uspolitics
“JD Vance is making history as the least liked VP nominee (non-incumbent) since 1980 following his/her party's convention. He's the first to have a net negative favorable rating.
Not surprising given how weak he ran in Ohio in 2022. Far worse than the average Ohio Republican.” @ ForcasterEnten
#USPOL #uspolitics
#JDVanceVP
The parties are not the same. really about as different as you can get without a civil war rn. And one is very, very clearly in the right
Fantastic name btw "No Kings Act"
Strangle the last king with the entrails of the last priest. I do not care if it is metaphorical or literal.
Last week, Public Citizen’s Rick Claypool and I filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission based on my research into apparent campaign finance violations by the Coinbase cryptocurrency exchange.
Read the full complaint and my updated article.
Complaint: https://www.citizen.org/article/coinbase-fec-complaint/
Updated article: https://www.citationneeded.news/coinbase-campaign-finance-violation/
#crypto #cryptocurrency #Coinbase #Fairshake #USpol #USpolitics
![COMPLAINT
Coinbase, Inc. (“Coinbase”) is a cryptocurrency platform offering exchange, custody, and trading services. On March 20, 2024, Coinbase made a $500,000 contribution to the Congressional Leadership Fund (ID: C00504530), a hybrid PAC. On May 30, 2024, Coinbase made a $24,999,995 contribution to Fairshake (ID: C00835959), a super PAC. At the time of both contributions, Coinbase was negotiating a contract with the United States Marshals Service, a federal agency. In making these contributions of approximately $25.5 million, Coinbase violated federal campaign finance laws that expressly prohibit federal contractors from making contributions to political committees while negotiating or performing federal contracts.
This complaint is filed pursuant to 52 U.S.C. § 30109(a)(1) and is based on information and belief that Coinbase violated the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (“FECA”) prohibition on federal contractor contributions.
If the Federal Election Commission (“FEC” or “Commission”), “upon receiving a complaint . . . has reason to believe that a person has committed, or is about to commit, a violation of [the Federal Election Campaign Act] . . . . [t]he Commission shall make an investigation of such alleged violation . . . .” 52 U.S.C. § 30109(a)(2) (emphasis added).
BACKGROUND
FECA prohibits a federal contractor from making contributions, directly or indirectly, to “any political party, committee, or candidate for public office or to any](/proxy/post_attachment/320707/fabeaad9f3.png "COMPLAINT
Coinbase, Inc. (“Coinbase”) is a cryptocurrency platform offering exchange, custody, and trading services. On March 20, 2024, Coinbase made a $500,000 contribution to the Congressional Leadership Fund (ID: C00504530), a hybrid PAC. On May 30, 2024, Coinbase made a $24,999,995 contribution to Fairshake (ID: C00835959), a super PAC. At the time of both contributions, Coinbase was negotiating a contract with the United States Marshals Service, a federal agency. In making these contributions of approximately $25.5 million, Coinbase violated federal campaign finance laws that expressly prohibit federal contractors from making contributions to political committees while negotiating or performing federal contracts.
This complaint is filed pursuant to 52 U.S.C. § 30109(a)(1) and is based on information and belief that Coinbase violated the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (“FECA”) prohibition on federal contractor contributions.
If the Federal Election Commission (“FEC” or “Commission”), “upon receiving a complaint . . . has reason to believe that a person has committed, or is about to commit, a violation of [the Federal Election Campaign Act] . . . . [t]he Commission shall make an investigation of such alleged violation . . . .” 52 U.S.C. § 30109(a)(2) (emphasis added).
BACKGROUND
FECA prohibits a federal contractor from making contributions, directly or indirectly, to “any political party, committee, or candidate for public office or to any")
I absolutely love this exquisite, British skewering of Trump
“if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump”
https://londondaily.com/british-writer-pens-the-best-description-of-trump-i-ve-read
Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal weighed in on my reporting about the company’s apparent campaign finance violations, arguing that Coinbase is not a federal contractor.
I have updated the article to include his comments, and I’ve also noted that this argument does not seem to square with the law.
The article, with these updates, is here: https://citationneeded.news/coinbase-campaign-finance-violation/
More to come soon.
#CitationNeeded #Fairshake #Coinbase #USpolitics #USpol #crypto #cryptocurrency
![(Screenshotted image:) What is the source of the funds used to pay for the Cryptocurrency Management and Disposal Services requested under this RFP? All funds associated with this RFP will be paid out of the Assets Forfeiture Fund. The Fund receives proceeds from the sale of property forfeited to the U.S. Government under the Department of Justice Asset Foreiture Program.
While this Q&A document seems to be what Grewal is drawing upon for his claim that the Marshals Service “made clear in the public RFP” that they would not be “paying [Coinbase] with appropriated funds,” there does not appear to be any statement within the RFP that explicitly addresses whether the funds for the contract are appropriated from Congress or not.
Lawyers at Public Citizen weighed in: “Grewal’s argument that funds in the Assets Forfeiture Fund are not ‘appropriations’ is incorrect. Just this year, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a similar contention, making clear that an appropriation is simply ‘a law that authorizes expenditures from a specified source of public money for designated purposes’. Consistent with the Court’s holding, a report16 published by the Congressional Research Service explicitly describes the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Fund as appropriated by Congress.”](/proxy/post_attachment/320326/d15f110908.png "(Screenshotted image:) What is the source of the funds used to pay for the Cryptocurrency Management and Disposal Services requested under this RFP? All funds associated with this RFP will be paid out of the Assets Forfeiture Fund. The Fund receives proceeds from the sale of property forfeited to the U.S. Government under the Department of Justice Asset Foreiture Program.
While this Q&A document seems to be what Grewal is drawing upon for his claim that the Marshals Service “made clear in the public RFP” that they would not be “paying [Coinbase] with appropriated funds,” there does not appear to be any statement within the RFP that explicitly addresses whether the funds for the contract are appropriated from Congress or not.
Lawyers at Public Citizen weighed in: “Grewal’s argument that funds in the Assets Forfeiture Fund are not ‘appropriations’ is incorrect. Just this year, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a similar contention, making clear that an appropriation is simply ‘a law that authorizes expenditures from a specified source of public money for designated purposes’. Consistent with the Court’s holding, a report16 published by the Congressional Research Service explicitly describes the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Fund as appropriated by Congress.”")
An extra long newsletter today, because things have been about as wacky in crypto as everywhere else. Featured: Coinbase’s Stand With Crypto Alliance fudges the numbers, a (former) industry CEO has a meltdown, and an exchange suffers a nine-figure hack.
https://www.citationneeded.news/issue-62/
The cryptocurrency industry has been working overtime to sell a story: that there is a large contingent of voters voting based on candidates’ crypto policy stances. The problem is, it’s a story that does not seem to be well supported by data.
https://www.citationneeded.news/when-did-cryptocurrency-become-a-voter-issue/
SCOOP: Coinbase appears to have violated campaign finance laws with a $25 million donation to the Fairshake cryptocurrency super PAC, made while they were in active negotiations for a federal government contract.
https://www.citationneeded.news/coinbase-campaign-finance-violation/
#CitationNeeded #Fairshake #Coinbase #USpolitics #USpol #crypto #cryptocurrency
“Instead of finding common ground, industry executives lashed out at White House officials... ‘They basically just got yelled at.’ ”
Feels like they’re laying the groundwork for “regretfully they gave us no choice but to back Trump”.
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/crypto-executives-clash-democratic-leaders-heated-zoom-meeting
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT GET COMPLACENT.
US citizens abroad: You can vote!
Register and request your ballot at https://VoteFromAbroad.org
#USPolitics #Biden #HarrisWalz2024 @kamalaharrisforpresidentnews @socialmedia @womensvoices @uspolitics
This arrived in my inbox this morning. I I have no idea who is behind it, but it's absolutely brilliant.
They're completely tearing this guy apart.
The Great American Comeback under Biden-Harris:
• 15.8 million jobs added
• Strongest post-pandemic GDP recovery in the world
• Much lower unemployment and inflation than Reagan in 1984
• Employment for prime-working-age Americans at a 23-year high
Republicans need to work on their attacks. Sometimes they come across as advertising.
Less than 200 people showed up.
He couldn't afford to pay anyone to show up and hold signs?
He couldn't recruit any Blacks from the South Side and West Side of Chicago to show up.
#trump #illinois #mchenrycounty #USPolitics #Election2024 https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-dnc-2024-donald-trump-supporters-hold-rally-woodstock-illinois-ahead-democratic-national-convention/15201140/
I would like to remind readers that the New York Times (much-hated here and elsewhere, but bear with me) published this extensive interactive editorial which evaluates candidate Donald J. Trump's: 1) moral fitness; 2) principled leadership; 3) character; 4) words; and 5) the rule of law.
The screen shot below summarizes this lengthy editorial: Trump is unfit.
Review the whole thing for yourself.
Trump will be playing golf on Labor Day.
#trump #USPolitics #Election2024 https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/kamala-harris-pittsburgh-rally-schedule-donald-trump-campaign-20240830.html
Younger voters are rallying for Kamala on social media, but will they actually cast their vote in November?
If they did, they could decide the 2024 election.
https://theconversation.com/most-young-voters-support-kamala-harris-but-that-doesnt-guarantee-they-will-show-up-at-the-polls-236468
#USPolitics #Election2024
#USPolitics is just so damned depressing. The choice this election is *litterally* between the sitting VP and a convicted criminal, sexual abuser and insurrectionist and polling is STILL within the margin of error. The election is going to come down to about 100k people in the same old battleground states as it always has. A woman’s right to choose threatens to be wiped out nationwide and yet the outcome is still uncertain.
Should be a blow out but no. Sometimes I really dislike this country.
"JD #Vance’s Combative Style Confounds Democrats but Pleases #Trump"
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/31/us/politics/jd-vance-trump-vp.html
The #NYTimes (@nytimes) doesn't understand what "confounds" means. Dems are not "confounded" by Vance's rhetoric. They understand it, answer it, denounce it, refute it, ridicule it.
By contrast. Trump and Vance are confounded by #Harris and #Walz. They're floundering for an effective line of attack.
Racist signs targeting migrants, Harris posted at Denver area bus stops
https://www.denverpost.com/2024/08/29/kamala-harris-bus-stop-signs-denver-rtd-police-immigration/
JOBS REPORT: The Great American Comeback Continues
• 15.9 million jobs added since Trump left
• Much lower unemployment than Morning in America in 1984
• Employment for prime-working-age Americans at a 23-year high
Former aide to 2 New York governors is charged with being an agent of the Chinese government.
AP reports: "Linda Sun, who held numerous posts in New York state government before rising to the rank of deputy chief of staff for [Gov. Kathy] Hochul, was arrested Tuesday morning along with her husband, Chris Hu, at their $3.5 million home on Long Island. Prosecutors said Sun, at the request of Chinese officials, blocked representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to the governor’s office, shaped New York governmental messaging to align with the priorities of the Chinese government and attempted to facilitate a trip to China for a high-level politician in New York."
#KathyHochul #NewYork #China #Taiwan #USPolitics #Politics #News
This recording may or may not have been deleted from "x" by Elon Musk.
Please help me spread this everywhere on Mastodon and the #Fediverse
This is a 2020 message by Lady Gaga on the dangers of Donald Trump!
#AureFreePress #News #press #headline #HarrisWalz #USA #Politics #uspolitics #uspol