Tag: indicted

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New Jersey Politics

NJ Senator Bob Menendez Indicted on Corruption Charges

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Justice Department investigating New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, said, “Robert Menendez, a U.S. senator, and Dr. Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist, were indicted today in connection with a bribery scheme in which Menendez allegedly accepted gifts from Melgen in exchange for using the power of his Senate office to benefit Melgen’s financial and personal interests,” said Peter Carr, a Justice Department spokesman, in a statement.

The two were indicted in the district of New Jersey for one count of conspiracy, one count of violating the travel act, eight counts of bribery and three counts of honest services fraud; Menendez was also charged with one count of making false statements, according to Carr’s statement.

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Politics

Republican House Speaker in Alabama Indicted on 23 Counts

Nothing special here, he’s just doing what Republicans do.

Mike Hubbard, speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives and a powerful leader in the state Republican Party, has been indicted by a grand jury and charged with 23 counts, including using his office for personal gain and soliciting things of value.

Hubbard, 52, who led a historic Republican takeover of the state Legislature during the 2010 election, was charged after an investigation in his home county that has lasted more than a year.

The charges against Hubbard include 23 class B felonies. Those charges include:

Four counts of using of his office as Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party for personal gain;
One count of voting for legislation with a conflict of interest;
Eleven counts of soliciting or receiving a thing of value from a lobbyist or principal;
Two counts of using his office as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives for personal gain;
Four Counts of lobbying an executive department or agency for a fee;
One count of using state equipment, materials, etc. for private gain.

According to the indictment, Hubbard solicited favors from some of Alabama’s rich and powerful. They include former Alabama Governor Bob Riley, Business Council of Alabama CEO Billy Canary, Hoar Construction CEO Rob Burton, Great Southern Wood CEO Jimmy Rane, former Sterne Agee CEO James Holbrook, lobbyist Minda Riley Campbell, Harbert Management Corp. vice president Will Brooke and political operative Dax Swatek.

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Featured

White House Fence Jumper Indicted

 

The man who was allowed to go, uninterrupted, on an a jog across the White House lawn and shown the door to the building where he entered then jogged around the East Room for a while before he was eventually stopped, was indicted today.

Omar Gonzalez, 42, has been charged with one count of entering and remaining a restricting building and grounds, a federal offense that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, according to an indictment filed by the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.

According to the federal prosecutors, Gonzalez was carrying a Spyderco VG-10 knife with a 3.5-inch blade, and was also in possession of hundreds of rounds of ammunition in a car parked nearby, including 12-gauge shotgun shells, 9mm rounds and rounds for a sniper rifle.

The knife possession charge holds a maximum fine of $5,000 and up to five years in prison in the District of Columbia, and the ammunition charge carries a potential maximum of a year in prison.

Federal prosecutors say Gonzalez had a dangerous fixation on the president, stockpiling weapons and ammunition and carrying a map to the White House stuffed in a Bible during an earlier arrest.

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Politics

This Senate Republican’s Son is Indicted on Tax Evasion Charges

Sen. Thomas Libous

Newsday is repotting that a federal indictment accuses the state Senate’s No. 2 Republican of lying about a job he secured for his son at a law firm with an “inflated salary” partly paid by an Albany lobbying firm.

Tuesday’s indictment accuses Sen. Thomas Libous (R-Binghamton) of promising a partner of the Westchester law firm that it would have to “build a new wing” to take care of all the business the firm would receive if it hired Libous’ son, Matthew.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara accuses Sen. Libous of promising to steer the business to the law firm and getting an unnamed lobbying firm to pay $50,000 a year to the law firm to help fund Matthew Libous’ salary and perks including a Range Rover vehicle.

Matthew Libous was indicted Tuesday on six counts of charges related to tax evasion

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Politics

Conservative Commentator Dinesh D’Souza Indicted – Arraignment on Friday

He’s been after president Obama for a while now, manufacturing a bunch of lies and conspiracies about the president of the United States. Now, it seems the conservative nut has found himself in some trouble.

According to reporting by USA Today, Dinesh D’Souza has been indicted on charges of violating federal election laws and could face up to seven years in prison if found guilty, according to documents released Thursday by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI.

According to a notice emailed to the press, authorities charge D’Souza made illegal contributions to a U.S. Senate campaign in the names of others and caused false statements connected with those contributions to be made to the Federal Election Commission.

Authorities did not name the U.S. Senate candidate. In 2012, D’Souza campaigned for Wendy Long, a Republican who challenged Democratic incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand to represent New York in the U.S. Senate. Long’s campaign website appeared to no longer be operating, and Reuters reported she could not be reached. Gillebrand won the election.

D’Souza, 52, a former policy analyst in the Ronald Reagan White House, will be arraigned Friday in federal court in Manhattan, according to the statement.

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Barack Obama Politics Republican United States voter suppression

Maryland Republicans Indicted For Voter Suppression

Two aides to Maryland’s former Republican Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr, were indicted on voter suppression charges last Friday. The two aides, Julius Henson and Paul Schurick conducted over 100,000 robo calls last mid-term elections, telling a predominantly black voting block in Maryland to stay home, because President Obama and the Democratic contender for governor Mr. O’Malley, had already won. The call stated;

“Hello. I’m calling to let everyone know that Governor O’Malley and President Obama have been successful. Our goals have been met. The polls were correct, and we took it back. We’re okay. Relax. Everything’s fine. The only thing left is to watch it on TV tonight. Congratulations, and thank you.”

Well, the call was right about one thing, O’Malley eventually won the election, but the intent of the robocall was as obvious – voter suppression, and for Henson and  Schurick’s role in the crime, the indictment awarded them the following;

Julius Henson and Paul Schurick each face three counts of conspiracy to violate Maryland election laws, one count of attempting to influence a voter’s decision and one count of failing to provide an authority line (on campaign material). Schurick also is charged with one count of obstruction of justice.

An arraignment in Baltimore Circuit Court is scheduled for July 18.

The indictment, handed up by a Baltimore City grand jury, came after an eight-month investigation by State Prosecutor Emmet Davitt into tens of thousands of robocalls that went out late on Election Day. A caller instructed voters in Democratic areas to stay home and “relax” because Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley had already won. In fact, the polls were still open.

And even with this investigation and indictment, multiple Republican governors are trying the same stunt in their states for the 2012 elections. So far this year, six Republican controlled states are racing to carry out more restrictive laws ultimately geared towards voter suppression.

You would think its wise for one to learn from another’s mistakes, but these are Republicans. Their belief system is freedom – to make their own mistakes and decide if they should learn from or repeat their same mistakes again and again. One has to wonder at what point does that kind of freedom turn into just plain stupid?

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