54-Year-Old Tucson Man Sentenced To 18 Months Plus Fined $5000 For Alien Smuggling
54-Year-Old Tucson Man Sentenced To 18 Months Plus Fined $5000 For Alien Smuggling https://digitalarizonanews.com/54-year-old-tucson-man-sentenced-to-18-months-plus-fined-5000-for-alien-smuggling/
TUCSON, Ariz. – Donald Douglas Scarlett, III, 54, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on October 3, 2022, by United States District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to 18 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. In addition to his prison sentence, the government argued for, and the court ordered, Scarlett to pay a fine of $5000. Scarlett previously pleaded guilty in May 2022 to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit.
On March 19, 2022, United States Border Patrol agents observed Scarlett making U-turns and otherwise driving erratically while traveling near the Arizona-Mexico border and proceeded to conduct an immigration stop. During the stop, agents discovered six undocumented noncitizens from Mexico inside Scarlett’s vehicle.
Custom and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, Sonoita Station conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-741-TUC-CKJ-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-181_Scarlett
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
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Focal Powered By Naim Expands Into Dallas & Scottsdale
Focal Powered By Naim Expands Into Dallas & Scottsdale https://digitalarizonanews.com/focal-powered-by-naim-expands-into-dallas-scottsdale/
When we visited Focal Powered By Naim Houston in 2021, it became clear that the French/British powerhouse was embarking on a rather ambitious plan that would extend to all corners of the globe. Dedicated showrooms within existing dealers or boutique locations in select markets to give consumers easy access to Focal’s award-winning headphones like the Bathys, Naim’s Uniti Network Amplifier Series, and Focal’s rather extensive range of loudspeakers.
Three trends have driven this expansion into N. American markets like Miami, Houston, and Austin — headphones, CI loudspeakers, and streaming.
Naim and Focal clearly understand that customers want to “experience” their products in a very different type of setting and these dedicated stores will be their first opportunity of many to do so.
The pandemic could not have come at a worse time in regard to the scheduled list of openings but it did drive enormous demand for headphones, network players, and CI loudspeakers; consumers were stuck at home with nothing to do but watch movies and listen to music.
After Houston, Austin and Miami, the VerVent Audio Group, which unites Focal and Naim, has announced the opening of two new brand spaces in the United States: Dallas (Texas), within DeVance Electronic Lifestyle and Scottsdale (Arizona), within the Acoustic Designs Group.
Focused on experience and sharing, these new design shop-in-shops join the global network of Focal Powered by Naim stores, which now has more than 25 spaces for music lovers and audiophiles.
Focal Powered by Naim Dallas
Focal Powered by Naim (Dallas, Texas)
In Carrollton, on the outskirts of Dallas, Focal Powered by Naim is housed in the heart of the DeVance Electronic Lifestyle flagship store. It has two demonstration rooms dedicated to Focal and Naim, a “headphone bar” for the discovery of open and closed Focal hi-fi headphones among the best in the world and a space dedicated to the luxury automobile.
At the heart of the latter, Focal’s iconic Grande Utopia hi-fi speakers, combined with Naim’s Statement amplification, are presented in an exceptional blue finish. This was carried out as part of the prestigious partnership between Focal, Naim and Delage Automobiles around the D12 hypercar, highlighting the mythical metallic blue of the car.
Focal Powered by Naim Dallas
2323 Tarpley Road, Suite 112
Carrollton, TX 75006
(469) 564-5228
Website: devance.tv
Opened October 15, 2022
Focal Powered by Naim Scottsdale
Focal Powered by Naim (Scottsdale, Arizona)
Near Phoenix, in the heart of the Scottsdale business district, Focal Powered by Naim takes place in the Acoustic Designs Group showroom, a leader in integrated and personalized systems, including smart home automation, high-fidelity audio, Home Cinema and outdoor. A demonstration room dedicated to high-end Focal and Naim installations allows you to enjoy a pure listening experience and project yourself at home.
The space features must-have products, from iconic Utopia hi-fi speakers to integrated wall and ceiling solutions and state-of-the-art electronics. Remarkable finishes are also to be discovered, such as the Sopra N°2 speaker in a Chameleon finish or Kanta N°3 in a lacquered Orange and Black High Gloss finish.
Focal Sopra N°3 Loudspeakers with Naim Electronics
Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo Loudspeakers with Naim Statement Amplification
Focal Powered by Naim Scottsdale
16074 North 78th, Suite B-104
Scottsdale, AZ 5260
(888) 296-0950
Website: adgroupaz.com
Opening November 2022
Support & Services
Matt DeVance, an expert with twenty-five years in audio-video products and automotive enthusiast heads up the Dallas space with Don Loving at the helm of the Scottsdale space who is a specialist in hi-fi and home cinema installations. Partners of Focal and Naim, the teams of each space offer personalized demonstrations by appointment. Experience with the products are the spotlight, complemented by support and tailor-made services for each customer.
FOCAL POWERED BY NAIM NETWORK
The VerVent Audio group, which unites Focal and Naim, is continuing to roll out its Focal Powered by Naim store network, including spaces in Europe, Asia, Oceania and North America. To view all locations please visit focal.com/en/focal-powered-by-naim.
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Nonprofit Waste Not Tackles Statewide Food Insecurity | Arizona Capitol Times
Nonprofit Waste Not Tackles Statewide Food Insecurity | Arizona Capitol Times https://digitalarizonanews.com/nonprofit-waste-not-tackles-statewide-food-insecurity-arizona-capitol-times/
By: Scianna Garcia Cronkite News Service October 17, 2022
For the nonprofit Waste Not, an empty bowl represents the struggles of nearly 1 million Arizonans who can’t find enough to eat every day.
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Tags: Shemer Art Center, Salad and Go, FeedingAmerica.org, Maggie’s Place, Arizona Clay Association, food insecurity, Waste No, Phoenix Center for the Arts, Sunshine Sunflower Studio, Arizona Center, St. Vincent de Paul, Inflation, the Salvation Army, food prices, Empty Bowls, gas prices, hunger
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Deaths After Fighter Jet Crashes Into Russian Building In Yeysk
Deaths After Fighter Jet Crashes Into Russian Building In Yeysk https://digitalarizonanews.com/deaths-after-fighter-jet-crashes-into-russian-building-in-yeysk/
At least four killed after a large blaze engulfed the building and witnesses said multiple floors were on fire.
Published On 17 Oct 202217 Oct 2022
A supersonic military aircraft crashed into a residential building in the southern Russian city of Yeysk, engulfing the structure in flames and collapsing several upper floors.
Footage on social media showed a large fireball erupting from the multistory building on Monday. Initial reports said four people were killed, 19 injured – four in serious condition – and six missing in the port city on the Sea of Azov.
The aircraft was identified as a Sukhoi Su-34 fighter jet. The crew managed to eject before the plane crashed, according to the defence ministry.
A large blaze engulfed the building, stoked by jet fuel, and witnesses were quoted by Russia’s Tass news agency as saying it was on fire from the first to the ninth floors. Firefighters battled the blaze as loud bangs from the apparent detonation of the warplane’s weapons were heard.
“While climbing to perform a training flight from the military airfield of the southern military district, a Su-34 aircraft crashed,” a ministry statement said. “The cause of the crash of the aircraft was a fire in one of the engines during takeoff.”
The Interfax news agency quoted emergency services as saying five floors of the apartment building were on fire, the upper floors had collapsed, and about 45 apartments were damaged.
The blaze spread over 2,000sq m (21,500sq feet), it said. Yeysk, a city of about 90,000 people, is home to a large Russian air base.
About 600 people usually live in the building, the local Krasnodar administration said on Telegram. “The governor ordered the whereabouts of each resident to be established,” it said.
‘Establishing the circumstances’
The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was immediately informed about the crash, and he ordered ministers of health and emergency services along with the local governor to head to the site.
Hours after the crash, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said emergency services managed to contain the fire. “Information about the dead and injured is being clarified. Ambulance crews are on the scene,” he said.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which deals with serious crimes, later announced it launched a criminal probe into the crash. “Military investigators are establishing the circumstances and causes of the incident,” it said.
Yeysk is located on the Tangarog Gulf in the Sea of Azov, which separates southern Ukraine and southern Russia.
Yeysk lies directly across the sea from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which is under Russian control after Moscow launched its invasion in February.
The Su-34 is a supersonic twin-engine bomber equipped with sophisticated sensors and weapons that has been a key component of the Russian air force. The aircraft has seen wide use during the war in Syria and the fighting in Ukraine.
Monday’s incident marked the 10th reported non-combat crash of a Russian warplane since Moscow sent its troops into Ukraine.
Source
:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
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Credit Suisse Pays $495 Mln To Settle Legacy U.S. Case
Credit Suisse Pays $495 Mln To Settle Legacy U.S. Case https://digitalarizonanews.com/credit-suisse-pays-495-mln-to-settle-legacy-u-s-case/
Settlement ends bank’s largest outstanding RMBS case
Credit Suisse says settlement is fully covered by provisions
Bank still has five cases to resolve
Expects to resolve outstanding cases in next six months
ZURICH, Oct 17 (Reuters) – Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) has agreed to pay $495 million to settle a case related to mortgage-linked investments in the United States, the latest pay-out related to past blunders that have battered the Swiss bank’s reputation.
The lender has been paying out billions of dollars to resolve legal cases linked to its residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) business in the run up to the 2008 financial crisis.
The decline in mortgage payments reduced the value of the assets, leading to huge losses for investors.
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Switzerland’s second biggest bank is trying to move on from these legacy issues which have dogged its performance and cost it billions of dollars.
The bank is also trying to recover from other missteps, including losing more than $5 billion from the collapse of investment firm Archegos last year, when it also had to suspend client funds linked to defunct financier Greensill Capital.
The latest RMBS case, brought by the New Jersey Attorney General, alleged Credit Suisse had “misled investors and engaged in fraud or deceit in connection with the offer and sale of RMBS.”
The attorney general’s office had claimed more than $3 billion in damages in a case filed in 2013.
“Credit Suisse is pleased to have reached an agreement that allows the bank to resolve the only remaining RMBS matter involving claims by a regulator,” the bank said in a statement.
“The settlement, for which Credit Suisse is fully provisioned, marks another important step in the bank’s efforts to pro-actively resolve litigation and legacy issues.”
The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen at its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland February 22, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
The New Jersey case was the largest of its remaining exposure on its legacy RMBS business, Credit Suisse said, with five remaining cases at various stages of litigation.
These are expected to be resolved in the next six months, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. The total cost likely to be much less than $100 million, the source added.
RMBS are a debt-based securities, seen as similar to bonds, which are backed by the interest paid on home loans packaged together to sell to investors.
But poorly constructed RMBS’s contributed to the financial crisis in 2008 – when wider groups of mortgages defaulted leading to big losses.
Credit Suisse, whose share price has more than halved in the last 12 months, has already paid out huge sums to resolve claims related to the products, including a $5.3 billion deal with the Department of Justice in 2017.
It said at that time products it sold did not meet underwriting guidelines.
It also paid $600 million to MBIA Inc last year after the New York based-municipal bond insurer paid out hundreds of millions to compensate investors.
The bank, one of the largest in Europe and one of Switzerland’s global systemically important banks, is scheduled to release details of a much anticipated strategic review alongside third-quarter results on Oct. 27.
In June, the bank was convicted of failing to prevent money laundering by a Bulgarian cocaine trafficking gang, while a Bermuda court ruled that a former Georgian Prime Minister and his family were due damages of more than half a billion dollars from Credit Suisse’s local life insurance arm.
The U.S. Justice Department is also investigating whether Credit Suisse continued helping U.S. clients hide assets from authorities, eight years after the Swiss bank paid a $2.6-billion tax evasion settlement.
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Reporting by John Revill and Oliver Hirt; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Mark Potter and Jane Merriman
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Roosevelts Terrence Hill Announces Move To AZ Compass Prep In Arizona
Roosevelt’s Terrence Hill Announces Move To AZ Compass Prep In Arizona https://digitalarizonanews.com/roosevelts-terrence-hill-announces-move-to-az-compass-prep-in-arizona/
Updated: Oct. 17, 2022, 11:27 a.m.|
Published: Oct. 17, 2022, 10:27 a.m.
Roosevelt’s Terrence Hill, left, defends Summit’s Julian Mora during the OSAA 6A boys basketball quarterfinal game on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at the Chiles Center. Rockne Andrew Roll for The Oregonian/OregonLive
One of Portland’s most dynamic basketball players is heading south to continue his high school career.
Earlier this month, Roosevelt junior Terrence Hill Jr. announced that he was transferring to AZ Compass Prep. The Chandler, Arizona-based school has a national reputation for its basketball program.
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Government Says Steve Bannon Should Get 6-Month Sentence Local News 8
Government Says Steve Bannon Should Get 6-Month Sentence – Local News 8 https://digitalarizonanews.com/government-says-steve-bannon-should-get-6-month-sentence-local-news-8/
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department said Monday that Steve Bannon should serve six months in prison and pay a $200,000 fine for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
The longtime ally of former President Donald Trump should serve a hefty sentence because he “pursued a bad-faith strategy of defiance and contempt” and he publicly disparaged the committee itself, undermining the effort to get to the bottom of the violent attack and keep anything like it from happening again, federal attorneys wrote. He has not yet provided any documents or answered any questions, they said.
“The rioters who overran the Capitol on January 6 did not just attack a building—they assaulted the rule of law upon which this country was built and through which it endures,” federal attorneys wrote in court documents. “By flouting the Select Committee’s subpoena and its authority, the Defendant exacerbated that assault.”
Bannon’s defense attorneys didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment. His lawyer, David Schoen, has said the case would be reversed on appeal.
The Justice Department push comes shortly after the committee took the extraordinary step last week to subpoena Trump himself, something the members said was necessary to get the full story of what happened that day. It’s unclear how Trump will respond to the summons, but a refusal to comply could open up a similar path in court — though holding a former president in contempt would be an unprecedented and fraught process.
Bannon, meanwhile, is set to be sentenced Friday on two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to sit for a deposition and another for refusing to provide documents. The committee had sought Bannon’s testimony over his involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Bannon initially argued that his testimony was protected by Trump’s claim of executive privilege, but the committee was skeptical because the adviser had been fired from the White House in 2017 and was thus a private citizen when he was consulting with the then-president in the run-up to the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump’s own lawyer, meanwhile, told Bannon’s lawyer in October 2021 that he didn’t believe there was immunity for him, and he should cooperate with the subpoena, according to Monday’s sentencing memo.
Federal attorneys are also asking for the maximum fine, saying Bannon refused to cooperate with routine questions about his finances and said he could pay whatever the court imposed.
Defense attorneys argued during the trial that he didn’t refuse to cooperate and that the deadline dates “were in flux.” They pointed to the fact that Bannon had reversed course shortly before the trial kicked off — after Trump waived his objection — and had offered to testify before the committee.
But that offer came with strings attached, federal attorneys wrote, including the dismissal of the criminal case against him. When it became clear that wasn’t in the cards, the possibility of cooperation faded, court records state.
Bannon was convicted after a four-day trial in July. Outside the courthouse, he compared the trial to a battle and said “we’re not going to lose this war,” then referred to members of the committee as “gutless.”
It was not the only time Bannon disparaged the committee in “exaggerated and sometimes violent” language in news conferences and on his “War Room” podcast, prosecutors wrote.
“The defendant’s statements prove that his contempt was not aimed at protecting executive privilege or the Constitution, rather it was aimed at undermining the Committee’s efforts to investigate an historic attack on government,” federal attorneys said in court documents. “To this day, he continues to unlawfully withhold documents and testimony that stand to help the Committee’s authorized investigation to get to the bottom of what led to January 6 and ascertain what steps must be taken to ensure that it never happens again. That cannot be tolerated.”
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U.S. Urges 6-Month Sentence For Ex-Trump Adviser Bannon Over Contempt Conviction | Politics
U.S. Urges 6-Month Sentence For Ex-Trump Adviser Bannon Over Contempt Conviction | Politics https://digitalarizonanews.com/u-s-urges-6-month-sentence-for-ex-trump-adviser-bannon-over-contempt-conviction-politics/
The U.S. Justice Department on Monday asked a federal judge to sentence former President Donald Trump’s adviser Steve Bannon to six months behind bars, saying he pursued a “bad faith strategy of defiance and contempt” against the congressional committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Bannon, 68, an influential far-right political figure, was convicted in July on two counts of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena.
Each count is punishable by between 30 days to one year in prison and a fine ranging between $100 to $100,000. He is due to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols on Friday morning.
Prosecutors told Nichols in their sentencing recommendation on Monday that Bannon’s actions, including his refusal to this day to produce “a single document” to the congressional committee, led them to recommend a prison sentence at the top of the U.S. guidelines range. They also urged the judge to impose the maximum fine of $200,000, which they said they based on Bannon’s “insistence on paying the maximum fine rather than cooperate with the Probation Office’s routine pre-sentencing financial investigation.”
“Throughout the pendency of this case, the defendant has exploited his notoriety — through courthouse press conferences and his War Room podcast — to display to the public the source of his bad-faith refusal to comply with the committee’s subpoena: a total disregard for government processes and the law,” prosecutors wrote in their filing. “The defendant’s statements prove that his contempt was not aimed at protecting executive privilege or the Constitution, rather it was aimed at undermining the committee’s efforts to investigate an historic attack on government.”
Bannon’s attorneys filed a sentencing memo on Monday saying their client should be sentenced to probation only. If the judge insists on incarceration, then Bannon should be permitted to serve his sentence at home, and not in prison, they said. In their memo, they argued that Bannon was convicted on statutes governed by “outdated” caselaw, and that he relied on his attorney’s legal advice by not appearing before the committee.
“The facts of this case show that Mr. Bannon’s conduct was based on his good-faith reliance on his lawyer’s advice,” they wrote. During the trial, Nichols limited the scope of Bannon’s defense.
He was barred from arguing that he believed his communications with Trump were subject to a legal doctrine called executive privilege that can keep certain presidential communications confidential. He was also prohibited from arguing he relied upon an attorney’s legal advice in refusing to comply. Bannon was a key adviser to the Republican Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, then served as his chief White House strategist during 2017 before a falling out between them that was later patched up.
While he was awaiting sentencing for his contempt of Congress conviction, he was separately indicted
by a New York state grand jury on money laundering and conspiracy charges for allegedly deceiving donors to an effort to help Trump build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Bannon, who pleaded not guilty, could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on those charges.
The state charges are similar to federal charges filed against Bannon and several others in August 2020. Bannon was never convicted in the federal case, after Trump pardoned him during the final hours of his presidency.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Goldman Plans Major Reorganization To Combine Key Units -Source
Goldman Plans Major Reorganization To Combine Key Units -Source https://digitalarizonanews.com/goldman-plans-major-reorganization-to-combine-key-units-source/
LONDON/NEW YORK, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Goldman Sachs (GS.N) is planning a major reorganization to combine its biggest businesses into three divisions with its investment banking and trading businesses being merged into a single unit, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The plans are expected to be announced on Oct. 18 alongside Goldman’s third quarter earnings. Marcus, Goldman’s consumer banking business, will be absorbed into the wealth unit, the source said, confirming an earlier Wall Street Journal report.
A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs declined to comment.
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This is the biggest shakeup since the company’s investor day in early 2020 when it outlined plans for four core units: investment banking, global markets, consumer and wealth management and asset management.
“It’s a head scratcher,” said Mike Mayo, a banking analyst at Wells Fargo. “Right now, there are more questions than answers for Goldman Sachs as it relates to this potential restructuring.”
The move comes as the Wall Street titan seeks to boost its income from fee-based businesses and cut its reliance on volatile trading and investment banking revenues. The changes also signal Marcus, the consumer unit, is being relegated after Chief Executive Officer David Solomon expressed big ambitions to build a mainstream digital bank.
“This may be a way to put Marcus to the back burner as a way to de-emphasize its importance as an investment opportunity,” Mayo said.
Solomon, who became CEO in 2018, has sought to expand Goldman’s footprint in retail banking since his early days at the helm.
But the consumer banking unit that launched in 2016 has struggled to gain traction and suffered from delays. Marcus has yet to launch a checking account that was scheduled for this year. At mid-year, the bank internally forecast that Marcus’ losses would accelerate to more than $1.2 billion in 2022, for cumulative losses of more than $4 billion, Bloomberg reported. Goldman declined to comment on the loss.
Solomon has said the business could generate revenue of over $4 billion by end of 2024.
Net revenue in the consumer-banking unit grew by 23% to $1.49 billion in 2021, reflecting higher credit card and deposit balances, the bank said in its annual report.
Marcus offers digital banking products such as loans, savings and certificate of deposits. It also provides credit cards via a partnership with Apple Inc (AAPL.O).
The consumer business serves more than 14 million customers and had more than $100 billion in deposits with over $16 billion in cards and loans balances, the bank has said.
GOLDMAN SACHS’ OVERHAUL KEEPS MANAGEMENT “ON ITS TOES”
The combined investment banking and trading group will be overseen by Dan Dees and Jim Esposito, who are currently global co-heads of Goldman’s investment banking, and Ashok Varadhan, now co-head of its global markets division, according to Bloomberg.
Marc Nachmann, the bank’s global co-head of the global markets division, will move to help run the combined asset- and wealth-management arm, the report said.
Marcus will become a part of the asset and wealth management unit, the report added.
“This is a way for Goldman Sachs to keep its management team on its toes and to reinforce the intensity that defines Goldman,” Mayo said.
Such an organizational overhaul of the bank comes shortly after its global job cuts in September that could have impacted hundreds of bankers.
In the second quarter, Goldman reported a 48% slump in profit that beat forecasts as fixed-income and commodities trading surged.
Like its Wall Street rivals, the bank is expected to report a sharp drop in third-quarter net profit as investment banking revenue was badly hurt by a slump in dealmaking.
Goldman is expected to deliver a net profit of $2.77 billion in the third quarter, according to analysts’ forecasts compiled by Refinitiv, down from $5.38 billion a year earlier.
Given the tough operating environment, Goldman is closely re-examining all of its forward spending and investment plans to ensure the best use of its resources, Barclays said in a recent report.
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Reporting by Pamela Barbaglia in London, Lavanya Ahire and Akriti Sharma in Bengaluru, Selena Li in Hong Kong, Saeed Azhar in New York; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Muralikumar Anantharaman
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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San Tan Valley Residents Prefer Eagle Flooring West For Floor Installation
San Tan Valley Residents Prefer Eagle Flooring West For Floor Installation https://digitalarizonanews.com/san-tan-valley-residents-prefer-eagle-flooring-west-for-floor-installation/
Eagle Flooring West is a San Tan Valley-based company specializing in quality floor installation, repair, and home renovation services.
I have never dealt with a more conscientious group of craftsman. On time as scheduled, perfect craftsmanship and very good communication with all aspects of our extensive project. GREAT WORK!”
— Don Hoskyns
SAN TAN VALLEY, AZ, UNITED STATES, October 17, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Flooring is an essential element to consider when planning for home renovation. While some home improvement works, such as installing a cabinet or Ikea dining table, don’t require expertise, hardwood and tile flooring need assistance from a professional flooring company. Online search engines have become a de facto tool to search for local services, so it’s obvious many would use search terms like “Flooring installation San Tan Valley AZ” to locate a nearby flooring company. The good news is that this cross between rural and urban settlement, San Tan Valley, has a few reputable companies, such as Eagle Flooring West, which offers flooring services, from vinyl and laminate to hardwood and intricate design.
Tile is perhaps the most versatile flooring material used in the kitchen, living room, bathroom, patio, and anywhere where performance and durability are primary objectives. Besides offering beautiful design patterns, tile also resists dirt and stain and is an affordable option for in-budget flooring. In addition, the easy-to-maintain, clean, and durable properties of this material make tile flooring a suitable choice for indoor and outdoor heavy-traffic areas. Those planning home renovation can benefit from hiring an expert floor installation, San Tan Valley, AZ, service provider that offers numerous tile designs, sophisticated patterns, and installation. For example, Eagle Flooring West provides upfront pricing after inspection. It helps choose durable materials and styles before its technicians install a flooring design that meets the customer’s budget and expectations.
“I have never dealt with a more conscientious group of craftsman. The work was done with the ultimate consideration for our goal and concerns. On time as scheduled, perfect craftsmanship and very good communication with all aspects of our extensive project. GREAT WORK!” – Don Hoskyns
Hardwood flooring is a luxurious and sophisticated choice. No wonder why many people choose hardwood floors because of their elegant appearance and polished finish. However, installing hardwood planks to achieve stunning results requires experience and expertise and takes more time than concrete flooring. Therefore, when searching for “Flooring company San Tan Valley AZ“, ensure the company has experienced craftsmen specializing in wood flooring installation. Many San Tan Valley residents prefer working with Eagle Flooring West as it provides hardwood flooring and can restore previously installed wooden flooring.
Vinyl plank flooring can be a choice for customers requiring functional and low-maintenance flooring within the budget. The easy installation, lower prices than hardwood flooring, moisture resistance, and affordability make vinyl flooring a convenient and in-budget option for customers.
Laminate flooring is a synthetic material with a laminate finish; it is substantially less expensive than hardwood and less durable. However, this does not necessarily make laminate flooring a subpar option, as it can sometimes be more resistant to damage from spills, scratches, wetness, and everyday use.
Customers can save time, money, and energy by consulting with one or two local floor installation firms about the best material, price range, and timeline for their specific needs. For instance, San Tan Valley residents can get different floor designs and materials, duration, inspection, free estimate, and more options with Eagle Flooring West.
About Eagle Flooring West
Eagle Flooring West, located in San Tan Valley, Arizona, is a full-service flooring company that offers various flooring products and services, including sales, installation, repair, refinishing, and the construction of new showers and bathrooms. It’s a go-to for kitchen and bathroom renovations and floor installation for hardwood, vinyl plank, tile, and laminate. STV, Chandler Heights, Queen Creek, Florence, and the east valley are all part of its service area.
Eagle Flooring West
San Tan Valley Flooring Installation
+1 480-725-1120
email us here
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Washington State Wildfire Burning Out Of Control Forcing Thousands To Evacuate
Washington State Wildfire Burning Out Of Control, Forcing Thousands To Evacuate https://digitalarizonanews.com/washington-state-wildfire-burning-out-of-control-forcing-thousands-to-evacuate/
A wildfire burned out of control near the Washington-Oregon border Monday as thousands fled from the blaze fueled by warm conditions unusual for the Pacific Northwest.
The Nakia Creek Fire, ignited near Vancouver, Washington, on Oct. 9, broke containment lines on Sunday and has charred about 2,000 acres, the officials said.
By Sunday night, residents of more than 2,900 homes were issued a “Level 3 Go Now” notice, telling them to evacuate, according to the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency.
Another 5,017 homes were under “Level 2 Be Set” notices, urging residents there to be ready for evacuation, officials said.
The high temperature in Vancouver was 86 degrees on Sunday, in stark contrast to a typical mid-October day when the mercury rarely climbs above the low 60s. It’s expected to cool down to 68 degrees on Monday.
Those lower temperatures have firefighters hopefully they’ll make progress on Monday as long as people — and their drones — steer clear.
“Stay out of area if you don’t need to be there,” the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Weather is improving and will allow more aerial firefighting opportunities, but can’t if drones are up.”
Approaching flames forced Shaun and Lorrie Conway to quickly round up their 50 goats and sheep, but abandon other possessions.
“It’s just stuff,” Lorrie Conway told NBC News on Monday, about 20 miles away from their home. “I mean we got the animals out, and grabbed pictures and important documents and the house plants, in case we got to build it again.”
With their life’s work on the line, Lorrie Conway said she and her husband had to make hard choices on Sunday.
“Things don’t always go to plan and you go through the motions and do what you have to do,” said Conway, 57.
Even though this is the first time Stephanie Faith Warren and her family have had to evacuate, wildfires are not new to the region, so they’ve been prepared for an event like on Sunday.
They had to move eight goats, two miniature pigs, three dogs, two miniature donkeys, an African tortoise, a desert burro and a mule.
“We’ve had fire pretty close (in the past) so this feeling isn’t strange to me,” Warren, 35, said Monday in La Center, about 30 miles away from her home.
“I’m a mom, I’m a farmer and you just got to keep a level head when you’re doing this stuff. If you’re stressed, the animals feel it, the kids know it.”
David K. Li is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.
Kathryn Prociv
and
Rima Abdelkader
contributed
.
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JINJER Is Working On Music Inspired By Russia's Attacks On Ukraine
JINJER Is Working On Music Inspired By Russia's Attacks On Ukraine https://digitalarizonanews.com/jinjer-is-working-on-music-inspired-by-russias-attacks-on-ukraine/
Jinjer has been doing their part to help their fellow Ukrainians as Russia relentlessly attacks the country.
The band was recently asked by Oran O’Beirne of Bloodstock TV if the war has inspired new music in any way, to which vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk responded “Not really.” Shmayluk elaborated that it’s much easier to touch on war-related topics when it’s not happening at your home, and that it’s not really time to make music about war right now.
“Not really. I don’t know why. Honestly, I’ve written some war songs way before Jinjer, first of all, and way before war even started in Ukraine. And I don’t know how, but it’s easy for me to write about war when it’s not happening around me. But when it started, I was absolutely devastated and paralyzed creatively. I cannot write about that. I still cannot process that. I think it’s such a great trauma that it takes years and years to process, not only for me but mostly for the citizens of Ukraine, for the victims. I really think that it’s not my time to write another war song right now.”
Bassist Eugene Abdukhanov jumped in to clarify the “war song” statement. “Actually, we’ve never had war songs. We’ve never written anything which is militaristic or anything like that… We have a number of songs in our discography which are peacemaking songs, songs which call for peace, and calling them war songs can be a bit misleading because it may just make people think differently of what they really are, to be honest.
“Tatiana says that, well, she hasn’t written any lyrics but we have written a number of compositions musically in these circumstances since the war started. So definitely there is a creative reflection of the events already.”
Jinjer, P.O.D., and Space Of Variations will hit the road together in late October with either Vended and Malevolence as support depending on which date you attend.
w/ Vended
10/31 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
11/1 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
11/3 – Denver, CO – The Fillmore
11/5 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
11/7 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
11/9 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
11/10 – Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe Live
11/11. – Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall
11/13 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
11/14 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts
11/15 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
11/17 – Silver Springs, MD – The Fillmore
11/19 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Roxian
11/20 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
11/21 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom
11/23 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
w/ Malevolence
12/7 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
12/8 – Greensboro, NC – Piedmont Hall
12/10 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
12/11 – Nashville., TN – Marathon Music Works
12/13 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Landing
12/14 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
12/16 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theatre
12/17 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
12/18 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
12/20 – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren
12/21 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
12/22 – Los Angeles, CA – Wiltern
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What Are Kamikaze Drones? Heres How Russia And Ukraine Are Using Them.
What Are Kamikaze Drones? Here’s How Russia And Ukraine Are Using Them. https://digitalarizonanews.com/what-are-kamikaze-drones-heres-how-russia-and-ukraine-are-using-them/
Russia struck deep into Ukraine by hitting the capital, Kyiv, with kamikaze drones — small airborne devices that can hit a target at a distance and are nimble enough to avoid many air defenses.
Here’s what we know about the deadly aircraft and their role in the war.
What are kamikaze drones?
The drones that Russia has been deploying, Ukrainian and U.S. officials say, are manufactured in Iran, where they are known as Shahed-136s. They are designed to strike specific targets with explosives that can be delivered at distances of up to 1,500 miles.
Russia has renamed the Shahed-136 as the Geran-2. Iran denies giving Russia drones for use in its war against Ukraine.
The drones are part of a category of weapon known as loitering munitions — meaning that they “are designed to loiter over battlefields,” looking for targets such as radars, Ingvild Bode, an associate professor at the Center for War Studies, a research group within the University of Southern Denmark, previously told The Washington Post. “When they have found the target, [they] launch themselves onto it.” That’s why the “kamikaze” term is often applied to this and weapons such as U.S.-made Switchblade drones.
Because of the distinctive buzzing sounds they make as they approach, the Shahed-136s are typically less destructive than precision missiles — civilians can see and hear them coming, so they have more time to seek shelter before any explosion. And unlike large missiles, their blast radius is smaller and doesn’t necessarily send shrapnel flying in every direction.
But they can also slip past Ukraine’s air defenses — or force the military to use its limited air defense resources to neutralize them before they can strike their target.
How is Russia using them?
Russian forces seeking an advantage on the battlefield have increasingly been making use of drones. U.S. and allied officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss security matters, have told The Post that Iran recently began delivering the drones and other weapons to Russia, sending technical advisers to train Russian forces in how to operate them. Pentagon officials have publicly confirmed the use of Iranian drones in Russian airstrikes.
Ukraine believes Russia has ordered as many as 2,400 kamikaze drones from Iran. In response, Kyiv has urged its allies to send sophisticated air defense systems.
Russia has largely used kamikaze drones to attack military and infrastructure targets in southern Ukraine. Its forces first deployed the Shahed-136 in northeastern Ukraine in September, according to Britain’s Defense Ministry. In an intelligence update, the ministry argued that the use of the weapons near the front lines suggested “that Russia is attempting to use the system to conduct tactical strikes rather than against more strategic targets farther into Ukrainian territory.”
Since mid-September, Ukrainian forces have claimed they shot down Iranian-made drones in various parts of Ukraine. Speaking by video conference to Group of Seven leaders last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “Every 10 minutes I receive a message about the enemy’s use of Iranian Shaheds.”
This has led Kyiv to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Tehran. Zelensky called the partnership between Russia and Iran “collaboration with evil,” while Tehran accused Kyiv of overreacting based on “unconfirmed reports” and “media hype by foreign parties.”
The drones were used for the first time to strike central Kyiv on Monday in what appeared to be an attempt to target a thermal power station that supplies the capital. At least four people were killed in the blasts, officials said. Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Zelensky, accused Iran of being “responsible for the murders of Ukrainians.”
Russia hit Kyiv with kamikaze drones on Oct. 17, a week after it carried out deadly attacks across Ukraine. (Video: The Washington Post)
How is Ukraine using them?
The United States has pledged to send Ukraine over 700 of its own kamikaze drones, called Switchblades, and trained some Ukrainian soldiers in April on how to use them.
With its thin body and ruler-shaped wings, the Switchblade drone is different in appearance from the Shahed-136, which looks like a miniature delta-winged fighter plane. But the idea behind the two weapons is the same: Allow a remote operator to take out a target with deadly efficiency and evade detection and air defense.
Ukraine has also deployed Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones and claims to have destroyed many Russian military targets with them. That drone is so popular in Ukraine that a Ukrainian soldier released a song in its honor.
Separately, the Guardian newspaper reported that two Ukrainians raised $9.6 million last week for the purchase of Ukrainian RAM II drones, which can carry an explosive payload of more than 6½ pounds.
Joby Warrick, Ellen Nakashima and Shane Harris contributed to this report.
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Government Says Steve Bannon Should Get 6-Month Sentence
Government Says Steve Bannon Should Get 6-Month Sentence https://digitalarizonanews.com/government-says-steve-bannon-should-get-6-month-sentence/
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department said Monday that Steve Bannon should serve six months in prison and pay a $200,000 fine for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
The longtime ally of former President Donald Trump should serve a hefty sentence because he “pursued a bad-faith strategy of defiance and contempt” and he publicly disparaged the committee itself, undermining the effort to get to the bottom of the violent attack and keep anything like it from happening again, federal attorneys wrote. He has not yet provided any documents or answered any questions, they said.
“The rioters who overran the Capitol on January 6 did not just attack a building—they assaulted the rule of law upon which this country was built and through which it endures,” federal attorneys wrote in court documents. “By flouting the Select Committee’s subpoena and its authority, the Defendant exacerbated that assault.”
As the House Jan. 6 Committee winds down, some 2020 election deniers might be ramping up. (CNN, U.S. SECRET SERVICE, JOHN HARRINGTON, POOL, DOJ)
Bannon’s defense attorneys didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment. His lawyer, David Schoen, has said the case would be reversed on appeal.
The Justice Department push comes shortly after the committee took the extraordinary step last week to subpoena Trump himself, something the members said was necessary to get the full story of what happened that day. It’s unclear how Trump will respond to the summons, but a refusal to comply could open up a similar path in court — though holding a former president in contempt would be an unprecedented and fraught process.
Bannon, meanwhile, is set to be sentenced Friday on two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to sit for a deposition and another for refusing to provide documents. The committee had sought Bannon’s testimony over his involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Bannon initially argued that his testimony was protected by Trump’s claim of executive privilege, but the committee was skeptical because the adviser had been fired from the White House in 2017 and was thus a private citizen when he was consulting with the then-president in the run-up to the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump’s own lawyer, meanwhile, told Bannon’s lawyer in October 2021 that he didn’t believe there was immunity for him, and he should cooperate with the subpoena, according to Monday’s sentencing memo.
Federal attorneys are also asking for the maximum fine, saying Bannon refused to cooperate with routine questions about his finances and said he could pay whatever the court imposed.
Defense attorneys argued during the trial that he didn’t refuse to cooperate and that the deadline dates “were in flux.” They pointed to the fact that Bannon had reversed course shortly before the trial kicked off — after Trump waived his objection — and had offered to testify before the committee.
But that offer came with strings attached, federal attorneys wrote, including the dismissal of the criminal case against him. When it became clear that wasn’t in the cards, the possibility of cooperation faded, court records state.
Bannon was convicted after a four-day trial in July. Outside the courthouse, he compared the trial to a battle and said “we’re not going to lose this war,” then referred to members of the committee as “gutless.”
It was not the only time Bannon disparaged the committee in “exaggerated and sometimes violent” language in news conferences and on his “War Room” podcast, prosecutors wrote.
“The defendant’s statements prove that his contempt was not aimed at protecting executive privilege or the Constitution, rather it was aimed at undermining the Committee’s efforts to investigate an historic attack on government,” federal attorneys said in court documents. “To this day, he continues to unlawfully withhold documents and testimony that stand to help the Committee’s authorized investigation to get to the bottom of what led to January 6 and ascertain what steps must be taken to ensure that it never happens again. That cannot be tolerated.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Trump To Hold Rally In South Texas Two Days Before Early Voting
Trump To Hold Rally In South Texas Two Days Before Early Voting https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-to-hold-rally-in-south-texas-two-days-before-early-voting/
Former President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the 2022 Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas on Aug. 6. He will hold a rally in Robstown on…
Former President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the 2022 Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas on Aug. 6. He will hold a rally in Robstown on Saturday. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
by: Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune
Posted: Oct 17, 2022 / 10:39 AM CDT
Updated: Oct 17, 2022 / 10:39 AM CDT
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Former President Donald Trump is holding a rally in Texas two days before early voting starts for the November election.
The rally will be Saturday in Robstown, outside Corpus Christi on the Gulf Coast. Republicans are targeting districts in the area as they try to take over South Texas’ congressional seats.
The rally will start at 7 p.m. at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds, according to a media advisory. It said speakers in addition to Trump would be announced later.
The advisory said he would speak “in support of his unprecedented effort to advance the MAGA agenda by energizing voters and highlighting the slate of 33-0 Trump Endorsed America First candidates in the Great State of Texas.”
Among Trump’s endorsees is Gov. Greg Abbott, who is fighting against Democrat Beto O’Rourke for a third term. Abbott’s campaign did not immediately say whether he would be at the rally.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/17/trump-south-texas-rally-2022-elections/.
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
Border Report
Alligator on beach (10/07/2022)
STX GOP CANDIDATES PRAYER BKFST
Mission Unknown: Air Force cargo plane overnights …
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Colorado GOP Senate Nominee Says Trump Shouldn't Run For President In 2024
Colorado GOP Senate Nominee Says Trump Shouldn't Run For President In 2024 https://digitalarizonanews.com/colorado-gop-senate-nominee-says-trump-shouldnt-run-for-president-in-2024/
The Republican nominee running for a U.S. Senate seat in Colorado on Sunday said he will work to make sure former President Donald Trump doesn’t win another term in office.
Joe O’Dea said Trump should have acted more decisively to stop the violence on Jan. 6, 2021, and called for anyone responsible for the events of that day to be held accountable.
Asked if the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol should disqualify Trump from running in 2024, O’Dea said the former president should stay out of the race.
“I’m going to actively campaign against Donald Trump and make sure that we’ve got four or five really great Republicans right now,” O’Dea told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
O’Dea said Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) could win two consecutive terms as president.
“I’m going to do my job as a U.S. senator to make sure that they have good campaigns in the primary here so we have a good selection of candidates for 2024,” O’Dea told CNN’s Dana Bash.
O’Dea is running as a somewhat moderate Republican in November’s midterm election, hoping to unseat incumbent Sen. Michael Bennett (D-Colo.).
Bennett leads O’Dea in the polls, with polling aggregation site FiveThirtyEight projecting a 7.9-point advantage as of Tuesday.
Democrats tried to boost O’Dea’s primary opponent, state Rep. Ron Hanks, an election denier who had also participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, spending millions in ads.
The Jan. 6 committee on Thursday voted to subpoena Trump for testimony.
“We must seek the testimony, under oath, of Jan. 6’s key player,” Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the vice-chair of the panel, said during the hearing.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
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Post Politics Now: More Debates In Marquee Races Playing Out Ahead Of Midterms
Post Politics Now: More Debates In Marquee Races Playing Out Ahead Of Midterms https://digitalarizonanews.com/post-politics-now-more-debates-in-marquee-races-playing-out-ahead-of-midterms/
Today, candidates are squaring off in more debates in marquee midterm races: in Georgia’s gubernatorial race, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) vs. Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams; in Ohio’s Senate race, Rep. Tim Ryan (D) vs. Republican J.D. Vance; and in Utah’s Senate race, Sen. Mike Lee (R) vs. independent Evan McMullin.
In Washington, the Biden administration is touting a new rule that makes hearing aids available over the counter, without a prescription, and often at a much lower price. The move coincides with a push by President Biden to convince voters that Democrats are working to counter the impact of inflation by lowering costs of living in other ways.
Your daily dashboard
12:20 p.m. Eastern time: Biden returns to the White House.
1:30 p.m. Eastern: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs reporters. Watch live here.
6 p.m. Eastern (3 p.m. Pacific): Vice President Harris hosts a conversation in Los Angeles about reproductive rights. Watch live here.
Got a question about politics? Submit it here. After 3 p.m. Eastern weekdays, return to this space and we’ll address what’s on the mind of readers.
Noted: Republicans sue to keep undated mail-in ballots from being counted in Pa.
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Republicans are asking the state’s highest court in Pennsylvania to block undated mail-in ballots from being counted in this year’s midterms.
A lawsuit filed Sunday night by the Republican National Committee and state GOP, among others, asks the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to order the immediate segregation of all absentee and mail-in ballots received for the 2022 general election that are undated and ensure they are not part of official vote totals.
In Pennsylvania, state law requires voters to handwrite a date on the outer envelope when returning mail-in ballots. But the issue has been a source of multiple state and federal lawsuits since the 2020 election, leaving an uncertain terrain.
This just in: Justice Dept. seeks jail for Bannon in contempt of Congress case
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Federal prosecutors urged a judge Monday to make former president Donald Trump’s political confidant Stephen K. Bannon the first person to be incarcerated for contempt of Congress in more than half a century, recommending he serve six months in prison for refusing to cooperate with a House committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
The Post’s Spencer S. Hsu reports that prosecutors also sought to fine Bannon the maximum $200,000 allowed because he refused to cooperate with court officials’ routine presentencing investigation and divulge his financial records. Per our colleague:
Analysis: Can abortion flip the most competitive House seat in North Carolina?
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In a classroom at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, eight college students sat in a circle and told Wiley Nickel what issues were important to them in this election. All but one, including three male students, listed abortion access as one of their top issues.
The Post’s Leigh Ann Caldwell and Theodoric Meyer say that’s good news for Nickel, the Democrat running in North Carolina’s 13th District, the most competitive House seat in the swing state, and a critical pickup opportunity for Democrats in their uphill effort to maintain control of the House despite disapproval of President Biden and record-level inflation. Per our colleagues:
On our radar: Chinese hackers are scanning state political party headquarters, FBI warns
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Chinese government hackers are scanning U.S. political party domains ahead of next month’s midterm elections, looking for vulnerable systems as a potential precursor to hacking operations, and the FBI is making a big push to alert potential victims to batten down the hatches, officials say.
Writing in The Technology 202, The Post’s Josh Dawsey, Ellen Nakashima and Tim Starks report that over the past week, FBI agents in field offices across the country have notified some Republican and Democratic state party headquarters that they might be targets of the Chinese hackers, according to party and U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity. Per our colleagues:
On our radar: White House touts new over-the-counter hearing aid rule
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The Biden administration is highlighting a new rule Monday that makes hearing aids available over the counter, without a prescription, and often at a much lower price.
The move coincides with a push by President Biden to convince voters that Democrats are combating inflation by lowering costs of living in various other ways.
“Starting today, hearings aids are now on store shelves across the country — for thousands of dollars less than they previously cost,” the White House said in a fact sheet distributed early Monday morning.
The latest: Walker concedes he wrote check but denies it was for an abortion
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Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker acknowledged giving a $700 check to an ex-partner in 2009, but in an interview broadcast Monday he continued to deny the woman’s claim that the money was to pay for an abortion.
“I have no idea what that could be for,” Walker said, when presented with a copy of the check by NBC’s Kristen Welker during the interview that aired on the “Today” show.
Walker later acknowledged that it was his signature on the check but rejected the allegation by the woman, who is the mother of one of Walker’s children, now 10 years old.
Noted: How the ‘Never Trump’ movement became ‘Never Trumpism’
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For many disaffected Republicans, 2022 is the year the “Never Trump” movement became “Never Trumpism.”
The Post’s Isaac Arnsdorf reports that in races across the country, former and even some sitting Republican elected officials are endorsing Democratic candidates in unusual numbers. And a crop of Republican-led groups that sprang up to oppose former president Donald Trump has now turned to persuading Republican voters not to support the party’s nominees who are imitating his divisive appeals and false clams about the 2020 election. Per Isaac:
The latest: Trump lashes out after Paul Ryan says Trump won’t be 2024 nominee
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Former president Donald Trump is lashing out at former House speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), calling him “grossly incompetent” and “dopey” after Ryan said publicly last week that Trump will not be the next Republican presidential nominee and that he would lose in the 2024 general election if he were.
In a posting on Truth Social, Trump’s social media site, he called Ryan “grossly incompetent” during the stretch they overlapped as president and speaker, accusing Ryan of doing “everything possible” to thwart Trump’s southern border wall. Trump also claimed that Ryan was “even worse” as the Republican vice-presidential nominee in 2012 on the ticket with Mitt Romney. (In the same posting, Trump attacked Romney as a “RINO,” shorthand for Republican in Name Only.)
Take a look: What voters in swing states are saying three weeks before midterms
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Ricardo Sanchez is a 51-year-old voter in Olmsted Township, Ohio. (Video: The Washington Post)
The 2022 midterm election is three weeks away, with control of the House of Representatives and the Senate — along with three dozen gubernatorial races — at stake.
To get a sense of which issues are most important for prospective voters ahead of the election next month, The Washington Post dispatched reporters to NFL stadiums across the country Sunday.
While some fans considered their pregame rituals too sacred to sully by talking politics, the tailgate lots proved to be a fertile ground for finding voters willing to share their opinions. Here is what likely voters had to say in Miami, Atlanta, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
On our radar: John Fetterman’s health sparks contentious debate in final stretch
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Since he suffered a stroke in May days before the Democratic Senate primary in Pennsylvania, John Fetterman and his allies have sought to make his recovery a lesson in empathy.
The Post’s Colby Itkowitz, Lenny Bernstein and Amanda Morris report that the campaign has shared messages from people who say Fetterman inspired them to prioritize their own health. After an event Saturday, Fetterman knelt and spoke with a woman in a wheelchair who had also suffered a stroke. Per our colleagues:
Republicans, including Fetterman’s opponent, Mehmet Oz, have made the aftermath of the stroke central to their attacks against him. Some have called attention to his verbal struggles, reliance on closed captioning and summer absence from the trail.
The Republican National Committee last week shared a montage of Fetterman’s verbal stumbles with the caption, “Does it sound like Fetterman is fit for office?” Oz has suggested Fetterman has something to hide, recently tweeting: “John Fetterman won’t answer questions from voters, he won’t debate more than once, and he won’t be honest about his health.”
Now, in the final weeks of one of the most consequential and competitive Senate races in the country, Fetterman’s health has become a focal point for both campaigns.
You can read the full story here.
The latest: Trump attacks American Jews, posting they must ‘get their act together’ on Israel
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Former president Donald Trump attacked American Jews in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, saying Jews in the United States must “get their act together” and show more appreciation for Israel “before it is too late.”
The Post’s Rosalind S. Helderman reports that American Jews have long been accused of holding secret loyalty to Israel rather than the United States, and Trump’s post leaned on that antisemitic trope, suggesting that by virtue of their religion, American Jews ...
GOP Hopefuls Turn To Pence To Broaden Appeal Before Election
GOP Hopefuls Turn To Pence To Broaden Appeal Before Election https://digitalarizonanews.com/gop-hopefuls-turn-to-pence-to-broaden-appeal-before-election-4/
In Donald Trump’s assessment, Mike Pence “committed political suicide” on Jan. 6, 2021.
By refusing to go along with the then-president’s unconstitutional push to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Pence became a leading target of Trump’s wrath and a pariah in many Republican circles.
But the final weeks of this year’s intensely competitive midterm elections suggest that the former vice president’s fortunes have shifted as he lays the groundwork for his own potential 2024 White House campaign. The man who was booed last year at a conservative conference is now an in-demand draw for Republican candidates, including some who spent their primaries obsessively courting Trump’s endorsement, in part by parroting his election lies.
Pence has traveled the country, holding events and raising millions for candidates and Republican groups, including signing fundraising solicitations for party committees.
For our latest election coverage, visit our election homepage.
For some campaigns in tight races, Pence is seen as something of a neutralizing agent who can help broaden their appeal beyond Trump’s core base of support. That’s the case in Arizona, with a critical Senate race this year and where the 2024 presidential campaign will be hotly contested. Last week, Pence endorsed Senate nominee Blake Masters, who has struggled to pivot from the primary and win over moderates in a state where one-third of voters are registered independents.
“He takes a little bit of the edge off Masters with a lot of voters,” veteran GOP strategist Scott Reed said. “You know Masters is new to this, first-time candidate, said some silly things he probably regrets during the campaign. But now it’s all about undecided voters in Maricopa County. There’s not a lot more science behind this.”
The endorsements can seem jarring given that Pence has spent much of the past year pushing back on Trump’s election lies, which spurred the violent mob that descended on the Capitol on Jan. 6 while Pence was trying to preside over the formal congressional certification of Joe Biden’s election victory. Pence and members of his family had to be rushed to safety and were held for hours in an underground loading dock as the marauders roamed the building’s hallways. Some rioters chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” and erected a makeshift gallows outside.
Pence agreed to endorse Masters even though Masters, during the primary, baselessly denied the 2020 election results. Masters recorded a video in which he said he thought Trump had won and claimed on his website that “if we had had a free and fair election, President Trump would be sitting in the Oval Office today.” Trump endorsed Masters in June, saying in a statement: “Blake knows that the “Crime of the Century” took place, he will expose it and also, never let it happen again.”
Pence made no mention of that in Phoenix on Tuesday.
“What I came here to Arizona to say is not only is Blake Masters the right choice for the United States Senate, the people of Arizona deserve to know Blake Masters may be the difference between a Democrat majority in the Senate and a Republican majority in the Senate,” Pence said.
Read more: Indiana Democrats push abortion issue as early voting starts
The former vice president, along with Masters and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, took just three questions, two of them from conservative websites. When a television reporter noted that Masters has questioned the 2020 election, a spokesman for Masters cut him off before he could finish his question.
Masters is not the only election denier Pence has endorsed or assisted.
Two days after the Masters event, Pence was in Georgia headlining a fundraiser for Burt Jones, the nominee for lieutenant governor. Jones not only embraced Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud and called for a statewide investigation into the 2020 race, but he also signed on to be one of his state’s fake alternate electors — a scheme now under criminal investigation.
Last month, Pence was in New Hampshire for Senate nominee Don Bolduc, a retired Army general who also spent his primary campaign telling voters the race was stolen from Trump.
Marc Short, a longtime Pence adviser, declined to set a red line for candidates Pence would and would not endorse.
“It’s more about making sure that he’s being a team player where he needs to be,” Short said. “I think as a lot of these candidates look to solidify the party behind them, Pence can be helpful.”
There is no evidence of any widespread fraud or manipulation of voting machines in the 2020 election, underscored by repeated audits, court cases and the conclusions of Trump’s own Department of Justice. Still, support of false election claims run deep among GOP candidates this year.
Read more: Pence tells GOP to stop lashing out at FBI over Trump search
The Masters endorsement notably came days after a debate in which he made headlines for seeming to have shifted from his most outrageous rigged election claims. Masters instead blamed Trump’s loss on “big tech,” “big media” and the FBI, and under repeated questioning, acknowledged he hadn’t seen evidence the vote count or results were manipulated, as Trump has claimed. (After the Pence visit, Masters told Fox News he stood by what he had said on his now-modified website, adding: “I think if everyone followed the law, President Trump would be in the Oval Office.”)
Short said Pence was happy to support candidates who had moved past 2020, as the former vice president has urged the party to do.
“If people sort of acknowledged a mistaken position before, he certainly wants to reward that,” Short said. “I think he wants to help conservatives first and foremost, but if people who were elected are now adopting new position about the events of Jan. 6,” Short said, “then that’s a positive.”
Jones and Bolduc have also tried to distance themselves from their previous statements.
In interviews, Jones has tried to play down the fake elector slate as a “procedural move,” while noting that voters rarely mention the 2020 race.
“Look he’s been consistent that he does not believe the 2020 election was rigged. He said that Joe Biden is president,” said Jones campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson, who noted that Pence and Jones have a long-standing relationship and, like Masters, share former Pence staff.
Read more: Indiana reps criticize student loan forgiveness, had thousands in PPP loans forgiven
“For us, it was sort of a no-brainer because the vice president’s still very well liked in Georgia, very well received. And we’re in that final stretch where any Republican coming to raise money, support, is a value add,” he said.
“I think it’s certainly a nod to more mainstream kind of moderate Republicans. I think that’s a fair assessment,” he said.
Bolduc claimed throughout the primary race that the 2020 election had been stolen. During a debate, he proclaimed that “Trump won the election, and damn it, I stand by” and adding, “I’m not switching horses, baby.”
But right after the GOP primary — and a day after appearing with Pence — he told Fox News it was time to move on. “You know, we live and learn, right? And I’ve done a lot of research on this and I’ve spent the past couple of weeks talking to Granite Staters all over the state from every party. And I have come to the conclusion, and I want to be definitive on this: The election was not stolen,” Bolduc said. He described Biden as “the legitimate president of this country.”
(Earlier this month Bolduc changed his position again, saying he wasn’t sure what happened with the election. “I can’t say that it was stolen or not. I don’t have enough information.”)
Reed, the party strategist, said he understood the rationale behind Pence’s endorsements.
“He’s a big picture party guy. And it doesn’t surprised me that he’s hustling as hard as he is for people who may not be 100% Pencers,” he said. “By doing these kinds of events,” he added, “they’re going to take another look at him if he decides to run.”
Pence’s political future is an open question. Trump, who is widely expected to run again, remains deeply popular with Republican primary voters and would almost certainly be an early front-runner for the 2024 nomination. Pence has said his own decision about running will not be influenced by Trump, though allies often voice skepticism that Trump ultimately will end up on the ballot.
Beyond his endorsements, Pence has spent his time since leaving office performing a careful balancing act. He has distanced himself from Trump’s most corrosive statements while promoting what he calls the Trump-Pence agenda. Pence, like generations of could-be candidates, has used the primaries as an opportunity to forge new relationships and build goodwill, and continues to align himself with conservative causes. His trips often include college visits and speeches before anti-abortion groups.
Other potential 2024 candidates have campaigned for the Republican cause, including Texas Sen. Ted Cuz, who is on a monthlong, 17-state “Take Back America” bus tour. Trump has held rallies and finally begun spending a small part of his vast political fortune to help his favored candidates.
“I think he and all these guys are out there really helping the Republicans to win back the House and win back the Senate. It’s an effort that everybody needs to contribute to,” said David McIntosh, president of the influential Club for Growth, who has joined Pence at several events.
McIntosh, who has been at odds with Trump in recent months, said he believes the electorate is “moving on” from 2020 “to what’s on the ballot this election.” He said candidates such as Masters “want to show that they’ve got support from all different types of Republicans, everyone that’s out there, so there’s a unity theme.”
“It’s always been ...
Russia's War In Ukraine | CNN https://digitalarizonanews.com/russias-war-in-ukraine-cnn-5/
with Iranian-made “kamikaze” drones, striking the country’s capital at least four times on Monday, Ukrainian officials say. CNN’s Clarissa Ward reports.” data-details=”” data-duration=”03:44″ data-editable=”settings” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”:{“uri”:”https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/221017101822-clarissa-rescue-1.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill”},”small”:{“uri”:”https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/221017101822-clarissa-rescue-1.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill”}}” data-featured-video=”true” data-headline=”CNN on scene in Kyiv after ‘kamikaze’ drones hit Ukrainian capital” data-live=”” data-medium-env=”prod” data-show-ads=”true” data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_6a73ee7c05b10c756191baad307ab1f8-h_fe56fc206dd98d247567dffee76d2720@published” data-video-id=”world/2022/10/17/russia-attacks-kyiv-clarissa-ward-ovn-intl-ldn-vpx.cnn” data-vr-video=””
CNN on scene in Kyiv after ‘kamikaze’ drones hit Ukrainian capital
03:44 – Source: CNN
Russia attacked Kyiv with “kamikaze” drones on Monday, according to Ukrainian officials, who repeated their calls for Western allies to supply Ukraine with more advanced air defense systems. The deadly attacks come after Moscow fired hundreds of missiles at civilian targets across Ukraine last week.
Drones have played a significant role in the conflict since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, but their use has increased after Moscow acquired new drones from Iran over the summer.
A UN envoy accused Russia of using rape as a “military strategy” in Ukraine, saying there are dozens of documented sexual violence cases involving troops.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko speaks to the press next to a destroyed building after a drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 17.
(Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images)
The number of people killed after Russian strikes in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, has now reached four, the city’s mayor said Monday.
“We’ve got already 4 people dead under the ruins of the building in the Shevchenkivsky district which was hit by the Russian terrorist drone,” Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. “The rescuers found another body of a man there. The rescue operation is ongoing. There could be some other people under the rubble.”
Three people have been taken to the hospital, he said, two of whom are emergency responders.
CNN’s Olly Racz contributed to this report.
Russian-Belarusian exercises, dubbed Allied Resolve 2022, in Belarus on February 19.
(Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua/Getty Images)
The announcement last week that Belarus and Russia would form a joint regional force and carry out exercises set off alarm bells in Kyiv.
The last time Belarusian and Russian forces held joint exercises, in February, many of those Russian forces went on to cross the Ukrainian border in their ill-fated drive toward the capital.
It’s not that Belarus has a mighty army – it doesn’t. But the prospect of Ukraine’s long northern border becoming a passageway for Russian forces for the second time this year would be a nightmare for Ukraine’s already stretched forces. Ukraine and Belarus share a 1,000-kilometer frontier, much of it sparsely populated and thickly forested.
At the moment, the Ukrainian army is conducting offensives in the east and south while holding off Russian forces in parts of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia. After seven months of war, the Ukrainian military has suffered attrition just like its enemy: moving forces to defend its northern flank would stretch forces already fighting on multiple fronts.
Predictably enough, Belarus says the joint force is purely defensive. The country’s Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said that “all activities carried out at the moment are aimed at providing a sufficient response to activities near our borders.”
Those activities, according to Belarus, are aimed at deterring Ukrainian preparations to attack the country. Lukashenko said last week that his government had been “warned about strikes against Belarus from the territory of Ukraine.”
Ukraine has vehemently denied the claims. The Foreign Ministry said it “categorically rejects these latest insinuations by the Belarusian regime. We cannot rule out that this diplomatic note may be part of a provocation on the part of the Russian Federation.”
Read the full analysis here.
A fragment of a kamikaze drone after the Russian attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 17.
(Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Ukraine has repeatedly asked its allies to supply it with more air defense systems and ammunition after Russia stepped up its use of “kamikaze drones” in its brutal assault against the country.
Kyiv says Moscow has used Iranian-supplied kamikaze drones in strikes against Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and other cities across Ukraine in recent weeks, and pleaded with Western countries to step up their assistance in the face of the new challenge.
Drones have played a significant role in the conflict since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February, but their use has increased since Moscow acquired the new drones from Iran over the summer.
What are kamikaze drones? Kamikaze drones, or suicide drones, are a type of aerial weapon system. They are known as a loitering munition because they are capable of waiting for some time in an area identified as a potential target and only strike once an enemy asset is identified.
They are small, portable and can be easily launched, but their main advantage is that they are hard to detect and can be fired from a distance.
Why are they called “Kamikaze”? The name “kamikaze” refers to the fact the drones are disposable. They are designed to hit behind enemy lines and are destroyed in the attack — unlike the more traditional, larger and faster military drones that return home after dropping missiles.
Which drones is Russia using in Ukraine? The Ukrainian military and US intelligence say Russia is using Iranian-made attack drones. US officials told CNN in July that Iran had begun showcasing Shahed series drones to Russia at Kashan Airfield south of Tehran the previous month. The drones are capable of carrying precision-guided missiles and have a payload of approximately 50 kilograms (110 pounds).
In August, US officials said Russia had bought these drones and was training its forces how to use them. According to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia has ordered 2,400 Shahed-136 drones from Iran.
Iran has denied supplying weapons to Russia: But evidence points to the contrary. Ukraine claimed its forces had shot down one of these drones for the first time last month near the city of Kupyansk in Kharkiv. There have been more reported attacks since then. Kyiv’s military said Wednesday it had downed 17 Shahed-136 drones that day alone. According to photos released by Ukrainian authorities, Russia has rebranded the Shaheds and is using them under the name of “Geran.”
US officials say there has been “some evidence already” that the Iranian drones “have already experienced numerous failures” on the battlefield.
Read more here.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba during the press conference ahead of Security Council meeting on situation in Ukraine at UN Headquarters, in New York, on September 22.
(Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket/Getty Images)
Ukraine’s foreign minister said “the patience broke,” as he explained why he called for sanctions against Iran on Monday at an EU meeting after dozens of Iranian-made drones struck across the country and the capital city of Kyiv, killing at least three people.
“Today, for the first time in the history of Ukrainian-Iranian relations, I called for sanctions against Iran,” Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in the video statement on his Facebook page.
“The patience broke. We listened to various explanations and arguments for a very long time, but it’s impossible to hide the truth. And this truth today flew into the houses of the city of Kyiv. Therefore, the time has come to apply sanctions against Iran for the supply of weapons to the Russian Federation,” Kuleba said.
The foreign minister said sanctions against Iran would send a message that anyone helping Russia will “suffer and feel the price of it.”
Earlier Monday, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said that the EU “will look for concrete evidence” on Iran’s involvement in the war in Ukraine, ahead of today’s scheduled meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
Firefighters work on a building in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 17, after a Russian drone attack.
(Roman Hrytsyna/AP)
As Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv has come under attack by so-called “kamikaze” drones, according to a top Ukrainian official, the Biden administration will factor in Russia’s use of these deadly drones in its future decision-making and planning as it pertains to helping Ukraine, according to a senior administration official.
That decision-making notably includes ongoing deliberations about providing Ukraine with air defense systems, which is Kyiv’s top need at this point in the war as Ukrainian officials have repeatedly said.
In recent days, US President Joe Biden and top US officials have made clear that the US plans to continue providing Ukraine with various air defense systems – including the expedited delivery of two NASAMS systems.
While the US is certain that Russians are in fact using these “kamikaze” drones and that they are lethal, the senior administration official also told CNN Monday, for now, the administration will let the Ukrainians describe and characterize how much harm attacks from those drones have caused on the ground.
As Moscow escalates its assault on Ukraine, emergency services are working to rescue people from fatal “kamikaze” drone attacks launched by Russia early Monday.
H...
Why Trump Is Facing New Allegations Of Anti-Semitism (Yes Again)
Why Trump Is Facing New Allegations Of Anti-Semitism (Yes, Again) https://digitalarizonanews.com/why-trump-is-facing-new-allegations-of-anti-semitism-yes-again/
By some estimates, roughly 22% of Jewish voters supported Donald Trump’s candidacy in 2020. The Republican expected a stronger showing, and with the latest reporting from NBC News in mind, it seems the former president is expressing his frustrations in rather provocative ways.
Former President Donald Trump attacked Jews in the U.S. on his Truth Social platform Sunday, writing that they need to “get their act together” and “appreciate” Israel “before it is too late.”
It’s unclear what prompted his missive, but by way of his Twitter-like social media platform, Trump began by insisting that no president “has done more for Israel” than him. Perhaps now is a good time to note while the Republican took a series of steps he considered to be pro-Israel while in office, by his own admission, Trump didn’t necessarily understand his own policies.
The former president went on to argue yesterday that “our wonderful Evangelicals are far more appreciative” of his record than Jews, before boasting that he could “easily” become the Israeli prime minister thanks to the strength of his support among Israeli Jews.
Trump concluded, “U.S. Jews have to get their act together and appreciate what they have in Israel — Before it is too late!”
The Anti-Defamation League’s Jonathan Greenblatt responded soon after, “We don’t need the former president, who curries favor with extremists and anti-Semites, to lecture us about the US-Israel relationship…. This ‘Jewsplaining’ is insulting and disgusting.”
I was also struck by the reaction from Willamette University historian Seth Cotlar, who wrote, “A leader, appealing to his angry base of ‘Christian Patriots’ and warning American Jews that they better be grateful for what they have ‘before it is too late’ will sound especially chilling to anyone who knows about American fascism in the 1930s.”
But let’s not forget that Trump has taken similar walks down the same ugly road. As we’ve discussed, it was just last year when the former president whined, “Jewish people who live in the United States don’t love Israel enough.” His proof, of course, was that Jews didn’t vote for him in large enough numbers.
Months later, the Republican told an Israeli journalist that “the Jewish people in the United States either don’t like Israel or don’t care about Israel…. I’ll tell you, the evangelical Christians love Israel more than the Jews in this country.” In the same interview, Trump said, “It used to be that Israel had absolute power over Congress, and today I think it’s the exact opposite.”
For good measure, the former president went on to say, “I mean, you look at The New York Times. The New York Times hates Israel. Hates ‘em. And they’re Jewish people that run The New York Times, I mean the Sulzberger family.” (For the record, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. is not Jewish.)
In other words, according to Trump, Jews run the nation’s largest newspaper, and Israel used to have control over Congress, but now, thanks to Democrats, Jewish voters are hostile toward Israel — unlike him and his evangelical allies.
All of this was, and is, quite jarring, but it’s not unexpected.
It was in 2019 when the then-president spoke at the Israeli American Council’s national summit, where he suggested Jewish people are primarily focused on wealth, which is why he expected them to support his re-election campaign. Four months earlier, Trump used some highly provocative rhetoric about Jews and what he expects about their “loyalties.”
These were not isolated incidents. Several months into his presidential campaign, for example, Trump spoke to the Republican Jewish Coalition and said, “You’re not gonna support me because I don’t want your money. You want to control your politicians.” He added, “I’m a negotiator — like you folks.”
Several months later, the Republican promoted anti-Semitic imagery through social media. In the closing days of the 2016 campaign, Trump again faced accusations of anti-Semitism, claiming Hillary Clinton met “in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of U.S. sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers.”
In March 2019, at a speech to RNC donors, Trump reportedly said, “The Democrats hate Jewish people.” It was ridiculous at the time, and it seems just a little worse now.
Steve Benen is a producer for “The Rachel Maddow Show,” the editor of MaddowBlog and an MSNBC political contributor. He’s also the bestselling author of “The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics.”
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AZ-VC Closes First Fund, At $110M – FinSMEs https://digitalarizonanews.com/az-vc-closes-first-fund-at-110m-finsmes/
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AZ-VC Closes First Fund, at $110M
AZ-VC (formerly invisionAZ Fund), a Phoenix, AZ-based venture capital firm, closed its first fund, at $110m.
The fund is backed by an almost Arizona-exclusive list of LPs, many of whom will be actively engaged as advisors in helping source, mentor and grow portfolio companies.
Managed by Jack Selby, an original employee and former executive at PayPal, AZ-VC is a Series A and beyond venture capital fund based in Phoenix and focused on Arizona technology companies. It is sector agnostic.
To date, the firm invested $3m in Mosaic, an elastic national general contracting service for digitally empowering the homebuilding industry; and led an investment round in Uplinq, a provider of advanced bookkeeping solutions that leverages data automation and machine learning to small and medium-sized businesses.
The team also included Benjamin Brockwell, Principal.
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17/10/2022
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Exclusive: China's State Banks Seen Acquiring Dollars In Swaps Market To Stabilise Yuan
Exclusive: China's State Banks Seen Acquiring Dollars In Swaps Market To Stabilise Yuan https://digitalarizonanews.com/exclusive-chinas-state-banks-seen-acquiring-dollars-in-swaps-market-to-stabilise-yuan/
SHANGHAI/BEIJING, Oct 17 (Reuters) – China’s state banks stepped up their intervention to defend a weakening yuan on Monday, with banking sources telling Reuters these banks sold a high volume of U.S. dollars and used a combination of swaps and spot trades.
Six banking sources told Reuters the country’s major state-owned banks were spotted swapping yuan for U.S. dollars in the forwards market and selling those dollars in the spot market, a playbook move used by China in 2018 and 2019 as well.
The selling seemed to be aimed at stabilising the yuan , with the swaps helping procure dollars as well as anchoring the price of yuan in forwards, said the sources, who have direct knowledge of market trades.
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The yuan is down 11.6% versus the dollar this year. It was trading around 7.1980 per dollar on Monday.
One-year dollar/yuan forwards fell rapidly following the state bank actions, pushing the yuan to 6.95 per dollar. One of the sources noted the size of the dollar selling operation was “rather huge”.
“The big banks want to acquire dollar positions from the swap market to stabilise the spot market,” said another source.
State banks usually trade on behalf of the central bank in China’s FX market, but they can also trade for their own purposes or execute orders for their corporate clients.
A third source noted that the state banks’ trades appeared to be managed so that the country’s closely-watched $3 trillion foreign exchange reserves will not be tapped for intervention.
At the same time, the move helps state banks to procure dollars at a time when rising U.S. yields have made dollars scarce and expensive.
China burned through $1 trillion of reserves supporting the yuan during the economic downturn in 2015, and the sharp reduction in the official reserves attracted much criticism.
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Reporting by Shanghai and Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Vidya Ranganathan and Ana Nicolaci da Costa
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Classes Canceled In 2 Mass. Cities With Teacher Strikes Expected
Classes Canceled In 2 Mass. Cities With Teacher Strikes Expected https://digitalarizonanews.com/classes-canceled-in-2-mass-cities-with-teacher-strikes-expected/
School officials in Haverhill and Malden have canceled classes on Monday with teachers strikes expected to start in both Massachusetts cities.The president of the Malden Education Association, Deb Gesualdo, said that teachers will be on strike Monday after spending nearly 11 hours at the negotiating table with the Malden School Committee on Sunday alone.On Monday morning, teachers were demonstrating with signs outside the high school. “Since they have walked away from the table while we were still ready to bargain and our membership voted overwhelmingly on Friday to authorize this strike, if there was no agreement in writing by Sunday evening, the Malden Education Association members are on strike,” Gesualdo said.Gesualdo said both sides went back and forth on salary and that the union came down on their demands and felt close to a deal before the School Committee’s negotiating subcommittee called for a mediator and walked out for the night.”We’re at an impasse. We’re going to request the assistance of the Division of Labor Relations and request that the division assign up a mediator to continue these negotiations,” said school department attorney Howard Greenspan.Teachers in Malden say they will picket outside all seven of the district’s seven schools.Because of the threat of a teachers strike, Malden Public Schools officials canceled Monday’s classes. Although there is no school for students, the school district said all union and non-union employees will be required to report to work on Monday in schools and central offices.”The School Committee’s negotiating team and the MEA had an incredibly productive day of bargaining that ended in the committee making a significant number of agreements and a very competitive and unprecedented salary and benefits offer,” Malden Public School Superintendent Ligia Noriega-Murphy said in a statement. “Considering how much movement was made today, we would have hoped the bargaining could have continued at our next regularly scheduled meeting, and that no avoidable disruption to the education of our students and routine of our families would occur.”The news out of Malden came just hours after the Haverhill School Committee announced Monday’s classes are canceled after it was not able to reach an agreement on a new contract with the Haverhill Education Association, paving the way for a teachers strike.The School Committee said it spent hours at the negotiating table with the teachers union over the weekend in the hopes of avoiding a strike after HEA members overwhelmingly voted in favor of authorizing a strike on Friday. Malden educators also overwhelmingly approved an authorization to strike in a vote held Friday afternoon.Negotiations in Haverhill are expected to resume at 8 a.m. Monday.In their contract negotiations, Haverhill and Malden educators have said they are seeking higher pay, smaller class sizes and safer school environments.While the school will be closed to students on Monday, the School Committee said buildings will be open and all employees are expected to report to work.Teacher strikes are illegal in Massachusetts since state law prohibits strikes by public employees, which makes them exceptionally rare in the commonwealth.”If they come to the table with a good deal, our team will sign it. I hope it’s tonight,” said Barry Davis, 1st vice president of the Haverhill Education Association. “But if we have to be on the (picket) line tomorrow, we will be.”Members of the Haverhill School Committee said they have offered teachers the biggest raise city educators have had in 20 years, but added that the Massachusetts Teachers Association wants the teachers to go on strike.”While some progress was made over the last few days, we are extremely disappointed that union leadership and the Massachusetts Teachers Association has encouraged our teachers to take this illegal action,” reads a statement from the Haverhill Negotiations Subcommittee.The school committee said that it, along with the Massachusetts Labor Relations Board, is asking a Salem Superior Court judge to issue a junction against the Haverhill Education Association for its strike.Negotiations will pick up at 8 a.m. Monday, according to the Haverhill School Committee.Haverhill students who have access to a free school lunch on Monday and free breakfast on Tuesday can get food at the following locations from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.:The Haverhill YMCA, 81 Winter St.The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill, 55 Emerson St.Swasey Field Park, 59 Blaisdell St.Haverhill Stadium, Lincoln and NettletonHaverhill Public Works Department – Parking Lot, 500 Primrose St.Winnekenni Castle – Tennis courts – 347 Kenoza Ave.Bradford CommonsCashman’s Park on Hilldale Ave.In addition, the Haverhill YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill will be open Monday for children who are presently enrolled in their programs.Parents of children who are registered for before-school or after-school programs at the YMCA will receive an email directly from the YMCA regarding childcare operations, including a full-day program from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.Parents of children who are not registered for YMCA programs but are enrolled in grades K-4 can sign up for a drop-in program at the Plaistow Community YMCA in New Hampshire from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Preregistration is required in advance.Haverhill students who are members of the local Boys and Girls Club are welcome to drop in at any time Monday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.Malden Public Schools officials said all before- and after-school programs, athletic practices and games, and other extracurricular activities scheduled for Monday have been canceled. There will also be no school bus transportation, except for a small number of Malden students who attend special education programs in schools outside the district.
HAVERHILL, Mass. —
School officials in Haverhill and Malden have canceled classes on Monday with teachers strikes expected to start in both Massachusetts cities.
The president of the Malden Education Association, Deb Gesualdo, said that teachers will be on strike Monday after spending nearly 11 hours at the negotiating table with the Malden School Committee on Sunday alone.
On Monday morning, teachers were demonstrating with signs outside the high school.
“Since they have walked away from the table while we were still ready to bargain and our membership voted overwhelmingly on Friday to authorize this strike, if there was no agreement in writing by Sunday evening, the Malden Education Association members are on strike,” Gesualdo said.
Gesualdo said both sides went back and forth on salary and that the union came down on their demands and felt close to a deal before the School Committee’s negotiating subcommittee called for a mediator and walked out for the night.
“We’re at an impasse. We’re going to request the assistance of the Division of Labor Relations and request that the division assign up a mediator to continue these negotiations,” said school department attorney Howard Greenspan.
Teachers in Malden say they will picket outside all seven of the district’s seven schools.
Because of the threat of a teachers strike, Malden Public Schools officials canceled Monday’s classes. Although there is no school for students, the school district said all union and non-union employees will be required to report to work on Monday in schools and central offices.
“The School Committee’s negotiating team and the MEA had an incredibly productive day of bargaining that ended in the committee making a significant number of agreements and a very competitive and unprecedented salary and benefits offer,” Malden Public School Superintendent Ligia Noriega-Murphy said in a statement. “Considering how much movement was made today, we would have hoped the bargaining could have continued at our next regularly scheduled meeting, and that no avoidable disruption to the education of our students and routine of our families would occur.”
The news out of Malden came just hours after the Haverhill School Committee announced Monday’s classes are canceled after it was not able to reach an agreement on a new contract with the Haverhill Education Association, paving the way for a teachers strike.
The School Committee said it spent hours at the negotiating table with the teachers union over the weekend in the hopes of avoiding a strike after HEA members overwhelmingly voted in favor of authorizing a strike on Friday. Malden educators also overwhelmingly approved an authorization to strike in a vote held Friday afternoon.
Negotiations in Haverhill are expected to resume at 8 a.m. Monday.
In their contract negotiations, Haverhill and Malden educators have said they are seeking higher pay, smaller class sizes and safer school environments.
While the school will be closed to students on Monday, the School Committee said buildings will be open and all employees are expected to report to work.
Teacher strikes are illegal in Massachusetts since state law prohibits strikes by public employees, which makes them exceptionally rare in the commonwealth.
“If they come to the table with a good deal, our team will sign it. I hope it’s tonight,” said Barry Davis, 1st vice president of the Haverhill Education Association. “But if we have to be on the (picket) line tomorrow, we will be.”
Members of the Haverhill School Committee said they have offered teachers the biggest raise city educators have had in 20 years, but added that the Massachusetts Teachers Association wants the teachers to go on strike.
“While some progress was made over the last few days, we are extremely disappointed that union leadership and the Massachusetts Teachers Association has encouraged our teachers to take this illegal action,” reads a statement from the Haverh...
Gilbert High Band Seeks Help To Get To London https://digitalarizonanews.com/gilbert-high-band-seeks-help-to-get-to-london/
The Gilbert Tiger Pride Marching Band has a fundraiser on Oct. 21 to help raise money for a trip to London to perform in the New Year Day’s parade.
The annual parade, with over 10,000 performers, touts itself as “the largest event of its kind in the world” that attracts 500 million global viewers and 650,000 street spectators.
The band’s most recent fundraiser was a car show on Sept. 24 that netted close to $1,800. The largest fundraiser coming up is the London Dinner and Auction this Friday, which will help pay for extras for the Dec. 27-Jan. 3 trip.
Elise Gould, public relations chair of the Gilbert High Band Boosters, explained the fundraiser and the trip for the Gilbert Sun News.
Share some details of the upcoming fundraiser.
It is a semi-formal dinner that is catered by one of our former band moms, who is a professional caterer. We will serve a menu of Tuscan grilled chicken, rice pilaf, broccoli salad, tossed garden salad, rolls, assorted lemonade, flavored water and dessert. There will be music and entertainment. The band will perform their parade tune, as well as some of their other favorite tunes. We will have a silent, dollar and live auction, as well as several raffle gifts to win.
How many band members are going on the trip?
A total of 95 at the moment. We have almost 60 students going and over 30 family members, chaperones and staff – our band director, our Drumline Caption Head and one of our Color Guard instructors are going to London with the band.
Is Gilbert Public Schools helping fund the trip?
The district does not help fund the trip with their budget.
What is the fundraising goal and will that cover all the costs for the band?
Our fundraising goal is $30,000 to cover the extras of the trip. The cost of the trip is $3,500 per person, which has stayed the same for the past two years, as we were promised they would not increase our cost from when the band was going in 2021.
Students must come up with the $3,500 by fundraising, getting tax credits or other donations. The boosters are fundraising to pay for any extra costs. The band has opted to add more to the schedule to give the students more of an opportunity to experience the best London has to offer.
These experiences include visiting Stonehenge, riding the London Eye and attending “The Phantom of the Opera.” All our fundraisers help pay for these additional expenses, as well as umbrellas, heavy/waterproof uniform, jackets, warmers and whatever other expenses we might incur.
How else can the public help?
The community can help our kids on this trip by:
• Donate items for our London Dinner and Auction. The Gilbert Band Boosters is a 501c3 tax-exempt organization and can take tax-deductible donations (see your tax advisor). Please contact GTPBigTrips@gmail.com to donate.
• Buy tickets to our London Dinner and Auction. Cost is $25 a ticket and includes the meal and entertainment. Please email GBBTreasurer@gmail.com for information on how to purchase tickets.
• Donate your Arizona School Tax Credit to “Gilbert High School/ tax credit-Band/ London Trip” through the online community donation on the Gilbertschools.net website and az-gilbert-lite.intouchreceipting.com/
• You can also donate online through the district website or print a form and take to the District or Gilbert High. On the form, choose Gilbert High School/Tax Credit-Band, then put in “London Trip.”
If we get enough donations, we would love to take all the students who could go.
How many times has the band performed in the London parade?
The Gilbert Tiger Pride Marching Band has a tradition of going on a “big trip” every three years for at least the past 30 years.
In 1993 they marched in the Tournament of Roses, 1996 -The Portland Rose Festival, 1998- the Florida Citrus Parade and Walt Disney World, 2001-The Inaugural Parade in Washington, DC and then later that year, Bands of America in Indianapolis, 2004-05 Citrus Parade and WDW again, 2008 – St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Ireland, 2012- National Independence Day Parade, Washington DC, 2015 – London New Years Day Parade (LNYDP) and 2018- Waikiki Memorial Parade, Hawaii.
The band was invited to attend the LNYDP for 2021, but had to postpone our plans due to COVID. We had to cancel because of COVID again for the LNYDP 2022. Finally, we get to go for the LNYDP in 2023!
What did prior students get from performing in the parade?
Having been on several trips with these amazing high school students, it amazes me to learn how many have never even been out of Arizona.
Many of them experience their first airplane trip. Some of these students will not have the opportunity to travel outside the states again.
The amount of education a student receives from being able to travel cannot be measured.
In 2015, I loved watching their eyes light up when they see Stonehenge or stand in front of Westminster Cathedral.
This time they will spend a whole day in Windsor, exploring the town and visiting the castle, where they just laid the beloved Queen Elizabeth II to rest.
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Letters To The Editor: Oct. 17 https://digitalarizonanews.com/letters-to-the-editor-oct-17/
Thoughts on those
supporting Masters
Re: the Sept. 21 article “Despite his numerous flaws, Masters is best candidate.”
I think John Johnson doesn’t like Mark Kelly. After reading this several times, It remains unclear to me just what offense convinced him to discard all decency, “hold his nose,” and vote for a candidate who seems to be a lying, self-serving, Donald Trump-clone like Blake Masters. Apparently, Kelly’s devotion to the democratic mission of favoring the needs of ordinary people, contrasts too starkly with “conservative” Republican values such as trickle-down, whereby, in principle, sufficient lucre from the top finds its way to the bottom, benefitting all. Unfortunately, what usually finds its way downhill is not prosperity. I’m flabbergasted by his condemnation of Kelly’s support for landmark, forward-looking legislation–declaring it pork-barrel–dedicated to salvaging rather than squandering the future and benefiting the greatest number of Americans, while lauding Kyrsten Sinema, whose own brand of pork favoring the wealthy — the carried interest loophole — was used to hold this very legislation hostage.
Remarkably, Johnson is prepared to abandon his tenuous support should Masters behave badly. Good luck with that.
Robert Gavlak
Midtown
Elegy for My Rose Bush
It took two years for reason
to win out. You were already half dead,
pruned too low in the wrong season.
Last summer you were bare
but for the salmon-colored flowers,
with no scent, a half dozen where
countless crimson sprays
bloomed the year before to add
such pleasure to my days.
But this spring when the lake
was lower than it’s ever been
and politicians dithered about how to slake
our endless thirst, I took the dare,
made myself turn off the water
we can no longer spare.
Now when I see the graying crown
of sticks that in the spring held tiny leaves
the squirrels stood on tiptoe to devour,
sadness and dread form a band around my heart
and I wonder how much time is left
before the whole world falls apart.
Jaqueline Newlove
Northwest side
Kelly’s record
Re: the Sept. 30 paid political ad on page A3
The desperation shown by the “Trumplican” party is apparent by the full-page ad taken out in the Arizona Daily Star by “Citizens for Sanity.” I find it quite ironic that they call themselves that, as there is not one sane person running on the side of the ticket. Mark Kelly is a veteran, a solid American, an independent thinker, and a role model for politicians if there ever was one. You can disagree on politics, but this “new” Republican Party is permeated by radicals who want to take away women’s rights to make personal health decisions, close the borders completely (how will their corporations run without immigrant workers I don’t know) and want to decimate public education and use our tax money to support private/ parochial schools. Last, but not least … each of the candidates running for office on the Republican ticket are conspiracy theorists, Jan. 6 insurrection supporters and election deniers. We need solid people in our government in Arizona as our democracy is in peril. Vote Blue.
Terri Hicks
Northwest side
Afraid to let us
know his thoughts?
Re: the Oct. 6 article “Candidate O’Halleran shares priorities for AZ.”
I appreciate 2nd Congressional District Candidate Democrat Tom O’Halleran answering questions from the Arizona Republic (and published in the Daily Star) to let voters know his thoughts on major issues the citizens of Arizona are facing. Whether or not I agree with them all, at least he had the courage and courtesy to reply. His Republican opponent couldn’t be bothered. That tells me a lot right there.
Karen Micallef
Oro Valley
Liberals’ ignorance
of firearms
I have read numerous letters to the Star attacking the use and availability of “automatic weapons.” This is pure ignorance. Pistols and rifles are available in semi-automatic configurations, meaning a person needs to physically pull the trigger each time a round is fired, not the spraying of bullets automatically. I think most liberals never have handled, much less fired, a semi-auto firearm due to their disdain for firearms in general. Fully automatic rifles are regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA). It requires the prospective buyer to submit a lengthy application and $200 “stamp” paid to the ATF, background investigation, along with a finger print card and a photograph. Approval can take a year or longer. The military’s version of the AR 15 is the M4 with selective semi-auto and three-round burst firing. Not even that is fully automatic. These same liberals, who are ignorant of the firing mechanisms of semi-automatic firearms, are also in Congress wanting to severely restrict and repeal the Second Amendment.
Marty Jacobs
Green Valley
Reject state-enforced misogyny
Re: the Oct. 7 article “Bobby Ghosh: Iran’s ruler faces a formidable new foe — schoolgirls”
Since 1979, the rulers of Iran have imposed strict limits on how women may appear and behave in public. These limits have been enforced with staggering savagery. Since the death in September of Mahsa Amini while in custody of the Morality Police, some of the schoolgirls the author mentions have been killed because they have publicly protested. Twenty-year old Hadis Najafi died from multiple gunshot wounds (not a stray bullet). The causes of the deaths of young protestors Nika Shakarami (age 17) and Sarina Esmailzadeh (age 16) as claimed by the police are disputed by the families of these young women. Say their names. And, while we still have the chance, women in the U.S. must vote to preserve our rights to bodily autonomy in the face of institutional efforts to curtail them, with sometimes fatal consequences. The majority of Americans agree with this, and reject state-enforced misogyny.
Cheryl De Ciantis
Northeast side
My experience with
Wildlife Center
Re: the Oct. 9 article “Substandard care at wildlife rehab center, say ex-workers.”
Thank you for your excellent reporting on problems at the Tucson Wildlife Center. I am a former volunteer (2021) who came to TWC with lofty expectations and later resigned due to poor training, disrespect of volunteers, and TWC’s fear-based culture.
New volunteers receive little training or feedback. We worked in a hot, cramped room feeding baby birds during the busy nesting season with little oversight. Scheduling is haphazard — some weeks we had too many volunteers and others not enough. Veterinarians rarely interact with volunteers; they silently enter the room, examine the birds, and leave as if we are not there. Staff are often overheard disparaging other volunteers.
I wrestled with approaching the board with suggestions on ways to improve morale but was advised to keep quiet.
When I submitted my resignation, I received no response. It speaks volumes that it took weeks for the volunteer coordinator to notice my absence.
While I applaud the TWC’s mission, it has a huge culture problem. Our wildlife deserve better.
Laurie Cantillo
Foothills
Guns on campus?
A deadly idea
Even as schools report unprecedented levels of student mental-health crises, Republican legislators want to let college kids carry concealed weapons. Let’s go to UA’s Harshbarger Building and ask the folks there — who, by sheer luck managed not to be murdered alongside Prof. Tom Meixner — how they feel about that. Accused killer Murad Dervish, a former student, has a long record of violent crime and imprisonment. An alcoholic, he tried to murder his parents. He threatened Meixner in terms serious enough for university police to seek a stay-away order. And yet Dervish got a gun, carried it onto campus, strolled into a class building and slaughtered a beloved educator, husband and father. Nearly 45,000 students attend UA. Taking a wild guess here, at least a few are suicidally depressed, angry, mentally ill, stoned, drunk and/or violent. But as Dervish just demonstrated, when you add guns, it only takes one.
Elinor Brecher, retired newspaper reporter
Foothills
Walker for senator
Seems to me that Herschel Walker did the honorable thing when offering his girlfriend an abortion. It was entirely legal back then and he would have been roundly denounced if he had failed in this socially acceptable deed. However, time and a few lies have passed and miraculously he is now liable to be elected senator from Georgia. So, applying Christian values, I sort of forgive him. Now, I have to ask what does he plan to do and how does he plan to conduct himself in this very weighty and intellectually demanding office/honor? Does he have a platform, a few missions that he proposes? Has he ever run even a small office? Is he sympathetic to the Republican agenda? Can he read and/or write, explain his intentions? Does he know he’s signing up for a six-year gig?
Or, will he merely be an errand boy for DJT and/or Mitch McConnell.
I forgive him his trespasses, but he must show me his hand now.
Susan VonKersburg
Foothills
Sense and nonsense
When asked about her priorities, gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake talks about disproven conspiracy theories concerning voter fraud and stolen elections, imprisoning her opponent for unspecified crimes, and bemoaning “Democrats never go to prison,” or nonsense about non-issues.
When asked about her priorities, candidate Katie Hobbs talks about her plans to address water and immigration issues, reproductive health care, equity for all Arizonans, voting rights and election security, and supporting public education and tribal communities, or sensible solutions addressing real issues.
Concerning border security, Lake would “declare an invasion, send in the national guard, and blow up tunnels,” a senseless, violent response to the flow of nonviolent immigrants under the jurisdiction of the Border Patrol.
Meanwhile, Hobbs plans to “increase...
If The FBI Can Attack Our Democracy With Impunity To Destroy A Multi-Billionaire U.S. President No American Is Safe. L'Observateur
If The FBI Can Attack Our Democracy With Impunity To Destroy A Multi-Billionaire U.S. President, No American Is Safe. – L'Observateur https://digitalarizonanews.com/if-the-fbi-can-attack-our-democracy-with-impunity-to-destroy-a-multi-billionaire-u-s-president-no-american-is-safe-lobservateur/
Published 6:44 am Monday, October 17, 2022
This past week Special Counsel John Durham went into federal court to begin the trial of Igor Danchenko for lying to the FBI as part of the Russia Collusion scam. However, while the outcome of this specific case is important, what has been exposed is—more importantly—the larger picture of corruption at the highest levels of the FBI.
My observations here are not aimed at the field level FBI agents across the country who I have no reason to believe don’t honor their oath to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution and who do the best they can to perform their duties professionally and in a non-partisan manner. My aim here is the vindictive, highly partisan, and traitorous political appointees at the very top of the FBI.
We have known for many years that in 2016 the FBI initiated its corrupt Crossfire Hurricane investigation into whether President Trump’s campaign had been “colluding” with Russians. The predicate of this investigation was extremely weak information—essentially gossip—from a low-level aide named George Papadopoulous.
At that time, the FBI also began to receive information from former British spy Christopher Steele including a “dossier” paid for by Hillary Clinton’s campaign containing demonstrably false information about then-candidate Trump to support this corrupt narrative of Trump’s alleged complicity with Russia. Steele, we have since learned, worked on behalf of the Clinton campaign and fed his false allegations to a happily receptive, eager-to-collude FBI.
However, what our nation did not know was the stunning fact noted by Kimberly Strassel in the Wall Street Journal. “The FBI rushed to meet with Mr. Steele in early October 2016. It had undertaken no due diligence on its source and had been unable to verify a single dossier claim (and never would). At that meeting, it nonetheless took the astonishing step of offering Mr. Steele “up to $1 million” in taxpayer dollars to verify his own information. Usually, Ms. Strassel notes, the FBI pays another party to verify a source report.” (WSJ 10-14-2022.)
Steele never has and never could verify anything! And yet, the information in the Dossier had already been used, and would continue to be used, by the FBI to fabricate probable cause to obtain four secret FISA warrants used to tap Trump Tower and spy on another Trump campaign staffer.
It gets even worse but what we outlined here is sufficient.
All of this information is publicly available but national “media” and social media further perpetuated this fraud through their obvious double standard in the way they ignored and actively suppressed the Clinton-Russia Hoax corruption story which is demonstrably true; as contrasted with the media’s saturation coverage of the demonstrably false allegation of Trump-Russia collusion as Robert Mueller and his team were reluctantly forced to conclude following the expenditure of $32 million taxpayer dollars and 18 months of futile investigation to try to “get Trump.”
Conclusions to be drawn:
Our U.S. Intelligence Agencies like the FBI have been weaponized for partisan politics. We can no longer trust our law enforcement agencies to investigate, prosecute and try people on a non-partisan basis. The existence of a federal investigation may or may not be rooted in real evidence of criminal actions, depending on the politics and viewpoint of the target of the investigation.
See also the 2020 Hunter Biden laptop story which the dishonest media and Big Tech only now, in March 2022, acknowledge was a major, verified story. Polling demonstrated that 14.6 percent of Biden voters would have voted differently had they known about the evidence of international influence peddling contained on Hunter Biden’s laptop. This would have changed the result of the 2020 election, decided by 44,000 votes in Wisconsin, Arizona, and Georgia.
Will justice ever be served? It will be difficult given the power of Big Tech and the Deep State but I’m hopeful a new Republican Congress, using subpoena power, will hold hearings to shine a light into this political and governmental corruption.
These Durham filings again make clear that we are at a point in American history that a presumption of falsity and untrustworthiness must be made whenever our national media or government institutions make a “statement” regarding the “news.” There is simply no reason to believe them at face value, and every reason not to.
Royal Alexander
Royal Alexander Law Firm
P.O. Box 1837
Shreveport, LA 71166
Phone: (318) 344-7030
Fax: (318) 722-8001
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Midterm Elections Quickly Approach https://digitalarizonanews.com/midterm-elections-quickly-approach/
HARRISBURG — On Nov. 8, Pennsylvanians will make their way to polling places to decide the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races as part of Election Day 2022.
Voters will also have the equally important opportunity to elect representatives and senators to the state’s General Assembly after a monumental redistricting cycle that redrew the district lines; the change could alter the balance of power in the state House.
To help you prepare for Election Day 2022 in Pennsylvania, we’ve answered some of your most frequently asked questions below:
When is the 2022 Election Day in Pennsylvania?
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Mark your calendar!
When do polls open?
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. As long as you are in line to vote by 8 p.m., you are entitled to cast a ballot.
When is the last day
to register to vote?
The last day to register is Oct. 24.
You can register online here, or submit a registration form in person or through the mail to your county election office by the same date.
Online voter registration applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m that day. Mail and in-person applications must be received by the county board of elections by 5 p.m.
How can I check
my registration?
You can check your registration at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/voterregistrationstatus.aspx. You can search using your name, county, zip code, and birthday, or by entering your driver’s license or PennDOT identification card number.
How to change parties
To change your party affiliation, fill out the same voter registration form that you used to register the first time.
When filling out the form, select the box that says “change of party.” If you register less than 15 days before the election, the change will not take place until the next election cycle.
Can independents still vote on Nov. 8?
Absolutely! Unlike during Pennsylvania’s primaries, all registered voters can vote for any candidate during the general election.
How do I find my polling place?
You can find your polling place at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/PollingPlaceInfo.aspx by entering your address.
Voting in person
If this is your first time voting or your first time voting since changing address, you’ll need to bring proof of identification. This can include any government-issued ID such as a driver’s license or U.S. passport, a utility bill or bank statement that includes your name and address, or a military or student ID.
Can I still request
a mail ballot?
You can apply for a mail ballot until 5 p.m. Nov. 1, either online or through the mail at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineAbsenteeBegin. You’ll need to provide your name, date of birth, proof of identification and signature.
How do I vote absentee?
The process to request an absentee ballot is similar to that for requesting a mail ballot. You can apply online or download the form and send it to your county election office. However, the application requires you to list a reason for your absence, unlike a mail ballot. You can find the application here.
The deadline to apply is
5 p.m. Nov. 1.
If you miss the Nov. 1 deadline, you can still request an emergency absentee ballot from your county election office if you experience an unexpected illness, disability, or last-minute absence. You can request one at https://www.vote.pa.gov/Voting-in-PA/Pages/Mail-and-Absentee-Ballot.aspx#emergency
%20absentee.
I applied but haven’t gotten my absentee or mail ballot
You can check the status of your absentee or mail ballot at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx. If you’re worried your ballot won’t arrive with enough time to return it, you can call your county election office for advice on how to proceed.
You can also go to your county election office to request a ballot and fill it out on the spot or go to your polling place and vote in person on Election Day with a provisional ballot.
Returning absentee or mail ballots
First, make sure you’ve filled it out completely and followed all instructions. Otherwise, your ballot may be thrown out.
Everyone can return their ballot through the mail or by dropping it off at their county election office. Some counties also have drop boxes available.
Your county election office must receive your ballot by 5 p.m. on Election Day. If you have a disability that prevents you from returning your own ballot, you may fill out a form to designate someone else to return it for you. You must turn in the form with your mail ballot application, and the designee must have a copy on hand when they return your ballot.
Otherwise, you must return your own ballot.
Which races will
I be voting on?
Pennsylvania hosts two of the highest-profile races this year — one for an open U.S. Senate seat and the other for the governor’s office.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. He has often served as the foil to the Republican Legislature during his tenure.
With the governor’s office up for grabs, the Republican party has a chance to control two branches of government and enact legislation that was blocked by Wolf.
The two major gubernatorial candidates in the general election offer starkly different views for the future of Pennsylvania.
State Sen. Doug Mastriano of Franklin County, the Republican nominee, was elected to the General Assembly in 2019.
As a freshman senator, he rapidly rose to prominence in the months after the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in Pennsylvania. He became one of the most vocal critics of Wolf’s use of executive powers to impose mitigation measures such as statewide masking orders and business shutdowns. Mastriano also sharply criticized a waiver program for businesses to remain open — a program that was later found by the state’s top auditor to be inconsistent and unfair.
Mastriano also became the legislature’s lead defender of former President Donald Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread election fraud.
The Democratic candidate, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, was previously a state representative and Montgomery County commissioner.
He has touted his record as attorney general, highlighting his investigation of the role of pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors in the nation’s opioid crisis, and his office’s prosecution of some natural gas companies. Shapiro’s office made international headlines for a scathing grand jury report on child sexual abuse and its coverup in nearly every Roman Catholic diocese in Pennsylvania.
The other high-profile race, for one of Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seats, also does not have an incumbent, as Republican Pat Toomey is retiring.
The Democratic nominee, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, previously served as the mayor of Braddock, a small town near Pittsburgh. Fetterman is a longtime supporter of legalizing recreational cannabis, universal health care and clean energy. He suffered a stroke shortly before the primary.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Republican nominee, has no traditional political experience but is famous for hosting a TV program about medicine and health.
Oz has called himself a “conservative outsider.” He has said he would oppose gun control policies such as red-flag laws and universal background checks and wants to focus on Pennsylvania’s “energy independence” by deregulating the fossil fuel industry to increase domestic energy production.
What else will be
on my ballot?
Some voters will choose their state senator, and all voters will select their U.S. and Pennsylvania House representatives. These district lines were redrawn during this year’s redistricting process.
There are no statewide constitutional amendments on this year’s ballot.
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Jeremy Hunt Statement: New UK Finance Minister Scraps Tax Plan Reins In Energy Support
Jeremy Hunt Statement: New UK Finance Minister Scraps Tax Plan, Reins In Energy Support https://digitalarizonanews.com/jeremy-hunt-statement-new-uk-finance-minister-scraps-tax-plan-reins-in-energy-support/
Hunt reins in vast energy support programme
Hunt reverses nearly all of Truss’s tax-cutting plan
Announcement is two weeks earlier than scheduled
Sterling rises against dollar
Bond prices rally in early London trade
LONDON, Oct 17 (Reuters) – New finance minister Jeremy Hunt sought to rebuild investor confidence in Britain on Monday by reversing nearly all of Prime Minister Liz Truss’s mini-budget that had sparked market turmoil, and reining in a vast energy subsidy plan.
Tasked with halting a bond market rout that has raged since the government announced huge unfunded tax cuts on Sept. 23, Hunt said the country now needed to increase taxes and cut spending to rebuild stability and confidence.
The former health and foreign minister has now reversed nearly all of the programme that helped to Truss win the leadership of the ruling Conservative Party just over a month ago, leaving the prime minister fighting for her future.
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A two-year energy support scheme for households and businesses, expected to cost more than 100 billion pounds, will now end in April and be replaced by a more targeted scheme that will “cost the taxpayer significantly less than planned”.
The pound soared by as much as 1.4% to a session high of $1.1332, after the statement. It was last up just under 1% broadly where it was just before the announcement.
British government bonds rallied aggressively on Hunt’s statement and looked on course for one of their biggest daily price increases since records began.
“We will reverse almost all the tax measures announced in the Growth Plan three weeks ago that had not started parliamentary legislation,” Hunt said.
He said changes to planned tax cuts would raise 32 billion pounds ($36 billion) every year.
“I remain extremely confident about the UK’s long term economic prospects as we deliver our mission to go for growth,” Hunt said in a televised clip. “But growth requires confidence and stability, and the United Kingdom will always pay its way.”
TOTAL REVERSAL
The government has been forced to reverse course after markets reacted violently to Truss’s plan, hammering the value of the pound and government bond prices and forcing the Bank of England to intervene to protect pension funds.
Adding to the pressure, the Bank stuck to its schedule of ending the support on Friday, meaning Hunt had been racing to reverse policies and find spending cuts to appease the markets and prevent borrowing costs from rising further on Monday morning.
He said government spending cuts would be required to narrow a hole in public finances that the Sunday Times reported was as big as 72 billion pounds ($81 billion).
The near total reversal of the economic plan leaves Truss struggling to retain credibility. Her about-turn has angered those lawmakers who supported her, and further encouraged those who opposed her to try to find a way of getting her out of power.
The fourth British prime minister in six years, she was only formerly appointed to the role on Sept. 6.
Already a handful of her lawmakers have said she must go. Rachel Reeves, the finance spokesperson for the opposition Labour Party, said the Conservative government was no longer capable of providing stability.
“The Conservatives have lost all credibility,” she said.
While Hunt had been expected to reverse some of the tax cuts, the change to the energy support scheme came out of the blue.
Truss had announced a two-year subsidy scheme to support households and businesses through the period of surging energy prices, which would cost 60 billion pounds in six months alone. Hunt said on Monday that the scheme would now run until April, but become more targeted after that.
The new finance minister would still deliver a fuller medium-term fiscal plan as scheduled on Oct. 31, alongside forecasts from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, the Treasury said.
($1 = 0.8887 pounds)
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Writing by Kate Holton; Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Andrew MacAskill, Sarah Young, Andy Bruce, Muvija M and Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Gerry Doyle, Kate Holton and Alex Richardson
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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