Pelosi Stock Trades See a 65% Rate of Return

Jacob Bruns
-
0
Pelosi Stock Trades See a 65% Rate of Return

(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the Democrat-designated House speaker emerita, continued her unprecedented run of incredible stock-market gains in 2023, the Daily Mail reported.

Last year, Pelosi—who, along with her husband, Paul, has a long history of profitable ventures—crushed the market with a 65% rate of return compared to the S&P 500’s overall 24% gain.

Of course, beating the S&P 500 by a full 40% is no easy task, according to Jeff Hauser, the director of the Revolving Door Project.

“It’s a sign of quasi-insider trading that’s corrupt and should be banned—it’s either an addiction to risk or a sign of corruption,” said Hauser.

“There are teams of people at sophisticated hedge funds that exist to find minor arbitrage opportunities to make a profit,” he continued. “It’s preposterous to think they are finding profit where Bridgewater or Renaissance Capital is missing it.”

Last year, Paul Pelosi sold 30,000 shares of Google stock just one month before the Justice Department announced an antitrust lawsuit against the tech giant.

The San Francisco-based investment and venture capital firm boss sold his shares in Alphabet, Google’s parent company, in three separate transactions between Dec. 20 and Dec. 28 at amounts ranging from $500,000 to $1 million.

A month later, the DOJ and eight states sued Alphabet, alleging the company had used “anti-competitive, exclusionary, and unlawful conduct to eliminate or severely diminish any threat to its dominance over digital advertising technologies.”

The Pelosi family has a combined net worth of approximately $46 million.

Meanwhile Pelosi’s former colleagues in Congress previously demanded the banning of stock trading by members of Congress in the form of the Ban Stock Trading for Government Officials Act, a failed bill which sought to prevent elected officials from trading stocks.

In early 2023, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., proposed another bill that failed to gain momentum, the Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act.

Scientists Make Breakthrough Discovery in Explaining Pee Color

Jacob Bruns
-
0
Scientists Make Breakthrough Discovery in Explaining Pee Color

(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) Researchers have discovered the cause of yellow urine, publishing their findings in the journal, Nature Microbiology, CBS News reported.

After decades of research, scientists finally concluded that, hydration levels aside, the color of urine is connected to the prevalence of degraded red blood cells.

“It’s remarkable that an everyday biological phenomenon went unexplained for so long, and our team is excited to be able to explain it,” Brantley Hall, an assistant professor in the University of Maryland’s Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, wrote in a statement.

The decaying of red blood cells—a natural process which takes place in the liver—produces an orange pigment, bilirubin, which migrates into the gut and is excreted via urine.

“Gut microbes encode the enzyme bilirubin reductase that converts bilirubin into a colorless byproduct called urobilinogen,” Hall, the lead author of the study, noted.

“Urobilinogen then spontaneously degrades into a molecule called urobilin, which is responsible for the yellow color we are all familiar with.”

According to National Institutes of Health investigator Xiaofang Jiang, the breakthrough will likely have a much broader effect than simply providing evidence of differing urine colors.

In light of the new research, “we can start investigating how the bacteria in our gut impact circulating bilirubin levels and related health conditions like jaundice,” he noted.

“This discovery lays the foundation for understanding the gut-liver axis.”

In short, the urine of a healthy, hydrated person’s urine should be a light yellow color. Darker urine is a sign of dehydration, and other colors could result from a dietary change, or indicate a larger problem altogether.

New York AG Letitia James Seeks $370M Payday in Trump Organization Trial

Luis Cornelio
-
0
New York AG Letitia James Seeks $370M Payday in Trump Organization Trial

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) New York Attorney General Letitia James asked a Manhattan judge to grant her office a hefty $370 million fine in the civil trial against the Trump organization, citing alleged fraudulent business practices in a Friday court filing. 

As reported by Fox News, James claimed on Friday that this multimillion-dollar sum accounts for the total profits unlawfully acquired by former President Donald Trump and his company.

“The myriad deceptive schemes they employed to inflate asset values and conceal facts were so outrageous that they belie innocent explanation,” James alleged in a court filing. 

She further stated, “The conclusion that defendants intended to defraud when preparing and certifying Trump’s SFCs is inescapable.”

Trump scolded James’ request in a lengthy, all-caps Truth Social post: “This case should never have been brought, should be in the commercial division (the rigged judge would not let go of it!), & I should never have been gagged,” Trump said. “Now the corrupt A.G. wants $370,000,000 as businesses flee New York. They should pay me. This is prosecutorial misconduct — a DOJ witch hunt!”

The contentious case stemmed from accusations that Trump obtained generous loans and business advantages by overvaluing his and the company’s asset values—allegations that the presiding leftist judge, Arthur Engoron, found compelling.

Notably, the bench-trial made Engoron the sole decision-maker in the civil case, which has been embroiled in scandals involving him and his wife.  

Viral photos emerged showing Engoron semi-nude, reportedly shared by him with his alumni in a newsletter attempting to showcase a before-and-after transformation 

Engoron’s wife, Dawn Marie Engoron, faced criticism for allegedly posting anti-Trump images on social media, including memes depicting Trump in an orange jail suit and a “Fuck Trump” image.

Engoron ruled in favor of James’ accusations, aligning with her pledges from the early days of her campaign. This ruling has put some of the Trump organization’s iconic buildings at risk, giving James the option to either claim $250 million or seize some of the properties. 

Trump and his attorneys have consistently rebuked James’s allegations, citing on-time payments made to banks for the loans received by the Trump organization. The former president has also slammed James as a partisan Democrat seeking to thwart his potential 2024 presidential bid.

James made prosecuting Trump a key promise of her 2018 campaign for attorney general. 

Karine Jean-Pierre Jealous of Kirby’s Growing Influence in Press Room

Luis Cornelio
-
0
Karine Jean-Pierre Jealous of Kirby’s Growing Influence in Press Room

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) A new feud has reportedly emerged between two of Biden’s mouthpieces, signaling that all isn’t all sunshine and rainbows within the Biden White House. 

Tensions in the White House press room have flared between Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby, Axios reported Friday. 

The alleged feud President Joe Biden asked Jean-Pierre to take on the role of White House spokesperson, with the condition that she would share part of the responsibility with Kirby, a long-standing Biden ally and a reputed “favorite,” according to Axios. 

The implication was that Jean-Pierre would need supervision. However, following the Hamas terror attack against Israel, Kirby’s White House role, primarily focusing on foreign policy, has purportedly overshadowed Jean-Pierre, a self-proclaimed “historic figure.” 

Since Oct. 7, Jean-Pierre has conducted a solo press conference only once. 

Axios alleged that Kirby has privately voiced his desire to take on the role of press secretary. In contrast, Jean-Pierre has asserted her intention to continue in the role beyond the 2024 presidential election (if Biden is re-elected) or until Biden decides otherwise. 

According to the NY Post, when asked if he is enjoying his time at press briefings, Kirby claimed: “It’s not my briefing room.” 

Axios also alleged that Jean-Pierre controls the press briefings by selecting the reporters Kirby can talk with. Notably, the White House press secretary has faced accusations of bias and favoritism toward pro-Biden reporters.

Jean-Pierre’s apparent militant protection of the podium extends to her deputy, Oliva Dalton, who has not been allowed to hold press briefings despite previous practices.

According to Axios, former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain reportedly triggered the split press secretary role due to Jean-Pierre’s purported lack of experience in confrontational exchanges and foreign policy matters.

Despite her perceived lack of experience, Jean-Pierre assumed the role in May 2022, proudly and rather often, touting being the first openly gay and first black woman to serve as a White House press secretary.

Mayorkas Says New Funding Won’t Be Used to Deport Illegals

Luis Cornelio
-
0
Mayorkas Says New Funding Won’t Be Used to Deport Illegals

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The embattled DHS secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, refused to commit to only using new border funding for the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants as part of early negotiations with House Republicans. 

Mayorkas’ apparent refusal in an interview with Fox News host Brett Baier is likely to raise concerns that approved funding might simply increase the influx of unauthorized immigrants into the U.S., instead of prioritizing the removal of individuals unauthorized to be in the U.S.

Baier addressed Mayorkas, expressing House Republicans’ concerns: “[Republicans] have a problem with the funds being used to release and transport illegal immigrants around the country… Would you accept the extra funding on the condition that the funds could only be used for detention and removal [of illegal immigrants] — but not release into the country.” 

In turn, Mayorkas retorted: “Brett, the funds are needed to provide the Department of Homeland Security with more border patrol agents… with more technology… with more detention space, to provide the Department of Justice with more immigration judges, so justice can be administered more swiftly.” 

Mayorkas’ contentious comments coincide with an unprecedented surge in illegal border crossings. In December alone, 302,000 illegal aliens were encountered near the southern border—the highest recorded number in the nation’s history. This also marked the first time that over 300,000 illegal aliens were encountered by Border Patrol agents. 

President Joe Biden and Mayorkas have asked Congress to pass a supplementary border and Ukrainian package to allegedly hire more border patrol agents and immigration judges. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., stated that Biden should enforce the existing laws to address the border crisis.

Baier persisted in questioning Mayorkas about the lack of accountability amid continuous border crossings. 

“But you don’t take as — an administration or as the head of this department — any blame for what we’re seeing on the border currently? You don’t think those numbers are extraordinary? Baier pressed. “These numbers are historic. There are eight Rose Bowls full of illegal immigrants that came across the border just since October 1st.” 

However, Mayorkas dismissed the question, claiming the illegal immigration surge is not limited to the U.S. 

“The numbers are historic,” he continued. “The numbers are extraordinarily large. This is something that is not specific to the United States’ southern border. This is something that we are seeing throughout the hemisphere and throughout the world.” 

House Republicans announced a Jan. 10 hearing as part of impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas due to widespread concerns about a “dereliction of duty.” 

Republicans specifically highlight unprecedented drug cartel control at the southern border, the human cost of the crisis, and the waste of American taxpayer dollars. 

 If impeachment proceedings are approved, Mayorkas would become the first cabinet member to be impeached in 148 years, according to Baier.

Watch the full interview below:

More Americans Now Say J6rs ‘Had a Point’

Dmytro "Henry" Aleksandrov
-
0
More Americans Now Say J6rs ‘Had a Point’

(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) Despite the propaganda by the mainstream media and the incredibly divided society, a recent survey revealed that over four-in-10 Americans started showing support for the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol protesters, believing that they had a point or acted appropriately.

“Sympathy” for those people has surged for the hundreds who entered the Capitol the day Congress and treasonous former Vice President Mike Pence decided that Joe Biden “won” the 2020 election, according to the latest Suffolk University/USA Today poll.

“The survey, which was completed shortly before the third anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Trump, showed sympathy for the rioters has increased among the voting public over the past several years,” Suffolk’s analysis said.

The poll then revealed that now less than 50% of those who were interviewed saw Jan. 6, 2021, protesters in a negative way.

“Only 48% of voters overall said they thought the rioters were ‘criminals,’ a significant drop from the 70% of voters who thought so in a Suffolk survey conducted just weeks after the attacks. Those who agreed that ‘they went too far, but they had a point’ rose to 37% from 24%, and 6% called their actions ‘appropriate,’ when in 2021 just 2% did,” the results showed.

The upcoming Saturday marks the third anniversary of the event. While there are small events that are planned in Washington, D.C., the Justice Department continues rounding up over 1,000 people it suspects of being involved in the event, according to the Washington Examiner.

People who supported the protesters recently released a time-stamped video of the riots, adding that the video provided better context for the actions of the rioters that day. The news source wrote that the video is especially notable because it provides a new and clearer angle to the murder of one of the protesters, Ashli Babbitt, by a U.S. Capitol Police officer.

Sundowning Biden Helped Offstage after Delusional Rant about Democracy

Editor 1
-
0
Sundowning Biden Helped Offstage after Delusional Rant about Democracy

(Anthony Hennen, The Center Square) At a community college in suburban Philadelphia, President Joe Biden confirmed to the public that his extended holiday rest and relaxation had done little to ameliorate the growing concerns about the state of his mental health.

If anything, the unhinged rant about democracy, which rivaled his notorious midterm “red rally” at nearby Independence Hall hinted that his time absorbing the sun’s gamma rays in St. Croix may have exacerbated his cognitive decline.

Democrats from across the state showed up for Biden’s appearance, as well as a dozen pro-Trump protesters and about two dozen pro-Palestinian protesters demanding a ceasefire for the war between Israel and Hamas.

Biden, 81, who has lately refused all formal media appearances to discuss the actual affairs of the country he’s been tasked with running, kicked off his reelection campaign by decrying Donald Trump as a threat to American democracy.

“Trump talks about the blood of America being poisoned, echoing the same exact language used in Nazi Germany,” Biden said of his White House predecessor. “He proudly posts on social media the words that best describe his 2024 campaign: ‘Revenge. Power. Dictatorship.’”

The choice, Biden says, is clear.

“There’s no confusion about who Trump is or what he intends to do,” he said. “Trump is trying to steal history the same way he tried to steal the election.”

The president cast himself as the guardian of democracy, standing against Trump—or any other Republican nominee.

“The defense, protection, and preservation of American democracy will remain, as it has been, the central cause of my presidency,” Biden said.

“These MAGA voices who know the truth about Trump … have abandoned truth and abandoned democracy,” he continued. “They made their choice. Now the rest of us— Democrats, independents, mainstream Republicans – have to make ours.”

Speaking a few miles from Valley Forge where he toured earlier in the day, Biden called upon the memory of Americans fighting against a powerful empire for “the sacred cause” of democracy, “the spirit of the troops” led by Gen. George Washington for “the soul of the nation struggling to be born.”

“With one heart and one mind, with fortitude and with patience, they would overcome every difficulty,” he said.

Biden contrasted American history to Jan. 6, 2021, a day “that we nearly lost America” as “insurrectionists came to stop the peaceful transfer of power.”

“As America was attacked from within … the entire nation watched in horror, the whole world watched in disbelief—and Trump did nothing,” Biden said. “It was among the worst derelictions of duty by a president in American history.”

With utter lack of self-awareness about the violent rhetoric and activism within his own party, he decried political violence as a threat to America.

The American system is one, he said, where leaders don’t hold on to power relentlessly; they serve, then willingly return power to the people.

“You do your duty,” Biden said. “You serve your country—and our country is a country worthy of service.”

The president questioned Trump’s dedication to the country.

“Donald Trump’s campaign is about him. Not America, not you,” Biden said. “Donald Trump’s campaign is obsessed with the past, not the future. He’s willing to sacrifice our democracy, put himself in power. Our campaign is different—it’s about America, it’s about you.”

America, Biden said, is where people speak of possibilities, not carnage, where Americans aren’t weighed down by grievances and don’t walk around as victims.

“We’re not perfect, but at our best we face head-on the good, the bad, the truth of who we are … That’s what great nations do, and we’re the greatest nation on the face of the earth,” Biden said. “We take charge of our destiny.”

At the end of the half-hour speech, he was ushered off the stage by handler-in-chief Jill Biden.

Biden currently has the lowest public approval rating of any president seeking re-election in modern history and is trailing Trump by 2.2 percentage points according to the latest average from RealClearPolitics.

Trump holds moderate advantages in all of the major battleground states: Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia, Arizona and Michigan.

Even far-left CNN currently projects Trump to win the November race with a 272–225 Electoral College victory while leaving the Democrat controlled Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin undecided.

Headline USA’s Ben Sellers contributed to this report.

Bodycam Vid Shows FBI Thuggery in Arrest of Trump Co-Defendant Harrison Floyd

Luis Cornelio
-
0
Bodycam Vid Shows FBI Thuggery in Arrest of Trump Co-Defendant Harrison Floyd

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Body-cam footage captured the precise moment after FBI agents allegedly accosted the former director of Black Voices for Trump while trying to serve him with a subpoena.

In the footage released by Politico, Harrison Floyd, a Marine Corps and Iraq War veteran, appeared distraught while having difficulty breathing following an altercation with federal investigators at his Maryland home.

“I never saw a badge,” Floyd told local police, who were called to his home. “I saw a gun though.” Later, he added, “They were relentless.”

Floyd was arrested by local police after the tussle, which reportedly took place as he returned home after taking his daughter to a swimming class. He was later transferred to a federal courtroom, accused of attempting to grab an FBI officer’s gun. Notably, FBI agents approached Floyd after Special Counsel Jack Smith issued a subpoena for his testimony in the DOJ probe of efforts to question the results of the 2020 election.

“If he reached up, I probably could have tried to stop the muzzle, but he would have definitely threw my hand,” Floyd stated, as detailed by Politico. “But the other one was right next to me. So, if I went for that gun, and he pulled a gun, now I’m fighting two guys with guns, that’s not good. So, I backed up and went away. … I could’ve been killed really fucking easily, if I wasn’t smart.”

In contrast, federal charges against Floyd claim that the FBI had informed Floyd’s mother they were looking for him. A court filing suggested Floyd’s mother sent him photos of the agents’ business cards but she also questioned their authenticity.

Upon Floyd’s arrival home, he encountered what seemed to be aggressive agents. He retreated inside and shut the door on their faces. One agent mentioned recording an audio attempt to identify themselves, as reported by Politico.

Floyd’s attorney, Chris Kachouroff, argued that the audio serves as evidence that Floyd was unaware of the FBI agents’ identities.

“The audio shows they said they could show him their badges, but they just left,” Kachouroff said. “He says they never showed him who they were. His statements on that have been consistent.”

Although Floyd did not face criminal charges related to Smith’s investigation into the 2020 presidential efforts, he was charged by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over an alleged plot to interfere with the Georgia election results.

However, he faces federal charges in Maryland over the alleged altercation with FBI agents. The case is ongoing.

NRA Chief Announces Resignation Days before Trial

Headline USA Editor
-
0
NRA Chief Announces Resignation Days before Trial

The longtime head of the National Rifle Association said Friday he is resigning, just days before the start of a civil trial over allegations he diverted millions of dollars from the powerful gun rights organization to pay for personal travel and other lavish perks.

Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president and chief executive officer, said his departure is effective Jan. 31. The trial in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against him, the NRA and others who have served as organization executives is scheduled to start on Monday. LaPierre and ex-NRA President Oliver North are among the witnesses expected to testify.

LaPierre, 74, has led the NRA ’s day-to-day operations since 1991, acting as the face and vehement voice of its gun rights agenda. He once warned of “jack-booted government thugs” seizing guns, called for armed guards in every school after a spate of shootings, and condemned foes backing gun control measures as “opportunists” who “exploit tragedy for gain.”

In recent years though, the NRA has been beset by dwindling membership and financial troubles, along with lingering questions about LaPierre’s leadership and spending. One of LaPierre’s top lieutenants, Andrew Arulanandam, will assume his roles on an interim basis, the organization said.

Phillip Journey, a former NRA board member who is set to testify at the upcoming trial in New York, said LaPierre’s resignation doesn’t resolve the open questions before the court nor remedy what he sees as persistent rot within the gun lobbying group. “Honestly, the grifters are a snake with many heads and this is just one,” said Journey, a Kansas judge who’s running to retake a seat on the NRA’s board.

Journey also testified at the NRA’s bankruptcy trial in Texas and said he anticipates there is enough evidence for the New York attorney general to prove her case. “It’s a tragic end to a career that had many high points,” Journey said of LaPierre stepping down. “It’s one of his own making.”

“With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre said in a statement released by the organization. “I’ve been a card-carrying member of this organization for most of my adult life, and I will never stop supporting the NRA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom. My passion for our cause burns as deeply as ever.”

James, a Democrat, accuses LaPierre and other executives of illegally diverting tens of millions of dollars from the NRA and spending organization funds on personal trips, no-show contracts and other questionable expenditures. LaPierre is accused in the lawsuit of spending millions on private jet flights and personal security and accepting expensive gifts — such as African safaris and use of a 107-foot (32-meter) yacht — from vendors.

He is also accused of setting himself up with a $17 million contract with the NRA if he were to exit the organization, spending NRA money on travel consultants, luxury car services, and private jet flights for himself and his family — including more than $500,000 on eight trips to the Bahamas over a three-year span.

James is seeking to ban LaPierre and the other executives from serving in leadership positions of any not-for-profit or charitable organization conducting business in New York, which would effectively remove them from any involvement with the NRA.

Some of the NRA’s excess spending was kept secret, the lawsuit said, under an arrangement with the organization’s former advertising agency, Ackerman McQueen. The advertising firm would pick up the tab for expenses for LaPierre and other NRA executives and then send a lump sum bill to the organization for “out-of-pocket expenses,” the lawsuit said.

LaPierre has defended himself, saying in previous testimony that cruising the Bahamas on a yacht was a “security retreat” because he was facing threats after mass shootings. He conceded not reporting the trips on conflict-of-interest forms, testifying: “It’s one of the mistakes I’ve made.”

“He’s been the leading political force of the NRA for over 30 years,” said Robert Spitzer, a political science professor at the State University of New York-Cortland and author several books on gun politics. “He has been the leading edge of the very sharp political voice of the organization.”

Adopted from Associated Press reporting.

Ashli Babbitt’s Widower Sues over Wrongful Death of Jan. 6 Protestor

Ken Silva
-
0
Ashli Babbitt’s Widower Sues over Wrongful Death of Jan. 6 Protestor

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The non-profit group Judicial Watch has sued the U.S. government on behalf of the widower of Ashli Babbitt, the Jan. 6 protestor who was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer on Jan. 6, 2021.

Babbitt, a 14-year Air Force veteran, was shot and killed by Lt. Michael Byrd while crawling through a window in the Capitol building during the Jan. 6 protests.

Byrd has claimed that he acted with “the utmost courage” and “saved countless lives.”

However, earlier records obtained by Judicial Watch found that other officers at the scene did not see a weapon in Babbitt’s hands prior to the shooting and that they did not hear Byrd issue any verbal commands prior to the shooting. Lt. Byrd later confessed that he shot Ashli before seeing her hands or assessing her intentions or even identifying her as female.

Judicial Watch and Babbitt’s widower, Aaron Babbitt, cited those facts and others in their lawsuit.

“Ashli was unarmed. Her hands were up in the air, empty, and in plain view of Lt. Byrd and other officers in the lobby. Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone. Not one member of Congress was in the lobby, which was guarded by multiple armed police officers,” the lawsuit said.

“Ashli could not have seen Lt. Byrd, who was positioned far to Ashli’s left and on the opposite side of the doors, near an opening to the Retiring Room, a distance of approximately 15 feet and an angle of approximately 160 degrees,” the lawsuit said.

“Lt. Byrd, who was not in uniform, did not identify himself as a police officer or otherwise make his presence known to Ashli. Lt. Byrd did not give Ashli any warnings or commands before shooting her dead.”

Along with recounting Babbitt’s death, the lawsuit also detailed Lt. Byrd’s checkered background.

Already known is an incident in which Byrd left his service weapon in the Capitol Visitors Center bathroom. The loaded Glock was discovered during a routine security sweep later the same day.

Judicial Watch also revealed an incident where Byrd shot at a carful of juveniles while he was off duty.

“Lt. Byrd’s police powers also were revoked for a prior off-duty shooting into a stolen, moving vehicle in which the occupants were teenagers or juveniles,” the lawsuit said.

“The stolen vehicle was Lt. Byrd’s car. Lt. Byrd fired multiple shots at the fleeing vehicle in a suburban area. Stray bullets from Lt. Byrd’s firearm struck the sides of homes nearby. An official investigation found that Lt. Byrd’s use of force was not justified.”

Babbitt’s widower seeks $30 million in damages over the wrongful death.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District of Southern California.

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

1...1,5421,5431,544...3,871Page 1,543 of 3,871