October 1, 2019

South Carolina gun store sells 'No Beto' AR-15 part, targeting presidential candidate

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A Midlands gun store is selling a “No Beto” AR-15 part after 2020 candidate and former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke declared during a debate that, as president, he would confiscate such weapons.

Palmetto State Armory, based in West Columbia, is selling a “No Beto” AR-15 stripped lower receiver, a gun part that holds the magazine and the trigger.

The receiver, which has the words “No Beto” printed on it, is available for pre-order for $49.99. All profits made from the sale of the item will be donated to the South Carolina Second Amendment Defense Fund, according to the Palmetto State Armory’s website.

https://twitter.com/PalmettoArmory/status/1173642934773833734

The item went on sale the day after September’s Democratic debate, in which 2020 hopeful O’Rourke responded to a question about gun control with a staunch statement in support of confiscation of weapons that “were designed to kill people on a battlefield.”

Read more: https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article235628127.html

October 1, 2019

South Carolina gun store sells 'No Beto' AR-15 part, targeting presidential candidate

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A Midlands gun store is selling a “No Beto” AR-15 part after 2020 candidate and former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke declared during a debate that, as president, he would confiscate such weapons.

Palmetto State Armory, based in West Columbia, is selling a “No Beto” AR-15 stripped lower receiver, a gun part that holds the magazine and the trigger.

The receiver, which has the words “No Beto” printed on it, is available for pre-order for $49.99. All profits made from the sale of the item will be donated to the South Carolina Second Amendment Defense Fund, according to the Palmetto State Armory’s website.

https://twitter.com/PalmettoArmory/status/1173642934773833734

The item went on sale the day after September’s Democratic debate, in which 2020 hopeful O’Rourke responded to a question about gun control with a staunch statement in support of confiscation of weapons that “were designed to kill people on a battlefield.”

Read more: https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article235628127.html

October 1, 2019

Gina Ortiz Jones raises massive $1 million haul in third quarter

by Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune


Gina Ortiz Jones, the leading Democratic candidate to replace U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, raised over $1 million in the third quarter, her campaign announced Tuesday morning.

The figure represents a massive haul that her campaign described as the "largest off-year quarterly fundraising total the district has ever seen."

"I’m honored by the groundswell of support we’ve received and together we’re building a grassroots campaign to stand up to the corporate special interests and bring commonsense priorities like quality, affordable health care and lower prescription drug costs to Washington, D.C.," Jones said in a statement.

Jones' campaign expects to report having about $1.4 million cash on hand — a hefty stockpile for a race that is at the top of national Democrats' priority list this cycle in Texas.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2019/10/01/gina-ortiz-jones-raises-1-million-bid-replace-us-rep-will-hurd/

October 1, 2019

Donald Trump coming to Dallas Oct. 17 for 'Keep America Great' campaign rally

President Donald Trump's campaign announced Monday afternoon that he's coming to the American Airlines Center in Dallas for a campaign rally on Oct. 17.

It's the first 2020 rally for Trump in Dallas, and his campaign said he plans to highlight Texas' economy. He also held a rally at the American Airlines Center during his 2016 campaign for president.

"Under President Trump's leadership, 774,400 jobs have been added in Texas, including 70,700 manufacturing jobs -- a dramatic reversal from the 55,400 lost during the Obama administration," said Michael Glassner of Donald J. Trump for President Inc. "President Trump looks forward to celebrating the good news of the Trump economy and the vast accomplishments of his administration with the great men and women of Texas."

The Dallas visit will be his 12th to Texas since he took office, and his first rally in the city as president. He has visited Dallas since becoming president to raise campaign cash. In May 2018, he headlined a dinner to benefit the national party and his own 2020 reelection effort, just weeks after he spoke at the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Dallas at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/09/30/donald-trump-coming-to-dallas-oct-17-for-keep-america-great-campaign-rally/

October 1, 2019

Dell to pay $7 million to settle discrimination case

Round Rock-based Dell Technologies will pay $7 million to settle allegations of race and gender-based wage discrimination, the U.S. Labor Department said Monday.

Dell Technologies will provide $7 million in lost wages, interest and benefits to the affected workers, as well as “assuring that all employees are afforded equal employment opportunities,” according to a news release announcing the agreement. The settlement includes $1.5 milllion already voluntarily paid in 2012.

The settlement with Dell is one of the largest obtained by the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which monitors government contractors for compliance with non-discrimination laws. Also Monday, financial services firm Goldman Sachs agreed to pay $10 about million to about 600 workers to settle pay discrimination claims at the company’s New York headquarters, according to the Labor Department.

“Dell Technologies is working with us to ensure pay equity corporate-wide,” Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs director Craig Leen said in a written statement. “Together, we will ensure that the company complies with equal employment opportunity laws in its employment practices, in addition to remedying findings that OFCCP made.”

Read more: https://www.statesman.com/news/20190930/dell-to-pay-7-million-to-settle-discrimination-case

October 1, 2019

Principal Of Cryptocurrency Escrow Company Indicted For $7 Million Fraudulent Scheme

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that a grand jury in the Southern District of New York has returned an indictment charging JON BARRY THOMPSON, a/k/a “J. Barry Thompson,” the principal of the cryptocurrency escrow company Volantis Escrow Platform LLC and the related company Volantis Market Making LCC (collectively “Volantis”) with commodities fraud and wire fraud offenses. As alleged, THOMPSON took over $7 million from two victim companies after making false promises in connection with Bitcoin transactions. THOMPSON was arrested in July based on a criminal complaint filed by this Office charging him with the same crimes. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Jon Barry Thompson repeatedly lied to investors in cryptocurrencies about the safety of their investments made through his companies. As a result of Thompson’s lies, investors lost millions of dollars.”

In a separate civil action, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) today filed civil charges against THOMPSON.

As alleged in the Indictment and the criminal complaint previously filed in this case:[1]

THOMPSON claimed in promotional materials that Volantis “minimize[d] settlement default risk” in cryptocurrency transactions. THOMPSON claimed that because Volantis acted as a custodian of assets for “both sides of the transaction, there is no risk of default.”

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/principal-cryptocurrency-escrow-company-indicted-7-million-fraudulent-scheme

October 1, 2019

Financial Adviser Charged In Multimillion-Dollar Ponzi Scheme

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JAMES T. BOOTH with securities fraud, wire fraud, and investment adviser fraud charges in connection with his years-long scheme to defraud customers of his financial services firm, Booth Financial Associates (“Booth Financial”). Throughout the scheme, BOOTH solicited money from clients of Booth Financial and falsely promised to invest their money in securities offered outside of their ordinary advisory and brokerage accounts. Instead, BOOTH used nearly all of the money to pay personal and business expenses. In total, BOOTH fraudulently obtained nearly $5 million from his customers. BOOTH was arrested this morning in Norwalk, Connecticut, and will be presented this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox in Manhattan federal court.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, James Booth convinced his clients that he would deliver solid and secure returns on their investments. Instead, as alleged, Booth delivered only lies and deceit, and bilked some 40 clients of nearly $5 million. Booth is now in federal custody and will have to answer for his alleged crimes.”

Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh: “In an elaborate scheme of false promises and deception, it is alleged that Booth attained almost $5 million by luring investors to move their assets with the guarantee of safer investments and higher returns. Instead, Booth allegedly pocketed the money. HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force has investigated financial fraud cases for more than two decades, and with the continued law enforcement partnerships in these cases, we are able to arrest alleged fraudsters who seek to take advantage of the hopes and dreams of others for their own illicit gain.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]

From 2013 through 2019, BOOTH solicited money from clients of Booth Financial and falsely promised to invest their money in securities offered outside of their ordinary advisory and brokerage accounts. Specifically, BOOTH directed certain of his clients to write checks or wire money to an entity named “Insurance Trends, Inc.” Instead of investing his clients’ funds, BOOTH, who controlled the bank account of Insurance Trends, Inc., subsequently misappropriated his clients’ funds to pay his personal and business expenses.

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/financial-adviser-charged-multimillion-dollar-ponzi-scheme

October 1, 2019

Inland Empire Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Bogus Debt-Elimination Services

Inland Empire Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Bogus Debt-Elimination Services that Cost Victims $1.6 Million


LOS ANGELES – A Riverside man was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison for defrauding hundreds of victims, mainly distressed homeowners who paid thousands of dollars after attending seminars that promoted a “Free and Clear” program pitched by the defendant and his salespeople.

James Ignatius Diamond, 69, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner.

At the conclusion of a six-day trial in June, Diamond was found guilty by a jury of 15 counts of mail fraud affecting a financial institution and 15 counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution.

Between 2010 and 2013, Diamond sold fraudulent debt-elimination services to desperate victims whose finances had been ravaged by the Great Recession. Diamond owned and operated a number of businesses – including the Riverside-based Transmitting Assets Inc., Operation Safe Haven, Buyer Beware, and Unlimited Logistics Corp. – through which he fraudulently offered services that he claimed could wipe out the debts of homeowners behind on their mortgage payments and other debts.

Diamond personally pitched the “Diamond Home Reclamation Method” to solicit victims with false promises that his methods would entirely eliminate their mortgages and allow people to own their homes “free and clear.”

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/inland-empire-man-sentenced-nearly-6-years-federal-prison-bogus-debt-elimination

October 1, 2019

The Myth of the Failed Impeachment Backlash

I keep seeing people say that if impeaching (or removing… people use the terms interchangeably though they don't mean the same thing) Donald Trump fails then he will be “unstoppable.” They cite experts and historians on this, though never by name. Probably because there is no evidence or precedent that this actually happens.

Let’s look at the three cases we have of presidential impeachment. Both Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson were impeached by the House of Representatives, though not ultimately voted to be removed by the Senate. You could consider these the “failed” impeachments. We also have Richard Nixon, who resigned before he could be impeached and removed, which he almost certainly was going to be.

Clinton seems to be poster boy for this, so we’ll begin with him. Formal impeachment proceedings were launched against Clinton in 1998. Clinton was halfway through his second term, which he had won handily by 8.5 percentage points. His impeachment moved incredibly fast by government standards, and lasted only from October 1998 to January 1999. For comparison, the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1998/1999 ran longer than Clinton’s impeachment hearings.

The impeachment had just started when the 1998 midterm elections were held. Whether they should count or not because of that is a personal opinion. For what it’s worth, this election was the first midterm since 1934 where the president’s party picked up seats in the House of Representatives (5), though Republicans retained control of both chambers.

Read more: https://www.houstonpress.com/news/impeachments-generally-hurt-the-presidents-party-badly-11360498

October 1, 2019

Robert Jeffress: Impeachment Could Plunge U.S. into Civil War

Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas and reliable Donald Trump toady, made a bit of news over the weekend when he predicted on Fox & Friends that the impeachment process could plunge the United States into civil war.

Responding to a question about evangelical Christians' response to impeachment efforts in the U.S. House of Representatives, Jeffress said Democrats are only seeking to impeach Trump because he defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016.

"That's the unpardonable sin for which the Democrats will never forgive him," Jeffress said. "And I do want to make this prediction this morning: If the Democrats are successful in removing the president from office, I'm afraid it will cause a civil war-like fracture in this nation from which this country will never heal."

-snip-

The quote drew more attention than it might have otherwise when Trump tweeted it Sunday afternoon. The statement itself, and the tweets that followed, drew rebukes not only from Democrats, but from some in Trump's own party. On Sunday evening, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Republican from Illinois, called the quote "beyond repugnant."

Read more: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/robert-jeffress-impeachment-of-donald-trump-could-plunge-us-into-civil-war-11768730