Conservative Blogger
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
GOP Sen. Grassley presses DHS, State Dept for info on 'disturbing' arrest of suspected ISIS killer in Sacramento
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Monday pressed the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department for more information on the alleged ISIS killer arrested in northern California last week, asking how he could have been granted refugee status.
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Omar Ameen, 45, following an Iraqi warrant for his arrest and extradition request, officials said in a news release from the Justice Department. Ameen's refugee status was approved under an Obama-era resettlement program in June 2014.
But before arriving in the U.S. in November 2014, prosecutors say, Ameen went back to Iraq and killed a police officer while fighting for ISIS.
“We need to better understand how someone with ties to terrorism and wanted for murder could possibly be granted refugee status and allowed to enter American communities," Grassley wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. "This disturbing case underscores the importance of thoroughly vetting refugees before granting admission to the United States."
SUSPECTED ISIS MEMBER CAPTURED IN SACRAMENTO
Grassley's letter set a Sept. 3 deadline for DHS officials to provide written information on Ameen's immigration history, relevant Visa Security Unit vetting documentation and all records about his travel into and out of the U.S.
The letter also requested that the State Department turn over information as to whether Ameen applied for a visa, whether he ever was denied a visa and why, as well as any additional administrative processing that his application received.
Ameen allegedly arrived in Rawah, Iraq, “with a caravan of ISIS vehicles," after the terror network gained control of the town on June 21, 2014, as the group made its way to the Rawah police officer's home, officials said. The following day, multiple ISIS members, including Ameen, allegedly shot the officer.
"This disturbing case underscores the importance of thoroughly vetting refugees."“Ameen then allegedly fired his weapon at the victim while the victim was on the ground, killing him,” officials said.
- Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa
The suspect is accused of being a member of ISIS and Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), as well as carrying out tasks for the groups, “including helping to plant improvised explosive devices,” according to the news release.
Following the alleged incident, Ameen relocated to Sacramento from Iraq “as a purported refugee” and did not mention his alleged ties to the terrorist organizations when seeking refugee status and a green card in the U.S., officials said.
Ameen also attempted to apply for refugee status in Turkey in 2012, according to Grassley, but "returned to Iraq to engage in terrorist activities while his application was pending."
"It’s difficult to judge what mistakes may have been made and what policy changes might be necessary to prevent it from happening again without more information,” Grassley added. “I’m grateful for the work of agents and officials at the FBI, the Justice Department and elsewhere who appropriately removed this potential threat, but I am concerned that an active member of two foreign terrorist organizations was able to conceal his past and slip into the United States undetected.”
Ameen could face the death penalty after he is extradited to Baghdad under a treaty the U.S. has with Iraq, court documents filed in the U.S. by Iraqi prosecutors say.
Trump to hold rally in West Virginia to support 'spectacular' AG Morrisey in upcoming US Senate race
President Trump announced late Monday that he would head to West Virginia to campaign on behalf of the “hardworking and spectacular” Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who is hoping to flip the seat from Democratic challenger and incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin in the upcoming midterm elections.
Morrisey, who won the Republican primary, hopes to give the GOP a much-needed win in one of the top Senate battlegrounds as Democrats set the stage for a tough battle in November to regain control of the House.
“Will be going to the Great State of West Virginia on Tuesday Night to campaign & do a Rally Speech for a hard working and spectacular person, A.G. Patrick Morrisey, who is running for the U.S. Senate,” Trump tweeted. “Patrick has great Energy & Stamina-I need his VOTE to MAGA. Total Endorsement!"
Trump also reaffirmed his support of California’s GOP candidate for governor John Cox late Monday evening, who he says “will Make California Great Again.”
“I am hearing so many great things about the Republican Party’s California Gubernatorial Candidate, John Cox. He is a very successful businessman who is tired of high Taxes & Crime,” Trump tweeted.
Cox, who vowed to make the Golden State “livable and affordable” during an interview with Fox Business in June, will face Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the former San Francisco mayor, in the November general election.
Trump predicted earlier this month that Republicans could ride a “giant Red Wave” into the November midterm elections spurred on by none other than the president himself.
“As long as I campaign and/or support Senate and House candidates (within reason), they will win! I LOVE the people, & they certainly seem to like the job I’m doing,” Trump tweeted. “If I find the time, in between China, Iran, the Economy and much more, which I must, we will have a giant Red Wave!”
Trump-backed Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach won the Republican primary for the state’s gubernatorial race, and candidates in three Missouri and Michigan races also won.
Republican state Sen. Troy Balderson, who also had the endorsement of the president, declared victory in Ohio's special election for a vacant House seat despite the race still being too close to call.
Democrats are widely seen as the favorites to reclaim control of the House, and are consistently leading in so-called “generic” congressional ballot polls – including districts that were once seen as solid red.
Despite coming up short in most of those races, Democratic leaders point out that the fact the races are competitive is a sign of Republican vulnerability in the fall.
Russian hackers targeted conservative think tanks prior to midterms
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| Here We Go Again |
The New York Times reported that some of the sites that were targeted were the Hudson Institute and the International Republican Institute, think tanks that have disagreed with President Trump on ending Russian sanctions.
Three other fake domains were designed to look as if they belonged to the U.S. Senate.
“To be clear, we currently have no evidence these domains were used in any successful attacks before the DCU [Digital Crime Unit] transferred control of them, nor do we have evidence to indicate the identity of the ultimate targets of any planned attack involving these domains,” Microsoft said on the blog.
Microsoft called the hacking group Strontium; others call it Fancy Bear or APT28. The special counsel Robert Mueller indictment has tied it to Russian's main intelligence agency, known as the GRU, and to the 2016 email hacking of both the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign.
“The Russians are seeking to disrupt and divide,” Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president said, according to the paper. “There is an asymmetric risk here for democratic societies. The kind of attacks we see from authoritarian regimes like Russia are seeking to fracture and splinter groups in our society.”
The Washington Post reported that there were phony versions of six websites.
Smith said there is no sign the hackers were successful in persuading anyone to click on the fake websites, which could have exposed a target victim to computer infiltration, hidden surveillance and data theft.
Both conservative think tanks said they have tried to be vigilant about "spear-phishing" email attacks because their global pro-democracy work has frequently drawn the ire of authoritarian governments.
"We're glad that our work is attracting the attention of bad actors," said Hudson Institute spokesman David Tell. "It means we're having an effect, presumably."
Microsoft calls the hacking group Strontium; others call it Fancy Bear or APT28. An indictment from U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller has tied it to Russian's main intelligence agency, known as the GRU, and to the 2016 email hacking of both the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign.
"We have no doubt in our minds" who is responsible, Smith said.
McGahn's lawyers assure his lengthy interviews with Mueller's team 'did not incriminate' Trump: report
White House counsel Donald McGahn’s attorneys reportedly assured President Donald Trump’s lawyers that he doesn’t believe his lengthy interviews with Special Counsel Robert Mueller incriminated the president.
The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, reported that McGahn’s attorneys issued assurances in the wake of Trump’s legal team criticism of the New York Times article claiming his lawyers have little knowledge what McGahn told the special counsel.
Bill Burck, an attorney for McGahn, told the president’s attorneys over the past weekend that McGahn didn’t say that Trump is guilty of any wrongdoing during his interviews with Mueller’s investigators.
“He did not incriminate him,” Burck wrote in one email, according to the Post.
Rudy Giuliani told Fox News on Monday that former Trump attorney John Dowd “got a complete version of what McGahn said during that period of time,” while noting that he personally wasn’t aware of all the details McGhan told the investigators. “Now, I do,” he added, saying he went over the details in the recent days.
Despite the criticism of the media reports about McGahn’s interviews with the special counsel, Trump used the interviews to portray the White House as being cooperative with the investigation and as evidence that Mueller’s team is scrambling for evidence.
“Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Counsel, only with my approval, for purposes of transparency,” Trump wrote in a tweet on Monday. “Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone looking for trouble.”
McGahn reportedly had three lengthy interviews with the special counsel investigators since last November, who are investigating the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The White House counsel, who’s believed to have become a key witness in the probe, was asked by investigators about Trump’s private actions when he decided to fire FBI Director James Comey, publicly attacked Attorney General Jeff Sessions over his failure to control the probe, and when he indicated willingness to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, the Post reported.
Trump’s legal team was assured that McGahn told the special counsel that he didn’t witness the president committing any crimes and would have left his position if he had.
But Burck also warned that McGahn is merely a witness and he doesn’t know if Mueller has more evidence about any alleged wrongdoing by the president or if the information McGahn provided could be used in a broader case.
Monday, August 20, 2018
Cohen investigated for bank fraud, campaign finance violations: report says
Federal investigators in New York are reportedly working to determine if Michael Cohen—President Trump’s former lawyer—committed bank fraud on over $20 million worth of loans, and possible campaign finance violations.
The New York Times on Sunday reported that the loans in question were for a taxi business that is owned by Cohen and his family.
Investigators are trying to determine if he misrepresented assets in order to obtain the loans from Sterling National Bank and the Melrose Credit Union, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Justice Department has been investigating Cohen for months, raiding his home, office and hotel room in search of documents related to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and a separate $130,000 payment the attorney facilitated before the election to Stormy Daniels, an adult-film actress who says she had sex with Trump in 2006.
The report said prosecutors are investigating whether or not Cohen violated campaign finance laws by securing these deals with women who claimed they had sex with Trump.
Cohen, long a loyal counselor to the president, has more recently signaled that he’d be open to cooperating with prosecutors.
Federal prosecutors are reportedly focused on Cohen’s investments in taxi medallions, the report said.
The Times reported that Cohen used 32 medallions as collateral for loans, and the medallions--at the time-- brought in more than $1 million a year and are valued at over $1 million. Authorities are reportedly investigating if Cohen failed to report the income to the IRS.
The Times report said that it is not clear if Cohen spoke to prosecutors about a potential deal. Cohen did not respond to the paper for comment.
A spokesperson for Lanny Davis, a lawyer for Cohen, told NBC News: "Lanny cannot comment on advice of counsel since there is an ongoing investigation."
Avenatti, mulling WH run, tells anti-Trump Dems in New Hampshire to 'fight fire with fire'
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| Michael Avenatti headlined a Democratic Party event in Greenfield, New Hampshire. (Fox News) |
The Los Angeles-based attorney, best known for representing adult-film actress Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against the president, told Fox News and other news organizations that “I’m absolutely being serious” as he mulls a run for the Democratic presidential nomination.
And his message to other potential Democratic White House hopefuls is that the 2020 “election is going to be a brutal, knockdown, street fight, and if someone’s not up for that type of campaign, they need to stay home and not seek the nomination.”
He also brushed aside any concerns that his law firm's legal issues could hurt him politically.
Headlining the Hillsborough County Democrats summer picnic and fundraiser, Avenatti repeatedly fired away at the president, saying to big applause that “Donald Trump does not have the knowledge, wisdom, compassion or fortitude to serve as president of the United States.”
But he added that “this president, no matter how corrupt or cruel he is, he knows how to fight.”
Avenatti said that Democrats “have a tendency to bring nail clippers to a gunfight” and he told the crowd of party officials, candidates and activists, “I believe that our party, the Democratic Party, must be a party that fights fire with fire. I believe we cannot be the party of turning the other cheek.”
And as he did during a stop last weekend in Iowa – the state that holds the first-in-the-nation caucus – Avenatti modified a slogan made famous by former first lady Michelle Obama, urging that “when they (Republicans) go low, we hit harder.”
He closed his nearly 25-minute speech with a variation of Trump’s signature campaign line, saying, “We will make America gracious again. We will make America fair again. We will make America dynamic again. We will make America respected. And above all else, we will make America America again.”
Avenatti arrived in New Hampshire from Florida, where he headlined a Democratic Party event in Tampa Saturday night. He told reporters he’s headed back to Iowa in a few days and announced he’d return to New Hampshire in late September.
I don’t think [President Trump is] very quick on his feet. I don’t think he’s that intelligent and I think he’d be completely outclassed.Pushing back against charges that his political testing of the waters is a publicity stunt, Avenatti argued, “I’m not going to go out and do this and give speeches like this and talk to people on some lark. I’m going to seriously consider this because the 2020 election is a critical election, I would venture to say the most critical in modern times.”
- Michael Avenatti
Avenatti warned, “If the Democratic Party proceeds to nominate the person who would be the best president, that is going to be a mistake.”
He said 2016 nominee Hillary Clinton “was the most qualified individual to ever run for the White House in the history of our nation.”
LIZ PEEK: IS AVENATTI READY TO RUN? HIS LEFT-WING MEDIA ALLIES CERTAINLY THINK SO!
But he added that “all the experience in the world, all the qualifications in the world, all of the policy positions in the world, they don’t mean anything if you can’t beat Donald Trump in the general election, period.”
Asked how he would take the fight to the president, a confident Avenatti claimed, “Donald Trump doesn’t want to debate me on a national stage. That’s for sure. There’s no question about that.”
“I think he’s a bully and I think he doesn’t like people who punch back and I think I’d be incredibly effective against him,” Avenatti added. “I don’t think he’s very quick on his feet. I don’t think he’s that intelligent and I think he’d be completely outclassed.”
AVENATTI: 'I'M EXPLORING A RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES'
Avenatti’s firm Eagan Avenatti was settling a case with the Internal Revenue Service over $880,000 in unpaid payroll taxes. The firm had defaulted on millions of dollars in debt and had fallen years behind in paying its payroll taxes.
Asked by Fox News if he was concerned his firm’s legal issues could affect his hopes of running for the White House, Avenatti said, “I’m not worried about it. Show me anybody who’s had great success and I’ll show you somebody that’s had great challenges.”
On policy, Avenatti told the crowd that as president, he’d push for Medicare for all, ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, and what he called “sensible gun control in America,” adding, “We should never have another school shooting on U.S. soil.”
He also called for investing in public school teachers and securing the nation’s borders “while at the same time honoring the values and principles that founded this country.”
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