Moscow Tells US to Stop Meddling in Russia's Internal Affairs After State Dept's Protest Comments

Supporters of detained opposition vlogger Alexei Navalny took to the streets for the second week in a row on Sunday. Navalny returned to Moscow earlier this month and placed in detention for repeated violations of the terms of his probation following conviction for fraud and money laundering in 2013.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has asked the US to stop interfering in Moscow's internal affairs following comments by Secretary of State Antony Blinken encouraging unauthorised rallies taking place across multiple Russian cities.

"The US's flagrant interference in Russia's internal affairs is just as much a proven fact as the hyping of fakes and calls for unauthorised protests by Washington-controlled online platforms. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's support for the violation of [Russian] laws is another confirmation of Washington's behind-the-scenes role," the ministry said in a statement Sunday.

The Foreign Ministry went on to accuse Washington of following the playbook of a scenario created by the RAND Corporation in 2019, and of "encouraging protests" as part of its strategy of "containing" Russia.

Earlier Sunday, Blinken issued a tweet condemning "the persistent use of harsh tactics against peaceful protesters and journalists by Russian authorities" during Sunday's rallies, and called on Moscow to "release those detained for exercising their human rights," including Navalny.

The U.S. condemns the persistent use of harsh tactics against peaceful protesters and journalists by Russian authorities for a second week straight. We renew our call for Russia to release those detained for exercising their human rights, including Aleksey Navalny.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 31, 2021

Along with Blinken, the account of the US Embassy in Russia has been tweeting a stream of tweets on the protests, accusing Russian authorities of "detaining activists, journalists and blocking off the centre of Moscow" and calling on the Russian state to "comply with its international obligations in the area of human rights."

Pattern of Interference

Last week, the US Embassy appeared to help coordinate the protests by publishing maps with proposed routes that demonstrators would be taking. On Saturday, US Ambassador John Sullivan claimed that the information was published to ensure the safety of US citizens in the country, and called the Embassy's actions "common diplomatic practice."

A total of 3,254 protesters were detained, among them over 520 people in Moscow, by mid-day Sunday. The unauthorised rallies have reportedly remained mostly peaceful, although a police van caught fire in Moscow, and a riot police officer was injured in St. Petersburg. Injuries have yet to be reported among protesters.

Alexei Navalny returned to Russia from Germany on 17 January, where he was immediately placed under arrest for 30 days for violating the terms of his probation over a 2013 conviction for embezzlement. The opposition vlogger, known in Russia for making videos investigating alleged corruption by Russian businessmen and politicians, was taken to Germany in a comatose state last August after falling ill during a domestic flight from one Siberian city to another. His supporters almost immediately accused Moscow of trying to poison him with a military-grade nerve agent. Russian authorities vehemently denied these claims, and pointed out that local doctors saved his life after he fell ill, and that the government allowed him to leave the country and be flown to Berlin for treatment, in accordance with the wishes of his family.

https://sputniknews.com/world/202101311081937051-moscow-blasts-us-over-meddling-in-russias-internal-affairs-over-remarks-on-unauthorized-rallies/

The Ex Business Partner of Hunter Biden’s Criminal Defense Attorney Is Picked for a Top Justice Department Position

The former business partner of Hunter Biden’s attorney has been picked as a top Justice Department official by the Biden Administration.

The news came out last week:

Fox News host Tucker Carlson reported a former business partner of Hunter Biden’s criminal defense attorney has been picked as a top Justice Department official in President Biden’s new administration.

It has already been revealed that Nicholas McQuaid, a former federal prosecutor, was picked as acting chief of the Justice Department’s criminal division. Hunter Biden confirmed in early December, after his father won the 2020 election, that he was under federal investigation.

Carlson said on his show Friday night that McQuaid worked with Christopher Clark as partners at Latham & Watkins and worked on cases together right until McQuaid took the job at the Justice Department.

“On Jan. 21 of this year, the same day Nicholas McQuaid was featured in the Justice Department press release, Latham & Watkins filed a motion in court to withdraw McQuaid as an attorney [in a case] he was working on with Christopher Clark. So that means Joe Biden put at the head of the criminal division the partner of the guy his son had hired to defend him against the criminal division. Whoa,” Carlson said.

“We reached out to the Justice Department for a comment on this,” Carlson added. “They refused to say whether McQuaid would recuse himself for matters involving Hunter Biden and his former partner, who is representing Hunter Biden. It’s all pretty amazing. Another reminder, there’s a lot going on within the Biden family.”

Law.com refers to the new position as follows:

Nicholas McQuaid, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan who served as a White House lawyer during the Obama presidency, has been named the acting leader of the U.S. Justice Department’s criminal division, a role that will come with oversight of the Biden administration’s early white-collar enforcement efforts and the ongoing crackdown on coronavirus-related fraud, according to people familiar with the move.

For some reason the Law.com site omitted the fact that McQuaid worked with Hunter Biden’s attorney in the past.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/ex-business-partner-hunter-bidens-criminal-defense-attorney-picked-top-justice-department-position/

Corporations That Support The $15 Minimum Wage Can Afford It. Here’s Who Can’t

Large corporations have endorsed and lobbied for a $15 federal minimum wage in recent years, but while they can afford such a policy, small businesses would be harmed, multiple studies have shown.

“More than doubling the federal minimum wage is one of the policies that would threaten the fragile small business economic recovery,” said National Federation of Independent Business Vice President of Federal Government Relations Kevin Kuhlman.

The $15 minimum wage would result in 1.3 million workers losing their jobs, a 2019 Congressional Budget Office report estimated.

Large corporations have endorsed and lobbied for a $15 federal minimum wage in recent years, but while they can afford such a policy, small businesses would be harmed, studies have shown.

Many corporations, once known for their opposition to raising the federal minimum wage, have reversed course in recent years, raising their own wages to $15 per hour and lobbying the federal government to legislate an increase. While larger corporations have determined they could benefit from such a reversal, studies continue to show a federal minimum wage hike will crush small business.

“The small business economy is very fragile right now,” National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Vice President of Federal Government Relations Kevin Kuhlman told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “And anything that hampers that small business recovery should be avoided.”

“More than doubling the federal minimum wage is one of the policies that would threaten the fragile small business economic recovery,” he said.

Kuhlman said corporations are able to afford minimum wage increases because of their larger profit margins. Lobbying for minimum wage increases also puts corporations at a competitive advantage over their small business competitors who cannot afford the added costs.

https://dailycaller.com/2021/01/30/corporations-minimum-wage-amazon-mcdonalds-national-federation-independent-business/

George W. Bush Picks Sides – Calls to Thank Former VP Dick Cheney for His Daughter’s Service

George W. Bush was always hesitant to speak out against Barack Obama who smeared him for years. But that certainly isn’t the case with President Trump.

Former President George W. Bush is choosing sides. The former Republican president reportedly called Dick Cheney on Saturday to thank him for his daughter’s service.

This comes just two weeks after she voted to impeach President Donald Trump.

KYMA reported:

Former President George W. Bush is making it clear that he supports Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the No. 3 Republican in the House, who voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump.

Bush’s chief of staff, Freddy Ford, told CNN on Friday that Bush plans to praise Liz Cheney during a Saturday call with his former vice president, her father, Dick Cheney.

When asked if Bush is planning to support Cheney if she faces a tough primary next year, Ford said, “You’re a few months ahead of us — we aren’t thinking about the next election cycle yet. But I do know that President Bush is planning to call VP Cheney tomorrow for two reasons: to wish him a happy 80th birthday, and to thank him for his daughter’s service.”

The show of encouragement comes as the younger Cheney has faced intra-party criticism for joining nine other House Republicans and all House Democrats in voting to impeach Trump earlier this month for “incitement of insurrection” in light of his role in encouraging the January 6 riot at the US Capitol.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/george-w-bush-picks-sides-calls-thank-former-vp-dick-cheney-daughters-service/

More salad recalled for a possibly ‘serious or life threatening’ problem

Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is voluntarily recalling a single lot code of Dole™ Endless Summer Salad Kit.

Description UPC Best If Used by

Date Lot Code

Dole™ Endless Summer Salad Kit 0-71430-01073-0 01-26-21 B00912A

B00912B

This recall is due to possible undeclared allergens (fish and egg) in Dole™ Endless Summer Salad Kit. The dressing and topping kit (masterpack) designed for a different Dole product was unintentionally used during a portion of the production of the salad. Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is coordinating closely with regulatory officials. No illnesses nor allergic reactions have been reported to date in association with the recall. However, people who have an allergy to fish or eggs may have a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The product lot code and Best if Used by Date is located on the upper right corner of each bag and the UPC code is located on the bottom right corner of the back of each bag. The impacted products were distributed in AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MS, ND, OK, OR, PA, TX, UT, WA, and WI. Consumers are advised to check product they have in their homes and discard any product matching the production description, UPC codes, product lot code and Best if Used by Date listed above.

No other Dole products are included in the recall. Only Dole™ Endless Summer Salad Kit with the exact UPC code, lot code and Best if Used by Date identified above, are included in the recall. Consumers who have any remaining product should not consume it, but rather discard it. Retailers and consumers with questions may call the Dole Consumer Center at 1-800-356-3111, which is open 24 hours a day.

https://breaking911.com/more-salad-recalled-for-a-possibly-serious-or-life-threatening-problem/