Month: July 2022

Concerns Arise That Cochise County Elections Official Skeptical of Election Fraud Is Screening Election Integrity Proponents from Working at the Polls

Rachel Alexander

Arizonans applying for poll worker positions in Cochise County during this fall’s election are being asked to answer some unusual questions, including regarding their motives. Cochise County Elections Director Lisa Marra added the questions this year to the application that applicants fill out, some believe in an effort to screen out those with concerns about election fraud, which Marra speaks derisively about frequently on Twitter.

Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward tweeted in May that she heard “Election Departments around Arizona are requiring illegal ‘ideological tests’ of poll workers & that they are actively discriminating against #AmericaFirst Republican applicants.”

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Saint Bridget Catholic School’s ‘Bus Box’ Invention Gets Youngkin’s Approval

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin ceremonially signed State Senator Siobhan Dunnavant’s (R-Henrico) SB 774 to allow the use of “bus boxes” underneath school buses to deliver packages – an invention of Clueless Robotics, a team of middle school students from Saint Bridget Catholic School. Two boxes per bus yield a 22-square foot capacity aimed at solving the last-mile delivery problem, as most logistics costs reside in the final mile of delivery. They also think it could help solve a school bus driver shortage by allowing drivers to continue to work even when not carrying students. “Public schools have struggled to find bus drivers, needing to increase their pay. More drivers would work if their pay was higher and the school district offered a full-time job,” the team’s presentation states. Their proposal calls for school districts to partner with Amazon, which would pay for the delivery services. Amazon would deliver packages to the bus lot before it leaves in the morning to take students to school. Then, after dropping the students off, the bus driver would deliver the packages. “We plan to encourage rural neighborhoods to install Amazon lockers outside their neighborhoods for easy delivery,” one student says in a Clueless Robotics video.…

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Mark Brnovich Files Motion to Fully Reinstate Arizona Abortion Law Which Aims to Ban the Procedure

Neil Jones
Mark Brnovich

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich filed a motion in Pima County Wednesday, which seeks to lift a 50-year-old injunction that puts Arizona’s law banning abortions on hold following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision.

“We believe this is the best and most accurate state of the law,” Brnovich said in a press release. “We know this is an important issue to so many Arizonans, and our hope is that the court will provide clarity and uniformity for our state.”

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John Durham Asks Federal Court to Issue 30 Subpoenas for Steele Dossier Source Igor Danchenko’s Trial

Admin

Special counsel John Durham on Tuesday asked a federal court to issue 30 subpoenas for testimony in the trial against Igor Danchenko, the primary source of the discredited Steele dossier.

The court filing asked the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to issue the subpoenas for an “appearance before said Court at Alexandria, Virginia,” starting on Oct. 11 “to testify on behalf of the United States.”

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‘There’s No Money’: ICE Is Set to Run Out of Funding Amid Record Migrant Surge

Admin
U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the McAllen station encounter large group after large group of family units in Los Ebanos, Texas, on Friday June 15. This group well in excess of 100 family units turned themselves into the U.S. Border Patrol, after crossing the border illegally and walking through the town of Los Ebanos.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to run out of funding as the southern border continues to be overwhelmed by migrants making illegal crossings, according to Axios.

If the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) doesn’t step in, the agency could run out of money before October, Axios reported, citing three sources familiar with the situation. To solve the issue, DHS would have to pull funding from other organizations and allocate it to ICE.

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Federal Court Strikes Down Law Against Openly Encouraging People to Come into the U.S. Illegally

Admin
Temporary processing facilities in Donna, Texas, safely processes family units and unaccompanied alien children (UACs) encountered and in the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol March 17, 2021. The facility will bolster processing capacity in the RGV while the permanent Centralized Processing Center in McAllen is renovated. CBP Photo by Jaime Rodriguez Sr.

A U.S. federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that a federal law banning the encouragement of non-U.S. citizens to enter or reside in the country illegally is unconstitutional because it penalizes freedom of speech.

In a 2-1 decision, The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law criminalizes “vast amounts of protected speech” like informing non-citizens about social programs or telling family members to stay in the country even if their visa expires. Although the law is part of a broader statute barring human smuggling, Circuit Judge Nancy Moritz wrote that the law likely bans commonplace statements that are repeated across the nation countless times each day.

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Study: Natural Immunity Is 97 Percent Effective Against Severe COVID After 14 Months

Susan Berry, PhD

A study has found that natural immunity following COVID infection provides protection against severe illness that is superior to that imparted by the COVID vaccines.

In a preprint article published at MedRxiv, Qatar researchers revealed they found people who survived COVID-19 infection, and were not vaccinated, had outstanding protection against severe COVID disease or death from COVID.

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Producer Price Index Rises 11.3 Percent, Another Worrying Inflation Marker

The Center Square

Producer prices soared by 11.3% in June over a year ago as consumers continue to struggle with skyrocketing prices for just about everything.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Producer Price Index data Thursday, which showed a 1.1% increase last month, contributing to a 11.3% increase in the past 12 months, “the largest increase since a record 11.6% jump in March 2022.”

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Metro Nashville Police Department Says Small Percentage of Body-Worn Cameras Malfunctioning

Peter D'Abrosca

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said in a Tuesday release that a small percentage of its officers’ body worn cameras are not working properly. 

“The Nashville Police Department is urgently asking Motorola, the parent company of WatchGuard, the vendor of the police department’s body-worn and in-car camera system, to explain why a small percentage of videos are turning up incomplete when they transfer from the upload server to the storage server,” the release said. 

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Judge Grants Temporary Injunction Against COVID Vax Mandate for Airmen Seeking Religious Exemption

Admin

A district court judge in Ohio granted a temporary injunction Thursday against the Air Force’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all of the branch’s members requesting a religious exemption.

U.S. District Court Judge Matthew McFarland, of the Southern District of Ohio, granted the 14-day injunction in the case of Doster v. Kendall, giving the government seven days to respond and explain “why this Court should not grant a class-wide preliminary injunction,” according to the court order.

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Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Co-Hosts Active Shooter Response Training Seminar

Peter D'Abrosca

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Tuesday hosted an event to teach citizens how to respond in the event that they encounter a mass shooter. 

“TBI is partnering with other sponsors in presenting this event to offer attendees information on how to increase emergency preparedness, understand critical response, and implement actions that increase survivability,” the law enforcement agency said on its Facebook page. “A TBI special agent will be among the panelists available following the seminar to answer questions.”

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Tennessee Republican Leaders React to Inflationary Rate Rising to Highest Level Since 1981

Aaron Gulbransen

Tennessee Republican leaders took the Biden administration and Democrats to task on Wednesday over reports that the inflationary rate rose to 9.1%, the highest level since 1981.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 1.3 percent in June after rising one percent in May, reported on Wednesday, July 13.

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Democrats Play Politics with National Guard Soldiers’ Jobs by Blocking Representative Mark Green’s Amendment to National Defense Authorization Act

Aaron Gulbransen

House Democrats blocked U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07)’s amendment late Tuesday to the National Defense Authorization Act which would have enabled guardsmen who refused the COVID-19 vaccine to stay employed.

Green’s amendment fought to protect National Guard and Reserve troops from being prohibited from paid training or education programs simply for their refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 

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Army Doctor Whistleblower: One of My Patients Was Treated for Suicidal Thoughts After His COVID-19 Vax Exemption Was Rescinded

Julie Carr

Neil W. McCabe, the national political editor of The Star News Network, interviewed Maj. Samuel Sigoloff, an Army doctor dismissed from his position at the Bliss Army Health Center, after his supervisors learned he signed medical exemptions for his soldier patients from the Pentagon’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. All of the medical exemptions he signed were rescinded.

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Over 50 Kentucky Law Enforcement Officials Endorse Attorney General Daniel Cameron for Governor

Aaron Gulbransen

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s campaign for governor released their first round of endorsements, which included over 50 law enforcement officials from all across the Commonwealth.

The list of law enforcement officials included sheriffs, chiefs of police, commonwealth’s attorneys, county attorneys, and jailers, who all support Cameron’s “strong law enforcement agenda.”

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Commentary: Companies Pandering to the Pro-Abortion Crowd Do Not Support Women in Corporate America

Admin

The cynicism of so-called “woke” corporate executives is breathtaking. Their latest pet project – financing and facilitating abortions for their employees – should leave no doubt about their true motivations. 

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling overturning Roe v Wade and returning abortion policy back to the states, dozens of companies have publicly committed to help their employees procure abortions out of state if the state in which they reside bans or restricts the procedure. 

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Judge Temporarily Blocks Arizona ‘Personhood’ Law Protecting Unborn from Moment of Conception

Susan Berry, PhD

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a 2021 Arizona law that provides all legal rights to unborn babies from the moment of conception, agreeing with abortion providers who argued the law is too vague.

In his decision Monday, Judge Douglas Rayes of U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, a Barack Obama appointee, said the state’s “personhood” law is “unconstitutionally vague.”

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Pennsylvania IFO Study: Labor Force Down by 120,000 Since Year Before COVID

Bradley Vasoli

A report released this week by Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) indicates that 120,000 fewer residents are working or actively seeking work than in the year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The study showed the state’s labor force participate rate (LFPR) for those aged 16 and older to be 63 percent in May 2019 and to have declined to 61.9 percent one year later. That percentage has continued gradually decreasing — to 61.8 percent in May 2021 and to 61.7 percent two months ago.

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Wisconsin School Policy Hiding Students’ Gender Identity from Parents Can Continue, Court Finds

Admin

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Friday that a school policy allowing students to secretly change their pronouns at school could remain in place.

In a 4-3 ruling, the state’s supreme court denied an injunction against the policy on procedural grounds because the plaintiffs were anonymous, allowing the gender identity policy to continue, the court’s opinion said. The final decision on the policy will be sent back to a circuit court.

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Connecticut Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate Leora Levy: Blumenthal Has ‘Rubber-Stamped’ Biden’s Failed Policies Making Americans of Every Party Suffer

Susan Berry, PhD

“It’s time to retire Dick Blumenthal,” Leora Levy states on the home page of her campaign website, but the Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Connecticut says she is ready not only to take on the career Democrat politician, but also the “timid” members of her own party “who will abandon or betray us when it comes down to the important votes.”

“Drawing a strong contrast with Dick Blumenthal is the only way to win this Senate seat,” Levy says as she campaigns toward the Connecticut primary on August 9.

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Youngkin Announces Two Board of Historic Resources Appointees Including Historian Outspoken Against Destroying Monuments, Dr. Ann McLean

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced his first two appointments to the Board of Historic Resources (BHR), including Richmond-area art historian Dr. Ann McLean,  who has appeared both on Richmond’s Morning News with John Reid and Bacon’s Rebellion critical of efforts to rename the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library and destroy monuments. The other appointee is Hon. Aimee Jorjani, nominated by Trump to be the first full-time chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The BHR is a seven-member group of governor-appointed Virginia citizens responsible for approving nominations to the Virginia Landmarks Register, to create new or revised state historic markers, and to hold historic preservation easements, according to its website.

“I think we should try to preserve the wonderful heritage that we have in Virginia and that our heritage has come under a vicious attack,” McLean told The Virginia Star.

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Ann Arbor Police Officer Retires over ‘Mob Mentality;’ Police Enforcement Tumbles

The Center Square

by Elyse Apel   An officer from the City of Ann Arbor Police Department retired early due to the “political climate.” Eric Ronewicz, who serves on the executive board of the Police Officers Association of Michigan, sent an email to his superiors on July 3, 2020, saying officers have received no “clear guidance” on how to handle potentially violent situations. Ronewicz’s resignation over the political climate came as statistics show Ann Arbor police have seen a large drop in police enforcement, including physical arrests, parking violations, and traffic violations. Ronewicz said in the email that officers didn’t feel they had the support of the police administration. And he said that when suspects resisted arrest, it could lead to charges against the officer. “We also could have charged criminally in order to satisfy a faction of society even if we abided by law and policy in order to affect an arrest for domestic violence in which force had to have been used,” he said. In the email, which was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, Ronewicz cited the “mob mentality” that he said has taken over the country. He said the lack of guidance from the department and a fear of…

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Florida Ports See Increase in Cargo, Cruise Lines Still Recovering

Steve Stewart

According to an industry report, cargo handled by Florida ports was up over 100% in 2021 when compared to 2020.

The Florida Ports Council released the 2021-2022 Seaport Mission Plan on Wednesday which provides detailed information related to Florida’s 15 seaports.

The report notes that, from a total tonnage perspective, year-over-year two-way, inbound and outbound cargo, rose 118.3% in 2021 compared to 2020.

Florida seaports are an important contributor to the state’s economy. Currently, Florida seaports generate nearly 900,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute $117.6 billion in economic value to the state through cargo and cruise activities.

The report notes that, due to West Coast labor issues and lingering global supply-chain issues, “a re-alignment of global trade routes is clearly underway, and Florida ports are strategically positioned to take maximum advantage of this opportunity.”

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Arizona Gubernatorial Candidate Karrin Taylor Robson Unveils Economic Relief Plan amid Surging Inflation

Neil Jones

Arizona Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Karrin Taylor Robson recently unveiled her economic relief plan, which she would enact if elected as Arizona’s next governor.

“As we’re seeing today, Joe Biden’s inflation is a disaster for Arizona families. I’ve put together an economic plan which focuses on working families – and how we can best set them up for success,” tweeted Robson.

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Conservatives Back Trump-Endorsed Candidate to Defeat Term-Limited House Speaker Rusty Bowers, Now Vying for State Senate Seat

Rachel Alexander

State Representative Rusty Bowers (R-Mesa) is facing stiff competition for the Republican nomination for the state senate seat he is now running for, political watchers say, as the term-limited Arizona House Speaker campaigns against the well-known, Trump-endorsed former State Senator David Farnsworth to represent the people of the 10th Legislative District.  

State Representative Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) warned that Bowers is a “career politician” who “will betray you repeatedly then lie to make you think they were on your side the whole time.” In a post on Telegram, he relayed a couple of his bad experiences in the Arizona Legislature with Bowers, while refuting Bowers’ new campaign ad.

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Virginia ‘Meets Requirements’ for Compliance with Federal Special Education Requirements

Eric Burk

Virginia earned the top rating — “Meets Requirements”–  for the 11th consecutive year on a federal report card looking at outcomes for students with disabilities.

“Results-driven accountability looks beyond compliance with the provisions of IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] to see whether the efforts of special educators at the state and local levels are actually improving outcomes for students with disabilities. This latest federal rating shows that Virginia’s special educators continue to do just that,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow said in a Virginia Department of Education [VDOE] press release. “I think every school in the Commonwealth can take a page from the special education playbook by providing individualized instruction plans and tailored interventions for all students.”

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Mark Brnovich Opposes Stay in Judgement Involving a Dangerous Department of Homeland Security Policy

Neil Jones

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich led a coalition of 19 states on Wednesday in filing an amicus brief at the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in opposition to the federal government’s application for a stay regarding the U.S. Department of Homeland Securities’ (DHS) dangerous Permanent Guidance policy.

“The federal government’s plan would intentionally and substantially increase illegal immigration when border crossings are already at unprecedented levels,” Brnovich said in a press release. “Instead of seeking solutions, the Biden administration is attempting to further inflame the crisis.”

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ICE to Provide Free Transportation for Pregnant Illegal Aliens to Pro-Abortion States

Admin

New guidance issued to agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ordered them to transport pregnant illegal aliens across state lines so they can get abortions in states where the practice is not banned.

The Daily Caller reports that the guidance will be announced formally in a memo later this week, after the instructions were initially leaked to the Wall Street Journal.

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Poll: Democrats Are Quickly Becoming the Party of White Elites

Admin

More college-educated white voters than minorities are backing the Democratic Party, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll released Tuesday,

The poll found that 57% of white voters with a bachelor’s degree would prefer Democrats to control Congress after the 2022 elections, compared to just 36% who would want Republicans to do so. Meanwhile, Republicans are having increasing success with minority voters, with Hispanics essentially split in their responses on which party they prefer to control Congress, and non-Hispanic, non-black minorities actually preferring Republican control by a margin of 39% to 34%, the poll found.

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Commentary: Buttigieg Missing in Action on Supply Chain Disasters

Admin

Pete Buttigieg is the United States Transportation Secretary elevated from his role as a failed presidential candidate and a marginally competent mayor of South Bend, Indiana. During his tenure, our nation has suffered from unprecedented supply chain disruptions ranging from on-going back-ups at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, where forty percent of our nation’s imports arrive, to airline pilot shortages which are causing thousands of flights to be cancelled during high volume travel days. 

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