Sundown of the NRA - It is past time

Why was it left to New York’s attorney general to file a civil suit?.....                                                                  . 
                         The silence of the U.S. Department of Justice is deafening.

NRA headquarters building is located at 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 Contact the NRA by Phone: (800) 672-3888 
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    THE CHARGES:....The NRA was serving as a personal piggy bank for four individual defendants," James, a Democrat, said at a news conference. Plus..It was a conduit for dirty money, illegal campaign donations.

     Her lawsuit alleging self-dealing and   misconduct could, if successful, dissolve the entire organization. While the suit is civil in nature, it reads like an old-fashioned corruption indictment.  

      The suit alleges that the not-for profit organization violated New York state laws governing charities by diverting tens of millions of dollars away from the organization’s mission for the personal benefit of its leaders, with Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s Executive Vice President for the past 29 years, and three other officers named as defendants along with the organization itself. According to the complaint, 

        LaPierre used NRA funds for eight private plane flights to the Bahamas, where they enjoyed life on the 107-foot yacht of an NRA vendor, as well as for safaris in Africa and elsewhere.                                                                                                                                                               The complaint also claims that LaPierre allotted millions of dollars for private security for himself without sufficient oversight (and cited “security” concerns to explain why he didn’t disclose those trips to the NRA’s board), that he  spent $1.2 million of the group’s funds on gifts from Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman for favored friends and vendors, and that he negotiated a post-employment contract for himself valued at $17 million without board approval.    
                                                                                                                 New York Attorney General Latitia James.
         Like other cases of corruption, this easily could have been framed as a criminal case. Filing false registration and disclosure documents as part of a scheme to defraud can serve as the basis for federal mail or wire fraud, and often does in public corruption cases.

       She is NO lightweight! She has successfully 'hammered' Trump and family last year:
 The effect of the state attorney general’s civil case might be even more devastating than a criminal case because one of the remedies of her action is dissolution of the NRA itself.  She used the same tactics to dissolve the Trump Foundation in November. There, she reached a settlement with President Donald Trump and family members to pay $2 million to resolve allegations of misuse of charitable funds to influence the 2016 presidential primary election and to further his own personal interests.

       Among the improper use of funds was doling out $500,000 to potential voters at a 2016 campaign rally in Iowa. As part of that settlement, James required Trump to personally admit to misusing the Foundation’s funds. Sometimes, parties to settlements are permitted to publicly state that a resolution is not an admission of wrongdoing. James would not let them off so easily. Her success in the Trump Foundation case puts teeth into her legal quest to dissolve the NRA as well. 
                                               The Russian Connection:

    It started with Donald Trump,Jr.

     He got a request from the Russian Embassy in Washington, DC to 'make a friendly introduction of one Alexander Torshin (close friend of Vladimir Putin, and the former Russian Central Banker.)...The purpose: To learn 'how to establish an 'NRA-like' organization in Moscow.  Don Jr. discussed it with his dad.."Do it!"

Don Jr. arranged for Torshin and one of his 'aides' (later found to be 'retired' KGB agent), and, also, Torshin's 'communications agent', Mz. Maria Butina - to attend the annual NRA meeting.  .   Maria made a 'significant impression on NRA president, Wayne LaPierre..
                                                                 Maria was actually 'a Red Sparrow'.....a KGB trained espionage agent...trained to 'extract' key  information from her 'charmed contacts' and to gain their confidence. Maria succeeded beyond Vladimir Putin's wildest dreams. Eventually she and Alexander Torshin were sitting in on NRA annual Executive Meetings.

      Vladimir Putin and Alexander Torhin's goal was to let the NRA president, Wayne LaPierre know that Russia was 'very interested' in donating a 'large sum of money' to the NRA bank for the one purpose of 'running clandestine ads 'against Hillary Clinton', using actors, sometimes black actors on video 'complaining about how Hillary Clinton never ever really did anything for the cause of black people.. For over a year, the NRA ran these 'bots', fake ads, THOUSANDS of them! on all types of social media - principally, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM  and TWITTER.
     Maria was always at the side of Alexander Torshin. When he was introduced to NRA executives, so was Maria, who was a masterful conservationist.

 It is believed that far more 'Russian-Anti-Hillary Money' went into satellite banks controlled by the NRA for the very same purpose funding and creating anti-Hillary smear campaigns using fake interview with supposed 'disenchanted minorities.
   Eventually, the FBI caught up with Torshin and he got within  the protection of the Russian embassy and then under diplomatic protocol protection, flew back to Moscow and safety...

NOT SO for Butina, she was arrested after giving a solo speech to a large Christian Coalition meeting set up by Rex Reed, its president. A 'bizarre' setting in would seem...Butina talking about 'freedom, God, and the 'right to bear arms' She spent 10 months in a northern Virginia prison...eventually, being 'mysteriously' freed and put on a plane to Russia in the middle of the night at Dulles Airport.

       Rick Santorum was totally 'smitten' by Maria so much that he had to be told that she could not arrange another interview.

     The 'gentlemen' to the right of Maria is the 'retired; KGB agent that first accompanied Alexander Torshin and Maria on their first trip to Washington, DC.

      Dear hearts, thus ends, Ol' Ken's 'sharing' of one more of the Trump Family's traitorous 'peccadillos' , duped once again, by far more clever Russians........Don, Jr. Wayne LaPierre, Rick Santorum..All NRA executives..'CHARMED' by Maria Butina.For more 'chilling' information on just 'how' he Red Sparrows are trained....go see 'Red Sparrow' the 2018 movie starring Jennifer Lawrence...OR watch the 'trailor' on You Tube, and or go to IMBD movie review online.

The NRA cannot pay their own defense lawyers now. Even some of their original defense lawyer are suing Wayne LaPierre and company for unpaid legal bills.....We are seeing the demise of the traitorous NRA.

          Trump the Authoritarian & Dictator 'wannabe'
                       Reflections of Benito Mussolini, Adolph Hitler & his Hero, Vladimir Putin


                  "Dammit! I am THE LAW and THE ONLY LAW!"

    Donald Trump sees himself as a world Authoritarian  & Power Figure - A dictator free of law           On the same power level as Vladimir Putin, Benito Mussolini and Adolph Hitler.        Trump does act and seem as if 'the LAW' does not apply to him. He gets intensely angry and frustrated when time and again, the courts slap him down: For example: He said 'I might have to postpone the election!"      The dumb ass, stymied here,... then said Aug. 2: "I may just cancel MAIL-IN VOTING!....... Trump is a pathetic, desperate, caged, much hated political figure, trying anything that 'might keep him in power.'

                                  .   

......REALITY? National outrage followed - IMMEDIATELY! What happened? Chief of Staff and new Trump-puppet, Mark Meadows had to hastily call a press conference saying: .........."The White House has no plans to try to postpone the election." (They do plan to 'interrupt'..)           NEXT: Trump said he was 'cancelling the "Dreamers Act' that protected young Hispanics born in the US from being deported.       .   REALITY? The courts 'once again', slapped him down'.

                                    

                        New book: 'The Seductive Lure of AUTHORITARIANISM"  

      

     Anne Applebaum makes the case: 'The warnings are clear. They could hardly be clearer':  Donald Trump is A 'clear and present danger' to America's continue Democracy and our foundation of laws.               

     

       Like many of my 'friends' on my Facebook page and certainly, those among our Carteret County Democratic Party, I read a lot of political publications, history and, current political best-sellers: Like Anne Applebaum......I have rarely read a political analysis, backed up by history and current world authoritarian trends.- as I have - in her book. Current as of last month!

       Mz. Florita and I 'have many of thm', read them all'..no joke, no exaggeration - from Jon Meachem's The Soul of America, the Search for our Better Angels' to  'The Rise of Fascism' by Margaret Albright, to James Clapper, Ex Director of National Intelligence -"Facts and Fears" where he 'infers' Trump is a pawn of Russian President Vladimir Putin (being 'black-mailed)..He defines Trump as 'a clear and present danger to US Democracy'.; to "Our Endangered VALUES" by Jimmy Carter,.......  

                       

 .......to Bob Woodwards "FEAR".. Woodward told Trump's former lead attorney (who resigned abruptly after an argument in an Oval Office meeting with Trump), attorney John Dowd - "John, I am going to give you 'the last words in my book'...What would you 'like to say' to Donald Trump: Dowd responded: "I would tell him....YOU ARE A FUCKING LIAR!" (p.357)

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The New CZAR of the US Post Office: Louis DeJoy

       His mission: "To slow the mails down, so that by election day, it will take as long as a month for a letter (a ballot)... to get to its destination! ... where at one time...it took only 3 days.....Dear Hearts: That ;slowdown' is in effect now.

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                                        Hurricane/Tropical Storm Isaias
                                           NC Coast 'appears' to be dodging the bullet...(this time?)

('Low key' -non-political  post this evening)

        9PM Beaufort, NC........The barometer holding at 993 millibars...good sign! Still very calm here....Will be 'changing' dramatically in about 1 hour, however...Over for us here by 6AM..hopefully.
     'Expected'.. to be largely - 'a NON-EVENT' ..here on the Carteret County coast...however there could be major flooding Down East, (20 mi. +).. before it is over.                                                                                                                                        
Here are a few photos taken in Beaufort this afternoon -CALM...by comparison to the Raleigh-Triangle area.this evening. At 10 PM, here, modest heavy showers, light wind.

(Below right)......On a normal late August waterfront day, a week after school started, last 2019

Today..below..Dock House closed, deserted at 12 PM, Aug 3, 2020.
                                                                  Below: 'Inlet Inn, just past the barricade...Around 1AM police expect water will be in the street, very possibly up to store-doors. Front St. will be blocked off until late morning, Tuesday.                                         

                                                                           
   Below: Shrimp boat captain has decided to 'ride it out'..mid-channel in Gallants Channel near Duke Marine Labs...In 'real hurricanes' they run up into narrow saltwater creeks that are all along the ICW from here to Swansboro.


 
 

         Many sport fisher-boats and other pleasure boats often opt for a 'Marina 'haul-out'...A large lift picks them up, puts them temporarily on land

         

Several large sailboat owners have made the same 'stay-in-place' decision...So many boats end up in the woods along Taylors Creek with every hurricane...Here, this is only a 'Tropical storm'.

                                                                                         

The Royal James Cafe 4:40 PM...The pool room was shutdown...patronage was sparse as the storm approached.....reduced to ordering a beer or two, sitting outside.

Definitely a Beaufort landmark! long bar inside, 4 pool tables, TV. Normal times even in winter, front door remains open. Also, definitely a 'singles cafe' it seems.  Great hamburgers..Directly across the street from the Cru Cafe & Wine Bar.



                                      Sept 14, 2019 "A"Real HURRICANE - FLORENCE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
    The Channel Marker Restaurant, here for over 60 years had to be bulldozed.                                                                                                               



An apartment in a Bed & Breakfast in Cape Carteret

Below: Dee Gees Gift Shop and Book Store....Over a year before it re-opened.

Regardless of size or rating....even a 'near-level one Hurricane...a tropical storm can still cause so much damage....However...NO QUESTION about the 'difference' between 'A HURRICANE'..and 'a' tropical storm.. My book, 'Seven Days in September - Hurricane Florence' - over 500 photographs, most in color, chronicled the enormous damage done in Carteret County: On sale at Scuttlebut Book Store, Beaufort, and at the Sanitary Restaurant or on my website :EMERALD ISLE PRESS.COM

              The Skunk at the Garden Party.... 

                 "Let the benefits run out then!


                 Mark Meadows, Trump's 5th Chief of Staff

Mark Meadows, whadda' guy!. From North Carolina served in Congress as the Tea Party emerged in 2010. One of the founding members of the Freedom (Tea Party) Party, likes to paint himself as a 'tough guy' ultra-conservative..........“I’m comfortable saying no and being the skunk at the garden party,” Meadows insisted. "We're not here just to pour money out everywhere until we get things right. People need to work."

           Meadows has come under fire from a number of Republicans over his involvement in crafting the Cares Act this spring and other coronavirus-related packages, as well as the multi-trillion-dollar budget agreement last year, although most critics prefer to whisper their critiques rather than go public. 

".......There's no deal yet." Trump also sees himself as 'Mr. Tough Guy Republican'. "........It's all Pelosi's and Schumer's fault that we don't have a deal on this latest Coronavirus thing'"

                            

         The Indifferent, incompetent, paranoid, narcissistic  president Trump +  The Republican 'Ruling Triumvirate:  Mark Meadows, Steve Mnuchin and the 'Elf-on-the-Shelf, little Mikey Pence

       This is the LAST WEEK, that the $600 COVID unemployment payments have been paid. Starting Monday, 43 million unemployed moms, dad's single moms with young children - are let twisting in the wind as Trump and Meadows and Mitch McConnell continue to be the 'hard-liner' Republican conservatives.

 In the meantime, millions of desperate, hard-working Moms and Dads are left with....NOTHING....No even hopeful answers..One thing is clear: Trump and his Republican thugs - in the end - have not compassion or empathy for Middle Americans....As far as poor people are concerned?  These heartless, smug Republican 'Fiscal Conservatives'? They don't give one damn about them....Never have....in my opinion.