Judge dismisses Fortenberry's challenges of indictment over campaign contributions

Fortenberry, a Republican who has represented eastern Nebraska’s 1st District since 2005, is charged with three felonies — two counts of making false statements to federal agents and one count of seeking to conceal the source of $30,000 in “conduit” political contributions from a 2016 California fundraiser.

*The funds originated with Gilbert Chagoury, a Paris-based Nigerian, who purportedly directed the donations to Fortenberry because of a shared interest in protecting Christians from persecution in the Middle East. It is illegal for foreigners to donate to U.S. political campaigns.

Jan 3, 2022

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/judge-dismisses-fortenberrys-challenges-of-indictment-over-campaign-contributions/article_0c5f288c-6cc1-11ec-8dde-8b33dffbcc30.html

Fortenberry, a Nebraska Republican, is accused of hiding information and lying to FBI agents who were investigating an illegal $30,000 donation made by Nigerian billionaire Gilbert Chagoury during a Los Angeles fundraiser for his campaign in 2016.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/us-rep-jeff-fortenberry-appears-headed-for-trial-after-judge-refuses-to-dismiss-charges/ar-AASoAps

Lebanese-Nigerian Billionaire and Two Associates Resolve Federal Probe into Alleged Violations of Campaign Finance Laws

Gilbert Chagoury, 75, who presently resides in Paris, France, paid $[1.8] million to resolve allegations that he, with the assistance of others, provided approximately $[18]0,000 to individuals in the United States that was used to make contributions to four different federal political candidates in U.S. elections.

Relatedly, two Chagoury associates – Joseph Arsan, 68, also of Paris, and Toufic Joseph Baaklini, 58, of Washington, D.C. – agreed to resolve allegations that they violated campaign contribution laws by assisting Chagoury in his illegal contributions.

Arsan agreed to pay $1.7 million in penalties

Baaklini admitted to giving $30,000 in cash provided by Chagoury to an individual at a restaurant in Los Angeles who, along with others, later made campaign contributions to the 2016 campaign of a U.S. congressman.

Baaklini also agreed to pay a $90,000 fine as part of his agreement and agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigation.

March 31, 2021

https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/lebanese-nigerian-billionaire-and-two-associates-resolve-federal-probe-alleged

*Chagoury has been a supporter of Bill and Hillary Clinton since the 1990s. He has funded their election campaigns and is a major donor to the Clinton Foundation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Chagoury

China Evergrande 2021 sales plunge 39%

January 4, 2022

https://news.yahoo.com/china-evergrande-2021-sales-plunge-050717044.html

Evergrande says it will abide by orders to tear down 39 structures on its flagship property project in ‘China’s Hawaii’

Evergrande, which is struggling to stay afloat with 1.97 trillion yuan (US$309.3 billion) of liabilities

1 hour ago

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/money/topstories/evergrande-says-it-will-abide-by-orders-to-tear-down-39-structures-on-its-flagship-property-project-in-china-s-hawaii/ar-AASpq4r

Evergrande 39s?

Evergrande Vows to Ensure Delivery of 39,000 Apartments in Dec.

December 26, 2021

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-26/evergrande-vows-to-ensure-delivery-of-39-000-apartments-in-dec

Why billionaire Evergrande founder Xu Jiayin was forced to sell $39 million Villa del Mare in 2015

Oct 15, 2021

https://newsofamerica.org/2021/10/15/why-billionaire-evergrande-founder-xu-jiayin-was-forced-to-sell-39-million-villa-del-mare-in-2015/

>>15306114

West Palm Beach, FL

Belle @ 7pm on the 12th

1 movie listed starts on the 7th at this theater.

https://www.showtimes.com/movie-theaters/amc-cityplace-20-12854/?date=1/12/2022

>>15306187

Advanced ticket sales offering many movies post 7th:

https://www.cinemark.com/theatres/ca-long-beach/cinemark-at-the-pike-outlets-and-xd?showDate=2022-01-10

Moar movies listed here:

https://www.fandango.com/amc-marina-pacifica-12-aaapg/theater-page?date=2022-01-08

re: Movie Theaters with Limited Listings

>>15306219

>>15306221

Denver: big list

https://www.landmarktheatres.com/denver/

Seattle: big list

https://www.fandango.com/seattle_wa_movietimes?date=2022-01-08

Baton Rouge: The 355

https://www.imdb.com/showtimes/cinema/US/ci30758525/US/70808/2022-01-10

Fort Worth: The 355 and Chimney Town

https://www.cinemark.com/theatres/tx-fort-worth/cinemark-alliance-town-center-and-xd?showDate=2022-01-07

Coincidentally, 3 of the random cities chosen above are listed in the Top 10:

US metros spending the most on entertainment

One of the categories that has been reckoning with these shifts is entertainment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) definition of the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector includes establishments that are involved in live performances and events (like theaters and concert venues), those that exhibit objects of educational interest (like art museums and historical sites), and those that provide other forms of recreation or amusement (like theme parks). These sorts of businesses were exactly the type of establishments that consumers spent less on in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

Dec 30, 2021

https://www.nwitimes.com/lifestyles/the-us-metros-spending-the-most-on-entertainment/collection_449c5852-83ef-50a9-95b0-066fd3be11ff.html#1

Curious what kind of lab experiment is being done by selectively limiting what audiences can see.

Ontario Movie Theaters Closing Due To Omicron Surge

January 3, 2022

https://deadline.com/2022/01/ontario-canada-movie-theaters-closing-omicron-toronto-1234903811/

The cinema business in India is once again getting caught in Covid-19 chaos. Theatres are being asked to shut down in more markets, states are re-imposing capacity restrictions and film releases are being put off due to rising cases of coronavirus and its new variant, Omicron.

After Delhi announced the closure of cinema halls from December 28, Haryana followed suit and ordered the shutdown of theatres in Gurugram, Faridabad, Ambala, Panchkula and Sonipat from January 2.

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/entertainment/caught-in-covid-chaos-more-shutdowns-delayed-releases-spell-trouble-for-cinema-business-7893191.html

Belgium reversed some of its COVID-19 restrictions Wednesday, allowing for the reopening of cinemas, theaters and concert halls. The move was a victory for the culture sector, which said it was being unfairly targeted by the rules. (Dec. 30)

https://news.yahoo.com/belgium-u-turn-cinema-theater-141112018.html

Regal Cinemas to shut down its theaters in the U.S.

The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has led to ongoing delays in the release dates of blockbusters originally slated for summer.

Shares in the company that owns the Regal, Cineworld and Picturehouse movie theaters fell as much as 58% after it said it will temporarily close the venues because delays to the latest James Bond film left it with few blockbusters to attract customers during the pandemic.

October 5, 2020

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/regal-cinemas-movie-theater-shut-down-united-states/

>Curious what kind of lab experiment is being done by selectively limiting what audiences can see.

>>15306298

In 2021, the movie industry deployed multiple experiments to combat the pandemic, primarily through hybrid streaming releases.

But it looks like 2022 will be a year of back to basics for studios, even as the Omicron variant rears its head.

30 December 2021

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/theatrical-only-shift-speaks-volumes-for-box-office-as-studios-abandon-hybrid-streaming-model-170306763.html

Almost two years into the pandemic, about 630 movie theaters remain closed across North America. And many may never reopen.

The casualties stretch across the continent, afflicting big chains like AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. and mom-and-pop outfits.

Movie theaters this year will likely take in about $4 billion in ticket revenue domestically, a fraction of the $11.4 billion generated in 2019.

https://www.centralmaine.com/2021/12/12/from-small-towns-to-big-cities-closed-movie-theaters-leave-void/

Adam Aron, chief executive officer of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., sold another $9.65 million in shares of the meme-driven theater stock, following sales that he had said were prudent for estate planning.

Forced to shut down during 2020 because of Covid-19, the chain is headed toward its third straight year of losses.

December 10, 2021

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/meme-courting-amc-ceo-aron-223837779.html

AMC Is Still Not Worth Buying At Any Price

The gap between the number of movie releases and box office revenue indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has created the potential for a structural shift in the movie watching experience. , With movies on demand releasing as theaters, or even just weeks later, consumers are abandoning movie theaters for the comfort of their home.

December 7, 2021

https://businesshala.com/amc-is-still-not-worth-buying-at-any-price/

RUTHER GLEN, Va. (AP) — Hundreds of motorists have been stuck in the snow for more than 15 hours along a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 95 in Virginia after a crash involving six tractor-trailers, authorities said.

The Virginia Department of Transportation confirmed both directions of I-95 remained shut down between Ruther Glen, Virginia, in Caroline County and exit 152 in Dumfries, Prince William County.

The tractor-trailer collision Monday afternoon caused no injuries, but brought traffic to a standstill along the U.S. East Coast’s main north-south highway, and it became impossible to move as the snow accumulated. Hours passed with hundreds of motorists posting increasingly desperate messages on social media about running out of fuel, food and water.

Jan 4, 2022 / 06:56 AM

https://www.wboy.com/news/national/drivers-snowed-in-all-night-as-i-95-shuts-down-in-virginia/