Second set of classified docs found in Biden’s Delaware home; Garland names special counsel – National & International News – THU 12Jan2023

Second set of classified docs found in Biden’s Delaware home.

December inflation was 6.5%, first time under 7% in a year.

Brazil orders arrest of former top Bolsonaro official after riot.

NATIONAL NEWS

Second set of classified docs found in Biden’s Delaware home

Three days ago, we learned that a cache of about 10 classified documents had been found in a private Washington office used by President Biden when he was Vice President. Last night, news broke that a second set of classified documents had been found elsewhere. The White House revealed today that this second location was Biden’s home in Wilmington, DE. Biden says the documents were found in a locked garage at the home by his aides.

After the news of the discovery earlier this week, former President Trump took to TruthSocial, demanding to know if all of Biden’s other homes were going to be searched. Biden’s team has apparently been doing just that. A search at another home of Biden’s at Rehoboth Beach turned up no further documents.

The Washington cache was found just days before the midterms. Biden’s team immediately notified the National Archives, who collected them the next day. The documents from both Washington and Wilmington date from his time as Vice President.

There’s not yet been any clarification on when the Wilmington batch was found, whether it was around the time the Washington documents were discovered or more recently. Biden’s White House special counsel Richard Sauber says Biden’s attorneys completed their search of his properties on Wednesday night. Sauber also said that Biden is cooperating fully with an investigation by the Justice Department.

Probes, special counsels, and unanswered questions

There hasn’t yet been much explanation of how the documents found their way to Biden’s properties in the first place. It has been suggested by Sauber and others that after Biden’s time as Vice President, the boxes may have been carelessly packed up and shipped off to his various offices for storage. Whatever the circumstances, the matter is of grave concern to the intelligence community. According to anonymous reports, at least some of the documents from Washington bore TS/SCI classification. These documents are never meant to be removed from a secure room, known as a SCIF. There hasn’t yet been any reporting as to the classification levels of the Wilmington documents.

 Two different Congressional committees charged with intelligence matters have sought briefings on the discoveries. Attorney General Merrick Garland has assigned the case of the Washington documents to a DOJ attorney in Chicago, one of the few Trump appointees still leading regional offices in the US. In light of the newly announced discovery, Garland has appointed a special counsel, Robert Hur, to investigate Biden’s handling of classified documents. Last year, Garland appointed Jack Smith as special counsel to oversee the various investigations into Trump, including his mishandling and concealing of classified documents.

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December inflation was 6.5%, first time under 7% in a year

There was some encouraging economic news today. December’s year-on-year inflation rate dropped to 6.5%, down from 7.1% in November. This is the first time since Nov. 2021 that inflation has been below 7%. Inflation appears to have peaked over the summer at about 9%.

This would seem to indicate that the Federal Reserve’s program of interest rate hikes over 2022 have had the desired effect. Even better, unemployment numbers haven’t risen drastically, as many feared. If this trend continues, the Fed may be able to ease off on its rate hikes for now. For the first time in months, there’s a general feeling of optimism among economists that the US may be able to get inflation under control without sliding into a recession.

While this is very good news, prices on consumer goods including groceries remain too high for many. However, there’s reason to hope that price trends are at least heading in the right direction, which should mean fewer steep price hikes like those we saw in 2022.

With certain commodities, supply chain issues remain a problem. For example, the price of eggs has risen sharply in many parts of the country due to avian flu, which has necessitated the culling of millions of birds.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Brazil probes involvement of top officials Bolsonaro riot

Videos of thousands of rioters ransacking Brazil’s capital complex in Brasilia on Sunday evoked memories for many of Jan. 6, 2021. There are many points of comparison. The rioters were supporters of outside right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro who had bought into messaging from Bolsonaro’s camp implying that the elections were stolen. The rioters were organized openly on social media, answering calls for a “party” in Brasilia. Group messages have surfaced promising “all expenses paid” trips to Brasilia for anyone willing to attend.

They arrived on more than 100 buses from all over the country. No one is sure yet who paid for the buses. Coincidentally, Trump cronies Steve Bannon and Jason Miller met with Jair Bolsonaro’s son shortly after Bolsonaro lost, apparently to advise them on the next steps. As the riot was in progress, Bannon was on social media cheering them on.

The Jan. 8 riot, as it’s becoming known, did differ from Jan. 6 in some ways though. There were few images showing any clashes with police; quite the opposite in fact. The police in the capital not only allowed the mob to enter the capitol complex unchallenged, the police were also actively encouraging the rioters.

When the military arrived to take charge of the situation, the mob cheered, apparently believing the soldiers had arrived to join their cause. Instead, the soldiers quickly rounded up and arrested everyone they could, over 1,500 in all.

Bolsonaro and his former justice minister were both in Orlando

Because of the security failings, Brazil’s top court has ordered the arrest of Anderson Torres. Torres was formerly Bolsonaro’s justice minister. Since Bolsonaro’s election loss, Torres took a new post as Brasilia’s public security chief. Torres was head of the police in the capitol district in Brasilia, the ones who allowed the rioters in. Conveniently, Torres was in Orlando, FL, at the time of the riots. US at the time of the riots and has yet to return to Brazil to face the charges.

By an incredible coincidence, former President Bolsonaro is also in Orlando. He left Brazil shortly before the Jan. 1 inauguration of his leftist-rival Lula’s and hasn’t returned. No warrant has yet been issued for Bolsonaro’s arrest in connection with Jan. 8. However, there are accusations of corruption and embezzlement against Bolsonaro, for which he couldn’t be prosecuted while he was still President. His son has already been charged (not the same one who met with Bannon).

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