Day: May 22, 2024

Federal Judge Issues Blow to ICE over ‘Knock and Talks’ with Illegal Immigrants

Just the News
ICE Officers

California-based federal judge ruled that the way Immigration and Customs Enforcement executes “knock and talks” – by walking up to the door of a home to speak with an occupant and carry out civil immigration arrests – is unconstitutional.

California Central District Judge Otis D. Wright II, an appointee of President George W. Bush, ruled last week that the practice of entering the area around a home for the purpose of arresting an occupant without a specific warrant or express consent through “knock and talks” violates the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

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Courts Finally Scrutinize COVID Vaccine Mandates as Religious Infringement

Gianna Ross
COVID Vaccine Protest

Three years after COVID-19 vaccines became widely available to adults – at which point the CDC already knew they couldn’t stop transmission – courts are finally starting to put their foot down on the most basic legal question: Are mandates at least applied fairly, if not scientifically?

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals not only knocked down the University of Colorado medical school’s original and revised 2021 mandates for discriminating against employees seeking religious exemptions, but knocked the trial judge for “abuse of discretion” by reversing the burden of proof to moot the case.

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Former GOP Republican Presidential Candidate Buys Activist Stake in Left-Wing Outlet

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Vivek Ramaswamy

Former Republican presidential candidate and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy purchased an activist stake in BuzzFeed, according to a May Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Ramaswamy purchased a 7.7% stake consisting of 2.7 million shares between March 14 and May 21 at costs ranging from $1.47 to $2.51 per share, according to the filing. The businessman asserted in the filing that he feels the company’s shares are “undervalued and represent an attractive investment opportunity.”

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Rachel Alexander Recounts Personal Experience as a Target of the Left’s Lawfare

Kaitlin Housler

Rachel Alexander, lead reporter at The Arizona Sun Times, attended the Get Trump virtual lawfare conference on Tuesday, which was hosted by the anti-globalist movement Davos in the Desert.

Alexander, who spoke at the event, said the conference was a “really exciting, up-to-date look at everything going on” in regards to lawfare targeting conservatives, including former President Donald Trump and January 6 defendants.

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GOP State Senator May Be Holding Up Arizona Legislature from Sending Election Integrity Measure to Ballot

Rachel Alexander
Ken Bennett

The Arizona Legislature is considering sending an election integrity measure to the ballot this fall.

HCR 2056 was debated in the Senate Elections Committee last week. The bill would require voters to show photo ID when dropping ballots off. All early ballots dropped off will be tabulated at the voting location where they were submitted. Seven counties already do that. The bill also prohibits election officials from accepting funds from foreign entities to help administer an election.

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RNC on ‘Biological Attack’ at HQ: ‘We Stand Firm in Our Mission’

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Breitbart Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Michael Whatley said the organization stands “firm” in its mission, no matter the “violent tactics” opposers throw its way, making the statement after an evacuation of the RNC headquarters in Washington, DC, due to someone sending two vials of blood to the location. Individuals were temporarily evacuated from the RNC HQ after the vials were found, and hazardous-materials teams were called to investigate the matter. According to reports, the vials were addressed to former President Donald Trump, but the intent remains unclear, and it is not publicly known to whom the blood belongs. Whatley released a statement after receiving an all-clear from authorities, deeming this a “biological attack” in an email blast: Today, vials of blood were sent to RNC Headquarters in DC. We are thankful to law enforcement, who responded quickly and ensured everyone’s safety. The lockdown has been cleared and staff has resumed their office duties because we remain unintimidated and undeterred in our efforts to elect President Trump to the White House. READ THE FULL STORY             

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U.S. Marshals, Memphis Police Capture 18-Year-Old Murder Suspect Out on Bond for Previous Vehicle Thefts

Kaitlin Housler
DeMario Wilson

An 18-year-old man wanted for a deadly shooting and robbery that took place in an apartment complex in the Raleigh area of Memphis last month was captured on Tuesday by U.S. Marshals and Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers.

The suspect, Demario Wilson, was taken into custody at a residence in the 2200 block of Eldridge Avenue in Memphis, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

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DOJ Adds Oklahoma to the List of States It’s Suing to Block Its Immigration Laws

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The Associated Press The U.S. Department of Justice sued Oklahoma on Tuesday seeking to block a law that seeks to impose criminal penalties on those living in the state illegally. The lawsuit in federal court in Oklahoma City challenges a law that makes it a state crime — punishable by up to two years in prison — to live in Oklahoma without legal immigration status. Similar laws passed in Texas and Iowa already are facing challenges from the Justice Department. Oklahoma is among several GOP states jockeying to push deeper into immigration enforcement as both Republicans and Democrats seize on the issue. Other bills targeting migrants have been passed this year in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. READ THE FULL STORY                 

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Inflation will Come Down Gradually, Though Slower than Expected: Fed Official

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Axios On Tuesday afternoon, Axios spoke with Susan M. Collins, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, on the sidelines of a conference in Florida. Here’s what she had to say, lightly edited for length and clarity. Since Collins’s last speech, new data pointed to lower April inflation. Asked about it, she said, “I don’t overreact to a month.” “I think that I am expecting to see gradual, continued disinflation. I think it’s going to take longer than I thought it was going to some months ago.” READ THE FULL STORY                 

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University of Tennessee Launches Investigation After Complaint Filed by Man Arrested During Anti-Israel Protest

Tom Pappert
Yassin Terou

The University of Tennessee Police Department (UTPD) confirmed on Tuesday that it is investigating a complaint filed by one of the 11 pro-Palestine protestors arrested on the university’s campus on May 15 during an anti-Israel demonstration.

Yassin Terou confirmed he filed the complaint in a post to the social media platform X, where he appeared to claim his efforts are aimed at changing how UTPD treat protestors.

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Federal Scholarship Program Under Fire for Alleged Bias Against Conservatives

The Center Square
College Students

Lawmakers have threatened to revoke the appropriations for a federally-funded scholarship program that an audit found favors liberally leaning students over conservatives by a ratio of 10 to 1.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation was established in the 1970s to award scholarships to students who “demonstrate outstanding potential for and who plan to pursue a career in public service.”

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Northwestern University May Have Broken Federal Law by Failing to Report Crimes During Anti-Israel Protests

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Northwestern University student protesters

Northwestern University may have violated a federal law by failing to report crimes on campus at least five times during recent anti-Israel protests.

Northwestern appears to have violated a U.S. law called the Clery Act by not taking and publishing police reports from students who say they were assaulted, battered, stolen from, or witnessed crimes committed by anti-Israel protesters on campus. Failure to do so would allow the university to report lower crime numbers and portray a false picture of campus safety.

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School Bullies Could Be Punished with Misdemeanor Under New Tennessee Law

Peter D'Abrosca
School Bully

A new law that will take effect on July 1 could put school bullies behind bars.

HB 2590, which was sponsored by State Representative Lowell Russell (R-Vonore), “makes bullying and cyber-bullying offenses subject to the same penalties as harassment; requires an officer to make a report of bullying and notify a parent or guardian when victim is a minor,” according to its summary. 

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Drug Overdoses Spike in Nashville, MNPD Hands Out Narcan to Homeless

Matthew Giffin

Metro Nashville Police Department handed out kits for Narcan, medicine that can treat drug overdoses in emergency situations, to about 40 homeless people on Monday in response to a spike in overdoses on Sunday and Monday.

Detectives are investigating the overdose spike, according to an MNPD press release. In only one incident downtown, eight individuals overdosed together, causing two fatalities while the other six were revived with Narcan.

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Commentary: A Corrupt Establishment Demands a Loyalty Oath

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A memo must have gone out. Because in several prominent newspapers, the same propaganda appeared at nearly the same time.

The Washington Post said, “Top Republicans, led by Trump, refuse to commit to accept 2024 election results.” The New York Times similarly intoned, “Leading Republicans have refused to say flatly that they will accept the outcome of the presidential election if Donald Trump loses.” Rolling Stone chastised a former presidential candidate: “Tim Scott Embraces Trump’s Election Denialism, Won’t Commit to Accept Results.”

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Human Rights Campaign to Target Wisconsin in Push for Equality Voters

The Center Square
People Voting

The Human Rights Campaign wants spend millions of dollars to connect with equality voters in Wisconsin this election season.

The Human Rights Campaign bills itself as the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.  It says equality voters are people who share their LGBTQ focus and agenda.

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Ilhan Omar Votes Against Bill to Deport Illegal Immigrants Who Assault Police

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Ilhan Omar

Two Democratic Minnesota congresswomen voted against federal legislation which seeks to deport illegal immigrants who assault law enforcement officers. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Betty McCollum were the lone votes from Minnesota to oppose H.R. 7343.

The aptly named “Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act” was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week in a 265-148 vote. In total, 54 Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill; 148 Democrats voted against H.R. 7343. No Republican opposed the proposed law.

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Connecticut Released Illegal Immigrant Convicted of Killing Two Children Despite ICE Detainer

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Connecticut law enforcement officials released an illegal immigrant convicted of killing two young children in a drunk driving accident, despite a detainer request lodged against him, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

ICE agents apprehended Israel Alejandro Gonzalez-Arcinega, a 40-year-old Mexican national convicted of two counts of manslaughter, illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and other crimes in Connecticut, the agency announced in a press release on Monday. ICE is blasting local officials in the state for releasing the noncitizen back into the community despite an immigration detainer placed on him.

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Dave McCormick Campaign Resurfaces 2006 Video of Sen. Bob Casey Warning Politicians Who Fail to Secure Border Owe Voters ‘Lot of Explaining’

Tom Pappert
Bob Casey

Republican U.S. Senate nominee Dave McCormick resurfaced on Tuesday an 18-year-old video that features Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) warn longtime politicians who are unable to secure the U.S.-Mexico border should prepare to offer “a lot of explaining” to their constituents.

The McCormick campaign explained the video was recorded in 2006, when Casey was campaigning against former Senator Rick Santorum.

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Rep. Ruben Gallego Claimed Border Crisis ‘Not as Important’ for Arizona in Video Slammed by Senate Republicans

Tom Pappert
Ruben Gallego

A video purportedly from a virtual town hall event featuring Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) shows the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate claiming the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border is “not as important” to Arizona voters.

Originally posted online by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), Gallego stated in the video, “The border, people talk about, it’s not as important and salient as it is I think in other states. We do talk about it, we do worry about it, but it is not, I think, as heavy as it is in other states.”

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Rudy Giuliani Pleads Not Guilty to Nine Charges in Arizona 2020 Electors Case

Just the News

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to nine felony charges in an election case regarding an alternate slate of electors in Arizona for the 2020 election.

Kelli Ward, the former Arizona Republican Party chair, and at least 11 other people were also arraigned in the case on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. Ward and nine others have pleaded not guilty thus far, and her trial begins Oct. 17. They were arraigned for conspiracy, forgery and fraud charges that Arizona authorities announced last month. 

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Maricopa County Passes Tentative Budget with Lower Tax Rate

The Center Square
Maricopa County Budget Taxes

The budget in Maricopa County will presumably go down by 11% in fiscal year 2025.

A decrease in the budget compared with the current fiscal year is largely attributed to less “one-time spending” and a decrease of $32.7 million in retirement costs. In total, the difference between fiscal year 2024 and 2025 was over $493 million. The budget totals at roughly $3.87 billion, with 47.6% going toward public safety and 25,78% going toward health, welfare, and sanitation.

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Biden Admin Expresses ‘Official Condolences’ for Death of Iranian President Who Was Dubbed the ‘Butcher Of Tehran’

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Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi

The Biden administration on Monday expressed condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

Raisi and several Iranian regime officials were killed in a helicopter crash in northern Iran over the weekend. Raisi, known as the “Butcher of Tehran,” oversaw aggressive foreign policies that increased tensions with the West and authoritarian domestic policies to repress and abuse the Iranian population, whom he was deeply unpopular with.

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Commentary: FBI Authorized Use of Deadly Force During Mar-a-Lago Raid

Julie Kelly
Merrick Garland

An exhibit filed today by Donald Trump in a motion to suppress evidence seized during the FBI’s August 2022 raid of Mar-a-Lago revealed shocking new details about the bureau’s plans to use deadly force and even engage the former president and his security detail that day if necessary. The document is just one of many court filings recently ordered unsealed by Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the matter in southern Florida.

In an August 3, 2022 operations order for “Plasmic Echo,” the FBI’s code name for the government’s investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of national defense material, FBI officials furnished instructions on to proceed with the unprecedented raid. “FBI [Washington Field Office] and FBI [Miami] agents and [Evidence Response Team] will effect a search of designated locations within Mar-a-Lago (MAL) to locate and seize classified information, NDI, and US Government records as described in captioned search warrant,” the document read.

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Celebrated Transgender Inmate Charged with Raping Female Months Before Judge Tossed Related Suit

Just the News
U.S. District Judge Jennifer Thurston

Three days after a federal judge dismissed a challenge to a California law that lets inmates with intact male genitalia and hormone levels choose women’s prisons based on gender identity, prosecutors laid out their evidence for rape charges against an incarcerated male transferred under that law, whom the judge also allowed to intervene in defense of SB 132.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Thurston “clearly didn’t know about this rape case coming through the state court system” going back to March, Executive Director Sharon Byrne of the Women’s Liberation Front, which sponsored the lawsuit by female inmates Janine Chandler, Krystal Gonzalez, Tomiekia Johnson and Nadia Romero, told Just the News on Monday.

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Commentary: Big Tech Wants to Crush Your Entire World and Trap You in Virtual Hell

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Woman wearing Apple Vision Pro goggles

Apple’s recent ad for a new, thinner iPad featured a hydraulic press smashing everything the new gadget could supposedly replace: paints, musical instruments, a clay bust, arcade cabinets, record players, books.

The new iPad promises a future in which humanity has forgotten the whisper of the brush over the canvas, the vibration of a guitar string, the joy of finding a note tucked into an old used book, and the easy camaraderie of children cheering each other on as they take turns at a challenging arcade game. The craftsmanship that went into these objects is now obsolete. You don’t have to go anywhere, touch anything.

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Music Spotlight: Matt Oakley

Bethany Bowman

Matt Oakley grew up around all kinds of music. His dad was a DJ in the military in Germany.

He recalled, “We always had those little boomboxes going and those old CD players that were like small oval-shaped. We have our home videos. And almost everyone, whether it was on a desk or a kitchen table, or me and my sisters dancing around, we were always around music. And in car rides, when we would go on road trips, we would play music trivia or play the song. The first person to get what the song is and who it’s by gets a point.”

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