A judge declared a mistrial in Arizona on Monday, after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict, in a case where a rancher allegedly killed a Mexican national on his property.
Read the full storyDay: April 22, 2024
State Director of Marsy’s Law for Tennessee Bonnie Brezina on Constitutional Amendment: ‘If Not Now, When?’
Bonnie Brezina, who serves as the state director of Marsy’s Law for Tennessee, said the state is in a positive position to vote on Marsy’s Law as a constitutional amendment on the statewide ballot in 2026.
Read the full storyFBI Delivers Covenant Killer Writings to Federal Judge for In Camera Review
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has officially turned over all documents related to Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale, including the killer’s manifesto, for an in camera review of materials.
Read the full storyAlan Dershowitz Says He is No Longer Loyal to Democratic Party After Columbia Protests
Dershowitz, a Democrat who has been a major critic of President Joe Biden and the current administration, said his party has been an “extraordinary disappointment” because they have not been very vocal about the pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University.
Harvard Professor Emeritus Alan Dershowitz stated he no longer has any “loyalty” to the Democratic Party on Monday, and that he would not exclusively vote Democrat in future elections.
Read the full storyBiden Admin Wants to Send American Tax Dollars to Train Army of Transgender Activists in India
The Biden administration wants to train at least 200 activists to advocate for transgender rights in India as part of a program ostensibly designed to advance America’s “national interests,” according to a federal grant posting.
President Joe Biden’s State Department plans to “train at least 200 LGBTQI+ community leaders … with preference given to trans and intersex community leaders” by “deliver[ing] specialized legal education and support” which will, in turn, empower “them to advocate for their rights and access the services they need,” according to a grant announcement published on April 8. The department is offering the grant under its Public Diplomacy Programs, which exist to “support the achievement of U.S. foreign policy goals and objectives, advance national interests, and enhance national security.”
Read the full storyCalifornia Judge Who Disbarred Trump’s Former Attorney John Eastman Funneled Money to Super PAC Fighting Election Integrity
California disciplinary court judge Yvette Roland, who disbarred Trump’s former attorney and constitutional legal scholar John Eastman last month, contributed to a Democratic PAC last year which funneled all of the contributions to a Super PAC that seeks to stop “undermining the most basic tenet of our democracy, the right to vote.” Despite the fact that the charges against Eastman were all related to his efforts investigating and stopping election corruption in the 2020 election, Roland did not recuse herself.
While serving on the bench, Roland donated $250 twice on March 30, 2023 to Newsom for California Governor 2022 (NCG). Just 18 days later, NCG then contributed everything it had raised, about $23 million, to Campaign for Democracy Group (CDG), an independent expenditure Super PAC. CDG is primarily supporting Newsom. Its website states, “Across the country, extremist Republicans are systematically attacking the very foundations of a free society — bullying and criminalizing the most vulnerable, denying women equality and reproductive healthcare, attacking communities of color, dehumanizing immigrants seeking the American Dream, banning books and restricting speech, and undermining the most basic tenet of our democracy, the right to vote.”
Read the full storyExclusive: Texas DPS Spokesperson Joins Senator Marsha Blackburn’s Podcast, Reveals How President Biden’s Refusal to Enforce Existing Immigration Laws Deprives Americans of Much-Needed Resources
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez said the Biden Administration’s refusal to enforce existing immigration laws directly impacts small communities along the southern border as local resources are constantly diverted to assist with cases involving illegal aliens.
Read the full storyColumbia University Shifts Classes Online After Pro-Palestinian, Anti-Israel Protest Takes Over Campus
Columbia University President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik ordered classes to be held virtually on Monday following an unauthorized pro-Palestinian encampment on campus late last week, calling for a “reset.”
New York Police Department (NYPD) officers arrested, at the direction of Shafik, over 100 protestors on Thursday who camped in tents across the Ivy League’s South Lawn of Morningside campus. The president announced in a statement early Monday that classes would be held online to “deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps” as the pro-Palestinian protest enters its sixth day.
Read the full storyGovernor Bill Lee Confirms ‘No Pathway’ for School Choice Bill, Hints at Reviving Plan Next Legislative Session
Governor Bill Lee released a statement Monday announcing there is “not a pathway” for his universal school choice voucher bill this legislative session of the Tennessee General Assembly.
Read the full storyCommentary: When Anti-Israel Activists Shut Down American Streets, There Must Be Consequences
America is a nation of law and order. Yet, more and more, we are seeing U.S. cities overrun with lawless behavior — especially by Hamas sympathizers.
Just last week, anti-Israel demonstrators blocked access to highways, bridges, and airports in cities across the country, stranding hundreds of Americans in rush-hour traffic.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen Joins Push to Strip Trump’s Secret Service Protection if Convicted
Tennessee U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) on Friday joined a number of congressional Democrats who seek to remove the Secret Service protection afforded to former President Donald Trump if he is convicted and sentenced to prison.
Cohen was named in a press release issued by Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02), who led the House January 6 committee, as a co-sponsor of the DISGRACED Former Protectees Act, which would amend Secret Service procedures “by automatically terminating Secret Service protection for those who have been sentenced to prison following conviction for a Federal or State felony.”
Read the full storyTennessee Treasurer Absent from Letter to Bank of America Demanding End to De-Banking Conservatives
Several state treasurers and other officials sent a letter to Bank of America warning the banking giant of apparently targeting customers with conservative politics by de-banking them—however, Tennessee State Treasurer David Lillard’s signature was absent.
The letter to Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan said its signatories are concerned that Bank of America has a “track record of discriminating against religious ministries,” a “systemic bias” against politically conservative views, and supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Read the full storyFraud Costs the Federal Government up to $521 Billion a Year
The federal government loses up to $521 billion a year to fraud, according to a first-of-its-kind estimate from a Congressional watchdog.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office, which serves as the research arm of Congress, estimated annual fraud losses cost taxpayers between $233 billion and $521 billion annually, according to a new report published Tuesday. The fraud estimate’s range represents 3% to 7% of average federal obligations.
Read the full storyLawmakers Decry U.S. Military’s Drift to DEI Culture
The U.S. military’s ongoing embrace of the far-left culture war has drawn increased attention and ire from lawmakers.
Despite Pentagon officials waving off concerns, a steady stream of evidence has shown that the most progressive ideas on race, gender and sexuality have become the norm, in particular within the administrative parts of the U.S. military.
Read the full storyMedical Associations Silent After Review Finds Weak Evidence for Recommending Puberty Blockers to Kids
Major medical associations have remained silent after the results of a four-year review commissioned by the National Health Service (NHS) England undermined their recommendations for giving puberty blockers to children with gender dysphoria
The Cass report, conducted by former Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health Dr. Hilary Cass and released April 10, found that there is “weak evidence” for offering puberty blockers to children. It concluded that its findings “raise questions about the quality of currently available guidelines” offered by associations like the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the Endocrine Society, yet neither organization has committed to reviewing their guidelines.
Read the full storyPro-Life Leaders Sound Alarm on Potential Abortion Ballot Initiatives: ‘Bunch of Mini Roe v. Wade’s‘ Nationwide
Leaders in the pro-life community are warning Americans about the pro-abortion industry’s deceptive ways, as over 20 percent of states face the possibility of voting on an abortion-related ballot measure in November.
The states that may see these ballot measures are Florida, Maryland, New York, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, and South Dakota.
Read the full story‘Clear Violation of the Law’: Biden’s Multi-Billion Dollar Broadband Plan Defies Congressional Mandate, Experts Say
The Biden administration’s program to expand access to broadband internet may run afoul of the law that created it, experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), part of the Department of Commerce, is responsible for allocating $42.5 billion in funds intended to bolster the United States’ broadband internet infrastructure through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) program. The agency, in a move to expand high-speed internet access to low-income communities, has been attempting to force states to adopt price controls for broadband services provided through the new projects, a strategy experts say could be illegal.
Read the full storyLos Angeles Prosecutor on Election Software Firm Case Claims Charges Dropped over DA’s Political Concerns
A lead prosecutor on a case involving the CEO of an election software company has filed a government tort complaint against Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón for allegedly dismissing criminal charges improperly against the company executive for political purposes.
The prosecution of the head of an election software company used by election offices across the country that began in October 2022 was ended about a month later because of the Los Angeles County district attorney’s concerns about his political image, according to the lead prosecutor’s complaint against the DA.
Read the full storyInternational Money Fund Warns on U.S. Debt ‘Something Will Have to Give’
The International Monetary Fund warned the United States that government spending and increasing national debt are not sustainable and could hurt the global economy.
The Washington, D.C.-based group that represents 190 member countries also called the U.S. economy “overheated.” The debt warning follows several other high-profile calls to address growing U.S. debt.
Read the full storyNashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell Announces $3.1 Billion Transit Plan
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell released the details of his transit referendum that is expected to go before voters in November, revealing his plans will cost $3.1 billion and be partially financed through a half-cent sales tax increase.
In a statement, O’Connell called his transit referendum “the best opportunity we’ve ever had to build out our priority sidewalks, to synchronize signals so you’re spending less time at red lights, and to connect neighborhoods via a better transit system that doesn’t have to come downtown just to go somewhere else.”
Read the full storyAuditor Puts Ohio Community College on Notice over Bloated Staff, Underused Buildings
A Cleveland area community college is overstaffed and struggling with debt related to underused buildings all while enrollment continues to fall.
Those issues became more serious following a recent review of the Lakeland Community College’s operations by State Auditor Keith Faber, who raised concerns about whether the school can remain open.
Read the full storyArizona Mexican Mafia Members Indicted for Stealing Pandemic Unemployment Money
Thirty alleged members of the Arizona Mexican Mafia were indicted on Friday for their role in an alleged conspiracy to steal pandemic unemployment money.
The Arizona Attorney General’s office confirmed Friday that a state grand jury “returned a 50-count indictment against members and associates of the Arizona Mexican Mafia,” with a total of 30 individual defendants.
Read the full storyCommentary: The Endurance of an Ideological Paradox
I have written about the death and rebirth of socialism periodically over the years. But as André Gide said in another context, “Toutes choses sont dites déjà, mais comme personne n’écoute, il faut toujours recommencer”: everything has already been said, but since no one was listening, it is necessary to say it again.
Really, the socialist impulse is a hardy perennial. How could something so frequently and thoroughly discredited persist in the hearts of men? Some think it has something to do with the gullibility of the human animal, some (but I repeat myself) with the persistence of the utopian dream. I suspect there are many explanations, of which the raw desire for power plays an unedifying but also underrated role. I also favor the explanatory power of original sin, which has profound psychological as well as theological application to many of the more farcical aspects of human experience and what is more farcical than socialism?
Read the full storyYoungkin to ‘Work with Legislators’ on Skill Games Concerns After Senate Tosses Governor’s Amended Bill
Governor Glenn Youngkin confirmed he will “work with legislators” to achieve compromise legislation addressing controversial skill games machines.
The Virginia Senate tossed Youngkin’s version of the bill, with just six senators voting in favor and 34 voting against. Youngkin’s amended bill sought to place strict restrictions on legislation that originally would have allowed skill games in convenience stores throughout the commonwealth.
Read the full storyBusy Week Ahead for Tennessee Legislature as End of the Session Nears
Several pieces of Tennessee legislation could see action in the next week, with the bills either held from long calendars or intentionally delayed for further discussion.
The state’s amended $52.8 billion budget bill, however, passed both chambers of the State House and State Senate.
Read the full storyFulton County Sheriff Candidates Point to More Guards, Better Housing Needed to Stop Wave of Prison Inmate Deaths
Candidates running for Fulton County Sheriff told voters at an ACLU of Georgia “Know Your Sheriff” town hall event on Tuesday they plan to improve prison conditions through a combination of additional staff, increased scrutiny of incoming inmates, and upgraded housing. Suggestions come in the wake of a slew of deaths in the county’s prison system.
As part of the event, candidates completed a questionnaire to inform voters about their position on issues. One question asked, “Since 2022, over 20 people have died in the custody of the Fulton County Sheriff’s department. What plans do you have to improve the safety of the Fulton County Jail?”
Read the full storyArizona U.S. Rep Gosar Calls Out Democrats’ Unanimous Votes on House Oversight Committee Opposing Census Citizenship Question
In his “This Week with Gosar” newsletter Monday, U.S. Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09) said that during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing, every Democrat voted against H.R. 7109, the Equal Representation Act, which would add a citizenship question to the decennial census. An amended version of the legislation passed the committee vote (22-20) and awaits further action on the House floor.
Gosar, who serves on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, stated that the new question on the decennial census would ask, “Are you a citizen? YES or NO.”
Read the full storyGeorgia U.S. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene Blasts DHS Secretary Mayorkas: Probably the Best Business Partner Cartels Could Ever Have
U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA-14), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, told Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that he was “probably the best business partner” cartels “could ever have” in a hearing on Tuesday.
“Mr. Secretary…you’ve allowed the cartels to make billions and billions. As a matter of fact, you’re probably the best business partner they could ever have,” she said, and added, “They make all this money in human trafficking and drug trafficking at our border. You’ve allowed approximately 300 Americans to be murdered every single day from fentanyl that comes across our border….”
Read the full storyHome Sales Drop in March as Mortgage Rates Surge over 7 Percent
Existing home sales shrank in March as consumers respond to continuing price increases and rising mortgage rates.
Sales for existing homes fell 4.3% in March compared to the previous month and 3.7% year-over-year, to an annual rate of 4.19 million, according to a press release from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The average for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reached 7.10% this week, a substantial jump from 6.88% last week, depressing Americans’ desire to switch homes and possibly acquire a higher interest rate, according to a release from real estate giant Freddie Mac.
Read the full storyCalifornia Sues Huntington Beach over Voter ID Law as State Pushes Back on Conservative Locality
The State of California is suing the city of Huntington Beach over a new voter ID law passed by voters last month, claiming it violates state law, in another pushback against a conservative locality in the liberal state.
Huntington Beach and Shasta County have both passed election integrity measures for their jurisdictions, but the California executive branch and state legislature — both supported by far-left donors — have shown their displeasure by responding with lawsuits and legislation to counter them.
Read the full storyReport: Federal Agencies Not Safeguarding Unaccompanied Minors
Another inspector general report has found that the federal agency responsible for caring for unaccompanied minors (UACs) brought into the United States is continuing to fail to vet sponsors and protect the children’s safety and well-being.
A Texas advocacy group is again renewing its call for state lawmakers to investigate and implement oversight measures since the majority of UACs are being housed in Texas.
Read the full storyCommentary: Remembering Nixon’s Legacy 30 Years After His Death
Richard Nixon, the 37th president of the United States, died 30 years ago this week—on April 22, 1994. And while it may be hard to remember a Republican the left despised more than Donald J. Trump—Nixon probably takes the cake.
It was not so much how the former California Congressman and two-term Vice President governed or his introverted personality but rather his adversarial relationship with a hostile media, his sheer determination, intelligence, lawyerly command of the facts, exceptional understanding of both foreign and domestic policy, and his effectiveness as commander in chief that caused the left to view Nixon as persona non grata.
Read the full storyCritics Blast Biden Administration’s New ‘Conservation Leases,’ Which They Say are Illegal
The Biden administration Friday rolled out three decisions aimed at greatly restricting oil and gas drilling, as well as mining activities needed for renewable energy, on public land.
The decisions include shutting down the Ambler Access Road project, which would have opened up part of Alaska to mining needed for renewable energy, and blocking oil and gas drilling on up to 13 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
Read the full story