| What happens to the articles of impeachment now? Posted: 19 Dec 2019 02:34 PM PST  What does it mean to withhold articles of impeachment? A trial cannot begin until those articles of impeachment are delivered by the House to the Senate. How are the articles of impeachment transmitted from the House to the Senate? Why are Democrats delaying sending the articles?
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| Film documents Honduran family’s struggle to find asylum in U.S. Posted: 20 Dec 2019 02:38 PM PST  In "Towards the North," viewers get an intimate look into the daily battles of asylum seekers from Central America through the eyes of Nelly and her daughter, Joseline.
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| MS-13 arrests deal blow to gang leadership on Long Island Posted: 20 Dec 2019 11:49 AM PST ![MS-13 arrests deal blow to gang leadership on Long Island]( "MS-13 arrests deal blow to gang leadership on Long Island") Authorities said Friday they have dealt an unprecedented blow to the violent MS-13 street gang, announcing charges against nearly 100 of the group's members and associates on Long Island. Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini revealed a sweeping indictment that he said "decimated" the gang's leadership and drug suppliers on Long Island. The two-year investigation by state and federal authorities thwarted more than a half-dozen murder plots, Sini said, and also provided authorities insights into the gang's structure and recruiting patterns.
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| Everyone ganged up on Pete Buttigieg at the Democratic debate, and these numbers show why that was basically guaranteed Posted: 19 Dec 2019 08:28 PM PST  We're getting closer and closer to votes. At this point, Buttigieg, considered a top-tier candidate, is vulnerable.
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| China censors viral clips of a rare university protest after the academy downgrades 'freedom of thought' Posted: 19 Dec 2019 04:17 AM PST  China has censored online all mentions and video clips of a rare protest at a university after the institution dropped the phrase, "freedom of thought," from its charter. The new charter for Fudan University in Shanghai – one of China's most prestigious – now includes a pledge to "serving the governance of the Communist Party" and pushes "academic independence" below "patriotism," leading to uproar among students and faculty. The changes came to light Tuesday when the country's education ministry said it had approved similar alterations for three universities. Within hours, the Fudan charter amendments were trending online, with at least one hashtag generating at least a million views. Clips also circulated online showing students staging a flash mob protest on campus, singing the school's anthem, which includes the phrase "freedom of thought". Fudan professors also took online to express their alarm. Qu Weiguo, a professor of foreign languages, posted that he was "very shocked" to learn about the changes, which he said were made without consulting faculty. But shortly after, such mentions and posts online were all deleted by China's active government censors, which routinely block news and information, and scrub the internet clean of any dissenting comments. Video that circulated this week showed students at Shanghai's Fudan University gathering to sing the school song Credit: HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images Since Xi Jinping, leader of the Chinese Communist Party, came to power in 2012, China has engaged in a widespread crackdown online and in civil society in a campaign that has sent a chill across the country. Mr Xi has called for allegiance to the Party from the country's universities, with some institutions even setting up departments to root out ideological "weakness." All this has led to tightening of academic freedoms – professors failing to toe the party line have been suspended from their posts. Informants are also believed to be keeping an eye on them – foreign and Chinese alike. Late Wednesday, the university posted a statement online saying the charter changes were made "in strict accordance with legal procedures." Beijing has kept tight control over universities every since student-led protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989 – ending in bloodshed after the government ordered the military to suppress the uprising. Universities – and schools – have never had robus academic independence, with curriculums and textbooks all vetted by the government. Certain topics deemed sensitive by the party are left out, or presented in a fashion palatable to the government. But many experts have criticised the tightening under Xi as heralding a new era of squashing dissent. China is also on heightened watch over universities given fears that widespread protests in Hong Kong largely led by students - now entering a seventh continuous month - could spill over into the mainland. Indeed, Fudan's new charter says the university would "weaponise the minds of teachers and students using Xi Jinping's socialism ideology with Chinese characteristics in the new era." The university has since posted a statement online saying the changes were made "in strict accordance with legal procedures."
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| NZealand to close gun buyback sparked by mosque shootings Posted: 19 Dec 2019 06:16 PM PST  A key element of the ban was a buyback scheme accompanied by an amnesty, giving gun owners a payment and a guarantee of "no questions asked" when they handed in weapons deemed illegal under new laws. "There will be no extension -– anyone prosecuted may lose their firearms licence and could face a penalty of up to five years imprisonment," police said. Gun control advocates say the scheme has succeeded despite opposition from some firearms owners, who they accuse of adopting hardline tactics similar to the US National Rifle Association (NRA).
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| Va. attorney general: Gun sanctuary resolutions have 'no legal effect' Posted: 20 Dec 2019 01:37 PM PST  Resolutions passed by local governments declaring themselves "Second Amendment Sanctuaries" have "no legal effect," Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said Friday.
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| Great white shark weighing 998 pounds detected on Florida coast twice before the holidays Posted: 19 Dec 2019 08:53 AM PST  A week before Christmas, Ironbound, a 12-foot, 4-inch great white shark, pinged, according to its Ocearch tracker. He weighs a whopping 998 pounds.
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| White House: Trump was 'just riffing' about late Rep. John Dingell 'looking up' from hell Posted: 19 Dec 2019 07:37 AM PST  Press secretary Stephanie Grisham said President Trump was "just riffing" when he suggested at a Michigan rally that Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell's late husband, Rep. John Dingell, was "looking up" from hell when she voted to impeach the president.
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| U.S. deports Mexicans far from border, may send others to Guatemala Posted: 19 Dec 2019 08:59 AM PST  WASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The United States began flying Mexican deportees deep into Mexico on Thursday, and senior U.S. and Guatemalan officials said Mexicans seeking U.S. refuge might be sent to the Central American nation, in a renewed effort to slash border crossings. One immigration shelter in the city said it had been informed of a likely influx of deportees.
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| Wisconsin governor rejects 'Making a Murderer' pardon bid Posted: 20 Dec 2019 07:52 AM PST  The request from Brendan Dassey filed in October does not meet the criteria for a pardon consideration because he has not completed his prison sentence and he is a required to register as a sex offender, the letter from Evers' pardons board released by the governor's office said. Advocates have been clamoring for Dassey to be freed but ran out of options in the courts after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear his latest appeal. Evers has also made it a policy not to consider requests to commute prison sentences.
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| That’s What a Good Presidential Debate Looks Like Posted: 19 Dec 2019 10:06 PM PST  (Bloomberg Opinion) -- The big winners in the latest Democratic debate were coherence and sanity. With only seven candidates on stage, and a mostly strong performance from the Politico/PBS panel of journalists, this was a contest that really worked in terms of sparking good discussions on policy and allowing confrontations between the candidates that were their choice, not the result of moderators picking fights.I suspect the five plausible nominees on the platform — Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — all feel that they did what they came to do. As usual, it's anyone's guess what Democrats watching, especially in Iowa and New Hampshire, believe. And, as usual, how the debate will affect anything (if at all) will be determined in large part by how the media interpret what happened and which clips get the most mileage. For Klobuchar, the candidate with the most on the line, being one of seven certainly appeared to help. At the very least, she was easy to notice — second among the candidates with just under 20 minutes of speaking time, narrowly trailing Sanders and edging Buttigieg and Warren.For voters who are just tuning in, even those who say they have a favorite candidate already, Klobuchar very much seemed like one of the handful of possible choices — and for someone at around 3% in the national polls, that's the best she can hope for. She's good at these debates, and this time she had a chance to show it.Most notably, when the first big fight of the night broke out between Buttigieg and Warren, Klobuchar (at least as I saw it) won decisively by being the peacemaker and then pivoting to a policy point. On the other hand, I'm not sure how well her subsequent attack on Buttigieg went over; she praised the legislative successes she and the others have had in Congress compared to his lack of similar experience. (Congress-loving political scientists in my Twitter feed enjoyed it, but there aren't too many Congress-lovers among Democratic voters or any other larger group, as far as I can tell). Again, what effect that will have on the polls and on Democratic Party actors is hard to predict.That goes for all of them. Buttigieg, who has surged in Iowa polls, took the most attacks. Warren had several strong moments, as she normally does. What does all of that mean to Buttigieg's momentum and Warren's recent dip? Wait for the polls. Sanders did what he always does, which at this point shouldn't change anyone's mind.Biden? As several people have pointed out, he didn't receive much in the way of direct attacks, and only once, with Sanders over health care, did he really engage in a heated squabble. Biden leads in the national polls, and is within range of the lead in Iowa and New Hampshire. He has a solid lead in high-profile endorsements.The former vice president didn't talk as much as the others, leading only outsiders Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer, but unlike previous debates, he avoided trademark gaffes, awkward moments, and outdated references (at least, I didn't notice any). It's not clear how strong his lead really is, but if all he needs to do is not mess up, he certainly achieved that. Whether anyone was paying attention the week before Christmas and the day after Donald Trump was impeached is an open question. If Democrats tuned in, the discussion of policy by candidates comfortable talking about any number of issues, and doing so without insulting recently dead members of Congress, was probably a welcome change. It was also a contrast with the largely repetitive and rarely eloquent House consideration of impeachment. That likely makes it even harder for the eight candidates who didn't receive invitations this time to qualify for the next one. This was, however, the last debate where short-term effects for the leading candidates won't really matter much. (Michael Bloomberg, the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg Opinion parent company Bloomberg L.P., is also seeking the nomination.) The next debate, on Jan. 14, will have the Iowa caucuses right around the corner Feb. 3. Democratic voters, at least those in the early states, will be paying attention. And soon afterward, there won't be seven candidates still running, whether they're on the stage or not.To contact the author of this story: Jonathan Bernstein at jbernstein62@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Patrick McDowell at pmcdowell10@bloomberg.netThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. He taught political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University and wrote A Plain Blog About Politics.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Durham Scrutinizing Former CIA Director Brennan’s Role in Russia Investigation Posted: 20 Dec 2019 05:01 AM PST  Federal prosecutor John Durham, tasked with probing the Russia investigation into the Trump 2016 campaign by Attorney General William Barr, is scrutinizing what role former CIA director John Brennan played in the investigation, the New York Times reported Thursday.Durham has requested various documents from the CIA including Brennan's emails and call logs, according to the Times. The prosecutor is looking into what Brennan knew of the Steele dossier, how the dossier was received by the agency, and whether Brennan conferred with former FBI director James Comey regarding it.Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz found that the dossier played a "central and essential" role in the FISA application to surveil Trump-campaign adviser Carter Page. In his report released earlier this month, Horowitz also confirmed that the FBI did not inform the court that the dossier, which some in the CIA believed amounted to an "internet rumor," was commissioned by the Hillary Clinton campaign, and was never independently verified by the bureau.Durham is also trying to discover if Brennan privately contradicted any public testimony he made regarding the Russia investigation.On Wednesday Barr confirmed on Fox News that Durham's investigation was casting a wide net by looking at several aspects of the Russia investigation."He's not just looking at the FBI, he's looking at other agencies, and departments, and also private actors, so it's a much broader investigation," Barr said. Durham "is looking at all the conduct both before and after the election."Durham upgraded the investigation from an administrative review to a criminal probe in October but it's unclear what, if any, criminal acts he's uncovered.
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| The mystery of MH370 remains more than 5 years later — here are all the theories, dead ends, and unanswered questions from the most bizarre airline disaster of the century Posted: 20 Dec 2019 04:47 AM PST  Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 disappeared in 2014 with 239 people on board en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. Mystery has swirled since.
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| Billions Spent and a Million Dead: The Iran-Iraq War Was An Enormous Waste Of Everything Posted: 20 Dec 2019 01:46 AM PST  Over $350 billion spent and one million dead. For what?
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| 9 Stylish Bar Carts to Keep the Party Moving and Grooving Posted: 20 Dec 2019 05:00 AM PST |
| 'A very cruel act': At least 15 horses were shot and killed in Kentucky, police say Posted: 20 Dec 2019 04:11 AM PST  Authorities are investigating after at least 15 horses were reportedly found fatally shot Tuesday near a strip mining site in Eastern Kentucky.
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| Pelosi's risky strategy to withhold impeachment from Senate roils Washington Posted: 19 Dec 2019 09:38 AM PST  Democrats want to put pressure on Republican senators over the issue of calling witnesses in a Senate impeachment trial, and they are looking to create friction between President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi struggled Thursday to explain what her plan is in delaying sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate.
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| 'Homosexual face': Brazil's Bolsonaro lashes out at press Posted: 20 Dec 2019 10:43 AM PST  Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro lashed out at journalists on Friday, saying one had a homosexual's "face" in a remark that was promptly mocked by the president's critics. A visibly upset Bolsonaro accused the press of bias against him and his son, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro. Prosecutors in Rio de Janeiro are investigating allegations the younger Bolsonaro hired employees with no duties while he was a state legislator.
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| Mysterious Bags of Cash Trigger Major Hong Kong Protest Arrests Posted: 19 Dec 2019 10:17 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Glancing at bags of cash stuffed to the brim earlier this month, Gary Fan simply wanted someone to remove them from an office in Hong Kong used by his political party.The former pro-democracy lawmaker had collected HK$2.7 million ($345,000) during an anti-government protest the day before, and was waiting for someone to pick it up from a mysterious group known as Spark Alliance that helps bail protesters out of jail. The next day, a person whom he knew and trusted came to collect the cash, even though Fan says he doesn't know who exactly is behind the group or where the money ends up."We just work by an honor system now, trusting them with a good cause," Fan said in a Dec. 11 interview, adding that Spark Alliance has "earned credibility with real work" like getting legal assistance for protesters. Still, he said, "I absolutely agree there should be more disclosure, transparency and accountability when you take money from the public."On Thursday evening, police announced the arrests of four people connected with Spark Alliance for suspected money laundering, the first cases brought over financing the demonstrations after six months of protests against China's tightening grip over Hong Kong. Authorities froze HK$70 million of bank deposits and personal insurance products linked to the fund, while also seizing HK$130,000 in cash."The police attempted, through false statements, to distort the work of Spark Alliance as money laundering for malicious uses," the group said in a statement on Facebook. "Spark Alliance condemns this kind of defamatory action."The crackdown deals a major blow to demonstrators as they face ever-mounting legal bills, with more than 6,000 people arrested since June. Spark Alliance, one of the largest crowd-funding campaigns supporting the protests, plays a crucial behind-the-scenes role -- often sending anonymous representatives to bail protesters out of jail in the middle of the night.The latest arrests risk deterring Hong Kong's professional class from giving more cash, potentially curbing a substantial source of funds that have helped sustain the protests longer than anyone had expected. They also show the limits of the leaderless movement's ability to manage tens of millions of dollars with little oversight outside of a formal financial system.Funds bankrolling the protests have collectively raised at least HK$254 million ($33 million) since June, with 70% coming from just two groups, Spark Alliance and the 612 Humanitarian Fund, according to a tally based on disclosures from the groups and an analysis of publicly available documents. That figure doesn't reflect all the money raised related to the protests, only the funds Bloomberg News could verify.The $33 million alone amounts to a third of the money the city has spent in overtime pay to 11,000 police officers since June, and would be able to purchase some 300,000 gas masks. But the largest costs faced by protesters are legal fees that may stretch out for years.Nearly 1,000 people have been charged for offenses like rioting, which carries a jail sentence of as much as a decade, according to police. The 612 Fund says it can cost up to HK$1.8 million per person for a 60-day legal defense, and many trials last far longer. Some proceedings related to Hong Kong's 2014 Occupy protests are still ongoing.Among dozens of groups, Spark Alliance is one of the most secretive: Even some donors and lawyers who assist the group say they don't know who runs it, while the bank account listed on its website belongs to a firm that owns a pest control company. A person who picked up Spark Alliance's hotline last week said the number was only for protester requests. The group didn't respond to requests for comment via Facebook, Whatsapp or Telegram.'We Need Protection'"Spark is probably less transparent but people tend to believe them," said Jason, a protester in his 30s who asked to be identified by his English name. He said he memorized the group's phone number and called the group after he was arrested in August. Seven hours later, two lawyers helped arrange HK$4,000 in bail money."Everyone knows the cost to fight for this movement and not everyone can afford lawyer fees," he said. "We need protection."Over the past few months he's raised half a million dollars for Spark Alliance and other charities through the sale of Hong Kong-themed figurines, including a miniature Carrie Lam and a masked protester. Asked on Thursday night if he would still give the money to Spark Alliance, Jason said he wanted more information on the arrests.Even before the police action on Thursday, many of the bankers, accountants and other Hong Kong professionals who give money in lieu of battling authorities in the streets were concerned about retribution for supporting the protests. While lawyers say it would be difficult to prove a donor violated any laws, people fear that reporting mechanisms in place to deter terrorist financing and anti-money laundering could still end up flagging contributions to authorities.HSBC Holdings Plc last month said it shut down Spark Alliance's bank account after it "spotted activity differing from the stated purpose of the company account."HSBC decided to close the account, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified. Freezing it would entail locking up millions in funds raised to support the protesters. After closing the account, the bank returned more than HK$50 million in checks to people affiliated with Spark Alliance, one of the people said. It's unclear whether the group has found another bank since the checks haven't been cashed and the account owner hasn't provided relevant information, they said.Why Hong Kong Is Still Protesting and Where It May Go: QuickTake"HSBC never takes the decision to suspend or close any account lightly," spokeswoman Maggie Cheung said, while declining to comment on specific details. On Friday, the bank said its decision to close the account was unrelated to the "current Hong Kong situation," without elaborating.Spark Alliance's Facebook page lists the account holder as Prime Management Service Ltd. According to Hong Kong's companies registry, the only business in active operation with that name is wholly owned by company director Tony Wong, who also runs a pest control company, according to LinkedIn. Reached on Dec. 11 through a mobile phone number listed in the registry, Wong said he "did not know these things" and hung up when asked why Prime Management Service lent the use of its bank account to Spark Alliance.Spark Alliance said on Nov. 18 it would cease accepting money via bank transfers after HSBC closed its account. Instead, it said it would sell gift cards through its website. Since then, a stream of supporters have posted photos of their gift card receipts on Facebook. Transactions are processed by Paypal and Stripe, but it's unclear where the funds go from there. On Friday, its website appeared to be stripped of all previous information and a donation function.'Encourage Teenagers'Earlier this month, the Hong Kong government referred requests for comment to the police, which had declined to comment. On Thursday, police said Spark Alliance claimed to help arrested protesters but instead bought personal insurance products."We do not exclude the possibility that the fund is used as a reward to encourage teenagers to come out and join in the civil unrest," Acting Senior Superintendent Chan Wai-kei told reporters. Police didn't disclose the names of those arrested.The shadowy nature of financing for the protests has helped China's government and state-run media outlets push a narrative that the demonstrations are being financed by the U.S. and other foreign powers. Beijing threatened sanctions this month against U.S.-based groups like the National Endowment for Democracy, which donated $686,000 to Hong Kong nonprofits in 2019. The group called China's accusations "categorically false."On the ground in Hong Kong, fundraising tactics have been hotly debated among protesters as legal costs increase. Some have criticized Spark Alliance for a lack of transparency and others have denounced the 612 Humanitarian Fund -- the other main financing arm of the protests -- for hoarding cash.Named after the date in June when demonstrations escalated, the 612 fund appears to be the polar opposite of Spark Alliance. It discloses audited financial statements online and requires protesters to give real names for legal aid. The fund has 19 employees and trustees include well-known local figures like singer Denise Ho, Cardinal Joseph Zen, and barrister Margaret Ng.The vastly different management styles of Spark Alliance and 612 fund mirror divergent tactics in the wider protest movement, which has sought to avoid the splintering factions that have hurt previous democracy crusades in Hong Kong. One side caters to front-line protesters who use anonymity and violence to pressure authorities, while the other supports the pro-democracy movement's goals within traditional legal bounds.The 612 fund has been chided in online forums for deploying only 24% of the money it raised while asking protesters to first apply for legal aid from the city. Other critics see the 612 fund as part of an older political establishment in Hong Kong that has failed the younger generation of democracy advocates, and they believe Spark Alliance is closer to protesters in the trenches."The younger generation doesn't trust in any institutions, not even those that advocate for democracy," said Patrick Poon, a researcher at Amnesty International in Hong Kong. "It's an irrational decision to trust in a group believed to be closer to the people on the ground even if they don't know who is behind the fund."Ng, a 612 fund trustee, said the group is supported by "members of the public that are incensed by what is being done by police and government.""The movement is ongoing and we are using the funds for the stated purpose of humanitarian aid," she said. "We don't have any obligation to spend all the money immediately."For protesters like Ventus Lau, a 26-year-old activist who has been arrested twice during the protests, the debate over financing risks undercutting the wider aims of the movement. Many demonstrators head to the front lines due to the confidence that others will help them financially if they are arrested, he said."It has been our core value that there is no division in this movement," he said. "Not only Spark, whenever there is any criticism, we feel we should not be criticizing anyone else -- at least until final victory."Lau was first arrested in August for unlawful assembly at a demonstration he helped organize that later turned violent. He was detained for 46 hours before a 612 fund representative showed up with HK$5,000 ($640) in bail money. A couple of weeks later, he was arrested again for his suspected role in the July 1 storming of Hong Kong's Legislative Council building.Lau said his lawyer plans to apply to the 612 fund to pay for his defense, which could span years and cost hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars. The funds raised so far have helped protesters but won't be enough to cover all of their legal expenses, he said."We take a lot of risks when we go to protests and some people can't take that risk, so they donate money," Lau said. "When they watch the news they feel guilty or powerless and feel a heavy duty to do something, so they will trust anyone."The biggest funds sprung into action when the anti-extradition bill protests erupted in June and police started arresting demonstrators en masse. Alongside them grew a separate network, largely online, to pay for things like helmets, masks, food vouchers and other front-line supplies. It's trickier to tally those donations since they're arranged through messaging apps or dropped off at demonstrations. These items don't cost much --a petrol bomb costs about $10 -- but are often discarded to avoid arrest.For many young demonstrators, the funds are an essential lifeline. Peter To, a 22-year-old front-line protester, said he lost his job after joining too many work strikes and now has no income."If I didn't have this help, I'd be in real trouble and wouldn't have money to eat," he said.The methods for supporting protesters have become increasingly sophisticated, with message apps like Telegram supporting case management systems. Earlier this month, a poster who said she was 16 years old asked for HK$1,500 from a group with 4,000 subscribers called "Want Rice, I Pay," saying her parents wouldn't support her after she was caught sneaking off to demonstrations. Hours after the group's administrator issued her case no. 73, she was matched with a donor.A 19-year-old student surnamed Ling, who regularly goes to the front lines, described the crucial role played by what she refers to as an online "parent" who pays for safe houses to sleep in after protests. "Police will follow protesters back home and arrest them," she said.Donors say the need for more financial support is only going to grow larger, especially for the hundreds of protesters who face mounting legal costs. Ms. Leung, a banker in her 30s who donates $600 a month to groups including 612 and Spark Alliance, said the lack of transparency around some funds didn't bother her."It's not a lot of money and I'm happy as long as I can help people in need," she said, requesting that she only be identified by her surname for fear of reprisals. "The movement wouldn't have lasted this long if people didn't give support."Fan, the former pro-democracy lawmaker, collected bags of cash for Spark Alliance at a rally with government approval convened by Civil Human Rights Front, which has held six major marches since June. Vice-convener Eric Lai said each one costs more than HK$250,000 to put on, excluding insurance fees, with excess money directed to the 612 Fund.After the arrests connected to Spark on Thursday night, Fan directed his ire at the authorities."I am more concerned of how the police and government to suppress the movement more than how Spark Alliance handled the funds," he said. "I am worried those in need for legal aid and in jail would lose one major form of help."(Updates with HSBC statement.)\--With assistance from Shawna Kwan, Blake Schmidt, Josie Wong, Aaron Mc Nicholas, Natalie Lung and Justin Chin.To contact the reporters on this story: Shelly Banjo in Hong Kong at sbanjo@bloomberg.net;Alfred Liu in Hong Kong at aliu226@bloomberg.net;Kiuyan Wong in Hong Kong at kwong739@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Ten Kate at dtenkate@bloomberg.net, Jonas BergmanFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| New Jersey Governor Signs Bill Allowing Illegal Immigrants to Get Driver’s Licenses Posted: 20 Dec 2019 07:43 AM PST  New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Thursday signed a bill allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.The bill will allow those living in New Jersey who are unable to prove they are legal residents to obtain permits, "standard" driver's licenses, and "Real ID" cards. The measure was passed by the state legislature this week."Expanding access to driver's licenses is critical for the safety of New Jerseyans and a step toward building a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all," the governor said in a statement. "Allowing residents the opportunity to obtain driver's licenses regardless of their immigration status will decrease the number of uninsured drivers and increase safety on our roads."The new type of license for undocumented residents will be available by January, 2021 at the latest. The documentation required to obtain the licenses is yet to be determined, but applicants will have to prove their identity, age, and residency in New Jersey. Applicants will not be allowed to obtain a commercial driver's license or drive school buses.The bill also mandates that New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission must provide translators for applicants who do not speak English.MVC Chief Administrator Sue Fulton said granting driver's license to undocumented immigrants will also help prevent the "break-up of families.""Those who pass our driver testing and meet our strict identity requirements will be able to drive to work, school, doctor's appointments, and other activities, without risking the break-up of their families," she said.The bill makes New Jersey the 14th state to grant driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. New York's law granting the licenses went into effect this week after a legal challenge fell flat.
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| Andrew Yang, Pete Buttigieg, and Amy Klobuchar won Thursday's Democratic presidential debate Posted: 19 Dec 2019 08:46 PM PST  Sen. Bernie Sanders didn't fare as well during the debate, fumbling a question about the lack of racial diversity in the 2020 race.
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| The Radical Designs of the Australian Architect Peter Stutchbury Posted: 20 Dec 2019 08:24 AM PST |
| Ex-Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin defends pardon of convicted child rapist Posted: 19 Dec 2019 07:59 PM PST  Former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin defended his controversial last-minute pardon of a man convicted of raping a 9-year-old.
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| British Aircraft Carriers Could Soon Be Sailing In The U.S. Navy Posted: 19 Dec 2019 10:00 PM PST  Britain needs cash.
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| Trump accidentally says Democrats will receive an impeachment 'backlash at the box office' Posted: 19 Dec 2019 05:51 AM PST  Who would have taken President Trump for a box office prognosticator?He briefly became one with a gaffe at his Wednesday night rally, which occurred at the same time the House of Representatives passed articles of impeachment charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The president meant to declare that Democrats will experience a backlash in the 2020 election for impeaching him, but instead, he briefly got the worlds of entertainment and politics all mixed up."They'll receive a big backlash at the box office," Trump said of House Democrats, before trying to casually correct himself moments later by referencing "that ballot box on November 3rd," as if that's what he said the first time.Then again, if Trump did mean box office, it wouldn't be out of character. He declared in August that "Hollywood is racist" and that "what they're doing with the kind of movies they're putting out, it's actually very dangerous to our country."Or perhaps he was actually talking about the Democrats' decision to hold a presidential debate on the opening night of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, predicting a huge surge in ticket sales from those who are specifically choosing not to tune in. As Trump might say, who can figure out the true meaning of the box office comment? Enjoy! > Pres. Trump: House Democrats "look like a bunch of fools…They'll receive a big backlash at the box office." https://t.co/O9l3h6v4WW pic.twitter.com/3mxqYeprIi> > -- ABC News (@ABC) December 19, 2019More stories from theweek.com Trump is now attacking Christianity Today — and its editor is doubling down The debate that didn't matter George Conway has a savage new nickname for post-impeachment Trump
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| Philippine massacre masterminds jailed for life over 57 murders Posted: 18 Dec 2019 07:34 PM PST  A Philippine court found the bosses of an influential political clan guilty on Thursday of masterminding a 2009 massacre of 57 people, a ruling cheered as a partial victory for justice and a challenge to the country's notorious culture of impunity. Eight members of the powerful Ampatuan family were among 28 people sentenced to life imprisonment over their roles in a ambush on an election motorcade in Maguindanao province, and the gunning-down of all who witnessed it. Among the victims of the "Maguindanao Massacre" were 32 journalists in what was one of the world's single biggest attacks on media.
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| Nurses defend Ohio doctor charged in deaths at hospital Posted: 20 Dec 2019 10:35 AM PST ![Nurses defend Ohio doctor charged in deaths at hospital]( "Nurses defend Ohio doctor charged in deaths at hospital") Ten former colleagues of an Ohio hospital doctor who pleaded not guilty to murder in 25 patients' deaths are coming to his defense in a new lawsuit. The action was brought Thursday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court by nine nurses and a pharmacist once employed by Mount Carmel Health System in Columbus, NBC News reported. In it, the former employees argue that the hospital wrongfully terminated and defamed Dr. William Husel.
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| Russia Says Shooter at Moscow Spy Headquarters Was Lone Wolf Posted: 20 Dec 2019 07:54 AM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Russian investigators said a single man was responsible for a Thursday evening attack on the Federal Security Service's headquarters in central Moscow that killed two of the agency's employees.One of the victims lost his life at the scene and the second died in the hospital from wounds he received in the attack, Russia's Investigative Committee said in a statement Friday. Five others, including one civilian, were wounded and the shooter was killed, it said.The committee identified the attacker as 39-year-old Evgeny Manyurov, a Moscow region resident. Initial reports said as many as three men were involved in the attack, and videos posted on social media showed officers conducting random searches of people in the area following the shooting."It seems that this man wasn't interested in politics," Alexei Makarkin, deputy head of the Moscow-based Center for Political Technologies, said. "This is unlikely to lead to the tightening of the screws" unless people start praising him in social media, he said.The brazen attack in a heavily-policed area filled with government agencies and restaurants about a half mile from the Kremlin came around the same time President Vladimir Putin was attending a concert nearby in honor of the Russian security services.At that event, Putin praised the security services, saying they had prevented 54 terrorist crimes, including 33 attacks, since the beginning of the year.The FSB, as the security service is known, was last targeted in October 2018, when a 17-year-old anarchist injured 3 officers when he blew himself up during an attack on the intelligence service's Arkhangelsk office, leading to a nationwide crackdown of people critical of the agency.(Updates death toll in first paragraph)\--With assistance from Ilya Arkhipov.To contact the reporters on this story: Jake Rudnitsky in Moscow at jrudnitsky@bloomberg.net;Stepan Kravchenko in Moscow at skravchenko@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Torrey Clark at tclark8@bloomberg.net, Tony HalpinFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Trump's food stamp cuts begin soon – and black Americans to be hardest hit Posted: 19 Dec 2019 09:15 AM PST  New work requirements are set to throw 700,000 people off Snap benefits, with African Americans to be particularly hard hitAs Kyle Waide visited the Atlanta community food bank recently, where he is CEO, he ran into a woman who had recently lost her administrative job at a university. She was looking for work, she told him, but it was hard to find. She was struggling to get by.Though she had food stamp benefits, she still needed to visit Waide's food bank until she landed a new job, she added, because she had a home and a child to pay for. With her job gone, she said, she needed all the extra help she could get to feed her family.Thousands in Atlanta like her are already struggling to make ends meet, even before the Trump administration scales back benefits to low-income Americans to the supplemental nutrition assistance program (Snap) as food stamps are known. Approximately 700,000 Americans will soon lose their benefits as the government tightens the regulations around stable work requirements for recipients, stretching the already scarce resources of the communities that Waide's operation helps.Those communities are often African American, raising the prospect that Trump's move will put extra stress on minority families. Approximately one in three households using Snap benefits are African American. In general, African American households are more likely to experience food insecurity, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. In 2016, Snap helped more than 13 million African American households put food on the table, according to data from the US agriculture department's fiscal year 2016 Snap Households Characteristic data.Waide stresses the importance of Snap even as his food bank provides more than 63m meals to more than 750,000 Georgians annually. Snap, he says, provides 12 times the amount of assistance that food banks do nationwide."[Snap] is a very important source of nutrition for families, kids and seniors in our community," he says. Annually, the food bank helps 10,000 residents of the state enroll for or renew Snap benefits.Alex Camardelle, senior policy analyst at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, says many of the 100,000 Georgians who are thought to be affected by the coming change will be African American."We're concerned that high levels of unemployment in certain areas of the state, despite an overall improvement in the unemployment numbers, is going to disproportionately impact black Georgians," he says.Black Georgians, he adds, have an unemployment rate in the state that could be triple that of white residents, often because of additional barriers they face, like where they live, access to transportation and the difficulty of finding a job in a mandated period of time.Waide echoes the sentiment. "Poverty and hunger disproportionately affect people of color. These are going to be low-income folks in rural communities who are economically vulnerable by definition," he said. "When they can't eat, they can't get over other hurdles."Rural households experience more struggle with food security, according to the Food Research and Action Center, compared with households in metro areas. Food insecurity is also twice as high among African American households compared with white households, in rural communities or not.The average Georgian on Snap benefits remains approximately eight months before cycling out of the program as they get back to some sort of stability, Waide explains, just as the program intends. The myth of anyone perpetually staying on government benefits just is not true, he says.When the change to the work requirement takes place in April next year, Waide is confident the food bank will see a high demand to try to make up for the shortfall.Last year, he points out, his food bank stepped in when a government shutdown left thousands of federal workers in Atlanta without pay."We mobilized our network and donors to distribute hundreds of thousands of meals. And we'll do the same here, this time," he said.
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| Philippines' Duterte won't answer to ICC over drugs deaths Posted: 20 Dec 2019 05:55 AM PST  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte dared the International Criminal Court on Friday to jail him or hang him over alleged extrajudicial killings in his war on drugs but said he would refuse to cooperate with foreigners if put on trial.
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| Andrew Yang called it an 'honor and disappointment' to be the only non-white candidate at the latest Democratic debate Posted: 20 Dec 2019 05:38 AM PST  Yang said his signature "basic income" policy would ensure more persons of color would be able to take part in the presidential race.
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| The Upgraded AC-130 Is the Ultimate Gunship Posted: 19 Dec 2019 06:30 PM PST  ISIS already knows how deadly the gunship is.
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| Trump calls Democrats 'anti-American' as he unveils $4m funding drive to fight impeachment Posted: 19 Dec 2019 12:03 PM PST  Donald Trump branded the Democratic party "anti-American" on Thursday as he attempted to turn being impeached into a political advantage. The US president released a fundraising drive within hours of the vote seeking $4 million (£3.1m) within 24 hours as he seized on the fact that not a single Republican voted to impeach him. As part of a concerted effort to shape the narrative, Mr Trump shared a picture of himself pointing at the camera saying: "In reality they're not after me, they're after you". Mr Trump chose to hold a campaign rally in the aptly named city of Battle Creek in Michigan while the vote to impeach him on charges of abusing power and obstructing Congress was happening in Washington. US networks carried split-screen footage of crowds cheering on the president while the somber House vote proceeded, offering a visual illustration of the deep public divide on impeachment. Recent polls suggest American's are equally split on the issue, with the website Five Thirty Eight showing 47.4 per cent in favour of impeachment and 46.3 per cent against it. Meanwhile a new row erupted Thursday over the Senate trial, which will decide whether to remove Mr Trump from office, following the House of Representatives vote to impeach a president for only the third time in US history. Democrats are demanding that new witnesses, including some in Mr Trump's inner circle, are called to give evidence on what they know about the Ukraine scandal that led to his impeachment. pic.twitter.com/DutxclyZw9— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2019 But the Republicans, who set the parameters of the trial thanks to their majority in the Senate, are arguing that nobody else should be called to testify. In an apparent attempt to force concessions, the Democrats have indicated they may delay the Senate proceedings by refusing to hand over the impeachment articles until a "fair" process is agreed upon. Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat House Speaker who called the impeachment vote, said: "So far we haven't seen anything that looks fair to us. Nancy Pelosi has threatened to delay proceedings Credit: Rex Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, criticised the delay and suggested Democrats were simply "afraid" of trial's outcome, with Mr Trump all but certain to be acquitted by the chamber. Mr McConnell denounced the "most rushed and most unfair" impeachment and signalled he intends to hold a swift trial on the two charges passed by the House. "The vote did not reflect what had been proven. It only reflects how they feel about the president. The Senate must put this right," he said as he addressed his fellow senators. Read more | Donald Trump's impeachment "It could not be clearer which outcome would serve the stabilising, institution-preserving, fever-breaking role for which the United States Senate was created and which outcome would betray it". The comments were echoed by Mr Trump in a campaign message sent to his supporters, attacking the impeachment vote as a "partisan scam" and highlighting the result fell along party lines. "Yesterday's vote by Democrats was blatantly anti-American. We can't let this go on any longer," Mr Trump said in a plea for donations. "This is an attack on Democracy. An attack on freedom. An attack on everything we hold dear in this country. And it's an attack on you". The White House is already working with Mr McConnell to prepare for the upcoming Senate trial, expected to be held in January. The chamber's 100 senators will act as jurors to hear the case for and against convicting Mr Trump on the two articles is presented to them. The Supreme Court's chief justice, John Roberts, who was nominated to the bench by president George W Bush, will preside over the trial.
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| Commercial pig farm in China jams drone signal to combat swine fever crooks Posted: 20 Dec 2019 01:25 AM PST  One of China's biggest animal feed producers said it had used a radio transmitter to combat crooks using drones to drop pork products contaminated with African swine fever on its pig farms, as part of a racket to profit from the health scare. In July, China's agriculture ministry said criminal gangs were faking outbreaks of swine fever on farms and forcing farmers to sell their healthy pigs at sharply lower prices.
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| California sheriff fires deputy who choked suspect that died Posted: 20 Dec 2019 12:49 PM PST  Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick said in a video that he found footage of the deputy's actions "extremely troubling." The video released by the department includes the body camera footage of the violent encounter between Deputy Charles Blount and David Glen Ward, who had reported his car stolen. Ward's half-sister, Catherine Aguilera, has said her brother used drugs and had health issues that began 20 years ago when a drunken driver hit him while he was riding a motorcycle, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a heart condition.
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| High-Speed Rail Is Going Nowhere Fast in the U.S. Posted: 20 Dec 2019 05:00 AM PST ![High-Speed Rail Is Going Nowhere Fast in the U.S.]( "High-Speed Rail Is Going Nowhere Fast in the U.S.") (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Some leaders in the U.S. are intent on reviving the old dream of high-speed rail. Senator Bernie Sanders is proposing $607 billion for a new high-speed train network as part of his Green New Deal. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez included it in her own plan earlier this year. On Twitter, Sanders's political allies sing the praises of high-speed rail systems such as China's.High-speed rail puts an optimistic, futuristic face on an economic agenda that might otherwise seem mainly about sacrifice and belt-tightening. It's high-tech, beautiful and iconic. It would be a substitute for regional air travel and road trips, and reduce carbon emissions. And it's an area where the U.S. genuinely lags other countries. Anyone who has experienced the speed and convenience of traveling from city to city by bullet train in Japan or France will understand the appeal.But although this is a good long-term goal, any actual plan for building bullet trains must reckon with why high-speed rail has consistently failed in the U.S. The Obama administration also was a fan of the idea, and requested more than $50 billion for high-speed rail projects. Much less ended up being approved, and even less was spent, thanks to state-level and congressional opposition; most of it went to upgrading existing commuter rail lines.The one major high-speed rail project was in California, with plans for a train between Los Angeles and San Francisco. But costs ballooned; originally, the project was slated to cost about $40 billion, but the estimate has now at least doubled. The date for the end of the first phase of construction has been delayed from 2029 to 2033. Governor Gavin Newsom has indicated that the project will be scaled back.California's bullet train has thus fallen victim to the same problem that plagues most U.S. transit and infrastructure projects — inflated costs. Unless the source of those costs can be identified and dealt with, states are likely to balk at the prospect of committing to big-ticket projects that they know will likely go way over budget.Reducing those costs is even more crucial because even under the best of conditions high-speed rail typically struggles to support itself. Japan's famous Shinkansen system lost so much money in the 1970s and 1980s that it was broken up, privatized and subjected to ruthless cost-cutting measures. Most of China's high-speed rail lines also operate in the red, as do many in Europe.Now, that doesn't mean high-speed rail isn't worth it. Transit systems don't have to fully pay for themselves in order to benefit society because they have spillover effects that power regional economic growth. Highways, trains and buses facilitate networks of economic interactions whose value can't be captured by tolls and user fees.But the spillovers from high-speed rail are likely to be smaller than for other infrastructure projects. Unlike roads, bullet trains don't carry freight, only people (the U.S. already has an excellent freight rail network). They could generate some increased tourism, but not much, because most people can already take road trips for a similar price. Research from China suggests that one important kind of economic activity bullet trains will stimulate is interaction among high-skilled workers, such as business executives, researchers and so on. That's more than nothing, but it isn't the kind of boost that highways and freight trains deliver. It also means that the biggest beneficiaries of high-speed rail would be corporations and high earners. And in the U.S., which already has well-established regional air travel and freeways, the increased benefit from more business trips will likely be smaller than in a developing country such as China.Other factors specific to the U.S. make high-speed rail less attractive than in Europe or Asia. Sprawling U.S. cities tend to be built around cars and roads, meaning that many high-speed rail passengers who arrive at their destination would have to either rent a car or use expensive ride-hailing services. That increases the incentive to just drive all the way. It also means that trains linking city centers would generate less economic activity in the U.S. than in more densely populated countries. In addition, the U.S. is likely to be more concerned about terrorism than other countries, because bullet trains are an obvious high-profile target. Security would add to the cost of rail systems.So although high-speed rail is a good long-term project for carbon-emissions reduction, the U.S. would probably get more bang for the buck by focusing on local trains — fast commuter rail linking suburbs to city centers, subways and light rail to let people get around cities without cars and buses that utilize the existing road systems. These projects aren't as grand and beautiful as bullet trains, but they would do more for economic activity and livability — and they would be a lot more cost-effective.To contact the author of this story: Noah Smith at nsmith150@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: James Greiff at jgreiff@bloomberg.netThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Noah Smith is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He was an assistant professor of finance at Stony Brook University, and he blogs at Noahpinion.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| This Is What It Looks Like When Octopuses Attack Posted: 19 Dec 2019 12:37 PM PST |
| Man who stamped his estranged wife to death in family home jailed for life Posted: 20 Dec 2019 09:16 AM PST  A British man who stamped and kicked his estranged wife, a mother of five, to death in a "jealous rage" has been handed a life sentence.
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| Video shows final moments before toddler's fatal cruise ship fall Posted: 20 Dec 2019 01:33 PM PST  Security footage of toddler Chloe Wiegand's death on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship is a major part in two pending court cases.
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| Why Denmark Might Not Actually Want Its New F-35 Fighters Posted: 19 Dec 2019 06:00 PM PST  What's the problem?
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| Trump attacks Congresswoman's late husband after she votes for impeachment, suggesting he is probably now in hell Posted: 19 Dec 2019 01:35 AM PST  Donald Trump has been accused of making "shameful" comments about the late husband of a Democrat congresswoman who voted for impeachment, after he implied that he was now "looking up" from hell.The president made the comment about the late, well-respected House Representative John Dingell, who was the longest serving congressman ever, and remains a popular political figure across party lines.
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| Can the US Navy make lemonade out of LCS lemons? Posted: 20 Dec 2019 06:31 AM PST  As more littoral combat ships join the fleet, questions linger about how the vessel type will fit into a fight with China.
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| DHS watchdog finds no wrongdoing in deaths of 2 migrant kids Posted: 20 Dec 2019 03:52 PM PST  The Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog found no wrongdoing or misconduct by immigration officials in the deaths of two migrant children last December. The Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security released two brief statements Friday evening on the deaths of Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin, who died Dec. 8, and Felipe Gómez Alonzo, who died Dec. 24. Border crossings have since declined in recent months following major crackdowns.
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| Hundreds of Chinese held in Philippine online gaming crackdown Posted: 20 Dec 2019 03:32 AM PST  The Philippines said Friday it has detained hundreds of Chinese workers in a continuing crackdown against unlicensed online gaming businesses catering to mainland customers. A total of 342 Chinese without working visas were arrested on Thursday in a raid of a Manila-based POGO outfit operating without a permit from the gaming regulator, according to the immigration service. "We had reason to suspect that the company is a front for illegal cyber activities and investment scams," Fortunato Manahan, intelligence chief of the immigration service, said in a statement.
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| The Shady History of Mayor Pete’s Wine Cave—and the Ultra-Rich Couple That Owns It Posted: 20 Dec 2019 09:29 AM PST  For nearly fifteen years, Democratic politicians pitching themselves to the biggest donors in Napa Valley have found themselves in the luxurious wine cave of Craig and Kathryn Hall. "The room where it happens" includes a Swarovski crystal chandelier suspended above a cherrywood table with seating for three dozen.As Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said in Thursday night's Democratic presidential debate: "Think about who comes to that."Warren was referring to a fundraiser, billed as "An Evening in the Vineyards with Mayor Pete," held last week in support of South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, where $1,000 could purchase a photograph and $2,800 gained access to a dinner beneath, as Hall Rutherford winery describes it, "Donald Lipski's magnificent 'Chilean Red' chandelier," adorned with 1,500 Swarovski crystals.Warren's broadside was a defining moment not only of Thursday night's debate, but of Buttigieg's candidacy as well. Although he held his own in responding to Warren's attack—noting that the Massachusetts senator transferred millions of dollars from past campaigns to fund her presidential, some of it raised at high-dollar fundraisers just like the ones she now criticizes—Buttigieg will have a hard time convincing Democrats that wealthy donors aren't seeking to grease the wheels of democracy in their own favor.Case in point: The history of the now-infamous "wine cave" itself.The cave in question—more of a wine basement, if you want to get specific, built for storing and aging wine in barrels—has been a gathering place for Democratic politicians long before Warren pointed to it as evidence that Buttigieg is too close with wealthy donors to be able to deny them access, appointments and special favors down the road. Owned by Dallas billionaires Craig and Kathryn Hall, the cave's fundraisers have benefitted at least a hundred Democrats over the years, in the estimation of California Gov. Gavin Newsom."That cave's been used by Democrats all across the country for fundraising," Newsom told reporters in the spin room following Thursday night's debate. "Probably a hundred congressional representatives have benefited from the use of that."After Thursday's debate, however, the wine cave is serving as an entirely different kind of fundraiser after the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) purchased the domain PetesWineCave.com, which now redirects to Sanders' donation portal.Asked if he himself had attended a fundraiser at the wine cave—which, as the Associated Press first reported, features a "Chandelier Room" drowning in crystals—Newsom was straightforward."Are you kidding?" Newsom, himself a former vintner, said. "I'm in the business, so I know that place well."Other politicians who have attended fundraisers, receptions, and meet-and-greets at the Halls' wine cave include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as current and former Reps. Leon Panetta, Reps. Ami Bera of California, Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire, Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona, and Patrick Murphy of Florida.The long and lucrative political history of the cave and its owners bolsters Warren's contention that big-dollar fundraisers have helped pave a path for wealthy financial backers to ask for favors—but also Buttigieg's defense that everyone on the debate stage has benefited from these types of financial backers, including Warren herself.Beyond the wine cave, the Halls' largesse has made them some of the most important donors in the Democratic Party. According to filings with the Federal Election Commission, the couple have donated nearly $2 million to Democrats and progressive political action committees, including a $100,000 check to Hillary Clinton's PAC in 2016 and a $50,000 check to the DCCC last year.The Halls are the near-typification of what Warren described in the debate as "people who can put up $5,000 or more in order to have a picture taken, in order to have a conversation, and in order, maybe, to be considered to be an ambassador."In 1997, one year after donating hundreds of thousands to Democrats seeking reelection, Kathryn Hall was nominated and confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to Austria, a position for which she had been angling for close to a year."Kathryn had begun talking to people in Washington—especially our close friend, then-Senate leader Tom Daschle—about the possibility of being appointed to an ambassador position," the couple recount in their book A Perfect Score: The Art, Soul, and Business of a 21st-Century Winery, which documents their rise from mere real estate and financial tycoons to esteemed vintners. Among her qualifications: she had lived overseas, spoke German, and "enjoyed foreign affairs.""An ambassadorship isn't something you apply for," the Halls write. "You seek out people who are involved in the administration and let them know that you would be interested. Then you try to push that effort along any way you can."Hall Wines did not respond to a request for comment.Although the practice of rewarding heavy-hitting fundraisers and donors with ambassadors is common—roughly a third of such positions are traditionally given to financial backers—Kathryn Hall's four-year tenure in Vienna was not the only benefit of the couple's close relationship with the politically powerful.Craig Hall's real-estate empire—facing massive debt as the Texas oil boom weakened in the late 1980s—was saved when then-House Speaker Jim Wright held up a bill meant to help recapitalize the struggling Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation in an apparent attempt to force federal regulators to let Hall's company restructure its debt."Anybody who has worked in government for very long knows that when the soon-to-be speaker of the House of Representatives is asking you to look into it, it's not just anybody," Ed Gray, chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, would later tell investigators on the House Ethics Committee.The eventual ethics investigation into Wright's role in the savings-and-loan scandal would force him to resign from Congress. Hall would later pay $102.5 million to settle claims by a taxpayer-funded asset management company, which had paid out $364 million to cover insured deposits in Hall's insolvent savings-and-loan operation.Buttigieg's campaign has defended the candidate's attendance at the fundraiser and others like it, saying that "the only thing people are promised at an event with Pete is that he will use that money to beat Donald Trump.""Democrats are good at begrudging people," Newsom told reporters after the debate, adding that he was wary of the Democratic Party attacking fellow candidates for high-dollar donations while Republicans show no such compunction. "I don't know why someone that's had success should apologize for it, or be embarrassed by it, or now no longer be allowed to participate in the democratic process… I don't know if that's healthy for the party and the country."As the debate over the role of money in progressive politics continued, one high-profile politician announced that he, too, would be headed to a gilded mansion in one of America's bougiest towns. On Friday, the White House announced that President Trump—who has spent more than three months of his presidency at Mar-a-Lago—would depart for his Palm Beach mega-mansion on Friday evening for his year-end vacation.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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