https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/apr/24/security-clearance-background-checks-be-handled-pe/

President Trump ordered the Pentagon Wednesday to take over the government’s massive job of conducting background checks for security clearances.

Mr. Trump signed an executive order transferring the background investigations from the Office of Personnel Management, which the administration is aiming to dismantle by the fall of 2019.

The order said the National Defense Authorization Act of 2018 authorizes the Defense Department to conduct background investigations and work with OPM on a phased-in transition for background checks performed by the National Background Investigations Bureau.

Mr. Trump said implementing that legislative mandate “while retaining the benefit of economies of scale in addressing the federal government’s background investigations workload, avoiding unnecessary risk, promoting the ongoing alignment of efforts with respect to vetting federal employees and contractors, and facilitating needed reforms in this critical area requires that the primary responsibility for conducting background investigations government-wide be transferred” to the Pentagon.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article229644999.html

U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, actor Danny Glover make impromptu visit to Haiti

U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, is adding her voice to the list of U.S. lawmakers concerned about growing gang-related violence in Haiti.

In recent months, gangs have been terrorizing the population, accused of massacring and raping poor Haitians and turning parts of the country into no-go zones. This weekend a police station in the rural Artibonite was attacked after a gang affiliated with a wanted warlord, Arnel Joseph, overpowered police.

She noted that the U.S. government “contributes substantially to Haiti,” aid that is very important for the Haitian government.

Waters said her visit to Haiti was the result of an invitation by former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to attend the graduation of medical students at his University of the Aristide Foundation in Tabarre on the outskirts of the capital. She was joined by actor Danny Glover, civil rights leader Walter Riley, human rights lawyer and activist Brian Concannon of the Boston-based Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti and radio journalist Margaret Prescod. Prescod’s Los Angeles-based public affairs show, “Sojourner Truth,” recently featured a report on the La Saline massacre.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/apr/24/inside-the-beltway-dont-know-and-biden-lead-democr/

President Trump might benefit from the huge number of Democrats now seeking the White House. The public appears to be having a hard time sorting out the field, which has now grown to 20 who are ready to run. The sheer volume might drive some frustrated voters to side with Mr. Trump.

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. leads the pack of hopefuls with 24% of support among all Americans says an Ipsos/Reuters poll of 4,000 Americans released Wednesday.

Well, of course. Mr. Biden has the instant name recognition, and is set to announce his formal bid for the White House in a video message to be released Thursday and rebroadcast endlessly on cable news. He has already scheduled a splashy fundraiser in Hollywood complete with celebrities, and has some advance high-profile support.

But wait. Let’s move on to who is next in the Democratic popularity contest, according to the new poll. Some candidate named “don’t know” is in close second place with 21% of the vote.

It makes sense that such a big percentage of Americans are undecided or clueless, given that the presidential election is still 19 months off, and that the current bulky roster of candidates could very well expand to 40. Will they fight one another, or suggest a divided party? Would this result in dreaded “bad optics” — and a Trump bump of a different variety?

Meanwhile, the poll found Sen. Bernard Sanders in third place with 15% of the support, followed by Pete Buttigieg with 7%, and Sen. Kamala D. Harris, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke and “other,” each with 6%.

Yes, candidate “other” leads the likes of Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Cory A. Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand and other high-profile lawmakers and elected officials.