Fogbow

The About Face Beauty Spa in Royal Oak, Michigan, a quiet suburb north of Detroit, offers a variety of skin and body services, from $10 lip waxing to a $150 “bridal make-up” session.

But while owner Robin Manoogian generally caters to a local clientele, you’ve likely seen her work.

That’s because the Republican National Committee has paid the beauty spa more than $17,000 in recent years to do Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel’s hair and make-up ahead of the powerful Michigander’s many appearances on national television.

An RNC spokeswoman defended the committee’s hair-and-makeup spending, which it characterized in federal campaign finance filings as “ media preparation.”

Rightwing legal activist accused of misusing $73m from non-profit groups
A watchdog complaint filed with the IRS presents an accounting of the money paid to Leonard Leo’s for-profit businesses

David Smith in Washington
Thu 6 Apr 2023 11.00 BST

Leonard Leo, a rightwing legal activist, has raked in more than $73m over six years from non-profit groups that may be diverting money illegally to his businesses, according to a watchdog complaint seen by the Guardian.

Leo is a hugely influential figure said to have been the chief curator of supreme court nominees when Donald Trump was US president. The devout Catholic is a staunch opponent of abortion rights.

The Campaign for Accountability, a non-profit watchdog organisation based in Washington, has called for an investigation into seven non-profit groups linked to Leo that it said may be misusing millions of dollars for the personal benefit of insiders – a violation of their tax-exempt status.

On Wednesday, the watchdog filed an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) complaint dissecting six years of filings from the Leo-affiliated organisations and presenting an accounting of more than $73m paid to his for-profit businesses.

The document concludes that Leo “caused” several recently formed non-profits “to pay him (directly or indirectly) more than $73m over a six-year period from 2016 through 2021”.

It adds that there is some evidence to suggest Leo’s for-profit businesses, BH Group and CRC Advisors, which received millions of dollars for alleged consulting, research or public relations services, “may have either not have provided those services at all or may have provided services at a level not commensurate with the payments received”.

The non-profits are the Rule of Law Trust, 85 Fund (formerly known as the Judicial Education Project), Concord Fund (formerly known as the Judicial Crisis Network), Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy Studies, Freedom and Opportunity Fund, Wellspring Committee and Marble Freedom Trust.

Last month the Politico website reported that Leo’s personal wealth rocketed at the same time that he hit new heights in political fundraising. The article said spending by Leo’s aligned non-profits on his for-profit business “demonstrates the extent to which his money-raising benefited his own bottom line”.

The Campaign for Accountability also charts a considerable boost in Leo’s own finances in recent years.




https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... estigation

Kendra wrote: ↑Thu Apr 06, 2023 10:40 am https://www.alternet.org/ronna-mcdaniel ... ly-100000/

The About Face Beauty Spa in Royal Oak, Michigan, a quiet suburb north of Detroit, offers a variety of skin and body services, from $10 lip waxing to a $150 “bridal make-up” session.

But while owner Robin Manoogian generally caters to a local clientele, you’ve likely seen her work.

That’s because the Republican National Committee has paid the beauty spa more than $17,000 in recent years to do Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel’s hair and make-up ahead of the powerful Michigander’s many appearances on national television.

An RNC spokeswoman defended the committee’s hair-and-makeup spending, which it characterized in federal campaign finance filings as “ media preparation.”

raison de arizona wrote: ↑Thu Apr 06, 2023 2:12 pm RNC: Making Republicans Beautiful Again.

The former head of a Michigan medical marijuana licensing board has agreed to plead guilty to accepting $110,000 in bribes when he led the panel over a two-year period, authorities said Thursday.

The former head of a Michigan medical marijuana licensing board has agreed to plead guilty to accepting $110,000 in bribes when he led the panel over a two-year period, authorities said Thursday.

Rick Johnson acknowledged in a signed court filing that he acted "corruptly" when he accepted cash and other benefits to help businesses get licenses.

Charges against Johnson and three other men were announced by U.S. Attorney Mark Totten at a press conference near the Capitol in Lansing.

Johnson, 70, was chairman of the marijuana board for two years until spring 2019. The Republican years earlier also was a powerful lawmaker, serving as House speaker from 2001 through 2004.

“Public corruption is a poison to any democracy. ... That poison is especially toxic here," Totten said. “The marijuana industry has been likened to a modern-day gold rush, a new frontier where participants can stake their claim and just maybe return big rewards.”

Chilidog wrote: ↑Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:27 pm Tennessee.
Today.

What a racist travesty.

Chilidog wrote: ↑Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:27 pm Tennessee.
Today.

What a racist travesty.

sad-cafe wrote: ↑Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:19 pm I am so furious at these idiots.

As a classroom teacher I fear the day when I have to protect my babies (7th graders)

My hubby worries about keeping his guns-

He agrees that something must be done but he bristles at all the banning gun stuff because of labels.


I told him tonight that if a school shooting happened in my school I WOULD BE ONE OF THE ADULTS KILLED because I will protect my babies.


Made him think!



I HATE every republican ever. I have no use for them at all!

sad-cafe wrote: ↑Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:19 pm I am so furious at these idiots.

As a classroom teacher I fear the day when I have to protect my babies (7th graders)

My hubby worries about keeping his guns-

He agrees that something must be done but he bristles at all the banning gun stuff because of labels.


I told him tonight that if a school shooting happened in my school I WOULD BE ONE OF THE ADULTS KILLED because I will protect my babies.


Made him think!



I HATE every republican ever. I have no use for them at all!

The Republican Party today made it clear as day that a peaceful Black man with a megaphone is more threatening to them than a thousand violent white men with deadly weapons.

Kendra wrote: ↑Sun Apr 09, 2023 9:04 am What is it with the Budweiser hate?

Kendra wrote: ↑Sun Apr 09, 2023 9:04 am What is it with the Budweiser hate?



He couldn't pour it out and recycle the cans and packaging?

Does your normal crappy beer taste too woke? Is it 9am on a Tuesday, you’re only half drunk, but you’ve already shot all your bud light with a machine gun? Is your light beer not light enough, if you know what I mean? Well for people like you, there’s…
#MAGAMorons #ItsJustBeer