrote Blest .
`` And if people want to reduce the power , influence , and mythos surrounding obscenely wealthy people like Donald Trump , there are far worse places they could start than the U.S. tax code . ''

While President Donald Trump's long-running effort to game the U.S. tax code for his own financial benefit was the central focus of explosive new reporting on the billionaire's tax returns by the New York Times, progressive observers and lawmakers were quick to note that the behaviors revealed by the documents are commonplace among America's wealthy elite—a fact they said is cause for widespread outrage and a renewed push in Congress for transformational change to a system that is fundamentally rotten."The American people should be angry about President Trump's tax evasion, but that's not all. They should be much more angry about how much of what Trump did is legal," Morris Pearl, the chair of advocacy group Patriotic Millionaires, said in a statement Monday. "The American people should be more angry about how many other millionaires and billionaires are able to avoid supporting the country that made them rich in the first place."
"Most of all," Pearl added, "the American people should be pissed off about the fact that instead of offering them healthcare, or affordable childcare, or financial support during a pandemic, their government instead prioritizes protecting the wealth of the rich, powerful, and selfish."
Frank Clemente, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness, said he hopes the new reporting provides "a wake-up call to Congress."
"If we are going to create an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top," said Clemente, "we need to create a fair share tax system that closes loopholes, cracks down on tax cheats, and prevents any unscrupulous tycoon—sadly, including the president of the United States—from dodging their tax obligations for decades on end."
Based on more than two decades of tax records the president has long fought to conceal from the public and Congress, the Timesreport details how Trump has repeatedly exploited gaping loopholes and business-friendly provisions in the U.S. tax code to massively reduce his federal income tax bill. The result of Trump's maneuvering, according to the Times, was that the billionaire paid just $750 in federal income taxes in both 2016 and 2017 and not a dime in 10 of the 15 years before his White House victory.
"Trump's tax returns tell us that he's either a very bad businessman or a tax cheat—likely both," tweeted Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), alluding to Trump's use of major business losses to dodge income taxes.
"But more importantly," Sanders added, "it shows how the wealthy, unlike most Americans, are able to avoid paying taxes. The top 1% is responsible for 70% of unpaid taxes. It's time to tax the rich."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) echoed Sanders, arguing that the revelations in the Times reporting are "about more than one man's personal tax scams."
"Donald Trump is a liar, a cheater, and a crooked businessman, yes," said Warren. "But he's also taking advantage of a broken, corrupt, and unequal system that's built for people like him to do what he did."
Since taking office in 2017, Trump has worked with his Republican allies in Congress to make the U.S. tax system even friendlier to the wealthy and large corporations while leaving working- and middle-class families in the dust.
Steve Wamhoff, federal policy director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, noted in a statement that the Times reporting does "not include Trump's tax returns for 2018 and 2019, the first two years after the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act went into effect. The law opened new tax avoidance opportunities for wealthy business owners."
"There are two tax systems: one that most of us follow and another far more generous one for the very rich," said Wamhoff. "While it is common for the wealthy to use the tax code this way, Trump is in a league of his own. His losses seem to be, in many cases, more than just paper losses. Anything he is personally involved in tends to lose money. And it is possible that his various maneuvers do, in fact, exceed what is allowed by the law."
In addition to hiking income taxes on the rich and imposing a wealth tax, analysts said in response to the Times reporting that congressional Democrats must also prioritize enforcement of the nation's tax laws by adequately funding the IRS, which has been crippled in recent years by Republican budget cuts.
"Right now the IRS is fighting with paper swords," tweeted Binyamin Appelbaum, economics writer for the Times Editorial Board. "Making rich people follow the law is a matter of justice and oh, by the way, it would also be hugely profitable for the government. Every time a billionaire cheats on their taxes, that's less money for roads, schools, etc."
Pearl of the Patriotic Millionaires said that "it seems obvious that Trump has committed some amount of criminal tax evasion, but that's not the biggest issue here."
"The real problem is a system that provides such absurd loopholes to the ultra-wealthy in the first place, and a deliberately underfunded IRS that lacks the capacity to properly prosecute rich people's criminal tax evasion," said Pearl. "Trump's case may be particularly egregious, but he's far from unique."
In July, as Common Dreamsreported, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the amount of unpaid taxes between 2011 to 2013 averaged just over $380 billion per year—a figure Sanders decried at the time as "an absolute outrage."
"Congress is leaving hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes uncollected from the wealthy," Sanders added. "Make no mistake: the primary beneficiaries of IRS funding cuts are wealthy tax cheats and large corporations. Do not think for one second that the wealthiest country on Earth is unable to make critical investments to meet people's basic needs in terms of healthcare, food security, education, and unemployment."
Writing for the Discourse Blog on Monday, journalist Paul Blest argued that the U.S. tax system in its present form "invites manipulation by anyone rich enough to do it." But, Blest added, the tax code's current construction is the result of deliberate policy decisions and thus—with adequate political will—reversable.
"It really doesn't have to be like this; the government can act to heavily tax the rich and powerful and use the money to fund public services and has in the past," wrote Blest. "And if people want to reduce the power, influence, and mythos surrounding obscenely wealthy people like Donald Trump, there are far worse places they could start than the U.S. tax code."


alternet--2020-09-29--Joni Ernst is struggling in Iowa’s Senate race — and Trump is a ‘huge part of her problem’: journali

Joni Ernst is struggling in Iowa’s Senate race — and Trump is a ‘huge part of her problem’: journalist

When Sen. Joni Ernst was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014 , the Iowa Republican defeated her Democratic opponent , Bruce Braley , by 9 % .
But six years later , polls are showing a much tighter U.S. Senate race in Iowa — where a recent Des Moines Register poll found her trailing Democrat Theresa Greenfield by 3 % .
And Iowa-based journalist Art Cullen , in an op-ed published this week in the Washington Post , argues that President Donald Trump is largely to blame .
`` Greenfield , the daughter of a crop-duster , has raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing well , attracting 10 % of voters who supported Trump four years ago , '' explains Cullen , author of the 2020 book `` Storm Lake : Change , Resilience and Hope in America 's Heartland '' and editor of the Storm Lake Times in Northwest Iowa .
`` Not long ago , 60 % of Iowans approved of Ernst 's performance .
Now , the same percentage disapproves .
They tell the Iowa poll that Ernst has not done enough for Iowa — a criticism that felled past senators such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jepsen before her . ''
Cullen argues that Ernst has become too pro-Trump for her own good .
`` Trump is a huge part of Ernst 's problem , '' Cullen writes .
`` She stood by him when he started trade wars with our biggest ag export customers : China , Mexico and Canada .
Then , Trump toyed with the ethanol industry for three years while prices plummeted .
And the pandemic is out of control in Iowa while Congress dithers over aid . ''
Politically , Iowa is best described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wyoming and Idaho are deep red .
President Barack Obama won Iowa 's electoral votes in 2008 and 2012 , but Democrat Hillary Clinton lost to Trump in Iowa in 2016 — and now , polls are showing that former Vice President Joe Biden is quite competitive with Trump in Iowa .
Some polls have shown Biden with a slight lead in Iowa ; others have shown Trump with a slight lead in Iowa .
Like Pennsylvania , Florida and Arizona , Iowa is one of the swing states that reporters will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day .
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , according to Cullen , has made things more difficult for Ernst because it reminds Iowa voters how Trumpian she has become .
`` Ernst had no choice but to stand with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) for a vote before January , lame duck or not , '' Cullen explains .
`` McConnell keeps the checkbook .
Again , that 's the problem .
Our junior senator is in lockstep with Trump and McConnell on nearly every issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They like mavericks , the kind that Chuck Grassley used to be .
They also have a Midwestern sense of fair play that does not brook rushing a vote this important when McConnell said the exact opposite four years ago . ''
Cullen points out that in the recent Des Moines Register poll , Ernst trails Greenfield by 20 % among Iowa women — and he contends that her opposition to the Affordable Care Act of 2010 , a.k.a .
Obamacare , has hurt her among female voters .
`` All those votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some bruises , '' Cullen observes .
`` Rural hospitals are on the verge of closing , and urban hospitals are shutting down maternity wards to cut costs .
Duly noted . ''
Cullen concludes his op-ed by acknowledging that an `` October surprise '' might save Ernst 's campaign , but he stresses that she should n't count on it .
`` There will be no miracle vaccine by November , '' Cullen writes .
`` Laid-off manufacturing workers from Waterloo to Davenport will not be called back , and farmers will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit after the harvest .
None of it is good .
There could be an October surprise .
It will have to be a doozy to unwrite this script . ''

When Sen. Joni Ernst was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014, the Iowa Republican defeated her Democratic opponent, Bruce Braley, by 9%. But six years later, polls are showing a much tighter U.S. Senate race in Iowa — where a recent Des Moines Register poll found her trailing Democrat Theresa Greenfield by 3%. And Iowa-based journalist Art Cullen, in an op-ed published this week in the Washington Post, argues that President Donald Trump is largely to blame.
"Greenfield, the daughter of a crop-duster, has raised more money than Ernst; she is wearing well, attracting 10% of voters who supported Trump four years ago," explains Cullen, author of the 2020 book "Storm Lake: Change, Resilience and Hope in America's Heartland" and editor of the Storm Lake Times in Northwest Iowa. "Not long ago, 60% of Iowans approved of Ernst's performance. Now, the same percentage disapproves. They tell the Iowa poll that Ernst has not done enough for Iowa — a criticism that felled past senators such as Dick Clark, John Culver and Roger Jepsen before her."
Cullen argues that Ernst has become too pro-Trump for her own good.
"Trump is a huge part of Ernst's problem," Cullen writes. "She stood by him when he started trade wars with our biggest ag export customers: China, Mexico and Canada. Then, Trump toyed with the ethanol industry for three years while prices plummeted. And the pandemic is out of control in Iowa while Congress dithers over aid."
Politically, Iowa is best described as a GOP-friendly swing state, while Wyoming and Idaho are deep red. President Barack Obama won Iowa's electoral votes in 2008 and 2012, but Democrat Hillary Clinton lost to Trump in Iowa in 2016 — and now, polls are showing that former Vice President Joe Biden is quite competitive with Trump in Iowa. Some polls have shown Biden with a slight lead in Iowa; others have shown Trump with a slight lead in Iowa. Like Pennsylvania, Florida and Arizona, Iowa is one of the swing states that reporters will be paying very close attention to on Election Day.
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, according to Cullen, has made things more difficult for Ernst because it reminds Iowa voters how Trumpian she has become.
"Ernst had no choice but to stand with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for a vote before January, lame duck or not," Cullen explains. "McConnell keeps the checkbook. Again, that's the problem. Our junior senator is in lockstep with Trump and McConnell on nearly every issue. Iowans don't like that. They like mavericks, the kind that Chuck Grassley used to be. They also have a Midwestern sense of fair play that does not brook rushing a vote this important when McConnell said the exact opposite four years ago."
Cullen points out that in the recent Des Moines Register poll, Ernst trails Greenfield by 20% among Iowa women — and he contends that her opposition to the Affordable Care Act of 2010, a.k.a. Obamacare, has hurt her among female voters.
"All those votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act left some bruises," Cullen observes. "Rural hospitals are on the verge of closing, and urban hospitals are shutting down maternity wards to cut costs. Duly noted."
Cullen concludes his op-ed by acknowledging that an "October surprise" might save Ernst's campaign, but he stresses that she shouldn't count on it.
"There will be no miracle vaccine by November," Cullen writes. "Laid-off manufacturing workers from Waterloo to Davenport will not be called back, and farmers will nervously await the crop insurance adjuster's visit after the harvest. None of it is good. There could be an October surprise. It will have to be a doozy to unwrite this script."


alternet--2020-09-29--Mike Flynn’s lawyer just admitted to a federal judge she’s discussed his case with Trump

The attorney for disgraced former Trump national security adviser and convicted felon Mike Flynn has just admitted to a federal @ @ @ @ @ with President Donald Trump about her client 's case – and that she personally asked @ @ @ @ @ Flynn .
Sydney Powell , a former federal prosecutor turned conspiracy theorist , QAnon-signaler , @ @ @ @ @ state '' personality , was asked by U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan , if @ @ @ @ @ with Trump .
Powell actually tries to invoke executive privilege – to which she has @ @ @ @ @ not work for the administration .
And then , this bombshell : Former federal prosecutor @ @ @ @ @ MSNBC legal analyst Glenn Kirschner sugggests things got a little wild in the courtroom : @ @ @ @ @ the DOJ are trying to have the case dismissed – after Flynn pleaded guilty , @ @ @ @ @ .
Attorney General Bill Barr has been accused of working to protect Trump 's allies @

The attorney for disgraced former Trump national security adviser and convicted felon Mike Flynn has just admitted to a federal judge she has been talking with President Donald Trump about her client's case – and that she personally asked the president to not pardon Flynn.
Sydney Powell, a former federal prosecutor turned conspiracy theorist, QAnon-signaler, and pro-MAGA anti-"deep state" personality, was asked by U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan, if she's been in contact with Trump.
Politico's Kyle Cheney provides the back-and-forth:
Powell actually tries to invoke executive privilege – to which she has no right since she does not work for the administration.
And then, this bombshell:
Former federal prosecutor, now an NBC and MSNBC legal analyst Glenn Kirschner sugggests things got a little wild in the courtroom:
At issue: Flynn and the DOJ are trying to have the case dismissed – after Flynn pleaded guilty, twice, before the judge. Attorney General Bill Barr has been accused of working to protect Trump's allies.


alternet--2020-09-29--War hero turned troll: Man who raised millions for border wall uses social media to attack his detra

War hero turned troll: Man who raised millions for border wall uses social media to attack his detractors

This article is co-published with ProPublica , a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power .
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It was an image years in the making .
Brian Kolfage had lost three limbs in an Iraq bomb blast in 2004 , making him the most badly wounded airman to survive the war .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subject of sympathetic news profiles and was even a guest at former President Barack Obama 's State of the Union address in 2012 .
More recently , 38-year-old Kolfage had positioned himself as a border security visionary after raising $ 25 million to construct privately funded fences in an effort to help President Donald Trump keep undocumented immigrants from crossing the southern border .
On social media and in the lucrative industry of online news sites dedicated to far-right politics , there 's a very different Kolfage , though .
One who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharpened a strategy of retribution and retaliation against his online critics , asking his legion of followers to “ expose '' perceived enemies and “ make ( them ) famous , '' according to numerous interviews , hundreds of screenshots of since-deleted social media posts and court records from two defamation lawsuits to which he was a party .
Kolfage 's actions online have spawned an informal support group of individuals who have felt his wrath , including fellow veterans and progressives , as well as some of Kolfage 's former conservative allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to formally apologize to a perceived online critic as part of a court settlement and prompted a judge to issue a warning following his recent indictment on fraud charges .
Facebook has barred Kolfage from its platform for his online behavior , which includes creating multiple fake accounts and linking to “ ad farms , '' a company spokeswoman said , adding that his actions violated “ our rules against spam and inauthentic behavior . ''
Neither Kolfage nor his attorney responded to requests for comment .
He 's previously said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative comments that others publish about him , such as allegations of fraud .
Kolfage , along with three others , including former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon , are charged with defrauding thousands of donors to Kolfage 's nonprofit , We Build the Wall .
Prosecutors allege the men deceived donors by using Kolfage 's public persona and his pledge not to take a dime in salary .
Instead , Kolfage pocketed more than $ 350,000 , according to the indictment .
The men have pleaded not guilty .
So far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private wall projects , including one in the Rio Grande Valley that a ProPublica/Texas Tribune investigation found could topple into the river if not properly fixed and maintained .
Kolfage has unleashed his growing army of followers on critics and opponents of those projects , including local elected and wildlife refuge officials and a priest .
Death threats followed .
The National Butterfly Center , next door to the border fence built in the Rio Grande Valley , “ openly supports illegal immigration and sex trafficking of women and children , '' Kolfage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messages calling staffers “ pigs , '' “ pathetic filth '' and “ traitors '' poured in .
“ You will be made to pay , '' one Facebook follower declared in a message .
To those who know him , Kolfage 's online attacks reflect a pattern .
“ His whole identity is wrapped up in people rolling out the red carpet for him , in being this war hero , '' said Lindsay Lowery , who worked for Kolfage for about a year at his Freedom Daily website in 2017 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets very nasty and vindictive .
Facebook is his echo chamber . ''
Lowery said she left after she grew frustrated with what she called “ clickbait '' peddled by the right-wing site .
Mary Anne Franks , a law professor at the University of Miami and an expert on the intersection of civil rights and technology , said : “ One of the disturbing trends in online harassment is that when you have enough followers or you are notorious enough , you do n't actually have to do the dirty work yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have to do is throw out some inflammatory comments about a particular person and your followers are going to do the rest . ''
Though Kolfage is technically barred from Facebook , the world 's largest social media platform continues to allow him to reach his 683,000 followers with antagonistic posts because it says a fan page bearing his name is operated by seven individuals across the country and , thus , “ he is not posting personally , '' the Facebook spokeswoman said .
A scroll through Kolfage 's fan page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the first person , which Facebook said is allowed since he is not a designated hate figure .
As of Sept. 23 , the name of the principal page owner was similar to that of Kolfage 's wife , Ashley — the same person listed as running Bannon 's fan page .
But the owner of Kolfage 's page was changed to Brian Kolfage after ProPublica and the Tribune asked the Kolfages about it .
Facebook said that is also allowed , even for a barred figure , as fan pages have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as owner .
A spokeswoman reiterated that Kolfage himself is not the actual administrator since “ he does not have access to Facebook because he can not have a Profile . ''
Facebook did not say how it would prevent Kolfage from accessing the site through the account of someone close to him such as his wife .
Regardless of who is posting , since his indictment , Kolfage has found a new target : the United States Attorney 's Office for the Southern District of New York .
His Facebook fan page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and motivated by politics .
A recent Facebook post garnered more than 1,500 angry comments supporting him .
“ I see public hangings on the White house lawn , '' one person commented on a recent post about why the indictment was a political hit job , adding , “ Obama should be 1st . ''
When prosecutors complained that the posts on Kolfage 's Facebook page could taint a potential jury pool , his attorney , Harvey Steinberg , argued in a hearing that the First Amendment gave his client the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though she did not issue a gag order , U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres said she may do so if the behavior continues .
And it has .
Since the ruling , a steady stream of posts on Kolfage 's fan page have labeled prosecutors a “ wing of Antifa '' acting with “ malicious '' intentions .
Some of those on the receiving end of Kolfage 's previous online behavior say they have forever been changed .
Jackie Millinor , 64 , a Massachusetts Air Force veteran and executive assistant , found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media showdown with Kolfage and his Facebook followers seven years ago .
She came onto Kolfage 's radar after trying to end the harassment of a 61-year-old woman she had never met .
Kolfage claimed the retired union representative had made a disparaging comment against him and veterans in general .
In response to her advocacy for the woman , Millinor said , Kolfage 's followers published her address and phone number on Facebook , which was shared widely .
She said Kolfage contacted her employer through since-deleted tweets , asking that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said the attempt did n't work , but the stress landed her in the hospital with gastrointestinal issues that required a blood transfusion .
Millinor is the founder of the informal Facebook support group of those who say they were targeted by Kolfage .
“ It broke a piece of me , '' Millinor said recently .
“ I 'm not the same person now as before , after what Brian Kolfage did to me .
My own family members thought I was crazy . ''
Massachusetts resident Jan Vrotsos would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wish friends happy birthday and keep up with their lives , she said .
But a 2013 post offering a family her condolences for losing their little girl to cancer — an illness she said she was then battling herself — placed her in the middle of an internet rabbit hole of fake pages , trolls and cyberbullies she knew nothing about .
It turns out Vrotsos had commented on a fake page Kolfage and others had set up to catch the administrator of a satirical liberal page called Republican Family Values that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baby as part of a meme making fun of his family .
Someone , it 's unclear who , then posted a fabricated comment to Kolfage from Vrotsos calling disabled veterans worthless .
“ I hope you die a miserable death you worthless fake hero .
You and your family will be a burden on tax payers your entire life , '' the fake message read , accompanied by Vrotsos ' profile picture of her standing in front of a sunflower field with her cocker spaniel , Buddy .
The post went viral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his followers , along with Vrotsos ' picture , email and home address , as well as the phone numbers of her and her mother .
“ This lady is enjoying her freedom at the expense of my legs and hand and enjoys bashing wounded warriors , '' Kolfage wrote on social media .
“ EXPOSE HER . ''
It was liked by nearly 1,300 people and shared more than 12,000 times .
Almost immediately , Vrotsos ' then 81-year-old mother started getting calls to tell her daughter to get her affairs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including one that said that they hoped she got “ mugged and raped at gunpoint by a aids ridden piece of filth . ''
Vrotsos filed a police report with the Medford Police Department on Dec. 30 , 2013 , detailing the harassment .
But police told her there was little they could do to help .
One officer told her that because of the “ 1st Amendment and free speech '' most of her complaints “ except real threats and intentional ID theft '' were civil in nature and that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medford Police Department simply does not have the resources to investigate all the Internet threats and harassments coming to Jan Vrotsos from around the country and from many different sources , '' the report concluded .
But what bothered her the most , she said in a recent phone interview , is that the harassers found out where her dad was buried , and that they threatened to dig up the World War II veteran and “ piss on his grave . ''
“ I was petrified , '' she said .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It would be years before she stopped looking over her shoulder , afraid people would recognize her .
Before all of this , she said she had no idea who Brian Kolfage was .
Born in Michigan and raised in Hawaii , Kolfage joined the Air Force and at one point was stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo , Texas , where he met his wife , Ashley .
In 2004 , two weeks into his second deployment to Iraq , a rocket exploded a few feet from him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his right hand .
The Purple Heart recipient recovered after undergoing 16 surgeries in six months , enrolled in architecture school and often spoke publicly about his experience , becoming the face of resilience and perseverance .
In addition to being former Democratic Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords ' special guest to the State of the Union address , Kolfage served on her veteran 's advisory council .
“ We were just absolutely astounded when we met him , '' Giffords ' then-district director Ron Barber told Cronkite News in January 2012 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world despite the fact that he 's lost three limbs .
It was just extraordinary and inspiring . ''
A year later , however , Kolfage was sharing conspiracy theories and calling Obama “ a halfbreed '' on Facebook .
He would soon begin running a number of right-wing websites and Facebook pages that he claimed earned him as much as $ 200,000 per month , according to text messages reviewed by ProPublica and the Tribune .
The sites included sensationalized , photoshopped and in some cases fabricated content , and several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inauthentic activity '' in 2018 .
“ It got really crazy by the end with photoshopped images all the time , '' said Lowery , Kolfage 's former Freedom Daily employee .
“ I said I 'm not going to profit off of lies . ''
A text exchange between Lowery and Kolfage viewed by ProPublica and the Tribune shows one example : a fake picture of Hillary Clinton being led away in handcuffs with the headline : “ TRUMP 'S DOJ JUST DID IT !
!
!
It 's FINALLY happening !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kolfage tells Lowery : “ it 's just a graphic .
Best story of the day . ''
After Lowery quit , Kolfage accused her of trying to lure his employees away to another site , Lowery said .
She believes that in retaliation he made false reports to the FBI and her husband 's employer that she was a security threat , a claim previously reported by BuzzFeed .
Lowery said that she shared threatening texts from Kolfage , which included the warning to “ start hiding your tracks , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employer , and that their inquiries ceased soon after .
Online , Kolfage continued to leave a trail of bullying and personal attacks .
While Kolfage has deactivated many of his previous social media accounts , including Twitter , which he closed soon after the indictment , court documents and more recent , undeleted social media activity indicate similar behavior .
This week he rebooted his Twitter account to post about the “ politically corrupt '' case against him .
That vitriol toward Vrotsos is what caught the attention of others , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media to confront Kolfage in her defense .
It also brought out the worst in people .
Some went after Kolfage , leading to mutual online attacks , fake social media pages from both sides , the release of personal information of members of the informal support group and calls from Kolfage to his followers to report them to their employers .
Kolfage launched a defamation lawsuit against half a dozen online opponents .
Kolfage and his wife demanded the removal of social media posts calling him names such as Nazi and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their defamation lawsuit .
Back then , Kolfage told Fox 10 Phoenix that he felt he needed to take legal action after adversaries started going after his family and tried to ruin the career of his wife , who was a teacher and a model .
“ They would say they wished I had died , they said I was a drain on the government system , just really nasty stuff .
I started sharing the comments , and it went viral , '' he said .
“ Because I was just fed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled in favor of several of the defendants and dismissed the case in 2015 .
Some defendants reached a settlement with Kolfage that included an agreement to not publish anything about the other and to remove disparaging statements where possible .
As part of the settlement , Kolfage also apologized to Vrotsos for sharing her public information .
“ I published Jan 's information on my public Facebook page and I regret anything that transpired to Jan as a result of that , '' Kolfage wrote in a signed statement submitted to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 , 2015. via U.S. District Court of Arizona On Facebook , Kolfage said he did n't believe Vrotsos had authored the post and blamed trolls whose goal was to cause as much misery as possible .
“ I want to apologize on behalf of my supporters to Jan , who were sucked into this whirlwind and participated in any malevolent behavior , '' he wrote .
“ It is my sincere hope that this can be a learning experience for everyone ( including the people who are attacking my family wrongfully ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind us . ''
After that experience , Vrotsos says she now tries to be more careful online .
“ I do n't want anything to start up again , '' she said .
Louis Caponecchia , a Navy veteran who was among those who prevailed after being sued by Kolfage , said many people who tangled with Kolfage have gone into hiding online .
“ These are regular people , they 've never had 10 angry messages on Facebook before and then to get dozens , your average person has no idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
“ It 's pretty easy to scare and intimidate people .
Me , I have a big mouth and nothing to lose .
I fought back and that really enraged him . ''
Caponecchia has traded online barbs with Kolfage and his supporters and been temporarily barred from Facebook , which he blamed on Kolfage directing his followers to flag his posts .
He also operates a blog aimed at uncovering what he says are Kolfage 's misdeeds .
Last year , as Kolfage led his nonprofit 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media attacks would escalate even more .
We Build the Wall 's first project was a half mile of fencing in Sunland Park , New Mexico , just outside El Paso , where Kolfage grew furious when local officials halted construction because of a lack of building permits .
“ Burn up the phone lines and email guys ! ''
reads a post on Kolfage 's Facebook fan page , which also included the address and phone number of Sunland Park City Hall and direct contact information for the mayor and city manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off by the cartels !
WE WO N'T STOP !
YOU DO N'T STOP ! ''
In response , Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea said he received several death threats and thousands of messages , some telling him to watch his back or that they were going to release his personal information .
“ You are one major piece of un American piece of crap , '' one email read .
He told ProPublica and the Tribune that more than a year later he still had thousands of emails he had n't gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring attention to the issue and fundraising , '' Perea said , “ because shortly thereafter , they were able to fundraise millions of dollars for their project . ''
The International Boundary and Water Commission , headquartered in El Paso , was also on the receiving end of harassment after agency officials opened a gate We Build the Wall constructed on federal property without permission .
In response , Kolfage encouraged his fan page followers on Facebook and Twitter to call the binational government agency and demand they “ # CloseTheGate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jayne Harkins , a Trump appointee , of letting unauthorized immigrants into the country and undermining the president .
The commission received hundreds of calls from his supporters .
“ The typical message would be somebody would call and say 'open the gate ' and hang up , '' said Sally Spener , a spokeswoman for the commission .
“ It made it difficult for us to receive other business-related calls and our job . ''
More than a year after construction of the half-mile stretch of fence , Spener said , We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the requirements set out by the agency , including an operation and maintenance plan and evidence of financial responsibility for damage or injuries that can be caused by the gate .
In response to questions about his allegations and social media claims , Kolfage told ProPublica and the Tribune in July that the border is loaded with corruption .
“ It was border patrol agents who alerted us that the very first people to come out strong against our wall were the ones paid off , '' he wrote in an email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kolfage accused the National Butterfly Center of enabling sex trafficking and sent what executive director Marianna Treviño-Wright considered a threatening tweet claiming that there were “ snipers in your bushes doing security for our team . ''
Treviño-Wright , who has filed a defamation lawsuit against Kolfage , said she was unprepared for being publicly labeled a human trafficker .
“ Once there was blood in the water , his buddies and bots and We Build the Wall donors were sharks . ''
But she said Caponecchia , a onetime target of Kolfage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media assault , offering advice and guidance .
“ I could ask Louis questions and bounce things off of him , what we might anticipate . ''
A longtime opponent of the border wall , Treviño-Wright said she was forced to take security precautions at her home and office and reported what she considered suspicious activity near the butterfly center to local and federal authorities .
“ There is no way to insulate yourself and family from the online attacks or from those people showing up like … militia people , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and judges ( involved in the Kolfage criminal case ) need to understand they now have targets on their backs . ''
The criminal indictment has brought relief to some of Kolfage 's past targets , who say they are looking forward to his trial in May 2021 .
“ All the fear I 've been holding all these years just went away , '' said Millinor , the Air Force veteran .
“ I said : 'You know what , I 'm not going to hide anymore .
Come hell or high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . '
'' Disclosure : Facebook has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune , a nonprofit , nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members , foundations and corporate sponsors .
Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune 's journalism .
Find a complete list of them here .

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War hero. Veterans advocate. Family man.
It was an image years in the making. Brian Kolfage had lost three limbs in an Iraq bomb blast in 2004, making him the most badly wounded airman to survive the war. He had become a motivational speaker, was the subject of sympathetic news profiles and was even a guest at former President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in 2012.
More recently, 38-year-old Kolfage had positioned himself as a border security visionary after raising $25 million to construct privately funded fences in an effort to help President Donald Trump keep undocumented immigrants from crossing the southern border.
On social media and in the lucrative industry of online news sites dedicated to far-right politics, there's a very different Kolfage, though. One who, over the last decade, has sharpened a strategy of retribution and retaliation against his online critics, asking his legion of followers to “expose" perceived enemies and “make (them) famous," according to numerous interviews, hundreds of screenshots of since-deleted social media posts and court records from two defamation lawsuits to which he was a party.
Kolfage's actions online have spawned an informal support group of individuals who have felt his wrath, including fellow veterans and progressives, as well as some of Kolfage's former conservative allies. His social media activity has forced him to formally apologize to a perceived online critic as part of a court settlement and prompted a judge to issue a warning following his recent indictment on fraud charges.
Facebook has barred Kolfage from its platform for his online behavior, which includes creating multiple fake accounts and linking to “ad farms," a company spokeswoman said, adding that his actions violated “our rules against spam and inauthentic behavior."
Neither Kolfage nor his attorney responded to requests for comment. He's previously said his social media approach is in response to negative comments that others publish about him, such as allegations of fraud.
Kolfage, along with three others, including former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, are charged with defrauding thousands of donors to Kolfage's nonprofit, We Build the Wall. Prosecutors allege the men deceived donors by using Kolfage's public persona and his pledge not to take a dime in salary. Instead, Kolfage pocketed more than $350,000, according to the indictment. The men have pleaded not guilty.
So far, the nonprofit has helped build two private wall projects, including one in the Rio Grande Valley that a ProPublica/Texas Tribune investigation found could topple into the river if not properly fixed and maintained.
Kolfage has unleashed his growing army of followers on critics and opponents of those projects, including local elected and wildlife refuge officials and a priest. Death threats followed.
The National Butterfly Center, next door to the border fence built in the Rio Grande Valley, “openly supports illegal immigration and sex trafficking of women and children," Kolfage tweeted last year. Facebook and Twitter messages calling staffers “pigs," “pathetic filth" and “traitors" poured in. “You will be made to pay," one Facebook follower declared in a message.
To those who know him, Kolfage's online attacks reflect a pattern.
“His whole identity is wrapped up in people rolling out the red carpet for him, in being this war hero," said Lindsay Lowery, who worked for Kolfage for about a year at his Freedom Daily website in 2017. “If anyone challenges that, he gets very nasty and vindictive. Facebook is his echo chamber." Lowery said she left after she grew frustrated with what she called “clickbait" peddled by the right-wing site.
Mary Anne Franks, a law professor at the University of Miami and an expert on the intersection of civil rights and technology, said: “One of the disturbing trends in online harassment is that when you have enough followers or you are notorious enough, you don't actually have to do the dirty work yourself." She added, “All you have to do is throw out some inflammatory comments about a particular person and your followers are going to do the rest."
Courtesy of Louis Caponecchia
Though Kolfage is technically barred from Facebook, the world's largest social media platform continues to allow him to reach his 683,000 followers with antagonistic posts because it says a fan page bearing his name is operated by seven individuals across the country and, thus, “he is not posting personally," the Facebook spokeswoman said.
A scroll through Kolfage's fan page shows many of the posts are written in the first person, which Facebook said is allowed since he is not a designated hate figure. As of Sept. 23, the name of the principal page owner was similar to that of Kolfage's wife, Ashley — the same person listed as running Bannon's fan page. But the owner of Kolfage's page was changed to Brian Kolfage after ProPublica and the Tribune asked the Kolfages about it.
Facebook said that is also allowed, even for a barred figure, as fan pages have the option of listing their public figure as owner. A spokeswoman reiterated that Kolfage himself is not the actual administrator since “he does not have access to Facebook because he cannot have a Profile." Facebook did not say how it would prevent Kolfage from accessing the site through the account of someone close to him such as his wife.
Regardless of who is posting, since his indictment, Kolfage has found a new target: the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
His Facebook fan page has repeatedly blasted prosecutors as “corrupt" and motivated by politics. A recent Facebook post garnered more than 1,500 angry comments supporting him.
“I see public hangings on the White house lawn," one person commented on a recent post about why the indictment was a political hit job, adding, “Obama should be 1st."
When prosecutors complained that the posts on Kolfage's Facebook page could taint a potential jury pool, his attorney, Harvey Steinberg, argued in a hearing that the First Amendment gave his client the right to comment on the case. Though she did not issue a gag order, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres said she may do so if the behavior continues.
And it has. Since the ruling, a steady stream of posts on Kolfage's fan page have labeled prosecutors a “wing of Antifa" acting with “malicious" intentions.
Some of those on the receiving end of Kolfage's previous online behavior say they have forever been changed.
Jackie Millinor, 64, a Massachusetts Air Force veteran and executive assistant, found herself in the middle of a social media showdown with Kolfage and his Facebook followers seven years ago. She came onto Kolfage's radar after trying to end the harassment of a 61-year-old woman she had never met. Kolfage claimed the retired union representative had made a disparaging comment against him and veterans in general.
In response to her advocacy for the woman, Millinor said, Kolfage's followers published her address and phone number on Facebook, which was shared widely. She said Kolfage contacted her employer through since-deleted tweets, asking that she be fired for harassing a wounded warrior. She said the attempt didn't work, but the stress landed her in the hospital with gastrointestinal issues that required a blood transfusion.
Millinor is the founder of the informal Facebook support group of those who say they were targeted by Kolfage.
“It broke a piece of me," Millinor said recently. “I'm not the same person now as before, after what Brian Kolfage did to me. My own family members thought I was crazy."
• • •
Massachusetts resident Jan Vrotsos would get on Facebook to play games, wish friends happy birthday and keep up with their lives, she said.
But a 2013 post offering a family her condolences for losing their little girl to cancer — an illness she said she was then battling herself — placed her in the middle of an internet rabbit hole of fake pages, trolls and cyberbullies she knew nothing about.
It turns out Vrotsos had commented on a fake page Kolfage and others had set up to catch the administrator of a satirical liberal page called Republican Family Values that had used a picture with Kolfage's baby as part of a meme making fun of his family.
Someone, it's unclear who, then posted a fabricated comment to Kolfage from Vrotsos calling disabled veterans worthless. “I hope you die a miserable death you worthless fake hero. You and your family will be a burden on tax payers your entire life," the fake message read, accompanied by Vrotsos' profile picture of her standing in front of a sunflower field with her cocker spaniel, Buddy.
The post went viral. It was shared by Kolfage and his followers, along with Vrotsos' picture, email and home address, as well as the phone numbers of her and her mother.
“This lady is enjoying her freedom at the expense of my legs and hand and enjoys bashing wounded warriors," Kolfage wrote on social media. “EXPOSE HER." It was liked by nearly 1,300 people and shared more than 12,000 times.
Courtesy of Louis Caponecchia
Almost immediately, Vrotsos' then 81-year-old mother started getting calls to tell her daughter to get her affairs in order. Vrotsos received hundreds of threats, including one that said that they hoped she got “mugged and raped at gunpoint by a aids ridden piece of filth."
Vrotsos filed a police report with the Medford Police Department on Dec. 30, 2013, detailing the harassment. But police told her there was little they could do to help. One officer told her that because of the “1st Amendment and free speech" most of her complaints “except real threats and intentional ID theft" were civil in nature and that she should get an attorney.
“The Medford Police Department simply does not have the resources to investigate all the Internet threats and harassments coming to Jan Vrotsos from around the country and from many different sources," the report concluded.
But what bothered her the most, she said in a recent phone interview, is that the harassers found out where her dad was buried, and that they threatened to dig up the World War II veteran and “piss on his grave."
“I was petrified," she said. She didn't leave her house for weeks. It would be years before she stopped looking over her shoulder, afraid people would recognize her.
Before all of this, she said she had no idea who Brian Kolfage was.
• • •
Born in Michigan and raised in Hawaii, Kolfage joined the Air Force and at one point was stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas, where he met his wife, Ashley. In 2004, two weeks into his second deployment to Iraq, a rocket exploded a few feet from him, severing both of his legs and his right hand.
The Purple Heart recipient recovered after undergoing 16 surgeries in six months, enrolled in architecture school and often spoke publicly about his experience, becoming the face of resilience and perseverance.
In addition to being former Democratic Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' special guest to the State of the Union address, Kolfage served on her veteran's advisory council.
“We were just absolutely astounded when we met him," Giffords' then-district director Ron Barber told Cronkite News in January 2012. “His attitude, his positive view of the world despite the fact that he's lost three limbs. It was just extraordinary and inspiring."
A year later, however, Kolfage was sharing conspiracy theories and calling Obama “a halfbreed" on Facebook.
He would soon begin running a number of right-wing websites and Facebook pages that he claimed earned him as much as $200,000 per month, according to text messages reviewed by ProPublica and the Tribune. The sites included sensationalized, photoshopped and in some cases fabricated content, and several were shut down by Facebook for “inauthentic activity" in 2018.
“It got really crazy by the end with photoshopped images all the time," said Lowery, Kolfage's former Freedom Daily employee. “I said I'm not going to profit off of lies."
A text exchange between Lowery and Kolfage viewed by ProPublica and the Tribune shows one example: a fake picture of Hillary Clinton being led away in handcuffs with the headline: “TRUMP'S DOJ JUST DID IT!!! It's FINALLY happening!!!" Questioned about the photo, Kolfage tells Lowery: “it's just a graphic. Best story of the day."
After Lowery quit, Kolfage accused her of trying to lure his employees away to another site, Lowery said. She believes that in retaliation he made false reports to the FBI and her husband's employer that she was a security threat, a claim previously reported by BuzzFeed.
Lowery said that she shared threatening texts from Kolfage, which included the warning to “start hiding your tracks," with the FBI and her husband's employer, and that their inquiries ceased soon after.
Online, Kolfage continued to leave a trail of bullying and personal attacks. While Kolfage has deactivated many of his previous social media accounts, including Twitter, which he closed soon after the indictment, court documents and more recent, undeleted social media activity indicate similar behavior. This week he rebooted his Twitter account to post about the “politically corrupt" case against him.
• • •
That vitriol toward Vrotsos is what caught the attention of others, including vets like Millinor, who went on social media to confront Kolfage in her defense.
It also brought out the worst in people. Some went after Kolfage, leading to mutual online attacks, fake social media pages from both sides, the release of personal information of members of the informal support group and calls from Kolfage to his followers to report them to their employers. Kolfage launched a defamation lawsuit against half a dozen online opponents.
Kolfage and his wife demanded the removal of social media posts calling him names such as Nazi and “pill-addled junky" as part of their defamation lawsuit.
Back then, Kolfage told Fox 10 Phoenix that he felt he needed to take legal action after adversaries started going after his family and tried to ruin the career of his wife, who was a teacher and a model.
“They would say they wished I had died, they said I was a drain on the government system, just really nasty stuff. I started sharing the comments, and it went viral," he said. “Because I was just fed up with it."
The judge ruled in favor of several of the defendants and dismissed the case in 2015. Some defendants reached a settlement with Kolfage that included an agreement to not publish anything about the other and to remove disparaging statements where possible.
As part of the settlement, Kolfage also apologized to Vrotsos for sharing her public information.
“I published Jan's information on my public Facebook page and I regret anything that transpired to Jan as a result of that," Kolfage wrote in a signed statement submitted to the U.S. District Court of Arizona on June 30, 2015.
via U.S. District Court of Arizona
On Facebook, Kolfage said he didn't believe Vrotsos had authored the post and blamed trolls whose goal was to cause as much misery as possible. “I want to apologize on behalf of my supporters to Jan, who were sucked into this whirlwind and participated in any malevolent behavior," he wrote. “It is my sincere hope that this can be a learning experience for everyone (including the people who are attacking my family wrongfully) and that we can all put this behind us."
After that experience, Vrotsos says she now tries to be more careful online. “I don't want anything to start up again," she said.
Louis Caponecchia, a Navy veteran who was among those who prevailed after being sued by Kolfage, said many people who tangled with Kolfage have gone into hiding online.
“These are regular people, they've never had 10 angry messages on Facebook before and then to get dozens, your average person has no idea how to deal with all that stuff," he said. “It's pretty easy to scare and intimidate people. Me, I have a big mouth and nothing to lose. I fought back and that really enraged him."
Caponecchia has traded online barbs with Kolfage and his supporters and been temporarily barred from Facebook, which he blamed on Kolfage directing his followers to flag his posts. He also operates a blog aimed at uncovering what he says are Kolfage's misdeeds.
Last year, as Kolfage led his nonprofit's private border wall projects, his social media attacks would escalate even more.
• • •
We Build the Wall's first project was a half mile of fencing in Sunland Park, New Mexico, just outside El Paso, where Kolfage grew furious when local officials halted construction because of a lack of building permits.
“Burn up the phone lines and email guys!" reads a post on Kolfage's Facebook fan page, which also included the address and phone number of Sunland Park City Hall and direct contact information for the mayor and city manager. “Ask them who was paid off by the cartels! WE WON'T STOP! YOU DON'T STOP!"
In response, Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea said he received several death threats and thousands of messages, some telling him to watch his back or that they were going to release his personal information. “You are one major piece of un American piece of crap," one email read.
He told ProPublica and the Tribune that more than a year later he still had thousands of emails he hadn't gone through.
“Their intention was to bring attention to the issue and fundraising," Perea said, “because shortly thereafter, they were able to fundraise millions of dollars for their project."
The International Boundary and Water Commission, headquartered in El Paso, was also on the receiving end of harassment after agency officials opened a gate We Build the Wall constructed on federal property without permission.
In response, Kolfage encouraged his fan page followers on Facebook and Twitter to call the binational government agency and demand they “#CloseTheGate." He also accused its commissioner, Jayne Harkins, a Trump appointee, of letting unauthorized immigrants into the country and undermining the president.
The commission received hundreds of calls from his supporters.
“The typical message would be somebody would call and say 'open the gate' and hang up," said Sally Spener, a spokeswoman for the commission. “It made it difficult for us to receive other business-related calls and our job."
More than a year after construction of the half-mile stretch of fence, Spener said, We Build the Wall hasn't fulfilled all of the requirements set out by the agency, including an operation and maintenance plan and evidence of financial responsibility for damage or injuries that can be caused by the gate.
In response to questions about his allegations and social media claims, Kolfage told ProPublica and the Tribune in July that the border is loaded with corruption. “It was border patrol agents who alerted us that the very first people to come out strong against our wall were the ones paid off," he wrote in an email.
In the Rio Grande Valley, Kolfage accused the National Butterfly Center of enabling sex trafficking and sent what executive director Marianna Treviño-Wright considered a threatening tweet claiming that there were “snipers in your bushes doing security for our team."
Treviño-Wright, who has filed a defamation lawsuit against Kolfage, said she was unprepared for being publicly labeled a human trafficker. “Once there was blood in the water, his buddies and bots and We Build the Wall donors were sharks."
But she said Caponecchia, a onetime target of Kolfage's, reached out during the social media assault, offering advice and guidance. “I could ask Louis questions and bounce things off of him, what we might anticipate."
A longtime opponent of the border wall, Treviño-Wright said she was forced to take security precautions at her home and office and reported what she considered suspicious activity near the butterfly center to local and federal authorities.
“There is no way to insulate yourself and family from the online attacks or from those people showing up like … militia people," she said. “I think the prosecutors and judges (involved in the Kolfage criminal case) need to understand they now have targets on their backs."
The criminal indictment has brought relief to some of Kolfage's past targets, who say they are looking forward to his trial in May 2021.
“All the fear I've been holding all these years just went away," said Millinor, the Air Force veteran. “I said: 'You know what, I'm not going to hide anymore. Come hell or high water I will be in that courtroom.'"
Disclosure: Facebook has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.


alternet--2020-09-29--Mitch McConnell doesn't want to debate a woman if a woman is moderating that debate

Sen. Mitch McConnell enjoys power .
He enjoys money and power , and those seem to be the only motivating factors in his life .
He does not care that he 's a hypocrite .
He does not care that people can see that he is a hypocrite .
McConnell 's entire existence is an exercise in cynicism .
McConnell 's Kentucky Senate seat will be decided this November .
Running against him is Marine veteran Amy McGrath .
Being the incumbent who is hell-bent on stacking the Supreme Court with ultra-conservative Inquisition types , McConnell has been leery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he 's got a lot to lose .
The Herald-Leader reports that any chance of getting McConnell to engage in a debate with his Democratic challenger seems to be contingent on one very McConnell thing : whether or not the debate moderator is a woman .
McConnell has hemmed and hawed over debating McGrath for weeks .
He has agreed to two debates , both with male-only moderators , after McGrath agreed to three .
McConnell and McGrath have only agreed tentatively to a debate on Gray TV , but according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gray TV debate was supposed to be hosted by WAVE 's Shannon Cogan and WKYT 's Bill Bryant , only Bryant is still moderating .
According to the debate organizer , the only reason Cogan is no longer slated to moderate is `` because both campaigns had mentioned Bryant as a potential moderator . ''
But the McGrath campaign says that the loss of a female co-host of the Gray TV debate seems to have magically coincided with the station negotiating with McConnell 's campaign .
The McGrath campaign points out that McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a female moderator in 25 years .
The McConnell campaign countered by saying that McGrath had been pushing to have Libertarian Brad Barron included on the debate stage ( something McConnell adamantly pushed back against ) , and Barron is a man .
It 's a classic McConnell apples and oranges argument that sadly seems to play well with his base .
McConnell has a sizable lead in most polls .
He has very little interest in debating anyone .
His interests have always been power and money .
What is important to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason to promote his general misogyny but can not rise above his own vileness to be gracious .

Sen. Mitch McConnell enjoys power. He enjoys money and power, and those seem to be the only motivating factors in his life. He does not care that he's a hypocrite. He does not care that people can see that he is a hypocrite. McConnell's entire existence is an exercise in cynicism.
McConnell's Kentucky Senate seat will be decided this November. Running against him is Marine veteran Amy McGrath. Being the incumbent who is hell-bent on stacking the Supreme Court with ultra-conservative Inquisition types, McConnell has been leery of debating McGrath in public because … well, he's got a lot to lose. The Herald-Leader reports that any chance of getting McConnell to engage in a debate with his Democratic challenger seems to be contingent on one very McConnell thing: whether or not the debate moderator is a woman.
McConnell has hemmed and hawed over debating McGrath for weeks. He has agreed to two debates, both with male-only moderators, after McGrath agreed to three. McConnell and McGrath have only agreed tentatively to a debate on Gray TV, but according to the McGrath campaign, while the original Gray TV debate was supposed to be hosted by WAVE's Shannon Cogan and WKYT's Bill Bryant, only Bryant is still moderating. According to the debate organizer, the only reason Cogan is no longer slated to moderate is "because both campaigns had mentioned Bryant as a potential moderator."
But the McGrath campaign says that the loss of a female co-host of the Gray TV debate seems to have magically coincided with the station negotiating with McConnell's campaign.
McGrath challenged McConnell to three debates in August, including the KET Kentucky Tonight Forum on Oct. 26. KET announced it would be extending invitations to the qualifying candidates: McGrath, McConnell and Barron. McConnell has not accepted the invitation to that debate, which is hosted by Renee Shaw.
The McGrath campaign points out that McConnell has not appeared in a debate with a female moderator in 25 years. The McConnell campaign countered by saying that McGrath had been pushing to have Libertarian Brad Barron included on the debate stage (something McConnell adamantly pushed back against), and Barron is a man. It's a classic McConnell apples and oranges argument that sadly seems to play well with his base.
McConnell has a sizable lead in most polls. He has very little interest in debating anyone. His interests have always been power and money. What is important to highlight here is that McConnell has no reason to promote his general misogyny but cannot rise above his own vileness to be gracious.