National Legal and Policy Center Attorney Paul Kamenar Comments on May 2020 Letter Alerting Lack of Transparency in Anonymous Funding to Biden Penn Center

Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed the counsel for National Legal and Policy Center, attorney Paul Kamenar to comment on the letter he wrote in May of 2020 alerting Secretary of Education’s Betsy DeVos about millions in anonymous funds received by the Penn Biden Center.

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RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel Will Not Participate in Public Debate with Challengers Harmeet Dhillon and Mike Lindell

Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel reportedly declined to participate in a live, public debate with her opponents, according to POLITICO.

McDaniel, seeking a fourth term as chair, cited her “existing commitment to a forum” that the RNC will hold regarding being absent from the live debate, the outlet reported Friday.

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Biden-Penn-China Funding Concerns Flagged for Then-Pennsylvania AG Josh Shapiro 18 Months Ago

Concerns about funding ties linking China, Joe Biden and the heavily Chinese-funded University of Pennsylvania were brought to the attention of state law enforcement almost two years ago, with no official action taken by the state’s then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro or any members of his staff. 

The letter, sent by a group called “Take Back Our Republic” and addressed to Shapiro and other high-ranking members of his team, was sent in July of 2021. That was nearly a year and a half before the Biden classified document story broke, resulting in Attorney General Merrick Garland appointing a special counsel on Thursday to investigate the matter. 

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Female Athletes Demand NCAA Protect Women’s Sports Outside Annual Convention

Female athletes, alumni and supporters delivered a petition to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Thursday demanding that the governing body take deliberate action to prohibit men from competing in women’s sports.

The petition was delivered after the “Our Body, Our Sports” rally Thursday morning in San Antonio, Texas, during the NCAA’s annual convention. The petition demanded that the NCAA commit to single-sex athletic teams and “keep women’s sports female.”

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Arizona Court of Appeals to Expedites Kari Lake’s Election Challenge Appeal

The Arizona Court of Appeals has set a date of February 1st for conferencing on Kari Lake’s lawsuit attempting to overturn the results of the 2022 General election.

“Our appeal is scheduled to be heard before the court on February 1st. Do not underestimate @KariLake’s desire to get justice for the people of Arizona. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. She will see this through,” tweeted the Lake campaign.

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House Democrats Oppose Resolution Condemning Violence Against Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers

Nearly all House Democrats opposed a resolution Wednesday condemning the political violence against pro-life pregnancy centers and their supportive allies that occurred in the aftermath of the leak of the U.S. Supreme Court’s draft opinion in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

The House voted, 222-209, to approve the resolution, introduced by Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA) that states since the leak of the draft opinion, “individuals professing anti-life views have targeted, destroyed, or vandalized numerous pro-life facilities, groups, and even churches to further their radical cause.”

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Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Bans Critical Race Theory and Government Use of Woke Term ‘Latinx’ in Executive Orders

Newly sworn-in Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) began her term of office by signing seven executive orders, including one that bans Critical Race Theory (CRT) and another that prohibits government use of the woke term “Latinx.”

In her inaugural address, Sanders announced education reform would be “the hallmark of my administration,” and that one of her immediate executive orders would be “preventing the political indoctrination of Arkansas’s schoolchildren.”

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Sex Change Patients Reported Serious Health Problems After Surgery, Study Finds

A new study examining transgender patients’ stressors and coping mechanisms revealed widespread unhappiness with the outcomes of various cross-sex medical procedures, along with serious complications and negative side effects from surgeries and medications.

Researchers at the Amsterdam University Medical Center and Amsterdam Public Health Institute interviewed 19 Dutch transgender patients, all of whom had undergone some cross-sex medical procedures, in a voluntary survey published Dec. 28. Numerous participants reported ongoing physical and mental health issues after medical interventions including decreased strength and libido, genitals turning black and a genital implant not fitting properly, resulting in more than a dozen follow-up surgeries.

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America Is Shipping So Many Weapons to Ukraine, Defense Companies Can’t Keep Up, Top Navy Officers Warn

Top officers in the U.S. Navy warned that the Ukraine war is putting a strain on an already stretched industrial base Tuesday, complaining defense contractors continue to fall behind in keeping up with the Navy’s needs, according to media reports.

Defense companies have struggled for years to keep pace with the Navy’s demands, citing pandemic-induced supply chain setbacks and a shortage of available labor, Navy Times reported. As the U.S. continues sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine, heightening the burden on weapons manufacturers, top Navy brass expressed worry that the fleet could fall dangerously low on needed assets if the war stretches out much longer.

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Attorney Files Lawsuit Against Judge Who Dismissed Kari Lake’s Election Contest

Ryan Heath, an attorney who started The Gavel Project to engage in lawfare against woke ideology, has filed a lawsuit against the judge who dismissed Kari Lake’s election lawsuit. Submitted on Monday, the Writ of Mandamus demands that Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson vacate his ruling and award the election to Lake.

Heath told The Arizona Sun Times he doesn’t really know where Thompson came up with the really high bar he required Lake’s attorneys to prove in order to overturn the election. Thompson required showing by clear and convincing evidence that the misconduct was intentional and meant to change the election, was performed by one of the appropriate people in charge, and that it changed the election. Heath said this was the wrong standard, he should have relied on Reyes v. Cuming, a 1997 Arizona case involving similar circumstances, where signatures on the envelopes were not compared to the voter registration list, violating a non-technical statute.

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Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education Unanimously Passes Resolution in Opposition to State Third Grade Retention Law

The Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Board of Education has joined the ranks of school districts that have passed referendums opposing Tennessee’s 3rd-grade retention law. The law, which goes into effect this year, mandates that all 3rd-graders who fail to achieve a score of “meets expectations” on the state’s annual  TCAP test repeat third grade unless they avail themselves of one of the state’s options.

Those options include achieving a required score after retaking the test, enrolling in Summer School, or enrolling in a tutoring program for the next year. Parents, if they choose to, have the opportunity to file an appeal. 

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At Inauguration, Georgia Gov. Kemp, LG Jones Call for Tax Relief, Money for Law Enforcement and Schools, and Tougher Sentencing Guidelines

During their inaugural speeches, Governor Brian Kemp and newly-elected Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones painted a picture of Republican successes in Georgia but called for further tax relief, investment in schools and health care, and tough-on-crime policies. “Last year on the campaign trail, no matter where we went, hard-working Georgians told us about the pain they and their families were feeling at the pump, at the grocery store, in everyday life, thanks to 40-year-high inflation. I know these pains haven’t gone away,” Kemp said Thursday after being sworn in for a second term. The inauguration came amid the first week of the legislature’s session, and a day before Kemp’s office will share his budget proposals with legislators. Kemp said his proposal would include $2,00o pay raises for state employees, including teachers and law enforcement; $150 million in grants to address learning loss; $1 billion set aside for income tax refunds; and $1.1 billion for homeowner property tax relief. In his speech, Jones praised Kemp for his leadership and said Kemp made Georgia the first state to reopen the economy amid COVID-19. “We have a $6 billion surplus. Our unemployment rate is a record low. We’ve created hundreds of thousands of new…

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Minnesota Legislature Considers Bill to Give Driver’s Licenses to Illegal Immigrants

Minnesota Democrats are moving forward with a bill that would allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.

Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis, lead author of the bill in the Senate, said illegal immigrants were eligible for driver’s licenses in Minnesota until 2003, when Gov. Tim Pawlenty “unilaterally” established a requirement that applicants demonstrate proof of legal residence.

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Pennsylvania Senate Passes Voter ID Amendment

The Pennsylvania Senate this week passed an amendment to the state Constitution that would require individuals to provide identification to vote in person in an election.

Also contained in the bill the chamber approved are an amendment that would open the statute of limitations for survivors of child sexual abuse and another amendment that would strengthen legislators’ power against a governor’s regulatory authority. 

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Group ‘Parents on Patrol’ Bring Anti-Transgender Activist Chole Cole to Wisconsin for ‘Stolen Innocence’ Event

Chloe Cole this week told a Washington, D.C. think tank that she was coerced into taking puberty blockers and having her breasts surgically removed.

She was 15 years old.

“It’s important to know how awful it really is,”  Cole told the Heritage Foundation about her double mastectomy.”Really, it’s like Nazi-era experiments.”

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Sec. Transportation: Port of Virginia Strong, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Trouble

RICHMOND, Virginia — In a Thursday presentation to legislators, Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller touted reduced DMV wait times, record Port of Virginia profits, and expansion at Virginia’s spaceport, but he said fatality rates on Virginia highways are ticking up and northern Virginia commuter rail and metro options are in bad financial condition.

“WMATA [Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority] is not so good,” Miller told the Senate Transportation Committee. “A new CEO, really excited about him. A lot of work to do. A lot. Huge deficit looming. Not really sure how we’re going to deal with that.”

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Florida Officials Unveil Bill That Would Ban Tracking of Firearm and Ammunition Purchases

Florida officials introduced legislation Tuesday that would prohibit financial institutions from collecting data on firearm and ammunition purchases, alleging that it violates the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, according to a press release.

In September, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approved the use of a merchant code for firearms stores, which financial institutions, such as credit card companies, can voluntarily adopt to track firearm-related purchases. The “Florida Arms and Ammo Act” would fine credit card companies up to $10,000 per violation, according to WTSP10News.

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School Board in Wisconsin Affirms Parental Rights

The School District of Waukesha (Wisconsin) Board of Education this week passed a resolution recognizing parental rights with regard to political and gender issues. 

The measure, which passed the board 8-0, furthermore affirms biological sex as determinative in allowing students to join sports teams and use bathroom facilities. Board President Kelly Piacsek said she drafted the resolution to address concerns that numerous parents brought to her and other school directors. She added that she is a parent of three students who attend district schools. 

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Arizona State Senator J.D. Mesnard Says a Bill to Expedite Election Results Is Coming This Session

Arizona State Senator J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler) released a new video in his weekly update series titled “The Right Note,” addressing the length of time it took for races to be called in Arizona’s general election. In response to this issue, he stated that legislation to expedite this process is in the works.

“So, what I’m proposing is that folks who are waiting until Election Day to return their mail-in ballots should be treated similar to those who actually walked up to the polls and vote on Election Day. The main difference being that you would have to show ID,” Mesnard said.

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State Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Overhaul Ohio Education System and Board of Education

Ohio Senate Republicans are making another attempt to overhaul the state education system and the Board of Education by introducing a bill Wednesday afternoon that reconsiders a proposition that fell short of approval last month.

The 2,000-page bill, Senate Bill (SB) 1, sponsored by state Senator Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin), would “restructure” the Ohio Department of Education, create a new administrative division under the governor’s office, and reduce the duties of the State Board of Education. This was the first introduced bill of 2023.

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Lawsuit Filed Against City of Phoenix for Suppressing Speech During Super Bowl

The Arizona-based Goldwater Institute (GI) announced that a lawsuit had been filed against the city of Phoenix Wednesday, alleging that it is violating the first amendment rights of some citizens leading up to the Super Bowl in February.

“Hosting sporting events should not come at the cost of surrendering fundamental rights. But by giving the NFL a blank check to censor the messages people can share, the city of Phoenix is trampling on hundreds of business owners and thousands of residents’ right to communicate with the public on their own property,” said GI Staff Attorney John Thorpe in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.

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Agents Seize Record Amount of Methamphetamine During Columbus Investigation

In what the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is describing as one of their biggest arrests in years, authorities recovered eight pounds of methamphetamine from a Columbus apartment and detained two people.

DEA agents in collaboration with officers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol raided the Columbus apartment on Wednesday. Inside, more meth was discovered than the DEA had ever found in a single arrest in Central Ohio. 

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Pima County Reworks Lease with World View Following Successful Appeal from the Goldwater Institute

Pima County announced Wednesday that its board of supervisors has settled on a new lease agreement with aerospace firm World View following a legal defeat from the Arizona-based Goldwater Institute (GI).

“This revision of the World View lease should put to rest years of legal wrangling over how Arizona counties can participate in economic development activities and business retention. Having prevailed on three of Goldwater’s four claims, and Goldwater on the fourth, we and all the other counties in the state now know where the lines are drawn, which is the silver lining in this costly dispute,” said County Administrator Jan Lesher in a statement shared with the press.

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Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Slapped with a ‘Notice of Violation’ over Local Zoning Ordinance

The regulatory shoe is on the other foot for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, served with notice on that it has violated Winnebago County zoning code. 

It appears the agency failed to secure conditional use and zoning permits before starting construction on a maintenance garage (cold storage building) in the county. 

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Marijuana Legalization Petition for Ohio Legislature Resubmitted by Secretary of State for Four-Month Review

An activist-led petition for marijuana legalization in Ohio has been formally resubmitted to the legislature by the Ohio Secretary of State, giving legislators four months to evaluate the change. Advocates may then gather more signatures to get the issue on the November ballot if legislators do not take action.

In a letter to legislative leaders, Secretary of State Frank LaRose stated that he had fulfilled his duty to introduce the reform proposal to the legislature on the first day of the new session and to begin the four-month timeframe for lawmakers to consider it.

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Gaetz: Republicans Will Release 14,000 Hours of January 6 Tapes That Have Been Hidden from the Public

House Republicans intend to release 14,000 hours of January 6 tapes that have been hidden from the public, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) revealed on Tuesday.

During an interview with Turning Point USA (TPUSA) president Charlie Kirk on his radio show,  Gaetz said that releasing the tapes “would give more full context to that day rather than the cherry-picked moments of the January 6th committee.”

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El Paso Opens Tent-Like Intake Center to House 1,000 Immigrants

Border surge

The United States Border Patrol inaugurated this Wednesday in El Paso, Texas, a huge tent in the desert with capacity for 1,000 migrants, in order to help process the record number of people who cross the border between the United States and Mexico .

Located on the outskirts of the city, the temporary facility is the size of 23 football fields or 153,000 square feet and can hold 1,000 people. The facilities are weather resistant, air-conditioned and have spacious areas for eating, sleeping and washing.

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Commentary: Nancy Pelosi’s Other Legacy Is a Mountain of Debt for Our Children

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi officially stepped away from leadership last week after two decades directing the political agenda of House Democrats.

There’s no denying the historic nature of the California lawmaker’s tenure, whose leadership began in 2002 when she became the first woman elected House minority whip. She’d go on to take up the gavel of House speaker twice (from 2007–2011 and 2019–2023), making her the only female House speaker in history and one of a few to serve nonconsecutive terms.

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