Deadly Politics and Election Stories
A collection of incidents that shaped or tainted the 2020 Elections
The Corporate Powers
The Amazing Journey
{{ item.card_title}}
{{ item.card_subtitle}}
{{ item.card_text}}
Showing posts with label Election Fraud. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Election Fraud. Show all posts
Trump Ukraine Conspirator Thought Going Public Might Help Him in Court. He Was Wrong. – Mother Jones
The Convictions roll in
He was just convicted of six felonies.
Lev Parnas and his lawyer, Joseph Bondy, leave federal court in New York after Parnas' guilty verdict.John Lamparski/Sipa USA via AP
Fight disinformation. Get a daily recap of the facts that matter.
Sign up for the free Mother Jones newsletter.
Looking back, following the Michael Cohen model might not have been a great approach for Lev Parnas.
Parnas, the former friend, client, and globetrotting assistant to Rudy Giuliani, was convicted Friday afternoon on six felony counts related to campaign finance schemes aimed at buying influence with Republican lawmakers, including former President Donald Trump. Those charges were not directly related to the actions for which Parnas, a US citizen born in Ukraine, is best known. He’s best known, of course, for helping Giuliani, then Trump’s lawyer, solicit allegations from the Ukrainians that could be used to smear then-candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter during the 2020 presidential race. Trump’s pressuring of Ukraine’s president to announce an investigation related to these bogus allegations is what led to his first impeachment. (Parnas, whose sentencing date is not set, faces another trial on fraud charges.)
Parnas and his pal Igor Fruman were arrested two years ago at DC’s Dulles International Airport holding one-way tickets to Vienna. Fruman followed a standard course for a high-profile federal criminal defendant, staying quiet and then, last month, pleading guilty. But Parnas opted for publicity, turning on Trumpworld, cooperating with the House’s impeachment investigation, and eventually appearing on the Rachel Maddow Show, where he laid out varied allegations about Trump and his advisers.
With that approach, Parnas followed in the footsteps of Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer, who, after he was hit with tax and campaign finance charges (also levied by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York), famously turned on Trump and denounced him in a congressional hearing, even as he negotiated with prosecutors.
The tactical overlap between Parnas and Cohen was no coincidence. Lanny Davis, Cohen’s attorney, told me last year that Parnas’ lawyer had expressed admiration for his handling of the Cohen case, and said he “learned a lot” from it. That lawyer, Joseph Bondy, confirmed the conversation, but downplayed similarities between the two cases. One key similarity is that both clients went public with details of alleged criminality by Trump and his associates before securing a cooperation arrangement with prosecutors.
Southern District prosecutors famously frown on that. They don’t like working with publicity hounds. Also, by going public with allegations about Giuliani, who is under investigation by the same office, Parnas may have given away some of his leverage to negotiate a plea bargain. “I wouldn’t even attempt to explain what Mr. Bondy is doing,” said an attorney involved in the case. Davis, meanwhile, told me that media attention might help improve Parnas’ “credibility [and] his reputation, but it doesn’t help him get a deal.”
By reputation and allegation, Parnas is something of a confidence man. He got people like Giuliani to trust him, and rich people to loan him money. In 2011, a Florida couple sued Parnas for stiffing them on a $350,000 loan he claimed was for a movie deal. He convinced wealthy businessmen around the world to finance his travel activities and, allegedly, political contributions that gave Parnas direct access to top Republican officials.
Sign up for our free newsletter
Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.
Close
Thank you for subscribing!
Email
By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners.
With his publicity spree, Parnas appeared to be trying to charm the anti-Trump resistance in the hope that his new status as a whistleblower would help him in count. His lawyer had articulated a plan of sorts: Bondy said he hoped House Democrats would grant Parnas immunity for statements he made in potential congressional testimony. Bondy also has said he hoped his client would win a reduced sentence due to helping a congressional inquiry.
But Congress didn’t grant him immunity. Democrats declined even to accept his offer to testify last year, apparently fearing that Parnas lacked credibility. He never cut any deal with the federal prosecutors, either.
With today’s conviction, his ploy appears to have failed. We’ll see just how badly when he is sentenced.
The Living, Dead and Destroyed Outsourcing Stories
The Living, Dead and Destroyed Outsourcing Stories
Pete Bennett's grassroots efforts regarding the impact of the H-1b eventuall destroyed his family, career and his health.
Outsourcing
Bennett appeared on PBS with Oracle Spokesman Robert Hoffman. The core topic was outsourcing of US Jobs and the impact of the H-1b visa.
Nothing in San Francisco not even the reward for the murder of Officer Lester Garnier
Harris indicts Childs
Indict, fire or kill US Programmers so as too outsource your personal reocords.
Mr. Childs was seen at Pacific IT Professionals a 4,000 member IT Professional association
Outsourcing Clearing Procedure
Bennett met Mr. Childs at local tech meetings. Many in tech consider his arrest and charge overkill but length of sentence more disturbing.
Nothing in San Francisco not even the reward for the murder of Officer Lester Garnier
The Untold Dead Candidates Stories
What Pete Bennett and Kamala Harris know but only Pete is will to share.
2016 ~ Pete Bennett beaten downtown Walnut Creek
Pete Bennett a resident of Contra Costa County since 1978 sat back for years watching endless incidents of murders, hate crimes and setups of suspects. His first case was a car arson fire at the end of Santa Monica Drive.
1982 to 1996 The Railroad Billionaire
Philip Anschutz Chairman of Southern Pacific
Attorney Rick Kopf appeared in Contra Costa County Superior Court on behalf of Southern Pacific. Back in 1989 this collection of parties from Southern Pacific likely colluded in destroying Bennett vs. Southern Pacific by killing a key witness.
Today Bennett believes the murders and hate crimes lead to the investigators.
1he 1978 KKK Invitation
Bennett relocated to Walnut Creek California during June 1978 renting a cottage house next to Coop Grocery on Geary Road. The property was owned by Jack Bennett (Cousin) and Irene Gorgas of Ideal Homes located on N. Main at Geary.
1979-1992 ~ Sheriff Rainey
Sheriff Richard Rainey has part of Contra Costa Sheriff since the mid sixties. Bennett arrived in June 1978 where he ran into a series of people clearly connected to the KKK. Given the large number of cold cases something is amiss in the statistics.
1979-1992 ~ Mark Peterson
Mark Peterson held the highest level of trust in Contra Costa County as District Attorney. During June 2017 Peterson was charged with perjury connected his fibbing on Fair Political Practices forms (FPPC). During 2010 Bennett met with Peterson with at least a dozen withenss.
Southern Pacific General Counsel
This attorney and his connections to the inner power structure of Contra Costa County was defense council in the Matter of Bennett vs. Southern Pacific filed in 1987 lost in 1990.
2003 to 2015 Mark Coon
Mark Coon was the most gracious person. He met with Pete Bennett in regards to the City of Concord Entertainment Permit. The dispute arose when Bennett attempted to busk downtown in Todos Santos Park. Bennett went the Concord Police Department where he met with Chief Livingston. Years later Bennett realized Livingston was present at the Pine Wood Derby the same weekend his sons were taken.
Former PG&E Contractor Pete Bennett file papers to run for Walnut Creek City Council but Walnut Creek Officers escorted him the building with loaded weapons. Part 1 of 4
Former PG&E Contractor Pete Bennett file papers to run for Walnut Creek City Council but Walnut Creek Officers escorted him the building with loaded weapons.
Part 1 is covered by a East Bay Times Editorial. Follow The Unarmed Constituent, The Unarmed Candidate and the The Bennett Kidnapping Incidents which is directly linked to Police Officers currently and formerly employed in Walnut Creek.
Text
col-3
There’s blame on both sides for the Walnut Creek City Council’s dysfunction.
Consequently, although there are three council openings in the upcoming election, we endorse only two candidates, incumbent Loella Haskew and Kevin Wilk, former member of the transportation and arts commissions.
We cannot back either of the other two candidates, incumbents Bob Simmons and Justin Wedel, because of their actions during their current terms.
It’s a shame. Walnut Creek is on better financial footing than most cities, although its pension debt continues to rise. Nevertheless, Simmons, Haskew and Wilk want to eventually put a sales tax hike before voters. We remain to be convinced of the need.
We back Haskew and Wilk despite their sales tax push. And that issue doesn’t determine our rejection of Simmons.
Rather, it’s the heavy-handed way he and Councilwoman Cindy Silva behaved during a 2013 child sexual abuse investigation. The probe stemmed from revelations that a part-time usher coordinator at the city’s Lesher Center for the Arts sent a 13-year-old inappropriate social media messages.
State law requires administrators and employees involved with children’s programs to report suspected child abuse to authorities. Walnut Creek police claimed that city employees failed to do so. The independent investigation showed otherwise.
But the investigation concluded that City Manager Ken Nordhoff impeded the probe by evading questions and had placed four employees on leave while remaining silent about his own knowledge of the case.
After the council learned of the findings about Nordhoff, Simmons and Silva tried to derail the investigation, City Attorney Bryan Wenter told this newspaper after he resigned over the incident.
In a meeting with Wenter, the two accused him of abusing his power, and his upcoming job review was mentioned. Simmons and Silva claim they were just trying to speed up the investigation.
Even if their account were true, Simmons and Silva had no business acting on their own to direct the city attorney. That was unacceptable. Making matters worse, Simmons was evasive when we asked him about the incident this week.
As for Wedel, he went overboard in the opposite direction. He felt Nordhoff should have resigned and, as recently as November, publicly upbraided the city manager. It was counterproductive.
Nordhoff should have been punished short of termination. We know of no punishment. Last week, more than three years after the investigation, he announced he is leaving to take another job.
We wish we could back Wedel, even though we disagree with him on many policy issues. Walnut Creek needs divergent and younger voices.
One of the most promising, Kristina Lawson, the top vote-getter in 2010, opted not to seek re-election in 2014 because of “an unproductive and toxic environment” on the City Council.
That must change.
col-12
The Walnut Creek City Council Voter Fraud Investigation and DA Peterson the Felon
Cindy Silva heard Pete Bennett for the first time during the November 2, 2011 Council Meeting.
Several weeks later the defendant in Bennett v. Collins fell to his death. During a March 2005 several 'friends" with badges arrived from Santa Clara County District Attorney Officers.
Bought me a beer to coerce me?
2018 Endorsements
My sincere thanks to all who have shown their confidence in me by endorsing my re-election candidacy for Walnut Creek City Council.
Who Supports Cindy
Organizations
East Bay Times
Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce
Walnut Creek Police Association
Elected Officials
Walnut Creek City Council
Councilmember Rich Carlston
Councilmember Loella Haskew
Councilmember Kevin Wilk
Ron Cassano, City Treasurer
Former Walnut Creek City Council
Former Walnut Creek Mayors
Charlie Abrams
Bill Armstrong
Merle Hall
Kathy Hicks
Dick Hildebrand
Mary Lou Lucas
Gail Murray
Sue Rainey
Kish Rajan
Gwen Regalia
Bob Simmons
Sanford Skaggs
Gary Skrel
Other Elected Officials
Debora Allen, BART Director
Brandt Andersson, Lafayette Mayor
Newell Arnerich, Danville Mayor
Candace Andersen, County Supervisor
Ernie Avila, Contra Costa Water District Director/ Division 3
Catharine Baker, State Assemblymember
Elizabeth Bettis, WCSD Governing Board
Lisa Blackwell, Danville Town Council
Diane Burgis, County Supervisor
Ken Carlson, Pleasant Hill City Council
John Coleman, President, EBMUD
Kathy Coppersmith, Acalanes HS District Governing Board
Steve Glazer, State Senator
Dr. Michael Harris, Pleasant Hill City Council
Robert Hockett, Acalanes HS Governing Board
Cherise Khaund, MDUSD Governing Board (elect)
Beverly Lane, East Bay Regional Parks District director
Diane Longshore, Concord Mayor (ret.)
Mike McGill, Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
Sherri McGoff, WCSD Governing Board
Karen Mitchoff, County Supervisor
Sue Noack, Pleasant Hill City Council
Katie Peña, WCSD Governing Board
Barbara Pennington, WCSD Governing Board
Scott Perkins, San Ramon City Council
Richard Rainey, State Senator (ret.)
Sue Severson, Orinda Mayor (former)
Karen Stepper, Danville Town Council
Robert Storer, Danville Town Council
Dan Walden, WCSD Governing Board (ret.)
Amy Worth, Orinda Mayor
Appointed Officials
Janet Abrams, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner (former)
Tom Bassett, Design Review Commissioner (former)
Joe Bologna, Arts Commissioner (former)
Polly Bradbury, Arts Commissioner (former)
Bob Brittain, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner (former)
Fritz Brunner, Arts Commissioner (former)
Terry Camp, Design Review Commissioner (former)
Lonna Coleman, Arts Commissioner (former)
Daphne Cothren, Design Review Commissioner (former)
Glynnis Cowdery, Arts Commissioner
Cindy Darling, Planning Commissioner
Jodi Davenport, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner
Tom Donahoe, Arts Commissioner (former)
Jane Emanuel, Arts Commissioner
Carol Fowler, Arts Commissioner (former)
Neil Gerstner, Planning Commissioner (former)
Joseph Gorny, Design Review Commissioner
Eric Harrison, Planning Commissioner
Bill Hunt, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner (former)
Lesley Hunt, Planning Commissioner (former)
Jerry Kaplan, Planning Commissioner (former)
Robert Kearsley, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner
Brian Kilian, Design Review Commissioner
Iasmine Klauber, Arts Commissioner
Brian Krcelic, Planning Commissioner
Dan Lawrence, Park, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner (former)
Peter Lezak, Planning Commissioner
Mark Lopez, Design Review Commissioner (former)
Carla Ludwig, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner (former)
Jon Malkovich, Planning Commission (former)
Dorothy McDonald, Design Review Commissioner (former)
Ian McLaughlin, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner (former)
Ann Merideth, Arts Commissioner
Paul Meyerhofer, Transportation Commissioner (former)
Danny Milks, Transportation Commissioner
Allan Moore, Planning Commissioner
Allan Moore, Planning Commissioner
Jim Murray, Contra Costa Mosquito & Disease Vector Control District, Trustee
Art Oller, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner
Tom O'Toole, Transportation Commissioner (former)
Jim Pezzaglia, Arts Commissioner (former)
Bob Pickett, Planning Commissioner
Dave Powell, Planning Commissioner (former)
Steve Reiser, Planning Commissioner
Anna Sagastegui, Arts Commissioner
Nan Siegel, Arts Commissioner (former)
Kenneth Strongman, Transportation Commissioner
Rick Underwood, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner (former)
Carlos Velilla, Design Review Commission
Phil Volkmann, Design Review Commissioner (former)
Clark Wallace, Contra Costa Assessment Appeals Board Member
Melissa Ward, Transportation Commissioner
Michael Weiner, Civic Arts Education Advisory Council (former)
Fred Weston, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner
Tom Worthy, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commissioner (former)
Dominique Yancey, SRV Fire District
Individuals
Barbara Abernathy
Charlie & Janet Abrams
Stephen & Christine Abrams
Mitzi Abramson
Sue DiMaggio Adams
Debora Allen
Dan Scott & Kim Allen
Doug Alvey
Richard Amaro
Newell Americh
Candace Andersen
Beverly Anderson
Brandt Andersson
Tim Argenti
Bill & Navid Armstrong
Frank Arthur
Rebecca & Jared Asch
Jay Atkinson
Ralph & Sydney Austin
Jean A. Autrey
Ernie Avila
Catharine Baker
Christine & Larry Barclay
Mike Rippey & Gretchen Bartzen
Tom & Pat Bassett
Dick & Chris Bertrand
Elizabeth Bettis
Linda & Ed Best
John and Ann Bevan
Sandra Biagi
Les & Sharon Birdsall
Lisa Blackwell
Peter Blaney
Genevieve Blasius
Barbara Blum
Joe Bologna
David Bowlby
Polly Bradbury
David Bradley
Bob & Cindy Brittain
Mark & Maria Brown
Ron & Sharon Brown
Fritz Brunner
Diane Burgis
Buddy & Holly Burke
Kent Caldwell
Ken & Ginger Calvert
Terry Camp
Patrick Campbell
Clarita Cardenas-Velilla
Ken Carlson
Rich & Sue Carlston
Ron Cassano
David Clarke
Angie & Pete Coffee
John Coleman
Lonna Coleman
Robert Combs
Jason & Kimberly Cooke
Kathy Coppersmith
Nadia Costa
Daphne Cothren
Glynnis & John Cowdery
Paul & Kirsten Cox
Sal Crispi
Larry Crummer
Bev Cullen
Lee Culver
Richard Daniel
Cindy & Gary Darling
Joe Bunik & Jodi Davenport
Angela De La Housaye
Diane Longshore & Ron DeGolia
Ed & Denise Del Beccaro
Sunshine Deffner
Stephen & Carmen Deness
Todd DiMartino
Rebecca Doe
Fran & Steve Dogett
Tom & Nancy Donahoe
Nancy Donaldson-White
Paul Douglas
Art & Ardy Dreshfielld
Jill & Bruce Dresser
Dick & Carol DuBey
Jack & Sylvia Dudum
Bob & Wendy Duncan
Paul & Patricia Dunton
Pat & Bill Eich
Greg & Marcia Eiler
Eric Eisenberg
Barbara El Baroudi
Jane & Roger Emanuel
Teri Erickson
Kelly Farrell & Juan Carlos Espina
Jack Fallin
Dave & Norma Fellner
Paul Ferrari
Jack Fischer
Frederick Flint
Barney Fonzi
Carol & Ken Fowler
Gordon & Susan Freeman
Mary Fujii
Rich Gay
Janet & Norman Gee
Neil Gerstner
Jean Geyer
Kerynn Gianotti
Steve Glazer
Barry & Niki Gordon
Joseph Gorny
Terry & Sandy Goss
Bradley Griggs
Thomas Haas
Carol Haig
Merle & Bonnie Hall
Sam Colt & Anna Halvorson
Doris Hamel
Dr. Michael Harris
Eric Harrison
Richard Harmon
Hilary Harwood
Jean & Harry Harwood
Loella & Ralph Haskew
Cynthia Hatton
Ann Hawley
Georgia Hazard
Ron Hermanson
Kathy & Jerry Hicks
Richard & Lynne Hildebrand
Brian & Lyn Hirahara
JoAnn & Dave Hobbs
Marcie & Harvey Hochhauser
Bob Hockett
Billie Hopper
Barney & Jo Howard
Les & Cathy Howard
Sue & Skip Hoyt
Linda Ashcraft & Richard Hudack
Marge & Al Hudock
Luman & Marilyn Hughes
Roger & Natalie Hughes
Bill & Lesley Hunt
Kris Hunter
Dick & Sally Ingraham
Natalie Inouye
Jacques & Yvonne Jakovleski
Stan Janczura
Howard Jarrell
Marge Joehnk
Lauren Jonas
Jo Jones
Kent & Marcy Jones
Barbara Jordan
Daniel Kanaan
Helen Kane
Jerry and Susan Kaplan
Doris Kawakami
Robert Kearsley
Kevin & Sharon Kelly
Bob Kelso
Sheryl & Ivan Kerr
Cherise Khaund
Brian Killian
Iasmine Klauber
Monica Daigle & Mark Kleisath
Diane & John Kopchik
Nick Kosla
Brian Krcelic
Shirley & Barry Krohn
June Krug
Beverly Lane
Robert & Nora LaPointe
Karen Large
Dan & Sandra Lawrence
Sheryl Lawrence
Margaret Leary
Janet Leask
Herbert Lee
Catherine & David Leutzinger
Sue Levins
Peter Lezak
Don Liddle
Janice Litvin
Stella Liu
Bev & David Loder
Dee Logan
Joyce Long
Mary Caden & Mark Lopez
Jerry Loving
Linda & Ron Loza
Mary Lou Lucas
Joan Lucchese
Carla Ludwig
Anthony (Tony) Lukaszewski
Alisa Mac Cormac
Tom & Diane Mader
Lisa Wrenn & Peter Magnani
Karen Majors
Jon Malkovich
Rosemary & Bernie Mark
Kelly & Elizabeth McCormick
Eugene McGrane
Dorothy McDonald
Mike McGill
Shauna McGlynn
Sherri McGoff
Winnie McIlvenna
Ian McLaughlin
Cynthia McMillan
Ann Merideth
Faye & Geoff Mettler
Paul Meyerhofer
Danny Milks
James Mills
Karen Mitchoff
Walter & Linda Moeller
Allan & Betty Moore
Bielle Moore
Jim Moore
Anne & Lyle Morton
Brian Murphy
Gail & Jim Murray
Jim Murray
Valeri Nagel
Mary Neff
Phil Neff
Gregory & Lynn Nerland
Tina Neuhausel
Sue Noack
Sally Nordwall-Echols
John Nutley
Patrick O'Brien
Kathleen & John Odne
Laura Odom
David Ogden
Andy Okumoto
Art Oller
David & Dolores Olson
William Oman
Ellen Osmundson
Tom O'Toole
Mike Palucki
Amy Pennington
Barbara Pennington
Scott Perkins
Jim & Yvette Pezzaglia
Bob Pickett
Gary & Jean Pokorny
Dave Powell
Bob & Jeanne Power
Trudy & Bruce Presser
Geri Pyle
Maria Rachidi
Sue & Dick Rainey
Kish Rajan
Robin & Art Rangel
Richard & Raina Ravitz
Helen Rees
Ruth Reeves
Gwen Regalia
Marc Kiefer & Connie Regalia
Steve & Wendy Reiser
Moe & Margie Richman
Vicki Roberts
Donna Robertson
Dan & Lynn Robinson
Dennis and Renee Ross
Eldon Rowe
Eric Rudney
Anita Sagastegui
Sara Schroeder
George Schulster
Mark Scott
Lauren Seaver
Marsha & Dick Servetnick
Sue Severson
Erin & Dan Sicotte
Nan Siegel
Judy Whelan & Bob Simmons
Barbara Simpson
Sanford Skaggs
Gary Skrel
Heidi Slocum
David & Sherry Smith
Karl Snover
Rick & Linda Spencer
Sarah Spindle
Mary Alice Stadum
Rob & Karen Stankus
Roger & Eileen Stephens
Tom & Kathy Stephenson
Karen Stepper
Peter Stern
Jim & Betty Stokes
Robert Storer
Bob Stratton
Ken & Melissa Strongman
Patricia Stull
Ann Marie & Tom Taylor
Tom & Sue Terrill
Glen & Joyce Densmore Thomas
Howard & LaVergne Thomas
Bart & Tatiana Tolley
Ping K. & Grace Tse
Rick & Sue Underwood
Alice Valle-Riestra
Lisa Van Dewson
Gayle Vassar
Carlos Velilla
Veronica Velilla-Wiesner
Phil & Pam Volkmann
Dan Walden
Clark Wallace
Melissa Ward
Robert Ward
Courtney Wassserman
Mary Watanabe
Dennis Winslow & Bonnie Waters
Glenn & Chelsea Wechsler
Michael & Denise Weiner
Mike & Kassie Wenzell
Fred & Carla Weston
Michael White
Kevin & Jill Wilk
Susan Williamson
Ernie Wintter
Trudy & Mark Wleklinski
Claire Levine Wolfe
Carly Wood
Ingrid Wood
Cynthia & Rick Woodland
Janiele & Kris Worswick
Amy Worth
Tom & Pat Worthy
Dominique Yancey
Mike Yeraka
Diane & Lance Young
Meredyth Young
Julia & Bill Younger
Eric Zell
Barbara Zodikoff
|
