A San Diego judge has allowed former Chula Vista City Councilwoman Andrea Cardenas to avoid jail time despite her guilty plea for defrauding the government of over $200,000 in COVID relief and unemployment funds.

Andrea Cardenas, who had been a rising star in the Democrat Party, and her brother, Jesus Cardenas, a former chief of staff to San Diego City Councilman Stephen Whitburn, are at the center of a corruption scandal.

The charges revolve around their alleged fraudulent acquisition of a $176,227 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for their venture, Grassroots Resources, a local government and political consulting firm.

According to court documents, Jesus Cardenas misrepresented the nature and scale of their political consulting firm, falsely claiming it employed 34 people.

This lie allowed the Cardenas siblings to siphon off critical funds meant to keep struggling businesses afloat during the pandemic. Instead, these funds were used to line their pockets.

Andrea Cardenas played a crucial role in this deceit. She reportedly altered information provided to lenders, substituting Grassroots Resources’ details with those of a marijuana dispensary, Harbor Collective.

Her involvement didn’t stop there. La Prensa reported that she declared a significant income from Grassroots Resources while simultaneously denying the existence of any employees when the firm pursued a consulting contract with a local public water agency.

Read more:

Prominent South Bay Democratic Siblings, Including Chula Vista Council Member, Charged in Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

Despite the severity of the charges, Andrea Cardenas faced only probation, with no jail time, and ordered to pay restitution.

This lenient sentence has been met with widespread criticism, with many pointing out that ordinary citizens committing similar fraud would likely face much harsher penalties.

Prosecutors had argued for 180 days in custody, emphasizing that Cardenas knew exactly what she was doing and that her actions were premeditated.

During her sentencing, Cardenas attempted to garner sympathy by describing the difficulties she faces as a caretaker for her ailing parents and as an immigrant, arguing that her actions were a mistake made under duress.

"I have received a lot of email threats on the social media. I've been screamed at on the street in front of my house and told that were to come to my house. I've been subjected to vital language that I've never experienced... I know that this is not pretty standard in politics, but my parents are my number one priority," said Cardenas at the sentencing.

Her defense attorney further tried to downplay her culpability by comparing her to other local politicians who avoided jail time for their crimes, even suggesting that her brother should bear the brunt of the blame.

These excuses do not justify the leniency shown by the judge, especially given the significant amount of money involved and the betrayal of public trust.

According to 10 News:

"Cardenas was ordered Wednesday to pay over $176,000 to the Small Business Administration and over $28,000 to the Employment Development Department, which will be paid by both her and her brother.

Another restitution amount to the Franchise Tax Board related to failing to file tax returns will be determined in the future. Her sentence also includes a requirement to complete 100 hours of volunteer work with any nonprofit.

Cardenas' sentencing came about five months after her brother was sentenced to two years probation and 180 days in custody, with the custodial time spent in the work furlough program and home detention. As part of their pleas, six other felony counts of conspiracy, money laundering and failing to file tax returns were dismissed."

As if the situation couldn’t get any more complicated, the California Fair Political Practices Commission is now investigating a political action committee linked to the Cardenas siblings. While details remain scarce—officials declined to comment specifically on this case—the potential for additional fines or charges looms large over both Andrea and Jesus.

WATCH:

BREAKING: A judge in Chula Vista, California has refused to give jail time to former Democrat City Councilwoman Andrea Cardenas even after she pled GUILTY to stealing over $200k in COVID relief funds & unemployment benefits

She made herself the victim in the courtroom,… pic.twitter.com/i4YiqxhcDS

— George (@BehizyTweets) August 29, 2024

The post Judge Lets Former Democrat City Councilwoman Andrea Cardenas Walk Free Despite Guilty Plea for Stealing Over $200K in COVID Relief and Unemployment Funds appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Despite the fact that she is the vice president and is already calling the shots in the White House, Ben Stiller says he is supporting Kamala Harris because it is “time for change.”

In what appeared to be an impromptu interview, Stiller was asked by a journalist why he was supporting the Harris campaign and what he liked about her candidacy.

“Just very excited about moving forward and all the energy and excitement that is around this movement right now, so that is why I am here, because it is time for change and it seems like it is happening.”

“It is going to be close but everyone is motivated to work to make it happen and she and Tim Walz are just incredible candidates,” he continued.

Actor Ben Stiller says it’s time for change and that’s why he’s voting for Kamala Harris.

She’s been the VP for 4 years…pic.twitter.com/5J6lbgx9qR

— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) August 28, 2024

Given he is your average Hollywood liberal, Stiller’s support for Harris was always a foregone conclusion. However, that has not stopped him embarassing himself in the process.

Earlier this month, the Zoolander star said on a fundraising call that the reason he was donating $150,000 to her campaign was because he wished he was black.

“It’s going to be the first woman president, and that’s incredibly exciting,” Stiller said at the time. “She’s Indian, she’s black, she’s everything. You can be more than one thing. It’s incredible. I’m Jewish and Irish. I wish I was black. Every white Jewish guy wishes he was black.”

Read more:

Actor Ben Stiller Says He “Wishes He Was Black” While Urging People to Vote for Kamala Harris During “Comics For Kamala” Fundraising Call, Donates $150,000 to Her Campaign

If Harris does make it to the White House next year, presumably with the help of Democratic electoral fraud, the only change she will inevitably bring is making things even worse.

The post Who Wants to Tell Him? Ben Stiller Says He is Supporting Kamala Because It Is ‘Time For Change’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

California lawmakers has passed a law banning voter idenficitation in local elections as Democrats seek to shore up their supermajority in the state.

Legislation SB1174 was passed after the City of Huntington Beach, which remains one of the few areas of Los Angeles that leans Republican, approved a voter ID requirement for municipal elections from 2026.

Sadly for the people of Huntington Beach, this legislation will override their sensible policy.

According to the bill’s author bill, State Sen. Dave Min, an “overwhelming body of evidence proves that voter ID laws only subvert voter turnout and create barriers to law abiding voters.”

“To register to vote in California, voters are already required to provide their driver’s license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number,” he continued.

Read more:

Shocking Poll Finds 9% of “Likely US Voters” That Voted in 2020 Were Not US Citizens or “Not Sure”

One Republican State Assemblymember, Bill Essayli, introduced a failed amendment to the bill that would have explicitly prohibited illegal immigrants from voting.

Noncitizens are already permitted to vote in local school board elections in San Francisco, while in the nearby city of Santa Ana, an upcoming ballot measure could allow noncitizens to vote not only in school board elections but in all municipal elections within the city.

As long exposed by The Gateway Pundit, Democrats take advantage of relaxed voter I.D. laws in order to encourage illegal immigrants and other non-citizens to vote for them.

Meanwhile, Republicans across the country have attempted to pass legislation mandating voter I.D., although this has predictably been blocked by Joe Biden and the Democratic Party.

Read more:

Party that Opposes Voter ID Laws as Racist Required ID for Participants to Enter Harris Arizona Rally

Back in April, California Attorney General Rob Bonta even sued Huntington Beach for the ordinance, claiming that California "already contains robust voter ID requirements with strong protections to prevent voter fraud, while ensuring that every eligible voter can cast their ballot without hardship."

This is far from the only crazy piece of legislation out of California this week. Under separate legislation passed this week, illegal aliens will be offered $150,000 interest-free home mortgage loans at the obvious expense of the taxpayer.

Governor Gavin Newsom has yet to indicate whether he intends on signing the bill.

The post California Senate Passes Law Banning Voter I.D. in Local Elections, Paving Way For Illegals Voting appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.