Month: June 2022

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Laughs While Suggesting American Taxpayers Could Foot the Bill for Transporting Women to Pro-Abortion States

Susan Berry, PhD

Biden Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra laughed Monday as he suggested his agency is considering using taxpayer funds to transport women to pro-abortion states so they can end the lives of their unborn babies.

During an interview with NBC News following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the issue of abortion to the states, Kate Snow asked Becerra, “What are you doing concretely in response to the Court’s decision, to try to help women?”

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White House Co-Worker: ‘Phony’ J6 Witness Cassidy Hutchinson ‘Did This to Basically Get Famous’

Neil W. McCabe

In an exclusive interview with The Star News Network, a fellow White House staffer who worked together with the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack’s star witness Cassidy Hutchinson shortly after the former Trump aide testified June 28 before the panel hand-selected by California Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“She’s a total phony and a social climber, and she did this to basically get famous,” said Joanna Miller, who now works for Save America, a political action committee founded by President Donald J. Trump to support election integrity.

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Bill Banning Transgender Athletics Takes Effect This Week

Peter D'Abrosca

A Tennessee bill that bans biological males from participating in female athletic competition will take effect this week. 

HB 1895, which passed through the Tennessee General Assembly in April and was subsequently signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee (R), says “the commissioner of education to withhold a portion of the state education finance funds that a [Local Education Association] is otherwise eligible to receive if the LEA fails or refuses to determine a student’s gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student’s sex at the time of birth…”

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Tennessee Department of Transportation Will Pause Construction for July 4th Weekend

Peter D'Abrosca

Tennessee motorists will not have to worry about construction delaying their Independence Day plans, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). 

“With so many people hitting the road we want to do all we can to ensure they reach their destinations safely and without necessary delays,” said TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley in a Monday press release. “We are doing so by suspending lane closures during this busy holiday travel time.”

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Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs Criticizes Democrat Opponent’s Declaration That Abortion Opponents Are ‘Morally Deficient Minority’

Aaron Gulbransen

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs criticized his Democrat opponent’s declaration that opponents of abortion are “a morally deficient minority” on abortion.

“Democrats used to say that abortion should be safe, legal, and rare. My opponent says that abortion is popular and if you don’t see it that way, you are apparently among a morally deficient minority. You’d expect this kind of unhinged rhetoric from someone running for mayor of San Francisco or Chicago, but not Knox County, Tennessee,” Jacobs said on Tuesday.

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Georgia District Attorneys Say They Won’t Prosecute Abortion Cases

Peter D'Abrosca

Two of Georgia’s major district attorneys say they will not prosecute abortion-related offenses in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. 

“It is my responsibility as the elected District Attorney to set priorities for the use my office’s resources,” said Fulton Count District Attorney Fani Willis. “I will not be using precious tax dollars allocated to this office to pursue prosecutions based on women’s personal healthcare choices.”

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New Policies Made Minnesota Police Department Even More Understaffed During Stone Arch Bridge Shooting

Admin

Four people were shot in Minneapolis late Saturday evening, one of whom remains in critical condition.

Police responded to calls of shots fired at the intersection of Main St. and 6th Ave. SE near the Stone Arch Bridge around 11:00 p.m. on June 25. A large crowd of people had gathered at the intersection to allegedly watch “street racers” do burnouts with their vehicles.

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Pennsylvania House Democrat Sponsors Constitutional Amendment for Abortion and Gay Marriage

Bradley Vasoli

Days after several Pennsylvania Senate Democrats proposed legislation to codify the recently overturned Roe v. Wade decision, one senator is spearheading a more expansive measure to enshrine abortion and various sexual rights in the Pennsylvania Constitution.

State Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Doylestown) issued a memorandum to colleagues on Tuesday asking them to cosponsor his amendment. It would codify not only the 1973 Roe ruling that forbade states from prohibiting abortion but also the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision disallowing bans on gay marriage. Other “privacy”-related rights Santarsiero wishes to write into the state Constitution include those identified in the 1965 Griswold v. Connecticut ruling, which disallowed contraception bans, and in the 2003 Lawrence v. Texas decision, which barred sodomy laws. 

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Voices from the Tennessee National Guard: My Religious Beliefs Prevent Me from Getting the COVID Vaccine

Admin

I regret that I couldn’t be here today, but I wanted to share my story with you.

I am a National Guard Soldier. I have served for more than 2 decades, all as a Guardsman. I have served more than half of that time as an enlisted Soldier, and the remaining decade as a Commissioned Officer. I have spent nearly 3 years of my life in the Middle East; 2 of those 3 deployments were combat and the third I had the honor to deploy in command of my own unit. I have both led and followed brave men and women into harms way, men and women who would lay down their lives for me, and I for them.

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More than 100 Arizona Army National Guardsmen Unvaxxed as Big Army Mandate Deadline Looms

Neil W. McCabe

The Arizona Army National Guard stands with roughly 84 percent of its military personnel complying with Big Army’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate as the Army’s June 30 deadline for 100 percent compliance approaches.

“Out of approximately 5,000 Soldiers, the Arizona Army National Guard has 119 COVID-19 vaccination refusals,” said Maj. Kyle Key, the communications director for the Arizona National Guard.

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Ohio Prosecutors in Columbus and Cuyahoga County Will Not Prosecute Illegal Abortions

Bradley Vasoli

Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley announced this week they will not prosecute abortionists who violate Ohio’s “heartbeat law.”

Signed three years ago by Gov. Mike DeWine (R), the act disallows abortions to be performed once a fetal heartbeat is detectable, which becomes the case about six weeks into a pregnancy. With last week’s overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, the heartbeat law is now in effect.

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Senator Ron Johnson Expresses Concern over Use of Taxpayer Funds to Transport Migrants

Cooper Moran

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) wrote to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to express concern over a report that the Biden Administration will disperse immigrants throughout the country.

According to a report from NBC News, leaked documents from DHS demonstrated that the agency will send immigrants “farther into the interior of the country, beginning with Los Angeles in the coming weeks.”

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Voices from the Tennessee National Guard: Soldiers Who Have Not Taken the COVID Vaccine Face Discrimination

Admin

I am one of the hundreds of Tennessee Guardsmen, thousands of Guardsmen nationwide, and tens of thousands of military service members that are currently being discriminated against due to our religious beliefs.

There was a time not so long ago when having the Personal Courage and Integrity to stand up for what you believe to be morally and ethically right, was celebrated as Army values; no more. Now, those of us who believe in the sanctity of preborn human life, that the divine spark of God ignites life at conception and that, that life is sacred and deserving of respect, are being systematically purged from serving our country.

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Arizona 2022 Legislative Session Ends with $18 Billion Budget, Failure to Ban All Abortions, and 79 Bills Waiting for Ducey

Rachel Alexander

The 2022 Arizona Legislative session ended Friday, after passing the annual budget and 385 bills – 79 of which are waiting for Governor Doug Ducey to sign or veto. Among the spending priorities is a massive expansion of the state’s school voucher system, which Ducey is expected to sign.

However, some political watchers note that the nearly $18 billion budget, composed of 12 bills, is full of pork – one example of which is a large tax credit for Hollywood the Republican leadership insisted on passing.

A proposed bill banning all abortions, meanwhile, was blocked.

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Education Technology Provider EAB Announces Expansion in Henrico

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin approved a $741,600 grant to help Henrico County attract an expansion of EAB, an education data insights provider. On Tuesday, Youngkin’s office announced that EAB, which already has locations in the Richmond area, will consolidate to another area location while adding 206 jobs and investing $6 million.

“EAB has been a committed business partner in Virginia for more than 30 years, and we are thrilled to see its continued expansion and investment in Henrico County,” Youngkin said in a press release. “The firm’s success reinforces the importance of attracting and retaining a skilled workforce that is helping fulfill EAB’s mission to improve education and communities across the country.”

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Official Guest Host Gulbransen Questions Why General Kurt Winstead and Gov. Lee Will Not Take a Solid Stance on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Tennessee National Guard

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed official guest host Aaron Gulbransen in-studio to discuss why TN5 candidate General Kurt Winstead will not initiate help for Tennessee guardsmen about to lose their jobs or answer any real questions directly.

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In Family Foundation Webinar, Youngkin, Earle-Sears, Celebrate Dobbs Decision, But Don’t Expect Rapid Change in Virginia’s Abortion Laws

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears spoke in a Tuesday evening webinar where speakers highlighted the win for conservatives in the Dobbs decision, while also calling on pro-life supporters to vote, donate, and volunteer for Republicans in upcoming elections. 21-19 Democratic control of the Senate was a constant theme of the speakers, who sounded a note of caution about the speed of change Virginians should expect.

“Any bill that comes to my desk, I will sign happily and gleefully in order to protect life,” Youngkin said

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Rutherford County GOP Mayoral Candidate Joe Carr Talks About Middle Point Landfill and How He Would Renegotiate the Contract if Elected Mayor

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed the new GOP nominee for mayor of Rutherford County, Tennessee, Joe Carr, in studio to explain the one-sided deal between Middle Point Landfill and Republic Services with Rutherford County and what he would do to change it if elected.

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Commentary: January 6 Committee Ignores Key Questions About FBI

Admin

The final set of witnesses testifying before the January 6 select committee had the potential to shed more light on the government’s foreknowledge of the protest on Capitol Hill that day. Jeffrey Rosen, appointed by Donald Trump on Christmas Eve in 2020 to replace departing Attorney General William Barr, and two of his deputies gave opening statements and fielded questions for more than two hours last week.

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Arizona State Senate Republicans Join Cleanup Effort After Pro-Abortion Demonstrators Caused Damage at State Capitol

Neil Jones

Arizona State Senate Republicans joined the clean-up effort Monday after the recent violent pro-abortion demonstrations caused damage at the State Capitol.

“Starting around 6:30 a.m. today, Senator Paul Boyer (R-20), Senator Kelly Townsend (R-16) and Senator Sine Kerr (R-13) joined a team of about 30, consisting of state groundskeepers and inmate work crews, to remove graffiti from more than a dozen areas around the plaza,” according to a press release from the Arizona State Senate Republican Party (GOP).

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MSNBC Contributor Slams Democrats as ‘Too Weak’ to Handle SCOTUS Fallout

Admin

A MSNBC contributor told “ReidOut” host Joy Reid Monday night that Democrats were “too weak” to attack Republicans over Supreme Court rulings on abortion and guns.

“Of course Democrats will be to too weak to handle this,” Jason Johnson, a political scientist and professor at Morgan State University, told Reid. “Here’s the thing, Joy, I have one slight disagreement here. I don’t think the Democrats need to convince the American people that this is a theocratic power grab. They need to convince their own party.”

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White House Rejects Blame for Deadly Migrant Smuggling Event in Texas, Says Border Is ‘Closed’

Admin

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre rejected criticism from Republicans that the Biden administration is to blame for the human smuggling attempt that ended in tragedy Monday in Texas, saying that the border is “closed.”

At least 46 people are dead after an 18-wheeler smuggling migrants was found in San Antonio, Texas, on Monday night. It’s one of the deadliest smuggling incidents from the U.S.-Mexico border in recent decades, according to the Associated Press.

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Jake Hoffman Slams House Bill That Tries to Give Millions in Tax Credits to Movie Makers in Arizona as ‘Anti-Republican’

Neil Jones

Arizona State Representative Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) slammed House Bill (HB) 2156 which aims to entice filmmakers to come to Arizona by offering upwards of $125 million in tax credits, calling it anti-Republican.

“This might be the most outrageous, anti-Republican bill of the entire session. We’ve heard the whole woke narrative, but it’s exactly right. Hollywood is off the rails right now. They are sexualizing our children. They are degrading our culture. They are glorifying violence. Hollywood does not represent the people of Arizona. It is not the industry the people of Arizona want,” Hoffman said during a recent House Floor Session.

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Florida Orange Production Up, Cost of Orange Juice Below Other Food Prices Despite Inflation

The Center Square

There’s a silver lining to some of the hardship Florida citrus producers have faced over the past several years. Their projected crop production is an estimated 2 million box increase from the previous month, the cost for consumers to purchase Florida orange juice is lower than other food despite inflation, and their congressional delegation is advancing a bill to reform FDA standards to help growers.

Florida’s orange production is expected to surpass more than 40 million boxes in the 2021-2022 season, according to a USDA May production forecast, an increase of 2 million boxes from its April forecast.

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Influx of Abortion Pills Expected to Cross U.S.-Mexico Border Following Dobbs Decision

Admin

Unregulated abortion pills are being sold over the border in Mexico and are expected to be smuggled back into the U.S. as an illegal alternative for American women looking for pregnancy termination services.

These abortion pills are readily available over the counter across the border at Mexican pharmacies, according to NPR. Nuevo Progreso is located less than half a mile from the U.S. border, making it easily accessible for Americans to buy medication in-store and for the medicine to be bought in bulk and smuggled back across the border.

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Commentary: The Groomer ‘Panic’ Is a Hill Worth Dying On

Admin

Joe Biden commemorated Pride Month by promising to take the fight for equality to the next level. Gay marriage was yesterday’s battle. The issue of the day is making sure that children with gender dysphoria—or “trans youth,” as Biden called them—have uninhibited access to “gender-affirming care.” By this, Biden meant often irreversible medical interventions such as puberty blockers and sexual reassignment surgery. 

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General Assembly Members Say Governor Lee’s Office Told Them He’s Working on Tennessee National Guard Issue but Affected Guardsmen Say ‘Useless Gesture’

Aaron Gulbransen

Several General Assembly members in both the state House and state Senate have shared a text message with The Tennessee Star that purports to be a message from Governor Bill Lee’s office that says the governor is working on the issue and specifically mentions “religious and personal exemptions.”

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Marsha Blackburn Supports Tennessee National Guard Soldiers: ‘Working on Legislation That Would Prohibit’ Funding to Implement Mandate

Aaron Gulbransen

Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn told The Tennessee Star Tuesday that she strongly supports the Tennessee National Guard soldiers who are about to be fired due to noncompliance with a vaccine mandate on Thursday. 

Blackburn also mentioned she is working on federal legislation to help them.

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Country Music Personalities React to SCOTUS Abortion Decision

Peter D'Abrosca

Some of country music’s largest stars and personalities have spoken out against the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in the days after the decision was made.

“Today, I hold my two year old son with tears streaming down my face because all my love and planning still wasn’t enough to protect him from being born in a country who could do this to women. Women, the ones who gave each Supreme Court Justice on the bench the right to be here, the dexterity of their pen hand,” Maren Morris, known for her hit song “The Middle,” said. “Tomorrow I will fight, but today I am grieving.”

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Chorus of Tennessee Legislators Calling on Governor Lee to Help National Guard Members Continues to Grow

Aaron Gulbransen

The chorus of Tennessee legislators calling on Governor Bill Lee to take action to help save the jobs of Tennessee National Guard members continues to grow.

Several additional Tennessee legislators have come forward to The Tennessee Star, issuing statements in solidarity with the Tennessee National Guardsmen who are about to lose their jobs due to noncompliance with the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

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Speaker Cameron Sexton Blasts Biden Administration and Stands with National Guard Members

Aaron Gulbransen

Tennessee Speaker of the House of Representatives Cameron Sexton, in a statement issued to The Tennessee Star, expressed his support for the Tennessee National Guard members who are scheduled to lose their jobs on June 30 due to their refusal to comply with a COVID-19 vaccination mandate. 

Sexton additionally had sharp criticism for the Biden administration’s handling of COVID-19 policies and mandates. 

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Commentary: America Is More Fragile Than the Left Understands

Admin
American flag hanging in the fall time

The Left has been tempting fate since January 2021—applying its nihilist medicine to America on the premise that such a rich patient can ride out any toxic shock.

Our elites assume that all our nation’s past violent protests, all its would-be revolutions, all its cultural upheavals, all its institutionalized lawlessness were predicated on one central truth—America’s central core is so strong, so rich, and so resilient that it can withstand almost any assault. 

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Arizona ACLU Sues to Block ‘Personhood’ Abortion Law After Roe Is Overturned

Susan Berry, PhD

The Arizona affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a motion Saturday that seeks to block the state’s “personhood” law which, they argue, could make all abortions illegal in the state.

The abortion rights groups filed an emergency motion one day after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, returning decisions about abortion to the states.

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Florida Progressives Abstain from Endorsing in Democrat Primary

Grant Holcomb

The Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida has opted to not offer their endorsement for the 2022 Democrat gubernatorial primary. The two most likely candidates to achieve the party nomination are Congressman Charlie Crist (D-FL-13) and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D).

The caucus said that they both feel the two candidates are better options than incumbent Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), but they maintained that the two Democrat candidates did not model a progressive candidate quite close enough.

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Police Investigating Dobbs-Related Vandalism in Fairfax, Lynchburg

Eric Burk

The Fairfax County Police are investigating arson and graffiti on Sunday at the St. John Neumann Catholic Community Church after first responders found a smoldering pile of mulch and graffiti sprayed on the building.

“Fire and Rescue personnel detected an accelerant was likely used in the fire and observed graffiti spray painted on a sign at the entrance of the church. Fire and Rescue personnel requested police to the scene to assist with the investigation,” the FCPD reported in a press release.

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Democrat Stacey Abrams Claims Companies Face ‘Danger’ of Residing in Georgia

Cooper Moran

Stacey Abrams, who is running to replace Republican Governor Brian Kemp, claimed that companies that choose to do business in the state and their female employees face a “danger” for the decision.

The comments follow a decision from the Supreme Court that reversed the decision in Roe v. Wade, which could allow a six-week abortion ban to be enacted in the state.

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