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Jan/29/2021: __ Volunteer soldier's story __ Opposition members arrested after calls for murder & violence __ Interview: corruption in army __ Public official arrested for bribery __ Paid paternity leave __ Stats: economy, corruption busts, COVID __ Genome sequencing __ Smart farming __ Avg. salary
Your 15-minute Friday report in 3633 words.
the war, army corruption, and possible solutions
Segment from an interview with legal expert Joanna Alexanyan, the head of Journalists for Human Rights. Aleksanyan: many soldiers didn't have basic items such as helmets and bulletproof vests. The army wasn't ready. It wasn't the enemy strikes that lead to this outcome. The situation was exposed at the worst moment. We've always criticized the shortcomings and crime in the army. Why was the army command responding to criticism so harshly? Their behavior didn't change even after the 2018 revolution. Reporter: how did the criminal element affect the war? When you look at the heroes from this war, they aren't criminals, they are ordinary conscripts whom rights are defended by people like you. Aleksanyan: when comedian Vardan Petrosyan went to Artsakh to meet his soldier son, he returned and described that love is what defined things in the front lines. Conscripts faced death regularly and it was the love towards the homeland and their lives that made them strong. I don't accuse conscripts of being responsible for the criminal atmosphere in the army. The crime existed for years, and commanders are responsible for that. A street kid with a criminal mentality could join the army, but it's a closed structure and should filter these elements out, but the corruption in the system didn't let that happen. Reporter: civil society has spoken about corruption in the army for years, before and after the 2016 war. Why didn't the commanders offer a solution? Did they want the army to be weak? Aleksanyan: no one seems to think about it today. I look around and I see funerals, news about bodies being discovered, then I see some opposition forces who make threats and ultimatums in the public square, we see inadequate actions by the government post-war. Everyone brings the Israeli army as an example. When you ask them why their army is good, they answer "we have the family model." (also maybe all the billions of dollars in investment from the US possibly???). What is the family model in the Israeli army? It's love towards the army and soldiers. We don't have love in our army. Do commanders know where their subordinates died? Where they went missing? Did they take steps to make their squads like a family? Today they are busy hitting one place, and they all blame one person. That's strange. Those who accuse are the ones who share the blame for the corruption and plunder in the army, and they continue to blame one person. For years you could either praise or stay silent about the army. That didn't change after the revolution. Young (ex-MOD) Davit Tonoyan sugarcoated and praised the army, but it was exposed. Reporter: why are both political camps busy with hateful rhetoric instead of working on these issues? Aleksanyan: it's the hatred that they have towards each other. How can a person, full of hatred inside, think rationally about something good? Words, words, and only words. When I hear those public square speeches and threats, it terrifies me. How can Vazgen Manukyan claim today that he plans to organize rebellion and capture buildings? They don't love their country, their army, their Armenia. Why do you make such claims? So Nikol will leave? So you will come to power? Reporter: ... to save the country, as Manukyan says... Aleksanyan: ...to come to power. To do what then? And at what cost? Are you inciting civil war? There is nothing good in this. Reporter: how do families who lost sons respond to this political struggle? Aleksanyan: with indifference. Not many participated in these rallies. families who have POW relatives are active, but the rest are indifferent. They don't believe anyone, especially [opposition parties] in the public square. Reporter: do you agree with Robert Kocharyan that this government intentionally came to weaken the army? Aleksanyan: I'm surprised that Robert Kocharyan still expresses opinions. Inexperience? Maybe, but not intentional weakening. Didn't the state weaken on March 1st? If Kocharyan rejects responsibility for March 1st that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Reporter: Kocharyan said he plans to participate in elections and "win". Does he have a chance? Aleksanyan: I can't predict his chance, but I know that he is widely rejected in the country. Good luck to him. Reporter: Serj released a statement saying the army was stabbed in the back. Why are both former presidents claiming that there was intentional treason? Aleksanyan: Pashinyan inherited a corrupt army from Serj and Kocharyan. How could he completely reform it in 2 years? What treason? The word "treason" is very trendy today. Everyone is a "traitor". I reject that word. It's divisive. It would be better if Serj and Kocharyan accepted their guilt, for what they failed to do for the state and the army, for the degradation of the army. Wasn't it Serj Sargsyan who stood in Ejmiatsin and praised Generals Manvel Grigoryan and Seyran Saroyan, people who were securing his election victory in their respective regions, and where considered the face of corruption? Full: https://factor.am/332879.html
flyers are distributed encouraging murder
Non-ex-regime opposition LHK MP: Flyers with the words "eliminate the traitor" are being spread in public places. This can lead to physical aggression. We are a civilized country where violence and terrorism cannot be means for resolving issues, especially if they are directed against high-ranking officials and legitimate authorities. Thoughts of "physical elimination" have recently been voiced by public and political figures, which is exacerbating the situation. Remember October 27, which bent the backbone of our statehood, and do not encourage crimes. https://www.facebook.com/samsonyan.ani/posts/2924886244458329 https://factor.am/333304.html
update: five arrested after trying to break into government building
The incident took place yesterday after a group of nationalist opposition figures held a protest in Republic Square and attempted to break into the govt building. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041777.html
update: Vahan Badasryan arrested after threats
Nationalist opposition figure Vahan Badasyan was arrested yesterday after threatening to use weapons to forcefully "remove Pashinyan." Today the court decided that he should remain arrested until his trial. He is charged with Code 301. Ruling QP MP Hakobyan criticized Badasyan's words and accused him of behaving as a head of a criminal band. "If you are so confident in your abilities, let's hold snap elections," said the MP in response to other opposition parties' demands for PM's resignation. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041794.html , https://factor.am/333211.html , https://factor.am/333217.html , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/205515
update: group tasked with Constitutional reform discussion will wrap-up soon
A group consisted of civil society members, NGOs, and various parties has been discussing reforms in the Constitution. They will finalize and provide the results in a week. It includes the possible merger of Supreme Court and Constitutional Court, reforms in investigative committees, topics about the church, election process, age restrictions in judicial, vetting, etc. https://factor.am/333134.html
volunteer soldier recalls Artsakh war episodes / Manuel Manukyan and Edward Manukyan:
We learned about the war on September 27th and drove to Artsakh with 6 friends. The next day we were at Hadrut military base. We felt obligated to be there because our 18-year-old brothers were there. The fighting spirit of the boys was very high, they were very strong and confident in their actions. They were eagerly waiting for the next tank. They fought with great enthusiasm. It doubled my spirit. I will never forget our friend Mush who shot 4 tanks without missing one. Unfortunately, 3 of my friends and Mush died next to me while stopping an enemy tank attack. My parents initially panicked and didn't want to allow my brother and me to volunteer. These were the heaviest days of the war. On the 3rd day, we were with a squad with 5 others. They were experienced although under the age of 30. We referred to one of them as "Crazy". He was very brave. We heard the sound of a drone while in the trenches. We were instructed to take cover in those situations. We suddenly noticed that Crazy got out of the shelter and tried to shoot the drone. He returned very unhappily because he couldn't see the drone up-close. The fighting spirit of our boys was really high. Everyone knew where they came to, why, that it was likely they would never return. They stood their ground to the end. I hope that people will take the enemy seriously and not betray their homeland. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041857.html Tags #ArtsakhWar #44daywar #war
The crews discovered 8 bodies on Artsakh battlefields. Medical tests will be needed for identification. The work continues in Martuni, Hadrut, and Jabrayil regions. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041776.html
POWs
5 POWs who were returned yesterday were part of the volunteer group that was captured during the Khtsaberd incident in the narrow strip of land west of the Hadrut-Shushi corridor. Additionally, there were other POWs who were captured during the 44-day war. Russian outlet RBK says the total number of POW is 140. It was confirmed by MFA official the Armenian ambassador to the Netherlands Tigran Balayan, who said "There are still over 120 POWs. Azerbaijan still commits war crimes. One of the POWs mentioned the physical abuse he went through." https://factor.am/333228.html , https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/289839/ The EU welcomed return of 5 Armenian POWs and called for immediate return of others, said the EU foreign affairs spokesman. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041817.html Rumors and rebuttals: army denies media rumors about 15 soldiers being captured on their way to Artsakh's Askeran region. They also denied rumors surrounding a Colonel named Gor Ishkhanyan: "His unit did not retreat during the war. After the war, his unit pulled back from its positions as part of the November 9th statement. Spreading false news does not contribute to strengthening the defense capacity of the homeland." https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041823.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041834.html
Qashatagh residents need compensation
Some of the villagers in Artsakh's Qashatagh region, which went under Azeri control after the war, weren't aware until the last moment that they had to leave, so they didn't have time to take the household items with them. A group of residents gathered in front of the government building today and asked for housing. "Aid was provided multiple times but that's not enough to make ends meet," said a resident. Prime Minister's office invited the residents to discuss the issues on February 3rd. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041812.html
displaced Shurnukh and Vorotan villagers will have new homes
Deputy PM Avinyan visited Syunik province to meet residents of bordering villages Shurnukh and Vorotan. Around 20 houses in these villages went under Azeri control because they were built on the internationally-recognized Azeri side of the borders. Avinyan: during discussions with the residents, we agreed that new houses would be built for them. Each member of every family will receive ֏300K, plus ֏68K/mo for 6 months. https://armtimes.com/hy/article/205478
anti-corruption: NSS busts Economy Ministry official with bribery
NSS report says: a company imported a diamond from UAE and paid ֏72M in customs taxes. However, subsequent investigation revealed that the diamond was worth 6x more than it was declared. NSS found that the director of the Economy Ministry's Licensing and Permits Department received a bribe from the company to intentionally undervalue the item on paper. The director instructed a subordinate to falsify paperwork; the latter confessed and testified. The department director has been arrested. The bribe-giver company owners and dozens of others have been brought in for questioning. A felony case is launched. https://youtu.be/Rgntt6JqHVk https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041780.html
update: some large businesses abused micro-business laws to evade taxes
Micro-businesses laws were recently reformed to reduce taxes for many self-employed and small businesses. Some dishonest large businesses decided to game the system and split into smaller parts to provide themselves services as contractors and pay fewer taxes individually. The IRS is aware and decided to increase the monitoring. They caught 258 such instances in 2020, up from 116 in 2019. There are over 40,000 micro-businesses in Armenia. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041809.html
anti-corruption: +70% felony cases by IRS / ֏21 billion in damages uncovered
IRS exposed ֏21 billion in damages to the state during 622 felony cases (+70% compared to 2019). 244 were about tax evasion, 62 falsifying docs, 23 illegal operations of a business, 265 narcotics transfers via border. ֏7 billion was recovered, which is +14% compared to 2019. Please do not ship narcotics via the post office. Thank you. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041824.html
Do not ship narcotics wrapped inside tolma. Thank you.
draft bill to prohibit legalization of illegal buildings on public lands
There is a law that allows illegal property owners to go through a process and legalize their structures. QP MPs drafted a bill to prohibit this for any illegal structure built after the approval of the bill if the structure is on public land. Bill authors: //practice was developed in previous years when businesses and individuals carried out construction without a permit, then asked the mayor to legalize the structures. This is because obtaining a license for an illegal structure was cheaper and faster than obtaining a permit and building a legal structure (huh?). The bill will take into account the owners' rights while allowing municipalities to dismantle illegal structures without administrative proceedings. The dismantling will be paid fully by the builder. The bill will reduce beurocracy in the property registration and permit process. // https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/205473
COVID stats
1190 tested. 59 infected. 265 tested. 2 deaths. 5984 active. https://factor.am/333046.html The highest infection rates were observed in Tavush, Syunik, Lori, Yerevan. Ministry reminded to wear a mask and avoid crowded places. "Keep a 1.5m distance from household members suspected/confirmed with COVID. Keep a social distance in grocery shops. Use 70% alcohol sanitizer after touching public surfaces. Teach the rules to your kids. Call your doctor if you have symptoms." https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041804.html
COVID vaccines for Russian peacekeepers
Over 1,900 Russian men and women serving as peacekeepers in Artsakh have received the Sputnik V vaccine. The boxes with vaccines were driven around the country in coolers and administered only to those who agreed to take it. The second shot is scheduled before February 28th. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041792.html , https://youtu.be/cLbTwMsFgKQ
Armenian scientists sequence 12 coronavirus genomes / Mutation details revealed
National Academy of Sciences of Armenia: Almost a year has passed since the first COVID infection in Armenia, but it has not been revealed yet which COVID mutations are common among patients in our country. Knowledge of this information is important for analyzing the situation. // The scientists conducted 12 whole genome sequencing and found that D614G mutation in T gene - whatever that means - is responsible for the virus's interaction with human cells. This type was first revealed in February 2020 and is the most common in the world. No Brith or South African mutations have been observed. The examination continues. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041841.html
Soccer Federation will renovate a stadium in Abovyan city
The project was finalized. The construction begins soon. New grass, renovated stands, facilities, small playground, nicer surroundings. It will meet the UEFA Category-2 standard and be able to host UEFA Champions League qualification games, up to second stage matches. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041814.html
you've got to clean that snow from sidewalks
... reminded Yerevan municipality to businesses that have the entrance facing the sidewalks. Right now it's mainly done by the city's sanitation department. The city says there is a law that requires businesses to keep their surroundings tidy. "It will also increase your economic activity." The municipality has been distributing reminders to businesses. A few of them received ֏20K citations for ignoring it. The law also requires these businesses to plant vegetation and pave the sidewalks. "If the 4000 businesses in Center or 2150 in Arabkir do their part, the capital will be cleaner and well-maintained," said Mayor Marutyan. https://youtu.be/DKtTuNejSnQ?t=9 , https://youtu.be/BunvWmggdrg , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041801.html
farmers to use drones and robots
The National Agrarian University of Armenia has programs for 2021, in cooperation with the government and private sector. Sos Avetisyan: "We consult leading professionals in the field so that the curricula meet the requirements of today's market. This year, we will have a Master's Degree in Precision Agriculture. We want to keep up with the world and train specialists to become leaders in this field tomorrow." "Precision agriculture is a new emerging industry based on high tech. We will obtain agricultural drones to inject and cure crops. There is a pilot program in Voskehat and Akunq villages. The donors are purchased as part of the "Green Agriculture" program by the EU and Austrian Development Bank." "The Water and Soil Resources Research Center was also put into operation very recently, which has a very serious perspective. Economy Minister Qerobyan visited recently and offered to work together to expand the irrigated lands in Syunik province. We need this to substitute the lost lands." "We will continue the FRUITENIA program launched in 2020. It creates intensive orchards with an efficient drip irrigation system. Farmers and scientists will be invited to teach students. The orchards will also be used commercially because begin the process of commercializing our scientific output." Full: https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/205373 Tags #Agriculture
Nature Ministry busts illegal fishing in Lake Sevan
Every year, there is a period when fishing is prohibited to allow whitefish to lay eggs. Nature Ministry confiscated 5100 illegally-caught whitefish and removed 22 large fishing nets. The loot was donated to Artsakh refugees and facilities that help people with special needs. https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/205450
forest guards will receive another salary raise
ArmForest (Hayantar) workers will receive a $40-135 raise, depending on their position, beginning on March 1st. "The decision was made possible by cost optimization, increased savings, the fight against shadow economy and illegal logging, and increase in revenues," said the Nature Ministry. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041810.html , https://hetq.am/en/article/107840
2020 average monthly nominal salaries
Throughout the year, it was ֏186K ($383), or +4.2% from last year. Public sector at ֏165K (+5.9%), while the private sector ֏196K (+3.2%). It increased in December, from ֏224K to ֏228K year-over-year. The highest 11.3% growth was observed in the culture/entertainment/recreation field: at ֏182K/mo. The second highest 11.2% growth was in the high-tech field: ֏476K The third highest 9.7% growth was in construction: ֏201K Watesewage/waste management salaries +9.2% at ֏175K. Education +6.5% at ֏126K. Finance/insurance +5.1% at ֏411K. Full: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041771.html , https://factor.am/333350.html
Astghik Charity Foundation is tasked with developing provincial communities. They built a fabric factory "Made in Kurtan" to produce winter jackets. "They are very warm and sewed with love." They are looking for young designers with ideas to produce custom-designed clothing with the designer's name on it. https://youtu.be/Ga1rA-Y5aak https://factor.am/333198.html
female + male = ?
"Let's install cameras and find out," said scientists. The FPWC cameras spotted another rare leopard in Armenian forests. They believe this one is a female. Scientists are excited. This is the sighting of a 4th leopard since 2013 and a first female. They still need to verify it's a female. The male leopard "Neo" was spotted approximately in the same just a month ago. Scientists do not believe the two would stay so close to each other if both were male. (they better not be we don't need another George Soros scandal) https://youtu.be/mjm0SgYUVHI Full: https://armtimes.com/hy/article/205494
Museum of Russian Arts
Marine Mkhtchyan, the director of the Museum of Russian Arts, says the museum will organize a number of educational programs and exhibitions in Yerevan. There will be a collab with Armenian museums. Negotiations are currently underway with the Tretyakov Gallery to display Mikhail Vrubel's "Demon and Angel with Tamara's Soul" painting. Sketches by different artists will be presented. A collab with Sardarapat Museum will present Russian tea drinking and tea culture. The "Armenian Ally" exhibition will be held in September, dedicated to Moscow Day. This exhibition will be continuous. Every year, it will touch upon a specific historical period. This year the museum will present art about the 19th century, the Lazaryan family, the formation of the Armenian community. The year will end with an exhibition about Russian Christmas Tree decorations. 19th and 20th-century pieces will be presented. Classes for engraving will be taught in Armenia's provinces. Visitors will use VR headsets to walk inside a painting of a famous artist. This practice is common in the world; the Musem of Russian Arts made the debate in Armenia. Full: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041787.html
Artsakh refugee children entertain fellow refugee children
Refugee kids in Gyumri organized a Պոչատ աղվես-based performance in Gyumri's Մտորումների թատրոն. They were allowed to decorate the scene besides performing in it. The event for hundreds of children across multiple cities is organized by Jinishyan and Galust Gyulbenkyan Foundations. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041789.html
All Armenia Fund donates warm bedding to Artsakh refugees
The www.HimnaDram.org purchased and sent the items to 200 families. They were sewed by Artsakh refugees living in Tsakhkadzor who found jobs at a small fabric facility as part of the Project Hope initiative. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041855.html
top-10 bestseller children's books in December
10) Cat and Dog, by Hovhannes Tumanyan. 9) Frozen heart, Disney classic. 8) Harry Potter and the Political Prisoner of Azkaban, by JK Rowling. 7) tele-trip, by Lilith Hakobyan 6) the 3 little pigs (0% YoY) 5) Չարի վերջը, by Hovhannes Tumanyan. 4) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Commerce, by JK Rowling. 3) kolobok 2) Harry Potter and the Smart Stone, by JK Rowing. 1) Հայկական հեքիաթներ, collection from various authors. https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1041490.html
Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration
February 04, 2021
Executive Order on Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration
Policy
The long tradition of the United States as a leader in refugee resettlement provides a beacon of hope for persecuted people around the world, promotes stability in regions experiencing conflict, and facilitates international collaboration to address the global refugee crisis. Through the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), the Federal Government, cooperating with private partners and American citizens in communities across the country, demonstrates the generosity and core values of our Nation, while benefitting from the many contributions that refugees make to our country. Accordingly, it shall be the policy of my Administration that:
USRAP and other humanitarian programs shall be administered in a manner that furthers our values as a Nation and is consistent with our domestic law, international obligations, and the humanitarian purposes expressed by the Congress in enacting the Refugee Act of 1980, Public Law 96-212.
USRAP should be rebuilt and expanded, commensurate with global need and the purposes described above.
Delays in administering USRAP and other humanitarian programs are counter to our national interests, can raise grave humanitarian concerns, and should be minimized.
Security vetting for USRAP applicants and applicants for other humanitarian programs should be improved to be more efficient, meaningful, and fair, and should be complemented by sound methods of fraud detection to ensure program integrity and protect national security.
Although access to United States humanitarian programs is generally discretionary, the individuals applying for immigration benefits under these programs must be treated with dignity and respect, without improper discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, or other grounds, and should be afforded procedural safeguards.
United States humanitarian programs should be administered in a manner that ensures transparency and accountability and reflects the principle that reunifying families is in the national interest.
My Administration shall seek opportunities to enhance access to the refugee program for people who are more vulnerable to persecution, including women, children, and other individuals who are at risk of persecution related to their gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.
Executive departments and agencies (agencies) should explore the use of all available authorities for humanitarian protection to assist individuals for whom USRAP is unavailable.
To meet the challenges of restoring and expanding USRAP, the United States must innovate, including by effectively employing technology and capitalizing on community and private sponsorship of refugees, while continuing to partner with resettlement agencies for reception and placement.
The Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) programs for Iraqi and Afghan allies provide humanitarian protection to nationals of Iraq and Afghanistan experiencing an ongoing, serious threat because they provided faithful and valuable service to the United States, including its troops serving in those countries. The Federal Government should ensure that these important programs are administered without undue delay.
Revocation, Rescission, and Reporting.
Executive Order 13815 of October 24, 2017 (Resuming the United States Refugee Admissions Program With Enhanced Vetting Capabilities), and Executive Order 13888 of September 26, 2019 (Enhancing State and Local Involvement in Refugee Resettlement), are revoked.
The Presidential Memorandum of March 6, 2017 (Implementing Immediate Heightened Screening and Vetting of Applications for Visas and Other Immigration Benefits, Ensuring Enforcement of All Laws for Entry Into the United States, and Increasing Transparency Among Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government and for the American People), is revoked.
Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), describing all agency actions, including memoranda or guidance documents, that were taken or issued in reliance on or in furtherance of the directives revoked by subsections (a) and (b) of this section. This report shall include recommendations regarding whether each action should be maintained, reversed, or modified, consistent with applicable law and as appropriate for the fair, efficient, and secure administration of the relevant humanitarian program or otherwise in the national interest.
Special Immigrant Visas for Iraqi and Afghan Allies
Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall complete a review of the Iraqi and Afghan SIV programs and submit a report to the President with recommendations to address any concerns identified. The report shall include:
an assessment of agency compliance with existing law governing the SIV programs, including program eligibility requirements and procedures for administrative review;
an assessment of whether there are undue delays in meeting statutory benchmarks for timely adjudication of applications, including due to insufficient staffing levels;
a plan to provide training, guidance, and oversight with respect to the National Visa Center’s processing of SIV applications;
a plan to track the progress of the Senior Coordinators as provided under section 1245 of the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007 (RCIA), subtitle C of title XII of Public Law 110-181, and section 602(b)(2)(D)(ii)(II) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 (AAPA), title VI of division F of Public Law 111-8, as amended; and
an assessment of whether adequate guidelines exist for reconsidering or reopening applications in appropriate circumstances and consistent with applicable law.
The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall also direct a review of the procedures for Chief of Mission approval of applications with the aim of, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:
ensuring existing procedures and guidance are sufficient to permit prospective applicants a fair opportunity to apply and demonstrate eligibility;
issuing guidance that would address situations where an applicant’s employer is unable or unwilling to provide verification of the applicant’s “faithful and valuable service,” and provide for alternative forms of verification;
revising requirements to facilitate the ability of applicants to demonstrate the existence of a qualifying contract with the United States Government and require that the supervisor verifying the applicant’s “faithful and valuable service” be a United States citizen or national;
ensuring that applicants are not prejudiced by delays in verifying their employment; and
implementing anti-fraud measures to ensure program integrity.
Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall submit to the President the results of the review described in subsection of this section.
Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall conduct a review and submit a report to the President identifying whether additional populations not currently provided for under section 1059 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, Public Law 109-163, section 1244 of the RCIA, or section 602 of the AAPA are at risk as a result of their faithful and valuable service to the United States Government. The review should also evaluate whether it would be appropriate to seek legislation that would create a SIV program for individuals, regardless of nationality, who faithfully assisted the United States Government in conflict areas for at least 1 year or made exceptional contributions in a shorter period and have experienced or are experiencing an ongoing serious threat as a result of their service.
Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that appropriate policies and procedures related to the SIV programs are publicly available on their respective agency’s websites, and that any revisions to such policies and procedures in the future are made publicly available on those websites within 30 days of issuance.
Steps to Improve the Efficacy, Integrity, Security, and Transparency of USRAP
Consistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order and to facilitate this order’s effective and expeditious implementation:
The APNSA shall designate a National Security Council Senior Director to be responsible for coordinating the agencies and vetting partners involved in USRAP.
The Secretary of State shall designate a senior-level employee to have primary responsibility for overseeing refugee application processing, consistent with applicable law.
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall designate a senior-level employee to have primary responsibility for coordinating the review and any revision of policies and procedures regarding the vetting and adjudication of USRAP refugee applicants, including follow-to-join refugee applicants and post-decisional processing, consistent with applicable law.
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall assign a team of technology, process, and data experts from the United States Digital Service to assist agencies in streamlining application processing, improving the automation and effectiveness of security vetting and fraud detection, and strengthening data-driven decision-making.
Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the President a report on the fraud detection measures in place for USRAP. The report shall also include a plan to enhance fraud detection within components at both agencies and recommendations for the development of new anti-fraud programs, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall promptly consider taking all appropriate actions, consistent with applicable law, to expand refugee vetting and adjudication capacity, including by:
developing more efficient processes to capture and share refugee applicant biometric data; and
permitting the use of video and audio teleconferencing to conduct refugee interviews and establishing the necessary infrastructure to do so.
To increase refugee adjudication capacity, the Office of Personnel Management shall, consistent with applicable law, support the use of all hiring authorities, including expanded use of direct hiring authority, for positions associated with the adjudication of refugee applications.
Within 30 days of the date of this order, the heads of all agencies involved in the Security Advisory Opinion process and other inter-agency vetting processes for refugee applicants, including follow-to-join refugee applicants, shall submit data to the National Vetting Governance Board on the number of staff performing refugee security vetting, the thresholds for checks, and the rates at which checks have returned an objection. Such data shall be disaggregated by age range, gender, and nationality of the refugee applicant. The National Vetting Governance Board shall meet to consider if and how agency processes and staffing levels should change to improve security reviews and make refugee arrivals more efficient, and shall share any conclusions and recommendations with the heads of relevant agencies, including the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in order to inform potential resourcing strategies where necessary.
Within 60 days of the date of this order, agencies responsible for the Security Advisory Opinion process shall meet to consider proposals from member agencies to adjust the list of countries and other criteria that require a Security Advisory Opinion for a refugee case.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall consider whether to promulgate regulations and any other policies, including internal oversight mechanisms, to ensure the quality, integrity, efficiency, and fairness of the adjudication process for USRAP applicants, while also taking due account of the challenges facing refugee applicants. The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, should consider adopting regulations or policies, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, that:
develop mechanisms to synthesize reliable, detailed, and current country conditions that may be relied upon, where appropriate, to make specific factual and legal determinations necessary for the adjudication of refugee applications from individuals or from individuals within a designated group of applicants;
ensure that refugee applicants have timely access to their own application records;
permit refugee applicants to have a representative at their interview at no cost to the United States Government; and
ensure, when refugee applications are denied for non-security or non-fraud-based reasons, an applicant is given a short explanation describing the basis for the denial, so that the applicant has a meaningful opportunity to present additional evidence and to request a review of the decision.
The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the President, through the APNSA, a report describing any action taken pursuant to subsection (g) of this section within 180 days of the date such action is taken.
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that adjudicators are trained in the standards governing refugee claims of women, children, and other individuals who are more vulnerable to persecution due to their age, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.
The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider taking actions, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to recognize as “spouses” for purposes of derivative status through USRAP individuals who are in committed life partnerships but who are unable to marry or to register their marriage due to restrictions in the law or practices of their country of origin, including for individuals in same-sex, interfaith, or camp-based marriages. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the President a report, through the APNSA, describing any action taken pursuant to this subsection within 180 days of the date such action is taken.
Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, deliver a plan to the President, through the APNSA, to enhance the capacity of USRAP to welcome refugees by expanding the use of community sponsorship and co-sponsorship models by refugee resettlement agencies, and by entering into new public-private partnerships.
The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall consider ways to expand mechanisms under which non-governmental organizations with direct access to and knowledge of refugees abroad in camps or other settings could identify and directly refer to USRAP particularly vulnerable individuals who have a strong possibility of qualifying for admission to the United States as refugees.
Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take all appropriate steps, taking into account necessary safeguards for program integrity, to ensure that the current policies and procedures related to USRAP are publicly available on their respective websites, and that any new or revised policies and procedures are made publicly available on their websites within 30 days of their adoption.
Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, shall develop options for improving USRAP applicants’ ability to access relevant material from their case files on an expedited basis to inform timely appeals from adverse decisions.
Improving Performance
The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall develop and ensure adherence to a plan that addresses USRAP processing backlogs. In developing this plan, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, and in collaboration with the National Vetting Governance Board and United States Digital Service, shall conduct a review of refugee security vetting processes and develop recommendations to increase their efficiency, fairness, and effectiveness, consistent with the humanitarian goals of USRAP and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.
The plan and review described in subsection (a) of this section shall also:
examine whether existing vetting processes, including the Security Advisory Opinion process, can be improved to increase efficiency and provide more effective security reviews; and
seek to bring national average processing times within the period described in 8 U.S.C. 1571(b).
Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President the plan described in subsection (a) of this section, including the Secretary’s recommendations for process improvements.
Climate Change and Migration
Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall prepare and submit to the President a report on climate change and its impact on migration, including forced migration, internal displacement, and planned relocation.
This report shall include, at a minimum:
discussion of the international security implications of climate-related migration;
options for protection and resettlement of individuals displaced directly or indirectly from climate change;
mechanisms for identifying such individuals, including through referrals;
proposals for how these findings should affect use of United States foreign assistance to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change;
and opportunities to work collaboratively with other countries, international organizations and bodies, non-governmental organizations, and localities to respond to migration resulting directly or indirectly from climate change.
The APNSA shall work with appropriate agencies to ensure that the report, or a summary thereof, is made publicly available.
Federal Climate Campaigns Director\)link\) Illinois Environmental Council · $60,000 - $80,000 · Illinois, US non-tech
Quality Assurance Developer for awesome SaaS company\)link\) Lead Sherpa, Inc. · Denver engineering, full-time, programming, americas-only
Web Content Management Specialist\)link\) Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage · District of Columbia, US non-tech, design, engineering, sales-marketing
Consultant Researcher “COVID-19 and the transition to a low-carbon economy in ASEAN: An Assessment”\)link\) ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) · Jakarta, ID non-tech
Development and Communications Manager\)link\) The Fishing School · District of Columbia, US n-a
Senior API Developer\)link\) Rainway, Inc. · Remote / Seattle
Sr. Administrative Assistant\)link\) EBDI - East Baltimore Development, Inc. · Maryland, US non-tech
US Youth Years Network Manager\)link\) Youth Venture, Inc. · Virginia, US tech, sales-marketing, non-tech
Senior UI/UX Designer - Cockpit HMI\)link\) Skyryse · Los Angeles design, greater-los-angeles-area, remote-friendly, full-time
Director of Digital Products\)link\) The Humane League · USA engineering, javascript, ruby-on-rails, ruby, react, html, css
Shopify / Liquid Developer\)link\) Fuel Made · Spokane, WA engineering, full-time, programming, full-stack, north-america-only
Program Facilitator\)link\) EmpowHer Institute, Inc · California, US non-tech
Program and Network Coordinator, Beyond Sport\)link\) Beyond Sport · $33,000 - $35,000 · New York, US non-tech, tech
Program and Policy Consultant\)link\) American Youth Policy Forum · District of Columbia, US non-tech, sales-marketing
Experienced Web Designer\)link\) Spiralyze · Anywhere design, anywhere, remote-friendly, full-time
Power Past Fracked Gas Coalition Coordinator\)link\) Columbia Riverkeeper · $52,000 - $62,000 · Oregon, US non-tech
AlphaSights : Front End Engineer\)link\) AlphaSights · New York, NY engineering, full-time, programming, front-end, usa-only
Product Manager\)link\) Upstatement · USA Only tech, product, full_time
Social Media Content Creator\)link\) Frogman Media · $12 - $13 an hour · Remote sales-marketing, non-tech, social-media
Senior Product Manager\)link\) ReifyHealth · USA Only tech, product, full_time
Grant Writer - Independent Contractor\)link\) Mission of Hope House of Wisconsin, Inc · Wisconsin, US non-tech, sales-marketing
Customer Service Representative remote longterm must be 1hr from Randolph\)link\) Enablx · $14 an hour · Township of Randolph sales-marketing, non-tech, customer-support
Housing Legal Clinic Admin\)link\) Chelsea Legal Services, Inc. · Massachusetts, US non-tech
Junior DevOps Engineer\)link\) Creative Force Ltd · USA engineering, devops, aws, php, python, docker
Development & Events Manager\)link\) Chanda Plan Foundation · $40,000 - $50,000 · Colorado, US tech, engineering, sales-marketing
AlphaSights : Software Engineer\)link\) AlphaSights · New York, NY engineering, full-time, programming, usa-only
Operations Manager\)link\) The Fishing School · District of Columbia, US non-tech, engineering
Marketing Administrator\)link\) Ellie and Kate Real Estate Team · $45,000 - $60,000 a year · Remote sales-marketing, non-tech, marketing
Marketing Automation Strategist\)link\) Newfangled · From $65,000 a year · Remote sales-marketing, non-tech, marketing
Customer Service Representative\)link\) Fortune Brands · USA Only sales-marketing, customer-service, full_time
Part-Time Customer Service Representative - Bank/Credit Union Call Center (Remote)\)link\) Jack Henry and Associates, Inc. · Remote sales-marketing, non-tech, customer-support
Frontend Developer\)link\) Toggl Hire · Software Development · Europe only engineering, software-development, full_time
Director of Programs\)link\) The Fishing School · District of Columbia, US n-a
Back End Engineer\)link\) AlphaSights engineering, tech, professional-services, engineer, backend
Finance Manager\)link\) Brooklyn Academy of Music · NY, US non-tech
Executive Director\)link\) Sikh Research Institute · $85,000 - $100,000 · New York, US non-tech, engineering, sales-marketing
Case Aide\)link\) University Settlement Society of New York · New York, US non-tech
Marketing Content Manager\)link\) Packed with Purpose · Illinois, US sales-marketing
Senior Software Engineer, Full Stack\)link\) Animoto · Remote (USA only)
Terms of reference/Request for Proposals for Pharmaceutical Market Dynamics and Impact Counsel/Agency\)link\) International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) · Gauteng, ZA engineering, non-tech
Full Stack Software Engineer\)link\) Loop & Tie · Remote
Marketing Copywriter\)link\) Michael Coleman Creative Services · $35,000 - $45,000 a year · Remote sales-marketing, non-tech, marketing
Mid-Level UI+Icon DesigneIllustrator\)link\) DaisyBill · New York City design, new-york-ny, remote-friendly, full-time
Production Support Engineer for awesome SaaS company\)link\) Lead Sherpa, Inc. · Denver engineering, full-time, programming, americas-only
PS Science Marketing and Communications Manager\)link\) PS Science · $65,000 - $75,000 · California, US tech, sales-marketing
Early Childhood Lead Classroom Teacher\)link\) University of Oregon · Oregon, US non-tech
Terms of Reference/Request for Proposals for Special Advisor on Patent Law and Policy\)link\) International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) · Gauteng, ZA non-tech, sales-marketing
Program Manager, Impact\)link\) EdReports.org · $70,000 - $75,000 · North Carolina, US engineering
Finance Associate\)link\) National Network of Abortion Funds · $54,820 - $57,562 · Massachusetts, US non-tech
Director, Client Services\)link\) Aperio Philanthropy · $70,000 - $120,000 · New York, US sales-marketing, tech, non-tech, engineering
What A Day: Good night And Get F*c%ed by Sarah Lazarus & Crooked Media (01/19/21)
"He watches every show." - Ainsley Earhardt, on Trump's indefatigable work ethic
All's Hell That Ends Hell
The White House fumigators are standing by, the going-away party invitations have been turned down, and the National Mall looks cool as hell: We’ve made it to Donald Trump’s last full day in office.
True to form, Trump spent his final day of executive immunity moping about Joe Biden’s mysterious ability to enlist better celebrities than the My Pillow guy, refusing to participate in standard transfer of power rituals, uploading the traditional 20-Minute YouTube Farewell address, and firing up the White House pardon printer. (Behold, the stretch pickup waiting to retrieve a pardoned Joe Exotic.) Lawyers reportedly talked Trump out of issuing pardons for himself, his shitty kids, and several GOP lawmakers who (outrageously) asked for clemency after helping him incite a deadly insurrection, though he could still change his mind about that anytime before noon on Wednesday.
Tuesday also marked Mitch McConnell’s last ride as Senate majority leader—a very happy Got Mitch Day to you and yours. Reopening the Senate for its first day back in session since the attack on the Capitol, McConnell linked the attack directly to Trump: “The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people,” said a powerful person who lied about the election results until mid-December. McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer met to hammer out the terms of Trump’s impeachment trial, and the Senate scrambled to hold long-delayed confirmation hearings for Biden’s cabinet nominees, only to be further obstructed by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mobs).
Thanks to “the president and other powerful people,” Biden’s inauguration will take place amid unprecedented security precautions. By Wednesday, around 25,000 National Guard members will have taken up positions around the Capitol and throughout Washington, DC. After the FBI heightened vetting procedures out of concern for potential internal threats, 12 guard members were removed from inauguration duty—two of them for links to far-right extremist groups. The FBI also warned law-enforcement agencies that QAnon adherents have discussed posing as National Guard members and shared maps of vulnerable spots in DC, which means we’re about three days out from learning that Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Guns) led a group on a reconnaissance tour of a military-surplus shop.
While many of us prepare to celebrate having survived the Trump era, Tuesday brought a stark reminder that too many Americans did not.
The official U.S. coronavirus death toll surpassed 400,000 on Trump’s final day in office, one year after the country confirmed its first coronavirus case. That number is almost certainly an undercount, and mortality is still accelerating: It took just five weeks for U.S. deaths to climb from 300,000 to 400,000. (Insurrection isn't helping: At least 19 Capitol Police officers either tested positive or were found to have been exposed after the January 6 attack.) The Trump administration failed so catastrophically on so many levels of the pandemic response that it’s easy to lose sight of its failure to facilitate a moment of national mourning. The night before taking office, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris sought to rectify that with a memorial ceremony for coronavirus victims at the Lincoln Memorial.
All of Biden’s first executive actions will center around making a clean break from the depravity of the Trump administration. After a peaceful, uneventful, cathartically boring inauguration ceremony (typing this into existence), Biden will propose a sweeping immigration overhaul that includes an eight-year path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrations. He’ll also embark on a 10-day executive order spree aimed at rolling back the most harmful Trump policies, from reversing the Muslim travel ban and rejoining the Paris climate accord to ordering agencies to figure out how to reunite families who were separated at the border.
Between corrupt pardon requests, threats of extremist violence, and a numbingly horrific coronavirus milestone, Trump’s last day in office underlined the scale of the damage he inflicted and the work still ahead. Because so many people stayed in the fight to deny him a second term, that work can and will begin tomorrow. Thank you for sticking it out with us, and we’ll see you in the Biden era.
Look No Further Than The Crooked Media
On Wednesday, January 20th, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will take their oaths of office and be sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States. We figured we'd take a look. Come watch the Inauguration with your Crooked Media pals at 10am-12pm ET / 7am-9am PT! We'll have a livestream of the ceremony, along with our real-time reactions, hot takes, and unprofessional emotional outbursts, all in a very special Transfer of Power Hour group thread →
Under The Radar
Federal prosecutors have filed the first conspiracy charges in the January 6 attack on the Capitol, alleging that three members of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group, coordinated in advance. Authorities alleged that Oath Keeper leader Thomas Edward Caldwell (a Navy veteran) helped organize a group that swelled to 30 or 40 people, recruiting Oath Keeper members and scouting for lodging at least five days before the insurrection. The participants both anticipated violence and continued to coordinate their actions after breaching the building. Members of several other militias and extremist groups have also been arrested, as has Capitol rioter Riley Williams, whose former partner told authorities that she had stolen a laptop or hard drive from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with the intention of selling it to Russian intelligence.
Coronavirus-data scientist Rebekah Jones, whom Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has tried to silence for months, has surrendered to Florida police in response to a not-at-all-suspicious warrant for her arrest. Before turning herself in, Jones tweeted, “Censored by the state of Florida until further notice.” The DeSantis administration fired Jones in May after she accused state health officials of manipulating coronavirus data, after which she set up a competing coronavirus dashboard using publicly available data. Federal authorities raided her home in December, and last week, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement obtained a warrant for her arrest for illegal use of the state’s computer system. Jones tested positive for coronavirus after turning herself in. Trump may not have managed to jail his political opponents (there’s always Wednesday), but Ron DeSantis sure seems to have employed intimidation and prosecution against a scientist who tried to save lives with substantive criticism.
What A Sponsor
Add Your Name to Demand Voting Rights Protections in Biden’s First 100 Days It is imperative that President-elect Biden’s administration take ambitious action to protect the right to vote and to champion new federal protections for voting rights. Here are the ACLU’s key recommendations: The Biden administration must take executive action to enforce federal voting rights laws. This includes designating special assistant U.S. attorneys for voting rights to investigate and enforce potential violations of federal voting rights laws and provide the critical federal oversight of local redistricting efforts to ensure such actions are not racially discriminatory. They must also upgrade federal voter registration services, focusing on improving ballot access for voters with disabilities and protecting the rights of eligible or soon-to-be eligible incarcerated individuals. Sign our petition if you agree that action on voting rights can’t wait. The incoming administration must also help advance legislation to protect voting rights. This includes the support of the Voting Rights Advancement Act which will help to restore many of the protections that were lost when the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013. Additionally, baseline federal rules to reduce or eliminate needless barriers to voting are long overdue. The ACLU is demanding the Biden administration take action on these issues and much more in the first 100 days. Are you with us? Add your name to make sure our voting rights are protected. Click here to make your voice heard.
Is That Hope I Feel?
Senate Democrats announced that their first order of business as the majority will be to introduce the For The People Act. In other good Day One stuff: Joe Biden plans to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit on his first day in office. Biden will nominate Dr. Rachel Levine as his assistant secretary of health, setting her up to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate. New York City will now recognize LGBTQ-owned companies as minority-owned businesses, making them eligible for billions in city contracts.
What happened to our elections when in 2015- Blue and Red met with R . Scott Pastrick who; "...serves as a Director of Civitas Group, LLC. AND serves on the Board of Directors of the International Foundation for Election Systems...."
EDIT - post stuck at zero but my karma total is going up 🤔 kinda weird or nah? With all the partisan politics going on, I feel compelled to share some of my research from 2016/Wikileaks This is regarding a lunch meeting from 2015 which is BEFORE the fucked Dem primaries and 2016 election. Please pay attention to the part where head blue guy is casually meeting with a red team member and both are entertaining some narrative spinning/information/vote guiding mutha fuckas 🤨 Of note, are Mike Morell and R. Scott Pastrick; their past employment and current positions (as of the 2015 date). Specifically, Pastrick; who “...serves as a Director of Civitas Group, LLC. Mr. Pastrick serves on the Board of Directors of the International Foundation for Election Systems...." I know some will balk at the Flynn stuff but more importantly why would he being meeting with Podesta; the head of blue team in 2015?! TL/DR per 2016 research with included sources “It’s one big club and YOU AIN’T IN IT.” Red and blue? Nah, 99 v 1. So a Puppet Master walks into a bar.... So a Puppet Master; an ex-CIA agent; a pro-Russian retired General; a retired General stripped of his security clearance and spared of a DOJ investigation by the President; retired Admiral employed by the climate killing BP conglomerate and a guy with Clinton ties, with an IT cyber security/cloud consulting firm and who can bring thousands of technical experts in order to "improve the electoral process" walk into a bar....what and who do they talk about??!!! So Podesta the puppet master had a meeting with an Admiral, two Generals, Mike Morell, and R. Scott Pastrick??https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/9772 Mike Morell was twice (2011 and 2012 to 2013) the acting CIA Director who "is a proponent of the CIA's use of enhanced interrogation techniques which many consider to be torture, and is also a proponent of the CIA's targeted killings by drones." and "Since November 2013, he has been a Senior Counselor to Beacon Global Strategies LLC...." [*** "...a strategic advisory firm specializing in International Policy, Defense, Cyber, Intelligence, and Homeland Security." http://bgsdc.com/about-bgs/ ***] and who "...managed the staff that produced the Presidential Daily Briefings for President George W. Bush. Morell was Bush’s briefer during the September 11, 2001, attacks, and has been quoted as saying, "I would bet every dollar I have that it’s al Qaeda." and "In an August 2016 op-ed for The New York Times, Morell endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. Stating that he was registered with neither the Democratic nor Republican parties, and had always been silent about his political preferences...." and "...responded to allegations that his current employer, Beacon Global Strategies, "was co-founded by former associates of Mrs. Clinton", by saying it was a non-partisan firm and that he had spoken out "entirely on [my] own, with no other consideration given any thought."[24] and "In a subsequent interview with Charlie Rose, taped in August 2016, Morell called for making Russia and Iran "pay a price" for their involvement in Syria by killing their military personnel.[25][26] He added that he wanted to bomb Syrian government offices.[25] Regarding President Bashar al-Assad, Morell argued "I want to go after those things that Assad sees as his personal power base. I want to scare Assad."[26]"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Morell AND R. Scott Pastrick who "...serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Prime Policy Group (formerly, BKSH & Associates Worldwide)." and "...serves as a Director of Civitas Group, LLC. Mr. Pastrick serves on the Board of Directors of the International Foundation for Election Systems...." http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=38703148&privcapId=8160247 International Foundation for Electoral Systems - "Over the past three decades, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) has brought together thousands of experts to provide technical assistance to election officials, empower the underrepresented to participate in the political process, and apply field-based research to improve the electoral cycle." http://www.ifes.org/experts and Prime Policy Group "....our team of political, legislative and regulatory experts are trusted counselors to corporations, associations, domestic and foreign governments, and political candidates. Working together, we overcome the most challenging obstacles to influence outcomes, create opportunities and achieve policy objectives on behalf of our clients...." http://prime-policy.com/ and Civitas Group, LLC, "...an advisory services and consulting company, provides a range of strategic consulting services...." "...offers strategy and management consulting, mergers and acquisitions, support and due diligence, cybersecurity assessment..." "...The company serves defense, aerospace, intelligence, homeland security, cyber security and specialized IT (data analytics and cloud), government services and civilian agencies, critical infrastructure protection, and commercial security markets; large systems integrators and government services providers; consulting firms serving U.S. federal government market; Fortune 1000 corporations; mid-market firms in the national security, homeland security, and government services sectors; lower-middle market and early stage companies; technology and cyber security companies; and financial institutions, including investment banks, private equity sponsors, and venture capital funds associations." "It serves clients in the United States and internationally..." http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=7472279 Pastrick - Senior Adviser- Hillary Clinton for President 2007 – 2008 (1 year) At- Large Member - Democratic National Committee 2004 – 2008 At-Large Member - Democratic National Committee 2000 – 2004 Treasurer Democratic National Committee, Democratic National Committee 1995 – 1997 Served as the Democratic National Committee Treasurer for the re-election of President Bill Clinton, Officer & Executive Committee Leadership, Democratic National Committee 1995 – 1997 Chairman Presidential Gala; President Bill Clinton, Democratic National Committee 1993 – 1993 Senior Advisor Clinton for President - Congressional Affairs William J. Clinton for President Committee 1991 – 1992 I've got a few questions...like.... What in the holy H*LL are these guys talking about in June/July 2015?? Was Pastrick via his Civitas role giving Podesta a "cybersecurity assessment" and advising him about "cyber security and specialized IT (data analytics and cloud), government services and civilian agencies, critical infrastructure protection..." for her and her emails??!! Was Pastrick also advising Podesta via his IFES role to bring "...together thousands of experts to provide technical assistance to election officials, empower the underrepresented to participate in the political process, and apply field-based research to improve the electoral cycle..." for her??!! (His inclination for all things Clinton is pretty obvious by his resume) Is General Flynn this guy?? "...described by the Washington Post as "not hostile to Russia,"[21] while Michael Crowley of Vox described Flynn as having "an odd affection for Russia and its authoritarian government."[22]" and "...appearing semi-regularly as an analyst on RT, a Kremlin-aligned English-language news outlet.[21][22][23] In 2015, Flynn attended a gala dinner in Moscow in honor of RT, where he was seated next to the Russian president Vladimir Putin.[23]" and "....consulted regarding national security by candidates Carly Fiorina, Scott Walker, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump,[25] Flynn was asked in February 2016 to serve as an adviser to the Trump campaign.[26] In July 2016, it was reported he was being considered as Trump's running mate; Flynn later confirmed that he had submitted vetting documents to the campaign and was willing to accept the Republican Vice-Presidential nomination if chosen.[27][28]..." Soooo doesn't that mean that Podesta met in June/July/August of 2015 with a PRO-Russia retired US General who had just had dinner with Putin in Moscow in that same year??!! (Holy Russian connections, Batman!!) and Why is Podesta meeting with a Pro-Repub, Pro-Russian guy who was advising Repub candidates on Security Issues and being vetted for Donnie's VP spot?? (Talk about working both sides of the aisle) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_T._Flynn General Cartwright - Who now seems to be employed with Center for Strategic and International Studies https://www.csis.org/people/james-e-cartwright and who was a "former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, lost his clearance earlier this year. It was an indicator that that government officials might, in some way, consider his ongoing access to secrets a national security risk while he was under investigation by the Department of Justice for possibly leaking sensitive information about the Stuxnet computer virus..." http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/09/24/obamas-favorite-general-stripped-of-his-security-clearance/ and who "...Analysts are questioning whether the White House is protecting one of its inner-circle members in a leak investigation, especially given the Obama administration’s demonstrated willingness to prosecute and imprison lower-level government employees for providing classified information to the press. Retired Marine Corps Gen. James “Hoss” Cartwright was vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and somewhat of a White House fixture as a close military adviser to President Obama. For over a year, he reportedly has been the target of a Justice Department criminal investigation. He is suspected of leaking to The New York Times highly classified details of a U.S. cyberwarfare program against Iran and its quest for nuclear weapons. Gen. Cartwright played a critical role in the covert action, whose weapon was a cyberworm called Stuxnet and whose code name was “Olympic Games.” The Washington Post reported Wednesday that the probe has come to a halt because the White House fears prosecution would force the administration to disclose secret sources and methods. Despite the slowdown, Mr. Obama has been the most aggressive president in history in hunting down and prosecuting government personnel who leak. In six years, the Justice Department has prosecuted nine leakers: One Army soldier; two National Security Agency personnel; two FBI employees; one State Department contractor; two former CIA officers; and, just recently, one...." http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/ma12/obama-protects-generals-in-leak-probes-while-low-l/ Interesting that Podesta is meeting with someone that in March of 2015 Obama somehow spared from DOJ criminal prosecution for "leaking" classified information or is it just me?? and Admiral Bowman who is currently an Independent Non-Executive Director at BP http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/board-and-executive-management/the-board/admiral-frank-bowman.html and the Center for Climate and Security Advisory Board https://climateandsecurity.org/2013/08/23/admiral-frank-skip-bowman-joins-the-center-for-climate-and-security-advisory-board/ So a Puppet Master; an ex-CIA agent; a pro-Russian retired General; a retired General stripped of his security clearance and spared of a DOJ investigation by the President; retired Admiral employed by the climate killing BP conglomerate and a guy with Clinton ties, with an IT cyber security/cloud consulting firm and who can bring thousands of technical experts in order to "improve the electoral process" walk into a bar....what and who do they talk about??!!! https://np.reddit.com/DNCleaks/comments/57nk2u/so_a_puppet_master_walks_into_a_ba?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Lost in the Sauce: Trump's smear campaign fizzles out
Welcome to Lost in the Sauce, keeping you caught up on political and legal news that often gets buried in distractions and theater… or a global health crisis. Housekeeping:
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Trump’s hit job fizzles
Emails and photos purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden were circulating in Ukraine last year at the same time that Rudy Giuliani was in the country searching for dirt on Joe Biden. Two people said they were approached with Hunter’s alleged emails, first in May 2019 and second in September 2019. Giuliani’s former business partner, Lev Parnas, separately told Politico that Giuliani was offered the photos and emails in May 2019 by an associate of Burisma founder Mykola Zlochevsky, who wanted to curry favor with the Trump administration.
Parnas said Giuliani was eager to get the information from Zlochevsky...Ultimately, Giuliani was not satisfied with the answers he got back on July 7, 2019. Asked, for example, whether Joe Biden, while vice president, had ever assisted Zlochevsky or Burisma “in any way with business deals or meetings with world leaders or any other assistance,” Zlochevsky replied curtly: “No.”
Giuliani and Parnas were told former Burisma CFO Alexander Gorbunenko - among numerous others - also had access to the material Giuliani was seeking. However, the day Giuliani was scheduled to meet with Gorbunenko and get “a package of information” from him on Hunter Biden, Parnas was arrested.
Reminder: Russian military hackers infiltrated Burisma’s servers in Winter 2019, when talk of Ukraine, the Bidens, and impeachment were making headlines in the U.S.
Trump’s hit job to be published in the Wall Street Journal resulted in the opposite of his desired findings: Joe Biden had “no role” in Hunter Biden’s business dealings. White House lawyer Eric Herschmann and former deputy White House counsel Stefan Passantino gave WSJ documents from a former business partner of Hunter Biden’s named Tony Bobulinski. Trump even invited Bobulinski to the debate last week, in the hopes of generating buzz. More on the Biden narratives:
John Paul Mac Isaac, a computer repairman from Delaware, actively tried to push the story of the Hunter Biden laptops into the press after contacting the FBI. Eventually, Mac Isaac connected with Ken LaCorte, a former Fox News executive who effectively killed a story about the hush money deal between Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump in 2016.
Associates of Steve Bannon are pushing child abuse rumors in their attempt to “Pizzagate” Joe Biden.
Intelligence Experts Suspicious of DNI Ratcliffe On Laptop Story. The chief of the U.S. intelligence community appeared to pre-judge the conclusions of an active FBI investigation.
More interference
DNI John Ratcliffe gave a last-minute announcement alongside FBI Director Christopher Wray that both Russia and Iran have tried to interfere in the election. “We have confirmed that some voter registration information has been obtained by Iran, and separately, by Russia,” Ratcliffe said. However, Ratcliffe chose to emphasize the role of Iran, accusing the nation of trying to harm President Trump’s chances at re-election with spoofed emails purported to be from the Proud Boys.
Russia poses a bigger election threat than Iran, many U.S. officials say.
Ratcliffe was joined by FBI Director Christopher Wray, who did not speak about any specific actions or nations. Instead, Wray sought to reassure the public that the FBI and intelligence communities were working to ensure the legitimacy of the election. Wray’s continued refusal to assist in Trump’s re-election gambits has put him in Trump’s crosshairs - should he win re-election, Trump plans on “immediately” firing Wray. Also on the chopping block are CIA Director Gina Haspel and Defense Secretary Mark Esper. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who received a classified briefing on Wednesday afternoon on election security, said he disagreed with Ratcliffe that Iran was specifically trying to hurt Trump. “It was clear to me that the intent of Iran in this case and Russia in many more cases is to basically undermine confidence in our elections. This action I do not believe was aimed ... at discrediting President Trump,” Schumer said. The Trump administration has known for weeks that Iran and Russia had hacked local governments and obtained voter registration and other personal data. In a technical alert issued Thursday, the FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said that hackers working for the Russian government had broken into several local government networks and that as of the beginning of October had stolen data from at least two of them.
Courts and DOJ
A three-judge District Court panel in California barred the Census Bureau from giving the White House a count of the nation’s unauthorized immigrants. Trump ordered the bureau in July to give him a state-by-state count of people living in the United States without authorization, saying he planned to subtract them from the 2020 census totals that will be used to divvy up House seats among the states next year.
Last month a different three-judge panel in federal district court in Manhattan also unanimously rejected Trump’s plan. The case has already been appealed to the Supreme Court, which will have a 6-3 conservative majority. The Supreme Court also recently ruled in Trump’s favor on a different Census issue, allowing the administration to cut the count short by roughly 15 days.
Ken Kurson, a friend Jared Kushner and an associate of Rudy Giuliani, was arrested Friday by the FBI and charged with a "pattern of stalking and harassment against three victims.” Two years ago, the Trump administration offered Kurson a seat on the board of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Major Republican Party and Trump fundraiser Elliott Broidy pleaded guilty Tuesday to acting as an unregistered foreign agent,admitting to accepting millions of dollars to secretly lobby the Trump administration for Malaysian and Chinese interests. NYC, Seattle, and Portland sued the Trump administration for declaring the cities “anarchist jurisdictions” and pulling federal funds. The “anarchist jurisdiction” designation came after Trump ordered the DOJ to identify cities that, in his view, were not responding aggressively enough to protests and crime. The Mississippi attorney general petitioned the Supreme Court again on Thursday to review the state's 15-week abortion ban, a case that directly challenges Roe v. Wade. Mississippi's petition comes as the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court is all but guaranteed. Finding that state officials have acted with “deliberate indifference” to the health of prisoners at San Quentin — where 75% of them have tested positive for the coronavirus and 28 have died — a state appeals court took the unprecedented step Tuesday of ordering at least half of the prison’s 2,900 inmates transferred or released.
Funny business
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's former company landed a $5 million highway-shipping contract last month with the United States Postal Service. The contract was negotiated in August and disclosed in mid-October. Around the time it was disclosed, DeJoy belatedly agreed to divest his interest in the company, XPO Logistics. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows reported spending almost $75,000 through his campaign and leadership PAC on what appear to be personal expenses, after announcing he would not run for re-election in his North Carolina congressional seat. The expenses include gourmet cupcakes, a cell phone bill, grocery purchases, lavish meals, thousands of dollars at a Washington jeweler, and lodging at the Trump International Hotel. Sen. Ron Johnson began the process of selling a company he partly owned in February 2018, just months after he insisted the Trump administration change a portion of the tax law in a way that ultimately benefited the sale. At the end of 2017, Johnson refused to vote for Trump’s tax bill unless it provided better treatment for “pass-through” entities. The bill was changed in such a way that increased the value of pass-through entities in order to gain Johnson’s vote. Four months later, Johnson sold his stock in his own pass-through company, generating profits of as much as $25m on the sale. Watchdog group CREW is concerned that Mitch McConnell is slow-walking the confirmation of the inspector general in charge of investigating his wife. It’s been more than eight months since the Dept. of Transportation, led by Elaine Chao, has had a permanent IG. A Trump political appointee previously vetted by McConnell is currently leading the office, after Trump removed the previous acting IG Mitch Behm.
Chao is accused of favoring McConnell’s home state of Kentucky in awarding lucrative grants and assisting McConnell’s allies in advancing their careers.
Miscellaneous
Trump: A New York Times report revealed that Trump paid almost $200,000 in taxes to China, where he still maintains a bank account and spent years pursuing business deals – a potentially major conflict of interest for a president who has fought both of his election campaigns on a promise to stand up to Beijing. During that time frame, Trump paid no personal income tax to the IRS. Trump: The Trump Organization re-registered the domain name TrumpTowerMoscow.com this June, as it has done every year of his presidency, suggesting that the company has not necessarily abandoned its hopes for a real estate deal in Russia. Immigration: ICE officers allegedly tortured Cameroonian asylum seekers to force them to sign their own deportation orders, in what lawyers and activists describe as a brutal scramble to fly African migrants out of the country in the run-up to the elections. According to multiple accounts, detainees were threatened, choked, beaten, pepper-sprayed and threatened with more violence to make them sign. Immigration: Since 2017, at least 265 calls made to police through 911 and nonemergency lines have reported violence and abuse inside California’s four privately run federal detention centers overseen by ICE. California law enforcement turned a blind eye: In only three cases in which detainees said they were victimized did records show a suspect was charged; in two of those, the suspects were deported before they could be arrested. Immigration: In Thursday's debate, Trump said his administration is "working very hard" to reunite migrant parents and kids they forcibly separated (clip). But pro bono advocacy groups say the Trump administration is only now offering assistance because of the "backlash" over reports about the number of kids still awaiting reunification with their parents.
Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Immigrants' Rights Project, said Thursday's offer to help was "a PR move in response to the public's backlash." "There have never been serious specific offers to help in concrete ways in the past," Gelernt told NBC News.
Trump also tried to claim at the debate that the separated children are “so well taken care of” in “facilities that were so clean” (clip). However, DHS inspectors that visited border facilities last year found adults and minors with no access to showers; little access to hot showers or hot food for families and children in some facilities; overcrowding; some kids held in closed cells.
Immigration: Newly-obtained documents reveal that after Congress mandated that ICE decrease its detention population in February 2019, the agency spent more than $20 million on new contracts to fund multiple prisons in Louisiana. Much of the money appears to be going to LaSalle Corrections, a private prison company quickly gaining notoriety for horrific human rights abuses. Environment: The Trump administration has relaunched long-delayed plans to conduct a seismic survey in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska as a prelude to drilling for oil there. The Bureau of Land Management on Friday released a proposal to begin a seismic survey in December, a move that environmental groups say would permanently harm the delicate Arctic tundra and affect polar bears and other wildlife.
Lost in the Sauce: 5,000+ covid deaths a week with no end in sight
Welcome to Lost in the Sauce, keeping you caught up on political and legal news that often gets buried in distractions and theater… or a global health crisis. I may do another protest/police-focused post this week, since it could not be included here. Housekeeping:
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Nominees and appointees
Fired-State Department Inspector General (IG) Steve Linick testified to Congress that he informed at least three top Pompeo aides that he was reviewing Pompeo and his wife’s use of government resources. Linick’s testimony undercuts Pompeo’s defense that he couldn’t have fired Linick in retaliation because he was unaware of what investigations the IG was pursuing.
Linick also told Congress that before he was fired, he had also submitted a formal document request for records related to Pompeo's and his wife's use of resources. Congressional committees have requested voluntary testimony from the three Pompeo aides. "There's more information we need," one of the lawmakers said. "If we are unable to obtain it voluntarily, it should be subpoenaed."
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley said he will block two of Trump’s nominees from confirmation until the administration explains watchdog firings... However, these two nominees - director of the National Counterterrorism Center and an undersecretary at the State Dept. - are relatively unimportant to Trump and are unlikely to spur action from the White House. Trump’s appointee to the United States’ foreign aid agency has denounced liberal democracy and “our homo-empire.” The appointee, Merritt Corrigan, also wrote that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is “the shining champion of Western civilization.” The Senate confirmed Trump’s nominee Michael Pack to lead the agency that oversees Voice of America despite the fact that Pack’s nonprofit organization is being investigated for possible tax violations. The vote was 53-38, with eight Democratic caucus members not present and Sen. Manchin (D-WV) voting in Pack’s favor.
What is Congress up to?
The Senate Intelligence Committee approved a measure that would require presidential campaigns to report offers of foreign election influence to federal authorities… The committee adopted the measure behind closed doors in a classified setting, adding it to the Intelligence Authorization Act, a bill setting policy for the intelligence community. Senate Republicans, however, are preparing to remove the provision from the bill when it heads to the Senate floor.
Sen. Warner has repeatedly tried to pass the bill in the Senate, but it's been blocked by Republicans, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. After she blocked the bill in June 2019, calling it a "blatant political stunt," Trump tweeted his appreciation for her efforts.
Senate Foreign Relations Cmte. Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) has abandoned efforts to get Pompeo to testify in a routine annual budget hearing… Risch has tried for months to persuade Pompeo to testify but has given up so as to preserve “political capital,” he reportedly said.
TO BE CLEAR: Republicans have given up on even the pretense of standard oversight. Sen. Risch is rubber-stamping everything from the White House in order to keep Trump happy.
The House Judiciary Committee has lined up whistleblowers to testify about alleged political interference inside the Justice Department as AG Barr continues to rebuff efforts by the panel to reschedule testimony he committed to in March. The whistleblower hearing has yet to be formally scheduled. House Judiciary Cmte. Chairman Jerry Nadler has introduced legislation to cut $50 million from the DOJ’s General Administration account, which funds the Attorney General’s personal office… Nadler says the bill, which is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Senate, is a response to “continued defiance of Congress and improper politicization of the Department of Justice.”
Nadler: “The American people deserve answers from Mr. Barr about actions the Department has taken to harass states during the coronavirus epidemic, his improper interference in cases against President Trump’s political allies, and much more. Because the Attorney General refuses to appear before Congress to provide those answers, we must now use our budgeting authority to compel answers and to reign in his deplorable behavior.”
Senate Republicans authorized Homeland Security Cmte. Chairman Ron Johnson to issue a wide range of subpoenas as part of an investigation into the origins of the Russia probe and allegations of wrongdoing by top Obama administration officials. The Senate Judiciary Cmte. is scheduled to authorize Chairman Lindsey Graham to similarly issue dozens of subpoenas this week.
Graham's subpoena authorization covers 53 officials, while Johnson's names 35 individuals. Of those, there's an overlap of two-dozen names including John Brennan, James Clapper, James Comey, Lisa Page, Peter Strzok, and Susan Rice.
The GOP continue to push a Biden-Ukraine conspiracy, but last week Ukrainian prosecutors announced they found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Hunter Biden. Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein testified before the Senate Judiciary Cmte. last week about the origins of the Russia probe… The hearing was not newsworthy, with Rosenstein refusing to be pinned down on anything. “He both meekly defended the investigation and meekly defended the president’s conduct with respect to the investigation—and, in order to do the latter, he, like Barr, overread the degree to which the investigation exonerated the president.”
The courts
D.C. Circuit sets a hearing on Michael Flynn's petition to force the district judge on his case to grant DOJ's motion to dismiss the prosecution for June 12.
The Justice Department is pressing forward with its criminal case against a former business partner of Michael Flynn, Bijan Rafiekian. The filing makes several mentions of Flynn’s integral role in the work that led to the two foreign-agent-related felony charges against Rafiekian and maintains the government’s position that Flynn was a co-conspirator in his business partner’s crimes — a curious stance as the government seeks to drop the criminal case it brought against Flynn more than two years ago.
The D.C. Court of Appeals affirmed that the White House unlawfully suspended the press credentials of Playboy Magazine reporter Brian Karem… The three-judge panel ruled that the suspension violated Karem’s constitutional rights because the White House had no written rules or advance notice about what would constitute unprofessional behavior that could temporarily cost him his press pass. The DOJ has formally asked the Supreme Court to overturn a lower court decision granting House Democrats access to redacted grand jury materials from Mueller’s investigation… The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to make it legal to ban same-sex couples from adopting… The DOJ argued that adoption agencies should be allowed to turn away same-sex couples “because it adheres to the belief that marriage is the union of a man and a woman”. Throughout the brief, the department argues that religious freedom must be protected above all else. A former staffer on Trump's 2016 campaign has filed a new challenge against Trump's use of nondisclosure agreements, asking a New York court to rule in a lawsuit that the agreements drawn up by the campaign are "null, void and unenforceable." Judge in Jeffrey Epstein grand jury case has ties to those with a stake in outcome… Krista Marx, the Palm Beach chief judge who also heads a panel that polices judicial conduct, has potential conflicts of interest involving three prominent players embroiled in the Epstein sex-trafficking saga: a state attorney, a sheriff, and a former state attorney.
Voting and elections
Both Trump and his press secretary committed voter fraud using residential addresses on their registrations that were not their residences. Kayleigh McEnany cast Florida ballots in 2018 using her parents’ address in Tampa, even though she lived in Washington, D.C., and held a New Jersey driver’s license. Trump cast a Florida ballot this year using a business address in Palm Beach, where he had promised the town government he would not live.
Note, on a phone call with governors recently, Trump proclaimed “I live in Manhattan,” despite the fact that he switched his legal and tax domicile to Florida.
Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has voted by mail 11 times in 10 years. McEnany has said it shouldn’t be available to everyone.
Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis ex-cop accused of killing George Floyd, allegedly voted illegally in two Florida elections. “While living in Minnesota, working there, paying taxes there, Derek Chauvin cannot claim residency in Orange County,” a Florida candidate for election supervisor writes. Texas appeals court blocked a lower court ruling that would have allowed people to mail in their ballots to avoid being exposed to the coronavirus. This won’t be the last word in the matter - the courts have been going back and forth on the matter for the past two months. A judge ruled that Tennessee must give all of its registered voters the option to cast ballots by mail during the coronavirus pandemic. The ruling is likely to be appealed. The Wisconsin Supreme Court will try to decide whether to remove 129,000 voters from the rolls… The justices declined last Monday to immediately take voters off the rolls and may not rule on the case before the election. Good read:Stacey Abrams op-ed: I Know Voting Feels Inadequate Right Now. “Voting will not save us from harm, but silence will surely damn us all.”
Coronavirus
America is still experiencing a minimum of 5,000 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus per week, with many states experiencing spikes in cases over the past few days. Charts,
For example, Florida has had the most new cases in the last 4 days of any 4 days in the whole outbreak (and that’s not taking into account that the state is undercounting). Texas has seen the most new cases of any 5 days during the outbreak, as has Arizona. Utah, California, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee also have increasing cases. NYT and JHU.
ICUs across the country are pretty full. In 12 states, plus DC, more than 70% of beds in ICUs are occupied.CDC. Rising ICU bed use “a big red flag.” Amid a shortage of swabs for COVID tests, the factory Trump visited in Maine will have to throw out all swabs produced during the president’s visit,likely due to Trump and associates refusing to wear face masks. Nearly a third of Maine nursing homes reported last month they had no nasal swabs to collect specimens. Local health officials relied on the CDC to track Americans returning from China in February, but the data was flawed. “Just let them go,” CDC told local officials frustrated by the inability to track potential early spreaders. The US has failed to spend more than 75 percent of the American humanitarian aid that Congress provided three months ago to help overseas victims of the virus. “Little to no humanitarian assistance has reached those on the front lines of this crisis in the world’s most fragile context,” executives at 27 relief organizations wrote to the aid agency’s acting administrator, John Barsa, in a letter dated Thursday. How a St. Petersburg company with no history in medical supplies won a $10 million coronavirus contract. The Trump administration handed out large contracts without much vetting. As a result, a Florida-based company was granted a contract in the first week of its existence. A section of the House’s coronavirus relief bill championed by Virginia Dem Gerry Connolly contains billions for defense contractors. The provision would cover executive compensation and other perks for defense and intel contractors. The legislation’s wording mirrors what an industry group proposed. Former Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) has booked his first lobbying client, a company promising a COVID-19 cure and led by a California businessman who’s been collaborating with Rudy Giuliani on a documentary on Joe Biden and Ukraine.
Miscellaneous
Trump ordered nearly 10,000 US troops to leave Germany. The move is the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington, which have often been strained during Trump’s presidency. In another move that is sure to make Putin happy, Trump pressed to invite Russia to this year’s G7 summit. Trump and Putin spoke by phone last Monday and reportedly discussed the meeting. Other members of G7 have spoken out against the idea.
Reminder: Last month, Trump announced the US is withdrawing from the Open Skies treaty, another move that allows Russia more freedom to operate as a rogue power.
A federal judge ruled against the Interior Dept. in its attempt to disestablish the reservation land of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe… “The DC District Court righted what would have been a terrible and historic injustice by finding that the Department of the Interior broke the law in attempting to take our land out of trust,” said Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Chairman, Cedric Cromwell. A Twitter Account That Copies Trump's Tweets Word For Word Got Suspended Within 3 Days. Does Twitter have special rules for President Trump? Yes, and this account just proved it. Civil rights leaders say they’re ‘disappointed and stunned’ after call with Facebook’s Zuckerberg and Sandberg… Zuckerberg gave “incomprehensible explanations” for not taking action against President Trump’s “looting ... shooting” post. Environmental news:
Trump rule changes will allow Alaskan hunters to kill bear cubs, wolf pups in their dens.
The Trump administration moved forward Friday with plans to scale back a century-old law protecting most American wild bird species despite warnings that billions of birds could die as a result.
President Trump vowed Friday to open the nation’s only national monument in the Atlantic Ocean to commercial fishing. He signed a proclamation declaring the opening after attending a roundtable discussion with commercial fishermen in Bangor, Maine.
Trump signed an executive order instructing agencies to waive long-standing environmental laws to speed up federal approval for new mines, highways, pipelines and other projects given the current economic “emergency.” Critics say the move will disproportionately impact communities of color.
Immigration news:
Report finds ICE detention centre is using a disinfectant over 50 times a day that causes bleeding and pain
Homeland Security’s Inspector General Is Opening A Review Of The Department’s Treatment Of Pregnant Detainees. The announcement comes following BuzzFeed News’ report of a woman giving birth in a detention center near San Diego.
ICE special agents detain Floyd protester in NYC. "The fact that he's a man of Puerto Rican descent is really concerning because it raises questions about racial profiling," said Terry Lawson, of the Immigrant Defense Project.
The Trump Administration Said It Didn’t Change Policy To Deny Housing Loans To DACA Recipients. Emails Show Otherwise. New documents show that the Trump administration moved to block young undocumented immigrants from federal housing loans in 2018.
People are sawing through and climbing over Trump’s border wall. Now contractors are being asked for ideas to make it less vulnerable.
Supreme Court rules immigrants who fear torture can appeal deportations in court
Dozens Of Immigrant Families Who Were Separated At The Border Likely Shouldn't Have Been, An Internal Report Found
George Bush is the 58-year-old Republican candidate and the current President. His running mate is Vice President Dick Cheney.
John Kerry is the 61-year-old Democratic candidate and a US Senator from Massachusetts. His running mate is US Senator from North Carolina John Edwards.
Issues and Background
One thing both President Bush and Senator Kerry agree on is that on September 11th, 2001, everything changed. On that date, the United States was attacked by the transnational Salafist terrorist organization known as Al-Qaeda. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four passenger airlines. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Center complex, causing the collapse of the North and South towers. Another plane was flown into the Pentagon. The fourth plane did not reach its intended target, with the hijackers thwarted by the plane's passengers - the plane instead crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks.
One week after the attacks, letters containing toxic anthrax spores were sent over several weeks to media outlets and politicians. Initial speculation including from top government officials suggested the letters may have somehow been connected to Al Qaeda or Iraq, but recent publicly known developments suggest the perpetrator may have been an American connected to the intelligence community.
The Bush Administration has taken a number of military actions internationally since the attacks as part of a global "war on terror." The most significant operations are given their own summaries in later bullet points.
The leader of Al-Qaeda is Osama bin Laden, and there is an ongoing manhunt for him. Senator Kerry claims that the United States had Osama bin Laden pinned down in Tora Bora but that President Bush outsourced the manhunt to Afghan warlords, and that this is why the terrorist leader was able to escape. This characterization is disputed by President Bush and by General Tommy Franks, who was in charge of US forces in Afghanistan at the time. Just days before the election, a new 17 minute video message from Osama Bin Laden has emerged.
On October 26, 2001, President Bush signed the Patriot Act. This legislation expands the ability of law enforcement to monitor phone calls and conduct other surveillance, allows greater pooling of intelligence resources across agencies, and expanded the types of crimes considered "terrorism" as well as the penalties for being found guilty of terrorism. Senator Kerry supports the legislation but has suggested it be amended to be stronger against money laundering and possibly increasing oversight of government surveillance powers. Kerry also says he doesn't like the way the current Attorney General has sometimes applied the legislation.
In late 2002, President Bush signed legislation creating a Department of Homeland Security.
In October 2001, following a failure to come to an agreement with the Taliban regarding the extradition of Osama Bin Laden, the United States invaded Afghanistan. By December, the United States had overthrown the Taliban regime and begun a rebuilding effort in the nation. Since then, and especially since 2003, the United States has fought the Taliban insurgency which formed from the remnants of the Taliban regime. In October of this year, Afghanistan held national elections, which President Bush has touted as a major success. Senator Kerry has described Afghanistan as the "right" war (in contrast with Iraq as the "wrong" war) and seeks to increase the number of American and allied troops in the country.
Starting in 2002, the United States began making the case to the country and to the international community for an invasion of Iraq. In October of that year, Congress passed an authorization of force against Iraq should it be considered necessary by the President. The authorization cited interference with weapons inspectors, domestic repression, the possession and development of chemical and biological weapons capabilities, seeking of nuclear weapons capability, and the presence of Al-Qaeda members in Iraq among other justifications. In February 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell presented evidence to the United Nations, arguing that Iraq did possess weapons of mass destruction and was attempting to conceal this fact. He also attempted to link Iraq and Al-Qaeda, primarily through Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. A month later, the United States announced to the world that diplomacy had failed, and proceeded to invade Iraq alongside the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland. In April, Baghdad fell, and Saddam Hussein's reign of power ended. In May 2003, President Bush announced the end of major combat operations in Iraq in front of a banner reading "Mission Accomplished." What has proceeded since has been an occupation of Iraq which has dealt with a number of challenges. The United States set up a provisional government headed by an American diplomat. This provisional government dissolved the Iraqi military. Unemployment skyrocketed and many government services ended. The United States has since then had to combat an insurgency comprised of former members of the Iraqi military, surviving loyalists to Saddam Hussein, and religious militants. In June of this year, the US and its allies transferred power to a new Iraqi government led by Ayad Allawi.
In April of this year, CBS revealed evidence of egregious human rights violations being committed by US Army and CIA personnel against detainees in a prison in Iraq.
Just recently, the Iraq Survey Group submitted a final report concluding that Saddam Hussein's Iraq had no chemical weapons, no biological weapons, and no capacity to make nuclear weapons. President Bush's response to the report was as follows:
Chief weapons inspector, Charles Duelfer, has now issued a comprehensive report that confirms the earlier conclusion of David Kay that Iraq did not have the weapons that our intelligence believed were there. ... The Duelfer report showed that Saddam was systematically gaming the system, using the U.N. oil-for-food program to try to influence countries and companies in an effort to undermine sanctions. He was doing so with the intent of restarting his weapons program, once the world looked away. Based on all the information we have today, I believe we were right to take action, and America is safer today with Saddam Hussein in prison.
Republicans have accused Senator Kerry of "flip-flopping" on Iraq, because he voted for the authorization of force there and called Hussein a grave threat, but this year has been very critical of the intervention. He has attempted to reconcile the issue:
Well, let me tell you straight up, I've never changed my mind about Iraq. I do believe Saddam Hussein was a threat. I always believed he was a threat—believed it in 1998 when Clinton was President. I wanted to give Clinton the power to use force if necessary. But I would have used that force wisely. I would have used that authority wisely, not rushed to war without a plan to win the peace. I would have brought our allies to our side. I would have fought to make certain our troops had everybody possible to help them win the mission.
Senator Kerry's plan for Iraq is to use international diplomacy to shift the burden of the rebuilding effort away from the US during his first term. He has said it is possible that by the end of his first term, most of the foreign troops in Iraq would come from countries other than the US. He plans to solicit more international help in Iraq by granting the international community greater access to reconstruction contracts and greater say in the development of a permanent Iraqi government.
President Bush has signed into law two rounds of tax cuts. The first bill, in 2001, cut federal income tax breaks for several brackets, cut capital gains taxes, and began a phaseout of the estate tax. The second bill in 2003 lowered rates further. Senator Kerry intends to repeal the Bush tax cuts but only for those making over $200,000 a year.
In the 1960s, John Kerry served a four-month tour of duty during the Vietnam War, receiving several medals including three Purple Hearts. He first gained some national recognition as an anti-war activist upon returning, through his involvement with Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Returning to the present, a political group "Swift Vets and POWs for Truth" has formed to oppose Senator Kerry's presidential candidacy. The group claims that Kerry has exaggerated some claims about his service and hurt his fellow servicemen by opposing the war upon return to the US. The group has gone so far as to say he is "unfit to serve" as President. The group has released several television advertisements and a book. As time has gone on, the claims against Kerry have come under serious scrutiny, with some evidence (1) (2) (3) suggesting the attacks on Kerry are unfair or misleading.
At the end of last year, President Bush signed into law a major overhaul of Medicare. Perhaps most significantly, a new prescription drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries will go into effect in 2006. Senator Kerry has attacked President Bush for blocking attempts to allow the importation or at least reimportation of drugs from Canada.
In 2002, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act. The main provisions of the legislation mandate an expansion of standardized testing at the state level for public schools receiving federal funds. Further provisions and prescribed corrective action in the legislation depend on a school's ability to consistently improve standardized test scores. Senator Kerry supported the legislation but has criticized the President for not fully funding the associated programs.
Embryonic stem cells, coming from human embryos that are about 3-5 days old, are special cells which can divide to form the more specialized cells that are associated with a fully functioning human body. Scientists speak highly of the promise that research on these cells holds, and the potential treatments that could come from such research. However, many conservatives object partially or entirely to embryonic stem cell research because it typically involves the destruction of a human embryo. In 2001, President Bush issued an executive order only allowing federal funds for such research on colonies of stem cells which already existed when the policy was announced. The Bush Administration has argued this is a policy which compromises between ethics and the scientific value of the research. Senator Kerry wants to lift this partial ban.
In May of this year, Massachusetts became the first US state to license and recognize same-sex marriages, following a relevant court decision in 2003. John Kerry and George Bush both say they believe marriage is between one man and one woman. However, President Bush supports a Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, which Senator Kerry does not. Kerry also voted against the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
As an exemplification of what they argue is the broader issue of Kerry's alleged "flip-flopping," President Bush and other members of his campaign have repeatedly referred to a quote from Senator Kerry in March, in which he said of a military supplemental appropriations bill, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." Kerry has since said he regrets his phrasing.
Debate Excerpts Quotations in excerpt titles refer to moderator's prompt, block quotations are from named candidate(s). First Presidential Debate (full transcript) (1) Bush on Iraq:
My opponent looked at the same intelligence I looked at and declared, in 2002, that Saddam Hussein was a grave threat. He also said, in December of 2003, that anyone who doubts that the world is safer without Saddam Hussein does not have the judgment to be President. I agree with him. The world is better off without Saddam Hussein.
(2) Kerry on Iraq:
The President just talked about Iraq as a center of the war on terror. Iraq was not even close to the center of the war on terror before the President invaded it. The President made the judgment to divert forces from under General Tommy Franks from Afghanistan before the Congress even approved it, to begin to prepare to go to war in Iraq. And he rushed to war in Iraq without a plan to win the peace.
(3) Bush on homeland security:
But the best way to protect this homeland is to stay on the offense. We have to be right 100 percent of the time, and the enemy only has to be right once to hurt us. There's a lot of good people working hard. And by the way, we've also changed the culture of the FBI to have counterterrorism as its number one priority. We're communicating better. We're going to reform our intelligence services to make sure that we get the best intelligence possible. The PATRIOT Act is vital. It's vital that the Congress renew the PATRIOT Act, which enables our law enforcement to disrupt terrorist cells.
(4) Kerry on the coalition in Iraq:
The United Nations' Kofi Annan offered help after Baghdad fell. And we never picked him up on that and did what was necessary to transfer authority and to transfer reconstruction. It was always American-run. Secondly, when we went in, there were three countries, Great Britain, Australia, and the United States. That's not a grand coalition. We can do better.
(5) Bush on the coalition in Iraq:
Well, actually, he forgot Poland. And now, there are 30 nations involved, standing side by side with our American troops, and I honor their sacrifices. And I don't appreciate it when a candidate for President denigrates the contributions of these brave—brave soldiers. It's—you cannot lead the world if you do not honor the contributions of those who are with us. He called them the "coerced and the bribed." That's not how you bring people together. Our coalition is strong. It will remain strong, for my—so long as I'm the President.
(6) Kerry on whether President Bush lied:
First of all, we all know that in his State of the Union Message he told Congress about nuclear materials that didn't exist. We know that he promised America that he was going to build this coalition. I just described the coalition. It is not the kind of coalition we were described when we were talking about voting for this. The President said he would exhaust the remedies of the United Nations and go through that full process. He didn't. He cut it off, sort of arbitrarily. And we know that there were further diplomatics—efforts underway. They just decided the time for diplomacy is over and rushed to war without planning for what happens afterwards. Now, he misled the American people in his speech when he said, "We will plan carefully." They obviously didn't. He misled the American people when he said, "We'd go to war as a last resort." We did not go as a last resort. And most Americans know the difference.
Vice-Presidential Debate (full transcript) (1) Cheney on the connection between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda:
Concern about Iraq specifically focused on the fact that Saddam Hussein had been, for years, listed on the state sponsor of terror, that they he had established relationships with Abu Nidal, who operated out of Baghdad; he paid $25,000 to the families of suicide bombers; and he had an established relationship with Al Qaida. Specifically, look at George Tenet, the CIA director's testimony before the Committee on Foreign Relations two years ago when he talked about a 10-year relationship. The effort that we've mounted with respect to Iraq focused specifically on the possibility that this was the most likely nexus between the terrorists and weapons of mass destruction.
(2) Edwards on Iraq:
The vice president suggests that we have the same number of countries involved now that we had in the first Gulf War. The first Gulf War cost the American people $5 billion. And regardless of what the vice president says, we're at $200 billion and counting. Not only that, 90 percent of the coalition casualties, Mr. Vice President, the coalition casualties, are American casualties. Ninety percent of the cost of this effort are being borne by American taxpayers. It is the direct result of the failures of this administration.
(3) Cheney on Edwards:
Your hometown newspaper has taken to calling you "Senator Gone." You've got one of the worst attendance records in the United States Senate. Now, in my capacity as vice president, I am the president of Senate, the presiding officer. I'm up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they're in session. The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight.
(4) Edwards on Cheney:
The vice president, I'm surprised to hear him talk about records. When he was one of 435 members of the United States House, he was one of 10 to vote against Head Start, one of four to vote against banning plastic weapons that can pass through metal detectors. He voted against the Department of Education. He voted against funding for Meals on Wheels for seniors. He voted against a holiday for Martin Luther King. He voted against a resolution calling for the release of Nelson Mandela in South Africa.
Second Presidential Debate (Town Hall) (full transcript) (1) Bush on government spending:
We have a deficit. We have a deficit because this country went into a recession. You might remember the stock market started to decline dramatically 6 months before I came to office, and then the bubble of the 1990s popped. And that cost us rev-enue—that cost us revenue. Secondly, we're at war. And I'm going to spend what it takes to win the war, more than just 120 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. We've got to pay our troops more. We have. We've increased money for ammunition and weapons and pay and homeland security. I just told this lady over here we spent—went from 10 to 30 billion dollars to protect the homeland. I think we have an obligation to spend that kind of money.
(2) Kerry on taxes:
Right into the camera—yes. I am not going to raise taxes. I have a tax cut, and here's my tax cut. I raise the child care credit by $1,000 for families to help them be able to take care of their kids. I have a $4,000 tuition tax credit that goes to parents and kids, if they're earning for themselves, to be able to pay for college. And I lower the cost of health care in the way that I described to you.
(3) Bush on health care:
Let me start with how to control the costs of health care: Medical liability reform, for starters, which he's opposed. Secondly, allow small businesses to pool together so they can share risk and buy insurance at the same discounts big businesses get to do. Thirdly, spread what's called health savings accounts. It's good for small businesses, good for owners. You own your own account. You can save tax-free. You get a catastrophic plan to help you— own it. This is different from saying, "Okay, let me incent you to go on the Government."
(4) Kerry on abortion restrictions:
Well, again, the President just said categorically, "My opponent is against this. My opponent is against that." It's just not that simple. No, I'm not. I'm against the partial-birth abortion, but you've got to have an exception for the life of the mother and the health of the mother under the strictest test of bodily injury to the mother. Secondly, with respect to parental notification, I'm not going to require a 16- or 17-year old kid who's been raped by her father and who's pregnant to have to notify her father. So you've got to have a judicial intervention. And because they didn't have a judicial intervention where she could go somewhere and get help, I voted against it. It's never quite as simple as the President wants you to believe.
Third Presidential Debate (full transcript) (1) Bush on the flu vaccine shortage:
Bob, we relied upon a company out of England to provide about half of the flu vaccines for the United States citizen, and it turned out that the vaccine they were producing was contaminated. And so we took the right action and didn't allow contaminated medicine into our country. We're working with Canada to, hopefully—that they'll produce a—help us realize the vaccine necessary to make sure our citizens have got flu vaccinations during this upcoming season. My call to our fellow Americans is, if you're healthy, if you're younger, don't get a flu shot this year. Help us prioritize those who need to get the flu shot, the elderly and the young. The CDC, responsible for health in the United States, is setting those priorities and is allocating the flu vaccine accordingly. I haven't gotten a flu shot, and I don't intend to, because I want to make sure that those who are most vulnerable get treated.
(2) Kerry on whether homosexuality is a choice:
We're all God's children, Bob, and I think if you were to talk to Dick Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, she would tell you that she's being who she was. She's being who she was born as. I think if you talk to anybody, it's not choice. I've met people who've struggled with this for years, people who were in a marriage because they were living a sort of convention, and they struggled with it. And I've met wives who are supportive of their husbands, or vice versa, when they finally sort of broke out and allowed themselves to live who they were, who they felt God had made them. I think we have to respect that.
(3) Bush on Social Security:
I believe that younger workers ought to be allowed to take some of their own money and put it in a personal savings account, because I understand that they need to get better rates of return than the rates of return being given in the current Social Security trust. And the compounding rate of interest effect will make it more likely that the Social Security system is solvent for our children and our grandchildren.
(4) Kerry on assault weapons:
I believe it was a failure of Presidential leadership not to reauthorize the assault weapons ban. I am a hunter. I'm a gun owner. I've been a hunter since I was a kid, 12, 13 years old. And I respect the second amendment, and I will not tamper with the second amendment. But I'll tell you this. I'm also a former law enforcement officer. I ran one of the largest district attorney offices in America, one of the 10 largest. I've put people behind bars for the rest of their life. I've broken up organized crime. I know something about prosecuting. And most of the law enforcement agencies in America wanted that assault weapons ban. They don't want to go into a drug bust and be facing an AK-47.
On February 6, 2018, President Donald J. Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum to establish a National Vetting Center (NVC), which will be led by the Department of Homeland Security. The NVC will coordinate the efforts of Federal officials to vet people seeking to enter or remain within our country. It will help fulfill President Donald J. Trump’s Apply for Director, National Vetting Center job with Help One Billion in Sterling ,Virginia ,United States. Upper Management/Consulting at Help One Billion The Department of Defense named William (Bill) Lietzau the Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), effective March 30, 2020. Mr. Lietzau leads both the personnel vetting and critical technology protection missions under, (l-r) Monte Hawkins, director of the National Vetting Center, Charles Bartoldus, former official and now senior advisor to CT-Strategies, ODNI Identity Intelligence Executive Kathleen Lane, DHS CIO official Emily Barbero, NVC Chief of Staff Casie Antalis and NVC Technical Director Lori Vislocky speak at AFCEA International's Federal identity Forum and Expo in Tampa, Florida. Monte Hawkins currently serves as the first Director of the National Vetting Center (NVC). Prior to this position, Monte served as the Senior Director for the Border and Transportation Security Directorate in the National Security Council (NSC). I am, therefore, directing the establishment of a National Vetting Center (Center), subject to the oversight and guidance of a National Vetting Governance Board (Board), to coordinate the management and governance of the national vetting enterprise. Section 1. Policy. Established pursuant to National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM)-9, Optimizing the Use of Federal Government Information in the Support of the National Vetting Enterprise, the National Vetting Center (NVC) is the next step in the U. S. Government’s maturation of protecting the homeland post 9/11. The NVC is a collaborative, interagency effort to provide a clearer Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.” Please provide an update on efforts to create the National Vetting Center, including a time frame as to when it is anticipated that the National Vetting Center will be operational. Monte Hawkins, the director of the National Vetting Center for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will be featured as the keynote speaker for Potomac Officers Club’s Security Vetting ...
Let’s Talk: You Have the Right to Remain Silent - YouTube
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