The LuLac Edition #4, 999, September 28th, 2023

 

TRUMP GOES AFTER SHAPIRO FOR AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION 

Former President Donald Trump ranted Monday on Truth Social, his social media platform, that Pennsylvania’s recent adoption of automatic voter registration, or AVR, was “unconstitutional” and “a disaster for the Election of Republicans, including your favorite President, ME!” In the same post, Trump complained that the Republican National Committee should focus on suing the state over the policy instead of hosting “meaningless” presidential debates that he refuses to attend. That diatribe came a couple days after an all-caps-lock post about how “Obama and his radical left thugs” were behind the policy and how it was a “scam” designed to “steal Pennsylvania again.”

 As usual, Trump’s messaging is brimming with lies.

 As usual, Trump’s messaging is brimming with lies: The many desperate lawsuits after the 2020 elections produced no evidence of impropriety in vote-counting in Pennsylvania. Former President Barack Obama has nothing to do with Pennsylvania’s new policy. AVR, which exists in some form in 23 states and Washington, D.C., isn’t unconstitutional. And voter registration is not only not a scam but probably one of the most scam-proof ways imaginable to establish registration.

 

 

TRUMP BUSINESS IN NEW YORK: KAPUT!!!!!

TRUMP AND COMPANY LIABLE FOR FRAUD IN NEW YORK LAWSUIT, JUDGE RULES

A judge ruled that former President Donald Trump and his company are liable for fraud in a lawsuit by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Judge Arthur Engoron as part of that decision canceled the New York business certificates of Trump and the other defendants in the suit in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Engoron in his ruling found that Trump had made false and misleading valuations for multiple real estate assets in statements to insurers and banks over the course of years.

Because of those misstatements, Trump had inflated his true net worth by billions of dollars, the judge found.

A judge on Tuesday ruled that Donald Trump and his company are liable for fraud by misstating the true values of multiple real estate properties for years and thus grossly overstating the former president’s net worth by billions of dollars.

Judge Arthur Engoron in his bombshell decision also canceled the New York business certificates of Trump, the Trump Organization, and the other defendants, including two of his sons, in a lawsuit by the state Attorney General’s Office.

The judge said he would appoint an independent receiver to manage the dissolution of the corporate entities whose business certificates he canceled.

It is not clear whether Engoron’s decision means the Trump Organization and related entities will have to completely cease doing business in New York, or whether the companies can be legally reconstituted later.

A spokeswoman for Attorney General Letitia James declined to comment on that question.

But Trump’s lawyer Chris Kise, who called the decision “outrageous,” said it “seeks to nationalize one of the most successful corporate empires in the United States and seize control of private property all while acknowledging there is zero evidence of any default, breach, late payment or any complaint of harm.”

“While the full impact of the decision remains unclear, what is clear is that President Trump and his family will seek all available appellate remedies to rectify this miscarriage of justice,” Kise said.

For those who voted for Trump because he was a successful businessman, well NO.

For those who voted for Trump because he was more honest and trustworthy than Hillary Clinton, well NO.

For those who voted for Trump because he could translate his business acumen into more manufacturing jobs, well NO.

For those who voted for Trump because he was richer than they were and needed to be admired, well NO.

Right from the get-go I said Trump was cash poor. With the businesses now halted, he’ll be dirt poor.

Trump asked for a bench trial. Got it. Now he’s lying, crying, and screaming that he never had a jury trial. Same old shit. This more than the criminal trials to me is much more satisfying as a comeuppance to an evil man.

 

REP. CARTWRIGHT ANNOUNCES $750,000 FOR WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER IN SCRANTON

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced that $750,000 in federal funds have been awarded to the Women’s Resource Center in Scranton from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office on Violence Against Women.

The Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.

“I am proud to support the Women’s Resource Center and the work they do connecting the adults and children of domestic violence to the support and legal assistance they need and by helping them heal and move forward with their lives,” said Rep. Cartwright, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee, where he oversees more than $70 billion in annual federal spending, including the budget for the Department of Justice. “I am pleased such an important federal investment is being made and the Center will have access to the support they need to help keep adults, children and families safe.”

“Our Barbara J. Hart Justice Center utilizes the combined skills of dedicated attorneys and advocates to provide legal assistance to program participants. Having an attorney is often crucial in the process of leaving an abusive situation and gaining safety after a sexual assault. Six out of ten WRC program participants require legal assistance. Currently, the Justice Center serves over 100 clients per year and there is a six-month waiting list. This funding is critical for the protection of our survivors and their families,” said Margaret A. Ruddy, Executive Director for the Women’s Resource Center serving Lackawanna and Susquehanna Counties.

 

CASEY ON MENENDEZ

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on the indictment of Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ):

“Public service is a sacred trust. The specific allegations set forth in the federal indictment indicate to me that Senator Menendez violated that trust repeatedly. While he is entitled to the presumption of innocence, serving in public office is a privilege that demands a higher standard of conduct. Senator Menendez should resign.”

 

CASEY, BROWN, BALDWIN INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO REDUCE CHILD POVERTY

CHILD POVERTY RATE MORE THAN DOUBLED BETWEEN 2021 AND 2022 AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF FEDERAL INVESTMENT LIKE THE EXPANDED CHILD TAX CREDIT

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Senators Bob Casey Chair of the Senate HELP Subcommittee on Children and Families, Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the Child Poverty Reduction Act to commit the Nation to cutting child poverty by half in five years and to implement an accountability framework to ensure we achieve this goal. U.S. Representative Danny Davis (D-IL-7) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“As Americans, we have an obligation to help families access economic security and help children thrive,” said Senator Casey. “With more than 15 percent of children in Pennsylvania living in poverty, the Child Poverty Reduction Act is a critical tool to help improve economic stability and security for children and their families. Every child in Pennsylvania and across the country should have the freedom and support they need to reach their full potential.”

“Ohio parents’ hard work so often doesn’t pay off like it should, leaving too many children with the odds stacked against them,” said Senator Brown. “We know that when we reward work and support parents with policies like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, we can allow millions of families to lift themselves out of poverty and join the middle class. This will help us demonstrate how well these pro-worker, pro-family policies work.”

“No child growing up in America should be going to sleep hungry and living in poverty. But, for too many Americans, that is not the case. Child poverty does not just impact our kids in their early years, it sets them up for worse health outcomes and greater risk of homelessness, food insecurity, and unemployment,” said Senator Baldwin. “This legislation will help ensure every child gets the strong start they deserve, with an equal opportunity to succeed and lead a healthy life.”

“Children are our country’s most valuable resource, yet we allowed child poverty to more than double in the U.S. in 2022.  This is unacceptable when we know progress is possible. The Child Poverty Reduction Act would set an official goal of cutting child poverty in the U.S. in half within 5 years, creating a mechanism to hold decisionmakers accountable to instituting lasting change,” said Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children. “First Focus Campaign for Children thanks Rep. Danny Davis and Senator Bob Casey for their continuous leadership, and urges Congressional leaders to pass the Child Poverty Reduction Act without delay.”

“Poverty is a defining feature of a baby’s experience, especially for children of color,” said Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE. “Two million infants and toddlers in America—nearly one in five—currently live in poverty, experiencing material hardship and stress during the time of most rapid brain development. Poverty literally gets under the skin of our babies, with implications for future health and success in school and in life. We applaud Members of Congress for making this bold commitment to cutting poverty in half—a goal that is well within our grasp. We look forward to working with them to ensure all children have the resources to thrive.”

Due to strong federal investment—especially the expanded Child Tax Credit—child poverty precipitously dropped by almost half between 2020 and 2021, reducing from 9.7 percent to 5.2 percent—the lowest rate on record. Alarmingly, Census data from September 2023 revealed that the child poverty rate more than doubled between 2021 and 2022 to 12.4 percent following the expiration of these targeted investments in workers and families.

 The Child Poverty Reduction Act commits the federal government to cutting child poverty in half within five years. The United Kingdom and Canada both successfully used poverty reduction targets to implement critical policies that halved child poverty. In addition, the bill charges the executive branch with monitoring our progress in meeting the target and directs the non-partisan National Academy of Sciences with analyzing how federal policies contributed to poverty reduction each year. Examining our success in real-time will inform our policies. If our policies fail to diminish child poverty, we need to do more. If our policies succeed in reducing poverty, then we stay the course.

Joining Rep. Davis to lead the House version of the bill are U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), and Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11).

 

PENNSYLVANIA EDITORIAL BOARDS CONTINUE TO PRAISE THE SHAPIRO ADMINISTRATION’S IMPLEMENTATION OF “PRAGMATIC” AND “INHERENTLY SECURE” AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION AT PENNDOT CENTERS

“THIS AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION ELIMINATES SOME OF THE MORE TIME-CONSUMING PROCESSES THAT CAN OVERWHELM COUNTY ELECTION OFFICES LATE IN THE PROCESS.”

“THE MEASURE IS ALSO INHERENTLY SECURE. EVERYONE GETTING AN ID AT A GOVERNMENT PENNDOT FACILITY ALREADY PROVIDES PROOF OF RESIDENCY, AGE AND CITIZENSHIP.”

Governor Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives)

After Governor Josh Shapiro announced last week that Pennsylvania will implement automatic voter registration (AVR) at Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) driver and photo license centers, editorial boards across the Commonwealth continue to praise the Shapiro Administration’s action to increase voter participation in Pennsylvania elections in a secure move that “increases democracy.”

Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt joined several local and national TV outlets to share more about the commonsense step that streamlines the voter registration process, saying: “As we’ve seen in nearly two dozen other states, this has been an effective way to encourage eligible voters who are not registered to vote. No applicant will see the voter registration screen if they are not old enough to register to vote, or if they are not a citizen of the United States. It’s rare to make a change this significant that improves voter access and election integrity at the same time,” added Schmidt.”

After implementing the change on National Voter Registration Day last week, The Scranton Times-Tribune, The Times Observer, The Observer-Reporter, and The Times Leader applauded the move, and several other editorial boards followed up with more praise over the weekend.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [EDITORIAL]: Shapiro’s pragmatic voter registration measure deserves unanimous support.

Gov. Josh Shapiro recently implemented a new measure to ensure more Pennsylvanians have access to elections: Residents getting driver’s licenses and ID cards will now automatically be opted into registering to vote through Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) computers. State residents already had the option, but an automatic prompt remains a simple and effective way to nudge voters in the direction of civic duty.

The measure is also inherently secure. Everyone getting an ID at a government PennDOT facility already provides proof of residency, age and citizenship.

American voters’ low turnout numbers are already a blemish on our democracy. Voter participation in special elections and primaries sometimes dips into the single-digits. Using every tool available to make voting accessible, easy and simple strengthens the social and political fabric of the country.

The inherently bipartisan measure also brings Pennsylvania into a cohort of 23 other states with an opt-out rather than opt-in DMV voter registration. And there’s more good news: Tuesday’s changes add five more languages into the voter registration instructional database, bringing the total to 31.

The Sunbury Daily Item [EDITORIAL]: Adding voters to rolls increases democracy

Shapiro’s push to ease registration for eligible voters is also a wise move. Many eligible voters do not participate for numerous reasons, including that they are not registered. For 30 years, Pennsylvanians have been permitted to register at PennDOT centers. Those visiting PennDOT centers can opt-out.

The state is quick to remind people that there are significant eligibility requirements to register to vote, including: Being a U.S. citizen for at least 30 days before the next election; be a resident of Pennsylvania and their election district for at least 30 days before the next election; be at least 18 years old on the date of the next election.

This automatic registration eliminates some of the more time-consuming processes that can overwhelm county election offices late in the process.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review [EDITORIAL]: Easier voter registration is better for everyone.

The more people vote, the more votes count.

It shouldn’t matter what party someone joins. It shouldn’t matter whether someone picks no party at all. Ideally, everyone would cast a ballot. Everyone would have their say.

That should be a point on which everyone agrees. But there are no points on which everyone agrees anymore.

[…] For anyone who has had to wait in line in a government office, it was a win to have the ability to kill two proverbial birds with one red-tape stone.

Shapiro’s action changes the question subtly. It goes from asking if you want to register to assuming you do — but still offering the ability to opt out if it isn’t something someone wants to do.

 

MEDIA MATTERS 

 

JIM O’BRIEN GONE 40 YEARS

It was 4 decades ago that former WFIL personality and WPVI weatherman Jim O’Brien died in  parachuting accident. He was saving the life of a fellow sky diver. Here’s a link to his story.

http://www.famous56.com/jim/

 

WALN TV 

 

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM  

 

This week’s guest on Bold Gold Community Forum with Jim Riley is: ME. As First Vice President of the Wilkes-Barre NAACP I will be sharing information on the Freedom Fund banquet being held on October 7^th at 6pm at Genetti’s in Wilkes-Barre as well as the mission of the local branch. Community Forum can be heard Sunday at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400 am The Mothership and 7:30 am on 105 The River.

 

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SUNDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP  

 

1954

Our 1954 logo

Japanese ferry Tōya Maru sinks during a typhoon in the Tsugaru Strait. More than 1,100 people are killed, 7 other ships are wrecked, and at least nine others seriously damaged………The Tonight Show first airs on live television on NBC in the United States being the first late night talk show.  The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954.

 The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 2010–2014), Conan O'Brien (2009–2010), and Jimmy Fallon (2014–present). Besides the main hosts, a number of regular "guest hosts" have been used, notably Ernie Kovacs, who hosted two nights per week during 1956–1957, and a number of guests used by Carson, who curtailed his own hosting duties back to three nights per week by the 1980s. Among Carson's regular guest hosts were Joey Bishop, McLean Stevenson, David Letterman, David Brenner, Joan Rivers and Jay Leno, although the practice has been mostly abandoned since hosts currently prefer reruns to showcasing potential rivals. Fallon has used guest hosts rarely, co-hosting the May 24, 2021 broadcast with Dave Grohl, Jimmy Kimmel hosting the April 1, 2022 broadcast (with Fallon swapping duties to guest host Jimmy Kimmel Live!), Shawn Mendes co-hosting the April 29, 2022 broadcast, Megan Thee Stallion co-hosting the August 11, 2022 broadcast, Demi Lovato co-hosting the August 17, 2022 broadcast and Jack Harlow co-hosting the October 6, 2022 broadcast.

The Tonight Show is the world's longest-running talk show and the longest-running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States. It is the third-longest-running show on NBC, after the news-and-talk shows Today and Meet the Press. The current incarnation is taped from Studio 6B at NBC Studios in Rockefeller Center in New York, the same studio used during the later Jack Paar era and the first 10 years of Carson. During its initial run under Steve Allen, it originated from the Hudson Theatre on Broadway. From 1973 to 2009, and from 2010 to 2014 the show was taped at one of three different studios at NBC's Burbank, California Studios. During Conan O'Brien's brief tenure, the show was taped at an opulently reworked studio on Stage 1 of Universal Studios Hollywood. Over the course of more than 60 years, The Tonight Show has undergone only minor title changes. It aired under the name Tonight for several of its early years, as well as Tonight Starring Jack Paar and The Jack Paar Show due to the runaway popularity of its host, eventually settling permanently on The Tonight Show after Carson began his tenure in 1962, albeit with the host's name always included in the title. Beginning with Carson's debut episode, network programmers, advertisers, and the show's announcers would refer to the show by including the name of the host: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, and, currently, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In 1957, the show briefly tried a more news-style format. It has otherwise adhered to the talk show format introduced by Allen and honed further by Paar.

Carson is the longest-serving host to date, although he is not the host with the most episodes. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson aired for 30 seasons between October 1962 and May 1992. Leno has the record of having hosted the greatest number of total televised episodes. Leno's record is due to the fact that, unlike Carson (who only produced new shows three days a week starting in the 1980s), Leno never used guest hosts on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (except Katie Couric, once) and produced new shows five days a week; Leno himself was also Carson's primary guest host for the last five years of Carson's tenure, adding even more episodes to his credit. Leaving out Leno's five years as permanent guest host, Leno hosted 119 more episodes as full-time host than Carson. During Carson's first four years, the show ran for 105 minutes and then was reduced to ninety minutes in early 1967 when Carson stopped appearing for the first 15 minutes because most affiliates were carrying their local news during that time slot as they expanded to half an hour. During Carson's 1980 contract negotiations, the show was shortened to sixty minutes beginning that September, where it has remained since. NBC also broadcast The Best of Carson which were repeats of some of Carson's popular older albeit usually recent shows. Prior to the debut of Saturday Night Live in October 1975, NBC aired The Best of Carson on Saturday nights at 11:30 pm.

Apart from the show's brief run as a news show in 1957, its shortest-serving host was Conan O'Brien. O'Brien hosted 146 episodes over the course of fewer than eight months before Leno was brought back as host, where he served for almost four additional years. Current host Fallon debuted on February 17, 2014. Fallon had previously hosted Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and before Late Night he was a popular member of the cast of Saturday Night Live, co-hosting the "Weekend Update" segment with Tina Fey as well as performing sketches……..The USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the first nuclear-powered submarine in the world, is commissioned into the U.S. Navy and 69 years ago the number 1 song in LuLac land and America was Frankie Laine’s “Rain, Rain, Rain”.