Archive for March, 2017

An Italian band was arrested and deported for illegal immigration on its way to SXSW – A.V. Club

FACT Magazine reports that Italian alt-rock band Soviet Soviet was arrested and deported by U.S. immigration officials this week, shortly after they landed in Seattle on their way to a performance at this years SXSW. The band wrote a long statement describing their ordeal on Facebook, but the members were apparently detained because their entry to the country was perceived as illegal immigration.

To be clear, the bands arrest doesnt seem to have anything to do with the soon-to-be-removed deportation clause in the standard SXSW contract, the one thats had a number of musicians protesting the festival for what some had seen as strong-arm tactics. Instead, officials appear to have thought that the band was performing for cashnot just the short promotional tour that their documentation statedand arrested them for attempting to work in America without a visa. (In the agents defense, its not like the country isnt absolutely overrun at the moment with well-respected Italian gothic rock bands who slipped under ICEs radar. Its basically an epidemic.)

Immediately upon landing, the bands three members were detained at customs and interrogated separately for four hours, before ultimately being told that they were being deported. First, though, they were handcuffed, searched, and locked up for a night in jail, without being given the chance to notify their management, loved ones, or SXSW itself. They didnt get their phones back until authorities were ready to load them on a plane back to Italy, which appears to have finally come as something as a relief. We were relieved to fly back home and distance ourselves from that violent, stressful and humiliating situation, the band members wrote in the aftermath of their aborted trip. You can read the full Facebook statement below.

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An Italian band was arrested and deported for illegal immigration on its way to SXSW - A.V. Club

Jorge Ramos: ‘Trump effect’ driving down illegal immigration … – Washington Times


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Mike Pence calls Obamacare a ‘nightmare’ at Kentucky stop – USA TODAY

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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky Vice President Mike Pence, at a stop in Louisville, Ky.,vowed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, evenas hundreds of people demonstrated outside in support of the federal health law.

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USA Today Network Deborah Yetter, The (Louisville) Courier-Journal Published 12:57 p.m. ET March 11, 2017 | Updated 9 hours ago

Vice President Mike Pence is taking the Trump administration's case for a health care overhaul to Kentucky, where the governor is unimpressed with the current proposal to replace the Obama-era law. (March 11) AP

Vice President Mike Pence at a rally to promote the repeal and replace of Obamacare in Jeffersontown on Saturday.(Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./ The CJ)

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky Vice President Mike Pence, at a stop in Louisville, Ky.,vowed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, evenas hundreds of people demonstrated outside in support of the federal health law.

"Obamacare has failed the people of Kentucky, Obamacare has failed the people of America and Obamacare must go!" Pence declared Fridayto an enthusiastic invitation-only audience of more than 100.

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, also a Republican opponent of the federal health law, introduced his "dear friend" Pence and said he shared his views on the law that has brought health coverage to more than half a million Kentuckians.

"Obamacare is a disaster," Bevin said. "It needs to be repealed. It needs to be replaced!"

Hundreds of protesters rally outside Pence speech: 'Save our care'

And Bevin appeared to discount reports of discord within the Republican Party over a controversial plan to restructure the health law U.S. House Republicans introduced Monday including the criticism by Kentucky's U. S. Sen. Rand Paul.

"Of course there's disagreement," Bevin said. "This is America."

But most of the spotlight was on Pence, who in addition to pledging a repeal of Obamacare, ticked off a campaign-style checklist of the Trump administration's goals on immigration, taxes and the economy.

"Together, with your support and God's help, we will make America great again," Pence concluded.

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Mike Pence calls Obamacare a 'nightmare' at Kentucky stop - USA TODAY

Maddow: ‘It is Impossible’ That Mike Pence Didn’t Know About Michael Flynn’s Turkish Dealings – Mediaite

During last nights broadcast of MSNBCs The Rachel Maddow Show, host Rachel Maddow took aim at the recent revelations surrounding former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and his lobbying and consulting ties to the government of Turkey.

Specifically, Maddow took issue with Vice President Mike Pence recently telling Fox News Bret Baier that this was the first time he heard the story that Flynn had to retroactively register as a foreign agent due to his contracts with Turkey that paid him over $500,000 during Trumps presidential campaign and transition.

As Maddow noted, there is just no way that this was the first time Pence wasmade aware of Flynns dealings with Turkey.

It is impossible this is the first Mike Pence has heard of it, Maddow exclaimed. Mike Pence was the head of the transition, while all of those news stories of Mike Flynn being on the Turkish governments payroll were breaking.

She continued, He was the head of the transition when Mike Flynn was being vetted for the National Security Advisor job. He was the head of the transition when Congress formally notified the head of the transition that Mike Flynn appears to be on a foreign governments payroll. He was the head of the transition when Mike Flynns personal lawyers came and told the transition that Mike Flynn maybe needed to register as a foreign agent.

Yesterday, the Associated Press reportedthat the Trump transition team was made aware that Flynn likely needed to register as a foreign agent due to his work with Turkey. Also, as Maddow explained, Rep. Elijah Cummings sent a letter to Pence a week after the election expressing his concern over the Turkish dealings.

Watch the clip above, via MSNBC.

[image via screengrab]

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Maddow: 'It is Impossible' That Mike Pence Didn't Know About Michael Flynn's Turkish Dealings - Mediaite

DC Daily: Pence peddles health care in Kentucky, DOJ cans 46 US Attorneys – 10News

Department of Justice requests for resignations from 46 U.S. Attorneys sparked anger from government officials overnight, who claim they were not clued into the move. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer also spoke Friday on the possibility of government employees working against the Trump Administration.

President Donald Trump also plans to submit his newest nomination, this time for the Federal Food and Drug Administration.

Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence will be in Kentucky to make the case for the administration's new health care law.

Pence in Kentucky to make case for health care

-- Vice President Mike Pence is in Kentucky Saturday to make the case for a bill to overhaul the Obama-era Affordable Care Act.

Kentucky is home to one of the leading critics of the Trump Administration plan to replace the law, Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and Republican Sen. Rand Paul,according to ABC News.

Vice President Pence has tried to calm critics of the House-backed plan, telling Fox News the current draft is justthe start of the process.

Watch 10News' Facebook Live of Pence's speech here:

President Trump invites Palestinian leader to White House

-- The White House confirmed Friday that President Trump has invited Palestinian leader MahmoudAbbas to the White House to discuss resuming peace talks regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Abbas' spokesperson said the leader would travel "very soon," ABC News reports.

"The president emphasized his personal belief that peace is possible and that the time has come to make a deal," the White House said. "The president noted that such a deal would not only give Israelis and Palestinians the peace and security they deserve, but that it would reverberate positively throughout the region and the world."

White House announces Scott Gottlieb as FDA nomination

-- The White House confirmed Fridaythat Scott Gottliebis in line to be nominated as the new commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

ABC News reports that Gottlieb isa physician who previously served as deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs with the FDA under former President George W. Bush's administration.

He is currently a partner at New Enterprise Associates, where he specializes in health care investments.

.@POTUS has announced his intent to nominate Scott Gottlieb as next Commissioner of the FDA

Department of Justice requests resignations from 46 U.S. Attorneys

-- The Department of Justice requested the resignation of 46 U.S. Attorneys packing late Friday, prompting a spark of anger from U.S. officials who said they were not aware of the move.

Many prosecutors were notified from the time the notices were sent Friday afternoon without any formal notice, CNN reports. Law enforcement officials have criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions' handling of the situation as being poorly handled, with many of those effected finding out through media reports.

"As was the case in prior transitions, many of the United States attorneys nominated by the previous administration already have left the Department of Justice. The attorney general has now asked the remaining 46 presidentially appointed US attorneys to tender their resignations in order to ensure a uniform transition," Justice Department spokesperson Sarah Isgur Flores told CNN.

Spicer hints on 'Deep State' of government employees

-- Friday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer alluded there may be a segment of government employees actively working against the interests of President Trump's administration.

In a news conference with reporters, Spicer said eight years of a Democrat-controlled White House has likely left some agendas behind, according to CNN.

"So I don't think it should come as any surprise there are people that burrowed into government during eight years of the last administration and may have believed in that agenda and may continue to seek it." Spicer said. "I don't think that should come as a surprise."

Spicer denied that the CIA was working to identify those employees and remove them from their positions.

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DC Daily: Pence peddles health care in Kentucky, DOJ cans 46 US Attorneys - 10News