Got this in a fundraising email from Katie Porter this week:
Last week I sent a letter to the Department of the Interior requesting documents that could reveal another incident of bribery between senior Trump Administration officials and a real estate developer.
We came across this potential incident of bribery while investigating a separate quid pro quo scheme involving the Trump Administration and a developer. In May, my colleague Rep. Grijalva and I spearheaded an investigation that revealed how Trump officials overruled local authority to start a development project near an endangered river—after the developer and his friends made a quarter of a million dollars worth of campaign donations.
Our investigation led to a criminal referral for bribery.
Cleaning up corruption is one of my main goals in Congress. Thanks to your support, I’ll continue this important work of holding power to account.
Many of us on the Left would not be surprised if Pardons were bought and paid for under the Trump administration. Thank goodness Congresswoman Porter still holds a lead role for Oversight.
From Crooks and Liars:
The donor, a man named Mike Ingram, is already the subject of a criminal referral to the Department of Justice by the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Committee on Natural Resources, which Porter chairs. In that case, Ingram made his only other $10,000 donation in the 2017-2018 non-presidential election cycle. Ingram made that donation to the Trump Victory Fund just before a major federal action was made in his favor. All other donations from Ingram during that cycle were $5,400 or less.
Now, in a December 2, 2022 letter to Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, Porter is asking for information on another $10,000 donation Ingram made to a Trump fund in the same non-presidential cycle, in this case, America First Action, Inc. Super PAC. This time, Ingram was advocating for two brothers, Dwight and Steven Hammond, convicted of arson on federal lands, apparently to cover up for having illegally slaughtered deer on BLM land. Ingram made the donation on July 2, 2018. The brothers received full pardons on July 10, 2018.
From Porter’s letter, which came with a list of requested documents, these paragraphs:
On May 11, 2022, the House Committee on Natural Resources (Committee) presented evidence of likely
bribery involving former U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary David Bernhardt and Villages
at Vigneto developer Mike Ingram, in the Committee’s first-ever criminal referral to the U.S. Department
of Justice (DOJ).
The Committee has now uncovered another potential incident of bribery involving
Ingram and senior Trump administration officials through its review of documents obtained in that
investigation.
….
Documents obtained in the Committee’s Vigneto investigation indicate that Mike Ingram used his unique
access to high-ranking Trump administration officials to advocate for these pardons. In an email dated
May 25, 2018, Mr. Ingram’s executive assistant sent Ben Cassidy, DOI’s Senior Deputy Director for
External and Intergovernmental Affairs, two articles on the topic, including an op-ed arguing for pardons
for the Hammonds.
So let’s see what Republicans do to shut down Porter’s efforts at oversight when they take power next month.
top of the morning to you Dan. think you might be knowing what this is about…
LC here….#iykyk….. #gregdiamondcantpracticelaw but im Blessed nonetheless cuz Ms Lenore is a absolute angel. email if you wish. I live in Irvine too….
I do; but you need to email me your cell phone and email address. dchm@cox.net
LC- Don’t feel bad. You join the DOZENS of OC people who were burned by this guy and his ABSOLUTELY troubled blog partner(s). A
I wonder what the over/under on Mayor Aitken’ patience is? Carlos Leon, who was a staffer for Lou Correa, already distancing himself from them, calling Vern a Stooge.
Ask around LC. In fact ask your colleague Tito Watch
Dan, my understanding is a psychiatric nurse can not write prescriptions. Perhaps Fred can get one of his Doctors to dole out some new psychotropic to the crazies at the OJB.
Vern opined something to the effect of:
“When that whole Twitter thing blew up” failing to mention that he and his wife VIOLENTLY SEXUALLY THREATENED A STRANGER. Only to be defended by Greg Diamond.
I suppose Dr. Moreno and Mayor Aitken, Supervisors Sarmiento and Foley condone this behavior, because they were sent via certified mail SEVERAL different instances of their behavior.
LC, hang in there, if you are alligned with those clowns, you are one welfare check away from homelessness.