Latest news with #Repubican
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New faces on boards throughout Sunbury and Northumberland County
SUNBURY — Several new faces will take their seats on boards throughout Northumberland County, including, Sunbury Council, the Shikellamy School District and the Court of Common Pleas, according to unofficial results. In the Shikellamy School District, voters rejected reelection bids by Tom Webb and Justin Lenner, both incumbents who got beat by political newcomers Dennis Deitrich and Chris Bucher. Bucher won both the Republican and Democratic nominations. Director Jenna Eister-Whitaker was the incumbent who survived the primary election by winning both the Repubican and Democratic nominations. Another polictial newcomer, Tara Sprenkel also won both nominations, while Deitrich won the Republican nomination. Sprenkel, who was the top vote-getter, said she was thankful to voters. 'There is a lot of work that needs to be done once the new board gets seated,' she said. 'I am happy to see the voters put their faith in me to possibly be on the board in December to make the changes that are needed and move the district forward for betterment of our students.' Sunbury resident Victoria Rosancrans won the Democratic nomination, thus leaving five people for four open seats. With the new names in the field it will guarantee that at least three new faces join the board that consists of current directors, Wendy Wiest, Lori Garman, Slade Shreck, Julie Brosius and Joe Stutzman. In Sunbury, City Treasurer Kevin Troup won a nomination for City Council, after he announced earlier this year he was retiring from his position. Current Councilman Nate Savidge won a Republican nomination and Andres Manresa won the Democratic nomination setting up a three-person race for two seats in the fall. Sumbury attorney Ed Greco won both Republican and Democratic nominations for a seat on the Northumberland County Court of Common Pleas bench, while Shamokin attorney Frank Garrigan, who serves as the Northumberland County solicitor, won the second open seat. Mount Carmel District Judge Bill Cole finished third and was ousted from the race. The fall will also see longtime Northumberland County Coroner Jim Kelley, a Democrat, square off against Republican challenger Scott Lynn Jr. Both were unopposed Tuesday night. Northumberland County Prothonotary Jamie Saleski and Recorder of Deeds Tina Mertz also retained their seats as they were unopposed Tuesday. Milton District Judge Michael Diehl also ran unopposed and will retain his seat as a district judge with no competition in the fall.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Horrific, heartbreaking': Indian-American politicians react to terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam
Vivek Ramaswami, RO Khanna and Ami Bera A terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley area of Pahalgam, in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, left 26 people dead, most of them tourists. The horrific assault has shocked the nation and garnered widespread condemnation from political figures around the world, including from Indian-American politicians. Indian-Americans are the largest and most politically active group among Asian Americans. As the community mourns the loss of innocent lives, these leaders have expressed their solidarity with the victims' families and reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism. Vivek Ramaswamy Vivek Ramaswamy, an American entrepreneur and Repubican politician, was quick to react to the tragedy. "This was a horrific attack. We extend our condolences to the families of those who died and our prayers for those who were injured to recover quickly," he said. Ro Khanna Ro Khanna, representing California's 17th congressional district, condemned the attack saying "I strongly condemn the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. The gunman killed at least two dozen tourists at this beautiful sightseeing town. I stand with the people of India at this moment, and offer condolences and prayers to the families of the victims." Ami Bera Ami Bera, a physician and US Congressman from California's 6th district, also expressed his shock over the loss of life. "I am greatly disturbed by the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed at least 20 civilians and injured dozens more. My thoughts are with the victims and all those impacted by this horrific event," Bera said. Raja Krishnamoorthi Raja Krishnamoorthi, US representative from Illinois's 8th district, condemned the attack as senseless violence. "I am heartbroken by the horrific attack on innocent tourists in Kashmir. My prayers are with the victims and their families as they mourn and grapple with this senseless violence. We must stand united against terrorism in all its forms and bring the perpetrators to justice," Krishnamoorthi remarked. Shri Thanedar Shri Thanedar, US Congressman from Michigan's 13th district, underscored the need for stronger cooperation between the US and India in addressing terrorism. "I condemn the horrific terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed at least 28 civilians, many of them tourists. With Vice President Vance in India, this attack underscores the urgent need for stronger US-India cooperation to confront terrorism and pursue justice," Thanedar said.
The Independent
07-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Kash Patel had a roster of foreign clients. Their interests could clash with FBI he hopes to lead
Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the FBI, holds more than $1 million of stock in a fashion company founded in China. He established a nonprofit that spent big on promotion but little on its mission. And he advised a roster of foreign clients, including a Czech arms maker that top Republicans have criticized for being too tight with U.S. adversaries. Patel entered Trump's orbit as a congressional staffer of modest means. But the years since have been unquestionably lucrative as Patel parlayed proximity to Trump and a zeal for self-promotion into consulting contracts, corporate board seats and a role as a sought-after MAGA commentator. It all helped swell his net worth to as much as $15 million, according to an Associated Press analysis of his government financial disclosure forms. As Patel awaits Senate confirmation to become the next FBI director, his private-sector work is drawing renewed scrutiny from ethics experts and Democrats who say the interests of his former clients could conflict with those of the law enforcement agency he's likely to soon lead. The scope of Patel's business dealings with foreign entities is hard to fully discern because he in some instances disclosed only minimal information about the nature of his work. But they're coming into focus at a time the Trump administration's Justice Department intends to scale back enforcement of laws governing foreign lobbying. And they're all the more notable because at least one client, the clothing company Shein, was established in China, a country U.S. authorities have described as a national security threat. In a statement, a spokeswoman for Patel, Erica Knight, offered no additional details about the specifics of the work he did. But she said he had 'countless meetings with senators' where his finances were discussed. 'Mr. Patel has gone above and beyond in this advice and consent process,' she said. Craig Holman, a lobbyist for the Washington-based government watchdog Public Citizen, said Patel's business dealings presented problems that need to be explored before he becomes FBI director. 'The conflicts of interest seem very obvious to me,' Holman said. From obscurity to prominence Patel, 44, was not in Trump's orbit when the Repubican was first elected to the White House. He had toiled as a public defender and Justice Department counterterrorism prosecutor before catching on with the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee during the FBI's investigation into potential ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Deeply skeptical of the origins of that investigation, Patel helped author a document that identified problems with the investigation and faulted the FBI over its surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser. The memo caught Trump's attention, paving the way for Patel's promotion to a series of increasingly high-profile roles in the administration. After Trump's defeat in 2020, Patel leveraged his connections to the former president to attain considerable wealth. He wrote a book and became a ubiquitous presence in conservative media as one of Trump's most outspoken loyalists, railing against so-called 'government gangsters' while voicing an eagerness to go after Trump's political enemies in a future administration. He also launched a nonprofit, the Kash Foundation, that aimed to foster 'a healthier relationship between the US federal government and American citizens.' The organization raised nearly $1.3 million in 2023 but spent only $212,821 providing 'financial and legal assistance for whistle-blowers, needy families and education' that forms the core of its stated mission, according to its most recent tax returns. The group also sold 'Fight With Kash' merchandise that included beanies, scarves, hoodies and playing cards. The group held nearly $850,000 in reserve in 2023 while spending $332,000 on 'advertising and promotion,' including $275,475 paid to One and Oh LLC, a company that was founded by the Kash Foundation's vice president and that Patel also consulted for. Patel's roster of clients Meanwhile, as Patel became an increasingly influential adviser to Trump, earning $544,000 from the presidential candidate's political operation, he was building a roster of foreign and domestic consulting clients, none of which was revealed until his most recent government financial disclosure was made public last week. The document shows Patel drew income from an unusual range of sources — the Embassy of Qatar, Shein and a California company that rents out metal storage tanks. Some of that work came at particularly sensitive times for clients. Patel's consulting for The Czechoslovak Group, a foreign arms conglomerate also known as CSG, coincided with the firm's push to purchase Vista Outdoor, the maker of such famous American ammo brands as Federal and Remington. Senate Republicans, including future Vice President JD Vance, blasted the purchase last year as a threat to national security and urged the Biden administration to review the pending sale. In a letter to the Treasury Department, Vance accused CSG of having 'ties to the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin.' The company has vehemently denied Vance's claims, calling them 'nonsense.' The sale went through in November. Patel's financial disclosure is not clear about when he was hired by CSG, how much he was paid or what work he did. But it indicates he consulted for a branch of the company called CSGM during the past two years and made more than $5,000 for his work, which was done through his consulting firm, Trishul LLC. Vance spokeswoman Taylor Van Kirk did not directly address Patel's work for the arms maker or whether the vice president still has concerns about the company's purchase of an American ammunition manufacturer. She said that Vance has faith in Patel and believes he is 'extremely qualified' to be FBI director. Another foreign company that hired Patel was Elite Depot Ltd., the Cayman Islands-based parent company of Shein. He began consulting in April for Elite Depot in an arrangement that ended last month. His disclosure states he was given between $1 million and $5 million worth of unvested stock in the company that will mature over the coming year. He said he wasn't divesting from Elite Depot — unlike many of his other stock holdings — because there was only a 'remote' chance his new job would involve the company. The forms don't reveal what Patel did for the company or what he may have earned beyond the transfer of stock. On the campaign trail, Trump railed against China and pledged to impose steep tariffs on the country's exports to the U.S. Though now headquartered in Singapore, Shein produces most of its goods in China, and Trump's proposed levies represented a threat to Shein's direct-to-consumer business model, which ships low-cost goods from Chinese factories to U.S. consumers. Most of those goods are imported duty free under a nearly century-old trade loophole. Trump slapped 10% tariffs on Chinese imports that also mandated an end to the loophole. Shein did not respond to a request for comment. It has also been dogged by criticisms over accusations that its supply chain may rely on forced labor. Last month, a lawyer for the company evaded questions from British lawmakers about whether its products include cotton from China's Xinjiang province, where Beijing is accused of holding members of mostly Muslim ethnic groups in detention camps. Patel will maintain his investment in Shein's parent company even as he leads an FBI that has aggressively sounded the alarm about the danger China poses to the U.S. The FBI says China has long engaged in a vast, multi-pronged espionage and influence operation that relies on traditional spies and hackers, as well as Chinese-based companies. ___ Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writer Haleluya Hadero contributed reporting from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kash Patel had a roster of foreign clients. Their interests could clash with FBI he hopes to lead
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the FBI, holds more than $1 million of stock in a fashion company founded in China. He established a nonprofit that spent big on promotion but little on its mission. And he advised a roster of foreign clients, including a Czech arms maker that top Republicans have criticized for being too tight with U.S. adversaries. Patel entered Trump's orbit as a congressional staffer of modest means. But the years since have been unquestionably lucrative as Patel parlayed proximity to Trump and a zeal for self-promotion into consulting contracts, corporate board seats and a role as a sought-after MAGA commentator. It all helped swell his net worth to as much as $15 million, according to an Associated Press analysis of his government financial disclosure forms. As Patel awaits Senate confirmation to become the next FBI director, his private-sector work is drawing renewed scrutiny from ethics experts and Democrats who say the interests of his former clients could conflict with those of the law enforcement agency he's likely to soon lead. The scope of Patel's business dealings with foreign entities is hard to fully discern because he in some instances disclosed only minimal information about the nature of his work. But they're coming into focus at a time the Trump administration's Justice Department intends to scale back enforcement of laws governing foreign lobbying. And they're all the more notable because at least one client, the clothing company Shein, was established in China, a country U.S. authorities have described as a national security threat. A spokeswoman for Patel did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Craig Holman, a lobbyist for the Washington-based government watchdog Public Citizen, said Patel's business dealings presented problems that need to be explored before he becomes FBI director. 'The conflicts of interest seem very obvious to me,' Holman said. From obscurity to prominence Patel, 44, was not in Trump's orbit when the Repubican was first elected to the White House. He had toiled as a public defender and Justice Department counterterrorism prosecutor before catching on with the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee during the FBI's investigation into potential ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Deeply skeptical of the origins of that investigation, Patel helped author a document that identified problems with the investigation and faulted the FBI over its surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser. The memo caught Trump's attention, paving the way for Patel's promotion to a series of increasingly high-profile roles in the administration. After Trump's defeat in 2020, Patel leveraged his connections to the former president to attain considerable wealth. He wrote a book and became a ubiquitous presence in conservative media as one of Trump's most outspoken loyalists, railing against so-called 'government gangsters' while voicing an eagerness to go after Trump's political enemies in a future administration. He also launched a nonprofit, the Kash Foundation, that aimed to foster 'a healthier relationship between the US federal government and American citizens.' The organization raised nearly $1.3 million in 2023 but spent only $212,821 providing 'financial and legal assistance for whistle-blowers, needy families and education' that forms the core of its stated mission, according to its most recent tax returns. The group also sold 'Fight With Kash' merchandise that included beanies, scarves, hoodies and playing cards. The group held nearly $850,000 in reserve in 2023 while spending $332,000 on 'advertising and promotion,' including $275,475 paid to One and Oh LLC, a company that was founded by the Kash Foundation's vice president and that Patel also consulted for. Patel's roster of clients Meanwhile, as Patel became an increasingly influential adviser to Trump, earning $544,000 from the presidential candidate's political operation, he was building a roster of foreign and domestic consulting clients, none of which was revealed until his most recent government financial disclosure was made public last week. The document shows Patel drew income from an unusual range of sources — the Embassy of Qatar, Shein and a California company that rents out metal storage tanks. Some of that work came at particularly sensitive times for clients. Patel's consulting for The Czechoslovak Group, a foreign arms conglomerate also known as CSG, coincided with the firm's push to purchase Vista Outdoor, the maker of such famous American ammo brands as Federal and Remington. Senate Republicans, including future Vice President JD Vance, blasted the purchase last year as a threat to national security and urged the Biden administration to review the pending sale. In a letter to the Treasury Department, Vance accused CSG of having 'ties to the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin.' The company has vehemently denied Vance's claims, calling them 'nonsense.' The sale went through in November. Patel's financial disclosure is not clear about when he was hired by CSG, how much he was paid or what work he did. But it indicates he consulted for a branch of the company called CSGM during the past two years and made more than $5,000 for his work, which was done through his consulting firm, Trishul LLC. Vance spokeswoman Taylor Van Kirk did not directly address Patel's work for the arms maker or whether the vice president still has concerns about the company's purchase of an American ammunition manufacturer. She said that Vance has faith in Patel and believes he is 'extremely qualified' to be FBI director. Another foreign company that hired Patel was Elite Depot Ltd., the Cayman Islands-based parent company of Shein. He began consulting in April for Elite Depot in an arrangement that ended last month. His disclosure states he was given between $1 million and $5 million worth of unvested stock in the company that will mature over the coming year. He said he wasn't divesting from Elite Depot — unlike many of his other stock holdings — because there was only a 'remote' chance his new job would involve the company. The forms don't reveal what Patel did for the company or what he may have earned beyond the transfer of stock. On the campaign trail, Trump railed against China and pledged to impose steep tariffs on the country's exports to the U.S. Though now headquartered in Singapore, Shein produces most of its goods in China, and Trump's proposed levies represented a threat to Shein's direct-to-consumer business model, which ships low-cost goods from Chinese factories to U.S. consumers. Most of those goods are imported duty free under a nearly century-old trade loophole. Trump slapped 10% tariffs on Chinese imports that also mandated an end to the loophole. Shein did not respond to a request for comment. It has also been dogged by criticisms over accusations that its supply chain may rely on forced labor. Last month, a lawyer for the company evaded questions from British lawmakers about whether its products include cotton from China's Xinjiang province, where Beijing is accused of holding members of mostly Muslim ethnic groups in detention camps. Patel will maintain his investment in Shein's parent company even as he leads an FBI that has aggressively sounded the alarm about the danger China poses to the U.S. The FBI says China has long engaged in a vast, multi-pronged espionage and influence operation that relies on traditional spies and hackers, as well as Chinese-based companies. ___ Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writer Haleluya Hadero contributed reporting from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Associated Press
07-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Kash Patel had a roster of foreign clients. Their interests could clash with FBI he hopes to lead
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the FBI, holds more than $1 million of stock in a fashion company founded in China. He established a nonprofit that spent big on promotion but little on its mission. And he advised a roster of foreign clients, including a Czech arms maker that top Republicans have criticized for being too tight with U.S. adversaries. Patel entered Trump's orbit as a congressional staffer of modest means. But the years since have been unquestionably lucrative as Patel parlayed proximity to Trump and a zeal for self-promotion into consulting contracts, corporate board seats and a role as a sought-after MAGA commentator. It all helped swell his net worth to as much as $15 million, according to an Associated Press analysis of his government financial disclosure forms. As Patel awaits Senate confirmation to become the next FBI director, his private-sector work is drawing renewed scrutiny from ethics experts and Democrats who say the interests of his former clients could conflict with those of the law enforcement agency he's likely to soon lead. The scope of Patel's business dealings with foreign entities is hard to fully discern because he in some instances disclosed only minimal information about the nature of his work. But they're coming into focus at a time the Trump administration's Justice Department intends to scale back enforcement of laws governing foreign lobbying. And they're all the more notable because at least one client, the clothing company Shein, was established in China, a country U.S. authorities have described as a national security threat. A spokeswoman for Patel did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Craig Holman, a lobbyist for the Washington-based government watchdog Public Citizen, said Patel's business dealings presented problems that need to be explored before he becomes FBI director. 'The conflicts of interest seem very obvious to me,' Holman said. From obscurity to prominence Patel, 44, was not in Trump's orbit when the Repubican was first elected to the White House. He had toiled as a public defender and Justice Department counterterrorism prosecutor before catching on with the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee during the FBI's investigation into potential ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Deeply skeptical of the origins of that investigation, Patel helped author a document that identified problems with the investigation and faulted the FBI over its surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser. The memo caught Trump's attention, paving the way for Patel's promotion to a series of increasingly high-profile roles in the administration. After Trump's defeat in 2020, Patel leveraged his connections to the former president to attain considerable wealth. He wrote a book and became a ubiquitous presence in conservative media as one of Trump's most outspoken loyalists, railing against so-called 'government gangsters' while voicing an eagerness to go after Trump's political enemies in a future administration. He also launched a nonprofit, the Kash Foundation, that aimed to foster 'a healthier relationship between the US federal government and American citizens.' The organization raised nearly $1.3 million in 2023 but spent only $212,821 providing 'financial and legal assistance for whistle-blowers, needy families and education' that forms the core of its stated mission, according to its most recent tax returns. The group also sold 'Fight With Kash' merchandise that included beanies, scarves, hoodies and playing cards. The group held nearly $850,000 in reserve in 2023 while spending $332,000 on 'advertising and promotion,' including $275,475 paid to One and Oh LLC, a company that was founded by the Kash Foundation's vice president and that Patel also consulted for. Patel's roster of clients Meanwhile, as Patel became an increasingly influential adviser to Trump, earning $544,000 from the presidential candidate's political operation, he was building a roster of foreign and domestic consulting clients, none of which was revealed until his most recent government financial disclosure was made public last week. The document shows Patel drew income from an unusual range of sources — the Embassy of Qatar, Shein and a California company that rents out metal storage tanks. Some of that work came at particularly sensitive times for clients. Patel's consulting for The Czechoslovak Group, a foreign arms conglomerate also known as CSG, coincided with the firm's push to purchase Vista Outdoor, the maker of such famous American ammo brands as Federal and Remington. Senate Republicans, including future Vice President JD Vance, blasted the purchase last year as a threat to national security and urged the Biden administration to review the pending sale. In a letter to the Treasury Department, Vance accused CSG of having 'ties to the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin.' The company has vehemently denied Vance's claims, calling them 'nonsense.' The sale went through in November. Patel's financial disclosure is not clear about when he was hired by CSG, how much he was paid or what work he did. But it indicates he consulted for a branch of the company called CSGM during the past two years and made more than $5,000 for his work, which was done through his consulting firm, Trishul LLC. Vance spokeswoman Taylor Van Kirk did not directly address Patel's work for the arms maker or whether the vice president still has concerns about the company's purchase of an American ammunition manufacturer. She said that Vance has faith in Patel and believes he is 'extremely qualified' to be FBI director. Another foreign company that hired Patel was Elite Depot Ltd., the Cayman Islands-based parent company of Shein. He began consulting in April for Elite Depot in an arrangement that ended last month. His disclosure states he was given between $1 million and $5 million worth of unvested stock in the company that will mature over the coming year. He said he wasn't divesting from Elite Depot — unlike many of his other stock holdings — because there was only a 'remote' chance his new job would involve the company. The forms don't reveal what Patel did for the company or what he may have earned beyond the transfer of stock. On the campaign trail, Trump railed against China and pledged to impose steep tariffs on the country's exports to the U.S. Though now headquartered in Singapore, Shein produces most of its goods in China, and Trump's proposed levies represented a threat to Shein's direct-to-consumer business model, which ships low-cost goods from Chinese factories to U.S. consumers. Most of those goods are imported duty free under a nearly century-old trade loophole. Trump slapped 10% tariffs on Chinese imports that also mandated an end to the loophole. Shein did not respond to a request for comment. It has also been dogged by criticisms over accusations that its supply chain may rely on forced labor. Last month, a lawyer for the company evaded questions from British lawmakers about whether its products include cotton from China's Xinjiang province, where Beijing is accused of holding members of mostly Muslim ethnic groups in detention camps. Patel will maintain his investment in Shein's parent company even as he leads an FBI that has aggressively sounded the alarm about the danger China poses to the U.S. The FBI says China has long engaged in a vast, multi-pronged espionage and influence operation that relies on traditional spies and hackers, as well as Chinese-based companies. ___
