Month: June 2019

Hamilton County Schools May Keep 350 Extra Employees, Regardless of What Results They Bring

Chris Butler

  If 350 additional employees don’t help raise the Hamilton County School System’s test scores then those new employees will get to keep their jobs, regardless of results, said School Board member Rhonda Thurman. As The Tennessee Star reported, school system officials have proposed adding that many new employees because they believe it is the path to improving their academics. County commissioners may have to raise property taxes to fund these new positions, several of which are administrators and social workers. “We never get rid of a program. All we do is keep adding on to them,” said Thurman, who said these positions are unneeded. “No one ever loses their job or is held accountable. There is all this great and wonderful stuff that is supposed to happen, and the people in charge tell us how these positions will improve everything — and then they don’t (improve everything). No one ever loses a job.” School Board member Kathy Lennon, though, said she’s confident in Superintendent Bryan Johnson’s plan for additional school employees, and she believes it will impact school systems academics in a positive way. School Board member Joe Wingate, meanwhile, said this plan “is just a proposal for how…

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Populist Electoral Wins Hit the Globalist Establishment Worldwide

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by Ben Whelon   A string of populist electoral wins in Australia, India and the U.K. are beginning to transform the global political landscape as nations revolt against mass migration, climate change legislation and traditional party establishments. In recent weeks, several nations have placed anti-establishment groups in power, many of which advocate strict immigration policies and hold nationalist sympathies. As discontent with the establishment continues to fester across the globe, here are some of the highlights from the biggest developments in the past month. Australia returns Scott Morrison’s conservative Liberal party in election upset  Polling pointed to a disaster for Australia’s right-leaning Liberal-National Coalition in the federal election held May 18. But what was supposed to be Australia’s “climate change election,” with leading parties supporting sweeping climate legislation, turned to a stunning upset, according to The New York Times. Not only did the Liberal-National Coalition retain power; it gained seats in Parliament and earned an outright majority, with 77 seats, the Guardian reported. The party leader, incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured, center), came to power when the nation’s previous leader, Malcolm Turnbull, resigned in 2018. Morrison campaigned against greater immigration and cut the nation’s net intake, per the Sydney Morning Herald. He also moved against…

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Court Orders Portion of Line 3 Pipeline Environmental Impact Statement to Return to Minnesota Public Utility Commission for Reconsideration

Jason M. Reynolds

  The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday overturned a portion of the environmental impact study of Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 oil pipeline replacement project. The court’s ruling is available here. The ruling says: Although we reject most of realtors’ assertions of error, we agree that the FEIS is inadequate because it does not address the potential impact of an oil spill into the Lake Superior watershed. Accordingly, we reverse the commission’s adequacy determination and remand for further proceedings consistent with this decision. FEIS refers to the final Environmental Impact Statement. Enbridge in April 2015 applied for a certificate of need and routing permit to install of 337 miles of pipe and facilities from the North Dakota-Minnesota border to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border to replace the already existing Line 3, part of Enbridge’s Mainline System, the court said. Environmental organizations and tribal bands had challenged a decision made last year by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission  (PUC) which found the FEIS was adequate, the court said. However, the court also upheld most of the environmental impact statement and dismissed most of the opponents’ arguments, Minnesota Public Radio said. The rejected arguments included claims that the study didn’t take into account the…

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Bill Would Change Ohio Workers’ Compensation for First Responders with PTSD

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by Todd DeFeo   Emergency personnel in Ohio who suffer work-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could soon be eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim even if they do not experience an accompanying physical injury. Current law prohibits workers’ compensation claims for psychological conditions without an underlying physical condition. However, state lawmakers are considering the change as part of House Bill 80, which creates the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) budget. The state is looking to fund the BWC to the tune of $319.8 million for Fiscal Year 2020 and $324.8 million Fiscal Year 2021. That represents a significant increase from the estimated $304 million BWC will receive in the 2019 fiscal year and the nearly $264 million it saw in 2018. The County Commissioners Association of Ohio and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce expressed concern about the PTSD provision. “Ohio has always required that an employee have a physical harm or injury in order to participate in workers’ compensation,” Kevin Shimp, director of labor and legal affairs for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, told members of the House Finance Committee. “The so-called ‘mental-mental’ claim – a psychological condition that arises solely from the stress – has never been compensated in Ohio. This exclusion was originally a…

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Emmanuel Aranda, Who Threw 5-Year-Old Boy Over Mall of America Balcony, Receives 19-Year Prison Sentence

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by Neetu Chandak   The man who threw a 5-year-old boy over the Mall of America’s third-floor balcony in April was given a 19-year prison sentence Monday. Emmanuel Aranda, 24, pleaded guilty in May for attempted murder. The 40-foot fall left the boy, known publicly as Landen, with head trauma and broken bones. Landen and his parents did not appear in court Monday, but offered statements read in court by prosecutor Cheri Townsend, NBC News reported. “Your act was evil and selfish,” the boy’s father said in his statement. “You chose to listen to the worst parts of yourself that day. That is where your impact on us stops. You will take nothing more from us.” Aranda told investigators he was “looking for somebody to kill” on April 12 and was looking to kill another person at the mall, according to The Associated Press. He chose Landen when the previous plan did not “work out.” “God will judge you someday and I have peace with that,” his mother’s statement said, NBC reported. Prosecutors let go of an aggravated-circumstances component to the charge that could have made Aranda’s prison sentence 20 years instead of 19. Aranda could be on parole in 12 years if his behavior is good along…

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House Speaker Glen Casada Starts Discussions With Republicans on Date He Will Resign

Jason M. Reynolds

  Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada is holding discussions with Republican lawmakers on when he will resign, now that he has returned from a vacation in Europe, WKRN reported. The station quoted Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden as saying Monday that Casada would “meet with the leadership team and those discussions are going to start today.” However, some Republicans are voicing frustration that his talks are going through the end of this week and he has refused to set an actual date to step down, NewsChannel 5 said. State Rep. Casada (R-Franklin) said in late May he would resign as speaker after House Republicans voted “no confidence” by a margin of 45-24, The Tennessee Star reported. Another question looming before the House is who will fill Casada’s shoes. Steve Gill, Political Editor of The Star, said, “Once speaker Casada announces the timetable for his departure, the fight to replace him will begin in earnest. So far, there has been some positioning and preparation but it will be full on Game of Thrones soon.” “Some potential candidates may ultimately decide to wait for another shot, not because they don’t want to be Speaker but because they make the calculation that…

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We Build the Wall Finishes First Half Mile Section in New Mexico

Jason M. Reynolds

  The first half mile section of the border wall in Sunland Park, New Mexico was completed Sunday, even as armed drug cartel foots soldiers probed the wall over the weekend. “Foreman Mike” of We Build the Wall was featured in an update late Sunday morning on YouTube and the organization’s other social media accounts. At that point, about 39 feet of the section remained to be done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3vbw2HG03E&app=desktop There is still work to do on the roadway and lighting, Foreman Mike said on this version of the We Build the Wall video on Twitter feed of organization founder Brian Kolfage. Foreman Mike projected the entire project would be completed Tuesday. https://twitter.com/BrianKolfage/status/1135185537848020992 Work resumed last week after Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea backtracked on his claim the wall violated city law, after the city had issued a cease and desist order, Battleground State News reported. Foreman Mike said on Sunday’s video that crews were working around the clock and pointed out the formidable, mountainous terrain. The wall runs up a 31 percent grade. He said Tommy Fisher of Fisher Industries and Stanley Jobe of Jobe Concrete were leading the work. You can see the wet concrete,” Foreman Mike said, pointing…

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Commentary: Disney and Netflix Go All-In for Corporate Fascism Over Georgia’s Pro-Life Laws

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by George Rasley   A few weeks ago, we explained the new phenomenon of corporate totalitarianism where corporations campaign against their customers and betray their shareholders in pursuit of Left-wing political goals. Now, with their announcements that they are boycotting Georgia and Alabama over their adoption of pro-life legislation, it appears that media giants Disney and Netflix have become the latest members of the league of corporate totalitarians. According to CNN Business, Netflix and Disney have said they will join WarnerMedia in a boycott of Georgia if the state’s new abortion law takes effect. The state became a hub for entertainment industry production, in part because of generous tax breaks Georgia offers filmmakers and producers. But the companies are prepared to betray their fiduciary obligations to shareholders and give up those tax incentives and leave the state in pursuit of the Left’s morally bankrupt abortion agenda. Reporting for CNN Business, Brian Stelter and Shannon Liao claim prominent celebrities and some production companies have vowed to boycott Georgia as a result of the state’s pro-life legislation. But, say Stelter and Liao, the deep pockets of Netflix and Disney “mean the companies have louder voices.” Citing the concerns of the predominantly liberal-leaning stars and producers…

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Mexican Official Leading Tariff Negotiations Compared Trump to Hitler, Called Him Mexico’s ‘Enemy’

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by Peter Hasson   The top Mexican official leading negotiations with the U.S. over President Donald Trump’s newly announced tariffs previously compared Trump to Hitler and described him as an “enemy” of Mexico. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard arrived at the Mexican embassy on Saturday and is scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, Ebrard announced on Twitter. Ebrard, a former Mexico City mayor who has served as foreign secretary since December 2018, has been open in his disdain for Trump in the past. “He, like Hitler, is a good communicator,” Ebrard told The New Yorker in 2016, referring to Trump. The New Yorker’s article profiled Ebrard’s get-out-the-vote efforts for then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. “It was after hearing Donald Trump speak that I decided to get much more involved, beyond just giving opinions,” Ebrard told the magazine. “The risk represented by el Señor Trump, the things that he says, in particular about Mexico, but in general, too, are like nothing else I’ve encountered.” Roughly a week before the 2016 election, Ebrard called Trump the greatest “enemy” that Mexico has faced in “many years.” Cada voto cuenta, apoyemos a Hillary Clinton. Derrotemos la xenofobia anti mexicana de Trump pic.twitter.com/Qpb314m3Qq — Marcelo Ebrard…

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Third-Ranking Democrat Says House Will ‘Eventually Impeach’ Trump

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by Chuck Ross   South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the third-ranking Democrat in the House, said Sunday he believes President Donald Trump will eventually be impeached. “But it sounds like you’re — you think that the president will be impeached, or at least proceedings will begin in the House at some point, but just not right now?” CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Clyburn during an interview. “Yes, exactly what I feel,” replied Clyburn, the Democratic whip. Clyburn’s remarks are likely to raise expectations for Democrats to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump. Rank-and-file Democrats, as well as most of the Democrats running for president, have called for impeachment of Trump. So far, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pushed back against the idea, largely out of concerns that impeachment proceedings would end up helping Trump politically. “I think the president wants us to impeach him,” Pelosi told ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday. “He knows it’s not a good idea to be impeached, but the silver lining for him is then, he believes, that he would be exonerated by the United States Senate.” .@JakeTapper: “It sounds like you think that the President will be impeached, or at least proceedings will begin in the House at some point, but…

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Report: Trump’s DOJ Prepares an Antitrust Investigation into Google’s Business Practice

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by Chris White   The Department of Justice is preparing an antitrust probe against Google’s search engine and business model, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday night, citing people familiar with the issue. It would be the first such investigation since the Federal Trade Commission conducted a probe of Google but closed it in 2013 without taking action. The FTC and DOJ have discussed which agency would oversee a probe of the internet giant — the commission agreed to give DOJ officials jurisdiction, TheWSJ noted. The Trump administration is focusing its attention on Google’s business model related to the company’s search. Google and the DOJ have not responded to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. The FTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Investigating Google was in some ways a long time in the making. Conservatives and liberals have become increasingly critical of big tech. Facebook was scrutinized after Russia used its platform to intervene in American politics. Lawmakers are also unsure about the companies assurances that they are careful handling private data. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, for instance, proposed a bill in May that would essentially block tech companies from tracking people’s locations without direct…

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Breast Cancer Drug Shows Promise, Boosts Survival Rates by 30 Percent

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  A new form of drug drastically improves survival rates of pre-menopausal women with the most common type of breast cancer, researchers said on Saturday, citing the results of an international clinical trial. The findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, showed that the addition of cell-cycle inhibitor ribociclib increased survival rates to 70 percent after 3½ years. The mortality rate was 29 percent less than when patients were randomly assigned a placebo. Lead author Sara Hurvitz told told AFP the study focused on hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, which accounts for two-thirds of all breast cancer cases among younger women and is generally treated by therapies that block estrogen production. “You actually can get synergy, or a better response, better cancer kill, by adding one of these cell-cycle inhibitors” on top of the hormone suppression, Hurvitz said. The drug works by inhibiting the activity of cancer-cell promoting enzymes known as cyclin-dependent 4/6 kinases. The treatment is less toxic than traditional chemotherapy because it more selectively targets cancerous cells, blocking their ability to multiply. An estimated 268,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S. in…

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Commentary: Novelist Michael Crichton and His Warnings about the Corruption, Politicization of Science

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by Edward Ring   Just over 10 years ago, the world lost Michael Crichton, bestselling author and screenwriter, who succumbed to cancer at age 66. His loss was greater than we could have known at the time. During the final years of his life, Crichton became increasingly focused on the politicization of science. Few critics of this corruption, if any, are as articulate and influential as Michael Crichton was in his time. And now politicized science, and the justifications it provides activists, journalists, politicians, and corporate opportunists, is more dangerous than ever. Crichton’s scientific background – he obtained a medical degree in 1969, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies – distinguished him from the typical author of thrillers, and informed his life-long interest in science and technology. Whenever Crichton expressed skepticism about the latest environmental crisis of the century, he had credibility. One of the most succinct and moving examples of Crichton’s thoughts on this topic came in the form of a speech he gave in 2003 at San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club, titled “Environmentalism As Religion.” The transcript offers a compelling defense of rational environmentalism vs. environmentalism as a religion, and warns against the politicization of…

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US Requires Social Media Details on Most Visa Applications

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  The State Department is now requiring nearly all applicants for U.S. visas to submit their social media usernames, previous email addresses and phone numbers. It’s a vast expansion of the Trump administration’s enhanced screening of potential immigrants and visitors. In a move that’s just taken effect after approval of the revised application forms, the department says it has updated its immigrant and non-immigrant visa forms to request the additional information, including “social media identifiers,” from almost all U.S. applicants. The change, which was proposed in March 2018, is expected to affect about 15 million foreigners who apply for visas to enter the United States each year. “National security is our top priority when adjudicating visa applications, and every prospective traveler and immigrant to the United States undergoes extensive security screening,” the department said. “We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect U.S. citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States.” Extra scrutiny expanded Social media, email and phone number histories had only been sought in the past from applicants who were identified for extra scrutiny, such as people who’d traveled to areas controlled by terrorist organizations. An estimated 65,000 applicants per year…

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Analysis: China Is Not as Great a Threat on Rare Earths as They Say

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by Robert Romano   “Don’t say we didn’t warn you!” That was a People’s Daily commentary threatening that China will cut the U.S. off from rare earth minerals used to make high tech components for computers, smart phones and military weapons systems. The People’s Daily is an official newspaper for Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the largest newspaper group in the nation, and the threat comes as U.S. and Chinese trade officials attempt to find a way forward from their current impasse in negotiations. The commentary was headlined “United States, don’t underestimate China’s ability to strike back” and spoke of America’s “uncomfortable” reliance on rare earth minerals from China. That part is at least true. We do rely on rare earths from China (and elsewhere). The U.S. consumed about 9,500 metric tons of rare earths in 2018, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and we are 100 percent reliant on imports of rare earth metals. Most of it, 80 percent, does come from China. But left out of the analysis is that China has been losing global market share since its high-water mark of 95 percent of global production in 2010, down to 80 percent global market share now, mostly thanks to…

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Minnesota Gov. Walz Says Republicans and Business Leaders Will Beg Him for a Gas Tax Next Year

Jason M. Reynolds

  Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he expects businesses and Republican legislators to suggest a gas tax to him next year. The governor, a member of the Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, made the remarks Friday during an interview with Mary Lahammer on Twin Cities Public TV. The Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus provided a video clip here. Hard pass. Again. ✋ pic.twitter.com/SU0QHuNGR2 — Minnesota Senate Republicans (@mnsrc) June 1, 2019 Walz said, ”I fully expect that the business community and Republicans legislators will suggest it to me.” The full interview is available here. (The gas tax discussion starts around 12 minutes and 6 seconds.) He said his proposal is not ideological but about needs. “That’s what the engineers tell us we need,” he said. It was obvious to him during negotiations that “Republicans weren’t going to do a single penny,” he said. When asked if he would revisit the tax next year, Walz made the remark about  opponents coming to him. The reaction was overwhelmingly skeptical on the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus’ Facebook video post here. In February, Center of the American Experiment criticized Walz’ planned tax hike of 20 cents per gallon of gas. So, even with a projected budget surplus…

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HB 200 Restores Work Requirement to Ohio’s Able-Bodied Food Stamp Recipients

Beth Lear

  In 1996 the United States Congress passed welfare reform, which added work requirements for able-bodied adults receiving food stamps, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  Under President Obama in his 2009 stimulus bill, a waiver was created that allows states and local governments to opt out of those work, training and volunteer requirements. State Representative Scott Wiggam (R-Wooster) has introduced House Bill 200 to restore the dignity of work in Ohio.  According the analysis of the bill, “SNAP recipients must meet work-related eligibility requirements to remain (in) the program.”  The requirements for all non-disabled individuals between the ages of 16 and 59, include the following: accepting a job offer registering for work not voluntarily quitting a job or reducing hours worked participating in a state-offered SNAP employment and training program Additional requirements are in place for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) to obtain benefits with HB 200.  “Individuals between the ages of 18 and 49 who have no dependents and are not disabled…can only receive SNAP benefits for up to three months every three years,” the analysis states.  The only exceptions are if: the ABAWD is working at least 20 hours per week the ABAWD is participating…

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Michigan Governor Signs Auto Insurance Reform That Will Lower Rates

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by Tyler Arnold   Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan auto insurance reform into law Thursday that will guarantee lower rates for all drivers in the state with the highest premiums in the country. “By signing this legislation, we are providing relief to millions of drivers across the state and guaranteeing a better auto insurance system for everyone,” Whitmer said in a news release. “This historic deal shows that, when we put party aside, we can find common ground on our state’s toughest issues to provide realistic and affordable coverage options for drivers across Michigan.” The legislation will eliminate a mandate that required every driver to purchase unlimited, lifetime personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. The PIP portion of a person’s auto insurance bill makes up about half the cost. The new legislation will allow drivers to choose from a series of options, all of which reduce their total bill. A driver that chooses to keep 100 percent PIP coverage will receive 10 percent off of the PIP portion of their bill. Drivers who choose $500,000 worth of coverage will receive a 20 percent reduction and drivers who choose $250,000 worth of coverage will receive a 25 percent reduction. Medicaid-eligible recipients can…

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Nashville Mayor David Briley Curbs Proposed Parking Plan

Chris Butler

  Nashville Democratic Mayor David Briley has shelved a plan to privatize parking because he realized city residents have little love for it. Briley announced this on his Facebook page late last week. “It is clear to me that residents still have questions about the merits of this proposal. Residents need more time – and it is unfair to the public and to Council to rush this process,” Briley wrote. “Worse yet, others are using misinformation to further confuse and scare people. It’s politics at its worst. For these reasons, I am hitting the pause button on this proposal.” As The Tennessee Star reported, Briley’s plan to privatize on-street parking meters, which would include higher fines for parking violations, elimination of most free parking times, and expand meters into additional neighborhoods, is extremely unpopular. Also, as reported, certain Nashville residents said city officials were rushing through the plan so they could get more money out of people’s wallets and help cover their past mistakes. Nashville resident David F. Roberts, for instance, sent out a letter to thousands of his neighbors that bluntly said the plan will “screw us over” and “make our lives a lot more complicated and MORE EXPENSIVE!” Roberts…

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Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Must Change Its Ways, Comptrollers Say

Chris Butler

  Members of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association must apply the provisions of the Tennessee Open Meetings Act to regional meetings of member schools and committee meetings, according to a report Tennessee Comptrollers released this week. According to its website, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association administers the junior and senior high school athletic program for an estimated 110,000 participants, 426 schools, an estimated 6,000 coaches, 5,000 officials, and almost 5,500 teams. The organization has a state office in Nashville, the website went on to say. But TSSAA officials said in a written response to the report that their organization is not subject to the Open Meetings Act. In their report, Comptrollers said the TSSAA provided adequate public notice of the regional meetings of member schools, including the dates and locations of the meetings. “However, TSSAA staff provided no prior notice of the Finance Committee and Sports Medicine Advisory Committee meetings on its online or print calendar. TSSAA staff provided prior notice of TMSAA Committee meetings but did not include the location of the meeting,” Comptrollers wrote. TSSAA did not publish minutes of its regional meetings of member schools that occurred in November of last year. They also did…

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National Public Radio Style Guide: Do Not Use ‘Pro-Life’

Laura Baigert

  As states such as Georgia and Alabama recently passed Fetal Heartbeat Bills, National Public Radio (NPR) issued a “Guidance Reminder: On Abortion Procedures, Terminology & Rights,” which specifically states, do not use ‘pro-life’ in copy except when used in the name of a group. The Guidance Reminder was issued by NPR’s Mark Memmott, the organization’s Standards & Practices Editor on May 15, which first thanked all those involved for following long-standing guidance very well during the recent coverage of the new “abortion law” in Georgia and legislation in Alabama. On the surface, NPR has strict guidance in the impartiality section of its Ethics Handbook, which applies to NPR employees both inside and outside of the newsroom. NPR employees are restricted from publicly expressing political opinions which includes not putting bumper stickers on cars, putting political signs in their yards, signing political petitions, donating money to candidates, endorsing candidates, advocating, running for office, endorsing candidates other otherwise engaging in politics in a participatory or activist manner. The expectation of impartiality is also extended to NPR employees on social media. The handbook section titled “Impartiality in our journalism,” is further explained in the Ethics Handbook: “fair, accurate and impartial reporting being…

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Commentary: LBJ’s Great Society Lives On

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by Silvio Simonetti   Forget Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton as well. And do the same regarding Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. The most consequential American president since the end of World War II was Lyndon Baines Johnson. The man — who possessed a unique combination of savvy, lack of character and progressive faith — created the Great Society and helped to shape the modern-day United States. Whether you like him or not, we all live under the shadow cast by one of the most hated and misunderstood presidents of America. We would have known little about Johnson had a young Robert Caro not developed a special interest for the former president after visiting him on his ranch in Texas. The result of Caro’s curiosity was a masterful piece about American history and this unique character that started his life as a school’s teacher and climbed all the way up to the White House. Caro’s The Years of Lyndon Johnson shows a man who understood, from an early age, the meaning and the ways to power. The tallest of all George Washington’s successors and extremely ungainly, Johnson’s physical characteristics seemed to reflect the psyche…

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Gov Larry Hogan Bails on Possible POTUS Run, Leaving Trump’s GOP Critics with Few Options

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by Chris White   Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Saturday morning he will not challenge President Donald Trump for the GOP 2020 nomination. “I’m not going to be a candidate for president in 2020,” Hogan said in an interview with The Washington Post. Trump’s Republican critics have worked to entice Hogan into jumping into the crowded 2020 race. Hogan acknowledged the president’s growing popularity inside the Republican Party, but said he wants to focus on being Maryland’s governor. “I have a commitment to the 6 million people of Maryland and a lot of work to do, things we haven’t completed,” he said. Hogan’s decision is a potential mortal wound to the so-called “Never Trump” wing of the Republican Party, a contingent of commentators and former politicians such as Bill Kristol and former Ohio governor John Kasich. Kristol attended a baseball game in April with Hogan and political strategist Russ Schriefer to talk about the 2020 presidential race. Kristol told Hogan his ability to win twice in deep blue Maryland could resonate with Republican voters, WaPo reported. Hogan’s decision leaves Kristol and his ilk with one surefire option: former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, who announced his presidential bid in April.…

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Commentary: Nigel Farage is Britain’s Prime Minister-in-Waiting

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by Nicolas L. Waddy   Since at least 2014, the most powerful man in the United Kingdom has been someone who holds no noble or royal title, and has never occupied a domestic political office. He is a former commodities broker who took up the cause of reasserting British sovereignty and terminating the country’s membership in the elitist, internationalist, and vaguely socialist European Union. He has earned the unremitting scorn of Britain’s political, cultural, and economic elite in return—and a place in history as the man who upended the two-party system and breathed new life into the world’s oldest and most venerable democracy. Nigel Farage is the man of the hour in Britain and Europe. Three years ago, he led the successful campaign to convince British voters to embrace “Brexit”: Britain’s departure from the European Union. Believing his work largely done, he retired from political life, only to watch with horror as the British parliamentary elite obfuscated and delayed in the implementation of the people’s will. Two postponements of Brexit later, Farage took himself out of mothballs and launched the Brexit Party in order to contest the EU parliamentary elections. That was just six weeks ago. And now after last…

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Mexico Says It Will Negotiate with US Over Tariff Threat

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  WASHINGTON — Mexico’s foreign minister says he has started negotiating with U.S. officials after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican products related to the migrant surge at the border. Marcelo Ebrard said on Twitter Friday that he had spoken to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by phone and said face-to-face talks between the two would take place Wednesday in Washington. “The summit to resolve the U.S. dispute with our country will be on Wednesday in Washington,” Ebrard said. “We will be firm and defend the dignity of Mexico.” Earlier Friday, Mexico’s president responded to the U.S. tariff threats with caution urging “dialogue” over “coercive measures.” “I want to reiterate that we are not going to fall into any provocation, but we are going to be prudent, and we are going to respect the authorities of the United States and President Donald Trump,” said Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. His statement Friday morning followed a two-page letter to Trump made public late Thursday, similar in tone, responding to Trump’s announcement on Twitter earlier in the day that the United States would begin imposing an escalating tax on imports from Mexico. “On June 10th, the…

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How College Students Really Feel About Free Speech on Campus

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by Kaylee Greenlee   A new survey finding that college students generally support free speech also shows what for some is a worrisome divide over what students value more: an “inclusive society” that “welcomes diverse groups” or protecting “the extremes of free speech.” The Knight Foundation’s “Free Expressions of College Campuses” report polled students over the course of three days on their views of protesting, offensive language, and the inclusivity of on-campus climates. One question was whether students agreed with shouting down speakers or trying to prevent them from talking. While the results showed only 6% responded that it is “always acceptable,” 45% of students said it is “sometimes acceptable.” Jonathan Butcher, a senior policy analyst in the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation pointed out that, in total, 51% of the college students surveyed say they believe that violating another’s First Amendment protections because they disagree is acceptable to some degree. One area that the Knight Foundation didn’t explore is what actions, if any, students believe should be taken against students who violate someone else’s First Amendment rights. Butcher said he sees a “need for state legislative proposals for public universities to be inclusive of the First…

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Trump Reveals Major Detail About 2020 Presidential Run

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by Evie Fordham   President Donald Trump revealed a major detail about his 2020 presidential run announcement in a tweet Friday afternoon. “I will be announcing my Second Term Presidential Run with First Lady Melania, Vice President Mike Pence, and Second Lady Karen Pence on June 18th in Orlando, Florida, at the 20,000 seat Amway Center. Join us for this Historic Rally!” Trump wrote on Twitter Friday with a link to register to attend. I will be announcing my Second Term Presidential Run with First Lady Melania, Vice President Mike Pence, and Second Lady Karen Pence on June 18th in Orlando, Florida, at the 20,000 seat Amway Center. Join us for this Historic Rally! Tickets: https://t.co/1krDP2oQvG — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2019 The rally will likely be a far cry from his 2015 announcement. After declaring his candidacy, “Rockin’ In The Free World” by Neil Young briefly played before Trump continued speaking, vowing to be “the greatest jobs president that God ever created.” Now, he has been in office for more than two years and is contending with a wide swath of Democratic candidates — and a few challengers from the right and center. More than 20 candidates…

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Not Many Companies Actually Get Busted for Hiring Illegal Immigrants, Study Finds

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by Jason Hopkins   A new study finds that, despite a record-setting number of immigrants illegally entering the country, relatively few employers are prosecuted for hiring undocumented aliens. From April 2018 to March 2019, only 11 individuals were prosecuted for knowingly employing migrants without proper documentation, according to information compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. No individuals have been prosecuted in the past two months, and no companies were prosecuted in the last year. The low levels of legal reprimand appear as an oddity given the surge of illegal aliens appearing at the U.S. southern border — many of them claiming they emigrated in search of better work opportunities. Border apprehensions have increased every month since January, with the months of March and April witnessing back-to-back migrant encounters of over 100,000. Altogether, over half a million illegal immigrants have been apprehended since the beginning of the fiscal year. “Given the millions of undocumented immigrants now working in this country, the odds of being criminally prosecuted for employing undocumented workers appears to be exceedingly remote,” the study noted. “Not only are few employers prosecuted, fewer who are convicted receive sentences that amount to more than token punishment.…

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Thirteen Killed Including Suspected Gunman In Virginia Beach Municipal Center

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by Evie Fordham   At least 13 people are dead after a Virginia Beach city employee opened fire on coworkers in a municipal building Friday around 4 p.m., authorities said. Four others were injured and taken to the hospital, reported The Virginian-Pilot. The suspected gunman, a longtime city worker identified as 40-year-old DeWayne Craddock, died when officers responded with gunfire and is counted among the 13 dead. The suspect was a public utilities department worker who was allegedly armed with a .45-caliber handgun with a sound suppressor, Virginia Beach Police Department Chief James Cervera said, according to The Virginian-Pilot. “This is the most devastating day in the history of Virginia Beach,” Mayor Robert M. Dyer said at a press conference. “The people involved are our friends, coworkers, neighbor, colleagues.” The names of the victims have not been released. The shooting occurred on multiple floors of Building 2 of the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, reported CNN. The building is the site of planning and public works offices near City Hall. The police department is nearby. One victim was shot in a vehicle outside the building, and the rest of the victims were shot inside. Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam responded to…

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Minneapolis Will Host Segregated Race Talks for ‘White Bodied’ and ‘Black Bodied’ City Employees

Zachery Schmidt

  Minneapolis is holding segregated race talks amongst its city employees this summer. During “Sacred Conversations with City Staff” black and white employees will be separated to reflect upon the “how they relate to the enslavement, resistance and continual push for liberation for African American people.” The talks will be once a day in May, June, and July. Each month has a special topic for its talks. May’s theme is “Remembering Who We Are,” June’s theme is “Recovering the Narratives of Oppression and Liberation” and July’s theme is “Re-imagining a Future without Harm.” The discussion in May was postponed, according to its website. Discussions for what they deemed “black-bodied staff” and “white-bodied staff” will take place in separate places. City staff will be provided a number of resources and a time to reflect on “how what they are learning related to their role in the City.” Minneapolis will host speakers to talk to the city’s employees about how the institution of slavery has affected Minnesota. On August 20, an event will take place to commemorate the exact date the British brought over African slaves 400 years ago. Also, during this event city staff and community members will have a discussion…

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Heartbeat Bill Victory Party for Ohio

Beth Lear

  NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio – Janet Folger Porter hosted a raucous victory party for the Heartbeat Bill on Friday, May 31st.  After more than eight long years, obstructionism by some ‘Republicans’ and many heartbreakingly close calls, the Heartbeat Bill, Senate Bill 23, became law on April 11, 2019. Janet Porter began pushing for the law, which prohibits abortions once a baby’s heartbeat can be detected, in Ohio in 2010. The first bill was introduced in 2011.  Since then, 9 states have adopted some version of the bill: Arkansas (2013), North Dakota (2013), Iowa (2018), Mississippi (2019), Kentucky (2019), Ohio (2019), Georgia (2019), Missouri (2019) and Louisiana (2019). Through her organization, Faith2Action, Janet motivated a nation to respect life once again.  A tireless juggernaut for the unborn, the adjectives describing Porter never stopped.  Relentless, courageous, fearless were just a few of them. But she made it clear this night was not about her.  Friday’s victory party was all about the heroes behind the Heartbeat Bill, and there were dozens. Awards were handed out to interns, key players behind the scenes, an intern’s mother (who dropped everything to drive a State Representative to the House because just one more vote was needed),…

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Joe Biden Skips California’s Democratic Convention to Stump in Ohio at Human Rights Campaign’s Columbus Dinner

Jason M. Reynolds

  Joe Biden is rolling the dice and striking out on his own on the campaign trail, keeping his distance from the other Democratic presidential candidates. Biden appeared at the Human Rights Campaign’s Columbus Dinner Saturday, Cleveland.com said. The gala was at Ohio State University’s Archie Griffin Ballroom. The HRC is the nation’s largest LGBTQ rights organization. In visiting Ohio Saturday, the former vice president, who is the front-runner in his party’s primary race, showed he is not afraid of missing out by not attending the same events as his plethora of competitors, WGME said. Instead, he is focusing on a November 2020 competition against President Donald Trump, as if his primary challengers are not an issue. Also, Biden plans to avoid an Iowa state party dinner that will draw rivals next weekend, although he will visit Iowa two days later, WGME said. And, he will miss a South Carolina economic forum on the black community, although he will attend the state party convention the next weekend. Fourteen of the 23 other Democratic presidential hopefuls attended the California Democratic Convention in San Francisco that Biden skipped. The stakes are big as California has 400 delegates for the national convention up…

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Southern Momentum Puts Out Additional Ads to Oppose UAW at Volkswagen Chattanooga

Chris Butler

  Southern Momentum, a grassroots group of Volkswagen Chattanooga workers who oppose the United Auto Workers, ramped up their media campaign this week with additional radio and television ads in the Chattanooga market. “While the Detroit-based UAW and its cronies have been working for more than five years to organize our facility, over the span of a few weeks, we have been able to build a significant coalition of workers inside the plant to push back on the false attacks and intimidation by the UAW,” said CB Bitton, a team leader at Volkswagen Chattanooga, in a press release. “We are proud to fight for the future of the plant and for the livelihoods of our families. Without Volkswagen, many of us would either be out of work or at a job with less pay and fewer benefits. It is important this facility thrive, and we can’t take a chance on our future by allowing the UAW – with its long track record of broken promises, lost jobs, and closed plants – to come into our factory. It is time to send a strong message and reject the UAW yet again.” A Southern Momentum radio ad warns listeners that UAW is an…

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Trump to Honor Nashville Economist Laffer, ‘Father of Supply-Side Economics,’ with Presidential Medal of Freedom

Jason M. Reynolds

  President Donald Trump will present Arthur B. Laffer with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The presentation will take place on June 19. Dr. Laffer is called the “Father of Supply-Side Economics” and is one of the most influential economists in American history, the White House said in a press release. Laffer is renowned for his economic theory, the “Laffer Curve,” which establishes the strong incentive effects of lower tax rates that spur investment, production, jobs, wages, economic growth and tax compliance, the White House said. Laffer was the first chief economist of the Office of Management and Budget and a top economic advisor to President Ronald Reagan. Among other accomplishments during his career, he served as a consultant to the Department of the Treasury and Department of Defense. Laffer’s public service and contributions to economic policy have helped spur prosperity for the nation, the White House said. Laffer is a native of Youngstown, Ohio, who lives in Nashville, Politico said. He moved with his business, Laffer Associates, from San Diego to Nashville in 2003, the Nashville Post said. The economist said he made the move because Tennessee does not have an income tax. His company provides international investment advisory…

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Hamilton County Commissioners Warn Left-Wing Group UnifiEd Could Spread Influence Across Tennessee

Chris Butler

  Depending upon whom you ask, the Chattanooga-based UnifiEd is either a harmless political group with no real clout or it’s one of Tennessee’s most far-left and dangerous organizations. Many people in Hamilton County believe UnifiEd members orchestrated a proposal to add 350 new positions to the county school system, at a cost of $34 million, and at taxpayer expense. As reported, many of those proposed positions are for social workers and new administrators. Most school board members voted for the plan, but county commissioners have the final say approving it. If they do so, they may have to raise property taxes. County Commissioner Tim Boyd told The Tennessee Star this week he doesn’t underestimate UnifiEd, nor will he take any chances on the threat he says members pose. “UnifiEd has a political agenda, and it is not to improve education in Hamilton County. It is to turn Hamilton County from bright red (politically) to dark blue,” Boyd said, adding he’s spent a lot of one-on-one time with UnifiEd members, and he knows them well. No one at UnifiEd’s Chattanooga office returned repeated requests for comment Friday. “The GOP locally keeps ignoring me screaming and hollering about them,” Boyd said…

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Raheem Kassam Commentary: European Election Signal Surge in Support for Anti-Establishment Policies in the Age of Trump

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by Raheem Kassam   Establishment Democrats intent on unseating President Trump in next year’s election won’t find much solace in the results of the European elections. The results of last week’s elections underscored voters’ unabated rejection of establishment politicians and rising support for the nationalist right, of which America’s MAGA movement is a central component. The forces of the old liberal, globalist order that Donald Trump defeated in the U.S. in 2016 are now in retreat all across the old continent. Nigel Farage, the Brexit visionary and early Trump endorser, now leads the largest single party – The Brexit Party – in Brussels. Matteo Salvini, whose Lega Party’s unrelenting stand against illegal immigration electrified Italian politics, took a decisive win. For decades America’s coastal liberal elites have thumbed their noses at their “deplorable” countrymen who voted for Donald Trump and looked across the Atlantic for an example of a more “enlightened” citizenry. They seemed to carry the view that if only these middle America Trump supporters were more like Europeans, leftists could have things their way. If last week’s European elections are any indication, they may need to re-assess that assumption. Despite their thinking, the Democrats don’t represent a cosmopolitan…

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Report: Migrant Children Are Being Detained Longer than the Law Allows

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by Jason Hopkins   The sheer number of unaccompanied alien children (UACs) arriving at the U.S. southern border is bottlenecking law enforcement resources, reportedly forcing Border Patrol to keep migrant children longer than the legal requirement. Hundreds of the 2,000 or so UACs currently held in Border Patrol custody have been detained at stations and processing centers longer than the 72-hour limit, according to a report by The Washington Post. Around 1,000 of the UACs are reportedly held longer than the legal limit, while more than 250 children 12 and younger are being detained for an average of six days. The law mandates that Border Patrol must transfer UACs to a children’s shelter run by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within 72 hours, but immigration officials say the record number of illegal immigrants appearing in their custody has overwhelmed their operations. “It’s a daily battle,” one border agent told The Washington Post said about the crisis. “You catch a thousand people a day, and then you can only process 750 a day. The agents are working their tails off trying to get this squared away, but it’s a daily struggle with the amount of people we’re encountering.”…

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Barr Says Official Explanation for Trump Surveillance Isn’t Adding Up

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by Chuck Ross   Attorney General William Barr says that official statements about the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation “are just not jiving” with information he has learned during his short stint in office. “I assumed I’d get answers when I went in and I have not gotten answers that are well satisfactory, and in fact probably have more questions,” Barr said in an interview with CBS News, adding that “some of the facts that…I’ve learned don’t hang together with the official explanations of what happened.” “[T]here’s some questions that I think have to be answered, and I have a basis for feeling there has to be a review of this,” he told CBS. Barr is investigating government agencies’ surveillance activities against the Trump campaign, as well as the FBI’s rationale for opening a counterintelligence investigation against Trump associates in July 2016. Barr caused a stir during a Senate hearing on April 9 when he said that he believed that “spying did occur” against the Trump campaign. He has since defended using the term “spying,” saying that there is nothing wrong with intelligence agencies spying. But he said he wants to find out whether there was a proper predicate for…

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Ohio House Speaker Defends Nuclear Bailout as Key to Saving Jobs, Avoiding Energy Dependency

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  In the days before it passed in the Ohio House, Speaker Larry Householder argued that state aid for the nuclear industry was appropriate because it produces the bulk of the state’s clean energy. Householder, R-Glenford, appeared on the TV program “The State of Ohio” and went on the attack when the discussion focused on House Bill 6, which is designed to preserve the state’s two nuclear power plants and their 700 jobs. While the legislation has been derided by critics as a bailout bill for bankrupt First Energy, which owns the Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear plants, Householder argued that the plants produce 90 percent of the state’s clean energy. “We cannot walk away from that,” he said. Householder’s interview was taped prior to House Republicans stripping provisions that would bolster efforts to generate wind and solar energy in the state. The current version of the bill would add a surcharge to consumer’s power bill that would benefit First Energy and Ohio Valley Electric Corp. Ohio law requires the state to get an eighth of its energy from clean, renewable sources by 2027. Since that law was passed 11 years ago, Householder said only 3 percent of Ohio’s current energy…

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More Asylum-Seekers Sue Trump Administration

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  A group of detained asylum-seekers sued the U.S. government Thursday claiming immigration officials in five Southern states are systematically denying them parole. In the second lawsuit of its kind filed against the Trump administration, legal advocacy groups representing 12 plaintiffs are seeking class-action status on behalf of hundreds of asylum seekers being held in detention centers in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. In addition to Central American migrants, the plaintiffs include a member of a Cameroonian opposition party and Cuban and Venezuelan political dissidents. Migrants who arrive at U.S. ports of entry and ask for refuge in the United States are not eligible for bond hearings in front of a judge, but they can be released from detention on parole for humanitarian reasons under a 2009 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy. Denying parole The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center, claims that in recent months there has been an “unwritten policy and practice of categorically denying parole to asylum-seekers” that violates the government’s “own directive and guidelines.” According to ICE data cited in the complaint, the New Orleans Field Office, which…

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Missouri Abortion Clinic to Stay Open for Now After Court Order

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Reuters   Missouri’s only abortion clinic will stay open at least a few more days after a judge on Friday granted a request by Planned Parenthood for a temporary restraining order, allowing the facility to keep operating until a hearing on Tuesday. Planned Parenthood sued Missouri this week after state health officials said the license for Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood in St. Louis was in jeopardy, meaning the clinic could have closed at midnight unless the judge granted the request for a temporary restraining order. “Today is a victory for women across Missouri, but this fight is far from over,” Planned Parenthood President Leana Wen said in a statement after Circuit Court Judge Michael Stelzer agreed to the organization’s request. Representatives for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services could not immediately be reached for comment. Health officials had refused to renew the clinic’s license because they said, they were unable to interview seven of its physicians over “potential deficient practices,” according to documents filed in a St. Louis court. The legal battle in St. Louis comes a week after Missouri Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, signed a bill banning abortion beginning in the eighth week of…

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Comptrollers Find Water Damage at $160 Million Tennessee State Museum Building

Chris Butler

  Three buildings that are part of the Tennessee State Museum have had water damage, including the new $160 million state museum on Nashville’s Bicentennial Mall. This, according to a report Tennessee Comptrollers released this week. The museum opened last fall. At stake are many priceless artifacts from Tennessee’s long history that no amount of money could ever replace. “Although museum management took steps to deploy adequate physical safeguards to protect artifacts from water damage, the risk remains that artifacts will suffer irreparable damage, causing not only an increase in the museum’s restoration costs but also a loss of Tennessee’s cultural history,” Comptrollers wrote. Comptrollers said they met with members of the Tennessee Department of General Services to discuss the matter. The new building is under warranty for one year, and the roof is under warranty for 30 years, the report stated. “According to DGS management, from October 2018 to early February 2019, they found six leaks and repaired them. On February 6, 2019, approximately six inches of rain fell in the downtown Nashville area. On February 7, staff found two more leaks—one in an electrical closet and one in the exhibition area,” according to the audit. “DGS management stated…

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Obama Goes to Brazil And Bashes US Gun Laws

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by Whitney Tipton   Former President Barack Obama told a crowd in Brazil Thursday that U.S. gun laws “don’t make sense” because people can buy “any weapon, any time.” Obama‘s remarks came during an interview at VTEX DAY, a conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil, after he was asked to describe his hardest day as president. “The most difficult day that I’ve had was the day that there was a shooting in a school where 20 small children were shot,” he said. “Some of you may be aware, our gun laws in the United States don’t make much sense. Anybody can buy any weapon, any time without much, if any, regulation. They buy it over the internet. They can buy machine guns.” U.S. Federal firearms laws are stricter than Obama represented. Gun purchasers must be at least 18 for rifles and shotguns, and 21 for handguns, and pass a background check if they buy from a dealer, according to the National Rifle Association. In addition, fully automatic machine guns cannot be sold to private citizens, as written in the National Firearms Act. Obama’s comments about guns are timely for Brazil. In January, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro issued a temporary decree that…

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Commentary: Democrats Tee-Up Bills to Grant Amnesty to Drug Smugglers, Prostitutes and Gang Members

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by CHQ Staff   House Democrats are teeing up their next major pieces of legislation: immigration bills that would allow millions of otherwise ineligible aliens to apply for legal status and put them on a path to US citizenship. The DREAM Act of 2019 (H.R. 2820) grants amnesty, including a path to citizenship, to an undefined population estimated in the millions by amnesty advocates. According to an analysis by our friends at NumbersUSA the bill excludes any enforcement or improvements to immigration law to prevent future illegal immigration or mitigate the current border surge. The bill also fails to prevent the illegal alien parents responsible for the illegal entry of minors from receiving derivative legal status or citizenship. NumbersUSA also says the bill provides amnesty (conditional permanent residence, or CPR) for illegal aliens who were part of the 2014 unaccompanied alien children (UAC) crisis, and it places no age cap on applicants for the amnesty so every illegal alien who has been here since 2015 can apply. Further, H.R. 2820 waives, automatically, certain grounds of inadmissibility, including public charge, visa or admission fraud, and false claims to US citizenship. And the bill allows DHS to waive of other grounds of…

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Growing Number of Felons Strain Probation System in Minnesota

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by Noell Evans   The number of people on probation in Minnesota has increased by 5,000 over the past five years. In 2018, more than 46,000 residents in the state were under some level of community supervision. But the state’s probation system has not grown at the same rate. It’s a concern that the state recognizes but a solution remains elusive. “Caseload sizes are already above the recommended standards and the number of persons under felony probation supervision continues to increase,” Sarah Fitzgerald, director of Communications and Media Relations for the Minnesota Department of Corrections, said. The American Probation and Parole Association recommended standards in 2011 for supervision agents are 20 to 1 for intensive felons, 50 to 1 for moderate to high felonies and 200 to 1 for low parolees. In Minnesota, the ratio is 66 to 1 for the most intensive parolees and 104 to 1 for moderate. “Minnesota has a long history of using community supervision as an alternative to incarceration,” Fitzgerald said. “While there are 10,000 incarcerated individuals, the state supervises over 100,000 individuals in the community. This practice of using community supervision saves taxpayer dollars and produces better justice system results through keeping people connected…

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On Trump’s Newest Tariff, Minnesota’s Rep. Angie Craig Tweets, ‘Where Is the Adult in the Room Who Knows What the H*** They’re Doing on Trade?’

Zachery Schmidt

  Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-2) sent a tweetstorm Friday night talking about President Trump’s new threatened tariffs on Mexico. “Where is the adult in the room who knows what the hell they’re doing on trade?” Craig continued by saying small businesses and farmers will be the ones affected by the “President’s reckless trade wars.” Where is the adult in the room who knows what the hell they're doing on trade? https://t.co/aHTkWG3YVi — Angie Craig (@AngieCraigMN) May 31, 2019 “Our small businesses and farmers pay the price for this President’s reckless trade wars – not China, not Mexico – our communities pay,” Craig tweeted. In her next two tweets, she talked about her personal experience with farmers. “I watched my grandfather lose his way of life in the 1980’s farm crisis. I’ve sat with dairy farmers who wonder how their going to make it another year. This isn’t a game – this is people’s livelihoods.” “Farmers are the fabric of greater MN and deserve better than the President’s twitter trade war.” Farmers are the fabric of greater MN and deserve better than the President’s twitter trade war. — Angie Craig (@AngieCraigMN) May 31, 2019 Trump threatened on Twitter Thursday to put…

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Left-Wing Activists Target Ohio’s Kids – Delaware County First, Now Licking County

Beth Lear

  NEWARK, Ohio – What began in Delaware, Ohio as a Drag 101 class for “teens only” has morphed into “A Universe of Stories – Galaxy of Diversity – An Event for LGBTQIA Teens and Advocates” at the Licking County Library. The event description from the library webpage states, “Shine like the star that you are at this special teen after-hours program celebrating Newark’s Pride Day. The festivities include a drag queen celestial makeup tutorial, flag button and rainbow wing crafts, a safe-sex program from Equitas Health, and games just for you. The library will be closed, but we are open. *Please note: this program includes sexual content.” Rumors were swirling in Delaware County after the Drag 101 class being sponsored by the county library was “canceled” and moved to Secret Identity Comics. One of the rumors was that Licking County Library was also hosting a Drag class. That information and more was confirmed by a staff member at the host branch, West Newark (Emerson R. Miller) at 990 West Main Street. “We have a strong Pride group here (in Newark),” library staff declared. “We are working with Trisha Pound (Executive Director) of Newark Pride,” on the class. Ms. Pound…

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Ohio’s Presidential Hopeful Tim Ryan Moves to Flip on ‘Impeachment’

Zachery Schmidt

  Ohio Representative Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) has tightened his stance on impeaching President Trump after Robert Mueller’s press conference this week. “I don’t want to impeach him. I have been around 20 years and I know what will exactly happen. It is going to be very divisive for our country. But, it looks like we have to because he’s not a king,” Ryan said in an interview with NPR on Thursday. Ryan later added he had read the Mueller Report a couple of times and found multiple occasions where President Trump obstructed justice. “We may be left with no choice at this point, but to impeach him,” the presidential candidate said. The Ohio Representative seems to have found Mueller’s press conference compelling. “I’m a lot closer today than I was yesterday,” Ryan Said; adding, “I think what Mueller said [Wednesday] basically said that he would have indicted the president, but for the fact that the law would not allow it.” During the special counsel’s press conference, he addressed the concerns about his report. He told a group of reporters not enough evidence to determine if Trump had committed a crime. Also, Mueller said that his testimony if subpoenaed to testify…

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State House Republican Leader William Lamberth Will Not Run for Speaker

Laura Baigert

  As the chief officer of the Republican Party in the House, Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) told The Tennessee Star that he will not run for the role of Speaker after Glen Casada (R-Franklin) steps down. Casada, who was elected into the role of Speaker of the House in January 2019, became embroiled in a media frenzy that started in the last days of the first session of the 111th General Assembly and lasted about three weeks. After several private texts with racial and sexual content with his chief of staff were released, the chief of staff was accused of altering the date of an email to frame a regular protestor at the Capitol, allegations of surveilling committee rooms and wrongdoing on the vote to pass the Education Savings Account, the House Republican Caucus held a private meeting that resulted in a vote of no confidence in Casada as Speaker. “I’m not interested in running as Speaker at this time,” Lamberth told The Star. He further elaborated, “I ran for State Representative for a two year term – and that’s a blessing. I love serving my community.” “I also ran to serve as Majority Leader for a two-year term,”…

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