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Rick Plant:
DEMOCRATIC REP. RASKIN INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO GET FOREIGN MONEY OUT OF U.S. ELECTIONS BY CLOSING THE CITIZENS UNITED LOOPHOLE

December 14, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, along with 19 of his colleagues in the United States House of Representatives, introduced the Get Foreign Money Out of U.S. Elections Act. The legislation closes a campaign finance loophole that allows for-profit U.S. corporations appreciably owned by foreign investors to pour unlimited cash into American elections.

“Six days after the Supreme Court invented corporate free speech rights in Citizens United, President Obama warned that the Court had just opened ‘the floodgates’ for foreign interests to funnel cash freely into American elections through corporations,” said Rep. Raskin. “He was right.”

“The Get Foreign Money Out of U.S. Elections Act will stop this dangerous stream of foreign cash and influence from flowing in our campaigns through corporate spending,” Raskin explained. “It’s imperative to fortify our electoral institutions against constant efforts by plutocrats and autocrats to shape political outcomes in America. I thank the Center for American Progress, Public Citizen, Free Speech For People and Common Cause for their support of this critical project.”

“The Center for American Progress strongly endorses Rep. Raskin’s legislation to close a dangerous loophole opened by Citizens United and prohibit political spending by foreign-influenced U.S. corporations,” said Will Roberts, Managing Director for Democracy Policy at the Center for American Progress. “For several years, CAP has advocated for this popular, common-sense policy and applauds the leadership of Rep. Raskin and the cosponsors of this bill. When enacted, this legislation will take a giant step toward assuring Americans that foreign entities are not influencing our elections, either directly or indirectly through under-the-radar routes like ownership in U.S. corporations. The future of our democracy must be decided by American voters, not foreign entities or multinational corporations that spend hundreds of millions of dollars each election cycle, diminishing the voices of everyday people.”

“One of the great pillars of our democratic system that enjoys consensus across all parties is that foreign nationals and foreign governments should not be making campaign contributions and expenditures in U.S. elections,” said Craig Holman, Government Affairs Lobbyist at Public Citizen. “But our safeguards against foreign intervention are littered with loopholes. One of the most gaping loopholes is allowing foreign-owned corporations to spend in American elections through their U.S. subsidiaries. Raskin’s “Get Foreign Money Out of U.S. Elections Act” would close that loophole and ensure that any U.S. subsidiary that is significantly owned or controlled by foreign interests could not spend money to influence our elections.”

"We applaud Congressman Raskin for introducing this critical legislation in the defense of our democracy and the fundamental principles of American self-government,” said John Bonifaz, Co-Founder and President of Free Speech For People. “This legislation will ensure that corporations with significant foreign investment will no longer be able to spend their general treasury funds to influence our elections and to drown out the voices of voters across this country.  The people, not multinational corporations, shall govern.  We urge Members of Congress to stand with democracy and pass this bill.”

“Americans deserve to know who is trying to influence our voices and our votes, and foreign entities should have zero role in determining American elections,” said Karen Hobert Flynn, President of Common Cause. “The Get Foreign Money Out of U.S. Elections Act would help ensure that hostile foreign actors cannot influence our elections, and we commend Congressman Raskin for introducing this common-sense legislation.”

Although current law prohibits individual foreign nationals from spending in U.S. elections, no such law bars political spending from American-registered corporations—including major multinationals—that are foreign-owned, foreign-controlled, foreign-influenced or all three. The Get Foreign Money Out of U.S. Elections Act, supported by the Center for American Progress, Public Citizen, Free Speech For People and Common Cause, would prevent this foreign spending and ensure that the ultimate origin of money spent in American political campaigns is U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.

Rep. Raskin has introduced previous versions of the Get Foreign Money Out of U.S. Elections Act during the 116th and 115th Congresses. This bill joins similar legislative efforts at the state and local level to separate foreign money from democratic elections. In January 2020, Seattle passed a similar policy into law, and in June 2021, the New York State Senate passed similar legislation with bipartisan support. Additional bills are pending in several other states, including Massachusetts and Hawaii.

Original cosponsors of the bill include: Reps. Ed Case (HI), Jim Cooper (TN), Danny K. Davis (IL), Mark DeSaulnier (CA), Theodore E. Deutch (FL), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA), Mondaire Jones (NY), Ted Lieu (CA), Jim McGovern (MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Mark Pocan (WI), Mike Quigley (IL), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA), Jan Schakowsky (IL), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY), Dina Titus (NV), Rashida Tlaib (MI), David Trone (MD) and Nikema Williams (GA).

Text of the bill is available here:
https://raskin.house.gov/2021/12/rep-raskin-introduces-legislation-to-get-foreign-money-out-of-u-s-elections-by-closing-the-citizens-united-loophole

Rick Plant:
BUSTED: Former Trump official caught listing hotel as his address as he attempts political comeback in Montana



Former Secretary Ryan Zinke left Donald Trump's administration in disgrace and marred in scandal after it was revealed he was using taxpayer resources to supplement his fancy lifestyle and a real estate scandal.

Now as he tries to mount a political comeback, he's already raising eyebrows by using a hotel as his Montana address while running for Congress.

Multiple probes tied to Zinke's real estate dealings in Montana were reported by The Washington Post in Dec. 2018, when the Interior Department's inspector general referred one of its inquiries to the Justice Department.

"President Trump announced Zinke's exit via Twitter on Saturday morning and praised the departing Interior chief," the Post report said. "Behind the scenes, however, the White House had been pushing Zinke for weeks to resign, administration officials said. Last month, the officials said, Zinke was told he had until the end of the year to leave or be fired."

Zinke had announced he would likely run for Congress in 2022, though in Nov. 2021, it was discovered he spends the overwhelming majority of his time in Santa Barbara, California, living on his wife's yacht.

Now he's facing another controversy as Zinke's opponent, Tom Winter, took a walk in the Montana winter snow over to the address that Zinke said was his "residence." As it turns out, the residence is a hotel.

"I think it's pretty obvious when you show up in March with a really killer tan that you haven't been here for a long time," Jennifer Fielder said in Oct. She served as a former Republican state senator, but she's now backing Zinke's challenger.

The Snow Frog Inn is owned by an LLC tied to Zinke's family. During a 2013 City Council meeting, those starting the hotel said that it would feature six bedrooms for guests, a kitchen, a living room space and lodge area, the ABC affiliate reported at the time. The Inn was Zinke's family home, but he turned it into a bed and breakfast, meaning he could rent out rooms while staying in Santa Barbara or in Washington.

See the video below:
https://www.rawstory.com/ryan-zinke-hotel-house-montana/

Rick Plant:
Biden surveys 'beyond belief' tornado damage in Kentucky, commits to federal aid
"No one is walking away. We are in this for the long haul," Biden said.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday surveyed damage in Kentucky he described as "beyond belief" and met with families in neighborhoods ravaged by deadly tornadoes last weekend.

After Biden surveyed the destruction in Mayfield by air and then on the ground, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear later choked up when thanking Biden publicly and introducing him in Dawson Springs, where Biden had stopped and talked to families whose homes were destroyed, including a 12-year-old girl carrying an American flag in a neighborhood where nearly every tree had been uprooted.

Biden opened his remarks by reminding people used to travel to Dawson Springs for the city's healing waters, but, Biden said, "Now it's our turn to help the entire town to heal."

"I intend to do whatever it takes, as long as it takes to support your state and local leaders, and as you recover and rebuild because you will recover and you will rebuild," Biden said, surrounded by storm damage. "The scope and scale of this destruction is almost beyond belief. When you look around here, it's almost beyond belief. These tornadoes devoured everything in their path."

He also offered condolences for those who lost someone and insisted "something good must happen" from the tragedy.

"I met one couple on the way up, said they're still looking for four of their friends. They don't know where they are. And those who have lost someone, there's no words for the pain of losing someone. A lot of us know it." Biden said.

"Keep the faith," Biden added. "No one is walking away. We are in this for the long haul."

Ahead of his remarks, Biden updated a presidential disaster declaration to boost federal disaster funds from 75% to 100% coverage for debris removal and emergency protective measures in Kentucky for a 30-day period.

Earlier, before receiving a briefing from state and local officials in Kentucky "on the impacts of the tornadoes and extreme weather," according to the White House, Biden vowed all the federal support he can provide to the area, both now and in the months to come.

"Immediately after a disaster is a time when people are really, really moving, and trying to help each other and trying to get things done. But after a month, after six weeks, after two months, people can get themselves to a point where they get fairly depressed about what’s going on, particularly young kids, particularly people who've lost somebody. And so I just want you to know, the help that we're able to offer at the federal level, is not just now," Biden said.

"I've instructed my team to make you all aware of everything that is available from a federal level," Biden added later on. "And some of it has to do outside of FEMA, outside of Homeland Security, there's other programs, including education, there’s a whole range of things, but I'm here to listen."

The president seemed struck by the scale of the damage he saw on his aerial tour.

"As you fly over here, as I've done in the past, I've not seen this tornado, this much damage from a tornado. You know, you think, but for the grace of God, why was I not 100 yards outside that line? Which makes it so different," he noted.

Biden was joined for the visit by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who were on the ground there on Sunday.

At least 88 people have been confirmed dead across five states, 74 in western Kentucky alone, and the death toll could rise "significantly," Beshear said on Tuesday.

See video below:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-surveys-tornado-damage-kentucky-ahead-remarks-extreme/story?id=81770219

Rick Plant:
Biden approves more federal disaster assistance for Kentucky
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/586000-biden-approves-more-federal-disaster-assistance-for-kentucky

After he asked Biden to help his own state of Kentucky, Rand Paul lashed out at critics who brought up his history of opposing disaster-relief bills
https://news.yahoo.com/asked-biden-help-own-state-042834477.html

WATCH: President Biden arrives in western Kentucky
https://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/watch-president-biden-arrives-in-western-kentucky/article_66b19cc4-5dbd-11ec-b350-17e722a033b4.html

President Biden tours Kentucky tornado damage, says he'll help 'as long as it takes'
https://www.wlky.com/article/president-biden-kentucky-tornado-damage-mayfield-dawson-springs/38519600

Rick Plant:
'Jim Jordan is a traitor': Democrat blasts Trump ally for text message urging Pence to reject Biden votes



A Democratic lawmaker ripped into Trump ally Jim Jordan on Wednesday night, after it was revealed that the Ohio Republican forwarded a text message to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows urging Vice President Mike Pence to reject some electoral college votes on Jan. 6.

"I feel like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca right now — absolutely not surprised," Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) told MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell.

"Look, Jim Jordan is a traitor," Gallego added. "He's a traitor to the Constitution of the United States. He has been a traitor to the Constitution of the United States for quite a while, and now we actually have it in text."

Gallego added that no one should be surprised given that Jordan was among those who "made up lies on the House floor" on Jan. 6 about fraudulent votes in states including Arizona.

"How is anybody surprised by any of this?" he said. "My biggest issue isn't Jim Jordan. My issue is the fact that there are a lot of people who are not taking this seriously — the fact that there is a slow-moving coup that is happening right now all over this country led by the Jim Jordans and other people."

Gallego said that instead of storming the Capitol, Trump supporters are now focused on capturing seats that could allow them to overturn a future election.

"The coup is ongoing," he said. "The traitors are still there, and they're going to continue to destroy our Constitution every opportunity they have."

Watch the full interview below:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqbG51kAJKE

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