Mediaboss Marketing

On his first day as president, Trump signed a number of executive orders, including one that orders all federal agencies and departments to start finding a way to ease the transition away from Obamacare and replace it with another healthcare plan. USA TODAY NETWORK

Housing and Urban Development secretary-designate Ben Carson testifies on Capitol Hill on Jan. 12, 2017.(Photo: Zach Gibson, AP)

WASHINGTON The very first executive action by the new Trump administration wasn't a sweeping order on immigration, trade or health care but rather to block an Obama administration that would have reduced the cost of mortgages for millions of home buyers.

In the first hour of Trump's presidency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development sent a letter to lenders, real estate brokers and closing agents suspending the 0.25 percentage point premium rate cut for Federal Housing Administration-backed loans.

That cut would have saved home buyers about $29 a month on a $200,000 mortgage.

But Republicans cast the move as hastyand said it threatened to undermine the stability of the system. So shortly after Trump was sworn in at noon Friday, General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing Genger Charles an Obama administration holdover announced that HUD would "suspend indefinitely" the rate reduction, saying "more analysis and research are deemed necessary."

The premiums fund the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, which would bail out lenders if borrowers default on their mortgages.

It was Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., who pressed the issue at confirmation hearings for Ben Carson, Trump's nominee for HUD secretary.

Toomey said the planned rate reduction was "surprising," since the balance in the fund that backs FHA mortgages is just 16% higher than the legal minimum. "This strikes me as very little buffer above the minimum. And after all, as recently as 2013, the FHA needed a bailout," he said.

"I, too, was surprised to see something of this nature done on the way out the door, which of course has a profound effect," Carson said. So certainly, if confirmed, I'm going to work with the FHA administrator and other financial experts to really examine that policy."

Read more:

USA TODAY

Carson: Can't promise HUD programs won't benefit Trump

USA TODAY

Trump begins with action on Obamacare, regulation freeze and confirmations

USA TODAY

Analysis: Trumps short, dark and defiant inaugural address

In his campaign, Trump promised Day One executive actions repealing Obama policies on immigration and health care, so the change in mortgage premiums took Democrats and consumer groups by surprise.

"I think we were surprised by how quickly this was something that they wantedto lookat," said Sarah Wolff of the Center for Responsible Lending. "I think it unfortunately signals that they dont place as great an emphasis as we would hope on access and affordabilityof mortgage credit."

FHA insures about 16% of new mortgages in the United States.

The timing of the Trump administration action was dictated more by the procedural requirements that govern such changes, said David Stevens, a formerFederal Housing Commissioner in the Obama administration.

"Ithey stop a fee that hasn't been implemented, then its no-harm, no-foul," said Stevens, who now heads the Mortgage Banker's Association. "Todaywas really the last day to do it in order not to disrupt a whole lot of mortgage closings."

Without any action, the new rates would have gone into effect Jan. 27.

"The Trump team coming into office, they haven't had their own chance to look at the state of the reserves, the strength of the fund and make their own analysis," he said. "My view of this is that it is not ideological whatsoever. It is a technical decision."

Carson has not been confirmed as HUD secretary. Until he's confirmed, the department is being run by Acting Secretary Craig Clemmensen, an Obama holdover.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Friday that Trumps words in his inaugural speech ring hollow following the mortgage premium action.

"In one of his first acts as president, President Trump made it harder for Americans to afford a mortgage," he said. "What a terrible thing to do to homeowners. ... Actions speak louder than words."

Contributing: Bart Jansen

Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2jIm0Bd

Excerpt from:
Trump's first executive action: Cancel Obama's mortgage premium cuts - USA TODAY

Forbes

How Barack Obama Has Made $20 Million Since Arriving In Washington Forbes Barack Obama didn't waste much time in capitalizing on his story once he got to the nation's capital. In January 2005, the same month he joined the Senate, he got approval from its ethics committee for a $1.9 million advance against royalties with ... Watch Former President Obama, Michelle Obama Announce...RollingStone.com Historic presidency, controversial legacy: What Obama leaves behindFox News Obama is ready for life after the White House. But first, he'll retreat to Palm SpringsLos Angeles Times NBCNews.com -Vanity Fair all 2,453 news articles »

More here:
How Barack Obama Has Made $20 Million Since Arriving In Washington - Forbes

"It's been the honor of my life to serve you. You made me a better leader and a better man," he said.

His post-White House website, Obama.org, features a request form for scheduling events and a page for fundraising.

"As we look forward, I want our first steps to reflect what matters most to you. Share your thoughts with me at Obama.org," he tweeted.

"I won't stop; I'll be right there with you as a citizen, inspired by your voices of truth and justice, good humor, and love," Obama also tweeted.

The final tweet from the Obama administration's control of the account @WhiteHouse came shortly thereafter, and featured a photo of Obama hand-in-hand with Rep. John Lewis as well as other civil rights activists in Selma, Alabama, in 2015.

"Yes we can. Yes we did. Thank you for being a part of the past eight years," the account tweeted.

The tweets come as more than 50 Democratic lawmakers -- including Lewis -- are planning to boycott Donald Trump's inauguration out of concern for how he came to power following US intelligence pointing to Russia's involvement in meddling with the 2016 election. Trump tweeted after Lewis' announcement to boycott that the civil rights icon was "all talk."

And other lawmakers expressed concern about Trump's rhetoric and proposed policies towards women, immigrants, Latinos and other groups that overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton in the campaign.

"I'm still asking you to believe - not in my ability to bring about change, but in yours. I believe in change because I believe in you," Obama tweeted.

Obama wrote an emotional public letter, published Thursday, thanking Americans and encouraging them to participate into "daily acts of citizenship."

"Before I leave my note for our 45th president, I wanted to say one final thank you for the honor of serving as your 44th," he wrote. "Because all that I've learned in my time in office, I've learned from you. You made me a better president, and you made me a better man."

Go here to read the rest:
Obama tweets final message from White House, announces new website - CNN International

Walking out to chants of "yes, we can!" and leaving to chants of "yes, we did!" President Barack Obama gave final remarks at a farewell gathering of staff at Joint Base Andrews before boarding his last flight on the military aircraft that ferries presidents on their travels.

"This has never been about us. It has always been about you. And all the amazing things that happened over these last ten years are really just a testament to you," Obama told the gathered staffers and military. "Our democracy is not the buildings, it's not the monuments, it's you being willing to work and make things better."

Related: #ThanksObama: America Shows Love for Former President Online, on Street

The Obama family, who will ultimately remain in Washington D.C. while daughter Malia is still in school there, are traveling for a vacation in Palm Springs, California immediately following President Donald Trump's Inauguration as president.

"This is just a little pit stop," Obama told the crowd to big cheers, in comments seen as a nod to the inauguration of a historically unpopular candidate Obama once described as "unfit to serve."

He added, "This is not a period, this is a comma in the continuing story of building America."

Finishing the brief remarks, Obama thanked the gathered staffers with a similar sentiment to a farewell letter he penned to the American people.

"This has been privilege of my life, I speak for Michelle as well," he said. "And we look forward to continuing journey with all of you, can't wait to see what you do next. I promise you I'll be right there with you, alright?

Read the original:
Obama Addresses Farewell Gathering Before Last Flight From Joint Base Andrews - NBCNews.com

As they rode in the presidential limousine to the U.S. Capitol on Inauguration Day in 2009, President George W. Bush offered some last-minute advice to President-elect Barack Obama: Announce a pardon policy early and stick to it.

On the ride up Pennsylvania Avenue ... I told Barack Obama about my frustrations with the pardon system, Bush wrote in his memoir.

Obama did not seriously focus on pardons and commutations until 2014, two years into his second term. But on Thursday, his last full day in office, Obama announced 330 more commutations, for nonviolent drug offenders, bringing his total number of clemencies to 1,715. He has granted commutations to more people than the past 12 presidents combined, including 568 inmates with life sentences. He has granted 212pardons. His final group of clemencies was the most Obama granted in a day and the most granted on one day in U.S. history.

[These are the names of the final 330 people who received commutations by Obama]

By restoring proportionality to unnecessarily long drug sentences, this administration has made a lasting impact on our criminal justice system, said Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates. With 1,715 commutations in total, this undertaking was as enormous as it was unprecedented.

(Thomas Johnson/The Washington Post)

In his clemencies this week, Obama commuted the 35-year prison sentence of Chelsea Manning, the Army private convicted of stealing secret diplomatic and military documents and giving them to WikiLeaks, after deciding that Manning had served enough time. The president also granted a commutation to Oscar Lpez Rivera, a Puerto Rican independence activist who was a member of the Armed Forces of National Liberation, a terrorist organization that killed and wounded people in the 1970s and 1980s with bomb attacks.

The commutation for Lpez Rivera, 74, who served 35 years in prison for a conspiracy against the U.S. government, had been championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

A Texas lawyer, who represented seven inmates who have received clemency from Obama over the past two years, praised the president Thursday for recognizing that the criminal justice system is broken and restoring a sense of fairness.

His gracious act of mercy today sealed his clemency legacy and allowed many truly deserving men and women to be reunited with their families, Brittany Byrd said. I was overjoyed when I received the call from Pardon Attorney Robert Zauzmer telling me the president had granted clemency to my client, Trenton Copeland, who was being buried alive under an unduly harsh sentence of life without parole for a nonviolent drug offense. The president saved Trentons life today.

[ 'I have been fundamentally condemned to die in prison,' a drug dealer wrote. Obama listened.]

But other activists expressed disappointment that Obama had not granted an early release to more inmates.

Its fantastic that the president is using his last days in office to continue to grant clemency to deserving prisoners, said Julie Stewart, founder and chairman of the board of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, which has been fighting for 18years for clemency for drug offenders sentenced under the tough drug laws of the 1980s and 1990s.

But my heart aches for those who will not make the cut, Stewart said. After over two years of believing they may have a chance for freedom, they now see that door of hope closing. I cant imagine what the pall in the prisons will feel like on January 20 when President Obama leaves office.

The Obama administration had denied 14,485 clemency petitions and 1,629 pardons, as of Jan. 3.

Among those denied clemency was Native American activist Leonard Peltier, 72, who was convicted of the fatal shooting of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and sentenced to two consecutive life terms. His supporters, including Pope Francis, pressed Obama to grant him a commutation, but their appeal was opposed by many in law enforcement, including FBI agents.

[Along with Chelsea Manning, here are the other people who received pardons and commutations from Obama]

Another inmate who was denied clemency is 64-year-old Bruce Harrison, a decorated Vietnam War veteran who was awarded two Purple Hearts. Harrison, who is in Coleman prison in Florida, has health problems and has served 23years of a 50-year sentence for his role in transporting drugs in a government sting operation.

After Harrison and other members of his motorcycle group were sentenced, several jurors said they were dismayed to learn of the long sentence that was imposed.

If I would have been given the right to not only judge the facts in this case, but also the law and the actions taken by the government, the prosecutor, local and federal law enforcement officers connected in this case would be in jail and not the defendants, juror Patrick L. McNeil wrote afterward.

Those who championed Harrisons case contrasted it with Obamas grant of clemency to Manning, who the president said had served a tough sentence after seven years in prison.

Bruce has served 23 years, and the government set up the entire criminal activity, said Andrea Strong, also of Families Against Mandatory Minimums. This is beyond disappointing. I am just heartbroken. What does he have to look forward to now?

He is 64years old. All he wanted was to come home and help raise his grandchildren. Now that dream had ended.

Former White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler said that clemency has long been a top priority for Obama. The president frequently complained to her during his first term that he was not receiving enough recommendations from the Justice Department to grant clemency. Shortly after the 2012 election, she said, he directed her to work with the Justice Department to increase the number of clemency applications for him to consider.

He told me to be creative and aggressive, Ruemmler said. She then worked with then-Attorney General Eric H. Holder and Deputy Attorney General James Cole to set up a process to increase the number of clemency petitions coming from the U.S. pardon attorney.

This would not have happened organically, Ruemmler said. This effort came directly from President Obama and is an important part of his legacy.

Read more:

Obama sent these people home from prison early. Now what?

Read the original here:
Obama grants final 330 commutations to nonviolent drug offenders - Washington Post