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 Information on the "IKE DIKE" Coastal Barrier November 19: The Epoch Times: Hey Arizona, need some help with your elections? Ohio is willing to give you some pointers! As vote counting continued in the Arizona gubernatorial and Senate races days after Nov. 8, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose shared his outspoken opinion about the subject on Twitter. "Dear Arizona, need some advice on how to run an election the right way?" said LaRose, a Republican who was elected to another term. "Your process is obviously not working." LaRose praised his office's emphasis on election integrity and the commitment of county election boards to produce timely reports on races. "Election night results were reported on election night, and that is something Ohioans expect," LaRose said last week. While Republicans did not perform as well as expected nationally, Ohio saw a red tsunami that further strengthened the party's statewide grip. When final results are announced, Republicans will hold a supermajority. Meanwhile, The Epoch Times also reports, Arizonians are honking their horns in Maricopa County calling for new elections. Marisa Dawson tapped hard on her faulty car horn, hoping to make noise—and hoping to make a difference as a participant in a "freedom convoy" to protest Maricopa County's midterm election results. "My horn's broken—otherwise, I'd give a honk," said Dawson, then poking her head through her open window and blowing a piercing whistle in the middle of downtown traffic. "I don't know what else to do," Dawson said. Dawson and other conservative voters drove around Maricopa's government and election offices in Phoenix, waving flags and honking horns to demand a new election. An anonymous flyer billed the "Maricopa Honkening" rally similar to the Canadian truck convoy protesting mandatory COVID-19 vaccines earlier this year. Several rally members said they believe that widespread problems with tabulation machines on Nov. 8 disenfranchised thousands of voters in Republican-leaning precincts. County officials estimate problems with tabulation machines affected 20% or more of Maricopa voting sites. With the races in Arizona being so close, Dawson and others believe the only solution is to redo the election.  November 19: Fox News: US responds to North Korea new ICBM launch with supersonic bomber flights
The U.S. military on Saturday responded to recent missile launches from North Korea by flying two supersonic bombers alongside South Korean and Japanese warplanes. North Korea on Friday drew international ire after its test-launch of an ICBM capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads with a range that could reach anywhere on the U.S. mainland. The U.S. deployed B-1b supersonic bombers in joint drills over South Korea for the first time in five years as the north was ramping up its missile testing and overt aggression in the region. The B-1b, one which irks Kim over its ability to deliver a massive payload of conventional guided and unguided weapons, has been dubbed the "backbone" of the US's bomber force. November 19: Fox News: Cruz slams Biden DOJ for politics behind appointment of special counsel to investigate candidate Donald Trump Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) slammed the Biden administration, saying it has "thoroughly politicized and weaponized" the Justice Department, while telling Fox News that the appointment of a special counsel to investigate former President Trump is "absolutely disgraceful." AG Merrick Garland Friday appointed a former DOJ official Jack Smith to the role of special counsel to investigate the entirety of the criminal probe into the retention of presidential records held by Trump at his Florida residence. Smith will also oversee the DOJ investigation into the Capitol January 6th protest; which is interesting timing given that the House committee looking into that same issue will be going away when the GOP takes over the House in January. "The Biden Department of Justice is thoroughly politicized and weaponized," Cruz said. "This is camouflage designed to set up the next step – which is the Biden DOJ intends to indict Donald Trump." November 18: The Epoch Times: Biden's DOJ going after President and candidate Donald Trump; appointing special counsel as the Administration faces the loss of the failed House Jan 6th Committee Joe Biden's administration has announced it is appointing a special counsel for a probe involving former President Donald Trump, who just launched a 2024 presidential bid. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Biden's head of the DOJ announced the move. "Based on recent developments," Garland said, "including the former president's announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election, and… [Joe Biden's]… stated intention to be a candidate as well, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint a special counsel," Garland said. Garland appointed Jack Smith, who currently prosecutes war crimes at The Hague, the special counsel. The timing, however, is interesting as the Democrats have made numerous moves – both while Trump was president and subsequently – to find him guilty of something such as colluding with the Russians, attempting to impeach him twice, and more recently attempting to find him responsible for the intrusion of protestors into the U.S. Capitol building on January 6th. All of their efforts to date have failed and with the House turning over to Republicans in January and the demise of the House Jan 6th Committee in sight, some would say they need to have some public forum to keep the pressure on the former president so that he is not successful in assuming the presidential office again. November 17: The Washington Times: Pelosi announces she's stepping down as House moves to Republican control It's the end of an era for Democrats — and the nation. House Speaker Nancyt Pelosi told fellow lawmakers Thursday that she will step aside from the top Democratic leadership role she has held for nearly two decades. She delivered the announcement to a packed chamber a day after Republicans officially clinched the House majority that will give them control of the gavel that they lost four years ago. Pelosi, 82, isn't retiring from Congress. She plans to play an advisory role for the leadership team, which is about to undergo its biggest shuffle in more than 15 years, and she plans to remain in Congress, representing her San Francisco district. November 17: One America News Network: Sen. Johnson (R-WI) takes on FBI director during Senate hearing Senator Ron Johnson has applied pressure on FBI Director Chris Wray to explain why officials have falsely claimed that the reports about Hunter Biden were considered Russian propaganda. "Do you see any sign of Russian disinformation, [in] those reports?" Johnson asked. "It's a very easy answer. There is no Russian disinformation." During a heated exchange Johnson demanded that Wray explain why the FBI suppressed information about Hunter Biden ahead of 2020 election. Wray apparently struggled to provide a straight answer to Johnson. The Republican then asked about the FBI's handling of a probe into Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings. Have you looked into the scheme hatched in August 2020 to downplay derogatory information on Hunter Biden?" Republican lawmakers suspect that the FBI suppressed the Hunter Biden scandal ahead of the 2020 election in order to help Joe Biden get elected and to smear the GOP as Russian propagandists. Johnson vows to fully investigate the matter. November 17: The Daily Caller: School board fires superintendent & legal counsel, prohibits teaching of CRT, sets up committee to review books with questionable content After being elected to the school board on Nov. 8, six members endorsed by the parental rights in education group Moms for Liberty banned Critical Race Theory (CRT) and set up a process to eliminate sexually explicit books at their first meeting. On Tuesday, the Berkeley County School Board in South Carolina passed a resolution 6-2 that prohibits CRT from being taught in the classroom and formed a committee to review books that have been flagged for sexually explicit content. The board also voted to fire the school district's superintendent Deon Jackson and the district's lawyer Tiffany Richardson. "In the community many people know that these candidates support parental rights, but not only that, they support transparency," Christi Dixon, the chair of the Berkeley County Moms for Liberty chapter said. "They want to make sure schools are safe. They want to make sure that financially [the school] is responsible with all the funding. They also want to make sure that our teachers get the support and all their needs are met in the classroom."  November 17: Fox News: Feds make NJ take down "provocative"
tongue-in-cheek road signsThe tongue-in-cheek messages had been in play for about a month before they were ordered taken down from the transportation agency's 215 permanent signs throughout the state. NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said Tuesday, before the ban, the signs were an effort to "to get the attention of folks on the road with messages that are quintessential New Jersey — kind of in-your-face." "We're meeting drivers where they are, and these messages have caught on in a big way." "The two biggest messages we want to get across are to slow down, and to obey the state's Move Over Law … These messages are just one of many ways we're trying to make our roads safer," she added. The signs were so popular, NJ DOT had to warn motorists to not take photos of them while driving. November 16: The Washington Times: Republicans seize control of the House ending one party rule of the Democrats Republicans clinched a U.S. House majority Wednesday, dethroning Democrats eight days after the election, though several undecided races still will determine how slim a margin the party will have. Republicans reached the 218-seat threshold Wednesday night after the election in California's 27th District was called for Republican Mike Garcia, who had been leading the count by double-digit percentage points. There are a handful of outstanding races that could tip to Republicans, giving them a few more seats and critical breathing room they'll need to pass legislation and elect a speaker. But their advantage could be historically small, which could make life difficult even for the majority.  November 16: News Max: Trump declares his candidacy for President in 2024
Former President Donald Trump, turning a deaf ear to establishment calls to hold off and Democrat efforts to stop him, officially declared his 2024 presidential campaign Tuesday night. "In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States," Trump told his crowd at Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, at 9:22 p.m. ET. "This will not be my campaign. This will be our campaign all together, because the only force strong enough to defeat the massive corruption we are up against is you the American people. It's true. The American people, the greatest people on Earth. We love them all. And we love both sides. We're going to bring people together. We're going to unify. ..." "Two years ago, we were a great nation and soon we will be a great nation again. The decline of America is being forced upon us by Biden and the radical left … running our government right into the ground. This decline is not a fate we must accept when given the choice." November 16: The Washington Examiner: Schiff decides not to run for Dems' top job, instead focusing on a run for Senate Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) has opted not to seek the position of leader of the House Democrats in the next Congress, according to people familiar with his decision. The Democratic representative has made a name for himself for his criticism of former President Trump and is also one of nine House members on the Jan. 6 committee. Politico reports Schiff had considered throwing his hat into the ring for the top position for the House Democrats but is instead looking toward a Senate run. November 16: The Daily Caller: PA Gov-elect has consultant arrested for voter fraud Democratic Pennsylvania Governor-elect Josh Shapiro charged a former campaign consultant Wednesday with "wide scale" voter fraud, according to authorities. Philadelphia political consultant Rasheen Crews was arrested Wednesday and charged with forging signatures on nomination petitions so that he could get his Democratic clients on the ballot during the 2019 primary races in the city, Shapiro's office announced "In advance of the 2023 municipal elections, this arrest is an important reminder that interfering with the integrity of our elections is a serious crime," Shapiro said. "By soliciting and organizing the wide scale forgery of signatures, the defendant undermined the democratic process and Philadelphians' right to a free and fair election. My office is dedicated to upholding the integrity of the election process across the Commonwealth, to ensure everyone can participate in Pennsylvania's future." Not discussed are the implications the consultant's actions may have had on the 2022 election. November 15: The Washington Times: Republicans one vote away from taking over the House of Representatives House Republicans are one seat away from capturing the majority in the lower chamber after winning three districts, two in California and one in New York. These wins bring the GOP to 217 seats in the House of Representatives, one seat from the 218 necessary to take control from the Democrats, who are at 204. Fourteen House races, largely in California, are still uncalled as of late Monday night. Republicans lead in four uncalled races, while Democrats lead in 10. November 15: The Washington Examiner: Governor's race in Arizona not finalized but Democrat Secretary of State who runs elections is leading The Arizona gubernatorial election may have been called on Monday night, but Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs's victory may not be set in stone for another few weeks. The race for governor has been close for days between Hobbs and Republican candidate Kari Lake with a recount possible within the next few days. A new state law allows a recount to be made in an election if votes are separated by 0.5 percentage points, widening the possibility of a recount from the previous distance of 0.1 percentage points. "If it's around 10,000 votes, certainly a recount probably won't result in a change, but if your race is decided by single digits, like mine was, then, of course, you want it to be recounted," said Christine Jones, a former congressional candidate. November 15: Breitbart News: RINOs [establishment Republicans] considering working with Dems to pick the next Speaker of the House While the GOP will vote on a nominee for House speaker on Tuesday for the projected Republican led-Congress next year, some establishment Republicans (RINOs) are considering working with House Democrats to select the next Speaker. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the favored candidate to win the party's nomination for Speaker, will face a challenge from at least one of his colleagues during Tuesday's vote. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) confirmed on Monday night he would run against McCarthy for the speakership. "We have a new paradigm here, and I think the country wants a different direction from the House of Representatives. And it's a new world, and, yes, I'm going to be nominated tomorrow to — to the position of Speaker of the House," Biggs said.  November 15: The Daily Caller: Report by Kenyan reporter goes viral as baby elephant gets playful
A journalist's report on the importance of protecting elephants went viral when one of the baby elephants behind him takes her trunk and starts up his back, tickles his ear and finally give the reporter a "kiss" on his face. Meanwhile, the reporting who was trying to remain serious, couldn't hold his composure and ends up laughing. Such it is when animals steal the show and endear themselves to others. It's a lesson all of us might learn from; being endearing and loving toward others – even when others aren't looking! November 14: The Epoch Times: GOP likely to flip the House Democrats are unlikely to keep control of the House of Representatives after the latest updated vote results favored Republicans in multiple key races, an analyst said on Nov. 13. "Dems need a miracle now," Dave Wasserman, the House editor for Cook Political Report, said on Twitter. His remark came after newly reported results in California and Arizona expanded the lead Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) holds over Democrat challenger Will Rollins for California's 41st Congressional District and moved Republican Juan Ciscomani into the lead over Democrat Kirsten Engel for Arizona's 6th Congressional District. The results also moved Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) into the lead over Democrat Jevin Hodge for Arizona's 1st Congressional District. The races aren't called but Republican wins in all three are "probable," according to Wasserman.  November 14: News Max: SCOTUS declines to take up bump stock case
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned away another challenge to a federal ban imposed under former President Donald Trump on devices called "bump stocks" that enable a semi-automatic weapon to fire like a machine gun. The justices declined to review an appeal by a group of firearms dealers and individuals in Minnesota, Texas, and Kentucky after a lower court rejected their arguments that the government had violated the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment "takings clause" by effectively taking their private property without just compensation. Trump's administration moved to reclassify bump stocks as machine guns, which are forbidden under U.S. law, in a rare firearms control measure prompted by a 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. November 13: News Max: Dems win in the midterm elections was were not because of Roe v. Wade decision Since Election Day, the media spin has been that Republicans underperformed because Roe v. Wade had been overturned by the Supreme Court. While the claim is being pushed by those who want abortion rights, or those who would prefer the GOP stay away from the issue, the data shows that the spin is just a lot of bunk. It is true that Democrats ran hard in support of restoring Roe v. Wade while making false claims the Supreme Court and Republicans were outlawing abortion – which the SCOTUS decision did not do. Across the U.S., Republicans clearly underperformed in the 2022 midterms due to such factors as having poor candidates, being outspent by Democrats and running with an economy that is still strong with low unemployment albeit with skyrocketing inflation. But in race after race, abortion was not the winning issue Democrats and the big media claim. November 13: News Max: Hawley: The old GOP is dead; it's time to bury it! Lamenting the reality the Senate will remain in Democrats' control for the next two years, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is calling for an overhaul of the establishment Republican Party in Washington, D.C. "The old party is dead," Hawley said. "[It's] Time to bury it. Build something new." Hawley was reacting to the news Republican Adam Laxalt's votes have been overtaken by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), clinching the Senate majority for Democrats. "What are Republicans actually going to do for working people?" he had asked. "How about, to start: tougher tariffs on China, reshore American jobs, open up American energy full throttle, 100K new cops on the street. Unrig the system." The remarks, effectively supporting the agenda of former President Donald Trump, were pointed at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell(R-KY) who pulled Senate Leadership funding from Arizona to help Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania. Both races were lost, giving the Democrats the majority again. "You can't expect independent voters to vote Republican unless you give them an agenda they care about," Hawley contended.  November 13: The Western Journal: Entire county loses daytime police patrols due to lack of funding and availability of police staffing
Daytime sheriff's deputy patrols will soon be a thing of the past in Tehama County, California, a small rural inland county north of Sacramento. A statement from the Tehama County Sheriff's Office said it can no longer cover all shifts in the roughly 65,000-person county. "Beginning November 20, 2022, the Tehama County Sheriff's Office will suspend day-time patrol services to its designated areas of responsibility within Tehama County. This added reduction of services is necessary to manage a catastrophic staffing shortage throughout the agency," according to a news release from the Tehama County Sheriff's Office. The statement noted that deputies can make more elsewhere, making it hard to recruit. Reportedly a deputy in Tehama County would make between $52,000 to $62,000, not counting overtime verses about $82,000 in neighboring Solano County. November 12: The Daily Caller: Federal judge strikes down key part of Bidens transgender agenda A federal judge has reversed a Biden Administration rule that directed the Department of Health and Human Services to increase access to sex change surgeries and hormone therapies, including to children, in a Friday ruling. Biden's HHS said in May 2021 that it would interpret a section of the Affordable Care Act, which bars doctors from discriminating on the basis of sex, as covering sexual orientation and gender identity. Two doctors represented by the America First Legal Foundation brought a class action lawsuit against the Biden administration after the HHS took the action, arguing that the rule would interfere with their ability to properly practice medicine. The judge argued that the Biden administration's interpretation of Title IX to include "gender identity," was faulty and could not be changed until Congress passed a law to that effect, or the Supreme Court ruled otherwise. November 12: The Washington Times: Calls for new election in Arizona after indications of possible corrupt election officials GOP (including Donald Trump) has said Arizona should hold a new election, blaming incompetent officials for voting machine problems. Trump called for a new election on TruthSocial, shortly after several news outlets called the Senate race for Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly over Republican Blake Masters. Arizona faced issues with vote-counting machines at some polling locations in Maricopa County on Election Day, which prompted many Republicans to claim of voter fraud. Some machines were unable to read some of the printed-on-demand ballots, according to county officials. November 12: The Washington Examiner: Republicans smell a rat in Maricopa County Elections operation "This election has exposed deep flaws in Maricopa County's election administration. Arizona deserves better — transparency, certainty, efficiency — and most importantly, an accurate and prompt announcement of election results that can be accepted by all voters," Republican spokeswoman Harmeet Dhillon said. "The RNC and the Republican Party of Arizona demand that around-the-clock shifts of ballot processing be pressed into service until all votes have been counted, accompanied by complete transparency and regular, accurate public updates. We will not hesitate to take legal action if necessary to protect Arizona voters' right to have their ballots counted," she said. According to the most recent tally, Hobbs is leading Lake in the gubernatorial race by approximately 32,000 votes, with Hobbs securing 50.7% compared to Lake's 49.3% as of Friday night. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) was declared the victor overnight, defeating opponent Blake Masters (R-AZ) with 51.8% compared to Masters's 46.1%. Despite the declaration, Masters has not conceded, electing to wait until the votes are fully counted instead. November 12: Breitbart News: Disney begins layoffs, hiring freeze, and limiting employee travel as stock price crashes It's been a bad week for the Disney company! First, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) won re-election in a landslide victory on Tuesday. Then Disney's corporate earnings disappointed Wall Street, sending its stock crashing to new lows. Now the entertainment giant is reportedly planning layoffs, a targeted hiring freeze, and travel limitation on its employees. In a letter to top company executives obtained by multiple news outlets, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said the austerity measures will be "difficult" but necessary. Disney picked a political fight with Gov. DeSantis earlier this year over the state's Parental Rights in Education Law, which prohibits the teaching of sexuality and gender ideology — including transgenderism — to children in kindergarten through third grade. Caving to pressure from a small group of radicalized employees, Chapek condemned the law and pledged that Disney would embrace radical LGBTQ activism going forward. So far this year, shares of Disney are down a whopping 62%. November 11: The Heritage Foundation: GOP lack of midterm gains has a silver lining Conservatives made important gains on Election Day—both in state capitals and the halls of Congress. Battle-tested conservative governors won resounding victories, while the incoming Republican-controlled U.S. House will bring much-needed accountability to the Biden administration. Those candidates who emerged victorious had something in common: They demonstrated bold leadership, with a clear policy agenda that improves the lives of everyday Americans. The future of conservatism remains bright because of leaders like Ron DeSantis, Brian Kemp, Greg Abbott, J.D. Vance, Ted Budd, and so many others who are committed to fighting for America's future. November 11: The Daily Signal: Investigations anticipated from a GOP controlled House When Republicans secure a narrow House majority, which appears likely as vote counting continues, it will mean an aggressive oversight agenda in the new year, something the Biden administration largely has avoided from Congress in its first two years. Although other topics could arise, congressional Republicans already have stated plans to look into controversies surrounding the business dealings of Hunter Biden and other members of the president's family, the crisis on the southern border, and the politicization of the Justice Department. Republicans say they also plan to hold the Biden administration accountable for the crisis of rampant illegal immigration across the southern border. The likely the incoming chairwoman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has said that House Republicans' "Big Tech Accountability Platform" would focus on China. The House Oversight and Reform Committee is likely to investigate the origins of COVID-19. November 11: Fox News: Bulk of Nevada ballots will be counted by Saturday while curable absentees and Provisionals may be next week There are a little more than 50,000 mail ballots still need to be counted in Clark County, the county's Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria said during his Friday press conference, Republican Adam Laxalt and incumbent Democrat Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto remain in a tight Senate race. "We're getting to the tail-end of what we need to do" Garcia said, noting that the bulk of the ballots will be counted by Saturday. He said more than 9,000 ballots can still be cured by Monday, meaning there was an issue with the ballot the voter can fix, and he said that mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day can still be received by Saturday. The deadline to have all ballots counted is Tuesday. Some ballots are expected to be counted by Friday evening, Garcia said, adding that there are more than 5,000 provisional ballots as well. November 11: The Epoch Times: Cameras go dark at Nevada counting facility overnight Cameras at the vote counting facility in a Nevada county still counting midterm election votes stopped broadcasting overnight, officials said. The livestream computer application that provides the feeds "lost connection with" the cameras at 11:24 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Bethany Drysdale, a spokesperson for Washoe County. All staff members left for the night about an hour before the issue and none returned until 7 a.m. on Thursday morning, county officials said. The connection was restored just less than an hour after they returned to work. The Washoe County security administrator was said to have reviewed security cameras at the building, which run on a different system. The cameras showed that no person entered the ballot room or Registrar's Office while the live feeds were cut off. A review of staff badges also indicated that no one entered the ballot room or office. Drysdale said in a statement that the County is taking steps to ensure this does not happen again in the future. Washoe County is among multiple counties in Nevada that have not yet completed tallying for the midterms, even though polls closed on Tuesday night. November 11: News Max: Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) says he will campaign for Herschel Walker (R-GA) in the December 6th Senate runoff election Politico reports that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will loan his get-out-the-vote organization to Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker ahead of the runoff election. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, (R-KY) reportedly reached out to Kemp and got him to transfer his program for phone-banking, canvassing, and data analytics to the Senate Leadership Fund, which is backing Walker and will provide about $2 million in funding. Politico notes this will mark the first time that the SLF has funded a grassroots get-out-the-vote effort. "Gov. Kemp wrote the playbook for how to win big in Georgia, and we are thrilled to partner with his top-notch team to elect Herschel Walker to the Senate," Steven Law, president of the Senate Leadership Fund said.  November 10: Sky News: Ukrainian forces taking huge risks, targeting Russians with drones, firing, and then moving quickly to avoid counter fire but it seems to be working
The fighting in Kherson has been ferocious but Ukraine is making steady gains, which is leading to Russia's forced withdrawal. Russia has "absolutely lost the momentum" in Ukraine but President Vladimir Putin must not be underestimated, the head of the NATO military alliance has told Sky News. Jens Stoltenberg was speaking after Moscow ordered its troops to withdraw from the key southern city of Kherson, under fire from Ukrainian forces, in a significant setback. He described the announcement as "encouraging" and said it demonstrated how Ukraine's military, backed by western weapons, was putting Russian troops under pressure. But the NATO secretary general said it was too soon to draw any conclusions about the significance or otherwise of events in Kherson. November 11: News Max: Federal Judge: Wait a minute Joe, your executive order is illegal. You can't usurp Congress' authority and forgive student debt Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness was struck down Thursday by a federal judge who declared Joe's executive order unlawful. District Judge Mark Pittman ruled that Biden's program, which would have provided borrowers with up to $20,000 in student loan relief, was "an unconstitutional exercise of Congress' legislative power." Conversely, the Biden administration previously argued the president had the authority to forgive student loans under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003. November 9: The Daily Caller: Walker and Warnock head to runoff election According to CNN, Republican Herschel Walker and Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock are heading to a runoff after neither candidate reached 50% of the vote in the initial election. Walker received 48.7% of the vote and Warnock received 49.2% of the vote, with 96% reporting. The candidates will face off on Dec. 6 in a runoff election. Walker, a first time politician and former 1982 Heisman Trophy winner, campaigned as a pro-life and pro-family advocate who promotes Georgia-based companies and jobs, investments in the U.S. military, police funding and protection for American values of freedom and faith. Warnock, who defeated Republican Kelly Loeffler in a run-off in 2020, campaigned largely on healthcare and abortion rights. November 9: Fox News: Steve Scalise throws in his hat to become House Majority Leader House Minority Whip Steve Scalise announced his bid to become House majority leader in a letter to Republican colleagues on Wednesday. The announcement comes one day after the midterm elections were held, and the balance of power in both the House of Representatives and the Senate have not been determined. In the letter, Scalise pledges to advance a conservative agenda in the House. "With this bold, conservative agenda in mind, I am asking for your support to be the next House Majority Leader," Scalise wrote. "The American people deserve a House of Representatives that can move the agenda that was promised to them on the campaign trail. As your Majority Leader, I will work relentlessly to usher our vision through the House and show the country how conservative ideas can solve the problems that families are facing." November 9: Breitbart News: Senate Republicans to consider leadership going forward on November 16th Politico reports that Senate Republicans will hold their leadership vote on November 16, an election that will determine whether Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will remain the top Republican in the Senate. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) is reportedly expected to replace Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). Under Scott's leadership, the NRSC defended 21 Republican-controlled seats up for election on Tuesday, while Democrats only had 14 seats to defend. If Republicans win the Senate races in Georgia and Nevada, Republicans will reclaim the Senate by one seat. The next chair of the NRSC will have to contend with McConnell's Senate leadership if he is reelected as leader. Not all GOP senators support McConnell's reelection as the top Senate Republican. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) said this week he does not support McConnell's reelection. A number of GOP Senate candidates had voiced opposition to McConnell, but many of those candidates did not win their elections or the races are remained undecided. Critics have questioned McConnell's leadership decisions during the midterm election. The McConnell-backed super PAC notably defunded Arizona candidates Blake Masters and Gen. Don Bolduc of New Hampshire while backing pro-impeachment Sen. Lisa Murkowski against challenger Kelly Tshibaka with $9 million.  November 9: The Daily Signal: Ohio easily passes constitutional amendment to bar non-US-citizens from voting
Ohio voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a state constitutional amendment to ban noncitizens from voting. It was one of many ballot initiatives dealing with election integrity in this year's elections. The Columbus Dispatch reported it passed had passed with 77.1% support from Ohioans with more than 92% of the vote counted. The amendment requires that "only a citizen of the United States, who is at least 18 years of age and who has been a legal resident and registered voter for at least 30 days, can vote at any state or local election held in this state." It also prohibits local governments from allowing people to vote in local elections if they are not eligible to vote in state elections. This became an issue after Yellow Springs, a small town in western Ohio, voted to allow noncitizens to vote for elected officials in 2019. November 7: The Daily Signal: DOJ to monitor 64 local voting jurisdictions in 24 states After Joe Biden attacked state election reforms and asserted, "democracy is on the ballot," his administration's Justice Department (DOJ) announced Monday that it would be sending election observers to 24 states. These include Georgia, Texas, Arizona, Florida and other states that implemented election integrity measures Biden and other Democrats have characterized as "Jim Crow 2.0." DOJ will also be in several battleground states with closely-contested races such as Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Department announced its plans to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws. Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Civil Rights Division has regularly monitored elections in the field in jurisdictions around the country to protect the rights of voters. "[DOJ's] Civil Rights Division will also take complaints from the public nationwide regarding possible violations of the federal voting rights laws through its call center." November 5: The Daily Caller: American flags toppled by high winds at a Fetterman political rally; is it a picture we should pay attention to? In what has been dubbed "the perfect metaphor", strong winds knocked down American flags positioned behind Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. candidate John Fetterman as he spoke to voters in the Keystone State ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections Saturday. "Today, Dr. Oz is going to be standing with Donald Trump on the stage, and I'm going to be proud to be standing with a president that is 100% sedition-free," Fetterman declared of former President Barack Obama. As he spoke, a gust of wind brought the flags behind him crashing down in quick succession. Fetterman is currently in a dead-heat with Republican candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz in the central battleground state which could decide control of the Senate. With polls leaning towards Republicans gaining control of the House, the Senate race has become increasingly dire for Democrats as they seek to retain a foothold in Congress, the Philadelphia Inquirer stated. November 5: The Washington Times: GOP releases 1,000 page report on the politicization of both the Department of justice and the FBI Republican lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee have released a 1,000-page report detailing a "rampant culture of unaccountability, manipulation, and abuse at the highest level" in the FBI. The lawmakers say the report builds on several whistleblower disclosures that describe the FBI's Washington hierarchy as "rotted at its core" with a "systemic culture of unaccountability." The report also accuses the bureau of "weaponizing" the federal government against its political opponents and aims to show how FBI leadership is biased against conservatives, particularly senior officials pressuring agents to reclassify cases as domestic violent extremism. November 5: Breitbart News: Stories about Paul Pelosi attack retracted by news media Over the past week the corporate media has retracted several stories about the alleged attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. These include that on the day of the assault KTVU reporting that DePape (the alleged assailant) "was in his underwear when police arrived." The investigative reporter quickly retracted the story. Another report from numerous media outlets, including NBC and Politico, said there was a third person in the house. This was also retracted. Thirdly it was reported that Pelosi told first responders that "Everything's good." Responding officers figured out rather quickly that everything was not. Meanwhile, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has refused to release any video associated with the alleged assault on Mr. Pelosi. We won't even be allowed to hear the 911 call. "For us, revealing that evidence through the media is just not what we think is appropriate," the Democrat DA said last week. "We want to make sure that this individual is held accountable for these egregious acts. For us, we're going to make sure that we limit the evidence as much as possible in order to get that done." So, what really happened at the Pelosi residence that night? It has been reported that the alleged assailant is in the U.S. illegally and that he wanted to assault the Speaker. So, what's the truth and will we ever really know? We may never know! November 4: The Washington Times: Grab for Trump tax documents reveal a new level of politicalizing of the IRS House Democrats' legal fight with former President Donald Trump to get his taxes threatens to open a Pandora's box that empowers lawmakers to weaponize the IRS and gain limitless access to political opponents' financial data. Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee are asking the Supreme Court to grant them unlimited authority to compel the IRS to provide them with any taxpayer information. That would potentially allow lawmakers to use tax returns as ammunition to inflict political wounds on their opponents. Court watchers and tax experts warn that if Democrats get their way, it would be open season on data from tax returns against anyone the party running the House doesn't like, including rival politicians, civil rights leaders or judges.  November 4: Breitbart News: Hispanics in Florida, Texas and Arizona abandoning Democrats
Hispanic Americans, gravitating to the nationalist-populist wing of the Republican Party, are turning on Democrats over the top issues in this year's midterm elections: Crime, inflation, immigration, and a corporate-backed woke social agenda. Tim Alberta for The Atlantic traveled across Arizona, Florida, and Texas to find that Hispanics who had been voting for Democrats for decades have since turned on the party as it moves toward an economic and social agenda embraced by white college-educated Americans. The move is reportedly coalescing working and middle class Hispanics into the fold with white non-college-educated Americans to shape the GOP base. Turning out just 10 percent more of those non-registered white working class voters, coupled with a growing number of Hispanic Americans moving towards Republicans, could amount end up being devastating for Democrats nationwide. November 4: Breitbart News: When Dems Asked Swing Voters About Jan. 6 And 'MAGA' Threat To Democracy, They Brought Up The 2020 Riots When asked about the "MAGA threat" to democracy, swing voters responded by saying 2020 riots were comparable to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol building, according to a Friday Washington Post column. An opinion writer for the Washington Post claimed swing voters told Democratic strategists that both the Republican and Democratic parties engaged in political violence and "manipulate democracy to their advantage." November 4: The Daily Signal: Probe launched into DHS censorship campaign and connection with big tech House Oversight Committee Republicans are kicking off an investigation into what they called a "taxpayer-funded censorship campaign" at the Department of Homeland Security. Since 2020, the federal agency has been under fire for working with Big Tech companies to censor certain viewpoints mainly related to election integrity. The GOP investigation was launched after "The Intercept" report about how the Feds had pressured tech companies to censor a range of issues, including COVID-19, the vaccine for it, and Ukraine. DHS's "CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] is framing any dissenting opinion disseminated online as a cyber threat to critical infrastructure," a letter from Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said. "CISA leverages partnerships with left-leaning private organizations—who have received millions of dollars in federal money—to identify and then take action against political speech unfavorable to the Administration, especially around its handling of COVID-19 policy." Reportedly tech companies like Facebook faced persistent pressure to delete content CISA found inappropriate. "This effort began after CISA partnered with left-leaning organizations and Big Tech companies to launch the Election Integrity Partnership," the letter said. November 3: The Epoch Times: Records show Pelosi's attacker is an illegal alien The man who allegedly attacked Paul Pelosi is an illegal immigrant, US. officials have confirmed. "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged an immigration detainer on Canadian national David DePape with San Francisco County Jail, Nov. 1, following his Oct. 28 arrest," the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in an email. An immigration detainer has been issued for DePape; Immigration detainers are placed on suspects who are illegal immigrants and is meant to prevent state or local officials from releasing the suspects. If a suspect is due to be released, the detainer means officials hand over the person to federal officials, unless local officials – like many "sanctuary cities" defy the request. "[DePape] currently has a federal hold so he can't be released anyway," Adam Lipson the defendant's attorney said when asked about the motion for no bail entered by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. November 3: Fox News: Milwaukee election official fired for allegedly attempting to show a loophole in the WI voter ID law — Military ballots don't require an ID A Milwaukee election official was fired amid allegations she fraudulently requested military absentee ballots and sent them to a state representative, Mayor Cavalier Johnson announced on Twitter Thursday. The Commission's Deputy Director Kimberly Zapata was terminated for what Johnson (D) called "an egregious, blatant violation of trust." Reportedly the ballots were sent to state Representative Janel Brandtjen (R) who subsequently shared a picture of the ballots last week which apparently had fake names. Brandtjen could not immediately be reached but she claimed she did not request the ballots in an interview. She said "I believe someone was trying to point out how easy it is to get military ballots. "Military members are exempt from voter ID laws in the state and city officials believe Zapata was attempting to prove there was a loophole in the election process. November 2: Fox News: Former Muslim Democrat says he's going to vote for Republicans and here's why The Detroit Free Press published a stunning refutation of comments by "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert, who took aim at Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon during a recent monologue. Dixon had sounded an alarm during the October 25th gubernatorial debate about "pornographic" materials being found in school libraries across Michigan. Colbert questioned the story Dixon said of a Michigan resident who told him, "I had a gentleman come up to me just a few nights ago and he said, 'I found content in my school library describing how to have sex to my son.'" The problem is, the gentleman does exist. According to the Free Press a Dearborn resident said "I am real and so is my switch to the Republican Party." Khalil Othman came forward as the man Dixon had referred to at a recent rally of hers he had attended. "To claim that I am not here, I don't exist, I am not human, that's absolute ignorance. If this person did his due diligence and start researching or has his tem do a little bit of research of who's this person who attended Dixon's rally, they will be able to find my name right away easy on social media." Othman contended. Othman, a father of five and a former Democratic candidate for state representative and a "proud Muslim American" who migrated from Yemen nearly 20 years ago, had shared a video on Facebook of the comments he made at the Dixon event speaking out against sexually-explicit content found in school libraries. November 2: Fox Business: FED raises interest rates by 75 basis points for the fourth time in a row The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its benchmark interest rate by 75 basis points (.75%) for the fourth straight month as it struggles to bring runaway inflation under control, a move that threatens to further slow U.S. economic growth and exacerbate financial pain for millions of households and businesses. The three-quarter percentage point hikes in June, July, September and November underscore just how serious Fed officials are about tackling the inflation crisis after a string of alarming economic reports. Policymakers voted unanimously to approve the latest super-sized hike. The move puts the key benchmark at the highest level since before the 2008 financial crisis, from near-zero in March. It marks the sixth consecutive rate increase this year and puts interest rates in firmly restrictive territory. November 2: Fox News: GA sheriffs furious at unwarranted remarks by Stacy Abrams Georgia sheriffs supporting Gov. Brian Kemp, R., are angry at Stacey Abrams' debate remarks suggesting they're "good ole boys" who target African Americans and think the media's demonization of law enforcement played a role in her comments. Abrams, the Democrat challenging Brian Kemp in the race for governor retorted "I'm not a member of the good ole boys club. So, no, I don't have 107 sheriffs who want to be able to take Black people off the streets, who want to be able to go without accountability." In northeast Georgia, Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum, the second elected female sheriff in state history said she found the comments "disgusting" and indicative that Abrams didn't care about law enforcement. "I don't care as a sheriff what color your skin is. We take an oath to serve and protect the people and enforce the laws of the state of Georgia," she said. "…I've been in this business 36 years, and I have never done anything t tarnish my badge, and my fellow sheriffs are good people…" November 1: The Epoch Times: Musk restores AZ GOP candidate's Twitter account Arizona state Rep. Mark Finchem, the Republican candidate for Secretary of State, wrote Monday that his Twitter account was suspended and then restored as new owner Elon Musk confirmed he would look into the incident—just about a week out from the 2022 midterm elections. "Twitter has blocked my account from speaking truth with one week left until the election," Finchem said on Facebook, including a photo that shows that his Twitter account appeared to be locked. "They are trying to put their thumb on the scales of this election. Tag Elon Musk and tell him to unban me right now." At the same time, former President Donald Trump attorney Jenna Ellis wrote to Musk on Twitter to inform him Finchem's account was placed in "read-only mode" with just a week to go before the 2022 midterm elections on Nov. 8. In response, Musk responded "Looking into it." About an hour later, Finchem wrote that his account was restored. November 1: The Washington Examiner: New York governor may have repeated Terry McAuliffe's mistake Is recent Virginia history repeating itself in New York ? Will a Republican candidate for governor actually win an upset victory because the favored Democrat reveals a breathtaking nonchalance toward the issue voters care about most? Gov. Kathy Hochul may have just gifted deep blue New York to her challenger Rep. Lee Zeldin by displaying glaring indifference about the state's soaring crime rate. If she has, it will replicate former Gov. Terry McAuliffe's monumental gaffe in 2021, when he accidentally told the truth and revealed that he neither understood nor cared about parents' deep anxiety over Virginia schools indoctrinating children with extreme left-wing propaganda on race and gender. November 1: Fox News: Pennsylvania court says undated ballots won't be counted in midterm elections The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has banned the counting of undated or misdated absentee ballots in the upcoming midterm election. In a recent order the court told the PA county boards of election "to refrain from counting any absentee and mail-in ballots received for the November 8, 2022 general election that are contained in undated or incorrectly dated outer [carrier] envelopes." Ronna McDaniel, Chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) saying it was "massive" legal victory, saying now the Democrats need to follow the law. The RNC, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Pennsylvania GOP filed the lawsuit on Oct. 16, arguing that the state is illegally dodging state law and a Supreme Court ruling by saying it will count undated absentee ballots. November 1: The Epoch Times: Supreme Court blocks Congress from getting Trumps tax returns The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 1 blocked Congress from obtaining former President Trump's tax returns. Chief Justice John Roberts, a George W. Bush appointee, stayed an appeals court order that had ruled a congressional panel could gain access to the documents. Trump filed an emergency application on Monday to the Supreme Court, asking it to halt the order. Roberts' stay is temporary, pending further developments in the case. Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, has for years been trying to obtain Trump's returns, asserting that they are necessary as the panel considers possibly updating how audits of presidents are done. Trump said that the true purpose is to release the returns to the public. Neal is not seeking the records of any other president, and has said that "unraveling President Trump's sophisticated tax avoidance" was one of the reasons he thought Trump should release his returns October 31: Fox News: Major newspaper endorses Oz in PA senate race Republican Pennsylvania Senate nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz has received the endorsement from one of the state's largest newspapers with little more than a week left in his heated race against Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. The editorial board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette issued its endorsement on Sunday, telling readers Oz was the candidate "better prepared to lead," and citing concerns over Fetterman's lack of transparency regarding his health and lack of real-world experience as reas0ns for the endorsement. "We believe Mr. Oz is the better bet for Pennsylvania," the board wrote, stating Fetterman's health was not an issue for them. "his lack of transparency, however, in refusing to release his medical records is troubling. It suggests an impulse to conceal and a mistrust of the people," they contended October 31: The Epoch Times: Trump: The attack on Pelosi is a horrible thing; Crimes in our nation are encouraged by undercutting the police Former President Donald Trump on Sunday responded to the attack against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) husband Paul Pelosi by saying it's a "terrible thing" that happened. He tied the Friday morning attack to Democrat policies around crime. "These people are crazy. They're going to release stone-cold killers out of the jails. Nobody knows why. "Look at what's happened to San Francisco, generally, look at what is happening in Chicago. It was far worse than Afghanistan," Trump said during an interview. Trump added that "when I had Afghanistan … we went without one soldier being shot and you look at what happens in Chicago in one weekend; last weekend was brutal. It was like a warzone. No, we have to give the police back their dignity, their respect. They can solve the problem." October 31: Fox Business: Energy supplier takes steps to help clients prepare for diesel shortages Fuel supplier Mansfield Energy is taking steps to prepare for a diesel shortage issuing an advisory to businesses that rely on the fuel to plan rather than panic. Last week they raised a red flag on the upcoming diesel fuel shortage in the southeastern region of the U.S., speculating it could be from "poor pipeline shipping economies" and a historically low supply of reserves. On a normal day, the East Coast markets have 50 million barrels in storage, but right now, there are less than 25 million barrels available. "A tight diesel supply will force prices to go up, which will eventually make it too expensive for some people," the company said in a press release. "High prices will bring demand back down enough that it balances with limited supply." Even with consumers feeling the pain at the pump businesses that rely on diesel for operations will still be able to get the product. "That is not to say there will not occasionally be situations where there is a true physical lack of products," the company said. "Some cities might run dry on diesel for a few days, at least at the terminal level. But the fuel supply chain is dynamic, and suppliers will rally to fill in any gaps in supply." October 31: The Daily Caller: Do radical quotas improve higher education excellence The SCOTUS is hearing oral arguments challenging race-based affirmative action at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Edward Blum, an anti-affirmative action activist, argued that the University of North Carolina discriminates against white and Asian-Americans while Harvard's affirmative action is discriminatory toward Asian-Americans. The suits were originally filed in 2014, with one accusing Harvard of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin. The University of North Carolina was accused of violating the 14th Amendment, according to Reuters. The challengers argue admissions should be colorblind. "The assumption that race necessarily informs something about anyone's qualifications is antithetical to this court's precedents and to our Constitution," Patrick Strawbridge argued. October 31: The Washington Times: GOP is tying COVID shutdowns around Dem candidates necks It's been nearly three years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and Republicans are turning unpopular mandates and lockdowns imposed by Democrats into a political vulnerability ahead of the midterm elections. In races across the country, GOP candidates have accused Democrats of needlessly shutting down schools and businesses, forcing COVID-19 vaccines on the public and firing workers who don't comply, and violating parental rights by advocating children wear masks and receive the jab as a requisite to attend school. And they'll do it again, Republicans warn. The issue has taken center stage in the New York gubernatorial race, where a late surge by Republican Lee Zeldin is seriously threatening Democratic incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul's attempt to win her first full term. During their only debate, Ms. Hochul gave a vague answer when asked if she backs a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for public schools. The question came in the wake of new CDC guidelines recommending the vaccine's inclusion. October 30: Fox Business: Twitter fact checkers swing into action on Biden claims of corporations making billions Biden on Friday was fact-checked by Twitter for inflating the number of corporations that were making billions. In a tweet, purporting to give his followers "the facts," Biden asserted that 55 corporations made $40 billion in 2020 and "paid zero in federal taxes." And that the so-called Inflation Reduction Act imposes a minimum tax on corporations with an average pre-tax earning of $1 billion or greater. Of the 55 corporations mentioned by Biden only 14 met the $1 billion threshold. The bill also granted an $80 billion boost to the IRS over a 10-year period, with more than half of the funds intended to help the agency crack down on potential tax violators, including middle income workers. October 30: The Washington Times: China unleashes cyberattack to undermine the U.S. midterm elections Cybersecurity firm Mandiant said Wednesday that a pro-China cyber group waged an aggressive influence campaign online that discouraged Americans from voting in the midterm elections and promoted clashes with the U.S government. Mandiant said it previously saw the "DRAGONBRIDGE" threat group trying to mobilize protesters in the U.S. and has now witnessed the group sowing division, plagiarizing and altering news articles, and adopting false personas on social media to spread disinformation. "Most notably, in September 2022, DRAGONBRIDGE accounts posted an English-language video across multiple social media platforms containing content attempting to discourage Americans from voting in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections," they reported. "The video questioned the efficacy of voting and of U.S. government institutions more broadly." O  ctober 30: Sky News: Russians destroy bridge in Ukraine in an attempt to slow Ukrainian counter attacks on formerly Russian held territory
A Ukrainian official has said Russia detonated the Krasna Bridge in the eastern Luhansk region today - an apparent attempt to hamper Ukrainian forces. Luhansk regional governor Serhiy Haidai said Russian forces are "afraid" that the Ukrainians are "very close" as the counteroffensive in the region continues. Russian forces also reportedly blew up another bridge near Kreminna yesterday. Heavy fighting has been taking place in the Luhansk region as Ukraine pushes towards the Russian-occupied towns of Svatove and Kreminna. Yesterday we reported that the road between the towns is largely under the control of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian authorities. The bridge is roughly halfway between the two towns. October 29: The Washington Free Beacon: Senator Cotton: Biden flip flops on foreign policy are hurting America Senator Tom Cotton wrote in an op-ed piece that he would like to add to the categories of foreign policy "hawks" and "doves" a category of "ostriches" who stick their heads in the sand to ignore gathering threats. Most politicians belong to one of these flocks, he contended. But not Joe Biden. Even by the low standards of a politician, Joe Biden has changed positions dramatically and frequently. Elected to the Senate in 1972, in his own words, "as a 29-year-old kid against the war in Vietnam," he expressed dovish views for the last two decades of the Cold War. But after the Persian Gulf War and well into the Iraq War, he was reborn as an avenging Wilsonian hawk. After setbacks in Iraq, however, he reverted to his dovish past. Along the way, he has also exhibited ostrich-like tendencies, simply sticking his head in the sand about threats, especially those coming from Russia and China. Biden's erratic, inconsistent views seem hard to square with a coherent, integrated worldview. "I wish I could say Biden was a student of history," said one senior Obama administration official during the debates about the Afghanistan surge, but "that's not Biden. He has gut instincts." Unfortunately, these instincts tend to line up with Democrat political trends, not America's national interest. October 29: Breitbart News: GOP challenger tied with 30-year Senator in Washington State; polls indicate Washington could go Republican Republican Tiffany Smiley has caught up with the 30-year incumbent Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and is now tied in the race to represent Washington state in the U.S. Senate, according to two recent polls. A Moore Information Group (MIG) poll released Monday found that Smiley is tied with Murray at 46 percent. Interestingly, Smiley is up two percentage points since MIG's September poll, While Murray lost two points since last month. The MIG poll found that eight percent of Washington voters remain undecided ahead of the upcoming midterm election. However, those undecided voters do not look friendly toward Murray, according to the pollster, because 80 percent of undecided voters think the country is on the "wrong track." Further, the latest Trafalgar Group poll released on Saturday shows Smiley in a statistical deadlock with Murray. Smiley received 48.2 percent support among Trafalgar Group respondents, which is close behind Murray's 49.4 percent. However, the race is statistically tied because Murray's narrow lead is within the poll's ±2.9 percent margin of error. October 29: Fox News: With Red Wave anticipated, Dems are turning on their leadership As hopes look increasingly bleak for Democrats less than two weeks from Election Day, a number of the party's candidates at risk of losing their races have begun calling for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden to be replaced despite their voting records largely aligning with party leaders. With the party's move toward a "woke" culture, voters in many areas of the country aren't buying into it while seeking a solution to the economic challenges that have become a central issue in this campaign season. October 29: The Epoch Times: "Chief Twit" makes some changes right out of the gate Elon Musk, Twitter's new boss revealed Friday that accounts that were suspended for "minor and dubious reasons" will be reinstated although the date for this happening has not been set. "Anyone suspended for minor and dubious reasons will be freed from Twitter jail," Musk said The billionaire's message came as a response to Mikhaila Peterson, a Canadian-born podcaster who hosts experts on her show, "The Mikhaila Peterson Podcast," to discuss a variety of topics that are often shied away from. Musk said he will form a "content moderation council with widely diverse viewpoints," noting that "no major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before that council convenes." He Musk also agreed that Twitter "obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences!" A man with a sense of humor, Musk assumed a new handle for his twitter account: "Chief Twit" October 29: NDT News: Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate thanks Liz Cheney for "biggest fundraiser yet Arizona Republican governor frontrunner Kari Lake responded on Friday to Wyoming's GOP-censored Congresswoman Liz Chaney's "anti-endorsement" efforts, saying a television ad she sponsored and recently broadcasted caused a surge in campaign donations. "Thank you for your generous in-kind contribution to my campaign," Lake wrote mockingly in a letter to Cheney that was shared on Twitter. "Your recent television ad urging Arizonans not to vote for me is doing just the opposite," she continued. "Our campaign donations are skyrocketing [over $300,000 in one day] and our website nearly crashed from traffic as people rushed to learn more about my plan to put Arizona First and join our historic political movement." October 28: The Epoch Times: News outlets falsely report Justice Thomas dined with DeSantis the day before striking down Roe v. Wade Several news outlets falsely reported that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas had lunch with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis one day before he helped strike down Roe v. Wade. Raw Story and the Independent published the reports, citing emails obtained by the American Oversight group. The outlets said the emails showed Thomas, a George H.W. Bush appointee, and DeSantis, a Republican, dined on June 23, one day before Thomas and other justices struck down Roe v. Wade in their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. But the emails actually showed Thomas and DeSantis met for lunch in 2021, not 2022. As a result the Independent retracted its story. "I am legitimately so sorry. I was not trying to mislead. I am legitimately embarrassed and humiliated. I never wanted to do anything malicious. I am so apologetic. I should have double-checked the dates," Eric Michael Garcia, the author, wrote. October 28: Fox Business: GM pauses advertising on Twitter temporarily as Elon musk takes over ownership General Motors will suspend advertising on Twitter as the social media giant continues to find its footing under the new ownership of Elon Musk. "We are engaging with Twitter to understand the direction of the platform under their new ownership. As is normal course of business with a significant change in a media platform, we have temporarily paused our paid advertising. Our customer care interactions on Twitter will continue," the carmaker said. The announcement came a day after Musk took ownership of the social media giant and immediately fired several top executives. In an effort to assure advertisers, Musk on Thursday said the platform would not be a "free-for-all hellscape" following the $44 billion acquisition. Of course, Musk is a competator of GM with his Telsa business. October 28: UPI: Zelensky says Russia released 30 weaponized drone on Ukraine in the last two days Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Russia has launched more than 30 drone attacks on Ukraine in the past two days with weapons believed to be provided by Iran. Those drones, which are smaller than missiles and harder to shoot down, have targeted power plants and other infrastructure that Kyiv and the United States have claimed as against international law. Zelensky also said Russia has carried out some 4,500 missile strikes and more than 8,000 air raids since the start of its invasion of Ukraine in February. He vowed that the Ukrainians, though, will continue to fight. "Shelling will not break us," Zelensky said. "To hear the enemy's anthem on our land is scarier than the enemy's rockets in our sky. We are not afraid of the dark." October 28: The Epoch Times: Boy are they in trouble; Arizona TV Station runs AP test data showing Kari Lake losing the gubernatorial race on air and election day is over a week away The television station that used to employ Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake on Oct. 27 called the race for Lake's opponent, despite the fact the election won't be held until November. A graphic displayed by Fox 10, the TV station, said that Kathie Hobbs, the Democrat nominee, won the election with 53 percent of the vote. The graphic was shown during a newscast at about 5:50 p.m. local time. Fox 10 acknowledged airing the graphic, blaming what happened on a test gone wrong. The graphic showed "test results for the upcoming election," the broadcaster said. "These were generated by the Associated Press which distributes results to clients." [With current polls showing Lake with a substantial lead, what's that say about the AP?] October 27: iHeart Media KTRH Houston: What will the Dems do in a lame duck session Less than two weeks to go until the November midterms, and it's looking more and more likely that the Democrats are only going to have two months before they lose their power. With Republicans set to take control of Congress, the desperate Dems are already planning on how many of their pet projects they can ram through before the end of the year. Topping the list, will be continued spending to avoid a government shutdown on December 16th. The Dems are also looking at last minute laws to protect gay marriage rights, and also to nationalize abortions. Plus, they hope to pass a massive defense spending package, which would be used as a vehicle to add left-wing non-military projects to. Chuck Schumer is going to say what Democrats want to hear." But in reality, he will likely not have the votes. October 27: News Max: Schumer caught on open mic: Senate race in Georgia going downhill for Democrats Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-NY), might have been sending mixed messages to Joe Biden, when caught talking to the commander in chief on a supposed hot microphone. The two met Thursday on an airport strip in Syracuse, roughly 48 hours after the Pennsylvania Senate debate between Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democrat, and Republican challenger, Dr. Mehmet Oz. After Biden deplaned, Schumer could reportedly be heard saying, "Looks like the debate didn't hurt us too much in Pennsylvania, and we're picking up steam in Nevada." During that same exchange, though, Schumer told Biden — who was standing alongside New York Gov. Kathy Hochul — the Senate Democrats were in "danger" of losing one seat, and the Senate race in Georgia was going "downhill." October 27: The Daily Caller: Walker up five points in Georgia senate race Republican candidate Herschel Walker is ahead of Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock in Georgia's U.S. Senate race by 5 percentage points, according to a new survey. According to Rasmussen Reports, Walker earned the support of 48% of respondents, while Warnock gained 43% which conducted the poll. Four percent of respondents said they'd vote for another candidate, which was the same amount of those undecided. Under Georgia election law, if no candidate earns 50% of the vote outright, a runoff election with only the top two candidates is subsequently held. Per the Rasmussen survey, Walker would need only half of all undecided voters to win outright, while a victory for Warnock would only be possible with a runoff in which he gains votes from Walker or minor candidates. October 27: Fox News: Sheriff's Deputy in Philly, selling guns to illegal aliens A Philadelphia sheriff's deputy has been arrested and charged with illegally selling guns, two of which were allegedly used weeks earlier in a deadly shooting that killed a 14-year-old, to an FBI informant in the United States. Samir Ahmad, 29, is charged with firearms trafficking and selling firearms to someone unlawfully in the U. S., the Justice Department said. Allegedly both the Glock handguns were traced by investigators and were found to have been used in a September shooting near Roxborough High School, which killed one teen and injured four others at the end of a football game scrimmage. October 27: News Max: Administration officials reportedly fuming over Saudi decision to renege on a "secret" deal The New York Times reports, White House officials were left angered that Saudi Arabia backed out of a "secret deal" to increase oil production through the end of the year. Joe Biden had traveled to Saudi Arabia this summer and left believing the deal was sealed. But in early October, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman led OPEC Plus in its decision to cut production by 2 million barrels per day. The move came after U.S. lawmakers had been informed about the trip's benefits and details of what the administration believed was an agreed upon deal. The Times noted the lawmakers are now fuming that the crowned prince duped the Biden administration. Meanwhile gas prices continue to be higher than years past with the midterm elections just days away. October 26: The Epoch Times: SCOTUS grants temporary hold on Jan. 6th committee subpoena Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has temporarily blocked the Jan. 6 Committee's subpoena seeking phone records belonging to Arizona Republican Party chairwoman Kelli Ward, while the high court considers her emergency appeal. The Jan. 6 committee's subpoena had asked Ward's phone carrier, T-Mobile, to produce call and text message records from November 2020 to January 2021. Kagan gave the Jan. 6 committee until Friday evening to respond to Ward's Supreme Court filing. She and her husband were among 11 Republican Arizona residents on an alternate slate of electors for former President Donald Trump. The group cast alternative Electoral College votes showing that Trump had won Arizona, after the state had certified the election in favor of Joe Biden. At the time, Ward said the electors believe they "represent the legally cast votes" in Arizona. The Wards in court papers on Wednesday characterized the Jan. 6 probe as a politically motivated one that carried "profound precedential implications" for a person's constitutional right to free political association. October 26: Judicial Watch: Court rejects Dems intervention in lawsuit challenging Illinois counting votes up to two weeks after an election Judicial Watch announced today that a federal court rejected a motion by Democratic Party of Illinois to intervene as a defendant in Judicial Watch's lawsuit challenging an Illinois election law permitting mail-in ballots to be received as long as two weeks after Election Day. The ruling and opinion come in the federal lawsuit Judicial Watch filed on behalf of Congressman Mike Bost and two other registered Illinois voters to prevent state election officials from extending Election Day for 14 days beyond the date established by federal law. In the court's ruling on the motion to intervene, U.S. District Judge John F. Kness held that its participation would "delay this time-sensitive case:" The judge said the Illinois Democrat Party "…cannot meet its burden to show that its interests will not be adequately represented by the parties to the case. As a result, [it] is not entitled to intervene…" October 26: The Epoch Times: Warner (D-VA) Trump was right about Tic Tok One of the Democratic Party's leading figures, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), who is head of the United States Senate intelligence committee, has said former President Donald Trump was right when it came to the security risks around the Chinese-owned TikTok. "This is not something you would normally hear me say, but Donald Trump was right on TikTok years ago," said Warner during a visit to Australia, reported The Sydney Moring Herald on Oct. 25. "If your country uses Huawei, if your kids are on TikTok, if your population uses WeChat as a social media platform, the ability for China to have undue influence is, I think, a much greater challenge and a much more immediate threat than any kind of actual, armed conflict." Warner, who is currently in Australia to engage with local intelligence chiefs, politicians, and business people, also warned about the technological domination that the Chinese regime is exerting over other countries, calling it scary. October 25: The Washington Examiner: Senate debate shows Oz is the better choice for PA voters If you live in Pennsylvania and enjoy crime and poverty and a politician who lies about fracking and doesn't trust the Supreme Court, then you should vote for John Fetterman. Otherwise, Dr. Mehmet Oz is the better choice for Pennsylvania voters in the Nov. 8 election. Fetterman generally looked unprepared for the debate as Dr. Oz effectively conveyed his vision of what he would bring to Washington if elected senator. Meanwhile The Baltimore Sun reports that John Fetterman's (D-PA) rocky debate performance fueled concern inside his party on Wednesday, as leaders assessed whether it would significantly shift a race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate and the future of Joe Biden's presidency. Appearing on stage five months after his stroke, Fetterman, Pennsylvania's 53-year-old lieutenant governor, struggled to complete sentences, and he jumbled words throughout the hourlong televised event. That was no surprise for medical professionals, who noted that the format, including time limits on answers, was the opposite of what a person recovering from a stroke would need to support his communication. And for those who have known Fetterman for years, the debate was a reminder that he was never a smooth orator — even before the stroke. But with so much hinging on his campaign, some Democrats expressed concern that Fetterman's appearance at Tuesday night's debate was a mistake. While he would have been criticized for skipping the forum, they felt that might have been better than exposing him in such a difficult environment — for a performance that his Republican opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz, can exploit in ads and social media clips in the closing days of the contest. October 25: The Daily Caller: Analysis suggests GOP will pick up more house seats than originally anticipated Republicans could win another 12 to 25 seats in the House of Representatives in a massive sweep this November, a new analysis from Cook Political Report predicted. The predictions present an even more optimistic situation for Republicans than Cook's last analysis, which predicted 10-20 seat gains for the GOP. Seats with Democratic incumbents were moved from "likely D" to "toss up" in four races, and two races with Democratic incumbents were moved from "toss up" to "likely R" in this week's analysis. October 25: The Daily Signal: Judge Quashes Sweeping DOJ Subpoena Against Conservative Group A federal judge has quashed a DOJ subpoena going after the communications of a private conservative group in Alabama. Justice sued the state of Alabama opposing the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act, and in the course of discovery sought all information from Eagle Forum Alabama regarding its advocacy for the bill going back to 2017. Eagle Forum is not a party in the lawsuit, prompting the court to rule that the DOJ was overreaching. U.S. District Judge Liles Burke issued an opinion saying, "Considering the relevance (or lack thereof) of the requested material, the burden of production, the nonparties' resources, and the government's own conduct, the Court finds that the subpoenas exceed the scope of discovery." The Eagle Forum Alabama filed the motion to quash. The Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act, which bans the distribution of puberty-blocking medication and cross-sex hormones to minors, along with the performing of transgender surgeries on minors, became effective in May after large majorities in both houses of the Legislature approved the legislation. October 25: Fox Business: Biden praises company for moving to a state he once supported boycotting Biden released a statement praising Hyundai's investment in Georgia, despite supporting Major League Baseball's decision to move the All-Star Game from Atlanta in 2021. He said he is "excited" that Hyundai is breaking ground on a new manufacturing plant in Georgia on Tuesday, stating that the investment will create thousands of jobs. "Hyundai's commitment to invest more than $5 billion and create more than 8,000 jobs making electric vehicles and batteries will help boost the entire community around Bryan County with good jobs people can raise a family on, and ultimately help lower costs for the American people," Biden said. Hyundai plans to open the factory in 2025, and create at least 8,100 jobs that annually produce up to 300,000 electric vehicles. October 24: The Epoch Times: New information reveals FBI/DOJ plans to oust a sitting president A newly discovered email was sent by FBI agent Kevin Helson to unknown recipients on Jan. 12, 2017. The email's heading reads "Plan to Convert Danchenko into CHS." This email is critical for several reasons. It shows that the FBI intended to hide Steele's main source behind CHS status after they had previously discovered Steele couldn't back up the claims in his dossier despite their offer of $1 million to him for any corroboration. As a CHS, Danchenko also would be shielded from any external investigations—including those of Congress. Equally important, the email also proves that the FBI planned to convert Danchenko into a CHS before the FBI had even interviewed Danchenko. Had they thought the dossier was real, there would have been no reason to hide Danchenko. The FBI proceeded to make him a CHS despite interviewing him several weeks later, in late January 2017, when Danchenko disavowed the claims in the dossier, saying during his interview that it was based on rumors and bar talk made in return. It had previously been assumed that the FBI only decided to make Danchenko a CHS after he had been interviewed. This move by the FBI also directly coincided with President Barack Obama's wishes expressed during a Jan. 5 White House intelligence briefing on the dossier that he wanted to withhold information from the incoming Trump administration. October 24: UPI: Russia prepares to defend Kherson as Ukrainian forces continue to advance Russian forces are preparing to defend the city of Kherson despite steady advances Ukrainian troops have made in reclaiming the region, Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said Monday. Budanov, said that Russian troops are not fleeing from Kherson and are waging "crazy information campaign" about the situation in the region. "They create the illusion that everything is gone. And at the same time… they bring new military units there and prepare the streets of the city for defense," he contended. "They understand that if we take… control over the Kakhov dam… the only transport artery that is fully functioning now, they will have to make a decision very quickly." If the Ukrainians take control of the dam, Russian troops would be placed into a "very similar situation" that Ukrainian troops were in during the siege at Mariupol earlier this year." They are preparing the groundwork so that, if necessary, they can get out of there very quickly," Budanov said. "However, they are not preparing to exit now, they are preparing to defend." The Russian troops cannot risk destroying the dam to prevent Ukraine from reclaiming it because it would flood region and they could lose the possibility of supplying water to the North Crimean Canal, to Crimea. Budanov added that destroying the dam would also damage Russia's objectives with the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant because they are "inextricably linked October 24: The Epoch Times: Retired police sergeant and Oath Keeper jumped in to rescue capital police on January 6 "I can help." Amid the bedlam of 10,000 voices chanting, singing, and shouting on the east terrace of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, those three words cut through the haze like a lighthouse beam. The target of the message was U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Tarik Khalid Johnson, 46, who scanned the crowd for someone to help with an urgent mission. The speaker was retired New York police sergeant Michael Joseph Nichols, 46, an Oath Keeper who knew all about riots and making decisions under fire. Their mission's success depended on a partnership of exhausted, besieged Capitol police and a group of Oath Keepers, a patriot organization that would soon be the target of an unrelenting war on alleged "domestic terror" by the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI. Nichols and his wife Whitney, 33, had no intention of being at the Capitol on the afternoon of Jan. 6. After hearing President Donald Trump's speech at the Ellipse, they wanted to return to their Virginia hotel. But blocked streets and the "herding" of crowds by police put them at the bottom of the east steps of the Capitol at around 3 p.m. Before the afternoon was over, Nichols, an Oath Keeper named Steve, and others would go into the Capitol at the request of a desperate lieutenant and rescue 15 riot-gear-clad officers and one uniformed officer trapped inside. It was a good deed, to be sure. Unbeknownst to the participants, however, it would later punch a hole in the government's narrative that the Oath Keepers' purpose that day was to violently overthrow the U.S. government and forcibly keep Trump in office at any cost. October 23: MSNBC: Russia launches drones, hits homes Russian authorities are building defensive positions in occupied areas of Ukraine and border regions of Russia. The moves reflect fears that Ukrainian forces may attack along new sections of the 620-mile front line of a war that is nearing its ninth month. Kherson city has been in Russian hands since the early days of the war, but Ukraine's forces have made advances toward reclaiming it. October 23: The Epoch Times: US has only a 25 day reserve of diesel fuel threatening possible supply shortages in the future The United States is down to 25 days of diesel supply as a top White House official declared the stockpile levels to be "unacceptably low." Bloomberg News reports that data provided by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that diesel stockpiles are at their lowest level for October in records that date back to 2008. EIA data shows that as of October 14th the United States has only 25.4 days of supply — down from 34.2 days of supply four weeks prior. The diesel crunch comes just over two weeks before the November 2022 midterm elections and will likely drive-up prices even more. Diesel is the fuel used by freight trains and commonly used by long-haul truckers to transport goods and food. "Most of the products we use are transported by trucks and trains with diesel engines, and most construction, farming, and military vehicles and equipment also have diesel engines," the EIA's website states. "As a transportation fuel, diesel fuel offers a wide range of performance, efficiency, and safety features. Diesel fuel also has a greater energy density than other liquid fuels, so it provides more useful energy per unit of volume." October 23: Fox News: Georgia election officials ask Biden/Abrams how many voter turnout records they need to break before getting an apology Continued record voter turnout in Georgia following the Biden Administration's lawsuit against the state alleging racist voting practices and Biden's accusation that the system is "Jim Crow 2.0" has at least one Georgia election official looking for an apology from the administration. "How many turnout records do we have to break before Stacey Abrams and [Joe] Biden apologize to Georgia?" Gabriel Sterling, Chief Operating Officer of the Georgia Secretary of State's Office asked after his office released numbers showing a continued surge in voting in the Peach State. The state of Georgia has experienced a record early voting turnout since the first day of early voting began on Monday, Georgia's Secretary of State Office said. Reportedly just under 400,000 voters cast their ballots so far and Wednesday's total number marks a 63% increase from the same time during the 2018 midterm and is just slightly lower than the three-day total of early voting from the 2020 presidential election. October 22: The Galveston County Daily News: With new election equipment at county polling places, be prepared for some surprises When you go to the polls to vote in Galveston County be prepared for a surprise! The state legislature enacted a law requiring that by 2026 all in-person voting be done with a paper ballot backup for each vote cast. Among other things, this means that you will need to have your paper ballot scanned in order for your vote to be counted and you cannot take your paper ballot home with you. Read the entire column for more details.  October 22: The Washington Examiner: U.S. forces fully ready to cross over into Ukraine
U.S. military forces are "fully prepared" to cross into Ukraine at a moment's notice to fight a war against Russia. The Army's 101st Airborne Division, which boasts the "Screaming Eagles" moniker, has been deployed to Europe for the first time since World War II, practicing with live tank and artillery rounds not far from the Black Sea, across which Russia has taken territory from Ukraine, including Crimea, at a forward operating site on NATO's eastern flank. Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the division's deputy commander, stressed this is "not a training deployment" but rather a "combat deployment" from which his forces "need to be ready to fight tonight, depending on how the situation escalates across the border." Col. Edwin Matthaidess, commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, told the news outlets these troops are the closest U.S. unit to the fighting in Ukraine, still raging more than seven months into Russia's full-scale invasion began. "It keeps us on our toes," he said.  October 22: NewsMax: Lights out in Ukraine as Russia strikes again More than a dozen Russian missiles pounded energy facilities and other infrastructure across Ukraine on Saturday, the Ukrainian air force said, with strikes causing blackouts in parts of different regions. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the Russian attacks had struck on a "very wide" scale. He pledged that his military would improve on an already good record of downing missiles with help from its partners. At the same time, Russian occupation authorities in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson urged civilians to leave immediately, citing what they called a tense military situation. The Ukrainian military said it was making gains as its forces moved southward through Kherson region, taking over at least two villages it said Russian troops had abandoned. October 22: Breitbart News: Federal Judge orders Fauci and White House officials to testify on collusion with big tech over allegations COVID 19 Dr. Anthony Fauci and other White House officials must testify under oath in a lawsuit alleging the Biden administration colluded with Facebook and Twitter to suppress free speech regarding coronavirus, a federal court ordered on Friday. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry sued the Biden administration in May, arguing the White House – and especially Fauci as Chief Medical Advisor to the President – were essentially making Facebook and Twitter arms of the Biden administration, suppressing content that criticized lockdowns, mask mandates, vaccine mandates, and related stories. The case argued that under Supreme Court precedents, government cannot use a private company to do something that the Constitution does not allow the government to do directly. Missouri and Louisiana argue that the Biden administration is suppressing free speech about coronavirus, and attempting to do so by colluding with the tech giants, Big Tech became part of the government, and as such they must all abide by the First Amendment. October 22: NewsMax: Pollster: Republicans have the momentum but many races are too close to call Momentum is shifting toward Republicans campaigning for the upcoming midterm elections as it shifted toward Democrats after the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade, but most races remain too close to call, pollster John Zogby has said. "I think we have one or maybe two more lifetimes to go between Nov. 8," Zogby, the founder of the Zogby International Polls said. "It's volatile. These are very close races." October 21: The Epoch Times: Record high voting reported across the country According to data released by the U.S. Election Project, more than 6.1 million people have already voted early across the United States as of Friday. So far, the Project reports 5 million mail-in ballots have been returned and nearly 1.1 million people have voted early and in person. Florida is leading the way, according to Michael McDonald, a professor at the University of Florida. As of Friday, he says more than a million people have cast early votes in the Sunshine State. Michigan and California [which allows anybody to vote by mail] are the other two states to see more than a million early votes for the midterm elections. Among states that provide data on voters' ages, some 56.5% of early voters are over the age of 65, while another 34.2% are between the ages of 41 and 65. Fewer than 10% of early voters are aged 40 and younger, the data revealed. October 21: The Texas Scorecard: It appears the Mexican military is supplying weapons to cartel terrorist A massive security breach of the Mexican government unveiled documents from the Mexico Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena). The leaked documents, published online reveal that the Mexican military has been supplying cartels with weapons. According to the leaked documents "On May 31, 2019, the military offered operators of the criminal group (Tejupilco drug cartel) 70 fragmentation grenades at a cost of 26,000 pesos (1300.29 USD) each; the criminal cell confirmed the purchase of eight of them, which were delivered to Atlacomulco, State of Mexico." The document then explained that not only were cartel members offered weapons, they were given classified information by military personnel that disclosed in full detail information on armed forces mobility and operations. Apparently the Sedena had full knowledge of the exchange and refused to act upon it. This information came to light just weeks after Governor Abbot (R-TX) designated Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations and as millions of illegal aliens have poured across the southern U.S. border due to a lack of support for securing the border by Biden Administration. October 21: The Daily Caller: Tucker Carlson calls out Democrat running for Utah's Senate seat as an independent Fox News host Tucker Carlson blasted independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin Friday evening, claiming the former presidential candidate is a "liberal Democrat." "[Evan McMullin]'s running for Senate in the state of Utah against the incumbent Mike Lee and amazingly, he could win, he could actually win. Now, if McMullin does win, his vote could very well give Democrats control of the U.S. Senate. How did this happen? How is this possible? It doesn't make sense. Utah is a conservative, highly Republican state," Carlson said. "Evan McMullin has the same politics and worldview as Pete Buttigieg, he is a liberal Democrat. But he is not running as a liberal Democrat and that's the key to his success this year. Evan McMullin is running instead as an independent. Many voters appear to be under the impression he actually is independent. But he is not. That's a lie, a transparent lie. Evan McMullin is roughly as independent as Kamala Harris is. He is considerably less independent than, say, Ilhan Omar." October 21: The Daily Signal: Man who shot pro-life woman will go to trial, judge says A Michigan judge decided Wednesday that there is enough evidence to send to trial a man who shot an elderly pro-life woman who was canvassing against abortion at his home. "It's clear to me that Mr. [Richard] Harvey did fire a warning shot to send a message to Ms. [Joan] Jacobsen, and then he also shot her," Judge Raymond Voet reportedly said. "Thankfully he didn't kill or paralyze her considering how close it was to her spine. We're lucky that no one was more seriously hurt." Authorities arraigned 74-year-old Harvey on Sept. 30 and charged him with felonious assault (assault with a dangerous weapon), carless discharge of a weapon causing injury and reckless use of a firearm, Michigan State Police said. It is not immediately clear whether Harvey was politically motivated when he shot 84-year-old Joan Jacobson. Critics hve pointed out that he described Jacobson to a 911 dispatcher as a "right-wing nut." October 20: The Epoch Times: NZ funeral home Director says 95% of the corpses he has received were from people vaccinated for Covid within the previous two weeks A funeral director from New Zealand says that 95% of the corpses he has been seeing had received a COVID-19 vaccine within two weeks of their passing away. The funeral director, Brenton Faithful, has 41 years in the and has been running his own mortuary for 26 years. "It's very obvious, they die within two weeks of receiving the vaccination, a lot of them … almost appear to have died from anaphylaxis, almost a reaction straight away to the booster." Anaphylaxis is an acute reaction of the body to an antigen, such as that of a bee sting, or an injection. "They die the same day, the following day after receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. This isn't a one-off case, this is the majority of cases that have come through our facility," Faithfull said. Similar data has been discussed by funeral director John O'Looney in the UK and Richard Hirschman from Alabama. "From the very moment these injections went into arms, the death rate soared beyond belief. They labeled them all as COVID deaths, but the reality is they were almost exclusively the people who were vaccinated," O'Looney said. "We now see record numbers of deaths in the vaccinated and in record numbers of young people. They die from a mixture of sudden very aggressive cancers or blood clots, which cause heart attack and stroke," he added. October 20: The Washington Examiner: January 6th committee's report card If you want to see just how out of touch with reality the Democrat Party has gotten itself over the January 6 protest, look no further than former FBI agent Peter Strzok. The adulterous and unethical FBI agent said this week, "If you look at the scale in terms of the threat to democracy — I mean, 911 was a tragedy. We lost thousands of lives in a horrific way that we still mourn to this day, but when you look at something that is an attack on democracy, something that could actually bring about a fundamental change to American governance as we understand it, 911 is nothing compared to January 6." So a protest that turned into a riot in which one rioter was killed by police is a very big deal compared to the mere intentional murder of thousands of innocent Americans. What are they smoking? October 20: The Daily Caller: Lake fights back over media critics Fox News host Tucker Carlson praised Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake of Arizona Thursday evening as a model for handling the "liberal media." "If The New York Times did a piece on Mitch McConnell he'd be rushing around his office worried about it. The New York Times does a hit piece on Kari Lake every day and she laughs because it doesn't matter what The New York Times thinks," Carlson said. "They only have power because we give them power because we treat them like they're real. But they're fake. They are ghosts. Turn on the lights and they evaporate and go away. They don't actually exist. They are a fantasy that can only continue as long as we participate. So, in attacking the media, what Kari Lake is really doing is standing up to institutional power." October 19: The Washington Times: Biden plays politics with Strategic Petroleum Reserve amid fuel increases during the midterm elections Biden said Wednesday he is tapping another 15 million barrels from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve to stabilize gasoline prices, sparking accusations of political gamesmanship with the stockpile before the midterms. Biden said the barrels, which will be released sometime in December and completing a drawdown of 180 million barrels, will help to insulate the markets from shocks he blamed on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile the Oil-producing OPEC nations cut production despite pleas from Biden that they hold off until after the midterm elections. Critics accused Biden of using the petroleum reserve, which is at a four-decade low, as a tool to reduce prices and political pressures ahead of the elections. Voters consistently point to the high cost of food, gas and other items as a primary concern. "Draining U.S. energy reserves like this is as cynical as it is irresponsible," tweeted Sen. John N. Kennedy (R-LA), calling the move an attempt to "hide the effects of his reckless spending and anti-American-energy obsession." October 19: Breitbart News: Poll: 93% of voters concerned about inflation 20 days out from the midterm election According to recent polls, 93% of registered voters are concerned about soaring inflation and the poor economy with the midterm election just 20 days away Politico found. They say they are either "very concerned" (71 %) or "somewhat concerned" (22%) about inflation brought on by the Democrats' massive spending and the war on American energy. Inflation and the economy are the top two issues for voters. 81% say Joe Biden's economy will be a "major" factor in how they vote. 88% say the same about inflation. Top second-tier issues include crime (64%), abortion (57%), and illegal migration (55%). The issue of inflation is likely to hurt Democrats in the midterm election which respondents place at the feet of Joe Biden. October 19: Fox. News: Christian physician's assistant sues Michigan health after seeking religious accommodation regarding trans gender issues A Christian lady in Michigan who served 17 years as a physician's assistant for Michigan Health filed a lawsuit against her former employer last week after they allegedly terminated her because of her "sincerely held religious beliefs" regarding gender. "I'm heartbroken," Valerie Kloosterman said. "I had 17 years that I spent with patients and families, coworkers who sometimes I spent more time with than I did my own family. And they took that away. They took away the relationships I had built up, and the people who trusted me for their care. [And] it was over something that could have easily been accommodated based on the University of Michigan's focus on being inclusive," Kollsterman concluded. The university allegedly terminated Kloosterman in 2021 after she sought a religious accommodation that would have exempted her from having to use transgender pronouns or refer patients for transgender surgical procedures and drugs, which she said violated the teachings of her Christian faith. October 18: The Daily Caller: Spotlight: Georgia; Walker brings Media to Warnock property or tenants are being evicted over $115; asks them to talk with the tenants Republican Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker faced a crowd of twenty reporters shouting at him over eviction notices during a campaign event Tuesday. Walker demanded that the reporters talk to the dozen Georgians who had received eviction notices from an apartment building owned by his Baptist Church. Sen. Raphael Warnock. Warnock initially denied the story, which Free Beacon broke on Oct. 11. On Tuesday, however, the Free Beacon reported the apartment complex had, on Oct. 12, filed eviction notices against three more tenants, two of whom owed just $115 each in overdue rent. Walker hosted his campaign event outside the apartment complex, where one reporter asked him if the people standing behind him and holding signs were evicted tenants and whether they could speak to the press. The candidate told reporters to enter the apartment complex and communicate directly with the people impacted. October 18: The Epoch Times: Congressman question the DOJ overreach in voter registration drives Congressman Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) is demanding answers from the Department of Justice (DOJ) after the agency refused to release all documents on how it intended to implement a 2021 executive order on expanding voter access. Republicans have opposed this order as an unlawful exercise of federal power over elections. In March of last year, Biden signed an executive order (EO 14019) directing the head of every federal agency, including the DOJ, to come up with a strategic plan on how to "promote voter registration and voter participation." Their plans was to be submitted to Susan Rice, the president's domestic policy advisor. The EO mandates these agencies work with "approved" third-party organizations to provide voter registration services on federal agency premises; something Republicans have challenged the constitutionality of. FOIA requests for documentation of actions taken have been slow in being provided. Congressman Norman has demanded that Attorney General Garland explain why DOJ has failed to respond to the FOIA requests. "The U.S. Constitution makes it clear that states must manage their own elections, without meddling by the federal government," Norman said in an email. "We're looking at a Department of Justice that appears to be overstepping that Constitutional boundary at the direction of President Biden, and then deliberately defying court orders. Add that to the list of problems we have with the DOJ," he added, referring to a July district court ruling that ordered the DOJ to produce the documents under the FOIA request. October 18: UPI: Russians continue to attack Ukrainian civilian infrastructure targets causing electric power outages Russia's continued strikes this on Ukrainian infrastructure have destroyed about 30% of the country's electrical plants since Oct. 10, President Zelensky said Tuesday. The attacks have caused "massive blackouts across the country" as officials have moved urgently to repair the damage as winter approaches. "According to the investigation, on [Tuesday], the armed forces of the Russian Federation, using means of warfare prohibited by international law, launched a missile attack on an energy supply facility on the left bank of the capital," the Ukrainian prosecutor general office said. Two people died in the renewed Kremlin attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv; one was injured. The attacks come after a series of "kamikaze" drone strikes in Kyiv that killed five. Missiles overnight hit a residential building while another strike destroyed the city's flower market, officials said. Ukrainian authorities said power and water supplies were disrupted in the central city of Dnipro, where a large energy facility was destroyed. October 17: The Washington Times: Biden Administration officials put on notice to save documents pending a Congressional probe is control of Congress changes hands House Republican leaders have told the Biden administration to preserve documents related to the targeting of parents at school board meetings and the botched U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, as the lawmakers prepare for congressional investigations next year. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, sent a series of preservation letters Monday to White House chief of staff Ron Klain, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. Jordan, who is poised to chair the committee if, as expected, Republicans win the House majority in the midterm elections, demanded the preservation of evidence related to federal agents targeting parents who spoke out at school board meetings. He accused Klain, Cardona and Mayorkas of "misuse of federal criminal and counterterrorism resources" to target parents. The administration came under intense scrutiny after DOJ directed federal authorities to investigate parents who spoke out against COVID-19 mandates and "woke" curricula such as critical race theory. The directive came in response to a request from the National School Boards Association, a nonprofit comprised of states' school board associations, that said the threats against educators and school officials were akin to "a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes." October 17: The Washington Examiner: Exxon exits Russia as its assets are seized Exxon announced its full exit from Russia after President Putin nationalized the energy company's last assets in the country. The exit marks a complete failure of seven months of negotiations between the U.S.-based oil giant and the Russian government, seeking an orderly transfer of Exxon's 30% stake in the Sakhalin-1 project. Exxon announced its plans to exit Russia in March in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine but intended to do it in an orderly fashion and recuperate its losses by selling them to another shareholder. The seizure marks a loss of $4 billion in assets, most likely without any compensation. October 16: United Press International: Ukraine President claims Russian losses have been near 65,000 dead so far in the Russian invasion of his country Ukrainian President Zelensky alleged that Russia has lost nearly 65,000 troops as explosions in Russia's Belgorod region injured multiple people Sunday. "So many citizens of Russia gave their lives for the possibility of a handful of people in the Kremlin to ignore reality," Zelensky said in his nightly address Saturday. "And according to the way the Russian 'burial operation' continues, we can say that even 100,000 dead Russian citizens will not prompt the Kremlin to think a little bit." October 16: Breitbart News: Data shows 73% of illegal aliens bused to New York City are living in homeless shelters The overwhelming majority of border crossers and illegal aliens bused to New York City from Texas by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) remain in the city's homeless shelter system which is "nearing a breaking point," according to Mayor Eric Adams (D). Since April, Abbott, along with the city officials in El Paso, Texas, and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) have bused more than 19,400 border crossers and illegal aliens to New York City — the Democrat-controlled metropolis that prides itself on being a sanctuary jurisdiction. The latest city data published by CNN reveals that more than 14,100 border crossers and illegal aliens bused to New York City remain in homeless shelters, indicating that 73 percent are not leaving the shelters after they arrive. October 16: The Washington Examiner: Kari Lake takes on CNN anchor or election integrity issues Arizona's Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake sparred with CNN anchor Dana Bash over election integrity during an interview on Sunday. Lake, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and reportedly has Democrats spooked, said she would accept the results of the upcoming election on Nov. 8 if she won and refused to answer Bash's prodding about her reaction if she lost, stressing that she would be the victor. The two also accused each other of harping on the 2020 presidential election, which Trump has still refused to concede. Bash asked Lake why she has called the 2020 election "corrupt, stolen, rotten and rigged" when there is "no evidence ... that any of those things are true?" "The real issue, Dana, is that the people don't trust our elections. They haven't since 2000," Lake responded. She brought up Stacey Abrams, a Democrat who refused to concede when she lost the 2018 gubernatorial election in Georgia to Gov. Brian Kemp, and problems in some Arizona precincts during the August primaries as examples underlying ongoing election distrust outside of the 2020 presidential election. "An apology doesn't bring somebody's vote back," she said of Arizona's August primary election chaos. "All I'm saying is we need to restore honesty and integrity and transparency to our elections." October 16: Fox News: DeSantis relaxes absentee voting for three counties overwhelmingly impacted by hurricane Ian after receiving requests from election administrators in these counties Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), was accused by several drive by media outlets of politicizing voter access after he eased restrictions in the counties most heavily affected by Hurricane Ian on Thursday. DeSantis signed an emergency executive order that expanded mail-in ballot access and early voting availability to counties that were heavily damaged by the Category 4 hurricane. According to the order, the decision primarily focused on Charlotte, Lee and Sarasota Counties after "collective feedback of the Supervisors of Elections across the state" and "at the written requests" of these counties' election supervisors. Although the order is set to assist tens of thousands of displaced citizens in these counties, some attacked the voter assistance by suggesting that it is politically motivated for the midterm elections. Of course, the drive by media said nothing when Democrats attempted to ease access to absentee voting during the COVID pandemic and when it opened the door to possible election fraud and favored the election of Democrats. October 16: The Epoch Times: Marines halt use of compact vehicle after mishap in surf during an amphibious exercise The Marine Corps has halted some operations of its new amphibious combat vehicles after one of the armored vehicles rolled over in surf during training off California's Camp Pendleton. The eight-wheeled vehicle flipped over at about 7:45 p.m. Thursday at the Marines Assault Amphibian School at the base north of San Diego, authorities said. The three crew members weren't injured, a Marine Corps statement said Friday. The vehicle had a "mechanical malfunction," according to the Marine Corps, which banned the vehicles from going into or out of surf zones, except for testing, while more analysis is performed. October 15: The Epoch Times: Jan 6th Committee harasses its targets and overreaches its authority As the House Jan. 6 committee heads towards its final public hearing, lawyers are criticizing the panel for engaging in overreach and harassing targets through onerous document production requests. The comments came as the committee is attempting to force former President Donald Trump's election attorney John Eastman on the production of 576 emails subpoenaed by the panel. Eastman is withholding the documents claiming attorney-client privilege and attorney work-product privilege. Eastman's attorneys accused the committee of attempting to undermine the attorney-client relationship. According to Eastman's attorney the court has already ruled on the matter and found in the vast majority of cases for Eastman's claim that attorney-client privilege prevented him from disclosing the documents to the committee. One lawyer who has defended a half-a-dozen people who have been charged as a result of actions at the Capitol on Jan. 6. applauded Eastman and his attorneys for pushing back. "The Committee's endless speculation does not trump the power of attorney-client privilege," attorney Joseph McBride said. McBride has a reputation for fiercely criticizing the government for its detention and prosecution of people regarding the events of Jan. 6. Another lawyer who is suing the government over the seizure of phone records cautioned that the dispute between Eastman and the committee was only a small part of the panel's excesses. "I think [Eastman's lawyers] were basically trying to show the court that that was a claim of attorney-client privilege that applied to that email. But, the larger issues in the Jan. 6 Committee is they are overreaching," Paul Kamenar said. "They're not respecting that attorney-client privilege and work-product privilege. And even so, some of this is first amendment protected communications that we have," Kamenar said, claiming the committee has exceeded its authority and that the committee is just being used to hurt so-called MAGA-Republicans, without really investigating what happened. "The committee is, without question, suppressing exculpatory evidence. It is also selectively editing videos to proffer a narrative to the public that caricatures all MAGA Republicans in the light of domestic extremism," McBride said, noting that the same members of Congress gave Hillary Clinton a pass when she "destroyed 33,000 emails" she improperly kept on a private email server when she was secretary of state. Kamenar believes that the committee previously postponed hearings because of Hurricane Ian not out of sympathy for the victims but because the networks were busy covering the hurricane and wouldn't give the hearings top billing. October 15: American Liberty: Sizable percentage of FBI agents and employees are sympathetic to the January 6 protesters According to information released to the January 6 Committee, a "sizable percentage" of FBI agents and other support personnel are "sympathetic" toward the Capitol Hill protesters. The newly released information comes from an email sent to Paul Abbate, now the No. 2 official at the Bureau. It was publicly released through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The unknown sender was trying to send a warning about conservative political leanings inside the Bureau but clearly had his own liberal political bias as can be inferred by some of his comments condoning violent Black Lives Matter (BLM) rioters. While his observations are very difficult to corroborate, if accurate, it shows a large number of FBI employees and field agents believe the Bureau's hyper-zealous persecution of Capitol protesters and others associated with the events on Jan. 6 is wrong and politically motivated. At the time, Abbate was the associate deputy director in charge of FBI personnel, budget, administration and infrastructure. The next month, he was named deputy director, the highest-ranking official after Director Christopher Wray. October 15: NewsMax: We're not seeing the same result as the voter suppression polls indicate, gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano tells NewsMax Echoing back to the mantras of former President Donald Trump campaigns, Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano stressed crowd sizes matter and "suppression polls" will not accurately capture the nature of his race. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) told Mastriano in August "Doug, stay away from the polls in October, because they're going to show you behind." "This time last year they had [Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn] Youngkin, there was no chance he was going to win in Virginia." But he did. Mastriano noted even the long-revered The Trafalgar Group has him trailing, but he told Higbie "we're not seeing that" in our internal polling. "It's kind of weird; what we're seeing on on the ground is record crowds, and in fact, Rasmussen says they're projecting Pennsylvania is going to break plus-five Republican," Mastriano continued. "That's more like we're seeing. My own, we're looking like more plus R-9." Mastriano also noted his public campaign appearances go from intimate gatherings to full-blown rallies. "This does not happen in gubernatorial races," Mastriano said. October 14: The Washington Times: Walker and Warnock debate; Walker out performs expectations Former football star Herschel Walker fought to defy low expectations Friday in Savannah, where he and Senate Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock took their gloves off in the state's first and only debate. Mr. Warnock and Mr. Walker, two of the state's most prominent black men, debated inflation, drug prices, voting rights, crime, abortion and student loans amid polls that show the Senate race is neck-and-neck. Early voting in the state begins Monday. Walker outperformed predictions that he would appear uninformed or unprepared. He attacked Mr. Warnock on abortion, crime, spending and his alliance with Joe Biden, who is unpopular in the state.  October 14: Breitbart News: Walker takes on Warnock about black lives mattering Republican challenger Herschel Walker slammed his opponent, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), in Friday night's debate for his position on abortion. "He told me black lives matter," Walker said of Warnock, and then went on to say if the Senator really thought so he'd realize that there are "…more black babies that's aborted [in Atlanta, Georgia] than anything. If black lives matter, why are you not protecting those babies?" "Instead of aborting those babies. Why are you not baptizing those babies?" Walker asked Warnock. Warnock responded by claiming he cares about black women dying from maternal mortality and that government should not dictate standards of when life begins. To which Walker responded "Did he [Warnock] not mention that there is a baby in that room as well? And did he not mention that he is asking the taxpayer to pay for it?" "So, he is bringing the government back into the room. So he is not talking about that," Walker said.  October 14: The Washington Free Beacon: Georgia launches investigation into Warnock's church which provides housing "assistance" to the Senator Reportedly, Georgia has launched an investigation into a charity controlled by the church that pays Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) a $7,417 monthly housing allowance and owns an apartment building that is trying to evict tenants. The Georgia Secretary of State Office's Securities and Charities Division on Wednesday sent a letter to Ebenezer Building Foundation demanding that the charity explain why it is operating in the state without an active registration. The Ebenezer Building Foundation has reported in each of its Form 990 tax returns filed with the IRS since 2011 that it is registered to operate as a charity in Georgia. But the Georgia Securities and Charities Division has revealed Warnock's charity is not registered with state authorities. Ebenezer Building Foundation identifies Warnock as its principal officer in its Form 990s and says it delegates all management duties to Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Warnock pulls a salary on top of a lucrative tax-free housing allowance as he serves in the Senate. October 14: The Daily Caller: House Democrats struggle to keep up in the fight for money to finance campaigns According to Politico, Democratic House candidates are struggling to find funding in heavily contested districts while Republicans continue to break fundraising records all over the country. Heavily contested House districts in Texas, California, Arizona and Pennsylvania have reported they are not receiving funding from Democratic PACs just three weeks from the midterms.. Meanwhile, Republican PACs have ramped up their funding pouring millions of dollars into various races across the country. Reportedly the Democratic PACs have stopped supporting their own candidates resulting in campaign impacts quickly diminishing. In one case, retiring Arizona Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick questioned the Democratic PAC's for refusing to back her replacement, Kristen Engle. October 13: The Epoch Times: DOJ sued for not enforcing federal law prohibiting demonstrations at the homes of SCOTUS justices A conservative group is suing the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for refusing to explain why it won't enforce a federal law forbidding what the group called "the recent intimidatory protests carried out by radical abortion supporters" outside the homes of conservative Supreme Court justices in connection with the reversal of Roe v. Wade earlier this year. Raucous protests began at the homes of the six right-leaning justices in Maryland and Virginia in the wake of the unprecedented May 2 leak of a draft opinion foreshadowing the court's June 24 decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade abortion precedent, and escalated after the ruling itself was issued. Nicholas John Roske was arrested on June 8 for his alleged plan to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his Maryland home. Section 1507 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code makes it unlawful to picket or parade at or near a residence of a judge with the intent of "influencing any judge … in the discharge of his duty." Violators face up to a year in prison, a fine, or both. The section has been challenged in previous legal proceedings but has survived constitutional scrutiny. The Heritage Foundation's Oversight Project filed suit, claiming DOJ has refused to provide documents requested under the Freedom of Information Act explaining why it won't enforce Section 1507. Heritage said its demands for records from various DOJ offices, including the Office of the Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service weren't complied with. "The Biden DOJ's silence on these protests and obviously intimidating tactics was, and remains to be, deafening," Roman Jankowski of the Oversight Project, said. "The American people deserve to know why Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland not only refused to publicly and unequivocally condemn this behavior, but also why they continue not to prosecute or hold accountable those who facially broke the law in an attempt to influence the proceedings of the Supreme Court. We think there are answers to those questions in the documents we have requested, and we have a right by law to those documents." On May 10, then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki refused to condemn the protests while insisting that the president supports "peaceful protest. October 13: The Washington Times: Ukraine urges NATO to allow it to join the alliance President Zelenskyy pushed for Ukraine to be fast-tracked into NATO, saying his country upholds the democratic values of the Western military alliance and has shown its effectiveness on the battlefield. But, a senior Russian official on Thursday said such a move would all but guarantee sparking a much wider conflict in Europe. "Kyiv is well aware that such a step would mean a guaranteed escalation to World War III. Apparently, that's what they are counting on — to create informational noise and draw attention to themselves once again," Mr. Venediktov said in an interview with TASS, the official Russian news agency. The Russian threats come amid promises by NATO members to boost support Ukraine while strengthening the deterrence and defense capabilities of the alliance. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that nuclear rhetoric coming from Russian officials such as Mr. Venediktov and President Vladimir Putin was "dangerous and irresponsible" and that any use of nuclear weapons by the Kremlin would have "severe consequences." October 13: Sky News: UK to send SAMs to Ukraine to help defend against onslaught of Russian missiles and drones The UK will for the first time give Ukraine a number of powerful missiles to defend against Russian airstrikes, but it is not providing the weapons that launch them. Instead, the AMRAAM rockets - capable of shooting down cruise missiles - will help to arm air defense systems that will be given to Ukraine by the United States. A shortage of supply of these systems means Western allies, meeting this week in Brussels, are struggling to meet increasingly urgent requests from the government in Kyiv to protect Ukraine's skies from Russian missile and drone attacks. October 13: The Epoch Times: Thousands of citizens step up as poll watchers to help ensure election integrity in swing states Grassroots election integrity efforts have risen to a new level for this year's midterms. With over 4,500 poll watchers and election workers trained for the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election integrity it was deemed success. Similar efforts are occurring in more states, with more volunteers contributing their time and unique expertise. All are laboring with the same goal in mind: a fair and transparent election. "Across the country, people are waking up to how they can work as citizens to restore faith in the outcome of our elections," Jenny Beth Martin, honorary chairwoman of Tea Party Patriots Action (TPP Action), a grassroots advocacy group with about 3 million members nationwide said. Following the template created in 2021, TPP Action has trained over 7,500 people on election integrity in multiple states. The group held state tours in Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to offer election-related training sessions, including poll watching in urban and rural areas. October 13: Fox News: NY Republicans demand AG Garland investigate illegal leak of conservative non-profit donor list from the New York Attorney General's office Six New York Republicans demanded that Attorney General Merrick Garland open an investigation into the Empire State's own state Attorney General Letitia James after Nikki Haley's political nonprofit had its tax filings leaked to the media. In a letter sent Tuesday, the Congressmen demanded that AG Garland investigate the leak which revealed the donor base of Stand for America's 2019 tax filing. Stand for America is a 501(c)4 tax exempt organization. Although Politico refused to disclose where the documents came from, they carried the stamp of the New York Attorney General's charity office. The release of donor records is extremely concerning because doing so is unlawful and sets a dangerous precedent of political weaponization by a state Attorney General, Stand for America said in a statement. The lawmakers accused AG James of leaking the unredacted tax documents. October 12: The Epoch Times: Gingrich on Gabbard's leaving the Democrat party Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich suggested that Tulsi Gabbard's announcement that she's leaving the Democrat Party is a sign that more will depart. "I think when she ran for president, she realized how really isolated she was from the great majority of the Democrat Party, which is now, frankly, a pretty weird party," Gingrich said on Tuesday. "We saw the same thing happen in a slightly different way in Philadelphia last week, where the former deputy mayor, a Democrat, endorsed Dr [Mehmet] Oz for the U.S. Senate and said that John Fetterman is just so crazy on crime and so pro-criminal, he couldn't be for him." Gingrich added that he believes there is a "drift" away from the Democrat Party because "we've certainly seen among Latinos a huge drift towards the Republican Party as they're driven away by the weirder policies of the Democratic Party." The reason why she is leaving the Democrat Party, according to Gabbard, is because it represents the "powerful elite," not normal people. She has not indicated whether she will be joining the Republican Party. October 12: The Daily Caller: Biden family could be in serious legal jeopardy A former federal prosecutor told Fox News host Mike Emanuel that the Biden family faces serious legal jeopardy from Hunter Biden's alleged business dealings. "[Joe Biden] should be worried, I think, obviously should be worried about his son who has had a very troubled past, but in terms of the investigation, I think the talk that we are hearing now about the possibility of a disposition of the case with tax charges and maybe the full statement that you refer to, could be a choreographed event, what is swept under the rug is the thing that is of consequence to the country, which is the fact that foreign regimes…such as China, poured millions of dollars, millions into the coffers of the Biden family," Andrew McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor, said. Federal agents reportedly believe there is sufficient evidence to indict Hunter Biden on tax charges and on violations of federal firearms laws. Some Republicans have questioned whether the business dealings have compromised President Biden, who allegedly met Hunter Biden's business partners multiple times. October 12: The Washington Examiner: Russian missiles use US technology despite US sanctions A U.S. firm supplied technology to a Russian missile company after 2014 despite sanctions levied by the United States, according to a new report. Extreme Networks was found to have provided information technology systems to MMZ Avangard, a Russian state-owned missile company, according to a report from Reuters, citing emails, business records, and interviews. MMZ Avangard is best known for producing missiles for the S-400, Russia's most advanced missile defense system. Extreme told Reuters in a statement that it believes a surrogate buyer shipped the technology to Russia and has notified U.S. authorities of its findings. Reuters reported that between 2017 and 2021, evidence showed MMZ Avangard obtained over half a million dollars of Extreme equipment, mainly for its IT networks. Though Extreme claimed it had no knowledge of any sales to Russia, an internal complaint from April of this year, six weeks after Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, said, "Extreme equipment is used on Russian warships ... in communications systems." The complaint hinted at wider sales to Russian military companies, though the company claimed the allegations were made by a disgruntled employee and that the company has no records of deals involving Russian warships. October 11: Texas Scorecard: Election fraud exists, even in Texas Less than a month away from the November election, the Texas GOP says they are receiving "numerous" reports of Planned Parenthood mailers attempting to register deceased voters. According to the Republican Party of Texas, "in one notable example from Harris County, the mailer was addressed to an individual who has been deceased for over 11 years." Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi said, "Voter fraud is real and it happens in Texas." However, "efforts by far-left radical groups like Planned Parenthood that encourage illegal activity will fail," he added. In an effort to halt election fraud, the RPT has "invested over a million dollars in election integrity for the 2022 cycle to root out and stop voter fraud." "We have trained and placed thousands of poll watchers and election workers all over Texas to ensure Texans have the free and fair election they deserve," Rinaldi said. Last year, the Texas Legislature's omnibus election integrity bill, which was supposed to address concerns with election security following the 2020 elections, actually weakened the penalty for illegal voting from a second-degree felony to a Class A misdemeanor. October 11: The Daily Signal: Voter suppression verses Voter Fraud; Same thing? Today we hear two competing narratives; from the right, a concern about voter fraud and from the left, concern about voter suppression. Actually, these are not competing issues but instead twin evils that walk hand-in-hand. Voter suppression is a form of voter fraud because it attempts to improperly skew election outcomes, while voter fraud attempts to dilute the outcome of legally cast ballots by introducing phony or ineligible votes. Back in the days of Tammany Hall, the Democrat machine would get prisoners released and ensure that they voted and they would get immigrants off the boats and illegally make them naturalized citizens to they could vote. Does any of this seem familiar today with efforts to make prisoners eligible to vote and maintaining open borders and attempting to give undocumented – some would call them illegal – immigrants a pathway to citizenship? Then, earlier this year we witnessed an attempt in the House of Representatives to pass HR 1 to resist voter integrity laws passed by numerous state legislatures, outlawing voter ID requirements and other similar initiatives in federal elections. Those who don't know their history are destined to repeat it. Luckily for our nation, the Congress failed to pass these measures. October 11: Fox Business: Oil crisis should be treated almost as a matter of war at this point The energy crisis should be treated "almost as a matter of war at this point, nothing short of that," JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said Monday. Dimon, speaking to CNBC's Julianna Tatelbaum, said the "longer-term problem" was the world is "not producing enough oil and gas to reduce coal, make the transition [to green energy], create security for people." He called it an issue he would put in the "critical category." Tatelbaum asked the JPMorgan Chase CEO how worried he is about Europe in the upcoming winter in the context of the Russian war in Ukraine and the energy supply. He responded that he thinks "we're getting energy completely wrong." It was "pretty predictable" that Russian President Vladimir Putin was "going to cut off some gas and certain oil," causing prices to rise further, Dimon said. Western countries-imposed sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, with Russia responding by reducing or cutting off gas supplies to European nations. He also said countries like China, Indonesia, Germany and the Netherlands have turned back to coal amid the energy crisis. October 11: The Washington Examiner: Putin appoints ruthless general to head up his invasion of Ukraine A ruthless Russian commander known as "General Armageddon" has been appointed head of the Russian Army in Ukraine as Moscow looks to reverse a series of defeats on the battlefield. Sergei Surovikin, 56, was likely behind Monday's massive missile strikes, the largest since the beginning of the war. The feared general previously won "respect" commanding Russian troops in Tajikistan, Chechnya, and Syria, according to the Russian newspaper Kommersant, earning one of his many monikers: "Severe," a play on his name in Russian. He has since made a name for himself as a no-nonsense military commander, albeit one with disregard for the standard rules of engagement. His appointment is expected to garner a drastic shift in Russian tactics at a time when public outcry against the conduct of the war is at an all-time high. October. 11: Fox News: Rep Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hi) leaves the Democrat Party; Loyal to country, not caucus Former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard said her love of freedom was behind her decision to leave the Democrat Party, telling Tucker Carlson she could no longer be a member of a party that seeks to "destroy" and silence its opponents and undermine freedom. "I've always been an independent-minded person," Gabbard said. A Democrat, yes, but an independent Democrat. And my loyalties are very clear: I love our country. And I took an oath both as a service member, as a soldier, as well as a member of Congress, to support and defend the Constitution. And that's an oath that I take extremely seriously." "And so when you look at this party, the today's Democratic Party, it's controlled by fanatical ideologues who hate freedom. They despise the Constitution. They actively find ways to undermine our God given rights enshrined in the Constitution, like freedom of speech, if you say something and I say something that they don't like." October 11: News Max: Department of "Justice" asks SCOTUS to deny Trump plea over FBI raid Biden's "Justice" Department on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to steer clear of a legal fight over classified documents seized during an FBI search of President Donald Trump's Florida estate. The high court is weighing an emergency appeal from Trump asking it to overturn a lower court ruling and permit an independent arbiter, or special master, to review the roughly 100 documents with classified markings that were taken in the Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago. DOJ said in a 32-page filing that Trump's claim has no merit, noting the case involves "extraordinarily sensitive government records." Which by the way, Trump claims he declassified while he was still in office. October 10: The Washington Times: WVA support for Manchin plummets amid his support for Democrat spending bill A majority of West Virginia voters are thumbing their noses at Sen. Joe Manchin III in the wake of his delivering a big legislative win for Democrats on taxes and climate change. The job approval rating for Manchin, a moderate Democrat, plunged in his home state of West Virginia by double digits in recent months after he provided the final vote needed to pass Joe Biden's tax-and-climate bill, according to daily tracking data that Morning Consult released Monday. A majority 51% of West Virginia voters disapprove of Manchin's job performance, up from 38% who disapproved of him in the second quarter of this year. October 10: The Jerusalem Post: Condemning Russian intense bombing/missile strikes on non-military targets in Ukraine World leaders condemned Russian missile strikes across Ukraine on Monday which killed at least 11 people and wounded more than 60 others. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply shocked" by Russia's most  widespread air strikes since the start of the Ukraine war on Monday, a UN spokesman said. "This constitutes another unacceptable escalation of the war and, as always, civilians are paying the highest price," the UN spokesperson said. Four regions had no electricity following the attacks - Lviv, Poltava, Sumy and Ternopil - the electricity supply had been partially disrupted in other parts of the country as well. The German embassy, which had been abandoned earlier in the Russian invasion, was also hit.
October 10: Sky News: Putin: Strikes on Ukraine are retaliation for bombing of bridge Vladimir Putin has said Monday's deadly missile strikes targeting cities in Ukraine were in retaliation for its "terrorist action" against Russian territory. In televised remarks, the Russian president said Moscow had launched long-range missile attacks against Ukraine's energy, military and communications infrastructure on Monday. But according to sources with boots on the ground, the attacks appeared to be haphazard and not targeted. October 10: The Washington Times: The brazen attack destroying part of a critical bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula that  Russia occupies is the latest evidence that Putin and his generals dramatically overestimated the capabilities of their armed forces The bridge was a critical supply link used to support Russian forces in Ukraine. Even U.S. government officials and intelligence agencies now admit they thought Russia had such an advantage in manpower and weaponry that there was little Ukraine could do to defend itself after Putin ordered a full-scale invasion more than seven months ago. But a series of top-down tactical blunders, strategic misfires and pervasive corruption among Russian military leaders that has left soldiers ill-equipped and undertrained have all combined to flip the script. Putin's plan to teach Ukraine a lesson and send a message to NATO and his Western critics has instead served only to expose the weaknesses of his own military force, despite a vaunted campaign since the beginning of the century to rebuild and modernize the Russian armed forces. October 10: The Washington Examiner: Polls: Questions about Biden's mental health rise; especially among Democrats After his latest string of verbal blunders and on-stage wanderings, concerns have surged over Joe Biden's mental health. In just two months, worries about the nearly 80-year-old's mental state have jumped from 59% to 64% in the latest Issues & Insights/TIPP poll. And, shockingly, most of the increase has come from Democrats. "Virtually all of October's gain came from Democrats, who went from just 39% expressing 'concern' over Biden's mental health in August, a high number in itself, to 52% in the latest poll. Let that sink in: A majority of Democrats now also think Biden possibly has mental health issues," said the survey analysis. October 9: UPI: Russian forces blitz Ukraine, hitting civilian targets Russian forces blitzed the city of Zaporizhzhia overnight, firing a barrage of missiles that killed at least 17 people, Ukrainian officials said. Anatolii Kurtiev, the acting mayor of Zaporizhzhia, said at least 40 other people were injured. Five homes were destroyed and dozens of buildings were damaged, including four educational institutions. "At this time, 17 people are known to have died. Sincere condolences to the relatives," Kurtiev said. October 9: The Daily Caller: Investigator predicts Durham will go after the FBI in federal court in the weeks ahead A leading Russiagate investigator is raising expectations for next week's trial in special counsel John Durham's investigation looking for misconduct in the FBI's Trump-Russia inquiry. Kash Patel, a former top House Intelligence Committee aide and Trump administration official, made a prediction based on Durham's claim in court that the alleged source for disgraced former British spy Christopher Steele's infamous anti-Trump dossier was a paid confidential human source for the FBI. Durham's prosecution will "explode" the FBI's "confidential human source corruption coverup network" being used for, in his view, a "disinformation campaign to the American public," Patel said in a recent interview on Real America's Voice. October 9: Fox News: NY gubernatorial candidate's family were at home when gun shots rang out nearby - highlighting the crime issue he is running on Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY) the GOP gubernatorial nominee, says that two people were shot outside his Long Island home on Sunday. Suffolk County Police told Fox News the shooting happened around 2:20 p.m. in Shirley on Long Island. Zelden's daughters were at home at the time and sheltered in place in the family's bathroom. Bullets from the confrontation landed within thirty feet of the girls. Two people were injured in the shooting and were found "laying down under my front porch and [in] the bushes in front of our porch," Zeldin said. October 8: The Epoch Times: WI judge: Allowing votes to "spoil" ballots and cast new ones is a problem Voters in Wisconsin cannot cancel their ballot and cast a new one once a vote has been cast, a judge in the state has ruled. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel on Oct. 5 granted a request for a temporary injunction against the practice, which had been promulgated to officials across the state by the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC). A Wisconsin voter sued WEC over the guidance, which says that clerks can give completed and submitted absentee ballots back to a voter, arguing it violates Wisconsin law that says the clerk "shall not return the ballot to the elector" once submitted. The guidance wa issued after several candidates dropped out of high-profile races, including Democrat candidates for the U.S. Senate like Alex Lasry. Schimel, a former Wisconsin attorney general, sided with the plaintiff and ordered an injunction that took effect on Friday afternoon. The defendants appealed the decision to the state Court of Appeals, which has not yet ruled on the matter. The case is still ongoing but voting has already started where the governorship and a U.S. senate seat are on the ballot. The Democratic National Committee is coming to the aid of the defendants, siding with the WEC. The decision is the latest against the WEC, which some lawmakers have proposed abolishing. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that ballot drop boxes are illegal after WEC tried to keep the boxes in place. And Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Aprahamian has in several rulings found that WEC guidance stating officials can fix issues with absentee ballot witness certificates was illegal. "Wisconsin law does not authorize election officials to correct, modify, alter or add to an absentee ballot certification," the judge said in one of the rulings, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.  October 8: The Washington Times: Truck bomb of unknown origin collapses key bridge/supply line between Russia and their occupied Crimea Peninsula
An explosion Saturday caused the partial collapse of a bridge linking the Crimean Peninsula with Russia, damaging a key supply artery for the Kremlin's faltering war effort in southern Ukraine. Russian authorities said a truck bomb caused the blast and that three people were killed. The speaker of Crimea's Kremlin-backed regional parliament immediately accused Ukraine of being behind the explosion, though Moscow didn't apportion blame. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly threatened to strike the bridge and some lauded the destruction, but Kyiv stopped short of claiming responsibility. The explosion risked a sharp escalation in Russia's eight-month war, with some Russian lawmakers calling for Russian President Vladimir Putin to declare a "counterterrorism operation" in retaliation, shedding the term "special military operation" that had downplayed the scope of fighting to ordinary Russians. Such a move could be used by the Kremlin to further broaden the powers of security agencies, ban rallies, tighten censorship, introduce restrictions on travel and expand a partial military mobilization that Putin ordered last month. [Interestingly enough, in Tom Clancy's book Red Storm Rising it was Russians who set off an explosion in order to have a reason to escalate hostilities.] October 7: The Epoch Times: Federal Judge says EEOC went beyond its authority in setting rules exempting LGBT employees from bathroom and dress code policies A federal judge in Texas struck down an EEOC federal guidance exempting LGBT employees from workplace policies on bathroom use, dress codes, locker rooms, and pronoun usage. The June 2021 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) policy document overreached in its interpretation of the Supreme Court's ruling forbidding employment discrimination based on sexual preference and gender identity, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas found. Texas had sued over the guidance. Seven months ago Texas AG Paxton amended the state's lawsuit to include new rules issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to guarantee access to so-called gender-affirming health care for transgender young people. The HHS policy came after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to initiate child abuse investigations of some families with transgender children, and after Paxton found that such care can constitute abuse under state law.  October 7: Fox News: US, Philippine, So. Korean troops hit the beach on an island disputed by China in a joint military training exercise
U.S. Marines stormed a beach in the South China Sea on Friday along with troops from South Korea, Japan and the Philippines in joint military drills. The exercises were held on an uninhabited beach head in the Philippines about 150 miles from Scarborough Shoal. The reef made headlines in 2012 when China seized the area which it has since claimed belongs to it. Philippine President Marcos told Biden last month in New York that he appreciated the U.S.'s role in "maintaining he peace in our region." The joint drills come as tensions in eastern Asia are on the rise with North Korea ramping up ballistic missile testing and strained relations between the West and China persist. October 7: News Max: Trump's energy policies 2-3 million barrels of oil, out pacing the OPEC cut in production A new study indicates that Joe Biden's energy policies have cost the U.S. nearly $100 billion in annual output, leaving millions more barrels that could have been produced. The Committee to Unleash Prosperity — a group founded by economists Steve Forbes, Art Laffer, and Stephen Moore — discovered a trend while reviewing oil and gas production under the previous two administrations. Between 2 and 3 million more barrels of oil would be produced each day if former President Donald Trump had a second term, with another 20 to 25 billion cubic feet of natural gas produced as well, according to the report. The XL Pipeline would have easily made up for the difference caused by the OPEC cut in production. In addition, continuing Trump's policies would also make domestic oil production far outpace the current OPEC cut, with researchers claiming that not a single barrel of oil would need to be sold from the U.S. strategic reserves. October 7: The Epoch Times: What is DOJ hiding; reports indicate Oath Keepers shielded police from Antifa agitators on January 6th An FBI document being kept from the public under court seal undermines the government's seditious-conspiracy case against the Oath Keepers, shows that the indicted members of the group "are not guilty," and "proves that the prosecution is lying to the jury," a former Oath Keepers attorney said in a statement. Jonathon Moseley, who previously represented Oath Keepers defendant Kelly Meggs said an FBI interview with a U.S. Capitol Police officer shows the Oath Keepers protected the officer from an angry mob near the Capitol Rotunda on the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2021. "This document—together with a photograph of the moment inside the U.S. Capitol on January 6 -- proves that the prosecution is lying to the jury," Moseley said in the statement. "No one who engages in seditious conspiracy or insurrection stops to come to the aid of the police against the mob. "If the Oath Keepers were involved in any way in any insurrection or conspiracy to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, would they turn and stand between the U.S. Capitol Police against the mob?" Moseley asked. "This is not merely a good act. This is absolute proof that there never was any insurrection or seditious conspiracy. The prosecution's entire case is a fraud upon the American people." October 7: The Daily Caller: Garland effort to have DOJ prosecute "disinformation" disseminators on social media is a "political operation" A former spokesperson for the Department of Justice said that the recent letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for an investigation on social media users spreading "disinformation" about child sex-changes is part of the Biden DOJ's "political operation." The Oct. 3 letter sent to Garland asks the DOJ to "take swift action to investigate and prosecute all organizations, individuals, and entities" that have spread "misleading information targeting individual physicians and hospitals" that perform irreversible sex-change surgeries for minors. The letter, authored by the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association, specifically states that a "few high-profile users on social media" are responsible for spreading the "disinformation" about child sex-change surgeries, which have resulted in "bomb threats." DOJ has declined to answer whether they plan to act on the proposals in the letter. October 7: Fox News: Dems operatives disseminating biased news under the guise of local news networks Democratic operatives are reportedly behind dozens of outlets presenting themselves as local news websites while pushing pro-Democrat Party content and reportedly being funded and orchestrated out of Washington, DC. A network of about 50 separate U.S. news sites have disguised themselves with local names in order to push their politically advantageous reports under the guise of being regional journalism, Axios reports. They operate under the umbrella of a for-profit company called Local Report, Inc. which was incorporated in 2021. They disguise themselves with names like the "Milwaukee Metro Times," but run numerous articles and editorials from progressive media groups. One site it solicits donations to "support progressive journalism." This complex network of pseudo-local media shops comes to light as the U.S. heads into the 2022 midterm elections, with the battleground states being the areas the group is targeting. October 7: The Epoch Times: DE Supreme Court: Universal mail-in voting violates Delaware constitution Delaware's new law that allows voting by mail regardless of reason violates the state Constitution, the Delaware Supreme Court ruled on Oct. 7. "The Vote-by-Mail Statute impermissibly expands the categories of absentee voters identified in Article V, Section 4A of the Delaware Constitution. Therefore, the judgment of the Court of Chancery that the Vote-by-Mail Statute violates the Delaware Constitution should be affirmed," the state's top court said in a brief order. The Delaware Constitution allows absentee voting but only people who meet certain conditions, such as people who cannot make it to a polling location due to sickness or physical disability can vote by mail. The new law, passed over the summer and signed into law by Democrat Gov. John Carney, says that any voter who wants can fill out an application and receive a ballot by mail to return by mail. Also reversed was law to allow same-day registration based upon it conflicting with provisions of the Delaware Constitution. The brief order was entered in recognition of the upcoming midterm elections and Delaware officials' stated intent to mail ballots to voters soon. A more formal opinion outlining the decision will be issued in due course, the state's top court said.  October 6: The Washington Times: Shooting of an elderly pro-life lady escalates concerns over violence by pro-abortion proponents
The pro-life movement has been in the crosshairs in the months since the fall of Roe v. Wade, and in Joan Jacobson's case, that's not a metaphor. The 84-year-old volunteer was shot in the shoulder Sept. 20 while door-knocking on behalf of Michigan Right to Life in opposition to Proposal 3, a ballot measure to codify Roe, by a man who called her a "right-wing nut." Richard Alan Harvey, 74, of Odessa Township was charged with felonious assault, careless discharge causing injury, and reckless use of a firearm. He said the gun accidentally went off during an altercation, but Jacobson isn't buying it! For abortion foes, the shooting represents a frightening escalation of the pro-choice backlash since the Supreme Court's June 24 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson, an onslaught marked by attacks on more than 70 pro-life pregnancy centers led by militants in some cases associated with the radical group Jane's Revenge. October 6: The Epoch Times: Police body-cam footage shows man admitting cash for bogus mail in ballots scheme The race for county judge in the second biggest county in Texas was rocked last month when allegations of past fraudulent ballot harvesting surfaced against Democrat nominee Deborah Peoples. Footage from a bodycam worn by a Fort Worth police officer shows a man telling a policeman that Peoples allegedly paid him $200 cash for every fraudulently cast absentee ballot he could deliver in the months before the 2016 presidential election. The video shows a nighttime discussion between the officer and a bicyclist he stopped for riding in the wrong direction on a public street. After identifying the rider as Charles Jackson, the officer realized he was acquainted with Jackson from a previous encounter on the streets of Fort Worth in 2016. During the first encounter, the homeless Jackson had difficulty explaining why he had $1,000 in cash on his person. Jackson said it had something to do with the election. At the time, the officer warned him that tampering with elections could have severe consequences and let him go. Jackson did not heed the policeman's advice, and sometime after his 2016 brush with law enforcement, he was arrested and charged with providing false information on a voting application. October 6: One America News Network: Federal Judge strikes down part of NY gun laws On Thursday, District Judge Glenn Suddaby ruled that several provisions of the state's new gun law are unconstitutional and that they cannot be enforced. Suddaby took issue with the new requirements for background checks for gun permits, including the disclosure of an applicant's social media accounts. He also blocked the implementation of bans on firearms in some public and private venues. On Thursday Suddaby, a Bush appointee, ruled that several provisions of the state's new gun law are unconstitutional and that they cannot be enforced. He took issue with the new requirements for background checks for gun permits, including the disclosure of an applicant's social media accounts. He also blocked the implementation of bans on firearms in some public and private venues. He put the order on hold for 3 days to allow the state to appeal to the 2nd Circuit. October 6: Breitbart News: Pro Trump impeachment GOP senator expected to resign Ben Sasse (R-NE) who supported the impeachment of President Trump is expected to resign and take a position as the President of a Florida University in Gainesville. If he confirms his resignation the state's governor, Peter Ricketts (R), will appoint a replacement to fill Sasse's Senate seat. His potential replacement will reportedly serve until 2025, which could result in both Nebraska Senate seats being up for reelection during the 2024 presidential election year. First elected in 2014, Sasse is ranked as one of the most ineffective senators, by the Center for Effective Lawmaking.  October 6: Fox News: Don't give your electric vehicle a bath, it might explode on you like those with water damage following Hurricane Ian
A top Florida state official warned Thursday that firefighters have battled a number of fires caused by electric vehicle (EV) batteries waterlogged from Hurricane Ian. EV batteries that have been waterlogged in the wake of the hurricane are at risk of corrosion, which could lead to unexpected fires, according to Jimmy Patronis, the state's top financial officer and fire marshal. "There's a ton of EVs disabled from Ian. As those batteries corrode, fires start," he tweeted. "That's a new challenge that our firefighters haven't faced before. At least on this kind of scale." "It takes special training and understanding of EVs to ensure these fires are put out quickly and safely," he continued in a follow-up tweet. October 6: The Epoch Times: Fairfax County VA stops use of election software after arrest of firm's CEO Fairfax County, a county in northern Virginia has ceased the use of election software by Konnech Corp. after the arrest of the company's executive earlier this week. Konnech CEO Eugene Yu, 51, was arrested in Michigan on Oct. 4 as part of an investigation into the suspected "theft of personal identifying information" of Los Angeles County election workers, according to the LA DA's office. Michigan-based Konnech won a five-year contract with LA county in 2020, and stored election workers' data on servers in China, they reported. The office is now seeking Yu's extradition to Los Angeles. Poll Chief, a software management system, was reportedly designed to assist with poll worker assignments, communications, and payroll. After learning about the arrest on Tuesday, the Fairfax County Office of Elections has stopped using Konnech's Poll Chief election officer management software, said director and general registrar of the county's Office of Elections, Eric Spicer. October 5: The Washington Times: Status in Ukraine as winter is just around the corner Russian President Putin signed papers Wednesday officially "annexing" four Ukrainian provinces into Russia even as his forces faced more losses on the ground, setting the stage for what U.S. officials believe will be a long, bloody winter with both sides shooting it out on a frozen battlefield. Putin's claimed annexation, which has been rejected by virtually every other government on the planet, signals the Kremlin has no intention of abandoning its territorial claims in Ukraine, even with its crushing defeats under the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Pentagon officials conceded this week that Kyiv's highly effective counteroffensive campaign is about to become much more difficult as troops contend with plummeting temperatures, frigid conditions and muddy or even frozen terrain. That cold reality seems to be setting the stage for what military strategists describe as a literal and figurative "frozen conflict," with neither side able to notch any major victories until the increasingly harsh conditions subside. October 5: The Washington Examiner: NATO: Putin will regret the use of any nuclear weapons Russian President Putin would learn to "regret" any use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, according to a senior officer in NATO's command structure. "The response will be such that the Russians will regret what they have done," Dutch Adm. Rob Bauer, chairman of NATO's military committee, said Wednesday at the Warsaw Security Forum. "And I think that is extremely important." Bauer refused to offer any more insight into NATO's response in such a scenario, citing the hypothetical nature of the question. One unconfirmed source suggested that NATO might attack any and all Russian assets in Ukraine and Crimea while destroying all Russian ships in the Black Sea. If this were to happen – unlikely as it might be – it could be an action that drags the world into World War III. Meanwhile Ukrainian battlefield gains have continued more quickly than the Russian mobilization order, as Putin's decision prompted more than 200,000 fighting-aged Russians to leave the country in order to dodge the draft, according to recent reports. That mass exodus has helped to create the sense that Ukraine's advantage in the war is "irreversible," former CIA Director David Petraeus said. October 5: News Max: If GOP takes over the House, expect investigation of Woke military A Republican-controlled Congress would investigate the Biden administration's wokeness in the military, conservative House members said. Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) said the administration's woke defense policies will be a focus if the GOP regains control of the House in the midterms. "I think it's one of our very top priorities to clean up the mess the administration has made with the excessive and dangerous COVID mandates on our troops at a time where we have historically low recruitment," said Banks, chairman of the Republican Study Committee. October 5: The Epoch Times: Election software CEO arrested over data theft, storing data in China The head of Konnech Corp., a Michigan-based software company, was arrested on Oct. 4 for allegedly stealing and storing personal data of Los Angeles County election workers on servers in China. According to the LA DA's office, Konnech CEO Eugene Yu, 51, was arrested in Michigan on charges of stealing "the personal identifying information" of Los Angeles County election workers. Investigators also seized computer hard drives and other digital data relevant to the case. The office stated that it would seek Yu's extradition to Los Angeles. Konnech won a five-year, $2.9 million contract with Los Angeles County in 2020 for an election worker management system—named PollChief software—that was used by the county in the last California election. The software was designed to assist with poll worker assignments, communications, and payroll, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said. Under the contract, Konnech was supposed to securely maintain the data and only provide access to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. But investigators reportedly found that the company stored the data on servers in China. October 5: Fox News: Federal Appeals Court finds Obama's DACA program is illegal but allows 600,000 of them to remain in the U.S. A federal appeals court determined that the Obama administration didn't have the authority to institute the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program but declined to dismantle it, allowing more than 600,000 immigrants to continue to enjoy its protections. The 5th U.S. Circuit ordered a review of new changes by the Biden Administration to DACA, telling a Texas federal judge to review the program. A three judge panel from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also ruled that while the Obama administration lacked the authority to create the immigration policy which affects over 600,000 people, it didn't dismantle the program, and people can continue benefiting from the policy. The panel ruled that the U.S. government cannot process new applicants for individuals seeking DACA benefits. Several states are suing the U.S. government, arguing that they are being harmed financially by spending hundreds of millions of dollars on services such as education and health care for people who are being allowed to stay in the U.S. illegally.  October 4: News Max: State warns residents of nuclear emergency
Some of America's biggest states have started warning residents to prepare for a nuclear emergency, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin's persistent atomic threats — but many experts are decrying the government message as either lacking substance or a veiled attempt to control Americans. Taking seriously Putin's threats to use "all the means at our disposal" amid Russia's continued war in Ukraine, New York and New Jersey have begun deploying their own public service announcements geared toward prepping Americans in the event of a nuclear attack on the homeland. As part of September's "National Preparedness Month," New Jersey public buses featured large transit ads on their sides asking "Do you know what to do in a radiation emergency?"  October 4: The Daily Caller: Two major holes found in the FBI's case against pro-life father
New documents call into question two key components of the FBI's charges against Mark Houck, the pro-life father of seven who was arrested by federal agents in an early morning raid on Sept. 23 in front of his wife and seven children; being arrested for allegedly shoving a Planned Parenthood clinic escort. He was charged with two counts of assaulting the clinic escort in violation the FACE Act which makes it a federal crime to interfere with someone "because that person is a provider of reproductive health care." Reportedly Houck was praying near an abortion clinic when Bruce Love, who claims to be a longtime clinic escort, approached him and began behaving "extremely aggressively" and harassing Houck's then-12-year-old son, attorney, Peter Breen said. According to Breen, Love was not escorting patients – there were no patients present -- at the time of the altercation. According to a copy of his initial criminal complaint, Love only mentioned being shoved once but Houck's federal indictment is for two instances of assault. According to Breen, the fact that Love only later mentioned a second shoving undermines the federal government's decision to charge Houck with two counts of assault. Reportedly, when the case was brought before the PA state courts (and later dismissed) only one instance was mentioned. Additionally, Houck's other attorney, Matt Heffron, offered to accept the summons on Houck's behalf and told AUSA Anita Eve by email that his client would show up voluntarily. Instead, the Assistant U.S. Attorney decided to raid and arrest Houck at his home. "When the defendant has a lawyer, a respected former federal prosecutor, offering to bring the deferment wherever the US attorney's office would like him presented there is no reason to send one agent, much less 20," Breen said. "The question is why there were a bunch of people with long guns, ballistic shields and body armor outside this peaceful person's home to effect an arrest warrant that was utterly unnecessary and really put the Houck family in danger." [See related story] October 4: The Epoch Times: Biden laptop whistleblower speaks out two years later Tony Bobulinski, the former Hunter Biden associate who came forward in 2020 about messages on the younger Biden's laptop, said the FBI never followed up with him despite promising to. During an interview with Tucker Carlson, Bobulinski asserted that former FBI agent Timothy Thibault—who was accused by GOP senators of having an animus against Trump and slow-walking the Hunter Biden investigation — never got back to him when he came forward with the information ahead of the 2020 election. He asserted Joe Biden was highly involved in his son's overseas business operations. Biden has denied that he had knowledge of his son's finances or deals. "There are hundreds of data points that Joe Biden was acting in—in a capitalistic term, I would say the chairman," Bobulinski told Carlson. In one email sourced from the infamous laptop, the elder Biden was named as the "big guy" by his son Hunter because of the 10 percent cut he allegedly received. Bobulinski corroborated the authenticity of those emails and messages. He accused the Biden family of being "compromised" by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials due to their business deals with individuals and companies connected to the CCP, adding that it's impossible Joe Biden "can't be influenced in some manner…" October 4: News Max: Group sues FBI over collusion with big tech on censoring data posting America First Legal filed a lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday for allegedly failing to disclose communications between the agency and Big Tech companies, court filings showed. The group is specifically targeting the FBI's communications with platforms like Facebook, whose CEO previously admitted to censoring information surrounding the contents of Hunter Biden's laptop. AFL partner Reed Rubinstein told Fox News: "The evidence is that during the 2020 presidential election campaign, the FBI conspired and combined with large corporations, including Facebook, to censor and suppress the damning evidence of Biden family corruption and influence-peddling found on Hunter Biden's laptop. October 4: Yahoo News: SCOTUS considers Alabama voting rights case making it easier to defend against claims of discrimination Supreme Court justices on Tuesday probed whether to weaken the landmark Voting Rights Act, enacted to protect minority voters, as the high court considered a dispute over Alabama's congressional district map. Alabama's attorney general, Steve Marshall, is asking the court to unravel decades of precedent about how to remedy concerns that the power of Black voters is being diluted by dividing voters into districts where white voters dominate. Although members of the majority did not appear sympathetic to Alabama's broader arguments, some did indicate a willingness to make it harder for groups to overcome an early hurdle to bringing such claims. That would give states more leeway to argue that additional districts where minority voters could elect the candidates of their choice do not need to be drawn just because plaintiffs are able to show it is possible to do so out of thousands of computer-generated options, some of which include race as a criterion. States could have better chances to fend off lawsuits if they could show they adhered to race-neutral criteria in drawing their maps. October 4: Yahoo News: Trump sues CNN for defamation of character; Network concerned he may run in 2024 Former President Donald Trump sued CNN for defamation, accusing the network of smearing him -- including with frequent comparisons to Adolf Hitler -- to undermine a potential run for re-election in 2024. According to the filing, CNN has tainted Trump's image by using "ever-more scandalous" labels to describe him in broadcasts, including "racist," "Russian lackey," and "insurrectionist," culminating in false comparisons to the late Nazi leader. Trump's legal team said comparing him to "arguably the most heinous figure in modern history" is evidence that CNN had "actual malice" toward Trump -- the required threshold for proving defamation against a public figure. Trump is seeking relief to the tune of at least $475 million. October 3: The Epoch Times: Records shed more light on CDC's false COVID vaccine safety statements Newly obtained emails show the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made a false statement on COVID-19 vaccine safety monitoring in 2021. The emails also show top officials in the agency discussing performing safety monitoring on a key database for myocarditis, a form of heart inflammation that has been linked to the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. The CDC promised in 2021 in a set of operating procedures to perform a type of analysis called Proportional Reporting Ratio (PRR) on reports of adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccination. The reports are submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which officials have described as "the nation's early warning system" for post-vaccination adverse events. The CDC also said in an updated set of operating procedures in 2022 that it would perform the analysis. But the CDC has made false statements three times this year on PRRs, initially saying such analysis was outside the agency's purview, then saying the analysis was performed starting in 2021, then saying the analysis did not begin until 2022. The newly obtained emails show that an official falsely said in 2021 that the CDC does not perform PRR analysis.  October 2: The Washington Times: Biden showers praises on Coast Guardsman who saved countless lives but who Biden is kicking out of the service with his vaccine mandate… go figure!
Joe Biden expressed his gratitude to a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, thanking him for saving lives in response to Hurricane Ian, days before he is poised to be fired for not being vaccinated against COVID-19. Biden called Aviation Survival Technician Second Class Zach Loesch on Sept. 30, asking for a report on the Coast Guard's work and if they needed any additional support to accelerate rescues, according to a White House press release. Despite the plaudits, Loesch said that in 30-60 days, he will be removed from the military after Biden expressed his intent to approve a mandate making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for service members in August last year. According to the Daily Mail, as of September 2022, Loesch is one of 2,632 members of the Coast Guard who refuses to get a vaccine. "If I had asked any of the people I saved yesterday if they wanted to come with me even though I am unvaccinated, every single one of them would have said 'yes,'" he said. The vaccine mandate is a lawful general order, according to the Coast Guard website. If a member refuses to get vaccinated, absent of a medical or religious exemption, it can result in "punitive and/or administrative action, including initiation of discharge proceedings." October 2: Fox News: Russian ally recommends the use of nuclear weapons as Russia continues to give up ground to the Ukrainians Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov on Saturday urged Moscow to consider deploying low-yield nuclear weapons in Ukraine after Russian forces retreated from the city of Lyman. Kadyrov said he believes "more drastic measures should be taken, right up to the declaration of martial law in the border areas and the use of low-yield nuclear weapons." Kadyrov is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who appointed him to govern restive Chechnya in 2007. The comments came after Russia lost its stronghold of Lyman in eastern Ukraine following a massive and successful offensive by Ukraine forces.  October 2: News Max: Pope appeals to Putin to stop the spiral of violence in Ukraine
Pope Francis for the first time directly begged Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the "spiral of violence and death" in Ukraine, saying on Sunday that the crisis was risking a nuclear escalation with uncontrollable global consequences. In an address dedicated to Ukraine and made to thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, Francis also condemned Putin's latest annexation of parts of Ukraine as being against international law. He urged Putin to think of his own people in the event of an escalation. One Vatican official said the impassioned address was so somber it was reminiscent of a radio peace appeal by Pope John XXIII in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was the first time Francis, who has often condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the death and destruction it has caused, had made such a direct personal appeal to Putin. October 1: Fox News: Russia accused of kidnapping head of Ukraine nuclear power plant, could place it in danger Ukraine's nuclear power provider on Saturday accused Russian forces of kidnapping the head of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) and holding him in an undisclosed location. According to Energoatom, the power station's director-general, Ihor Murashov, was stopped by Russian forces around 4 p.m. Friday while in his car before he was then blindfolded and detained. His whereabouts remain unknown. The apparent kidnapping occurred just one hour after Russian President Vladimir Putin laid claim to the region of Zaporizhzhia, along with Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson, and in his view officially united the regions under the Russian Federation. Kyiv and Western nations have condemned the move and said they will not recognize Russia's self-declared claim over Ukraine's territory. Moscow has not acknowledged the kidnapping of the ZNPP official but the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its staff at the plant had been made aware of the capture and said it had contacted Russian authorities. IAEA staff have resided at the nuclear power station since early September after traveling to the plant to evaluate the threat level and damage caused to the ZNPP following several missile strikes.  October 1: The Epoch Times: DeSantis: You loot, we shoot the governor warned those who might consider stealing from Florida residents impacted by Hurricane Ian
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has warned opportunistic thieves not to target residents or ransack homes in the wake of Hurricane Ian, telling a press conference that Floridians are well-aware of their Second Amendment rights while noting a boarded-up business sign reading "you loot, we shoot." DeSantis issued the stark warning during multiple press conferences on Friday, including one in Fort Myers, where he remarked about seeing the sign directed at would-be looters displayed at a business in nearby Punta Gorda. "They boarded up all the businesses, and there are people that wrote on their plywood, 'you loot, we shoot,'" DeSantis said. "At the end of the day, we are not going to allow lawlessness to take advantage of this situation." October 1: The Washington Examiner: The verdict is in; Abrams loses voting rights case against Georgia from 2018 A federal judge on Friday ruled against an organization founded by Stacey Abrams that argued Georgia's election laws violated constitutional rights, ending a four-year legal battle that began after she lost the governor's race in 2018. Shortly after her defeat to Brian Kemp (R-GA), Abrams created Fair Fight Georgia, an organization that filed a lawsuit seeking to make changes to the state's election system, arguing it suppressed voter turnout that led to Abrams's loss. However, U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones rejected those claims on Friday, ruling the state's election processes are constitutional. October 1: Fox News: Harris ripped for claiming government's Hurricane relief should be prioritized based on race Twitter hammered VP Kamala Harris for a recent speech in which she described that federal Hurricane Ian relief would be based on "equity" and prioritize people in "communities of color." Speaking at the Democratic National Committee's Women's Leadership Forum on Friday, Harris claimed that people of color and low-income communities are most affected by natural disasters such as Hurricane Ian. She declared, "It is our lowest income communities and our communities of color that are most impacted by these extreme conditions and impacted by issues that are not of their own making." September 30: The Washington Examiner: DOJ seeks expedited ruling on access to Trump documents The Department of Justice requested an expedited ruling in its appeal of the appointment of a special master to examine the classified documents obtained during a raid of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. DOJ's inability to access non-classified documents seized in the FBI raid is, according to them, hampering its investigation into whether Trump illegally moved classified information out of the White House during his presidency. Something they claimed in a court filing to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday. September 30: Fort Worth Star Telegram: Abbott-O'Rouke debate a rat race which fell flat If you watched Friday night's debate between Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O'Rourke hoping to learn a little something about the two men to sway your vote or strengthen your current conviction, you likely left feeling underwhelmed. In 60 minutes, Abbott and O'Rourke attempted to debate the following: immigration, border security, Uvalde, guns, abortion, crime, the power grid, education and property taxes. They were also asked one personal question in conclusion that wasn't up for debate. That's a lot in one hour and neither really got the chance to answer complex questions in a nuanced or explanatory way. Both men did well on some issues and both struggled on others, sometimes the same issue. September 30: Yahoo News: Don't expect Congress to police itself any time soon! Corruption on Capitol Hill? Just two weeks ago, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi renewed hopes that Congress might stop lawmakers from trading stocks on the grounds that they have access to non-public information. "We believe we have a product that we can bring to the floor this month," Pelosi said. But Congress is taking a breather until Nov. 14, after missing yet another deadline to ban or curb stock trading by senators and U.S. representatives. Lawmakers promise to take up the issue again when they re-convene, but it's becoming clear that Congress is having a tough time policing itself. September 30: The Epoch Times: Biden quietly makes reversal on student loan forgiveness as GOP states file lawsuit The Biden administration quietly issued an update to its student loan forgiveness plan on Thursday, drastically scaling back eligibility on the same day that six Republican-led states filed a lawsuit against Joe Biden, claiming his student loan forgiveness plan is illegal. As of Thursday, borrowers who have federal student loans that are owned by private entities and not by the U.S. Department of Education will no longer qualify for the relief program. Previously, the administration had said those borrowers with student loans owned by private entities, many of which were made under the former Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program and Federal Perkins Loan program, would qualify for relief of up to $10,000 or $20,000 in loan forgiveness, as long as the borrower consolidated his or her debt into the federal Direct Loan program. The guidance now states: "As of Sept. 29, 2022, borrowers with federal student loans not held by ED cannot obtain one-time debt relief by consolidating those loans into Direct Loans." More than 4 million student loan borrowers have privately held loans through the FFEL Program. September 30: The Washington Times: Cops quitting and running for office to combat defund police efforts They say they've been defunded, scapegoated as violent racists, vilified for the mistakes of a few rogue officers, and challenged by sharp increases in shootings and murders. Now some are pushing back in a way they never expected: walking off the job to run for elected office. More than 100 current or former police officers are on the ballot this year for federal, state and local offices, with more than 90 running for seats in their state legislature. Nearly all are running as Republicans. Some have never run for office before. "There has been a war waged against law enforcement by Democrats and the far-left. and those of us who have worn the uniform, those of us that have respected law enforcement our entire lives, just can't sit back anymore," said Anthony D'Esposito, a former NYPD detective who is running for Congress as a Republican to represent a portion of Nassau County, New York. September 30: The Jerusalem Post: Antisemitism in Russia on the rise as Putin's war sputters Soon after he rose to power 22 years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin cracked down on the open antisemitism that nearly all of his predecessors had either encouraged, tolerated or ignored. Now, as Russia's war effort in Ukraine flounders, openly anti-Jewish rhetoric is entering the country's mainstream media, with a popular talk show host naming Jews on air as being insufficiently patriotic and a think tank accusing a prominent Jewish philosopher of siding with Ukraine out of greed. September 29: The Epoch Times: GOP to investigate excessive FBI raids Attorney General Merrick Garland has received a flurry of stern letters, including notice of an investigation, from Republican members of Congress in the days since the FBI's Sept. 23 raid on the Pennsylvania home of pro-life activist Mark Houck. "Not only did your office turn a local dispute into a national case, but the FBI reportedly executed the search warrant in as extreme a manner as one can imagine," a Sept. 26 letter, sent individually by Sen. Josh Hawley said. "The FBI admitted in a statement that as many as 20 agents were present with their guns drawn." Houck was handcuffed in front of his wife and seven children during the 7 a.m. arrest and search of his home. A Sept. 27 letter from 22 Republican House and Senate members asked why the FBI was deployed for a state-level assault charges which were dismissed by local authorities in Philadelphia. "At the moment, it appears to be an extraordinary overreach for political ends," the joint letter said. "We request an explanation for the excessive level of force used by the FBI in this case, and why the power of federal law enforcement was once again used against an American citizen in what should be a state and local matter." Houck's attorney for that incident told the committee the Philadelphia Police declined to arrest or prosecute Houck. Despite that, the clinic worker filed a criminal complaint against Houck which was dismissed after the clinic worker failed to appear in court at least twice. During that case, the district attorney suggested settling the matter as a civil case instead of a criminal one, but reportedly the abortion clinic worker disagreed. September 29: The Epoch Times: Justice Thomas's wife Ginny talks with the January 6th Committee The wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas met Sept. 29 with the House of Representatives panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Ginny Thomas did not answer questions from reporters, but said she was looking forward to meeting with the panel. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA), a member of the panel, said members wanted to ask Thomas about her discussions with former Trump Chief of Staff Meadows and the lawyer, John Eastman. Eastman has said that Vice Phresident Mike Pence had the authority under the 12th Amendment to reject electoral slates (or at least to send them back to certain state legislatures to verify certification), but Pence indicated he did not believe he had this authority. Thomas answered questions behind closed doors. The panel has not released any transcripts from its more than 1,000 interviews, though it has indicated it will release a report and has made public snippets of some of the conversations (probably withholding those that don't support their preconceived view that Trump was the instigator of the Capitol incursion). Reportedly Thomas was concerned about "fraud and irregularities" in the election and informed the committee that her only involvement was working to ensure reports of fraud and irregularities were investigated. September 29: The Washington Examiner: Judge straightens out understanding by special master over invasion of Trump's home Former President Donald Trump doesn't need to submit a declaration on whether the DOJ planted evidence at Mar-a-Lago before his legal team reviews the stash, a judge ruled in a victory for his legal team. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon overruled the special master she appointed, who sought a sworn document from Trump's legal team on whether the DOJ planted evidence. She also pushed back key deadlines for the third-party special master review of material seized. "There shall be no separate requirement on Plaintiff at this stage, prior to the review of any of the Seized Materials, to lodge ex ante final objections to the accuracy of Defendant's Inventory, its descriptions, or its contents. The Court's Appointment Order did not contemplate that obligation," Cannon wrote. In her ruling, she took note of Trump's lawyers' concerns that their "current inability to access the Seized Materials" would hinder them from corroborating the DOJ's inventory of Mar-a-Lago records.  September 29: Fox News: Silent killer remains after Ian moves off shore
The National Hurricane Center on Thursday warned of indirect fatalities as a result of Hurricane Ian. At an advisory update, Jamie Rhome, Acting NHC Director, said carbon monoxide poisoning was statistically responsible for the most deaths during recovery efforts. Rhome said many people will run generators in the absence of power, but keep them inside for fear of them being stolen. "This is a colorless, odorless gas so you're not going to get a warning. You're not going to get a smell," Rhome said. "So please be very careful if you've never run a generator before." September 29: The Epoch Times: Former Democrat congressman from Philadelphia pleads guilty to election fraud; heads to prison Despite declarations of safe and secure elections, history shows that past Pennsylvania elections were host to corruption. For example, former U.S. Rep. Michael "Ozzie" Myers (D-PA), pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deprive voters of civil rights, bribery, obstruction of justice, falsification of voting records, conspiring to illegally vote in a federal election, and orchestrating schemes to fraudulently stuff ballot boxes for specific Democrat candidates in Pennsylvania elections held from 2014 to 2018. Myers was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond to 30 months in prison, three years supervised release, and ordered to pay $100,000 in fines, with $10,000 of that due immediately. Myers, 79, was taken directly into custody following the announcement of the sentence. Myers admitted that he bribed Domenick J. Demuro, a Democrat Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 36th Division in South Philadelphia, over several years to add votes for certain Democrat candidates. Some candidates' campaigns had hired Myers, and others were candidates that he favored. He admitted he was paid consulting fees in cash or checks, then used portions of these funds to pay election officials to tamper with election results. He also copped to conspiring to commit election fraud where his accomplice effectively ran the polling places and installed close associates who added votes to candidates supported by Myers. His accomplices were were charged separately and previously pleaded guilty. Myers is no stranger to prison having previously being sentenced to three years in prison as a result of the 1980 FBI ABSCAM investigation. He was also the first Member of Congress to be removed from office for his earlier criminal behavior by a vote of 376-30. After leaving prison, he started a political consulting firm. September 29: The Washington Examiner: Who blew up the Nord Stream Pipelines Every nation that could credibly be responsible for this week's Nord Stream I and II undersea pipeline explosions has denied its involvement. But as Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Kommersant newspaper on Thursday, "It is very difficult to imagine that such a terrorist action could take place without the involvement of some state." Peskov's point is correct. The Baltic Sea waters involved here are shallow. Still, those behind these explosions would have required exact knowledge of where the pipelines were laid, their vulnerability, and the means to deliver explosives to them. This makes it almost certain that a state actor was responsible. The most obvious means of carrying out this attack would be mine-laying, deep-sea divers armed with high explosives. While a submarine, aircraft, drone, or missile could also be employed, they would raise a higher likelihood of detection and the recovery of weapon debris. Most Western governments suspect Russia was responsible. A NATO member state would be highly unlikely to risk the trust-based alliance by unilaterally disrupting energy flows and risking an environmental disaster. It seems absurd to believe Russia would blow up its own pipelines and associated gas export market. Then again, neither of the two pipelines were operating when the explosions occurred. And if Russia can pry the EU from the US and reduce support for Ukrainian forces, they might well have been behind these incidents.  September 28: Fox Weather: Hurricane hunter crew gets the ride of a lifetime
Hurricane Hunters are part of the Aircraft Reconnaissance of the National Hurricane Center, a division within NOAA. They regularly fly through storms to gather valuable first-hand data. A Fox News reporter spent nine hours aboard a flight just before Hurricane Ian made landfall. "It was nuts," she said, "the turbulence wasn't bad at first, but then it got horrible. The NOAA Hurricane Hunter went through the eye at the same time as us, and actually turned around from how intense it was." Hurricane Hunter Pilot Maj. Kendall Dunn with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron described the flight as one of the roughest of his career. "The storm was rapidly intensifying," Dunn said. "We made a shot to come through the eyewall, but the rain was so intense that the radar was only just seeing beyond our nose." When the pilot did get a clearing to come through the eyewall, they experienced the worst turbulence of Dunn's career. September 28: News Max: Unable or unwilling to leave, Floridians ride out Hurricane Ian Outside the window of Susan Flack's darkened condominium in Naples, Florida, on Wednesday, trees bent in the wind and a portable toilet floated by on rising floodwaters. Flack, one of thousands who decided to flout official evacuation orders and ride out Hurricane Ian, was not worried about her safety. Hunkered down on the second floor of her building, where the power had been out all day and the lobby was filled with several feet of water, she took videos of the scene outside. "Being hysterical is not going to help," the retired attorney said in a phone interview. Some 2.5 million coastal residents and others in danger zones around Tampa, Ft. Myers and nearby communities were ordered or encouraged to evacuate ahead of the massive storm. But many did not, with some simply vowing to ride it out and others unable to leave for financial or other reasons. In Sarasota County, officials warned that emergency vehicles would not respond to calls for help until it was safe to be on the road. Those who failed to get out by Wednesday afternoon, officials said, needed to shelter in place.  September 28: iHeart Radio/KTRH Houston: U.S. citizens urged to leave Russia by U.S. embassy
American citizens were urged to leave Russia immediately in a security alert issued by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow due to a security alert overnight. The alert comes one week after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial military mobilization of 300,000 reservists and reiterated warnings to Western allies that he was ready to use nuclear weapons in Moscow's ongoing invasion of neighboring Ukraine, during a rare, prerecorded television announcement on September 21. "Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals' U.S. citizenship, deny their access to US consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service," the U.S. Embassy alert said on Tuesday. September 28: News Max: Ukrainian POWs disclose the horrors of Russian captivity and the failure of the Geneva Convention Vladyslav Zhaivoronok and George Kuparashvili, two Ukrainian prisoners of war in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, discussed the horrors of war and the atrocities of human suffering in Russian war camps on Tuesday. Zhaivoronok and Kuparashvili were among 215 POWs who were reportedly released in exchange for 55 Russian prisoners, along with Victor Medvedchuck, leader of the banned pro-Russia political party in Ukraine. Zhaivoronok said he was only released due to his serious injuries and because he had no "value" to Russia in a potential prisoner swap; otherwise, he surmised, he would be kept as greater leverage in the war in Ukraine.  September 28: The Epoch Times: Premeditated explosions likely cause of damage to Russian gas pipelines
Two undersea leaks that began in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 natural gas pipelines were likely caused by underwater explosions, according to seismographic data. Bjorn Lund, director of the Swedish National Seismic Network at Uppsala University, told NPR Wednesday that it is "very clear from the seismic record that these are blasts." Neither of the gas pipelines were active when officials reported sudden losses of gas pressure late on Monday, which they said could only be caused by significant leaks. "These are not earthquakes," he added. "They are not landslides underwater." And in an interview with Swedish television, Lund said he has "no doubt that these were explosions." The leak is near the Danish Island of Bornholm in approximately 70 meters (about 230 feet) of water. U.S. officials on Tuesday noted that there is a possibility that the leaks were caused deliberately. But European Union leaders were more explicit and said the damage was done intentionally. All the nation-states with the capability to blow the pipelines up have denied responsibility. If it was done by Russia it could turn into a problem for them. The entire pipeline system is (or was) ready to pump gas and gas is very expensive. Venting it into the open air through the leaks is costing Russia monetary income. September 26: Fox News: Manchin didn't expect GOP to side with Sanders in opposition to his energy bill Senator Joe Manchin (D-WVA) expressed surprise the GOP is whipping against his energy permitting bill, which is to be included in the continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown. Manchin, one of few Democrats supportive of an all-of-the-above approach to U.S. energy production, said he knew he would never get Vermont socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders on board, but did not expect his neighboring state's senior senator to be against it, too. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is opposed to the Manchin bill along with Manchin's Mountain State counterpart Sen. Shelley Moore Capito being one of few Republicans to have reportedly expressed support. Capito, however, has a separate permitting bill in the works, for which Republicans reportedly would rather see unified support for. Neil Cavuto of Fox proffered whether McConnell's opposition could be in response to Manchin's support for "Inflation Reduction Act" – which actually will increase inflation – he helped pass last month. September 26: The Washington Times: White House pushes reporters out of the state dining room as they ask Biden about the economy and Ukraine White House press handlers pushed reporters out of the State Dining room on Monday as journalists shouted questions at an unresponsive Joe Biden at a meeting with advisers on economic competition. Biden ignored a variety of questions, including the war in Ukraine and the economy, as his press team began shooing reporters from the room. Some reporters were pushed, according to a pool report by a Washington Post reporter in the room, as the handlers attempted to remove them. Shortly before reporters were shown the door, trading on Wall Street concluded another dismal day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 300 points on Monday, moving into bear market territory, more than 20% below its record high. "Biden and Democrats turned a recovery into a recession, created 40-year high inflation, and sent gas prices skyrocketing because of his war on American energy," Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said. "Costs are soaring, Americans are falling behind, and Joe Biden and the Democrats don't seem to care." September 25: The Epoch Times: FBI conducts another raid, this time against a Catholic pro-life speaker The FBI reportedly arrested Catholic pro-life activist and author Mark Houck in a raid on his rural home early Friday morning. Houck, 48, of Kintnersville, Pennsylvania, is the latest target of a string of Department of Justice-sponsored SWAT raids and arrests, as at least two dozen federal agents swarmed his property in Bucks County with around 15 vehicles at 7:05 a.m. on Sept. 23. "The kids were all just screaming," Houck's wife, Ryan-Marie, told an online news portal. "It was all just very scary and traumatic." Houck, the father of seven is the president of The King's Men, a nonprofit group that promotes healing for victims of pornography addiction. Houck drives two hours south to Philadelphia every Wednesday to sidewalk council for six to eight hours at two different abortion centers, according to his wife. On one occasion Houck pushed a pro-abortion activist away from his 12-year-old son after the man kept hurling "crude" and "inappropriate" comments while entering the boy's personal space. The man sued Houck but the case was thrown out of the District Court in Philadelphia. Apparently, the DOJ/FBI picked up the case and are accusing Houck of assaulting a pro-abortion healthcare escort. To some critics, this is just another example of the weaponizing of the Department of Justice and the FBI. Reportedly, 25 to 30 fully armed officers kept pounding on Houck's door; yelling despite Houck's peaceful attempts to placate them. When he opened the door, "they had big, huge rifles pointed at Mark and pointed at me and kind of pointed throughout the house," Ryan-Marie Houck said.  September 25: The Epoch Times: FBI whistleblower comes forward, alleges many agents "don't agree" with bureau's direction
An FBI whistleblower recently came forward and issued warnings about alleged politicization at the FBI, saying that the bureau is spying on law-abiding Americans and that many of its domestic counterterrorism cases are tantamount to "entrapment." Kyle Seraphin, who has spent six years in the FBI, was suspended without pay and cannot seek another job without quitting or asking for permission. "The number of guys who say, 'I don't agree with what's going on here, but I've got three years to retire,' it's heartbreaking," he told Dan Bongino in an interview. He said he was forced to blow the whistle last year when Attorney General Merrick Garland told lawmakers that the Department of Justice was not targeting parents. He first provided a member of Congress with an email that was circulated within the FBI that stated Garland ordered the usage of the controversial PATRIOT Act to target parents with a tag "EDUOFFICIALS." [Story] At the time Congressmen Jordan (R-OH) and Johnson (R-LA) alleged the investigations involved parents who were "upset about mask mandates and state elected officials who publicly voiced opposition to vaccine mandates," while accusing Garland of making false statements to Congress. September 25: The Washington Times: Biden threatens "catastrophic consequences" if Putin follows through on nuclear threats U.S. and Ukrainian officials said Sunday that they take Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats of nuclear war seriously, as fears mount that Russia's recent military defeats in Ukraine could lead Putin to dramatically escalate the conflict. With the war now in its seventh month and Russia's ground invasion stalled, Putin and his inner circle are increasingly talking about their country's nuclear stockpile, the largest in the world. Russian officials in the past have made veiled references to nuclear weapons, but leaders and national security insiders across the U.S. and Europe say Ukraine's recent successes on the battlefield, along with growing frustration inside Russia itself toward Putin and the war effort, make it more likely the Kremlin could take dangerous, desperate actions to turn the tide. Pride is a dangerous thing. As the old saying goes, pride goes before the fall.  September 24: Breitbart News: My Son Hunter movie star says "It's absolutely appalling that this drug addict is on a plane with his father selling America's future to the Chinese"
Laurence Fox, the star of the movie My Son Hunter, has blasted the character he plays – Joe Biden's son Hunter – for his "appalling" behavior that included peddling his father's influence in a order to score lucrative business in counties hostile to the U.S. "Once you look at the way that the world has developed since then, and this sort of encroachment of this Chinese model — this social credit model — which we're witnessing, you start to think, how much has this family actually done via this very, very wild man, who is obviously very bright and very intelligent, but does he have America's best interest at heart? I don't think he does," Fox said. September 24: The Washington Examiner: Nevada emerging as a tight must win senate seat for Democrats Senate Democrats are playing defense in Nevada, a must-win state to hold or expand the party's current razor-thin mmovieajority. A swath of recent polls shows Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto trailing Republican rival Adam Laxalt, the former NV attorney general. That puts Senate Democrats in a tough position as Election Day nears. The Senate has been split 50-50 since January 2021, with the Vice President giving Democrats the majority with her tie breaking vote. Democrats are eager to expand that majority by at least one seat and have a good shot in Pennsylvania's open Senate race. But a Democratic expansion on that Senate majority relies on the party holding all its current seats. And recent surveys show that Cortez Masto is even more endangered politically than what her Democratic colleagues thought for most of the cycle. September 24: The Washington Times: House GOP presses former FBI official for interview about political corruption Top Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to former FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault, requesting a transcribed interview and the preservation of all existing and future documents related to his role in the politicization of the Department of Justice and the FBI. Late last month The Times reported on his resignation after a 30-year career at the FBI amid revelations about political statements he made while leading the public corruption unit. Congressmen Jim Jordan (R-OH), Darrell Issa (R-CA), and Mike Johnson (R-LA) made the request because of multiple disclosures from whistleblowers to the House Judiciary Committee minority staff. Several of the disclosures describe how the Washington, D.C.,  field office, in which Thibault worked, urged agents to track and monitor subjects they have reclassified as "domestic violent extremists" based on conservative activism or ideology.
September 24: One America News Network: NASA delays launch as storm approaches NASA said on Saturday that it was scrapping Tuesday's plans to launch Artemis, the U.S. return to the moon after five decades, noting concerns about a tropical storm headed to Florida. Tropical Storm Ian is expected to hit Florida, home to the Kennedy Space Center, next week, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Apart from weather and technical challenges like a fuel leak, Artemis I, the uncrewed test flight, signals a major turning point for NASA's post-Apollo human spaceflight program, after decades focused on low-Earth orbit with space shuttles and the International Space Station. Artemis will be headed to the moon, as a stepping stone for a future flight to Mars. Named for the goddess who was Apollo's twin sister in ancient Greek mythology, Artemis aims to return astronauts to the moon's surface as early as 2025, though many experts believe that time frame will likely slip. September 23: The Washington Times: Polls show DeSantis and Abbott have more support for transporting migrants to sanctuary cities then do their critics Most voters say GOP governors were justified in shipping illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities, according to new polling that shows Americans felt the states had no choice but to share the pain of the current chaos at the border. By a two-to-one margin, voters said the Biden Administration's failure to secure the border is a bigger problem than the governors' shipping of migrants. And more than 60% of voters said it was "hypocritical" of sanctuaries like Washington, Chicago and New York and yes, even Martha's Vineyard, to complain about the migrants being bused to them, according to polling done last week by RMG Research for the American First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank led by former Trump administration leaders. September 23: One America News Network: Harris: sending migrants to sanctuary cities is "inhumane" Kamala Harris is calling on red state governors to accept the consequences of open border policies. In an interview, Harris railed against Republican governors on a number of issues. After claiming that America can't fight for democracy without federal abortion laws, Harris redirected her ire towards the federally shared migrant burden. Specifically, the Democrat was not fond of migrants being shipped to her home, the Naval Observatory. Unlike the rest of the country, Harris's doors were closed to non-residents. She further lambasted governors Greg Abbott (R-TX) and Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for shipping illegal entrants into the country to sanctuary jurisdictions such as Chicago and Washington D.C.. Cities that once prided themselves on welcoming migrants have found it difficult to support individuals who have entered the United States with nothing. More than three quarters of the migrants shipped to New York City are living in the Big Apple's shelter system. Illinois has deployed the National Guard while shipping migrants to hotels in the Chicago suburbs. This comes much to the chagrin of their Republican mayors.. September 23: The Washington Examiner: Inflation, not abortion rights, appears to be the most important issue in the midterm elections The brief period in which some Democrats hoped that abortion would be the decisive factor in midterm races appears to be over. When the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced recently that inflation remains high and persistent, predictions that the cost of living would diminish as a factor in our politics were proven wrong. Poll after poll shows inflation is the voters' top concern. It is driving the midterm elections. Yes, abortion and crime and the border are issues. Democrats hope that former President Donald Trump, under relentless pursuit by the Justice Department, the attorney general of New York, a prosecutor in Georgia, and others, will be a factor, too. But inflation is the shaping factor, the driving factor, in the 2022 midterm. September 23: Fox Business: Investors dump US stocks in fear of worsening recession: Oil falls below $80 per/barrel U.S. stocks experienced another sharp selloff across the board with the Dow Jones Industrial Average touching an intraday bear market before ending slightly above that level with a 486 point loss as recession fears grow. In commodities, oil fell over 7% for the week ending at $78.74 per barrel. September 23: Fox News: House GOP releases its " Commitment to America" agenda House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) introduced the GOP's "Commitment to America" package on Friday, Republicans' sales pitch ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. It includes a strong economy, a safe nation, a future built on freedom, an accountable government. "That means you can fill up your tank. You can buy the groceries…" McCarthy said. "We have a plan for a nation that's safe. That means your community will be protected, your law enforcement will be respected. Your criminals will be prosecuted," he continued. His speech focused heavily on rising crime and the rapid decrease in sentencing under local and state Democrat governments. The agenda is critical as the midterms approach. September 22: The Epoch Times: Warrant reveals why MyPillow's CEO's cellphone was seized MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is being investigated by the Justice Department (DOJ) over alleged identity theft and damage to a protected computer relating to an alleged breach of voting machines in Colorado, court documents show. Lindell filed a lawsuit earlier this week against the DOJ and the FBI after agents seized his cell phone while he was at a Hardee's drive-through in Minnesota, earlier this month. His lawyers have argued that the phone seizure violated his First, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment rights. According to the lawsuit, the search and seizure warrant alleges identity theft, intentional damage to a protected computer, and conspiracy to commit identity theft or intentionally damage a protected computer. It states that all records and information on Lindell's phone that "constitute fruits, evidence, or instrumentalities of violations" of the alleged acts should be searched. It further states that Lindell is among several other individuals, including Mesa County, Colorado, election clerk Tina Peters, who are part of an investigation into the alleged security breach of voting equipment in Mesa County. September 21: The Washington Times: Putin activates reserves, threatens nuclear war Russian President Putin lobbed nuclear threats Wednesday at the West as he announced the partial mobilization of his country's military reserves, hinting that the Kremlin may be setting the stage for major escalation of its faltering ground invasion of Ukraine. In a televised address, Putin claimed Ukraine and its Western allies want to erode Russia's independence. He vowed that Moscow will use all tools at its disposal to stop that effort and said his warnings are not a "bluff." "Those who are attempting to blackmail us with nuclear weapons must be aware that the prevailing winds may also turn towards their side," he said. September 20: The Daily Caller: Profits plummet and cars left unfinished as Ford tries to cope with Biden's inflation As Ford grapples with nearly $1 billion in elevated expenses from suppliers due to inflationary pressures, those same suppliers have been unable to provide parts for nearly 45,000 trucks and SUVs, forcing them to be left unfinished in the third quarter. Ford noted that it didn't anticipate its yearly revenue would need to be adjusted, as it expected the affected trucks and SUVs to be sold in the third quarter, but its estimated profit of around $1.5 billion in quarter three is about half of the expected $3 billion in quarterly profits. Ford stocks fell almost 5% in after-hours trading Monday following the news. September 20: The Washington Times: Putin may be planning an escalation in the invasion of Ukraine The White House on Tuesday warned that Russian President Putin may be preparing to surge more troops into Ukraine after four Russian-controlled regions announced plans to hold referenda on joining Russia. National Security Adviser Jakwe Sullivan said, "We know that Russia will use the sham referenda as a basis to purportedly annex these territories either now or in the future," noting that the U.S. will never accept the territory as being anything other than belonging to Ukraine. Sullivan also said there are reports that Putin may be preparing to mobilize Russian reservists in order to conscript more Russians to fight in this "brutal war." Russia has sustained heavy territorial losses in recent weeks from aggressive counter-offensives by Ukrainian forces. September 20: The Daily Signal: Uncool! Biden calls upon senate to ratify an agreement that will raise the cost of air conditioning After a hot summer with utility bills rising, reasonable people would think that Joe Biden would want to keep air conditioning costs low for Americans. But the Senate is poised to vote on a climate treaty that would raise those costs and put yet another notch in the belt of Biden's whole-of-government, whole-of-the-economy climate agenda. Biden is seeking ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the U.N. Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The treaty has very little to do with global warming, but it offers a convenient cover to slip in costly climate policy that would drive Americans' air conditioning costs even higher by mandating a phasing down of hydrofluorocarbons -- the most common and affordable compounds used in the U.S. and globally for air conditioning, refrigeration, building insulation, semiconductor manufacturing, and even fire extinguishers. Hydrofluorocarbons have a target of global warming alarmists for elimination, regardless of the costs or benefits of doing so. This action by the Administration could potentially impact the cooling of homes, cars, businesses hospitals, and the list goes on. September 19: Fox News: Federal Appeals Court upholds Texas anti-censorship law A federal appeals court upheld a Texas law on Friday that seeks to curb censorship by social media platforms. The ruling, a major victory for Republicans who charge companies like Twitter and Facebook are limiting free speech, is a step in a major legal battle that could end up at the Supreme Court. The lawsuit is challenging a Texas bill signed into law by Governor Abbott that regulates social media platforms with more than 50 million monthly users [Google, Facebook and Twitter] and says they cannot censor or limit users’ speech based upon viewpoint expression. Federal Judge Andrew Oldham of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said the platforms argued for “a rather odd inversion of the First Amendment” that “buried somewhere in the person’s enumerated right to free speech lies a corporatoin’s unenumerated right to muzzle speech.” September 19: News Max: Trump back at FL home, says FBI "ransacked" his home President Trump is back at his Mar-a-Lago residence — lamenting on Monday his Palm Beach, Fla., home had been "ransacked" by the FBI's seizure of White House documents and would "never be the same." Trump said he had "a long and detailed chance" on Sunday night to look around the property. "Arrived in Florida last night and had a long and detailed chance to check out the scene of yet another government "crime," the FBI's Raid and Break-In of my home, Mar-a-Lago," he wrote. "I guess they don't think there is a Fourth Amendment anymore, and to them, there isn't. In any event, after what they have done, the place will never be the same. It was 'ransacked,' and in far different condition than the way I left it. Many Agents - And they didn't even take off their shoes in my bedroom." In August, Trump accused investigators of leaving former first lady Melania Trump's closet in a "mess" after the search. He also claimed investigators searched his son Barron's room. The former president has argued the search was politically motivated and was upset at both the FBI and DOJ for conducting the seizure — at one point suggesting evidence may have been planted by the FBI, The Hill reported. September 18: Taipei Times: Regulatory change in Washington putting Taiwan oversight at the China desk, seen as the wrong message The Pentagon moving its Taiwan portfolio to the office of US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China Michael Chase from its East Asia office has prompted concern among some lawmakers in Taiwan, as Washington insiders have said the shift sends Beijing the wrong message. The Politico news organization on Friday reported the administrative change, saying in a headline that the Pentagon was "watering down" its focus on Taiwan. The change is "a shift that lawmakers and former officials say sends the wrong signal to Beijing as the Chinese military steps up drills around [Taiwan]," the Politico report said. September 18: The Epoch Times: Biden's anti-MAGA speech is making it difficult to project this year's election According to a top independent pollster, polls may significantly undercount Republican voters and supporters of Donald Trump following Joe Biden's anti-MAGA speech that attacked "MAGA Republicans" earlier this month. Trafalgar Group chief pollster Robert Cahaly wrote that Biden's speech will make it more difficult to survey or even estimate Trump-aligned voters than in prior years. He noted that in 2016, a number of presidential polls and predictions proved to be inaccurate. In 2016 they were called 'Deplorables' and other unflattering names," Cahaly said. "This was a major contributor to the 'shy Trump voter' phenomenon that 'most' polling missed." In 2020, "people who supported Trump or espoused conservative values out of step with 'Woke' culture found themselves being 'canceled' or 'doxed,'" he continued. "This led to 'hidden voters' that 'most' polling under counted, therefore Trump support in key battleground states exceeded expectations. Now [the] Biden administration has essentially classified 'MAGA Republicans' as a threat to democracy marshaling federal law enforcement to focus on them," the pollster wrote. September 18: The Washington Times: "Rust belt" states like Ohio are solidly GOP bastions Six years after Donald Trump told the Republican National Convention that he could fix things, his supporters remain committed to that fundamental cause. That's particularly true in Eastern Ohio, perhaps the epitome of Trump country. Twenty years ago the region was reliably Democratic, albeit with a conservative working-class tinge, but it has swung overwhelmingly toward the GOP along with the rest of the state. Ohio backed Obama in two elections, but went for Trump by a strong 8-point margin in 2016 and 2020. Trump is the first Republican since 1972 to win Mahoning County, home to Youngstown, and if anything, his support here has hardened in the two years since the last election amid deepening distrust in national institutions, cultural changes, rising crime and rampant inflation.  September 18: The Washington Examiner: Lame duck Arizona House Speaker slams 2020 election deniers
Outgoing Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers slammed Republican candidates who back Donald Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Bowers, who was defeated in a bid for the state Senate last month, was responsible for killing a bill that would make it easier for the state legislature to reject election results. He said "The legislature, after the election, could dismiss the election." As House speaker, Bowers referred the bill to all 12 House committees for review; a process that will most likely run out the clock before it can be considered by the whole House. Bowers has been an outspoken critic of Trump's actions following the 2020 election, but he said he would still likely support him in 2024 if he is the GOP nominee. Bowers has been censured by the Arizona GOP for no longer being "a Republican in good standing." IMAGE: MickeyMouse.jpg  September 18: Fox Business: Disney enthusiasts say the "Mouse Park" has lost its magic
According to a recent study a majority of "self-described Disney World enthusiasts" say the Florida theme park has "lost its magic" due to skyrocketing costs. The study from gambling website Time2play surveyed 1,927 "Disney World enthusiasts," and of those, 68.3% reported that the price hikes make them feel like the theme park has "lost its magic." A whopping 92.6% reported that they believe the high costs for the park has made a vacation for the average family "out of reach." A ticket for Disney World's Magic Kingdom in 1971 was a total of $3.50. When adjusting for inflation, that would mean tickets would be about $25.60 today. Instead, tickets for one Disney World Park range from $109 to $159 per day, according to the study. Nearly 50% of respondents reported postponing a trip due to the price. September 17: The Washington Times: VA Governor seeks new transgender sudent policies Gov. Glenn Youngkin's (R-VA) administration has rewritten Virginia's model policies for the treatment of transgender students, issuing guidance for school divisions that would roll back some accommodations and tighten parental notification requirements. The new model policies from the Virginia Department of Education, which were posted online Friday, say students' participation in certain school programming and use of school facilities like bathrooms or locker rooms should be based on their biological sex, with modifications offered only to the extent required under federal law. The policies also say that students who are minors must be referred to by the name and pronouns in their official records, unless a parent approves the use of something else. The new guidelines say parents must be given an opportunity to object before counseling services pertaining to gender are offered. September 17: The Epoch Times: Federal appeals court rules Texas law that impacts free speech censorship by social media companies A federal appeals court in New Orleans has ruled in favor of a Texas law that seeks to rein in the power of social media companies like Facebook and Twitter to censor free speech. The decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the constitutionality of a Texas law signed last year and delivers a victory to Republicans in their fight against big tech censorship of conservative viewpoints. "Today we reject the idea that corporations have a freewheeling First Amendment right to censor what people say," U.S. Circuit Court Judge Andrew Oldham wrote in the opinion. "Because the district court held otherwise, we reverse its injunction and remand for further proceedings," Oldham added, setting the stage for a showdown in the U.S. Supreme Court. The judge said the implications of the big tech platforms' argument are "staggering" as they would allow entities like social media companies, banks, and mobile phone companies to cancel the accounts of people who express views or spend money in support of political parties or views such corporations oppose. Oldham also said that the protections sought by platforms in challenging the Texas law would allow them to win a dominant market position by attracting users with misleading claims of being champions of free speech but later cracking down on expression. September 17: Fox News: Martha's Vineyard merchant; There's a process for coming to America, follow that At least one person on this oasis of leftist elites blames federal officials for the illegal immigration crisis that thrust Martha's Vineyard into the national spotlight. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) sent 50 migrants by plane Wednesday to the Massachusetts island, which boasts one of the wealthiest and most hard-left voting blocs in the nation. "I think it was a political stunt," Paul Sinclair of Rhode Island told Fox News Digital on Saturday, as he sold t-shirts and surf gear during a street festival on Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs, one of the commercial hubs of Martha's Vineyard. Sinclair saw the "stunt" as a way to make voters in the northeast pay attention to the burden faced daily by small border communities in the American southwest. "In terms of coming (to America), I have no issue with that," said Sinclair. "But there is a process. There is a path you should follow. Follow that. Document it, the process and procedure for coming over." September 17: The Washington Examiner: DC Mayor: We can't handle migrants, we're not Texas Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser says her city does not have the "infrastructure" to handle the sudden influx of immigration because it is not a "border town" or state. The Democratic mayor addressed the recent busing of illegal immigrants from Texas to the Naval Observatory, the home of VP Harris, on an order from Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX). "We're not a border town," Bowser told reporters "We don't have an infrastructure to handle this type of and level of immigration to our city. ... We're not Texas." Well guess what, Mayor, neither does Texas, which may be part of the reason they are being sent to you. September 16: The Washington Times: Special Master wasted no time in getting started The newly appointed special master reviewing the records seized by DOJ last month from President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, wasted no time Friday evening by quickly scheduling a hearing between Trump's legal team and lawyers from the Justice Department. U.S. District Court Judge Raymond Dearie, who was appointed Thursday night by a Florida federal judge, ordered both sides to appear in a Brooklyn federal courthouse at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Judge Dearie also requested the lawyers submit proposed agenda items for the meeting by the close of business Monday. September 16: iHeart Radio – KTRH Radio News (Houston): Another mass grave found in Ukraine At least 440 bodies were found at a mass burial site in Izium after the city was recently recaptured from Russian forces, Ukraine's Defensive Ministry announced on Friday. The announcement comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed that his country's citizens and international journalists would be shown what had been uncovered by authorities. "We want the world to know what is really happening and what the Russian occupation has led to," Zelensky said. Some of the graves found at Izium were described as "fresh," while most of the corpses are believed to be "civilians," according to Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communications. Izium was the site of Russian artillery attacks in April and served as a key hub for five months of occupation during its ongoing invasion. Ukrainian troops took back control of Izium last Saturday. September 16: News Max: Apparently the residents of Martha's Vineyard don't want illegal migrants either, MA National Guard moves them to Joint Base, Cape Cod Migrants flown to Martha's Vineyard by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) are being transported to Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC). Gov. Charlie Baker's (D-MA) administration on Friday released details to provide shelter and humanitarian support for the migrants, and added that the National Guard will be activated as part of the relief effort. "Buses have arrived to transport the migrants from Martha's Vineyard. I just spoke with two men who traveled together who said they don't know where they are headed, but we're told it would be somewhere safe and with more room," NBC Boston reported. Apparently, the affluent residents of Martha's Vineyard like the idea of having sanctuary cities but just not in their own backyard. Southern border states have been sending a small number of migrants to sanctuary states in the north, but in numbers far short of those who are invading the southern border. September 16: News Max: Judge says NYC can't fire city firefighter for not getting a COVID shot A New York Police Department officer can't be fired for not having been vaccinated against COVID-19, a judge in Manhattan has ruled. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arlene Bluth ruled on Tuesday that officer Alexander Deletto should be permitted to keep his job, according to the New York Post. She said the city did not provide the Brooklyn-based cop with an explanation on why it rejected his application for a religious exemption. The newspaper said the ruling could aid nearly 24 police officers who have filed similar cases. September 16: The Jerusalem Post: Abraham Accords stronger two years later The signing of the Abraham Accords two years ago marked the start of a positive relationship for the benefit of all; like all relationships, there must be an effort to maintain it. This week marked the second anniversary of the Abraham Accords, under which Israel signed normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which were later extended to Morocco. Skeptics at the time noted Israel had not been at war with these Arab Muslim states and downplayed the idea that the accords –reached under the Trump Administration and Netanyahu government – could be called "peace treaties." September 15: The Epoch Times: Judge names Special Master to review Trump documents seized by the FBI Florida-based U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Thursday appointed a senior Brooklyn federal judge to serve as special master to independently review documents the FBI seized from President Trump's Florida estate. U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie will serve as an independent arbiter in the case, tasked with deciding whether any of the seized documents are privileged and should be off limits to federal investigators. Cannon rejected the DOJ's bid to revive its criminal investigation into classified documents seized during the unprecedented raid at Mar-a-Lago last month. The matter is expected to move quickly to an appeals court, and potentially the U.S. Supreme Court. Earlier in the week DOJ said Dearie has "substantial judicial experience" in cases involving national security and privilege concerns to qualify him for the special master role. President Ronald Reagan appointed Dearie to the federal bench in Brooklyn in 1986, where he was chief judge of that court from 2007 to 2011. Before that he served as U.S. attorney there. He now serves as a semi-retired senior judge. Dearie also served on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Court between 2011 and 2019. That court reviews warrant applications from the U.S. government on matters of national security. [See related story] September 15: The Daily Caller: Residents of Martha's Vineyard scramble to take care of the 50 illegal aliens flown in by DeSantis Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, is scrambling to support a "humanitarian crisis" of just 50 illegal migrants sent to the island by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Local officials are soliciting outside help and preparing to open more shelter space as they prepare for more flights to arrive. The island has opened two local shelters thus far, according to a statement from the Dukes County Emergency Management Association. Meanwhile, some local officials are seeking non-local shelter options. The State of Massachusetts is also working to set up a "temporary shelter" at Joint Base Cape Cod. September 15: One America News Network: Records show Biden has leased fewer oil and gas leases than any president in the last 80 years A new report from the Department of the Interior (DOI) shows the Biden Administration has leased fewer acres of land for oil and gas drilling on federal lands and waters since former President Harry Truman in the 1940s. DOI has given out leases for 126,228 acres through August 20, 2022, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis. The last president to lease out less than 4.4 million acres at this point in the first term of his presidency was Richard Nixon in 1969-1970. "Joe Biden has beent simply a radical throughout his entire career in public service," Larry Behrans, communications director for Power the Future, told One America News. "And so, the fact that he had the reins of the federal government and is punishing American energy independence like he has is something that really should surprise no one." Biden failed to mention that inflation hit a worse than expected 8.3% earlier today. Specifically, energy services increased 19.8% year-over-year and utility (piped) gas service jumped 33%. Berhans says Biden refusing to lease acres for drilling is sending Americans a terrible message in light of these numbers. "The green ideology and the cult of the environmental movement is more important than American family budgets," Behrans said. "It's really that simple." Behrans says the Biden Administration could not care less that the average American family is struggling to make ends meet.  September 15: Fox News: Russia; US will cross a red line if it gives Ukraine long-range missiles
On Thursday, Russia issued another threat to the U.S., saying it would cross a "red line" if Washington supplied Ukraine with longer-range missiles. Moscow "reserves the right to defend its territory," Foreign Minister Maria Zakharova said during a briefing, according to Reuters. The U.S. has already provided 16 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (shown) to Ukraine with more on the way. They have a range of roughly 50 miles. Ukraine has called on the U.S. and other nations to assist it further as it pushes the frontline farther east and retakes territory in the northern Kharkiv region. Kyiv has argued for months that it needs missiles with a longer reach like the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which has a range of roughly 185 miles, to grapple with its roughly 1,500-mile-long battle front. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his troops will not stop resisting Russia until all of Ukraine has been liberated, including Crimea, which Russia has occupied since 2014. The current administration is not likely to provide ATACMS systems to the Ukrainians. September 15: The Daily Caller: IL Gov declares emergency over illegal immigrants sent to his state Democrat Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared a state of emergency which will unlock resources as migrants are being dropped off in Chicago from Texas. The declaration will allow state and local agencies to provide humanitarian assistance and resources including emergency shelter, housing, food, transportation and medical assessments, he announced. He also announced the deployment of 75 members of the National Guard manage the migrant influx. The governor then condemned Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for sending the migrants to Chicago and other cities around the country. Some migrants have voluntarily boarded the buses and there is no indication they have been forced to travel to other locations.  September 15: iHeart Radio-KTRH Radio News(Houston): Unions and railroads reach tentative deal in effort to avoid a nationwide strike
Major railroads and union workers reached a tentative deal after 20 hours of negotiations to avoid a strike that could've led to nationwide disruption, Biden announced. "For the American people, the hard work done to reach this tentative agreement means that our economy can avert the significant damage any shutdown would have brought," he said. Biden's statement didn't expand on details of the new deal and neither labor unions or railway companies have provided comments as of Thursday morning. September 14: The Washington Examiner: Zelensky is fine after car crash Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was involved in a car crash in Kyiv that wounded his driver but left the leader unharmed, the president's spokesman said Thursday local time. Serhiy Nikiforov announced in a statement that there were no serious injuries, and the president was cleared after being examined by medics. The crash happened as Zelensky was returning from the newly retaken city of Izyum, in the Kharkiv region where Ukrainian forces have Russia's invading military on the run-in recent days. September 14: One America News Network: My Pillow CEO had his cell phone seized by the FBI and was then told not to tell anybody about it! He did so anyway! MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell claims he was surrounded by the FBI. During his show on Tuesday, he broke the news to his audience that the government agency surrounded him at a Hardees restaurant and seized his cell phone. The FBI has since confirmed it executed a search warrant, which was authorized by a federal judge. Lindell later showed what appears to be a subpoena for his phone then said the FBI also told him to keep "hush" on the matter while the investigation is ongoing.  September 14: The Daily Caller: Railroad strike could impact 30% of goods, shutting down the economy
As time runs out for railway unions and railway companies to avoid a strike before a Friday morning deadline, logistics experts warned that a rail strike would have a "ripple effect" that would negatively impact every facet of the U.S. economy. Two of 12 major railway unions have yet to sign an agreement with rail companies, citing concerns regarding sick days and attendance, while a third saw its members vote down the agreement on Wednesday despite the White House-brokered deal including a record-breaking 24% pay hike over the next five years. Should the unions strike on Friday, it could prompt 7,000 long distance daily freight trains to be left idle, representing nearly 40% of all long distance trade in the United States, the largest of all forms of transit, according to CNBC. September 14: Fox News: Florida sends two airplanes full of migrants to Martha's Vineyard -- home of the rich and famous Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis followed through on his promise to drop off illegal immigrants in progressive states, sending two planes full of migrants to Martha's Vineyard on Wednesday. A video provided to Fox News Digital shows the migrants deboarding the planes at Martha's Vineyard Airport in Massachusetts. "States like Massachusetts, New York and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as 'sanctuary states' and support for the Biden administration's open border policies," she said. "As you may know, in this past legislative session the Florida legislature appropriated $12 million to implement a program to facilitate the transport of illegal immigrants from this state consistent with federal law," she added. The office of Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker responded to an after-hours email from Fox News Digital, saying it was aware of the situation and that the arrivals were provided short-term shelter. September 13: The Epoch Times: Kagan: SCOTUS expect a leak update soon Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan said on Sept. 12 that justices will be updated by month's end on the progress of an internal investigation into the wintertime leak of a draft abortion opinion that previewed the reversal of Roe v. Wade. If those investigating have "not figured out who the perpetrator was," it remains to be seen how the court would prevent another leak from happening, she said. The justices need to be able to privately deliberate "and you can't do that if you know that you might wake up tomorrow morning and there is a decision and it is on the front page of newspapers." Kagan's comments came as the Supreme Court prepared to embark on a new term on Oct. 3. High-profile cases scheduled or expected to be heard include a case about the authority of state legislatures to set the rules for redistricting and congressional and presidential elections, a challenge to affirmative action in college admissions, a challenge to the Clean Water Act, a case about a Colorado law forcing a graphic designer to create websites to celebrate same-sex marriage despite her religion-based opposition to them, and a case about California's efforts to export its agriculture policies to the rest of the country. September 13: The Epoch Times: Biden decides not to enforce vaccine mandate on federal contractors Joe Biden's administration has opted not to enforce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors, following a recent court decision that enabled the government to enforce the rule in some parts of the country. The White House Safer Federal Workforce quietly updated its website on Aug. 31 to say that the government "will take no action to implement or enforce" Biden's executive order mandating COVID-19 vaccination for contractors. Clauses in existing agreements that implement requirements of the order will also not be enforced "absent further written notice," the workforce added. The workforce also made other updates, including clarifying that screening for COVID-19 symptoms for contractors can be self-conducted and does not need to be verified by government workers. The administration is already facing multiple suits regarding the mandate, and the decision could stem from wanting to avoid additional litigation, Ben Brubeck, ABC's vice president of regulatory, labor, and state affairs, said. September 13: The Washington Times: Affidavit shows Trump had returned more documents than previously reported A federal judge on Tuesday unsealed new portions of the affidavit used by the FBI to justify its search of former President Trump's residence, revealing for the first time that he had returned more documents to the government than originally reported. But it also revealed that the FBI had "probable cause to believe" that it would find additional classified materials, including national defense information, at Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence beyond what he had already turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration. The newly unredacted portions show that Trump handed over additional documents with classification markings in response to a grand jury subpoena. Those materials were in addition to the original 15 boxes of records that Trump provided the National Archives in January. September 13: Fox Business: August inflation breakdown: Where are prices hitting Americans the hardest Inflation rose more than expected in August as the rising cost of food and rent offset a major decline in gasoline prices. The Labor Department said Tuesday that the consumer price index, a broad measure of the price for everyday goods including gasoline, groceries and rents, rose 8.3% in August from a year ago. Those figures were both higher than the 8.1% expected inflation rate. The higher inflation rate is a worrisome sign for the Federal Reserve as it seeks to cool price gains and tame consumer demand with an aggressive interest rate hike campaign. The FED will meet this coming month and projections are that there could be an interest rate increase as much .75%-1%. Stocks sank on the surprisingly with the Dow Jones Industrial Average shedding more than 1,000 points on Tuesday afternoon. September 13: The Washington Times: Ukraine's new dilemma; How far and how fast Ukraine's stunning successes on the battlefield in recent days have sparked renewed optimism in Kyiv that a lasting, decisive victory over Russia may be within reach. Still, the rapid pace of the Ukrainian counteroffensive comes with high-stakes questions. Military analysts openly cautioned Kyiv on Tuesday to slow its attacks or risk overextending its forces and giving the shellshocked Russian army an opportunity to regain its footing. Striking the right balance between pressing its advantage and exercising strategic restraint will be the key challenge to Ukrainian military leaders — and their U.S. and other Western military advisers — over the coming days and weeks. After months of defense against relentless Russian ground attacks and artillery barrages, Ukraine's counteroffensive campaign has quickly retaken ground, including the strategically vital northeastern city of Kharkiv, with more modest gains in the south near Kherson. September 12: The Epoch Times: Attorney; suspicious actors in January 6th raid never arrested Members of an Ohio-based Christian group called the Salt and Light Brigade were among the "suspicious actors" who breached the police lines on the east side of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and engaged in a so called "stunning conspiracy" to commit illegal acts that were falsely ascribed to the Oath Keepers, a defense attorney contends. The attorney, Brad Geyer, Kenneth Harrelson's lawyer in his January 6 criminal case, filed a motion identifying dozens of people allegedly associated with the Salt and Light Brigade as among those who pushed past police on the east side and moved up to the Columbus Doors entrance to the Capitol Rotunda. Geyer said Salt and Light Brigade members engaged in a "stunning conspiracy" to attack the Capitol, but have faced no charges. Several members and associates of the group claim to have worked in intelligence jobs, including a former Green Beret with experience in "special operations, covert operations, psychological operations, undercover operations, [and] surveillance operations." Others have claimed they have high-level government security clearances, he said. In his filing, Geyer also alleged DOJ has hamstrung defense attorneys by not providing evidence requested by the defense and failing to provide exculpatory information such as the FBI's possible use of confidential human sources—informants—inside the Oath Keepers. September 12: CNN: Who will serve as Special Master? One of the candidates that former President Donald Trump's legal team put forward as a special master to review the documents seized from Mar-a-Lago could be appointed, according to a court filing. DOJ said senior Judge Raymond Dearie is acceptable, along with its two previously proposed selections: retired federal judges Barbara Jones and Thomas Griffith. "Each have substantial judicial experience, during which they have presided over federal criminal and civil cases, including federal cases involving national security and privilege concerns," prosecutors wrote. Dearie, originally a nominee of former President Ronald Reagan, has served as a federal judge in New York since the 1980s. He retired in 2011 and is now a senior judge on the circuit. Dearie also served a seven-year term on the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, or FISA court. He was one of the judges who approved an FBI and DOJ request to surveil Carter Page, a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, as part of the federal inquiry into the now debunked Russia Gate inquiry. September 12: Breitbart News: German minister blames Merkel for 16 years of bad energy policy as the nation faces a cold winter Germany's economy and climate minister has angrily lashed out at Angela Merkel's party, accusing it of being responsible for "16 years of energy policy failure." While the ongoing gas crisis across Europe gets steadily worse, political tensions in Germany appear to be growing, with the country's economic and climate minister, Robert Habeck, angrily lashing out the Christian Democratic Union party of former chancellor Angela Merkel. Despite having been warned by then-President Donald Trump that relying on Russia for energy was endangering the security of both Germany and her allies, Merkel's government presided over a green agenda-fueled shift away from domestic fossil fuel production that made the country ever more reliant on gas exports supplied by Moscow. Now, in the wake of the Ukraine war, Germany has all but completely lost access to its supply of gas from Vladimir Putin, prompting fears that many will be unable to properly heat their homes this winter. 
September 11: The Washington Free Beacon: St. Paul's rings the
bell of hope on 21st anniversary of the terrorist attack on the
world trade center St. Paul's Chapel (ritght), located across from the World Trade Center, rang its Bell of Hope in remembrance of the September 11 terrorist attacks that took place 21 years ago. Every year since 2002, the chapel has rung the bell at the precise moment that the first plane struck the World Trade Center. The bell was gifted to New York City by London and was created by the same foundry that forged the Liberty Bell. September 11: News Max: Russian nationalists rage after Putin's setbacks in Ukraine Russian nationalists called angrily on Sunday for President Vladimir Putin to make immediate changes to ensure ultimate victory in the Ukraine war, a day after Moscow was forced to abandon its main bastion in northeastern Ukraine. The swift fall of Izium in Kharkiv province was Russia's worst military defeat since its troops were forced back from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in March. In an 11-minute-long voice message posted to the Telegram messaging app, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a Putin ally whose troops have been at the forefront of the campaign in Ukraine, dismissed the loss of Izium, a critical supply hub. But he conceded the campaign was not going to plan. Meanwhile, News Max noted a New York Times report crediting U.S. intelligence in helping Ukraine plan an effective counteroffensive that might have Russia on the run in the east and south of Ukraine. Ukraine, which had been reluctant to share intelligence with U.S. officials, has stepped up its sharing and capitalized on U.S. knowledge of Russian munitions, positions, weaknesses, and targets in plotting the current move this summer, officials told the Times. "The Ukrainian military's counteroffensive is moving faster and taking terrain even faster than expected," former CIA officer Mick Mulroy said. "Now is the time for the Ukrainian army to exploit every opportunity they have to degrade and destroy the Russian capacity to fight." September 11: The Washington Examiner: Prince Andrew to inherit the Queen's pooches Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will take ownership of Queen Elizabeth's corgis, a source close to the royal said on Sunday. Andrew and Fergie, amicably divorced in 1996 but continued to live together at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate. The mansion is located just a few miles from Windsor Castle, one of the late monarch's primary residences until her passing last week. The former couple, along with their two daughters: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, gifted the queen the two corgis early last year, at about the time of her husband Prince Philip's death. September 10: The Washington Examiner: Democrat LA mayoral candidate's home burglarized Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) says her home was burglarized over the weekend and two guns were stolen from the property. Bass's campaign said in a statement Saturday that the Friday break-in at her Baldwin Vista home took place when no one was home and that no valuables besides the firearms were taken. Still, the burglary comes at a time of skyrocketing crime in the Golden State, a major issue in Bass's mayoral race against Republican businessman Rick Caruso. September 10: The Epoch Times: 'Unethical' and Up to 98 Times Worse Than the Disease: Top Scientists Publish Paradigm-Shifting Study About COVID-19 Boosters for Young Adults A team of nine experts from Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and other top universities has published paradigm-shifting research about the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines and why mandating vaccines for college students is unethical. This 50-page study, which was published on the Social Science Research Network at the end of August, analyzed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and industry-sponsored data on vaccine adverse events, and concluded that mandates for COVID-19 boosters for young people may cause 18 to 98 actual serious adverse events for each COVID-19 infection-related hospitalization theoretically prevented. September 10: The Daily Caller: Biden calls upon federal judge to appoint Democrat donor as Special Master over Trump documents Joe Biden's Justice Department (DOJ) is proposing that a federal judge appoint a Democratic donor and former judge to serve as special master in the Trump Mar-a-Lago investigation. The DOJ recommended in a Friday filing that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida appoint Barbara Jones as special master — an appointee who oversees litigation and makes court recommendations. Records show Jones, a retired judge in the Southern District of New York, has donated thousands to Democratic causes. September 10: Fox News: Recommendations for Special Master for Trump documents submitted to federal judge The United States government and the legal team of former President Trump have both submitted their preferred candidates to serve as an independent special master to review the records seized by the FBI during its unprecedented raid of Mar-a-Lago last month but the two sides disagree on the scope of duties that person would have. The Trump team proposed one retired judge, Raymond Dearie —the former top federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York — and a prominent Florida lawyer, Paul Huck, Jr. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had given both sides until Friday to submit potential candidates for the role of a special master, as well as proposals for the scope of the person's duties and the schedule for his or her work. On September 12th, both parties are expected to advise the judge about their respective positions. Lawyers for Trump said they believe the so-called special master should review all documents seized by the FBI during its search last month including records with classification markings, and filter out any that may be protected by claims of executive privilege. DOJ, by contrast, said it does not believe the arbiter should be permitted to inspect classified records or resolve potential claims of executive privilege. September 9: The Daily Caller: Mayors of sanctuary cities balk at buses with illegal immigrants being sent to their cities Democratic mayors who once touted their cities as sanctuaries for illegal migrants are now complaining about receiving migrants bused from the border. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began busing illegal migrants to Washington, D.C., in April, New York City in early August and Chicago in late August. Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey also began busing illegal migrants to Washington in May. And this month, the Democrat-controlled city of El Paso has chartered buses to follow suit. All of the destinations are considered sanctuary cities, which means illegal migrants' immigration statuses won't be reported to authorities. Despite their open rhetoric towards illegal migrants, the Democrat mayors running those cities are now complaining about the arriving buses. September 9: Fox News: Russia arrests five who charged Putin with treason over the Ukraine invasion Russian police arrested five people who proposed officials arrest and charge Vladimir Putin with treason for his decision to launch the invasion of Ukraine, which has led to catastrophic outcomes for Russia and its interests. "The fact that several municipal deputies in St. Petersburg, Putin's hometown, came forward accusing [him] of treason and calling for his removal is highly significant," Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer and author of "Putin's Playbook," said. "They know the punishment will be severe. They can easily face a death sentence based on Russian federal law. The significance of this act of defiance and dissent by a handful of Russian officials cannot be possibly overstated." The deputies appealed to the central governing body known as the Duma to punish Putin for countless deaths of military personnel, prompting economic sanctions from other nations, motivating NATO to expand and leading Ukraine to build its military power.  September 8: Politico.com: Local Nevada county official charged with stabbing of investigative journalist who uncovered the official's misdoings
Police in Las Vegas have charged a local elected official with murder in connection with the stabbing death of Jeff German, an investigative reporter with the Las Vegas Review-Journal who had spent the last few months exposing misdeeds and turmoil in the official's office. Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, a 45-year-old Democrat, was taken into custody on Wednesday after police conducted a search in his home. On Thursday, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters Telles had been charged with murder after authorities found a positive match for Telles' DNA with the genetic material found underneath German's fingernails and part of the cut up disguise the is alleged to have used.  September 8: United Press International: Queen Elizabeth II passes at 96 being the longest serving monarch of the British Empire Buckingham Palace announced today that Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history, died at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on Thursday at the age of 96. "The queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The king and the queen consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow," the palace's statement read. Her son, Charles, would ascend the throne. He will be known as King Charles III. September 8: Fox News: New UK Prime Minster ends ban on fracking amid rising energy crisis UK Prime Minister Liz Truss ended England's ban on fracking Thursday, opening the door to domestic shale gas production amid a European energy crisis. The return of fracking is just one piece of a larger energy and economy plan Truss is pursuing in her first weeks since gaining office. Her administration also announced a national freeze on household energy prices, a plan that will cost the government tens of billions. Under Truss's plan, household energy costs will be limited to $2,900 per year after ballooning to $4,100 in 2022. The U.K. and other European countries have faced a worsening energy crisis due to heavy dependence on oil and gas imports from Russia which in recent days has limited supplies to NATO countries after they imposed economic sanctions because its invasion of Ukraine. September 8: The Washington Times: Biden Administration adopts lenient policy on welfare for illegal immigrants Biden's Department of Homeland Security on Thursday announced it has adopted a new lenient policy on immigrants' use of welfare, tossing a Trump-era policy that would have been far stricter. Under the new system, known as the "public charge" rule, immigrants will only be penalized for potential welfare use if the government believes they will eventually become "primarily dependent" on government payments. By contrast, living in government housing, using Medicaid for health coverage or accepting food stamps wouldn't count against an immigrant. September 8: The New York Post: Justice Department to appeal Federal Court Justice's decision calling for a special master to review documents seized from Trump The Justice Department will appeal a federal judge's decision ordering the selection of a special master to review documents taken by the FBI last month from former President Donald Trump's Florida home. The department filed a notice of appeal Thursday. US District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled Monday that an independent third party should review documents taken by agents Aug. 8 from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, which the authorities say included official secrets. Trump's legal team claims that personal medical and tax records were seized by FBI agents during the raid. September 6: Fox News: White House press secretary taken on over 2016 comment on election being stolen from Hillary Clinton Fox News reporter Peter Doocy confronted White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre with her own past tweets denying election results and asking her whether it was as "extreme" to do so in 2016 and in the Georgia gubernatorial election of 2018 as it was in 2020. Jean-Pierre claimed on Twitter that Trump had stolen the election in 2016 and that Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp had stolen his election in 2018. Doocy pressed the White House spokesperson to explain why "MAGA Republicans" were facing so much criticism for their claims that the 2020 election was stolen when she and other Democrats had cast doubt on other elections. September 6: The Washington Times: Biden refuses to list Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism as requested by Ukrainian government Joe Biden is rejecting calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. The White House said Tuesday that the designation could have "unintended consequences for Ukraine and the world" and undermine the U.S. ability to support Ukraine at the negotiating table. "We do not think this is the most effective way to go or the strongest path forward," White House press secretary Karine Jeanne-Pierre told reporters. br />  September 6: The Daily Caller: Reportedly the FBI secretly pressured Americans to waive their gun rights Reportedly the FBI secretly pressured Americans into signing forms that relinquish their rights to own, purchase or even use firearms, according to a trove of internal documents and communications. The forms were presented by the FBI to people at their homes and in other undisclosed locations documents unearthed through the Freedom of Information Act request of the FBI by the firearm rights group Gun Owners of America (GOA). Apparently at least 15 people between 2016 and 2019 signed the secret forms, which ask signatories to declare themselves as either a "danger" to themselves or others or lacking "mental capacity adequately to contract or manage" their lives.  September 5: The Epoch Times: Human interest story; WVA coal miners help electric vehicle owner whose car ran out of juice in the middle of nowhere
A Washingtonian who was stranded on their way to a town in West Virginia was discovered by some coal miners who pitched in and helped save the day! The driver was heading for a getaway weekend and was about 170 miles away from home when his EV battery went dead. But luckily for him, five coal miners from a local mine pushed his vehicle to the mine's guard shack and plugged the vehicle in to recharge the batteries. There are several barriers that make Americans hesitant to buy an EV. One is how many miles an EV can last after a full charge. More than half of Americans say concern about how far a full charge will take them has been holding them back from buying. Another is the distance a vehicle can go on a full charge. Finally prospective buyers are concerned over charging logistics – one cannot count on having five friendly WWA coal miners handy to push their vehicle to an electric power source, even a power source that's powered by coal! According to news sources concerns over charging logistics is greatest among white and English-speaking Asian Americans at 67 percent for each group. September 5: The Washington Examiner: Judge halts DOJ investigation of Trump while a third-party special master is appointed in reviews the seized documents A federal judge placed a roadblock on DOJ prosecutors conducting a criminal investigation into President Donald Trump's handling of documents until a special master is appointed and has completed his or her work. "The Court does not find that a temporary special master review under the present circumstances would cause undue delay" to the investigation, District Court Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida, said when granting Trump's motion for a third-party review to look for privileged materials. She said the government is "temporarily enjoined from further review and use of any materials seized from" Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last month "for criminal investigative purposes" until the special master's review process is complete. September 5: The Washington Times: Biden uses Labor Day speech to call MEGA Republicans a threat to democracy Joe Biden used a Labor Day campaign speech to hurl continued vitriol at President Donald Trump and his supporters, telling rallygoers in Wisconsin on Monday that "MAGA Republicans" post a threat to their personal and financial freedoms. Biden doubled down on his claim that the Trump-wing of the party supports "semi-fascism" and is unrelated to traditional conservatives with whom he served in Congress.  September 5: Fox News: U.S. military flies B-52 nuclear-capable bombers in the Middle East amid growing tensions with Iran The US military flew two nuclear-capable B-52H Stratofortresses over the Middle East on Sunday alongside allied aircraft from the air forces of the United Kingdom, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. It's the fourth bomber task force (BTF) mission so far this year and comes amid increased tensions with Iran, which attempted to seize multiple US sea drones that were operating in international waters last week. During Sunday's mission, the B-52 long-distance bombers took off from England and flew over the Eastern Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula, and Red Sea. September 4: The Washington Examiner: US Ambassador to Russia leaving post The U.S. ambassador to Russia left his post in Moscow on Sunday amid the most strained relations between the two countries since the Cold War. The envoy, John Sullivan, was picked to be ambassador to Russia in 2019 by President Trump, and his nomination passed the Senate with a 70-22 vote. He was one of a small group of Trump-appointed diplomats to be asked by the Biden administration to stay in their post. When asked in a June interview with TASS whether he thinks the U.S. and Russian embassies could be shut down, he responded, "They could be, they could very well be, although I think it would be a big mistake." He said the only way the U.S. would shut down its embassy would be over security concerns and noted there was no intention within the U.S. government to do so. Sullivan has worked under five Presidents during his long tenure in public service. September 4: The Epoch Times: Dershowitz: DOJ likely attempting to ensnare Trump in an obstruction of justice charge The Department of Justice (DOJ) is likely attempting to ensnare President Trump on obstruction of justice charges, predicted Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz. "The only possible case they could consider making against the former president and a future presidential candidate — it's not going to be mishandling of classified information — would be … obstruction of justice," he said. "And the only way you get an obstruction of justice conviction — and I don't think there's any evidence of it now — is to show that there was willful and deliberate destruction of subpoenaed material, which is what happened in the Nixon case." September 4: The Daily Caller: GOP House will use power of the purse to get transparency from Biden DOJ Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, denounced a "massive abuse of power" and vowed to use congressional funding powers to get transparency from the Biden administration about the Aug. 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago. "For something of this magnitude, something unprecedented, you would expect the FBI and the DOJ to go to great lengths to insure they are conducting themselves with the highest level of professionalism, but they never notified our committee — which you would expect them to do if, indeed, there was a danger posed by the classified material that was in Donald Trump's possession," Gallagher said, adding that many committee members found out details of the raid from news reports based on leaks from the Justice Department.  September 4: The Epoch Times: FBI apparently searched Trump's 16 year old son's room and Melania's closet, leaving them in a mess
Donald Trump revealed Saturday that the FBI searched his 16-year-old son Barron's room during the raid on Mar-a-Lago last month. Apparently, they also rifled through First Lady Melania Trump's closet. The President told a crowd in Wilkes-Barre, PA that the agents left "everything they touched in far different condition than it was when they started." He said "The Biden administration invaded the home of their chief political opponent, who is absolutely destroying him [Biden]… in the polls…" The 45th president said the search was merely an attempt to meddle in the midterm elections in November 2022. Elaborating, Trump also addressed the Department of Justice including a photo of documents that FBI agents scattered on the floor and used in a court filing. September 4: United Press International: Russian weapons rely upon western – not home grown -- technology A 9-year-old boy was killed and at least 10 people were seriously injured in a Russian rocket strike in the southern Ukrainian town of Zelenodolsk as Ukrainian forces have pushed their counteroffensive in the south of the country. The news of the rocket strike Saturday came as a report from Conflict Armament Research (CAR), an independent armed conflict investigation group based in Britain, revealed that Russia has been using outdated foreign technology in its advanced missiles systems and helicopters. In its report on Russian advanced weapons systems, CAR said its field investigation team traveled to Ukraine in mid-July to document items that Ukrainian officials had recovered from Russian weapons, including components from a Ka-52 helicopter, multiple cruise missiles, and drones. CAR identified that components used in the weapons came from 144 non-Russian manufacturers and were made after 2014, when Russia illegally annexed the Ukrainian territory Crimea leading to initial sanctions from the European Union and United States. "The Russian Federation's ability to develop advanced weapon systems such as cruise missiles is thus highly reliant on very specific non-Russian technology," the report reads. Much of the Russian weapons systems rely upon foreign technology from the United States, Europe, and Asia. September 3: United Press International: UN/IAEA inspectors to remain at Ukraine nuclear facility The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog said the agency plans to release a report on the damaged Ukrainian plant in Zaporizhzhia next week. In the meantime, two inspectors will remain at the site to continually monitor safety. Rafael Mariano Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] said his team wasn't surprised by anything they found at the nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian control since early March. Still, fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces has continually threatened the safety of the site. "My concern would be the physical integrity -- would be the power supply and of course the staff," Grossi said Friday after his team arrived at the airport in Vienna, Austria. Of the 14 IAEA experts who traveled to the site for the inspections, six remained, two of whom will staty until fighting has ended.  September 3: Fox Business: Russia pulls the plug on Europe; Should have seen this coming
The Russian energy giant Gazprom said it is extending indefinitely its cuts of gas to Europe. The state-owned energy company cited urgent maintenance was behind its reasoning and did not provide a date when it intends to reopen the Nord Stream 1 Pipeline, which distributes natural gas to Europe through Germany. The announcement came just hours before gas was scheduled to start flowing again. But the Friday evening announcement is just the latest in a series of measures taken by the company since June that has reduced gas flow to Europe amid Russia's highly contested war in Ukraine September 3: Fox News: Vulnerable Dems avoid connections to Biden anti-MAGA remarks while GOP candidates give their reactions Trump-backed candidates are blasting Joe Biden's Thursday "soul of the nation" speech, where he claimed "MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards," meanwhile vulnerable Democrat Senators seeking reelection this fall have mostly avoided discussing Biden's divisive rhetoric. During his remarks, Biden said "And here, in my view, is what is true: MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution. They do not believe in the rule of law. They do not recognize the will of the people. They refused to acknowledge a free election." About 74 million Americans voted for President Donald Trump and the "Make American Great Again" (MAGA) movement in the 2020 presidential election. Biden's remarks were to attack MAGA supporters – who actually support following the Constitution and the rule of law – but he failed to mention the status of the economy, rising inflation, the fentanyl crisis, or abortion. Meanwhile Democrat candidates like Mark Kelly (AZ) and Tim Ryan (OH) have avoided making any comment. September 3: News Max: Candidate Doug Mastriano (R-PA) says Biden's "attack speech is inappropriate" It was "inappropriate" for Joe Biden to use Independence Hall for his speech attacking Republican supporters of President Donald Trump, Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano said on Saturday. "Sleepy Joe just guaranteed the red wave in Pennsylvania," Mastriano said. "It was dark. It was inappropriate. It was at a national shrine, Independence Hall, where it all began for America in 1776, the birthplace for the country." But Biden gave a "very dark, sinister speech, painting his political adversaries is these enemies of the state, you know, bedecked with Marines behind him," Mastriano added. "Presidents go to Independence Hall to bring the country together, not to attack his political foes. I didn't hear anything about China or Iran or our energy crisis. It was all about trying to destroy his political foes, and it's completely wrong and out of line."  September 2: One American News Network: The White House attempts to spin negative feedback over Marine escort at Biden's Thursday night prime-time angry speech Biden's so-called 'Battle for the Soul of the Nation' speech on Thursday night is not getting the roaring applause he may have hoped for. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre was forced to defend the decision to have Marine Corps Officers stand in the background of Joe Biden's divisive speech after he caught heat from not only Conservatives but from left-wing media mainstays. A CNN reporter was one of many to point out that the military is meant to be kept apolitical. Brianna Keilar claimed that Biden standing in front of two Marines was disparaging to half the Country. A guest on her show, an Iraq War veteran, also weighed in. Allison Jaslow said that though she may agree with sentiments in Biden's speech, it's hard to not see the Marine Officers as a prop. September 2: The Washington Examiner: Colorado's senate "sleeper race" just got real There is something going on in Colorado politics that is not much different than what happened in Virginia exactly one year ago — a shift away from the status quo and the odds-on favorite Democrat toward his Republican challenger. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) is seeking a second full term against Republican challenger Joe O'Dea. And the question, in a state where people tend to dislike both parties but increasingly favor Democrats, is whether O'Dea is independent enough to earn their vote. Democrats viewed O'Dea as enough of a threat that they dropped $10 million into the Republican primary to manipulate voters into backing his "stop-the-steal" primary rival. Their advertising to Republican voters aimed to paint O'Dea as a centrist, which complicates their task now. Meanwhile, Joe Biden is very unpopular in this state. September 2: The Washington Examiner: Biden's American Carnage speech The story behind the speech is the new energy Democrats feel about the coming midterm elections. Once resigned to a huge loss, some Democrats now believe the party has a chance to keep control of the House and Senate. For three reasons: 1) a few signs that inflation, while still historically high, might be easing, 2) their belief that they can successfully use the Supreme Court abortion decision against Republicans, and 3) the rising profile of Trump as a factor in congressional races. However, recent polls show Republicans garnering a small lead over their Democrat opponents and, for many, the Biden speech didn't help move the needle in the Democrats direction. September 2: The Epoch Times: According to an inventory released by the FBI over 11,000 materials were taken from President Trump's home According to an inventory released on Sept. 2, FBI agents seized over 11,000 documents and photographs without classified markings from the home of Donald Trump. The inventory shows that 11,179 materials that were not marked as classified were seized. They also took 103 documents marked classified but which Trump and others have said he declassified while serving as President. The search warrant authorized the agents to seize any documents with classification markings and containers in which such documents may be found. The detailed inventory shows that the FBI seized 1,673 magazines/newspapers/press articles and other printed media, some dating back to 2008; 48 empty folders with classified banners; 42 empty folders labeled "return to staff secretary/military aide"; 19 articles of clothing/gift items; and 33 books. The original inventory listed no gifts or clothing, no folders, and no books. September 2: The Epoch Times: Political strategists say the FBI raid on Trump's home is unlikely to have a major impact the November midterm elections The fresh controversy stoked by ongoing revelations about the FBI's raid of the Mar-a-Lago home of former President Trump is unlikely to have a significant effect on the outcome of the November midterm elections, political strategists say. The issues of concern to voters still struggling with massive inflation, and a bloated national debt exacerbated by Joe Biden's plan to forgive some $500 billion worth of federal student loans, will be much more decisive factors in the minds of voters heading to the polls, they say. In spite of these revelations, the investigation into documents transferred from the White House at the time of Trump's departure in January 2021 is still at an early stage, is prone to missteps and possible backfiring, and none of the findings are likely to dissuade voters from supporting Republican candidates or drive them to cross the political aisle and vote for the incumbent party, experts say. In part, this is simply a function of the timing of the investigation and of the November elections.  September 2: Fox News: Newsom's (D-CA) in-laws fled California for Florida during the COVID pandemic Not only did the in-laws of Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) give money to one of his biggest political foes; they fled from his state during the pandemic. Kenneth F. Siebel Jr. and Judith A. Siebel, parents of Newsom's wife Jennifer and longtime California residents, became Florida residents in 2020 after purchasing a home in Naples in March of that year. The Siebels appear to still have ownership of their California home in a northern San Francisco suburb, however, officially became registered voters in the Sunshine State as of June 2020. The voter registration shift occurred as their son-in-law (Governor Newsom) enacted some of the country's strictest COVID lockdowns, which have widely been juxtaposed to the lack of restrictions in red states like Florida. September 2: Fox News: Really? Biden changes mind after prime-time speech gets push back On Friday, Joe Biden backtracked on his prime-time speech, saying he does not consider any Donald Trump supporters to be a "threat" to the U.S. His comments were in answer to a question from Fox News' Peter Doocy who asked if Biden considered all Trump supporters to be a threat to the country less than a day after he blasted "MAGA Republicans" in his speech. "You keep trying to make that case. I don't consider any Trump supporters a threat to the country," Biden said. "I do think anyone who calls for the use of violence, refuses to acknowledge an election…changing the way you count votes, that is a threat to democracy." That seemed to contradict his Thursday speech, when he said that U.S. politics is in a battle between "equality and democracy," and that the GOP have assaulted those principles. September 1: The Epoch Times: Southwest Airlines fined $5M for abridging flight attendant's protective speech Charlene Carter -- who testified that at age 19 she had an abortion and who, as a result, has been "haunted" in almost every facet of her life -- was unanimously awarded more than $5 million by a jury in her five year quest to be reinstated as a Southwest flight attendant. The jury found that she was fired her for "protected speech" about religious beliefs and her opposition to her union -- the Transport Workers Union of America Local 556. She also believed she was carrying the torch for freedom of speech, employee rights, and right versus wrong. Additionally the jury decided that Local 556 breached its duty to represent Carter. Instead of protecting Carter's interests, the union president sought to get Carter fired for social media activities. On Facebook, Carter railed against the union's participation in the 2017 Women's March [a massive protest that abortion provider Planned Parenthood sponsored in Washington, D.C., the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration]. In addition concerns are mounting over the alleged unholy alliance that Carter's case exposed: union leaders and company management working in concert to target union dissidents for terminations. Now that Carter's trial transcripts are publicly available, many airline employees have been reading them. "And they see this is much bigger than her, and that she's not just some crazy right-wing, pro-life nut," a Southwest employee said. "This is about freedom of speech for all of us, freedom to oppose the union, and to stand up for what you believe in."  September 1: Fox Business: Mixed messages from California: Go Green but don't charge your electric vehicles California residents are reacting to mixed messages from California leadership. The state is asking residents to refrain from charging electric vehicles amid heat wave blackout fears, just one week after passing legislation banning the sale of gas cars by 2035. "It's kind of scary," a California resident said. "What if you really need it [your car]? What if we really got to go somewhere and you got an emergency?" September 1: News Max: Senator Grassley to DOJ: Hands off whistleblowers, they should be allowed unrestricted access to talk with Congress Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) assailed Attorney General Merrick Garland for ordering Justice Department employees not to communicate with members of Congress following whistleblower disclosures regarding the FBI probe into Hunter Biden's business affairs. Garland issued an Aug. 30 memo saying that all communication with Congress must be conducted through the DOJ's office of legislative affairs. Grassley, the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, fired a letter to Garland on Thursday to condemn the AG's orders. "I write this letter to make clear to you that whistleblowers are the most patriotic people I know and they play an integral part in ensuring that inappropriate influences, political influence, and improper conduct within the Department and its components, such as the FBI, are exposed," Grassley said. "Under your leadership, the Department and FBI have failed to be responsive to congressional oversight requests. Accordingly, it is often only because of whistleblowers that Congress and the American people are apprised of the type of wrongdoing that your memo seeks to protect against." The senator, a strong advocate for government whistleblowers, warned Garland that whistleblowers have rights. September 1: The Daily Signal: Biden's speech is a display of an authoritarian environment in this administration Joe Biden confirmed on Thursday night that if you oppose him, you are an extremist who hates democracy. Flanked by two members of the military and illuminated on a podium in blood-red lighting, Biden spent half an hour blasting his political opponents in a prime-time address to the nation. Biden, who delivered his rant in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, defined his political opponents—the "MAGA Republicans"—as illegitimate monsters, a rich statement to make just weeks after the FBI raided the home of former President Donald Trump, the man who opposed him in the last election. People who oppose and disagree with his administration are against democracy. Biden never really got around to the important issues that most Americans are concerned about right now. He said nothing about the runaway inflation, the economy, the border crisis, or any of that—just a long string of invectives against his political opponents followed up by statements about "unity" and "hope." Biden then smeared his political foes as an existential threat to the country: "Too much of what's happening in our country today is not normal. Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic." September 1: The Washington Times: Pro-Trump Republicans are "threat to democracy" Biden claims Nearly two years after Joe Biden pledged to be a "president for all people" — including those who didn't vote for him – he kicked off the Democrats' fall campaign season by tearing into pro-Trump Republicans as a threat to democracy. In a prime-time event in Philadelphia, Biden struck a somber mood, framing the upcoming midterm elections as an eternal battle for "the soul of America." He cast supporters of President Trump and the Make America Great Again movement as a threat to the nation's rule of law and our global standing … "Too much of what is happening in our country today is not normal. Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundation of our republic," Biden claimed. Biden took great pains to underscore that he wasn't painting Republicans with a broad brush, but rather targeting Trump's loyalists, whom he says have "dominated" and "intimidated" mainstream Republicans (in other words, that Trump is a threat to the deep-state and establishment Republicans and that these people should vote for Democrats).  September 1: The Daily Caller: Biden's primetime speech slammed on Social Media - "Full Monty Mussolini" [Click on image] Joe Biden's Thursday evening speech targeting supporters of President Trump was mocked on social media, with many users poking fun at the stage. The speech, held in Philadelphia's Constitution Hall, marked continued attacks on supporters of Trump, reiterating earlier attacks in which he claimed Republicans embraced "semi-fascism" at an Aug. 25 fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee in Maryland, and also attacked "MAGA Republicans" during a speech in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. WMAL talk show host Larry O'Connor reacted to Biden's attack on MAGA Republicans, saying about Biden's remarks, "Dude… This isn't even 'semi' fascist, this is full Monty Mussolini." But the stage drew more attention, as one post on Twitter compared it to the throne room of Supreme Leader Snoke from "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." "Dark blood red background, evil and condescending tone of voice & squinting eyes," former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell posted. "Negative words & themes – and constant condemnation. Who staged this? Who wrote this? Huge mistake." September 1: The Daily Signal: European energy crisis explained Decades of bad policy decisions by European countries combined with Russia's "weaponization" of its oil and natural gas resources are to blame for Europe's ongoing energy crisis, one expert in energy security says. Energy prices this week reached new heights. Notably, in one benchmark Monday, Germany's expected prices in 2023 peaked higher than 1,000 euros (about $999.80) per megawatt hour, CNN reported. "American and security leaders have been telling Europe since the rise of the Soviet Union that they needed to diversify their energy supplies and not be captive to Russian oil and gas," Brigham McCown, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and director of its Initiative on American Energy Security said in a telephone interview. "And even as bad as the Cold War was at times, Germany and the then-Soviet Union decoupled political policy from energy policy." September 1: News Max: Trump's poll numbers increase after FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago Former President Donald Trump says his poll numbers have improved after the FBI's raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate in South Florida. In an interview he was asked if the raid was a "political hit job against the leader of our movement, who is in opposition" to Joe Biden getting another term. Trump replied: "Well, there's no question about it. Nothing like this has ever happened." and, "…my poll numbers have gone through the roof because of it." Addressing the FBI's seizing of documents and a photo showing some of them spread out on the floor, Trump said: "A lot of people think that when you walk into my office I have confidential documents, or whatever it might be — all declassified — spread out all over my floor like a slob. Like I'm sitting there reading these documents all day long or somebody else would be. "It's so dishonest when you look at it. And so, people were concerned because they said: 'Gee, that's a strange thing.' You look at the floor and see documents. They [the FBI] put them there. And they put them there in a messy fashion. And then they took a picture, and they released it to the public. And this is what we're dealing with these people." August 31: iHeart Media KTRH Radio News: Spin Doctors at work; GOP may not flip the Senate The left, along with their partners in the media, have begun to change their narrative before the midterms. With a little over two months to go until the November elections, the spin now is that Republicans are barely hanging on by thread, while the Democrats are mounting a massive comeback. "It's predictable" said J. Robert Smith, political writer for American Thinker, "But if you look at Republican performances, even in 2020, the prediction was that the Republicans were going to lose seats in the House. Well, they ended up gaining seats in the House, and they came very close to gaining the majority." So, not only are Republicans expected to regain control of the House. They are also in good shape to win back the Senate, despite what you hear from the mainstream media. "You really do have to look at [the] voters, you have to look at what's going to drive them to the polls" Smith told KTRH, " I think most of us are not rich people, we're struggling out here. And I think that's going to be reflected at the polls in a big way." But maybe the bigger determining factor is simply, Joe Biden. "His numbers on inflation, on the economy, on crime, and on the border, are all under water by the same numbers, if not worse" noted Smith, "If you start drilling into the issues, things that are going to get people out to vote this fall, Biden isn't doing very well, and Democrats are going to pay the price for that."  August 31: The Epoch Times: FBI/DOJ photo could be misleading
(click on image)Constitutional lawyer Jonathan Turley wrote that a newly disclosed FBI photo taken at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago could leave a "misleading impression." The image appears to show six documents labeled "top secret" and others dubbed "secret," apparently captured inside Trump's Florida residence during the FBI raid in early August. It was included toward the bottom of a government filing in response to Trump's motion seeking a special master, or a neutral third party, to review the materials before the Department of Justice (DOJ). "The picture could be seen by many that secret documents were strewn over the floor when this appears the method used by the FBI to isolate classified documents. It also seems entirely superfluous in releasing this one picture," Turley, a professor of constitutional law at George Washington University, wrote. The DOJ's choice to include the photo is unusual and could easily be taken out of context. "It is curious that the DOJ would release this particular picture which suggests classified material laying around on the floor. The point is to state a fact that hardly needs an optical confirmation. Turley then suggested that the release of the photo follows a pattern of "exaggerated claims" that are being made about the case and the FBI raid and "may appear" to be "another effort (with prior leaks) to help frame the public optics and discussion." August 31: The Washington Examiner: DOJ says NO to Trump Request for a special master to review documents seized at Mar-a-logo; Judge to hold hearing Thursday The Justice Department published a photo of classified documents on the floor of former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort as part of its response to his petition for a special master to review materials seized by federal officials. The photo might appear to the uninformed that Trump stored said documents on the floor, when, in fact, the documents were placed there by FBI agents for purposes of taking the photo. The image was included in a DOJ filing made just moments before the midnight deadline set by Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida. "Plaintiff's [Trump's] motion to appoint a special master, enjoin further review of seized materials, and require the return of seized items fails for multiple reasons, DOJ claimed. DOJ claimed that the documents belong to the National Archives, not the President, even though President Obama currently has tens of thousands of similar kinds of documents from his administration in storage outside of Chicago. "Furthermore," DOJ claimed, "this Court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate Plaintiff's Fourth Amendment challenges to the validity of the search warrant and his arguments for returning or suppressing the materials seized." Justice Cannon, a Trump appointee, has already signaled her "preliminary intent" to side with Trump in the special master request and scheduled a hearing on the special master request for Thursday. August 31: News Max: Trump legal team files new motion asking for a special master to review FBI-seized documents Former President Donald Trump's attorneys filed a new motion Wednesday, renewing calls for a special master to review documents seized in a search of his residence, which they say they will eventually argue was unconstitutional. "Left unchecked, the DOJ will impugn, leak, and publicize selective aspects of their investigation with no recourse for Movant but to somehow trust the self-restraint of the currently unchecked investigators," the lawyers' latest filing read. The motion used the "gratuitous" release of photos of the Mar-a-Lago search as proof the Department of Justice cannot be trusted with the handling of the documents seized from Trump's home. August 31: iHeart Radio KTRH Radio News: 50% of companies reveal they anticipate layoffs Despite the spin from the White House, there are bad numbers coming in for the Biden administration. According to a new survey conducted by left leaning NBC News, 50% of employers expect to lay off workers in the next six months. "Unfortunately, labor is typically one of the easiest costs to cut" said Hank Lewis, economist with Lone Star College, "It's very easy to lower people's hours, or to cut staff, it's the easiest cost that employers can control, and so when costs are rising some opt to go that rout." Some have already done so, as our country continues to deal with this historically high inflation. Gas prices have lowered only temporarily, due to Biden's release from the SPR, and most economists fear that our nation's economic woes are only going to worsen in 2023. "It's very similar to the late 1970's" Lewis told KTRH, "If I was a betting man, I would say the odds are 80% that by next year, we're going to be in a worse position than we are now." Probably, right after the midterms. August 31: Fox Business: August job numbers tank as employers take a conservative approach in response to an expected recession Private payroll job growth slowed markedly in August, suggesting that companies are pulling back on hiring amid growing fears of an economic slowdown, according to the ADP National Employment Report released Wednesday morning. Companies added just 132,000 jobs last month, sharply missing the 288,000 gain that economists had predicted. That is also below the 270,000-gain recorded in July and is the lowest since May, when employers hired just 128,000 workers. "Our data suggests a shift toward a more conservative pace of hiring," ADP chief economist Nela Richardson said. "We could be at an inflection point, from super-charged job gains to something more normal." August 31: iHeart Media KTRH Radio News: Expert says Biden Admin doesn't understand oil industry as it asks to limit exports With U.S. oil refineries working triple time this summer, the Biden administration is now asking them to limit exports. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm insists we need to be prepared in case a hurricane forces shutdowns along the gulf. That's what the strategic petroleum reserve – which Biden has been drawing down in order to counter bad energy policy decisions and increasing gas prices -- was set up for, those types of natural disasters. "So they're talking out of both sides of their mouth, which is nothing new," says Rick Perry, former energy secretary and Texas governor. Energy expert Stephen Schork told Fox News it's clear the secretary has no idea how the global market operates. "It will create logistical nightmares. You're going to swap certain markets. You're going to deprive other markets of product. This is a boom for energy traders. It will do nothing to help alleviate the cost for the consumer at the pump." Tim Stewart, president of the U.S. Oil and Gas Association, says limiting exports will hurt European allies, desperate for alternate fuel supplies amid the Russia-Ukraine war. "It's hypocritical to be promising to our European allies that we'll do everything we can to help them," he said. August 30: The Washington Times: Garland restricts DOJ appointees' political activities amid GOP criticism Attorney General Garland on Tuesday banned political appointees at DOJ from participating in political campaign events, changing a longtime policy at an agency under intense political scrutiny and fending off allegations of partisanship. "We must do all we can to maintain public trust and ensure that politics — both in facts and appearance — do not compromise or affect the integrity of our work," Garland wrote in a memo to Justice employees. "The problem is that the cat is already out the bag," some observers have said. Under previous Justice Department policy, government appointees could "passively" attend partisan political activities with permission from their supervisors. They could also attend political events if they had a close relative running for office or were off the clock. Under intensive political heat Garland has changed the rule to allow for no exceptions. [See Related Story] August 30: The Washington Times: Top FBI agent exits amid charge of political bias undermining the Hunter Biden probe A senior FBI official in the bureau's Washington field office has abruptly resigned after coming under congressional scrutiny for suspected political bias in handling the investigation of Hunter Biden's laptop computer. The Washington Times learned that Timothy Thibault, an assistant special agent in charge, was forced to leave his post. The information came from two former FBI officials familiar with the situation.  August 30: The Washington Examiner: Mikhail Gorbachev, former Soviet leader and Nobel Prize winner dies
Mikhail Gorbachev (left), the last leader of the Soviet Union, has died, Central Clinical Hospital reported. The Soviet reformer was in his 90s. He was being treated for a long-term illness in Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow, according to Russian media reports. August 30: Fox News: Georgia Senate race tightens; Walker has a slight lead; The economy is the main issue on voter's minds Political newcomer and football legend Herschel Walker (R-GA) holds a slight lead in the Georgia Senate midterm race against Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) while Georgia voters express their concerns for the economy heading into the midterm elections this fall. A new Emerson College poll shows Walker with a two-point lead over Warnock, 46%-44%, in one of the country's most heated Senate races of the year. Seven percent of voters in the state remain undecided. Warnock is the choice for 66% of urban voters, whereas Walker holds the edge among rural and suburban voters. Thirty-six percent of voters believe the economy, which includes jobs, inflation and taxes, is the most important issue facing Georgia right now, while abortion access is the top concern to 20% of Georgians. Crime ranked third with 15% saying it was the most important issue. August 30: The Daily Caller: Sanders Presidential campaign slapped with fine after hiring illegal aliens Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns are being fined thousands after unlawfully hiring illegal aliens for top staffer roles, according to a Federal Election Commission (FEC) ruling. The Aug. 11 ruling, which the FEC has not yet made public, concluded both Sanders' campaigns broke federal law after "knowingly" employing three "foreign national" staffers from Mexico and Argentina who participated in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Both campaigns have agreed to pay an FEC penalty of $15,000 combined.  August 29: The Washington Examiner: DOJ finds attorney-client privileged information in seized Trump documents
The Department of Justice said it has already identified and reviewed a "limited set" of records that "potentially" include "attorney-client privileged information" among the documents seized from Mar-a-Lago, having looked at the material prior to a Federal judge making a decision about whether an independent "Special Master" should look at the seized items first. The Monday revelation from top DOJ officials came in response to a federal judge saying she was leaning toward granting former President Trump's request for an independent "special master" to review the information the FBI had seized during its unprecedented raid of his Florida resort home. August 29: The Epoch Times: Youngkin (R-VA) vows to get rid of "ridiculous" California-style ban on fossil fuels Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vowed to put a halt to his state's requirement to follow California in adopting strict rules for vehicle emissions, calling it a "ridiculous edict" that would eventually ban the sale of gas and diesel-fueled vehicles. State officials said last week that Virginia is on track to adopt California's new rules for transitioning to zero-emission vehicles based upon a bill passed by what was then a Democrat-controlled legislature, linking Virginia's emission standards to California's. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently adopted new rules to curb emissions, with a target that 100 percent of new cars and light trucks sold in California will be zero-emission by 2035. The Virginia law linking the state's vehicle emission standards to California's is a state of affairs that Republican leaders in Virginia have pledged to end now that the GOP is in control of the governorship and state House. "I am already at work to prevent this ridiculous edict from being forced on Virginians. California's out of touch laws have no place in our Commonwealth," Youngkin added.  August 28: The Washington Times: Navy warships transit the Taiwan Strait; China isn't happy about it
Two American warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday for the first time since House Speaker Pelosi's controversial trip to independent island nation earlier this month, sparking an angry warning from the Chinese military and further ratcheting up tensions between Washington and Beijing. China claims the self-ruled island as part of its sovereign territory, but U.S. Navy ships regularly traverse the waterway separating Taiwan from the mainland to reinforce U.S. claims that the strait is open to all international traffic. Those voyages were more frequent under President Trump and have continued under Joe Biden. The Pentagon had not authorized a transit until the high-profile Congressional visits to Taipei. August 28: The Washington Examiner: Governor Sununu (R-NH) calls on Biden to apologize for "semi-fascism" comment Joe Biden should apologize for comparing the philosophy of Republicans loyal to former President Donald Trump to "semi-fascism," according to a Republican governor. Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH), who has also been critical of Trump, defended the "MAGA" wing of the party by denouncing Biden's remarks at a Democratic Party fundraiser last week during an interview with anchor Dana Bash on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday. "I mean, the fact that [Joe Biden] would go out and just insult half of America, because, effectively, half of America votes Republican… … call half of America semi-fascist, because he's trying to stir up controversy, he's trying to stir up this anti-Republican sentiment right before the election,,, it's horribly inappropriate," Sununu said. "It's insulting. And people should be insulted by it. And he should apologize." August 28: The Washington Times: Lois Lerner claims she didn't know about IRS targeting of the TEA party Lois Lerner claimed to have little knowledge of the tea party movement and what it stood for, even as she oversaw the IRS' intrusive scrutiny of tea party groups' applications for nonprofit status, according to newly released transcripts of a long-secret deposition she gave. In her 2017 testimony, given in a class-action lawsuit brought by tea party groups that the IRS admitted were wrongly treated, while Lerner portrayed herself as a cog in the machine trying to figure out how to process cases efficiently rather than the anti-conservative crusader. She brushed aside her email to colleagues about joining a pro-Obama group ahead of the 2012 election as "a joke" and defended venomous remarks about the Republican Party. She said she made the remarks in her personal capacity and it didn't infect her official work. August 28: The Epoch Times: Does the President have the authority to declassify any document he wants? Joe Biden issued a response to assertions made by former President Trump's team that he declassified materials that were taken to Mar-a-Lago, which were the apparent subject of an FBI raid earlier this month. Trump's team and former aide Kash Patel have said that while president, Trump had a standing order to declassify material that was taken from the Oval Office to Mar-a-Lago. "He had a standing order that documents removed from the Oval Office and taken into the residence were deemed to be declassified," Trump's office told news outlets in a statement issued in mid-August. "The power to classify and declassify documents rests solely with the President of the United States. The idea that some paper-pushing bureaucrat, with classification authority delegated by the President, needs to approve of declassification is absurd." On his final day in office on Jan. 19, 2021, Trump issued an order declassifying some material relating to the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Neither the Department of Justice nor the FBI has said what the Aug. 8 raid was targeting or whether it was related to those documents. On August 26th a reporter asked Biden as he was heading for another vacation whether Trump might have declassified these documents. He failed to respond but appeared to mock Trump's statements about declassifying materials. August 28: The Epoch Times: In a related story, Former FBI Assistant Director says he believes DOJ/FBI has "no case" against President Trump A former assistant director in the FBI said he believes the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant of President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate reveals the government has "no case" against him. "We now know why the DOJ wanted the affidavit—which is supposed to articulate the probable cause needed for a legitimate search—to be kept under seal," wrote Kevin R. Brock, the former assistant director of intelligence for the FBI and principal deputy director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). The heavily redacted affidavit -- which revealed very little about what the FBI agents were actually searching for on Aug. 8 -- was ordered released by a U.S. magistrate judge last week. In order to obtain a warrant, it's not sufficient for the affidavit to only argue that there is cause to believe Trump had allegedly classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, the former official said. Additionally, the unredacted portions do not make the case that Trump wasn't authorized to have the documents at his Florida residence. "A criminal violation of those statutes only exists if it can be established that the person being investigated was not authorized to possess, store, transfer or copy those documents," Brock said. He also noted just because the National Archives had requested the documents there is nothing in the unredacted portions of the affidavit indicating that Trump refused to cooperate. Finally, Brock said, "As president, he had broad, legally intimidating authority, established by law and court determinations, to declassify any and all documents and to determine what is and is not a presidential record. Trump and his legal team have asserted that this authority was exercised while he was still president. Therefore, a violation of these fairly low-level and seldom-prosecuted document-oriented statutes cannot be proven." August 27: Fox News: Nearly 100 Congressmen urge Pelosi to hold Biden accountable for $500 billion student loan forgiveness without getting Congressional approval Nearly 100 House Republicans signed onto a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) calling on her to hold Joe Biden accountable for his $500 billion student debt handout. Congressman Jody Hice (R-GA) led the spicy letter with 93 of his colleagues to Pelosi demanding the speaker take action to hold the president accountable for his taxpayer-funded student debt handout. "Speaker Pelosi explicitly stated in July of 2021 that [Joe] Biden 'does not have the power,' to cancel federal student loan debt. 'That has to be an act of Congress,'" Hice said in a press release. "I'm demanding that Speaker Pelosi decisively act and stand by her previous statement – a direct repudiation of Joe Biden's executive overreach yesterday. August 27: The Epoch Times: Not all the names in the DOJ affidavit were redacted; Kash Patel complained his was one of them Former federal prosecutor Kash Patel on Aug. 26 denounced federal officials for not redacting his name in a heavily redacted search warrant affidavit. "Today marks another vicious attack from DOJ/FBI who intentionally jeopardized my safety by un-redacting my name in the most reviewed search warrant in the history of the United States," Patel said in a post on Truth Social. Patel is one of only two people identified by name in the affidavit, most of which was redacted. The other is Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) who was referenced because she was told by the U.S. archivist earlier this year details about materials the archivist received from Trump's estate. Other figures were discussed but not named, including the archivist, a DOJ lawyer, and a Trump lawyer. Other names were redacted, including the name of the FBI agent who wrote the affidavit. August 27: Fox Business: More 20 million U.S. families are behind on their utility bills New data indicates a staggering number of American households are currently behind on making utility payments due mainly to soaring energy costs, sparking fears that mass power shutoffs are on the horizon. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) says more than 20 million U.S. families are behind on their utility bills, numbers NEADA's executive director Mark Wolfe believes are "historic." The NEADA chief said what's even more alarming is the surge in the collective amount owed, which sat at roughly $8.1 billion at the end of 2019 and has now skyrocketed to around $16 billion. The average delinquent bill climbed from $403 to $792. August 27: Fox News: White House refuses to say who is paying the $500,000,000,000 student loan handout The White House remains mum on how it plans to pay for Joe Biden's decision to cancel between $10,000 to $20,000 in student debt for some Americans or if future tax hikes will be needed to cover the proposal which, by some estimates, costs more than $500 billion. Despite unveiling the policy earlier this week, administration officials have yet to clarify how the proposal will be paid for in the long term. Since the current plan calls for the government to forgive the debt, that means taxpayers are likely on the hook for much of the principal and interest is dumped on top of the nearly $31 trillion in existing U.S. debt. Fox News Digital asked the administration again how it plans to pay for the handout. The White House did not respond to the question, nor did it deny it was eyeing future tax hikes to make up for Biden's student loan handout. 
August 26: The Daily Caller: NBC may make drastic changes due to decline in viewership
NBC is reportedly considering cutting back their prime-time hours due to the network's declining popularity. The network may stop programming the 10 to 11 p.m. time slots and give them to local TV stations instead, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Friday. No future plans on the matter have been finalized with NBC's affiliate board, meaning the 10 p.m. time slot may remain. The change would likely occur in the fall of 2023. The network's late-night programming, including "The Tonight Show" would likely move to an earlier time slot, from its current 11:30 p.m. slot. Cutting back programming will save NBC tens of millions of dollars in content costs, and satisfy affiliates who will earn more ad revenue by adding an extra hour of programming, the outlet reported. August 26: One America News Network: NY Gov. tells GOP voters to leave the state; GOP responds We ain't moving! Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) spent the last night before Election Day using a new campaign tactic– encouraging GOP voters to leave the state. "Jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you belong," Hochul said to her opponent, Lee Zeldin, and other Republicans, implying anyone who is not a supporter, therefore, "is not a New Yorker." This reminds us of the time Joe Biden told black voters they "ain't black" if they were considering voting for former President Donald Trump. "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump then you ain't black," Biden said in 2020. Hochul for the second time in recent weeks used her platform to play into national party politics by attacking the state of Florida. Yet, it is Hochul's own decisions and policies that actually have New Yorkers envious of the sunshine state. The biggest disconnect: Crime. Voters throughout the state in recent public polling have ranked crime and public safety concerns as top issues. Congressman Lee Zeldin made those issues centerpieces of his campaign. August 26: Fox News: Lawmakers outraged at heavy redactions in affidavit used to justify raid on Trump's Florida residence Lawmakers are outraged at the heavy redactions in the much-anticipated affidavit used to justify this month's raid on Donald Trump's residence. The Democrat supporting Florida Magistrate Judge Bruce E. Reinhart unsealed the affidavit, which was heavily redacted and shared precious little information, Friday that the FBI used to obtain a search warrant for Mar-a-Lago on Aug. 8. "So much for transparency," Congressman Dan Bishop (R-NC) wrote on social media following the documents' release. Approximately 20 pages of the 38-page affidavit were either significantly or fully blacked out. August 26: Clay and Buck: Charge Trump over this stuff? Are you crazy? Clay and Buck, who took over the Rush Limbaugh show following his death, took on the Biden Administration's raid on Trump's Florida residence this week. Buck Travis said "…the idea that they could even consider bringing a criminal charge against President Trump right now is crazy. The problem, though, is that I think some of these people are crazy. So that's why, I don't underestimate their willingness to, especially what we've seen with the Russia collusion mess and the two impeachments over what, right? Clay conjectured that maybe the FBI and DOJ were going on a fishing expedition hoping there is a smoking gun related to the January 6th protests and using the National Archives dispute as a pretext to be able to go into Mar-a-Lago and look around. Clay suggested it seems like Merrick Garland is getting all this pressure, and the way that he alleviates the pressure is by having a raid on Donald Trump, which is unprecedented, over these documents, which is ultimately not that significant, and that this is his release valve. After all the attempts to cut the legs from under Trump (The "RussiaGate" hoax, the Muller investigation, impeachment 1 and 2) Trump is still standing and strengthening in the polls. I'm just trying to think through it, Clay said. August 26: The Epoch Times: Wisconsin citizen files complaint against Milwaukee Elections Director for violating the state's laws Citizen investigator Peter Bernegger has filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) alleging Milwaukee elections director Claire-Woodall-Vogg violated numerous state laws in connection with the recent primary election. Bernegger alleges that on primary polling day a tent was set up by the city's elections office in an alley between city hall and another downtown office building to serve as a mail-in ballot drop-off station. "The entire operation was illegal. The actions of the two men demonstrate that they were not properly approved by a clerk and trained as election workers." They should not have been handling other people's ballots. "It is a violation of Wisconsin law and a grave breach of the chain of custody," Bernegger said. The workers verbally acknowledged to an investigator that they were DPW employees who volunteered to help with the election, and they had admitted to receiving no training Surveillance photos show there were no secure ballot containers in or near the tent as required by law. Bernegger's team alleged the workers did not check the mail-in ballot return envelopes for the names of the person voting the ballot, his or her address, or the names of witnesses who are supposed to sign the envelope as required. Observers said the two workers left the open bag of mail-in ballots on the table unattended multiple times as they went out to the street to meet motorists pulling up in their cars to drop off ballots. They alleged there were no locking devices of any kind used to secure the full bags of mail-in ballots as they were being transported from the alley into city hall. He asked the commission to order that Woodall-Vogg be supervised by two independent observers and ultimately that the City of Milwaukee terminate her employment. August 25: News Max: Kushner: Trump is an "Existential Threat" to D.C. power Offering unique insight into the family and former President Donald Trump's White House, Jared Kushner said the Trump administration had to reject the forces of the establishment to get things done, even if things went "haywire." "So the amazing thing about government is that nobody can accomplish anything by themselves," Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, said. "So what it is, is it's a group of people coming together, agreeing on a common objective, formulating a plan to accomplish that objective, and then all rowing in the same direction in order to accomplish it. August 25: Yahoo.com: Carlson, Dobbs, and Hannity to be deposed in Dominion defamation lawsuit Top Fox News talent including Sean Hannity, Lou Dobbs and Tucker Carlson are expected to sit for depositions next week in the $1.6 billion defamation suit being pursued against the top cable network by Dominion Voting Systems, The New York Times reported. "We are confident we will prevail as freedom of the press is foundational to our democracy and must be protected, in addition to the damages claims being outrageous, unsupported and not rooted in sound financial analysis, serving as nothing more than a flagrant attempt to deter our journalists from doing their jobs," a Fox News Media spokesperson said in a statement Thursday. August 24: The Epoch Times: Tea Party files lawsuit to remove judge from DOJ/FBI case against Trump Tea Party Patriots Action filed a federal complaint against the judge who approved the FBI search of former President Donald Trump's Florida home. "Judge [Bruce] Reinhart has a conflict of interest and a pattern and history of hostility to President Trump," said the filing. The lawsuit then listed several examples including purported Facebook posts that show Reinhart had criticized Trump while praising the late Rep. John Lewis (D-GA). Reinhart also reportedly donated to former President Barack Obama and to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush when he was running against Trump in 2015, the lawsuit said, citing publicly available reports. The lawsuit seeks to have Reinhart, a U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida judge, removed from the case or even removed from his position.  August 24: iHeart Media KTRH: California liberals sink to new low in trying to keep flow of residents to Texas
The battle between Texas and California is back on again, with liberals in the 'golden state' sinking to a new low, with a new billboard that has gone up in Los Angeles. It reads: 'The Texas Miracle Died In Uvalde - Don't Move To Texas.' According to reports, more than 161,000 people have moved from California to Texas from 2018 to 2021, and some believe that number may actually be higher. One thing that is for certain, there are more Californians who have come to Texas, than from any other state. "It's becoming quite difficult to even live in California" UH political science professor and tv personality Jacquie Baly said, "People are being housed out their markets, and they're being taxed out of the state, and you're seeing mobs and just lawlessness take over the entire state. That's something you won't see here in Texas." "It's a sign of desperation" noted Baly, "The Democrats are quite fearful of what's going to happen in the midterms, their domestic policies have been an abject failure. But at the end of the day, in a state like Texas, they're not really going to worry about a billboard." August 24: The Washington Times: DHS advisory council shoots down Secretary's proposal for a disinformation board The Department of Homeland Security's advisory council on Wednesday gave a final, unanimous rejection to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' plans to create a disinformation board, but said the department does need to play a role in combatting disinformation. That means stepping up technology to detect and counter new disinformation efforts that interfere with the department's jobs, said former DHS secretary Michael Chertoff whom Mayorkas tapped to lead a review of his proposal. But he and co-chair Jamie Gorelick said that doesn't mean the department should police disinformation writ large. "They don't have a red pencil to correct everything in the world that's not true," Chertoff said. August 24: The Washington Examiner: Biden's debt cancellation seen as unfair concession to the elites A cascade of organizations and politicians ripped Joe Biden Wednesday, saying the president's planned student loan cancellation was an "unfair" handout to "privileged college graduates." The White House announced Wednesday that the administration would be implementing a student loan forgiveness program that will see federal student loan borrowers with an annual income of less than $125,000 eligible for $20,000 in loan forgiveness if they received a Pell Grant to attend college. All other borrowers in that income bracket would be eligible for $10,000 in loan forgiveness. According to Breitbart News, after the president delivered his speech at the White House, he was asked by reporters how he could see his plan as "fair" compared to students who either did not take out loans or already paid them off. Biden appeared annoyed by the question and compared his decision to Republican-passed tax reform legislation in 2017. Estimates are that the Biden plan will cost American taxpayers at least $300 billion. August 24: Fox News: Biden Administration has no idea whose tab the student debt cancellation will go on The White House on Wednesday declined to say who will be on the hook for a massive $300 billion student loan forgiveness plan announced by President Biden moments earlier. During a news briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre outlined the benefits of the plan but skirted questions about who will pay for it when asked by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy. "When you forgive debt, you're not just disappearing debt so who is paying for this?" Doocy asked. Jean-Pierre replied that once the pause on student loan payments is lifted at the end of 2022, the funds will "offset a lot of what we're doing as well." August 24: iHeart Media KTRH: Federal Judge in Texas blocks HHS guidance on abortion practices for healthcare facilities receiving federal funds A federal judge in Texas has blocked the abortion guidance issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Under the guidance, hospitals were required to provide emergency abortions to women even if abortion is illegal in the state. U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix ruled that the guidance went beyond the scope of Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. "That guidance goes well beyond EMTALA's text, which protects both mothers and unborn children, is silent as to abortion, and preempts state law only when the two directly conflict. Since the statute is silent on the question, the guidance cannot answer how doctors should weigh risks to both a mother and her unborn child. Nor can it, in doing so, create a conflict with state law where one does not exist," the judge said in his opinion. 
August 24: The Galveston County Daily News: Senator Cruz meets with local officials in support of the Ike Dike
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) visited Galveston City Hall Wednesday to discuss the coastal barrier project — the largest construction project the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has ever undertaken. Cruz was one of the members who voted to include the barrier system in the Water Resource Development Act on July 27th. The bill authorizes but doesn't fund the project. The bill includes the USACE plan for sea gates at the Bolivar Roads channel and approximately 70 miles of storm surge barriers. "We're on the finish line of getting the authorization through," Cruz said. "It has passed both the Senate and the House and hopefully in a month or two, it will be on the president's desk." The entire project [which includes more than just the Ike Dike] is estimated to cost $31 billion, of which local sponsors are required to pay about $10 billion. In 2021, the Texas Legislature created the Gulf Coast Protection District, a taxing entity, to raise funds for the local costs of the barrier project. The Ike Dike portion of the project is expected to cost closer to $20 billion. Putting that into perspective, the damage and restoration after hurricane Ike costs upward of $30 billion. If it's funded for construction, the project still would require another two to five years of design. The entire project is expected to take 20 years to complete. August 24: The Daily Caller: Texas bans BlackRock for pushing an anti-oil agenda Texas placed restrictions on 10 finance firms, declaring that the firms' opposition to fossil fuels could "undermine" the state economy, according to Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Glenn Hegar. Hegar, a Republican, listed several firms that will be banned from entering into most contracts with state and local entities after his office determined that the companies "boycott" the oil industry. Between March and April, Hegar requested information from more than 100 firms to determine whether they were steering clear of the oil industry. The move came after the state passed a law in 2021 limiting Texas governments from working with certain firms that have nixed ties with the oil industry. Texas is the nation's top producer of both natural gas and crude oil. August 23: iHeart Media KTRH: Homeschooling in Texas sees a whopping 40% increase Two years after the COVID pandemic caused an exodus from Texas public schools, the trend not only continues, but it is accelerating. The latest report from the Texas Home School Coalition (THSC) analyzing state enrollment data shows that, following a notable rise in home school enrollment during the initial pandemic year of 2019-2020, there was another 40-percent rise in homeschooling across Texas during the 2020-2021 year. "That means there was a 40 percent increase over the biggest single-year explosion of homeschooling in Texas history, happening last year," says Tim Lambert, THSC president in a video posted on the group's website. Of course, school closures, classroom restrictions and mask mandates implemented during the pandemic played a large role in declining public-school enrollment. However, the THSC report notes "more families now cite concern over the public-school environment and the quality of academics as a reason they chose to homeschool." Lambert further explained those findings. "We're continuing to see this issue of 'anti-racism' and 'anti-racist' curriculum---which is really just racism---being taught in the public schools," he says. August 23: The Washington Times: Unveiled memos raise questions about Biden's role in Trump probe A newly revealed letter shows that Biden authorized the National Archives and Records Administration to reject any executive privilege claims that President Donald Trump might use to stop the Justice Department from accessing classified documents stored at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A letter posted late Monday on the website of conservative journalist John Solomon — one of the few people authorized by Mr. Trump to review National Archives records — revealed that Biden ordered the National Archives to share all materials it had requested from Trump to be shared with the Justice Department and the FBI. The letter, written by National Archivist Debra Wall to Trump attorney Evan Corcoran, says Biden cleared the way for her to rule on Trump's executive privilege claims. That opened the door for the National Archives to allow the FBI and the Justice Department to review the missing documents, which culminated in this month's raid on Trump's residence. August 23: Axios: Federal judge asks for clarification of Trump's request for an independent master A Trump appointed federal judge overseeing President Donald Trump legal motion regarding the Mar-a-Lago raid asking for clarity as to what the former president wants. Trump unveiled a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the Justice Department from reviewing seized documents, but Judge Aileen Cannon expressed confusion over what Trump's legal team is seeking and gave them until Friday to answer five questions about his motion. Cannon is overseeing his case in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Her five questions center on legal points such as "the precise relief sought" in the case, whether Trump is pursuing an immediate injunction in the matter, and the rationale for why her court would have jurisdiction in the case. The judge also inquired about the effect of Trump's demands on the proceedings before Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who authorized the search warrant earlier this month. August 23: Fox News: Biden plan to forgive $10,000 in student debt will cost U.S. taxpayers billions Joe Biden is expected to announce a much-anticipated loan forgiveness program Wednesday, sources familiar with the plan told the Associated Press. Americans are poised to foot a nearly $300 billion deal with Biden's expected announcement on Wednesday to forgive thousands in federal student loan debt and extend a repayment pause to next year. According to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, a one-time maximum debt forgiveness of $10,000 for borrowers who make less than $125,000 will cost around $300 billion for taxpayers. The actual cost increases to around $330 billion if the program is continued over the standard-10-year window, according to the figures. The precise details of Biden's plan were being kept to an unusually small circle within the Administration and were still not finalized on the eve of the announcement, sources told AP. August 23: One American News Network: Raid on Trump's FL residence increases support for the Former President President Donald Trump appears to be enjoying a surge in popular support, following the FBI invasion of his Mar-a-Lago home. According to an NBC poll, Trump's popularity among Republican voters increased by seven-points since the raid. 41% of voters said they identify with Trump more than the GOP, which is up from 34 percent before the raid. This data comes after a report found the Biden administration was conspiring with the National Archives since April to force Trump to return all materials he had from his presidency. Meanwhile, Trump is suing the federal government to force officials to give him back all items stolen from his property. August 22: The Washington Times: Tapes stored in Clinton's sock drawer could impact possible prosecution of Trump A 2012 court case denying access to White House audiotapes kept in former President Bill Clinton's sock drawer after he left office could help the Trump legal team in its battle to retrieve records that the FBI seized from Mar-a-Lago this month. The 10-year-old court ruling, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, rejected arguments by a conservative watchdog group that sought access to dozens of tapes recorded by Mr. Clinton and historian Taylor Branch during his administration. Judge Jackson ruled that the tapes belonged to Mr. Clinton, even though the discussions included a broad range of presidential matters. The court ruled that the National Archives and Records Administration had no power to "seize control of them" because Mr. Clinton had used his authority under the Presidential Records Act to declare the recordings part of his personal records. The Clinton case could impact the pending court battle over dozens of boxes of records that former President Donald Trump had declared personal, but which the FBI seized from his Mar-a-Lago home on Aug. 8. August 22: The Washington Examiner: Congressman Jim Jordan says more FBI whistleblowers are coming forward every other week A growing number of FBI whistleblowers are coming forward to Republican investigators in Congress, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) disclosed on Monday. The congressman, who is the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said in an interview there are now "over" 14 agents who have raised concerns with GOP lawyers on the panel over matters including the controversy surrounding a school boards memo, Jan. 6, and pressure to label cases "domestic violence extremism." "It overall shows the political nature, unfortunately, that we now have at the Justice Department," Jordan said. This uptick from six a couple of months ago came after the FBI raid of Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. On the Senate side, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has disclosed his team received whistleblower disclosures, including those related to the federal investigation into Hunter Biden. All this is happening as Republicans raise expectations for a wave of investigations with subpoena power if they win one or both chambers of Congress in November. August 22: The Daily Caller: Fauci announces his retirement prior to an expected GOP take over of the House and possibly the Senate Doctors, political pundits and government officials across the spectrum reacted to Dr. Anthony Fauci's announcement Monday that he will step down at the end of 2022. Fauci was lauded by a number of Democratic leaders and activists after the announcement of his plans. Conservatives were much harsher, blasting Fauci for a lack of transparency about his dealings with the Wuhan Institute of Virology and inconsistencies in messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers University said, "The resignation of the serially malfeasant, serially perjurious, NIAID Director will lift a burden from, and remove threat to, operations of NIAID and the NIH. In addition, it will remove the official who has done more than any other over two decades to enable, expand, and excuse high-risk gain-of-function research and to oppose and obstruct strengthened federal oversight of biosafety, biosecurity, and biorisk management." August 22: The Epoch Times: Trump asks federal judge to bar the DOJ reviewing seized documents Former President Donald Trump on Aug. 22 filed a motion asking a federal judge to bar the Justice Department from reviewing documents seized from his Mar-a-Lago residence until a third-party watchdog can be appointed. In the first court motion from Trump's legal team since the Aug. 8 FBI raid on his residence, the attorneys sought the appointment of a "special master," a more detailed list of inventory taken, and the return of any item seized that was not within the scope of the search warrant, according to a filing on Aug. 22. Special masters, often retired lawyers or judges, are appointed in certain cases where there is concern that materials seized by authorities include information that is protected by the attorney-client privilege or other forms of privilege. A special master was appointed in 2018 to review former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. The FBI agents had taken "privileged and/or potentially privileged materials" such as photos, handwritten notes, and multiple Trump passports, the filing said, which they said were "outside the lawful reach of an already overboard warrant." "Law enforcement is a shield that protects Americans. It cannot be used as a weapon for political purposes," Trump's lawyers wrote in the filing. August 21: The New York Post: Hundreds of illegal migrants line up at NY hospital for free care, food and phones Hundreds of migrants — at least some bused to the Big Apple by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott — lined up outside Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx on Sunday to get health care coverage, food and other items including school supplies and free phones. The event, organized by the city hospital system, was billed as a "resource and family fun day" for the migrants and their children, many of whom have come to New York City in droves in recent weeks. "I came to New York about three days ago. I am a welder, and I am looking for work here," Venezuelan refugee Adrian Medina, 32, said through a translator. August 21: The Epoch Times: Former DOD official said FBI may have taken records relating to the false "Russiagate" collusion investigation A former top Department of Defense official, Kash Patel, said the FBI may have taken documents relating to the Russia–Trump collusion investigation. Amid a disagreement between Trump and the National Archives, Patel said that documents that were stored at Mar-a-Lago marked as classified were actually declassified before Trump left office. Federal officials will have a difficult time proving that those documents were not declassified, he contended. "The bottom line was he said this information has to get out to the American public," Patel said. Patel said he did not know firsthand what was in the boxes taken from Trump's home. It will be difficult for DOJ to prove that these documents are still classified. August 21: The Washington Examiner: "Russiagate" binder contains yet to be released messages between Strzok and Lisa Page A cache of Russiagate documents President Donald Trump wanted released during his final days in office contained information about a pair of former leading FBI officials infamous for their private exchanges disparaging Trump, according to a new report. Never-before-seen text messages between ex-FBI special agent Peter Strzok and former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, as well as unreleased information about the FBI's investigative steps, were part of this binder of Crossfire Hurricane investigation materials. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows had a plan to give the binder to at least one conservative journalist, but he backed off when Justice Department officials warned that circulating these messages from Strzok and Page could put officials in jeopardy of being sued over privacy law violations, sources told the news outlet. August 20: The New York Post: Raid on Trump's Florida home is unprecedented When you cross the Rubicon, there is no going back. Democrats are getting very close to that fateful moment. Their dream to indict Donald Trump has turned into determination, putting them on a collision course with history. No president has ever been prosecuted after leaving office, with even Richard Nixon escaping that infamy after Watergate because of how it would tear America apart. Yet day by day, the evidence shows Dems have liberated themselves from such concerns and are resolved that this time will be different. The number and fervor of their army of prosecutors reveal a contagious fever, and it often appears they are competing to be the first to file charges. August 20: The Daily Caller: Here is what happened to the ten Republicans who voted to Impeach Trump Of the ten House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump, only two have survived their primaries to make it to the general election in November, each of them in states that use a top-two primary system. Reps. David Valadao (CA) and Dan Newhouse WA) advanced into the general election, running in two of the four states that use a top-two primary. Republican Reps. Fred Upton (MI), Adam Kinzinger (IL), John Katko (NY) and Anthony Gonzalez (OH) all opted not to run for reelection. Peter Meijer (MI), Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA), Tom Rice (SC) and Liz Cheney (WY) all lost their primaries to a Trump-endorsed opponent. Valadao (CA) likely benefitted because two Trump supporting candidates ran against him and likely ended up splitting the vote.  August 20: The Epoch Times: SCOTUS blocks Georgia Public Service Commission election The Supreme Court issued an emergency order on Aug. 19 blocking upcoming elections for Georgia's Public Service Commission, upholding a lower court ruling that found that the election rules currently in place discriminate against black voters. The state's Public Service Commission (PSC) regulates electric, natural gas, and telecommunications companies. There are five elected commissioners who are elected on a statewide at-large basis. The election for two of the seats was scheduled for November 8th. Judge Steven D. Grimberg, a Trump appointed justice, found that statewide at-large elections for the PSC were racially discriminatory because this method of election "unlawfully dilutes the votes of Black citizens under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in one of a listed language minority groups. The case was presented to Justice Clarence Thomas, who oversees the 11th Circuit. Thomas referred it to the full Supreme Court, which issued the order. No justices dissented from the unsigned order. August 20: The Washington Times: Pence dials back willingness to testify before the January 6th Committee Vice President Pence is tapping the brakes on his willingness to testify before the House Jan. 6 committee, saying he has to ponder "profound constitutional issues" and the partisan nature of the probe before agreeing to any request. Pence recently surprised political analysts when he said he would consider testifying to the Democratic-led committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, chaos at the Capitol. But is saying there is a myriad of issues he must sort out before he agrees to talk to the panel. "If the committee wanted to extend a formal invitation I would consider it, but we would reflect very carefully on my obligations to preserve the separation of powers and the constitutional framework that I served in," he said. August 19: The Epoch Times: Gohmert (R-TX) the raid on Mar-a-lago just started the snowball rolling According to many, the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago was just another attempt by Democrats to prevent former President Donald Trump from running again in 2024. But according to Rep. Louie Gohmert, it was just the beginning. The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment prohibits states from denying anyone within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law. That means every person must be treated the same way in the application of the laws as someone else in similar conditions and circumstances. Attorney General Merrick Garland admitted he personally approved the warrant application authorizing the raid on President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. The warrant was based on alleged violations of the Espionage Act of 1917 as well as three other statutes related to the destruction of federal documents, the mishandling of defense information, and the concealment, removal, mutilation, obliteration or destruction of federal documents. However, these same laws apply to Hillary Clinton's potential violations in 2016 when she deleted 33.000 subpoenaed emails from her personal server, attempted to bleach the computer to wipe its hard drives clean, and had government-issued mobile devices smashed with hammers. Former FBI Director James Comey even disclosed that 110 of the emails in Clinton's possession contained classified material. August 19: Fox News: Trump hints of something coming regarding raid on Mar-a-Lago President Trump suggested his camp is preparing a response to the FBI search of his Florida home earlier this month. Taking to his social media account on Truth Social, Trump hinted that a big response is pending. "A major motion pertaining to the Fourth Amendment will soon be filed concerning the illegal Break-In of my home, Mar-a-Lago, right before the ever-important Mid-Term Elections. My rights, together with the rights of all Americans, have been violated at a level rarely seen before in our Country. Remember, they even spied on my campaign. The greatest Witch Hunt in USA history has been going on for six years, with no consequences to the scammers. It should not be allowed to continue! August 19: The Washington Examiner: Judge issues new permanent injunction on pause of buying oil and gas leases on federal land A federal judge placed a permanent injunction against Joe Biden's pause on federal oil and gas leasing in 13 states, following up on a temporary injunction placed on the Biden order last summer. U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, a Trump appointee, ruled late Thursday the federal government may not stop issuing leases on federal lands and waters in accordance with the pause Biden ordered during his first week in office. Doughty's order said federal law requires the Interior Department to carry out lease sales, citing the Mineral Leasing Act, which requires the department to hold sales "where eligible lands are available" and to do so "at least quarterly." August 19: News Max: GOP launches ads attacking the (non)inflation reduction act Republicans have launched an ad targeting a Democrat who voted for the $740 billion healthcare, climate, and tax bill, Axios is reporting. A $750,000 ad buy from the Congressional Leadership Fund is aimed at Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine for voting for the legislation, known as the Inflation Reduction Act. "Prices are up," a narrator says in the 30-second ad. "The economy is weak. Maine families are drowning. But instead of helping, Jared Golden cast one of the deciding votes for Biden's new massive spending bill that will make inflation even worse. "Tax hikes for nearly everyone. And up to 87,000 new IRS agents, who can harass the middle class. Times are tough. When Maine families need a lifeline, Jared Golden threw us an anchor," the ad contends. August 19: Iheart Media KTRH: Harris County fights complying with the Election Code audit requirements; fighting transparency Harris County Democrats are fighting a second state audit of local election results planned for November. County Commissioners this month voted 3-2 along party lines to instruct their attorney to take legal action against the Secretary of State, claiming its "random" audit is "politically motivated." "Given the fiasco we had this spring with how the primaries were run, I personally think they should be welcoming an audit in order to restore the voters' faith," says Harris County GOP Chair Cindy Siegel. "Have them come in. Be as transparent as you can." Siegel says more is coming out about new elections administrator Clifford Tatum's time in D.C. The Washington Times reported in 2012 about numerous problems in that year's election. "Machines didn't work. People were given the wrong ballot to vote on. There were ADA issues. There were long lines. Not sufficient polling locations." Siegel fears more of the same this November. August 19: The Washington Examiner: McConnell's Senate skepticism seen as a continuation of his feud with Trump Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) statement that Republicans might not retake the Senate in the midterm elections angered conservatives, who saw it as another front in the senior lawmaker's simmering feud with former President Trump. Left unsaid is McConnell's belief that the quality of the winning primary (Trump endorsed) candidates could weaken the chances for GOP wins. August 18: News Max: Senator Grassley: FBI whistleblowers allege "political bias" Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says whistleblower allegations reveal an alleged political bias at the FBI that has influenced high-level investigations, especially in the bureau's Washington, D.C., office. Grassley, ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has written several letters to FBI Director Christopher Wray to request an accounting for the "deeply rooted political infection" within the bureau. "Starting on May 31, 2022, I've written three letters to you regarding political bias that has infected the FBI's Washington Field Office," Grassley wrote. In two of the letters Grassley cited information from "numerous" whistleblowers that said the FBI approved probes into the Trump campaign based on questionable information, and "shut down investigative activity and sources, which included verified and, information, relating to Hunter Biden." The Senator is still waiting on a response from the FBI which appears to be slow walking a response. August 18: The Epoch Times: FBI authored the affidavit used to get a warrant to search Trump's Florida Home A document made public on Aug. 18 for the first time shows that an FBI agent authored the request for a search warrant for President Trump's resort in Florida. The document, an application for a warrant, was made by an FBI special agent. The document also shows that an agent, possibly the same one, authored the affidavit, or a sworn statement that outlined to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida why it should grant the application. The identity of the agent who signed the application and the name of the agent who signed the affidavit are redacted. August 17: The Daily Signal: What happened with the papers of the last three presidents? Although an FBI raid on the home of a former president had been unprecedented until this month, clashes over compliance with a law called the Presidential Records Act are nothing new. The 1978 law, signed by President Jimmy Carter specifies that "the United States shall reserve and retain complete ownership, possession, and control of presidential records." Here are three past controversies involving presidents' records: - When President Barack Obama left office in January 2017, some 30 million pages of documents from his administration were moved to a warehouse near Chicago. The major difference between the Obama center and previous presidential libraries is that it would be run by the Obama Foundation, a nonprofit established by the former president and former first lady Michelle Obama. - President Clinton's presidential library in Little Rock, Arkansas, delayed the release of tens of thousands of pages of records in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential race in which Hillary Clinton was the expected Democrat front-runner. The episode led to Congress' passing a law that year to curb White House prerogatives on secrecy. The legislation updated the Presidential Records Act to direct that no one use personal email to conduct White House business. - In November 2001, in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush issued an executive order to limit access to presidential records, protecting records from going public after a president leaves office. Bush's order resealed the presidential records maintained by the National Archives and required a "demonstrated, specific need" for documents to overcome a past president's assertion of executive privilege to prevent their release. Bush's executive order was rescinded by Obama when he took office. 
Grassroots say the effort to recall Los Angeles DA Gascon isn't over The campaign to recall LA County District Attorney George Gascon will regroup and begin to sort through 46,807 invalid voter signatures that doomed an effort to oust the beleaguered prosecutor in a future election. The registrar-recorder's office announced Monday that the campaign failed to deliver 566,857 valid signatures to qualify for an election. This is the second time in two years that a grassroots coalition has sought to remove Gascon from office over claims that he caters to criminals instead of victims. But the volunteers are not ready to give up yet and are suspicious of the county's tally given Gascon's support among local elected officials. The bipartisan recall was backed by the prosecutors union, which included 98% of the attorneys in the office, law enforcement, victims, and 37 cities, including Beverly Hills. Prosecutors and law enforcement have said they are desperate to recall Gascon over contributing to a crime wave by downgrading charges for violent felons that include minimizing the use of a gun or belonging in a gang. August 15: The Daily Signal: Biden says there's no voter fraud but his Justice Department keeps prosecuting it The Biden administration's Justice Department successfully prosecuted election fraud cases last month in Pennsylvania and Louisiana, even as "Uncle Joe" has spent much of his term so far asserting that voter fraud is a myth. Federal prosecutors in individual U.S. attorney's offices also have brought separate cases in Arizona, North Carolina, and New York during Biden's administration. Meanwhile Biden has ratcheted up rhetoric against state reforms aimed at preventing voter fraud. Late last year, the White House issued a press release touting plans to "restore and strengthen American democracy" and improve "voting rights." Part of that effort by the Biden administration included "combating misinformation and disinformation" that could "sow mistrust" in elections, or was that an effort to stifle free speech?  August 15:
News Max: "Justice" opposes revealing the affidavit that was used to get the FBI warrant to raid Trump's home The U.S. Justice Department on Monday said it opposes unsealing the affidavit that prosecutors used to obtain a federal magistrate judge's approval to search President Donald Trump's Florida home, where they seized classified documents that the president says he declassified while in office. "If disclosed, the affidavit would serve as a roadmap to the government's ongoing investigation, providing specific details about its direction and likely course, in a manner that is highly likely to compromise future investigative steps," prosecutors wrote in their filing. Trump's Republican allies in recent days have ramped up their calls for Attorney General Merrick Garland to unseal the document, which would reveal the evidence that prosecutors showed to demonstrate they had probable cause to believe crimes were committed at Trump's home — the standard they had to meet to secure the search warrant. August 14: The Daily Caller: White House fumbles the ball in trying to explain misstep in the inflation numbers White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre fumbled Sunday when asked about the "Orwellian" nature of the Inflation Reduction Act. An ABC News/Ipsos poll from early August found only 37% of Americans approve of Joe Biden's handling of the economy, Jon Karl explained to Jean-Pierre, and asked her why, if things are getting better with inflation, so many Americans disapprove of the Biden. Jean-Pierre argued the White House is aware of what the American people are feeling. She then gave examples of how the Biden has "partly" helped in attempting to improve inflation issues, noting the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act. "Let me ask you. It's called the 'Inflation Reduction Act,' but the Congressional Budget Office [CBO], which is nonpartisan, said there would be a negligible impact on inflation this year and barely impact inflation at all next year," Karl responded, "Isn't it almost Orwellian? How can you call it the 'Inflation Reduction Act' when nonpartisan experts say it's not…" August 14: The Washington Examiner: You may never see the "Russiagate" documents even though they have been legally declassified by President Trump Justice Department officials appear to be maneuvering to block the disclosure of documents from the so-called "Russiagate" controversy, according to a top Pentagon official from the Trump administration. Kash Patel, who was chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, claims that Trump issued sweeping declassification order of documents. Speculation is that the raid on Trump's Florida home could have been to retrieve the documents to that they will never be made public, even though they have been declassified. "…you will never be allowed to see the Russiagate docs or any other docs that President Trump lawfully declassified, and they will hide it from the public," Patel said. August 14: News Max: Congressional Delegation visits Taiwan following high profile visit by Speaker Pelosi A delegation of U.S. lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a two-day trip during which they will meet President Tsai Ing-wen, the second high-level group to visit while there are military tensions between the self-ruled island and China. Beijing, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has conducted military drills around the island to express its anger over U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei in early August. The de facto U.S. embassy in Taipei said the delegation is being led by Senator Ed Markey, who is being accompanied by four House lawmakers on what it described as part of a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region.  August 14: The Epoch Times: "Woke" military policies are to blame for recruitment crisis The U.S. Army is expected to fall nearly 40,000 troops short of its recruiting goals over the next two years. Fiscal year 2022 is expected to miss the mark by 10,000 troops, while the number in fiscal year 2023 could reach 28,000. These figures mean that this year is on track to be the Army's worst recruiting year in almost 50 years. The Army plans to circumvent the problem by offering $1 billion for its recruiting program and placing more emphasis on the use of its reserve units. August 13: Fox News: Report: FBI seized documents subject to attorney client privilege; DOJ opposes request for an independent review The FBI seized boxes containing records covered by attorney-client privilege and potentially executive privilege during its raid of President Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News, adding that the Justice Department opposed Trump lawyers' request for the appointment of an independent, special master to review the records. Sources familiar with the investigation said the former president's team was informed that boxes labeled A-14, A-26, A-43, A-13, A-33, and a set of documents—all seen on the final page of the FBI's property receipt —contained information covered by attorney-client privilege. The FBI seized classified records from Trump's Palm Beach home during its unprecedented Monday morning raid, including some marked as top secret. But the former president is disputing the classification, saying the records have been declassified. August 13: One American News Network: U.S. tightens export controls on chips and gas turbine technology The United States on Friday adopted new export controls on technologies that support the production of advanced semiconductors and gas turbine engines that it said are critical to its national security. The "emerging and foundational technologies" covered by the move include gallium oxide and diamond, because "devices that utilize these materials have significantly increased military potential," the Commerce Department said. "Technological advancements that allow technologies like semiconductors and engines to operate faster, more efficiently, longer, and in more severe conditions can be game changers in both the commercial and military context," said Commerce Under Secretary for Industry and Security Alan Estevez.* "When we recognize the risks as well as the benefits, and act in concert with our international partners, we can ensure that our shared security objectives are met." The four technologies are among items that 42 participating countries reached consensus to control at December 2021 meetings. The United States export controls cover a wider range of technologies, including additional equipment, software, and technology used to produce semiconductors than the international agreement. *Your editor worked for BIS during some of his time in Washington, DC August 12: The Daily Signal: Some facts about the IRS weapons arsenal Some of the 87,000 new IRS agents whom Democrats propose to could come with some extra firepower. The bill would double the current size of the IRS to beef up enforcement. According to the watchdog group OpenTheBooks, as of two years ago, the IRS reportedly had an arsenal of 4,600 guns. Two federal investigations in the past decade found that IRS agents had not been sufficiently trained and were accident-prone with the weapons they have. According to a Senate hearing, armed IRS raids on nonviolent taxpayers surfaced as a concern almost 25 years ago. During debate in the House, Representative Boebert (R-CO) raised concerns about arming IRS agents. "This bill has new IRS agents and they are armed, and the job description tells them that they need to be required to carry a firearm and expect to use deadly force, if necessary," he said. "Excessive taxation is theft. You are using the power of the federal government for armed robbery on the taxpayers." In a posted job opening for a special IRS agent, the IRS specified that applicants should be "willing and able to participate in arrests, execution of search warrants, and other dangerous assignments," and able to carry "a firearm and be willing to use deadly force, if necessary." As of 2020, the IRS arsenal included 3,282 pistols, 621 shotguns, 539 rifles, 15 fully automatic firearms, and four revolvers. A GAO 2018 report showed that the IRS had 3.1 million rounds of ammunition for pistols and revolvers. August 12: The Wall Street Journal: The FBI may have recovered documents that Trump declassified before leaving office FBI agents who searched President Trump's Mar-a-Lago home Monday removed 11 sets of "classified" documents, including some marked as top secret and meant to be only available in special government facilities, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. However, Trump's attorneys claimed the documents he had in his possession had been declassified prior to Trump's departure from the White House, not to mention that the property is guarded 24/7 by the Secret Service. The FBI agents seized around 20 boxes of items, binders of photographs, a handwritten note and a copy of the clemency of Roger Stone. The agency's special agents would not allow Trump's legal counsel to observer what they gathered from is residence, thereby raising questions about the raid in the minds of critics. Here is the text of the warrant and list of items seized.  August 12: The Daily Caller: The FBI doesn't seem to care enough to explain their raid on the FL home of President Trump From the moment Donald Trump came down the escalator to formally step onto the political stage, America's leading establishment figures have misjudged what was happening. Most still refuse to think deeply about what drove such massive popularity for Trump. Some of it was his focus on issues, such as extended wars in the Middle East and a lack of border security, where there was a growing chasm between voters' desires and politicians' priorities. The biggest part, though, was a growing mistrust felt by many Americans for their political leaders altogether. There are still so many open questions about the FBI's raid on Trump's Florida home this week, but one thing for sure is it reinforced the feeling many Americans have that the system is rigged. The Biden Justice Department just reinforced the sentiment that brought Trump to power in the first place. All of this, like so many of America's recent problems, could have been avoided. How about an explanation? Did AG Garland even consider the damage he would do by raiding a popular ex-president's home with no explanation whatsoever? It's as if those running America are trying to drive a huge swath of voters away from any trust in the system. August 12: The Washington Times: The DOJ still owes answers beyond unsealing warrant for raid on Trump's FL home House Intelligence Committee Republicans say they will still have questions after the Justice Department's expected release of the warrant that led to the search of President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. GOP lawmakers on the committee say they remain concerned about the perception of an unwarranted escalation by the FBI that led to the raid and reports that they had an informant placed within. Trump's inner circle. They vowed to continue to press Attorney General Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray for answers. August 11: The Epoch Times: FBI may have planted listening devices in Trump's home A person close to the Trump family suggested the FBI may have planted "listening devices" during a raid targeting President Donald Trump's Florida residence earlier this week. Lawyers for the president previously said that FBI agents would not allow Trump's team to observe or supervise their search of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. One lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, told Fox News on Thursday that agents are believed to have searched Trump's bedroom, office, and a storage room.  August 11: The Washington Times: Ongoing struggle in Ukraine hurts Russian defense industry Russia's invasion of Ukraine is straining Moscow's ability to provide armored military vehicles to other countries, traditionally a lucrative export opportunity for Russia. Belarus recently announced details of its plans for a domestically upgraded T-72B main battle tank (MBT). "Belarus probably developed this alternative solution in place of an MBT modification program previously contracted to (the) Russian state-owned company UralVagonZavod," according to a Twitter post by British military intelligence officials on Thursday. August 11: News Max: Officials told to stop talking about Ukraine tactics Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday told government officials to stop talking to reporters about Kyiv's military tactics against Russia, saying such remarks were "frankly irresponsible." In the wake of major blasts that wrecked a Russian air base in Crimea on Tuesday, the New York Times and Washington Post newspapers cited unidentified officials as saying Ukrainian forces were responsible. The government in Kyiv, on the other hand, declined to say whether it had been behind the explosions. "War is definitely not the time for vanity and loud statements. The fewer details you divulge about our defense plans, the better it will be for the implementation of those defense plans," Zelenskyy said in an evening address. August 11: The Epoch Times: Treasury Secretary tells the IRS not to target middle income earners when they get $80 billion for enforcement Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has ordered the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) not to send tax enforcers to audit households making less than $400,000 per year after concerns were raised that a massive funding boost to the agency would be used to crack down not on wealthy tax dodgers but to bully middle-income Americans. The Inflation Reduction Act, which recently cleared the Senate in a partisan vote and is expected to be approved by the House as soon as Friday, allocates some $80 billion in additional funding for the IRS, with a portion earmarked for increased enforcement such as audits. August 10: News Max: Kelly; Raid on Trump's FL home has zero to do with January 6th Media personality Megyn Kelly told News Max on Wednesday that there is "zero chance" Attorney General Merrick Garland is pursuing President Donald Trump over allegedly withheld "classified documents" following the FBI raid at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. "If you believe that Merrick Garland actually sent 30 to 40 FBI agents down Mar-a-Lago to raid Trump's home so he could pick up a few boxes that it might have classified information, I got a bridge in Brooklyn that I really want to want you to take a hard look at," Kelly said! "It's a lie. It's BS. It's a pretext for what he's really after, in my view, and that is evidence that would finally tie Trump to some crime connected with the Jan. 6 riot. To me, it seems obvious there is zero chance he's going after Trump for classified documents." August 10: The Post Newspaper | Sarges.com: The US Supreme Court reigns in government overreach during its 2022 session The last session of the United States Supreme Court [SCOTUS] was an interesting one. It clearly followed the Constitution by returning powers not enumerated to the federal government to the jurisdiction of the state governments. In addition, it held the "Administrative State" to task making it clear that agencies like EPA, OSHA, and the CDC may not stray beyond the authority granted to them by the Congress. In all these cases the court said there was no clear reasoning from the original authorizing legislation which would empower unelected federal agencies to take such actions. This court's decisions have set a bar where those who have been unable to get their wacky legislative proposals enacted are being held in check. August 10: KTRH iHeart Media: Trump invokes the 5th amendment in order to not participate in a NY DA's "witch hunt" deposition President Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and declined to answer questions during a scheduled deposition as part of New York state's Attorney General Letita James' investigation into the Trump Organization. "What Letitia James has tried to do the last three years is a disgrace to the legal system, an affront to New York State taxpayers, and a violation of the solemn rights and protections afforded by the United States Constitution," Trump said in a statement. "I did nothing wrong, which is why, after five years of looking, the Federal, State, and local governments, together with the fake news media, have found nothing." The investigation is a "unfounded politically motivated Witch Hunt," Trump contended. Critics have suggested this investigation and the FBI raid on his Florida home are just a continuation of efforts by Democrat operative -- such as "Russia Gate" and "January 6th" -- efforts to keep Trump from running for office again. August 10: The Washington Times: Former FBI agent; politicization of the FBI started under Mueller The politicization of the FBI began under former director Robert S. Mueller's transformation of the bureau from a traditional law enforcement agency to counter intelligence powerhouse in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, according to a former G-Man. Thomas J. Baker, an agent with 33 years of experience, said the switch changed the culture of the agency. "The ethics of an intelligence agency is different from a law enforcement agency," he said. "In a traditional law enforcement agency, agents live every day for the time to come when they get on the witness stand and say nothing but the truth. But an intelligence agency deals with lies and disruption. It's a whole different mindset between the two." August 9: The Washington Times: The raid on President Trump's home may be legal but may also be viewed as an abuse of power The FBI 's stunning search of President Trump 's Florida home may have been legally justifiable to the judge who approved it, but the move still could be viewed as an abuse of power and so further damaging to the  bureau's credibility from which it may never recover, former agents have said. "The FBI has been at a tipping point since the Comey-McCabe false Russian collusion investigation," said former FBI assistant director of intelligence Kevin Brock said. "That could be cited as an isolated operation that didn't affect the FBI 's credibility, but now there has been a cascade of events that have pushed the FBI to the precipice in the minds of half the country." Thomas J. Baker, who spent 33 years as an agent and served as an instructor at the bureau's training academy in Quantico, Virginia, said the raid may have been legally sound, but was also an abuse of power. Agents showed up at the Trump estate with automatic weapons at the ready while the President was out of town. With the President out of town they avoided a possible confrontation with the secret service, whose job is to protect Trump.
August 9: One America News Network: AZ's Kari Lake denounces FBI raid on Trump's Florida home Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake called the FBI raid at former President Donald Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago "one of the darkest days in American history." In a statement on Monday, Lake said the Biden administration hates America and has "weaponized the entirety of the federal government to take down Trump." She denounced the raid as an "horrendous abuse of power" and the work of tyrants who will stop at nothing to silence their opponents. Lake vowed to fight the federal government as governor and asserted she will seek to crackdown on the federal government's power in Arizona. August 9: The Daily Caller: Fox News' Doocy asks directly is the White House weaponizing the DOJ and the FBI against political opponents Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Tuesday if the Biden administration is "weaponizing" the Department of Justice (DOJ) against political opponents. Doocy asked Jean-Pierre if the administration views former President Trump as a "political rival" of Joe Biden following the FBI raid on the former president's Mar-a-Lago home. The press secretary denied Doocy's claims that she "talks about Trump all the time." "Ultra-MAGA, you guys were criticizing his handling of COVID last week, you mentioned his January 6 response a couple days ago," Doocy said. "So based on all that, I didn't say anything about Mar-a-Lago, I'm just asking you if you consider the president…" "I'm just saying from here, I'm not gonna comment on that," Jean-Pierre said. August 9: Newsweek: Ammunition depot near Russian airfield in Crimea could lead to escalation of Ukraine invasion If Ukraine is behind the series of explosions in the area of a Russian airbase in Crimea, it could result in an escalation in the war, which has been ongoing since Russia's invasion in late February, according to experts. Videos showed the blasts near the Saki airfield on Tuesday, and Russia's Defense Ministry said they were caused by detonated aviation ammunition, killing one and injuring several others, the Russian state-owned news agency reported. But while Russia points away from an attack as the cause of the explosions, The New York Times reported that a senior Ukrainian military official with knowledge on the matter said that Ukraine was behind it. August 9: CNN: Reports; Russia offering inmates in their jails freedom if they will fight against the Ukrainians Promises of freedom and riches are made to convicts in cramped Russian jail cells. Frantic phone calls ensue between relatives and inmates weighing the offer. Then prisoners vanish, leaving their loved ones to sift through reports of the wounded arriving in hospitals. This scene is playing out in the convict communities across Russia. With a regular army stretched thin after nearly six months of a disastrously executed and bloody invasion of Ukraine, there's increasing evidence that the Kremlin is making ugly choices in its ugly war and recruiting Russia's prisoners to fight. Activists believe hundreds have been approached in dozens of prisons across Russia -- from murderers to drug offenders. Some have even been taken from the prison where one high-profile American jailed in Russia, Paul Whelan, is held. His brother David said in a statement in July he had heard ten volunteers had left IK17 in Mordovia for the frontlines in Ukraine. August 8: The Dailly Signal: Was the Raid on Trump's home necessary or is it a sign of possible corruption in DOJ/FBI? President Donald Trump said Monday evening his home had been raided by a "large group of FBI agents." "Nothing like this has ever happened to a president of the United States before," Trump said in a statement. "After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate." Trump's estate, Mar-a-Lago, is located in Palm Beach, Florida. Florida's governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, tweeted that the raid was an "another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regime's political opponents, while people like Hunter Biden get treated with kid gloves." Reportedly the raid was made to find classified records but seeing that Trump still has an active security clearance and was working with the relevant agencies as to what documents he was allowed to keep, a raid by FBI agents with guns at the ready seemed unnecessary, especially since no similar action was taken against former Secretary of State and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton who had classified on an unprotected personal server in her personal residence. August 8: The Washington Free Beacon: FL Dem frontrunner says Democrats would defund police in a very thoughtful way Florida Democratic Senate hopeful Val Demings wants voters to know she would never support abolishing the police. Two years ago, she praised a group of radical activists working to do just that as "thoughtful." In a June 2020 interview, Demings voiced support for Minneapolis City Council members who pledged to "abolish the Minneapolis Police system as we know it" following the police killing of George Floyd. Demings had no doubt the council members and their activist allies would "come out with a plan" for a new policing system that would "keep Minneapolis safe but also bring the community and the police together in a much needed and long overdue way." Days later the council voted unanimously to eliminate the Minneapolis Police Department without establishing any kind of replacement. Now, as Demings fights to unseat Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), the Democrat is running away from her praise for the council. August 7: The Washington Examiner: Dems vote against defining pregnancy as a condition unique to biological females All 50 Senate Democrats and the independents who caucus with them voted Sunday against an amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act that would federally define pregnancy as a condition unique to biological females. Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the measure to the sweeping budget reconciliation bill in a marathon voting session in which Republicans introduced dozens of provisions that don't have the votes to be enacted but force Democrats to take a stance on contentious issues. The GOP so far has only been successful in one matter, blocking a provision that would cap the monthly price of insulin at $35. August 7: Fox News: Democrats scorned for passing a multibillion-dollar economic package without a single Republican vote Republicans on Sunday heaped scorn on Democrats for passing a multibillion-dollar economic package without a single Republican vote, warning that it would come back to haunt them in the November midterms. "Democrats will pay the price in November for raising taxes on families during a recession," Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement. Her statement reflects criticism among Republicans that the inflation reduction Act will do the opposite of its intended purpose. In a statement, Sen. Ted Cruz, (R-TX) likened the bill to a "give-away to the Democrats' radical leftist base at the expense of middle-class Americans." August 7: The Epoch Times: Democrats continue to block the release the tapes of the January 6th protest at the U.S. Capitol As the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol and continues its effort to prove allegations of insurrection against former President Donald Trump and his supporters, the Capitol Police and House Democrats continue to block all efforts to force the release of all surveillance video footage and emails, which could possibly exonerate those being accused of wrongdoing. Now, Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX) is citing the United States Code -- 2USC 1979 that states 'any Member … of either House of Congress' can 'obtain information from the Capitol Police regarding the operations and activities of the Capitol Police that affect the Senate and House of Representatives.' -- as the authority to force release of the tapes. He contends that Subsection (c) makes clear that nothing in that law may be construed to prevent us, as Members of the House of Representatives from our ability to obtain those videos." Gohmert concluded that "Releasing this information is absolutely essential to proper governance and truth to protect and perpetuate this self, governing nation. August 7: News Max: Trump and the makeover of the Republican Party Former President Donald Trump has "orchestrated a makeover" of the Republican Party before his return in 2024, bringing the "fire" for midterm election turnout that is sorely needed, according to presidential adviser Dick Morris. "In 2016, Trump orchestrated a takeover of the Republican Party," Morris said "Now, he's orchestrating a makeover of the Republican Party. It's unprecedented… The former incumbent president really is reshaping the Republican Party and making it into a MAGA, America First institution." August 7: Fox News: NYC Mayor blasts Texas Governor for sending illegals to New York New York City Mayor Eric Adams blasted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday after a second bus full of illegal migrants arrived at his doorstep. Adams gave a news conference Sunday morning at the Port Authority where he greeted an incoming bus of around 40 migrants — only 14 of whom disembarked in the Big Apple. "This is horrific when you think about what the governor is doing," Adams said, noting that many of the arriving families did not realize they were coming to New York City. "We're finding that some of the families are on the bus that wanted to go to other locations, and they were not allowed to do so," the mayor said.  August 6: News Max: Chinese play war games simulating an attack on Taiwan
Taiwan officials said Chinese aircraft and warships rehearsed an attack on their island on Saturday, part of Beijing's retaliation for a visit there by U.S. House Speaker Pelosi that has also seen it halt talks with the United States on issues including defense and climate change. Pelosi's brief visit this week to the self-ruled island that China regards as its territory infuriated Beijing and prompted military drills that are unprecedented in scale around Taiwan and have included ballistic missiles fired over the capital, Taipei. U.S. Secretary of State Blinken accused China of taking "irresponsible steps" by halting key communication channels with Washington, and said its actions over Taiwan showed a move from prioritizing peaceful resolution towards use of force. August 6: The Washington Free Beacon: Granit State not buying bipartisan pitch of Senate Democrat campaign Sen. Maggie Hassan's reelection campaign ads tout that the Granite State Democrat is the "most bipartisan" lawmaker in the Senate. But state residents across the political spectrum say they consider Hassan a reliable vote for the Biden administration. Sean Chambers, a 43-year-old construction worker and registered independent, said Hassan's time in the Senate has been "nothing but broken promises." He said he has yet to decide on whether he will vote Republican in November but refuses to back Hassan. "She says she's for the worker but hasn't done anything," Chambers said. "I don't buy the bipartisan talk. There's a big divide and nothing is getting done." August 6: News Max: Indiana becomes the first state to enact abortion legislation post Roe v. Wade Indiana on Friday became the first state in the nation to approve abortion restrictions since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, as the governor quickly signed a near-total ban on the procedure shortly after lawmakers approved it. The ban, which takes effect Sept. 15, includes some exceptions. Abortions would be permitted in cases of rape and incest, before 10-weeks post-fertilization; to protect the life and physical health of the mother; and if a fetus is diagnosed with a lethal anomaly. Victims of rape and incest would not be required to sign a notarized affidavit attesting to an attack, as had once been proposed. Under the bill, abortions can be performed only in hospitals or outpatient centers owned by hospitals, meaning all abortion clinics would lose their licenses. A doctor who performs an illegal abortion or fails to file required reports must also lose their medical license — wording that tightens current Indiana law that says a doctor "may" lose their license. August 5: Fox News: Republican Senators promise to make debate on budget resolution-inflation expansion bill hell for those moving the bill forward Republican senators are promising to make the Senate's upcoming vote-a-rama "hell" for Democrats over their social spending and tax increase legislation, and are even threatening to tank a continuing resolution as payback. "What will vote-a-rama be like? It will be like hell," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said. "They deserve this. As much as I admire Joe Manchin and Sinema for standing up to the radical left at times, they've empowering legislation that will make the average person's life more difficult." Graham added: "I'm hoping that we can come up with proposals that will make sense to a few of them, and they will abandon this jihad (against the American people)." First, Democrats will have to move through the procedures of the reconciliation process, including a vote-a-rama, in which senators are allowed to offer unlimited amendments to the bill. The session can include dozens of votes and drag on for the better part of a day, sometimes overnight into the wee hours of the morning. Senate GOP Conference Chair John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said Friday Republicans plan to introduce amendments on "energy, inflation, border and crime," during the session. Republicans hope to at least use the process to make Democrats take uncomfortable votes ahead of the midterm election They may also be able to change the bill with their amendments, and perhaps sink it entirely if one of those successful amendments causes some Democrats to oppose the bill. August 5: The Washington Times: China will refuse to accept deportees amid Pelosi's trip to Taiwan, raising issues over a White House response or lack thereof China said Friday that it will stop accepting deportees from the U.S. as part of its retaliation for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit this week to Taiwan. The move was among nine steps announced by China's Foreign Affairs Ministry, along with ending cooperation on transnational crime and drugs, and halting talks on climate change. It also raises the stakes for the Biden administration, which under U.S. law can punish countries that refuse to cooperate on deportations by refusing to issue new visas to that country's citizens. "This is really an opportunity for the Biden administration to show it's not going to be jerked around by China," said Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies, which backs stricter immigration enforcement. Under section 243(d), the part of immigration law that governs the issue, the government could deny all visas, though traditionally administrations have been more targeted. Refusing to issue short-term tourism or business visas to government officials and their families has been the most common use of 243(d). "It's the elite members of these societies who are able to travel to the United States any time they want to, desperately want to come here to shop, to go to Las Vegas, to send their kids to our universities, and maybe even to work. They would very likely be swayed by even a very targeted suspension of visas," she said. "We don't want to suspend travel from everyone from China, and we don't need to. That's the beauty of this kind of leverage." [Question: Could we deny permission for any Chinese government official to travel to the US to go to the UN or their embassies or consults? Or should we?] August 4: News Max: DeSantis removes states attorney who vowed not to prosecute abortions Gov. Ron DeSantis(R-FL) suspended a county state attorney who vowed not to enforce state laws, such as prosecuting doctors who perform abortions. DeSantis made the announcement to remove Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren during a Thursday morning press conference. "We don't elect people in one part of the state to have veto power over what the entire state decides on these important issues," DeSantis said. "The Constitution of Florida has vested the veto power in the governor, not in individual state attorneys. "And so, when you flagrantly violate your oath of office and you make yourself above the law, you have violated your duty, you have neglected your duty, and you are displaying a lack of competence to perform those duties. And so, today, we are suspending State Attorney Andrew Warren effective immediately." August 4: The Washington Times: Manchin bucks Biden after caving on budget reconciliation Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WVA) bucked his fellow Democrats Thursday by voting with all Republicans to roll back environmental regulations set by Joe Biden in a bid to streamline infrastructure and energy projects. Manchin was the lone Democrat to back the forced vote from Senate Republicans, allowing it to pass 50-47 in the evenly split chamber. While the measure faces certain defeat in the Democratic-led House, the vote offered a glimpse into the political battles that lie ahead in the coming weeks when Democrats will try to pass energy-permit reform. The bill was crafted to cut bureaucratic red tape on the subject, which will require the backing of at least 10 GOP senators to overcome a filibuster — potentially more, if far-left members refuse to get on board. August 4: The Daily Caller: Cruz confronts Wray on Project Veritas leak At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) confronted FBI Director Christopher Wray about a leak of alleged FBI material by the conservative activist group, Project Veritas. Cruz made the case that the FBI has a repeated pattern of targeting conservatives and "patriotic Americans." He pointed to a copy of FBI training material obtained by Project Veritas that allegedly listed the Betsy Ross, Gadsden and Gonzales Battle flags as themes "indicative of militia violent extremism." "Director Wray, what are you all doing?" Cruz asked. "Do you agree with this FBI guidance that the Betsy Ross flag and the Gadsden flag and the Gonzales Battle flag are signs of militia violent extremism?" Wray responded, that he was not familiar with the document. "But I will tell you that when we put out intelligence products, including ones that reference symbols which we do across a wide variety of context, we usually make great pains to put caveats and warnings in the document that make clear that a symbol alone is not considered evidence of violent extremism." Cruz commented that the document does not include symbols connected to Antifa and Black Lives Matter. August 4: Fox News: Lake secures GOP nomination for AZ governor According to the AP, Kari Lake has won the Republican nomination for governor in Arizona's primary election. For "days," the hotly contested race between former TV news anchor Kari Lake and real estate developer Karrin Taylor Robson was too close to call as Lake's lead was fewer than 12,000 votes. As of Wednesday morning, Lake had 46.2% of the vote, and Taylor Robson had 44.5%. Lake will now attempt to succeed term-limited Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican. August 3: The Washington Examiner: Arizona county responds to primary election chaos Officials from Pinal County, AZ, said they aren't completely sure what went awry during the primary election Tuesday, when at least 20 precincts reported ballot shortages at polling locations, prompting the Republican Party to raise concerns. A scramble is underway to determine why precincts had not been given an adequate number of ballots in advance of the election and are open to conducting an audit to get to the bottom of what went wrong, two county officials said during a press conference Wednesday. "We opened the boxes, and there weren't enough ballots ... so we're not really quite clear how that occurred," said Jeffrey McClure, chairman of the Pinal County Board of Supervisors. During primary night, a number of voters were told their polling station ran out of ballots and were offered the opportunity to wait or come back at a later time after the county printed out more ballots. Officials said they are not sure how many voters were affected by the shortage and emphasized that not all of the roughly 20 precincts that requested additional ballots ran out. [Editor's Note: This is one of the issues election offices potentially face with using preprinted paper ballots instead of electronic ballots with paper backups.] August 3: The Washington Times: Taxpayers face a supercharged IRS under the new Schumer/Manchin budget reconciliation bill The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is about to get a lot more nosy. If Democrats succeed in passing their new climate and budget package this month, it will add some $80 billion to the agency over the next decade, with the majority of that going to enforcement. The result will be a "supercharged" tax agency with roughly 65% more funding to investigate, audit, talk to and collect from Americans. "Despite a long history of IRS abuses, Democrats have revived their proposal to send 87,000 new IRS agents after you and your family-owned business on the belief that everyone is a tax cheat," Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee said this week. One Republican analysis figures nearly half of the agency's new audit work will be aimed at taxpayers with incomes of $75,000 or less. Democrats insist that's not their goal but it has become clear such will be the consequence of their actions. August 3: News Max: Senate supports Finland joining NATO 95-1 Senators delivered overwhelming bipartisan approval to NATO membership for Finland and Sweden Wednesday, calling expansion of the Western defensive bloc a "slam-dunk" for U.S. national security and a day of reckoning for Russian President Vladimir Putin over his invasion of Ukraine. Wednesday's 95-1 vote — for the candidacy of two Western European nations that, until Russia's war against Ukraine, had long avoided military alliances — took a crucial step toward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its 73-year-old pact of mutual defense among the United States and democratic allies in Europe. August 3: Fox News: Follow the money, Joe Manchin Senator Joe Manchin (D-WVA) raised only a fraction of his campaign funds from voters in his home state, according to a Fox News analysis, while out-of-state contributions and corporate donations make up the bulk of his fundraising. Manchin, who shocked Washington last week after announcing an agreement to advance a very expensive and inflationary green energy and pharmaceutical spending bill received approximately $6.1 million from individual donors who gave more than $200 in aggregate to his campaign between January 2021 and June 30, 2022, according to Federal Elections Commission (FEC) filings. Over $6 million of his campaign donations came from individuals in other states. Manchin is not up for re-election until 2024 — and he has not announced whether he will seek another term, while his campaign war chest continues to grow.  August 2: Breitbart News: Pelosi defies Biden and Communist Chinese, lands in Taiwan
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) landed in Taipei, Taiwan, late Tuesday evening local time in defiance of the Biden administration's and China's warnings not to go. The trip marks the first time in 25 years that a U.S. official of her level visited Taiwan. The previous visit was in 1997 by then House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA). "Our Congressional delegation's visit to Taiwan honors America's unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan's vibrant Democracy," Pelosi said in a statement. "Our discussions with Taiwan leadership will focus on reaffirming our support for our partner and on promoting our shared interests, including advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific region. America's solidarity with the 23 million people of Taiwan is more important today than ever, as the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy," she added. Taiwan is also an important economic US ally with about 90% of the world's computer chips being manufactured in either Taiwan or South Korea. August 2: Fox News: Paul Pelosi had drugs in system, slurred speech, and handed law enforcement a police privilege card According to court documents, Paul Pelosi, the multimillionaire husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, allegedly had a drug in his system, addressed officers with slurred speech, and tried to hand them a police courtesy (get out of jail free) card during his May arrest on DUI charges. Pelosi's 2021 Porsche and the other driver's 2014 Jeep sustained "major collision damage" in a crash around 10:17 p.m. on May 28, and responding officers found Pelosi in his driver's seat in his damaged car. Pelosi allegedly handed officers his driver's license and an "11-99 Foundation" card when they asked for his ID, according to the documents. The 11-99 Foundation is a California Highway Patrol charity that supports officers and provides scholarships for their children. August 1: The Washington Free Beacon: Manchin caves; Budget reconciliation package includes items he once called ludicrous Sen. Joe Manchin's $485 billion budget reconciliation package includes a provision he once called "ludicrous" and counterproductive to fighting inflation, according to a review of the bill. The deal Manchin struck with Senate Democrats to fight inflation includes tens of billions of dollars' worth of electric vehicle tax credits, a policy once considered a non-starter for Manchin. As recently as April, Democrats thought negotiations reached an impasse after he said electric tax credits "make no sense to me whatsoever." "There's a waiting list for EVs right now with a fuel price at $4.00, but they still want us to throw $5,000 or $7,000 or a $12,000 credit to buy an electric vehicle," Manchin said on the Senate floor. "We can't produce enough product for the people that want it and we're still going to pay them to take it. It's absolutely ludicrous, in my mind." Regardless of such pronouncements, Manchin will support the inflation stoking bill which will include up to $7,500 for the purchase of electric vehicles. Apparently, Manchin is not content with relying upon the market place and free will decisions by automobile purchasers, instead opting to sweeten the pie to encourage purchases that would otherwise not be seriously considered. Why Manchin caved on electric vehicle subsidies is unclear after making statements like being "reluctant to go down the path of electric vehicles" while manufacturers are unable to produce enough of them; and, "I'm old enough to remember standing in line in 1974 trying to buy gas. I remember those days," he said. "I don't want to have to be standing in line waiting for a battery for my vehicle, because we're now dependent on a foreign supply chain, mostly China." August 1: The Epoch Times: Louisiana DA expects a treasure trove of information from subpoena of Biden Administration The subpoenas and discovery requests sent out as part of a lawsuit against the federal government are going to bring back reams of information, Louisiana Attorney General Landry says. Landry and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, both Republicans, sued the Biden administration in May, arguing the government colluded with big tech companies to violate the constitutional rights of Americans. U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, a Trump appointee, recently ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. Government officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci and companies including Facebook were served soon after. "We've got a treasure trove of information that we think are going to come to us here shortly," Landry said. August 1: News Max: Pelosi to visit Taiwan amid threats from the Communist Chinese U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Taiwan, CNN reported Monday, citing sources, as China warned that its military would never "sit idly by" if she visited the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing. Pelosi, who began an Asia trip earlier Monday in Singapore, was due to spend Tuesday night in Taiwan, Reuters reported, also citing unidentified sources. Taiwan's foreign ministry said it had no comment on reports of Pelosi's travel plans. The U.S. official told CNN that Department of Defense officials are working to monitor Chinese movements in the region while securing a plan to keep the speaker safe. July 31: The Washington Examiner: Former "spy chief" says Biden Administration mismanaged Pelosi plans to visit Taiwan Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe criticized the Biden administration for its handling of speculation that House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) will visit Taiwan despite warnings by the Communist Chinese. The former spy chief argued Chinese President Xi Jinping is capitalizing on Joe Biden's "weakness" as Beijing and its mouthpieces in the media threatened severe consequences if Pelosi ends up visiting Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. "It's been mismanaged by the Biden administration," Ratcliffe said. At this point, Ratcliffe said, "…she does need to go for the sake of our national security, so that the American people see that the Chinese Communist Party is not the one dictating American foreign policy, that it is the American government doing that…" July 31: The NY Post: FBI, Director Christopher Wray are in for a rude wake-up call over Hunter Biden investigation FBI Director Christopher Wray may face tough questions from Republican members of the House Oversight Committee over the mounting evidence that something is very rotten inside the agency Wray runs. At the top of the list is the curious question of why the FBI reportedly dis nothing with Hunter Biden's laptop, which was handed to two agents on Dec. 9, 2019, by an alarmed owner of the computer repair shop near the Biden family homes in Greenville, Del., where Hunter had dropped off his MacBook eight months earlier. Among other potential crimes to be found on the abandoned laptop, you would expect the FBI to be interested, on national security grounds, in the incriminating evidence of a corrupt foreign influence-peddling scheme run by the Biden family throughout Joe Biden's vice presidency. Equally curious is why the FBI apparently did nothing with another voluminous trove of corroborating material, given to it in October 2020 by Hunter's former business partner, Tony Bobulinski, including emails and other documents that replicate those on Hunter's laptop. July 31: The Post Newspaper: There is a common thread between slavery and abortion Last month our nation observed Juneteenth, which celebrates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay and announced that more than 250,000 slaves in Texas were free by executive decree. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the claim that the U.S. Constitution grants a woman's right of abortion; sending the authority to allow or prohibit abortions back to state legislatures to decide. There is a common thread between these two. People -- born or unborn -- are not property that can be bought, sold (even for body parts), or discarded. The bottom line is that some of the darkest parts of our country's history still remain. We need to stand against and oppose measures that dehumanize people, born or unborn. God creates life and doesn't smile kindly upon a society which seeks to destroy life or dehumanize it as property. July 30: The Washington Examiner: The latest SCOTUS Justice will not recuse herself on affirmative action case as promised in confirmation hearings Supreme Court Justice Jackson will be able to weigh in on a lawsuit surrounding alleged discriminatory college admissions practices after the high court decoupled a pair of cases surrounding affirmative action policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill. Jackson, who was sworn in as the first black woman on the court last month, said in March that she planned to recuse herself from the previously consolidated lawsuits during her Senate Judiciary Committee hearings due to her role on Harvard's Board of Overseers, which concluded on May 26. But last Friday, the Supreme Court made a procedural step to separate the cases, thereby allowing her to vote on the UNC case. Federal law states judges must recuse themselves from cases in which their "impartiality might reasonably be questioned," which may include close ties to a political party, a financial interest in the outcome, or participation at an earlier stage of the litigation process. July 30: Townhall.com: Senator Cotton: Biden leaked Pelosi's plans to go to Taiwan There's an old saying in the Navy "loose lips sinks ships!" Is that what happened when Speaker Pelosi's plans to visit Taiwan on her "Asian tour" became public or was it a political move by Biden? In her Friday press conference, Pelosi (D-CA) remained mum about whether her trip to Asia would include a stop in Taiwan citing security concerns for her congressional delegation of lawmakers heading abroad to show emphasis on the U.S. interest in Asia. According to U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), though, not everyone has been so tight-lipped about Pelosi's travel plans. In an interview earlier in the week, Cotton said it's common knowledge on Capitol Hill that Pelosi's plans to visit Taiwan were leaked to the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing by none other than Joe Biden himself. "… the pressure came from Joe Biden who doesn't want her to take this trip because he's once again kowtowing to Beijing," Cotton contended.  July 29: Fox News: Chinese warn they might shoot down Pelosi's plane if she dares to visit Taiwan The former chief editor of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) state tabloid, the Global Times, suggested the country shoot down U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for visiting Taiwan if her plane refuses to divert course. Meanwhile the Communist Chinese have warned they will take forceful measures" if Pelosi visits Taiwan after the Financial Times reported she would travel to the Chinese-claimed island nation next month. The Chinese see a visit by Pelosi as an "invasion," especially if her plane is escorted by U.S. fighter jets. [Editor's Note: Why is Taiwan so important to China? Here are some thoughts. First, China's economy is tanking based upon some bad choices such as locking down its businesses due to Covid. Secondly, Taiwan is one of two major producers of computer chips. Between Taiwan and South Korea, they produce about 85-90% of the world's computer chips and Taiwan is a prosperous nation. Perhaps China sees its smaller neighbor as being able to provide a boost for its failing economy.] July 29: The Washington Times: Wharton reports says Biden inflation reduction bill won't reduce inflation An independent analysis of Joe Biden's ballyhooed Inflation Reduction Act finds it won't reduce inflation at all. The proposal, which includes $433 billion in new spending on climate and other items, "would very slightly increase inflation until 2024… …These point estimates are statistically indistinguishable from zero, thereby indicating low confidence that the legislation will have any impact on inflation," the study said Friday. Biden is proclaiming the bill as the antidote to 41-year-high inflation of 9.1%, which has contributed to his low approval ratings. "This bill will reduce inflationary pressures on the economy," Biden said after Senate Democrats reached a tentative agreement. July 29: The Daily Caller: Vulnerable AZ senator caught in lie saying he supported Trump's border wall Arizona Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly, who's facing a tough re-election bid, touted his role in getting the Biden administration to fill gaps in the border wall despite having voted against legislation aiding the barrier in the past. Kelly applauded the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) decision to close the gaps. But the former astronaut voted against border wall initiatives at least three times in 2021, including an amendment to prohibit the federal government's cancellation of border wall contracts and two other amendments seeking to stop the cancellation of border wall contracts that had already received appropriated funding. The Arizona Democrat has also changed his stance on other immigration-related issues, including the public health policy used to quickly expel migrants during COVID-19, when the Biden administration announced it would end in April. Kelly is up for reelection in a "Toss Up" race, according to the Cook Political Report, facing off against a Republican candidate soon to emerge from the highly competitive August 2nd primary. July 28: The Washington Times: U.S. economy shrinks for second quarter while Biden mocks chatter about recession The U.S. economy shrank for the second straight quarter, but Joe Biden dismissed concerns of a recession Thursday as "chatter" and plowed ahead with plans for a tax increase and another huge boost in spending over the objections of Republicans, who say those policies have sparked historic inflation and reversed growth. Addressing the nation from the White House, the Biden noted that unemployment is at a 50-year low and quipped, "That doesn't sound like a recession to me." The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that total economic output contracted from April through June at an annual rate of 0.9%, raising alarm in many quarters that the U.S. is tipping into a recession in the midterm election year. July 28: The Washington Examiner: Here we go again; LA prohibits poll watchers at counting of signatures for the recall election of Soros-supported DA Monitors will not be allowed to view the vote-counting process to recall District Attorney George Gascon because the county of Los Angeles does not view the event as an election, county officials say. However, opponents insist that the law clearly states that the recall is an election and the process should be public. Support from left-wing Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrat politicians helped usher far-left Gascon into office two years ago, and the recall campaign wants to make sure the voter petitions are accurately counted to place the measure on a ballot. "We are concerned about it, and we have attorneys looking at it," retired LAPD Sgt. Dennis Zine, one of the campaign organizers, said of the petition counting. The issue begs the question; if there is nothing to hide, why prohibit observers?  July 28: The Stars and Stripes: USS Reagan carrier strike group enters South China see amid tensions with China A U.S. aircraft carrier and strike group has entered the South China Sea as part of what the 7th Fleet said was a scheduled operation amid rising tensions with China over a potential Taiwan visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The USS Ronald Reagan, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier, made its way to the disputed waters following a five-day port call to Singapore, departing Changi Naval Base on Tuesday. The voyage follows remarks this week by China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian that Beijing was getting "seriously prepared" for the possibility that Pelosi could visit Taiwan, a self-governing island that China considers part of its territory. The 7th Fleet has declined to reveal the Reagan strike group's destination it had already been conducting maritime security operations in the South China Sea prior to its arrival, having left for its annual spring patrol in May from its home port Yokosuka, Japan. China claims more than 80% of the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest shipping routes. The U.S. estimates that more than 30% of the global maritime crude oil trade passes through the waters. July 28: The Daily Caller: It took two months for mainstream media to address this about Monkeypox More than two months after the ongoing global monkeypox outbreak began, corporate media outlets are finally addressing the fact that gay men are most at risk of contracting the virus. Government agencies and healthcare authorities have already been prioritizing men who have sex with men in their monkeypox response. The U.S. allocated its first batch of vaccines to that group, and the World Health Organization (WHO) is recommending that gay men limit their number of partners to reduce risk. But some journalists were first preoccupied with addressing the "stigma" that could come from openly discussing that gay men are accountable for the vast majority of monkeypox cases. July 27: One America News Network: Americans brace for another major interest hike by the FED The looming GDP report has been released and shows another contraction in the second quarter. The Bureau of Economic Statistics revealed the national GDP shrank by 0.9 percent. This marks the second straight quarter of decline, further fueling fears of a recession. The news comes on the heels of the Federal Reserve's move Wednesday to hike interest rates for the fourth time this year, which is the second consecutive increase of 0.75 percent, in an attempt to combat inflation. In the month of June, Inflation hit 9.1 percent, which is the fastest increase in prices in 40 years. America's top central banker, Jerome Powell, is denying assessments that an economic downturn has hit the US. In a statement Wednesday, he said unemployment is low and the labor market is strong. Powell added, "it doesn't make sense" that the US economy would be in a recession at this point. July 27: Fox News: Ukraine forces stall Russian plans; no advancement in last two weeks Ukrainian forces took out a key bridge in Kherson, defense officials said on Wednesday, "destroying" Russia's plans as it looks to advance its troops in the south. Head of the joint coordination press center for the Ukrainian Defense Forces (UDF), Natalia Humeniuk, said that high precision strikes had hit the Antonovsky Bridge in an attempt to control Russian logistical and transportation routes, Ukrainian news outlets first reported. Humeniuk told reporters, "We are destroying the enemy's plans." The bridge, which crosses the Dnieper River, has become a major strategic target for Ukrainian defense forces in recent weeks as they look sever access between the Russian army in Kherson to occupied areas off of the Crimean Peninsula. The attack comes as Ukraine has stalled Russian forces along the front lines with the aid of U.S. supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). "The enemy is concentrating its main efforts on preventing the advance of our troops," Ukrainian Defense officials said in an operational updated Wednesday. The enemy actively uses unmanned aerial vehicles for reconnaissance. UDF officials have confirmed that Russian forces have remained stalled on the front lines for two weeks following the successful deployment of HIMARS. However, they warn that Ukrainian forces will need at least 50 systems like the HIMARS to "hold back" Russian forces and at least 100 systems "for an effective counter-offensive." July 26: The Daily Caller: Biden Admin can't have it both ways; who really backs the Blue? Joe Biden tried to paint Republicans as being anti-police on social media and in a Monday speech before black law enforcement executives. "How can Congressional Republicans claim to be pro-police?" Biden asked in a Tuesday Twitter post. But Biden's own vice president praised a Democratic mayor in 2020 for reducing his city's police budget. "I applaud Mayor Garcetti for doing what he's done," Kamala Harris said about Democratic Mayor Eric Garcetti's decision to seek a cut off $150 million from the Los Angeles Police Department during the 2020 campaign, according to the New York Post. July 26: Fox News: Turning Point hits Disney-owned ABC with cease or desist demand Turning Point USA issued a scathing cease and desist letter to ABC News on Tuesday, calling for the Disney-owned company to "retract the defamatory statements" made earlier in the week on "The View" or face legal action. "The false statements of fact intentionally made during The View's July 25th segment were unquestionably harmful to TPUSA's reputation and brought the organization and its student affiliates into disrepute with the public, potential donors, and current and future business partners, posing a significant financial loss to the organization," the letter said. [Editor's Update: ABC and "The View" subsequently apologized.] July 26: The Epoch Times: Mistakes made Police on January 6th [video] In a documentary video produced by the Epoch Times, issues are raised about the actions taken by the Capitol Police and Washington Metro Police. The documentary shows a side of what happened on January 6, 2021 at the nations Capitol that up to this point has not been reported by the mainstream media nor the House of Representatives January 6th committee. Law enforcement and legal experts point out that the force being used by was not used in a manner that would allow them to either arrest individuals or to disburse them in a way that ensured demonstrators would not be injured. In one clip, a law enforcement officer is shown shoving a demonstrator off a wall with a 20-foot drop. The protestor received multiple injuries as a result of the fall. July 26: Fox Business: Bombshell report links Chinese to targeted FED employees The Chinese government has targeted the Federal Reserve in an effort to undermine American monetary policy since at least 2013, according to a report released Tuesday by Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. The report detailed the actions of several Federal Reserve employees known as the "P-Network," whose foreign travel patterns and academic backgrounds raised concerns internally. One of these employees was detained four times during a 2019 trip to Shanghai as Chinese officials "threatened the individual's family unless the individual provided them with economic information and assistance." Other FED employees also had "close ties" to the People's Bank of China, Chinese academic organizations, and the state-owned Xinhua News Agency, according to the report. July 25: Fox Business: Energy group makes six figure media buy comparing Biden to Jimmy Carter's presidency An energy group announced Monday that it had purchased a "high six-figure" digital advertisement campaign comparing Joe Biden to former President Jimmy Carter. Power The Future will run the ad on social media in Alaska, New Mexico, Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania and select districts in Texas, targeting energy-producing regions of the U.S., the group told FOX Business. The 90-second ad draws a parallel between Biden's and Carter's energy policies and the high inflation rates experienced during their two administrations. "… Biden, if you're going to plagiarize someone else's tired ideas, make sure it's not from a failing student," the ad says after playing clips of Biden and Carter talking about their respective energy agenda. Power The Future's ad also shows a clip of Carter boasting about the creation of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve before cutting to Biden's recent remarks announcing a release of one million barrels of oil per day for six consecutive months. "A half century may have passed between the Carter and Biden administrations, but their policy ideas have not changed and neither have the outcomes," Power The Future Founder and Executive Director Daniel Turner said. "Unfortunately, history is repeating itself, and the biggest losers are the wallets of middle-class Americans." "Energy touches every facet of our economy, and Biden's relentless war on the industry and its workers has driven inflation to levels not seen since the Carter years," he continued. July 25: The Daily Caller: The Biden approach; in order to avoid the coming recession simply change the definition of what a recession is The Biden administration preemptively downplayed concerns about the state of the economy ahead of second quarter GDP growth data and, according to some, sought to redefine what constitutes a recession. Economic commentators frequently use two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth as a "rule of thumb" that an economy is in a recession. While the economy shrank by 1.4% in the first quarter, Joe Biden's economic team is arguing that even if second quarter GDP growth is also negative it is still "unlikely" that that would indicate the economy is in a recession. Google defines a Recession as "a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters." This definition dates back to as early as World War II. However, the White House argues that because industrial production, employment, and spending have increased this year, two quarters of declining output should not be used to measure inflation. Of course, the fact that admitting that the country is in a recession, doesn't look good for the White House and its economic policies.  July 25: The Washington Times: Russia to further reduce the flow of natural gas though its pipeline to Europe Russia's oil giant Gazprom said Monday it would further reduce natural gas flows through a major pipeline to Europe to 20% of capacity, citing repairs of equipment. The Russian state-owned company tweeted that it would reduce "the daily throughput" of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany to 33 million cubic meters as of Wednesday. The head of Germany's network regulator confirmed the reduction. The company reduced the gas flow through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline by 60% in mid-June, citing alleged technical problems involving the equipment that partner Siemens Energy sent to Canada for overhaul and couldn't be returned because of sanctions over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. July 25: The Washington Examiner: With Manchin having covid the opportunity for Senate Dems to pass legislation is closing Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced Monday morning that he has tested positive for COVID and will not be coming to Washington this week. The announcement could derail any last hope Joe Biden had of getting major legislation done before the midterm elections. Last week, Manchin had suggested there was a possibility he would help Democrats advance reconciliation legislation before the end of July. With Manchin in West Virginia this week, those hopes are gone. July 24: Fox News: Israeli Navy sinks Palestinian fishing vessel smuggling equipment to Hamas terrorists in Gaza? The Israeli Navy has sunk a Palestinian fishing vessel that was allegedly smuggling "equipment" to Hamas terrorists in Gaza on Sunday. The vessel reportedly ignored multiple hails and commands to stop from Israeli vessels. The two Palestinians aboard the boat swam ashore before it sank. "Navy soldiers called via loudspeakers to the vessel, and when it did not respond to the calls, the soldiers fired in accordance with the open-fire policy," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The IDF only stated the vessel was smuggling "equipment." Footage of the incident circulating on social media shows the fishing vessel smoking as Israeli boats close in. July 24: Fox Business: Treasury Secretary Yellen acknowledges the U.S. is experiencing an economic "slowdown" Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen acknowledged Sunday that the U.S. is experiencing an economic "slowdown" but downplayed the potential for a recession, arguing that the country is in a period of "transition" following rapid economic growth. "The economy is slowing down," Yellen said on NBC's "Meet the Press," adding that a correction is "appropriate" for a healthy economy. "The labor market is now extremely strong," she said. "This is not an economy that's in recession, but we're in a period of transition in which growth is slowing. And that's necessary and appropriate, and we need to be growing at a steady and sustainable pace. So, there is a slowdown, and businesses can see that and that's appropriate, given that people now have jobs, and we have a strong labor market." July 24: The Washington Times: Ukraine says grain shipments will continue even with Russian invasion A deal to begin shipping Ukrainian grain to markets around the world will proceed despite Russia's surprise attack on the Black Sea port city of Odesa, Ukrainian officials said Sunday. International condemnation continued to pour in for the Russian cruise missile strike Saturday, which came just after a deal brokered by Turkey to ease the blockade of Ukrainian ports and allow the grain to be shipped. Russia and Ukraine are two of the world's biggest exporters of wheat and other agricultural products, especially to developing countries in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Russia's invasion of Ukraine — which reached the five-month mark on Sunday — has sharply reduced supplies and sent prices soaring on world markets. July 24: Fox Business: Yellen predicts Fed's anti-inflation policies will be "successful." After wrongly calling it "transitory" Despite admitting in May she'd been wrong about the path inflation would take, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday she expected the Federal Reserve's policies to be "successful." "The Fed is charged with putting in place policies that will bring inflation down. And I expect them to be successful," Yellen said on Sunday after downplaying recession fears. The Biden administration, including Yellen, previously dismissed concerns about rising costs and said the contributing factors were "transitory." Since then, the U.S. has experienced 13 straight months of high inflation. In June, inflation surged to 9.1%, marking the fastest pace of inflation in more than 40 years.  July 24: The Epoch Times: Now that a federal appeals court allowed mail-in ballots which didn't meet statutory requirements to be counted; the PA GOP file suit to throw out the entire mail-in voting law because of a non-severability clause in the law
Pennsylvania Republicans have filed a lawsuit arguing a 2019 law, that largely expanded mail-in voting in the commonwealth, has been made invalid by a federal court ruling. Fourteen GOP lawmakers filed the suit on July 20th, seeking to throw out Act 77, Pennsylvania's universal mail-in ballot law. The suit claims the mail-in voting law should be nullified under a federal appeals court's May decision that had allowed PA election officials to count undated mail-in ballots even though the state statute required all mail-in ballots to be dated. The federal court said requiring the dating of ballots by mail would violate voters' civil rights. Sections 6 and 8 of Act 77 both require voters to "fill out, date and sign the declaration printed on such envelope," which goes against federal law based on the court's judgment. A non-severability clause written into Act 77 states that "the remaining provisions or applications of this act are void" if any of its requirements are struck down. Plaintiffs, therefore, requested that the court declare all remaining provisions of Act 77 invalid and quash the law. July 24: The Washington Examiner: Senate poised to pass a bipartisan bill to help build semiconductor chip facilities in the U.S. The Senate is poised to pass bipartisan legislation to boost domestic semiconductor chip production this week, with a final vote expected on Tuesday or Wednesday. The yearslong effort to rebuild the nation's chip manufacturing capacity and compete technologically with China had faced recent setbacks in Congress, but the Senate will hold a cloture vote to break the filibuster and advance the CHIPS Act early this week. Should the bill pass that hurdle, which it is expected to, it will face a final vote midweek. The package is a scaled-down version of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, which passed the Senate in June of last year with bipartisan support but stalled in the House of Representatives. The House passed its own version of the legislation back in February. July 23: The Washington Times: VA AG "reviewing" complaint that VA hospital system rejected "multiple" religious vaccine exemption applications Inova Health Systems is violating Virginia law by denying "multiple employee requests" for religious and disability exemptions from the firm's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, state attorney general Jason S. Miyares said in a letter Friday. He said his office is reviewing complaints made by Inova employees who were turned down for such exemptions. Inova announced the mandate in July 2021. Citing "information from multiple sources" that exemption requests are being denied, Miyares told Inova CEO Stephen Jones that the rejections "are resulting in terminations and threatened terminations of critical healthcare professionals" in the state. "These denials appear to be based on an incorrect judgment of the sincerely held religious beliefs of individuals, a breakdown in the interactive process, and an outright failure to accommodate reasonable requests and required by law," Miyares wrote. He said the state's Human Rights Act "prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of religion and disability," explaining that "religion" includes "any outward expression of religious faith." July 23: The Washington Times: Did you see this one coming? WHO declares Monkeypox a global emergency The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the growing monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency on Saturday, signaling an expanding international concern over the virus. The WHO's declaration comes as the monkeypox infection has been transmitted in more than 70 countries. The rapid growth has prompted health experts to call for increased global efforts to fight the spread. "The bottom line is we've seen a shift in the epidemiology of monkeypox where there's now widespread, unexpected transmission," Dr. Albert Ko, public health and epidemiology professor at Yale University, told the Associated Press. "There are some genetic mutations in the virus that suggest why that may be happening, but we do need a globally-coordinated response to get it under control." July 22: Fox News: Gubernatorial candidate predicts attacker will be released on own recognizance A man who reportedly attacked Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY) with a sharp object at a campaign stop in Perinton, New York, Thursday evening was charged with a felony and released from custody within hours of his arrest, the Monroe County Sheriff's Department said. The suspect, identified as David G. Jakubonis, 43 of Fairport, NY, was charged with attempted assault in the second degree. Jakubonis was arraigned and released on his own recognizance. Zeldin, who is a GOP candidate for governor, predicted the alleged attacker would be released. "His words as he tried to stab me a few hours ago were 'you're done' ,… but several attendees , quickly jumped into action & tackled the guy," Zeldin tweeted early Friday. "Law enforcement was on the scene within minutes. The attacker will likely be instantly released under NY's laws." Zeldin was giving a speech about bail reform at a Veterans of Foreign Wars post when the alleged assault happened.  July 22: The Daily Caller: Biden touts renewable energy at shuttered Massachusetts power plant
Joe Biden touted New England's transition away from fossil fuel plants to renewable in his speech on Wednesday. However, experts have said the region routinely experiences energy shortages as renewable energy alternatives like offshore wind fail the grid during the region's severe winters. Biden praised New England as a new hub of "clean energy construction" while criticizing the pollution of fossil fuels during his speech at Brayton Point, a decommissioned coal plant in Somerset, Massachusetts. Part of the planned wind energy hub is to have almost 250 miles of heavy-duty subsea cables to connect the off shore windmills to the plant. Although the plan is to reduce carbon gas emissions, New England's grid is routinely taxed during the winter months when energy consumption is at its highest, thanks in large part to the region's reliance on wind energy, experts have said. "Biden did not acknowledge that wind turbines only work when the wind is blowing, and therefore, they do not supply the steady power that the coal plant supplies," said Meredith Angwin, author of "Shorting the Grid: The Hidden Fragility of Our Electric Grid.," "The only sure thing is that more and more steadily operating plants are shut down, and more and more intermittent plants are built," Angwin contended. Instead of wind energy, he has promoted using nuclear power in place of coal. But, he says, "Unfortunately, the same people who hate coal also hate nuclear, even though nuclear makes steady power without greenhouse gases."  July 22: Fox News: Biden selling SPR oil to China? Who knows the truth?
The White House on Friday said claims that the Biden administration is funneling oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to foreign countries — specifically China — are "ridiculous and false," while stressing that Biden has "had no personal involvement" in the process of private companies selling crude oil "whatsoever." Reports earlier this month suggested that more than 5 million barrels of SPR oil have been diverted to European and Asian nations instead of U.S. refiners, which prompted criticisms. A White House official explained that when oil is released from the SPR, the Department of Energy is "required by law to sell it 'in a competitive auction to the highest bidder,' regardless of whether that bidder is a foreign company." Members of Congress are "…now criticizing Biden now do not appear to have raised concerns about the sales under President Trump. And, so far, they seem pretty silent about whether they think President Trump was wrong," the White House official said. He contended 16 companies had submitted 126 bids for DOE evaluation and that 12 firms eventually were awarded contracts. The president had no personal involvement in this process whatsoever," he said. July 22: The Epoch Times: Communist China will eventually attempt to invade Taiwan CIA Director William Burns he doesn't think communist China will invade Taiwan immediately but warned not to underestimate CCP leader Xi Jinping's "determination" to take over Taiwan eventually. At a security forum in Aspen, CO, Burns said, "I wouldn't underestimate President Xi's determination to assert the People's Republic of China's control over Taiwan. I think he's determined to ensure that his military has the capability to undertake such an action, should he decide to move in that direction. I think the risks of that become higher, it seems to us, the further into this decade that you get." He added: "I think the Chinese leadership is trying to study the lessons of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and what it tells them." His sense is they are considering how and when they will do so. The Russia–Ukraine war was a "strategic failure" for Putin, who predicted he would take Kyiv within a week, and that the war may have "unsettled" Beijing, Burns contended. In order to successfully invade the island nation, it would take overwhelming force and logistics. Burns said, "The lesson that the Chinese leadership and military are drawing is that you've got to amass overwhelming force. If you're going to contemplate that in the future, you've got to control the information space, you've got to do everything you can to shore up your economy against the potential for sanctions—even though the Chinese economy, as you know, is far stronger and more entangled with economies around the world than Russia's ever was—and you've got to do everything you can to try to drive wedges across the Indo-Pacific, between the United States and its allies."  July 21: The Washington Times: Army to shift a billion dollars to recruiting and retention as numbers dwindle
The US Army will shift about $1 billion to recruiting programs and will rely more heavily on reserve units as its ranks dwindle and the service struggles to attract new soldiers. Army officials said in a memo this week that a high-stakes "war for talent" that confronts America's armed forces and comes at a crucial moment for national security is proving challenging for its recruitment efforts. Faced with demographic shifts and a red-hot civilian job market, Army officials said the number of active-duty soldiers is expected to drop considerably over the next several years. They said troop strength will be about 466,000 by the end of the fiscal year. It could drop to as low as 445,000 by the end of 2023, they said, "barring a significant positive change in the current recruiting environment." July 21: The Washington Examiner: US allies think Iran is playing Biden for time at risk of war Iran is manipulating the international nuclear talks to buy time for its weapons research, according to U.S. allies monitoring the need for a military strike against the regime. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's team has conducted extensive "indirect talks" with Iran about a joint return to the 2015 nuclear deal, which President Donald Trump exited in 2018. The continuing progress of Iran's nuclear program has forced Israeli and Gulf Arab officials to acknowledge in public the possibility of a clash with Iran if a deal is not reached — and another major U.S. ally is warning that Tehran doesn't want to come to an agreement. "I don't think the Supreme Leader of Iran wants to cut a deal," MI-6 Chief Richard Moore said Thursday at the Aspen Security Forum. "The Iranians won't want to end the talks either, so they could run on for a bit." July 21: Fox News: GOP candidate for governor attacked at a campaign stop Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY), was attacked during a gubernatorial campaign stop in Perinton, New York on Thursday night where an individual allegedly attempted to attack him with a sharp object. Zeldin was at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post event giving a speech about bail reform when a man allegedly got on stage and "wrestled with him a bit, and pulled a blade out," according to a witness who spoke with local media reporters. The individual who allegedly tried to attack Zeldin was reportedly taken down by AMVETS national Director Joe Chenelly. After the attack, Zeldin went back on the stage and continued talking. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said it is "aware of an incident at the speech of gubernatorial candidate Zeldin this evening. A suspect is in custody and Major Crimes is investigating. We will update as further information becomes available." July 20: The Washington Times: New York legislator gets GOP backing to take on 6-term Democrat Congressman, Chair of the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee New York Assemblyman Mike Lawler's bid to join Congress by taking down the head of the House Democrats' campaign organization has gotten a nod from Republican leadership. The National Republican Congressional Committee recently announced that Lawler was added to their "On the Radar" slate of candidates, the first rung of the GOP's Young Guns fundraising program, meaning he will have access to national party funds. His opponent will be Democrat Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney in a congressional district in the Lower Hudson Valley. Maloney is also chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and is facing a somewhat more difficult run this time as he seeks a sixth term after this year's redistricting in New York. July 20: The Daily Caller: As "Woke-ism" infects military recruitment and retention efforts, the Army has reduced its recruiting goals for this year The Army cut its force size projections for 2022 and 2023 Tuesday in the midst of a historic recruitment struggle, raising questions about overall readiness as it has been forced by the Biden administration to cling to its "woke" agenda. The Army could miss its recruitment goal for 2022 by 25%, Army Gen. Joseph Martin, vice chief of staff for the Army said. Projected end strength, the total size of the Army including active and reserve components, is set to decrease by 10,000 troops this year and an additional 14,000 to 21,000 in 2023. July 19: The Washington Times: Biden can't get what he wants out of Congress so he is preparing to act on his own to get climate change initiative restarted Biden is prepared to announce executive actions to combat the threat of climate change, say lawmakers who have spoken to him and are urging him to act unilaterally now that Congress' negotiations on green energy legislation have fallen apart. Biden is expected to announce steps he will take to reduce carbon emissions as soon as Wednesday when he visits the shuttered Brayton Point power plant in Somerset, Massachusetts, to talk about what he is calling a climate crisis. But, given the SCOTUS 6-3 decision on the West Virginia coal case where EPA got its hand slapped, critics question whether Biden has the constitutional authority to act on his own. Meanwhile, Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) claimed Biden "…is poised to use his commander-in-chief authority to invoke a domestic mobilization against the climate crisis." The Massachusetts power plant, formerly one of the largest electricity producers in New England, is undergoing a conversion from coal to wind power and will serve as a backdrop for Biden's call for more renewables in the power grid. Of course, the question remains; if the wind isn't blowing (like what happened recently in west Texas) then the power is not being produced and brown outs and power grid failures should be expected. Local sources add that in the past there have been loud cries from rich and prominent citizens who live on the coast who don't want their view of the Atlantic obstructed by windmills that also have a history of killing birds. July 19: The Washington Examiner: Will China make some of the same mistakes Russia did in its invasion of Ukraine Chinese military logistics appear to suffer from some of the flaws that weakened Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to Defense Department analysts. A sophisticated analysis of the Chinese People's Liberation Army's public discourse and practical actions shows that Beijing is working to ensure that its forces can operate efficiently in a major war. That's a difficult challenge given their lack of recent experience in such a large-scale conflict, and some current and former U.S. government analysts question whether Chinese military planners are prepared to take on Taiwan. "Can the PLA really get its forces across [the Taiwan/Formosa Strait], and if it gets them across, can it sustain them in combat on the island?" George Washington University's Lonnie Henley, a former Defense Intelligence Agency officer who retired from the government in 2019, said Tuesday. "I personally suspect that the PLA air force can only sustain their combat operations for about two weeks. But we really can't answer that question because we don't have the data, and we haven't had the focus on those questions that we need in order to develop the data." "Feedback from PLA logisticians suggests that additional refinement and investment is required to overcome long-standing limitations of PLA supply in order to sustain ground forces in a maneuver conflict like that in Ukraine," said Maj. James Roger "J.R." Sessions, who was characterized as appearing at the Center for Strategic and International Studies event in his personal capacity. "PLA observers note myriad shortfalls in post-reform logistics that mirrors similar problems Russian forces reportedly have faced in Ukraine." July 19: Fox News: Progressive-Socialist Soros writes big check to help Beto become the next Governor of Texas Progressive mega-donor George Soros contributed $1 million to Texas Democratic gubernatorial nominee O'Rourke's staggering fundraising efforts last month. O'Rourke, who's challenging two-term Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) in November's election, last week announced that he brought in $27.6 million in fundraising from late February through June, topping Abbott by $2.7 million and shattering the existing record for fundraising in Texas. O'Rourke's campaign finance report was posted online on Tuesday and indicates that Soros contributed $1 million — issued on June 23 — to the Democratic gubernatorial nominee's campaign. Much of O'Rourke's funding is coming from out of state sources. Soros, the Hungarian born American billionaire businessman, has been a prominent contributor to Democratic Party candidates and causes for decades, most notable among them district attorneys like the one recently recalled in San Francisco and the one who faces a similar effort in Los Angeles. July 18: Fox Business: Elon Musk to counter sue Twitter as the plot thickens Sources close to the case told The New York Post that the countersuit was intended to push a Delaware Court of Chancery judge to grant Musk's legal team more time to gather information about bots on Twitter – the primary reason Musk gave for reneging on the deal. Twitter sued Musk last Tuesday in a bid to force him to complete his $44 billion takeover of the social media company, accusing him of "outlandish" and "bad faith" actions that have the platform irreparable harm and "wreaked havoc" on its stock price. Musk pledged in April to pay $54.20 a share for Twitter, which agreed to those terms after reversing its initial opposition to the deal. But the two sides have been bracing for a legal fight since the billionaire said a week ago that he was backing away from his agreement to buy the company. In a filing with the Delaware Court of Chancery on Friday, Musk's lawyers accused Twitter of withholding information about fake accounts and of creating delays, providing evasive responses and putting up technical obstacles. The filing also disputed Twitter's request for an expedited trial, claiming that it would take months to obtain information from Twitter and to depose numerous witnesses on the subject of fake accounts. July 18: Breitbart News: California School Board considering placing a Planned Parenthood facility in a high school in an 80% Hispanic neighborhood California's Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District (USD) is considering options for putting a Planned Parenthood clinic on a local high school campus. Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles is looking to open a clinic at John Glenn High School in the 80 percent Latino, 90 percent minority school district. While abortions, puberty blockers, and hormone "therapy" are not listed as services to be offered at the proposed high school site, clinic staff will be allowed to refer students to off-campus Planned Parenthood sites for "services not offered." Under California law minors have the right to consent to reproductive health services without parental consent or notification. The proposal lists diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases, prescription and dispensing of pharmaceuticals including contraceptives, and the "insertion" of certain types of contraceptives such as IUDs, among other things, as services that would be available at the Planned Parenthood high school clinic. July 17: The Daily Caller: TX & AZ buses of illegals to Washington taking a toll on DC homeless shelters Democratic Washington D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser told CBS "Face The Nation" host Margaret Brennan, Sunday, that she fears people are being "tricked" into getting on buses to D.C. Brennan cited a story by the Washington Post that she claimed said, "homeless shelters in D.C. were filling up, and groups are getting overwhelmed by these buses that governors of Texas and Arizona are sending here full of migrants." The story cited doesn't mention homeless shelters, but was about a Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network (SAMU) shelter, specifically for migrants, that was full, according to the Washington Post July 17: News Max: Ukraine: Russia prepares for the next stage of attacks Russia is preparing for the next stage of its offensive in Ukraine, a Ukrainian military official said, after Moscow said its forces would step up military operations in "all operational areas." As Western deliveries of long-range arms begin to help Ukraine on the battlefield, Russian rockets and missiles have pounded cities in strikes that Kyiv says have killed dozens in recent days. "It is not only missile strikes from the air and sea," Vadym Skibitskyi, a spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence, said late on Saturday. "We can see shelling along the entire line of contact, along the entire front line. There is an active use of tactical aviation and attack helicopters. "Clearly preparations are now underway for the next stage of the offensive." July 17: The Washington Times: Biden comes up empty handed from Middle East trip Joe Biden's ended an arduous four-day visit to the Middle East over the weekend without a major success to appease his liberal base, which has criticized him for pandering to oil-rich autocrats and walking back a campaign pledge to make a pariah of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Biden did succeed in promoting stronger security coordination between Arab powers and Israel - a once unthinkable but increasingly viable pursuit amid mutual Arab and Israeli concern over threats emanating from Iran. He also used the visit to project assurances that the U.S. will remain regionally engaged on a range of fronts from "climate change" to infrastructure investment. But after a highly criticized meeting with the Saudi crown prince, whom U.S. intelligence officials say orchestrated the 2018 murder of Washington Post opinion writer Jamal Khashoggi, the president came up empty-handed on another major goal of the trip: Convince Saudi Arabia to increase its oil production. Following a closed-door meeting with Saudi leaders Friday, Mr. Biden appeared to acknowledge his failure to secure a commitment from the kingdom to pump more crude onto the global market. July 17: The Epoch Times: Zelenskyy fires head of Ukraine's powerful domestic security agency President Zelenskyy on Sunday abruptly fired the head of Ukrailne's powerful domestic security agency, the SBU, and the state prosecutor general, citing dozens of cases of collaboration with Russia by officials in their agencies. The sackings of SBU chief Ivan Bakanov, a childhood friend of Zelenskyy, and Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, who has played a key role in the prosecution of Russian war crimes, were announced in executive orders on the president's website. He said 651 cases of alleged treason and collaboration had been opened against prosecutorial and law enforcement officials, and that more than 60 officials from Bakanov and Venediktova's agencies were now working against Ukraine in Russian-occupied territories. The sheer number of treason cases lays bare the huge challenge of Russian infiltration faced by Ukraine as it battles Moscow in what it says is a fight for survival. The firings are easily the biggest political sackings since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, forcing the entire Ukrainian state machine to focus on the war effort. July 17: Breitbart News: Soros-linked group gets $182 million to help illegals avoid deportation It was revealed this week that a left-wing group linked to billionaire George Soros has won almost $172 million in a federal contract from the Biden administration to help young illegal border crossers avoid deportation. The Vera Institute of Justice, with financial ties to Soros, has won a federal contract for $171.7 million that will provide attorneys to Unaccompanied Alien Children (UACs) to avoid deportation from the United States. The federal contract could end up showering the Vera Institute of Justice with $1 billion in taxpayer funding, Fox News reported. As Breitbart News reported in 2018, the Vera Institute of Justice was previously awarded $310 million by the Obama administration to help UACs avoid deportation.  July 17: The Daily Caller: Tucker Carlson; if and when Biden steps down it
will be a "mad scramble for power"
Tucker Carlson delivered the keynote speech Friday at Iowa's Family Leadership Summit, where he suggested that President Joe Biden will not run for reelection in 2024. Carlson alluded to a potential run by former President Donald Trump, but suggested that there's no way of knowing who might run for Democrat party leadership in 2024's Presidential election. As those closest to Biden will not admit that he's stepping down after his term, there will be a "mad scramble for power" by the Democrats once this does happen, he argued. Carlson predicted the scramble would start the Wednesday after the 2022 midterm elections. "You have all the power," he told the audience, "you can decide who represents you and on the basis of what issues." Politicians are "very simple organisms," he quipped, but all they want to do is "win elections." July 17: News Max: Former White House doctor predicts that with Biden's cognitive decline, he may not last through his term Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) said Sunday that Joe Biden's mental cognition is worsening, and that he might not last out his term in office. The physician who served under former President Donald Trump claimed Biden's cognition is "becoming a real issue for us." "I just don't see this getting any better," he said. "This is, you know, all of these issues we talked about with cognitive decline related to age, they get worse not better with time, and this is going to continue to get worse, and they're going to have to do something about it," he said. According to Jackson, Democrats are "starting to abandon him and run away from him because of his polling and his cognitive issues and the embarrassment that he's become for the party." "I think that they will look for opportunity to throw him under the bus in the next few years, next few months and try to get rid of him because I know, I think that they also know he cannot make it to the end of his term in 2024," he claimed.  July 16: Fox News: Biden's Secretary of Transportation slammed for telling
us how to avoid high gas prices; buy electric cars Critics heaped scorn upon a clip showing DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg excitedly talking about the prospect of "most Americans" switching to electric vehicles due to high gas prices. During the short clip, which was taken from a Thursday interview between the government official and radio show BigBoyTV, Buttigieg discussed how the U.S. government is looking to cut the cost of electric vehicles so that more Americans will buy them and get out of paying so much for gas. All smiles, Buttigieg claimed, "We're for cutting the cost of electric vehicles, because when you have an electric vehicle then you're also gonna be able to save on gas, but you've got to be able to afford it in the first place." Not mentioned was the high cost of electricity and the supply chain issues related to the batteries and precious metals required to build these vehicles. July 16: The Washington Free Beacon: Texas; life goes on after SCOTUS decision on abortion When the state legislature banned abortions after six weeks last September, Texas Democrats saw an opportunity. Fatigue with incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott (R.) was setting in and the public mood was restless. Momentum was shifting, and Democrats wanted to capitalize. They planned a Women's March-caliber mobilization to observe the one-month anniversary of the Texas Heartbeat Act in October. They scheduled dozens of rallies and protests across the state, banking on a popular uprising to buoy progressives to success in next year's statewide elections, much as the Women's March presaged the Democratic wave in 2018. But hardly anyone showed up. The city itself hinted that turnout would be sparse. Texas's experience suggests that overturning Roe v. Wade will not prove to be a seismic political event, at least as far as election outcomes are concerned. The muted reaction to the Texas Heartbeat Act, the beginning of the end of abortion in Texas, only emboldened pro-life elements across the state. "The sun rose as usual. Life went on. And there was not a tsunami of opposition to that law," said Joe Pojman, Ph.D., an aerospace engineer who now leads the Texas Alliance for Life. July 16: Fox Business: Nonprofit investment fund aims to bring tech edge and jobs back to the US from China A new non-profit fund aims to restore the technological advantage -- and the jobs and investment that comes with it -- to the United States, amid fears that the U.S. is losing the tech race to the Communist Chinese. America's Frontier Fund is a non-profit "deep-tech" fund formed to draw investment back to the U.S. -- focusing on areas such as microelectronics, AI, 5G and 6G and advanced manufacturing. It says doing so will create "a strategic advantage for the United States and its allies and broad-based prosperity for the American people, with the potential of generating strong financial returns." While it hasn't released the funding it has attracted so far, it has picked up the backing of both Google CEO Eric Schmidt and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. On the group's board are high-profile former government officials including former Defense Secretary Ash Carter and former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. The group is seeking to attract investment and then, using its team of experienced investors, deploy it in a way that benefits the U.S. in accordance with its mission. July 16: The Washington Examiner: Hispanics drifting away from Democrat's positions on abortion, gun control and the January 6th Committee It's not every day that a politician's gaffe perfectly encapsulates his or her party's growing separation from a community that has been a vital part of its electoral coalition. But Mrs. Biden made exactly such a misstep on Tuesday when she said Hispanics in the United States were as "distinct as the bogidas of the Bronx" (meaning to say "bodegas") and as "unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio." No wonder Hispanic voters are shifting so rapidly from their traditional Democratic home to the Republican Party. Already, a series of local and national elections in South Texas have confirmed this trend. July 16: The Epoch Times: Byrne testifies behind closed doors to Jan. 6th Committee Former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne testified before the House Select Committee investigating the events on Jan 6, saying he told them that they are "drawing a tiger from a cat." During the 8-hour closed-door hearing on Friday, Byrne discussed his key role in a post-election White House meeting where he urged then-President Donald Trump to investigate fraud allegations. Prior to the hearing Byrne did an interview with the Epoch Times which when into detail about his meeting with the president on Dec. 18, 2020, and his concerns over the integrity and safety of election equipment. Byrne was the latest witness to testify in front of the committee and described the meeting as "surprisingly friendly, cordial, and professional." "Notwithstanding the fact that we weren't going to agree" about the Nov. 3, 2020, election, "we agreed that there was a lot for me to fill in from Nov. 4 until Jan. 7 [2021]. I think they seemed to be appreciative," he said. "They had a lot of questions, and they really did not know the answers, and I was happy to provide them with the answers. I do feel that if they knew the truth about everything, they would understand the truth was different than [what] they were guessing—and significantly more benign." July 15: News Max: Senator Scott (R-SC) says Manchin (D-WVA) will not support Democrat Build Back Better (light) killing the bill for this year Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) said on Friday that West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's opposition to a scaled-back version of Joe Biden's $2 trillion "Build Back Better" budget reconciliation bill, due to inflationary concerns, is "a sigh of relief" for the American people. "I prefer to call it "Build Back Broker" because the truth of the matter is [Democrats] must not understand what causes inflation," Scott said. "When you think about adding more fuel to the fire, or more money to the economy, you're literally talking about increasing inflation. July 15: Fox News: Mexico nabs cartel boss on FBI's most wanted for murdering DEA agent Mexican forces have arrested the infamous drug lord Rafael Caro-Quintero nearly a decade after he walked out of prison and returned to drug trafficking. An official with Mexico's Navy on Friday confirmed Caro-Quintero's arrest but provided no further details. Caro-Quintero left prison in 2013 after serving 28 years of a 40-year prison sentence for his involvement in the 1985 kidnapping and killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has maintained that he is not interested in detaining drug lords and prefers to avoid violence. The FBI added Caro-Quintero to the Top ten most wanted list in 2018 and offered a reward of up to $20 million for information leading to Quintero's arrest and/or conviction. An appeals court overturned Caro-Quintero's verdict. The Supreme Court upheld the sentence, but Caro-Quintero had disappeared before the ruling could be applied.  July 15: The Washington Times: Threat of election-eve rail strike tests
Biden's pro-union persona Biden is under new pressure to resolve a labor dispute that threatens to disrupt freight rail lines and the nation's supply chain just weeks before the November election. He plans to appoint a team of arbitrators to a Presidential Emergency Board as early as Monday to negotiate a settlement between the rail companies and 12 labor unions that have been unable to reach a new deal on pay, benefits and working conditions after two years of negotiating. Rail workers and labor activists are now counting on the White House to appoint an arbitration board that supports their contract demands and upholds Biden's pledge to be "the most pro-union president leading the most pro-union administration in American history." But rail companies have rejected many of the union demands for higher pay, better benefits and work reforms. If Biden's arbitration team cannot break the impasse, up to 115,000 rail workers are poised to strike in mid-September, just weeks before the Nov. 8 elections. A rail strike would cause major disruptions in the nation's pandemic-addled supply chain and would be politically disastrous for Mr. Biden, who is already suffering low approval ratings from voters who blame him and his Democrats for high inflation and gasoline prices. July 15: The Daily Caller: Biden puts enemies first Americans last After initially rescheduling his trip to get some extra rest, Joe Biden is on the ground in the Middle East. His trip abroad underscores his failed foreign policy and shows that with Biden in office, America is weaker on the world stage than it was under President Trump and Republican leadership. Biden's America-last foreign policy lets down our allies, emboldens our adversaries and puts us at a disadvantage in one of the most turbulent regions in the world. One of the main goals of Biden's trip is to revive the Obama-Biden administration's failed Iran Nuclear Deal, which rewarded Iran – the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism – with billions of dollars, among other concessions. Some of the reported wins that Biden wants to hand Iran include removing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from the terror blacklist and waving sanctions on Iran's "civilian" nuclear program. Believing that Iran is operating in good faith would be a fatal, incompetent mistake – but then again, this is the same person who claimed that Afghanistan wouldn't fall only to see the Taliban seize control of Kabul days later. July 15: The Epoch Times: What really happened in the Trump White House meeting as told by a person who was there Patrick Byrne met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Dec. 18, 2020, to urge him to investigate allegations of election fraud. Byrne, the founder and former CEO of online retailer Overstock, is set to testify before the Jan. 6 House Select Committee on July 15. In an exclusive interview, Byrne recounted his meeting with Trump, which included former national security adviser Michael Flynn and Sidney Powell, former attorney to Trump's campaign and former federal prosecutor, along with a number of White House officials. In a video interview he lays out what happened in that meeting and asks viewers to compare what he says with the sound bites he expects to be released by the January 6th Committee where he is scheduled to testify before tomorrow. Highlights: He volunteered several options for the President noting that these ideas came from him and not the President or his legal team. - The first was to determine whether there was sufficient evidence of foreign meddling in the 2020 election and whether it met the bar established by President Obama's 2015 executive order and Trump's 2018 follow on executive order, both of which would justify an investigation into the matter. - Second, if the evidence met the bar, that the President pull together a team of experts to do a quick investigation – up to two weeks – and if there was not sufficient evidence of foreign meddling that Trump concede the election. Byrne, who said he didn't vote for Trump in 2016 and hadn't ever voted Republican, said he was impressed at "how smart he [Trump] is," which never came across "from the way he was portrayed in the media." He also said that Trump had hinted that evening at least twice that the idea of leaving the White House held an appeal. "I'll never spend a night in this town again. I've got my golf courses; I've got my friends. Trust me Pat, my life's going to get a lot better," he said, according to Byrne. "But how can I do that? If I think that this election was stolen and there might be a foreign element involved, how can I really do that?" Byrne also said it was also clear that Trump "was being completely undermined by everyone around him," including his White House counsel. Trump, at one point, turned to White House Counsel Pat Cipollone to express his disappointment that he hadn't been alerted to the executive powers. "Why didn't you even tell me about these orders, Pat? … Why did I have to hear it from them? At least they July 14: Rumble.com: Congressman Chip Roy talks about having an alert system [Video Left] July 14: News Max: House passes active shooter legislation, sends it to the Senate The House approved legislation that would create an Amber Alert-style communication network to send mobile alerts to people near active shooter situations. The Active Shooter Alert Act was approved by a 260-169 vote – with 43 Republicans supporting the measure – on Wednesday night. The legislation now goes to the Senate. Democrat Rep. Ron Kind, (D-WI), voted with 168 Republicans in opposing the bill. Republicans argued that the bill would be ineffective and potentially induce panic in people not in immediate danger. "Democrats are pushing an 'active shooter alert bill' in response to the Uvalde shooting," Congressman Gaetz (R-FL) said. The question is, why should this be a federal statute as opposed to being initiated in the individual states by state legislatures? July 14: Rumble.com: Congressman Jim Jordan asks witness what is "excessive" [Video, left] July 14: Fox News: Ex-CIA engineer convicted of largest theft of secret information in the agency's history A former CIA programmer was convicted Wednesday of nine federal charges in connection to the massive Vault 7 theft of secret information provided to WikiLeaks in what the Justice Department describes as "one of the most brazen and damaging acts of espionage in American history." According to the US Attorney the defendant Joshua Adam Schulte, had "access to some of the country's most valuable intelligence-gathering cyber tools used to battle terrorist organizations and other malign influences around the globe." Reportedly Schulte "began to harbor resentment toward the CIA, he covertly collected those tools and provided them to WikiLeaks, making some of our most critical intelligence tools known to the public – and therefore, our adversaries," the US Attorney said. Schulte told jurors that the CIA and FBI made him a scapegoat. The so-called Vault 7 leak revealed how the CIA hacked Apple and Android smartphones in overseas spying operations, and efforts to turn internet-connected televisions into listening devices. Prior to his arrest, Schulte had helped create the hacking tools as a coder at the agency's headquarters in Langley, Virginia. July 14: The Washington Times: Environmentalist not happy with Democrats who put their agenda on the back burner after SCOTUS decision Congressional Democrats have put on the back burner new climate change legislation to work around a recent Supreme Court ruling that dealt a major blow to Joe Biden 's green agenda. The lawmakers' go-slow approach doesn't sit well with environmentalists. They are calling for swift congressional action in the immediate aftermath of the SCOTUS ruling. The high court last month slashed the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate harmful emissions from power plants, a ruling that Democrats said they lack the bandwidth to address amid a crowded legislative calendar and a fast-approaching August recess and midterm elections. The court ruled that EPA had overreached its authority by claiming the decades-old Clean Air Act permitted them impose blanket carbon caps across the nation's electricity producers. July 13: The Washington Times: New Dem "must pass" spending bill getting a close review by Manchin (D-WVA) Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WVA) hardened his stance on new federal spending Wednesday in the wake of a new federal report showing inflation in June swelled to a new 40-year-high of 9.1%. The centrist Democrat is in negotiations with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer to reach a deal on a special tax and spending bill that Democrats need to pass before the mid-term elections and which if passed, will be along party lines. "I'm very, very cautious," Manchin told reporters. "I'm going to make sure that I have every input on scrubbing everything humanly possible that could be considered inflammatory." Meanwhile One American News Networkreports Republicans have major concerns over the Democrats attempts to pass a new version of Biden's "Build Back Better" spending bill. Senate Republicans are addressing concerns over the potential attempt by Democrats. While speaking to the press Tuesday, GOP leadership addressed the matter while asserting their colleagues on the left are attempting to solve the economic crisis by spending more money, which many believe is causing the inflation hitting most Americans in their pocketbook. "We've got rampant, runaway inflation," stated Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD). "The American people are paying the price and what is the Democrat prescription? To double down, to spend more and to tax more." The alleged new spending package could supposedly cut the initial cost by $1 trillion and aims to focus on health care costs and energy. However, this would require raising taxes, which would primarily hit business owners and corporations – who, in turn, would pass on this cost to consumers and increase the on-going inflationary spiral, reported this morning to be 9.1% a 40 year high. July 12: The Daily Caller: What is he thinking? Biden supporting Canadians restarting Russian pipeline while shutting down US energy supplies Joe Biden's administration is supporting Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau's decision to ship natural gas pipeline equipment to Germany, which will lead to the European economic hub importing more Russian natural gas. State Department spokesman Ned Price expressed Washington's support for the move. Trudeau's government plans to ship the equipment for the Russian-German Nord Stream 1 pipeline back to Germany after it had been kept in Montreal due to sanctions on Russian gas. The decision is aimed at preventing serious economic turmoil in Germany due to high energy prices. "We support the Canadian government's decision to return a natural-gas turbine to Germany for use in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline," Priced said, adding that the move "will allow Germany and other European countries to replenish their gas reserves, increasing their energy security and resiliency and countering Russia's efforts to weaponize energy." July 12: Fox News: Hawley: Can only women get pregnant? A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on abortion and the legal consequence of the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization blew up during a tense back and forth between Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Berkeley Law Professor Khiara Bridges when the senator questioned her characterization of who can get pregnant. Bridges continually referred to "people with a capacity for pregnancy." So, Hawley asked if she meant women. She contended that some transgender men (i.e., a woman who has transitioned to being a man) and non-binary people can get pregnant. She then went on to say, "I want to recognize that your (Hawley's) line of questioning is transphobic, and it opens up trans people to violence by not recognizing them," said Bridges, who teaches courses in family law as well as reproductive rights and justice. "Wow," Hawley said, "you're saying that I'm opening up people to violence by asking whether or not women are the only folks who can have pregnancies?" IMAGE: BorderPatrolOnHorses.jpg  July 12: Washington Examiner: Biden throws the Border Patrol under the bus
Two Border Patrol agents tried to help the Texas Department of Public Safety secure the southern border last September. For that "crime," Joe Biden wants them punished, but for what? Customs and Border Protection's Office of Professional Responsibility released a 500-page report Friday, summarizing the findings of a 10-month investigation into a 15-minute incident involving two Horse Patrol Unit agents on the bank of the Rio Grande near Del Rio, Texas. The two agents earned the ire of a spineless White House after pictures of them allegedly "whipping" Haitian migrants shocked Democrats. The problem for Biden is that CBP's final report makes clear that no horse ran over anyone and no one was "strapped." It was all a figment of Biden's geriatric imagination, as everyone paying attention knew at the time, since the photographer explained the scene, he had witnessed firsthand. What actually happened was this: As a candidate, Biden famously told migrants around the world that if he was elected, he would undo Donald Trump's border security policies, making it easier for them to cross the border. "You should come," Biden told them. July 12: The Epoch Times: SCOTUS forces PA officials to count mail ballots not correctly filled out, even though they were following the state's election laws Pennsylvania state is suing officials of three counties to force their local government to count undated ballots by mail in a recent primary election. The PA Department of State (DOS) filed a lawsuit against the Board of Elections of three counties in the Commonwealth—Lancaster, Berks, and Fayette—to seek a court injunction forcing the counties to count undated mail-in ballots. Democrat PA AG Josh Shapiro said the three Republican-controlled counties refused to count the ballots that were received by election day but which failed to have a date on the returned carrier envelope. But the Lancaster County Board of Elections responded that counting these ballots would be "… contrary to the law or any existing court order." "To be absolutely clear, the Lancaster County Board of Elections properly certified the 2022 primary election results…" in accordance with the PA Election Code. The county contended "The Commonwealth's demand is contrary to the law or any existing court order. The County will vigorously defend its position to follow the law to ensure the integrity of elections in Lancaster County." Pennsylvania state law requires ballots that are received on time and cast by a qualified voter but are missing a handwritten date on the envelope to be rejected. After a series of court decisions and appeals the case was referred to the SCOTUS which 6-3 allowed the county to count the disputed ballots. Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, and Alito dissented saying the court's decision "seems plainly contrary to the statutory language," and the US Constitution that gives the authority on conducting elections to the individual states. [Although it would seem appropriate to count any absentee ballots received by Election Day, this SCOTUS decision seems to be taking on the role of making policy which is reserved for the state legislature and not interpreting the statutes as written.]  July 11: The Washington Times: Report: Iran is providing Russia with drones for use in Ukraine
The Iranian government intends to provide Russia with "hundreds" of drones for its ongoing war in Ukraine, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday. He said the U.S. has intelligence showing that Iranians are preparing to train Russian military forces to use unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs). Moscow could be using the drones as soon as this month, he said but didn't say whether any of the drones had already been delivered to Russia. The pact between Iran and Russia seems to be evidence that Moscow is losing its own weapons in the war. Similar drones were provided to Yemen's rebels by Iran, allowing them to attack Saudi Arabia. The revelation comes as Joe Biden prepares to travel this week to Israel and Saudi Arabia, where Iran's nuclear program is expected to be one of the most heated topics of conversation. July 11: The Washington Examiner: Ohio AG hasn't heard any evidence of a ten-year-old being raped and seeking an abortion in Indiana The Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said his office has not found any evidence of a 10-year-old rape victim in the state who, according to a report cited by Joe Biden, was six weeks pregnant and traveled to Indiana to receive an abortion. "Not a whisper" has been heard of a report filed for the 10-year-old rape victim, as an Ohio provider would be required to report any case of known or suspected physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or neglect of a child under state law, Yost said Monday. "We have regular contact with prosecutors and local police and sheriff's. Not a whisper anywhere. Something maybe even more telling, Jesse, my office runs the state crime lab. Any case like this, you're going to have a rape kit, you're going to have biological evidence," Yost told Fox News host Jesse Watters. "There is no case request for analysis that looks anything like this." Is this just another instance of fake news or inaccurate reporting? The story was originally reported in the Indianapolis Star on July 1st and, according to KTRH radio in Houston, the single source for the story was an abortion-providing doctor in Indiania. [An update: Ohio has confirmed that a ten-year-old girl was raped, the perp who did it was arrested and is being held on a $2 million bail, and that the child was elgible to get an abortion in Ohio under the circumstances.] July 11: The Washington Times: Democrats "overreacting" with rush to ban abortion extradition Democratic governors are fueling fears of a red state crusade targeting women for criminal prosecution who travel out of state to terminate their pregnancies, but legal experts say such draconian scenarios are highly implausible, even "silly." "A state could not constitutionally prosecute a woman for leaving a state for an abortion. Such an action, even if attempted, would fail in a rapid and spectacular fashion in federal court," said Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School. "There are a host of legal and constitutional barriers to such an action," Mr. Turley said. "There are serious issues facing women in states banning abortion, but this is not a credible threat." Even so, a dozen Democratic governors have signed executive orders or legislation barring cooperation with states seeking to reach across their borders for women traveling to states with abortion-friendly laws or the providers who perform their procedures.  July 11: Fox News: Florida School Board turns off parent's microphone when
he wanted to read pornography from books in the school's library (video)
The Clay County School Board in Florida turned off the microphone of a parent who was complaining about three pornographic books in the school libraries, calling for the person responsible for allowing them to be fired. When he attempted to read the language of the books into the hearing record he was stopped because the school board didn't want anything pornographic read out loud where children might be viewing the live broadcast of the hearing. The parent, subsequently walked up to the school board dais and placed a trifold display of the language Infront of the school board member who told him to stop reading.  July 11: The Washington Time: Ukraine says the supply of U.S. HIMARS rockets is a game-changer
Ukraine now has eight U.S.-made HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) to help fight off Russian invaders and will be receiving four more as part of a just-announced $400 million military aid package. But even that relatively modest number of systems is reportedly having an outsized impact on the battlefield. "HIMARS have already made a HUUUGE difference," tweeted Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov. "More of them as well as (U.S.) ammo and equipment will help to demilitarize the terrorist state." Ukraine has used the HIMARS in a campaign to take out Russia's key military structures, including destroying vital ammunition depots. In the past four weeks, about 20 have been hit or completely destroyed in the disputed Donbas region and other Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine, according to the Kyiv Independent newspaper. "It is an almost everyday occurrence," the newspaper reported. "Russia's ammunition depots blow up, with large fires erupting as tons of ordnance detonate for hours. Some of these incidents cause giant blasts with a radius of hundreds of meters." July 10: Fox News: Russian state making more now from oil sales than it did prior to the war with Ukraine; the sanctions aren't working CNN host Fareed Zakaria criticized the Biden administration and European countries Sunday for allowing themselves to become dependent on Russia for gas and oil. His remarks came during his opening monologue. "It is now clear that the economic war against Russia is not working nearly as well as people thought it would," he said. "Vladimir Putin cares less about what these sanctions do to the Russian people than he does about what they do to the Russian state. Thanks to rising energy prices, Bloomberg projects the Russian government will make considerably more revenue from oil and gas than it did before the war, around 285 billion in 2022 compared to 236 billion in 2021," he continued. July 10: One America news network: Soros-backed LA DA Faces a recall election after a sufficient number of signatures has been verified The Los Angeles Department of Elections determined the petition to recall District Attorney George Gascon has enough signatures to trigger an election. In a press release Saturday, the voter registrar stated the raw count of recall petition signatures was 715,833. A total of 567,000 valid signatures are needed to trigger a recall which the department will verify by a random sample of the signatures turned in by petition organizers. The earliest a recall election could take place is November 8 in a general election that includes runoff races for Los Angeles city mayor and county sheriff, as well as congressional midterms. If it's put to a vote more than 50 percent of voters would have to vote to oust Gascon. Growing frustrations with Gascon have centered on his all or nothing policy stances. On his first day in office, Gascon barred prosecutors from seeking the death penalty, trying juveniles as adults and filing sentencing enhancements. This increased the amount of prison time a defendant will face in certain situations, including if they use a gun in the commission of a crime. July 9: The Washington Examiner: of unvaccinated National Guard troops The woke federal government places its heavy hand on national guard troops who serve under state governors. The Army has announced that the over 60,000 National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers that remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 can't participate in their military duties, effectively cutting them off from some of their benefits. The impact of this decree is that many of the men and women who are highly skilled and trained will be culled from our military while the services are having difficulty meeting their recruitment goals. Regardless, the Army has said, "Soldiers who refuse the vaccination order without an approved or pending exemption request are subject to adverse administrative actions, including flags, bars to service, and official reprimands. In the future, Soldiers who continue to refuse the vaccination order without an exemption may be subject to additional adverse administrative action, including separation."  July 9: Fox News: Retired army general suspended from civilian position after post saying Jill Biden finally figured out what a woman is
Retired Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky, a three-star army general who is serving as a civilian and "mentor" in the Combined Arms Center has been suspended after he sarcastically congratulated Jill Biden for learning "what a woman is." The Army confirmed the suspension and speculation that the veteran was under internal investigation for mocking Biden, even though it was done on his own time and might be considered a freedom of speech issue. Volesky mocked Biden on social media in June, responding to a tweet she posted about the SCOTUS decision returning decisions on the availability of abortion to the states by overturning Roe v. Wade. Biden falsely claimed that women had stolen from them the "right to make [their] own decisions about [their] bodies" to which Volesky replied "Glad to see you finally know what a woman is." The tweet has since been deleted but the wokeness that is infecting our military remains. July 9: The Epoch Times: An earthquake beneath Puget Sound could be devastating with little time to react A finds that a tsunami could be triggered by a major earthquake beneath Puget Sound and could likely arrive at the shores within three minutes of the event. It could likely reach further inland than initially anticipated. Models showed a tsunami following a magnitude 7.5 quake would inundate Seattle's shoreline under more than 20 feet of water, and reach parts of Bainbridge Island, Elliott Bay and Alki Point within three minutes. Waves could reach a staggering 42 feet at the Seattle Great Wheel and reach as far inland as Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park. 
July 9: News Max: Trump exhibited leadership in his "short" talk in Las Vegas; laid out campaign strategy for 2022 midterms
Without officially declaring for a 2024 presidential campaign Friday night in Las Vegas (Clark County), Nevada, President Donald Trump laid out a platform of strong-on-crime policies to "liberate our communities from the scourge of crime," "protect the innocent," "deliver justice to the guilty," and "defend our police." "Law and order is at the very heart of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," Trump told the crowd at a midterm campaign event in Las Vegas, Nevada. "Without law and order, there is no justice, there is no safety, there is no prosperity, and there is no freedom. "That's why impartial rule of law has been at the core of our Make America Great Again movement. In his 45-minute speech – much shorter than most – talked about how the Democrat party is soft on crime. "If we are going to make America great again our first task is to make America safe again," said Trump. In 2021, Clark County saw a 49% increase in murders and an 11% increase in property crime, according to the most recent annual report. July 8: The Daily Caller: Former Montana AG calls out his party's January 6th committee Former Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana left a CNN host sputtering as he delivered a reality check on the Jan. 6 Committee Thursday night. "No one's going to talk to me about these hearings," Bullock, who also served as attorney general of Montana, told guest host Kasey Hunt. "They're going to talk to me about gas prices, about things that impact their daily lives. Now we know, if there was a seven-part hearing on gas prices, not only would a lot more people watch it, but every cable television network would actually cover the thing." "It doesn't impact people's everyday lives outside of this place we gather called Washington, D.C.," Bullock said. July 8: The Epoch Times: Nine months of investigations; Result: "no evidence" Nine months after horse patrol agents were accused of "whipping" illegal immigrants at the border in Del Rio, Texas, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Chris Magnus said an internal review found "no evidence Border Patrol agents struck any person, intentionally or otherwise." "The investigation concluded that there were failures at multiple levels of the agency, a lack of appropriate policies and training, and unprofessional and dangerous behavior by several individual agents," the report states. But this will not keep the Administration from disciplining some of the agents who were attempting to stop illegal immigration. One faces actions for using inappropriate language, another for allowing his mount to get too close to a child. Magnus said the report took so long, in part, because the U.S. Attorney's office took months before declining to prosecute the agents involved. July 8: The Washington Examiner: San Francisco swears in new DA One of the leaders of a campaign to oust far-left San Francisco District Attorney has now been sworn in to take over his job. Brooke Jenkins, 40, was an assistant district attorney under Boudin when she resigned last year to begin a campaign that successfully recalled her boss over his lax treatment of violent criminals and drug offenders. Jenkins was appointed by Mayor London Breed and sworn in on Friday. "The paramount mission of the district attorney's office is to promote public safety. And as your next district attorney, I will restore accountability and consequences to our criminal justice system here in San Francisco," Jenkins said. "Violent and repeat offenders will no longer be allowed to victimize our city without consequence." The unprecedented recall saw 61% of voters agree that skyrocketing crime, particularly hate crimes against Asians an issue they wanted addressed. Census data shows that San Fran has had a 6.3% population drop, the biggest in the nation. July 8: Fox News: Dem leadership is deeply concerned with Biden Leadership as the mid-term election draw nearer A new report from Politico indicated that a large group of Democrats are worried that Joe Biden and his White House team are running "out of time" to reverse their "flagging poll numbers" ahead of the midterm elections. They reported Friday that Democrats are dealing with "frustration" over Biden's messaging and handling of the country's crises, that has now become "outright worry." July 7: The Washington Times: SCOTUS: Kavanaugh and Roberts turn out to be majority makers As goes Justice Brett Kavanaugh, so goes the Supreme Court — at least in the recent term. Flip his vote, and Roe remains precedent, albeit with major new loopholes. Another flip, and Joe Biden's catch-and-release policy at the border takes a major hit instead of being bolstered. The same goes for a means-of-execution case for death row inmates and Biden's vaccine mandate for medical workers. Justice Kavanaugh and Chief Justice Roberts emerged as the majority makers for the court, joining the majority decision in all but three of the court's roughly 60 decisions on argued cases. The two Republican-appointed justices were also responsible for more than half of the cases in which the court's liberal bloc emerged as victors in 5-4 rulings, delivering a few key wins to Biden on executive powers in what was otherwise a brutal term for the political left. Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, said the Democratic appointees seem to have a chance of persuading the two justices to agree in cases "that involve the court as an institution, and precedent." July 7: Townhall.com: CNN admits Red Flags don't work Red flag laws have been the forefront of talk since multiple deadly mass shootings have taken place only months apart in the U.S., but what is overlooked is how such laws infringe upon Americans' Second Amendment rights. While Democrats were quick to push red flag laws, one CNN analyst is admitting that they don't actually work. During a segment on CNN Newsroom, Paul Callan said that the July 4 mass shooting during a parade in Illinois is a "shocking failure" of the state's red flag laws. "This is a shocking failure of the Illinois red flag law… it's also a shocking failure, I think, of police officials in Highland Park, Illinois," Callan said. He questioned whether these laws can actually ever work after law enforcement failed to "flag" the alleged shooter who killed seven people and injured 24. "It's a very affluent town of 30,000 people. I think they have 59 police officers on the force, and I can tell you … in most affluent towns in America, the police chief would know if a kid with a tattoo on his face who's attempted to commit suicide and subsequently threatened to kill every member of his family, the police chief would know if that kid had a permit to get a weapon," Callan said, adding "and there was a tremendous failure here that this wasn't picked up on, and we've got a lot of fatalities as a result of that." July 7: The Washington Examiner: Soros-supported Los Angeles District Attorney likely to be recalled in the upcoming November election Crime victims, prosecutors, and police have been trying for a year to oust freshman District Attorney George Gascon from office in Los Angeles, and they could finally have their chance later this year. County officials have about four months to count recall petitions and set an election date after grassroots organizers delivered 717,000 signatures to the registrar of voters office on Wednesday. An attempt to recall Gascon fizzled last year for lack of signatures, but this time, the numbers appear to break records, said former Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine. "I'm told that the numbers we submitted have beat every other [recall] record," said Zine, one of the recall campaign leaders. "You can't do this with volunteers alone. You have to pay people. We spent $60 million on this campaign. It's a lot of money to get a guy out of office who is doing a terrible job. A lot of people are invested in this issue of public safety." Gascon is accused of being soft on crime and anti-victim in order to promote a social welfare version of justice with less prison time. This is at odds with strict California laws, such as the "three strikes" law, that lock up criminals for life after a third violent felony conviction. A new campaign formed on Jan. 31 with a small army tasked with collecting 567,000 signatures, which is 10% of the voters who ushered Gascon into office. Organizers then collected an extra 150,000 signatures to account for any errors, such as duplicates or nonregistered voters.  July 7: Fox Business: Biden hammered for decision to sell strategic petroleum reserves to the Chinese
Lawmakers sharply criticized Joe Biden on Thursday following reports of emergency U.S. oil being sent to China and other nations. More than five million barrels of oil released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) have been diverted to European and Asian nations instead of U.S. refiners, Reuters reported, citing customs data. Biden has ordered the Department of Energy to release a total of about 260 million barrels of oil stored in the SPR over the last eight months to combat record fuel prices hitting American consumers. "The American people deserve answers as to why our emergency energy reserves are being sent to foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party, compromising our energy security and national security," House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers said. "Biden needs to remember that our strategic energy reserves are for emergencies, not to cover-up bad policies. America needs to flip the switch and increase our capacity to produce and refine oil here at home," she continued. "Now is not the time to use our strategic stockpile." July 6: The Daily Caller: Maryland GOP Candidate is wooing Democrats and independents in his Fight to become governor Democrats are propping up the "America First" candidate in Maryland's gubernatorial Republican primary, and the campaign is openly courting Democratic voters in return. Dan Cox, a Republican state delegate and lawyer, has claimed the mantle of "America First" candidate for Maryland governor, and is endorsed by former President Donald Trump. He also has the backing of the Democratic Governors' Association (DGA), which has spent more than $1 million promoting him to GOP primary voters.  July 6: The Epoch Times: Has UTMB had ties to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Institute of Virology? Texas Congressman wants to find out
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) in a July 6 letter questioned Dr. James LeDuc, former director of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), about the ties between UTMB and the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). Roy's letter accuses LeDuc of violating both federal and Texas state law in an agreement he signed with the WIV. Roy raised questions after documents obtained under open records acts suggest that a "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU), contained a so-called "memory-hole" provision. "The confidentiality obligation shall be applicable throughout the duration of the MOU and after it has been terminated," the provision read. "The party is entitled to ask the other to destroy and/or return the secret files, materials and equipment without any backups." "The federal government," Roy continued, "has awarded over $2.5 billion in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) plus hundreds of millions in grants and contracts from other federal agencies to UTMB. It is concerning that any public institution receiving federal government funding would enter into a cooperation agreement with an entity controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)." This "… raises serious concerns that a prominent recipient of federal taxpayer dollars would enter into an agreement with any foreign entity—but especially an adversary—with such a glaring 'memory hole' provision that authorizes research materials and files to be destroyed upon request," Roy contended. July 6: Fox News: Conservative pastor brandishes AR15 against "Democrats in Klan Hoods" in viral campaign advertisement Jerone Davison (R), a congressional candidate in Arizona's 4th District, uses an AR-15 to scare off the KKK (Klu Klux Klan) in a viral campaign ad released Wednesday. In the ad Davison says, "Democrats like to say that nobody needs an AR-15 for self-defense, that no one could possibly need all 30rounds," he narrates in the video. "But when this rifle is the only thing standing between your family and a dozen angry Democrats in Klan hoods, you just might need that semi-automatic, and all 30rounds." Davison commented on gun control saying the country needs to, "Make Rifles Great Again." The video quickly garnered more than 1.5 million views in less than 24 hours. Davison, a former Arizona State University student and NFL player, is running against four other Republicans in the highly competitive Congressional race. "The media wants to divide us. Red vs Blue. Black vs White. Man vs Woman. Poor vs Rich," the Pastor Davison said. As part of his message, he also pledges to "unite people from across the ideological spectrum." July 6: The Daily Caller: Massive swing state (Florida) turning a solid red Republicans beat out Democrats in new registered voters in Florida for the second year in a row with 175,911 more registered voters in total, according to the Florida Division of Elections. There are 5,135,749 registered Republicans compared to 4,959,838 registered Democrats in the Sunshine State as of May 31. The Florida Republican Party has added 82,900 more voters to its ranks since the last major U.S. election cycle in 2020. The registration numbers reflect Florida's gradual shift toward becoming a solidly red state. After the 2022 election, it's likely Florida may no longer be a swing state. July 5: News Max: Two of UK's ministers resigned; could impact Johnson's MP position Britain's finance and health ministers resigned on Tuesday in what could spell the end for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's premiership after he had tried to apologize for the latest scandal to blight his administration. Both finance minister Rishi Sunak and health minister Sajid Javid sent resignation letters within minutes of each other to the prime minister, in which both took aim at his ability to run an administration that adhered to standards. The resignations came as Johnson was apologizing for what he said was a mistake for not realizing that a former minister in charge of pastoral care was unsuitable for a job in government after complaints of sexual misconduct were made against him, in the latest embarrassment to have engulfed his government. 
July 5: Fox News: Musk cracks joke on Twitter; apparently it hit too close to home
Musk appeared to get into the spirit of Independence Day by sharing a fake Tweet depicting "Twitter in 1775" where iconic American historical figure Paul Revere was fact-checked by Twitter for saying, "The British are coming, the British are coming!" The fake tweet depicted a misinformation label reading, "Learn how British taxes are beneficial for society." Revere is most remembered for his famous ride from Boston the night of April 18, 1775, warning local militia of approaching British forces who had intended to destroy military supplies in Concord. The following morning, on April 19, the Battles of Lexington and Concord took place and the Revolutionary War. July 5: The Washington Examiner: Can you believe this? DOJ is suing Arizona because it is requiring voters to prove they are U.S. citizens The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Arizona challenging its law that requires proof of citizenship for residents to vote in presidential elections. The lawsuit was announced by DOJ during a press call with reporters arguing Arizona's law is "a textbook violation" of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. It has long been a federal requirement that voters be U.S. citizens but Democrat-run DOJ sees requiring proof of citizenship to be a burden upon potential voters. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich had anticipated the court challenge from Biden's DOJ and wrote a letter on Friday pledging to defend the voting law all the way to the Supreme Court "if necessary." "After Biden invites millions to illegally enter our country, his DOJ is challenging Arizona's law to ensure only citizens can vote. Alas the clouds part to show the true sky. We'll see you in court!" Brnovich tweeted on July 1. The bill signed earlier this year is scheduled to take effect January 2023. July 5: The Daily Caller: Germany went all out for green energy now their economy is teetering on the brink After pouring billions of dollars into green energy, Germany is facing economic calamity, including potential collapse should Russia shut off gas supplies. According to the Wall Street Journal, on July 5, Germany announced their plan to rewrite 1970s legislation to send taxpayer funds to energy suppliers in an attempt to prepare for a possible recession. The collapse comes after Germany unveiled their plan to spend $220 billion to transfer all their energy needs to renewable sources. The funds for Germany's energy plan were meant to expand the use of renewable energy and make the country less reliant on Russia. Last week, a large German utility company asked for state support as it prepares for a bailout due to a lack of Russian supplies. Russia's natural gas cuts are occurring as households are suffering from CO2 price increases and a rise in inflation. Germany's economy relies on Russia for 35% of its natural gas supply.  July 5: The Epoch Times: Highland Park (Chicago) shooter charged with seven homicides The Highland Park Fourth of July parade suspect shooter, Robert Crimo, has been charged with seven counts of murder. Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart told reporters on Tuesday evening "We anticipate dozens of more charges centering around each of the victims. psychological victims, physical victims, [attempted] murder charges, aggravated discharge, aggravated battery charges," and if convicted Crimo would face a mandatory life sentence with no possibility of parole. Rinehart described the tragedy as a "well-orchestrated and carefully-planned crime" and stressed that he would ask a judge to hold Crimo without the possibility of bail. Crimo fired more than 70 rounds from atop a commercial building into the crowd who gathered for the Independence Day parade in Highland Park, an affluent community on the Lake Michigan shore, near Chicago.  July 5: Fox News: After saying "I know nothing," White House dodges questions about Biden knowing about Hunter's business dealings
The White House on Tuesday dodged questions about a leaked voicemail Joe Biden purportedly left for his son Hunter about his overseas business dealings, maintaining that any materials that allegedly originated from his son's now-infamous laptop would not be discussed. "Uncle Joe" has repeatedly denied discussing Hunter's business ventures with him. His son is currently under federal investigation for his tax affairs predicated by suspicious foreign transactions. July 5: News Max: Biden encouraged not to make the same mistake Carter did regarding inflation Veterans of former President Jimmy Carter's administration are warning Joe Biden against making the same mistakes that were made in the 1970s, including acknowledging there is a problem and supporting aggressive measures to bring prices back down. "The basic problem that Biden faces is really not too dissimilar from the one that confronted Carter," W. Michael Blumenthal, Carter's Treasury secretary, said. Blumenthal, now 96, was removed from the Carter cabinet in 1979. Before that, he and other of the then-president's key advisers met for weekly lunch meetings and mainly offered optimistic forecasts about the economy. However, by 1978, Democrats lost seats in Congress and Blumenthal lost his seat the following year. Carter lost his bid for reelection in a landslide and the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to the point that the economy entered into a recession. Republicans are comparing Biden to Carter in midterm arguments. "Americans suffering from rising prices and the highest inflation in 40 years need to demand the results Presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump gave them," former Speaker Newt Gingrich said.  July 4: The Washington Examiner: bailed out Industry during COVID has cancelled more flights this year than last
The number of flight cancellations over the last six months has already surpassed last year's totals, positioning 2022 to become one of the worst years on record. Thousands of flights were canceled in the days leading up to the Independence Day holiday weekend, with airlines reporting 121,918 cancellations between Jan. 1 and the end of June — compared to 121,552 for all of 2021. A large portion of those was canceled over the last month, with more flights being canceled in June 2022 than any June in previous years. The numbers put 2022 on track to be one of the worst non-pandemic years on record for flight cancellations since 2019, which recorded 170,632 total cancellations. The only other year on record to have surpassed the 200,000 threshold was 2001, when thousands of flights were grounded after the 9/11 attacks. Airlines are also being hit by an increase in flight delays, with roughly 20% of flights being delayed so far in 2022 compared to just 13.1% in the first half of 2021, data show. July 4: News Max: Joe Biden underwater in 48 states according to recent poll A new CIVIQS survey has Joe Biden posting an "underwater" job-approval rating in 48 different states, including his home state of Delaware and the typically left-leaning California. The term "underwater" refers to a politician's disapproval rating being higher than his/her approval numbers. In Biden's case, CIVIQS has him with an average of 30% approval and 58% disapproval. There are only two states where Biden's approval ratings are higher than his disapproval figure: Hawaii and Vermont. Uncle Joe his highest approval rankings in Hawaii: (45%), Vermont: (44%), Massachusetts (40%), Washington: (38%), California and Maryland with 37% approval rating and New York with 36%. His lowest approval ratings came from Wyoming: (16%), North Dakota: (17%), West Virginia: (17%), Kentucky: (19%), Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Utah: (20%), and Arkansas with 21% and Missouri with 22% . July 4: Fox News: Who would ever want to be a Chicago Police Officer; crowds attack Violent crowds in Chicago attacked police cars with fists and fireworks in at least two incidents this weekend, injuring one officer. Police first came under attack Saturday night when a crowd jumped on top of a patrol car, kicking and punching the vehicle until the windshield broke. One officer was injured in the incident, according to CBS News Chicago. A second incident early Monday morning saw a crowd shooting firework at patrol cars, which reversed away slowly as the crowd kicked and punched the vehicle. There have been no reported injuries from the second incident, and police made no arrests. July 4: The Epoch Times: Mass shooting at Independence Day parade in state with strict gun control laws Multiple people are feared dead after a mass shooting during a Fourth of July parade in a Chicago suburb, officials said. Six people were killed and at least 24 hospitalized in a parade in downtown Highland Park, officials told media. "Numerous law enforcement officers are responding and have secured a perimeter around downtown Highland Park," the statement said. Witnesses told local media that crowds of people fled the scene after shots were heard. The Lake County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a shooting took place and told people to stay away. The office did not confirm the number of victims. July 3: News Max: California Gov. runs ad in Florida, trying to woo companies back to his state California Gov. Gavin Newsom aired an ad over the July Fourth weekend, inviting Floridians to California for more "freedom." "It's Independence Day," Newsom said in the Twitter ad. "So let's talk about what's going on in America. Freedom is under attack in your state. "Republican leaders," he continued, are "banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors. I urge all of you living in Florida, to join the fight — or join us in California." The ad comes as businesses and citizens are leaving California in droves due to Newsom's far left policies. July 3: Daily Caller: Hutchinson repeats "hallway gossip" as fact before the Jan. 6 Committee The January 6 committee's key witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, called the committee "bs" in a recently received text message shared with the media. On Feb 1. Hutchinson reportedly sent a text to a conservative activist with connections to the First Amendment Fund, which is a group started by the American Conservative Union that helps Trump officials cover costs for Jan. 6 lawyers. Matt Schlapp said Hutchinson approached CPAC for help through the First Amendment Fund. Schlapp said he is happy they did not end up assisting her because she was relaying White House "hallway gossip as fact." July 2: The Epoch Times: Companies flee to Blue States for Florida, Texas and Tennessee Amidst predictions of a political "red wave" in the upcoming mid-term elections, an economic wave has been building for years with no end in sight as companies flood out of blue states and into red states. And as a result of its political divisions, America appears to now be dividing itself into prosperous, high-growth states and states that are suffering a chronic decline. But Democrat-run states believe their abortion policies could be a key factor in attracting companies back. Caterpillar and Citadel, announced in June their exit out of Illinois, and are only the latest firms to leave high-tax, high-regulation states. Tesla, HP, Oracle, and Remington are also among the hundreds of companies flocking out of California, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey to business-friendly places like Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Tennessee. July 1: The Epoch Times: SCOTUS decisions will impact state gun control legislation The Supreme Court followed up its June 23 landmark ruling that for the first time recognized a constitutional right to carry firearms in public for self-defense, by issuing a series of rulings June 30 reversing federal appeals court decisions that upheld gun restrictions in California, New Jersey, Maryland and Hawaii. Courts will find it difficult to uphold the firearms laws in question after these SCOTUS rulings. The Second Amendment of the Constitution says: "A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." In recent years the court has strengthened the rights of an individual to carry a weapon outside of his home. Justice Thomas wrote, in a June 23rd decision "…the Second Amendment guarantees an 'individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation,' and confrontation can surely take place outside the home. … Many Americans hazard greater danger outside the home than in it." In a new June 30th decision the court summarily disposed of the four pending cases sending them back to lower courts to reconsider based upon the June 23 New York gun control decision:
 July 1: The Washington Examiner: 93 year old stops home invasion, shoots q perp A 93-year-oldl Californian stopped a home invasion and shot one of the intruders after they broke into his residence this week. The retired plumber was home when a group of would-be burglars broke in, he said. Tired of being the victim of previous break-ins, he decided to flip the script on the intruders, Riverside County Sheriff's Department said. He grabbed his gun and confronted the perps. "I approached them to put them under citizen's arrest. They wouldn't adhere to that, and then one of them came at me with a fishing pole," the homeowner said. "It was just like somebody comes to a gunfight with a pocketknife, you know," he said. Still holding them at gunpoint he called authorities, describing the situation. When officers arrived, they discovered one of the intruders had been shot, and a witness said that they saw multiple people flee from the 93-year-old's home before the deputies arrived. The injured suspect was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. Authorities indicated the homeowner acted appropriately and said they didn't plan on charging him. July 1: The Washington Times: Large number of White House press corps members demand full access to Biden; not just a preselected few friendly members of the media Nearly 70 journalists have urged White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to drop the secretive pre-screening process the administration has been using to limit reporter access to large events with Joe Biden. The letter was signed by scores of journalists across dozens of outlets. White House aides have restricted event access to only reporters who have been "pre-credentialed" for events with Mr. Biden. When reporters have pressed for reasons on why they were not approved for an event, they've heard varied explanations ranging from COVID-19 restrictions to limited space in the room where the event was held. | ||
| GO TO THE CHRONOLOGY OF NEWS STORIES FROM JANUARY 1 - JUNE 30, 2022 | ||
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