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Thread: Asshole Politician of the Day

  1. #401
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    https://www.kcra.com/article/califor...uelty/26801794

    An update in the state congress abuse allegations.

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) —
    A state lawmaker took a temporary leave of absence on Tuesday while disputing a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to his young daughter as "false and unthinkable."

    Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula acted hours after Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp announced that he is charged with inflicting unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering on a child.

    "My wife and I are shocked that the District Attorney has decided to file charges. The allegation that I may have harmed one of my daughters is false and unthinkable," the Fresno Democrat said in a statement issued through his lawyer.

    "While politics may have influenced the decision to file, we are confident that our judicial system will find this allegation to be false. However, I have voluntarily taken a temporary leave of absence from the Assembly and have directed my attorney to request a speedy trial so this issue can be resolved as quickly as possible."

    The maximum sentence is six months in jail.

    "Any claim that the decision to file charges is politically motivated is absolutely 100% not correct," Assistant District Attorney Steve Wright responded. "We base our filing decisions on the law and evidence collected during the investigation."

    Neither prosecutors nor Arambula's attorneys, Margarita Martinez-Baly and Michael Aed, provided details on the allegations.

    Arambula, 41, was arrested and soon released in December after officials at Dailey Elementary Charter School learned of an injury on his 7-year-old daughter and reported it to child protective services and the police.

    His three daughters, ages 3, 6 and 7, stayed with his parents for two nights but were then allowed to return home to Arambula and his wife, Elizabeth.

    Arambula is a former emergency room physician who was elected in 2016 to represent parts of Fresno County. Medical Board of California spokesman Carlos Villatoro said the board is also looking into the allegations.

    He is set to be arraigned Wednesday.

    He said in December that he had spanked his daughter as discipline, calling it a tool he rarely uses.

    But Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer disputed that it was a simple spanking on the buttocks.

    "There was an injury," Dyer said at the time. "I can't get into the details of where (Arambula's daughter's) injury was, but it was not on the buttocks."

    Dyer said Arambula was arrested on suspicion of a misdemeanor, not a felony, because the injury did not require medical attention. He said spanking a child is generally legal if it's in a fleshy area such as the buttocks but not if it's in a place likely to cause injury like the face.

    Democratic Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon did not immediately comment.

  2. #402
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    https://www.wcvb.com/article/mayor-c...-vote/26793285

    Now a Mayor faces a recall vote

    FALL RIVER, Mass. —
    Voters in Fall River are deciding whether to remove their embattled mayor from office.

    A recall election is being held Tuesday in the southeastern Massachusetts city. Mayor Jasiel Correia declined to step down after being charged last year with defrauding investors in an app he developed. He pleaded not guilty in federal court.

    Voters will be given a two-part ballot.

    First, they must vote for or against recalling Correia. Next, they're asked to choose between five candidates for mayor, should the recall be approved.

    Correia is among the five candidates, meaning he could be recalled and re-elected all at the same time.

    Also running are City Councilor Joseph Camara, School Committee Member Paul Coogan, Kyle Riley and Erica Scott-Pacheco.

    Correia was 23-years-old when first elected mayor in 2015.

  3. #403
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    https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donal...b03e83bdc2006a

    President Donald Trump on Sunday attacked the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Twitter for the second time this weekend, accusing him of sharing the infamous Russia dossier with the media and mocking him over his academic record at the U.S. Naval Academy.

    The president falsely claimed recently unsealed court documents proved McCain sent the dossier, which was written by former British spy Christopher Steele and alleged Russia has salacious material about Trump that could be used for blackmail, to the FBI and media ahead of the 2016 election.

    “He & the Dems, working together, failed (as usual),” Trump tweeted Sunday.

    Court documents actually revealed David Kramer, a former State Department official and McCain associate, shared the dossier with several media outlets in December 2016 ― after Trump won the presidency.

    No evidence has surfaced that McCain himself leaked the unconfirmed dossier to the press, which he denied doing. He confirmed in his 2018 memoir that he gave the dossier to then-FBI director James Comey in December 2016.

    Kramer’s role in disseminating the dossier was disclosed in a recently unsealed transcript of a court deposition he gave in December 2017.

    Trump has repeatedly claimed the dossier was “fake” and “totally discredited,” though many of its claims have been proven at least partially true.

    Trump also used his Sunday tweet to knock McCain’s grades when he was a student decades ago at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, claiming he was “last in his class.” McCain, who died in August 2018 after a more than year-long fight with brain cancer, graduated fifth from the bottom of his class in 1958.

    “I was something of a discipline problem to begin with,” McCain had said of his time at the academy. “The problem being, I didn’t like discipline.”

    Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, recently revealed in congressional testimony that during the 2016 presidential campaign, he made threats on behalf of his boss to schools Trump had attended to prevent them from releasing his academic record to the public.

    Trump on Saturday quoted Ken Starr, the former independent counsel whose investigation resulted in the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, as calling the Russian dossier “a very dark stain” against McCain.

    “He had far worse ‘stains’ than this, including thumbs down on repeal and replace after years campaigning to repeal and replace,” Trump tweeted, referring to McCain’s vote against the GOP bill to kill the Affordable Care Act in July 2017.

    Meghan McCain, co-host of ABC’s “The View” and one of the late senator’s children, tore into Trump over his tweets.

    “No one will ever love you the way they loved my father,” she tweeted on Saturday. “I wish I had been given more [Saturdays] with him. Maybe spend yours with your family instead of on twitter obsessing over mine?”

    She posted another response on Sunday that said, “My father lives rent free in your head.” She later deleted the tweet.

    Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close friend of McCain’s, defended his former colleague’s legacy on Sunday.

    ″[McCain] stepped forward to risk his life for his country, served honorably under difficult circumstances, and was one of the most consequential senators in the history of the body,” he tweeted. “Nothing about his service will ever be changed or diminished.”

    Graham had been an outspoken Trump critic before becoming one of the president’s most high-profile supporters in recent months, sparking confusion and anger from some of those who, like him, had been staunch McCain allies.

    Trump and McCain, the GOP’s 2008 presidential nominee, frequently butted heads over the last few years. Trump, who avoided military service multiple times as a young man, infamously mocked the decorated Navy veteran for having been held as a prisoner of war for over five years during the Vietnam War.

    Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), during an appearance Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” called on Trump to apologize for his tweets attacking McCain.

    “I’ve long thought that his personal and direct attacks on Sen. McCain was one of the most detestable things about President Trump’s conduct as a candidate,” Coons said. “I frankly think that the president’s continued attacks on the now late Sen. John McCain is something that is regrettable.”

  4. #404
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    https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/03/25/...ank-fraud.html

    . Celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti was arrested Monday in New York City on charges of trying to extort up to $25 million from Nike by threatening to publicize claims that company employees authorized payments to the families of top high school basketball players.

    Avenatti also was separately charged in a second federal case in Los Angeles with embezzling a client's money "in order to pay his own expenses and debts" and those of his law firm and coffee company, and of "defrauding a bank in Mississippi," prosecutors said.

    He faces almost 100 years in prison if convicted in both cases as well as possible disbarment as a lawyer.


    The famously aggressive litigator gained widespread notoriety in the past year for representing porn star Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against President Donald Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen. Those cases were related to a nondisclosure agreement she signed on the eve of the 2016 presidential election to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump in exchange for a $130,000 payment.

    Avenatti was released from Manhattan federal court after a hearing and after signing a $300,000 personal recognizance bond. No actual money is posted for such bail. He would forfeit property or cash equivalent to the dollar amount of the bond if he fails to appear in court for future hearings.

    "For the entirety of my career, I have fought against the powerful — powerful people and powerful corporations," Avenatti told reporters when he was released. "I will never stop fighting that good fight."

    He said he was confident that when all the evidence is out, "I will be fully exonerated and justice will be done."

    Avenatti, who was dressed in a dark navy blue suit, dark shoes, a white shirt and a bright blue tie, was ordered by a judge to surrender his U.S. and Italian passports, and barred from traveling anywhere in the United States other than New York City, Long Island, several counties just north of Manhattan and the Central District of California, which includes the Los Angeles area.

    At the hearing, where he was represented by a federal public defender, Avenatti was also ordered to have no contact with his alleged co-conspirator, fellow high-profile lawyer Mark Geragos, who is not criminally charged in the case. Avenatti must appear in Los Angeles to face charges there on April 1.

    The judge also ordered that Avenatti may not transfer $5000 or great from any account he controls without approval from federal pre-trial services officials.

    His hearing in New York occurred in the same courthouse where Cohen pleaded guilty to criminal charges that included ones relating to that hush-money deal.

    Last year, Avenatti announced that he was considering running for president, but later decided not to run.

    Daniels replaced Avenatti as her lawyer earlier this month after a fallout with him.

    Daniels, in a statement released by her new lawyer Clark Brewster, told CNBC that, "Knowing what I know now about Michael, I'm saddened but not shocked regarding his arrest."

    "I made the decision weeks ago to terminate Michael's services after discovering that he had dealt with me extremely dishonestly, and I will have my own announcement coming soon," Daniels said.

    Avenatti, 48, was arrested in Midtown Manhattan at the law offices of Boies Schiller Flexner at 12:30 p.m. ET by FBI agents, about 15 minutes after he tweeted that he would be disclosing a big high school and college basketball scandal "perpetrated by" Nike that he supposedly had uncovered.

    Boies Schiller lawyers were representing Nike, and were scheduled to meet Monday with at their office with Avenatti and his unidentified co-conspirator to discuss Avenatti's demands, according to the company and prosecutors.

  5. #405
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    https://www.woodtv.com/news/national...ies/1971261080

    Jacob Wohl a political activist is now accused of creating a fake rape victim to go after Pete Buttigieg . Damn Jacob Wohl is a White Jussie Smollett.

    CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A Big Rapids college student who found himself caught up in a national political scandal says he was coerced into going along with a lie that 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg raped him.

    Hunter Kelly, 21, signed a document saying Buttigieg assaulted him at a Washington hotel. He said he was promised up to $1 million, a new house and book deal to keep up the lie, which he said was concocted by conservative operatives Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman.

    Now Kelly says he has proof the allegations were made up.

    Speaking to 24 Hour News 8 only moments after he arrived at a metro Grand Rapids airport Wednesday, Kelly said he was lured to Washington under false pretenses and wishes he had never left Michigan.

    "I'm glad no one noticed me," Kelly said at the airport.

    "I've gotten death threats, my family has gotten threats. My school has to come up with a security plan for me because they're worried, because they have gotten stuff from people," he said as tears began to well up.

    Kelly is a Traverse City native who now lives in Big Rapids, where he goes to Ferris State University and worked at a local clothing store — though since word of the scandal broke, he has been fired.

    "I'm a gay Republican. I follow Jacob (Wohl) on Instagram," Kelly said, explaining how he got involved. "He's my age, conservative, just someone that had a big platform that I looked up to."

    Kelly said he received an Instagram message from Wohl asking if he wanted to be part of a political operation. Kelly was interested. He says Wohl asked Kelly to download Signal, a private message system. Wohl went on to say that he and Burkman would love for Kelly to stay with them.

    "We have a mansion here," Wohl wrote, and sent a plane ticket.

    "I had three days off and I was like, 'Yeah,'" Kelly recalled. "I'll come get some experience in politics and come do some research with you guys. It sounds great."

    He said he thought he was going to provide his perspective as a gay Republican. But when he arrived at Burkman's Virgina mansion, he saw the first report of the allegations.

    "I just stared at the computer," Kelly said. "I didn't really have anything to say. I didn't want to put up a fight and get thrown out on the street in Arlington, Virginia, where I had no way to get anywhere. And I think they knew that and they had me where they wanted me — but they didn't and they don't."

    Burkman tweeted a document that Kelly signed listing all of the allegations included in the article.

    Kelly said he felt coerced into signing it.

    "It had been about 45 minutes of me saying I wanted to leave and I wanted to go," Kelly said. "I told them I wanted my family members to pick me up."

    He said he was also forced to make calls to CNN and to reporters at other agencies to set up interviews.

    Finally, when he had enough, he called his dad and planned his escape. His family ended up buying him a return ticket home.

    He says he can prove the assault never happened.

    "I've never met Pete Buttigieg," Kelly said., "I can pull up pay stubs, assignment tag dates that I've turned stuff in at my school. I've worked four to five days a week."

    He produced his digital calendar, showing he was at work in Big Rapids at the time of the alleged assault.

    "Even if they don't believe me … I know I'm telling the truth," Kelly said. "I don't want anyone to ever be pressured into a situation that makes them uncomfortable just because someone sees that you are disadvantaged more than they are in life and can promise you lavish things.

    "If something seems way too good to be true, it likely is," he added.

    Wohl and Burkman have publicly refuted Kelly's statements.

    Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has dismissed the story as dirty politics.

  6. #406
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    https://www.chron.com/local/prognosi...edium=referral

    Vaccine advocate Dr. Peter Hotez is accustomed to verbal attacks from anti-vaxxers, but on Tuesday the abuse came from an unexpected source: a Texas legislator.

    In response to a Hotez tweet that the latest increase in vaccine exemptions in Texas shows its children have been "placed in harm's way for the financial gain of special and outside interest groups," Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, let loose.

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    "You are bought and paid for by the biggest special interest in politics,"

    tweeted Stickland. "Do our state a favor and mind your own business. Parental rights mean more to us than your self enriching 'science.'"

    When Hotez replied that he doesn't take a dime from the vaccine industry and that as a Texas pediatrician-scientist who develops neglected disease vaccines for the world's poorest people, it is "most certainly my business," Stickland dug in even deeper.

    "Make the case for your sorcery to consumers on your own dime," tweeted Stickland. "Like every other business. Quit using the heavy hand of government to make your business profitable through mandates and immunity. It's disgusting."

    Hotez, a Baylor College of Medicine professor of infectious disease, bowed out at that point. But Stickland continued the onslaught with others happy to engage the fight. In a span of an hour, he tweeted that vaccines are "dangerous," that a doctor concerned about the child's vulnerability to disease is a "brainwashed commie" and that a defender of science is a "typical leftist trying to take credit for something only The Lord God Almighty is in control of."

    The twitter tussle was triggered by a Houston Chronicle story reporting on the latest and continuing increase in the number of Texans vaccine exemptions by parents claiming a conscientious objection to the state requirement.

  7. #407
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    https://www.thedailybeast.com/jacob-...ess-conference

    Hapless pro-Trump operative Jacob Wohl appears to have staged a fake protest against himself, only to have it become immediately apparent that he was behind it.

    Wohl and his ally, Republican lobbyist Jack Burkman, have been planning to hold a press conference Wednesday at Burkman’s Northern Virginia house to push a baseless sexual assault smear against Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg. But on Monday, Burkman tweeted a link to an Eventbrite event page called the “Protest Against Homophobic Bigots” which he claimed was being used to organize a protest against his press conference with Wohl.
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    “Hundreds of leftist protestors are set to descend on our Wednesday Press conference,” Burkman tweeted,” Burkman tweeted. “We WILL NOT surrender to the mob! We’ve called in extra security to guard our safety and that of our partners in the media.”

    Before Burkman’s tweet, no other Twitter account had ever promoted the event page. And it quickly became apparent as to why. Reporter Justin Duckham noticed that the Eventbrite page’s organizer used the email address “wohlthinktank@gmail.com” — an email address also used by Wohl.

    Though it looked remarkably clear that Wohl had tried to organize a protest against himself, Wohl denied any involvement.

    “I’ve never used Eventbrite in my life,” Wohl said. “It was created by a troll.”

    Burkman, like Wohl, also said he wasn’t involved in the event. In a text message, he blamed the event page on “internet trols (sic).”
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    “Ur a great guy but I would suggest less time on the internet,” Burkman texted The Daily Beast.

    An Eventbrite spokesperson declined to reveal the identity of the event organizer, but said that the account had never been used on Eventbrite before. Eventbrite later deleted the event, describing it as in violation of Eventbrite’s rules against inauthentic content.

    “We take the issue of inauthentic content very seriously and our policy is to remove it when we become aware of it,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Upon review of this event, we determined it to be in violation and have taken it off our platform and terminated this account.”

    This is far from the first time Wohl and Burkman have seen their plans unravel. Last November, they attempted to smear Special Counsel Robert Mueller with sexual assault allegations, only to have their press conference detailing the accusation fall apart when their accuser failed to show. The “accuser” later said Wohl and Burkman had faked the allegations. Meanwhile, a fake intelligence agency Wohl had created to smear Mueller was revealed to be another fabrication, with pictures of its “employees” just headshots of models and Hollywood actors.

    Last week, meanwhile, The Daily Beast reported on a recording of Wohl urging a young man to fabricate a sexual assault allegation against Buttigieg. Another person roped into the scheme, Hunter Kelly, has since said that Wohl and Burkman pressured him to make similar accusations against the South Bend mayor.

  8. #408
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    https://www.star-telegram.com/news/s...230119879.html

    No one may be more accustomed to standing alone in the Texas House than Rep. Jonathan Stickland.

    That’s where the Bedford Republican, long known as firebrand and political bomb-thrower, has been on a number of votes recently.

    Stickland is drawing ire after he was the only one to cast dissenting votes against bills touching on school finance, shoring up the retired teachers pension fund and even letting active duty military defer property tax payments.

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    “The actual votes he’s making are shocking,” a House member said privately. “He’s a joke on the floor, the least respected member of a 150-member body.”

    Now, with less than a month to go before the session wraps up, some wonder what Stickland has in store — or what else he has to say — especially as a key House deadline looms Thursday, the last day for members to consider and tentatively approve House bills.

    He has helped derail legislation in the past. Two years ago, he and the Texas Freedom Caucus, frustrated that their bills weren’t advancing, killed dozens of bills in what is now known as the Mother’s Day Massacre.

    “Could he do it again?” asked Bill Miller, an Austin-based political consultant. “Things happen or don’t happen that present an opportunity to a perceptive and smart member.

    “Will he act on it? Who knows?”

    Stickland and several of his colleagues did not respond to requests for comment.

    “Rep. Stickland has always preferred to lob grenades rather than work across the aisle on solutions that would benefit his district and all Texans,” said Brian Hodgdon, executive director of the House Democratic Campaign Committee. “People have noticed his votes and that he’s on an island.”

    Texas lawmakers have until May 27 to pass laws.

    ‘POLITICAL THEATER’
    Before the legislative session began, Stickland — who narrowly won his 2018 re-election bid — told the Star-Telegram that he wanted to take a new approach to the session.

    “I’m not changing what I believe,” he said. “But I am changing the way I do it. I’m still willing to fight. But I think I’m going to try a little more honey than vinegar this time.”

    Even so, Stickland found himself at the center of one of the most dramatic issues of this session.

    His plan known as “constitutional carry,” which would let Texans carry handguns without having a license, prompted a gun rights advocate to visit the homes of some lawmakers, including House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, when legislators were in Austin.

    Bonnen, who said he has received death threats this session, declared Stickland’s bill dead.

    So did Stickland. “I cannot participate in political theater and ask that Texans come to Austin to spend their time and money for a piece of legislation that has no path to success,” he wrote in a statement.

    His involvement in the issue and his votes against popular bills other House members support have drawn him support from a faithful fan base back home. But it also encourages critics to ramp up opposition.

    Stickland narrowly won his 2018 re-election bid with 49.8 percent of the vote against Democratic challenger Steve Riddell’s 47.43 percent. Libertarian Eric P. Espinoza claimed 2.75 percent of the vote.

    “Votes against popular policies put him in electoral jeopardy as the demographics of his district change and opponents challenge his positions,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston. “He had a tough fight in 2018 and will again in 2020.

    “These votes, some hard to explain to voters who aren’t paying close attention to the process, make him a target for Democrats.”

    ‘BE QUIET’
    Stickland last month bumped four bills from the local and consent calendar, which is a place where local and uncontroversial bills generally are sent for easy passage. Among the bills were measures to prevent suicides of minors and a plan to create a mental health task force for students.

    “Today is the first local and consent calendar and I’ve got a lot of questions,” he tweeted.

    He is known to question or speak out on any given bill at any given time.

    State Rep. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, told him April 27 during a floor debate: “Well, I know Stickland you’re not going to vote for it any way, so if you could just … be quiet.”

    “That’s the way he’s always been. He has always basically done what Empower Texans wants him to do,” said Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, referring to the Austin-based conservative group and political action committee.

    Said state Rep. Charlie Geren, a Fort Worth Republican and dean of the Tarrant County House delegation: “I don’t pay any attention to it.

    “The final results are the only thing that makes a difference.”

    HOUSE VOTES
    “Rep. Stickland has earned a reputation as one of the few dissidents to the expansion of government or extra state spending,” Rottinghaus said. “His political brand depends on adhering to those principles.”

    He has been among members to cast votes against measures, for instance, regarding health insurance coverage for drugs for stage-four breast cancer and that would boost criminal penalties for some family violence offenses that occur when a child is present.

    Here are some bills that Stickland has been the only House member to vote against:

    ▪ School finance. After his vote against House Bill 3 he tweeted that schools in his district didn’t receive their “fair share” and that the so-called Robin Hood plan “was not permanently addressed.”

    ▪ Letting active duty military defer property tax payments for 60 days, House Bill 1883.

    ▪ Helping shore up the retired teachers pension fund, Senate Bill 12. “I refuse to act like it’s more than a one time fix,” Stickland tweeted. “Retired teachers deserve a permanent fix to their retirement, not another band-aid. They aren’t political pawns.”


    Jonathan Stickland
    @RepStickland
    Today I voted against SB 12. I refuse to act like it’s more than a one time fix. Retired teachers deserve a permanent fix to their retirement, not another bandaid. They aren’t political pawns. #txlege

    28
    12:17 PM - Apr 25, 2019
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    The Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee was quick to respond: “Rep. Stickland is at it again,” Hodgdon said. “This time his target is retired teachers. ... It is the second time in less than a month that Rep. Stickland has blatantly disregarded the needs our public schools and our educators.

    “It’s time for the citizens of HD 92 to have a representative who will support our retired teachers and who will fight to give our public schools the necessary resources to provide our children with a quality education.”

    ▪ Requiring school counselors to let students know about college credit available for military service members, HB 114.

    ▪ Extending the life of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission — and allowing beer and wine sales on Sunday mornings and beer-to-go sales from craft breweries, HB 1545.

    ▪ Letting Texans vote, through a constitutional amendment, on whether to earmark all sporting goods taxes to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission. Senate Joint Resolution 24. In recent decades, less than half of the money collected by this tax actually was used for these parks.

    “In the Texas Legislature, it is probably best not to bring attention to yourself by casting a single vote against a bill,” said Jim Riddlesperger, a political science professor at TCU. “Among others, the Speaker will take note of those who helped him and those who didn’t.

    “Those observations can have consequences since the chamber leaders in Texas are very strong and with such severe time constraints, they are going to tend to prioritize the bills proposed by people on their ‘team.’”

  9. #409
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    https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/05/...n-allegations/

    DENVER (CBS4) – State Rep. Rochelle Galindo announced her resignation on Sunday following sexual assault allegations made against her. Galindo says the allegations are not true.


    Rochelle Galindo (credit: CBS)

    “The allegations against me are false. That said, they will make our fight against the pending recall effort untenable. I will not put my constituents through what will surely be a recall campaign based on political smear tactics and false allegations. Instead, I will resign my seat as the elected representative of House District 50, effective immediately,” said Rep. Rochelle Galindo in a news release.
    The lawmaker, who was elected in November, is a gay, Latina woman. In January, she told CBS4 she embodies the diversity at the Capitol.


    Distict 50, in which she represented, is one of the poorest in the state.

    “I come from a working class family. My dad works in oil and gas. My mom has worked in the meat industry for over 30 years and my regular job outside of the legislature is being a head custodian at an elementary school. I think its very important that we have regular people in these offices who understand what regular people are going through,” said Galindo in January.

    House Speaker KC Becker and House Majority Leader Alec Garnett issued a response to Galindo’s resignation.

    “Today Rep. Galindo submitted a letter of resignation. We agree with Rep. Galindo’s decision to step down at this time and allow someone else to serve the people of House District 50.”

  10. #410
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    https://www.cpr.org/news/story/democ...id-allegations

    Democratic state Rep. Rochelle Galindo of Greeley announced that she is resigning her seat immediately, effective May 12, citing undisclosed allegations against her.

    Galindo was elected last November in Colorado’s Democratic blue wave. This was Galindo’s first year in the legislature. Had she not stepped down, she was facing a recall effort from Republicans for her vote on Senate Bill 181, which overhauls oil and gas regulations, her support for a “red flag” gun law and other Democratic bills they feel are too extreme.

    The Greeley Police Department confirmed to CPR that a police report was recently filed against Galindo. The woman who filed it worked on Galindo’s campaign, and the contents of the report are sealed.

    “The allegations against me are false,” Galindo said in a statement. “That said, they will make our fight against the pending recall effort untenable. I will not put my constituents through what will surely be a recall campaign based on political smear tactics and false allegations.”

    She said on her Facebook page that it’s been “the honor of my life to serve as the Representative for House District 50,” and that she served her district with the best of her ability.

    Top Democrats in the legislature supported Galindo’s decision to resign.

    “Today Rep. Galindo submitted a letter of resignation,” wrote Speaker of the House KC Becker and House Majority Leader Alec Garnett in a statement. “We agree with Rep. Galindo's decision to step down at this time and allow someone else to serve the people of House District 50.”

    Galindo’s seat will now be filled by a Democratic vacancy committee.

  11. #411
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    https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics...230392509.html

    . BY ALYSSA HODENFIELD
    WASHINGTON
    Twitter and political strategist Liz Mair have filed to dismiss the lawsuit Rep. Devin Nunes filed against them, arguing Virginia does not have jurisdiction over the case and an agreement Nunes signed that said he had to file disputes against the company in San Francisco.

    Nunes, R-Tulare, sued Twitter, Mair and two Twitter parody accounts in March. He alleges the four defendants defamed him through Twitter, contributing to his narrower election victory in 2018 and interfering with his investigations when he served as chair of the House Intelligence Committee.

    He also filed an additional lawsuit against McClatchy in April regarding news stories published in the Fresno Bee. That lawsuit also names Mair as a defendant. Both lawsuits were filed in Virginia. McClatchy is the Fresno Bee’s parent company.

    Mair said she and her attorneys plan to file to dismiss the lawsuit involving McClatchy as well, on similar grounds. Twitter’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, filed May 9, takes issue with where the lawsuit was filed. Twitter contends Nunes does not have standing to file the lawsuit in Virginia. Twitter is based in California, Nunes is from California and the work his complaint says was impacted occurred in Washington, D.C., the motion argues.



    All claims against Twitter should be dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction and improper venue,” reads the motion, which was obtained by McClatchy on Tuesday.

    Additionally, Twitter says all users electronically sign an agreement to file all lawsuits against Twitter in San Francisco courts. Nunes has a Twitter account and therefore has signed the agreement, the motion argues.


    “Plaintiff’s claims against Twitter must also be dismissed at the outset because Plaintiff agreed to, and is now violating, a mandatory forum selection clause that requires disputes concerning Twitter’s Terms or services (such as this one) to ‘be brought solely in the federal or state courts located in San Francisco, California,’” the motion says.

    Mair lives in Virginia, but not in Henrico County, where the lawsuit was filed. Mair, who filed her own motion to dismiss the Twitter lawsuit Tuesday, accused Nunes of “forum shopping” in Virginia, when the proper venue is California.

    “Presumably because he does not like the law of his home state of California and mistakenly believes he can avoid its application here, Mr. Nunes has given that strategy a strange new twist, seeking to force the trial at a most inconvenient place for everyone involved,” Mair’s motion to dismiss reads. “Ultimately, there is no good reason to try this case in Virginia, despite Mr. Nunes’s apparent efforts to use Ms. Mair as a jurisdictional anchor.”

    Nunes, as the plaintiff, has certain advantages if the lawsuit is considered in Virginia rather than California, according to Virginia and California attorneys.

    California has strict laws against potentially frivolous lawsuits, including a provision that makes the plaintiff prove early on that the lawsuit has merit. If the plaintiff fails to do so, the plaintiff must repay all of the defendants’ attorneys fees.


    The motion to dismiss only addresses what Twitter sees as the Virginia court’s lack of jurisdiction. It does not address any of the complaints Nunes made in his lawsuit, such as the alleged “shadow banning” of conservatives. The phrase is common among right-leaning activists who believe that Twitter and other social media companies suppress the reach of posts by conservatives.

    It also does not identify new information about the two Twitter accounts Nunes sued, DevinNunesMom and DevinCow. Both are still active, though the former account was suspended when the lawsuit was filed. It’s unclear who is running the accounts.

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    https://amp.sacbee.com/news/state/ca...mpression=true


    . Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula began testifying in his own defense Tuesday morning as his misdemeanor child abuse trial nears its conclusion.

    Arambula, D-Fresno, was arrested in December and accused of injuring his 7-year-old daughter.

    The first 45 minutes of his testimony focused on his family’s dynamics and his role as a father.


    He denied ever having hit of any his three daughters.

    During a key moment in his testimony, Arambula described the night of Dec. 9. Shortly after putting his two eldest daughters to bed, he said, he was alerted by his middle daughter’s cries. When he entered the dark room, he could hear her crying but could not see her.

    His eldest daughter, the 7-year-old, was jumping from bed to bed, and he said he caught her in mid-air as he searched for her sister, who was behind a closet door.

    The eldest girl would not calm down, Arambula said, and he eventually turned her over and spanked her twice. He said this was the first and only time he has ever spanked or struck his daughter in any way.

    Arambula testified that he does not know how his daughter received a bruise on her head.

    Arambula’s brother, Diego, also testified Tuesday morning. Like several other family members, he said his brother had not ever hurt any of his children.

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    https://www.politico.com/story/2019/...ueller-1332780

    Michigan Rep. Justin Amash became the first Republican lawmaker to declare that President Donald Trump committed impeachable offenses and that Attorney General William Barr “deliberately misrepresented” special counsel Robert Mueller’s report.

    Amash, whose libertarian views often put him at odds with Trump and his fellow Republicans, posted a series of tweets Saturday afternoon outlining positions that even some Democrats have been unwilling to embrace — an extraordinary development that comes as Democratic leaders face increasing pressure from progressives to launch impeachment proceedings.


    “Contrary to Barr’s portrayal, Mueller’s report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment,” Amash wrote, arguing that lawmakers have become too afraid of using impeachment to deter presidential misconduct.

    “Impeachment, which is a special form of indictment, does not even require probable cause that a crime (e.g., obstruction of justice) has been committed; it simply requires a finding that an official has engaged in careless, abusive, corrupt, or otherwise dishonorable conduct,” Amash wrote.

    In recent days, more rank-and-file Democrats have said they support initiating impeachment proceedings against the president; but Speaker Nancy Pelosi and most Democratic leaders and committee chairs have resisted those calls, citing their ongoing investigations into the president’s alleged conduct. The House Judiciary Committee, for example, is investigating Trump for allegations of obstruction of justice and abuses of power.



    Around half of Mueller’s 448-page report is devoted to allegations that the president sought to undermine or shut down the special counsel’s investigation altogether. The report outlined several episodes that meet all the element of an obstruction of justice offense, most notably former White House Counsel Don McGahn’s testimony about Trump’s persistent efforts to have McGahn fire the special counsel.

    Amash argued that Congress is failing to live up to its constitutional duties in part because of “extreme partisanship” that has worsened under Trump.

    “While impeachment should be undertaken only in extraordinary circumstances, the risk we face in an environment of extreme partisanship is not that Congress will employ it as a remedy too often but rather that Congress will employ it so rarely that it cannot deter misconduct,” Amash said. “Our system of checks and balances relies on each branch’s [sic] jealously guarding its powers and upholding its duties under our Constitution. When loyalty to a political party or to an individual trumps loyalty to the Constitution, the Rule of Law — the foundation of liberty — crumbles.”

    The Michigan Republican also echoed Democrats and hundreds of former federal prosecutors who have argued that Trump would have been charged with obstruction of justice if he were not president — a reference to the Justice Department’s long-standing policy stating that a sitting president cannot be indicted. In his report, Mueller cited that policy when explaining his decision not to charge Trump with a crime.

    Amash took aim specifically at Barr, putting the GOP lawmaker in line with Democrats who have accused the attorney general of trying to portray Mueller’s report in a favorable light for the president.

    Donald Trump
    WHITE HOUSE

    “In comparing Barr’s principal conclusions, congressional testimony, and other statements to Mueller’s report, it is clear that Barr intended to mislead the public about Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s analysis and findings,” Amash said, adding that “Barr’s misrepresentations are significant but often subtle, frequently taking the form of sleight-of-hand qualifications or logical fallacies, which he hopes people will not notice.”

    In a statement late Saturday, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel slammed Amash for “parroting the Democrats’ talking points on Russia.” McDaniel did not explicitly endorse a GOP primary challenge to Amash in 2020, but noted that “voters in Amash’s district strongly support this president.”


    Despite Amash’s frequent opposition to Trump, he is one of the most conservative members of Congress and sits on the powerful House Oversight and Reform Committee, which is investigating Trump for alleged financial crimes. His fellow Republicans have maintained that Democrats’ various investigation of Trump are politically motivated and illegitimate, and they’ve largely declared Mueller’s Russia probe to be a settled issue that warrants no further action or investigation.

    Amash claimed that most members of Congress haven’t even read Mueller’s report, and he slammed those lawmakers whose minds were made up “within hours” of the release of the redacted version of Mueller’s report.

    “America’s institutions depend on officials to uphold both the rules and spirit of our constitutional system even when to do so is personally inconvenient or yields a politically unfavorable outcome. Our Constitution is brilliant and awesome; it deserves a government to match it,” he concluded.

    On Sunday, Trump lashed back at Amash via Twitter, suggesting Amash may not have actually read the Mueller report. (Trump has not stated whether he has read the report.)

    “Never a fan of @justinamash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy. If he actually read the biased Mueller Report, “composed” by 18 Angry Dems who hated Trump,.... ....he would see that it was nevertheless strong on NO COLLUSION and, ultimately, NO OBSTRUCTION...Anyway, how do you Obstruct when there is no crime and, in fact, the crimes were committed by the other side? Justin is a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!“

    David Cohen contributed to this article.

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    https://lancasteronline.com/news/pol...801cf8aa2.html

    WASHINGTON (AP) — A key Democrat said Sunday that Republican Rep. Justin Amash's sharp criticism of what he called President Donald Trump's "impeachable conduct" in the Russia investigation isn't enough to count as bipartisan support to launch impeachment proceedings.

    But House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff nevertheless warned that Democrats were still on that potential path to force White House cooperation with the various congressional investigations into Trump's conduct.

    "It provides an additional tool," the California Democrat said. "What we have been doing is we have been gradually escalating the tactics we need to use to get information for the American people. So we began by asking for voluntary cooperation, and that was not forthcoming. We followed with subpoenas, we followed with contempt. We may follow with inherent contempt, and we may have to follow with impeachment."


    Amash, R-Mich., on Saturday became the first member of Trump's party on Capitol Hill to accuse him of engaging in "impeachable conduct" stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's lengthy investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. He's often a lone GOP voice in Congress.

    On Sunday, Trump blasted Amash as a "loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!"

    "Never a fan of @justinamash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy," Trump tweeted.

    Still, Schiff said it remained unlikely that an impeachment trial would succeed in the Republican-controlled Senate. "We see no signs of that yet," he said. If Democrats are forced to pursue impeachment proceedings, Schiff added, it "has less to do with Justin Amash and more to do with the fact that the administration is engaging in a maximum obstructionism campaign against Congress."

    Democrats who control the House are locked in a bitter standoff with the White House as it ignores lawmakers' requests for the more complete version of Mueller's report, the underlying evidence and witness testimony. Some Democrats wants the House to open impeachment hearings, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has resisted, saying impeachment must be bipartisan.

    Schiff has said his panel will be taking an "enforcement action" against Attorney General William Barr or the Justice Department after they refused to hand over an unredacted version of Mueller's report and other documents. Schiff hasn't said what that action would be. Options could include voting to recommend Barr be held in contempt of Congress, as the Judiciary Committee has done, among others.

    Mueller found no criminal conspiracy between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia, but left open the question of whether Trump acted in ways that were meant to obstruct the investigation. Barr later said there was insufficient evidence to bring obstruction charges against Trump.

    Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, praised Amash's "courageous statement" but said he didn't believe there was enough evidence in the Mueller report to show that Trump obstructed justice.

    "Justin Amash has reached a different conclusion than I have," Romney said. "I don't think impeachment is the right way to go."

    Schiff spoke on CBS' "Face the Nation" and Romney was on CNN's "State of the Union."

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    https://patch.com/new-jersey/lacey/l...ult-gun-report

    LACEY, NJ — A former Lacey Township Committee member was charged with several gun crimes Sunday, according to the Asbury Park Press. David E. Most was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, the APP reports.

    Most was charged in Lacey following an incident at 3:43 a.m. Sunday. The nature of the incident is unclear at this time. Patch requested records Tuesday morning from Lacey police and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

    Most was also charged with unlawful possession of a handgun without a permit and possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, the APP reports.

    Most stepped down from the committee at the end of 2014 after opting not to run for another term. Township Republicans nominated Nick Juliano as his successor.

    "I've been blessed with this community," Most said at his last committee meeting. "It's been a great honor to serve this community. This town was my second family."

    Most was the alleged victim of a violent altercation while still a committee member in 2014. Then-Deputy Mayor Mark Dykoff was charged with simple assault after Most told police Dykoff had punched him over a difference of opinion involving school board endorsements.

    Most agreed to drop the charge but wanted Dykoff to publicly apologize to him in court, which Dykoff did.

    Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here. Follow Lacey Patch on Facebook. Have a news tip? Email josh.bakan@patch.com.

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    https://www.app.com/story/news/crime...un/1409259001/

    TOMS RIVER - A former Lacey Township Committee member was behind bars Monday, charged with several gun crimes, including aggravated assault with a firearm.

    David E. Most, 60, is also charged with unlawful possession of a handgun without a permit and possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, court and jail records show.

    Most was arrested in Lacey following an incident at 3:43 a.m. Sunday, court records show.

    David E. Most was charged with aggravated assault and other crimes June 9.
    David E. Most was charged with aggravated assault and other crimes June 9. (Photo: Courtesy Ocean County Jail)

    The exact nature of the incident is unclear. The Asbury Park Press has requested records and information from township police and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

    Most was the purported victim of a violent altercation while still a committee member in 2014. Then-Deputy Mayor Mark Dykoff was charged with simple assault after Most told police Dykoff, a fellow Republican, had punched him over a difference of opinion involving school board endorsements. That charge was later dismissed, court records show. Dykoff is now a member of the committee.

    Most stepped down from the committee at the end of 2014. Township republicans nominated Nick Juliano as his successor.

    The Ocean County Jail in Toms River listed Most as an inmate Monday morning but not as of Monday evening.

    A telephone number listed as Most's had been disconnected.

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    https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...511250701.html

    The following statement was issued by U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter after his wife and former campaign manager, Margaret Hunter, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to misuse campaign funds in San Diego on June 13, 2019.

    Duncan Hunter's Wife Pleads Guilty in Campaign Fund Scandal
    "I do not have the full details of Margaret’s case, but it's obvious that the Department of Justice (DOJ) went after her to get to me for political reasons. As Margaret’s case concludes, she should be left alone. I am the Congressman, this is my campaign and any further attention on this issue should be directed solely to me.

    The DOJ’s prosecutorial actions in this case were led by local U.S. Attorneys who attended Hillary Clinton fundraisers in violation of the Hatch Act. The fact remains that this entire matter should have been handled by the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). The DOJ purposely choosing to involve itself in the area where the FEC has primary jurisdiction reveals that their primary agenda was to inflict as much political damage as possible in hopes of picking up a congressional seat. It was politically-motivated at the beginning, it remains politically-motivated now.

    --Congressman Duncan Hunter

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    https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/jun/1...-wife-pleads-/

    Indicted six-term GOP Congressman Duncan Hunter has held steadfast to his contention that a corruption case against him is the result of a political witch hunt.

    But that argument got tougher Thursday for the former Marine and close ally of President Donald Trump after his wife, who worked as his campaign manager, pleaded guilty to a single corruption count and acknowledged being a co-conspirator with her husband in spending more than $200,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses.

    Margaret Hunter accepted a plea deal that calls for 59 charges to be dismissed in exchange for her testimony, full cooperation with prosecutors and other concessions. The conspiracy charge to which she pleaded includes all the allegations contained in the 60-count indictment.

    "The walls were closing in on him before, now this just makes it more claustrophobic," said Jason Forge, a former federal attorney who prosecuted California Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham in 2005 for one of the worst bribery scandals to ever bring down a federal lawmaker.

    RELATED: Rep. Duncan Hunter’s Wife, Margaret, Pleads Guilty To Misusing Campaign Funds

    Rep. Hunter "has fewer and fewer options. It's not just his campaign manager. It's his campaign manager and his wife," Forge said.

    Margaret Hunter detailed in her plea agreement how she and her husband knowingly used the campaign's credit card for six years to bankroll trips to Italy, Las Vegas and Disneyland.

    She said other expenses charged on the card included $399 for zip lining for Rep. Hunter and two of his three children; $500 in airline travel expenses for their pet bunny, Eggburt; and $351 for a family lunch in connection with a child's Irish dance competition.

    The plea agreement describes a couple perpetually in debt yet footing the bill for dinners with friends and private school tuition for their children.

    They charged more than $500 on the card to celebrate their son's birthday at historic Hotel del Coronado and then told the campaign treasurer the charges were "campaign related," according to her plea agreement.

  19. #419
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    https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...=.93c149cf2a4e

    Oregon’s top lawmakers will shut down the state capitol after receiving threats from militia groups, who authorities say are planning to demonstrate there in support of the 11 Republican senators who fled the state to dodge a vote on climate change.

    State Senate President Peter Courtney (D) told his colleagues on Friday that Oregon State Police had informed him there was a credible threat to him, the rest of the remaining senators — all of whom are Democrats — and the building’s staff.

    “It was obviously a credible threat because Sen. Courtney wouldn’t close it down for no reason,” Courtney spokeswoman Carol Currie told The Washington Post.

    State police confirmed the danger in an emailed statement.

    “We have been monitoring information throughout the day that indicates the safety of legislators, staff and citizen visitors could be compromised if certain threatened behaviors were realized,” wrote Capt. Timothy Fox.


    [The fate of the last abortion clinic in Missouri rests with a judge after state denies license]

    Friday night’s menacing escalation was the latest in a bizarre feud between the state’s Democrats and Republicans, who have clashed repeatedly during this year’s legislative session.

    Early Thursday morning, every GOP senator bolted, reportedly for the Idaho line, rather than sit idly in the chamber as their opponents passed a sweeping cap-and-trade bill. Gov. Kate Brown (D) responded by directing state troopers to corral the Republicans and return them to the statehouse.

    Oregon’s Democratic governor dispatched the state police on June 20 to bring back to the legislature Republicans who left the state to skip a climate vote. (Reuters)

    Democrats have a supermajority in Oregon, allowing them the rare opportunity to pass the legislation of their dreams — but without Republicans, they can’t achieve a quorum. No quorum, no vote. GOP senators said they had two options: allow a bill that they said would devastate their constituents to pass, or make a run for it.


    “We will not stand by and be bullied by the majority party any longer,” Senate Republican Leader Herman Baertschiger Jr. said in a Thursday statement. “Oregonians deserve better.”

    Critics of the cap-and-trade measure say it would raise the cost of fuel and have a disproportionate impact on truckers and loggers, many of whom live far from the state’s largest cities.

    [GOP lawmakers skipped town to avoid a climate change vote. Then the governor called the police.]

    The rift has become a proxy for the deepening divide between the state’s ultraliberal urban enclaves and its sprawling rural counties with proud libertarian streaks. Currie said she feared the militia groups threatening action may be affiliated with the anti-government activists who led an armed occupation of a federal wildlife preserve in the state more than three years ago.


    Led by Idaho rancher Ammon Bundy in 2016, about a dozen rogue fighters turned the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge — a federal nature reserve established in 1908 — into a militia stronghold. They were demonstrating their support for Oregon ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond, the father and son sentenced to five years in prison after sparring with the government and setting fires on federal land.

    Bundy’s group threatened to occupy the reserve for “years” in protest. Their efforts lasted 41 days.

    News of the statehouse closure on Friday prompted the state Republican Party to suggest that the Democratic leadership canceled the session out of “a fear that Republican voters might show up.”

    Sen. Sara Gelser (D) criticized the statement on Twitter, writing that she and her colleagues “were notified we were physically in danger.”


    “I’ll keep showing up to do what voters sent me to do,” she continued. “Rs have obligation to reject violent threats. I want all colleagues & staff to be safe, regardless of how they vote.”


    Sara Gelser
    @SenSaraGelser
    Not a Dem weekend session. It's a SENATE session. Ds were notified we were physically in danger. I'll keep showing up to do what voters sent me to do. Rs have obligation to reject violent threats. I want all colleagues & staff to be safe, regardless of how they vote. #orpol https://twitter.com/Oregon_GOP/statu...38460020838400

    Oregon GOP

    @Oregon_GOP
    Oregon senate Democrats canceled their weekend session citing a fear that Republican voters may show up. #orpol #orleg #capkillsjobs #hb2020

    221
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    The militia groups’ alleged threat was the second apparent mention of violence to mar state politics in recent days.

    Sen. Brian Boquist, one of the Republicans on the lam, sent a warning to state police Wednesday.

    “Send bachelors and come heavily armed,” Boquist said. “I’m not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon. It’s just that simple.”

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    https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics...231902988.html

    As Orange County Republicans considered a 2020 endorsement last week for Assemblyman Bill Brough, R-Dana Point, one local official made a surprising public declaration.

    County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett accused Brough of making unwanted sexual advances during their time together on the Dana Point City Council. She claims the incident took place at a local restaurant during a retirement party between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. in March 2011.

    Having parked closer toward the side of Olamendi’s Mexican Restaurant, Bartlett said she walked toward the back of the restaurant to the nearest exit and looked for her keys while standing inside. That’s when she claims Brough drunkenly approached her from behind, grabbed her tightly and put his arms around her shoulder.
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    “I couldn’t move,” Bartlett said in an interview. “I didn’t know who it was at first. It really startled me, then I realized it was Bill. I remember looking up at him and saying, ‘What are you doing? Let go of me.’ He wouldn’t let go and said something to the effect of, ‘Let’s get out of here. Let’s go get a drink and do something.’ And I just kept saying, ‘Let go of me, Bill. Let go of me.’”
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    With Brough standing a foot taller than her, Bartlett said she was able to wiggle, pull her body down and run to the front of the restaurant. She said there were no other witnesses present but that she asked someone attending the event to call then-city manager Doug Chotkevy, who had just left the restaurant.

    When Chotkevy returned, Bartlett said she explained to him what allegedly happened to her. When reached by telephone, Chotkevy said he had no comment at this time. Bartlett said she also told former city councilman Scott Schoeffel about the incident. Schoeffel did not respond to a request for comment.

    Bartlett said Brough fled the restaurant shortly thereafter. Believing the remarks were sexual in nature, Bartlett filed a complaint with the city of Dana Point later that year.

    Brough denied all the allegations made against him.

    “I have been on the end of many political attacks but I will not stand for personal attacks on me and my family,” he said in a statement. “I have done nothing wrong.”

    Brough also cited a city memo filed a week after the alleged incident that determined the city “did not have sufficient facts or evidence to come to any conclusions” since no witnesses were present.

    Bartlett’s allegation, first reported by a conservative blog called Right on Daily, prompted another woman to discuss a similar incident.

    Maria Elena Banks, a Laguna Beach real estate agent who worked on campaigns for Bartlett and Brough, said Brough harassed her about five years ago before he was sworn into the state Assembly in 2014.

    She said she was sitting at a bar in Dana Point when he placed his hand on her leg by the edge of her short skirt.

    “I removed his hand, and I said, ‘Bill, no, you are married,’” Banks said. “He says, ‘Well, do you want to go to your house?’ And I say, ‘Are you serious?’ I just kind of said that’s not happening, so he never did another attempt on me.”

    Banks said there were no witnesses present, but said she’s observed Brough behave that way with other women. “I’ve seen him sitting at a table putting his hand underneath other womens’ legs.”

    Brough disputed Banks’ comments and questioned her decision to come forward.

    “The incident didn’t happen,” Brough said. “It is ironic that Ms. Banks lobbied me earlier this year wanting to be my realtor key contact.”

    A registered Republican, Banks said she didn’t do anything after the incident because she’s friends with Brough’s wife, Michelle, and didn’t want to upset them because they have two children. Banks said she also worried about hurting her relationship with fellow Republicans as she considers a run for local office.

    A third woman submitted a complaint with the California Assembly. The details of the complaint remain closed to the public, as the Assembly Rules Committee has yet to respond to a Public Records Act request for documents about cases of alleged harassment involving Brough.

    Brough provided a March 2018 letter from the committee announcing the state couldn’t determine that Brough violated state ethics policies.

    Brough said his accusers are motivated by politics, highlighting a campaign flyer for Bartlett’s 2022 bid for state senate.

    Bartlett and Banks disputed that characterization.

    Banks said she decided to come forward in hopes her story will raise awareness about Brough’s alleged treatment of women and prevent future generations of women from being harassed by men.

    “Now that other women have experienced this whole thing, and I’ve got granddaughters coming up, this has got to stop,” Banks said. “You know, I have five little granddaughters. I don’t want them to be in the same situation that I’m in. I want them to be able to stand up and talk.”

    Bartlett said she was motivated by hearing other about other cases of potential harassment.

    “It’s not politically motivated,” Bartlett said. “It simply isn’t. It’s something that I never even really wanted to talk about. ... But if it will effect change in the positive direction to help save other women from encountering Bill Brough’s behavior, then, to me, it’s worth it.”

    The Orange County Young Democrats said in a statement Monday morning that the state party should call for him to leave office.

    “Regardless of party lines, we fully support all women who have come forward and those who have not,” the group wrote in an announcement. “Bill Brough’s victims deserve the same justice, and the Republican Party — as the party of family values —should publicly and decisively call for Bill Brough to resign.”

    Republican leaders are not yet ready to push for Brough to leave.

    In a joint statement, Assemblywoman Marie Waldron, R-Escondido, and Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, called the allegations “serious and troubling.”

    “California State Legislative Republicans will not tolerate sexual misconduct of any kind,” they wrote. “These accusations are serious and troubling. Any allegation of this nature deserves a thorough, fair and transparent investigation by the Legislature’s Workplace Conduct Unit. The Legislature has worked hard to improve its process for reviewing these types of claims and we are committed to cooperating with any investigation into this matter.”

    Fred Whitaker, chairman of the Orange County GOP, said the county party will not tolerate harassment but is unaware of any ongoing investigations into Brough’s behavior.

    “The Republican Party of Orange County has no tolerance for sexual misconduct,” Whitaker said in a statement. “We are not aware of any pending investigations. All claims of sexual misconduct should be reported to and investigated by law enforcement or state legislative ethics committees to allow for a fair and thorough investigation, so that victims can be heard and an accused can present a defense. If an investigation is initiated, any request for endorsement would be dependent on the results of the investigation. There is no request for endorsement pending at this time.”

    This story was updated at 2:15 p.m. with comments from Assemblyman Bill Brough.

    Read more here: https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics...#storylink=cpy

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    https://nypost.com/2019/06/25/califo...campaign-cash/

    A financially strapped California congressman accused of raiding $250,000 from his campaign account used some of the ill-gotten cash to pay for steamy affairs with DC lobbyists and one of his own staffers, according to bombshell new court filings.

    Married Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) repeatedly dipped into his campaign war chest while he slipped between the sheets with political machers, a congressional employee and a staffer between 2010 and 2016, the Department of Justice charged in a motion filed in California’s Southern District late Monday.

    “Carrying out all these affairs did not come cheap — Hunter spent thousands of dollars treating women to meals, drinks, and vacations, and traveling to and from their homes,” the motion reads.

    “Given the pronounced financial difficulties the Hunters were facing, his use of campaign funds to pursue these relationships was necessary for Hunter to satisfy his desire for intimacy.”

    Hunter and his campaign-manager wife, Margaret, who were mired in personal debt, are accused of flippantly blowing through the dough to fund their lavish lifestyles without batting an eyelash at the ethical ramifications, prosecutors allege.

    Hunter threw his wife under the bus following their August 2018 indictment, telling Fox News at the time, “She was also the campaign manager. So whatever she did, that will be looked at, too, I’m sure. But I didn’t do it. I didn’t spend any money illegally, and I did not use campaign money.”

    Margaret struck a plea deal with the feds on June 13 and agreed to cooperate against her philandering husband.

    In the newly filed motion, prosecutors laid out how Hunter funneled some of the stolen money to fund his infidelity.

    Hunter ostensibly attended a nonprofit advocacy group’s 2010 convention in Reno, Nev. — but investigators say he barely spent a few hours there before leaving early to go hit the slopes at the Heavenly Mountain Resort in California with a lobbyist paramour whom the feds identified only as Individual 14.

    “Hunter and I-14 spent the weekend skiing, ordering room service, and enjoying the amenities of the full-service resort. They checked out on Monday, January 25, 2010, when Hunter paid the $1,008 hotel tab using campaign funds from his campaign credit card,” court papers said. “He spent another $180 in campaign funds on airfare back to Washington.”

    SEE ALSO

    GOP congressman blames wife for spending campaign cash
    They also went on “double dates” — including one with another congressman — to Virginia Beach and Birchmere Music Hall.

    In 2011, he even hooked up with the woman in a hotel room meant for his wife. Margaret booked a hotel room in DC from June 21 to 24, but her arrival was delayed by a day. Rather than change the reservation, Hunter kept it and met I-14 there for a tryst after a political dinner at the same hotel.

    He shacked up with I-14 and a congressional aide, I-15, at the women’s DC-area pads — “staying there nearly every night” in one case — and spending campaign money on food, drinks and rides to and from their homes.

    And Hunter, who lists “preserving family values” as a central issue on his congressional website, wasted no time bedding a staffer who started working in his office in 2015.

    “Hunter and I-16 began a romantic relationship not long afterward,” the motion states, adding he once took her on a campaign-funded “triple date” to the DC putt-putt-and-ski-ball bar H Street Country Club.

    The motion also describes apparent one-night stands with Washington lobbyists in October 2015 and September 2016 as “intimate personal activities unrelated to Hunter’s congressional campaign or duties as a member of Congress.”

    Duncan has pleaded not guilty.

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    https://www.chicagotribune.com/inves...kje-story.html




    Kevin Guinn under investigation for corruption.

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    https://news.yahoo.com/ex-mayor-plea...143639664.html

    WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — The former mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges he shook down businesses for bribes and campaign contributions throughout his term and a half in office.

    Bill Courtright's plea in federal court to bribery, extortion and conspiracy came less than 24 hours after he resigned as mayor of the city of 78,000.

    Courtright, who ignored questions as he left the courthouse, was ordered to surrender his passport and released without bail pending sentencing in November.

    He is now the third Democratic mayor in eastern Pennsylvania to be convicted of public corruption in about 16 months, all engaging in similar schemes. The former mayors of Allentown and Reading are already serving their prison sentences.

    "I think the citizens of northeastern Pennsylvania could be forgiven for feeling like they've been down this road before," said U.S. Attorney David Freed, adding that the investigation continues. "I think what this shows is we will work as hard as it takes, where we have credible evidence of wrongdoing."

    Federal prosecutors said Courtright, 61, who first took office in 2014, collected tens of thousands of dollars in bribes by pressuring people who needed city permits or contracts. He also got use of a beach property, carpentry at a karate club he owns and landscaping at his home.

    Prosecutors told U.S. District Judge Christopher Conner that audio and video recordings captured Courtright taking cash payoffs, including a conversation in which a business operator apologized for not attending Courtright's inauguration.

    "I don't worry about you coming. I worry about the money," federal prosecutor Michael Consiglio quoted Courtright as saying.

    A vendor, Courtright said, "makes a tremendous amount of money off the city" and "has to pay." He also used a dismissive expletive to describe another vendor who had donated just $250 to a fundraising golf event.

    He was accused of directing intermediaries to solicit payments, campaign donations and other property on his behalf. He was ordered to pay $37,000 in restitution.

    In one instance, Consiglio told the judge, Courtright told someone how to handle the money: "If they are checks, you can give them to me when you see me," but if it was cash, they should give it to an intermediary.

    Courtright told an associate he was worried that a business president who funneled him cash in exchange for renewing a contract to collect the city's delinquent tax and trash bills might be working with federal investigators.

    "If they say you gave it to me, I'm going to say you never gave me a dime," Courtright said before putting a wad of cash into his pocket, Consiglio said.

    Another case, prosecutors said, involved a developer who needed permits and licenses to do business in Scranton. Projects were halted and went ahead only after the unnamed person "agreed to provide financial support to Courtright," prosecutors said.

    "In some instances, Courtright took adverse official action against persons and entities to cause them to make payments and contributions for the benefit of Courtright," prosecutors wrote.

    When investigators searched his home in January, prosecutors said, they recovered $29,000 in a basement safe, including bills they confirmed had come from people working for the FBI.

    The Times-Tribune of Scranton said the city council has 30 days to pick a successor to serve the rest of Courtright's term, with the council president serving as acting mayor in the interim. If the council does not act, after 30 days a county judge will designate the next mayor.

    Courtright's term as mayor has about 2? years remaining.

    Former Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski and former Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer were also convicted in the last year and a half of engaging in pay-to-play schemes. Pawlowski was sentenced to 15 years in prison and Spencer to eight.

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    https://www.npr.org/2019/07/15/74205...over-text-chat

    Gov. Ricardo Rossell? Under fire for a rant in Puerto Rico

    The governor of Puerto Rico is resisting calls to resign despite growing protests against his government after leaked text chats revealed conversations rife with homophobic and misogynistic slurs.

    Over the weekend, demonstrators surrounded Gov. Ricardo Rossell?'s residence in San Juan and vowed not to leave until he agrees to step down.

    The protests have not let up; Monday marked three days of demonstrations as marchers in the streets of the capital chanted, "Ricky Resign!"

    The outrage follows the publication of nearly 900 pages of profane and offensive private text messages between the governor and members of his inner circle. They show Rossell? and top officials in his administration repeatedly used sexist, homophobic and other distasteful language to insult women and political opponents. They also reveal discussions about how to manipulate public opinion and efforts to discredit the work of a federal police monitor and journalists critical of Rossell?'s administration.

    The messages were published by Puerto Rico's Center for Investigative Journalism on Saturday. Since then many of the Rossell?'s political allies have withdrawn their support.

    While two of Rossell?'s top officials stepped down this weekend, the governor said it is in the island's best interest for him to stay on. According to CBS, he also indicated he plans to run for a second term in November 2020.

    "I've asked everyone for forgiveness," Rossell? said in Spanish during an interview on the radio show Nacion Z.


    But much of the public has not been in a forgiving mood. And Rossell?'s mea culpas have done little to assuage feelings of betrayal, anger and frustration over the leaders' callous attitudes and repeated corruption scandals that have plagued the island.

    "The time has come for us to take the streets," said Mildred Diaz, a retired school teacher. "Enough of this abuse from our government, from this corrupt governor."

    Diaz said the dissemination of the remarks have led an "awakening," pushing people past a breaking point. "In these last three or four days I've seen people angrier and more indignant than I've seen in a long time."

    Aggravating matters for Rossell? is the timing of the scandal. Last week, two former officials in his administration were arrested by the FBI on fraud charges for allegedly steering $15 million in contracts to friends and political allies.

    Miosotis Cortes said she and her partner have been taking turns reading the text messages out loud to each other. They consider it their patriotic duty. So far, she said, they are about 400 pages into the tome.

    As they slog through the offensive chats, she said the worst part is seeing how the governor and his coterie sneer at the many struggles facing Puerto Ricans. In one text, the governor's chief financial officer cracks a joke about the dead bodies that piled up in a government facility before and after 2017's Hurricane Maria.

    "You can see that our politicians lack humanity," Cortes said. "They lack decency."

    The publication of the texts has unleashed a visceral wave of fury and indignation that many Puerto Ricans feel over the direction the island is taking. Puerto Rico is in the 13th year of a recession and in massive debt. The governor and a federal control board have slashed public services and moved to privatize public assets, including the power grid, schools and roadways. Many people fear these policies will widen the gap between the island's rich and poor.

    Legislative leaders decided Sunday night to give Rossell? some time for "introspection."

    Speaking on the radio Monday morning, the governor admitted his credibility has been battered by the scandal. But he insisted, "I have to lift myself up. And I have to move forward to do what's best for Puerto Rico."

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    Quote Originally Posted by KambingSociety View Post
    https://www.npr.org/2019/07/15/74205...over-text-chat

    Gov. Ricardo Rossell? Under fire for a rant in Puerto Rico
    Shit, I'd bet a large number of politicians (including President Orange-Skin), have the same kind of language in private correspondances.

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