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US

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions addresses the National Law Enforcement Conference on Human Exploitation in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., June 6, 2017. (Photo: Reuters)

The Justice Department (DOJ) denaturalized a child sex abuser and 4 Somali nationals who gamed the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program.

Olugbenga Omopariola, 61, engaged in sexual contact with a 7-year-old minor, which he admitted and was later convicted of, making him ineligible for applying for U.S. citizenship. However, he concealed his legal history during the naturalization process.

The Omopariola case was referred to DOJ by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Fosia Abdi Adan, 51, conceded that she willfully misrepresented and omitted material facts to obtain U.S. citizenship, including the fraudulent nature of her relationship to individuals she claimed to be her children. The denaturalization of Adan marked the culmination of the government’s case against four individuals—a purported husband, wife, and two sons.

DOJ said all four individuals “unlawfully, knowingly, and fraudulently represented to immigration officials that they were a family in order to gain admission to the United States through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, which they later used to obtain U.S. citizenship.”

Judge Susan Richard Nelson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota entered orders revoking the naturalized U.S. citizenship of Adan’s purported husband, Ahmed Mohamed Warsame aka Jama Solob Kayre, 53, on February 27, 2018.

Her purported sons, Mustaf Abdi Adan aka Mohamed Jama Solob, 33, and Faysal Jama Mire aka Mobarak Jama Solob, 31, had their naturalization revoked by Judge Nelson on March 19, 2018.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for the U.S. Congress to “immediately terminate” the diversity visa lottery. Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide “a limited number” of visas for a class of immigrants known as “diversity immigrants.”

“The current immigration system is too often abused by fraudsters and nefarious actors. These cases are prime examples of the unfortunate fraud that is all too common within our immigration system,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “The Department will continue to investigate and prosecute others who conceal their heinous crimes, and those who seek to rely on fraudulent relationships to become naturalized United States citizens.”

Diversity visas are allegedly issued to those who come from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S., regardless of risk to national security. They are distributed among 6 geographic regions as a lottery, and registration costs are non-existent.

However, the system is easy to game.

“The integrity of our consular processes is a core element of U.S. national security,” said Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Carl Risch. “The Department of State works closely with the Justice Department efforts to detect, deter, and combat fraud related to U.S. travel documents.”

“These denaturalizations demonstrate the value of this important interagency collaboration; a partnership that allows us to facilitate travel by qualified individuals in the context of ensuring a strong and secure U.S. border.”

As People’s Pundit Daily (PPD) was first to report, Sayfullo Saipov, the 29-year-old Uzbekistan national who killed 8 and injured at least 11 others during a terror attack near the World Trade Center in October 2017, came to the U.S. under the program.

The Justice Department (DOJ) denaturalized a child

Politics

Judge Neil Gorsuch, his wife Louise, with President Donald Trump during the nomination announcement in the East Room of the White House on January 31, 2017. (Photo: White House)

Judge Neil Gorsuch, his wife Louise, with President Donald Trump during the nomination announcement in the East Room of the White House on January 31, 2017. (Photo: White House)

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch has hired Tobi Merritt Edwards Young for the 2018 term, the first Native American clerk ever at the High Court.

Ms. Young is an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation from Midwest City, Oklahoma, and has a two decade-long history with the Court’s newest justice. She has worked for Justice Gorsuch since the Bush Administration.

“I hope that if other Chickasaws read about my experiences, they will recognize that nothing stops them from pursuing any dream that they have too,” Young said in a Chickasaw Nation press release. “Somebody from where they are from is going to be working every day at the Supreme Court, and there’s no reason that there shouldn’t be many more to come.”

Ms. Young graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 2003 and went to work for Justice Gorsuch at the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. He helped her secure a clerkship for Judge Jerome Holmes on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Young even served on the team that prepared for his confirmation hearings in 2017.

She is currently general counsel and staff secretary for the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas.

Justice Gorsuch also retained Ethan Davis of King & Spalding LLP and Paul Mezzina, an alum of the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s chambers, for the 2018 term.

A recent National Law Journal study found 85% of clerks hired at the Supreme Court clerks since 2005 are white, and roughly two-thirds are men.

There are approximately 60,000 enrolled Chickasaw in 2018, a tribe that was among the five forced to move from territory east of the Mississippi River on the “Trail of Tears.” Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby said in a statement the appointment marks a significant milestone.

“It is difficult to overstate the significance of having a well-qualified, experienced Chickasaw such as Ms. Young serving as Supreme Court clerk,” Mr. Anoatubby said. “Justice Gorsuch is well respected by tribal leaders for his understanding of tribal sovereignty and Indian law. His decision to select a Native American to serve as clerk underscores his appreciation of the importance of the Native perspective on Indian law.”

Justice Gorsuch was appointed by President Donald Trump, and opposed by nearly every single Democrat in the U.S. Senate. That hardline opposition came even after he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate unanimously by a voice vote in 2006. The roll call shows “Yeah” votes include Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., then-Sens. Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Dianne Feinstein.

As People’s Pundit Daily (PPD) previously reported, Democrats historically have played a more obstructionist role on court nomination than Republicans.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch has

Economy

The massive Big John dragline reshapes the rocky landscape in some of the last sections to be mined for coal at the Hobet site in Boone County, West Virginia. (Photo: Reuters)

The massive Big John dragline reshapes the rocky landscape in some of the last sections to be mined for coal at the Hobet site in Boone County, West Virginia. (Photo: Reuters)

Industrial production soared 0.5% in March, slightly beating the 0.4% median economic forecast as mining and utilities led the monthly gains. The solid jump comes after a 1.0% gain in February.

Worth noting, the tariffs imposed on aluminum and steel imports don’t appear to have had any negative impact on this report.

The industrial production index advanced 4.5% at an annual rate for the first quarter (1Q) 2018 after having increased 1.5% in February. The manufacturing production edged up 0.1% in March.

Mining output rose 1.0%, mostly as a result of gains in oil and gas extraction and in support activities for mining. The index for utilities jumped 3.0% after being suppressed in February by warmer-than-normal temperatures.

At 107.2% of its 2012 average, total industrial production was 4.3% higher in March than it was a year earlier. Capacity utilization for the industrial sector moved up 0.3% point in March to 78.0%, a rate that is 1.8% below its long-run (1972–2017) average.

Industrial production soared 0.5% in March, slightly

Economy

New residential homes are shown under construction in Carlsbad, California September 19, 2011. (Photo: Reuters)

New residential homes are shown under construction in Carlsbad, California September 19, 2011. (Photo: Reuters)

The U.S. Census Bureau’s new residential construction report shows housing starts and building permits both beat the median forecast in March.

Building Permits

Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,354,000. This is 2.5 percent (±1.4 percent) above the revised February rate of 1,321,000 and is 7.5 percent (±1.4 percent) above the March 2017 rate of 1,260,000. Single-family authorizations in March were at a rate of 840,000; this is 5.5 percent (±1.5 percent) below the revised February figure of 889,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 473,000 in March.

Housing Starts

Privately-owned housing starts in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,319,000. This is 1.9 percent (±12.4 percent)* above the revised February estimate of 1,295,000 and is 10.9 percent (±10.0 percent) above the March 2017 rate of 1,189,000. Single-family housing starts in March were at a rate of 867,000; this is 3.7 percent (±11.8 percent)* below the revised February figure of 900,000. The March rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 439,000.

Housing Completions

Privately-owned housing completions in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,217,000. This is 5.1 percent (±16.0 percent)* below the revised February estimate of 1,282,000, but is 1.9 percent (±13.4 percent)* above the March 2017 rate of 1,194,000. Single-family housing completions in March were at a rate of 840,000; this is 4.7 percent (±12.3 percent)* below the revised February rate of 881,000. The March rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 371,000.

The U.S. Census Bureau's new residential construction

Economy

A completed house (rear) is seen behind the earthworks of a home currently under construction at the Mid-Atlantic Builder's 'The Villages of Savannah' development site in Brandywine, Maryland May 31, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

A completed house (rear) is seen behind the earthworks of a home currently under construction at the Mid-Atlantic Builder’s ‘The Villages of Savannah’ development site in Brandywine, Maryland May 31, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) finds builder confidence ticked down just 1 point to 69 in April, despite supply-side constraints.

“Strong demand for housing is keeping builders optimistic about future market conditions,” said NAHB Chairman Randy Noel, a custom home builder from LaPlace, La. “However, builders are facing supply-side constraints, such as a lack of buildable lots and increasing construction material costs. Tariffs placed on Canadian lumber and other imported products are pushing up prices and hurting housing affordability.”

The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index has been gauging builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six months for 30 years. It rates perceptions as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” The survey also asks builders to rate traffic of prospective buyers as “high to very high,” “average” or “low to very low.”

Looking at the three-month moving averages for regional HMI scores, the South remained unchanged at 73, the Northeast ticked down one point to 55, while the Midwest fell 2 points to 66 and the West declined 3 points to 76.

“Ongoing employment gains, rising wages and favorable demographics should spur demand for single-family homes in the months ahead,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “The minor dip in builder confidence this month is likely due to winter weather effects, which may be slowing housing activity in some pockets of the country. As we head into the spring home buying season, we can expect the market to continue to make gains at a gradual pace.”

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo

Economy

A worker stacks boxes of television sets after they have been assembled, checked and repackaged, before moving them to the warehouse at Element Electronics in Winnsboro, South Carolina May 29, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

A worker stacks boxes of television sets after they have been assembled, checked and repackaged, before moving them to the warehouse at Element Electronics in Winnsboro, South Carolina May 29, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

The U.S. Census Bureau said business inventories rose 0.6% in February for a second straight month in February. That compares to a 3Q average monthly build of 0.3%, indicating business inventories will be a big contributor to first-quarter (1Q) gross domestic product (GDP).

Sales

The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for February, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,430.4 billion, up 0.4% (±0.2%) from January 2018 and was up 5.8% (±0.3%) from February 2017

Inventories

Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,928.8 billion, up 0.6% (±0.1%) from January 2018 and were up 4.0% (±0.3%) from February 2017.

Inventories/Sales Ratio

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of February was 1.35. The February 2017 ratio was 1.37

The U.S. Census Bureau said business inventories

Polls

FBI Director James Comey testifies before a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. on July 14, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

FBI Director James Comey testifies before a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. on July 14, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

Last Friday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said James Comey “will forever be known as a disgraced partisan hack” who betrayed the trust of the president.

The fired former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is rated by voters among the worst leaders of the bureau. Just 14% say he was a better FBI director than most of those who held the job before him, while nearly 4 in 10 (38%) say he was worse.

A new Rasmussen Reports national survey finds nearly half (46%) of likely voters believe Mr. Comey be prosecuted for leaking information to the media at the time he was director of the FBI. That includes 29% of Democrats, 65% of Republicans and 46% of unaffiliated voters.

Only 34% disagree and 20% are unsure. Preference by gender is almost identical, with 48% of men and 44% of women agreeing.

He was fired and investigated for his mishandling of the Clinton email case, but wrote an ethically-questionable “tell all” book. President Trump took to Twitter earlier Friday morning to call Mr. Comey a “proven leaker” and an “untruthful slime ball.”

Apparently, that view is not out of the mainstream.

On May 3, 2017, Mr. Comey told members of the U.S. Congress under oath that he “never” leaked to the media, or was an “anonymous source in news reports relating to the Trump investigation or the Clinton investigation.”

However, on June 8, 2017, he admitted that he had a friend “share the content of the memo with a reporter” because he thought it “might prompt the appointment of the special counsel.”

Further, former deputy director Andrew McCabe, who was also recently fired for lying on at least 4 separate occasions during the course of internal investigations, claimed he was given authorization by Mr. Comey to leak information about the Clinton email probe.

The two men are now throwing each other under the bus. The Justice Department (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz last week released part of his findings from an internal investigation that concluded Mr. McCabe also lied under oath on multiple occasions and leaked in “a manner designed to advance his personal interests.”

The survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted on April 12 – 15, 2018 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. See methodology.

Nearly half of voters want fired former

Policy

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (Photo: Reuters)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (Photo: Reuters)

I’m in Brussels, where I’m participating in an “Economic Freedom Summit” on the unfriendly turf of the European Parliament.

My role was to chair a panel about whether Venezuela can recover from socialism. I obviously have an opinion on that topic, but I want to write today about some information that was shared on the panel about transition economies.

Andrei Illarionov, a former adviser to Vladimir Putin, gave a talk about economic reform in Russia. I also have an opinion on that topic, but that’s also not today’s issue.

Instead, I want to share some of his charts on the broader topic of government spending and economic growth.

As you might expect, he showed the negative correlation between the size of government and economic performance in Russia.

He also had numbers for the United States, though for a much longer period of time.

He also had the data for Germany.

And also the numbers for Japan.

Since the panel’s main focus was countries making the transition from communism, Andrei also looked at the relationship between government spending and growth rates in those nations.

Last but not least, here are his calculations based on 56 years of data in developed countries, on the impact of government spending on economic growth.

This is powerful data, even when you factor in the caveats Andrei mentioned in the discussion.

For all intents and purposes, the lines in Andrei’s various charts are measures of the downward sloping portion of the Rahn Cure. I explain in this video.

I’ve shared research on government spending and economic performance on any occasions, including some findings from a very good book published by London’s Institute for Economic Affairs.

And it’s worth noting that even the left-leaning OECD has produced findings very similar to Andrei’s data.

  • The OECD admitted in one study that “a reduction in the size of the government could increase long-term GDP by about 10%, with much larger effects in some countries.”
  • The OECD admitted in another study that “a cut in the tax-to-GDP ratio by 10 percentage points of GDP (accompanied by a deficit-neutral cut in transfers) may increase annual growth by ½ to 1 percentage points.”
  • The OECD admitted in a different study that “an increase of about one percentage point in the tax pressure (or, equivalently one half of a percentage point in government consumption, taken as a proxy for government size)…could be associated with a direct reduction of about 0.3 per cent in output per capita. If the investment effect is taken into account, the overall reduction would be about 0.6-0.7 per cent.”

And the IMF also has a statist orientation, but it also has confessed that larger governments hinder growth, writing that “A tax cut for the middle-class, financed from a lump-sum reduction in government spending, …raises the steady state GDP by just under 1 percent after 5 years… in the simple case where the tax cuts are paid for by lump sum cuts in government spending, the personal income tax multiplier is around 3.”

In other words, the research clearly shows that shrinking the burden of government spending is a great recipe to promote greater prosperity. Andrei’s data is simply another layer of evidence.

Economic data from the United States, Russia,

Economy

A factory worker at a New York manufacturing plant. (Photo: Reuters)

A factory worker at a New York manufacturing plant. (Photo: Reuters)

The headline general business conditions index for the Empire State Manufacturing Survey declined 7 points in April, but remained solid at 15.8. The median economist forecast was a slightly stronger 18.2, though the concern for overheating in the index was real.

The new orders index and the shipments index also indicated less robust growth, with the first index falling 8 points to 9.0 and the second declining 10 points to 17.5.

Worth noting, optimism about the 6-month outlook tumbled as index for future business conditions fell 20 points to 18.3. That’s the lowest level in more than 2 years and it comes after reaching its highest level in many years last month. The index for future prices paid was little changed, indicating a widespread expectation that input prices will gain over the next 6 months.

The index for future prices received ticked higher and the capital expenditures index posted its third consecutive monthly decline. However, at 25.2, it indicates that manufacturing firms still plan to increase capital spending in the months ahead.

The headline general business conditions index for

Economy

A shopper passes a ''Sale'' sign at Quincy Market in downtown in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. January 11, 2017. (Photo: Reuters)

A shopper passes a ”Sale” sign at Quincy Market in downtown in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. January 11, 2017. (Photo: Reuters)

The U.S. Census Bureau said U.S. retail sales increased by a solid 0.6% in March to $494.6 billion, more than the 0.4% median forecast. With the gain, retails sales are now 4.5% (±0.5%) above March 2017.

Total sales for the January 2018 through March 2018 period were up 4.1 percent (±0.5 percent) from the same period a year ago. The January 2018 to February 2018 percent change was unrevised from down 0.1% (±0.2%).

Retail trade sales were up 0.6 percent (±0.5 percent) from February 2018, and 4.7% (±0.5%) above last year. Gasoline Stations were up 9.7% (±1.6%) from March 2017, while Nonstore Retailers were up 9.7% (±1.4%) from last year

The U.S. Census Bureau said U.S. retail

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