Nikki Fried may have 'fried' her political career
How did Michael Bloomberg not think that his pledge $16 million to pay for the fines of convicted felons so that they could pay their outstanding fines in order to vote, would not be met with a challenge from Republicans?
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has now sent a letter to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and FBI to look into potential election law violations.
"I have instructed the statewide prosecutor to work with law enforcement and any statewide grand jury that the governor may call," she said.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) called the Bloomberg’s pledge a “bribe” and said that he had spoken to Moody about legal options. Former Florida AG Pam Bondi appeared on Fox News to jab Bloomberg over his “weird obsession with Florida.” READ MORE
What is more disturbing and questionable is that AG Commissioner Nikki Fried has expressed her support for Bloomberg’s donation without looking into the legality of it.
Not very gubernatorial of her wouldn’t you say? READ MORE
Oh, and she even had the nerve to demand money from President Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.
"Fried today also sent letters to the Governor of Florida, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Florida State Executive Director, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, and other Florida Congressional delegation members representing districts impacted by Hurricane Sally in support of pursuing a USDA Secretarial disaster declaration. Under federal law, the Governor, his authorized representative, or FSA state director must request a disaster declaration from the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture."
HOW EMBARRASSING >>> Former Progressive congressional candidate Tim Canova has just come out against Joe Biden's bid for president READ MORE
Marco Rubio @marcorubio-Remember when Democratic leaders were demanding more briefings on election interference? Senate Intel Committee scheduled one today with Bill Evanina who leads our nations election security efforts Sen. Schumer had a temper tantrum over SupCt & used procedural move to cancel it
Rep. Donna E. Shalala @RepShalala-My hope is that the United States Senate can honor Ruth's final wish and wait until a new president is installed to nominate her replacement.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz @RepDWStweets -.@GovRonDeSantiswould rather scare up bogeymen around Florida’s overwhelmingly peaceful protests than address his inept management of the #COVID crisis. 200K Americans are dead, millions have no job, and too many in FL have paltry UI or lack health care. This is not leadership.
Rep. Stephanie Murphy @RepStephMurphy-We cannot bring SFC Alwyn Cashe back, or erase the pain felt by those who loved him and those who served alongside him. But I'll keep fighting to pay tribute to his life and his legacy by ensuring he receives the Medal of Honor he earned for his heroic actions
Congressman Charlie Crist @RepCharlieCrist -Devastated to hear of the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was an American icon and pillar of justice, and we mourn her loss while celebrating the monumental legacy she leaves behind. May her fighting spirit inspire all of us to keep moving forward.
“Deutch outraged, calls Breonna Taylor shooting indictment an injustice” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Shortly after Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) announced the findings of a grand jury investigation into the police shooting death of Breonna Taylor, where former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison was indicted on three counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree, activists took to the streets to protest what they call the grand jury findings as “injustice.” Florida Rep. Ted Deutch (R) was among the elected officials that took issue with the grand jury findings, calling them “an outrage.” Rep. Deutch also tweeted the false narrative that Taylor was shot “as she slept” as police had already confirmed that she was awakened by the knock on the door and she called out twice, “who is it?” “The only charges brought against officers based on the events of March 13th were for shots fired into the apartment next to the one where Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by police as she slept,” tweeted Deutch. This is not justice. This is an outrage.” According to a police interview with Taylor’s live-in boyfriend Kenneth Walker, “Taylor yelled again “at the top of her lungs,” asking who it was, Walker said in the recording. He said he was asking, too.” Walker stated that he heard police announce themselves and admitted to firing the first shot. The police search warrant at the center of the whole controversy “explicitly” identified Breonna Taylor and her address because police believed she still had ties to one of the main suspects in their drug trafficking investigation.
ENDORSEMENT — Republican Tom Fabricio has been endorsed by the South Florida Police Benevolent Association. He's running for the state House in District 103
“Pam Bondi: Bloomberg has ‘some weird obsession with Florida’” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared on Fox News to counter former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg election year tactic to spend $20 million dollars to pay for the fines of felons so they can vote in Florida. “He’s got some weird obsession with Florida,” said Bondi “In 2015, he took out $10 million in hit ads against me and a couple other attorney’s general, and how did that work out for him, not so great.” Bondi jabs against Bloomberg continued, as the former prosecutor poked fun at Bloomberg’s failed and expense presidential campaign, reminding voters that Bloomberg spends $100 million in hit ads in Florida during the 2020 election cycle. “Now he comes in to try to pay $20 million to pay fines for convicted felons so they can vote, you know what…. He needs to spend this money back in his state. People aren’t leaving New York, they are fleeing it. He needs to get over his obsession with my state, and focus on helping his state because it’s not working for him.” Ouch. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) announced that he had spoken to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and called for a criminal probe into Bloomberg’s election payday for Felons.
“Will Seniors on Medicare Receive Free COVID Vaccine?” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Florida rep. Vern Buchanan (R) announced today that he had directed a letter to Alex Azar, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, “urging the Trump administration to make the COVID vaccine free to seniors on Medicare.” Sharing the news on Twitter, the Florida lawmaker argued that “seniors are especially vulnerable to this deadly disease,” adding that “we need to make sure they have access to a vaccine.” In the letter sent to Secretary Azar, Buchanan explained that he “was troubled by recent reports that suggested that seniors may be forced to pay a premium for this vitally necessary and potentially life-saving vaccine,” noting that “when Congress enacted the CARES Act in March, it explicitly stated the forthcoming vaccine would be free for all Americans, including our seniors who are extremely vulnerable to coronavirus.” Buchanan points out that “although Medicare does not typically cover drugs approved under emergency-use designation (which would include a COVID-19 vaccine),” he still calls for the Trump administration “to intervene and provide such coverage.” “With more than 225,000 seniors in my district,” Buchanan commented, “this issue is critical to the community I represent and countless others across the nation.”
“Gaetz Calls for Criminal Probe into Bloomberg” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – This week, it was announced that former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg (D) had paid the fines for 32,000. Felons in Florida to ensure that they’re able to vote in the upcoming November election. This comes on the heel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit announcing that ex-felons failed to prove that the voting requirements in Florida amount to an unconstitutional poll tax. In a statement regarding the payment of fines, a Bloomberg spokesperson commented that “the right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and no American should be denied that right.” Moreover, “working together with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, we are determined to end disenfranchisement and the discrimination that has always driven it.” In response, Florida rep. Matt Gaetz (R) has slammed the former 2020 presidential candidate, calling for a criminal probe into the Mayor’s move. In speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity, the Florida lawmaker commented that he believes “there may be a criminal investigation already underway of. The Bloomberg-connected activities in Florida.” Moreover, Gaetz detailed that Florida law determines “it’s a third-degree felony for someone to either directly or indirectly provide something of value to impact whether or not someone votes,” adding that “the question is whether or not paying off someone’s fines and legal obligations counts as something of value, and it clearly does.”
“Poll: Biden, Trump virtually tied in Arizona, Florida” by Politico’s Quint Forgey – President Donald Trump holds narrow, negligible leads among likely voters in Arizona and Florida, according to new surveys of the pair of swing states he seized in 2016. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Wednesday reported that 49 percent of Arizona likely voters surveyed prefer Trump and 48 percent back Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden — an advantage of 1 percentage point that falls within the survey’s margin of error. Another Post-ABC poll has Trump ahead of Biden by 4 percentage points in Florida, with the Republican incumbent earning 51 percent support among likely voters surveyed to the former vice president’s 47 percent. That 4-point edge similarly falls within the margin of error for the poll’s Florida data. But the polls of the Sun Belt battlegrounds, conducted by Langer Research Associates, show Biden slightly ahead of Trump among registered voters surveyed in both states: 49-47 percent in Arizona and 48-47 percent in Florida — leads that fall within the surveys’ margins of error. According to the RealClearPolitics average of Arizona surveys conducted from Sept. 4-20, Biden remains 4.1 percentage points ahead of Trump in general election polling. The RealClearPolitics average of Florida polling, which includes surveys from Aug. 28-Sept. 20, shows Biden leading Trump by 1 percentage point. Trump won Arizona’s 11 Electoral College votes by 4.1 percentage points in 2016. BiIll Clinton, who won Arizona in 1996, was the most recent Democratic presidential nominee to carry the state.
“Gaetz calls for election bribery probe of Bloomberg over pledge to pay Florida felons' fines” by Fox News’ Charles Creitz – House Judiciary Committee member Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., told "Hannity" Tuesday that he has spoken with Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody about potentially launching a bribery investigation into former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "I believe there may be a criminal investigation already underway of the Bloomberg-connected activities in Florida," Gaetz told host Sean Hannity. Bloomberg, who briefly joined the race for the Democratic presidential nomination earlier this year, has reportedly raised more than $16 million for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. Under the Florida state constitution, convicted felons can regain their voting rights after having served their time. However, a law enacted by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis states that felons must pay all fines, restitution, and other legal financial obligations before their sentences could be considered fully served. "[Under Florida law] it’s a third-degree felony for someone to either directly or indirectly provide something of value to impact whether or not someone votes," Gaetz explained. "So the question is whether or not paying off someone’s fines and legal obligations counts as something of value, and it clearly does. "If Michael Bloomberg was offering to pay off people's credit card debt," Gaetz added, "you would obviously see the value in that.
“New Florida DEO Head Promises Unemployment Fixes” by Bay News 9’s Greg Angel’s Six months after the state’s initial pandemic shutdown order, causing hundreds of thousands of Floridians to be furloughed and laid off, many are complaining the state is still failing to provide full unemployment benefits as owed. “We’re digging into how we can be more effective, more innovative,” said Dane Eagle, newly-appointed executive director of Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Eagle will become the third state executive to oversee the state’s problem-plagued unemployment system in six months. Last Monday, Eagle replaced former DEO Executive Director Ken Lawson who recently resigned. This past summer Gov. Ron DeSantis transferred oversight of the unemployment system from Lawson to Florida Department of Management Services Secretary Jonathan Satter. Troubles about Florida’s unemployment system were no secret among state leadership circles. Previous audits revealed hundreds of issues and Politico was first to report that Lawson himself warned the Governor’s Office in January 2019 of problems. Months later, Spectrum News continues to receive complaints from frustrated Floridians about stalled claims, and an inability to get through to state call centers. Transitioning from State Representative to DEO executive director, Eagle told Spectrum News that he is looking to right the ship.
“Source says President will meet with Florida judge on short list for Supreme Court” by WINK News – President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Florida Judge Barbara Lagoa, who is on the short list for the U.S. Supreme Court. WINK News was told the president will met with Lagoa Friday in Miami. Sources in Miami also told us Trump interviewed Judge Lagoa over the phone Saturday. Based on that conversation, the president invited another judge onto the short list — Amy Coney Berrett — to the White House instead this week. But we’re told that the president will still meet with Lagoa privately Friday while he is in Miami for an unrelated event. However, a report by the Associated Press, conflicts with that information. According to the Associated Press, President Donald Trump says he will not be meeting with Judge Barbara Lagoa, but says the Florida-born jurist is still on his short list to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Speaking to reporters during a White House press briefing Wednesday, Trump, who has spoken highly of Lagoa, said, “She is on my list. I don’t have a meeting planned, but she is on my list.” Trump had previously suggested he might meet with Lagoa later this week when he travels to Florida for campaign events. He is set to announce his nominee for the high court Saturday afternoon.
“Florida election supervisors will count ballots earlier this year” by Fox 35 Orlando – With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, more people will be voting by mail. That also means that the process of in-person voting has to change some. Yet, with Election Day just six weeks away and all these changes on the horizon, Florida's election supervisors are speaking words of confidence. Florida election supervisors can start counting mail ballots even earlier this year given the increase in demand. The count will be done in several stages. It is possible that two-thirds of ballots come in through the mail -- that's more than twice as many as normal. "Florida is the largest battleground state in the nation. We are used to the perennial spotlight. Since 2000, it is nothing new to us. We had three statewide recounts in 2018. My colleagues and I -- we are up for the challenge," Brian Corley, the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections said.
Gov. DeSantis is allowing them to start counting 27 to 30 days ahead of Election Day, instead of the previous number of 22. And since Florida is allowed to county early votes ahead of Election Day, that could mean we wait on other states for national results. "Florida has the opportunity to be the shining star of the night. We will have unofficial election results on election night. We always do," Corley said. However, he wants to remind voters that "nothing is going to be official on election night."
“Ex-Florida GOP congresswoman under federal investigation: report” by The Hill’s Zack Dudryk – Former Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) is reportedly the subject of a federal investigation into allegations she misused campaign funds. Several onetime staffers have been subpoenaed to provide records or testify before a grand jury on Ros-Lehtinen’s alleged use of campaign funds for personal expenses and vacations, according to a Miami CBS affiliate which first reported the investigation. The Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section is reportedly investigating the matter. Ros-Lehtinen announced in April 2017 that she would not seek re-election in 2018 and transferred nearly $180,000 from her re-election campaign to a political action committee she ran. While this is not unusual, personal use of campaign funds is illegal under federal law even if they have been transferred to a PAC. Expense reports from the PAC showed nearly $4,000 spent on a trip to Walt Disney World with her children and grandchildren in December 2017. She also reportedly spent $3,100 at the Coral Gables seafood restaurant MesaMar on New Year’s Eve 2018. The nonpartisan watchdog group the Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission against the former congresswoman in October 2019, saying the PAC appeared to have violated federal law by “converting contributions for personal use, including a family trip to Disney World and tens of thousands of dollars of expenses at luxury hotels, none of which have any apparent connection to Rep. Ros-Lehtinen’s candidacy or duties as an officeholder.”
“DeSantis, Florida's attorney general call for investigation into $16M Bloomberg donations to help felons vote” by Fox 13’s Jim Turner and Dara Kam – Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis called for investigations Wednesday into former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg joining the effort to help Florida felons pay outstanding legal fees so they can register to vote in November. Moody, saying her office was acting at the request of DeSantis, asked the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate Bloomberg raising at least $16 million for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, contending it could be a violation of state laws against offering incentives to people or groups in exchange for voting in a particular manner. “After preliminarily reviewing this limited public information and law, it appears further investigation is warranted,” Moody wrote to Michael McPherson, special agent in charge of the Tampa office of the FBI, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Richard Swearingen. “Accordingly, I request that your agencies further investigate this matter and take appropriate steps as merited.” Patronis, a Republican like DeSantis and Moody, asked the Florida Elections Commission to determine if Bloomberg’s contribution to the non-profit is trying to illegally influence the outcome of Florida’s November election. “Reports that the failed presidential candidate is spending tens of millions of dollars on restitution for certain registered voters doesn’t smell right to me,” Patronis wrote, referring to the billionaire businessman’s bid for the Democratic nomination this year
“Romney, GOP senators' support for Supreme Court vote opens lane for confirmation, but obstacles remain” by Fox News’ Tyler Olson – When Sen. Mitt Romney said on Tuesday that he would support the Senate moving ahead with the confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee from President Trump before the election, he tipped the balance of the tenuous confirmation math in Republicans' favor, opening a lane for a nominee to clear the Senate with at least 50 Republican votes and Vice President Mike Pence to break the tie. Hours later, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., the only other apparently outstanding possible GOP defector, said he supported moving ahead with a nominee as well. That left Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, as the only two Republicans to say they would oppose immediately moving ahead with a Trump nominee. "My decision regarding a Supreme Court nomination is not the result of a subjective test of ‘fairness’ which, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder," Romney, R-Utah, said in a statement. "It is based on the immutable fairness of following the law, which in this case is the Constitution and precedent. The historical precedent of election year nominations is that the Senate generally does not confirm an opposing party’s nominee but does confirm a nominee of its own." Added Toomey: "I will evaluate President Trump’s nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg based on whether the nominee has the character, intellect and experience needed to serve on our nation’s highest court. These are the same objective, nonpartisan criteria that I have used to evaluate judicial nominees under both President Obama and President Trump."
“Trump nominates former Nunes aide as intelligence community inspector general” by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Jeremy Herb and Zachary Cohen – President Donald Trump intends to nominate Allen Souza as the next inspector general for the intelligence community after firing the previous inspector general, Michael Atkinson, in April. Trump had fumed about Atkinson for months after he informed Congress about the whistleblower complaint regarding Trump's dealings with Ukraine that ultimately led to his impeachment. A former aide to California Rep. Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, Souza currently works for the National Security Council under Robert O'Brien. This spring the Trump administration purged several inspectors general from their posts and rejected requests from Republicans for more information on the removals. "When the President loses confidence in an inspector general, he will exercise his constitutional right and duty to remove that officer, as did President Reagan when he removed inspectors general upon taking office and as did President Obama when he was in office," White House counsel Pat Cipollone wrote in May when asked by GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley about the removals of Atkinson and the State Department inspector general. After announcing the President's intention to nominate Souza, the White House almost immediately sent his nomination to the Senate on Wednesday. Souza was a lawyer for the House Intelligence Committee under Nunes in 2017 and 2018, while the committee was conducting its GOP-led Russia investigation that was engulfed in partisan fights. to aid Trump's campaign, a conclusion that the Senate Intelligence Committee affirmed.
“Government Reviewer of John Bolton Book Describes Unprecedented White House Intervention” by WSJ’s Aruna Viswanatha – The government official assigned to examine whether former national security adviser John Bolton’s book contains classified information said Trump administration lawyers asked her to sign misleading statements about her review, adding fuel to Mr. Bolton’s claims that he was targeted for his unflattering portrait of President Trump. In a 17-page letter, an attorney for Ellen Knight, the then-National Security Council official whose office conducted the review, said White House lawyers were involved to an unusual degree in the review process, withheld information and conducted a flawed second review in what appeared to be an effort to justify a lawsuit against Mr. Bolton over his book. Lawyers for Mr. Bolton filed the letter in court on Wednesday in response to a case the Justice Department filed days before Mr. Bolton’s bestseller, “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” went on sale in June. “Had their concern been to produce a publishable manuscript without classified information, they presumably would have asked the experts who had devoted hundreds of person-hours to a painstaking review of every page of the manuscript,” Ms. Knight’s attorney, Kenneth Wainstein, wrote. The allegations came days after prosecutors issued grand jury subpoenas to Mr. Bolton’s publisher and literary agent as part of a criminal investigation into whether Mr. Bolton mishandled classified information in his book, which relays stories about Mr. Bolton’s time in government and his relationship with the president.
“Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's casket arrives at Supreme Court to lie in repose” by Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s casket arrived at the Supreme Court building Wednesday morning and was greeted by former law clerks who lined the front steps as honorary pallbearers as thousands are expected to pay their respects to the liberal icon this week. The remaining justices awaited her arrival in the Supreme Court’s Great Hall, where a ceremony took place as Ginsburg’s casket rests on the Lincoln Catafalque, the platform that held the casket of President Abraham Lincoln. A ceremony was led by Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt, co-senior rabbi at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C. Holtzblatt’s husband Ari Holtzblatt clerked for Ginsburg in 2014. Rabbi Holtzblatt spoke at the ceremony, followed by Chief Justice John Roberts. Roberts recalled how Ginsburg would speak of her journey to the nation's highest court from humble beginnings. "Ruth used to ask what is the difference between a bookkeeper in Brooklyn and a Supreme Court justice?" Roberts said. "The answer, one generation.” Roberts then led the attendees in a moment of silence before the ceremony concluded. Following the ceremony, Ginsburg will be moved from the Great Hall to the Portico at the top of the front steps of the building, where she will lie in repose. The public will be able to pay their respects until 10 p.m. Wednesday, and then Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. President Trump will reportedly pay his respects on Thursday, according to NBC News.
“New York judge rules Eric Trump must sit for deposition before election” by CNN’s Erica Orden – A New York state judge ruled Wednesday that Eric Trump must sit to be deposed by the state attorney general's office by October 7, denying his request to delay an interview as part of an investigation into the Trump Organization until after the presidential election, according to the attorney general's office. Trump, the President's son and the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, had proposed the deposition take place after the November 3 election. An attorney for the company wrote in a recent court filing that the delay should be made to accommodate "Mr. Trump's extreme travel schedule and related unavailability between now and the election, and to avoid the use of his deposition attendance for political purposes." A lawyer for Trump declined to comment on the ruling. The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James had asked a judge to enforce subpoenas for Trump's testimony and documents as part of its investigation into whether the Trump Organization improperly inflated the value of certain assets. "To be clear, no entity or individual is allowed to dictate how or when our investigation will proceed or set the parameters of a lawful investigation," she said following Wednesday's ruling. "The court's order today makes clear that no one is above the law, not even an organization or an individual with the name Trump."
“One Officer in Breonna Taylor Case Is Indicted, but No Charges Are Directly Linked to Her Death” by WSJ’s Arian Campo-Flores – A grand jury indicted one of the Louisville police officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s fatal shooting—but on charges related to endangering her neighbors, not charges linked to her death, Kentucky’s attorney general said. The 26-year-old Black emergency-room technician was killed when police executed a search warrant on her apartment six months ago. Former Detective Brett Hankison, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove discharged their weapons during the raid. The grand jury indicted Mr. Hankison on three counts of wanton endangerment, stemming from bullets fired recklessly into a neighboring apartment. Under Kentucky law, wanton endangerment involves conduct that creates a substantial danger of death or serious injury, while showing indifference to human life. Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Sgt. Mattingly and Detective Cosgrove were justified in using force after they were fired on, and they weren’t charged. “I know that not everyone will be satisfied with the charges we’ve reported today,” Mr. Cameron said at a news conference Wednesday. “My team set out to investigate the circumstances surrounding Ms. Taylor’s death. We did it with a singular goal in mind—pursuing the truth.” Ms. Taylor’s killing set off months of protests in Louisville and other cities and drew national attention, with celebrities and civil-rights activists urging Mr. Cameron to bring charges against the officers involved. After the announcement Wednesday, protesters took to the streets in Louisville, at times facing off with police.
“Team Biden expects Trump to 'lie through his teeth' at debate, insist showdown won’t impact race – by Fox News’ Brooke Singman – Team Biden said it expects President Trump to “lie through his teeth” at the first presidential debate between the two nominees -- while downplaying the significance it could have on the race as Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden face off for the first time next week. “Fox News Sunday” anchor Chris Wallace has been selected to moderate the first presidential debate between Trump and Biden, the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) announced earlier this month. The debate is scheduled to take place Tuesday, Sept. 29 in Cleveland, Ohio. A source familiar with the former vice president’s campaign told Fox News that they expect Trump will be “extremely practiced” and “prepared” to debate Biden. But the source that “there is no debate performance that can fundamentally shift the race because of what people are living through,” referring to the coronavirus pandemic. “Everyone is stuck in a reality on account of Trump’s mismanagement, so there is no outcome during the debate that can really change the trajectory of this race,” the source told Fox News. “If Trump has a good debate, which we anticipate, and he has no compunctions about lying through his teeth and making things up on the spot, American life is still defined by his failure to have any plan to beat COVID.” The source added: “We know Donald Trump is going to lie through his teeth, but Joe Biden’s goal is to share his agenda, his plan and his values." A former Biden staffer also told Fox News that "everybody knows" the president now, and said that people are "fully aware of how he operates and that he likes to lob insults and bait people by stating things that are not true." "If you make that the fact that he lies all the time the issue, that’s less compelling than talking about how his lies have caused harm to the country," the staffer told Fox News. "[Biden] needs to make Trump’s behavior relevant to voters. It has to be grounded in something that matters.”
“Border agency did 'not adequately safeguard' facial recognition data, watchdog finds” by CNN’s Geneva Sands – Customs and Border Protection "did not adequately safeguard" sensitive data during its facial recognition technology pilot last year, according to a new government watchdog report. The data breach, which CBP announced in 2019, compromised approximately 184,000 traveler images from CBP's facial recognition pilot, according to the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General, and at least 19 of the images were posted to the dark web. "This incident may damage the public's trust in the Government's ability to safeguard biometric data and may result in travelers' reluctance to permit DHS to capture and use their biometrics at U.S. ports of entry," the inspector general wrote. CNN reported on the data breach involving a subcontractor, Perceptics, LLC, in June 2019. A CNN analysis last year also found that at least 50,000 American license plate numbers were made available on the dark web after Perceptics, which was hired by CBP, was at the center of a major data breach. The company was never authorized to keep the information, the agency told CNN at the time.
According to the inspector general, during the pilot program, Perceptics transferred copies of CBP's biometric data, such as traveler images, to its own company network between August 2018 and January 2019. The company's network was later "subjected to a malicious cyber attack." Perceptics staff violated security and privacy protocols when they downloaded the sensitive information onto their own network, according to the report. This occurred without CBP's knowledge.
“SEC Raises Bar for Shareholder Resolutions” by WSJ’s Paul Kiernan – The Securities and Exchange Commission raised the bar for investors to submit proposals for a vote at companies’ annual meetings, a win for executives who have bristled at shareholder efforts to influence policies on climate change and other issues. Commissioners voted 3-2 to pass a final rule requiring shareholders to hold $25,000 of stock for a year, up from $2,000 currently, in order to submit such proposals. That threshold will fall to $15,000 after two years of ownership and to $2,000 after three years, setting a sliding scale that gives priority to longer-term shareholders. The new rule also raised the percentage of votes that proposals must receive to be resubmitted—and prohibits multiple shareholders who don’t individually meet the minimum thresholds from joining together to submit a proposal. The changes address one of SEC Chairman Jay Clayton’s top priorities to overhaul proxy rules—along with a rule passed in July to more-heavily regulate the firms that institutional investors pay for proxy-voting advice. Mr. Clayton, a former Wall Street deals lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, is a Trump appointee who took the helm at the commission in May 2017. He signaled early in his tenure that he would review how shareholders weigh in on corporate policies and practices. Wednesday’s vote caps an active period of SEC rule-making activity as Mr. Clayton, picked by President Trump in June to be the next U.S. attorney in Manhattan, has worked to address remaining items on his agenda.
President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump-LAW & ORDER!
Adam Schiff @RepAdamSchiff-Mr. President, this is low. Even for you. No, I didn’t write Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish to a nation she served so well, and spent her whole life making a more perfect union. But I am going to fight like hell to make it come true. No confirmation before inauguration.
