Category: News

Panama Closes Three Darien Crossings on the Border with Colombia

ADN America
Darien River, Panama

Panama has closed at least three of the crossing points used by migrants to cross the Darien River, which marks the border with Colombia, with a “perimeter barrier” in order to “channel” the flow of migrants and exercise greater control over this irregular route used by hundreds of people every day on their way to North America, Panamanian authorities reported on Wednesday.

Panama’s National Border Service (Senafront) said in a statement to which EFE had access that “measures were taken to control the massive irregular migration that the Panamanian State faces” in order to “channel irregular migration” to Bajo Chiquito, the first town that migrants reach after crossing the Darien jungle on foot for days.

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Tennessee Courts Will Look to Put Filings Online

The Center Square

Tennessee’s Advisory Commission on Rules of Practice and Procedure decided to start a committee looking into rules to make court briefs available online moving forward.

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight Tarwater will chair the committee, which will include commission Chairman Gino Bulso, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Tom Greenholtz, former Solicitor General Andree Blumstein and attorney Tim Mickel.

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Economic Issues Top Voter Concerns in the Pennsylvania Swing State

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Polling Station

Economic issues dominate the list of top concerns for Pennsylvania voters ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election, a new poll finds.

A quarter of voters in the swing state ranked “inflation/cost of living” as the No. 1 issue facing Pennsylvanians in a survey released Tuesday from the Commonwealth Foundation, a conservative-libertarian think tank in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

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Commentary: Americans Want to Know Who Is Really in Charge in the White House

Admin
Presidential Podium

In last Thursday’s presidential debate, we saw the most decisive loss ever by an incumbent American president. Biden’s performance was so abysmal that it raises serious questions about how he can continue to function as president, especially in his role as commander-in-chief.

Donald Trump dominated the debate, making important new criticisms that Biden failed to answer—especially how the surge in illegal immigration during the Biden presidency is hurting social security. Trump put Biden on the defensive, parried tough questions, and pointed out how many of Biden’s statements were incoherent.

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New York Judges Disbar Rudy Giuliani for ‘False Statements’ About Election Fraud, But Don’t Consider the Evidence

Rachel Alexander

A panel of five New York appeals court judges this week unanimously disbarred former President Donald Trump’s former attorney, Rudy Giuliani, over statements he made about election illegalities in the 2020 presidential election.

The opinion from the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division, First Judicial Department relied on ethics rules used to target conservative attorneys: “engag[ing] in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation,” “engag[ing] in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice,” and “engag[ing] in any other conduct that adversely reflects on the lawyer’s fitness as a lawyer.”

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Bid to Boot President Faces Thin Bench of Replacements

Just the News
Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris

As Democratic heavyweights mull swapping out President Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic nominee in the wake of a dismal debate performance that showed even the truest believers the mental state of the President, they find their efforts stunted due to one significant issue: the selection of an alternative.

Among the most likely selections are Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif. While Harris’s position might seem to position her as Biden’s natural successor, Newsom has long attracted speculation about his own presidential ambitions and even debated then-Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis late last year.

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Unemployment Rate Climbs for Another Month as Job Gains Slump

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Office Work

The U.S. added 206,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in June as the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.1%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released Friday.

Economists anticipated that 190,000 jobs would be added in June, far fewer than the initially reported 272,000 gain seen in May, and the unemployment rate would remain steady at 4%, according to U.S. News and World Report. Strong topline job gains in recent months have led some top economic officials, like Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, to push back against claims that the economy is stalling, despite slow economic growth and high inflation.

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Georgia Democratic Party Chair Declares President Joe Biden ‘Only Person’ Capable of Deciding to Stay in Race amid Polling Deficit in State

Tom Pappert
Nikema Williams

Georgia Democratic Party chair and U.S. Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA-05) stated in a Wednesday interview that President Joe Biden is ultimately the “only person” who will determine whether to step down and allow another Democrat to face former President Donald Trump in November.

Williams was asked about Biden’s political future in the aftermath of his poor debate performance during an interview with 11 Alive, when the Democrat explained, “Biden is the only person who can make the decision,” and confirmed she will support the 81-year-old president until he makes such a choice.

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Funds for African Immigrants and Delivery Fee Among New Laws on the Books in Minnesota

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African Immigrants

The latest round of legislation passed by the Minnesota Legislature includes $1 million in funding for the African Immigrants Community Services nonprofit and an added delivery fee on retail orders.

The Minnesota House of Representatives released a list of legislation which was due to go into effect on July 1, all of which were sponsored by members of the DFL. Chief among the pieces of legislation passed during the most recent session is new spending. $23.85 million was delegated to the Department of Employment and Economic Development for “job training and economic development programs in fiscal year 2025.” Included in that spending was “$1 million to African Immigrants Community Services for workforce development for new Americans” as well as “$1 million to the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce for technical support to Black-owned small businesses.” Furthermore, “the law also appropriates General Fund money to support programs through Explore Minnesota Tourism,” including “$400,000 to Ka Joog for Somali community and cultural festivals and events.”

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Sen. John Fetterman Claims Media Obsessed with ‘Smearing’ President Joe Biden After CNN Debate

Tom Pappert
John Fetterman and Joe Biden

U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) claimed on Thursday the media is obsessed with “smearing” President Joe Biden in the wake of his poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump, which left Democrats debating whether he should step aside in favor of another candidate.

Fetterman, in a post to the social media platform X, suggested the media is ignoring negative news stories about Trump after the current and former presidents sparred in the first presidential debate.

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Commentary: President Biden Must Resign, or Be Impeached

RealClearWire
Joe Biden

President Biden’s duty to the American people is to “faithfully execute” his office. As a public trustee, Biden took an oath to do what is right. He is a trustee of powers bestowed upon him by the Constitution in return for his promise to be dutiful.

Like every agent and trustee, Biden owes fiduciary duties to those who are served by his decisions. He owes them two duties: the duty of always acting with due care; and the duty of giving them his absolute loyalty, always putting their interests above his own.

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Michigan Budget Includes Tuition-Free Pre-K and Community College

The Center Square
Gretchen Whitmer

The recently passed Michigan budget would guarantee tuition-free community college for all residents, and expands access to tuition-free preschool.

The tuition-free community college program is paid for by $330 million in taxpayer dollars, an increase of $30 million from last year. The new program gets rid of income caps, so any student can receive free tuition at an in-district community college.

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More Police Officers Relocating to Florida from Other States

The Center Square
Sarasota Police

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody welcomed new police officers to the state after they relocated from Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Mexico and New York.

“Florida is the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation because we back our blue,” Moody said. “We’ve been spreading the word about all the great incentives to join our ranks, and individuals like the new Sarasota recruits have answered the call – leaving behind places where their service was not as appreciated as it is here.”

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Virginia House and Senate Reach Deal on Military Education Program

The Center Square
Virginia Military Bill

Monday ended with another disappointment for those unhappy with recent changes to a state education assistance program for military families, but by Tuesday night, things had turned around.

Tuesday evening, the Senate of Virginia issued a press release stating that the House of Delegates and Senate finance chairs had finally reached an agreement on the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program after a month and a half of upheaval surrounding changes made to the program in the latest state budget.

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Arizona State Republicans Lament Water Basin Bill That Didn’t Find Hobbs’ Desk

The Center Square
Katie Hobbs

Some Republican lawmakers have expressed disappointment with the fact that a water basin management bill did not make its way to Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’ desk this session, which finished last month.

Senate Bill 1221 would have stopped “new groundwater pumping” in the Gila Bend, Wilcox and Hualapai basins as well as cut back on current usage of the water by 10-15% over the course of the next two decades, according to a news release. The bill passed the Senate in February, but absences from the Republican side and united votes against the bill on the Democratic slide led the bill to die in June.

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Arizona State Rep. David Cook Challenges State Sen. Wendy Rogers amid Controversial Election Integrity Stance

Rachel Alexander
David Cook and Wendy Rogers

State Representative David Cook (R-Globe), an election fraud denier who regularly receives very low ratings from right-leaning organizations, is running for the Arizona Senate against election integrity champion State Senator Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff). Rogers, who raised over $3 million in recent years, the most of any legislative candidate in state history, mainly due to that issue and tireless campaigning, is widely expected to defeat Cook in the LD 7 primary.

After the 2022 election, Cook denied that there was cheating. He posted on X, “I realize today my party has been taken over by people that like to yell and scream and blame everyone but themselves for a loss.”

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Federal Judge Pauses Biden’s Partial Liquefied Natural Gas Export Ban

The Center Square
Judge James Cain Jr.

A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the Biden administration’s ban on new exports of liquified natural gas exports to non-free trade agreement countries.

Judge James Cain Jr. of the Western District of Louisiana issued a preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Energy’s partial LNG export ban after more than a dozen states sued, arguing the ban was illegal.

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Commentary: Supreme Court’s Immunity Decision Has Democrats in Hysterics, Again

RealClearWire
Trump and Supreme Court

Reasonable constitutional scholars and jurists could quibble about the details and impact of the Supreme Court’s immunity decision in Trump v. United States, but the hysteria coming from the left, including President Joe Biden and dissenting Justices Sonya Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown-Jackson, is beyond rational discourse. An inability to control emotions and anger has become commonplace for progressives who don’t get their way.

Writing for a 6-3 majority, split on ideological lines, Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion laid out a three tiered approach to presidential immunity premised on the Constitution’s vesting of the complete executive power in one individual, giving him duties and power of “unrivaled gravity and breadth” and making that individual a full and equal branch of the United States government, alongside the Congress and courts. Roberts observed that the president’s constitutional powers are often “conclusive and preclusive” and those powers may not be subject to review by Congress or the courts.

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Matt Boyle: Democrats Thinking ‘Long Term’ Behind the Scenes as 2024 Presidential Odds Are Unattainable

Kaitlin Housler
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

Matt Boyle, the national political editor at Breitbart News, said Democratic Party leaders are currently thinking about which decisions should be made this election cycle to cause “less damage” for Democrats in the “long run” amid President Joe Biden’s seemingly diminished reelection chances.

Last Thursday, during a 90-minute televised debate hosted by CNN, Biden appeared absent-minded and confused, stumbling over his words and losing his train of thought multiple times.

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Clint Brewer: Courtney Johnston Has ‘Some Real Support’ Among Nashville Voters But Lags Behind in Williamson, Maury, Wilson, Marshall, and Lewis Counties

Kaitlin Housler
Courtney Johnston

Recovering journalist and Nashville-area public policy expert Clint Brewer said Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston, who is running in the August 1 Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, has some “real support” among voters in Davidson County.

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Tennessee Star to ‘Absolutely Appeal’ Judge’s Decision Not to Release One Single Page of Covenant School Killer Writings

Tom Pappert
Judge I'Ashea Myles, Michael Patrick Leahy

The Thursday ruling by Tennessee Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea L. Myles, when she decided not one single page of the writings of Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale would be released, will “absolutely” be appealed, stated Michael Patrick Leahy, the editor-in-chief of The Tennessee Star and the CEO of Star News Digital Media, Inc. (SNDM), on Friday.

Leahy declared in his Friday statement, “The judge has erroneously accepted a dubious copyright claim made by intervenors who should not have been allowed to intervene in this case in the first place.”

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Far-Left Group to Spend $10 Million on Anti-Supreme Court Campaign

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Skye Perryman

The far-left advocacy group Demand Justice announced its intentions to spend as much as $10 million on a messaging campaign smearing the Supreme Court after its ruling in favor of President Donald Trump on the question of presidential immunity.

According to Politico, Demand Justice’s goals for the $10 million spending spree include opposition research on potential future Supreme Court justices and suggestions for ethics reforms within the court. The group also plans to target such demographics as women and younger voters, falsely claiming that these groups have been “attacked” by the Supreme Court’s recent rulings. Demand Justice also intends to attack right-wing judicial groups that played a role in shaping the court’s conservative majority under the Trump Administration.

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Tennessee Judge Rules Not One Page of Covenant Killer Writings Shall be Released, Cites Dubious Copyright Claims of Intervenors

Tom Pappert

Tennessee Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea L. Myles ruled in a decision released at 11:58 pm on Thursday that none of the writings left by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale shall be released to the multiple parties who sued Metro Nashville to secure their release, citing the copyright claims of the parents she earlier allowed to intervene in the lawsuit.

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Federal Court Halts Biden’s Title IX Regulations in Four New States

Just the News
Federal Judge John Brooms

Federal judge John Broomes ruled on the side of attorneys general in Kansas, Alaska, Utah, and Wyoming, claiming that Title IX was meant to protect biological women from discrimination in education.

A federal court in Kansas on Tuesday blocked the Biden administration’s Title IX regulations from taking effect in four states, becoming the latest court to stop the new controversial rules from taking effect in August.

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Virginia Democrat Reportedly Compared President Joe Biden to Jesus Christ in Fundraising Pitch

Tom Pappert
Don Beyer

U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA-08) reportedly compared President Joe Biden to Jesus Christ during a Tuesday fundraising event in McLean, Virginia, drawing similarities between the suffering Jesus experienced when crucified to the various political and personal tragedies of the president’s life.

Beyer apparently “invoked the crucifixion of Jesus” during the fundraising event, according to The Washington Free Beacon.

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Raise the Wage Ohio Toes Deadline for Petition Signature Submissions

The Center Square
Minimum Wage Protest

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Wednesday he expects Raise the Wage Ohio to turn in petition signatures for a proposed constitutional amendment that would raise the minimum wage, joining two other filings for the November ballot this week.

The Raise the Wage Ohio campaign, made up mostly of volunteers, needs 413,487 valid petition signatures for the amendment to reach the ballot.

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Commentary: Democrats’ Convention Rules Actually Give Delegates Some Leeway

RealClearWire
Joe Biden Speaking

President Biden’s debate performance on Thursday night has brought talk of replacing him on the Democratic presidential ticket out into the open. Most have focused on Biden voluntarily withdrawing from the race. There is, however, another solution that is being ignored by party leaders. They can simply decide to nominate a different candidate.

I know this sounds strange, since the 4,696 delegates who will attend the convention, and particularly most of the 3,949 who are pledged to vote for Biden, have likely already booked their hotel rooms in Chicago. The dirty little secret about the Democratic Party, as Bernie Sanders’ supporters learned in 2016, is that the rules governing their conventions are entirely “democratic.” Sanders’ problem was with the so-called “superdelegates,” who attend the Democratic National Convention by virtue of their leadership position in the party. The disconnect between voters and delegates, however, potentially also extends to the rest of the delegates.

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McMaster Removing $2.3 Million from South Carolina’s 2024-25 Budget

The Center Square
Henry McMaster

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced 21 budget vetoes totaling nearly $2.3 million from the Palmetto State’s fiscal 2024-25 budget.

The Republican governor announced his vetoes during a Wednesday media briefing, calling on state lawmakers to replace earmarks with merit-based and competitive grants. The budget includes more than 500 earmarks totaling $424.7 million.

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Pennsylvania State Senate Passes Bill to Help Schools Ban Cell Phones

Tom Pappert
Student with Cell Phone

The Pennsylvania State Senate on Wednesday passed SB 1207, which seeks to amend the Public School Code of 1949 in order to establish a Cell Phone Lockable Bag Pilot Program that would encourage schools to restrict cell phone use among students.

Introduced by State Senator Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster), the legislation would “provide funding to cover the costs of purchasing secure cell phone lockable bags,” which will be available to schools throughout the commonwealth who establish a “policy that prohibits the use of cell phones during school time” and requires students to store their phones in “lockable bags.”

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Kamala Harris Is Floated as a Biden Replacement, but Her Past May Weigh Down Her Candidacy

Just the News
Kamala Harris

President Joe Biden’s debate performance raised so many concerns about his cognitive state and advanced age that more and more Democrats are mulling replacing him as their 2024 presidential nominee. But, the president’s most likely replacement—Kamala Harris—has a political past that may give voters pause.

As the current vice president and favorite to replace Biden because of her many institutional advantages, Harris is a known entity and likely the most vetted of the potential replacement nominees. But her rapid rise through the notorious San Francisco political machine was bound to leave some marks on her record, especially on issues that are important to Democratic voters.

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Commentary: Don’t Let the Department of Education Silence Our Kids

Admin
Moms for America

The Founding Fathers recognized that an educated citizenry was vital to the survival of our republic. Thomas Jefferson, for example, saw education as essential to giving every citizen the opportunity to participate meaningfully in a free society.

Writing in 1818, our third president described public education as “the means to give every citizen the information he needs for the transaction of his own business … to express and preserve his own ideas … to improve his morals and faculties … to understand his duties, and to exercise his rights.”

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U.S. District Court Hands Down Victory in Tennessee-Led Case Challenging HHS Rule on Gender Identity Under the Affordable Care Act

Kaitlin Housler

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi has halted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from implementing its final rule which redefines the Affordable Care Act’s prohibition against discrimination based on “sex” to include “gender identity” at the request of Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.

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Covenant Killer Audrey Hale Told Unknown Physician She ‘Felt Close’ to Columbine Massacre, Nashville Police Revealed in 2023 Recording

Tom Pappert
Columbine Shooters

Police investigators told the parents of Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale their daughter “felt close” to those who perpetrated the Columbine High School attack in 1999 and created her own version of the Columbine Tapes.

The investigators told the killer’s parents, Ronald Hale and Norma Hale, that their daughter divulged the information to an unknown physician, according to the transcript of a July 12, 2023, interview The Tennessee Star obtained last month.

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Another Complaint Adds to Mounting Evidence of FBI’s Political Bias and Whistleblower Retaliation

Just the News

Evidence is mounting that the FBI—the country’s premier law enforcement agency—has resorted to basing decisions to suspend or revoke security clearances on FBI employees’ political views.

The evidence, which suggests political motivations in how the bureau has treated several of its own workers, has surfaced through whistleblower complaints recently filed internally and with the Justice Department’s watchdog.

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