Page 6 - Florida Sentinel 8-10-18

White House and Political News
Trump Administration Tries To Block Legal Immigrants From Qualifying For Citizenship And Green Cards
Gates Admits Affair, Says He Used Manafort’s Money For Trysts
Paul Manafort, President Trump’s onetime campaign chairman, is on trial in federal court in Alexandria on bank and tax fraud charges. Prosecutors allege that he failed to pay taxes on millions he made from his work for a Russia-friendly Ukrainian political party, then lied to get loans when the cash stopped coming in.
The case is being prosecuted by the special counsel investigat- ing Russian interference in the 2016 U. S. presidential election. Here’s what you need to know about Day 6 of this trial:
• Manafort’s longtime business partner Rick Gates took the stand for a second day.
• He admitted to having an extra-marital affair in London and to embezzling from Man- afort.
• Gates testified about how he and Manafort set up offshore accounts in Cyprus to transfer money to the U. S.
• 5:27 p.m.: Judge ques- tions how closely Manafort watches money
• Just before the jury left for the day, Rick Gates echoed other prosecution witnesses in saying Paul Manafort kept a close eye on his financial affairs.
Before he joined the Trump campaign, Paul Manafort made a name for himself in the D.C. lobbying world, but his past caught up with him.
• “Mr. Manafort in my opinion kept fairly frequent up- dates,” Gates said, after a dis- cussion of movement between their consulting firm’s offshore accounts. “Mr. Manafort was very good at knowing where the money was and where it was going.”
• Judge Ellis, as he has repeatedly, interjected.
• “He didn’t know about the money you were stealing,” Ellis said, “so he didn’t do it that
closely.”
• The comment by the
judge goes to a question at the heart of the trial — how much fraud could possibly have gone on under Manafort’s nose without his knowledge.
• Downing also chal- lenged Gates on his acceptance of responsibility, pointing out that he has not repaid the money he stole from Manafort.
• “I spent it over the years,” Gates said.
Just when you thought the Trump administration couldn’t be any more harsh towards immigrants, they’ve somehow found a new way to instill fear in the hearts of those seeking to make a life in this country.
According to sources at NBC News, in coming weeks, White House officials are ex- pected to issue a proposal that would make it harder for legal immigrants to become citizens or even qualify for green cards if they’ve ever used any form of public wel- fare programs, which some- how now includes Obamacare.
The plan, which has yet to be approved by Congress, was initiated by White House sen- ior adviser Stephen Miller as a way to severely restrict the number of immi- grants who are able to obtain legal status in the U. S.
Based on the most recent proposal draft, which has yet to be finalized, immigrants living legally in the U. S. who
have ever used or whose household members have ever used Obamacare, chil- dren’s health insurance, food stamps and other social bene- fits could be prohibited from obtaining citizenship.
Public health researchers, immigration lawyers and ad- vocates all agree this would be the most drastic change to the legal immigration sys- tem in decades, which could adversely affect the lives of over 20 million people. The plan could be particularly devastating to immigrants working jobs that don’t pay enough to support their fam- ilies and therefore need assis- tance as a means of basic survival.
“The administration is committed to enforcing exist- ing immigration law, which is clearly intended to protect the American taxpayer by ensur- ing that foreign nationals seeking to enter or remain in the U. S. are self-sufficient,” a spokeswoman for the Depart- ment of Homeland Security said.
City Of West Hollywood Calls For Trump Walk Of Fame Star To Be Removed
LOS ANGELES - On the same day the City of West Hollywood voted to ask for President Donald Trump's Walk of Fame star to be removed, the person who'd most recently vandal- ized it was charged.
The resolution to request the removal of Trump's star's was unanimously adopted by the West Holly- wood City Council but is not legally binding as the city has no jurisdiction over the Hol- lywood Walk of Fame.
Mayor John Duran said the vote was symbolic.
"The West Hollywood City Council did not pass the reso- lution because Donald Trump is a conservative or a Republican. Earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
is an honor. When one belit- tles and attacks minorities, immigrants, Muslims, people with disabilities or women -- the honor no longer exists," he told CNN.
Duran said the council had never previously asked for a star to be removed: "Never have we intruded into our neighboring city's busi- ness like this. But the circum- stances compelled us to make an exception to the rule."
PAGE 6-A FLORIDA SENTINEL-BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2018