Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Showing posts with label CNN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CNN. Show all posts
Friday, August 30, 2019
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Rashida Tlaib Bears False Witness In The Public Record About What Happened In Detroit
Rashida Tlaib bears false witness in the public record, fraudulently advising the Congress, manipulating the public record, corrupting the annals of history, by breaching her oath of office.
This CNN article, alone, would do Nancy Pelosi well to initiate proceedings to expel her from Congress.
I say we impeach Rashida.
Now, why would I use such strong language in advocating to impeach Rashida?
Because the lady doth lie.
Liars give me the Saddy Face, which is never a good thing to do, particularly when you were mean to my Sweetie.
Very mean.
To begin, I would like a definition in law, be it a law of the divinity, land, nature, science or maritime, of what she considers as "black" because she lies about Detroit.
Rashida seems to throw that #coloredrevolution talking point around alot.
The reason homeownership declined in Detroit was due to the invasion of foreign entities, functioning as Public Private Partnerships, as NGOs.
Homeownership declined due to the long term implementation of the plan to use Detroit as a test tube socioeconomic experiment of a Smart City, where operations were put in play to steal the children, the land and the votes.
Rashida is well versed in all three sections of stealin'.
Rashida covers up for the crimes of the Detroit Land Bank Authority and its co-conspirators, such as herself, the MDP and Wayne County.
Rashida needs to tell the truth.
Rashida was a willing participant in the overthrow of my Sweetie.
Perhaps, Trump should stop obstructing justice and pull that IG Report from his backpocket so everyone can witness Rashida bearing false witness in the annals of history.
She cites his work, but refuses to #sayhisname.
See cited Watergate and Civil Rights.
#sayhisname
These three landmark pieces of legislation pushed back against discrimination and segregation and the impact of each cannot be overstated: Schools and universities across America were forced to take meaningful steps to desegregate; African Americans, especially in Southern states, were granted unprecedented access to the ballot box; and racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing was banned, a first step in desegregating entire neighborhoods.
While that progress should be celebrated, it is now more important than ever to acknowledge how far we've strayed from their intended purposes. When black homeownership is plunging across the country -- with the worst losses of all here in Michigan -- something is broken.
In Detroit for example, we are seeing more and more of our families renting instead of owning their own homes. The result is less economic stability for residents and communities, especially when 56.8% of households in the 13th congressional district pay more than 30% of their income for housing -- the threshold for affordability.
Census Bureau data shows that black homeownership nationwide has fallen to the lowest rate in nearly 50 years. And last year, a series of reports released by the Urban Institute showed Michigan suffered the steepest decline, from 60% in 2000 to 41% in 2016.
While there are a number of contributing factors, including the Great Recession spurred by Wall Street greed and predatory lending, one thing is certain: Provisions in the Fair Housing Act of 1968 do not go far enough to protect our communities in this time of corporate-driven economics that puts profits before people.
An analysis of 31 million mortgage records by The Center for Investigative Reporting found that mortgage lending redlining persisted in 61 metro areas -- including Detroit -- with people of color, especially African Americans and Latinos, being denied home loans at disproportionate rates.
And the White House is determined to make the situation worse.
The Trump administration is eliminating existing protections that serve as the last line of defense against the declining rate of minority homeownership. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for example, recently proposed gutting the disparate impact protection granted by the Fair Housing Act, which says that banks, landlords and other housing providers may not enact any policy that has a discriminatory effect — even if the policy was not intended to be explicitly discriminatory. This is critical, especially when lenders have used practices that get around showing intentional discrimination.
Trump's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has announced its intention to roll back the 2014 expansion of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), an Obama-era set of rules meant to combat modern-day redlining.
The CFPB intends to give 1,720 banking institutions, many of which serve low-income and communities of color, a pass on having to report the race and gender of customers receiving and being denied loans. It also intends to cut off public access to lending data that housing advocate groups have used to flag for trends of modern-day redlining.
HUD hire spotlights Trump administration's defining failure
These rollbacks would rob Americans of the dream of homeownership, a vital part of the economic stability for families across the nation. One answer is to oppose the Trump administration's policy changes and demand that these protections remain, but even more critically, we need to update the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) so that megabanks are only given credit when they make loans to individuals who are low and moderate income and require so-called non-banking institutions, like Detroit-based Quicken Loans to also comply with the same rules.
Since 1977, the CRA has driven inclusion and equity in the financial markets. The act compels banks to serve the credit needs of their communities. It became an indispensable tool for historically marginalized communities excluded from the financial mainstream. Currently, 98% of banks passed their CRA examinations, and the CRA as currently written does not successfully address the lack of access to banking or the community development needs in my district.
Much of my district is either unbanked or underbanked, with few options or access to credit. Although some banks in my district have been criticized for performance in some areas that is not satisfactory, ultimately, they still receive their CRA credit largely because they lend in low and moderate income areas versus receiving credit for lending to low and moderate income borrowers. It is time to explore a change that would ensure that CRA credits are based more heavily on a person's income, rather than location.
We must also ensure that area assessments of banks continue to be based on the locations of their branches and beat back attempts to change this. The Community Reinvestment Act should be as community-focused as possible, and that means the policy should be reflective of the community's true needs.
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
This CNN article, alone, would do Nancy Pelosi well to initiate proceedings to expel her from Congress.
I say we impeach Rashida.
Now, why would I use such strong language in advocating to impeach Rashida?
Because the lady doth lie.
Liars give me the Saddy Face, which is never a good thing to do, particularly when you were mean to my Sweetie.
Very mean.
To begin, I would like a definition in law, be it a law of the divinity, land, nature, science or maritime, of what she considers as "black" because she lies about Detroit.
Rashida seems to throw that #coloredrevolution talking point around alot.
The reason homeownership declined in Detroit was due to the invasion of foreign entities, functioning as Public Private Partnerships, as NGOs.
Homeownership declined due to the long term implementation of the plan to use Detroit as a test tube socioeconomic experiment of a Smart City, where operations were put in play to steal the children, the land and the votes.
Rashida is well versed in all three sections of stealin'.
Rashida covers up for the crimes of the Detroit Land Bank Authority and its co-conspirators, such as herself, the MDP and Wayne County.
Rashida needs to tell the truth.
Rashida was a willing participant in the overthrow of my Sweetie.
Perhaps, Trump should stop obstructing justice and pull that IG Report from his backpocket so everyone can witness Rashida bearing false witness in the annals of history.
She cites his work, but refuses to #sayhisname.
See cited Watergate and Civil Rights.
#sayhisname
Rashida Tlaib: How to reverse the decline in black homeownership
(CNN)This summer marks the 55th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act, which paved the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the expansion of civil rights in this country.These three landmark pieces of legislation pushed back against discrimination and segregation and the impact of each cannot be overstated: Schools and universities across America were forced to take meaningful steps to desegregate; African Americans, especially in Southern states, were granted unprecedented access to the ballot box; and racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing was banned, a first step in desegregating entire neighborhoods.
While that progress should be celebrated, it is now more important than ever to acknowledge how far we've strayed from their intended purposes. When black homeownership is plunging across the country -- with the worst losses of all here in Michigan -- something is broken.
In Detroit for example, we are seeing more and more of our families renting instead of owning their own homes. The result is less economic stability for residents and communities, especially when 56.8% of households in the 13th congressional district pay more than 30% of their income for housing -- the threshold for affordability.
Census Bureau data shows that black homeownership nationwide has fallen to the lowest rate in nearly 50 years. And last year, a series of reports released by the Urban Institute showed Michigan suffered the steepest decline, from 60% in 2000 to 41% in 2016.
While there are a number of contributing factors, including the Great Recession spurred by Wall Street greed and predatory lending, one thing is certain: Provisions in the Fair Housing Act of 1968 do not go far enough to protect our communities in this time of corporate-driven economics that puts profits before people.
An analysis of 31 million mortgage records by The Center for Investigative Reporting found that mortgage lending redlining persisted in 61 metro areas -- including Detroit -- with people of color, especially African Americans and Latinos, being denied home loans at disproportionate rates.
And the White House is determined to make the situation worse.
The Trump administration is eliminating existing protections that serve as the last line of defense against the declining rate of minority homeownership. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for example, recently proposed gutting the disparate impact protection granted by the Fair Housing Act, which says that banks, landlords and other housing providers may not enact any policy that has a discriminatory effect — even if the policy was not intended to be explicitly discriminatory. This is critical, especially when lenders have used practices that get around showing intentional discrimination.
Trump's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has announced its intention to roll back the 2014 expansion of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), an Obama-era set of rules meant to combat modern-day redlining.
The CFPB intends to give 1,720 banking institutions, many of which serve low-income and communities of color, a pass on having to report the race and gender of customers receiving and being denied loans. It also intends to cut off public access to lending data that housing advocate groups have used to flag for trends of modern-day redlining.
HUD hire spotlights Trump administration's defining failure
These rollbacks would rob Americans of the dream of homeownership, a vital part of the economic stability for families across the nation. One answer is to oppose the Trump administration's policy changes and demand that these protections remain, but even more critically, we need to update the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) so that megabanks are only given credit when they make loans to individuals who are low and moderate income and require so-called non-banking institutions, like Detroit-based Quicken Loans to also comply with the same rules.
Since 1977, the CRA has driven inclusion and equity in the financial markets. The act compels banks to serve the credit needs of their communities. It became an indispensable tool for historically marginalized communities excluded from the financial mainstream. Currently, 98% of banks passed their CRA examinations, and the CRA as currently written does not successfully address the lack of access to banking or the community development needs in my district.
Much of my district is either unbanked or underbanked, with few options or access to credit. Although some banks in my district have been criticized for performance in some areas that is not satisfactory, ultimately, they still receive their CRA credit largely because they lend in low and moderate income areas versus receiving credit for lending to low and moderate income borrowers. It is time to explore a change that would ensure that CRA credits are based more heavily on a person's income, rather than location.
We must also ensure that area assessments of banks continue to be based on the locations of their branches and beat back attempts to change this. The Community Reinvestment Act should be as community-focused as possible, and that means the policy should be reflective of the community's true needs.
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
CNN DNC Detroit Debate Privatizes Voting Rights As Their Russian Hacking Lawsuit Is Dismissed
As the CNN DNC 2020 Detroit Debates are privatized, by the foreign corporate parent, Turner Broadcast System Asia Pacific, the broadcast was only shown on CNN.
Of course, if you do not have cable, like most in Detroit can not afford, you were not allowed to watch the debate.
This private event, as the Democratic National Committee is a private corporation which just had its infamous *russian* hacking lawsuit dismissed, was by invitation only.
Since Detroiters were not invited, many of the local "Elected Ones" held their own watch parties at local gathering venues.
Fox2Detroit was the only Detroit station allowed to be present in the spin room, but their online broadcast was cut, leaving Detroiters at the mercy of the selected moments CNN DNC debate in soundbytes and clips to be made into memes.
From what little I have gathered, it seems the debate did not speak of anything about the issues of Detroit, like stealin' the children, the land and the votes.
No one will #sayhisname, but there is always part two.
What I am more focused upon is the entire concept of a private corporation tallying new contributions to the candidates as money has become the chosen form of casting ballots.
Basically, the candidates who get the most new contributions, move on to the next round.
Now, who those contributors are is entirely another realm of questioning as many of those contribution identities may just be fake, but the world will never know, as the DNC is a private corporation, where the public has no civil rights of due process, even when executing a simple FOIA to find out who the Voters for Dollars are, or even their citizenship.
Yes, the DNC is leading the charge of privatization of our elections by stripping voting rights and there is nothing anyone can do about it....or will someone stand up and finally #sayhisname?
We are in Detroit.
#sayhisname.
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Of course, if you do not have cable, like most in Detroit can not afford, you were not allowed to watch the debate.
This private event, as the Democratic National Committee is a private corporation which just had its infamous *russian* hacking lawsuit dismissed, was by invitation only.
Since Detroiters were not invited, many of the local "Elected Ones" held their own watch parties at local gathering venues.
Fox2Detroit was the only Detroit station allowed to be present in the spin room, but their online broadcast was cut, leaving Detroiters at the mercy of the selected moments CNN DNC debate in soundbytes and clips to be made into memes.
From what little I have gathered, it seems the debate did not speak of anything about the issues of Detroit, like stealin' the children, the land and the votes.
Welcome to Detroit, Dems. We want to hear about issues, not insults. We care about jobs, infrastructure, climate, education, health care, equality, and border security w/o walls or family separation. If you want to be our president, show us you will lead with dignity. #DemDebate https://t.co/bWaw7OqwFE— Barb McQuade (@BarbMcQuade) July 30, 2019
No one will #sayhisname, but there is always part two.
What I am more focused upon is the entire concept of a private corporation tallying new contributions to the candidates as money has become the chosen form of casting ballots.
Basically, the candidates who get the most new contributions, move on to the next round.
Now, who those contributors are is entirely another realm of questioning as many of those contribution identities may just be fake, but the world will never know, as the DNC is a private corporation, where the public has no civil rights of due process, even when executing a simple FOIA to find out who the Voters for Dollars are, or even their citizenship.
Yes, the DNC is leading the charge of privatization of our elections by stripping voting rights and there is nothing anyone can do about it....or will someone stand up and finally #sayhisname?
We are in Detroit.
#sayhisname.
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Cocktails & Popcorn: Trump, Jr. Prefaces The Detroit NAACP-DNC-CNN #coloredrevolution - Featuring Rashida Tlaib
I wonder if Hillary Clinton will be in Detroit for all the fun.
I do hope someone does a story on the Hamtramck NAACP, which is an entirely different kind of #coloredrevolution.
Someone should check on http://rashidatlaib.com
National NAACP convention opens in Detroit with sense of urgency
The 110th annual NAACP convention opened in Detroit Saturday with calls to increase voter participation, tackle economic issues affecting African American communities and confront racism.
"When we were last here we tried to bury the N-word," said NAACP Chairman Leon Russell during an opening news conference Saturday. "This year, once and for all, we hope to have a real conversation about racism in the United States of America. We want to talk about what part public policy plays in racism in the United States and we want to talk about what role the NAACP ... plays in trying once and for all to eliminating racism."
The NAACP last held its national convention in Detroit in 2007.
Russell said it is fitting that the NAACP is gathering here again, saying "we have a history in this city" citing various court challenges including the 1925 Ossian Sweet case which ended in the acquittal of the black physician and some family members who fought to protect themselves against a white mob when Sweet moved his family into a white neighborhood on Detroit's east side.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson, who grew up in Detroit, said a "xenophobic and racist climate (is) germinating from the White House," citing recent controversial remarks from President Donald Trump directed at four freshmen members of Congress including Detroit Democrat Rashida Tlaib.
Johnson added: "If there is ever a need for the NAACP it is now."
An estimated 10,000 people are expected in town for the convention, which opened with a press conference Saturday.
Trump was heavily criticized and labeled a racist by some for telling the four women of color to "go back" to where they came from.
The Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the NAACP, said during the newser, "Mr. President, we ain't going nowhere."
Anthony said other issues such as health care, education, incarceration rates and economic development also need to be discussed.
Trump declined an invitation to speak at the convention.
Johnson said mobilizing voters to take part in the election process and protecting voters' rights is a key role for the NAACP.
Democratic presidential candidates are expected to address the NAACP convention during a forum Wednesday.
Vice-chair of the NAACP Karen Boykin-Towns said African American women are a big segment of voters and politically engaged.
"Black women are a voting bloc like no other," said Boykin-Towns Saturday.
Ten thousand people are expected for the convention at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit, pumping an estimated $11 million into local economy.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was among the officials who attended the news conference Saturday to open the convention, which runs through Wednesday.
Comerica Bank used the occasion to announce a citywide financial education initiative, which includes a series of financial literacy workshops across Detroit beginning next month.
Michael Cheatham, vice president of Michigan Corporate Contributions, said indicators of financial well-being tend to be lower in communities of color. He said he hopes the workshops and partnership with the NAACP will help improve the financial literacy of those communities.
"The more we can pour this information into those communities, the more empowered they'll be," Cheatham said. "The great thing about financial education is that it can be carried throughout the family. So we're hoping to not only impact the person sitting in the classroom, but also their families and generations going forward."
James Coney, 70, said he came all the way from Merritt Island, Florida, to enjoy the exhibits at Cobo Center. Coney also said he hopes the NAACP will address issues he sees facing the black community.
"Economic empowerment is very important," he said. "Predatory lending is another one I'd like to see them talk about."
Detroit resident Carla Spearman, 57, said while she did not come to see any particular issue addressed, she was excited to see what organizations at the convention had to offer.
"I'm just here going around to see the booths and see what all is happening in Detroit right now," she said.
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
I do hope someone does a story on the Hamtramck NAACP, which is an entirely different kind of #coloredrevolution.
Crooked called us “Deplorables.” Tlaib calls us “Crazy.” In reality we just love our country, want every American—no matter their race, religion or socioeconomic status—to have a safe & prosperous life & expect our leaders to put America First. It’s simple pic.twitter.com/qUzyfE5z5o— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 21, 2019
#NeedMoreChaos
Someone should check on http://rashidatlaib.com
#sayhisname
National NAACP convention opens in Detroit with sense of urgency
 |
| "Don't you dare ask me about the NAACP Voter Slush Trust.", said Derrick Johnson, NAACP |
The 110th annual NAACP convention opened in Detroit Saturday with calls to increase voter participation, tackle economic issues affecting African American communities and confront racism.
"When we were last here we tried to bury the N-word," said NAACP Chairman Leon Russell during an opening news conference Saturday. "This year, once and for all, we hope to have a real conversation about racism in the United States of America. We want to talk about what part public policy plays in racism in the United States and we want to talk about what role the NAACP ... plays in trying once and for all to eliminating racism."
The NAACP last held its national convention in Detroit in 2007.
Russell said it is fitting that the NAACP is gathering here again, saying "we have a history in this city" citing various court challenges including the 1925 Ossian Sweet case which ended in the acquittal of the black physician and some family members who fought to protect themselves against a white mob when Sweet moved his family into a white neighborhood on Detroit's east side.
 |
| This is not an ass-backwards picture of the Detroit 2010-2018 Election Interference Coalition |
Johnson added: "If there is ever a need for the NAACP it is now."
An estimated 10,000 people are expected in town for the convention, which opened with a press conference Saturday.
Trump was heavily criticized and labeled a racist by some for telling the four women of color to "go back" to where they came from.
The Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the NAACP, said during the newser, "Mr. President, we ain't going nowhere."
Anthony said other issues such as health care, education, incarceration rates and economic development also need to be discussed.
Trump declined an invitation to speak at the convention.
Johnson said mobilizing voters to take part in the election process and protecting voters' rights is a key role for the NAACP.
Democratic presidential candidates are expected to address the NAACP convention during a forum Wednesday.
Vice-chair of the NAACP Karen Boykin-Towns said African American women are a big segment of voters and politically engaged.
"Black women are a voting bloc like no other," said Boykin-Towns Saturday.
Ten thousand people are expected for the convention at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit, pumping an estimated $11 million into local economy.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was among the officials who attended the news conference Saturday to open the convention, which runs through Wednesday.
Comerica Bank used the occasion to announce a citywide financial education initiative, which includes a series of financial literacy workshops across Detroit beginning next month.
Michael Cheatham, vice president of Michigan Corporate Contributions, said indicators of financial well-being tend to be lower in communities of color. He said he hopes the workshops and partnership with the NAACP will help improve the financial literacy of those communities.
"The more we can pour this information into those communities, the more empowered they'll be," Cheatham said. "The great thing about financial education is that it can be carried throughout the family. So we're hoping to not only impact the person sitting in the classroom, but also their families and generations going forward."
James Coney, 70, said he came all the way from Merritt Island, Florida, to enjoy the exhibits at Cobo Center. Coney also said he hopes the NAACP will address issues he sees facing the black community.
"Economic empowerment is very important," he said. "Predatory lending is another one I'd like to see them talk about."
Detroit resident Carla Spearman, 57, said while she did not come to see any particular issue addressed, she was excited to see what organizations at the convention had to offer.
"I'm just here going around to see the booths and see what all is happening in Detroit right now," she said.
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
DEFANGO: Military uprising turns violent in Venezuela During Coup
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
A Brief History On The Evolution Of Political Propaganda To Cyberwars
Always remember, it started in child welfare.
It started in Detroit.
Just sharing.
#cyberwars are real.
Art of War
Policraticus Of the Frivolities of Courtiers and the Footprints of Philosophers
It started in Detroit.
Just sharing.
#cyberwars are real.
Art of War
Policraticus Of the Frivolities of Courtiers and the Footprints of Philosophers
Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars by on Scribd
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
JUDICIARY: Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use and Filtering Practices - Color Commentary
I get such a tickle when watching House Judiciary question the gatekeepers of the internet questions on its search engine algorithms and control of the data when it comes to censorship.
I remember sitting in the first Google hearing, in absolute awe that they actually spoke, quite openly, mind you, of reverse algorithms in searches.
I remember sitting in the first Google hearing, in absolute awe that they actually spoke, quite openly, mind you, of reverse algorithms in searches.
Some Member's staffers actually developed good questions, some just left their Member look like a bumbling fool.
That is mean and a reflection of incompetence.
Google is an equal opportunity censorship organization because they suppress my searches.
Gaetz seemed to have an issue with Google suppressing conservative speech.
Allow me to bring him up to speed.
Google suppressed me, so that argument gets defenestrated.
Google suppressed me, so that argument gets defenestrated.
Most of that "conservative speech" is funded propaganda talking points by foreign, online operations, like that of Granpa Corsi, my affectionate name for the conservative online celebrity, Dr. Jerome Corsi, who made his fortune spinning yarns by the Youtube fireplace about how Obama has a fake birth certificate and, at one point, told the world he was "Q".
But never forget TYT and the other foreign, online personalities of CNN, MSNBC & FOX pumping those propaganda talking points.
But never forget TYT and the other foreign, online personalities of CNN, MSNBC & FOX pumping those propaganda talking points.
Shout out to Johnson for dropping "Flat Earthers" in the public record.
Shout out to Rashkin for dropping #pizzagate and the pizzacrappers..
FUN FACT! CONGRESSIONAL CHIEFS OF STAFF RUN BACKDOOR, CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE - PERSONAL INUREMENT OPERATIONS ON GMAIL!
Now, that is what I call a Public Private Partnership!
Jayapal just asked about access to due process in the courts in sexual harassment for Google employees.
I wonder what she is going to say about a staffer, who was sexually harassed by fellow staffers, Members of congress, and their Super Secret Smarty Pants Public Private Partnerships for almost 10 years.
Gohmert is going after Wikipedia using political bias against conservatives asking if Google should be held accountable in a court of law, which was an interesting approach to letting the people have access to due process, if they can afford it, or know how to do it.
Funny, no one has yet to raise the issue of foreign funding of political social media operations, both conservative and liberal, or whatever.
Oh wait, King just brought up Grampa Corsi without mentioning his name. (someone may want to look into King's Public Private Israeli funding network.)
MAXIMUS GOODLATTECUS just asked who was making decisions on Google content moderation, meaning Youtube.
Someone should ask him who funded that child welfare propaganda he put out through the Committee promoting propaganda.
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Friday, February 9, 2018
JUDICIARY: Top Dems Request Docs on DOJ Lawsuit to Block AT&T and Time-Warner Merger After AG Refuses to Answer Questions
Washington, D.C. (Feb. 8, 2018)—Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Ranking Member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. David N. Cicilline, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Regualtory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, and Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, sent a letter, below to Attorney Gerneral Jeff Sessions requesting documents relating to the decision by the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit to block the merger between AT&T and Time-Warner—in light of the President’s public animus against Time-Warner’s news organization, CNN.
“Although we take no position on the legality of the transaction or the merits of the lawsuit itself, we are deeply concerned by reports of inappropriate interference by the White House and, in particular, your refusal during your testimony on November 14, 2017 to answer questions relating to your communications with the White House regarding this matter,” the Democrats wrote.
President Trump made clear on the campaign trail that he would never allow this merger to go through because of his hatred of CNN.
Over the course of the past year, there have been numerous reports of meetings directly with Trump, his son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner, and various Justice Department officials, raising serious concerns about whether the Department’s independence has been compromised as a result of political pressure.
“This conduct is, in our opinion, an overt and unprecedented threat to interfere inappropriately with the deliberations of career officials at the Department of Justice,” the Members wrote. “Their mission is to enforce the laws of this nation independently and in a non-partisan manner—not to use them as a weapon to attack press outlets that serve their constitutional functions and express criticism of the President.”
At a hearing in November before the House Committee on the Judiciary, Ranking Member Cicilline asked Attorney General Sessions whether he discussed the merger with anyone at the White House, but he refused to answer. Sessions did not assert executive privilege—or any other valid privilege—but claimed: “I am not able to comment on conversations or communications that Department of Justice top people have with top people at the White House.”
Under President George W. Bush, well-established Department guidelines expressly limited communications with the White House on “pending criminal or civil-enforcement matters” unless a communication “is important for the performance of the President’s duties and where appropriate from a law enforcement perspective.” These guidelines included matters pertaining to the civil enforcement of the antitrust laws, such as the Department’s review of mergers and acquisitions.
The Democrats requested all documents and communications related to the decision to sue AT&T, DirectTV Group Holdings LLC, and Time Warner Inc. and all documents and communications identifying any contact between any employee of the White House or any official or unofficial adviser to the President with any Department of Justice employee regarding the merger.
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Saturday, December 9, 2017
NADLER STATEMENT ON WIKILEAKS DOCUMENTS AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
Today, CNN reports that candidate Donald Trump, his son Donald Trump, Jr., and others inside the Trump Organization received an email in September 2016 offering a decryption key and website address for hacked documents—weeks before WikiLeaks began publishing the contents of those documents online. Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) of the House Judiciary Committee issued the following statement in response:
“This email is yet another sign that senior Trump campaign officials—including Donald Trump, Jr., and perhaps the President himself—may have accepted assistance and valuable information from the Russian government and its partners. It is, of course, a crime to participate in a conspiracy to influence an election through the illegal misuse of various computer systems. It is also a crime for a foreign national to give anything of value to a campaign for federal office. At the very least, this email shows us that the Trump Campaign understood enough about these stolen documents to have immediately reported a crime to the FBI. They did not, and now Donald Jr. refuses to answer questions about his extensive back-and-forth with WikiLeaks.
“It is unconscionable that that House Judiciary Republicans want to relitigate long-debunked Hillary Clinton conspiracy theories instead of this direct threat to our election system. This is part of a coordinated effort—spearheaded by the White House—to undermine and discredit individuals and institutions, such as Special Counsel Mueller and the FBI, which are investigating the President and his associates. I once again call on Chairman Goodlatte to begin the committee’s oversight work in this space without delay.”
House Judiciary Democrats have sent more than 20 letters to the Committee and GOP Leadership, and more than 40 letters to the White House and Department of Justice seeking oversight of Trump Administration misconduct, without any meaningful response. It is high time the House Judiciary Republicans join us in investigating obstruction of justice and related charges.
CNN offers correction, rewrite for Wikileaks-Trump story
Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
CONYERS: Sessions Testimony Leaves Concerns About Independence & Integrity Of DOJ
At DOJ Oversight Hearing, Sessions Refuses to Answer Questions & “Cannot Recall” Russia Details
Attorney General Refuses to Push Back on Pressure from White House; Stands by Weak Civil Rights Record; Hedges on Special Counsel for Clinton; Admits to Taking No Action to Protect U.S. Elections
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified before the House Judiciary Committee for the first time during its annual oversight hearing. Every Attorney General before Attorney General Sessions has testified before the House Judiciary Committee during their first six months of taking office.
Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) issued the following statement after the hearing:
“The Attorney General’s testimony today leaves me with grave concerns about the independence and integrity of the Department of Justice. Attorney General Sessions paid lip service to the rule of law—but hedged his bets on the appointment of a special counsel to investigate President Trump’s political enemies. I take little comfort in his testimony suggesting that the Department does not yet have a factual basis to pursue these charges. The Department of Justice shouldn’t act this way to begin with.
“The Attorney General could not give us a straight answer on any of President Trump’s attacks on the Department or attempts to distract from the Russia investigation. He stood by his record on voter ID laws and other measures designed to discriminate against minorities. He freely admitted that he has done nothing to protect America’s next elections from foreign influence. He also offered no clarification whatsoever on his shifting Russia testimony, except to say that he ‘did not lie’ and ‘cannot recall’ any key details.”
AG Sessions Responded “I Do Not Recall” to Dozens of Questions
Throughout the hearing, Attorney General (AG) Sessions avoided taking responsibility for his own statements, claiming a foggy memory about most aspects of contacts involving the Russian government. AG Sessions said “I did not lie” but refused to correct the record on his previous Senate testimony when asked by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX). AG Sessions acknowledged that he was not sure what he told Papadopoulos regarding a possible Russia meeting.
Rep. Lofgren: Did you discuss with Michael Flynn the possibility of Trump or his surrogates meeting with the Russian government?— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 14, 2017
AG Sessions: "I do not recall such a conversation." https://t.co/obU9oYboRn pic.twitter.com/eDz1L5Xgpo
Attorney General Sessions Offered Little Clarity About a Second Special Counsel
Sessions could not explain why his involvement in a review of matters related to Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and Loretta Lynch for possible referral to a new special counsel does not violate the terms of his recusal.
At his Senate confirmation hearing, he said:
“The proper thing for me to do would be to recuse myself from any questions . . . that involve Secretary Clinton and that were raised during the campaign.”
Jeff Sessions, in testy exchange with GOP lawmaker: "'Looks like' is not enough basis to appoint a special counsel" https://t.co/d8zYEQpI3V pic.twitter.com/vC0ccPErbh— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 14, 2017
When Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) questioned Sessions today regarding the appointment of a second special counsel, Sessions responded that he believes that the Department has not yet established a factual basis that meets the standards of the appointments of a special counsel. Rep. Jordan said it “looks like” wrongdoing took place. AG Sessions responded: “‘Looks like’ is not enough basis to appoint a special counsel.”
Sessions Refused to Answer Questions about Political Interference
Sessions refused to answer questions about whether President Trump could seek to fire Special Counsel Mueller. When asked about Steven Miller’s work on a letter describing the President’s motive for firing former FBI Director Comey, AG Sessions refused to answer—but also declined to invoke executive privilege. Chairman Goodlatte refused Democratic efforts to compel an answer from the Attorney General.
Attorney General Sessions also would not answer questions regarding whether any one from the White House had contacted or attempted to influence DOJ regarding the AT&T/Time Warner merger, or efforts by Rupert Murdoch to purchase CNN. Before the hearing, Ranking Member Conyers and U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee Ranking Member David N. Cicilline (D-RI) pressed Chairman Goodlatte for a hearing on growing evidence of the Trump administration allowing politics to impact their review of mergers in the telecommunications and media industries. View the letter, below.
Attorney General Stands by Weak Civil Rights Record & Owns Election Security Failures
FBI Labeling of Black Activists
When questioned by several Members, Attorney General Sessions said he had not seen the Black Identity Extremists memo released in August by the FBI and was unable to identify any current group that he would characterize as a “Black Identity Extremist.” The AG also was unable to identify any senior African-American staff in his office.
Sessions on FBI "Black Identity Extremists" report: 'I'm aware of groups committed to racial identity, transformed into violent activists.' pic.twitter.com/vdGrRhakVF— NBC BLK (@NBCBLK) November 14, 2017
In October 2017, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric L. Richmond and Ranking Members John Conyers, Jr. (Judiciary), Bennie G. Thompson (Homeland Security), and Elijah E. Cummings (Oversight) sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, requesting to meet about the origins of the assessment and how it will be used, and expressed concern about the assessment given the FBI’s “troubling history” of targeting black citizens, including Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders. View the letter here.
Supporting Voter Suppression
AG Sessions said that he will continue to defend voter ID laws that have been found to intentionally discriminate against minorities. Session said that he believes he can “properly” enforce the laws without explaining how he plans to do so.
Lack of Action to Protect Future American Elections
AG Sessions acknowledged that the Department of Justice has not taken steps to secure future elections, and admitted our Nation is not where it needs to be to defend against foreign interference.
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