Digital Arkansas News

Ben Sasse Celebrated Abortion Reversal And Criticized Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ben-sasse-celebrated-abortion-reversal-and-criticized-legalizing-same-sex-marriage/ Ben Sasse celebrated abortion reversal and criticized legalizing same-sex marriage  mycbs4.com Read More Here

US Justice Department To Monitor Midterms, Avoid Appearance Of Partisanship https://digitalarkansasnews.com/us-justice-department-to-monitor-midterms-avoid-appearance-of-partisanship/ Washington —  Carrying on a long-established tradition, the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) plans to deploy teams of federal observers around the country on Election Day next month while requiring the FBI to receive high-level approval for politically sensitive investigations that might call into question the integrity of the election. At stake in the Nov. 8 congressional races is not only control of Congress but also the legitimacy of U.S. elections — fallout from former President Donald Trump’s attempt to undo the outcome of the 2020 presidential vote. Many Americans are questioning the credibility of elections. At the same time, new laws passed by Republican state legislators have thrown up barriers to voting, rights advocates say, prompting the Justice Department to challenge the new measures in court. The Justice Department, which under the Biden administration has made voting rights a central plank of its law enforcement agenda, says federal monitors will observe the midterm elections in an effort “to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation and suppression.” “The Civil Rights Division undertakes its important work to protect the right to vote all throughout each year, and this year’s work continues longstanding department tradition,” the Justice Department said in a statement Tuesday. The U.S. has a decentralized election system, with voting administered at the county level. But the federal government has a role too. The Justice Department’s civil rights division is responsible for enforcing a string of federal laws designed to protect the right to vote. These include the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the National Voter Registration Act, and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. Federal election monitors, drawn from the Justice Department’s civil rights division as well as U.S. attorney’s offices across the country, will observe compliance with these laws, according to the Justice Department. In the past two election cycles, the Justice Department dispatched election monitors to about 20 states. It is likely to cover the same number of states this year, according to Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections at the watchdog group Common Cause. “I’ve been given no indication that they are going to stray greatly from prior behavior, and they told us that they are continuing to do their job as they’ve always done,” Albert said. The locations to be monitored are determined based on whether “they have a history of problems and voters or community groups in the area making them [the DOJ] aware,” Albert said. “You always use the institutional knowledge, the history of the location, any complaints from voters and voter advocates to monitor,” Albert said. The Justice Department releases its election-monitoring plan on the eve of the midterms. A representative did not have any additional details about the department’s monitoring plan beyond the press statement. Zack Smith, a legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation, said the Justice Department observers play an important role in ensuring equal access to voting. “Their goal is to really be kind of a quick reaction force if issues come up to us to potentially address those issues in real time,” Smith said. In addition to the Justice Department monitors, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), of which the U.S. is a participating state, will deploy observers throughout the country to “closely monitor all aspects of the elections, including pre- and postelection developments.” “The mission will assess the elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation,” the OSCE said in a statement Sept. 29. Staying above politics While taking steps to protect the right to vote, the Justice Department is keeping up another of its long-standing traditions: avoiding the appearance of partisanship during an election year. In a May 25 staff email entitled “Election Year Sensitives,” Attorney General Merrick Garland urged Justice Department employees to be “particularly sensitive to safeguarding the Department’s reputation for fairness, neutrality, and non-partisanship.” “Simply put, partisan politics must play no role in the decisions of federal investigators or prosecutors regarding any investigation or criminal charges,” Gartland wrote. The exhortation was a mere restatement of long-standing DOJ policies. But to the outrage of many on the left, Garland went on to say that he was keeping in place a 2020 directive issued by his predecessor, William Barr. The Barr directive says the FBI must get the attorney general’s written approval before opening criminal or counterintelligence investigations of “politically sensitive individuals or entities.” Garland’s decision to extend that policy gave fodder to critics who say he hasn’t moved aggressively enough to charge Trump and his associates for their alleged roles in the events leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. But the attorney general has said that “no person is above the law” and that the Justice Department “will follow the facts and the law, wherever they lead.” Garland is a former federal judge and Supreme Court nominee. Defenders say he has restored the Justice Department’s traditional role as an independent law enforcement agency after four years of the Trump administration, during which the attorney general was accused of doing the president’s bidding. But Republicans say that it is under Biden that the Justice Department has become politicized. They point to the FBI’s unprecedented investigation of Trump’s handling of presidential records as well as Justice Department lawsuits filed against “election integrity” laws enacted by Republican state lawmakers. “I think there certainly is the perception, if not the reality that there’s a disconnect between what Merrick Garland is saying and what the department is actually doing,” Smith said. Read More Here

European Markets Close Lower As Volatility Continues https://digitalarkansasnews.com/european-markets-close-lower-as-volatility-continues/ European markets closed lower on Monday as volatility continued amid concerns over economic growth and monetary policy tightening from central banks. The pan-European Stoxx 600 provisionally ended down 0.25%, with major bourses closing mixed. Technology stocks led losses, finishing the session down 1.7%. Meanwhile retail and chemicals stocks both closed up around 1.7%. Along with concern over interest rate hikes from central banks and their impact on economic growth, markets in Europe were also watching developments in Ukraine, where the war is showing signs of escalating. Multiple explosions hit the center of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on Monday. European shares initially followed negative global sentiment as investors bet that last week’s U.S. jobs data will keep the Federal Reserve on an aggressive path of interest rate hikes. However, opening losses were all but erased by late morning. U.S. stock futures were higher in early deals Monday, with Wall Street looking ahead to a key inflation print on Thursday and the beginning of corporate earnings season. Markets in Asia-Pacific retreated overnight, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index leading losses as Chinese chip stocks listed in the city plunged following new export rules from the U.S. U.S. markets open higher U.S. stocks opened higher Monday as Wall Street looked ahead to key earnings and inflation reports to be released this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.5% higher in early deals while the S&P 500 was up 0.1%. The Nasdaq Composite, however, dipped 0.5%. — Karen Gilchrist The war in Ukraine is a ‘fight until collapse,’ TS Lombard analyst says The war in Ukraine is a “fight until collapse,” Christopher Granville, managing director at TS Lombard says. Stocks on the move: DS Smith up 12%, Oxford Nanopore down 7% British packaging company DS Smith saw its shares jump more than 12% by mid-afternoon after projecting that annual performance ahead of expectations, on the back of robust revenue growth and cost-cutting measures. At the bottom of the Stoxx 600, Britain’s Oxford Nanopore shares fell more than 7% after a director share sale disclosure. – Elliot Smith UK Finance Minister Kwarteng brings forward fiscal policy plan to Oct. 31 U.K. Finance Minister Kwasi Kwarteng will now deliver his medium-term fiscal plan — building on the controversial Sep. 23 “mini-budget” — on Oct. 31, three weeks sooner than previously scheduled. Last month’s policy announcements spooked the market, leading the pound to all-time lows and forcing the Bank of England to intervene in the bond market to prevent the collapse of pension funds. The new date will allow the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to assess critical data updates and embark on a full forecast process, Kwarteng told parliament’s Treasury Select Committee in a letter. – Elliot Smith Stoxx 600 touches one-week low The European blue chip index briefly touched a one-week low on Monday morning, falling more than 0.8% before recouping some of its losses. Concerns over economic growth, in the face of tightening monetary policy and the war in Ukraine, continued to dampen investor sentiment. Stocks on the move: DS Smith up 8%, ams-Osram down 9% British packaging company DS Smith saw its shares jump more than 8% in early trade after projecting that annual performance ahead of expectations, on the back of robust revenue growth and cost-cutting measures. At the bottom of the Stoxx 600, ams-Osram shares fell more than 9% after announcing that its CFO plans to step down from April 2023. – Elliot Smith Bank of England announces liquidity measures to help ease pension fund issues The Bank of England is set to introduce further liquidity measures as it seeks to ensure financial stability in the U.K. It comes after the central bank on Sep. 28 announced a two-week emergency two-week purchase program for long-dated U.K. government bonds. It was designed to protect liability driven investment (LDI) funds from imminent collapse. Now, the BOE has announced further measures to ensure an “orderly end” to its purchase scheme on Oct. 14, including increasing the size of its daily auctions to allow headroom for gilt purchases ahead of Friday’s deadline. Read more here. — Elliot Smith CNBC Pro: Goldman says these ‘cheap’ global stocks are set to win in the short and long-term As Europe struggles with soaring electricity and gas bills, Goldman Sachs says global companies focussing on energy efficiency are set to outperform. “We think Energy Efficiency companies can outperform over the short term, with the focus on energy efficiency to tackle the current energy crisis that followed the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” the analysts wrote in a note on Oct. 3. “[And] over the long term, with the focus on energy efficiency to tackle the climate change and reach the ambitious ‘net zero’ targets.” CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Weizhen Tan Here are the opening calls Britain’s FTSE 100 is seen around 51 points lower at 6,940, Germany’s DAX is set to slide by around 122 points to 12,151 and France’s CAC 40 is expected to drop around 61 points to 5,806. CNBC Pro: Porsche is now more valuable than VW: Here’s what the pros think of the carmakers A week after its stock market debut, luxury automaker Porsche’s market cap raced past its former parent company Volkswagen Group’s. Some fund managers are already comparing the German firm to Tesla, the largest electric carmaker in the world, saying Porsche’s electrification plan for its hot-selling Macan EV is expected to be an instant success. Compared to its parent company VW, which makes nearly 10 million cars annually, Porsche manufactures just over 300,000 cars but accounts for a quarter of the profits at Volkswagen. CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Ganesh Rao Read More Here

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Rises From GOP Fringe To Front https://digitalarkansasnews.com/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-rises-from-gop-fringe-to-front/ WASHINGTON — Marjorie Taylor Greene took her seat directly behind Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy, a proximity to power for the firebrand congresswoman that did not go unnoticed, as he unveiled the House GOP’s midterm election agenda in Pennsylvania. Days later, she appeared on stage warming up the crowd for Donald Trump, when the former president rallied voters in Michigan to cast ballots for Republicans, including for control of Congress. Once shunned as a political pariah for her extremist rhetoric, the Georgia congresswoman who spent her first term in the House stripped of institutional power by Democrats is being celebrated by Republicans and welcomed into the GOP fold. If Republicans win the House majority in the November election, Greene is poised to become an influential player shaping the GOP agenda, an agitator with clout. “No. 1, we need to impeach Joe Biden. No. 2, We need to impeach Secretary Mayorkas. And No. 3, we should impeach Merrick Garland,” Greene told The Associated Press outside the U.S. Capitol. Alejandro Mayorkas is the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Garland the attorney general. Scolding the media for having been “wrong about me” from the start, she said those who know better “take me very seriously.” “I’m going to be a strong legislator and I’ll be a very involved member of Congress,” she predicted. “I know how to work inside, and I know how to work outside. And I’m looking forward to doing that.” This is the outlook for the Republican Party in the Trump era, the normalizing of once fringe figures into the highest ranks of political power. It’s a sign of the GOP’s rightward drift that Greene’s association with extremists and nationalists, violent rhetoric and remarks about Jewish people have found a home in elected office. Her ascent brings into focus the challenge ahead for McCarthy, whose GOP ranks are filling with far-right political stars with the potential to play an oversized role in setting the policies, priorities and tone of the new Congress. “I’ve said for a long time there’s a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party,” said Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House, at a briefing ahead of the midterm elections. When the congresswoman says outlandish things — as she did at the Trump rally earlier this month claiming “Democrats want Republicans dead, and they’ve already started the killings” — few Republican leaders dare a public or private rebuke of such incendiary language. In this case, she was exaggerating two local incidents involving politics, one that ended tragically in a fatality. Greene’s political currency stretches beyond her massive social media following and her ability to rake in sizable sums from donors. Her proximity to Trump makes her a force that cannot be ignored by what’s left of her mainstream GOP colleagues. McCarthy’s allowance for Greene to sit front and center with leadership for the campaign rollout was not by accident but design. The Republican lawmakers in attendance celebrated her presence, calling it a sign of the GOP’s “big tent” that welcomes all comers. But Greene’s arrival also signaled a stark normalizing of the most extreme elements in the Republican Party. Longtime political strategist Rick Wilson, a former Republican who left the party in the Trump era, calls Greene’s brand of politics “government by trolling” that marks a dangerous new era for the GOP and will make it difficult to govern. McCarthy is in line to become House speaker if Republicans regain the majority. “No matter what the trolling part of the Republican caucus does, you can’t ever satisfy them,” said Wilson, now at the Lincoln Project. With the departure of the last vestiges of the anti-Trump wing of the House GOP — Liz Cheney defeated by a primary opponent and Adam Kinzinger deciding to step down rather than seek reelection — “that’s it,” Wilson said. Greene swept onto the national stage in the 2020 election, catapulted forward even before she took office. As the lawmaker-elect from northwest Georgia, she attended a key organizing meeting at the Trump White House as lawmakers laid plans to object to the certification of Joe Biden’s election on Jan. 6, 2021. When she arrived to be sworn into Congress, she wore a “Trump Won” face mask. Democrats moved swiftly and unequivocally to reprimand Greene, voting to strip her of congressional committee assignments over her incendiary rhetoric, including trafficking in volatile conspiracy theories. Greene drew rebuke from her own party a few months later for comparing mandatory COVID-19 face masks to the treatment of Jewish people by Nazi Germany. While some have tried to compare Greene to outspoken far-left lawmakers, it became clear even to Republican leaders that Greene stood in a category of her own. At that time, McCarthy called her comments about the Holocaust “wrong” and “appalling.” Greene later apologized. In many ways, Greene’s arrival in the House traces the arc of the Republican Party’s rightward evolution from the Newt Gingrich revolution that brought conservatives to power in the 1994 election, to the “tea party” Republicans that regained the House majority in 2010. Jack Kingston, a former Republican congressman who rose during those earlier eras, said McCarthy was smart in welcoming Greene to unfurl the House GOP’s “Commitment to America” last month. “He’s got to work with her, and he knows that,” Kingston said. “Getting Marjorie Taylor Greene on board is very important,” he said. “If you don’t bring everybody in the tent, they’re going to find their own niche.” In the interview, Greene said she is certain she will be reinstated on her congressional committees if Republicans win the majority, eyeing the House Oversight panel, and is talking to leadership about other opportunities in the new Congress. Not only does Greene want to impeach Biden and Cabinet officials, she is eager to conduct investigations, including into the origins of COVID-19. Last month, Greene unveiled legislation that is another priority — her bill to prohibit some gender reassignment procedures on minors — flanked by a dozen Republican lawmakers and leaders in the conservative movement. Many of them praised the congresswoman for her work. “I want to thank Marjorie Taylor Greene — who is soon to get her full legislative powers back, by the way,” said Matt Schlapp, chairman of the Conservative Political Action Committee, who hugged her afterward. “If this is the type of thing that you’re going to have the courage to do, I think that’s something everybody needs to understand,” Schlapp said. McCarthy and Greene appear to have come to an understanding that they need each other. The leader needs Greene to come into the GOP fold rather than throw rocks from outside. She needs McCarthy’s blessing to regain committee assignments, enabling her to participate more fully in Congress and put her imprint on legislation. At the Pennsylvania event McCarthy batted away questions about his ability to govern if Republicans win the majority. “Name me one person in the conference that is opposed to this,” he said afterward of their platform. “Is that a difference? Yes.” ___ Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections Read More Here

Belarus's Lukashenko Warns Ukraine, Deploys Troops With Russia https://digitalarkansasnews.com/belaruss-lukashenko-warns-ukraine-deploys-troops-with-russia/ Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko chairs a meeting on security in Minsk, Belarus, October 10, 2022. Maxim Guchek/BelTA/Handout via REUTERS LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday he had ordered troops to deploy with Russian forces near Ukraine in response to what he said was a clear threat to Belarus from Kyiv and its backers in the West. The remarks from Lukashenko, who has held power in Belarus since 1994, indicate a potential further escalation of the war in Ukraine, possibly with a combined Russian-Belarus joint force in the north of Ukraine. “Strikes on the territory of Belarus are not just being discussed in Ukraine today, but are also being planned,” Lukashenko said at a meeting on security, without providing evidence for the assertion. “Their owners are pushing them to start a war against Belarus to drag us there.” Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com “We have been preparing for this for decades. If necessary, we will respond,” Lukashenko said, adding that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the situation while at a meeting in St Petersburg. Lukashenko said he had agreed with Putin to deploy a regional military group, and had started pulling forces together two days ago, apparently after an attack on Russia’s road and rail bridge to Crimea early on Saturday. Lukashenko said that a warning was delivered to Belarus through unofficial channels that Ukraine planned “Crimean Bridge 2”, though he did not give details. “My answer was simple: ‘Tell the president of Ukraine and the other lunatics: if they touch one metre of our territory then the Crimean Bridge will seem to them like a walk in the park’.” Belarus’s army has about 60,000 people. Earlier this year, Belarus deployed 6 battalion-tactical groups, totaling several thousand people, to the border areas. On Sunday, the head of Belarus’s border guards accused Ukraine of provocations at the border. Russian forces used Belarus as a staging post for their Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, sending troops and equipment into northern Ukraine from bases in Belarus. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Russian-Speaking Hackers Knock Multiple US Airport Websites Offline. No Impact On Operations Reported | CNN https://digitalarkansasnews.com/russian-speaking-hackers-knock-multiple-us-airport-websites-offline-no-impact-on-operations-reported-cnn/ CNN  —  More than a dozen public-facing airport websites, including those for some of the nation’s largest airports, appeared inaccessible Monday morning, and Russian-speaking hackers claimed responsibility. No immediate signs of impact to actual air travel were reported, suggesting the issue may be an inconvenience for people seeking travel information. “Obviously, we’re tracking that, and there’s no concern about operations being disrupted,” Kiersten Todt, Chief of Staff of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said Monday at a security conference in Sea Island, Georgia. The 14 websites include the one for Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. An employee there told CNN there were no operational impacts. The Los Angeles International Airport website was offline earlier but appeared to be restored shortly before 9 a.m. Eastern. A spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment. The hacking group known as Killnet listed multiple US airports as targets. It stepped up activity to target organizations in NATO countries after Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine. The loosely organized “hacktivists” are politically motivated to support the Kremlin but ties to Moscow are unknown. The group claimed responsibility last week for knocking offline US state governments websites. Killnet is blamed for briefly downing a US Congress website in July and for cyberattacks on organizations in Lithuania after the country blocked shipment of goods to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad in June. The type of cyberattack used by Killnet is known as “distributed denial of service” (DDoS), in which hackers flood computer servers with phony web traffic to knock them offline. “DDoS attacks are favored by actors of varying sophistication because they have visible results, but these incidents are usually superficial and short lived,” John Hultquist, a vice president at Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant, told CNN. A Transportation Security Administration spokesperson said the agency is monitoring the issue and working with airport partners. Read More Here

Comedian Katt Williams Coming To Arkansas https://digitalarkansasnews.com/comedian-katt-williams-coming-to-arkansas/ Comedy legend Katt Williams will bring his “2023 and Me Tour” to the Natural State next February.(Simmons Bank Arena) Published: Oct. 10, 2022 at 10:21 AM CDT|Updated: 37 minutes ago JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – Comedy legend Katt Williams will bring his “2023 and Me Tour” to the Natural State next February. Simmons Bank Arena announced Monday the comedian will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, in North Little Rock. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14. Prices range from $63 to $254. Tickets can be purchased at the Simmons Bank Arena box office or at ticketmaster.com. Copyright 2022 KAIT. All rights reserved. Read More…

DeSantis Campaign Ad Touts Governor's Support For His Wife During Her Battle With Breast Cancer https://digitalarkansasnews.com/desantis-campaign-ad-touts-governors-support-for-his-wife-during-her-battle-with-breast-cancer/ EXCLUSIVE: The reelection campaign for Gov. Ron DeSantis is out with a new ad highlighting First Lady Casey DeSantis discussing how he helped her with her recent battle with breast cancer.  The 60-second ad stars First Lady Casey DeSantis discussing how her recent battle with breast cancer showed what she suggests is the true depth of the governor’s character.  “If you want to know who Ron DeSantis really is, when I was diagnosed with cancer, and I was facing the battle for my life, he was the dad who took care of my children when I couldn’t,” the Florida first lady says in the ad. “ “He was there to pick me off of ground when I literally could not stand.”  DESANTIS TOUTS SPEEDY HURRICANE RESPONSE, SAYS NEARLY 98% OF POWER OUTAGES HAVE BEEN RESTORED The 60-second ad stars First Lady Casey DeSantis discussing how she believes her recent battle with breast cancer showed the true depth of the governor’s character.  (Jayme Gershen/Bloomberg) The ad, which will run state-wide in Florida, comes one year after Casey DeSantis was diagnosed with breast cancer. The first lady has since gone into remission, but the ad serves as a behind-the-scenes glance into the support her husband provided her.  BIDEN-DESANTIS FLORIDA MEETING PREVIEWS POSSIBLE 2024 CONTEST DeSantis is vying for a second term as chief executive of the Sunshine State this November. Polling shows the first-term Republican leading his Democratic challenger, ex-governor and former Rep. Charlie Crist.  Polling shows DeSantis leading his Democratic challenger, ex-governor and congressman Charlie Crist.  (Octavio Jones/Getty Images) Despite being in office only four years, DeSantis has emerged as a favorite of the GOP grassroots. That popularity, in turn, has led to speculation the governor could be a 2024 presidential candidate, regardless of whether former President Donald Trump chooses to mount another run for the White House.  CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “People have asked me about that, probably about a thousand different times,” the governor told Fox News earlier this year. “I’m basically, I’m keeping my eye on the ball here in Florida.” Haris Alic is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering Congress.  Read More Here

Donald Trump Among Foreign Politicians To Send Message Of Support To Spain’s Far-Right Vox – Olive Press News Spain https://digitalarkansasnews.com/donald-trump-among-foreign-politicians-to-send-message-of-support-to-spains-far-right-vox-olive-press-news-spain/ FORMER US president Donald Trump was among the foreign politicians to send messages of support this weekend to Vox, the far-right Spanish party that has the third-biggest presence in the Congress of Deputies.  “I wanna begin by thanking Santiago Abascal for the incredible job that he does,” Trump says in the video, which was filmed on a private jet. “It’s a very unique situation that we’re all in. But we have to make sure that we protect our borders and we do lots of very conservative things. Spain is a great country and we want to keep it a great country.”  The messages, which were also sent from future Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán, came on the occasion of Vox’s yearly festival.  ? Mensaje de Donald Trump a los asistentes al #VIVA22 ?? “Tenemos que asegurarnos de que defendemos nuestras fronteras e impulsamos una buena agenda conservadora”. “Me gustaría darte la enhorabuena @Santi_ABASCAL y agradecerte el increíble trabajo que estás haciendo”. pic.twitter.com/tkKdjG7KCS — VOX ?? (@vox_es) October 9, 2022 Called Viva 22, the event was held this weekend in the space that is usually home to the Mad Cool music festival, and was expected to attract 30,000 people, according to the organisers.  Vox leader Abascal thanked Trump for the message at the event, describing the Republican politician as someone who was “ahead of the curve in the fight of sovereign nations and secure borders”.  Meanwhile, a Spanish historical memory association has called for the public prosecutor to investigate one of the musical groups that took part in the festival.  Los Meconios, who played at Viva 22 on Saturday night, sang a song titled “We are going to return to ’36,” a reference to the year that the Spanish Civil War began.  In response, the Association for the Recovery of HIstorical Memory – a group that collects testimonies about Franco-era repression in Spain and works to exhume bodies from mass graves – called for a probe into the band on the basis their lyrics could constitute a hate crime.  The group, however, responded via Twitter that this was not a correct interpretation of the song and that it is the current Socialist Party-led government “that wants to take us to a new ’36.”  Far-right Vox was founded in 2013 but it was not until 2019 that it began to find widespread support among voters. At the general election in November of that year it won 52 of the 350 seats in Spain’s Congress of Deputies, the lower house of parliament. It has also performed well in some regional elections, and currently governs in coalition with the conservative Popular Party in Castilla y León.   Vox’s policies include opposition to separatist movements such as the Catalan secessionists, a recentralization of Spain via the abolition of the country’s system of autonomous regions, and a hardline on illegal immigration. Read more: Vox politician loses libel case to Gibraltar Chief Minister Vox wants casual sex crackown in Spain Read More Here

New Life For Musk-Twitter Deal Raises The Trump Question https://digitalarkansasnews.com/new-life-for-musk-twitter-deal-raises-the-trump-question/ (NewsNation) — Elon Musk’s renewed interest in purchasing Twitter is again raising the prospect that its most famously banned user could be allowed back. Former President Donald Trump has been adamant that he will stick with Truth Social, the fledgling social media platform he helped found, regardless of whether he is welcomed back to Twitter. But experts and Trump allies believe the allure of the massive Twitter audience would be too great to resist, putting his future there front and center as the Musk deal shows new signs of life. “It’s coming…” former Trump legal adviser Jenna Ellis tweeted this week, along with an edited video that showed Trump returning to Twitter with a tweet that read: “Your favorite president is back!” as Musk looked on. Trump has been banned from Twitter since January 2021 in the wake of his tweets around the violence at the Capitol, which followed months of spreading falsehoods about the 2020 election. YouTube and Facebook have both also kicked Trump off their sites. The ban has deprived him of his preferred megaphone since leaving office, leaving him relegated to posting on Truth Social, sending those posts and other statements as press releases and conducting the occasional interview, typically with friendly conservative hosts. After a series of snags in negotiations between Musk and Twitter that saw the billionaire try to get out of the deal, Musk on Tuesday said he planned to follow through on his offer to buy the platform on the same terms that were agreed upon in April. “I do think it was not correct to ban Donald Trump. I think that was a mistake,” Musk said in May. “It alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice.” A final sale to Musk is far from assured. Twitter sued Musk in July to try to force him to go through with the original deal after he attempted to back out, citing the number of spam accounts on the platform. The company has yet to accept the latest proposal, and the litigation between the two sides is ongoing. The latest developments, however, have rekindled chatter among Trump allies, critics and Democrats about what the purchase could mean for the former president’s future on the platform, as Musk could quickly move to reinstate Trump to signal he is serious about reforms. Trump has spent much of the last year posting on Truth Social, where he has millions of followers, and his posts often dabble in conspiracy theories and misinformation about the 2020 election and investigations into his conduct. “I am not going on Twitter. I am going to stay on Truth,” Trump told Fox News after Musk first offered to buy the company. He has also dismissed Twitter as “boring” and unexciting since his forced departure from it. But experts and Trump allies believe the allure of Twitter’s reach, its familiarity and its legitimacy with members of the media would make it too much to turn down. “What we know about Trump and his rhetoric and how it connects to his actions, he will want it to look like he would deign to go back to Twitter,” said Brian Monahan, a professor at Baldwin Wallace University who has analyzed Trump’s tweets and their themes. “I don’t think it would be immediate, but I think it would be really hard to resist because the impact is so much more pronounced and powerful on Twitter than they have been on his other platform,” Monahan added. Democrats would almost certainly oppose any reinstatement. Lawmakers warned shortly after Musk first tried to buy the company that bringing Trump back online would lead to a flood of outrageous statements that could incite violence. Seemingly validating those concerns, Trump posted last week on Truth Social that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had a “death wish,” which lawmakers condemned as a call to violence. While Trump has nearly 4 million followers on Truth Social, it’s a fraction of the nearly 90 million he had on Twitter.  Multiple outlets have reported on the satisfaction Trump got as he or an aide pressed “tweet” on a message while he was in the White House, then turned on cable news to see coverage quickly pivot to what he had written. While some of Trump’s posts on Truth Social still get traction with a wider audience, even Musk dismissed it as “essentially a rightwing echo chamber” in an interview with The Financial Times published Friday. Part of the reason for that, Monahan argued, is that scores of journalists use Twitter regularly as part of their jobs. When Trump would tweet, his message would quickly spread as reporters retweeted and quote tweeted it as news of the day. A Twitter reinstatement could lead to much greater exposure for Trump’s musings, Monahan said, as journalists who have largely ignored his posts on Truth Social would once again be able to quickly and conveniently highlight his tweets, even if they contained falsehoods or inflammatory rhetoric. “A return to Twitter reflexively would give him a little bit more attention,” Monahan said. Trump allies believe a return to Twitter would largely be beneficial, though they pointed to his previous statements as a sign that he would not immediately hop back on the platform without it being on his own terms. One GOP operative with ties to Trump’s orbit argued access to Twitter could further entrench him as a kingmaker within the GOP at a time when Trump is mulling whether to run for president again in 2024. But there is a risk that a reinstatement to Twitter could cut both ways for Trump. The former president’s return to the spotlight in the news cycle after the FBI searched his Mar-a-Lago home in August was followed by a surge in polling for Democrats as they sought to make the midterms a choice between their party and the Trump wing of the GOP. And Trump has had a tendency to cause headaches with his own tweets in the past, such as when he appeared to contradict his logic for firing former FBI Director James Comey and when he tweeted out attacks on former Vice President Mike Pence as violence was unfolding on Jan. 6, 2021. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” tweeted Kurt Bardella, a former GOP staffer turned Democratic strategist. “Elon Musk inviting Trump back to Twitter is the October surprise Kevin McCarthy & Mitch McConnell don’t want to see happen.” Read More Here

C-Suite: Eddie Vega – Talk Business & Politics https://digitalarkansasnews.com/c-suite-eddie-vega-talk-business-politics/ Class of 2022 C Suite Eddie Vega President EZ Spanish Media, Springdale Fast fact: Vega was the first Hispanic to own a radio license in Arkansas, and his company is the only independent radio cluster with FM signals in Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas. What is the best business advice you have ever received or given? I was once told, “Follow your dreams, and never give up.” And because most of the time I don’t give up, my entrepreneurial spirit has taken me to be the pioneer on several business ventures that have formed what our company is today. Which supporting skills do you think are most important when it comes to leadership? Integrity, empathy and problem-solving. If you could change one thing about your leadership style, what would it be and why? Delegate more. To be able to reach out to other communities in the surrounding states. What do you think is most important in creating a positive culture? Promoting respect, diversity and inclusion. What’s the most recent book you read? “Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams” by Pat Williams. What is the most used app on your phone? My phone is working 24/7, even on vacations. I use several phone apps, but the message apps (text, WhatsApp, Messenger) are by far the ones I use the most. If you had $1 million to give, what would you support? I would support minority causes. I think our community is still underserved in many parts of our state. What is one thing you would change about your company if you could today? I don’t have any particular thing that I would like to change at this moment. Most of the changes already took place through the years. Read More…

Inflation Relief Checks Live Online Updates By State: California, Florida… | Payments, Who Qualifies & Amounts https://digitalarkansasnews.com/inflation-relief-checks-live-online-updates-by-state-california-florida-payments-who-qualifies-amounts-2/ Inflation Relief Checks: live updates  The IRS offers support to victims of Hurricane Ian For those who were impacted by Hurricane Ian, there may be relief available through the IRS. The IRS can help victims rebuild their financial records and more.  FEMA is also offering support as the destruction down by Hurricanes Ian and Fiona left thousands without homes.  Unemployment and other benefits are available to those who have lost homes and jobs.  Latest News California Inflation Relief Check: do I qualify according to my filing status? The amount of money that will be distributed to households for the Middle-Class Tax Refund depends on income and tax filing status.  The state allocated around $9.5 billion for the refund and hopes that families will be able to use the payments to keep up with prices. The state leads the country in the cost of gas and after a brief period of relief from high prices from July to September, they are on the climb once again. The payments for the tax refund are worth anywhere between $200 and $1,050, and you can read our full coverage to determine your eligibility and payment amount.  SOCIAL SECURITY Social Security Increase: what is the expected COLA raise for 2023? This week the Social Security Administration will announce the 2023 COLA, which is expected to be historic in size.  Earlier in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased slightly by 0.1 percent in August. Combined, the last two months of price increases show a 8.3 percent increase in average prices in August compared to August last year. Georgia begins sending checks Gov. Brian Kemp, facing stanch competition for his seat, has decided to send inflation relief payments to many across his state.  The first batch of payments was sent in late September and are worth $350.  The payments are being sent to those on SNAP, social security, and other government benefit programs.  A COLA of 8.7 percent is extremely rare and would be the highest ever received by most Social Security beneficiaries alive today. There were only three other times since the start of automatic adjustments that it was higher (1979-1981). US NEWS California Inflation Relief Check: when will I receive the payment & how to track? The first payments for the Middle Class Tax Refund were sent out on October 7. People will, of course, be hoping to receive their money as soon as possible, and fortunately, the California Franchise Tax Board (CFTB) has published information for when people should receive their payment. The CFTB says it expects to send 90 percent of the direct deposit payments for the Middle-Class Tax Refund in October 2022. Those who received the first or second Golden State Stimulus (GSS I and II) via direct deposit can expect to see the money in their account between 7 October and 25 October. The remaining direct deposits will be issued between 28 October and 14 November 2022. Read more on when you can expect your payment.  Welcome to the AS USA live blog on financial payments being sent by states to assist residents as inflation continues to rock the economy.  Last week, California sent out its first batch of payments for the Middle-Class Tax Refund, which will send checks worth up to $1,050 to millions of households across the state. Direct deposit payments will be made first.  Additionally, this week, the Social Security Administration will announce the 2023 Cost-of-living adjustment that will be made to payments in January.   Follow along for more news on the payments being sent in other states, as well as support that may come from the federal level.  Read More Here

Strikes On Ukraine Raise Pressure On Allies To Send Advanced Air Defense https://digitalarkansasnews.com/strikes-on-ukraine-raise-pressure-on-allies-to-send-advanced-air-defense/ BRUSSELS — The string of strikes against Ukrainian cities and key infrastructure on Monday galvanized long-standing calls from the government to its allies for more sophisticated air defense systems and longer-range weapons. The Russian attacks appeared to signal a significant escalation, raising pressure on the United States and other European countries that have been reluctant to provide Ukraine with the latest in military technology. In a bid to avoid direct military conflict with Russia, Western allies have been slow to provide Ukrainian forces with the most advanced weapons systems — a trend that has persisted even as the Kremlin has repeatedly declared that its fight is not just with Ukraine, but against the United States and NATO. Within hours of the strikes, Zelensky held emergency phone calls with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss air defense and other military aid. Zelensky said he will address an emergency meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations on Tuesday. Amid the rush of diplomacy, Russian President Vladimir Putin effectively made Zelensky’s case for air defense by threatening additional strikes. “The best response to Russian missile terror is the supply of anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems to Ukraine — protect the sky over Ukraine!” Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov tweeted Monday. “This will protect our cities and our people. This will protect the future of Europe.” Even before the strikes Monday, the country’s top officials were loudly proclaiming the need to boost air defenses. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted Sunday after Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia that “we urgently need more modern air defense and missile defense systems to save innocent lives. I urge partners to speed up deliveries.” Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted that “instead of talking we need air defense, MLRS, longer-range projectiles,” referring to multiple-launch rocket systems. Estonia’s intelligence chief urged Western countries to heed the calls and consider sending longer-range weapons to Ukraine. “We have a self-interest in giving Ukraine what they ask for,” Mikk Marran said in a Yahoo News interview published Sunday. Ukraine’s military said that in Monday’s attack, its air defenses took down 43 of the 83 missiles launched at it. The German Defense Ministry said Monday that the first of four IRIS-T air defense systems promised to Ukraine would arrive in the “next few days,” and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Germany is doing “everything we can” to quickly reinforce Ukraine. “Residents of Kyiv in fear of death in the morning traffic. An impact crater next to a playground,” she tweeted. “It is vile & unjustifiable that Putin is firing rockets at cities and civilians.” In the phone call with Zelensky on Monday morning, Macron pledged increased support for Ukraine, including more military equipment, but there are growing questions over the extent to which the French are actually living up to their promises. A recent ranking by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy concluded that France has spent less on announced weapons deliveries to Ukraine than much smaller European nations like Estonia and the Czech Republic. Overall, France ranked as only the 11th-biggest global supplier of Ukrainian military aid by August — a “humiliating” result for a country that views itself as the E.U.’s leading military power, critics say. Ukraine is interested in air defense systems used by the French military, including the SAMP/T. The Le Monde newspaper reported that one reason for France’s hesitation has been that the country has a limited stock of the necessary batteries. French government officials have defended the extent of their support, citing “discretion” and suggesting that they have not disclosed all their supplies. They have also argued that their deliveries — including 18 highly accurate CAESAR self-propelled howitzer cannons — have been key additions on the battlefield. France is in negotiations to divert additional CAESAR cannons that were originally ordered by Denmark to Ukraine. But the criticism that France has fallen behind smaller allies in aiding Ukraine appears to have struck a nerve at the Élysée Palace in recent days. As Macron met with other E.U. leaders in Prague on Friday, he announced the creation of a 100 million euro ($97 million) fund that will allow Ukraine to buy its own military equipment. The fund is in addition to around $230 million France had committed to military aid but far behind the more than $17 billion that the Biden administration has sent Ukraine since February. The Pentagon said in late September that it will deliver two advanced antiaircraft systems, called the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS, within the next two months — something Ukraine had long been asking for. Noack reported from France, Morris from Berlin. War in Ukraine: What you need to know The latest: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees Friday to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine, following staged referendums that were widely denounced as illegal. Follow our live updates here. The response: The Biden administration on Friday announced a new round of sanctions on Russia, in response to the annexations, targeting government officials and family members, Russian and Belarusian military officials and defense procurement networks. President Volodymyr Zelensky also said Friday that Ukraine is applying for “accelerated ascension” into NATO, in an apparent answer to the annexations. In Russia: Putin declared a military mobilization on Sept. 21 to call up as many as 300,000 reservists in a dramatic bid to reverse setbacks in his war on Ukraine. The announcement led to an exodus of more than 180,000 people, mostly men who were subject to service, and renewed protests and other acts of defiance against the war. The fight: Ukraine mounted a successful counteroffensive that forced a major Russian retreat in the northeastern Kharkiv region in early September, as troops fled cities and villages they had occupied since the early days of the war and abandoned large amounts of military equipment. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the beginning of the war — here’s some of their most powerful work. How you can help: Here are ways those in the U.S. can support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating. Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video. Read More Here

White-Collar Workers Are Feeling The Brunt Of The Fed's Rate Hikes. Here's Why | CNN Business https://digitalarkansasnews.com/white-collar-workers-are-feeling-the-brunt-of-the-feds-rate-hikes-heres-why-cnn-business/ A version of this story first appeared in CNN Business’ Before the Bell newsletter. Not a subscriber? You can sign up right here. You can listen to an audio version of the newsletter by clicking the same link. New York CNN Business  —  September’s hotly anticipated jobs data ended up cooling markets on Friday. Stocks fell sharply as investors evaluated the report, which showed more jobs than expected were added to the US economy and indicated that more pain-inflicting interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve lie ahead. But a breakdown of the numbers shows that the Fed’s plans to weaken the labor market to fight persistent inflation may already be working, just not for everybody. White-collar office workers appear to be feeling the brunt of the Fed’s actions: The financial and business sector saw a large decline in employment last month. Legal and advertising services also experienced drops. Service and construction workers, meanwhile, are still thriving. What’s happening: The US economy added 263,000 jobs in September, higher than analyst estimates of 250,000. The unemployment rate came in at 3.5%, down from 3.7% in August. Leading the gain in jobs was the leisure and hospitality industry, which added 83,000 jobs in September — and employment in food services and drinking places made up 60,000 of those jobs alone. Manufacturing and construction also came in hot, adding 22,000 and 19,000 jobs, respectively. The largest non-governmental losses in jobs came from the financial industry, which shed 8,000 between August and September. Large banks hire in cycles, extending offers to recent graduates in the early fall months. That makes this September’s drop particularly significant. Business support services — such as telemarketing, accounting and administrative and clerical jobs — are also bleeding jobs. The sector lost 12,000 in September. Meanwhile, legal services lost 5,000 jobs, and advertising services also dropped 5,000 jobs. What it means: The Federal Reserve’s hawkish policy appears to be cooling certain parts of the economy, but not others. Finance workers are likely beginning to worry as their industry depends on stock and lending markets which have been particularly hard hit by Fed actions. Friday’s numbers indicate that we’re beginning to see that impact in the employment data. What remains to be seen is whether the Fed can cool the economy just by loosening employment in white-collar industries or if these losses will trickle down to other industries, hurting lower-income workers. Coming up: Earnings season begins in earnest this week with big banks like JPMorgan, Citigroup (C), Morgan Stanley (MS) and BlackRock (BLK) reporting. Investors will be watching closely for any guidance on hiring and layoff plans. Two key inflation indicators, PPI and CPI are also set to be released. Expect markets to react poorly if inflation comes in hot. A panel of top US economists just released its economic outlook for the next year, and it’s not great. The panel of 45 forecasters, led by the National Association for Business Economics (NABE), said they expected slower growth, higher inflation, higher interest rates, and weakening employment in both 2022 and 2023 than they previously expected. Most of the worries come down to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy. “More than three-quarters of respondents believe the odds are 50-50 or less that the economy will achieve a ‘soft landing’,” said NABE Vice President Julia Coronado. “More than half the panelists indicate that the greatest downside risk to the U.S. economic outlook is too much monetary tightness.” NABE panelists downgraded their median forecast for real GDP for the fourth quarter of 2022 to a 0.1% increase, compared to a 1.8% increase in the May 2022 survey. The vast majority of respondents placed more than a 25% probability of a recession occurring in 2023, with the most likely start date in the first quarter. The latest report comes as a growing number of economists are predicting that recession is imminent. Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers told CNN on Thursday that it’s “more likely than not” the US will enter a recession, calling it a consequence of the “excesses the economy has been through.” Friday’s jobs report showed that the share of workers telecommuting or working from home because of the pandemic ticked lower — falling to just 5.2% in September from 6.5% in August. Fully remote work in the United States, which many predicted would remain the norm long after the pandemic, appears to be edging away, especially as the job market loosens for white collar workers and employees have less leverage. Last week, a KPMG survey of US-based CEOs found that two-thirds believed in-office work would be the norm within the next three years. Still, it may not be enough to help an ailing commercial real estate market, where the outlook is dire. New York City office properties declined by nearly 45% in value in 2020 and are forecast to remain 39% below their pre-pandemic levels long-term as hybrid policies continue, according to a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Looking forward: The Bureau of Labor Statistics has noted that while hybrid work may still be popular, Covid-19 is no longer fueling work from home trends. The October report will rephrase its telework questions to remove references to the pandemic. Since May 2020, each jobs report has asked: “At any time in the last four weeks, did you telework or work at home for pay because of the Coronavirus pandemic?” In May 2020, 35.4% answered yes. Starting next month, the question will be revised. “At any time in the last week did you telework or work at home for pay?” it will ask, limiting the timeline and eliminating any reference to the pandemic. The US bond market is closed for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Coming later this week: ▸ Third quarter earnings season begins. Expect reports from big banks like JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Wells Fargo (WFC), Citigroup (C), Morgan Stanley (MS), PNC (PNC) and US Bancorp (USB) and consumer staples like Pepsi (PEP), Walgreen (WBA)s and Domino’s (DMPZF).  ▸ CPI and PPI, two closely watched measures of inflation in the US are also due to be released.  Read More Here

Fort Smith Coffee With Cops Sets October Date https://digitalarkansasnews.com/fort-smith-coffee-with-cops-sets-october-date/ by: Jacob Smith Posted: Oct 10, 2022 / 08:01 AM CDT Updated: Oct 10, 2022 / 08:01 AM CDT by: Jacob Smith Posted: Oct 10, 2022 / 08:01 AM CDT Updated: Oct 10, 2022 / 08:01 AM CDT FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Fort Smith Police has set its next Coffee with the Cops date for October at the Fort Smith Farmer’s Market. The regularly scheduled event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 8 a.m. giving citizens the opportunity to get to know local police officers one-on-one. Coffee with the Cops will be part of the Oktoberfest event happening at the Farmer’s Market, so there will be plenty of activities to enjoy after spending time with police. Trending Stories Read More Here

Prosecutors Seek Prison For Jan. 6 Rioter's Attack On AP Journalist https://digitalarkansasnews.com/prosecutors-seek-prison-for-jan-6-rioters-attack-on-ap-journalist/ In this image from video, Alan William Byerly, center, attacks an Associated Press photographer during a riot at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Credit: Julio Cortez / AP Federal prosecutors on Sunday recommended a prison sentence of approximately four years for a Pennsylvania man who pleaded guilty to assaulting an AP photographer and using a stun gun against police officers during a mob’s attack on the U.S. Capitol. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss is scheduled to sentence Alan Byerly on Oct. 21 for his attack on AP photographer John Minchillo and police during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot in Washington. Sentencing guidelines recommend a prison term ranging from 37 to 46 months. Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of at least 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Byerly’s attorney has until Friday to submit a sentencing recommendation. The judge isn’t bound by any of the sentencing recommendations. Byerly was arrested in July 2021 and pleaded guilty a year later to assault charges. Byerly purchased a stun gun before he traveled from his home in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, to Washington for the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6. Leaving the rally before then-President Donald Trump finished speaking, Byerly went to the Capitol and joined other rioters in using a large metal Trump sign as a battering ram against barricades and police officers, prosecutors said. After that, he went to the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace, where he and other rioters attacked Minchillo, who was wearing a lanyard with AP lettering. Byerly is one of at least three people charged with assaulting Minchillo, whose assault was captured on video by a colleague. Byerly then approached police officers behind bike racks and deployed his stun gun. “After officers successfully removed the stun gun from Byerly’s hands, Byerly continued to charge toward the officers, struck and pushed them, and grabbed an officer’s baton,” prosecutors wrote. Byerly later told FBI agents that he did just “one stupid thing down there and that’s all it was,” according to prosecutors. “This was a reference to how he handled the reporter and nothing more,” they wrote. Byerly treated Jan. 6 “as a normal, crime-free day, akin to the movie, ‘The Purge,’ when he could do whatever he wanted without judgment or legal consequence,” prosecutors said. “He was mistaken,” they added. More than 100 police officers were injured during the Capitol siege. Approximately 900 people have been charged with federal crimes for their conduct on Jan. 6. More than 400 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanor offenses. More than 280 riot defendants have been sentenced, with roughly half sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from one week to 10 years. Story by Michael Kunzelman. Post navigation Read More Here

Kevin McCarthy Claimed Trump Had No Idea His Supporters Carried Out Capitol Attack – Live https://digitalarkansasnews.com/kevin-mccarthy-claimed-trump-had-no-idea-his-supporters-carried-out-capitol-attack-live/ “,”elementId”:”bd110d31-7042-467e-b0e6-7aa138fcd5ac”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:” Here’s what else is happening today: “,”elementId”:”5daa5e5c-df25-4b6a-8e91-a36ed313b8c0″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:” n Not a ton! Why? Because it’s Columbus Day, or Indigenous Peoples’ Day, depending on which state you are in. It’s a federal holiday, so many government offices are closed. n The United Nations General Assembly will discuss Russia’s annexation of four regions in Ukraine beginning at 3 pm eastern time, and vote on a resolution to condemn the move. n Joe Biden is coming back to the White House after spending the weekend in Delaware. n “,”elementId”:”20de9347-e85c-42b4-99f6-625dd7bab31d”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1665406440000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”08.54 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1665405716000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”08.41 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1665406440000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”08.54 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”08.54″,”title”:”Poised to lead House, new book shows McCarthy denying reality of January 6″,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Mon 10 Oct 2022 08.54 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”Last modified on Mon 10 Oct 2022 08.55 EDT”}],”filterKeyEvents”:false,”format”:{“display”:0,”theme”:0,”design”:10},”id”:”key-events-carousel-mobile”}” Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Poised to lead House, new book shows McCarthy denying reality of January 6 Good morning, US politics blog readers. The United States has witnessed a bizarre spectacle over the past year and a half, as Republicans who were themselves in the Capitol when it was stormed by insurrectionists on January 6 try to downplay the severity of the attack. CNN reports that Kevin McCarthy, the GOP leader in the House of Representatives who stands a good chance of becoming its speaker next year, told officers who fought with the mob that then-president Donald Trump had no idea it was his supporters causing the violence – even though he addressed them just prior to the attack. McCarthy has been an ardent supporter of the former president and his statement isn’t much of a surprise, but the detail underscores the mental gymnastics Republicans are doing to avoid acknowledging what their embrace of Trump means for America. Here’s what else is happening today: Not a ton! Why? Because it’s Columbus Day, or Indigenous Peoples’ Day, depending on which state you are in. It’s a federal holiday, so many government offices are closed. The United Nations General Assembly will discuss Russia’s annexation of four regions in Ukraine beginning at 3 pm eastern time, and vote on a resolution to condemn the move. Joe Biden is coming back to the White House after spending the weekend in Delaware. Read More Here

Jeb Bush Calls Out Trump For Accusing His Father Of Stealing Classified Documents https://digitalarkansasnews.com/jeb-bush-calls-out-trump-for-accusing-his-father-of-stealing-classified-documents/ Jeb Bush struck out to defend his late father, George H W Bush, after Donald Trump initiated calls to investigate the 41st president. At a rally in Arizona on Sunday, Trump attacked several former presidents for being guilty of the same act that earned him a visit from federal agents this past summer at his Mar-a-Lago resort: storing classified documents after their tenure in office. He initially accused President Barack Obama of transporting over 30 million pages of documents to a former furniture store in Chicago, a claim that has regularly been refuted by the National Archives who noted that the federal agency was responsible for relocating unclassified documents to a secure federal facility in Chicago. He then went on to accuse former president Bush, who died in 2018, of hoarding millions of documents inside a combination bowling alley-meets-Chinese restaurant. “[He] took millions and millions of documents to a former bowling alley pieced together with what was then an old and broken Chinese restaurant,” the former president said of his predecessor during a rally held in Mesa, Arizona. “They put them together. And it had a broken front door and broken windows. Other than that it was quite secure.” When tossing out these examples of previous commander-in-chief’s being “guilty” of the same acts that he’s allegedly been engaged in, he pressed on about why they too hadn’t been investigated. These remarks, though unsubstantiated by the one-term president, were inflammatory enough to prompt the son of the 41st president to respond to them online. “I am so confused. My dad enjoyed a good Chinese meal and enjoyed the challenge of 7 10 split. What the heck is up with you?” tweeted Jeb Bush on Sunday, while resharing a clip of Trump making the accusatory remarks about his late father. (A 7-10 split is a bowling term that describes when a player takes out all but the last two pins in the line-up.) This isn’t the first time the two Republicans have come to public blows, as during the lead-up to the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries – a race that both men had thrown their names in the hat for – Mr Trump would frequently attack the former Florida governor. Among the various insults that the former president has lobbed in the direction of Jeb over the years, he has at times called him “an embarrassment to his family”, accused him of being “weak” to his face and has tied his reputation to his brother, George W Bush, and suggested that he bore responsibility for the war in Iraq, calling it “a big, fat mistake”. Read More Here

Early Edition: October 10, 2022 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/early-edition-october-10-2022/ Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated weekday guide to major national security news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news. RUSSIA, UKRAINE – KERCH BRIDGE EXPLOSION ​​The Kerch Bridge in Crimea was partially destroyed by an explosion Saturday morning. The damage to the bridge, which comes as Ukrainian advances continue to reclaim occupied territories from Moscow’s forces, endangers a crucial route for Russian military supplies to support its forces in southern Ukraine. The head of the Russian-installed regional parliament in Crimea, Vladimir Konstantinov, blamed the damage to the bridge on “Ukrainian vandals,” according to Russian media. Kyiv hasn’t claimed responsibility for the damage to the bridge, but Ukrainian officials celebrated the blast on social media. Sergei Kuznetsov reports for POLITICO.  Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday accused Ukraine of being behind the attack on the bridge linking Crimea to Russia, calling it an act of terrorism. “There is no doubt that this is a terrorist attack aimed at destroying the critically important civilian infrastructure of the Russian Federation,” Putin said, summing up the attack in just two sentences. “The authors, performers, and customers are the secret services of Ukraine.” After the president’s remarks were published, a reporter from the state-run Russian news outlet RIA Novosti asked Putin’s spokesperson whether the “terrorist attack” fell within the category under Russian defense doctrine that allowed for a nuclear response. “No,” the spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, responded, according to the outlet. Neil MacFarquhar reports for the New York Times.  Putin will hold a meeting of his national security council today, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state-owned news agency TASS. Although Peskov declined to say whether they would discuss the explosion on the Kerch Bridge connecting Russian-occupied Crimea to Russia, it is bound to be on the security council’s agenda. Russia has opened an investigation into the explosion. Sarah Anne Aarup reports for POLITICO.  Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia will destroy the “terrorists” responsible for the attack on the Kerch bridge in Crimea. In an interview with Russian journalist Nadana Friedrichson, Medvedev said the hit on the crucial artery was a “terror attack” carried out by “the failed state of Ukraine.” “Russia’s response to this crime can only be the direct destruction of terrorists, just as other countries would react. This is exactly what the citizens of Russia are waiting for,” Medvedev said. “This is a terrorist act and sabotage committed by the criminal Kyiv regime. There was never any doubt about this. All reports and conclusions have been made.” Katharina Krebs reports for CNN.  RUSSIA, UKRAINE – FIGHTING In what appears to be the heaviest wave of missile and rocket attacks since the opening week of the war, Russia hit cities across Ukraine on Monday, including the capital Kyiv, where at least five people were killed. Explosions were reported across other major Ukrainian cities, including in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Lviv, as Moscow unleashed a barrage of missiles in waves. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said Kyiv was reaching out to its Western allies to organize a response to the strikes, which appear to be retribution for Saturday’s attack on the Kerch Bridge. Missy Ryan and Isabelle Khurshudyan report for the Washington Post.  ​​A children’s playground was among the sites hit by missile attacks on Kyiv. Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs, posted photos on Twitter of what appears to be a playground with the caption: “Children’s playground in the center of Kyiv after the attack.” Angus Watson reports for CNN.  China has expressed hope that the situation in Ukraine will be “de-escalated soon,” following apparent Russian strikes on Kyiv. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning said China had noted reports of both the explosion on the Kerch bridge linking Crimea with mainland Russia on Saturday and Monday’s strikes on Kyiv. Speaking during a daily briefing in Beijing, Mao reiterated China’s position on the situation in Ukraine, stressing China has “always maintained that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected.” Niamh Kennedy reports for CNN.  Power cuts have been reported in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv following an explosion “at a critical infrastructure facility,” Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi posted on Telegram. “Part of the city is without electricity. A third of the traffic lights do not work,” Sadovyi wrote. “Due to the lack of electricity, the operation of the city’s thermal power stations has been temporarily suspended. Therefore, hot water is not provided at the moment.” Tim Lister reports for CNN.  European leaders have criticized Russian missile attacks on residential buildings that have left scores of civilians dead and wounded in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia over the past week. Top E.U. diplomat Josep Borrell said: “The E.U. condemns Russia’s relentless attacks against civilians all over Ukraine, with dozens of victims every week. All those responsible will be held to account.” The European Commissioner for Crisis Response Janez Lenarcic also reacted to the attacks, saying, “Civilians and civilian infrastructure must not be the target. Never. Nowhere.” The attacks have also been condemned by the foreign ministries of Lithuania, Belgium, Romania, Croatia, and North Macedonia. Mariya Knight reports for CNN.  External power has been restored to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant after repeated shelling caused an outage lasting nearly two days. This is according to a statement by the director of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi, who is set to visit Russia early this week for talks about establishing a safety zone around the plant. Carly Olson reports for the New York Times.  RUSSIA, UKRAINE – OTHER DEVELOPMENTS  The Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan has unilaterally cancelled joint military drills between the six nations making up the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The Kyrgyz defense ministry did not specify the reason for cancelling the “Indestructible Brotherhood-2022” command and staff exercises, which were set to be held in the country’s eastern highlands Monday to Friday. According to earlier reports, the exercises were set to involve army personnel from CSTO members Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, and focus on securing ceasefires. Observers from five further states, including Serbia, Syria, and Uzbekistan, had also been invited. AP reports.  India has declined to say whether it will vote to condemn Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory in a U.N. General Assembly session this week. “As a matter of prudence and policy, we don’t predict our votes in advance,” India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said at a news conference. The U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on Wednesday on a resolution that condemns Russia’s recent illegal annexation of four Ukrainian provinces. Jake Kwon, Richard Roth and Rhea Mogul report for CNN.  NORTH KOREA  North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters yesterday. Japanese Vice Defense Minister Toshiro Ino who confirmed the launches said the weapons could be submarine-launched ballistic missiles. North Korea’s pursuit of the ability to fire missiles from a submarine would constitute an alarming development for its rivals because it’s harder to detect such launches in advance. The launch, North Korea’s seventh round of weapons tests in two weeks, came hours after the U.S. and South Korea wrapped up two days of naval drills off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast. Hyung-Jin Kim and Mari Yamaguchi report for AP.  North Korea’s recent missile tests are part of a series of simulated procedures intended to demonstrate its readiness to fire tactical nuclear warheads at South Korea, North Korean state media has said. Quoting leader Kim Jong Un, who oversaw the drills, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said the tests showed Pyongyang was ready to respond to regional tension by involving its “huge armed forces.” The series of seven drills of North Korea’s “tactical nuclear operation units” showed that its “nuclear combat forces” are “fully ready to hit and wipe out the set objects at the intended places in the set time,” the agency said. Brad Lendon Yoonjung Seo and Gawon Bae report for CNN.   The Biden administration has announced new sanctions targeting businessmen and companies in Asia that officials say help support the development of North Korea’s weapons and military. “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continues its unprecedented pace, scale, and scope of ballistic missile launches this year,” U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken said in a statement, using North Korea’s formal name. “This year alone, it has launched 41 ballistic missiles. Six of these were intercontinental ballistic missiles,” he added. Edward Wong reports for the New York Times.  GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS  Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has said that there is “no room for compromise” over the self-ruled island’s sovereignty. She is, however, willing to work with China to find “mutually acceptable ways” to maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait. “I call on the Beijing authorities that resorting to war must not be the option for cross-strait relations,” Tsai said during a speech marking Taiwan’s National Day. “Only by respecting Taiwanese people’s insistence on sovereignty, freedom, and democracy can we resume positive interactions across the Taiwan Strait,” she added. Eric Cheung reports for CNN. Five tee...

From Fringe To Front Row: Congresswoman Greene Rises In GOP https://digitalarkansasnews.com/from-fringe-to-front-row-congresswoman-greene-rises-in-gop/ WASHINGTON (AP) — Marjorie Taylor Greene took her seat directly behind Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy, a proximity to power for the firebrand congresswoman that did not go unnoticed, as he unveiled the House GOP’s midterm election agenda in Pennsylvania. Days later, she appeared on stage warming up the crowd for Donald Trump, when the former president rallied voters in Michigan to cast ballots for Republicans, including for control of Congress. Once shunned as a political pariah for her extremist rhetoric, the Georgia congresswoman who spent her first term in the House stripped of institutional power by Democrats is being celebrated by Republicans and welcomed into the GOP fold. If Republicans win the House majority in the November election, Greene is poised to become an influential player shaping the GOP agenda, an agitator with clout. “No. 1, we need to impeach Joe Biden. No. 2, We need to impeach Secretary Mayorkas. And No. 3, we should impeach Merrick Garland,” Greene told The Associated Press outside the U.S. Capitol. Alejandro Mayorkas is the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Garland the attorney general. Scolding the media for having been “wrong about me” from the start, she said those who know better “take me very seriously.” “I’m going to be a strong legislator and I’ll be a very involved member of Congress,” she predicted. “I know how to work inside, and I know how to work outside. And I’m looking forward to doing that.” This is the outlook for the Republican Party in the Trump era, the normalizing of once fringe figures into the highest ranks of political power. It’s a sign of the GOP’s rightward drift that Greene’s association with extremists and nationalists, violent rhetoric and remarks about Jewish people have found a home in elected office. Her ascent brings into focus the challenge ahead for McCarthy, whose GOP ranks are filling with far-right political stars with the potential to play an oversized role in setting the policies, priorities and tone of the new Congress. “I’ve said for a long time there’s a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party,” said Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House, at a briefing ahead of the midterm elections. When the congresswoman says outlandish things — as she did at the Trump rally earlier this month claiming “Democrats want Republicans dead, and they’ve already started the killings” — few Republican leaders dare a public or private rebuke of such incendiary language. In this case, she was exaggerating two local incidents involving politics, one that ended tragically in a fatality. Greene’s political currency stretches beyond her massive social media following and her ability to rake in sizable sums from donors. Her proximity to Trump makes her a force that cannot be ignored by what’s left of her mainstream GOP colleagues. McCarthy’s allowance for Greene to sit front and center with leadership for the campaign rollout was not by accident but design. The Republican lawmakers in attendance celebrated her presence, calling it a sign of the GOP’s “big tent” that welcomes all comers. But Greene’s arrival also signaled a stark normalizing of the most extreme elements in the Republican Party. Longtime political strategist Rick Wilson, a former Republican who left the party in the Trump era, calls Greene’s brand of politics “government by trolling” that marks a dangerous new era for the GOP and will make it difficult to govern. McCarthy is in line to become House speaker if Republicans regain the majority. “No matter what the trolling part of the Republican caucus does, you can’t ever satisfy them,” said Wilson, now at the Lincoln Project. With the departure of the last vestiges of the anti-Trump wing of the House GOP — Liz Cheney defeated by a primary opponent and Adam Kinzinger deciding to step down rather than seek reelection — “that’s it,” Wilson said. Greene swept onto the national stage in the 2020 election, catapulted forward even before she took office. As the lawmaker-elect from northwest Georgia, she attended a key organizing meeting at the Trump White House as lawmakers laid plans to object to the certification of Joe Biden’s election on Jan. 6, 2021. When she arrived to be sworn into Congress, she wore a “Trump Won” face mask. Democrats moved swiftly and unequivocally to reprimand Greene, voting to strip her of congressional committee assignments over her incendiary rhetoric, including trafficking in volatile conspiracy theories. Greene drew rebuke from her own party a few months later for comparing mandatory COVID-19 face masks to the treatment of Jewish people by Nazi Germany. While some have tried to compare Greene to outspoken far-left lawmakers, it became clear even to Republican leaders that Greene stood in a category of her own. At that time, McCarthy called her comments about the Holocaust “wrong” and “appalling.” Greene later apologized. In many ways, Greene’s arrival in the House traces the arc of the Republican Party’s rightward evolution from the Newt Gingrich revolution that brought conservatives to power in the 1994 election, to the “tea party” Republicans that regained the House majority in 2010. Jack Kingston, a former Republican congressman who rose during those earlier eras, said McCarthy was smart in welcoming Greene to unfurl the House GOP’s “Commitment to America” last month. “He’s got to work with her, and he knows that,” Kingston said. “Getting Marjorie Taylor Greene on board is very important,” he said. “If you don’t bring everybody in the tent, they’re going to find their own niche.” In the interview, Greene said she is certain she will be reinstated on her congressional committees if Republicans win the majority, eyeing the House Oversight panel, and is talking to leadership about other opportunities in the new Congress. Not only does Greene want to impeach Biden and Cabinet officials, she is eager to conduct investigations, including into the origins of COVID-19. Last month, Greene unveiled legislation that is another priority — her bill to prohibit some gender reassignment procedures on minors — flanked by a dozen Republican lawmakers and leaders in the conservative movement. Many of them praised the congresswoman for her work. “I want to thank Marjorie Taylor Greene — who is soon to get her full legislative powers back, by the way,” said Matt Schlapp, chairman of the Conservative Political Action Committee, who hugged her afterward. “If this is the type of thing that you’re going to have the courage to do, I think that’s something everybody needs to understand,” Schlapp said. McCarthy and Greene appear to have come to an understanding that they need each other. The leader needs Greene to come into the GOP fold rather than throw rocks from outside. She needs McCarthy’s blessing to regain committee assignments, enabling her to participate more fully in Congress and put her imprint on legislation. At the Pennsylvania event McCarthy batted away questions about his ability to govern if Republicans win the majority. “Name me one person in the conference that is opposed to this,” he said afterward of their platform. “Is that a difference? Yes.” Read More Here

Trump-Linked Digital World Acquisition Corp Prepares For Another Vote To Extend Merger Deadline https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-linked-digital-world-acquisition-corp-prepares-for-another-vote-to-extend-merger-deadline/ The former US President announced his intention to create a new social media platform after he was banned from Facebook and Twitter last year. Leon Neal | Getty Images Shareholders of Digital World Acquisition Corp., the blank-check company set to take Trump Media and Technology Group public, are due to vote Monday on a proposal to extend the merger deadline and buy the company time to find financing. With $1 billion in financing already at risk, DWAC needs 65% of its shareholders to approve the extension for the merger with Trump Media beyond the current deadline of Dec. 8. The special-purpose acquisition company has previously warned that a failure to extend the deadline could force it to liquidate. Monday’s vote is the continuation of a monthslong effort to garner enough shareholder support for the extension. The company held a shareholder meeting on the matter in September but was unable to rally enough votes in favor. That meeting was adjourned four times before DWAC CEO Patrick Orlando initiated a built-in, three-month extension with a $2.8 million contribution from his company Arc Global Investments II. Orlando has been attempting to drum up votes on Trump Media’s Truth Social platform, at one point urging Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes and its chairman, former President Donald Trump, to help publicize the effort. DWAC’s private investors were set to provide $1 billion to Trump Media upon completion of the merger. But at least $138 million of that funding was withdrawn, and the company moved its address to a UPS Store. One of the investors told CNBC that they were underwhelmed with user numbers compared to Twitter and feared the legal obstacles facing the deal. Trump founded Trump Media and its Truth Social platform after he was banned from Twitter over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, in which hundreds of his followers stormed the building in an attempt to block Congress from confirming Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. Trump, who is considering a run for the White House in 2024, has built a following of 4 million on his platform, compared to the 80 million or so he had on Twitter. DWAC’s stock last week slid on the news that a deal for Elon Musk to buy Twitter may be close. Musk has previously said he would reinstate the account of the ex-president. Beyond a shareholder vote, legal obstacles continue to face a DWAC-Trump Media merger. The deal is the subject of both a criminal and an SEC probe into possible securities violations relating to potentially illicit conversations had before the merger was announced. Trump Media recently responded, saying the company was exploring legal action against the SEC for delaying the deal. Trump, himself the subject of a federal criminal probe into whether he illegally kept sensitive government documents, has warned on multiple occasions that he could ultimately decide to keep his company private. That would kill the deal, liquidating DWAC and splitting its trust among shareholders, paying out around $10 per share. The stock currently trades around $17 per share, below its 2022 peak of $97 in March. “If they don’t come with the financing I’ll have it private,” Trump said to supporters in an early-October rally in Michigan. “Easy to have it private.” Read More Here

Stock Market Today: Stock Futures Edge Down https://digitalarkansasnews.com/stock-market-today-stock-futures-edge-down/ About this page Last Updated: Oct 10, 2022 at 7:56 am ET The Wall Street Journal’s full markets coverage. Read More Here

Live Updates: Putin Says ‘Mass Strike’ On Ukraine Is Revenge For Bridge Attack https://digitalarkansasnews.com/live-updates-putin-says-mass-strike-on-ukraine-is-revenge-for-bridge-attack/ KYIV, Ukraine — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia ordered a far-reaching series of missile strikes against cities across Ukraine on Monday morning, hitting the heart of the capital and other areas far from the front line in its broadest aerial assault against civilians and critical infrastructure since the early days of its invasion. Russia’s attacks killed at least nine people nationwide, the Ukrainian authorities said, and knocked out power and other key services in multiple cities. Mr. Putin said the strikes were in response to a blast that hit a key Russian bridge over the weekend, which he called a “terrorist attack.” He threatened further strikes if Ukraine continued to hit Russian targets. Video A series of explosions in the central Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv left at least five people dead and dozens wounded, according to a government official.CreditCredit…Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters The barrage of strikes — from Lviv in the west to Mykolaiv in the south and Kharkiv in the northeast — slammed into civilian areas and apparently also sought to cripple energy facilities as winter approaches. The explosions blew out the windows of buildings in central Kyiv, set vehicles ablaze and sent residents scrambling for shelter at a time when many were heading for school or work. The attacks demonstrated that Russia still has the ability to strike deep into Ukraine and terrorize civilians, even as Moscow’s forces struggle on the battlefield in the eighth month of its invasion. Ukrainian troops have reclaimed more than 1,200 miles of territory in the east and south in recent weeks, and Mr. Putin has faced mounting criticism of his army’s performance and growing opposition to his call-up of hundreds of thousands of civilians into military service. Here are the latest developments: At least 10 Ukrainian cities came under attack, and regional officials said that electrical power stations and power lines were among the main targets of the strikes. Electricity outages disrupted internet service, and several cities were left without power and central heating, officials said. Ukrainians had been bracing for retaliatory attacks following the explosion on Saturday that damaged a bridge linking Russia with Crimea. The strike embarrassed Moscow and could hinder its ability to supply its occupying forces in southern Ukraine. Russian hard-liners — who have called for a much tougher approach to the war — were quick to celebrate the strikes, saying they were a long-awaited sign that the Kremlin was intensifying its attacks against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Oct. 10, 2022, 7:41 a.m. ET Oct. 10, 2022, 7:41 a.m. ET Valerie Hopkins The Norwegian Refugee Council, an international aid group working in several of the cities targeted, has halted operations “until it is safe to resume,” its secretary general, Jan Egeland, said. “We cannot aid vulnerable communities when our aid workers are hiding from a barrage of bombs and in fear of repeated attacks,” he added. Oct. 10, 2022, 7:35 a.m. ET Oct. 10, 2022, 7:35 a.m. ET Megan Specia Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine In Kyiv’s central train station, some people were trying to leave the city following the strikes. Alla Rohatniova, 48, had just fled to Kyiv after her home in the eastern city of Kharkiv was destroyed in another strike two days ago. She said she was shaken by Monday’s attacks and eager to travel further west. “There is no safe place,” she said with a sigh. “Right now, we don’t know where they will strike, it could be anywhere.” Oct. 10, 2022, 7:21 a.m. ET Oct. 10, 2022, 7:21 a.m. ET Cassandra Vinograd President Volodymyr Zelensky posted images of the destruction on Telegram, writing that “today, the whole world once again saw the true face of a terrorist state that is killing our people. Not only on the battlefield, but also in peaceful cities.” Oct. 10, 2022, 6:54 a.m. ET Oct. 10, 2022, 6:54 a.m. ET Cora Engelbrecht Video captured by a security camera in Kyiv showed a pedestrian bridge in the heart of the city engulfed by a billowing plume of smoke after a missile struck nearby on Monday. The video, which was posted by Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to the interior minister, showed that the bridge was not affected by the blast. A person walking on the bridge at the time appeared shocked but unharmed. Video Oct. 10, 2022, 6:45 a.m. ET Oct. 10, 2022, 6:45 a.m. ET KYIV, Ukraine — The soft green Provence-style cabinets Yuri and Irina Penza had recently installed in their central Kyiv apartment were strafed from flying glass: The force of a Russian strike just outside their home on Monday morning had blown out all the windows and the front door, sending houseplants and coffee mugs flying. But Mr. and Ms. Penza, who are in their 60s and were preparing their morning coffee when the blast hit, were remarkably unscathed. “Not even a scratch,” said Ms. Penza, standing amid the wreckage of her home, which looked as if it had been turned upside down and shaken vigorously. “We were just very lucky. The angels are flying above us.” The barrage of strikes on Monday morning was the first to hit central Kyiv since the early days of the war in February. The searing sound of incoming rockets and the inevitable thud of impact viciously shook the capital from a dim sense of normalcy that had prevailed for months as the bulk of the fighting shifted to points in the east and south. Just a day earlier, residents had been attending dinner parties and drinking in outdoor cafes, enjoying the last vestiges of summer warmth. Mr. and Ms. Penza had recently renovated their apartment. They installed beautiful crown moldings and antique furniture, trying to conjure a bit of southern France with a mural in their kitchen depicting a quaint village alleyway with purple bougainvillea. “We renovated and thought we were going to be living well,” Ms. Penza said. The first missiles hit central Kyiv at around 8 a.m., just a few blocks from the couple’s home; Ms. Penza initially tried to convince herself that there had been a car accident. She said she looked out the window at the school across from her building and saw a young boy there looking up at the sky. That’s when she knew it was an attack — but she decided to go to work anyway. She and her husband own a business supplying and servicing fire extinguishers. Her clients, she said, were counting on her to keep the day’s appointments. Then another missile, maybe two, exploded right outside. Ms. Penza had just stepped into the bathroom and was shielded from flying glass. Her husband was able to duck into a corridor and avoid injury as well. Some of their neighbors were less fortunate. With cars in the courtyard still ablaze, they stumbled in a daze out of the building, some with blood streaming from wounds, others trying to corral terrified children and pets. The force of the blast blew the heavy steel doors to the building’s lobby off their hinges and stripped much of the glass from one side of the large high-rise across the courtyard. While the number of casualties was not immediately clear, Mr. Penza said that among his neighbors “there were no bodies.” “They’re inhuman, wild animals,” Mr. Penza said of the Russians. The gas and water still worked in the apartment, and he was finally making the cup of coffee the blast had denied him earlier. He and his wife said that they believed Monday’s attacks were revenge for Ukraine’s bombing of the sole bridge linking Russia to Crimea over the weekend. But Mr. Penza said he still believed striking the span was the right thing to do. “From a strategic point of view it was necessary,” he said. The bridge is the main supply line for arms and ammunition being sent to Russian troops trying to hang on to territory seized at the start of the war in southern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces are fighting an increasingly successful counteroffensive. Mr. Penza said his cousin lives in the occupied city of Kherson, a southern Ukrainian port city that Ukrainian troops have been trying to liberate for months. The approach of Ukrainian troops has given locals there some hope, Mr. Penza said. He showed a reporter a photo that his cousin had sent from the local fish market, where a sign on a pile of carp described them as “newly liberated.” Not all of the Penzas’ belongings were destroyed in the blast. A century-old mirror in the family’s library that Mr. Penza had restored was still intact. The television in the room was cracked and its screen dark, but the sound still worked. Amid the sounds of falling glass and sirens outside, it played a rousing choral arrangement of the Ukrainian national anthem. “Everything will be Ukraine,” Ms. Penza said. “Glory to the Army. We will win.” Oct. 10, 2022, 6:43 a.m. ET Oct. 10, 2022, 6:43 a.m. ET Anton Troianovski Russia’s Defense Ministry said its strikes on Ukraine had “achieved its goal.” Echoing Putin’s address, it said “military command, communications and energy facilities” were struck and that “all targets have been hit.” Oct. 10, 2022, 6:41 a.m. ET Oct. 10, 2022, 6:41 a.m. ET Megan Specia Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine In central Kyiv, curtains flapped from inside the shattered windows of a high rise residential building damaged by a nearby strike this morning. Psychological support workers at the scene said parents and children had taken shelter in a school basement and all were safe. Image Credit…Finbarr O’Reilly for The New York Times Oct. 10, 2022, 6:41 a.m. ET Oct. 10, 2022, 6:41 a.m. ET Christopher F. Schuetze Reporting from Berlin The German defense minster promised to deliver the first of four modern IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine in “the coming days.” The government had promised four systems, which are designed to protect ...

Regents Capital Enters $100MM Credit Facility With Bank OZK https://digitalarkansasnews.com/regents-capital-enters-100mm-credit-facility-with-bank-ozk/ Regents Capital, a provider of equipment leasing and financing solutions to middle-market borrowers, entered a three-year, $100 million revolving credit facility with Bank OZK, a regional bank based in Little Rock, AR.  The new facility follows a successful $25.0 million investment-grade rated corporate note financing announced by the company in January 2022. Proceeds drawn on the facility will be used to fund new originations and support additional growth of the business. Since inception, Regents has originated over $800 million in equipment leasing to more than 1,700 customers nationwide. “This facility marks a strategic goal of the company for 2022 and we are pleased to have achieved such an attractive outcome.” Dennis Odiorne, president of Regents, said. “Coming off of our $25 million financing earlier this year, we believe Regents is in a solid position to deliver what our clients need most — comprehensive business funding solutions that drive measurable results.” “This agreement further strengthens the company’s capital position as we continue to scale our equipment finance solutions to businesses throughout the U.S,” Don Hansen, CEO of Regents, said. “Regents has built a strong, scalable platform providing proven and flexible equipment financing solutions to our clients. This new facility will further our mission to help even more businesses meet financing challenges and fuel growth.” Brean Capital served as the company’s financial advisor and sole placement agent in connection with the transaction. Read More…

Police: 7 People Injured, 1 Dead After Shooting At Florida Bar https://digitalarkansasnews.com/police-7-people-injured-1-dead-after-shooting-at-florida-bar/ Seven people were shot, and one person was killed at a Tampa bar Sunday morning after a fight broke out at closing time, according to Tampa’s police chief.Chief Mary O’Connor said the shooting happened at around 3 a.m. at the LIT Cigar & Martini Lounge on North Franklin Street.According to police, the shooting stemmed from a fight between two large groups of people inside the lounge that spilled into the street after they were escorted outside.O’Connor said that from what witnesses told officers, at least one suspect left the bar, got a gun, and shot the seven victims. She said there could be another suspect in the case, although it is not known if there were multiple gunmen.“The suspects clearly have a disregard for human life,” she said. “They opened fire into a crowd of people that weren’t doing anything more than celebrating right out here on Franklin Street.”The one fatality was a California man who was visiting Tampa for a wedding. The other six victims, four men and two women, were taken to different hospitals in the Tampa Bay area for non-life-threatening injuries.“We’re currently working with witnesses to develop leads,” O’Connor said. “We have not made any arrests as of yet, but again, we are working with an extreme sense of urgency on this.”“We’re not going to sleep until we have something concrete to put these violent criminals where they belong,” she added.O’Connor said there is no public threat at this time. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Seven people were shot, and one person was killed at a Tampa bar Sunday morning after a fight broke out at closing time, according to Tampa’s police chief. Chief Mary O’Connor said the shooting happened at around 3 a.m. at the LIT Cigar & Martini Lounge on North Franklin Street. According to police, the shooting stemmed from a fight between two large groups of people inside the lounge that spilled into the street after they were escorted outside. O’Connor said that from what witnesses told officers, at least one suspect left the bar, got a gun, and shot the seven victims. She said there could be another suspect in the case, although it is not known if there were multiple gunmen. “The suspects clearly have a disregard for human life,” she said. “They opened fire into a crowd of people that weren’t doing anything more than celebrating right out here on Franklin Street.” The one fatality was a California man who was visiting Tampa for a wedding. The other six victims, four men and two women, were taken to different hospitals in the Tampa Bay area for non-life-threatening injuries. “We’re currently working with witnesses to develop leads,” O’Connor said. “We have not made any arrests as of yet, but again, we are working with an extreme sense of urgency on this.” “We’re not going to sleep until we have something concrete to put these violent criminals where they belong,” she added. O’Connor said there is no public threat at this time. Read More Here

Oct. 10: What You Need To Know https://digitalarkansasnews.com/oct-10-what-you-need-to-know/ JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – We’re helping you plan your day on Good Morning Region 8. Weather Headlines We are starting the workweek on the warm side. Highs today will be back in the 80s and those temperatures should stay with us through Wednesday. Also, there’s a slight chance of rain on Monday afternoon. A cold front comes in on Wednesday night which will give us a better chance of picking up 0.25-0.50″ of rainfall by Thursday morning. High temperatures will cool back into the 70s and lows will be in the 40s. Looking long-range, a shot of ever cooler air could move in by the beginning of next week. How about highs in the lower 60s? It’s something to keep an eye on. Meteorologist Aaron Castleberry has your morning drive forecast coming up on Good Morning Region 8. WATCH LIVE News Headlines This November, voters could change the state constitution to include a religious freedom amendment. A violent Saturday night in Little Rock left one person dead and two others injured. One man is in custody after an incident in Brookland on Sunday. A Northeast Arkansas woman shares her experience with breast cancer and what she does to spread awareness. Jurnee Taylor and Chase Gage will have details on these stories and more coming up at 6:00 a.m. on Good Morning Region 8. WATCH LIVE Copyright 2022 KAIT. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Analyst Accused Of Lying In Trump Probe On Trial https://digitalarkansasnews.com/analyst-accused-of-lying-in-trump-probe-on-trial/ FILE – Igor Danchenko leaves the Albert V. Bryan United States Courthouse in Alexandria, Va., Nov. 4, 2021. Danchenko, a think tank analyst who played a major role in the creation of a flawed report about former President Donald Trump, is scheduled to go on trial Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, for lying to the FBI about how he developed information that went into what is now infamously known as the “Steele dossier.” (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Five years after the term “Steele dossier” entered the political lexicon, a think tank analyst who contributed to research about Donald Trump and Russia goes on trial Tuesday for lying to the FBI about his sources of information. Igor Danchenko is the third person to be prosecuted by Special Counsel John Durham, who was appointed to investigate the origins of “Crossfire Hurricane” — the designation given to the FBI’s 2016 probe into former President Trump’s Russia connections. It is also the first of Durham’s cases that delves deeply into the origins of the dossier that Trump derided as fake news and a political witch hunt. Here’s some background on what the case is about. WHO IS DANCHENKO AND WHAT IS HE ACCUSED OF? Danchenko, a Russian analyst, was a source of information for Christopher Steele, a former British spy who was paid by Democrats to research ties between Russia and presidential candidate Donald Trump. The compilation of research files, which included salacious rumors and unproven assertions, came to be familiarly known as the “Steele dossier.” Though the dossier did not help launch the FBI’s investigation into potential coordination between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, the Justice Department did rely on it when it applied for and received warrants to monitor the communications of a former Trump campaign adviser. As part of its efforts to verify information in the dossier, the FBI interviewed Danchenko in 2017. He is charged with lying to agents about his information sources, with prosecutors accusing Danchenko of misleading the FBI in an effort to make his own contributions seem more credible. WHAT DO THE PROSECUTORS SAY? Prosecutors say Danchenko lied when the FBI asked him about how he obtained the information he gave to Steele. Specifically, they say he denied that he relied on a Democratic operative, Charles Dolan, a public relations executive who volunteered for Hillary Clinton’s presidential 2016 campaign. Prosecutors also say Danchenko lied when he said he received information from an anonymous phone call that he believed was placed by a man named named Sergei Millian, a former president of the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce. They argue Danchenko knew that Millian wasn’t a source of any anonymous phone call. The indictment says the FBI could have better judged the veracity of the Steele dossier had it known that a Democratic operative was the source of much of its information. WHAT DOES THE DEFENSE SAY? Danchenko’s lawyers say the prosecution “is a case of extraordinary government overreach.” They note that Danchenko agreed to multiple voluntary FBI interviews throughout 2017. They say his answers to the FBI were all technically true. For instance, an FBI agent asked Danchenko whether he ever “talked” with Dolan about the information that showed up in the dossier. While prosecutors have produced evidence that the two had email exchanges about topics in the dossier, there’s no evidence that they talked orally about those topics. “It was a bad question,” said Danchenko’s lawyer, Stuart Sears, at a pretrial hearing last month. “That’s the special counsel’s problem. Not Mr. Danchenko’s.” And while Danchenko said he believed Millian was the voice on the anonymous phone call, he never told the FBI with any certainty that it was Millian. Sears argued that ambiguous statements like that fall short of what’s necessary to convict on a false statements charge. U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga last month rejected a request from defense lawyers to dismiss the charges, though he called his decision to let the case move forward an “extremely close call.” He has since ruled that prosecutors cannot present evidence about the most salacious parts of the dossier. WHAT OTHER CASES HAS DURHAM BROUGHT? Durham was the U.S. Attorney in Connecticut in 2019 when he was tapped by then-Attorney General William Barr to hunt for potential misconduct by government officials who conducted the original Russia investigation. But after more than three years, Durham’s work has failed to meet the expectations of Trump supporters who hoped he would uncover sweeping FBI conspiracies to derail the Republican’s candidacy. The probe has produced only three criminal cases. The first case was against an FBI lawyer, Kevin Clinesmith, who was accused of altering an email related to the surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. It ended in a guilty plea and a sentence of probation — and involved FBI misconduct already uncovered by the Justice Department’s inspector general. Last year, Durham’s team charged a Democratic lawyer with making a false statement to the FBI’s top lawyer during a 2016 meeting in which he presented information about a purported digital backchannel between a Russia bank and the Trump organization. The FBI investigated but found no suspicious contact. The case against the lawyer, Michael Sussmann, ended in a swift acquittal in May. Durham’s work has continued deep into the Biden administration Justice Department, but the Danchenko trial seems likely to be the last criminal case his team will bring. It is not clear when Durham might produce a report summarizing his findings. Read More Here

White House Braces For Latest Hunter Biden Fallout Near Elections https://digitalarkansasnews.com/white-house-braces-for-latest-hunter-biden-fallout-near-elections/ October 10, 2022 06:48 AM Hunter Biden‘s legal entanglements pose problems for Democrats before next month’s midterm elections because they provide Republicans with more political fodder to undercut his father, President Joe Biden. But the Justice Department‘s criminal tax investigation into Hunter Biden, among other ethical issues, will more likely trip up the president and Democrats next year if Republicans control Congress, or even just the House. BIDEN ENDS CEASEFIRE WITH GOP RIVALS AFTER ONE DAY AND RETURNS TO CAMPAIGN MODE Republicans, including Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, are criticizing the Justice Department for slow-walking its investigation into Hunter Biden, an inquiry that became public weeks after the 2020 election when it was already two years old. Fitton and others’ scrutiny is a reaction to reports from the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal that federal agents are confident they have enough evidence to charge Hunter Biden with tax crimes and a false statement regarding a gun purchase. The decision rests with the Trump-appointed Delaware U.S. attorney, but there are reportedly concerns the younger Biden’s addictions could undermine their case. “The story that’s in plain sight is that the Justice Department has been investigating Hunter Biden for four years, and they still don’t want to do what, seemingly, the law requires, which is to prosecute him,” Fitton told the Washington Examiner. “They’re pretending that Hunter’s alcohol and drug problems could be a defense, and they’re nervous about it. I mean, it’s just absurd.” “The Justice Department, to the degree they would move forward against Hunter, would be in a way as to minimize exposure for Joe,” Fitton added. “It’s going to be harder for the Biden administration to avoid these corruption issues with a Republican House.” House Oversight Committee Republicans offered a preview last month of what to expect next Congress if the GOP wins a majority in either or both chambers. Ranking member Rep. James Comer (R-KY), for instance, forced a vote on a resolution that would have compelled the administration to disclose details related to the broader Biden family’s foreign business dealings. The Justice Department is unlikely to indict Hunter Biden before November’s elections, if at all, according to former Arkansas U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins. For Cummins, that is the right decision based on the investigation’s political considerations, but he expressed surprise with respect to the case’s narrow scope. “It may be because the U.S. attorney can only rely on IRS and ATF investigators at this point,” he said, referring to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. GOP strategists and operatives, including at the Republican National Committee, are comparing the Justice Department’s approach to Hunter Biden with that to Donald Trump, contending the former president is being treated differently. As Trump involves the Supreme Court in the special master review of classified materials seized during the FBI‘s search of his Mar-a-Lago home and office in Florida, federal agents are reportedly questioning whether the previous president still has government records in his possession. “Now Hunter now knows how it feels to have somebody breathing down his neck — quite a change for someone from the Biden family,” RNC spokesman Will O’Grady said. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was needled about the Justice Department’s Hunter Biden investigation during a quick, informal briefing Friday aboard Air Force One en route to Maryland. The first son was last seen publicly with his father, his wife, Melissa Cohen, and the couple’s toddler, Beau Biden, during the president’s summer vacation in South Carolina. “As you know, this is an ongoing investigation being handled independently by the Department of Justice, so I would refer you to the Department of Justice,” Jean-Pierre said before the plane landed after the short flight. Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Chris Clark, defended his client more vociferously, reminding reporters it is a federal felony for a federal agent to leak information about a grand jury investigation, which will help determine whether charges can be laid. Clark called on the Justice Department to “prosecute such bad actors.” “As is proper and legally required, we believe the prosecutors in this case are diligently and thoroughly weighing not just evidence provided by agents, but also all the other witnesses in this case, including witnesses for the defense,” he wrote. “It is regrettable that law enforcement agents appear to be violating the law to prejudice a case against a person who is a target simply because of his family name.” The Hunter Biden reporting precedes a possible repeat of the 2020 election when news broke in December, after votes were counted, that the Justice Department had been investigating his “tax affairs.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER In a statement disseminated by the then president-elect’s transition team, Hunter Biden insisted he has filed his taxes “legally,” “appropriately,” and with professional assistance. Joe Biden issued a statement in the same email, adamant he is “deeply proud of his son, who has fought through difficult challenges, including the vicious personal attacks of recent months, only to emerge stronger.” Read More Here

Analysis | A Maine Democrat Is Hoping Voters Will Reward His Independent Streak https://digitalarkansasnews.com/analysis-a-maine-democrat-is-hoping-voters-will-reward-his-independent-streak/ Good morning, Early Birds, and happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! The Cherokee Nation has launched a campaign to seat their delegate, Kim Teehee, in Congress. Read all about the push from our colleague Paul Kane and us. Tips: earlytips@washpost.com. Thanks for waking up with us. Ben Bernanke and two other Americans win the Nobel Prize in economics. In today’s edition …  Trail Mix: Isaac Arnsdorf on how Trump-endorsed candidates are recalibrating for the general election … Shaped by gun violence and climate change, Gen Z weighs whether to vote, Mariana Alfaro writes … but first … A Maine Democrat is hoping voters will reward his independent streak LEWISTON, Maine — Rep. Jared Golden is, once again, in the political fight of his relatively short career. As one of seven House Democrats running for reelection who represent districts that former president Donald Trump carried in 2020, Golden is a prime target of Republicans who need to win this seat and others like it to take back the House. Golden’s campaign strategy is similar to how he operates in Washington: Portray himself as a fiercely independent lawmaker focused on his state’s needs while distancing himself from the national Democratic Party. In this vast, rural district that often shuns hardcore partisans and typically elects moderates, the strategy has worked for him in the past. In 2018, Golden defeated then-Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R), who’s challenging Golden again this year.  He won again in 2020 when the district voted for both Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Trump. But this time, Golden is being outspent by Poliquin, who is running a traditional Republican campaign focused on inflation, crime and the border, in a sprawling district where many voters learn about candidates through television ads. The race is as a test of how willing voters in a swing district are to support a Democrat — no matter how independent — when the party and its leaders are unpopular. On an unseasonably warm fall day in western Maine, Golden met with the founders of Operation Reboot at their rural hunting property. The organization hosts veterans struggling to readjust to a post-service life through nature, including hikes, hunts and fishing. The group’s mission hits close for Golden who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I took a real interest in the issue of PTSD since I’ve been in elected office,” he said in an interview, adding that he first ran because Maine had zero beds for veterans with mental health and substance abuse issues despite 10 percent of the population being veterans. These are the type of campaign events Golden hopes will help him hang on to his seat as he tries to keep the focus on local issues and what he’s doing for the state instead of broader national debates. The Maine Fraternal Order of Police has endorsed Golden. The National Rifle Association gave Poliquin a top grade but declined to endorse him, signifying their acceptance of Golden in that seat. Michael Edes, executive director of the Maine FOP, said in an interview that Golden is in constant communication with them. “Golden gives us a seat at the table. That’s all we ask for,” Edes said, adding that he has never heard from Poliquin, even when Poliquin was in Congress Golden, 40, born in Lewiston, Maine, flies under the radar in Washington, but is a constant source of consternation for Democrats. He snubbed leadership on high-profile bills, including voting against one of the two articles of impeachment against Trump in the first impeachment; the assault weapons ban; the $1.7 trillion Build Back Better plan (which never passed the Senate); and the $2 trillion covid-related American Rescue Plan (which did pass and was signed into law). He also criticized Biden’s plan to cancel student loan debt. He said Democratic leadership has stopped trying to whip him on votes and he ignores the advice of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.  The only nationally known Democrat who’s campaigned for him is moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III (W.Va.), who did so virtually. Unlike many other Democrats, Golden is not running on abortion, even though he says he supports abortion rights and believes Mainers think it’s a privacy issue. But Golden has voted for many Democratic priorities, including the bills to codify Roe v. Wade and marriage equality. He also backed the infrastructure law, legislation to ramp up microchip manufacturing and Democrats’ climate change and health care bill, known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  The old district wants to be the new boss Poliquin characterizes Golden’s vote for the IRA as proof he is a puppet of the Democratic Party. “Jared Golden, Joe Biden and AOC and all the folks that are in charge, they have spent trillions and trillions of dollars that we don’t need to fund the government,” Poliquin said at an event on Friday in Lewiston, referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Poliquin appeared with Paul LePage, Maine’s former two-term Republican governor who’s also mounting a comeback run this year. “Bruce doesn’t have a lot of substance,” Golden shot back in response to Poliquin’s attacks in an interview. “Sometimes it’s kind of like debating one of those dolls that you pull the cord in the back. You pull it and it has four or five phrases just, like, on repeat.”  A spending disparity could be Golden’s biggest challenge, especially in the massive, rural district, which encompasses 80 percent of the state geographically. Poliquin and his Republican allies are outspending Golden and Democrats in the state, $17 million compared to $12 million, in media ad buys so far, according to advertising numbers from AdImpact. Golden’s allies are placing some of the blame for the disparity at the feet of the DCCC. “Just like in 2020, [the DCCC] made the map too big and they’re not doing enough to protect incumbents,” said a person close to the Golden campaign, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly. Other Democrats have expressed similar worries. Poliquin served in Congress from 2015 to 2019. His vote for the Republican tax bill in 2017 and its impact on Medicare is one of Golden’s key attacks in the state that has the oldest population in the country.. During his previous campaigns for reelection to Congress in 2016 and 2018, Poliquin refused to say if he voted for Trump and tried to distance himself from the then-president. This time, Poliquin doesn’t often talk about Trump on the stump but uses a “Maine first, America first” slogan.. He won’t say if the 2020 election was legitimate. And in responses to questions from The Early, he wouldn’t say if he’d vote to impeach Biden should Republicans control the House or if he’d vote for a national abortion ban. (He voted for a 20-week abortion ban when he was in Congress.) When asked if he’d support a bill to the Electoral Count Act co-authored by Collins, his fellow Maine Republican, he said he hadn’t read the bill. Like many rural regions, the district is economically stressed. Logging and paper mills were once robust, but they’ve hit hard times over the years. The Androscoggin Mill in the small town of Jay announced last month that it would close in the first part of next year, impacting nearly 200 people. Voters outside the Hannaford grocery store in Jay say they have a wide range of issues they are concerned about, including inflation and abortion. David Flagg, 57, lives on a $1,600-a-month fixed income from Social Security. He said his monthly grocery bill has risen from $175 to $300. “I just want it to go back to the way it was,” Flagg said. Native Mainer Karen Bor, who voted for Trump, said she is concerned about inflation. But she says the overturning of Roe v. Wade makes her angry.  “I like the fact that he crosses the line. He doesn’t just vote for what Biden says,” she said of Golden.  Ranked-choice voting could be a factor in the race’s outcome as it was in 2018, when Golden won after independent candidate Tiffany Bond’s votes were redistributed. Bond is on the ballot again this year. It’s the “deja vu election,” said Pat Callaghan, a longtime political reporter and anchor at News Center Maine. To hug or to distance: Trump-endorsed candidates recalibrate for the general election Isaac Arnsdorf on the trail with Trump: A pair of Trump rallies this weekend underscored the high-wire act that many Republican candidates are walking this midterm, hoping to harness the former president’s enduring pull with the Republican base without turning off independents and swing voters.  In Nevada and Arizona, Trump shared the stage with candidates who benefited from his endorsement in the primary but have since walked back their ties to him.  Joe Lombardo, the Clark County sheriff running for governor of Nevada, said at a debate last week that it “bothers” him that Trump insists the 2020 election was stolen and said he wouldn’t call Trump a great president. “I think he was a sound president,” he explained. At Saturday’s rally outside Reno, however, Lombardo repeatedly called Trump “the greatest president.” In Arizona, Senate candidate Blake Masters said at his own debate last week that the 2020 election wasn’t stolen and acknowledged Biden as the “legitimate president,” reversing himself on claims he made throughout the primary. Masters has also removed language falsely claiming fraud in 2020 election from his campaign website. Masters didn’t discuss the 2020 election in his speech at Sunday’s rally.  Trump, not known for being magnanimous when it comes to personal slights, let those transgressions go unremarked. Trump praised Lombardo as a friend he’s known for a long time who would be tough on crime and election int...

Football Enters Abortion, Hurricane Ian Notions; How About Trump? Letters, Oct. 9, 2022 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/football-enters-abortion-hurricane-ian-notions-how-about-trump-letters-oct-9-2022/ Treasure Coast Newspapers Who will help in wake of Hurricane Ian? With devastation along the West Coast of Florida, where are they now? Florida has two MLB teams (Miami and Tampa Bay) with players making millions. Where are they now? Florida has three NFL Teams (Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay) with players making millions. Where are they now? Florida has these team owners and coaches making millions. Where are they now? Florida has so many other sports (soccer, tennis, golf, etc.) with players making millions. Where are they now? Florida has so many large companies (Coke, Pepsi, Amazon, Walmart, etc.) making millions. Where are they now? Florida has so many hospitals and clinics (Cleveland Clinic, etc.) making millions. Where are they now? Florida has an average resident who can afford maybe $50 or $100 to help, but for all these groups making millions. Where are they now? Marty Hayes, Port St. Lucie Port St. Lucie trash woes continue Is it any surprise the city of Port St Lucie and its new trash provider continue to fail us? The city started the turnover by saying its new provider could not start off collecting the refuse that had been piling up on a timely basis. Then came Hurricane Ian. On Tuesday, the city published a message stating regular pickup would take place on Wednesday. Then, mid-morning on Wednesday, they suspended collection. Yes, we had some rain, but you would think those lumbering collection trucks would be able to push through, but apparently not. Within hours, our local mailman came through in his little truck delivering mail. I guess the postal service wasn’t afraid of a little rain. Now here it is, a day after our scheduled yard waste pickup, and the city has now said the pickups are behind. Maybe we should let the mail carriers and their union take over and get the city out of the picture. Robert Dadiomoff, Port St. Lucie Sadly, abortion issue has become political football “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” It’s so true. The greatest asset to our planet are the females living on it. Please don’t misinterpret what I’m trying to express. I don’t feel all abortions should be denied or illegal. The Supreme Court didn’t say that either. Its decision was about the individual states losing their autonomy to self-govern, not banning abortion. Your recent news article verified that 94% of abortions performed are in the first trimester. No problem. If you were impregnated by rape from anyone, or a victim of incest (rape also), why would you want to wait to end that pregnancy? Fifteen weeks is almost four months. I hope you wouldn’t wait just to decide if you wanted to have the child. Furthermore, I believe there could be other circumstances that should be considered on a case by case basis, to exceed the 15-week threshold. This is what you should organize to challenge, not make it a political football. Earl Allen, Stuart Martin County pet shop ordinance right thing to do The author of a letter about Martin County’s ordinance banning retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits may be unaware some pet shop owners charge thousands of dollars for puppies sold with financing that carries interest rates as high as 198%. Laws are pending in Maryland, Massachusetts, Washington, New York and other states to prohibit these unconscionable, predatory financing practices. The Washington Post published an article describing these schemes, which can be viewed online at tinyurl.com/mcpetshop The Martin County ordinance banning retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits is not flawed. Local governments adopt many ordinances that restrict or prohibit sales of certain items in order to protect the public. The ordinance banning retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits was adopted after many months of research and review. If local pet shop owners weren’t aware of the process, they weren’t paying attention. Martin County’s ordinance, which is similar to ordinances adopted in communities throughout the state and the nation, is designed to eliminate the market for puppy mills and kitten factories that produce animals in an unhealthy and often cruel environment. The ban on retail sales of animals does not require existing pet shops to go out of business. There are only two pet shops in the county that sell animals; other pet shops thrive selling supplies, food and accessories and provide a showcase for pets available for adoption from local shelters. Buyers looking for specific breeds can still purchase puppies from reputable breeders. When the Animal Care and Control Oversight Board and the County Commission review the local ordinance, they should consider first and foremost the health, safety and welfare of animals and their human companions and vote to leave the county ordinance in place as adopted. Virginia Sherlock, Stuart Time to elect politicians with backbones? Republicans have become like lemmings — ready to follow their leader over the cliff and take the country with them. Do we want Kevin McCarthy to be speaker of the House — he who needs an exorcism to keep his head from its 180- to 360-degree turns? Jim Jordan to once again become chair of the House Judiciary Committee — he who wants to start impeaching all the members of the January 6 committee, even though those who testified were Republicans? Do we want Republican legislatures making rules to enable them to win elections by hook or by crook, or deciding what women cannot do with their bodies? Do you want Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida’s mini-Trump, to continue his MAGA actions, like telling high school students not to wear masks, or banning books from school libraries, or making the rules so difficult for teachers that they have left en masse? Or, would you want a strong number of moderates on both sides of Congress who can work together to put through needed legislation? Don’t you want to return to a time when you had a choice to vote for a Republican or Democrat who acted based on their constituents’ wishes, and not based on the wish to remain in power? Wouldn’t you want politicians to get back the souls they have sold and to strengthen their spines? How about a legislator who says publicly what he really believes, instead of going along with the “Stop the Steal” garbage? Remember: Trump’s promise to pass a bill for Infrastructure? And who finally did it? Remember: The GOP trying to eliminate Obamacare, with nothing to replace it? Remember: The lone Republican who saved it? Remember: The 2017 “tax reform” bill and who benefitted? And who didn’t? Anne Brakman, Vero Beach Newspaper pieces inspire thoughts Two pieces in your newspaper Oct. 2 prompted this letter: The picture of Lebanon farmers cleaning dry tobacco leaves captures an image of two women doing the work. The farmer is relaxing and enjoying a beverage. Notice there are no tobacco leaf shavings by his chair nor on his clothes. The other article on the front page, “Preparing is crucial,” referencing Hurricane Ian, should have us think that no matter the situation, whether it be in government, business, education or family, one should always be prepared for the inevitable. Ronald D. Roberts, Sebastian Martha’s Vineyard trip bad omen for nation Shipping immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard was a brilliant political move for Gov. Ron DeSantis. He, his supporters and far too many so-called Americans of faith agree. Perhaps some people no longer see people as human beings any more. Then again, our history is based on that premise, be they Blacks, Native Americans, Chinese or any number of immigrants. Capitalism always seems to trump other values. America long ago lost its right to call itself a Christian Nation. Now, because of Donald Trump, MAGA Americans and Republicans, we are in the process of losing that right to call ourselves a democracy. Trump, DeSantis and the Republican Party seem to understand who we’ve really become. Anthony Frigo, Jensen Beach What could happen if Trump indicted? Based on what I’ve seen reported, the ex-president could be held accountable by the Justice Department for removing official records from his office.. Will he respond by calling upon his militia groups — the ones he has told to stand back but stand by to take to the streets? The January 6th insurrection was but one illustration of his thirst for power, which seemingly is boundless. You could not design a more effective threat to American democracy than Donald Trump poses at this hour. We point to dozens of his actions that illustrate his disregard and actual contempt for our Constitution. His response to any issue seems guided only by whether it will benefit him and and aid him in becoming the unrestrained leader of this country Should his underlings take to the streets it may make the insurrection look like a sideshow. It appears an extremist wing, now acting like a cult, is signaling it is willing to follow the ex-president’s wishes. Some are talking about a civil war. If given the green light by the ex-president, the unthinkable could unfold. I am positive the majority of Americans do not want to see the end of living in a Democratic Republic. I do not even think Trump followers would opt out of a democracy when they saw what life would be like for them. Are Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene and the like going to overthrow the American government? Hopefully not, but who of us can say that it will not happen? Sinclair Lewis might have agreed with this quote: “If fascism ever comes to America it will come wrapped in the flag and holding a Bible.” Perhaps fueled by the guile and ego of a power-driven individual. Roy Bickford, Vero Beach Read More Here