Gallia county auditor
The Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost puts his name on every piece of communications except Collections notices
2024.05.17 19:49 janna15 The Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost puts his name on every piece of communications except Collections notices
 | I am not a fan of politicians like the Governor, Attorney General or County Auditor putting their name on every piece of communication that comes from their office (both Democrats and Republicans do this across the country, but it seems Republicans do it a lot more), but if you’re going to put your name on mail and communications, it should be all or nothing, not avoiding things that negatively impact people. submitted by janna15 to Ohio [link] [comments] Dave Yost is a bigoted ass and is running for Governor, and I think poor, rural people who consistently vote Republican against their own interests should know the Republican they support is collecting debts for things like medical debt that negatively impact their lives. For the record, this debt is fully paid. |
2024.05.17 17:20 jsboklahoma1987 How do I ask a neighbor if I can buy some of their land?
I’m wanting to purchase a third of a whole acre to extend my back yard. I’ve looked on the county auditor site and done a little research and it is owned by a brother and sister that appear to have inherited it a few years ago along with the house. I’m not sure they live there or if they rent the home, the large plot of land is mowed it looks like on a monthly basis, but isn’t used for anything. I want to ask but I don’t want to come across as a stalker. I also don’t really know what an “other residential” would sell for, or what would be appropriate to offer. I’m thinking it’s not buildable.
submitted by jsboklahoma1987 to RealEstate [link] [comments]
2024.05.17 01:54 Monechetti Free croissants
I own a bakery in town and every year I shut down my shop for a week to run a stall at the county fair. Despite great sales, I still typically have quite a bit left over, which I happily distribute to people who are in need.
Our town is not large so I recognize each person who visits my stall, but for the last 5 days, I had a mysterious new patron.
His skin was dark, his eyes blue, and his hair long and silver. He was tall and gaunt, and extremely well dressed, in a tailored suit and a long duster despite the autumn heat.
Our first encounter was brief - he paid for a coffee with change but eyed the almond croissants that I am famous for with longing.
"Would you like one?" I asked, "on the house. I always make too many".
"Thank you", he said, averting his gaze, but smiling.
I smiled back and said " are you here for the duration of the fair?" He nodded.
"I'm an auditor," he said, "I'll be here until noon on Sunday".
"Well then, I will see you tomorrow", I replied. He smiled, keeping his eyes cast down but smiling brighter.
For the next few days he showed up and I always had a coffee and an almond croissant waiting.
On the last day of the fair, he stopped by one more time, but with a gift; a small box wrapped in brown paper.
"Wear this, please? It would mean the world to me if you did", he insisted. I smiled, putting the box in my pocket.
I went to pour him some coffee but when I turned back around he was gone.
That night I was sitting on my porch watching the news on my phone as the massive storm clouds moved in. The reporter was interviewing a woman from the next county over.
Right after their fair, there had been an unprecedented tornado outbreak - every single person in their small town of 200 people had been killed, save for her family. The tornadoes were so powerful that the ground was scoured and people were plucked from their basements or cellars; it was utter devastation. Shocked, I walked inside to make myself some tea.
The report was interspersed with segments from other people who had survived similar storms in our state over the last month. Apocalyptic weather patterns that killed nearly everyone except for a few random people.
Just then, I remembered the gift my mystery patron gave me. Inside the box was a small gold brooch, in the shape of three feathers crossed. I pinned it to my lapel as I heard the first few peals of thunder, and turned back to the news.
As I continued to watch all of these segments cut together, my jaw dropped and my cup overflowed but I couldn't look away; every single family that survived, every person left alive in these towns were wearing the exact same brooch as me.
submitted by Monechetti to shortscarystories [link] [comments]
Our town is not large so I recognize each person who visits my stall, but for the last 5 days, I had a mysterious new patron.
His skin was dark, his eyes blue, and his hair long and silver. He was tall and gaunt, and extremely well dressed, in a tailored suit and a long duster despite the autumn heat.
Our first encounter was brief - he paid for a coffee with change but eyed the almond croissants that I am famous for with longing.
"Would you like one?" I asked, "on the house. I always make too many".
"Thank you", he said, averting his gaze, but smiling.
I smiled back and said " are you here for the duration of the fair?" He nodded.
"I'm an auditor," he said, "I'll be here until noon on Sunday".
"Well then, I will see you tomorrow", I replied. He smiled, keeping his eyes cast down but smiling brighter.
For the next few days he showed up and I always had a coffee and an almond croissant waiting.
On the last day of the fair, he stopped by one more time, but with a gift; a small box wrapped in brown paper.
"Wear this, please? It would mean the world to me if you did", he insisted. I smiled, putting the box in my pocket.
I went to pour him some coffee but when I turned back around he was gone.
That night I was sitting on my porch watching the news on my phone as the massive storm clouds moved in. The reporter was interviewing a woman from the next county over.
Right after their fair, there had been an unprecedented tornado outbreak - every single person in their small town of 200 people had been killed, save for her family. The tornadoes were so powerful that the ground was scoured and people were plucked from their basements or cellars; it was utter devastation. Shocked, I walked inside to make myself some tea.
The report was interspersed with segments from other people who had survived similar storms in our state over the last month. Apocalyptic weather patterns that killed nearly everyone except for a few random people.
Just then, I remembered the gift my mystery patron gave me. Inside the box was a small gold brooch, in the shape of three feathers crossed. I pinned it to my lapel as I heard the first few peals of thunder, and turned back to the news.
As I continued to watch all of these segments cut together, my jaw dropped and my cup overflowed but I couldn't look away; every single family that survived, every person left alive in these towns were wearing the exact same brooch as me.
2024.05.16 19:18 DelantheGreat IRS or go for State DOR?
I'm at a crossroads here. I want to become a tax revenue officer (hoping to go for a revenue agent later) for the IRS but saw that my state (North Carolina Department of Revenue) is also offering an officer and auditor positions as well. The state positions don't offer as much pay but do as the IRS does but does have less stingent requirements.
The IRS is hiring like crazy right now from what I've heard and I want to take advantage of the situtation but I know how daunting completing an application for the federal government can be. Should I just go ahead and apply to the IRS or get experience from the NC DOR?
At a quick glance I have;
Bachelors in Business-Administration 4.5 years working for the county government as a Medicaid caseworker 7 months of collections experience (Auto Lender) 2 years as a retail store manager.
TL;DR- Should I apply for the IRS officer position or apply for the states tax office job instead?
submitted by DelantheGreat to careerguidance [link] [comments]
The IRS is hiring like crazy right now from what I've heard and I want to take advantage of the situtation but I know how daunting completing an application for the federal government can be. Should I just go ahead and apply to the IRS or get experience from the NC DOR?
At a quick glance I have;
Bachelors in Business-Administration 4.5 years working for the county government as a Medicaid caseworker 7 months of collections experience (Auto Lender) 2 years as a retail store manager.
TL;DR- Should I apply for the IRS officer position or apply for the states tax office job instead?
2024.05.14 22:40 Wild-Economics-7873 New federal cases, laws of special importance to Iowa mothers and Brenna Bird's surprise trip to NYC - Laura Belin May 14, 2024
- We started with the two federal lawsuits filed last Thursday, seeking to block Iowa from enforcing Senate File 2340, the immigration law that creates a new state crime of “illegal reentry.” You can read the federal government’s lawsuit here and the case filed on behalf of Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice and two individuals here. I have a post in progress at Bleeding Heartland on why the state will struggle to show this law is constitutional;
- One key issue in both lawsuits: Iowa’s law makes no allowance for the reality that the federal government may grant permission for someone to be in this country, even if they were removed or deported in the past;
- Responding to the lawsuit, Governor Kim Reynolds cited her “responsibility to protect the citizens of Iowa. Since President Biden refuses to enforce our nation’s immigrationlaws – threatening the safety of our citizens – Iowa will step in.” Similarly, Attorney General Bird said, “Iowa stands ready to defend our immigration law that keeps Iowa communities safe”;
- I previewed one of the key legal arguments for the state, which Republican legislators put forward during the House and Senate debates. The concept is that the U.S. Constitution allows states to defend themselves against an “invasion,” and GOP politicians claim undocumented immigration amounts to an invasion of this country;
- Contrary to the idea that SF 2340 will keep Iowans safe, Marshalltown Police chief Michael Tupper submitted a declaration for one lawsuit explaining why “it undermines public safety” when the immigrant community believes local police will engage in immigration enforcement;
- Many of the arguments in these cases overlap, and U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Locher has consolidated a hearing on the motions for a preliminary injunction, which is set for June 10;
- Iowa became a plaintiff in yet another lawsuit against the Biden administration last week. This case, involving six GOP-led states that are part of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, challenges the U.S. Department of Education’s latest rule related to Title IX protections for LGBTQ students. Republicans dispute that Title IX’s prohibition of sex discrimination should encompass discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity;
- Bird was spotted on Monday morning outside the criminal court where Donald Trump’s trial continues in Manhattan. The Attorney General’s office hasn’t answered any of my questions about the trip, but a spokesperson told the Des Moines Register’s Brianne Pfannenstiel “no taxpayer money had been used to fund her travel.” Bird spoke briefly to reporters outside the courthouse to call the case a “travesty” designed to keep Trump off the campaign trail;
- George wondered if state political leaders traveling across the country was going to be the “new normal.” I won’t be surprised to see Bird appearing with Trump in other venues this year. She’s been the former president’s top Iowa surrogate since Governor Reynolds endorsed and actively campaigned for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis;
- Moving to legislative news, the governor continues to sign more laws the legislature approved last month. Last week, she signed Senate File 2251, one of the bills she proposed, extending postpartum Medicaid coverage for thousands of Iowa women while excluding thousands of women from pregnancy or postpartum coverage;
- I’ve been wanting to talk about House File 626 for a while, but I don’t think Dennis and I ever got to it during the legislative session. Starting next year, this law will prohibit insurance companies from forcing a change to someone’s prescription medications in the middle of a coverage year, if the patient is stable on the drug and a health care provider continues to prescribe it. I enjoy stories like this, which have a major lobbying component. You might think this bill is not controversial, because it passed both chambers nearly unanimously. But advocates had to work for at least seven years to get it to the Iowa Senate floor, due to strong opposition from the insurance lobby;
- Here’s an update on a bill that particularly affects mothers. Natalie Krebs reported for Iowa Public Radio last week on contracts signed with four groups that will provide services under the “More Options for Maternal Support” (MOMS) program, which funnels taxpayer dollars to crisis pregnancy centers. Senate File 2252, which the governor signed in April, allows the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to administer this program directly;
- Reynolds signed the remaining appropriations bills last week, which set spending levels for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. On this program I wanted to highlight a couple of big picture points: Reynolds did not use her item veto power at all, which illustrates how Republicans closely coordinate budgeting with the governor’s office these days. They don’t put anything important in appropriations bills without her approval;
- Second, the $8.9 billion state budget for fiscal year 2025 will spend only about 80 percent of projected state revenues. By law, legislators are allowed to allocate up to 99 percent of projected revenue, but Republicans are building huge surpluses into the budget in order to cover future tax cuts;
- The June 4 primary fast approaches, and I wanted to flag the early voting deadlines for listeners. You can vote early in person starting May 15, and county auditors will start mailing out absentee ballots on the same day. Whether you vote early or on the primary election day, remember to bring some form of voter ID with you. If you need to change your address or register for the first time, bring proof of address as well as a valid ID;
- Moving back to state government news, Bird held a press conference on Friday to announce she was creating a new task force on antisemitism. Oddly, her office still hasn’t released a full list of task force members. I was able to confirm over the weekend that none of the three current state legislators who are Jewish were invited to participate;
- On the environmental front, there was good news and bad news connected to the heavy rain Iowa has seen in recent weeks. Jared Strong reported for Iowa Capital Dispatch that “For the first time in nearly two years, no part of Iowa has extreme drought”;
- Now for the bad news: the rain has flushed a lot of nitrate off fields and into Iowa waterways. Strong reported on this problem for Iowa Capital Dispatch as well;
- Excessive levels of nitrate in water has been associated with blue baby syndrome and certain cancers; I recently republished some in-depth reporting by Keith Schneider on the possible link between farm chemicals and high cancer rates in Palo Alto County;
- A quick bit of Congressional news: all four Iowans in the U.S. House helped save House Speaker Mike Johnson’s job last week;
- We didn’t have time to dig in to the details, but researchers from Princeton University have demonstrated that Iowa’s “Education Savings Accounts” (school voucher) program led to tuition increases at many private schools. Stay tuned, because I will have more to say about these findings on the May 20 program.
2024.05.14 12:08 Jhonjournalist The congressional runoff demonstrates Trump’s sway over GOP politics
 | https://preview.redd.it/f6f276hb9d0d1.jpg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb49f724cbbd91baa97eb07ed856d9d6ea6f2423 submitted by Jhonjournalist to u/Jhonjournalist [link] [comments]
Kelly Daughtry and Brad Knott, the top two finishers in the March 5 primary, will face off for the right to represent voters. On Tuesday, both names will be on the ballot in the runoff election. GOP politicsKnott has reminded his followers that they must cast ballots to win; he needs to receive the most votes to win. In November, local Republicans would select a substitute to challenge Democrat Frank Pierce if Daughtry prevails but declines the nomination.With his endorsement of Daughtry’s rival in the 2022 13th District primary, Trump has a track record of meddling in North Carolina politics. Following Trump’s endorsement of then-U.S. Rep. Ted Budd in the 2022 GOP primary for the U.S. Senate, Budd comfortably defeated then-Governor Pat McCrory and won the general election. Addison McDowell, a first-time candidate who ultimately won the 6th Congressional District election, was another candidate that Trump supported in the most recent March primary. The 13th District seat, which covers all or portions of eight counties in or near the capital of Raleigh, saw a total of 14 individuals initially run for it this year. Current Democratic U.S. Representative Wiley Nickel decided not to seek for reelection after the district was reshaped to the right by the Republican-controlled legislature. Redistricting will allow the GOP to add three seats from North Carolina to the U.S. House in the fall election, including this one. After Trump endorsed Raleigh-based Knott, a former assistant U.S. attorney, on April 5, Daughtry withdrew her candidacy earlier this month. Knott was hailed by Trump as a “Strong Patriot” who will uphold gun rights, bolster law enforcement, and fortify the border between the United States and Mexico. Additionally, Libertarian Party candidates are running for lieutenant governor and auditor. Learn More: https://worldmagzine.com/politics/the-congressional-runoff-demonstrates-trumps-sway-over-gop-politics/ |
2024.05.14 06:22 statschica Ex-Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds’ felony conviction overturned
 | submitted by statschica to cincinnati [link] [comments] |
2024.05.13 18:21 TechWorker111 FIGHT RTO - Email the Governor’s Cabinet, the Legislature, and Other State Leaders
Email template for the Governor’s Cabinet and the Legislature below.
Yes, it is long, but it captures a lot of our frustrations.
This subreddit has over 38,000 people. If even 1,000 people emailed all of these folks, they will definitely take notice.
THIS IS OUR MOMENT.
There are areas in this email template for you to customize, so please read through it.
I highly recommend Hotmail or Yahoomail. If you use Gmail, you may need to click “Tab” multiple times when entering in so many emails.
You may also wish to send a copy to your own manager, section chief, branch chief, Dept. Director, etc.
Guidelines:
Dear California State Leaders,
I write to you today as a voter, taxpayer, constituent, and as a State of California employee. My ________years of dedicated work serves Californians every day because my role focuses on supporting _________.
I want to share my personal story and provide some facts and data about the Governor’s new June 17 RTO (Return to Office) arbitrary mandate. This mandate will cost taxpayers more during this budget deficit crisis and it is a poorly thought-out, one-size-fits-all, chaotic approach. According to the survey data from 110 State Departments, telework was a huge success for recruitment, productivity, morale, collaboration, and decreasing office space. This chaotic, mandatory, arbitrary RTO simply creates a long list of unnecessary problems. For all of the reasons outlined in this email, I strongly support Assemblyman Josh Hoover’s audit request.
My message is simple: Encourage the Governor to rescind the June 17 arbitrary RTO mandate. The decision for the frequency that employees should all meet in-person and collaborate should rest with those closest and most familiar with the work: individual Unit Managers. These managers know the true collaboration, mentorship, and operational needs of their individual teams. Individual Unit Managers should be allowed to make decisions on accordingly to carry out the Department’s goals and mission. This is the bottoms-up approach that balances the needs of both the employer and employees. The Governor’s mandate and top-down approach fails to acknowledge the many financial and environmental repercussions to not only its own employees, but also to the State of California.
I want to share my personal story as a working class, public servant. With high inflation, I simply cannot afford to shoulder the cost of commuting, which averages $8,466 annually.. According to this 2023 LAO (Legislative Analyst Office) report, for most employees, our State provided wages have consistently been lower than the inflation rate, year-after-year, since 1999, constantly eroding our purchasing power. Other employees have it worse, such as scientists who have had their salaries be frozen for 4 years since 2020 as CalHR has refused to budge on reaching a contract. Purchasing power is a key metric since a $50,000 salary in 2024 buys far less than in 1999. This 2023 UC Berkeley Labor Center report confirmed that “State workers struggle to make ends meet throughout California.” Even the 2023 California State Auditor reports “that hiring and retaining qualified IT staff is the greatest challenge that they [State Departments] currently face.”
If the State is unwilling to provide market wages that keep up with inflation, the state can recruit and retain employees by improving working conditions, such as telework. Being allowed to telework 5 days a week has helped stretch my limited dollars, especially in this inflationary period. This arbitrary RTO mandate is effectively yet another pay cut for me that I simply cannot afford.
Personally, having the opportunity to telework 5 days a week has dramatically improved my quality of life by:
#############################################################
Tell them why the RTO issue is important to you, your family member and your community.
IF YOU DISCUSS CHILD CARE, ONLY TALK ABOUT THE HOURS BEFORE AND AFTER WORK. DO NOT DISCUSS CHILD CARE DURING YOUR REGULAR 8-5 JOB.
###########################################################
Across various departments, it’s common knowledge that a sizable number of executive-level leaders do not reside near Sacramento and instead live in other regions in California, such as the Bay Area and Southern California.
As MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow recently stated to her own bosses, “Hearing legitimate criticism, responding to it and correcting course. Not digging in, not blaming others. Take a minute, acknowledge that maybe it wasn’t the right call. It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to acknowledge when you are wrong.”
To reiterate, my request is simple: Encourage the Governor to rescind the arbitrary, mandatory, one-size-fits-all, chaotic RTO mandate. Allow individual Unit Managers the flexibility to enact telework policies that best meet their team’s needs to effectively carry out the Department’s mission. They are the ones closest to the work and the ones most knowledgable about what the team needs to succeed.
I respectfully request a response within ten business days.
Respectfully yours,
_________
submitted by TechWorker111 to CAStateWorkers [link] [comments]
Yes, it is long, but it captures a lot of our frustrations.
This subreddit has over 38,000 people. If even 1,000 people emailed all of these folks, they will definitely take notice.
THIS IS OUR MOMENT.
There are areas in this email template for you to customize, so please read through it.
I highly recommend Hotmail or Yahoomail. If you use Gmail, you may need to click “Tab” multiple times when entering in so many emails.
You may also wish to send a copy to your own manager, section chief, branch chief, Dept. Director, etc.
Guidelines:
- USE BCC (not in the “To” or “CC” section.
- REMAIN RESPECTFUL.
- OPTICS MATTER. Do not make us look bad in any way.
Dear California State Leaders,
I write to you today as a voter, taxpayer, constituent, and as a State of California employee. My ________years of dedicated work serves Californians every day because my role focuses on supporting _________.
I want to share my personal story and provide some facts and data about the Governor’s new June 17 RTO (Return to Office) arbitrary mandate. This mandate will cost taxpayers more during this budget deficit crisis and it is a poorly thought-out, one-size-fits-all, chaotic approach. According to the survey data from 110 State Departments, telework was a huge success for recruitment, productivity, morale, collaboration, and decreasing office space. This chaotic, mandatory, arbitrary RTO simply creates a long list of unnecessary problems. For all of the reasons outlined in this email, I strongly support Assemblyman Josh Hoover’s audit request.
My message is simple: Encourage the Governor to rescind the June 17 arbitrary RTO mandate. The decision for the frequency that employees should all meet in-person and collaborate should rest with those closest and most familiar with the work: individual Unit Managers. These managers know the true collaboration, mentorship, and operational needs of their individual teams. Individual Unit Managers should be allowed to make decisions on accordingly to carry out the Department’s goals and mission. This is the bottoms-up approach that balances the needs of both the employer and employees. The Governor’s mandate and top-down approach fails to acknowledge the many financial and environmental repercussions to not only its own employees, but also to the State of California.
I want to share my personal story as a working class, public servant. With high inflation, I simply cannot afford to shoulder the cost of commuting, which averages $8,466 annually.. According to this 2023 LAO (Legislative Analyst Office) report, for most employees, our State provided wages have consistently been lower than the inflation rate, year-after-year, since 1999, constantly eroding our purchasing power. Other employees have it worse, such as scientists who have had their salaries be frozen for 4 years since 2020 as CalHR has refused to budge on reaching a contract. Purchasing power is a key metric since a $50,000 salary in 2024 buys far less than in 1999. This 2023 UC Berkeley Labor Center report confirmed that “State workers struggle to make ends meet throughout California.” Even the 2023 California State Auditor reports “that hiring and retaining qualified IT staff is the greatest challenge that they [State Departments] currently face.”
If the State is unwilling to provide market wages that keep up with inflation, the state can recruit and retain employees by improving working conditions, such as telework. Being allowed to telework 5 days a week has helped stretch my limited dollars, especially in this inflationary period. This arbitrary RTO mandate is effectively yet another pay cut for me that I simply cannot afford.
Personally, having the opportunity to telework 5 days a week has dramatically improved my quality of life by:
#############################################################
Tell them why the RTO issue is important to you, your family member and your community.
IF YOU DISCUSS CHILD CARE, ONLY TALK ABOUT THE HOURS BEFORE AND AFTER WORK. DO NOT DISCUSS CHILD CARE DURING YOUR REGULAR 8-5 JOB.
###########################################################
- I have saved ____ hours on my roundtrip commute per week. This has allowed me to reinvest that time toward _____. [helping my kids with their homework, taking care of elderly relatives ]
- I have saved $___ on commuting costs, which has helped me better afford ___ for me and my family. This has been especially helpful because high inflation has negatively affected me by _____.
- By teleworking, I am reducing my environmental impact and contribution to climate change, which is _____
- I have a physical disability and telework is more accommodating than using public transportation, etc. (Feel free to expand on it)
- I do not live in an area with access to efficient public transportation, so teleworking helps by _____
- For childcare during before and after work hours, it would cost me ________.
- If even 33%, or 73,086 out of the 221,474 State employees use the monthly maximum IRS public transportation benefit,) that would cost the State $276.3 million every single year.
- State Departments already spend $600 million per year on rent. Many State Departments also simply do not have enough office space for all of their employees currently. There is nowhere near enough quiet conference room space for employees to hold confidential meetings with stakeholders. Will these departments sign new leases for office space?
- State Departments will be forced to buy many millions of dollars worth of additional office equipment for employees to effectively carry out their jobs including additional webcams, headsets, keyboards, standard office supplies, etc.
- Pursuant to the reasonable accommodation process for employees with verified medical needs, State Departments will need to purchase other expensive equipment, including but not limited to specialized chairs and stand up desks.
- It is important to note that many employees have already invested their own money into equipping their own home office that best meets their needs. It is not simply not possible to ask an employee to bring in their own large equipment from home to the office and back, so the State Departments would incur these additional purchases.
- State Departments will be spending much more in maintenance costs for elevators, bathroom repairs, printer repairs, electricity, water, gas, and other utilities.
- State telework has also eliminated nearly 400,000 metric tons of carbon emissions. Mandating RTO will needlessly cause more carbon emissions, which directly runs counter to the Governor’s own words for his trip to the Vatican: “global temperatures [are] hurtling towards alarming new heights, the stakes could not be higher. There is no greater authority than moral authority — and the Pope’s leadership on the climate crisis inspires us all to push further and faster.”
Across various departments, it’s common knowledge that a sizable number of executive-level leaders do not reside near Sacramento and instead live in other regions in California, such as the Bay Area and Southern California.
- The next logical question is, will the state offer these executive-level leaders special exemptions and privileges not available to rank and file staff and risk the hypocrisy that undermines the Governor’s stated policy for more “collaboration?” This creates another “rules for thee, but not for me” situation.
- Or will the State risk losing these executive-level leaders en masse across numerous departments, undermining policy and program implementation?
- For Departments considering exempting those who live over 50 miles away, it also destroys employee morale. For example, a 20 year veteran staff member with technical expertise may be forced to commute and come into the office twice a week to train a newer employee over Microsoft Teams or Zoom simply because they live in Los Angeles. This naturally breeds frustration and resentment.
- For exempted employees who live over 50 miles away, some Departments are creating policies that their 5 day remote status only applies to their currently held position, so these employees are “forever stuck” and cannot promote upward, even if they have the expertise the Department needs.
- The State is starting to open itself up to lawsuits as some Departments are already denying reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
- Being able to recruit employees from areas other than Sacramento helps ensure Departments get perspectives from different counties all across the State. People from rural, suburban, and urban areas all have different experiences and to best serve ALL Californians, we need a geographically diverse workforce.
- As previously stated, many Departments already do not have the office space or needed equipment for all of their employees. With RTO, new equipment will be needed and purchasing equipment notoriously takes a long time. These factors, combined with many departments trying to implement a hoteling system, will ultimately result in a extremely chaotic return-to-the-office and tank productivity. Many Departments have held Q&A sessions and time and time again, HR offices have been unable to answer basic questions about RTO logistics. Again, RTO creates unnecessary problems.
As MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow recently stated to her own bosses, “Hearing legitimate criticism, responding to it and correcting course. Not digging in, not blaming others. Take a minute, acknowledge that maybe it wasn’t the right call. It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to acknowledge when you are wrong.”
To reiterate, my request is simple: Encourage the Governor to rescind the arbitrary, mandatory, one-size-fits-all, chaotic RTO mandate. Allow individual Unit Managers the flexibility to enact telework policies that best meet their team’s needs to effectively carry out the Department’s mission. They are the ones closest to the work and the ones most knowledgable about what the team needs to succeed.
I respectfully request a response within ten business days.
Respectfully yours,
_________
2024.05.13 03:49 Afraid_Cut5254 This is what is cost for my annual registration in Washington
BS is what it is
submitted by Afraid_Cut5254 to eGolf [link] [comments]
2024.05.12 22:50 Ambitious-Duck7078 Ballots for each party! That's a first for me. A Normal practice in Montana?
 | I registered as "Democrat" when I did my voter registration back in '22. Out of the many states I've lived in, this is the first time I've received ballots for all three parties. Convenient, but I can see it being confusing. submitted by Ambitious-Duck7078 to MontanaPolitics [link] [comments] |
2024.05.12 22:25 fargolocalhuman Easy way to research your North Dakota candidates
An easy way to research your candidates for the June election is www.VOTE411.org. Enter your address on the homepage to see the races & candidates that will be on your ballot and read candidate responses to questions.
Election Day Voting: June 11, 2024, most sites open between 7am-7pm
Polling Sites & Hours: https://vip.sos.nd.gov/wheretovote.aspx
Vote by Mail (Absentee) Ballot Application: https://vip.sos.nd.gov/absentee
You can update the address on your ND driver’s license/non-driver ID online without getting a new card: https://apps.nd.gov/dot/dlts/dlos/addressWelcome.htm
submitted by fargolocalhuman to northdakota [link] [comments]
Election Day Voting: June 11, 2024, most sites open between 7am-7pm
Polling Sites & Hours: https://vip.sos.nd.gov/wheretovote.aspx
Vote by Mail (Absentee) Ballot Application: https://vip.sos.nd.gov/absentee
- Print, sign, and submit the application to your county auditor
- Absentee ballots are due June 10, 2024 - either postmarked or dropped off in person by 5pm
You can update the address on your ND driver’s license/non-driver ID online without getting a new card: https://apps.nd.gov/dot/dlts/dlos/addressWelcome.htm
2024.05.12 16:27 saocv THE 18 CHAPTERS OF THE KENYAN CONSTITUTION
 | The Kenyan Constitution, which is the highest law in Kenya, comprises eighteen chapters that outline its framework. It was enacted in August 2010, superseding the 1963 independence constitution. This Constitution has significantly transformed Kenyan governance by prioritizing citizens in the decision-making process and highlighting the devolution of power to local levels. Constitution of Kenya 2010 all Chapters submitted by saocv to u/saocv [link] [comments] THE-CONSTITUTION-OF-KENYA-2010Download The Chapters Of The Kenyan ConstitutionThe eighteen chapters of the Kenyan Constitution are as follows:
What do the chapters of the Kenyan Constitution contain in terms of articles?1. Chapter One – Sovereignty Of The People And Supremacy Of This ConstitutionThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
2. Chapter Two – The RepublicThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
3. Chapter Three – CitizenshipThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
4. Chapter Four – The Bill Of RightsThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
5. Chapter Five – Land And EnvironmentThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
6. Chapter Six – Leadership And IntegrityThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
7. Chapter Seven: Leadership And IntegrityThis chapter of the Constitution comprises the following articles:
8. Chapter Eight: The LegislatureThis chapter of the Constitution comprises the following articles:
9. Chapter Nine: The ExecutiveThis chapter of the Constitution comprises the following articles:
10. Chapter Ten: JudiciaryThis chapter of the Constitution comprises the following articles:
11. Chapter Eleven: Devolved GovernmentThis chapter of the Constitution comprises the following articles:
12. Chapter Twelve: Public FinanceThis chapter of the Constitution comprises the following articles:
13. Chapter Thirteen: The Public ServiceThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
14. Chapter Fourteen – National SecurityThis chapter of the Constitution comprises the following articles:
15. Chapter Fifteen – Commissions And Independent OfficesThis chapter of the Constitution comprises the following articles:
16. Chapter Sixteen: Amendment Of This ConstitutionThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
17. Chapter Seventeen – General ProvisionsThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
18. Chapter Eighteen – Transitional And Consequential ProvisionsThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
Other Areas Of The Constitution
Constitution of Kenya 2010 all Chapters The Kenyan Constitution, which is the highest law in Kenya, comprises eighteen chapters that outline its framework. It was enacted in August 2010, superseding the 1963 independence constitution. This Constitution has significantly transformed Kenyan governance by prioritizing citizens in the decision-making process and highlighting the devolution of power to local levels. Constitution of Kenya 2010 all Chapters THE-CONSTITUTION-OF-KENYA-2010 Download The Chapters Of The Kenyan ConstitutionThe eighteen chapters of the Kenyan Constitution are as follows:
What do the chapters of the Kenyan Constitution contain in terms of articles?https://preview.redd.it/x3rw349q900d1.png?width=820&format=png&auto=webp&s=8b01b231525309e453bbf303050141b9b256fa991. Chapter One – Sovereignty Of The People And Supremacy Of This ConstitutionThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:
2. Chapter Two – The RepublicThis chapter of the Constitution comprises of the following articles:Source: Nyongesa Sande |
2024.05.12 13:15 Common_Goat3499 Dealing with non-stop noise from neighbors, cops are zero help.
Any ideas to handle loud neighbors in the neighborhood?
I live over a block from this place but they were blasting loud music all night that kept my entire family awake- not just annoying, but loud to the point where fans and white noise machines barely touched it. I highly doubt saying anything to them will work because they are not considerate, they drive their cars into their yard and it’s basically a mud pit and at random hours of the day they just sit in their car revving their engine. The city specifically put signs for not parking on their street since it’s across from a school and they would park so poorly that they would create more traffic. Also from what I know their immediate neighbors have spoken to them but clearly things aren’t changing. Spent several times calling the non-emergency number but that got me nowhere in the 12 hours that this has been going on and it’s the final straw since this kind of thing has happened before, but not to this extent.
Is there some way I can make sure that there’s a very real (but legal) threat of something if it happens again? According to the county auditor they rent the place but the neighborhood I am in has a fair amount of slum lords so I doubt that anything will de done if this is the case. I’m in Ohio as well. Thanks.
submitted by Common_Goat3499 to legaladvice [link] [comments]
I live over a block from this place but they were blasting loud music all night that kept my entire family awake- not just annoying, but loud to the point where fans and white noise machines barely touched it. I highly doubt saying anything to them will work because they are not considerate, they drive their cars into their yard and it’s basically a mud pit and at random hours of the day they just sit in their car revving their engine. The city specifically put signs for not parking on their street since it’s across from a school and they would park so poorly that they would create more traffic. Also from what I know their immediate neighbors have spoken to them but clearly things aren’t changing. Spent several times calling the non-emergency number but that got me nowhere in the 12 hours that this has been going on and it’s the final straw since this kind of thing has happened before, but not to this extent.
Is there some way I can make sure that there’s a very real (but legal) threat of something if it happens again? According to the county auditor they rent the place but the neighborhood I am in has a fair amount of slum lords so I doubt that anything will de done if this is the case. I’m in Ohio as well. Thanks.
2024.05.11 15:42 Ok-Stretch2460 First time Auditor HELP
Hi friends!
New to the sub and industry, seeking professional advice.
I am a 21 year old senior finishing my bachelors in accounting, currently starting my last semester. I was recruited for a firm that serves local governments/counties. I have been employed as a tax auditor, but I am in compliance. That in itself, I’m still trying to wrap my head around. I’ve just told people, I assume I’ll be making sure businesses are paying county/state taxes.
My first day is the same day as the start of my last semester. I have a pretty good resume, always the youngest in the office. However, with prior roles I was very sure of my capabilities. I’m very comfortable with entries, GAAP/GAAS, financial statements, closing processes (adj.), Dr / cr. Everything I learned in school, but I honestly have no idea of what to expect from this role.
Granted there will be training and I know I’m qualified. But I don’t come from very accomplished people, so I would appreciate any professional advice or tips.
submitted by Ok-Stretch2460 to Accounting [link] [comments]
New to the sub and industry, seeking professional advice.
I am a 21 year old senior finishing my bachelors in accounting, currently starting my last semester. I was recruited for a firm that serves local governments/counties. I have been employed as a tax auditor, but I am in compliance. That in itself, I’m still trying to wrap my head around. I’ve just told people, I assume I’ll be making sure businesses are paying county/state taxes.
My first day is the same day as the start of my last semester. I have a pretty good resume, always the youngest in the office. However, with prior roles I was very sure of my capabilities. I’m very comfortable with entries, GAAP/GAAS, financial statements, closing processes (adj.), Dr / cr. Everything I learned in school, but I honestly have no idea of what to expect from this role.
Granted there will be training and I know I’m qualified. But I don’t come from very accomplished people, so I would appreciate any professional advice or tips.
2024.05.11 09:27 IgnoreMe304 "Where do I know that name..."
With the West Virginia primary election on Tuesday, May 14th, I wanted to do a brief reminder about some of the folks that are running for office whose names might sound familiar:
Derrick Evans - briefly elected to the WV House of Delegates before resigning, now running for the Republican nomination for US Congress in District 1 Likely the first member of the WV House of Delegates elected while having an active restraining order Invaded the Capitol on January 6th
Eric Porterfield - former member of the WV House of Delegates, currently running for the Republican nomination for WV State Senate in District 6 Blinded in a bar fight Compared the LGBTQ+ community to the KKK, and implied he would drown his children if they were gay
Tricia Jackson - running for the Republican nomination for State Auditor Posed with two members of the Proud Boys for a photo Recently arrested for failing to show up for meetings of the Jefferson County Commission
Doug Skaff - running for the Republican nomination for WV Secretary of State He was the former House Minority Leader for the Democrats in the House of Delegates, until he wasn't He's also a convicted casino cheat
Mike Maroney - current WV State Senator for District 2, running once again for the Republican nomination, which is the de facto election as there is no one else running for this office in the fall Mikey likes hookers
Randy Smith - current WV State Senator for District 14, running unopposed in the Republican primary, and will only face a Mountain Party opponent in the general election in the fall Randy thinks we should offer reduced prison sentences for drug users if they agree to be sterilized
Let me know if there's anyone I missed!
submitted by IgnoreMe304 to WestVirginiaPolitics [link] [comments]
Derrick Evans - briefly elected to the WV House of Delegates before resigning, now running for the Republican nomination for US Congress in District 1 Likely the first member of the WV House of Delegates elected while having an active restraining order Invaded the Capitol on January 6th
Eric Porterfield - former member of the WV House of Delegates, currently running for the Republican nomination for WV State Senate in District 6 Blinded in a bar fight Compared the LGBTQ+ community to the KKK, and implied he would drown his children if they were gay
Tricia Jackson - running for the Republican nomination for State Auditor Posed with two members of the Proud Boys for a photo Recently arrested for failing to show up for meetings of the Jefferson County Commission
Doug Skaff - running for the Republican nomination for WV Secretary of State He was the former House Minority Leader for the Democrats in the House of Delegates, until he wasn't He's also a convicted casino cheat
Mike Maroney - current WV State Senator for District 2, running once again for the Republican nomination, which is the de facto election as there is no one else running for this office in the fall Mikey likes hookers
Randy Smith - current WV State Senator for District 14, running unopposed in the Republican primary, and will only face a Mountain Party opponent in the general election in the fall Randy thinks we should offer reduced prison sentences for drug users if they agree to be sterilized
Let me know if there's anyone I missed!
2024.05.10 18:49 CPhBAMF Illinois needs our help guys, local pharmacies need to be reimbursed properly and kept available to stay in business ! IL SB2790
As we as Illinoisians have been deeply affected by the current state of our healthcare system, we have witnessed first-hand how many essential pharmacies are closing and many due to preposterous and severely inadequate reimbursement rates. This is not just a business issue; it's a matter of life and death. These pharmacies dispense life-saving therapies that people depend on, but many can't afford or have access to their medications because the Managed Medicaid system isn't fulfilling its duty to care for its Pharmacies.
SB2790 is a bill that aims to address this crisis by providing a fair and transparent platform for pharmacy sustainability while preserving patient access. It seeks to protect our communities from becoming 'Pharmacy Deserts', areas where residents have limited access to essential pharmaceutical services.
This bill ensures that Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) reimburse pharmacies at Fee-for-service rates without additional fees. It also clarifies Critical Access Pharmacies' status, ensuring those in counties with 50,000 residents are eligible for an enhanced professional dispensing fee.
Moreover, SB2790 ensures accountability and oversight of tax dollars spent on healthcare services. In Illinois alone, thousands upon thousands of people rely on these critical services every SINGLE day.
We cannot stand by while our healthcare system fails us. We need your support in advocating for SB2790 - let's ensure fair reimbursement rates for pharmacies and protect our communities from becoming Pharmacy Deserts.
Pharmacies are a CRITICAL part of healthcare and wellness to all people, and deserve to be recognized as such.
Please sign this petition today to support the people of Illinois and let our voices be heard!
To learn more about IL SB2790 please visit the Illinois Pharmacists Association's votervoice here.
Change.org petition here: https://chng.it/whKJCFdnrp
TL;DR: Managed Medicaid isn't paying what they should be. They decide what they want to pay pharmacies regardless of how much hard work, high costs and number of closing pharmacies there are. Sign to help legislation make Managed Medicaid accountable to pay what we deserve.
https://preview.redd.it/vg5mpxkgomzc1.jpg?width=810&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d91b31e51ea14989b6ad804b45cb4913d78efe7
https://preview.redd.it/a9npcvqhomzc1.jpg?width=815&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3972eae22914fc0b0053c25a939049f4febf80b
submitted by CPhBAMF to pharmacy [link] [comments]
SB2790 is a bill that aims to address this crisis by providing a fair and transparent platform for pharmacy sustainability while preserving patient access. It seeks to protect our communities from becoming 'Pharmacy Deserts', areas where residents have limited access to essential pharmaceutical services.
This bill ensures that Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) reimburse pharmacies at Fee-for-service rates without additional fees. It also clarifies Critical Access Pharmacies' status, ensuring those in counties with 50,000 residents are eligible for an enhanced professional dispensing fee.
Moreover, SB2790 ensures accountability and oversight of tax dollars spent on healthcare services. In Illinois alone, thousands upon thousands of people rely on these critical services every SINGLE day.
We cannot stand by while our healthcare system fails us. We need your support in advocating for SB2790 - let's ensure fair reimbursement rates for pharmacies and protect our communities from becoming Pharmacy Deserts.
Pharmacies are a CRITICAL part of healthcare and wellness to all people, and deserve to be recognized as such.
Please sign this petition today to support the people of Illinois and let our voices be heard!
To learn more about IL SB2790 please visit the Illinois Pharmacists Association's votervoice here.
Change.org petition here: https://chng.it/whKJCFdnrp
TL;DR: Managed Medicaid isn't paying what they should be. They decide what they want to pay pharmacies regardless of how much hard work, high costs and number of closing pharmacies there are. Sign to help legislation make Managed Medicaid accountable to pay what we deserve.
https://preview.redd.it/vg5mpxkgomzc1.jpg?width=810&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d91b31e51ea14989b6ad804b45cb4913d78efe7
https://preview.redd.it/a9npcvqhomzc1.jpg?width=815&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3972eae22914fc0b0053c25a939049f4febf80b
2024.05.10 07:15 Puzzleheaded-Way276 Idea
I find it that most "constitution protectors" and "public auditors" are stupid.... but fuck it. Please send all your "auditors" to holmes county, have them chill out at that tragedy they call a sherrifs station and just start smoking some fake weed nearby and wait for the FAFO. Lean on the county, fuck them sideways, and leave them no towels.
Haven't had the opportunity to go through these posts and now I'm stuck on this idea and figured I'd share it 🥳
submitted by Puzzleheaded-Way276 to solfest [link] [comments]
Haven't had the opportunity to go through these posts and now I'm stuck on this idea and figured I'd share it 🥳
2024.05.10 04:48 johndarer Structured Settlements in Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Lorain, Parma, Toledo, Youngstown, Butler, Columbiana, Gallia, Hamilton, Portage, Stark, Summit Trumbull and Wayne Counties, Ohio by expert John Darer at 888-325-8640.
Structured Settlements in Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Lorain, Parma, Toledo, Youngstown, Butler, Columbiana, Gallia, Hamilton, Portage, Stark, Summit Trumbull and Wayne Counties, Ohio by expert John Darer at 888-325-8640. https://settlements-structured.com/structured-settlements-oh
submitted by johndarer to u/johndarer [link] [comments]
2024.05.09 16:31 jimbozak The MTFP 2024 Election Guide
Heading into the 2024 election, Montana voters have the task of selecting from more than 60 candidates to fill 14 Montana-specific federal and state offices — not to mention picking from among the 300-plus candidates running for positions in the state Legislature.
That can be a baffling number of names to track even for voters who diligently follow political news. This digital guide, a project of the nonpartisan Montana Free Press newsroom, is an effort make sure basic information is available, so voters have the opportunity to cast informed votes.
The 2024 primary election, where voters will pick each political party's nominee to advance to the General Election, will be held Tuesday, June 4. The 2024 general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 5.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CANDIDATES HEADING INTO JUNE 4, 2024, PRIMARY
U.S. Senate
Brad Johnson (R)
Tim Sheehy (R)
Charles Walkingchild (R)
Jon Tester* (D)
Michael Hummert (D)
Sid Daud (L)
Robert Barb (G)
Michael Downey (G)
US HOUSE DISTRICT 1
Ryan Zinke* (R)
Mary Todd (R)
Monica Tranel (D)
Dennis Hayes (L)
Ernie Noble (L)
US HOUSE DISTRICT 2
Elsie Arntzen (R)
Kyle Austin (R)
Ken Bogner (R)
Troy Downing (R)
Ric Holden (R)
Joel Krautter (R)
Denny Rehberg (R)
Ed Walker (R)
Stacy Zinn (R)
Ming Cabrera (D)
John Driscoll (D)
Kevin Hamm (D)
Steve Held (D)
STATE OFFICIALS
GOVERNOR
Greg Gianforte* (R)
Tanner Smith (R)
Ryan Busse (D)
Jim Hunt (D)
Kaiser Leib (L)
SECRETARY OF STATE
Christi Jacobsen* (R)
Jesse Mullen (D)
John Lamb (L)
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Austin Knudsen* (R)
Logan Olson (R)
Ben Alke (D)
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Sharyl Allen (R)
Susie Hedalen (R)
Shannon O'Brien (D)
STATE AUDITOR
James Brown (R)
John Jay Willoughby (R)
John Repke (D)
MONTANA SUPREME COURT
Jerry Lynch
Doug Marshall
Cory Swanson
STATE SUPREME COURT (SEAT 3)
Katherine Bidegaray
Jerry O'Neil
Dan Wilson
CLERK OF THE STATE SUPREME COURT
Bowen Greenwood* (R)
Jason Ellsworth (R)
Erin Farris-Olsen (D)
Jordan Ophus (D)
Roger Roots (L)
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
SEAT 2
Kirk Bushman (R)
Brad Molnar (R)
Susan Bilo (D)
SEAT 3
Rob Elwood (R)
Suzzann Nordwick (R)
Jeff Welborn (R)
Leonard Williams (D)
SEAT 4
Jennifer Fielder* (R)
MONTANA STATE LEGISLATURE CANDIDATES LOCATED ON MTFP 2024 ELECTION GUIDE PAGE
* = Incumbent
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BALLOT INITIATIVES
Issue votes can be placed on the November General Election ballot either by referral from the Legislature or by citizen initiative when backers clear voter signature-gathering thresholds.
As of May 1, no issues had qualified for the 2024 ballot, though several, including an issue that would enshrine abortion rights in the Montana Constitution and two others that would adjust how the state's elections are conducted, have been cleared for signature gathering.
To qualify their initiatives for the 2024 ballot, backers must submit enough signatures to county election administrators by June 21, 2024. A complete list of proposed 2024 initiatives and their status is available on the Montana Secretary of State's website.
OTHER BALLOT ITEMS
June primary and November general election ballots may also include other items such as county commission races, depending on where in the state you live. June 2024 ballots will also ask voters to whether they wish to set up local government study commissions to review the structure of their city and county governments.
COMMON VOTING QUESTIONS
WHEN ARE MONTANA’S 2024 ELECTIONS?
Voters will pick which candidates advance to the November general election in the June primary, which is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4. Voters will pick the candidates who will ultimately fill each office on the ballot in the November election, which is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5.
WHO RUNS MONTANA’S ELECTIONS?
Montana elections are administered at the county level. The process is overseen by county clerks and election administrators, who help to train and monitor the volunteer election judges that staff the polls. Ballots are typically processed and counted at central county locations, with the results reported to the Montana secretary of state’s office via a statewide software system called ElectMT.
Once polls close, the secretary of state’s office provides results through its website. The state-level office also provides guidance to local election administrators to ensure compliance with state election laws. Additionally, enforcing compliance with some laws governing political campaigns, particularly those involving campaign finance, falls to a separate office known as the Commissioner of Political Practices.
DO I NEED TO BE REGISTERED IN ORDER TO VOTE?
Yes. If you’re unsure about your registration status, you can check it through the Montana secretary of state's My Voter Page. You can register to vote by stopping by your county election office any time during regular business hours to pick up an application. After you’ve filled it out, you’ll need to get it back to your county election office by mail or in person (the latter option is strongly recommended close to Election Day to ensure your application is received in time). If you do present your application in person, you’ll have to provide a photo ID or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you happen to be applying for a Montana driver’s license or identification card before the election, you can register to vote at the same time.
CAN I REGISTER TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY?
Yes. The state Legislature has sought to enact an earlier registration deadline, but under a March 2024 ruling by the Montana Supreme Court, same-day voter registration remains legal in Montana. Residents can register to vote or update their voter registration at their county’s election office prior to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
DOES MONTANA HAVE VOTER ID REQUIREMENTS?
Yes, you will be required to present identification when voting at the polls. However, under the Montana Supreme Court’s March ruling, changes made to those requirements by the 2021 Legislature remain blocked. The current forms of identification voters can use at the polls are a current Montana driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, tribal or military photo ID, a U.S. passport or a student ID. If you don’t have a photo ID, you can use a utility bill, a bank statement, a voter confirmation card or any other government document that shows your name and address.
ARE THERE SITUATIONS WHERE I WOULDN'T BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?
According to state law, you can't vote if you'll be under age 18 on Election Day, are not a U.S. citizen, or have lived in Montana less than 30 days. Convicted felons who are currently incarcerated in a penal facility and people whom judges have ruled to be of unsound mind are also ineligible to vote. Otherwise, you're good to go.
CAN I VOTE ONLINE?
No, that’s not an option in Montana.
CAN I VOTE BY MAIL?
Yes, you can sign up as an absentee voter by checking a box on your voter registration form. If you’re already registered to vote, you can fill out a separate form and submit it to your county election office.
If you’re registered as an absentee voter, a ballot should be mailed to you a few weeks in advance of each election day. You can make sure your address is current via the My Voter page. County election officials are slated to mail ballots to voters for the June 2024 primary election May 10.
You can return ballots by mail, or drop them off in person at your county’s election office. Either way, the election office must receive your ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to count it.
HOW DO I VOTE IN PERSON?
If you plan to vote at the polls, just be sure you know where your polling location is and head there between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day. You'll need to provide a photo ID and sign the precinct register, at which point you’ll get your ballot and be directed to a voting booth. If you have any technical questions or run into any problems, the election judges at your polling place should be able to help you.
I HAVE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO ISN'T ABLE TO DROP OFF HIS OR HER MAIL-IN BALLOT. CAN I DO IT FOR THEM?
Yes, you can. The Montana Legislature did make some changes to ballot collection laws in 2021 related to paid ballot collection, those changes have also been blocked by the Montana Supreme Court.
WHO SHOULD I VOTE FOR?
That’s your call, not ours. We hope the information we present on this guide is helpful as you make that decision for yourself, though.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thank you, MTFP for providing an excellent resource for Montana voters! Be well, be kind, work hard, keep in touch. Happy Politics!
MontanaPolitics Links:
Useful Knowledge:
Greg Gianforte Money Profile • OpenSecrets
Sen. Jon Tester - Campaign Finance Summary • OpenSecrets
Officeholders List Montana • OpenSecrets
Officeholders (Other Offices) List Montana • OpenSecrets
submitted by jimbozak to MontanaPolitics [link] [comments]
That can be a baffling number of names to track even for voters who diligently follow political news. This digital guide, a project of the nonpartisan Montana Free Press newsroom, is an effort make sure basic information is available, so voters have the opportunity to cast informed votes.
The 2024 primary election, where voters will pick each political party's nominee to advance to the General Election, will be held Tuesday, June 4. The 2024 general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 5.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CANDIDATES HEADING INTO JUNE 4, 2024, PRIMARY
U.S. Senate
Brad Johnson (R)
Tim Sheehy (R)
Charles Walkingchild (R)
Jon Tester* (D)
Michael Hummert (D)
Sid Daud (L)
Robert Barb (G)
Michael Downey (G)
US HOUSE DISTRICT 1
Ryan Zinke* (R)
Mary Todd (R)
Monica Tranel (D)
Dennis Hayes (L)
Ernie Noble (L)
US HOUSE DISTRICT 2
Elsie Arntzen (R)
Kyle Austin (R)
Ken Bogner (R)
Troy Downing (R)
Ric Holden (R)
Joel Krautter (R)
Denny Rehberg (R)
Ed Walker (R)
Stacy Zinn (R)
Ming Cabrera (D)
John Driscoll (D)
Kevin Hamm (D)
Steve Held (D)
STATE OFFICIALS
GOVERNOR
Greg Gianforte* (R)
Tanner Smith (R)
Ryan Busse (D)
Jim Hunt (D)
Kaiser Leib (L)
SECRETARY OF STATE
Christi Jacobsen* (R)
Jesse Mullen (D)
John Lamb (L)
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Austin Knudsen* (R)
Logan Olson (R)
Ben Alke (D)
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Sharyl Allen (R)
Susie Hedalen (R)
Shannon O'Brien (D)
STATE AUDITOR
James Brown (R)
John Jay Willoughby (R)
John Repke (D)
MONTANA SUPREME COURT
Jerry Lynch
Doug Marshall
Cory Swanson
STATE SUPREME COURT (SEAT 3)
Katherine Bidegaray
Jerry O'Neil
Dan Wilson
CLERK OF THE STATE SUPREME COURT
Bowen Greenwood* (R)
Jason Ellsworth (R)
Erin Farris-Olsen (D)
Jordan Ophus (D)
Roger Roots (L)
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
SEAT 2
Kirk Bushman (R)
Brad Molnar (R)
Susan Bilo (D)
SEAT 3
Rob Elwood (R)
Suzzann Nordwick (R)
Jeff Welborn (R)
Leonard Williams (D)
SEAT 4
Jennifer Fielder* (R)
MONTANA STATE LEGISLATURE CANDIDATES LOCATED ON MTFP 2024 ELECTION GUIDE PAGE
* = Incumbent
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BALLOT INITIATIVES
Issue votes can be placed on the November General Election ballot either by referral from the Legislature or by citizen initiative when backers clear voter signature-gathering thresholds.
As of May 1, no issues had qualified for the 2024 ballot, though several, including an issue that would enshrine abortion rights in the Montana Constitution and two others that would adjust how the state's elections are conducted, have been cleared for signature gathering.
To qualify their initiatives for the 2024 ballot, backers must submit enough signatures to county election administrators by June 21, 2024. A complete list of proposed 2024 initiatives and their status is available on the Montana Secretary of State's website.
OTHER BALLOT ITEMS
June primary and November general election ballots may also include other items such as county commission races, depending on where in the state you live. June 2024 ballots will also ask voters to whether they wish to set up local government study commissions to review the structure of their city and county governments.
COMMON VOTING QUESTIONS
WHEN ARE MONTANA’S 2024 ELECTIONS?
Voters will pick which candidates advance to the November general election in the June primary, which is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4. Voters will pick the candidates who will ultimately fill each office on the ballot in the November election, which is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5.
WHO RUNS MONTANA’S ELECTIONS?
Montana elections are administered at the county level. The process is overseen by county clerks and election administrators, who help to train and monitor the volunteer election judges that staff the polls. Ballots are typically processed and counted at central county locations, with the results reported to the Montana secretary of state’s office via a statewide software system called ElectMT.
Once polls close, the secretary of state’s office provides results through its website. The state-level office also provides guidance to local election administrators to ensure compliance with state election laws. Additionally, enforcing compliance with some laws governing political campaigns, particularly those involving campaign finance, falls to a separate office known as the Commissioner of Political Practices.
DO I NEED TO BE REGISTERED IN ORDER TO VOTE?
Yes. If you’re unsure about your registration status, you can check it through the Montana secretary of state's My Voter Page. You can register to vote by stopping by your county election office any time during regular business hours to pick up an application. After you’ve filled it out, you’ll need to get it back to your county election office by mail or in person (the latter option is strongly recommended close to Election Day to ensure your application is received in time). If you do present your application in person, you’ll have to provide a photo ID or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you happen to be applying for a Montana driver’s license or identification card before the election, you can register to vote at the same time.
CAN I REGISTER TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY?
Yes. The state Legislature has sought to enact an earlier registration deadline, but under a March 2024 ruling by the Montana Supreme Court, same-day voter registration remains legal in Montana. Residents can register to vote or update their voter registration at their county’s election office prior to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
DOES MONTANA HAVE VOTER ID REQUIREMENTS?
Yes, you will be required to present identification when voting at the polls. However, under the Montana Supreme Court’s March ruling, changes made to those requirements by the 2021 Legislature remain blocked. The current forms of identification voters can use at the polls are a current Montana driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, tribal or military photo ID, a U.S. passport or a student ID. If you don’t have a photo ID, you can use a utility bill, a bank statement, a voter confirmation card or any other government document that shows your name and address.
ARE THERE SITUATIONS WHERE I WOULDN'T BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?
According to state law, you can't vote if you'll be under age 18 on Election Day, are not a U.S. citizen, or have lived in Montana less than 30 days. Convicted felons who are currently incarcerated in a penal facility and people whom judges have ruled to be of unsound mind are also ineligible to vote. Otherwise, you're good to go.
CAN I VOTE ONLINE?
No, that’s not an option in Montana.
CAN I VOTE BY MAIL?
Yes, you can sign up as an absentee voter by checking a box on your voter registration form. If you’re already registered to vote, you can fill out a separate form and submit it to your county election office.
If you’re registered as an absentee voter, a ballot should be mailed to you a few weeks in advance of each election day. You can make sure your address is current via the My Voter page. County election officials are slated to mail ballots to voters for the June 2024 primary election May 10.
You can return ballots by mail, or drop them off in person at your county’s election office. Either way, the election office must receive your ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to count it.
HOW DO I VOTE IN PERSON?
If you plan to vote at the polls, just be sure you know where your polling location is and head there between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day. You'll need to provide a photo ID and sign the precinct register, at which point you’ll get your ballot and be directed to a voting booth. If you have any technical questions or run into any problems, the election judges at your polling place should be able to help you.
I HAVE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO ISN'T ABLE TO DROP OFF HIS OR HER MAIL-IN BALLOT. CAN I DO IT FOR THEM?
Yes, you can. The Montana Legislature did make some changes to ballot collection laws in 2021 related to paid ballot collection, those changes have also been blocked by the Montana Supreme Court.
WHO SHOULD I VOTE FOR?
That’s your call, not ours. We hope the information we present on this guide is helpful as you make that decision for yourself, though.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thank you, MTFP for providing an excellent resource for Montana voters! Be well, be kind, work hard, keep in touch. Happy Politics!
MontanaPolitics Links:
- Register to vote in Montana!
- Election Calendars
- Frequently Asked Questions about Elections
- Proposed 2024 Ballot Measures
- Register by mail: Must be postmarked 30 days before Election Day
- In person registration: Available up to and including on Election Day
Useful Knowledge:
Greg Gianforte Money Profile • OpenSecrets
Sen. Jon Tester - Campaign Finance Summary • OpenSecrets
Officeholders List Montana • OpenSecrets
Officeholders (Other Offices) List Montana • OpenSecrets
2024.05.08 21:23 ewallartist Help With A City Invoice. So Confused.
Hello Group.
I recently completed a project with the city of Denver. They reached out to me independent of a RFQ. I gave them an estimate along with my booking agreement.
The day after project I sent them a Net 30 and we are 15 days past that, but they now have withheld the payment because of a Prevailing Wage Law Section 20-76 of the Revised Municipal Code, City and County of Denver. I have spent around 1.5 hrs filling out forms, but they are still not satisfied.
Listed from the city in an excel is "Reason for Hold : CPRs not submitted" and "Comments: Payrolls not submitted"
I am a single employee LLC and for that reason I don't run payroll like most of the vendors that the city uses. Honestly, I am lost on most of the terminology they are using regarding this as well.
How do I show they my "payroll"? Is that just my schedule C or something from my 2023 taxes?
Can anyone offer me advice on how to besides sitting on hold with the city?
Thank you all very much
submitted by ewallartist to smallbusiness [link] [comments]
I recently completed a project with the city of Denver. They reached out to me independent of a RFQ. I gave them an estimate along with my booking agreement.
The day after project I sent them a Net 30 and we are 15 days past that, but they now have withheld the payment because of a Prevailing Wage Law Section 20-76 of the Revised Municipal Code, City and County of Denver. I have spent around 1.5 hrs filling out forms, but they are still not satisfied.
Listed from the city in an excel is "Reason for Hold : CPRs not submitted" and "Comments: Payrolls not submitted"
I am a single employee LLC and for that reason I don't run payroll like most of the vendors that the city uses. Honestly, I am lost on most of the terminology they are using regarding this as well.
How do I show they my "payroll"? Is that just my schedule C or something from my 2023 taxes?
Can anyone offer me advice on how to besides sitting on hold with the city?
Thank you all very much
2024.05.08 18:21 Jealous_Location_267 Do CDTFA posts and other state financial jobs check your credit?
I know California banned credit checks for most jobs, with some exceptions for certain managerial and financial jobs. Unsure if the CDTFA and EDD auditor jobs I applied to count. They’re not management.
My credit used to be stellar until this horrendous economy made me rely more on my cards for living expenses. I’ve been timely and current on my payments, but my score took a big hit on the utilization component. Then even after I managed to pay one card off, it went DOWN 🤦🏻♀️
I just have so much anxiety from the eight million dumb reasons you’ll get turned down in the private sector without a word, and I’m in limbo on an interview date after accidentally applying to the wrong county but heard back the day after I applied. The vacancy announcement for my county closes tomorrow, the other positions in about 2 weeks.
Just want to find out what the policy is here, and if you had to undergo a credit check for your state job if it’s financial and/or managerial.
submitted by Jealous_Location_267 to CAStateWorkers [link] [comments]
My credit used to be stellar until this horrendous economy made me rely more on my cards for living expenses. I’ve been timely and current on my payments, but my score took a big hit on the utilization component. Then even after I managed to pay one card off, it went DOWN 🤦🏻♀️
I just have so much anxiety from the eight million dumb reasons you’ll get turned down in the private sector without a word, and I’m in limbo on an interview date after accidentally applying to the wrong county but heard back the day after I applied. The vacancy announcement for my county closes tomorrow, the other positions in about 2 weeks.
Just want to find out what the policy is here, and if you had to undergo a credit check for your state job if it’s financial and/or managerial.
2024.05.06 17:58 thinkingstranger May 5, 2024
In 1776, as British colonists in North America were contemplating how to construct a new nation, Massachusetts lawyer John Adams famously wrote to friends about the relationship between government and the law. A republic, he wrote, “is an Empire of Laws and not of Men: and therefore…that particular Arrangement…which is best calculated to Secure an exact and impartial Execution of the Laws, is the best Republic.”
In 1787 the framers of the Constitution set out to create a nation built on the rule of law. The next year, the states ratified their new framework, and in 1789, the Constitution went into effect. One of the first acts of the newly seated Congress was to establish a federal court system. The Judiciary Act of 1789 set out the different courts and their jurisdictions. And in 1868, with the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, Americans explicitly wrote into the Constitution the principle that all U.S. citizens must be equal before the law. Two years later, they established the Department of Justice to make sure that principle would be honored across the country.
In the past three years, the Biden administration has worked to confirm that the U.S. is a nation of laws. That work has borne fruit. In the past few days, several cases have jumped out in which the administration has used the law to protect ordinary Americans.
On Tuesday, April 30, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) challenged more than 300 junk patent listings for drugs that treat diabetes, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and that help people lose weight, including Ozempic. Bogus patent listings prevent generic drugs from entering the market, keeping brand-name drug prices high. The FTC gives the manufacturer 20 days to withdraw or amend the listing or certify, under penalty of perjury, that they are correct. In November the FTC successfully challenged junk patents on asthma inhalers, reducing their price to $35.
FTC chair Lina Khan said: “By challenging junk patent filings, the FTC is fighting these illegal tactics and making sure that Americans can get timely access to innovative and affordable versions of the medicines they need.”
On Thursday, May 2, Yvette Wang, the chief of staff to Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese billionaire businessman who works with Trump associate Steve Bannon (in 2020, law enforcement officers arrested Bannon on Guo’s yacht on charges of fraud), pleaded guilty to conspiring with Guo in a massive fraud scheme that involved wire fraud and money laundering and netted more than $1 billion. Wang personally will forfeit $1.4 billion to the United States and faces up to ten years in prison. The trial for Wang and Guo is scheduled to start on May 20. Guo has pleaded not guilty.
On Friday the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged the auditing firm for Trump’s social media company and its owner with “massive fraud.” The SEC called BF Borgers a “sham audit mill” and said it “deliberately systemically failed to conduct” audits and reviews that were filed with the SEC between January 2021 and June 2023. Those reports are supposed to inform investors about the value of companies. The SEC fined the company $14 million and banned it from practicing accounting. Its owner, Benjamin Borgers, did not admit wrongdoing but accepted the judgment.
Also on Friday, the Department of Justice released a grand jury’s indictment of Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and his wife, Imelda, alleging that beginning no later than 2014 and until at least November 2021, they accepted close to $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijani oil and gas company and a Mexican bank and then laundered the payments through Imelda’s company. In exchange, the indictment says, Cuellar agreed to adjust U.S. policy toward Azerbaijan, especially its oil industry, and to oppose laws that would curb money laundering and regulate the payday lending industry.
On Friday, at former president Trump’s fraud trial for interfering in the 2016 election by paying $130,000 to buy the silence of adult film actress Stormy Daniels and falsifying business records to hide the payment, former White House aide Hope Hicks established that Trump had indeed intended to silence Daniels in order to stop voters from hearing her information before the election. Appearing reluctant to testify against Trump, Hicks nonetheless described a conversation with Trump in 2018, after Daniels’s story became public. Trump told her that “it was better to be dealing with it now, and it would have been bad to have that story come out before the election.”
The rule of law protects ordinary Americans and defends their right to elect a government of their choice. But in 2024, it is under attack.
Trump continues to insist that the stories about his extramarital affairs are false, but his main strategy for addressing his many legal troubles is to insist that the justice system is rigged against him. This continues a pattern he began as soon as he took office, when he unsuccessfully pressured FBI director James Comey to drop the investigation into his 2016 campaign’s interaction with Russian operatives. Although FBI directors are supposed to be virtually untouchable during their ten-year term, Trump fired Comey and then spent the rest of his term accusing the FBI of persecuting him.
That attack on our judicial system expanded to sweep in all the judges who ruled against his campaign operatives and his extremist policies on immigration. He called the courts a “joke” and a “laughingstock” and attacked the Justice Department as a whole and judges personally.
Those attacks increased after Trump left office and was indicted for his efforts to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election. An analysis by NBC News of more than 14,000 Trump posts and reposts from April 2022 to January 6, 2024, showed that in some periods he attacked the judicial system more than he promoted his campaign. He aimed his attacks most often at special counsel Jack Smith, as well as New York attorney general Letitia James; Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over Trump’s Manhattan fraud trial; Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg; and Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney Fani Willis—all of whom are in charge of cases against Trump.
Reporters Dareh Gregorian and Jasmine Cui wrote: “The posts generally portray Trump as the victim of a Democratic scheme designed to derail his presidential bid, with an array of judges and prosecutors working against him at the behest of President Joe Biden, and all part of a partisan ‘witch hunt,’ a term he used about 250 times during that time period.”
At a meeting for donors at Mar-a-Lago Saturday, Trump complained about the criminal charges against him, calling Jack Smith a “f**king a**hole,” and accused President Joe Biden of running a “Gestapo administration,” a reference to the German secret police that crushed opposition and rounded up Jews, Roma, LGBT individuals, and other targeted groups during World War II.
Trump has vowed to take control of the Justice Department and make it serve his interests. Chris Geidner of Law Dork noted today that the federal courts already favor Republicans, and a second Trump presidency would allow him to fill multiple court vacancies, probably including some on the Supreme Court, with his extremists. They would cement the ideology of MAGA Republicans into our laws for the foreseeable future.
Trump’s war on the Department of Justice over his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election has already progressed into an attempt to delegitimize the results of the 2024 election, suggesting he does not believe he will win in a free and fair election.
Yesterday, Charlie Spies, the Republican Party’s top lawyer, resigned after Trump turned on him for his public statements that the 2020 election was not stolen. Spies was one of three lawyers the Trump team hired in March after it took over the Republican National Committee (RNC). An establishment Republican lawyer, Spies was paired with MAGA lawyer and former right-wing One America News Network anchor Christina Bobb to oversee the RNC’s so-called election integrity unit. Now Spies is out and Bobb, who has been indicted for election fraud for her participation in the attempt to overthrow the 2020 election, remains.
In an astonishing exchange on Meet the Press this morning, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), who is angling to become Trump’s vice presidential pick, refused six times to say he would accept the results of the 2024 election if Trump didn’t win. Host Kristen Welker asked: “Will you commit to accepting the election results of 2024?” Scott responded: “At the end of the day, the 47th president of the United States will be President Donald Trump.” Welker followed up: “Yes or no, will you accept the election results of 2024 no matter who wins?” Scott answered: “That is my statement.”
When Welker continued to push the question, Scott accused NBC of working for the “Democrat Party” but refused ever to agree to the peaceful transition of power, which, as Welker noted, is the hallmark of the democratic republic people like John Adams established in 1789.
—
Notes:
https://www.masshist.org/publications/adams-papers/index.php/view/PJA04dg2
https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/federal-judiciary-act
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/03/trump-media-auditor-charged-by-sec-with-massive-fraud-permanently-barred-from-public-company-audits.html
https://time.com/6974644/bf-borgers-charged-fraud-trump-media/
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/who-chinese-mogul-who-owns-boat-steve-bannon-was-busted-n1237511
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exiled-chinese-businessmans-chief-of-staff-pleads-guilty-us-fraud-2024-05-03/
https://www.reuters.com/legal/exiled-chinese-businessman-guo-wengui-must-face-us-fraud-indictment-2024-04-02/
https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/gkpldnoolpb/05032024wang_plea.pdf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/04/trump-rnc-spies-election-fraud/
https://www.democracydocket.com/opinion/republicans-prepare-a-new-wave-of-legal-attacks-on-voting/
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/04/ftc-expands-patent-listing-challenges-targeting-more-300-junk-listings-diabetes-weight-loss-asthma
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24636508-cuellar-indictment
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/doj-expected-announce-indictment-texas-democratic-rep-henry-cuellar-so-rcna150567
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/hope-hicks-breaks-down-on-stand-after-giving-damaging-testimony-against-trump
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/03/trump-hush-money-trial-hope-hicks-testimony/
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/his-own-words-presidents-attacks-courts
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-trials-attacks-judges-rcna131916
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/04/trump-indictments-attacks-democrats-gestapo/
📷Law DorkSix months out: The dangers to — and from — the courts in a second Trump administrationElection Day is six months away. Donald Trump’s election to a second term would, at its least harmful, lead to the appointment of scores of more, younger, and potentially even more extreme judges. It would lead to the end of his federal prosecutions and arguments that remaining state prosecutions cannot proceed while he is president. And, Trump would, yet again, wield the powers of the executive branch…Read more14 hours ago · 42 likes · 4 comments · Chris Geidner
Twitter (X):
RpsAgainstTrump/status/1787167295288008745
kylegriffin1/status/1787137740900913154
Timodc/status/1787123517546226014
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-5-2024
submitted by thinkingstranger to HeatherCoxRichardson [link] [comments]
In 1787 the framers of the Constitution set out to create a nation built on the rule of law. The next year, the states ratified their new framework, and in 1789, the Constitution went into effect. One of the first acts of the newly seated Congress was to establish a federal court system. The Judiciary Act of 1789 set out the different courts and their jurisdictions. And in 1868, with the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, Americans explicitly wrote into the Constitution the principle that all U.S. citizens must be equal before the law. Two years later, they established the Department of Justice to make sure that principle would be honored across the country.
In the past three years, the Biden administration has worked to confirm that the U.S. is a nation of laws. That work has borne fruit. In the past few days, several cases have jumped out in which the administration has used the law to protect ordinary Americans.
On Tuesday, April 30, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) challenged more than 300 junk patent listings for drugs that treat diabetes, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and that help people lose weight, including Ozempic. Bogus patent listings prevent generic drugs from entering the market, keeping brand-name drug prices high. The FTC gives the manufacturer 20 days to withdraw or amend the listing or certify, under penalty of perjury, that they are correct. In November the FTC successfully challenged junk patents on asthma inhalers, reducing their price to $35.
FTC chair Lina Khan said: “By challenging junk patent filings, the FTC is fighting these illegal tactics and making sure that Americans can get timely access to innovative and affordable versions of the medicines they need.”
On Thursday, May 2, Yvette Wang, the chief of staff to Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese billionaire businessman who works with Trump associate Steve Bannon (in 2020, law enforcement officers arrested Bannon on Guo’s yacht on charges of fraud), pleaded guilty to conspiring with Guo in a massive fraud scheme that involved wire fraud and money laundering and netted more than $1 billion. Wang personally will forfeit $1.4 billion to the United States and faces up to ten years in prison. The trial for Wang and Guo is scheduled to start on May 20. Guo has pleaded not guilty.
On Friday the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged the auditing firm for Trump’s social media company and its owner with “massive fraud.” The SEC called BF Borgers a “sham audit mill” and said it “deliberately systemically failed to conduct” audits and reviews that were filed with the SEC between January 2021 and June 2023. Those reports are supposed to inform investors about the value of companies. The SEC fined the company $14 million and banned it from practicing accounting. Its owner, Benjamin Borgers, did not admit wrongdoing but accepted the judgment.
Also on Friday, the Department of Justice released a grand jury’s indictment of Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and his wife, Imelda, alleging that beginning no later than 2014 and until at least November 2021, they accepted close to $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijani oil and gas company and a Mexican bank and then laundered the payments through Imelda’s company. In exchange, the indictment says, Cuellar agreed to adjust U.S. policy toward Azerbaijan, especially its oil industry, and to oppose laws that would curb money laundering and regulate the payday lending industry.
On Friday, at former president Trump’s fraud trial for interfering in the 2016 election by paying $130,000 to buy the silence of adult film actress Stormy Daniels and falsifying business records to hide the payment, former White House aide Hope Hicks established that Trump had indeed intended to silence Daniels in order to stop voters from hearing her information before the election. Appearing reluctant to testify against Trump, Hicks nonetheless described a conversation with Trump in 2018, after Daniels’s story became public. Trump told her that “it was better to be dealing with it now, and it would have been bad to have that story come out before the election.”
The rule of law protects ordinary Americans and defends their right to elect a government of their choice. But in 2024, it is under attack.
Trump continues to insist that the stories about his extramarital affairs are false, but his main strategy for addressing his many legal troubles is to insist that the justice system is rigged against him. This continues a pattern he began as soon as he took office, when he unsuccessfully pressured FBI director James Comey to drop the investigation into his 2016 campaign’s interaction with Russian operatives. Although FBI directors are supposed to be virtually untouchable during their ten-year term, Trump fired Comey and then spent the rest of his term accusing the FBI of persecuting him.
That attack on our judicial system expanded to sweep in all the judges who ruled against his campaign operatives and his extremist policies on immigration. He called the courts a “joke” and a “laughingstock” and attacked the Justice Department as a whole and judges personally.
Those attacks increased after Trump left office and was indicted for his efforts to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election. An analysis by NBC News of more than 14,000 Trump posts and reposts from April 2022 to January 6, 2024, showed that in some periods he attacked the judicial system more than he promoted his campaign. He aimed his attacks most often at special counsel Jack Smith, as well as New York attorney general Letitia James; Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over Trump’s Manhattan fraud trial; Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg; and Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney Fani Willis—all of whom are in charge of cases against Trump.
Reporters Dareh Gregorian and Jasmine Cui wrote: “The posts generally portray Trump as the victim of a Democratic scheme designed to derail his presidential bid, with an array of judges and prosecutors working against him at the behest of President Joe Biden, and all part of a partisan ‘witch hunt,’ a term he used about 250 times during that time period.”
At a meeting for donors at Mar-a-Lago Saturday, Trump complained about the criminal charges against him, calling Jack Smith a “f**king a**hole,” and accused President Joe Biden of running a “Gestapo administration,” a reference to the German secret police that crushed opposition and rounded up Jews, Roma, LGBT individuals, and other targeted groups during World War II.
Trump has vowed to take control of the Justice Department and make it serve his interests. Chris Geidner of Law Dork noted today that the federal courts already favor Republicans, and a second Trump presidency would allow him to fill multiple court vacancies, probably including some on the Supreme Court, with his extremists. They would cement the ideology of MAGA Republicans into our laws for the foreseeable future.
Trump’s war on the Department of Justice over his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election has already progressed into an attempt to delegitimize the results of the 2024 election, suggesting he does not believe he will win in a free and fair election.
Yesterday, Charlie Spies, the Republican Party’s top lawyer, resigned after Trump turned on him for his public statements that the 2020 election was not stolen. Spies was one of three lawyers the Trump team hired in March after it took over the Republican National Committee (RNC). An establishment Republican lawyer, Spies was paired with MAGA lawyer and former right-wing One America News Network anchor Christina Bobb to oversee the RNC’s so-called election integrity unit. Now Spies is out and Bobb, who has been indicted for election fraud for her participation in the attempt to overthrow the 2020 election, remains.
In an astonishing exchange on Meet the Press this morning, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), who is angling to become Trump’s vice presidential pick, refused six times to say he would accept the results of the 2024 election if Trump didn’t win. Host Kristen Welker asked: “Will you commit to accepting the election results of 2024?” Scott responded: “At the end of the day, the 47th president of the United States will be President Donald Trump.” Welker followed up: “Yes or no, will you accept the election results of 2024 no matter who wins?” Scott answered: “That is my statement.”
When Welker continued to push the question, Scott accused NBC of working for the “Democrat Party” but refused ever to agree to the peaceful transition of power, which, as Welker noted, is the hallmark of the democratic republic people like John Adams established in 1789.
—
Notes:
https://www.masshist.org/publications/adams-papers/index.php/view/PJA04dg2
https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/federal-judiciary-act
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/03/trump-media-auditor-charged-by-sec-with-massive-fraud-permanently-barred-from-public-company-audits.html
https://time.com/6974644/bf-borgers-charged-fraud-trump-media/
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/who-chinese-mogul-who-owns-boat-steve-bannon-was-busted-n1237511
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exiled-chinese-businessmans-chief-of-staff-pleads-guilty-us-fraud-2024-05-03/
https://www.reuters.com/legal/exiled-chinese-businessman-guo-wengui-must-face-us-fraud-indictment-2024-04-02/
https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/gkpldnoolpb/05032024wang_plea.pdf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/04/trump-rnc-spies-election-fraud/
https://www.democracydocket.com/opinion/republicans-prepare-a-new-wave-of-legal-attacks-on-voting/
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/04/ftc-expands-patent-listing-challenges-targeting-more-300-junk-listings-diabetes-weight-loss-asthma
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24636508-cuellar-indictment
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/doj-expected-announce-indictment-texas-democratic-rep-henry-cuellar-so-rcna150567
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/hope-hicks-breaks-down-on-stand-after-giving-damaging-testimony-against-trump
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/03/trump-hush-money-trial-hope-hicks-testimony/
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/his-own-words-presidents-attacks-courts
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-trials-attacks-judges-rcna131916
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/04/trump-indictments-attacks-democrats-gestapo/
📷Law DorkSix months out: The dangers to — and from — the courts in a second Trump administrationElection Day is six months away. Donald Trump’s election to a second term would, at its least harmful, lead to the appointment of scores of more, younger, and potentially even more extreme judges. It would lead to the end of his federal prosecutions and arguments that remaining state prosecutions cannot proceed while he is president. And, Trump would, yet again, wield the powers of the executive branch…Read more14 hours ago · 42 likes · 4 comments · Chris Geidner
Twitter (X):
RpsAgainstTrump/status/1787167295288008745
kylegriffin1/status/1787137740900913154
Timodc/status/1787123517546226014
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-5-2024