thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--With Georgia Runoff Elections Less Than a Month Away, Neither the State Nor the Counties Have Produc

With Georgia Runoff Elections Less Than a Month Away, Neither the State Nor the Counties Have Produced Chain of Custody Records for 500,000 Absentee Ballots Placed in Drop Boxes for November 3 Election

The two U.S. Senate runoff elections in Georgia will be held on January 5 , less than one month from now .
But more than one month after the controversial November 3 general election , documents necessary to establish the chain of custody for more than 83 percent of the estimated 600,000 absentee ballots placed in drop boxes by voters and subsequently delivered to county election officials by county poll workers have yet to be produced by either state or county officials .
As previously reported , the office of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told Breitbart News two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it did not know how many of the 1.3 million absentee ballots cast in the 2020 general election ( out of 5 million total ) were delivered by mail vs. drop box , but the counties should know .
Last week , 26 percent of respondents to a poll conducted of likely voters in Georgia by John McLaughlin and Associates said that they voted by absentee ballot – 14 percent by mail and 12 percent by depositing their absentee ballots in drop boxes .
Twelve percent of the 5 million votes cast equals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the Georgia Election Code Emergency Rule approved by State Election Board on July 1 , 2020 , every county is responsible for documenting the transfer of every batch of absentee ballots picked up at drop boxes and delivered to the county election offices with ballot transfer forms , signed , dated , with time of pick up by the collection team upon pick up , and then signed , dated , with time of delivery by the registrar or designee upon receipt and accepted .
Over the past 10 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Records Requests for ballot transfer forms to 77 of Georgia ’ s 159 counties .
Four counties – including Bartow County ( 4,909 ) , Cobb County ( 89,445 ) , Clarke County ( 4,909 ) , and Cook County ( 265 ) – complied with the records requests and provided those transfer forms .
The number of absentee ballots delivered from drop boxes in Cobb County was a little more than 89,000 .
The combined number of absentee ballots delivered from the other three counties was just over 10,000 .
All told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 100,000 of the estimated 600,000 absentee ballots placed in drop boxes – or 16.6 percent – available to the public for review and inspection .
As The Star News reported , a preliminary review of the ballot transfer forms provided by Cobb County indicate there were problems in that county documenting the chain of custody in the way the Emergency Rule specified .
Ten counties – Appling , Atkinson , Burke , Candler , Charlton , Chattooga , Dade , Haralson , Heard , and Glascock – complied with The Star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have drop boxes .
Dade County officials said they “ didn ’ t transfer any ballots , ” and utilized their board of elections location for an outlet to drop off absentee ballots .
Fulton , Gwinnett , and DeKalb have replied to The Star News requests with brief statements that they are investigating whether or not they have responsive records and that they they anticipate they will have a response some time in the future .
For Gwinnett , the future is within two weeks .
For DeKalb the future is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ We believe we can have responsive records to you by January 19 , 2021 .
That said , should responsive materials come available sooner , we will provide them to you.
” January 19 is two weeks after the Georgia January 5 runoff will take place – one day before Presidential Inauguration Day .
A total of 60 counties have not responded as of press time .
DeKalb County ’ s response , received from Assistant County Attorney at DeKalb County Dexter Q .
Bond , Jr. , stated , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsive records to your request exist.
” Throughout the state , approximately 300 drop boxes were used to collect absentee ballots in the November 2020 general election , authorized under Georgia Election Code Emergency Rule 183-1-14-0.8-.14 passed in July 2020 which states that every absentee ballot drop box collection team “ shall complete and sign a ballot transfer form upon removing the ballots from the drop box , which shall include the date , time , location and number of ballots .
The “ ballot transfer forms ” are a part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to document the chain of custody of ballots collected from drop boxes .
The code also requires that “ the ballots from the drop box shall be immediately transported to the county registrar and processed and stored in the same manner as absentee ballots returned by mail are processed and stored .
The county registrar or a designee thereof shall sign the ballot transfer form upon receipt of the ballots from the collection team .
More than one month after the November 3 election , the state and the counties have failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody for 500,000 of the estimated 600,000 absentee ballots placed in drop boxes by voters .
At present , there appears to be no indication that either Secretary of State Raffensperger , the State Election Board , Governor Kemp , or the Georgia General Assembly plan to take any actions to avoid a repeat of this failure to provide chain of custody documents for absentee ballots placed in drop boxes prior to the January 5 , 2021 U.S. Senate runoff elections in the state .
Tiffany Morgan is a reporter at The Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Cobb County Drop Box ” by Cobb County .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Washington Based National Correspondent for The Tennessee Star Neil W. McCabe Weighs in on Lawsuits,

Washington Based National Correspondent for The Tennessee Star Neil W. McCabe Weighs in on Lawsuits, Stimulus Bill, and Swalwell’s Spy

Live from Music Row Wednesday 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 Tennessee Star National Correspondent Neil W. McCabe to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , McCabe weighed in on whether or not there will be a new stimulus bill before Christmas , the likelihood that the Supreme Court will take up Pennsylvania and Texas ’ s election lawsuits , and Eric Swalwell ’ s ties to a Chi-com spy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ back and we ’ ve got Neil McCabe on the line with us .
Neil , are you there ?
Carmichael : How are you doing ?
McCabe : I ’ m getting better every day .
Carmichael : Well , tell me what is going on in Washington .
I ’ ve got two questions really .
One is there going to be a bill passed to help the people who need help ?
I guess you ’ d call it a stimulus plan for a lack of a better term or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be something passed or not ?
McCabe : Let me tell you , first of all , the stimulus checks will go out .
That deal has been cut .
The Republicans are going to roll with it .
The Democrats have significantly cut back their demands and you ’ re going to see something happen very quickly .
Carmichael : And give me kind of the contours of that deal .
When you say they ’ ve been cut back , will there be a second round of PPE or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be some of that .
There will be some loan forgiveness that needs to be accounted for .
The big deal is that the bailout of the states that Pelosi was pushing for is going to less severe .
They ’ ll be some honey in the pot but it ’ s not going to be anywhere close to what Pelosi was demanding before the election .
And Democrats have actually said in some interviews that the only reason they were asking for that crazy package , you know was to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think right now Crom though what people in Washington are talking about are two things right now .
One is the Supreme Court challenge which everyone is reporting is dead for the Trump campaign when actually that lawsuit and Pennsylvania is absolutely alive and well .
And I just want to tell people if they want to know why the Trump campaign is pushing this is because there is a Supreme Court case from 1997 that was decided nine zero written by David Souter called Foster versus Love which dealt with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressmen were elected .
And they were sort of tampering and experimenting and basically changing their Federal Election Day .
And the Supreme Court said nine zero that you ’ re not supposed to tamper with election day .
And that is the basis of that lawsuit and it ’ s being led by Texas .
And I believe there are now ten states that have joined Texas in that lawsuit .
And the other thing Crom is the affair or the supposed affair between Congressman Eric Swalwell and Fang Fang or Christine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And Swalwell , for people who aren ’ t following this , he ’ s the California congressman on the Senate Intel Committee who was savage to the president and the people on his campaign administration accusing the president and other people of being Russian agents and working with the Russians through the hoaxes the whole time .
He never mentioned that in 2015 when the FBI visited him and told him to stop seeing a Chi-com spy who he was at least very close to if not intimate with .
Carmichael : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flat out that he had a sexual relationship with her and that she apparently had a sexual relationship with a number of other people .
Because that ’ s what you know , her job was to seduce people in Washington and pry information from them .
So the Swalwell deal I guess is now only beginning to grow and it ’ ll get worse for him .
I ’ ve heard a report that the Pennsylvania lawsuit itself just that one , that the Supreme Court had said it was not going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
McCabe : No .
The Trump campaign asked for an emergency injunction .
And that emergency injunction was denied but the case is still alive .
Carmichael : Oh .
Then that ’ s interesting .
So there ’ s the Pennsylvania case and the Texas case .
Those are two separate but they ’ re related .
And the Supreme Court is still in the process of deciding if they want to hear either of them , is that correct ?
McCabe : That ’ s correct .
And the Foster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factors , in that case , is that Souter writing for the majority said that states are not allowed to tamper with federal elections because it is unfair to other states .
McCabe : And so other states have an interest or standing as to what Pennsylvania does .
Now , remember the reason why we have a national election day is because of the telegraph .
Because of the telegraph , people were able to back in the day say 150 ago or 160 years ago you could have states have their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is up to the state .
But what happened is if somebody won Massachusetts then you could telegraph somebody in South Carolina and let them know what Massachusetts just did .
And so Congress said we don ’ t want states having to play sort of a gamer or to have this sort of horse blanket like with New York having their election today and in California having their election tomorrow .
So everybody is going to vote on the same day .
And if you are voting , it has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not really enforced .
But that ’ s actually what the law says .
Carmichael : And I guess in various states , in New York , didn ’ t their legislature pass a law that allows for ballots that are postmarked election day or prior to still be counted ?
And that ’ s part of the problem that they have is they don ’ t know how to manage that without a whole bunch of fraud ?
McCabe : Well , of course .
And you know in states where it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , they ’ re not really contested , things have been allowed to slide .
And things slide all the time because you know , it doesn ’ t really matter .
Well , now it matters .
And so people decided to look up the law .
And the law says that this thing has to be complete .
Plus you have the fact that the Constitution says it ’ s up to the Pennsylvania legislature to decide what ’ s going on with presidential elections and not the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania has no role in deciding voting rules .
And so you can ’ t just take a Pennsylvania law and change it because you want to in just a few months before an election , even if there is a pandemic Crom .
Carmichael : And that ’ s and that ’ s what happened in Wisconsin .
Because the law in Wisconsin is very very clear about absentee ballots .
And there ’ s a very precise process which the Secretary of State in Wisconsin just completely changed how how how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And the same thing is true in Michigan and Georgia .
In Pennsylvania , my understanding is that that the constitution of the state of Pennsylvania requires any election law changes to be done by a Constitutional Amendment .
So the legislature in Pennsylvania all by itself can not pass a single law .
They can ’ t pass one law that changes it .
They have to go through a constitutional process that requires them passing the change twice .
And then having the voters of Pennsylvania vote on it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing with this pandemic has been like the magic wand for the left .
And all of a sudden every Sunday morning I can ’ t go to mass unless I ’ ve gone online and reserved a seat because my church is only allowed to have 100 people at mass .
There is nowhere in the Constitution that it says that .
It ’ s like the Constitution has a process .
People say that Trump is being unconstitutional or challenging the Constitution .
The Constitution has a process and he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are saying hey , just be a good guy and ignore the process .
Just go along to get along because the process isn ’ t cool right now .
And that ’ s crazy talk .
Carmichael : So the three things you ’ re telling me is that there will be a relief package that ’ ll pass this week ?
What do you think ?
McCabe : It will be before Christmas ?
Carmichael : Okay , and so Swalwell is in trouble .
That ’ s a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the guy .
And then these two lawsuits in Pennsylvania and Texas are alive and probably we will know what the Supreme Court ’ s going to do within the next five five business days I would guess ?
Carmichael : All right , Neil .
Thanks so much .
Listen to the 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 .

A 17-year-old student allegedly opened fire Friday at a high school in Santa Fe, Texas, killing 10 people and wounding another 10, authorities said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said police found explosive devices, including a Molotov cocktail, at the suspected shooter’s home and a vehicle, as well as around the Santa Fe High School where the shooting took place.
Law enforcement officials said the suspect, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a junior at the school, was being held without bond on a capital murder charge.
Abbott said the suspect originally intended to commit suicide following the shooting but told law enforcement officials after he was arrested that he didn’t have the courage to go through with killing himself.
The governor said two guns were used in the attack — a shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver. He said the suspect’s father legally owned both guns.It was not clear whether the father knew his son had taken the weapons.
Abbott said there were “one or two” other people of interest being interviewed about the shooting.
Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said, “Injured students and staff have been transported to local hospitals.” He also said an officer from the Santa Fe Independent School District was among those shot.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the shooting as an “absolutely horrific attack,” one of many that have “been going on too long in this country.” Trump told the victims and their families that “we’re with you in this tragic hour and we will be with you forever.” He vowed to get guns “out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves and to others.”
An unidentified male student described fleeing the school during an interview with KHOU-TV in Houston. He said that after he heard three shots, “we all took off in the back, and I tried to get into the trees. I didn’t want to be in sight. I heard four more shots, and then we jumped the fence to somebody’s house.”
An unidentified female student said tearfully on cable channel CNN, “Nobody should have to go through this. Nobody should have to feel that pain.”
Facebook post
Pagourtzis had posted an image on Facebook of himself wearing a “Born to Kill” shirt, but the motive for Friday’s attack wasn’t known.
Abbott saidthat unlike previous school shootings, “there were not those types of warning signs” about the Santa Fe suspect. The governor saidthe early investigation had found no prior criminal history for Pagourtzis.
“The red-flag warnings were either nonexistent or very imperceptible,” Abbott said, though he acknowledged Pagourtzis’ posting of the photo on Facebook.
That same Facebook profile described Pagourtzis as planning to enter the U.S. Marine Corps next year, but the Marine Corps told The Associated Press it had reviewed its records and had found no one by that name as either a recruit or a person in their delayed entry pool.
Classmates described Pagourtzis as quiet and an avid video game player who routinely wore a black trench coat and black boots to class. He had played football on the school’s junior varsity squad and danced as part of a church group. Those who know him expressed shock he might be involved in the killings.
Calls for action
The latest incident came about three months after a shooter with a semiautomatic rifle killed 17 students and school staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. It was the third-deadliest school shooting in American history.
The Democratic leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said urgent action was needed to prevent gun violence.
“Congress must show as much courage as they have, and act now to ensure that no other community or family must endure the unthinkable horror of gun violence. Our children deserve real leadership: a vote to prevent gun violence now.”
Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin said Congress must implement reforms that lawmakers recently passed “to make schools safer and keep deadly weapons away from those who should not have them.”
“Our hearts are filled with grief over this horrific loss of life,” he added.
Santa Fe is located in southeastern Texas between the cities of Houston and Galveston.
– – –
Some information for this report came from Associated Press.
VOA News


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Crom Carmichael Speculates Whether or Not the Supreme Court Will Take Up the Texas Election Lawsuit

Live from Music Row Wednesday 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 the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio .
During the second hour , Carmichael speculated the possibility that the Supreme Court would take up the Texas lawsuit on elections laws or dismiss it outright .
He and Leahy later discussed possible scenarios citing the risk the court would run to becoming a damaged institution .
Leahy : Michael Patrick Leahy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panelist .
Crom , you wanted to follow up on the theme you began in our last segment .
Carmichael : I wanted to just kind of finish it because it is really interesting that Gorsuch on the Supreme Court in part and I ’ m not saying that in whole but in part because Joe Biden himself in 1992 made it clear that he would not entertain a Supreme Court appointee by then-President George Bush .
And that if somebody left the Supreme Court Biden made it clear that if it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I will not entertain .
And he made that clear so it became a kind of modern times Biden rule .
Now it had been the rule for a very long time and he said that .
But it is interesting , the irony is that the Biden rule was used as part of the argument against , I ’ m blanking on the name now , the Democrat from Maryland .
Carmichael : And then the treatment of the Democrats the treatment of Kavanaugh by the it ’ s is a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And then and then Amy Coney Barrett is on the Supreme Court because Ginsburg got mad at Obama when he publicly scolded the Supreme Court , which she held that institution in the highest possible regard .
And she became angry with Obama and then she refused to retire .
Leahy : Yeah , she refused to retire , and if she had there would be an Obama filling liberal .
Carmichael : Yeah , and so at any rate , the irony is there .
And if the Supreme Court were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they don ’ t take the Texas case if they don ’ t take it , the Supreme Court as an institution is damaged .
Leahy : Very badly in my opinion .
Carmichael : By the people who believe that the election was stolen .
Carmichael : Now the media will try just like it did with the Russia hoax .
It will try over the next period of time to make everybody believe that the election was free and fair .
Leahy : So let me just continue on that theme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the Supreme Court chooses to hear the case and rules against Texas that it will not be damaged as an institution .
But if they refuse to hear the case , they will be damaged as an institution .
Would you agree with that idea or not ?
Carmichael : Well the tricky part for them is if they agree to hear the case and the facts that are presented by the case they ’ d have to ignore the facts in order to rule against Texas .
How would you rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d have to rule then what those states did was constitutional .
There are not many parts of the Constitution that are as clear as to how election laws are set in each state .
Leahy : Well let me play Devil ’ s Advocate .
Leahy : There is a part of the Constitution that ’ s quite clear that all revenue bills must generate in the House of Representatives .
That was an element of the Constitution that John Roberts just forgot about in the NFIB case .
So all I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they undertook it , I could see perhaps an argument that they would make against it and the liberals would make against it .
And that argument would be well we have to leave it entirely up to the states to determine how they elect even if they allow cheating and violate their own constitutional rules of how the election procedures should be set .
I could see that argument being made .
My view is if they undertook it and it was argued fairly and they decided on the merits , Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think John Roberts would go over to the liberal side .
That ’ d be my guess .
Carmichael : I don ’ t know that Roberts would want to join the three and make it a five , four .
It would be interesting to see .
Leahy : His argument would be that he is trying to defend the court and it would be a more decisive victory if he went six , three .
Again , we ’ re speculating .
Carmichael : I think he would prefer not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I understand that the Supreme Court turned down the Pennsylvania case nine to nothing .
Leahy : Well , it ’ s been reported nine to nothing .
I don ’ t know if it was nine to nothing actually .
That ’ s how people reported it .
They just said they weren ’ t going to take it .
Carmichael : Now whether or not this case is taken by the Supreme Court Is it determined by a majority of the nine justices ?
Leahy : I don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they determine that .
I don ’ t know if it ’ s one person saying I want to hear it or two or three or whatever number it is .
But but it ’ s interesting in this regard Crom , I think these would be compelling arguments .
It would be fascinating to listen to .
I think they ’ re excellent .
It ’ s an excellent case brought by Texas .
Carmichael : Well it is .
Now the other thing that could happen is that they could claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They could come up with a reason not to take it .
I ’ m not saying it ’ s a great reason .
But they could come up with it .
And if they voted nine nothing then they might maintain their integrity that way .
Now , here ’ s what I think would happen if they did that .
I think that the legislature of those five states are on very fragile ground with their Republican constituents .
Carmichael : I think when they come back into the session they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They should .
In Georgia , I ’ m going to say the possibly compromised governor and possibly compromised secretary of state .
Carmichael : But the governor doesn ’ t get to sign the bill .
The Constitution says that the legislature sets the election laws .
What I ’ m saying is that the legislators of the states and then if the governor vetoed it then they would take that to the Supreme Court and say this is what the Constitution says .
That way the Supreme Court could side with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutional law that would probably I think if you ’ re correct , that would be the way it would turn out .
The legislature could pass it .
Both Houses could pass it .
And if in most bills the governor would have to sign it into law .
Carmichael : But this isn ’ t most bills .
Leahy : I agree .
It ’ s a fine point you make .
I like that point .
Carmichael : They might not even send it like Pennsylvania .
They might not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leahy : You got a Republican legislature there and a Democratic governor .
So why send it ?
Carmichael : They might not even send it to the governor for a signature .
And then somebody then files a suit to make sure that that law because voter suppression and if illegal voting and packing the ballot box with fake votes is stopping it , and that is voter suppression , then count me in .
I ’ m for voter suppression of illegal votes .
Carmichael : When do you think the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I don ’ t know .
This week sometime .
Carmichael : You think it is this week ?
Leahy : I think so .
It ’ s if they decide to take it or not which is why the governor of Tennessee should jump in now .
The more states that join Texas , the better .
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 @ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Georgia Gov. Kemp Awarded $107 Million Contract to Dominion Two Weeks After Meeting With People’s Re

Georgia Gov. Kemp Awarded $107 Million Contract to Dominion Two Weeks After Meeting With People’s Republic of China Consul General

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp awarded a $ 107 million contract to Dominion Voting Systems two weeks after he met with the Houston-based Consul General of the People ’ s Republic of China in Atlanta .
Kemp met with Li Qiangmin , Houston Consul General of the People ’ s Republic of China , on July 12 , 2019 .
The Secretary of State ’ s office announced on July 29 , 2019 that Dominion ’ s election services were procured to implement a “ verified paper ballot system ” in the state prior to the March 2020 presidential primaries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ machines in 28 states , has been accused of switching Trump votes to Biden in the 2020 election .
According to reports , the voting software company has multiple links to China , including a $ 400 million filing in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC ) one month before the election that links Dominion , UBS Securities LLC , and China .
The filing reportedly shows that UBS arranged a private placement of $ 400 million with Staple Street Capital III , L.P. on October 8 , 2020 .
Staple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ located in New York , purchased Dominion Voting systems on July 17 , 2018 , for an undisclosed amount .
The securities firm that arranged the transaction , UBS Securities LLC , is a division of UBS Americas Inc , which ultimately falls under UBS Group AG , a company listed on the SIX Swiss stock exchange .
Three of four board members of UBS Securities LLC are Chinese according to Bloomberg , at least one of whom appears to reside in Hong Kong .
Heavy reported that an executive board member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is a former ambassador to the EU who was appointed to that position by former President Barack Obama .
Also concerning to many , is Dominion ’ s use of components made in China .
During congressional testimony in January , John Poulos , the President and CEO of Dominion , admitted that parts for their voting machines are manufactured in China .
“ We do have components in our products that come from China .
Our tabulated products have always been manufactured in the United States , ” Poulos said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ included “ LCD components , the actual glass screen on the interface down to the chip component level.
” Additionally , there are new reports that a company owned by a Chinese firm manufactures modems that are used by Dominion in their voting machines .
Revealing yet another link to China , the National Pulse reported on Nov. 25 that the Core Infrastructure Manager of Information Technology at Dominion previously worked at China Telecom .
China Telecom is wholly run by the Chinese government , and has been identified by the U.S. Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s military for over two decades .
Similarly , the Department of Justice flagged the firm for “ concerns that China Telecom is vulnerable to exploitation , influence , and control by the Chinese government ” and how “ the nature of China Telecom ’ s U.S. operations ” provide “ opportunities for Chinese state-actors to engage in malicious cyber activity enabling economic espionage and disruption and misrouting of U.S. communications.
” Huang , who fulfills the critical technology role at Dominion , worked at the Chinese firm from 1998 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Li Qiangmin , Consul General of the People ’ s Republic of China , met with Kemp in Atlanta to discuss trade and tourism issues , according to U.S. China News .
On behalf of the state government , Governor Brian Kemp thanked Consul General Li Qiangmin for his contribution to the development of Trade and Tourism between China and Georgia over the past five years .
Consul General Li stressed the importance of the development of friendly relations between China and the United States and welcomed Governor Brian Kemp ’ s early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gov .
Brian Kemp personally presented “ Inspired Georgia ” to Consul General Li Qiangmin on the title page of the book .
Consul General Li also returned fine Chinese crafts to the governor .
Also attending the meeting were the Executive Director of China Affairs of the Georgia Economic Development Agency , China Chief Representative ( Global Business ) Xu Siwei and Jassy , China Manager of the Jozhou Tourism Bureau , and Liu Bo and Ge Mingdong , Head of the Chinese Consulate General in Houston .
About two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million ten-year contract with Dominion , which covered 30,000 touch screen voting machines and the installation of a “ verified paper ballot ” voting system , according to Forbes .
“ $ 89 million in payments were front-loaded into the first two-years of the contract , ” Forbes reported .
The deal was opposed by both Republicans and Democrats in the Georgia legislature .
The New York Times reported in June of 2020 that there was “ some evidence that heavy lobbying and sales tactics have played a role in their adoption in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report , Georgia has eight registered lobbyists for Dominion , including Lewis Abit Massey , a former Democratic Georgia Secretary of State , and Jared Thomas , former chief of staff for Republican Governor Brian Kemp .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Hunter Biden Says He’s Being Investigated for Possible Tax Crimes

Federal prosecutors in Delaware are investigating Hunter Biden for potential tax crimes , he said in a statement issued Wednesday through his father ’ s presidential transition team .
“ I learned yesterday for the first time that the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office in Delaware advised my legal counsel , also yesterday , that they are investigating my tax affairs , ” Biden said in the statement .
“ I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advisors.
” The Biden transition team issued a statement saying that the president-elect “ is deeply proud of his son , who has fought through difficult challenges , including the vicious personal attacks of recent months , only to emerge stronger.
” Hunter Biden has come under scrutiny over his business dealings in China and Ukraine .
The Daily Caller News Foundation reported last year that the IRS placed a $ 112,000 tax lien against Biden ’ s property in 2015 over unpaid taxes .
A report released by the Senate Finance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , detailed millions of dollars in wire payments to Biden and his business partners that were flagged for possible criminal activity .
The Republicans who released the report said that the payments posed “ criminal financial , counterintelligence and extortion concerns.
” The owner of a computer repair shop in Wilmington , Delaware , released documents in October that he claimed were from a laptop that Biden dropped off at his store in April 2019 .
A copy of the laptop ’ s hard drive includes thousands of Biden ’ s personal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Paul Mac Isaac , told media outlets that he provided the Biden laptop to the FBI and U.S. attorney ’ s office in Delaware in December 2019 .
He provided a copy of the hardware with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani in September 2020 .
A person reached by phone at the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Delaware declined comment .
Biden ’ s attorney did not respond to a request for comment .
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Hunter Biden ” by @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Seven Things to Know About Biden’s Radical Choice to Run HHS

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra , with a record in that state office and Congress that conservatives consider extreme , is headed for a rocky confirmation battle to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , in announcing Sunday his intent to nominate Becerra for HHS secretary , cited Becerra ’ s leadership in defending Obamacare as a state attorney general and his support for passing the health care law while in the U.S. House of Representatives .
Pro-life activists , however , point to Becerra ’ s record of trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponents on the abortion issue .
Becerra , 62 , was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992 and reelected 11 times .
A Sacramento native , he got his law degree from Stanford Law School in 1984 .
Then-California Gov .
Jerry Brown , a fellow Democrat , appointed Becerra as state attorney general in 2017 when the incumbent , Kamala Harris , won election to the U.S. Senate in November 2016 .
Becerra was elected to the attorney general ’ s job in 2018 .
Harris , Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president Jan. 20 if Biden prevails against President Donald Trump ’ s legal challenges to election results in several states .
Here are seven things to know about Becerra .
After becoming California ’ s attorney general in January 2017 , Becerra tried to force faith-based , pro-life pregnancy centers to post abortion information .
This move alone is enough for Sen. Tom Cotton , R-Ark.
, to oppose the nomination .
“ Xavier Becerra spent his career attacking pro-life Americans and tried to force crisis pregnancy centers to advertise abortions , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been a disaster in California and he is unqualified to lead HHS .
I ’ ll be voting no , and Becerra should be rejected by the Senate.
” In a 5-4 decision in the 2018 case of National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the California law requiring pregnancy centers to promote abortion , which the Legislature enacted before Becerra became state attorney general .
“ [ H ] e went all the way to the Supreme Court to try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to advertise and refer for abortion—a policy the court rejected as unconstitutional , ” Marjorie Dannenfelser , president of the Susan B. Anthony List , said Sunday in a public statement about the Becerra nomination .
“ In Congress , he even voted in favor of partial-birth abortion.
” The secretary of health and human services has authority over the nation ’ s health care and medical policy , which includes matters related to abortion—such as whether taxpayers should fund abortions in any circumstances .
The California law , passed in 2015 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center licensed to provide medical services such as pregnancy tests and ultrasounds ) to provide information about abortion .
The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates argued that the law , which included civil penalties for failure to comply , violated the First Amendment by requiring the centers to tell women about procedures that violate their faith .
Writing for the majority in the 5-4 decision , Justice Clarence Thomas said the California law “ targets speakers , not speech , and imposes an unduly burdensome disclosure requirement that will chill their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruling , Becerra griped that women deserve information on abortion options .
“ When it comes to making their health decisions , all California women—regardless of their economic background or ZIP code—deserve access to critical and non-biased information to make their own informed decisions , ” Becerra said after the high court ’ s decision .
“ Today ’ s court ruling is unfortunate , but our work to ensure that Californians receive accurate information about their health care options will continue.
” Becerra also brought criminal charges against two undercover representatives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Planned Parenthood officials on video describing a desire to sell body parts of aborted babies .
Harris , Becerra ’ s predecessor , first pursued the case ; he took over after being appointed as attorney general when she won election to the Senate .
“ Becerra is aggressively pro-abortion and a foe of free speech .
As attorney general of California , he continued what his predecessor Kamala Harris started by persecuting citizen journalists who exposed Planned Parenthood ’ s role in baby parts trafficking , ” SBA List ’ s Dannenfelser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Center for Medical Progress , and employee Sandra Merritt told Planned Parenthood executives in a series of sting videos that they worked for a biomedical research company .
The videos showed regional Planned Parenthood officials talking freely about selling baby body parts for profit , although Planned Parenthood later claimed the videos were heavily edited .
Shortly after becoming California attorney general in March 2017 , Becerra announced that his office was charging Daleiden and Merritt with 15 felony counts related to invading the privacy of Planned Parenthood executives who didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The right to privacy is a cornerstone of California ’ s Constitution , and a right that is foundational in a free democratic society , ” Becerra said after bringing the charges .
“ We will not tolerate the criminal recording of confidential conversations.
” The criminal complaint said that from October 2013 through July 2015 , on 14 occasions , the duo filmed Planned Parenthood officials without their permission in the counties of Los Angeles , San Francisco , and El Dorado .
The criminal case is ongoing .
Daleiden sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Harris .
The editorial board of the left-leaning Los Angeles Times called the criminal charges a “ disturbing overreach ” by Becerra .
The liberal Mother Jones magazine published a fan article that said Becerra was “ chilling ” a “ legitimate investigation ” regardless of one ’ s abortion views .
During the presidential campaign , Biden said repeatedly that he opposed a “ Medicare for All ” health care plan , which would be a single-payer insurance system .
Becerra repeatedly has stated his support for the Medicare for All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I-Vt. , who ran for president a second time in the 2020 Democratic primaries .
Asked whether he supported the plan introduced by Sanders , Becerra said on Oct. 22 , 2017 : “ Absolutely .
I ’ ve been a supporter of Medicare for All for the 24 years that I was in Congress.
” The conservative Americans for Tax Reform found and provided the comments from Becerra .
“ I would scrap all of that and move us toward a system where everyone has access to health care , a single-payer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
As far back as March 21 , 2010 , Becerra said that Obamacare didn ’ t go far enough , though he still voted to pass the Affordable Care Act , the 2009 legislation creating it .
“ We need to reform the system .
My solution would have been Medicare for All , ” he said .
The choice of Becerra to lead HHS doesn ’ t reflect well on what Biden presented during his campaign as a moderate agenda , said Grover Norquist , president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s presidential campaign told America he would not raise any tax on middle-income Americans , would not take away their health insurance and not bankrupt America with a Green New Deal , ” Norquist said in a public statement , adding : While serving as California ’ s attorney general , Becerra was on the front lines of progressives ’ legal resistance to Trump through the courts .
Among the lawsuits , Becerra sued over the Trump administration ’ s reducing Title IX funding for Planned Parenthood .
Becerra also sued to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protections , a policy applied to doctors and nurses who declined to perform abortions because the procedure violated their religious beliefs .
He also sued the administration when the Justice Department withheld grants to the state because of its status as a sanctuary for illegal immigrants , in which it refuses to cooperate with federal immigration authorities .
By late 2018 , Becerra led 44 lawsuits against Trump administration policies , costing Californian taxpayers $ 9 million , The Sacramento Bee reported .
“ When you put into perspective that less than 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defend our people , our values and our resources , I think most people would say ‘ Don ’ t stop , ’ ” Becerra told the Bee .
Becerra ’ s litigation to stop the Trump administration ’ s religious exemptions for Obamacare ’ s contraception mandate eventually led to suing the Little Sisters of the Poor , a Catholic order of nuns that serves the impoverished .
The Obama administration ’ s HHS previously targeted the Little Sisters of the Poor for noncompliance .
The U.S. Supreme Court sided with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sisters of the Poor , combining that case with a similar legal challenge out of Pennsylvania .
“ Becerra spent years tormenting the Little Sisters of the Poor in court , trying to force them to pay for things like abortion pills against their consciences , ” Ashley McGuire , senior fellow at The Catholic Association , said in a public statement , adding : Becerra , as chairman of the House Democratic Caucus , had a small role in the House information technology scandal that came to light in late 2016 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that first led to charges against an IT employee , which the Justice Department dropped , and an $ 850,000 settlement by the House for wrongful termination of the employee .
Information technology specialist Imran Awan , a Pakistani national , did IT work for several Democrats on Capitol Hill .
The Justice Department investigated and cleared Awan of allegations he was a spy for Pakistan .
However , Awan pleaded guilty to bank fraud .
Becerra employed Awan on his staff while chairman of the House ’ s Democratic caucus .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 5,000 log-ins by Awan and five associates on a single computer server dedicated to Becerra , Fox News and other outlets reported .
The IG report said 40 or more members of Congress had all of their data moved off their office servers and onto Becerra ’ s server without their knowledge .
Capitol Police got involved in the case .
Awan and his five associates subsequently were fired .
In the summer of 2018 , the Justice Department announced in a court filing that after examining servers dedicated to House Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interviewing dozens of witnesses , investigators found “ no evidence ” that Awan illegally removed data , stole House information , or destroyed House equipment , nor did he access sensitive information .
However , after being cleared , Awan and his associates sued the House for wrongful termination and it settled for $ 850,000 to avoid a costly court battle , the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported .
House Democrats blamed Trump and conservative media outlets that reported on the IG findings , the newspaper reported .
In April 2019 , Becerra , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said illegal immigration should be decriminalized .
“ They haven ’ t committed a crime against someone , and they are not acting violently or in a way that ’ s harmful to people , ” Becerra said .
“ And I would argue they are not harming people indirectly either.
” “ If you call them criminals , it ’ s a lot easier to get people to turn against them than if you call them undocumented immigrants , ” Becerra said .
As attorney general , Becerra asserted that illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as children were “ badass ” in supporting continuation of the Obama-era program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals .
Opposed by the Trump administration , DACA shielded these so-called Dreamers from deportation and allowed them to get work permits .
“ I suspect in the revolutionary days the Founders were looking for people like them to join their fight , ” Becerra said , adding : “ Good thing I ’ m an optimist .
I believe that DACA ‘ Dreamers ’ are here to stay.
” Before defending California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Congress strongly opposed a 2015 measure to withhold federal money from sanctuary cities .
“ We can do the so-called ‘ Donald Trump Act , ’ which simply denies the cities and towns their dollars to hire police officers while attacking immigrant communities , ” Becerra said at the time , when Trump was running for president .
“ Or we can actually do things that improve the lives of Americans.
” Also in Congress , Becerra voted to repeal certain restrictions on green cards .
He voted against the Secure Fence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an additional 700 miles of double-layered fencing on the U.S.-Mexico border .
He also voted against the Real ID Act of 2005 , which allowed the Department of Homeland Security to set some requirements for state driver ’ s licenses and ID cards .
In October 2019 , the progressive legal group Demand Justice released a “ short list ” of the names of 32 candidates for the U.S. Supreme Court that the next president should consider appointing .
Becerra made the list after becoming known for his litigation against Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ list were not judges , with only eight currently on the bench .
Others on Demand Justice ’ s list are American Civil Liberties Union lawyers Michelle Alexander , Brigitte Amiri , and Dale Ho ; Nicole Berner , legal counsel for the Service Employees International Union ; U.S. Rep. Katie Porter , D-Calif. ; perennial New York political candidate Zephyr Teachout ; and Vanita Gupta , president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights .
Fred Lucas is chief national affairs correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” podcast .
Lucas is also the author of “ Abuse of Power : Inside The Three-Year Campaign to Impeach Donald Trump.
” Background Photo “ HHS Building ” by Sarah Stierch .
CC BY-SA 4.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Facebook Sued by 48 States, Federal Trade Commission Over Allegations of Monopolistic Practices

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Wednesday that she is leading a coalition of dozens of states to file a lawsuit against social media giant Facebook .
James , along with the attorneys general of 47 other states and the Federal Trade Commission , accuse Facebook of using its dominant market position to acquire and otherwise crush competitors , tactics that amount to monopolistic abuse that harm users .
“ Facebook used its power to suppress competition so it could take advantage of users and make billions by converting personal data into a cash cow , ” James said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every state in this nation has joined this bipartisan lawsuit because Facebook ’ s efforts to dominate the market were as illegal as they were harmful.
” Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia , the lawsuit asks the court to restrict Facebook from making acquisitions of other companies valued at more than $ 10 million without advance approval from the states .
It also asks the court for “ additional relief it determines is appropriate , including the divestiture or restructuring of illegally acquired companies , or current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in a statement posted to Twitter , argued that all of its acquisitions had already been subject to government review .
“ Years after the FTC cleared our acquisitions , the government now wants a do-over with no regard for the impact that precedent would have on the broader business community or the people who choose our products every day , ” the company wrote .
The news release from James ’ office alleges that the company violated the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Clayton Act through its purchases of rival companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook targets competitors with a ‘ buy or bury ’ approach : if they refuse to be bought out , Facebook tries to squeeze every bit of oxygen out of the room for these companies , ” the news release stated .
“ To facilitate this goal , Facebook has used an “ open first–closed later ” strategy to stop competitive threats , or deter them from competing , at the inception.
” The latter strategy consisted of opening the platform to outside companies , the attorney general alleged , only to revoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-party companies had become dependent on the revenue they were receiving , putting their businesses in jeopardy .
“ As a consequence of Facebook ’ s expansive user base and the vast trove of data it collects from its users and users ’ connections , Facebook is able to sell highly targeted advertising that firms greatly value , “ the news release stated .
“ The volume , velocity , and variety of Facebook ’ s user data give it an unprecedented , virtually 360-degree view of users and their contacts , interests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luneau is a veteran journalist with more than 20 years of experience .
She was the editor of Suburban Life Media when its flagship was named best weekly in Illinois , and she has worked at papers in South Carolina , Indiana , Idaho and New York .
Luneau is a regional editor for The Center Square .
Photo “ Facebook Workplace ” by Facebook .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--House Passes Sens. Grassley and Leahy’s Bipartisan Whistleblower Protection Legislation

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thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Commentary: Three Studies That Show Lockdowns Are Ineffective at Slowing COVID-19

Across America and Europe , many government officials are resuming lockdowns and tightening restrictions in the face of rising COVID-19 cases , hospitalizations , and deaths .
The collateral damage of lockdowns , which has been well documented , includes widespread poverty , depression , bankruptcy , and unemployment .
Meanwhile , the benefits of lockdowns remain murky .
Several studies show there is little correlation between government restrictions and lower COVID mortality rates .
Here are three of them .
A study published on July 21 in The Lancet , a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal founded in 1823 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Researchers collected data from the 50 countries with the most cases and found lockdowns were not associated with mortality reductions in critical COVID-19 cases , although factors such as obesity , smoking , and life expectancy were .
“ …government actions such as border closures , full lockdowns , and a high rate of COVID-19 testing were not associated with statistically significant reductions in the number of critical cases or overall mortality , ” the study concluded .
Similarly , a study published by Frontiers in Public Health several months after The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stringency were correlated with lower death rates .
Researchers crunched data from 160 countries over the first 8 months of the pandemic , testing numerous factors—such as public health , demographics , government policy , economy , and environment—to determine how each correlated with COVID-19 mortality .
“ Stringency of the measures settled to fight pandemia , including lockdown , did not appear to be linked with death rate , ” the researchers concluded .
Research from Tel Aviv University published in October on the website medRxiv said that strict lockdowns may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collected from iPhones and found no statistical association between lockdown severity and the number of COVID-19 fatalities .
“ We would have expected to see fewer Covid-19 fatalities in countries with a tighter lockdown , but the data reveals that this is not the case , ” the researchers explained .
In a May Bloomberg article titled “ The Results of Europe ’ s Lockdown Experiment Are In , ” data journalist Elaine He shared several visuals based on work done by the University of Oxford ’ s Blavatnik School of Government , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures across Europe .
COVID mortality , He said , did not appear to be associated with lockdown stringency .
“ While not a gauge of whether the decisions taken were the right ones , nor of how strictly they were followed , the analysis gives a clear sense of each government ’ s strategy for containing the virus , ” He writes .
Some — above all Italy and Spain — enforced prolonged and strict lockdowns after infections took off , ” He continues .
“ Others — especially Sweden — preferred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Greece chose to close down while cases were relatively low .
France and the U.K. took longer before deciding to impose the most restrictive measures .
But , as our next chart shows , there ’ s little correlation between the severity of a nation ’ s restrictions and whether it managed to curb excess fatalities — a measure that looks at the overall number of deaths compared with normal trends , ” the report concludes .
( emphasis mine ) Public health officials believe they can manage a virus through effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hubris .
Human behavior and action are incredibly complex , far too complex for bureaucrats and political officials to control through policy directives ( many of which are prima facie senseless ) .
Pandemics are serious problems , but the belief that they can be effectively managed by central planners who refuse to recognize the limits of their own knowledge and power poses a much graver threat to human freedom and prosperity in the long-run .
In his Nobel Prize-winning speech , economist F.A .
Hayek warned that such a hubris had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only a tyrant over his fellows , but … the destroyer of a civilization which no brain has designed but which has grown from the free efforts of millions of individuals.
” The recognition of the overwhelming limits to his knowledge should teach the student of society a lesson of humility , Hayek believed .
Tragically , our leaders are about to receive a strong dose of it .
Jonathan Miltimore is the Managing Editor of FEE.org .
His writing/reporting has been the subject of articles in TIME magazine , The Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News , and the Star Tribune .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--More Than Two Dozen House Republicans Demand Special Counsel Appointed to Investigate Election Irreg

More Than Two Dozen House Republicans Demand Special Counsel Appointed to Investigate Election Irregularities

A group of 27 Republican congressmen urged President Donald Trump to order a Justice Department-appointed special counsel investigation of “ legitimate questions ” about election irregularities .
The Republican congressmen asked Trump to direct Attorney General William Barr to appoint the special counsel , according to a letter obtained by Politico that was sent to the White House on Wednesday .
Reps. Lance Gooden , Paul Gosar , Louie Gohmert , Scott Perry and Jody Hice were among the 27 congressmen who signed onto the letter .
“ The American people deserve a definitive resolution to the uncertainty hovering over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legitimate questions of voter fraud remain unanswered , ” the congressmen wrote .
Barr said on Dec. 1 that the Department of Justice has yet to find any evidence of election fraud that could sway the result , sparking criticism from conservatives .
Trump hesitated when asked if he still had confidence in Barr .
“ The Department of Justice has been asked on multiple occasions to launch an investigation into this matter , but inaction from the Department along with public comments made by the Attorney General indicate a lack of willingness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other elected officials across the nation have alleged , ” the Republican congressmen continued .
“ The appointment of a Special Counsel would establish a team of investigators whose sole responsibility is to uncover the truth and provide the certainty America needs , ” they added .
Several news organizations including The Associated Press and Fox News declared former Vice President Joe Biden the winner of the election on Nov. 7 .
Trump ’ s campaign has filed numerous lawsuits alleging widespread fraud , but courts across the country have handed the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit against Georgia , Pennsylvania , Michigan and Wisconsin Tuesday arguing the states altered their election procedures illegally .
Alabama and Louisiana have expressed interest in joining the suit , according to Newsweek .
“ Our Country stands at an important crossroads , ” the lawsuit said .
“ Either the Constitution matters and must be followed , even when some officials consider it inconvenient or out of date , or it is simply a piece of parchment on display at the National Archives.
” “ We ask the Court to choose the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catenacci is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Crom Carmichael Talks Social Justice Yard Signs and the Role of Power

Live from Music Row Wednesday 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 the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio to discuss social justice yard signs , their meanings , and the role of power .
Leahy : We are joined by the original all-star panelist .
He ’ s been on the Nashville airwaves since the 1980s .
Crom Carmichael .
Crom , good morning .
Leahy : You know by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I was watching and I think I have a prediction .
Leahy : I think we ’ re going to have a lot of people from Los Angeles moving to Nashville .
Carmichael : Well , California yeah .
But Los Angeles , you know , it ’ s interesting Governor Newsom who ’ s destroying their state… Carmichael : Previously destroyed San Francisco .
And then the previous district attorney in San Francisco .
Leahy : That destroyed San Francisco with him .
Carmichael : Who destroyed San Francisco is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carmichael : And now he ’ s in the process of destroying Los Angeles .
But before I get to that I really want to talk about I was digging through boxes and my wife Kathy laughed about this because we moved from one house to another in 2006 .
And when we did , I packed up some books that I had in the old house .
And Kathy found these boxes that said really important paperback books .
( Leahy laughs ) And they ’ re still in the box 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important they are .
And then there was another one that says really really important .
She was just howling and I was too .
It was just hysterical .
But one of those books was George Orwell ’ s 1984 .
Now Kathy and I like to take walks with the dogs .
And there are these yards signs now .
And these Black Lives Matter yard signs have little expressions on them and they truly remind me of George Orwell .
So let ’ s just kind of review .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : We walk a fairly broad area and they ’ re probably 10 of these yard signs up in that whole area .
But one of them says we believe black lives matter .
Okay now .
By the way , you know , anyone who says we believe all Black Lives Matter , they get criticized for that because really what we believe Black Lives Matter means is we believe only Black lives who are interfacing with police and especially those who died at the hands of the police which represents less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Way way less than one percent of all the Black people who die violently .
The next one is no human is illegal .
Carmichael : No human is illegal .
Now by the way the new district attorney in Los Angeles would I guess agree with that .
I don ’ t know quite what no human is illegal means .
Leahy : So people who live in India , they ’ re not illegal people who live in China , They ’ re not illegal .
What exactly does that mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I don ’ t know exactly what that means .
The next was kind of humorous .
Science is Real .
( Leahy laughs ) Now that ’ s actually false .
That ’ s very Orwellian because science is the effort to seek the truth .
It ’ s trying to find out what is real .
Science isn ’ t real if it ’ s the effort to find out what ’ s real .
Then this one is good .
Love is Love .
Carmichael : Is that what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tautology ?
Is that the way to define tautology ?
Carmichael : That ’ s helpful because I thought that was interesting .
Now like this one , Women ’ s Rights Are Human Rights .
I guess that may be stating the obvious ?
I ’ m not quite sure .
And then Water is Life .
Water isn ’ t life .
There may be life in water .
( Leahy chuckles ) But water itself is necessary for life .
But water is not life .
Leahy : You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s one more .
This one is in really small print on the signs .
Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Injustice Everywhere .
Now , that actually applies to this election .
Leahy : ( Bellows ) Give that to the Texas attorney general and put it in front of the Supreme Court .
Carmichael : So we need to have little yard signs that we run and stick next to these yard signs talking about the Supreme Court to take up the Texas lawsuit .
Leahy : So when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you had a series of audiotapes .
Leahy : Knowledge Products .
Fascinating .
You did series on government and science and philosophy .
Carmichael : Its history .
We take particular philosophers .
And some of them had I thought terrible ideas .
But they ’ re very influential so when we covered when we , for example , we covered the giants of political thought .
Well , we covered people like Adam Smith .
And we covered people and Thomas Jefferson .
We covered Karl Marx because our definition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were necessarily good but they were influential .
And so we covered all those .
Carmichael : I saw these signs by people .
I ’ m sure when they put it up they are very proud .
Leahy : Look how morally superior I am .
This stupid blather .
You don ’ t ’ like my stupid blather ?
Then you must be a racist .
( Laughter ) Now , Crom , I want to bring this point .
I ’ ve been thinking about this .
I want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think you did this and I never pronounce it right .
Nietzsche .
Did I get that pronunciation right ?
Leahy : So his famous book was Will To Power .
I think about that a lot right now .
I think about , where is the will to power ?
And I look at what ’ s going on in the country right now .
Is it about a particular political ideology ?
Or is it about the desire for Democrats and authoritarians to have power over the rest of us ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to secure that power on our side .
Where is the will ?
Carmichael : Well that ’ s a that ’ s a that ’ s a very very good question .
I also think that in order to have the ‘ will to have power ’ you need to have the funds .
You need to have the money to support your efforts .
And the left is funded by government employee unions , billionaires , and China .
And China may be the biggest funder of all of those things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the same idea of power as the others .
Theirs is ultimately is submission .
Leahy : Yes , that ’ s ultimately the path .
That ’ s why stolen elections have consequences .
Leahy : That ’ s why under a potential Biden administration the United States will be on a path to submit to China .
It seems obvious to me .
Would you agree or not ?
Carmichael : Yeah , what ’ s interesting is that the two voting blocks using identity politics for purposes of discussion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be hurt the most as China continues to influence the United States and gets more powerful .
Carmichael : If the Republican party is going to succeed as a party standing up for individual rights and freedom and liberty and innovation and all the things that America was built on then the Republican Party is going to have to do much more significant outreach to the people who are being hurt .
Trump started that .
No Republican prior to that in my lifetime even came close to it .
Both Bush ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to do things but they didn ’ t try very hard .
Leahy : Not hard at all .
Carmichael : Jeb Bush probably tried the hardest with his school choice and vouchers in Florida and did a good job .
And I give him credit for that .
Leahy : And that ’ s one of the reasons why education in Florida is improving .
Carmichael : Yes .
For Black and Hispanic children in particular .
Listen to the third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn Discusses the Launch of Her New Podcast at FreedomRingsPodcast.Co

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn Discusses the Launch of Her New Podcast at FreedomRingsPodcast.Com

Live from Music Row Wednesday 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 Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn to the newsmakers line to discuss the launch of her new podcast FreedomRingsPodcast.com .
Leahy : Crom Carmichael in the studio with me .
And on the line right now with some big news , Senator Marsha Blackburn .
Senator Blackburn , thanks so much for joining us today .
Blackburn : ( Chuckles ) Good morning !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
Leahy : You ’ re doing something innovative .
Today you ’ re launching a podcast .
FreedomRingsPodcast.com .
I ’ ve actually had a chance to listen to several of the episodes .
You interviewed Nancy Mace the new woman who ’ s representing South Carolina in the House of Representatives .
Rick Scott , Kelly Loeffler .
Very nicely done .
Seventeen minutes each podcast .
You perhaps have talent beyond being a United States Senator .
Very good on air .
Blackburn : ( Chuckles ) Well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regularly talk with people across the state and they would say , Marsha , who is up there helping you ?
Tell me about these people because everyone is so concerned and especially right now with the races in Georgia .
They ’ re so concerned about this push for socialism that the Democrats have been making here in the country .
And I would begin to tell people their stories .
And finally listening to a podcast one day , I thought you know what ?
We should do a podcast and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy warrior freedom fighters that are out here working to save this country .
So , you know what ?
I said nobody ’ s going to do it unless I do it .
So here we go .
Leahy : Are you the first Senator to have a podcast ?
Blackburn : No .
Ted Cruz has a podcast on issues .
And I think one other has one they do through their official office .
Leahy : Well , officially I ’ m saying that yours is the best .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
I appreciate that .
You know , I just wanted people to get to meet these individuals who are really out here fighting .
Because as you well know the mainstream media is never going to give the attention or press or coverage to someone who is not on the left .
They just don ’ t do it .
So I thought if these good hard-working people are going to get any attention it is going to be up to me .
( Laughs ) And so I said let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a podcast and I started looking into it and figured it out .
And our guests have been so receptive in the first three that we launched our Senator Kelly Loeffler from down in Georgia and she is in this re-election battle right now .
And of course , you have Senator Rick Scott who lived in Nashville for a while and who now represents Florida .
And you mentioned representative-elect then Nancy Mace .
And what an amazing story there .
She ’ s the first woman to ever graduate from The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the podcast , the audio quality is quite good on the Freedom Rings Podcast .
Where do you record these and how often will episodes come out ?
Blackburn : You know , you ’ re going to see new episodes coming out about every three weeks .
And over the next month , we ’ re going to roll out some new episodes .
We ’ ve got about a dozen that are ready to go out .
And there is an entity here called Conservative Partnership Institute and they have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these up .
But yeah , you ’ re right .
FreedomRingsPodcast.com and then , of course , I ’ m at VoteMarsha and TeamMarsha on all the social media , and people can follow us and pull these down and listen in and get to know some of these fighters .
I love Kelly Loeffler ’ s story as she talks about how when she went to first grade and she had a mask over one eye and braces on her legs .
And she trained herself to run and then to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person in her family to graduate from college .
She went to college on a sports scholarship and took everything she owned and put it in her little car in Indiana and drove to Atlanta to work for a new start-up company .
The company goes public and then she buys a woman ’ s NBA team .
Leahy : How about that !
She ’ s got a tough race ahead .
Blackburn : Well isn ’ t that just the ideal American Dream story and those stories that we love to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know how people have been informed and how they got to the point that they care so much about these issues .
And they care so much about freedom and doing what Ronald Reagan instructed us to do .
Preserve it and pass it on to the next generation .
And of course , it ’ s something that I am so passionate about .
So for me doing this podcast is so exciting because it provides the opportunity for just 1,000s of people to listen .
Leahy : Senator Blackburn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for another interview .
But thank you so much for taking the time .
FreedomRingsPodcast.com Senator Blackburn thanks so much for joining us .
Please come back soon .
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--2020-12-10--Minneapolis City Council Votes to Divert $6 Million from Police to Public Safety Programs

The Minneapolis City Council has voted to divert millions of dollars from the 2021 police budget .
The vote was taken as carjackings are up 537 % year-to-date , according to the Star Tribune .
The council approved reducing the force ’ s authorized size from 888 to 750 – a 15.5 % reduction .
Minneapolis is still reeling from the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in police custody .
City council members are torn between fulfilling a June promise to dismantle the police department and replace it with another form of public safety , or ensuring a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 500 people shot this year in the city – a 15-year high .
In an 11-2 vote , the council decided to cut the police department by $ 5.7 million , mostly by diverting $ 5 million in overtime to pay for mental health crisis teams and violence prevention programs .
Members also approved a police staffing fund that can hire recruits with the council ’ s authorization .
Councilmember Lisa Goodman argued that fewer officers would result in spending more on overtime .
“ We don ’ t want them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are at the end of your shift , please come back.
’ We allow them to finish up on the work they are doing for better or for worse .
And we end up having to pay for that .
Having less officers clearly means more overtime , ” Goodman said .
Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said police overtime in October was nearly $ 1 million — $ 650,000 more than the monthly average for the first five months of 2020 .
Arradondo added that his force has 166 fewer officers than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council Members Steve Fletcher and Phillipe Cunningham have previously argued that additional police spending won ’ t stop violent crime and that they aren ’ t opposed to the police , but want to instead hold them accountable by not handing the police department a “ blank check.
” “ I am very frustrated and tired of the narrative that if we try to hold this Police Department more accountable in any way , shape or form , it is somehow a personal slight against the chief , ” Fletcher said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership.
” In a statement , Mayor Jacob Frey said he disagreed with the vote .
“ We continue to stand ready to collaborate and support the safety beyond policing initiatives , but I am actively considering a veto due to the massive , permanent cut to officer capacity , ” Frey said .
The vote is an abrupt change from the council ’ s November 7-6 decision to spend an additional $ 500,000 to hire additional officers to target violent crime .
The city has tallied nearly 80 homicides in 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homicides in 2019 .
The final vote is on Wednesday , but Frey holds veto power .
Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square .
A graduate of Hillsdale College , his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org .
Previously , he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Commentary: A Government Run by Democrats Will Make Americans Sicker

Georgians have a big decision to make come January when runoff elections for the state ’ s two Senate seats will determine if President-elect Biden and his allies in Congress have a clear path to push their legislative agenda .
Healthcare reform is a key component on the to-do list and if Democrats control all the levers of government , patients will suffer .
We ’ ve seen this movie before .
During the last healthcare reform push under a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House , Obamacare was born .
At the time , President Obama misled Americans by suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan if they liked it , knowing full well that it wasn ’ t a promise he would be able to keep .
From the beginning , intentions behind the legislation were to shift decision-making power from patients and their doctors to Washington D.C.—all while compelling Americans to participate in a system controlled by bureaucrats and special interests .
We soon learned of the consequences the new top-down system had on patients .
The spools of government red tape and middlemen sparked price hikes and shrunk the pool of healthcare options Americans could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients could no longer see the doctors with whom they had relationships for years .
Now Democrats want to double down on the strategy by injecting even more government control into healthcare .
President-elect Biden supports strengthening and expanding Obamacare , while more radical wings of the party endorse Medicare for All .
Either way , both these options end with forcing Americans into a one-size-fits-all healthcare program , as private insurers are slowly squeezed out of the marketplace .
Countries around the world with socialized , or government-controlled , healthcare systems provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. travels down this path .
In countries like the U.K. or Canada , waitlists to receive healthcare stretch into the millions and wait times to see a specialist , for example , are frequently up-to seven times longer than in the U.S. As a result , people who can afford to leave the socialized system do so , including the political elites who will not subject themselves to the same mediocre healthcare they wish to impose on the general public .
One of the scariest consequences of socialized medicine is the rationing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only way to keep such a system functioning .
It may mean cancer screenings will be limited , or certain drugs will be unavailable to you .
There ’ s a chance that operations which could improve the quality of your life would not be approved .
A bureaucrat will decide whether the treatment that could extend your life an extra year or two would be cost effective to the system or if it would be better to simply make you comfortable .
At the same time that Democrats advocate for a government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have no healthcare reform plan at all—or have even more sinister intentions .
In Georgia , commercials funded by leftwing groups and candidates are accusing incumbent Republican Sens .
Perdue and Loeffler of actually trying to take away people ’ s healthcare .
Nothing could be further from the truth .
Sens .
Loeffler and Perdue want Americans to make healthcare decisions for themselves .
They want a level playing field where healthcare costs are not inflated to enrich special interests and where patients can receive personalized healthcare that fits their unique circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship and leave medical decisions in the examination room , rather than bend to the will of bureaucrats .
In fact , these are all key components of a Senate resolution recently introduced by Sens .
Loeffler and Perdue .
It ’ s a healthcare reform plan—which mirrors a framework already released by the Job Creators Network Foundation called Healthcare for You—that residents of the Peach State can get behind .
The Georgia senatorial runoff couldn ’ t be more important as the future of healthcare for Georgians , as well as all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The healthcare system in the U.S. is broken , but more government control will only make it worse .
Dr. Hal Scherz is the President of Georgia Urology and a member of the Job Creators Network .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Virginia State Senator Sues Democratic Leaders Over Public Access to Office Building

Republican Senator Bill DeSteph ( R-Virginia Beach ) is suing Democratic legislative leaders over plans to restrict the public ’ s access to the Pocahontas Building during the upcoming regular session due to a rise in COVID-19 numbers .
On Tuesday , DeSteph filed a complaint in Richmond Circuit Court against Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn ( D-Fairfax County ) , Senate Rules Committee Chair Mamie Locke ( D-Hampton ) , both the clerk of the House and the Senate as well as the Virginia Division of Capitol Police .
The complaint argues that barring citizens from entering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices , will deny DeSteph the ability to meet with constituents or other members of the public during session and violates First amendment rights .
“ I believe that the declared orders are a violation of the 1st Amendment and inconsistent with open access to government , ” DeSteph said in a statement provided to The Virginia Star .
“ I can not allow this to go unchallenged .
We are a government of the people , by the people and for the people , and I will work tirelessly to ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me at my legislative office.
” The complaint was filed by Virginia Beach lawyer Tim Anderson , who is running for the 83rd District of the House of Delegates in 2021 , and asks for an injunction to compel the defendants to allow in-person access to legislators .
While discussing the matter on the John Fredericks Radio Show , Anderson claimed the two Democrats are “ weaponizing COVID for a political agenda.
” Included within the complaint is an email from Senate Clerk Susan Schaar detailing the plan for the office building .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ only credentialed legislative employees and current legislators will be allowed in the building , and just one legislative aide per office will be allowed in order to follow social distancing protocols .
The plan also includes creating a hotline number to take and transmit messages from constituents .
DeSteph also said in his statement it was obvious that a hotline does not provide adequate access to government officials .
As of Wednesday afternoon , it is not clear who will defend the group of defendants or when a judge will actually hear arguments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Filler-Corn and Locke for comment on the suit , but did not get responses before press time .
Several Republican and Democratic General Assembly members weighed in on the decision though .
“ I think it ’ s the best [ idea ] of a bunch of bad choices , ” Sen. Scott Surovell ( D-Fairfax County ) told The Star .
“ During session the Pocahontas Building is a germ factory .
You ’ ve got thousands of people going through that building every day , jammed in like sardines in elevators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crappy old ventilation system.
” Del .
Mark Levine ( D-Alexandria ) agreed that it was a good idea to restrict access amidst the pandemic and said there was no need for the public to go into the building because the House will be fully virtual again .
“ I don ’ t plan to attend the Pocahontas building the entire session and I don ’ t know of any Delegate that is , ” Levine said .
“ It would be a silly thing to do [ when ] we can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers did not take the same stance as their colleagues across the aisle .
“ What we ’ re really doing is we ’ re walling off legislators from getting the single most important input that we could get during a session , which is input from constituents and input from concerned Virginians , ” Del .
Jason Miyares ( R-Virginia Beach ) told The Star .
“ I think it ’ s a bad idea , but it ’ s consistent with what we have seen in the last six to 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Richmond.
” Sen. Mark Obenshain ( R-Rockingham ) said he wished alternatives for limiting the occupancy of the building would have been implemented instead of essentially shutting the building down in its entirety , and there is no reason to go into the office if he can ’ t meet with constituents or other parties concerned about legislation .
Del .
Rob Bloxom ( R-Accomack County ) called the decision a hindrance to being able to pass good legislation .
The General Assembly 2021 regular session begins in just over a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Background Photo “ Virginia House of Delegates Chamber ” by Anthony-22 .
CC BY-SA 4.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Georgia’s Coffee County Refuses to Certify Electronic Recount Results, Cites Irreconcilable Anomalie

Georgia’s Coffee County Refuses to Certify Electronic Recount Results, Cites Irreconcilable Anomalies with Voting Machines

Coffee County election officials refused to certify the electronic recount earlier this week , citing irreconcilable anomalies with the voting machine results in a letter to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger .
In the letter , the Coffee County Board of Elections and Registration stated that the electronic recount was unable to repeat duplicate , credible results .
“ Any system , financial , voting , or otherwise , that is not repeatable nor dependable should not be used .
To demand certification of patently inaccurate results neither serves the objective of the electoral system nor satisfies the legal obligation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter says .
The board noted that it had attached a spreadsheet justifying their decision .
They claimed that the anomalies presented during their recounts were irreconcilable .
In concluding their letter , the board maintained that they would only certify the election night report votes .
The county was the last to submit their findings during the recount .
Every county in Georgia used Dominion Voting Systems machines during the primaries and general election .
The Dominion machines were scrutinized publicly after affiants testified to glitches , server crashes , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county by nearly 40 points – over 10,500 votes to Democratic candidate Joe Biden ’ s over 4,500 votes .
The county ’ s margin for this election was about the same from the 2016 election .
“ Coffee County Georgia officials sent out a letter last week to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger .
County officials told Raffensperger they were not able to duplicate the election night results on their voting machines , ” she said .
The Georgia Star News spoke with an election official to discuss the implications of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson didn ’ t return a response by press time .
Biden ’ s lead was reduced by nearly 1,000 votes in the latest recount – the candidate leads Trump by just over 11,700 votes currently .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to Pay Out $5 Billion in Dividends to Ohio Employers

Businesses in Ohio can expect to begin receiving state aid , the Ohio Bureau of Workers ’ Compensation said on Wednesday .
The BWC said it plans to distribute $ 5 billion in dividends to Ohio employers starting on Thursday to help mitigate the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the state ’ s economy .
The most recent aid will bring the total from the agency to nearly $ 8 billion .
“ We ’ re happy to be in the position to assist employers across the state during these challenging times , ” said BWC Interim Administrator/CEO John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s our hope these dollars will keep businesses open and safe and people employed.
” More than 178,000 employers will see the dividends , with around $ 4.3 billion going to private employers and $ 687 million going to local government taxing districts .
Counties that will see the most money include Franklin County at around $ 559 million , Cuyahoga County at $ 528 million , Hamilton County at $ 379 million and Summit County at $ 241 million , the BWC said during its announcement that the funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual employer slated to receive the largest check is the city of Columbus , which is set to see nearly $ 64 million .
The December dividends follow a similar payout of $ 1.54 billion in April and $ 1.3 billion in October .
The BWC said employers who are part of the State Insurance Fund with a reported payroll greater than zero who have been billed premium and completed their payroll true-up for policy year 2019 are eligible to receive funds , as long as they meet those requirements as of October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be applied to credits to an employer ’ s BWC account , with the remainder sent by check through the mail .
Gov .
Mike DeWine was the one who proposed the plan .
“ This is about keeping businesses open and people employed , ” DeWine said during the original proposal last month .
For more information about when employers can expect to receive checks , visit the BWC ’ s FAQ website here .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair @


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Virginia GOP Civil War, Chaos Erupts Over Nominating Convention Choice

Hate voicemails and a new website , RescueRPV.com , are targeting Virginia Republicans who voted for a convention as the party ’ s 2021 nomination method .
“ I don ’ t know what the hell you people are !
Saying my vote has been canceled , ” a voice that sounds like Granny from the Loony Tunes says in a voicemail posted on Facebook by State Central Committee ( SCC ) member Willie Deutsch .
He said that SCC members who voted for the convention have been spammed with robo-calls and attack voicemails since the Saturday vote .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bunch of the swamp people , is what you are !
The damn Democrats .
Why don ’ t you go to hell and drop dead too , first , ” the voicemail finishes .
RescueRPV.com takes a more conventional approach , listing the names of SCC members and how they voted .
“ On Saturday 12/5/20 , throwing caution to the wind , the RPV establishment decided to ban Republicans from the primary .
The establishment didn ’ t want to hear from you , they voted to choose our Statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set the rules and the Party elite votes , ” the website states .
SCC Member Mauricio Tamargo voted for a convention , and disputed the claims of RescueRPV.com .
“ The writer of the website clearly does not know the history of the convention versus primary issue in the RPV , ” Tamargo told The Virginia Star in an email .
“ The writer of the website seems to have it backwards .
The argument used over conventions in the past was that they favored the conservatives so certain less conservative people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my opinion , is that both views are incorrect .
I [ think ] conventions and primaries are both tools that we use as needed depending on the circumstances.
” Tamargo said he had not received any hate voicemails , but he knew of other SCC members who had .
RescueRPV.com is anonymous and does not mention a specific 2021 candidate .
No one at the site replied to The Virginia Star ’ s request for comment .
The SCC ’ s Saturday decision is thought to have harmed well-heeled potential gubernatorial candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by some party members .
But by far the most vocal opponent of the decision was gubernatorial candidate State Senator Amanda Chase ( R-Chesterfield ) .
Chase carries a strong , committed base and would likely perform well in a primary .
However , her hard-line stance makes her unpopular to some in the party since she will have a difficult time winning in Virginia ’ s general election .
Chase had warned she would run as an independent if the SCC chose a convention .
Trump Virginia Campaign Chairman John Fredericks said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to block Chase .
“ They manipulated the system of nomination to ice out one candidate , ” he said .
However , Chase called their bluff , immediately reiterating that she would seek election through an independent campaign , a move that would likely spoil the RPV ’ s hopes of winning the 2021 gubernatorial election .
Tamargo said , “ That is one of the weirdest things about this .
I liked Senator Chase as a candidate .
I was likely going to vote for her .
I had no idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far as I know she did not lobby the SCC against the convention .
She did not lobby me .
Now that I know her views , I do not care for threats .
But my reasons still remain and are my main reasons .
I hope SHE changes her mind and runs as a GOPer.
” According to Tamargo , a convention offers several benefits .
“ I was concerned that the governor would keep using his emergency powers to delay our primary and our convention much like he did in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as much in control of their own business as possible.
” He added that a convention ensures that a candidate is elected by a majority , something that would be more difficult in a primary gubernatorial nomination with several candidates .
Additionally , Tamargo said primary ballots would be counted by the same machines used in the general election , potentially allowing Democrats to interfere with the vote .
SCC Member Elizabeth Butler said , “ I voted for a primary because I think it ’ s important for all Republicans to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and choose the nominee .
I think we end up with a stronger nominee that has broader appeal across the state when we do that.
” Butler said conventions are more expensive for participants and require a bigger investment of time than a primary .
She hopes that rescueRPV.com is an indicator of a groundswell that will lead to the SCC changing its mind .
She added that although she ’ s new to the SCC , she has been impressed by the other members .
“ They ’ re smart people and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ And that ’ s probably good because you get to hear the pros and cons in our situation .
It just is , in my mind , unfortunate that they , at this time at least , have chosen a convention , because it ’ s just not as open to participation.
” Fredericks said , “ The selection of conventions to nominate candidates in Virginia by Republicans has been at the core , at the genesis , of the Republican Party ’ s total and utter collapse .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters .
It ’ s an elite process prone to rigging and it encourages hand-to-hand combat , ” Fredericks said .
“ It is a terrible , dreadful process and it has cut the soul out of the party , ” he said .
However , Fredericks said the SCC needs to stick with the decision they made .
He thinks Chase will come around and run in the convention .
“ Now that [ Chase ] says that she ’ s going to run as an independent , they want to change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to destroy their chances to win .
If you ’ re going to do that , you might as well turn the party over to Amanda Chase , give her the keys , and just anoint her as the nominee and be done with it.
” Fredericks said he didn ’ t know who was behind the Rescue RPV website .
“ I like it because I think the name is catchy and hilarious .
Rescue RPV is very funny .
They certainly need a lot of rescuing , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ SCC members who voted for a convention are : Richard McCarty , Heather Rice , Paula Steiner , Caleb Cruey , Patti Lyman , Eric Wilson , Melvin Adams , Melissa Beaudoin , John Massoud , Ben Slone , Geary Higgins , Russ Wright , Mark Kelly , Dan Webb , Heather Stefl , Adela Bertoldi , Willie Deutsch , Mark Daniel , Hon .
Carol Dawson , Renee Maxey , Ed Yensho , Nancy Rodland , Will Kirk , Travis Witt ( by proxy ) , Dean Welty , Dr. Steve “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeffrey Adams , Anne Fitzgerald , Mark Hile , Mike Ginsberg , Hon .
Susan Lascolette , Vinson Palathingal , Dewey McDonell , Susan Edwards , Mark Sell , Mauricio Tamargo , Hon .
David Suetterlein , Morton Blackwell Members who voted against a convention are Kristi Way , Thomas Turner , Hon .
John Cosgrove , Victoria Bisel , Sarah Curran ( by proxy ) , Miki Miller , Carole de Triquet , Levin Turner , Ian Waite , Jill Cook , Carey Allen , Erika Dyer , Hon .
Bobby Orrock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tara Carroll , Elizabeth Lankford , Bill Curtis , Nancy Dye , Wesley Edwards , Bill Coburn , Nicholas Profitt , Dennis Free , Elizabeth Butler , Adam Tolbert , Amanda Batten , Zack Thompson , Tyler Lester , Marcy Hernick ( by proxy ) , Ron Wright , Ken Nunnenkamp , Tom Callahan , Linda Bartlett , Marie Quinn , Cole Trower ( by proxy ) , Hon .
Mark Cole Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Capitol ” by Ron Cogswell .
CC BY 2.0 .
John Fredericks is the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Virginia Star .
He is also a Trump 2020 delegate and the chairman of the Trump Virginia Delegation .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-10--Georgia Republicans File Second Ethics Complaint Against Jon Ossoff

U.S. Senate candidate Jon Ossoff , a Democrat , allegedly did not disclose he was compensated by an organization that members of the Georgia Republican Party said has links to the Chinese Communist Party .
The Georgia GOP alleged this in an ethics complaint that it filed Thursday with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics .
Georgia Republicans identified the organization as PCCW Media Limited .
“ Jon Ossoff tried to hide his connection to a media company with direct ties to the Communist Chinese government , ” said Georgia GOP Executive Director Stewart Bragg , in the press release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Ethics Committee to look into this further , because we believe this was an intentional effort to conceal information from the people of Georgia.
” “ The Senate Select Committee on Ethics should investigate Ossoff ’ s willful failure to file the required information on the Public Financial Disclosure .
Moreover , your office should investigate whether there is ‘ reason to believe ’ that Ossoff willfully failed to file the required report , and thus ask the Attorney General of the United States to impose up to $ 50,000 in civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported Monday , Bragg on Sunday filed another complaint about Ossoff with the Federal Elections Commission .
The complaint alleged that Ossoff coordinates — illegally — with a group tied to Chuck Schumer .
“ The Georgia Way is a Super-PAC that was recently organized on November 16 , 2020 in an apparent effort by the Senate Majority PAC and Senator Chuck Schumer to make targeted campaign efforts for Senatorial candidate , Jon Ossoff , in the Georgia Senatorial run-offs , ” according to Bragg ’ s complaint .
“ With receipts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Way has already disbursed $ 4,922,487.00 on federal operating expenditures and independent expenditures , all of which appear to have been coordinated with Jon Ossoff for Senate in efforts to defame Senator David Perdue.
” As reported , U.S. Sen. David Perdue ( R-GA ) and U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) are on the January 5 , 2021 ballot for the U.S. Senate against Ossoff and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Raphael Warnock , respectively .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Photo “ Jon Ossoff ” by Jon Ossoff .