Resists – COOPER GENERAL NEWS

Elizabeth Holmes, founder and former executive director of Theranos, arrives for a hearing in the U.S. District Court in the Federal Building of Robert F. Peckham in San Jose, California on Monday, November 4, 2019.

Yichuan Cao | NurPhoto | Getty Images

Elizabeth Holmes’ attorneys strongly opposed the government’s attempts to describe her flamboyant lifestyle in front of a jury, saying the move “risks creating class bias” that are irrelevant to her criminal trial.

Holmes, who faces a dozen fraud charges, earned a salary and accomplishments commensurate with her position as CEO of Theranos, her attorneys wrote in court documents filed late Tuesday.

The government has argued that Holmes’ high-flying lifestyle was fueled by their fraud.

Your lawyers say this is just wrong.

They write that the evidence says nothing about their motive. “If so, a CEO could be said to have a motive for cheating. Rather, the real value of the evidence to the government is to paint a (misleading) picture of Ms. Holmes as a woman, fashion, one prioritized luxury lifestyle and fame and invited a referendum on startup and corporate culture. “

Introducing details of Holmes’ expenses, her lawyers wrote, would be a waste of time, adding that her so-called luxury travel accommodations appear to be approved by the Theranos board and justified by a full itinerary.

“Evidence of the purchase of expensive clothing, makeup, self-care products, and other goods (none of which are allegedly beyond their means) that the government is seeking to introduce through otherwise irrelevant emails from Ms. Holmes’ staff to assistants does not constitute a motive for fraud firm, “wrote Holmes’ lawyers, adding that instead they” are trying to ignite by invoking stereotypes of class and gender “.

Holmes often wore a black turtleneck, an image she cultivated in the print and broadcast media. Her attorneys point out that much of her clothing was bought for work events, adding, “The government ignores the criticism of Ms. Holmes for wearing the same outfit every day.”

Holmes’ attorneys argue that their motive for making money as CEO is “a proposal that can apply to anyone, poor or rich”.

Last month, prosecutors said the fact that Holmes received a variety of benefits, both tangible and intangible, “tends to show that she wanted to cheat in order to obtain those benefits”.

Holmes, a Stanford dropout, had a six-figure salary and a billion dollar stake in Theranos until the company closed in 2018.

One of the issues that emerged in the extensive government files was that Holmes was more motivated by money and fame than revolutionizing the healthcare industry.

Hicham Oumlil, a freelance fashion designer based in Brooklyn, said he and his wife, an interior designer on vacation, will both lose nearly $ 600 a week leaving the couple and their 7-year-old son with no source of income. After paying less than half of his monthly rent for the past three months, Mr Oumlil, 48, feared he would get deeper into debt if the Aid Act did not become law.

The second stimulus

Answers to your questions about the stimulus calculation

Updated December 23, 2020

Legislators agreed to a plan to provide $ 600 stimulus payments and distribute $ 300 federal unemployment benefits for 11 weeks. Here you can find out more about the bill and what’s in it for you.

- Do I get another incentive payment? Individual adults with adjusted gross income on their 2019 tax returns of up to $ 75,000 per year would receive a payment of $ 600, and heads of household up to $ 112,500 and a couple (or someone whose spouse died in 2020) would receive up to to earn $ 150,000 per year Get double the amount. If they have dependent children, they will also receive $ 600 for each child. People with incomes just above this level would receive a partial payment that decreases by $ 5 for every $ 100 of income.
- When could my payment arrive? Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC that he expected the first payments to be made before the end of the year. However, it will take a while for everyone to receive their money.
- Does the agreement concern unemployment insurance? Legislators agreed to extend the length of time people can receive unemployment benefits and restart an additional federal benefit that is on top of the usual state benefits. But instead of $ 600 a week it would be $ 300. That would take until March 14th.
- I am behind on my rent or expect to be soon. Do I get relief? The deal would provide $ 25 billion to be distributed through state and local governments to help backward tenants. In order to receive support, households would have to meet various conditions: the household income (for 2020) must not exceed 80 percent of the regional median income; At least one household member must be at risk of homelessness or residential instability. and individuals must be eligible for unemployment benefits or face direct or indirect financial difficulties due to the pandemic. The agreement states that priority will be given to support for lower-income families who have been unemployed for three months or more.

“Our livelihoods are shaken,” he said. “The government shows no leadership. I am impressed with what is currently going on in Congress. “

After House Republicans blocked Democratic efforts to unilaterally increase direct payments from $ 600 to $ 2,000 per adult, top Democrats are planning a roll-call vote on the Monday, when the entire House of Representatives is present Measure to hold. Legislators could also potentially approve an emergency funding bill to keep the government going.

“As the economy continues to stall, people are hanging by a thread and desperately need government relief so they can afford essentials like food, medicine, diapers, phone bills and housing,” said Massachusetts representative Richard E. Neal. the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. “It is sneaky and cruel for the president to refuse to sign the law now and possibly end this brutal year by causing even more pain and suffering to families in need.”

The president’s implicit threat to reject the spending package enraged Republicans on Capitol Hill, who said Mr. Trump’s reprimand of the legislation took them by surprise after overwhelming support for the bill. (In fact, many of Mr. Trump’s complaints concerned measures in state funding laws that were in line with White House budget requests.)

The direct payments were kept at half the original $ 1,200, approved in March under the $ 2.2 trillion stimulus bill, in part to reflect Republican reluctance, more than 1 trillion US dollars, and there is little evidence that a majority of Republicans would support such an increase.

“I hope the president will look back at this and conclude that it is best to sign the bill,” Republican Senator Roy Blunt told reporters this week. “I think it would be to the president’s advantage if we talked about his performance rather than questioning decisions made late in the administration, but again, Congress has very little control over what the president can say.”