Day: July 24, 2019

All Four Nashville Mayoral Candidates Issue Statements on ICE Attempt to Arrest Illegal Alien in Hermitage

Jason M. Reynolds

  A group of Hermitage neighbors interfered with an attempt by ICE on Monday morning to apprehend an undocumented immigrant man and a 12-year-old boy following a traffic stop, Fox 17 reported. Neighbors locked arms around a van the immigrants hid in while ICE agents tried to serve a civil warrant (detainer). Agents left after a standoff that lasted more than two hours when the immigrants went into a house, with their access secured by the neighbors. Metro Nashville Police Department officers were on scene but did not participate with ICE, the station said. On his official Twitter account, incumbent Mayor David Briley tweeted, “Every Nashville resident and family deserves to feel safe, regardless of immigration status. My statement on yesterday’s events.” His tweet was accompanied with the following statement: It is my job as Mayor to keep all Nashvillians safe. On Monday, ICE agents attempted to detain a Nashville resident. However, the agents did not end up detaining the resident, and no arrests were made. Our police officers do not actively participate in immigration enforcement efforts and only serve as peacekeepers. The officers were at the incident to keep neighbors safe and secure a perimeter. I am keenly aware…

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Cameron Sexton Chosen House Republican Caucus Speaker Select

Laura Baigert

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee — After four rounds of voting, State Representative Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) won the battle to become the House Republican Caucus Speaker Select late Wednesday morning. Sexton came out the leader, after a process of elimination of the other five candidates, with 41 votes. Sexton is set to replace the current embattled Speaker Glen Casada (R-Franklin), who was himself the Speaker Select following a Republican House Caucus meeting in November 2018 and officially elected by the full House membership in January, when the Tennessee House of Representatives meets in special session on August 23. The meeting, held in the former Supreme Court chambers in the State Capitol, was attended by 70 of the 73 Republican members of the House. As indicated near the start of the meeting, it would take 36 votes to achieve a majority. Representatives Charlie Baum (R-Murfeesboro), Dale Carr (R-Sevierville) and current House Speaker Glen Casada (R-Franklin) were absent. The six candidates for Speaker, in the order that they drew at the outset of the meeting to determine when they would make their speeches, were Representatives Jay Reedy (R-Erin), Matthew Hill (R-Jonesborough), Mike Carter (R-Ooltewah), Ryan Williams (R-Cookeville), Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) and Curtis Johnson (R-Clarksville).…

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Commentary: Republicans, Don’t Screw Up the Mueller Hearing

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by Julie Kelly   Republicans will have a chance to redeem themselves this week after the farce they helped create: The special counsel investigation into alleged “collusion” between Russia and the Trump campaign to influence the 2016 presidential election. Robert Mueller is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee and the House Intelligence Committee in a public hearing for a total of five hours on Wednesday—not nearly enough time to plumb the depths of his 448-page report or to grill Mueller about his tactics and partisan team of investigators. Republicans will need to make the most of the limited time they have. So, this seems like an appropriate time to remind Republicans that they are as much to blame as Democrats for foisting this costly, useless and destructive travesty on the American people. With few exceptions, Republicans capitulated to every single Democratic demand and the ongoing media-manufactured hysteria about the urgency required to investigate so-called “election collusion.” “Some of us very early on saw enormous conflicts [with Mueller], even conflicted as being a witness. We knew there was something wrong,” U.S. Representative Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), one of the few Republicans skeptical of the Mueller probe from the beginning, told…

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State Sen. Dickerson, Others in Pain Management Business Sued By United States, Tennessee for Allegedly Committing $25M in Medicare, TennCare Fraud

Jason M. Reynolds

  State Sen. Steven Dickerson (R-TN-20) is among those being sued by the federal government and Tennessee over alleged Medicare and TennCare fraud totaling at least $25 million. The United States and Tennessee on Monday filed a consolidated complaint in intervention alleging violations of the False Claims Act and the Tennessee Medicaid False Claims Act by Anesthesia Services Associates, PLLC, doing business as Comprehensive Pain Specialists (CPS), according to a statement by U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee and Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery III. The governments allege that the scheme defrauded Medicare and TennCare of at least $25 million. The complaint also names as defendants Dr. Peter B. Kroll, of Goodlettsville; Dr. Steven R. Dickerson, of Nashville; and Dr. Gilberto A. Carrero, of Nashville, three of the principal owners of CPS, as well as John Davis, of Franklin, the former CEO, who was convicted by a jury in April of violating the Anti-Kickback Statute; and Russell S. Smith, a chiropractor from Cleveland. The complaint also states claims for violation of the Federal Priority Statute and common law claims, including unjust enrichment and fraud. A federal judge in April granted prosecutors’ requests to intervene in whistleblower complaints…

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Media Requests for EPA Records Soar Under Trump

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by Kevin Mooney   Major news outlets, seemingly more prone to investigative reporting in the Trump era, are much more aggressive in seeking records from the Environmental Protection Agency than they were in the final years of the Obama administration, The Daily Signal has learned. ABC News, CBS News, the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Politico are among 20 news organizations showing a large increase in Freedom of Information Act requests, according to EPA numbers obtained by The Daily Signal. The 20 media outlets include not only news organizations with liberal perspectives but some, such as CNN, BuzzFeed, Mother Jones, and Huffington Post, that freely mix news coverage and left-leaning opinion. According to the data, the biggest percentage increase in FOIA requests to the EPA by the 20 media outlets occurred between 2016, Barack Obama’s last year as president and 2017, Donald Trump’s first year as president. The organizations made a total of 626 FOIA requests to the EPA in 2017, more than doubling the 249 requests in 2016. Dating to 1967, the federal Freedom of Information Act requires disclosure, upon written request and with exceptions, of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the…

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Mark Green of Tennessee Won’t Support New Spending Bill

Chris Butler

  U.S. Rep. Mark Green, a Republican congressman representing Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District, weighed in Tuesday on reports about a spending deal between the White House and Congressional leaders. In a press release, Green made an analogy to which almost every American can relate. “Imagine someone living far beyond their means. He receives a large income, yes, but he has a giant mortgage, a luxury vehicle, high-end clothing and expensive hobbies. His expenses far exceed his income. Year after year goes by, but he never changes his lifestyle. Debt piles up. Now he’s worried about missing payments on his bills. So, he looks for another loan. A normal bank would never loan this person more money. Would you?” Green asked. “In this case, the bank is the American taxpayer. And the taxpayer is represented by Congress. And leaders in Congress are poised to loan this guy (the federal government) more money, rather than instruct him to adjust his lifestyle. The spending deal before us would continue Washington’s reckless spending with an unlimited line of credit. That means our children and grandchildren will pay for it. While I am glad our military receives a boost under this deal, and Fort Campbell would…

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Rep Rashida Tlaib Calls for $20 an Hour Minimum Wage

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by Evie Fordham   Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib called for a federal minimum wage of up to $20 an hour at a “One Fair Wage” event in Detroit on Sunday. “Big fights like this one, $15. When we started it, it should have been $15. Now I think it should be $20 … It should be $20 an hour. $18-20 an hour,” Tlaib said in a video posted by America Rising on Monday. Tlaib and Michigan Democrat Debbie Dingell participated in an event called “Server for an Hour” to support the Raise the Wage Act that passed the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives Thursday. Tlaib brought up the common counter-argument that raising the minimum wage will not actually feel like more money in the wallets of workers. Fighting for our working families sometimes means walking in their shoes. It was only for an hour, but it was hard work. @HouseDemocrats passed #Fightfor15 #OneFairWage & now the Senate needs to. Thank you to @onefairwage for inviting me into your movement. pic.twitter.com/POihHhC7kE — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 22, 2019 “They say all this is going to raise the cost. But I can tell you, milk has gone up. Eggs has gone up.…

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Trump Administration Looks to Remove Ineligible People from Food Stamp Rolls

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by Whitney Tipton   The United States Department of Agriculture proposed Monday eliminating a loophole in food stamp eligibility requirements that would cut 3.1 million people from the program and save $2.5 billion. Those who receive temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) will not longer be automatically eligible to get food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) if the rule is enacted, according to the USDA. “Some states are taking advantage of loopholes that allow people to receive the SNAP benefits who would otherwise not qualify and for which they are not entitled,” said USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, according to Reuters. The USDA wants to change the current rule in 43 states that make TANF recipients automatically eligible for SNAP benefits. Instead, TANF recipients must apply for SNAP and submit to a review of their assets and income to determine if they are qualified. The proposed rule is expected to result in removing 3.1 million people from the program, according to the USDA. It will also result in a cost savings of $2.5 billion, the agency said. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the change could save the federal government $8.1 over the next 10 years. Trump tried…

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Facebook Plows Record Amount of Cash Into DC Lobbyists as Its Algorithm Changes Crush Media Outlets

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by Chris White   Facebook spent several million dollars on lobbying efforts over the past few months as the Silicon Valley company’s algorithm changes continue to wallop small media outlets. The big tech company dropped more than $4 million during the second financial quarter, a record for Facebook up to this point, Washington Post writer Tony Romm noted in a tweet Tuesday. Google and Amazon came in second and third place, as they spent $2.9 million and $4 million, respectively. All three companies’ lobbying efforts come as Republican and Democratic lawmakers continue to scrutinize Facebook and Google’s death-grip on the tech industry. House Democrats opened a broad antitrust investigation in June into the tech industry’s power and impact on competition — Facebook in particular is taking heat as lawmakers believe the company is violating people’s privacy rights. President Donald Trump and other Republicans meanwhile argue big tech companies are unfairly censoring conservatives. Facebook, Google and Amazon’s spending carries on a trend. They dumped a combined $48 million into lobbying in 2018, up 13% from 2017, government disclosures from January show. Google was the biggest spender that year, increasing its lobbying contributions 18% to $21.2 million, while Facebook’s spending grew nearly…

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US Senate Confirms Mark Esper as Secretary of Defense

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by Reuters   WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Army Secretary Mark Esper to be secretary of defense, ending the longest period by far that the Pentagon has been without a permanent top official. As voting continued, the Senate overwhelmingly backed Esper, a former lobbyist for weapons maker Raytheon Co., to be President Donald Trump’s second confirmed leader of the Pentagon. Esper, 55, received strong bipartisan support despite some sharp questioning during his confirmation hearing by Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren about his ties to Raytheon and his refusal to extend an ethics commitment he signed in 2017 to avoid decisions involving the company. Warren, a 2020 presidential hopeful, was the only member of the Senate Armed Services Committee to voice opposition to Esper’s confirmation during the hearing. Raytheon is the third-largest U.S. defense contractor. There has been no confirmed defense secretary since Jim Mattis resigned in December over policy differences with Trump. Many members of Congress from both parties have urged the Republican president to act urgently to fill the powerful position. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called on members to support Esper as he opened the Senate on Tuesday morning. “The nominee is beyond qualified. His record…

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Commentary: Bernie Sanders Oppressor of the Working Class

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by CHQ Staff   Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders has pledged to American workers that he would institute a $15-per-hour minimum wage if he wins the White House in 2020. But, reports Dom Calicchio of Fox News, unionized workers on Sanders’ own campaign say they wish he would start now — by paying a higher wage to them. In a letter to Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir, Mr. Calicchio reports the campaign staffers claim they “cannot be expected to build the largest grassroots organizing program in American history while making poverty wages.” “Given our campaign’s commitment to fighting for a living wage of at least $15.00 an hour,” the letter continued, “we believe it is only fair that the campaign would carry through this commitment to its own field team.” The field organizers claim that their long hours working on behalf of Sanders drop their actual pay to about $13 per hour. “Many field staffers are barely managing to survive financially,” the union letter says, “which is severely impacting our team’s productivity and morale. Some field organizers have already left the campaign as a result.” Sanders’ campaign manager Shakir seemed to paint a different picture Mr. Calicchio reported, “We know…

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One America News Network’s Neil McCabe Joins the Tennessee Star Report to Discuss Robert Mueller’s Testimony

Julie Carr

  On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy talked to One America News Networks Neil McCabe about Mueller’s upcoming testimony and how the Democrats hope that he will say things that were not in the report in effort to open up impeachment hearings. The team noted that if Mueller does answer questions from Democrats that this would leave the window open for Republicans to hold him in contempt. Towards the end of the segment, the team discussed the possibility that the Mueller team had been leaking to Democrats during the entire investigation. Gill: A lot of stuff going on and to help us sort out some of it, Neil McCabe from One America News Network. Neil, good to have you back with us. McCabe: Hey, good morning. How’s it going? Gill: It tires me out just going down the list of all the stuff that’s going to happen. Leahy: Yeah. Neil, so you interviewed reporter John Solomon the other day. What did he have to tell you about James Comey and Robert Mueller? McCabe: What’s interesting is everyone talks about the Mueller…

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Bill Ketron’s Daughter Kelsey Resigns from Tennessee Republican Party Executive Committee

Chris Butler

  Kelsey Ketron, daughter of Rutherford County Mayor Bill Ketron, reportedly resigned as a member of the Tennessee Republican Party Executive Committee Tuesday. This, according to the Murfreesboro-based DJN.com, which also reported Kelsey Ketron was in her second term representing District 13 on the committee. “Her resignation letter was confirmed by Michael Sullivan, executive director of the Tennessee Republican Party. The letter was short, with Ketron saying it was an honor to serve the Republican party for the past five years, and that’s she is resigning from her position on the state executive committee,” DNJ.com reported. “Ketron didn’t give a reason for resigning, Sullivan said. The state GOP declined to release Ketron’s resignation letter, citing a policy of not releasing internal party documents.” As reported this month, Kelsey Ketron was reportedly accused of fraudulent practices at her Murfreesboro-based insurance company. Kelsey Ketron serves as vice president of Universal International Insurance agency. Bill Ketron owns the agency and is its president. According to NewsChannel 5, clients allegedly paid Kelsey Ketron for insurance policies, but they never got the coverage for which they paid. This week DNJ.com quoted Bill Ketron, who said Kelsey Ketron has taken a leave of absence from running the insurance…

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Trump Says He’s Considering Options After Guatemala Halts ‘Safe Third Country’ Designation

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by Reuters   WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump said he is now considering a “ban,” tariffs and remittance fees after Guatemala decided to not move forward with a safe third country agreement that would have required the Central American country to take in more asylum seekers. “Guatemala … has decided to break the deal they had with us on signing a necessary Safe Third Agreement. We were ready to go,” Trump tweeted. “Now we are looking at the ‘BAN,’ Tariffs, Remittance Fees, or all of the above. Guatemala has not been good,” Trump wrote. Guatemala, which has been forming Caravans and sending large numbers of people, some with criminal records, to the United States, has decided to break the deal they had with us on signing a necessary Safe Third Agreement. We were ready to go. Now we are looking at the “BAN,”…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2019 ….Tariffs, Remittance Fees, or all of the above. Guatemala has not been good. Big U.S. taxpayer dollars going to them was cut off by me 9 months ago. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2019 It was not immediately clear what policies he was referring to. The…

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Mark Green of Tennessee Goes on Offense Against Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Chris Butler

  U.S. Republican Congressman Mark Green, representing Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District, has gone on offense against New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. This, according to IJR.com, which reported Green went on offense because Ocasio-Cortez said Republican lawmakers approve of U.S. Republican President Donald Trump’s tweets telling various Democratic congresswomen to go back to their home countries and fix them. Green reportedly said there was “no choice but to assume” that Democratic lawmakers “condone” the recent attack on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. “Green responded to her post on Thursday, publishing a copycat tweet that turned the tables on the New York Democrat by saying there was ‘no choice but to assume that Ocasio-Cortez ‘condones’ the attack on an ICE migrant holding facility in Washington state over the weekend,” IJR.com reported. An armed individual recently attacked a Washington detention facility. “Until [Ocasio-Cortez] denounces this attack (which should be easy!), we sadly have no choice but to assume she condones it,” Green wrote. “It is extremely disturbing that the *entire* Dem caucus is silent. Is this their agenda?” This is not the first time in recent weeks Green has gone after Democrats. As The Tennessee Star reported earlier this month, during…

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Trump Calls Tlaib a ‘Lunatic’ After Watching 2016 Video Showing Her Being Removed from His Rally

Zachery Schmidt

  President Donald Trump criticized Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) Tuesday during a speech where he called her a “lunatic” after watching a video of her being thrown out of a 2016 Trump rally. The video showed Tlaib being removed by security guards at Detroit’s Cobo Center. While leaving, she yelled “you guys are crazy” at Trump supporters. In response, a person called her an “animal” and told her “to get a job.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI6Nmhz2PSY&feature=youtu.be “There is no way she stands for the values of the people of Michigan. But I watched her this morning. She’s vicious. She’s like a crazed lunatic,” Trump said at the Turning Point USA’s Teen Student Action Summit. “She starts screaming, and this is not a sane person, folks, when you look at that. And this is what we’re up against,” he added. Donald Trump took jabs at Freshmen Democrats Rashida Tlaib, AOC and Ilhan Omar when speaking to young conservatives at the Turning Point USA Teen Action Summit. Earlier today, he predicted Omar’s remarks would give him the edge to win Minnesota in 2020 https://t.co/XlmbeYUwbD pic.twitter.com/H0QMFQphdj — POLITICO (@politico) July 23, 2019 At the 2016 Trump rally, Tlaib and at least 14 other protesters were…

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FLASHBACK: Mark Dayton Tells Minnesotans to ‘Find Another State’ If They Aren’t Happy

Anthony Gockowski

  Former Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat, once told a crowd of frustrated residents to “find another state” if they weren’t happy with Minnesota. The comments were made during an October 2015 forum in St. Cloud hosted by the local chapter of the NAACP. Dayton was responding to concerns some residents had about the large number of refugees settling in the area. “Minnesota is not like it was 30, 50 years ago. But this is Minnesota and you have every right to be here. And anybody who cannot accept your right to be here and that this is Minnesota should find another state,” Dayton said, calling the behavior of some St. Cloud residents “unacceptable, un-Minnesotan, illegal and immoral.” “If you are that intolerant, if you are that much of a racist or a bigot, then find another state,” he continued. “Find a state where the minority population is one percent or whatever. It’s not that in Minnesota. It’s not going to be again. It’s not going to be that in St. Cloud, or Rochester or Worthington.” Video of Dayton’s comments were circulating in conservative Twitter circles Tuesday in response to the mainstream media’s coverage of President Donald Trump. As…

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Multiple Requests Filed for Formal Investigation Into Ilhan Omar’s Alleged Criminal Conduct

Anthony Gockowski

  State Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) announced Tuesday that he’s submitting a formal request for a full investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN-05) wrongdoings to the U.S. House Committee on Ethics. Drazkowski made the announcement during a press conference Tuesday at the Minnesota State Capitol, where he said Omar “may be the most corrupt politician in Minnesota history.” “Had it not been kept from the public she likely would not be a member of Congress today,” he said. “Representative Omar deceived the IRS in filing her taxes when she filed jointly with someone who she was not legally married to. She deceived the voters, she lied to them about her sham marriage to Ahmed Elmi.”   As The Minnesota Sun reported, Drazkowski had previously asked Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02) to request an ethics investigation into Omar, but Craig allegedly dismissed the request and its importance. “I believe there is sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation. Congresswoman Omar has demonstrated a consistent pattern of deceptive and criminal conduct. The facts laid out in this request clearly show that there is probable cause for such an investigation,” Drazkowski writes in his letter to the U.S. House Committee on Ethics. “The United State…

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Senate Judiciary Committee Members Comment on the Heartbeat Bill Summer Study

Laura Baigert

  With the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Summer Study on the Heartbeat Bill just three weeks out, every committee member was contacted by The Tennessee Star, confirming their attendance and offering an opportunity for them to comment on their expectations of the two-day meeting. The Judiciary Committee, a standing committee of the State Senate, is comprised of nine members, seven Republicans and two Democrats: Chairman Mike Bell (R-Riceville), 1st Vice-Chair Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), 2nd Vice-Chair Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) and members Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga), Sara Kyle (D-Memphis), Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield), Katrina Robinson (D-Memphis) and John Stevens (R-Huntingdon). The Judiciary Committee is responsible for all legal, law enforcement, judicial and court-related matters, as well as all other matters not covered by any other standing committee, according to the Tennessee General Assembly website. The Heartbeat Bill Summer Study is being undertaken by the Senate Judiciary Committee as an outcome of the only Senate hearing on the bill during the first half of the 111th General Assembly, which was held on April 9. After a reading a prepared statement, as reported by The Star, Chairman Bell made the motion, a move he said was rare for him as Chairman, to send the…

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