Month: January 2023

Ohio House Speaker Stephens Denies Debate or Amendments on GOP Leadership or House Rules

Hannah Poling

The Ohio House approved a new rules package Tuesday despite objections from Republican lawmakers. The provisions set the guidelines for the upcoming session. House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) advanced the House rules to a vote without allowing for any debate or amendments. Republicans who supported state Representative Derek Merrin (R-Monclova) for speaker argued that Stephens excluded them from the process.

Lawmakers controversially elected Stephens as speaker earlier this month to succeed state Representative Bob Cupp (R-Lima). The choice came despite the Republican Caucus‘ previous selection in November of Merrin as the new speaker. Although the GOP caucus voted for Merrin as Speaker of the House in December, Stephen fought in collaboration with the Democrats to collect votes and garner a win.

Read the full story

Republican Senators Re-Introduce No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act

M.D. Kittle

In a show of pro-life solidarity, 47 Republican U.S. senators are re-introducing a bill that would establish a permanent prohibition on federal funding for abortion, replacing the current restrictions with a single, government-wide standard.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, the lawmakers say, attempts to clean up inconsistent and haphazard policies that have regulated federal funding for abortion.

Read the full story

Kari Lake Files Reply Brief with Arizona Court of Appeals in Election Contest Lawsuit

Rachel Alexander

Kari Lake’s election lawsuit contesting her loss to Democrat Katie Hobbs in the gubernatorial race is at the Arizona Court of Appeals after being dismissed by the trial court judge. Lake filed a reply on Tuesday to the responses from defendants Maricopa County and then-Secretary of State Hobbs.

The reply brief began, “Defendants ignore the trial court’s holdings, misstate the law, misstate material facts, and — unable to get their stories straight — contradict each other.” 

Read the full story

DeSantis Facing Lawsuit over Ban on African-American Studies

Admin

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) is facing a lawsuit from three high school students over his Education Department’s decision to ban an Advanced Placement (AP) course on African-American studies.

As reported by NPR, the lawsuit was announced on Wednesday by State Representative Fentrice Driskell (D-Fla.). Speaking at a press conference, Driskell said that “by rejecting the African American history pilot program, Ron DeSantis has clearly demonstrated that he wants to dictate whose history does — and doesn’t — belong.”

Read the full story

Arizona State Legislators and Guests Address Southern Border Crisis and Plans to Alleviate It at State Capitol

Neil Jones

PHOENIX, Arizona – Republican members of the state legislature gathered outside the state capitol to discuss the ongoing crisis caused by conditions at the southern border and how they plan to address it in the coming session. State Rep. Steve Montenegro (R-Avondale) began the meeting by addressing the fentanyl flowing into the country across the border.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is now a public health crisis, and we need to take swift action to deal with what is happening, to combat it,” Montenegro said. “The legislature is focused on empowering law enforcement to stop border crimes by directing resources, forming task forces, and applying pressure on those who are abetting this crisis and denying the disastrous effects it has on our communities.”

Read the full story

Governor DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Husted Announce Ohio Administrative Code Regulatory Reform

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted have unveiled a new strategy to streamline the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) by focusing on redundant clauses, out-of-date portions, and pointless mandates.

The strategy, which DeWine is launching with the aid of the Ohio Common Sense Initiative (CSI), makes recommendations for the removal of portions of the OAC using modern AI technologies that it identifies as unnecessary.

Read the full story

New Bill from Rep. Rachel Jones Would Bar an Arizona Secretary of State from Certifying Their Own Election

Neil Jones

One of Arizona’s newest Republican State Representatives, Rachel Jones (R-Tucson), introduced a new bill that would prevent a Secretary of State from certifying an election in which they participated.

“So, I think it is pretty clear what the intent of this bill is. It is basically saying if a current Secretary of State is running for another office, such as happened in the 2022 election with Katie Hobbs running for governor, this is just getting rid of any potential conflicts of interests with that individual,” Jones said while introducing her bill to the House Municipal Oversight and Elections Committee.

Read the full story

Commentary: Nationwide Rent Control Is a Dangerous Proposition

Admin

Some of our nation’s politicians seem to know very little about basic economic principles despite constantly proposing legislative action on economic issues. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D–N.Y.) now want federal regulators to impose rent control on the entire nation. In their letter to the Biden administration, which was signed by 50 members of Congress, Warren and Bowman request that the administration “pursue all possible strategies” to control high rents. These politicians portray themselves as fighting for the average American, but, if they get their way, the results will be catastrophic.

Read the full story

Commentary: EV Mandates Could Mean California-Style Backouts in Minnesota

Admin

California recently announced a ban on all gas-powered vehicles by 2035. This is a decision that will have wide ranging negative implications for Minnesotans.

Residents in the Gopher state may be curious how an administrative decision made halfway across the country will affect them, but the answer is relatively simple: last year Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) unilaterally finalized a rule to cede their regulatory authority over automobile emissions to regulators in the Golden State. 

Read the full story

Cardinal Says Pope Francis Has No ‘Contact with the Holy Spirit’ in New Book

Admin

Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is releasing a book that accuses Pope Francis of giving “privileged status” to his friends that are accused of sexual abuse in the church, according to Catholic news website LaCroix International.

The Roman Catholic Church has suffered multiple sexual abuse scandals over the years after several reports from the Vatican found that the clergy, particularly in France, had abused thousands of victims. While Müller says that France’s Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church (CIASE) 2021 report was “inflated and exaggerated,” the cardinal claims in his new book, “In Good Faith: Religion in the 21st Century,” that Francis has helped protect those close to him by granting them a special “status,” citing the case of Argentine Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, who was convicted in March 2022 of sexual abuse of two victims during seminary, as an example, according to LaCroix International.

Read the full story

DeSantis Backs Harmeet Dhillon in RNC Race

Just the News

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis endorsed former Trump campaign attorney Harmeet Dhillon in her challenge to Ronna McDaniel for Republican National Committee chair. “I think we need a change. I think we need to get some new blood in the RNC,” DeSantis told Charlie Kirk on Real America’s Voice in an interview aired Thursday, one day before the vote for RNC speaker.

Read the full story

Abortion Pill Maker Sues Red States over Bans: ‘Impacts the Company’s Bottom Line’

Admin

A company behind the manufacturing of a pill used in chemical abortions filed a lawsuit on Wednesday morning challenging state bans on the abortions, The New York Times reported.

GenBioPro, which makes the abortion pill mifepristone, filed the lawsuit in a West Virginia federal court to argue that Federal Food and Drug regulations (FDA) take priority over state laws regulating abortion, according to the NYT. The lawsuit argues that the FDA’s approval of the abortion pill trumps state laws and that abortion bans violate the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, which protects interstate commerce.

Read the full story

Pope Francis Says Homosexuality Is ‘A Sin’ but Should Not Be Criminalized

Admin

Pope Francis I said in an interview with the Associated Press that “homosexuality is not a crime” and encouraged bishops to stop practicing forms of conversion therapy.

Francis has come under scrutiny in the past for his statements regarding the LGBTQ community, including his perceived endorsement of same-sex civil unions in 2020. The pope stated during the interview that while homosexuality is considered a sin, it should not be a “crime.” 

Read the full story

Conservative Senators Demand Spending Cuts, Fiscal Reform in Debt Ceiling Deal

M.D. Kittle

Fiscal hawks in the Senate reiterated their demands for fiscal reforms and spending cuts Tuesday as they voiced their support for House Republicans to lead the heavy-lifting on addressing the nation’s debt ceiling crisis. 

“We have an opportunity to stop the madness, and it’s incumbent on the Republican majority in the House and Republicans in the Senate to use every lever point we have,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) at a press conference on the debt ceiling and runaway spending. 

Read the full story

Tennessee Firearms Association Looking for Plaintiffs for Possible Lawsuit Against the State over Gun-Free Zones

Kaitlin Housler

The Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA) is looking for plaintiffs to take part in a possible lawsuit against the state of Tennessee pertaining to the state’s gun-free zones.

A lawsuit is being prepared for filing in state court against the State of Tennessee that will address gun-free zones and whether those zones violate the constitution, according to the TFA.

Read the full story

County Residents in Minnesota Take Issue with Vulgar, Sexually Graphic Books in School Libraries

Admin

Residents in a Twin Cities suburb are voicing concerns about the vulgar language and sexually explicit content in pro-LGBT and “anti-racist” school library books.

During the open forum portion of the Eastern Carver County School Board meeting in Chaska Monday evening, community members requested more transparency and input about the books that children and teenagers in the district can get their hands on.

Read the full story

College Board Announces Revision of AP African American Studies Course After DeSantis Rejects Pilot for Florida

Susan Berry, PhD

The College Board announced Tuesday that it will be updating its framework for its Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies (APAAS) course following its rejection by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and his state’s Department of Education (FDOE).

The College Board said in a statement its final framework for the course will be released on Feb. 1, reported WESH.

Read the full story

Study: Students in Wisconsin Choice Schools Outperforming Public School Peers

M.D. Kittle

On this National School Choice Week, a new study by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty shows parental choice programs continuing to outperform public schools, particularly in the state’s largest city. 

“Apples to Apples: Accessing Wisconsin State of Education”, accesses Badger State educational performance across public, charter, and private voucher schools.

Read the full story

Penn Biden Center Hosted ‘Bootcamp’ for Congressional Staffers Promoting Closer China Ties

Bradley Vasoli

President Joe Biden’s D.C.-based think tank operated by the University of Pennsylvania reportedly held a two-day “bootcamp” last year during which congressional staffers were urged to support greater cooperation between the United States and China. 

The Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement has become the subject of heightened public attention in light of revelations earlier this month that Biden, who used the establishment as his main D.C. office, kept classified federal documents there. 

Read the full story

Commentary: Frustrated by Police Inaction, the Pro-Life Movement Takes Up the Work of Law Enforcement

RealClearWire

Last June a firebomb ripped through the CompassCare crisis pregnancy center in Buffalo, causing extensive damage but no deaths. Amid the rubble and soot, the words “Jane was here” were written on the wall, suggesting that the militant abortion rights group Jane’s Revenge was responsible. Almost immediately, authorities all the way up to the FBI assured the pro-life enterprise they would bring the perpetrators to justice. 

Read the full story

Georgia Gov. Kemp: ‘State of Our State Has Never Been Stronger’

Eric Burk

In his State of the State Address, Governor Brian Kemp touted progress in his first term, and laid out next steps that include increased education, incentives for law enforcement and healthcare professionals, and targeted Medicaid expansion through the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program. “Over the last four years our greatest achievements were accomplished when both chambers worked hand-in-hand with my office to put the people of our state ahead of the status quo,” Kemp told legislators Wednesday. He said, “I’m proud to report that because of the foundation that we have built together over these past four years, because of the resilience shown by the people of our great state, because of the resolve they continue to show, the state of our state has never been stronger.” Kemp laid out many of the same priorities and proposals that he highlighted in his inaugural speech and his budget proposal earlier in January, including $1.9 billion for education across the Fiscal Year 2023 and 2024 budget proposals, tougher penalties for certain crimes, and $4.5 million in loan repayment programs for healthcare professionals. He also highlighted the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program, which comes as Republicans resist a larger Medicaid expansion to cover…

Read the full story

Georgia Police Officer Resigns After Being Put on Leave for Facebook Post on Traditional Marriage

Admin

A Georgia police officer has resigned after he was told by superiors that he could not share his personal religious views on social media.  

“If someone somewhere considers an opinion I have—that isn’t a direct quotation from Scripture—to be offensive, then that would be a fireable offense,” Jacob Kersey, the former officer, told The Daily Signal.

Read the full story

Report: Connecticut Home Visit Program Curbs Absenteeism

The Center Square

A federally funded Connecticut program that pays for “home visits” to check on chronically absent students has reduced truancy, according to a new report. 

The report by the Center for Connecticut Education Research Collaboration said the state’s Learner Engagement and Attendance Program found student attendance rates increased by approximately 4% in the month following an initial visit. 

Read the full story

DOJ Indicts Radical Activists for Attacking Florida Pro-Life Facilities

Admin

Following attacks on over 78 pro-life groups across the nation, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has finally indicted two pro-abortion activists for attacking pro-life facilities in Florida.

Twenty-seven-year-old Caleb Freestone and 23-year-old Amber Smith-Stewart “targeted pregnancy resource facilities and vandalized those facilities with spray-painted threats,” according to the DOJ. The threatening language that the two used to vandalize the pro-life facilities mirrors that of the terrorist group Jane’s Revenge.

Read the full story

Ohio School District Requests Court to Dismiss Lawsuit over Indoctrination and LGBTQ ‘I’m Here’ Badges

Hannah Poling

Less than a week after parents sued Hilliard City School in federal court because teachers are engaging in “intimate sexual conversations” with pupils as young as 6 years old, school officials are requesting the court to dismiss the lawsuit.

In a motion submitted by Columbus attorney Jessica Philemon in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Ohio on Monday, the district claims that the parents lack standing to launch a lawsuit because they ” have not alleged an actual case or controversy that would invoke the jurisdiction of the federal courts.”

Read the full story

Ohio Residents Demand Dismissal of Assistant Principal for Critical Race Theory Indoctrination in Classrooms

Hannah Poling

Mason, Ohio residents are speaking out and demanding the dismissal of Mason City Schools Assistant Principal Vivian Alvarez following Accuracy in Media’s undercover investigation that revealed school administrators in Cincinnati, Ohio have admitted to covertly indoctrinating students with Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the classrooms.

According to Alvarez, she wouldn’t be concerned if the legislation prohibiting CRT in schools were to pass as the local government allegedly supports CRT indoctrination.

Read the full story

State Representative Derek Merrin Elected to Lead Ohio House Republican Caucus

Hannah Poling

On Tuesday, state Representative Derek Merrin (R-Monclova) was chosen by the majority of GOP members to serve as the formal chairman of the House Republican Caucus and Vice-Chair of its campaign arm, giving him authority over the group’s spending.

Usually, the majority caucus chair would be the same person chosen to lead the 99-member House, but state Representative Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) was controversially elected as Speaker to succeed state Representative Bob Cupp (R-Lima). The choice came despite the Republican Caucus‘ previous selection in November of Merrin as the new Speaker. Although the GOP caucus voted for Merrin as Speaker of the House in December, Stephen fought in collaboration with the Democrats to collect votes and garner a win.

Read the full story

Bill to Establish Permanent Daylight Saving Time Defeated in Virginia Senate

The Center Square

After discussing the measure at length, lawmakers in the state Senate voted to kill a bill seeking to establish permanent Daylight Saving Time in Virginia. 

Following debate and discussion that at times prompted laughter in the chamber, lawmakers ultimately voted down Senate Bill 1017, which proposed ending the practice of changing the clocks twice a year, and would keep Virginia on daylight saving time. 

Read the full story

State Representative Announces Hearing to Discuss Arizona Public School Spending Limitation

Neil Jones

Newly Elected State Rep. Matt Gress (R-Maricopa), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Budgetary Funding Formulas, announced a hearing for Thursday to review the public school spending cap created by the aggregate expenditure limit (AEL).

“The purpose of this committee hearing is to ensure the record investments we’ve made in K-12 education over the last eight years are effectively and responsibly spent so that we can properly invest in our state’s future leaders,” said Gress.

Read the full story

Russian Oligarch Keeps Showing Up in the Most Inconvenient Places for FBI, Washington Elites

Admin

The bombshell indictments this week alleging that a former senior FBI counterintelligence agent had an inappropriate financial relationship with Oleg Deripaska focused fresh light on an uncomfortable truth: Washington elites have simultaneously demonized and cozied up to the controversial Russian oligarch over the last two decades.

Deripaska, a protégé of Russian president Vladimir Putin and once owner of the country’s largest aluminum company Rusal, has been courted over the years by a prominent Democrat senator seeking help from his lawyer and FBI agents seeking dirt on Donald Trump, enlisted by the bureau to spend his own money to find a missing FBI agent in Iran and lured into hiring Christopher Steele for a legal project before the former MI-6 agent penned his famous dossier.

Read the full story

Commentary: The Environmentalist Assault on Civilization

Admin

No reasonable person would deny the importance of protecting the environment. The accomplishments of the environmental movement over the past 50 years are undeniable: cleaner air and water, protected wildernesses, and more efficient use of resources. The list is endless and illustrious. Environmentalist values are an integral part of any responsible public policy agenda. But the pendulum has swung too far.

Read the full story

DOJ Official Overseeing Prosecution of Pregnancy Center Attacks Has a History of Disparaging Them

Admin

A top Department of Justice (DOJ) official who has criticized pregnancy resource centers, which she called “fake clinics,” is responsible for overseeing the prosecution of two individuals indicted for attacking pregnancy resource centers, according to the DOJ.

The DOJ indicted Caleb Freestone and Amber Smith-Stewart this week for various FACE Act violations after they allegedly spray-painted threats on pregnancy resource centers such as “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you” and “WE’RE COMING for U,” according to the DOJ. Kristen Clarke, the Assistant Attorney General heading the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, which will be prosecuting this case, condemned the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to strike down a California law requiring pregnancy resource centers to offer information about state-funded abortions, as previously reported by The Washington Free Beacon.

Read the full story

Hawley’s ‘PELOSI Act’ Would Outlaw Insider Trading for Congress

Admin

Lawmakers and their spouses would be prohibited from using privileged information to trade stocks, under legislation introduced Tuesday by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. 

Hawley’s bill follows news last year that then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, traded between $1 million and $5 million worth of semiconductor stocks shortly before Congress allocated $52 million to the industry. 

Read the full story

Meta to Reinstate Trump’s Facebook, Instagram Accounts

Just the News

Social media giant Meta announced Wednesday that it would reinstate former President Donald Trump\’s accounts on both Facebook and Instagram. The former president was suspended from both platforms in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2022, Capitol Riot. Other social media platforms such as Twitter acted likewise, prompting Trump to create Truth Social, a digital platform similar to Twitter that practiced looser content moderation than its competitors.

Read the full story