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knowcriminallaw · 6 years ago

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Federal Criminal Law Variations vs. State Criminal

Prosecution occurs at both the federal and the state levels and so a federal violation is one that is prosecuted under federal criminal law rather than under state criminal law under which the majority of the crimes committed in America are prosecuted. Federal offenses normally involve federal government agencies such as the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, FBI, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the DHS, the Internal Revenue Service, the Border Patrol, Secret Service, or even possibly the Postal Service. There is a network of twelve circuits in the Federal court system, distributed throughout the United States. Each circuit has a central location along with a number of smaller district courts located in cities nearby. U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit (Washington, DC) U.S. District Court, D.C.- Washington, DC U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit (Boston, MA) Example: U.S. District Court, District of Puerto Rico- Hato Rey, PR U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit (New York, NY) Example: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York- Brooklyn, NY U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit (Philadelphia, PA) Example: U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey- Newark, NJ U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit (Richmond, Virginia) Example: U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina- Charlotte, NC U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit (New Orleans, Louisiana) Example: U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas- Houston, TX U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit (Cincinnati, OH) Example: U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee- Memphis, TN U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit (Chicago, IL) Example: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana- South Bend, IN U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit (St. Louis, Missouri) Example: U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa- Des Moines, IA U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit (San Francisco, CA) Example: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California- Sacramento, CA U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit (Denver, CO) Example: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Oklahoma- Tulsa, OK U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (Atlanta, Georgia) Example: U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia- Macon, GA Average Federal crimes can contain: Drug distribution Crimes affiliated immigration to the U.S. Crimes that include weapons charges Gang activities White-collar offense Electronic crime and fraud Factors to Engage a Federal Criminal Defense Attorney The federal criminal justice process is not meant for individuals to represent themselves. In case you are detained, you want a lawyer to stand up to your rights, fight back against overzealous police officers, and obtain the very best result possible. Speak to a qualified federal criminal law firm in your area to learn more about what you’re up against. Many federal law firms, like Carver, Cantin & Mynarich in Missouri provide a free initial consultation, where they will walk you through the details of your federal charges, explaining possible outcomes and outline a strategy they might pursue. This is 1 reason for a lawyer. You do not need to wander aimlessly at any stage during the legal system without a manual. Getting lost in a jumble of legislation and questionable convictions aren't just scary but can put the remainder of your life in peril. The viability of your life ought never to be a bargaining utility when you are facing time in court. The state court and federal court have been two entirely different strategies -- with different courthouses and judges. Federal judges will preside over national criminal situations, while elected state court judges preside over state criminal circumstances. Assistant U.S. Attorneys litigate federal situations, whilst country district attorneys and city attorneys insure state crimes. Criminal defense attorneys are the best investment to make regarding case identification. Not merely do they know the intricacies of the legal system, however they can look at your situation with unbiased and fresh eyes. They also spend their lives working to defend you and your nearest and dearest from regulations that are unnecessary. It's their passion to keep others from an outcome too harsh for the crime. An experienced lawyer isn't only able to assist you with your situation, but in addition, utilizes their trained intellect to find issues with the prosecution. Just because someone was arrested on suspicion for a crime does not imply that the presumed victims aren't to blame in some manner as well. Every case differs, and tiny details can serve to sufficiently swerve a court ruling. Nobody would like to be given much more of a punishment that is representative of the crime. Often, the area is greeted with a personal sense of shame and guilt, instead of having an enthusiastic and greedy attitude. So then, the question would be : why do so many people put off finding a criminal defense attorney? Without a lawyer that understands a situation, how then can anybody keep from unnecessary charges? Having a large number of individuals arrested yearly for a whole slew of criminal offenses, it becomes simple to bulge into a single group: guilty. This isn't accurate a sizable quantity of the moment. The media and common culture like to consider from the stunning, and so it will become hard to slough off the word when in the courtroom. A defense attorney understands the difficulty society induces and thinks on your innocence. Individuals commonly misinterpret the thought that they should hire an attorney only after they have been arrested or charged with a violation. This, however, is entirely a farce. Without an attorney present during police interrogations, then there's absolutely not any counselor there to help you from admitting to a crime you did not commit or from saying anything which could serve as a detriment for your own defense. Regardless of what crime you've been charged with, it is essential to procure legal representation that is knowledgeable and experienced in navigating the criminal justice strategy. This is of special importance if you've been charged with a federal crime because the terms for national fees are so stringent. Some Cases Tried by a Federal Criminal Defense Law Firms might be: Sexual Assault Attempted Killing and Conspiracy to Enact Murder Bank Fraud Liquidation Fraud Bribery Conspiracy Embezzlement Extortion Extortionate Extensions and Collections of Credit Federal Bank Robbery Firearms Charges Use or Carrying Firearms Relation to a Crime of Violence or Drug Selling Offense Confiscation Proceedings Forgery Harboring a Fugitive Health Care Theft Hobbs Act Extortion, Stealing and Public Corruption Kidnapping Loansharking Postal Fraud and Digital Making Untrue Statements Misprision of a Felony Mortgage Fraud Money Laundering Narcotics Charges Obstruction of Justice Perjury Public Corruption RICO Financial Fraud Sexual Abuse of Children Stalking Tax Cheating Theft of Government Assets Unlawful Hiring of Aliens What are the Penalties for federal charges? Another significant gap between federal crimes vs. country crimes is the essential sentence. Federal justices have been instructed by the federal sentencing guidelines when giving a sentence. Mandatory minimum prison penalties that national sentences tend to be much more lengthy than nation paragraphs. Even when their offenses are alike, a person being stranded for a federal crime will typically face a much more unpleasant punishment than somebody who has been convicted of a state crime. There is a large system of federal prisons throughout the You may reside at any of them depending on a number of factors. If you have psychological or physical medical issues, you will most likely go to a Federal Medical Center like the one in Springfield, MO. MCFP is a common name for the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners. The centers where phrases are completed differ, as well. Individuals sentenced to do time to get a federal crime is going to be delivered to federal prison, although people who serve time for a state crime is going to probably be sent to state prison. Federal prisons tend to home more non-violent offenders (such as individuals convicted of same-sex offenses ), whilst local prisons home mostly populations of people convicted of violent crimes.

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primatamortgage · 3 years ago

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Federal Housing Administration Mortgage Solutions In Georgia

The dream of owning a house is something that most Americans can easily relate to. It’s relatively easier for those with an impressive income to own a property in this land of dreamers. But what about those with low credit scores and poor earnings, or not enough to go for conventional loan options? Fortunately, they have a silver lining in this case.

The Federal Housing Administration offers a unique opportunity to all low-income citizens to buy homes with a government-insured mortgage option. FHA home loans help you achieve your goal of owning a home with flexible financing terms that you can enjoy at lower interest rates than other loan schemes. You don’t need to worry about lower minimum credit score requirements with the Federal Housing Administration loans.

Things to Consider Before Going for FHA Loan Options

Even though FHA has made it simpler and more convenient for low-income people to get house loans, there are still a few measures that one can take for a smooth process. If you plan to buy a house using the FHA mortgage in John Creek, Georgia, you must first ensure a few essential things.

Are You Ready to Own a House?

Owning a house can be tremendously exciting, but it’s certainly not a child’s play. If you've lived in a rented house with your family for some time, you're probably aware of the many responsibilities and challenges that come with it. Managing finances, house maintenance, safety, etc., are a few to count. With owning a house on loan, you will have an add-on that requires regular, long-term attention.

Do You Fulfil the FHA Loan Criteria?

The Federal Housing Administration loansrequire several conditions that one must satisfy to benefit from the scheme.

● The property must be your primary residence, and no other investment properties qualify for it. Additionally, the move-in date must be within 60 days after closing.

● FHA property requirements must be met regarding security, safety, and structural integrity.

● Your credit score must be at least 580 or higher. You also need to ensure a 3.5% down payment.

Complete Documentation

For any government scheme, you need to have complete documentation ready. So, if you want to benefit from the FHA mortgage in Johns Creek, you will require the following documents:

● Government-issued ID proof such as DL, social security card, etc.

● Pay check stubs for the last 60 days.

● Detail of the previous two years of complete tax returns- Self-employed income.

● Recent bank statements of the last 60 days.

● W-2 statements for the past 24 months for all borrowers.

Conclusion

To conclude everything, the FHA mortgage scheme is an excellent option for those who do not qualify for conventional loans. But as we said earlier, you still need to take many careful measures before proceeding with any mortgage solution. So, make sure you are ready with everything.

#Fha Mortgage Johns Creek #Federal Housing Administration Loan

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orbemnews · 4 years ago

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11 Ga. defendants pleaded guilty to running a multi-year mortgage fraud scheme 11 defendants have pleaded guilty to running a brazen multi-year mortgage fraud scheme in metro Atlanta. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, the venture began more than four years ago, and resulted in the approval of more than 100 mortgages based of fabricated documents and false information. Many of the mortgages had to be paid by the Federal Housing Administration after the borrowers defaulted. A spokesperson with the U.S. Attorney’s office said homebuyers and real estate agents worked together to submit fraudulent loan applications to mortgage lenders. Federal prosecutors said listing agents Eric Hill and Robert Kelske represented a major nationwide homebuilder. The scheme started when met with more than 100 unqualified homebuyers and told them what type of assets they needed to claim on their applications and what type of employment and income they would need to submit to have their applications approved. The agents then coordinated with multiple document fabricators, including defendants Fawziyyah Connor and Stephanie Hogan, who altered the homebuyers’ bank statements to inflate their assets and created fake bank entries, reflecting false direct deposits from an employer selected by the real estate agents, according to a U.S. Attorney spokesperson. In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s office noted, the document fabricators also generated fake earnings statements that matched the direct deposit entries to make it appear that the homebuyers were employed and earning income from a fake employer. Once the documents were in place, other participants in the scheme then acted as employment verifiers and responded to phone calls or emails from lenders to falsely verify the homebuyers’ employment. Federal prosecutors said Anthony Richard, a real estate agent, falsely claimed to represent homebuyers as their selling agent so that he could receive commissions from the home sales. In reality, Richard, according to a U.S. Attorney spokesman, had never even met the homebuyers he claimed to represent. To get around the process, Richard notified closing attorneys that he was not able to attend the closing and he then sent wire instructions for the receipt of his commissions. After Richard received his unearned commissions, he kicked back the majority of the commissions to Hill or Kelske and then he kept a small share for his role in the scheme, a spokesman said. The following defendants have pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States: • Eric Hill, 50, of Tyrone, Georgia • Robert Kelske, 52, of Smyrna, Georgia • Fawziyyah Connor, 41, of Tyrone, Georgia • Stephanie Hogan, 57, of Norcross, Georgia • Jerod Little, 42, of McDonough, Georgia • Renee Little, 33, of McDonough, Georgia • Maurice Lawson, 36, of Powder Springs, Georgia • Todd Taylor, 54, of Fairburn, Georgia • Paige McDaniel, 49, of Stockbridge, Georgia • Donald Fontenot, 52, of Locust Grove, Georgia • Anthony Richard, 44, of Locust Grove, Georgia A twelfth defendant, Cephus Chapman, 49, of Warner Robins, Georgia is awaiting trial. The defendants have not been sentenced and have agreed to pay restitution to the government. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '1529187127265057'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link Orbem News #anthonyrichard #bank #defendant #defendants #economics #erichill #Finance #Fraud #guilty #Law #Mortgage #multiyear #Pleaded #realestateagent #running #scheme

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orbemnews · 4 years ago

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U.S. Economy Grew 1 Percent in the Last Quarter: Live Updates Here’s what you need to know: Gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation and seasonality, at annual rates Gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation and seasonality, at annual rates The U.S. economic recovery stumbled but didn’t collapse at the end of last year, setting the stage for a much stronger rebound this year. Gross domestic product rose 1 percent in the final three months of 2020, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That represented a sharp slowdown from the previous quarter, when business reopenings led to a record 7.5 percent growth rate. On an annualized basis, G.D.P. increased 4 percent in the fourth quarter, down from 33.4 percent in the third. Looking at the quarter as a whole obscures the full extent of the slump: Many analysts believe economic output declined outright in November and December, as rising coronavirus cases and waning government aid led consumers to pull back on spending and forced businesses to shut down, in some cases for good. But four weeks into January, the new year looks different. Aid passed by Congress in December has begun to flow in enhanced unemployment benefits, small-business loans and direct payments to households. Two runoff elections in Georgia delivered Democratic control of the Senate, making further rounds of assistance more likely. And the rollout of coronavirus vaccines, though slower than hoped, offers the prospect that hotels, bars and other businesses hurt by the pandemic will see customers return later this year. “That fiscal stimulus is helping push the train of the economy through the tunnel, and the light on the other side is widespread vaccination and inoculation,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist at the payroll processing firm ADP. The late-year slump was driven by a slowdown in consumer spending. Spending grew less than 1 percent in the fourth quarter, compared with 9 percent in the third. But parts of the economy that are less exposed to the pandemic helped pick up the slack. The housing market continued to surge, partly because of low interest rates, and business investment was strong, a sign of confidence among corporate leaders. The economy is still in a significant hole. Measured against the final quarter of 2019, G.D.P. ended 2020 down 2.5 percent, making it the second-worst calendar year on record after a 2.8 percent contraction in 2008. Comparing 2020’s output over all with the previous year’s, G.D.P. fell 3.5 percent, the worst on record. The economy has regained roughly three-quarters of the output lost during the collapse last spring, and only a bit more than half of the jobs. Cumulative percent change in G.D.P. from the start of the last five recessions Final quarter before recession 4 quarters into recession Cumulative percent change in G.D.P. from the start of the last five recessions Final quarter before recession 4 quarters into recession Still, the rebound has been significantly stronger than most forecasters expected last spring. In May, economists at the Congressional Budget Office estimated that G.D.P. would end the year down 5.6 percent and wouldn’t reach its pre-pandemic level until well into 2022. Now, most forecasters expect it to hit that benchmark this year. Last year’s overall showing was “bad but not historically bad, and not as bad as what was experienced in the Great Recession, and not nearly as bad as what was expected midyear,” said Jason Furman, a Harvard economist who ran the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama. The stronger-than-expected rebound is partly a reflection of businesses’ flexibility — retailers embraced online sales, restaurants built outdoor patios, and factories reorganized production lines to allow for social distancing. But it is also a result of trillions of dollars in federal aid, which kept households and small businesses afloat when much of the economy was shut down. “The fiscal stimulus package was not perfect,” said Stephanie Aaronson, an economist at the Brookings Institution. “But the truth is both Congress and the Fed acted very, very quickly, and I think that did save the economy from a much worse outcome.” An outdoor dining area under construction at a San Diego restaurant after California relaxed restrictions on gathering in the latest phase of the pandemic.Credit…Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times New claims for unemployment fell last week, the government reported on Thursday, but the elevated levels are fueling worries about prolonged damage inflicted on the labor market by the pandemic and the slow rollout of vaccines. A total of 873,966 workers filed first-time claims for state unemployment benefits for the week that ended Jan. 23, the Labor Department said, while an additional 426,856 new claims were filed under a federal pandemic jobless program that covers freelancers, part-time workers and others normally ineligible for state jobless benefits. Neither figure is seasonally adjusted. On a seasonally adjusted basis, new state claims totaled 847,000. The figures for newly filed claims are below the staggering levels of last spring, when the coronavirus started its march across the map, but they continue to dwarf previous records. The impact of the virus on the service sector, particularly leisure and hospitality, is extracting the heaviest toll. “We need the service sector to come back for the economy more broadly to come back,” said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. Although the Conference Board reported on Tuesday that consumer confidence edged up in January, views of the labor market’s current health dropped. The percentage of respondents saying jobs are “plentiful” declined, and the share saying that “jobs are hard to get” rose. “Everything goes back to the health crisis,” Ms. Farooqi said, “Once you get most of the population vaccinated, that’s a completely different picture.” The $900 billion pandemic relief bill signed into law last month has provided a bridge of support, but provisions specifically extending relief to jobless workers are scheduled to expire in mid-March. President Biden has proposed a $1.9 trillion emergency relief package that includes a $400 weekly unemployment insurance supplement, although Republicans and a handful of Democratic lawmakers have balked at the cost of the overall proposal. Isaac Curtis, left, picked up donations at a food bank in Augusta, Maine, on Wednesday. Mr. Curtis interviewed for a job earlier in the day.Credit…Tristan Spinski for The New York Times Job recruiters are accustomed to seeing a pattern in late January: When the holiday crush and seasonal gigs end, job-hunting surges. But not this year. The demand is there, but many of the job seekers aren’t, said Julia Pollak, a labor economist with the hiring site ZipRecruiter. “In our marketplace over the past three weeks, employer activity has been completely exuberant, it has surpassed our forecasts,” Ms. Pollak said. But the ranks of “job seekers are way, way, way lower than usual.” Some have argued that generous jobless benefits are discouraging people from working. But Ms. Pollak disagrees, saying the main reason for the low number of applications is the continuing fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. “Many people who should be looking for jobs aren’t even eligible for benefits, like millions of women who left the labor market for child care,” she said. And some are staying home because of other family responsibilities, or out of concern about getting sick if they re-enter the work force, particularly with the arrival of a more infectious coronavirus strain, she said. Ernie Tedeschi, an economist and head of fiscal analysis at Evercore ISI, described the labor market as “treading water right now.” The pandemic and the cold winter months in parts of the country continue to hobble the economy’s recovery, he said, and vaccine distribution has been too slow to have much effect. At ZipRecruiter, the strongest demand for jobs can be found in delivery services, e-commerce, big-box and grocery stores and warehouse clubs as well as tax preparation, mortgage origination and home building. Industries like hospitality, leisure, travel and others that involve face-to-face contact have incurred the biggest job losses, but in one way that lopsidedness is reassuring, Mr. Tedeschi said. Those are businesses that one would expect to be down because of the pandemic. It would be more worrying if the weakness had spread throughout the labor market, a sign of longer-term scarring in the economy, he said. American lost nearly $8.9 billion in 2020, which its chief executive, Doug Parker, described as “the most challenging year in our company’s history.Credit…Lindsey Wasson for The New York Times American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways reported steep annual losses on Thursday, joining industry peers in closing the books on a merciless year for aviation. American lost nearly $8.9 billion in 2020, which its chief executive, Doug Parker, described as “the most challenging year in our company’s history.” JetBlue shed almost $1.4 billion and Southwest nearly $3.1 billion, its first annual loss since 1972. “The Covid-19 pandemic challenged our industry in ways we have never seen before,” Robin Hayes, JetBlue’s chief executive, said in a statement. The airline industry’s hopes now rest on the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine, but none of the airlines expect a rebound to materialize soon. In fact, Southwest expects to incur higher daily losses in January and February than it did in the final three months of 2020 because of a seasonal decline in travel and the rising cost of fuel. Southwest said it also expected revenues to be down between 65 and 70 percent in January and February compared to a year earlier. American said it expected revenues to be down 60 to 65 percent in the first three months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. JetBlue forecast a similar decline. Operating revenues for 2020 were down about 63 percent for Southwest and 65 percent for both American and JetBlue compared to 2019. Southwest said it ended the year with about $13.3 billion in easily accessible cash and short-term investments, while American had nearly $14.3 billion and JetBlue about $3.1 billion. Southwest also said that it expects to start flying Boeing’s 737 Max on March 11, just over two years after the plane was grounded worldwide following two fatal crashes. The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its ban on the jet in November and has since been followed by regulators in Brazil, Canada and Europe. The trio of financial results on Thursday came a day after Boeing reported a $11.9 billion loss in 2020, its worst year ever. Earlier this month, United Airlines reported a $7 billion annual loss and Delta Air Lines a loss of over $12 billion. At the time, Delta’s chief executive called 2020 the “toughest year” in the carrier’s history, and United’s chief executive said the pandemic had “changed United Airlines forever.” After a tumultuous day on Wednesday, futures markets indicated New York trading would open with a measure of calm on Thursday. The S&P 500 was set to open little changed following the worst single-day drop since October. European markets opened lower before recovering some of their losses, and Asian stock markets closed in the red. This week, traders have been unnerved by the gloomy short-term outlook for the global economy and the havoc caused by speculative trading in other corners of the market. Investors are facing a host of concerns, which has increased volatility. There is uncertainty about whether the market can sustain its relentless rise of recent months, and whether asset bubbles were starting to form. They also worried about whether the Biden administration would be able to quickly pass an ambitious stimulus spending program or be forced to pare it back to get a bill through a closely contested Senate.And investors are watching the pace of the coronavirus vaccine rollout, wary of delays that could push back the economic recovery around the world. “The assumption was by the time we got to midyear we were fully back to normal and that’s being questioned,” said Karen Ward, a strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. “The whole timeline of vaccine rollout and that point of normality is going back a few months,” she said. “The markets are pretty comfortable waiting as long as they know that in the economic cost that’s incurred in the interim is absorbed by governments.” Unease also stemmed from the shocking run-up in shares of companies with big brand names but uncertain prospects, like GameStop, the video game retailer; AMC, the movie theater chain; and BlackBerry, once the maker of hand-held devices that no financial professional would leave the office without. The surge pointed to frothy conditions in financial markets, suggesting a bunch of amateurs investors could take the reins and force steep losses on established hedge funds. Investors who had bet that these stocks would perform poorly were taking losses at a steep cost brought on by a group of traders cheering each other on in a Reddit forum for picking stocks. Point72, the hedge fund run by Steve Cohen, the billionaire hedge fund manager and owner of the New York Mets baseball team, has lost nearly 15 percent this year, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Regulators stepped in to say that they were watching the situation. In premarket trading on Thursday, shares in GameStop rose again. Naked Brand, a clothing retailer, was one of the most heavily traded stocks in premarket trading, up more 70 percent after being cited in a Reddit forum. Elsewhere, investors moved money into traditionally safe assets. Yields on U.S. Treasury bonds fell back toward 1 percent as prices rose. Europe The Stoxx Europe 600 was down 0.7 percent. The FTSE 100 in Britain fell 1 percent, the DAX in Germany was down 0.6 percent, and the CAC 40 in France was 0.2 percent lower. Asia In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index tumbled 1.5 percent. China-related stocks also suffered. The Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.9 percent, while Hong Kong shares were down 2.6 percent. GameStop One-Week Share Price GameStop’s shares were one of the most actively traded stocks in premarket trading on Thursday as amateur traders continue to drive it higher, while collectively taking on some of Wall Street’s most sophisticated investors. They’ve piled into trades around companies — big and small — that other investors had written off, pushing stock prices to stratospheric levels. The main focus is GameStop, the troubled video game retailer. Its stock is up about 40 percent in premarket trading, a much more moderate gain after trading platforms placed restrictions on the stock. But it’s already up 1,700 percent this month, including Wednesday’s climb of 135 percent, that has given the company an astonishing market valuation of $24 billion. AMC Entertainment rose 300 percent on Wednesday, and BlackBerry is up more than 275 percent this month. Billions of shares were traded in Naked Brand, a clothing manufacturer, on Wednesday. Its share price rose from 39 cents to $1.38, a 252 percent gain. It was again one of the most traded stocks in premarket on Thursday, rising 110 percent, after being cited on a Reddit forum. The company had been trying to orchestrate its own turnaround and escape “penny stock” status to avoid being delisted. The surging shares have become detached from the factors that traditionally help establish a company’s value to investors — like growth potential or profits. But the traders who are piling in probably aren’t thinking about those fundamentals. Instead, they are part of a frenzy that appears to have originated on a Reddit message board, WallStreetBets, a community known for irreverent market discussions, and on messaging platforms like Discord. (One comment from WallStreetBets read, “PUT YOUR LIFTOFF DIAPERS ON ITS ABOUT TO START.”) Both Tesla’s Elon Musk and the billionaire tech investor Chamath Palihapitiya have encouraged the crowd via Twitter. Egged on by the message boards, these traders are rushing to buy options contracts that will profit from a rise in the share price. And that trading can create a feedback loop that drives the underlying share prices higher, as brokerage firms that sell the options have to buy shares as a hedge. As more traders snap up options, the brokers have to buy up more shares, driving the astounding rise in the company’s stock prices. GameStop began the year at $19 and ended trading on Wednesday at nearly $348. Another reason the shares are rising so quickly is that, until recently, they were heavily targeted by big investors who bet the stocks would decline by taking on short positions. As the shares surge, the shorters also have to buy the stock in order to cut their losses, and that triggers a so-called short squeeze — a sudden spike in a share’s value. Gabe Plotkin, the hedge fund trader whose Melvin Capital was shorting GameStop, confirmed to CNBC on Wednesday that he had exited his position after having to raise a $2.75 billion bailout from Citadel and his former boss, Steve Cohen, amid the short squeeze. Mr. Plotkin’s other short bets appear to be suffering, possibly because they are being targeted by traders — Melvin and Mr. Plotkin are often pilloried on the message boards. The Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday it is “actively monitoring” the volatile trading. Point72, Steve Cohen’s hedge fund, has an investment in Melvin Capital, which maintained a big bet against GameStop.Credit…Sasha Arutyunova for The New York Times As shares of GameStop, the video game retailer, have surged amid a wave of speculative investment by small investors, Point72, the hedge fund run by the Mets owner Steve Cohen, has lost nearly 15 percent this year, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. GameStop’s sudden rally — the shares jumped 135 percent on Wednesday alone and are up more than 1,700 percent this year — has taken a toll on some large investors who had bet against the stock. The losses at Point72, which manages nearly $19 billion in assets, stem in part from the firm’s investment in Melvin Capital, a hedge fund that had a massive bet against GameStop. As the shares rose, Melvin was saddled with sudden losses and had to accept $2.75 billion in rescue capital from two outside investors. One of the rescuers was Point72, which already had roughly $1 billion under management with Melvin, said two people with knowledge of the relationship, and added $750 million to help stabilize Melvin this week. Because Melvin was investing money on Point72’s behalf, Point72’s results have also been hurt by the recent turmoil, said those people. Point72’s losses are the first clear indication of the ripple of effect of Melvin’s recent troubles, which have been a cause of concern for both Wall Street and the baseball community. Stocks faced their worst performance since October on Wednesday in part because investors are worried that other large funds could be facing losses as well. And late Tuesday night, Mr. Cohen faced questions on Twitter over the potential impact of the Melvin losses on the Mets, which he purchased for about $2.5 billion in November. “Why would one have anything to do with the other,” Mr. Cohen replied in a post on Twitter. A spokesman for Mr. Cohen said he was not available for comment. Andrea Enria, the head of the European Central Bank’s bank supervision arm, said there were signs that commercial lenders were ignoring signs of a potential spike in problem loans.Credit…Armando Babani/EPA, via Shutterstock The European Central Bank on Thursday effectively warned eurozone banks to clean up their acts, saying that many are complacent about losses they may suffer from a surge in problem loans caused by the pandemic. The central bank, which has ultimate supervisory authority over commercial banks in the 19 countries that belong to the eurozone, also said that top managers at many lenders were not doing a good job of overseeing their operations and that many banks lacked a clear plan to address chronically weak profits. No large European banks have failed since the pandemic hit. That is largely because after the financial crisis a decade ago, regulators forced lenders to reduce risk and increase their ability to absorb losses. But in its annual report on the health of eurozone banks, the European Central Bank said that risks to banks remained high, especially as government support programs begin to run out. Andrea Enria, the head of the European Central Bank’s bank supervision arm, said there was evidence that commercial banks are deliberately ignoring signs that problem loans could spike once emergency measures expire. He pointed to rules that allow companies and individuals to delay loan repayments. Banks are required to set aside money to cover loans that are likely to default. But these provisions cut into profits and banks often try to keep these reserves as low as they can get away with. Mr. Enria said that provisions for problem loans in Europe were lower than in the United States and other countries, a sign that banks may be systematically underestimating risk. “Asset quality deterioration remains our main concern for 2021,” Mr. Enria said at a news conference. He also expressed concern that eurozone banks are loading up on leveraged loans, packages of high-risk credit to businesses that have invited comparison to the mortgage-backed securities that led to the 2008 financial crisis. Without naming any bank, the European Central Bank criticized managers for “insufficient follow-up and oversight of business functions.” It also said banks were not doing enough to rectify the fact that most of them are barely profitable, if at all. Mr. Enria urged banks to consider mergers as a way to address the overcrowded European banking market, and said that they need to do more to reduce costs. “Staff cuts will be absolutely necessary,” he said. Eric Bolling with Melania Trump. Mr. Bolling was hired by Sinclair TV in 2019.Credit…Ethan Miller/Getty Images Eric Bolling, a former Fox News personality whose weekly talk show for the Sinclair Broadcast Group showcased his friendly relationship with former President Donald J. Trump, is leaving the broadcasting network, he said on Wednesday. Mr. Bolling said that he planned to return to television shortly, but that he would wait to share details about his new job until after his Sinclair program, “America This Week,” ends on Saturday. He is also starting a podcast next month with the former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. Hired by Sinclair in 2019 to expand its current-affairs programming, Mr. Bolling was one of a handful of conservative-leaning hosts granted interviews with Mr. Trump during his tenure in the White House. His show aired on Sinclair stations in dozens of local markets. Sinclair gained attention for mandating that its affiliates air segments from pro-Trump commentators, including a former Trump campaign aide, Boris Epshteyn. In October, Sinclair was forced to edit an episode in which Mr. Bolling spread misinformation about the coronavirus and questioned the utility of lockdowns and face masks. “Eric has decided to pursue other professional opportunities,” Sinclair said in a statement on Wednesday. “We wish Eric the best in his future endeavors.” Mr. Bolling was a co-host of “The Five” on Fox News. He left the network in 2017 after denying allegations that he had sent lewd messages to colleagues. He later became a prominent national advocate for curbing opioid abuse after the death of his son, who had taken a pill laced with fentanyl. It’s called a short squeeze, and it involves investors betting on which way a stock will go — up or down. These bets are placed by buying stock options, and the options allow an investor to make money even if the stock itself loses value. If the stock goes up in value, the bets can become losers. Investors who bet against a stock are called “shorts.” In the case of GameStop, the video game retailer many professional investors had written off, the shorts include at least two big hedge funds. Now a band of day traders, fueled in part by a message board on Reddit, are putting the squeeze on Wall Street. The Times’s Matt Phillips explains what’s going on. Peacock, Comcast’s ad-supported streaming service, grabbed over 33 million customers as of the end of last year, a 50 percent jump from September, the company reported in its fourth-quarter results Thursday. The company overall saw a 2.4 percent drop in sales to $27.7 billion and a 29 percent plummet in adjusted profit to $2.6 billion as the pandemic continued to cut into its theatrical and theme parks businesses. Still, Comcast’s performance beat investor’s expectations. Brian Roberts, the chief executive, said he is “optimistic” the company will come back toward growth as vaccines are distributed throughout the world. Comcast also announced it would raise its dividend payments to shareholders by 8 cents on an annualized basis to $1 per share and plans to repurchase shares later in the year. The stock rose more than 3 percent in premarket trading. Comcast has recast itself as more of an internet and technology provider than a television service, and its focus on Peacock is part of that effort. The company’s quarterly performance has become a regular reminder of that ongoing transformation. Comcast’s traditional pay-TV business lost 248,000 customers in the period, but it added 538,000 broadband subscribers for a total of 30.6 million, a high. Its cable video customers now number only 19.8 million. The company’s NBCUniversal division, which continues to undergo a massive reorganization, last week announced a deal with WWE to make Peacock its exclusive streaming provider, in effect buying out the WWE Network’s digital TV service. NBCUniversal has been bolstering Peacock’s sports lineup, adding the majority of its Premier League games to the platform. Comcast also plans to shut down its NBC Sports Cable network by the end of this year and shunt its programming over to Peacock and the USA Network. But longer term, Peacock is meant to replace the lost advertising dollars from a shrinking pay-TV universe. That means it will need to be far larger and be available on digital players as well as other broadband systems such as Cox and Charter. Adding more sports and exclusive content would help add leverage to those negotiations. Comcast’s NBC broadcast group saw a 12 percent drop in sales to $2.7 billion on weaker advertising, in part because of the loss of sports programming, while its studios division fell 8.3 percent to $1.4 billion. Advertising across its broadcast and cable networks fell 7.8 percent to $2.5 billion. Theme parks dropped 63 percent to $579 million. The company still expects the Tokyo Olympics to take place this summer, a cash cow for its advertising business. Source link Orbem News #Economy #Grew #Live #Percent #Quarter #Updates

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youngandhungryent · 5 years ago

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#LHHATL’s Arkansas Mo Charged With Fraud After Spending PPP Loan On Jewelry, Rolex

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta star Arkansas Mo has been arrested after the feds accuse him of using the government business loan to pay employees, on himself.

According to the press release sent out by the Department of Justice, Arkansas Mo, whose real name is Maurice Fayne, was approved for the federal Payment Protection Program (PPP) for his trucking company, Flame Trucking on April 15, after stating that the business had 107 employees and an average monthly payroll of $1,490,200, according to an affidavit for the criminal complaint.

The PPP loan program from the federal government aims to help small businesses and their workers survive during the Covid-19 pandemic. The loans are for businesses with 500 or fewer employees to pay workers’ salaries, rent, and utility costs.

Flame Trucking asked for a loan of $3,725,500 and certified that the loan proceeds would be used to “retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments, as specified under the Paycheck Protection Program Rule,” the affidavit alleges. United Community Bank ultimately funded the loan for $2,045,800 in late April, and that’s when the problem occurred.

The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia reports that Fayne then used more than $1.5 million of the funds to buy $85,000 in jewelry, including a Rolex watch, a diamond bracelet, and a 5.73-carat diamond ring for himself, in addition to leasing a 2019 Rolls-Royce Wraith, and paid $40,000 for child support, according to the statement.

“The defendant allegedly stole money meant to assist hard-hit employees and businesses…and instead greedily used the money to bankroll his lavish purchases,” the DOJ said in the statement.

Fayne’s lawyer, attorney Tanya Miller, however, states that the incident is nothing more than a misunderstanding due to the guidelines being unclear on how to legally use the funds.

“There has been considerable confusion among small business owners about PPP guidelines — particularly around the question of whether and how business owners are permitted to pay themselves a salary or take an owner’s draw. I hope these issues to be better fleshed out in the weeks and months to come,” attorney Tanya Miller said in a statement to CNN. “For obvious reasons, we cannot try these allegations in the media. We will provide the appropriate response in the proper forum once all the information has been provided to us.”

Last week during an interview with federal agents, Fayne denied using the PPP loan to fund his lifestyle but instead claims he used the PPP loan to “pay payroll and other business expenses” of the company, and documents also state that “Fayne expressly denied that he used any of the PPP loan proceeds to pay his personal debts,” before admitting to “kinda, sorta” using the loan to buy jewelry and to lease the Rolls Royce.

Check out the statement below.

NEW: Reality TV star arrested on bank fraud charges "arising from a Paycheck Protection Program loan," DOJ says.

"The defendant allegedly stole money meant to assist hard-hit employees and businesses…and instead greedily used the money to bankroll his lavish purchases." pic.twitter.com/tlcxM5EsFG

— ABC News (@ABC) May 13, 2020

source https://hiphopwired.com/868888/arkansas-mo-charged-with-fraud/

#fucu #fucul #young and hungry ent #boss of bosses #instrumental type beat free

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oliveratlanta · 5 years ago

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Officials, locals help Atlantans with rent and mortgage amid coronavirus outbreak

RodClementPhotography/Shutterstock

Organizations are assisting hourly employees and others with payments, but resources are spread thin

Since a novel coronavirus became an overshadowing factor for daily life around the world, mortgage and interest rates have dropped substantially (before spiking again, in the case of mortgages), signaling a potentially opportune time to put a down payment on a home.

But what about folks who already have a mortgage or upcoming rent payment? What about the people whose income has been slashed as COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, forces businesses to shutter?

For many, times are tough now, but there are options. At least a few.

As bars and restaurants close—or shift to take-out-only operations—many owners and managers have taken to the web to raise funds for employees who typically rely on tips to get by.

Online fundraisers have cropped up all over town and across the country in an effort to ensure hourly workers can keep paying their landlords or mortgage payments.

Additionally, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Tuesday issued an executive order placing a temporary halt on residential evictions for two months.

“The ability for Atlanta residents to remain in their homes is a key component of our collective community efforts to prevent further exposure and spread of this virus,” Bottoms said in a statement.

Granted, that doesn’t mean renters wouldn’t still owe back rent if they’re behind on bills when this pandemic is over.

Organizations like Giving Kitchen also allow food service workers to apply for assistance in times of strife, although with such a widespread illness, their resources are spread thin.

“[Giving Kitchen] may be able to pay rent/mortgage and utility bills for food service workers in Georgia working for a restaurant, food truck, catering, or concessions up to six months,” reads a blog post by the organization.

Atlanta sports stars Matt Ryan, the Falcons’s quarterback, and Freddie Freeman, Braves’s first baseman, each contributed $50,000 to the charity this week. Ryan chipped in another $50,000 to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, as Eater Atlanta reports.

For homeowners, there is consolation in these trying times.

Homeowners who lost income or their jobs due to the coronavirus could be eligible for a reduction or suspension of mortgage payments, according to NPR.

Federal regulators, by way of mortgage loan companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have asked lenders to provide homeowners with some wiggle room, such as a forbearance of up to a year.

source https://atlanta.curbed.com/2020/3/20/21187992/coronavirus-atlanta-rent-mortgage-covid-19-assistance-eviction

#OliverAtlanta

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ericfruits · 5 years ago

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Marching Out Of Georgia

An attorney's third brush with bar discipline has drawn disbarment by the Georgia Supreme Court

We have reviewed the record in these matters and agree that disbarment is the appropriate sanction, particularly given the number of violations, Sakas’s prior disciplinary history, and his failure to engage honestly in the disciplinary process.

He was admitted in 1973 and had failed to respond to multiple complaints

As deemed admitted, the facts show that in multiple matters Sakas purported to represent clients while he was suspended from the practice of law due to a prior disciplinary violation. See Sakas II, 301 Ga. at 51. With regard to two other matters, Sakas was retained by clients but did not perform the agreed-upon work and failed to respond to inquiries from his clients about the status of their matters. When the clients eventually terminated the representations, Sakas failed to return the unearned portion of the fees they had paid. With regard to one of the clients, Sakas initially attempted to refund the retainer to the client with a check that was dishonored by his bank, and later claimed to the State Bar that the client was not entitled to a refund as the retainer had been earned.

With regard to the other client, whose representation Sakas took on while he was suspended from practice, Sakas submitted a response to the Notice of Investigation indicating that he was working on the client’s bankruptcy matter, while the evidence showed that the client was proceeding pro se.

In another matter, Sakas was hired to assist a couple in their efforts to recover an overpayment on their mortgage, but after Sakas failed to take any action on their behalf, they terminated the representation and demanded a refund. When Sakas failed to return their retainer, they filed a petition for fee arbitration. While suspended from the practice of law, Sakas answered the arbitration petition with a letter in which he identified himself as an attorney and made numerous false statements about the type and amount of work he had performed for these clients. Sakas retracted some of those misrepresentations at the fee arbitration hearing, but he still failed to document any work he had actually performed on the clients’ behalf, and was ordered to refund the entire retainer.

In the final matter, a client hired Sakas to handle the appeal of an eviction order obtained by the client’s mortgage lender. Although Sakas filed the appeal, he failed to respond to a dispositive motion and advised his client to ignore the court’s order that the client pay his mortgage payments into the court’s registry. As a result, the court granted the lender’s motion for summary judgment and issued it a writ of possession. Sakas later filed a separate complaint in an attempt to stave off the eviction, but his request for injunctive relief was denied and his failure to respond to a motion to dismiss resulted in dismissal of the suit. When this client later requested the return of his file, Sakas failed to do so, making excuses that the special master determined not to be credible based on Sakas’s consistent failure to respond to the State Bar in the matter.

(Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/08/an-attorneys-third-brush-with-bar-discipline-has-drawn-disbarment-by-the-georgia-supreme-court-he-was-admitted-in-1973-and.html

#IFTTT #Feedly

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mikemortgage · 6 years ago

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IMV Researchers to Present New Preclinical Data at AACR Annual Meeting 2019

DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia — IMV Inc. (Nasdaq: IMV; TSX: IMV), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company today announced that members of the Company’s research and development team will present results from a study at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2019, which is being held March 29 to April 3 in Atlanta, Georgia. The new preclinical research highlights the unique features of DPX-based T cell immunotherapies.

“The unique capabilities of our DPX-based platform and its potential to fuel novel treatment approaches continue to drive IMV’s robust research and development program,” said Marianne Stanford, PhD, Vice President, Research and Development of IMV. “We are looking forward to presenting additional insights into the way our platform works, and its capacity for working with other anti-cancer agents, at this year’s AACR annual meeting. This work supports our goal of expanding the benefits of immunotherapies to a wider range of patients and indications.”

Details of IMV’s AACR 2019 poster is as follows:

Session Category: Immunology Abstract Number: 4989 Authors: Ava Vila-Leahey, Alecia MacKay, Genevieve Weir, Marianne Stanford

Title: T-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) analysis of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes after treatment with a T cell activating therapy identifies a unique population of recruited CD8+ T cells and novel options for combination immunotherapy

Date: Wednesday Apr 3, 2019 Time: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET Location: Georgia World Congress Center, Exhibit Hall B, Poster Section 24 Poster Board Number: 12

Meeting abstracts are available at AACR’s website.

About IMV

IMV Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to making immunotherapy more effective, more broadly applicable, and more widely available to people facing cancer and other serious diseases. IMV is pioneering a new class of immunotherapies based on the Company’s proprietary drug delivery platform. This patented technology leverages a novel mechanism of action that enables the programming of immune cells in vivo, which are aimed at generating powerful new synthetic therapeutic capabilities. IMV’s lead candidate, DPX-Survivac, is a T cell-activating immunotherapy that combines the utility of the platform with a target: survivin. IMV is currently assessing DPX-Survivac as a monotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer, as well as a combination therapy in multiple clinical studies with Merck. Connect at www.imv-inc.com.

IMV Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information under applicable securities law. All information that addresses activities or developments that we expect to occur in the future is forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the statements are made. In the press release, such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the FDA potentially granting accelerated regulatory approval of DPX-Survivac. However, they should not be regarded as a representation that any of the plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this press release due to risks affecting the Corporation, including access to capital, the successful design and completion of clinical trials and the receipt and timely receipt of all regulatory approvals. IMV Inc. assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements in this press release except as required by law. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and those risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our ability to access capital, the successful and timely completion of clinical trials, the receipt of all regulatory approvals and other risks detailed from time to time in our ongoing quarterly filings and annual information form Investors are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements and are encouraged to read IMV’s continuous disclosure documents, including its current annual information form, as well as its audited annual consolidated financial statements which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190312005178/en/

Contacts

Investor Relations: Marc Jasmin, IMV Senior Director, Investor Relations and Communications O: (902) 492-1819 ext: 1042 M: (514) 917-9481 E: [email protected]

Patti Bank, Managing Director, Westwicke Partners O: (415) 513-1284 M: (415) 515-4572 E: [email protected]

Media: Andrea Cohen, Sam Brown Inc. O: (917) 209-7163 E: [email protected]

from Financial Post https://ift.tt/2T1N8sC via IFTTT Blogger Mortgage Tumblr Mortgage Evernote Mortgage Wordpress Mortgage href="https://www.diigo.com/user/gelsi11">Diigo Mortgage

#IFTTT #Financial Post

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businessfrontrunners · 4 years ago

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Element Funding Mortgage Loan Officers Named Among Scotsman Guide’s 2021 Ranking of Top Mortgage Originators in the Nation

https://authoritypresswire.com/?p=34871&wpwautoposter=1619568079 Scotsman Guide of Bothel, Washington has published their twelfth annual list, Top Originators 2021, ranking the nation’s top-producing mortgage professionals. According to Scotsman Guide, “The rankings are one of a kind—the only ones in the mortgage industry verified by an originator’s annual production reports.” Top Originators 2021 celebrates the excellence of hardworking mortgage bankers and brokers nationwide.Element Funding is represented in the Scotsman rankings with a total of twelve mortgage professionals. Element Funding congratulates the dedication to customer service, hard work, and high production levels that enables these loan officers to be named among America’s top mortgage originators.Among the Element Funding originators listed are the following:Ashley Rustom (NMLS 270223 // GA 26736)Rustom is a Loan Officer and Branch Manager of Element Funding’s office in Decatur, Georgia (Atlanta area).678-410-2348David Thornton (NMLS 1515638)Thornton is a Loan Officer and Branch Manager of Element Funding’s office in Winter Park, Florida (Orlando area).863-332-2028Lane Baron (NMLS 332466)Baron is a Loan Officer at Element Funding’s office in Sunrise, Florida (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area).954-868-1826Brad Roche (NMLS 135191) Roche is a Loan Officer and Branch Manager at Element Funding’s office in Davidson, North Carolina (Lake Norman/Charlotte area).704-728-0191DeAnn Ellis (NMLS 148916 // GA 25670)Ellis is a Loan Officer at Element Funding’s office in Covington, Georgia (Eastern Atlanta area).770-616-8042Kevin Blair (NMLS 151159 // GA 59188)Blair is a Loan Officer and Branch Manager at Element Funding’s office in Hixson, Tennessee (Chattanooga area).423-488-7571Element Funding, a division of Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. (PRMI), is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and provides residential mortgage financing primarily in the southeastern United States. Element Funding is a business made up of highly experienced sales and support staff from the mortgage banking industry whose mission statement reads, “To provide an exceptional level of service to our customers, employees, business partners and stakeholders.” For more information about Element Funding visit https://www.ElementFunding.com.

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onecountrycom-blog · 6 years ago

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Chris Young Announces Raised on Country Tour 2019

Tour season is kicking off and Chris Young is among the many country stars hitting the road with a possé of pals for the first leg of the Raised On Country Tour 2019. Named after his newest single, the Raised On Country Tour 2019 will kick off on May 16 in Alpharetta, Georgia, crisscrossing the United States before wrapping on September 14 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Along the way, pals like Chris Janson, Dylan Scott, LoCash, and Jimmie Allen will be joining the velvet-voiced singer. ] “Last year on the road was incredible and I’m crazy excited to get back out there with new music and the ‘Raised On Country Tour’ and to have Chris Janson, Dylan Scott, Jimmie Allen and Preston and Chris from LOCASH join me on tour,” Chris said in a statement. The 28-day trek will make stops in Charlotte, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Dallas, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. Chris released his single, “Raised On Country,” on January 28 to an enthusiastic response from radio. The raw and rockin’ tune name-checks some of the singer’s biggest musical influences and the format’s greatest icons, including Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Joe Diffie, George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Hank Williams Jr. Chris has also teased that a music video for the boot-stompin’ song will soon follow. Tickets for the tour go on sale February 15. Raised On Country Tour Dates: May 16 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre^^ May 17 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion^ May 18 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live^ May 24 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Amphitheater^ May 25 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center^ May 26 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center^ June 13 - Syracuse, NY - St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview^ June 14 - Boston, MA - Xfinity Center^ June 15 - Hartford, CT - XFINITY Theatre^ June 21 - Scranton, PA - The Pavilion at Montage Mountain^ June 22 - Philadelphia, PA - BB&T Pavilion^ July 11 - St. Louis, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre+ July 13 - Indianapolis, IN - Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center+ July 18 - Southaven, MS - BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove# July 19 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP~ July 20 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion~ Aug. 8 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre~ Aug. 9 - San Diego, CA - North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre~ Aug. 10 - Irvine, CA - FivePoint Amphitheatre~ Aug. 15 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater+ Aug. 16 - Phoenix, AZ - Ak-Chin Pavilion+ Aug. 17 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena++ Aug. 22 - Virginia Beach, VA - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach~ Aug. 23 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park~ Aug. 24 - Burgettstown, PA - KeyBank Pavilion~ Sept. 12 - Jacksonville, FL - Daily’s Place+ Sept. 13 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre+ Sept. 14 - West Palm Beach, FL - Coral Sky Amphitheatre+ ^^with special guest Dylan Scott ^with special guests Chris Janson and Dylan Scott +with special guests Chris Janson and LOCASH ++with special guest LOCASH #with special guest Chris Janson ~with special guests Chris Janson and Jimmie Allen Read the full article

#chrisjanson #chrisyoung #RaisedOnCountry #RaisedonCountryTour #tour #tourdates

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lucylendingteam · 6 years ago

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Mortgage Rates Fall to 3-Week Lows After Fed Posted on January 30, 2019

Mortgage rates fell moderately today, largely in response to the Federal Reserve's policy announcement.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell issued his strongest statement yet Wednesday that the central bank has changed its outlook regarding interest rate hikes.

“The case for raising rates has weakened somewhat,” Powell said during a news conference following this week’s two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

The Fed is in charge of seeing a key short-term rate that impacts the entire financial market by varying degrees. The Fed does not set fixed mortgage rates, but in general, the friendlier the Fed with its monetary policy, the better it is for the entire spectrum of rates.

The Fed was dovish today. This came as unexpected news to investors who were already planning on some sort of adjustment in the verbiage promising ongoing rate hikes and decreases in the amount of bonds purchased directly by the Fed. For all intents and purposes, today's announcement and press conference could be interpreted as the Fed saying it's done hiking rates until further notice and would only resume hiking if economic data at home and abroad justifies it.

Are you interested in purchasing a home or seeing if a refinance could benefit you in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia or Florida? Then call Zach and the Lucy Lending Team today and see how we can get you the best interest rate and mortgage plan tailored to your needs and goals!

Zach and the Lucy Lending Team

843-469-9010

[email protected]

#mortgage rates #interest rate #mortgage #real estate #jerome powell #the fed #lender #trusted #local #zachlarichiuta #lucylendingteam

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nothingman · 8 years ago

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Images via AP and Getty.

WASHINGTON, DC—For the past several weeks, whenever President Donald Trump’s (haha fuck) transition team would announce a new member of his cabinet, the nation would partake in a communal panic—about the nominee’s lack of qualifications, about their past scandals and conflicts of interest, about what the stakes are if they powerfully screw up.

But because of that, they’ve been hard to keep track of. So for future reference, here are all of those nominees in one place. Consume with several Xanax.

In the Cabinet:

Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State

Responsibilities: Arbiter of worldwide diplomacy for the United States Age: 64 Estimated net worth: $150 million Years in government: 0 Background: Tillerson began working for ExxonMobil in 1975, and was promoted to CEO in 2006. In the late 1990s, he became acquainted with Vladimir Putin while working out a deal to allow Exxon to drill for oil in Russia; their friendship (and mutual financial interest) became so tight that in 2013, Putin awarded him Russia’s Order of Friendship medal. Chilling anecdote: Aside from all the standard chilling characteristics of an oil baron—greed, self-interest, cronyism—under Tillerson’s watch from 2008 to 2015, Exxon donated over $6.5 million to groups that deny the link between fossil fuels and climate change.

Steve Mnuchin, Secretary of the Treasury

Responsibilities: Determines financial policies; manages the national debt; acts as CFO for the government; decides tax policies that may or may not one day help hedge funds like Dune Capital Age: 54 Estimated net worth: $40 million Years in government: 0, but he did fund American Sniper which is kinda political. Background: Steve Mnuchin is the son of a Goldman Sachs banker who became a Goldman Sachs banker himself before forming his own fund, Dune Capital. He later purchased the failing bank OneWest, making a ton of money by foreclosing on thousands of homeowners caught up in the mortgage crisis. He eventually sold the company for more than 3 billion. As a producer, he is also responsible for the Lego Movie. Chilling anecdote: He accidentally forgot to report more than $100,000,000 in assets on his Senate Finance Committee disclosure documents. Fun fact: Mnuchin has been friends with Trump for at least 15 years, despite the fact that Trump sued him in 2008 over a building deal.

James Mattis, Secretary of Defense

Responsibilities: Top defense policy advisor to the president, and will help shape the Trump administration’s policies on Russia, the Islamic State, and other national security threats. Age: 66 Estimated net worth: Unknown Years in government: Mattis’ military career spans 41 years, but he has not served in a civilian role. Background: Mattis’s last post was as commander of U.S. Central Command, from which he retired in 2013 after clashing with the Obama administration over Iran policies. He’s led troops in Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and in his most recent role oversaw the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mattis is a defense hawk who’s made a few alarming comments, but he’s also widely respected and a bit more of a reader than his boss. Trump credits Mattis for convincing him that torture is ineffective, and he appears to be one of very few in the Trump administration to consider climate change a viable threat. Clashes between Mattis and the Trump transition team have already been reported. Since civilian control of the military is written into the Constitution and Mattis retired too recently, his confirmation hinged on a special waiver, which recently passed through Congress. Fun fact: Mattis’s most popular nickname is “Mad Dog,” and Trump fans love it! Unclear what will happen when they find out that he’s not insane.

Jeff Sessions, Attorney General

Responsibilities: Advises the president on the laws of our country; enforces federal laws; determines which cases to prosecute; act as “the people’s lawyer” Age: 70 Estimated net worth: $7 million Years in government: 21 Background: Jeff Sessions started his career as a prosecutor, first as a U.S. Attorney and then as Attorney General of Alabama. He was elected to the Senate in 1996, where he proceeded to legislate against equal rights, and for the Iraq War. He opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and supported a measure to make same-sex marriage illegal. He’s also spoken out against climate change. Chilling Anecdote: Sessions was once declared too racist to be a federal judge, based in part on a voting rights case he pursued against black activists. Sessions has said he would prosecute that case again, given the opportunity. During his confirmation hearing, he was forced to denounce the KKK, a group he’d already allegedly denounced—not because of their politics, but because he heard they smoked weed. Fun facts: He was named “amnesty’s worst enemy” by the National Review.

Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior

Responsibilities: Oversees the management and conservation of federal land and resources, overseeing departments including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The Interior Secretary under Trump will probably be tasked with extracting natural resources from public lands, particularly those Obama has attempted to protect. Age: 55 Estimated net worth: $675,000 Years in government: 8 Background: Zinke is a Republican congressman from Montana who previously served as a Navy SEAL. A hunter and fisherman with a bachelor’s degree in geology, he’s a staunch supporter of public access to federal lands, but also once voted to return federal land to the states, which is confusing. He sometimes breaks rank to vote with environmentalists, but seems to be a big fan of the oil and gas industry, which is also confusing; he recently backed the Keystone XL Pipeline. Zinke believes in climate change, but also doesn’t. Chilling anecdote: It could be worse. Fun facts: Donald Trump, Jr., another avid hunter who is supposed to be running his dad’s company, reportedly played a big role in Zinke’s nomination.

Sonny Perdue, Agriculture Secretary

Responsibilities: The Department of Agriculture oversees the American farming industry, responsible for food safety, improving public nutrition, protecting natural resources, and meeting the needs of farmers and ranchers. Oh, and also the food stamp program, which will likely not stick around in its current form for much longer. Age: 70 Estimated net worth: Current net worth not available; in 2006 it was about $6 million. Years in government: 18 Background: Perdue, a conservative Republican, worked as a veterinarian and then ran a grain and fertilizer business; he later served as state senator in Georgia and as governor of Georgia from 2003-2011. One of his campaign promises included a referendum to reestablish the Confederate flag design on the state flag. Like Trump, Perdue did not put his assets in a blind trust as governor, and benefited from a tax break that he signed into law. “It’s certainly hard to imagine that a former fertilizer salesman will tackle the unregulated farm pollution that poisons our drinking water, turns Lake Erie green, and fouls the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico,” the Environmental Working Group said in a statement. Chilling anecdote: 10 years ago, when Georgia was in the middle of a historic drought, then-Gov. Perdue led a prayer service on the statehouse steps. “God, we need you,” Perdue said. “We need rain.” (It didn’t rain.)

Wilbur Ross, Commerce Secretary

Responsibilities: Besides overseeing the Trump administration’s plan to “upend” the U.S. trade policy—the least-terrifying way to phrase that—Ross will also head the Commerce Department’s weirdly broad set of responsibilities, which include departments that monitor the weather, the nation’s fisheries, and oversee patents and trademarks. Age: 79 Estimated net worth: $2.5 billion Years in government: 0 Background: Ross is an investor and former banker, who specializes in buying “distressed assets” and flipping them for profit. Like Trump, he hates trade agreements a lot. He also donated generously to Trump’s campaign, and so here we are. Chilling anecdote: Ross has a close business relationship with Viktor Vekselberg, a Putin ally and one of the richest men in Russia. Ross serves on the board of Bank of Cyprus, where Vekselberg is a shareholder. (Ross appears to be cutting his ties to Bank of Cyprus, according to Bloomberg.) Fun facts: Ross’s confirmation hearing was delayed because he hasn’t finished his ethics paperwork.

Andrew Puzder, Secretary of Labor

Responsibilities: As Secretary of Labor, Puzder will be in charge of protecting workers and enforcing labor laws. Age: 66 Estimated net worth: It’s unclear exactly what Puzder is worth but his annual salary ranges from $7 to $10 million and he owns a sizable percentage of a company valued at $25.6 million. He’s worth a lot of money. Years in government: A few months. Prior to becoming the CEO of Hardee’s Puzder spent a few months heading Missouri’s Task Force for Unborn Mothers and Unborn Children under then governor John Ashcroft. Background: In the late 1990s, Puzder became the Executive Vice President of CKE, a restaurant company that eventually bought Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. Puzder was named president of Hardee’s in 2000. Puzder is credited with turning Hardee’s, then a failing company, around with his memorable marketing strategy—namely, hot chicks eating burgers in bikinis. In 2013, he described Hardee’s as a “young, hungry guy brand” adding that the strategy worked on men of all ages. “I’m 62. I want to be a young, hungry guy,” Puzder told the Wall Street Journal. Though Puzder might have been successful at bringing hungry bros to Hardee’s, his workers say that as CEO, he engaged in widespread labor violations. He’s been critical of California labor laws, including mandatory breaks and paid out a multi-million dollar lawsuit after the company routinely broke that law. Puzder also opposes raising the minimum wage. Chilling anecdote: Before leaving for the greasy pastures of Hardee’s, Puzder was one a leading anti-abortion lawyer. He authored many Missouri laws on the topic, including one that prohibited the use of state funds for the procedure, the first of its kind. The law was appealed to the Supreme Court. In the resulting case, Webster v. Reproductive State Health Services, SCOTUS ruled that states were allowed to place restrictions on abortion. Then there are, of course, the numerous allegations of domestic violence made by his ex-wife which she has since retracted.

Tom Price, Secretary of Health and Human Services

Responsibilities: The HHS secretary is the country’s top health official, and would be responsible for implementing federal health policy, including the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act Age: 62 Estimated net worth: An estimated $13.6 million as of 2014 Years in government: He has served a total of 10 terms thus far. Background: Price, a trained orthopaedic surgeon, has had a long career in the Tea Party, first serving four terms in the Georgia State Senate. He was elected to the House of Representatives for Georgia’s 6th district in November 2004, where he has served ever since, most recently serving as chair of the House Budget Committee.

Price is one of the leading advocates for dismantling the ACA. He also supports significantly altering Medicaid and Medicare, such that they would no longer be entitlements, but instead block grants to states. His plan has also suggested making “able-bodied” applicants meet work requirements before receiving benefits, according to the Washington Post.

He notably owned stock in several health companies including Aetna, drug makers Pfizer Inc and Eli Lilly and Co., and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., while co-sponsoring 35 health bills in the House—an oddly blatant potential conflict of interest that Sen. Elizabeth Warren said raised questions about his judgement. Fun facts: In Congress, Price opposed a law that would protect women from employment discrimination based on their use of birth control or getting an abortion, and sponsored a bill that would define life as beginning at conception.

Ben Carson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Responsibilities: Implement and oversee laws relating to all aspects of housing, including mortgage markets, homelessness issues and public housing. Age: 65 Estimated net worth: $10 million Years in government: 0, though he did run for President of the United States Background: Carson, who often cites his upbringing in a single parent, working-poor home, began practicing neurosurgery in 1983, and became famous after separating conjoined twins in 1987. He launched his campaign for President in 2015, but bowed out after Super Tuesday 2016 after a disappointing showing. He has also been the author or co-author of ten books, including several self-help tomes and an autobiography entitled Gifted Hands. Chilling anecdote: Though he and his family was the recipient of public assistance growing up, including food stamps, but employs a myopic “bootstraps” mentality; in his confirmation hearings, he said he supported public assistance to a point, though did not rightly clarify beyond that. Fun fact: Lied about stabbing someone. Maybe lied about hitting his mother. Also, was once portrayed on the silver screen by Cuba Gooding Jr.

Elaine Chao, Transportation Secretary

Responsibilities: The Secretary of Transportation oversees national transportation systems, and will play a key role in the Trump administration’s loudly heralded infrastructure plan. Age: 63 Estimated net worth: $16.9 million Years in government: 14 Background: Chao was Deputy Secretary of Transportation under George H.W. Bush, and directed the Peace Corps from 1991-92. She served as Secretary of Labor under George W. Bush, serving both terms. The Government Accountability Office found that the Labor Dept. under Chao had left workers “vulnerable to wage theft.” She sits on the board of directors at Wells Fargo, and although expected to resign from all board positions if confirmed, she’ll continue to receive substantial stock payouts from Wells Fargo through 2021. Chilling anecdote: Chao’s husband is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who will not recuse himself from voting on her nomination. “I will be working to lock in the majority leader’s support tonight over dinner,” Chao joked at her very chummy confirmation hearing.

Rick Perry, Energy Secretary

Responsibilities: Overseeing our nuclear arsenal Age: 66 Estimated net worth: $2 million Years in government: 19 Background: Rick Perry governed the great state of Texas for 15 years, and ran unsuccessfully for president in 2012 and 2016. He is in favor of smaller government, a 20 percent flat tax, and job creation. A former boy scout, he enthusiastically encouraged the troops’ ban on homosexual members, and used to hunt with his dad at a deer lease called “Niggerhead.” Chilling anecdote: Our current Dept. of Energy head, Ernest Moniz, is a nuclear physicist and former MIT professor. His nuclear expertise allowed the United States to negotiate with Iran on a scientific level, which helped save the day on the Iranian deal. And Rick Perry’s qualifications? He wanted to be a vet but was advised to study animal sciences instead because his grades were so bad—he failed organic chemistry and ultimately attained a D in a class called “meats” at Texas A&M. Fun facts: Perry once forgot mid-debate the name of the federal department he wanted to eliminate. It was the Department of Energy.

Betsy DeVos, Education Secretary

Responsibilities: The Education Secretary is responsible for overseeing all Education-related federal policies and programs, including federal loans, Pell grants, and Title IX enforcement. Age: 59 Estimated net worth: Her father-in-law is worth $5.1 billion, and is the 88th richest man in the country. Years in government: She has served as chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, and supported a failed 2000 state bill to allow students to use vouchers to attend nonpublic schools. Background: DeVos is the chairman of the Windquest Group, an investment company, and also serves as chair of the board of the American Federation for Children, which works to empower parents to “choose the education they determine is best for their children,” and has been accused of inaccurately disclosing the amount of money donated to electing Republicans in Michigan.

She is a fervent advocate for charter schools and vouchers—a stance which many view as anti-public education. (The head of one of the largest teachers unions called her the “most ideological, anti-public education nominee” since the start of the Department of Education.)

DeVos is also a philanthropist, and has donated thousands of dollars to a variety of questionable organizations—including one actively working to overturn an Obama Administration policy that would make it easier to discipline students accused of sexual harassment and assault. Fun facts: In her confirmation hearing, DeVos suggested she wasn’t sure if she thought schools should continue to have the same strict standards regarding sexual violence investigations, and argued that guns might be needed in schools to fend off grizzly bears.

David Shulkin, Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Responsibilities: Overseeing the massive Veterans Affairs department, which both adminsters veterans’ benefits and runs medical facilities for vets. Age: 57 Estimated net worth: Not public Years in government: A little less than two Background: Shulkin is a doctor who was appointed as the undersecretary of veterans affairs for health by President Obama. He’s the only Obama holdover among the Trump appointees, and won praise from groups like the VFW, who seem relieved that someone has been appointed who knows what the hell he’s doing. Fun fact: Now we have to wait to see if Shulkin agrees with Trump’s proposal to privatize the VA, which would probably be an enormous disaster. That’s not really a “fun” fact is it? Well, none of this is fun and that’s just not our fault.

Marine General John F. Kelly, Secretary of Homeland Security

Responsibilities: As Secretary of Homeland Security, Kelly would be charged with overseeing the third largest Cabinet department. A sprawling and often messy department, Homeland Security oversees everything from enforcing immigration laws to fighting terrorism and protecting the president. Under this administration, Kelly would likely be responsible for implementing Donald Trump’s controversial proposals on illegal immigration. Age: 66 Estimated net worth: $4 million Years in government: Kelly has spent his entire adult life in the Marine Corps. His service includes the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and a stint as the military assistant in Leon Panetta’s Department of Defense. Background: A retired four-star Marine general, Kelly rose through the ranks and, most recently, ran the United States Southern Command. While there, he oversaw operations across South and Central America and the Caribbean, including oversight of Guantánamo Bay. Kelly has a history of breaking with the Obama administration on issues like Guantánamo Bay, women in the military, and immigration.

As the head of Southern Command, he sought funds to renovate the military prison as President Obama was seeking to close the facility and questioned whether or not combat positions should be open to women. Kelly has also melodramatically sounded the alarm on illegal immigration, warning the Senate Armed Services Committee that “terrorist organizations” could exploit “smuggling routes to move operatives with intent to cause grave harm to our citizens or even bring weapons of mass destruction into the United States.” Despite this, there’s a general consensus that Kelly is a good choice for the job, his nomination was endorsed by Panetta. Fun Fact: When asked about the capability of the Iraqi Army, Kelly told reporters that “Baghdad ain’t shit.” Not fun, but worth noting: Kelly has the sad distinction of being the highest-ranking officer to lose a child in either Iraq or Afghanistan. In 2010, his son, Lt. Robert Kelly, was killed in Afghanistan when he stepped on a landmine.

Cabinet-level:

Robert Lighthizer, U.S. Trade Representative

Image via YouTube

Responsibilities: The trade rep is the country’s chief trade negotiator and a top advisor to the president on trade issues. Age: 69 Estimated net worth: Not public Years in government: Unclear how many consecutive years he served, but Lighthizer was the chief of staff of the United States Senate Committee on Finance and then a deputy United States trade representative during the Reagan administration. Background: The most eye-glazing Trump nominee, Lighthizer is a lawyer and establishment Republican whose main draw for Trump seems to be his hostility towards China. He’s widely believed to be very knowledgeable on trade issues, putting him light years ahead of most Trump nominees. Fun fact: Politico reports that Lighthizer has a potty mouth, according to one trade lawyer who’s worked with him: “His personal style is that, in meetings, he uses filthy humor and vulgar language to throw people off their stride, which can be side-splittingly funny and very effective.” Another thing he has in common with Trump, minus the “funny,” “effective,” or “humor” parts!

Linda McMahon, Small Business Secretary

Responsibilities: True to its name, the SBA supports enterpreneurs and small businesses, and McMahon will be responsible primarily for overseeing the loan and entrepreneurial development programs run by the SBA. Age: 68 Estimated net worth: $500 million Years in government: 1-ish, serving on the Connecticut Board of Education, plus two failed Senate runs in 2010 and 2012. Background: McMahon is the former CEO of the WWE, married to Vince McMahon, the current CEO of the WWE. Everyone and everything in McMahon’s life is connected to pro-wrestling (both of her kids married wrestling stars), which is why it was maybe a tad surprising when she was appointed to the Board of Education, then launched those two unsuccessful Senate bids. Chilling Anecdote: McMahon has also become a major, although rather secretive Republican donor, giving $5 million to the Trump Foundation and giving $200,000 to a PAC that ran anti-Bernie Sanders ads. Fun facts: Several complicated WWE storylines involve the McMahons fighting, physically, with fists and chairs and stuff.

Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management and Budget

Responsibilities: Helps President implement his plans within the budget Age: 49 Estimated net worth: Over $3 million (in 2013) Years in government: 10 Background: A former lawyer, this Tea Party Republican was elected to South Carolina Senate in 2006. After serving two terms there, he was elected to U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, though the latter campaign was accused of violating campaign finance laws. After his nomination to Trump’s Cabinet, the Ethics Committee found that he did not pay over $15,000 in taxes on a nanny he employed from 2000-2004. Chilling anecdote: Mulvaney was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, created in 2009, which represents some of the most far-right ideologies in the Republican party. They’re a leading voting bloc for defunding Planned Parenthood.

Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Responsibilities: The EPA is responsible for setting and enforcing standards and regulations to protect human health and the environment. But under the Trump administration, who knows? Age: 48 Estimated net worth: Unknown Years in government: 14 Background: Pruitt was a Republican Oklahoma state senator and is currently the Oklahoma attorney general, where he and other Republican AG’s have formed a secretive alliance with fossil fuel producers to push back against Obama-era EPA regulations. Devon Energy has literally drafted letters that Pruitt then sent to the EPA under his own name. He has sued the EPA 13 times, and won’t commit to recusing himself from handling those lawsuits as EPA administrator. Hs is skeptical about the completely settled science behind climate change, and when asked at his confirmation hearing if there’s any safe level of lead that can be absorbed by the human body (no), he said he had “not looked at the research.” Fun Fact: 2016 was the hottest year on record.

Executive Office of the President:

Reince Priebus, White House Chief of Staff

Responsibilities: Chiefs of staff oversee the White House staff (hence the name) and sets White House strategy, as well as controlling access to the president by overseeing their schedule and meetings. Age: 44 Estimated net worth: Not public Years in government: 9 Background: Priebus is the career politician of the bunch, so to speak: He was elected chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party in 2007, then elected chair of the Republican National Committee in 2011. As Chief of Staff, he’ll play Establishment Republican to everybody else in the Trump’s administration Person Shouting At You About the Illuminati While Wearing a Colander. Chilling anecdote: Despite being a more, uh, normal person than several Trump picks, Priebus is still a diehard Trump loyalist. He defended him in the midst of Pussygate, although he did note that he didn’t “condone” those remarks. He defended the appointment of Steve Bannon. And now he’s merrily joining in vaguely threatening the head of the Office of Government Ethics, warning him to “be careful” about criticizing our new Cheeto King. Fun facts: The words “fun” and Reince Priebus do not appear in the same sentence even when we’re being extremely sarcastic.

Stephen Bannon, Chief Strategist

Responsibilities: Usually the chief strategist offers advice on domestic and foreign policy issues, but there’s no telling exactly how it’ll function in this administration. As the Wall Street Journal noted, Bannon is expected to have virtually equal power to the chief of staff. Age: 63 Estimated net worth: No reliable public estimates, but he’s believed to be a millionaire. Years in government: 0 Background: Bannon is best known as the former executive chairman of Breitbart News, although, as an excellent 2015 Bloomberg profile laid out, that was just the latest chapter in a career that took him from the Navy to investment banking to conservative filmmaking (he made The Undefeated, a very bad movie about Sarah Palin). And now, in an unlikely twist, he’s gone from what was a fringe conservative news outlet to being one of Donald Trump’s closest advisers. Chilling anecdote: Where do we start? Bannon was previously accused of both domestic violence and making anti-Semitic comments by his ex-wife, allegations he denies. He also denies being a racist or a white supremacist; it is indisputable, however, that Neo Nazis and white supremacists were very happy when he got the job. Fun facts: In a fairly ironic twist, Bannon earns royalties from Seinfeld, having purchased a share of them in 1993. Uh, also, Jezebel has attended a couple of Breitbart parties at the Conservative Political Action Conference, hosted by Bannon. They are populated by the same people who dot our nightmares.

Kellyanne Conway, Counselor to the President

Responsibilities: Conway, who served as Trump’s campaign manager and became famous for her nonsensical, postmodernist word salads, will continue to both advise Trump and craft the messaging of his administration’s legislative agenda. If that sounds a little vague, that’s because it is. In December, Conway told CNN’s New Day that the “portfolio will be whatever the President wants it to be,” and will include “data and strategy” in addition to communications. Age: 50 Estimated net worth: Not public, but her polling company took in around $1.9 million during the 2016 campaign, per Politico. Years in government: 0 Background: Conway started her own polling company—uncreatively called “The Polling Company”—in 1995, which focused on female consumers. She soon became a leading voice among Republican commentators, and through the firm worked with conservative politicians like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to help with voter outreach to women. She worked for Sen. Ted Cruz during the 2016 campaign before dumping him for Trump, and has been loyally defending Trump from criticism since then. Trump tapped Conway as campaign manager in August. Chilling anecdote: During a 2013 roundtable discussion about lifting the ban on women in the military, Conway said, “If we were physiologically as strong as men, rape would not exist. You would be able to defend yourself and fight him off.” And now I shudder to imagine what Conway’s solution to ending sexual assault might be... Fun facts: Not sure how “fun” this fact is, but Conway made history as the first woman to run a winning presidential campaign, and will now serve as the highest ranking woman in Trump’s administration.

Jared Kushner, Senior Advisor

Responsibilities: As a top White House advisor, Kushner will be part of Trump’s inner circle and among the first to counsel him on pretty much anything. Kushner’s first priorities reportedly include rewriting international trade policy and a controversial plan to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the holy city of Jerusalem. Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, was handed the position after a lawyer advised the campaign that Kushner’s appointment would not violate federal anti-nepotism laws. Age: 36 Estimated net worth: Kushner’s net worth is not public, but Forbes estimates that his family—his parents and his brother Josh—are worth at least $1.8 billion. Years in government: 0 Background: Kusher is a essentially a Rich kid of Instagram who came of age pre-Internet. He was an average student who curiously got into Harvard after daddy Charles Kushner, a rich real estate developer in New York, donated $2.5 million to the Ivy League school. He stayed in the family business, real estate development. Kushner’s main qualification as one of Trump’s closest confidantes seems to be the fact that he is married to Ivanka Trump. He became Trump’s right hand man during the transition process and, though he had no official role in the campaign, certainly had Trump’s ear. Chilling anecdote: After Trump published and deleted an anti-semitic tweet attacking Hillary Clinton, Kushner defended Trump against concerns brought by Jewish writer Dana Schwartz at the Observer. (Trump’s campaign later also an published anti-semitic ad, and regularly retweeted white supremacists). Kushner, who owned The Observer before selling his shares and stepping down as publisher for his new job, is an Orthodox Jew whose grandfather was a Holocaust survivor. Kushner invoked his grandfather’s history in his response to Shwartz, which was an unconvincing combination of “Trump’s not racist—trust me on this guys,” and “haters gonna hate.” His cousin Marc Kushner criticized the op-ed, writing in a Facebook post that he had a “different takeaway” from his family’s history, and wrote: “It is our responsibility as the next generation to speak up against hate. Antisemitism or otherwise.” Fun facts: New Yorker writer and fellow Harvard classmate Lizzie Widdicombe recalls that Kushner wore “dress shirts and jeans from the then trendy label 7 for All Mankind” and drove a Range Rover. According to one classmate Widdicombe interviewed, Kushner didn’t have a sense of humor about it. “He did it, like, ‘I’m fucking rich.’”

Michael Flynn, National Security Advisor

Responsibilities: The National Security Advisor advises the President on national security issues (duh), and attends meetings with the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. They don’t have authority over the defense budget, but have the potential to hugely sway the President on national security issues, which, in this instance, is alarming. Age: 58 Estimated net worth: Not public Years in government: Two, as Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Background: Flynn served in the U.S. Army from 1981 to 2014, but was forced into early retirement a year early as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency amid amid accusations from his critics that his management style was “chaotic” and his time there “turbulent,” as the Washington Post put it. Oh also he was fixedly and delusionally obsessed with Islamic terrorism, warning that Sharia law was creeping its way across the U.S. and making up so many “dubious assertions,” as the New York Times explained, that people at the DIA started calling them “Flynn facts.” Chilling anecdote: Flynn loves tweeting links to news stories ranging from kind of fake to extremely fake, like ones claiming that President Obama is a “jihadi” and that Hillary Clinton has engaged in the sex trafficking of children. Fun facts: That kind of thing runs in the family. As you might recall, Michael Flynn Jr. is also a big fan of the conspiracy theories, and was fired from a job with the Trump transition team after promoting and tweeting about and insisting that Pizzagate is real. You know: the conspiracy that claimed Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta runs a child sex trafficking ring out of a pizza place. The one that led directly to a man busting into that pizza place and firing shots.

Dan Coats, Director of National Intelligence

Responsibilities: The position, created in 2004, is supposed to help prevent terrorist attacks like 9/11 by coordinating between all of the country’s intelligence agencies. The DNI also advises the president and is in charge of the president’s daily briefing, which hasn’t gone so well thus far. Age: 73 Estimated net worth: Approximately $4.7 million Years in government: 27 Background: Coats, a former Republican senator from Indiana, served in the army in the 60’s, the House of Representatives in the ’80s, the Senate in the ’90s, as ambassador to Germany under Bush II, and the Senate again from 2010-2016. Coats is seen as a hawk on Russian issues—he was banned from Russia in 2014—and has warm bipartisan support. Chilling anecdote: Coats’ nomination was announced a few days after reports surfaced that the Trump team was seeking to overhaul the office of the DNI, potentially even leaving the post empty; Trump’s spokesman denied this. Fun fact: According to the New York Times, Coats enjoys visiting farm-to-table restaurants.

Others

Mike Pompeo, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

Responsibilities: As head of the CIA, Pompeo will oversee intelligence gathering and provide President Trump with intelligent assessments, even those he might find “politically unappealing.” Age: 53 Estimated net worth: The poorest member of Trump’s Cabinet, Pompeo is valued at just over $267k. Years in government: 6 Background: A former Army officer who graduated from West Point, Pompeo was elected to the House of Representatives from Kansas’s fourth district during the Tea Party surge in 2010. He’s a standard Tea Party Republican: he opposes abortion, has the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, supports the repeal of Obamacare, and picked up a sizable check from Koch Brothers during his 2010 election. On issues more pertinent to his new job, Pompeo also remains a conservative Republican. He’s a proponent of the NSA’s surveillance program and has advocated for its expansion. During his hearing, Pompeo remained politic on Russia, an issue that’s increasingly the source of tension between the CIA and the President Elect. As a member of Congress, Pompeo criticized a 2014 Senate report that found widespread abuses in the CIA’s handling of the so-called war on terror, including findings that the CIA was engaged in torture. “These men and women [of the CIA] are not torturers, they are patriots. The programs being used were within the law [and] within the Constitution,” he said at the time. It’s unclear whether or not he would bring back waterboarding or other forms of torture as Trump advocated on the campaign trail. Fun fact: Pompeo’s greatest claim to fame is yelling “Benghazi” at Hillary Clinton. Even after the House Select Committee found no wrongdoing, Pompeo loudly insisted that there was a “cover-up.”

Gov. Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

Responsibilities: Represents the USA in the broadest coalition of nations in existence, and ideally works for global justice and harmony within that. Age: 44 Estimated net worth: $1.6 million Years in government: 12 Background: Haley, a businessperson who served on the Orangeberg County Chamber of Commerce, was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2004, becoming the first Sikh Indian ever to serve in the state government. In 2010, she became South Carolina’s first woman governor. Chilling anecdote: Her foreign policy experience seems to be limited to family vacations!

via Gizmodo

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