Black Fla. Democrat Found Guilty. Chicago Businessman Slain. Pinky Cole Fights Back #TheBreakdown

Representative Sheila McCormack was found guilty of 25 ethics violations by a House ethics panel. The charges stem from allegations that she and her brother laundered $5 million in federal emergency management agency (FEMA) funding, which was an overpayment to her family's healthcare company, Trinity Healthcare Services, for a COVID-19 vaccination contract. The funds were allegedly routed through multiple accounts and used to finance her successful 2022 special election campaign. The full ethics committee may recommend censure, reprimand, committee removal, or expulsion.

McCormack and her attorney sat for nearly seven hours during this televised House trial after which ethics lawmakers deliberated overnight for hours before reaching their decision. The Justice Department indicted her in November on charges that she took and laundered $5 million in federal emergency management agency funding.

Jonathan Thomas, a senior consultant with Wells Fargo, outlined key strategies for financial well-being. He emphasized 'living below your means' not as a sacrifice, but as a strategy to create financial 'margin' for investments and emergencies. Key actionable steps include thoroughly understanding income and expenses, proactively communicating with creditors to negotiate terms (e.g., rent, insurance), shopping for better insurance rates, and optimizing grocery budgets by planning 3-4 basic, healthy meals. He stressed that investing makes money work for you, eventually generating more wealth than personal savings alone, and that it's never too late to start.

He's a senior consultant with Wells Fargo, who's focused on financial education and helping people live below their means so that they can invest and build long-term wealth. 'It gives you the space most people call it margin so that as things come, you have the financial resources.' 'Communicate with everyone you owe because just by doing that you can either save a little few dollars on rent... or insurance.' 'Investing is actually when your money begins to actually work for you.'

Donald Trump publicly disparaged California Governor Gavin Newsome for admitting he has dyslexia, while boasting about his own performance on a 'cognitive test.' Panelists strongly refuted Trump's claims, asserting that he likely took the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a short test designed to detect cognitive decline, not measure IQ. They argued that Trump's repeated emphasis on his test scores and his attacks on Newsome's intelligence are a clear instance of projection, reflecting his own insecurities about his mental acuity. They highlighted that dyslexia does not equate to a lack of intelligence, citing Newsome's successful governorship as evidence, and criticized Trump's 'fascist' tendency to devalue those with different abilities.

Trump stated: 'I don't want a stupid person being president... I'm the only president that ever took a cognitive test. I took it three times. I aced it all three times.' Panelist Reesei: 'Donald Trump, you have taken multiple cognitive tests because you are old as [expletive]. They're worried you have dementia.' Panelist Mandelle: 'He took the Montreal cognitive test... It is not meant to measure IQ. As Reesei said, it's simply to see if your ass is losing your mind.'

Tevin Stutter founded a program inspired by the lack of Black authors and characters in children's literature, aiming to empower young people to write and publish their own books. The program, 'LEADS' (Literacy, Entrepreneurship, and Dreams), not only teaches writing but also fosters ownership, creativity, and financial literacy. Children sell their published books at author fairs, learning to manage money and reinvest. This initiative has significantly boosted participants' confidence, improved their grades, and provided positive representation. With 1,200 published authors and expansion into multiple states, Stutter's goal is to reach 10,000 authors by year-end, offering kids a path to long-term income and self-expression.

Tevin Stutter: 'There wasn't too much literature that was written by black people as well as seeing black characters. So, I wanted to kind of create a world for them and then inspire other children to become authors.' 'The program says, leads, so it stands for literacy, entrepreneurship, and dreams.' 'We got 1,200 kids now that are published authors. And it's expanded from Indiana to now it's in Louisiana, Missouri.' 'My goal is at least 10,000 authors by the end of this year.'