**Black Incarceration Rates Are Dropping In The US**
Black Incarceration Rates Are Dropping In The US
**The incarceration rate (https://www.statista.com/topics/1717/prisoners-in-the-united-states/) of Black men in the U.S. has been dropping after reaching a high in 2001.**
(https://www.statista.com/chart/18376/us-incarceration-rates-by-sex-and-race-ethnic-origin/)
_You will find more infographics at Statista (https://www.statista.com/chartoftheday/)_
Yet, as Statista's Katharina Buchholz reports (https://www.statista.com/chart/18376/us-incarceration-rates-by-sex-and-race-ethnic-origin/), **the rate at which Black U.S. men are imprisoned is still many times that of the white and more than double that of the Hispanic male population**.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, (https://bjs.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh236/files/media/document/p21st.pdf) 1,807 Black men per 100,000 were held in state or federal prisons in the U.S. during 2021 after being sentenced (that’s roughly one in 55). This number doesn’t include people in county jails or in pre-trial confinement.
All in all,the Sentencing Project estimated (https://www.sentencingproject.org/criminal-justice-facts/) **at the height of the incarceration crisis in 2001 that the likelihood of a Black men spending time behind bars in their lifetime was 1 in 3, while it was 1 in 17 for all U.S. men.**
**Imprisonment rates for women are much lower** across the board in the U.S., and the rate of Hispanic and Black women being imprisoned has equally dropped since the late 1990s. The group with the lowest overall incarceration rate, white women, are unique in the sense that their imprisonment rate was growing quite steadily since 1980 and only started dropping since 2015.
**Different theories exist why Black incarceration rates have been declining.** For one, crime and arrests have been decreasing in the U.S. overall. Also, the war on drugs has shifted its focus onto meth and opioids, which are drugs associated to a larger extent with the white population. Finally, criminal justice reform might have had some positive effects too, according to the Marshall Project. (https://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/12/15/a-mass-incarceration-mystery)
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 22:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/black-incarceration-rates-are-dropping-us
**Luongo On The 'Straight From ShitLib Central-Casting Gun-Enthusiast' Pentagon-Leaker**
Luongo On The 'Straight From ShitLib Central-Casting Gun-Enthusiast' Pentagon-Leaker
_Authored by Tom Luongo via Gold, Goats, 'n' Guns blog,_ (https://tomluongo.me/2023/04/18/unpacking-the-conversation-of-the-pentagon-papers/)
The “Pentagon Papers’ is making the rounds as the big new event of the past couple of weeks. **The controversy is over the ‘leaks’ of strategic briefing documents detailing US future plans for the war in Ukraine.** I’ve watched this story unfold with a weather eye but wanted to wait to see how it would progress before commenting.
I know, not going for the click-bait at the height of the anxiety-pimping is a rare thing these days.
This morning Kit Knightly at Off Guardianput out a strong pos (https://off-guardian.org/2023/04/17/pentagon-leaks-5-ways-to-tell-real-from-fake/)t on the disinformation process that I believe is worth your time. Even though I disagree with his conclusion, or more precisely leave myself open to a different conclusion, his Disinfo Radar isn’t far off from the calibration zero-point.
This leak has all the hallmarks of being a fake, by Kit’s 5 point heuristic, a heuristic I think has value, just not singular value. **This ‘leak’ doesn’t fit this model because of other responses to it. Because in order to sweep it into the corner, it burned the media as information gatekeeper in ways that those with power never do.** More on that later.
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**Black is the new Red**
For now let’s focus on the black-pilled, those that live in a perpetual state of cynicism. For them it is easy to just dismiss this event the way Kit does, as something to shift the Overton Window in such a way as to reinforce the narrative they want you engaged in –in this case maneuvering us into supporting another war for globalism.
> It’s all content designed, in the parlance of social media, to boost engagement. **Because the system has adapted, they don’t manufacture consent anymore – they farm participation.** Angry refutation and warm praise record the same in the algorithm. They don’t want your agreement, they want your attention. And when they feel the story is losing the audience, well, here’s some super secret facts you aren’t supposed to know.
This is an excellent point that I agree with, in theory. Yes, they use multiple approaches to move public opinion. Yes, they like to hand out red pills to the normies to give them the cheap dopamine hit of ‘figuring stuff out.’
But, here’s the thing about this type of insight, **_it’s its own form of psy-op._**
Formally identifying this gives the disinformation brokers the flexibility to use both of these techniques (and other techniques) to keep people like Kit and fellow travelers like Whitney Webb and others focused on trying to figure out which one it is.
_I hate to single Whitney out here because I genuinely like her and believe she’s an honest broker, but I have to because of her current obsession, Jamie Dimon, which I’ve been asked about by so many people (again, more on that later),_
The thing to observe is when they figure it out, they will write, talk and text about it.
It drives traffic, gives positive feedback, and has all the appearance of both real journalism and sincerity (which, by the way, I’m not doubting) but is it for the right reason?
It looks to me like chum for smart people to feel clever and one step ahead of the bad guys. The positive feedback drives subscriber and revenue growth reinforcing the idea of work well done.
But is it really? Or are they just rats chasing the trail laid for them by the cheese mongers?
I say this as someone acutely aware of their own personal tendency to doing just that. It’s not hard to fall down the wrong rabbit hole, obsessed with facts but not what they mean…
This is why all heuristics in an information space as polluted as this one need constant error checking.
**Conversing With Tyrants**
**Uncovering the techniques of control are just uncovering the mechanics. In this case, however, it looks like it is uncovering the agenda, but I don’t think that’s the case here.**
Ultimately, it brings to mind Gene Hackman’s ultimate fate in Coppola’s classic movie _The Conversation_, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEo7FGkmRx0) playing his saxophone in the ruin of his apartment secure he’s satisfied his paranoia.
For all of his skills and brilliance, rather than be an asset, he’s been taken off the board chasing shadows.
That’s the trap of focusing on the what (the corruption) and the how (the mechanisms) but not the why.
This is a serious issue going forward.
Distrusting those with power goes without saying. We…
**NHL Former PK Subban On Pride Jerseys: "We Cannot Push Everyone To Be An Activist"**
NHL Former PK Subban On Pride Jerseys: "We Cannot Push Everyone To Be An Activist"
NHL veteran and legendary defenseman PK Subban is speaking out against the league trying to mandate Pride Night jerseys onto its players after numerous well known players have declined to wear them during games.
He called the move a "push" to make everyone an "activist", according to Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/sports/ex-nhl-star-pk-subban-cautions-against-pushing-everyone-activist-amid-pride-jersey-controversy). He said that he does not believe that a player "needs to be activist" and he said that "there are other ways to show support without having to wear a hat, a T-shirt or a jersey," the report said.
He raised the issue that while many people support the LGBTQ community, they don't need to be mandatorily and involuntarily deputized into speaking out about social issues just because they play sports.
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Subban commented: "We cannot push everyone to be an activist, we need to be very careful. I feel people pick and choose what they want to talk about and I don't like it when we put the onus on athletes to be activists."
"They don't need to be activists. I'm not saying it is right or wrong to wear the (Pride) jersey, we have just got to be very careful how we push players to do things," he continued.
"You can support the LGBTQ community without having to wear a hat, a T-shirt or a jersey," he added.
Among other players who have cited potential reprisal from Russia as reasons not to wear pride jerseys, the report notes that Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov, San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer and NHL veterans Eric and Marc Staal have all declined to wear the jerseys, citing religious reasons.
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"This is the first time we’ve experienced that, and I think it’s something that we’re going to have to evaluate in the offseason," commented Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Coach Rick Tocchet of the Canucks said recently about one of his players opting out due to fears of Russia repercussions: "I'm not going to get into it because we don't know the deals that happen over there. So I respect his decision."
Subban concluded: "The people that write the articles, the people that push certain narratives in the media, they have to be held accountable. We have to be very, very careful about the way we perceive a moment."
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 22:00
**FBI Nixed Raid On Tennessee Religious Compound After Waco Massacre**
FBI Nixed Raid On Tennessee Religious Compound After Waco Massacre
_Authored by Ken Silva via Headline USA (https://headlineusa.com/exclusive-fbi-nixed-raid-on-tennessee-religious-compound-after-waco-massacre/) (emphasis ours),_
Exactly 30 years ago, **the FBI was planning to raid a purported religious compound in Benton, Tennessee—but bureau officials aborted the plan after agents killed 76 people during the disastrous April 19, 1993, raid in Waco, Texas**, according to a previously unpublicized document reviewed by Headline USA.
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_The U.S. government murdered 82 civilians at Waco, Texas 30 years ago. PHOTO: Public domain_ (
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The FBI’s planned raid on the Tennessee-based “ **Order of St. John of Jerusalem**” was part of a sweeping 1990s-era undercover operation called Patriot Conspiracy, or PATCON, which entailed undercover agents and informants infiltrating the right-wing militia movement.
Extremism researcher J.M. Berger has extensively covered PATCON (https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/resrep10506.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A26ea051ba6667389b860cf64ab7bf0e3&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1), including the planned Tennessee raid. In an April 2012 article for _Foreign Policy (https://foreignpolicy.com/2012/04/18/patriot-games/)_, Berger wrote that **the FBI closed its investigation into The Order of St. John in July 1993 because officials were worried that agents were “only obtaining intelligence and not moving forward with the criminal investigation.”**
But that’s not the whole story. Neither Berger’s research nor publicly available FBI documents indicate that agents had, in fact, planned a similar Waco-style raid in Tennessee.
This is only revealed in a March 2013 email written by former FBI informant John Matthews, who participated in PATCON. Matthews wrote the email to Jesse Trentadue—an attorney currently embroiled in litigation against the FBI over PATCON—who recently provided the record to Headline USA. The email has not received media attention until now.
Matthews’ email matches much of what’s written in publicly available FBI PATCON records.
Those records describe The Order of St. John as an extremist religious group led by a medical doctor named John Grady, who was calling for violence against the federal government. An April 1992 FBI memo said Grady, who also headed the American Rifle and Pistol Association, owned some 340 acres of land that he used to locate a sprawling compound.
“ **Survival and firearms training has been conducted on the OSJ and APRA property and men have been seen wearing camouflage units and carrying firearms**,” the FBI memo said.
Matthews’ email described how he helped the FBI plan its raid. In the email, Matthews wrote that Grady “had bunkers all over his land.”
“I took pictures of them inside and out,” he said.
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According to Matthews, the FBI had him bring another undercover government agent—”I believe he was from the Army (Delta Force),” he said—to conduct reconnaissance on the Tennessee property. Grady and his wife were gone for the night, Matthews said, giving him and his Delta Force partner the run of the place.
“Dr. Grady did not know I brought this guy in at night … He took notes on how wide the bunker walls were and how the doors were made … I already knew that a team was building up to hit Doc Grady’s place next. **They had to know everything about the place in case of a standoff with his followers inside the compound**,” Matthews wrote.
Matthews further said that “within hours of Waco” agents were already headed to Tennessee to plan the next raid.
But top officials apparently had second thoughts, as the Tennessee raid was called off amidst the negative attention federal agencies were receiving after the Waco massacre.
“Doc Grady was saved by Waco,” Matthews wrote. “Seeing Waco did not go over so well in the eyes of a lot of folks, they did not raid Doc Grady’s, for it would have opened a bigger can of worms and a war may have started from the groups across the country.”
Headline USA was unable to contact people who can corroborate Matthews’ story. The FBI has declined to comment on PATCON, while Grady died in 2018. The Order of St. John’s website is still active (http://www.theknightsofsaintjohn.com/gm.htm), but the group did not respond to an email seeking an interview or comment.
Grady reportedly denied all allegations of illegal activity when interviewed by extremism researcher Berger in 2012.…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/fbi-nixed-raid-tennessee-religious-compound-after-waco-massacre
**REI To Close Portland Store, Citing 'Safety Of Our Employees' And 'Out-Of-Control' Thefts**
REI To Close Portland Store, Citing 'Safety Of Our Employees' And 'Out-Of-Control' Thefts
Add outdoor retail giant REI to the growing list of companies planning to close stores in Portland, Oregon, because of rampant lawlessness in the Democrat-controlled city.
Oregon Live (https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2023/04/rei-to-close-its-only-portland-store-citing-break-ins-theft.html) said REI notified customers on Monday about plans to close its store in Portland's Pearl District early next year. The retailer said its store in Portland "had its highest number of break-ins and thefts in two decades, despite actions to provide extra security."
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"While we do not believe a downtown Portland location will be possible in the near term, our stores in Tualatin, Hillsboro, and Clackamas remain open and ready to outfit you with the gear and advice you need to enjoy life outside," REI told customers.
REI spokesperson Megan Behrbaum told the local media outlet that REI had made numerous investments in theft prevention, including hiring private security, surveillance technology, and security glass. She said despite all of this, the break-ins and shoplifting continued.
> _"The extra security measures required to keep customers and employees safe are not financially sustainable._
>
> _"We will continue to invest in these areas through the remainder of our lease, but cannot justify continuing this expense through a lease extension beyond early 2024," Behrbaum said._
REI has been added to the list of major retailers shuttering stores in Portland. Walmart (https://www.zerohedge.com/political/all-portland-walmart-stores-permanently-close-amid-theft-wave) and Cracker Barrel called it quits last month (https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/cracker-barrel-leaves-portland-following-walmarts-lead). Nike also closed a store to public access, telling city officials that shoplifting was the cause.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, burglaries, robberies, vehicle thefts, and vandalism have surged over the last several years. The jump in violent crime comes just after the city elected a progressive district attorney in 2019 that implemented social justice reforms that have largely backfired.
Portland was once known as the 'crown jewel of the West Coast' for its trendy art and food shops but is now transforming into a liberal hellhole of lawlessness as businesses have no choice but to exit to protect margins.
More broadly, Portland isn't the only liberal metro area experiencing business flight. Out-of-touch city leaders in Chicago were furious last week with Walmart's plan to close stores (https://www.zerohedge.com/political/community-leaders-furious-over-businesses-leaving-chicago-refuse-take-responsibility).
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 21:20
**The House GOP Effort To Defund – Not Police, But Wokeness**
The House GOP Effort To Defund – Not Police, But Wokeness
_Authored by Ben Weingarten via The Epoch Times (https://www.realclearwire.com/articles/2023/04/17/the_new_house_gop_effort_to_defund__not_police_but_wokeness_894007.html) (emphasis ours),_
Through executive orders and budget requests, **the Biden administration has sought to embed (https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2022/05/10/here_are_the_90_equity_plans_taxpayers_are_now_funding_across_the_federal_government_830643.html) “diversity, equity, and inclusion” principles across the entirety of the federal government** – and in turn to touch the lives (https://archive.is/pK7sj#selection-1389.41-1389.61) of every American. Now members of the Republican House majority, who see this whole-of-government effort as a woke assault on America and its core values, are working to combat it using the power of the purse.
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In a series of letters (https://www.documentcloud.org/projects/appropriations-subcommittee-letters-212806/) to House appropriations leaders, Rep. Jim Banks and like-minded colleagues have identified and called for the defunding of all “‘woke’ programs and initiatives that are rooted in discrimination and promote far-left ideology in the federal government” in 2024 spending bills.
The letters, obtained exclusively by RealClearInvestigations, are a product of Banks’ Anti-Woke Caucus, a 26-member group (https://dailycaller.com/2023/04/05/who-will-serve-anti-woke-caucus-congress-list-jim-banks/) of House Republicans launched by the former chair of the Republican Study Committee earlier this year, and notably counting among its members Rep. Elise Stefanik, chair of the House Republican Conference, members of the House Freedom Caucus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Caucus), and others.
Banks and caucus members delivered the letters to the chairmen and ranking members of each of the 12 House Appropriations Committee subcommittees in late March following the release of President Biden’s $6.8 trillion 2024 budget request.
Each letter flags examples of “woke” offices or policies to which Congress allocated funding in relevant 2023 spending bills, and the associated dollars, and calls for those “and all programs that discriminate based on race, gender, and sexual orientation or seek to disparage our nation’s core ideals and history \[to\] be decreased to $0” in the 2024 versions of the bills.
A narrow reading of the line items characterized as woke in the letters – which represent only a partial accounting of such programs and initiatives – shows that such programs totaled over $900 million in 2023.
**Some of the 2023 programs the Republican members seek to zero out in 2024 include:**
- The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act’s more than $200 million in spending on programs aimed at increasing race-based hiring and recruitment in STEM.
- The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act’s $200 million for the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund.
- The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act’s $108 million for "environmental justice" activities.
The $900 million outlay excludes broader items highlighted in the letters, like the $3.5 billion earmarked for energy efficiency and renewable energy in the 2023 Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Given that the letters represent only a partial accounting of such programs, the vagueness of budget language, and the discretion with which federal agencies can act, tax dollars advancing such efforts may well substantially dwarf these figures.
**The letters also target language in the 2023 versions of:**
- The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, claiming that “white supremacists and violent anti-government domestic extremists” are “infiltrating security and law-enforcement agencies.”
- The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, directing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to detain transgender illegal aliens at facilities only with staff who have received "LGBTI Sensitivity and Awareness Training," and medical personnel with experience delivering hormone therapies.
- The Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, requesting that the Department of Energy consider social equity and environmental and energy justice in state and community energy programs.
“We believe that the House Republican majority has a responsibility to use its spending powers to ensure that we do not contribute further funding to anti-American and divisive initiatives,” the signatories to each letter wrote.
Tough Odds
Th…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/house-gop-effort-defund-not-police-wokeness
**Post-Pandemic Burnout: 20% Of Nurses May Quit In Next Four Years, Says Survey**
Post-Pandemic Burnout: 20% Of Nurses May Quit In Next Four Years, Says Survey
The total American nursing workforce has fallen 3.3% over the past two years, but experts expect the trend is about to rapidly accelerate -- to the point that **one in five nurses could call it quits by 2027.**
**"High workloads and unprecedented levels of burnout during the COVID‑19 pandemic have stressed the U.S. nursing workforce**, particularly younger, less experienced RNs," write the authors of a survey-study published on Thursday in the _Journal of Nursing Regulation_ (https://www.journalofnursingregulation.com/article/S2155-8256(23)00063-7/fulltext).
We pause to ask... _was any of that burnout due to practicing choreographed dance routines for TikTok?_
> Nurses, with nothing else to do "during COVID", performing exquisitely choreographed dance routines for their TikTok fan base.
>
> They'd like it if you forgot this. pic.twitter.com/p3LwM0qOI2 (https://t.co/p3LwM0qOI2)
>
> — Guy's Politico Channel (@Politic56721677) November 29, 2022 (https://twitter.com/Politic56721677/status/1597401654806339584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
More than 100,000 left nursing during the pandemic, and researchers say **another 800,000 could bail in the next few years**. The paper was the focus of a panel discussion at the National Press Club hosted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), reports _MedPage Today_ (https://www.medpagetoday.com/nursing/nursing/104053?vrw=no).
**Such an exodus would have powerful ripple effects** throughout healthcare, said Brendan Martin, NCSBN's director of nursing regulation.
The survey included more than 54,000 respondents, with 92.5% of them being women. Key findings:
- 50.8% feel emotionally drained
- 56.4% feel used up
- 49.7% feel fatigued
- 45.1% feel burned out or "at the end of their rope"
In an ominous sign for what's to come, quitting nurses skew young: **41% of the post-pandemic flameouts had an average age of 36** and fewer than 10 years on the job. Age and workload are key factors, say the study's authors:
> "The most pronounced differences emerged when comparing early career nurses with higher workloads to their more experienced peers with normal workloads. In this comparison, **early career respondents with high workloads were more than three to four times more likely to report higher frequencies of feeling emotionally drained**, used up, fatigued, burned out, or at the end of their rope."
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?itok=FIlk_k6o)**At the height of the pandemic, this Russian nurse opted to wear just a bra and panties under see-through PPE. Despite patients having "no complaints," she was disciplined.**( (?itok=FIlk_k6o)_New York Post_ (https://nypost.com/2020/06/19/too-hot-coronavirus-nurse-scores-modeling-contract/))
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 20:40
**Trump's Palm Beach Mansion Next To Mar-A-Lago Hits Rental Market**
Trump's Palm Beach Mansion Next To Mar-A-Lago Hits Rental Market
Mansion Global (https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/you-can-rent-the-trump-family-beach-house-in-palm-beach-for-195-000-a-month-6194c69) reports a Trump family-owned oceanfront beach house in Palm Beach, Florida, down the street from Mar-a-Lago, has returned to the rental market after a failed sale despite a red-hot South Florida housing market.
"A one-of-a-kind direct oceanfront estate boasting 10,455 total square feet of living space and unobstructed views of the Atlantic, 1125 S Ocean features 8 bedrooms, 8 full and 3 half bathrooms," the description of the beach house reads on Zillow.
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It further said, "This iconic, trophy property is rarely available for lease and includes over 200 feet of water frontage ... and for approved occupants, residency at the beach house comes with coveted access to the exclusive Mar-a-Lago Beach Club next door."
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Margit Brandt of Premier Estate Properties has the rental listing and is asking $195,000 per month or about $2.3 million per year.
> _"In Palm Beach, we've seen so much movement from all different parts of the country and the world._
>
> _"It's the perfect house for someone who wants to try out Palm Beach," Premier Estate Properties' Margit Brandt, who listed the rental, told Bloomberg._
Between 2021-22, the property's asking price increased from $49 million to $59 million. Despite the booming South Florida real estate market, no buyer was found.
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Bloomberg pointed out the beach house was previously in a trust in the name of Trump's sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, which sold for $18.5 million in 2018. The current owner is a limited liability company that lists Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. as officers.
For those seeking entry to the Mar-a-Lago Beach Club, renting Trump's beach house might be the golden ticket inside.
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 20:00
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/trumps-palm-beach-mansion-next-mar-lago-hits-rental-market
**As Soros-Backed Prosecutor Fights Attempt To Oust Her, Judge Sets Separate Contempt Hearing**
As Soros-Backed Prosecutor Fights Attempt To Oust Her, Judge Sets Separate Contempt Hearing
_Authored by Janice Hisle via The Epoch Times,_ (https://www.theepochtimes.com/as-soros-backed-prosecutor-fights-attempt-to-oust-her-judge-sets-separate-contempt-hearing_5204164.html)
**Accusations of mismanagement and chaos are piling up** against St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner.
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_St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner speaks in St. Louis, Mo., on Jan. 13, 2020. (Jim Salter/AP Photo)_
Gardner appeared in court on April 18, the first hearing in Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s attempt to remove her from office. Gardner’s lawyers are seeking dismissal of that case.
**Bailey asserts she neglected her duties by failing to properly staff her office and allowing thousands of criminal cases to languish.** Gardner’s lawyers counter that Bailey never even alleges she committed any “intentional” acts that would justify her ouster.
Lawyers from Bailey’s office argued that Gardner should be disqualified from holding office because of her alleged pattern of “inaction” and “willful neglect” of her duties.
A day before the hearing, a judge ordered Gardner to “show cause” why she shouldn’t be held in contempt of court for failing to ensure that prosecutors from her office show up for a murder trial on April 17. A hearing in that matter is set for April 24, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. (https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-judge-files-to-hold-kim-gardner-in-contempt-after-no-prosecutors-show-for/article_3a7dc7bc-dd5b-11ed-a795-f734f7f7ac49.html)
**The contempt action comes after a judge sanctioned Gardner (https://www.theepochtimes.com/embattled-soros-backed-st-louis-prosecutor-sanctioned-by-judge-amid-new-complaints_5181998.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=digitalsub) for failing to turn over evidence in a double murder case earlier this month.**
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_Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey speaks to his staff in March 2023. (Courtesy of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office)_
During the hearing in Bailey’s case against Gardner, a representative of judges in St. Louis’ 22nd Circuit Court said: _**“The circuit attorney’s office is now in a state of near total collapse.”**_ The man, whose name was unclear during a live broadcast of the Gardner hearing, told Visiting Judge John Torbitzky: “An expedited resolution of this matter is very important.”
Torbitzky is expected to decide within a couple of weeks whether to throw out Bailey’s petition against Gardner. He ordered attorneys to file written arguments about the motion to dismiss within a week; Torbitzky said he would decide whether to dismiss the case promptly after that.
If it proceeds, a trial likely would be held in September, based on a scheduling discussion during the hearing.
In his original court filing (pdf (https://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/amended-petition-in-quo-warranto.pdf?sfvrsn=e76df49e_2)) against Gardner, Bailey wrote: “She has sacrificed the safety of the city of St. Louis. She has squandered the goodwill of the courts through misdirection and incompetence. She has turned away grieving families while murderers walk free.”
Action Follows Outcry
But an attorney representing Gardner, Jonathan Sternberg, said Bailey doesn’t have the goods on Gardner.
_**“This is an attack on the democratic process by someone who was never elected,”**_ Sternberg said, taking a dig at Bailey, who was appointed to his position in January after the former attorney general, Eric Schmitt, became a member of the U.S. Senate. Bailey and Schmitt are Republicans; Gardner is a Democrat.
_**“Mr. Bailey doesn’t like the job Miss Gardner is doing,”**_ Sternberg said. So the appropriate remedy would be for Bailey to support an opposition candidate in the next election rather than trying to throw her out of office via a court proceeding, Sternberg said.
Such drastic action should be reserved for cases involving intentional acts and corruption, which aren’t alleged in this case, Sternberg said.
Janae Edmondson Case
Bailey filed the action against Gardner last month (https://www.theepochtimes.com/after-teen-athlete-loses-both-legs-outside-judge-to-consider-removing-missouri-prosecutor_5086069.html) following a public outcry over the tragic case of Janae Edmondson. That visiting teen athlete, who is from Tennes…
**Taylor Swift Rejected $100 Million FTX Sponsorship Over 'Unregistered Securities' Question**
Taylor Swift Rejected $100 Million FTX Sponsorship Over 'Unregistered Securities' Question
While Tom Brady, Shaquille O'Neal, Giselle Bündchen, Larry David and other celebrity promoters **are currently being sued (https://deadline.com/2022/11/tom-brady-giselle-bundchen-ftx-lawsuit-larry-david-steph-curry-crypto-1235174541/)** over their endorsement of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, **Taylor Swift isn't among them - because she was the only celebrity to ask whether NFTs were unregistered securities**, according to the lawyer handling a class-action lawsuit against the other celebs.
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During an appearance on "The Scoop" podcast, attorney Adam Moskowitz said the plaintiffs are seeking more than $5 billion from the celebrity endorsers, who he says didn't do their due diligence to determine whether the crypto exchange was breaking the law.
"The one person I found that did that was Taylor Swift," said Moskowitz, who added that FTX wanted Swift to sell concert tickets as NFTs - which Swift questioned.
"In our discovery, Taylor Swift actually asked them: 'Can you tell me that these are not unregistered securities?'" said Moskowitz.
Swift's father notably used to work for Merrill Lynch.
> I’m not surprised. Taylor is smart and her father is a well-regarded investment banker.
>
> — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 19, 2023 (https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1648548827979304960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
According to the _Financial Times_ (https://www.ft.com/content/2b0601e2-d371-404d-8531-227f11d4a83f), Swift began discussing the $100 million sponsorship in the fall of 2021. FTX would implode one year later, after concerns over commingling customer funds led to a stampede of withdrawals.
The class-actioon lawsuit accuses celebrities of promoting an unregistered security - which, when sold in the United States, must be registered with the SEC. In a December complaint, the SEC said that the company's cryptocurrency, FTT, was classified as a security because it was sold as an investment contract, yet was not appropriately registered.
"In order to induce confidence and to drive consumers to invest in what was ultimately a Ponzi scheme," the defendants "made numerous misrepresentations and omissions," according to the lawsuit.
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 19:20
**The Bullet Train Epitomizes Golden State Corruption**
The Bullet Train Epitomizes Golden State Corruption
_Authored by Edward Ring via AmGreatness.com,_ (https://amgreatness.com/2023/04/18/the-bullet-train-epitomizes-golden-state-corruption/)
**_California’s failing rail project is a metaphor for a state that has turned its back on the ordinary, hardworking people who live there..._**
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**It sounded too good to be true, and it was.** Travel from downtown San Francisco to downtown Los Angeles in two hours via high-speed rail. California voters in 2008 approvedProposition 1A (https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_1A,_High-Speed_Rail_Bond_Measure_(2008)), authorizing $9.95 billion in general obligation bonds to build this so-called “bullet train.” They were told not only that the total cost would only be $33 billion but also that the entire 500-mile system would be running by 2030.
Fat chance.
In March of this year, the California High-Speed Rail Authorityreleased its latest progress report (https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-Project-Update-Report-FINAL-022823.pdf). The project is now projected to cost _$127 billion_, and there is no longer a projected completion date. The initial stretch of track, a 171-mile segment across the sparsely populated, pancake-flat San Joaquin Valley, is projected to be done by 2030 at a cost of $35 billion.
**These are staggering numbers, a testament to a staggering waste of financial and material resources.** For this first segment of track, Californians are going to pay $206 million _per mile_, and that’s if there aren’t any more overruns. The financing alone—based on preposterously optimistic ridership projections for this segment of 6.6 million riders per year, and a 30-year-term at 5 percent annual interest—would work out to a cost of $348 _per ticket_. Not exactly an easily affordable means of travel.
**California’s high-speed rail project, in short, is a disaster.** Everything about it fails any rational cost-benefit analysis. It will be a permanent financial drain on Californians, because in order for anyone to be able to afford to use the train for a daily commute, ticket revenue won’t even pay operating costs, much less pay back the construction costs.
From an environmental perspective, the California High-Speed Rail Authority boasts that the initial segment will reduce total vehicle miles traveled in California by 183 million miles. That sounds like a lot until you take into account that Californians logged340 _billion_ vehicle miles traveled (https://www.thezebra.com/resources/driving/average-miles-driven-per-year/) in 2022. High-speed rail by 2030 expects to reduce that total by _1/20th of one percent_.
But the opportunity cost of blowing $127 billion, and counting, on a train that will not significantly alleviate either traffic congestion or “greenhouse gases” is perhaps the bitterest joke of all. For $127 billion, Californians could build infrastructure that would improve their quality of life for generations.
Even in absurdly expensive California, $127 billion goes a long way. That much money could pay toraise the height of the Shasta Dam (https://www.usbr.gov/mp/ncao/shasta-enlargement.html), buildthe proposed Sites Reservoir (https://sitesproject.org/) to its original 2 million acre-feet storage capacity,restore every aqueduct in the state (https://costa.house.gov/media/press-releases/costa-introduces-bill-restore-san-joaquin-valley-canals), build new systems toharvest and store storm runoff (https://pacinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/PI_California_Untapped_Urban_Water_Potential_2022-1.pdf), upgrade every major treatment plant in the state torecycle and reuse wastewater (https://watereuse.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/WateReuse-CA-Action-Plan_July-2019_r5-2.pdf), refurbish theDiablo Canyon nuclear power plant (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/01/diablo-canyon-open-could-save-21-billion-mit-stanford-scientists.html) to last till 2050 or longer, build twoadditional nuclear power plants (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-25/why-america-pays-more-for-nuclear-power) of the same size, and resurface and add lanes toevery major interstate freeway (https://californiapolicycenter.org/californias-transportation-future-part-four-the-common-road/).
For $127 billion, even at ridiculously inflated California prices for public works, Californians could have abundant, affordable water and power, they could have a freeway system upgraded for the 21st century, and they would still have tens of billions left.
**Corruption and Waste as a Way of Life**
The problem with spending money on rational, practical solutions that lower the cost of living and improve the quality of life for millio…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/bullet-train-epitomizes-golden-state-corruption
**Home Foreclosures And Missed Credit Card Payments Surge As Consumers Buckle**
Home Foreclosures And Missed Credit Card Payments Surge As Consumers Buckle
In the first quarter of this year, home foreclosures surged, as reported by property data firm Attom (https://www.attomdata.com/news/market-trends/foreclosures/attom-q1-2023-u-s-foreclosure-market-report/). Following a two-year lull, pandemic-related housing assistance programs are winding down. Homeowners who chose not to make mortgage payments are now either negotiating new terms with lenders, selling their properties, or, as current trends suggest, facing foreclosure. This troubling rise coincides with consumers falling behind on their credit card payments.
While still below pre-pandemic levels, foreclosure filings during the first quarter of 2023 totaled 95,712 properties, up 6% from the previous quarter and 22% from a year ago. This was the 23rd consecutive month with a year-over-year increase in foreclosure activity.
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"Despite efforts made by government agencies and policymakers to try and reduce foreclosure rates, we are seeing an upward trend in foreclosure activity," Rob Barber, CEO at ATTOM, said in a statement. He continued:
> _"This unfortunate trend can be attributed to a variety of factors, such as rising unemployment rates, foreclosure filings making their way through the pipeline after two years of government intervention, and other ongoing economic challenges. However, with many homeowners still having significant home equity, that may help in keeping increased levels of foreclosure activity at bay."_
Much of Attom's data was recorded before Silicon Valley Bank's demise. A credit crunch (https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/credit-crunch-inevitable) followed and sparked further busting of the tech bubble that added capital destruction in private equity (https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/banking-crisis-hastens-end-fed-tightening-cycle) and venture capital firms. Now real estate investments, primarily commercial real estate, are being significantly reevaluated as more financial stress is boiling up.
Making matters worse is 24 months of negative real wage growth for consumers who've maxed out credit cards (https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/recession-warning-consumer-debt-climbs-pace-slowing) and drained personal savings. Lower-tier consumers are coming under pressure as big banks are beginning to notice a startling uptrend in credit card and loan payment delinquencies.
> _"We've seen some consumer financial health trends gradually weakening from a year ago," Wells Fargo Chief Financial Officer Mike Santomassimo said on an earnings call last Friday._
Banks have tightened their lending standards ahead of expected turmoil among consumers.
> _Wells Fargo set aside $1.2 billion in the first quarter to cover potential loan losses._
>
> _Bank of America provisioned $931 million for credit losses in the quarter, much higher than the $30 million a year prior but below the fourth quarter $1.1 billion provision._
>
> _JPMorgan more than doubled the amount it set aside for credit losses in the first quarter from a year earlier to $2.3 billion, reflecting net charge-offs of $1.1 billion. -Epoch Times (https://www.theepochtimes.com/more-consumers-fall-behind-on-credit-card-loan-payments-banks-say_5204422.html)_
>
> UBS analysts led by Erika Najarian believes mounting macroeconomic headwinds would lead to "credit deterioration throughout 2023 and 2024 with losses eventually surpassing pre-pandemic levels given an oncoming recession."
Najarian said loan defaults are forecast to stay "below the peaks experienced in prior downturns."
However, we're noticing that consumers are buckling under financial pressure—an ominous sign of trouble ahead (https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/will-not-be-normal-recession).
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 18:40
**Chinese Lab Developed COVID-19 Virus, Senate Report Claims**
Chinese Lab Developed COVID-19 Virus, Senate Report Claims
_Authored by Zachary Steiber via The Epoch Times (https://www.theepochtimes.com/chinese-lab-developed-covid-19-virus-senate-report-claims_5200417.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge&src_src=partner&src_cmp=ZeroHedge) (emphasis ours),_
**The COVID-19 virus originated in a Chinese laboratory and was leaked unintentionally, a new U.S. Senate report concludes.**
_
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The virus, SARS-CoV-2, leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), which tests bat coronaviruses, twice in 2019, researchers conducting the report say.
“ **The preponderance of information supports the plausibility of an unintentional research-related incident that likely resulted from failures of biosafety containment during SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related research**,” the 301-page report (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23782224-senate-covid-19-origins-report), released on April 17, states.
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Ky.), a member of the Senate Health Committee, released the report, which was produced by a team that included Dr. Robert Kadlec, a longtime former government health official who played a key role in developing the COVID-19 vaccines, and staffers on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, where Marshall chairs the Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security. The final report updates an interim report released in the fall of 2022 (https://www.theepochtimes.com/substantial-evidence-covid-19-result-of-wuhan-china-laboratory-incident-senate-report_4824537.html).
Researchers started with two hypotheses, Marshall told reporters in a briefing. One was that the virus started in animals before spilling over to humans, known as a natural origin. The other was a leak from the Wuhan lab, located in the same city where the first COVID-19 cases were detected in late 2019.
“ **They exhausted every piece of evidence that they could find, every resource witness that they could talk to, to come up with conclusions**,” Marshall said.
Kadlec’s team of consultants spent approximately 18 months probing the COVID-19 origins and concluded that the available evidence supports a lab leak.
More specifically, there was likely an aerosol leak that caused an infection of lab personnel or the virus may have been released to the outside environment due to biocontainment failures. One theory revolves around cleaning agents causing corrosion of welded seams in the lab, a possibility mentioned in multiple 2019 documents on upgrading the lab.
“Patents addressed biocontainment faults with animal transfer cabinets, biosafety autoclaves, leaky airtight doors, and excessive corrosive disinfectants affecting stainless steel laboratory equipment and biocontainment structures,” the report states.
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_Sen. Roger Marshall gives a briefing in Washington on April 16, 2023. (Zachary Stieber/The Epoch Times)_ (
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Both domestic and foreign bodies have for years raised concerns about biosafety at the WIV. A 2018 U.S. State Department cable, for instance, (pdf (https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Unredacted-Cable.pdf)) reported that the then-newly opened biosafety level four lab at the facility had a “serious shortage” of trained technicians to safely operate the lab.
Researchers at the lab, before the pandemic, reported experimenting (https://www.theepochtimes.com/footage-of-bats-kept-in-wuhan-lab-fuels-scrutiny-over-its-research_3871801.html) on mice, bats, and palm civets to find coronaviruses that were more capable of infecting humans, and sometimes experimented at sub-biosafety level four conditions. A more recent summary showed (https://www.theepochtimes.com/newly-released-documents-show-nih-funded-gain-of-function-research-in-china-experts_4061437.html) scientists conducted experiments that increased the function of a bat coronavirus. WIV’s refusal to reveal the full results of their experiments resulted in U.S. officials ending a subgrant (https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-national-institutes-of-health-halting-money-from-grant-from-lab-in-wuhan-china_4677485.html) after the pandemic started.
**Research-related lab biosafety issues can unfold (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2588933818300165) in a number of ways,** while most infections acquired in laboratories due to lapses are never conclusively determined (https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev.mi.33.100179.000353), researchers have said previously.
Chinese re…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/chinese-lab-developed-covid-19-virus-senate-report-claims
**Biden Admin 'Mishandling' Hunter Biden Investigation Says IRS 'Criminal Supervisory Agent' In Charge Of Probe**
Biden Admin 'Mishandling' Hunter Biden Investigation Says IRS 'Criminal Supervisory Agent' In Charge Of Probe
In what should come as a surprise to absolutely no one, **an IRS supervisor has stepped forward to blow the whistle on the Biden administration** for improperly handling the criminal investigation into the President's son, Hunter Biden.
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In a Tuesday letter sent to Congress by a "career Internal Revenue Service criminal supervisory special agent,' the whistleblower claims to have information **that would contradict sworn testimony** by a "senior political appointee," as well as a "failure to mitigate clear conflicts of interest in the ultimate disposition of the case," according to the _Wall Street Journal_ (https://www.wsj.com/articles/irs-whistleblower-says-u-s-is-mishandling-hunter-biden-probe-7cd127f2), citing the letter.
What's more, the supervisor says he has evidence showing " **preferential treatment and politics improperly infecting decisions and protocols that would normally be followed** by career law enforcement professionals in similar circumstances if the subject were not politically connected."
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According to the report, the supervisor has been overseeing an "ongoing and sensitive investigation of a high-profile, controversial subject since early 2020," which insiders say is **Hunter Biden**.
> _**Hunter Biden is facing a criminal investigation related to his taxes and whether he made a false statement in connection with a gun purchase**. When he said in December 2020 that his tax matters were under investigation, Hunter Biden said he was “confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately.”_
>
> _Investigators have believed for months they had enough evidence (https://www.wsj.com/articles/hunter-biden-case-decision-paused-amid-discussions-between-defense-lawyers-and-prosecutors-11665094544?mod=article_inline) to indict the younger Mr. Biden, the Journal and other news outlets have reported. **Prosecutors have also weighed whether Hunter Biden’s well-documented drug addiction would present a defense against a potential criminal tax case**, the Journal previously reported. He hasn’t been charged with any wrongdoing. -WSJ_
Mark Lytle, a lawyer for the IRS agent, said in the Tuesday letter addressed to both Republican and Democratic leaders on the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, that his client is seeking **whistleblower protections** in exchange for his information.
"Despite serious risks of retaliation, my client is offering to provide you with information necessary to exercise your constitutional oversight function and wishes to make the disclosures in a nonpartisan manner to the leadership of the relevant committees on both sides of the political aisle," reads the letter, signed by Lytle, who claims that the employee previously disclosed the information internally at the IRS and to the DOJ inspector general.
US Attorney David Weiss, the top federal prosecutor in Delaware under the Biden administration, has been leading the DOJ's investigation of Hunter. According to AG Merrick Garland, Weiss has broad authority to pursue charges.
"He has been advised he is not to be denied anything he needs," Garland told the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 1. " **I have not heard anything from that office to suggest that they are not able to do everything the U.S. attorney wants to do.**"
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 18:00
**White House Slams Brazil After Lula Accuses US Of 'Encouraging' War In Ukraine**
White House Slams Brazil After Lula Accuses US Of 'Encouraging' War In Ukraine
_Authored by Kyle Anzalone via The Libertarian Institute,_ (https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/white-house-slams-brazil-after-accusing-us-of-encouraging-war-in-ukraine/)
The White House has accused Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of repeating Russian and Chinese propaganda. While visiting China, Lula said (https://news.antiwar.com/2023/04/17/brazils-lula-says-us-should-stop-encouraging-ukraine-war/) that the **US should stop "encouraging” the war in Ukraine and seek peace instead**.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, the White House’s National Security Council’s Spokesperson, John Kirby, lashed out at Lula (https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/18/brazil-russia-ukraine-kirby-blowback-00092485). "Brazil has substantively and rhetorically approached this issue by suggesting that the United States and Europe are somehow not interested in peace or that we share responsibility for the war," Kirby said. **"In this case, Brazil is parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda without at all looking at the facts."**
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_Via Reuters_ (
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The spokesman went on to call (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/17/lavrov-to-meet-with-brazils-lula-as-us-fumes-over-ukraine-stance) Lula’s statement "simply misguided" and "deeply problematic."
Kirby’s statement comes as the Brazilian president scrutinized NATO’s role in the Ukraine war and sought to bring Moscow and Kiev to the negotiating table. "The United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace," he said Saturday. "The European Union needs to start talking about peace so that we can convince Putin and Zelensky that peace is in the interest of everyone and that war is only interesting, for now, to the two of them."
On Sunday, Lula further disputed the Western narrative about the war in Ukraine by arguing Kiev and Moscow both bear responsibility for the conflict. Both Russia and Ukraine "had decided to go to war," he remarked.
While visiting China last week, Lula proposed forming a coalition to pursue an end to the conflict in Ukraine. “I have a theory that I have already defended with Macron, with Olaf Scholz of Germany, and with Biden, and yesterday, we discussed at length with Xi Jinping." He continued, **"It is necessary to constitute a group of countries willing to find a way to make peace."**
The Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Monday. Vieira called for (https://archive.is/MXlqE) an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and criticized Western sanctions for harming the global economy.
Lavrov explained the Kremlin was happy with the role Brazil was willing to play in resolving the conflict. "As for the process in Ukraine, we are grateful to our Brazilian friends for their excellent understanding of this situation’s genesis." He said, "We are grateful (to them) for striving to contribute to finding ways to settle it."
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 17:40
**MTG Bares Fang-Fangs, Throws House Meeting Into Chaos Over Swalwell 'Sexual Relationship With A Chinese Spy'**
MTG Bares Fang-Fangs, Throws House Meeting Into Chaos Over Swalwell 'Sexual Relationship With A Chinese Spy'
All hell broke loose during a Homeland Security Committee meeting on Wednesday, when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) of 'having a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy.'
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"That was quite entertaining from someone that had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy. And everyone knows it!" Greene said, kicking off her five minutes of allotted time.
> _New York Democrat Daniel Goldman immediately offered a motion to have her words “taken down,” which would strike them from the official hearing record and bar her from speaking further. The committee’s GOP majority voted to table the motion, and Ms Greene was permitted to resume speaking. -Independent (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-gop-homeland-security-b2322874.html)_
> 🚨WATCH🚨@mtgreenee (https://twitter.com/mtgreenee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) calls out @ericswalwell (https://twitter.com/ericswalwell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) for having a 'sexual relationship with a Chinese spy'
>
> GREENE: "That was quite entertaining from someone that had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy. And everyone knows it!"
>
> The Committee refused to strike her words from the… pic.twitter.com/y92z0okBwA (https://t.co/y92z0okBwA)
>
> — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 19, 2023 (https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1648721136710983680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
Swalwell allegedly **banged an alleged Chinese spy (https://www.zerohedge.com/political/nevertrump-rep-swalwell-claims-blockbuster-axios-chinese-spy-report-trump-disinfo?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zerohedge%2Ffeed+%28zero+hedge+-+on+a+long+enough+timeline%2C+the+survival+rate+for+everyone+drops+to+zero%29)** who helped him fundraise in 2014. After an FBI briefing on the woman, the top Democrat said he cut all ties with the woman - Christine Fang, also known as **Fang Fang.**
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The relationship caused then-House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to call for Swalwell's removal from Congress - asking _Fox News_ host Laura Ingraham; "Why is he still on the Intel Committee and why is he still a member of Congress?”
Mccarthy noted that the intel committee has access to information that no one else does.
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_**“Remember what the intel committee gets. Information that no other members are able to see,”**_ McCarthy said. “And remember what this member did. **He was so preoccupied going after this president he was not protecting our country from bad actors.”**
> .@GOPLeader (mailto:.@GOPLeader) Kevin McCarthy on China planting a spy in Congress: @RepSwalwell (https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) should be "removed from Congress" \[via @IngrahamAngle (https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)\] pic.twitter.com/2m9c5tojcJ (https://t.co/2m9c5tojcJ)
>
> — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) December 9, 2020 (https://twitter.com/tomselliott/status/1336662511156932609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
Tyler Durden (https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden)Wed, 04/19/2023 - 17:20
**Waco 30 Years Later: It's Not An Atrocity If The Feds Do It**
Waco 30 Years Later: It's Not An Atrocity If The Feds Do It
_Authored by Jim Bovard via The Libertarian Institute,_ (https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/30-years-later-waco-is-still-damning/)
Thirty years ago, FBI tanks smashed into the ramshackle home of the Branch Davidians outside Waco, Texas. After the FBI collapsed much of the building atop the residents, a fire erupted and 76 corpses were dug out of the rubble (https://object.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa395.pdf). Unfortunately, the American political system and media have never honestly portrayed the federal abuses and political deceit that led to that carnage.
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**What lessons can today’s Americans draw from the FBI showdown on the Texas plains 30 years ago?**
**Purported Good Intentions Absolve Real Deadly Force**
Janet Reno, the nation’s first female attorney general, approved the FBI’s assault on the Davidians. Previously, she had zealously prosecuted child abuse cases (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/fuster/lessons/kirk.html) in Dade County, Florida, though many of her high-profile convictions were later overturned because of gross violations of due process (http://www.iwf.org/news/2432422/Janet-Reno-and-Her-Record-as-a-So-Called-Champion-of-Children). Reno approved the FBI assault after being told “babies were being beaten (https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/waco/wacotranscript.html).” It is not known who told her about the false claims of child abuse; Reno claimed she couldn’t remember. Her sterling reputation helped the government avoid any apparent culpability for the deaths of 27 children (https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/no-confidence-unofficial-account-waco-incident) on April 19, 1993. After Reno publicly promised to take responsibility for the outcome at Waco, the media conferred instant sainthood upon her. At a press conference the day after the fire, President Bill Clinton declared, “I was frankly—surprised would be a mild word—to say that anyone that would suggest that the Attorney General should resign because some religious fanatics (https://www.c-span.org/video/?39845-1/texas-cult-standoff) murdered themselves.” According to a Federal News Service transcript, the White House press corps applauded Clinton’s comment on Reno.
**It Is Not an Atrocity If the U.S. Government Does It**
Shortly before the Waco showdown, U.S. government officials signed an international Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty pledging (https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2000-07-07/77866/) never to use nerve agents, mustard gas, and other compounds (including tear gas) against enemy soldiers. But the treaty contained a loophole permitting governments to gas their own people. On April 19, 1993, the FBI pumped CS gas and methyl chloride, a potentially lethal, flammable combination, into the Davidians’ residence for six hours, disregarding explicit warnings that CS gas should not be used indoors (https://www.csmonitor.com/1995/0726/26141.html). Benjamin Garrett, executive director the Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute in Alexandria, Virginia, observed that the CS gas “would have panicked the children. Their eyes would have involuntarily shut. Their skin would have been burning. They would have been gasping for air and coughing wildly. Eventually, they would have been overcome with vomiting in a final hell.” A 1975 U.S. Army publication on the effects of CS gas noted, “Generally, persons reacting to CS are incapable of executing organized and concerted actions and excessive exposure to CS may make them incapable of vacating the area.”
Rep. Steven Schiff (R-NM) declared that “the deaths of dozens of men, women and children can be directly and indirectly (https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-104hrpt749/html/CRPT-104hrpt749.htm) attributable to the use of this gas in the way it was injected by the FBI.” Chemistry professor George Uhlig testified to Congress in 1995 that the FBI gas attack probably “suffocated the children early on” and may have converted their poorly ventilated bunker into an area “similar to one of the gas chambers used by the Nazis at Auschwitz (http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1995-07-27/news/9507260636_1_jeffrey-jamar-waco-tragedy-tear-gas-assault).” But during those 1995 hearings, congressional Democrats portrayed the CS gas as innocuous as a Flintstone vitamin.
**Orwellian Language Will Vaporize Federal Aggression**
As Abrams tanks driven by FBI agents continually battered the Davidian’s home, FBI loudspeakers broadcasted endlessly: “This is not an assault (https://reason.com/archives/1999/10/04/what-happened-at-waco).” According to FBI apologists in t…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/waco-30-years-later-its-not-atrocity-if-feds-do-it
**From Bud Light To Disney, How Left-Wing Causes Are Infiltrating Corporate Advertising**
From Bud Light To Disney, How Left-Wing Causes Are Infiltrating Corporate Advertising
_Authored by Kevin Stocklin via The Epoch Times (https://www.theepochtimes.com/analysis-the-high-cost-for-companies-ceding-ad-control-to-left-wing-causes_5201011.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge&src_src=partner&src_cmp=ZeroHedge) (emphasis ours),_
**Anheuser-Busch’s controversial sponsorship of trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney in an advertising campaign for its beer brand Bud Light is just the most recent example of corporations championing progressive causes—and then having to backpedal when they discover that the message proves divisive.**
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_(Illustration by The Epoch Times; Getty Images)_ (
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In an attempt to quell a backlash among Bud Light drinkers, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth stated on Friday: “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.” Anonymous sources within the company claimed (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11967949/No-one-senior-level-aware-Bud-Light-partnering-trans-influencer-Dylan-Mulvaney.html) that “no one at a senior level” was aware of the promotional campaign.
Whitworth’s statement echoes the words of Disney CEO Bob Iger in November 2022, following Disney’s vow to fight a parents’ rights law in Florida that barred the teaching of sexual topics in school for children in third grade or younger. While speaking to employees shortly after taking the helm from fired CEO Bob Chapek, who made the decision to fight the Florida law, Iger said, (https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/28/disney-ceo-bob-iger-talks-dont-say-gay-lgbtq-inclusion-at-town-hall.html) **“I was sorry to see us dragged into that battle, and I have no idea exactly what its ramifications are**.”
Other corporations who have gone down this path include fashion brands company Balenciaga, which published ads showing pre-school-age girls posed alongside sexual tools and messages in November 2022. In response to a public backlash, Balenciaga issued this statement (https://nypost.com/2022/11/28/balenciaga-addresses-controversial-ad-campaign/): “We would like to address the controversies surrounding our recent ad campaigns. We strongly condemn child abuse; it was never our intent to include it in the narrative.”
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_Bud Light beer cans sit on a table in right field during the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md., on Sept. 19, 2019. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)_ (
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These companies followed in the political footsteps of Major League Baseball, Delta Airlines, and Coca-Cola, who in 2021 fought a voter-ID law in Georgia, alleging that it amounted to racist voter suppression. In the wake of the controversy, a Rasmussen poll (https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/april_2021/get_woke_go_broke_37_buying_less_coke) found that 37 percent of responders said they were less likely to buy Coca-Cola products, while 25 percent said they were more likely, because of the company’s political stance, which caused the nickname “Woke-a-Cola (https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/coca-cola-ceo-becomes-first-target-in-activist-shareholders-busy-week)” to go viral. According to a 2022 Gallup poll, 79 percent of voters, including a majority of both Democrats and Republicans, support voter ID laws.
“ **At this point, it’s clear that corporations are going to be risking customers, employee engagement, and relationships with shareholders if they decide to drive a particular political agenda with their brand and resources,**” Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel at the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), told The Epoch Times. “ **There are definitely negative consequences to businesses continuing to go down this path** of choosing one side or another in these political debates.”
A 360-Degree Pressure Campaign
Progressives often pressure CEOs to steer companies into the political arena through a system of internal and external pressure. Activist campaigns from employees and outside nonprofits ultimately swayed Chapek to oppose the Florida parents’ rights law, despite his initial hesitation.
Elsewhere, employee and nonprofit campaigns at Netflix attempted to pressure its executives to cancel comedian Dave Chapelle’s show, “The Closer,” claiming that his jokes offe…
**Morgan Stanley Slides As Credit Loss Provisions Surge Due To Commercial Real Estate Exposure**
Morgan Stanley Slides As Credit Loss Provisions Surge Due To Commercial Real Estate Exposure
On the surface, Morgan Stanley's earnings should have been strong enough to prompt a boost in the stock price: unlike its biggest competitor Goldman, which yesterday tumbled after reporting lousy Q1 numbers including a rare miss in FICC, MS not only beat across the board (https://www.morganstanley.com/content/dam/msdotcom/en/about-us-ir/shareholder/1q2023.pdf)but also saw its investment bank generate stronger than expected results; even so, both revenue and profits dropped Y/Y, with net income down to $3.0 billion, or $1.70 per diluted share, vs net income of $3.7 billion, or $2.02 per diluted share, for the
same period a year ago. Here is a summary of what the bank reported:
- EPS $1.70, _**beating**_ estimates of $1.65
- Net revenue $14.52 billion, _**beating**_ estimates of $14.07 billion, down from $14.8 billion Y/Y
- Wealth management net revenue $6.56 billion, +11% y/y, **beating** estimates of $6.48 billion
- Wealth Management pretax profit $1.7 billion, estimate $1.81 billion; wealth management pretax margin +26.1%, estimate +28%
- FICC sales & trading revenue $2.58 billion, **beating** estimates of $2.42 billion
- Equities sales & trading revenue $2.73 billion, -14% y/y, **missing** estimates of $2.86 billion
- Institutional Investment Banking revenue $1.25 billion, **beating** estimates of $1.12 billion
- Advisory revenue $638 million, -32% y/y, **beating** estimates of $544.6 million
- Equity underwriting rev. $202 million, -22% y/y, **missing** estimates of $219.9 million
- Fixed Income Underwriting revenue $407 million, -5.8% y/y, **beating** estimates of $356.6 million
And visually:
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**Here are several other notable numbers:**
- Total deposits $347.52 billion, vs est $352.17 billion
- Non-interest expenses $10.52 billion, vs estimates of $10.12 billion
- Compensation expenses $6.41 billion, vs estimates of $6.07 billion
- Non-compensation expenses $4.11 billion, vs estimates of $4.09 billion
- Net interest income $2.35 billion, vs estimate $2.46 billion
- Effective tax rate 19.3%, estimate 22%
- Expense efficiency ratio 72%, estimate 72.4%
- Fee-based asset flows $22.4 billion, estimate $24.28 billion
Including key credit metrics:
- Book value per share $55.13
- Tangible book value per share $40.68
- Return on equity 12.4%, estimate 12.7%
- Return on tangible equity +16.9%, estimate +16.9%
- Standardized CET1 ratio 15.1%, estimate 15.1%
The bank also noted that Wealth Managementattracted $110 billion of new assets during the quarter, leading to $6.6BN in net revenues, positively impacted by mark-to-market gains on"investments associated with certain employeedeferredcompensation planscompared to losses a year ago." The results "reflecthigher net interest incomeversus prior yearprimarilydriven byhigher interest rates,even as clients continue toredeploysweepdeposits. These results werepartially offsetbyan increaseinexpenses as well as higherprovisions forcreditlosses."
MS also said that its Investment Managementresultsreflected netrevenuesof $1.3billiononAUMof$1.36trillion(vs $1.33 trillion exp) amid declines inasset valuesfrom a year ago.
And a few other notable comments:
- Compensation expense increased primarily driven by higher expenses related to certain deferred compensation plans linked to investment performance partially offset by lower compensation associated with carried interest
- Gorman says Equity and Fixed Income revenues were strong, but Investment Banking activity remained constrained
- Results reflect higher net interest income driven by higher interest rates, even as clients continue to redeploy sweep deposits. Results partially offset by an increase in expenses as well as higher provisions for credit losses
- Investment Management results reflect net revenues of $1.3 billion on AUM of $1.4 trillion amid declines in asset values from a year ago
So far so good, **but what has spooked investors this morning and sent the stock price lower after an initial kneejerk higher,** was the bank's admission that not all is well, specifically as relates to the "credit event bogeyman" du jour. To wit, Morgan Stanley revealed that it took a provision for credit losses of $234 million, more than double the estimated $99.1 million, and more than quadrupling the $57 in Q1 '22, and here's why:
> _**Increases in provisions for credit losses wereprimarilyrelated to commercial real estate and deterioration in themacroeconomic outlook from a year ago.**_
As a result, after briefly spiking above $90, MS stock has dipped as low as $86.5, which however is hardly a disaster as …
**Crypto Crashes Amid Cascade Of Long Liquidations**
Crypto Crashes Amid Cascade Of Long Liquidations
Bitcoin is making headlines this morning after a sudden plunge back to $29,000 as a cascade of long liquidations fueled fresh fears of downside risk.
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_Source: Bloomberg_
The sudden drop followed yesterday's almost-as-sudden surge back above the $30,000 mark.
> _“Deep correction on the markets, as Bitcoin can’t hold at $29,700-29,800 and shoots downwards through **a cascade of liquidations,**“_ Michaël van de Poppe, founder and CEO of trading firm Eight, reacted (https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1648602887855955968).
AsCoinTelegraph reports (https://cointelegraph.com/news/btc-price-dives-3-in-minutes-as-deep-correction-grips-crypto-market), hours prior, monitoring resource Material Indicators had flagged changing conditions on the Binance order book, arguing that the result could still swing both ways, with either bulls or bears profiting.
Notably, this was exacerbated by a so-called long-squeeze...
> _"The hotter-than-expected U.K. CPI may have weighed over risk assets, including BTC. But the gravity of the reaction has been far far more severe than in other asset classes,"_ Vetle Lunde, a senior analyst at K33 Research,told CoinDesk (https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2023/04/19/bitcoin-drops-1000-in-15-minutes-longs-make-98-of-liquidations/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=feedly&utm_campaign=headlines).
>
> _**"Seems to be more of a leverage washout. Binance OI in BTCUSDT perps fell 5.1% in 15 minutes, effects more severe in ETH with larger liquidation volume than BTC,"**_ Lunde said, referring to open interest, or the total number of contracts in the futures market.
Equity futures have seen waves of selling pressure overnight too...
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Prominent Crypto Twitter trader @52kskew pointed out that a 16,000 bitcoin sell order, worth over $467 million at current prices, preceded the dump, which may have initiated the long squeeze.
> _"16K BTC is unusual size to be market sold solely from Binance spot usually the kind of sale happens before bad news comes out," @52kskew opined in a follow-up tweet (https://twitter.com/52kskew/status/1648617785084510209)._
> $BTC (https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Spot CVDs
>
> 16K BTC sold at market from binance spot
>
> Other spot exchanges had pretty typical size being sold
>
> Interesting selloff here pic.twitter.com/9SmirkSM7b (https://t.co/9SmirkSM7b)
>
> — Skew Δ (@52kskew) April 19, 2023 (https://twitter.com/52kskew/status/1648611581826326528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
At the time of writing, **total crypto long liquidations for April 19 stood at around $185 million** on platforms monitored by data resource Coinglass (https://www.coinglass.com/LiquidationData).
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In fact, the selling pressure is across all crypto with Ethereum underperforming Bitcoin (after rallying post-Shapella hard-fork)...
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_Source: Bloomberg_
...as **ETH liquidations in the last four hours ($38.4mm) topped BTC liquidations** in the same period ($28.9mm)...
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Finally, we note that options traders have leaned bearish in recent days...
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**Since April 5, Bitcoin's put-to-call ratio has been either balanced or favoring protective put options.** The current 0.60 indicator slightly shows higher demand for neutral-to-bearish option strategies, although there is nothing out of the ordinary.
Gold has also been hit this morning, back below $2000...
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...perhaps lending some credence to this event having been triggere…
https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/crypto-crashes-amid-cascade-long-liquidations