Monthly Archives: December 2018

Accuser Says Cardinal Molested Him During Confession

The Associated Press reports: The Vatican’s sexual abuse case against ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has expanded significantly after a man testified that the retired American archbishop sexually abused him for years starting when he was 11, including during confession. The Vatican is under pressure to finalize its case against McCarrick before Francis hosts church leaders at a February sex abuse prevention …

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CHATTER AWAY: Overnight Open Thread

Fort Lauderdale’s ABC affiliate reports: Cameras were rolling when a Florida man brought a loaded assault rifle into a convenience store over a dispute about the price of cigarettes. Police said the incident took place around 5 p.m. at the Lauderhill Supermarket along the 2000 block of Northwest 49th Avenue, last Thursday. According to officials, 60-year-old Robert Miller brought the …

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Sears Chairman Makes Last Minute $4.6B Takeover Bid

Reuters reports: Sears Holdings Corp Chairman Eddie Lampert has submitted a roughly $4.6 billion takeover bid for the bankrupt U.S. retailer, representing its only chance of escaping liquidation and laying off tens of thousands of workers, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The offer came after Sears’ existing lenders Bank of America Corp and Citigroup Inc, as well …

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SHUTDOWN: Time Runs Out For Coast Guard Paychecks

The Military Times reports: Barring a legislative miracle by midnight, about 42,000 Coast Guard members won’t see their next paycheck until the middle of January. And that’s only if lawmakers have settled the ongoing government shutdown by then. Coast Guard officials confirmed this week they need emergency legislation by the end of today in order to process paychecks on time …

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Brian Brown: Send Money To Fight For “Gender Reality”

Just in from hate group leader Brian Brown: There’s only three days left in the $50,000 matching gift challenge that has been made available to us. I am so grateful to all those who have responded in recent days, but we are still more than $10,000 short of our goal. I am worried we won’t make it because a lot …

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Steny Hoyer: Democrats Won’t Seat NC’s Mark Harris

The Washington Post reports: Incoming House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer said Friday that Democrats next week will not seat a North Carolina Republican amid allegations of election fraud in the state’s 9th Congressional District. “Given the now well-documented election fraud that took place in NC-09, Democrats would object to any attempt by [Mark] Harris to be seated on January …

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Trump Cancels New Year’s Eve Plans Because Shutdown

CNBC reports: President Donald Trump has cancelled his New Year’s plans and will stay in Washington, D.C., as the government shutdown continues, incoming acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said in an interview with Fox News on Friday. “He cancelled his plans for Christmas, now he’s cancelled his plans for New Year’s,” Mulvaney said. “The president is very heavily engaged …

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MAINE: GOP Gov. Paul LePage Certifies “Stolen Election” After Democratic House Candidate Wins Ranked Choice

Maine Public Radio reports: Gov. Paul LePage has certified the results of the election in Maine’s Second Congressional District. The governor tweeted a photo of the certificate naming Jared Golden Maine’s next congressman. The photo shows that the governor wrote “Stolen election” next to his signature on the certificate. Congressman-elect Jared Golden will begin his term on January 3. I’ve …

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Trump Is Sending Mike Pompeo To Attend Inauguration Of Far-Right Incoming Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

The Washington Post reports: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will head a U.S. delegation to Brazil seeking to foster closer ties with the far-right incoming president, Jair Bolsonaro, and discuss ways to counter the Venezuelan government. Pompeo will leave Washington for Brasilia on New Year’s Eve to attend Bolsonaro’s inauguration the following day before heading to Colombia. He plans to …

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Shutdown To Halt Disaster Relief, Aid To US Farmers

The Associated Press reports: The government shutdown could complicate things for farmers lining up for federal payments to ease the burden of President Donald Trump’s trade war with China. The USDA last week assured farmers that direct payments would keep going out during the first week of the shutdown. But payments will soon be suspended for farmers who haven’t certified …

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US Census Bureau To Offer Citizenship Data To State Officials In Charge Of Redrawing Voting Districts

Talking Points Memo reports: In what could be a major change for voting rights and the distribution of political power between urban and rural areas, the Census Bureau signaled Friday that it is willing to work with state and local officials charged with drawing voting districts if they want citizenship data for the redistricting process. The move to inject citizenship …

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Wells Fargo To Pay $575M In Phony Accounts Suit

Bloomberg reports: Wells Fargo will pay $575 million to settle claims made by U.S. states that the bank created phony accounts and committed other customer abuses, according to a statement by the Iowa attorney general’s office. Two years ago, Wells Fargo agreed to pay $190 million to settle federal government claims that the bank created phony customer account, and improperly …

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Amazon Boots Ex-Gay Torture Group From App Store

Via press release from Truth Wins Out: A day after it sent an open letter to the CEO’s of Amazon and Google, Truth Wins Out applauded Amazon for removing an “ex-gay” app from its online store. Amazon’s commendable move follows Apple’s elimination of the app last week, after TWO launched a petition that urged Apple to take action. If one …

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North Carolina State Elections Board Dissolves Under Court Order, GOP Candidate Demands Certification

The New York Times reports: The North Carolina state elections board dissolved on Friday under a court order, two weeks before its much-anticipated hearing to consider evidence of possible absentee ballot fraud in the disputed November election for the Ninth District’s seat in Congress. The unwinding of the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement is a consequence of a …

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FULL NORTH KOREA: Fox News Trots Out Children For Weird Jingoistic Pledge Of Allegiance Segment [VIDEO]

Colby Hall writes at Mediaite: Fox & Friends has been criticized as “state-run TV” due to its fawning and remarkably coordinated coverage of the Trump administration. But Friday morning’s segment dedicated to honoring the Pledge of Allegiance feels like something one might see on the North Korean equivalent to cable news morning show (if such a thing actually existed.) Host …

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Trump Administration Suggests Furloughed Workers Offer To Do Chores For Their Landlords In Lieu Of Rent

USA Today reports: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has offered federal workers affected by the partial government shutdown a guide for negotiating with creditors, landlords and mortgage companies while their income is cut off. The Thursday tweet notes that workers should consult with a “personal attorney” for advice but offers templates for how one might seek financial assistance for …

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POLL: 59% Want Trump Impeached Or Censured

Reuters reports: Nearly 60 percent of U.S. voters say President Trump should be either impeached and removed from office or formally censured according to a new Harvard CAPS/Harris poll. The poll shows that a majority of votes think some kind of action should be taken against Trump, though they are divided on how far lawmakers should go as Democrats prepare …

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Barack Obama Posts Best Of 2018 List: Cardi B, Janelle Monae, BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther, & Much More

Just posted to Barack Obama’s Facebook page: As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists. It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books, movies, and music that I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to …

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MTA Claims NYC’s $11 Billion Rail Hub Is On Schedule

The Associated Press reports: Deep in the bedrock 15 stories below the famous Grand Central Terminal, a cavernous construction site is slowly, and expensively, taking shape as a commuter rail hub that will accommodate more than 150,000 passengers a day. East Side Access has been dogged by massive cost overruns and delays since construction began nearly a dozen years ago. …

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REPORT: White House Gleeful That Pelosi’s Big Moment Will Be Stolen By Battle Over Continuing Shutdown

The Daily Beast reports: Days into a partial government shutdown that has left tens of thousands of federal workers furloughed, President Donald Trump and his close allies have begun feeling more confident about the political perch they occupy. In their eyes, a prolonged stalemate will likely fracture voters along traditional partisan lines, and the ultimate outcome will be a debate …

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