Challengers - December 2019

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  Scammers using phony Amazon call, Cash App to steal from victims

  Online scams are just as old as the Internet itself. >> Read more trending news  Recently, however, scammers have been getting more and more creative, conjuring up ways to get money from unsuspecting people. A relatively new scam, according to police in Melrose, Massachusetts, uses the money transfer app Cash App to grant scammers access to a victim’s bank account. One Melrose woman fell victim to it – and she’s not alone. Victims have been reporting scams via Cash App across the country. “We’re coming up with a new trend,” said Melrose police Chief Michael Lyle. “Out of the blue, they asked her, ‘Did you purchase a computer through Amazon through Texas?’ [and] she said no. Then they said, ‘Oh, gosh, we have to transfer you to the fraud department,’ and that’s when they got their claws into her.' Chief Lyle said the victim, who is in her 60s, was instructed to download Cash App and link it to her bank account. She was told to share her password and account with the scammers. Innocently, she did. Almost immediately, the woman began receiving notifications popping up saying hundreds of dollars were being withdrawn from her account. The victim lost $1,000. “She should have stopped immediately [and] went online [and] contacted Amazon immediately,” said Lyle. Due to the holidays, Amazon orders are being placed every second, and with so many orders and deliveries coming in, thieves are taking advantage of the situation. Lumyr Deriser said he heavily relies on online apps like Amazon, so these new schemes are frightening for him. “I use Amazon all the time,” said Deriser. “I think it’s geared toward young people.” In nearby Malden, police Capt. Marc Gatcomb said there have been multiple reports of people being scammed out of money through Cash App. “Its bad enough you’re getting the phone calls; now, they want you to download these apps, and obviously, that is not a good thing,” said Capt. Gatcomb. WFXT has reached out to Cash App and Amazon for statements but has not heard back from them. Police are taking this as a chance to warn consumers to protect their personal information and not to answer calls from unknown numbers.
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  House panel poised to approve Trump impeachment charges

  Facing a wall of Republican opposition, Democrats in the U.S. House are on the verge of approving two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, as critics of the President pressed their case in opening arguments Wednesday night before the House Judiciary Committee. 'We must hold this President accountable for corrupting our democracy,' said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). 'We must impeach this President.' 'President Trump grossly abused his power,' said Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ). 'Until this investigation began, I did not support impeaching President Trump,' said Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), who labeled this a 'break glass' emergency moment in American history. 'This is a moment that the President has forced upon us,' said Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL). On the other side of the dais, Republicans ridiculed and blasted the impeachment effort by Democrats, labeling them sore losers, and accusing their rivals of simply trying to undo the results of the last election. 'We are witness, I believe, the most tragic mockery of justice in the history of this nation,' said Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH). 'This is scary stuff what they're doing,' said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). 'Frankly it is dangerous for our country. It is not healthy for our country.' 'We've heard some great speeches tonight, but let's not forget, this is a political hit job,' said Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA). 'This is the quickest, thinnest, weakest, most partisan impeachment in all of American presidential history,' said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). Debate will resume at 9 am on the two articles of impeachment which Democrats have set before the panel. One charge alleges abuse of power by President Trump, revolving around his July 25, 2019 phone call with the leader of Ukraine, where the President pressed Ukraine to announce investigations of former Vice President Joe Biden, and a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine - and not Russia - had been behind the hacking of Democrats in 2016. The other impeachment charge covers obstruction of Congress, as Democrats say the President's refusal to cooperate with investigators - and his orders to Executive Branch officials to defy subpoenas from Congress - is not behavior which should be tolerated under the Constitution. Votes in the Judiciary Committee are expected Thursday, with a vote in the full House next week.
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  Family member arrested after a drowning

  A man was arrested after the death of his brother early Wednesday morning near Claremore. Nazra Daly was arrested for 2nd degree murder. His brother, Zeth Daly, was a passenger during a police chase. Deputies say the car crashed and ended up in a creek. Investigators tried to rescue Zeth, but he went under before they could get to him. Nazra ran way , but was quickly taken into custody by Rogers County deputies.
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  Red ink jumps with $209 billion federal deficit in November

  The path of the federal deficit continued in the wrong direction in the month of November as the Treasury Department reported on Wednesday that Uncle Sam ran up a budget shortfall last month of $209 billion, as the deficit totaled $343 billion in just the first two months of the new fiscal year. The latest monthly report contained a familiar set of numbers, as revenues went up by a small amount, while spending went up by a larger number. It was the fifth time in the last thirteen months that the monthly deficit for the U.S. Government went over $200 billion, with a record of $234 billion set in February 2019. The 2020 fiscal year began with a deficit of $134 billion in October. The latest budget figures also reflected the new tariffs levied by the Trump Administration on imports from China and other nations, as the feds have brought in $14.6 billion in import duties in October-November - almost $3 billion more than the same two months in 2018. In Fiscal Year 2019, the feds took in $71 billion in tariffs, a dramatic increase from $38 billion in 2018. The quick jump in the deficit for Fiscal Year 2020 only reinforces the forecasts by the White House and the Congressional Budget Office that the deficit will go over $1 trillion - possibly for a number of years. 'Permanent trillion-dollar deficits are projected starting this year,' the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said earlier this month. 'And policymakers can't pass a budget.' Watchdog groups like the CFRB are worried a year-end deal to fund the operations of the federal government, also might raise the deficit as well. You can read the full deficit report from the Treasury Department at this link.
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  California considers calling THC in pot a risk to moms-to-be

  More than three years after California voters broadly legalized marijuana, a state panel is considering if its potent, high-inducing chemical — THC — should be declared a risk to pregnant women and require warnings.  Studies have indicated that a rising number of mothers-to-be have turned to marijuana products for relief from morning sickness and headaches, though it’s effectiveness has not been backed by science. Cannabis industry officials say too little sound research is available on THC to support such a move and warn that it could make marijuana companies a target for lawsuits with unverified claims of injuries from pot use during pregnancy.  “That seems like an open-ended checkbook. How do we defend ourselves?” said Los Angeles dispensary owner Jerred Kiloh, who heads the United Cannabis Business Association, an industry group. Lawyers looking for a quick buck will say “give us $10,000 or we are going to take you into a long court case,” he added.

Washington Insider

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  House panel poised to approve Trump impeachment charges

  Facing a wall of Republican opposition, Democrats in the U.S. House are on the verge of approving two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, as critics of the President pressed their case in opening arguments Wednesday night before the House Judiciary Committee. 'We must hold this President accountable for corrupting our democracy,' said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). 'We must impeach this President.' 'President Trump grossly abused his power,' said Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ). 'Until this investigation began, I did not support impeaching President Trump,' said Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), who labeled this a 'break glass' emergency moment in American history. 'This is a moment that the President has forced upon us,' said Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL). On the other side of the dais, Republicans ridiculed and blasted the impeachment effort by Democrats, labeling them sore losers, and accusing their rivals of simply trying to undo the results of the last election. 'We are witness, I believe, the most tragic mockery of justice in the history of this nation,' said Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH). 'This is scary stuff what they're doing,' said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). 'Frankly it is dangerous for our country. It is not healthy for our country.' 'We've heard some great speeches tonight, but let's not forget, this is a political hit job,' said Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA). 'This is the quickest, thinnest, weakest, most partisan impeachment in all of American presidential history,' said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). Debate will resume at 9 am on the two articles of impeachment which Democrats have set before the panel. One charge alleges abuse of power by President Trump, revolving around his July 25, 2019 phone call with the leader of Ukraine, where the President pressed Ukraine to announce investigations of former Vice President Joe Biden, and a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine - and not Russia - had been behind the hacking of Democrats in 2016. The other impeachment charge covers obstruction of Congress, as Democrats say the President's refusal to cooperate with investigators - and his orders to Executive Branch officials to defy subpoenas from Congress - is not behavior which should be tolerated under the Constitution. Votes in the Judiciary Committee are expected Thursday, with a vote in the full House next week.
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  Red ink jumps with $209 billion federal deficit in November

  The path of the federal deficit continued in the wrong direction in the month of November as the Treasury Department reported on Wednesday that Uncle Sam ran up a budget shortfall last month of $209 billion, as the deficit totaled $343 billion in just the first two months of the new fiscal year. The latest monthly report contained a familiar set of numbers, as revenues went up by a small amount, while spending went up by a larger number. It was the fifth time in the last thirteen months that the monthly deficit for the U.S. Government went over $200 billion, with a record of $234 billion set in February 2019. The 2020 fiscal year began with a deficit of $134 billion in October. The latest budget figures also reflected the new tariffs levied by the Trump Administration on imports from China and other nations, as the feds have brought in $14.6 billion in import duties in October-November - almost $3 billion more than the same two months in 2018. In Fiscal Year 2019, the feds took in $71 billion in tariffs, a dramatic increase from $38 billion in 2018. The quick jump in the deficit for Fiscal Year 2020 only reinforces the forecasts by the White House and the Congressional Budget Office that the deficit will go over $1 trillion - possibly for a number of years. 'Permanent trillion-dollar deficits are projected starting this year,' the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said earlier this month. 'And policymakers can't pass a budget.' Watchdog groups like the CFRB are worried a year-end deal to fund the operations of the federal government, also might raise the deficit as well. You can read the full deficit report from the Treasury Department at this link.
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  READ the Articles of Impeachment against President Trump

  House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled the details of their two impeachment charges in the investigation of President Donald Trump, bringing articles that cover alleged abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. 'We must be clear - no one, not even the President - is above the law,' said Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), who will shepherd the impeachment charges through the House Judiciary Committee later this week. The focus for Democrats is the President's request in a July 25 phone call with the leader of Ukraine, where a rough transcript of the call shows Mr. Trump asking Ukraine to announce investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, and into a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine - and not Russia - hacked Democrats in 2016. 'The evidence of the President's misconduct is overwhelming and uncontested,' said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who led five days of public impeachment hearings in the House Intelligence Committee. ARTICLE ONE - ABUSE OF POWER The nine page impeachment resolution features two charges; the first is on 'Abuse of Power.' This charge follows the President's July 25 phone call with the President of Ukraine. 'President Trump engaged in this scheme or course of conduct for corrupt purposes in pursuit of personal political benefit,' the impeachment resolution states. 'He thus ignored and injured the interests of the Nation,' it concludes. The impeachment article specifically mentions the President's effort to have Ukraine announce an investigation with respect to former Vice President Joe Biden - saying Mr. Trump 'corruptly solicited' the government of Ukraine for help. The resolution also says Mr. Trump wanted an investigation into a 'discredited theory promoted by Russia alleging that Ukraine - rather than Russia - interfered in the 2016 United States Presidential election.' ARTICLE TWO - OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESS The second impeachment article is on 'Obstruction of Congress' - as Democrats charge the President wrongly directed those in the Executive Branch to defy subpoenas from Congress in the Ukraine investigation. The resolution specifically names nine different Trump Administration officials who defied subpoenas from Congress for their testimony, including Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, and the head of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought. Not named in the resolution are three other figures who refused to cooperate - the President's attorney Rudy Giuliani, former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and former National Security Adviser John Bolton. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to debate and vote on the impeachment articles on Thursday. A vote in the full House is expected next week. Democrats reach deal with Trump on US-Mexico-Canada trade deal Internal DOJ watchdog: Russia probe properly started by FBI
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  Democrats reach deal with Trump on US-Mexico-Canada trade deal

  After months of quiet negotiations with the White House on changes to the USMCA trade agreement, Democrats on Tuesday said they had reached a deal with President Donald Trump on a deal to replace the NAFTA agreement with Mexico and Canada, possibly paving the way for a vote this year on one of the President's biggest agenda items. 'This is a day we have all been working for,' Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters. 'It is infinitely better than what was initially proposed by the Administration.' Democrats had pressed for a series of changes related to enforcement of labor and environmental standards, and won new provisions dealing with enforceability of those items. 'It's a victory for America's workers,' Pelosi added, as the head of the AFL-CIO signaled his public support. A variety of groups hailed the news. 'We are optimistic this development will open the door to final approval of USMCA on a bipartisan basis by the end of the year,' said Tom Donahue, the CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 'This is welcome news and a relief for American farmers,' said Angela Hoffman of the group Farmers for Free Trade. 'Farmers and ranchers will be watching closely to ensure that their members of Congress are standing up for American agriculture,” Hoffman added. 'The USMCA will create even more jobs for the hardworking families who are the backbone of our economy – the farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and small business owners,' said Vice President Mike Pence in a statement. Pence's written statement said Democrats had finally 'acquiesced' to a vote on the agreement - but the White House had been fully involved in the behind the scenes talks in recent months with Democrats and other outside groups. The late changes include agreements to strengthen labor standards, toughen the environmental agreements, set up stricter verification mechanisms, and on dispute resolution issues among the three nations. The agreement came after months of public criticism of Democrats by the President and GOP lawmakers in Congress - which grew harsher and harsher in recent weeks - even as the White House was working behind the scenes with Speaker Pelosi on ways to tweak the agreement in order to get the support of Democrats and major labor unions. 'There is no question of course that this trade agreement is much better than NAFTA,' Pelosi said at a news conference in the same room where she helped to announce impeachment charges against the President - just an hour earlier. A House vote is expected next week on the USMCA deal - just about the same time that lawmakers will also be voting on a pair of historic impeachment charges against President Trump.
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  Democrats ready to unveil impeachment charges against Trump

  After a nearly ten hour impeachment hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on Monday, Democrats in the U.S. House set a news conference for Tuesday morning to announce their next steps, reportedly ready to unveil two impeachment charges against President Donald Trump. The news conference was set as Democrats argued Monday that President Trump had wrongly held back military aid to Ukraine in an effort to pressure that government to announce investigations which could benefit Mr. Trump politically in the 2020 elections. 'Such conduct is clearly impeachable,” Rep. Jerry Nadler D-NY said as he wrapped up the hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. 'This committee will proceed accordingly.' 'The evidence is undisputed and overwhelming,' said Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA). 'President Trump thinks he can get away with it,' said Rep. Val Demings (D-FL). 'But he got caught - and he tried to cover it up.' 'The President's pattern of behavior is incredibly disturbing,' said Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL). 'Russia, Ukraine, China - he's inviting three countries to help him in his 2020 re-election campaign,' the Florida Democrat added. While there had been talk that Democrats would produce as many as five different articles of impeachment, the latest indications were there would be only two - covering abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Republicans denounced the entire process, saying Democrats were rushing simply because they did not have evidence to back up their claims against the President. “This is ridiculous,” Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) said at one point during Monday's House Judiciary Committee hearing. “We shouldn't be doing this.” “This is a sham,” said Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA).