Immigration divides Monomi's politicians

TRIETON, Mon. -- The mayor of one of the nation's largest cities has instructed his police force not to check immigration status of people detained by police.

Felipe De Orondes, a Nationalist elected in 2017, issued the directive Monday morning.

In a press conference with Trieton Police Chief Gary Rudling, Orondes said immigration status is something local officials should not be concerned with.

"Our local police have far more important things to deal with on a daily basis than checking to see if someone overstayed a VISA or not," De Orondes said.

Another factor that led to the new policy is concern that undocumented residents may feel threatened and targeted by police, and thus less likely to cooperate with police in investigations.

"Very often, police are investigating a murder or a serious crime, and there are people who know information, who would ordinarily come forward, but they're too scared to speak with police because of their immigration status," said De Orondes.

"This leads to a culture of fear and Trietoners don't want our city to be clouded by fear and suspicion," he added.

Rudling said his department would implement the new policy immediately.

"We want all residents of our city, and visitors, to feel safe, to feel comfortable coming to police. Our police department's mission is to protect our community, and if we have certain groups of people who don't feel safe, that's a problem for us," said Rudling.

The controversial policy is not without its critics.

Trieton City Councilman Troy Keeble, an outspoken conservative, ranted against the idea at last week's city council meeting.

"When did it become OK to break the rules and not get punished for it?" Keeble said. "Police are here to enforce the rules, to get the people who break the law off the streets. And now you (Mayor De Orondes) are undermining the ability of our local police to do their job, and you're putting our community at risk."

De Orondes said fears about the new policy are overblown.

"There is a lot of politics going on here with this, and I realize that a lot of people are pushing back. But it comes down to what kind of city do you want to have. Do you want to have a city where people feel safe, where they trust police, where they don't live in the shadows? Or do you want the opposite. Obviously Councilman Keeble wants the opposite. I don't," said the mayor.

In response, Monomi Governor Will Huxton, another hard-line Conservative who has taken a tough stance on illegal immigration, directed the Monomi State Police to continue to check for immigration status when pulling people over for traffic infractions.

"It is imperative that Monomians know that they're government and they're policemen and women are doing their job and protecting our state from people who don't belong here," said Huxton.

Under Huxton's directive, police will not necessarily check immigration status, but they will check drivers license information and identification databases to confirm someone is allowed to be in the country.

If someone is found to have overstayed their foreign VISA, or to have come to the country illegally, Monomi State Police are instructed to inform federal border agents.

A spokesperson for the Monomi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) called Huxton's policy "disgusting."

The MHRC is among several groups who have vowed to fight the new policy in court.

Monomi Attorney General John Liu, also a Nationalist, said his office will join the lawsuit.

Monomi's four senators -- all Conservatives -- have yet to officially comment on the issue, but Senator Kerry Paul said in a statement that "local police should be empowered to do their jobs without larger, over-arching political and culture wars interfering with their work."

Other cities across the country have been considering issuing similar proclamations but Trieton is the first, and most notable, as it the largest Grassadellian city most near the southern border with Tundra.

Data from independent studies, the Royal Guard of the Realm and Department of National Security have shown that nearly 40% of people who enter the country illegally each year do so through the state of Monomi.

The state is ground zero in the illegal immigration debate, with many poor migrants from Tundra and other countries attempting to cross the border in the rural Monomi Desert.

In response to the growing controversy, President Jim McCaren in April asked Congress for funding for 3,000 additional border agents nation-wide, but Congress has not yet acted.

8 year old boy killed after ran over by tractor

HARRISTOWN, March. -- A young boy is dead and a community in mourning after a tragic farming accident Monday in east-central Marchenay.

Cameron Stivens, age 8, was helping his grandfather, Earl Stivens, work in the family's alfalfa fields Monday afternoon when Cameron was somehow ran over by a tractor.

It's unclear exactly what happened, and investigators with the Marchenay Agriculture Safety Commission are investigating, as are local police.

LaGundy County Sheriff Corby Elmo told local media it appears Earl Stivens hopped off the tractor, which was running, to check his baling mechanism. While the tractor was briefly left unattended, somehow it became re-engaged and ran over Cameron, who was standing in the grass in front of the tractor.

"At this point, it appears to be just a terrible accident," Sheriff Elmo said. "We are treating this as an accident, not as a crime scene. Mr. Stivens is devastated and feels awful bad about what happened."

A medevac helicopter was dispatched to the open field where the accident occurred, and Cameron was rushed to Marchenay Children's Hospital in Madagen where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Earl Stivens, age 76, was also taken to the hospital for chest pains and shock.

"This is a well-known family in the local community, they've been farming for generations, and they're just good people. Cameron was an amazing kid, and we would ask people to keep this family in your prayers right now," said Elmo.

Gina Kepsley, a family member, posted a statement from the family on Facebook.

"Cameron was the light of our family, he was a wonderful big brother, a sweet son and a great kid with so much potential. We are so heart-broken and we ask that you pray for Cameron's parents and for Earl also, who feels so guilty and so terrible for what happened," Kepsley said.

A GoFundMe campaign has been created by Kepsley to help pay for funeral costs and medical expenses for Cameron's family.

Almone confirmed for Foreign Secretary by 52-44 vote

MAVOCKE -- The Federal Senate is not normally in session on a late Friday evening.

However, Senate Majority Leader Debbie Madronas (N-Damoign) called a special session of the chamber to vote on President Jim McCaren's nominee for Foreign Secretary.

Two weeks ago, McCaren made waves when he announced former POG Governor Donna Almone as his choice for Foreign Secretary, also called Secretary of State (the two terms are used interchangeably).

Almone is a Conservative, and was McCaren's chief rival in the 2016 presidential election.

McCaren's nomination of Almone was seen as a sort of extension of an olive branch to Almone and her Conservative supporters.

The former governor has strong credentials, but liberal senators opposed her nomination because she is too hawkish in their view.

Meanwhile, hardline Conservatives also opposed Almone, saying she is too weak and passive.

Both liberals and disaffected Conservatives joined in opposition to the former governor but it wasn't enough.

Ms. Almone passed by a vote of 52 to 44, with the tally being confirmed around 9:30 pm Eastern Time.

Collester immediately posted a tweet on the president's official Twitter account, thanking the senators for confirming Almone.

"Big thank you to Senate tonight for confirming a truly qualified & honorable candidate for Foreign Sec., Donna Almone," the tweet said.

Almone is expected to make an official media appearance with President Jim McCaren on Monday. Before that, she will spend much of the weekend at the president's official residence at Collester briefing he and his team on pressing diplomatic situations.

There were mixed feelings among the Senate's ranks following the confirmation.

"This is a solid pick, a solid choice," Sen. Chuck Danbury (C-Armana) told the Mavocke Capitol newspaper.

Onakiah NAT senator Deacon Busby, a leading liberal critic, expressed concern at Almone's confirmation.

"A lot of us are concerned that the president has added a Reagan-like, Thatcher-like conservative hawk to lead foreign policy team. People are wondering, 'Will this lead to another foreign policy blunder? Will it lead to another Iraq, another Vietnam?'"

Far-right Conservative opponents of Almone were equally vocal.

"As far as I'm concerned, this is the end of Donna Almone's career in the Conservative Party," said radio talk show host Bruce Gollum Friday evening following the vote.

The right-wing Conservative senators who voted against Almone included: Brad Bearns and Driscoll Sherber (Bie.), Nancy Lindselli (E. Desch.), Mark Eisinger (Remm.) and Bob Mellon (Wilk.).

Nationalists who crossed over to vote for her included: Ann Kocheni and Dan Sallovich (Carova), Donna Rae Cobb (E. Desch.), Parnell Scott (Kens.), Elizabeth Graham (N. Ceona), Jill Airn (Rodd.), Vic Chambers (S. Ceona), and Jan Van Ness (Wilk.).

Of the four senators from Almone's home state of POG, two voted for here (Conservative Dick Trau and moderate Nationalist George Mercott). The other two, Diane Coke (N) and John Paul Liffrey (N) voted against her confirmation.

Politician admits to soliciting prostitutes, colleague says it's OK if he paid 'living wage'

ELMBROOK, Damoign -- A Grassadellia City councilman has admitted to patronizing prostitutes but won't step down, his office confirmed Tuesday.

Councilman Donald Gibbons, a Nationalist from Elmbrook, a neighborhood in southwest Sexton, admitted in a press conference Tuesday that he has patronized prostitutes in Grassadellia City "on occasion" for "a number of years," though he didn't specify exactly how many.

The admission came after the local alternative newspaper City Underground first reported the allegations last week.

But on Tuesday, Gibbons admitted the allegations were true.

"It's not something I'm proud of. I knew it was wrong, I knew it was illegal, but I did it anyway, I take full responsibility for what I did, and I am coming clean now because I want the public to know that I am taking responsibility and I am making an effort to change," said Gibbons.

Most of Grassadellia City's politicians steered away from the scandal, with many refusing to comment.

However, one of Gibbons' colleagues on the city council, Councilwoman Leann Cormuth of Bennington, Eastholm, defended Gibbons.

"I don't have a problem with it, honestly," Cormuth told Local4 News.

The councilwoman, who is known for her left-wing views, has defended prostitution in the past, saying it's a "business enterprise that women freely enter" and it should not be illegal.

"Why should women be penalized if they are knowingly, willingly, and with full consent, agreeing to a sexual encounter for money. It's just a form of business. It's just a way to make money. If it's done properly, I don't see the harm in it," Cormuth said.

As for Gibbons, Cormuth admitted his illicit activities were "not very smart" for a politician and reflected on the city council poorly.

But she insisted she didn't take issue with men using prostitutes, with two conditions.

"As long as he respected them and paid them a fair, living wage, I'm OK with it. Let's move on to a real problem facing our city other than one man's consensual sexual activities."

Asked how much money would be considered a "living wage," Cormuth said $15 an hour or more.

"Personally, you'd have to pay me a hell of a lot more than $15 an hour to do anything of that nature with that man," she said, causing the small audience of reporters to chuckle.

"But as long as he paid them fairly and treated them with respect, then no big deal."

Grassadellia City Mayor Kellan Kastol was asked about Gibbons' admission during his weekly news conference.

"I think it's disappointing that a member of our city council would engage in this type of activity," Kastol said. "However, I'm not one to judge other people's personal lives, and I know people make mistakes, and I think there needs to be room for forgiveness and growth. But ultimately, I think this is a personal issue between Councilman Gibbons and his family and also his constituents."

Kastol declined to call for his resignation, but said he would resign under similar circumstances.

"If I was the one who had been confirmed visiting prostitutes, I, personally would resign. But that's just me," said the mayor.

Gibbons said he has no plans to step down.

"This is a learning experience, and an opportunity for personal growth and overcoming some personal issues in my life, and I intend to serve out my full term and continue to serve the great people of Sexton and Elmbrook, and also continue to grow personally."

Junes Charmagne tries to lure Damoign businesses north to Lial

CLOTHEN, Lial -- Together, they account for more than 20% of the country's population.

The states of Damoign and Lial are population and economic powerhouses, accounting for a significant chunk of Grassadellia's GDP and economic vitality.

But the two states are now competing openly over business.

On Monday, Junes Charmagne, governor of Lial, launched a marketing campaign aimed at businesses and companies in Damoign.

The $4.1 million ad campaign, which includes television and radio commercials as well as social media ads and traditional advertising, seeks to lure Damoign business owners north to Lial.

In one commercial, Charmagne himself appears in the ad.

"There's a reason people are moving to Lial," says Charmagne. "Maybe it's because of our beautiful four-seasons weather. Maybe it's because we have large cities but plenty of forests, deserts, agriculture and countryside. Maybe it's because we have a more business-friendly tax environment that rewards hard work and innovation."

Another TV advertisement shows a woman squished inside a crowded subway car in Grassadellia City.

"Tired of this?" says a narrator. "Maybe you should move to Lial. It's less crowded, has better air quality, and a better quality of life."

A spokesperson for Charmagne said the ad campaign was the governor's idea.

"Governor Charmagne wants to make Lial more business-friendly with a better tax environment," said spokeswoman Joanna McGable. "This ad campaign is meant to remind business owners and entrepreneurs and companies in Damoign that there are other places you can move your business to. Why not start your business in Monvaille instead? Or in Clothen?"

McGable pointed out Lial is home to many beautiful cities, and at more than twice the land area of Damoign, Lial has more nature and sparsely-populated territory than the nation's most-populous state.

However, Damoign state officials are not happy.

David Heydan, Damoign's secretary of commerce, said the ad campaign is "childish and misleading."

"First of all, really?" Heydan said in an interview with the nation-wide Grass Daily newspaper.

"I mean, this reeks of grammar school playground tactics," Heydan said.

And secondly, he added, the ad campaign doesn't reveal all the facts.

"Yes, Lial is larger in territory and has less people than Damoign, so of course it's going to be less-crowded and have a lower population density than Damoign. But we have nature here too. We have forests and rivers and parks and fields and agriculture too. Lial doesn't have a monopoly on those things. We are blessed with a lot of that here in Damoign."

Furthermore, Heydan and other critics, even in Lial, pointed out that Lial's largest city, Monvaille, doesn't have great air quality either, and is notoriously crowded.

"I hate to tell Junes Charmagne and the folks in Lial, but I've been to Monvaille. Their air isn't crystal-clean there. And their traffic jams are right on-par with what we have here in Damoign. So, I'm not sure they're being completely forthcoming with their clever little ad campaign."

Charmagne's office responded, saying the ad campaign is meant to be "light-hearted."

"We love our friends in Damoign," said McGable. "But we want business owners to know that there are other options. You don't have to be stuck in the Merryton Basin. There are many great places all over this beautiful country to start or expand your business."

Taxes have historically been relatively high in Lial, similar to tax rates in Damoign. But since Charmagne took office in January 2019, he has successfully lowered taxes and created new incentives for business.

"Our message to corporations and business owners is very simple," Charmagne said last month in a speech to the Lial Press Club in Clothen.

"This state has long closed its doors to business. Lial has for too long been a difficult place to start a business. But that's changed. We are open for business now. 'Out' with the old regulations and burdensome taxes, and 'in' with the new tax breaks, incentives and rebates."

"The state of Lial is officially a business-friendly state again," said Charmagne.

His counterpart in Damoign, Nationalist Governor Jenna Duvan, was less than pleased.

"This tax rebate, tax break stuff is just a gimmick," said Duvan during a regular press appearance at her office in Rodditch.

"As governors, we shouldn't be trying to poach businesses from one state to another. We should be supporting companies all over the country."

It's unclear how many businesses have been persuaded to relocate or open up in Lial since the soft launch of the ad campaign back in May.

Liberal senator compares Trump to Hitler

RODDITCH, Damoign -- Once again, US President Donald Trump has come under fire for remarks that have been deemed racist by his opponents and even some allies.

Referring to four minority, Democratic congresswomen who have vocal critics of he and his administration, Trump said they should "go back" to the "crime-infested" countries where they "originally came from" and fix those countries before criticizing the US government.

The comments were aimed at Representatives Rashia Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

Despite Trump implying the women are immigrants, Tlaib, Pressley and Ocasio-Cortez were all born in the United States. Only Omar is foreign-born, however, after emigrating to the US from Somalia, she became a naturalized citizen.

The comments were assailed by Democrats and even some Republicans.

Allies of the four women, who Trump calls "the squad," have rallied around the women in support.

The women have received support from outside the US as well, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying she stood in "solidarity" with them.

And now, a leading Grassadellian politician is jumping in to the controversy.

At a pro-immigration rally in east Middleboro Tuesday, Damoign Senator Deborah Kay, a Nationalist, was asked what she thought of Trump's attack on the women.

The senator, who is known as an outspoken champion of liberal ideals, unleashed on Donald Trump.

"I absolutely stand with them [the congresswomen]," Kay said.

"A lot of people say, 'Well, this happened in the US, so why should we care? It doesn't affect us.' But the truth is, yes, it does matter. It may not be our country, but this is the most influential man in the world, he leads a country that is one of our closest allies, and what he says matters. It reflects on the countries who are partners and allies of the US. And we have to speak out when racism is invoked."

Kay added that the world confronted Nazi Germany in World War II.

"This is no different, except that he hasn't started a war yet. But he has created internment camps, he has deported people with no justification, he has targeted people because of their race, and now he is openly speaking in overtly racist terms. When Hitler did these things, the world confronted him and took him down. And now Trump is doing these things but many people are silent."

"I refuse to be silent. We refuse to be silent," she said, pointing to the crowd. "We have a moral responsibility, even if it's not happening in our own country, we have a moral responsibility to defend the dignity and humanity of every person who is being persecuted by Donald Trump," said Kay.

Kay's remarks took off quickly on social media, with liberal supporters applauding her for her boldness and conservative opponents lambasting her for exaggerating and mischaracterizing.

"I have never been more proud of @SenDeborahKay," said Inzi Ibar, a liberal Pakistani-Grassadellian woman who represents Eastholm on the Grassadellia City Council.

"Deborah Kay is a complete dumb f--k," was one obscene comment from a Conservative commenter on social media.

Conservative Senate Minority Leader Jon Ralston of Ansleigha also criticized Kay's speech at the rally.

"I've come to expect this sort of behavior and extreme, leftist talk from Deborah Kay," Ralston told Radio 1. "Deborah Kay routinely says inflammatory stuff, she regularly inserts herself into political fights that don't concern her."

Conservative radio talk show host Bruce Gollum said "Deborah Kay just loves to hear herself talk."

"She's so desperate for attention, so desperate for publicity, that she will do or say anything to get a headline," said Gollum during his Tuesday afternoon radio broadcast.

Kay responded to her Conservative antagonists.

"If standing up for human rights makes me 'desperate,' then yes, I am 'desperate'," she tweeted Tuesday evening, with the hashtag #SorryNotSorry.

Trump makes America look bad, Brenton Menuhaeo says in newspaper editorial

GRASSADELLIA CITY -- Former Grassadellian President Brenton Menuhaeo is speaking increasingly publicly about his disdain for US President Donald Trump.

Menuhaeo, who left office in 2017 after serving two terms, took to the nation's largest newspaper Tuesday, penning an editorial lambasting Trump.

"There are few world leaders, certainly not in Western, democratic countries, who command such animosity and deserve it," Menuhaeo said in his editorial in The Grassadellia City Times.

Trump "makes America look bad," said Menuhaeo, but most Americans are "wonderful people who believe in equality, tolerance, and diversity."

Menuhaeo left office right as Trump was taking office in Washington, D.C.

The two men never worked together directly, but Menuhaeo's office did work with Trump's briefly after the US election, to ensure a continuation of strong bilateral relations during the transition period.

"My only interaction with him has been observing all of his egregious behavior and comments, like the rest of the world has been subjected to," said Menuhaeo.

The former Grassadellian president continued, accusing Trump of "appealing to the lowest form of politics" and "fanning the flames of fear."

Menuhaeo applauded his successor, Jim McCaren, for taking firm stances against Trump's controversial and temperamental policies.

"Grassadellia should be thankful that we have a president in Collester now who is standing strong on the world stage, who is representing our country with honor and decency. You may not agree with Jim McCaren or his policies, but no one can attack him for the way he represents our country. He does so with honor, integrity and a subtle humility."

McCaren rarely talks about Trump, usually only when he is forced to respond to one of Trump's tweet storms or provocative remarks.

"He basically avoids Donald Trump as much as possible," one Collester aide, who asked to remain anonymous because of media restrictions in the workplace, told the Times.

Collester released an official statement re-affirming US-Grass relations Tuesday, following the publication of Menuhaeo's op-ed.

"President Menuhaeo is entitled to his opinions and expressing them. But President Jim McCaren remains committed to a strong relationship between Grassadellia and our valued ally, the United States of America," the statement read.

In bipartisan gesture, McCaren nominates Almone to be next Foreign Secretary

MAVOCKE -- It's being compared to when US President Barack Obama chose Hillary Clinton to be his Secretary of State back in 2009.

Grassadellian President Jim McCaren has nominated his former Conservative rival, former POG Governor Donna Almone, to be his next Foreign Secretary.

The nomination had been rumored for months, but Collester made a formal announcement yesterday.

Almone narrowly lost to Jim McCaren in the 2016 presidential election, but despite the close race, the former POG governor has remained publicly supportive of McCaren's foreign policy.

"Donna and I have had our differences. We don't always see eye to eye. But she is a good person. She has a heart to serve this country. She's extremely intelligent and capable. I know she will serve our country well," said McCaren at a press conference with Almone.

Almone said she has not always agreed with McCaren's actions.

"But President McCaren won the trust of the Grassadellian people, and he has restored our country's position of influence and leadership in the world. I am excited to be a part of this administration, I'm honored to work for this president, and I'm excited to get to work," said Almone.

She then turned to the president in an unscripted moment and publicly made amends.

"I just want to say Mr. President, there is no animosity over the election. The past is the past, and we're both focused on the future, and I look forward to working for you to accomplish a safer, more peaceful and prosperous world."

Almone now faces confirmation in the Federal Senate, where she is expected to be confirmed, but it could be close.

The moderate Conservative politician, who is somewhat hawkish on foreign policy, is being strongly opposed by far-left liberal senators, who called her a "war monger" for supporting Grassadellian intervention in defeating ISIS in Syria.

"I'm disappointed that President McCaren has nominated someone who is openly advocating warfare to be our next Foreign Secretary," said Trinton Sen. Grace Kemp, upon hearing the announcement of Almone's nomination.

"We expect a progressive president to nominate a progressive Foreign Secretary," said Kalnier Senator Paul LeBouse. "This nomination will receive a strong opposition from the Peace Caucus."

The Peace Caucus is the group of strongly-liberal senators who oppose military intervention of any kind.

Almone enjoys strong support from mainstream Conservatives and centrist Nationalists from conservative states.

"I'm pleased with his pick," South Ceona Sen. Vic Chambers told the National Press Federation (NPF). "Donna Almone is a Conservative, but it doesn't matter what party you're from. If you believe in a strong foreign policy, if you believe that Grassadellia should be one of the leading nations on the international stage, if you believe that Grassadellia shouldn't be bullied by Iranian dictators or North Korean dictators or Venezuelan dictators, then you deserve my support. Donna has mine," Chambers said.

Chambers is a centrist Nationalist who frequently votes with Conservatives on issues pertaining to the military and national security.

However, Almone is also being opposed vehemently by some far-right Conservatives, such as Remmington Senator Mark Eisinger, who says Almone is too liberal.

"She's no different than a liberal Nationalist, in my book," Eisinger told reporters outside his Mavocke office earlier this week.

"We need a strong leader who will stand up to terrorists, who will stand up to Iran and North Korea. We need a strong Foreign Secretary who will stand firmly with Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo," said Biereland Sen. Driscoll Sherber (C), referring to US Secretary of State Pompeo.

There have been rumors that Senate Minority Leader Jon Ralston, a Conservative from Ansleigha, might even vote against Almone.

Ralston is a staunch Conservative who has advocated frequent military intervention across the globe in recent years.

But his office announced Tuesday he would back Almone.

"Is he thrilled with Donna Almone? No, not really. He has disagreed with her sharply over the years," said Ralston's chief of staff Josh Watkins. "But Donna Almone cares about our country, she's very smart, intelligent, and she's a hell of a lot better than some of the Nationalists the president could have picked."

The decision was between Almone and interim Secretary Harold Kasahn, who has served since former Secretary Dawnelle Hunter-Garrett, who was nominated by former President Brenton Menuhaeo, stepped down last year.

Almone has indicated that she will ask Kasahn to stay on, if he's willing.

"I think Interim Secretary Kasahn has done a good job, and I think his skills and experience would continue to be beneficial for the Grassadellian Foreign Office. But he may have other career plans or want to move on, and if so, that's completely understandable and fine. He needs to do what he feels is best for him and his family. But I think he has served our country well and I would see no reason to dismiss him."

The next step in Almone's confirmation process will come next week, when she will testify before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Marchenay Senator Joseph Milhaughly.

If confirmed, Almone will become the second woman to hold the Foreign Affairs Secretary position. The first was Hunter-Garrett, who held the job from 2014-2018.

New Deschire law requires employers to reveal salary or wage in job postings

NORTHBRIDGE, Deschire -- A common frustration job hunters express is employers offering jobs but not disclosing the salary or wage of the position.

Many employers post job openings on websites with a job description, requirements of applicants, and information about their company. But often, the wage or salary of the position is not included in the job posting.

That's soon to change in the state of Deschire, after Governor Jay Burns signed Joint Bill 247 into law Tuesday at the state capitol building in Northbridge.

The Wage Disclosure Act, as JB 247 is officially titled, will require employers who post jobs in the state of Deschire to disclose the salary or wage for every job.

It passed in the Deschire House of Representatives 53-47 and in the Deschire Senate 29-22.

"It's not fair when people who are looking for a job find a job posting on a job board online, but they have no idea how much money the job comes with," Burns said in a press conference after the signing. "Many job applications take an hour or more to fill out. It's not fair to job applicants to ask them to spend an hour or two of their life to apply for a job only to find out the job pays minimum wage or slightly more. That's just not fair."

The bill was created by Nationalist state Senator Naheyna Cohn from Delafield and Conservative Sen. John Raymond from Airfield Downs.

"This is really about fairness to job hunters. People deserve to have as much information as possible when applying for a job. The job market is just that - a market. And job applicants have a right to know what they're applying for," Raymond told the media.

"It's an issue of transparency and consumer rights," Cohn said.

The change will go into effect on January 1, 2020.

There are some exemptions, however.

Many employers pay wage or salary "Depending on Experience," or "DOE."

For those jobs, employers will not have to offer an exact wage or salary, but they will have to offer an income range.

For example, a television station that's hiring a news anchor can still say "salary DOE," but they will have to post a notice that says, "the income range will be between $55,000 to $110,000."

The new law will only apply to disclosing wages or salary. It will not require employers to identify themselves.

Many companies, especially for high-paying jobs, post job announcements online, but they do not reveal the name of their company.

Anonymous job postings are still permitted.

It's not just job postings on the internet either. All job postings, electronic or otherwise, are covered by the new law.

The Deschire Chamber of Commerce, the largest business group in the state, strongly opposed the bill, calling it "an assault on employers' rights." 

Assemblyman Ron Wilder: Donald Trump is 'an idiot,' but shrewd

GRASSADELLIA CITY -- Grassadellian politicians often try to steer away from politics in other countries, so as to avoid causing a diplomatic row.

But at a recent academic forum in Daintree, Damoign, just outside Grassadellia City, Assemblyman Ron Wilder (C) was very frank about his feelings about US President Donald Trump.

"He's an idiot," Wilder said to laughter and applause from the crowd.

"I'd add more descriptive words, but I don't think I'm allowed to say them," he added, to more laughs.

Wilder said he personally "can't stand the man."

But the veteran assemblyman, who is considering a run for Damoign governor in 2020, told the audience that despite Trump's "repulsive personality," the US president should be commended for his shrewdness.

"I don't like him, but whether or not you like him, an objective observer, if we're being really objective and unbiased and we look at what he's done and how he does it, you have to admit, the man is very strategic. He's much smarter than the media and the Democrats give him credit for. He's dumb, but smart, if that makes sense. He's not very bright in some ways, but I think he's much smarter than people think. He's very shrewd.

"He is very good at riling up his base supporters on the right issues at the right times. He's very good at one-liners, very good at attacking and belittling his opponents. He's a very simple communicator, but he's very effective.

"Sometimes, I think career politicians from both parties, they get so used to speaking in political correctness, and they think that if they speak with lots of intellectual words, it will make them sound smarter and people will respond better. But, Trump has demonstrated, that speaking in simplistic terms, specifically avoiding intellectual words, it actually is a better and more effective communications strategy," said Wilder.

Wilder went on to say he disagrees with Trump on many issues in foreign policy, but he appreciates some of Trump's ideas.

"I think he's way too close with Saudi Arabia, I think he's way too close with Russia. I think he's offended so many of America's allies, and relations with many countries are at all-time lows. But, I don't agree with everything he's done with North Korea, but I will say this, he is at least making an effort. Previous presidents, in the USA and here in Grassadellia, have just ignored North Korea, but Trump is actually addressing the issue, so even if you disagree with him, I think you have to give him credit for having the balls to confront something that so many other Western leaders have been too scared to confront."

While he may dislike Donald Trump, Ron Wilder has something in common with The Donald: both men have been the subject of lurid sexual affairs and scandals.

Back in 2010, a one-time extra-marital lover of Wilder's came out publicly with her story of a scandalous affair with the Congressman.

He survived the scandal, however, and continued his career in the National Assembly. He remains married to his wife Cherrie, though Wilder admitted the two were separated for a year.

Wilder was speaking at the Grassadellian Economic Forum at Kinslow University.

Pete Deetch looking at comeback in North Ceona after racist, sexist comments

PARKINS, N. Ceona -- Recent polling shows former Senator and Parkins Mayor Pete Deetch (C) has stagnant popularity in his home state.

Deetch lost re-election to the Federal Senate in 2018, losing to Nationalist political novice Alexis Stotter by a 47%-50% margin.

However, the Conservative firebrand is rumored to be considering a political comeback, either by running for governor in 2020, or by challenging fellow Senators Anthony Campanelli (N) or Ken Estall, who are up for re-election.

It will be a tall order for the 79-year-old Deetch, who was widely condemned after he was recorded making racist and sexist comments to fellow senators and staff members.

One audio recording caught Deetch speaking about a fellow senator's chief of staff, whose name he couldn't remember.

"Oh what's her name? You know the gal I'm talking about. That brown girl with the African hair," Deetch said to one of his colleagues, during a discussion in the Deetch's office.

Deetch was referring to Adani Krishna, who is the chief of staff for Senator Tim Blakewell (N-Trinton).

Krishna has Indian heritage, not African.

And in another incident, Deetch reportedly complained to fellow Senator Allison Sweeten, a Nationalist from East Deschire, that "you god-damn women can't make up your mind," referring to Sweeten and the other female NAT senators, who were undecided on supporting one of Deetch's bills.

In yet another incident, Deetch went on a car ride to the other side of Mavocke with Senator Luke Gymbal (C-Ansleigha). The two senators and one of Gymbal's staff members stopped at a 7-11. Deetch was heard making derogatory comments about the owners of the convenience store.

"Oh they're all (7-11 stores) owned by god-damned Indians and Pakistanis these days, that's not how it used to be when I was a kid," Deetch said.

A Senate ethics investigation found Deetch in violation of Senate decorum, and ruled his behavior was "reprehensible, ignorant and unbecoming of a senator." He was not formally censured, though, or penalized.

Senate Minority Leader Jon Ralston (C-Ans.) said Deetch's "heart-felt apology" was punishment enough.

"Pete said some bad things. We confronted him about it. We told him it's not acceptable from any member of our caucus, he apologized to us, he apologized to those involved, and he promised it wouldn't happen again. The issue is closed as far as I'm concerned," Ralston said, when asked by reporters what internal party consequences Deetch faced.

Senators from both parties condemned Deetch's comments at the time. Debbie Madronas (N-DMG), the top Nationalist in the Senate, said they were "disgusting and embarrassing for the Senate."

Fellow North Ceona Senator Anthony Campanelli (N) said Deetch's words "are despicable, ignorant and elitist," while Elizabeth Graham, also a Nationalist from North Ceona, said she was "deeply disappointed" in Deetch's behavior.

Ken Estall, a fellow Conservative from North Ceona, said Deetch's words "reflect very poorly on North Ceona, and are in stark contrast to the values of acceptance, diversity and tolerance that North Ceonans champion."

But defenders of Deetch, including Nationalist Senator Vic Chambers (S. Ceona), who at 73, is closer in age to Deetch than many of the Senate's younger members, pointed out that Deetch apologized personally to those he insulted.

"I'm not saying what he said was okay, but he met privately with Adani Krishna and apologized. He met with our lady colleagues here in the Senate and apologized to them. And he even drove back to that 7-11 and apologized in person, in public, right in the middle of the store in front of customers and employees, and he apologized to the owners and the employees he offended," said Chambers.

"I think he made a clear effort to make things right and to fix his behavior. People make mistakes, we all say stupid and ignorant things from time to time. Doesn't make it okay, but the important thing is to learn from your mistakes and most importantly to make it right, and Pete did that, so I think we need to give him some credit for that," said Chambers.

During the 2018 campaign, Alexis Stotter and the state's NAT Party hammered Deetch, calling him "xenophobic" and "an old-fashioned racist and misogynist."

"How embarrassing is it for our state, that the dean of our state's Senate delegation, the most prominent person representing our state, a man who is a grandfather and who has many beautiful women and little granddaughters in his family, and who has many colleagues who are wonderful people of color...how embarrassing is it that this is what people see on the news about our state. He's making North Ceona look like a backwards, racist garbage dump. Our state is not that. We are better than that. Pete Deetch should be better than that. We can do better, we must do better," said Stotter during a televised debate.

Deetch apologized to voters during the televised debate, and asked for forgiveness.

"You know, back in my day, people said a lot of things, they used a lot of terms and phrases that now we consider offensive. And they are offensive. I should never have said those things. I said some really stupid things. Sometimes I put my foot in my mouth. Sometimes I speak before I think. Sometimes I let old school thoughts and words come out of my mouth. And I'm very sorry about that. It's not okay. There's no excuse for what I did. It was wrong and I am very sorry to all the people I offended with my words. All I can do is ask for forgiveness and promise to do better, and I have done that many, many times, and I will continue to pledge to improve and be a better person," said Deetch.

His many apologies weren't enough to save him from electoral defeat in the 2018 elections.

But now, the veteran Conservative politician is hoping to make a comeback.

Sources close to Deetch say he has quietly been reaching out to high-ranking Conservatives in the state's CNS Party.

The sources, who asked to remain anonymous because they were not permitted to speak to the media, told GNN that Deetch would prefer to be back in the Senate.

"He loves it there. He loves debating, he loves fighting for North Ceona and opposing the national government. But he also loves the camaraderie and the bipartisan friendships that he made," said one source. "Pete is very conservative. But some of his best friends are Nationalists who are quite liberal. He is set in his ways, he is very opinionated. He'll never convert to the other side. But he has a good heart, despite his rough exterior. And I think people of both parties see that in Mavocke, and he's hoping the people of North Ceona will give him another chance and will look past his flaws and vote him back into the Senate."

The Senate may be his first choice, but Deetch is also considering a run for governor, the sources said.

Current Governor Tom Cozier (C) will step down in 2020 due to term limits, creating an open governors seat.

However, recent poll by the Opinion Research on a hypothetical match up in the 2020 governor's race found Deetch trailing Elizabeth Graham 44% - 54%, and Deetch trailing former state attorney general John Ennis 44% - 53%, respectively.

Opinion Research is currently conducting polling on potential 2020 Senate races, with results expected in the next few weeks.

A spokesman for the former senator declined to comment on Deetch's future plans.

Damoign Nationalists won fight over constitutional amendment, but they lost the messaging war, says top NAT lawmaker

UPTON, Damoign -- The recent, controversial fight over re-election rules for governors has deeply divided the state of Damoign.

Nationalists prevailed in ending a decades-old ban on governors running for re-election consecutively.

Voters approved the NAT-backed measure with 56 percent on Saturday.

But while Nationalists won the battle over term limits, a top Nationalist state lawmaker says his party lost the messaging war on the issue.

"We won, we got what we wanted, but in terms of messaging and public relations, the Conservative Party was more effective than we were. They made their case better. They made stronger arguments. And now they have a potent issue to batter the Nationalists with in the next election," said state Sen. Harold Lambe, who represents northwest Grassadellia City in the state Senate.

Lambe, a moderate Nationalist, said he supported changing the constitution to allow governors to seek consecutive terms. But the way the Nationalist Party went about it was "a public relations nightmare."

"Most people support their position. Most people agree with the Nationalists on this issue. But the way they went about it was not optically very good," Lambe told Michael Micardi on GNN's Awakening A Nation Sunday.

"The NAT won, but people are mad about the way they did it. They went around the rules. They used obscure procedural rules to get what they want. Rather than wait a sufficient amount of time before holding another referendum, they rushed it through, because they knew the longer they waited, the less likely voters would be sympathetic to their arguments. Rather than reach a compromise with Conservatives, they just decided to do what they wanted, even if it was not very popular with the voters. This at-all-costs tactic could very well backfire on us in 2020," said Lambe.

But NAT state chairman Tom Parry disputed Lambe's remarks.

"Our side won with 56 percent of the vote. So, I'm confused why Senator Lambe thinks we lost the messaging war. If we had lost the messaging war, we wouldn't have won with 56 percent. You can't lost the messaging war but win an election, that makes absolutely no sense," Parry told reporters Sunday outside a campaign fundraiser for Damoign Governor Jenna Duvan Sunday in east Middleboro.

Regardless of who won the messaging war, the contentious issue and that NAT's circumvention of conventional legislative rules is bound to come up on the 2020 campaign trail.

In fact, it already has. Immediately after Jenna Duvan spoke at the "Yes" campaign's victory rally in Middleboro Saturday night, several prominent Conservatives, many who are rumored to be considering a challenge to Duvan, posted criticism on social media.

"The Nationalists will have to account for this at the next election," Assemblyman Brandon O'Malley, a Conservative from Oscarville, tweeted.

"I'm disappointed tonight, not so much by the result, but more so by the unfair and shady way the Nationalist Party went about doing it," Assemblyman John DeGallio, C-Columbus, told Grassadellia City news channel TV1.

And Kim Camden, who served as Deputy Secretary of The Treasury in the Dan Byelle Administration, posted on her Facebook page, "This kind of maneuvering and side-stepping by Jenna Duvan is exactly when people hate the Nationalist Party in Damoign."

There was one prominent Conservative voice, however, who voiced approval at the results of Saturday's referendum.

Former Governor Sid Hoffa said changing the law is "common sense," and the issue has been needlessly politicized.

"It's unfortunate that the politics in our state have devolved so much in the past few years, to the point where people are so politicized, so bitterly partisan, that they refuse to evaluate issues objectively. They always look at everything through a partisan point of view, and that's adding to the enmity in our political process," Hoffa said. "It's very sad and unfair to the people of Damoign."

Damoignites vote to end term limits for governors

GRASSADELLIA CITY -- Voters in the nation's most-populous state approved a constitutional amendment Saturday to end a decades-old ban that prohibited state governors from serving two consecutive terms in office.

Voter turnout was low in Saturday's special state-wide referendum. Secretary of State Rob Mercheck estimated voter turnout at 52 percent with about 9.2 million votes.

With almost 56% of the vote (5.1 million votes), the "Yes" side, which was in favor of ending the ban on consecutive terms, easily defeated the "No" campaign, who voted to retain the one-term status quo.

The No campaign took 44%, or a little less than 4.1 million votes.

The issue of term limits for governors has been a hot-button issue in recent years. Nationalists, who far outnumber Conservatives in the state, had called for an end to the one-term rule, saying it hand-cuffed governors and prevented them from enacting substantive reforms that normally take more than one term to accomplish.

"Today's constitutional referendum result is a success for Damoign," said incumbent Governor Jenna Duvan, who supported ending the rule.

"Damoign was the only state in the country with a one-term rule, no other state has that restriction. This rule has hampered governors in the past from accomplishing large-scale reform. Damoign is a large state with 31 million people. There are some reforms that just can't be accomplished in a mere 4 years. This change in state law will allow governors to finally run for re-election, be evaluated on their records, and have more time to get their agenda achieved," said Duvan at a rally for "Yes" supporters in Middleboro.

The "No" campaign argued lifting the ban would allow Nationalists - who already hold significant power in the state government - to solidify their strength.

"It's just a power-grab by the Nationalist Party and Jenna Duvan, that's all it is," state Senator Joe Murino (C-Tolston) told the National Press Federation (NPF) after the votes were tallied.

"Jenna Duvan wanted to change the law so she can run for re-election and further cement her power. The Nationalists know they have the advantage in this state, and they know if they can lift the ban, then they can re-elect Nationalist governors over and over again and Conservatives will have an even more difficult time winning state-wide elections," Murino said.

While the lines were drawn largely along party lines, there was bipartisan support for each.

Many Conservatives, including former Governor Sid Hoffa, joined with Nationalists to support ending the ban.

"This isn't a partisan issue. It's not about Nationalists versus Conservatives. It's about giving a governor the executive power and authority he or she needs to get legislation passed and policy implemented," Hoffa told reporters at the victory rally in Middleboro.

"I respect my Conservative friends who disagree with me on this issue. I see their point of view, I hear their concerns, and I understand they are worried this will help the Nationalist Party. But this is not about party, this is about constitutional authority for governors, regardless of party. This change in the law will help Nationalists and Conservatives. Governors of both parties will benefit from this reform," added Hoffa.

Similarly, on the "No" side, some Nationalists joined Conservatives to oppose the change.

Opposition mainly came from hardline liberals, who are frustrated with mainstream Nationalist politicians whom they view as "too corporate" and compromised by big corporate money.

"The ban on governors running for re-election was put in place back in the 1980s because before we had the ban, we had governors who were corrupt and who had unchecked power," state Sen. Greg Kelley (N-Sexton).

"This ban on running for consecutive terms helped curtail that corruption. And now, the Nationalist Party basically wants to change the law because Jenna Duvan wants to run for a second term, and they know that this will benefit them politically, it's political opportunism," said Kelley.

"I don't care which party is in power in Mattinow. Unchecked power, corruption, graft, unregulated corporate influence, it will corrupt. The people will lose out."

The "Yes" team received the most support in Xavier County in southeast Damoign, with 78% voting in favor of changing the law.

Danderfield County, a Conservative stronghold in the state's southwest, had the highest support for the "No" side, with 77% voting against the proposal.

Though divisive, it is hoped by many that Saturday's referendum will put the issue to bed once and for all.

Damoign voters already voted in favor of lifting the ban back in 2016, with 56 percent voting in favor.

But in September 2017, the Damoign Supreme Court invalidated that election, saying the text in the state's constitution dealing with state-wide initiatives and constitutional amendments was vague and required clarification from lawmakers.

At the time, the constitution did not specify a minimum percentage of votes required to approve constitutional amendments, as all previous constitutional amendments had been approved through the legislature only.

The court asked the state legislature to "clarify" the exact threshold necessary to approve amendments, and then recommended holding a second referendum once the exact specifications were added to the constitution.

Months of legislative testimony and committee investigations led nowhere, however. Conservative state lawmakers demanded a 60% threshold be required to approve amendments in referendums, while Nationalists wanted an easier to attain simple majority.

With Conservative lawmakers digging their heels in and refusing to compromise, Governor Jenna Duvan and her NAT allies in the state legislature opted for a controversial next move.

NAT lawmakers voted to temporarily amend the state's constitution to require only a simple majority, with the 60% threshold going into effect in September 2019.

This allowed Duvan and her allies to put the referendum back to the voters (before September 2019), but only need a simple majority to approve the change in re-election rules.

This procedural run-around by Nationalists angered Conservatives, with state Sen. Rudy Ruppert (C-Middleboro) calling the June 29 referendum "a sham concocted by Nationalists to benefit Nationalists."

Resentment among Conservative lawmakers lingers in the state capitol of Mattinow, with many Conservative state representatives and senators walking out of the legislative chambers Friday in protest.

 Nationalists say the change is controversial but in the voters' best interest.

"We trust the voters to elect their leaders. Voters are smart enough to choose a governor. They can decide for themselves if they want to re-elect a governor to a second term. If the governor is doing a bad job, the voters will elect someone else," said Sen. Nathan Demenlo (N-Limpet Village).

"This amendment really doesn't change much. It allows governors to run for re-election and back-to-back terms. That's it. It allows them to run. It doesn't mean they'll win," said Demenlo.

Saturday's win for the "Yes" campaign means Jenna Duvan will be permitted to run for a second term in September 2020.

While dissenting Conservatives can't prevent the constitutional amendment from taking effect, they can raise the issue on the campaign trail in 2020.

"Jenna Duvan got her way. She skirted around the voters, she went against precedent and tradition, and she and her NAT cronies found a circumventing way to pass their amendment. But she will have to answer to the voters in 2020. People will ask her, 'Why did you throw voters under the bus? Why did you go around the rules and the norms?' She will have to answer those questions and there are no good answers for them," state Conservative Party spokesman Michael Anlo said following the referendum's result.

Duvan shrugged off the criticism.

"This wasn't about me. This was about giving future governors the means to do their job effectively. The voters already voted in favor of this, 56 percent of them. So I'm standing up for voters by fighting for this change," said Duvan.

'I want to suck on your toes': Man leaves sexually-explicit messages about Damoign Governor Jenna Duvan

MATTINOW, Damoign -- A 42-year-old man has been arrested for harassment after making obscene phone calls to the office of Damoign Governor Jenna Duvan.

Cary Rebbel from Harristown, a suburb on Grassadellia City's southern edge, was arrested and charged with harassment after making repeated obscene phone calls to the governor's office.

In one message, Rebbel allegedly said he "wanted to suck on Duvan's toes," according to a police report released by the Damoign State Police.

In another recorded phone call, Rebbel made graphic sexual comments about the governor, police say.

Rebbel also posted similar comments on Duvan's official Facebook page. The posts were deleted but retrieved by police after they filed a subpoena with the tech giant.

The suspect told police he thinks Duvan is "sexy" and that he has a sexual fetish that involves women's feet.

Police say Rebbel does not know the governor personally and has never met her, and he has no known connections to her campaign, her office or her staff members.

Rebbel was released from the Gregorson County Jail on $5,000 bond, and was ordered by a judge to not have any communication with the governor's office or staff members.

A spokesperson for the governor declined to comment.

The incident comes as a Grassadellia City fashion designer is set to publish a new picture book about Duvan's extensive stiletto collection.

A former model, the governor, age 39, is known for her attractiveness and impeccable appearance. She is often the subject of media attention for her sex appeal and chic outfits, and she is almost always seen wearing designer stilettos.

The book, called "In Jenna's Shoes," is a pictorial collection, with written commentary and anecdotes about the various stiletto shoes Duvan has been photographed in over the years. It's written by famed fashion designer and Duvan's close friend, Marc Gettes.

The book will be on sale June 12. 

Conservatives have a deep bench of candidates for 2020 Veroche governor's race

LANAKIS -- After two back-to-back losses in close gubernatorial elections, Veroche Conservatives are eager for their next chance in 2020.

Gov. Tom Harper, a Nationalist, is up for re-election in 2020, and there is no shortage of Conservative candidates to take him on as he seeks a second term.

Harper eked out a win over Brad Davidson (C) in 2016, taking 50.4% of the vote to Davidson's 49.6%, respectively.

Since he took office in January 2017, his popularity has been mediocre. While recent polling has shown voters approve of his handling of the state's economy - which was suffering when he took office - Harper is not especially well-liked.

Progressives like his stances on climate change and raising the minimum wage, but the billionaire businessman has come under attack from the left-wing of his party for his wealth.

Conservatives equally detest him, viewing him as a hardcore liberal who represents "Lanakis values" that are more left-wing than the rest of the state.

All this has combined to make Tom Harper a prime target in the 2020 elections.

Several liberal activists, including several who call themselves "socialists," are publicly considering challenging Harper in an NAT primary or running to the left as Liberal Democrats or Independents.

And a whopping 16 Conservative candidates have either expressed interest in challenging Harper or are rumored to be interested.

Topping the list are Lanakis Mayor Dick Scholinger, a socially-moderate Conservative who has ran for statewide office several times in recent election cycles but has often been rebuffed by the more right-wing CNS party base.

Fellow moderate Georgia Waldo Basson, mayor of Tiaugen in the south-central part of the state, is also mulling a bid, as are fellow mayors Andy Hackett (Kanassett), Mac Griffin (Red Leaf), Tom Settler (Collettasville), Jake Girdeaux (DeMara) and Ric Renner (Pendleton).

Assemblymen Vaughn Laudney, Don Christaman, Mike Dallenhall and Rich O'Neil are all considered strong contenders, should they run.

State Rep. Evan Liu of Marronville, state Sen. Mark Holworth of Dishpry, and state Sen. Artemis "Al" Paccioli from Deniece are all three said to be considering running.

Other possible candidates include another billionaire businessman, Bill Enos of Lanakis, who has never held political office before, and Gen. Greggory Hunt Jordan who previously ran the military's Trewallen Academy in central Veroche.

Senator Kit McHenry, fresh off re-election in 2018, has ruled out running for governor. as has Assemblyman Tim Wenbosh and former CNS candidates Steve Leona and Steve Serpino.

None of the aforementioned candidates have announced they're running, but many have quietly begun reaching out to donors, according to sources within the state's CNS party, who were not allowed to comment on internal party discussions.

Conservatives like Dick Scholinger and Georgia Waldo Basson have widespread name recognition, but they may struggle to win over the ardent conservatives who live outside liberal Marcialeukia County, which includes much of the Lanakis metro area.

And observers from across the political spectrum worry about the impact of personal wealth in the race.

Harper is worth more than $1 billion, as is Conservative Bill Enos.

Dick Scholinger's net worth is less but still in the hundreds of millions.

"One of our great fears is that the 2020 Veroche's governor's race will become a contest between two billionaire candidates. If big money floods the election, it would be a huge problem for average candidates who don't have those kinds of personal resources, and it would do a disservice to the people of Veroche, they wouldn't get to consider 'normal' candidates who aren't billionaires," said Adam Danforth, president of the Grassadellian Council on Fairness in Elections, a think-tank that seeks to limit the influence of big money in political campaigns.

Harper's vast personal wealth was an issue in the 2016 race, but in campaign ads and debates, he said his personal fortune was evidence he was a good businessman who could bring the economy back.

"Billionaires know how to make money," Harper said. "They know how to create jobs, how to lower unemployment, how to get construction and industry moving, they know how the economy works."

The economy has made strides under Harper's tenure. Unemployment is down to four percent from a high of nearly eight percent under his predecessor Linda Van Auhn. And construction is up in most of the state's major cities.

But the cost of living remains stubbornly high, particularly in the Lanakis-Kanassett-Southwick metroplex.

Harper has also encountered opposition on non-economic issues. He's faced criticism for the state's struggling schools, his hesitation to intervene in the slow-going clean-up of Lake Hutchins, and for raising taxes.

The governor has won praise for his work on infrastructure, however, even from Conservatives.

"The bottom line is: the economy is moving in Veroche again," Jared Donnelly, a spokesman for the Harper re-election campaign, said in an email to GNN.

The economic picture is not as rosy as Harper claims though, Matt Harrell from the Veroche Conservative Party told GNN.

"When people can't afford to pay rent in the L-K-S metro area, when people pay exorbitant taxes and still sit in traffic for hours, when tuition keeps rising every year because Tom Harper and his liberal allies can't manage the state's budget, that's a problem for Veroche families."

Death of boy at home for troubled youth prompts state investigation

BIRCH HOLLOW, East Deschire -- Calls for investigation and reform are coming from all corners of East Deschire's political community after a 12-year-old boy died at a home for troubled adolescents.

David Arguyle was under court-ordered custody at the Trumbull Boys Home in Birch Hollow last week when he went into a severe seizure episode during a confrontation with the home's staff.

He was taken by ambulance to Benevolence Hospital in Hansboro but died a few hours later.

It's unclear exactly what caused his death, doctors said.

The Selkford County Coroner will perform an autopsy later this week, since the boy died at the hospital located in Selkford County.

Meanwhile, police in neighboring Begoran County are investigating the incident.

They'll wait on the autopsy report before making a decision about charging any of the boys' home's staff, Begoran County Sheriff Dave Eisen said.

Records obtained from the state's Department of Children Services through a Freedom of Information request show the Trumbull Boys Home had major violations at its last two evaluations by state regulators.

On at least three separate occasions, Arguyle told a case worker the home's nursing staff did not give him medication prescribed for his epilepsy. Investigators determined in two of those incidents the nurse should have given him the medication.

Arguyle was also sedated multiple times by the home's behavioral staff, those incidents are also under review.

East Deschire Governor Val Hennemott called Arguyle's death "incredibly tragic," but cautioned that it's too early to know exactly what happened.

However, "the fact that this particular institution had two major violations and was allowed to continue operations with limited supervision from state regulators is inexcusable," she said.

"I won't comment on the specific incident that resulted in David's death, but I will say it appears this facility had other violations and had run-ins with him in the past that should have raised major red flags with the DCS," Hennemott said at a press conference.

She offered her condolences for Arguyle's family.

Arguyle's father is deceased and his mother is serving time in a prison in Marchenay.

But a family friend told the National Press Federation (NPF) that Heather Mollon, Arguyle's mother, is devastated.

"She wants justice for David and for the people who caused his death," the friend said about Mollon.

Leslie Hawkin, Director of the DCS, expressed grief and regret at a press conference and promised a thorough investigation.

"We take the job of protecting our children very seriously at the Department of Children Services, and David's death has profoundly impacted me and everyone that works in our agency. We are so very saddened by his death, we want answers, and we will get those answers. If there were mistakes made we will correct those mistakes and fix the system so a tragedy like this never happens again," said Hawkin.

Lincoln Behavioral Centers Corporation, the company that runs the Trumbull Boys Home, also expressed condolences in a written statement.

"Our sincerest condolences go out to the family of David Arguyle. We are cooperating fully with state investigators, we are conducting our own internal investigation to insure all procedures and protocols were followed properly."

"Our mission has always been to protect and help the children who come to our facilities, and we have always done and will always do everything possible to make sure every child is safe in our care."

Park ranger shot and killed in Blueshott Mountains

BRIGADEN GAP, March. -- Residents of a small, tight-knit community in southwestern Marchenay are reeling after a local park ranger was shot and killed in the line of duty Monday afternoon.

The shooting occurred at Clear Forest State Park in rural Carde County, nestled in the rolling Blueshott Mountains, near the Marchenay-Kensington state border.

Park Ranger James E. McEniff, 65, was about to clock off his shift for the day when he noticed a suspicious vehicle and approached the driver's side.

At that time, an unknown male assailant got out of the vehicle and opened fire, striking McEniff six times in the chest, neck and arm. The vehicle then fled the scene.

A group of hikers who saw the shooting happen called 911, but spotty cell phone reception at the heavily-wooded park delayed calls for help.

Police and medics arrived 20 minutes later, but McEniff was pronounced dead on the scene. The park is located about 10 miles from the nearest town, Brigaden Gap, population 1,200. The nearest large city is Necadia, Kensington, about 40 miles to the southeast.

McEniff's death is the first for the Marchenay State Parks Department in 24 years. McEniff was already retired and serving in an auxiliary role, the department said in a statement.

"We are tremendously saddened by today's tragedy in Carde County," State Parks Director John McLeod said at a press conference in Newcastle. "Ranger McEniff was a dedicated public servant who loved his community and loved the outdoors and most of all, loved his job of bringing nature to the citizens of Marchenay. Our thoughts are with his family and colleagues at this very difficult time," McLeod said.

No suspects have been apprehended at this time. Witnesses were about 300 feet away when the shooting happened, so they could not give detailed descriptions of the suspect due to the long distance.

The suspect is loosely described as a tall, white male, approximately 40-50 years old, with long and curly black and a moustache. He was wearing a light colored shirt and shorts.

Carde County Sheriff Andy Weyrick warned there may be more than one suspect.

"Witnesses only saw one suspect but we don't know how many other people were in the vehicle, if any," Weyrick said.

The suspect's vehicle appeared to be an older 1990s or early 2000s dark green Chevrolet Suburban with Wilkonshire license plates.

A nationwide All-Points-Bulletin (APB) has been issued for vehicles fitting that description.

McEniff was well-known in the community, and local residents were mourning his killing.

"Ranger McEniff is someone who held a prominent standing in our community and we all feel his loss," Sheriff Weyrick said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Carde County Sheriff's Department or the Marchenay State Police.

Monomi Nationalists unload on Scott King

TRIETON -- Prominent Nationalists are not holding back against former governor Scott King (N) after his write-in campaign in the 2018 race split the centre-left vote and allowed an unpopular Conservative candidate to win the governorship.

King, 48, is no stranger to scandal. During his previous tenure as governor in the 2000's, he was narrowly recalled by voters following allegations of hiring prostitutes and corruption. He was never charged in that case, however.

Despite being abandoned by many prominent NAT allies, King stayed in the political limelight, going on to write books and host a TV news-comedy show on the STAR Network.

In 2018, the former governor decided to run for his old job. Still deeply popular among some working-class, blue-collar Monomians, King surprised his opponents and supporters alike when he secured the NAT gubernatorial nomination in a hard-fought race against Trieton businesswoman and Pro-Athletica CEO Beth Gowan.

King went on to choose Gowan as his running mate, and the two were riding high in the polls against Conservative Attorney General Will Huxton and his running mate Doug Aker, a former mayor of Trieton.

But then more allegations against King surfaced. New women came forward alleging prior incidents of sexual harassment, assault, and date rape.

King vehemently denied the allegations, calling them a smear campaign by old enemies within his party and within the Conservative party.

Many prominent voices called on him to resign from the NAT ticket and let Gowan take over as the NAT's nominee, but his supporters called the new allegations "fake news," a favorite expression used by US President Donald Trump.

After refusing to step down from the NAT ticket voluntarily, he was forcibly removed from the ballot by the state NAT party committee and replaced with Gowan, who made a solid effort to get the NAT campaign back on track.

But even with the best of luck, Gowan had little chance of winning after the new allegations against King came to light.

And whatever tiny chance she had of recovering the campaign was further doomed when King announced he would continue his run for governor as a write-in candidate.

In defiance of NAT party leadership, King decried the party's handling of the allegations against him, arguing the party leadership should have stood by him until an investigation could be completed.

"They totally abandoned me without even hearing me out," he told local media shortly after he was removed from the ticket. "I wasn't given an opportunity to defend myself, to explain why the accusations against me were untrue, there was no chance to ask for an investigation, it was just 'Scott you need to step aside.'"

The intra-party split between King and his supporters and those Nationalists who wanted him banished ended in a split centre-left vote, allowing Attorney General Will Huxton, a hardline Conservative, to win the governorship, taking 40 percent to Gowan's 33 percent. King's write-in campaign netted him just over 22 percent.

And now, months after the election and the inauguration of Huxton, Nationalists are coming out of the woodwork to blame Scott King and hopefully eradicate him from Monomi politics once and for all.

Over the past few months, multiple Nationalist politicians and operatives have criticized the former governor.

Nathan Lister, a federal senator who was up for re-election in 2018, had the unfortunate luck of sharing the ballot with King, and blamed his loss to Conservative Assemblyman Brooke Burnstein partially on King's scandal.

"Because of his scandal, whether or not the accusations against him are true, a lot of Nationalist voters stayed home and didn't go to the polls," Lister told the Trieton Sun. "A lot of people felt like Scott King is ruining our party's chance at winning, so what's the point? They were demoralized and expecting a loss, so they just stayed home, which was fine for Scott King, but sucked for Beth Gowan and for me," said Lister.

Gowan had similar sentiment in an interview with Monomi 9 News.

"No matter what happened afterwards, it would have been difficult for us to win this race following the accusations that came out against Scott," Gowan said. "It's very hard to recover from that type of a bombshell that hits your campaign. It's not impossible to recover from that, but it's very hard."

"But I can tell you that if Scott King had stepped aside and not ran his write-in campaign, Nationalists would have been more united and we would have had a better chance of beating Will Huxton. It would have been an uphill climb, but it would have been more achievable. But by choosing to run as a write-in candidate despite everyone in the leadership calling on him to drop out, despite many of his own advisors and supporters urging him to drop out, Scott King basically handed the election to Will Huxton. Any chance of the NAT winning this race just went out the window at that point," said Gowan.

More recently, Mark Gerring, who worked as the communications director on King's ill-fated campaign, said he advised King to step aside completely but was rebuffed.

"I thought it would be in the best interest of the party, in the best interest of all his campaign staff, and in his own best interest to just step aside, let Beth Gowan take up the mantle, and forget about this race. Sometimes you have to know when to fold your cards, and in my opinion, this was one of those times," Gerring told the Sun.

But not all of King's advisors agreed with Gerring's assessment. Gerring admits many campaign advisors urged King to stand firm.

"There were several members of the team who told the governor he should stand up to these allegations, call them out for what they were, which was 'fake news.' There were a lot of people who felt these allegations were just politically-motivated lies meant to smear Scott King and screw him of any chance of winning," said Gerring.

"Some members of the campaign staff thought the allegations were completely false, completely a sham, and others wanted to believe they were a sham but eventually arrived at the conclusion that they were likely true."

Gerring was one of those who initially doubted the veracity of the accusations against King, but later came to believe them. Once he arrived at that conclusion, he resigned from King's campaign.

Gerring has not spoken to King since he resigned.

"It's unfortunate, because Scott King was a great leader, he had so much potential, and he has done so much for Monomi, and a lot of his ideas are great ideas, but they never saw the light of day because the clouds of scandal just loomed over everything."

Meanwhile, some of the harshest criticism of King has come from outside his inner-circle.

Former federal Senator Hanna Gorbachy, who is highly revered in Monomi's state NAT party, said King's decision to launch a futile write-in campaign was "a dumb move" and "very unfortunate."

"You have to know Will Huxton and his team were just filled with glee and jubilation when they saw that Scott was going to run as a write-in candidate. It was the best gift we could give them," Gorbachy said of the NAT.

Another former senator, Brad Fiodora, said he too was dismayed by King's decision.

"I respect Scott King for what he's done and for the shared values we hold on things like labor, the economy, criminal justice reform, etc." Fiodora told the GBC. "But I cannot respect him for sabotaging Beth Gowan's chances and sabotaging the party's chances for his own selfish reasons."

"His scandal hurt a lot of people who really had nothing to do with it. Beth Gowan didn't play any part in Scott's troubles. Nate Lister didn't play any role in it. And yet they both suffered because of it and that's very sad," said Fiodora.

Bruce Gove, a senior fundraising strategist who works for the Nationalist Governors Association, also known by its acronym NATGA, called King's failed gubernatorial campaigns "a complete shit-show."

"What happened in Monomi with Scott King was a complete shit-show. The buffoonery and selfishness of one person caused the entire state party to implode. Scott King brought the tent down and it collapsed on everyone else that happened to be in it," Gove said in an interview on a Devanough radio station last week.

The Trieton Sun reached out to King for his reaction to the harsh words from his former allies.

Although used to being in the hot seat because of misconduct allegations, King declined to take part in a sit-down interview with the Sun.

But he did comment via email, in his typically colorful style, maintaining his innocence of the accusations leveled against him.

"This so-called 'scandal' that I've been brought into is fake, it's false, there is no truth to any of these claims of abuse or inappropriate conduct. I admit I made some poor dating choices and I drank too much alcohol. I'll admit that I have a weakness for beautiful women, as I've said in the past. But I do not and never have abuse women or treat them inappropriately. Period."

King told the Sun he is "truly sorry" for the adverse impact his scandal had on Beth Gowan and Nathan Lister, but he insisted the party leadership could have handled the situation better.

"Monomi politics are dirty. They always have been. There are a lot of shady tactics that go on by both parties. The people of Monomi know me, they know my past, they know all the foolish decisions I've legitimately made in my personal life and they know all the bogus "allegations" I've been accused of over the years. The voters are smart enough to see through this bullshit. And had the party given me a chance to defend myself, to explain the specifics of these allegations, to have my due process, we could have still won this race."

King acknowledged it would have been difficult to overcome the allegations against him, but he pointed to the unpopularity of Conservative Attorney General Will Huxton.

"Look, people know me. They know I'm not an angel. They know I was a party boy, a frat boy, a guy who loves the ladies. They know my dirty secrets. And while some people don't like the real me, there are also a lot of people who can't stand Will Huxton. He's extreme, he's a hardliner on women's choice, he's a hardliner on sex ed [education], he's a hardliner on immigration, he's a gun rights nut, and more than all that, he's a dweeb. He's a bozo. And people can't stand him because of that. There are a lot of voters who would have voted for me over Will Huxton any day, but the party didn't even consider that, they just threw me out the door and said 'don't ever come back.'"

"And that's why I had to continue my campaign as a write-in candidate. I couldn't let my supporters down, I couldn't let lies and falsehoods sink my campaign, and I couldn't let the party get away with its blatant disrespect and mistreatment of me and my supporters and my staff," said King.

King did agree with Bruce Gove that the whole situation surrounding his campaign was "a shit-show."

"Oh there's no doubt it was a shit-show, definitely. It was a crazy couple months dealing with all this bullshit, but it could have been way less dramatic and divisive if the party would have backed me up."

Since the election, the disgraced candidate has not officially gone into hiding - he's still living in Trieton and venturing out into public. However, he is currently unemployed and living off royalties from his book sales.

His news-comedy TV show on the STAR Network was canceled when he ran for governor. So far there are no plans to revive the show, but King would not rule out a return to television. He's also planning to get back on the speaking circuit and to become an adjunct political contributor to the STAR News Network.

Asked what he's learned over the past year during another divisive campaign:

"I've learned that you really find out who your true friends are when shit hits the fan. A lot of people I thought were friends abandoned me and walked away, and that was hard, it was painful. But also a lot of really great people stood by me and continue to support me through everything, and those people are even more special and precious. Those kinds of friends are priceless."

Laskie to run for Alieva County Prosecutor

RATHCLAN, S. Ceona -- The voters of South Ceona soundly rejected him for a second term last week, but that's not stopping former Gov. Greg Laskie (C) from jumping right back in to the political fray.

Laskie, who lost by four percentage points to Nationalist political new-comer Brett Ratenzy, announced Tuesday he will set his sights on a much smaller and less-prestigious prize: county prosecutor.

Despite his bruising defeat in the governor's race, Laskie said he will run for county prosecutor in Alieva County, which is home to the state capital of Rathclan.

With a population of 135,000, the county includes the eastern suburbs of Fairfield and leans Conservative.

It has served as home base for Laskie in all of his congressional and gubernatorial campaigns over the years.

At his announcement press conference, the obvious question reporters wanted to know was why Laskie was not retreating to private life after a humiliating defeat.

"Most candidates would quietly fade from public life after losing a high-profile political race," Wade Finley of the Fairfield Integrus newspaper asked Laskie. "Why are you choosing to not only stay in the spotlight, but to re-enter the political scene so quickly after a grueling campaign?"

Laskie responded by saying "the spirit of public service is still calling," and the former governor and assemblyman said serving as county prosecutor would be more amenable to his family situation.

"Right now my wife has cancer, I have small kids at home, I don't feel compelled to run for Congress again because that would take me back straight back to Mavocke. But working as county prosecutor in my hometown would allow me to continue to serve, to continue to make a living, and to be close to my family and my wife," Laskie, 46, said.

"And it would allow me to do what I love, to be a prosecutor," he added.

Before entering state politics, Laskie was a local and federal prosecutor.

His political career was built largely on his tough-on-crime record.

"Fighting crime is still my passion, protecting our community, protecting our state, protecting our children, holding criminal offenders accountable...those are all things that are very important to me."

It's unclear who Laskie may face in the prosecutor's race. The incumbent, Greg Estholm - also a Conservative - is retiring.

Laskie made clear his decision to seek a local position was not because he doubts his electability to statewide office.

"I was elected governor once before, I know I can win. I'm not doing this because I don't think I can win a higher office, I'm doing this because it's something I think I would be good at, it's right for me and my family, and it would allow me to give my talents to the local eastside community, which is very important to me since it's my hometown."

Brett Ratenzy, a first-time candidate, defeated Laskie in South Ceona's special gubernatorial election on March 26.

Ratenzy, 56, an auto union leader from Gallaghan, earned 51 percent of the vote to Laskie's 47 percent.

The moderate Nationalist campaigned on a message of building the economy and investing in social services, which had been gutted due to falling revenues thanks to deep tax cuts initiated during the Laskie administration.

Ratenzy is the second Nationalist to be elected to the governorship, and the first person from outside the Fairfield-Rathclan metro area to hold the position.

He's also the first governor since South Ceona's borders were reduced following the incorporation of the Kensington region in the eastern part of the state.

At his press conference, Greg Laskie wouldn't rule out another run for governor in the future, but said right now his focus is more localized.

Laskie's wife Cindy is battling aggressive breast cancer and has been receiving treatment at the Cramer Cancer Clinic at Fairfield Medical Center.

Hennemott nominates Sweeten, Halitz for cabinet posts

DEROSA, E. Des. -- Fresh off her surprising win in East Deschire's governor's race, Val Hennemott has nominated two of her former Federal Senate colleagues for prominent cabinet positions.

On Tuesday, Hennemott (N) nominated Allison Sweeten to serve as her Secretary of Social Services.

A Nationalist from Bridgeworth, Sweeten previously served as a senator from 2012 until she was ousted in the December 2018 election, defeated by Conservative firebrand Nancy Lindselli.

Hennemott also nominated former Conservative Senator Denna Halitz for Secretary of Agriculture.

Halitz, from Christen-Kerr, served in the Senate from 2009-2014, and ran for Sweeten's Senate seat in 2018 but was defeated in the Conservative primary by Lindselli.

The two young women senators from opposite parties have clashed through the years over policy differences, with Halitz only months ago calling Sweeten "dangerous" and Sweeten chastising Halitz as out-of-touch with the middle class.

But the two former foes will now have to put their differences aside as they work jointly for their new boss and colleague Val Hennemott, who has promised a state government that "works for the people."

Both nominees are expected to be confirmed by the East Deschire state senate.