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A26 u.s. news
Diamars 1 september 2020

May 24 trial set for Steve Bannon in fundraising fraud scam

By LARRY NEUMEIS- made, including claims that
TER the prosecution was an as-
Associated Press sault on the freedom of do-
NEW YORK (AP) — A nors for "political reasons."
May 2021 trial date was set "I gave 3 limbs defending this
Monday for Steve Bannon, freedom, and I'd proudly give
President Donald Trump's another to fight back at this
former chief strategist, on injustice to preserve the fu-
charges that he cheated do- ture of this nation," Kolfage
nors to a group seeking to wrote in one Facebook post.
fund a southern border wall. "The witch hunt is on!" he
Bannon, 66, of Washington, protested in another.
D.C., was audible but not Kolfage's attorney, Harvey
visible on a video screen as Steinberg, said prosecutors
he appeared for the first time were the real violators of local
before U.S. District Judge rules because of statements
Analisa Torres, who set a May law enforcement authorities
24 trial date. made the day of the arrests.
The hearing was notable, too, He said prosecutors were
as a prosecutor said one of acting like a schoolyard bully
Bannon's codefendants had who hits somebody and then
made inflammatory claims "runs to the teacher" when
on social media asserting the struck back.
prosecution was politically The judge warned all parties
motivated and an assault on to obey local rules banning
the freedom of donors. President Donald Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon speaks with reporters after pleading statements that could inter-
In an indictment along with not guilty to charges that he ripped off donors to an online fundraising scheme to build a southern fere with a fair trial or preju-
three others, Bannon was border wall, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, in New York. dice the case.
charged two weeks ago with Associated Press Also charged were Andrew
unlawfully raising over $25 Badolato, 56, of Sarasota,
million for the "We Build a luxury yacht off the coast of Force veteran who lost both son Moe complained Mon- Florida, and Timothy Shea,
The Wall" campaign. Connecticut. He was freed legs and a hand in a mortar day that Kolfage has made 49, of Castle Rock, Colo-
Prosecutors said thousands on $5 million bail by a Man- attack in Iraq. comments on social media rado. Kolfage, Badolato and
of investors were duped into hattan magistrate judge. Kolfage, 38, of Miramar that violated local rules gov- Shea entered not guilty pleas
thinking all of their dona- As he left the courthouse, he Beach, Florida, spent some of erning the behavior of parties Monday. They will be tried
tions would go toward the shouted: "This entire fiasco is the over $350,000 he received to legal cases in New York alongside Bannon in May. All
project, even though Ban- to stop people who want to on home renovations, pay- federal court and threatened four are free on bail after be-
non diverted over a million build the wall." ments toward a boat, a lux- to taint the potential jury ing charged with conspiracy
dollars, paying salary to one Also appearing Monday only ury SUV, a golf cart, jewelry, pool. to commit wire fraud and
campaign official and per- by audio on a video screen cosmetic surgery, personal In a letter to the judge, prose- conspiracy to commit money
sonal expenses for himself. were Bannon's codefendants, tax payments and credit card cutors cited "a steady stream" laundering. Each charge car-
Bannon pleaded not guilty including Brian Kolfage, the debt, the indictment said. of "highly inflammatory" ries a potential penalty of up
after his Aug. 20 arrest aboard project founder and an Air Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali- public statements Kolfage has to 20 years in prison.q

Judge blocks asylum screening by border protection agents

The nationwide injunction in-person training, while asy- “This decision puts an end to
will likely have little, if any, lum officers get at least nine the sham process of using ad-
immediate impact because weeks of formal training. versarial Border Patrol agents
the government has effective- Leon also cast doubt on to conduct highly sensitive
ly suspended asylum during whether CBP, a law enforce- interviews with asylum-seek-
the coronavirus pandemic, ment agency that includes ers,” said Julie Carpenter, an
citing public health concerns. the Border Patrol, could do attorney for the Tahirih Jus-
The Trump administration screenings in a non-adver- tice Center, which sued on
argued that designated CBP sarial manner, as regulations behalf of asylum-seekers.
employees are trained com- require. The judge didn’t address
parably to asylum officers Representatives of the other arguments, including
at U.S. Citizenship and Im- Homeland Security and Jus- that the measure was invalid
migration Services, another tice Departments did not because CBP Commissioner
agency within the Home- immediately respond to re- Mark Morgan is serving in an
land Security Department. quests for comment. U.S. acting capacity and lacks au-
U.S. District Judge Richard Citizenship and Immigration thority under federal law.
J. Leon in Washington dis- Services said it does not com- The Government Account-
agreed. ment on pending litigation. ability Office, a congressio-
In this Sept. 17, 2019, file photo, a U.S. Customs and “Poppycock!” he wrote in a Lawyers for mothers and nal watchdog, said earlier this
Border Protection officer gives instructions to migrants who 22-page decision. “The train- their children from Mexico, month that the Homeland
are on their way to apply for asylum in the United States, on ing requirements cited in the Ecuador and Honduras who Security Department’s top
International Bridge 1 as they depart Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. government’s declaration failed the screening — known two officials, also in acting
Associated Press do not come close to being as a “credible fear” interview, roles, are ineligible to run the
‘comparable’ to the training in which they must persuade agency because they improp-
By ELLIOT SPAGAT from conducting the initial requirements of full asylum officials they have a credible erly appointed under fed-
Associated Press screening for people seeking officers.” fear of persecution in their eral law. Homeland Security
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A asylum, dealing a setback to Leon, who was appointed by home country — argued that strongly disagreed. Trump
federal judge on Monday one of the Trump adminis- President George W. Bush, CBP employees were not au- nominated Chad Wolf, the
blocked U.S. Customs and tration’s efforts to rein in asy- said CBP employees get two thorized to do the work and acting secretary, to the per-
Border Protection employees lum. to five weeks of distance and lacked training. manent job last week. q