freebeacon--2020-09-17--The Legal Fight for the Presidential Election Has Already Started

Little-noticed court battles that could decide the presidential election have been underway for months in almost every swing state .
Democrats are pressing courts for lenient guidelines and remote alternatives to in-person voting , while Republicans defend conventional rules and methods .
Expanding voting options is thought to favor the Democrats , even as the GOP expects to carry the in-person vote on Election Day .
The abrupt changes and continued uncertainty could confuse voters and aggravate growing doubts about the election 's legitimacy , with hundreds of thousands of ballots at stake .
Officials in Ohio and Pennsylvania are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop boxes for voters anxious about visiting polling precincts .
Meanwhile , Republican and Democratic campaign arms have sparred over so-called ballot harvesting rules in Michigan , Minnesota , and Nevada .
The public health crisis , and contested Republican claims about voter fraud , loom large over the controversies .
In Ohio , a fast-moving contest over drop-box voting has been eclipsed by a bitter public feud between state court judges and the Ohio GOP .
On Tuesday , Judge Richard Frye ruled that Ohio secretary of state Frank LaRose , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absentee ballot drop boxes to one per county .
The state GOP denounced the ruling and accused Frye , an elected Democrat , of partisanship and bad faith .
That drew a rebuke from Ohio Supreme Court chief justice Maureen O'Connor .
`` Every one of Ohio 's 722 judges , 800 magistrates , and numerous active-retired judges should be greatly concerned and voice their dismay at the irresponsible Republican Party allegation that politics controlled the judge ’ s decision , '' O'Connor said .
`` This is a blatant and unfounded attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
In neighboring Pennsylvania , the Trump campaign is challenging guidelines that allow for dozens of ballot drop boxes across the state .
Some 20 counties , including heavily Democratic Allegheny and Philadelphia counties , authorized remote ballot drop-off locations .
The campaign filed a legal challenge before a federal judge in Pittsburgh , saying state law only authorizes the return of absentee ballots to a county board of elections office .
Pennsylvania Democrats are trying to resolve the controversy in state court .
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed on Sept. 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule disputes .
In turn , the federal judge in Pittsburgh put the Trump suit on hold , since federal courts generally decline to resolve state law issues while state court proceedings are ongoing .
The Trump campaign called the Democratic maneuver an obvious bid to `` shop for a favorable forum . ''
Democrat appointees have a five-to-two advantage on the state supreme court .
Judges also try to avoid last-minute changes to election rules , since late adjustments can confuse voters or create chaos for administrators .
That practice , called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in an April Supreme Court case involving postmarking rules for absentee ballots in Wisconsin .
A few days before the balloting , a federal judge allowed voters in the state 's April 7 election to submit absentee ballots as late as April 13 , even if they were postmarked after Election Day .
The High Court 's conservative majority stopped that accommodation and faulted the district judge for what they called an improper last-minute change .
`` This Court has repeatedly emphasized that lower federal courts should ordinarily not alter the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the Court 's decision reads .
The Trump campaign has invoked the potential for confusion in its attacks on absentee ballot collection operations .
Some states allow voters to turn in absentee ballots via third parties , which Republicans derisively call `` ballot harvesting . ''
Many red states have banned the practice , though Democrats say it helps ensure the infirm or those with spotty postal service , such as residents on Indian reservations , can participate in elections .
`` The left wants a system where every person—alive or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ballot , where Democrat operatives go living room to living room , in the era of COVID no less , intimidating voters , collecting their ballots , and ensuring there 's no secret ballot , '' Trump campaign spokeswoman Thea McDonald told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` These shady operatives then cherry-pick which ballots they deliver , ultimately stacking the deck in their favor . ''
Democrats have challenged ballot-harvesting bans across the country .
They say such restrictions are redundant because the misconduct Republicans fear is already covered by laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They also attacked ballot collection limits on free speech grounds .
In a Michigan lawsuit , Democrats argued the state 's ban has `` a chilling effect on efforts to educate voters , '' since campaign volunteers or friendly neighbors who offer help returning absentee ballots could face criminal charges .
`` The organizing ban involves the direct regulation of communication and political association , among private parties , advocating for a particular change , '' Democrats wrote in court documents .
Democrats attacked a similar law in Minnesota , which caps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person can deliver for other voters .
Roles are reversed in Nevada , where the Democrat-controlled state house passed emergency legislation to permit third-party ballot collection in August .
The Trump campaign intervened in a lawsuit on August 4 that asks a court to put the law on hold .
Nevada 's secretary of state , a Republican , also asked for an emergency regulation requiring any person returning 10 or more ballots to report to election offices and disclose any association with interest groups or campaign organizations .
Republicans prevailed in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A decision in the Nevada case is pending before a Las Vegas federal court .

Little-noticed court battles that could decide the presidential election have been underway for months in almost every swing state.
Democrats are pressing courts for lenient guidelines and remote alternatives to in-person voting, while Republicans defend conventional rules and methods. Expanding voting options is thought to favor the Democrats, even as the GOP expects to carry the in-person vote on Election Day. The abrupt changes and continued uncertainty could confuse voters and aggravate growing doubts about the election's legitimacy, with hundreds of thousands of ballots at stake.
Officials in Ohio and Pennsylvania are mired in disputes over efforts to install drop boxes for voters anxious about visiting polling precincts. Meanwhile, Republican and Democratic campaign arms have sparred over so-called ballot harvesting rules in Michigan, Minnesota, and Nevada. The public health crisis, and contested Republican claims about voter fraud, loom large over the controversies.
In Ohio, a fast-moving contest over drop-box voting has been eclipsed by a bitter public feud between state court judges and the Ohio GOP.
On Tuesday, Judge Richard Frye ruled that Ohio secretary of state Frank LaRose, a Republican, had no basis for limiting absentee ballot drop boxes to one per county. The state GOP denounced the ruling and accused Frye, an elected Democrat, of partisanship and bad faith. That drew a rebuke from Ohio Supreme Court chief justice Maureen O'Connor.
"Every one of Ohio's 722 judges, 800 magistrates, and numerous active-retired judges should be greatly concerned and voice their dismay at the irresponsible Republican Party allegation that politics controlled the judge’s decision," O'Connor said. "This is a blatant and unfounded attack on the independence of the Ohio judiciary."
In neighboring Pennsylvania, the Trump campaign is challenging guidelines that allow for dozens of ballot drop boxes across the state. Some 20 counties, including heavily Democratic Allegheny and Philadelphia counties, authorized remote ballot drop-off locations. The campaign filed a legal challenge before a federal judge in Pittsburgh, saying state law only authorizes the return of absentee ballots to a county board of elections office.
Pennsylvania Democrats are trying to resolve the controversy in state court. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed on Sept. 1 to invoke extraordinary authority to resolve election rule disputes. In turn, the federal judge in Pittsburgh put the Trump suit on hold, since federal courts generally decline to resolve state law issues while state court proceedings are ongoing. The Trump campaign called the Democratic maneuver an obvious bid to "shop for a favorable forum." Democrat appointees have a five-to-two advantage on the state supreme court.
Judges also try to avoid last-minute changes to election rules, since late adjustments can confuse voters or create chaos for administrators. That practice, called the Purcell principle, played a decisive role in an April Supreme Court case involving postmarking rules for absentee ballots in Wisconsin. A few days before the balloting, a federal judge allowed voters in the state's April 7 election to submit absentee ballots as late as April 13, even if they were postmarked after Election Day. The High Court's conservative majority stopped that accommodation and faulted the district judge for what they called an improper last-minute change.
"This Court has repeatedly emphasized that lower federal courts should ordinarily not alter the election rules on the eve of an election," the Court's decision reads.
The Trump campaign has invoked the potential for confusion in its attacks on absentee ballot collection operations. Some states allow voters to turn in absentee ballots via third parties, which Republicans derisively call "ballot harvesting." Many red states have banned the practice, though Democrats say it helps ensure the infirm or those with spotty postal service, such as residents on Indian reservations, can participate in elections.
"The left wants a system where every person—alive or dead, registered or not—is automatically mailed a ballot, where Democrat operatives go living room to living room, in the era of COVID no less, intimidating voters, collecting their ballots, and ensuring there's no secret ballot," Trump campaign spokeswoman Thea McDonald told the Washington Free Beacon. "These shady operatives then cherry-pick which ballots they deliver, ultimately stacking the deck in their favor."
Democrats have challenged ballot-harvesting bans across the country. They say such restrictions are redundant because the misconduct Republicans fear is already covered by laws that criminalize vote buying or ballot tampering. They also attacked ballot collection limits on free speech grounds. In a Michigan lawsuit, Democrats argued the state's ban has "a chilling effect on efforts to educate voters," since campaign volunteers or friendly neighbors who offer help returning absentee ballots could face criminal charges.
"The organizing ban involves the direct regulation of communication and political association, among private parties, advocating for a particular change," Democrats wrote in court documents.
Democrats attacked a similar law in Minnesota, which caps at three the number of ballots one person can deliver for other voters. Roles are reversed in Nevada, where the Democrat-controlled state house passed emergency legislation to permit third-party ballot collection in August. The Trump campaign intervened in a lawsuit on August 4 that asks a court to put the law on hold. Nevada's secretary of state, a Republican, also asked for an emergency regulation requiring any person returning 10 or more ballots to report to election offices and disclose any association with interest groups or campaign organizations.
Republicans prevailed in the ballot-harvesting disputes in Michigan and Minnesota. A decision in the Nevada case is pending before a Las Vegas federal court.


freebeacon--2020-09-17--Netflix Star Featured in Biden Video Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

Jerry Harris , star of the Netflix documentary series Cheer , was arrested and charged in federal court on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ as pornographic images and videos from minors .
Harris—who in June was featured in a @ @ @ @ @ candidate Joe Biden—admitted to federal authorities that he asked one 13-year-old boy for oral sex @ @ @ @ @ He also solicited the same boy and `` at least 10 to 15 '' other @ @ @ @ @ videos via Snapchat .
Harris admitted to the charges after the FBI raided his home @ @ @ @ @ s employer alerted federal authorities to the allegations .
Biden ’ s campaign featured Harris @ @ @ @ @ June .
The video of Harris , who appeared virtually alongside Biden , was viewed @ @ @ @ @ removed after the Washington Free Beacon reported on the FBI ’ s raid of Harris @ @ @ @ @ ’ s charges follow the Netflix release of the controversial French film Cuties , which @ @ @ @

Jerry Harris, star of the Netflix documentary series Cheer, was arrested and charged in federal court on Thursday for soliciting sex as well as pornographic images and videos from minors.
Harris—who in June was featured in a campaign video with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden—admitted to federal authorities that he asked one 13-year-old boy for oral sex at a cheer competition. He also solicited the same boy and "at least 10 to 15" other minors for nude photos and videos via Snapchat.
Harris admitted to the charges after the FBI raided his home on Monday. Harris’s employer alerted federal authorities to the allegations.
Biden’s campaign featured Harris in an Instagram video in June. The video of Harris, who appeared virtually alongside Biden, was viewed nearly 300,000 times but was removed after the Washington Free Beacon reported on the FBI’s raid of Harris’s home.
Harris’s charges follow the Netflix release of the controversial French film Cuties, which sexualizes 11-year-old girls.


freebeacon--2020-09-17--Media Obsession with Kamala Harris’s Shoes Persists Despite Sexism Concerns

We regret to inform you America 's journalists are at it again .
Despite the stern warning from feminist groups to refrain from `` sexist news coverage '' by `` reporting , even as an aside , on a woman 's looks , '' the mainstream media continues to obsess over the fashion choices of Joe Biden 's historic female running mate , Kamala Harris .
Less than a week after the Washington Post published a drooling celebration of Harris 's `` black , low-rise Chuck Taylor All-Stars , the classic Converse shoe that has long been associated more closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidacies , '' professional journalists sounded a collective `` squee '' upon seeing the VP candidate in a pair of Timberland boots , sometimes referred to as `` Timbs . ''
Never mind that Harris was visiting California to survey the devastation wrought by wildfires .
Journalists gushed at the candidate 's bold fashion statement against the dreary backdrop of people 's entire lives turned to ash .
Most media coverage echoed the tone of former NBC executive and `` ultimate Hollywood insider '' Mike Sington : Daily Beast style writer Alaina Demopoulos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris `` bounced '' off her private plane to view the devastation in California : `` Was it the shoe choice itself or just Harris ’ assured manner that sold the look so hard ?
Perhaps a mixture of both .
That jaunty strut ?
A construction boot made popular by New York rappers ?
Mike Pence could never . ''
USA Today published an article as well as a photo essay on Harris 's trendy shoes .
Yahoo Finance assessed that Harris `` may have made Timberland boots cool again , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account : '' What better validation of Timberland ruggedness — mixed with comfort — than Harris ’ entire day in them .
And what better signal to shoppers that Timbs could be cool again — maybe not early ‘ 90s cool — but cool now that Harris is wearing a sneaker-like version of the iconic footwear , '' wrote Yahoo editor Brian Sozzi .
Unlike other outlets , Yahoo apparently had misgivings about the juxtaposition of wildfire devastation and a fashion-related puff piece , and deleted a tweet featuring a photo of Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) chatting amid burned out ruins .
Photographers were all over the latest footwear development , accurately predicting which images their editors would deem newsworthy .
Getty Images photographer Ethan Miller snapped the following shot , captioned : `` Democratic U.S. Vice Presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-CA ) wears hiking boots as she leaves the the [ sic ] Rafael Rivera Community Center after participating in a community roundtable discussing the impact of the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) on Latino families on September 15 , 2020 in Las Vegas , Nevada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professional journalists seem to agree that—despite the consternation of feminist activists—reporting on a female candidate 's fashion choices is acceptable so long as that candidate is a certified kween who slays .
But that belief is not universally shared .
Writing in the Chattanooga Times Free Press , editor Clinton Cooper took the Washington Post to task for its `` regressive '' obsession with Harris 's shoes , while citing the results of a Washington Free Beacon analysis that failed to turn up a single instance of media reporting on Mike Pence 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Cooper is not an elite journalist and therefore his opinion does n't matter .
Washington Post national reporter Chelsea Janes , on the other hand , knows how to hold the powerful to account .
Her coverage of Harris 's visit to Philadelphia on Thursday is a master class in media professionalism—impossible to distinguish from the Post ‘ s coverage of Mike Pence or Sarah Palin .

We regret to inform you America's journalists are at it again. Despite the stern warning from feminist groups to refrain from "sexist news coverage" by "reporting, even as an aside, on a woman's looks," the mainstream media continues to obsess over the fashion choices of Joe Biden's historic female running mate, Kamala Harris.
Less than a week after the Washington Post published a drooling celebration of Harris's "black, low-rise Chuck Taylor All-Stars, the classic Converse shoe that has long been associated more closely with cultural cool than carefully managed high-profile candidacies," professional journalists sounded a collective "squee" upon seeing the VP candidate in a pair of Timberland boots, sometimes referred to as "Timbs."
Never mind that Harris was visiting California to survey the devastation wrought by wildfires. Journalists gushed at the candidate's bold fashion statement against the dreary backdrop of people's entire lives turned to ash. Most media coverage echoed the tone of former NBC executive and "ultimate Hollywood insider" Mike Sington:
Boss Lady. Kamala Harris wears Timberlands to survey California wildfire damage. pic.twitter.com/JP74dYgWUF — Mike Sington (@MikeSington) September 17, 2020
Daily Beast style writer Alaina Demopoulos penned a probing analysis of the way Harris "bounced" off her private plane to view the devastation in California: "Was it the shoe choice itself or just Harris’ assured manner that sold the look so hard? Perhaps a mixture of both. That jaunty strut? A construction boot made popular by New York rappers? Mike Pence could never."
USA Today published an article as well as a photo essay on Harris's trendy shoes. Yahoo Finance assessed that Harris "may have made Timberland boots cool again," citing a tweet from the official BET account:
Steppin’ off the jet with the wheat timbs?! Hurry up and register to vote! #KamalaHarris #VOTE pic.twitter.com/465mxVB1c3 — BET (@BET) September 16, 2020
"What better validation of Timberland ruggedness — mixed with comfort — than Harris’ entire day in them. And what better signal to shoppers that Timbs could be cool again — maybe not early ‘90s cool — but cool now that Harris is wearing a sneaker-like version of the iconic footwear," wrote Yahoo editor Brian Sozzi.
Unlike other outlets, Yahoo apparently had misgivings about the juxtaposition of wildfire devastation and a fashion-related puff piece, and deleted a tweet featuring a photo of Harris and California governor Gavin Newsom (D.) chatting amid burned out ruins.
Photographers were all over the latest footwear development, accurately predicting which images their editors would deem newsworthy.
https://twitter.com/CSStevensphoto/status/1306017725416865796
Getty Images photographer Ethan Miller snapped the following shot, captioned: "Democratic U.S. Vice Presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) wears hiking boots as she leaves the the [sic] Rafael Rivera Community Center after participating in a community roundtable discussing the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Latino families on September 15, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada."
Most D.C. and New York-based professional journalists seem to agree that—despite the consternation of feminist activists—reporting on a female candidate's fashion choices is acceptable so long as that candidate is a certified kween who slays. But that belief is not universally shared.
Writing in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, editor Clinton Cooper took the Washington Post to task for its "regressive" obsession with Harris's shoes, while citing the results of a Washington Free Beacon analysis that failed to turn up a single instance of media reporting on Mike Pence's shoe choice.
It goes without saying that Cooper is not an elite journalist and therefore his opinion doesn't matter. Washington Post national reporter Chelsea Janes, on the other hand, knows how to hold the powerful to account. Her coverage of Harris's visit to Philadelphia on Thursday is a master class in media professionalism—impossible to distinguish from the Post's coverage of Mike Pence or Sarah Palin.
When you’re getting your hair done but a VP candidate shows up: pic.twitter.com/A4Gh8L3gYw — Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) September 17, 2020
'Are you going to make sure your adults vote?" Harris asked these kids. pic.twitter.com/TXXCK9BZEc — Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) September 17, 2020
Stans gonna stan.


freebeacon--2020-09-17--Black Activists Create New Curriculum to Counter 1619 Project

Black activists have created a new high school curriculum to combat the New York Times ‘ s 1619 Project , which they say omits black achievement .
Bob Woodson , a veteran of the civil rights movement , and Ian Rowe , a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute , created the 1776 Unites curriculum to share empowering historical stories of African Americans in the United States .
The curriculum is a fundamental shift away from what its creators call the `` victimhood mentality '' of the 1619 Project , which teaches black students they face barriers to success due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unites teaches students of all races how they can be `` architects of their own future by embracing the principles of education , family , free enterprise , faith , hard work , and personal responsibility . ''
`` [ We ] maintain a special focus on lesson plans that celebrate black excellence , reject victimhood culture , and showcase African Americans , past and present , who have prospered by embracing America 's founding ideals , '' Rowe said .
`` The curriculum … shows what is best in our national character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the most difficult circumstances . ''
1776 Unites includes lessons on Biddy Mason , an enslaved woman turned Los Angeles millionaire and real estate mogul , and Elijah McCoy , an inventor who held 57 patents related to the locomotives .
Rowe told the Washington Free Beacon that 1776 Unites will supplement local history curricula until the group can garner feedback from instructors , parents , and students .
The ultimate goal is to have yearlong content available for all educators in all states .
Following the death of George Floyd , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that integrate the 1619 Project and present slavery as the touchstone of American history .
1776 Unites was created to counter this view with examples of black achievement , not just oppression .
`` Some of the most egregious things that I 've seen [ from the 1619 Project ] is the omission of the accomplishments that blacks achieved in the face of oppression , '' Woodson said .
`` They ignore … that 20 blacks were born slaves and died millionaires .
There 's no mention of that at all . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus on personal agency as students enter adulthood , including choices around higher education , full-time work , marriage , and children .
Lessons will demonstrate how building strong families can increase the net worth of a household and close the racial wealth gap by increasing the transfer of intergenerational wealth .
Parents thrust into teaching roles by the coronavirus pandemic can also access the curriculum to supplement regular history education .
The lesson plans have received positive feedback from teachers already .
Albert Paulsson , a high school social studies teacher from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enriching black history with empowering stories .
`` The 1776 Unites curriculum teaches that resilience in the face of opposition defines black America in particular , and there is a rich history of black Americans who rose above the harshest circumstances by embracing their own personal agency and living out the true founding values of our country , '' Paulsson said .
Julie Gunlock , a scholar at the Independent Women 's Forum , told the Free Beacon that she 's thrilled with the new developments .
`` The 1776 project does tremendous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who prefer historical fiction over historical accuracy , '' Gunlock said .
`` Their curriculum is an exciting pushback on efforts to deploy the ahistorical 1619 Project curriculum that so many schools use today . ''

Black activists have created a new high school curriculum to combat the New York Times's 1619 Project, which they say omits black achievement.
Bob Woodson, a veteran of the civil rights movement, and Ian Rowe, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, created the 1776 Unites curriculum to share empowering historical stories of African Americans in the United States. The curriculum is a fundamental shift away from what its creators call the "victimhood mentality" of the 1619 Project, which teaches black students they face barriers to success due to systemic racism. Instead, 1776 Unites teaches students of all races how they can be "architects of their own future by embracing the principles of education, family, free enterprise, faith, hard work, and personal responsibility."
"[We] maintain a special focus on lesson plans that celebrate black excellence, reject victimhood culture, and showcase African Americans, past and present, who have prospered by embracing America's founding ideals," Rowe said. "The curriculum ... shows what is best in our national character and what our freedom makes possible even in the most difficult circumstances."
1776 Unites includes lessons on Biddy Mason, an enslaved woman turned Los Angeles millionaire and real estate mogul, and Elijah McCoy, an inventor who held 57 patents related to the locomotives. Rowe told the Washington Free Beacon that 1776 Unites will supplement local history curricula until the group can garner feedback from instructors, parents, and students. The ultimate goal is to have yearlong content available for all educators in all states.
Following the death of George Floyd, schools across the nation are developing curricula that integrate the 1619 Project and present slavery as the touchstone of American history. 1776 Unites was created to counter this view with examples of black achievement, not just oppression.
"Some of the most egregious things that I've seen [from the 1619 Project] is the omission of the accomplishments that blacks achieved in the face of oppression," Woodson said. "They ignore ... that 20 blacks were born slaves and died millionaires. There's no mention of that at all."
Some of 1776 Unites's lessons will focus on personal agency as students enter adulthood, including choices around higher education, full-time work, marriage, and children. Lessons will demonstrate how building strong families can increase the net worth of a household and close the racial wealth gap by increasing the transfer of intergenerational wealth.
Parents thrust into teaching roles by the coronavirus pandemic can also access the curriculum to supplement regular history education.
The lesson plans have received positive feedback from teachers already. Albert Paulsson, a high school social studies teacher from New Jersey, praised the curriculum for enriching black history with empowering stories.
"The 1776 Unites curriculum teaches that resilience in the face of opposition defines black America in particular, and there is a rich history of black Americans who rose above the harshest circumstances by embracing their own personal agency and living out the true founding values of our country," Paulsson said.
Julie Gunlock, a scholar at the Independent Women's Forum, told the Free Beacon that she's thrilled with the new developments.
"The 1776 project does tremendous work to correct the efforts of those who prefer historical fiction over historical accuracy," Gunlock said. "Their curriculum is an exciting pushback on efforts to deploy the ahistorical 1619 Project curriculum that so many schools use today."


freebeacon--2020-09-17--American Citizen Charged With Helping ISIS

The Department of Justice announced charges Wednesday against an American citizen who allegedly provided support to ISIS operations .
The indictment alleges that between 2015 and 2019 , Lirim Sylejmani conspired to provide material support , personnel , and services to ISIS in Syria , according to a Justice Department statement .
It also claims that Sylejmani , a naturalized U.S. citizen from Kosovo , trained with ISIS and spoke to multiple media outlets about his participation in the terrorist organization .
Sylejmani , who was detained last year in Syria , made his first appearance in front of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
`` The defendant is a U.S. citizen who abandoned the country that welcomed him to join ISIS in Syria , '' said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin .
`` He will now be held accountable for his actions in an American courtroom .
Our national security prosecutors and law enforcement partners will continue to ensure that those who threaten our country are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law . ''
While ISIS has largely faded out of view for most Americans during the Trump administration , the group 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Middle East .
In August , ISIS jailbroke an unknown number of suspected terrorists from an Afghan prison .
The Afghan government believes hundreds of the released inmates are still at large .
`` ISIS is waging an insurgency across parts of Iraq and Syria , '' said Foundation for Defense of Democracies senior fellow Thomas Joscelyn in a June congressional testimony .
`` Even if the United States stops fighting , the jihadists will not .
… An awful amount of violence has resulted from the jihadists ' caliphate quest , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regions . ''

The Department of Justice announced charges Wednesday against an American citizen who allegedly provided support to ISIS operations.
The indictment alleges that between 2015 and 2019, Lirim Sylejmani conspired to provide material support, personnel, and services to ISIS in Syria, according to a Justice Department statement. It also claims that Sylejmani, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Kosovo, trained with ISIS and spoke to multiple media outlets about his participation in the terrorist organization. Sylejmani, who was detained last year in Syria, made his first appearance in front of a Washington, D.C., federal court this week.
"The defendant is a U.S. citizen who abandoned the country that welcomed him to join ISIS in Syria," said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin. "He will now be held accountable for his actions in an American courtroom. Our national security prosecutors and law enforcement partners will continue to ensure that those who threaten our country are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
While ISIS has largely faded out of view for most Americans during the Trump administration, the group's operations remain a significant threat in the Middle East. In August, ISIS jailbroke an unknown number of suspected terrorists from an Afghan prison. The Afghan government believes hundreds of the released inmates are still at large.
"ISIS is waging an insurgency across parts of Iraq and Syria," said Foundation for Defense of Democracies senior fellow Thomas Joscelyn in a June congressional testimony. "Even if the United States stops fighting, the jihadists will not. ... An awful amount of violence has resulted from the jihadists' caliphate quest, and they already have nascent emirates in some regions."


freebeacon--2020-09-17--HHS Leaves $50 Billion in Coronavirus Relief Unspent

Over $ 50 billion in coronavirus relief meant for health care providers remains unspent , even as some in the industry say they have gotten just a fraction of what they need to cover pandemic-related losses .
The Department of Health and Human Services has distributed roughly 70 percent of the $ 175 billion appropriated by Congress to relieve health care providers of economic strain imposed by the coronavirus pandemic .
HHS maintains that it is distributing funds in a way that is `` fast , fair , transparent and simple , '' a spokesperson told the Washington Free Beacon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is n't being doled out fast enough , especially in proportion to the added strain they face thanks to higher demand and onerous safety requirements .
An ambulance industry group estimated they have received just one tenth of what they need to cover losses .
`` As an ambulance provider , I have been going 24/7 since March 15th , nonstop , '' Jamie Pafford-Gresham , CEO of Pafford Medical Services , told the Free Beacon .
`` I do not believe that it 's been intentional that the ambulance provider has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that nobody realizes we are , and how vital our services are to the hospital associations and pandemic itself . ''
Though the fund is just a fraction of the estimated $ 4 trillion Congress has appropriated since March , the economic downturn has struck health care providers like Pafford-Gresham particularly hard , with unemployment remaining elevated above pre-crisis levels—suggesting that HHS 's slowness could be exacerbating the crisis .
At the same time , the slow pace of its distribution raises the question of whether or not taxpayers needed to foot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of spending on the crisis .
Appropriating legislation , passed by Congress early in the crisis , gave HHS broad leeway in deciding how to dish out $ 175 billion in funds .
It has offered cash both generally and to specifically struggling businesses .
The general distribution , totaling roughly $ 68 billion , was offered to providers who bill Medicare in order to address `` both the economic harm , and additional expenses caused by COVID-19 , '' the HHS spokesperson said .
HHS has distributed an additional $ 55.9 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` high impact area funding , nursing home funding and funding to tribal communities hardest hit by the virus—to name a few . ''
But while money has been flowing , not everyone thinks they 've gotten what they need .
A report shared with the Free Beacon from the American Ambulance Association estimated that member groups lost almost $ 44,000 per ambulance between March 1 and June 30 , for a total estimated shortfall of $ 2.89 billion .
By comparison , the AAA estimates that its members have received somewhere between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a tenth of total need .
`` HHS asked for leeway when they were getting money from Congress to pay it out as they see fit , and they have yet to see fit to the ambulance providers , '' Pafford-Gresham said .
The HHS spokesperson said the department 's distribution is ongoing and that it will `` continue to maintain an open line of communication with providers as well as congressional , state , and local leaders to ensure as many providers as possible receive funding in these difficult times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Free Beacon that the department is trying to balance the urgency of the situation with effectively and responsibly directing money , especially given the wide latitude it was granted by Congress .
That caution differentiates the provider relief fund from other major coronavirus appropriations .
The widely popular Paycheck Protection Program , for example , poured half-a-trillion dollars into the economy in a matter of months , resulting in a handful of fraudulent applications being approved .
The health care industry has , perhaps counterintuitively , been particularly hard hit by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elective surgery were put on hold by providers and patients alike .
Amid March 's spike in unemployment , health care saw more jobs lost than almost any other sector of the economy .
As of August , health care sector unemployment was still at 5.4 percent , higher than the past eight years and more than twice the rate in February 2020 .
U.S. taxpayers , meanwhile , have yet to feel the burden of the added coronavirus relief spending .
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office earlier this month projected that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2022 and 2023 , exceeding the records previously set during World War II .

Over $50 billion in coronavirus relief meant for health care providers remains unspent, even as some in the industry say they have gotten just a fraction of what they need to cover pandemic-related losses.
The Department of Health and Human Services has distributed roughly 70 percent of the $175 billion appropriated by Congress to relieve health care providers of economic strain imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. HHS maintains that it is distributing funds in a way that is "fast, fair, transparent and simple," a spokesperson told the Washington Free Beacon.
But some providers say the money isn't being doled out fast enough, especially in proportion to the added strain they face thanks to higher demand and onerous safety requirements. An ambulance industry group estimated they have received just one tenth of what they need to cover losses.
"As an ambulance provider, I have been going 24/7 since March 15th, nonstop," Jamie Pafford-Gresham, CEO of Pafford Medical Services, told the Free Beacon. "I do not believe that it's been intentional that the ambulance provider has been left out. What I do believe is that nobody realizes we are, and how vital our services are to the hospital associations and pandemic itself."
Though the fund is just a fraction of the estimated $4 trillion Congress has appropriated since March, the economic downturn has struck health care providers like Pafford-Gresham particularly hard, with unemployment remaining elevated above pre-crisis levels—suggesting that HHS's slowness could be exacerbating the crisis. At the same time, the slow pace of its distribution raises the question of whether or not taxpayers needed to foot that particular bill, given tremendous levels of spending on the crisis.
Appropriating legislation, passed by Congress early in the crisis, gave HHS broad leeway in deciding how to dish out $175 billion in funds. It has offered cash both generally and to specifically struggling businesses.
The general distribution, totaling roughly $68 billion, was offered to providers who bill Medicare in order to address "both the economic harm, and additional expenses caused by COVID-19," the HHS spokesperson said. HHS has distributed an additional $55.9 billion for "targeted" needs such as "high impact area funding, nursing home funding and funding to tribal communities hardest hit by the virus—to name a few."
But while money has been flowing, not everyone thinks they've gotten what they need. A report shared with the Free Beacon from the American Ambulance Association estimated that member groups lost almost $44,000 per ambulance between March 1 and June 30, for a total estimated shortfall of $2.89 billion. By comparison, the AAA estimates that its members have received somewhere between $270 and $500 million, just a tenth of total need.
"HHS asked for leeway when they were getting money from Congress to pay it out as they see fit, and they have yet to see fit to the ambulance providers," Pafford-Gresham said.
The HHS spokesperson said the department's distribution is ongoing and that it will "continue to maintain an open line of communication with providers as well as congressional, state, and local leaders to ensure as many providers as possible receive funding in these difficult times." A Senate health care staffer told the Free Beacon that the department is trying to balance the urgency of the situation with effectively and responsibly directing money, especially given the wide latitude it was granted by Congress.
That caution differentiates the provider relief fund from other major coronavirus appropriations. The widely popular Paycheck Protection Program, for example, poured half-a-trillion dollars into the economy in a matter of months, resulting in a handful of fraudulent applications being approved.
The health care industry has, perhaps counterintuitively, been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus-driven downturn, as profitable procedures like elective surgery were put on hold by providers and patients alike.
Amid March's spike in unemployment, health care saw more jobs lost than almost any other sector of the economy. As of August, health care sector unemployment was still at 5.4 percent, higher than the past eight years and more than twice the rate in February 2020.
U.S. taxpayers, meanwhile, have yet to feel the burden of the added coronavirus relief spending. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office earlier this month projected that the U.S. federal debt will exceed GDP in 2022 and 2023, exceeding the records previously set during World War II.


freebeacon--2020-09-17--U.S. Readies New Sanctions on Iran

U.S. Readies New Sanctions on Iran

The Trump administration is preparing a new round of sanctions on Tehran as the ayatollah courts arms agreements with China and Russia , the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday .
Planned sanctions `` will have a very significant impact , '' special envoy for Iran Elliott Abrams told reporters .
Abrams said the details of the sanctions will be rolled out on Monday .
The new round of sanctions comes as transatlantic allies in large part have left Washington alone to stare down Tehran .
Last month , the United States failed to reimpose arms limitation sanctions on Iran at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policymakers to move to trigger `` snapback , '' reimposing sanctions unilaterally under the Iran deal .
Washington exited the Iran deal during the Trump administration , prompting questions about the enforceability of the `` snapback . ''
Such legal battles over its legitimacy have raged at recent international summits , but Washington maintains its reading of the law is correct and plans to reimpose the `` snapback '' on Saturday .
Iran has indeed violated the terms of previous agreements .
Reporting by the Washington Free Beacon indicates that Iran has passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Iran deal , while securing closer relationships with Russia and China that may include the sharing of military hardware and surveillance technology .
Some anticipate the new set of sanctions to be unveiled Monday will target Iran ’ s ability to import deadly weapons .
`` If a Russian or Chinese defense firm tries to sell weapons to Iran , that firm and all the supporting institutions involved in a transaction would face secondary U.S. sanctions , '' said Richard Goldberg , a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It all depends on how and if sanctions are enforced . ''
Democratic nominee Joe Biden has been consistently in favor of rejoining the Iran deal and has rejected the current administration 's suite of policies in the Middle East .
Prominent Democratic operatives and Obama-Biden administration officials have rejected any prospect of a Middle East peace deal like the one the current administration just inked at the Abraham Accords Tuesday .
`` No , no , no , and no , '' former secretary of state John Kerry said in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There will be no advanced and separate peace with the Arab world without the Palestinian process and the Palestinian peace .
Everybody needs to understand that—that is a hard reality . ''

The Trump administration is preparing a new round of sanctions on Tehran as the ayatollah courts arms agreements with China and Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Planned sanctions "will have a very significant impact," special envoy for Iran Elliott Abrams told reporters. Abrams said the details of the sanctions will be rolled out on Monday.
The new round of sanctions comes as transatlantic allies in large part have left Washington alone to stare down Tehran. Last month, the United States failed to reimpose arms limitation sanctions on Iran at the U.N. Security Council, causing American policymakers to move to trigger "snapback," reimposing sanctions unilaterally under the Iran deal.
Washington exited the Iran deal during the Trump administration, prompting questions about the enforceability of the "snapback." Such legal battles over its legitimacy have raged at recent international summits, but Washington maintains its reading of the law is correct and plans to reimpose the "snapback" on Saturday.
Iran has indeed violated the terms of previous agreements. Reporting by the Washington Free Beacon indicates that Iran has passed the threshold of nuclear materials allowed for by the Iran deal, while securing closer relationships with Russia and China that may include the sharing of military hardware and surveillance technology.
Some anticipate the new set of sanctions to be unveiled Monday will target Iran’s ability to import deadly weapons.
"If a Russian or Chinese defense firm tries to sell weapons to Iran, that firm and all the supporting institutions involved in a transaction would face secondary U.S. sanctions," said Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former White House official. "It all depends on how and if sanctions are enforced."
Democratic nominee Joe Biden has been consistently in favor of rejoining the Iran deal and has rejected the current administration's suite of policies in the Middle East. Prominent Democratic operatives and Obama-Biden administration officials have rejected any prospect of a Middle East peace deal like the one the current administration just inked at the Abraham Accords Tuesday.
"No, no, no, and no," former secretary of state John Kerry said in 2016 at a Brookings Institution event. "There will be no advanced and separate peace with the Arab world without the Palestinian process and the Palestinian peace. Everybody needs to understand that—that is a hard reality."


freebeacon--2020-09-17--Georgia Dem Used N-Word in Blog Posts

Georgia Dem Used N-Word in Blog Posts

A Democratic state house candidate in Georgia used the n-word in a blog post and claimed that black men are more likely than white men to commit crimes , the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Thursday .
In a 2009 blog post titled , `` Calling a spade a spade , '' candidate Caroline Holko used the n-word and said she opposed censoring the derogatory term .
`` I do not agree that n— should be banned from collective speech—I do n't hold with censorship of ANY kind , '' Holko wrote , `` and if that means I have to occasionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean words , so be it . ''
She also implied that she had been mugged by black men on multiple occasions while growing up in New Orleans .
`` We all struggle in this world .
Get over it .
I ca n't control anything in the world except my own actions—and I choose to judge individuals on their own merit—but the fact still remains that I have never been mugged by a white person , '' the candidate said .
While she told the Journal-Constitution that she regrets the post , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holko won the Democratic primary for Georgia 's District 46 race with 55 percent of the vote .
She 'll face Republican incumbent John Carson in November 's general election .

A Democratic state house candidate in Georgia used the n-word in a blog post and claimed that black men are more likely than white men to commit crimes, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Thursday.
In a 2009 blog post titled, "Calling a spade a spade," candidate Caroline Holko used the n-word and said she opposed censoring the derogatory term.
"I do not agree that n— should be banned from collective speech—I don't hold with censorship of ANY kind," Holko wrote, "and if that means I have to occasionally listen to some [expletive] use mean words, so be it."
She also implied that she had been mugged by black men on multiple occasions while growing up in New Orleans.
"We all struggle in this world. Get over it. I can't control anything in the world except my own actions—and I choose to judge individuals on their own merit—but the fact still remains that I have never been mugged by a white person," the candidate said.
While she told the Journal-Constitution that she regrets the post, she says she still opposes censorship.
Holko won the Democratic primary for Georgia's District 46 race with 55 percent of the vote. She'll face Republican incumbent John Carson in November's general election.


freebeacon--2020-09-17--CA Dem Wrongfully Claimed $1 Million Second Home as Primary Residence in 2019

Rep. T.J. Cox ( D. , Calif. ) wrongfully claimed—under penalty of perjury—that his second home in Maryland was a primary residence when selling the property , documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show .
Cox bought the Bethesda , Md.
, home for $ 1.05 million in 2016 as a place for his wife to live while studying at Johns Hopkins University .
Under Maryland law , nonresidents claiming a property as their primary residence must live in the property for at least two of the last five years .
According to his campaign , Cox never lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife moved back to California just one year after purchasing the property , meaning the Democrat could not have met the state 's requirement .
Cox 's declaration was made under penalty of perjury when he sold the home in November 2019 .
The claim allowed him to avoid a nearly $ 90,000 tax withholding levied on property sales made by nonresidents in Maryland .
Cox sold the home for $ 1.12 million after reporting between $ 80,000 and $ 200,000 in rental income from the property between 2017 and 2019 .
Cox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one in Maryland—as his primary residence in 2016 , 2017 , and 2018 , which violates federal tax law .
His campaign initially blamed the blunder on Maryland , telling the Fresno Bee in 2018 that the state `` automatically marked the home as Cox 's principal residence . ''
He then called it an `` honest mistake '' after documents revealed that he personally signed the deed , claiming he `` filled out the principal residence not knowing the legal definition . ''
Despite saying he was aware of the violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as his primary residence in a 2019 deed issued after he sold the property , according to documents obtained by the Free Beacon .
The form used to declare primary residence in Maryland is not required when selling property in the state—it must be requested at least 21 days prior to closing .
Cox did not respond to a request for comment .
Maryland 's tax department told the Free Beacon that principal residence claims are `` accepted by each title company closing such a transaction '' and filed with the county .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually work to verify such claims but may investigate if residents bring attention to potential misuse .
Cox 's title company did not return a request for comment .
Cox has been embroiled in financial scandals since launching his congressional campaign in 2017 .
The IRS filed liens against the Democrat in January showing $ 145,000 in unpaid federal income taxes for 2016 and 2017 .
The state of California went on to hit Cox with a new lien listing an additional $ 30,000 in unpaid 2017 taxes just weeks later .
Cox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from July 2017 to March 2018 while failing to pay his taxes in full .
In addition , Cox in 2017 was forced to pay $ 48,000 in unpaid income taxes dating back to 2015 .
The Democrat blamed the lien on the IRS , claiming he was the victim of `` bureaucratic incompetence '' as his `` check was stuck on the back of somebody else 's payment . ''
Cox has also faced multiple liens against his businesses .
Cox in March voted to block a bill requiring members of Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuke from Republican David Valadao 's campaign , which accused the Democrat of `` using his vote in Congress to protect himself . ''
Cox defeated Valadao by just 862 votes—less than 1 percent—in 2018 .
The pair will now face off again in November .
Valadao in March received 50 percent of the vote to Cox 's 39 percent under California 's open primary system , which advances the two candidates with the most votes to the general election regardless of party .
Cox has outraised Valadao by roughly $ 750,000 but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding more than $ 1.9 million to Valadao 's $ 1.8 million as of June 30 .

Rep. T.J. Cox (D., Calif.) wrongfully claimed—under penalty of perjury—that his second home in Maryland was a primary residence when selling the property, documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show.
Cox bought the Bethesda, Md., home for $1.05 million in 2016 as a place for his wife to live while studying at Johns Hopkins University. Under Maryland law, nonresidents claiming a property as their primary residence must live in the property for at least two of the last five years. According to his campaign, Cox never lived in the home himself, and his wife moved back to California just one year after purchasing the property, meaning the Democrat could not have met the state's requirement.
Cox's declaration was made under penalty of perjury when he sold the home in November 2019. The claim allowed him to avoid a nearly $90,000 tax withholding levied on property sales made by nonresidents in Maryland. Cox sold the home for $1.12 million after reporting between $80,000 and $200,000 in rental income from the property between 2017 and 2019.
Cox previously claimed two homes—one in California and the one in Maryland—as his primary residence in 2016, 2017, and 2018, which violates federal tax law. His campaign initially blamed the blunder on Maryland, telling the Fresno Bee in 2018 that the state "automatically marked the home as Cox's principal residence." He then called it an "honest mistake" after documents revealed that he personally signed the deed, claiming he "filled out the principal residence not knowing the legal definition."
Despite saying he was aware of the violations, Cox again claimed the Maryland home as his primary residence in a 2019 deed issued after he sold the property, according to documents obtained by the Free Beacon. The form used to declare primary residence in Maryland is not required when selling property in the state—it must be requested at least 21 days prior to closing.
Cox did not respond to a request for comment.
Maryland's tax department told the Free Beacon that principal residence claims are "accepted by each title company closing such a transaction" and filed with the county. Montgomery County—where Cox purchased the home—does not usually work to verify such claims but may investigate if residents bring attention to potential misuse. Cox's title company did not return a request for comment.
Cox has been embroiled in financial scandals since launching his congressional campaign in 2017. The IRS filed liens against the Democrat in January showing $145,000 in unpaid federal income taxes for 2016 and 2017. The state of California went on to hit Cox with a new lien listing an additional $30,000 in unpaid 2017 taxes just weeks later. Cox loaned his campaign more than $250,000 from July 2017 to March 2018 while failing to pay his taxes in full.
In addition, Cox in 2017 was forced to pay $48,000 in unpaid income taxes dating back to 2015. The Democrat blamed the lien on the IRS, claiming he was the victim of "bureaucratic incompetence" as his "check was stuck on the back of somebody else's payment." Cox has also faced multiple liens against his businesses.
Cox in March voted to block a bill requiring members of Congress to disclose tax liens, sparking a rebuke from Republican David Valadao's campaign, which accused the Democrat of "using his vote in Congress to protect himself."
Cox defeated Valadao by just 862 votes—less than 1 percent—in 2018. The pair will now face off again in November. Valadao in March received 50 percent of the vote to Cox's 39 percent under California's open primary system, which advances the two candidates with the most votes to the general election regardless of party. Cox has outraised Valadao by roughly $750,000 but has a much narrower cash-on-hand advantage, holding more than $1.9 million to Valadao's $1.8 million as of June 30.


freebeacon--2020-09-17--U.N. Accuses Venezuela’s Maduro Regime of Crimes Against Humanity

The United Nations Human Rights Council accused Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan leaders of crimes against humanity , the New York Times reported Wednesday .
A UNHRC panel said it has `` reasonable grounds to believe '' that Maduro and other regime officials , including Venezuela 's defense minister and director of intelligence , `` ordered or contributed to '' arbitrary detention , murder , and torture .
`` Far from being isolated acts , these crimes were coordinated and committed pursuant to state policies , with the knowledge or direct support of commanding officers and senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marta Valiñas .
`` High-ranking officials had effective command and control over the perpetrators and knowledge of their actions but failed to prevent or repress the violations . ''
The U.N. report comes amid Venezuela 's unprecedented economic crisis , which has been accelerated by Washington 's oil embargo on the country .
Despite the trade restrictions , Venezuelan ally Iran has attempted to transport oil to Caracas .
Just last month , the U.S. Navy interdicted Iranian oil cargo headed to the struggling country , marking the largest-ever U.S. confiscation of Iranian @ @

The United Nations Human Rights Council accused Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan leaders of crimes against humanity, the New York Times reported Wednesday.
A UNHRC panel said it has "reasonable grounds to believe" that Maduro and other regime officials, including Venezuela's defense minister and director of intelligence, "ordered or contributed to" arbitrary detention, murder, and torture.
"Far from being isolated acts, these crimes were coordinated and committed pursuant to state policies, with the knowledge or direct support of commanding officers and senior government officials," said panel chairwoman Marta Valiñas. "High-ranking officials had effective command and control over the perpetrators and knowledge of their actions but failed to prevent or repress the violations."
The U.N. report comes amid Venezuela's unprecedented economic crisis, which has been accelerated by Washington's oil embargo on the country. Despite the trade restrictions, Venezuelan ally Iran has attempted to transport oil to Caracas. Just last month, the U.S. Navy interdicted Iranian oil cargo headed to the struggling country, marking the largest-ever U.S. confiscation of Iranian oil.


freebeacon--2020-09-16--Nationwide Protests Caused Up to $2 Billion in Property Damage

What mainstream media outlets have dubbed as `` mostly peaceful protests '' caused up to $ 2 billion in property damage in the first two weeks of protests alone , Axios reported Wednesday .
The report found that the damage caused by demonstrations from May 28 to June 8 cost insurance agencies anywhere from $ 1 to $ 2 billion—more than any other event of civil unrest in United States history .
The total cost of damage throughout the summer `` far outstrip [ s ] '' the millions in damages caused by the Los Angeles riots in 1992 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Insurance Information Institute , told Axios that part of the reason the costs are so high is that the demonstrations following the death of George Floyd were not concentrated in one city .
`` It 's not just happening in one city or state—it 's all over the country , '' Worters said .
`` And this is still happening , so the losses could be significantly more . ''
Many mainstream media outlets have dubbed the demonstrations as `` mostly peaceful . ''
Just last month , CNN ran the chyron , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' while a correspondent reported in front of a burning building in Kenosha , Wis. Anti-police protests began in May following Floyd 's death .
They have continued daily in some cities throughout the summer and often devolve into riots at night , which have caused major damage to government buildings , stores , and neighborhoods in cities like Portland , Seattle , and Chicago .

What mainstream media outlets have dubbed as "mostly peaceful protests" caused up to $2 billion in property damage in the first two weeks of protests alone, Axios reported Wednesday.
The report found that the damage caused by demonstrations from May 28 to June 8 cost insurance agencies anywhere from $1 to $2 billion—more than any other event of civil unrest in United States history. The total cost of damage throughout the summer "far outstrip[s]" the millions in damages caused by the Los Angeles riots in 1992.
Loretta Worters, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, told Axios that part of the reason the costs are so high is that the demonstrations following the death of George Floyd were not concentrated in one city.
"It's not just happening in one city or state—it's all over the country," Worters said. "And this is still happening, so the losses could be significantly more."
Many mainstream media outlets have dubbed the demonstrations as "mostly peaceful." Just last month, CNN ran the chyron, "Fiery, But Mostly Peaceful Protests," while a correspondent reported in front of a burning building in Kenosha, Wis.
Anti-police protests began in May following Floyd's death. They have continued daily in some cities throughout the summer and often devolve into riots at night, which have caused major damage to government buildings, stores, and neighborhoods in cities like Portland, Seattle, and Chicago.


freebeacon--2020-09-16--Perdue Cleared of Wrongdoing on Scrutinized Stock Trades

Sen. David Perdue ( R. , Ga. ) has been exonerated in three separate investigations of stock trades that were scrutinized at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic , his campaign announced Wednesday .
The Department of Justice , Securities and Exchange Commission , and Senate Ethics Committee concluded over the summer that Perdue engaged in no wrongdoing with his stock purchases and sell-offs earlier this year , which drew charges he profited from insider information about the pandemic .
A Perdue official told the Washington Free Beacon the probes into Perdue occurred after investigators looked into similar stock transactions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ga. ) , Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D. , Calif. ) , Sen. Richard Burr ( R. , N.C. ) , and other lawmakers .
Perdue 's opponent Jon Ossoff and Democratic allies have made Perdue 's trades a centerpiece of their attacks .
One Ossoff ad implied Perdue attended a private Jan. 24 Senate briefing on coronavirus and then `` lined his own pockets , '' although Perdue was not present at that briefing .
Another ad from the Democrat-aligned Senate Majority PAC called Perdue `` sleazy . ''
Ossoff , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in London , often cites his battles against corruption as a selling point for his campaign .
Critics pointed to Perdue 's purchase of stock in a chemical company that supplies personal protective equipment and his sale of casino stock earlier this year .
However , he also sold stock in the grocery store Kroger and invested in the clothing store Urban Outfitters shortly before it closed , both moves that contradict charges he used the pandemic to his advantage , the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported .
Perdue 's team said he cooperated fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his stock trades were handled by third-party advisers .
A new ad from Perdue that will air Thursday attacks Ossoff and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D. , N.Y. ) for `` lying '' about his transactions in recent advertisements .
`` Jon Ossoff and Chuck Schumer have been caught in a lie , '' the narrator says .
`` Senator Perdue welcomed a full review of his stock trades , and the Department of Justice , the SEC , and even the bipartisan Senate Ethics Committee cleared him completely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lie , spending millions to hide their radical socialist agenda .
What else are they lying about ? ''
Perdue communications director John Burke told the Washington Free Beacon it would not be the last time Ossoff is `` caught lying . ''
`` Jon Ossoff talks a big game about exposing so-called corruption , '' Burke said .
`` Making films for Al Jazeera and foreign-based companies is not fighting corruption .
While Ossoff may be good at peddling films for scandal-plagued media outlets , Georgia voters are too smart to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a narrow polling lead over Ossoff , who has never held office and seeks to be the first Democrat to win a Georgia Senate race since 2000 .
Perdue , a strong ally of President Donald Trump , is running for a second term .

Sen. David Perdue (R., Ga.) has been exonerated in three separate investigations of stock trades that were scrutinized at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, his campaign announced Wednesday.
The Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Senate Ethics Committee concluded over the summer that Perdue engaged in no wrongdoing with his stock purchases and sell-offs earlier this year, which drew charges he profited from insider information about the pandemic.
A Perdue official told the Washington Free Beacon the probes into Perdue occurred after investigators looked into similar stock transactions by Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R., Ga.), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.), Sen. Richard Burr (R., N.C.), and other lawmakers.
Perdue's opponent Jon Ossoff and Democratic allies have made Perdue's trades a centerpiece of their attacks. One Ossoff ad implied Perdue attended a private Jan. 24 Senate briefing on coronavirus and then "lined his own pockets," although Perdue was not present at that briefing. Another ad from the Democrat-aligned Senate Majority PAC called Perdue "sleazy." Ossoff, who runs an investigative journalism documentary company based in London, often cites his battles against corruption as a selling point for his campaign.
Critics pointed to Perdue's purchase of stock in a chemical company that supplies personal protective equipment and his sale of casino stock earlier this year. However, he also sold stock in the grocery store Kroger and invested in the clothing store Urban Outfitters shortly before it closed, both moves that contradict charges he used the pandemic to his advantage, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported. Perdue's team said he cooperated fully with investigations into his finances and all of his stock trades were handled by third-party advisers.
A new ad from Perdue that will air Thursday attacks Ossoff and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) for "lying" about his transactions in recent advertisements.
"Jon Ossoff and Chuck Schumer have been caught in a lie," the narrator says. "Senator Perdue welcomed a full review of his stock trades, and the Department of Justice, the SEC, and even the bipartisan Senate Ethics Committee cleared him completely. Despite that, Ossoff and Schumer continue the lie, spending millions to hide their radical socialist agenda. What else are they lying about?"
Perdue communications director John Burke told the Washington Free Beacon it would not be the last time Ossoff is "caught lying."
"Jon Ossoff talks a big game about exposing so-called corruption," Burke said. "Making films for Al Jazeera and foreign-based companies is not fighting corruption. While Ossoff may be good at peddling films for scandal-plagued media outlets, Georgia voters are too smart to buy his propaganda."
Perdue holds a narrow polling lead over Ossoff, who has never held office and seeks to be the first Democrat to win a Georgia Senate race since 2000. Perdue, a strong ally of President Donald Trump, is running for a second term.


freebeacon--2020-09-16--162 House Dems Vote Against Measure to Combat Anti-Semitism

More than 160 House Democrats voted on Wednesday against a measure to combat anti-Semitism .
Republicans offered the anti-Semitism measure as an amendment to a piece of Democrat-backed legislation promoting greater inclusivity in federal programs .
The bill , dubbed the Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act , would permit the filing of private civil suits for violations of federal regulations that `` prohibit discrimination on the ground of race , color , or national origin in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance . ''
The Republican amendment , which passed by a vote of 265 to 164 , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-Semitism also be considered as discrimination .
The Republican effort to include anti-Semitism in federal definitions of discrimination follows similar moves by the White House to consider discrimination against Jewish people illegal under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act , which affords protection to minorities and other groups .
House Democrats have been divided in recent years on issues of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel advocacy in the United States .
The latest vote highlights a deep divide between Democrats and Republicans on the issue , which is playing out against the backdrop of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia Foxx ( R. , N.C. ) , sponsor of the anti-Semitism amendment , said that any legislation altering Title VI must include protections for Jewish Americans .
`` We should use this opportunity to show commitment to combating anti-Semitism , '' Foxx said .
`` With anti-Semitism on the rise around the world , the need for this amendment is clear . ''

More than 160 House Democrats voted on Wednesday against a measure to combat anti-Semitism.
Republicans offered the anti-Semitism measure as an amendment to a piece of Democrat-backed legislation promoting greater inclusivity in federal programs. The bill, dubbed the Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act, would permit the filing of private civil suits for violations of federal regulations that "prohibit discrimination on the ground of race, color, or national origin in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance." The Republican amendment, which passed by a vote of 265 to 164, with 162 Democrats in opposition, mandates that anti-Semitism also be considered as discrimination.
The Republican effort to include anti-Semitism in federal definitions of discrimination follows similar moves by the White House to consider discrimination against Jewish people illegal under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which affords protection to minorities and other groups. House Democrats have been divided in recent years on issues of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel advocacy in the United States. The latest vote highlights a deep divide between Democrats and Republicans on the issue, which is playing out against the backdrop of rising anti-Semitism across the globe.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R., N.C.), sponsor of the anti-Semitism amendment, said that any legislation altering Title VI must include protections for Jewish Americans.
"We should use this opportunity to show commitment to combating anti-Semitism," Foxx said. "With anti-Semitism on the rise around the world, the need for this amendment is clear."


freebeacon--2020-09-18--How Trump Changed the World

How Trump Changed the World

On Sept. 16 the editorial board of the New York Times did the impossible .
It said something nice about President Trump .
`` The normalization of relations between Israel and two Arab states , the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain , is , on the face of it , a good and beneficial development , '' the editors wrote .
They even went so far as to say that the `` Trump administration deserves credit for brokering it . ''
I had to read that sentence twice to make sure I was n't dreaming .
Perhaps the world really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not avoid the reality that the `` Abraham Accords '' between Israel , the UAE , and Bahrain are a historic achievement .
It is the first advance toward peace in the Middle East since Israel signed a treaty with Jordan in 1994 .
By exposing the intransigence and corruption of the Palestinian authorities , and thereby removing them from the diplomatic equation , the Trump administration reestablished the `` peace process '' as a negotiation between states .
And because the states in the region face a common foe—Iran—they have every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ textbook realpolitik .
The world is better off for it .
Just as remarkable as the deal itself is the bipartisan applause that greeted it in the United States .
No one needs reminding that domestic politics is polarized and paranoid .
Each party is convinced that the other one will extinguish democracy at the first opportunity .
The past three presidencies have been jarringly discontinuous in style , temperament , and policy .
But the same Democrats who sometimes appear eager to remove Donald Trump from office by any means necessary treated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquiescence .
`` It is good to see others in the Middle East recognizing Israel and even welcoming it as a partner , '' Biden said in a statement , adding that `` a Biden-Harris administration will build on these steps . ''
Senator Chris Coons of Delaware told Jewish Insider that the agreement is `` a very positive thing . ''
The irony is that Trump 's opponents are ready to accept this `` very positive thing '' despite warning against and objecting to the policies that contributed to it .
Through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Benjamin Netanyahu , Trump reaffirmed that there is `` no daylight '' between the United States and Israel after an eight-year caesura .
He defied conventional wisdom when he moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem , when he withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal , when he cut off aid to the Palestinians , when he recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights , and when he ordered the lethal strike against Qassem Soleimani .
But the catastrophes that the foreign policy establishment predicted would follow each of these measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Abraham Accords and a growing alliance against Iran .
It is in the realm of foreign policy that Trump 's deviations from political norms have had the most positive and irreversible consequences .
If he becomes president , Joe Biden may mistakenly try to revive the chances for Palestinian statehood by getting tough on the Israelis .
He may attempt to resuscitate the moribund Iran deal .
But it is highly doubtful that he will rescind the Abraham Accords , or withdraw recognition of Israel 's Golan sovereignty , or return the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wo n't have the support for such decisions .
And he wo n't have any good reason to make them .
Anyone who has read the news lately understands that a strong and engaged Israel is good for security .
Her enemies are our enemies .
By establishing inescapable facts on the ground over the ceaseless objections of critics , President Trump overrides the often meaningless verbiage that constitutes international diplomacy and ends up changing the very terms of the foreign policy conversation .
Nowhere has this dynamic been clearer than in U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprise call to Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen in December 2016 and continuing through his resumption of U.S. Navy freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea the following year , his tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018 , his and his administration 's rhetorical barrage against China beginning in earnest in 2019 , and culminating in his multiple actions against China this year , from limiting travel to canceling visas to forcing the sale of TikTok to tightening the vise on Huawei to selling an additional $ 7 billion in arms to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach to the People 's Republic .
No longer is China encouraged to be a `` responsible stakeholder . ''
It is recognized as a great-power competitor .
Resistance to this proper understanding of China 's position in the international system remains strong .
But it is unquestionably the case that both Republicans and Democrats are starting to see China more as a threat than a partner .
And it is Donald Trump who is behind this clarification of vision .
( Xi Jinping and the pandemic helped too . )
Whatever a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems far more interested in repairing our alliances in `` Old Europe '' than in tackling this paramount challenge of the 21st century—he would operate within the constraints Trump established and on the intellectual terrain Trump landscaped .
There is no greater measure of presidential significance than a chief executive 's ability to transform not just his own but also the opposing party .
When it comes to the Middle East and China , the Democrats are closer to Donald Trump today than they were at the outset of his term .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom they despise is evidence of Trump 's ability to realign politics at home and abroad .
This is no small feat .
Some might say it 's worthy of a prize .

On Sept. 16 the editorial board of the New York Times did the impossible. It said something nice about President Trump. "The normalization of relations between Israel and two Arab states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, is, on the face of it, a good and beneficial development," the editors wrote. They even went so far as to say that the "Trump administration deserves credit for brokering it." I had to read that sentence twice to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Perhaps the world really is ending.
Or perhaps the Times cannot avoid the reality that the "Abraham Accords" between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain are a historic achievement. It is the first advance toward peace in the Middle East since Israel signed a treaty with Jordan in 1994. By exposing the intransigence and corruption of the Palestinian authorities, and thereby removing them from the diplomatic equation, the Trump administration reestablished the "peace process" as a negotiation between states. And because the states in the region face a common foe—Iran—they have every incentive to band together. This is textbook realpolitik. The world is better off for it.
Just as remarkable as the deal itself is the bipartisan applause that greeted it in the United States. No one needs reminding that domestic politics is polarized and paranoid. Each party is convinced that the other one will extinguish democracy at the first opportunity. The past three presidencies have been jarringly discontinuous in style, temperament, and policy. But the same Democrats who sometimes appear eager to remove Donald Trump from office by any means necessary treated this foreign policy accomplishment with equanimity and acquiescence. "It is good to see others in the Middle East recognizing Israel and even welcoming it as a partner," Biden said in a statement, adding that "a Biden-Harris administration will build on these steps." Senator Chris Coons of Delaware told Jewish Insider that the agreement is "a very positive thing."
The irony is that Trump's opponents are ready to accept this "very positive thing" despite warning against and objecting to the policies that contributed to it. Through his personal relationship with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump reaffirmed that there is "no daylight" between the United States and Israel after an eight-year caesura. He defied conventional wisdom when he moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, when he withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, when he cut off aid to the Palestinians, when he recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and when he ordered the lethal strike against Qassem Soleimani. But the catastrophes that the foreign policy establishment predicted would follow each of these measures never materialized. What emerged instead were the Abraham Accords and a growing alliance against Iran.
It is in the realm of foreign policy that Trump's deviations from political norms have had the most positive and irreversible consequences. If he becomes president, Joe Biden may mistakenly try to revive the chances for Palestinian statehood by getting tough on the Israelis. He may attempt to resuscitate the moribund Iran deal. But it is highly doubtful that he will rescind the Abraham Accords, or withdraw recognition of Israel's Golan sovereignty, or return the U.S. embassy to Tel Aviv. He won't have the support for such decisions. And he won't have any good reason to make them. Anyone who has read the news lately understands that a strong and engaged Israel is good for security. Her enemies are our enemies.
By establishing inescapable facts on the ground over the ceaseless objections of critics, President Trump overrides the often meaningless verbiage that constitutes international diplomacy and ends up changing the very terms of the foreign policy conversation. Nowhere has this dynamic been clearer than in U.S. relations with China.
Beginning with his surprise call to Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen in December 2016 and continuing through his resumption of U.S. Navy freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea the following year, his tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018, his and his administration's rhetorical barrage against China beginning in earnest in 2019, and culminating in his multiple actions against China this year, from limiting travel to canceling visas to forcing the sale of TikTok to tightening the vise on Huawei to selling an additional $7 billion in arms to Taiwan, Trump has reoriented America's approach to the People's Republic. No longer is China encouraged to be a "responsible stakeholder." It is recognized as a great-power competitor.
Resistance to this proper understanding of China's position in the international system remains strong. But it is unquestionably the case that both Republicans and Democrats are starting to see China more as a threat than a partner. And it is Donald Trump who is behind this clarification of vision. (Xi Jinping and the pandemic helped too.) Whatever a President Biden might do about China—and he seems far more interested in repairing our alliances in "Old Europe" than in tackling this paramount challenge of the 21st century—he would operate within the constraints Trump established and on the intellectual terrain Trump landscaped.
There is no greater measure of presidential significance than a chief executive's ability to transform not just his own but also the opposing party. When it comes to the Middle East and China, the Democrats are closer to Donald Trump today than they were at the outset of his term. That they find themselves in accordance with someone whom they despise is evidence of Trump's ability to realign politics at home and abroad. This is no small feat.
Some might say it's worthy of a prize.


freebeacon--2020-09-18--Hunter Biden Offered D.C. Access to Chinese Company in Exchange for Investments

Hunter Biden touted his family ’ s political clout to solicit a $ 5 million investment from China for his U.S.-based financial advisory firm , according to a court filing by a white-collar convict who claims he had an inside view into Biden ’ s murky foreign business dealings .
John Galanis , 77 , argues that the younger Biden used his businesses as a `` pay-to-play influence peddling operation '' by offering access to influential people in Washington , D.C. , in exchange for investments .
Galanis , who was convicted in 2018 of defrauding investors and the Wakpamni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his son , Jason Galanis , provided him with details of Biden ’ s offshore deals after befriending Biden ’ s longtime business partner Devon Archer .
In the affidavit , Galanis says that Biden and Archer worked to secure $ 15 million for their financial advisory company from the Chinese investment fund Harvest Fund Management in 2015 , which agreed to provide them with $ 5 million after Biden reached out directly to the firm ’ s chairman and said it would be important to the Biden family .
`` To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Henry Zhao , Chairman/founder of Harvest , '' said Galanis .
`` [ Biden ] says investment would be important to his family .
Chinese agree to $ 5 million investment in Burnham Asset Management alone . ''
At the time , Archer and Biden ’ s investment advisory firm , Burnham Financial , was facing significant financial problems and needed the $ 5 million investment to stay afloat .
The company ’ s independent trustees told Archer that they had `` very grave concerns '' about `` the solvency of Burnham '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a different adviser , according to minutes from an October 2015 board meeting that were included in a previous court appeal by Archer .
Archer reassured the trustees that he had a `` relationship with various persons and entities based in the People 's Republic of China , '' including Zhao , `` and it was hoped that Harvest or its various affiliated parties would make a contribution through a business relationship to be developed to the working capital of Burnham in the amount of $ 5 million , '' according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time , Archer and Biden put together a financial proposal for Burnham to pitch to Harvest that promised `` Washington , D.C. , access '' for investors , according to a copy of the presentation that was introduced in the trial .
Biden was listed in the presentation as the vice chairman of Burnham & Co. and the CEO of Burnham Advisors .
At a meeting with Burnham ’ s independent trustees in February , Archer said Harvest had agreed to provide `` $ 4 or $ 5 million '' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principal of the firm … viewed this as a strategic investment . ''
The court documents , produced in the course of Galanis ’ s and Archer ’ s appeals , threaten to reignite questions about Hunter Biden ’ s foreign business ventures , which have already proved problematic to his father ’ s presidential campaign .
Biden himself has never been charged in the tribal bond case or accused of wrongdoing by prosecutors .
But his name and details about his business dealings have emerged several times in Galanis ’ s trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Government watchdog groups have raised questions about Biden ’ s business dealings with Harvest and other Chinese entities during the election .
Corporate records indicate that he continues to hold a 10 percent stake in an investment firm co-owned by Harvest and the Bank of China .
`` Hunter Biden 's China endeavors are an unacceptable mystery to this day , considering his father , presidential nominee Joe Biden , has made foreign influence a key issue in this election , '' said the National Legal and Policy Center ’ s Tom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own advice and bring sunlight to the Hunter/China problem , thereby allowing voters to know exactly how much money Hunter raised over there and to whom the proceeds flowed . ''
Attorneys for John and Jason Galanis declined to comment on the claims .
Attorneys for Biden and Archer did not respond to a request for comment .
John Galanis has been convicted in multiple white-collar fraud cases dating back to the 1970s and spent over a decade in prison for bilking investors out of $ 115 million in 1987 .
He and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrelated charge of stock manipulation fraud in 2017 .
Emails introduced during the trial and subsequent appeals also show co-conspirators name-dropping Biden while carrying out the bond scheme , the Daily Caller reported last year .
`` Hunter Biden works for [ Archer ] .
So we ’ ve got the top level politicos with us .
All of my guys , is as top tier as it gets , '' said Bevan Cooney , a Galanis associate who was also convicted in the scam , in one recorded phone conversation .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ ed ] about Mr. Archer and Mr. Biden ’ s involvement '' during conversations with members of the Native American tribe that he defrauded .
Emails submitted in the trial show Jason Galanis and Archer corresponded regularly about their joint business ventures and the tribal bond deal .
Prosecutors claim the men teamed up to purchase broker dealers and then used the investors ' funds to buy issuances of Wakpamni tribal bonds .
The proceeds from the bonds were then allegedly diverted for personal use and to fund other business deals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 10-year prison sentence , filed the appeal in January , claiming that prosecutors withheld information during the trial that should have prompted the judge to recuse herself .

Hunter Biden touted his family’s political clout to solicit a $5 million investment from China for his U.S.-based financial advisory firm, according to a court filing by a white-collar convict who claims he had an inside view into Biden’s murky foreign business dealings.
John Galanis, 77, argues that the younger Biden used his businesses as a "pay-to-play influence peddling operation" by offering access to influential people in Washington, D.C., in exchange for investments. Galanis, who was convicted in 2018 of defrauding investors and the Wakpamni tribal community, states in the affidavit that his son, Jason Galanis, provided him with details of Biden’s offshore deals after befriending Biden’s longtime business partner Devon Archer.
In the affidavit, Galanis says that Biden and Archer worked to secure $15 million for their financial advisory company from the Chinese investment fund Harvest Fund Management in 2015, which agreed to provide them with $5 million after Biden reached out directly to the firm’s chairman and said it would be important to the Biden family.
"To induce Chinese, Biden sends email to Henry Zhao, Chairman/founder of Harvest," said Galanis. "[Biden] says investment would be important to his family. Chinese agree to $5 million investment in Burnham Asset Management alone."
At the time, Archer and Biden’s investment advisory firm, Burnham Financial, was facing significant financial problems and needed the $5 million investment to stay afloat. The company’s independent trustees told Archer that they had "very grave concerns" about "the solvency of Burnham" and were considering moving the funds to a different adviser, according to minutes from an October 2015 board meeting that were included in a previous court appeal by Archer.
Archer reassured the trustees that he had a "relationship with various persons and entities based in the People's Republic of China," including Zhao, "and it was hoped that Harvest or its various affiliated parties would make a contribution through a business relationship to be developed to the working capital of Burnham in the amount of $5 million," according to a copy of the board minutes.
Around the same time, Archer and Biden put together a financial proposal for Burnham to pitch to Harvest that promised "Washington, D.C., access" for investors, according to a copy of the presentation that was introduced in the trial. Biden was listed in the presentation as the vice chairman of Burnham & Co. and the CEO of Burnham Advisors.
At a meeting with Burnham’s independent trustees in February, Archer said Harvest had agreed to provide "$4 or $5 million" to Burnham, adding that the "Chinese principal of the firm ... viewed this as a strategic investment."
The court documents, produced in the course of Galanis’s and Archer’s appeals, threaten to reignite questions about Hunter Biden’s foreign business ventures, which have already proved problematic to his father’s presidential campaign.
Biden himself has never been charged in the tribal bond case or accused of wrongdoing by prosecutors. But his name and details about his business dealings have emerged several times in Galanis’s trial due to his proximity to the participants.
Government watchdog groups have raised questions about Biden’s business dealings with Harvest and other Chinese entities during the election. Corporate records indicate that he continues to hold a 10 percent stake in an investment firm co-owned by Harvest and the Bank of China.
"Hunter Biden's China endeavors are an unacceptable mystery to this day, considering his father, presidential nominee Joe Biden, has made foreign influence a key issue in this election," said the National Legal and Policy Center’s Tom Anderson. "Biden should take his own advice and bring sunlight to the Hunter/China problem, thereby allowing voters to know exactly how much money Hunter raised over there and to whom the proceeds flowed."
Attorneys for John and Jason Galanis declined to comment on the claims. Attorneys for Biden and Archer did not respond to a request for comment.
John Galanis has been convicted in multiple white-collar fraud cases dating back to the 1970s and spent over a decade in prison for bilking investors out of $115 million in 1987. He and his son Jason pleaded guilty in an unrelated charge of stock manipulation fraud in 2017.
Emails introduced during the trial and subsequent appeals also show co-conspirators name-dropping Biden while carrying out the bond scheme, the Daily Caller reported last year.
"Hunter Biden works for [Archer]. So we’ve got the top level politicos with us. All of my guys, is as top tier as it gets," said Bevan Cooney, a Galanis associate who was also convicted in the scam, in one recorded phone conversation.
One witness testified that John Galanis "boast[ed] about Mr. Archer and Mr. Biden’s involvement" during conversations with members of the Native American tribe that he defrauded.
Emails submitted in the trial show Jason Galanis and Archer corresponded regularly about their joint business ventures and the tribal bond deal.
Prosecutors claim the men teamed up to purchase broker dealers and then used the investors' funds to buy issuances of Wakpamni tribal bonds. The proceeds from the bonds were then allegedly diverted for personal use and to fund other business deals.
John Galanis, who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence, filed the appeal in January, claiming that prosecutors withheld information during the trial that should have prompted the judge to recuse herself.
JG-App5.pdf by Washington Free Beacon