thetennesseestar--2020-12-09--Light at the End of the Tunnel: Host Leahy Outlines the Significance of Texas Lawsuit Claiming Const

Light at the End of the Tunnel: Host Leahy Outlines the Significance of Texas Lawsuit Claiming Constitutional Violations

Live from Music Row Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Michael Patrick Leahy breaks down the Texas lawsuit filed Monday at midnight against the states of Michigan , Pennsylvania , Georgia and Wisconsin claiming voter fraud in the obtainment of Joe Biden ’ s electoral college votes .
It is Tuesday , December 8 , 2020 .
This is the so-called safe harbor day that under federal statutes states that are uncontested are to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
There ’ s a curveball .
And there are actually a couple of curveballs here .
We ’ re going to talk about the second curveball with the guy who ’ s throwing that curveball .
Representative Mo Brooks from Huntsville , Alabama .
He ’ s a member of the House of Representatives and has said that he will challenge the results of the electors selected in key states including Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
I think he ’ s always going to challenge Arizona when a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third or fourth in Washington D.C. to choose to accept the votes of the electors that have been cast .
That ’ s our second curveball .
As you wake up this morning and you ’ re thinking oh , all is lost because the electors will be named today .
Actually , there is some light at the end of the tunnel in it .
And I don ’ t think all is lost here .
And I ’ ll explain why here in just a second .
Also a note of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Thomas More Society , Phill Kline in particular .
On Friday he put out a white paper that said , you know this safe harbor day of appointing electors of December eighth and then with all the convening of the electors on December 14 , that ’ s a federal statute .
But it ’ s not constitutional .
The only constitutional thing is that the president will be inaugurated on January 20 .
Now here ’ s the first curveball and it happened late last night .
I love this story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes as I do is based on evidence that the Democrats stole this election in five or six states by cheating particularly through absentee ballots and by stuffing ballots and all sorts of chicanery , you are going to love this story .
It ’ s from Breitbart .
It ’ s by my friend at Breitbart and colleague Joel Pollak .
Joel , by the way , is a Harvard Law School graduate , and one of the best students according to Alan Dershowitz that he ever had .
Here ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Texas Sue ’ s Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin at the Supreme Court Over Election Rules .
You ’ re going to love this .
So let ’ s get back to what this does for the outcome of the presidential election or what this could do rather .
Now the way the Constitution reads , especially after the 12th Amendment , the president of the United States is determined by the first step in the process which is to make sure that you ’ ve got a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has two votes .
Two Electoral College votes for the members of the Senate and one for every member of the House of Representatives .
So here in Tennessee , we have two United States senators .
We have nine members of the House .
We have 11 Electoral College votes out of 538 .
And the way you get to 538 is there are 435 members of the House , 100 members of the United States Senate , and then three from the District of Columbia .
That equals 538 .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the mainstream media , Joe Biden has won 306 Electoral College votes .
Donald Trump has won 232 .
But wait !
But wait !
Fraud .
Vote fraud is going on in Michigan , Georgia , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
That ’ s what this lawsuit from the state of Texas is about .
16 Electoral College votes in Georgia , where the certified margin by the shall we say incompetent at best and perhaps complicit Secretary of State and Governor down there .
Both Republicans are only less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast , Michigan , 16 Electoral College votes .
Pennsylvania , 20 Electoral College votes .
Wisconsin , 10 Electoral College votes .
Among them , they have 62 Electoral College votes .
If you take the 306 that Biden currently has according to mainstream media and you subtract those 62 you are down four .
That ’ s less than 270 .
He can ’ t get there if Congress does not accept , Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
This lawsuit by Texas and we ’ ll talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explains in great detail why the Supreme Court should reject those Electoral College votes in Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
And there ’ s Joe Biden admitting it .
He admitted it .
And that ’ s why this lawsuit filed last night by the state of Texas with the Supreme Court directly , which they can do is perhaps the most important suit out there right now .
I ’ m going to read this to you .
But this is very encouraging to those of us who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process of being stolen by crooked Democrats all around the United States .
So here ’ s the story by Joel Pollak at Breitbart .
My colleague at Breitbart and Harvard Law School graduate .
One of the best students Alan Dershowitz ever had he ’ s told me .
Here it goes .
The state of Texas filed the lawsuit directly with the U.S. Supreme Court shortly before midnight on Monday challenging the election procedures in Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin on the grounds that they violate the Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the electors clause of the Constitution because they made changes to voting rules and procedures through the courts or through executive actions , not through the state legislatures .
Additionally , Texas argues that there were differences in voting rules and procedures in different counties and within counties of those states violating the Constitution ’ s equal protection clause .
And finally , Texas argues that there were ‘ voting irregularities ’ in these states as a result of all those things just cited .
Well , here ’ s what Texas is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking the court to order the states to allow their legislators to appoint their electors .
Here ’ s what the lawsuit says .
This is extremely compelling and this is consistent with everything that you see out there that ’ s been honestly reported particularly in Breitbart and also here in the Tennessee Star and in our new publication The Georgia Star News .
I ’ ll get to that in a bit .
Here ’ s what the lawsuit filed by the state of Texas says .
Certain officials in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin and they collectively have 62 Electoral College votes .
You take those away from the 306 that the mainstream media says Biden has .
Your down to 244 .
He ’ s below 270 .
And that means the election would have to be determined in the House of Representatives according to the Constitution .
There each state gets one vote .
I think that the breakdown of state delegations is 27 or 28 and the state delegations have more Republicans than Democrats .
And so that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it up to the state legislatures to pick electors and in Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin where Republicans control the state legislators .
Now , they might choose to pick a full slate .
Or they could send both slates up to the House of Representatives .
In which case it would be up to Congress to determine .
Let me continue with this .
Here ’ s what the lawsuit says .
This is very compelling .
Certain officials in the defendant states presented the pandemic as the justification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in voting .
Let me just stop .
That ’ s absolutely true .
We ’ ve been documenting that in Georgia particularly at The Georgia Star News .
That statement is absolutely what ’ s happened in Georgia .
I ’ ve done extensive reporting on that both at Breitbart and then in our report at The Georgia Star News .
Let me continue with the lawsuit .
The defendant state flooded their citizenry with tens of millions of ballot applications and ballots in derogation .
Do you like that word derogation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to how they are lawfully received , evaluated , and counted .
Well-intentioned or not these unconstitutional acts have the same uniform effect .
They made the 2020 election less secure in the defendant states .
Those changes are inconsistent with relevant state laws and were made by non-legislative entities without any consent by the state legislatures .
The act of these officials thus directly violated the Constitution .
That is perhaps the most significant paragraph in the lawsuit that I ’ ve seen in decades actually .
And the Supreme Court may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this up actually .
Let me continue with the conclusion on this from Texas .
This case presents a question of law .
Did the defendant states violate the electors clause by taking non-legislative actions to change the election rules that would govern the appointment of presidential electors ?
These non-legislative changes to the defendant states election laws facilitated the casting and counting of ballots in violation of state law which in turn violated the electors clause of Article Two Section One Clause Two of these of the U.S. Constitution .
By these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only tainted the integrity of their own citizens ’ votes but their actions have also debased the voters of citizens in the plaintiff state .
That would be Texas and other states !
Hang on to that .
And other states that remain loyal to the Constitution .
Joel Pollak concludes this article .
It ’ s very important .
You ’ ve got to read this .
It ’ s the lead story at Breitbart .
So if you are waking up on safe harbor day and you ’ re discouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll see there is light at the end of the tunnel .
Pollak concludes Texas approached the Supreme Court directly because Article Three provides that it is the court of the first impression on subjects where its original jurisdiction such as disputes between two or more states .
Now are our listener John who is a political genius in my opinion points out something very important .
Look at the last element of this lawsuit .
Their actions , that is the actions of the state of Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens in the plaintiff state of Texas and other states that remain loyal to the U.S. Constitution .
Tennessee my friends is one of those states .
Tennessee is one of those states .
So my suggestion to you listeners right now is to call your local state representative and your local state senator .
Call the governor ’ s office .
Call Attorney General Slattery ’ s office and say look our state should join , Texas .
Tennessee should join Texas in this lawsuit today !
Join it so that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a majority of Americans here are opposed to the usurpations of election law that have taken place in Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
I think this is a fantastic lawsuit and one that increases the possibility limited as it may that come January 20th , 2021 Joe Biden is not inaugurated and Donald Trump could be re-inaugurated .
I know it ’ s a bit of a long shot , but it ’ s actually not as much of a long shot as you might think .
Kris Kobach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Kansas has a story also at Breitbart .
Texas Case Challenges Election Directly at Supreme Court .
Here ’ s what he says .
On Monday just before midnight , the state of Texas filed a lawsuit that is far more important than all the others surrounding the presidential election of November third .
Let me emphasize that .
Far more important than all of the other lawsuits surrounding the presidential election of November 3 .
Texas brought a suit against four states that did something they can not do .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the presidential election .
We ’ re talking about you Georgia .
We ’ re talking about you , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
So the Texas suit is clear and presents a compelling case .
The four offending states each violated the U.S. Constitution .
So I mean he goes down in great detail about this .
The lawsuit asks the Supreme Court to remand the appointment of electors in the four states back to the state legislatures as the Supreme Court said in 1892 in the case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be made by statute or by the state constitution to choose lectures by the people there ’ s no doubt of the right of the legislature to resume power at any time ” ‘ Folks , there is hope for the good guys .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ People Voting ” by Phil Roeder .
CC @ @ @

Live from Music Row Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Michael Patrick Leahy breaks down the Texas lawsuit filed Monday at midnight against the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Wisconsin claiming voter fraud in the obtainment of Joe Biden’s electoral college votes.
Michael Patrick Leahy:
It is Tuesday, December 8, 2020. This is the so-called safe harbor day that under federal statutes states that are uncontested are to appoint the presidential electors. But wait! There’s a curveball. And there are actually a couple of curveballs here. We’re going to talk about the second curveball with the guy who’s throwing that curveball. Representative Mo Brooks from Huntsville, Alabama.
He’s a member of the House of Representatives and has said that he will challenge the results of the electors selected in key states including Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. I think he’s always going to challenge Arizona when a joint session of Congress meets on January third or fourth in Washington D.C. to choose to accept the votes of the electors that have been cast. That’s our second curveball.
As you wake up this morning and you’re thinking oh, all is lost because the electors will be named today. Actually, there is some light at the end of the tunnel in it. And I don’t think all is lost here. And I’ll explain why here in just a second. Also a note of our friends at the Amistad Project at the Thomas More Society, Phill Kline in particular. On Friday he put out a white paper that said, you know this safe harbor day of appointing electors of December eighth and then with all the convening of the electors on December 14, that’s a federal statute.
But it’s not constitutional. The only constitutional thing is that the president will be inaugurated on January 20. Now here’s the first curveball and it happened late last night. I love this story. And if you are somebody who believes as I do is based on evidence that the Democrats stole this election in five or six states by cheating particularly through absentee ballots and by stuffing ballots and all sorts of chicanery, you are going to love this story. It’s from Breitbart.
It’s by my friend at Breitbart and colleague Joel Pollak. Joel, by the way, is a Harvard Law School graduate, and one of the best students according to Alan Dershowitz that he ever had. Here’s the story. Headline. The State of Texas Sue’s Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin at the Supreme Court Over Election Rules. You’re going to love this. So let’s get back to what this does for the outcome of the presidential election or what this could do rather.
Now the way the Constitution reads, especially after the 12th Amendment, the president of the United States is determined by the first step in the process which is to make sure that you’ve got a majority of Electoral College votes. Every state has two votes. Two Electoral College votes for the members of the Senate and one for every member of the House of Representatives. So here in Tennessee, we have two United States senators. We have nine members of the House.
We have 11 Electoral College votes out of 538. And the way you get to 538 is there are 435 members of the House, 100 members of the United States Senate, and then three from the District of Columbia. That equals 538. You need 270 to win. Well, according to the mainstream media, Joe Biden has won 306 Electoral College votes. Donald Trump has won 232. But wait! But wait! Fraud. Vote fraud is going on in Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
That’s what this lawsuit from the state of Texas is about. 16 Electoral College votes in Georgia, where the certified margin by the shall we say incompetent at best and perhaps complicit Secretary of State and Governor down there. Both Republicans are only less than 12,000 votes out of five million cast, Michigan, 16 Electoral College votes. Pennsylvania, 20 Electoral College votes. Wisconsin, 10 Electoral College votes.
Among them, they have 62 Electoral College votes. If you take the 306 that Biden currently has according to mainstream media and you subtract those 62 you are down four. That’s less than 270. He can’t get there if Congress does not accept, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This lawsuit by Texas and we’ll talk about it right when we get back explains in great detail why the Supreme Court should reject those Electoral College votes in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
(Joe Biden clip plays)
We have put together I think the most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics.
And there’s Joe Biden admitting it. He admitted it. And that’s why this lawsuit filed last night by the state of Texas with the Supreme Court directly, which they can do is perhaps the most important suit out there right now. I’m going to read this to you. But this is very encouraging to those of us who believe that this election is in the process of being stolen by crooked Democrats all around the United States. So here’s the story by Joel Pollak at Breitbart.
My colleague at Breitbart and Harvard Law School graduate. One of the best students Alan Dershowitz ever had he’s told me. Here it goes. The state of Texas filed the lawsuit directly with the U.S. Supreme Court shortly before midnight on Monday challenging the election procedures in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin on the grounds that they violate the Constitution. Texas argues that these states violated the electors clause of the Constitution because they made changes to voting rules and procedures through the courts or through executive actions, not through the state legislatures.
Additionally, Texas argues that there were differences in voting rules and procedures in different counties and within counties of those states violating the Constitution’s equal protection clause. And finally, Texas argues that there were ‘voting irregularities’ in these states as a result of all those things just cited. Well, here’s what Texas is asking the Supreme Court. They are asking the court to order the states to allow their legislators to appoint their electors.
Here’s what the lawsuit says. This is extremely compelling and this is consistent with everything that you see out there that’s been honestly reported particularly in Breitbart and also here in the Tennessee Star and in our new publication The Georgia Star News. I’ll get to that in a bit. Here’s what the lawsuit filed by the state of Texas says. Certain officials in the defendant states would be Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin and they collectively have 62 Electoral College votes.
You take those away from the 306 that the mainstream media says Biden has. Your down to 244. He’s below 270. And that means the election would have to be determined in the House of Representatives according to the Constitution. There each state gets one vote. I think that the breakdown of state delegations is 27 or 28 and the state delegations have more Republicans than Democrats.
And so that would mean that this lawsuit then would leave it up to the state legislatures to pick electors and in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin where Republicans control the state legislators. Now, they might choose to pick a full slate. Or they could send both slates up to the House of Representatives. In which case it would be up to Congress to determine. Let me continue with this. Here’s what the lawsuit says. This is very compelling.
Certain officials in the defendant states presented the pandemic as the justification for ignoring state laws regarding absentee and mail-in voting. Let me just stop. That’s absolutely true. We’ve been documenting that in Georgia particularly at The Georgia Star News. That statement is absolutely what’s happened in Georgia. I’ve done extensive reporting on that both at Breitbart and then in our report at The Georgia Star News.
Let me continue with the lawsuit. The defendant state flooded their citizenry with tens of millions of ballot applications and ballots in derogation. Do you like that word derogation? In opposition to statutory controls as to how they are lawfully received, evaluated, and counted. Well-intentioned or not these unconstitutional acts have the same uniform effect. They made the 2020 election less secure in the defendant states.
Those changes are inconsistent with relevant state laws and were made by non-legislative entities without any consent by the state legislatures. The act of these officials thus directly violated the Constitution. That is perhaps the most significant paragraph in the lawsuit that I’ve seen in decades actually. And the Supreme Court may take this up. They should take this up actually. Let me continue with the conclusion on this from Texas.
This case presents a question of law. Did the defendant states violate the electors clause by taking non-legislative actions to change the election rules that would govern the appointment of presidential electors? These non-legislative changes to the defendant states election laws facilitated the casting and counting of ballots in violation of state law which in turn violated the electors clause of Article Two Section One Clause Two of these of the U.S. Constitution.
By these unlawful acts, the defendant states have not only tainted the integrity of their own citizens’ votes but their actions have also debased the voters of citizens in the plaintiff state. That would be Texas and other states! Hang on to that. And other states that remain loyal to the Constitution. Joel Pollak concludes this article. It’s very important. You’ve got to read this. It’s the lead story at Breitbart.
So if you are waking up on safe harbor day and you’re discouraged, read this story and you’ll see there is light at the end of the tunnel. Pollak concludes Texas approached the Supreme Court directly because Article Three provides that it is the court of the first impression on subjects where its original jurisdiction such as disputes between two or more states. Now are our listener John who is a political genius in my opinion points out something very important.
Look at the last element of this lawsuit. Their actions, that is the actions of the state of Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin have debased the votes of citizens in the plaintiff state of Texas and other states that remain loyal to the U.S. Constitution. Tennessee my friends is one of those states. Tennessee is one of those states. So my suggestion to you listeners right now is to call your local state representative and your local state senator.
Call the governor’s office. Call Attorney General Slattery’s office and say look our state should join, Texas. Tennessee should join Texas in this lawsuit today! Join it so that the Supreme Court will have an understanding that a majority of Americans here are opposed to the usurpations of election law that have taken place in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
I think this is a fantastic lawsuit and one that increases the possibility limited as it may that come January 20th, 2021 Joe Biden is not inaugurated and Donald Trump could be re-inaugurated. I know it’s a bit of a long shot, but it’s actually not as much of a long shot as you might think. Kris Kobach who is the former secretary of state of Kansas has a story also at Breitbart. Texas Case Challenges Election Directly at Supreme Court. Here’s what he says.
On Monday just before midnight, the state of Texas filed a lawsuit that is far more important than all the others surrounding the presidential election of November third. Let me emphasize that. Far more important than all of the other lawsuits surrounding the presidential election of November 3. Texas brought a suit against four states that did something they cannot do.
They violated the U.S. Constitution in their conduct of the presidential election. We’re talking about you Georgia. We’re talking about you, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. So the Texas suit is clear and presents a compelling case. The four offending states each violated the U.S. Constitution. So I mean he goes down in great detail about this.
The lawsuit asks the Supreme Court to remand the appointment of electors in the four states back to the state legislatures as the Supreme Court said in 1892 in the case of McPherson versus Blacker “whatever provisions may be made by statute or by the state constitution to choose lectures by the people there’s no doubt of the right of the legislature to resume power at any time”‘ Folks, there is hope for the good guys.
Listen to the full second hour here:
– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “People Voting” by Phil Roeder. CC BY 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-09--First Person Receives Pfizer’s Vaccine as Britain Begins Mass Coronavirus Vaccination Effort

Britain ’ s National Health Service administered its first doses of a coronavirus vaccine Tuesday , becoming the first country to begin its mass vaccination effort .
Just after 6:30 a.m. Tuesday , 90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first person to receive a fully authorized vaccine outside of a clinical trial , marking the beginning of a global campaign to end a pandemic that has infected over 65 million people and killed over 1.5 million across the globe .
“ I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19 , ” Keenan said , according to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the new year after being on my own for most of the year.
” Keenan received a vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech , a Germany pharmaceutical company , after the United Kingdom approved it for emergency use last week .
Pfizer and Moderna , whose vaccine has also proved effective in clinical trials , have both applied for emergency use authorization from the FDA , but neither has been granted .
Britain ’ s administering of its vaccines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday that the Trump administration declined to purchase additional doses from Pfizer in July despite repeated warnings that initial demand could vastly exceed supply .
Pfizer then proceeded to sign contracts with American allies , meaning that the U.S. could ultimately face vaccine shortages through June .
President Donald Trump plans to issue an executive order Tuesday , Fox News reported , stating that other countries will not receive American-made vaccines before the U.S. is fully vaccinated .
Administration officials said that the order does not increase the supply of U.S. doses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Monday that every American who wants a coronavirus vaccine will be able to get one by the second quarter of 2021 .
“ My expectation is that next year we return to normalcy in our lives thanks to the incredible work of Operation Warp Speed and these vaccines , as well as the therapeutics , ” Azar said during an interview with Axios .
The coronavirus has infected almost 15 million Americans and killed nearly 284,000 as of Tuesday , according to a Johns Hopkins University database @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Andrew Trunsky
Britain’s National Health Service administered its first doses of a coronavirus vaccine Tuesday, becoming the first country to begin its mass vaccination effort.
Just after 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, 90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first person to receive a fully authorized vaccine outside of a clinical trial, marking the beginning of a global campaign to end a pandemic that has infected over 65 million people and killed over 1.5 million across the globe.
“I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19,” Keenan said, according to The New York Times. “It means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the new year after being on my own for most of the year.”
90-year-old Margaret Keenan is the first to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, administered by Matron May Parsons, as UK's mass vaccination programme begins https://t.co/3eBGv3RUsU pic.twitter.com/ltWAL8uDmr — BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) December 8, 2020
Keenan received a vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, a Germany pharmaceutical company, after the United Kingdom approved it for emergency use last week. Pfizer and Moderna, whose vaccine has also proved effective in clinical trials, have both applied for emergency use authorization from the FDA, but neither has been granted.
Britain’s administering of its vaccines comes after The New York Times reported Monday that the Trump administration declined to purchase additional doses from Pfizer in July despite repeated warnings that initial demand could vastly exceed supply. Pfizer then proceeded to sign contracts with American allies, meaning that the U.S. could ultimately face vaccine shortages through June.
President Donald Trump plans to issue an executive order Tuesday, Fox News reported, stating that other countries will not receive American-made vaccines before the U.S. is fully vaccinated. Administration officials said that the order does not increase the supply of U.S. doses, according to the Times.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Monday that every American who wants a coronavirus vaccine will be able to get one by the second quarter of 2021.
“My expectation is that next year we return to normalcy in our lives thanks to the incredible work of Operation Warp Speed and these vaccines, as well as the therapeutics,” Azar said during an interview with Axios.
The coronavirus has infected almost 15 million Americans and killed nearly 284,000 as of Tuesday, according to a Johns Hopkins University database.
– – –
Andrew Trunsky is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-09--Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks Discusses His Intent to File an Objection When Congress Reconvenes in

Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks Discusses His Intent to File an Objection When Congress Reconvenes in January

Live from Music Row Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , Brooks discussed his motivation and commitment to filing an objection come January 6 when Congress reconvenes to count the electoral college votes .
He hinted that several senators and congressmen will be joining him in the double digits and urged all American citizens to contact their states ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States voting system .
Leahy : Joining us on the newsmaker line Congressman Mo Brooks from an Alabama Republican .
Welcome , Congressman Brooks .
Brooks : Thank you .
I appreciate the opportunity to be with you today .
Leahy : So you have said publicly that when Congress convenes on January 6 to count the Electoral College votes you are going to file an objection .
Is that still the case ?
Brooks : Absolutely .
I am persuaded by overwhelming and compelling evidence that if we only counted lawful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump won the Electoral College by a sizable margin and as such should be re-elected president of the United States .
Leahy : Well , I personally agree with you .
Turns out that the state of Texas agrees with you .
You saw the lawsuit they filed last night , right just before midnight .
You probably are familiar with that .
Brooks : No , I ’ ve not seen it .
The lawsuits are being sprinkled all over our country in an effort to stop the voter fraud and election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degree in American history during this election cycle .
Unfortunately and for emphasis , unfortunately , our judicial system is ill-equipped to handle this type of litigation .
But fortunately , the writers of our United States Constitution foresaw these problems and have it mandated in the United States Constitution that Congress , not the federal courts , not the Supreme Court but that Congress is the final judge , jury , and arbiter of all federal election contest to include those for Congress , those for the U.S. Senate and the presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s interesting because that lawsuit filed late last night just before midnight by the state of Texas argues that the states of Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin violated the electors ’ clause of the Constitution because they made changes to voting rules and procedures through the courts or through executive actions , but not through the state legislatures .
That case I think has merit if the Supreme Court chooses to take it up .
And they might .
The argument they make there is very similar to the argument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congressman Brooks is this .
Under the Constitution , you need for the joint session of Congress that will be held on January 6 to decide whether to accept whatever the electors present at that time from the different states .
You need a member of the United States Senate to join you .
How ’ s that going ?
Brooks : That is correct .
I was asked to meet with and did meet with a number of Senators last night .
About eight or 10 of them .
I would encourage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee that if you also believe as I do that the socialist Democrats are working as hard as they can to steal illegally this presidential election , then please contact , write , and email your United States senators and United States congressman and demand that they protect the sanctity of America ’ s voting system that is the bedrock of our Republic .
That ’ s the way to get action .
And I ’ m talking about your new congressmen and senators , those who will be sworn in on January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who vote on January sixth .
They will be the ones who can join me in objecting to prevent this election theft .
Leahy : So Congressman Brooks , tell us , just you and me talking here when you met with those eight United States Senators any one of them could raise this objection .
How well did they listen to your argument ?
And what do you think the odds are that any of those eight will join you in this objection on January 6 ?
Brooks : Well , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Unfortunately , the amount of time allotted to me to say what needed to be said was inadequate to cover all of the legal issues and the factual grounds for believing that this is the most massive election theft and voter fraud in the history of the United States of America .
Hopefully , they will do their own homework .
As it is also the case in the House of Representatives .
Some of our election officials , senators , and congressmen are just now figuring out that we have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this presidential race .
Again , it ’ s not federal courts .
Now federal courts have their role .
But if we decide differently than the Supreme Court are say under the United States Constitution the 12th Amendment and elsewhere trumps whatever occurs in federal court .
So we have absolute authority to make this decision .
And I urge Tennessee voters to become involved and encourage their congressmen and senators to join in this fight or else we lose our country to socialism .
Leahy : So let me ask you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am here in the studio we are looking at when this has happened in American history previously .
Apparently , in 2005 , Congress had in a joint session when a member of the House and a member of the Senate brought up objections .
They discussed it and apparently when they went forward with the election of George W. Bush at that time .
Also apparently it happened in 1968 .
My question to you is , has ever in American history Congress exercised the right to reject electors based upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one member of the House and one member of the Senate can object to the counting of the electors ?
Brooks : Probably the closest example , which was a slam-dunk case was in 1876 .
The election of Rutherford B. Hayes .
He ’ s a Republican who held a one-vote majority over the Democrat nominee and the Electoral College .
There were three states whose elector slate was challenged .
Three states in the South .
Louisiana , Florida , and South Carolina , allegedly voted Republican .
Now keep in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of northern aggression ( Leahy chuckles ) where the northern armies invaded the southern states and destroyed the southern economy .
And we ’ re still occupying the southern states as late as 1876 .
So it was incredible and unbelievable that a southern electorate would vote for a Republican candidate for president given that the Republicans were the ones who initiated the war between the states .
So there was an election contest .
Rutherford B. Hayes was going to lose that but he cut a deal with the Democrats .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and end reconstruction in the south if they would preserve the presidential election in his favor .
The Democrats believed that was a reasonable exchange because they were concerned that they could not end reconstruction or remove the occupying forces through Congress because one branch of Congress was controlled by the Republicans and one was by the Democrats .
And so Rutherford B. Hayes agreed to that settlement and as a result , he was elected president of the United States .
But if he had not agreed then he would have lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were submitted in the Electoral College on behalf of Florida , South Carolina , and Louisiana .
Leahy : Very interesting .
Now my question to you is this .
How do you determine if you got a senator to join you in this objection ?
Does the joint session of Congress vote as a whole ?
Are there 535 votes and do you have to get a majority ?
How does voting take place then ?
Brooks : Under the law , if there is an objection by one congressman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they are a lot of other congressmen that feel the way I do who will join me okay .
So I ’ m not doing this solo .
And if one senator joins us then we immediately split into two different bodies .
The Senate goes to the Senate side .
The House remains in the House chamber where all this is taking place .
We have a limited two-hour debate .
And then by law , there is a mandated vote on whether to accept or reject the Electoral College submission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the vote is by a majority .
And Vice President Mike Pence if there ’ s a tie he can break that tie which is kind of interesting because he ’ d be voting for himself and Donald Trump .
And in the House , there is an open question as to what the winning vote standard is under the 12th Amendment .
If you are electing a president , which is the burden of the House of Representatives when no presidential candidate gets a majority of the electoral college we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We vote a majority of 50 states .
And right now the Republicans are the majority in 27 state delegations .
The Democrats are in the majority in 20 state delegations with the other three in a 50-50 tie .
That ’ s the methodology used and we have a majority and we elect the president of the United States by rejecting these electoral college votes that are shameful and fraudulent .
Leahy : Laying this out on January 6 joint session of Congress , if under the Constitution you and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the electors from certain states and if one Senator raises objections , the House is separate .
You ’ ve got the House of Representatives which as you point out each state gets one vote .
There are 27 GOP delegations where there ’ s a majority .
Presumably , in the House , you would get all those votes .
In the Senate , I guess it ’ s 50-48 now and there will be an election in Georgia .
I think it ’ ll be contested and probably or maybe Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50-49 at that time .
What happens if the House votes yes we want to get rid of those electors from those states that put Biden over the top ?
We want the electors that put Trump over the top .
What if the Senate rules differently ?
What happens then ?
Brooks : In order to reject a state ’ s Electoral College submission both the House and the Senate must concur .
Now , let me emphasize something about the vote in the House .
Before we ran out of time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vote by states option in the 12th Amendment logically would apply to something very similar , which is whether to accept or reject Electoral College votes .
I ’ m sure that Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats will argue that in the House it ’ s a majority of 435 , not a majority of the state delegations as stated in the 12th Amendment .
So that will be a legal battle that will have to be fought and resolved in order to determine which side wins this fight in Congress .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ My guess would be I think that your vision and your view probably has greater legal credibility .
That ’ s just a guess .
I ’ m not an attorney and I don ’ t play one on the radio .
Clint Brewer is in the studio and has a question for you Congressman .
Brewer : Thanks , Mike .
Congressman , just setting aside the Xs and Os of the legal strategy and the legalities of what the process requires you weren ’ t given a lot of or as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Senators and we ’ ve seen a trickle of House and Senate members recognizing Joe Biden as the president-elect publicly .
Are you concerned that maybe at the higher levels of power in this country on the Republican side that maybe some of their appetite for this fight is waning or is less than ?
Brooks : I believe that the appetite for this fight is growing .
Keep in mind that the normal reactions of citizens and election officials are just to accept the real election results as their first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand the depth of the voter fraud and election theft that the Socialist Democrats have engaged in to try to steal the White House from the American people .
And I can go into what I believe is overwhelming and compelling evidence of voter fraud and election theft if you wish .
But I am absolutely persuaded without any doubt that we have had massive voter fraud and massive election theft efforts by the Socialist Democrats .
And we can either in Congress ratify voter fraud intellectual theft or we can fight it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m in the column of demanding that the states do better no matter the effect that might have on the 2020 elections .
Brewer : Do you feel the appetite for the fight is growing with just the grassroots or is it getting traction in the Senate and in the House ?
Or is there a bifurcation thereof the energy ?
Is there you know a difference in how people at the grassroots feel versus how your colleagues feel ?
Brooks : There is a trickle-down effect .
And at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to express to their congressman and their senators a demand for fair and honest elections .
And that means a demand for repudiation of the voter fraud and election theft that just happened .
If there is an adequate demand and an organic revolution amongst American citizenry that demands that senators and congressmen act accordingly and that they stop this voter fraud election theft , that ’ s when you will see senators and congressmen jumping all over this like a duck on a June bug .
Senators and congressmen like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t if they alienate the voters who sent them to Washington D.C .
So the success or failure effort is solely dependent on whether American voters are just going to accept this as the new life voter fraud and election theft that undermines our Republic .
Or are they going to fight for our country , for our Republic , and for our election system that is the bedrock of all we are ?
I urge them to fight and I urge them to demand from their senators and their congressman support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process so that we get an honest count .
And that ’ s the only way it ’ s going to work .
Leahy : Have you asked Senator Ted Cruz a Republican from Texas if he would be willing to join you on January sixth at the joint session raising objection to the electors from these disputed states ?
Brooks : I am hesitant to identify the Senators that I have spoken with because I don ’ t want them to be pushed into a public statement before they have all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let all of those Senators , the ones I met with last night and elsewhere , to have time to digest and let them decide at the appropriate time what public statement they ’ re going to make .
In this instance , time is on our side because time means greater awareness of how bad this voter fraud election theft is by everyone .
And time will result in American citizens contacting their senators and congressmen in order to exert the persuasive influence that they have as the employer and bosses of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not going to push anyone into public taking a stance when they have not yet had time to ponder and sift through all of the evidence and all of the law that controls this circumstance .
Brewer : Congressman , without violating any of what you just wanted to , you know , how you want to run it with the senators , can you at least share maybe of how the senator in your own backyard feels ?
Have you spoken to Senator-elect Tuberville about this ?
Brooks : Again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify any senator or any congressman .
They should as a matter of deference have the right to publicly make their own statement when they feel comfortable doing so .
Now there are some congressmen and congressman-elect who have made public statements .
Leahy : And they are joining you in this ?
Brooks : They are joining us in this .
We have double figures right now .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .

Live from Music Row Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks to the newsmakers line.
During the third hour, Brooks discussed his motivation and commitment to filing an objection come January 6 when Congress reconvenes to count the electoral college votes. He hinted that several senators and congressmen will be joining him in the double digits and urged all American citizens to contact their states’ senators and congressman demanding they protect the United States voting system.
Leahy: Joining us on the newsmaker line Congressman Mo Brooks from an Alabama Republican. Welcome, Congressman Brooks.
Brooks: Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to be with you today.
Leahy: So you have said publicly that when Congress convenes on January 6 to count the Electoral College votes you are going to file an objection. Is that still the case?
Brooks: Absolutely. I am persuaded by overwhelming and compelling evidence that if we only counted lawful votes cast by eligible American citizens Donald Trump won the Electoral College by a sizable margin and as such should be re-elected president of the United States.
Leahy: Well, I personally agree with you. Turns out that the state of Texas agrees with you. You saw the lawsuit they filed last night, right just before midnight. You probably are familiar with that.
Brooks: No, I’ve not seen it. The lawsuits are being sprinkled all over our country in an effort to stop the voter fraud and election theft that has occurred to an unparalleled degree in American history during this election cycle. Unfortunately and for emphasis, unfortunately, our judicial system is ill-equipped to handle this type of litigation.
But fortunately, the writers of our United States Constitution foresaw these problems and have it mandated in the United States Constitution that Congress, not the federal courts, not the Supreme Court but that Congress is the final judge, jury, and arbiter of all federal election contest to include those for Congress, those for the U.S. Senate and the presidency.
Leahy: Well, it’s interesting because that lawsuit filed late last night just before midnight by the state of Texas argues that the states of Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin violated the electors’ clause of the Constitution because they made changes to voting rules and procedures through the courts or through executive actions, but not through the state legislatures. That case I think has merit if the Supreme Court chooses to take it up.
And they might. The argument they make there is very similar to the argument you make. My question for you Congressman Brooks is this. Under the Constitution, you need for the joint session of Congress that will be held on January 6 to decide whether to accept whatever the electors present at that time from the different states. You need a member of the United States Senate to join you. How’s that going?
Brooks: That is correct. I was asked to meet with and did meet with a number of Senators last night. About eight or 10 of them. I would encourage the people of the great state of Tennessee that if you also believe as I do that the socialist Democrats are working as hard as they can to steal illegally this presidential election, then please contact, write, and email your United States senators and United States congressman and demand that they protect the sanctity of America’s voting system that is the bedrock of our Republic. That’s the way to get action. And I’m talking about your new congressmen and senators, those who will be sworn in on January 3. They will be the ones who vote on January sixth. They will be the ones who can join me in objecting to prevent this election theft.
Leahy: So Congressman Brooks, tell us, just you and me talking here when you met with those eight United States Senators any one of them could raise this objection. How well did they listen to your argument? And what do you think the odds are that any of those eight will join you in this objection on January 6?
Brooks: Well, they listened to everything I had to say. Unfortunately, the amount of time allotted to me to say what needed to be said was inadequate to cover all of the legal issues and the factual grounds for believing that this is the most massive election theft and voter fraud in the history of the United States of America. Hopefully, they will do their own homework. As it is also the case in the House of Representatives.
Some of our election officials, senators, and congressmen are just now figuring out that we have the final say on who wins or loses this presidential race. Again, it’s not federal courts. Now federal courts have their role. But if we decide differently than the Supreme Court are say under the United States Constitution the 12th Amendment and elsewhere trumps whatever occurs in federal court. So we have absolute authority to make this decision. And I urge Tennessee voters to become involved and encourage their congressmen and senators to join in this fight or else we lose our country to socialism.
Leahy: So let me ask you this. As we click through and I am here in the studio we are looking at when this has happened in American history previously. Apparently, in 2005, Congress had in a joint session when a member of the House and a member of the Senate brought up objections. They discussed it and apparently when they went forward with the election of George W. Bush at that time.
Also apparently it happened in 1968. My question to you is, has ever in American history Congress exercised the right to reject electors based upon this process outlined in the Constitution where one member of the House and one member of the Senate can object to the counting of the electors?
Brooks: Probably the closest example, which was a slam-dunk case was in 1876. The election of Rutherford B. Hayes. He’s a Republican who held a one-vote majority over the Democrat nominee and the Electoral College. There were three states whose elector slate was challenged. Three states in the South. Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina, allegedly voted Republican.
Now keep in mind 1876 was right after the war of northern aggression (Leahy chuckles) where the northern armies invaded the southern states and destroyed the southern economy. And we’re still occupying the southern states as late as 1876. So it was incredible and unbelievable that a southern electorate would vote for a Republican candidate for president given that the Republicans were the ones who initiated the war between the states.
So there was an election contest. Rutherford B. Hayes was going to lose that but he cut a deal with the Democrats. He said he would remove the federal troops and end reconstruction in the south if they would preserve the presidential election in his favor.
The Democrats believed that was a reasonable exchange because they were concerned that they could not end reconstruction or remove the occupying forces through Congress because one branch of Congress was controlled by the Republicans and one was by the Democrats.
And so Rutherford B. Hayes agreed to that settlement and as a result, he was elected president of the United States. But if he had not agreed then he would have lost that election because of the fraudulent votes that were submitted in the Electoral College on behalf of Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana.
Leahy: Very interesting. Now my question to you is this. How do you determine if you got a senator to join you in this objection? Does the joint session of Congress vote as a whole? Are there 535 votes and do you have to get a majority? How does voting take place then?
Brooks: Under the law, if there is an objection by one congressman, which I’m willing to do and they are a lot of other congressmen that feel the way I do who will join me okay. So I’m not doing this solo. And if one senator joins us then we immediately split into two different bodies. The Senate goes to the Senate side. The House remains in the House chamber where all this is taking place.
We have a limited two-hour debate. And then by law, there is a mandated vote on whether to accept or reject the Electoral College submission of any state. In the Senate, the vote is by a majority. And Vice President Mike Pence if there’s a tie he can break that tie which is kind of interesting because he’d be voting for himself and Donald Trump.
And in the House, there is an open question as to what the winning vote standard is under the 12th Amendment. If you are electing a president, which is the burden of the House of Representatives when no presidential candidate gets a majority of the electoral college we do not vote a majority of 435 Congressman.
We vote a majority of 50 states. And right now the Republicans are the majority in 27 state delegations. The Democrats are in the majority in 20 state delegations with the other three in a 50-50 tie. That’s the methodology used and we have a majority and we elect the president of the United States by rejecting these electoral college votes that are shameful and fraudulent.
(Commercial break)
Leahy: Laying this out on January 6 joint session of Congress, if under the Constitution you and other members of the House raised objections to the electors from certain states and if one Senator raises objections, the House is separate. You’ve got the House of Representatives which as you point out each state gets one vote. There are 27 GOP delegations where there’s a majority. Presumably, in the House, you would get all those votes.
In the Senate, I guess it’s 50-48 now and there will be an election in Georgia. I think it’ll be contested and probably or maybe Kelly Loeffler still votes is either 50-48 or 50-49 at that time. What happens if the House votes yes we want to get rid of those electors from those states that put Biden over the top? We want the electors that put Trump over the top. What if the Senate rules differently? What happens then?
Brooks: In order to reject a state’s Electoral College submission both the House and the Senate must concur. Now, let me emphasize something about the vote in the House. Before we ran out of time in the prior segment I mentioned that the vote by states option in the 12th Amendment logically would apply to something very similar, which is whether to accept or reject Electoral College votes.
I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats will argue that in the House it’s a majority of 435, not a majority of the state delegations as stated in the 12th Amendment. So that will be a legal battle that will have to be fought and resolved in order to determine which side wins this fight in Congress.
Leahy: That’s interesting. My guess would be I think that your vision and your view probably has greater legal credibility. That’s just a guess. I’m not an attorney and I don’t play one on the radio. Clint Brewer is in the studio and has a question for you Congressman.
Brewer: Thanks, Mike. Congressman, just setting aside the Xs and Os of the legal strategy and the legalities of what the process requires you weren’t given a lot of or as much time as you wanted in front of the Senators and we’ve seen a trickle of House and Senate members recognizing Joe Biden as the president-elect publicly. Are you concerned that maybe at the higher levels of power in this country on the Republican side that maybe some of their appetite for this fight is waning or is less than?
Brooks: I believe that the appetite for this fight is growing. Keep in mind that the normal reactions of citizens and election officials are just to accept the real election results as their first stated. Now people are starting to understand the depth of the voter fraud and election theft that the Socialist Democrats have engaged in to try to steal the White House from the American people.
And I can go into what I believe is overwhelming and compelling evidence of voter fraud and election theft if you wish. But I am absolutely persuaded without any doubt that we have had massive voter fraud and massive election theft efforts by the Socialist Democrats. And we can either in Congress ratify voter fraud intellectual theft or we can fight it and demand the states do better. I’m in the column of demanding that the states do better no matter the effect that might have on the 2020 elections.
Brewer: Do you feel the appetite for the fight is growing with just the grassroots or is it getting traction in the Senate and in the House? Or is there a bifurcation thereof the energy? Is there you know a difference in how people at the grassroots feel versus how your colleagues feel?
Brooks: There is a trickle-down effect. And at the top are the voters. The voters have to express to their congressman and their senators a demand for fair and honest elections. And that means a demand for repudiation of the voter fraud and election theft that just happened. If there is an adequate demand and an organic revolution amongst American citizenry that demands that senators and congressmen act accordingly and that they stop this voter fraud election theft, that’s when you will see senators and congressmen jumping all over this like a duck on a June bug.
Senators and congressmen like to hold their offices and they won’t if they alienate the voters who sent them to Washington D.C. So the success or failure effort is solely dependent on whether American voters are just going to accept this as the new life voter fraud and election theft that undermines our Republic.
Or are they going to fight for our country, for our Republic, and for our election system that is the bedrock of all we are? I urge them to fight and I urge them to demand from their senators and their congressman support for this effort to straighten up our election process so that we get an honest count. And that’s the only way it’s going to work.
Leahy: Have you asked Senator Ted Cruz a Republican from Texas if he would be willing to join you on January sixth at the joint session raising objection to the electors from these disputed states?
Brooks: I am hesitant to identify the Senators that I have spoken with because I don’t want them to be pushed into a public statement before they have all the evidence. So I am going to let all of those Senators, the ones I met with last night and elsewhere, to have time to digest and let them decide at the appropriate time what public statement they’re going to make. In this instance, time is on our side because time means greater awareness of how bad this voter fraud election theft is by everyone.
And time will result in American citizens contacting their senators and congressmen in order to exert the persuasive influence that they have as the employer and bosses of those senators and congressmen. So I’m not going to push anyone into public taking a stance when they have not yet had time to ponder and sift through all of the evidence and all of the law that controls this circumstance.
Brewer: Congressman, without violating any of what you just wanted to, you know, how you want to run it with the senators, can you at least share maybe of how the senator in your own backyard feels? Have you spoken to Senator-elect Tuberville about this?
Brooks: Again, I’m not going to identify any senator or any congressman. They should as a matter of deference have the right to publicly make their own statement when they feel comfortable doing so. Now there are some congressmen and congressman-elect who have made public statements.
Leahy: And they are joining you in this?
Brooks: They are joining us in this. We have double figures right now.
Listen to the full third hour here:
– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-09--Commentary: Fox News’ Media Suicide

Commentary: Fox News’ Media Suicide

It was entirely expected that the worst year in my lifetime should have the worst election in my lifetime .
Not because the second-best president in my lifetime ( after Ronald Reagan ) lost , but because we don ’ t know for sure that he did .
I would rather be certain that the ghost of Joe Biden won outright than see the greatest nation on Earth embarrass itself like Venezuela .
Sadly , the unprecedented goalpost-shifting and manipulation by the Left , bolstered by the usual obsequious accommodation by the Right , has created a national humiliation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come , no matter who gets inaugurated in January .
Should that be Biden , I shall leave it to more expert political analysts to dissect the cause and effects of such a disaster , while I ’ ll focus on the cultural , media , and artistic ramifications .
And I ’ ll start with the most astonishing example of media suicide in my lifetime — that of the Fox News Corporation ( FNC ) .
Trump broke every other news entity even before he took office in 2017 .
CNN , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times , and the rest have always been left-wing , only with an illusory veneer of neutrality .
Trump smashed the veneer , accurately calling them “ fake news ” amid their swirl of lies about him : Russian campaign collusion , the neo-Nazis “ fine people ” hoax , the impeachment-unworthy phone call to Ukraine , the “ botched handling of COVID ” that killed 200,000 people , and more .
The visionary Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch built FNC as the singular center-right alternative to the mainstream vortex , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creation paid off when Fox won higher ratings and greater profit than its cable news rivals combined .
All they had to do this year to stay on top was fairly cover the president , unlike the competition , and they couldn ’ t manage that .
To cite the constantly correct O ’ Sullivan ’ s First Law ( coined by eminent American Spectator contributor John O ’ Sullivan ) , “ All entities that are not explicitly right-wing will become left-wing over time , ” and Fox News proved the rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I disgustedly watched Fox install disgraced Democrat hack Donna Brazile as their new liberal commentator ( to back up the insufferable Juan Williams ) .
Watched them boost the China virus doomsday panic .
Watched fake objective anchor Chris Wallace transform into a rabid Trump-sniping chipmunk .
Watched normally staid anchor Melissa Francis block Newt Gingrich from linking George Soros to riot-supportive blue state AGs .
Watched business anchor Neil Cavuto cut off a White House press conference because he disapproved of Kayleigh McEnany ’ s address .
Watched them call Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else did , with the final count still days away .
Watched them call a Democratic House expansion before the party lost many seats instead .
Watched them call the election for Biden and refer to him as president-elect minus any official recognition .
Watched them ridicule the Trump campaign ’ s perfectly valid remedial fight , with reporter Kristin Fisher openly insulting the Trump legal team ’ s press conference .
Read the tweet by Kathryn Murdoch , wife of Fox News co-owner James Murdoch ( son of Rupert ) , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ We did it.
” Then , like a million former Fox News viewers , I turned off the channel , probably for good , adding to its current ratings meltdown .
Trump broke FNC too .
President Trump understands the television business as much , if not more , than his countless critics , obviously including the current Fox News hierarchy .
They forget that before entering politics , Trump navigated a hit NBC primetime series , The Apprentice , for 11 years .
So with his business acumen and customary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ derailment and inevitable doom in a single tweet : “ Fox News daytime ratings have completely collapsed .
Weekend daytime even WORSE .
Very sad to watch this happen , but they forgot what made them successful , what got them there .
They forgot the Golden Goose .
The biggest difference between the 2016 election , and 2020 , was @ FoxNews.
” Ironically , they also made the same hubristic mistake the other media sources did before FNC went live in 1996 — the belief that people had nowhere else to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they dismissed the once-weak competition of mini-network Newsmax .
Now they ’ re finding out the hard way that the house that Roger built is full of drafts , and abandoners are taking shelter elsewhere .
Newsmax ratings have skyrocketed since August from a viewer base of 100,000 per day to 700,000 to 800,000 at last check .
And conservatives are no longer dependent on television to get real news without the Trump derangement .
Entities like the Daily Wire , Glenn Beck , and The American Spectator are reaping the benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FNC will have to do to three things get us back , but they would probably go bankrupt before doing one .
First , apologize for betraying their viewer base and the vision that elevated them , the more grovelingly the better .
Two , initiate a corporate Reign of Terror , firing Brazile , Wallace , Cavuto ( whom I like ) , Fisher , Fox Politics Editor Chris Stirewalt , and other tainted anti-Trumpers .
Third , place at the helm a young Roger Ailes-type who understands the original mission of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and not CNN lite .
This would politically neutralize the Murdochs and their social justice warrior wives while still filling their coffers .
Unfortunately for them , the usual outcome for progressive drift is to virtue signal all the way to bankruptcy .
And when they fall for betraying us , and Kathryn Murdoch has to start wearing less expensive attire to a Long Island soiree , we can make the same boast she did : “ We did it.
” Lou Aguilar is a published novelist , produced screenwriter , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ The Christmas Spirit ” — a Yuletide romantic ghost story — was intended as the perfect traditionalist Christmas gift , and is available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , and great American bookstores .

by Lou Aguilar
It was entirely expected that the worst year in my lifetime should have the worst election in my lifetime. Not because the second-best president in my lifetime (after Ronald Reagan) lost, but because we don’t know for sure that he did. I would rather be certain that the ghost of Joe Biden won outright than see the greatest nation on Earth embarrass itself like Venezuela. Sadly, the unprecedented goalpost-shifting and manipulation by the Left, bolstered by the usual obsequious accommodation by the Right, has created a national humiliation that will fester for a long time to come, no matter who gets inaugurated in January. Should that be Biden, I shall leave it to more expert political analysts to dissect the cause and effects of such a disaster, while I’ll focus on the cultural, media, and artistic ramifications. And I’ll start with the most astonishing example of media suicide in my lifetime — that of the Fox News Corporation (FNC).
Trump broke every other news entity even before he took office in 2017. CNN, MSNBC, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the rest have always been left-wing, only with an illusory veneer of neutrality. Trump smashed the veneer, accurately calling them “fake news” amid their swirl of lies about him: Russian campaign collusion, the neo-Nazis “fine people” hoax, the impeachment-unworthy phone call to Ukraine, the “botched handling of COVID” that killed 200,000 people, and more. The visionary Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch built FNC as the singular center-right alternative to the mainstream vortex, an oasis for discouraged conservatives. The creation paid off when Fox won higher ratings and greater profit than its cable news rivals combined. All they had to do this year to stay on top was fairly cover the president, unlike the competition, and they couldn’t manage that. To cite the constantly correct O’Sullivan’s First Law (coined by eminent American Spectator contributor John O’Sullivan), “All entities that are not explicitly right-wing will become left-wing over time,” and Fox News proved the rule.
Like a million loyal former viewers, I disgustedly watched Fox install disgraced Democrat hack Donna Brazile as their new liberal commentator (to back up the insufferable Juan Williams). Watched them boost the China virus doomsday panic. Watched fake objective anchor Chris Wallace transform into a rabid Trump-sniping chipmunk. Watched normally staid anchor Melissa Francis block Newt Gingrich from linking George Soros to riot-supportive blue state AGs. Watched business anchor Neil Cavuto cut off a White House press conference because he disapproved of Kayleigh McEnany’s address. Watched them call Arizona for Biden on Election Night before anyone else did, with the final count still days away. Watched them call a Democratic House expansion before the party lost many seats instead. Watched them call the election for Biden and refer to him as president-elect minus any official recognition. Watched them ridicule the Trump campaign’s perfectly valid remedial fight, with reporter Kristin Fisher openly insulting the Trump legal team’s press conference. Read the tweet by Kathryn Murdoch, wife of Fox News co-owner James Murdoch (son of Rupert), on Biden’s apparent victory, stating, “We did it.” Then, like a million former Fox News viewers, I turned off the channel, probably for good, adding to its current ratings meltdown. Trump broke FNC too.
President Trump understands the television business as much, if not more, than his countless critics, obviously including the current Fox News hierarchy. They forget that before entering politics, Trump navigated a hit NBC primetime series, The Apprentice, for 11 years. So with his business acumen and customary bluntness, he nailed FNC’s derailment and inevitable doom in a single tweet: “Fox News daytime ratings have completely collapsed. Weekend daytime even WORSE. Very sad to watch this happen, but they forgot what made them successful, what got them there. They forgot the Golden Goose. The biggest difference between the 2016 election, and 2020, was @FoxNews.”
Ironically, they also made the same hubristic mistake the other media sources did before FNC went live in 1996 — the belief that people had nowhere else to go. From their height of success, they dismissed the once-weak competition of mini-network Newsmax. Now they’re finding out the hard way that the house that Roger built is full of drafts, and abandoners are taking shelter elsewhere. Newsmax ratings have skyrocketed since August from a viewer base of 100,000 per day to 700,000 to 800,000 at last check. And conservatives are no longer dependent on television to get real news without the Trump derangement. Entities like the Daily Wire, Glenn Beck, and The American Spectator are reaping the benefit of Fox News’ progressive seppuku.
FNC will have to do to three things get us back, but they would probably go bankrupt before doing one. First, apologize for betraying their viewer base and the vision that elevated them, the more grovelingly the better. Two, initiate a corporate Reign of Terror, firing Brazile, Wallace, Cavuto (whom I like), Fisher, Fox Politics Editor Chris Stirewalt, and other tainted anti-Trumpers. Third, place at the helm a young Roger Ailes-type who understands the original mission of FNC to be “fair and balanced” and not CNN lite. This would politically neutralize the Murdochs and their social justice warrior wives while still filling their coffers. Unfortunately for them, the usual outcome for progressive drift is to virtue signal all the way to bankruptcy.
And when they fall for betraying us, and Kathryn Murdoch has to start wearing less expensive attire to a Long Island soiree, we can make the same boast she did: “We did it.”
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Lou Aguilar is a published novelist, produced screenwriter, and arts culture essayist. His new novel, “The Christmas Spirit” — a Yuletide romantic ghost story — was intended as the perfect traditionalist Christmas gift, and is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and great American bookstores.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-09--Second Judge Blocks TikTok Ban in Latest Setback for Trump Administration

A federal judge blocked the Department of Commerce ’ s proposed restrictions on Chinese-owned social media app TikTok in an order Monday evening .
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols ’ s order is the latest setback in the Trump administration ’ s attempt to effectively ban TikTok from the U.S. over national security concerns , according to Reuters .
Nichols is the second federal judge to block the Department of Commerce ’ s TikTok restrictions after Judge Wendy Beetlestone blocked them on Oct. 30 .
“ [ TikTok ] demonstrated that the Secretary likely overstepped [ International Emergency Economic Powers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and capricious manner by failing to consider obvious alternatives , ” Nichols wrote in the order published by TechCrunch .
President Donald Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( IEEPA ) in a May 2019 executive order and declared a national emergency over the cybersecurity threat to U.S. national security posed by foreign powers via technology companies .
The IEEPA , a law enacted in 1977 , broadly authorizes the president to regulate certain economic transactions after declaring a national emergency , according to the Congressional Research Service .
TikTok said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Monday ruling in a statement , according to Reuters .
On Aug. 14 , Trump signed an executive order giving TikTok ’ s parent company ByteDance until Nov. 12 to divest from its U.S. operations .
However , the Commerce Department extended the deadline citing Beetlestone ’ s October ruling .
TikTok agreed to a tentative deal to hand its operations over to tech giant Oracle and Walmart on Sept. 19 , the companies announced in a statement .
Trump gave his blessing to the deal once it was announced , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement , TikTok would establish a new company TikTok Global , which would be based in the U.S. , majority owned by U.S. investors and use Oracle ’ s American cloud infrastructure , according to the companies ’ statement .
The Commerce Department and TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
Thomas Catenacci is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Thomas Catenacci
A federal judge blocked the Department of Commerce’s proposed restrictions on Chinese-owned social media app TikTok in an order Monday evening.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols’s order is the latest setback in the Trump administration’s attempt to effectively ban TikTok from the U.S. over national security concerns, according to Reuters. Nichols is the second federal judge to block the Department of Commerce’s TikTok restrictions after Judge Wendy Beetlestone blocked them on Oct. 30.
“[TikTok] demonstrated that the Secretary likely overstepped [International Emergency Economic Powers Act] and acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner by failing to consider obvious alternatives,” Nichols wrote in the order published by TechCrunch.
President Donald Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in a May 2019 executive order and declared a national emergency over the cybersecurity threat to U.S. national security posed by foreign powers via technology companies. The IEEPA, a law enacted in 1977, broadly authorizes the president to regulate certain economic transactions after declaring a national emergency, according to the Congressional Research Service.
TikTok said it was “pleased” with Nichols’ Monday ruling in a statement, according to Reuters.
On Aug. 14, Trump signed an executive order giving TikTok’s parent company ByteDance until Nov. 12 to divest from its U.S. operations. However, the Commerce Department extended the deadline citing Beetlestone’s October ruling.
TikTok agreed to a tentative deal to hand its operations over to tech giant Oracle and Walmart on Sept. 19, the companies announced in a statement. Trump gave his blessing to the deal once it was announced, according to CNBC.
As part of the agreement, TikTok would establish a new company TikTok Global, which would be based in the U.S., majority owned by U.S. investors and use Oracle’s American cloud infrastructure, according to the companies’ statement.
The Commerce Department and TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Thomas Catenacci is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-09--Report: Alleged Chinese Spy Raised Money for Eric Swalwell, Planted Intern in His Office

An alleged Chinese spy bundled campaign contributions for California Rep. Eric Swalwell and planted an intern in the Democrat ’ s congressional office , according to a new report .
U.S. intelligence officials said that Christine Fang , the alleged Chinese operative , cozied up to multiple politicians in the California Bay Area between 2011 and 2015 at the direction of China ’ s Ministry of State Security , its internal spy agency , Axios reported Monday night .
Meanwhile , John Ratcliffe , the director of national intelligence , revealed in a Thursday opinion piece for The Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers more than any other country , including Russia and Iran , in order to shape U.S. policy in favor of Beijing .
Ratcliffe said in a Sunday interview that he had briefed the House and Senate Intelligence Committees on the influence efforts .
Swalwell , who was elected to Congress in 2012 , was appointed to the House committee on Jan. 14 , 2015 .
According to Axios , Fang began cultivating ties to American politicos through student organizations at California State University East Bay , where she enrolled in 2011 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school : the Chinese Student Association and the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs .
Through her connections with those groups , Fang attended political events and fundraisers for several prominent Democrats , including Reps. Swalwell , Ro Khanna , Judy Chu , and former Rep. Mike Honda .
Axios also reported that Fang had intimate relationships with two mayors from cities in the Midwest .
Fang developed the closest ties with Swalwell , according to Axios , which cited unnamed current and former U.S. intelligence officials .
She began supporting his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he was a city councilman in Dublin , California .
Axios published three photos of Fang with Swalwell at political events .
Fang raised money to help Swalwell ’ s reelection campaign in 2014 and placed at least one intern in his congressional office , according to Axios .
Axios did not report that Swalwell was aware of Fang ’ s covert activity .
He has also not been accused of any wrongdoing .
Swalwell ’ s office issued a statement saying that he cut ties with Fang after the FBI provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2015 .
“ Rep .
Swalwell , long ago , provided information about this person — whom he met more than eight years ago , and whom he hasn ’ t seen in nearly six years — to the FBI .
To protect information that might be classified , he will not participate in your story , ” Swalwell ’ s office told Axios .
According to the website , Fang suddenly left the U.S. in mid-2015 .
Swalwell was a prominent fixture on television during the Russia probe , appearing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that President Donald Trump and members of his campaign of colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election .
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Chuck Ross
An alleged Chinese spy bundled campaign contributions for California Rep. Eric Swalwell and planted an intern in the Democrat’s congressional office, according to a new report.
U.S. intelligence officials said that Christine Fang, the alleged Chinese operative, cozied up to multiple politicians in the California Bay Area between 2011 and 2015 at the direction of China’s Ministry of State Security, its internal spy agency, Axios reported Monday night.
Meanwhile, John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence, revealed in a Thursday opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal that Chinese agents have targeted U.S. lawmakers more than any other country, including Russia and Iran, in order to shape U.S. policy in favor of Beijing.
Ratcliffe said in a Sunday interview that he had briefed the House and Senate Intelligence Committees on the influence efforts. Swalwell, who was elected to Congress in 2012, was appointed to the House committee on Jan. 14, 2015.
According to Axios, Fang began cultivating ties to American politicos through student organizations at California State University East Bay, where she enrolled in 2011. She was president of two groups at the school: the Chinese Student Association and the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs.
Through her connections with those groups, Fang attended political events and fundraisers for several prominent Democrats, including Reps. Swalwell, Ro Khanna, Judy Chu, and former Rep. Mike Honda.
Axios also reported that Fang had intimate relationships with two mayors from cities in the Midwest.
Fang developed the closest ties with Swalwell, according to Axios, which cited unnamed current and former U.S. intelligence officials. She began supporting his political career in the early 2010s, when he was a city councilman in Dublin, California. Axios published three photos of Fang with Swalwell at political events.
Fang raised money to help Swalwell’s reelection campaign in 2014 and placed at least one intern in his congressional office, according to Axios.
Axios did not report that Swalwell was aware of Fang’s covert activity. He has also not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Swalwell’s office issued a statement saying that he cut ties with Fang after the FBI provided him a defensive briefing on the matter in 2015.
“Rep. Swalwell, long ago, provided information about this person — whom he met more than eight years ago, and whom he hasn’t seen in nearly six years — to the FBI. To protect information that might be classified, he will not participate in your story,” Swalwell’s office told Axios.
According to the website, Fang suddenly left the U.S. in mid-2015.
Swalwell was a prominent fixture on television during the Russia probe, appearing in interviews where he pushed the now-debunked claim that President Donald Trump and members of his campaign of colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election.
– – –
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-09--Gov. Brian Kemp Silent on Whether He Might Use Powers to Move Date of Georgia U.S. Senate Races to F

Gov. Brian Kemp Silent on Whether He Might Use Powers to Move Date of Georgia U.S. Senate Races to February

Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp would not say Tuesday whether he would use his authority to change the date of the state ’ s two U.S. Senate elections from January 5 to February 1 of next year .
Staff for Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston ( R-Blue Ridge ) did not return our request for comment Tuesday , and neither did staff for Georgia Lieutenant Gov .
Geoff Duncan .
State Sen. Bill Ligon ( R-White Oak ) said on Monday ’ s edition of The John Fredericks Show that he and other members of the Georgia General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Senate election from January 5 to February 1 .
“ The legislature would have convened by then , and that would be a way for us to come in and correct the issues we have seen with , for example , the [ absentee ballot ] dropboxes and the verifications on the signatures on the absentee ballots , ” Ligon said on Fredericks ’ radio show .
“ That would be one reason to do that .
It would be available under the powers that the governor has under the COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show , Fredericks , quoting Ligon , said that , per the evidence , underage individuals and convicted felons in Georgia registered and voted in the November 2020 presidential election — acts that violated state law .
“ People voted who were not listed in the state ’ s records as having been registered to vote , which means that ’ s illegal .
Voters who moved to a different county more than 30 days prior to the election and failed to re-register were allowed to cast votes , [ and ] that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law , ” Fredericks said .
“ Voters registered using bogus addresses such as UPS post office boxes and other stores .
Yet their votes counted .
That ’ s illegal , according to Georgia law .
Ballots of individuals who were deceased prior to election day counted .
That ’ s illegal .
Over and over again ballots were counted outside the view of poll watchers or designated monitors defying the law .
Even the law itself was modified , you say , in an unconstitutional agreement that weakened the signature verifications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by [ Georgia Secretary of State ] Brad Raffensperger with Stacey Abrams and the Democratic Party of Georgia.
” As reported , U.S. Sen. David Perdue ( R-GA ) and U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) are on the January 5 ballot for the U.S. Senate against two Democrats , Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , respectively .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Brian Kemp ” by Brian Kemp .

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp would not say Tuesday whether he would use his authority to change the date of the state’s two U.S. Senate elections from January 5 to February 1 of next year.
Moving back the date might give members of the Georgia General Assembly additional time to coordinate and develop ways to prevent potential election fraud.
Members of Kemp’s staff did not return The Georgia Star News’ repeated requests on the matter Monday and Tuesday.
Staff for Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) did not return our request for comment Tuesday, and neither did staff for Georgia Lieutenant Gov. Geoff Duncan.
State Sen. Bill Ligon (R-White Oak) said on Monday’s edition of The John Fredericks Show that he and other members of the Georgia General Assembly want to move the date of the U.S. Senate election from January 5 to February 1.
“The legislature would have convened by then, and that would be a way for us to come in and correct the issues we have seen with, for example, the [absentee ballot] dropboxes and the verifications on the signatures on the absentee ballots,” Ligon said on Fredericks’ radio show.
“That would be one reason to do that. It would be available under the powers that the governor has under the COVID pandemic.”
Ligon on Tuesday did not return The Star News’ request for additional comment.
On Monday’s radio show, Fredericks, quoting Ligon, said that, per the evidence, underage individuals and convicted felons in Georgia registered and voted in the November 2020 presidential election — acts that violated state law.
“People voted who were not listed in the state’s records as having been registered to vote, which means that’s illegal. Voters who moved to a different county more than 30 days prior to the election and failed to re-register were allowed to cast votes, [and] that’s illegal, according to Georgia law,” Fredericks said.
“Voters registered using bogus addresses such as UPS post office boxes and other stores. Yet their votes counted. That’s illegal, according to Georgia law. Ballots of individuals who were deceased prior to election day counted. That’s illegal. Over and over again ballots were counted outside the view of poll watchers or designated monitors defying the law. Even the law itself was modified, you say, in an unconstitutional agreement that weakened the signature verifications. That was the consent decree signed by [Georgia Secretary of State] Brad Raffensperger with Stacey Abrams and the Democratic Party of Georgia.”
As reported, U.S. Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) and U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) are on the January 5 ballot for the U.S. Senate against two Democrats, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, respectively.
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Brian Kemp” by Brian Kemp.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-09--Virginia Republicans and Democrats Call for Bipartisan COVID-19 Relief Bill

As Senator Mark Warner ( D-Virginia ) signals that a $ 908 billion relief bill will be ready for the Senate to consider soon , Virginia Republicans are calling for a similar bill in the House of Representatives .
But Congressman Morgan Griffith ( R-VA-09 ) is warning leadership not to bundle it with a budget appropriations bill .
“ Once again , congressional leadership finds itself expecting one enormous appropriations bill to address all the needs of the moment .
The House should have followed regular order earlier and passed individual spending bills as the law demands , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Griffith said he supports a relief package under the right circumstances .
“ During a call with the Republican Conference , I urged our leadership to keep any coronavirus package separate from the anticipated omnibus measure funding the Federal Government .
Of course , [ Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA-12 ) ] may have other ideas .
“ There is no denying that the coronavirus and government-mandated lockdowns have caused real economic hardship for the American people and small businesses , ” Cline said .
“ There is certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is why Speaker Pelosi should immediately accept a targeted package that helps those individuals hardest hit by this virus , affords businesses liability protection from frivolous law suits , and continues the successful Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses.
” Last week , Representative Don Beyer ( D-VA-08 ) called for a relief package that would include funds to stave off layoffs at the Washington Metro , blaming Senate Republicans for blocking relief earlier in the year .
“ The House passed a legislative package that addressed that problem and included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May , but [ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) ] has blocked additional aid .
Senate Republicans ’ obstruction is itself a crisis , and if it continues vast numbers of public sector workers will lose their jobs and Americans will see unimaginable and unnecessary cuts to services they depend on , ” Beyer said .
However on Friday , Pelosi said in a press conference that Democratic leadership had deliberately blocked relief by insisting on a large relief bill unpalatable to Republicans earlier in the year .
She is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate package as a place to start negotiations , according to The Federalist .
“ Asked why she is on board with an apparently smaller coronavirus package , Speaker Pelosi cites the “ game-changer ” of vaccine development and Biden ’ s election .
“ That ’ s OK now because we have a new president .
A president who recognizes we need to depend on science , ” Washington Post reporter Jeff Stein tweeted .
Cartoonist Scott Adams criticized Pelosi on Twitter .
“ Trump got impeached for allegedly withholding Ukraine aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus aid from American citizens for political reasons .
She is a garbage human .
Despicable , ” Adams said .
McConnell has advocated a smaller $ 500 billion relief package , while Senator Marco Rubio ( R-Florida ) said he wants to see more business protections built in to the relief bill .
Warner and Senator Susan Collins ( R-Maine ) coauthored a Washington Post op-ed calling for both sides to meet in the middle .
They noted that $ 908 billion is far less than the trillions called for by House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s package .
They wrote , “ We believe this compromise is necessary to provide urgently needed relief to the American people ahead of what will be , according to all the experts , a long and difficult winter.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

As Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) signals that a $908 billion relief bill will be ready for the Senate to consider soon, Virginia Republicans are calling for a similar bill in the House of Representatives. But Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09) is warning leadership not to bundle it with a budget appropriations bill.
“Once again, congressional leadership finds itself expecting one enormous appropriations bill to address all the needs of the moment. The House should have followed regular order earlier and passed individual spending bills as the law demands,” Griffith said in a Tuesday press release.
Griffith said he supports a relief package under the right circumstances. “During a call with the Republican Conference, I urged our leadership to keep any coronavirus package separate from the anticipated omnibus measure funding the Federal Government. Of course, [Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12)] may have other ideas.
Representative Ben Cline (R-VA-06) also called for a relief package.
“There is no denying that the coronavirus and government-mandated lockdowns have caused real economic hardship for the American people and small businesses,” Cline said. “There is certainly a need for an additional relief bill, which is why Speaker Pelosi should immediately accept a targeted package that helps those individuals hardest hit by this virus, affords businesses liability protection from frivolous law suits, and continues the successful Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses.”
Last week, Representative Don Beyer (D-VA-08) called for a relief package that would include funds to stave off layoffs at the Washington Metro, blaming Senate Republicans for blocking relief earlier in the year.
“The House passed a legislative package that addressed that problem and included $32 billion in transit funding in May, but [Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)] has blocked additional aid. Senate Republicans’ obstruction is itself a crisis, and if it continues vast numbers of public sector workers will lose their jobs and Americans will see unimaginable and unnecessary cuts to services they depend on,” Beyer said.
However on Friday, Pelosi said in a press conference that Democratic leadership had deliberately blocked relief by insisting on a large relief bill unpalatable to Republicans earlier in the year. She is now supporting the smaller $908 billion Senate package as a place to start negotiations, according to The Federalist.
“Asked why she is on board with an apparently smaller coronavirus package, Speaker Pelosi cites the “game-changer” of vaccine development and Biden’s election. “That’s OK now because we have a new president. A president who recognizes we need to depend on science,” Washington Post reporter Jeff Stein tweeted.
Cartoonist Scott Adams criticized Pelosi on Twitter. “Trump got impeached for allegedly withholding Ukraine aid for political reasons. Nancy Pelosi withheld coronavirus aid from American citizens for political reasons. She is a garbage human. Despicable,” Adams said.
McConnell has advocated a smaller $500 billion relief package, while Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) said he wants to see more business protections built in to the relief bill.
Warner and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) coauthored a Washington Post op-ed calling for both sides to meet in the middle. They noted that $908 billion is far less than the trillions called for by House Democrats, and much larger than McConnell’s package.
They wrote, “We believe this compromise is necessary to provide urgently needed relief to the American people ahead of what will be, according to all the experts, a long and difficult winter.”
– – –
Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network. Email tips to [email protected]