Month: May 2019

Commentary: Democrats Have a Three-Part Plan for the Politics of Impeachment

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by CHQ Staff   Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is facing a growing insurrection from the Far Left of her Democratic Conference who are demanding the immediate impeachment of President Donald Trump. The New Yorker’s John Cassidy reports that at a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus, Pelosi held off the radicals and secured support, at least for now, for her policy of allowing various existing congressional inquiries to proceed with their investigations of the President. After the meeting, she told reporters, “We do believe that it’s important to follow the facts. We believe that no one is above the law . . . and we believe the President of the United States is engaged in a coverup.” A coverup of what was not then, nor was it subsequently, explained by Speaker Pelosi or any other Democrat. According to Cassidy’s analysis of a Washington Post report, about twenty-five House Democrats have called for the opening of an impeachment inquiry. They and many other members of the majority conference claim to be aggrieved at Trump’s refusal to respect the division of powers laid down in the Constitution. They are also reacting to the anger of many Democratic activists and supporters,…

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Divided Minnesota Legislature Reaches Agreement on Major Budget Areas

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by Bethany Blankley   The nation’s only divided legislature has reached agreements on all of its remaining budget disputes, Gov. Tim Waltz and leaders of the Senate Republican and House Democratic majorities said Thursday. They reached a compromise on the biggest part of the budget during Thursday’s special session – the health and human services funding bill, which has not yet been posted. The special session could go into Friday, some aides say. Legislators first agreed to higher education funding and opioid bills. The final higher education spending plan totals $3.41 billion for the 2020-21 biennium, $150 million more than projected in February. It increased funding for the state’s Office of Higher Education, which oversees the state’s financial aid program, by $25 million. It also increased funding for the Minnesota State system by $81.5 million, and increased funding for the University of Minnesota by $43.5 million, excluding the House’s call for a tuition freeze. It left the Mayo Foundation’s medical education program funding at $2.7 million. The opioid bill requires pharmaceutical companies and drug distributors to pay $20.9 million in annual fees, limited to a minimum of five years, and only after the state recovers at least $250 million from…

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West Fayette Republican Club Calls for Renewed Support for Heartbeat Bill and Seeks to Call Out Senators Who Did Not Announce Support

Jason M. Reynolds

  The West Fayette Republican Club has cried foul against the “deceptive” defeat of the Heartbeat Bill in the Tennessee Senate and called for a number of steps to correct that error. The group unanimously passed a resolution regarding the Heartbeat Bill on Thursday, Hal Rounds, the president, said in a statement. The club has called upon Republican senators to “return to the aggressive support of the Heartbeat Bill” and extend the legislative session or call a special session, and that stage agencies should record the number of abortions during the time the bill has not been approved. Furthermore, the West Fayette Republican Party asks that volunteers portray the number of such abortions with crosses posted on the Legislative Plaza along with a list of senators who did not have their names listed as voting in favor of bringing the Heartbeat Bill to a full Senate vote. On April 22, a majority of the State Senate voted to table the motion to reconsider the Heartbeat Bill through a recall, putting an end to any further action on the measure during the legislative session, The Tennessee Star reported. The Senate version of the Heartbeat Bill was sent to “summer study” by…

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Report: Tennessee Health Care Department Takes Bigger Chunk of Federal Taxpayer Money Than Other Agencies

Chris Butler

  The Tennessee Department of Health Care Finance and Administration took in more federal taxpayer money than any other state agency in 2018, a sum of $7.2 billion, according to a report Tennessee Comptrollers released this week. In 2017 that same department took in less federal taxpayer money, a sum of nearly $6.9 billion, said spokeswoman Sarah Tanksley. But the amount of federal money the same department takes in will likely decrease next year, Tanksley went on to say in an emailed statement to The Tennessee Star. “Under current federal law, Medicaid is financed on a matching basis. The rate at which the federal government will match state dollars is based on the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage. In TN the ratio is approximately 65 percent federal dollars and 35 percent state dollars,” Tanksley wrote. “As mentioned in several budget hearings during the most recent legislative session, in FY2020 we anticipate that federal match rate will decrease by approximately 0.48 percent, which will result in a decrease in federal funding of approximately $42.1 million.  Our federal match rate is declining because of a federal formula based on state’s average per capita income. Tennessee’s per capita income has increased relative to other states…

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The Forgotten History of Memorial Day

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Memorial Day History Headliner

by Richard Gardiner   In the years following the bitter Civil War, a former Union general took a holiday originated by former Confederates and helped spread it across the entire country. The holiday was Memorial Day, and this year’s commemoration on May 27 marks the 151st anniversary of its official nationwide observance. The annual commemoration was born in the former Confederate States in 1866 and adopted by the United States in 1868. It is a holiday in which the nation honors its military dead. Gen. John A. Logan, who headed the largest Union veterans’ fraternity at that time, the Grand Army of the Republic, is usually credited as being the originator of the holiday. Yet when General Logan established the holiday, he acknowledged its genesis among the Union’s former enemies, saying, “It was not too late for the Union men of the nation to follow the example of the people of the South.” I’m a scholar who has written – with co-author Daniel Bellware – a history of Memorial Day. Cities and towns across America have for more than a century claimed to be the holiday’s birthplace, but we have sifted through the myths and half-truths and uncovered the authentic story of how this holiday…

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Commentary: Does the Constitution Mandate Universal Birthright Citizenship?

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by Amy Swearer   Who is a United States citizen by birth? This question has increasingly received national attention, in large part because of President Donald Trump’s promise to “end birthright citizenship.” As I explain, however, in my recent Heritage Foundation legal memo titled “The Citizenship Clause’s Original Meaning and What It Means Today,” Congress definitively settled that question in 1866 when it passed the 14th Amendment. The problem is that Congress’ answer was far different from what Americans today often assume. Even though the U.S. government has long abided by a policy of universal birthright citizenship—that is, of treating all persons born in the United States as citizens, regardless of the immigration status of their parents—the reality is that the Constitution doesn’t mandate this policy. In fact, while the Citizenship Clause eliminated race-based barriers to birthright citizenship, Congress expressly intended to limit birthright citizenship based on the strength of a person’s relationship to the United States. More importantly, the government today needn’t amend the Constitution in order to restrict citizenship for the U.S.-born children of illegal or non-immigrant aliens. It could simply stop abiding by a broad policy never required by the Constitution in the first place. Context and…

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British PM Theresa May to Resign After Bungling Brexit

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by Evie Fordham   United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May said she would resign from her position Friday after nearly two years of taking Great Britain on a bungled path toward Brexit. May said she would continue in her role until a new prime minister was selected, though she will step down as the Conservative Party leader on June 7. The new prime minister won’t be selected by general election but by members of May’s party, according to Reuters. “I believe I was right to persevere, even when the odds against success seemed high,” she said in her announcement. “But it is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort.” May survived two votes of no confidence — one from her own Conservative members of Parliament (MPs) in December and another from the House of Commons in January. But her time ran out as the U.K. failed to separate itself from the European Union after delaying Brexit twice. May took the helm July 13, 2016, just weeks after the country voted in a referendum to leave the EU, even though May herself was a “remainer”…

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Ohio Senate Dems Push Statewide Protections for ‘Gender Identity or Expression’

Anthony Gockowski

  Ohio Senate Democrats are sponsoring an “Ohio Fairness Act” that would prohibit “discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.” The 114-page bill was introduced by Rep. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and claims to “uphold existing religious exemptions under Ohio’s Civil Rights Law.” The bill, Senate Bill 11, received its third hearing Wednesday before the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee, where more than 200 supporters of the bill testified in favor of its passage, including the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. “In our efforts to champion economic competitiveness, the Ohio Chamber recognizes the value and power of diversity. We believe that employees deserve robust protections from discrimination and that discrimination of any type has no place in the workplace,” said Kevin Shimp, director of labor and legal affairs for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. “The protections for housing, employment, and public accommodations in SB 11 would ensure that all Ohioans can benefit from Ohio’s growing workforce, enhance mutual respect between employers and employees, and further show that Ohio is a hospitable and welcoming place to live, work, and start a business,” he added. Shimp believes that the bill would help “solve a regulatory compliance issue for employers by…

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Planned Parenthood and ACLU File Federal Lawsuit Against Alabama Abortion Legislation

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by Mary Margaret Olohan   The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Alabama and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America filed a lawsuit Friday morning against restrictive Alabama abortion legislation signed in May. The ACLU groups and Planned Parenthood filed the lawsuit “on behalf of Alabama abortion providers” in the United States District Court of the Middle District of Alabama, according to a press release provided by the ACLU. Plaintiffs represented in the case include Alabama Women’s Center, Reproductive Health Services, West Alabama Women’s Center, and Planned Parenthood Southeast. The lawsuit references the abortion legislation passed in Alabama signed by Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. The governor signed H.B. 314 into law May 15, a near-total ban on abortions that makes no exceptions for victims of rape or incest. The law, which will take effect in six months, will be the most restrictive abortion law in the United States. Doctors who violate H.B. 314 will face a Class C felony, which is punishable by a minimum of 10 years in jail and a maximum of 99 years. The ACLU claims in its press release that it has never lost in challenges to abortion restriction in Alabama. “The Alabama…

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University of Ohio State Police Officer Awarded Nation’s Highest Public Servant Award

Zachery Schmidt

  An Ohio State University policeman received a prestigious honor for his response to a 2016 shooting on the school’s campus. President Donald Trump awarded Officer Alan Horujko the Medal of Valor at a May 23 ceremony celebrating first responders. Horujko stopped a terrorist attack at Ohio State in 2016. The officer shot and killed Abdul Razak Ali Artan after he drove into a crowd and attacked people with a knife. One person died and 13 people were injured during Artan’s attack. “There was a plan that had me there that day,” Horujko told Ohio State in 2017. “It seems like the stars aligned in some way to put me right there where I was needed to protect those people. So that’s why I’m just very grateful that happened.” Trump noted Horujko during the ceremony. Also with us today is Officer Alan Horujko of the Ohio State University Police. On November 28, 2016, an ISIS-inspired terrorist sped into a crowd of students at Ohio State. I remember that. He then got out of his car and chased them with a knife. Alan ran to the scene and yelled at the man to drop his knife. The man charged toward Alan…

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Pelosi Continues Swing Through Midwest With Speech at DFL Fundraiser

Anthony Gockowski

  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke Friday night at the DFL’s annual Humphrey-Mondale Dinner in Minneapolis, continuing her swing through key Midwest states. “The House Democratic Majority in Washington has been hard at work tackling the toughest issues facing our country, just as the DFL has been doing in Minnesota,” Pelosi said in a press release. “Democrats have led the way on everything from job-creating infrastructure investments to lowering the prices of prescription drugs. Republicans have responded with division, obfuscation and theatrics.” Pelosi said it was “an honor to celebrate our accomplishments, both legislative and electoral, with so many fine Minnesota Democrats.” “I’m proud of our record of fighting for the American people and I’m confident that record will carry us to victory in 2020,” she added. Both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have visited Minnesota in recent months. Trump has gone on record saying he believes he could have won Minnesota in 2016 had he made one more visit to the state. “Right now, the DFL is in one of the strongest positions in our party’s storied 75-year history,” DFL Chairman Ken Martin said. “We are offering Minnesotans great schools, fair wages, and affordable health care,…

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Rep. Mark Green to Attend Memorial Day Events in Franklin, Decaturville

Jason M. Reynolds

  U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) said in a press release that he has made it a priority throughout his time in Congress to honor the fallen and support Gold Star spouses and families and to honor veterans in general. His first bill in Congress was a bipartisan piece of legislation called the Protecting Gold Star Spouses Act to continue pay to Gold Star families during government shutdowns. Recently, Green introduced a second bill called the Protecting Gold Star Children Act. This bill would return Gold Star children to a tax rate derived from the parent’s tax bracket, instead of being taxed at a rate from trust fund tax brackets. Many children will go from a 37 percent rate to a 15 percent tax rate. Also, on Memorial Day on Monday, Rep. Mark Green will be attending and speaking at the Williamson County Memorial Day Service at the Veterans Park in Franklin at 10 a.m. CST. He will also be attending and speaking at a Decatur County Memorial Day event in Decaturville at 2:30 CST. “We should never forget the men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom,” Green said. “Many Americans will gather around monuments on Memorial Day, paying their…

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Consumers Would Pay More Under Ohio Nuclear, Coal Bailout

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by Tyler Arnold   Legislation that would bail out nuclear and coal power companies passed the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee Thursday. To pay for the bailout, consumers would be charged an extra one dollar every month on their utility bills for the next six years. The fee is expected to raise about $200 million, most of which will go toward the plants. The bill, which is called the Ohio Clean Air Program, left out wind and solar plants, which caused controversy among Democrats and environmental groups. The bailout also received criticism from residents testifying against the legislation in the committee hearing, and some complained that the name is misleading. FirstEnergy Solutions would receive the bulk of the aid for its two nuclear powerplants: the Perry Powerplant in North Perry and the Davis-Besse power plant in Ottowa County. The Perry Powerplant employees about 700 people and the Davis-Besse powerplant employes about 650 people. Ohio Valley Electric, a coal company, would also receive funding under the bill. If utilities sell electricity at a rate lower than production costs, they would be able to charge consumers the extra cost, but if they charge higher than the cost of production, the consumers…

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North Korea Won’t Talk to US Until Trump Reduces Disarmament Demands

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by Shelby Talcott   North Korea said on Friday that they will never resume nuclear talks with the United States unless President Donald Trump’s administration modifies what they consider to be unilateral demands for disarmament. An unknown North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson reportedly blamed the U.S. for February’s nuclear summit failure in Hanoi on the Korean Central News Agency. He said that the collapse of the summit was intentional because of the “arbitrary and dishonest position taken by the United States.” U.S. officials have stated that February’s meeting failed because North Korea had too many demands about sanctions relief and offered only partial disarmament steps. “We hereby make it clear once again that the United States would not be able to move us even an inch with the device it is now weighing in its mind, and the further its mistrust and hostile acts towards the DPRK grow, the fiercer our reaction will be,” the spokesperson said according to KCNA. This latest statement follows a press conference on Tuesday held by North Korea’s ambassador Kim Song at the United Nations in New York. Song warned the U.S. of repercussions due to its seizure of a North Korean cargo ship and…

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Supreme Court Blocks Order Requiring Republicans to Redraw District Lines in Ohio and Michigan

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by Kevin Daley   The Supreme Court temporarily blocked two decisions Friday requiring Republican-controlled legislatures in Michigan and Ohio to produce new legislative district lines ahead of the 2020 election. There were no noted dissents from the Friday orders. The decision was not surprising, as the justices are currently deciding whether federal courts should even hear partisan gerrymandering disputes. Three-judge panels in both cases said the current district lines are unconstitutionally rigged to the benefit of Republicans. The GOP has strong majorities in the congressional delegations of Michigan and Ohio, though Democrats and Republicans run competitively in both states. Each decision set fast-moving schedules for the state legislatures — the Michigan ruling gave the state until Aug. 1 to draw new lines, while the Ohio decision required a remedial plan by June 14. Friday’s order from the high court means that neither state will have to create new district maps in the short-term. The justices heard arguments in March over Republican gerrymanders in North Carolina and a Democratic one in Maryland. Both cases ask whether and how federal courts can resolve controversies over partisan redistricting. Since the Michigan and Ohio appeals will turn on the outcome of the Maryland and…

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Judge Raises Serious Questions About Democrats’ Border Wall Lawsuit

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by Jason Hopkins   A federal judge expressed deep skepticism over a lawsuit by House Democrats that seeks to cut funding for President Donald Trump’s border wall. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden questioned, during a three-hour court hearing Thursday, the legitimacy of a lawsuit that challenges the White House’s funding of border wall construction without explicit permission from Congress, The Wall Street Journal reported. McFadden said the question of whether the House has legal standing in this case “is a significant issue.” Has the House “used all the tools at its disposal before rushing to court?” he said. “There are other tools in your arsenal here, right?” McFadden asked. The federal judge, a Trump appointee of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said the judiciary should exercise prudence about wading into a fight between the two other branches of government. McFadden’s comments are the latest developments in a court case that began in April when the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted to sue over Trump’s emergency declaration. That declaration, made in February, allowed him to tap billions more in border wall funding after Congress gave him far less money than he wanted. Democrats have fiercely opposed funding…

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USDA Moves Staff Out of D.C., Ohio Tea Party Say It’s a Good Start

Anthony Gockowski

  The We the People Convention, an Ohio-based tea party organization, urged President Donald Trump to move more federal agencies out of Washington, D.C. after news broke that his administration was planning to move offices for the U.S. Department of Agriculture out of the swamp. “I have long believed that President Trump should make a campaign pledge for his 2020 re-election campaign that would really ‘Drain the Swamp.’ That pledge would be to move nearly all federal agencies out of D.C.,” said Tom Zawistowski, president of the We the People Convention. The comments came in response to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue’s plan to move two department offices outside the beltway, which caused staffers to quit en masse. “Why are we taxpayers paying ridiculous Washington, D.C. inflated salaries to these bureaucrats most of whom we don’t even need? It’s because the D.C. swamp is all about growing and concentrating its power within our government not to serve us, but to rule over us,” Zawistowski said. He suggested that the only federal agencies that should remain in Washington are “the military and perhaps intelligence agencies.” “Every other agency, Education, FBI, Treasury, Labor, DOJ, HUD, etc., all need to be dispersed into…

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Hamilton County May Pay More Property Taxes for School Social Workers

Chris Butler

  Hamilton County residents may have to pay 17 percent more in property taxes so the local school system can have enough money to create 350 new positions. And Hamilton County School Board member Rhonda Thurman told The Tennessee Star many of those proposed positions are unneeded. School board members have already voted in favor of the plan. Thurman was one of two school board members who voted no. County commissioners must still give the OK. They will likely have a vote next month, Thurman said. That extra money, if county commissioners go along, should generate an extra $34 million for the school district, Thurman said. Proposed new positions include counselors. graduation coaches, a data warehouse programmer, a testing coordinator, a director of social and emotional learning, new assistant principals, and a college and career advisor, among other things. The money would also pay for 15 new truancy officers. “We already have 10 truancy officers. That (addition) will get us 25. They’re just going to drag kids back to school who don’t even want to be there who then misbehave when they get back,” Thurman said. Thurman said a quote from former Republican President Ronald Reagan best describes how the…

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Memphis’ Rep. Steve Cohen Uses Rape Analogy to Describe President Donald Trump

Chris Butler

  U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, has reportedly made yet another remark that some people might take offense to, this time involving the topic of rape. According to various news outlets, Cohen recently complained that Republicans impeached former Democratic President Bill Clinton “over sex.” Cohen then accused U.S. Republican President Donald Trump of “raping” the country. Cohen’s office did not respond Wednesday to The Tennessee Star’s request for comment as to whether Cohen’s latest remark might have gone too far. Cohen reportedly made these comments during a recent Democrat Steering and Policy Committee meeting where Cohen demanded that Democrats impeach Trump. This calendar year alone, Cohen has already expressed his delight over the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives no longer requiring people to say “so help me God” under oath. At the time of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire in France earlier this year, Cohen used the occasion to say Trump is “torching the entire structure of government.” Among other outbursts over the past several months, Cohen has also: • Said the Founding Fathers created the nation’s Electoral College as a way to hurt black people. • Pushed for a formal study on slavery reparations. • Co-sponsored the Green New…

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Commentary: Trump Is Right to Play Hardball With Dems

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by George Rasley   President Donald Trump abruptly quit a meeting with congressional Democrats yesterday and issued a bold statement that he would no longer work with them unless they drop their attempts to re-do the Mueller investigation. After cutting short his meeting with the Democratic leaders, scheduled for a discussion of the huge infrastructure bill the White House floated a few weeks ago, the President justifiably lashed out at Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her comment earlier in the morning that she believed the president engaged in a “cover-up” of the Russia probe. “I don’t do cover-ups,” Trump said forcefully, after striding to the Rose Garden where aides had gathered reporters and TV cameras for his demand that Congress drop its investigations that are increasingly leading to talk of what he called the “i-word” — impeachment, according to reporting by our friends at NewsMax. He appeared behind a sign that listed the cost of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe and Trump’s slogans of “No Collusion” and “No Obstruction.” “I walked into the room and I told Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi I want to do infrastructure,” he said, referring to the top Democratic senator, New York’s Chuck Schumer. “But…

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Ohio Legislation Would Expand Use of Pay-for-Success Contracts

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by Todd DeFeo   Ohio lawmakers are mulling a proposal to expand a program that allows the state to pay contractors only for successful services. Senate Bill 122 would allow the state treasurer to work with state agencies to enter into pay-for-success contracts with service providers for a range of services, including education, public health, criminal justice and the management of natural resources. Under a pay-for-success contract, the state would only pay a service provider if the company meets specific performance targets established as part of the agreement. The state treasurer would appoint an independent evaluator to review results and gauge the program’s success. “The pay for success model would bring private sector innovation to meet some of Ohio’s biggest challenges,” state Sen. Steve Wilson, R-Maineville, said in his prepared testimony. “Rather than paying for unproven services and hoping for good results, pay for success contracts would empower policymakers at the state and local level to invest in programs that they know will be a good use of public funds, address the issue at hand, and ultimately save taxpayer dollars.” The bill transfers oversight of the program from the director of administrative services to the state treasurer. The state House…

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Pompeo Accuses Huawei of Lying About Ties to Chinese Government

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  U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused the head of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies of lying about his company’s relationship with the government in Beijing. Pompeo said in a CNBC interview Thursday that Huawei “is tied not only to China but to the Chinese Communist Party.” He added, “The existence of those connections puts American information that crosses those networks at risk.” Huawei, the world’s largest maker of telecommunications network equipment, is a leader in 5G technology. It has been trying to win contracts to build a global network that would make the internet much faster. Last week, the U.S. government banned American companies from doing business with Huawei, escalating a heated trade war between the world’s two largest economies. CEO Ren Zhengfei has maintained his company would not share secret user information. Huawei denies it is controlled by Beijing. The company also says it does not work with the Chinese government, an assertion Pompeo dismisses. “To say that they don’t work with the Chinese government is a false statement,” Pompeo said of Huawei. “He is required by Chinese law to do that,” Pompeo added. “The Huawei CEO on that at least isn’t telling the American people…

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Rep. Green Introduces Bill to Give Rural Hospitals More Flexibility

Jason M. Reynolds

  U.S. Reps. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02) on Thursday introduced a new bipartisan bill to boost rural hospitals, Green said in a press release. The Rural Health Care Access Act of 2019 would repeal what Green called an arcane rule – “the 35-mile rule” – that bars hospitals from pursuing a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation. Currently, a rural hospital must be at least 35 miles away from another hospital to receive the CAH designation. If passed into law, this bill would allow states to designate a facility as a CAH if it meets all the other requirements. Those requirements include: The hospital must have 25 or fewer acute care inpatient beds. Must provide 24/7 emergency care services. The average length of stay for acute care patients must be 96 hours or less. “Folks living outside cities must not be left without health care access,” Green said. “We need to act now to remove old, onerous federal regulations and update our laws so that rural communities get the care they need.” Thompson said, “Rural hospitals are an integral part of the rural healthcare system. We must make sure rural communities have the same access to health…

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Elizabeth Warren Discloses Past Corporate Legal Work, but Leaves Out ‘Unfavorable’ Details

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by Andrew Kerr   Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts left out key details of her past corporate legal work in a disclosure Wednesday listing the dozens of corporations she assisted in bankruptcy matters in the 1990s and early 2000s. Warren’s 2020 presidential campaign said her work as a corporate legal counsel and consultant led to the creation of “trusts and other mechanisms to return $27 billion to victims and their families,” but her characterizations of some the cases she worked on “left out details unfavorable” to the presidential hopeful, the Boston Globe reported. For example, Warren claimed responsibility for protecting a $500 million settlement for asbestos victims in a 2009 case where she represented Travelers, the nation’s largest insurance company. But the 2020 presidential hopeful failed to mention that Travelers was also granted immunity from future lawsuits brought by asbestos victims, and that the insurance company, which paid her $212,000 over three years, delayed paying victims from the settlement after she stopped representing the firm. Warren’s history of helping corporations secure immunity from future lawsuits could prove to be a thorn in her side as she seeks to instill an image as a protector of the working class against…

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US Senate Committee Unveils 2020 Defense Policy Bill

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  The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday unveiled a draft $750 billion defense policy bill that would authorize more Lockheed Martin F-35 jets for the United States and effectively end Turkey’s partnership in the program if Ankara pursues a plan to buy a Russian missile defense system. In March, U.S. President Donald Trump requested $750 billion for defense, a budget that included more money to build ships and buy jets. In the coming weeks the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, controlled by Democrats, will release its own version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which must be reconciled with the version in the Republican-controlled Senate before it can be passed. Because it sets policy for the Defense Department, the annual NDAA is one of the few bills that Congress passes every year. Because it has become law every year for more than half a century, lawmakers use it as a vehicle for a wide range of policy measures. This year, the Senate version of the bill would authorize spending on eight F-15X fighter jets as the current aging fleet of about 234 jets is getting more expensive to operate. The defense arm of aircraft maker…

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Commentary: The Deep State Just Killed Space Force – and Endangered Us All

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by Brandon J. Weichert   During a private dinner last week at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C., I was taken to task by a Republican congressman after I pressed him on his lack of support for President Donald Trump’s proposed space force. The congressman is a war hero. His service is unimpeachable and I maintain a deep respect for his commitment to our country. Yet his responses to my questions were flippant, painfully uninformed, and dangerously rooted in a reflexive NeverTrumpism that is unworthy of the man. When first confronted about the space force, he insisted that it “isn’t his problem,” as he is neither a member of the House Armed Services Committee nor of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Fair enough. It’s not his specialty. But as I delved deeper into the matter with him, the Republican congressman finally snapped that he did not support “creating Starfleet” (uh, why not?) because he did not believe that “greater bureaucracy was the solution” to our space woes. Of course, this is the kind of prepackaged nonsense that reflexive NeverTrumpism supplies. Don’t question the checklist. Low taxes and small government mantras are the only objectives. Stick it to the president when…

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White House Plan Would Shift Millions from TSA to Fund Border Operations

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by Jason Hopkins   The White House is considering reallocating over $230 million from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and using those funds to help pay for operations on the U.S.-Mexico border. The proposal is meant to serve as a backup measure in the event that Congress does not approve the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) request for $1.1 billion in additional funding. The Trump administration has long argued that the U.S. is experiencing a widespread immigration crisis, and DHS officials are in desperate need of extra funding to deal with the influx of migrants arriving at the border. The White House has identified several possible revenue sources within the TSA under the contingency plan. Two major programs that could be utilized are $64 million set aside for a workers’ compensation fund and $50 million earmarked for advanced airport screening, according to documents NBC News reviewed. The plan could also take advantage of loose change collected from airport trays — an amount that totals $3 million. “We will need additional funding sooner,” Kevin McAleenan, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, said during a congressional hearing Wednesday. “Given the scale, we will exhaust our resources well before this fiscal year, which…

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Pentagon Mulls Sending More Troops to Gulf, Officials Say

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  Top Pentagon officials will provide the president with a wide range of options in response to rising tensions in the Middle East, including possibly sending thousands more U.S. troops to the Middle East, U.S. officials said. The top U.S. military officer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, and Acting Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan, are among the briefers at the White House on Thursday afternoon. The request for additional troops has come from U.S. Central Command, said another official, who spoke to VOA on condition of anonymity because plans have not been formalized. It is not clear if the White House will approve sending all or just some of the requested defensive forces, as well as additional Patriot missile batteries and more ships. The Pentagon declined to comment on future plans. “As a matter of long-standing policy, we are not going to discuss or speculate on potential future plans and requests for forces,” Commander Rebecca Rebarich, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said Wednesday. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been escalating since U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to try to cut Iran’s oil exports to zero and beef up the U.S. military presence in the…

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Justin Amash Goes on Another Screed Against Trump, Ticks Off ‘Reasons’ for Impeachment

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by Chris White   Michigan Rep. Justin Amash floated several reasons Thursday why he believes special counsel Robert Mueller’s report shows that President Donald Trump obstructed and impeded the investigation. “Mueller’s report describes a consistent effort by the president to use his office to obstruct or otherwise corruptly impede the Russian election interference investigation because it put his interests at risk,” Amash said of the report in a tweet. Thursday’s tweet thread is Amash’s second on the subject of Trump’s alleged obstruction of justice. He offered several reasons why he believes Trump attempted to impede the probe into the Russian probe. The special counsel’s report, released in April, identified four occasions in which officials or senior members of the executive branch successfully pushed back against Trump’s commands to fire Mueller. 1. Trump asked the FBI director to stop investigating Michael Flynn, who had been his campaign adviser and national security adviser, and who had already committed a crime by lying to the FBI. — Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 23, 2019 “1. Trump asked the FBI director to stop investigating Michael Flynn, who had been his campaign adviser and national security adviser, and who had already committed a crime by lying…

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Trump Gives Attorney General Authority to Declassify Russia Probe Documents

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by Chuck Ross   President Donald Trump has directed the heads of several government agencies to cooperate with Attorney General William Barr’s investigation of the origins of the Russia probe. In a memo sent out Thursday, Trump also authorized Barr to declassify documents related to the Russia investigation. The memo grants Barr the authority to “declassify, downgrade, or direct the declassification or downgrading of information or intelligence” related to the Russia probe as he sees fit. Barr has said that he is investigating whether government agencies improperly surveilled members of the Trump campaign. In testimony to Congress, Barr has asserted that the FBI and other agencies spied on the campaign by using informants and surveillance warrants. Trump’s memo directs the heads of several federal agencies, including the CIA, FBI and State Department, to “promptly” provide assistance and information to Barr to complete his review. “Today, at the request and recommendation of the Attorney General of the United States, President Donald J. Trump directed the intelligence community to quickly and fully cooperate with the Attorney General’s investigation into surveillance activities during the 2016 Presidential election,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. “The Attorney General has also been…

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Steve Gill Talks to Colonel Mark Tillman About His Time on Air Force One Circa 9-11 and Love of Country

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-Steve Gill spoke to Colonel Mark Tillman who is in town to attend the Reboot Alliance luncheon in effort to help raise money for veterans and first responders who are suffering with trauma and PTSD disorders. Towards the end of the segment, Tillman and Gill reminisced about how Americans used to be proud of their country after 9-11 by displaying a love for country and unity by installing flags and decals on cars, and chanting USA at baseball and football games. They agreed that this enthusiasm has been lost and that in order for the country to move forward we need to get that type of mentality back. Gill: There is non-profit here in the Nashville area called Reboot Recovery. It’s a Tennessee based nonprofit that offers trauma healing courses to veterans and first responders nationwide. And today they’re kicking off their weekend of Memorial Day with a banquet where Colonel Tillman is going to join them. He is the guy who was literally flying Air Force One the day of 9-11. He’s going to be…

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Migrant Surge Accelerates at US-Mexico Border

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  The Trump administration on Thursday said a surge of migrant arrivals at the southern U.S. border continues to accelerate, with more than 300,000 mostly Central American undocumented immigrants apprehended or requesting asylum so far in the current fiscal year, which began last October. “We are in the midst of an ongoing humanitarian and security crisis at the southwest border,” acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary KevinMcAleenantold a Senate panel. “Almost 110,000 migrants attempted to cross without legal status last month, the most in over a decade, and over 65% were families and unaccompanied children.” At the current pace, 2019’s total for migrant arrivals would more than triple the number reported for all of 2018, which was 169,000. Factors in migration McAleenan said that while gang violence and rampant insecurity in three Central American nations have started to ebb, other factors, such as persistent droughts and a lack of economic opportunity, continue to compel a large number of people to trek north. The DHS acting secretary also highlighted U.S. policy as a “pull factor” for migrants. “Families [apprehended at the border] can no longer be held together through an appropriate and fair proceeding, and essentially have a guarantee of release…

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Ohio Library Plans ‘Drag 101’ Program for Teenagers Featuring Former Miss Gay Ohio America

Anthony Gockowski

  An Ohio library plans to host a “drag 101” program for teenagers to explore the “art of drag” and meet with former Miss Gay Ohio America Selena T. West. “Curious about the art of drag and no idea where to start? Come learn the basics with former Miss Gay Ohio America and local queen, Selena T. West. We will learn about the application of makeup and creating characters, as well as the history of drag,” an online description for the event states. “All genders welcome. Teens only, please.” The event is set to take place on June 5 at the Delaware County District Library’s Orange Branch as part of a number of summer programs for teenagers. The library’s Board of Trustees hosted a public meeting Tuesday night to discuss the event, but its recording of the meeting cut off just ten minutes in. “We are experiencing some technical difficulties in network and signal out here in Ostrander,” the library claimed on Facebook. “We’re going to try to record remaining comments and post.” The library later claimed that “the service at the facility was poor and we have no more recordings from this.” The recording, however, did manage to capture…

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State Senator Calls for Study on African Americans in Ohio

Maggie Leigh Thurber

  An Ohio senator is calling for a study that examines the “progress and challenges of African Americans in Ohio.” State Senator Sandra Williams (D-21) introduced Senate Bill 71, which would create and fund a 30-member committee to examine the contributions of, and issues facing, African Americans in the state. The bill is timed to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first documented arrival of African slaves to America. They arrived in 1619 on board the White Lion, a Dutch ship that landed at Point Comfort in Hampton, VA. According to the legislation, the first thing the group would do is look at all existing studies or reports from public or private research institutions in Ohio. The bill specifically mentions the Report of the Ohio Commission on Racial Fairness and the Governor’s Task Force Report on Black and Minority Health. Then they will issue an initial report including: The progress or lack of progress of African Americans in Ohio with respect to housing, transportation, health, education, employment, environment, business development, and any other policy area that the committee chooses to consider; The contributions and achievements by African Americans in Ohio; and Recommendations for addressing the challenges identified. Following that initial report, the committee will take four…

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Sixteen Men Arrested Trying to Sexually Exploit Children in Ohio

Zachery Schmidt

  An undercover task force in Ohio arrested 16 men (pictured above) for trying to sexually exploit children. This is the second successful undercover operation this year. In March, a task force targeting human trafficking arrested eight people. One person was also charged with felony drug possession. “This trap will be laid time and time again until the message reverberates – don’t buy sex in Ohio,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement announcing the arrests. Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene had a warning for child predators who are looking to do similar crimes in Northeast Ohio. “We are very pleased with the outcome of the operation. This task force is not going to give up or let up on these types of crimes,” Greene said. “If you are someone using the internet to exploit underage children, we want you to know you may be talking to us.” The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force was created three years ago when Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was the state’s attorney general. Youngstown is Mahoning County’s biggest city and a little less than 230,000 people live in the areas, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. “Human trafficking is a horrific crime, and…

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Former Minneapolis Police Officer and Convicted Murderer Mohamed Noor Sued for Pulling Gun on Man During Routine Traffic Stop

Anthony Gockowski

  Former Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor is now being sued by a man who claims Noor pulled a gun on him during a routine traffic stop just months before the murder of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. The lawsuit, which was obtained by KSTP, was filed by Minneapolis resident Brian Oman, and lists Noor, Officer Justin Schmidt, and the City of Minneapolis as defendants. Dash-cam video of the May 2017 incident was first released in February and does, in fact, show Noor pointing a gun at Oman’s head while he approaches the vehicle. The prosecution in Noor’s murder trial asked to use the video to show that he had a history of “unnecessarily escalating force,” according to KARE 11. Noor’s attorneys claimed at the time that the prosecution’s description was “grossly misleading” and that Noor was justified in pulling his gun. In any event, Noor, who was found guilty of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for the shooting of Damond, is now being sued by Oman in response to the incident. The lawsuit claims that Noor and his partner violated Oman’s Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure. It goes on to state that the officers “assaulted, maliciously prosecuted and…

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Elks, VFW to Place 500 American Flags on Service Members’ Graves at Williamson Memorial Garden

Jason M. Reynolds

  For the eighth year in a row, two organizations will place 500 American flags on the graves of service men and women at Williamson Memorial Garden. The Nashville-Franklin Lodge No. 72 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) in conjunction with the Veterans’ of Foreign Wars Franklin Post No. 4892 will place the flags on the graves at 5 p.m. on Friday, the BPOE said in a press release. Williamson Memorial Garden is located at 3009 Columbia Ave., Franklin, TN, 37064. These two groups, because of their love and support of those who have served, want to ensure that the meaning of Memorial Day is not forgotten, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks said. Memorial Day is the day we set aside to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of the United States of America. Memorial Day is one of three days set aside each year to honor the military; the other two are Military Appreciation Day and Veterans’ Day. Since 1897, the Nashville-Franklin Lodge No. 72 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks has remembered the children and veterans of Nashville and the surrounding area. Richard Gardiner, Associate Professor…

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Texas School Cuts Ties with SAT Over Controversial ‘Adversity Scoring’

Chris Butler

  Members of the Houston, Texas-based Saint Constantine School announced Thursday they will do away with all SAT prep and AP/PSAT programming. School officials said in an emailed statement the SAT’s new adversity score prompted them to act. As The Tennessee Star reported, the people responsible for the SAT exams now assign an adversity score to every student to consider his or her social and economic background. Saint Constantine spokeswoman Megan Mueller (pictured above) said the school will purge itself of the SAT prep and AP/PSAT programming in 2020. “We hope to see schools across the country do the same, and that more people will start to move toward the CLT as a sane option in the world of college admission and standardized testing,” Mueller said in the statement. Mueller did not return The Star’s request for comment Thursday. According to the school’s website, Saint Constantine educates through classical, Christian, practical education and is a mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in the Diocese of Mid-America. Jackie Archer, affiliated with Tennessee Rising and Tennessee Textbook Advocates, which looks for bias in public school textbooks, told The Star earlier this week that politics motivates the change in the SAT scoring process.…

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EXCLUSIVE: Steve Gill of The Tennessee Star Report Talks to FAIR Rep Dave Ray About Illegals ‘Gaming the System’ at the Border

Julie Carr

  In an interview on The Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast Wednesday on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Steve Gill spoke to the Federation for American Immigration Reform‘s representative Dave Ray about the President Trumps new immigration reform plan. Towards the end of the segment, the men discussed how people are gaming the system at the border and revealed the child smuggling that is occurring because immigrants are using them as a way to come into the country. Gill: President Trump has rolled out his new immigration reform plan. And among those who are urging parts of it and questioning other parts of it are our friends at FAIRUS.org. FAIRUS.org. Dave Raz is their communications director. He’s on the line with us to talk a little immigration this morning. Dave good to have you with us! Ray: Hey great to be with you, Steve. How are you doing this morning? Gill: You aren’t wearing your own brick wall suit this morning are you? (Ray laughs) Ray: Of course not. Gill: It’s more the steel bollard look. Ray: It’s not a brick wall. It’s…

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Rep. Carter of Ooltewah Seeks to Become House Speaker

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  State Rep. Mike Carter (R-TN-29) has written a letter to his Tennessee House colleagues asking that he be considered for Speaker of the House, multiple media outlets reported. According to The Tennessee Journal: On the Hill, the Ooltewah Republican’s letter included the following: Today I am writing to request your support to serve as your Speaker. I am not asking you to serve me. I am asking for the high honor to serve you and the state of Tennessee. I state this now, no Chairmanship, no Vice-Chairmanship, nor any other title or position currently held shall be removed. To allow that would give our opponents an opportunity to claim that any removal of a title is reflective of some conduct unbecoming of that representative. Considering what we have been through and realizing that conservative leadership is essential to the progress of Tennessee, we must balance every appearance against the effect on the reelection of our members. I will form a PAC for the benefit of the members and work diligently to restore confidence with our contributors. I will assist the Caucus Chairman whenever he feels the office of Speakership is helpful for raising money. The entire letter is available…

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Commentary: Democrats Calling Trump Racist Is Not a ‘Derangement Syndrome,’ It’s a ‘Strategy’

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by Karin McQuillan   The good news for President Trump is that most Americans agree with Republicans about race: that we are all created equal and deserve equal treatment and opportunity. The problem is that far too many Americans believe the lie that Republicans, instead of adhering to these basic truths, are racist. President Trump has the courage to express our views on race. We can win on this issue. Democrats don’t want all citizens to be treated equally. Democrats want people treated differently and according to their skin color. They want group justice. They call it social justice because it sounds better. In their idea of a just America, whites, Asians, and Jews must give up opportunities as a group, and blacks and other people of color must be privileged with extra opportunities and reparations. By their definition, Democrats claim half the country is racist. Understand this: the Democratic Party’s idea of racism is defined by group identity, not by an individual’s behavior or beliefs. You’re not biased? Doesn’t matter. Utterly reject discrimination? Doesn’t matter. White? You’re racist. Democrats believe being colorblind is itself racist. Republicans, who believe laws should be colorblind, are by definition racist. What Democrats think…

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Report: Avenatti to be Indicted on Charges Related to Stormy Daniels

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by Chuck Ross   Prosecutors will indict disgraced celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti on federal charges related to his former client, Stormy Daniels, ABC News reported. The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan is expected to issue the indictment, sources told the network. The same prosecutors are handling another extortion case involving Avenatti, who was once a prominent guest on CNN and MSNBC. Avenatti was indicted in New York on March 25 on charges that he tried to extort Nike, the sports apparel company. The disgraced lawyer was also indicted in California on charges that he evaded taxes and bilked clients out of settlement money. Avenatti allegedly hid a $4 million settlement that was supposed to be paid out to a mentally ill, paraplegic man he represented in a lawsuit in Los Angeles. Avenatti said Tuesday he expected to be indicted again, but he did not say that the case involved Daniels. “I expect an indictment to issue from SDNY in the next 48 hrs charging me in connection with my arrest in March,” he tweeted. “I intend on fighting these bogus/legally baseless allegations, and will plead not guilty to ALL CHARGES. I look forward to the trial where I can begin…

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House Intel, DOJ Strike Deal Over Counterintelligence Documents

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by Chuck Ross   The House Intelligence Committee struck a deal late Tuesday with the Justice Department to avoid a subpoena fight over classified documents related to the Mueller probe. California Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the panel, said that the Justice Department has agreed to turn over twelve categories of counterintelligence and foreign intelligence materials starting this week. DOJ has accepted our offer, and will begin turning over to the Committee twelve categories of counterintelligence and foreign intelligence materials beginning this week. Our subpoena will remain in effect, and be enforced should DOJ fail to comply with the full document request. — Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 22, 2019 Stephen Boyd, the Justice Department’s congressional liaison, said in a letter that the agency would begin producing the documents contingent on Schiff tabling efforts to vote on any enforcement actions. “To be clear should the Committee take the precipitous and unnecessary action of recommending a contempt finding or other enforcement action against the attorney general, then the Department will not likely be able to continue to work with the Committee to accommodate its interest in these materials,” Boyd wrote. On May 8, Schiff subpoenaed the Justice Department for redacted materials…

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Pennsylvania’s 12th District Stays Red After Tom Marino’s Surprise Resignation

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by Evie Fordham   Republican state Rep. Fred Keller won Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District special election Tuesday night, ensuring the district would stay red after Republican Rep. Tom Marino stepped down in January. Keller took 70.3% of the vote with 64% of precincts reporting as of press time, while his Democratic opponent Marc Friedenberg took 29.9%, according to The New York Times. President Donald Trump held a rally for Keller in Montoursville, Pennsylvania, Monday to energize voters the night before the general election. “Fred Keller of the Great State of Pennsylvania has been an outstanding State Representative. Now he is running as the Republican Nominee for Congress, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement. He will do a fantastic job — I look forward to seeing everyone tonight!” Trump wrote on Twitter hours before the rally. Fred Keller of the Great State of Pennsylvania has been an outstanding State Representative. Now he is running as the Republican Nominee for Congress, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement. He will do a fantastic job – I look forward to seeing everyone tonight! #MAGA — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2019 Keller has represented voters from central Pennsylvania in the state…

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Commentary: Skyrocketing Debt Too Important to Be Paired With Spending Deal

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by Justin Bogie   Two major issues that Congress will be forced to confront in the coming weeks and months are the debt limit and the future of the Budget Control Act discretionary spending caps. A report from The Hill indicates that negotiations are underway between Congress and the Trump administration to combine a two-year budget caps deal with an increase or suspension of the debt limit. Taxpayers have seen this failed approach before. For lawmakers, pairing an unpopular action, like raising the debt limit, with massive spending increases sweetens the deal. The total national debt is more than $22 trillion. An unpaid for budget deal could add at least another $2 trillion. Congress should debate the debt limit and new spending thoroughly and separately. Importantly, lawmakers must not make the fiscal situation any worse. As of May 17, the debt subject to the limit was $21.9 trillion and just $25 million short of eclipsing the limit. In total, the Treasury estimates that the national debt has increased by more half a billion dollars since Oct. 1. For the time being there is no immediate risk that the federal government will have to stop making payments or providing services. The…

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Major Texas Border Station Closed for Flu Outbreak After Teen Death

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  A major Texas border station has been temporarily closed due to a fever outbreak, officials said, one day after a Guatemalan teenager diagnosed with flu at the facility died in immigration custody. Medical staff imposed the quarantine at the McAllen processing center after a “large number” of detainees were found to have high fevers and symptoms of a flu-related illness. “To avoid the spread of illness, the Rio Grande Valley Sector has temporarily suspended intake operations at the CPC,” Customs and Border Protection said in a statement late Tuesday, referring to the Central Processing Center. “Medical staff are currently working to provide all subjects with proper medical treatment.” People detained in Rio Grande Valley will be held in other stations until the situation is resolved, it said. A 16-year-old boy died Monday in immigration custody in Texas, becoming the fifth child from Guatemala to die since December after being apprehended by U.S. border patrol agents. The boy, identified as Carlos Gregorio Hernandez Vasquez, had been detained on May 13 after crossing the border, and was processed at the McAllen center, according to U.S. media reports. He was seen by a nurse who determined he had the flu and moved…

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New York Lawmakers Pass Bill That Would Allow Congress Access to Trump’s Tax Returns in the State

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by Neetu Chandak   The New York state Assembly passed a bill Wednesday to allow Congress to obtain information on state tax returns for elected officials, which would include President Donald Trump’s returns. The bill passed 84-53 and would allow the New York Department of Taxation and Finance commissioner to release any state tax returns about those in federal, state and local elected or other upper-level public offices to leaders of congressional tax-writing committees, NBC News reported Wednesday. It would apply to personal and business income taxes filed in the state, according to The Associated Press. The House Ways and Means chairman, Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal, wants to obtain six years of Trump’s personal and business tax returns. An earlier version of the New York bill that passed through the state Senate in early May would allow Congress to take a look at “any” New Yorker’s state tax returns, NBC reported. This provision, however, has been changed after some believed such a ruling would go too far. New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo will need to sign the legislation to make it official, but it is unclear whether he will do so. A spokesman for Cuomo said the governor supports…

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Attorney General William Barr Thinks Nationwide Injunctions Are a Problem

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by Kevin Daley   Attorney General William Barr condemned the rise of nationwide injunctions Tuesday, saying such sweeping orders undermine the rule of law. Nationwide injunctions prohibit the federal government from enforcing a particular law or policy across the entire country. Progressive cause lawyering groups have used such injunctions to stymie a wide array of Trump policy priorities. “Since President Trump took office, federal district courts have issued 37 nationwide injunctions against the executive branch — that’s more than one a month,” Barr said. “According to the [Justice] Department’s best estimates, courts issued only 27 nationwide injunctions­ in all of the 20th century,” he added, before bristling at the notion that the disparity is a function of the president’s “lawlessness.” Barr cited the Trump administration’s attempt to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as the starkest example of a nationwide injunction’s harmful effects. After the government took steps to end terminate DACA in 2017, three federal trial judges entered injunctions requiring that Trump maintain the program. Appeals of those injunctions have since reached the Supreme Court, though the justices have declined to broach the issue for months. As a result, Barr says the nationwide injunctions have paralyzed…

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United Auto Workers Step Up Efforts at Volkswagen Chattanooga

Chris Butler

  The United Auto Workers are renewing their efforts to set up shop at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant, and this time they’re seeking outside help. When asked about this, a spokesman for the Virginia-based National Right to Work Foundation said “the scandal-ridden union bosses at the UAW really have no shame at all.” According to its website, the NRTWC is a nonprofit tasked with eliminating coercive union power and compulsory unionism abuses. “After the Volkswagen workers’ 2014 vote to reject the union, UAW officials sought to overturn their vote on the grounds that workers heard too much information that was critical of unionization from elected leaders from Tennessee,” said NRTWC spokesman Patrick T. Semmens, in an emailed statement to The Tennessee Star. “Now the very same UAW officials have three UAW-funded out-of-state Senators attempting to interfere with the NLRB’s own established procedures for dealing with election petitions.” According to The Memphis Commercial Appeal, those three U.S. senators, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan; and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, have questioned Volkswagen about the matter. “You have to wonder whether the UAW hierarchy knows more details are coming out soon about their massive embezzlement and corruption scandal, and this whole…

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Minnesota Teachers Union Calls for Voting in a ‘New Senate’ After Education Budget

Anthony Gockowski

  Education Minnesota, the state’s largest teachers union, urged Minnesotans to “vote in a new Senate” after an education budget agreed to by party leaders was released. “This is a lukewarm outcome to a legislative session that had a lot of potential for Minnesota students,” Education Minnesota President Denise Specht said in a press release. “We have a status quo in our public schools that is driving out educators, failing to serve the needs of thousands of students and was rejected by voters who elected a former educator as governor in a landslide last year.” Gov. Tim Walz, House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D-Brooklyn Park), and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) agreed on an education budget over the weekend that will increase the general education funding formula by two percent for the next two years. Looks like education might be settled or largely so, by leadership/gov. #mnleg pic.twitter.com/PkC34wJszf — Brian Bakst (@Stowydad) May 21, 2019 Education Minnesota’s response to the deal isn’t exactly a positive sign for Walz, who considers teacher unions to be among his strongest political allies. But Specht placed the blame for the “disappointing” budget squarely on the shoulders of the Republican-controlled Senate. “Educators recognize that Gov.…

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