thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Ohio Health Department Claims to Not Know Which Nursing Homes Have Coronavirus Deaths, Investigation

Ohio Health Department Claims to Not Know Which Nursing Homes Have Coronavirus Deaths, Investigation Reveals

Ohio health officials have claimed to have no record of which nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have seen deaths caused by the coronavirus , an investigation from local media found .
A joint investigation by ABC News 5 Cleveland and Sripps station , WCPO-TV in Cincinnati , found that the state says it does not track which nursing homes have had coronavirus deaths , despite tracking deaths by county .
The lack of records was revealed after a lawsuit was filed in the Ohio Court of Claims seeking “ health department records identifying how many have died in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the state , ” News 5 Cleveland said .
In a court record seeking to dismiss the case , the Ohio Department of Health said that “ the records do not exist , ” the outlet said .
The Ohio Department of Health began tracking and reporting data related to the coronavirus from long-term care facilities , which includes nursing homes , on April 15 .
Although confirmed cases of COVID-19 are broken down by facility on the state ’ s coronavirus dashboard , deaths are only segregated by county .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is home to the state capital of Columbus , had the most coronavirus-related deaths at 424 .
It was followed by Cuyahoga County at 367 deaths .
News 5 Cleveland reported that Jack Greiner , a Scripps attorney who recently filed a motion opposing the health department ’ s motion to dismiss the case , said that a lack of records “ suggests rank incompetence at ODH ” and said the “ statement does not appear to be true , ” according to an affidavit obtained by Scripps .
Michigan , Pennsylvania , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by individual facilities .
Ohio currently has nearly 600,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , according to the ODH .
Data from the Covid Tracking Project indicates the state has been adding between 5,000 and 11,000 new cases every day since December 1 .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Sen. Warner: New Relief Bill Will Likely Include $600 Stimulus Checks, Less Unemployment Coverage

Senator Mark Warner ( D-Virginia ) is confident that the Senate will soon pass the two-part COVID-19 relief package he helped develop .
In a Thursday telephone press conference , Warner described key provisions of the plan and addressed controversy over a stimulus check added to the package while also limiting provisions to extend federal unemployment benefits past Christmas .
Warner described a give-and-take compromise that has shifted some of the provisions of the bills .
“ It appears that our deal , while still in that $ 900 billion range , will include direct payments of close to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child .
Unfortunately , the price of that is to take away some of the expanded unemployment benefits , ” Warner said .
He said the expanded unemployment benefits will probably last for only ten weeks instead of 16 .
“ I think that ’ s a mistake morally , in terms of taking away these additional benefits from people who are hurting the worst , ” Warner said .
He said that sending out stimulus checks is less targeted economically because more-well-off families often save most of the money instead of spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warner would have preferred using that money to extend unemployment , helping lower-income individuals who would spend more of the money .
“ That will not preclude me , though , from voting for this bill , ” Warner said .
Warner said that although caucus leaders from both parties had failed to take the lead in introducing another relief package , the bipartisan team of legislators is proof that Congress isn ’ t completely broken .
“ I think the fact that a group of senators , bipartisan , said , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heck with the posturing .
Let ’ s try to provide emergency , targeted relief for those Americans most in need , ’ is a sign that Congress may be getting its act together , ” Warner said .
He said that the bill has tighter restrictions for the paycheck protection plan ( PPP ) .
In the spring 2020 relief CARES Act , large businesses exploited the program .
Warner said the new PPP would apply to businesses who could demonstrate that they had lost 30 percent of their revenue , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be easier to access for small minority business owners who might not have normal banking processes .
Congressman Morgan Griffith ( R-VA-09 ) was cautiously optimistic about the bills .
He said in a statement , “ I have not seen any legislative text from the bipartisan Senate group working on COVID relief .
Based on their announcement of the deal ’ s framework , I support some of its components.
” Griffith added , “ However , for now the action on this deal remains in the Senate , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House of Representatives .
I will have to read the final product that comes over to the House before I can decide whether to support the entire package.
” Congressman Ben Cline ( R-VA-06 ) said in a statement , “ I am anxiously awaiting the final text of the COVID relief and Omnibus spending bill being negotiated by Congressional leaders and the White House.
” Like Griffith , Cline is concerned that House leaders will present a large bill at the last minute .
Cline said , “ I have consistently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance for small businesses and help for individuals and families truly in need .
However , I am concerned that Speaker Pelosi has once again decided to rush through a mammoth spending package with little time to review it .
I remain hopeful that a bipartisan agreement will make its way to the House Floor for approval and resources can begin to flow quickly to those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.
” With just a week until Christmas , Congress needs to move fast .
Warner said , “ If Congress doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ultimate Grinch in terms of the holiday season , because literally millions of Americans are poised to lose unemployment the day after Christmas.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .

Eighteen individuals are now collecting petitions for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District race as of last Friday.
Twelve people are collecting qualifying petitions for the GOP primary, three are gathering petitions for the Democrat primary, and three independents are also accumulating petitions.
The 12 Republicans listed on the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website as collecting petitions are former Speaker of the Tennessee House Beth Harwell of Nashville, businessman Baxter Lee of Nashville, Robby Starbuck of Franklin (listed as Robert Starbuck Newsom), Geni Batchelor of Lebanon, Natisha Brooks of Nashville, former Williamson County GOP Chair Omar Hamada of Franklin, Timothy Bruce Lee of Nashville, Annabelle Lee of Madison, Alan Clement Sharp of Nashville, David Vitalli of Brentwood, Stewart Parks of Nashville, and Richie Lee of Nashville.
Among the publicly announced candidates, Tennessee newcomer and former State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus and retired Brig. General Kurt Winstead have not yet been listed as having begun their qualifying petitions process. Hamada has not yet made a decision as to whether or not he is officially entering the race.
Records show that Harwell, Starbuck, Brooks, Baxter Lee, Ortagus, Winstead, Batchelor, and Timothy Bruce Lee have also filed candidate paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). Starbuck has raised $255,066.53 and has $138,741.16 on hand, which Brooks has raised $24,517.00 and has $19,655.34 on hand. The rest filed their FEC paperwork after the year-end December 31, 2022 deadline. The 2022 first quarter January 1-March 31 financial reports, which are scheduled to be released in mid-April, will cover all candidates who have reached the FEC reporting threshold.
Sources tell The Star that several Republican candidates are expected to have impressive fundraising totals.
Clay Faircloth, Richard H. Harris, and Joel Michael Hurbert, all from Nashville, are listed as collecting petitions for the Democrat primary.
Derrick Brantley of Nashville, Patrick O. Halfacre of Hohenwald, and Richard A. Shannon of Franklin are the independents who are collecting petitions. Shannon has appeared on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy. Only Brantley appears to have filed documents with the FEC.
In order to appear on the ballot, candidates are required to collect 25 valid signatures from registered voters and have until noon on April 7 to turn in those qualifying petitions. Candidates who qualify have until April 14 to withdraw their names from the ballot. The Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office told The Star, unless pending legislation changes things, that they will finalize the ballots on April 21.
The 5th Congressional District consists of parts of Davidson, Williamson, and Wilson counties, and all of Maury, Marshall, and Lewis counties.
– – –
Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected] Follow Aaron on GETTR.
Photo “U.S. Capitol” by Martin Falbisoner. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Wise County Public Schools Brings Satellite Internet to Rural Virginia Students

Over 800 table-sized satellites constantly falling in orbit at 340 miles above the earth are solving a problem for rural Wise County students , according to data from Wise County , Sky and Telescope and Space.com .
The satellites are part of Starlink , a program from private rocket and space hardware company SpaceX that aims to bring high-speed internet to some of the remotest parts of the world .
On February 1 , 2021 , 45 families will have access to the network , thanks to a program developed by the Wise County Public Schools ( WCPS ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew in Wise County schools that we had student homes that didn ’ t have internet access available to them , ” WCPS Director of Technology Scott Kiser told The Virginia Star .
“ A lot of our homes were having to work off of mobile hot spots and that was the best connectivity they could get.
” Even with “ unlimited ” plans , the mobile networks cap usage .
Kiser said that was fine before virtual learning , but now students can burn up a month ’ s worth of data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rushing to find a solution that could bring internet to parts of the county without physical internet infrastructure .
“ Fortunately I had a conversation with Jack Kennedy who is our circuit court clerk here in Wise County , and he ’ s also a space enthusiast .
Jack had been keeping up with the Starlink program by SpaceX very closely.
” Kiser and Kennedy met with other county officials to discuss the possibility .
Kiser said , “ Jack contacted Senator Mark Warner ’ s ( D-Virginia ) office , and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our efforts , and the next thing we knew we were gathering addresses and getting the arrangement in place.
” The program is part of a beta test from SpaceX , and costs were split between the Wise County general fund and a federal grant Kiser obtained .
The county paid $ 24,705 , spent on equipment including a $ 500 package for each family that includes a small satellite dish , according to Wise County Administrator Michael Hatfield .
WCPS spent $ 53,460 in grant money , which covers one year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or $ 99 per month per family .
Kiser is hoping to expand the program to include 90 families , but Starlink is limiting the amount of people allowed in its initial pilot .
Starlink is still adding satellites to the network , and according to Space.com , the company could build the network to 30,000 satellites .
A WCPS press release said the county is the first school district in Virginia to use Starlink to connect students .
According to Kiser , the satellites are in a lower orbit than traditional satellite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than with previous satellite systems .
Hatfield said customers can see internet download speeds of 50 mbps .
For comparison , Kiser said residential high-speed internet packages range from 25 mbps to 200 mbps .
Starlink does not have a usage cap .
“ Most of our homes are probably connected at 25 to 50 mbps , ” Kiser said .
Early testing of the system shows that Starlink works well in the mountains , a critical feature for the mountain-dominated community .
“ It is supposed to work well in the mountains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service begins , ” Hatfield said .
Kiser hopes that after the grant money paying for the subscription ends , the families will be able to take over paying for the program themselves .
But the program has broad implications for rural communities .
Kiser wants to see other counties implementing similar programs for their students .
“ In Wise County , since the economic downturn due to coal , we ’ ve been looking to rebuild our economy , and there ’ s a lot of talk in Virginia about technology being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to rebound from our loss of the coal industry , ” Kiser said .
“ Even beyond our students , this is an opportunity for a solution like this to help folks gain employment through those upper end tech jobs with good salaries that allow them to work from home , ” he said .
“ If we can get homes connected now instead of waiting 5-10 yrs for infrastructure to be built out , then this could really be a game-changer.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Some Districts Opt for Virtual Learning Instead of Snow Days

Northern Virginia received a range of less than an inch up to eight inches of snow , according to WUSA9 .
As a result , Loudoun County and Prince William County declared snow days .
But Arlington Public Schools and Fairfax County said classes would still be held online .
That means that for some students , snow days are another casualty of COVID-19 precautions .
“ All Fairfax County Public Schools ’ ( FCPS ) students will participate in virtual learning on Thursday , December 17 , ” the district ’ s website said on Thursday .
“ Students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Only on-campus activities were canceled , including field trips , after school programs , and adult-education classes .
In an announcement , the district said , “ If conditions are warranted , we do anticipate that there will be “ typical ” snow days as we have had in past years .
As with any inclement weather event , each one is very different than the other , and they can present unique challenges for our students , staff , and community.
” “ Here are some ( among others ) of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season : All Schools and Central Offices Closed .
No In-person or Virtual Learning .
Virtual Learning for All Students , Division Operations are Open , School Building Workspaces are Not Available ( Students will have synchronous ( teacher-led ) learning . )
Virtual Learning for All Students , Division Operations are Open , School Building Workspaces are Not Available ( Students will have asynchronous ( independent ) learning . )
” Reviews of the plan for Wednesday and Thursday were mixed among Fairfax parents .
“ As a parent , I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning days on snow days .
Our children are already losing so much of their childhood with this pandemic , ” Kody Parkhurst told The Virginia Star .
“ The school system is contributing to this loss with virtual school and when they have the choice to make things better or worse , they are making things worse for teachers and students by taking away a piece of “ normalcy ” by not giving snow days , ” Parkhurst said .
“ They spend an absurd amount of time in front of screens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brains and eyes the rest they need and some fresh air to feel better and ready to get back to school.
” Gena Smolitsky said , “ Virtual learning should absolutely continue .
Many of the children are academically delayed already .
The kids need all of the education they can get at this point.
” Smolitsky said , “ I have a 2nd and 3rd grader .
My kids were not upset by the decision .
There was very little snow on the ground anyway !
” “ Although teachers are doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think [ students ] are getting as much [ class time ] as they would if in school .
They seem to have a lot of free time , such as Mondays , almost off , so no more time off is needed , ” Linda Hawton said .
She told The Star that Mondays are reserved for students to finish assignments , but that no teacher interaction is required that day .
“ Most have completed all work most Mondays , ” she said .
Hawton said , “ The last thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remotely , is the kids complaining they can ’ t go outside .
I feel they have a lot of free time , less school work .
I understand this is something kids and teachers look forward to , but this year is not your average year.
” “ I have two middle school kids , they grumbled that other counties were off , but it wasn ’ t a huge disappointment and they still got time outside as they do every day , ” she said .
Eric Burk is a reporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Minnesota Unemployment Claims Continue to Decline Despite Lockdown Measures

Minnesota ’ s new unemployment claims last week dropped by 9,254 from the week ending Dec. 5 , according to Department of Labor statistics released Thursday morning .
Unemployment claims in the state continue to drop despite the ongoing prohibitions of indoor gatherings imposed by Gov .
Tim Walz to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus .
On Wednesday , Walz announced he was extending his lockdown orders through the holiday season .
“ Thousands of businesses had no problems before , but Walz shut down every single one of them anyway , ” Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are just desperate to keep their business going and the data doesn ’ t support these new restrictions .
Let the businesses and employees who were keeping people safe go back to their jobs with simple , easy to follow guidelines.
” Initial claims filed in Minnesota the week ending Dec. 12 were 15,923 , down 60 % from the previous week ’ s 25,177 initial claims .
Total unemployment claims in Minnesota also dipped slightly last week .
For the week ending Dec. 12 , 139,907 total claims were reported , down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 140,443 claims .
Nationwide , the DOL reported 885,000 new unemployment claims last week , which is the highest weekly total since September , compared to 862,000 new claims for the week ending Dec. 5 .
By comparison , the average weekly unemployment claims prior to the pandemic hovered at 225,000 .
At present , 20.6 million U.S. workers are receiving some form of unemployment benefits .
Bruce Walker is a regional editor at The Center Square .
He previously worked as editor at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s InfoTech & Telecom News .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Virginia Republicans Blast Northam’s Budget Proposal to Expand Court of Appeals

After Governor Ralph Northam made a number of proposals to the state ’ s biennial budget on Wednesday , several Republican legislators rebuked the Democrat ’ s recommendation to expand the Virginia Court of Appeals and claimed he was trying to pack the court .
Northam presented his budget proposals during a virtual meeting with the House of Delegates and Senate appropriation committees .
“ We are also proposing to add four judges to Virginia ’ s Court of Appeals , along with support staff , to ensure the court can hear more appeals cases in a timely manner under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the committee meeting .
The budget amendment would increase the number of judges in the court of appeals from 11 to 15 and would cost a total of $ 5.1 million over the next two years – $ 235,419 in 2021 and $ 4,876,227 in 2022 – representing 2.9 percent of the all money allocated for Northam ’ s proposals .
Del .
Jason Miyares ( R-Virginia Beach ) , a member of the House Committee on Courts of Justice and a candidate for attorney general in 2021 , expressed staunch opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
“ Governor Northam ’ s attempt to pack our courts before his term expires is a brazen liberal power grab that threatens to fundamentally change our state ’ s judicial system , ” Miyares said .
“ Just like the liberals in Washington , DC want to do with the Supreme Court , the liberals in Richmond are trying to manipulate the courts through rushed appointments while they still have control of the executive branch and General Assembly.
” Miyares also asserted that adding Democrat appointees to the court of appeals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the proposal another reason why conservative leadership needs to be restored in Richmond and the Commonwealth .
Senate Republican Caucus Chair Ryan McDougle ( D-Hanover ) said in his own statement that Northam is trying to pack the court , politicize Virginia ’ s judiciary and , like Miyares , compared the expansion to congressional Democrats “ scheme ” to expand the United States Supreme Court .
“ I will adamantly oppose this effort by the governor to appease and appeal to his party ’ s extreme left-wing , ” McDougle wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and identifying things that are lacking , Del .
Kirk Cox , former Speaker of the House and one of the announced GOP candidates for governor in 2021 , also argued Northam ’ s budget recommendation is to pack the court .
However , Cox did recognize that the court of appeals may be in need of more judges and that civil cases should be considered by the body .
“ This General Assembly and this governor should not get to pack the court with judges of their choosing , ” Cox said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date of any court expansion should be staggered and new judges should be appointed by a nonpartisan merit-based selection committee to ensure this does not become a partisan attempt to remake our well-respected Court of Appeals.
” Several Democratic legislators took a different stance on a potential expansion , agreeing with the governor , and rebutting Republican ’ s court packing claims .
Del .
Mark Levine ( D-Arlington ) said that since the court of appeals was originally formed in 1985 , it has not yet been expanded between then and now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 percent during those 35 years .
“ Most importantly , Virginia is the only state in the United States not to guarantee its citizens an appeal as of right , ” Levine said in an interview with The Virginia Star .
“ [ The court ] only takes the appeals it wants to take .
There should be at least one appellate court that handles a case as of right , meaning that the person who has been convicted of a crime or challenging a verdict has a chance to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans ’ arguments of court packing , Levine added that the decision of whether or not to expand the court is not a partisan argument , but about Virginians ’ right to the same due process 49 other states already have .
Sen. Joe Morrissey ( D-Richmond City ) told The Star that he is against any type of court packing and what Northam proposed is different because , depending on the case , not all Virginians are afforded the right to appeal .
Morrissey also mentioned that the Court of Appeals of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , has 37 judges .
Del .
Lamont Bagby ( D-Henrico County ) applauded Northam ’ s proposal and said expansion was the necessary thing to do “ to make sure that we have justice and equity throughout the Commonwealth.
” Now that the governor ’ s proposals are in the hands of the General Assembly ’ s money committees , it will be interesting to see how expanding the appeals court will be debated in the Senate and House , and if the recommendation will even remain in the budget as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Background Photo “ Virginia Capitol ” by Martin Kraft .
CC BY-SA 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Schools Close For the Remainder of Semester, Unsure of Returning In-Person

Georgia schools are closed for the rest of the Fall semester , and schools are unsure if any will return face-to-face by the New Year .
The Georgia Department of Education reports 2,235 school closures , shutting more than 1.7 million students out of the classroom .
Governor Kemp signed an executive order mid-March of 2020 closing all public , elementary and post-secondary public schools in Georgia .
The order – originally set to expire at the end of that month – has was extended through the end of the 2019-2020 school year , and indications are that the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kemp has not made any statements regarding schools remaining virtual through Spring .
But state school officials stated in an email sent to parents obtained by The Georgia Star News that teachers and staff should be ready for virtual learning , since opening back up on January 6 is unclear with the rise of COVID-19 cases .
State School Superintendent Richard Woods said in a July statement , “ Local districts have authority to chart their course for upcoming school year .
Our role is to support them.
” In a separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must choose compassion over compliance.
” When schools started reopening at the beginning of the school year in mid-August , some precautions included the use of face coverings , social distancing and split lunch hours to disperse less students in a cafeteria setting .
The Georgia Department of Education has been working closely with Gov .
Kemp ’ s office as well as the Department of Public Health to ensure that students and parents have the most recent information on COVID-19 .
The Professional Association of Georgia Educators ( PAGE ) stated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of educators self-identify as being at high-risk for COVID-19.
” Additional concerns in their analysis included 37 percent of educators having a student that needs “ sustained supervision and/or assistance with schoolwork or has a child who needs childcare.
” PAGE added their most shared concern by educators is that “ their schools and districts are not adequately keeping them informed about school opening plans or providing evidence that their concerns are being considered and incorporated into opening plans ; ” and that “ Educators do not yet feel confident that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and resources to safely return to on-site instruction or be prepared for virtual options.
” According to the Georgia Health Department ’ s COVID-19 numbers , for ages 5-17 , hospitalizations are at 441 , which is 1.2 percent of total number of patients requiring hospitalization .
By contrast , COVID-19 hospitalizations of 50 to 80 year old patients totals 20,230 , or approximately 52 percent .
Tiffany Morgan is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and the Star News Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Michigan Unemployment Claims Continue to Decline Despite Lockdown Measures

Michigan ’ s new unemployment claims dropped last week by 5,855 from the week ending Dec. 5 , according to Department of Labor statistics released Thursday morning .
Unemployment claims in the state continue to drop despite the ongoing prohibitions of indoor gatherings imposed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus .
Initial claims filed the week ending Dec. 12 were 17,553 , down 25 % from the previous week ’ s 23,408 initial claims .
Total unemployment claims in Michigan for the week ending Dec. 12 were 171,290 claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s 211,537 claims , a 21 % decrease .
Nationwide , the DOL reported 885,000 new unemployment claims last week , which is the highest weekly total since September , compared to 862,000 new claims for the week ending Dec. 5 .
By comparison , the average weekly unemployment claims prior to the pandemic hovered at 225,000 .
At present , 20.6 million U.S. workers are receiving some form of unemployment benefits .
Bruce Walker is a regional editor at The Center Square .
He previously worked as editor at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MichiganScience magazine and The Heartland Institute ’ s InfoTech & Telecom News .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Virginia Undocumented Immigrants Allowed to Legally Drive in 2021 Under New Law

Beginning January 2nd , 2021 , undocumented immigrants living in Virginia will be able to apply for official driving credentials , called a driver privilege card , with the Department of Motor Vehicles ( DMV ) , allowing non-citizens to lawfully drive within the Commonwealth for the first time .
The change in the state code stems from legislation the Democratic-controlled General Assembly passed earlier this year during the 2020 regular session and signed into law by Governor Ralph Northam .
“ We are pleased to offer this new credential to give thousands of tax-paying Virginians the opportunity to drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously have not been able to do , ” DMV Commissioner Richard Holcomb said in a press release .
Once the new year rolls around , Virginia will join 15 other states and Washington D.C. that give undocumented immigrants driver ’ s privileges , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures .
In order to be eligible to obtain a driver privilege card , which costs $ 50 , applicants must be a non-U.S. citizen who is a resident of Virginia , have reported income from Virginia sources or have been claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the last year , and a person ’ s driving privilege must not be suspended or revoked in Virginia or any other state , according to the DMV .
Additionally , those interested in applying for the credentials will need to show two proofs of identity and Virginia residency , proof of your social security number , if issued one , or your individual taxpayer identification number and a tax return documentation .
Those documents must be originals , no photocopies or temporary documents , and will be subject to verification , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change argue that it will encourage safety , accountability and responsibility for not just undocumented immigrants , but for all Virginians driving on the roadways .
“ Driver privilege cards make our roads safer , ” Del .
Elizabeth Guzman ( D-Prince William County ) , one of the bill ’ s chief co-patrons , told The Virginia Star .
“ They reduce traffic accidents , including alcohol-related crashes .
I ’ m glad we ’ ve joined Washington D.C. and Maryland in adopting such a commonsense measure for public safety.
” A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chris Hurst ( D-Montgomery County ) , said undocumented immigrants are on the road whether people like it or not because they commute to work , so why not try to somewhat legitimize that group of drivers .
Conversely , opponents of the law say the driver privilege card is an attempt to provide undocumented immigrants a type of legal status .
“ I do not think it ’ s a good idea , ” Chuck Smith , a GOP candidate for attorney general , told The Star .
“ There is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create some type of sanctuary status for people who have no right to be in the United States to start with.
” “ I am not in favor of any attempt by the General Assembly , by the governor and , certainly , by the attorney general to convey legal status to people simply by giving them a driver ’ s license , ” Smith continued .
The Star reached out to the other attorney general candidates , Delegates Jason Miyares ( R-Virginia Beach ) and Jay Jones ( Norfolk ) for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before press time .
Republican Sen. Mark Peake ( R-Lynchburg ) , who voted against the bill in committee , said the change was a “ really bad idea ” and does not believe people that entered the county through illegal means should be given the privilege to drive .
The card is a valid form of identification in the state , but not considered REAL-ID compliant , and will expire on a person ’ s birthday in the second year after issuance .
Furthermore , the card does not confer voting rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flights or enter federal facilities .
According to NBC 4 Washington , an estimated 300,000 immigrants in Virginia stand to benefit from the new law .
More information on applying for a driver privilege card can be found here .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Virginia Driver ’ s License ” by Virginia DMV .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Fulton County Election Officials’ Tactics Enable Voting Irregularities, Georgia State Senator Greg D

Fulton County Election Officials’ Tactics Enable Voting Irregularities, Georgia State Senator Greg Dolezal Says

Fulton County election officials have discovered ways to breach Georgia law and enable voting irregularities , said Georgia State Sen. Greg Dolezal ( R-Cumming ) .
Dolezal accused Fulton County officials of this behavior when he appeared on Thursday ’ s edition of The John Fredericks Show .
Fredericks asked Dolezal about county officials allegedly firing poll workers who testified to members of the Georgia General Assembly about voting irregularities .
Both workers each had about 10 years of experience , Dolezal said .
“ They signed sworn affidavits stating that what they said was accurate .
I was able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ladies on the committee and thought they were telling the truth as to what they saw .
Both of them yesterday received notices stating that their services would no longer be needed from Fulton County , ” Dolezal said .
“ We are digging into that .
[ State Sen. ] Brandon Beach [ R-Alpharetta ] is working on that , as far as what is going on there .
It seems to me that the more we peel back the layers of the onion the more frustrating it gets .
I understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are trying to figure out 5.5 million ballots counted in Georgia , but we have to , and we can do better.
” Officials with the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections did not return The Georgia Star News ’ request for comment Thursday .
Fulton County officials announced in October that they would deploy mobile voting units throughout the area .
The RV-size mobile units are large enough to each have eight to 10 voting stations , Fulton County officials said at the time .
Dolezal told Fredericks Thursday that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such methods .
“ In fact , the law states that they can start up additional voting locations , ‘ provided that any such site is a branch of the county courthouse , courthouse annex government service center , providing government services or another government building generally accessible to the public.
’ Buildings are not on wheels , ” Dolezal said .
“ What they are doing is they are rolling these voting locations all over Fulton County .
They go into 80 percent Democrat precincts , which is what they are scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 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 Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , respectively .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Greg Dolezal ” by Greg Dolezal .
Background Photo “ Georgia Capitol ” by DXR .
CC BY-SA 4.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-18--Dominion Warned Memory Cards Might Need to be Prematurely Removed from Voting Machines

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thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--True the Vote Preemptively Challenges Over 364K Potentially Ineligible Voters Ahead of Runoff Electi

True the Vote Preemptively Challenges Over 364K Potentially Ineligible Voters Ahead of Runoff Election

True the Vote , a nonpartisan voters ’ rights and election integrity organization , submitted over 364,000 elector challenges for all 159 counties .
Georgia law allows a voter to challenge the eligibility of other voters within the same county , so long as probable cause exists .
In a press release , True the Vote explained that the challenge preemptively prevents illegal votes , as opposed to a reactive challenge to ballots cast .
They added that once a ballot is cast , it is near-impossible to match a ballot to its voter .
“ [ The challenge ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states have to update voter rolls ahead of an election without compromising any legitimate voters ’ right [ s ] to have their vote counted , ” stated the press release .
According to True the Vote , their registry research discovered over 124,000 registered voters who no longer live in the county on record , and over 240,000 voters who no longer live in Georgia .
The organization received support from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , who stated publicly that he applauds True the Vote ’ s initiative .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I must follow the law in the execution of our elections , and I ’ ve also encouraged Georgians to report any suspected problems for my office to investigate , ” stated Raffensperger .
“ Though federal law restricts our ability to update our voter registration lists , the Elector Challenge is a vehicle under our law to ensure voter integrity .
I support any effort that builds faith in our election system that follows the proper legal procedure.
” Raffensperger hasn ’ t supported legal challenges to the results of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star News reached out to True the Vote spokespersons for clarification on their challenge ’ s impact for the general and upcoming runoff election .
True the Vote didn ’ t respond by press time .
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 ] .
Photo “ People Voting ” by Wyofile Wyofile .
CC BY 2.0 .

by Bethany Blankley
Nineteen attorneys general, led by Indiana, have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a lawsuit filed by Texas and Missouri against the Biden administration.
They’re asking the Supreme Court to uphold a lower court’s order instructing the Biden administration to follow the law to fully reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), otherwise known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy.
“No one is above the law in America, and we are simply insisting that the Biden administration follow the law,” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said (pictured above).
“The rule of law is the framework that enables American liberty to survive and thrive,” he added. “The situation at our southern border provides the perfect example of how going soft on the rule of law gives rise to anarchy, chaos, and ultimately the erosion of our freedom and safety.”
In January 2021, President Joe Biden announced via executive order that he was terminating MPP. Months later, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas began dismantling it and other immigration policies. Southern border encounters then surged to historic levels. In Biden’s first year in office, Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol agents encountered or apprehended roughly 2 million people entering the southern border illegally. This number excludes the several hundred thousand who are estimated to have evaded law enforcement.
At the same time, Mayorkas implemented a wide range of policy changes to effectively halt most deportations. CBP and Border Patrol agents were directed to release illegal immigrants into the U.S. en masse instead of sending them back to Mexico to go through the immigration process.
Texas and Missouri sued, District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas granted their request for a permanent injunction and ordered the administration to reinstate the MPP. He ruled the administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act when it halted the MPP.
The administration appealed to the Fifth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court and lost. Both courts denied its request to stay Kacsmaryk’s ruling.
After its Supreme Court loss, the administration said it was appealing Kacsmaryk’s ruling, vowing to “vigorously challenge it.” In a statement, it said, “As the appeal process continues, however, DHS will comply with the order in good faith. Alongside interagency partners, DHS has begun to engage with the Government of Mexico in diplomatic discussions surrounding the Migrant Protection Protocols.”
But compliance hasn’t happened, as evidenced by the flood of illegal immigrants the administration is releasing into the U.S. and by the tactics it’s used in court to circumvent the law, the AGs argue.
“From the beginning of this Administration, the United States has been forthright about its intention to terminate MPP simply because it did not like the program, and its conduct demonstrates its readiness to do anything – including ignore the APA’s requirements – to accomplish that objective,” they argue in the brief.
“The Administration’s ‘act now, justify later’ approach began on Inauguration Day, when it summarily paused MPP,” they add.
Throughout the appeals process, “the Fifth Circuit correctly concluded that the United States’ efforts to avoid judicial review violated basic principles of procedure,” they argue.
An unprecedented number of people are expected to come through the southern border after the administration ends the Title 42 public health authority May 23, the attorneys general have argued, necessitating the urgency for the Supreme Court to weigh in.
Implemented under President Donald Trump in January 2019, the MPP led to a reduction in the number of people entering the U.S. illegally. The Trump administration also invoked Title 42 to enable CBP and Border Patrol agents to quickly expel illegal immigrants and prevent entry to a greater number of people during a public health emergency.
Current law requires those not authorized to enter the U.S. to be detained, to stay in Mexico, or be “paroled” into the U.S. based on narrowly defined case-by-case circumstances including “urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.”
The Biden administration has been issuing paroles en masse to release illegal immigrants into the U.S., the attorneys general argue, violating the law.
The administration maintains it’s inherited a flawed system, and its policies are more humane than the previous administration’s. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters last December after the administration lost another court battle in the case, “it is not our preference to be reimplementing and reinstituting the Migrant Protection program. … we still feel that the program is inefficient, inhumane, and we are not – we weren’t, we were – did not eagerly reimplement it.”
– – –
Bethany Blankley is a regular contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “AG Todd Rokita” by AG Todd Rokita.


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Commentary: Sorry, Democrats What Goes Around Comes Around

Democrats who are unhappy that Republicans are skeptical of the 2020 election results have no one to blame but themselves .
Democrats can not understand why Republicans would question the election results in spite of the fact that Democrats sought to undermine anti-voter fraud measures in the run-up to the election ; that Republican observers were not allowed to observe vote counting ; and that massive numbers of Biden votes were counted in the middle of the night while no Republican observers were present .
Of course , in recent years , Democrats have repeatedly disputed unfavorable election results , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about their opponents .
A quick review of recent political history seems in order .
When George W. Bush defeated Al Gore in 2000 , Democrats claimed that Bush had cheated and was illegitimate .
In the ensuing years , they bitterly complained about the election and questioned the trustworthiness of Diebold voting machines because Diebold ’ s CEO was a Republican , among other things .
Seemingly , no conspiracy was too wild for Democrats who accused Bush of having foreknowledge of the 9/11 terrorist attacks , profiting from the Iraq War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When Barack Obama won in 2008 and 2012 , Republicans – though bitterly disappointed – mostly accepted their losses and moved on .
Those who did not accept Obama ’ s 2008 victory as legitimate were largely those who doubted whether he had been born in the United State and was eligible to run for president .
Rather than do the reasonable thing and publish his birth certificate in 2008 ( or even early 2009 ) to address those concerns , Obama had to be goaded into releasing the certificate in 2011 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published , the issue all but disappeared .
It seems that Obama liked having “ birthers ” question his legitimacy so he could portray his opponents as crazy .
In 2016 , Democrats laid the groundwork for their assault on President Donald Trump ’ s legitimacy by concocting the Russian collusion hoax and paying for the garbage-filled “ dossier.
” When Trump defeated Hillary Clinton , Democrats quickly claimed that Russians had stolen the election and refused to accept that Trump had won .
For the past four years , Democrats have claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have vowed to resist him , and have harassed and have threatened Administration officials for doing their jobs .
Before Democrats even seized control of the House , they sought to find an excuse to impeach Trump .
When the Mueller report failed to provide sufficient grounds for impeachment , Democrats simply invented another .
If , as expected , there is a Republican objection to Electoral College votes when Congress convenes to count and certify them on January 6th , it will be the first time that a Republican has done so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act of 1887 , which lays out the process for counting electoral votes .
On the other hand , Congressional Democrats have repeatedly objected to electoral votes .
After the 2000 election , 14 House Democrats objected to electoral votes , but their objection went nowhere because they failed to find support from a Senator .
After the 2004 election , both a House and Senate Democrat objected to the awarding of Ohio ’ s 20 electoral votes to Bush .
Because both a House member and a Senate member objected , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were required in both houses of Congress , which delayed the vote-counting process .
The Democrat scheme failed ; but had the electoral votes been switched , Democrat John Kerry would have defeated Bush .
In addition , after the 2016 election , seven House Democrats objected to electoral votes but failed to gain a Senator ’ s support .
Given the refusal of Democrats to accept their losses along with their constant lies and scheming to undermine our election laws , they have no right to complain about conservatives who question the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats truly want the country to heal , or to ever be believed again , they first need to stop lying .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--National Guard Preparing for Indefinite Deployment While George Floyd Trial Proceeds in Minneapolis

The Minnesota National Guard may deploy indefinitely to Minneapolis while the four former police officers involved in the death of George Floyd are on trial in 2021 , an ABC affiliate reported Wednesday .
The National Guard ’ s 12-page plan dubbed “ Operation Safety Net ” details a worst-case scenario plan where all available state guard forces are deployed for an indefinite amount of time during and after the trials of former Minneapolis police officers Derek Chauvin , J. Alexander Keung , Thomas Lane and Tou Thao , local outlet KSTP reported .
“ It ’ s very prudent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re planning for large scale numbers and how we would activate units , ” Col. Scott Rohweder said , KSTP reported .
If the Minnesota National Guard are deployed again it will be the fourth time in less than 12 months they have been called to respond to civil unrest including protests , riots and looting , according to KSTP .
The trial of the four former officers is scheduled for early March and expected to last for eight weeks .
“ It is a big deal , ” Rohweder said , KSTP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those things where we have to be prepared for that kind of operation and change the paradigm of our thinking to make sure that we ’ re prepared at any moment ’ s notice to activate that kind of large scale force.
” The Minneapolis Police Department has reportedly been planning for possible unrest since July and will coordinate the multi-agency operation , according to a MPD spokesperson , KSTP reported .
A similar number of guardsmen are expected to be deployed as there were over the summer , though they will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
The operational mission is to protect people and property , and some aspects of the plan like positioning equipment and vehicles has already been done , according to Rohweder , KSTP reported .
Chauvin ’ s lawyer asked the court for the start date to be pushed back so they could have additional time to prepare on Monday , KSTP reported .
If the trial sticks to its scheduled date , Democratic Minnesota Mayor Tim Walz could activate the National Guard through an executive order as early as February .
Rohweder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ warning order , ” KSTP reported .
“ The actual days and times that we put together , we ’ ve made it very clear to our forces that May was a great example that we can ’ t predict the day or time of an event to happen , ” Rohweder said , KSTP reported .
“ The events in May showed us that we could activate the whole Minnesota National Guard , ” Rohweder said , KSTP reported .
“ That ’ s what we do in the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure that we ’ re ready to provide the support the governor might request.
” Floyd died in MPD custody after Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes , video shows .
Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Minnesota National Guard ” by The National Guard .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Crom Carmichael Talks Cancel Culture and the Identity Politics of Biden Administration Presumptive P

Crom Carmichael Talks Cancel Culture and the Identity Politics of Biden Administration Presumptive Picks

Live from Music Row Friday 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 who examined elements of the cancel culture and called out Joe Biden ’ s presumptive administration identity politics picks .
Leahy : We are joined this morning as we often are on Monday , Wednesday , and Friday at 6:30 by our good friend and the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael , Crom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , how are you , sir ?
Leahy : It was cold this morning , wasn ’ t it ?
Carmichael : Well , this week ’ s had a couple of chilly mornings .
And one of them was really cold and then by one o ’ clock , it was golf weather .
Leahy : So Crom , one of the themes of the show is that stolen elections have consequences .
Carmichael : Yeah .
And by the way , there ’ s now more and evidence .
Trump signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put out a detailed report on the 2020 election .
The ODNI , the Office of the Director of National Intelligence , and Ratcliffe is the head of that .
Now he ’ s only one person .
And his underlings have reported to him that they just haven ’ t gotten the report ready yet .
( Leahy laughs ) If you refuse to look at any evidence then I suppose you can claim there is no evidence if you refuse to look at any .
But for those of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s presented , it ’ s quite compelling .
Leahy : And by the way at 7:20 this morning we are going to be joined by Peter Navarro .
Carmichael : And I ’ ve seen his report and it ’ s an example of one of many very very detailed reports on elections and in some cases fraud .
In other cases irregularities .
And you know , it ’ s kind of like this .
The Democrats believe that if you leave your keys in your car parked on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steal them .
( Leahy chuckles ) And that ’ s the way they ’ ve looked at the elections in terms of for example , as you pointed out that the chain of custody of ballots is non-existent .
And it ’ s non-existent in areas of particular states .
Carmichael : Yes , and that ’ s only one of many many irregularities .
And then in other cases , there ’ s outright proof with videos .
But the left ignores that .
But Michael I want to talk about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s almost humorous the way that the media is looking at Biden ’ s presumptive picks for various positions .
It is truly a list of identity politics people who really don ’ t care if the people have any background that would lead them to be the right person .
Let me tell you about one .
Well there many of them .
Leahy : Almost all of them .
Carmichael : Almost all of them .
In fact , the ones that are picked who have had some experience have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs .
But in the case of Peter Buttigieg .
South Bend is a city of a little over a hundred thousand people .
Leahy : And you know , whereof you speak because you were born in South Bend .
Carmichael : I was born in South Bend and I got to South Bend a lot .
My mother still lives there .
So I go there a lot .
and I will give Mayor Pete credit for one thing in South Bend in terms of transportation .
He did rearrange the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Bend .
When he became mayor , both of these streets were two-ways .
By the time he left each of these streets was one-way .
And the traffic flowed a little better with the two one-way streets .
That ’ s it .
He took a couple of stop signs or stoplights and instead of having those there he used Obama money .
$ 800 million of shovel-ready , he used that to turn them into something like our Music Row roundabout .
Carmichael : So South Bend has now has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was he rearranged some of the downtown and that ’ s it .
That is the sum total of his experience in transportation .
What he has said though and this is amazing , his public relations people have said , Mayor Pete loves trains .
He ’ s ridden on some .
( Leahy laughs ) And he proposed to his husband in an airport .
Leahy : There you go !
Carmichael : And that ’ s in their press release .
Not somebody else ’ s .
Leahy : That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are his qualifications ?
Carmichael : Yes .
That he loves trains .
Leahy : And proposed to his husband in an airport .
In an airport .
( Leahy laughs ) And I can say that he ’ s put in two traffic circles and made two streets Michigan and Main Street into one-ways .
When he came into office they were two-ways .
Now that ’ s on the transportation secretary .
Biden has tapped Jennifer Granholm .
Carmichael : She doesn ’ t make Gretchen Whitmer look good , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman was also the governor of Michigan .
And Michigan collapsed economically .
It collapsed .
Leahy : What ’ s she going to be in charge of ?
Carmichael : She ’ s going to be in charge of the energy department .
Leahy : Oh my goodness she ’ s crazy .
Have you ever watched her ?
She ’ s a lunatic .
Carmichael : But everything she says reminds me a lot of John Kerry .
In that John Kerry is one of the few people who without exception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has ever taken has been wrong .
Leahy : But he went to Yale .
( Laughs ) Carmichael : And apparently he knows how to throw his medals .
Fake medals .
Carmichael : I ’ m not saying they were properly earned .
Even him throwing the medals over a fence they might have been fake medals .
But Kerry ’ s foreign policy decisions have been wrong every time .
But he ’ s always been with Joe Biden .
So that tells you a little bit about Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be fun .
Jen O ’ Malley Dillon .
Carmichael : Yes .
She apparently is going to be his press secretary .
This the one who ’ s dropping f-bombs .
She drops f-bombs about Republicans .
Leahy : But of course .
Half of the country deserves it right ?
Carmichael : But in the context of Biden saying we ’ re going to pull the country together and heal .
In that context .
She ’ s talking about that and dropping f-bombs .
Leahy : So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ f-bombs .
Carmichael : No , that ’ s not the point .
This is her way of healing .
Leahy : You are kidding me !
Carmichael : No .
I ’ m saying in the context of Joe Biden saying we need to come together and heal .
In that context , she is talking about that subject and dropping f-bombs about Republicans .
So this is her idea of how to heal .
What I ’ m saying is this .
And it ’ s a little bit like Kareem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
China has arrested this year in 2020 47 journalists .
Last year they arrested 49 journalists .
If there ’ s any country that is treating people the way Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is saying that American people who disagree with him are treated like it ’ s the Communist Party of China .
And so it ’ s just fascinating .
On one hand , it ’ s scary and on another hand it ’ s hopeful .
I just can ’ t imagine that a large percentage of Americans , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not even talking about the majority , I can ’ t imagine that a large majority of Americans agree with the f-bomb dropper press secretary .
Carmichael : Or with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar .
And as you point out they are purists just like the Communist Chinese Party .
J.K. Rowling is a leftist and in every respect except one issue , which probably 85 to 90 percent of the people of the United States agree with her on that one issue .
So she ’ s not even ‘ conservative ’ on that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainstream on that one issue .
But because she is not woke on every single issue , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is saying you ’ re going to have to get rid of her .
So it ’ s just fascinating .
Now the University of Oregon is actually trying to de-platform the Republican Club or whatever you call it .
They ’ re trying to throw them off the campus .
Carmichael : I really wish that Carl would call in .
Leahy : He said he ’ s not a Democrat .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Then I would like Carl to call in and tell me if he agrees with this cancel culture .
And if he doesn ’ t agree with it , what does he think of Democrats like Joe Biden who are hiring people that are all about the cancel culture .
And if he doesn ’ t call in I understand because you couldn ’ t argue your way out of a paper bag on this particular issue .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ” by Joe Biden .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Georgia Has Registered 76,000 New Voters Ahead of Senate Runoffs

Almost 76,000 voters who did not vote in Georgia ’ s November elections have registered ahead of the state ’ s dual Senate runoffs on Jan. 5 , according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
If those new voters turn out , they could make a sizable difference in a state where the November presidential race was decided by only 12,000 votes .
Fifty-six percent of the new voters are under 35 years old , and none have a previous voting record in the state , according to the AJC , which purchased an updated voter list from Georgia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia ’ s newest voters are also people of color , despite Georgia being 53 % white .
Though some registered ahead of the election on Nov. 3 , the did so too late to actually vote last month .
The 76,000 new voters registered after the state ’ s original Oct. 5 deadline but before the Dec. 7 deadline for Georgia ’ s January runoffs .
The rate of new voter registrations aligns with the state ’ s growth over the past two years .
Georgia has added approximately 34,000 voters a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state election data .
Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has warned against out-of-state voters from relocating to Georgia , saying that doing so could lead to a felony conviction .
“ It is a felony to vote in Georgia if you are not a resident of Georgia with no intention of leaving and is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a $ 100,000 fine , ” he said in November .
Georgia ’ s two Senate runoffs also carry extraordinarily high stakes since they could determine which party controls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If Democrats flip both seats , the party would have control of the House , Senate and the White House .
But if Republicans can keep their narrow majority then they could stifle much of President-elect Joe Biden ’ s agenda .
The runoffs have attracted many Democratic and Republican high-profile politicians , including Biden and President Donald Trump .
The state ’ s first runoff is between Sen. David Perdue and Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff , while the runoff for Georgia ’ s special senatorial election is between Republican Sen. Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Early voting opened Dec. 14 , and 914,000 Georgians have cast ballots either in person or by mail so far , according to Georgia Secretary of State .
Andrew Trunsky is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Judge Michael Warren Commentary: Defending Lincoln

San Francisco ’ s school district has cancelled Abraham Lincoln .
Abraham Lincoln High School is going to be renamed .
Why ?
“ Lincoln , like the presidents before him and most after , did not show through policy or rhetoric that black lives ever mattered to them outside of human capital and as casualties or wealth building , ” Jeremiah Jefferies , the chairman of the school district ’ s renaming committee and a first-grade teacher , virtuously pontificated to the San Francisco Chronicle .
Let ’ s see if we get this right .
The first Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dedicated to stopping and eventually abolishing slavery , who actually fought to preserve the Union against the Slave Power , emancipated the slaves , and died at the hands of a racist southern sympathizer , is not woke enough for the San Francisco ’ s schools ?
Personally , I empathized with those wanting to remove the glorification of Confederate heroes .
They were , after all , defenders of secession and defending the dreadful enslavement of people .
But , as many suspected , those who begin seeking monsters to slay never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the very movements that have allowed our nation to make so much progress .
This is a bit like the French Revolution , when yesterday ’ s revolutionary heroes became the latest victims of the guillotine because the every expanding demands of the revolutionary vanguard required universal conformity or death .
Let me state the obvious .
Lincoln was far from perfect .
Regardless of the moral superiority the new woke imposes , no mere human being is perfect now , much less with hindsight and over a century of changes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The perspective that one must be 100 % perfect with today ’ s expectations will doom everyone to cancellation .
Give it time , and the current woke will be seen as blind , immoral Neanderthals .
Mr. Jefferies should be careful , the worm will turn on him , his allies , and his heroes .
Nevertheless , whatever criteria one might want to conjure , Lincoln is worthy enough of having a high school named after him .
First , he personally believed slavery was evil .
With our modern sensibilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” – but that is just ignorance of history .
The whole course of human history was riddled with slavery , and hardly anyone challenged it ’ s legitimacy .
Second , he campaigned for President on stopping the expansion of the Slave Power .
This was not widely acclaimed .
He only received about 40 % of the popular vote .
The South seceded rather than have him as President .
Third , he took the extraordinarily heartbreaking step of going to war to stop secession and preserve the Union .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Buchanan fiddled while Rome burned .
Many voices cried for peace – let the South go !
Fourth , with the Emancipation Proclamation , he freed the enslaved in Confederate held territory .
Fifth , he re-envisioned the American experiment .
With the Gettysburg Address , he dedicated America to fulfilling the proposition that all men are created .
Yes , that was in the Declaration of Independence , but it was not a reality .
Lincoln worked to make it real .
Sixth , he worked to ensure that slavery would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seventh , he passed the Homestead Act which aided the settlement of the West .
Eighth , he passed the Pacific Railroad Act and Morrill Land Act .
Ironically , it linked San Francisco to the rest of the continent .
Tenth , he renewed the annual tradition of Thanksgiving .
Eleventh , he was assassinated because of his leadership in abolishing slavery and seeking greater equality .
One must wonder what exactly the woke has sacrificed ?
Lincoln should be celebrated .
In fact , he should be celebrated more than he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hon .
Michael Warren is an Oakland County Michigan Circuit Court Judge , co-creator of Patriot Week ( www.PatriotWeek.org ) , author of America ’ s Survival Guide ( www.AmericasSurvivalGuide.com ) , and host of the Patriot Lessons : American History & Civics Podcast .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Music Spotlight: Lilly Winwood

Music Spotlight: Lilly Winwood

NASHVILLE , Tennesse- I am often sent songs to review to see if I want to feature the song ( s ) and/or artist in my column .
When I heard Lilly Winwood ’ s song “ Few More Records ” I knew this singer/songwriter was talented .
But surely this Nashville girl wasn ’ t related to the Brit rocker , Steve Winwood .
It turns out , surely , she is .
Lilly Winwood is the 25-year-old daughter of famed rock and roller , Steve Winwood .
Lilly Winwood chatted with me about her foray into the music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full-length album entitled , Time Well Spent due out January 29 .
Lilly Winwood was born in Nashville , Tennessee , to Eugenia Crafton , a native of Trenton , Tennessee , and Steve Winwood from Birmingham , England .
For her entire life , she has been back and forth between Nashville and her parent ’ s estate in Gloucestershire , England where she was primarily raised .
She has family in Nashville and spent summers and holidays in Music City .
Lilly Winwood was very young she started playing guitar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rock music , ” she said .
“ I was really into Guns ‘ n Roses and Aerosmith , groups you wouldn ’ t expect an eight-year-old girl to be into .
That ’ s what got me going on guitar.
” Her taste and influence eventually developed the Americana-Country sound she effortlessly performs today .
She got into songwriting early on but states there never was a definitive moment when she decided that music was the career she wanted to pursue .
She started showcasing the songs she wrote around London as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She wondered where it would take her and now , she is getting ready to release her 2nd studio album .
Lilly Winwood ’ s debut EP , Silver Stage , is a collection of narratives written over several months , and , much like her father ’ s work , offers an English take on traditional American Roots music .
The world may remember hearing Lilly Winwood ’ s melodic voice in 2016 alongside her dad ’ s in a special Hershey ’ s commercial which featured a stripped-down duet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the ad shows Scarlett , a young girl who goes on a journey to reconnect with her busy dad through their love of Hershey ’ s S ’ mores and Syrup .
Although Lilly Winwood is an avid songwriter , she does not participate much in Nashville ’ s famous writer ’ s rounds as she feels most comfortable writing alone .
This makes her upcoming record even more remarkable , as she penned the carefully crafted lyrics herself .
“ With my songs , I like to specifically focus on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , the music that goes with [ my lyrics ] definitely falls into that Americana genre , ” she explained .
Lilly Winwood also collaborated with Nashville based Americana artist Don Gallardo on his 7-track EP ‘ In the Name of Good Intentions ’ where Lilly Winwood ’ s vocals are featured on more than half of the songs .
Rolling Stone deemed Lilly Winwood and Gallardo ’ s “ Shine a Light on Me ” one of the ‘ Top 10 Best Country , Americana songs to hear now ’ in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the rock scene when she was younger , she quickly found out that she had a passion for writing lyrics .
She is not opposed to writing for others or getting a publishing deal if the right one was offered to her .
“ I think lyrics are something that should be shared , ” she exclaimed .
Her newest record , Time Well Spent is a collection of songs about travel and heartbreak , and coming-of-age .
The songs tie into each other and the album is a story in itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a lot more time and a lot more passion and growth .
You can hear a lot about past experiences in the new record.
” As she recalls past stories and episodes , the lyrics suggest a much older , more seasoned author who penned the songs .
Her innate story-telling ability is reminiscent of the imitable Merle Haggard but who was born in the 1990s instead of the 1930s .
Michelle Kennedy from The Country Note states that “ Few More Records ” from her upcoming album is “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes from rock steady to rock heavy , with plenty of piano and drum beats that ’ ll become an easy fan favorite.
” Even though releasing music during a pandemic has been tricky , Lilly Winwood stated she has had a really fortunate year .
“ I ’ ve been really lucky in some aspects , that it hasn ’ t been all that bad , ” she said .
The worse part for her is that the rest of her family has been in the UK for most of the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since she has seen them .
She has been a little bit homesick , but she says she is “ keeping positive and looking to the future and hopefully we can get out of this mess.
” You can preorder Time Well Spent here .
You can follow Lilly Winwood on Facebook , Twitter , YouTube , and Instagram .
Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer .
You can follow her blog , Instagram , Twitter , and YouTube .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Crom Carmichael Discusses Dictatorial Democrat Mandates, MSM Vaccine Euphoria, and COVID Death Rates

Live from Music Row Friday 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 dictatorial Democrat mandates , MSM vaccine enthusiasm , and a historical death rate perspective related to COVID .
Leahy : That ’ s Chuck Grassley from Iowa basically saying you know , all of these nominees that are very questionable at best that Joe Biden is throwing up there who aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Except they fit a particular identity .
We ’ ll just hold them to the same standard Democrats have held the Republicans too .
It sounds reasonable to me .
Carmichael : Well , that ’ s the assumption that we win that we went at least one seat in Georgia .
Because we have to hold Georgia to be able to hold them to that standard .
Because apparently if you don ’ t have bad standards , and if you ’ re a Democrat , you don ’ t have any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll have to see about that .
Michael , I want to talk about something else so that it ’ s just fascinating to me .
And that is that now all of a sudden this vaccine is like the greatest thing that ’ s ever happened .
The media all of a sudden… Leahy : They love it !
They love it and now they want to make it mandatory .
And it ’ s a fascinating thing because prior to the election the vaccine still wasn ’ t going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be because it was rushed it would be untested and therefore unsafe .
Carmichael : Now it ’ s on exactly the same schedule that it was on .
And now all of a sudden the same media personalities that were telling us how unsafe it is are now saying that it should be safe and we should be encouraged to take it .
But it should be mandatory .
And this gets back into the notion of a dictatorial Democrat Party .
The Democrat Party really does think that the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China is the way that they would like to .
Leahy : Yes .
Well , Thomas Friedman loves China .
Most Democrats want to run the United States the way the Chinese Communist Party runs China .
Carmichael : Yes .
But please understand this the Communist Chinese Party where the higher-ups do whatever they want to do .
We can see that with the Democrat Party .
Gavin Newsom , for example , there are now close to 20 governors or mayors who have emphatically said stay-at-home social distance don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done exactly the opposite in their own lives within a week .
Within a week !
And in some cases , while they were actually making the announcement they were breaking their own rules .
Leahy : The latest is the governor of Rhode Island .
He got caught doing it .
A Democrat .
Carmichael : Yes , they are all Democrats .
Republicans do not demand .
And so when people say well , yeah , but look at the Republicans .
Well , Republicans aren ’ t hypocrites because Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats .
But let me get to this COVID thing .
First of all , I have gone back and looked and I ’ ve pulled out the data .
And you and I talked about this maybe a week ago , but I pulled up MacroTrends.net which is a website that has death rates for countries around the world .
And it has charts of the American death rate .
Now , this is a little tiny bit technical , but it ’ s important .
Between 1930 and 1945 the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatively low .
I ’ m not saying with super low but relative to the period before and the period after .
I call that the baby dearth generation because it was during the Depression and the Second World War .
And the number of babies born was relatively small .
If you add 65 to 1945 you get 2010 .
And so that ’ s when the baby boom generation started to retire in 2010. the baby dearth generation started to retire 15 years earlier .
So you went through a period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped because the baby dearth generation was the population that was aging .
Leahy : There are fewer older people relatively .
Carmichael : Relatively .
Now , there are more older people and that will continue .
so our death rate is tracking the same death rate and the same trend , exactly the same trend since 2013 which is when it switched and you have a slightly higher death rate every year because the proportion of the population is older now .
Carmichael : Now , you would think that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big upward blip .
so far you don ’ t .
The trend is exactly the same .
Are there people who have died exclusively from COVID ?
And the answer to that is yes .
There certainly are some .
But there are people every year who die specifically from the flu or from pneumonia or from some other disease .
But the fascinating thing is that COVID is not showing a dramatic increase .
In fact , it ’ s showing no increase .
Leahy : In the overall death rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate .
Then you have people say well we need to use the vaccine to protect the most vulnerable .
Well , who are the most vulnerable ?
It would be people in nursing homes .
That would be by definition the most vulnerable and people who are in a similar condition , but not in a nursing home .
Well , the problem is is that the median stay in a nursing home is 10 months .
And this is just a fact of life .
People who are in a nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there specifically for some rehabilitation of something like if they ’ ve had a hip replacement .
If they ’ re there because they ’ re there health is deteriorating they are going to die within 10 months .
And they ’ re also very fragile anyway .
So the question is if you were to vaccinate the whole population of people who are fragile , how many people would you kill because their health is fragile to begin with ?
I mean , there ’ s some point where you probably don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it would it could kill them .
The desire to have the state crush people with their mandates is so overwhelming that we don ’ t even want to consider a different way of thinking .
Leahy : And we always want to have a different way of thinking at the Tennessee Star .
You have to be open-minded .
The Democrats not so much .
And the Biden ’ s .
Carmichael : You are being kind .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Supreme Court Rules Against Counting Illegal Immigrants for Congressional Redistricting

The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to President Donald Trump ’ s plan to not include illegal immigrants living in the U.S. in the count to determine congressional districts , Reuters reported Friday .
The court ruled 6-3 against a lawsuit attempting to block Trump ’ s plan to exclude illegal immigrants from the count , Reuters reported .
The ruling said “ judicial resolution of this dispute is premature ” because the Trump administration ’ s plans are unclear , Reuters reported .
“ At present , this case is riddled with contingencies and speculation that impede judicial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Reuters .
The court was not considering the merit of Trump ’ s plan to keep illegal immigrants from counting towards the total .
Challengers claimed the Trump administration ’ s plan would weaken the political representation of several Democratic states with a large number of undocumented immigrant residents , Reuters reported .
“ If the administration actually tries to implement this policy , we ’ ll sue .
Again .
And we ’ ll win , ” a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union Dale Ho said , Reuters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said how it will calculate the number of illegal immigrants it will exclude or which subsets of immigrants will be excluded , Reuters reported .
Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Commentary: Praying for Peace in a Biden-Influenced Middle East

As sane Americans reluctantly resign themselves to the approach of an unimaginable Joe Biden presidency , the unrelenting blitzkrieg of media Trump-hate is occasionally , but each week more frequently , punctured by glimmers of recognition of what the apparently outgoing president has achieved .
There seems to be a consensus , even embracing many Democrats , that President Trump has scored a significant success with the Abraham Accords in the Middle East .
This subject is a perfect illustration of the total failure of Barack Obama ’ s foreign policy , which Biden proudly embraces , and the corresponding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the exact opposite course .
President Obama inexplicably concluded that the best policy for the United States to pursue in the Middle East was to request that the principal countries simply change roles .
The ayatollahs in Tehran would magically become friends of the United States because the Peter Pan in the White House wished it so .
Israel , America ’ s principal friend in the region and one of the sturdiest allies in the world , could simply repair to the doghouse for obstinately insisting on its right to persevere as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nations originally , including the unanimous permanent founding members of the Security Council , as a Jewish state .
Some of the architects of this catastrophic policy , including the presumptive president-elect , are coming back , and unfortunately are not , as they should be , wearing bells on their heads like medieval lepers to warn the chancelleries of the world of their approach .
John Kerry , Antony Blinken , and Joe Biden himself all profess to believe in the Iranian nuclear arrangement , under which the United States deluged Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assets in reprisal against its illegal promotion of international terrorism , and the signatory powers ( the United States , Britain , France , China , Russia , and Germany ) granted Iran 10 years before it placed nuclear warheads on its intermediate and long-range missiles .
Trump withdrew from that agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran for its terrorist activities , and as a result Hezbollah in Lebanon , Hamas in Gaza , the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank , and the Houthi in Yemen have all been comparatively starved for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barbarous standards , they have been relatively well-behaved .
The Iran agreement now has only five years to run .
It is completely inadequately monitored by inspectors , and even some of the more vocal Trump-hating Biden cheerleaders are counseling the Democratic candidate to think twice about returning to that baneful agreement .
Even Tom Friedman of the New York Times , a former Middle East correspondent who once advised that the whole problem could be solved by giving all of the Palestinians laptop computers , and famously announced that the completely fictitious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was as great a violation of U.S. sovereignty as the attacks on Pearl Harbor and the World Trade Center and the Pentagon , has cautioned Biden about trying to revive that agreement .
The Obama-Biden policy incited Iran to encroach more aggressively upon the Arab world rather than to become more cooperative and conciliatory with the West .
The renewed threat to the Arabs of their ancient Persian foe , especially as the Iranians were partially in league with the Arabs ’ other enemies of many centuries , the Turks , naturally diluted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reciprocated the overtures of the Arab powers .
President Trump judged the direction of events correctly .
He and his son-in-law , Jared Kushner , have sponsored a particular rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia .
Trump saw that the pan-Arab support of the Palestinians had nothing to do with what the Arab powers really thought of the Palestinians , which is that , like the Jews and the Lebanese Christians , they are a commercially sharp and often irritating people .
Trump knew that the histrionic patronization by the Arab powers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Arab masses from the misgovernment most of them were receiving from their rulers , and he promoted the solidarity of the Arabs and the Israelis against the naked aggression of the Iranians and the Ottoman imperial pretensions of the Turks .
Bahrain , Morocco , and the United Arab Emirates have all exchanged embassies with Israel and it is clear that this is a process that will spread , if it is not suffocated by the stupidity of the returning Democrats in Washington and their reverence for insipid appeasement of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is probably some reason to hope that Biden will pause before jettisoning the policies that have advanced peace in the Middle East more effectively than anything since President Carter ’ s success at Camp David in 1978 .
Even though former defense secretary and CIA director Robert Gates , a bipartisan career foreign and security policy expert , mentioned without animosity in his memoirs that Joe Biden has been wrong on every major national security issue for 40 years , and even though Kerry and others are still raving about moving the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has never been anything but flexible , to a fault , on all policy matters .
He professes to be an ardent Roman Catholic , who wishes to require Roman Catholic institutions to pay for the abortions of its students and employees , having long opposed federal funding for abortions .
He was opposed to the mission to kill Osama bin Laden but was happy that he was killed .
He has never held any executive position , nor shown respect for any criterion for the resolution of public policy questions except raising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pollsters .
Biden has never been at the head of anything so it is impossible to be confident that he is not highly suggestible ; and the people he has announced to date who will be advising him are an infestation of those most redolent , as Biden himself is , with the many foreign policy failures of the Obama regime .
But if Tom Friedman is onside , then any invertebrate may grow a spine .
When Russian Prime Minister Ivan Goremykin was told in 1914 by Czar Nicholas II that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was time to pray , and that the preservation of the peace of Europe depended on his imperial cousin , German Emperor William II , the prime minister , a godly man , replied that if peace depended on Kaiser Wilhelm , then it was indeed time to pray .
Histrionics are uncalled for and Joe Biden is certainly a more benign statesman and psychologically well-balanced person than the last German emperor .
The American public , apparently , have confided the highest and most influential office within the gift of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden .
All the people of the world who believe in a divine intelligence , and especially the Americans among them , should spend an unprecedented amount of time and energy in fervent supplication until further notice .
Conrad Black has been one of Canada ’ s most prominent financiers for 40 years , and was one of the leading newspaper publishers in the world as owner of the British telegraph newspapers , the Fairfax newspapers in Australia , the Jerusalem Post , Chicago Sun-Times and scores of smaller newspapers in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Canada .
He is the author of authoritative biographies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Richard Nixon , one-volume histories of the United States and Canada , and most recently of Donald J. Trump : A President Like No Other .
He is a member of the British House of Lords as Lord Black of Crossharbour .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Steve Bannon Presents ‘War Room: Pandemic’

An all new LIVE STREAM of War Room : Pandemic starts at 9 a.m. Central Time on Saturday .
Former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon began the daily War Room : Pandemic radio show and podcast on January 25 , when news of the virus was just beginning to leak out of China around the Lunar New Year .
Bannon and co-hosts bring listeners exclusive analysis and breaking updates from top medical , public health , economic , national security , supply chain and geopolitical experts weekdays from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ET .
The show ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voice News , the John Fredericks Radio Network , Salem Media Group , and Newsmax TV and the podcast is available on Apple , Spotify , Stitcher , SoundCloud , and Google Play .
You can watch past episodes here .
Previously , Bannon hosted a series of three , two-hour long special programs entitled Descent into Hell : The Chinese People Confront the CCP .
The groundbreaking specials aired live on the John Fredericks Radio Network , America ’ s Voice Network , Dish TV Channel 219 , The Epoch Times , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mandarin .
For more information , visit www.pandemic.warroom.org and @ WarRoomPandemic .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Trump Tells McConnell, Fellow GOP Senators ‘Get Tougher’ and ‘Fight’ for Election Win


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--Peter Navarro Breaks Down His Findings on the 2020 Presidential Election Fraud

Live from Music Row Friday 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 American economist Peter Navarro to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , Navarro explained his recently released report called Immaculate Deception : Six Key Dimensions of Election Irregularities where he outlines these dimensions he observed in the key battleground state elections .
He also voiced his concerns about the blatant cover-up of fraud by the media and corporate entities coupled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the six states involved .
Leahy : Crom Carmichael in the studio with us .
And on the newsmaker line our good friend Peter Navarro .
Peter Navarro is an American economist and author who serves in the Trump Administration as the assistant to the president and as director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy and National Defense Production Act Policy Coordinator .
He has a new report that he ’ s issued as a private citizen Crom .
Carmichael : Michael , Peter has done a fabulous job .
Thank you .
Thank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done for this country Leahy : Peter joins us .
Welcome to The Tennessee Star Report , Peter .
Navarro : Hey , great to be with you guys .
Leahy : So you have a report that ’ s got evidence !
Evidence of voter fraud and irregularities .
Navarro : Yeah .
Let me give you a little bit of my background .
Before I joined there with the president back in 2016 I was a Harvard economist teaching at UC Irvine .
and I just do a lot of work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And on midnight November 3 President Trump had this what seemed like an insurmountable lead in four of the battlegrounds .
Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
We were looking really good in Nevada and Arizona as well .
And as you know the middle of the night his lead started evaporating .
And now we ’ re down to one of these like really narrow thin Biden margins .
And I thought it all curious .
And as all these allegations began coming out what I decided to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at what was going on .
And here ’ s basically what I ’ ve found .
First of all , there appears to be a coordinated Democrat Party strategy across these six battleground states .
Effectively stuff the ballot box primarily with mail-in and absentee ballots .
And at the same time to also add in some cases actually destroy Trump ballots .
So that ’ s like the big picture .
Now , how did they do that ?
There ’ s no silver bullet .
There ’ s no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
What there is are what I call six dimensions of election irregularities .
Yeah , there ’ s voter fraud but there are also other things that are going on .
Ballot mishandling .
You ’ ve got violations of the equal protection act .
You ’ ve got machine irregularities .
I lay it all out and report these six dimensions of election irregularities .
The other thing that ’ s really interesting is that all of these six states , Arizona , Georgia , Nevada , Michigan , Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of election irregularities .
It ’ s kind of like , I don ’ t know if your literature fans but Tolstoy and Anna Karenina said happy families are all alike , but unhappy families are unhappy in their own way .
And it ’ s the same with these states .
Like in Georgia , you ’ ve got this really funky thing going on with a consent decree that basically took away signature verification and basically no transparency of the ballots coming in .
And in Wisconsin you got this switch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who are like skiing up in the slopes of Aspen are treated as if they ’ re infirmed and can never leave their house .
And so here ’ s the punchline .
It ’ s like when you add up all of the questionable votes and possibly illegal votes and you compare them to the very thin margins of victory Biden had across these states .
There ’ s a compelling I think an overwhelming case that Donald J Trump probably won this election .
and what I ’ m afraid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t go through the exercise of fully investigating these six dimensions of election irregularities .
We ’ re going to wind up on inauguration day possibly inaugurating an illegal and illegitimate president .
And both the world and the people of this country are going to think that the greatest democracy in American world history can ’ t run a fair election .
Leahy : I think we agree with that assessment .
What do you recommend Peter Navarro as a solution for this very very significant problem with the ongoing operation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the first thing is I think we need a special prosecutor to investigate these dimensions .
I think if we ’ ve learned anything at the state level is that these folks are compromised and to afraid to do what needs to be done .
One of the things that really strikes me gentlemen is the fact that in five of these six states , which are effectively all Republicans controlling both chambers of the state legislature yet they failed to do anything at all to deal with this .
So it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the special prosecutor .
Let them do their thing and figure out what happened .
Number two .
There ’ s no way that the Georgia vote goes ahead on January 5 .
They need to postpone that till February and until they figure out what ’ s going on down there .
My read is that that place is like a cesspool of cheating and irregularities .
And by the way , ( Chuckles ) I ’ m sure you saw that videotape of and an empty room where there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the middle of the night pulling boxes of ballots out without any observers at all and running them through machines as fast as they could do it .
I mean that ’ s crazy stuff .
That ’ s just flat-out crazy stuff .
Carmichael : I have your report and it ’ s very very lengthy .
I love the way you ’ ve laid out the Matrix .
That ’ s just fabulous .
Very easy to follow .
But how do you stop the election in Georgia ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped .
Navarro : There is a court case .
I think Lin Wood has moved on that .
There ’ s another attorney named Mitchell .
But you have to intervene somehow at the federal level .
it ’ s like this .
What happened in Georgia was flat out against the law with that consent decree .
Plus I mean , again for your listeners I think it ’ s important for them to go to Bannon ’ s War Room and download the report and put it up on your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It works through six dimensions of these election irregularities and dimensions have anywhere from five to ten elements to it .
You take fraud , I mean fraud comes in many many guises .
It can be that guy in there who drove a tractor-trailer of ballots across state lines from New York to Pennsylvania that nobody seems to want to look for and nobody can find .
That ’ s what we call fake ballot Manufacturing .
in Nevada the stain of Nevada and the Democratic Party and how dare they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gift cards and cash to Indians on the reservation to vote for Biden .
Turnout was up dramatically and over 90 percent of these folks were voting for the cash .
That is for Biden .
Navarro : That ’ s a bribe .
That ’ s flat-out bribery .
That ’ s a felony people should be in jail .
And you know look , we either have a democracy with free and fair elections or we don ’ t .
And you know , what ?
Here ’ s what ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad enough that this election may have been stolen from the president .
There is this cover-up that ’ s going on .
It ’ s like self-censorship .
You ’ ve got that the anti-Trump media and they won ’ t even investigate and they won ’ t let their reporters even investigate .
they just deny , deny , deny .
And you ’ ve got corporate America basically working on behalf of that whole problem .
And the courts have let us down .
Leahy : I agree completely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
Carmichael : Wonderful work that you ’ ve done for all the years .
Thank you .
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--2020-12-19--Joe Biden Defends His Son, Who Is Under Federal Investigation, as ‘the Smartest Man I Know’

President-elect Joe Biden says he is “ not concerned ” about a federal investigation into his son , Hunter , and accused his opponents of weaponizing the probe for political points .
Biden said that Hunter , who has been involved in a string of high-profile personal and business controversies in recent years , as “ the smartest man I know.
” Hunter Biden announced last Wednesday that he is under investigation by the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Delaware over his “ tax affairs.
” A source familiar with the investigation told the Daily Caller News Foundation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden launched his presidential campaign .
The Associated Press reported that prosecutors subpoenaed Biden for his records with more than two dozen businesses , including companies in China and Ukraine .
Biden , who was interviewed by CBS ’ s Stephen Colbert , accused his political opponents of “ foul play ” by seizing on the investigation .
“ We have great confidence in our son .
I am not concerned about any accusations made against him .
It ’ s used to get to me , ” Biden said in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife Jill Biden at his side .
“ I think it ’ s kind of foul play , ” said Biden , adding , “ look , it is what it is.
” “ He ’ s a grown man .
He is the smartest man I know .
I mean , in a pure intellectual capacity .
And as long as he ’ s good , we ’ re good.
” The younger Biden has been involved in numerous controversies in recent years .
He was kicked out of the Navy in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an affair with his late brother ’ s wife , and was sued for paternity by former stripper Lunden Roberts in 2019 .
Biden was forced to take a DNA test as part of the lawsuit , which confirmed that he fathered a child with Roberts .
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-12-19--FDA Grants Moderna’s Coronavirus Vaccine Emergency Authorization

The FDA approved Moderna ’ s coronavirus vaccine for emergency use Friday , making the United States the first country to have approved two safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 .
Its approval follows a key FDA panel ’ s overwhelming vote Thursday to endorse the vaccine ’ s safety and efficacy .
The Moderna vaccine ’ s approval means that its distribution could begin within hours , providing hospitals and long-term care facilities across the country thousands of much-needed doses .
Moderna said that it was prepared to distribute nearly six million doses once its vaccine was given approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distributed by Pfizer last weekend .
The Moderna vaccine ’ s path to FDA emergency authorization mirrored that of Pfizer ’ s vaccine , which was granted emergency approval last Friday .
The same advisory panel voted to recommend Pfizer ’ s vaccine a day earlier , and the FDA released data reaffirming both vaccines ’ safety and effectiveness exactly a week apart .
Though the United States followed several allies in approving the Pfizer vaccine , it is the first country to approve Moderna ’ s vaccine .
Both are mRNA vaccines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases and completely effective in preventing severe cases .
Moderna released its Phase III trial results showing 95 % effectiveness on Nov. 16 , and applied for emergency use authorization two weeks later .
Pfizer released the results from its Phase III trials a week earlier , showing that its vaccine was over 90 % effective in combating the virus .
Both vaccines were developed and approved in fewer than 11 months , shattering every preexisting record relating to vaccine creation , authorization and distribution .
Pfizer ’ s authorization was granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rose for the third straight month after hitting a low point in late summer .
Sixty-three percent of Americans said that they were willing to receive a vaccine when given the opportunity , according to Gallup ’ s latest poll .
The two vaccines will be distributed as the United States faces the most challenging weeks of the pandemic to date .
The country has seen record cases , hospitalizations and deaths in recent days , and the virus has infected over 17.2 million Americans and killed over 311,000 , according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .