Philadelphia sues seven big banks for getting ‘money for nothing’ from bond collusion

The city of Philadelphia is suing Bank of America and six other major banks for conspiring to manipulate the rates of municipal bonds, illegally making millions of dollars while depriving the city of funds for public services.

Pennsylvania’s largest city, with over 1.5 million residents, filed the complaint late on Wednesday in the federal court in Manhattan. The city accuses Bank of America, Barclays, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Royal Bank of Canada and Wells Fargo of colluding to manipulate rates of variable-rate demand obligations (VRDO), of which Philadelphia has issued over $1.6 billion-worth.

The fees the banks collected, in violation of federal antitrust laws, have deprived Philadelphia and other jurisdictions of critical funding for public services, the lawsuit claims.

New: The City of Philadelphia has sued multiple banks for allegedly colluding to set artificially high interest rates on bonds, costing the city billions. pic.twitter.com/RrKKKFgVP4

— Aaron Leibowitz (@aaron_leib) February 21, 2019

According to the court documents, the banks are already being criminally investigated by the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, while the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has contacted four of the defendants with questions about their conduct.

The lawsuit claims that phone and email records will show that the banks agreed not to compete with each other for VRDO remarketing services between February 2008 and June 2016, resulting in artificially high rates and banks collecting fees “for doing, essentially, nothing.”

https://www.rt.com/usa/452131-philadelphia-lawsuit-banks-collusion/?

EXCLUSIVE: Testimony by FBI Lawyer Trisha Anderson Reveals Extensive Role in Trump, Clinton Investigations

A key player in the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation of Donald Trump and his 2016 presidential campaign was Trisha Anderson, who, at the time, was the No. 2 lawyer at the agency’s Office of General Counsel.

Despite having no specific experience in counterintelligence before coming to the FBI, Anderson was, in some manner, involved in virtually all of the significant events of the investigation.

Anderson told members of the House Judiciary and Oversight committees in August last year during closed-door testimony that she was one of only about 10 people who had known about the Trump–Russia investigation prior to its official opening.

A transcript of Anderson’s testimony, which was reviewed for this article, reveals that she had read all of the FBI’s FD302 forms detailing information that the author of the Steele dossier, former British spy Christopher Steele, had provided to high-ranking Department of Justice (DOJ) official Bruce Ohr.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/exclusive-testimony-by-fbi-lawyer-trisha-anderson-reveals-extensive-role-in-trump-clinton-investigations_2806982.html

Video: Illegal Alien Deported Three Times Killed After Shooting at Deputy; Illegal Was Reportedly Protected by CA Sanctuary Laws From Multiple ICE Detainers

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/02/video-illegal-alien-deported-three-times-killed-after-shooting-at-deputy-illegal-was-reportedly-protected-by-ca-sanctuary-laws-from-multiple-ice-detainers/

Peskov: Moscow follows up closely Washington’s contradicted statements on US forces’ withdrawal from Syria

Moscow, SANA – The Spokesman for Russia’s President Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is following up and analyzing “the development” of the US stance regarding the military presence in Syria and the contradicted statements the US administration says every now and then with this regards.

Peskov told journalists Friday in Moscow that Washington launched in the beginning statements with regards to its withdrawal from Syria and then new statements and modifications on them were heard, adding “we sometimes hear different statements from different sides in the US administration.”

Rasha Milhem

https://sana.sy/en/?p=159303

>>5323307

What did you do to Toots… poor lil fighter needs all the friends he can get

>>5323374

Don't let them bother you.. I can speak gibberish in any language ..I piss a lot of people off .. and enjoy it

Iranian President Rohani’s brother goes on trial

The trial of Iranian President Hassan Rohani’s brother, who was briefly arrested two years ago on charges of financial violations, has opened in Tehran, local media report.

Hossein Fereidoun and four associates were present in court during the February 19 court hearing, according to the judiciary’s news website Mizan.

A representative of the state prosecutor read out the indictment during the hearing, Mizan said, without providing further details.

Fereidoun and his brother do not share the same name because Rohani has changed his.

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2019/02/iranian-president-rohanis-brother-goes-on-trial/

US warplanes hammer ISIS bastion as SDF troops prepare for last push

BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:30 A.M.) – The U.S. Air Force unleashed a flurry of airstrikes over the Baghouz area of eastern Deir Ezzor this morning, hitting several areas controlled by the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh).

According to reports from nearby Deir Ezzor city, the U.S. Coalition hammered the Islamic State’s positions in and around the Baghouz camp as they attempt to force the remaining terrorists in the area to surrender to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

In the meantime, the Syrian Democratic Forces are making their last preparations to storm the remaining Islamic State positions that are located along the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.

Over the last few days, the Syrian Democratic Forces were able to secure some agreements with the Islamic State, including a prisoner exchange that saw both sides release 40 people.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/us-warplanes-hammer-isis-bastion-as-sdf-troops-prepare-for-last-push/

Jihadi Bride Out, White Helmets In

Talk about getting your in-laws and outlaws mixed up. This week, the British government banned a British-born jihadi wife returning from Syria. Meanwhile in the same week it emerges that British authorities have taken in over 100 so-called White Helmet members from Syria.

The case of 19-year-old Shamima Begum and her newborn child stranded in a refugee camp in Syria has sparked controversy and soul-searching. Some say she should be left to the wilderness of Syria as retribution for consorting with terrorists when she eloped from her London home four years ago. Others say she should be brought back to her native Britain to face possible prosecution for taking up with a member of the ISIS terror group.

https://sputniknews.com/columnists/201902221072652963-bride-uk-white-helmets/

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND: Trump signs directive to create US SPACE FORCE

DONALD Trump has signed a directive to create a military space force.

The US President scribbled his name on the Space Policy Directive-4 today, which orders the Pentagon to establish a so-called Space Force as the sixth branch of the US military. The Force will seek to work alongside the US Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. But Congress still has to approve it before the Force becomes a reality, Space.com has revealed. Laura Grego, a senior scientist in the Union of Concerned Scientists' Global Security programme, said of today’s announcement: “President Trump has called space a new warfighting domain. Space is important to militaries, that’s true, but it is only a small piece of what happens up there.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1090649/donald-trump-news-space-force-donald-trump-Laura-Grego-Policy-Directive-4

Lincoln County approves 2nd Amendment sanctuary status

Lincoln County commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve a resolution to become a 2nd Amendment sanctuary county in reaction to proposed state gun legislation.

Commissioner Elaine Allen cast the lone nay vote, saying while she concurred with many of the comments from the audience, she did not support the idea of a sanctuary status.

Commissioner Lynn Willard also expressed reservations, but voted with the majority.

Commissioner Tom Stewart offered amended language to include the “lack of common sense” in the legislative process and adding that the county will pursue litigation, if necessary.

Lincoln County Sheriff Robert Shepperd and other sheriffs across the state contend that some provisions in the proposed laws are unconstitutional.

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2019/02/lincoln-county-approves-2nd-amendment-sanctuary-status/