Day: December 16, 2020

Georgia Secretary of State and State Election Board Changed Absentee Ballot Signature Verification and Added Drop Boxes Without State Legislature’s Approval

Laura Baigert

As early in-person voting began Monday, December 14, for the general election run-off of two U.S. Senate seats in Georgia, significant changes for absentee ballot signature verification and drop boxes put into place by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the State Election Board without the state legislature’s approval are still in place.

Meanwhile, registered voters “mailing” an absentee ballot for the general election run-off for the federal offices started more than three weeks ago on November 18, according to Georgia’s election calendar. 

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Commentary: America’s Union Agenda at a Crossroads

Admin

The war for the soul of America is mirrored in the war for the soul of its major political parties. The establishment Democrats contend with a progressive insurgency and the establishment Republicans contend with a populist America First insurgency. But above all, the corporate bipartisan glue that connects the establishment Democrats to the establishment Republicans means they have more in common with each other than with their respective insurgencies.

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Accused of Sexual Harassment

Admin

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is facing accusations of sexual harassment from a former aide and advisor, Lindsey Boylan, who insisted he sexually harassed her for several years while she worked in his office.

Boylan, who worked for the Cuomo administration from March 2015 to October 2018 alleged that he repeatedly harassed her and would often make inappropriate comments about her physical appearance while colleagues did nothing.

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Georgia Democratic Senate Candidate Warnock Preached in 2016 That Christianity Started as ‘a Socialist Church’

Admin

Georgia Senate candidate Raphael Warnock once preached that Christianity started as a “socialist church,” video footage of a 2016 worship service showed.

Warnock, a reverend headed into a January runoff election against Republican Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, preached at a November 2016 “worship experience” at Ebenezer Baptist Church that the early church “operated” through socialism.

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Georgia State Legislator Received Absentee Ballot After Submitting Request Using Different Signature Than on Photo ID

Corinne Murdock

Georgia State Representative Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) received an absentee ballot after submitting an application using a different signature than on his photo ID. The representative submitted his application on November 28 to vote in the runoff election. He received a ballot without any issues on December 15.

Dolezal tweeted a comparison picture between the non-matching signatures on his photo ID and his absentee ballot application. 

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FDA Review Reaffirms Moderna Coronavirus Vaccine’s Safety, Efficacy

Admin

The FDA released data Tuesday reaffirming that Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine is safe and effective in preventing severe cases in adults.

The release is a sign that the vaccine is likely to be granted emergency use from the FDA in the coming days, public health officials said, a critical step in ensuring that millions of Americans can be vaccinated as soon as possible. The FDA released similar data regarding Pfizer’s vaccine just days before it was given emergency approval as well.

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Commentary: The Last Time Bill Gates Helped America Was Common Core

Admin

Twenty years ago, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the legislation intended to save American children from stupidity and the “soft bigotry of low expectations,” became law. Ten years later, Common Core came to the fore. They both failed. Like all liberal ideas, they started with good intentions and government intervention and ended in cheating, lying, and wasted taxpayer money.

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Georgia Secretary of State Launches Statewide Signature Match Audits

Corinne Murdock

Following a signature match audit for absentee ballots in Cobb County, Georgia will conduct a statewide audit. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced the decision on Monday. 

According to the secretary of state’s office, the audit will review “specific allegations” relating to inadequate signature matching on absentee ballot applications ahead of June’s primary elections. That audit will compare a sample of absentee ballot envelopes to signatures on file. 

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‘Willful Disregard of the Law’: Minnesota Suspends Defiant Restaurant’s Liquor License

Admin

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety suspended the liquor license of Boardwalk Bar & Grill, a restaurant in East Grand Forks that reopened last week in violation of the governor’s coronavirus mandates.

The Polk County District Court granted Attorney General Keith Ellison’s motion for a temporary restraining order Friday to prevent the restaurant from remaining open. The business also was issued a cease and desist order by the Minnesota Department of Health.

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Warnock and Ossoff Push ‘New Civil Rights Act’ on Bus Tour for Runoff Election

Corinne Murdock

Democratic candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are promoting a new Civil Rights Act during their bus tour leading up to the January 5 Senate runoff election. The proposed expansions on the current Civil Rights Act would include sexual orientation and gender identity. The act’s reach would also expand to impact policing, prisons, and even private businesses.

Both Warnock and Ossoff support the Equality Act, which would prohibit business owners from not employing or denying their services to LGBTQ+ individuals. There are no provisions within the bill excluding religious beliefs.

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Joe Biden Stumps for Warnock, Ossoff in Georgia

Corinne Murdock

President-elect Joe Biden spoke at a car rally in Georgia on Tuesday in support of Democratic candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Biden’s message focused on how the nation would achieve progress and unity through Warnock and Ossoff, and how the nation would continue to fail under incumbent Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.

The lineup of opening statements included failed gubernatorial candidate and Democratic activist Stacey Abrams; Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms; and Congresswoman-elect Nekima Williams. Both Warnock and Ossoff also took the stage before Biden.

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Vaccines Arrive in Georgia, Healthcare Personnel First to be Vaccinated

Tiffany Morgan

A total of 5,850 doses of vaccines arrived in Georgia Monday, as part of a “two-dose series.”

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), “initial COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited, DPH is following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and prioritizing healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities for vaccination. Vaccine will be given through closed points of dispensing or PODs. These sites include public health clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, pharmacies, etc., and are only accessible to individuals in defined priority groups.”

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Georgia Sheriffs Explain Why Georgians Shouldn’t Vote for Jon Ossoff or Raphael Warnock

Chris Butler

Various Georgia sheriffs said at a press conference Tuesday that they don’t want voters to send Democrats to the U.S. Senate to boost Joe Biden’s agenda, especially since the party embraces the ‘Defund the Police’ rhetoric. These sheriffs spoke prior to Biden’s campaign event for U.S. Senate candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, both of whom want to represent Georgia.

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One-on-One with Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro

Jack Windsor

Last week The Ohio Star reported on the Ohio Education Association (OEA) Position Statement, which called for schools to suspend in-person learning immediately until January 11. The document outlined four steps the union urges government leaders and schools to follow – reset, restart, reprioritize and resource.
OEA President Scott DiMauro accepted the invitation to talk with The Star in a one-on-one interview.
The Star asked questions submitted from Ohioans around the Buckeye State.

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Candi King Wins Democratic Nomination for Virginia’s 2nd House District, Will Face Republican Mitchell in Special Election

Jacob Taylor

Community leader Candi King won the Democratic nomination for the Virginia House of Delegates 2nd District on Sunday and will square off against GOP nominee Heather Mitchell in the January 5 special election.

King, who lives in Prince William County with her family, defeated four other candidates – Pamela Montgomery, Keisha Francis, Nyesha Wilson and Rozia Henson – in the firehouse primary, securing 380 out of 867 votes or 43.83 percent, according to the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP).

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Tennessee’s November Revenue Exceeds Budget Estimate by $129M

The Center Square

Tennessee tax revenue exceeded the state’s budget estimate by $129.5 million in November, continuing a four-month streak of positive revenue after declines in April, May and June.

The Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration said overall state revenue in November was $1.1 billion – nearly 2% more than a year ago. In the first four months of the fiscal year, tax revenue collections exceeded budgeted estimates by $576 million.

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