Thank You Baker!
Lawmakers Participate in 2024 Congressional Baseball Game
-LIVE NOW-
https://www.c-span.org/video/?536164-1/lawmakers-participate-2024-congressional-baseball-game
Wreck of the last ship of famed explorer Shackleton found off the coast of Canada
The wreck of the last ship belonging to Sir Ernest Shackleton, a famous Irish-born British explorer of Antarctica, has been found off the coast of Labrador in Canada, 62 years after it went missing. The wreck was found by an international team led by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
The Quest was found using sonar scans on Sunday evening, sitting on its keel under 390 meters (1,280 feet) of churning, frigid water, the society said. Its towering mast is lying broken beside it, likely cracked off as the vessel was sucked into the depths after it struck ice on May 5, 1962.
“I heard that some Americans were interested in finding Quest, and I just had this picture in my mind of a few billionaires on yachts, up in the Labrador Sea,” John Geiger, leader of the Shackleton Quest Expedition and the chief executive of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, told an audience at the Memorial University’s Marine Institute in St. John’s, Newfoundland, on Wednesday.
“We’ve done it the right way. It’s not about anyone’s ego, it’s about telling great stories and celebrating some of the finest human attributes,” Geiger said.
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/wreck-of-the-last-ship-of-famed-explorer-shackleton-found-off-the-coast-of-canada/3312325/
Chuck Grassley: ‘Justice’ in Hunter Biden conviction
Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said Wednesday that justice was served in Hunter Biden’s conviction on criminal gun charges, but he continues his assertion the justice system is targeting former President Donald Trump.
Speaking with reporters, Grassley characterized then initial plea deal reached between Biden’s lawyers and prosecutors as too generous, and said the judge was right to reject the deal last summer.
“Thankfully, some justice has finally been served here in the state of Delaware after a responsible judge refused to accept DOJ’s original sham plea,” Grassley said.
On Tuesday, a jury found Hunter Biden guilty on three felony counts related to the purchase of a handgun in 2018, when prosecutors said he lied on a federal form by saying he was not using or addicted to illegal drugs.
Grassley has been a prominent critic of Hunter Biden as far back as 2020, when he led an investigation into Biden’s banking records.
Last year, Grassley released the contents of a 2020 FBI document that included unverified claims that both Hunter and Joe Biden were involved in a $10 million bribery scheme with a Ukrainian CEO. The source of the document was later indicted on a charge of lying to the FBI about those claims.
Grassley has argued the dozens of felony charges facing Trump, in multiple jurisdictions, are evidence that the justice system is biased against the former Republican president.
With Biden’s conviction, Grassley said his opinion hasn’t changed. He said he believes Trump’s prosecutions were motivated by his decision to seek the presidency again, while Hunter Biden’s prosecution was not politically motivated.
Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who represents northeast Iowa's 2nd District, also referenced Biden’s failed plea deal and set her sights on the November election.
“This just scratches the surface of the Biden family’s crime & corruption,” Hinson said in a social media post Tuesday. “Full accountability is coming in November when we fire Joe Biden and re-elect President Trump.”
https://www.thegazette.com/federal-government/chuck-grassley-justice-in-hunter-biden-conviction/
Rep. Nehls: Paul Ryan 'Piece of Garbage' for Trump Snub
Former House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., raised the ire of Republican allies of Donald Trump when he said the former president was unfit for office, with one calling him a "piece of garbage."
"Paul Ryan, you're a piece of garbage. You're a piece of garbage," Nehls said according to a transcript of his comments that aired Wednesday on "CNN This Morning.
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/troy-nehls-paul-ryan-donald-trump/2024/06/12/id/1168532/
Elderly Oakland homeowner arrested after shooting suspected burglar
A 77-year-old Oakland homeowner is in custody after he shot and killed one of a trio of suspected burglars at his residence.
Witnesses called the Oakland Police Department just before 6 p.m. Monday, claiming to have seen two men and a woman, at least one of them with a crowbar, breaking into the unnamed homeowner’s residence.
The three arrived in the area in a stolen Infiniti Q40, authorities told KTVU-TV.
When police arrived, they saw the homeowner pointing a gun at the woman, who told police that the man had shot her friend according to KTVU-TV.
At the time, the suspected burglar was lying wounded near a fence line. He was later pronounced dead by paramedics according to the Mercury News. He has not been publicly identified.
The homeowner was held without bail on suspicion of murder, and the second man suspected of burglary was found by police officers with a replica gun and taken in on suspicion of second-degree burglary.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/jun/12/elderly-oakland-homeowner-arrested-after-shooting-/
'Pig Book' Exposes $22.7B in Congressional Earmarks
Republican House lawmakers joined Citizens Against Government Waste on Wednesday in releasing the 32nd annual edition of the "Congressional Pig Book," a compilation of "pork-barrel" projects in the federal budget.
This year's book features members from both chambers of Congress and both major parties who the group says are responsible for spending earmarks, which direct federal funds to pet projects in their home districts and states.
CAGW found 8,222 earmarks, totaling $22.7 billion in "pork" projects. A brown and white female pig named Poppy could be seen sporting a patriotic dress and scarfing down treats at the press conference announcing the book.
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/pork-barrel-spending-congress-gop/2024/06/12/id/1168528/
Kari Lake loses Arizona appeals court challenge of 2022 loss in governor race
PHOENIX (AP) — Republican Kari Lake has lost an Arizona appeals court challenge arguing that thousands of Phoenix-area mail ballot signatures were not properly verified when she lost the 2022 governor election to Democrat Katie Hobbs.
The state Court of Appeals upheld on Tuesday a judge’s finding last year that Lake failed to prove inconsistencies in signatures were neglected by election verification staffers in Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of voters in the state.
Lake's attorney, Bryan James Blehm, did not respond Wednesday to telephone and email messages about the appeals court decision and whether Lake would appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court.
Blehm also did not respond to requests for comment about sanctions imposed on him last Friday by the State Bar of Arizona for “unequivocally false” representations to the state Supreme Court while handling Lake election challenges. His 60-day suspension takes effect July 7.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/kari-lake-loses-arizona-appeals-222535447.html
https://maritime-executive.com/article/u-s-navy-rescue-swimmer-dies-in-training-accident-in-florida
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An experienced U.S. Navy rescue swimmer was killed in a training accident at Naval Air Station Jacksonville last week, the Navy has confirmed to local media.
Chief Petty Officer Peter "Pete" Lagosh was killed June 4 while on a training assignment at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. According to the Navy, Lagosh was in between duty stations, making an intermediate stop before transferring to a unit in Japan, and was enrolled in the Surface Rescue Swimmer School (SRSS) refresher course at the base.
As a matter of routine, the circumstances of his death are being examined by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, a spokesperson for Naval Air Force Atlantic told local media.
“We offer our deepest condolences and sympathies to the family, friends, and shipmates of the Sailor during this difficult time,” spokesperson Cmdr. Dawn Stankis told Action News Jax. “Grief counseling services and support are available through the appropriate chains of command and through chaplains.”
Lagosh, 40, was from Cudahy, Wisconsin. He joined the Navy in 2007 and enrolled in the Navy Rescue Swimmer program, a famously challenging training pipeline that requires exceptional endurance and physical abilities.
https://maritime-executive.com/article/u-s-navy-rescue-swimmer-dies-in-training-accident-in-florida
Utah Suing TikTok, Alleging Live Feature Is a 'Virtual Strip Club'
Utah is suing TikTok, alleging its LIVE feature lures children into addictive and destructive social media habits and puts them at risk.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Attorney General Sean Reyes announced the lawsuit last week. The Utah Division of Consumer Protection is the agency behind the lawsuit.
"TikTok has created a virtual strip club allowing minors to be exploited across America by connecting innocent victims to predators in real-time. Adding insult to injury, LIVE facilitates money laundering while TikTok quietly charges fifty percent on every transaction to profit in the billions from the entire enterprise," Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said in a statement. "Our investigation confirmed TikTok knows of the damage to young victims but feels it makes far too much money to stop."
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/utah-tiktok-live/2024/06/12/id/1168533/
ANON, go eat YOUR MOMS dick.
Second foster care leader to exit Department of Human Services in last two weeks
Jeff Pack, head of the state’s foster care system within the Department of Human Services, will transition into another government role, according to the governor.
Pack is the second foster care leader to announce they’ll exit their role in the last two weeks as DoHS has faced intense scrutiny for its handling of and communication around the death of 14-year-old Kyneddi Miller.
On Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice announced during a virtual press briefing that Pack will step down as commissioner for the Bureau of Social Services once his replacement is found.
He’ll serve next as Commissioner of the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services.
“Jeff does a great job, he continues to do good work,” the governor said. “This is a superstar in my book.”
Pack took on the role in 2021.
“I am deeply honored to have served as the first Commissioner for the Bureau for Social Services,” he said in a statement. “I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such passionate and committed professionals. Together, we have made a significant impact on the lives of West Virginia families, and I look forward to continuing to serve our community in my new role.”
https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/second-foster-care-leader-exit-department-human-services-last-two-weeks
Giuliani’s Lawyers Claim He Has 9/11 Lung Disease
Rudy Giuliani’s lawyers revealed he has “possible” 9/11-related lung disease as they pleaded with a bankruptcy judge not to let someone else take over his finances, the New York Post reports.
The former city leader — who earned the nickname “America’s Mayor” for his response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — “is suffering from possible 9/11 lung disease and his future earning capacity is limited both by his age and future health,” his lawyers said in court papers Monday.
https://politicalwire.com/2024/06/12/giulianis-lawyers-claim-he-has-9-11-lung-disease/
Fetterman 'at fault' for Maryland car accident that injured him, wife, and other driver
The accident occurred as Fetterman and his wife were celebrating their anniversary, the couple said on social media
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fetterman-at-fault-maryland-car-accident-injured-him-wife-driver
Arkansas lawmaker targets Pride flags at Veterans Affairs buildings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chSzqx1D1gU
Woman with gun taken into custody after standoff at FBI building in Seattle, authorities say
SEATTLE (AP) — A woman armed with a handgun was taken into custody after an hourlong standoff at the FBI building in Seattle on Wednesday, authorities said.
The woman walked into a publicly accessible area where people have to wait to be buzzed into the lobby, according to FBI spokesperson Steve Bernd.
The woman did not gain access to the lobby and was taken into custody following negotiations with law enforcement.
No one was hurt during the incident. The woman’s identity was not immediately released.
The FBI has reported an uptick in the number of threats against bureau personnel and facilities in the last few years. A man armed with an AR-15 rifle and a nail gun tried to breach the FBI’s Cincinnati field office in 2022 and was killed hours later after a standoff with authorities.
And in August, a man rammed a barricade at an FBI office in Atlanta and then tried to follow an FBI employee into the secure parking lot on foot.
https://apnews.com/article/fbi-seattle-woman-gun-standoff-66c19e511967a3b184b8faf54a899c2d
Lauren Boebert’s ex-husband pleads guilty to reckless endangerment after altercations with family
RIFLE, Colo. (AP) — The ex-husband of U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment Wednesday after separate altercations with his ex-wife at a local restaurant and their son at home earlier this year, according to online court documents.
A January argument between the congresswoman and Jayson Boebert at a restaurant that allegedly got out of control led to charges against Jayson Boebert for disorderly conduct, trespassing and obstruction of a peace officer, court documents show. Those charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal, according to the online records.
Days later, Jayson Boebert allegedly got into the physical fight with his son, leading to the reckless endangerment charge Jayson Boebert pleaded guilty to along with three other charges — prohibited use of a weapon, harassment and third-degree assault — that were dismissed as part of the plea, court documents show.
Jayson Boebert will serve six months of unsupervised probation, according to court documents. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
https://apnews.com/article/lauren-jayson-boebert-plea-deal-guilty-ef3182476945d8e9efb72aa30aa2d000
Terraform set to pay $4.47 billion in settlement to the SEC over lawsuit
Terraform and its co-founder, Do Kwon, have agreed to pay the SEC a $4.47 billion settlement.
The settlement will involve a discharge fee of $3.58 billion with a civil penalty of $420 million.
LUNC is up 2% after a week-long downtrend of 11%.
Terraform Labs reached an agreement with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday to pay a settlement fee of $4.47 billion over a civil fraud lawsuit.
SEC files for settlement with Terraform Labs
Terraform Labs, the company behind the failed LUNA and TerraUSD, with co-founder Do Kwon, have agreed to a settlement with the SEC over a lawsuit for violating securities laws. The report is based on the SEC filing to the United States District Court of New York earlier today.
https://www.fxstreet.com/cryptocurrencies/news/terraform-set-to-pay-447-billion-in-settlement-to-the-sec-over-lawsuit-202406122322
Nonprofit Organizations Pay Over $5.8 Million to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic-Related Loans
(Home Owners Association)
SAN DIEGO – Multiple nonprofit organizations—including two private country clubs and two homeowners associations—have paid $5,809,021.60 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims and obtaining Paycheck Protection Program loans for which they were not eligible.
Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program loans, known as PPP, in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other permitted business expenses. Under the CARES Act, certain entities organized under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code were not eligible for PPP loans.
Rancho Santa Fe Association is a homeowners association and 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization. Rancho Santa Fe Association serves members in the community of Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego County, which includes over 4,000 residents, the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club, the Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club, private sports fields, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, nearly 60 miles of private equestrian and pedestrian trails, shops, restaurants, and full-time security patrol. In April 2020, Rancho Santa Fe Association applied for a PPP loan and later received disbursement of a $1,542,100 loan. The United States contended that Rancho Santa Fe Association knew or should have known it was not eligible to receive its PPP loan as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, and it caused the Small Business Administration (SBA) to forgive the loan and to pay lender fees and interest to the bank that processed the loan. Rancho Santa Fe Association paid $2,037,451.44 to settle allegations that it knowingly violated the False Claims Act.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/nonprofit-organizations-pay-over-58-million-resolve-allegations-fraudulently-obtaining
Republicans block Wednesday's unanimous consent request
Senate Democrats attempted to pass a bill on Supreme Court ethics Wednesday but were blocked by Republicans who argue the measure targets conservative justices.
Democrats requested unanimous consent to pass legislation that would require the court adopt a new code of conduct, among other requirements. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., objected to the request, which is all that is needed to stop the move.
Senate Judiciary Chair Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., said on the floor that the court faces an “ethical crisis of its own design,” and cited more than a year of stories about the justices, including trips and other gifts taken by Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Clarence Thomas that were not disclosed under federal ethics law.
https://rollcall.com/2024/06/12/senate-democrats-try-maneuver-to-pass-supreme-court-ethics-bill/
President Biden nominates Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino as Minnesota Federal Judge
(Undated) – President Joe Biden is nominating a veteran federal prosecutor as the state's next federal judge.
He chose Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino to replace Wilhemina Wright, who retired earlier this year.
She was selected from a short list of candidates sent by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith.
Provinzio is a St. Cloud native.
She also received the Attorney General's David Margolis Award, the top honor the Justice Department gives its employees.
https://www.wdayradionow.com/news/regional-news/77207-president-biden-nominates-assistant-us-attorney-laura-provinzino-as
Angola pens a new military agreement with the US as Washington attempts to increase its influence in Africa
A military cooperation agreement signed last week by Angola and the US will “allow closer logistical assistance between the armed forces” of the two countries.
Tressa Guenov, US principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, and Afonso Carlos Neto, Angolan secretary of state for material resources and infrastructure of the ministry of defence, signed the agreement at the first meeting of the US-Angola Joint Defense Committee in Washington DC.
The two countries will also pursue a closer security relationship, a point of discussion for the next meeting of the committee, scheduled for 2025 in Luanda.
[See more: The US and Angola have finalised a US$1.3 billion infrastructure investment deal]
The two-day meeting was announced last week during a visit by Angola’s defence minister João Ernesto dos Santos to the Pentagon, where he met with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin.
Ernesto dos Santos noted that the geopolitical area in which Angola is located requires special attention due to the deep historical, geographic, economic and cultural complexities of the communities it encompasses.
https://macaonews.org/news/lusofonia/angola-us-military-pact/
The Trump campaign opens a new outreach office in a heavily Latino part of Pennsylvania
READING, Pa. (AP) — The pastor opened with a prayer in Spanish, asking that the Lord’s spirit and guidance direct the proceedings without offering an English translation. Most of the around 50 attendees were white and weren’t appearing to follow along, though they knew enough to sing out “Amen!” at the end.
Thus began former President Donald Trump ‘s campaign teaming up with the Republican National Committee and Pennsylvania GOP to open a “Latino Americans for Trump” office Wednesday in the town of Reading.
“We believe in the American Dream and the only way to obtain the American Dream is working hard,” Luis Fortuno, the former governor of Puerto Rico, told the same crowd. For the smaller group of Spanish speakers present, he followed with remarks that leaned heavily on the theme of “Necesitamos cambio” — Spanish for “We need change.”
https://apnews.com/article/trump-hispanic-campaign-office-pennsylvania-biden-outreach-d0564dc093907a4149c16ce1fb17d0f9
Biden’s DHS Released ISIS-Linked Migrant into U.S. After They Crossed The Southern Border.
A Tajikistani migrant connected to the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group was released into the United States by Joe Biden‘s Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The individual is among a group of foreign nationals apprehended in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City during a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) anti-terrorism operation.
The Tajik migrant entered the U.S. through the southern border and is believed to have been vetted by federal law enforcement. Initial screenings did not reveal ties between the Tajik migrant and ISIS. They were subsequently released into the U.S. interior and assigned a court date in 2025 to appear before a federal immigration judge. However, subsequent investigations raised concerns, prompting action by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
https://thenationalpulse.com/2024/06/12/bidens-dhs-released-isis-linked-migrant-into-u-s-after-they-crossed-the-southern-border/
“Hunter Biden’s Secret Service protection will remain unchanged despite today’s judicial outcome,”
After his conviction on three felony firearm charges, Hunter Biden departed federal court in Delaware with the Secret Service detail he is provided as the son of a sitting president.
“Hunter Biden’s Secret Service protection will remain unchanged despite today’s judicial outcome,” Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the U.S. Secret Service, told The Daily Beast.
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The Secret Service is not required to protect the children of a sitting president who are over 16, but has traditionally done so. Hunter Biden—whose Secret Servicecodename is “Captain”will almost certainly still have the detail when he returns to court for sentencing, which is expected to be in about 120 days. And if he gets time in federal prison—the Secret Service will be faced with the question of how to protect someone who is behind bars
Should Biden lose the upcoming election while his son is incarcerated, Hunter could lose his detail, though the former supervisor figures that Trump would likely extend the protection, any grudges aside. The Secret Service will remain obligated to protect Trump as a former president no matter what the outcome.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-secret-service-to-hunter-biden-weve-got-your-back-in-jail