Category: Political / Governments / Nations / Countries /
In failed bid to unseat Cicilline, Republican candidate sought help from Russian intelligence
PROVIDENCE — H. Russell Taub, the onetime Republican congressional candidate who was imprisoned for defrauding political donors three years ago, illegally sought help from Russian intelligence in his failed bid to unseat U.S. Rep. David Cicilline in 2016, the Federal Election Commission has found.
A few months before the November 2016 general election, Taub sent a direct message to a Twitter account known to be used by the GRU, Russia’s main intelligence agency, according to a recently released FEC filing. In the message to Guccifer 2.0, Taub asked for a list of Republican donors, saying, “I could use your help to defeat cicilline.” Taub provided an email address and later received a dossier that included opposition research reports, polling data and other information about his incumbent Democratic opponent in the 1st Congressional District race.
Taub, 33, violated federal campaign law “by knowingly soliciting, accepting or receiving a prohibited in-kind foreign national contribution in the form of opposition research related to the candidate’s opponent,” the FEC concluded.
Taub admitted wrongdoing as part of a settlement agreement with the FEC, but he was excused from paying a $31,000 fine due to “financial hardship” and the restitution he must pay for his previous conviction. If he’s found to have misrepresented his finances, the fine will be reinstated.
In 2019, after pleading guilty to wire fraud and campaign-finance violations, Taub was sentenced to three years in federal prison and ordered to repay $1.1 million that he took through unregistered political action committees. Taub admitted to raising $1.6 million in donations and using more than $1 million of the money on cigars, meals, clothes, airfare, strip clubs and escorts, among other personal uses.
The investigation came after a Washington ethics watchdog filed a complaint against Taub with the FEC, alleging his Keeping America in Republican Control Political Action Committee was a “scam” violating campaign-finance reporting requirements.
Taub formed the PAC but never legally registered it. After finding a wealthy couple from Ohio receptive to his appeals for money, he formed the “Keeping Ohio in Republican Control” PAC to solicit more money from them.
Federal investigators did not initially name the couple, but, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, an FEC document later identified them as Karen Buchwald Wright, the CEO of Ariel Corporation, a maker of gas compressors, and her husband, Thomas Rastin, a vice-president in the Ohio-based company. They gave $1.275 million to Taub’s PACs.
The recent FEC filing mentions Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The investigation determined that “[the GRU] hacked the computers and email accounts of various organizations related to the 2016 U.S. election, including the [Democratic National Committee] and [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee], and disseminated stolen materials through fictitious online personas, including Guccifer 2.0,” the filing said.
The documents sent to Taub from Guccifer 2.0 were “apparently stolen from the GRU’s various election-related hacking targets,” the FEC said.
Federal law prohibits any “foreign national” from directly or indirectly making a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value in connection with a federal, state or local election. It also prohibits any person from knowingly soliciting, accepting or receiving any such contribution or donation from a foreign national.
According to prison records, Taub was released on Jan. 13. A lawyer representing him in the FEC case, and Cicilline’s office, did not respond to requests for comment on the settlement.
SCOTUS To Hear Hate Group On LGBTQ Protections
ABC News reports:
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new clash involving religion and the rights of LGBT people. The high court said Tuesday it would hear the case of Colorado-based web designer Lorie Smith.
Smith offers graphic and website design services and wants to expand to wedding website services, but she says her religious beliefs would lead her to decline any request from a same-sex couple to design a wedding website.
She also wants to post a statement on her website about her beliefs, but that would run afoul of a Colorado anti-discrimination law. Smith had argued the law violates her free speech and religious rights.
Read the full article.
As I reported when this suit was first filed back in 2016, it’s likely that Smith’s is yet another fake company created by the Alliance Defending Freedom in order file a “peremptory challenge.” In other words, she’s never refused any LGBT clients because she’s never had any attempt to hire her.
Ron DeSantis’ Spox: “The US Is No Position To Promote Democracy, I Can Never Trust The Federal Government”
In a time of national distress and when the US is trying to help a democracy being attacked a long time enemy of our country a leading Republican known to desire the presidency says the following.
“Pre 2020, I was an idealist who truly wanted to help Ukraine become a strong democracy. I spent a lot of time in Ukraine, still have friends there I worry about now. But the sad fact is the USA is in no position to ‘promote democracy’ abroad while our own country is falling apart.
“I’ve met a lot of great people on here who used to be Democrats until the elite Covidian takeover of their party pushed them away. Well I used to be a lot less political than I am now, and if anything, more of a neocon.
“Now I can never trust the federal government in any way.” – Christina Pushaw, spokesliar for Ron DeSantis.
Rick Scott’s ‘Plan to Rescue America’ includes promise to name border wall after Trump
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has crafted an 11-point plan laying out what the agenda should be for Republicans and conservatives if they retake control of Congress this year and the White House in 2024.
Scott, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, released what he called a plan to “rescue America,” which includes a promise to finish a wall along the Southwest border with Mexico and name is after former President Trump.
“Nations have borders. We should give that a try. President Trump’s plan to build a wall was right. We welcome those who want to join us in building the American dream, immigrants who want to be Americans, not change America,” a slide deck featuring the plan reads. “We are a stronger nation because we are a nation of immigrants; but immigration without assimilation makes us weaker. Politicians from both parties talk big about border security and do nothing. We are done with that.”
The plan also calls on Republican leaders to “strip all federal funding from ‘sanctuary cities’ and prosecute any elected officials who flout our immigration laws.”
Scott has been working with other party leaders to craft the Republican message ahead of this year’s mid-term elections and has met with Trump at least once since the former president left office.
Trump’s endorsements of Republican primary candidates in races in several states is widely seen as pivotal as he ponders his own political future.
“I want to be an additive, I want us all to row the boats in the same direction,” Scott said of Trump during an interview last March. “My goal is to tell the [former] president what I’m doing. I’ve talked to him, and he tells me he wants to be helpful to me. He’s committed to Republicans taking back a majority in the U.S. Senate.”
Scott’s plan was widely praised by Republican allies and mocked by Democrats on Twitter.
“Raise taxes on half of Americans, including seniors and working families,” White House Rapid Response Director Mike Gwin said in a tweet. “Literally nothing on how to lower prices for working families.”
“Joe Biden and Democrats have made life more expensive and less safe for families across America,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Ronna McDaniel in a statement. “Republicans like Senator Rick Scott have real solutions to put us back on track. From lowering costs and creating jobs, to supporting police and securing the border, Republicans are offering a clear plan to protect and reinvigorate the America we know and love.”
Please notice what the Republican party is focused on. First pleasing tRump. Second racism and bigotry of the base. Again putting the burden of the cost of the country on the lower incomes and giving the higher incomes a pass. Nothing addressing the current problems of the country.
Charlie Kirk: Ukraine Voted To Be Invaded By Russia
Media Matters has the transcript:
Why does Putin feel so empowered? The entire Western world is putting sanctions, right now, on Russia as they call this an invasion. There well might be.
I’m not the person to determine whether or not this is an invasion or an annexation. It feels as if Putin is going into places that want him.
They have voted overwhelmingly to be part of it. It is a family dispute that we shouldn’t get in the midst of, that’s for certain.
In case you are missing it, the paid trolls on the right are backing Putin 100%. They are using their social media accounts to push the idea the US should stay out of it, it is a family matter between Ukraine and Russia, it is just posturing that means nothing. What is it to us that we should care about it is also something I heard.
Biden: Sanctions To Target Russian Elites, Banks, Debt
The Washington Post reports:
President Biden announced new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday after its moves against Ukraine, saying the actions amounted to a “flagrant violation of international law.”
In imposing economic penalties on Russia, the United States joins European allies in responding to Russia’s deployment of troops into two pro-Russian separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. Biden called Russia’s actions the “the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
Biden said a “first tranche” of U.S. sanctions against Russia would target two financial institutions, Russian sovereign debt and Russian elites and their family members.
The New York Times reports:
Mr. Biden said the United States is imposing “full blocking” on two large Russian financial institutions and “comprehensive sanctions” on Russian debt.
“That means we’ve cut off Russia’s government from Western finance,” he said. “It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.”
He also said that the United States would impose sanctions on Russian elites and their families, an effort to ensure that those closest to Mr. Putin do not escape financial pain that is expected to hit hard for average Russian citizens.
I am impressed. These are not small steps or weak words. Biden stood strong and firm and warned the country that defending democracy is going to come at a cost and it is going to hurt in some ways. I don’t think Russia / Putin expected this. I don’t think he thought the gas pipeline was threatened. These sanction will hurt the oligarchs which will threaten Putin’s hold on the country.
Candace Owens Blames America For Russian Invasion of Ukraine: ‘WE Are at Fault’
Let’s talk about Republicans in Michigan and the Constitution….
Says Joe Biden risks war with Russia because Vladimir Putin doesn’t “believe in transgender rights.”
JD Vance says transgender rights drives looming conflict in Ukraine
IF YOUR TIME IS SHORT
Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance said the State Department’s focus on transgender rights is inflaming the conflict with Russia in Ukraine.
Russia has placed as many as 150,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders.
Russia has said Ukraine’s ties to NATO are a key threat to Russia’s national security.
As the prospect of a ground war hangs over Ukraine, Ohio Senate hopeful JD Vance said he doesn’t “really care what happens to Ukraine, one way or the other.”
Speaking to former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, Vance, a Marine veteran, said there’s no reason for U.S. military intervention.
“We didn’t not serve in the Marine Corps to go and fight Vladimir Putin because he didn’t believe in transgender rights,” Vance said Feb. 19. “Which is what the U.S. State Department is saying is a major problem with Russia.”
Vance went on to say he is “sick of Joe Biden focusing” on Ukraine at the expense of dealing with problems on the border with Mexico.
Whatever the troubles on America’s southern border, Russia’s transgender policies are not affecting the current tensions in Ukraine.
The U.S. and its NATO allies estimate that since last spring, Russia has moved as many as 150,000 troops within striking distance of Ukraine’s borders.
“That is by any means, by any estimate, a massive number of forces,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said Feb. 16. “We also know that the Russians have capabilities when it comes to electronic warfare, when it comes to aerial capabilities, any number of tactics they could employ, whether on their own or together as part of a broader onslaught.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said a Russian attack could come at any moment, if Russia wanted.
“They have enough troops and enough capabilities to launch a full fledged invasion of Ukraine with very little or no warning time,” Stoltenberg said Feb. 17. “That is what makes the situation so dangerous.”
President Joe Biden has said the warnings of war are aimed at forestalling it.
“We’re calling out Russia’s plans loudly and repeatedly, not because we want a conflict, but because we’re doing everything in our power to remove any reason that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine and prevent them from moving,” Biden said Feb. 18.
Europe hasn’t seen sustained warfare on its turf since the breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and that didn’t involve the prospect of Russian forces driving combat operations. With Ukraine, the potential scale of a military conflict is orders of magnitude bigger.
Scottie's Playtime 