Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday endorsed former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Vernon Jones for the state’s 10th Congressional District. Trump announced the endorsement via video.
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The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office is looking into allegations that North Miami voters were receiving help in completing ballots in voting booths from election officials and other government employees.
The findings were first reported by the Miami Herald.
Florida law allows voters to request assistance in the voting booth if proper procedures are followed. The procedure requires voting assistants to complete a form swearing that the voter sought their help. The voters, if they have never previously asked for assistance, must fill out a separate form swearing that they requested it.
However, the concern in North Miami is with the number of people seeking assistance and those who are helping the voters. Records indicate that more than two-thirds of the assisted voters were helped by city employees or campaign workers.
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School closures and district struggles to provide adequate remote learning platforms for students have led parents, and some teachers, to think outside the box to create their own private “microschools” that provide individualized learning and flexibility.
In late summer of 2020, as many school districts wrestled with reopening amid government-imposed mandates and teacher union demands, Jason Bedrick, director of policy at EdChoice, and his colleague, fellow Matthew Ladner, prepared a report at Heritage.org that explained the concept of microschools.
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The Virginia Senate passed a bill that will allow parents to opt their children out of wearing masks at school. Democratic Senators Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax City) and Lynwood Lewis Jr. (D-Accomack) joined with Republicans to pass SB 739 after the Senate debated the bill for over an hour on Wednesday.
Bill sponsor Senator Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico), an OB/GYN, said during debate, “Two years into this pandemic, keeping unproven measures in place is no longer justifiable. We must evolve; science doesn’t stand still. We did masks and boxes and other things because we thought maybe they might help but they have not proven to do so. I will say further that you have before you a conflict between two constitutional priorities in Virginia. One is that school boards get to decide policy for their districts. But the other is that we are a parental rights state. You’re going to have to choose which authority, ceded by the Constitution, you’re going to stand by today.”
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The University of Wisconsin Health System will mandate the coronavirus vaccine booster shot for all staff and volunteers, according to a Wednesday release.
The new requirement will build on a previous mandate initiated last year by the group that made 96 percent of the staff fully vaccinated. The healthcare system detailed that there were “only a handful choosing not to comply with the policy.”
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State Representative Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) asked Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich for a legal opinion on whether there is an “invasion” under the U.S. Constitution on the U.S. border with Mexico, allowing Arizona to defend itself. Brnovich responded affirmatively on Monday, saying it’s up to Governor Doug Ducey to initiate action.
Hoffman told The Arizona Sun Times, “I’m glad to see that Attorney General Brnovich today agreed with my assessment that the crisis occurring on our southern border constitutes an invasion and a total failure by the Biden administration to fulfill its constitutional obligation to protect the people of Arizona.”
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A federal plea deal filed Monday says Kaleb Franks, 27, will plead guilty to the March 2020 plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Franks also will testify against four others in a March 8 trial.
Franks signed a plea deal that he was “not entrapped or induced to commit any crimes” by undercover agents or confidential informants, contrary to the defense’s claims.
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Ohio gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci, a Republican primary challenger to incumbent Governor Mike DeWine, promised to appoint an administration official to serve as a pro-life advocate, if he were elected.
According to the candidate, the individual, who would be given the title “Unborn Child Advocate,” would play a key role in his administration.
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The Arizona House Education Committee on Tuesday advanced a bill that will alter the state’s civics education requirements, mandating that students score at least 70 percent correct in order to graduate.
The committee voted unanimously to advance the legislation.
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A preschool teacher in West Palm Beach has deleted a TikTok video wherein she explained that she was teaching her students – younger than 5 years old – about racism.
Fortunately, the video was archived by another TikTok account dedicated to exposing far-Left teachers in America’s schools.
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On Tuesday, Herschend Enterprises, the nation’s largest privately-owned themed attractions corporation, announced it will cover 100% of tuition, fees, and books for any of its 11,000 employees who choose to pursue further education.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) have simultaneously called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue a Disaster Declaration for farmers and growers in counties impacted by the recent, uncharacteristic hard freeze.
DeSantis penned a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack where he reinforced Florida’s agricultural impact to the American economy, and how much Florida’s farmers have had to endure.
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Outgoing Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) spoke Monday on the floor of the U.S. Senate on behalf of his bipartisan bill that would rename the Avondale area of Cincinnati.
“I’m pleased to come to the Senate floor today to speak in support of a bill sponsored by the entire Ohio delegation naming the post office in Avondale of Cincinnati, Ohio for two World War II veterans, John Leahr and Herbert Heilbrun,” Portman said. “These two remarkable men, one black and one white, grew up in Avondale, which is a neighborhood [that is] part of Cincinnati, Ohio.”
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An illegal alien with a long prior rap sheet that includes violent crimes has once again been sentenced to prison time.
Abdulhakim Omar Erbob, 27, attempted to carjack a man in St. Paul last year, according to Pioneer Press. He beat the man who he tried to carjack when the man began to fight back, and was subsequently charged with attempted first-degree aggravated robbery.
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President Joe Biden (D) and the White House entered the debate focused on Florida House Bill 7 by Representative Bryan Avila (R-District 111). On Twitter Tuesday, both the White House account and the president’s account chimed in, criticizing Florida’s Republican lawmakers for their support of the legislation.
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Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said he is backing a plan that would eliminate statewide requirements that masks be worn in child care facilities and public and private schools in the state.
The governor announced he is working with the departments of public health and education to determine whether masks will continue to be a requirement beyond the Feb. 28 deadline.
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Candidates for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional seat have begun collecting ballot access petitions. The first day to begin collecting petitions was February 7th.
Candidates can pick up their petitions paperwork from either the secretary of state or their county elections office.
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Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles in studio to discuss whether or not he’ll enter the race for the 5th Congressional District seat.
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Nashville continues to be in the hunt to host the 2024 Republican National Convention.
The four final cities under consideration to host the 2024 GOP presidential nominating convention were Nashville, Salt Lake City, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh.
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Tennessee residents can now go online to see how the 2021-2022 redistricting process impacts them.
Members of the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office have created a new online dashboard called Tennessee District Lookup that shows which addresses in the state are now assigned to which legislative district.
The new dashboard updates the public on legislative district information for county commissions, the U.S. Congress, and both houses of the Tennessee General Assembly.
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Pro-life legislation pending before Tennessee’s General Assembly has received a sponsor in the State House.
State Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-SD28) originally filed SB2158, a bill prohibiting LEAs or public charter schools from doing business with abortion providers. Representative Debra Moody (R-Covington-HD81) filed HB2557, the state House companion version on February, 3, 2022.
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What irony!
Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger must be turning over in their graves.
Bernie Sanders must be having sleepless nights.
The left-wing anthem “Which Side Are You On?” is no longer about whether you’re a “union man” or a “thug for J.H. Blair.” It’s about the size of your stock portfolio or when to go public with your start-up.
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Texas Republican Rep. Troy Nehls said Tuesday that the United States Capitol Police “illegally” entered his office as part of an alleged investigation and that one of his staffers caught them in the act.
Nehls accused Capitol Police officers of illegally entering his office twice during Thanksgiving week last year, during which they allegedly photographed sensitive legislative items.
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A paralyzed man became the first person to walk again after having his spinal cord completely severed.
Michel Roccati, who was paralyzed for five years after a motorcycle accident, took his first steps thanks to an electrical device implanted in his spine, BBC News reported. His experience marks the first time a patient has been able to walk after their spinal cord was completely cut.
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On Monday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced in a statement that it would no longer be moving forward with previous plans to implement a controversial facial recognition software on its website in order for users to access certain tax records.
According to CNN, the IRS’s reversal came after widespread backlash by elected officials, privacy groups, and others who pointed out that such technology would constitute a massive overreach and violation of individual privacy. The IRS said in its statement that it would “transition away from using a third-party verification service involving facial recognition,” and would instead add an “additional authentication process.” The agency also vowed to “protect taxpayer data and ensure broad access to online tools.”
“The IRS takes taxpayer privacy and security seriously,” IRS commissioner Chuck Rettig said, “and we understand the concerns that have been raised. Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options that do not involve facial recognition.”
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A 5-year-old riding in her mother’s car. A Texas sheriff’s deputy on routine patrol. A Florida father who thought he was foster parenting a minor. A Mississippi woman pistol whipped as she talked on cell phone. Three people found burned to death in a car in Alabama.
All have one thing in common: they were victimized since President Joe Biden took office by immigrants who illegally crossed the border.
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The U.S. trade deficit continued to grow in December as the import-export gap widened to record highs in 2021, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday.
The trade deficit grew by 1.8% in December 2021 to $80.7 billion, the Census Bureau announced Tuesday, $1.4 billion above the revised figure from November 2021.
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The first set of trials for the hundreds of protesters charged in the Justice Department’s sweeping criminal investigation into January 6 begins later this month. Since the Capitol building is considered the scene of the crime, every trial will be held in the District of Columbia—which means the jury pool will be composed solely of residents living in the nation’s capital.
To say this is a problem for Trump supporters facing even minor charges is a huge understatement.
January 6 defendants already have suffered the wrath of D.C.-based federal judges who’ve imposed unusually harsh prison sentences for low level misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies while routinely berating defendants from the bench.
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Federal authorities charged China-based telecommunications firm Hytera Communications with conspiring to steal trade secrets from a U.S. company, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday.
Hytera allegedly recruited employees from U.S. telecommunications company Motorola to steal digital mobile radio (DMR) technology, according to an indictment unsealed Monday. The Chinese company then allegedly used Motorola’s technology to accelerate the development of its own DMR products, the DOJ announced.
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Republican Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s office sent a letter to crowdfunding site GoFundMe on Monday requesting the company preserve documents related to its deletion of a fundraiser supporting a protest against Canadian COVID-19 restrictions.
The letter, addressed to GoFundMe general counsel Kim Wilford, questioned whether GoFundMe violated Arizona laws relating to “fraud, deception, and unfair treatment” when it deleted the “Freedom Convoy 2022” fundraiser, a donation initiative intended to support individuals currently protesting Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truck drivers and other coronavirus restrictions. Brnovich’s office demanded the company preserve all documents related to the fundraisers’ removal.
“GoFundMe is hereby on notice to preserve materials of any kind, including but not limited to, all documents, drafts, emails, voicemails, text or communication app messages of any kind, and social media communications relating in any way and all times to the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser,” wrote Joseph Sciarrotta, Jr., civil litigation division chief.
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Last week in the Atlantic, David Graham took aim at smart conservative politicians who play dumb. He declares at the beginning of his piece, “This is the age of smart politicians pretending to be stupid.” As evidence, he mainly cites Gov. Ron DeSantis, senatorial candidates J.D. Vance and Eric Greitens, and Sen. Josh Hawley.
Graham argues that these men belie their impressive degrees from Ivy League universities by aligning themselves with the populist conservative movement in some capacity. DeSantis does not brag about COVID booster shots, Vance is critical of China and globalism, and Greitens and Hawley have doubts about the 2020 election. Surely, according to Graham, these must be poses to win over Trump supporters, not sincere positions stemming from valid objections. There’s just no way such educated people would actually believe what they’re pushing.
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Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed State Representative (R-75) Bruce Griffey to the newsmakers line to talk about recent legislation proposed to stop CRT training in the workplace.
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Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Mayor Andy Ogles and guest host Grant Henry in studio to discuss the similarities between Tennessee’s horn honking protest of 2000 and Canada’s of today in 2022.
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Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Mayor Glenn Jacobs of Knox County to the newsmakers line to talk about this continued fight against mandatory mask mandates in schools and the new state budget.
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Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands to the newsmakers line to talk state budget disappointment and his mission for 2022.
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Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star report, host Leahy welcomed guest host Grant Henry in studio for another edition of Grant’s Rants.
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Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA) unveiled his final state budget proposal to the General Assembly yesterday, asking members to approve a 10.9 percent spending increase.
Major items he proposed include $1.75 billion more for public schools and $200 million more for college scholarships. The governor insisted his aims could be realized without resorting to tax rises, though his $43.7 billion plan hinges on the use of about $2 billion in one-time federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
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Virginia’s Democrat-controlled Senate is suddenly about to pass a bill allowing parents to opt their children out of wearing masks. In Tuesday’s session, Senator Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax City) amended Senator Siobhan Dunnavant’s (R-Henrico) in-person learning bill to include the mask-opt-out clause – and 10 out of 21 Democrats voted with Republicans to approve the change, setting up the bill for final passage on Wednesday.
Despite vocal Democrats and some urban school boards pushing back against Governor Glenn Youngkin’s executive order requiring a school mask mandate opt-out, Petersen has been calling for a masking off-ramp. On Monday, he sent a letter to several northern Virginia schools warning of his plans to introduce legislation to that effect. He argued that mask-wearing is a political decision.
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A recently resettled Afghan refugee who was featured on a news broadcast when he arrived in the United States has been arrested and charged for an alleged sexual assault.
Police want Matiullah Matie to be charged with fourth-degree sexual assault, according to WSAW.
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The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) granted Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s request to expand the eligibility for waivers for Michiganders who wrongly received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) because of the state jobless agency’s mistake.
“Michiganders should not be penalized for doing what was right at the time they applied for federal pandemic benefits,” Whitmer said in a statement. “Coupled with the waivers we applied earlier, we are looking to help Michiganders who needed unemployment benefits to pay their bills, keep food on the table, and continue supporting small businesses. I look forward to working with our legislative partners to continue putting Michiganders first and keeping more money in their pockets.”
The USDOL updated its waiver guidance to approve five new scenarios for consideration of a waiver may apply blanket waivers for recovery of overpayments:
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The Ohio Supreme Court agreed with two Democrats on the Ohio Redistricting Commission and denied a motion from Attorney General Dave Yost to relegate the two to “friend of the court” status in ongoing legal challenges to new state legislative districts.
Commission co-chair Sen. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron, and House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, called Yost’s motion an attempt to silence the two, who had voted against the original maps and ones reconfigured by order of the court.
“I am relieved to see that a fair process is continuing in the courts,” Russo said. “We spoke up for the people against unconstitutional maps, while the Attorney General tried to silence us. AG Yost should not have tried to put his thumb on the scale in this process. Now, we wait the court’s decision on the submitted maps and let the process play out with greater transparency.”
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The Biden administration is advancing immigration policies that are harming children, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, and Attorney General Ashley Moody say.
The statewide elected officials met Monday with Cuban Americans who came to Miami as children as part of the 1960-62 era humanitarian operation Peter Pan (“Pedro Pan”). Over a two-year period, more than 14,000 Cuban youths arrived alone in the U.S. in what was at the time the largest recorded exodus of unaccompanied minors in the Western Hemisphere fleeing from the communist dictatorship of Fidel Castro.
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An Albert Lea woman who was sentenced to 90 days in jail for violating Gov. Tim Walz’s COVID-19 executive orders was released from custody Saturday morning.
Lisa Hanson, owner of The Interchange Wine and Coffee Bistro, refused to close her business when Gov. Walz ordered all bars and restaurants in the state to shut down. She was found guilty of six misdemeanors as a result.
Prosecutors argued for a $500 fine and several days in jail, but Judge Joseph Bueltel wanted to make an example out of Hanson, which he made clear in court. Bueltel reprimanded Hanson for “making money” while “suckers down the street closed.”
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Minnesota Teen Activists announced Tuesday that it would be co-hosting a walkout on behalf of Amir Locke, who was shot and killed by a Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officer during a raid last Wednesday.
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In yet another scandal involving Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), an email published on Twitter shows school security officials told school administrators to seek warrants from magistrate judges to arrest students who refused to wear masks.
An email from security head John Clark, posted on Twitter by commentator Ned Ryun, shows Clark giving teachers instructions on February 1 about how to obtain those warrants. The instructions were given just after the school vowed to defy Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who banned mask mandates on his first day in office.
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Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) has awarded approximately $170,000 to an anti-Israel political consulting firm, according to financial disclosures filed with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).
According to the filings, Tlaib’s campaign and leadership PAC have dished out the funds to Unbought Power LLC, a political consulting firm. The firm is run by activist Rasha Mubarak.
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Watkinsville resident Julie Mauck is running for the Oconee County Schools Board of Education, and, if she wins, she said she has concrete goals that could transform how the board and the school system do business. Specifically, Mauck wants to help the public gain more access to what, precisely, the school system is passing down to your children.
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Former Pennsylvania Republican congressman and current gubernatorial candidate Lou Barletta blasted President Joe Biden’s administration Tuesday for issuing a “Terrorism Advisory Bulletin” equating political dissenters with terrorists.
The document, issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the day before, lamented the presence of “an online environment filled with false or misleading narratives and conspiracy theories” that “sow discord or undermine public trust in U.S. government institutions.” The administration warned about opposition to “COVID-19 mitigation measures—particularly COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates” which allegedly “have been used by domestic violent extremists to justify violence since 2020.”
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Congressman Mark Green (R-TN-07) on Tuesday formally launched his campaign for a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The lawmaker will run in the 7th Congressional District, which will hold a slightly different constituency than previous years due to the state’s redistricting plan.
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Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday endorsed Dave McCormick in his campaign for the GOP nomination to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate.
The former Trump administration official called McCormick a “warrior,” opting to endorse him over Mehmet Oz and other prominent Republican candidates.
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