Tag: Michigan

Rep. Rashida Tlaib Defends Vote Against $4.6 Billion for Border Crisis

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by Jason Hopkins   Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib defended her vote against an emergency spending bill that provided billions in funds to help manage the U.S. immigration crisis, and compared CBP’s work to Nazism. “Absolutely,” Tlaib said Sunday when asked on ABC’s This Week if she agreed with comparisons of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detention centers to Nazi concentration camps. “I mean there’s an number of experts that say this is — because it’s traumatic. I mean I don’t know how to explain to people what we saw when we’re explaining to people and they’re kind of looking back and saying, ‘well that can’t be true.’” “And you know, this is a choice by the current administration, they are choosing to not allow asylum seekers to go through the legal process,” she continued. Tlaib’s comments come after she and several other Democratic lawmakers toured CBP facilities that hold aliens who entered the country illegally. The Democratic representatives –  which included Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Joaquin Castro, and others –  claimed the migrants were subjected to horrific living conditions. However, when host Martha Raddatz asked why she would then vote against a $4.6 billion emergency spending bill that would help CBP provide better care…

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Michigan Workers Prepare for Another Factory Close Next Month As Dems Set Sights on Key Voters

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by Audrey Conklin   Another auto plant in Warren, Michigan, that has been operating since 1958 is preparing to close in a little over a month, ending 261 jobs. The 261 hourly workers who will lose their jobs at the 2.1-million-square-foot General Motors factory build car transmissions. GM announced the closure in November but is set to end all production in July and keep a different transmissions factory open in Mexico, NBC News reported Friday. “It’s not the dream job it used to be,” one worker told NBC. “It’s actually quite a nightmare to try and survive and reach your pension. It feels impossible.” GM officials announced in the fall of 2018 that it was going to cut 14,000 jobs to save $6 billion by 2020, nearly 10 years to the day after the U.S. Treasury gave the company a $51 billion bailout. President Donald Trump promised to bring jobs back to middle-class populations in once-thriving, industrial midwestern towns and won more key swing states than former candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016, including Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio. “Don’t sell your house,” Trump told his audience at a 2017 rally in Youngstown, Ohio. “We’re going to get those…

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Supreme Court Rules Judges Can’t Block Partisan Gerrymandering

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by Tyler Arnold   A narrowly divided Supreme Court ruled Thursday that federal judges have no authority to block politically gerrymandered maps. The 5-4 decision fell along ideological lines with the five conservative judges signing onto the decision and the liberal judges dissenting. “We conclude that partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in his opinion. “Federal judges have no license to reallocate political power between the two major political parties, with no plausible grant of authority in the Constitution, and no legal standards to limit and direct their decisions.” Roberts said that the court has been asked to overturn politically gerrymandered lines for the past 45 years, but that it has never done so. If the court made decisions on whether maps were gerrymandered to favor a specific party, he said that judicial reviews would recur with every new round of redistricting. “That intervention would be unlimited in scope and duration,” Roberts said. He said it would be “an unprecedented expansion of judicial power.” Roberts emphasized that the Court is not condoning politically gerrymandered maps, but that the issue can be resolved by state courts enforcing state laws…

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Opioid Prescriptions Drop 15 Percent in Michigan

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by Tyler Arnold   Opioid prescriptions dropped 15 percent in 2018 from the previous year in Michigan, according to numbers released by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). The number of opioid prescriptions dropped from 9.7 million to 8.2 million in that timespan. “The decrease in dispensions could be attributed to a number of things such as prescribers weaning patients off of opioids or perhaps using treatment alternatives, to not prescribing the opioids due to the patient risk based on what the patient had been prescribed previously,” Matthew Erickson, public information officer for LARA, told The Center Square in an email. The increased awareness among doctors through the participation in the government-sponsored Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS) has significantly contributed to the decline of prescribing these drugs, according to Erickson. MAPS is a monitoring program that tracks controlled substances and helps prescribers and dispensers see potential risks in patients to prevent drug abuse. “MAPS has played a critical role in both combating the opioid epidemic here in Michigan and in ensuring patients who need prescription drugs have access to them,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a news release. “As leaders, we have a responsibility to help patients…

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Michigan Governor Signs Executive Order Creating ‘Task Force on Women in Sports’

Anthony Gockowski

  Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Monday establishing a new Task Force on Women in Sports. “Multiple studies have documented that women who play sports are more likely to seek and fill leadership roles in other sectors. Yet even with the enactment of Title IX nearly fifty years ago, opportunities for girls and women in sports, while improved, remain severely limited,” the executive order states. In the executive order, Whitmer suggests that “limitations” on female athletes “intersect with what is now a pivotal moment for gender equality and opportunity in Michigan.” “Female athletes defy gender stereotypes, serve as role models, and widen perspectives,” the executive order continues. “This inequity in access and opportunity prevents girls and women in this state from fully accessing the benefits in leadership development that sports can provide—to the detriment of not only these girls and women, but also this state, which stands to gain from their leadership.” The executive order establishes the “creation of the Task Force on Women in Sports,” which will be overseen by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The task force is charged with assessing “the history of and current landscape for girls and women in sports in…

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More Than 200 Attend ‘Squash Amash’ Rally Outside Congressman’s Grand Rapids Office

Abigail Nobel

  GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — Flag-waving patriots flocked to the “Squash Amash” rally Friday outside the Grand Rapids office of Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI-03). The congressman has faced backlash from his Trump-supporting constituents after announcing on Twitter that he thinks President Donald Trump committed impeachable offenses. One Amash voter told The Ohio Star Friday that he had difficulty understanding Amash’s position. “The Mueller Report was a set-up, the majority of them are Hillary-supporters and Democrats,” he said of the Mueller investigation. The rally drew participants from West Michigan and beyond. Hosted by the Michigan Trump Republicans, event organizers hailed from nearby Muskegon County and Oakland County in southeast Michigan. Leading the crowd in chants of “Lock her up!” and “Squash Amash!” organizers kicked off the presidential campaign season in Michigan with a rendition of “Happy Birthday” in celebration of President Trump’s 73rd birthday, which was Friday. Event supporter Jeff Webb, founder of The New American Populist PAC, addressed the crowd briefly on supporting the president and America’s middle-class. The short podium presentation concluded with requests to visit the “No Justin Amash” website. Estimates of crowd size Friday were 200-300. A wide variety of residents from Michigan’s Third Congressional District were represented, from lifelong GOP…

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A Michigan Hotel Wants to Help Out-of-State Women Get Abortions

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by Shelby Talcott   The manager of a small-town Michigan hotel is offering a free room for women looking to get abortions, particularly from states that have recently restricted or banned access. Shelley O’Brien, the manager of the Yale Hotel in Yale, Michigan, posted the offer on Facebook in May. The post offers several free nights at the hotel plus a transportation service to and from the abortion for women in states that have recently made measures to ban abortion. The offer also “extends to anybody” trying to get an abortion who may need help, which includes people from Michigan, O’Brien told the Detroit Free Press. There are not abortion services in the town of Yale, but there are some about an hour away. “This is important,” O’Brien said according to the Free Press. “This is my line. There’s no coming back from this. You start taking away the right for women to control their own bodies, and we’re done for as a civilization. I can’t stop what’s happening, but I have the resources to maybe help someone in that position, and especially knowing that women are coming from other states already.” O’Brien, 55, is a grandmother of seven and a mom of three.…

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Michigan House GOP Pushes Own Infrastructure Plan, Rejecting Whitmer’s 45 Cent Gas Tax Hike

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by Tyler Arnold   Michigan House Republicans unveiled an infrastructure funding plan that would divert all revenue generated from sales taxes paid on gasoline purchases to fund road improvements, rejecting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s plan to increase road funding through a 45-cent gas tax hike. The Republican plan would provide about $800 million annually in additional funds for roads once fully phased in, which is far less than Whitmer’s plan crafted to generate about $2.5 billion. “It’s our duty to do the best job we can to provide an effective, efficient and accountable state government with the money taxpayers already provide,” Rep. Shane Hernandez, R-Port Huron (pictured above), said in a news release. “We have gone through the budget line-by-line to find savings and set priorities that reflect what matters most to Michigan taxpayers and families,” Hernandez said. “That’s the approach we should take – rather than asking taxpayers for more money.” Currently, the sales tax paid at the pump is used mostly to fund schools and local governments, rather than roads. Hernandez’s plan would divert all of this money to infrastructure, but would do so without sacrificing money for schools and local governments. Money will be diverted back into schools and…

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Michigan State Rep Larry Inman Charged with Bribery Is Seeking Treatment for Opioid Use

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by Tyler Arnold   Michigan state Rep. Larry Inman, R-Traverse City, is seeking treatment for opioid use after being indicted on bribery charges. His attorney, Christopher Cooke, said that Inman sought treatment last week and had been using the drugs for several years after he was prescribed the medicine following major surgeries, the Associated Press reported. Cooke said that Inman and his physicians “will continue to evaluate his ability to effectively serve his constituency as his treatment progresses,” according to the report. Inman has faced calls for resignation from both sides of the aisle after he was charged with bribery, extortion and lying to a federal officer. The charges allege that Inman requested money from a labor union in exchange for a vote against repealing the state’s prevailing wage law. The union said it did not provide Inman the money and Inman voted in favor of repealing the law. In the text messages Inman sent to the union’s representatives, he referenced 11 other representatives who were allegedly seeking money. Some of the representatives were named in the text, but those names were redacted from the court documents. Inman was quickly removed from the House Republican Caucus after the indictment and House Speaker…

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Constituents Plan ‘Squash Amash’ Rally, Call for Congressman’s Resignation

Anthony Gockowski

  Pro-Trump Michiganders are a planning a “Squash Amash” rally for Flag Day outside of Rep. Justin Amash’s (R-MI-03) Grand Rapids office in response to his comments in support of impeaching the president. “Join us on Flag Day and President Trump’s birthday outside the Amash office in Grand Rapids and tell the conservative world we demand he step down from his elected position,” states an event description for the rally, which will be hosted by several pro-Trump groups in Michigan’s Third Congressional District. Protesters have also started an online petition demanding Amash’s resignation, which claims that Amash “has lost all credibility” and “no longer has the right to speak on our behalf.” “The actions and statements by Representative Amash have the effect of negating the will of the people of the 3rd District of Michigan in violation of his oath of office to represent the views and best interests of the people,” the petition continues. Diane Schindlbeck, an organizer of the rally, told MLive that she wants to “make sure he knows here in Michigan we support our president.” “Justin Amash, as one of the elected officials here in West Michigan, is not listening to his own voter base, and…

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Republican Star John James Announces Senate Run on D-Day

Anthony Gockowski

  Veteran John James, one of Michigan’s rising Republicans stars, announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate Thursday morning, the 75th anniversary of D-Day. “I would like to announce that I am running for U.S. Senate after careful deliberation and thoughtful prayer,” James said during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.” “I believe that the time, again, is to serve,” James continued. “I understand what we need to do because I have experience as a business leader, as a job creator—how to protect our economy from socialism, how to bring people together and unite people to make sure that we can defeat the evils that face us today.” James, who lost to incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in 2018 by seven points, will challenge first-term Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) in 2020. “I’m focused on continuing to deliver results for Michigan,” Peters said in a statement provided to Fox News. “I’ll keep working with anyone to improve life for Michiganders, whether it’s to expand training programs so everyone has the skills needed to find good-paying jobs, protect our Great Lakes or lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs.” President Donald Trump endorsed James during his 2018 bid and called…

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Veteran in Michigan’s Third District Poses Real Threat to Justin Amash

Anthony Gockowski

  It took just 48 hours for a fellow Republican to jump on the opportunity to run against Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI-03) after he tweeted out of the blue that President Donald Trump “has engaged in impeachable conduct.” Or at least that’s the story that our national media told. Amash, in fact, has actually had a primary opponent since April in Republican Tom Norton, whose campaign was built less in reaction to “Twitter comments,” and more so on a “careful consideration of Justin Amash’s record and ineffectiveness as a congressman,” as Norton’s campaign manager, Ivan Assenov, put it. One area where Norton believes his opponent has been particularly ineffective is in helping veterans, and Michigan’s Third Congressional District has a lot of them. “Amash’s record shows a lack of concern for veterans issues. In a district with 50,000-plus veterans and 22 a day committing suicide nationally, this is simply unacceptable,” Assenov told The Ohio Star. “Tom Norton has volunteered his time, knowledge, and experience to help Amash’s office with veterans issues after they came to Tom because their congressman turned them away. Tom was also turned away.” Norton himself is a veteran, and served in Afghanistan during his six-year career…

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Michigan House, Senate Pass Auto Insurance Reform, Governor Whitmer Expected to Sign

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by Tyler Arnold   The Michigan House and Senate passed auto insurance reform Friday with substantial bipartisan support after the House Republicans, Senate Republicans and Democratic governor struck a deal. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign the bill into law. The legislation will eliminate a mandate that required all drivers to purchase unlimited, lifetime personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. The unlimited PIP coverage mandate is unique to Michigan and caused the state’s average rates to be nearly double the national average. Detroit drivers paid nearly four times the national average. The PIP coverage accounts for nearly half of a driver’s insurance bill. After Whitmer signs the legislation, drivers will be able to choose from five PIP rate options and insurance companies will be required to lower their rates accordingly. A driver could choose to get rid of all of their PIP coverage, but only if he or she has private health insurance that covers auto accident injuries for the entire family, or the driver is an older person on Medicaid. They would save 100 percent on their PIP rates. Drivers could also choose to opt into $50,000 worth of coverage, which will be accompanied by a 45 percent rate…

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Michigan’s Rep. Tlaib Says House Democrats Will ‘Demand’ Move Towards Impeachment

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by Henry Rogers   Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib said Democrats are moving toward demanding President Donald Trump be impeached on Sunday. Tlaib appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and was asked about impeachment by host Chuck Todd and specifically why she could not get the majority of House Democrats to defend calls for impeachment. Tlaib responded by saying, “I think it is moving toward that. It’s going to demand that.” The Michigan Democrat came under fire just hours after being sworn into Congress in January for telling a group of left-wing supporters she would help Democrats “impeach the motherf****r,” referencing Trump. Tlaib also said “this is not about the 2020 election, it’s about doing what’s right now for our country. This is going to be a precedent that we set when we don’t hold this president accountable to the rule of the law and to the United States Constitution.” In early May, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Trump is “goading” Democrats to impeach him from office because he thinks it will help him fire up his base. “Don’t tell anybody I told you this: Trump is goading us to impeach him,” Pelosi said during an event hosted by Cornell University in New York City. “That’s what he’s doing. Every…

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Supreme Court Blocks Order Requiring Republicans to Redraw District Lines in Ohio and Michigan

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by Kevin Daley   The Supreme Court temporarily blocked two decisions Friday requiring Republican-controlled legislatures in Michigan and Ohio to produce new legislative district lines ahead of the 2020 election. There were no noted dissents from the Friday orders. The decision was not surprising, as the justices are currently deciding whether federal courts should even hear partisan gerrymandering disputes. Three-judge panels in both cases said the current district lines are unconstitutionally rigged to the benefit of Republicans. The GOP has strong majorities in the congressional delegations of Michigan and Ohio, though Democrats and Republicans run competitively in both states. Each decision set fast-moving schedules for the state legislatures — the Michigan ruling gave the state until Aug. 1 to draw new lines, while the Ohio decision required a remedial plan by June 14. Friday’s order from the high court means that neither state will have to create new district maps in the short-term. The justices heard arguments in March over Republican gerrymanders in North Carolina and a Democratic one in Maryland. Both cases ask whether and how federal courts can resolve controversies over partisan redistricting. Since the Michigan and Ohio appeals will turn on the outcome of the Maryland and…

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Trump Hits Back Against GOP Rep Who Took Stance On Impeachment: ‘Justin Is A Loser’

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by Evie Fordham   President Donald Trump criticized Republican Michigan Rep. Justin Amash on Twitter after the congressman said Saturday that Trump “engaged in impeachable conduct” related to the Mueller investigation. “Never a fan of Justin Amash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy,” Trump wrote Sunday. Never a fan of @justinamash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy. If he actually read the biased Mueller Report, “composed” by 18 Angry Dems who hated Trump,…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 “If he actually read the biased Mueller Report, ‘composed’ by 18 Angry [Democrats] who hated Trump, he would see that it was nevertheless strong on NO COLLUSION and, ultimately, NO OBSTRUCTION… Anyway, how do you Obstruct when there is no crime and, in fact, the crimes were committed by the other side? Justin is a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!” he continued. Amash took his stand on impeachment Saturday in a tweet after reading special counsel Robert Mueller’s report…

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Michigan Senate’s Budget Excludes Gas Tax Proposed by Gov. Whitmer, Potential Veto

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by Tyler Arnold   The Michigan Senate passed a budget package that secured some additional funding for roads, but falls far short of Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed road funding and excludes her proposed 45-cent gas tax hike, which would nearly triple the tax. “We are … investing an additional $132 million entirely to local roads – fully implementing $1.2 billion from the 2015 roads plan a year ahead of schedule,” Sen. Stamas, R-Midland, said in a news release. Stamas is the chairman of the Senate appropriations committee. “Discussions can and will continue on additional funding for our roads, but we need to press forward and fulfill our other responsibilities with the resources that we currently have,” Stamas said. “It’s one of our top jobs to pass a balanced budget on time – and we owe that to all Michigan families.” Whitmer’s plan would have increased the state’s gas tax from 26 cents to 71 cents to generate $2.5 billion in revenue that would be spent fully on road funding. But her plan would have eliminated $600 million of road funding from the general revenue and diverted that money to other issues, including education and ensuring the quality of drinking…

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Ilhan Omar Comes to Rashida Tlaib’s Defense in Backlash Over Holocaust Comments

Anthony Gockowski

  Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) has repeatedly defended her colleague Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) against criticisms related to comments she made about the Holocaust on a podcast over the weekend. “There’s always kind of a calming feeling I tell folks when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways have been wiped out, and some people’s passports,” Tlaib said on a Saturday episode of the podcast “Skullduggery.” “And just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews post the Holocaust, post the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time,” she continued. Tlaib immediately faced backlash for the comments, and was accused of engaging in revisionist history. “She ignored the fact that Palestinian leaders at the time allied themselves with Hitler and that total war is how the Arab world reacted to the declaration of Israeli independence,” CNN anchor John King said on his Monday show. Writing for The New York Post, Lahav Harkov, contributing editor…

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Steny Hoyer Stands by Rashida Tlaib’s Holocaust Comments After GOP Leadership Calls on Democrats to Condemn Her

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by Molly Prince   House Majority Steny Hoyer defended Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib on Monday after she received widespread criticism for promulgating historically inaccurate claims about the Holocaust. “If you read Rep. [Tlaib’s] comments, it is clear that President [Donald] Trump and Congressional Republicans are taking them out of context,” Hoyertweeted. “They must stop, and they owe her an apology.” Hoyer’s comments were in response to Tlaib’s appearance on the “Skullduggery” podcast where she revealed that when she envisions the Holocaust she gets a “calming feeling” because her Palestinian ancestors provided a “safe haven” for some Jewish people. “There’s always kind of a calming feeling I tell folks when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways, have been wiped out, and some people’s passports,” Tlaib said on Saturday “And just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time,” she continued. “I love the fact that it…

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Rep. Rashida Tlaib Uses Historical Inaccuracy to Explain Why ‘the Tragedy of the Holocaust’ Gives Her ‘a Calming Feeling’

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by Molly Prince   Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib revealed on Saturday that when she envisions the Holocaust she gets a “calming feeling” because her Palestinian ancestors provided a “safe haven” for some Jewish people. “There’s always kind of a calming feeling I tell folks when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways, have been wiped out, and some people’s passports,” Tlaib said on the “Skullduggery” podcast. The episode was titled “From Rashida with Love.” “And just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time,” Tlaib continued. “I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, right, in many ways. But they did it in a way that took their human dignity away and it was forced on them.” However, the Arab nations did not provide a “safe haven” for the Jew people during or after the Holocaust, where six million…

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Michigan, Ohio Republicans Ask Supremes to Put Gerrymandering Rulings on Hold

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by Kevin Daley   Republican lawmakers in Michigan and Ohio asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block lower court decisions ordering them to produce new district lines for their congressional and state legislative maps. Separate three-judge panels found the Michigan and Ohio maps were rigged to favor of Republicans, in violation of the Constitution. Both applications were presented to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who reviews emergency applications arising from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Michigan and Ohio. Sotomayor may ask both sides to submit further briefs, refer the matters to the full Court for consideration, or both. The applications come as the Supreme Court is considering related challenges from Maryland and North Carolina, which ask whether and how federal courts should police partisan gerrymandering. Decisions in those cases will bear directly on the Michigan and Ohio disputes, since all four matters present similar issues. In the Ohio case, the lower court ordered the state to produce a new map by June 14. There is a good chance the Maryland and North Carolina disputes will not be decided at that time. Ohio Republicans said that could cause ordinary people to conclude that the lower court is trying to impose a new map on…

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Historic Auto Insurance Reform Passes Michigan Senate

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by Tyler Arnold   The Michigan Senate on Tuesday passed legislation that would eliminate a mandate requiring all drivers to purchase unlimited, lifetime medical coverage in their insurance plan. Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Sen. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, passed on a vote of 24-14, receiving some bipartisan support but also Democratic dissent. Supporters of the legislation say the lifetime medical mandate, which is unique to the state, is the main contributor to Michigan having the highest auto insurance costs in the country. Michigan motorists pay an average of $2,693 annually for auto insurance, which is nearly twice the national average of $1,470. Detroit drivers pay on average $5,464 per year, the highest rates in the country. “We can all agree that Michigan drivers have the right to be upset,” Nesbitt said before the vote. “They want this problem solved.” Nesbitt urged the Senate to vote in favor of the legislation to provide more choices for Michigan motorists, who would be able to choose plans that have the coverage they want for prices they can afford rather than being forced to subscribe to a one-size-fits-all insurance plan. “We will have lower rates, provide choice, crack down on fraud and end lawsuit…

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Fiat Chrysler seeks up to $160 million in tax incentives from Michigan

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by Tyler Arnold   Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is applying for up to $160 million in tax incentives from the state of Michigan to help offset some of the costs of the company’s planned investment in Detroit. “We are excited to make a multi-billion-dollar investment that will create thousands of good-paying, union jobs, both in the construction of the new plant and, of course, in its operation for many years to come,” Kevin Frazier, corporate communications manager for Fiat, said in an email. “We know, and generations of Detroiters know, that an automotive assembly plant has the potential to make the city and its neighborhoods more vibrant places for families and individuals to live and work,” he said. Under the plan, Fiat says it will invest $2.5 billion in the Detroit area, which the company expects will create about 5,000 jobs. Fiat has requested the tax incentives to assist with the two largest investments – modernizing existing plants to build Jeeps and the Dodge Durango. The company will spend $1.6 billion on converting the two Mack Avenue Engine Complex plants into assembly plants for the next generation Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Jeep SUV as well as plug-in hybrid models.…

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Michigan’s Rep. Rashida Tlaib: ‘I Was Really Afraid of My Fellow Americans’ After the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

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by Molly Prince   Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib revealed in an interview that she was “terrified” for herself and her family after the Sept. 11 terror attacks that left nearly 3,000 Americans dead. “I was probably my second year of law school when 9/11 happened and I was really terrified of what was going to happen to my husband, who was only a green card holder at the time,” Tlaib said during an interview with ‘Makers’, a media company founded to “accelerate the women’s movement.”   “I immediately called my brothers and told them to be very careful who you hang out with,” she continued. “Telling my sisters ‘just be real careful out there’ and being really afraid of my fellow Americans.” Tlaib, along with fellow Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, became America’s first Muslim congresswomen when sworn into office in January. Their time in office has been embroiled in allegations of anti-Semitism and anti-American sentiments. Tlaib came to the defense of Omar after the Minnesota congresswoman was accused of downplaying the 9/11 terror attacks which were perpetrated by radical islamic terrorists. The controversy was kicked off after Omar delivered the keynote speech at a fundraiser for the Council on American-Islamic…

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Congressman Ryan Slams GM for Displaying Foreign-Made Car on Opening Day

Anthony Gockowski

General Motors is taking some heat after it decided to display a foreign-made car in center field of Comerica Park ahead of the Detroit Tigers’ home opener. Cranes were spotted lifting a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS onto an outfield display on Tuesday. Chevrolet is owned by General Motors, and its Blazer RS model is currently manufactured in Mexico. According to MLive, Chevrolet has been the automotive sponsor of the Tigers since 2010, and rotates in a set of new vehicles at the start of each new season. But not everyone was happy with this year’s vehicle choice, since General Motors is in the process of closing down multiple plants in the U.S., including two in Detroit and one in Lordstown, Ohio. One local Detroit outlet said it was contacted by several frustrated residents who wanted to spread the word about General Motors’ decision to display the Chevy Blazer. General Motors, however, claimed in a statement that it selected the Blazer because it’s returning to the market after a 14-year hiatus. Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13), who represents the Lordstown area, called the move “a slap in the face for American workers.” “In the wake of GM closing five plants across…

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AIPAC Protester Who Called Israel Supporters ‘Progressive Nazis’ Attended Private Dinner for Rashida Tlaib

Anthony Gockowski

A protester outside of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) recent conference in Washington, D.C. called supporters of Israel “progressive Nazis” and was later identified as an acquaintance of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13). In fact, he attended a private dinner in Detroit in January to celebrate Tlaib’s official entrance into Congress and posted a picture to Twitter of him posing with Tlaib. https://twitter.com/Resistance48/status/1084233942591520770 He was identified as Abbas Hamideh, co-founder of the BDS organization Al-Awda and member of the Palestine Right to Return Coalition. As The Ohio Star reported, Hamideh once praised Hassan Nasrallah, secretary general of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, as a “heroic resistance leader.” In another instance, he mourned the passing of “legendary Hezbollah martyr” Samir Kuntar, who led an attack that resulted in the deaths of four Israelis. Kuntar personally murdered a four-year-old child by smashing her head in with the butt of his rifle. “Israel does not have a right to exist. The terrorist entity is illegal and has no basis to exist other than delusional ISIS-like ideology,” he said in another tweet. Hamideh was back in the news Tuesday after a speech he made at a protest outside of an AIPAC conference spread on…

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President Trump Thrills Michiganders at Grand Rapids #MAGA Rally Event

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In his first rally-style event since Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report finding ‘no collusion’ with Russia, President Donald Trump ripped and roared to the delight of thousands at the Grand Rapids, Michigan. In an unvarnished moment, President Trump declared that now that the “collusion delusion” is over, the Democrats must decide whether they will go on “defrauding the public with ridiculous bullsh*t, partisan investigations, or whether they will apologize to the American people.” To a near-constant ovation of thunderous approval, President renewed his promises to “Build the Wall,” grow the economy and with it the job opportunities, to negotiate ‘America First’ trade agreements, and perhaps most importantly in light of the ‘Deep State takeover that failed,’ to hold the bad actors accountable and “Drain the Swamp.” Watch the 90 min event:  

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Jewish Org Calls for Investigation of Reps. Omar and Tlaib’s Ties to CAIR

Anthony Gockowski

A trending online petition calls on U.S. Attorney General William Barr and Special Envoy for Antisemitism Elan Carr to investigate Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) and their ties to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The petition, which had more than 12,000 signatures at the time of publication, was started by Stop Antisemitism and describes CAIR’s connections to the terrorist organization Hamas. “In 2007, CAIR was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the case that found Holy Land Foundation responsible for siphoning over $12 million to Hamas,” the petition states. It goes on to describe Omar and Tlaib’s connections to CAIR, noting that it has “provided thousands of dollars directly and indirectly to support the campaigns of Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib – both of whom have received awards and recognition by the organization.” “There’s no doubt that Tlaib and Omar have close-knit ties with Hamas-affiliated CAIR and we, as concerned citizens, call on Attorney General and U.S. Special Envoy for Antisemitism to investigate these ties,” the petition concludes. Liora Rez, co-founder of Stop Antisemitism, told The Jerusalem Post that her organization is “very excited” by the traction the petition has received in just over a week.…

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GM Announces Jobs, Electric Vehicle After Trump Criticism

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Less than a week after a series of critical tweets from the president over an Ohio plant closure, General Motors is announcing plans to add 400 jobs and build a new electric vehicle at a factory north of Detroit. The company says it will spend $300 million at its plant in Orion Township, Michigan, to manufacture a Chevrolet vehicle based on the battery-powered Bolt. GM wouldn’t say when the new workers will start or when the new vehicle will go on sale, nor would it say if the workers will be new hires or come from a pool of laid-off workers from the planned closings of four U.S. factories by January. The company also announced plans Friday to spend about another $1.4 billion at U.S. factories with 300 more jobs but did not release a time frame or details. The moves come after last weekend’s string of venomous tweets by President Donald Trump condemning GM for shutting its small-car factory in Lordstown, Ohio, east of Cleveland. During the weekend, Trump demanded that GM reopen the plant or sell it, criticized the local union leader and expressed frustration with CEO Mary Barra. GM spokesman Dan Flores would not answer questions about…

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One America News Network’s Neil McCabe Talks to the Tennessee Star Report About the #Webuildthewall Rallies

Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy talked to One America News Networks Neil McCabe about the success of the We Build the Wall rally last week in both Cincinnati and Detroit. Further on in the discussion, they chatted about the overall passion and emotion displayed at the rally’s, the MAGA All-Stars that comprise the rallies, and the potential of where they may visit next. Leahy: Neil good morning. McCabe: Michael how are you? Leahy: Morning, thanks so much for joining us.  So, the big news Neil is you were the moderator of the Build the Wall event in Cincinnati last week. We reported on that. Our own Anthony Gowkowski was there. And then you also were the moderator of the Build the wall event in Detroit. Now tell us about those two events. McCabe: Yeah Michael, so what happens is that We Build the Wall scheduled these events and basically the idea is you know there is tremendous publicity when the founder, Brian Kolfage raised more than $20 million to build the wall…

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Minnesota Democrats Reportedly Want Rep Ilhan Omar Out – She Blames Trump

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by Molly Prince   Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar blamed President Donald Trump on Sunday after reports members of the Minnesota Democratic Party are considering removing her from congressional office for her repeated anti-Semitic statements. I am sorry Mr. @realDonaldTrump 🎶 I am for real, you can’t #MuslimBan us from Congress! pic.twitter.com/EX1KNeUPiA — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 17, 2019 Minnesota Democrats are reportedly dismayed that Omar has made a string of bigoted comments about Jews, which have received massive condemnation from both sides of the aisle. Consequently, members of the state party are looking for someone to contest her nomination in 2020 and run a different candidate in her place. Rather than blaming the Minnesota Democrats, Omar focused the backlash on Trump’s 2017 executive order, which has been referred to as a Muslim ban. The executive order suspended U.S. entry of those whose counties do not meet adjudication standards under federal immigration law for 90 days and included exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Omar, along with fellow Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, became America’s first Muslim congresswomen when sworn into office in January. Both congresswomen’s time in office has been embroiled in allegations of anti-Semitism. Omar has defended the anti-Semitic statements, such as ones invoking…

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Trump Campaign Preparing Early Focus on Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan

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President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign is preparing an early focus on Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, states that were instrumental to his improbable 2016 victory but where his support has softened, two campaign advisers said. The decision to accelerate campaign organizing and eventually get the Republican president to make trips to the three states is a recognition that Trump’s path to re-election in 2020 will need to repeat some of the successes he had in 2016. Advisers also see a need to bolster Trump’s support in Florida, a battleground state he considers his second home but where opinion polls show him struggling. They also see an opportunity for gains in Minnesota and Colorado, two states Trump narrowly lost. The Trump team views those states as competitive places where the president can go on offense, according to the advisers, who asked not to be named so they could speak freely about the campaign strategy. With 20 months to go until the November 2020 presidential election, Trump and his campaign team are still getting organized for what is expected to be a tough battle for a second four-year term. Democrats seized control of the House of Representatives in last November’s congressional elections widely…

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Michigan’s Democratic Governor Pushes for an Enormous Gas Tax Increase

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by Chris White   Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is proposing what some opponents are calling a draconian gas tax increase to fix the state’s crumbling road infrastructure. Whitmer’s budget proposal will include a 45-cent gas tax increase, which would be phased in over three separate intervals, the governor’s spokeswoman Tiffany Brown told reporters Monday. The rate would begin increasing in October, hit its second phase in April 2020, and ease into its final phase by the end of that year. The increase is expected to generate roughly $2 billion a year in additional revenue for roads, according to media reports. Whitmer, a Democrat who ran on fixing Michigan’s roads, will present her idea to lawmakers Tuesday during a joint meeting of the House and Senate appropriations committees. Whitmer’s plan would make Michigan one of the highest fuel tax rates in the country, behind the likes of California and Pennsylvania. Michigan motorists currently pay 26.3-cent per gallon. Total at-pump costs in the state are already the sixth highest in the nation, in part because Michigan applies its 6 percent sales tax to fuel purchases. Michigan Republicans have mixed feelings about such an increase. Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox panned…

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Michigan Governor Costs Town 250 Jobs After Blocking Immigrant Detention Center

Anthony Gockowski
Whitmer MI Capitol overcast

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) recently blocked the sale of a former state prison set to be used as an immigrant detention center. According to The Associated Press, Whitmer prevented the sale from moving forward after Immigration Centers of America, the sole bidder for the property that has been closed since 2009, couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t house adults separated from their children. “The governor believes that building more detention facilities won’t solve our immigration crisis, and she also believes that separating families doesn’t reflect our Michigan values,” a Whitmer spokesperson explained. The sale of the Deerfield Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan was allowed to move forward under Republican Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration. Rep. Thomas Albert (R-86), whose district includes the correctional facility, has repeatedly criticized Whitmer’s decision to block the sale. “I would really like to know what the governor’s plan is to bring 250 well-paying jobs to Ionia and how she plans to clean up the long-vacant former prison property. The sale of this blighted property has been in the works for well over a year and the governor’s heavy-handed rejection came days before the sale was to be finalized,” Albert said in a statement on Facebook. “It’s obvious…

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Group That Spent Millions to Help Elect Michigan’s New Governor Forced to Dissolve for Campaign Violations

Anthony Gockowski

A political group that helped elect Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) was recently required to pay a $37,500 and dissolve within 60 days after being found responsible for violating campaign finance laws. Whitmer’s own campaign committee was also found guilty of coordinating with Build a Better Michigan on advertisements, though it’s yet unclear what specific penalties it will face. According to Bridge Michigan, Democratic Secretary of State Joceyln Benson concluded that Build a Better Michigan engaged in “express advocacy” in certain advertisements rather than the “issue advocacy” the ads claimed to be. The specific examples cited by Benson in her letter to Build a Better Michigan’s attorney include the use of “candidate” in front of Whitmer’s name in one ad, and encouraging voters to take specific actions in another. “The closing line of both ads, ‘tell your legislators, let’s get it done,’ does not satisfy the above definition of ‘issue advocacy.’ At no point does the content of the ad take a position on a specific issue. Instead the ads clearly identified then-candidate Gretchen Whitmer by name as a candidate for the office of Governor, rendering them express advocacy,” Benson explains in a letter to attorney Graham Wilson. As such, the…

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Rep. Rashida Tlaib Wrote Column For Nation Of Islam Publication

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by Peter Hasson   Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib in 2006 wrote an op-ed column for Final Call, a Nation of Islam publication founded by Louis Farrakhan, in the latest tie to emerge between the congresswoman and anti-Semitic figures. Tlaib authored the column in 2006, while working as the advocacy coordinator for the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), two years before she first won election to the state legislature. Tlaib was described as a “guest columnist” in the article, which argued against deporting immigrants found guilty of “minor offenses.” Final Call describes itself as “the official communications organ of the Nation of Islam” and was founded by the group’s leader, Farrakhan, according to Final Call’s website. Farrakhan’s history of unapologetic anti-Semitism including describing Jews as “satanic” and praising Hitler as a “very great man,” was well established by 2006. Final Call has published a steady stream of articles defending Farrakhan from charges of anti-Semitism. An October 2018 Final Call article quoted Farrakhan’s social media director, Jesse Muhammad, saying the backlash was proof that Farrakhan “must have sprayed some form of termite repellent that stirred up those that have practiced and continue to practice Talmudic ways by eating at the foundation and the carcass of a dead people chosen by God.”…

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GM Pulls Trigger on Mass Layoffs Throughout the Country

Andrew Shirley

General Motors announced Monday that the long-dreaded nationwide mass layoffs finally began. In November of last year, GM announced that they intended to significantly scale back their workforce. Most jarring for many was their plan to close five manufacturing plants across the country, including the Lordstown Assembly complex in Warren, Ohio. Since then, there have been tireless negotiations aimed at getting GM to reverse this decision. President Donald Trump personally decried the decision, demanding that GM find a way to keep these plants open. When it became clear that there was no reversal in sight, legislators began seeking alternative companies to fill the void GM would leave. At one point, then-Ohio Governor John Kasich began tweeting directly to billionaire and Tesla Motors owner, Elon Musk, asking him to take over the plant. Despite Musk expressing an initial openness to the idea, nothing public has yet has come of the discussion. While GM claims the workforce cuts are across-the-board, it appears that’s not entirely accurate. The company’s operations in China, Mexico, and other overseas locations will not be reduced. In some cases, the numbers of workers will expand. Legislators, labor leaders, and everyday citizens have blasted the decision as yet another company outsourcing its…

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DHS Created a Fake School in Michigan to Identify Illegal Immigrants

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The Department of Homeland Security set up a fake university in Michigan to snare student immigrants in the United States who were without proper authorization, according to federal indictments unsealed Wednesday. Eight people were arrested and indicted for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and harboring aliens for profit. The indictment said the defendants helped at least 600 “foreign citizens to illegally remain, re-enter and work in the United States and actively recruited them to enroll in a fraudulent school as part of a ‘pay to stay’ scheme.” The story was first reported by the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News. The indictments allege that the defendants “conspired with each other and others to fraudulently facilitate hundreds of foreign nationals in illegally remaining and working in the United States by actively recruiting them to enroll into a metro Detroit private university that, unbeknownst to the conspirators, was operated by HSI (Homeland Security Investigation) special agents as part of an undercover operation” for the past two years. The University of Farmington website says it “traces its lineage back to the early 1950s …” It is “approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to enroll international…

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Florida Commissioner Who Criticized Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib Reprimanded by Colleagues

Anthony Gockowski

A Florida commissioner who suggested that Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) might “blow up Capitol hill” was publicly reprimanded by her colleagues during a Wednesday night meeting. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Hallandale Beach Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub’s recent comments were the subject of a Wednesday night meeting, where her colleagues voted to issue a public reprimand. They accused Lima-Taub of promoting bigotry, fueling hatred and creating a hostile environment for Muslims, the Sun Sentinel reports. Lima-Taub, however, argued that she never once “mentioned Muslim or Islam,” and suggested that media in attendance were contributing to her “demise.” “I never ever mentioned Muslim or Islam. I repeat, I never ever mentioned Muslim or Islam. I do not hate or discriminate against any group, including Islam,” she said Wednesday, and revealed that she was receiving numerous death threats over her comments. Protesters on both sides of the debate showed up to Wednesday night’s meeting, causing multiple recesses throughout the meeting. The Sun Sentinel reports that more than 200 people gathered outside the meeting space in support of Lima-Taub. “She’s a patriot,” one protester said. “We live in a democracy and what’s happening today with her own peers is not a democracy.”…

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Three Michigan Residents Arrested After Pledging Their Support to ISIS

Anthony Gockowski

Three Michigan residents were arrested Monday afternoon for conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and pledging their allegiance to the terrorist organization, the Department of Justice announced this week. According to a DOJ press release, Muse Abdikadir Muse, Mohamud Abdikadir Muse, and Mohamed Salat Haji were arrested Monday by members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Muse Abdikadir Muse was taken into custody at the Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids where he was attempting to board a flight to Mogadishu, Somalia with intention of joining ISIS. His two coconspirators drove him to the airport and were arrested shortly after. MLive reports that undercover investigators began monitoring the three in April 2016 in response to questionable Facebook posts they had made, and began communicating with the ISIS aspirants via social media. One of the agents posed as an ISIS recruiter, and was told by Muse Abdikadir Muse that he “wanted to join ISIS in Raqqa, Syria,” and that “he planned to die with a gun in his hand fighting for ISIS,” according to a criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. The complaint reveals that the three men exchanged numerous Facebook…

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Commentary: City Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub Discovers Telling the Truth about Muslim Politicians Is Now a Crime

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by George Rasley   Florida’s Hallandale Beach City Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub recently called for the removal of U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, with a petition on Facebook saying, “a Hamas-loving anti-Semite has no place in government!” and calling her a “danger.” Commissioner Lima-Taub is right about Rep. Tlaib, she is a danger, and she is a Hamas-loving anti-Semite. Tlaib supports anti-Israel boycotts. She also defended former CNN contributor Marc Lamont Hill after he was fired for calling for the elimination of Israel and endorsing violence against Jews. What’s more, Tlaib recently trotted out the old trope about American Jews having “dual loyalty,” a particularly ironic charge for Tlaib to make, given that she once wrapped herself in a Palestinian flag, and has vowed to “be a voice” for her relatives in the West Bank and declared that her “passion for justice is rooted in my beautiful Palestine.” Tlaib openly associates with anti-Israel extremists, such as Abbas Hamideh, who heads a “right of return” advocacy group — and has equated Zionism to Nazism and called Israel a “terrorist entity.” Abbas Hamideh was invited to and attended a Detroit swearing-in reception and dinner party for Rep. Tlaib, where he posed…

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Michigan’s GOP House Speaker Chatfield Joins North Carolina House Speaker Moore in Inviting President Trump to Deliver State of the Union Address in State Capitol

Jason M. Reynolds

Michigan’s GOP House Speaker Rep. Lee Chatfield (R-MI-107) has joined North Carolina in inviting President Donald Trump to deliver his State of the Union address in the state legislature. Chatfield said Michigan also has a divided government but the Republican legislative majority is invested in the success of Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, he said, in inviting Trump to come to the House chamber of the state Capitol, according to a story in The Detroit News. Chatfield tweeted, “President @realDonaldTrump, due to the unavailability of the US House for your #SOTU Address, I would like to extend to you an official invitation to deliver your important address in the Michigan House chamber. The success of our state & country is bigger than political parties!” https://twitter.com/LeeChatfield/status/1086298775382097920 The News said: Chatfield’s invitation seemed to get a boost when it was retweeted by Michigan native and Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel. “The American people deserve to hear from @realDonaldTrump about the state of our union,” McDaniel added in the tweet. “Nancy Pelosi’s opposition begs the question: Are Democrats afraid of the public hearing about all of the progress we’ve made?” The Trump administration had not responded as of press time. Chatfield’s invitation comes…

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Michigan’s Tlaib Blames Trump for Death Threats She’s Receiving

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) recently sat down with Mehdi Hasan from The Intercept for his “Deconstructed” podcast where the Michigan representative blamed President Donald Trump for the alleged death threats she’s receiving. “Absolutely, he is the leader of our country. He sets the tone and you, even in rallies and other instances, he’s even said if impeachment continued, we’re going to see violence. We’re going to see—I mean, it’s almost like he’s sent out some sort of signal,” Tlaib responded when asked if she holds “this president’s rhetoric responsible” for the threats. During the show, Tlaib continued to build her case for impeaching Trump by invoking the emoluments clause, claiming Trump is “making decisions not in the best interest of the American people,” but “based on the profit lines.” “The Constitution demands it and I want to reiterate to people to understand that this is beyond collusion with Russia. This is beyond the Mueller investigation. Every single day that he’s president of the United States that has not divested in all of his domestic and foreign corporations, he’s making decisions not in the best interest of the American people,” she said. Tlaib went on to claim that this “causes a…

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Hezbollah Sympathizer Attended a Private Dinner for Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) hosted a private dinner in Detroit after being sworn into Congress last week, and among her guests was a man who has expressed praise for the leaders and members of Hezbollah, a terrorist organization. “I was honored to be at Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib swearing in ceremony in Detroit and private dinner afterward with the entire family, friends, and activists across the country,” Abbas Hamideh wrote on Twitter Saturday. https://twitter.com/Resistance48/status/1084233942591520770 Of note is the scarf draped around Tlaib’s neck in the painting Hamideh seemingly presented to her. The black and white checkered scarf is called a keffiyeh, and has become a symbol of Palestinian solidarity. In the painting, Tlaib’s keffiyeh is seen wrapped around the U.S. Capitol. Jewish News Syndicate and Clarion Project later unearthed several of Hamideh’s past controversial comments. In one case, he mourned the passing of “legendary Hezbollah martyr” Samir Kuntar, who led an attack that resulted in the deaths of four Israelis. During that attack, Kuntar personally murdered a four-year-old child by smashing her head in with the butt of his rifle. In other social media posts, Hamideh has praised Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a “heroic resistance leader.” “Israel does not have a right to…

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Ilhan Omar Calls Anti-BDS Bill ‘Unconstitutional,’ Defends Past Anti-Semitic Comments

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) said during a recent appearance on MSNBC that Senate efforts to combat the “discriminatory economic warfare against the Jewish state” are “unconstitutional.” Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) “Combating BDS Act” was included in a package of bills introduced in early January under a title of “Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act.” Rubio’s bill in particular received significant media attention for its targeting of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement. The BDS movement is widely criticized by Republicans such as Rubio as an “anti-Israel” campaign that “pressures companies to stop doing business in Israel, and banks and funds to divest of investments in Israel,” as Rubio explained in a recent tweet. His bill would allow local and state governments to end contracts with companies that practice BDS tactics. But the package of bills was stalled in a recent Senate vote of 56-44, and Democrats attributed their opposition to the bills to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) hard-line stance against passing any bills that don’t include government funding. Rubio, however, said the “shutdown is not the reason Senate Democrats don’t want to move to Middle East security bill.” “A huge argument broke out at Senate…

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Steve Gill Commentary: The Christian Vote, Particularly the Catholic Votes, Are Critical to Trump’s Re-Election in 2020

Steve Gill

Three states in the midwest that Hillary Clinton was counting on to carry her to victory in 2016 narrowly ended up in the Donald Trump column — Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. If those three states had been won by Clinton, their 46 Electoral votes would have given her the presidency with slightly more than the necessary 270 needed to win. The total vote margin for Donald Trump in all three of those states was only 107,000! He carried Michigan by 11,837. Wisconsin by 27,257. Pennsylvania by 68,236. The big question as 2020 looms is whether he can retain or expand those margins regardless of whom the Democrats pick as their standard-bearer. Democrats won Senate races in all three states in 2018 and knocked off Republican Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin as well, giving them hope that they can swing them back to blue in 2020. Christian voters were a key component in Trump’s victory in those and other battleground states, like Ohio, Florida and Iowa. George Barna detailed the impact of the Christian vote in 2016 in his book The Day Christians Changed America.  Groups like Lift the Vote, a non-profit focused on energizing and mobilizing Evangelical voters in key…

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Michigan Governor Issues Executive Directive to Combat ‘Gender Wage Gap’

Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) issued an executive directive Tuesday aimed at closing the “gender wage-gap” within state government agencies. Executive Directive 2019-10 prohibits state agencies from inquiring “about a job applicant’s current or previous salaries unless and until the department or agency first makes a conditional offer of employment,” and further forbids searching “public records databases to ascertain an applicant’s current or previous salary.” According to Whitmer, the practice of obtaining an applicant’s salary history “can inappropriately perpetuate the gender wage gap by enabling prospective employers to offer lower salaries to women than they otherwise would.” The directive also requires state agencies to “take reasonable measures to avoid inadvertently discovering salary history while gathering other information about an applicant.” If salary information is “unintentionally discovered,” it “must not be used by the department or agency in an employment decision.” Whitmer tasks the “Equity and Inclusion Officer” for each state office with engaging in “proactive efforts to educate employees of the department or agency about the requirements of this directive.” “Too often, the women of Michigan have been held back by an economy and a state government that does not fully treat them as equals,” the directive states. “Women still struggle…

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150,000 Sign Petition to Impeach Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib

Anthony Gockowski

A Change.org petition calling for the impeachment of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) already has close to 160,000 signatures. “This woman is an anti-Semite, a war mongering hate filled Palestinian who has vowed to try and destroy our constitutional rights, hates America, hates American citizens,” the petition states. “She’s a danger to our sovereignty, a detriment to society, and to this country, and is unfit to serve in any capacity within our government.” The petition also takes issue with Tlaib’s election, claiming that she “lied about living in Detroit” by “using her father’s house address.” Tlaib made headlines earlier this week when she vowed to “impeach the motherf—” during a party in celebration of her being sworn in to Congress. “I stand by impeaching the president of the United States. I ran on that,” she said in an interview discussing her comments. She called her promise to impeach President Donald Trump something she “very much” holds “dearly.” “They love that I’m real, and that I am very much focused on getting the government back up and running, but also making sure we’ve held the president of the United States accountable,” she said. Tlaib later apologized that her comments caused a “distraction,”…

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110 Employees of Detroit’s Failing Public School System Make Six-Figure Salaries

Anthony Gockowski

More than 100 employees in the Detroit Public Schools Community District make salaries that exceed $100,000 per year, even though the district consistently ranks among the lowest performing schools. According to data obtained by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, 110 employees of the Detroit school district make six figure salaries, including at least one teacher and two police officers. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti (pictured, center) topped the list with an annual salary of $294,999 in the 2017-28 fiscal year. Coming in second was Luis Solano, the school district’s chief operating officer, who makes an annual salary of $183,750, while Deputy Superintendent Iranetta Wright brings in $182,692 annually. Chalkbeat reported in 2017 that all sixteen employees in Vitti’s inner circle are making well over $100,000 annually. As Michigan Capitol Confidential reports, the one teacher on the list, who teaches seventh and eighth grade, made a salary of $100,057 in the 2017-18 fiscal year. The outlet points out that there are numerous ways for teachers to pick up extra compensation, such as merit pay or agreeing to lead various school functions, which are included in the salary figures. They also found that this teacher, with a base pay of $84,505 annually, brought…

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Campus Diversity Movement Takes Off in Surprising New Directions

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by John Rosenberg   Ever since Justice Powell’s lone opinion in Bakke allowed the camel’s nose of “diversity” under the anti-discrimination tent, controversy has raged over preferential treatment awarded to college applicants of certain races. Just as hurricanes often change direction after landfall, the diversity movement has recently taken off in some surprising new directions that deserve public attention. Diversity Statements First came the “diversity statements,” introduced by a smattering of institutions for promotion or tenure and sometimes for all new hires. Both the prevalence and the required content of these diversity statements has expanded dramatically. UCLA’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, for example, recently released Version 2.1 of a comprehensive “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement FAQs” attempting to justify why equity, diversity, and inclusion should “figure into faculty hiring and promotion” and laying out chapter and verse of what should be included in EDI statements. Helpful examples were provided, quoted from the faculty hiring guide: Efforts to advance equitable access to education; Public service that addresses the needs of California’s diverse population; Research in a scholar’s area of expertise that highlights inequalities; Mentoring and advising students and faculty members, particularly from under-represented and underserved populations. An applicant’s…

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