Politics

ARIZONA: DOJ Charges Two Brothers With Defrauding $50M Via “Scam PACs” For Multiple Right Wing Causes

The Daily Beast reports: The Department of Justice on Thursday brought federal criminal charges against two Arizona men accused of using fake political groups to defraud thousands of unwitting donors out of millions of dollars. Such groups are generally referred to as “scam PACs.” And DOJ’s criminal prosecution represents a major legal escalation against the practice by which those PACs’ …

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Senate Confirms Haspel As CIA Director In 54-45 Vote

The Washington Post reports: The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Gina Haspel as the next CIA director after several Democrats were persuaded to support her despite lingering concerns about her role in the brutal interrogation of suspected terrorists captured after 9/11. Lawmakers approved her nomination 54 to 45, a wider than expected margin, with six Democrats voting yes and two …

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NO COLLISION! Giuliani Doors Manhattan Pedicab

Multiple outlets are reporting that Rudy Giuliani was involved in a minor accident this afternoon when he clocked a pedicab driver with the door of his Cadillac when exiting the vehicle in midtown Manhattan. Giuliani was emerging from the rear seat and the pedicab had no passengers. No injuries reported, but Twitter is already on it, you guys. Law enforcement …

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ALABAMA: LGBT Group Rescinds Job Offer For Gay Politician Over Suggestion That Gov Is Secretly Lesbian

The Birmingham Herald reports: State Rep. Patricia Todd has had her employment offer from a Florida LGBTQ nonprofit rescinded for strongly suggesting that Gov. Kay Ivey is gay and deserves to be outed, the organization announced Thursday. Todd, Alabama’s first openly gay state lawmaker, was set to become executive director of the One Orlando Alliance — a group formed in …

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Alabama Gov: Those Lesbian Rumors Are Disgusting Because I’m An Anti-Gay Born Again Christian [VIDEO]

Montgomery’s CBS affiliate reports: Tuesday, District 54 Rep. Patricia Todd tweeted that she had “heard for years” that Ivey was gay. In a sit down interview with CBS 42, Ivey called the speculation untrue. “it’s disgusting because they’re not telling the truth “I don’t have a clue [where this came from] but i do know that it’s a bold faced …

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Senate Transcripts: Kushner Was “Infuriated” When Trump Tower Meeting Delivered No Dirt On Hillary

The Daily Beast reports: Jared Kushner became “agitated” and “infuriate[d]” at the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting when a Kremlin-connected lawyer droned on about U.S. sanctions, instead of delivering on a promise to provide damaging information on Hillary Clinton. That’s according to Rob Goldstone, a British music promoter and friend of the Trumps who helped set up the meeting …

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Melania’s 2017 Photo Royalties As Much As $1 Million

The New York Daily News reports: Melania Trump’s modeling days apparently aren’t completely behind her. The First Lady has raked as much as $1 million in royalties from photos of herself since her husband took office, according to federal records. Stephanie Grisham, the First Lady’s spokeswoman, declined to comment on which photos the royalties pertained to, only telling the Daily …

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Alabama Gov Issues Her Second Denial Of “Disgraceful, Disgusting Lie” That She Is A Closeted Lesbian [VIDEO]

“This most recent personal attack against me is beyond disgraceful. It’s a disgusting lie being pushed by a paid left wing liberal political operative. There is absolutely no truth to it. It’s false. It’s wrong. It’s a bald faced lie. And I’m not gonna let them get away with it. Whether these attacks are malicious or ignorant or both – …

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Senate Votes 52-47 To Restore Net Neutrality

Business Insider reports: The US Senate on Wednesday voted narrowly in favor of reinstating the Federal Communications Commission’s net-neutrality rules. Though the vote on the measure has been expected for months, its outcome had been uncertain going into the vote. Fifty senators previously declared their support for it — one shy of the majority needed to pass it. In the …

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Tillerson Shades Trump In Commencement Address: Don’t Accept Alternative Realities Not Grounded In Facts

“If our leaders seek to conceal the truth, or we as people become accepting of alternative realities that are no long grounded in facts, then we as American citizens are on a pathway to relinquishing our freedom. A responsibility of every American citizen to each other is to preserve and protect our freedom by recognizing what truth is and is …

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Lindsey Graham To Attempt Obamacare Repeal Again

Gotta keep the base riled up no matter what: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Wednesday he is working on a new version of his ObamaCare repeal and replacement bill, and has not given up on efforts to repeal ObamaCare despite Republicans’ failure last year. “I haven’t given up,” Graham said. “Will there be another effort to replace ObamaCare with a …

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Senate Intelligence Committee Confirms: Russia Did Interfere In 2016 Election To Benefit Trump Campaign

Fox News grudgingly reports: Senate Intelligence Committee leaders on Wednesday backed the 2017 intelligence community report that formally accused Russia of trying to interfere in the U.S. presidential election to boost then-candidate Donald Trump. Their statements followed a final closed-door interview on the matter with top Obama administration officials. The committee, led by Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Vice Chairman …

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Senate Committee Approves CIA Nominee Gina Haspel

Reuters reports: U.S. Senate committee voted Wednesday in favor of Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be CIA director, and she is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate as soon as next week. The Intelligence Committee voted 10-5 behind closed doors to approve the nomination, which was expected after two of its seven Democratic members, Vice Chairman …

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IDAHO: GOP Rep Behind Anti-LGBT “Defense Act” Loses Gubernatorial Bid, Gambled Away His US House Seat

The Idaho Statesman reports: Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little won Tuesday’s Republican primary to replace Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, who is retiring after three terms. Little, 64 and Otter’s handpicked successor, defeated a handful of challengers, most prominently Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) and Boise businessman Tommy Ahlquist. Labrador is the fourth Republican member of Congress to gamble on statewide office …

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Ecuador Spent Millions On Spy Operation For Assange

The Guardian reports: Ecuador bankrolled a multimillion-dollar spy operation to protect and support Julian Assange in its central London embassy, employing an international security company and undercover agents to monitor his visitors, embassy staff and even the British police, according to documents seen by the Guardian. Over more than five years, Ecuador put at least $5m (£3.7m) into a secret …

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ALABAMA: Gay Lawmaker Suggests Gov. Kay Ivey Is A Closeted Lesbian, Ivey Spox Calls It A “Disgusting Lie”

The Birmingham Herald reports: Patricia Todd, Alabama’s only openly gay state legislator, posted comments on social media Tuesday night suggesting that Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is gay. Todd, who is not seeking re-election to office this year, posted the comments on Facebook and Twitter. The Ivey campaign denied the accusation. “This is a disgusting lie being pushed by a paid …

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PENNSYLVANIA: Trump’s Rick Saccone Loses Again

CBS Pittsburgh reports: Republican state Rep. Rick Saccone is now zero-for-two in his campaigns for the U.S. House in Pennsylvania this year. Two months after Saccone’s stunning loss in a special election for a House seat west of Pittsburgh, Saccone has conceded in the Republican primary for another seat Tuesday night to state Sen. Guy Reschenthaler. The two runs in …

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Gaza Hospitals Buckle Under Heavy Casualties

The Associated Press reports: Patients with gunshot wounds filled wards and hallways in Gaza’s under-equipped and overwhelmed main hospital Tuesday, with dozens still waiting in line for surgery a day after Israeli soldiers shot and killed 59 Palestinians and wounded hundreds in mass protests on the Gaza border. The high casualty toll triggered a diplomatic backlash against Israel and new …

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Key Democrat Backs Haspel, Confirmation Now A Lock

The Washington Post reports: Gina Haspel appears to have secured enough votes to be confirmed as the country’s next CIA director after stating in a letter to a top Democrat that the agency never should have detained terrorist suspects and employed brutal interrogation techniques against them. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) said Tuesday that he had …

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Former GOP Rep Won’t Repay $84K Sexual Harassment Settlement Despite New Six-Figure Govt Lobbying Gig

ABC News reports: Former Rep. Blake Farenthold, the disgraced Texas Republican who resigned last month in the aftermath of a sexual harassment settlement, has secured his next paid gig – as a government lobbyist. But even though he’s going to be raking in a reported six-figure salary, Farenthold told ABC News that he has no intention of repaying an $84,000 …

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