This is just weird.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Statement from U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine Regarding Sentencing for Reality Winner
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdga/pr/statement-us-attorney-bobby-l-christine-regarding-sentencing-reality-winner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Former Background Investigator for Federal Government Sentenced for Making a False Statement
This is one of numerous cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia since 2008 involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. In addition to Kahn, 23 other background investigators and two record checkers have been convicted of charges.
With a staff of more than 9,900 federal and contract employees, the National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB) conducts approximately 95 percent of all personnel background investigations for the federal government. NBIB processed over 2.5 million background investigations in the 2017 fiscal year.
More:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/former-background-investigator-federal-government-sentenced-making-false-statement-4
Unidentified helicopters delivering arms to militants in Afghanistan – Moscow
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday drew attention again to the flights of “unidentified helicopters in the north of Afghanistan, delivering weapons and ammunition” to local Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) militants and Taliban fighters. “According to the statements by the Afghan media and local residents, such flights have recently been recorded in the province of Sari-Pul,” said the ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. She added that neither the Afghan military nor NATO forces had addressed those flights, which were carried out close to the borders of Central Asian countries, Sputnik reported. “Who is behind those flights, who provides weapons for the terrorists and creates their bases close to the southern borders of the CIS countries, and why does this occur in Afghan airspace controlled by NATO forces?” Zakharova said.
https://www.rt.com/newsline/
Senate committee narrowly confirms Kathy Kraninger to head CFPB
Kathy Kraninger is a step closer to becoming the nation’s top consumer financial watchdog: A Senate committee on Thursday narrowly approved the White House aide's nomination to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau despite strenuous objections from Democrats that she’s not qualified for the job.
Opponents of President Trump’s nominee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said that she has no experience in consumer protection, financial regulation or the banking industry and questioned her involvement overseeing the budgets of agencies that developed and implemented the child-separation policy at the border and the response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Democrats complained that Kraninger would not detail her role in those policies during her confirmation hearing or in written questions.
“She is refusing to describe her role in two very public management failures because she knows it would destroy her case for her nomination,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
But Republicans brushed off those concerns. All 13 of them voted to confirm Kraninger on Thursday, while all 12 Democrats opposed her nomination.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said Thursday that she had “significant leadership experience at federal agencies and on Capitol Hill.” He said her “her depth and diversity of public service experience” gave him “confidence she is well prepared to lead the bureau.”
Trump’s decision to tap Kraninger for the job leading the controversial agency, created in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, was a surprise. She holds a mid-level White House position as associate director for general government at the Office of Management and Budget and her background has been largely in Homeland Security.
At the Office of Management and Budget, Kraninger oversees spending at five agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security.
More:
https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cfpb-kraninger-vote-20180823-story.html
Betsy DeVos considers allowing schools to use federal funds to buy guns
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is considering allowing states to use federal grant money to buy guns for schools, people familiar with the matter said.
Two people said the question has been raised inside the Education Department as to whether states are allowed to use money available through Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants to buy firearms. Unlike other federal grants, this one does not expressly prohibit such purchases.
Allowing schools to use federal money to buy firearms would fuel anger among those who say the response to school shootings should be fewer guns, not more. But it could find support among gun rights advocates who say that having firearms in schools would make them less likely to be targeted.
"The department is constantly considering and evaluating policy issues, particularly issues related to school safety," said Education Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Hill. "The secretary nor the department issues opinions on hypothetical scenarios."
The policy consideration was first reported by the New York Times.
cont:
https://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-pol-betsy-de-vos-20180823-story.html
Pecker Granted Immunity in Cohen Case
Publishing executive met with prosecutors to describe involvement of Cohen, Trump in hush-money deals to women ahead of 2016 election
https://www.wsj.com/articles/pecker-granted-immunity-in-cohen-case-1535041976