Day: June 21, 2023

Congress Prepares to Unseal Testimony, Evidence from IRS Whistleblower in Hunter Biden Case

Just the News

The House Ways and Means Committee took final steps Tuesday to release to the public as early as this week the testimony and evidence from an IRS whistleblower who alleges the Justice Department gave favorable treatment to Hunter Biden and engaged in political interference in the criminal tax case against the first son.

Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., scheduled an executive session for 8 a.m. Thursday where lawmakers are expected to vote to free the whistleblower evidence and testimony of IRS supervisory criminal agent Gary Shapley from the 6103 privacy requirements that normally shield Americans’ tax information from public disclosure.

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Famous Rapper’s Attorney Rips DOJ for Letting Hunter Biden Walk on Crime While His Client Spent Years in Jail

Admin

The attorney for rapper Kodak Black blasted the Justice Department Tuesday over the plea deal reached with Hunter Biden, questioning whether there is “2 tiers of justice” in America’s legal system.

Black was sentenced to serve over three years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm in 2019, the same charge the younger Biden reached a plea agreement on Tuesday, Fox News reported. Biden will be put into a pre-trial diversion program on the gun charge, the Justice Department announced, although U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who was appointed by then-President Donald Trump in 2017, said the investigation is still ongoing.

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BlackRock Recruiter Says $10k ‘Can Buy a Senator,’ Calls Ukraine War ‘Good for Business’: Video

Just the News

A recruiter for BlackRock said that the asset management firm is able to “buy a senator” for $10,000 and that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “good for business,” according to a video recorded by an undercover journalist.

“You could buy your candidates. First, there is the senators. These guys are f***ing cheap. Got 10 grand? You can buy a senator. I’ll give you 500k right now. It doesn’t matter who wins, they’re in my pocket,” BlackRock Recruiter Serge Varlay said in a video published Tuesday by the O’Keefe Media Group, which was founded by guerilla journalist James O’Keefe.

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State Bar of California Begins Trial to Disbar Trump’s Attorney John Eastman Over 2020 Election

Rachel Alexander

The State Bar of California (SBC) began a trial on Tuesday seeking to disbar conservative legal scholar John Eastman over his role advising former President Donald Trump and state legislatures on challenging the 2020 election results. The proceedings arose out of a complaint against him made by the States United Democracy Center (SUDC). SUDC is run by a former Obama appointee, Norm Eisen, and its advisory board includes former Arizona governor and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

The SBC charged Eastman with 11 ethics violations in January. Eastman filed a 100-page response containing thousands of attachments, and published a rebuttal on his Substack. He said the SBC’s complaint “is filled with distortions, half truths, and outright falsehoods.”

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Biden Administration Backs Down from Forcing Religious Hospitals to Perform Gender Transition Procedures

Susan Berry, PhD

The Biden administration declined to appeal a federal court ruling that blocks the government from forcing religious doctors and faith-based hospitals to perform gender-transition procedures against their conscience and professional medical judgment.

The administration’s decision not to appeal the federal court ruling in Sisters of Mercy v. Becerra to the U.S. Supreme Court by a June 20 deadline means its mandate will be laid to rest.

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Tennessee AG’s Office Responds to Reports of Vanderbilt University Medical Center Handing over Medical Records of Transgender Patients

Kaitlin Housler
Doctor

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti’s Office released a statement reacting to reports that Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) turned over medical records of transgender patients to the state’s highest legal office.

On Tuesday, The Tennessean reported that it had reviewed a notice from VUMC informing patients of the transfer of records, which, according to the outlet, the facility said was the result of an investigation into “billing for transgender care services provided to individuals enrolled in State-sponsored insurance plans.”

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Attorney General Skrmetti Co-Hosting Donation Drive for Pregnancy Centers on Anniversary of Dobbs Ruling

Peter D'Abrosca

According to a news release from Republican Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti’s office, General Skrmetti is a co-hosting a charity drive for pregnancy centers as the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization nears. 

That 2022 court case overturned the infamous Roe v. Wade, returning to states the right to make their own abortion rights. 

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Judge Sets Trial Date for Trump Classified Documents Case

The Center Square

A Florida Judge has set a trial date of Aug. 14 for former President Donald Trump in his ongoing case related to his handling of classified documents.

According to court filings made public Tuesday, District Judge Aileen Cannon set the trial date, giving two months time to prepare for the case. However, Trump’s team is expected to push to have that date delayed, likely successfully.

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National Suicide Lifeline Struggling to Keep Up with Sheer Volume of Calls

Admin

Since the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) underwent a significant makeover during the Chinese Coronavirus pandemic, the new version of the hotline has been swamped with more calls than ever before.

As ABC News reports, part of the NSPL’s reforms included shortening the previous 10-digit number to the much simpler 9-8-8. The program also received an additional $200 million in funding as a result of the American Rescue Plan bill. The changes were made in response to a spike in mental health crises and suicides during the pandemic, when most Americans were forcibly locked down and forced to stay home from school, jobs, and other basic necessities for years.

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Remote Workers Leaving Democratic Cities in Droves

Admin

A new study shows that employees who are still working remotely are actively fleeing Democrat-run cities in the thousands.

As reported by the Washington Free Beacon, the data from American Community Survey showed that a number of the largest cities in the country, all controlled by Democrats, continue to be the hardest-hit by an ongoing exodus of remote workers. The most severe net migration loss was in New York City, which lost approximately 116,000 remote employees. Los Angeles lost 53,000, while San Francisco saw an exodus of 32,000, and at least 29,000 left Chicago.

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Satanic Temple to Host ‘Let Us Burn’ Events at State Capitols to Promote ‘Religious Liberty’

Admin

The Satanic Temple (TST) announced last week that it is raising money to host a “Let Us Burn” music tour at state capitols.

TST is looking to bring Satanic Planet, described as an “experimental avant industrial band,” to different states in the name of “religious liberty” and “pluralism,” according to the announcement. The tour is designed to specifically respond to Christian musician Sean Feucht’s “Let Us Worship” concert tour, which has performed in several state capitols.

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Biden Admin to Spend Nearly $1 Billion on Green Upgrades for Fed Buildings

Admin

The Biden administration will spend nearly $1 billion upgrading more than 100 federal buildings with green technology like heat pumps and solar panels, using funds from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

The General Services Administration (GSA) — which manages the U.S. government’s properties —  is planning to make 100 federal facilities all-electric and 28 net-zero emissions, on a budget of $975 million,  according to The Washington Post. The GSA is hoping that will attract roughly another $925 million in private sector investment, bringing total funding to roughly $1.9 billion, in an effort to revamp 40 million square feet of federal property, which is roughly 20% of all buildings managed by the GSA.

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Senator Marsha Blackburn Calls Hunter Biden’s Guilty Plea on Federal Charges ‘No Coincidence’

Kaitlin Housler

Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) released a statement Tuesday after President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, was federally charged with two violations of failure to pay income tax and one violation of unlawful firearm possession.

Blackburn said, “It’s no coincidence that less than a week after President Trump is arraigned, Hunter Biden is pleading guilty to a sweetheart deal with no jail time. The DOJ is going for the low-hanging fruit by charging Hunter Biden with a gun felony and two tax misdemeanors, after years of slow walking their investigation.”

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Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Urges DNR to Move on Permitting Line 5 Pipeline Project

M.D. Kittle

Time is of the essence for the Evers administration to act on a critical energy pipeline relocation project in northern Wisconsin, according to the state’s largest chamber of commerce and manufacturers’ association. 

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) is urging the state Department of Natural Resources to swiftly move forward with a slow-moving permitting process of Enbridge Energy Co.’s Line 5 relocation project in northern Wisconsin. 

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GOP Presidential Hopefuls Commit to Family Leadership Summit, Important Faith-Based Stop on the Road to the Iowa Caucuses

M.D. Kittle

After a bit of a lull in Iowa’s parade of presidential candidates, the summer campaign season will soon start to heat up again in the kick-off caucus state. 

U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) on Tuesday announced he’ll speak at next month’s FAMILY Leadership Summit in Des Moines, billed as “the Midwest’s largest gathering of Christians seeking cultural transformation in the family, Church, government, and more.” 

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As Philadelphia Malpractice Cases Multiply, Group Asks Court to Review Venue Rule

Bradley Vasoli

As Philadelphia medical malpractice cases skyrocket, a pro-tort-reform nonprofit is asking a Pennsylvania Supreme Court committee to review new “forum shopping” rules. 

The Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform (PCCJR) sent its second such request in two months to the court’s Civil Procedural Rules Committee Chair Kathleen Bruder. According to PCCJR, new data show that the failure to keep medical malpractice cases in their proper venues is worsening lawsuit abuse that financially batters insurers, threatens medical professionals, and harms consumers. 

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Virginia Senators Look to Permanently Expand Medicare Telehealth Services

The Center Square

Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner are cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to expand Medicare coverage of telehealth services and “make permanent telehealth flexibilities that were enacted during COVID.”

The federal government dictates how Medicare and self-insured plans cover telemedicine, whereas Medicaid and fully insured private plans fall within the purview of the states. 

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Commentary: The ‘Get Trump’ Games Continue

Admin

It all started with a self-important official at the National Archives and Records Administration. Or at least that’s the official story.

In May 2021, William Bosanko, NARA’s chief executive officer, noticed two presidential documents were missing from the Trump Administration: the letter Barack Obama wrote to Donald Trump and correspondence between Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

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Florida Pays $100 Million to ‘Hometown Heroes’ Who Relocate to State

The Center Square

Florida has provided over $100 million in down payment and closing cost assistance for nearly 7,000 veterans, active-duty service members, nurses, teachers, first responders and law enforcement officers as more Americans continue to relocate to the Sunshine State.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature created the Hometown Heroes Housing Program to help those who serve their country and their communities to be able to afford to live where they serve.

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Aircraft Engine Manufacturer Plans Georgia Expansion, Taxpayer-Funded Incentives Unclear

The Center Square

A company specializing in aircraft and helicopter engines plans to expand its Columbus operations, but it’s not clear how much the state offered in taxpayer-backed incentives.

Pratt & Whitney expects to spend $206 million on the expansion, which should create 400 jobs. The company’s Columbus facility, which opened in 1984, includes the Columbus Engine Center at 8987 Macon Road and Columbus Forge at 8801 Midland Road.

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Ohio House Unanimously Passes Legislation to Clarify Bail-Setting Procedures

Hannah Poling

The Ohio House unanimously passed Republican-backed legislation that aims to give judges in the state clear guidance in setting bail.

House Bill (HB) 191, sponsored by State Representatives D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron) (pictured above, right) and Bill Seitz (R- Cincinnati) (pictured above, left), looks to codify Criminal Rule 46, a rule that provides all state courts with instructions regarding bail-setting procedures in the Ohio Revised Code.

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Former Penn President Amy Gutmann Earned Nearly $23 Million in 2021: Report

Admin

Former University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann earned $22.76 million in 2021, most of which was due to a contractual accrued deferred compensation payout, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

“Gutmann’s total figure for 2021, reported on the 990 tax form, includes her annual compensation of a base salary of $1.56 million and a bonus of $1 million and the $20.2 million deferred compensation and supplemental retirement funds, which also includes investment gains the money made over 17 years,” the Inquirer reported June 17.

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U.S. Senate Candidate Matt Dolan Launches Statewide Ad Campaign Targeting Sherrod Brown

Hannah Poling

Republican State Senator Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls) launched a statewide ad campaign on Tuesday in his bid for U.S. Senate against Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.

The 60-second digital advertisement is the first statewide ad buy in his bid for the U.S. Senate, targeting Brown and his “blind loyalty” to President Joe Biden.

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Hobbs Vetoes Ban on ESG Investments in Arizona

The Center Square

Gov. Katie Hobbs has used her well-worn veto stamp on a bill that would have banned public investment funds in Arizona to do so through the lens of environmental, social and governance, or ESG, investing practices.

Hobbs vetoed Senate Bill 1500 on June 16. If enacted, it would have required the state treasurer to list all state investments by name on a public site so that all investments might be made “in the sole interest of the beneficiary taxpayer.”

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Commentary: The Problem with ‘Pride’ Month

Admin

Pride Month and the ubiquitous displays of rainbow colored flags as well as the concomitant ceremonies are puzzling practices to say the least. It is one thing not to be ashamed of one’s sexual orientation. But it is quite another to be proud of it. 

How does emphasizing the differences between people benefit American society as a whole? Ordinarily, the response to criticisms of lauding pride in sexual orientation is to compare it to Black pride and the struggle to eliminate racism. But this raises the same questions. Should one really be proud of one’s race? Is it not pride that got us into the racism mess in the first place? The idea of proclaiming one race superior to others? So why extend this exaltation to sexual behaviors? 

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Commentary: A Heated Argument in the House Portends Good Results for the Budget

Admin

“Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.” Bishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa, 2004.

I must’ve used this quote a thousand times (primarily mitigating fights between contentious children of different ages) without even realizing its origin. I’ve often wondered why emotion-driven youths (and big people, too) simply amp up the volume when intellectually dueling with others rather than maintaining the discussion at an even keel and perhaps lulling their opponents into listening to what they’re saying – or screaming even louder.

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U.S. Treasury Dept. Announces Sanctions on Mexican Migrant-Trafficking Gang

ADN America

The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday announced sanctions against a migrant-trafficking gang based in Mexico that has operated since at least 2018. 

The Hernandez Salas organization, based in the border city of Mexicali, Mexico, across the border from Calexico, California, has organized travel for countless migrants seeking to cross into the United States, the Treasury Dept. said in a statement. 

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Johns Hopkins Takes Down LGBTQ Glossary After backlash, Says ‘Lesbian’ Definition Was ‘Not Approved’

Admin

Johns Hopkins University has taken down its “LGBTQ Glossary” after backlash erupted against its definition of “lesbian.”

The glossary of LGBTQ terms was posted on the webpage of the Gender and Sexuality Resources office at Johns Hopkins’ Diversity and Inclusion department. The glossary defined lesbian as a “non-man attracted to non-men.” But after fierce backlash on social media, the office took down the glossary, claiming that the definition was not approved.

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Another Top Official to Leave Biden’s DHS: Report

Admin

Another top Biden administration will soon leave the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ABC News reported Tuesday.

Deputy DHS Secretary John Tien will retire from the agency July 20, according to ABC News, which cited an internal memo from the the deputy secretary. Tien joins several other agency officials leaving the administration in the coming weeks, which include Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) chief Tae Johnson, Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz and Acting Deputy Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Benjamine “Carry” Huffman.

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