buzzfeed--2020-09-29--Trump’s Attacks On Hunter Biden Have Gone Nowhere, But He Can’t Let Them Go

President Donald Trump has long tried to press a reelection strategy that turns “ Where ’ s Hunter ?
” — an attack on Joe Biden via his son — into the “ lock her up ” of 2020 .
It just hasn ’ t really worked .
Trump and his followers used to spend considerable energy taunting Hunter Biden at campaign rallies and on Twitter , eager to make an issue out of his work overseas and raise suspicions that his father , the former vice president , somehow used his influence to help enrich his son .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump searched for an attack that would stick to Biden , who has remained persistently ahead of the president in national polls and many battleground state polls .
But with the first debate Tuesday night , and a new report from Senate Republicans that relies on baseless old allegations and debunked theories , Trump appears eager to bring Hunter back for one last try .
“ The biggest thing going on the internet is exactly this , ” Trump insisted of Hunter from the White House on Sunday , minutes after the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s taxes .
At his Saturday campaign rally in Pennsylvania and in response to other questions since , he ’ s been clear that he intends for Biden ’ s son to be part of their Tuesday debate .
Some Trump allies , though , aren ’ t sure revamping attacks on the younger Biden is a winning strategy .
Republican strategists who spoke with BuzzFeed News don ’ t see much of an advantage for the Trump campaign in raising Hunter and his work in Ukraine .
It could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday .
Or it could be a move designed to trip up Biden , who can quickly get angry and defensive when his family is attacked .
But the strategists also believe there are reasons the attacks had , until recently , gone away .
They were not very effective in defining Biden or weakening his standing with voters .
The Hunter issue has been lapped in importance by the pandemic , a rickety economy , and anti-racism protests often used by Republicans to stoke fear about the Black Lives Matter movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he 's going to make Biden play defense , I 'd rather he make Biden play defense on the $ 4 trillion tax increase , on refusing to stand with law enforcement , on his position on the Supreme Court , ” said Matt Mackowiak , founder of the Republican political consulting group Potomac Strategy and chair of the Travis County GOP in Texas .
“ All those issues , I think , are more likely to yield real benefit for him than the shady stuff around Hunter.
” Mackowiak said that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a legitimate basis , the real value of bringing them up again isn ’ t a question of what he did or didn ’ t do — it would be to point to the idea that Joe Biden is a political insider .
“ Joe Biden 's in a difficult spot on all this because it 's one of his children , right .
So it 's sensitive to begin with .
Hunter 's obviously had a difficult time .
He does n't want to probably add to that in any way .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ so it 's even more sensitive and difficult , ” said Mackowiak .
“ In terms of the value , though , I think it goes to this argument that Biden is an insider .
To this whole , you know , Scranton Joe , middle-class Joe , working-class Joe — that really does n't square with what we 've seen over the last 10 years.
” Others said they don ’ t see compelling evidence of any misconduct on the former vice president ’ s part , and since there isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his son ’ s work , they think rekindling the issue now might not be the most helpful course for the Trump campaign .
“ We all already knew that , ” said Chris Wilson , a pollster who helped guide Ted Cruz ’ s 2016 presidential campaign , referring to the information in the report released last week by Sens .
Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley .
“ But it doesn ’ t seem that anyone has the perfect smoking gun of [ Joe ] Biden altering policy to benefit Hunter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Wilson said polling on the Hunter issue in February , during the Democratic primaries , showed that voters were split on the matter , largely along party lines .
A Politico/Morning Consult poll that month found that while most voters surveyed believed Hunter ’ s work for a Ukrainian gas company was inappropriate , a plurality of respondents said it wouldn ’ t make a difference in their vote .
Nevertheless , Wilson said , it 's “ definitely an issue that Republicans should push on and give Biden and his team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but without the clear link between Biden 's actions and Hunter 's , it 's more likely to be a marginal issue than a game changer.
” Trump has risked and invested a lot for a marginal issue .
His eagerness to coax Ukrainian officials into investigating Joe and Hunter Biden triggered his impeachment earlier this year .
Rather than defining Biden , Trump world spent considerable time at first introducing voters to his son and leveling accusations that the media quickly determined to be false or misleading .

President Donald Trump has long tried to press a reelection strategy that turns “Where’s Hunter?” — an attack on Joe Biden via his son — into the “lock her up” of 2020. It just hasn’t really worked.
Trump and his followers used to spend considerable energy taunting Hunter Biden at campaign rallies and on Twitter, eager to make an issue out of his work overseas and raise suspicions that his father, the former vice president, somehow used his influence to help enrich his son.
Then for months, the strategy faded as Trump searched for an attack that would stick to Biden, who has remained persistently ahead of the president in national polls and many battleground state polls. But with the first debate Tuesday night, and a new report from Senate Republicans that relies on baseless old allegations and debunked theories, Trump appears eager to bring Hunter back for one last try.
“The biggest thing going on the internet is exactly this,” Trump insisted of Hunter from the White House on Sunday, minutes after the New York Times published deep reporting about the president’s taxes. At his Saturday campaign rally in Pennsylvania and in response to other questions since, he’s been clear that he intends for Biden’s son to be part of their Tuesday debate.
Some Trump allies, though, aren’t sure revamping attacks on the younger Biden is a winning strategy.
Republican strategists who spoke with BuzzFeed News don’t see much of an advantage for the Trump campaign in raising Hunter and his work in Ukraine. It could be a deflection point, as it was on Sunday. Or it could be a move designed to trip up Biden, who can quickly get angry and defensive when his family is attacked. But the strategists also believe there are reasons the attacks had, until recently, gone away. They were not very effective in defining Biden or weakening his standing with voters. The Hunter issue has been lapped in importance by the pandemic, a rickety economy, and anti-racism protests often used by Republicans to stoke fear about the Black Lives Matter movement among white suburban voters.
“If he's going to make Biden play defense, I'd rather he make Biden play defense on the $4 trillion tax increase, on refusing to stand with law enforcement, on his position on the Supreme Court,” said Matt Mackowiak, founder of the Republican political consulting group Potomac Strategy and chair of the Travis County GOP in Texas. “All those issues, I think, are more likely to yield real benefit for him than the shady stuff around Hunter.”
Mackowiak said that while he thinks the allegations against Hunter have a legitimate basis, the real value of bringing them up again isn’t a question of what he did or didn’t do — it would be to point to the idea that Joe Biden is a political insider.
“Joe Biden's in a difficult spot on all this because it's one of his children, right. So it's sensitive to begin with. Hunter's obviously had a difficult time. He doesn't want to probably add to that in any way. He obviously lost his oldest son, so it's even more sensitive and difficult,” said Mackowiak. “In terms of the value, though, I think it goes to this argument that Biden is an insider. To this whole, you know, Scranton Joe, middle-class Joe, working-class Joe — that really doesn't square with what we've seen over the last 10 years.”
Others said they don’t see compelling evidence of any misconduct on the former vice president’s part, and since there isn’t a clear connection between Biden and his son’s work, they think rekindling the issue now might not be the most helpful course for the Trump campaign.
“We all already knew that,” said Chris Wilson, a pollster who helped guide Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign, referring to the information in the report released last week by Sens. Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley. “But it doesn’t seem that anyone has the perfect smoking gun of [Joe] Biden altering policy to benefit Hunter, so it’s a mixed bag.”
Wilson said polling on the Hunter issue in February, during the Democratic primaries, showed that voters were split on the matter, largely along party lines. A Politico/Morning Consult poll that month found that while most voters surveyed believed Hunter’s work for a Ukrainian gas company was inappropriate, a plurality of respondents said it wouldn’t make a difference in their vote. Nevertheless, Wilson said, it's “definitely an issue that Republicans should push on and give Biden and his team the opportunity to make a mistake, but without the clear link between Biden's actions and Hunter's, it's more likely to be a marginal issue than a game changer.”
Trump has risked and invested a lot for a marginal issue. His eagerness to coax Ukrainian officials into investigating Joe and Hunter Biden triggered his impeachment earlier this year. Rather than defining Biden, Trump world spent considerable time at first introducing voters to his son and leveling accusations that the media quickly determined to be false or misleading.


buzzfeed--2020-09-29--The Biden Campaign Slammed Facebook For Refusing To Take Down Misleading Trump Posts

The Biden campaign has demanded that Facebook ramp up enforcement of misleading and inaccurate posts by President Donald Trump , accusing the social media giant of failing to live up to its recent promises to clamp down on election-related falsehoods .
In a strongly worded three-page letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg obtained by Axios , Biden campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon called Facebook “ the nation ’ s foremost propagator of disinformation about the voting process.
” She pointed to the company 's pledge in early September to “ protect our democracy ” by “ clearing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and by “ fight [ ing ] misinformation.
” “ Three weeks have now passed , ” Dillon wrote .
“ Rather than seeing progress , we have seen regression .
Facebook ’ s continued promise of future action is serving as nothing more than an excuse for inaction.
” In response to Dillon 's letter , a Facebook spokesperson said the company hears vigorous complaints from both sides of the partisan divide .
`` We ’ ve faced criticism from Republicans for being biased against conservatives and Democrats for not taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content , '' the spokesperson said in a statement .
`` We have rules in place to protect the integrity of the election and free expression , and we will continue to apply them impartially.
” On Sept. 3 , Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would remove lies and misleading claims about the voting process that could cause somebody to lose the chance to cast a ballot .
He also declared that Facebook would not allow political advertisements during the week before the election .
“ We all have a responsibility to protect our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
“ That means helping people register and vote , clearing up confusion about how this election will work , and taking steps to reduce the chances of violence and unrest.
” The very same day that Zuckerberg made the announcement , Trump wrote a Facebook post that encouraged some people voting by mail to vote a second time in person .
Facebook added a label at the bottom of the post saying , “ Voting by mail has a long history of trustworthiness in the US .
”

The Biden campaign has demanded that Facebook ramp up enforcement of misleading and inaccurate posts by President Donald Trump, accusing the social media giant of failing to live up to its recent promises to clamp down on election-related falsehoods.
In a strongly worded three-page letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg obtained by Axios, Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon called Facebook “the nation’s foremost propagator of disinformation about the voting process.” She pointed to the company's pledge in early September to “protect our democracy” by “clearing up confusion about how this election will work” and by “fight[ing] misinformation.”
“Three weeks have now passed,” Dillon wrote. “Rather than seeing progress, we have seen regression. Facebook’s continued promise of future action is serving as nothing more than an excuse for inaction.”
In response to Dillon's letter, a Facebook spokesperson said the company hears vigorous complaints from both sides of the partisan divide. "We’ve faced criticism from Republicans for being biased against conservatives and Democrats for not taking more steps to restrict the exact same content," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We have rules in place to protect the integrity of the election and free expression, and we will continue to apply them impartially.”
On Sept. 3, Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would remove lies and misleading claims about the voting process that could cause somebody to lose the chance to cast a ballot. He also declared that Facebook would not allow political advertisements during the week before the election.
“We all have a responsibility to protect our democracy,” Zuckerberg wrote at the time. “That means helping people register and vote, clearing up confusion about how this election will work, and taking steps to reduce the chances of violence and unrest.”
The very same day that Zuckerberg made the announcement, Trump wrote a Facebook post that encouraged some people voting by mail to vote a second time in person. Facebook added a label at the bottom of the post saying, “Voting by mail has a long history of trustworthiness in the US.”


buzzfeed--2020-09-29--Presidential Debates Rarely Matter. The Biden-Trump Debate Is Different.

You probably know how you feel about President Donald Trump .
He has been the emcee of the last five years of American life .
Depending on your view , he ’ s either the protagonist of your daily story or the uninvited guest who has been squatting in your one-bedroom apartment for years .
It is a fun little joke to have with yourself to try to imagine the likely voter who just hasn ’ t heard enough about Donald Trump to have an opinion about him one way or the other .
So what is there to gain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Trump and Joe Biden ?
Polling and reporting this summer showed an electorate that appears to have largely made up its mind .
National and state polls have been remarkably stable through a series of crises and changed campaign messages .
Trump ’ s approval rating of around 44 % has been basically steady across his presidency .
The number of voters considering a third-party candidate or who are still firmly undecided is not what it was in September 2016 .
It ’ s basically impossible to imagine the person who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Trump insisting Tuesday night that Biden is on drugs .
This dynamic , even if it ’ s more obvious this year , isn ’ t unique .
There ’ s a compelling reason to think general election presidential debates don ’ t move voters much even in a normal time .
John Sides , a political scientist who has written loads about American elections , wrote in a 2012 survey of the research that “ presidential debates have rarely , if ever , mattered.
” Republicans typically believe the Republican candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat won , at most a candidate sees a slight polling bump and some days of positive or negative media attention , we all march on .
That said !
I here propose why it makes sense to go through with this exercise anyway , even if it doesn ’ t all-caps MATTER for the election itself .
And not just because of America ’ s pandemic-starved need for new television or our ever-accelerating drive toward masochism .
One thing that has been distinctly different about this year and election is just how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential candidates outside of highly controlled environments .
The debates are very possibly going to be the only exception to that until deep into next year , well after one of the two is inaugurated .
Biden has rarely appeared in front of a group of more than a dozen people since March , always careful to role-model safe public behavior during the pandemic .
Unless you ’ re diligently watching his livestreams , the most you ’ ve seen of the Democratic presidential nominee has been in his own ads or when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with national press have been rare .
He ’ s not , as Trump would have it , hiding in his basement , but he ’ s also not the constant fixture in public life you ’ d expect a presidential candidate to be this close to an election .
And even though Trump is everywhere , he ’ s really only in the places he wants to be , speaking about the things he wants to speak about .
Trump does regular news conferences , but still in an environment he controls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unwanted question and move on to whatever One America News wants to ask him about .
He has spent the vast majority of his presidency gliding from White House bubble to campaign rally bubble to Fox News bubble with only rare interruptions .
It ’ s what made his interviews this summer with Chris Wallace and Jonathan Swan so compelling — in his nearly four years as president , we ’ ve barely ever seen Trump somewhere where he is not in charge .
The reasons each candidate has for being cloistered are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pandemic protocol , Trump with a strict adherence to ego maintenance .
But you learn something to actually see what a president or candidate is like when they ’ re directly challenged and can ’ t easily change the subject or leave the room .
It is rare to see either Biden or Trump forced to deal with discomfort .
It ’ s probably not going to change your vote this year .
But as we work and live through a pandemic without a known end , seeing a candidate in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in reveals something about how that person actually is — how this year , or the last four , may have changed them .
The debates are still an opportunity to learn a little more about these very sheltered men .
That should still matter .

You probably know how you feel about President Donald Trump. He has been the emcee of the last five years of American life. Depending on your view, he’s either the protagonist of your daily story or the uninvited guest who has been squatting in your one-bedroom apartment for years. It is a fun little joke to have with yourself to try to imagine the likely voter who just hasn’t heard enough about Donald Trump to have an opinion about him one way or the other.
So what is there to gain from the beginning of the presidential debates between Trump and Joe Biden?
Polling and reporting this summer showed an electorate that appears to have largely made up its mind. National and state polls have been remarkably stable through a series of crises and changed campaign messages. Trump’s approval rating of around 44% has been basically steady across his presidency. The number of voters considering a third-party candidate or who are still firmly undecided is not what it was in September 2016. It’s basically impossible to imagine the person who is going to be swayed in their vote by Trump insisting Tuesday night that Biden is on drugs.
This dynamic, even if it’s more obvious this year, isn’t unique. There’s a compelling reason to think general election presidential debates don’t move voters much even in a normal time. John Sides, a political scientist who has written loads about American elections, wrote in a 2012 survey of the research that “presidential debates have rarely, if ever, mattered.” Republicans typically believe the Republican candidate won the debate, Democrats believe the Democrat won, at most a candidate sees a slight polling bump and some days of positive or negative media attention, we all march on.
That said! I here propose why it makes sense to go through with this exercise anyway, even if it doesn’t all-caps MATTER for the election itself. And not just because of America’s pandemic-starved need for new television or our ever-accelerating drive toward masochism.
One thing that has been distinctly different about this year and election is just how little we’ve seen of the presidential candidates outside of highly controlled environments. The debates are very possibly going to be the only exception to that until deep into next year, well after one of the two is inaugurated.
Biden has rarely appeared in front of a group of more than a dozen people since March, always careful to role-model safe public behavior during the pandemic. Unless you’re diligently watching his livestreams, the most you’ve seen of the Democratic presidential nominee has been in his own ads or when he reads a speech. His interactions with national press have been rare. He’s not, as Trump would have it, hiding in his basement, but he’s also not the constant fixture in public life you’d expect a presidential candidate to be this close to an election.
And even though Trump is everywhere, he’s really only in the places he wants to be, speaking about the things he wants to speak about. Trump does regular news conferences, but still in an environment he controls, where he can safely disregard an unwanted question and move on to whatever One America News wants to ask him about. He has spent the vast majority of his presidency gliding from White House bubble to campaign rally bubble to Fox News bubble with only rare interruptions. It’s what made his interviews this summer with Chris Wallace and Jonathan Swan so compelling — in his nearly four years as president, we’ve barely ever seen Trump somewhere where he is not in charge.
The reasons each candidate has for being cloistered are different — Biden with a strict adherence to pandemic protocol, Trump with a strict adherence to ego maintenance. But you learn something to actually see what a president or candidate is like when they’re directly challenged and can’t easily change the subject or leave the room. It is rare to see either Biden or Trump forced to deal with discomfort.
It’s probably not going to change your vote this year. But as we work and live through a pandemic without a known end, seeing a candidate in a position they don’t want to be in reveals something about how that person actually is — how this year, or the last four, may have changed them. The debates are still an opportunity to learn a little more about these very sheltered men. That should still matter.


buzzfeed--2020-09-29--Here Is How Banks Have Responded To The FinCEN Files Investigation

“ This is not new information to us or our regulators .
The presented issues which relate to Deutsche Bank date back to the years prior 2016 , we ourselves reported them to our regulators and authorities and they have been to a larger part reported on by the media .
We acknowledged past weaknesses in our control environment , we apologized for this and accepted our respective fines .
Most importantly : we learnt from our mistakes , systematically tackled the issues and made changes to our business perimeter , our controls , and our personnel .
Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which regulators and authorities lauded the bank ’ s cooperation and remediation publicly .
We have engaged in disciplinary consequences including on management board level when the facts warranted it .
We worked and still work constructively together with the authorities .
We have invested almost $ 1 billion in improved controls , trainings and operational processes , and have increased our anti-financial crime team to over 1,500 people .
We plan to continue to increase this number further .
We are a different bank now . ''
On SARs : “ Legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussing potential SARs .
This would be a criminal violation of US ( and other ) law .
Banks file SARs on a regular basis in accordance with our legal obligations and as part of our partnership with regulators and law enforcement to protect the global financial system .
We thus help the authorities to catch and prosecute those engaged in criminal activity .
Deutsche Bank is actively monitoring for suspicious conduct and shares relevant findings with the authorities.
” “ The fight against financial crime , money laundering and capital flight has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial institutions alike .
The world ’ s leading financial institutions , including Deutsche Bank , have invested billions of dollars to more effectively support authorities in this effort .
Naturally , this leads to increased detection levels .
At Deutsche Bank we have devoted significant resources to strengthening our controls and we are very focused on meeting our responsibilities and obligations .
This also includes implementing risk mitigants and , where appropriate , off-boarding customers and correspondent banking relationships .
The ICIJ has reported on a number of historic issues .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our regulators .
The issues have already been investigated and led to regulatory resolutions in which the bank ’ s cooperation and remediation was publicly recognized .
Where necessary and appropriate , consequence management was applied .
The bank has devoted significant resources strengthening its controls and we are extremely focused on meeting our responsibilities and obligations .
To the extent that information referenced by the ICIJ is derived from SARs , it should be noted that this is information that is pro-actively identified and submitted by banks to governments pursuant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential issues , not proven facts.
” “ We take our responsibility to fight financial crime extremely seriously and have invested substantially in our compliance programmes .
Standard Chartered has nearly 2,000 staff worldwide dedicated to preventing , detecting and reporting suspicious transactions , and all staff are trained in sanctions and anti-money-laundering compliance .
In addition to investing to ensure we meet our regulatory obligations , we are active in public-private partnerships to help fight financial crime and raise industry standards .
As a result of the investments and improvements we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly acknowledged that the Group has undergone a comprehensive and positive transformation over the last several years .
`` In 2019 we monitored more than 1.2 billion transactions for potential suspicious activity and screened more than 157 million transactions for compliance with applicable sanctions requirements .
The reality of the global financial system is that there will always be attempts to launder money and evade sanctions ; the responsibility of banks is to build effective screening and monitoring systems and we work closely with regulators and law enforcement to bring perpetrators to justice.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ commenting on most of the details in your inquiry . ''
`` You asked us about our 2014 'How We Do Business ' report and specifically about foreign correspondent banking .
As we noted in that report , we exited several hundred foreign correspondent banks while we upgraded our control environment and systems .
We acknowledged in that 2014 report that our existing AML controls needed improvement , and have since devoted considerable resources to comply with the laws and regulations governing anti-money laundering , terrorist financing and economic sanctions .
Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dollars are devoted to helping support law enforcement and national security efforts .
JPM has taken a leadership role in AML reform to drive the regime towards more proactive intelligence-led investigations and develop innovative techniques to help combat financial crime . ''
“ We do not comment on suspicious activity reporting .
All of the information provided by the ICIJ is historic and predates the conclusion of our Deferred Prosecution Agreement ( DPA ) in 2017 .
Starting in 2012 , HSBC embarked on a multi-year journey to overhaul its ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jurisdictions .
During that period , the Monitor fulfilled his role of identifying issues and making recommendations for improvement , and concluded that HSBC became a safer bank each year as a result of the Bank ’ s efforts .
At the end of 2017 , the Justice Department , having received all of the Monitor ’ s reports , determined that HSBC met all of its obligations under the DPA .
HSBC is a much safer institution than it was in 2012.
” “ In 2012 , we launched our Global Standards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place the most effective standards to combat financial crime across our operations globally .
As part of this effort , we designed and implemented new , globally consistent policies on AML and sanctions that often extend beyond the requirements of local laws and regulations .
Among other steps , we hired experienced senior personnel to lead the effort and significantly increased our financial crime compliance capabilities ; we put in place a robust investigations capability ; we improved and expanded our financial crime compliance training initiatives ; and we upgraded or replaced key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1bn spent since 2015 .
We also increased the number of staff in our financial crime compliance function from a few hundred in 2012 to around 5,000 in 2017 .
In parallel with our reforms , we dramatically reduced our financial crime risk profile , exiting jurisdictions , curtailing business in other jurisdictions and closing the accounts of existing customers .
`` The goal of any financial crime compliance programme is to detect and prevent financial crime .
One way we do that is through transaction monitoring and sanctions screening .
Each month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across 236 million accounts for signs of money laundering and financial crime .
In addition , we screen approximately 131 million customer records and 40 million transactions monthly for sanctions exposures .
During 2019 , we filed almost 50,000 suspicious activity reports to law enforcement and regulatory authorities where we identified potential financial crime .
`` Though we have made significant improvements in our financial crime compliance programme , we are continually seeking ways to improve .
That includes investing in and developing new technologies that we believe will enable us to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial crime by allowing us to detect potentially illicit conduct with greater precision than traditional technologies allow .
`` Our global social network analytics platform , which we launched in 2018 , enables us to identify links between different customers and transactions , making it easier to see where there might be criminal networks .
In 2019 , the platform won two industry awards : the Celent Model Bank Award for Risk Management and The Banker ’ s Tech Project Award for Compliance .
In August 2019 , we became the first bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen all our trade finance transactions for potential signs of financial crime.
” '' 1 .
Financial crime weakens financial institutions and we have a shared interest , in addition to our legal obligations , to prevent it .
The potential financial , legal , regulatory and reputational damage to any institution from financial crime is intense .
`` 2 .
Suspicious Activity Reports ( SARs ) are a key part of the process by which law enforcement agencies gather evidence on possible financial crime matters .
In common with other banks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other similar reports globally each year – this is a common and required practice in the financial services industry .
`` 3 .
Financial institutions must file SARs on any activity that appears suspicious .
SARs are not however themselves evidence of criminal conduct and simply reflect a snapshot taken at a particular point in time of the information then available .
In the majority of cases , we continue to investigate and monitor account activity after SARs are filed , at times working in conjunction with law enforcement agencies .
In most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SARs are filed .
`` 4 .
Financial crime is , by its nature , complex and difficult to detect .
We analyse information about our clients and their activities over time .
Criminal activity which may seem obvious with hindsight is often only uncovered as a result of careful evidence gathering after the event in question has occurred or after a SAR has been filed .
`` 5 .
If we conclude we have financial crime concerns , we take appropriate action and have done so in numerous cases over the years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ client relationships is not something we take lightly .
Given the filing of a SAR is not itself evidence of any actual wrongdoing , we would only terminate a client relationship after careful and objective investigation and analysis of the evidence , balancing potential financial crime suspicions with the risk of ‘ de-banking ’ an innocent customer and our obligation to treat customers fairly .
`` 6 .
You will be aware that there are various initiatives to improve the degree of transparency around how corporates and other structures hold money around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the major banks and they should make the process of due diligence on clients a lot easier .
`` 7 .
U.S. criminal law prohibits the unauthorised disclosure of SARs or information about SARs .
We are therefore not permitted to comment on whether a SAR has been filed , or on the contents of any SAR that may have been filed , even when the SARs in question may have been publicly disclosed .
We are also not permitted to comment on individuals or businesses , including to confirm whether they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are therefore unable to comment on the specific points in your letter .
`` 8 .
But for the avoidance of doubt , we believe that we have complied with all our legal and regulatory obligations including in relation to U.S. sanctions .
We would also refer you to the report by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee of Investigations entitled 'The Art Industry and U.S. Policies that Undermine Sanctions ' , published on 29 July 2020 .
That report covers many of the issues raised in your letter and highlights the extensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also our significant cooperation with relevant authorities . ''
“ We can not comment specifically on these matters as they are part of ongoing investigations by the authorities .
However , as we have previously said , it is clear that we should have never had that portfolio of non-resident customers .
It is also clear that we were too slow in realising the extent of the issues and to close it down .
Combating financial crime and money laundering is a key priority for Danske Bank .
Overall , we are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combating financial crime and money laundering than when the situation in Estonia developed between 2007 and 2015 and have terminated the non-resident portfolio of customers in Estonia .
We have significantly increased our resources dedicated to compliance and combating financial crime across the bank and have invested heavily in IT systems .
We will continue to invest in the area and strengthen the knowledge and culture of compliance across the bank to continue to improve our financial crime defences.
” '' Please understand that , due to banking secrecy and the Money Laundering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual or non-existing customer relationships .
`` Compliance is a high priority at Commerzbank .
Since 2015 , we have invested a total of more than 800 million Euros in the area of compliance , thereby strengthening the global compliance management system in a targeted effort .
We use this to prevent and uncover illegal activities .
At the same time , we have provided targeted training for our employees and significantly increased the number of employees .
`` The fact that we take compliance seriously is also demonstrated by the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor used by U.S. authorities within a short period of time .
`` We use the findings from monitoring transactions and customers to further reduce our risks .
`` Suspicious transactions are reported to the relevant authorities as part of our regular transaction monitoring .
`` As early as 2013 , we discontinued our global banknote trading activities , i.e .
the supply and safekeeping of banknotes , due to business policy considerations .
In addition , we have significantly reduced the number of international partner and correspondent banks since 2015 .
Apart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , regulatory requirements played an important role in this context .
“ Since 2015 we have invested extensively in our compliance and are implementing the regulatory requirements .
The number of international partner and correspondent banks of Commerzbank is currently in the low four-digit range .
Please understand that we will not comment any further.
” “ First of all , we would like to stress , that VEB.RF Group companies have never been involved in any illegal activities .
We should also note that we have never been approached by U.S. ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the allegations made in your letter , although some of them date back a decade .
`` According to your letter , the investigation is based on 'thousands of suspicious activity reports ' ( SARs ) .
We note that unauthorized disclosure of SARs is a serious crime .
To that end we would point you to a statement by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network made in response to information about various media intending to publish a series of articles based on unlawfully disclosed SARs and other sensitive US government documents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 'the unauthorized disclosure of SARs is a crime that can impact the national security of the United States , compromise law enforcement investigations , and threaten the safety and security of the institutions and individuals who file such reports ' .
`` Moreover , we can not verify the authenticity of the SARs that you have presented in your request , as there has never been any similar requests from the US authorities , any public or private body .
Given the serious issues raised by the illegal disclosures of the SARs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for VEB to be involved in the preparation of the article you intend to publish , including by commenting on the allegations made therein .
Nor do we think it is appropriate to publish an article containing these illegal disclosures.
” Bank of China did not respond to requests for comment .
“ Wells Fargo has robust anti-money laundering policies and procedures in place , and we follow all applicable financial crimes-related laws and regulations .
We are unable to provide any further comment.
” “ It does not make sense that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hid illegal activity consisted solely of Suspicious Activity Reports that those banks filed alerting law enforcement to that very activity .
Clearly , there is more to this story , but unfortunately the reporting failed to unearth it , and the banks are legally prohibited from telling their side .
In some cases , if the past is any guide , that story likely includes law enforcement asking a bank to keep open an account it has identified as suspicious so that law enforcement can track where the money is going and gather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conviction.
” '' According to the National risk assessment of financial services UK and BSA US , all money service businesses ( MSB ) are providing high risk payment services .
Whether [ Mayzus Financial Services ( MFS ) ] provides remittances , online payment accounts , e-money services , it should expect terrorist financing , money laundering , drug and other illicit trade such as human trafficking , fraud , identity fraud , internal fraud , violation of the sanctions regime , tax evasion , internal fraud , corruption , briberry etc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any transaction .
MFS being a money service business was naturally exposed to all types of financial crimes possible .
My point being that it was made clear by our regulatory guidance , case studies and training , that a financial institution ( FI ) such as MFS would be inevitably and constantly running into a client or a transaction which will be immediately or retrospectively linked or suspected to be linked to some sort of criminal activity .
Our regulators and partners would routinely check the ability of the company to identify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with the data and evidence to the designated Financial Intelligence Unit ( FIU ) , thus mitigating the risk to knowingly or unknowingly facilitate financial crime via company ’ s services .
These processes and controls were described in detail in the Anti-Financial Crime Policy of the company and approved by the Board , CEO , money-laundering reporting officer and chief compliance officer , who were to ensure the rules work .
MFS compliance budget was equal to its IT budget and was about [ one million euros ] by 2017 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ Information Communications Technology ] UK anti-financial crimes diplomas , internally developed transactions monitoring systems , anti-fraud monitoring tool , data sharing API , [ Regulatory DataCorp ( RDI ) ] compliance monitoring tool , online video verification process , Regula forged documents scanning tool etc ...
The company was able to monitor transactions , identify and verify the identity of its customers .
Identified transactions which required [ Enhanced Due Diligence ( EDD ) ] , analyzed results of the EDD , made decisions whether to allow the transfer of funds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not .
It is a lot of work with an unclear outcome .
There is always a possibility that something would fly under the radar , but your client ’ s crimes should not theoretically ruin your business , if you acted in good faith and compliance with the regulations .
Regulated payment companies were obliged by the [ payment services and anti-laundering directives ] to identify their risks , identify and verify their customers and monitor their transactions to identify suspicious activity and report it to the respective Financial Intelligence Unit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Crime Agency ] UK….MFS helped law enforcements to make few arrests by monitoring transactions , analysing the data and disclosing the data to law enforcement .
MFS have helped to arrest online and offline fraudsters , corrupt remittance agents , money launderers , and apprehend hundreds of millions of dollars worth of illicitly gained assets .
From my perspective MFS has done exactly what it was supposed to be doing .
Having more then million clients , the company during it 's operation has submitted hundreds SAR 's to the NCA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ client , transactions and reasons of suspicion .
But , the nature of SWIFT standard - do not allows to provide a complete information about a final beneficiary with the SWIFT messages used for international wire transfers ( there is only DETAILS OF PAYMENT field , which is limited with characters , where it was possible to provide information about final beneficiary ) , so , banks with whom company was working and their correspondent banks - has forced to report Mayzus Financial Services as a subject of their SAR 's .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corresponding bank ( for US dollars is always bank in USA ) has filed SAR about some particular transaction indicating Mayzus Financial Services as a subject - it absolutely does not means that Mayzus Financial Services DID NOT filed the SAR about this particular transaction with NCA . ''

Barclays:
"1. Financial crime weakens financial institutions and we have a shared interest, in addition to our legal obligations, to prevent it. The potential financial, legal, regulatory and reputational damage to any institution from financial crime is intense.
"2. Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) are a key part of the process by which law enforcement agencies gather evidence on possible financial crime matters. In common with other banks, we typically file thousands of SARs and other similar reports globally each year – this is a common and required practice in the financial services industry.
"3. Financial institutions must file SARs on any activity that appears suspicious. SARs are not however themselves evidence of criminal conduct and simply reflect a snapshot taken at a particular point in time of the information then available. In the majority of cases, we continue to investigate and monitor account activity after SARs are filed, at times working in conjunction with law enforcement agencies. In most cases, accounts are not closed after SARs are filed.
"4. Financial crime is, by its nature, complex and difficult to detect. We analyse information about our clients and their activities over time. Criminal activity which may seem obvious with hindsight is often only uncovered as a result of careful evidence gathering after the event in question has occurred or after a SAR has been filed.
"5. If we conclude we have financial crime concerns, we take appropriate action and have done so in numerous cases over the years. As you will appreciate, terminating client relationships is not something we take lightly. Given the filing of a SAR is not itself evidence of any actual wrongdoing, we would only terminate a client relationship after careful and objective investigation and analysis of the evidence, balancing potential financial crime suspicions with the risk of ‘de-banking’ an innocent customer and our obligation to treat customers fairly.
"6. You will be aware that there are various initiatives to improve the degree of transparency around how corporates and other structures hold money around the world. We think these are supported by the major banks and they should make the process of due diligence on clients a lot easier.
"7. U.S. criminal law prohibits the unauthorised disclosure of SARs or information about SARs. We are therefore not permitted to comment on whether a SAR has been filed, or on the contents of any SAR that may have been filed, even when the SARs in question may have been publicly disclosed. We are also not permitted to comment on individuals or businesses, including to confirm whether they are or have been a client. We are therefore unable to comment on the specific points in your letter.
"8. But for the avoidance of doubt, we believe that we have complied with all our legal and regulatory obligations including in relation to U.S. sanctions. We would also refer you to the report by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee of Investigations entitled 'The Art Industry and U.S. Policies that Undermine Sanctions', published on 29 July 2020. That report covers many of the issues raised in your letter and highlights the extensive investigative work undertaken by Barclays, and also our significant cooperation with relevant authorities."


buzzfeed--2020-09-29--Deadly Terror Networks And Drug Cartels Use Huge Banks To Finance Their Crimes. These Secret Documen

Deadly Terror Networks And Drug Cartels Use Huge Banks To Finance Their Crimes. These Secret Documents Show How The Banks Profit.

Thousands of secret “ suspicious activity reports ” offer a never-before-seen picture of corruption and complicity — and how the government lets it flourish .
A huge trove of secret government documents reveals for the first time how the giants of Western banking move trillions of dollars in suspicious transactions , enriching themselves and their shareholders while facilitating the work of terrorists , kleptocrats , and drug kingpins .
And the US government , despite its vast powers , fails to stop it .
Today , the FinCEN Files — thousands of “ suspicious activity reports ” and other US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of global financial corruption , the banks enabling it , and the government agencies that watch as it flourishes .
BuzzFeed News has shared these reports with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and more than 100 news organizations in 88 countries .
These documents , compiled by banks , shared with the government , but kept from public view , expose the hollowness of banking safeguards , and the ease with which criminals have exploited them .
Profits from deadly drug wars , fortunes embezzled from developing countries , and hard-earned savings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to flow into and out of these financial institutions , despite warnings from the banks ’ own employees .
Money laundering is a crime that makes other crimes possible .
It can accelerate economic inequality , drain public funds , undermine democracy , and destabilize nations — and the banks play a key role .
“ Some of these people in those crisp white shirts in their sharp suits are feeding off the tragedy of people dying all over the world , ” said Martin Woods , a former suspicious transactions investigator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop financial crime have instead allowed it to flourish .
So long as a bank files a notice that it may be facilitating criminal activity , it all but immunizes itself and its executives from criminal prosecution .
The suspicious activity alert effectively gives them a free pass to keep moving the money and collecting the fees .
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network , or FinCEN , is the agency within the Treasury Department charged with combating money laundering , terrorist financing , and other financial crimes .
It collects millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SARs .
It makes them available to US law enforcement agencies and other nations ’ financial intelligence operations .
It even compiles a report called “ Kleptocracy Weekly ” that summarizes the dealings of foreign leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin .
What it does not do is force the banks to shut the money laundering down .
In the rare instances when the US government does crack down on banks , it often relies on sweetheart deals called deferred prosecution agreements , which include fines but no high-level arrests .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold executives personally accountable , under guidance by former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein that warned government agencies against “ piling on.
” Rosenstein did not respond to requests for comment , but after this article was published , he wrote to say that his policies sought to “ encourage prosecutors to pursue charges against the people responsible for corporate wrongdoing.
” The FinCEN Files investigation shows that even after they were prosecuted or fined for financial misconduct , banks such as JPMorgan Chase , HSBC , Standard Chartered , Deutsche Bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued to move money for suspected criminals .
Suspicious payments flow around the world and into countless industries , from international sports to Hollywood entertainment to luxury real estate to Nobu sushi restaurants .
They filter into the companies that make familiar items from people ’ s lives , from the gas in their car to the granola in their cereal bowl .
The FinCEN Files expose an underlying truth of the modern era : The networks through which dirty money traverse the world have become vital arteries of the global economy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wide-ranging and so unchecked that it has become inextricable from the so-called legitimate economy .
Banks with household names have helped to make it so .
Information from millions of these documents feeds into a single database , through which law enforcement officers can summon detailed financial information with a few keystrokes .
The FinCEN Files opens a rare window into this vast system of financial intelligence , unmatched in the world but all but unknown to the public .
The SARs themselves are so closely held that members of the public can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subpoenas , and banks are not allowed even to confirm their existence .
Prior to this reporting , very few SARs had ever been revealed .
The FinCEN Files encompass more than 2,100 .
For more than a year , BuzzFeed News and its partner news organizations across the world mined the information on these tens of thousands of pages to map more than 200,000 transactions .
( Here ’ s an explanation of how we did it . )
In all , suspicious activity reports in the FinCEN Files flagged more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2017 .
Western banks could have blocked almost any of them , but in most cases they kept the money moving and kept collecting their fees .
Suspicious activity reports are written by the banks ’ financial crime watchdogs , or compliance officers , who are often parked in remote offices and left to make sense of a vast number of transactions with very few resources , writing SARs with little research or verification .
BuzzFeed News ’ research went much further , including reams of internal bank data , thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interviews with sources across the globe , dozens of Freedom of Information Act filings , five public records lawsuits , and requests for three federal courts to unseal records — all to piece together the intricacies of a financial system that is largely hidden .
BuzzFeed News is not publishing the SARs in full because they contain information about people or companies that are not under suspicion , but who were swept up in the banks ’ searches .
A subset of the documents is being published , with redactions , to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Treasury Department received detailed questions about the FinCEN Files investigation , the agency released a statement saying that it was “ aware that various media outlets intend to publish a series of articles based on unlawfully disclosed Suspicious Activity Reports ( SARs ) .
” It continued , “ the unauthorized disclosure of SARs is a crime that can impact the national security of the United States , compromise law enforcement investigations , and threaten the safety and security of the institutions and individuals who file such reports.
” The agency announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Justice and the Treasury Department ’ s Office of Inspector General .
In a subsequent letter , FinCEN ’ s general counsel said that disclosure of SARs can make banks less willing to file them , which “ could mean law enforcement has fewer potential leads to stop crimes like human trafficking , child exploitation , fraud , corruption , terrorism , and cyber-enabled crime.
” FinCEN did not respond to repeated invitations to discuss security concerns .
Sen. Ron Wyden , a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FinCEN Files investigation “ reinforces the fact that we now have two systems of law enforcement and justice in the country.
” Drug cartels move millions through US banks ; poor people go to jail for possession .
“ If you 're wealthy and well-connected , you can figure out how to do an enormous amount of harm to society at large and ensure that it accrues to enormous financial benefit for all of you.
” Robert Mazur , a former federal special agent and an expert in money laundering , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enhance national security , aid future investigations , and encourage institutions to more consistently adhere to SAR filing requirements , ” and `` will hopefully get people who are in a position of power to correct an apparent systemic failure.
” Based in the United Arab Emirates , Mazaka General Trading presented itself to the world as a wholesaler .
But between March 2013 and April 2014 , the company received nearly $ 50 million from five companies involved in a Russian money laundering ring that manipulated international stock trades .
In May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than $ 4 million from a Singapore company that appears barely even to exist .
It was also sending and receiving money from British firms located at 175 Darkes Lane , one of the world 's most notorious addresses for shell companies , which are a common tool to hide ownership .
These transactions by Mazaka General Trading — which the Treasury Department later declared to be a part of the Khanani money laundering network , a group that has financed terrorism and drug cartels around the globe — involved businesses and people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States .
But as the money pinged around from one bank to another , it was all being tracked and it would all be reported to the Treasury Department .
Because the US dollar is the lifeblood of international finance , the common denominator between the world ’ s disparate currencies , banking customers around the world need access to it .
But only select banks are licensed to conduct dollar transactions .
So smaller banks in other countries partner with larger institutions , which exchange their customers ’ pesos , yuan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fee , the arrangement , known as correspondent banking , helps keep the global economy humming .
As they pass through US banks , these transfers give the Treasury Department a vantage that no other country has .
It shares some of that information through the Egmont Group , a little-known coalition of financial intelligence units from more than 150 countries and territories .
SARs have provided Egmont members with financial details that would be otherwise unattainable , such as those concerning former Olympic Committee member Lamine Diack , who has been sentenced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian doping scandal , and the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska , who was sanctioned by the US two years ago .
( Deripaska has sued the US government , maintaining that he is an innocent victim of politics . )
But if the database is a powerful asset to law enforcement investigations , to privacy advocates , it is a nightmare of overreach .
Congress created the current SAR program in 1992 making banks the frontline in the fight against money laundering .
But Michael German , a former FBI special agent who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said that after 9/11 , `` the SAR program became more about mass surveillance than identifying discrete transactions to disrupt money launderers.
” Today , he said , `` the data is used like the data from other mass surveillance programs .
Find someone you want to get for whatever reason then sift through the vast troves of data collected to find anything you can hang them with . ''
In 2017 , when US congressional committees began investigating the last presidential election and other matters , they , too , turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requested SARs on Deutsche Bank , which had loaned Trump money ; Christopher Steele , the former MI6 agent who wrote the so-called Trump dossier ; an array of Russian oligarchs ; Trump ’ s former campaign chairperson Paul Manafort ; and even a small casino in the Pacific run by a former Trump employee .
All told , they were looking for information on more than 200 entities .
FinCEN unearthed tens of thousands of pages of documents .
Those documents , along with a few additional SARs requested by federal law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the FinCEN Files .
Some were never turned over to the committees that requested them .
A person familiar with the matter blew the whistle to multiple members of Congress .
The collection does not include any SARs about Trump ’ s finances .
( A source familiar with the matter told BuzzFeed News that FinCEN ’ s database did not contain SARs on either Trump or the Trump Organization . )
And though the documents show suspicious payments to people in Trump ’ s orbit before and after key moments in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not provide direct information on any election interference .
Because the searches were so broad , however , they revealed something that most in Congress hadn ’ t even been looking for : evidence that the world ’ s biggest banks kept doing business with clients that they themselves suspected were facilitating terror and corruption .
The information was laid out in transaction by transaction .
And it had been there all along .
FinCEN received more than 2 million SARs last year .
That number has nearly doubled over the past decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure to file and the volume of international transactions has grown .
Over the same period , FinCEN ’ s staff has shrunk by more than 10 % .
Sources there say most SARs are never even read , let alone acted upon .
Meanwhile , experts say , some banks treat SARs as a kind of get-out-of-jail-free card , filing alerts about a huge array of transactions without actually moving to halt them .
In some cases , banks filed numerous reports on the same clients , detailing their suspected crimes over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcome their business .
By December 2013 , JPMorgan Chase had filed at least eight SARs on accounts and companies controlled by Manafort , flagging more than $ 10 million , according to a FinCEN research report .
Manafort , who went on to become Trump ’ s campaign chair , was convicted of bank and tax fraud in 2018 .
Paul Pelletier , a former senior Justice Department lawyer who once led the agency ’ s fraud unit , said that approach makes a mockery of the system .
“ You ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SAR without eventually violating the money laundering laws , ” he said .
“ You cut them off and drop them as clients .
But you do n't keep taking their money . ''
Despite the banks ’ sweeping powers to investigate account holders , the FinCEN Files investigation reveals that major financial institutions often fail to perform the most basic checks on their customers , such as verifying where a business is located when someone opens a new account .
The lapses allow criminal groups to hide behind shell corporations , registered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and slide the proceeds of their crimes into the global financial system .
In many cases , the banks appear to have no idea whatsoever whose money they are moving .
When investigators for HSBC ’ s American operations asked their colleagues in Hong Kong for the name of the person who owned Trade Leader , a company that had moved more than half a billion dollars through the bank in less than two years , the answer they got was “ None available.
” The company would reportedly emerge as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a sprawling scheme in which wealthy Russians , facilitated by banks , secretly moved their money into the West .
After scandals like the Russian Laundromat , federal prosecutors have made big pronouncements about forcing meaningful change .
Addressing an anti–money laundering conference in 2015 , Leslie Caldwell , then the head of the Justice Department 's criminal division , said that when it came to getting banks to clean up their acts , deferred prosecution agreements , which typically involve a fine and a probationary period , “ can often accomplish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than , we could from a criminal conviction.
” But the FinCEN Files investigation shows something very different .
Banks often get to the end of their agreement without actually fixing the problems .
Then , instead of getting the prosecution that they had been threatened with , they just get another chance .
And sometimes another .
In 2012 , HSBC faced a historic crisis .
After permitting narcotraffickers to launder money and conducting business in off-limits countries such as Sudan and Myanmar , the bank was fined $ 1.9 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and to hold it to that promise , the government installed an independent monitor to keep close watch .
But the FinCEN Files investigation shows HSBC continued banking , and profiting from , the same kinds of customers that got it in trouble in the first place , such as a Panamanian import-export firm that the Treasury Department later said was laundering money for drug kingpins .
JPMorgan Chase got a deferred prosecution deal of its own .
For years , it was the primary bank of the world ’ s biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple warnings from its own employees , the bank never filed a suspicious activity report on him and allegedly collected $ 500 million in fees .
For punishment , the bank was required to pay a $ 1.7 billion fine and promise to improve its money laundering defenses .
But after it settled the Madoff case , the bank ’ s own investigators said they suspected it had opened its accounts to an alleged Russian organized crime figure who is known for drug trafficking and contract murders , as well as businesses tied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the US has placed off-limits .
It happened at Standard Chartered , too .
Last year , the government amended its 2012 deferred prosecution agreement after the bank was found to have continued clearing transactions for individuals and businesses in off-limits countries , primarily Iran .
The bank paid fines totaling $ 1.1 billion to US and UK authorities , and extended the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement for the sixth time in the space of seven years .
The bank apologized for its “ violations and control deficiencies ” but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The FinCEN Files documents show Standard Chartered processed hundreds of millions of dollars for companies it suspected were circumventing sanctions against Iran until at least 2017 .
Since 2010 , at least 18 financial institutions have received deferred prosecution agreements for anti–money laundering or sanctions violations , according to an analysis by BuzzFeed News .
Of those , at least four went on to break the law again and get fined .
Twice , the government responded to this kind of repeat offense by renewing the deferred prosecution agreement — the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the government wanted to , experts in financial crime say , it could stop the dirty money coursing through the big banks , as well as the vast array of criminal activity it funds .
One step would be to require companies to disclose their owners to the Treasury Department , rather than allowing people to hide behind a shell company .
Lawmakers are debating a bipartisan bill that could address that for small companies .
The National Federation of Independent Business has opposed it , saying it raises privacy issues and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who cosponsored the bill , told BuzzFeed News , “ Congress must act soon because criminals have long been revising , adjusting , and amending their tactics to circumvent our laws.
” Greater public accountability could also make a difference .
HSBC has fought to keep secret the final report by the monitor that the government installed to watch over the bank during the years of its deferred prosecution agreement .
It even took the unusual step of weighing in on a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit , when BuzzFeed News sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The knowledge that negative reports could become public , and potentially damage share prices , could impel wayward banks to clean up their acts .
Others say the SARs themselves are part of the problem .
German , the former FBI special agent , called the idea behind them `` naive '' because `` the largest money laundering operations occur with the cooperation of the financial institutions , or at least some officers within those institutions .
The lack of money laundering enforcement had nothing to do with a lack of evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of interest by political and law enforcement leadership.
’ ’ The most powerful way to fix the problem might be the simplest : Arrest the executives whose banks break the law .
`` The bankers will never learn until you start putting silver bracelets on people , '' Pelletier said .
`` Think of the message you 're sending to repeat offenders . ''
`` These guys know what they 're doing , ’ ’ said Thomas Nollner , a former regulator with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to jail , period . ''
That approach was once the norm .
“ Back in the 1980s and 90s and even into the early 2000s , the government went after CEOs all the time , ” said US District Judge Jed Rakoff , who has been an outspoken critic of weak penalties for white-collar criminals .
In the past , the CEOs of Enron , WorldCom , and Tyco were all sent to jail for what they did , he pointed out .
“ Now that ’ s deterrence.
” Rakoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a bank that engages in money laundering can literally be forced out of business by the government , and it is kind of surprising that government hasn ’ t taken that step , given the obvious deterrent effect it would have.
” Ultimately , the power to keep criminal profits from being laundered through the US financial system may not reside in the actions of a bank ’ s compliance office or its computer systems or even its executive tier .
It may not reside with banking regulators or federal prosecutors or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a matter of national policy alone .
Shutting down wayward banks could have an impact on the whole economy — for the US , its major trade partners , and beyond .
When other countries find their banks under US scrutiny , they step in .
In 2012 , Standard Chartered and HSBC were facing criminal prosecution .
George Osborne , at that time the UK ’ s chancellor of the exchequer , wrote to the chairperson of the US Federal Reserve , Ben Bernanke , and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to discuss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response could have “ unintended consequences.
” He warned of a “ contagion.
” The implication : Close one bank and the whole economy could suffer .
Mazur , the former federal special agent and money laundering expert , says there are a “ mosaic ” of reasons why US authorities let the money keep running , but one of them may just be that it finds its way into too many pockets .
“ Even if it 's bad wealth , it buys buildings , ” he said .
“ It puts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation.
” ● Sophie Comeau , Waylon Cunningham , Sam Feehan , Nancy Guan , Kristy Hutchings , Kylie Storm , Felicia Tapia , Karen Wang , Abby Washer , and Ashley Zhang of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism contributed reporting .

Paul Pelletier, a former senior Justice Department lawyer who once led the agency’s fraud unit, said that approach makes a mockery of the system. “You can't just file SAR after SAR after SAR without eventually violating the money laundering laws,” he said. “You cut them off and drop them as clients. But you don't keep taking their money."
Despite the banks’ sweeping powers to investigate account holders, the FinCEN Files investigation reveals that major financial institutions often fail to perform the most basic checks on their customers, such as verifying where a business is located when someone opens a new account. The lapses allow criminal groups to hide behind shell corporations, registered with no identifying details about their ownership, and slide the proceeds of their crimes into the global financial system.
In many cases, the banks appear to have no idea whatsoever whose money they are moving.
When investigators for HSBC’s American operations asked their colleagues in Hong Kong for the name of the person who owned Trade Leader, a company that had moved more than half a billion dollars through the bank in less than two years, the answer they got was “None available.” The company would reportedly emerge as an important hub in the so-called Russian Laundromat, a sprawling scheme in which wealthy Russians, facilitated by banks, secretly moved their money into the West.
After scandals like the Russian Laundromat, federal prosecutors have made big pronouncements about forcing meaningful change.
Addressing an anti–money laundering conference in 2015, Leslie Caldwell, then the head of the Justice Department's criminal division, said that when it came to getting banks to clean up their acts, deferred prosecution agreements, which typically involve a fine and a probationary period, “can often accomplish as much as, and sometimes even more than, we could from a criminal conviction.”
But the FinCEN Files investigation shows something very different. Banks often get to the end of their agreement without actually fixing the problems. Then, instead of getting the prosecution that they had been threatened with, they just get another chance. And sometimes another.
In 2012, HSBC faced a historic crisis. After permitting narcotraffickers to launder money and conducting business in off-limits countries such as Sudan and Myanmar, the bank was fined $1.9 billion. It promised to change its ways, and to hold it to that promise, the government installed an independent monitor to keep close watch. But the FinCEN Files investigation shows HSBC continued banking, and profiting from, the same kinds of customers that got it in trouble in the first place, such as a Panamanian import-export firm that the Treasury Department later said was laundering money for drug kingpins.
JPMorgan Chase got a deferred prosecution deal of its own. For years, it was the primary bank of the world’s biggest Ponzi schemer, Bernie Madoff. Despite multiple warnings from its own employees, the bank never filed a suspicious activity report on him and allegedly collected $500 million in fees. For punishment, the bank was required to pay a $1.7 billion fine and promise to improve its money laundering defenses. But after it settled the Madoff case, the bank’s own investigators said they suspected it had opened its accounts to an alleged Russian organized crime figure who is known for drug trafficking and contract murders, as well as businesses tied to the repressive North Korean regime, which the US has placed off-limits.
It happened at Standard Chartered, too. Last year, the government amended its 2012 deferred prosecution agreement after the bank was found to have continued clearing transactions for individuals and businesses in off-limits countries, primarily Iran. The bank paid fines totaling $1.1 billion to US and UK authorities, and extended the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement for the sixth time in the space of seven years. The bank apologized for its “violations and control deficiencies” but promised that none had occurred after 2014.
The FinCEN Files documents show Standard Chartered processed hundreds of millions of dollars for companies it suspected were circumventing sanctions against Iran until at least 2017.
Since 2010, at least 18 financial institutions have received deferred prosecution agreements for anti–money laundering or sanctions violations, according to an analysis by BuzzFeed News. Of those, at least four went on to break the law again and get fined. Twice, the government responded to this kind of repeat offense by renewing the deferred prosecution agreement — the very tool that failed the first time.


buzzfeed--2020-09-30--26 Costco Snacks Nutritionists And Dietitians Actually Swear By

`` My clients love the Bare Organic Apple Chips because they ’ re crunchy , sweet , and satisfying .
@ @ @ @ @ – as pure as you can get !
Apples are often overlooked in terms of @ @ @ @ @ ’ re a great source of prebiotic fiber ( pectin ) , and are delicious @ @ @ @ @ with some nuts . ''
—Rachel Beller , MS , RDN , CEO of Beller @ @ @ @ @ Transformation Masterclass

To help guide you through the aisles of your fave bulk store, we reached out to several nutritionists and dietitians to ask them which snacks they buy and love at Costco. Here's what they said!


buzzfeed--2020-09-30--This Son Made His Mom An Instagram Account Full Of Her Advice, And The Messages Are So Important

Poonam said that her messages are so important because young people are listening , and the postings allow her and @ @ @ @ @ right kind of messages .
`` I want to share things that are super important @ @ @ @ @ get enough importance in the hustle and bustle of the day — things like mental @ @ @ @ @ , our environment , and so on .
There 's so much to say , @ @ @ @ @ space where everyone is willing to listen and contribute , '' she said .

Poonam said that her messages are so important because young people are listening, and the postings allow her and her son to spread the right kind of messages. "I want to share things that are super important and things that do not get enough importance in the hustle and bustle of the day — things like mental health, posture, equality, our environment, and so on. There's so much to say, and what better than a space where everyone is willing to listen and contribute," she said.


buzzfeed--2020-09-30--Jim Parsons Opened Up About Not Being Able To Taste Or Smell When He Had COVID-19, And It Sounds Tru

Jim Parsons Opened Up About Not Being Able To Taste Or Smell When He Had COVID-19, And It Sounds Truly Bizarre

`` We did n't know what it was , '' he went on .
`` We thought we had colds @ @ @ @ @ less likely [ that it was a cold ] .
And then we lost our @ @ @ @ @ and we were like ... yeah . ''

"We didn't know what it was," he went on. "We thought we had colds. And then it seemed less likely [that it was a cold]. And then we lost our sense of smell and taste and we were like...yeah."


buzzfeed--2020-09-30--A Psychologist Shared Photos From A Phenomenon Called The Thatcher Effect And It's Wild

`` This is thought to happen because our brains are so finely tuned to recognizing faces in the upright position @ @ @ @ @ identify many faces that are very similar as unique individuals very easily .
It has @ @ @ @ @ processes involved in face recognition rely as much on the structural relationship between features as @ @ @ @ @ example , the configuration between eyes , nose , and mouth , '' she explained @

"This is thought to happen because our brains are so finely tuned to recognizing faces in the upright position. This enables us to identify many faces that are very similar as unique individuals very easily. It has been hypothesized that the cognitive processes involved in face recognition rely as much on the structural relationship between features as the features themselves. For example, the configuration between eyes, nose, and mouth," she explained.


buzzfeed--2020-09-30--16 Funny Vagina Tweets That You'll Probably Only Laugh At If You Have A Vagina

Hey , hi , hello .
If you have a vagina and like to laugh , then you 've come @ @ @ @ @ Because these funny tweets about vaginas , vulvas , and more are A+++ .
BTW @ @ @ @ @ you read , why not give some of these clever Twitter users a follow !

Hey, hi, hello. If you have a vagina and like to laugh, then you've come to the right place. Because these funny tweets about vaginas, vulvas, and more are A+++. BTW, if you like what you read, why not give some of these clever Twitter users a follow!


buzzfeed--2020-09-30--Indian Police Forcibly Cremated A Rape Victim, Her Family Has Alleged

The family of a 19-year-old woman in India accused the police of forcibly cremating her body after she died of injuries as a result of rape .
The victim was allegedly raped by four men in Uttar Pradesh , a state in North India , on September 14 .
She died two weeks later at a hospital in New Delhi .
She was Dalit , a still-marginalized caste in India known historically as `` untouchable . ''
Gut-wrenching details about the woman 's injuries have been widely reported in the Indian press , as well as on social media , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pervasive rape culture , particularly against Dalit women .
Before she died , the woman named four men from her village as her rapists .
All four men were reportedly arrested on September 27 .
In the early hours of September 30 , the woman 's body was brought back to her village from New Delhi .
Her family alleges that policemen refused to hand over her body so that they could perform final rites , instead forcibly — and hurriedly — cremating her in the middle of the night .
The woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Indian Express at 3:30 am on Wednesday .
“ It appears that my sister has been cremated ; the police are not telling us anything , '' the brother told the Express .
`` We begged them to let us bring her body inside the house one last time , but they didn ’ t listen to us.
” Video footage from the cremation ground , which has gone viral on Twitter , shows a lone pyre burning in the dark with no family members present , while policemen push reporters away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city of Hathras did not respond to calls from BuzzFeed News .
In a tweet on Wednesday the department said that members of the woman ’ s family were present at the cremation ground .
The horrific incident has outraged Indians , with activists and students gathering to protest the police 's actions in New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh , and leaders of the opposition party asking for the resignation of Uttar Pradesh 's chief minister .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly asked the state to ensure that the `` strictest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's rapists .

The family of a 19-year-old woman in India accused the police of forcibly cremating her body after she died of injuries as a result of rape.
The victim was allegedly raped by four men in Uttar Pradesh, a state in North India, on Sept. 14. She died two weeks later at a hospital in New Delhi. She was Dalit, a still-marginalized caste in India known historically as "untouchable."
Gut-wrenching details about the woman's injuries have been widely reported in the Indian press, as well as on social media, drawing new attention to the country's pervasive rape culture, particularly against Dalit women.


buzzfeed--2020-09-30--The Debate Section On "Race And Violence In Our Cities" Had More Dog Whistles Than We Could Count

President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate moderated by Chris Wallace on September 29 in Cleveland , Ohio .
In the first debate of an election marked by a tumultuous summer of protests over racism and police brutality , the presidential candidates debated whether “ systemic racism ” existed in America .
The two presidential candidates addressed the issues in wildly different ways .
President Donald Trump , who has centered racist rhetoric and attacks on people of color in both his campaigns , implied that Democratic nominee Joe Biden is racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1994 federal crime bill .
He also characterized anti-racism protests and the Black Lives Matter movement as violent , driving home a point he ’ s made for the past several months in overtures to conservative and white , suburban voters .
Biden focused on calling the problems that Black Americans encounter systemic injustice , and talked about the disproportionate number of Black people who have died of COVID-19 .
The part of the debate that was , ahead of time , billed as “ race and violence in our cities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter movement — a framing that echoes the way Trump has talked about the protests , in line with his strategy to stoke racist fears among white voters .
Chris Wallace , the Fox News anchor who moderated the debate , asked several questions that hewed closely to the right-wing views of the anti-racism demonstrations as violent behavior rather than democratic protest .
And he focused extensively on areas of the country where demonstrations have turned violent .
At one point , he asked Biden if he had “ ever called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Oregon and said , ‘ You have to stop this .
Bring in the National Guard .
Do whatever it takes .
Stop the days and months of violence in Portland ’ .
” Trump repeatedly used the phrase “ the China plague , ” a racist description of COVID-19 at a time when Asian Americans are dealing with a rise in hate crimes , without being challenged by the moderator .
Wallace ahead of the debate had said he believed a moderator ’ s role should be to be “ as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate why Americans should trust them to “ deal with the race issues facing this country over the next four years.
” Trump pointed to a speech that Biden gave as a senator in 1993 in support of the crime bill , which as a law resulted in the mass incarceration of Black men in particular .
He then immediately pivoted to talk about his own support among “ military generals and law enforcement ” and said he thinks Democratic mayors of some cities where protests happened should have used the threat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did a crime bill .
1994 .
Where you called them super-predators , African-Americans .
And they have never forgotten it—they ’ ve never forgotten it , Joe .
You did that .
And they call you super-predator and I 'm letting people out of jail now—you have treated the African-American population , community—you have treated the Black community about as bad as anybody in this country , ” Trump said .
In the speech , Biden said there were `` predators on our streets '' who were `` beyond the pale '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal justice system .
He did not refer to “ super predators , ” something Hillary Clinton had once done .
He has since tried to distance himself from his involvement in aspects of the 1994 crime bill .
Biden , who won the Democratic primary in large part thanks to the support of older Black voters in the South , pointed to large rallies of white supremacists across the country in places like Charlottesville and to Trump ’ s comments after those rallies , and added that Trump has done “ virtually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the segment , Trump continued to mention the destruction of the suburbs , a racist attack line he ’ s pushed against Biden for weeks in an attempt to bring suburban voters back to his campaign .
“ If he ever got to run this country and they ran it the way he would want to run it , we would have — our suburbs would be gone , ” Trump said .
“ You would see problems like you have never seen.
” “ This is not 1950 , all of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work anymore , ” Biden responded , pointing to the integration of many suburbs .
For weeks , Trump has attacked Biden and warned suburban voters that their communities would be destroyed by plans to build low-income housing in their neighborhoods .
The attack most notably surfaced when Trump and the Republican National Committee invited the McCloskeys , a St. Louis couple who were charged with unlawful use of a weapon after they aimed guns at Black Lives Matter Protestors outside their property , to speak at the party ’ s convention about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their speech , they warned Trump supporters that what happened to them could “ easily happen ” to anyone .
Wallace raised another issue Trump has used in recent weeks to ramp up his racist rhetoric : the administration ’ s plan to direct federal agencies to halt training sessions on racial sensitivity .
And he asked if Trump believed that systemic racism existed in America .
“ I ended it because it 's racist , ” Trump responded .
“ I ended it because a lot of people were complaining that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absolutely insane .
It was a radical revolution that was taking place.
” “ They were teaching people that our country is a horrible place , that it is a racist place , ” he added .
Wallace ended the segment by asking Trump if he would condemn white supremacists and the violence their militias have caused at protests across the country .
Trump , who said he was “ willing to do that ” , then told white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys to “ stand back and standby ” before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the “ left wing.
” “ Somebody has to do something about Antifa and the left .
It ’ s not a right wing problem , it ’ s a left wing problem , ” the president added .

In the first debate of an election marked by a tumultuous summer of protests over racism and police brutality, the presidential candidates debated whether “systemic racism” existed in America.
The two presidential candidates addressed the issues in wildly different ways.
President Donald Trump, who has centered racist rhetoric and attacks on people of color in both his campaigns, implied that Democratic nominee Joe Biden is racist, referring back to his work on the 1994 federal crime bill. He also characterized anti-racism protests and the Black Lives Matter movement as violent, driving home a point he’s made for the past several months in overtures to conservative and white, suburban voters.
Biden focused on calling the problems that Black Americans encounter "systemic injustice" and talked about the disproportionate number of Black people who have died of COVID-19.
The part of the debate that was, ahead of time, billed as “race and violence in our cities,” focused on anti-racism protests and the Black Lives Matter movement — a framing that echoes the way Trump has talked about the protests, in line with his strategy to stoke racist fears among white voters.
Chris Wallace, the Fox News anchor who moderated the debate, asked several questions that hewed closely to the right-wing views of the anti-racism demonstrations as violent behavior rather than democratic protest. And he focused extensively on areas of the country where demonstrations have turned violent. At one point, he asked Biden if he had “ever called the Democratic mayor of Portland or governor of Oregon and said, ‘You have to stop this. Bring in the National Guard. Do whatever it takes. Stop the days and months of violence in Portland.’”
Trump repeatedly used the phrase “the China plague,” a racist description of COVID-19 at a time when Asian Americans are dealing with a rise in hate crimes, without being challenged by the moderator. Wallace ahead of the debate had said he believed a moderator’s role should be to be “as invisible as possible.”
Wallace asked each candidate why Americans should trust them to “deal with the race issues facing this country over the next four years.”
Trump pointed to a speech that Biden gave as a senator in 1993 in support of the crime bill, which as a law resulted in the mass incarceration of Black men in particular. He then immediately pivoted to talk about his own support among “military generals and law enforcement” and said he thinks Democratic mayors of some cities where protests happened should have used the threat of force to end demonstrations.
“He did a crime bill. 1994. Where you called them superpredators, African Americans. And they have never forgotten it — they’ve never forgotten it, Joe. You did that. And they call you superpredator and I'm letting people out of jail now — you have treated the African American population, community — you have treated the Black community about as bad as anybody in this country,” Trump said.
In the speech, Biden said there were "predators on our streets" who were "beyond the pale" and could not be rehabilitated by the criminal justice system. He did not refer to “superpredators,” something Hillary Clinton had once done. He has since tried to distance himself from his involvement in aspects of the 1994 crime bill.
Biden, who won the Democratic primary in large part thanks to the support of older Black voters in the South, pointed to large rallies of white supremacists across the country in places like Charlottesville and to Trump’s comments after those rallies, and added that Trump has done “virtually nothing” for Black Americans.
During the segment, Trump continued to mention the destruction of the suburbs, a racist attack line he’s pushed against Biden for weeks in an attempt to bring suburban voters back to his campaign.
“If he ever got to run this country and they ran it the way he would want to run it, we would have — our suburbs would be gone,” Trump said. “You would see problems like you have never seen.”
“This is not 1950. All of these dog whistles and racism don’t work anymore,” Biden responded, pointing to the integration of many suburbs.
For weeks, Trump has attacked Biden and warned suburban voters that their communities would be destroyed by plans to build low-income housing in their neighborhoods. The attack most notably surfaced when Trump and the Republican National Committee invited the McCloskeys, a St. Louis couple who were charged with unlawful use of a weapon after they aimed guns at Black Lives Matter Protesters outside their property, to speak at the party’s convention about the threat of the movement. In their speech, they warned Trump supporters that what happened to them could “easily happen” to anyone.
Wallace raised another issue Trump has used in recent weeks to ramp up his racist rhetoric: the administration’s plan to direct federal agencies to halt training sessions on racial sensitivity. And he asked if Trump believed that systemic racism existed in America.
“I ended it because it's racist,” Trump responded. “I ended it because a lot of people were complaining that they were asked to do things that were absolutely insane. It was a radical revolution that was taking place.”
“They were teaching people that our country is a horrible place, that it is a racist place,” he added.
Wallace ended the segment by asking Trump if he would condemn white supremacists and the violence groups of armed civilians have caused at protests across the country.
Trump, who said he was “willing to do that,” then told white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys to “stand back and standby” before adding that most things he saw were from the “left wing.”
“Somebody has to do something about antifa and the left. It’s not a right-wing problem. It’s a left-wing problem,” the president added.


buzzfeed--2020-09-30--Even Trump Diehards Thought The Debate Was A Mess

Rosales told BuzzFeed News she loves the president and does hope he wins , but she thought “ there were times he went overboard.
” “ I was praying , ” said Betty Rosales , who had been clutching her head as she looked onto the two jumbo screens on stage .
“ I expected it to be heated but not to the extent that it was .
I 'm disappointed as an American voter.
” But as people sat and listened attentively to a 90-minute debate that careened out of control very early on , attendees cringed at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new visual on the typically raucous Trump campaign .
By the start of the debate , the patches of grass under the tent had become a mass of slippery mud from a sudden downpour .
The sea of red MAGA hats mixed with Amish straw hats and kapps— a shear bonnet worn by Amish women .
The crowd had dwindled to half its size from an hour before , when hundreds more had cheered on Vice President Mike Pence who visited to pump up pre-debate excitement .
“ I think that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lack of civility between both gentlemen , ” said Joseph Madagan of Coatesville , Pennsylvania , who attended the watch party here during Tuesday night ’ s presidential debate .
“ The over-talking was unproductive , and was , I believe , certainly counterproductive.
” LITITZ , Pennsylvania — Hundreds of Trump supporters came out to a watch party in Pennsylvania to witness the first debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden and what they got were two men “ bickering.
” Attendees raced out of the tent after the debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trump/Pence signs for cover .
It was a contrast from earlier in the day , when people on the farm waiting for the main event lined up in front of trucks that sold barbecue and milkshakes in what looked like a county fair .
Those who stayed for the debate cheered at the president ’ s zingers and booed Biden .
And while folks at the start of the evening said they were looking to see Biden stumble , by the end of the night , no one that BuzzFeed News talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but rather the chaos between the two men .
“ I know President Trump interrupted a lot , ” Priti Shukla told BuzzFeed News .
But the 37-year-old from Tampa , Florida , who says she follows the president throughout the country , is sticking by her candidate .
“ I mean , I 'm still supporting him .
I ’ m still behind him.
” “ I tried to get as much as I could , but it was a little bit of a challenge with the president speaking and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both talking over each other sometimes .
It was hard to understand.
” Maryanne Yackel made the trip from Philadelphia to support the president .
“ There was a lot of back and forth bickering in their own way , ” Yackel said .
But the hostility between the two candidates didn ’ t change her mind and she came to see what she wanted to see — “ a very current and on the ball ” Trump .
Like others BuzzFeed News talked to , the sense of camaraderie and meeting other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even through a torrential rainstorm .
Some of the hundred or so stragglers who braved the chilly night said they didn ’ t learn anything new and some seemed annoyed at Biden ’ s suggestion that Trump was handed a good economy .
But even those diehards , like Tim Pastula , 54 , said the candidates “ should stop interrupting each other.
” “ I knew that Trump would come out kind of bellicose and interrupting a lot , ” Warne said .
“ We knew that going in .
He did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Young , who traveled about 140 miles from New Jersey , called it “ the most unusual presidential debate ” he 'd ever seen .
Young — who sported a white MAGA hat and several pro-Trump pins , including one that said “ BARRON 2052 ” — likened the debate to a professional wrestling match .
“ At times it seemed more like WWE , ” he said .

LITITZ, Pennsylvania — Hundreds of Trump supporters came out to a watch party in Pennsylvania to witness the first debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and what they got was two men “bickering.”
“I think that the American people were greatly disserved tonight by the lack of civility between both gentlemen,” said Joseph Madagan of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, who attended the watch party here during Tuesday night’s presidential debate. “The overtalking was unproductive and was, I believe, certainly counterproductive.”
By the start of the debate, the patches of grass under the tent had become a mass of slippery mud from a sudden downpour. The sea of red MAGA hats mixed with Amish straw hats and kapps — a sheer bonnet worn by Amish women. The crowd had dwindled to half its size from an hour before, when hundreds more had cheered on Vice President Mike Pence who visited to pump up predebate excitement.
But as people sat and listened attentively to a 90-minute debate that careened out of control very early on, attendees cringed at the uncomfortable jabs thrown by both candidates, a new visual on the typically raucous Trump campaign.
“I was praying,” said Betty Rosales, who had been clutching her head as she looked onto the two jumbo screens on stage. “I expected it to be heated but not to the extent that it was. I'm disappointed as an American voter.”
Rosales told BuzzFeed News she loves the president and does hope he wins, but she thought “there were times he went overboard.”