Month: March 2019

Family of Bedford County Woman Allegedly Killed by Illegal Immigrant Files Lawsuit

Chris Butler

The family of a Bedford County woman that an alleged illegal immigrant killed in a traffic accident last fall has filed a lawsuit seeking nearly $23 million in damages. Specifically, the family of Keri King, including her siblings Cheri Blackwell and William King, want $7.5 million in compensatory damages and $15 million in punitive damages. As The Tennessee Star reported last fall, that alleged illegal immigrant, Edgar Torres Rangel, was allegedly intoxicated when he killed King in a traffic accident. The lawsuit names seven people as defendants, including Torres Rangel and people affiliated with Rancho La Herradura, the Mexican rodeo where he allegedly got drunk a few hours before the wreck. Other defendants the lawsuit names include Constantino Bonilla, Serio Ortega, John David Puckett, Holly Puckett, Leovigildo Lara, and Yolisma Lara, who are all said to involve themselves with Rancho La Herradura in different capacities. The lawsuit says these individuals operated a nuisance “by permitting, encouraging, and profiting from illegal gambling, and drunkenness.” The document goes on to say they conducted business “for the purposes of illegal gambling, public intoxication, drunkenness, and the natural and foreseeable result of their operation, driving under the influence of alcohol on the streets and…

Read the full story

Commentary: ‘Exactly When Did You Think America Was Great?’ Says Eric Holder. Here’s the Answer.

Admin

by Jarret Stepman   There’s no doubt that one of the flashpoints of the modern culture war in America is the debate over our nation’s history. On one side, there are Americans who believe that the United States is a unique country, a shining city upon a hill that while flawed, has been exceptional from the beginning. On the other side is a growing block of Americans who believe America was rotten from its conception, its history worthy of both figuratively and now literally destroying, and that its only hope is in some kind of fundamental transformation to purge it of its past sins and injustices. In simpler terms, it’s a battle of gratitude vs. grievance. Few perhaps represent the grievance side better than former Obama Attorney General Eric Holder, who took the opportunity on Wednesday to scoff at the concept of “Make America Great Again.” “Exactly when did you think America was great?” Holder said on an MSNBC panel in response to supporters of President Donald Trump. “It certainly wasn’t when people were enslaved. It certainly wasn’t when women didn’t have the right to vote. It certainly wasn’t when the LGBT community was denied the rights to which it…

Read the full story

Trump: Strip NYT And WaPo of Pulitzers for Russia Reporting

Admin

by Chuck Ross   President Donald Trump on Friday called on The Washington Post and New York Times to be stripped of Pulitzer Prizes that the newspapers received last year for reporting on Russiagate. So funny that The New York Times & The Washington Post got a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage (100% NEGATIVE and FAKE!) of Collusion with Russia – And there was No Collusion! So, they were either duped or corrupt? In any event, their prizes should be taken away by the Committee! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2019 The Post and Times shared the 2018 Pulitzer for a series of reports on developments in the Russia investigation. Many of the core allegations in the reports were undercut with the recent revelation that special counsel Robert Mueller did not find collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. “The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities,” Mueller wrote in his 400-page report, according to Attorney General William Barr. According to Barr, Mueller also did not establish “that any U.S. person or Trump campaign official or associate” conspired or “knowingly coordinated”…

Read the full story

Here’s Why Trey Gowdy Opposes Release of Mueller Report

Admin

by Chuck Ross   Former GOP South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy said Saturday that he disagrees with congressional Republicans who want the special counsel’s Russia report to be made public. “I’m in a really small minority, Neil,” Gowdy said in an interview with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto. “I don’t think the report should be released at all and I’m frankly surprised so many Republicans think it should be.” Republican lawmakers have supported releasing special counsel Robert Mueller’s report of the Russia investigation. Attorney General William Barr told Congress on Friday a version of the report will be provided to lawmakers by mid-April, if not sooner. Barr released a summary of Mueller’s main conclusions from the 22-month investigation March 24. According to Barr, Mueller was unable to establish that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the election. Democrats have called on Barr to provide the report to Congress by April 2, and without redactions. Barr said he is reviewing Mueller’s report with the help of the special counsel, and might withhold grand jury information and classified information contained in the report. Most Republicans have come out in favor of releasing the report given that it appears to exonerate Trump…

Read the full story

‘Unplanned’ Hits Theaters, Recounts The Emotional Story of a Former Abortion Clinic Worker

Admin

by Grace Carr   “Unplanned” hit theaters Friday and tells the story of a former Planned Parenthood director whose life changed after working at a clinic. The film was released in over 1,000 movie theaters nationwide. It tells the story of former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson, who worked at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan, Texas, until 2009 when she left the organization after assisting in an ultrasound-guided abortion of a 13-week-old unborn baby. Johnson was Planned Parenthood’s youngest director of a clinic in the nation. She helped over 22,000 women have abortions during her time at the clinic. Planned Parenthood named Johnson employee of the year in 2008. She worked at the abortion provider for eight years before leaving the group. Johnson had two abortions before leaving Planned Parenthood. “The film is a kingdom project that has the potential to shift culture,” actress Robia Scott told The Daily Caller News Foundation. Scott plays Cheryl, the clinic’s director, in the film. The film does not condemn abortion outright, but aims to give the audience a clear picture of what occurs in clinics. On Sunset Blvd Unplanned continues to make bold moves and put the truth out there… right…

Read the full story

Obama’s DHS Secretary Agrees the Border Is ‘Truly in a Crisis’

Admin

by Whitney Tipton   Former President Barack Obama’s DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said Thursday that the U.S. is “truly in a crisis” at the southern border. “A little bit of context here. When I was in office in Kirstjen Nielsen’s job, at her desk, I’d get to work around 6:30 in the morning, and there would be my intelligence book sitting on my desk, the PDB, and also the apprehension numbers from the day before,” Johnson said during his appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “My staff would tell you if it was under 1,000 apprehension the day before, that was a relatively good number, and if it was above 1,000, it was a relatively bad number, and I was going to be in a bad mood the whole day.” “On Tuesday there were 4,000 apprehensions. I know that a thousand overwhelms the system. I can’t imagine what 4,000 a day looks like. So, we are truly in a crisis,” he continued. Johnson isn’t the only Obama official to break from 2020 Democrats on immigration. Obama’s Border Patrol chief Mark Morgan praised Trump’s push for a border wall during an interview with the Law & Crime Network, saying “The wall works.”…

Read the full story

Trump Again Issues Permit to Speed Up Keystone XL Pipeline

Admin

President Donald Trump on Friday issued a new presidential permit for the project — two years after he first approved it and more than a decade after it was first proposed. Trump said the permit issued Friday replaces one granted in March 2017. The order is intended to speed up development of the controversial pipeline, which would ship crude oil from tar sands in western Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast. A federal judge blocked the project in November, saying the Trump administration had not fully considered potential oil spills and other impacts. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris ordered a new environmental review. Not subject to judicial review A White House spokesman said the new permit issued by Trump “dispels any uncertainty” about the project. “Specifically, this permit reinforces, as should have been clear all along, that the presidential permit is indeed an exercise of presidential authority that is not subject to judicial review under the Administrative Procedure Act,” the spokesman said. But a lawyer for environmentalists who sued to stop the project called Trump’s action illegal. The lawyer, Stephan Volker, vowed to seek a court order blocking project developer TransCanada from moving forward with construction. “By his action today…

Read the full story

Bolton: Trump ‘Eager’ to Cut Deal With Post-EU Britain

Admin

While Britain remains entangled in a promise to leave the European Union without a workable plan to do so, the White House says President Donald Trump is “eager to cut a bilateral trade deal with an independent Britain.” Hours after British lawmakers rejected a Brexit plan for a third time Friday, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton told reporters that when Britain extricates itself from the European Union, the United States will “be standing right there waiting for them.” He said Trump empathized with embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May, and that he would like to “reassure the people of the United Kingdom how strongly we feel that we want to be there for them.” Friday marked the third time Britain’s House of Commons rejected a withdrawal plan backed byMay in a vote on the day Britain originally was scheduled to leave the European Union. The vote was 344-286. In response, Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, has called a European Council meeting for April 10. The EU has given Britain until April 12 to let members know what it plans to do. Britons voted nearly three years ago to leave the EU. But as last week’s scheduled departure…

Read the full story

Commentary: No Constitution for Divided Men

Admin

by Helen Lamm   Whether we like it or not, the defining political disagreements of our time are no longer based on differences of constitutional interpretation. “Limited government” is probably the most broadly accepted unifying principle of the conservative movement. You can find the phrase in the mission statements of the country’s most prominent right-leaning think tanks. It is a hallmark of modern conservative thought, an homage to the glory days of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. The conservative movement built its political identity on this principle, and for good reason. Bureaucratic tyranny, like Cthulhu, expands indiscriminately while crushing civil society under its ever-increasing weight. Bureaucratic overreach is a problem, but it is not the problem. Conservatives tend to distract and paralyze themselves by so rigidly focusing on the principle of “limited government.” Fearful of overreaching, they stand still as the Left reaches over them. Despite operating in what effectively is a post-constitutional context, they attempt to play by rules their enemies have long since abandoned. Take, for instance, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, one of 13 Republicans who voted with the Democrats to overturn President Trump’s national emergency declaration to build the wall. He tweeted late last month, “If…

Read the full story

Elections Omnibus Bill Would Make Minnesota Member of National Popular Vote Interstate Compact

Anthony Gockowski

An omnibus bill that could radically transform elections in Minnesota recently passed out of committee and is making its way through the Minnesota House. Among the most drastic proposals in the bill is one that would make Minnesota a member of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which is an agreement among states to award their entire Electoral College delegation to the winner of the national popular vote. Since 2007, 12 states and the District of Columbia have joined the compact, and several other states are currently considering joining. The agreement wouldn’t take effect until its member states cumulatively possess a majority of the electoral votes. The bill would also place Minnesota on a growing list of states to automatically restore voting rights to felons once they have completed their time behind bars. The omnibus bill incorporates elements of at least 10 bills introduced in the Minnesota House this session, and is sponsored by Rep. Raymond Dehn (DFL-Minneapolis), chair of the House Subcommittee on Elections, who said his proposal would bring “more integrity” to elections. The bill passed out of the House Subcommittee on Elections, and will next head to the House Government Operations Committee, according to a press release.…

Read the full story

Portman Resists Lindsey Graham’s Call for New Special Counsel to Investigate FBI

Anthony Gockowski

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and other Republicans are calling for an investigation, and possibly the appointment of a new special counsel, into the FBI surveillance of the Trump campaign. Graham told reporters on Monday that he wants to investigate the surveillance warrants obtained by the FBI against Carter Page, an adviser to the Trump campaign, which were ultimately used to wiretap Page. The warrants, however, were granted partially based on material contained in the infamous and uncorroborated “dossier” produced by Christopher Steele. Graham and his colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee want to get to the bottom of the matter, and determine if the warrants were used as “a back-door to spy on the campaign.” “Whether or not it’s illegal, I don’t yet know,” Graham said. “What makes no sense to me is that all of the abuse by the Department of Justice and the FBI—the unprofessional conduct, the shady behavior—nobody seems to think that’s much important. Well that’s going to change, I hope.” Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), however, told The Columbus Dispatch that he opposes calls to have Attorney General William Barr appoint a new special counsel to investigate what Graham called “the other side of the story.” Portman…

Read the full story

Report: Ohio Prison Population Still Growing Despite Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform

Andrew Shirley

Despite bipartisan calls for a reduction in the prison population and a slew of laws aimed at doing just that, a new report released this week has found that the prison population of Ohio has continued to climb over the past decade. Since 2011, the state has passed several new bills specifically aimed at addressing criminal justice reform. The two most impactful were House Bill 86 (HB 86) and House Bill 49 (HB 49). Both of these laws made a comprehensive list of changes to the criminal code, all aimed at curbing the incredibly high incarceration rates in Ohio. Among the changes were downgraded sentences for smaller offenses, permitting early release for certain types of offenders, shifting some crimes to misdemeanors, and creating financial incentives for rehabilitation as opposed to incarceration. Despite this, the report found that: HB 86’s reforms, alone, may have saved the state $500 million by flattening prison population growth. While HB 86 was expected to significantly reduce the prison population, the prison population dropped just 2 percent. HB 49 was supposed to reduce the prison population to 47,500 by FY 2019, but right now, the prison population stands at 49,051. Projected reduction of the prison population was off by more…

Read the full story

Tim Ryan Goes After Trump, NRA at Iowa Event Alongside 2020 Dems

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) was a panelist Saturday at the Heartland Forum in Iowa, and was the only speaker at the event who hasn’t officially declared candidacy for president. The event, sponsored by Huffington Post, Open Markets Action, and the Iowa Farmers Union, featured panelists such as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro—all of whom have declared candidacy. Ryan, who said in February that he’s “seriously considering” a run, was asked what his vision for the country would be if he were to do so. “The stock market’s as high as it’s ever been. Unemployment’s as low as it’s ever been, and yet there is a chronic level of stress in our society today because of chronic uncertainty,” he said. “I think it’s time for a new way of doing things.” “The only way forward is for us to come together politically. It’s the division today in our country that’s preventing us from getting to where we need to be, and that’s innovating our way out of this thing, caring about each other, loving each other, being concerned about each other, respecting each other, and then building an…

Read the full story

Volkswagen Hires Retired Sen. Corker’s Former Chief of Staff Womack to Handle Lobbying

Jason M. Reynolds

Volkswagen hired Bob Corker’s former chief of staff, Todd Womack, to do lobbying on trade matters, proving that working as a public servant can pay off. Womack made the announcement Friday on Twitter: “Excited to be working with @VW.” He is president and CEO of Bridge Public Affairs, a lobbying firm created by former Corker staffers including Womack, who has worked with Corker since he was mayor of Chattanooga. Excited to be working with @VW pic.twitter.com/jrSA0FFP6T — Todd Womack (@TWchatt) March 30, 2019 Terms of Womack’s’ deal are not known, but Volkswagen spent $1 million last year on lobbying, Politico said. Corker was a U.S. senator (R-TN) when Volkswagen selected Chattanooga in 2008 for its assembly plant, the Chattanoogan said. The plant received “attractive” state subsidies, the Chattanoogan said: Volkswagen of America received an attractive, comprehensive package of incentives for the new facility from Gov. Bredesen’s office and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, it was stated. The statutory incentives are tied to job creation and capital investment. Additional support includes assistance for public infrastructure and job training, each designed to ensure the local economy best leverages Volkswagen’s investment to benefit the local work force and ensure the…

Read the full story

Williamson County School Board Member Rick Wimberly Passes the Buck to Mike Looney on Cultural Competency Committee Questions

Chris Butler

If you live in Williamson County and have questions or misgivings about the school system’s Cultural Competency video series then, like most people, you’re likely to contact your school board representative. And you would expect your school board representative is on top of things and knows just as much as the superintendent. If you’re in Williamson County, however, assume nothing. Your local school board representative might just pass the buck to Superintendent Mike Looney. Franklin resident Christine Deekens said she learned that lesson this week when she tried to reach out to school board member Rick Wimberly about the videos. Teachers in the school district must watch these videos, which preach “white privilege” and America’s supposed dysfunctional history. Deekens said she met with Wimberly for an hour but, afterwards, said he still didn’t address her concerns. “His responses to me were outright copouts,” Deekens told The Tennessee Star this week. So, she sent Wimberly an email recapping their meeting and all her questions that remain unanswered. Deekens forwarded those emails to The Star, which, among other things, communicated the following to Wimberly: “As I reflect on our meeting, however, I am troubled by what you supposedly DIDN’T know – given…

Read the full story

Commentary: ‘Russiagate’ Is Now a Three-Time Loser of an Investigation

Admin

by Tony Shaffer   The Mueller Report marks the third time that an investigation has cleared the Trump campaign of allegations that it “colluded” with the Russian government. They had their three swings…and they have struck out. The Special Counsel investigation received by far the most media attention, but it’s just the culmination of one in a series of progressively more farcical and politically motivated investigations, all of which have failed to achieve their true goal: overturning the result of the 2016 presidential election. The origins of which were developed using political weaponization of process, procedures and tools of a very powerful national security infrastructure. First, the FBI conducted its own regular investigation into supposed Russian collusion. Even Peter Strzok — the FBI agent so hell-bent on taking down Trump that he talked of the investigation as an “insurance policy” — admitted he was hesitant to join Mueller’s team because he felt there was “no big there there” based on his role in the FBI’s collusion probe. Lisa Page, the former FBI attorney who was once Strzok’s mistress and temporarily worked with him on the Mueller probe, also told Congress it was possible this investigation found “literally nothing” linking Donald…

Read the full story

Trump Threatens Southern Border Closing ‘Next Week’

Admin

by Evie Fordham   President Donald Trump threatened to close the U.S. southern border in a tweet Friday if Mexico “doesn’t immediately stop” illegal immigration into the U.S. “If Mexico doesn’t immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States throug[h] our Southern Border, I will be CLOSING … the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “This would be so easy for Mexico to do, but they just take our money and ‘talk.’ Besides, we lose so much money with them, especially when you add in drug trafficking etc.), that the Border closing would be a good thing!” The DEMOCRATS have given us the weakest immigration laws anywhere in the World. Mexico has the strongest, & they make more than $100 Billion a year on the U.S. Therefore, CONGRESS MUST CHANGE OUR WEAK IMMIGRATION LAWS NOW, & Mexico must stop illegals from entering the U.S…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2019 ….through their country and our Southern Border. Mexico has for many years made a fortune off of the U.S., far greater than Border Costs. If Mexico doesn’t immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States throug our…

Read the full story

Dick’s Sporting Goods Lost Millions Over Anti-Gun Policies

Admin

by Molly Prince   Dick’s Sporting Goods took a loss of an estimated $150 million in sales last year after the company heavily restricted firearm purchases and began advocating anti-gun propaganda. The company made various policy changes after a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, left 17 dead. It announced it would no longer sell modern sporting rifles or high-capacity magazines, and increased the purchase age for all firearms to 21. Dick’s also hired anti-gun lobbyists to promote gun restriction legislation, despite saying it still supports the Second Amendment. “The system does not work,” said Edward Stack, Dick’s CEO. “It’s important that when you know there’s something that’s not working, and it’s to the detriment of the public, you have to stand up.” The anti-gun shift made massive waves when it was first announced in February 2018 and Stack was accused of violating fiduciary duties by knowingly and purposely giving up money. Some gun manufacturers cut ties with Dick’s and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) expelled the company from its membership. The loss of customers was also almost immediately felt. “Sales are so anemic and relations with gun manufacturers such as Mossberg so poor right now that you’ve even indicated…

Read the full story

HHS Makes $5.1 Million Grant to Pro-Life Community Clinics

Admin

by Rachel del Guidice   The founder of an organization of community care clinics that cater to women praises the Trump administration for deciding to give her group $5.1 million over three years for use in California, a grant that once might have gone to Planned Parenthood. “With this grant, the administration has opened up a new avenue of health care choices for low-income and underserved women and their families in California,” Kathleen Eaton Bravo, CEO and founder of The Obria Group Inc. and Obria Medical Clinics, said in a prepared statement provided to The Daily Signal. Obria, which operates 21 health clinics and 11 mobile clinics in five states, does not perform abortions. “Many women want the opportunity to visit a professional, comprehensive health care facility—not an abortion clinic—for their health care needs; today, HHS gave women that choice,” Bravo said. The founder of an organization of community care clinics that cater to women praises the Trump administration for deciding to give her group $5.1 million over three years for use in California, a grant that once might have gone to Planned Parenthood. “With this grant, the administration has opened up a new avenue of health care choices for…

Read the full story

Trump Administration Asking Congress to Make It Easier to Deport Migrant Children

Admin

by Jason Hopkins   Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is requesting Congress pass a legislative measure that gives her department greater authority to address the growing migrant crisis at the U.S. southern border. Nielsen asked lawmakers to make it easier for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deport unaccompanied alien children (UAC), to allow migrants to file asylum requests within their home countries, and for the authority to keep families requesting asylum in detention facilities until their cases are complete, according to a letter first obtained by NBC News. The measures would help alleviate what Nielsen describes as an “emergency situation” at the U.S.-Mexico border. “We are grappling with a humanitarian and security catastrophe that is worsening by the day, and the Department has run out of capacity, despite extraordinary intra-Departmental and interagency efforts,” Nielsen’s letter to Congress read. “Accordingly, DHS requests immediate Congressional assistance to stabilize the situation.” The requests come as the country’s southern border is witnessing record levels of illegal border crossings. The DHS apprehended 50,000 to 60,000 illegal migrants a month in late 2018. More than 75,000 apprehensions and encounters were made in February — the highest volume in over 10 years. DHS forecasts March…

Read the full story

Barr To Release Mueller Report ‘By Mid-April, If Not Sooner’

Admin

U.S. Attorney General William Barr said on Friday the Justice Department is preparing a redacted version of the special counsel’s nearly 400-page confidential report on the Russia investigation and will be in a position to release it by mid-April, if not sooner. In a letter to the chairmen of the House and Senate Judiciary committees, Barr wrote that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is assisting the Justice Department in scrubbing the report of secret grand jury material and other confidential information. “Our progress is such that I anticipate we will be in a position to release the report by mid-April, if not sooner,” Barr wrote in a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina. But Barr said he does not plan to share the report with the White House to get President Donald Trump’s greenlight, noting that Trump has left it up to him to release it in whatever form he deems appropriate. “Although the president would have the right to assert privilege over certain parts of the report, he has stated publicly that he intends to defer to me and, accordingly, there are no…

Read the full story

US Holds ‘Constructive’ Trade Talks With China

Admin

American and Chinese trade negotiators made progress during “candid and constructive discussions” in Beijing Friday, said the White House, and will continue talks in Washington next week. The two sides are working to strike a deal to lift eight-month-old tariffs affecting $250 billion of Chinese imports to the U.S., and about $110 billion of American exports to China. The latest round of talks comes amid a report by the Bureau of Economic Analysis that the U.S. trade deficit with China again rose in 2018. “The 2018 goods and services trade deficit with China alone was $379 billion. That’s $70 billion, or 23 percent, higher than in 2016. It’s more than 3 times the size of the 2018 deficit with the entire European Union. China by itself contributed 61 percent of the total US deficit both in 2016 and last year,” according to Derek Scissors, Resident Scholar of American Enterprise Institute. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who is in Beijing, posted on Twitter that the talks will continue next week. .@USTradeRep and I concluded constructive trade talks in Beijing. I look forward to welcoming China’s Vice Premier Liu He to continue these important discussions in Washington next week. #USEmbassyChina pic.twitter.com/ikfcDZ10IL —…

Read the full story

Chicago Seeks $130K from Smollett for Cost of Investigation

Admin

The Chicago city government will seek $130,000 from Jussie Smollett to cover the cost of the investigation into his report of an attack that police say was staged to promote his career, city officials said Thursday. A spokesman for the city’s legal department, Bill McCaffrey, confirmed the amount after Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the city would try to recoup the money from the “Empire” actor. Hours earlier, President Donald Trump tweeted that the FBI and the Department of Justice would review the “outrageous” case, calling it an “embarrassment” to the country. Prosecutors infuriated Emanuel and the police chief this week when they abruptly dropped 16 felony counts that accused Smollett of making a false police report about being the target of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. Smollett has maintained his innocence and insisted that the attack was real. The prosecution offered little explanation for the dismissal and sealed the case, but authorities still say the actor concocted the assault. Prosecutors offered no additional information Thursday during a court hearing where media attorneys argued that the public has a right to know what happened. FBI & DOJ to review the outrageous Jussie Smollett case in Chicago. It is an embarrassment…

Read the full story

Commentary: Brennan the Menace

Admin

by Julie Kelly   John Brennan was nervous. Under intense questioning by Representative Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) in May 2017, Brennan squirmed and stammered and twirled his pen as Gowdy demanded to know why the former CIA chief concluded in mid-2016 that the Trump campaign was conspiring with the Russians to manipulate the outcome of the presidential election. “I encountered and am aware of information and intelligence that, um, revealed contacts and interactions between Russian officials and U.S. persons involved in the, uh, Trump campaign that, um, I was concerned about because of known Russian efforts to suborn such individuals and it, uh, raised questions in my mind, again, whether or not the Russians were able to gain cooperation of those individuals,” Brennan told the House Intelligence Committee. He rambled on: “I don’t know whether or not such ‘collusion,’”—Brennan used air quotes—”and that’s your term, existed. I don’t know. But I know there was a sufficient basis of information and intelligence that required further investigation by the [FBI] to determine whether or not U.S. persons were actively conspiring, colluding with Russian officials.” Not exactly a convincing explanation—and Gowdy was having none of it. It was clear that Gowdy, who left office…

Read the full story

Students Stack Chairs to Block Erik Prince From Speaking at College

Admin

by Neetu Chandak   A Wisconsin college canceled security company Blackwater’s founder Erik Prince from speaking after students banged drums and stacked chairs on stage to prevent the speech from happening Wednesday. Cecil Youngblood, interim dean of students, announced to the group that the event has been cancelled for safety reasons. pic.twitter.com/JbswaF98sE — Angela Major (@angela_major_) March 28, 2019 Beloit College interim dean of students Cecil Youngblood said the college canceled Prince’s speech, which was already delayed by at least 40 minutes, according to Inside Higher Ed on Friday. Protesters responded to cheers, according to video shared on Twitter by Gazettextra staff photographer Angela Major. “I believe that if a critical mass of students object to a speaker’s presence or a speaker’s platform, they should have a say in whether or not that speaker is welcome in our home,” student Rose Johnson said, Gazettextra reported. The college condemned the protesters and will investigate the situation, according to a statement. “Due to disruptive protests and safety concerns, the event hosted by the Young Americans for Freedom featuring speaker Erik Prince had to be canceled to ensure the safety of all participants,” the college told The Daily Caller News Foundation over email.…

Read the full story

Marijuana-Related ER Visits Triple in Colorado

Admin

by Joshua Nelson   A toxicology specialist has found a connection between legalized marijuana and a threefold increase in related visits to emergency rooms in Colorado for heart and other issues, confirming that cannabis poses health risks. Marijuana may be a recreational activity for many, but marijuana-infused “edibles” in particular have been subject to scrutiny because of their ties to a jump in patients seeking medical treatment. The new study from researchers with the University of Colorado School of Medicine found that marijuana-related ER visits tripled between 2012 and 2016. The study also found that people consuming marijuana edibles suffer from toxic reactions at higher rates than those who simply smoke the drug. These edibles typically include brownies and other baked goods. Dr. Andrew Monte, an associate professor at the medical school’s Anschutz campus, was lead author of the research paper published Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, touted as the first study to show an increased rate of adverse health events linked to marijuana edibles. “Some patients will have psychosis, hallucinations, or they will hear things,” Monte, also an emergency medicine and toxicology specialist at the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, told the website UCHealth. “The more common…

Read the full story

Nellie Ohr: ‘I Favored Hillary Clinton’

Admin

by Chuck Ross   Nellie Ohr, a former Fusion GPS contractor and wife to Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, told Congress that she “favored” Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign, and would not have researched the Democrat as she did Donald Trump. “I would probably have been less comfortable doing opposition research that would have gone against Hillary Clinton,” Nellie Ohr told a congressional task force on Oct. 19, according to a transcript released Thursday. “And why is that?” a congressional staffer asked Nellie Ohr. “Because I favored Hillary Clinton as a presidential candidate,” said Nellie Ohr. Nellie Ohr gave research she did on Trump and his associates to her husband, Bruce Ohr, in hopes that he would provide it to the FBI. Bruce Ohr did exactly that. He testified during his own congressional hearing that he provided a flash drive containing his wife’s research to the FBI. What the bureau did with the information remains a mystery, but it is another example of potentially biased information being provided to investigators working on a probe of the Trump campaign. Republican lawmakers interviewed the Ohrs and several Justice Department and FBI officials as part of an investigation into the FBI’s…

Read the full story

Senate Intelligence Member Angus King Says He Still Does Not Accept Mueller Report of No Collusion

Admin

by Henry Rodgers   Senate Intelligence Committee member Angus King said he does not accept special counsel Robert Mueller’s findings of zero collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, saying the Senate has not completed their investigation. In a Friday interview, which is set to air on “Firing Line” with Margaret Hoover on PBS, the Maine Democrat says the committee is still looking into collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, hinting their investigation is not “criminal.” “I’m not prepared to, because we’re not finished with our investigation. And you have to understand there are two very different missions of these two investigations,” King said. “Robert Mueller’s investigation was a criminal. He was looking for breaches of criminal law: conspiracy, obstruction of justice. That was his, that’s his focus as a prosecutor.” King also said the committee is near the end of it’s investigation, and are now focusing on the “collusion cooperation” aspect. Mueller submitted his completed report to Attorney General William Barr, who said he will be done vetting Mueller’s report sometime in April. “Our investigation is, what happened? We’re after the facts and the circumstances, not necessarily was a crime committed, or was it can you prove it…

Read the full story

Commentary: Five House Republicans Who Need Conservative Primary Opponents

Admin

by CHQ Staff   Sometimes there are issues upon which conservative opinion and principle diverges and the conservative movement has no consensus – what constitutes “free trade” might fall into that category. However, we can find no divergence of principle on the issues raised by the Democrats’ recent passage of H. Res. 124, a bill urging the military hierarchy to disobey lawful presidential directives on transgenderism and military service. Five House Republicans joined Democrats in voting for this abomination of constitutional order, military discipline and common sense. Republican Representatives Fitzpatrick, Hollingsworth, Hurd (TX), Katko and Reed all voted with the Democrats to strongly urge the Department of Defense to not reinstate President Trump’s ban on transgender members of the Armed Forces and “to maintain an inclusive policy allowing qualified transgender Americans to enlist and serve in the Armed Forces.” Never mind that courts have found there is no right to serve in the military. This is nothing less than Democrats urging an overthrow of the constitutional order that provides for civilian control of the military through the Article II designation of the President as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. That five Republicans would join Democrats in such an anti-constitutional usurpation…

Read the full story

Congressman Ryan Slams GM for Displaying Foreign-Made Car on Opening Day

Anthony Gockowski

General Motors is taking some heat after it decided to display a foreign-made car in center field of Comerica Park ahead of the Detroit Tigers’ home opener. Cranes were spotted lifting a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS onto an outfield display on Tuesday. Chevrolet is owned by General Motors, and its Blazer RS model is currently manufactured in Mexico. According to MLive, Chevrolet has been the automotive sponsor of the Tigers since 2010, and rotates in a set of new vehicles at the start of each new season. But not everyone was happy with this year’s vehicle choice, since General Motors is in the process of closing down multiple plants in the U.S., including two in Detroit and one in Lordstown, Ohio. One local Detroit outlet said it was contacted by several frustrated residents who wanted to spread the word about General Motors’ decision to display the Chevy Blazer. General Motors, however, claimed in a statement that it selected the Blazer because it’s returning to the market after a 14-year hiatus. Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13), who represents the Lordstown area, called the move “a slap in the face for American workers.” “In the wake of GM closing five plants across…

Read the full story

Ohio Senate Passes Bill to Outlaw Practice of Dumping Aborted Fetal Remains in Public Landfills

Anthony Gockowski

The Ohio Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would require abortion providers in the state to either cremate or bury the fetal remains from an abortion rather than sending them to public landfills, which is the current practice. Senate Bill 27 was sponsored by State Sen. Joe Uecker (R-Miami Township) and passed in a 24-7 vote. “Final disposition of fetal remains from a surgical abortion at an abortion facility shall be by cremation or interment,” the bill states. Additionally, it would give women who have abortions the right to decide “whether the final disposition will be by cremation or interment,” as well as the “location for the final disposition.” “An abortion facility shall develop and maintain a written list of locations at which it provides or arranges for the final disposition of fetal remains from surgical abortions,” the bill adds. After its passage, Uecker said the bill “takes steps to help protect the dignity of babies whose lives ended too soon as a result of abortion.” “Sending dead babies to be cold-heartedly discarded into landfills further demonstrates the total lack of respect for the sanctity of human life that is shown,” he continued. “I also hope to see the recently…

Read the full story

Ohio Attorney General Opposes Scrapping All of Obamacare, Breaking With President Trump

Andrew Shirley

Ohio Republican Attorney General Dave Yost announced Wednesday he would oppose President Donald Trump’s plan to completely repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare. On December 14, 2018, shortly before the 2019 open enrollment period ended, a contentious and controversial case was finally ruled on by the U.S. Supreme Court. Texas v. Azar challenged that the entire Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional. The case noted that the Supreme Court previously ruled “the Individual Mandate was unconstitutional under the Interstate Commerce Clause but could fairly be read as an exercise of Congress’ Tax Power because it triggered a tax.” However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “eliminated that tax,” and “thus compels the conclusion that the Individual Mandate may no longer be upheld under the Tax Power.” “And because the Individual Mandate continues to mandate the purchase of health insurance, it remains unsustainable under the Interstate Commerce Clause—as the Supreme Court already held,” the case added. Based on this, Texas Federal District Court Judge Reed O’Connor made three conclusions: First, the Court finds the Parties satisfy the applicable standing requirements. Second, the Court finds the Individual Mandate can no longer be fairly read as an exercise of Congress’s Tax Power and is…

Read the full story

Vanderbilt Should Hire Drew Maddux for Basketball Coach

Scott Wallace

Former Commodore star calls this his dream job. For years, Vanderbilt University has been one of the toughest places to play for opposing teams. Their arena, Memorial Gym is the most unorthodox venues in college basketball in the country. Opposing coaches must get used to their bench being behind a basket instead of on the sidelines. Also, the floor is elevated so the game looks like a Broadway production. Through the years, Vanderbilt teams have enjoyed beating top teams because of their advantage. “Memorial Magic” has been witnessed many times on West End. Recently, Vanderbilt fired their head men’s basketball coach Bryce Drew. Drew came in as an up and coming coach from a mid-major program in Indiana, Valparaiso University. At his opening press conference, Drew discussed coaching a Vanderbilt team to a Final Four. Three years later, the Commodores are looking for a new coach. National names have been rumored to be front runners for the job. Former Georgetown University coach John Thompson III, University of Central Florida coach Johnny Dawkins, Murray State University head coach Matt McMahon and Lipscomb University’s head coach Casey Alexander to name a few have been discussed. All have great resumes, but they all…

Read the full story

Minnesota Democrats Introduce $53 Million Omnibus Bill to Tackle Climate Change

Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota House Democrats on the Energy and Climate Finance and Policy Committee unveiled a $53 million omnibus bill this week to tackle climate change in the state. According to a House press release, the omnibus package incorporates elements of 16 different bills that have been introduced this session and is sponsored by Rep. Jean Wagenius (DFL-Minneapolis), chair of the committee. While introducing her bill, Wagenius claimed that research from the U.N. shows that “the world only has the next dozens years to sharply reduce carbon dioxide emissions to head off the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.” “The bill before you is a down payment on an effort to give young Minnesotans the kind of future they want and we want for them,” she said. “Dr. Mark Seeley said that Minnesota has experienced the most profound changes in the country due to climate change. He said the pace of change is unprecedented and well documented by science, and he said he could not overstate the problem.” A new $16 million “Solar for Schools” program would receive the most funding from the $53 million bill. The program, initially proposed in a bill sponsored by Rep. Patty Acomb (DFL-Minnetonka), would provide grants…

Read the full story

Nashville Mayor Briley Announces Desire to Seize Control of School Board Operations Over Its Handling of Superintendent Joseph

Jason M. Reynolds

Nashville Mayor David Briley says he plans to effectively seize control of the school board and lambasted board members who are trying to remove embattled Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph, Fox 17 said. Briley then turned his ire to the Metro Nashville School Board, saying he “will use all my legal authority to influence the school board functions from this day forward.” … Dr. Joseph has previously stated he will not seek to extend his contract when it expires in 2020. Mayor Briley said he plans to be involved in the search for a new director as well as how the school board handles operations and finances. According to NewsChannel 5, Briley called school board members racist but tried to deny it. “Some of our school board members have not acknowledged why their actions are seen through a racial lens. They’ve failed to acknowledge the legacy of racism and the legacy of systemic racism in Nashville, the legacy of inequality that this city is still trying to overcome today,” he said. Briley went on to say that he’s not calling anyone “a racist” and added he knows most people in leadership have “good intentions” and “good hearts.” Metro Nashville Schools have…

Read the full story

Emergency Meeting of The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators Called From The State House Floor

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – During the announcements portion of the House Floor Session on Thursday, an emergency meeting of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators was called, commencing immediately after session ended. The announcement was made by the Black Caucus Chair, Representative G. A. Hardaway (D-Memphis), who was elected in January to the position. According to the Facebook page of the Black Caucus, other newly-elected positions included the following Democrats: Vice Chairman – Rick Staples (Knoxville), Treasurer – Vincent Dixie (Nashville), Secretary – London Lamar (Memphis), Chaplin – John DeBerry (Memphis), Parliamentarian – Jesse Chism (Memphis) and Sergeant at Arms – Antonio Parkinson (Memphis). According to Hardaway’s emergency meeting announcement, the meeting would be held in Conference Room 4A, which is located on the 4th floor of the Cordell Hull Building, and that pizza would be available. Prior to all of the members arriving to conference room 4A, The Tennessee Star inquired if the meeting would be open to the public. Caucus Chairman Hardaway responded that the meeting would not be open to the public, but representatives would be available after the meeting to answer questions. Legislators seen in or entering the 4A conference room (in alphabetical order) were: Senator…

Read the full story

Reps. Green, Burchett Have Fun at Rep. Schiff’s Expense with Video Showing Empty Envelope

Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Reps. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) and Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) made a Facebook video Thursday having fun at the expense of U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-28) and his obsession over the Robert Mueller report. The video is available here. “I’ve got the Schiff report,” Burchett said, brandishing a large envelope. Green opened the envelope and shook it – the envelope was empty. No report. Green also posted the video on Twitter here. BREAKING: @RepTimBurchett and I found the elusive Schiff Report that allegedly proves the president colluded with Russia! pic.twitter.com/cAvNniVWcV — Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) March 28, 2019 Green recently called for the resignation of Schiff from his chairmanship of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He called Schiff a “conspiracy theorist” for implying the Russians offered intel on Hillary Clinton and saying that President Donald Trump’s son showed interest, according to Fox News. Schiff has said his committee might subpoena Mueller. The Los Angeles Times reported that Republicans and Democrats on the committee had a heated exchange on Schiff’s statements and the GOP members calling for his resignation, the Los Angeles Times said. “Your willingness to continue to promote a demonstrably false narrative is alarming,” said Rep. Mike…

Read the full story

Commentary: Mo Brooks Was Right About Nazis, Socialists and Democrats

Admin

by George Rasley   Let’s stipulate up front that the Holocaust was a singular evil that was perpetrated against the Jewish people and that the habit, especially among liberals, of using the epithet “Nazi” against every political opponent denigrates and diminishes the singularity of that evil. That said, Nazism or National Socialism, is a political philosophy that hasn’t been exterminated, and its evil continues to find its way into today’s politics in often unseen and insidious ways. Principled limited government constitutional conservative Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-5), on Monday — the day after attorney general Bob Barr submitted his summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation report — drew from the writings of Adolph Hitler, the foundational leader of National Socialism, to attack congressional Democrats and the “fake news media” as having lied throughout special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe. “A ‘big lie’ is a political propaganda technique made famous by Germany’s national socialist German Workers Party,” Brooks said on the House floor according to reporting by Rebecca Shabad and Marianna Sotomayor of NBC News. “For more than two years, socialist Democrats and their fake news media allies, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, Washington Post and countless others have…

Read the full story

Hundreds of Border Agents Reassigned as Illegal Crossings Reach Record Highs

Admin

by Jason Hopkins   The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) announced on Wednesday that it is reassigning more than 700 officers to assist the Border Patrol as it faces an “unprecedented” security crisis. CBP’s Office of Field Operations will temporarily reassign up to 750 of its officers to Border Patrol sectors along the country’s southwest border, helping the agency manage the influx of illegal migrants in recent days. Redeployed officers will assist with various processing responsibilities, such as transportation and hospital watch of detained individuals. “Border Patrol processing facilities on the Southwest border have far exceeded capacity and the Border Patrol does not have the personnel to process, care for, and transport individuals in custody without help from its partners,” CBP said in a statement on Wednesday. CBP officers will be redirected from ports of entry in the Tucson, Laredo, El Paso and San Diego field offices — a move that CBP acknowledges will affect its capabilities to press travel and trade. News of the reassignments come as the southwest border has experienced a historic week in illegal border crossings. CBP reported 4,000 apprehensions and encounters on Monday, the highest volume in over a decade. However, the record-setting number…

Read the full story

Ohio Legislators Push for New Missile Defense Site to be Located in Ohio

Andrew Shirley

A group of Ohio Legislators in an open letter Thursday called on Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan to select Ohio as the location for a new missile defense site and complex. The Continental United States Interceptor Site (CIS) is the only ground-based segment of the total U.S. defense system. It is currently run by the Department of Defense; Missile Defense Agency and is a major component of the “Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)” segment, which is part of the overall Ballistic Missile Defense System. This system is responsible for protecting the nation from missile attacks, potentially launched by countries like “Iran and North Korea.” The overall missile defense system of the United States consists of three major segments: the Boost Defense Segment (BDS), the Midcourse Defense Segment (MDS), and the Terminal Defense Segment (TDS). Each focuses on different phases of a potential missile attack on the continent. BDS focuses on the detection and interception of a missile at the earliest possible moments, long before it reaches the apex of its launch trajectory. MDS focuses on the interception of a missile at the midpoint of its trajectory. TDS is last line defense for stopping a missile attack; when the missile is past the midpoint…

Read the full story

Judge Extends Suspension on Kentucky Fetal Heartbeat and Discrimination Abortion Bans

Admin

by Grace Carr   A federal judge indefinitely barred Kentucky from enforcing two abortion laws Wednesday that recently passed and were temporarily blocked shortly thereafter. U.S. District Judge David Hale passed an order Wednesday extending a suspension on two state abortion bans, one which prohibits abortions in the presence of a fetal heartbeat and another which bans abortions on the basis of race, sex or disability, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. Republican Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin signed Senate Bill 9 on March 15. It “prohibit[s] a person from performing an abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat,” according to the legislation. A heartbeat typically becomes detectable between six and nine weeks of gestation. Many women do not know they are pregnant at six weeks. Bevin also signed House Bill 5 in March, “prohibit[ing] an abortion if the pregnant woman is seeking the abortion, in whole or in part, because of an unborn child’s sex, race, color, national origin, or disability, except in the case of a medical emergency,” according to the legislation. The bill bans “eugenics-based abortions,” according to Bevin’s general counsel, M. Stephen Pitt, the Courier-Journal reported. Both bills were signed under an “emergency” clause and took immediate…

Read the full story

Trump Renews Threat to Close Southern Border With Mexico

Admin

U.S. President Donald Trump is renewing his threat to close the country’s southern border, saying Mexico and three Central American countries are not doing anything to halt the surge of undocumented migrants heading north to try to enter the United States. Trump first threatened to close the border last November but did not follow through. However, as he ended a 35-day partial government shutdown in late January in a dispute with Congress over funding for a border wall, he declared a national emergency to build the barrier. While both houses of Congress rejected his declaration of a national emergency, the House of Representatives failed this week to override his veto of the measure, leaving the emergency declaration intact. Mexico is doing NOTHING to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants to our Country. They are all talk and no action. Likewise, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador have taken our money for years, and do Nothing. The Dems don’t care, such BAD laws. May close the Southern Border! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2019 Trump is moving ahead with plans to extend the barriers along the border with funding that had been earmarked for other projects. However, the fate…

Read the full story

Amazon Still Gives Southern Poverty Law Center Veto Power Over Charity Program

Admin

by Peter Hasson   The Southern Poverty Law Center’s ongoing crisis hasn’t cost the left-wing nonprofit its privileged status with Amazon, which gives the SPLC broad authority to determine which charities and nonprofits can participate in its AmazonSmile charity program. The SPLC has lost three top figures — including both its president and a co-founder — within the past month, as the organization has struggled to deal with accusations of racism and sexual harassment. The SPLC is known to label pedestrian conservative organizations as “hate groups” but is given broad power over AmazonSmile, a charitable program that allows shoppers to identify a charity to receive 0.5 percent of proceeds from their purchases. AmazonSmile has raised more than $100 million for charitable causes, but participation in the program is dependent on the SPLC’s approval. “Organizations that engage in, support, encourage, or promote intolerance, hate, terrorism, violence, money laundering, or other illegal activities are not eligible to participate” in the program, Amazon’s website states. “Amazon relies on the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Southern Poverty Law Center to determine which organizations fall into these groups.” The SPLC doesn’t just police AmazonSmile — it participates in the program as well.…

Read the full story

Democratic 2020 Hopeful Klobuchar Touts $1 Trillion Infrastructure Plan

Admin

Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar is pitching an infrastructure plan she says will provide $1 trillion to fix roads and bridges, protect against flooding and rebuild schools, airports and other projects. The plan announced Thursday is the first policy proposal from the Minnesota senator since she joined the 2020 race with a snowy rally not far from where the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River in 2007. Klobuchar speaks often on the campaign trail about the collapse, which killed 13 people, telling voters “a bridge just shouldn’t fall down in the middle of America.” She also talks about how she worked with Republican colleagues to get funding to rebuild the bridge within 13 months. “America needs someone who will deliver on their promises and get things done for this country,” Klobuchar said in a statement Thursday announcing her plan. She said it will be her top budget priority and pledged to pass it during her first year as president. The plan calls for leveraging $650 billion in federal funding through public-private partnerships, bond programs and clean-energy tax incentives. It would restart the Build America Bonds program President Barack Obama’s administration created to help stimulate the economy during the…

Read the full story

Trump: FBI and DOJ to Review Smollett Case

Admin

President Donald Trump says the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice will review the case of Jussie Smollett, after Chicago prosecutors dropped charges against the television actor who was accused of falsely reporting being a target of a hate crime. Writing on Twitter, Trump called the case “outrageous” and an “embarrassment to our Nation.” So far there has been no statement from the FBI or Justice Department on the matter. Smollett’s attorneys announced Tuesday their client’s record had been “wiped clean. A spokeswoman for the Cook Country prosecutor’s office said “After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case.” She added that Smollett will forfeit a $10,000 bond payment. But Chicago police, as well as mayor Rahm Emanuel, have spoken out angrily about the development. “This is without a doubt a whitewash of justice,” Emanuel said, complaining that the grand jury in the case heard “only a sliver” of the evidence. Chicago police superintendent Eddie Johnson said, “Do I think justice was served?…

Read the full story

Commentary: The Politicizing of Pediatrics Undermines Trust in Medical Authority

Admin

by Leonard Sax   What should you do if your five-year-old son tells you that he is a girl? The proportion of children and young adults who say that they are transgender is rising at an extraordinary rate, not only in the United States but in other countries as well. In 2009–2010, only forty girls in the United Kingdom requested reassignment to the male gender. In 2017–2018, that number was 1,806 girls, a rise of more than 4,000 percent in less than a decade. The UK Government Equalities Office (yes, it’s a thing) has announced that it will investigate. What’s going on? Our nation’s largest association of pediatricians, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recently released new guidelines for the evaluation and management of children and adolescents who identify as transgender. Previous guidelines have recognized that best practice depends on the age of the child. The great majority of five-year-old boys who say that they are girls will not persist in that conviction; ten years later, most of those boys will say that they are boys. They may be gay, they may be straight, but they are now sure that they are boys. They no longer want to be girls. Five-year-olds are not mature adults. They are young…

Read the full story

Trump Calls for Adam Schiff’s Forced Resignation

Admin

by Evie Fordham   President Donald Trump called for the forced resignation of Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff, the top House Intelligence Committee member, as Schiff continues to claim there is compelling evidence that Trump colluded with Russian interests during the 2016 presidential election. “Congressman Adam Schiff, who spent two years knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking, should be forced to resign from Congress!” Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday. Congressman Adam Schiff, who spent two years knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking, should be forced to resign from Congress! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2019 Special counsel Robert Mueller, who spent nearly two years investigating the Trump campaign for alleged collusion, closed up shop Friday. Schiff has been one of Trump’s biggest critics throughout the special counsel investigation, and the congressman continues to claim he has “more than circumstantial evidence” of wrongdoing. “There’s a difference between compelling evidence of collusion and whether the special counsel concludes that he can prove beyond a reasonable doubt the criminal charge of conspiracy,” Schiff told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos Sunday. “I have trust in [Mueller’s] prosecutorial judgment,” he continued. “But that doesn’t mean, of course, that there isn’t compelling and incriminating evidence that…

Read the full story

Commentary: No Recriminations for the Real Collusion

Admin

by Karin McQuillan   The total exoneration of President Trump and his campaign has given his voters a few days of smiles and happy headlines, but not deep satisfaction. The claim that Donald Trump, his family, and his staff were traitors and Russian agents remains a sickening reminder of the corruption of our FBI, Department of Justice, and Barack Obama’s administration. The debasement of our once free press into a state propaganda ministry is an ongoing assault on our country. None of these problems are resolved with the end of Robert Mueller’s witch hunt. The Russia collusion hoax has left the credibility of our justice system in tatters. We did, in fact, have Russian collusion to affect the outcome of 2016 the election—and it was entirely the handiwork of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Justice requires not only that the innocent are exonerated, but that the guilty are punished. It isn’t going to happen. Justice takes a second seat to politics. How It Came to Be It was obvious from the first that Hillary Clinton, via Fusion GPS, was the creative force behind the Russian collusion hoax. The euphemism “dossier” could not disguise what was soon revealed to be a…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Report: Senior Reporter Laura Baigert on Why The Education Savings Account Bill Cleared a Big Hurdle in Committee This Week

Julie Carr

On Thursday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – guest host and Nashville Tea Party Activist Ben Cunningham spoke with The Tennessee Star’s own senior reporter Laura Baigert, co-guest host for the day, about the key 14 to 9 favorable vote in the Education Committee this week that moved the Education Savings Account legislation closer to a vote on the floor of the House. Kevin Baigert, Laura’s husband and a long-time conservative activist in the state, was also a special in-studio guest during the broadcast who provided key insights into the vote as well. Cunningham: Had a really interesting episode yesterday at the General Assembly the, one of the Governor Bill Lee’s main legislative initiatives is what’s called an ESA , educational savings account and a real important vote occurred yesterday in the education committee. Laura, you were there. Give us just the two paragraph version of what happened. I saw it was fourteen to nine vote. That’s really is more than I thought the bigger majority. Is that about what you expected in terms of the committee vote. Baigert:…

Read the full story