Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jerry Stearns @jerrystearns.bsky.social · 9h

Hope Tim Onion or anonymous calls him at 4 am telling him he won.

boneyardz.bsky.social @boneyardz.bsky.social · 9h

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Kat Hartness @kathartness.bsky.social · 9h

Mike Johnson hit with GOP revolt in fiery caucus call over 'damaging' move

www.rawstory.com/mike-johnson...

Mike Johnson hit with GOP revolt in fiery caucus call over 'damaging' move

A private call among House Republicans has exposed cracks developing within Speaker Mike Johnson's strategy for handling the ongoing government shutdown.MSNBC.com reported that at least three Republic...

www.rawstory.com

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Cavalcade Of Asshats To The Rescue @mers0274.bsky.social · 9h

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Jerry Stearns @jerrystearns.bsky.social · 9h

Thank you Joe Biden for getting my $8,400 loan in 1993 which had grown to $38,000 forgiven. If everyone voted their financial and legal interests we would have Harris forgiving the rest of your loans. FAFO

Elizabeth Warren @warren.senate.gov · 12h

Donald Trump wants to sell YOUR student loan debt to Wall Street.

He's not looking out for you — he's looking to make his CEO buddies more money off of your back.

Trump administration considers sale of federal student loan debt

The discussions have taken place among senior Education Department and Treasury Department officials.

www.politico.com

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The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 12h

Sen. Elissa Slotkin on Letitia James being indicted: "It's part of a bigger trend of the President of the United States using the Department of Justice, using the legal system, to go after political adversaries."

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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 9h

This is good, from Hakeem Jeffries. More of this please, in every conceivable forum:

"Sycophants who aid and abet the President’s vengeful schemes will not be able to hide from the serious legal consequences of their behavior. They will be held accountable."

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QuoProQuid @quoproquid.bsky.social · 16h

what the fuck

aaron from queens from twitter @aaronnarraph.bsky.social · 17h

the background on zohran's colbert appearance is jaw-droppingly disgusting

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 10h

I’ve never seen anything remotely this petty charged as bank fraud.

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 11h

NEW: Here's the two-count indictment against NY AG Letitia James. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

INDICTMENT
October 2025 Term - at Alexandria, Virginia
THE GRAND JURY CHARGES THAT:
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
At all times relevant to this Indictment:
1. Letitia A. James ("JAMES) was a resident of Brooklyn, New York, and the borrower on a
Fannie Mae-backed mortgage loan for the property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue,
Norfolk, Virginia.
2. OVM Financial (also known as Old Virginia Mortgage / AnnieMac) was a mortgage lending business located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, engaged in the business of originating and underwriting residential mortgage loans, including those backed by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"). OVM Financial qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(10).
3. Fannie Mae was a federally chartered corporation that purchased and guaranteed mortgages,
operating as a government-sponsored enterprise under the oversight of the Federal Housing

Finance Agency ("FHFA").
4. First Savings Bank was a state-chartered, FDIC-insured financial institution (Certificate
#29961), headquartered in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which acquired mortgage loans through assignment or acquisition. First Savings Bank qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(1).
5. On or about August 17, 2020, JAMES, as sole borrower, purchased the three (3) bedroom,
(1) bathroom property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23509 (the
"Peronne Property"), for approximately $137,000, financed with a mortgage loan of approximately $109,600 (Loan #4430025978) backed by Fannie Mae.
6. The loan was originated by OVM Financial under a signed Second Home Rider, which required JAMES, as the sole borrower to occupy and use the property as her secondary residence, and prohibited its use as a timesharing or other shared ownership arrangement or agreement that requires her either to rent the property or give any other person any control over the occupancy or use of the property.
7. Despite these representations, the Peronne Property was not occupied or used by JAMES as a secondary residence and was instead used as a rental investment property, renting the property to a family of (3).
8. This misrepresentation allowed JAMES to obtain favorable loan terms not available for investment properties, including a note rate of 3.000% (avoiding a 0.815% higher
comparable investment property rate of 3.815%, resulting in approximately $17,837 in rate savings over the life of the loan), a seller credit of approximately $3,288 (exceeding the seller credit for investment properties by approximately $1,096), for total ill-gotten gains of approximately $18,933 over the life of the loan.
9. JAMES' Universal Property application for homeowners' insurance indicated "owner-

occupied non-seasonal use," further misrepresenting the intended use of the property.
10. JAMES filed Schedule E tax forms), under penalties of perjury, treating the Perrone Property as rental real estate, reporting fair rental days, zero personal use days, thousand(s)
of dollars in rents received, and claiming deductions for expenses relating to the property, further contradicting the second home classification.
11. The loan was acquired by or assigned to First Savings Bank by March 2021, exposing it to risks associated with the misrepresented loan.
12. The acts described herein occurred within the Eastern District of Virginia.
COUNT ONE
(Bank Fraud - 18 U.S.C. § 1344)
13. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein.
14. From on or about August 7, 2020, through at least January 2024, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly execute and attempt to execute a scheme and artifice to defraud OVM Financial and First Savings Bank,
financial institutions, and to obtain moneys, funds, and credits owned by and under the custody and control of OVM Financial and First Savings Bank by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
15. The scheme involved falsely representing the Peronne Property as a secondary residence to obtain favorable mortgage terms, while using it as an investment property with no intended
or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344).
COUNT TWO
(False Statements to a Financial Institution - 18 U.S.C. § 1014)
16. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein.

17. From on or about July 28, 2020, through at least August 31, 2020, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly make and cause to be made false statements and reports for the purpose of influencing the action of OVM Financial, a Fannie Mae-backed lender, upon an application for a loan, in that JAMES represented and affirmed in uniform residential loan applications and related documents that
the Peronne Property would be used as a secondary residence, when in truth and fact, as JAMES then knew, the property was intended and used as an investment property with no intended or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014).
FORFEITURE NOTICE
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32.2(a) and Title 18, U.S.C. §
982(a)(2)(A), upon conviction of the offenses in Counts One and Two, the Defendant, Letitia
A. James, shall forfeit to the United States any property constituting, or derived from, proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of such violations, including but not limited to a money judgment in the amount of $18,933.
If any of the property described above, as a result of any act or omission of the Defendant: (a) cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence; (b) has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third party; (c) has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the court; (d) has been substantially diminished in value; or (e) has been commingled with other property which cannot be divided without difficulty, the United States shall be entitled to a forfeiture of substitute property pursuant to Title 21, U.S.C. § 853(b), as incorporated by Title
18 U.S.C. § 982(b)(1).
(In accordance with Title 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C) and 982(a)(1); Title 28, U.S.C. § 2461(c); and Title 21 U.S.C. § 853(p).)

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Maris Kreizman @maris.bsky.social · 19h

This is so damn scary. The book claimed that Jeffrey Epstein was the one who introduced Donald and Melania. Now the CEO of Harper UK is out.

Jay Rayner @jayrayner1.bsky.social · 1d

In other news Charlie Redmayne, the long serving CEO of HC in the UK, resigned yesterday.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James @newyorkstateag.bsky.social · 11h

This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.

I am not fearful — I am fearless.

We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights..

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Richard Halliday @rthalliday.bsky.social · 10h

More of this. @govpritzker.illinois.gov protect your protestors. The police should be facing ICE, not the demonstrators.

✊Larry Colvin✊ @larrycolvin.bsky.social · 1d

Portland PD threatens ICE with arrest! More. Of. This. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19h

C-SPAN caller to Mike Johnson: "Hearing you say that 'everyone is smiling' in cities where troops have been rolled into feels dystopian and insane watching the response to it."

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Jerry Stearns @jerrystearns.bsky.social · 10h

@bencollins.bsky.social can you prank call the Felon and tell him he won the Nobel? It would win the internet.

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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 11h

New statement from AG James:

"This is nothing more than a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system.

"I am not fearful — I am fearless."

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Jerry Stearns @jerrystearns.bsky.social · 12h

Stop calling it the Rump plan that he did nothing to get it

Lawfare @lawfaremedia.org · 12h

Today Israel and Hamas signed onto the first phase of a ceasefire deal to exchange hostages and prisoners.

Last week, @sranderson.bsky.social sat down with Joel Braunold to discuss what is in the proposed Israel- Gaza peace deal. Listen now: youtube.com/live/g5uOGAj...

Lawfare Live, The Day After: Trump’s Peace Plan for Gaza

Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson will speak to Managing Director at S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace Joel Braunold about President Trump...

youtube.com

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Andrea Devon @andreadevon.bsky.social · 17h

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Jerry Stearns @jerrystearns.bsky.social · 12h

Go to Canada and you will be ok

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19h

Republican C-SPAN caller to Mike Johnson: "As a Republican, I'm very disappointed in my party,and I'm very disappointed in you, because you have the power to call the House back. You refuse to do that just for a show."

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CREW @citizensforethics.org · 12h

Permanently cutting funding that Congress has allocated is illegal under the Impoundment Control Act—whether it's during a government shutdown or not.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16h

Trump: "We'll be making cuts that will be permanent. And we're only going to cut Democrat programs. I hate to tell you."

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Rhuta Bhayga @rhutabhayga.bsky.social · 17h

Voters in California who live more than 50 miles from a USPS regional mail center must mail their VBM ballots AT LEAST ONE DAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY to ensure they're postmarked on time and counted. Ballots mailed on ED will be postmarked the following day, making them ineligible.

shorturl.at/ctY4K

California Election Day ballots may miss deadline under new USPS rules

A ballot mailed on Election Day more than 50 miles from a USPS regional hub could be postmarked late due to new rules.

shorturl.at

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Jerry Stearns @jerrystearns.bsky.social · 12h

Someone please prank call him and tell him he won.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13h

Trump: "Obama got a prize for doing nothing. Obama got a prize, he didn't even know what he got it -- he got elected and they gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country. He was not a good president."

Jerry Stearns @jerrystearns.bsky.social · 12h

We are blaring it out every day you demented idiot. HIPPA be damned that is my professional judgment.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13h

Trump: "I also did a cognitive exam. Which is always very risky because if I didn't do well, you'd be the first to be blaring it and I had a perfect score. And one of the doctors said he's almost never seen a perfect score. I had a perfect score. That made me well good ... not the easiest test."

Jerry Stearns @jerrystearns.bsky.social · 12h

If we had a good minority leadership we would have the news every day to describe how we will restore our democracy

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 19h

Democrats should just start insisting that they saw very real videos of people rioting at Mar-a-Lago -- overturning golf carts, setting fire to the brunch buffet, stabbing busboys with carving knives, whatever -- and calling on Trump to send the Illinois National Guard there to restore order.

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TizzyWoman @tizzywoman.bsky.social · 17h

If you live in a red state, you’re getting screwed the hardest by Trump and Republicans buddies.
The top 10 states facing the highest projected premium increases are all Republican led.

Get LOUD! Be PISSED! Call your Reps! (202) 224-3121

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