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JANUARY 14,  2022

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT: 

YEAH, RIGHT – FROM FOX:  After a year of struggles and missteps, Vice President Kamala Harris’s team is planning a reset to get the seeming once heir apparent to President Biden back on track in 2022, according to a report.  Harris was a popular choice for vice president among Democrats before the 2020 election and inspired many as the first woman and Black or Asian person to hold the office, but after a few months in the White House she didn’t seem to be living up to the job’s expectations.  After several high-profile staff departures, Harris has hired a veteran political operator, Jamal Simmons, as her communications director and she is showing a more united front at events with Biden after months of them often being separated, according to the Washington Post. Her aides also hope that returning her to the campaign trail, stumping for Democrats ahead of the 2022 midterms, will remind voters of why she became popular in the first place, the newspaper said, citing several sources speaking anonymously.  Are we serious here?  When was she ever popular?  After months of campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, she dropped out before one ballot was cast because her poll numbers were so poor.  She is sinking because she doesn't do the job, often seems flustered and uninformed, and acts as if she's owed something.  Kind of Hillary 2.0.

January 14, 2022       Permalink

AND IN THE REAL WORLD – OVERNIGHT.  While we watch the train wreck in Washington, other nations are moving forward with grand plans.  And they can soon envelop us.  From Reuters: 

The United States is concerned that Russia is preparing for an invasion of Ukraine soon by fabricating a pretext for war if diplomacy fails to meet its objectives, the White House said on Friday.

Talks between the United States, its European allies and Russia ended in a stalemate this week with no current plans to meet again about Russia's deployment of tens of thousands of troops along Ukraine's border. A cyber attack against Ukraine has further inflamed tensions.

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said it was not yet clear who was responsible for the cyber attack but that President Joe Biden had been briefed on it.

"We are in touch with the Ukrainians and have offered our support as Ukraine investigates the impact and nature and recovers from the incidents. We don’t have an attribution at this time," the spokesperson said.

Biden has warned of severe economic consequences for Russia if Russian President Vladimir Putin launches an invasion of Ukraine. Russia denies plans to attack Ukraine and has demanded NATO stop its eastward expansion and agree to legally binding security guarantees, demands that the United States and NATO have rejected.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the United States is concerned the Russian government "is preparing for an invasion into Ukraine that may result in widespread human rights violations and war crimes should diplomacy fail to meet their objectives."

"As part of its plans, Russia is laying the groundwork to have the option of fabricating a pretext for invasion, including through sabotage activities and information operations, by accusing Ukraine of preparing an imminent attack against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine," Psaki said.

The Russian military "plans to begin these activities several weeks before a military invasion, which could begin between mid-January and mid-February," she said.

Psaki said it is up to Putin to determine the path forward, and that a tough US response awaits should he launch an invasion.

"If they decide they want to engage in diplomatic conversations and talks, we are very open to that and we're hopeful they will do that. But ultimately, it's a choice they need to make," she said.

A US official said the United States has information that indicates Russia has already positioned a group of operatives to conduct "a false-flag operation" in eastern Ukraine.

"The operatives are trained in urban warfare and in using explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia’s own proxy-forces," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official also said that indications are that "Russian influence actors are already starting to fabricate Ukrainian provocations in state and social media to justify a Russian intervention and sow divisions in Ukraine."

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said if history was a guide, it would be difficult to see these kind of activities without the knowledge of senior Russian leaders.

Asked whether the US military would continue to support Ukrainian forces with security assistance in the event of a Russian invasion, Kirby said: "We have and we will continue to provide security assistance to Ukraine to help them better defend themselves."

COMMENT:  Bottom line – Putin is looking at a hopelessly weak American administration, and weakness always makes war more likely. 

We're watching this closely, as we are any moves by China toward Taiwan.  We're not in a good place.  The governing party in Washington today has shown little interest in defending American interests.

January 14, 2022       Permalink

JANUARY 13,  2022

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT: 

AND NOW FOR THE BIG STORY – OVERNIGHT:   As readers know and appreciate, we attempt to find here at Urgent Agenda the most important, the most telling, and the most historic stories of the day.  And this day, there is something truly special.  From the New York Post:  The Food and Drug Administration said it will stop regulating French dressing after keeping a tight rein on its key ingredients since 1950.  The US agency announced on Wednesday that it would lift guidelines that required manufacturers to sell a product with 35% vegetable oil if it wanted to market it as “French dressing.”
French dressing also had been required to contain vinegar or lemon or lime juice. Other ingredients like salt, tomato paste, and spices were permitted, but not required.  The FDA said that the stringent threshold “no longer promotes honesty and fair dealing” for the benefit of consumers.  By removing the standard, the FDA hopes to “provide greater flexibility in the product’s manufacture, consistent with comparable, nonstandardized foods available in the marketplace.”  The move was made in response to a 1998 petition that was filed by the Association of Dressings and Sauces. It is unclear why the FDA waited until recently to address the group’s petition.  The FDA has regulated French dressing and an assortment of other foods for decades.  The trade group argued that the FDA’s strict guidelines stifled innovation and left consumers with limited options in the market.  Customers who were looking for low-fat or fat-free versions of the condiment were out of luck since those products could not legally be marketed as “French dressing,” according to the ADS.  We pay tribute to the Association of Dressings and Sauces for its contribution to this joyous day.  Its heroism and persistence will long be remembered.

January 13, 2022       Permalink

YESTERDAY'S NEWS COMES BACK – OVERNIGHT:  Remember the indictment of six Baltimore police officers in the death of a black prisoner, Freddie Gray?  Remember how each was exonerated by an African-American judge?  Remember the woman who threw the six officers to the mob, despite a lack of evidence?  Well, this gem is now back in the news.  I wonder how she'll get out of this one.  From WBAL: 

Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of perjury related to a COVID-19 financial hardship withdrawal and a false statement on a loan application.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment Thursday charging Mosby on federal charges of perjury and making false mortgage applications, relating to the purchases of two vacation homes in Florida.

According to the four-count indictment, on May 26, 2020, and Dec. 29, 2020, Mosby submitted "457(b) Coronavirus-Related Distribution Requests" for one-time withdrawals of $40,000 and $50,000, respectively, from the city of Baltimore's Deferred Compensation Plans.

Prosecutors said, in each request, the indictment alleges that Mosby falsely certified that she met at least one of the qualifications for a distribution as defined under the CARES Act, specifically, that she experienced adverse financial consequences stemming from the coronavirus as a result of "being quarantined, furloughed or laid off" or "having reduced work hours" or "being unable to work due to lack of child care or "the closing or reduction of hours of a business I own or operate."

In signing the forms, Mosby "affirm(ed) under penalties for perjury the statements and acknowledgments made in this request." The indictment alleges Mosby did not experience any such financial hardships and, in fact, her gross salary in 2020 was $247,955.58 and it was never reduced: "Rather than experiencing a reduction in income in 2020, Mosby's gross salary in 2020 increased over her gross salary in 2019, which was $238,772.04."

The indictment further alleges that on July 28, 2020, and Sept. 2, 2020, as well as on Jan. 14, 2021, and Feb. 19, 2021, Mosby made false statements in applications for a $490,500 mortgage to purchase a home in Kissimmee, Florida, and for a $428,400 mortgage to purchase a condominium in Long Boat Key, Florida.

The indictment alleges that by falsely executing a "second home rider," Mosby could obtain a lower interest rate on the mortgage for the Kissimmee property than she would have received without it.
WBAL-TV 11 News reached out to Marilyn Mosby's office and is awaiting a response.

COMMENT:   Obviously, we make no judgment as to innocence or guilt.  It's sad.  Mosby is not without her talent, but in the Gray case she made it clear she was answering the demands of the mob when she went after those six officers.  It was one of those moments that contributed to the law-and-order crisis in Baltimore, a city having trouble finding qualified officers to patrol its streets.  At one time Mosby was seen as a rising star.  She is no longer.  Prosecutors are supposed to serve justice, not the mob, or cheering television commentators.  I guess she just forgot.

January 13,  2022     Permalink