ComEd trial: Lobbying game or corrupt gamesmanship?
Posted By: AltaD, 5/1/2023 10:38:36 AM
The flattering analogy followed former Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan for many of the years that he presided like a colossus over the Illinois General Assembly. It was a tribute to his brilliance as a political tactician, mastery of legislative rules and understanding of how politics really works. (Snip) decide whether the ComEd Four — former CEO Anne Pramaggiore and lobbyists McClain, John Hooker and Jay Doherty — conspired to win Madigan’s favor on ComEd-backed legislation by plying him with lucrative favors worth $1.3 million. Defense lawyers, obviously, dispute the charges, asserting the government is trying to criminalize traditional lobbying practices. They describe it as “lawful ingratiation.”
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The flattering analogy followed former Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan for many of the years that he presided like a colossus over the Illinois General Assembly.
It was a tribute to his brilliance as a political tactician, mastery of legislative rules and understanding of how politics really works. (Snip) decide whether the ComEd Four — former CEO Anne Pramaggiore and lobbyists McClain, John Hooker and Jay Doherty — conspired to win Madigan’s favor on ComEd-backed legislation by plying him with lucrative favors worth $1.3 million.
Defense lawyers, obviously, dispute the charges, asserting the government is trying to criminalize traditional lobbying practices. They describe it as “lawful ingratiation.”
Hong Kong - Chinese authorities were preparing Sunday to release a man who disappeared three years ago after publicizing videos of overcrowded hospitals and bodies during the COVID-19 outbreak, a relative and another person familiar with his case said.
Fang Bin and other members of the public who were dubbed citizen journalists posted details of the pandemic in early 2020 on the internet and social media, embarrassing Chinese officials who faced criticism for failing to control the outbreak. The last video Fang, a seller of traditional Chinese clothing, posted on Twitter was of a piece of paper reading, “All citizens resist, hand power back to the people.”
GOP-controlled legislatures in South Carolina and Nebraska failed on Thursday to pass anti-abortion legislation.
The "Heartbeat Act" in Nebraska would have banned most abortions after six weeks with exceptions including rape, incest and the life of the mother. The measured stalled in the state legislature and a vote to overcome a filibuster of the bill failed by a vote of 32-15. Two senators abstained from voting.
GOP state Sen. Merv Riepe called for the bill to be reconsidered and proposed an amendment to move the ban to 12 weeks instead of six weeks. The amendment did not receive a vote.
The ‘Su Tax’: California Businesses
Are Still Paying for Biden Nominee Julie
Su’s $31B Mistake 8 replies
Are Still Paying for Biden Nominee Julie
Su’s $31B Mistake 8 replies
Julie Su is on Capitol Hill auditioning to be President Joe Biden’s next labor secretary, but back in her home state of California, businesses are paying what some call the "Su Tax"—a hike in payroll taxes to make up for the massive fraud that took place on her watch during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Snip)"It’s an incompetence tax: a price private citizens are being forced to pay for their government’s failures," Kiley told the Washington Free Beacon. "The predicament that small businesses in California now find themselves in—facing double taxation to make up for the government’s negligence—is another example of why Julie Su’s
The Fairfax Bar and Grill in Indiana alienated some of its patrons after it condemned them for criticizing Bud Light's association with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. (Snip) However, one venue in Bloomington, Indiana, has made headlines with a contradictory message calling for "open conversations" about the subject, yet demanding those who disagree to "leave" their establishment. "We are tired of all of the hate. We are very open to debate and discussion and it’s truly a shame that we can’t have open conversations about this important political and cultural topic.
Despite many of them having only just entered the workforce, Generation Z — those born in 1997 onwards — is already getting a bad rap at the office.
According to a recent survey of 1,300 managers, three out of four agree that Gen Z is harder to work with than other generations — so much so that 65% of employers said they have to fire them more often.
One in eight have let go of a Gen Zer less than one week after their start date, the study found.
The results ring true with managers across the US and in various industries, who report that young hires have been difficult to deal with,
Tucker Carlson was more than the highest-rated host in all of cable until his shocking termination by Fox News on Monday.
The 53-year-old media veteran is a father, a husband, and a friend to those who have had the pleasure of knowing him and even a delightful stranger to run into in a park: (Snip) Carlson communicated conservatism in ways that are difficult to do. He challenged conventional thinking for Republicans as much as he challenged the country’s far left.
Other than those who loathe ideas such as national sovereignty, life, liberty, and truth, not a single person is better off today — now that his voice has been effectively silenced.
Fox News parts ways with Tucker Carlson
22 replies
Fox News said Monday that it has “agreed to part ways” with anchor Tucker Carlson.
Carlson, who hosts “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on weekdays at 8 pm, broadcast his final show on April 21, Fox News said.
The company noted that “Fox News Tonight” will replace Carlson’s show and air live on an interim basis. The new show will be helmed by a rotating group of Fox News personalities until a new host is named.
The announcement comes days after Fox News’ parent company settled Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit for $787.5 million.
Chicago must reinstate city employees who were fired for refusing to comply with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate and rescind the requirement, a state administrative law judge has ruled. The decision came Wednesday in a case before the Illinois Labor Relations Board involving more than 20 unions representing city employees, which filed an unfair labor practices charge with the state panel after Lightfoot imposed the policy in the fall of 2021. (Snip) The judge ordered the city to reinstate the affected employees, with their personnel records expunged, and to compensate workers for any lost pay or benefits that resulted, with 7% interest.
Tory and Labour MPs dramatically unite
to stand up for women in toxic gender
rights debate 6 replies
to stand up for women in toxic gender
rights debate 6 replies
Labour’s Rosie Duffield and Conservative Miriam Cates today issue a rallying cry for the country to come together to protect women’s rights. The MPs have joined forces across the political divide to warn that extremist trans activists must not be allowed to wipe away a century of hard-won protections.
They have become formidable standard bearers in the battle to defend single-sex spaces and the right for a woman to be called a woman despite facing intense hostility from campaigners and even some male MPs.The pair told the Daily Express: “Women’s rights must be protected at all costs and we have united across the political divide
A little-noticed revamp of federal rules on mortgage fees will offer discounted rates for home buyers with riskier credit backgrounds — and force higher-credit homebuyers to foot the bill, The Post has learned.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will enact changes to fees known as loan-level price adjustments (LLPAs) on May 1 that will affect mortgages originating at private banks nationwide (SNIP) “This was a blatant and significant cut of fees for their highest-risk borrowers and a clear increase in much better credit quality buyers – which just clarified to the world that this move was a pretty significant cross-subsidy pricing change,”
“Chicago Tonight” host Brandis Friedman sat down with Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson for a wide-ranging interview on everything from why he chose to raise his family in Austin to how he’ll choose the next police superintendent. (Snip) Johnson: There’s no secret that the West Side of Chicago has yet to recover in totality from one of the more dramatic moments in our city’s history. And when Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. came to the West Side of Chicago and he expressed all that, which was certainly tumultuous, but he also expressed, what was possible, there’s great history here, right? So Chairman Fred Hampton, one of the great educators and organizers.
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Chicago Area High School Slammed Over
Segregated Math Courses for ‘Black’
and ‘Latinx’ Students Only 25 replies
Segregated Math Courses for ‘Black’
and ‘Latinx’ Students Only 25 replies
A Chicago area high school has come under fire after it was discovered the school is offering segregated mathematics classes for “Black” and “Latinx” students only.
Evanston Township High School District 202 (ETHS) is providing the racially segregated courses in calculus, pre-calculus, and algebra.ETHS’s math curriculum for the next school year suggests that the segregated classes will continue. One of ETHS’s pre-calculus courses describes, “[t]he course is restricted to students who identify as Black male students.” While another pre-calculus course mentions that it is only for “Latinx” students, and a third course does not have any restrictions based on gender or race.
State Sen. Shevrin Jones can often be seen at the Florida Capitol greeting staff and colleagues with a smile or laugh, but when he’s alone it’s a different story. “The outward expression is to show God’s love. That’s what I was taught,” said Jones, a Democrat. But, he said, “I have enough tears in my car to fill a lake.” For Jones, who is gay, the past two years have been emotionally draining as Florida passed a flurry of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.CORRECTION*
Trump was the most pro-life president of our lifetime.
During his term, President Trump defunded Planned Parenthood, signed the Mexico City Policy that prohibited foreign aid for abortions, nominated pro-life judges to the Supreme Court, and was vocal in his support for the rights of the unborn. His actions were recognized by many pro-life groups and individuals as having a significant impact on the pro-life movement.
So, why are these same pro-life groups who hailed Trump a hero suddenly abandoning him, now? There’s a very good reason, and you’re not going to like it one bit.
(Snip) And one of the biggest pro-life movements in the country is currently leading
The judge presiding over Hunter Biden's child support trial on Monday ripped into the First Son for 'sealing and redacting' his financial information.
'The ability to redact is somewhat being abused,' Judge Holly Meyer fumed. ‘I’m seeing a lot of things filed, especially by Mr. Biden’s counsel, sealing things, redacting things, that are not confidential.'
She suggested that lawyers for the First Son's baby mama should subpoena a downtown Manhattan art gallery to find out exactly how much he has made from selling his art.
During Monday’s press conference, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made a bold claim that illegal immigration has decreased by more than 90 percent. However, critics are calling out her statement as a lie and are accusing her of spreading misinformation.
“When it comes to illegal migration, you have seen it come down by more than 90%, and that’s because of the actions that this president has taken,” she said. (Tweet/Video) Others have pointed out that KJP’s statement is particularly egregious given the ongoing crisis at the border.
CHICAGO — U.S. cities already struggling to shelter thousands of migrants are calling for federal help and an end to Republican political gamesmanship over immigration, concerned that an expected increase in the number of people entering the country when pandemic-era asylum restrictions end on the U.S.-Mexico border May 11 will further strain their budgets and resources. Chicago has long pledged to welcome migrants. But a tenfold increase in recent days has taxed resources. Migrants awaiting beds in city-run shelters are sleeping on floors in police stations and in airports surrounded by suitcases. They’re depending on donors for food, medicine and
President Joe Biden is dispatching 1,500 soldiers to the Southern border to stem the surge of illegal immigrants that are expected to follow next Thursday’s expiration of Title 42, a pandemic-era public-health measure that allows Border Patrol to immediately expel illegal immigrants.
The active-duty Army units will assist Border Patrol and will be armed, though they will only be permitted to use their weapons in self-defense.
Following a request by the DHS, the Department of Defense agreed to “provide a temporary increase of an additional 1,500 military personnel, for 90 days, to supplement CBP efforts at the border,” an unnamed US official said in a statement provided to CNN.
Four years ago, Jill Biden was hesitant about her husband making a White House run, fearing the toll it could take on him and the family.
In the months before Joe Biden formally announced he’d make a reelection bid, she had no such reservations.
Privately, the first lady encouraged her husband to run again while giving him the space he needed to process the decision in the way he traditionally does: with extensive deliberations, consideration of the burden it would place on his family, and a bit of classic Biden hemming and hawing. She was involved in all the high-level discussions around the decision, giving counsel when she felt it was necessary.
The U.S. Secret Service said Monday it blocked a Muslim mayor from New Jersey from attending a White House celebration with President Joe Biden to belatedly mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Shortly before he was set to arrive at the White House for the Eid-al-Fitr celebration, Mayor Mohamed Khairullah said he received a call from the White House stating that he had not been cleared for entry by the Secret Service and could not attend the celebration where Biden delivered remarks to hundreds of guests.
He said the White House official did not explain why
There are still 553 days until Election Day 2024, but right now, things look pretty bleak for President Joe Biden.
Shortly after Biden announced his re-election campaign — not with a live event featuring thousands of cheering supporters but with a weird video posted on his website — his job approval rating among the U.S. public slipped to 37%, Gallup reports.That’s just slightly more than 1 in 3 people — not a winning number. In the 2020 election, Biden won 51.3% of the vote, so that’s a 14.3% drop in support.
And for the record, 37% is the lowest Gallup has measured for him to date.
Once the sun sets on the Himalayas and temperatures drop, a cacophony of eerie noises erupts deep within the glaciers around Mount Everest.
Researchers led by the glaciologist Evgeny Podolskiy have found that the chorus of crashing and splintering noises in the high-altitude glaciers is a result of sharp drops in temperature after dark that causes ice to crack.
The team pinpointed the cause of the sounds in 2018 after spending more than a week trekking through the Nepalese Himalayas to test the seismic activity of the Trakarding-Trambau Glacier system there. Dr Podolskiy and his team spent three weeks shivering on the glacier in full view of Mt Everest,
Around 15 years ago CTH outlined the inclusive goal of the progressive movement, modern Democrats as they were evolving, was to deconstruct the U.S. economic system so that Americans would be forced to live in government-controlled poverty. Essentially reduced to circling a campfire, eating sustainable algae cakes and picking parasites off our family members.
Most people understandably scoffed and said we were being hyperbolic. (snip)Fast forward a decade+ later, and there is Joe Biden’s Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, explaining why it is better for the health of the planet if Americans lose their jobs, lose their economic sustainability, starve in feudal poverty,