Senate Dems File Ethics Complaint Against Cruz, Hawley For Objecting To Electoral Results

Congressional Democrats - who objected to the electoral results for the last three GOP presidents - have filed an ethics complaint against GOP Senators. Ted Cruz (TX) and Josh Hawley (MO) for objecting to the Electoral College results.

"The Senate Ethics Committee should investigate their conduct to fully understand their role. The actions of which we know demand an investigation and a determination whether disciplinary action is warranted. Until then, a cloud of uncertainty will hang over them and over this body," wrote Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Ron Wyden (OR), Tima Smith (MN), Richard Blumenthal (CT), Mazie Hirono (HI), Tim Kaine (VA) and Sherrod Brown (OH).

The complaint wants the Ethics Committee to investigate whether Cruz and Hawley failed to "[p]ut loyalty to the highest moral principles and to country above loyalty to persons, party, or Government department," or if they engaged in "improper conduct reflecting on the Senate" linked to the January 6 Capitol 'riot.'

The Democratic senators also outlined several questions they believed should be probed as part of an Ethics Committee investigation including if they were in touch with coordinators for the rally, if they encouraged any “insurrectionist” acts or if they “engaged in criminal conduct, or unethical or improper behavior.”

“While it was within Senators’ rights to object to the electors, the conduct of Senators Cruz and Hawley, and potentially others, went beyond that,” they wrote in the letter to Ethics Committee leadership.

Cruz and Hawley, two potential 2024 presidential contenders, have denounced the mob that breached the Capitol but they’ve also stood by their decisions to object to the Electoral College results from Arizona and Pennsylvania, respectively. -The Hill

During the counting of electoral votes, Cruz objected to Arizona's results, while Hawley objected to Pennsylvania's results following the Capitol attack, when a group of Trump supporters and at least one prominent member of BLM breached the Capitol building and occupied it for a brief period of time before leaving on their own.

The Democratic Senators are also asking the Ethics Committee to "offer recommendations for strong disciplinary action, including up to expulsion or censure, if warranted by the facts uncovered."

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/senate-dems-file-ethics-complaint-against-cruz-hawley-objecting-electoral-results

Vatican bank’s former chief found guilty of money laundering, sentenced to nearly 9 years in prison

The 81-year-old was handed an eight year, 11 month jail term on Thursday, making him the highest-ranking Vatican official to be convicted of a financial crime. His lawyer is appealing his sentence.

Caloia was president of the bank known as Institute of Works of Religion (IOR) from 1999 to 2009. He and two lawyers who consulted for the bank were charged with embezzling money while managing the sale of Italian real estate owned by IOR between 2001-2008, allegedly declaring less than the actual amount of the sale.

The Vatican court also convicted the two lawyers. Gabriele Liuzzo, 97, received the same sentence as Caloia. Liuzzo’s son, Lamberto Liuzzo, age 55, was handed a five years, two month term.

Each man will also have to pay fines and are banned from public office in perpetuity, according to a press release from the Vatican.

All three denied wrongdoing during the trial, which started in 2018.

Former president of the IOR Vatican bank, Angelo Caloia is pictured during a court hearing on embezzlement charges at the Vatican.

In September 2020 Giovanni Angelo Becciu, one of the Vatican’s powerful cardinals, resigned from his post amid financial scandal.

https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/79080/vatican-banks-former-chief-found-guilty-of-money-laundering-sentenced-to-nearly-9-years-in.html

Feds Ask Travel Companies (Hotels, Car Rentals, Bus Companies) To ID Suspected Capitol Rioters

The War on Terror has officially crossed the line by using the Capitol riot to destroy what little is left of our civil liberties.

Bloomberg News reported that the House Oversight Committee has asked travel companies to help law enforcement ID suspected Capitol rioters.

"The committee sent letters to hotel chains, bus lines, car rental companies and online travel agents, asking them to retain all records regarding reservations and services for the entire month of January for potential use, if necessary, in future law enforcement or Congressional investigations."

When the Feds openly ask travel companies to help them ID suspected rioters EVERYONE’S privacy is at risk.

As Forbes noted, the Feds sent letters to more than two dozen travel companies, including nine bus companies.

"Greyhound, Megabus, BoltBus, Lux Bus America, Vamoose, Jefferson Lines, Peter Pan, Flixbus and RedCoach; eight car rental companies Enterprise, Hertz, Avis, National, Alamo, Budget. Dollar and Thrifty; and 10 hotel and lodging groups Expedia, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Accor Group, Hyatt, Hilton, Choice Hotels, Marriott, Best Western International, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Extended Stay America."

Why is everyone’s privacy at stake?

As Bloomberg News warned, the Feds are essentially encouraging private corporations to become secret intelligence operatives of the government.

"The committee is also asking the companies to implement additional screening to make sure their services are not being used to facilitate violence or domestic terrorism and give the committee a list of what policies and procedures are currently being used."

"Implementing additional screening" is spook talk for conducting due diligence (extensive) searches of every visitor.

What’s to stop travel companies from using Clearview AI to facially ID every visitor and passenger in the past and into the future?

As the article pointed out, the Committee’s letters made no mention of compelling corporations to provide additional information by subpoena.

http://massprivatei.blogspot.com/2021/01/feds-ask-travel-companies-hotels-car.html

Joe Biden Predicts 500,000 Deaths from Coronavirus, Months to Turn Around Pandemic

President Joe Biden said Thursday that he expected the coronavirus pandemic to get worse for months.

“Things are going to continue to get worse before they get better,” Biden said, noting again that he expected a “dark winter” of coronavirus cases and deaths.

He predicted 500,000 deaths in the United States from the virus and that it would take months to turn around the pandemic.

“We didn’t get into this mess overnight and it’s going to take months for us to turn things around,” he said.

Biden assured Americans that he would take the coronavirus more seriously, raising up a 198-page plan for everyone to see, boasting that it was based on “facts” and “data.”

The president signed over ten executive order documents that he promised would help combat the pandemic.

Biden spoke for several minutes about the pandemic but said that in the future he would rely more on government medical experts to share the news about the pandemic.

“We will make sure that scientists and public health experts will speak directly to you. That’s why you’re going to hear a lot more from Dr. Fauci again,” he said.

When one reporter questioned Biden if the goal of 100 million vaccine shots completed within 100 days, was big enough, Biden snapped back.

“When I announced it you said it was not possible,” he said. “C’mon, give me a break, man.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/01/21/joe-biden-predicts-500000-deaths-from-coronavirus-months-to-turn-around-pandemic/

Japan To Cancel "Doomed" Olympics: Report'

Senior members of the Japanese government have privately concluded that the Tokyo Olympics won't happen this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and efforts have now shifted on securing the Games for the 2032 Olympics - the next available opportunity, according to The Times, whose source added that the winter virus spike 'tipped the balance' and forced Japan into a state of emergency.

According to a senior member of the ruling coalition, there is agreement that the Games, already postponed a year, are doomed. The aim now is to find a face-saving way of announcing the cancellation that leaves open the possibility of Tokyo playing host at a later date. “No one wants to be the first to say so but the consensus is that it’s too difficult,” the source said. “Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen.” -The Times

That said, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Japanese Government continue to maintain publicly that the Games can proceed - as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told parliament this week that "We will have full anti-infection measures in place and proceed with preparation and with a determination to achieve the Games that can deliver hope and courage throughout the world."

If the Olympics are indeed canceled, it would be a financial disaster for Japan, after the country spent at least $25 billion on preparations for the event - with around 75% of that coming from public funds.

The aim now is to maintain the façade of battling determinedly to go ahead in the hope that when they are inevitably cancelled the 2032 Games will be given to Tokyo out of sympathy.

Paris is due to host the Games in 2024 and Los Angeles has been chosen as the venue for 2028. A decision on which city will stage the Olympics in 2032 is expected to be taken by 2025. -The Times

"Suga is not emotionally invested in the Games," the source told The Times, adding "But they want to show that they are ready to go, so that they will get another chance in 11 years. In these circumstances, no one could really object to that."

The Olympics have only been canceled three times in the past; 1916, 1940 and 1944, all due to world wars. The Tokyo games were originally slated for 2020, only to be moved to 2021 after Australia and Canada announced they would not send athletes amid the pandemic.

"If someone like President Biden was to say that US athletes cannot go, then we could say, ‘Well, now it is impossible’," said the senior source.

The current position of the IOC is to hold a televised Tokyo Olympics with no spectators - only athletes, which would allow the Committee to maintain its lucrative broadcast rights. The Japanese government, however, would lose out on ticket sales - causing former Primer Minister Yoshiro Mori to rule out the televised-only option.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/japan-cancel-doomed-olympics-report