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<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="10560767" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="grand-hyatt-washington">Grand Hyatt Washington</keyword> in Washington, DC, is facing backlash after Bloomberg reporter William Turton <a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamTurton/status/1346980282243678209">tweeted a</a> video showing maskless Trump supporters mingling inside the hotel after the historic <keyword id="10554785" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="capitol-siege">Capitol siege</keyword>. </li><li><keyword id="167366" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hyatt">Hyatt</keyword> is now facing backlash on social media after the video, posted on Wednesday night, went viral.</li><li>Hyatt has called yesterday's riot "shocking, horrifying and indefensible," a Hyatt spokesperson told Insider in a statement.</li><li>The hotel's team successfully asked the guests to either wear a mask, leave, or go to their rooms, according to the statement.</li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/hyatt">Hyatt</a> is facing backlash on social media after a video went viral on <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>, showing Trump supporters mingling maskless in one of Hyatt's Washington, DC, hotels following the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/capitol-siege">Capitol siege</a>.The video, <a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamTurton/status/1346980282243678209">posted by Bloomberg reporter William Turton</a>, shows clusters of people with Trump paraphernalia drinking and socializing in the Grand Hyatt Washington lobby.According to the following tweets from Turton, Trump supporters started harassing him after filming the video, and the hotel's security team had to relocate Turton to a new room.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-capitol-siege-protest-cybersecurity-wipe-computers-experts-2021-1?r=bc-sub">The siege of the US Capitol was a disaster for congressional cybersecurity - and experts say Congress will likely have to wipe all its computers and rebuild from scratch</a>Angry <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/twitter">Twitter</a> users were set alight after the video went viral, with some questioning where the Trump supporters' masks were despite the hotel's mask policy. Others have called for Hyatt to remove the hotel guests.The video is also now being included in conversations around the issue of white privilege that has played out during Wednesday's siege, with <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpsTaxes/status/1347211911100846085">one Twitter user, @TrumpsTaxes, tweeting</a>, "White privilege is committing insurrection during the day and then enjoying cocktails later that night."A Black Lives Matter chapter in Washington, DC, has now called for a boycott on hotels that "support white supremacists and hate" on Twitter, and is asking hotels in the DC area to "renounce Trump-affiliated protestors and cancel the reservation of people coming to town to undermine democracy."In response to the viral Twitter video, a Hyatt spokesperson told Insider in an email statement that the "violent and destructive events in Washington DC yesterday were shocking, horrifying, and indefensible."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hyatt-ceo-mark-hoplamazian-equation-for-hiring-management-and-firing-2019-7?r=bc-sub">Hyatt's CEO reveals the simple equation that underlies his management, hiring, and firing strategies</a>According to the statement, all Hyatt hotels in Washington, DC, were "acutely aware of the chaos that was unfolding outside of their hotels, and their primary focus was to ensure the safety and security of all guests and colleagues during this tumultuous time." The Grand Hyatt Washington specifically had security protocols in place and "engaged with local authorities to ensure the safety and security of all guests and colleagues.""The Grand Hyatt Washington team worked to address the situation in an effort to ensure guests were following COVID-19 protocols - including by offering face coverings or requesting guests to return to guestrooms," the Hyatt spokesperson said in the statement. "We can confirm that, as a result of these efforts, individuals ultimately returned to their guestrooms, vacated the premises, or complied with these protocols without incident. We will continue to work to enforce protocols so that guests are aware of their responsibility in helping protect the health and safety of our colleagues and their fellow guests."Guests at every Hyatt hotel who don't wear face masks are asked to leave the premise or to remain in their respective rooms, according to the statement. The hotel chain also asks its patrons to social distance from anyone who's not in their immediate party, and has distancing guidelines laid out throughout the hotel to help enforce this rule.Expanded Coverage Module: capitol-siege-module

Social media users are slamming a Hyatt hotel in Washington, DC, after a video surfaces showing Trump supporters parading around the hotel without masks

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>When I heard Hyatt would be discontinuing my beloved Hyatt Visa and replacing it with <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">the World of Hyatt Credit Card</a>, I thought I'd resist upgrading as long as possible.</li><li>I've loved my Hyatt Visa for years, thanks to its free cardmember anniversary nights and relatively small $75-a-year fee.</li><li>But I've finally caved, and I'm ready to upgrade and take advantage of the points we're being offered to upgrade and the 2x points for gym membership fees, as well as the fact that by upgrading, we can skirt Chase's 5/24 rule.</li></ul>For several years, my Hyatt Visa has been one of my favorite hotel credit cards. With the $75-a-year card, free nights at Category 1 Hyatt hotels only cost 5,000 points. Don't be confused by the "Category 1" label. It's in no way a reflection of a hotel's star rating. Nearly all of the Category 1 spots that we've stayed at have been at least 3-star hotels, and we've had very few negative experiences.Plus, I get a free night certificate each cardmember anniversary, and anniversary certificates can be used at any Category 1-4 hotel. We've been able to stay at some amazing hotels like the Grand Hyatt Washington and the Andaz, Savannah for free by using our anniversary nights.It's for all these reasons that when I first heard Hyatt was going to be discontinuing the card and replacing it with the new <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt card</a> I didn't feel super motivated to make the switch ... especially when I learned that it would come with a more expensive $95 annual fee.Initially, I thought that the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt</a> card may give an extra free anniversary night each year. But, alas, the only way to earn an extra night with this card is by spending at least $15,000 a year. I couldn't see us realistically doing that. So my initial thought was "I'm holding on to my precious Hyatt Visa for as long as I can!" But things have changed and I now see value in upgrading.<h2>Why I'm finally upgrading to the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt card</a></h2>There are three main reasons why my wife and I are ready to <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/should-you-upgrade-your-hyatt-credit-card/">upgrade to the World of Hyatt credit card</a>.<h3>1. Hyatt is currently offering us 3,500 points to upgrade</h3>When the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt</a> card first came on the scene, Hyatt was offering 2,000 points as an upgrade bonus to Hyatt Visa cardholders. But recently, we were one of the many Hyatt Visa cardholders who received an email offer that increased the upgrade bonus to 3,500 points. This is enticing for two reasons. Not only would the 3,500 points more than cover the increased annual fee for the first year, but they would nearly qualify us for another Category 1 free night.<h3>2. We wouldn't be eligible to get the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt card</a> as a new cardmember due to Chase's 5/24 rule</h3>For those of you who aren't familiar with the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/guide/ultimate-guide-chase-5-24-rule/">Chase 5/24 rule</a>, here's what it's all about. For many of its high-end credit cards, Chase will only approve applications from people who haven't received more than five credit cards in a 24-month span.Unfortunately, the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt credit card</a> is one of the Chase cards to which this rule applies. And since my wife and I are pretty serious credit card users, we've applied for five credit cards in the last two years. This means that if we tried to apply for the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt card</a>, we would be rejected. But the Chase 5/24 rule does not apply to upgrades. So by upgrading now we can earn some bonus points and avoid bumping up against the Chase 5/24 rule.The Chase 5/24 rule wouldn't keep you from qualifying for the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt card</a>? Then in that case it may be smarter to just cancel your Hyatt Visa before applying for the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt card</a> as a new cardholder. Why? Because if it's been at least two years since you received a new card bonus from Hyatt, you'll be eligible to earn the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt card</a>'s 50,000-point sign-up bonus after spending $6,000 total in the first six months. And that's a big deal! 50,000 bonus points could get you 10 free nights at a Category 1 hotel. <h3>3. We go to the gym now</h3>Confused by this point? Allow me to explain. When we first signed up for our Hyatt Visa, we didn't have a gym membership. But we do now. And with two kids under age 5, we needed to find a gym that offered childcare. That makes our gym membership more expensive than it would be otherwise and it costs us about $700 a year. Why does this matter? Because unlike the Hyatt Visa, <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">the World of Hyatt credit card</a> gives 2x points for club membership fees.And when I consider that I'd also earn more points on Hyatt stays and rideshare services, I can see the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt card</a>'s earning potential being worth the annual fee. I think it's finally time to say "goodbye" to our beloved Hyatt Visa and say "hello" to the <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">World of Hyatt card</a>.<h3><a href="https://thepointsguy.com/card-details/the-world-of-hyatt-credit-card/?utm_campaign=bi_0562819_cp_upgrading-hyatt-cards&amp;utm_source=referral">Learn more about the World of Hyatt Card from our partner The Points Guy »</a></h3>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. What you decide to do with your money is up to you. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

I spent years resisting an upgrade to my beloved Hyatt Visa, but I'm finally ready to take the plunge for 3 reasons

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The mother of the man who was pictured with plastic zip-tie restraints during the Capitol riots was arrested and charged by the <keyword id="6355946" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="fbi">FBI</keyword>.</li><li>Lis Eisenhart was arrested in Nashville on Saturday. Her son Eric Gavelek Munchel was charged last Sunday.</li><li>According to an <a href="https://www.justice.gov/file/1355811/download">affidavit</a>, footage from the <keyword id="6388598" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="riot">riot</keyword> revealed that both Eisenhart and Munchel appeared to be "holding flex cuffs in each of their hands" while following a violent mob who were chasing two Capitol police officers during the siege. </li></ul>The FBI arrested the mother of the man who was captured on camera holding plastic zip-tie restraints during the deadly insurrection earlier this month. Lisa Eisenhart <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/mother-of-man-arrested-for-us-capitol">was arrested in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday</a> and is facing charges for violent entry or disorderly conduct, conspiracy, civil disorders, and entering a restricted building or grounds, according to a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/file/1355806/download">United States District Court for the District Columbia criminal complaint. </a>Eisenhart is alleged to have driven with her son, Eric Gavelek Munchel, from Nashville to Washington, D.C to participate in the January 6 riot, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pro-trump-rioters-pictured-capitol-zip-ties-charged-2021-1">Business Insider's</a> Kelly McLaughlin reported on Monday. "Specifically, on or about January 6, 2021, Eisenhart and her son, Eric Munchel, traveled to Washington, D.C., and agreed to enter the U.S. Capitol, without lawful authority, at the time when a joint session of Congress was certifying the November 2020 presidential election," an <a href="https://www.justice.gov/file/1355811/download">affidavit</a> in support of criminal complaint stated."As the Congress was engaged in the official business of certifying the electoral college vote, Eisenhart and Munchel knowingly and willfully joined a mob of individuals to forcibly enter the U.S. Capitol with the intent to cause a civil disturbance designed to impede, disrupt, and disturb the orderly conduct of business by the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate."Munchel was charged last Sunday with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, according to the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/two-men-charged-connection-events-us-capitol">US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia</a>. As of Saturday, Eisenhart and Munchel are two of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/all-the-us-capitol-pro-trump-riot-arrests-charges-names-2021-1">more than 120 arrests</a> made to those in connection with the coup attempt so far. According to the affidavit, both Eisenhart and Munchel were caught on video at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in DC and pictured on Capitol grounds the same day as the riot. In addition, the affidavit states that footage shows that the duo was "holding flex cuffs in each of their hand" while following a violent mob group chasing two Capitol Police officers. They were also captured entering and inside the Senate chambers, the affidavit said. Read more:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pro-trump-rioters-pictured-capitol-zip-ties-charged-2021-1">2 pro-Trump rioters pictured carrying zip tie-style restraints in the Capitol have been charged with federal crimes</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/all-the-us-capitol-pro-trump-riot-arrests-charges-names-2021-1">Over 100 pro-Trump rioters have been charged in the Capitol insurrection so far. This searchable table shows them all.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fbi-investigates-foreign-bitcoin-funding-for-capitol-rioters-nbc-news-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The FBI is probing whether foreign governments, groups or individuals funded Capitol rioters using Bitcoin, says report</a>

Federal authorities arrest the mother of Tennessee man who was pictured holding plastic restraints during Capitol riots

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A potential "superspreader" may be responsible for at least 11 new coronavirus infections across 3 countries.</li><li>The case brings lots of questions on the role of "superspreaders" in outbreaks. </li><li>Superspreaders infect an "unusually" large amount of people with a disease, and <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51447143">according to the BBC</a>, they are a "feature of nearly every outbreak."</li><li>However, the term does not have strict scientific guidelines.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Health officials in the United Kingdom are scrambling to find anyone who may have had close contact with man being referred to as a "superspreader" after being linked to 11 new infections of the novel coronavirus. The man, said to be in his late 50s, travelled to Singapore for a sales conference from January 20 to 22, where it is thought he caught the novel virus, several news outlets reported. The man then flew to a ski resort close to the French Alps, before returning to his hometown of Hover and visiting a local pub, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/british-coronavirus-super-spreader-may-have-infected-at-least-11-people-in-three-countries/2020/02/10/016e9842-4c14-11ea-967b-e074d302c7d4_story.html">The Washington Post reported</a>. While in Singapore, he stayed at the Grand Hyatt and according to <a href="https://apnews.com/46a846130549454936d62f2cddec6c48">the Associated Press</a>; 94 other foreign travellers including some from Wuhan, China, where the virus originated, checked in at the same time as the man. The hotel was informed by Singapore's Health Ministry that three other travellers who stayed there were diagnosed with the virus in their home countries of Malaysia and South Korea. The British man only began to show symptoms after he flew to France, where he stayed at a three-story chalet in Contamines-Montjoie close to Mont Blanc with his family for four days.He took an EasyJet flight back to London's Gatewick airport from Geneva, and then went to the Grenadier pub in his hometown. Through out his travel, the man has been linked to 11 infections, including a 9-year-old boy in France. French health officials said two schools the kid visited were shut down, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/10/super-spreader-brought-coronavirus-from-singapore-to-sussex-via-france">the Guardian reported</a>. Additionally, the AP reported that 61 people including children who may have come in contact with boy had been tested for the virus. All came back negative. Overall, the majority of 11 cases linked to the man stemmed from the mans stay at the chalet, The Post reported. "New cases are all known contacts of a previously confirmed UK case, and the virus was passed on in France," Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, told The Post.According to the BBC, the man is linked to five of the eight confirmed cases the UK has seen. <h2>'Superspreaders' infect large numbers of people</h2>While the the British man has informally been described a "superspreader," the World Health Organization has said the label may be unfair, given that those linked with to him with the virus were in a cluster.Superspreaders infect an "unusually" large amount of people with a disease, and <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51447143">according to the BBC</a>, they are a "feature of nearly every outbreak."However, the term does not have strict scientific guidelines.Superspreaders can have a significant impact on an outbreak. For example a single hospital patient infected 82 others with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, during that outbreak in 2015.When it comes to the Wuhan coronavirus, one person can usually infect one or two people. However, some may infect more and some may infect no one at all. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/10/what-are-super-spreaders-coronavirus">According to the Guardian</a>, the "20/80 rule" has been established in the past 2o years, where a "small core group of about one-in-five people transmit infections to far more people than the majority do."There are several factors that may determine if someone is a superspreader, but nothing is certain. The Guardian reported that immune systems may play a role - whether someone is either really good at suppressing the virus that the person does not feel any symptoms, or the opposite, where the persons immune system does not suppress the virus.Experts told the BBC that some people are "super-shedders" and tend to release more of the virus from their bodies, while others spread more of the virus because they interact with a large amount of people.And while super spreading of this virus "will not significantly change how the disease is managed," the BBC said, it's important not to miss cases of potential superspreaders.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-cases-why-more-men-than-women-2020-2">Men represent the majority of coronavirus cases so far, according to a new study. Researchers have a few guesses as to why.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-deadly-is-novel-wuhan-coronavirus-2020-2">How deadly is the new coronavirus? Research so far suggests the fatality rate could be low.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-coronavirus-how-to-track-the-infection-2020-2">These 5 tools for tracking the coronavirus provide up-to-date information to help you see which areas are most affected</a><a></a></li></ul>

British 'superspreader' is linked to 11 Wuhan coronavirus cases, and it shows just how hard it can be to track new virus

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>On Friday, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the US.Trump officially became the richest president in US history, dethroning <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/george-washington-richest-president-us-history-2017-1" target="_blank">George Washington</a>, the country's first president. As Brett LoGiurato previously <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-net-worth-2015-7">reported for Business Insider</a>, the real estate mogul released a report in last July claiming to be worth around $8.7 billion. However, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/profile/donald-trump/">Forbes estimates his net worth is closer to $3.7 billion</a>. Since the president hasn't released his tax returns, his complete financial situation remains somewhat unclear.But Trump's status as a billionaire makes him more than twice as rich as Washington, whose estimated net worth would amount to around <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/george-washington-richest-president-us-history-2017-1/#washington-was-born-at-popes-creek-in-westmoreland-county-virginia-in-1732-he-was-the-oldest-of-augustine-washington-and-mary-balls-six-children-and-also-had-three-half-siblings-when-washington-was-11-years-old-augustine-died-leaving-the-future-founding-father-with-a-great-deal-of-responsibility-managing-the-familys-plantation-1" target="_blank">$525 million in today's dollars</a>. Had he lived to inherit his father's financial empire, John F. Kennedy may have been the only other billionaire to take a turn in the Oval Office, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/richest-presidents-in-history-2016-2" target="_blank">according to data from 24/7 Wall St</a>. Several other presidents, including Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Andrew Jackson, were worth well over $100 million. Trump can also <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-donald-trump-got-rich-2016-3" target="_blank">thank inheritance</a> for jump-starting his path to wealth. <a href="http://theweek.com/articles/613223/how-did-donald-trump-make-money" target="_blank">Starting with a $1 million loan from his father</a>, Fred, Trump took out a bank loan of more than $100 million, which he parlayed into a series of real-estate projects in Manhattan, including Trump Tower and the Grand Hyatt Hotel. As his real-estate business took off, Trump branched out into golf courses, casinos, and various branded products. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cut-cable-tv-shows-hulu-netflix-hbo-amazon-2016-9">Don't be afraid to cancel cable - here's how to watch all of your favorite shows for less than $42 a month</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="k1aTZxNTE6vUYGpp5yk9kVtosxPxbU5_" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Donald Trump is officially the richest US president in history

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Andrew Harnik/APRudy Giuliani, an attorney for President Donald Trump, pretends to tear a piece of paper as he speaks about the Iran nuclear agreement while speaking at the Iran Freedom Convention for Human Rights and democracy at the Grand Hyatt, May 5, 2018, in Washington.</div></div></div><ul><li>Rudy Giuliani, an attorney for President Donald Trump, denied Trump was aware of Michael Cohen's financial dealings that were brought to light in a report published on Tuesday.</li><li>The report alleges that a firm linked to Cohen, Trump's longtime personal attorney, was compensated for various services to major firms, including one linked to a Russian oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.</li><li>Giuliani said Trump was not concerned about the report's findings.</li></ul> The former New York Mayor <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/rudy-giuliani">Rudy Giuliani</a>, now a member of President Donald Trump's legal team for the Russia investigation, said Trump was aware of Michael Cohen's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/companies-paid-michael-cohen-trump-statements-explanations-2018-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">financial dealings</a> that gained intense scrutiny after a bombshell report surfaced on Tuesday."The president was unaware of this," Giuliani told <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-09/giuliani-says-trump-was-unaware-of-cohen-s-consulting-income" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a> on Wednesday. "The president is not involved in any respect. It's a dead issue as far as I'm concerned," he said.Cohen, Trump's longtime personal attorney, took some heat a day earlier after a report published by Michael Avenatti, the attorney for the adult-film star, Stormy Daniels, who is suing Trump and Cohen, detailed large sums of money funneled to a shell company linked to Cohen.The firm, Essential Consultants LLC, appeared to have received hundreds of thousands of dollars from major corporations like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/novartis-payments-to-michael-cohen-linked-essential-consulting-2018-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Novartis</a>, a Swiss pharmaceutical firm; <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/korea-aerospace-michael-cohen-payments-avenatti-contract-2018-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Korea Aerospace Industries</a>, a South Korean defense contractor; and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-michael-cohen-reimbursed-stormy-daniels-payment-avenatti-2018-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AT&amp;T</a>, the giant US telecom company.According to the report, Cohen's firm also received a $500,000 payment from Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, shortly after the 2016 US presidential election.The identified companies brushed off concerns about whether their payments to Cohen's firm were inappropriate."Essential Consulting was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration," AT&amp;T said in a statement. "They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017."Giuliani reiterated that Trump did not know why Cohen received payment from the companies, and said Trump's legal team has "no reason to be concerned about it or to pursue it any further." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-next-north-south-korea-peace-treaty-2018-4">What will probably happen with the North and South Korean peace treaty</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

'It's a dead issue': Rudy Giuliani says Trump was 'unaware' of Michael Cohen's financial dealings

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Andrew Harnik/APRudy Giuliani, an attorney for President Donald Trump, speaks to reporters after speaking at the Iran Freedom Convention for Human Rights and democracy at the Grand Hyatt, Saturday, May 5, 2018, in Washington.</div></div></div><ul><li>Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, now President Donald Trump's personal attorney, said he doubted the veracity of a new report which detailed some questionable financial dealings of Michael Cohen, Trump's longtime personal attorney.</li><li>The report alleged that Cohen received a $500,000 payment from a Russian oligarch after the 2016 US presidential election.</li><li>The report was compiled by Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing adult-film film actress Stormy Daniels.</li><li>Giuliani took a jab at Avenatti's credibility, calling him "a pretty unsuccessful lawyer."</li></ul> Former New York City Mayor <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/rudy-giuliani">Rudy Giuliani</a>, now President Donald Trump's personal attorney, said he doubts the veracity of a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-michael-cohen-reimbursed-stormy-daniels-payment-avenatti-2018-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new report</a> which questioned the financial dealings of Michael Cohen, Trump's longtime personal attorney.Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, released the report on Tuesday, which alleged that Cohen received around $500,000 from a company with ties to Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.According to Avenatti, the payment "<a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelAvenatti/status/993959992762994688" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may have reimbursed</a>" Cohen's $130,000 payment made towards a nondisclosure agreement regarding an alleged sexual affair between Trump and Daniels."I have no idea how he would know that," Giuliani said to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-08/trump-lawyer-cohen-puts-up-family-apartment-against-bank-debts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a>. "I have no reason to believe that anything he says is true."Giuliani continued by taking a jab at Avenatti's credibility: "I consider him now sort of a guy who books for 'Saturday Night Live," he continued, referring to the comedy sketch show. "The guy is a pretty unsuccessful lawyer - can't remember a case he's ever had that meant anything - and I think he's desperate for money."Some of the findings from Avenatti's report was later confirmed by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/08/us/politics/michael-cohen-shell-company-payments.html?smid=tw-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> and <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/michael-cohen-took-cash-from-russian-oligarch-after-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Beast</a>.Avenatti, who <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelAvenatti/status/993992084217581569" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that his team was "just getting started," parried Giuliani's remarks and fired back on Twitter: "Mr. Giuliani - you just called me a 'pretty unsuccessful lawyer' and stated that you 'can't remember a case he's ever had that meant anything.""First, you obviously can't remember much. Second, check my bio and you will find over a BILLION worth of verdicts and settlements. #dumb," Avenatti continued.Earlier on Tuesday, Avenatti goaded Giuliani to a public debate over his client's ongoing <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjrgr7Os_faAhUTEHwKHbjUCDwQFggqMAA&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2018%2F04%2F30%2Fpolitics%2Fstormy-daniels-defamation-lawsuit%2Findex.html&amp;usg=AOvVaw0jL_3BDpQWaaH1kanStnYr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defamation suit</a> against Trump."I think it would be very helpful for the public to witness a discussion between Mr. Giuliani and me concerning the facts of the case, etc," Avenatti <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelAvenatti/status/993894548509208578" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "I am willing to participate on any network provided both sides are provided a fair shake. I am also willing to do it on 12-hrs notice."Giuliani, one of the latest additions to Trump's restructured legal team, has reportedly <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-and-rudy-giuliani-media-tour-2018-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fallen out of favor</a> with Trump after a stunning media blitz last week. Giuliani's statements raised questions about Trump's involvement in Cohen's payment and appeared to conflict with his statements from other media interviews. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-next-north-south-korea-peace-treaty-2018-4">What will probably happen with the North and South Korean peace treaty</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Rudy Giuliani shreds Michael Avenatti's bombshell report on Russian reimbursements, calls him 'a pretty unsuccessful lawyer'

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst</div></div></div>The Democratic National Committee is following President Barack Obama's lead and sending its kids to community college. A week after young Republicans convened in at the Grand Hyatt hotel in downtown Washington, DC, College Democrats will host their annual conference at University of the District of Columbia, a community college in Northwest DC.The DNC told Business Insider this will be the first time that the organization has held its conference at a community college.Rising Democratic stars Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Department of Housing and Urban Development Director Julian Castro will both speak at the event about the necessity of affordable college options.The DNC's move echoes Obama's push to expand access to higher <keyword id="6355445" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Education">education</keyword> by making two years of community college free. <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/09/obama-education-idUSL1N0UO00E20150109">As Reuters</a> has reported, Obama's college plan would save around 9 million community college students an average of $3,800 each year.Obama's proposal has been opposed by skeptical congressional Republicans, who are concerned that there's no way to pay for the programs. The Obama administration has suggested that states shoulder 25% of the burden while the federal government covers the rest.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">AP Photo/John LocherHillary Rodham Clinton speaks with a group, including students, about immigration at an event at Rancho High School in Las Vegas.</div></div></div>Democrats are hoping to use community college as a way to galvanize young voters ahead of the 2016 presidential election and draw a contrast between the two parties. The DNC said that while most Democratic presidential candidates have come out in favor of Obama's plan, Republicans like Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) have brushed off Obama's and related plans, calling them more "<a href="http://www.nh1.com/news/steinhauser-bush-makes-unannounced-stop-in-new-hampshire/">free stuff</a>."Though the annual event is aiming to build excitement among young Democrats for the president's community college plan, the conference has a fairly lopsided focus on the election. The theme of the convention is "Build the Bench," the goal of which is to engage "College Democrats to become future leaders in their communities."The DNC is also hosting briefings on the GOP candidates and a crash course in campaign-finance compliance. The group is also going to great lengths to keep the diverse Obama coalition - Black, LGBTQ, Latino, Women, and "Ethnic" groups will each have their own caucus meetings over the weekend. The event's location is strategic: UDC is a predominantly minority campus. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-running-president-2015-6">Here are all the best moments from Donald Trump's presidential announcement</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="NudzFwdTo6LjJ5ItRE2VLJU84Dt1X3PZ" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Democrats want to make Obama's community college plan a big 2016 issue

The 100 most romantic restaurants in the US, according to OpenTable

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Courtesy of OpenTableAlizé at the Top of the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.</div></div></div>Valentine's Day is fast approaching, but thankfully OpenTable has taken all the guesswork out of which restaurant is sure to make your date swoon.The online restaurant reservation service has sorted through more than five million restaurant reviews from over 20,000 restaurants across the country to find the <a href="http://www.opentable.com/m/100-most-romantic-restaurants-in-america/">100 most romantic restaurants in America</a>.French cuisine and Italian steakhouses dominated the list this year, but so did restaurants that proved to have an exceptional ambience.From restaurants in historic buildings to cozy inns and luxe resorts that serve up a variety of cuisines, these are OpenTable's most romantic restaurants of 2016.Here is the full list, in alphabetical order:<a href="http://www.opentable.com/addison-restaurant">Addison Restaurant</a> - San Diego, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/alize-at-the-top-of-the-palms-casino-resort">Alizé at the Top of the Palms Casino Resort</a> - Las Vegas, Nevada<a href="http://www.opentable.com/alys-restaurant">Aly's Restaurant</a> - Solvang, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/ambience-los-altos">Ambience</a> - Los Altos, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/bistro-romano">Bistro Romano</a> - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania<a href="http://www.opentable.com/bouchard-restaurant-and-inn">Bouchard Restaurant and Inn</a> - Newport, Rhode Island<a href="http://www.opentable.com/briarhurst-manor">Briarhurst Manor</a> - Manitou Springs, Colorado<a href="http://www.opentable.com/cacharel-restaurant">Cacharel Restaurant</a> - Arlington, Texas<a href="http://www.opentable.com/cafe-central">Café Central</a> - El Paso, Texas<a href="http://www.opentable.com/cafe-matisse">Café Matisse</a> - Rutherford, New Jersey<a href="http://www.opentable.com/cafe-monarch">Café Monarch</a> - Scottsdale, Arizona<a href="http://www.opentable.com/cafe-renaissance">Café Renaissance</a> - Vienna, Virginia<a href="http://www.opentable.com/canlis">Canlis</a> - Seattle, Washington<a href="http://www.opentable.com/capische?ref=8101">Capische</a> - Wailea, Hawaii<a href="http://www.opentable.com/carlos-bistro">Carlos' Bistro</a> - Colorado Springs, Colorado<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-cellar-restaurant">The Cellar Restaurant</a> - Daytona Beach, Florida<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-cellars">The Cellars</a> - Virginia Beach, Virginia<a href="http://www.opentable.com/chez-francois-vermilion">Chez François</a> - Vermilion, Ohio<a href="http://www.opentable.com/chez-nous-french-restaurant">Chez Nous French Restaurant</a> - Humble, Texas<a href="http://www.opentable.com/circa-1886">Circa 1886</a> - Charleston, South Carolina<a href="http://www.opentable.com/coco-palm">Coco Palm</a> - Pomona, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/collage-restaurant">Collage Restaurant</a> - St. Augustine, Florida<a href="http://www.opentable.com/different-pointe-of-view">Different Pointe of View</a> - Phoenix, Arizona<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-dining-room-biltmore-estate">The Dining Room-Biltmore Estate</a> - Asheville, North Carolina<a href="http://www.opentable.com/duling-kurtz-house">Duling Kurtz House</a> - Exton, Pennsylvania<a href="http://www.opentable.com/edgewood-restaurant">Edgewood Restaurant</a> - Stateline, Nevada<a href="http://www.opentable.com/eiffel-tower">Eiffel Tower</a> - Las Vegas, Nevada<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Courtesy of OpenTableThe Eiffel Tower restaurant in Las Vegas.</div></div></div><a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-english-inn">The English Inn</a> - Eaton Rapids, Michigan<a href="http://www.opentable.com/erminia-ristorante">Erminia Ristorante</a> - New York, New York<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-farmhouse-at-turkey-hill">The Farmhouse at Turkey Hill</a> - Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania<a href="http://www.opentable.com/fearrington-house-restaurant">Fearrington House Restaurant</a> - Pittsboro, North Carolina<a href="http://www.opentable.com/flagstaff-house">Flagstaff House</a> - Boulder, Colorado<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-flatiron-cafe">The Flatiron Café</a> - Omaha, Nebraska<a href="http://www.opentable.com/fleurie">Fleurie</a> - Charlottesville, Virginia<a href="http://www.opentable.com/forbes-island">Forbes Island</a> - San Francisco, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-french-room">The French Room</a> - Dallas, Texas<a href="http://www.opentable.com/gejas-cafe">Geja's Café</a> - Chicago, Illinois<a href="http://www.opentable.com/goodstone-inn-and-estate-restaurant">The Goodstone Inn &amp; Estate Restaurant</a> - Middleburg, Virginia<a href="http://www.opentable.com/harrys-restaurant">Harry's Restaurant</a> - Manhattan, Kansas<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-hobbit">The Hobbit</a> - Orange, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/hugos-cellar-four-queens">Hugo's Cellar-Four Queens</a> - Las Vegas, Nevada<a href="http://www.opentable.com/inn-at-barley-sheaf-farm">Inn at Barley Sheaf Farm</a> - Holicong, Pennsylvania<a href="http://www.opentable.com/iridescence">Iridescence</a> -Detroit, Michigan<a href="http://www.opentable.com/jillians">Jillian's</a> - Palm Desert, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/keystone-ranch-restaurant">Keystone Ranch Restaurant</a> - Keystone, Colorado<a href="http://www.opentable.com/lauberge-de-sedona">L'Auberge de Sedona</a> - Sedona, Arizona<a href="http://www.opentable.com/la-bergerie">La Bergerie</a> - Alexandria, Virginia<a href="http://www.opentable.com/la-cremaillere-restaurant">La Cremaillere Restaurant</a> - Bedford, New York<a href="http://www.opentable.com/la-mer-at-halekulani">La Mer at Halekulani</a> - Honolulu, Hawaii<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Courtesy of OpenTable</div></div></div><a href="http://www.opentable.com/latitudes">Latitudes</a> - Key West, Florida<a href="http://www.opentable.com/le-vallauris">Le Vallauris</a> - Palm Springs, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/les-nomades">Les Nomades</a> - Chicago, Illinois<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-little-door">The Little Door</a> - Los Angeles, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/marsel-at-terranea-resort">Mar'sel at Terranea Resort</a> - Rancho Palos Verdes, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/m/romantic-melting-pot/">The Melting Pot</a> - National locations<a href="http://www.opentable.com/michaels-south-point-casino">Michael's-South Point Casino</a> - Las Vegas, Nevada<a href="http://www.opentable.com/michels-at-the-colony-surf">Michel's at the Colony Surf</a> - Honolulu, Hawaii<a href="http://www.opentable.com/middleton-place-restaurant">Middleton Place Restaurant</a> - Charleston, South Carolina<a href="http://www.opentable.com/on20">ON20</a> - Hartford, Connecticut<a href="http://www.opentable.com/orchids-at-palm-court">Orchids at Palm Court</a> - Cincinnati, Ohio<a href="http://www.opentable.com/over-the-moon-cafe">Over the Moon Café</a> - Tacoma, Washington<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-painted-lady">The Painted Lady</a> - Newberg, Oregon<a href="http://www.opentable.com/palme-dor">Palme d'Or</a> - Coral Gables, Florida<a href="http://www.opentable.com/paseo-grill">Paseo Grill</a> - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma<a href="http://www.opentable.com/penrose-room-the-broadmoor">Penrose Room-The Broadmoor</a> - Colorado Springs, Colorado<a href="http://www.opentable.com/pepper-tree-restaurant">Pepper Tree Restaurant</a> - Colorado Springs, Colorado<a href="http://www.opentable.com/peter-shields-inn">Peter Shields Inn</a> - Cape May, New Jersey<a href="http://www.opentable.com/primavista">Primavista</a> - Cincinnati, Ohio<a href="http://www.opentable.com/rainbow-room-dinner-and-dancing">Rainbow Room Dinner &amp; Dancing</a> - New York, New York<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-refectory-restaurant-and-bistro">The Refectory Restaurant &amp; Bistro</a> - Columbus, Ohio<a href="http://www.opentable.com/restaurant-g-at-the-gideon-ridge-inn">The Restaurant at the Gideon Ridge Inn</a> - Blowing Rock, North Carolina<a href="http://www.opentable.com/restaurant-iris">Restaurant Iris</a> - Memphis, Tennessee<a href="http://www.opentable.com/ristorante-massimo">Ristorante Massimo</a> - Portsmouth, New Hampshire<a href="http://www.opentable.com/river-cafe-brooklyn">River Café</a> - Brooklyn, New York<a href="http://www.opentable.com/rivers-end">River's End</a> - Jenner, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/russells-steaks-chops-and-more">Russell's Steaks, Chops, and More</a> - Williamsville, New York<a href="http://www.opentable.com/saddle-peak-lodge">Saddle Peak Lodge</a> - Calabasas, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/salacia-prime-seafood-and-steaks">Salacia Prime Seafood and Steaks</a> - Virginia Beach, Virginia<a href="http://www.opentable.com/sassi">SASSI</a> - Scottsdale, Arizona<a href="http://www.opentable.com/seagars-restaurant-destin">Seagar's Restaurant</a> - Destin, Florida<a href="http://www.opentable.com/second-empire-restaurant-and-tavern">Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern</a> - Raleigh, North Carolina<a href="http://www.opentable.com/shadowbrook-restaurant">Shadowbrook Restaurant</a> - Capitola, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/shearns-seafood-and-prime-steaks-galveston">Shearns Seafood and Prime Steaks</a> - Galveston, Texas<a href="http://www.opentable.com/sir-winstons-aboard-the-queen-mary">Sir Winston's Aboard the Queen Mary</a> - Long Beach, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/ski-tip-lodge-restaurant">Ski Tip Lodge</a> - Keystone, Colorado<a href="http://www.opentable.com/st-martins-wine-bistro">St. Martin's Wine Bistro</a> - Dallas, Texas<a href="http://www.opentable.com/stonehouse-at-san-ysidro-ranch">Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch</a> - Santa Barbara, California<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-studio-an-artistic-dining-experience">The Studio, An Artistic Dining Experience</a> - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina<a href="http://www.opentable.com/thirty-two">thirty-two</a> - Biloxi, Mississippi<a href="http://www.opentable.com/thomas-henkelmann-homestead-inn">Thomas Henkelmann-Homestead Inn</a> - Greenwich, Connecticut<a href="http://www.opentable.com/tidepools-grand-hyatt-kauai">Tidepools-Grand Hyatt Kauai</a> - Poipu, Hawaii<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-tree-room-at-sundance">The Tree Room @ Sundance</a> - Sundance, Utah<a href="http://www.opentable.com/ts-steakhouse-at-turning-stone">TS Steakhouse at Turning Stone</a> - Verona, New York<a href="http://www.opentable.com/ulu-ocean-grill-and-sushi-lounge">'Ulu Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge</a> - Kaupulehu, Hawaii<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">'Uli'Ulu Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge in Kaupulehu, Hawaii.</div></div></div><a href="http://www.opentable.com/vmertz">V.Mertz</a> - Omaha, Nebraska<a href="http://www.opentable.com/vernons-speakeasy">Vernon's Speakeasy</a> - Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico<a href="http://www.opentable.com/viande-rouge">Viande Rouge</a> - Duluth, Georgia<a href="http://www.opentable.com/white-barn-inn">White Barn Inn</a> - Kennebunk, Maine<a href="http://www.opentable.com/yonos-restaurant">Yono's Restaurant</a> - Albany, New York<a href="http://www.opentable.com/zenkichi">Zenkichi</a> - Brooklyn, New York <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/flirt-better-science-attraction-body-language-2015-5">5 scientifically proven ways to flirt better</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="xsdnZ0bjplEzk3yMBbITp0q5JpPOnTJm" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

The 100 most romantic restaurants in America, according to OpenTable

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div>AP</div>U.S. Rep. <keyword id="941210" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Steve-King">Steve King</keyword> (R-Iowa) previewed the coming fight over <keyword id="124780" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="immigration-reform">immigration reform</keyword> in front of dozens of New York's most influential <keyword id="141830" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Conservatives">conservatives</keyword> Monday night, clashing with a panel of conservative intellectuals who questioned his hardline stance.
The climax of Monday's meeting came when King, a tea party favorite, took the stage in the back room of midtown's Grand Hyatt hotel. He was subsequently questioned by a panel that included Forbes' John Tamny, the Washington Examiner's David Freddoso, and the New York Post's Robert George.
King, who has argued for restraint on immigration reform in the wake of the Boston Marathon attacks, outlined his preferred path on immigration reform — his bill, the New Illegal Deduction Elimination (New IDEA) Act, which he reintroduced in March.
King said that he would institute some kind of "point system" for immigrants, to "score" people by age, education, earning capability, language skills, and capital. He also praised the E-Verify system, an online tool that checks workers' immigration status.
At that point, Tamny jumped in to confront King.
"I've heard tonight about E-Verify. I've heard about not giving immigrants 'amnesty.' I've heard about the federal government controlling more who comes across our border. And I don't see anything that's remotely small government about any of these three things," Tamny said. 
"It surprises me that Republicans would talk this way. They're supposed to be the party of opportunity. But this seems to be a situation where they want to do the reverse and expand the power of government and expand the process of the government pushing people across the border."
The audience gave a spattering of applause and groans to Tamny's comments, while King offered a defense of the proposals as conservative ideas. He said that he is not trying to expand the power of agencies like the IRS, who, under his ideal proposal, would audit companies without warning to verify that their workers were legal.
"It doesn't accelerate enforcement," King said. "It just gets people to comply with the law, because they never know when it's coming. I've been audited a number of times."
That statement made Tamny lean back in his chair and, looking exasperated, roll his eyes. The Post's George jumped in, questioning why King would want to give the IRS more power to inflict "fear" on businesses.
"The thought that you want to give an enhanced fear of the IRS to businesses," George said. "Whatever we're doing here seems to be giving more power to the government to check in on businesses."
Added Tamny: "That's exactly what I think — enhanced power for the IRS or enhanced power for the government to rip people out of jobs and move them across, that sounds like enhancing government power, not shrinking it, like Republicans are supposed to do."
But while Tamny and George lamented the "big government" solutions currently being proposed in the immigration debate, the biggest applause of the night came for Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) when he was asked about the immigration debate.
"I don't think we need any new bills on immigration," he said, to raucous cheers, adding that <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> should pass a bill to make English the official language of the country. "I think we need to secure the border before anything else matters."

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<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image">AP</div></div>
<keyword id="110656" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="estonia">Estonia</keyword>, the tiny Baltic state that holds fewer people than San Diego, has been praised recently for both the apparent success of the country's austerity policies (and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves' <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/estonia-president-krugman-2012-6">very public defense of it against Paul Krugman</a>) and the country's remarkable <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiny-estonia-became-a-leader-in-technology-2013-8">emergence as an Eastern Europe technology hub</a>.
Speaking at the Concordia Summit at New York's Grand Hyatt Hotel on Friday, Ilves was on hand to discuss the latter. The feisty, perpetually bow-tied head of state outlined two clear factors in Estonia's technological success - and made a convincing argument that the United States wasn't doing either well.
First, let's go over how successful Estonia has been. According to the Economist, the country has the most startups per person, and Skype - programmed by Estonians and funded by Danes and Swedes - became an international success story after it was sold to eBay for $2.6 billion (it was later <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-and-skype-tie-the-knot-2011-10">sold to Microsoft for $8.5 billion</a>). That's a situation that many European countries would like to be in.
So how did Estonia - <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/en.html">population 1.3 million, GDP per capita $22,100</a> - do it?
Ilves points back to 1991, when Estonia became a sovereign state after 50 years of Moscow-led Communism. The country was, in Ilves words, a "small, dingy, backwards former Soviet republic." The end of Soviet rule, however, provided a blank slate for new infrastructure, Ilves says, and the country was able to capitalize in two ways:
1. Teaching children to code 
Soon after the end of the Soviet era, Estonia showed remarkable foresight by pushing computer studies in schools. Now the country offers programming lessons to children as early as 1st Grade.
Ilves was at this point Estonia's Ambassador to the United States of America and Canada, living in Washington D.C., but he was still able to help, working with education minister Jaak Aaviksoo on <a href="http://www.worldleaders.columbia.edu/participants/toomas-hendrik-ilves">the Tiger Leap initiative to computerize and connect all Estonian schools online</a>.
Estonia's emphasis on computer studies was a big gamble that would really take fifteen years to pay off, Ilves says.
"Basically, if you want to transform a society, you have to start with the young people, and give them the kind of education that will allow them to handle the future," Ilves says. Teaching kids a programming language is actually easier than teaching kids a human language, he adds, as it is "far more logical."
The president's interest in computers actually began when he was a teenager living in New Jersey, where, unusually, a teacher taught him to code."This showed me kids can learn how to use computers," Ilves said, though he concedes his own coding skills are uselessly outdated.
Except for these rare exceptions and <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/09/should-kids-learn-to-code-in-grade-school/"> a handful of Silicon Valley experiments</a>, however, most U.S. schools don't do anything with coding.
2. A government infrastructure that embraces technology
With little government infrastructure left after so many decades of Soviet rule, when Estonia moved to create its infrastructure in the 1990s, it decided to skip paper records and go straight to an electronic system. The result of that, Ilves says, 98% of bank transfers are done online and 25% of people now vote online.
This has a real effect on the startup world, the Estonian president argues. It takes just fifteen minutes to register a company, he says, with digital signatures and the ability to perform background checks instantly. The system has also helped Estonia escape the corruption that has plagued other similar states. "You can't bribe a computer - it just won't take the envelope."
To do this Estonia had to create a very secure Internet, and Ilves asserts that the country has "solved the dilemma of Internet security versus freedom." One example of this is the use of identity cards in the country. These cards include a chip that includes a key pair, which allows the owner of the card to put a secure electronic "signature" on digital documents. The system uses <a href="http://e-estonia.com/components/electronic-id-card">2048-bit encryption</a>, and Ilves says that even the N.S.A. can't crack it.
Again, Ilves feels that the U.S. and the rest of the Anglo-Saxon world falls behind here. He points out how in U.S. online purchases identity is established by using a credit card and a three digit CVC number on the back. "I can't believe you guys do that," he says. "That is not a secure identity."
The factors named by Ilves both call for a level of public-private partnership that is unappealing to many Americans. And, of course, Estonia is a very different country than the U.S., and there's a reasonable amount of skepticism that <a href="http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2013/07/estonias-technology-cluster#comments">the country's startup boom can continue</a>.
It'd be hard to deny there's a logic to Ilves comments, however, and he is a pretty tech-savvy guy himself - just look at how <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/estonia-president-krugman-2012-6">he used Twitter</a> for the now infamous Krugman-spat.

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