Page 26 - bon-dia-aruba-20200519

A26 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 19 May 2020
Democrats: Fired watchdog was looking into Saudi arms sales

By MATTHEW LEE Arms Export Control Act to
AP Diplomatic Writer move ahead with sales of
WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- $7 billion in precision guid-
gressional Democrats say ed munitions, other bombs
the State Department and ammunition and air-
watchdog fired by Presi- craft maintenance support
dent Donald Trump last to Saudi Arabia, along with
week was investigating the United Arab Emirates
possible impropriety in a and Jordan, without law-
massive arms sales to Sau- makers' approval.
di Arabia last year, add- The law requires Congress
ing new questions to the to be notified of potential
watchdog's abrupt dismiss- arms sales, giving the body
al. the opportunity to block
Democrats said Monday the sale. But the law also al-
that ousted Inspector Gen- lows the president to waive
eral Steve Linick was prob- that review process by de-
ing how the State Depart- claring an emergency that
ment pushed through a $7 requires the sale be made
billion Saudi arms sale over "in the national security in-
congressional objections. terests of the United States."
Democrats previously sug- In his notification, Pompeo
gested the dismissal might said he had made the de-
have been tied to Linick's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks about the coronavirus during news conference at the termination "that an emer-
investigation of allegations State Department in Washington on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Associated Press gency exists which requires
that Secretary of State the immediate sale" of the
Mike Pompeo may have tion. Engel had called for be completed." the secretary had ordered weapons "in order to deter
improperly ordered staff that probe after Pompeo in He called for the State a staffer to pick up take-out further the malign influence
to run personal errands for May 2019 invoked a rarely Department to turn over food, collect dry cleaning of the government of Iran
him. used provision in federal records related to Linick's for him and his wife, and throughout the Middle East
Neither the White House nor law to bypass a congres- firing that he and the top care for their dog. While region." He said the trans-
the State Department has sional review of arms sales Democrat on the Senate problematic, such allega- fers "must occur as quickly
provided specific reasons to Saudi Arabia and the Foreign Relations Commit- tions are unlikely to result in as possible in order to deter
for Linick's dismissal, which United Arab Emirates. tee, Sen. Bob Menendez of any kind of severe conse- further Iranian adventurism
comes amid broader con- "His office was investigating New Jersey, had demand- quence against Pompeo if in the Gulf and throughout
cerns over Trump's removal — at my request -- Trump's ed on Saturday. proved correct. the Middle East."
of numerous inspectors phony declaration of an Trump's firing of Pompeo A finding of impropriety in It came as the administra-
general at various execu- emergency so he could late Friday was done at the Saudi arms sales could, tion actively courted close
tive branch departments. send weapons to Saudi Pompeo's recommenda- however, be more serious. ties with Saudi Arabia over
Eliot Engel, the chairman Arabia," said Engel, D-N.Y. tion and is effective in 30 Engel and other congres- congressional objections,
of the House Foreign Affairs "We don't have the full pic- days. Over the weekend, sional Democrats were ap- notably following the killing
Committee, said he was ture yet, but it's troubling congressional aides had palled when Pompeo in of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-
troubled that Linick was that Secretary Pompeo suggested that it may May 2019 notified Congress based columnist for The
sacked before the comple- wanted Mr. Linick pushed have been prompted by a of the decision to use an Washington Post, by Saudi
tion of the Saudi investiga- out before this work could probe into allegations that emergency loophole in the agents in October 2018.q

Asian Americans lead in internet-based TV use, study shows

Asian Americans, more Asian American Consum- and the "Ugly Delicious"
than any other group, are ers at the Dawn of a New food show hosted by chef
using digital devices and Decade" looked at people David Chang.
streaming services for their who identified as being On gaming, the report
television viewing, accord- Asian, Native Hawaiian or found that Asian Ameri-
ing to a report made public Pacific Islander alone or in cans are 14% more likely to
Monday. combination with another own gaming consoles than
The Nielsen company study race. other U.S, residents.
said that Asian Americans It found that about 82% of The U.S. Asian American
are becoming key consum- Asian Americans subscribe population is the fastest-
ers and influencers in enter- to at least one streaming growing group of all major
tainment and gaming. service, compared to 72% ethnic and racial groups
And Asian Americans are of the total population. among eligible U.S. vot-
proving to be more tech According to Nielsen, Asian ers, according to a Pew
savvy as their purchasing Americans believe stream- Research Center analysis.
power widens, the report ing platforms are where They make up more than
found. they will see more repre- 11 million, or nearly 5%, of
They are leaving behind sentation of people like the electorate.
live TV for Internet-based themselves on TV. Asian American spending
viewing at nearly double The report cited Netflix, surpassed $1 trillion in 2019,
In this April 9, 2008 file photo, chef David Chang prepares the rate of the total U.S. whose programming in- according to Nielsen. That
vegetables for dinner at Momofuku Ko in New York City. population. cludes Ken Jeong and Ali figure is projected to reach
Associated Press
The survey titled "Engaging Wong's comedy specials $1.3 trillion in 2022.q