A federal grand jury has now raised additional criminal charges against Imran Awan, the former House Democratic IT staffer with close ties to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.

Awan was arrested by the FBI last month at Dulles airport as he attempted to flee the U.S. for his home country of Pakistan, and charged with bank fraud.

WAR GAMES

The US and South Korea will continue with their plans of 10 days worth of military exercises beginning today, despite dire warning from North Korea.

The Ulchi Freedom Guardian military exercises are designed to test the readiness of South Korea and the United States, should conflict with the north break out.

A president’s legacy is defined not only by his actions, but also by his words. Those who have held the highest office in the United States know well that what they say has impacts far beyond the podium. This list compiles some of the best presidential quotes from American history, grouped within themes, from most recent to oldest.

Note: Dates next to names indicate the years of their presidency.

One of President Trump's most ardent supporters fired a warning shot across the commander-in-chief's bow.

In an interview on Fox News, Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich called out the president for the gaffes he has made and the growing list of enemies he is creating in his first six months in Washington.

Gingrich said, "If the president wants to have a serious, stable presidency, he needs to enact serious changes."

The Libertarian Party wants to be clear: they reject white supremacy, bigotry, and racism.

Racists, White Nationalists Asked to Leave the Party

In a press release on August 15, 2017, in the wake of the violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, the LP's executive director Wes Benedict reiterated the party's stance on bigotry:

It’s no secret that the White House has had their share of problems when it comes to intelligence leaks in the first 200 days of the Trump administration. While some say that the so-called “deep state” is a myth, President Trump isn’t taking any chances.

He has pushed back, most recently, by installing retired General John Kelly as White House Chief of Staff, in an effort to bring order and discipline to the West Wing. Kelly is one of a handful of retired Generals appointed to key positions in the Trump administration.

Earlier this year, Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau announced legislation to legalize recreational marijuana in 2018. The proposed legislation has support from both political parties and a majority of Canadian citizens.

Medical marijuana has been legal since 2001 and this would make Canada the first industrialized nation to fully legalize recreational cannabis nationwide.

It kind of sounds like an odd pairing at first, no? A self-described "neo-libertarian" and a "progressive Democrat" join forces. Yet what they are advocating for is something most people will agree on: We need fairer elections.

Julian Assange maintains that Russia did not provide WikiLeaks the leaked emails on the DNC and former Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta during the height of the 2016 presidential election.

Time for Missouri to Truly Go Purple

In a story on IVN.us, Erik Fogg says it's high time for Missouri to send an independent to Congress.

Fogg writres:

"Missouri is a classic American Purple state. It is coveted by presidential candidates much as Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Florida: It voted twice for Clinton, but also voted for Bush, McCain, Romney, and Trump — all by narrow margins.