by | Jun 2, 2024 | Aggregate
Robert P. Burke/Image Courtesy of The Navy Times
Federal prosecutors have announced the arrest of former Naval Officer Robert P. Burke, 62, on serious bribery charges.
Burke, a retired four-star Navy Admiral, was arrested on Friday. According to the Justice Department, he accepted bribes in exchange for steering government contracts to a company that promised him a lucrative job after his retirement from the Navy.
The indictment reveals that from 2020 to 2022, Burke, who oversaw Naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel, conspired with CEOs Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger of “Company A”) that provided a workforce training pilot program to a small component of the Navy from August 2018 through July 2019.
The Navy terminated a contract with Company A in late 2019 and directed Company A not to contact Burke.
Despite the Navy’s instructions, Kim and Messenger allegedly still met with Burke in Washington, D.C., in July 2021, in an effort to reestablish Company A’s business relationship with the Navy.
It is alleged that at the July 2021 meeting, the charged defendants agreed that Burke would use his position as a Navy Admiral to steer a sole-source contract to Company A in exchange for future employment at the company.
From the Department of Justice:
They allegedly further agreed that Burke would use his official position to influence other Navy officers to award another contract to Company A to train a large portion of the Navy with a value Kim allegedly estimated to be “triple digit millions.”
In furtherance of the conspiracy, in December 2021, Burke allegedly ordered his staff to award a $355,000 contract to Company A to train personnel under Burke’s command in Italy and Spain. Company A performed the training in January 2022. Thereafter, Burke allegedly promoted Company A in a failed effort to convince a senior Navy Admiral to award another contract to Company A. To conceal the scheme, Burke allegedly made several false and misleading statements to the Navy, including by creating the false appearance that Burke played no role in issuing the contract and falsely implying that Company A’s employment discussions with Burke only began months after the contract was awarded.
In October 2022, Burke began working at Company A at a yearly starting salary of $500,000 and a grant of 100,000 stock options.
US Attorney Matthew Graves said in a statement,
“As alleged in the indictment, Admiral Burke used his public office and his four-star status for his private gain,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “The law does not make exceptions for admirals or CEOs. Those who pay and receive bribes must be held accountable. The urgency is at its greatest when, as here, senior government officials and senior executives are allegedly involved in the corruption.”
“Today’s indictment exemplifies our unwavering commitment to eradicating fraud within the DoD,” said Deputy Director, Grant A. Fleming, Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General’s, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “Together with our federal partners, DCIS will persist in dismantling attempts to defraud the U.S. Government.”
“NCIS takes every allegation of corruption within the Department of the Navy seriously, regardless of rank or position,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our partners remain committed to rooting out criminality that degrades public trust in the Department of the Navy.”
“Burke allegedly steered a lucrative contract to Kim and Messenger’s company in exchange for the promise of future employment and then lied to try to conceal the scheme,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott. “As a four-star admiral, Burke not only cheated U.S. taxpayers but also did a disservice to military personnel under his command. As this indictment demonstrates, the FBI and our partners remain committed to investigating and prosecuting corrupt officials regardless of their rank or title.”
The post Retired Navy Admiral Charged in Bribery Scandal appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
by | Jun 2, 2024 | Aggregate
Credit: Getty Images
On Thursday, President Trump was convicted on felony charges for a made-up crime in a kangaroo court led by a corrupt judge. This comes at a time when a leading Democrat is aggressively pushing to strip him of Security Service protection, Fox News reported.
The Gateway Pundit reported last month that Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) proposed the Denying Infinite Security and Government Resources Allocated toward Convicted and Extremely Dishonorable (DISGRACED) Former Protectees Act, aiming to strip President Trump of his Secret Service protection should he face imprisonment.
The bill was introduced along with far-left Democrats Troy Carter (D-LA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), and Steve Cohen (D-TN). It was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
According to the press release, “This legislation would reform the U.S. Secret Service’s protective mission by automatically terminating Secret Service protection for those who have been sentenced to prison following conviction for a Federal or State felony—clarifying that prison authorities would be responsible for the protection of all inmates regardless of previous Secret Service protection.”
Thompson said in a statement, “Unfortunately, current law doesn’t anticipate how Secret Service protection would impact the felony prison sentence of a protectee — even a former President. It is regrettable that it has come to this, but this previously unthought-of scenario could become our reality. Therefore, it is necessary for us to be prepared and update the law so the American people can be assured that protective status does not translate into special treatment—and that those who are sentenced to prison will indeed serve the time required of them.”
According to a fact sheet from the Committee on Homeland Security, the U.S. government has long recognized the need to protect presidents, former presidents, other high-level officials, and select family members from harm. Since 1901, this protective mission has been carried out by the U.S. Secret Service.
Section 3056(a)(3) of Title 18 of the United States Code mandates that the United States Secret Service provide protection for former presidents, their spouses, and their children under the age of 16 “for their lifetimes, except that protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event of remarriage.”
The act ensures their safety due to the sensitive information they possess and the unique threats they might face. There is no specific provision excluding protection in the event of incarceration, so Secret Service protection continues regardless of a former president’s legal status.
More from the fact sheet:
The DISGRACED Former Protectees Act would terminate Secret Service protection for individuals who otherwise qualify for it upon sentencing following conviction for a Federal or State felony.
Under current law, Secret Service protection is authorized for some current and former high-level officials and their immediate families. Current law does not contemplate how such protection would occur—or whether it should occur—if a protectee is sentenced to prison following conviction for a felony. As a result, current law may serve as an impediment to the equal administration of justice and present logistical difficulties for both the Secret Service and prison authorities at the Federal and State levels.
This bill would remove the potential for conflicting lines of authority within prisons and allow judges to weigh the sentencing of individuals without having to factor in the logistical concerns of convicts with Secret Service protection.
Is this bill ex post facto and therefore in violation of the Constitution?
No. The Supreme Court in Flemming v. Nestor suggested that there could be situations where the termination of a benefit may raise ex post facto concerns. However, such a law would have to be shown to have an unlawful, punitive purpose. This bill raises no punitive concern. The purpose of this bill is to hand off inmate protection to relevant prison authorities rather than involve the Secret Service. Further, the removal of Secret Service protection does not change the criminal statutes or alter the penalty for crimes.
Will this bill apply to former President Trump if he is convicted of a felony?
This measure would apply to former President Trump. It also would apply to all Secret Service protectees convicted and sentenced under felony charges.
During an interview with Alex Jones last month, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene stated the Democrats ‘want Trump dead.’
Rep. Greene stated that Trump “is not invincible; he’s a man, he’s fighting as hard as possible, and he’s putting all he has into trying to win the election.”
Greene continued, “You have to remember, he’s trying to run for president again, and he has to put everything he has into defending himself against these rigged trials.”
“They literally want him dead; Billy Thompson introduced a bill to take away his Secret Service protection. They want to lock him up in jail for the rest of his life so he dies in jail, and they want to take away his secret service protection so that he is murdered,” added Greene.
This sentiment was echoed by Donald Trump Jr. during his interview with Tucker Carlson, saying, “Let’s be honest: These radical leftists don’t just want my father in a prison cell. They want him dead.”
WATCH:
Let’s be honest: These radical leftists don’t just want my father in a prison cell. They want him dead. pic.twitter.com/PijJBGBmXF
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 1, 2024
Legal analyst Jonathan Turley lambasted the bill, exposing its blatant political vendetta against Trump, even after his conviction. In a scathing critique, he suggested more fitting acronyms such as SHAMEFUL (Stopping Harmful Antics by Members Eagerly Filing Useless Legislation) or CUCKOO (Congressmen Undertaking Changes to Kill Our Opponents) to reflect on the politically motivated actions.
“Describing this move as “regrettable,” Thompson has found a way to add lethal elements to the unhinged political rage in Congress,” Turley added.
…or CUCKOO (Congressmen Undertaking Changes to Kill Our Opponents). Describing this move as “regrettable,” Thompson has found a way to add lethal elements to the unhinged political rage in Congress. https://t.co/UU00aGE5CA
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) June 1, 2024
The post ‘They Want Trump Dead’ — Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson Pushes ‘DISGRACED Act’ to Strip Trump of Secret Service Protection if He Goes to Prison appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
by | Jun 2, 2024 | Aggregate
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appears on “State of the Union” on Sunday. (@tomselliott / Twitter screenshot)
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) attempted to smear Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA) and Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito earlier this week with a nasty tweet, and it blew up in her face.
As The Gateway Pundit readers know, Justice Alito and his wife have been under brutal assault from the leftist media and Democrat Party because his wife flew the American flag upside-down at their properties back in January 2021. This was around the same time as the J6 protests.
A May article in the New York Times attempted to connect Alito to so-called “election deniers” without evidence. Democrats promptly seized on the story to demand Alito recuse himself from any cases involving the protesters and vowed to investigate him as well.
Americans have used the upside-down or inverted American flag to protest the government for decades. Since President Trump’s conviction by the kangaroo court in Manhattan, the inverted flag has been a calling card for many other Americans, including critics of the 45th President.
MTG decided to post a photo of the inverted flag in an X post on Thursday in response to Trump’s conviction. When AOC noticed she had a snarky reply on hand.
“Who did you learn that from, Samuel Alito?” she wrote.
Who did you learn that from, Samuel Alito? https://t.co/MeMQneci2i
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2024
Conservatives let her have it on social media with a series of colorful and brutal replies.
Your district is disgusting. Get off your phone and pick up some trash.
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) May 31, 2024
The House Idiot is babbling again. Must be a slow day at the bar.
— JJ Pesavento (@rdrhwke) May 31, 2024
pic.twitter.com/U8x7IpB5sr
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 31, 2024
Who did you learn this from? pic.twitter.com/oeFSbJk573
— MAGA Elvis (@BenStanton77) May 31, 2024
Bitch, go make me a cocktail
— MAGA Michelle S (@MAGAMichelleS69) May 31, 2024
I’m surprised you recognized it without it being on fire
— Dr Strangetweet Or How I Learned To Love The RT (@lone_rides) May 31, 2024
The only two flags AOC won’t burn: pic.twitter.com/5O67BwiIeD
— Scarlett Johnson (@scarlett4kids) May 31, 2024
As Fox News notes, AOC herself demanded an investigation into Alito over the upside-down flag during an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes last month.
“Samuel Alito has identified himself with the same people who raided the Capitol on Jan. 6, and is now going to be presiding over court cases that have deep implications over the participants of that rally,” she whined. “And while this is the threat to our democracy, Democrats have a responsibility for defending our democracy. And in the Senate, we have gavels.”
“There should be subpoenas going out,” she continued. “There should be active investigations that are happening.”
WATCH:
The post Oops: AOC’s Snarky Tweet Smearing Justice Samuel Alito and Marjorie Taylor Greene Blows Up in Her Face appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
by | Jun 2, 2024 | Aggregate
Caitlin Clark was assaulted (Screenshot: ESPN)
During Saturday’s WNBA face-off between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky, Chennedy Carter’s actions against Caitlin Clark sparked outrage among fans. Not only did she appear to call Clark a “b*tch,” but she also took a cheap shot at her.
With only seconds left in the third quarter, Carter managed to score a jumper, reducing Indiana’s lead to four points. Cameras caught Carter allegedly hurling an insult, seemingly the “b-word,” towards Clark, followed by a physical shoulder check that knocked Clark to the ground.
The referee’s decision to issue only a common foul—no flagrant, no ejection—stirred significant discontent among the Fever’s fans and critics, who viewed the move as a clear act of aggression.
WATCH:
ASSAULT!
pic.twitter.com/81HW8ZMGbn
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 1, 2024
Read her lips, what does it look like she’s saying to Caitlin Clark? pic.twitter.com/fwLjoF1JI5
— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) June 1, 2024
Even Draymond Green, a professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors, said Fever should “invest in an enforcer” to protect Clark.
According to Sporting News, “He regularly protects Stephen Curry because he’s aware of how important Curry is to Golden State’s success. The enforcer role isn’t new either. This has been going on for decades in most sports, but particularly in the NBA.”
Draymond Green has entered the chat… #WNBA pic.twitter.com/aiPXGnSFmm
— Vanshay Murdock (@VanshayM) June 1, 2024
Post-match, a visibly upset Clark told the ESPN broadcast team, “That’s just not a basketball play.” Her statement resonated with viewers who felt that Carter’s action was an assault.
In her post-game press conference, Carter bluntly stated, “I ain’t answering no Caitlin Clark questions.”
WATCH:
Chennedy Carter, given a chance to explain herself postgame, says “next question.”
Then later, “I ain’t answering no Caitlin Clark questions.”
Coach Teresa Weatherspoon stepped in: “That’s enough. We’re good.”
Disappointing press conference. Accountability lacking. pic.twitter.com/yw45QUieRo
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) June 1, 2024
Adding fuel to the fire, Carter’s post-game actions have done nothing to quell the growing backlash. Instead of showing remorse or seeking to clarify her actions, Carter has engaged in liking and sharing social media posts that seem to justify her aggressive behavior.
Screenshot: X
Screenshot: X
Screenshot: X
She even boasted about the attention she’s getting, stating, “Troll notifications blowing up. I love it.”
troll notifications blowing up . I love it
— H O L L Y W O O D (@ChennedyCarter) June 1, 2024
Critics argue that if roles were reversed, and it was Clark who had committed the same actions against Carter, the narrative pushed by certain media outlets would be starkly different, possibly branding Clark as racist and severe accusations.
Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark’s influence on the league’s popularity is undeniable. Amidst the ongoing NBA playoffs, Clark has emerged as the most-searched basketball player in the nation, with her team leading the popularity charts across almost all states. The burgeoning star’s ability to draw crowds and boost the WNBA’s viewership records has been nothing short of phenomenal.
The WNBA, far-left, and media hate Caitlin Clark because she is a white, Catholic, straight girl.
Whitlock: Women’s College Basketball Phenom Caitlin Clark Comes Under Attack for Not Being Black Lesbian?
The post WNBA Player Who Appeared to Call Caitlin Clark a “B*tch” and Delivered Cheap Shot Shows Zero Remorse — Now Liking and Reposting Tweets Justifying Attack appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
by | Jun 2, 2024 | Aggregate
Official Department of Defense Seal. Credit: United States Department of Defense
Biden’s Department of Defense (DoD) made an inexcusable error on Saturday when the agency “mistakenly” mixed up LGBTQ Pride Month and PTSD Awareness Month in a social media post.
The Pentagon posted on X Saturday explaining that June marks PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Awareness Month. As Fox News notes, this was first recognized by the U.S. government in June 2014, one year before June also officially became Pride Month.
“June is PTSD Awareness Month and the DoD is committed to supporting service members and veterans affected by PTSD,” the DOD post read.
The post continued, “If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. You are not alone.”
However, there was one big problem with the tweet: the picture attached below the words in the post read “Celebrate Pride Month 2024” complete with a Progress Pride Flag photo.
LOOK:
Credit: @DeptofDefense
The Pentagon X account later deleted the post and replaced it with one that had a proper photo.
June is #PTSDAwarenessMonth and the DoD is committed to supporting service members and veterans affected by PTSD.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available.
Reach out and learn more at https://t.co/yDjUPnYI5u.
You are not alone. pic.twitter.com/TS8UB817vs
— Department of Defense (@DeptofDefense) June 1, 2024
X users made sure to remind Biden’s Pentagon that the Internet is forever, however.
But why did you change it? pic.twitter.com/TKo12FBak7
— WeGbored (@WeGboredX) June 1, 2024
Took you long enough to fix that… but it also wouldn’t surprise me AT ALL that this DoD is much more worried about multiple posts on Pride Month the second it’s June than they are about PTSD…
— Rebecca Downs (@RebeccaRoseGold) June 1, 2024
This error by the Pentagon brings to mind another disgraceful episode back on March 30. As the Gateway Pundit’s Cassandra MacDonald reported, Joe Biden issued a White House proclamation declaring EASTER SUNDAY to be “Transgender Day of Visibility.”
The Biden regime refused to apologize for this outrageous assault on Christianity. Instead, Joe Biden posted an in-your-face statement on Easter Sunday (March 31) supporting Transgender Day of Visibility.
The post Inexcusable: Biden’s Pentagon “Mistakenly” Celebrates LGBTQ Pride Month in a PTSD Awareness Social Media Post appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
