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July 29, 2022

House to Unveil Legislation Banning Stock Trading in Congress After Exposure of Widespread Wrongdoing

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY…
1905: US Secretary of War William Howard Taft makes secret agreement with Japanese Prime Minister Katsura agreeing to Japanese free rein in Korea in return for non-interference with the US in the Philippines.

House Democrats are set to unveil legislation banning stock trading for members of Congress, their spouses, and senior staffers.

Both Punchbowl News and Business Insider confirmed that lawmakers intend to move forward with the legislation.

The ban would require lawmakers, spouses, and senior staff members to either put their assets in a blind trust or sell them, as reported by Punchbowl. Under the ban, lawmakers would still be able to hold mutual funds.

According to the outlet, House Democrats plan to introduce the legislation early next month, with a potential vote in September.

“We’re almost ready to move forward on this,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), the chair of the House Administration Committee, told Punchbowl.

“Public office is a public trust. It is my personal view that there should be regulation, or cessation, with respect to members and their spouses owning or trading stocks and other financial instruments,” Lofgren said in a statement to Business Insider.

“For the past months, I have been seeking to build consensus on this issue so we can move forward. Having considered substantial input from our hearing and reviewed a range of legislative proposals, I hope to release a legislative framework for public review in the coming weeks.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) publicly addressed the plan on Thursday.

“We are so close and making progress! Keep up the pressure everyone!” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter.

The news follows Business Insider’s “Conflicted Congress” report that exposed widespread violations of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, the outlet noted.

The “Conflicted Congress” investigation didn’t just identify dozens of lawmakers who violated the STOCK Act. It found dozens of other lawmakers whose stock market moves are directly incompatible with their public positions.

“This includes members who craft anti-tobacco policy but invest in tobacco giants and Democrats who receive plaudits from environmental groups for crafting policy aimed at combating the climate crisis — yet invest in fossil fuel companies,” Business Insider noted.

Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), has been under public scrutiny recently. According to Insider, he’s traded millions of dollars worth of stock and options across 19 companies since 2021.

When asked if her husband has ever made any trades based on information she’s given him, Speaker Pelosi said, “Absolutely not.”

By T. Thompson
July 22, 2022

AOC Dismisses Criticism as Republican “Conspiracy Theory” [Video]

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) addressed criticism that she had faked being handcuffed when police arrested her at a pro-abortion rally in Washington, D.C., dismissing it as a Republican conspiracy theory.

“Republican’s favorite hobby is to make conspiracy theories out of everything to distract you and keep you from talking about what actually important which is the fact that they are trying to take away your right to bodily autonomy,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “If I was faking that, why would I intentionally fist pump somebody? It’s so silly.”

The congresswoman was one of 17 lawmakers arrested by the US Capitol Police on Tuesday for blocking traffic during a pro-abortion protest. Ocasio-Cortez said she was “arrested, charged, and fined.”

“Politics has become performative art,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) wrote on Twitter. “So of course @aoc fakes being in handcuffs. Performance, not policy, is the name of the game here.”

Ocasio-Cortez responded on Twitter, writing: “No faking here. Putting your hands behind your back is a best practice while detained, handcuffed or not, to avoid escalating charges like resisting arrest.”

By T. Thompson
July 21, 2022

17 Lawmakers Arrested on Capitol Hill

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY…
1861: First Battle of Bull Run [Battle of First Manassas], 1st major battle of the US Civil War is fought near Manassas, Virginia, Confederate victory.

The U.S. Capitol Police arrested 17 members of Congress at a pro-abortion rally in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.

Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN), Ayanna Pressley (MA), Rashida Tlaib (MI), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) were among those arrested at the rally.

“We have already given our standard three warnings. Some of the demonstrators are refusing to get out of the street, so we are starting to make arrests,” the Capitol Police tweeted at 1:20 p.m. EST on Tuesday.

Ocasio-Cortez was widely mocked after video footage showed her seemingly pretending to be handcuffed as police escorted her away.

Video showed the lawmaker holding her hands crossed behind her back as if she was wearing handcuffs — until she raises a fist to the crowd in solidarity.

Journalist Glenn Greenwald took to Twitter to share “what makes it even funnier that AOC pretended to be handcuffed” in the video.

“Just last week, she claimed she almost slapped her catcaller but realized she ‘needed to catch a vote more than a case today’ — as if she were worried about adding to her notoriously long rap sheet,” Greenwald tweeted.

Omar was also visible in the video, walking away from the demonstration with her hands behind her back, despite not being handcuffed.

Still, Omar posted a video of her pretending to wear handcuffs, writing: “Today I was arrested while participating in a civil disobedience action with my fellow Members of Congress outside the Supreme Court. I will continue to do everything in my power to raise the alarm about the assault on our reproductive rights!” 

By T. Thompson
July 18, 2022

AOC Says Capitol Officers Were “Opening the Doors” for Jan. 6 Rioters

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY…
2013: Detroit, Michigan, files for bankruptcy, becoming the largest US municipal bankruptcy ever at $18.5 billion.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) railed against the U.S. Capitol Police for failing to impede the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, alleging that some officers were “sympathetic” to the participants.

Ocasio-Cortez told a reporter that authorities never “got to the bottom” on officers who were “opening the doors” for the rioters.

“…And that there were actual officers working with this? And we never got to the bottom of that, and we never got any answers about that? And to this day, we’re just supposed to pretend that that never happened?” Ocasio-Cortez is heard saying in the video.

“I have no idea what happened to the people on the inside, who were very clearly sympathetic with what was going on and opening doors wide open for that, and I’m supposed to sit here and pretend like none of that ever happened?”

The congresswoman continued, saying: “And then right afterward, you have a massive, you know, you just have this idea that throwing money at that problem is going to make it go away without any accountability.”

“And so this is, this is where these things are breaking down. We’re not safe. And it’s not just about members of Congress not being safe. The food staff workers aren’t safe. the janitors aren’t safe — like, we need to get to the bottom of this.”

Ocasio-Cortez later reiterated her opinion on Twitter.

“Remember how there was tons of footage and evidence of officers & others inside on 1/6 supporting insurrectionists, but then everyone decided it was too politically risky to investigate thoroughly so they brushed under the rug and now we still have no idea who or what is safe?” she tweeted.

Steve Cortes, former advisor to the Trump campaign, called for the release of Capitol security footage in response to Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks.

“Wait, so AOC says Capitol Police did, in fact, invite protestors into the building? One way to get to resolve all such issues? Release the tapes. All of them,” he tweeted.

By T. Thompson
July 8, 2022

Florida Man Sentenced for Threatening Ilhan Omar

A Florida man was sentenced to three years of probation and fined $7,000 over a threatening email he sent to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in 2019.

Sarasota resident David Hannon, 67, apologized for his actions before U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle handed down the sentence, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

“I’m very, very sorry and very remorseful about my behavior that night,” Hannon told the judge. “I can’t believe I would do something as heinous as that.”

“I do have remorse that I did target Ms. Omar,” he said. “But I don’t have any hatred toward anyone, whether their race, creed, color, or nationality. This is the United States of America, and whatever people do and say, they have a right to do that. But I had no right to write that email.”

Hannon was intoxicated in July 2019 when he wrote an email to Omar with the subject line, “Your dead you radical Muslim.”

“We Are Ready To Carryout Mass Assassinations Against Alquida Radicals That Have Somehow Got Into Our American Political Parties,” the email read. “Your Already On The HIT LIST BY OUR AMERICAN PATRIOT ARMY AND THE MOUSAD!”

He also threatened other lawmakers affiliated with the so-called Squad — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).

“YOU WONT HEAR THE BULLET GOING THROUGH YOUR OR THEIR HEADS! ALL FOUR OF YOU CONGRESS WOMEN WILL DIE AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL CHEER! PATRIOTS AGAINST ISLAM! GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

In addition to the three years of probation and the $7,000 fine, the judge ordered Hannon to undergo mental health and substance abuse treatment and to refrain from contacting Omar.

Elizabeth Hannon Dillon, Hannon’s daughter, told the judge that her father’s email was former President Donald Trump’s fault.

“He was doing that because Trump told him to,” she said. “He was a Trump supporter, and now he regrets it.”

By T. Thompson
July 5, 2022

AOC Calls For Extreme Measures in Response to Roe v. Wade

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY…
1865: U.S. Secret Service begins operating under the Treasury Department.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is calling for a drastic “workaround” for the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade: opening abortion clinics on federal land.

Ocasio-Cortez said Congress should immediately work on repealing the Hyde Amendment — which prohibits using federal funds for abortions.

“I will say, on a policy response, we should — we need to be working on repealing the Hyde Amendment in Congress right now,” the Congresswoman said.

“I am proud to say that we have successfully started to take the steps to repeal the Hyde Amendment. … repealing the Hyde Amendment will allow the federal government to invest in access to reproductive care on — in any place that has federal jurisdiction, including places with federal jurisdiction in red states.”

“I have brought up, for example, the prospects of increasing abortion access on federal lands in red states,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “There are workarounds around this. We can start exploring this now.”

AOC’s comments come after she demanded that abortion clinics be opened on federal land immediately.

“Open abortion clinics on federal lands in red states right now!” Ocasio-Cortez told a crowd of pro-abortion protestors last week.

By T. Thompson
June 7, 2022

AOC Criticizes Democrats in ‘Mini-Rant’

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY…
1965: The Supreme Court of the United States decides on Griswold v. Connecticut, effectively legalizing the use of contraception by married couples.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) railed against lawmakers, including Democrats, who resist using the gender-neutral term Latinx.

“I also have a mini-rant about this because there are some politicians, including Democratic politicians, that rail against the term ‘Latinx.’ And they’re like, ‘this is so bad, this is so bad for the party,’ like blah blah blah,” said Ocasio-Cortez during a video posted to her Instagram stories.

“And it’s almost like it hasn’t struck some of these folks that another person’s identity is not about your reelection prospects.”

“Gender is fluid, language is fluid, and I think people right now are using the ‘e’ term as gender-neutral in order to be as inclusive as possible. Don’t have to make drama over it,” she added.

A recent poll indicated that the gender-neutral term is unpopular among Hispanic voters. Forty percent of Hispanic voters said the word “Latinx” bothers or offends them to some degree, and 30 percent said they would be less likely to support a politician or organization that uses it.

The poll found that only 2 percent of Hispanic respondents said they used the term “Latinx” themselves.

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is among the term’s critics, previously saying it’s used to “appease” white, rich progressives.

“To be clear my office is not allowed to use ‘Latinx’ in official communications.,” Gallego wrote on Twitter in December. “When Latino politicos use the term it is largely to appease white rich progressives who think that is the term we use.

“It is a vicious circle of confirmation bias,” he added.

By T. Thompson
March 30, 2022

AOC to Thomas: Resign, Or Face Impeachment

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to resign or face impeachment, becoming the fifth House Democrat to do so.

The calls began after it was revealed that Thomas’ wife sent text messages to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, urging him to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election.

“Clarence Thomas should resign,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter.

“If not, his failure to disclose income from right-wing organizations, recuse himself from matters involving his wife, and his vote to block the Jan 6th commission from key information must be investigated and could serve as grounds for impeachment.”

The other House Democrats who have called on Thomas to resign or face impeachment proceedings are Reps. Veronica Escobar (TX), Hank Johnson (GA), Ilhan Omar (MN), and Nydia Velazquez (N.Y.).

Source:

AOC becomes 5th House Democrat to call on Clarence Thomas to resign or be impeached over wife’s Jan. 6 texts

By T. Thompson
February 5, 2022

Liberal Twitter Melts Down Over Radio Personality’s Comments About AOC

Radio personality Adam Carolla received backlash from leftists on social media over comments about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) he made during an appearance on Fox News.

“Here’s a quick thought experiment: If AOC was fat and in her 60s, would anyone listen to another thing she ever said?” Carolla told Sean Hannity in an interview.

Carolla’s comments were quickly met with criticism on Twitter.

“Meanwhile he is 57 and no one has listened to him in decades,” one user wrote.

“I had words: if Adam Carolla were thin, good-looking and young, he would still be a flaming a—hole,” wrote Norman Ornstein, contributing editor for The Atlantic.

“Women can’t exist in public without offending misogynists like Adam Carolla,” another user said. 

“First AOC was too young, then she was ‘just a bartender,’ and now people only listen to her because she’s cute?”

Carolla said Ocasio-Cortez is “young, vibrant and beautiful,” and “everyone’s always putting a camera and a mike in her face,” but her “opinions are idiotic 95 percent of the time.”

“I don’t think, if she was a middle-aged, heavyset woman, anyone would care what she had to say,” he said.

“I’m not so sure I agree,” Hannity said. 

“Now, I will say this: You can criticize her ideas — and I do, I think the Green New Deal is madness and insanity — but she’s got the whole Democratic Party following her.”

Carolla responded, “Look, I agree with you. I’m just saying, if she was fat and old, I don’t think TMZ would be chasing her around with a camera.”

Source:

Adam Carolla: ‘If AOC was fat and in her 60s, would anyone listen?’

By T. Thompson
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