LOOP: Trump’s lawyer enters plea deal
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| WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22 – THE QUEENSHIP OF MARY |
| MANAFORT GUILTY OF TAX FRAUD Paul Manafort, former Trump campaign chairman, was found guilty of eight tax and fraud charges. The charges dealt with income tax returns he filed from 2010 to 2014. President Trump responded by noting that Robert Mueller’s probe was meant to investigate the 2016 election and allegations of collusion with Russia. “This has nothing to do [with] what they started out looking for: Russians involved in our campaign. There were none. I feel very badly for Paul Manafort,” he added. “Again, he worked for Bob Dole. He worked for Ronald Reagan. He worked for many people. And this is the way it ends up.” READ |
| TRUMP’S LAWYER ENTERS PLEA DEAL President Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, plead guilty to eight criminal counts, including tax fraud. But the most political relevant charge is that he plead guilty of campaign finance violations on behalf of Donald Trump. The charge surrounds payments made to two women who alleged affairs with Trump. Cohen agreed to a 3-5 years of fail time. He is set to be sentenced Dec. 12. READ |
| HUSH MONEY ISN’T A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION Special counsel Robert Mueller is suggesting that the payment made by Michael Cohen to the two women alleging an affair should have been reported as an in-kind contribution to Trump’s presidential campaign. But former Federal Elections Commission chairman Bradley Smith replied: “Historically, the FEC has said these things are not campaign contributions.” READ |
| CARDINAL O’MALLEY APOLOGIZES Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley publicly apologized to Dominican Father Boniface Ramsey, who contacted his office in 2015 with allegations against Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. READ |
| CARDINAL DINARDO PLEDGES ACTION Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, welcomed Pope Francis’ letter on clergy abuse, and pledged action. “I find these words of the Holy Father particularly helpful: ‘penance and prayer will help us to open our eyes and our hearts to other people’s sufferings and to overcome the thirst for power and possessions that are so often the root of those evils.’ These words must provoke action – especially by the bishops. We bishops need to – and we must – practice with all humility such prayer and penance,” said Cardinal DiNardo. READ |
| IMMIGRATION President Trump called immigration laws a disgrace after an illegal immigrant was charged in the death of Mollie Tibbetts, an Iowa college student who went missing last month. Law enforcement officials say surveillance video led them to Christian Bahena Rivera, who led investigators to the body. READ |
| CORRUPTION House Speaker Paul Ryan strips Rep. Duncan Hunter of committee assignments after the California Republican was indicted for stealing campaign funds. READ |
| MILITARY BRAVERY Chief Warrant Officer 3 Taylor J. Galvin, was killed in Iraq on Sunday. The 34-year-old soldier was on his ninth combat deployment. Galvin is the tenth American killed in Iraq this year. There are approximately 5,200 American service members in Iraq. READ |
| WE NEED SUMMER VACATION “The sound of cousins laughing at old stories told under starry summer skies, fresh fish grilled over an open fire, midnight card games won and lost—a vacation week of gathered family has its own rewards,” said Paula Rinehart. “Children who have been immersed in gathered family learn to take people as they come. They are far more prepared to discover what we all eventually must learn: There’s an Aunt Susie in every group of gathered humanity.” READ |
| PROTESTING FR. JAMES MARTIN Over 10,000 people have signed a petition calling on the World Meeting of Families to withdraw an invitation to Fr. James Martin, because he “favors homosexuals kissing during Mass.” Organizers of the event have said there will be no changes to the line-up of speakers. READ |
| SAINT QUOTE “Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.” -St. Augustine |
| SAINT OF THE DAY The notion of a queen is somewhat foreign to American ears, but this feast of Mary recognizes her role in the Kingdom of her Son, Jesus. If Jesus is king, Mary is certainly queen. And the title—or its surrogate—goes back centuries in the Church, as Mary has been praised for her position in the Church and among the people of God. READ |
| DAILY READINGS “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” (Ps 23:1) READ |
| COURAGE |