State Auditor Elaine Howle discusses the audit her office released
that found the California State University system did not disclose $1.5
billion in discretionary reserves while it raised tuition and cut
employees' pay, during a joint legislative committee hearing in
Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. (Associated Press)
California county fair employees squandered hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars on unofficial travel, extravagant meals and alcohol, an audit report shows.
The
State Auditor’s Office released a report titled "Gross Mismanagement
Led to the Misuse of State Resources and Multiple Violations of State
Laws” that details how employees of a district agricultural association,
funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, wasted the state funds.
The wasteful district agricultural association wasn’t named in the report in an effort to protect whistleblowers, the Sacramento Bee reported.
“We
can’t provide the specific district agricultural association because
doing so, would essentially disclose the identity of some of individuals
we discuss,” spokeswoman Margarita Fernandez told the outlet.
There are 54 district agricultural associations in
California that organize fairs and other events, all of which are
overseen by the state Department of Food and Agriculture. The
associations used to be supported by the state general fund, though that
ended in 2011, yet the associations have continued to use state’s
equipment and other resources.
“We found that the association’s
chief executive officer and maintenance supervisor grossly mismanaged
state resources and neglected their duties to ensure that employees
comply with state laws governing supervision and time and attendance
reporting,” California State Auditor Elaine Howle wrote in the report.
“Examples
of the improper acts we found include employees taking home state
property and misusing state resources, drinking alcohol on state
grounds, a lack of critical internal controls to prevent inappropriate
and excessive travel-related purchases, unnecessary charges for interest
and late fees, and a waste of state funds.”
“Examples
of the improper acts we found include employees taking home state
property and misusing state resources, drinking alcohol on state
grounds, a lack of critical internal controls to prevent inappropriate
and excessive travel-related purchases, unnecessary charges for interest
and late fees, and a waste of state funds.” — Audit report
The
audit found that between 2016 and 2018 there were over $318,000 in
financial discrepancies, including more than $132,000 worth of credit
card purchases without receipts, over $30,000 for excessive and
unauthorized travel expenses, about $2,000 in “wasteful tips that far
exceeded the maximum allowable reimbursement rate,” and more than $1,200
in “inappropriate purchases of alcohol.”
The employees were
especially keen to use credit cards to pay for lavish dinners, with one
receipt showing the association paying $400 for five butcher’s cuts,
$125 for a lobster surf dinner, $95 for a lobster tail, and more than
$600 in alcohol, including one $96 bottle of wine, the newspaper
reported.
The unnamed association also allowed several association
maintenance employees to work side jobs during their regular shift work
– all while collecting pay from the association.
The
report also found that the maintenance supervisor routinely used a
state-owned vehicle to commute from home to work, and for personal
business. When asked about it, the supervisor said that he took the
truck home “at most two times a week” to pick up work materials.
The
association defended itself by claiming that a 2011 staff reduction
left the workplace and employees “stretched” and resulted in inadequate
training for the remaining staffers.
The Justice Department submitted a legal brief to the Supreme Court Monday that stated President Trump acted lawfully when he decided to end the Obama-era immigration program known as DACA in September of 2017, according to a new report.
The
Department of Homeland Security, “correctly, and at a minimum
reasonably, concluded that DACA is unlawful,” Justice Department lawyers
wrote in a brief submitted to the Supreme Court late Monday.
The
Supreme Court will begin to hear arguments in November. A ruling is
expected in the presidential election year, putting the high court at
the center of one of the most politically charged issues of debates. A
decision in favor of Trump would allow for the president to deport more
than one million young adults residing in the U.S. under DACA
protection, the New York Times reported.
Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, was created under an executive order in
2012. The program gives some illegal immigrants -- known as "Dreamers"
-- who were brought to the United States as children-- the opportunity
to receive a renewable two-year reprieve from deportation and become
eligible for a work permit.
In 2017, the Trump administration
announced its plan to phase out the program, but federal courts have
ruled that the phase-out could not apply retroactively and that the
program should be restarted.
The White House fought back on those
decisions, saying the president has broad authority over immigration
enforcement policy. Federal appeals courts around the country have
rejected efforts by the federal government to move ahead with phasing
out the Obama-era program.
DACA proponents have also argued that
Trump’s planned termination of the program violates federal law
requiring adequate notice-and-comment periods before certain federal
rules are changed, as well as other constitutional equal protection and
due process guarantees.
A decision from the Supreme Court to end
DACA could galvanize young Americans to ensure Trump does not see
another four years in the White House, the Times report
stated. On the other hand, if the Court chooses to continue the
Obama-era program, conservatives could argue Trump needs another four
years to fulfill his campaign promises on immigration. Fox News’ Shannon Bream and Bill Mears contributed to this report.
The Trump administration issued new policy guidance on
Monday tightening the rules for awarding discretionary work permits to
immigrants who have been temporarily allowed into the United States
for "urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit" under
the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The move came a week after the White House issued a long-awaited rule strengthening the ability of federal officials to deny green cards to immigrants deemed likely to rely on government aid.
Section 212(d)(5)(A) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act affords the Department of Homeland
Security the discretion to decide when to afford aliens entry under "extraordinary" circumstances,
such as to visit a dying relative or obtain life-saving medical
treatment. The one-time entry is a privilege, not a right — and the
administration's guidance made clear that officials were wary it was
being abused.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
said the new guidance emphasizes "the use of discretion when determining
whether to grant employment authorization for foreign nationals paroled
into the United States in keeping with existing policies."
Migrants return to Mexico using the Puerta Mexico bridge that
crosses the Rio Grande river in Matamoros, Mexico, July 31, 2019, on the
border with Brownsville, Texas. (AP Photo/Emilio Espejel)
The bulletin also "provides a list of positive and
negative factors that an officer may consider when balancing the
totality of the circumstances and determining whether an applicant
warrants a favorable exercise of discretion," according to USCIS.
“USCIS
has determined that it is necessary to issue this guidance at this time
because there is a national emergency at the U.S. southern border where
foreign nationals are entering the U.S. illegally," the agency said in a
statement.
The White House has touted its tough immigration
policies as the cause for a recent decline in immigrant detentions at
the border. The number of migrants encountered by U.S. authorities at
the border with Mexico dropped below 100,000 for the first time in five
months amid increased collaboration by Mexico and Guatemala to crack
down on the flow of humanity, according to government data released
earlier this month.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
encountered 82,049 people in July, down 21 percent from June when there
were 104,344 people and down 43 percent from May. The number of families
and minors crossing the border also dropped.
Although seasonal declines are common, U.S. officials said the drop was far greater than last year's in the same timeframe.
To avoid punishing tariffs threatened by the Trump administration, Mexico agreed in June to dramatically expand its
border enforcement efforts. The country has employed a variety of tools
— including a giant X-ray and Mexican National Guard troops — to
uphold its end of the bargain and catch hundreds of migrants.
The U.S. has also escalated its domestic enforcement efforts. An operation carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this month resulted in the detention of 680 illegal immigrants. Agents targeted a food processing plant in Mississippi and swarmed the facility with federal search warrants in hand.
"The
execution of federal search warrants today was simply about enforcing
the rule of law in our state and throughout our great country," U.S.
Attorney Mike Hurst said in a statement at the time.
"I commend
these federal agents, our state and local law enforcement partners, and
our federal prosecutors for their professionalism and dedication to
ensure that those who violate our laws are held accountable."
2020 presidential hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., called the move a part of a "campaign of terror."
Acting
Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan emphasized last week that,
despite the successes, the situation remains an emergency.
“The
situation is improving by every available metric, but, and I want to be
very clear about this, we remain at and beyond crisis levels,” McAleenan
said. Fox News' Matt Leach and Nick Givas contributed to this report.
Liberal CNN
commentator Angela Rye had a fiery exchange with a
Republican strategist during a panel discussion Monday night, telling
him that "white men who think like you" are the "greatest terrorist threat in this country."
The conversation began when GOP campaign veteran Patrick Griffin argued that President Trump should "play the lottery" since Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., brought new attention to their relationship with Isreal.
However, Rye appeared to take offense after Griffin claimed that the "Squad" has "hijacked" the Democratic Party from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
“It’s
so interesting that you use the term — the only two Muslim women in
Congress, the term you chose to use, sir, is ‘hijacking,'” Rye said.
"It
has nothing to do with whether they're Muslim or not," Griffin
responded. "Nothing to do with that... They've hijacked from their own
principles."
“That’s a real interesting word choice, and you
understand why,” Rye talked over the panelist. “You can talk over me all
you want to but the bottom line is the greatest terrorist threat in
this country is white men, white men who think like you. That is the
greatest terrorist threat in this country.”
Griffin dismissed her remarks as "silly rhetoric."
"No,
it's not!" Rye shot back. "You know what's silly? The fact that you're
on here knowing how dangerous times are right now defending this
nonsense."
Fox News' Laura Ingraham took on members of the Democratic Party for what she said was "rooting against America" and disparaging supporters of President Trump, and said the left is largely "furious" they may lose the 2020 election to the New York Republican.
"Rooting
against America, referring to millions of voters as 'deplorables' or
'racists' or bigot-coddlers is not the language of a confident
optimistic party," she said Monday on "The Ingraham Angle."
"It is the language of people who are furious that they could lose another presidential election," she said.
Ingraham said Democrats were hoping former Special Counsel Robert Mueller would be a key figure in their attempts to damage the president, as the Russia investigation concluded.
"Trump's
reckoning -- they were confident -- would be delivered by the highly
respected prosecutor Bob Mueller. In other words, the 2020 election
would be a 'gimme' for any Democrat," she said.
More recently, Democrats have lodged racism claims against the president, she said.
"The
crestfallen Dems decided to go all-in on the race issue. "The Angle"
told you this would happen. Using bogus charges of racism, the left has a
goal of blunting any momentum the president may have with minority
voters in 2020."
"The president condemned white nationalists in Charlottesville and El Paso," she added. However, she pointed to three 2020 Democratic hopefuls who have invoked the race issue.
When a CNN anchor asked former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, whether the president is a "white nationalist," the ex-lawmaker answered in the affirmative.
In another interview, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared it is "time to get white nationalism out of the White House."
In Ingraham's third example, South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg was asked whether it is a "racist act" to vote for Trump in 2020.
The 37-year-old responded that "at best, it means looking the other way on racism."
Summing
up the clips, Ingraham said some of the commentaries from the left
shows Trump supporters are becoming occasional subjects of ridicule.
"The
new Democratic playbook requires the relentless demonization of
American history, including the founders, and now the American people
themselves -- at least the ones who support Trump."
And they have caused nothing but trouble for America every since. They are constantly trying to destroy the American way of life. Has the voters in Minnesota and Michigan gone completely crazy? Is there any true American voters left in these two states?
How serious is President Trump about firing back at France over its new tax on U.S. technology? Maybe as much as 100 percent.
During his visit to New York’s Hamptons for a fundraiser
Aug. 9, the president reportedly told attendees he was thinking about
hitting France where it may hurt most – by slapping a 100 percent tariff
on French wine.
The
president’s remarks, which two sources relayed to Bloomberg, were a
follow-up to a Twitter message in late July, in which Trump wrote the
U.S. planned “a substantial reciprocal action” against France for its
digital tax on American tech.
That week, French President Emmanuel Macron approved what was called a digital services tax
-- a 3 percent levy that targets global companies worth at least 750
million euros ($834 million) and 25 million euros in France. It will be
retroactively applied from early 2019 and could generate up to 400
million euros per year for France.
Trump immediately denounced the French plan.
“If anybody taxes them, it should be their home Country, the USA,” Trump’s tweet said.
This coming Monday the U.S. Trade Representative’s office is
scheduled to hold a public hearing with American tech leaders about the
potential impact of France’s tax, the Bloomberg report said. Depending on their comments, trade boss Robert Lighthizer could recommend that Trump impose tariffs on France in response.
In
his July tweet, Trump concluded with the line, “I’ve always said
American wine is better than French wine” – even though Trump has
claimed over the years that he never drinks alcohol.
“It might be on wine, it might be on something else,” Trump then told reporters about his plan.
Because
France is part of the European Union, it’s unclear how Trump could
specifically target the country without ensnaring the entire bloc.
In a Twitter message Saturday, U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw declared Saturday’s protests in Portland, Ore., “a sad showing,” and said the city’s Antifa activists paled in comparison to the demonstrators fighting for democracy in Hong Kong.
“In Hong Kong,” the Republican congressman from Texas wrote, “antifascists wave American flags, demand freedom and actually fight fascists.
“In Portland,” he continued, “ ‘antifascists’ burn American flags, demand violence in the name of socialism.”
Crenshaw,
35, is in his first term in the U.S. House after being elected las
November. The former U.S. Navy SEAL served in Afghanistan and is the
recipient of two Bronze Stars for heroic service and a Purple Heart
after being wounded in combat.
On Saturday, demonstrators from
both left-wing and right-wing groups converged in Portland, Ore., the
scene of numerous violent confrontations in the past.
As of Saturday evening, the city’s mayor was declaring the day’s events “largely peaceful,” with 13 arrests and a small number of minor injuries reported.
Members
of the Proud Boys and other conservative groups have argued that Antifa
protesters have instigated violence at their events, but have often
escaped prosecution because many of their members keep their faces
covered during attacks.
In July, the city’s police chief called for new laws against wearing masks during such protests.
“We cannot allow people to continue to use the guide of free speech to commit a crime,” Chief Danielle Outlaw said.
On Saturday, President Trump threatened to push for Antifa to be declared a terror organization.
As a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, Crenshaw frequently speaks out on matters of security and terrorism.
In July, Crenshaw accused Democratic U.S. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., of using the U.S.-Mexico border crisis as a stage for criticizing President Trump rather than for proposing solutions to the nation’s immigration problem.
"What
they really want is more commissions … more investigations they can
point to, to call the president evil," Crenshaw said during an
appearance on “Fox & Friends.” "That's what they want."
In June, Crenshaw went after Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters,
accusing her of “literally repeating the lies of the Iranian regime”
after she asserted that President Trump was trying to provoke a conflict
with Iran.
