January, 2020

The Federalist has learned that the now-outed CIA and FBI informant Stefan Halper served as a source for Washington Post reporter David Ignatius, providing more evidence that the intelligence community has co-opted the press to push anti-Trump conspiracy theories. In addition, an email recently obtained by The Federalist from the MI5-connected Christopher Andrew bragging that his long-time friend Ignatius has the “‘inside track’ on Flynn” adds further confirmation of this conclusion...

Today’s #CatchAndKill Podcast looks at Harvey Weinstein’s pattern of dangling career opportunities that quickly turned into traps—and lets you hear him doing it through astonishing new tape from a police sting operation. Subscribe here: https://t.co/649mmaiRam pic.twitter.com/vv1lNtRBgb

— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) January 21, 2020

On this week’s #CatchAndKill Pod, Lucia Evans offers a public service, letting me air our first call, where she breaks down describing her assault. It reveals a lot about the stakes of abuses of power. (Also upsetting—take care while listening.) Subscribe: https://t.co/649mmaiRam pic.twitter.com/2ar04Crqbk

— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) January 22, 2020

OFFICER: 'They said they are going to have no comment. If you try to make contact with them it’s no comment...it’s one of those things where they wish he hadn’t said that, but they’re standing by him’ pic.twitter.com/Ta96LsxK1B

— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) January 24, 2020

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the rule change in Las Vegas, effectively hemming in a regulation restricting the use of fertilizers and pesticides. President Donald Trump promised to repeal his predecessor’s “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule when he was running in 2016. Rolling back WOTUS saves landowners, farmers and businesses from being forced to hire “teams of attorneys to tell them how to use their own land,”...

In the largest ever study of its kind, an international team of researchers collected and analysed more than 35,000 DNA samples from autism patients at 50 hospitals around the world... Despite the finding, the research team suggests as many as 300 genes may be involved in causing autism... Obtaining such a large sample was made possible by the Autism Sequencing Consortium (ASC), an international group of scientists who share ASD samples and data...

Many unanswered questions, but worth noting of how they are framing the coming 'solutions'.

The value of the e-commerce giant’s brand has soared 17.5% to a record $220.8 billion - the first brand to top $200 billion - the Brand Finance Global 500 index found. Google, which comes second, also climbed in value, while third-placed Apple and fourth-placed Microsoft saw their brand values dip...

Along with its fine against Stumpf, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency announced Thursday it was suing five other former Wells Fargo executives for a combined total of $37.5 million for their roles in the bank's poor practices. Two other executives also settled with regulators, paying million-dollar fines as well.

Luffman is accused of abusing three victims beginning about 20 years ago, when they ranged in age from 4 to 15 years old, Det. Amanda Boyd with the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office told news outlets. She said investigators determined the crimes continued for 15 years...

Authority granted to the federal government to secretly wiretap and spy on former Trump affiliate Carter Page was “not valid,” the nation’s top spy court noted in a secret ruling penned earlier this month.., but was not declassified and released until Thursday afternoon. Judge James Boasberg, the current federal judge presiding over the FISA court, wrote in his order that at least two of the four FISA applications against Carter Page were unlawfully authorized.

A short while later, two men were led separately out of an upper unit... A spokesperson for the OPP would only confirm “that enforcement action has taken place in Burlington and arrests have been made in regards to an ongoing investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau”... The identities of the arrested individuals were not released and it’s not known what charges they may be facing.

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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020

New filing in United States v. Mike Flynn: Continue https://t.co/mNFgMFDjej pic.twitter.com/IQNLmWACED

— Big Cases Bot (@big_cases) January 23, 2020

Mainstream media, what is happening in #Paris tonight?pic.twitter.com/GRRkyAzdxS

— Oh boy what a shot (@ohboywhatashot) January 23, 2020

Mainstream media, what is happening in #Nantes (France) tonight? pic.twitter.com/otEtYmUY4v

— Oh boy what a shot (@ohboywhatashot) January 23, 2020

For the better part of the decade, even Wall Street stock jocks have acknowledged that the current pay TV ecosystem simply isn't sustainable. Broadcasters continue to demand higher and higher rates for the same programming, driving up costs for consumers. Those consumers are then fleeing to the exits in record numbers; either migrating to new streaming video alternatives or over the air antennas. Many executives' response to the problem? Mindlessly double down on most of the behaviors that brought them here, namely, mindless consolidation and price hikes...

Democrat city councilmembers are considering legislation that allows eligible legal immigrants to vote in citywide elections — similar to San Francisco, California, policy where non-citizens are allowed to vote in local school board elections... Pushing the legislation is Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan) along with 22 other Democrat councilmembers and the city’s Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. The law would give local electoral power to the city’s massive 3.1 million foreign-born population — making up almost 40 percent of the total city population.

In separate sentencings in recent days, Insys' former vice president Michael Gurry and national director of sales Richard Simon each received 33 months in prison for their involvement in the scheme; former Insys CEO Michael Babich was sentenced to 30 months; the company's regional sales director Joseph Rowan to 27 months; and Sunrise Lee, former regional sales director, to one year and a day in prison. Former Vice President of Sales Alec Burlakoff was sentenced to 26 months Thursday...

The New York City Council on Thursday voted to ban businesses in the city from only accepting credit, debit or digital payments, amid concerns such policies discriminate against lower-income customers.

"Whatever your reasons, consumers should have the power to choose their preferred method of payment," councilman Ritchie Torres, who drafted the bill, said at a news conference Thursday, according to ABC News.

"The marketplace of the future must accommodate the needs of vulnerable New Yorkers," he added.

WATCH: George Soros speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Watch live ▶️ https://t.co/LzQ6N4HstA

— Bloomberg TV (@BloombergTV) January 23, 2020