Category: News

Tennessee U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen Joins Push to Strip Trump’s Secret Service Protection if Convicted

Tom Pappert
Congressman Steve Cohen

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.”

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Tennessee Treasurer Absent from Letter to Bank of America Demanding End to De-Banking Conservatives

Matthew Giffin
David H. Lillard, Jr.

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.

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Fraud Costs the Federal Government up to $521 Billion a Year

The Center Square
Money Waste Government

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. 

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Medical Associations Silent After Review Finds Weak Evidence for Recommending Puberty Blockers to Kids

Admin

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.

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Pro-Life Leaders Sound Alarm on Potential Abortion Ballot Initiatives: ‘Bunch of Mini Roe v. Wade’s‘ Nationwide

Zachery Schmidt
Abortion Supporters

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.

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‘Clear Violation of the Law’: Biden’s Multi-Billion Dollar Broadband Plan Defies Congressional Mandate, Experts Say

Admin
Joe Biden

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.

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Los Angeles Prosecutor on Election Software Firm Case Claims Charges Dropped over DA’s Political Concerns

Just the News

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.

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International Money Fund Warns on U.S. Debt ‘Something Will Have to Give’

The Center Square
Congress Spending

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.

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Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell Announces $3.1 Billion Transit Plan

Tom Pappert
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell

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.”

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Auditor Puts Ohio Community College on Notice over Bloated Staff, Underused Buildings

The Center Square
Lakeland Community College

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.

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Arizona Mexican Mafia Members Indicted for Stealing Pandemic Unemployment Money

Tom Pappert
Arizona A.G. Kris Mayes

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.

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Youngkin to ‘Work with Legislators’ on Skill Games Concerns After Senate Tosses Governor’s Amended Bill

Tom Pappert
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin

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.

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Commentary: The Endurance of an Ideological Paradox

Admin
Karl Marx / "How do you do, Fellow Kids" meme

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?

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Fulton County Sheriff Candidates Point to More Guards, Better Housing Needed to Stop Wave of Prison Inmate Deaths

Debra McClure
Fulton County Sheriff Candidates

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?”

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Arizona U.S. Rep Gosar Calls Out Democrats’ Unanimous Votes on House Oversight Committee Opposing Census Citizenship Question

Debra McClure
Paul Gosar

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.”

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Georgia U.S. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene Blasts DHS Secretary Mayorkas: Probably the Best Business Partner Cartels Could Ever Have

Debra McClure
MTG hearing

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….”

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Home Sales Drop in March as Mortgage Rates Surge over 7 Percent

Admin
Sale Pending Home

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.

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California Sues Huntington Beach over Voter ID Law as State Pushes Back on Conservative Locality

Just the News
California Attorney General Rob Bonta with Secretary of State Shirley Weber (composite image)

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.

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Report: Federal Agencies Not Safeguarding Unaccompanied Minors

The Center Square

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.

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Commentary: Remembering Nixon’s Legacy 30 Years After His Death

Admin
Richard Nixon

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.

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Critics Blast Biden Administration’s New ‘Conservation Leases,’ Which They Say are Illegal

Just the News
Kathleen Sgamma

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.

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Phil Williams Says He Asked Justin Jones to Respond to Allegations He Covered Up Knowledge of Sexual Assaults, But ‘He Chose Not to Comment’

Tom Pappert
Dan Mandis and Phil Williams, WTN

Phil Williams of NewsChannel 5 failed to report the response he received from Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) to the claim the lawmaker covered up the sexual assault of two protesters by a homeless man in 2020.

Williams revealed in a Friday interview with SuperTalk 99.7 WTN that Jones declined to comment on the claim in 2020. Williams additionally confirmed that other activists planned to confront the homeless man for his alleged sex crimes instead of involving police.

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Montana Hit with Lawsuit over Sex-Change Policy for Birth Certificates, Driver’s Licenses

Admin
Montana Capitol

Two transgender people sued Montana on Thursday, challenging a state policy that bars residents from changing the sex designations on their birth certificates unless they meet certain criteria.

Jessica Kalarchik and an individual identified only as “Jane Doe” are listed as plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging a state policy that, they argue, makes it “impossible” for transgender people born in Montana to change their birth certificates. The policy, which was finalized in 2022, prohibits individuals from changing the gender on their birth certificate, unless their gender was listed incorrectly on the original certificate as a result of data error or misidentification, according to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

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Nashville’s East Bank Development Moving Forward

The Center Square

Development on Nashville’s East Bank is moving forward as the area prepares for a new $2.1 billion Tennessee Titans stadium, set to open in 2027, and development in the area surrounding it.

Both the House and Senate will soon discuss companion bills to create an East Bank Development Authority board after Nashville’s Metro Council approved a deal to have Fallon Co. develop the initial 30 acres of Nashville-owned land in the development area.

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Kari Lake’s Attorneys Send Letter to Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer Regarding Settling His Defamation Lawsuit

Rachel Alexander
Kari Lake and Stephen Richer

Kari Lake agreed earlier this month to settle the defamation lawsuit against her filed by Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, citing the enormous cost it would take to go through a full trial. Her attorneys sent a letter on Monday to Richer’s attorneys regarding Richer’s proposed meet and confer terms, rejecting all three proposals from him, at times sarcastically. 

Lake is running for the U.S. Senate and still fighting two election lawsuits, one over her loss in the gubernatorial race and another challenging the use of voting machine tabulators in elections. Richer filed a defamation lawsuit against her for stating that he intentionally sabotaged the 2022 election. Approximately 300,000 ballots in the 2022 election lacked a chain of custody, a class 2 misdemeanor, but the county has strenuously fought litigation efforts to allow Lake to inspect the ballot affidavit envelopes and other requests from her and voter integrity groups related to the election anomalies.

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Laken Riley’s Illegal Alien Killer Was Released into U.S. Under Mayorkas’ Power of Parole, According to DHS File

Admin

The criminal illegal alien accused of killing Laken Riley was released into the U.S. in September of 2022 because the Department of Homeland Security lacked detention space, according to his immigration file.

Jose Ibarra, the Venezuelan national charged with murdering Riley in February, was released under DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ power of parole, which is only supposed to be used “when there is an urgent humanitarian need or a significant benefit to the public,” the Washington Times reported.

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Commentary: Veteran Teacher Explains What’s Wrong with Traditional Schooling

Admin
Classroom Work

For 19 years, I was a master of time. Down to the minute, I controlled time for others and used it to meet my and others’ ends, irrespective of the desires of those in front of me. In short, I was a public-school teacher, and controlling time was my talent. Although I and other adults often talked about helping students reach their potential and grow as learners, what we really did each day was control their time and force upon them ideas and subjects in which most of them had little to no interest.

What if there were a better way? A way to help each student learn the way he or she learns best, develop autonomy, explore passions, and take control of his or her own time? Thankfully, that way does exist in the form of alternative schools and learning programs that continue to increase in number each day.

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Push Begins to Guarantee Free Speech on Ohio College Campuses

The Center Square

An Ohio lawmaker believes the state’s current political climate creates a negative environment for some speech on college campuses and wants to make sure staff and students are protected.

Rep. Adam Holmes, R-Nashport, said legislation prohibiting colleges and universities from requiring support of specific ideas or political movements is becoming increasingly necessary.

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Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale Announces Removal of Inappropriate Books from Media Centers

Debra McClure
Chris Ragsdale

Cobb County School District (CCSD) Superintendent Chris Ragsdale announced the removal of four books containing “lewd, “vulgar,” and “sexually explicit” content from school media centers in a Board of Education meeting Thursday night.

“Tonight, I am announcing that four additional books are being removed after having gone through our very thorough district process: ‘It Ends with Us,’ ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower,’ ‘Lucky,’ and ‘Thirteen Reasons Why.’ The review found all four of these books to contain lewd, vulgar, and sexually explicit and graphic content inappropriate for a public school,” Superintendent Ragsdale said during the meeting.

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Report: Biden has Taken over 200 Actions Against U.S. Oil

The Center Square
Oil Drilling

President Joe Biden and his administration have taken over 200 actions against the U.S. oil and natural gas industry as energy prices have gone up, according to a new report. 

“President Biden and Democrats have a plan for American energy: make it harder to produce and more expensive to purchase,” the Institute for Energy Research states in a new report. “Since Mr. Biden took office, his administration and its allies have taken over 200 actions deliberately designed to make it harder to produce energy here in America.”

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Maine Becomes 17th State to Join Effort to Elect President by Popular Vote

Just the News
Janet Mills

Maine’s Democratic governor Janet Mills announced on Monday that her state will become the latest to join an effort to elect the president through popular vote instead of the electoral college.

A coalition of 16 states and Washington D.C., have agreed to send all of their electoral college votes to the candidate that wins the popular vote nationwide as part of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, according to the Associated Press, but the states will need to control 270 electoral college votes in order to implement the proposal. So far, with Maine, it has 209.

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Commentary: The Discovery of Aliens Will Probably Be… Unsatisfying

RealClearWire
Michael L. Wong

There are a least a hundred billion stars in the Milky Way, our home galaxy. And there could be trillions of planets! That leaves a lot of potential real estate for extraterrestrials.

Let’s optimistically assume that we’ll one day find aliens. How might that happen? Maybe it will be like in the movies! They’ll visit Earth with their faster-than-light starships, hopefully coming in peace, like the Vulcans from Star Trek or the squid-like beings in Arrival.

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Commentary: NPR Scandal Should Kill Taxpayer-Funded Broadcasting

RealClearWire
NPR Building

“I don’t want any yes-men around me,” said Sam Goldwyn, the Hollywood producer famed for his movies and malapropisms. “I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them their job.” The brass at National Public Radio must have heard Sam, but they add a slight amendment. We want only “yes-men” (they/them) and will boot anyone who dares to dissent.

Lest there be any doubt, NPR just proved it by suspending, without pay, the staffer who exposed the pervasive problems there. He dared to write publicly that that National Public Radio was uniformly ideological, deeply committed to its strident left-wing views, and determined to exclude any alternatives. For saying that out loud, they cut off Uri Berliner’s paycheck for five days. It’s their way of saying, “Thank you for your feedback.” Q.E.D.

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Letitia James Asks Judge to Block Trump’s $175 Million Bond from Civil Fraud Case

Just the News
Letitia James

New York Attorney General Letitia James’s office has asked a judge on Friday to block a $175 million bond that former President Donald Trump secured to delay paying a larger punishment in his civil fraud case.

Trump was ordered to pay a combined $464 million, plus interest, earlier this year after Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump and his organization had inflated his net worth in order to get better tax and insurance benefits. The sum was later reduced to $175 million, which Trump posted.

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House Dems Move to Strip Trump of Secret Service Protection, If Convicted

Just the News
Donald Trump Secret Service

A group of House Democrats on Friday introduced legislation to strip former President Donald Trump of his Secret Service protection should he be convicted in one of the myriad criminal cases against him.

Trump is currently on trial in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case over allegedly falsifying business records. Trump has pleaded not guilty and contends that the case is part of broader political witch hunt against him. He also faces two separate federal indictments from special counsel Jack Smith and a fourth from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

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Johnson Sets Up Ukraine Showdown Vote

The Center Square
Mike Johnson

The U.S. House is expected to vote on funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan this weekend, a controversial climax to months of battling in both chambers.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has arranged the vote for this weekend, likely on Saturday, despite calls from many in his own party to abandon funding for Ukraine, which is set to receive about $60 billion in foreign aid in its war against Russia’s invasion if the measure passes this weekend.

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Nonprofit Misused Taxpayer Dollars to Fly Migrants Around U.S., Dem Rep Alleges

Admin
Henry Cuellar

A Texas lawmaker alleged Friday that a local nonprofit is misusing taxpayer funds through its purchase of airline tickets for migrants.

Catholic Charities of San Antonio is purchasing airline tickets for asylum-seekers in their care with federal grant money, Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar alleged. The allegation emerges as millions of federal taxpayer dollars continue to be doled out to nonprofit groups that are helping manage the border crisis under President Joe Biden.

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Apple Cooperates with Chinese Censorship Demands, Removes Popular Messaging Apps from Store

Admin
App Store

Tech behemoth Apple complied with an order from the Chinese government to remove popular messaging apps from the company’s app store in the country, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

Apple removed messaging platforms WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram, as well as social media app Threads, from its Chinese App Store in compliance with an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, which cited national security concerns as the reason for the restrictions, according to the WSJ. China’s order follows a heated debate among U.S. lawmakers over whether to place restrictions on the Chinese Communist Party-linked app TikTok, with some parties calling for the app to either be sold to a non-Chinese entity or be banned in the U.S.

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Virginia AG ‘Demands’ Biden Address ‘Missing Migrant Children Crisis’

The Center Square
Jason Miyares Migrant Children Crisis

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares wants the Biden administration to act on “the missing migrant children crisis,” claiming the administration ignores the problem.

In a letter addressed to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Miyares raised concerns over the “welfare and safety” of unaccompanied minors that he argues are not being “prioritized” by the Biden administration.

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