Digital Arkansas News

House Passes Bill To Prevent Efforts To Subvert Presidential Election Results https://digitalarkansasnews.com/house-passes-bill-to-prevent-efforts-to-subvert-presidential-election-results/ The House voted Wednesday to pass an electoral reform bill that seeks to prevent presidents from trying to overturn election results through Congress, the first vote on such an effort since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob seeking to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral win. The bill passed on a 229-203 vote, with just nine Republicans breaking ranks and joining Democrats in supporting the measure. None of those nine Republican lawmakers will be members of Congress next year — either because they lost their primaries or chose to retire. The Presidential Election Reform Act, written by Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), explicitly cites the Capitol attack as a reason to amend the Electoral Count Act of 1887, “to prevent other future unlawful efforts to overturn Presidential elections and to ensure future peaceful transfers of Presidential power.” “Legal challenges are not improper, but Donald Trump’s refusal to abide by the rulings of the courts certainly was,” Cheney said Wednesday during House debate on the measure. “In our system of government, elections in the states determine who is the president. Our bill does not change that. But this bill will prevent Congress from illegally choosing the president itself.” Later, Cheney added, “This bill is a very important and crucial bill to ensure that what happened on January 6 never happens again.” President Donald Trump had falsely told his supporters that Vice President Mike Pence had the power to reject electoral votes already certified by the states. Pence did not do so — and has repeatedly emphasized that the Constitution provides the vice president with no such authority. But on Jan. 6, many in the pro-Trump mob that overran the Capitol began chanting, “Hang Mike Pence!” on the misguided belief that the vice president could have stopped Congress from certifying Biden’s victory. The Presidential Election Reform Act would clearly reaffirm that the vice president has no role in validating a presidential election beyond acting as a figurehead who oversees the counting process, barring that person from changing the results. It also would expand the threshold necessary for members of both chambers to object to a state’s results, as well as clarify the role governors play in the process. Finally, it would make clear that state legislatures can’t change election rules retroactively to alter the results. “In Hollywood, there’s always a sequel, often to a very bad movie. We’re headed for a new sequel in 2024, unless we change the 1887 Electoral Count Act,” Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) said on the House floor. “We must change the law. It is ancient,” he added. “It’s already been proven by Jan. 6 and the attempted coup then [when people tried] to use that law to install in the presidency a person who was not legitimately elected by the people of America.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called the measure “a historic and bipartisan legislative action to safeguard the integrity of future presidential elections,” and then posed a series of questions. “How could anyone vote against free and fair elections a cornerstone of our Constitution? How could anyone vote against our founders’ vision, placing power in the hands of the people? How could anyone vote against their own constituents allowing radical politicians to rip away their say?” House Republicans — 139 of whom refused to certify Biden’s win — oppose the measure, with GOP leadership pushing rank and file to vote against it. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said that while the bill narrows “the grounds upon which the count can be interfered with by the Congress … it still allows Congress to invalidate electoral votes so it does not solve the problem,” adding that the measure handles the electoral count in a “clumsy and partisan” way. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) complained that the “bill tramples on state sovereignty while the Constitution gives states authority to make and interpret their own state laws.” Cheney and Lofgren are members of the bipartisan House select committee investigating the Capitol insurrection and have delivered sober assessments of the risks of similar future attacks on American democracy and the peaceful transfer of power. The Jan. 6 committee’s next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 28. In a joint op-ed for the Wall Street Journal on Sunday, Cheney and Lofgren said there remained more to come from the committee about the extent of Trump’s plans to overturn the 2020 presidential election, but they also had “an obligation to recommend legislation to make sure such an attack never happens again.” Trump, they pointed out, has continued to spread baseless claims of widespread election fraud, and pro-Trump candidates in state and local elections around the country have embraced those falsehoods. “This raises the prospect of another effort to steal a presidential election, perhaps with another attempt to corrupt Congress’s proceeding to tally electoral votes,” Cheney and Lofgren wrote. They added: “Our proposal is intended to preserve the rule of law for all future presidential elections by ensuring that self-interested politicians cannot steal from the people the guarantee that our government derives its power from the consent of the governed.” The bill advanced out of the House Rules Committee on Tuesday on a 9-3 vote. The Biden administration supports the bill, calling it another step in “critically needed reform of the 135-year-old Electoral Count Act.” “Americans deserve greater clarity in the process by which their votes will result in the election of a President and Vice President,” the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement Wednesday. “As [the Presidential Election Reform Act] proceeds through the legislative process, the Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to ensure lasting reform consistent with Congress’ constitutional authority to protect voting rights, tally electoral votes, and strengthen our democracy.” Sens. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have introduced legislation in the Senate, the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, that differs from the House on the threshold for members of both chambers to object. Bipartisan support for the Senate bill is growing, with 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans co-sponsors as of Wednesday afternoon. “We are pleased that bipartisan support continues to grow for these sensible and much-needed reforms to the Electoral Count Act of 1887,” Collins and Manchin said in a joint statement. “Our bill is backed by election law experts and organizations across the ideological spectrum. We will keep working to increase bipartisan support for our legislation that would correct the flaws in this archaic and ambiguous law.” Marianna Sotomayor and Leigh Ann Caldwell contributed to this report. Read More Here

Jan. 6 Committee Reaches Deal With Ginni Thomas For An Interview https://digitalarkansasnews.com/jan-6-committee-reaches-deal-with-ginni-thomas-for-an-interview/ The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection has reached an agreement with Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, to be interviewed by the panel in coming weeks, according to her attorney and another person familiar with the agreement. Thomas’s attorney, Mark Paoletta, confirmed the agreement in a statement. “I can confirm that Ginni Thomas has agreed to participate in a voluntary interview with the Committee,” Paoletta said. “As she has said from the outset, Mrs. Thomas is eager to answer the Committee’s questions to clear up any misconceptions about her work relating to the 2020 election. She looks forward to that opportunity.” CNN was first to report on the agreement. The committee had earlier announced a public hearing for next week. The panel had contemplated issuing a subpoena to compel her testimony. Thomas, a longtime conservative activist, had pushed lawmakers and top Republican officials to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election, citing baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. Her efforts caught the attention of lawmakers and legal scholars who questioned whether it could prompt Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from any cases linked to causes on which his wife had worked. Ginni Thomas repeatedly pressed White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to find ways to overturn the election, according to messages she sent to him weeks after the election. The messages represent an extraordinary pipeline between Thomas and one of Trump’s top aides as the president and his allies were vowing to take their efforts all the way to the Supreme Court. She emailed 29 Arizona state lawmakers in November and December 2020, urging them to set aside Biden’s popular-vote victory and “choose” their own presidential electors. She also emailed a pair of Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin urging them to do likewise. On March 6, 2021 — two months after a mob of Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol as Congress was certifying Biden’s victory — Thomas attended a gathering of right-wing activists where a speaker declared to thundering applause that Trump was still the “legitimate president,” a video recording of the event shows. Read More Here

Ruinous Hurricane Fiona Reaches Category 4 As It Moves North, Leaving Disaster-Stricken Areas On Slow Road To Recovery https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ruinous-hurricane-fiona-reaches-category-4-as-it-moves-north-leaving-disaster-stricken-areas-on-slow-road-to-recovery/ (CNN)With Category 4 Hurricane Fiona poised to sideswipe Bermuda later this week, people in the storm’s deadly wake still faced days without basic utilities late Wednesday — including much of Puerto Rico, where most were left without power and running water. More than a million people in Puerto Rico still had no power by Wednesday afternoon, according to the island’s emergency portal system. And more than 450,000 people across the island were without water service or with intermittent service as of Wednesday night, according to the website. Water is the top concern for residents like Carlos Vega, whose town of Cayey in the mountains of east-central Puerto Rico faced not only utility outages but also partially collapsed roads — an effect of the major flooding and more than 2 feet of rain that parts of Puerto Rico were hit with. “(Being without) power … we can face that and we can deal with that. The biggest concern is with our water. Can’t live without water,” Vega told CNN on Tuesday. Fiona killed at least five people in the Caribbean as it tore through the region last weekend and into this week, including one in Guadeloupe, two in Puerto Rico and two in the Dominican Republic. Fiona also whipped parts of the Turks and Caicos islands on Tuesday with sustained winds of almost 125 mph, officials said. That left many areas without power, including on Grand Turk, South Caicos, Salt Cay, North Caicos and Middle Caicos, said Anya Williams, the acting governor of the islands. Authorities were able to begin visiting several islands and begin repairs. No deaths had been reported in Turks and Caicos as of Wednesday evening, Williams said in an update. Fiona’s flooding especially left critical infrastructure damage in Puerto Rico and then the Dominican Republic, which the storm crossed Monday. More than 1 million utility customers in the Dominican Republic had no water service as of Wednesday morning, and more than 349,000 customers were without power, according to Maj. Gen. Juan Méndez García, director of the country’s emergency operations center. Meanwhile, parts of Puerto Rico, where hundreds of thousands remained without power, reached heat indices — what the air feels like when combining temperature and humidity — of 105 to 109 degrees Wednesday, according to CNN meteorologist Rob Shackelford. The landfall in Puerto Rico on Sunday came nearly five years after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, leaving thousands dead and cutting power to and water service to more than 1 million people for what would become months. Storm presses north and could threaten Bermuda and Atlantic Canada Fiona, after its center passed the Turks and Caicos as a Category 3 storm, strengthened to Category 4 — sustained winds of at least 130 mph — early Wednesday over the Atlantic. By around 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, it was centered about 605 miles southwest of Bermuda, heading north with sustained winds of 130 mph, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said. Fiona is expected to strengthen some through Wednesday night and approach Bermuda late Thursday, potentially still as a Category 4 storm, forecasters said. “Fiona is forecast to be a hurricane-force cyclone through Saturday,” the hurricane center said. Fiona’s powerful center is currently expected to pass west of Bermuda, sparing the British island territory its worst winds. But sustained winds of at least tropical-storm force — 39 to 73 mph — are expected to reach Bermuda by late Thursday or early Friday, the center said. The US State Department issued a travel advisory Tuesday urging US citizens to reconsider travel to Bermuda because of the storm. The department also authorized family members of US government personnel to leave the island in anticipation of the storm. Though the storm isn’t expected to track near the US East Coast, it could generate onshore waves of 8 to 10 feet there over the weekend, CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said Wednesday. “It’s not a good weekend to go to the shore and get in the water — it’s time to stay out of the water,” Myers said of the East Coast. Fiona could affect portions of Atlantic Canada as a powerful hurricane-force cyclone late Friday and Saturday, potentially hammering the region with high winds, storm surge and heavy rainfall. A storm surge is expected to bring up water levels along Bermuda’s coast starting late Thursday. “Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves,” the hurricane center said. The storm has strengthened over the past few days — it made landfall in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic as a Category 1 hurricane before battering both with outer bands as it moved over water and toward the Turks and Caicos as a storm in Categories 2 and 3. ‘We can’t take it any longer’ Many in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico still are grappling with Fiona’s aftermath and will likely face a prolonged relief and recovery process. In Nizao, a small city in southern Dominican Republic, a woman tearfully told CNN affiliate Noticias SIN that Fiona’s winds destroyed her home. “Thank God my girls (are) safe. I managed to cover them with something and block them with a washing machine,” she told Noticias SIN this week. Another woman in Nizao who was clearing mud from belongings told Noticias SIN that she was frustrated because flooding frequently damages the region. This week, she left all belongings behind when floodwater encroached, she said. “We can’t take it any longer. Every year we lose our bed, clothes, food, everything,” the second woman told Noticias SIN. More than 610 homes in the Dominican Republic have been destroyed, and some communities were cut off from aid due to the storm, said García, the nation’s emergency operations center director. Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said on Twitter Wednesday that the federal government has approved a major disaster declaration request for the island, which ensures additional help from FEMA. Though US President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration Sunday, a major disaster declaration will bring additional resources — primarily individual assistance in the form of funding for housing and other needs, as well as public assistance to provide for the permanent rebuilding of damaged infrastructure. Restoration crews face challenges The governor expected “a large portion of the population” would have power restored by late Wednesday, with the exception of the island’s southern region, which has suffered the most severe damage, he said Tuesday. But restoration crews faced challenges: Many lines thought to have been repaired were temporarily knocked back offline because of various equipment issues, according to Josué Colón, executive director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. Crews could also encounter issues that require a pause in work so that an already impaired grid is not overloaded, a spokesman for the power provider, LUMA Energy, said Wednesday. Pierluisi will take an aerial tour of the island with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, he said. Criswell arrived on Tuesday to determine what additional federal help is needed, and that day surveyed damage with the governor in the city of Patillas. “The community there … (had) severely impacted roads, and bridges were damaged. Water was flooding the streets, and … other parts of the community (were) inaccessible,” Criswell said during a news conference Wednesday. “But I also saw a resilient Puerto Rico,” she said. “I met with a woman named Anna, who opened up her own home in her own driveway to help create a path for the community. With the bridge that was washed away, her home became that pathway to help give food and water to the rest of her community.” The storm is a catastrophic blow to Puerto Rico, which was still recovering in some areas from when Hurricane Maria ripped through the island in 2017, inflicting widespread infrastructure damage and destroying homes. The damage caused by Fiona is “devastating” and “catastrophic” in the island’s center, south and southeast regions, Pierluisi said Tuesday. Across the island, more than 800 people were housed in dozens of shelters Wednesday, according to Puerto Rico’s Housing Secretary, William Rodriguez. CNN’s Leyla Santiagio in Puerto Rico and CNN’s Robert Shackelford, Jamiel Lynch, Amanda Musa, Chris Boyette, Taylor Ward and Geneva Sands contributed to this report. Read More Here

AP News Summary At 9:21 P.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-921-p-m-edt/ Zelenskyy vows Ukraine will win as Russia redoubles effort UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Ukraine’s president has implored the world to punish Russia for its invasion. He vowed his forces would win back every inch of territory despite Moscow’s decision to redouble its war effort. In a much-anticipated video address to the U.N. General Assembly hours after Russia announced it would mobilize some reservists, Volodymyr Zelenskyy portrayed the declaration as evidence the Kremlin wasn’t ready to negotiate an end to the war. But he insisted his country would prevail anyway. Trump docs probe: Court lifts hold on Mar-a-Lago records WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has lifted a judge’s hold on the Justice Department’s ability to use classified records seized from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate in its ongoing criminal investigation. The ruling Wednesday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta clears the way for investigators to continue scrutinizing the documents as they evaluate whether to bring criminal charges over the storage of top-secret government records at Mar-a-Lago. The court notes that Trump presented no evidence that he had declassified the sensitive records. And it is rejecting the possibility that Trump could have an “individual interest in or need for” the roughly 100 documents marked as classified. Biden: Russia’s Ukraine abuses ‘make your blood run cold’ UNITED NATIONS (AP) — President Joe Biden has declared that Russia has “shamelessly violated the core tenets” of the United Nations charter with its “brutal, needless war” in Ukraine. Biden on Wednesday delivered a forceful condemnation of Russia’s invasion to the international body, saying abuses against civilians in Ukraine “should make your blood run cold.” He also said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s new nuclear threats against Europe show a “reckless disregard” for his nation’s responsibilities as a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. And he highlighted consequences of the invasion for the world’s food supply, pledging $2.9 billion in global food security aid to address shortages caused by the war and the effects of climate change. Putin orders partial military call-up, sparking protests Read More Here

Court Permits Justice Department To Use Classified Records Seized In Trump Raid https://digitalarkansasnews.com/court-permits-justice-department-to-use-classified-records-seized-in-trump-raid/ A US court has allowed the Justice Department to resume its use of classified records seized from former president Donald Trump’s Florida estate as part of its ongoing criminal investigation. The ruling from a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit amounts to an overwhelming victory for the Justice Department, clearing the way for investigators to continue examining the documents as they consider whether to bring criminal charges over the storage of of top-secret records at Mar-a-Lago after Mr Trump left the White House. In lifting a hold on a core aspect of the department’s probe, the court removed an obstacle that could have delayed the investigation by weeks if not months. The appeals court also pointedly noted Mr Trump had presented no evidence he had declassified the sensitive records, as he has repeatedly maintained, and rejected the possibility he could have an “individual interest in or need for” the roughly 100 documents with classification markings that were seized by the FBI in its August 8 search of the Palm Beach property. The government had argued that its investigation had been impeded, and national security concerns swept aside, by an order from US District Judge Aileen Cannon that temporarily barred investigators from continuing to use the documents in its inquiry. Ms Cannon, a Trump appointee, had said the hold would remain in place pending a separate review by an independent arbiter she had appointed at the Trump team’s request to review the records. The appeals panel agreed with the Justice Department’s concerns. “It is self-evident that the public has a strong interest in ensuring that the storage of the classified records did not result in ‘exceptionally grave damage to the national security,’” they wrote. “Ascertaining that,” they added, “necessarily involves reviewing the documents, determining who had access to them and when, and deciding which (if any) sources or methods are compromised.” An injunction that delayed or prevented the criminal investigation “from using classified materials risks imposing real and significant harm on the United States and the public”, they wrote. Two of the three judges who issued Wednesday’s ruling — Britt Grant and Andrew Brasher — were nominated to the 11th Circuit by Mr Trump. Judge Robin Rosenbaum was nominated by former president Barack Obama. Lawyers for Mr Trump did not return an email seeking comment on whether they would appeal the ruling. The Justice Department did not have an immediate comment. Read More Here

Trump Claims FBI Took His Last Will And Testament In Mar-A-Lago Search https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-claims-fbi-took-his-last-will-and-testament-in-mar-a-lago-search/ Former president Donald Trump claimed the FBI agents who executed a court-authorised search of his Palm Beach, Florida home took his last will and testament in addition to the 100 classified documents found in his office and a nearby storage room. “They took a lot. I think they took my will. I found out yesterday,” said the twice-impeached ex-president during an appearance on Fox News’ host Sean Hannity’s eponymous nightly programme. Mr Trump told Hannity his attorneys and the National Archives and Records Administration were “having very nice discussions, no problems,” when “all of a sudden we got hit very hard by the FBI” on 8 August. When the twice-impeached ex-president suggested that FBI agents had taken his will, Hannity responded: “Am I in it?” Mr Trump did not say. But he added that publication of his will “could cause a lot of problems”. Read More Here

10 Arkansas Counties Get ACT Work Ready Certified https://digitalarkansasnews.com/10-arkansas-counties-get-act-work-ready-certified/ LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Ten counties that make up the Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District can now proudly say they are certified ACT Work Ready communities. The announcement was made Wednesday afternoon at the Arkansas State Capitol rotunda. The honor simply means that each one of the counties has improved its workforce pipeline and is now able to provide skilled workers for employers, something the governor says makes his job much easier. “What you have done is allowed us to make the case that we have a workforce that is trained, ready to go,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “We know exactly their levels of expertise, they’re certified and we can make the case that southeast Arkansas is ready to do business and ready to receive a new investment of industry.” This is the first time an entire region has completed its certification in the state. The ten counties include Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln. Read More…

Brace Yourselves, Electric Bills Could Increase 64% This Winter https://digitalarkansasnews.com/brace-yourselves-electric-bills-could-increase-64-this-winter/ LAST. JOHN ATWATER IS LIVE IN RANDOLPH WITH THE HIT TO YOUR WALLET. JOHN: ABOUT HALF OF THE POWER THAT COMES INTO OUR HOMES IS GENERATED AT GAS AND POWER PLANTS AND RIGHT NOW NATURAL GAS PRICES ARE SKYHIGH. I’M NOT SURPRISED WITH HOW THINGS ARE GOING IN THE WORLD TODAY. EVERYTHING IS GOING UP. JOHN: AND THIS WINTER IT’S GOING TO GET MUCH WORSE. WE’VE NEVER SEEN PRICES GO THIS HIGH. JOHN: NATIONAL GRID NOW PREPARING CUSTOMERS FOR ELECTRIC BILLS THAT WILL BE 64% HIGHER THIS WINTER, BECAUSE ABOUT HALF OF THE ELECTRICITY HERE IS GENERATED USING NATURAL GAS. WHEN THE WAR BROKE OUT, WE SAW WORLDWIDE ENERGY PRICES SKYROCKET, AND THEY’VE REMAINED HIGH. JOHN: THE UTILITY SAYS A TYPICAL ELECTRIC CUSTOMER WHO PAID $179 A MONTH FOR ELECTRICITY LAST YEAR WOULD PAY $293 A MONTH THIS WINTER. NATURAL GAS CUSTOMERS CAN EXPECT TO PAY ROUGHLY $50 MORE A MONTH. EVERYTHING’S GOING UP. CAN’T GOING TO GROCERY WITHOUT SPENDING $100. DEFINITELY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GAS BILL THIS WINTER. JOHN: EVERSOURCE NATURAL GAS RATES ARE ALSO GOING UP BETWEEN 25% AND 38%, ELECTRIC RATES ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO JUMP. LEAVING CUSTOMERS HOPING FOR AN EASY WINTER. WE’RE HOPING IT’S NOT GOING TO BE A VERY COLD WINTER SO WE DO NOT HAVE TO USE AS MUCH ENERGY AS WE DID IN THE PAST. JOHN: RATE HIKES WILL BE TOUGH FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. UTILIT Electric bills could increase 64% this winter in Massachusetts, National Grid warns Natural gas heating customers could see 22-24% price hike Massachusetts electricity customers could be facing a steep increase in their winter bills, National Grid warned on Wednesday. Citing the high price of natural gas used in generating the power, the utility company said winter electricity rates taking effect on Nov. 1, will be sharply higher than they were last winter. “In total, the monthly bill of a typical residential electric customer using 600 kWh (kilowatt-hours) will increase from $179 in the winter 2021-2022 season, to approximately $293 for the winter 2022-2023 season,” National Grid said. That’s a 64% increase year-over-year. National Grid says most of the increase is driven by electric supply rates and that the company has “worked to keep the delivery portion of the bill essentially flat.”Eversource, the state’s other major electric utility, said it plans to file proposed rate changes with the Department of Public Utilities around mid-November, for changes to take effect on Jan. 1. Last winter, the Eversource proposed increase was about 25%. Rates are also seasonally adjusted for natural gas and National Grid said the average Boston Gas residential heating bill will increase $50 or 22% and the average Colonial Gas residential heating customer will see an increase of $47 or 24%, compared to rates last year. “With energy costs rising due to global conflict, inflationary pressures, and high demand as the winter heating season approaches, National Grid understands the impact this increased financial burden can have on our customers and communities, especially when we are all experiencing increased costs for other goods and services,” the company wrote in a statement. “National Grid buys energy on behalf of our customers from the wholesale market and passes through those costs without any markup or profit, so customers pay what National Grid pays for that energy.” Eversource said its proposed natural gas rates, scheduled to take effect on Nov. 1, would increase prices by about 38% or $86 for customers in the former NSTAR Gas service area and 25% or $61 for those in the former Columbia Gas territory. “These increases are mainly driven by the current high supply cost of natural gas worldwide,” Eversource said. To help customers, National Grid announced a “Winter Customer Savings Initiative” that highlights energy-saving tips and payment assistance programs. Eversource also shared its link to energy efficiency programs. Massachusetts also offers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps eligible households pay a portion of their winter bills. WALTHAM, Mass. — Massachusetts electricity customers could be facing a steep increase in their winter bills, National Grid warned on Wednesday. Citing the high price of natural gas used in generating the power, the utility company said winter electricity rates taking effect on Nov. 1, will be sharply higher than they were last winter. “In total, the monthly bill of a typical residential electric customer using 600 kWh (kilowatt-hours) will increase from $179 in the winter 2021-2022 season, to approximately $293 for the winter 2022-2023 season,” National Grid said. That’s a 64% increase year-over-year. National Grid says most of the increase is driven by electric supply rates and that the company has “worked to keep the delivery portion of the bill essentially flat.” Eversource, the state’s other major electric utility, said it plans to file proposed rate changes with the Department of Public Utilities around mid-November, for changes to take effect on Jan. 1. Last winter, the Eversource proposed increase was about 25%. Rates are also seasonally adjusted for natural gas and National Grid said the average Boston Gas residential heating bill will increase $50 or 22% and the average Colonial Gas residential heating customer will see an increase of $47 or 24%, compared to rates last year. “With energy costs rising due to global conflict, inflationary pressures, and high demand as the winter heating season approaches, National Grid understands the impact this increased financial burden can have on our customers and communities, especially when we are all experiencing increased costs for other goods and services,” the company wrote in a statement. “National Grid buys energy on behalf of our customers from the wholesale market and passes through those costs without any markup or profit, so customers pay what National Grid pays for that energy.” Eversource said its proposed natural gas rates, scheduled to take effect on Nov. 1, would increase prices by about 38% or $86 for customers in the former NSTAR Gas service area and 25% or $61 for those in the former Columbia Gas territory. “These increases are mainly driven by the current high supply cost of natural gas worldwide,” Eversource said. To help customers, National Grid announced a “Winter Customer Savings Initiative” that highlights energy-saving tips and payment assistance programs. Eversource also shared its link to energy efficiency programs. Massachusetts also offers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps eligible households pay a portion of their winter bills. Read More Here

Trump Docs Probe: Court Lifts Hold On Mar-A-Lago Records | News Channel 3-12 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-docs-probe-court-lifts-hold-on-mar-a-lago-records-news-channel-3-12/ By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals panel has lifted a judge’s hold on the Justice Department’s ability to use classified records seized from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate in its ongoing criminal investigation. The ruling from a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit is a victory for the Justice Department, clearing the way for it to immediately resume its use of the documents as it evaluates whether to bring criminal charges in its investigation into the presence of top-secret government records held at Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House. The government had argued that its investigation had been impeded by the order from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that temporarily barred investigators from continuing to use the documents in the probe. Cannon, a Trump appointee, had said the hold would remain in place pending a separate review by an independent arbiter she had appointed at the Trump team’s request. The FBI last month seized roughly 11,000 documents, including about 100 with classification markings, during a court-authorized search of the Palm Beach club. It has launched a criminal investigation into whether the records were mishandled or compromised. It is not clear whether Trump or anyone else will be charged. Cannon ruled on Sept. 5 that she would name an independent arbiter, or special master, to do an independent review of those records and segregate any that may be covered by claims of attorney-client privilege or executive privilege and to determine whether any of the materials should be returned to Trump. Raymond Dearie, the former chief judge of the federal court based in Brooklyn, has been named to the role. The Justice Department had argued that a special master review of the classified documents was not necessary. It said Trump, as a former president, could not invoke executive privilege over the documents, nor could they be covered by attorney-client privilege because they do not involve communications between Trump and his lawyers. Trump’s lawyers argued that an independent review of the records was essential given the unprecedented nature of the investigation. The lawyers also said the department had not yet proven that the seized documents were classified, though they notably stopped short of asserting — as Trump repeatedly has — that the records were previously declassified. They have resisted providing Dearie with their position on that question, signaling the issue could be part of their defense in the event of an indictment. Read More Here

US Wins Court Order Letting It Use Some Trump Documents In Probe https://digitalarkansasnews.com/us-wins-court-order-letting-it-use-some-trump-documents-in-probe/ By Joe Schneider The US Justice Department can use about 100 documents with classified markings seized from former President ’s Mar-a-Lago home in an ongoing criminal investigation and national security review, a federal appeals court said. The US 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a temporary stay Wednesday, pausing a federal judge’s order that barred the Justice Department from using the materials while a special master reviews about 11,000 documents taken by the FBI during an August search of the former president’s estate. The government petitioned the Atlanta-based appeals court last week after US District Judge in Florida denied … To read the full article log in. © 2022 The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. All Rights Reserved Read More Here

In Strike At Trump Empire, Suit Says He Lied About Property Values, Including Mar-A-Lago https://digitalarkansasnews.com/in-strike-at-trump-empire-suit-says-he-lied-about-property-values-including-mar-a-lago/ Lights and palm trees frame the outdoor dining patio, overlooking the Parrot Pool, at Mar-a-Lago. Trump International Realty In a $250 million lawsuit that strikes at the heart of Donald Trump’s business empire, New York Attorney General Letitia James alleged Wednesday that the former president artificially inflated his net worth by billions of dollars by greatly over-valuing his portfolio of assets. Trump’s Florida properties, including his waterfront home in Palm Beach, are important cogs in the suit. The attorney general said the lawsuit is the culmination of a three-year investigation. It names Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka, as well as longtime Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, and it accuses the Trump Organization of using false and misleading statements to qualify for massive loans at favorable rates. It further alleges that the “misrepresentations… violated a host of state criminal laws,” including falsifying business records, insurance fraud and issuing a false financial statement. “These acts of fraud and misrepresentation were similar in nature, were committed by upper management at the Trump Organization as part of a common endeavor for each annual statement, and were approved at the highest levels of the Trump Organization — including by Mr. Trump himself,” the lawsuit alleges. In a statement to the Miami Herald, a Trump Organization spokeswoman called Wednesday’s filing a “culmination of nearly three years of persistent, targeted, unethical political harassment” by New York’s attorney general. “As we all know, today’s filing has nothing to do with the facts or the law. Instead, it is about politics, pure and simple,” the spokesperson said, adding that the attorney general is protecting the interests of “large, sophisticated Wall Street banks.” “However,” the spokesperson said, “not only was no bank harmed — actually, they profited handsomely — to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars in interest and fees — and never once took issue with any of the loans in question — all of which are either current or have been paid off (in many cases early).” The lawsuit lands about six weeks after FBI agents served a search warrant on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, seeking government documents, some of them highly classified. The government-documents investigation and the probe by the New York attorney general are among several involving the former president. Mar-a-Lago Social Club, Palm Beach Trump valued Mar-a-Lago, which doubles as an exclusive private club, as high as $739 million, according to the lawsuit. With an annual revenue of under $25 million, the lawsuit alleges, it should have been valued at closer to $75 million. Much of that inflated value, the lawsuit alleges, is based on the “false premise” that Mar-a-Lago is an unrestricted property that can be developed for residential use. But a series of deals set strict limitations on the property. In 1995, through an agreement with the town of Palm Beach, Trump converted Mar-a-Lago from solely a private home to a club. The agreement came with “onerous preservation restriction,” the lawsuit says, that required maintenance of the property’s “critical features,” including gates, doors and open vistas facing the ocean. About seven years later, Trump forfeited development rights for Mar-a-Lago. The change restricted the property from future development, which greatly decreased the property value — and Trump’s property taxes. The deed, signed by Trump in September 2002, states that “the club and Trump intend to forever extinguish their right to develop or use the property for any purpose other than club use.” The deed also “limits changes to the property including, without limitation, the division or subdivision of the property for any purpose, including use as single-family homes, the interior renovation of the mansion, which may be necessary and desirable for the sale of the property as a single-family residential estate, the construction of new buildings and the obstruction of open vistas.” Palm Beach County records show that in 2002, prior to the deed signing, the property was appraised at about $27.5 million. The next year, the appraised value dropped to $14.7 million. It wasn’t until 2021, with a $27.6 million appraisal, that the value eclipsed what it was before Trump forfeited the development rights. “Despite full knowledge and awareness of those facts, the Trump Organization valued Mar-a-Lago in each year from 2011 to 2021 based on the false premise that those restrictions did not exist,” the lawsuit says. “For these and a host of other reasons, all of the valuations of this property were false and misleading.” The lawsuit also accuses Trump of adding a 30% club-based premium to Mar-a-Lago’s total value based on the Trump brand. Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter Through Jupiter Golf Club LLC, the Trump Organization in 2012 purchased what became the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter for $5 million in cash. Less than a year later, the lawsuit states, Trump valued the property at $62 million — a 1,100% mark-up, the lawsuit says. “Indeed, for every year from 2013 to 2020, virtually all of the value attributed to Jupiter was fraudulently overstated due to several deceptive methods and assumptions,” the lawsuit alleges. In order to overstate the club’s purchase value, the Trump Organization assumed liability for the $41 million in refundable membership deposits. By treating the $41 million as a debt purchased with the club, the lawsuit alleges, Trump was able to claim to have paid $46 million for the property. However, the lawsuit alleges, only members who remain in good standing for 30 years are eligible for a full refund of the membership deposit. Therefore, the liabilities for ‘refundable’ memberships would need to be paid out only decades in the future, if at all.” But even the $41 million figure is overly inflated, the lawsuit alleges. The seller of the property, the Ritz-Carlton, did its own value assessment five months before the sale closed. Their “conservative” assessment valued membership liabilities at under $2.2 million, according to the lawsuit. The suit alleges the Trump Organization also overstated the value of the Jupiter golf course by adding 30% from 2011 to 2014, and 15% from 2015 to 2020 because of a so-called “Trump brand” premium. Miami Herald Staff Writer Nicholas Nehamas contributed to this report. This story was originally published September 21, 2022 8:31 PM. Read More Here

Fed Raises Interest Rates By 0.75 Percentage Point For Third Straight Meeting https://digitalarkansasnews.com/fed-raises-interest-rates-by-0-75-percentage-point-for-third-straight-meeting/ The Federal Reserve approved a third-consecutive 0.75 percentage point rise Wednesday. Chairman Jerome Powell said he anticipates that interest-rate increases will continue as the Fed fights high inflation. Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Updated Sept. 21, 2022 7:04 pm ET WASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve approved its third consecutive interest-rate rise of 0.75 percentage point and signaled additional large increases were likely even though they are raising the risk of recession. Fed officials voted unanimously to lift their benchmark federal-funds rate to a range between 3% and 3.25%, a level last seen in early 2008. Nearly all of them expect to raise rates to between 4% and 4.5% by the end of this year, according to new projections released Wednesday, which would call for sizable rate increases at policy meetings in November and December. Read More Here

QAnon Fans Celebrate Trump's Latest Embrace Of The Conspiracy – ABC17NEWS https://digitalarkansasnews.com/qanon-fans-celebrate-trumps-latest-embrace-of-the-conspiracy-abc17news/ By Donie O’Sullivan, Gabby Orr and Kristen Holmes, CNN Supporters of QAnon on former President Donald Trump’s social media platform have celebrated what they see as his renewed embrace of the conspiracy theory over the past week after he shared a meme that was viewed as one of his most brazen nods to QAnon yet. The meme Trump shared on Truth Social included an illustration of him wearing a “Q” on his lapel and two QAnon slogans — “The storm is coming” and “WWG1WGA” (Where we go one, we go all). A few days later, he held a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, where he delivered some of his speech to music that sounded almost exactly like a song associated with QAnon. As he did that, a group of his supporters in the crowd began pointing in unison toward the sky. “Once we saw that, we realized we might have a problem,” a Trump aide told CNN. The former President’s team spent hours online after the rally trying to understand what the salute meant and where it might have come from, sources said. Some thought the crowd pointing one finger (their index finger) toward the sky was in reference to Trump’s “America First” platform, said one Trump aide who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity. Another said they believed it referred to “God first,” while others thought it might be an allusion to the QAnon slogan, “where we go one, we go all.” Even among academics and experts who track QAnon and other disinformation online, the answer to what this all means remains unclear; they had not seen this one-finger salute before. But the post was welcomed on Truth Social by followers of the conspiracy theory, who believe in the existence of an evil cabal and view Trump as their hero. “At this point, anyone denying that Q was a legit operation affiliated with the Trump administration is in major denial,” read a post on one QAnon-supporting Truth Social account that has 120,000 followers. Trump has appeared to associate with QAnon themes in the past. However some aides, who were not authorized to speak publicly, have dismissed concerns about their boss’ behavior, chalking it up to the mindless social media re-posts of a “boomer.” His team has also continued to use a song at recent rallies after some of his aides became aware it had QAnon connections in early August. Trump aides believe the former President had re-posted the meme not because it referenced QAnon, but because it was fashioned like a “Game of Thrones” poster, pointing out it resembled a poster Trump had brought to a Cabinet meeting as president. Mindless or not, some experts say what Trump is doing is dangerous. “What we have is a former President, a potential candidate for the presidency of the United States, legitimizing what is in essence a cult,” Greg Ehrie, a former FBI special agent who now works with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), told CNN Tuesday. The FBI warned last year of the potential for QAnon to stoke violence, and some people who took part in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol were wearing or carrying QAnon paraphernalia. Trump has previously shared QAnon-adjacent memes — often retweeting conspiracy theorists while president before he was removed from Twitter. Asked about QAnon in 2020, Trump responded, “Well I don’t know much about the movement, other than they like me very much.” The former President has been known to rapid-fire post to his Truth Social account, often without looking closely at the accounts he’s elevating or the content, according to a person close to Trump. “The QAnon stuff is way over his head,” claimed one Trump adviser describing a generally held view in his orbit. Another person who spoke to Trump recently told CNN, “I’ve never heard him speak of Q and I can’t imagine he’s an adherent or even knows much about it.” Nevertheless, the person said, Trump’s aides have “nudged him away from that kind of stuff.” Trump’s team has a policy of asking supporters at his rallies to remove QAnon-themed shirts and posters once they are inside the venue. Still, Trump has refused to outright disavow the movement that the FBI has warned is dangerous. And while major social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have had policies in place since 2020 that prohibit explicit QAnon content, the Trump-era conspiracy theory is thriving on Truth Social. “I think the onus is on him to avoid this kind of crap,” said another Trump ally. A song with echoes of QAnon As for the song Trump played at his rally last Saturday night that has been linked to QAnon, Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich publicly dismissed concerns about the music as “a pathetic attempt to create controversy and divide America.” But privately over the weekend Trump’s team wanted to know its origin. There appears to be two versions online of all but identical songs. One, named after the QAnon slogan “WWG1WGA” and available on Spotify, is by an artist named Richard Feelgood. Another, entitled “Mirrors,” is by a reputable composer. Trump’s team says they sourced the song from the latter, using a stock music software. The song was first used by the Trump team in a walkup video at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas in early August. The video’s score had been lifted from a music service called Storyblocks by an aide looking for “dark” and “epic” tunes, a person familiar with the music choice told CNN. Another source said it was chosen after hours of listening to royalty-free songs for the right fit, adding that the song never went through any sort of vetting process before being used in the video. Some Trump aides became aware of the QAnon connection in early August, after seeing an article by The Daily Beast that identified the connection to Feelgood’s version. Still, they kept using it. Trump shared a video to Truth Social where the music accompanied campaign-style footage, and then played it at a Pennsylvania rally earlier this month for dramatic emphasis during his final remarks. While one aide noted that a small group of supporters raised their fingers during that Pennsylvania rally, the team did not think much of it. Trump was enthusiastic about the effect of the music under his speech and the song made its next appearance in Ohio, where the crowd reaction went viral last Saturday. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

New York Attorney General Files Civil Fraud Lawsuit Against Trump, Some Of His Children And His Business – KVIA https://digitalarkansasnews.com/new-york-attorney-general-files-civil-fraud-lawsuit-against-trump-some-of-his-children-and-his-business-kvia/ CNN By Kara Scannell, Tierney Sneed, Marshall Cohen and Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN The New York state attorney general filed a sweeping lawsuit Wednesday against former President Donald Trump, three of his adult children and the Trump Organization, alleging they were involved in an expansive fraud lasting over a decade that the former President used to enrich himself. In the more than 200-page lawsuit, Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, alleges the fraud touched all aspects of the Trump business, including its properties and golf courses. According to the lawsuit, the Trump Organization deceived lenders, insurers and tax authorities by inflating the value of his properties using misleading appraisals. “This conduct cannot be brushed aside and dismissed as some sort of good-faith mistake,” James said at a news conference in New York. “The statements of financial condition were greatly exaggerated, grossly inflated, objectively false, and therefore fraudulent and illegal,” she added. “And as a result of that we are seeking relief, and Mr. Trump, the Trump Organization, his family — they should all be held accountable.” Trump and his children, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, are named as defendants in the lawsuit. Allen Weisselberg, former CFO for the Trump Organization, and Jeff McConney, another longtime company executive, are also named. James said she believes state and criminal laws may have been violated and referred the matter to the US attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York and the Internal Revenue Service. The US attorney’s office declined to comment. “These acts of fraud and misrepresentation were similar in nature, were committed by upper management at the Trump Organization as part of a common endeavor for each annual Statement, and were approved at the highest levels of the Trump Organization — including by Mr. Trump himself,” the lawsuit states. As part of the lawsuit, James is seeking $250 million in allegedly ill-gotten funds and to permanently bar Trump and the children named in the lawsuit from serving as the director of a business registered in New York state. She is also seeking to cancel the Trump Organization’s corporate certificate, which, if granted by a judge, could effectively force the company to cease operations in New York state. Trump previously called James a “renegade prosecutor” who he said is running a “vindictive and self-serving fishing expedition.” The Trump Organization called her previously allegations “baseless” and denied any wrongdoing. Responding to Wednesday’s announcement, Trump attorney Alina Habba said in a statement to CNN: “Today’s filing is neither focused on the facts nor the law — rather, it is solely focused on advancing the Attorney General’s political agenda. It is abundantly clear that the Attorney General’s Office has exceeded its statutory authority by prying into transactions where absolutely no wrongdoing has taken place.” Weisselberg’s attorney, Nicholas Gravante, declined to comment. The civil lawsuit comes as Trump is under increasing legal pressure as prosecutors are taking investigative steps that move ever closer to his inner circle. Trump is facing numerous criminal investigations from federal and state prosecutors involving the accuracy of his company’s financial statements, interference in the 2020 presidential election, and his handling of classified documents after leaving office. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. AG alleges that Trump lied 200+ times about the value of his assets James alleges that the former President and his company made “scores of fraudulent, false, and misleading representations” over a 10-year period, according to the lawsuit, which specifically highlighted what it called “200 false and misleading valuations” of Trump’s assets. “The financial statements in question were issued annually; each contained a significant number of fraudulent, false, and misleading representations about a great many of the Trump Organization’s assets; and most played a role in particular transactions with financial institutions,” the lawsuit alleges. “The number of grossly inflated asset values is staggering,” the suit adds. According to James, Trump’s businesses prepared statements of financial condition every year to submit to banks and other financial institutions. The statements showed the financial position of the Trump businesses, James said, and were relied upon if the Trump Organization wanted to apply for loans. Each statement was personally certified as accurate by Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., or Weisselberg, James told reporters on Wednesday. Trump “made known” that “he wanted his net worth reflected on those statements to increase,” James said, “a desire Mr. Weisselberg and others carried out year after year in their fraudulent preparation of those statements.” As an example of allegations Trump inflated valuations to increase his own profits. James highlighted what she says happened with 40 Wall Street, a property known as The Trump Building in New York City’s financial district, which is referenced dozens of times in the lawsuit. Trump’s company obtained appraisals for the property in 2010 and 2012, which found that it was worth $200 million and $220 million respectively, according to the lawsuit. But Trump’s company repeatedly claimed that the property was worth a lot more in its official financial statements, according to the lawsuit. In 2011, Trump’s company said the property was worth $524 million. He said it was worth $527 million in 2012, and $530 million in 2013, according to the lawsuit, which argued that there was not a valid basis for these inflated valuations, and that Trump falsely claimed these numbers came from “professionals.” During Wednesday’s news conference James also said that Trump inflated the square footage of his Trump Tower triplex apartment in order to misrepresent the value at over $300 million. “Mr. Trump represented that his apartments spanned more than 30,000 square feet, which was the basis for valuing the apartment. In reality, the apartment had an area of less than 11,000 square feet, something that Mr. Trump was well aware of,” James said. She added: “Based on that inflated square footage, the value of the apartment in 2015, in 2016, was $327 million. To this date, no apartment in New York City has ever sold for close to that amount.” Three-year investigation The announcement is the latest development in what has been a three-year investigation led by James into the Trump Organization’s finances. In January, James’ office said it found “significant” evidence indicating the Trump Organization used false or misleading asset valuations in its financial statements to obtain loans, insurance and tax benefits. The following month, Trump’s long-time accounting firm resigned. James’ launched her investigation in 2019 after Trump’s former fixer and personal attorney Michael Cohen testified before Congress alleging that Trump inflated the value of certain assets to obtain loans and insurance and undervalued others to gain tax benefits. Cohen told CNN’s Victor Blackwell on “Newsroom” Wednesday that the allegations in James’ lawsuit represent a “complete destruction” to Trump’s image as a wealthy self-made businessman. “It’s like a nuclear bomb exploded. The man has a fragile ego, which we all know. His entire life is predicated on his net worth and him portraying himself as this wonderful businessman, this massive success, this incredibly wealthy guy. And what do we know? We know that it’s not true,” he said. In addition to the new fraud lawsuit, the Trump Organization is going on trial next month on charges it was engaged in a 15-year tax fraud scheme and its long-time chief financial officer has agreed to testify against the company. Weisselberg, who served as chief financial officer at the Trump Organization for decades, pleaded guilty in August to his role in a 15-year-long tax fraud scheme, and as part of the deal, he had agreed to testify against Trump’s real estate company at trial. In recent weeks, the Trump Organization had offered to settle to ward off the lawsuit even as they denied any wrongdoing, but James’ office made it clear it wasn’t interested in a deal, people familiar with the matter said. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been conducting a criminal investigation into the Trump Organization but has yet to bring any charges and former prosecutors have cast doubt that that would ever happen. The burden of proof in civil investigations is lower than for criminal investigations, however, something that benefits James’ office. To bring a criminal case, prosecutors would need evidence of Trump’s state of mind and whether he intended to mislead or defraud anyone when he made statements embellishing the value of his properties. Bragg’s office interviewed bankers, Trump Organization employees and Trump’s longtime accountant but it does not have a key insider cooperating with the investigation. One of the issues that gave Bragg pause from moving forward earlier this year was the lack of an insider who could tie Trump to the valuations, CNN has reported. AG: Trump’s oldest children ‘knowingly participated’ Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. “knowingly participated” in the alleged fraudulent schemes, the lawsuit states. The alleged scheme “required the participation of Mr. Trump and his children,” the lawsuit said, adding that the children were “aware of the true financial performance of the company.” The lawsuit, for instance, alleges that Eric Trump was involved in an approach to appraising properties in Las Vegas in a way that lowered their ...

House Passes Election Law Overhaul In Response To Jan. 6 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/house-passes-election-law-overhaul-in-response-to-jan-6/ 7:01PM Obituaries PGe PG Store Archives Classifieds Classified Events Jobs Real Estate Legal Notices Pets MENU SUBSCRIBE LOGIN REGISTER LOG OUT MY PROFILE Home News Local Sports Opinion A&E Life Business Contact Us NEWSLETTERS ACCOUNT Subscribe Login Register Log out My Profile Subscriber Services Search SECTIONS HOME Homepage This Just In Chats Weather Traffic Event Guide PG Store PGe Video Photos The Digs RSS Feeds NEWS News Home Crimes & Courts Election 2022 Politics Education Health & Wellness COVID-19 Transportation State Nation World Weather News Obituaries News Obituaries Portfolio Science Environment Faith & Religion Social Services LOCAL Local Home City Region East North South West Washington Westmoreland Obituaries Classifieds Legal Notices Real Estate SPORTS Sports Home Steelers Penguins Pirates Sports Columns Gene Collier Ron Cook Joe Starkey Paul Zeise Pitt Penn State WVU North Shore Drive Podcast Riverhounds Maulers NFL NHL MLB NBA NCAA College Sports High School Sports OPINION Opinion Home Editorials Letters Op-Ed Columns PG Columnists Insight A&E A&E Home Celebrities Movies TV & Radio Music Concert Listings Theatre & Dance Art & Architecture Books Events LIFE Life Home Food Dining Recipes Drinks Buying Here Homes & Gardens goodness Random Acts of Kindness Seen Outdoors Style & Fashion Travel Holidays BUSINESS Business Home Building PGH Your Money Business Health Powersource Workzone Tech News Business / Law Other Business Consumer Alerts Business of Pittsburgh Top Workplaces OTHER PGe NEWSLETTERS PG STORE ARCHIVES CLASSIFIEDS OBITUARIES JOBS LEGAL NOTICES REAL ESTATE CLASSIFIEDS EVENTS PETS CONTACT US / FAQ CONTACT US ADVERTISING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES TOP Email a Story Your e-mail: Friends e-mail: Read More Here

James' Lawsuit Against Trump Is Latest In Longstanding Battle Between Them https://digitalarkansasnews.com/james-lawsuit-against-trump-is-latest-in-longstanding-battle-between-them/ “Another Witch Hunt by a racist Attorney General, Letitia James, who failed in her run for Governor, getting almost zero support from the public, and now is doing poorly against Law & Order A.G. candidate, highly respected Michael Henry,” Trump said Wedneday in a post on his social media site, Truth Social, referring to James’ Republican opponent. “I never thought this case would be brought – until I saw her really bad poll numbers,” Trump added. “She is a fraud who campaigned on a ‘get Trump’ platform, despite the fact that the city is one of the crime and murder disasters of the world under her watch!” James dismissed the attacks and Trump’s argument that her case is politically motivated, noting that courts have rejected the claims before. “With regards to the name calling, as you know, they basically attempted to delay this investigation. Two judges have dismissed those claims of a witch hunt. So I give no credence to the names that he has referred to me,” she said at a press conference at her lower Manhattan office where she announced the suit. James, who previously served as New York City public advocate, won her office in 2018, after her predecessor, Eric Schneiderman, resigned in a domestic violence scandal. During that campaign, she made it clear that Trump would be her top target — remarks that have left the former president, a New York native, stewing ever since. “I will never be afraid to challenge this illegitimate president,” James said in a video during the campaign. “I believe that this president is incompetent. I believe that this president is ill-equipped to serve in the highest office of this land. And I believe that he is an embarrassment to all that we stand for.” She went on to say Trump should be indicted on criminal charges and charged with obstruction of justice. She even pulled Trump into her victory speech, saying her win “was about that man in the White House who can’t go a day without threatening our fundamental rights.” “As the next attorney general of his home state,” James said, “I will be shining a bright light into every dark corner of his real estate dealings, and every dealing, demanding truthfulness at every turn.” James toned down her rhetoric, to a degree, after taking office and launching an investigation into Trump — as well as fighting him in court on a host of policy matters while he was in the White House. Trump, on the other hand, only ramped up his own attacks. He lashed out at James and then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a series of tweets in 2019, accusing them, among other things, of “harassing all of my New York businesses in search of anything at all they can find to make me look as bad as possible.” He complained about how his company and children were “spending a fortune on lawyers.” James, who was only referred to in the barrage as Cuomo’s AG, responded that she would “follow the facts of any case, wherever they lead.” “Make no mistake: No one is above the law, not even the President,” she said. “P.S. My name is Letitia James. (You can call me Tish.).” As James’ investigation progressed, the legal and verbal sparring escalated. Trump sued James last year seeking to halt her probe, alleging it was “baseless” and motivated solely by her desire to harass a political opponent. A judge dismissed the suit in May. At a campaign rally in Texas in January, Trump called for massive protests if James and three other Black prosecutors investigating him “do anything illegal.” He said: “These prosecutors are vicious, horrible people. They’re racists and they’re very sick — they’re mentally sick.” But Trump’s tirades have not swayed the courts. He was held in contempt of court in April and fined $10,000 a day for refusing to turn over financial documents James requested in her investigation. The contempt order was lifted after he agreed to turn over the documents — but James said in her suit Wednesday that documents covered by the subpoena which he never turned over were found at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump lost another court skirmish when he was ordered to appear for questioning under oath in James’ investigation, losing an attempt to block the deposition. He sat for the deposition at the AG’s office last month, but took the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer every question. “When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors, and the Fake News Media, you have no choice,” Trump said last month. Later Wednesday, she sent out a fundraising email to campaign supporters: “These men think they can rattle me and scare me off my path, but the truth is, they have only reaffirmed why I went into this work in the first place.” James hopes to have the last word in the longstanding war if she triumphs in her case, which seeks to bar him and his family from being officers of any business in New York and ban them from participating in real estate transactions or getting loans in the state. “The complaint demonstrates that Donald Trump falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to unjustly enrich himself and to cheat the system, thereby cheating all of us,” she told reporters. “Claiming you have money you do not have does not amount to the art of the deal. It’s the art of the steal,” she said. “No one, no one is above the law.” Read More Here

Zelenskyy Calls Russia A State Sponsor Of Terrorism; Biden Calls On U.N. To Stand With Ukraine https://digitalarkansasnews.com/zelenskyy-calls-russia-a-state-sponsor-of-terrorism-biden-calls-on-u-n-to-stand-with-ukraine/ Zelenskyy calls Russia a state sponsor of terrorism Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during an interview with Reuters, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 16, 2022.  Valentyn Ogirenko | Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded that global leaders hold Russia accountable for its monthslong assault on his nation. “Russia should pay for this war,” Zelenskyy said, calling for a special U.N. tribunal to “punish Russia.” “We must finally recognize Russia as a the state of sponsor of terrorism,” Zelenskyy said at the 77th U.N. General Assembly in New York City. Zelenskyy’s dramatic remarks to world leaders came on the heels of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops for war. Zelenskyy, who has not left his war-weary nation since Russia’s full-throttle invasion in February, appeared virtually after an introduction by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the 77th U.N. General Assembly. — Amanda Macias NATO Secretary General says allies will ‘continue to step up support’ for Ukraine as Putin mobilizes more troops for war NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. “The Ukrainian people and forces inspire us all with their courage and determination,” the NATO chief wrote on Twitter. “As president Putin escalates Russia’s war, it is even more important that NATO allies continue to step up support,” he added, referencing the Kremlin’s recent announcement to mobilize additional troops for the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to deliver a dramatic speech at the U.N. later on Wednesday. — Amanda Macias IAEA still working on Ukraine power plant plan despite Putin bluster A serviceman with a Russian flag on his uniform stands guard near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on Aug. 4, 2022. Alexander Ermochenko | Reuters The head of the United Nations atomic agency said he would not abandon a plan to create a protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant despite Russian plans to mobilize new troops and hold a referendum in the region. Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for shelling at the site of Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant that has damaged buildings close to its six reactors and risked nuclear catastrophe, including by cutting power lines essential to cooling fuel in the reactors even though they are all shut down. Ukrainian staff are operating under the orders of Russian forces at the site. Western states have called on Moscow to withdraw its troops. “Even in the worst of conditions diplomacy should never stop. We can’t throw our hands up and say look at what’s being said, go away and hope that something will happen to solve this situation,” Rafael Grossi, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. “It’s our responsibility to do it by proposing pragmatic, realistic and physical proposals on the table.” — Reuters Biden meets U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss in first formal bilateral since her ascension to the office Elizabeth Truss, Foreign Minister of Great Britain, sits in a bilateral discussion with her Japanese counterpart during the summit of foreign ministers of the G7 group of leading democratic economic powers at the Schlossgut Weissenhaus. The G7 countries of Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Canada and Japan are joined by the foreign minister of Ukraine. Marcus Brandt | Picture Alliance | Getty Images President Joe Biden met with U.K. Prime Minster Liz Truss on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. The two leaders were originally slated to meet last week in London at No. 10 Downing Street. Biden began the bilateral meeting by offering his condolences for the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Truss thanked Biden and first lady Jill Biden for attending the state funeral for the late monarch. She also thanked Biden for his leadership as a “steadfast ally.” Truss said that she enjoyed working with his Secretary of State Antony Blinken in her previous role as U.K. foreign minister. Truss, ascended to the prime minster role earlier this month, following Boris Johnson’s resignation. The president did not respond to questions from reporters. — Amanda Macias Biden meets with U.N. chief following General Assembly address US President Joe Biden and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly 76th session General Debate at the United Nations Headquarters, in New York, September 20, 2021. Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images President Joe Biden met with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the heels of his address to the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Biden said he did not have an additional response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to mobilize some 300,000 additional troops to fight in Ukraine when asked by reporters at the top of the meeting. During Biden’s address, he slammed Moscow’s full-throttle assault on Ukraine and pledged to continue to support the war-torn nation with weaponry and humanitarian aid. Biden and Guterres are expected to address other issues aside from the war in Ukraine during their closed-door meeting. — Amanda Macias Biden calls for U.N. member states to stand with Ukraine and oppose Russian aggression U.S. President Joe Biden addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, September 21, 2022. Brendan McDermid | Reuters President Joe Biden called for U.N. member states to stand with Ukraine and oppose Russian aggression, warning that the Kremlin’s invasion of its smaller neighbor threatened the independence and sovereignty of nations around the world. “This war is about extinguishing Ukraine’s right to exist as a state plain and simple, and Ukraine’s right to exist as a people,” Biden told the U.N. General Assembly. “Whoever you are, wherever you live, whatever you believe — that should make your blood run cold.” Biden condemned Russia’s invasion as a clear violation of the U.N. charter. The U.S. president said the nations of the world had an obligation to put their political differences aside and defend the global body’s founding principles by standing in solidarity with Ukraine. “If nations can pursue their imperial ambitions without consequences, then we put at risk everything this very institution stands for,” Biden said. The president called for the U.N. to be “clear, firm and unwavering in our resolve.” “Ukraine has the same rights that belong to every sovereign nation. We will stand in solidarity with Ukraine, we will stand in solidarity against Russia’s aggression – period,” Biden said. — Spencer Kimball Zelenskyy set to deliver dramatic remarks to U.N. as Russia mobilizes more troops for war President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits the Kharkiv region for the first time since Russia started the attacks against his country on February 24, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine on May 29, 2022.(Photo by Ukrainian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Ukrainian Presidency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will deliver dramatic remarks to world leaders Wednesday, only hours after Russia moved to mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops for its months long assault on its ex-Soviet neighbor. Zelenskyy, who has not left his war weary nation since Russia’s full throttle attack in late February, will speak after a stunning Ukrainian counteroffensive reclaimed vast swaths of land lost early in the war. While nearly every leader who has stepped behind the famed U.N. speaker’s rostrum has condemned Russia for its ongoing assault, Zelenskyy is expected to urge leaders to publicly establish where they stand on the war. He will call on countries such as China, the world’s second largest economy, to abandon its neutrality. — Amanda Macias Biden expected to slam Russia’s war in Ukraine in U.N. speech President Joe Biden speaks during the First State Democratic Dinner in Dover, Delaware. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images President Joe Biden is expected to slam Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and galvanize allies to support Kyiv in its era-defining fight for sovereignty. Biden’s address to the 77th United Nations General Assembly comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine marches past its 200th day, while governments continue to grapple with the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic and as climate change uncertainties mount. Following his speech before the international forum, Biden will meet with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and then separately with U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Biden’s ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters last week that a U.S. delegation will meet with a Ukrainian delegation on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. She said that no such meeting was planned with the Russian delegation. — Amanda Macias Pope says Ukrainians subjected to ‘savageness, monstrosities and torture’ Pope Francis holds his homily in St. Peter’s Square during his general weekly audience on June 15, 2022 in Vatican City, Vatican. Franco Origlia | Getty Images The Pope in a weekly address prayed for the tortured corpses left in the aftermath of Russia’s war in Ukraine. “I would like to mention the terrible situation in tormented Ukraine. Cardinal Krajewski went there for the fourth time. Yesterday he telephoned me, he is spendin...

Johnny Lewis “J.L.” Martin https://digitalarkansasnews.com/johnny-lewis-j-l-martin/ Johnny Lewis “J.L.” Martin, 73, departed this life on Friday, September 16, 2022, in Little Rock, Arkansas. J.L. was born on May 31, 1949, in Chattanooga, to the late Jerry Martin and the late Irene Mayweather. He graduated from Tyner High School and served in the Army Reserves for over 30 years. He was a member of the World’s Church of the Living God in Chattanooga. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his first wife, Regina Flippin Martin; stepsons, Reginald Marshall and Kirby Marshall II; sisters, Jeanie Martin and Jerrell Dean Weaver; brother, Will Henry Mayweather. He leaves to cherish his memory his daughter, Sara Wright (Kedrick); son, Jerald Martin; daughter-in-law, Roberta Marshall; grandchildren, Tiara Mitchell, Kirby Marshall III, Rebekah Wright, Rachel Wright, and Rose Wright; great-grandsons, Braden Jones and Orion Marshall; stepmother, Betty McKinley; sister, Marion France; former wife and mother of his children, Mary Martin; brother-in-law, Tommy Weaver; dear aunt, Lonnie May “Peanut” Tucker (James); and a host of other aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, other family members, and friends. Public viewing will be held from 2-6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, at the funeral home. A funeral service will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, at John P. Franklin Funeral Home. Interment: Chattanooga National Cemetery. Read More…

How A.I. Sees Arkansas https://digitalarkansasnews.com/how-a-i-sees-arkansas/ How an artificial intelligence art program sees Arkansas GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Privacy Notice How an artificial intelligence art program sees Arkansas When you hear the word ‘Arkansas,’ what do you think? Hillbillies and banjos? Mountains and rivers? Walmart and the Clintons?We found descriptions of Arkansas from poetry, song, and literature and asked the A.I. art program MidJourney to draw its interpretation. Take a look: FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When you hear the word ‘Arkansas,’ what do you think? Hillbillies and banjos? Mountains and rivers? Walmart and the Clintons? We found descriptions of Arkansas from poetry, song, and literature and asked the A.I. art program MidJourney to draw its interpretation. Take a look: “Arkansas is known mostly for chickens and tourism.” -L.E. Kimball “If I could rest anywhere, it would be in Arkansas, where the men are of the real half-horse, half-alligator breed such as grows nowhere else on the face of the universal earth.” – Davy Crockett “There is pretty strong characters down there. You can’t redeem ’em, you just join ’em.” – Will Rogers “It may be the small thunder of a covey of quail that he will remember longest, or a flight of mallards wheeling down into a swamp because of a hunter’s expertly rendered call, or the bright glow of strawstacks burning in the ricefields after threshing time. The zigzag rail fences overgrown with honeysuckle, the clear smokeless air in the cities, the tumbling of the mountains eastward from Winslow, the smell of woodsmoke from a great stone chimney at the end of a cabin, the pungency of pine sawdust and the whine of the saw biting into a log, the clumps of mistletoe in leafless trees.” – Federal Writers Project, 1947 “Arkansas is a parallel state influenced equally by star-crossed criminality and the dreamlike myth of the sheltering family.” –Tom Drury Read More Here

18 Pounds Of Meth, $120,000 Seized In Craighead County https://digitalarkansasnews.com/18-pounds-of-meth-120000-seized-in-craighead-county/ JONESBORO, Ark. – A large drug seizure was reported this week in Craighead County. On Sunday, September 18, deputies with the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office and agents with the 2nd Judicial Drug Task Force seized more than 18 pounds of methamphetamine as well as a little over $120,000 dollars. The news continues now… The news continues now… Deputies performed a stop on a vehicle for a traffic offense. Throughout the course of the investigation of the traffic stop and the utilization of a K9, deputies on the scene recovered a large amount of suspected methamphetamine, a release posted to social media said. The suspect was then placed under arrest and agents with the 2nd Judicial Drug Task Force, the Jonesboro Police Department, the Arkansas State Police and the Craighead County Sheriffs Office conducted a search warrant on the suspect’s residence where more suspected drugs and related proceeds were located. Photo courtesy Craighead County Sheriff’s Office Read More Here

'Art Of The Steal': Trump Accused Of Vast Fraud In NY Suit https://digitalarkansasnews.com/art-of-the-steal-trump-accused-of-vast-fraud-in-ny-suit/ NEW YORK (AP) — Former president Donald Trump padded his net worth by billions of dollars and habitually misled banks and others about the value of prized assets like golf courses, hotels and his Mar-a-Lago estate, New York’s attorney general said Wednesday in a lawsuit that seeks to permanently disrupt the Republican’s ability to do business in the state. Attorney General Letitia James dubbed it: “The art of the steal.” The lawsuit, filed in state court in Manhattan, is the culmination of the Democrat’s three-year civil investigation into Trump and the Trump Organization. Trump’s three eldest children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump, were also named as defendants, along with two longtime company executives. In its 222 pages, the suit struck at the core of what made Trump famous, taking a blacklight to the image of wealth and opulence he’s embraced throughout his career — first as a real estate developer, then as a reality TV host on “The Apprentice” and later as president. It details dozens of instances of alleged fraud, many involving claims made on annual financial statements that Trump would give to banks, business associates and financial magazines as proof of his riches as he sought loans and deals. FILE – Donald Trump, right, sits with his children, from left, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Trump International Hotel on July 23, 2014, in Washington. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Evan Vucci New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, in New York. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company on Wednesday, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Brittainy Newman New York Attorney General Letitia James pauses during a press conference, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, in New York. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company on Wednesday, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Brittainy Newman New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, in New York. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company on Wednesday, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Brittainy Newman FILE – Donald Trump, left, his son Donald Trump Jr., center, and his daughter Ivanka Trump speak during the unveiling of the design for the Trump International Hotel in the The Old Post Office, in Washington, on Sept. 10, 2013. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Manuel Balce Ceneta FILE – Seven Springs, a property owned by former U.S. President Donald Trump is shown covered in snow in Mount Kisco, N.Y., on Feb. 23, 2021. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/John Minchillo FILE – Former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is seen in Palm Beach, Fla. on Dec. 24, 2017. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Carolyn Kaster FILE – This aerial image taken with a drone, shows Trump National Golf Club, in Briarcliff Manor, NY., on Oct. 20, 2021. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Seth Wenig FILE – Pedestrians cross Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, center, on Feb. 17, 2021, in New York. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C.(AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/John Minchillo FILE – Visitors make their way through the front entrance, adorned with a Trump crest, to the Trump National Golf Club – Los Angeles, on Aug. 4, 2004, in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/REED SAXON FILE – Pedestrians and a food delivery man are seen outside the Trump building on Wall Street, in New York’s Financial District, on March 23, 2021. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File ) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Mary Altaffer FILE – President-elect Donald Trump, left, his chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, center, and his son Donald Trump Jr., right, attend a news conference at Trump Tower in New York, on Jan. 11, 2017. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company on Wednesday, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Evan Vucci PreviousNext For example, according to the lawsuit, Trump claimed his Trump Tower apartment — a three-story penthouse replete with gold-plated fixtures — was nearly three times its actual size and valued the property at $327 million. No apartment in New York City has ever sold for close to that amount, James said. Trump applied similar fuzzy math to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, the lawsuit alleged, by valuing the private club and residence as high as $739 million — more than 10 times a more reasonable estimate of its worth. Trump’s figure is based on the idea that the property could be developed for residential use, but deed terms prohibit that. “This investigation revealed that Donald Trump engaged in years of illegal conduct to inflate his net worth, to deceive banks and the people of the great state of New York,” James said at a news conference. “Claiming you have money that you do not have does not amount to the art of the deal. It’s the art of the steal,” she said, referring to the title of Trump’s 1987 memoir, “The Art of the Deal.” James said the investigation also uncovered evidence of potential criminal violations, including insurance fraud and bank fraud, but that her office was referring those findings to outside authorities for further investigation. Trump, in a post to his Truth Social platform, decried the lawsuit as “Another Witch Hunt” and denounced James as “a fraud who campaigned on a ‘get Trump’ platform.” Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, said the allegations are “meritless” and that the lawsuit “is neither focused on the facts nor the law — rather, it is solely focused on advancing the Attorney General’s political agenda.” In the lawsuit, James asked the court to ban Trump and his three eldest children from ever again running a company based in the state. She is also seeking payment of at least $250 million, which she said was the estimated worth of benefits derived from the alleged fraud. And she wants Trump and the Trump Organization from entering into commercial real estate acquisitions for five years, among other sanctions. James’ lawsuit comes amid a whirlwind of unprecedented legal challenges for a former president, including an FBI investigation into Trump’s handling of classified records and inquiries into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. While James’ lawsuit is being pursued in civil court, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been working with James’ office on a parallel criminal investigation. Trump cited fear of prosecution in August when he refused to answer questions in a deposition with James, invoking his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination more than 400 times. The odds of a criminal prosecution have been seen as falling in recent months after Bragg allowed a grand jury to disband without bringing charges. Bragg said again Wednesday, though, that the criminal investigation was “active and ongoing.” A criminal prosecution would have a far higher burden of proof than a civil lawsuit. And in a criminal case, prosecutors would have to prove that Trump intended to break the law, something not necessarily r...

The Mar-A-Lago Special Master Wants Answers From Trump. The Dispute Over https://digitalarkansasnews.com/the-mar-a-lago-special-master-wants-answers-from-trump-the-dispute-over/ The special master in former President Donald Trump’s case over seized Mar-a-Lago documents told his attorneys Tuesday to supply evidence that Trump declassified records stored there, or to otherwise stop making the argument – simply put, the neutral third-party said, “you can’t have your cake and eat it.” A federal judge in Florida has effectively put the Justice Department’s criminal probe in the case on hold until the special master she appointed at Trump’s request completes a review for privileged information. The DOJ has partially appealed her decision saying it urgently needs to review the 100 or so sets of documents, or more than 700 pages labeled as classified. Here’s what you need to know about the special master’s role and this case: What and who is the special master? A special master is a neutral third-party arbiter who in this case is in charge of assessing whether any of the documents seized by the Justice Department when executing an Aug. 8 search warrant on Mar-a-Lago were governed by executive privilege or attorney-client privilege. In this case it’s a senior federal judge in the Eastern District of New York, Raymond Dearie, who has spent a lifetime handling high-profile cases. Why are we talking about classified or declassified records? Trump’s attorneys argued that the president has broad powers to declassify information, but in court filings have tiptoed around actually saying whether the president did or did not declassify documents. Trump himself has said he had a standing order to “automatically declassify” all documents he took home from the Oval Office. Why does it matter if the records are declassified? The DOJ has argued that roughly 100 “secret” and “top secret” documents seized from Mar-a-Lago belong to the government and are also part of an ongoing criminal investigation. The DOJ said their release could cause “immediate and serious harms to the government and the public.” Multiple ongoing, complex cases After the FBI executed a court-approved search warrant on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, Trump’s attorneys filed suit in federal court, arguing the government violated his rights and committed overreach. That case is before Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida. A grand jury in Washington has also subpoenaed Trump aides and associates in an investigation of the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, for issues such as fake electors and Trump’s fundraising. In the documents case, Cannon approved Trump’s request for a special master – which came weeks after the search itself – and appointed Dearie. The DOJ previously said its own “filter team” had gone through the documents to assess whether any documents were covered by attorney-client privilege. The team found about 500 pages of personal or privileged documents. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is conducting its own review of the national security risk of possible unauthorized disclosure of the classified records and any harm that may have occurred, according to DOJ court filings. Big Picture:Trump has argued he declassified Mar-a-Lago documents. In DOJ probe, it might not matter The DOJ asked Cannon to put a partial stay on her order blocking investigators from reviewing the highly classified records, but she rejected the request. Instead, Cannon told the DOJ it could not review the classified documents seized for its criminal investigation until the special master’s review is complete. The order essentially puts a pause on the investigation. Dearie has estimated it will take until Nov. 30 to complete his review. The DOJ has partially appealed Cannon’s order to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, arguing it urgently needs the ability to review about 100 classified documents, making up more than 700 pages, for potential criminal violations. If a three-judge panel of the appeals court refuses to lift the temporary pause on the investigation, DOJ officials have said they will consider other appeal options, including petitioning the Supreme Court. Outlines on the DOJ criminal probe The federal laws used to justify the search do not require the documents to be classified for a crime to be committed. In fact, the provisions of federal law contained in the Espionage Act, obstruction and the mishandling of government records and reports mentioned in the search affidavit don’t even include the words “classified” or “confidential.” The first two laws – should charges be brought – would carry the heftiest penalties of fines and up to 10 and 20 years in prison, respectively. In approving the search warrant, a federal magistrate agreed there was probable cause FBI agents would uncover evidence that these three provisions of federal law were violated. That’s why some legal experts have called the argument by Trump’s team over declassification a “red herring.” Read More Here

NY AG Sues Trump, Children For ‘astounding’ Fraud https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ny-ag-sues-trump-children-for-astounding-fraud/ Donald Trump, his family business, and three of his adult children were sued on Wednesday by New York’s attorney general, who accused them of overvaluing the former U.S. president’s assets and net worth through a decade of lies to banks and insurers. Angela Johnston reports. Read More Here

U.N. Live Updates: Zelensky Demands That Russia Face A ‘Just Punishment’ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/u-n-live-updates-zelensky-demands-that-russia-face-a-just-punishment/ President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine told world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday that Russia deserves “just punishment” for crimes against his country. “There is only one entity among all U.N. member states who would say now, if he could interrupt my speech, that he is happy with this war,” Mr. Zelensky said — a reference to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who earlier Wednesday announced a significant expansion of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Mr. Zelensky said a special tribunal should be created to punish Russia, and that the country should be deprived of its veto right in the U.N. Security Council. Mr. Zelensky, who has stayed in Ukraine rather than attending the General Assembly, delivered his address in a recording with the permission of the U.N. The speech was played for the Assembly after President Biden told the assembled leaders that the world’s “blood should run cold” over Russia’s attack on a sovereign nation. “This war is about extinguishing Ukraine’s right to exist as a state,” Mr. Biden said. He accused Mr. Putin of making “irresponsible nuclear threats” and declared that “a nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought.” Other highlights: Kenya’s newly elected president, William Ruto, made his debut address to the United Nations General Assembly, inviting development in his country. Like other African leaders, he called on the U.N. Security Council to expand representation from the continent. Iran’s hard-line conservative president, Ebrahim Raisi, told the leaders that his country was a fighter against injustice even as his government was cracking down on antigovernment protests. A small set of world leaders are meeting behind closed doors, or what they are calling a “frank and informal exchange” on climate issues. Mr. Biden also addressed two other thorny geopolitical matters: Iran and China. He implicitly threatened to use force if necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, but said that he wanted to prevent conflict. He also said the United States did not want to escalate its rivalry with China. “The United States will conduct itself as a reasonable leader,” he said. European nations are calling for an independent monitor to put a spotlight on the Kremlin’s crackdown on critics and political opposition. Sept. 21, 2022, 5:52 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:52 p.m. ET Farnaz Fassihi Reporting from New York Zelensky gets a sustained standing ovation as the video of his speech concludes. Sept. 21, 2022, 5:52 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:52 p.m. ET Alan Yuhas Reporting from New York Zelensky ends his address by calling out the handful of nations that sided with Russia in a U.N. vote in opposing his request to give a remote address, including Belarus, Cuba, Syria and Nicaragua. He notes that 101 nations voted to allow the speech. (Nineteen abstained.) Sept. 21, 2022, 5:49 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:49 p.m. ET Alan Yuhas Reporting from New York “As for the talks between Ukraine and Russia, probably you have heard different words from Russia about the talks, as if they were ready for them,” he says. “They talk about the talks but announce military mobilization. They talk about the talks but announce psuedo-referendums.” Mr. Zelensky says that Ukraine, in contrast, is not only prepared for peace talks, “but true, honest fair peace — that’s why the world is on our side.” Sept. 21, 2022, 5:45 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:45 p.m. ET Alan Yuhas Reporting from New York Criticizing nations that have hewed to neutral positions, Mr. Zelensky says that “those who speak of neutrality mean something else.” Without naming specific nations, he says, “They pretend to protect someone, but in reality they only protect their vested interests.” Sept. 21, 2022, 5:39 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:39 p.m. ET Alan Yuhas Reporting from New York Mr. Zelensky notes some of the cascading crises that have come from the war, including soaring energy prices, food shortages and the threat of a nuclear disaster at a plant seized by Russian soldiers. He urges nations to put a price cap on Russian oil and gas, exports that have financed the war. “Limiting prices is safeguarding the world,” he says. “But will the world go for it? Or will it be scared?” Sept. 21, 2022, 5:35 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:35 p.m. ET Alan Yuhas Reporting from New York Making a plea for continued support — weapons, shells, financial aid — Mr. Zelensky describes the mass burial site uncovered in the recently recaptured city of Izium, in northeastern Ukraine, and says the aid would save lives. “Russia wants to spend the winter on the occupied territory of Ukraine and prepare for a new offensive: new Buchas, new Iziums,” he says. “Or at least it wants to prepare fortifications on occupied land and carry out military mobilization at home.” Sept. 21, 2022, 5:29 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:29 p.m. ET Alan Yuhas Reporting from New York Mr. Zelensky says a special U.N. tribunal should be created to punish Russia, and that it should be deprived of its veto right in the U.N. Security Council. “Russia should pay for this war with its assets,” he says. Sept. 21, 2022, 5:26 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:26 p.m. ET Alan Yuhas Reporting from New York “Nations of the world, Ukraine wants peace,” Mr. Zelensky continues. “Europe wants peace. The world wants peace. And we have seen who is the only one who wants war. There is only one entity among all U.N. member states who would say now, if he could interrupt my speech, that he is happy with this war.” He adds, still not naming President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, “But we will not let this entity prevail over us, even though it’s the largest state in the world.” Sept. 21, 2022, 5:21 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:21 p.m. ET Alan Yuhas Reporting from New York President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is addressing the assembly in a video, recorded from Ukraine and in English. “A crime has been committed against Ukraine, and we demand just punishment,” he begins, describing the death and destruction that “Russia provoked with its illegal war.” Sept. 21, 2022, 5:20 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 5:20 p.m. ET Max Bearak The U.N. secretary general, Antonio Guterres, delivered scathing remarks criticizing industrialized countries and fossil fuel companies after he convened a closed-door roundtable event on climate action with the heads of at least half a dozen developing countries. Guterres said the world faced “triple global crises of food, energy and finance” that had contributed to a “once-in-a-generation cost-of-living crisis.” But he said serious action from those responsible for the lion’s share of carbon emissions was lacking. Sept. 21, 2022, 4:56 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 4:56 p.m. ET James Tankersley Reporting from New York The White House says Mr. Biden and Ms. Truss “affirmed their shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement,” referring to a longstanding peace accord in Northern Ireland that has come under pressure amid a trade dispute stemming from Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. Sept. 21, 2022, 4:36 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 4:36 p.m. ET Stephen Castle After her first meeting with President Biden as Britain’s prime minister, Liz Truss said the leaders condemned President Putin’s“belligerent” statements on Ukraine and agreed on reducing dependence on Russian energy. In a statement, Downing Street said Ms. Truss updated Mr. Biden on her plans to maintain current levels of military support for Ukraine next year, and to adapt foreign policy to “tackle the evolving challenge from countries like China and Russia.” Image Credit…Doug Mills/The New York Times Sept. 21, 2022, 4:06 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 4:06 p.m. ET James Tankersley Reporting from New York President Biden is set to deliver remarks this afternoon at a Global Fund conference on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. But first, he is meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to White House pool reporters. Sept. 21, 2022, 4:06 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 4:06 p.m. ET Alan Yuhas Reporting from New York Hungary’s president, Katalin Novák, condemned “Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, which has destroyed peace in Europe.” She called for an investigation into war crimes against civilians. “No crimes committed can go unpunished,” she said. A prerecorded message from President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is scheduled for later this afternoon, though the speeches are already running late. Image Credit…Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times Sept. 21, 2022, 3:15 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2022, 3:15 p.m. ET Image Kenya’s newly elected president, William Ruto, addressing world leaders at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.Credit…Dave Sanders for The New York Times Kenya’s newly elected President William Ruto made his debut address to the United Nations General Assembly as a head of state on Wednesday, days after arriving from London where he attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. In New York, he nodded to President Biden’s “Build Back Better” domestic plan, proposing a global effort toward “building back better from the bottom upward.” The goal, he said, should be “including the marginalized, working majority in the economic mainstream.” Mr. Ruto described “the ever-bustling” millions of working people of the developing world as an untapped resource that could drive growth and help create a more inclusive world order. Like other African leaders, he called on the U.N. Security Council to expand representation from the continent. To that end, Mr. Ruto invited development in Kenya and sought to give the impression of getting down to business. On Tuesday, he met with American business leaders to encourage investment in Ke...

Former Craighead County Clerk Sentenced To 57 Months In Prison For Wire Fraud https://digitalarkansasnews.com/former-craighead-county-clerk-sentenced-to-57-months-in-prison-for-wire-fraud-2/ Little Rock – Former Craighead County Clerk Jacob Kade Holliday was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison Wednesday for taking more than $1.5 million in county money for his personal use. Holliday, 34, of Jonesboro, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James M. Moody, Jr., who also imposed three years of supervised release after Holliday completes his prison term. In June 2020, Craighead County officials reported that a theft had occurred from the Craighead County Clerk’s office. The bank that managed the Clerk’s office account had flagged suspicious activity, and auditors concluded that approximately $1,579,057.03 was missing and had been moved to Holliday’s personal banking accounts. Law enforcement interviewed Holliday, who admitted to taking the money to fund his businesses: Holliday Development and Management, LLC, and Total Healthcare, LLC, both of which operated restaurants and coffee shops in Jonesboro. Holliday told investigators he planned to pay the money back, but once the COVID-19 pandemic caused most of his businesses to close, he could not replace the money. Holliday was indicted in December 2020, when a grand jury charged him with 11 counts of wire fraud for each withdrawal he made from the county account. He pleaded guilty in February of this year and acknowledged that his method was to make a transfer from the county account to one of his personal accounts and then get a cashier’s check from his personal account for the same amount. He pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the indictment, which charged him with wire fraud for his first fraudulent transfer of $101,782.97 on January 29, 2020. In his plea agreement, Holliday agreed to pay $1,579,057.03 in restitution to Craighead County. Holliday is currently serving a 120-month sentence in a state case for forgery, and Judge Moody ordered that his federal sentence will not begin until the state sentence is completed. The FBI, Arkansas State Police, and Craighead County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Allison W. Bragg prosecuted the case. WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI Read More Here

Whataburger Planning West Little Rock Outlet https://digitalarkansasnews.com/whataburger-planning-west-little-rock-outlet/ One of two Whataburger outlets in Fayetteville is at 1956 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (NWA Democrat-Gazette file photo) Confirmation last month of reports that San Antonio-based Whataburger was planning its first Central Arkansas outlet at 7520 Alcoa Road in Benton spurred immediate speculation among fans of the burger chain regarding a possible Little Rock location. Indiana-based contractor TMG Construction Management Inc. has posted on its website, tmgcm.com/whataburger-little-rock-ar, that that first Little Rock Whataburger is set for 17100 Chenal Parkway. The site is a still-wooded and undeveloped plot just east of the Centre at Chenal (17200 Chenal). That center already houses several restaurants, including Chi’s Chinese Cuisine, a Domino’s Pizza outlet and the recently opened Kemuri West.  There’s no opening date yet.  A preliminary plat filed with the City of Little Rock Planning & Development Commission (littlerock.gov/for-businesses/planning-and-developement/boards-commissions/planning-commission/planning-agenda/pc_item2.pdf) lists plans by a Fort Smith-based developer for the property. There is also no opening date for the Whataburger in Benton. City officials and a representative for the chain confirmed at the end of August that an outlet is planned for the Alcoa Road location, next to a Bank OZK. Whataburger has six currently operating restaurants in Arkansas — two in Fayetteville and one each in Magnolia, Rogers, Springdale and Texarkana. Outlets are announced for Fort Smith and El Dorado as well as Benton. Read More Here

House Passes Plan To Head Off Future Trumpian Election Challenges https://digitalarkansasnews.com/house-passes-plan-to-head-off-future-trumpian-election-challenges/ It’s a sign that Democrats view the MAGA moniker, and the fallout from Trump supporters’ violent attack on the Capitol, as a potent path to persuade voters of the former president’s connection to this November’s crop of Republican candidates. While Democrats have struggled to counter GOP economic attacks, they’re hoping democracy protection can join abortion rights as a way to pump turnout in the fall. Republicans, for their part, aren’t sweating the pressure from Democrats. They largely opposed the election reform legislation, openly whipped against it and viewed party-exiled Cheney’s endorsement as a black mark on the bill. Republican Study Committee Chair Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said he’s “always been open” to clarifying the 19th-century election law but he opposes the House bill and Cheney’s involvement means he takes it “a lot less seriously.” “I take it for what it is, a political weapon to beat up on Donald Trump and not about preventing a Jan. 6 from ever happening again,” Banks said. Some Republicans have said they would support the Senate’s version of the Electoral Count Act overhaul — which ultimately could include provisions of the House bill anyway once it goes through a markup next week. “[With] the Senate version you’ve got Republicans and Democrats working together. I know Liz is a Republican, but the fact is they just foist it on us,” Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican running in a Biden district, said of the House bill in a brief interview. “It’s typical Pelosi: Shove it down your throat.” It’s not clear how many GOP lawmakers would join Bacon in backing the bipartisan Senate bill. Scalise declined to comment, saying he hadn’t yet seen it. Only one House Republican — retiring Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) — signed onto the draft Senate bill when it was introduced in the House last week. Asked Tuesday about Republican support for the bill, Cheney told reporters: “Protecting future elections is something that we ought to all be able to agree upon, regardless of party.” The House legislation overhauls certain parts of the Electoral Count Act, which sets out deadlines for states to certify their presidential contests, establishes a process to send electors to Washington, names the vice president as the overseer of the vote count and lays out a process for lawmakers to challenge results. Both the Senate and House bills raise the threshold for lawmakers to object to electoral results, clarify the vice president’s ministerial role during the counting of electoral votes and lay out an expedited court process for election challenges, among other changes, though the House bill addresses more specifics. House Democrats are prepared to hammer their Republican colleagues in the election over their opposition to the bill — one of the few legislative proposals related to Jan. 6 likely to become law in some form. They see the opposition as the latest sign of Trump’s hold on the conference, where many House Republicans backed his election challenges and then later opposed the creation of both the Jan. 6 select committee and a bipartisan commission proposal negotiated by Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and John Katko (R-N.Y.). “The idea that they’re siding with insurrectionists, they’re siding with people who are trying to undermine our democracy is really disgusting,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), chair of the House Rules Committee. Members of the high-profile select panel — tasked with investigating the attack and the former president’s efforts to undermine the 2020 election — directly linked their monthslong probe to the legislation, which is spearheaded by two of its members, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Cheney. “I think this is one of the most significant of the committee’s reform recommendations,” said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the select panel. “And it’s also one where, in theory, we should be able to get it passed in both [chambers].” And members of the committee say they’re undeterred by the paltry GOP support for the House proposal. “If they saw what happened on Jan. 6, then it’s obvious this is not who we are as a country,” Thompson said. “And so much of it was put forth under the assumption that somehow the vice president could stop the will of the people. And so this legislation stops that absolutely in its tracks.” Read More Here

Stocks Making The Biggest Moves After Hours: H.B. Fuller, KB Home, Lennar And More https://digitalarkansasnews.com/stocks-making-the-biggest-moves-after-hours-h-b-fuller-kb-home-lennar-and-more/ Residential single family homes construction by KB Home Residential single family homes construction by KB Home are shown under construction in the community of Valley Center, California, U.S. June 3, 2021. Mike Blake | Reuters Check out the companies making headlines after hours. KB Home — Shares dipped 2.1% in extended trading after the homebuilder disappointed on revenue expectations in its earnings results. KB Home reported earnings of $2.86 per share on revenue of $1.85 billion. Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv were expecting earnings of $2.67 per share on revenue of $1.87 billion. Steelcase — The furniture stock declined 0.4% after Steelcase reported quarterly results that missed on revenue estimates. The company reported earnings of 21 cents per share on revenue of $863.3 million. Analysts were expecting earnings of 12 cents per share on revenue of $884.1 million, according to consensus estimates from FactSet. H.B. Fuller Company — The adhesive manufacturing company jumped 4.9% after topping earnings expectations, though H.B. Fuller reported a slight miss on revenue estimates, according to FactSet. Lennar — Lennar dipped 1% after the home construction company reported its latest quarterly results. The company reported earnings of $5.03 per share on revenue of $8.93 billion. Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv were forecasting earnings of $4.88 per share and revenue of $9 billion. Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated a move in shares of KB Home. Read More Here

Jury Hears Opening Statements At NYC Trial Of Trump Ally – ABC17NEWS https://digitalarkansasnews.com/jury-hears-opening-statements-at-nyc-trial-of-trump-ally-abc17news/ By TOM HAYS Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A close ally of Donald Trump is in court fighting charges he secretly worked as an agent for the United Arab Emirates. A jury heard opening statements at the trial of billionaire Tom Barrack are Wednesday in federal court in Brooklyn. The 75-year-old Barrack has known Trump for decades and served as the chair of the former president’s inaugural committee in 2017. He’s pleaded not guilty to obstruction of justice and other charges. Prosecutors say Barrack helped UAE leaders influence Trump during his campaign for president and after he was elected. Barrack has denied any wrongdoing. BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABC 17 News is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Read More Here

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