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MarAzul said:
If you take the handle @SlyPokerDog, and drop the sly as there is no need. Drop the phonetic Roger as unneeded acknowledgement in modern communications, you have Poke Dog.
Better stop there because it looks like nothing good to make of this.
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If you take your name and eliminate mar and ul, you come up with a very descriptive sounding name for you. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:
 
yankeesince59 said:
^^^as a courtesy to other posters who may or may not want to take the time to read read all of that, would you just PLEASE instead start posting a link to it instead of bogging up the whole page and raping our eyes with a wall of words?
...if people are really interested in what you only copy and paste, they can simply click the link.
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Exactly. This forum gets so clogged up with long pastings of garbage many aren't interested in or want to read. mods should start controlling that.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
I like it! It doesn't matter that Obama's daughter is really named Sasha.
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What does it matter what their names are, they're all involved in a child kidnapping scheme at a local pizza joint. The children are destined to either toil in an underground mine where they'll never see the light of day again or used as sex slaves. Yeah, Hillary and the Obamas are all that way.

Oh, and some of the children are destined to be dissected by aliens from Mars. That's why we need a Space Force. One with phasers. I nominate Oliver North to head it up. He's a man with true ethics.
 
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/form...dent-college-and-consultant-sentenced-bribery

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Former Arkansas State Representative, President of College and Consultant Sentenced for Bribery Scheme
A consultant along with his co-conspirators, the President of an Arkansas college and a former Arkansas State Representative, were sentenced in the past week for their roles in a bribery scheme in which state funds were directed to non-profit entities in exchange for kickbacks, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Duane “DAK” Kees for the Western District of Arkansas.

Randell G. Shelton Jr., 39, of Kemp, Texas, a consultant, was sentenced on Sept. 6 by U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks to serve 72 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $660,698 and to forfeit $664,000. Shelton was convicted by a federal jury on May 3 of 12 counts, including conspiracy and honest services wire and mail fraud. Also convicted in the scheme was former Arkansas State Senator Jonathan E. Woods, 41, of Springdale, Arkansas, of 15 counts, including conspiracy, honest services wire and mail fraud, and money laundering.

Oren Paris III, 50, of Springdale, Arkansas, President of Ecclesia College, was sentenced yesterday to serve 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $621,500. Paris pleaded guilty before Judge Brooks to one count of honest services wire fraud on April 5.

Micah Neal, 43, of Springdale, Arkansas, a former Arkansas State Representative was sentenced today to three years probation including the first year to be served as home confinement and the second and third years to include 300 hours of community service. Neal was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $200,000 to the State of Arkansas and the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District (NWAEDD). Neal previously pleaded guilty before Judge Brooks to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud.

According to admissions made in his plea agreement, Neal served as an Arkansas State Representative from 2013 to 2017. Neal admitted, and evidence presented at trial for Woods and Shelton revealed, that between sometime in 2013 and January 2015, Neal conspired with Woods to use their official positions to appropriate and direct government money, known as General Improvement Funds (GIF), to two non-profit entities in exchange for bribes. Specifically, Neal and Woods authorized and directed the NWAEDD, which was responsible for disbursing the GIF, to award a total of approximately $600,000 in GIF money to the two non-profit entities. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Neal admitted that of the $600,000, he personally authorized and directed a total of $175,000 to the entities. In return for his official actions, Neal received approximately $38,000 in bribes from the two non-profit entities.

Neal was the fourth defendant involved in this bribery scheme to be sentenced within the past week. On Sept. 5, Woods was sentenced by Judge Brooks to serve 220 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,621,500 and to forfeit $1,097,005.

The FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Sean F. Mulryne of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elser and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyra Jenner and Aaron Jennen of the Western District of Arkansas prosecuted the case.
 
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/form...lty-conspiring-other-officers-violate-victims

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 14, 2018
Former Biscayne Park Chief of Police Pleads Guilty to Conspiring With Other Officers to Violate Victims’ Civil Rights by Making False Arrests
Former Village of Biscayne Park Chief of Police, Raimundo Atesiano, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring with subordinate officers to violate individuals’ civil rights by making false arrests, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami Field Office, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami-Dade State Attorney, and Troy Walker, Special Agent in Charge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

According to documents filed in connection with the plea entered today, Atesiano was acting under color of law as chief of police when on three separate occasions he ordered officers under his command to falsely arrest and charge individuals with unsolved burglaries. In court filings related to the plea, Atesiano admitted that on one occasion he instructed an officer to falsely arrest and charge an individual for several vehicle burglaries based upon what Atesiano knew were false confessions. According to the documents, Atesiano intentionally encouraged officers to arrest individuals without a legal basis in order to have arrests effectuated for all reported burglaries, which created a fictitious 100% clearance rate for that category of crime.

Guillermo Ravelo, a former Biscayne Park Officer who is named in the superseding indictment, previously entered a guilty plea for his role in the conspiracy with Atesiano to violate individuals’ civil rights. Charlie Dayoub and Raul Fernandez, former Biscayne Park officers who also are named in the superseding indictment, previously entered guilty pleas for their roles in effecting false arrests.

The Court set the sentencing date for Atesiano on Nov. 27. Guillermo Ravelo is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 4, and Charlie Dayoub and Raul Fernandez are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16.

“The right to be free from false arrests is fundamental to our Constitution and system of justice,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “Law enforcement officers who abuse their authority and deny any individual this right will be held accountable. As the Chief of Police, Defendant Atesiano was trusted by his community to lead their police officers by example; he has failed his community and the officers of Biscayne Park.”

“The vast majority of law enforcement officers across the nation serve our communities with honor and integrity,” stated U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg. “We will not allow the minority of officers who cast aside their oaths to tarnish the reputation of those who protect us all. Instead, as evidenced today with former Chief Raimundo Atesiano’s guilty plea, we will continue to hold them accountable in federal court for criminal acts that threaten our constitutional guarantees.”

“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with a great deal of responsibility and authority and therefore must be held to a high standard. Raimundo Atesiano failed to meet this standard by abusing his authority and breaking laws,” said Scott A. Rottman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. "Unfortunately, the actions of a very few dishonest officers, such as Atesiano and his co-conspirators, undercut the public’s trust and they must be rooted out. His actions do not represent the overwhelming majority law enforcement officers who are diligent, honorable professionals who are worthy of that trust."

“It is a deliberate injustice to intentionally charge and arrest an innocent man. Police Chief Raimundo Atesiano’s actions were intended to give his community a false sense of security and were a betrayal of his oath to protect the residents of Biscayne Park and all the people of Miami-Dade County,” commented State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “I applaud the combined efforts of our law enforcement partnership to end this calculated abuse of power.”

“Law enforcement officers must be held to the highest moral standards and when that trust is broken, FDLE will work aggressively to investigate and find the truth ensuring all citizens are treated justly,” said FDLE Miami Special Agent in Charge Troy Walker.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force and the FDLE, with assistance from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry C. Wallace, Jr., Trial Attorney D.W. Tunnage of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, and Assistant State Attorney Trent Reichling.
 
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 14, 2018

Manafort agrees to spill his guts on the Orange Menace.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
I fully support locking up anyone who has been illegally influenced by or illegally working with the Russians.

Doesn't matter the political party they represent.
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Yep. Doesn't matter if the witches are from the west or some other direction. Dorothy Mueller needs to drop houses on all of them.

barfo
 
This entire Deep State "board" needs to be shut down.

It serves no purpose other than to cede control of the military to the DNC.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...o-criticized-trump-leaves-pentagon-board.html

Retired admiral who criticized Trump leaves Pentagon board
By Dom Calicchio | Fox News

William McRaven, a former U.S. Navy admiral, criticized President trump in a recent Washington Post op-ed article. (Associated Press)

A retired Navy admiral who oversaw the raid that killed Usama bin Laden has resigned from a Defense Department advisory board, after criticizing President Trump's decision to revoke a former CIA director's security clearance.

William McRaven, former head of U.S. Special Operations Command, left the Defense Innovation Board (DIB) on Aug. 20, Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said.

That was four days after he wrote in the Washington Post that Trump's actions revoking former CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance "embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation."

McRaven's op-ed carried the headline, "Revoke my security clearance, too, Mr. President."

Trump revoked Brennan's clearance last month, saying he felt he had to do something about the "rigged" Russian election interference probe.

The DIB, on which McRaven served, was created during the Obama administration by then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter. Its members include technology executives and others who are mostly from outside the military, such as Alphabet CEO Eric Schmidt, author and physicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson and journalist Walter Isaacson.

Political donations by the panel's members lean overwhelmingly liberal, with some $2.4 million contributed to Democrats and political action committees that support them, versus about $236,000 for Republican candidates, DefenseNews reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
 
MARIS61 said:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/form...lty-conspiring-other-officers-violate-victims

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 14, 2018
Former Biscayne Park Chief of Police Pleads Guilty to Conspiring With Other Officers to Violate Victims’ Civil Rights by Making False Arrests
Former Village of Biscayne Park Chief of Police, Raimundo Atesiano, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring with subordinate officers to violate individuals’ civil rights by making false arrests, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami Field Office, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami-Dade State Attorney, and Troy Walker, Special Agent in Charge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

According to documents filed in connection with the plea entered today, Atesiano was acting under color of law as chief of police when on three separate occasions he ordered officers under his command to falsely arrest and charge individuals with unsolved burglaries. In court filings related to the plea, Atesiano admitted that on one occasion he instructed an officer to falsely arrest and charge an individual for several vehicle burglaries based upon what Atesiano knew were false confessions. According to the documents, Atesiano intentionally encouraged officers to arrest individuals without a legal basis in order to have arrests effectuated for all reported burglaries, which created a fictitious 100% clearance rate for that category of crime.

Guillermo Ravelo, a former Biscayne Park Officer who is named in the superseding indictment, previously entered a guilty plea for his role in the conspiracy with Atesiano to violate individuals’ civil rights. Charlie Dayoub and Raul Fernandez, former Biscayne Park officers who also are named in the superseding indictment, previously entered guilty pleas for their roles in effecting false arrests.

The Court set the sentencing date for Atesiano on Nov. 27. Guillermo Ravelo is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 4, and Charlie Dayoub and Raul Fernandez are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16.

“The right to be free from false arrests is fundamental to our Constitution and system of justice,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “Law enforcement officers who abuse their authority and deny any individual this right will be held accountable. As the Chief of Police, Defendant Atesiano was trusted by his community to lead their police officers by example; he has failed his community and the officers of Biscayne Park.”

“The vast majority of law enforcement officers across the nation serve our communities with honor and integrity,” stated U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg. “We will not allow the minority of officers who cast aside their oaths to tarnish the reputation of those who protect us all. Instead, as evidenced today with former Chief Raimundo Atesiano’s guilty plea, we will continue to hold them accountable in federal court for criminal acts that threaten our constitutional guarantees.”

“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with a great deal of responsibility and authority and therefore must be held to a high standard. Raimundo Atesiano failed to meet this standard by abusing his authority and breaking laws,” said Scott A. Rottman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. "Unfortunately, the actions of a very few dishonest officers, such as Atesiano and his co-conspirators, undercut the public’s trust and they must be rooted out. His actions do not represent the overwhelming majority law enforcement officers who are diligent, honorable professionals who are worthy of that trust."

“It is a deliberate injustice to intentionally charge and arrest an innocent man. Police Chief Raimundo Atesiano’s actions were intended to give his community a false sense of security and were a betrayal of his oath to protect the residents of Biscayne Park and all the people of Miami-Dade County,” commented State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “I applaud the combined efforts of our law enforcement partnership to end this calculated abuse of power.”

“Law enforcement officers must be held to the highest moral standards and when that trust is broken, FDLE will work aggressively to investigate and find the truth ensuring all citizens are treated justly,” said FDLE Miami Special Agent in Charge Troy Walker.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force and the FDLE, with assistance from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry C. Wallace, Jr., Trial Attorney D.W. Tunnage of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, and Assistant State Attorney Trent Reichling.
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Thank you for the book. I'll read it just as soon as I have a month with nothing to do.
 
MARIS61 said:
This entire Deep State "board" needs to be shut down.

It serves no purpose other than to cede control of the military to the DNC.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...o-criticized-trump-leaves-pentagon-board.html

Retired admiral who criticized Trump leaves Pentagon board
By Dom Calicchio | Fox News

William McRaven, a former U.S. Navy admiral, criticized President trump in a recent Washington Post op-ed article. (Associated Press)

A retired Navy admiral who oversaw the raid that killed Usama bin Laden has resigned from a Defense Department advisory board, after criticizing President Trump's decision to revoke a former CIA director's security clearance.

William McRaven, former head of U.S. Special Operations Command, left the Defense Innovation Board (DIB) on Aug. 20, Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said.

That was four days after he wrote in the Washington Post that Trump's actions revoking former CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance "embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation."

McRaven's op-ed carried the headline, "Revoke my security clearance, too, Mr. President."

Trump revoked Brennan's clearance last month, saying he felt he had to do something about the "rigged" Russian election interference probe.

The DIB, on which McRaven served, was created during the Obama administration by then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter. Its members include technology executives and others who are mostly from outside the military, such as Alphabet CEO Eric Schmidt, author and physicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson and journalist Walter Isaacson.

Political donations by the panel's members lean overwhelmingly liberal, with some $2.4 million contributed to Democrats and political action committees that support them, versus about $236,000 for Republican candidates, DefenseNews reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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My God, how do you keep discovering our heinous plots against the Constitution of freedom? Are you wearing disguises at our regular Wednesday night meetings?
It's out in the open now. I suppose indictments will be issued any day now.
 
...this thread has turned out to be comically entertaining. :bgrin:


..."are you not entertained "? !!!
 
EL PRESIDENTE said:
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A terrible abuse of power. Interferring with a federal investigation innvolving himself. Obstruction of justice at its highest levels. Why don't thry release his texts too.
 
Ed Pawlowski, Allentown ex-mayor, sentenced to prison on corruption charges
By Lauren Lee | Fox News

ed-p1280.jpg

Ed Pawlowski was sentenced to prison for corruption Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Ed Pawlowski, the former mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in federal prison for rigging city contracts in order to raise cash for his campaigns for higher office.

A jury had convicted Pawlowski, a Democrat, on 47 of 54 charges in March – including conspiracy to commit bribery, fraud, and extortion. Federal prosecutors said Pawlowski came up with a scheme in which he solicited city vendors to fund his unsuccessful campaigns for governor and the U.S. Senate. The contracts included engineering, technology, construction and legal work.

Pawlowski, 53, who'd resigned earlier this year as mayor of Pennsylvania's third-largest city, told federal Judge Juan Sanchez sentenced he chose a life of public service because he “wanted to make a difference.” He said he “worked hard, night and day, to try to bring this city back.”

His completed sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. Pawlowski, who won re-election in November while under indictment, resigned two months into his fourth term.

Prosecutors had requested a sentence of at least 13 years behind bars. Jack McMahon, Pawlowski’s defense attorney, called it “excessive” and argued for a lighter sentence. The defense has vowed to appeal.

“He thought he was above the law and he chose to abuse the trust of his constituents,” Sanchez said.

The judge also noted that Pawlowski showed “no apologies, no contrition” for his pay-to-play scheme.

Sanchez also ordered Pawlowski to pay over $93,000 in restitution. After his sentencing, he was escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs.

"The citizens of Allentown have been waiting a long time for this day to come," Deputy U.S. Attorney Louis Lappen said on the courthouse steps. "He sold the mayor's office to the highest bidder. If you wanted to do business with the city of Allentown, you needed to line the pockets of this mayor with campaign contributions."

Pawlowski, a Chicago native, was Allentown's economic development chief before taking office as mayor in January 2006. The city's downtown was transformed on his watch, with valuable state tax incentives producing a new hockey arena, gleaming office buildings and upscale apartments.

His lawyer, Jack McMahon, said Pawlowski's schemes weren't meant to "line his own pockets," but to help him "bring his skills and talents to a higher and broader base."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/allentown-ex-mayor-sentenced-to-prison-on-corruption-charges
 
Andrew Gillum got 'Hamilton' tickets from undercover FBI agent, records show

By Samuel Chamberlain | Fox News
Andrew Gillum, the Democratic candidate for Florida governor, accepted tickets to the Broadway musical "Hamilton" from an undercover FBI agent in the summer of 2016, according to documents made public Tuesday as part of an investigation by the state's ethics commission.

The records include text messages between Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, and former lobbyist Adam Corey. An attorney for Corey turned over the documents to the ethics panel in response to a subpoena. The commission has been investigating a complaint brought against Gillum related to trips he took to Costa Rica and New York City. Gillum has asserted that he paid for all expenses related to both trips.

The Tampa Bay Times newspaper first reported the content of the records. Fox News obtained the records late Tuesday from Corey's attorney, Christopher Kise.

AP18274706365616.jpg

Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum speaks to supporters after he was endorsed by Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello during a campaign rally on Oct. 1 in Kissimmee, (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

On Aug. 10, 2016, Corey texted Gillum: "Mike Miller and the crew have tickets for us for Hamilton tonight at 8 p.m." Gillum responded: "Awesome news about Hamilton."

In fact, "Mike Miller" was an undercover FBI agent posing as a developer as part of an ongoing investigation into Tallahassee's government.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that Corey's text contradicts a statement put out by Gillum's campaign last month, which said that Corey had given Gillum's brother Marcus the "Hamilton" ticket in exchange for a ticket to an unidentified concert. Gillum stuck to that story in a Facebook Live video posted Tuesday evening.

"These messages only confirm what we have said all along," Gillum claimed. "We did go to see Hamilton. I did get my ticket for Hamilton from my brother. At the time we believed that they were reserved by friends of Adam's, Mike Miller. And when I got there after work, got my ticket, we went in and saw it, assumed my brother paid for it, and so far as I know, that was the deal." Gillum did not say whether he knew "Miller" was an undercover agent at the time of the trip.

Contrary to the campaign's claims, messages between Corey and "Mike Miller Real Estate" indicate "Miller" obtained tickets for the musical as a backup plan after inclement weather threatened to postpone a New York Mets game the group was planning to attend that evening.

"Looks like weather might not be great tomorrow," "Miller" texted Corey on Aug. 9. "Maybe a show instead? Have you seen Hamilton?"

"That would be epic!!!!!" Corey answered. "Yes, let's do it."

gillum-brothers-720.jpg

Tallahassee, Fla. Mayor Andrew Gillum, center, poses with brother Marcus Gillum, left, and lobbyist Adam Corey during a boat cruise in New York Harbor in August of 2016. (Courtesy Christopher Kise)

Other messages indicate the undercover agent booked rooms at a Financial District hotel for Corey and the Gillum brothers and also arranged a private yacht trip around Manhattan Island.

"I have the boat lined up for the trip in August," "Miller" texted Corey on July 12, 2016. "I will get all the rooms booked."

"Awesome," Corey answered. "Thanks for arranging everything. Let me know if I can help on anything."

"Miller" also offered to book flights for Andrew and Marcus Gillum, only for Corey to respond: "AG already scheduled his flights since he is coming from another event in NYC already."

Gillum-Corey-360.jpg

Gillum poses with Adam Corey on the yacht. (Courtesy Christopher Kise)

However, Gillum appears to have spent the night of Aug. 10 at a Millenium Hilton room booked by "Miller" after the mayor previously told Corey that "I won't need a room."

"I was mistaken," Gillum texted Corey shortly after 5 p.m. that evening. "I think I will need a room tomorrow night."

"Ok," Corey answered. "I got you."

A FBI spokesperson declined to confirm or deny the existence of any investigation into Tallahassee's government.

In a statement, Kise said the records show that Corey committed "no criminal activity."

"Mr. Corey seeks, as he has sought in the past, to remove himself from the center of rampant and untoward speculation," Kise added. "Hopefully, disclosure of the actual facts will now permit him to do so, and to move forward with his life and career."

Polls have shown Gillum holding a slight lead in the gubernatorial race against Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis, who directly asked Gillum if he paid for the "Hamilton" tickets in a debate between the two men on Sunday.

Gillum declined to answer the question directly, saying:: "First of all, I am a grown man. My wife and I take vacations and we pay for our own vacations … I don't take free trips from anybody. I'm a hard-working person, I know that may not fit your description of what you think people like me do, but I've worked hard for everything that I've gotten in my life."

The Democratic candidate echoed that line on Tuesday, accusing his opponents of trying "to use my candidacy as a way to reinforce, frankly, stereotypes about black men."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/andrew-gillum-got-hamilton-tickets-from-undercover-fbi-agent-records-show
 
Democratic Rep. Linda Sanchez quits caucus chair race after husband's indictment

By Samuel Chamberlain | Fox News
Rep. Linda Sanchez of California. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., dropped her bid to be chairwoman of the House Democratic Caucus on Thursday after her husband was indicted in Connecticut on federal theft and conspiracy charges.

"After careful consideration of the time and energy being in leadership demands, I have decided that my focus now needs to be on my son, my family, and my constituents in California,” Sanchez said in a statement.

In a letter to her Democratic colleagues, Sanchez said that "an unexpected family matter ... compels me to withdraw my name as a candidate for chair of the Democratic Caucus."

The 49-year-old Sanchez, who won a ninth term on Tuesday, was vying to succeed exiting Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y. in the position. The House Democratic Caucus chair is the fourth-highest position in the party, after the Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in this year's midterm elections.

Sanchez's husband, 52-year-old James Sullivan, is one of five executives of the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Corporation (CMEEC) indicted Thursday. CMEEC is a public company that has received more than $9 million from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Federal prosecutors allege that Sullivan and his co-defendants used a company account as a "secret slush fund" and spent more than $800,000 on "lavish trips," including to the Kentucky Derby in 2015 and 2016 and a West Virginia golf resort.

Sullivan and CMEEC CEO Drew Rankin are specifically accused of conspiring to use company funds to pay for other trips, including a 2014 flight for Sanchez to travel to Key West. Prosecutors also say Rankin approved trips by Sullivan and "family members" to the Derby in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The Norwich Bulletin newspaper reported last year that Sanchez attended the Derby with her husband in 2013 and 2014.

“CMEEC has received millions of dollars in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy,” U.S. Attorney John Durham said in a statement. “Instead of protecting these funds and returning excess revenue to member towns and ratepayers, these defendants are alleged to have used the CMEEC Margin Account as a secret slush fund to pay for lavish junkets for themselves and their family and friends, as well as for other inappropriate expenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal law enforcement partners to safeguard public funds and prosecute those who steal from the public.”

Earlier this year, The Day newspaper of Norwich, Conn., revealed that Sullivan resigned as chairman of Norwich Public Utilities in October 2015 after a female employee accused him of sexual harassment. The utilities commission ultimately paid the employee a $35,000 settlement.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/de...s-caucus-chair-race-after-husbands-indictment
 
MARIS61 said:
Democratic Rep. Linda Sanchez quits caucus chair race after husband's indictment

By Samuel Chamberlain | Fox News
Rep. Linda Sanchez of California. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., dropped her bid to be chairwoman of the House Democratic Caucus on Thursday after her husband was indicted in Connecticut on federal theft and conspiracy charges.

"After careful consideration of the time and energy being in leadership demands, I have decided that my focus now needs to be on my son, my family, and my constituents in California,” Sanchez said in a statement.

In a letter to her Democratic colleagues, Sanchez said that "an unexpected family matter ... compels me to withdraw my name as a candidate for chair of the Democratic Caucus."

The 49-year-old Sanchez, who won a ninth term on Tuesday, was vying to succeed exiting Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y. in the position. The House Democratic Caucus chair is the fourth-highest position in the party, after the Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in this year's midterm elections.

Sanchez's husband, 52-year-old James Sullivan, is one of five executives of the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Corporation (CMEEC) indicted Thursday. CMEEC is a public company that has received more than $9 million from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Federal prosecutors allege that Sullivan and his co-defendants used a company account as a "secret slush fund" and spent more than $800,000 on "lavish trips," including to the Kentucky Derby in 2015 and 2016 and a West Virginia golf resort.

Sullivan and CMEEC CEO Drew Rankin are specifically accused of conspiring to use company funds to pay for other trips, including a 2014 flight for Sanchez to travel to Key West. Prosecutors also say Rankin approved trips by Sullivan and "family members" to the Derby in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The Norwich Bulletin newspaper reported last year that Sanchez attended the Derby with her husband in 2013 and 2014.

“CMEEC has received millions of dollars in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy,” U.S. Attorney John Durham said in a statement. “Instead of protecting these funds and returning excess revenue to member towns and ratepayers, these defendants are alleged to have used the CMEEC Margin Account as a secret slush fund to pay for lavish junkets for themselves and their family and friends, as well as for other inappropriate expenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal law enforcement partners to safeguard public funds and prosecute those who steal from the public.”

Earlier this year, The Day newspaper of Norwich, Conn., revealed that Sullivan resigned as chairman of Norwich Public Utilities in October 2015 after a female employee accused him of sexual harassment. The utilities commission ultimately paid the employee a $35,000 settlement.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/de...s-caucus-chair-race-after-husbands-indictment
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That ain't nothin'. There are two future felons in the Republican party that won their Congressional seats. One in NY and one in California. Can you believe that the idiots actually voted for them?
https://www.usnews.com/news/politic...ndictment-roils-california-congressional-race
https://www.usnews.com/news/politic...ngressman-indicted-on-insider-trading-charges
 
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Columbia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 26, 2018
Department of Veterans Affairs Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery, Fraud, and Obstruction in $2 Million Scheme Involving Program for Disabled Military Veterans
WASHINGTON – A former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official pled guilty today to demanding and receiving bribes from three for-profit schools in exchange for enrolling disabled military veterans in those schools and facilitating over $2 million in payments from the VA using the veterans’ federal benefits.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kim Lampkins of the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.

James King, 63, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to an Information alleging one count of honest services and money/property wire fraud, one count of bribery, and one count of falsifying records to obstruct an administrative investigation. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia, who set sentencing for Jan. 15, 2019.

King is the fourth individual to plead guilty as part of this investigation. In April, Albert Poawui and Sombo Kanneh pleaded guilty to bribing and conspiring to bribe King, respectively. In July, Michelle Stevens pleaded guilty to bribing King.

“For years, James King and his criminal associates defrauded an important VA program that provides education services to military veterans who served our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting those who seek to illegally enrich themselves at the expense of programs intended to help our brave servicemembers.”

“James King took advantage of his position with the VA by participating in a scam that took money from programs meant to help our disabled military veterans find jobs and enhance their education,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “This investigation shows that we will do everything we can to ensure that taxpayer money intended for our veterans is put to its proper use, not siphoned off by the people and organizations who are entrusted with helping them.”

“King tried to use his position to enrich himself at the expense of veterans who have honorably served our country,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge DeSarno. “This guilty plea makes it perfectly clear that such activity by anyone affiliated with the U.S. government will not be tolerated. The FBI will work closely with our partners to continue to aggressively investigate allegations of corruption.”

“King’s plea is a win for VA and our veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge Lampkins of the VA-OIG Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “It sends a clear message that VA OIG is dedicated to prosecuting those that take advantage of VA programs that are intended to help our veterans and their families.”

According to King’s admissions made in connection with his plea, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) provides disabled U.S. military veterans with education and employment-related services. VR&E program counselors advise veterans under their supervision which schools to attend and facilitate payments to those schools for veterans’ tuition and necessary supplies.

From 2015 through 2017, King, using his position as a VR&E program counselor, demanded and received cash bribes from the owners of Atius Technology Institute (Atius), Eelon Training Academy (Eelon), and a school identified in documents as “School A,” a school purporting to specialize in physical security classes. King facilitated over $2 million in payments to Atius, over $83,000 to Eelon, and over $340,000 to “School A,” all in furtherance of King’s separate agreements with the respective school owners to commit bribery and defraud the VA. King agreed with Poawui and Stevens that they would each pay him, in cash, seven percent of the money they received from the VA in exchange for King steering veterans to their schools and facilitating VA payments. King similarly accepted cash payments from the owner of School A, who is identified as Person A in the Information, in exchange for the same official acts.

In order to maximize the profits from their fraud, all three school owners sent King and other VA officials false information about the education being provided to veterans, and King facilitated payments to all three schools knowing this information was false. King also admitted to repeatedly lying to veterans under his supervision in order to convince them to attend Atius, Eelon, or School A. For example, King falsely instructed one veteran that, unless he attended School A, his VR&E program benefits would “lapse.” King insisted that this veteran enroll in School A despite the veteran’s protests that he could not engage in physical security work due to a physical disability, and despite the fact that the veteran had enrolled in the VR&E program to pursue his dream of becoming a baker.

In early 2017, the VA initiated a fact-finding inquiry into Atius based on complaints by students as to the quality of education at the school. In August 2017, after King became aware of the inquiry, he created a falsified site visit report and instructed Poawui to send it to another VA official, all in an effort to obstruct the VA’s inquiry into Atius. In January 2018, after Poawui had begun to cooperate with the government in its investigation, King attempted to convince Poawui to lie to the grand jury about the purpose of the bribe payments.

King’s plea is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, former Assistant U.S. Attorney and current Fraud Section Trial Attorney Sonali D. Patel, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne Dedjinou and Paralegal Josh Fein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia also assisted with the investigation.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/...pleads-guilty-bribery-fraud-and-obstruction-2
 
MARIS61 said:
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Columbia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 26, 2018
Department of Veterans Affairs Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery, Fraud, and Obstruction in $2 Million Scheme Involving Program for Disabled Military Veterans
WASHINGTON – A former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official pled guilty today to demanding and receiving bribes from three for-profit schools in exchange for enrolling disabled military veterans in those schools and facilitating over $2 million in payments from the VA using the veterans’ federal benefits.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kim Lampkins of the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.

James King, 63, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to an Information alleging one count of honest services and money/property wire fraud, one count of bribery, and one count of falsifying records to obstruct an administrative investigation. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia, who set sentencing for Jan. 15, 2019.

King is the fourth individual to plead guilty as part of this investigation. In April, Albert Poawui and Sombo Kanneh pleaded guilty to bribing and conspiring to bribe King, respectively. In July, Michelle Stevens pleaded guilty to bribing King.

“For years, James King and his criminal associates defrauded an important VA program that provides education services to military veterans who served our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting those who seek to illegally enrich themselves at the expense of programs intended to help our brave servicemembers.”

“James King took advantage of his position with the VA by participating in a scam that took money from programs meant to help our disabled military veterans find jobs and enhance their education,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “This investigation shows that we will do everything we can to ensure that taxpayer money intended for our veterans is put to its proper use, not siphoned off by the people and organizations who are entrusted with helping them.”

“King tried to use his position to enrich himself at the expense of veterans who have honorably served our country,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge DeSarno. “This guilty plea makes it perfectly clear that such activity by anyone affiliated with the U.S. government will not be tolerated. The FBI will work closely with our partners to continue to aggressively investigate allegations of corruption.”

“King’s plea is a win for VA and our veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge Lampkins of the VA-OIG Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “It sends a clear message that VA OIG is dedicated to prosecuting those that take advantage of VA programs that are intended to help our veterans and their families.”

According to King’s admissions made in connection with his plea, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) provides disabled U.S. military veterans with education and employment-related services. VR&E program counselors advise veterans under their supervision which schools to attend and facilitate payments to those schools for veterans’ tuition and necessary supplies.

From 2015 through 2017, King, using his position as a VR&E program counselor, demanded and received cash bribes from the owners of Atius Technology Institute (Atius), Eelon Training Academy (Eelon), and a school identified in documents as “School A,” a school purporting to specialize in physical security classes. King facilitated over $2 million in payments to Atius, over $83,000 to Eelon, and over $340,000 to “School A,” all in furtherance of King’s separate agreements with the respective school owners to commit bribery and defraud the VA. King agreed with Poawui and Stevens that they would each pay him, in cash, seven percent of the money they received from the VA in exchange for King steering veterans to their schools and facilitating VA payments. King similarly accepted cash payments from the owner of School A, who is identified as Person A in the Information, in exchange for the same official acts.

In order to maximize the profits from their fraud, all three school owners sent King and other VA officials false information about the education being provided to veterans, and King facilitated payments to all three schools knowing this information was false. King also admitted to repeatedly lying to veterans under his supervision in order to convince them to attend Atius, Eelon, or School A. For example, King falsely instructed one veteran that, unless he attended School A, his VR&E program benefits would “lapse.” King insisted that this veteran enroll in School A despite the veteran’s protests that he could not engage in physical security work due to a physical disability, and despite the fact that the veteran had enrolled in the VR&E program to pursue his dream of becoming a baker.

In early 2017, the VA initiated a fact-finding inquiry into Atius based on complaints by students as to the quality of education at the school. In August 2017, after King became aware of the inquiry, he created a falsified site visit report and instructed Poawui to send it to another VA official, all in an effort to obstruct the VA’s inquiry into Atius. In January 2018, after Poawui had begun to cooperate with the government in its investigation, King attempted to convince Poawui to lie to the grand jury about the purpose of the bribe payments.

King’s plea is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, former Assistant U.S. Attorney and current Fraud Section Trial Attorney Sonali D. Patel, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne Dedjinou and Paralegal Josh Fein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia also assisted with the investigation.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/...pleads-guilty-bribery-fraud-and-obstruction-2
Click to expand...
One of the lowest slime balls there is would be one who cheats a Veteran.

Hey, I was up at the VA hospital Friday and they handed out a cool looking pin to wear celebrating Vietnam service. I can down rotate that with my American flag pin and my U.S. Army pin. Headed to Church and then Hobbesarrable's bakery today so I think I'll wear it along with my U.S. Army hat.

When I went in the service, I didn't even like the Army. I only went into the Army because I was drafted and had no choice. By the way, when I got drafted they were also drafting U.S. Marines and I came within a whisker of going into the Marines. Had I gone into the Marines, I might not be here today. Of course, like the young stupid idiot I was I volunteered while in combat to be a door gunner on a helicopter. My father died while I was over there and they brought me back before I could become a door gunner. His death might have saved my life. Think of it, had I died over there you would not have had me to brighten your days.

Having served and served honorably in the U.S. Army, I am now proud of that service. Not proud of the war, 'cause I was against that war, but proud that I served my country right or wrong. It's az good feeling.
Nearly every day that I'm in the hospital and that's probably an average of four days a week, someone thanks me for my service. I never get tired of hearing that.

I've got four American flags, one for my father, one for my step father, one for my brother and one all weather flag that I bought for my flag pole. My father, step father and brother are all deceased Veterans. I'm so proud of my flag pole that I took out the week piddly solar light and put in a duel low voltage pair that light's up bright at night. Also, love the gold eagle on top. It was expensive but I get joy out of it every day. My neighbors enjoy it, too.

See how you made me ramble on? It's all your fault.

Edit: ps I think every man woman and child should serve our country either in the military or some sort of national service such as the Peace Corps. I'd exempt the mentally ill but require service for virtually everyone else. It promotes the sort of camaraderie that results from the realization that we're all in this leaky boat together.
 
MARIS61 said:
Andrew Gillum got 'Hamilton' tickets from undercover FBI agent, records show

By Samuel Chamberlain | Fox News
Andrew Gillum, the Democratic candidate for Florida governor, accepted tickets to the Broadway musical "Hamilton" from an undercover FBI agent in the summer of 2016, according to documents made public Tuesday as part of an investigation by the state's ethics commission.

The records include text messages between Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, and former lobbyist Adam Corey. An attorney for Corey turned over the documents to the ethics panel in response to a subpoena. The commission has been investigating a complaint brought against Gillum related to trips he took to Costa Rica and New York City. Gillum has asserted that he paid for all expenses related to both trips.

The Tampa Bay Times newspaper first reported the content of the records. Fox News obtained the records late Tuesday from Corey's attorney, Christopher Kise.

AP18274706365616.jpg

Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum speaks to supporters after he was endorsed by Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello during a campaign rally on Oct. 1 in Kissimmee, (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

On Aug. 10, 2016, Corey texted Gillum: "Mike Miller and the crew have tickets for us for Hamilton tonight at 8 p.m." Gillum responded: "Awesome news about Hamilton."

In fact, "Mike Miller" was an undercover FBI agent posing as a developer as part of an ongoing investigation into Tallahassee's government.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that Corey's text contradicts a statement put out by Gillum's campaign last month, which said that Corey had given Gillum's brother Marcus the "Hamilton" ticket in exchange for a ticket to an unidentified concert. Gillum stuck to that story in a Facebook Live video posted Tuesday evening.

"These messages only confirm what we have said all along," Gillum claimed. "We did go to see Hamilton. I did get my ticket for Hamilton from my brother. At the time we believed that they were reserved by friends of Adam's, Mike Miller. And when I got there after work, got my ticket, we went in and saw it, assumed my brother paid for it, and so far as I know, that was the deal." Gillum did not say whether he knew "Miller" was an undercover agent at the time of the trip.

Contrary to the campaign's claims, messages between Corey and "Mike Miller Real Estate" indicate "Miller" obtained tickets for the musical as a backup plan after inclement weather threatened to postpone a New York Mets game the group was planning to attend that evening.

"Looks like weather might not be great tomorrow," "Miller" texted Corey on Aug. 9. "Maybe a show instead? Have you seen Hamilton?"

"That would be epic!!!!!" Corey answered. "Yes, let's do it."

gillum-brothers-720.jpg

Tallahassee, Fla. Mayor Andrew Gillum, center, poses with brother Marcus Gillum, left, and lobbyist Adam Corey during a boat cruise in New York Harbor in August of 2016. (Courtesy Christopher Kise)

Other messages indicate the undercover agent booked rooms at a Financial District hotel for Corey and the Gillum brothers and also arranged a private yacht trip around Manhattan Island.

"I have the boat lined up for the trip in August," "Miller" texted Corey on July 12, 2016. "I will get all the rooms booked."

"Awesome," Corey answered. "Thanks for arranging everything. Let me know if I can help on anything."

"Miller" also offered to book flights for Andrew and Marcus Gillum, only for Corey to respond: "AG already scheduled his flights since he is coming from another event in NYC already."

Gillum-Corey-360.jpg

Gillum poses with Adam Corey on the yacht. (Courtesy Christopher Kise)

However, Gillum appears to have spent the night of Aug. 10 at a Millenium Hilton room booked by "Miller" after the mayor previously told Corey that "I won't need a room."

"I was mistaken," Gillum texted Corey shortly after 5 p.m. that evening. "I think I will need a room tomorrow night."

"Ok," Corey answered. "I got you."

A FBI spokesperson declined to confirm or deny the existence of any investigation into Tallahassee's government.

In a statement, Kise said the records show that Corey committed "no criminal activity."

"Mr. Corey seeks, as he has sought in the past, to remove himself from the center of rampant and untoward speculation," Kise added. "Hopefully, disclosure of the actual facts will now permit him to do so, and to move forward with his life and career."

Polls have shown Gillum holding a slight lead in the gubernatorial race against Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis, who directly asked Gillum if he paid for the "Hamilton" tickets in a debate between the two men on Sunday.

Gillum declined to answer the question directly, saying:: "First of all, I am a grown man. My wife and I take vacations and we pay for our own vacations … I don't take free trips from anybody. I'm a hard-working person, I know that may not fit your description of what you think people like me do, but I've worked hard for everything that I've gotten in my life."

The Democratic candidate echoed that line on Tuesday, accusing his opponents of trying "to use my candidacy as a way to reinforce, frankly, stereotypes about black men."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/andrew-gillum-got-hamilton-tickets-from-undercover-fbi-agent-records-show
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was there a point to posting this?
 
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