Day: March 11, 2022

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Clint Brewer in-studio to weigh in on the various congressional races coming up in the 2022 Tennessee election cycle.

All-Star Panelist and Senior Editor-at-Large for The Epoch Times Roger Simon Visits Cordell Hull to Watch How the Sausage Is Made

March 11, 2022March 16, 2022 Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Senior Editor at Large for The Epoch Times, Roger Simon in-studio to describe his recent visit to the Tennessee State Capitol.

The Star News Network Interviews Author Peter Schweizer About Mitch McConnell’s Links to China

TRANSCRIPT: McCabe: In his new book Red-Handed, investigative journalist Peter Schweizer documents how the senate’s top republican, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, is tied through his wife to the top leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. He also told The Star News Network that his wife, Elaine Chao, as transportation…

Schweizer: The Titans of Wall Street Are Among China’s Closest American Allies

March 11, 2022March 16, 2022 Julie Carr

TRANSCRIPT: McCabe: One of the great ironies in investigative journalist Peter Schweizer’s new book Red-Handed is the degree to which the Chinese Communist Party has infiltrated the very heart of American capitalism on Wall Street. Schweizer told The Star News Network that the titans of Wall Street are among China’s…

Fox Contributor and Financial Guru Liz Peek Sees Saudi Arabia Silver Lining as Gas and Oil Reach Record Highs

March 11, 2022March 11, 2022 Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Fox News contributor and financial expert Liz Peek to the newsmaker line to give her take on the current financial outlook for Americans and the world.

Public Affairs Specialist Clint Brewer Comments on the LGBTQ Legislation in Florida

Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Clint Brewer in-studio to comment upon the recent LGBTQ, anti-grooming law passed in Florida legislation.

Kari Lake Joins Arizona GOP’s Lawsuit Against Secretary of State Hobbs to Stop Unmonitored Ballot Drop Boxes and Include Signature Verification Procedures

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Kari Lake may not be elected to office yet, but she is following through already on her vows to protect election integrity. The leading Arizona gubernatorial candidate filed an amicus curiae brief with the Arizona Supreme Court in the case Arizona Republican Party v. Hobbs, which asks the court to compel Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, to include signature verification procedures in the election procedures manual and remove the language she added authorizing the setup of unmonitored ballot drop boxes. Additionally, it challenges “no-excuse” early ballots as violating the Arizona Constitution.

Lake said in a statement, “Voters have made it very clear that they are demanding nothing less than completely secure elections and we’re going to give it to them come hell or high water.” She said a forensic investigation earlier this year along with a canvass of absentee voters, which uncovered tens of thousands of irregularities with ballots cast in the 2020 general election, compelled her to enter the lawsuit.

Freedom Foundation Facilitating Exit of Ohio Union Members

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

A nonprofit is making progress in Ohio in facilitating the exit of public sector union employees from those unions.

“For some reason, the First Amendment right for people to leave public sector is the best kept secret,” Freedom Foundation Ohio State Director Lauren Bowen told The Ohio Star. “Their hard earned money does not have to be directed to union coffers via union dues.”

Programming at Hillsdale’s Blake Center for Faith and Freedom in Somers, Connecticut to Begin This Spring

March 11, 2022March 15, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

Programming at Hillsdale College’s new Blake Center for Faith and Freedom in Somers, Connecticut is scheduled to start this spring.

In 2019, the late Friendly’s Ice Cream co-founder S. Prestley “Pres” Blake and his wife Helen offered their property at 732 Hall Hill Rd., along with $25 million, to the Michigan-based Christian college to establish an educational center consistent with the values of the school. Their now-repurposed home is modeled after Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and sits on about 100 verdant acres.

Florida Legislature Passes Illegal Immigration Crackdown Bill

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Grant Holcomb

The Florida Legislature has passed SB 1808, known as an immigration crackdown bill, and it will be sent to the desk of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The bill will keep ban the state from contracting with companies who transport illegal alien.

The bill was passed largely along party lines with two House Republicans joining Democrats and voting “No”: State Representatives Vance Aloupis (R-Miami) and Rene Plasencia (R-Orlando). The final House vote was 77-42 in the affirmative.

Pennsylvania Budget Secretary Defends Governor’s Budget That Lawmakers Say Overspends

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania’s House Appropriations Committee ended hearings on next fiscal year’s budget on Thursday, with the governor’s budget chief defending a plan that many lawmakers fear significantly overspends.

Governor Tom Wolf (D) has asked the Republican-controlled General Assembly to consider a Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget that spends $43.7 billion, an increase of 16.6 percent over current expenditures. His proposal assumes the state will enjoy a revenue intake that surpasses that predicted by the nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) by $762 million.

Biden’s Policies Have ‘Emboldened’ U.S. Enemies, Says Sen. Ron Johnson

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Cooper Moran

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) criticized the Biden administration for its foreign and domestic policy decisions, arguing the moves have “emboldened” enemies of the United States.

Over the past few weeks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has waged an unprovoked war against Ukraine. Despite economic sanctions from the U.S. and European allies, Putin has remained resolved in his attempts.

As Gas Prices Soar, Minnesota Gov. Walz Reverses, Calls for Federal Gas Tax Holiday

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Eric Burk

In a tough reelection battle this year, Gov. Tim Walz is changing his tune on gas taxes.

The Minnesotan joined five other Democratic governors urging the U.S. Congress to suspend the federal gas tax amid soaring prices at the pump caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and President Joe Biden’s ban on importing Russian oil this week.

Virginia’s Entire Congressional Delegation Votes for Ban on Russian Energy Imports

Virginia’s entire congressional delegation, Republicans and Democrats, voted Wednesday in favor of a ban on Russian energy imports. The bill passed 414 to 17, with two progressive representatives and several America-First Republicans voting against the bill.

“Tonight, I voted to send a unified message to Vladimir Putin that we do not wish to enrich Russia as it continues its unjustified invasion into Ukraine. Unfortunately, this legislation and President Biden’s ban will have little practical effect on Russia’s energy profits without a unified effort from our friends in Europe. I call on the Biden Administration to do more to rally the alliance he claims to have built to this cause and impose real economic sanctions on Russia,” Congressman Bob Good (R-VA-05) said in a press release.

Judge Expected to Render Opinion ‘Any Day’ on Moving Line 5 Case from Federal to Michigan Court

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Cooper Moran

As gasoline prices soar and inflation seems poised to rise above 8%, Michiganders are squinting to detect any signs of economic hope on the horizon.

Among the variables drawing their attention is whether Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration is successful in closing the Line 5 pipeline across a five-mile stretch of the Straits of Mackinac. The Canadian energy company Enbridge is suing the governor to keep the pipeline open.

Governor Kemp Maintains Lead Over GOP Challenger David Perdue, Fox News Poll Shows

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp maintains a solid lead over Republican primary challenger David Perdue, according to a new Fox News poll.

Based on the survey, Kemp has gathered 50 percent of support from GOP primary voters, compared to Perdue’s 39 percent.

Georgia Gas Prices Now Highest Ever Recorded

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

A Georgia’s General Assembly prepares to eliminate the state’s gas tax to alleviate increasing prices at the pump, the state’s gas prices soared to a record high.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), Thursday’s average cost per gallon of gas was $4.29 in the Peach State, eclipsing its previous record of $4.16 per gallon on September 15, 2008.

DeSantis Responds to Disney CEO; Cites China Connections, Woke Corporations

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Steve Stewart

One day after the Disney CEO came against the Parental Rights in Education bill, Gov. Ron DeSantis responded with references to China and Woke corporations.

On Wednesday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek addressed the parental rights legislation at a shareholders meeting by saying, “I know that many are upset that we did not speak out against the bill. We were opposed to the bill from the outset, but we chose not to take a public position on it because we felt we could be more effective working behind the scenes. …”

Chapek said in a call to Governor DeSantis he expressed his disappointment and “concern that if the legislation becomes law it could be used to target LGBTQ+ kids and families.

Chapek also noted that Disney is “reassessing our approach to advocacy, including political giving in Florida and beyond.”

Late Thursday Gov. DeSantis told supporters in Boca Raton there is “zero” chance he’s going to reverse his position on disallowing the instruction of “transgenderism in kindergarten classrooms.”

And then DeSantis responded to Chapek’s comments

As Budget Negotiations Continue, Gov. Youngkin and Virginia Legislators Make Last-Minute Pitch for Pet Proposals

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Eric Burk

As legislators work towards a budget compromise balancing increased spending with revenue losses from tax cuts, Governor Glenn Youngkin and legislators are continuing to argue for their positions.

“The idea that we have to choose between tax relief and our shared priorities is a false choice. It is critical that we do our part to reduce the tax burden on our citizens, particularly at a time when present receipts continue to be as robust as they are,” Youngkin wrote in a Wednesday Richmond Times-Dispatch column.

Georgia Senate Ed Committee Passes School Choice Bill, Three of Four Dems Opposed Sent Their Children to Private Schools

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Susan Berry, PhD

The Georgia Senate Education Committee approved a bill that would create education savings accounts for children across the state and, ultimately, fund students over government school systems.

The Georgia Educational Freedom Act (SB601) passed out of committee by a vote of 6-4, but, as the Daily Caller reported Wednesday, three of the four Democrats on the committee who voted down the bill sent their children to private schools.

Florida Legislature Discusses Gas Tax Break as Budget Negotiations Continue

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Grant Holcomb

Florida Lawmakers, amid budget discussions, agreed to include $200 million in federal stimulus money to grant Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) request for a state gas tax break. House Appropriations Chairman and State Rep. Jay Trumbull (R-Panama City) and Senate Appropriations Chairwoman and State Sen. Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland) made the agreement late Wednesday night.

Commentary: The Green Immoralists

President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry participate in a virtual meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, Thursday, September 17, 2021, in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

Thousands are dying from Russian missiles and bombs in the suburbs of Ukraine.

In response, the Biden Administration’s climate-change envoy, multimillionaire and private-jet owning John Kerry, laments that Russian president Vladimir Putin might no longer remain his partner in reducing global warming.

“You’re going to lose people’s focus,” Kerry frets. “You’re going to lose big-country attention because they will be diverted, and I think it could have a damaging impact”

Lamont: Family First Prevention Plan Gains Federal Approval

A plan that provides greater access to mental health services and substance abuse treatment has received federal approval, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said.

The governor announced the Family First Prevention Plan was approved by the U.S. Children’s Bureau. The plan is drawn from the Family First Prevention Services Act that was signed into law as part of the U.S. Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

“This prevention plan is designed to enhance the well-being of all of Connecticut’s children, youth, and families,” Lamont said in the release. “I am very proud of the collaborative and deliberate approach taken by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families to lead this effort. This is Connecticut’s plan and one that will lead to our children having a brighter future.”

Peter D’Abrosca of The Star News Network Discusses the Florida Anti-Grooming Bill with Stephen K. Bannon on WarRoom

group of kids outside during the day playing spike ball

Thursday morning on WarRoom Battleground, host Bannon welcomed The Star News Network’s Pete D’Abrasco to the show to talk about the anti-grooming legislation passed in Florida.

Wisconsin Dairy Farmers Want New State Water Officer to Help, Not Hurt

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022 Aaron Gulbransen

There are some worries among dairy farmers in Wisconsin about a new water officer position that’s headed for Gov. Evers’ desk.

The Wisconsin Senate this week approved a plan, AB 727, that creates a new hydrologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension.

The Wisconsin Dairy Alliance and the Venture Dairy Cooperative released a joint statement pleading with the governor not to turn the new position into an environmental advocate.

Alexis Martinez Johnson Is Effectively the Republican Nominee for New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District

Engineer and mom Alexis Martinez Johnson is effectively the Republican nominee for New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District.

Martinez Johnson achieved over 87 percent of the vote in the recent 3rd-district GOP pre-primary convention. While Martinez Johnson still technically has to run in primary, because of her strong showing at the pre-primary convention, no other candidate is on the ballot.

Ballot Bombshells: 20 Episodes Exposing Fraud, Illegalities and Irregularities in 2020 Election

After the 2020 election ended with Joe Biden declared the winner, the federal cybersecurity agency declared it was a perfectly secure vote. Months later, federal prosecutors admitted two Iranian nationals hacked into a state’s database and stole the identities of 100,000 voters in an effort to influence the election.

Texas Election Commissioner Resigns After 10,000 Uncounted Ballots Found in Last Week’s Primary

The elections commissioner in Texas’ largest county has resigned after revelations that 10,000 ballots were not counted in the Houston area in last week’s primary election.

Inflation Soars to Another Four-Decade High

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 0.8% in February, bringing the key inflation indicator’s year-over-year increase to 7.9%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported.

The core price index, which measures inflation of goods less food and energy, increased 0.5% in February, the BLS reported. Food prices reportedly grew 7.9% on a year-over-year basis as of February, the BLS reported, and energy prices soared 25.6%.

Proposed Law Would Stop Ohio Communities from Prohibiting Vacation Rentals

Ohioans who want to rent their homes on a short-term basis as vacation rentals or an AirBNB could not be stopped by local governments if a bill recently introduced in the Ohio House becomes law.

House Bill 563 would prohibit local regulations that would place outright bans on short-term rentals and limit the duration of use. It would not stop local municipalities from regulating the rentals but would require those regulations are the same as long-term rentals.

“Ohioans should always have the right to use what is often their most valuable asset, their homes, as an investment to make money through short-term rental,” Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur, R-Ashtabula, said. “Short-term rentals also help drive traffic to countless small businesses – restaurants, shops and tourist attractions – across the state. Eliminating short-term rentals hurts Ohio’s economy.”

Democrats Block GOP Bill That Would Restart Keystone XL, Federal Oil Lease Program

Democrats voted down a motion to consider GOP legislation that would reverse several Biden administration energy policies, according to Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s office.

During the vote Wednesday evening, 219 Democrats voted against consideration of the American Energy Independence from Russia Act offered by Republican Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw, McCarthy’s office said. The legislation was introduced by Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Bruce Westerman on Feb. 28.

New U.S. Solar Panel Installations Set to Crater Thanks to Inflation, Supply Chain Issues