World News: A 'border wall' built on fraud?

USA TODAY: A 'border wall' built on fraud?

Thursday, August 20

Steve Bannon charged in a border wall fraud scheme. Trump's attempt to block a subpoena for his tax returns was rejected. It's Thursday's news.

It's been quite a tumultuous day for President Donald Trump. His ex-adviser was indicted on "Build the Wall" fraud charges, he's not pleased with Barack Obama (shocking), and his tax return saga has taken another turn.

It's Ashley with all that and more in today's Short List.

But first, we have work to do: Gannett, the owner of USA TODAY, is committing to make its workforce as diverse as America is. The company said its personnel would mirror the nation's population of women and BIPOC by 2025.

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Tisk tisk, Steve Bannon

Trump's ex-adviser Steve Bannon and three others were arrested Thursday in a fraud scheme related to $25 million border wall fundraising campaign. They're accused of defrauding hundreds of thousands of people who donated to a crowdfunding campaign called "We Build The Wall" that promised money would be used to construct Trump's border wall. More than $350,000 was secretly routed to the founder of the campaign, while Bannon received more than $1 million, according to the charges. Trump said Thursday that he felt "very badly" for Bannon but said the project "was something I very much thought was inappropriate to be doing."

Ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon was charged with fraud by federal prosecutors in connection with a border wall fundraising effort.

Getty

At this point we could write a book about Trump's tax return saga

Trump's attempt to block a subpoena for his tax returns was rejected by a federal judge on Thursday in another major blow to keep his financial records private. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero comes a little over a month after the Supreme Court ruled that Trump cannot keep tax returns away from Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who issued the subpoena in an investigation of hush money payments allegedly made during the 2016 presidential race. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Trump suggested that the case will end up back in the Supreme Court. "This is just a continuation of the most hideous witch hunt in the history of our country," the president said.

What everyone's talking about

•	Americans who filed their income tax returns on time should expect a refund this week.
•	Empty mailboxes, missed rent: The US Postal Service's struggles are having real-world consequences.
•	Greenland lost a record amount of ice during 2019; the melt is massive enough to cover California in more than 4 feet of water, a new study said.
•	Kenan Thompson's adorable daughter stole the show on "AGT."
•	Oscar De La Hoya plans to come out of retirement after 12 years away from the ring.

Joe Biden's making it official

Joe Biden is preparing to accept the Democratic Party's nomination for president in the grand finale of the Democratic National Convention tonight. Biden is expected to contrast himself with Trump and offer proposals for dealing with three crises facing the country: the coronavirus pandemic, the resulting economic collapse and the nationwide unrest over racial justice. Meanwhile, Trump plans to deliver a political indictment of Biden in a speech near his Democratic challenger's Pennsylvania birthplace just hours before Biden accepts his party's nomination.

Let's recap DNC night 3: Trump was not happy with Obama's speech. Former President Barack Obama offered some heated criticism of Trump in his keynote Wednesday, arguing that his successor has turned the presidency into "one more reality show." As the ex-president delivered his speech, Trump clapped back on Twitter: "HE SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN, AND GOT CAUGHT!"

•	P.S. Are you registered to vote? Check now and request an early ballot. And here's where you can vote by mail or absentee ballot.

Pres. Obama criticizes Pres. Trump, calls on Americans to vote in DNC remarks

COURTESY DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

Michigan to pay $600 million in Flint water crisis settlement

Residents and businesses of Flint, Michigan, would be eligible for payments from a victim compensation fund under a $600 million preliminary settlement announced Thursday of civil lawsuits arising from the contamination of their drinking water with toxic lead. The Flint water crisis began in 2014 when a state-appointed emergency manager switched the city's drinking water supply to Flint River water. After the switch, no process was in place to require corrosion-control chemicals that could have prevented lead from old pipes from seeping into the water supply, causing a spike in toxic lead levels in the blood of Flint children and older residents.

•	Women of the Century: Lead was poisoning the water in Flint, Michigan. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha put her reputation on the line to prove it.

Flint residents protest the water quality in the city Oct. 5, 2015, outside City Hall in Flint, Mich.

Danny Miller, AP

Real quick

•	Trump asked the Supreme Court to let him block critics from following him on Twitter.
•	Double trouble: A pair of tropical systems is forecast to take aim at the U.S. and could make landfall early next week.
•	Think you know everything about women's suffrage? Here's the history to unlearn.
•	The end of Lyft in California? The the ride-hailing company says it will suspend service in the state after a judge's ruling.
•	For years, companies have touted diversity, but less than 2% of executives at the 50 largest companies are Black.

More than 360 fires are burning across California

Thousands of people remained under evacuation orders in regions around the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday as hundreds of wildfires blazed across the state amid a blistering heat wave now in its second week. In all, officials say more than 50,000 California residents have evacuated because of fires that are burning about 780 square miles across the state. That's an area equal to about half the size of Rhode Island. Thank you, firefighters.

Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires consume a home in unincorporated Napa County, Calif., on Aug. 19, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes.

Noah Berger, AP

A break from the news

•	Not traveling right now? Finish these neglected projects from your last vacation.
•	Here's how parents can protect their kids from coronavirus as schools reopen.
•	This cooking kit for kids is a perfect homeschool activity.

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for The Short List newsletter here.