February 8, 2017

Ex-aide to former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown pleads guilty to fraud conspiracy, theft

Source: The Fliroda-Times Union

Ronnie Simmons, former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown’s longtime chief of staff, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a fraud conspiracy charge that strengthens the legal vise squeezing his indicted ex-boss.

Simmons, who pleaded guilty to just two of 18 charges he faced from a July indictment, also admitted stealing government money by creating a phantom job for an unnamed relative that cost the government more than $700,000 over 15 years.

“If you plead guilty, there will be no trial of any kind,” U.S. Magistrate James Klindt told Simmons before agreeingto recommend a district judge accept Simmons’ plea.

Simmons and Brown had been scheduled to go on trial in April, and Brown is still scheduled to face a federal district judge Thursday to discuss trial preparations.

Read more: http://jacksonville.com/news/2017-02-07/ex-aide-former-us-rep-corrine-brown-pleads-guilty-fraud-conspiracy-theft

February 8, 2017

Man sentenced to 30 years in Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest plot

Source: The Hill

An American man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for supporting the Islamic State in Iraq & Syria (ISIS) and for aiding two men who planned to attack a contest on drawing the Prophet Muhammad in 2015, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

Prosecutors pursued a life sentence for Arizona resident Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem, who officials said supplied the guns his two friends used in the attempted assault.

The two gunmen were killed by a SWAT team before they were able to enter the event in Garland, Texas. A security officer was shot in the ankle, though no attendees were hurt, CNN reported at the time.

One of the gunmen, Elton Simpson, tweeted just before the attack that he and the other attacker pledged allegiance to "Amirul Mu'mineen,” likely a reference to ISIS emir Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/318532-man-sentenced-to-30-years-in-prophet-muhammad-cartoon-contest-plot

February 7, 2017

Pence Casts Historic Tie-Breaking Vote to Confirm DeVos

Source: Roll Call

For the first time ever, the vice president was called to Capitol Hill to break the tie on a vote to confirm a member of the Cabinet.

Vice President Mike Pence presided over the Senate for the first time since being sworn in just over two weeks ago, and cast the tie-breaking vote, 51-50, to confirm Betsy DeVos as the next Education Secretary. The vice president has never done so before, according to the Senate Historian’s office.

That DeVos could not garner support from the GOP-led Senate underscored her weakness as a nominee, Democrats argued.

“She’d come into the department as a very weak Secretary of Education,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “I think to the extent she thought she was going to get major policy changes passed through Congress, that will be made much more difficult.”


Read more: http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/pence-casts-historic-tie-breaking-vote-confirm-devos

February 7, 2017

Former AG Eric Holder endorses Tom Perez for DNC chair

Source: USA TODAY

With an endorsement from former U.S. attorney general Eric Holder, Tom Perez hopes to distinguish himself on voting rights and redistricting — issues of critical importance inside the Democratic Party — as the race for the next party chair heats up.

Holder, who along with former President Barack Obama is heading a new redistricting reform effort aimed at pumping resources into critical gubernatorial and state legislative races over the next four years, will announce on Tuesday his support for the former U.S. Labor secretary.

“Tom not only knows how to take on big fights; he wins them,” Holder said in a statement. He cited Perez’s having sued former Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio for racial profiling, stopping voter ID laws that Democrats say disenfranchise minorities, and confronting Wall Street in the subprime home foreclosure crisis.

“Eric understands that Republican threats to our nation's voting rights and civil rights are far from over, and that's why he's taking on task of holding states accountable for discriminatory redistricting plans in order to ensure that all voters can exercise their basic right to vote free from discrimination," Perez said. "He understands more than anyone that we need a fully funded and fully staffed voter empowerment office at the DNC so that we are responding in real time to the games that Republicans will try to play with our democracy.”

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/07/former-ag-eric-holder-endorses-tom-perez-dnc-chair/97576768/

February 2, 2017

Embattled mayor of Stuart resigns in aftermath of 'pig' comment about police

Source: WPEC-Ch. 12 News

Under fire for using the word “pig” when referring to police, the mayor of the Treasure Coast city of Stuart, Eula Clarke, has resigned her post.

Despite Clarke’s resignation Wednesday night, Stuart’s saga is not over. City officials voted to launch an investigation into her remarks.

Tom Campenni will step in as the city's new mayor.

“Please accept my apology. Thank you,” said Clarke.

Read more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/sfl-stuart-mayor-resigns-cop-comment-20170202-story.html

February 2, 2017

Fifth labor group breaks with AFL-CIO to back Perez for Dem party chairman

Source: The Hill

A fifth AFL-CIO-affiliated group broke with the labor giant on Thursday to back former Labor Secretary Tom Perez over Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) in the race to be the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC), which counts 80,000 members nationwide, said that as Labor secretary, Perez fought to implement a rule to limit worker exposure to a chemical compound that was causing debilitating and deadly diseases among the union’s members.

“It was Tom Perez who stood up to special interests and did what was right for workers across the nation by seeing this critical rulemaking to fruition,” BAC President James Boland said in a statement. “Tom understands the importance of good jobs, fair wages, and workplace protections that keep our members safe and healthy. Tom has stood beside us for tough fights before and we know he'll continue to do so as DNC chair.”

BAC joins four other AFL-CIO-affiliated groups representing farm workers, food and commercial workers, plumbers and pipefitters, and firefighters in backing Perez.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/317491-fifth-labor-group-breaks-with-afl-cio-to-back-perez-for-dem-party-chairman

February 2, 2017

Trump threatens funding cut if UC Berkeley 'does not allow free speech'

Source: The Hill

President Trump early Thursday threatened to cut federal funding to the University of California, Berkley after violent protests broke out on its campus Wednesday in response to a planned appearance by a far-right commentator.

"If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" the president tweeted Thursday morning.

Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?
6:13 AM - 2 Feb 2017

A scheduled appearance by right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled Wednesday night about two hours before the Breitbart editor was scheduled to speak.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/317494-trump-threatens-no-federal-funds-if-uc-berkeley-does-not-allow-free

February 1, 2017

Senate confirms Tillerson as secretary of State

Source: The Hill

The Senate on Wednesday approved Rex Tillerson to lead President Trump's State Department, despite a late effort by Democrats to slow down the nomination.

Tillerson surpassed 51 votes for him, enough for a simple majority to approve his nomination. The vote is still open.

Tillerson will take over his post as the country's top diplomat as lawmakers remain skeptical over President Trump's foreign policy, including his stance toward Russia and a recent executive order that temporarily banned refugees and citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) specifically pointed to Russia as one area where he expects Tillerson to hone in on.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/317393-senate-confirms-tillerson-as-secretary-of-state

February 1, 2017

Donald Trump loses legal fight over golf club memberships

Source: Sun Sentinel

President Donald Trump on Wednesday lost a legal fight over the Jupiter golf club he once owned, where dozens of disgruntled members say they were charged thousands while not being allowed to play.

A federal judge ruled that Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter should pay $5.7 million to people who argued that while waiting for membership deposit refunds, they were charged annual dues and fees – even though they were barred from using the golf course, restaurant, spa and other amenities.

Barring people still paying fees from using the club “revoked or canceled their memberships” and entitled them to refunds within 30 days, according to U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra’s ruling.

Trump took over the former Ritz-Carlton golf club in 2012.

Read more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-pn-trump-loses-lawsuit-20170201-story.html

February 1, 2017

Two GOP senators to vote 'no' on Betsy DeVos

Source: The Hill

GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski in back-to-back speeches on the Senate floor announced Wednesday that they would oppose Betsy DeVos's nomination to be Education secretary.

They are the first two Republicans to break with Trump on any of his Cabinet picks, and the votes could make it difficult for DeVos to win confirmation.

If all of the Senate's Democrats vote against DeVos, she would have 50 votes if the remaining Republicans backed her — with Vice President Mike Pence potentially breaking the tie. No Democrats have backed DeVos.

"I come to the floor to announce a very difficult decision that I have made, and that is to vote against the confirmation of Betsy DeVos to be our nation's next secretary of Education," Collins said from the Senate floor.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/317379-gop-senator-to-vote-no-on-betsy-devos