Cocktails & Popcorn: What Do Overstock, Maria Butina, FBI & Cryptocurrency Have In Common?

Maria Butina & Patrick Byrne

Q: What do Overstock, Maria Butina, FBI & Cryptocurrency have in common?

A: If you said Detroit or even Michigan, you are on the right track.

If you said Patrick Byrne, you are on the right track.

If you said sex, you are right there in the psychosexual world of propaganda with The New York Times.

If you said EdChoice, you would also be on the right path.

https://www.edchoice.org/

According to Wikipedia, Byrne was strong supporter of privatization in education through a school voucher program:

In 2005, Byrne provided financial backing to form the advocacy group Class Education, whose goal is to change state laws to require schools to spend at least 65 percent of their operating budgets on classroom expenses. Proponents of the standard contend that it would free up money to increase teachers' salaries without requiring tax increases. Critics say that many services deemed "non-classroom" are necessary for education, including librarians, school nurses, guidance counselors, food service workers and school bus drivers.[50][51][52]

Byrne also serves as co-chair (with Rose Friedman) of EdChoice. The non-profit organization was founded by Milton and Rose Friedman and promotes school vouchers and other forms of school choice.[53]

Byrne and his family contributed most of the funds in support of House Bill 148 in Utah, a bill that would allow the state to provide funding vouchers for students who decide to leave public schools for private schools.[54] In January 2008, it was reported that Byrne and his parents contributed about $4 million to the pro-voucher campaign, or three-quarters of its $5.4 million funding. Opponents of vouchers, funded mostly by the teacher unions, spent $4 million; approximately $3 million came from the National Education Association.[55][56] When that bill was defeated in a statewide referendum (62% opposing vs. 38% favoring),[57] the Salt Lake Tribune reported that Byrne "called the referendum a 'statewide IQ test' that Utahns failed." He said, "They don't care enough about their kids. They care an awful lot about this system, this bureaucracy, but they don't care enough about their kids to think outside the box."[58]

Byrne criticized Utah governor Jon Huntsman for not sufficiently supporting the voucher campaign. According to Byrne, Huntsman had before he was elected stated that he was "going to be the voucher governor", and Byrne had donated $75,000 to Huntsman's campaign for governor in 2004. However, to Byrne's disappointment, the moment Huntsman was elected he went missing from the debate, and Byrne told the Associated Press that he would now bankroll anyone who could defeat Huntsman at the polls, "even a communist".[59]

Byrne was also against short selling in dealing with banks and Google, but if you say he was funding political campaigns through child welfare fraud, I think you may be on the right track, too, but hey, what do I know?

I know we should #FreeMariaButina.

Overstock C.E.O. Takes Aim at ‘Deep State’ After Romance With Russian Agent

Gotta keep that propaganda rolling along.

#FreeMariaButina

Overstock shares plunge more than 30 percent after CEO says he assisted 'Russia investigation'

Shares for the internet retailer Overstock have plunged more than 30 percent this week after its CEO issued a statement saying that he assisted efforts to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The e-commerce company's stock has fell by 36 percent since Monday, a figure that represents its biggest two-day hit in 11 years, Bloomberg News reported.

The significant slide began after CEO Patrick Bryne came out with a statement about what he referred to as the "deep state."

"Starting in 2015 I (operating under the belief that I was helping legitimate law enforcement efforts) assisted in what are now known as the ‘Clinton Investigation’ and the ‘Russian Investigation,’" Byrde said on the company's website. "It was the third time in my life I helped the Men in Black."

“I will speak no more on the subject,” he continued. “Instead, having lived in places lacking Rule of Law and having witnessed the consequences of its absence, I plan on sitting back and watching the United States Department of Justice re-establish Rule of Law in our country.”

Bryne did not address any specifics regarding the aid he offered the investigation. His statement appeared to have come in response to an independent journalist's story about the Russia probe.

Bloomberg News noted that Byrne has a history of making unusual statements. Among other things, the CEO has compared the e-commerce giant's cryptocurrency goals to the polio vaccine, the news outlet noted.

Overstock becomes the latest company to see its stock tumble following controversy related to politics. Wayfair, an online furniture company, has experienced a 7 percent plunge in stocks since employees discovered it sold beds to a detention facility housing migrant children, The Washington Post noted.

Employees found out in June that a nonprofit government contractor managing migrant camps placed a $200,000 order for bedroom furniture.

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