New York Post The FBI had so many paid informants at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, that they lost track of the number and had to perform a later audit to determine exactly how many “Confidential Human Sources” run by different FBI field offices were present that day, a former assistant director of the bureau has told lawmakers. At least one informant was communicating with his FBI handler as he entered the Capitol, according to Steven D’Antuono, formerly in charge of the bureau’s Washington field office. D’Antuono has testified behind closed doors to the House Judiciary Committee that his office was aware before the riot that some of their informants would attend a “Stop the Steal” rally thrown by former President Donald Trump but he only learned after the fact that informants run by other field offices also were present, along with others who had participated of their own accord. READ THE FULL STORY
Read the full storyDay: September 19, 2023
Ray Epps, Center of January 6 Conspiracy Theory, Charged in Connection with Riot
Ray Epps, who became the center of a conspiracy theory about Jan. 6, 2021, riot has been charged with a misdemeanor offense in connection with incident, according to court papers filed Tuesday.
Epps is charged with one count of disorderly or disruptive conduct on restricted grounds, court records reviewed by the Associated Press show.
Read the full storyAuto Union Threatens Even More Strikes If a Deal Isn’t Reached by End of Week
More auto workers are set to go on strike against top auto manufacturers if a deal is not met by Friday at noon, according to an announcement from the union Monday night.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) are currently engaging in a targeted strike at just three plants in negotiations with the Big Three automakers — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — avoiding a total strike of all 146,000 unionized workers after the parties failed to reach a deal for new contracts on Sept. 14. Shawn Fain, president of the UAW, announced that more members at different plants would join the strike if the union and automakers did not make serious progress on new contracts by Friday at noon, according to a video posted by the union.
Read the full storyMark Pulliam Credits Secretary of State Tre Hargett for Fixing a Library Problem Identified by Grassroots Activists
Long time national political reporter Neil W. McCabe connects the strategic dots he sees the candidates following into the first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee tonight on Wednesday’s episode of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Kustoff Resumes Effort to Protect Universities and Student Athletes Under NCAA Investigation
On Monday, U.S. Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN-08) joined alongside U.S. Congressmen Burgess Owens (R-UT-04) and Josh Harder (D-CA-10) in reintroducing legislation known as the NCAA Accountability Act, to establish due process protections for universities and individuals under investigation by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for rule infractions.
The NCAA is the largest collegiate athletic association in the U.S. with almost 1,100 member universities and 460,000 student athletes. The Association governs the athletic programs of and competition between member universities.
Read the full storyTennessee AG Skrmetti: TikTok Is a National Security Threat Targeting Our Kids
Long time national political reporter Neil W. McCabe connects the strategic dots he sees the candidates following into the first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee tonight on Wednesday’s episode of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles Calls on Speaker McCarthy to Re-Establish Committee Focused on Reducing Wasteful Government Spending
Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) is calling on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) to re-establish the Byrd Committee for the purpose of examining all federal government spending and identifying non-essential funding.
Read the full storyIRS Special Agent Gary Shapley’s Legal Team Says Hunter Biden’s Lawsuit Against IRS ‘Just Another Smear’
IRS Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley’s legal team issued a statement Monday in reaction to Hunter Biden filing a federal lawsuit against the IRS.
Read the full storyTennessee Secretary of State’s Office Announces Civics Essay Contest for Pre-K to 12th-Grade Students
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett recently announced the theme for his office’s 2023 Civics Essay Contest for Tennessee students from pre-K to 12th-grade.
Read the full storyPence Vows to Block Federal Funds for Sex Changes on Children
Former Vice President Mike Pence says if elected president he would block federal funding to healthcare providers who perform and promote surgical or chemical gender reassignments on children.
Pence over the weekend laid out his Putting America’s Families and Values Plan that endorses passage of a 15-week federal limit on abortions, advancing universal school choice, and “ending the war on traditional family values.”
Read the full storyFive Lenders Join Tennessee Small Business Funding Initiative
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) has announced that five lenders in LendTN, a program developed for small business owners in the Volunteer State earlier this year.
According to a release, the following lenders are participating in the program:
Read the full storyTennessee Congresswoman Harshbarger Advocates for Providing More Online Resources for Expectant Mothers and Families
Tennessee U.S. Congresswoman and co-chair of the Congressional Family Caucus Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01) is advocating for greater resources available to those who are experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, as well as expectant mothers and families.
Harshbarger, along with 16 additional Republican Congressmen, has introduced the Life.Gov Act which aims to support the creation of a first-of-its-kind website that would provide information on local resources available to expectant families.
Read the full storyRamaswamy on Vice Presidential Possibilities: ‘I Have No Plan B’
Ohio businessman and GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy may still be a relative “long shot” in a Donald Trump-dominated contest, but he insists he’s not running for No. 2.
In short, there is “no Plan B,” Ramaswamy says.
Read the full storyTennessee Pledges $107 Million to Department of Children’s Services Facility Improvements
The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) is set to receive $107 million in additional funding after the State Building Commission approved funds to design the new Woodland Hills and John S. Wilder youth development centers, as well as renovations and construction of assessment and intake facilities.
Read the full storyU.S. Senator JD Vance Calls Norfolk Southern’s East Palestine Property Value Reimbursement Program a ‘Disaster’
On Monday, U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) said that rail giant Norfolk Southern’s property value reimbursement program for the residents of East Palestine has so far been a “complete and total disaster.”
This follows Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw announcing in May that Norfolk Southern Railroad would set up a fund to compensate East Palestine homeowners for losses in property value due to the catastrophic February 3rd train derailment that spilled hazardous chemicals into the community.
Read the full storyPennsylvania’s Speed Camera Enforcement Laws Sunsetting Soon
State lawmakers must act soon before a trio of authorizations expire for traffic cameras that capture drivers violating traffic laws.
Provisions will soon kick in that would put an end to speed cameras in active work zones; camera-equipped school buses that ticket drivers who fail to yield to a stop sign; and speed cameras along Philadelphia’s Roosevelt Boulevard — one of the commonwealth’s most dangerous roads.
Read the full storyCommentary: Congress Should Deny Greedy Trial Lawyers’ Efforts to Diminish Arbitration
While the court litigation process has successfully resolved countless cases for decades, the reality is that it can cost an arm and a leg to do so. This has prompted disputing parties here in Middle Tennessee to instead turn to arbitration to assist them in working out reasonable agreements. This system has benefited all parties, saving countless workers and businesses both time and money.
Read the full storyDetroit Man Arraigned for Alleged $80,000 Organized Retail Theft
A Detroit man was arraigned on organized retail fraud charges for allegedly stealing $80,000 of merchandise from Sam’s Clubs in Michigan.
Kevin Tansil, 64 of Detroit, was arraigned before Judge Vikki Bayeh Haley in the 67th District Court in Grand Blanc on five counts of organized retail fraud for his role in an alleged theft and resale ring targeting Sam’s Club stores across mid- and southeast Michigan, Attorney General Dana Nessel said.
Read the full storyCommentary: Voter Registration ‘Charities’ Are a Massive, Overlooked Scandal
“Nonprofit voter registration” doesn’t sound interesting. Yet nonprofit voter registration, or the use of tax-exempt charitable organizations to conduct and fund voter registration drives, is one of the most important and underreported political scandals of our time.
Nonprofit voter registration, and the get-out-the-vote (GOTV) activities that usually accompany it, have become the heart of a billion-dollar industry in America. According to Candid’s Foundation Funding for U.S. Democracy database, since 2011 nearly 60,000 grants have been made for “Voter Education, Registration, and Turnout” and “Civic Participation,” benefitting 15,000 different organizations to the tune of $5.9 billion dollars.
Read the full storyRetreat: Youngkin Moves Confederate Memorial Statue from Arlington to VMI
Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin executed an orderly retreat in his battle to preserve Arlington National Cemetery’s Confederate Memorial, dedicated by President T. Woodrow Wilson in 1914, and the final resting place of nearly 500 Confederate veterans and their loved ones.
The Washington Post reported that the governor found a home for the bronze statue:
The Board of Visitors at VMI unanimously approved a motion Wednesday to accept the statue for placement at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War at New Market Battlefield State Historical Park — owned and operated by the college — north of VMI’s campus in Lexington. The battlefield is a focal point of the school’s history — it was there in 1864 that its cadets joined Confederate forces to successfully push back Union troops. An enormous mural mounted inside the college’s chapel depicts the VMI corps of cadets’ charge across the New Market battlefield.
Read the full storyAbortions Resume in Wisconsin
It remains to be seen just how quickly the return of abortion in Wisconsin will end up before a judge after Planned Parenthood on Monday started offering abortion services at its clinics in Milwaukee and Madison.
“Thank you so much for your enthusiasm that PPWI has restarted abortion services! We are as thrilled as you are! We haven’t been able to respond to all our DMs, comment on every thread about abortion, or talk to you individually about how you can help (but we’re trying),” Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin said on social media Monday.
Read the full storySenator Raphael Warnock Asks Atlanta to be Lenient on Petitions to Stop Public Safety Training Center
Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) wrote a letter to the City of Atlanta on Friday asking officials to be lenient when examining the petitions gathered to force a public referendum on the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
In his letter, Warnock reportedly advised Atlanta he is “closely monitoring” the petition, and claimed to be “concerned” the city’s signature matching and verification process “led to discrimination” and potential “disenfranchisement of eligible voters” during previous ballot initiatives. Warnock urged Atlanta “to err on the side of giving the people the ability to express their views” and to establish “clear and transparent timelines and requirements” going forward.
Read the full storyReport: Rays Will Get $600M in Public Funds for New $1.2 Billion Stadium
The Tampa Bay Rays will reportedly announce plans Tuesday for a new $1.2 billion domed stadium that could cost up to $600 million in public funds.
Read the full storyArizona Expected to Receive Over $800 Million in 2024 Political Advertising, Most of Any Battleground State
Arizona is projected to be the recipient of nearly $1 billion in political advertising during the 2024 cycle, meaning the Grand Canyon State will receive the highest share of spending of any battleground state, and the second highest of any state in the union, should the projections be correct.
The state is expected to see about $821 million in advertising over the 2024 political cycle, according to a new report published by AdImpact. Arizona will receive almost $100 million more than the second highest battleground state, Pennsylvania, which is estimated to receive $725 million.
Read the full storyPolice Chiefs, Lawmakers Explain Issues with New SRO Law
Center of the American Experiment hosted a panel discussion with police chiefs and state representatives last week to discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding a new law impacting school resource officers (SROs).
The law prohibits SROs in cases where there is no threat of bodily harm or death from using the prone restraint or any force that “places pressure or weight on a pupil’s head, throat, neck, chest, lungs, sternum, diaphragm, back, or abdomen.”
Read the full storyPro-Trump Lawyer Gives Court Transcript He Claims Proves Georgia’s GOP Electors Broke No Laws
A transcript of a December 2020 meeting among those who became the Republican slate of alternative electors in Georgia appears to directly contradict claims levied by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in her August indictment of former President Donald Trump and 18 others involved with his efforts to contest the 2020 election.
Attorney Kenneth Chesebro, who is among those indicted in the Georgia racketeering case against former President Donald Trump, submitted the transcript to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAffee in a filing that seeks to dismiss charges related Republican slate of alternative electors.
Read the full storyVirginia U.S. Rep. Wexton Won’t Seek Reelection Due to Health Battle
Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton said Monday she will not be seeking reelection, citing health concerns.
The third-term Democrat previously announced she was battling Parkinson’s Disease and receiving treatments. After further testing amid unresponsive treatment, Wexton disclosed she had been diagnosed with Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy, type-p. The congresswoman said the disease is characterized as “’Parkinson’s on steroids.’”
Read the full storyCommentary: Alzheimer’s Disease Is Partly Genetic − Studying the Genes That Delay Decline in Some May Lead to Treatments for All
Diseases that run in families usually have genetic causes. Some are genetic mutations that directly cause the disease if inherited. Others are risk genes that affect the body in a way that increases the chance someone will develop the disease. In Alzheimer’s disease, genetic mutations in any of three specific genes can cause the disease, and other risk genes either increase or decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
Read the full storyMusic Spotlight: Heartland
Heartland is back and better than ever says People Magazine and I couldn’t agree more. The ACM, CMA nominated, and platinum-selling group returns for the first single in over a decade with “No Tomorrow.” The “live-for-today anthem” (MusicRow), is available now from Yellowhammer Music Group.
When I sat down and spoke with the band, comprised of Craig Anderson, Todd Anderson, Mike Myerson, and new lead vocalist Lance Horton, I remembered meeting Craig and Lance at CRS 2022 when they were promoting new music for Madison Station.
Read the full storyTourists Spent Record $29 Billion in Tennessee in 2022
According to a report from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, 141 million visitors to the Volunteer State drove a record breaking $29 billion in tourism revenue in 2022.
A slew of fact sheets provide detail into where and how Tennessee’s visitors traveled from, and how and where they spent their money in Tennessee.
Read the full storyArizona State University Releases Report over Conservative Event Backlash
After Arizona State University released a report suggesting there was “no evidence” of a campaign to smear an event featuring conservative speakers, one Republican state senator is not satisfied with the outcome.
The T.W. Lewis Center at the school hosted an event in February with conservative media personalities Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk, as well as financial author Robert Kiyosaki. The event sparked backlash from some faculty at Barrett, the Honors College, and some students. Following the intense backlash, Tom Lewis pulled funding for the center and its executive director, Ann Atkinson, lost her job, alleging she was fired.
Read the full storySoros-Funded Organization ‘Gen Z for Change’ Is Fueling Joe Biden’s ‘TikTok Army’
An organization largely funded by left-wing billionaire George Soros’ philanthropic network is bankrolling a “Gen Z” group that works to advance Democratic priorities and President Joe Biden’s agenda on social media, the New York Post reported.
Accelerate Action, Inc. received over $5.5 million in 2021 and 2022 from the Open Society Foundations, a group founded by Soros and currently run by his son Alexander Soros, according to the Foundation’s website. That group gave, among other grants, $300,000 to “Gen Z for Change” a non-profit activist group that produces left-wing content uploaded onto social media websites such as TikTok and Instagram for voters to consume, according to its tax forms.
Read the full storyGoldman Sachs Quietly Scrubs Race-Based Eligibility Criteria From Diversity Program After Legal Experts Raise Concerns
Goldman Sachs quietly scrubbed references to race from its eligibility criteria for a two-day “diversity symposium” after legal experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation the program could run into problems with federal civil rights laws.
The eligibility criteria for Goldman Sachs’ 2023 MBA Diversity Symposium previously restricted the program to students “that identify as Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American, or women,” according to a web archive from Sept. 13. The eligibility requirements no longer include race or gender, the current webpage shows, a change that follows a Saturday DCNF report on race and gender-restricted opportunities for college students offered by top Wall Street investment banking firms.
Read the full storyScreaming Eco-Activists Blockade Doors to New York City Federal Reserve Building
A crowd of climate activists blocked the doors of the Federal Reserve building in New York City on Monday morning, footage posted to Twitter shows.
Scores of protesters locked arms in front of the building to deny employees and officials entry, and the activists chanted protest slogans while blocking the exits, footage posted to Twitter shows. Numerous groups, including Climate Defiance, were reportedly involved in the protest, which came ahead of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly meeting in NYC to discuss climate policy set to occur this week.
Read the full storyCommentary: Jack Smith’s Real-Life Bogeyman
One must wonder if Special Counsel Jack Smith checks under his bed every night to make sure a large man wearing an oversized blue suit, long red tie, and MAGA hat isn’t there.
Smith, the public has been assured, is a nerves-of-steel prosecutor who has taken on some of the world’s most dangerous criminals during his time at the U.S. Department of Justice and The Hague. Following Smith’s appointment in November 2022, one former colleague swooned to the New York Times how Smith “has a way about him of projecting calm” and that “people look to him for steady guidance.”
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