Monday, August 07, 2023

PRIVATE EQUITY BILLIONAIRE TIED TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN LED INDUSTRY BACKING FOR KYRSTEN SINEMA | The Intercept

All told, Sinema has raked in well over $3 million from investment and private equity firms in the past six years

PRIVATE EQUITY BILLIONAIRE TIED TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN LED INDUSTRY BACKING FOR KYRSTEN SINEMA

Now embroiled in scandal, Leon Black made a safe bet on Sinema during her 2018 Senate campaign.

by Daniel Boguslaw

August 3 2023, 10:19 a.m.

Sinema's close relationship with the titans of the private equity industry, whose agenda she has relentlessly championed in Congress, continues to bedevil her reelection campaign. In 2018, the first year she was elected to the Senate, she was backed by powerful private equity executives. Leon Black, then the CEO of Apollo Global Management, one of the largest such firms in the world, was one of them.

Now Black is back in the headlines, this time accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in the home of Jeffrey Epstein, a serial sex trafficker Black financed with more than $150 million.

Black’s support of Sinema is a window into the devil’s bargain the one-time radical leftist cut in order to rise through the ranks. Wall Street financing enabled her rise, even as it has forced her into politically unpopular positions, defending indefensible private equity giveaways in the tax codes, and linked her to unsavory characters always at risk of becoming a public relations liability.. .

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INSERT

Forbes

Meet The Billionaires Donors Who Have Contributed To Senator Kyrsten Sinema's Campaign

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> PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S massive spending bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, was a pivotal point in Sinema’s mounting unpopularity.

Sinema, along with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., had to be wooed for her yes vote.
The Arizona senator was eventually placated by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., agreeing to kill many of the bill’s taxation priorities, most notably efforts to close the carried interest tax loophole.

That’s a tax break that allows hedge fund managers and private equity executives to pay taxes on their income as tax deferrable capital gains, subject to far lower rates than standard income.

Eliminating the loophole would have generated an estimated $14 billion in revenue over 10 years.

The American Investment Council, which represents firms including Apollo, Blackstone, Carlyle, and KKR, staunchly opposed the reform effort, launching a media blitz pressuring Sinema and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly to preserve the carried interest tax loophole — and in turn their executives’ salaries.

> Sinema’s preservation of the carried interest tax loophole ensured that private equity billionaires like Black will continue to raise massive fortunes with little intervention by the IRS. The Senate committee interrogating Black’s finances has accused the former executive of consulting with Epstein to avoid hundreds of millions in taxes with payments that “were inexplicably large; well in excess of what Black paid any other financial advisors and far higher than the median compensation of Fortune 500 CEOs at the time.”

> Last month, Black agreed to a $62.5 million settlement with the U.S. Virgin Islands to avoid a potential lawsuit in relation to the U.S. territory’s ongoing investigation into Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. This month, he continues to fend off investigators in the Senate.

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Billionaire Leon Black Under Investigation

UPI News

Senate committee investigates billionaire Leon Black, $158 million paid to Jeffrey Epstein

By Sheri Walsh,

58 minutes ago

July 25 (UPI) -- The Senate Finance Committee is investigating $158 million paid to accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein by billionaire and Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black for tax and estate-planning advice.

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2nJMMI_0ncCuzHt00 — On Tuesday, Senate Finance committee chairman Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., revealed that the Senate Finance Committee is investigating $158 million paid to accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein by billionaire and Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black for tax and estate-planning advice. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Finance committee chairman Sen. Ron Wyden , D-Ore., revealed the investigation Tuesday, calling it an inquiry into how "ultra-high net worth persons avoid or evade paying federal taxes, including gift and estate taxes."

Wyden said the investigation uncovered serious tax issues, allowing Black -- who is a private equity investor -- to avoid more than $1 billion in future gift and estate taxes. The investigation alleges Black paid the late disgraced financier a total of $158 million in several installments between 2012 and 2017.

"Despite not being a certified public accountant or licensed tax attorney, Epstein was paid amounts that far exceeded what you paid other professional advisors, including some of the most high-priced legal counsel in the nation," Wyden wrote.

Epstein, a billionaire financier, died by suicide in August 2019 while in federal prison in New York, where he was being held on sex trafficking charges.

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0KXUe3_0ncCuzHt00 — The Senate Finance Committee is investigating Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black and $158 million in payments to accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein for tax and estate planning advice. Photo courtesy of Apollo Global Management

Wyden's letter to Black on Monday requests further clarification on a number of tax issues. . ."

Newsbreak.com

NY Post

Kyrsten Sinema ignoring Democratic donors who want money back

Politico

Sinema outraised by Gallego as reelection decision awaits - POLITICO

The Hill

Sinema says she became Independent to not be 'tethered' by partisanship | The Hill

TheWrap

Kyrsten Sinema's State of the Union Dress Unites America in Mockery: 'Skinned Big Bird for Her Outfit' - TheWrap

Washington Times

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema coy on 2024 reelection bid as independent against long odds - Washington Times

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Sunday, August 06, 2023

Ukraine war latest: Kyiv carries out strikes on key bridge and gas pipeline; six killed in brutal overnight strikes

Two bridges connecting the peninsula to Russia’s mainland were hit by Storm Shadow missiles, according to local authorities

Ukraine has launched a barrage of British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles at two bridges connecting the Crimean Peninsula to Russia’s Kherson Region, according to its acting governor, Vladimir Saldo.

Some 12 missiles were fired during Saturday's attack, with at least three making it through Russian anti-aircraft defenses, Saldo told Rossiya 24 TV channel. The strike damaged two bridges across the Strait of Chongar and the Tonkiy Strait, the official stated.

The Chongar bridge sustained at least one hit, according to the acting governor, who shared imagery of the aftermath of the attack on his Telegram channel. The missile left a large hole in the bridge deck paving, images show.

> The attack damaged a rural school and ruptured a local gas pipeline, leaving the nearby town of Genichesk without supply, according to Saldo. Both bridges have hardly been used for military needs and are purely civilian infrastructure installations, he stressed.

While Saldo did not elaborate on the damage sustained by the second bridge, unverified footage circulating online suggests one of its sections has partially collapsed. The images show a gas pipeline running alongside the bridge, ruptured and aflame.

> The bridges linking the northern part of the Crimean Peninsula and Kherson Region were targeted by Ukraine in another major attack back in June. At the time, the Chongar bridge sustained considerable damage and ended up shut down for several weeks during repairs.

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> European companies take £86bn hit from Russian operations

Europe's top companies have directly lost around £86bn in their operations in Russia since Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the Financial Times reports.

> It claims a survey revealed 176 of 600 companies recorded asset impairments, exchange-related charges and other expenses as a direct result of the war.

That figure does not include direct losses, such as higher energy charges, with the true cost of the war expected to be far higher for companies who have had significant operations in Russia in recent times.

China trying to show it's on the side of peace by attending Saudi talks

China's attendance at recent peace talks in Saudi Arabia show that it is not behind Russia and is instead looking to see peace, according to an expert in international relations.

Samuel Ramani, associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told Sky News that China's attendance still came as a surprise, despite several months of softening stances from top diplomats.

"This is China trying to show that it's not backing Russia's aggression but is on the side of peace," he said,

The talks ended today without a concrete plan for next steps, but attending countries are commented to building "common ground that will pave the way for peace", according to a Saudi Arabian statement.

Ukraine called the talks "productive", while Russia branded them "doomed".

Two women, 73 and 77, injured in Kherson after Russian shelling

Two women, aged 73 and 77, have been taken to hospital after Russian shelling in the Kherson region, according to the area's military administration.

"They have injuries to the limbs and other acute injuries... [and] are hospitalised in a medical facility," a statement read.

They were injured after Russian shelling hit a private yard at a property in the village of Olhivka, the administration said.

In pictures: Zelenskyy thanks airmen on national holiday

President Zelenskyy attended a celebration of the Day of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine earlier today.

> Pictures show the president congratulating airmen after Ukraine confirmed its air force had carried out strikes on key bridges in Crimea and Henichesk.

The location of the meeting has remained a secret in order to protect the president.

In this first photograph, Mr Zelenskyy is shown signing a plane, and writing a message saying "Glory to Ukraine"...

Blood transfusion centre attack brings yet more questions as propaganda war continues

Yesterday evening (see 9.07pm post) we brought you news of air strikes on a blood transfusion centre in Kupiansk, eastern Kharkiv.

While Ukraine says it was a Russian aerial guided bomb, military analyst Sean Bell says it could have been the unintended result of a Ukrainian strike on Russia.

He dismissed reports some of the 70 Russian strikes from overnight came from Belarus, saying that would represent a major escalation.

"Ukraine reckons its more electronic warfare wizardry by Russia trying to make it look like it's come from there," he adds.

"There'll be more of that to follow I suspect."

But on the blood transfusion centre attack he said that with more Ukrainian attacks within Russia: "Inevitably some of the debris falls on Ukrainian territory.

"That may have been what fell on blood transfusion centre, but it's really hard to verify that at this stage."

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack and branded it a war crime.

Drone attack warning in Kharkiv after three killed during strikes yesterday

Three people died in Kharkiv yesterday, after retaliatory Russian strikes following attacks on ships in the Black Sea, and it looks as if further attacks should be expected tonight.

Oleg Sinegubov, governor of the region, shared a warning on his Telegram channel stating that "there is a threat of the enemy using attack UAVs... residents of the city of Kharkiv and the region [should] stay in shelters."

This comes after President Zelenskyy claimed Russia fired 65 missiles and co-ordinated nearly 180 drone attacks in the past seven days alone.

65 missiles fired and 178 drone attacks in Ukraine in last week alone, Zelenskyy says

Russia fired 65 missiles and co-ordinated nearly 180 drone attacks in Ukraine in the past seven days, according to President Zelenskyy.

"In this week alone, Russian terrorists have already used 65 different missiles and 178 attack drones against us, including 87 Shaheds (Iranian-made drones)," he said.

"We managed to shoot down a significant number of them," he added.

These claims have not been verified.

The Ukrainian leader also said his forces had shown the capability to shoot down Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles this week, before renewing calls for Western leaders to send more air defence systems to aid their "defence of the sky".

Zelenskiy Receives Intelligence Report On Day Of Deadly Missile Strikes, Drone Attacks

www.rferl.org › ukraine-kharkiv-drone-a...

Drone attack warning in Kharkiv after three killed during strikes yesterday from www.rferl.org

Duration: 3:07
Posted: 2 hours ago

No concrete peace plan after talks in Saudi Arabia

Countries that attended peace talks in Jeddah for talks over the war in Ukraine are looking to "build common ground that will pave the way for peace", a Saudi Arabian statement reads.

Discussions concluded earlier today without any concrete action beyond a commitment to continue future consultations in favour of peace.

The talks, which included a delegation from China but no representation from Russia, have been taking place in the Saudi capital since yesterday.

The talks were called productive by Ukrainian officials earlier, with Moscow branding them "doomed".

Representatives from more than 40 countries including China, India, and the US attended talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Officials from Kyiv and Moscow trade barbs

Officials from Kyiv and Moscow have put out statements today regarding the Russian-annexed territories of Ukraine, proving the two countries are no closer to finding grounds for a peace agreement.

While the Saudi peace talks continue for a second day in Jeddah, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told The New York Times that Moscow was not seeking to claim any further Ukrainian regions - having annexed the territories of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.

Mr Peskov said Russia is not seeking to add any further territories, rather wanting "to control all the land we have now written into our constitution as ours".

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Zelenskyy responded, stating "there are no territories of Ukraine written into the constitution of Russia".

"There are only temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine where active hostilities are taking place. The territories will be liberated."

Watch: Fire rages after corn storage facility hit by missile attack

Following on from our last post, you can watch dramatic footage from Starokostiantyniv, where a building, which Ukraine says is a corn storage facility, caught fire after a missile attack.

Starokostiantyniv, roughly halfway between Lviv and Ukraine's capital Kyiv, is home to a military airfield which the region's governor believes was the intended target of the strike.

The attack came in a swathe of Russian missile strikes last night, with some reports suggesting that up to 70 separate attacks were carried out by Russia.

MesaZona > Table of Contents : Here's The Menu. Enjoy

Monday, August 07, 2023