Free Republic

Guv Brown is going to “loan” $6 billion from a previously unknown slush fund to keep CalPERS doors open. That is after he GIVES then $500 million, so they can keep sending out checks. This is an economic disaster for the people of California—and another reason to leave for a Free State beofre your family finances are destroyed. ... employees don’t share in the cost of Unfunded Liabilities. 100% of that cost falls on citizens, whose services get crowded out and taxes get raised to pay off the liabilities. Jerry Brown proposes to borrow from a citizen-funded restricted fund to...

California Governor Jerry Brown referred to taxpayers as “freeloaders” last week for objecting to his new gas tax and car fee hikes. “The freeloaders — I’ve had enough of them … They have a president that doesn’t tell the truth and they’re following suit,” he said. Brown was speaking in Orange County, defending State Assembly newcomer Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), who is facing a recall effort after voting for Brown’s new transportation taxes in April. The new tax raises existing gas taxes — already among the highest in the nation — by 12 cents per gallon, with higher taxes on diesel,...

Former U.S. Democrat Representative Corrine Brown was found guilty on 18 of 22 charges for fraud and tax evasion during trial verdict Thursday in federal court in Jacksonville. Brown was found guilty of taking tens-of-thousands of dollars from her One Door for Education Foundation, a charity for poor and impoverished children, and putting the money into her personal accounts for use in maintaining an indulgent lifestyle. She was also found guilty of conspiring within the scheme to defraud donors to the foundation, and guilty of attempts to impede/obstruct the investigation.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Former U.S. Rep Corrine Brown has been found guilty of 18 of the 22 federal charges she was facing in her corruption trial. She has been convicted of conspiracy, five counts of mail fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, one count of scheme to conceal material facts, one count of obstruction of IRS laws and three tax fraud charges.

Facing nearly two dozen federal fraud and conspiracy charges, former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown took the stand in her own defense on Thursday, saying she was left in the dark while her former chief of staff siphoned thousands of dollars from what prosecutors are calling a sham charity. The Florida Democrat told the jury she was betrayed by her former top aide, Elias “Ronnie” Simmons. “I loved Ronnie Simmons like a son,” said Brown, crying. “A lot of young people in this community end up in jail. I never would’ve wanted that to happen to Ronnie.” Federal prosecutors want Brown...

Former Rep. Corrine Brown (D., Fla.) / AP The attorney for former Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown (Fla.) named three members of Congress, all fellow Democrats, as potential defense witnesses for Brown's upcoming fraud trial. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (D., Texas), Bennie Thompson (D., Miss), and Marcia Fudge, (D., Ohio) were all named on the witness list, filed Friday evening with Jacksonville, Florida's federal court, and are expected to be asked about Brown's involvement with causes she addressed in Congress, the Florida Times-Union reported over the weekend. Jesse Jackson, University of North Florida President John Delaney, and civil rights activists Martin...

A United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Shanghai, China was diverted from flying over Russian airspace for "diplomatic reasons" early Wednesday morning, passengers on the flight say.Those diplomatic concerns forced the flight to refuel at Tokyo's Narita airport, the flight's captain told passengers, several of whom posted about it on social media. On @United 857 enroute to PVG, diverted to NRT. Captain: Due to diplomatic reasons, Russia denied access to air space. Now refuelling-- brianlinca (@brianlinca) April 12, 2017 One passenger named Andy Brown says that the airplane almost ran out of fuel before landing at Narita. "Then they...

California’s governor and legislative leaders on Wednesday proposed raising $52 billion to fix the state’s roads through a big gasoline tax increase, higher car registration fees and a charge on emission-free vehicles. The 10-year plan would boost gasoline excise taxes for the first time in more than two decades, raising them 12 cents per gallon — a 43 percent increase. The tax would rise automatically with inflation. For the first time, owners of zero emission vehicles would pay a $100 annual fee because they use public roads but don’t pay gasoline taxes that fund highway maintenance. The plan also includes...

California’s governor and legislative leaders on Wednesday proposed raising $52 billion to fix the state’s roads through a big gasoline tax increase, higher car registration fees and a charge on emission-free vehicles. The 10-year plan would boost gasoline excise taxes for the first time in more than two decades, raising them 12 cents per gallon — a 43 percent increase. The tax would rise automatically with inflation. For the first time, owners of zero emission vehicles would pay a $100 annual fee because they use public roads but don’t pay gasoline taxes that fund highway maintenance. The plan also includes...

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says it possesses a “limited amount” of 9mm bullets for agents in the field as well as for training purposes, and it is rationing its ammunition based on internal requests until it can award a new contract. [ ] The apparent role poor planning, or another agenda, played in the issue came to light when ICE said it would have run out of 9mm ammo by June 2017 in the absence of a modified contract with its supplier, Vista Outdoor Inc. So, the agency last month approved a $363,307 ceiling increase to contract No. HSCEMS-11-D-00002....

There's probably no relief for California taxpayers in what has become a one-party state run on the premise that the more of other people's money you spend, the faster you will achieve cosmic consciousness. But Trump's Secretary of Transportation has put the brakes on the train wreck to nowhere. And Governor Moonbeam has gone from threatening to launch his own satellites to stop Global Warming to begging for cash.

What happened the $7.5 Billion Water Bond Money that voters approved in 2014? Some are asking that question today after Governor Jerry Brown announced he wants to spend $437 million to deal with California's aging water infrastructure that the Governor says is "maxed out." Exhibit "A' would be crumbling infrastructure at Oroville Dam. So, what about that Water Bond Measure? Back in 2014 California voters approved Proposition 1. The $7.5 billion dollar bond measure passed with 67% of the vote. So far, only about $177 million dollars of that has been spent. According to the Public Policy Institute of California...

In Oregon, seven dams have been deemed unsatisfactory - one in Josephine County, another in Curry County. Oregon Water Resources Department and Josephine County Parks say they know the McMullen Dam in Lake Selmac has problems. They have known for years. "With the parks budget being just over $1 million, the cost of the dam itself is going to come in between {$1 million and $3 million] dollars to improve it," Josephine County Parks manager Sarah Wright said. To get an 'unsatisfactory' result means the dam cannot contain or handle a moderate sized flood. At Lake Selmac, that's rare -...

She partied with Nancy Pelosi, traveled on Air Force one next to President Obama, and cast her superdelegate vote for Hillary Clinton. But today Corrine Brown is in federal court for stealing scholarship money from school children. The disgraced congresswoman must defend against charges that she funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars from a non-profit charity, One Door for Education, into her own pocket. If convicted on all 24 counts, she faces 357 years in prison and $4.8 million in fines. With her former chief of staff expected to testify against her, the question's no longer whether or not she's...

The Oroville Dam — at 770 feet, America’s tallest — is on the verge of failing. And Sacramento, which has been fiddling for decades while Rome burns, is running for cover. This isn’t just any dam; it’s the primary storage facility located on the Feather River for the State Water Project, the state-owned conveyance system that provides drinking water to more than two-thirds of California’s population. If the dam were to fail, it could inundate not only the city of Oroville but numerous other communities downstream, including Yuba City, Marysville and even West Sacramento. At the moment, the emergency spillway...

Fast forward to about the 8:30 mark to hear the germination of the CYA seed that is sure to grow into a mighty oak. Disgraceful.

California Gov. Jerry Brown, appealing to the Trump administration for direct federal assistance on the Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway, said Monday that he remains encouraged that the state and federal government can work constructively.

Richard Pollock at the Daily Caller offers this flashback — one that’s not without irony: Despite today’s outrage over President Donald Trump’s refugee executive order, many liberals in 1975 were part of a chorus of big name Democrats who refused to accept any Vietnamese refugees when millions were trying to escape South Vietnam as it fell to the communists. They even opposed orphans. The chorus was led by Jerry Brown who, then as now, was the governor of California. The “no to refugees” chorus also included George McGovern, the leading Democratic leftist of the day, and Joe Biden who, then...

With secession threats looming, the state of California is reportedly studying ways to suspend financial transfers to Washington after the Trump administration threatened to withhold federal money from sanctuary cities. With California counties among the Top 10 who stand to lose tax-payer funding for providing sanctuary to illegal immigrants... KPIX5 reports that officials are looking for money that flows through Sacramento to the federal government that could be used to offset the potential loss of billions of dollars’ worth of federal funds if President Trump makes good on his threat to punish cities and states that don’t cooperate with federal...

A former aide to Baltimore’s mayor has been charged with making illegal contributions to the mayor’s campaign, prompting officials on Monday to cancel his planned swearing-in ceremony for a vacant seat in the Maryland House of Delegates. Gary Brown Jr., a Democrat who was a legislative aide to new Mayor Catherine Pugh when she was still a state senator, has been charged with six counts of election law violations, State Prosecutor Emmet Davitt announced. Brown had recently been nominated to the House vacancy. Prosecutors allege that Brown, who worked on Pugh’s campaign, deposited $18,000 in cash between Jan. 13, 2016...