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MarketFinance Business Booster Fund announces first winners of grants

Stockwood Strategy

Fintech business lender MarketFinance has today made three grants of £5,000 each to winners of the MarketFinance Business Booster Fund. Over 500 virtual pitches were received and 5 were shortlisted. These businesses were put to a social media vote before three winners were selected. The three winning entries came from ethical breastfeeding clothing brand The Bshirt, smart food labelling specialist BlakBear and independent children’s literacy charity The Economist Educational Foundation. Inner city young people’s charity XLP and creative agency Collaborative Creations were the other two businesses to make the shortlist. Anil Stocker, CEO of MarketFinance commented: “We launched this initiative as a small boost to help the successful businesses pivot, scale or grow in 2021. We want to support more of the UK’s hardest working and most exciting SMEs. In addition to the grant, we will offer the time and skills of our expert staff to help their leadership teams. Whether they need tech, marketing, finance or communications support, we will provide the resources to help them get to where they want to go. The winners' applications were highly commended and we wish them all the very best for the year ahead. ” On being the first beneficiaries of grants from the MarketFinance Booster Fund, the winners’ comments: Lisa Lessaware, co-founder of The Bshirt said: “This means so much to our business. This grant will be used to launch exciting new ethical products to help women breastfeed more comfortably and ultimately for longer.” Michael Kasimatis, co-founder at BlakBear said: “We’re thrilled to receive this grant. It will help drive the technical and regulatory development. Initiatives like this truly help deliver research and innovation to the market. Thank you, MarketFinance". Harriet Boland, Fundraising & Partnerships manager, at The Economist Educational Foundation said: “We are delighted to receive a grant from the MarketFinance business booster fund! This money will help us grow and reach thousands more young people and enable them to have inspiring discussions about current affairs in schools." The Business Booster Fund was established in December 2020 and forms part of a commitment from MarketFinance to SMEs. The Fund makes grants of £5,000 available to UK small businesses, along with expert advice from MarketFinance’s team. The fund has been designed to develop innovative entrepreneurs even further. MarketFinance looked for entrepreneurs that represent our community as a whole, and is keen to support companies that value diversity, inclusion and giving back. Anil Stocker added: “We know that the winners, and all SMEs in general, face challenging times as we deal with both the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic challenges ahead. For that reason, it has been exciting to see a very wide range of innovative approaches from so many applicants to grow their businesses. It was difficult to narrow the awards down to a small number of outstanding winners and we look forward to supporting them with a variety of talent and resources at MarketFinance”. ENDS About MarketFinance MarketFinance is a business finance company with offices in London and Manchester. The online platform enables businesses to access a range of flexible finance solutions - quickly and easily. This smart technology is backed by help from real people so business owners can save time and focus on growing their business. Since 2011, MarketFinance has advanced over £3 billion to companies across a range of sizes and sectors, providing working capital and finance for everything from paying staff and suppliers to launching new products or services and accelerating growth. MarketFinance is backed by Barclays, Santander InnoVentures, European venture capital fund Northzone (invested in Klarna, iZettle and Trustpilot), and private equity group MCI Capital (also invested in iZettle, Azimo and Gett). Contact Details MarketFinance Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@marketfinance.com Company Website https://marketfinance.com/

February 03, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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A Toast to the Big Game: Celebrate the Big Game from Home and Help Out Local Businesses While You Do

YourUpdateTV

On a night when many would typically be flocking to their favorite bars and restaurants to watch the Big Game, this year will be a little different. Recently, Emily Arseneau, Director for Collectif 1806, teamed with Cointreau and YourUpdateTV on a satellite media tour to discuss what people can do to support local bars and restaurants. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/6yqrz1ggz1k It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a calamitous effect on local bars and restaurants, with the industry facing a long road to recovery. 1 in 6 restaurants have closed since March and 85% of local establishments are still at risk for permanent closure. Local bars and restaurants and their staff are core to the memorable experiences we all hold near and dear and these cherished establishments remain at risk for closures and jobs lost. So, on one of the biggest nights of the year, Cointreau is lending its microphone and raising awareness for the industry with its first ever Big Game campaign in partnership with the Independent Restaurant Coalition for “Love Letter,” which encourages people to express gratitude to their favorite places on social media. It’s a testament to our love for the industry and we’re looking forward to seeing love letters from people nationwide. For everyone enjoying the game at home this year, try the Original Margarita with Cointreau. It’s easy to make and will be sure to elevate any game day celebration. Here’s how to do it: Ingredients: 1 oz Cointreau 2 oz Blanco Tequila 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice Steps: Combine all ingredients in a shaker and add ice Shake and strain into a salt-rimmed rocks glass Garnish with a lime wheel For more information, visit Cointreau.com/SaveRestaurants About Emily Arseneau: Based in NYC, Emily Arseneau is the Director for Collectif 1806, Remy-Cointreau USA's flagship bartender engagement program. Emily has consulted on concepts and menus all across the United States and has been a guest on streaming platforms for Bustle, Refinery 29, and more as a cocktail expert. She has hosted cocktail master classes throughout the United States, the Caribbean, and China. Emily and her creations have been featured in publications such as Food & Wine, Modern Luxury, American Airlines Magazine, and Liquor.com. Currently, her career focuses on people management and the development and recommendation of incredible heritage brands. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 01, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Taste of the NFL Goes Virtual to Feed 30 Million School Kids

YourUpdateTV

America’s children are facing a severe hunger crisis, which has been made worse by the pandemic. Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. children under the age of 18 are food insecure – they wake up hungry every day. For many kids, school meals are the only adequate meal they get each day. To help, GENYOUth has partnered with the 30th Annual Taste of the NFL event taking place on Super Bowl Sunday (February 7th). Recently, Alexis Glick, the CEO of GENYouth teamed with celebrity chefs Tim Love and Andrew Zimmern on a satellite media tour to discuss the important initiative. GENYOUth, the nationally recognized leader in creating healthier school communities, is helping schools feed America’s kids. GENYOUth’s COVID-19 Emergency School Meal Delivery Fund has raised over $10.5 million to support 8,800 schools with grants to fund their emergency meal delivery programs. Live from the Tampa Bay Super Bowl, Taste of the NFL @Home will feature super chefs like Carla Hall, Tim Love, Andrew Zimmern and Lasheeda Perry as they help viewers plan the perfect game day menu at home. The purpose is to help provide funds to schools across the country and specifically in your community. The event will also include chalk talk with legendary athletes with experience performing on the biggest stage. “A Hunger to Win” will be hosted by three-time Emmy-award winning broadcaster, James “JB” Brown, host of “The NFL Today” on CBS-TV, “Inside the NFL” on Showtime, Special Correspondent for CBS News and GENYOUth board member. This engaging and entertaining “Chalk Talk” will offer Taste of the NFL livestream viewers a candid conversation with three of the world’s top athletes. Joining Mr. Brown will be two-time Super Bowl-Winning Quarterback, Peyton Manning, five-time World Series Champion, Derek Jeter, and decorated U.S. boxer, Claressa Shields. For information on how to get involved, please visit tasteofthenfl.com About Alexis Glick: A veteran media executive, television personality and former Wall Street executive, Glick helped launch the Fox Business Network, the largest cable news launch in history, where she served as Vice President of Business News and anchored “Money for Breakfast” and “The Opening Bell” before taking on the role of CEO at GENYOUth. GENYOUth, a nonprofit organization, Glick created in partnership with the NFL, all 32 NFL teams, and America’s dairy farmers, is the largest in-school health and wellness program in the nation whose mission is to create healthier school communities. Glick recruited a world-class board of directors comprised of some of the nation’s most powerful leaders in business, sports, academia and politics. GENYOUth supports 40 million kids daily in 73,000 of our nation’s schools and has raised well over $100M in funds for schools. Glick has been called one of the top “business of philanthropy rock stars” by Forbes. About Andrew Zimmern: An Emmy winner and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and teacher, Andrew Zimmern is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable personalities in the food world. In February 2020, Andrew returned to television with What’s Eating America, which premiered on MSNBC, and in 2021, he will premiere Family Dinner on Chip & Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network.As the creator, executive producer and host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food and Emmy award-winning The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food. About Tim Love: Chef Tim Love is known as much for his vibrant personality as he is for his signature urban western cuisine, creating inspired and innovative dishes that have earned critical and popular acclaim. With restaurants spanning the nation from Seattle to Knoxville, Love’s roots remain in Texas, where he is chef and owner of seven beloved Texas restaurants. Host of CNBC’s show Restaurant Startup, he and co-host Joe Bastianich vie against each other to invest their own money in restaurant concepts they believe will make them millions. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 01, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Army Veteran Dave Wyatt Grows Minuteman Press Franchise in Medina, Ohio During COVID-19 Pandemic By Helping Local Businesses

Minuteman Press International Inc

During his first year in business as Minuteman Press franchise owner in Medina, Ohio, Dave Wyatt was faced with the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We reached out to local businesses early on to let them know we were there to help them in their time of need. They learned we were open as an essential business and that they could trust us, and that sparked our growth.” One of the ways Dave helped other local businesses when they needed it most was through their free initiative Bounce Back Medina. “Bounce Back Medina simply connects local businesses with community members who are looking to shop local and support local. This is completely free and we also provide participating businesses with free COVID-19 awareness posters. This was our way of letting everyone know that we are all in this together and we will help in any way we can to lift each other up.” Dave also reached out to local bars and restaurants, providing them with 100 free printed menus. “I knew they needed to make changes to their menus or simply needed to use them to reach out to customers, so I thought it was the right thing to do. They were very appreciative and once again they saw that we were there to help them at a critical time.” He also printed free 10-minute parking signs for all businesses in the square downtown. “Curbside pickup became very big, and I just wanted to do my part to help other businesses adapt and stay safe.” Goodwill goes a long way to growing sales As a result of his efforts in giving back and building authentic relationships with other local businesses he truly cares about, Dave has seen his sales grow 30% despite the challenges of the pandemic. “Some of the businesses I reached out to through Bounce Back and these other giveaways have remembered us and stuck with us. They see that we can meet their printing and marketing needs. More importantly, they know I am there for them and that I can empathize with them since I am a local business owner too.” At Minuteman Press Medina, Dave is able to provide high-demand products and services that local businesses need right now. He explains, “We provide general printing services, custom branded apparel, wide format printing and signage, and direct mail campaigns. These are all items being ordered and used by our clients during the pandemic.” He continues, “For example, we were honored to be able to help our graduating students last year by printing over 1,200 signs for families. We are proud to help keep businesses safe with social distancing signage and branded face masks. They can safely reach out to their target audiences through direct mail postcards as well as Dynamic Direct Mail, where people are contacted both through the mail and online.” Dave adds, “We are local and we care about our community. We have that personal touch you won’t find elsewhere, and you certainly won’t find it online. You will not find another team to take care of your printing and marketing needs like we do at Minuteman Press Medina.” Dave also credits his local in-house staff of three employees who he is able to lean on to make sure his clients receive that personal touch and outstanding customer service. “We have a great team that works well together. Sierra is our Graphic Designer; Mary is our Customer Support Rep; and Eric is our Production Specialist. I am humbled to have the support I do from them. As a business owner you want to be comfortable when you are away from the shop and they make it that way for me.” Furthering his local ties to the community, Dave makes sure to get involved and stay active. “Community is so important. I am a Chamber Ambassador for the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce and also a member of the Wadsworth Chamber of Commerce. This allows me to get to know the new businesses as they are coming in or just joining the Chamber. I am a member of the Medina County Economic Development Corporation as well. I join as many networking groups as I can and still be comfortable with my time. Networking and growing relationships through the ‘know, like and trust’ platform was key in thriving during this pandemic.” “Printing will never go away but you must be more than a printer. You need to be a marketer, a designer, a promoter, and most importantly, a business partner. People need to trust you and your team. Once you have that trust, you have a customer for life.” -Dave Wyatt, Minuteman Press franchise owner, Medina, Ohio From the US Army to the American Dream of Business Ownership Prior to owning his own business at the end of 2019, Dave Wyatt says, “I spent 8 years in the Army as an Aircraft Electrician. I spent the next 19 years with Konica Minolta (16 years in service and 3 years in sales). During that time, I did a lot of training and calibrating equipment so I was in many different types of businesses. I saw independent print shops, UPS stores, and Minuteman Press franchises. When I decided to own my own business, I knew I didn’t want to open without support so I went the franchise route.” Why Minuteman Press? Dave answers, “What I liked about Minuteman Press from what I learned in research and what I saw while working for Konica Minolta is that they allow the personality of the business to shine. They offer the most flexibility in terms of how to run your franchise, so while I am following their system, I still feel like an entrepreneur. I didn’t see that from other franchises and I also didn’t want something like foodservice where I’d be working long hours at night and on weekends. Having that freedom to be me and the Monday-Friday hours were huge along with their training and support.” “Minuteman Press has guidelines and if you follow those guidelines you will be successful, but they also allow you the freedom to make many of your own choices when it comes the way that you actually run your business. During my search for a franchise, I felt many other franchisees were just glorified managers for their franchisors because they seemed to have very little freedom to make decisions on their own without corporate breathing down their backs. Between that, their training and support, the Monday-Friday hours, and their cap on royalties, I was sold.” -Dave Wyatt Dave expands on the ongoing local support he receives from Minuteman Press International. “I have a great local support team in Regional Vice President Gary Nowak and Area Manager Rich DeRosa, who are only a call or email away. Everyone at Minuteman Press has been helpful during this pandemic and they have really shown me that they have my back with constant communications and additional marketing strategies. He adds, “Our Minuteman Press FLEX software system is also a huge game-changer for us. We have implemented customer dashboards, which allows for easy online ordering and reordering. If people come to me and say that they prefer online ordering, we make that available to them while also still being their local trusted provider they can still talk to and meet with. They can have the best of both worlds.” Advice for Others Dave shares the following advice for others who are looking to own a business. He states, “Ensure you have enough capital; my bank has been a good business partner and because of that I was prepared when the pandemic first hit. With that said, you can’t be afraid to spend money in ways that will help you market and grow. Invest in people, inventory, and equipment where it makes sense. I also encourage you to study, read books, and listen to podcasts. Always be learning, and never stop.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Medina, Ohio, visit https://www.medina.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

February 01, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with Titania Ltd

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, and the CMMC COE EU, is excited to announce a partnership with Titania Ltd, a globally recognized cybersecurity company that has developed an innovative set of automation solutions to audit devices, minimize risk, and validate compliance with a variety of global security requirements. Titania is headquartered in the United Kingdom with offices in the United States. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. Titania has built leading solutions including Titania Nipper, which assesses the security of firewalls, routers and switches, and has been utilized by all four arms of the US Department of Defense for over ten years to automate configuration audits for compliance with DISA STIGs. Titania software helps to quickly and accurately identify misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, improving cyber resilience and proving network assurance. The company’s solutions are easy to implement, assisting businesses across a range of industry sectors and government organizations to gain certainty around their network risks and how to manage and prioritize them. The result is to ensure that Titania’s customers stay safe, secure and compliant with the latest Government legislation, industry standards and global security initiatives. The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Titania, the CMMC COE, and the CMMC COE EU to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC-based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Source qualified CMMC/ cyber professionals to serve as advocates. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE, CMMC COE EU, and Titania partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. “It’s a privilege to be partnering with the CMMC COE and CMMC COE EU, demonstrating our mutual commitment to innovation and best practice", said Mr. Phil Lewis, CEO, Titania LTD. " Through this partnership we will be able bring our accurate compliance assessment capabilities to companies requiring CMMC certification. Working together we can further our joint mission of increasing adoption of the CMMC framework and enhancing cybersecurity resilience in the defense supply chain, in both the United States and Europe.” The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on the CMMC COE EU, please visit https://cmmc-eu.com/ For more information on Titania Ltd, please visit https://www.titania.com/ About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

February 01, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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JUDGE SLAPS WRIST OF FORMER FBI ATTORNEY KEVIN CLINSEMITH WITH PROBATION FOR ALTERING CIA EMAIL TO SPY ON CARTER PAGE

National Legal & Policy Center

Federal Judge James E. Boasberg, who also presides over the secret Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Court (FISC), sentenced former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith to probation instead of prison as he had requested at his sentencing hearing this morning. The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), an ethics watchdog group, filed a sentencing memorandum with the court earlier in the week calling upon the judge to incarcerate Clinesmith The government requested three-to-six month prison sentence. Instead, the judge sentenced him to community service and imposed no fine. In an August 14, 2020, plea agreement with Special Counsel John H. Durham, who was appointed by Attorney General William Barr to investigate the origins of the 2016 Russia collusion probe known as “Crossfire Hurricane,” Clinesmith admitted that he doctored a June 15, 2017, CIA email by adding that Dr. Carter Page, “was not a source” for the CIA in his contacts with Russian sources, when in fact he was a source helping the CIA and had said so publicly. This doctored email led to the issuance of the fourth surveillance warrant against Carter Page. The judge also allowed Dr. Page to address the court at the hearing to describe the injuries he suffered to his reputation by the illegal surveillance warrant. Dr. Page recounted how the FBI spied on his every move, and how the liberal media, including Rachel Maddow, had referred to him as a traitor. But Dr. Page recommended mercy, which the Judge cited in imposing probation. In late 2019, both the Inspector General Michael Horowitz and the FISC subsequently blasted the FBI for its error-ridden process for obtaining surveillance warrants, including the use of the infamous and unverified “Steele Dossier.” After the 2016 election, Clinesmith texted a colleague “ the crazies won finally,” and calling Vice President Mike Pence “stupid.” Asked by a colleague whether he intended to stay in government, he wrote, “viva la resistance.” Similar anti-Trump messages were made by FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Paige. In its memorandum, NLPC argued that the judge should reject Clinesmith’s plea for probation because he has suffered enough and that his wife is expecting their first baby. Judge Amy Berman Jackson rejected a similar plea by attorney Alex van der Zaan, the first person to be sentenced by Special Counsel Mueller in 2018 for a similar crime (and whose wife also was expecting) and sentenced him to 30 days in prison and a fine. The government cited van der Zaan’s sentence in its argument to the court today. “This was a total miscarriage of justice,” fumed NLPC Counsel Paul Kamenar who attended the hearing. “Equal justice demanded at least the same sentence for Clinesmith as was given to van der Zaan, and more, since he held a position of trust,” said Kamenar, who drafted the sentencing memorandum. NLPC also recommended that any probation include requiring Clinesmith to make a video expressing his remorse to be shown to all Department of Justice and FBI attorneys in their ethics training to act as a general deterrence. “Hopefully, this is just the first of many prosecutions by the Special Counsel of those who abused their powers and committed criminal acts in initiating the Russia collusion probe, and hopefully with harsher results” said Peter Flaherty, Chair of NLPC. NLPC also filed a bar complaint against Clinesmith last September seeking his disbarment. Now that he has been sentenced, the D.C. Bar is expected to move swiftly to disbar Clinesmith, but may go soft on him as did Judge Boasberg. A copy of that bar complaint along with the NLPC’s sentencing memorandum can be found at http://www.nlpc.org. ### Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education and legal action. NLPC also filed an ethics complaint last year against a former Mueller prosecutor with the Office of Professional Responsibility To schedule an interview with a NLPC spokesperson, please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or danrenejr@gmail.com Contact Details NLPC Counsel Paul Kamenar +1 202-329-8357 paul.kamenar@gmail.com Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

January 29, 2021 02:16 PM Eastern Standard Time

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WATCHDOG GROUP URGES JUDGE TO INCARCERATE FBI ATTORNEY FOR ALTERING CIA EMAIL TO SPY ON CARTER PAGE

National Legal & Policy Center

The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), an ethics watchdog group, filed a sentencing memorandum with the federal court in Washington, D.C., calling upon Judge James E. Boasberg, who also presides over the secret Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Court (FISC), to sentence former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith to prison instead of probation at his public virtual sentencing hearing Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. NLPC also called upon the judge to require Clinesmith to make a video about his crime and express remorse to be used by the Justice Department for their ethics training program for all DOJ and FBI attorneys. In an August 14, 2020, plea agreement with Special Counsel John H. Durham, who was appointed by Attorney General William Barr to investigate the origins of the 2016 Russia collusion probe known as “Crossfire Hurricane,” Clinesmith admitted that he doctored a June 15, 2017, CIA email by adding that Carter Page, “was not a source” for the CIA in his contacts with Russian sources, when in fact he was a source helping the CIA. The judge will allow Carter Page to speak at the sentencing hearing to describe the injuries he suffered to his reputation by the illegal surveillance warrant. In late 2019, both the Inspector General Michael Horowitz and the FISC subsequently blasted the FBI for its error-ridden process for obtaining surveillance warrants, including the use of the infamous and unverified “Steele Dossier.” After the 2016 election, Clinesmith texted a colleague “ the crazies won finally,” and calling Vice President Mike Pence “stupid.” Asked by a colleague whether he intended to stay in government, he wrote, “viva la resistance.” Similar anti-Trump messages were made by FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Paige. In its memorandum, NLPC argued that the judge should reject Clinesmith’s plea for probation because he has suffered enough and that his wife is expecting their first baby. Judge Amy Berman Jackson rejected a similar plea by attorney Alex van der Zaan, the first person to be sentenced by Special Counsel Mueller for a similar crime (and whose wife also was expecting) and sentenced him to 30 days and a fine. “Equal justice demands at least the same sentence for Clinesmith and more since he held a position of trust,” said Paul Kamenar, counsel for NLPC who drafted the memorandum. “NLPC agrees with the Special Counsel that a three-to-six-month sentence is warranted under the Sentencing Guidelines for a first offender,” Kamenar added. “Hopefully, this is just the first of many prosecutions by the Special Counsel of those who abused their powers and committed criminal acts in initiating the Russia collusion probe,” said Peter Flaherty, Chair of NLPC. NLPC also filed a bar complaint against Clinesmith last September seeking his disbarment. A copy of that complaint along with the recent sentencing memorandum can be found at http://www.nlpc.org ### Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education and legal action. NLPC also filed an ethics complaint last year against a former Mueller prosecutor with the Office of Professional Responsibility To schedule an interview with a NLPC spokesperson, please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or danrenejr@gmail.com Contact Details NLPC Counsel Paul Kamenar +1 202-329-8357 paul.kamenar@gmail.com Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

January 28, 2021 01:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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D S Simon Media Announces Content Strategy Veteran Mike Bako to Senior Vice President Key Team Member Lauren Campbell Promoted to General Manager

YourUpdateTV

D S Simon Media has announced promotions to key team members that have been integral to the company’s strong continued performance. Mike Bako has been named Senior Vice President, Media and Broadcast Services. “What D S Simon Media is about is evolving in real time to meet the needs of our clients and embrace that challenge, all while creating the highest caliber and most creative work,” said Bako. “I look forward to continuing to lead and grow our team of seasoned media and production veterans,” he added. Bako has been with the company for 9 years. “Mike has been critical to our 30% growth over the last two years. He has a unique understanding of the broadcast news environment, storytelling and client messaging. He’s a fantastic leader,” said CEO, Doug Simon. Additionally, Lauren Campbell has been named General Manager. “I am very excited to be continuing my career at D S Simon Media in my new role as General Manager,” said Campbell. “I am thankful to be part of such a talented group and am very much looking forward to leading the team to growth and success in 2021,” she added. Campbell has been with the company for 15 years. CEO, Doug Simon, said, “Lauren was vital in helping us successfully navigate the financial challenges posed by COVID while building, maintaining and leading our outstanding team.” Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

January 28, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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D S Simon Media Announces Promotions to Key Team Members Mike Bako and Lauren Campbell

YourUpdateTV

D S Simon Media has announced promotions to key team members that have been integral to the company’s strong continued performance. Mike Bako has been named Senior Vice President, Media and Broadcast Services. “What D S Simon Media is about is evolving in real time to meet the needs of our clients and embrace that challenge, all while creating the highest caliber and most creative work,” said Bako. “I look forward to continuing to lead and grow our team of seasoned media and production veterans,” he added. Bako has been with the company for 9 years. “Mike has been critical to our 30% growth over the last two years. He has a unique understanding of the broadcast news environment, storytelling and client messaging. He’s a fantastic leader,” said CEO, Doug Simon. Additionally, Lauren Campbell has been named General Manager. “I am very excited to be continuing my career at D S Simon Media in my new role as General Manager,” said Campbell. “I am thankful to be part of such a talented group and am very much looking forward to leading the team to growth and success in 2021,” she added. Campbell has been with the company for 15 years. CEO, Doug Simon, said, “Lauren was vital in helping us successfully navigate the financial challenges posed by COVID while building, maintaining and leading our outstanding team.” Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

January 28, 2021 09:40 AM Eastern Standard Time

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