Tuesday, January 22, 2019

KAMALA HARRIS' WAR ON THE FAITHFUL.............. and Legals!

Kamala Harris’ Platform Would Bankrupt America As It Nearly Has California


https://hotair.com/archives/2019/01/22/kamala-harris-platform-bankrupt-america-nearly-california/

 



Having officially tossed her hat in the ring for the 2020 Democratic nomination, California Senator Kamala Harris has trotted out her initial platform to campaign on. Keep in mind that we’re currently experiencing one of the most robust economic recoveries in living memory with low taxes, rising wages and as close as we’re likely to get to full employment. Ms. Harris has come out this week with a statement letting you all know that we’ve had just about enough of that nonsense and she’s going to turn this car around and take us back to 2007. (WaPo)
Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) will run for president proposing a nearly $3 trillion tax plan, billions in tax credits to low-income renters, a Medicare-for-all health-care system, and a reduction in cash bail for inmates charged with criminal offenses, her aides said…
Aides said Harris’s platform will incorporate Sen. Bernie Sanders’s Medicare-for-all health-care proposal, while also pushing enormous tax relief intended to help low-income renters and boost incomes for working-class families…
Harris, by contrast, is expected to run on both a single-payer health program projected to cost more than $30 trillion, as well as tax benefits that would significantly reduce federal revenue. Supporters say that reflects her willingness to try to use different solutions to solve big problems.
Clearly, Harris knows that she can’t afford to tick off the working class too much, so she’s actually proposing even more tax credits that would supplement working class people while doing little to nothing for low-income workers or those without employment. She describes this as an incentive to reward work. (Actually not a terrible idea if it’s balanced out elsewhere. Sadly, it’s not.) Meanwhile, the “rich” will pay more, but nowhere near enough to offset the additional loss of revenue.
As if that wasn’t enough, she’s promising a single payer, Medicare for all type of healthcare system with a price tag somewhere north of thirty trillion dollars. You may recall that her home state of California tried to push through a similar system a few years ago. That effort went down in flames when the taxpayers got a look at the budget-busting cost. And now she wants to foist this debacle off on the entire nation?
How do we pay for that? For the most part, it sounds like she’s in the camp of We’ll Figure That Out Later. But she has suggested that we can, “eliminating the parts of the Republican tax law passed last fall that benefits the rich, as well as levying a new tax on large financial institutions.” Keep in mind that those “large financial institutions” include most of the outfits that are hiring all of America’s workers. What could possibly go wrong?
She also has a plan to help out people living in unaffordable, high-rent areas. It basically boils down to just giving away money so people can pay their rent rather than addressing the question of why rents are so high to begin with. (Spoiler alert: It’s the law of supply and demand. If cities allowed more housing construction prices would go down.)
This entire package is fairly typical Democratic tax and spend insanity, replete with giving away cash and free stuff to the masses. And, as usual, it ignores the reality that sooner or later you run out of other people’s money. If you’re looking for a way to completely bankrupt the country, Kamala Harris may just be the candidate for you!
Identifying the Super-Sanctuaries

https://www.cis.org/Huennekens/Identifying-SuperSanctuaries?utm_source=E-mail+Updates&utm_campaign=8049280b33-



The debate over the border wall rages on. The government remains shut down, and both President Trump and Sen. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Speaker Pelosi (D-Calif.) are dug in for a prolonged fight. The president's prime time address highlighted the criminal consequences of lax enforcement policy. He noted:
In the last two years, ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records, including those charged or convicted of 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 violent killings. Over the years, thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country, and thousands more lives will be lost if we don't act right now.

The president did not mention the draw of sanctuary cities in his speech. But they are an important part of the immigration enforcement equation and his administration continues to try to reign them in. These jurisdictions shield criminal aliens from ICE, for no reason other than politics. Sanctuary cities actually put illegal aliens who are not necessarily the primary targets of ICE at greater risk of deportation because ICE is forced to make more at-large arrests in immigrant communities – at workplaces, dwellings, and on the street, rather than in controlled jail or courthouse environments.
Sanctuary cities are dangerous because they only benefit criminal aliens. We have defined sanctuary policies as those that deliberately hinder federal immigration authorities from identifying or arresting deportable aliens. These policies typically take the form of preventing communication with immigration authorities, blocking ICE from contact with criminal aliens, or rejecting ICE detainers and arrest warrants. These policies inevitably cause the release of deportable criminal aliens back to the community, and they are a public safety hazard.
Not satisfied with keeping ICE out of jails and courthouses, some sanctuaries are taking it a step further. Many jurisdictions, often major cities, are now using taxpayer funds to actively support and assist illegal aliens living there. Some of these cities provide free legal advice to illegal aliens fighting to stay in the country. Others provide discounted housing specifically for illegal aliens. Alarmingly, some dole out voting rights to their illegal residents. These are the super-sanctuaries.

Washington, D.C.

The Pew Research Center estimates that around 400,000 illegal aliens live in the Washington metro area. Luckily for them, the city of Washington, D.C., and the surrounding counties are here to help. The Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition (CAIRC) offers legal aid to all illegal immigrants, even those fighting criminal cases. Most of their funding comes from public coffers, according to their Form 990. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser created a $1 million fund to support organizations that help aliens file asylum applications, exacerbating the backlog. D.C. (along with the Department of Justice and Fairfax County) directly support Ayuda, a law firm that "provide[s] expert legal services so that low-income immigrants can overcome barriers and access justice."
Hyattsville and Takoma Park, Md., both allow illegal aliens to cast ballots in local elections. A similar proposal for College Park, Md., failed despite strong support from the community.
The D.C. metro region is filled with regular sanctuary cities. Fairfax County, Arlington County, and Montgomery County all regularly refuse to cooperate with ICE's detainer notices. But the D.C. metro region acts as a super-sanctuary because its communities also use public money to support illegal aliens.

New York, N.Y.

The city's comptroller notes that "New York City has stood as a beacon of hope and opportunity for immigrants, holding out the promise of a better future to millions of people around the world." New York and its surrounding area is home to over 1.15 million illegal aliens, according to Pew, the most of any metropolitan area.
Its services for illegal immigrants are widespread and numerous. The city devotes an entire website for "Immigrant Services", largely focusing on the problems of illegal aliens. This includes exhaustive information on topics such as enrolling illegal-alien children in public schools. It instructs people how to act if ICE officers speak to them. Visitors can find links to low-cost and pro bono immigration lawyers. Those in need can find helpful links to welfare programs they or their children may qualify for.
Recently, Mayor de Blasio announced that hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens will now have access to health care through NYC Care. NYC Care is a publicly funded system that will allow aliens to access services at NYC Health + Hospitals, the city's municipal health system. NYC Care will cost at least $100 million annually when it is fully operational in 2021.
Illegal aliens were able to cast ballots in school board elections until the city did away with school boards in 2002. Legislators continue to debate enfranchising the illegal population for municipal elections.
New York City offers free legal advice to illegal aliens as well. Mayor de Blasio personally oversaw the creation of Action NYC, a service of the city that "connects New Yorkers to free, safe immigration legal help." Action NYC's annual budget exceeds $30 million. That is a remarkable sum for a city that still boasts the largest homeless population in the country.
New York City is one of the most open sanctuary cities in the country. In addition to city services and legal resources, soon illegal residents will be able to benefit from public health care. That outreach elevates New York to the echelon of super-sanctuary.

Chicago, Ill.

According to Pew, over 425,000 illegal aliens live in the Chicago area. The Office of the Mayor, currently Rahm Emmanuel, operates a website that celebrates Chicago's status as a sanctuary city. The "Sanctuary City Supportive Resources" website offers advice on how to access city resources and lists a number of participating advocacy groups for immigrants.
Additionally, the city created the Chicago KeyCity program to help illegal immigrants assimilate into city life. KeyCity acts as a Chicago-specific identification card. According to the sanctuary city supportive resources website:
KeyCity is an optional, valid, government-issued ID card offered to all Chicago residents that will unlock many of the great things our City has to offer. The CityKey card is a photo identification card available to all Chicago residents which will not convey information about national origin or legal status. For many residents who do not have an identification card, CityKey can serve as an official government issued identification and can be used to access city services. Additionally, your CityKey can be used as a library card for Chicago Public Libraries, as well as a Ventra card. Presenting your CityKey at particular cultural institutions and local businesses can also give you a discount. CityKey is now available for free to all Chicago residents.

Chicago unveiled a program in 2014 that awarded city high school students with scholarships to attend community college for free. Those scholarships extend to illegal-alien students, as well, allowing them the opportunity to study at two-year colleges for free. A USA Todayarticle noted that while illegal-alien students were eligible for the scholarships, other city students, such as those attending charter and parochial schools, were not.
Chicago allows non-citizens to vote in school board elections.
Chicago aggressively defends its sanctuary laws protecting criminal aliens. Emmanuel has continued to fight the Justice Department over federal funds withheld from Chicago because of their policies. In addition to those policies, Chicago has a number of added benefits in place to help integrate illegal aliens, making it a super-sanctuary.

California

Former California governor Jerry Brown signed SB 54 in October 2017. This bill made California, in Brown's own words, a "sanctuary state". The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the State of California because of the law. A federal judge dismissed that suit in July. SB 54 took effect on January 1, 2018. The new law does many things: It forbids all localities from cooperating with ICE detainer notices, it bars any law enforcement officer from participating in the popular 287g program, and it prevents state and local police from inquiring about individuals' immigration status. While passed easily in the California legislature, some counties have protested its implementation. Some joined the Trump administation's lawsuit against the state.
California is home to more illegal aliens than any other state in the country. Pew reported last year that about one in five illegal aliens lives in California. The state goes to great lengths to welcome its millions of alien residents.
The California budget allocates millions of dollars annually to the One California program. One California provides free legal assistance to all aliens, including those facing deportation. Its website reads:
The "One California" Immigration Services Funding program was established in 2015-16 budget and is administered by the California Department of Social Services. Starting in 2016, the program has funded free immigration services, through qualified nonprofits, for low-income Californians eligible for citizenship or some affirmative immigration remedies including the DACA program. The 2017-18 budget increases the program's baseline funding and expands the state funded services to include removal defense services, to broaden affirmative relief, and to expands legal training and technical assistance. The program will have a yearly $45 million investment through the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
One California is a significant undertaking at $45 million a year, and free legal assistance must be an attractive magnet. Additionally, California's public universities make it easier for illegal-alien students to attend college. The University of California announced that it earmarked $25.2 million over three years to "support undocumented students". According to the announcement:
·         UC's DREAM Loan Program will receive $5 million per year for at least three years. The program makes student loans available to undocumented students, who are not eligible for federal aid. Students will repay their loans back into the DREAM Loan fund.
·         Student services staff coordinators and targeted undergraduate and graduate fellowships, as well as other financial support such as funds for textbooks, will be allocated $2.5 million per year.
·         UC's Undocumented Legal Services Center will receive $900,000 per year.
Under California's DREAM Act, these students qualify for state scholarships, grants, and other benefits. They also receive in-state tuitionto state universities, a benefit that only a handful of other states offer.
California does not offer free medical care to its illegal residents, but legislators continue to introduce bills that would make that a reality.
While illegal aliens cannot vote in statewide elections, San Francisco allows all non-citizens to vote in school board elections. It is the only municipality in California to allow this so far, but that may change soon as other towns and counties look to follow the San Francisco model.
California's sanctuary crusade did not end with the departure of Jerry Brown. His successor, Gavin Newsom, seems as excited as Brown in extending services to illegal residents courtesy of the California taxpayers, including a proposal to extend state-funded health care to more illegal aliens. As the state's stance on immigration drifts further from the middle, look for California to be the leader in future super-sanctuary legislation.

Conclusion

There are many sanctuary jurisdictions across the country that limit ICE's access to jails and courthouses. But these communities have gone above and beyond to establish themselves as the highest tier of sanctuaries. Taxpayer-funded legal advice, education, and medical care are all hallmarks of these new policies. These communities are home to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens. Their politicians see these actions as part of a winning political strategy. As the fight for border security and immigration reform continues, super-sanctuaries may emerge as a new and growing player in the greater debate. While this short list is not exhaustive, these communities continue to lead the state and local-level fight against federal immigration enforcement. The new and creative ways they have accommodated their illegal residents indicate their willingness to continue the political battle over the illegal population.

 

 

Kamala Harris: Seven Key 


Facts About Democrats’ Top


2020 Contender



Drew Angerer / Getty
21 Jan 201911
3:46

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) declared Monday that she will run for President of the United States.

She is already drawing comparisons to Barack Obama, who once praised her good looks. Like him, she is a left-wing first-term U.S. Senator with little experience and few accomplishments in office. Harris, who declared on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day, also has a diverse background, and is the first woman of color to be a top presidential contender.
Here are seven other key facts about her:
1. Kamala Harris’s career received a boost from a patronage job in dubious circumstances. In 1994, then-outgoing Speaker of the California State Assembly Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) appointed Harris to a state board with a $72,000 salary. The Los Angeles Times reported: “Harris, a former deputy district attorney in Alameda County, was described by several people at the Capitol as Brown’s girlfriend.” (Brown was marriedbut separated.)
2. Kamala Harris barely won her first race for California Attorney General in 2010. As in many of the 2018 congressional races in California, Harris won despite losing on Election Night: “Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley had declared victory on election night, only to see the race flip-flop between the two candidates in the coming days as counties around the state continued to tally mail-in and provisional ballots,” SFGate.com reported.
3. Kamala Harris was accused of using her state office to attack political enemies and reward friends. Harris was sued by conservative groups for forcing them to disclose donor information that the IRS allows them to keep confidential. She was also sued by a healthcare company that claimed she imposed undue restrictions when it tried to buy another company because she wanted to help her ally, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
4. Kamala Harris was criticized for financial mismanagement during her 2016 U.S. Senate campaign. In 2015, the Sacramento Bee reported that Harris’s campaign had a “spending problem,” and was “burning through campaign cash nearly as rapidly as she raises it.” She won the general election against Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) after sewing up the support of the Democratic establishment, including then-President Barack Obama.
5. Kamala Harris has been the star of viral video confrontations, but has done little else in Washington. In committee hearings in the Senate, she has a habit of badgering witnesses — then claiming, when stopped, that male, Republican Senators are trying to silence her, and raising money off the resulting outrage. She tripped herself up in the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, falsely claiming that he wanted to take birth control away from women.
6. Kamala Harris faces new questions about a close aide who settled a $400,000 harassment lawsuit. Despite posturing as a champion for women, Harris claimed that she did not know about a major settlement when she was California Attorney General in which one of her “top deputies,” Larry Wallace, had been accused of “gender harassment.” Harris mentioned Wallace positively in her new book, which she is using to promote her candidacy.
7. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kamala Harris’s California colleague, prefers another candidate. Feinstein has made clear that her preferred candidate in 2020 would be former Vice President Joe Biden. Feinstein, though lately a target of conservative criticism for her role in the Kavanaugh hearing, is the more moderate of the two, taking pragmatic stances on issues like water and working across the aisle — an approach Harris largely rejects.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. He is also the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, which is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.

 


JOHN BINDER

CALIFORNIA, HOME TO THE LA RAZA BARONESS NANCY PELOSI, WAR PROFITEER DIANNE FEINSTEIN, HITLERMAL KAMALA HARRIS, MAD MAXINE WATERS and HISPANDERING GAVIN NEWSOM….

MOVES CLOSER TO FINAL ANNEXATION BY MEXICO


DE FACTO CITIZENSHIP PER LA RAZA:

NO TEST, NO BACKGROUND CHECKS ON CRIMINALITY, NO BACK TAXES, NO 

FINES.... JUST JUMP STRAIGHT TO VOTING BOOTHS! AND VOTE OFTEN!!!

 

 

http://mexicanoccupation.blogspot.com/2017/07/john-binder-californias-surrender-to.html

 

In 2013, California lawmakers passed legislation that allowed illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses if they can prove to the Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) their identity and state residency. The plan was one of the largest victories to date by the open borders lobby.… JOHN BINDER – BREITBART.com

 

MEX MURDERS MOTHER IN PELOSI, FEINSTEIN, KAMALA HARRIS, GAVIN NEWSOM'S ! SANCTUARY ! CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO!
Steinle’s murderer, Jose Zarate and been deported 5xs!

"While walking with her father on a pier in San Francisco in 2015, Steinle was shot by the illegal alien. Steinle pleaded with her father to not let her die, but she soon passed in her father’s arms."

STEALING AMERICA!

Here’s how California surrendered to Mexico… OR WAS HANDED TO MEXICO BY NANCY PELOSI, DIANNE FEINSTEIN, KAMALA HARRIS, JERRY BROWN and GAVIN NEWSOM!

http://mexicanoccupation.blogspot.com/2018/08/california-under-mex-occupation-do-not.html

 

THIS IS WHAT THE DEMOCRAT PARTY OF CORRUPTION AND OPEN BORDERS HAS DONE TO ONE CITY!

SANCTUARY CITY SAN FRANSISCO

AMERICA’S DUMPSTER CITY OF FILTH AND DRUG DEALERS

 

HOME TO SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN, SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS, REP. NANCY PELOSI and GAVEN NEWSOM

http://mexicanoccupation.blogspot.com/2018/10/monica-showalter-sanctuary-city-san.html


“It’s almost impossible to get convicted in this city,” said [Sgt. Kevin] Healy, who works in the Police Department’s narcotics division. “The message needs to be sent that it’s not OK to be selling drugs. It’s not allowed anywhere else. Where else can you walk up to someone you don’t know and purchase crack and heroin? Is there such a place?”…

Police say drug dealers from the East Bay ride BART into San Francisco every day to prey on the addicts slumped on our sidewalks, and yet the city that claims to so desperately want to help those addicts often looks the other way.

Catholic Advocates Condemn Kamala Harris in Bid for Presidency: ‘Hostility Towards People of Faith’



Attorney General of California Kamala D. Harris speaks onstage during 'Disrupting Politics' at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on October 9, 2014 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
Michael Kovac/Getty
95
3:18

Associates of an organization that promotes Catholic religious freedom are condemning Sen. Kamala Harris’s announcement of her bid for the presidency, blasting the California Democrat’s attacks on people of faith and her support for late-term abortion.

“Kamala Harris has shown she has what it takes to lose a general election,” said Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor with The Catholic Association (TCA), in a joint statement sent to Breitbart News.
Ferguson continued that Harris “has demonstrated a hostility towards people of faith and a blatant disregard for First Amendment freedom of religion and association in her condemnation of the Knights of Columbus, and has voted in favor of inhumane late term abortion.”
In December, Harris and her Democrat colleague in the Senate, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, attacked U.S. District Court nominee Brian C. Buescher for his membership in the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic charitable organization. Harris and Hirono suggested that Buescher be disqualified as a judicial candidate because his affiliation with the Catholic group would not allow him to fairly judge cases having to do with the issues of abortion and same-sex marriage.
“This mentality did not serve Hillary Clinton well in key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan,” Ferguson observed.
Andrea Piccioti-Bayer, TCA Foundation legal advisor, said, “Kamala Harris has been unabashed about attacking the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.”
“As California’s top law enforcement officer, she sponsored legislation unconstitutionally targeting not-for-profit pregnancy centers,” she continued. “And just last week, Harris’ colleagues in the Senate had to rebuke her for attacking a judicial nominee’s religious affiliation and participation in the Knights of Columbus. Democratic voters deserve a candidate who respects our Constitution and doesn’t peddle anti-Catholic bigotry.”
Ashley McGuire, senior fellow with TCA, suggested Harris apologize to the U.S.’s 70 million Catholics before running for the presidency.
“Senator Kamala Harris needs a constitutional refresher before seeking the highest political office in America,” she added.
Supreme Knight Carl Anderson of the Knights of Columbus told Breitbart News in an interview that Harris’s and Hirono’s attacks against Buescher’s affiliation with the Knights was “hurtful to a lot of Catholics.”
“And we really thought that kind of question was behind us with President Kennedy’s election,” he said, adding:
But, we don’t want to go back there as a nation. And, so we’re just going forward. I think the overwhelming criticism of her position coming from all types of faith communities really sent a very clear signal that the Senate just this week passed without any opposing vote a resolution condemning that … But, I think people of faith in many different communities understand that that kind of test is really something outside of the American tradition. Our organization is based on the principles of charity and unity. So, I, for one, don’t want to make it a personal thing, but I do think we have to say, “Look, American democracy is based on the free marketplace of ideas, so let’s go at it.” But to say, “If your idea is connected to your religious faith, then you can’t talk about it,” that’s someplace we don’t want to go. That’s a different marketplace.
Dr. Grazie Christie, policy advisor with TCA, added, “The President of the United States has to be able to treat every citizen of this wildly diverse country with the respect and dignity they deserve.”
“Kamala Harris has shown her disdain for one of her largest constituencies, people of faith, through her attack on one of America’s most honorable and long-lived charitable organizations, the Knights of Columbus,” she continued. “Her lack of respect for the countless good-hearted Americans who have participated in the Knights’ charitable projects, painting all of them with ugly suggestions of intolerance and bigotry, will be a strong mark against her in any presidential bid.”

Looking to 2020, Kamala Harris Hires Heavy Hitter Lawyer Involved With Russian Dossier



January 22, 2019

Eyebrows were raised among Democratic officials and activists on Jan. 21 when Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) announced her 2020 presidential nomination bid and listed Marc Elias as her campaign’s general counsel.
Elias, head of the Perkins Coie LLP law firm’s political law practice, is among the Democratic Party’s top campaign finance experts and a recognized power-player at the highest levels.
Described by a veteran Democratic national campaign consultant as “the best in the business,” Elias could prove to be both an immensely valuable asset to Harris—and also a huge problem.
On the plus side, Elias gives Harris’s presidential campaign one of the most well-connected operatives in American politics and a significant boost early in what promises to be a heavily populated, intensely competitive primary field.
Elias and his firm currently represent every major Democratic Party committee, including the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Governors Association, as well as numerous individual senators and representatives.
He also was the chief attorney for former Secretary of State John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign against President George W. Bush and for the White House bid of another former chief U.S. diplomat, Hillary Clinton, in 2016.
Elias represented former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) in the sharply contested 2008 recount battle, and he has extensive litigation experience in voting rights and redistricting cases across the country. He also represented former Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) in his losing 2018 recount battle.
As a result, Elias knows everybody who is anybody in Democratic campaigns, including donors, consultants, good guys to know, and opportunists to avoid at all cost.
Given the California junior senator’s lack of experience in national politics—barely two years, as she was first elected to the Senate in 2016—having Elias at hand will help her avoid costly rookie mistakes in fundraising and opening influential doors ahead of rivals such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)
That Harris nabbed Elias so early in the 2020 campaign may also send an important signal to former Vice President Joe Biden, that his path back to the White House may not be as clear as conventional wisdom suggests.
But there is a potentially devastating downside that comes with Elias for Harris, especially in the event she wins her party’s nomination. He’s at the center of the biggest political scandal in decades, and not in a good way.
It was Elias who, as the Clinton campaign’s attorney of record, used campaign funds to retain the infamous opposition research firm Fusion GPS to compile what became known as the Steele dossier on President Donald Trump, according to the Washington Post.
The dossier was compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, based in part on information he gleaned from individuals close to Russian intelligence agencies.
Despite being, according to then-FBI Director James Comey, a “salacious and unverified” document, the Steele dossier was used by the Department of Justice and the bureau to obtain approval for surveillance of Trump’s campaign.
Thus, Elias has the distinction of being both a major player in the Trump/Russia scandal and an attorney representing another key figure, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, during his interview with Senate Intelligence Committee staff.
Elias also brings baggage that could hurt Harris as a result of his firm’s role in the DNC’s response to being hacked, allegedly by Russian interests. Instead of asking the FBI to investigate the hack, DNC officials reportedlyrelied upon a private cyber-security company recommended by the Elias firm.
Finally, Elias represented Google and Facebook in their 2011 requests to the Federal Election Commission for an exemption from a requirement that digital political ads purchased via the two tech giants include disclaimers revealing who paid for them.
Google got the exemption, but Facebook’s request was never decided and the social media site didn’t include the disclaimers. The case could be significant since Russian interests bought $100,000 in ads on Facebook during the 2016 campaign.
Elias told The New York Times the disclaimers wouldn’t have stopped the Russians, who bought the Facebook ads because “they were willing to break the law to help Donald Trump.”
Harris, who is known, as the L.A. Times says, for her “mix of cold calculation, relentless fundraising and force of personality” and willingness to do whatever it takes to win, surely knows all of the upsides and downsides of having Elias on her team.
And the upsides are what count now in her quest to secure her party’s nomination for the Oval Office.