Jimmy Fallon and Weezer cover ‘Take on Me’ with classroom instruments

By Shannon Connellan

Ed Sheeran‘s done it. So has Shawn Mendes, Metallica, and the Backstreet Boys. Now, Jimmy Fallon’s handed the banana shakers to Weezer.

For one of The Tonight Show‘s most beloved recurring segments, Weezer joined Fallon and The Roots to perform a cover of A-ha’s classic “Take on Me” using classroom instruments. 

We’re talking mini tambourines, wood blocks, kazoos — the works, all with that iconic animated overlay from A-ha’s music video. And huge respect for frontman Rivers Cuomo in particular, who hits those impossible high notes.

It’s not the only fun performance we’ve seen from Weezer this week, with the group joining Fallon’s barbershop quartet, The Ragtime Gals, for a rendition of their own classic track, “Buddy Holly.”

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Le’Veon Bell Rumors: Ravens Generating Buzz as Possible Favorite to Sign RB

FILE - In this Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017 file photo, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell (26) plays in an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Pittsburgh. Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell and Ben Roethlisberger are among a Pro Bowl high of eight Pittsburgh Steelers to make the all-star game. Twenty-four of the 86 Pro Bowl selections announced Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017 are newcomers. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

After spending years rooting against former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, Baltimore Ravens fans could soon find themselves cheering him.

The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec reported Thursday there’s growing speculation at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine that the Ravens are one of the favorites to sign the three-time Pro Bowler in free agency, which opens March 13.

This will mark the first time in his career that Bell will be able to explore the open market. He has been unable to do so the past two years as Pittsburgh placed the franchise tag on him in back-to-back offseasons. That won’t be the case this year, though.

“Le’Veon is still a great player,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert told ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler last week. “We can’t afford to use any other type of tags. Le’Veon will be an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year.”

As a result, teams will be free to pursue the star at will.

There may be questions about whether Bell will be rusty after sitting out the entire 2018 campaign rather than play under the franchise tag for a second consecutive year, but he has proved to be one of the top running backs in football when he has taken the field.

Not only has he rushed for 1,000-plus yards three times in five seasons, but the versatile back has also been a factor in the passing game. He piled up 2,215 yards from scrimmage in 2014, and he later recorded 1,200-plus rushing yards and 600-plus receiving yards in both 2016 and 2017.

Meanwhile, Baltimore had the second-ranked rushing attack in the league, thanks to rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said on Wednesday, per Zrebiec, that Gus Edwards—an undrafted free agent in 2018—enters the offseason atop the team’s depth chart at running back after rushing for 718 yards as a rookie. However, Harbaugh also let it be known that the team would bring in competition for Edwards.

Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman recently said on The Lounge podcast (h/t Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com) that the team is looking for an “elite” running back. Given his resume, Bell would seemingly fit that description.

Bringing in a proven runner like Bell would help the Baltimore ground game build on its success next season. Plus, Bell’s ability to catch passes out of the backfield would help Jackson as he continues to develop as an NFL quarterback.

It wouldn’t hurt that signing with the Ravens would give Bell the opportunity to face Steelers—the team that wouldn’t meet his price on a long-term deal—twice a year. He would undoubtedly love to make Pittsburgh pay for not paying up.

Of course, signing Bell would require Baltimore to be willing to spend. The Ravens rank ninth in the league with more than $50 million in cap space, per Spotrac. They have money, but they do have free agents of their own to pay, such as Pro Bowl linebacker C.J. Mosley.

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Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ feature is back on Autopilot

Tesla made a big announcement Thursday about a Tesla Model 3 electric car that starts at $35,000, but other new options popped up on the Tesla website under the Autopilot section, like the semi-autonomous driving feature.

Full self-driving mode was pulled as an option back in October, but now it’s back as a rebranded “Navigate on Autopilot” package with “future features coming later this year.” As of today, there are two Autopilot packages. The first is just called Autopilot and gives the car auto-steering and advanced cruise control. The basic version is $3,000 to include upfront. 

Then there’s the package option called “Full Self-Driving Capability.” As Tesla CEO Elon Musk explained in a press call Thursday afternoon, it’s “feature complete,” but that doesn’t mean you can use all those features. It still is the more advanced Navigate on Autopilot, which allows the car to drive mostly on its own (with you still at the wheel and paying attention) on highways only. 

Here’s what Navigate on Autopilot can do already:

On the website, some of its future capabilities are “automatic driving on city streets.”

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk would rather sit in freeway traffic with Autopilot than use Waze

The more advanced Autopilot is $5,000 with purchase or $7,000 for a later upgrade. Once again, drivers are paying for some potential features. Musk is boldly predicting that self-driving Teslas will be allowed by the end of 2019. 

<img alt="What you get for your Autopilot add-on." class="" data-caption="What you get for your Autopilot add-on." data-credit-name="tesla.com / screengrab” data-credit-provider=”custom type” data-fragment=”m!f1d3″ data-image=”https://mondrian.mashable.com/uploads%252Fcard%252Fimage%252F943342%252Fae689788-da75-48e1-8aab-6d975e7ce0f7.png%252Foriginal.png?signature=kAizRmpOooo8XuTc0QMnfHUOdFk=&source=https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com&#8221; data-micro=”1″ src=”https://mondrian.mashable.com/uploads%252Fcard%252Fimage%252F943342%252Fae689788-da75-48e1-8aab-6d975e7ce0f7.png%252Ffit-in__1200x9600.png?signature=pvqTIKMNVHwwI-BuFj2bk30C4hs=&source=https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com&#8221; title=”What you get for your Autopilot add-on.”>

What you get for your Autopilot add-on.

Image: tesla.com / screengrab

Already the name “Autopilot” has been criticized for misleading users about its abilities despite Tesla’s repeated warnings and disclaimers that it’s not an autonomous system and the driver is still in control. But now we’ve got an even more straight-forward name, Full Self-Driving Capability, for a feature that can’t actually do what it’s labeled. 

Keep those hands on the wheel, and eyes on the road — even if you spring for the $5,000 package.

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Bangladesh tells UN cannot take more Myanmar refugees

Bangladesh told the United Nations Security Council it cannot take any more refugees from Myanmar, some 18 months after more than 700,000 mainly Rohingya Muslims fled across the border amid a brutal military crackdown.

Attacks on security posts by Rohingya insurgents in Myanmar‘s Rakhine state triggered the violence that the United Nations, the United States, Britain and others describe as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar denies the accusations.

Rohingya crisis: UN warns of ongoing genocide

“I regret to inform the council that Bangladesh would no longer be in a position to accommodate more people from Myanmar,” Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told the UN on Thursday.

Haque accused Myanmar of “hollow promises and various obstructionist approaches” during negotiations on returns.

“Not a single Rohingya has volunteered to return to Rakhine due to the absence of [a] conducive environment there,” Haque said.

Myanmar says it has been ready to accept returning refugees since January, but the Rohingya say they want guarantees over their safety and to be recognised as citizens before they go back to Rakhine.

The UN says conditions are not yet right for their return. The Western powers on the council on Thursday lamented the lack of action from Myanmar’s government.

‘Very disappointed’

“We’re very disappointed … that there hasn’t been more progress on getting the refugees back and that obviously includes creating the conditions where the refugees feel able to go back,” Karen Pierce, Britain’s UN Ambassador, told the security council.

Several council members stressed the return of refugees needed to be safe, voluntary, dignified and secure, and pushed for the Myanmar government to allow the United Nations widespread and unconditional access to Rakhine.

Rohingya crisis: UN warns against repatriation

UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner-Burgener told the council that UN access was currently “insufficient”.

“The scale of what has been done to the Rohingya Muslims and the allegations of crimes against humanity really mark this out as one of the most terrible events of this century so far,” she said.

The 15-member Security Council has been split over how to deal with the crisis, with Western powers pitted against Russia and China, an ally of Myanmar.

China’s Deputy UN Ambassador Wu Haitao said it was mainly an issue between Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh “and as such it is up to the two countries to work out a solution”.

Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy agreed.

In December Britain circulated a draft resolution to council members that diplomats said aims to put a timeline on Myanmar allowing the return of refugees and addressing accountability, but China and Russia have boycotted talks on the draft.

Deputy US Ambassador Jonathan Cohen said: “The international community cannot ignore the world’s largest refugee camp.”

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You can now brew your own dodgy illegal liquor in ‘Fallout 76’

Sure, you can ramble around Wild Appalachia scrounging in crates for old dusty beers in Fallout 76, but what if you could brew your own?

Bethesda has announced the arrival of a new brewing and distilling feature for the online multiplayer game, which for the first time ever allows you to craft your own booze.

SEE ALSO: Playing ‘Judgment’ made me finally jump into ‘Yakuza’ games

From March 12, as part of Bethesda’s new roadmap additions, players will be able to become “the Wasteland’s premiere bartender” with the help of Appalachia’s biggest boozehound of a robot, Biv, who’ll teach you to craft illicit Nukashine using the shiny new brewing station.

How do you start? Head to Vault-Tec University, the blog post recommends, where you’ll “relive the glory days of VTU’s finest and discover the mischief they got up to outside of the classroom.” 

One 'beer of the day' please.

One ‘beer of the day’ please.

Image: bethesda

That’s where you can find boozy Biv, and get started on the ‘Wasted on Nukashine’ quest. You’ll gain access to the brewing station, a new kind of workbench akin to those you can already use to create or improve weapons and armor. Drop one in your C.A.M.P. and whip up different kinds of booze, like beers, spirits, and wines, as well as fancy cocktails. 

You’ll need to build a fermenter as well, and some beverages will require longer fermentation than others – like your homemade wines and spirits, which will need to change from “fresh” to “vintage” to become legit. The longer you allow them to sit in their own juices, the more intense their effects will be on your tired, tired wasteland-wandering body.

So, what kind of shitty booze can we get started on? You’ll learn new recipes completing tasks with Biv, and you’re going to have to taste a lot of your own terrible makings.

But once you’re all learned up, there’s Firecracker Whiskey, which has the potential effect of setting your enemies on fire with melee attacks. Beer-wise, you can brew up a Hoppy Hunter for increased scope stability and damage against wild animals. 

Try a thick-sounding Tick Blood Tequila Sunrise…

Cocktails? Try a thick-sounding Tick Blood Tequila Sunrise, a cheeky little roll of the dice that may pair your melee attacks with a tasty disease, but at least your hunger meter will be filled.

Of course, everything you consume in Fallout 76 has an effect on your health and wellbeing. When you’re crafting illegal, dodgy booze in your own home, expect a “temporary buff” followed by the inevitable hangover.

Bethesda said it plans to roll out more boozy options in future, and encouraged players to consume Nukashine responsibly.

“It may make you feel like taking on the world, but you just never know where those Nuka-fueled adventures may lead,” the post reads.

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TikTok just locked out a ton of users, and people can’t take it

“…BUT HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET MY MEMES?”

Image: AFP / Getty Images

2017%252f09%252f18%252f2b%252fjackbw5.32076.jpg%252f90x90By Jack Morse

When life gives you lemons, make sure to squeeze all that lemon juice straight into your eyes and then rage about it on Twitter.

That seems to be the thinking of scores of TikTok users who, on Feb. 27, found themselves suddenly locked out of the looping video app following the company’s FTC-inspired effort to temporarily suspend accounts belonging to people under the age of 13. 

What no one appears to have first considered, however, is the fact that some now-exiled users entered fake birthdays when creating their accounts — meaning many of those suspended accounts belong to actual adults. 

Or, if not adults, at least not kids. 

And so, like with any good doubling down of online self-righteous indignation, scorned users took to the one social media platform they could still crawl their way onto to tweet accusations that the company which had for so long given them viral-content life was now capriciously ripping it all away. 

SEE ALSO: TikTok gets fined $5.7 million for collecting children’s data, announces new kid-friendly version

And lo, there was beauty in the madness. Exasperated users expressed their skepticism in response to a TikTok tweet offering — admittedly absurd — instructions on how to restore locked accounts. 

“We’re hearing that a few people are having trouble accessing TikTok today,” read the tweet in question. “If you typed the wrong birthday, head to the ‘Report a Problem’ section of the app and provide confirmation that you’re age 13 or older by submitting a copy of your government ID.”

We’re hearing that a few people are having trouble accessing TikTok today. If you typed the wrong birthday, head to the “Report a Problem” section of the app and provide confirmation that you’re age 13 or older by submitting a copy of your government ID.

Not here. In the app.

— TikTok (@tiktok_us) February 27, 2019

That’s right, TikTok — which on Feb. 27 got hit with a $5.7 million civil penalty from the FTC for illegally collecting data on children under the age of 13 — asked users to fork over their government IDs. In order to continue making and consuming viral video content. 

The reaction was swift.

They’re gonna have to do something. They’re asking people to send in government issued id’s thru the app at the moment, which is a TERRIBLE idea. Drop the ball on something like this and think I’m gonna trust your people with my information. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

— Craig A. Conrad (@Craig_Conrad) February 28, 2019

So I understand why you had to make the change. But asking people to take an image of their government ID and emailing/sending it in…. that is a HORRIBLE idea… in today’s cyber security world.

— ebonovic (@ebonovic) February 28, 2019

Others simply pointed out that, while locked out of their account, they were unable to use the app to submit the requested ID. 

I logged out of my account to try logging in again and it didn’t work. So I can’t report the problem because I can’t log back in.

🌺𝒞𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑒🌺 (@left1996) February 28, 2019

Uh hi yes? I have been locked out of my account and apparently its deleted. So by the logic that I can’t get into my account, I can’t go to Profile > Privacy and Settings > Report a Problem > Account Issue > Add an Email. Or anything else you are suggesting we do So try again hon

— . (@LatteIsNotNorm) February 27, 2019

You. Literally. Cannot. Do. That. What are you talking about

— Poohsif (@Poohsif1) February 28, 2019

When reached for comment, a TikTok spokesperson told Mashable that the company knows things aren’t going so well. 

“We are aware that some users are experiencing issues accessing the app,” the spokesperson wrote via email. “Our support teams are working to provide users guidance, and @TikTok_US will provide further information.”

So TikTok promises it’s working to sort this mess out. In the meantime, we might suggest that locked out users move over to Vine to get their looping video fix. 

Oh, wait.  

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Harper Joins the Phillies

  1. Life Is Good 😎

    Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

    Bryce Harper’s deal is for $330M, which breaks Giancarlo Stanton’s MLB record, per @JonHeyman 💰 https://t.co/2U2Lh5Yjsp

  2. For LIFE

    Wear Orange and Brown and Matter @FanoftheLand13

    Bryce Harper when his contract expires. https://t.co/WNGjd0L73S

  3. But Legit…Fo’ Life

    Richard Lowe @RichardLowe

    Bryce Harper to the Phillies for 13 years, you say? https://t.co/zYHAmTmRXS

  4. Arrieta Is Ready for Bryce 😂

    Yahoo Sports MLB @MLByahoosports

    Jake Arrieta’s getting the house nice and tidy for @Bharper3407 🧹😂

    (via @JArrieta34) https://t.co/Xb2CyxupDi

  5. 😅

    Tony X. @soIoucity

    A kid cursing somebody out on fornite will be batting clean up for bryce harper real soon.

  6. False Reports Always

    Jack Fritz @JackFritzWIP

    Bryce Harper hates Philly so much that he signed up to be here for 13 years without an opt-out?

  7. Bonilla Jokes Over Here 😆

    Rian Watt @rianwatt

    When Bryce Harper gets his final paycheck from the Phillies in 2031, Bobby Bonilla will still be four years away from his final paycheck from the Mets.

  8. Wyd?

    kadet robinson. @walt_therealest

    Bryce Harper signing without an opt out https://t.co/5obfMTe4Qu

  9. The Future.

    Cespedes Family BBQ @CespedesBBQ

    The year is 2031.

    President Jaden Smith just signed an executive order making Instagram accounts mandatory for all American citizens. Fast and Furious 15 is set to drop in July. MLB has the universal DH, aluminum bats and five bases now.

    But Bryce Harper is still a Phillie.

  10. Harper on MLB The Show’s Cover

    via Bleacher Report

  11. Twenty. Thirty. One.

    PHILLIES TBOH @FS_TBOH

    Bryce Harper is locked in until 2031 #Phillies https://t.co/6WDeWg3qXC

  12. 👴

    Brian Stultz @brianjstultz

    Bryce Harper by the time his contract ends with the Phillies. https://t.co/fBSooPvNuc

  13. Money Snow Angels

    Lynn.Grey @iAmLynn81

    Bryce Harper https://t.co/qHAqIW00FT

  14. Trust Me, I’m Still Good

    Boston Strong @BostonStrong_34

    Bryce Harper on his final season with the Phillies… https://t.co/v2wjSmuwyw

  15. Bryce Right Now.

    JiggsTown Pizza @ITS_JIGGS

    @Bharper3407 https://t.co/uiHnf23mdE

  16. Most Money Ever

    Darren Rovell @darrenrovell

    Largest contracts in pro team sports history:

    1. Bryce Harper, Phillies, $330M

    2. Giancarlo Stanton, Yanks, $325M

    3. Manny Machado, Padres, $300M

    4. Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, $275M

    5. Alex Rodriguez, Rangers/Yankees, $252M

  17. Perspective.

    Chris Lea – WXII @ChrisLeaTV

    My daughter will have her learner’s permit when Bryce Harper’s 13 year contract ends. Yikes! https://t.co/gJIChX7Oeo

  18. LOUD NOISES

    SportsNation @SportsNation

    Everyone in Philadelphia right now. https://t.co/8r8yQyqAwK

  19. Philly in the House

    Cut4 @Cut4

    Live look-in at the streets of Philadelphia*.

    *According to @JeffPassan. https://t.co/q8GklhbCUV

  20. Too Accurate 😆

    Evan Daniel @mrevandaniel

    Bryce Harper, probably. https://t.co/mHrTtAbXmC

  21. 13-Year Deal Worth $330M

    Jeff Passan @JeffPassan

    Bryce Harper’s deal with the Phillies will be for 13 years and $330M, league sources tell ESPN. It will not include any opt-outs.

  22. Philly Is Happy 🤗

    Jeff McDevitt @JeffMcDev

    LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WE GOT HIM

    BRYCE HARPER IS A PHILLIE https://t.co/LVRkiSm4AS

  23. HE’S NOT LEAVING

    Matt Sawyer @MattSawyer21

    **Harper saying he didn’t want an opt out from Philly** https://t.co/LvkfHSz9IB

  24. There’s Gonna Be Some Great Energy 😂

    TheChampionPicks.com @ChampionPicks

    Bryce Harper showing up to Phillies’ spring training… https://t.co/oEY91vzZY1

  25. Mood in Philly

    Natalie Egenolf @NatalieEgenolf

    Welcome to Philly, @Bharper3407!!!! https://t.co/1ZmyTzQY2Q

  26. Mood

    Jon @pronkville08

    Bryce Harper right now https://t.co/tl3sdh80bE

  27. Now We Can Play Baseball

    Starting 9 @Starting9

    Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are both no longer free agents https://t.co/xeDYkmnQj2

  28. Taking Shots at the Giants 😂

    Adam Nofflett @AdamNofflett

    Remember when Bryce Harper was going to sign with Giants during their FanFest https://t.co/pVSX82ecA1

  29. This Is a Different Type of Energy

    Aaron Shafer @aaron_aha

    Welcome home baby @Bharper3407 https://t.co/cobxTDSIqN

  30. MORE

    jack zanger @jackzanger

    Bryce Harper negotiating like : https://t.co/ncdeeyOKml

  31. Enemy Forever

    Sean Fennessey @SeanFennessey

    I look forward to Bryce Harper’s transition from my sworn enemy to my sworn enemy.

  32. Bryce Waiting for That Cash

    Pete Blackburn @PeteBlackburn

    Hey @Bharper3407 https://t.co/lMlVYNl73O

  33. It Is Time

    CBS Sports @CBSSports

    Every Phillies fan… https://t.co/xSj9CL568g

  34. Philly Philly

    Philadelphia Eagles @Eagles

    👀 https://t.co/qyMpktBGtV

  35. Eagles Players Are Speaking Up

    fletcher cox @fcoxx_91

    YUPPPP @Bharper3407 PHILLY is the place to be 😎😎😎😎!!!! WELCOME

  36. Alshon Knows What’s Up

    Alshon Jeffery @TheWorldof_AJ

    Philadelphia the place to be!!!

  37. It’s Been in the Works 👀

    Zach Ertz @ZERTZ_86

    Hey @Bharper3407… when we going to make this @Phillies thing official?? Been putting it off long enough 👀🤔

  38. Philly for Life

    MLB Network @MLBNetwork

    “13 years says to me, ‘Philly for life.’” – @MrBrianKenny

    Tune in now for the latest on @Bharper3407’s reported deal with the #Phillies! #MLBTonight https://t.co/JMlBbNMUQX

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Harper Joins the Phillies

  1. Life Is Good 😎

    Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

    Bryce Harper’s deal is for $330M, which breaks Giancarlo Stanton’s MLB record, per @JonHeyman 💰 https://t.co/2U2Lh5Yjsp

  2. For LIFE

    Wear Orange and Brown and Matter @FanoftheLand13

    Bryce Harper when his contract expires. https://t.co/WNGjd0L73S

  3. But Legit…Fo’ Life

    Richard Lowe @RichardLowe

    Bryce Harper to the Phillies for 13 years, you say? https://t.co/zYHAmTmRXS

  4. Arrieta Is Ready for Bryce 😂

    Yahoo Sports MLB @MLByahoosports

    Jake Arrieta’s getting the house nice and tidy for @Bharper3407 🧹😂

    (via @JArrieta34) https://t.co/Xb2CyxupDi

  5. 😅

    Tony X. @soIoucity

    A kid cursing somebody out on fornite will be batting clean up for bryce harper real soon.

  6. False Reports Always

    Jack Fritz @JackFritzWIP

    Bryce Harper hates Philly so much that he signed up to be here for 13 years without an opt-out?

  7. Bonilla Jokes Over Here 😆

    Rian Watt @rianwatt

    When Bryce Harper gets his final paycheck from the Phillies in 2031, Bobby Bonilla will still be four years away from his final paycheck from the Mets.

  8. Wyd?

    kadet robinson. @walt_therealest

    Bryce Harper signing without an opt out https://t.co/5obfMTe4Qu

  9. The Future.

    Cespedes Family BBQ @CespedesBBQ

    The year is 2031.

    President Jaden Smith just signed an executive order making Instagram accounts mandatory for all American citizens. Fast and Furious 15 is set to drop in July. MLB has the universal DH, aluminum bats and five bases now.

    But Bryce Harper is still a Phillie.

  10. Harper on MLB The Show’s Cover

    via Bleacher Report

  11. Twenty. Thirty. One.

    PHILLIES TBOH @FS_TBOH

    Bryce Harper is locked in until 2031 #Phillies https://t.co/6WDeWg3qXC

  12. 👴

    Brian Stultz @brianjstultz

    Bryce Harper by the time his contract ends with the Phillies. https://t.co/fBSooPvNuc

  13. Money Snow Angels

    Lynn.Grey @iAmLynn81

    Bryce Harper https://t.co/qHAqIW00FT

  14. Trust Me, I’m Still Good

    Boston Strong @BostonStrong_34

    Bryce Harper on his final season with the Phillies… https://t.co/v2wjSmuwyw

  15. Bryce Right Now.

    JiggsTown Pizza @ITS_JIGGS

    @Bharper3407 https://t.co/uiHnf23mdE

  16. Most Money Ever

    Darren Rovell @darrenrovell

    Largest contracts in pro team sports history:

    1. Bryce Harper, Phillies, $330M

    2. Giancarlo Stanton, Yanks, $325M

    3. Manny Machado, Padres, $300M

    4. Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, $275M

    5. Alex Rodriguez, Rangers/Yankees, $252M

  17. Perspective.

    Chris Lea – WXII @ChrisLeaTV

    My daughter will have her learner’s permit when Bryce Harper’s 13 year contract ends. Yikes! https://t.co/gJIChX7Oeo

  18. LOUD NOISES

    SportsNation @SportsNation

    Everyone in Philadelphia right now. https://t.co/8r8yQyqAwK

  19. Philly in the House

    Cut4 @Cut4

    Live look-in at the streets of Philadelphia*.

    *According to @JeffPassan. https://t.co/q8GklhbCUV

  20. Too Accurate 😆

    Evan Daniel @mrevandaniel

    Bryce Harper, probably. https://t.co/mHrTtAbXmC

  21. 13-Year Deal Worth $330M

    Jeff Passan @JeffPassan

    Bryce Harper’s deal with the Phillies will be for 13 years and $330M, league sources tell ESPN. It will not include any opt-outs.

  22. Philly Is Happy 🤗

    Jeff McDevitt @JeffMcDev

    LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WE GOT HIM

    BRYCE HARPER IS A PHILLIE https://t.co/LVRkiSm4AS

  23. HE’S NOT LEAVING

    Matt Sawyer @MattSawyer21

    **Harper saying he didn’t want an opt out from Philly** https://t.co/LvkfHSz9IB

  24. There’s Gonna Be Some Great Energy 😂

    TheChampionPicks.com @ChampionPicks

    Bryce Harper showing up to Phillies’ spring training… https://t.co/oEY91vzZY1

  25. Mood in Philly

    Natalie Egenolf @NatalieEgenolf

    Welcome to Philly, @Bharper3407!!!! https://t.co/1ZmyTzQY2Q

  26. Mood

    Jon @pronkville08

    Bryce Harper right now https://t.co/tl3sdh80bE

  27. Now We Can Play Baseball

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    Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are both no longer free agents https://t.co/xeDYkmnQj2

  28. Taking Shots at the Giants 😂

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    Remember when Bryce Harper was going to sign with Giants during their FanFest https://t.co/pVSX82ecA1

  29. This Is a Different Type of Energy

    Aaron Shafer @aaron_aha

    Welcome home baby @Bharper3407 https://t.co/cobxTDSIqN

  30. MORE

    jack zanger @jackzanger

    Bryce Harper negotiating like : https://t.co/ncdeeyOKml

  31. Enemy Forever

    Sean Fennessey @SeanFennessey

    I look forward to Bryce Harper’s transition from my sworn enemy to my sworn enemy.

  32. Bryce Waiting for That Cash

    Pete Blackburn @PeteBlackburn

    Hey @Bharper3407 https://t.co/lMlVYNl73O

  33. It Is Time

    CBS Sports @CBSSports

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  34. Philly Philly

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    👀 https://t.co/qyMpktBGtV

  35. Eagles Players Are Speaking Up

    fletcher cox @fcoxx_91

    YUPPPP @Bharper3407 PHILLY is the place to be 😎😎😎😎!!!! WELCOME

  36. Alshon Knows What’s Up

    Alshon Jeffery @TheWorldof_AJ

    Philadelphia the place to be!!!

  37. It’s Been in the Works 👀

    Zach Ertz @ZERTZ_86

    Hey @Bharper3407… when we going to make this @Phillies thing official?? Been putting it off long enough 👀🤔

  38. Philly for Life

    MLB Network @MLBNetwork

    “13 years says to me, ‘Philly for life.’” – @MrBrianKenny

    Tune in now for the latest on @Bharper3407’s reported deal with the #Phillies! #MLBTonight https://t.co/JMlBbNMUQX

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Trump’s money man draws unwelcome spotlight


Donald Trump,Allen Weisselberg, and Donald Trump Jr.

Democrats armed with subpoena power say Allen Weisselberg (middle) is one of their top targets for questioning as they launch an expansive investigation into President Donald Trump’s businesses. | Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

white house

Allen Weisselberg’s longtime loyalty to Trump will be tested by demands that he testify before Congress.

President Donald Trump’s top money man, Allen Weisselberg, has long managed Trump’s global business while shunning the blinding spotlight his boss commands.

Now, with Democrats demanding Weisselberg come to Capitol Hill to answer their questions, Trump will need to consider whether a man who has worked for his family for more than 40 years can remain a trusted employee and intimate confidant.

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Last summer, federal prosecutors in Manhattan granted the 71-year-old Weisselberg immunity to testify in their investigation of Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. Some media reports breathlessly suggested at the time that Weisselberg might be turning against the president himself.

But Trump and his aides aren’t worried. They believe that Weisselberg’s testimony was limited to a narrow set of topics involving Cohen. That likely explains why Weisselberg still works as chief financial officer of The Trump Organization, according to multiple people familiar with the company’s hierarchy and records obtained by POLITICO, and continues to have an executive office on the 26th floor of Trump Tower.

“He’s still a respected participant. He’s still there,” said a source close to The Trump Organization. “He’s not ostracized.”

Weisselberg roared back into the headlines Wednesday thanks to Cohen’s testimony before the House Oversight Committee, during which Cohen named his former colleague as a co-conspirator in a long list of possible crimes. They include making hush payments to a porn star who says she had an affair with Trump; helping Trump inflate the value of his assets to insurance companies and improperly devalue Trump’s assets. Cohen also repeatedly referred House members back to Weisselberg when they asked about other topics, including possibly illegal Trump Organization tax schemes.

“Who would know the answer to those questions?” Cohen was asked.

“Allen Weisselberg,” he said repeatedly.

On Capitol Hill, Democrats armed with subpoena power say Weisselberg is one of their top targets for questioning as they launch an expansive investigation into Trump’s business. On Thursday, House Intelligence Committee Democrats said they would call Weisselberg for questioning, and members of the House Oversight panel have discussed doing the same.

“There seems to be overlap in a lot of the private matters with the president,” said Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), who chairs a key House subcommittee on national security issues. “I think if there’s any one person who has a view of that and a perspective of that and a granular understanding of that, it will be Mr. Weisselberg.”

There are signs that The Trump Organization is prepared to fight back against inquiring Democrats. Earlier this week, a lawyer for the president’s company demanded that the Democrat-led House Judiciary Committee cease its investigation because it had been “irreparably” tainted by hiring a legal consultant whose firm has also long represented The Trump Organization.

But they’ve been more circumspect about answering questions from federal prosecutors. The Wall Street Journal last August reported that federal prosecutors had granted Weisselberg immunity to testify before a federal grand jury in New York as part of their investigation into multiple crimes Cohen committed, including the hush money payments to the porn star Stormy Daniels.

Days after that story broke, Trump shrugged it off in an Oval Office interview with Bloomberg News, calling Weisselberg “a wonderful guy.” Asked whether Weisselberg had turned on him or put him in legal jeopardy, the president replied, “100 percent he didn’t.”

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani also has insisted that the immunity agreement the Trump Organization CFO had struck in the Cohen case wasn’t a sweeping one that covered other topics under federal prosecutors’ purview.

“Allen is not someone who is cooperating,” the former New York mayor told POLITICO last fall.

“He has a limited agreement, very limited,” added a person close to the White House and familiar with the situation.

Giuliani also said that Weisselberg’s lawyer had continued to be in a joint defense agreement with Trump’s attorneys, an arrangement similar to one with Paul Manafort’s legal team despite the former Trump campaign chairman’s guilty plea to charges brought by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Weisselberg has been among the most loyal employees to Trump’s company, where he began working for the president’s father, Fred, in 1973 and never left. While Cohen and other Trump staffers are better known, few if any nonfamily members have played a bigger role in the president’s life.

Weisselberg has negotiated Trump’s loans, co-signed his accounts and helped complete his personal taxes. After Trump became president, Trump turned over the day-to-day operations of his company to his two adult sons and Weisselberg. Donald Trump Jr. and Weisselberg also were put in charge of an existing trust where the president placed his holdings.

“Allen Weisselberg … knows of every dime that leaves the building,” former Trump campaign aides Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie wrote in their 2017 book, “Let Trump Be Trump.”

Trump sometimes lashes out at people he believes have turned on him, but more often remains loyal. He has defended both his former national security adviser Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort even after they began cooperating with Mueller. He has kept former campaign manager Lewandowski in his inner circle after firing him. White House counsel Don McGahn remained on the job despite spending more than 30 hours interviewing with Mueller’s team.

“He never really lets go of people,” said Trump biographer Gwenda Blair, who met Weisselberg while she spent years researching her books about the Trump family. “That’s because he wants to keep them close. Trump has a long history of doing that.”

A review of the most up-to-date state records of where Trump owns golf clubs, hotels and condos shows Weisselberg is still listed on a slew of documents, from corporate registrations to liquor licenses. He was even named in late September, a month after his immunity deal in the Cohen case went public, as a director of one of Trump’s golf club in Scotland on the financial documents the Trump Organization filed with Companies House, a British government agency.

During his Wednesday testimony, Cohen said he spoke to Trump and Weisselberg about how to pay off Daniels as part of a “financial fraud” and that Weisselberg made the decision that Cohen should be repaid over 12 months, rather than with a lump sum, to create the false appearance of a retainer. Weisselberg and Donald Trump Jr. signed a check to Cohen to reimburse him.

“Mr. Weisselberg for sure [knew] about the entire discussions and negotiations prior to the election,” Cohen told lawmakers.

Cohen also said Weisselberg worked with Trump to inflate assets to insurance companies and to improperly devalue Trump’s assets, though he offered no details. And Cohen said Trump asked for him and Weisselberg to work together to exaggerate Trump’s worth to ensure him a place on Forbes magazine’s annual list of America’s richest people.

“There were times that I was asked, again with Allen Weisselberg … to go back to speak with an individual from Forbes, because Mr. Trump wanted each year to have his net worth rise on the Forbes wealthiest individuals list,” Cohen said.

The Trump Organization and its lawyers did not respond to requests for comment about Weisselberg’s role with the company and his time spent with federal prosecutors.

Spokesmen for Mueller, who is investigating whether Trump associates colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential election, and for the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, declined to comment.

David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor from South Florida, said Weisselberg’s immunity deal likely would require him to produce any documents requested and to truthfully answer any questions related to Cohen.

But that’s far less than the kind of sweeping nonprosecution agreement federal authorities can apply when asking witnesses to share everything they know on a wide range of topics.

The belief that Weisselberg has not entered into that sort of agreement might explain why Trump feels comfortable allowing him continued access to his prized financial secrets.

But Weinstein floated another theory: “Perhaps they feel that by keeping him in the organization, they will be more aware of what he is producing,” he said. “That or they believe that his testimony can’t harm them.”

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