JUICE - Florida Politics' Juicy Read -8.21.20 - Roger Stone Sound Off On Bannon - Charlie Crist's Votes A Problem For Him - Trump Supporter Homes Targeted - MORE...

JUICE - Florida Politics' Juicy Read -8.21.20 - Roger Stone Sound Off On Bannon - Charlie Crist's Votes A Problem For Him - Trump Supporter Homes Targeted - MORE...

Javier Manjarres
Javier Manjarres
|
August 21, 2020

 

Roger Stone Rips Steve Bannon Over Arrest and For Betraying Him

The political “Prince of Darkness” and former Trump advisor, Roger Stone, has opened up about the arrest of Steve Bannon. There is no love lost here.

Shortly after former White House strategist Steve Bannon was arrested on fraud charges, Roger Stone, the longtime advisor to President Trump and veteran Republican consultant, spoke to The Floridian about the arrest of his former colleague.

Federal agents took Bannon into custody aboard the $25 million yacht of a Chinese billionaire wanted by the Chinese government.

According to Stone, Steve Bannon, who testified against him, lied either at his federal trial or when he appeared before the House Intelligence Committee.

Stone contends that Bannon’s false testimony sealed his fate, helping prosecutors make the case for his conviction.

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Marco Rubio @marcorubio -10000 deaths in #Florida due to #Covid_19 is a terrible tragedy However it is inaccurate to report that the death rate shows “no sign of slowing down” The daily mortality rate has been steadily dropping since hitting an alarming peak 30 days ago Hoping this trend continues

Rick Scott @SenRickScott -Thank you @realDonaldTrump for signing this important legislation to help support the families of our brave first responders who lost their lives during this pandemic. America’s first responders show up for us in times of need and now it is time for us to show up for them.

Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell @RepDMP -Trump is STILL trying to steal your health care, even during this pandemic. South Florida will not stand for this!

Rep. Donna E. Shalala @RepShalala -More than 10,000 people have now died in Florida from the coronavirus and Ron DeSantis still does not have a plan to get things under control. This is what failed leadership looks like.

Congressman Charlie Crist @RepCharlieCrist -100 years ago today, the 19th Amendment was ratified and women won their hard-fought battle to vote. Recent attacks on vote-by-mail make clear that we must continue to support equal access to the ballot box by fully funding @USPS and protecting mail ballots!

Rep. Anthony Sabatini @AnthonySabatini DON’T FORGET TO BUILD THE WALL

immy Patronis @JimmyPatronis -Excited to send this group off to Congress when we take back the House and re-elect President @realDonaldTrump this November! Congratulations @ByronDonalds

, @ElectQuinn

, @realannapaulina

, @Kat_cammack

, @ScottFranklinFL

@MaElviraSalazar

, and Laura Loomer!

 

 

“Cuomo Signs Bills Expanding NY Absentee Voting Ahead of November” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) signed a trio of legislation dealing with election reforms, aimed at correcting the myriad of problems it saw during its botched primary two months ago, in order to avoid the same problems but on a massive scale come November. “I just signed legislation to guarantee that New Yorkers can vote safely & that EVERY vote counts,” Cuomo tweeted. In signing the bills, Cuomo cited the ongoing USPS crisis caused by Trump administration’s operational changes in disrupting mail delivery operations as a reason for expanding absentee voting. “The federal administration has ordered an unprecedented attack on the U.S. Postal Service and with COVID-19 threatening our ability to have safe, in-person voting, these measures are critical to ensuring a successful and fair election at one of the most important moments in our nation’s history,” Cuomo said in a statement. “These actions will further break down barriers to democracy and will make it easier for all New Yorkers to exercise their right to vote this November.” The first bill expands the permitted reasons criteria for New Yorkers to request an absentee ballot due to COVID-19 risks or fears of contracting the virus. Under New York election law, voters could only vote absentee with an approved “excuse” as to why they are unable to vote in person on Election Day.

“Trump’s Prescription Drug Effort Receives Bipartisan Support” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Amidst the continued threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump (R) has tackled prescription drug prices during a time when Americans are in need of prescriptions the most. And, a recent poll indicates that an overwhelming number of Americans agree with the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the price of prescription drug copays. Floridians for Attainable and Innovative Rx (FAIRx) showcased the bipartisan results of the poll, which is that more than 77% of Florida voters agree that President Trump should require drug companies to provide financial help to seniors through private copay coupons to anyone on Medicare. In a statement, Eric Goldsmith, DO, FACOS, President of the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association (FOMA) commented that “COVOD-19 has imposed significant financial hardships on seniors and their families, and those challenges are made worse without out-of-pocket limits for the prescription drugs they rely on to lead healthy lives.” He added, “if pharmaceutical companies are allowed to provide copay coupons to Medicare recipients, senior citizens could better afford the important medications they need to stay healthy and out of hospitals,” adding that “it’s clear from this poll that Florida voters support President Trump reducing the financial burden for seniors’ prescription medications.” Because of the ongoing pandemic, “the government is waiving copays for doctor visits by seniors on Medicare when they use telehealth services.” Moreover, “the use of copay coupon cards for seniors would apply the same logic to prescription drugs, making it easier during the crisis for seniors to stay healthy and have a better chance of avoiding hospitalization.”

“Deputy didn’t use racial slur after man was shot at Florida Mall, sheriff’s office says” by Click Orlando’s Adrienne Cutway – After body camera video was released showing an Orange County deputy shooting a man in the back outside the Florida Mall, attorneys representing the family of the man who was killed said it was possible that one of the deputies may have used a racial slur. On Thursday, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office addressed the allegation in a statement posted on social media. “After a thorough review, including enhancement of the audio using professional software, it has been determined that the statements at issue related to a request for a medical device to aid in the lifesaving measures that were taking place,” the statement read. The footage in question shows the moments after Orange County Sheriff’s Office Agent James Montiel opened fire on Salaythis Melvin on Aug. 7 outside the Florida Mall as the 22-year-old was running away. While Montiel did not have his body camera activated, he claimed that Melvin turned toward him while he had a gun in his hand. The video provided by the Sheriff’s Office, embedded above, shows several deputies approaching Melvin as he was lying on the pavement.

“Florida Enacts Law To Combat Emotional Support Animal Fraud in Housing” by JD Supra’s John Egan and Minh Vu – Florida recently enacted a law intended to combat fraudulent requests for emotional support animals in housing. Effective July 1, 2020, SB 1084 provides that animal registries, certifications, and similar online documents are insufficient to support these requests. Significantly, the law also provides a basis for professional discipline for health care practitioners that issue supporting documentation without personal knowledge. Further, it imposes criminal penalties for those who make or support fraudulent requests for these animals in housing. What is an emotional support animal? SB 1084 defines it as “an animal that does not require training to do work, perform tasks, provide assistance, or provide therapeutic emotional support by virtue of its presence which alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.” Contrast that with a service animal which, by definition, must be trained to perform work or tasks for a person with a disability. The federal Fair Housing Act has always required housing providers to accommodate emotional support animals. SB 1084 adopts that requirement under Florida law and provides guidance about the documentation that a housing provider can ask for when considering a request to accommodate an emotional support animal.

“Florida second-grade teacher, son of Jacksonville City Council president, charged in child pornography case” by Fox News’ Michael Ruiz – A Florida elementary school teacher and the son of the Jacksonville City Council president has been arrested on more than two dozen child pornography charges, according to local reports. Thomas Hazouri Jr., 40, faces 25 counts of possession of child pornography. “It is both alarming and disappointing to learn that one of our teachers is alleged to have exploited children through such abhorrent activities,” Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Diana Greene told Jacksonville-based Action News. “As soon as we learned of the investigation, we took immediate action to ensure he had no further interaction with any of our students.” Hazouri has spent much of the last 15 years teaching second-, fourth- and fifth-grade students at Kernan Trail Elementary School, the outlet reported. He also taught fourth grade at Englewood Elementary in the 2018 to 2019 school year, and was most recently teaching second-graders at Mayport Elementary. In addition to the child pornography, investigators said they found “non-exploitive” pictures that appeared to have been taken in a Mayport classroom, Jacksonville.com reported. The school’s principal, Katie O’Connell, sent a letter to parents regarding the case, saying she had not been given many details, but that Hazouri had been reassigned “out of the classroom” as soon as she learned of an investigation.

“Florida may turn down Trump's plan to increase jobless aid” by Politico’s Gary Fineout – Although Florida has some of the lowest unemployment payments in the nation, Gov. Ron DeSantis remains undecided about whether to ask for the stripped-down federal benefits recently authorized by President Donald Trump. Eleven states have applied for a $400 weekly extra unemployment payment program, which was initiated following Trump’s expansion of jobless aid via executive action. Florida, however, remains on the sidelines and it could stay that way. The longer the DeSantis administration delays, the longer it will take for hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Floridians to receive the extra help Trump promised — if the state eventually does apply for it. There is also a risk that the limited federal funding available could run out before the state acts. But the delay speaks to the conundrum that Trump’s actions pose for Florida, a state led by a key campaign ally of the president. While extending the benefits could pump tens of millions into the battleground state’s economy, the federal proposal could prove extremely costly — and unwieldy — for the state to carry out given the rules surrounding the effort. When asked about the funding on Thursday, a spokesperson for DeSantis did not say when — or if — Florida plans to act. “Florida is currently reviewing guidance issued by the Department of Labor and the Federal Emergency Management Administration to determine the best course of action that will preserve the state’s financial stability while providing important assistance to Floridians in need,” said Cody McCloud, a spokesperson for the governor.

“Vice President Mike Pence Postpones Trip To South Florida” by CBS 4 Miami – Vice President Mike Pence has postponed a planned trip Friday to South Florida, the White House announced Thursday. Pence had been scheduled to appear in Miami to discuss issues related to Venezuela and Cuba. The announcement Thursday did not explain the reason for the postponement or say when the trip might be rescheduled. Pence has made a series of recent appearances in Florida, a key battleground in the November presidential election.

“Petition Calls For Lifting Florida Bar Exam Requirement” by WLRN’s Jim Saunders – Pointing to “extreme financial hardships,” dozens of attorneys Thursday asked the Florida Supreme Court to waive a requirement that law school graduates pass the Florida Bar exam to practice law, after a state board this week postponed the test for a second time. The attorneys filed a petition a day after Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady issued a public apology for the latest postponement of the exam. Law school graduates were scheduled to take the test online Wednesday amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Florida Board of Bar Examiners canceled it Sunday night, saying that holding the exam was not “technically feasible.” The postponement came after the board called off an in-person exam that had been scheduled for July. The delays have left many law school graduates in professional limbo and facing financial problems, according to the petition filed at the Supreme Court. “The delays along with the haphazard method in which the Florida Board of Bar Examiners has attempted to administer The Florida Bar exam in the summer of 2020 has resulted in more than a delay for the thousands of applicants who had signed up to take the exam,” the petition said. “The disruption of the settled expectations has created extreme financial hardships, loss of employment opportunities, loss of health care and repeated psychological stress. While all lawyers are aware of the stress of taking the bar exam within settled expectations, none have the experiences of these students who cannot reach the finish line for no fault of their own.”

“South Florida Trump Supporters Say Homes Targeted by Paintballers” by NBC 6 South Florida – At least three South Florida homeowners say their homes and cars were targeted by paintballers, and they it's all because they display flags supporting President Donald Trump. The homeowners, who live in Tamiami in the area of Southwest 127th Avenue and Coral Way, said they heard what sounded at first like a machine gun going off around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. When they went outside, they said they found paintball splatters on their homes and cars. All three believe they were targeted for supporting Trump, but said they won't be intimidated or take down their Trump flags. The homeowners said they've filed police reports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Steve Bannon pleads not guilty after indictment in 'We Build the Wall' case” by Fox News’ Morgan Phillips – Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Trump and an architect of his 2016 campaign, on Thursday pleaded not guilty in federal court in Manhattan after being indicted with three others in connection with an online fundraising campaign that prosecutors claim defrauded donors of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Bannon will now be released on a $5 million bond. Bannon and three other suspects had been indicted Thursday morning in connection to their online fundraising campaign and charged with defrauding the money from an online campaign. Bannon was arrested by federal postal inspectors and special agents from the United States attorney’s office around 7:15 a.m. on a yacht off the coast of Connecticut. Meanwhile, Shea appeared virtually at a court hearing in Colorado, where a judge agreed to a $250,000 bond. Shea is restricted from traveling outside the District of Colorado, except to travel to the Southern District of New York. He is prohibited from contacting co-defendants or possessing firearms. According to the indictment, Bannon and co-defendant Brian Kolfage raised money for a "volunteer organization" and told the public that 100 percent of donations would go toward the federal government's building of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy tests positive for Covid-19” by CNN’s Chandelis Duster and Phil Mattingly – Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has tested positive for Covid-19, his office said Thursday. He plans to quarantine for 14 days, according to this office.

"I am strictly following the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same," the senator said in a statement. Several lawmakers from both parties have tested positive for coronavirus, including Illinois Republican Rep. Rodney Davis, who announced he tested positive earlier this month. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in July mandated mask wearing on the House floor after Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert -- who was often in the chamber interacting with colleagues and refusing to wear a face-covering -- tested positive for coronavirus. The House sergeant-at-arms also issued an additional set of rules "upon the direction of the Speaker of the House" requiring face coverings in all House office buildings. The Senate, by contrast, has not implemented any mask requirements, though the vast majority of its members -- including Cassidy -- regularly wear masks when the chamber is in session. The Senate is currently in its August recess period. Republican Reps. Morgan Griffith of Virginia, Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, and Democratic Reps. Joe Cunningham of South Carolina and Ben McAdams of Utah, have also announced in recent months they tested positive for the virus.

“Joe Biden to Promise Recovery From Crisis in Speech to DNC” by WSJ’s Sabrina Diddiqui and Ken Thomas – Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden plans to cast himself as a leader more capable of managing a crisis than President Trump, as he seeks to use the final night of his party’s convention to persuade a nation grappling with the coronavirus pandemic and racial-injustice protests to send him to the White House. The former vice president’s remarks on Thursday—in which he was to formally accept the Democratic presidential nomination, three decades after he first sought the job—caps a first-of-its-kind virtual convention. His allies, including former President Barack Obama, have spent the week portraying Mr. Trump as failing to meet the challenges of his job and mismanaging the U.S. response to the pandemic. They have depicted Mr. Biden as empathetic and thoughtful and someone who would be a more conventional leader of the country. Mr. Biden, 77 years old, is going to use his speech Thursday to “lift up the strength of the American people and lay out a vision for how we will build back better and emerge from these crises stronger than ever before,” said Kate Bedingfield, Mr. Biden’s deputy campaign manager. Mr. Biden said Wednesday during a meeting with the party’s Hispanic caucus that he intended to show how “the Democratic Party is coming together to unite our country, to stand up for working people and to deliver the promise of this nation to all Americans, particularly those who have been denied its full promise for much too long.”

“Pelosi implies she'll remain most powerful woman in US politics, even if Harris elected VP” by Fox News’ Megan Henney – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday suggested that she will still be the most powerful elected woman in U.S. politics even if California Sen. Kamala Harris is elected vice president in November. During an interview with The Washington Post, Pelosi was asked about Harris' history-making moment on Wednesday night, when she became the first Black and Indian American woman to accept a major party's vice presidential nomination. Although Pelosi lauded her as a "personification of the American dream" and "a great guardian of our Constitution," she implied that Harris, 55, may not wield much power as vice president. “Well, I’m not sure how powerful the vice president is,” Pelosi said during the interview. “But nonetheless....No, that will depend on the president. And I’m sure that Joe Biden will extend to Kamala Harris the same strength that President Obama extended to him." She continued: "But that is all derivative from the president of the United States. So I’m hoping that that will be the case and I can just do my job as speaker and enjoy the thought that there is a vice president who is a woman, a woman of color.” Pelosi has more than once lamented the fact that no woman has been elected president. “My disappointment is that every time I’m introduced as the most powerful woman in American history, it breaks my heart because I think we should have a president," she told the Washington Post in March.

“Judge invalidates Paterson, NJ, city council election after allegations of mail-in voter fraud” by CNN’s Anna Sturla – A New Jersey judge invalidated a city council election and ordered a new one after allegations of voter fraud, according to a ruling issued Wednesday. The May 12 election for Paterson's Third Ward city council was "rife with mail in vote procedural violations," Judge Ernest Caposela said in his ruling, though he left the decision on whether there was voter fraud to the criminal courts. President Donald Trump's campaign and Republicans have grasped onto the election problems in Paterson as they argue against a plan from New Jersey's Democratic governor to have universal vote-by-mail. They say the fraud in the city race forebodes fraud in November. Paterson's mayor heralded the ruling. "It was the right ruling. That past election was fraught with fraud," Mayor Andre Sayegh told CNN. "The City will comply with the judge's decision and we created the Mayor's Election Awareness Team to preserve the value of the vote in Paterson." A Paterson councilman and the councilman-elect were among four people charged with criminal conduct involving mail-in ballots during the election, New Jersey's Attorney General announced in late June. Scott Salmon, attorney for incumbent Councilman William McKoy in the case, told CNN his client was "thrilled" by the ruling.

“Trump Asks Supreme Court to Restore His Ability to Block Twitter Followers” by WSJ’s Jess Bravin – The White House asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to restore President Trump’s power to block individual Americans from following his Twitter account, an act that lower courts found violated citizens’ First Amendment rights. The case involves seven individuals who the president in 2017 blocked from following @realDonaldTrump after they posted critical replies to his tweets. They sued to restore their access to Mr. Trump’s account, arguing that they were entitled to follow it because the president uses it to make official announcements and comment on public affairs. The Justice Department, in its Supreme Court petition, argued that Mr. Trump had the same right as any other user under Twitter’s rules to block individuals from following his account. The brief observed that Mr. Trump established the account in March 2009, long before his presidential campaign, and had used it “to tweet about a variety of topics, including popular culture and politics.” While Mr. Trump had maintained the account after assuming the presidency and operated it with the assistance of White House aide Dan  Scavino, the department argued that it remained a personal account that no American necessarily had a constitutional right to follow. Lower courts that found otherwise blurred “the line between state action and private conduct” and jeopardized “the ability of public officials—from the President of the United States to a village councilperson—to insulate their social-media accounts from harassment, trolling, or hate speech without invasive judicial oversight,” acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall said in the brief.

“National security adviser calls Iran nuke agreement 'worst diplomatic deal since the Munich appeasement'” by Fox News’ Sam Dorman – The 2015 Iran nuclear deal was the worst diplomatic compact since the 1938 Munich Agreement, National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien told "The Story" Thursday. He was responding to remarks by former Secretary of State John Kerry during Tuesday's proceedings at the Democratic National Convention. "John Kerry and the JCPOA [nuclear deal] gave Iran $150 billion in sanctions relief. That was the Obama-Biden administration," O'Brien told host Martha MacCallum. "Iran spent that money not on its own people, not to build a middle class in Iran. They spent it on terrorist activities in Lebanon, and Syria, and Iraq, in Yemen, so the JCPOA was no great deal. In fact, it was the worst diplomatic deal since the Munich appeasement in 1938." The Munich Agreement, reached by Nazi Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy allowed Hitler's troops to annex Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland and is remembered today as a classic case of diplomatic appeasement. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear deal in 2018, provoking criticism from former advisors to President Barack Obama On Thursday, O'Brien indicated that the Obama administration had dropped the ball when it came to combatting ISIS in the Middle East.

“Steve Bannon, three others charged with fraud in border wall fundraising campaign” by CNN’s Erica Orden and Kara Scannell – New York federal prosecutors on Thursday charged President Donald Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon and three others with defrauding donors of hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of a fundraising campaign purportedly aimed at supporting Trump's border wall. Bannon, 66, was arrested at 7:30 a.m. Thursday near Westbrook, Connecticut, on the yacht of exiled Chinese dissident Guo Wengui, according to two law enforcement officials. Federal agents, officials from the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Coast Guard, assisted, officials said. During an initial court appearance in New York later Thursday, Bannon pleaded not guilty and was set to be released on bail including a $5 million bond to be secured by $1.75 million in cash or real property. As part of his bail conditions, he will be prohibited from travel on private airplanes, yachts or boats without permission from the court. Appearing via video conference, Bannon sported a white face mask, a button-down shirt and a sunburn. As he exited the federal courthouse, Bannon removed his mask and waved at supporters before confronting a group of reporters. "This entire fiasco is to stop people who want to build the wall," Bannon said. The four men were indicted for allegedly using hundreds of thousands of dollars donated to an online crowdfunding campaign called We Build the Wall for personal expenses, among other things. Bannon and another defendant, Brian Kolfage, promised donors that the campaign, which ultimately raised more than $25 million, was "a volunteer organization" and that "100% of the funds raised...will be used in the execution of our mission and purpose," according to the indictment unsealed Thursday.

“Justice Department’s Antitrust Chief Plans Shake Up for Stronger Enforcement” by WSJ’s Brent Kendall – The Justice Department’s top antitrust official is shaking up internal operations, aiming to better coordinate enforcement in the financial sector and ensure that companies across the economy stick to commitments they make in legal settlements designed to protect competition. Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim, who is ordering the restructuring, also is creating a new group to promote scrutiny of potentially anticompetitive business practices that are unrelated to mergers and acquisitions, which tend to absorb much of the antitrust division’s attention. After nearly three years in the job, “my goal is to capitalize on what I have witnessed as the institution’s strengths and to fix some of the organizational weaknesses,” Mr. Delrahim said in an email interview with The Wall Street Journal. He is expected to discuss the changes in a virtual event hosted later Thursday by Stanford University. On the financial front, the Justice Department’s oversight and enforcement has been fragmented for years, with areas like banks, credit cards, insurance and securities exchanges each being handled by different sections within the antitrust division. Mr. Delrahim said he is bringing all of these areas into one cohesive group, with the goal of combining internal expertise and improving antitrust enforcement on financial issues.

President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump-In 47 years, Joe did none of the things of which he now speaks. He will never change, just words!

Adam Schiff @RepAdamSchiff -IF THE PRESIDENT IS ABLE TO VOTE BY MAIL, ALL AMERICANS SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE BY MAIL.

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Javier Manjarres

Javier Manjarres

Javier Manjarres is a nationally renowned award-winning political journalist and Publisher of Floridianpress.com, Hispolitica.com, shark-tank.com, and Texaspolitics.com He enjoys traveling, playing soccer, mixed martial arts, weight-lifting, swimming, and biking. Javier is also a political consultant and has also authored "BROWN PEOPLE," which is a book about Hispanic Politics. Follow on Twitter: @JavManjarres Email him at Diversenewmedia@gmail.com

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