#Jess Benton

[paintermagazine]

‘Extraction!’

Artist: Jess Benton

Source: ‘Squads Riot’ (Sept, 1942).

[addictedtostorytelling]

"come on, jesse. come on, man. don't give up on me."

[liberalsarecool]

Jesse Benton was pardoned by Russian asset Donald J Trump.

Russian spies look after each other.

Rand Paul works for Putin. His voting record is always pro-Russia. He hand-delivered a letter to Putin. No surprise his family has been groomed, as well, to serve our enemies in Russia.

Naming your kid after soulless Russian Ayn Rand was no mistake for Ron Paul.

[not-safe-for-democracy]

[duranduratulsa]

Now showing on my 80's Fest Movie 🎥 marathon...Purple Rain (1984) on glorious vintage VHS 📼! #movie #movies #drama #purplerain #purplerain40 #prince #ripprince #princeandtherevolution #TheRevolution #wendyandlisa #thetime #MorrisDay #jeromebenton #jilljones #apollonia #clarencewilliamsiii #RIPClarenceWilliamsIII #BillySparks #olgakarlatos #JesseJohnson #bobbyz #mattfink #brownmark #jellybeanjohnson #dezdickerson #vintage #vhs #80s #80sfest #durandurantulsas6thannual80sfest

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

On Friday, a federal judge in Washington, DC sentenced a veteran GOP operative to 18 months in prison for funneling $25,000 from a Russian businessman to Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Jesse Benton, a longtime aide to both Ron and Rand Paul, was convicted in November on six related charges. The court found that he and another GOP operative accepted $100,000 from Roman Vasilenko, a St. Petersburg-based influencer who wanted photos with Trump to display on his social media accounts. Benton kept most of the money for himself but donated $25,000 to the Republican National Committee as part of a plan to secure two tickets to a fundraising event for Trump in Philadelphia. At the event, Vasilenko was allowed to sit close to Trump at a roundtable discussion and later took a photo with him. Foreign nationals, like Vasilenko, are not allowed to donate to US political campaigns or committees, and it is illegal to make a donation on behalf of someone else.

Benton, who is married to Ron Paul’s grandaughter, was previously convicted in 2016 of a scheme to pay an Iowa state senator to switch his endorsement from Michele Bachmann to Ron Paul ahead of the state’s 2012 republican presidential caucus. In that case, Benton, after pleading that he had reformed and had a family to support, was sentenced to home confinement. Just six days later, the Trump fundraiser at which Vasilenko met Trump took place. A few weeks after that, Benton was caught in an undercover sting orchestrated by the British newspaper The Telegraph, whose reporters posed as representatives of a Chinese businessman who wanted to donate $2 million to Trump’s campaign. Benton told them he could arrange it. He apparently violated the terms of his home confinement in the Iowa case to meet with the undercover reporters.

In a letter submitted to the Judge before his sentencing this week, Benton said he had suffered enormously in the face of federal investigations over the last eight years, which he said had nearly bankrupted him and ruined his good name. Benton wrote that he currently delivers for DoorDash to make ends meet, and, in asking for more home confinement instead of prison time, argued that being separated from his family would be painful for them, including his young daughter. In pleading for leniency, Benton cited his Christianity and claimed he was no longer involved with politics. (In 2016, he had also pointed to his faith and claimed to be out of the business.)

At Benton’s sentencing hearing Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump-appointee whose light sentences of January 6 defendants have been controversial, was not in the mood for Benton’s argument.

“Sir, I will tell you, frankly, it’s difficult for me to read your letter talking about your integrity and faith with this pattern of deception,” McFadden told Benton. “I cannot ignore you were engaging in this incident here while you were facing sentencing in another case for political conspiracy. The Judge in that case gave you a real break, it’s shocking to me you would take that break and the mercy you sought from him and only six days later mail in this false contribution.”

At trial, Benton’s attorney Brian Stolarz attempted to argue his client had been given bad legal advice from another lawyer that making the donation was acceptable, but the jurors weren’t buying. At sentencing, Stolarz suggested that Benton’s actions didn’t indicate he was aiming to influence the Trump campaign on Vasilenko’s behalf: After Vasilenko gave Benton the $100,000, Benton stalled in donating any part of it. He eventually had to be pursued by the RNC—weeks after the event took place—to make the payment he had promised. Benton offered numerous excuses to the RNC, including that he had just dropped the check in the mail and that he would wire the money immediately. He also only ever paid $25,000, not the $50,000 that he and the other operative had originally agreed to donate on Vasilenko’s behalf. Benton kept the remaining $75,000 himself. (Doug Wead, who was originally named as a co-defendant with Benton, died in late 2021.)

Stolarz told McFadden that Benton was panicked about his legal troubles in the other case and was trying to keep the money. “The money was for him,” Stolarz said.

In court, McFadden was willing to entertain that notion. “One could think that the defendant had no intention of providing any money to the RNC, that he was actually fleecing the RNC and Mr. Vasilenko, or both,” McFadden said. “But he got pushed into a corner by the RNC repeatedly asking, ‘Where’s our money?'”

But ultimately, McFadden told Benton, he did do the crime and it did harm the integrity of the 2016 election. “I do believe your actions undermined the rule of law in this country,” McFadden said, adding that they had undermined the transparency of the Trump campaign and the broader electoral process.

Benton was ordered to report to prison on June 1. While Stolarz told McFadden that Benton would appeal, the judge ruled that he will not be allowed to stay free on bail through that process.

[makingdonalddrumpfagain]

[arkofblake]

enemies to lovers to friends <33

[myvinylplaylist]

The Time: Ice Cream Castle (1984)

Warner Bros Records

[antebellumite]

a true sibling bond

[tripurantaka]

VEDIC ASTRO NOTES 4

(KNOW MORE ABOUT DEATH)

Note: THESE OBSERVATIONS ARE FROM VEDIC ASTROLOGY AND NOT FROM WESTERN/TROPICAL. These are general rules and should be applied very cautiously. I have given the individual's name in brackets with such combinations. Source is astrodatabank.

🔱 Saturn gives problems in marriage/relationship for Leo or cancer rising despite being in its own sign Capricorn or Aquarius. (Joan Kennedy)

🔱 10th lord in 6th house gives thievish tendencies (Bakley, Bonny Lee)

🔱 Negative combinations in earth signs (Tarus, Virgo and Capricorn) brings opportunistic tendencies (garth brooks)

🔱 Rahu in ascendant are pros in changing their identities (Guy Cummings)

🔱 Saturn Mars across 1-7 axis can put a person under life threatening circumstances easily (Warmbier, Otto)

🔱 Saturn Mars conjunction in 7th house can give a corrupt partner and unhappy marriage life(Higuchi, Susana)

🔱 Person with dhooma in 4th house will be abandoned by their partner (Arness, Jenny Lee)

🔱 Mars ketu in 1-7 axis can bring sudden death (alex arendondo)

🔱 1st lord in 8th or 8th lord in first house is not a good combination for long life span(mark r benton, Jesse belvin)

🔱 If all kendra(1st, 4th , 7th , 10th) are occupied from malefic planets(rahu, ketu, saturn, mars) without the influence of Jupiter or Venus, the person won't have good life span( Bertrix, Enrique)

🔱 Atmakaraka in Scorpio Trimshamsha(D30) can give a very violent death ( Bertrix, Enrique and David Bergmann.. Observed in many)

[lilyofthesword-writes]

What Should Be - Epilogue (Batman)

Summary: You have a loving family, a cozy home, a great job - What more could a person ask for? But what do you do when an injured man dressed as a bat shows up in your home in the middle of the night?

Pairing: Batman x Reader (Platonic or Romantic)

Word Count: 844

Warnings/Disclaimers: Blood, injuries

Counterpart: Alchemy (Please read first)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Masterlist

Oracle had, of course, managed to locate the Batmobile days earlier. She had Red Robin meet you all there. After depositing you and Batman, Nightwing, and Red Hood stayed behind to further secure the two Djinn for the GCPD. Mere minutes into the drive, you had passed out.

You had no idea how much time had passed when you finally woke up. Blinking away the grogginess, you found yourself in a large cave that was surprisingly warm. Or maybe you were just warm enough to not notice the draft that typically came with cave systems. It was also surprisingly well lit. Although you were unable to see the bats whose squeaks echoed somewhere nearby. 

Where is— No… This can’t be, right?

Sitting up, every ache and pain the came with laying in bed for too long hit you like a bag of bricks. The blanket that had been covering you fell to your lap. And there was the draft you had expected. Shivers wracked your body.

If this really is the Bat Cave, how does that man not get sick from being here.

Then again, you had stayed in worse locations during your hunting excursions years ago. You managed to stay healthy. Relatively. Wounds notwithstanding.

Heavy, hurried footsteps sounded through the cave. Despite your theory, you weren’t taking any chances. You swung your legs and tried to stand, only to be caught by the IV drip you hadn’t felt mere moments before. Cursing to yourself, you pulled at the medical tape holding the needle in place.

“Don’t.”

You stopped. Theory confirmed. You turned, looking behind you as much as your sore muscles would allow. Batman may as well have sprinted towards you. He replaced the tape, calloused fingers smoothing out the material with the utmost care. He— He wasn’t wearing his gloves. Or his utility belt. Or his cape. Just his barebones suit, boots, and cowl.

There was nothing you could bring yourself to say as he rounded the bed, pulled your legs back on it, and coaxed you to lay down. It wasn’t until the head hit the pillow that you finally spoke.

“I… Umm… Thanks… This is comfier than the gurney.” Your voice held a raspy, disused quality.

Batman nodded and stared. It was almost like he didn’t know what to say. Almost.

“Hey, are you…” you started. “Are you… okay?”

“I should be asking you that,” he replied without missing a beat. 

You shrugged playfully. “Says the one who needed rescuing.”

He pursed his lips, forcing himself not to play into your banter. You wished he would have. It was better than the silence that hung heavy in the air, weighing down on you both, the uncomfortable stare, and the curiosity that got the better of him.

“Are you?”

“Y—Yeah…” You sighed and broke eye contact. “Just… Dreamt of what could have been.”

Batman nodded somberly, understanding. “Who were they?”

Were they just part of the dream?

“My partner… Jesse… They were real. We got together when I tried to retire from hunting before…” Your throat threatened to clamp down on your esophagus. “Before Benton.”

“And the boy?”

You sat up, bringing your knees to your chest. “Torrence was the boy we were going to adopt. After Jesse… I couldn’t finish the adoption process. It wouldn’t have been fair to Torrence…”

More silence.

You wanted to ask. It was only fair right? 

Batman shifted on his feet before decidedly sitting on the bed. His head tilted, his gaze on the floor. “I saw my family… What would— What could have happened if they had lived. If my father had fought against the mugger and won.”

Oh… Oh.

“And what made you leave all of that?” you half whispered. What tipped you off that it wasn’t real?

He thought for a moment. “It felt… like a gilded cage. I had my parents and no one else... Then, there was you.”

Uncurling yourself, you raised your head. “Me?”

“Yes.” He lifted his gaze to meet yours. “There was a gala at the university for the Archeology Department. You were there to accept the donations.”

“Wh—”

“You were the head of the department.”

“Oh…”

He nodded. “That was when everything came together.”

You both sat there, swallowed by phantom echoes. Where did you go from here? You knew too much about each other. You knew Batman’s identity. Parents being mugged and killed in Gotham was nothing outlandish. Most of the city forgot these even within weeks. But his… Bruce Wayne’s story had been, and still was, publicized by the media. His public identity was dependent on his family’s tragedy. Batman with all his tech, his motivations — They all made sense now.

“I won’t tell anyone,” you breathed.

“I know.”

There was no malice, no threat behind his words. He believed you. He trusted you. 

He wasn’t ready to remove the cowl in front of you, and that was okay. This wouldn’t be the last time you saw each other or worked on a case. A door had opened to let the daylight in.

[kafkasapartment]

Jesse with Guitar, 1957. Thomas Hart Benton. Oil on canvas.

[companion-showdown]

Who had the worst time aboard the TARDIS? - Round 0 Masterpost

Elimination Groups

Group 1 - 3 eliminations

Katarina

Sara Kingdom

Bret Vyon

Kamelion

Group 2 - 3 eliminations

Sam Jones

C'rizz

Compassion

Chris Cwej

Group 3 - 7 eliminations

Hex Schofield

Izzy Sinclair

Roz Forrester

Molly O'Sullivan

Fey Truscott-Sade

Oliver Harper

Father Kreiner

Alice Obiefune

Abslom Daak

Group 4 - 7 eliminations

Anya Kingdom

Mark Seven

Majenta Pryce

Destrii

Kroton

Jess Collins

Shayde

Tamson Drew

Marc

Group 5 - 5 eliminations

The Doctor

Adam Mitchell

Simm!Master

Missy

Tricky Van Baalen

Bram Van Baalen

Gregor Van Baalen

Seeding Groups - No Eliminations

Group 6

Susan Foreman

Barbara Wright

Ian Chesterton

Vicki Pallister

Group 7

Steven Taylor

Dodo Chaplet

Ben Jackson

Polly Wright

Group 8

Jamie McCrimmon

Victoria Waterfield

Zoe Heriot

The Brigadier

Sergeant Benton

Group 9

Liz Shaw

Mike Yates

Jo Grant

Sarah-Jane Smith

Harry Sullivan

Group 10

Leela

K9

Romana I

Romana II

Group 11

Adric

Nyssa

Tegan Jovanka

Vislor Turlough

Group 12

Peri Brown

Mel Bush

Ace McShane

Chang Lee

Grace Holloway

Group 13

Charley Pollard

Evelyn Smythe

Lucie Miller

Liv Chenka

Group 14

Bernice Summerfield

Fitz Kreiner

Frobisher

Iris Wildthyme

Group 15

Rose Tyler

Mickey Smith

Jack Harkness

Martha Jones

Group 16

Donna Noble

Wilfred Mott

River Song

Amy Pond

Rory Williams

Group 17

Clara Oswald

Bill Potts

Nardole

Yasmin Khan

Group 18

Graham O'Brien

Ryan Sinclair

Dan Lewis

Ruby Sunday

[duranduratulsa]

Now showing on DuranDuranTulsa's Flashback Theater...Purple Rain (1984) on glorious vintage VHS 📼!...remembering Prince 8 years later! #movie #movies #drama #music #purplerain #purplerain40 #prince #ripprince #princeandtherevolution #TheRevolution #wendyandlisa #thetime #MorrisDay #jeromebenton #jilljones #apollonia #ClarenceWilliamsIII #RIPClarenceWilliamsIII #JesseJohnson #bobbyz #brownmark #doctorfink #80s #vintage #vhs #durandurantulsa #durandurantulsasflashbacktheater

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

A federal jury convicted a Republican political operative on Thursday for funneling illegal campaign contributions from a Russian national into former President Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Jesse Benton, who previously worked for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), worked with another GOP political operative to arrange for the Russian national to attend a fundraiser and take a picture with Trump.

Since the event required a contribution, the Russian national sent $100,000 to Benton’s political consulting firm — $25,000 of which he donated in his own name to the Trump campaign and the other $75,000 of which he pocketed.

Trump and his campaign were not aware that the individual — who the Washington Post identified as Russian naval officer and multilevel marketer Roman Vasilenko — was Russian, according to the Justice Department.

Benton was previously convicted of campaign finance crimes in May 2016 for paying an Iowa state senator to support former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) in the 2012 presidential race. Trump pardoned Benton in December 2020.

The political operative worked on Paul’s 2012 presidential campaign, as well as his son Rand Paul’s 2010 campaign and McConnell’s 2014 campaign. Benton also served as chief strategist of the Great America PAC, which supported Trump, in 2016.