Half of Americans say Mueller's investigation is a 'witch hunt': Poll

Half of the American electorate now agree with President Trump about special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia collusion investigation. The results from a USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll released Monday show 50 percent of registered voters agree with Trump's claim that he is the target of a "witch hunt" and that he has been subject to more investigations than his predecessors due to politics. Forty-seven percent of respondents disagreed, while 3 percent had no opinion.

The poll was conducted following reports in recent weeks indicating Mueller was winding down after 34 people and three companies have been indicted or taken guilty pleas as part of the investigation, none having to do with Russian collusion. However, the special counsel's office said Friday former Trump campaign official Rick Gates is still helping "several ongoing investigations," indicating the probe still has a ways to go. The poll also took place after former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort got sentenced to roughly seven and a half years in prison for conspiracy and fraud, far less time than what Mueller's prosecutors recommended. The newly released phone survey of 1,000 voters was conducted Wednesday through Sunday as Trump tweeted more barbs at Mueller, including one on Friday that asserted Mueller should not have been appointed and there should be no report from the special counsel. "This was an illegal & conflicted investigation in search of a crime," Trump said. The poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, showed a stark partisan divide, with 86 Republicans agreeing Trump is the victim of a "witch hunt." Among Democrats, the number was significantly lower, 14 percent, but among independents 54 percent agreed, while 42 percent did not.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/half-of-americans-say-muellers-investigation-is-a-witch-hunt-poll

Top Obama economic adviser Alan Krueger dies suddenly at 58

Alan Krueger, 58, a Princeton University economist and former top economic adviser to former President Barack Obama, has died, the university said Monday. Princeton did not provide a cause of death. "In addition to his scholarship, Alan’s life exemplified a commitment to public service," the university said in a statement. He was married with two children.

Krueger served as the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under Obama from 2011 to 2013. In that role, he sought to draw attention to the problem of inequality and promote ways of increasing economic mobility. He also served in the Clinton administration as an economist for the Labor Department. A distinguished labor economist, Krueger was perhaps most famous for empirical research finding that increases in the minimum wage did not cause the large job losses that were expected. That original finding led to a broader reconsideration of the minimum wage within academic economists. Most recently, Krueger had written a book on inequality, due in June, titled "Rockonomics: A Backstage Tour of What the Music Industry Can Teach Us about Economics and Life."

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/economy/top-obama-economic-adviser-alan-krueger-dies-suddenly-at-58

AOC group pushing left-wing candidates raked in 'soft money' she wants to ban

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., sat on the board of a political action committee that operated the type of “soft money” group she wants to abolish through a constitutional amendment, according to federal records reviewed by the Washington Examiner. "Soft money" is cash that goes to an interest group or PAC. This means it is largely unregulated and avoids the firm limits placed on "hard money" that usually goes directly to candidates or parties.

Ocasio-Cortez was a board member of Justice Democrats, a group that sought to get progressive candidates elected, from November 2017 to 2018. The group was founded by Saikat Chakrabarti, a Harvard graduate and technology entrepreneur who became an organizer for Bernie Sanders during the socialist's 2016 presidential campaign, and progressive media personality Cenk Uyger. Chakrabarti is now Ocasio-Cortez's chief of staff.

During the 12-month period, Justice Democrats operated both a federal PAC, which is limited by law to taking contributions of $5,000 or less, and a separate tax-exempt organization known as a “527 group” that can accept unlimited contributions from corporations and super PACs. The 527 committee, called “Justice Democrats Non-Federal,” was able to participate in election politics but is unregulated by the Federal Election Commission. 527 “soft money” groups are often criticized by supporters of campaign finance reform. In addition, Justice Democrats merged with a registered Super PAC, a move that also appears to conflict with Ocasio-Cortez’s public objections to these types of unlimited fundraising committees. The Justice Democrats website does not mention the existence of the 527 organization and implies that it only operates a federal PAC that is subject to contribution limits and restrictions on corporate donations. “Our designation as a Federal PAC does not allow us to receive anonymous or unlimited donations,” said Justice Democrats on its website. “Not only are we required by law to disclose all donors, but our platform is fundamentally opposed to corporate influence in American elections and pay-to-play politics in any form.” But the statement omits that Justice Democrats also operated the 527, which could take unlimited corporate cash.

The National Legal and Policy Center a government watchdog group, said Ocasio-Cortez’s work with soft money organizations and super PACs conflicted with her public statements. “Representative Ocasio-Cortez talks a good game but her involvement with these shadowy entities show she’s more a creature of dark money rather than a crusader for transparency and accountability,” said Tom Anderson, director of the NLPC’s Government Integrity Project.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/aoc-group-pushing-left-wing-candidates-raked-in-soft-money-she-wants-to-ban

>>5754042

I think more than that there is a pervasive doctrine/attitude among most of these people:

Rules are for other people

>>5754122

Just like the rest..

>>5754211

I wonder if he is back from there yet…as I recall NZ has no extradition…to the US.