Commission eyes spending by Linda Bean group backing Trump

The Federal Elections Commission is raising questions about last-minute expenditures by a pro-Donald Trump super political action committee that has already acknowledged making mistakes regarding the sources and amounts of its contributions and whose contributors include an L.L. Bean heiress. The FEC contends the Making Maine Great Again PAC may have violated rules that give PACs 24 hours to report expenditures of $1,000 or more in the two to 20 days before an election.

J.C. Penney to close up to 140 stores

J.C. Penney on Friday said it plans to close between 130 and 140 stores in the next several months, a move that makes it the latest retail stalwart to pull back from the mall amid the rise of online shopping. The department store giant’s latest quarterly results, also released Friday, illustrate its struggle to connect with shoppers: Sales were down 0.7 percent at stores open more than a year.

U.S. auto dealers look to Trump to ease vehicle emissions rules

Jan 29 U.S. auto dealers gathered for their annual convention in New Orleans said they want President Donald Trump to ease federal regulation of vehicle emissions and consumer lending, reversing action taken by his predecessor. Former President Barack Obama enacted rules requiring automakers to roughly double the average fuel efficiency of their U.S. car and truck fleets to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.

First family settles into White House life

The first family is also adjusting to life in their new roles as first lady, first sons, first daughters and first grandchildren. Following the inaugural ball festivities Friday night, Tiffany and boyfriend Ross Mechanic; Donald Jr., wife Vanessa and daughter Kai; and Eric and wife Lara split off from the presidential motorcade and headed to the Trump International Hotel DC, where they were spotted celebrating the day with a midnight balloon drop with friends and family.

Trump says buy LL Bean but many products are made in China

Republican President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday urged people to buy from outdoors retailer L.L. Bean – even though many of its products are made in China – as it faces calls for a boycott because of a company heiress’ donations to his candidacy. Trump, in tweeting the endorsement, garnered criticism from the nonpartisan money-in-politics watchdog Every Voice for “personally encouraging his supporters to boost the companies of his super donors.”

More human remains found in search for plane in Lake Erie

Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that top intelligence leaders told him and President Barack Obama they felt obligated to inform them about uncorroborated allegations about President-elect Donald Trump out of… Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that top intelligence leaders told him and President Barack Obama they felt obligated to inform them about uncorroborated allegations about President-elect Donald Trump out of concern… A pro-Trump PAC linked to L.L. Bean heiress Linda Bean is now reporting donations it never disclosed to the federal government last year. President-elect Donald Trump is urging people to buy L.L. Bean as the company faces calls for a boycott because of a family member’s donations to his candidacy.

Trump defends L.L. Bean heiress over donations backing him

In this June 2012 photo, Linda Bean speaks to reporters outside the Cabinet Room after a meeting with Maine Gov. Paul LePage at the State House in Augusta, Maine. President-elect Donald Trump urged Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, for people to buy L.L. Bean products as the company faces calls for a boycott because of Linda Bean’s donations to his candidacy.

APNewsBreak: L.L. Bean heiress in trouble over pro-Trump PAC

L.L. Bean heiress Linda Bean is in hot water with the Federal Election Commission over a political action committee she created to support Republican President-elect Donald Trump. According to a Wednesday letter obtained by The Associated Press, federal regulators say Bean’s Making America Great Again LLC was limited to individual contributions of $5,000 in a single year- and Bean contributed $60,000.