Month: December 2020

On Monday, the House approved giving Americans $2,000 stimulus checks, increasing payments from the $600 checks that were set to be given out as part of a COVID-19 relief package that President Donald Trump signed into law Sunday evening.

The bill passed in a 275 – 134 vote, needing the support of two-thirds of House members present. The measure will now head to the Senate where its future remains unclear. Senate Republicans have for months stressed over increased government spending and are likely to oppose the measure despite Trump’s demands.

The boosted checks were a direct demand from Trump, one of several policy items that led the president to heavily criticize the package — despite his own administration negotiating the legislation with Congress as part of a large government spending package. He called the legislation a “disgrace” and the delay in signing the legislation resulted in expanded unemployment insurance expiring for millions of unemployed Americans, delaying their next check. Trump ended up signing the $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, which was attached to a $1.4 trillion government spending bill, Sunday evening to avert a government shutdown.

Trump-Biden transition live updates: House approves boosting stimulus checks to $2K

Via abcnews.go.com

President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe…

12/28/2020 6:34 PM

On Monday, a federal judge denied bail to Ghislaine Maxwell for a second time. Maxwell is the British socialite facing charges of acting as an accomplice of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Alison Nathan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York again ruled that Maxwell, 59, poses a flight risk, citing the severity of the charges she faces. In July, Nathan first denied her bail, siding with prosecutors who said that her wealth and dozens of overseas bank accounts make her an “extreme” flight risk.

Earlier this month, Maxwell’s attorneys proposed a $28.5 million bail package secured with $8 million in property and $500,000 in cash. Additionally, Maxwell’s relatives and friends have agreed to give an additional $5 million.

Maxwell pleaded not guilty to eight counts related to accusations that she helped Epstein sexually exploit and abuse multiple minor girls as young as 14 from 1994 to 1997. The charges include conspiracy, perjury, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

If convicted, Maxwell faces up to 35 years in prison. She is set to stand trial in July.

Ghislaine Maxwell’s $28.5m bail package rejected by judge

Via www.msn.com

A federal judge has denied Ghislaine Maxwell a proposed $28.5m bail package after ruling she was…

12/28/2020 3:57 PM