WASHINGTON – On October 15, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), conducted its second charter removal flight to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) of Chinese nationals this year. The first large charter removal flight since 2018 was conducted in June in close coordination with the PRC’s National Immigration Administration. This week’s flight demonstrates the Department’s continued commitment to pursuing sustained cooperation with the PRC and other international partners to reduce and deter irregular migration.
DHS continues to enforce U.S. immigration laws and deliver tough consequences for those who enter unlawfully. This includes swiftly returning those without a legal basis to remain in the United States, while encouraging the use of lawful pathways. On June 4, President Biden issued a Proclamation to temporarily suspend the entry of certain noncitizens across the southern border. As a result, since June 4 the Border Patrol’s encounters have decreased more than 55%, and DHS has operated more than 398 international repatriation flights through the end of August to more than 140 countries—including the PRC.
“Intending migrants should not believe the lies of smugglers – Chinese nationals without a legal basis to remain in the United States are subject to swift removal,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Department of Homeland Security will continue to strengthen consequences for individuals unlawfully entering our country and enforce our nation’s laws.”
DHS regularly engages counterparts throughout the hemisphere and around the world to accept repatriations of nationals without a legal basis to remain in the United States and takes other steps to reduce irregular migration; promote safe, lawful, and orderly pathways; and hold transnational criminal networks accountable for abusing our lawful trade and travel systems, and the smuggling and exploitation of vulnerable people. Over the last year, DHS has removed individuals to a range of countries around the world, including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Egypt, Mauritania, Senegal, Uzbekistan, India, and the PRC. As a result of these efforts, DHS removed or returned more individuals in FY2024 than any year since FY2010. Efforts to expand removal flights continue.
Consumers of western media could be forgiven for supposing that Ukraine, the state whose sovereignty was violated so brutally with the Russian invasion of February 2022, enjoys unstinting support from its western neighbour Poland. The support of the Polish government has been unambiguous. Donations of military equipment and humanitarian support for refugees have been second to none in Europe.
The election of a new government at the end of 2023 made no discernible difference to the Polish commitment. Antipathy towards Russia in Poland has strong roots, dating back even before the days when much of the country (including Warsaw) was formally incorporated into the Romanovs’ Russian empire.
Observers in the west take it for granted that the pro-Ukrainian policies of successive Polish governments – endorsed by the Catholic churches – reflect views shared by citizens throughout the country.
But after more than two years of war, as I found during a recent research trip, doubts are being voiced in some segments of society.
Farmers have been angry for years. Ukraine has rich soils and its agribusiness is free from EU regulations. In the exceptional conditions created by the invasion, with the government desperately in need of revenue, Ukraine has been allowed to export its cheap grain to the EU. This has undermined the market for Polish farmers. Some Poles event believe that, since much Ukrainian farmland is owned by foreign capital, the prolongation of the war has been orchestrated by the west for economic reasons.
Similar arguments can be heard concerning energy. The end of cheap gas from the Russian Federation promises a bonanza for the producers of alternative supplies, notably in the United States at the expense of higher prices for Polish households. I also heard in plenty of conversations that Poland is the only ally of Ukraine to provide military hardware free of charge – whereas other Nato states insist on full payment or offer credits that will theoretically have to be repaid one day.
The resentments run deep and they affect large sections of the population. Why do I have to wait months for my hospital appointment, people ask – is it because of increased demand for health services from the millions of Ukrainian refugees? Why should my taxes pay for generous financial grants to Ukrainians who turn up at the border, claim the cash, and promptly return home?
A tangled history
Most educated citizens dismiss such allegations with scorn. Those who complain and exaggerate isolated abuses are often written off as gullible victims of Russian propaganda. But Poles are unlikely dupes. Monuments to communist crimes are everywhere – above all the Katyń massacres of 1940, when the Soviet security forces murdered thousands of Polish officers. More recently, many Poles still suspect the Kremlin’s complicity in the plane crash that killed their then president, Lech Kaczyński in Smolensk in 2010.
Yet hatred of Russia does not translate into unconditional support for Ukraine.
The enduring reason for friction between the two states has to do with diverging interpretations of violence which took place during and after the second world war. Ukrainian ministers have the undiplomatic habit of pointing out that large areas of present-day Poland were formerly occupied by Ukrainians. According to the historical ethno-linguistic and religious criteria generally considered central in the formation of peoples, Ukraine might indeed have a stronger claim to sections of the Polish Carpathians than it has to Crimea or Donbas.
Does this help explain why the Polish government upholds the sanctity of Ukraine’s border with Russia? They want Ukraine’s border with their country to be equally sacrosanct.
The typical Polish response to Ukrainian nationalist goading is to point out that Poles used to form the majority in most towns of western Ukraine – and that Lviv itself was a Polish city until Stalin redrew the borders in 1944 and the Polish population was deported westwards. These eastern borderlands are known to Poles as the Kresy. They are the focus of strong emotions and mythology. The Kresy is imagined as a harmonious realm in which, for many centuries, cultivated Poles ruled benignly over all other nationalities.
This multiculturalism came to an abrupt end in the 1940s. These days, Poles with family roots in Volhynia and Galicia, much of which is now in western Ukraine, are incensed by Kyiv’s refusal to admit that Ukrainian nationalists were responsible for the ethnic cleansing of the Polish population. Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, recently made it clear that Poland’s continued support for admitting Ukraine to the EU will depend on coming to terms with this dark past.
Western complicity
During my recent visit, I was sometimes asked why the BBC and other influential western media never probed behind the slick public face of Volodymyr Zelensky’s team to report on the real conditions and opinions of ordinary Ukrainians. Instead, Russians are demonised and Ukrainians hailed for their “European values” and their sacrifices on behalf of the west.
Coverage in Polish state media conveys a similar message – but I found many citizens have become sceptical. There is pity for conscripts, sorrow for the loss of young lives on both sides and fear for where all this dehumanising violence is leading. But few of the people I spoke with believed that Russians are the only party violating the Geneva Conventions.
Often, the conversation turned to Boris Johnson. I was asked to explain why the then prime minister advised Zelensky in April 2022 that Ukraine should continue the fighting. Did Johnson, as has often been rumoured, sabotage proposals for a negotiated peace carefully drawn up in Istanbul shortly before his visit? Was it the spontaneous whim of a western politician who knew nothing about regional history, a clown playing macho games with Zelensky for the sake of his own image? Did he not care at all about the hundreds of thousands who would suffer and die if this war continued? Was he pursuing a devious strategy agreed with EU leaders and Nato partners, above all Washington?
I did not have answers to any of these questions.
Chris Hann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
RCMP Halifax Regional Detachmentis asking for the public’s help in identifying persons of interest following two suspicious incidents that occurred in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
On October 15, at approximately 8:30 p.m., RCMP officers responded to a report of a suspicious person near Cow Bay Rd. and Samuel Danial Dr. in Eastern Passage. An 18-year-old woman was approached by a man on a transit bus who asked for her phone number and address and followed her when she got off the bus.
The man of interest is described as black and in his 30s. He was wearing black jeans and a blue hoodie.
Yesterday, at approximately 12:40 p.m., RCMP officers responded to a report of a suspicious person near Ashgrove Ave. and Cole Harbour Rd. in Cole Harbour. They learned that a 67-year-old woman had exited a transit bus and was followed by a man who was also on the bus. The woman evaded the man by entering a nearby building.
The person of interest is described as a black man in his 30s with spiky black hair. At the time of the incident, he was wearing khaki pants and a yellow vest.
At this time, investigators don’t have any information to indicate whether the men described are the same person or if the incidents are related. Video footage of the incidents is being sought and the investigations are ongoing.
Anyone with information about these suspicious incidents is asked to contact police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip athttp://www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
Considered one of the great composers of the 20th century, the deeply expressive Béla Bartók synthesised elements of folk music of Hungarian and related cultures into classical forms, producing a style that was both individual and influential.
Through Bartók’s music, powerful elements of local folk melodies are performed and heard in concert halls worldwide. For the 80th anniversary of the composer’s death coming up in 2025, the University of Plymouth’s Musica Viva – of which I am founder and director – is planning a series of concerts celebrating the notion of the “music of home” as brought to life by Bartók, by including one of his pivotal works in every concert. His Piano Sonata, String Quartet No. 3, String Quartet No. 5 and Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta will all be performed by leading artists.
From the start, the young Bartók, born in 1881, displayed a fascination with music, and his widowed mother encouraged his musical gifts. When the family moved to Pozsony, a former region of Hungary that now lies mostly within Slovakia, he began a formal musical education and attended concerts for the first time.
As an 18-year-old student of piano and composition at the Budapest Conservatory, Bartók immersed himself in the musical dramas of Wagner and the orchestral works of Liszt. But his primary focus was the piano, and he became known as a pianist of extraordinary abilities, playing the music of Chopin, Liszt and Robert Schumann.
During his last years as a student, nationalist currents in Hungary – which had been suppressed since the uprising in 1848-1849 – became resurgent. Caught up in this movement, Bartók devoted considerable thought to issues of a national music.
It is not surprising that under this influence and that of the music of Richard Strauss, his first major composition in 1903 was a vast symphonic poem called Kossuth, a Hungarian “Hero’s Life” – whose ten tableaux depict events of the 1948-49 war of independence. This work was followed by the Liszt-inspired Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra in 1904.
Bartók’s interest in folk music grew to the point at which he and his friend and fellow composer Zoltán Kodály travelled throughout central Europe, Turkey, and north Africa to collect folk melodies. Bartók wrote five books and many articles on folk music.
He considered his most interesting finds to be from isolated Hungarian communities living among the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, where he encountered and recorded authentic, untainted Magyar folk music. His fascination with the unbridled spirit of this music helped him gradually develop a compositional style in which he fused folk elements with highly developed techniques of classical music more intimately than had ever been done before.
Between the two world wars Bartók performed as a concert pianist, touring Britain, the US and the former USSR, and was prolific as a composer. Elements of his style include melodic lines derived from eastern European folk music; powerful forward-leaning rhythms in irregular meters with off-beat accents; strong control of form; and harmonies which, although primarily focused on one key, often include elements of multiple keys thereby creating a sense of musical tension.
Paramount among his piano works is his only Piano Sonata, written in 1926, which is also his largest composition for solo piano. It was composed during a particularly prolific year during which he also composed his First Piano Concerto, Out of Doors Suite and Nine Little Piano Pieces – all works which he included in his own public performances.
The Sonata is in three movements and follows a classic sonata form – a lively first movement, a slower second movement and an energetic finale in which the lively main theme recurs in different guises. The full resources of the piano are used in creating a wide spectrum of expression, from incisive detached clusters of notes to smoothly flowing lyrical melodic lines.
Throughout, the music is inspired by Bartók’s ethnomusicological (social and cultural) research. Although the themes are not folk melodies per se, they imitate their style in terms of melodic shaping, searing dynamics, driving rhythmic features and harmonic content. The piano is used in new percussive ways that often seem a vivid portrayal of folk passions. At the time this was groundbreaking.
Bartók’s contribution to the musical repertoire is immense. He composed six String Quartets, Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, a large canon of solo piano music as well as chamber music, and an opera, Bluebeard’s Castle. The Concerto for Orchestra, three Piano Concerti, and the Violin Concerto are all masterpieces in large-scale musical forms.
Bartók emigrated to the US in 1940 and found temporary employment at Columbia University. His health deteriorated along with his financial situation, although his friends Joseph Szigeti and Fritz Reiner arranged for the Koussevitzky Foundation to commission him to write the Concerto for Orchestra in 1943 and the Sonata for Solo Violin in 1944, which provided temporary relief from a dismal situation.
Bartok died on September 26, 1945, with the score of his Viola Concerto unfinished, but he left behind an unparalleled canon of music that is deeply expressive and vital to our musical understanding today.
Robert Taub does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
United States Attorney Zachary A. Myers announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Tiffany J. Preston will lead the efforts of the Southern District of Indiana’s Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Preston has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Indiana, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Myers said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U.S. Attorney Myers stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, DEO Preston will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 317-226-6333.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 317-595-4000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Myers said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
SOUTH BEND – Roy Skeens, 40 years old, of Wabash, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after being found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm following a 2-day jury trial in July of 2024, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Skeens was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in November 2020, Skeens possessed a handgun while at a home in Wabash County. Specifically, police were called after multiple rounds were heard having been shot outside the basement of the home. When police arrived, Skeens refused to leave the home and a standoff ensued. He was later taken into custody and the firearm was recovered. Skeens has 13 prior felony convictions, any one of which prohibit him from possessing the firearm in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Wabash Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katelan McKenzie Doyle and Joseph P. Falvey.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Defendant Pled Guilty to Assaulting Officers with Insecticide and Members of the News Media
WASHINGTON – A New York man pleaded guilty today to two assault charges – one felony and one misdemeanor – related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Peter G. Moloney, 60, of Bayport, New York, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting, and impeding certain officers and a misdemeanor charge of assault by striking before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols. Judge Nichols will sentence Moloney on Feb. 11, 2025.
According to court documents, Moloney attended the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., on the Ellipse. Moloney traveled from his home in Bayport, New York, and brought with him certain items, including a bicycle helmet, protective eyewear, hard-knuckled gloves, a face mask, and a can of “Black Flag Wasp, Hornet, & Yellow Jacket Killer” aerosol spray.
After the rally, Moloney walked toward the U.S. Capitol building via the Maryland Walkway, put on his gear, and was part of the first group to enter the restricted permitter. Moloney was one of the first to line up against a line of U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Officers on the West Plaza. Court documents say that as tensions rose, Moloney pulled the can of wasp spray from his backpack and kept it in close proximity.
According to the court records, on multiple occasions, Moloney held the can of wasp spray in his hands, aimed it at police, and sprayed the officers—causing the spray to make contact with the officer’s hands, arms, bodies, and heads.
In addition to the assault on police officers, on two separate occasions, Moloney admitted to assaulting two individuals that he believed were members of the news media. On one occasion, Moloney walked up behind the victim while the victim’s back was turned and holding a camera. Moloney then swung his arm down onto the victim’s hand, grabbed the camera, and yanked it back in an attempt to pull the camera out of the victim’s hands. This act caused the victim to stumble on a flight of stairs.
The FBI arrested Moloney on June 7, 2023, in New York.
As a result of the plea, Moloney has agreed to pay restitution both to the victim for the repairs to his camera and to the Architect of the Capitol for the damage to the U.S. Capitol that day.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office (Long Island Resident Agency) and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Moloney as #199 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division.
In the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony C. Donnora, Sr., age 79, of Forkston Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted on October 15, 2024, by a federal grand jury and charged with drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Donnora with the distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, maintaining a drug involved premises, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. The alleged offenses occurred in Wyoming County between August 6, 2021 through February 27, 2024.
The charges stem from a joint investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations– Scranton Office, ATF, the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Tunkhannock Borough Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law is life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01)
Tulsa, OK – Recently, H.R. 9076 passed the House, including Representative Kevin Hern’s (OK-01) priorities benefiting tribal child welfare as part of a larger legislative package.
“Without this fix, millions of families could lose their child support overnight,” said Rep. Hern. “My bill protects those families, keeps the program running for the 13 million families it serves, levels the playing field for Tribes, and saves taxpayers $777 million. I look forward to seeing it signed into law.”
You can view the full bill text HERE and watch Rep. Hern’s remarks HERE. More from Tulsa’s Newson6 HERE.
Background Information
The bill reduces the regulatory burden on states by ensuring they can continue using contractors for the Child Support Enforcement program, preventing disruptions that would affect 13 million families. Additionally, H.R. 9076 includes the Tribal Child Welfare Support Act, which modernizes funding structures by providing direct Title IV-B child welfare funding to Indian tribes without cutting state funds. Child welfare funding for Indian tribes under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act is currently separated into two funding allocations, one of which goes through states rather than directly to tribal grantees.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)
Washington, D.C. — This week, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers on how the agency plans to combat the surge of illegal crossings through the U.S. northern border, which could potentially be exacerbated by Canada’s announcement to cap the number of temporary residents.
Stauber’s letter reads (in part): “The current flow of illegal immigration is already overwhelming our northern ports of entry. They are understaffed and under-resourced, leaving our northern border communities vulnerable. Now, with this crisis on the horizon that will overburden our ports of entry even further, our national security is more vulnerable than ever before.”
Read the full letter HERE.
Recently, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced that Canada will be reducing the number of its temporary residents. Consequently, many immigrants will likely illegally target our northern border, which sits wide-open thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration.
Migrant encounters by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the northern border have already hit record highs in 2024, with more than 180,000 between January and August.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brett Guthrie (2nd District Kentucky)
In Case You Missed It – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), recently published a joint op-ed in The Washington Reporter detailing how the Biden-Harris Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been providing solutions in search of a problem in the name of “climate justice.”
Below are the highlights of their op-ed published by The Washington Reporter.
Click HERE to read the full op-ed.
“When you drive to work in the morning and drop your kids off at school, the EPA wants to make sure they can choose which vehicle you’re using. Their electric vehicle (EV) mandates, which are attempting to make two thirds of all US car sales by 2032 electric vehicles, are completely unrealistic and ignore the factors that make EVs untenable for many families across the country. EV use is limited in mountainous regions where traversing the mountains drains batteries at a faster rate. EVs cost on average $17,000 more than their gas-powered counterparts and some EVs are suspectable to severe weather with battery range cut by up to 40% in cold conditions. This is further evidenced by the high percentage of auto-dealers’ lots filled with unsold EVs because of the continued popularity of gas-powered cars.
The Biden-Harris hypocritical electrification strategy will increase the need for reliable baseload power generation, while at the same time they’re forcing the use of intermittent sources of wind and solar through the Clean Power Plan 2.0 that will drive out fossil fuels that are reliable and keep the lights on. But don’t just take our word for it, the very entities charged with overseeing our grid are sounding alarms about implications of EPA’s plans. Access to electricity is not a luxury, but a necessity.
Power generation is the linchpin to economic activity in our nation. We should see this next-gen economy as an opportunity to reduce our reliance on adversarial nations like China and create stable, good paying jobs that lift up communities across the nation. Unfortunately, the Biden-Harris EPA doubled down on their radical agenda by implementing a host of regulations that target the manufacturing sector in an effort to fulfill a far-left environmentalist wish list.”
Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio
ICYMI: Rubio Exposes Threats Posed by Huawei
Oct 17, 2024 | Press Releases
The goal of China’s telecom giant Huawei is global domination
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
October 17, 2024
Miami Herald
…I first rang the alarm on Huawei in 2018. At that time, the company was making inroads into the United States and our allies’ territories through the sale of low-priced 5G technology… Its primary goal was, and remains, the domination of the global wireless market on Beijing’s behalf, combined with the expansion of the Chinese Communist Party’s ability to spy on and disrupt other countries’ communications….
President Trump was the first world leader to recognize this threat…. Today, 60 countries and more than 200 telecom companies have joined the Clean Network, an alliance to stop Huawei’s monopolization efforts in their tracks…. And yet, Huawei continues to grow. The Wall Street Journal reports that it “has expanded into new businesses, boosted its profitability and…held on to its leading position in the global telecom-equipment market.”
This growth is not a reflection of Huawei’s ingenuity or good business sense; it is a reflection of heavy subsidization by the Chinese state. Keith Krach and Jonathan Pelson point out that “the telecom equipment behemoth abruptly lost about $30 billion annually…following the efforts by the U.S. and its allies to block high-risk equipment”…. Reading between the lines, the hidden hand of Beijing is keeping Huawei from certain contraction or even bankruptcy with tens of billions of dollars….
“If the Chinese government decides to preserve Huawei at all costs,” write Krach and Pelson, “that is consistent with the view that Huawei is a lot more than an industrial ‘national champion’ for China.” Instead, the authors conclude: “[I]t is a tool of foreign policy and geopolitical influence. The money spent on propping up Huawei can be best compared to Defense and Intelligence budgets.” In other words, the company’s current trajectory confirms concerns about the national security threat it poses….
It is key for the U.S. to encourage strong and reliable companies to help regional partners develop alternatives to Huawei and protect them from the company’s predatory policies…. Meanwhile, I urge Latin American leaders not to heed Huawei’s siren song. No 5G deal is worth allowing a totalitarian dictatorship to spy on and interfere in a free nation’s affairs.
Read the rest here.
Headline: Collaboration on disability data aims to drive AI innovation
Today, Microsoft announced a new collaboration with Be My Eyes to bring high-quality, disability representative data to help train AI systems. This work with Be My Eyes will help make Microsoft AI models more inclusive for the 340 million people in the world who are blind or have low vision and is the latest step in our commitment to build inclusive technology.
AI requires large amounts of data for training and utility but too often disability is underrepresented or incorrectly categorized in datasets. In Microsoft Research’s most recent paper on AI performance for describing images from blind or low vision individuals, disability objects, like a braille device, were included less frequently in popular large-scale image-text datasets, leading to recognizing those objects ~30 percent less accurately. This disability data desert can limit the utility of a technology, strengthen existing stereotypes and magnify bias. As we continue to discover the opportunities for AI and accessibility, inclusive data through these types of partnerships and community collaborations are paramount to building inclusive AI.
How we do this matters. Transparency and user control are the guiding principles for data privacy in this agreement. Be My Eyes will provide video data sets, including unique objects, lighting and framing that realistically represents the lived experience of the blind and low vision community. Personal information will be removed from metadata by Be My Eyes prior to sharing and the company continues to work transparently with its members to provide a clear process and options to opt out of data sharing. Microsoft will then use the data to improve the accuracy and precision of scene understanding and descriptions with the goal of increasing the utility of AI applications for the blind and low vision community.
Today’s news is the next chapter in our collaboration with Be My Eyes, which began in 2017 when their app was integrated into the Disability Answer Desk support experience to give customers more efficient technical support. Last year, Microsoft was the first to pilot their new ‘Be My AI’, with AI helping to solve technical support issues. Be My Eyes also recently developed a Windows app, available in the Microsoft Store. Collaborations like these allow us to improve representation and diversity of AI data and drive more authentic inclusion of disability in our technology.
Responsible AI is inclusive AI
In the last 18 months, we have been focused on understanding how generative AI can directly impact disabled people, but our history here goes back even further. We are principled in our approach to make sure we extend those benefits and mitigate potential harms of AI. Microsoft’s Responsible AI framework is how we do this. It includes fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness including accessibility.
AI innovations can reduce cognitive load through summarization, automate meeting notes, and provide detailed image descriptions. These innovations have so many positive implications for neurodiverse, deaf, and blind communities and more, and with 1+ billion people on the planet who experience some type of disability, the disability data desert is a crucial issue to address.
Speech is one example of where we have been investing, and since 2022, we are proud to work with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) along with Apple, Google, Meta, and Amazon on the Speech Accessibility Project. The UIUC works with nonprofit organizations to collect data to improve speech recognition for individuals with diverse speech patterns such as those with ALS. This data helps AI models learn a broader understanding of the diversity of speech and expands scenarios where this technology can bring benefits – including accelerating non-standard speech data accuracy in mainstream speech platforms, like Azure Speech. The project is enhancing AI systems for people with disabilities by integrating diverse data and perspectives into the development process.
Our commitment to inclusive AI
At Microsoft, we are committed to building inclusive AI that is representative of all who use it, while also protecting marginalized members of society from proliferated bias that could impact education, employment, and civic engagement. We believe accessible technology is a fundamental right that can unlock opportunities in every part of society, and generative AI is one of the most powerful tools we have today to deliver on that potential when designed inclusively and responsibly. We are also committed to transparency and providing robust data protection for every individual. Today’s news with Be My Eyes builds on these commitments, and we will continue to seek out partnerships across the industry and community to create a more inclusive future.
If you have questions or feedback on Accessibility at Microsoft, let us know at the Disability Answer Desk or try out the Bing AI-powered Ask Microsoft Accessibility tool.
To learn more about Accessibility at Microsoft: Our Accessibility Approach | Microsoft Accessibility
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Tags: Accessibility, AI, AI for Accessibility, disabilities, disability, generative ai, inclusion, inclusiveness, neurodiversity, Responsible AI, Speech Accessibility Project, speech recognition
Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio
ICYMI: Rubio: How Mass Migration Undermined Men
Oct 17, 2024 | Press Releases
How Mass Migration Undermined Men
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
October 17, 2024
Compact
…When the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union collapsed, a generation of elites embraced the international flow of goods, assets, and labor as an unalloyed benefit to the nation. They established one-sided “free trade” with Communist China, rewarded offshoring, and spread an open-borders philosophy that captured both major parties, as well as much of Big Labor. Millions of American blue-collar jobs disappeared, and the foreign-born share of the population ballooned out of proportion….
A White House news release in July claimed that the administration has revitalized domestic production and boosted the male labor-force participation rate. But the reality is that manufacturing employment is decreasing, manufacturing job quality is down, and U.S.-born men were less likely to participate in the labor force at the end of 2023 than they were before the pandemic…. The Biden-Harris administration is factoring in the employment of illegal immigrants to skew the topline economic numbers in its favor.
A more accurate picture of our national trajectory can be seen in Charleroi, PA…. [U]nder the Biden-Harris administration, Charleroi is fraught by an influx of thousands of illegally admitted migrants, whose expansion of the labor supply is almost certainly affecting the local blue-collar job market. Over the last 12 months alone, more than 800,000 native-born Americans have lost employment, but more than 1 million foreign-born workers have gained employment. What are the chances this trend isn’t reflected in Charleroi?
To be clear, this isn’t the migrants’ fault…. [T]his is the fault of the Biden-Harris administration’s unauthorized expansion of humanitarian parole, under which existing parolees—not American citizens—can “sponsor” more migrants for illegal admission into the country. The government then partners with nonprofits to settle these migrants across America, and the nonprofits partner with “staffing agencies” that connect migrants with local employers hungry for cheap labor.
At no point in this process is there a checkpoint that requires nonprofits, government officials, or employers to consider the welfare of American workers…. [A] basic understanding of supply and demand predicts the upshot of this dynamic: fewer and lower-quality blue-collar jobs for U.S.-born men. And yet elites loyal to the post-Cold War consensus, including labor organizations like the AFL-CIO, refuse to consider constraining mass migration in response. Some are even dusting off the old line that migrants are necessary to fill “jobs Americans won’t do”….
Charleroi native Andy Armbruster exposed the flaw in that logic in an interview: “…There’s people who would work if you paid them the going wage for the work. But they want to pay less, and so, they ended up getting involved with these agencies that bring in these workers.” It’s a case study in how free markets don’t always align with the national interest. When companies gain access to an endless supply of cheap foreign labor, they lose the incentive to invest in technology and processes that make American blue-collar jobs more efficient and valuable….
The relentless exportation of blue-collar jobs and importation of cheap labor have left countless U.S.-born men without dignified work, sapping their opportunity and their strength—and no society can long thrive without strong men. Time is running out to chart a new course. We must abandon the post-Cold War consensus, break multinational corporations’ tariff taboo, reinvest in domestic production, and—crucially—regain control of our borders….
Read the rest here.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
POLK COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, recognized the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) in remarks to Iowa advocates. Grassley was honored by Iowa youth for his work to champion the Charles Grassley Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Program. The Coalition for Family and Children’s Services in Iowa hosted the event at Drake University amid Youth Justice Action Month.
“JJDPA for 50 years has brightened futures for youth who’ve entered our justice system. By empowering local stakeholders and bolstering federal protections for minors, this program ensures better outcomes and gives kids the opportunities they need to get their lives back on track,” Grassley said. “I welcome the chance to speak with grassroots advocates in Iowa. Today’s event served as a reminder of this law’s impact in local communities across Iowa, and how together we can continue building on its successes.”
“We were deeply honored to have Senator Grassley join us in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) during Youth Justice Action Month. His steadfast leadership in reauthorizing this landmark legislation has had a profound and lasting impact on Iowa’s youth and families. Through his advocacy, Senator Grassley has championed reforms that prioritize prevention, accountability, and the wellbeing of young people in our justice system. The power of this law goes beyond policy; it changes lives,” Kristie Oliver, Executive Director of the Coalition for Family & Children’s Services in Iowa, said. “As we heard from youth affected by the system, the JJDPA not only provided the youth with critical services at a turning point in their lives, but it also created opportunities for youth to have a voice in shaping the very systems that serve them. The reauthorization of the JJDPA continues to open new doors for youth across Iowa, offering them the support and resources necessary to build brighter futures. We look forward to continuing this critical work together, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.”
“As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, we are reminded of the critical importance of advocating for the rights and futures of our youth. This landmark legislation has had a profound impact on youth justice reform, ensuring that young people are given opportunities for rehabilitation, not just punishment. It was an honor to have Senator Grassley with us, whose leadership on youth justice issues has been instrumental in shaping policies that support and protect our youth. At Drake Law, through our Middleton Center for Children’s Rights, we are committed to continuing this vital work, educating the next generation of lawyers and leaders to advocate for fairness, justice, and equity for all our young people,” said Drake University Law School Dean Roscoe Jones, Jr.
Download photos HERE. Read Grassley’s prepared remarks HERE.
Background:
Grassley is a leading advocate for juvenile justice reform. In 2018 as U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, he championed the first reauthorization of the JJDPA in nearly 16 years, including measures to expand program oversight, promote screening for mental illness and substance abuse, prohibit the shackling of pregnant youth in juvenile detention, ensure the separation of juvenile and adult offenders and provide detained minors access to adequate legal representation. Grassley, this year, introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen and reauthorize the program through 2029.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)
CHERRY HILL, NJ– Today, Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) presented$696,000 in Community Project Funding (CPF)to Washington Township for stormwater infrastructure upgrades to Ward Lake and Spring Lake.
The funding was secured through the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding package and will be used to prevent flooding and improve safety for residents in the region. The existing stormwater outlets and natural runoff from these lakes have caused erosion and siltation build-up over the past decades. Improvements will include stormwater infrastructure repairs and removal of sediment.
“Community Project Funding grants invest in our communities and support economic development, job creation, and critical projects that improve the quality of life,” Rep. Norcross said. “I’m proud to have secured this funding and present this Community Project Funding award to Washington Township for necessary stormwater infrastructure upgrades. Improving our nation’s infrastructure also means improving public safety, and with this new funding we will be able to mitigate flooding in South Jersey.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Donald Norcross for his strong support and for securing $696,000 in funding for vital stormwater improvements at Ward Lake and Spring Lake,” said Laurie Burns, Mayor of Washington Township. “This investment will enhance the safety and functionality of our infrastructure, positively impacting many residents of Washington Township. Together, we are committed to creating a better future for our community, and we look forward to working collaboratively on future projects that address the needs of our residents.”
“We are proud to support Washington Township in securing the $696,000 in funding for essential stormwater improvements at Ward Lake and Spring Lake,” said Frank J. DiMarco, Director of Gloucester County Board of Commissioners. ” This project reflects our ongoing commitment to infrastructure improvements that enhance public safety and environmental sustainability. We look forward to continuing our partnership with local and federal officials to ensure that important projects like this are completed for the benefit of our communities.”
Rep. Norcross recently secured14 CPF awards totaling $13,565,031for projects throughout New Jersey’s First Congressional District to support economic development, create jobs, and respond to the most pressing needs of the community. More information on the 14 projects can be foundhere.
Since the creation of CPFs in 2021, Rep. Norcross has secured $28.8 million in awards for local projects throughout South Jersey. CPF awards secured by Rep. Norcross range from road and transportation projects and affordable housing upgrades to improving health care and education accessibility.
Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
October 17, 2024
Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) released the following statement on the latest data highlighting a 15.44% decrease in drug overdose deaths between May 2023 and May 2024 in West Virginia. This finding continues the trend from data last month showing a 11.56% decrease in drug overdose deaths between April 2023 and April 2024.
“The proof is in the numbers and we are seeing in real time a decline in overdose deaths across the Mountain State,” said Senator Manchin. “I am so proud of the bipartisan work we have done to combat the drug epidemic in my home state and across the nation. Together we’ve passed the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, continued to implement the Protecting Jessica Grubb’s Legacy Act (Legacy Act) and designated National Fentanyl Awareness Day in May and National Naloxone Awareness Day in June. We have also pushed the Food and Drug Administration for proper education and access to naloxone nationally.”
“This great news breeds hope and is truly possible because of our bipartisan work and tireless dedication. I look forward to seeing next month’s data and I remain focused on doing everything in my power to fight this drug epidemic and protect all West Virginias and Americans.”
Today, Julie Su, the Acting Secretary of Labor the for the Biden-Harris administration, is expected to be in Michigan. Her policies have hurt Michigan farmers by mandating unsustainable wages for farm workers, known as the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). This year, under Acting Secretary Su’s direction, the AEWR in Michigan was raised to $18.50 per hour, the fourth highest rate in the nation.
“Many Michigan farmers are on the brink of bankruptcy because of the failed leadership of the Biden-Harris administration and Acting Secretary Su. I have met with fifth and sixth-generation farmers who fear that unless something changes, they will be the last in their family to farm. President Biden, Vice President Harris and Acting Secretary Su’s policies are responsible for this hardship, and my bipartisan Supporting Farm Operations Act would help provide Michigan farmers overdue relief,” said Congressman John Moolenaar.
Last month, the Protect Our Product coalition had an event with Moolenaar to discuss the high labor costs of the Biden-Harris administration’s policies. The Michigan Farm News reported:
“For the Kropfs, phasing out older varieties of apples on 25 acres carries a replanting cost of around $1 million. It’s money the couple said they won’t have if labor costs under the H-2A program continue to increase. “This money has to come from somewhere, and the price of the product has been relatively consistent, if not dropping,” Chris Kropf said. “We have to control our labor costs — at all costs.”
The AEWR in Michigan has been increased for ten consecutive years. Moolenaar has introduced bipartisan legislation called the Supporting Farm Operations Act. This bill would freeze Su’s increase to the AEWR until the end of 2025. The legislation has been endorsed by multiple Michigan agriculture groups.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
Griffith Announces $500,000 ARC Grant to Piedmont Regional Community Services Board
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded Piedmont Regional Community Services Board a $500,000 grant. The funding will support expanded access to recovery services and increase employment opportunities. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:
“This ARC grant for $500,000 helps Piedmont Regional Community Services Board improve greater access to substance use disorder recovery services and enhance the job prospects of recovery-based applicants in the region.”
BACKGROUND
Piedmont Community Services serves communities in Franklin, Henry and Patrick Counties, as well as the City of Martinsville.
The name of this project is entitled Piedmont Regional Community Services Board – Community Recovery Employment Ecosystem Expansion.
DETROIT – United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Patrick Martin will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Martin has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Michigan, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Ison said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Ison stated that: “Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Martin will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (313)226-9168.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (313)965-2323.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Ison said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)
Congressman Mike Lawler Issues Statement on the Elimination of October 7th Mastermind, Hamas Head Yahya Sinwar
Pearl River, NY, October 17, 2024
Today, Congressman Mike Lawler issued the following statement after confirmation that the head of Hamas and architect of the October 7th terrorist attack against Israel was killed by Israeli forces.
“Good riddance to the vile head of Hamas and the architect of its barbaric October 7th terrorist attack against Israel- the worst mass murder of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust. Yahya Sinwar has finally gotten his comeuppance and the Middle East is one step closer to peace with this monster gone,” said Congressman Lawler.
Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.
Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Frieda Zimmerman will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Zimmerman has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Washington, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Waldref said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Waldref stated that: “The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to this right can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Zimmerman will be on duty in this District on election day. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (509) 353-2767.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (509) 458-8100.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Waldref said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over ballot drop boxes, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
NEWARK, N.J. – A former resident of Monmouth County admitted his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Kevin Aguilar, 54, previously of Farmingdale, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court on Oct. 15, 2024, to a superseding indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; seven counts of bank fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; three counts of wire fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; one count of money laundering; and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2020 to April 2021, Aguilar conspired with others to submit seven fraudulent PPP loan applications and three fraudulent EIDL applications on behalf of four businesses. Based on the fraudulent applications, Aguilar received approximately $3.3 million in PPP loan funds and approximately $450,000 in EIDL funds. After receiving the PPP and EIDL funds, Aguilar caused those funds to be transferred to other businesses that he created to give the false appearance that the PPP and EIDL funds were being used for legitimate purposes. Aguilar then used the PPP and EIDL funds to purchase residential properties in Sherman, Texas, a new truck for approximately $100,000, and to pay for other personal expenses.
The bank fraud conspiracy count and each count of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The wire fraud conspiracy count and each count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The money laundering conspiracy count and money laundering count each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The aggravated identity theft counts carry an additional consecutive mandatory minimum term of two years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Aguilar’s sentencing is scheduled for March 25, 2025.
Charges remain pending against Aguilar’s co-defendant, Jean E. Rabbitt, formerly of Farmingdale, New Jersey. The charges and allegations against Rabbitt are merely accusations and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Corwin Rattler; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge is Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Kozar, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Economic Crimes United in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of the five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)
SCHAUMBURG, IL –Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) has sent a letter to United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting a briefing on the rise in harassment and violence against Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh, especially following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and reports of violence and intimidation leading up to Bangladesh’s largest Hindu festival of Durga Puja.
In the letter, Congressman Krishnamoorthi writes, “As you are aware, Bangladesh’s Hindu community has historically faced challenges, but recent incidents following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have heightened concerns about their safety. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council recently reported over 2,000 incidents of communal violence targeting minorities, mostly Hindus, across the country from August 4 to August 20, 2024. This included nine deaths of people belonging to minority groups, rapes, and attacks on 69 places of worship, which were vandalized or set on fire.”
Congressman Krishnamoorthi requests a briefing on the matter by October 31, 2024 to better understand the State Department’s efforts to promote security and safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
WASHINGTON — Speaker Johnson released the following statement after the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, was eliminated by the Israeli Defense Force.
“Justice has once again been served by the brave men and women of the Israeli military. Yahya Sinwar, the vile, disgusting person who orchestrated the October 7th massacre, is dead. Sinwar’s life was the embodiment of evil and marked by hatred for all that is good in the world. His death brings hope for all those who seek to live in freedom, and relief to Israelis he has sought to oppress.
“Let this be a reminder to Hamas and all those who were involved in the October 7th attacks: you may try to terrorize and intimidate, but those who live under the banner of freedom will never surrender. The eternal flame of liberty and the faith of the Jewish people will never be snuffed out by the darkness of barbarism and the cruelty of antisemitism.
“Still, the death of this man is not the end of Israel’s fight for survival. At this moment, with the bloodthirsty leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah now gone, the Biden-Harris Administration must now work in tandem with Israel to apply a maximum pressure campaign against the head of the snake: Iran. Despite the Biden-Harris Administration condemning his strategies, Prime Minister Netanyahu has produced multiple watershed victories for Israel such that we are on the precipice of a new day of security and freedom in the Middle East. We cannot let this moment go to waste.
“May God bless Israel, and may God bless America.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)
LINCOLNSHIRE, IL – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chair and co-founder of the bipartisan, bicameral Abraham Accords Caucus, released the following statement in response to the reported death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar:
“Yahya Sinwar is dead.
“I continue to pray for an end to the fighting in Gaza and a better future for both Palestinians and Israelis – with real security and prosperity for all in the region.
“Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and the architect of the barbaric October 7th attacks, has the blood of thousands of innocent Israelis, Palestinians, Americans, and countless others on his hands. Sinwar was an evil, genocidal man whose preeminent goals were the elimination of the State of Israel and the murder of the Jewish people. He actively sought the death of civilians in Gaza as part of his heinous strategy, even ordering his Hamas terrorists to shoot their own people to prevent them from fleeing active combat zones.
“I hope that Sinwar’s death marks a turning point in this war. Let us all unite in praying that, at last, the door will open to the end of this terrible war, the remaining hostages will be released, the recovery in Gaza will begin, and the efforts toward securing peace will be renewed.
“This historic moment also brings a critical challenge: We cannot allow the enemies of peace to block or destroy the possibility of a better future for the region. The path to peace is real but fragile. We must remain resolute in defending it and foster hope for a brighter tomorrow where the good people dedicated to peace prevail.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Matt Gaetz (1st District of Florida)
Washington, D.C. — Tomorrow, in response to the Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) suing the Commonwealth of Virginia for removing illegal aliens from its voter rolls, U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL-01) will introduce the “National Motor Voter Clarification Act” to ensure the U.S. Code matches what all Americans expect, and the Constitution allows: that states can remove illegal aliens from their voter rolls at any time.
Last week, the Biden-Harris DOJfiled an unprecedented lawsuitagainst the Commonwealth of Virginia for requiring daily updates to its statewide voter list to remove noncitizens after more than 6,300 noncitizens were removed between January 2022 and July 2024. The lawsuit claims canceling voter registrations within 90 days of an election is prohibited despite a Virginia law allowing for the removal of noncitizens from the voting roll. Rep. Gaetz’s legislation, if enacted, would amend Title 52 of the United States Code to clarify federal law to ensure states are clearly allowed to remove voters who are ineligible due to “citizenship status” from their voting rolls within the 90 day window.
“Last week, the Biden-Harris DOJ turned its fire on Governor Youngkin of Virginia, suing to stop him from removing illegal aliens from the Virginia voter rolls.
I agree with the Governor that removing non-Americans from voter rolls is ‘common sense and constitutional,’ which is why I am introducing the ‘National Motor Voter Clarification Act.’ My bill will ensure Governors are allowed to do their jobs and remove illegal aliens from the voter rolls without fear of being targeted by the Biden-Harris Justice Department. It’s telling that the only ‘election integrity’ work the Biden-Harris Department of Justice seems interested in is ensuring maximal turnout for people who can’t even legally vote!” said Congressman Gaetz.
Full text of Congressman Gaetz’s bill can be found HERE. Additionally, exclusive coverage of the bill by Breitbart News can be found HERE.
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For updates, subscribe to Congressman Gaetz’s newsletter here.
The show demonstrates that young children are capable, curious and competent.(Blue Ant Media)
There is an evolutionary need for parents to protect their children from harm. One of the most difficult and important aspects of parenting is allowing children to take the necessary risks which enable them to grow.
TVO’s Old Enough!, based on a hit Japanese TV series, helps parents consider the balance between protection and creating space for children to develop independence and resilience. It shows very young children being provided the responsibility of running errands seemingly on their own.
It should be noted there are protections in place, for example as seen in Episode 1. Viewers see four-year-old Parker with supports for crossing streets, camera crews and shop keepers who are prepared for the child’s visit. It is not recommended that very young children complete errands unsupervised.
However, the show demonstrates that young children are capable, curious and competent. It encourages us to consider how we can support children in developing their confidence, self-worth and trust, and help them become independent and resilient while ensuring they feel supported and loved.
Independence begins with love
Old Enough! exemplifies many insights for parents about nurturing relationships with their children to support their emerging independence.
Secure attachment develops when a child consistently experiences a loving, attuned and responsive emotional connection, fostering a sense of trust and safety, and learning that their emotional needs will be met.
This is at the heart of raising independent and resilient children. Every experience shapes a child’s brain and influences gene expression. The emotional bond that develops from secure attachment provides children reassurance to take risks and try new things on their own. This emotional security enables them to confidently explore the world, knowing they have a secure base to return to.
In Old Enough!, viewers see glimpses of this trusting and loving relationship with five-year-old Simon and his dad David in Episode 3. Simon’s dads, David and Stephane, have different views around how much freedom Simon should have, with David feeling more protective. The episode shows Simon shopping on his own at Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market, with David outside.
Trailer for ‘Old Enough!’ Episode 3.
When the bags are too heavy, Simon drags them outside to give to David, sharing he was “dropping off a load because it was too heavy.” Simon’s dad empathically sighs in agreement.
Simon knows his dad will be waiting for him. There is no concern of where to find his dad, or apprehension his dad would be upset Simon hadn’t finished, or had taken too long. Simon flops on the sidewalk and shares his solo adventure.
His father, clearly anxious, finds a way through his own feelings to ask Simon if he will go back in to finish. Simon proudly beams yes! Upon return, he is greeted with pride and a big hug. Simon is proud of himself, stating “now I know how to shop by myself,” shining with confidence and resilience.
That Simon knows the world is safe and trustworthy was evident in his secure internal working model. This is seen in his willingness to confidently ask others for help, knowing it will be OK if he fails. His reflection “I was not even scared,” emphasizes the confidence in his relationships and secure base from which he explores the world.
Love supports courage to take on tasks
Old Enough! also shows everyday moments of independence parents can foster by allowing children to complete simple, age-appropriate tasks.
Love and autonomy go hand in hand. This emotional foundation provides children the courage to take on tasks, solve problems and struggle through challenges. Love is not just a form of emotional support; it is also a tool for growth.
When children are provided with opportunities to face small challenges, make decisions and manage frustration, we help them build the resilience to handle bigger challenges later in life. This approach reinforces that their loving caregiver trusts and believes in them.
Children who know they are loved unconditionally feel secure in their worth and are more likely to navigate the complexities of life with a sense of inner stability. This emotional foundation prevents them from relying heavily on external validation because they have internalized their worth and value.
As children grow, having a balanced view of themselves, their relationships and the world prepares them to manage peer pressure, bullying and setbacks, reinforcing the understanding of their worth isn’t determined by others’ opinions.
Parents’ own attachment experiences
Parents can support their children’s journey toward independence and resilience by encouraging small acts of autonomy.
Letting children make their own choices, take on responsibilities and engage in problem-solving helps build their confidence. At the same time, parents should be emotionally available, offering comfort and support without taking over. This balance of trust and love gives children the necessary tools to become both independent and resilient, knowing they can face challenges and are always supported.
Parents who want to do more to support their children’s autonomy while maintaining a close connection often find that making changes can be difficult. This is especially the case if they have not experienced secure attachment, unconditional love or have a history of relational trauma.
Managing the real fear and anxiety of stepping back, perhaps fearing your child will feel unloved, can feel incredibly challenging. In Old Enough! such feelings are expressed by Ohelya’s mom, Arfina, in Episode 8, who shares she had to grow up faster than most of her friends and she wants to protect her daughter from this experience, allowing her to enjoy childhood.
Trailer for ‘Old Enough!’ Episode 8.
For parents, it’s important to separate your fears and anxieties from what is real for your child, and ensure your history and experiences do not negatively impact your child’s opportunities for growth and development. Be kind and patient with yourself and your child during this process.
Wait: allow them the time and space to explore and play independently.
Wonder: reflect on their needs and your responses.
By acknowledging and managing your own fears and anxieties, you create space to see your child truly sparkle.
Learn and know who your child is, what their strengths are and what they need support with. It’s never to late to let children show you what they are capable of and reveal their amazing self. With consistency, you will build a deep meaningful connection built on trust and love, which will last a lifetime.
Nikki Martyn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
[BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador and a coalition of 23 other states filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to stop the Biden-Harris Administration from imposing an electric-vehicle mandate on truck manufacturers in Nebraska v. EPA. This coalition has joined the suit alongside Nebraska as petitioners to challenge the new rule. In April, the federal Environmental and Protection Agency (EPA) published a rule imposing stringent tailpipe emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles that effectively force manufacturers to produce more electric trucks and fewer internal-combustion trucks. The Attorneys General argued that EPA’s electric-truck mandate raises a “major question” that Congress has not clearly authorized EPA to decide. “Once again, the Biden-Harris administration is superseding their constitutional authority in a short-sighted pursuit of their green agenda,” said Attorney General Labrador. “They are making laws and standards which are the sole purview of Congress. This kind of reckless rulemaking will damage our national economy, infrastructure, and resiliency.” The brief points out that just one-tenth of one percent (0.10%) of all heavy-duty trucks sold today are powered by a battery, but that EPA’s rule would increase that number to 45 percent in less than a decade away. That massive shift in the nation’s trucking and logistics industries will slow down transportation of essential goods, stress the electric grid, and raise prices for Americans. The brief also argues that EPA has never before forced manufacturers to produce heavy-duty electric vehicles and that allowing the electric-truck mandate to stand would short circuit the ongoing policy debate that should be left to Congress and the States. In addition to Attorney General Labrador, attorneys general from the following States joined the suit against the Biden Administration: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, South Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
A space shuttle lifts off high above the surrounding land in this Aug. 1, 1973, illustration. With 135 missions flown over 30 years, NASA’s shuttle fleet achieved numerous firsts and opened space up to more people than ever before. Each space shuttle consisted of three major components: the orbiter, which housed the crew, a large external tank that held fuel for the main engines, and two solid rocket boosters that provided most of the shuttle’s lift during the first two minutes of flight. All the components were reused except for the external fuel tank, which burned up in the atmosphere after each launch. The space shuttle was the world’s first reusable spacecraft. Check out the NASA+ playlist, “The Shuttle Era.” Image credit: NASA