Grammy-winning artist Pras Michel, a founding member of the hip-hop group the Fugees, was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in federal prison. The sentencing concludes a complex legal saga involving international money laundering, illegal lobbying, and one of the most significant violations of campaign finance laws in U.S. history.

The case, which centers on a conspiracy to funnel foreign money into the 2012 U.S. presidential election, highlights the growing scrutiny regarding foreign influence in American politics and the severe penalties for those who facilitate it.

The Charges: A Multi-Million Dollar Influence Operation

Federal prosecutors successfully argued that Michel served as a central conduit in a sprawling scheme orchestrated by Low Taek Jho, a Malaysian financier better known as Jho Low. Low is currently a fugitive and a central figure in the multi-billion dollar 1MDB sovereign wealth fund scandal.

According to court documents, Michel knowingly accepted approximately $120 million from Low. The funds were allegedly utilized to:

• Gain illicit access to the highest levels of the U.S. government.
• Secure influence during the 2012 re-election campaign of President Barack Obama.
• Lobby the Trump administration to drop investigations into the 1MDB embezzlement scandal.

The “Straw Donor” Scheme Explained

A pivotal element of the prosecution’s case involved the use of “straw donors.” Under U.S. federal election law, it is illegal for foreign nationals to contribute to political campaigns. To circumvent this, Michel was accused of deploying a network of approximately 20 individuals to make donations in their own names, using money secretly supplied by Low.

This mechanism effectively disguised the true source of the capital, allowing a foreign national to exert financial leverage within the American political system without appearing in official Federal Election Commission (FEC) records.

Sentencing Arguments: Intent vs. Manipulation

The sentencing phase presented a stark contrast between the government’s recommendation and the defense’s plea.

The Prosecution’s Stance:
Department of Justice attorneys argued that Michel’s actions constituted an egregious breach of public trust. They characterized the operation as a sophisticated, multilayered attempt to manipulate U.S. democracy for the benefit of a foreign fugitive. Citing the massive sums involved and the damage to the integrity of the electoral process, prosecutors initially recommended a life sentence.

The Defense’s Stance:
Michel’s legal team argued for leniency, requesting a sentence of roughly three years. They portrayed the musician as an individual out of his depth, manipulated by Low’s vast wealth and assurances. The defense maintained that Michel lacked malicious intent and did not possess the sophistication attributed to him by the government.

The Judicial Ruling:
The presiding judge ultimately settled on a 14-year sentence. While significantly less than the life term sought by prosecutors, the sentence reflects the severity of the crimes. The court emphasized that the deliberate nature of the concealment and the sheer scale of the financial transfers warranted a substantial penalty to deter future foreign interference.

Broader Implications for Campaign Finance Compliance

The conviction of a high-profile public figure like Pras Michel serves as a critical case study for legal and financial professionals. It underscores the Department of Justice’s commitment to enforcing the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and federal election laws.

The case highlights several key compliance vulnerabilities:

1. Third-Party Intermediaries: The risks associated with individuals acting as unregistered agents for foreign principals.
2. Source of Funds Verification: The necessity for rigorous due diligence regarding the origins of large-scale political contributions.
3. Global Financial Intersections: How international corruption scandals (such as 1MDB) can intersect with domestic U.S. policy and elections.

Michel, who has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, is expected to appeal the conviction. As the legal process continues, the 14-year sentence stands as a stark warning regarding the intersection of celebrity influence, global finance, and the strict boundaries of U.S.

Trump Cites ‘Obama Sycophant,’ Continues Pressing Senate GOP To Nix Filibuster

President Donald Trump is still pushing for the Senate GOP to get rid of the filibuster. The president posted a video on Truth Social on Monday that included audio of former Attorney General Eric Holder saying that if Democrats win a “trifecta” in the 2028 elections, they should think about extending the Supreme Court.

Holder said this while talking to Ben Meiselas, who co-founded MeidasTouch, which posted the footage last month.

In the Monday Truth Social post, Trump referred to Holder, who served under Democratic President Barack Obama, as an “Obama sycophant” and said that “Eric Holder (known as ‘FAST AND FURIOUS’) just gave a Speech where he emphatically stated, above all else, that Democrats will PACK the Supreme Court of the United States if they get the chance. The word is, he wants 21 Radical Left Activist Judges, not being satisfied with the heretofore 15 that they were seeking.”

Trump said that getting rid of the filibuster will help Republicans win the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election.

“It will be 21, they will destroy our Constitution, and there’s not a thing that the Republicans can do about it unless we TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, which will lead to an easy WIN of the Midterms, and an even easier WIN in the Presidential Election of 2028,” he asserted.

“Why would the Republicans even think about giving them this opportunity? The American People don’t want gridlock, they want their Leaders to GET THINGS DONE — TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, AND HAVE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FOUR YEARS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, BY FAR, WITH NOT EVEN THE HINT OF A SHUTDOWN OF OUR GREAT NATION ON JANUARY 30TH!” Trump declared in the post.

This is the second time in recent weeks that Trump has gone after former President Barack Obama.

The new interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, appointed to the post by Trump, once called out Joe Biden and Obama as well as twice-failed presidential contender Hillary Clinton.

John A. Sarcone III, a lawyer in private practice in Westchester County, accused Biden of being a “traitor” and committing “treason” in a 2022 social media post.

After Biden tweeted on New Year’s Eve that year he was “ready to get things done,” Sarcone responded, “Traitor should be tried for treason. Worst person to occupy the White House.”

Sarcone once tweeted that Obama should be “the first illegal alien deported” while calling for Clinton to be jailed for treason.

Sarcone was allowed to be placed in his interim position without needing Senate confirmation. And while he does not have any prosecutorial experience, he has a lengthy track record as an attorney who has also worked for Trump’s campaigns.

When Sarcone was sworn in on Monday in Albany, he defended his limited prosecutorial experience by asserting in his speech that what truly defines a good prosecutor is “judgment.”

“I believe the prosecutorial power, and discretion,” he said, “is best entrusted to those with the full breadth of professional and life experiences, from which common sense, wisdom, and informed judgment emerge.” Sarcone said his priorities will include securing the border with Canada; ending “lawlessness and willful disregard” for federal laws; and fighting against public corruption, scams and consumer fraud.

In addition, the interim U.S. attorney suggested he could target Upstate colleges and universities, saying federal prosecutors will support students’ rights “to be free from harassment or threats because of their religious beliefs.”

“Our reach will not stop at prosecuting those who choose to violate our laws, but also those who knowingly support any violations in any way, shape or form,” he said, as noted by the media outlet in its report.

A career spent caring for children teaches you a great deal about strength, but nothing prepared me for the little boy I met decades ago—a child whose heart needed urgent repair and whose spirit somehow remained gentle despite everything he faced. I still remember how small he looked in his hospital bed, trying to stay brave for everyone around him. His surgery was complex, but it went better than any of us hoped. By morning, his heartbeat was stronger, his breathing steady, and his future finally within reach. But instead of finding relieved parents at his bedside, I walked into a room that felt impossibly empty. His belongings were untouched, his blankets neatly folded, and the only thing left behind was a stuffed dinosaur on the pillow. His parents had quietly signed the discharge forms and disappeared, leaving behind a child who needed comfort just as much as he needed care. That moment changed everything—not only for him, but for the family he would eventually become part of.

My wife and I met him the next day, unsure where the path would lead but certain he deserved stability and love. One visit turned into many, and soon he became part of our home—tentative at first, sleeping on the floor beside his bed, calling us “Doctor” and “Ma’am,” unsure whether letting himself hope was safe. Slowly, trust grew in quiet ways: a hand held during a fever, a whispered “Mom” during a restless night, a shout of “Dad!” after a scraped knee. As he grew, he filled every corner of our home with kindness, determination, and a deep desire to give back. Education became his way of honoring the second chance he’d been given, and eventually he chose a path in medicine, hoping to help children who faced challenges similar to his own. The day he matched at our hospital as a surgical resident, he stood in our kitchen with tears in his eyes, telling me that saving his life had given him a reason to live it fully.

Years later, we were working side by side when an emergency call pulled us into the ER—my wife had been in an accident. She was bruised but stable, and at her bedside stood a woman we didn’t recognize, someone who had pulled her from the vehicle and stayed until help arrived. Her clothes were worn, her hands scraped, and her eyes carried years of exhaustion. When she looked at my son, something shifted. Her gaze dropped to the faint scar above his heart, and her breath caught. She whispered his name like it was both a memory and a plea. My son froze as she revealed the truth she had carried alone for decades: she was the one who had brought him to the hospital all those years ago—and the one who had left. Fear, hardship, and impossible circumstances had shaped a decision she had regretted every day since. And now, by chance or fate, she had saved the life of the woman who raised him.

The moment that followed wasn’t simple, but it was honest. My son listened, torn between past hurt and present understanding, and finally offered the one thing he knew she had never been able to give herself: a chance to begin again. In time, we helped her find stability, medical care, and the support she had long lacked. That Thanksgiving, she joined us at a table where sorrow and gratitude sat side by side. My daughter placed his old stuffed dinosaur in front of her plate, a quiet symbol of both loss and hope. When we raised our glasses, it wasn’t just for second chances—it was for the courage it takes to accept them. Looking around at the family we had built through resilience and love, I realized that mending a heart is not always a medical act. Sometimes, it is the choice to stay, to forgive, and to let compassion shape the life that follows.

The day I became a parent was the same day my world came crashing down — not because I welcomed a child, but because I inherited two grief-stricken ten-year-olds who had just lost their mother. My mother. Overnight, I went from planning a Maui honeymoon with my fiancée to packing lunchboxes, braiding hair, and signing permission slips for my twin sisters, Lily and Maya. In those early weeks, when life felt too heavy to hold, Jenna — my future wife — stepped in like a miracle. She cooked, she helped with homework, she whispered bedtime stories. I truly thought she loved the girls. I thought we were becoming a family. But love built on lies always cracks, and the day I came home early and heard Jenna’s real voice — cold, sharp, and dripping with contempt — was the day everything I believed about her shattered.

After Mom’s accident, I did what any big brother would: I moved back into her house, tucked my engineering career into the back pocket of my grief, and tried to be strong for the only family I had left. Jenna moved in soon after, insisting she wanted to help. Everyone praised her for stepping up — the devoted fiancée taking on two traumatized kids. I wanted to believe it too. She braided hair and scribbled notes for their lunchboxes. She told her friends the girls were “the little sisters she always dreamed of.” And for a while, despite the storm we were navigating, I thought I was lucky — that Mom would’ve trusted Jenna with their fragile hearts. But that illusion crumbled the moment I walked in quietly one gray afternoon and heard Jenna telling the twins they’d be gone soon. Not because we couldn’t manage, but because she didn’t want them.

Hidden by the hallway, I listened as Jenna told Lily and Maya that a foster family would “deal with their sadness better,” mocked Maya for crying, and warned them not to “get too comfortable.” Then came the cruelest truth — overheard when she thought the girls had left the room and she was safely chatting with a friend. Jenna wasn’t helping us out of love. She was helping herself. She wanted Mom’s house, the insurance money, my income — and she wanted the twins gone so she could have her life back. That night, I pretended nothing was wrong and told her exactly what she wanted to hear — that we should get married now, and that I’d consider giving up the girls. She fell for it instantly. While she planned a giant wedding, I gathered the evidence I needed and made a different plan: the truth would be revealed in front of everyone she wanted to impress.

On the night of our would-be wedding, surrounded by family, coworkers, and neighbors, I took the microphone and exposed everything. Every lie, every cruel word, every plan she’d made to get rid of my sisters played across a giant projector screen — recorded by nanny cams Mom had installed years earlier. Jenna’s mask cracked in real time. Guests gasped. Her parents walked out. And as security escorted her from the ballroom, Lily squeezed my hand and Maya whispered, “We knew you’d choose us.” A week later, the adoption was finalized. That night, we lit a candle for Mom, ate spaghetti too late, and laughed too loudly. The girls rested their hands on my arms as I cried — not from grief this time, but from relief. We weren’t just surviving anymore. We were finally safe. We were a family.

Some acts of kindness feel so small in the moment that you barely think twice about them. That’s exactly how my Saturday started—another chaotic morning at the grocery store where I work the early shift. I was tired, running on cheap coffee, and trying to keep up with the usual weekend rush. Between crying toddlers, empty shelves, and customers buying like the world was ending, I was just hoping to make it through my shift. Then a woman stepped into my checkout lane—a thin jacket, exhausted eyes, and two children who were far too quiet for kids their age. They weren’t grabbing candy or begging for toys. They were staring at a simple bag of apples like it was something magical. And in that instant, I felt something shift.

As I rang up her order, I could see the hesitation in her face as the total appeared on the screen. She swallowed hard and whispered for me to remove the apples and the cereal, her voice cracking in a way that told me this wasn’t the first time she’d had to choose between groceries and bills. Her children didn’t protest—they just lowered their eyes, as if used to hearing “maybe next time.” Before she could reach for her card again, I quietly slid mine into the reader. It was ten dollars—nothing extraordinary—but to her, it meant hope in a moment when she had none. She looked at me like I’d handed her something far bigger than groceries. She thanked me softly and hurried out the door, leaving me with a feeling I couldn’t quite name.

I didn’t tell anyone about it. Not my husband, not my coworkers. It wasn’t a story—just a moment of being human. But three days later, everything changed. I was scanning items for a man buying cat food when a police officer walked into the store—not casually, not for coffee, but searching. For me. My heart nearly stopped as he approached and asked to speak with my manager. Panic washed over me, but before I could imagine the worst, my manager told me to take a break and follow the officer. Instead of heading to a patrol car, he led me down the street to a small café. And there—sitting by the window—was the woman from the checkout line, her kids smiling and waving. The officer took a seat and said quietly, “I’m their father.” He had been undercover for almost a year, unable to contact them. When he finally came home and heard what happened at the store, he felt compelled to thank me in person.

We talked for nearly an hour. The kids handed me a picture they had drawn—me at my register wearing a superhero cape. The officer and his wife insisted on buying me lunch, and I left the café feeling lighter than I had in years. A week later, my manager called me into the office with surprising news: I was being promoted to shift manager. He handed me a letter written by the officer, praising my kindness and integrity. That moment—those ten dollars—had somehow traveled full circle. Kindness, I realized, doesn’t disappear. It echoes. It returns. And even if none of this had happened—the café, the drawing, the promotion—I would still do it again in a heartbeat. Because sometimes the smallest gestures become the biggest turning points in someone’s life, including your own.

Demi Moore recently expressed admiration for Emma Heming Willis, praising her strength and compassion as she continues to care for Bruce Willis. The comments came after Emma made the difficult decision to move Bruce into a specialized residence to better support his needs following his diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia in 2022.

In an interview with Diane Sawyer during the ABC special “Emma and Bruce Willis – The Unexpected Journey” on August 26, 2025, Emma opened up about the weight of that choice. She explained that it was one of the hardest steps she has taken, but one she felt was necessary to provide both Bruce and their daughters with the best possible environment.

Emma shared that the arrangement ensures Bruce receives professional, around-the-clock support, while their daughters are able to grow up in a home centered on their needs. She explained that this balance reflects what Bruce himself would have wanted for the family — a safe and nurturing environment for their children, alongside high-quality care for him.

Though they now live apart, Emma described Bruce’s new residence as a “second home,” filled with warmth, laughter, and loving care. She emphasized that their connection remains strong through frequent visits and shared family moments, a reflection of the deep bond that continues to unite them all.

It was past 3 AM when William “Hammer” Davidson, a 69-year-old biker and Vietnam veteran, stopped at a quiet gas station off I-70 near Kansas City. He had been riding for twelve hours, tired and lost in thought after his brother’s funeral. What started as a simple stop for coffee soon turned into something that would change both his life—and someone else’s—forever. From behind the bathroom wall, he overheard voices that didn’t sound right: men arguing about “prices” and a young girl pleading to be let go. His instincts told him something terrible was happening.

Moments later, the men emerged, escorting a terrified teenage girl with bruises and fear in her eyes. She looked straight at him and mouthed the words “help me.” In that instant, Hammer knew he couldn’t stay silent. Thinking quickly, he confronted the men and offered them cash under the pretense of a deal, only to get the girl safely away from them. Once the danger passed, he made sure she received protection and immediate care through trusted advocates—people trained to help victims of abuse and exploitation.

The girl, whose name was Macy, had endured unimaginable hardship. She had been lost in a broken system, with no family to turn to and no one who believed her. For the first time, someone saw her not as a problem or a burden—but as a person worth saving. With the help of support organizations and Hammer’s continued guidance, Macy began to rebuild her life, find healing, and discover hope again. Over time, she went back to school, entered therapy, and learned to ride motorcycles—the same symbol of freedom that had once carried Hammer across the country.

Years later, Macy is an advocate herself, helping other survivors find safety and strength. She often shares her story publicly, not to relive the pain but to remind people how much difference one person’s courage can make. The biker who refused to look away that night became more than her rescuer—he became her family. Together, they now lead charity rides across the country, raising awareness and funds for at-risk youth. What began as a midnight stop for gas became a story of redemption, bravery, and the power of compassion that changed two lives forever.

A driver stuck in traffic captured a dramatic road-rage encounter between the drivers of a red Corvette and a Dodge truck. The video shows the truck trying to merge into an exit lane, but the Corvette driver repeatedly blocks him. Frustrated, the Corvette driver rolls down his window and flips the truck driver off, making it clear he has no intention of letting him merge.

In response, the Dodge driver inches forward, revs his engine, and releases a massive cloud of dark exhaust smoke directly into the Corvette. The plume completely engulfs the sports car, and the man filming can be heard laughing as the cloud drifts away. Once the smoke clears, the Corvette driver appears to give up the fight and finally allows the truck to merge.

The incident reportedly took place in Tacoma, Washington, on June 28, with both vehicles carrying Washington State license plates. The man who recorded the moment later posted the clip to YouTube, explaining that he noticed the Corvette refusing to let the truck into the lane before the Dodge driver “coaled him with so much smoke you couldn’t even see the driver.”

The video quickly went viral, gaining more than 553,000 views and over 7,200 shares on Facebook.

President Donald Trump’s federalization of Washington, D.C., on the heels of declaring a “crime emergency,” was met with mixed reactions, but it has also launched a conversation among residents and members of the media about a subject that, for years, has been hidden in plain view.

For instance, ABC News anchor Kyra Phillips mentioned on-air hours after Trump’s declaration that she was “jumped” just two blocks away from her Washington, D.C. studio, “within the last two years.”

Violent crime in the nation’s capital has reportedly dropped since 2023, according to data from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) cited by The Washington Post on Monday. Still, Phillips pointed out that multiple alleged incidents have taken place near ABC News’ Washington, D.C., bureau — including two network employees who were reportedly among the victims.

“We’ve been talking so much about the numbers and yeah, usually that’s how you play devil’s advocate, is you talk about, ‘Oh, well stats say crime is down.’ However, I can tell you firsthand here in downtown D.C. where we work right here around our bureau just in the past six months, you know, there were two people shot,” Phillips said. “One person died literally two blocks down here from the bureau.”

“It was within the last two years that I actually was jumped walking just two blocks down from here. And then just this morning one of my coworkers said her car was stolen a block away from the bureau,” she continued.

“So we can talk about the numbers going down, but crime is happening every single day because we’re all experiencing it firsthand while working and living down here,” Phillips continued.

While violent crime in Washington, D.C., is reportedly down 26% compared to 2024, the MPD’s crime tracker shows there have still been 99 homicides in the city so far in 2025.

Meanwhile, D.C. Police Commander Michael Pulliam is under investigation over allegations that he manipulated crime statistics, NBC4 Washington reported in July. The department suspended him, but Pulliam has denied any wrongdoing.

In the first week after the White House assumed control of Washington, D.C.’s police force and deployed federal agents and National Guard troops, the city recorded a modest drop in reported crime but a sharp increase in immigration-related arrests, according to a CNN analysis of government data.

For the week beginning August 12 — the first full week under federal control — property crimes fell by about 19 percent compared to the week prior, while violent crime dropped 17 percent, based on the most recent Metropolitan Police Department statistics.

The trends varied by category. Robberies and car break-ins fell by more than 40 percent, while thefts remained flat. Burglary cases rose 6 percent, and assaults with a dangerous weapon increased 14 percent. Two homicides occurred during the period, consistent with recent weeks, though none have been reported since August 13.

Federal agencies have embedded with local police, assisting in arrests, searches, and warrant executions while patrolling the city in unmarked vehicles, CNN noted further.

At the same time, immigration enforcement surged. Since August 7, federal officials have arrested about 300 individuals in the district without legal immigration status — more than ten times the typical weekly number of ICE arrests in the city, CNN found.

During the first six months of Trump’s current term, ICE averaged about 12 arrests per week in Washington, according to data from the Deportation Data Project at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.

Officials told CNN that ICE agents have been accompanying MPD officers and intervening when individuals stopped or questioned are found to be in the country unlawfully.

In response to CNN’s findings, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated that the media was attempting to dismiss the “exceptional results” of Trump’s efforts in Washington, D.C.

“The drops in crime are not ‘moderate,’ they are life-changing for the countless of DC residents and visitors who have not been murdered, robbed, carjacked, or victims of overall violent crime in the last week,” Jackson said. “The priority of this operation remains getting violent criminals off the streets — regardless of immigration status.”

Texas House Democrats made national headlines this summer when they fled the state to stall a vote on a new congressional map that would help Republicans pick up 5 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott petitioned the Texas Supreme Court to remove their caucus leader from office.

Now, that high-stakes case is before the Texas Supreme Court on Thursday (Sept. 4) and could set a precedent for any lawmaker in the future who attempts to flee the state to avoid voting on a measure.

Abbott touted the court’s decision as a victory, posting on social media that the briefing schedule brings the “ring leader of the derelict Democrats … closer to consequences.”

The Court has combined Abbott’s lawsuit against Houston Rep. Gene Wu, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, with a similar case brought by Attorney General Ken Paxton, who seeks to oust Wu along with 12 other Democratic members.

Although Abbott and Paxton initially disagreed over which office had the legal authority to file such suits, Paxton said that he now looks forward to working alongside Abbott to “hold these cowards accountable.”

On Aug. 3, dozens of House Democrats left Texas to halt the Legislature and block passage of the GOP’s proposed congressional map. The redistricting push came under pressure from President Donald Trump, who has called for adding five Republican seats to bolster the party’s slim House majority ahead of the 2026 midterms.

As the minority party, their only viable tactic to derail the map is to break quorum—refusing to attend sessions so the chamber lacks the numbers needed to move legislation forward.

Wu’s attorneys contend that by leaving the state, he is acting in accordance with the will of his constituents, aiming to block the passage of legislation they oppose, the outlet noted.

Wu “has not died and has not been expelled from the House by the constitutionally prescribed means: a 2/3 vote of the House,” his lawyers said in a brief. “His presence in another state is not a voluntary resignation — as his opposition to this petition makes evident.”

The Texas Supreme Court is composed entirely of Republicans, with two-thirds of its members initially appointed by Governor Abbott. Among them are two justices — including the chief justice — who previously served as Abbott’s general counsel.

“They have their own independent authority, of course, but it does put them in a tough political position,” Andrew Cates, an Austin-based attorney and expert on Texas ethics law, told The Texas Tribune in an earlier interview. “They don’t want to be in the position of potentially biting the hand that initially fed them.”

Texas Republicans also made a big move this week to try and stop this from ever happening again.

Late on Monday, the Texas House enacted a bill that would punish people who break quorum in the future.

“In the past, legislators have used quorum breaks to raise political funds, creating concerns that members were benefitting financially while preventing the Texas Legislature from conducting its work,” said state Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano), the author of House Bill 18.

“Current law does not limit fundraising or expenditures during these unexcused absences, only during the moratorium period during years when we’re in session. This current arrangement creates a financial incentive to break quorum,” Shaheen added.

During a quorum break, HB 18 would stop lawmakers from raising money. It would fine members up to $5,000 for each donation they accept and the same amount for each donation they make.

During a quorum break, lawmakers who aren’t breaching the law would still be able to raise money.

In his closing remarks in favor of the bill, State Rep. Richard Hayes (R-Hickory Creek) elaborated on what Shaheen had said.

Hayes pointed out three parts of the state constitution.

He added that the oath of office that lawmakers take requires them to be present at both regular and special sessions, and the constitution gives the Legislature the power to order them to do so.