Latest news with #HouseJudiciaryCommittee
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
The R.I. Legislature has the power to help protect our immigrant community
This legislative session, alongside many advocates and policymakers, the Advertisement This small adjustment has a profound impact, it protects immigrant Rhode Islanders from unjust immigration detention, denial of relief, and deportation for minor offenses. Under federal immigration law, a one-year maximum sentence — even for minor offenses — can trigger devastating consequences for immigrants, including Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up Take, for instance, a longtime legal permanent resident with a single misdemeanor shoplifting conviction. Even if the individual receives no jail time, just a small fine, they can still face the devastating consequence of deportation and permanent separation from their family. This is because under our current laws, the offense carries a potential sentence of one year, triggering harsh Advertisement Rhode Island wouldn't be the first to take this step — states like New York, Washington, Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, and New Mexico have recognized the need to protect their residents; Rhode Island must do the same. For the fifth consecutive year, the Senate has prioritized protecting our immigrant neighbors and friends. Yet, it remains stalled in the House Judiciary Committee, waiting to be voted on the House floor. This modest one-day change would not shield individuals convicted of serious crimes, such as, violent offenses, domestic violence, or firearm-related charges which are already treated separately under federal immigration law. These offenses would remain deportable regardless of the sentence length. Just as crucially, this change would not alter the authority of judges or prosecutors. Judges would still retain full discretion to impose appropriate sentences and prosecutors would continue to make charging decisions based on the facts and circumstances of each case. As the 2025 legislative session draws to an end, the RIBLIA Caucus strongly urges the passage of House Bill 5502. Without action, immigrant Rhode Islanders, both documented and undocumented, will remain vulnerable to life-altering consequences for low-level, nonviolent offenses. Together, we have the power to uphold fairness, prevent unnecessary family separations, and protect the rights and dignity of all Rhode Islanders. The time for a floor vote is now. The time to act is now. State Representative David Morales represents District 7 in Providence's Mount Pleasant, Valley, and Elmhurst neighborhoods. State Representative Leonela Felix represents District 61 in Pawtucket. Advertisement
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
On Juneteenth, don't forget Barbara Jordan
If she were alive, Texan Barbara Jordan would heartily endorse the celebration of Juneteenth, the federal holiday signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. The congresswoman has faded into history, but the impact she had on the nation shouldn't be forgotten. Democrat Jordan, some may recall, landed a primetime television spot to deliver an opening statement on July 25, 1974 during the impeachment hearings of President Richard Nixon because of the Watergate scandal. Also on that House Judiciary Committee debating impeachment counts was Lake County Congressman Robert McClory, a Lake Bluff Republican who has a county bike and walking path dedicated in his name. Jordan, a freshman congresswoman from Houston, grew up in the segregated Jim Crow era. She had earlier made history as the first African-American woman from a former Confederate state to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives since 1901. She served from 1973 to 1979, eventually stepping down due to health reasons. Jordan died at the young age of 59 in 1996 and she surely would be all in on Juneteenth. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 by President Bill Clinton. A few Lake County communities are marking the Juneteenth occasion of June 19, 1865 when the last enslaved people in the U.S., those residing in east Texas, were finally told by Union officers they were free men and women, two years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. For generations, Black Americans celebrated the day amongst themselves, but it is now part of the nation's fabric. At a time of increasing division and the rolling back of federal diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives by the administration of President Donald Trump, this Juneteenth is a chance to celebrate. Yet, across the U.S., many Juneteenth celebrations have been scaled back due to funding shortfalls as corporations and municipalities across the country reconsider DEI support, according to a report by The Associated Press. Two events will be held in Lake County, following the College of Lake County's indoor Juneteenth Picnic on June 18 at the Lakeshore Campus in downtown Waukegan. In Grayslake, 'A Celebration of Freedom Walk' will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. June 19, beginning at the library, traveling through Central Park and ending at the village's Heritage Center and Museum. Lots of activities coincide with the event and the keynote speaker at 6:15 p.m. will be Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham. Also on hand will be the Chicago-based Mobile Museum of Tolerance bus, a self-contained classroom on wheels offering interactive exhibits featuring the struggle for equality during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. On Saturday, June 21, a Juneteenth Parade and Festival will be held in Waukegan, with the parade stepping off at 1 p.m. The route is along Washington Street, from Jackson Street east to Sheridan Road. Following the parade the festival featuring vendors, food trucks and live music will be held in Waukegan's Downtown on Genesee Street between Madison and Washington streets. Coordinating the event is the African American Museum at England Manor, 503 Genesee St. It is part of Black history that Congresswoman Jordan's actions during the Watergate probe catapulted her into the national spotlight. Her stentorian oratory skills and command of constitutional law — she received her law degree from Boston University — tabbed her as a rising star in the Democratic Party. She was mentioned as a possible vice presidential running mate in 1976 with the party's presidential candidate, Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, who went on to defeat President Gerald Ford. Jordan became the first African American and the first woman to deliver a keynote address at a Democratic National Convention, at the party's New York City gathering in 1976. But it was during the first session of the House Judiciary Committee hearing was aired nationally by all three over-the-air networks in the evening of July 25, that Jordan certainly rose in stature. With Americans captivated by Watergate, it had one of the largest viewing audiences at the time. It was the eloquence of her defense of the Constitution and the rule of law, something which has been lost these last few months, that stays with many of us. Such as when she said: 'I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation and court decision I have finally been included in 'We, the people'.' How true is that? Or when, as part of her 13-minute speech castigating Nixon's beliefs as president that he was above the rule of law, she pointed out: 'My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution.' Ah, but if some in Washington, D.C., would but read her succinct and stirring words on this Juneteenth. They may have a different perspective than what their recent actions have proclaimed.
Int'l Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Americans Lose Out on Over a Billion Dollars Thanks to Trump's Pardons: House Democrats Report
A report by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee found that President Donald Trump's executive pardons have come with a price tag estimated to be over $1.3 billion. In just the first five months of his second term, Trump has issued nearly 1,600 pardons, including a blanket pardon for most January 6 defendants and clemency for a number of wealthy or politically connected individuals. The report, reviewed by Axios, accuses Trump of abusing the clemency power to reward allies and loyalists at the expense of victims and taxpayers who will no longer benefit from fines, forfeitures and restitution. The biggest financial hit came from Trump's pardon of Trevor Milton, the founder of now-defunct electric truck company Nikola, erasing nearly $680 million in court-ordered restitution. Other notable clemency recipients include Ross Ulbricht, the convicted founder of the Silk Road marketplace, who was spared $184 million in forfeitures, and Jason Galanis, a fraudster whose $84 million restitution order was also wiped out. The costliest category in the report was restitution, which totaled more than $1 billion. In addition, Trump's pardons erased $183 million in forfeitures and $132 million in fines. Democrats warned that Trump's actions are undermining the Crime Victims Fund, a federal resource for supporting crime victims, which is funded in part by restitution payments. "Whoever said crime doesn't pay clearly never lived under a Trump presidency," the report states. Trump has even floated the idea of compensating January 6 defendants, some of whom have pending lawsuits against the Department of Justice seeking damages. The White House dismissed the findings. Spokesperson Harrison Fields mocked the report, calling it the product of "summer interns" and accusing Democrats of hypocrisy over President Biden's pardon of his son, Hunter. "President Trump is righting the wrongs of political prosecutions," Fields said. Originally published on Latin Times
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump pardons allowed recipients to skirt more than $1.3B in restitution
President Trump's pardons and clemencies allowed recipients to get out of paying more than $1.3 billion in restitution and fines, according to a review of court records by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. The Tuesday report evaluates the financial fallout from Trump's widespread pardons, which were extended to all people charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, as well as to other political donors and allies. 'Not only has President Trump issued an unprecedented number of pardons in his second term, he has used his clemency powers to take an estimated $1.3 billion away from victims and survivors of crime, allowing perpetrators to keep profiting from their crimes,' the report states. Those convicted of crimes are often ordered to pay fines as part of their sentencing, channeled into funds to offer compensation to victims as well as to cover costs otherwise borne by taxpayers. The report finds those convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol had paid just a fraction of their restitution, while the lion's share of the $1.348 billion in outstanding fees comes from those pardoned for white collar crimes. 'At the time President Trump pardoned the January 6th insurrectionists, only 15% of the $3 million in restitution ordered to victims had been paid, with the remaining $2.6 million due suddenly liquidated by the President's pardons,' the report states. 'Of course it's not just violent, cop-beating extremists in President Trump's private mob-and-militia who have been pardoned. With a far greater financial effect, President Trump's pardon spree has also swept in big-time corporate fraudsters, millionaire tax evaders, and other white-collar criminals. Thanks to President Trump's pardons, these convicted criminals now get to keep $1.3 billion in ill-gotten gains they stole from their victims and American taxpayers.' The memo notes those with clemency petitions before the president have typically paid all outstanding debt in order to show they have 'accepted responsibility for his or her criminal conduct and made restitution to its victims,' as detailed in the Justice Department manual. Trump also has the power to offer conditional pardons that require recipients to pay all outstanding restitution. Among those who no longer must pay restitution are Lewis Snoots, who was convicted of assaulting Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officer Michael Fanone, holding him down while other rioters beat the officer. Snoots was ordered to pay nearly $97,000 in restitution to MPD and another $2,000 to the Architect of the Capitol. Paul Walczak, a former nursing home executive who pleaded guilty to multiple tax crimes, was pardoned after his mother paid $1 million to attend a fundraising dinner for Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Walczak had been ordered to pay nearly $4.4 million in restitution. Walczak had been sentenced to 18 months in for stealing more than $7.4 million from his employees' tax withholdings. The report argues that sidestepping payment of restitution makes him an 'unrepentant millionaire wage thief.' Trump also pardoned dark web site Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison on money laundering charges and others related to the sites' use to sell narcotics. Ulbricht's pardon means he no longer has to pay $184 million in restitution. The $1.3 billion calculation also considers the pardon of Nikola founder Trevor Milton, whose restitution had not yet been determined by a judge but who prosecutors said should pay $676 million to defrauded shareholders of the electric truck company. Beyond unpaid restitution, the Judiciary Democrats' report notes the Justice Department is seeking the return of funds that were already paid by those who stormed the Capitol, while a lawsuit by those involved is also seeking financial compensation. 'Adding insult to injury, President Trump's DOJ is now brazenly arguing in court that the federal government should strip away the $437,000 in restitution money that was actually paid to the victims and return it directly to the criminal insurrectionists, leaving victims and taxpayers to foot the bill themselves for the costs of all the extremists' violence and destruction,' it states. 'Perhaps emboldened by DOJ's stance, the primary seditious conspirators behind the January 6th insurrection now claim that the government violated their constitutional rights and have sued the government for $100 million in restitution.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
3 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Trump's pardons cost the U.S. $1.3 billion, per House Dem report
A new report from Democratic staff on the House Judiciary Committee estimates that President Trump's pardons have cost the American public more than $1.3 billion in fines and restitution. Why it matters: Democrats are homing in on the the nearly 1,600 pardons Trump has already doled out in just five months on the job as one of the most potent attacks on his presidency. The president kicked off his second term with a blanket pardon for most Jan. 6 defendants. He has already repeatedly made headlines for pardoning high-profile or wealthy figures who have proven themselves MAGA loyalists. Driving the news: The largest price tag from Trump's pardons, according to the 10-page report, was nearly $680 million owed in restitution by Trevor Milton, the founder of now-bankrupt electric truck startup Nikola. Other major figures include $184 million in forfeiture from Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road marketplace convicted of drug trafficking, and $84 million in restitution owed by convicted fraudster Jason Galanis. Trump also wiped $100 million in fines owed by crypocurrency firm HDR Global Trading. Jan. 6 defendants collectively owed $2.6 million in restitution payments, including to law enforcement officers who were beaten during the deadly Capitol riot, according to the report. By the numbers: The total cost of all the fines, forfeitures and restitution Trump relieved through his clemency grants comes out to $1,348,607,386, the report estimates. The vast majority of that, more than $1 billion, is restitution payments, with another $183 million in forfeiture and $132 million in fines. What they're saying: " Whoever said crime doesn't pay clearly never lived under a Trump presidency," the report says, noting that Trump has floated the possibility of a compensation fund for Jan. 6 defendants. It also warned that, by relieving clemency recipients of financial penalties, Trump risks underfunding the Crime Victims Fund. "Under the first Trump Administration, deposits into the CVF dropped significantly because of his early turn away from white-collar criminal prosecutions," it says. "The second Trump Administration's recent actions pardoning white-collar criminals and wiping out their restitution debts are once again severely draining the coffers of this crucial channel for victims' assistance." The other side: "The summer interns working for House Democrats must be busy writing and printing pointless letters that aren't worth the paper they're written on," said White House spokesperson Harrison Fields. Fields pointed to former President Biden's pardon of his son, Hunter, saying Democrats "were conveniently silent when 'Pay Your Fair Share' Biden pardoned his tax-cheating son, and they have no standing to cry foul now."
