Day: February 22, 2023

Former President Donald Trump Visits East Palestine, Ohio

Hannah Poling

Former President Donald Trump traveled to East Palestine, Ohio, on Wednesday to the scene of a catastrophic train derailment, where locals and leaders have grown increasingly dissatisfied with the federal government’s reaction to their safety concerns.

The excursion occurs at the same time that Trump, who is running for president in 2024, and other Republicans have intensified their criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the derailment on February 3, which prompted evacuations and raised concerns about the community’s air and water quality after a controlled burning of the toxic chemicals aboard the rail cars.

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PA Gov. Shapiro Blasts ‘Corporate Greed and Incompetence’ of Norfolk Southern at Site of East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment, OH Gov. DeWine and EPA Administrator Michael Regan Also Speak

Kaitlin Housler

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro traveled to East Palestine, Ohio on Tuesday to participate in a joint news conference with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and EPA Administrator Michael Regan regarding ongoing concerns surrounding the recent derailment of a Norfolk Southern train.

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OANN’s Neil W. McCabe Weighs In on James O’Keefe’s Future and Vivek Ramaswamy’s 2024 Presidential Chances

Julie Carr

Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed top gov tracker and One America News national political correspondent, Neil W. McCabe to the newsmaker line to comment on James O’Keefe’s departure from Project Veritas and newly announced GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s chanc

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Ohio Governor DeWine to Visit East Palestine Tuesday

Hannah Poling

A spokesperson for Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s office told The Ohio Star that he is scheduled to visit East Palestine on Tuesday to provide an update on the cleanup following the catastrophic February 3rd train derailment that resulted in the controlled release and burn of noxious gasses creating an ecological disaster in the region.

His office also told The Star that DeWine will also talk about Tuesday’s Ohio Department of Health East Palestine clinic launch, which state authorities have indicated is open to locals with medical queries or concerns.

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East Palestine Fire Chief Silent When Environmental Protection Agency Claims He Ordered the Controlled Burn

Hannah Poling

A spokesperson with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 told The Ohio Star on Monday that the Fire Chief of the East Palestine Fire Department was the individual who ordered the controlled burn following the catastrophic train derailment on February 3rd.

“EPA did not order the controlled burn. The local fire chief was the incident commander who made the decision in consultation with Norfolk Southern, local law enforcement, and response officials from Ohio,” the EPA spokesperson told The Star.

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Georgia Jury Forewoman Says ‘You’re Not Going to Be Shocked’ on Trump Indictment Decision

Just the News

The forewoman of the Atlanta-area special grand jury that investigated alleged election interference by former President Donald Trump and his allies in Georgia said Tuesday that multiple indictments were recommended and “you’re not going to be shocked” about whether Trump was indicted.

Forewoman Emily Kohrs said would not specifically say who the Fulton County grand jury recommended to be indicted, but stated, “It is not a short list,” The New York Times reported.

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Big Tech Faces Potential Reckoning at Supreme Court

Admin

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a landmark case that could see every major social media platform become liable for harmful content on their websites, changing the game forever when it comes to legal protections for such companies.

As reported by Politico, the case Gonzalez v. Google is centered around the family of a woman who was killed in the Paris terrorist attacks in November of 2015. Her family claims that the video-sharing platform YouTube, which is owned by Google, should be held liable for allowing pro-ISIS propaganda videos to be hosted on the site, which the family claims helped radicalize one of the attackers.

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41,000 Catholic Clergy Members Mailed Instructions on Denying Communion to Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians

Admin

Tens of thousands of clergy members will soon receive a copy of Cardinal Raymond Burke’s firm but clear instructions to Catholic priests and bishops on when to deny someone Holy Communion.

“The Church cannot remain silent and indifferent to a public offense against the Body and Blood of Christ,” a book with the instructions says.

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WHO Watchdog Warns ‘Pandemic Treaty’ a ‘Skillfully Crafted Decoy Designed to Take Attention Away From Proposed Amendments to International Health Regulations’

Susan Berry, PhD
World Health Organization

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Working Group on the International Health Regulations (WGIHR) is meeting this week to consider amendments to the regulations that will ultimately serve to increase the power of the global health agency, WHO watchdog James Roguski has been observing.

The International Health Regulations (IHR) are separate from the “pandemic treaty,” which some lawmakers are attempting to address through legislation.

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Katie Hobbs Announces Commitment to Flip Arizona House and Senate, Legislators Fire Back

Neil Jones

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs shared Tuesday that she is committing $500k to a fund aimed at securing a Democrat legislative majority when 2024 comes and alleged this was because Republicans are not cooperating in getting necessary policy changes enacted in the state.

“The current GOP legislative majority can play their political games – AZ Democrats are ready to get to work moving our state forward,” Hobbs tweeted. “Help us build on this exciting momentum by pitching in a couple bucks to our Flip the Leg Fund!”

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Commentary: The Cult-Like Transgender Recruitment Model

Admin
Gender Pride demonstration

Oh, the insecurities of youth! “Will I be popular?” “Can I play basketball as well as the other boys?” “Will the others let me hang out with them?” “Will boys like me?” “Will girls like me?” “Am I as strong/smart/good-looking/funny as the cool kids?”

Most kids and teens endure these doubts about themselves. It’s a normal part of growing up. This coming-of-age emotional agony was described as early as 1774 in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s novel The Sorrows of Young Werther. In this novel, young Werther’s sorrow over unrequited love eventually becomes so unbearable that he leaves his hometown. Next, he is greatly embarrassed when he encounters a gathering of aristocrats. They ask him to leave since he is not a nobleman. Rejected by a girl and now rejected by aristocrats—the exquisite agony! What’s a boy to do?

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Michigan Democrats Strip Two Republicans of Committee Assignments

The Center Square

After Michigan Republican senators blocked their Democrat counterparts’ plan to send state taxpayers $180 inflation-relief checks, Democrats stripped two lawmakers of their committee assignments.

Democrats relieved Sen. Joe Bellino, R-Monroe, of his leadership position, and removed Bellino and Sen. Dan Lauwers, R-Brockway Township, from their committee assignments for voting against House Bill 4001 and blocking the ability to issue the $180 checks.

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Wisconsin Law Firm Sues Biden Administration over Woke ESG Investing Policies

M.D. Kittle

The Biden administration’s woke Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) policies are putting politics ahead of people and hurting retirees savings, a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges.

The complaint, filed by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) on behalf of two Waukesha County residents, seeks a temporary restraining order prohibiting the U.S. Department of Labor from implementing its controversial ESG rule, pending the resolution of the lawsuit. Ultimately, the suit seems a declamatory judgment that the rule violates federal law on administrative powers.

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Youngkin Joins Growing Number of Governors Calling for Review of Controversial AP Course

Admin

Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is the latest governor to call for a review of a controversial Advanced Placement (AP) course that was recently revised to remove tenets of Critical Race Theory and queer studies, Youngkin spokeswoman Macaulay Porter told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Youngkin asked the state education department to conduct a review of AP African American Studies to ensure the course, which was revised on Feb. 1, complies with state law prohibiting the use of “divisive concepts,” including CRT, in K-12 schools, according to WTOP News. College Board, which manages advanced placement courses, removed several concepts from the course after Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration rejected the framework, but maintains that it did so without political pressure.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene Starts PAC to Encourage Government to Stop Giving Money to Ukraine

Just the News

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., announced Monday the creation of her “Save America, Stop Socialism” PAC to encourage the government to stop giving money to Ukraine. 

“I’m fed up with our American government and Biden supporting the war in Ukraine and doing absolutely NOTHING to protect America’s border,” Greene wrote on Twitter. “Help me fund a national ad campaign to STOP WWIII!”

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Dem’s McClellan Projected to Win Virginia Special Election: AP

Just the News

by Ben Whedon   Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan on Tuesday won election to Congress, becoming the state’s first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress from the state. McClellan defeated Republican Leon Benjamin in the race to fill the seat of late Democratic Rep. A. Donald McEachin, who represented the state’s Fourth Congressional District. The Associated Press called the race on Tuesday evening with McClellan claiming 67.5% of the vote to Benjamin’s 32.5%. – – – Ben Whedon is the night editor for the Just the News. He came to the company from Breitbart News and is a graduate of Washington and Lee University. Photo “Jennifer McClellan” by Jennifer McClellan. Photo “Leon Benjamin” by Leon Benjamin. Background Photo “U.S. Capitol” by José Matute.         Reprinted with permission from Just the News

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Arizona House Committee Approves Bill to Increase Teacher Pay, Several Democrats Oppose It

Neil Jones

Freshman Arizona State Representative Matt Gress (R-Phoenix) Announced his bill, House Bill (HB) 2800, passed through the House Committee on Appropriations meeting Monday, despite pushback from Democrat members.

“I will continue fighting for Arizona teachers. Arizonans want us to work together, finding solutions and common ground. Last night, my Democratic colleagues put partisan politics FIRST, and doing the right thing for AZ teachers and schools LAST,” Gress tweeted.

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Arizona Secretary of State Fontes Refuses to Accept HAVA Complaint About Election Discrepancies

Rachel Alexander

Gail Golec, who unsuccessfully ran for Maricopa County Supervisor last year, and 10 other Arizonans filed a complaint with Arizona Secretary of State (AZSOS) Adrian Fontes last month alleging violations of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) during last year’s midterm election, but the office rejected it. The complaint followed the procedures laid out in federal statutes, however the AZSOS responded and said the complaint didn’t establish any violations to investigate under HAVA.

Golec told The Arizona Sun Times that her team drafted the complaint based on the language in HAVA, so it didn’t make any sense that the AZSOS claimed the election discrepancies weren’t covered by HAVA. She said the problem is fundamentally how the AZSOS is viewing elections, which she believes is dismissive of real complaints. “It’s not ‘fair and equal’ elections, it’s ‘free and equal’ per Article II Section 1 of the Constitution,” she said. “We’re going to turn the lights on to stop the gaslighting and take this country back.”

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Think Tank Issues New Recommendations to Cut and Modernize Wisconsin Government

Bradley Vasoli

The Delafield-based Institute for Reforming Government (IRG) on Tuesday issued a report listing ways the free-market research group believes Wisconsin’s state government can become leaner and more responsive. 

Titled “Reimagining Wisconsin Government for the 21st Century,” the document is the product of a year and half of research. It proposes the kind of decentralization that Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has suggested for the federal government by moving some of the public workforce out of Washington, D.C. so it can more closely work with local communities. 

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The Goldwater Institute Demands Arizona Cities cease Unconstitutional Labor Union Trapping Policies

Neil Jones

The Arizona-based Goldwater Institute (GI) announced Tuesday it had sent letters to the cities of Phoenix and Tempe, demanding the governmental bodies to change allegedly unconstitutional labor union practices that keep employees trapped paying dues.

“We think it is critically important for government employers to respect public employees’ constitutional rights. Under the U.S. and Arizona constitutions, no one can be forced to remain a member of—or make payments to—any private organization, particularly if it engages in speech or political activity the person disagrees with. Unions are no exception, and cities should not be making deals to trap public employees into being union members or paying union dues,” said GI Staff Attorney Parker Jackson in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.
“We think it is critically important for government employers to respect public employees’ constitutional rights. Under the U.S. and Arizona constitutions, no one can be forced to remain a member of—or make payments to—any private organization, particularly if it engages in speech or political activity the person disagrees with. Unions are no exception, and cities should not be making deals to trap public employees into being union members or paying union dues,” said GI Staff Attorney Parker Jackson in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.

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Ohio State Senator Blasts Biden for Prioritizing Ukraine over Americans Affected by Derailment

Bradley Vasoli

State Senator Michael Rulli (R-OH-Salem) this week castigated President Joe Biden for failing to visit East Palestine, Ohio in the aftermath of the train derailment and controlled toxic chemical burn. 

Speaking on the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton radio show, Rulli described the president’s failure to visit communities surrounding the site where a 53-car train crashed on February 3. Rail company Norfolk Southern subsequently conducted a controlled vent and burn of five of the rail cars containing vinyl chloride. Biden did however visit Ukraine and Poland early this week to express his ongoing support for Ukraine’s military struggle against Russian encroachment — a trip that didn’t escape the state lawmaker’s notice. 

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Commentary: Let’s Try Teacher Choice

RealClearWire

The House Education and Workforce Committee convened a hearing last week entitled “American Education in Crisis.” The perennial left–right debate between promoting parents’ rights and protecting public schools was on full display. 

Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, a Republican from North Carolina, used her opening statement to argue for extending “education freedom” and to defend parents’ prerogative to take their children and the public funding that goes with them to private, charter, or home schools. Representative Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat from Oregon, countered by expressing her “strong opposition” to plans that would “funnel taxpayer dollars to unaccountable private schools and for-profit charter schools,” saying that such an approach would “undermine the effectiveness of public education.”

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Craig Campbell Releases ‘The Lost Files: Exhibit A’

Bethany Bowman

NASHVILLE, Tennessee- Since the neo-traditional country artist, Craig Campbell launched his Grindstone Recordings label in 2020, he has released music and banking even more cuts over the last few years. Answering the call of his fans, he released The Lost Files: Exhibit A album on February 17.

He stated, “We had a hard time finding some of these songs because the hard drives got misplaced. Then with some, you had the hard drive, but they wouldn’t open. They were literally lost files.”

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Commentary: Western Progressives Loved Stalinism and Maoism, Despite Their Horrors

Admin

I recently had the opportunity to travel to the Texas Tech University School of Law to debate the merits of capitalism versus socialism with Ben Burgis, a columnist for Jacobin and philosophy instructor at Georgia State University Perimeter College.

It was a riveting discussion, and I hope students left with not just a better understanding of the horrors of socialism but with the inherent morality of capitalism, a system that relies on voluntary action instead of force and state coercion.

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Trump Pledges, If Re-Elected, to End Federal Programs Promoting Gender Transition

Just the News

Former President Trump says if reelected he will end President Biden’s policies on gender-affirming care and sign an executive order instructing federal agencies to end all programs promoting gender transitions.

“I will revoke Joe Biden’s cruel policies on so-called ‘gender-affirming care.’ Gender affirming? A process that results in the physical mutilation of minor children,” Trump said Monday in Palm Beach, Florida, at an event for Club 45 USA, which bills itself as the nation’s largest club of Trump supporters.

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