Ukraine demands Germany cross all weapons ‘red lines’

Berlin should supply fighter jets and warships to Kiev, a scandal-plagued diplomat has said

Berlin should cross its “self-drawn red lines” and provide Kiev with “all available” arms, Andrey Melnik, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister and former envoy to Germany, said on Thursday.

Speaking to the German DPA press agency, Melnik lauded Berlin for making the decision to “break an epochal taboo” and pledge support to Kiev early in the conflict with Russia. However, the diplomat stressed that the pledge had actually turned into a “zigzag course,” with Berlin erecting numerous obstacles on its own path to supplying Ukraine with weapons.

“The implementation of this turning point lags considerably, it is more reminiscent of a zigzag course with many setbacks rather than of a strategic advance,” Melnik stated, admitting that there were still way too many “brake pads” on that path, particularly in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD).

“We the Ukrainians therefore call on the Chancellor to cross all self-drawn red lines and to provide Ukrainian armed forces with all available weapon systems,” the diplomat said, adding that Kiev expects more “courageous” decisions from the ruling coalition. The new weapons deliveries for Kiev could include fighter jets, as well as warships and submarines, Melnik suggested.

The diplomat, whose tenure as Kiev’s ambassador in Berlin extended into the early phase of the ongoing conflict, has repeatedly made headlines for insulting German officials and politicians. Most notoriously, he branded Scholz “an offended liverwurst” for his taking issue with Kiev’s negative view toward German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Melnik is also known for repeatedly posting foul-mouthed tweets and becoming embroiled in a spat over Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s controversial peace plan for Ukraine.

https://www.rt.com/russia/571992-ukraine-germany-red-lines/

Hunter Biden Misses Midnight Deadline to Turn Over Business Records to Oversight Committee – Subpoenas Coming

Hunter Biden missed the midnight deadline to provide his overseas business dealings to the House Oversight Committee.

This sets the stage for a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee.

Committee Chair James Comer also wants similar documents from Joe Biden’s brother James.

Comer says the documents will shed light on the Biden family’s influence peddling.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/02/hunter-biden-misses-midnight-deadline-to-turn-over-business-records-to-oversight-committee-subpoenas-coming-video/

Former Legislator Sentenced to Five Years and Three Months in Prison for Theft of Government Funds and Honest Services Wire Fraud

https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/former-legislator-sentenced-five-years-and-three-months-prison-theft-government-funds-and

SEC fines Latter-day Saints, investment company $5M for investment plan involving shell companies

Church members are encouraged to donate 10% of their income, and the church's net worth in 2019 was nearly $100 billion,

The Securities and Exchange Commission says The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its non-profit investment company Ensign Peak Advisers Inc. has agreed to pay $5 million for using shell companies to obscure its $32 billion investment portfolio.

From 1997 through 2019, Ensign Peak did not file the necessary forms, and the religious group, commonly known as the Mormon Church, became concerned that disclosing the portfolio would lead to negative consequences, the federal agency said Tuesday.

"To obscure the amount of the Church’s portfolio, and with the Church’s knowledge and approval, Ensign Peak" formed 13 shell companies, the government said.

Church members are encouraged to donate 10% of their income, and the church's net worth in 2019 was nearly $100 billion,according to the Associated Press reported.

"We affirm our commitment to comply with the law, regret mistakes made, and now consider this matter closed," church officials said after the FEC's announcement.

https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/latter-day-saints-and-its-investment-company-fined-5-million-securities

https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-35

Joy Behar says East Palestine residents got what they deserved after voting for Trump

"That's who you voted for in that district. Donald Trump, who reduces all safety. He did."

On Thursday's episode of The View, co-host Joy Behar suggested that the residents of East Palestine, Ohio, who are reeling from the February 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment that released toxic chemicals into the area, got what they deserved after voting for Donald Trump, who "reduces all safety," including in their hometown.

"I don't know why they would ever vote for him," Behar said. "For somebody, who, by the way, he placed someone with deep ties to the chemical industry in charge of the EPA's Chemical Safety Office." Behar looked directly at the camera, pointed, and added, "That's who you voted for in that district. Donald Trump, who reduces all safety. He did."

Behar had previously said, "it seems to me that the Republicans are obsessed with this notion of the free market and they don't like a lot of regulations" and "We have to pay for regulation and safety standards."

Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin replied, "Norfolk Southern gives as much to Democrats as Republicans. It's a very powerful lobby" and said it was an "unforced error" that it took Biden so long to send Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to the Ohio town.

Griffin also noted that East Palestine was "Trump country" and had voted for him by a 40 percent margin.

Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump visited East Palestine and passed out water.

On Thursday, Buttigieg arrived and when pressed by Turning Point USA contributor Savanah Hernandez about why it took so long for him to arrive, his press secretary said she could answer but wouldn't answer on camera, and said Hernandez was being "aggressive" in her questions.

"Joy Behar says the residents of East Palestine got what they deserved because they voted for Trump. 'That's who you voted for!' she shouted at the camera. 'In that district. Donald Trump, who reduces all safety. He did in those days,'" tweeted Media Research Center Associate Editor, Nicholas Fondacaro.

Co-host Sunny Hostin later said the train derailment was "Donald Trump's fault"

East Palestine residents had been ordered out of their residences after the train derailed. On February 6, authorities began burning off the chemicals to minimize the risk of a vinyl chloride explosion. On February 9, residents returned home and they found the odor of chemicals remaining in the air along with dead fish in rivers and creeks, causing concerns the local water supply had become contaminated.

Residents have also complained about a film of soot on their property and that they have suffered from eye irritation and headaches after returning home.

https://thepostmillennial.com/joy-behar-says-east-palestine-residents-got-what-they-deserved-after-voting-for-trump

https://rumble.com/embed/v2822rs/?pub=4

KJP called Joe Biden as President Obama.

https://twitter.com/NewsBecker/status/1628829637462867968

getting heaps of lag