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Monday 18 November 2019

Ilhan Omar paid another $147,000 to married lover's consultant group in addition to hundreds of thousands for other services previously reported amid calls for a federal election probe

US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar paid her political consultant and lover almost $147,000 more for services than had previously been known, according to reports.
The payments were in addition to hundreds of thousands of dollars she gave to the company which had already been reported.
Omar's campaign funneled $146,713 into finance chief Tim Mynett's consulting firm, 'The E Street Group' for digital advertising, fundraising consulting and video production, records show, reports the New York Post.
That's how much more the 38-year-old Minnesota lawmaker's campaign pumped into Mynett's firm since Peter Flaherty, chairman of the conservative National Legal and Policy Center in October filed an an amended complaint into Omar's campaign spending with the Federal Election Commission.
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (pictured) paid her political consultant and lover almost $147,000 for services, in addition to hundreds of thousands of dollars in other payments that were previously known.
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (pictured) paid her political consultant and lover almost $147,000 for services, in addition to hundreds of thousands of dollars in other payments that were previously known.
Tim Mynett's consulting firm, 'The E Street Group' received $146,713 from Omar's campaign for digital advertising, fundraising consulting and video production, records show
Tim Mynett's consulting firm, 'The E Street Group' received $146,713 from Omar's campaign for digital advertising, fundraising consulting and video production, records show
Peter Flaherty, chairman of the conservative National Legal and Policy Center in October requested a federal investigation into Omar's campaign spending after DailyMail.com's revelation of an affair between her and Mynett (pictured left and right respectively)
Peter Flaherty, chairman of the conservative National Legal and Policy Center in October requested a federal investigation into Omar's campaign spending after DailyMail.com's revelation of an affair between her and Mynett (pictured left and right respectively)
Flaherty requested an investigation after DailyMail.com's revelation of an affair between Omar and Mynett, which led to her divorce from her husband Ahmed Hirsi. 
The split was final on November 5. 
Mynett's wife Beth has also filed for divorce in the wake of the affair. 
Flaherty pointed out to the FEC that Omar made more than $369,000 in payments to Mynett since hiring his firm in August of 2018.
Nearly $25,000 is labeled as travel expenses, according to records filed to the FEC. 
'If 'Ilhan for Congress' reimbursed Mynett's LLC for travel so that Rep. Omar would have the benefit of Mynett's romantic companionship, the expenditure must be considered personal in nature', he wrote.
'Federal Election Commission regulations prohibit the use of campaign funds for personal expenses collateral to travel…unless personal funds are used to reimburse the committee', he added. 
But whether the probe ever gets underway has been up in the air due to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's refusal to schedule hearings to confirm new members of the agency, tasked with enforcing campaign finance laws.
'This is a matter of frustration,'  Flaherty told DailyMail.com.
Omar's campaign paid The E Street Group more than $222,000 between August last year and July, when DailyMail.com exclusively revealed the affair between the congresswoman and consultant.
It paid him a whopping $92,746 in July, and in August and September the company pocketed another $54,000, according to figures filed with the FEC. 
'If you total her expenditure, about one-third of it went to E Street', Flaherty told DailyMail.com earlier this month. 
He also said the committee erred by not splitting travel expenses from fundraising.
'A disbursement can be a ''travel'' expense or a ''fundraising'' expense but it cannot be both, even if the travel is in conjunction with fundraising activities.'
He claimed both Omar's campaign and Mynett's company 'either continue to disregard the law or misunderstand it'.
'There continues to be reporting problems', Flaherty told DailyMail.com. 'But the bigger issue is her veracity and credibility.
Flaherty claimed both Omar's campaign and Mynett's company 'either continue to disregard the law or misunderstand it' in regards to continued 'reporting problems'. Omar is pictured addressing reporters in Minnesota this past January
Flaherty claimed both Omar's campaign and Mynett's company 'either continue to disregard the law or misunderstand it' in regards to continued 'reporting problems'. Omar is pictured addressing reporters in Minnesota this past January
'She said she wasn't having an affair but now, based on DailyMail.com's reporting it looks like she wasn't telling the truth.'
David Mitrani, a lawyer who acts for both Omar's campaign and the E Street Group originally dismissed Flaherty's complaint, calling it 'nothing more than blustering to attempt to create the appearance of legal jeopardy when there is none'.
'The parties have at all times complied with federal campaign finance law', Mitrani said.
Whether the FEC actually considers Flaherty's complaint is open to question as it does not have enough members to reach a quorum after vice chairman Matthew Peterson resigned in August. 
President Donald Trump has nominated one new member but McConnell has not scheduled a confirmation hearing.
DailyMail.com's revelation of an affair between Omar and Mynett, led to her divorce from her husband Ahmed Hirsi (second from right)
DailyMail.com's revelation of an affair between Omar and Mynett, led to her divorce from her husband Ahmed Hirsi (second from right)
Omar's divorce from Hirsi was finalized just 30 days after she filed in early October. 
She filed after DailyMail.com had revealed she had moved out of the family home in Minneapolis and into a penthouse apartment.
We then showed a video of her and Mynett leaving an out-of-the way restaurant in the Playa Del Rey section of Los Angeles after a romantic meal there. She had been in California to give a speech.
She and her ex will share joint custody of their three children, aged 16, 13, and 7, but it's noted the kids will mainly live in Washington D.C. and attend school there, according to court records.
Omar claimed in divorce documents that there had been an 'irretrievable breakdown of the marriage relationship'. She agreed to pay for the children's travel expenses to get back to Minnesota when they visit Hirsi.
The exes will also keep their own cars and own bank accounts. Neither will have to pay spousal support.
In a statement, Omar's lawyer said: 'Anyone going through a divorce is glad when it is over and this case is no exception.'
Omar first married Hirsi in an Islamic ceremony in 2002 when she was 19.
Six years later, after two children, the couple said they had 'reached an impasse in our life together,' and divorced.
The following year, Omar married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a British citizen, just two weeks after he entered the United States.
He has been identified as her brother by many media outlets, though due to a lack of records in their war-torn country of birth that has not been proven.
That marriage lasted just two years but it was enough to allow Elmi to study alongside his new wife at North Dakota State University.
Records suggest that Omar, Elmi and Hirsi all lived together for at least part of that time.
Omar then had a third child with Hirsi in 2012 and in 2015 she filed a joint tax return with him — even though she was still legally married to Elmi.
She finally divorced Elmi in 2017 and married Hirsi in a civil ceremony the following year.
But in July, DailyMail.com revealed that Omar had split again with Hirsi and moved out of their family home and into her new penthouse apartment.
In August, after DailyMail.com reported that Omar had been seen holding hands with 38-year-old Mynett in the Caffe Pinguine and spending time with him, his wife Beth filed for divorce.
In August, after DailyMail.com reported that Omar had been seen holding hands with 38-year-old Mynett (left) in the Caffe Pinguine and spending time with him, his wife Beth (right) filed for divorce
In August, after DailyMail.com reported that Omar had been seen holding hands with 38-year-old Mynett (left) in the Caffe Pinguine and spending time with him, his wife Beth (right) filed for divorce
Beth Mynett revealed her fears that her husband's affair could have been going on for the past year in her nine-page divorce filing (pictured)
Beth Mynett revealed her fears that her husband's affair could have been going on for the past year in her nine-page divorce filing (pictured)
Beth Mynett revealed her fears that her husband's affair could have been going on for the past year in her nine-page divorce filing.
Beth, who has a 13-year-old-son with Mynett, describes in the papers how her cheating partner made a 'shocking declaration of love' for the leftist firebrand.
She said her husband took their son to meet Omar at the Mynett family's favorite restaurant in Washington, D.C., when the reproductive health expert was out of town.
Despite being named in the Mynetts' divorce proceedings, Omar continued to dodge questions about her tangled private life.
She denied being separated from her husband Ahmed Hirsi then refused to comment further on 'personal matters', according to Esme Murphy, a reporter with Minneapolis-based WCCO-TV.
In October, DailyMail.com revealed that Omar and Mynett were not only dating, but living together 'on and off' at a secret DC apartment, while plotting romantic vacations to Jamaica and making plans for a long-term future together. 

Jennifer Arcuri claims Boris Johnson told her he had five children, admits she had a 'special relationship' with the PM - but says when she tried to call him recently a man 'pretending to be Chinese' took the phone

Jennifer Arcuri today claimed Boris Johnson told her he had five children, as she admitted to sharing a 'special relationship' with the PM and said she tried to call him recently but a man 'pretending to be Chinese' took the phone. 
The PM had two sons and two daughters during his marriage to high-flying barrister Marina Wheeler but has not publicly acknowledged the existence of a fifth child, which he had with a mistress believed to be art consultant Helen Macintyre.
When asked on Good Morning Britain if Mr Johnson ever told her how many children he had, the pole dancing former model, 34, said: 'I asked him once if he had as many kids as Ken Livingstone, and he said no.'
Prompted for more detail, Ms Arcuri continued: 'Well, he had the four, and one' with another woman. Asked if the public should know these details, she replied: 'Sure, sure, it's part of what I would say, you know, would be becoming of his character.' 

It was her second TV appearance today, in what is becoming a major headache for Mr Johnson as he continues to campaign for next month's election. Ms Arcuri, who is facing claims of fuelling the scandal for her own benefit, has previously warned she is 'keeping secrets' he would not want to be revealed in public. 
But Ms Arcuri - who also starred in an ITV documentary last night - insisted she was an unwilling participant in a media storm and continued to refuse to answer questions about whether she had an affair with the former London Mayor.

Jennifer Arcuri leaving the BBC TV studios this morning after her second major interview of the day. She also appeared in an ITV documentary last night
Jennifer Arcuri leaving the BBC TV studios this morning after her second major interview of the day. She also appeared in an ITV documentary last night 

Jennifer Arcuri claims Boris Johnson 'fed her to the wolves'

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Ms Arcuri's links with Mr Johnson came under public scrutiny earlier this year over allegations she received favourable treatment for her business ventures during his eight-year stint as mayor of London.
In an astonishing morning of broadcast appearances, she has spoken of their relationship calling it 'very special' as she refused to say whether they had an affair.
Following her appearance on GMB, TV presenter Lorraine Kelly criticised her live, asking 'what's the point of you coming on TV?' after the US businesswoman appeared to dodge questions.
Ms Arcuri swerved queries about her relationship with Mr Johnson, telling hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid that she did not want to 'be pressured into admitting' to anything about her links to the Prime Minister.
Later, speaking to Victoria Derbyshire, Ms Arcuri insisted Mr Johnson did not do her any 'favours' but said she wished he had declared her as an interest if it could have 'saved me this entire embarrassment and humiliation'.
She said: 'I would love an apology for acknowledging the fact that given all those years, you know, that I was on the ground, hustling and working as a student. I mean he saw my arc, he saw my progression as a young woman, graduating and becoming, you know, a mature entrepreneur.'
She also accused the Prime Minister of feeding her to the wolves. Asked if Mr Johnson 'had bigger fish to fry', she said: 'That's what you tell somebody when you meet them for the night, you don't know them, you haven't spent the hours with them, the investment into another person.
'And the fact that I'm called out, just on GMB, because 'why I am here if I'm not here to admit the affair?'
'Well wait a minute I'm not allowed to be upset because somebody that was very much a part of my life, who knew what I stood for, the calibre and integrity and merit that I work at. I mean all these things he knew and he sat back, why?
'He didn't have to ignore me, it could have been a 30-second phone call, just to let me know that he's acknowledging the fact that he, while he gets to be prime minister gets to feed me to the wolves - and I find that really disturbing.'
Ms Arcuri said Mr Johnson did not just have 'a sexual intention' towards her, as she insisted he was a 'man of his word'.
'I was convinced this was a man of his word because I couldn't believe the fervent, linear focus which he had on me.
'I assure you it was not just a sexual intention, he actually was very intrigued by my energy, my ability to get things done - he loved my events, and he saw the way I could work a room, the way I met everybody.'
She added: 'I was a female, there was very few of us and I was extremely tenacious and I'm telling you that's what London and Partners loved about me, that's what Boris Johnson loved about me, and that's why I was accepted so greatly into this London community.
'I have great pride for this eco-system. I mean, we built it.'   

Sunday 17 November 2019

WATCH: 2020 Democrat Slams Warren And Sanders For ‘Genuflecting To The Twitter Base’

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) accused Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Saturday of bowing to the left-wing Twitter mob while crafting their single-payer health insurance proposals.
“The question is, who should make the choice about what people’s insurance is,” Bennet told CNN’s Victor Blackwell during an appearance on “New Day Weekend.” “Should it be Bernie and Elizabeth, or should it be the American people? Clearly the American people think it should be the American people since only one third of Democrats support Elizabeth’s plan.”
“You know, we should not be going into this election nominating somebody who is genuflecting to the Twitter base of the Democratic Party,” he continued. “It is not focused on the living, breathing, human beings who all they want to know is if their kids’ education is not defined by the income their family has, that if you work hard you can make a decent living, and you can retire with security.”
I trust the American people to make their own decisions about their own healthcare coverage.

We can get to universal coverage with my Medicare-X public option plan without making private employer insurance illegal for 180 million Americans.
See Michael Bennet's other Tweets
The Colorado lawmaker noted that he agrees with former President Barack Obama who warned the Democratic presidential candidates on Friday to be aware of what voters actually want, especially when it comes to immigration and health care reform.
“The average American doesn’t think we have to completely tear down the system and remake it, and I think it’s important for us not to lose sight of that,” Obama told a group of wealthy Democratic donors at the Democracy Alliance gathering.
“There are a lot of persuadable voters and there are a lot of Democrats out there who just want to see things make sense. They just don’t want to see crazy stuff,” he continued. “They want to see things a little more fair, they want to see things a little more just, and how we approach that I think will be important.”
While the former president has largely remained silent during the 2020 election cycle, the remarks were seen by many as a veiled shot at Warren and Sanders, who have been vying for the far-left lane of the Democratic primary. Both progressive candidates have released Medicare for All proposals that would eliminate the entire private health insurance market in favor of a government-run plan, cost taxpayers tens of trillions of dollars, and remove 180 million Americans from their current insurance.
Bennet has been sounding the alarm on Americans’ distaste for a complete overhaul of the health insurance market, instead standing behind a plan titled “Medicare X,” which he introduced into the Senate with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) earlier in the year. The proposal would allow Americans to choose a public option, similar to Medicare, which would be offered alongside private insurance.

“This stuff is never going to pass, and I don’t know whether Elizabeth knows that or not,” Bennet said. “But I, as a progressive Democrat, I do not want us to spend the next 10 years in a losing battle for Medicare for All when what we need to be focused on is driving economic growth for everybody across this economy.”

Obama Appears To Rip Ocasio-Cortez In Warning To Democrat Presidential Candidates

Former President Barack Obama appeared to take a veiled shot at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) during a speech on Friday, warning that the party was moving too far to the left and that the average American does not agree with their views.
Obama, who made the remarks to some of the party’s top donors at the annual meeting of the Democracy Alliance, said that Democrats, independents, and moderate Republicans do not align with the same beliefs that are found on “certain left-leaning Twitter feeds” or “the activist wing of our party.”
Obama’s remark about “the activist wing of our party” appears to be a direct shot at Ocasio-Cortez, who is widely viewed as the face of the far-Left in the Democrat Party.
“Even as we push the envelope and we are bold in our vision we also have to be rooted in reality,” Obama said, according to The New York Times. “The average American doesn’t think we have to completely tear down the system and remake it. And I think it’s important for us not to lose sight of that.”
“I don’t think we should be deluded into thinking that the resistance to certain approaches to things is simply because voters haven’t heard a bold enough proposal and if they hear something as bold as possible then immediately that’s going to activate them,” Obama said.
“There are a lot of persuadable voters and there are a lot of Democrats out there who just want to see things make sense. They just don’t want to see crazy stuff,” Obama added, according to Fox News. “They want to see things a little more fair, they want to see things a little more just. And how we approach that I think will be important.”
Obama’s remark is in direct opposition to what Ocasio-Cortez said during a Friday night interview on MSNBC where she said that her “personal political strategy” is to “come in with the boldest vision possible.”
The comments from Obama came only a few weeks after he offered a similar warning to young people while speaking in Chicago.
“This idea of purity and you’re never compromised and you’re politically woke and all that stuff — you should get over that quickly,” Obama told an audience at the Obama Foundation Summit. “The world is messy. There are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws. People who you are fighting may love their kids and you know share certain things with you.”
“One danger I see among young people particularly on college campuses — Malia and I talk about this — I do get a sense sometimes now among certain young people, and this is accelerated by social media, there is this sense sometimes of the way of me making change is to be as judgmental as possible about other people and that’s enough,” Obama continued. “Like if I tweet or hashtag about how you didn’t do something right, or use the wrong verb then I can sit back and feel pretty good about myself, ‘Cuz man, did you see how woke I was? I called you out! Let me get on TV, watch my show, watch Grown-ish.’”

“That’s not activism. That’s not bringing about change,” Obama concluded. “If all you’re doing is casting stones, you’re probably not going to get that far. That’s easy to do.”