thetennesseestar--2020-11-17--Court Dismisses Felony Charges Against Lucas

The City of Portsmouth District Court dismissed the felony charges against Senator Louise Lucas ( D-Portsmouth ) and others charged with damaging the city ’ s Confederate monument in June , according to The Virginian-Pilot .
The Portsmouth Commonwealth ’ s Attorney ’ s office asked the court to dismiss the charges , arguing that by not intervening in the vandalism , officers “ either explicitly or implicitly misled [ the defendants ] to believe that such conduct was lawful.
” “ [ B ] ased on the fact that on-scene law-enforcement officers failed to intervene during the defacing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monument was defaced , it is likely that the charged individuals , understood the monument to be effectually abandoned by the City of Portsmouth , and thereby acted under the reasonable belief that city law enforcement officials had given their implicit endorsement to the same effect , ” the prosecutors wrote in the dismissal motion .
In June , a protest led to Portsmouth ’ s monument being damaged .
Part of it fell on protestor Chris Green , hospitalizing him for about three months , according to Green ’ s GoFundMe page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Green ’ s page said he may face years of recovery .
“ I know it ’ s been a while since I ’ ve posted the last update on Chris .
Chris is continuing his out patient therapies since graduating from the home health therapies .
Chris also had to undergo another surgery to have a piece of his skull put back which was removed to allow his brain to swell during the initial accident and he also recently suffered a seizure.
” After the protest , bodycam footage emerged of former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the monument discussing the ongoing protest .
Lucas and Greene disagreed over whether or not then-City Manager Lydia Pettis-Patton had authorized protesters to be inside a fence around the monument .
Greene ’ s bodycam footage shows protestors entering the fence .
“ They are inside now , spray-painting the monument , ” Greene said on a phone call recorded by her bodycam .
After the protest , Greene ’ s office asked for state authorities to investigate .
When they did not , and after the Portsmouth Commonwealth ’ s Attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warrants against Lucas and the others for “ conspiracy to commit a felony ” and “ felony injuring to a monument in excess of $ 1,000.
” The charges apparently surprised city officials and triggered a wave of terminations that culminated Monday morning with Greene also being fired , shortly before the court dismissed the Lucas case .
Virginia Democrats rejoiced on Monday .
“ JUSTICE IN PORTSMOUTH .
Our hero Louise Lucas and her fellow proud Portsmouth citizens deserve our admiration .
Grateful this despicable political persecution is over , ” former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a Monday tweet .
Republicans have consistently criticized Lucas .
In August , former Senator Bill Carrico ( R-Grayson ) told The Virginia Star , “ [ Lucas ] had to know that going down there and letting people deface the monument and stirring up the crowd and not letting the law enforcement officers do their job had to be something that she couldn ’ t do , ” Carrico said .
“ We ’ ve got to hold even lawmakers accountable for things like that .
That is anarchy in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Star , “ With all the video footage and the structure of the law the way it is , I can ’ t imagine that there was not some kind of agreement that had to be reached in some way , shape , or form for [ Lucas ] not to be found guilty of that.
” Carrico added , “ I don ’ t know the political atmosphere that transpired with the case , but it ’ s obvious from the video footage that they had that she was out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do this and that ’ s illegal in Virginia.
” Lucas ’ lawyer did not respond to a request for comment Monday .
Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--‘DNA-Level’ Statistical Proof: ‘Smartmatic’ Vote-Counting System Was Manipulated in Pennsylvania and

‘DNA-Level’ Statistical Proof: ‘Smartmatic’ Vote-Counting System Was Manipulated in Pennsylvania and Georgia to Overturn Trump’s Victory

The charts below are derived from The New York Times ' real-time election feeds ( e.g.
, here ) .
They show `` DNA-level '' evidence of vote fraud that was systematically used to overcome massive Trump leads with `` vote flips '' to Biden .
The twin charts below depict the shifts in votes starting on election day .
The X-axis is the date/time and the Y-axis represents the change in votes ( positive values denote shifts for Trump , negative values represent shifts for Biden , in hundreds ) .
Notice the similarities in PA and GA ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ show virtually no movement for Trump ; and very predictable vote movements to Biden .
How predictable ?
You have to see the data to really understand the magnitude of the scam .
Below are excerpts of spreadsheets that show what was happening on the right side of each chart .
Vote flips in the same-sized bundles ( 6,000 in PA and 4,800 in GA ) were injected into the system to overcome Trump 's lead in both states .
You can click either image above to see all of the data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts -- stunningly obvious in retrospect -- were manipulated to benefit Biden .
Note the vote flips , represented by the highlighted cells , that occurred in both PA and GA .
In PA , late vote flips in bundles of around 6,000 were clear anomalies to slowly overcome Trump 's lead .
In GA , the bundles were in 4,800 vote swaps .
Again , these are just excerpts .
You can see the workbooks for yourself here : just click for Pennsylvania and Georgia .
Scroll down until you start hitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : this is what we call DNA-level statistical proof of fraud .
And there 's a lot more where this came from .
These are just the excerpts .
p.s.
, can someone who knows Sidney Powell or Joe DiGenova get this info to them ?

The charts below are derived from The New York Times' real-time election feeds (e.g., here). They show "DNA-level" evidence of vote fraud that was systematically used to overcome massive Trump leads with "vote flips" to Biden.
The twin charts below depict the shifts in votes starting on election day. The X-axis is the date/time and the Y-axis represents the change in votes (positive values denote shifts for Trump, negative values represent shifts for Biden, in hundreds).
Notice the similarities in PA and GA? How the right sides of the graph show virtually no movement for Trump; and very predictable vote movements to Biden. How predictable?
You have to see the data to really understand the magnitude of the scam .
Below are excerpts of spreadsheets that show what was happening on the right side of each chart. Vote flips in the same-sized bundles (6,000 in PA and 4,800 in GA) were injected into the system to overcome Trump's lead in both states. You can click either image above to see all of the data.
The highlighted cells show where the vote counts -- stunningly obvious in retrospect -- were manipulated to benefit Biden.
Note the vote flips, represented by the highlighted cells, that occurred in both PA and GA. In PA, late vote flips in bundles of around 6,000 were clear anomalies to slowly overcome Trump's lead. In GA, the bundles were in 4,800 vote swaps.
Again, these are just excerpts. You can see the workbooks for yourself here: just click for Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Scroll down until you start hitting the highlighted cells.
Sorry, Democrats: this is what we call DNA-level statistical proof of fraud.
And there's a lot more where this came from. These are just the excerpts.
p.s., can someone who knows Sidney Powell or Joe DiGenova get this info to them?
Hat tip: BadBlue Uncensored News.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Pfizer Chooses Tennessee as One of Four States for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Pilot Program

Tennessee is one of four states chosen by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to help refine plans for the delivery and deployment of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine if it receives approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , Pfizer announced Tuesday .
The pilot program will help support states ’ planning , deployment and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine and adapt findings for use in other states to support vaccine distribution .
Tennessee released its COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan last month .
“ One of the most important aspects of our response is building a dependable infrastructure to distribute the approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our state , ” Gov .
Bill Lee told said Tuesday during a news conference .
“ Pfizer selected our state because of our plan , because of our ability to build out a strong infrastructure , and we ’ re thankful for that partnership and what it means to Tennessee.
” Moderna and Pfizer – drug makers that are working to develop , test and seek FDA approval for a COVID-19 vaccine – recently announced their vaccines are effective at a rate of more than 90 percent in clinical trials .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published , the companies both report effectiveness in excess of 90 % .
If this indeed is accurate , this far exceeds what we had initially expected , and is an incredibly encouraging advancement towards widespread herd immunity , ” Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said .
Piercey said Pfizer and Moderna likely will submit efficacy data to the FDA within the next month .
Once the FDA has the information it needs , it likely will take several days to a few weeks to make a decision on whether to approve the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the FDA , it could be distributed to Tennessee in as little as 24 hours .
Pfizer selected Tennessee , Rhode Island , Texas and New Mexico for the pilot program because of their differences in size , diversity of populations , immunization infrastructure and the states ’ need to reach people in urban and rural settings , the company said .
Tennessee will not receive the COVID-19 vaccine doses earlier than other states because of the program .
“ This pilot program and our collaboration with U.S. and state officials will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the near future , subject to authorization or approval , as we work to address this urgent public health need , ” said Angela Hwang , group president of Pfizer Biopharmaceuticals Group .
“ We are hopeful that results from this vaccine delivery pilot will serve as the model for other U.S. states and international governments.
” Tuesday ’ s announcement came as the Tennessee Department of Health has reported record-high numbers of new COVID-19 cases , along with increased test positivity rates .
Piercey encouraged Tennesseans with or without COVID-19 symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ availability of testing , the recent high positivity rates really worried us because they tell us people aren ’ t getting tested .
They ’ re either not getting tested because they choose not to or because they ’ re not showing symptoms , ” Piercey said .
“ Please hear me clearly , ” she said .
“ We can not control the spread of this virus if we don ’ t know who has it.
” Vivian Jones reports on Tennessee and South Carolina for The Center Square .
Her writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Hill , and publications of The Heartland Institute .
Photo “ Pfizer Vaccine Development ” by Pfizer .

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--2020-11-18--Commentary: The Battle Is Far from Over

Commentary: The Battle Is Far from Over

The tense and critical period of recounting and challenging the presidential election results in several states has brought to a climax the great struggle between the Trump phenomenon and the different constituent elements of the post-Reagan bipartisan political establishment .
As it stands now , fewer than 40,000 votes switched from the Democratic nominee Joe Biden to Donald Trump in Pennsylvania , Georgia , and Arizona would give Trump the election 279 electoral votes to Biden ’ s 259 .
If Biden retained Pennsylvania , and only 25,000 votes shifted from Biden to Trump in Arizona , Georgia , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied 269 each , and Trump would be reelected by the House of Representatives where each state delegation casts a single vote ; Alaska ’ s congressman has equal weight to California ’ s 53 .
The Senate , in that scenario , elects the vice president , and the Republican majority would reelect Vice President Mike Pence .
In 2016 , if about 40,000 votes had switched from Trump to Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania , Michigan , and Wisconsin , she would have won .
On the other hand , even with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Nevada and New Hampshire had moved from Clinton to Trump he would still have won with 270 electoral votes to Clinton ’ s 268 .
There have been endless references over the oast two weeks to the decision of the 2000 presidential election by only 537 votes in the state of Florida in favor of George W. Bush over Al Gore .
In 1960 , John F. Kennedy won Illinois by 9,000 votes out of 4.76 million cast , won Missouri also by 9,000 votes out of nearly 2 million cast in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plurality in Nevada and New Mexico of only 5,000 votes out of 420,000 votes counted .
If only 12,000 well-placed votes in those four states had switched from Kennedy to Richard Nixon , Nixon would have been elected .
There have been many American presidential elections that have been desperately close , including 1848 ( Zachary Taylor ) , 1876 ( Rutherford Hayes ) , 1880 ( James A. Garfield ) , and 1916 ( Woodrow Wilson ) .
There is nothing uncommon about them nor anything wrong with them .
But this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judicial reviews and recounts are known , has three unique aspects .
First , the substantial evidence of vote-tampering vastly exceeds , in quantity and prima facie evidence , anything that has been seen before in a U.S. election .
This is evidently the result of legislative responses to the COVID-19 pandemic , in particular the practice in a number of states of a general mailing of ballots , unsolicited , to the entire list of registered voters .
We ’ ve heard comment ad nauseam about the almost unlimited possibility of abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relaxation of voter accuracy verification standards , suspension of genuine oversight capacity in vote counting , concentration of suspect voting patterns in swing states governed by Democrats , early suspension of vote counting followed by miraculous “ drops ” of large and uneven quantities of votes in the dead of night , and a farrago of other manipulative measures .
The most controversial of these in the last week was unsuccessful Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacy Abrams ’ apparently successful opposition to a reliable ballot verification procedure .
Everyone knows there are hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and yet the Trump-hating media are raging at the president for being a poor sport .
Compare this to Hillary Clinton four years ago , a woman who could not bring herself to make a public statement on Election Night and has spent a large part of every day since complaining that Trump stole the election in tandem with the Russian government and with the unwitting assistance of James Comey .
The civilized anti-Trumpers , since the president is only asking that all legal votes be counted and no illegal ones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restating that hard evidence has yet to be found .
It can only be found by an intensive examination of the ballots , so that criticism amounts to nonsense .
The second unique aspect of this critical tipping point is that it is not just between two candidates of the traditional principal political parties struggling for mastery of the same system .
It is the post-Reagan bipartisan political class conducting a supreme effort to protect their position from the Trump onslaught .
Trump shocked them by winning four years ago and he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against fierce resistance , while his enemies have never ceased for one day to try to reverse the results of the last election , undermine his ability to govern , and prepare and wage a fanatical , no-holds-barred , volcanic mudslinging operation against him .
From the initial confection of the phony Trump-Russia allegations through a fatuous impeachment procedure , to the representation of the COVID-19 crisis response as an act of attempted genocide even if by negligence on the part of the president , it has been total war , take-no-prisoners , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media have almost unanimously made the Democratic campaign while the enervated and unprepossessing nominee , Joe Biden , has invoked the pandemic to stay almost completely out of sight .
Meanwhile the anti-Trump coalition includes the urban guerrillas and hooligans who rioted all summer in Democratic governed states and cities across the country and were never mentioned at the Democratic national convention .
It also included the great rich of Wall Street and Silicon Valley who , for a variety of cultural and economic reasons , disapprove of Trump ’ s arousing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have pilloried Trump as both an aspiring Hitler ( most recently CNN ’ s Christiane , Amanpour ) and a demiurge of buffoonery .
( This is incongruous : whatever else he was , Hitler was not a buffoon . )
Nothing unites this vast anti-Trump coalition except its dislike of Trump and the Democratic campaign offered no coherent program for the election , as Biden ’ s position , expressed in the first debate , is that since his nomination , the party ’ s program is what he says it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Senator Bernie Sanders agreed it would be .
It is a fragile coalition facing an immense monolith of Trump voters .
The Trump campaign to overthrow the political establishment may have stalled , but even if it is narrowly evicted from the White House , and even if the election result is not evidently based on fraudulent dumps of invalid ballots , Trump is not going away .
His following is unlikely to defect to anyone else , and so non-galvanizing a leader as Biden at the head of so fissiparous a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Trump voters or their formidable convener-in-chief from continuing the battle after no more of a hiatus than Trump ’ s enemies gave him four years ago .
The Democrats are unlikely to retain their now very tenuous control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections , and it would be the most astonishingly pleasant surprise in the history of American elections if a Biden Administration turned out to be competent and widely supported .
They will not win again with a referendum on whether the country likes Trump .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump could be an unprecedentedly effective chief of the opposition .
This would be true especially if he made a serious effort to eliminate those personality traits that are so irritating to so many people and which probably account for at least 10 percent of the votes cast for Biden in the late election .
This epic contest between Donald Trump and the political establishment is far from over .
Conrad Black has been one of Canada ’ s most prominent financiers for 40 years , and was one of the leading newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the British telegraph newspapers , the Fairfax newspapers in Australia , the Jerusalem Post , Chicago Sun-Times and scores of smaller newspapers in the U.S. , and most of the daily newspapers 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--2020-11-18--Music Spotlight: Cole Bradley

Music Spotlight: Cole Bradley

NASHVILLE , Tennessee – Country singer and songwriter , Cole Bradley , is a rising star in the North American music scene .
Even though his parents weren ’ t musical , Bradley ’ s grandparents were and he started singing at age five .
One of his first memories was singing along to Garth Brooks in the back of his Mom ’ s Toyota .
By age ten he learned the guitar and started writing songs .
He fell in love with country music , specifically Garth Brooks and Kenny Chesney .
When he was 14 , he recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Calgary , Alberta , Canada .
He was able to record the songs he had written .
As an older teen , he started taking country music seriously , even taking trips to Nashville and L.A. to write and record songs .
He put out his first record right before he moved to Nashville in 2016 to attend Belmont University .
Oddly , Bradley was not a music major at Belmont .
But he was able to take a songwriting class from James Elliot and the renowned Pat Alger while attending Belmont .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ written over 300 songs .
His goal is to get a publishing deal , but it needs to be the right one .
However , signing any deals during a pandemic is a rare thing .
“ In the last six months , during COVID , I ’ ve become a better songwriter , ” he explained .
“ Learning from a guy like Pat Alger , he helped me hone my craft lyrically .
Even though COVID has been tough on a lot of people , I look at it as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is famous for it ’ s co-writing sessions , but since the pandemic , Bradley has found himself writing alone more often than not .
“ It has its pros and cons , ” he stated .
“ I like writing by myself , but it also means you have to be a harsher critic .
At the same time , with co-writing , you can say a phrase or a melody and they can twist it and turn it in a way that you would never think of .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Love Made Me ” was released earlier this year .
The song will be featured on his upcoming EP , due next year .
The end-of-summer track is upbeat with a universal message ; a song that is relatable to anyone who has fallen in love with someone .
“ As an artist , it is important for me that people connect and relate to my songs , ” says Bradley .
He recently released the 2nd single off the upcoming EP , “ Jean Jacket ” , and hopes to shoot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course of the breakup song , the only thing he wants is his favorite jean jacket back .
Even though Bradley has had the privilege of working with world-class producers and writers in Canada , Nashville , and Los Angeles and has opened for various country music entertainers including Thomas Rhett , High Valley , LANCO , and Brett Kissel , touring for the rest of 2020 is not an option .
And , like everyone else in the entertainment industry , he has high hopes for 2021 .
You can follow Cole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ | YouTube .
Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer .
You can follow her blog , Instagram , Twitter , and YouTube .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--More Americans Willing to Take Coronavirus Vaccine After Promising Announcements, Poll Shows

More Americans said that they would receive a coronavirus vaccine when available than they did a month ago , according to a new Gallup poll released Tuesday .
Fifty-eight percent of Americans indicated their willingness to take a vaccine in the poll , which surveyed Americans in late October .
That number is up eight percent from Gallup ’ s previous September poll .
Americans ’ rising trust in a coming vaccine follows announcements from multiple pharmaceutical companies touting their respective vaccine ’ s efficacy in fighting the coronavirus .
Moderna announced Monday that preliminary data showed its vaccine to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pfizer announced a week earlier that its vaccine was over 90 % effective .
Sixty-nine percent of Democrats said that they would get a vaccine , according to Gallup ’ s poll , up from 53 % a month earlier .
Forty-nine percent of Republicans said the same , which was unchanged from Gallup ’ s September poll as well .
Moderna said in its press release that it expects to have 20 million vaccine doses ready by the year ’ s end , enough to fully vaccinate 10 million Americans .
Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of millions of doses throughout 2021 .
Both companies partnered with Operation Warp Speed , the federal government ’ s plan to manufacture and distribute a vaccine nationwide for free , though Pfizer developed its vaccine without federal aid .
Andrew Trunsky is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--RNC Monitor Catches Election Worker in Georgia Switching Trump Votes to Biden

An RNC monitor who was observing the ballot recount in Georgia said an auditor was caught changing votes from Trump to Biden three times in three minutes .
“ Now , that ’ s just while I ’ m standing there .
So does the second checker catch it every time ?
” Hale Soucie , the monitor asked a Project Veritas undercover reporter .
Project Veritas founder James O ’ Keefe sent a team of undercover journalists to the Georgia recount to record any suspicious activity .
It wasn ’ t long before one of his “ insiders ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This lady , three times in three minutes—from 2:09 to 2:12—she got three wrong , ” Soucie told the Veritas reporter .
“ Does it get corrected the next time ?
” he fretted .
As usual , the “ mistakes ” all went one way .
Soucie said he had to leave that table to observe election workers at the next who were also behaving suspiciously .
He said a counter was handing an auditor a ballot , and then the auditor accepted the vote for Biden without even bothering to check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even looking at it , she ’ s putting it in , ” Soucie said .
“ That person is supposed to be auditing it , ” he explained .
Soucie said he reported the problem to the Cobb County election officials who told him they ’ d talk to the auditors .
After that , the auditor “ got all cutesy , ” Soucie noted , sarcastically putting the ballot up close to her face to examine the ballots when she knew he was watching .
He said when he started walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
“ That ’ s when things started getting real shady—like really tense and crap , ” Soucie told the Veritas reporter .
He said that no matter where he was standing in the room , she and a couple of others would call their bosses and point at him .
“ I haven ’ t touched anybody , haven ’ t talk to anybody , ” the RNC monitor said defensively .
“ all I ’ m doing is writing down and observing and telling what happened.
” Soucie said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the auditor and pointing at him .
Then , while he was taking a stroll around the room , he said he heard the hostile auditor railing against him .
“ I ’ m paid by the taxpayer and this f—king asshole is coming out and watching me , ” she allegedly complained .
Soucie later explained why the situation concerned him .
If votes aren ’ t being counted correctly and the auditors aren ’ t bothering to check those ballots , then “ stuff could be sliding through , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unhappy with how Georgia election officials are handling the recount .
Jenny Beth Martin , co-founder of the Tea Patriots , complained on Friday that the state was not allowing enough monitors to observe the process , and slammed it as “ a fake recount.
” “ Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is doing a tremendous disservice to the people of Georgia by conducting what can only be described as a ‘ fraudit ’ which fails to provide a complete examination of the election system , the voter rolls , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning said in a statement .
Last week , Rep. Doug Collins ( R-Georgia ) , who ’ s leading Team Trump ’ s election integrity efforts in the state , and Georgia GOP Chairman David Shafer sent an itemized list their concerns in a letter to Sec .
of State Brad Raffensperger .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Joe Biden’s Transition Officials Received Intelligence on Michael Flynn Before Donald Trump Took Off

Joe Biden’s Transition Officials Received Intelligence on Michael Flynn Before Donald Trump Took Office

At least five former government officials who are either on President-elect Joe Biden ’ s transition team or reportedly in contention for a position in his cabinet were involved to varying degrees in handling intelligence related to former national security adviser Michael Flynn , a Daily Caller News Foundation review has found .
Two potential cabinet picks — Sarah Bloom Raskin and Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall — and a Biden transition team official — Stephanie L. O ’ Sullivan — submitted so-called unmasking requests for intelligence about Flynn weeks before the start of the Trump administration , according to a document declassified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times , Raskin is under consideration to serve as secretary of the Treasury Department , while Sherwood-Randall is on the shortlist to lead the Energy Department .
O ’ Sullivan , who was the principal deputy director of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence ( ODNI ) , is currently the Biden transition team ’ s lead liaison to the intelligence community .
Susan Rice , who was Flynn ’ s predecessor as a national security adviser , was also involved in White House discussions about the FBI ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an email to herself just before leaving office on Jan. 20 , 2017 regarding an Oval Office meeting two weeks earlier in which then-FBI Director James Comey discussed Flynn ’ s calls with Kislyak .
Rice , who is reportedly under consideration to serve as Biden ’ s secretary of state , wrote in the email to herself that Biden was in the meeting where Flynn was discussed .
Another member of the intelligence community team is Bob Litt , the former general counsel for ODNI .
According to FBI documents , Litt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether Flynn had violated an obscure law called the Logan Act during conversations the retired Army general had on Dec. 29 , 2016 with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak .
James Clapper , who was director of ODNI under President Obama , testified to the House Intelligence Committee in 2017 that Litt was the official who first informed him of Flynn ’ s calls with Kislyak .
Republicans have expressed deep skepticism of the Obama-era intelligence community , citing what they claim are unwarranted investigations of Flynn and other Trump associates .
The Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI for misleading a federal court in order to obtain authorization to surveil former Trump campaign aide Carter Page .
The IG also said in a report last year that the FBI used an agent in August 2016 to collect evidence in a briefing with then-candidate Donald Trump and Flynn during a briefing about foreign intelligence threats .
To support their theory of Obama-era misdeeds , Republicans have seized on Obama administration officials ’ requests to unmask Flynn in dozens of intelligence reports in December 2016 and January 2017 .
Submitting unmasking requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
U.S. officials routinely submit them when they want to understand the full context of intelligence reports they receive from the National Security Agency .
But Republicans have questioned whether officials intentionally sought intelligence reports knowing that Flynn was named in them .
They have also pressed for investigations into leaks of classified information regarding Flynn .
Attorney General William Barr tapped a U.S. attorney in Texas earlier this year to investigate the unmasking requests .
The prosecutor reportedly concluded the inquiry without finding any criminal wrongdoing .
Biden himself submitted a so-called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for an intelligence report that discussed Flynn , according to the document declassified earlier this year .
Raskin , who served as deputy secretary of Treasury , submitted a request on Dec. 14 , 2016 .
Sherwood-Randall submitted a request on Dec. 15 , 2016 as deputy secretary of the Department of Energy .
O ’ Sullivan , the former ODNI official , submitted her request on Jan. 7 , 2017 .
It is not clear what information about Flynn was in the reports , or why Biden and the three other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Flynn ’ s supporters have also accused Obama officials of using the Logan Act , which has never been prosecuted in U.S. history , to justify continuing an investigation of Flynn .
FBI investigators planned as of Jan. 4 , 2017 to shut down a counterintelligence investigation of Flynn , but bureau officials intervened at the last minute to keep the probe open , citing a possible Logan Act violation .
The Biden transition team did not respond to a request for comment .
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DOJ Building ” by Tony Webster .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Congressman Austin Scott Explains Georgia’s Flawed Absentee Ballot System

According to Congressman Austin Scott ( R-GA-08 ) , Georgia ’ s absentee ballot system has compromised election integrity .
In an interview with The Star , Scott explained that Georgia couldn ’ t sustain election integrity with these sudden , vast expansions of absentee ballot voting .
Especially since those ballots don ’ t require photo identification .
“ Absentee ballots are built around 5 percent in the state of Georgia , historically , and now you ’ re looking at around 27 percent of the election , ” stated Scott .
“ You can ’ t have 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by no identification.
” Without photo identification , poll workers must compare the signatures on the ballot request , the ballot itself , and the one on file with the voter registration system .
The current hand recount doesn ’ t undertake signature matching .
In order to protect voter privacy , the ballots were separated permanently from their sleeve – rendering it impossible to put them together again .
The number of absentee ballots returned in the state increased from around 200,000 to over 1 million .
Acceptance rates have increased by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The John Fredericks Show , Scott predicted that the current issues with absentee ballots in Georgia will spill over into the general election runoff : There ’ s simply gaps in the integrity of the ballot system in Georgia .
That leads us to the U.S. Senate race [ with ] our two candidates Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue .
If the Democrats are able to run the same absentee ballot game or system or harvesting that they did in November , we ’ re concerned our candidates are going to start out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To The Star , the congressman added that government officials who expanded absentee ballot voting – such as California Governor Gavin Newsom – were jeopardizing democracy .
If you look at what the Governor of California did , where he did the mass mailing of absentee ballots and the courts said , ‘ You violated the law , you didn ’ t have the authority to do that ’ – certainly that is impacting congressional races .
We ’ re not going to win the state of California , but we can win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t win congressional seats if they don ’ t play by the rules .
When The Star asked Scott whether he believed the electronic voting systems posed enough of a problem to warrant alternative voting methods , the congressman stated that the window of time is too small for changes .
“ I don ’ t think we have a choice between now and the 5th [ of January ] .
I think we ’ ll have to work with the system that we have – we ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we just have to get out there and vote , ” he said .
Georgians have until December 7th to register for the senatorial election runoff ; early in-person voting begins December 14th .
State and local race runoffs occur December 1st .
The senatorial election runoff will occur January 5th .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Trump Legal Team Zeroes in on Expulsion of Election Observers, Data Irregularities

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thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--General Thomas McInerney Outlines New Evidence Alleging Nationwide Ballot Tampering to Prevent Trump

General Thomas McInerney Outlines New Evidence Alleging Nationwide Ballot Tampering to Prevent Trump Landslide

Live from Virginia Tuesday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond , WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia , WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 ( 7-9 PM ) Hampton Roads , WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed General Thomas McInerney to the show .
During the program , McInerney outlined new evidence showing that Hammer and Scorecard computer software developed by the CIA in 2003 was used in a coordinated effort to stop a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He added that these offenses would hold treasonous and would require major prison time of those involved and found guilty .
Fredericks : General Tom McInerney .
General , you ’ ve been following all the stuff .
I ’ m in Atlanta , Georgia .
I can not believe what I ’ m seeing every day here it gets crazier with what is going on .
What about these machines ?
What about these Dominion machines that we ’ re now understanding that votes got switched out ?
They can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t online .
They are online .
In Georgia , they did a software update like three days out .
How do you even do that ?
What is going on with all these machines ?
McInerney : Yes .
There are 29 or 30 states that have it , John .
And the fact is through corruption and a whole host of other means they have changed the code on this so that Biden comes out the winner .
I wasn ’ t directly involved or looking into this .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hammer and Scorecard which was a signals intelligence developed by the CIA back in 2003 that they have perverted , they being the Democratic Party .
Obama , Biden , John Brennan , and Jim Clapper and converted into changing votes as well .
It was designed to change votes in foreign countries .
The application is called Scorecard .
Now , this is so widespread and there ’ s so much evidence that the Trump administration has gotten this matter of fact , they put out an executive order in 2018 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2018 .
And I believe in the next day or two they ’ re going to present this data to the Supreme Court because as evidence by Judge Sullivan and what he ’ s done to Sidney Powell and General Flynn we have a corrupted legal system , judiciary .
Parts of it .
And so I believe that because it ’ s so widespread I was originally thinking we can prove through Hammer and Scorecard what states the overcount that they put on Biden .
I think that perhaps President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been lucky to get 70 .
In any case , the fact is that this evidence is so clear as Sidney Powell is talking about and Rudy Giuliani that it ’ s going to go to the Supreme Court because you don ’ t have time .
The 14th of December is a constitutional date as I recall .
And you don ’ t have time to go in and prove it in each state .
I believe some in the Supreme Court have been read in on it and have approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that for sure .
That ’ s a calculated assumption .
I do believe though when the evidence is presented to them that it has to be a nine-nothing because it is so obvious what was done by Biden and the Democrats .
And it ’ s so corrupt in our history .
Nothing like it has ever happened in our history .
Fredericks : General McInerney , so what would the evidence be ?
Like , what are you suggesting ?
That votes were changed ?
Like they voted for Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what you are suggesting ?
McInerney : Yes .
I ’ m suggesting that .
And Hammer and Scorecard .
You change the numbers and numbers come into what they call the transfer points from the polling booths .
They come to the transfer points and say it ’ s 100,000 and say the vote is 60,000 for Trump and 30,000 or 40,000 Biden , it is then swapped .
They swap those numbers around .
They ’ re not working names on the ballot you are just working total numbers that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the night of the third , early morning of the fourth of November some states quit sending in their votes .
It ’ s 0:400 hours in Michigan for instance and 138,000 votes showed up for Biden .
So they ’ ve manipulated through cyber warfare the vote count .
And it ’ s never happened in the United States before .
They ’ ve had certain things happen and it was used in the primaries .
That ’ s how Biden won in South Carolina .
You know they like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was really that they manipulated using Hammer and Scorecard in that boat and took the votes from Bernie and did it for the follow-on states .
I mean Biden ever scored higher than third or fourth as I recall on the previous ballots till he got South Carolina .
So they just changed the total numbers .
And people don ’ t go back and check where they go manually .
Now they also took the voting machines that Dominion produces and they have a much greater in-depth knowledge of what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have told them all about this .
And that ’ s why it ’ s got to go to the Supreme Court because 30 states were involved with these voting machines .
Fredericks : So general do you really think there ’ s going to be evidence that is clear evidence that these votes were manipulated ?
Because you to think of I mean one of the reasons people are skeptical of this line of reasoning is so many people would have to be involved in this right ?
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in somebody ’ s basement .
I mean so many people would have to be involved in it and face jail time .
Fredericks : Extended prison time .
So the thought is , you know , they could never coordinate this on a massive scale .
How do you explain that ?
McInerney : I believe the evidence is going to be concrete .
It is really so evident .
I believe that they also probably got up there already to do signals intelligence .
In other words , listen to those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they were saying cleared through probably by the Supreme Court because again , the judicial system has politicized itself .
Again , I go back to Judge Sullivan and how ridiculous his efforts against General Flynn and Sidney Powell are .
I don ’ t know this .
This is speculation .
But I think that they probably have signals intelligence of conversations .
For instance , President Obama talking to Biden or Biden talking to other people .
Or people down the line who were involved with this so I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t believe it ’ ll be another recount .
These are treasonous activities if what I ’ m telling you , John is correct .
Would you not agree ?
Fredericks : One thing that bothered me , general , one thing that really bothered me that I ’ ve never got an explanation from is when we were looking at the counts and I didn ’ t look at , you know , every state obviously .
We were looking at Florida and North Carolina .
But when I also had Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chairman of the Trump campaign so I had a vested interest .
So when a count update came in , Trump ’ s number went down .
And I ’ m thinking to myself , how could a number go down by what ?
1,500 votes ?
I ’ m like how could a number go down .
Of course , when I inquired , you know , somebody third-party told me well , they just , you know it was a manual input .
But it ’ s not manually inputted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the machine or something .
But apparently , there were other states where Trump ’ s votes went down and where these were all just manual input mistakes ?
Because I ’ ve been covering this forever general .
I ’ ve never seen across multiple states where somebody ’ s number goes down .
It ’ s always up .
McInerney : You are spot on .
That ’ s called crowdsourcing .
People are making these inputs .
They happened to see that numbers never go down .
Why would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go up but numbers don ’ t go down .
So that ’ s where some of the flaws were because they were overwhelmed with the number of votes that President Trump was getting .
It overwhelmed their system .
So the real people that are gurus and on the analytics like this , they ’ d go back in and they ’ d look at all those time frames that ’ s what they ’ ll see .
And that ’ s the evidence that we ’ ll be presenting .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s why I think the president was aware of what was going to happen .
I announced it the day before because I didn ’ t find out until two weeks ago this Sunday .
And I went on Steve Bannon ’ s show on Monday .
Sidney was on there as a co-anchor and said this is what ’ s going to happen by using cyber warfare with Hammer and Scorecard programs that were designed by the CIA to go against the enemy .
This is what they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change the vote counts .
President Trump won overwhelmingly .
Now when he came out yesterday and the day before and said I won , I think he now has the evidence .
We ’ ve been waiting to gather it .
That ’ s why you haven ’ t heard a lot .
They ’ ve been gathering all this evidence .
And I ’ m involved with some people that are providing this evidence and that ’ s how I got the understanding of what happened .
But I never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it has .
But when you look at the path that they have taken at the very start of coming down the escalator at Trump Tower the disinformation and then the Russian hoax and then the impeachment and now this , it all fits into the pattern of behavior .
Why weren ’ t the votes below Biden , why wasn ’ t it a landslide against Republicans ?
Listen to the full show here :


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Commentary: Petition to Remedy Voter Disenfranchisement Caused by Electoral Corruption in 2020

We , the undersigned , petition certain state legislatures to invoke their unique constitutional authority to remedy electoral corruption in the 2020 Presidential election , and state as follows : WHEREAS , Article II , Section 1 of the Constitution governs the process of electing the President of the United States , and states : “ Each State shall appoint , in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct , a Number of Electors , equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress.
” WHEREAS , the President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the citizens , but using electors appointed in a manner directed by the respective state Legislatures .
WHEREAS , the purposes of this system of appointed electors , according to Alexander Hamilton writing in Federalist 68 , was so “ [ t ] he process of election affords a moral certainty , ” and “ that every practicable obstacle should be opposed to cabal , intrigue , and corruption.
” WHEREAS , the principles of choosing electors faithful to the will of the people , and faith in our democratic processes , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot integrity systems themselves have become corrupt .
WHEREAS , the events of November 3 , and information that was made known before and has been made known since , show there was election fraud , illegalities , and material irregularities in the Presidential election , and even demonstrate a common plan , combination , or conspiracy to violate the Constitution and disenfranchise over 73 million Americans of their votes for President .
WHEREAS , the illegalities and material irregularities in the 2020 Presidential election were extraordinary in that they were done in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some level ( however unacceptable ) of fraud and irregularities in elections .
WHEREAS , the Trump campaign and others , including voters , have filed or are filing lawsuits in the respective states where voting illegalities , material irregularities and outright voter fraud occurred in the November 3 election , along with publicly known information showing : Even presuming the best of intentions , the legality and integrity of the electoral process was contaminated before the vote by mailing unsolicited mail-in ballots in violation of the will of the people as expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process ; Signature verification procedures of mail-in ballots were ignored or kept hidden from election integrity monitors ; It is being demonstrated that Dominion software switched votes from Donald Trump to Joe Biden ; and In unprecedented lockstep , certain states stopped counting votes , sending home election monitors , and thereby increasing the opportunities for voter fraud .
WHEREAS , voting illegalities , material irregularities and outright voter fraud in Philadelphia , Detroit and other localities may not be evidence of “ widespread ” voter fraud in all states , but because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President , the impact of that focused illegality is widespread .
WHEREAS , the United States Supreme Court has long recognized that “ in the context of a Presidential election , ” “ the impact of the votes cast in each State is affected by the votes cast for the various candidates in other States.
” See Anderson v. Celebrezze , 460 U.S. 780 ( 1983 ) .
WHEREAS , this coordinated effort to steal the Presidency would be the most consequential criminal conspiracy in American history , with no close second .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall writing in Anderson v. United States said that the federal criminal statute 18 U.S.C .
§ 241 applied in voter fraud cases .
WHEREAS , the “ injury ” under § 241 is the dilution of votes .
Justice Marshall wrote : It has long been settled that § 241 embraces a conspiracy to stuff the ballot box at an election for federal officers , and thereby to dilute the value of votes of qualified voters … .
That petitioners may have had no purpose to change the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The specific intent required under § 241 is not the intent to change the outcome of a federal election , but rather the intent to have false votes cast and thereby to injure the right of all voters in a federal election to express their choice of a candidate and to have their expressions of choice given full value and effect , without being diluted or distorted by the casting of fraudulent ballots … .
The deposit of forged ballots in the ballot boxes , no matter how small or great their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes in an election , and whether in greater or less degree is immaterial .
The right to an honest [ count ] is a right possessed by each voting elector , and to the extent that the importance of his vote is nullified , wholly or in part , he has been injured in the free exercise of a right or privilege secured to him by the laws and Constitution of the United States .
WHEREAS , the votes of over 73 million Americans were illegally and unconstitutionally diluted in a widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irregularities , and outright voter fraud in key Democratic-run localities .
WHEREAS , the cabals , intrigue , and corruption in the 2020 Presidential election subverted the very purposes of appointing electors faithful to the will of the people , and Article II , Section 1 of the Constitution provides a backstop remedy .
We therefore petition the Legislatures where such voting illegalities , material irregularities , and outright voter fraud occurred to remedy these wrongs by : Conducting full election audits to ensure only legal votes were counted , and to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process to elect the President ; Refusing to certify the votes for President until it is certain the counting of only legal votes is completed ; and Since state election officials and even some courts have failed to follow , uphold , and properly enforce Article II , Section 1 under which state legislatures exclusively have authority under the will of the people to establish the process for voting , using the extraordinary remedy of appointing electors for Donald J. Trump if there is credible and consequential evidence that the election was stolen @


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Dominion Confirms Clinton Foundation Donation, Pelosi Staffer Tie but Disputes Other Claims


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Public Affairs Specialist Clint Brewer Predicts the Future of Fox News Post Trump Era

Live from Music Row Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Clint Brewer to the studio .
During the third hour , Brewer gave his take on the future of Fox News and where the top commentators will be by 2021 ’ s year ’ s end .
He added that he didn ’ t see the network heading in a downward spiral after a Trump era and predicted they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency .
Leahy : We are in the studio with our good friend and all-star panelist Clint Brewer .
By the way , you are a public affairs specialist , and I won ’ t go into the details , but whenever I ask you for public affairs and business advice just looking back , we ’ ve had conversations about business .
You ’ re always spot on .
Brewer : Well , thank you .
Leahy : I mean your advice is very very good .
When I ask for it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always follow it because it ’ s very good .
It ’ s just , you know , just about your background and professional skills .
I do want to add before we get to Fox News , you are laughing because you know what I ’ m going to say here .
It ’ s like a moth drawn to a light .
We were talking about traffic in Nashville .
I ’ m going to ask you this .
Do you think that people are driving crazier during this COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the interstate because there are so few people out it ’ s like Nashvillians are conditioned to try to get everywhere they can get as fast as possible because there ’ s always so much traffic .
Brewer : And now that there ’ s no traffic you see a wide-open lane and you immediately throttle down to 90 and go .
Leahy : In theory , people do that .
You of course never do that .
You of course always follow the speed limit .
Brewer : But I do think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crazy .
Leahy : Okay .
Well , we could as you pointed out talk about national traffic forever , but this is a political show .
So we ’ ll shift gears and I have another interesting thing to talk to you about .
What on earth is going on with Fox News ?
Where does Fox News go in the future ?
And who among the hosts there that we like who have a conservative perspective , who survives ?
Tucker Carlson .
Sean Hannity .
Laura Ingraham .
Maria Bartiromo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say those five strong conservatives .
Are they going to be with the network in a year ?
Brewer : I think they will .
I mean , I think they are the brand .
I don ’ t think they have deviated from the brand .
Because they ’ re more commentators , right ?
Brewer : They are the pundits and not the talking heads .
The news staff have been the ones who have in their reportage departed from the sort of you know , cheerleader-esc coverage that we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
And here ’ s going to be Fox News ‘ s path .
If President Trump and it appears he has lost the election.. Leahy : Parenthetical .
That ’ s your view .
My view is the fat lady hasn ’ t sung yet .
Brewer : Well , he has by all other accounts .
Brewer : He ’ s got a brand of maintaining a movement to maintain .
The question is will he continue to be relevant after office and be on Twitter ?
And you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain this sort of populist conservative movement and there ’ s a source of ongoing pressure against Fox News for this divide in their own newsroom between the commentators and the journalists then you know , yeah , they could continue to face some headwinds with their base .
But in the absence of that movement being maintained and I think there ’ s a pretty fair chance it won ’ t be simply due to what we ’ ve always seen from President Trump , which is a lack of discipline .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of melts into history Fox News has the opportunity to reassert itself .
And guess what if they have a Democratic President that ’ s going to be the best thing in the world for Fox News because then they ’ ll all be in their newsroom be singing from the same page again .
So everybody will be happy to hear the criticism of President Biden .
Leahy : This will shock you .
Brewer : You disagree with me .
Leahy : I pretty much just disagree with you and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think Fox News has gone left .
Brewer : The whole network ?
Or just part of it ?
Leahy : The whole network at the executive level because Rupert Murdoch has passed it down to his , you know , whiny liberal kids .
And they hate the base .
They just despise the base .
They want to punish the base .
They want to punish the 74 million , 73 million people who voted for Donald Trump because they think they ’ re troglodytes and not worthy of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warnock said down in Georgia .
I think they ’ re going to change the entire network to be accommodating to the Joe Biden crowd .
That would be my guess .
And at some point , I think it ’ s unlikely that those five that I talked about will stick around .
Brewer : I just can ’ t see that happening .
It would be commercial suicide .
Leahy : You mean like CNN ?
MSNBC ?
Brewer : Why would you go be like the rest of the field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the rest of the field except for those evening shows that I ’ ve talked about .
Let me give you an example .
Leahy : Let ’ s take a look at Arizona .
Now Arizona this kid Arnon Mishkin who is their decision desk guy , let me say this .
I know Michael Barone .
He ’ s no Michael Barone .
Michael Barone the great writer Washington Examiner had run the decision desk for many years when Roger Ailes was there .
So this Mishnick character gets in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about an hour after the polls close with 70 percent in .
And right now as we speak there ’ s an 11,000 vote differential .
Biden up .
Trump down .
But you know 11,000 possible recounts .
All that sort of stuff .
It ’ s still in doubt in Arizona and yet they called it .
The other thing that Fox News did which is by the way gone down into a memory hole when they called on election night .
I don ’ t do we talked about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ re here at command central providing your analysis of the Senate races here with Crom Carmichael , Michael and Laura Baigert , and Ben Cunningham .
Had a fun time that night .
I was with my much bigger whiteboard than Karl Rove has .
( Laughs ) Brewer : We are in a whiteboard measuring contest now folks .
Leahy : Yes .
But I had to make some adjustments after we left at midnight because of all the surprise 100,000 ballots .
But Fox News called the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were here at about nine o ’ clock at night .
Brett Bair sat there and said Fox News can now project that Democrats will maintain the House and gain five seats .
Only they didn ’ t gain five seats .
They ’ re going to lose about 10 .
Brewer : I don ’ t know that that ’ s so much partisanship or leaning left as it is just incompetence .
I mean you ’ re assuming conspiracy when it could just be bad work .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not defending Arnon Mishkin ?
( Laughs ) Brewer : I ’ m not defending him but what he ’ s probably guilty of is professional incompetence .
Not skewing things for an agenda .
Leahy : You are a very kind person .
Brewer : I ’ m a pragmatist .
Usually , the simplest answer is the right one .
Leahy : Occam ’ s Razor .
So I ’ m going to take Occam ’ s Razor and I ’ m going to look at it and to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ character picked by the Murdoch scions who are far lefties has a mission .
And the mission is to skew things to the left as much as possible .
And that ’ s why in my view he prematurely picked Arizona an hour after the polls closed .
And it ’ s still in doubt now .
What are we two weeks later ?
And then his error in the House .
Brewer : Somebody that works for a media organization got something wrong .
Listen to the full third hour here : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Fox News Studio ” by Inside Cable News .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Commentary: 2020’s Long Count Is About Hypocrisy, Accuracy, and Legitimacy

The presidential election ’ s ongoing saga is a tale about hypocrisy , accuracy , and legitimacy .
The Left ’ s adherents hypocritically claim they would not be pushing every reexamination button if they were trailing .
Conservatives counter that accuracy is paramount in an election so complex , close , and important .
Yet the overlooked consideration in this duel across the political spectrum is America ’ s need for legitimacy .
The Left is up in arms over the Trump campaign demanding that the election ’ s outcome be thoroughly reviewed within the parameters of electoral due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shorter than those of hypocrites .
Less than three months ago , on August 25 , Hillary Clinton said on Showtime ’ s The Circus : “ Joe Biden should not concede under any circumstances because I think this is going to drag out , and eventually I do believe he will win if we don ’ t give an inch and if we are as focused and relentless as the other side is.
” Clinton added , “ We ’ ve got to have a massive legal operation .
I know the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In other words , Clinton told Biden to prepare to do what the Trump camp is now doing .
For the Left , what is good for the goose is not good for the gander .
Certainly , no conservative ganders should be surprised by the leftist geese ’ s sudden change of heart .
Unable to be president , at least Hillary was able to be prescient .
Events have unfolded exactly as she predicted .
They just have unfolded in the opposite direction .
Just to recap : In its most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , America has a close outcome decided across several states under a multiplicity of varying rules .
Most important things undertaken during severe stress and composed of tight margins and great complexity take … time .
Unless of course you are the Left , the topic is elections , and the narrow lead yours .
Less than 141,000 votes separate Trump from Biden in Arizona , Georgia , Pennsylvania , Nevada , and Wisconsin .
That popular vote deficit is just 0.09 of 1 percent of the total votes cast nationwide .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 270 needed to win reelection ; several combinations of Arizona ( 11 ) , Georgia ( 16 ) , Pennsylvania ( 20 ) , Nevada ( 6 ) , and Wisconsin ( 10 ) would get him there .
In all but Nevada , the margin separating Trump and Biden is less than 1 percentage point in each of these states .
The race ’ s complexity extends well beyond these five states ’ narrow margins .
The total votes cast were the largest in U.S. history .
Mail-in ballots were used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was an enormous amount of early in-person voting .
Of course , each state has its own voting requirements , certification dates , and recount procedures .
Remember that in 2000 the daunting and time-consuming task to determine who won just one state , Florida , required over one month and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling .
For all the Left ’ s angst , the current review has not delayed any of the states ’ procedures .
The soonest state certification date among the five close states is Georgia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already begun a hand recount of its ballots .
Both Nevada and Wisconsin share December 1 as their certification date .
None of these procedures addresses fraud or irregularities , which are separate issues with their own procedures .
In short , the process is playing out as intended — and as Hillary once demanded for Biden .
In sports , close plays are reviewed from every camera angle as officials confer over them .
There is a desire to “ get the play right , ” so that the game ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting like the football team that hurries to the line of scrimmage in order to run a play and preempt a close call ’ s review .
Aside from the hypocrisy and the compelling need for accuracy , the most important reason to let the process play out as intended is the need to restore legitimacy .
Of all the groups in America , none should better understand this than the Left , because no group has worked harder at delegitimizing the president and thereby the presidency itself .
For four years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s legitimacy by every means imaginable .
It has demanded hearings , investigations , subpoenas , and ultimately impeachment .
As soon as impeachment failed , it was talking about another impeachment .
When formal processes proved insufficient for its impatience , it took to the streets in increasing anger .
Even now , as its goal of Trump ’ s removal appears in sight , it wants blacklists of former Trump officials .
During its increasingly violent vendetta , it has eroded the presidency ’ s legitimacy too .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority can be undermined by refusing to acknowledge it for no other reason than that it contradicted the Left ’ s personal preferences .
By seeking to dis-establish this president , it simultaneously established a new precedent : Nullifying legal election through incessant opposition .
In its self-absorbed myopic worldview , the Left fails to see that it has constructed means that can be applied against other presidents .
President Trump ’ s supporters — over six million more than supported Hillary four years ago , and half today ’ s country outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at their candidate ’ s loss .
And they are no less justified — and certainly more so if voter fraud allegations are proven true — in feeling that way than the Left was in 2016 .
America ’ s Left is demanding that one of the most unusual elections in U.S. history be treated as though it were normal .
In its view , it is a realigning of the political world on its proper establishment-elite axis .
To half of the electorate , however , it is anything but that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — as it is doing and as was intended — to allow the office , and Biden himself , to recoup some of the legitimacy that the Left has removed from the former and will deny to the latter if it isn ’ t careful .
J.T .
Young served under President George W. Bush as the director of communications in the Office of Management and Budget and as deputy assistant secretary in legislative affairs for tax and budget at the Treasury Department .
He served as a congressional staffer from 1987 through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden ” by Hillary Clinton .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--300,000+ People Have Fled New York City Due to Coronavirus, Crime

More than 300,000 residents have fled New York City over the past eight months because of rising crime rates , school stress and the coronavirus pandemic , according to a report from the New York Post .
Data obtained by The Post from the U.S .
Postal Service under a Freedom of Information Act ( FOIA ) request , revealed residents filed 295,103 change of address requests from March 1 through Oct. 31 .
However , the total number of people leaving is likely much higher – the data details only when 11 or more forwarding requests were made to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of moves is actually higher .
And a single address change could represent an entire household , which means far more than 300,000 New Yorkers fled the five boroughs , according to The Post .
The city ’ s number of residents fleeing is much greater than in prior years .
There were 244,895 changes of address from March through July , The Post reports .
That ’ s more than double than the 101,342 requests filed during the same time last year .
According to experts the exodus is down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the rising crime rate occurring alongside the pandemic .
“ I think people are afraid , ” Michael Hendrix , director of state and local policy at the Manhattan Institute , told The Post .
“ They ’ re afraid of catching a deadly virus , and they ’ re afraid of crime and other quality of life concerns .
One thing we also hear is about trash and cleanliness of the city , ” Hendrix said .
The institute ’ s report found that 44 per cent of New Yorkers earning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving from the city over the past several months .
Many of the city ’ s top earners have escaped to the Hamptons and suburban counties , such as Long Island , Westchester , and parts of northern New Jersey taking their money and resources with them .
While some New Yorkers changed their addresses to places as far as Florida or Hawaii .
The trend of New York City residents leaving for other places has spread to other parts of the state .
Breitbart News reported in October that New York lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the coronavirus pandemic .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Project Veritas Interviews Witness Who Saw Georgia Election Recount Auditors Calling Trump Ballots f

Project Veritas Interviews Witness Who Saw Georgia Election Recount Auditors Calling Trump Ballots for Biden

Georgia ballot recounters are calling multiple President Donald Trump ballots for Joe Biden , Project Veritas reported in a new undercover video .
The video is available here .
“ Project Veritas has insiders in the Georgia recount that are catching votes wrongfully attributed to Biden , ” said the journalism institute ’ s founder , James O ’ Keefe .
O ’ Keefe tweeted , “ BREAKING : Georgia Recount Auditors Call Multiple Ballots For @ JoeBiden That Were Actually Marked For @ realDonaldTrump # RiggedRecounts ‘ The second person was supposed to be checking it right , three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden.
’ ” The video shows a witness being interviewed on Saturday .
His name is Hale Soucie , a Republican National Committee monitor .
Regarding two recount officials , he says , “ So three times in three minutes , she called out Biden .
The second auditor caught it and she said , ‘ No , this is Trump.
’ ” The witness questioned whether the second auditor caught the error every time .
The table was for Cobb County votes .
Soucie says he then went to another table for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reading ballots off and the one helping her was not checking .
The witness says he reported the auditors to officials , who said they spoke to the auditors .
However , the witness says when he walked by one of those auditors again , she was not doing things right .
She then began looking at ballots in a melodramatic fashion .
Many auditors began staring at him and talking , he says .
As he walked by that one auditor again , she said , “ I ’ m paid by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is coming out and watching me , ” the witness said .
Some of the people watching Georgia ’ s recount are employees of Democratic Ex-President Jimmy Carter ’ s foundation , The Tennessee Star reported on Tuesday .
It is not known , however , if those people were at this recount center .
Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger ’ s office accredited The Carter Center to monitor the recount but would not allow Trump ’ s team to monitor them .
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all sizes .
Photo “ Georgia Voter Counter ” by Project Veritas .
Editors note : Neil McCabe , The Tennessee Star and Star News Network National Correspondent , also serves as a contract communications manager for Project Veritas .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Ohio Gov. DeWine Imposes 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Curfew Beginning Thursday

Ohio will see a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting on Thursday in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus , according to an announcement from Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine on Tuesday .
The curfew will run for 21 days and apply to retail and indoor seating for restaurants , according to Fox8 .
It does not apply to restaurants open for takeout or delivery , pharmacies or grocery stores .
It also does not apply to those who are seeking medical care , have an emergency or those who need to be at work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 spread .
I ’ m also asking each Ohioan every day to do at least one thing that reduces your contact with others , ” DeWine said , reported Fox8 .
Ohio has seen a spike in confirmed cases of the coronavirus since the beginning of the month , jumping thousands of cases overnight .
According to data from The Covid Tracking Project , Ohio has added more than 7,000 cases per day since November 12 , reaching more than 8,000 on November 13 .
This is a jump from the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The curfew follows DeWine saying that he would not want to impose a second lockdown , opting instead for a “ slow down.
” DeWine ’ s announcement was met with criticism from both sides , with some calling for additional restrictions , while others said it was too harsh .
United States Rep. Jim Jordan ( R-OH ) pushed back against the curfew , pointing out the seemingly arbitrary timing of the curfew .
The curfew was also met with criticism from those who thought the measure was not strong enough , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jane Garrett , a former Democratic Congressional candidate , slammed DeWine for having “ no spine.
” The curfew was supported by Lt. Gov .
Jon Husted and Ohio Restaurant Association President Jone Barker , according to Fox8 .
Ohio currently has more than 296,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and more than 5,400 deaths , according to data from the Ohio Department of Health .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Ohio Attorney General Files Another Lawsuit to Stop Nuclear Bailout Fees

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost took another shot at trying to stop new consumer fees from the state ’ s controversial energy company bailout bill .
Yost recently filed a second lawsuit to block the annual collection of $ 150 million from additional customer fees from going to Energy Harbor , what he called the successor to FirstEnergy ’ s nuclear plants .
“ The people of Ohio are about to be shaken down for money they should not have to pay based on how HB6 [ House Bill 6 ] was enacted , ” Yost said .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the money to residents once it leaves their accounts – so why take it ?
” In September , Yost filed a civil lawsuit to stop Energy Harbor from receiving funds collected from a utility surcharge included in HB6 .
Without the most-recent filing , the nuclear generation fees could stop being collected but then held in limbo during litigation , according to Yost .
The lawsuit names two government defendants , which Yost says were not part of the HB 6 corruption scandal .
The requests for both preliminary and permanent injunctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the state ’ s treasurer ’ s office are included because of their administrative roles , Yost said .
“ With every passing minute this mess gets worse ” Yost said .
“ We need to stop this process altogether.
” Earlier this month , the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio initiated an audit of FirstEnergy ’ s compliance with corporate separation laws and regulations .
Already , the commission is investigating the company ’ s political and charitable spending in Ohio .
HB6 created a new Ohio Clean Air Program to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power facilities .
Electricity consumers fund the program , potentially bringing in up to $ 85 million in the 2021 fiscal year , with a surcharge that runs through 2027 .
It led to the arrest and indictment of Ohio Speaker of the House Larry Householder , R-Glenford , and four others as part of a $ 60 million “ public corruption racketeering conspiracy ” to pass the legislation .
Two of the five indicted recently pleaded guilty .
A special House Select Committee held hearings throughout the fall in an attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before an Oct. 1 deadline that could have stopped the fees from being collected .
An Ohio native , J.D .
Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio , Georgia , Alabama and Texas .
He has served as a reporter , editor , managing editor and publisher .
Davidson is a regional editor for The Center Square .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Chaotic Virginia Election Shows Need for Clearer Absentee Reporting

It was a good day for Donald Trump in Virginia — strong in-person Election Day turnout drove the president ahead of challenger Joe Biden with 52 percent of the vote by 11 p.m .
But that shifted between 11 p.m. November 3 and 5 a.m November 4 , according to reporting by conservative newsblog The Gateway Pundit .
Biden gained over 850,000 votes during this period while Trump gained around 318,000 .
As more early votes were counted , Biden took the overall win — 2,412,893 votes to Trump ’ s 1,962,325 , according to unofficial results from the Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A VPAP visualization shows that Trump overwhelmingly won the Election Day vote with 61.5 percent , while Biden won early votes by 64.7 percent .
VPAP reported record turnout in Virginia , marked by major increases in Trump turnout in rural counties .
But Republicans were concerned .
“ Confusion and chaos were the operative words for this election , ” said former Vice-Chair of the Board of Elections Clara Belle Wheeler ( R ) .
Delegate Nick Freitas ( R-Culpeper ) lost in his bid to be a U.S. congressman — after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive in Henrico County .
The Chesterfield GOP complained that the Chesterfield County Registrar allegedly blocked a GOP representative from the room while provisional ballots were considered .
Before Election Day , the Lynchburg GOP sued the Lynchburg Registrar for allegedly processing absentee ballots without a GOP representative present .
Wheeler also noted that in multiple locations Republican poll-watchers were not allowed to sit or stand behind election officers at electronic poll books , in violation of Virginia law .
Wheeler said , “ There were so many new election laws , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the electoral boards , and the data that was given by the Department of Elections to the registrars changed day-to-day.
” The final certification of the results has been repeatedly delayed while the Richmond Registrar ’ s office copes with a COVID-19 outbreak .
On Tuesday , Registrar Kirk Showalter said she expected the results to be ready Tuesday so the Board of Elections can certify the results Wednesday .
On Monday , Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Rich Anderson sent a letter to the state Board of Elections asking them not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 64 percent of all votes were reported in just 5 percent of precincts – the central absentee precincts in each jurisdiction .
And those central absentee precincts results weren ’ t broken down by the different types of early votes – in person , by mail , or at the much-maligned drop-off locations.
, ” Anderson wrote .
“ Election night reporting was nothing less than chaotic and has led many Virginians to distrust the results – and with good reason .
However , current State Board of Elections Vice-Chair John O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star , “ The Board chose to not delay the certification of most of the races in Virginia.
” “ Here ’ s the deal : We drastically changed the way that Virginia votes .
we opened it up 45 days , drop boxes , much more absentee ballots by mail , every one of those votes gets counted in a separate precinct called CAP — Central Absentee Precinct .
And so , all of the sudden you had a dramatic increase in the number of ballots in that CAP , ” O @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a lot of pressure to get those counted .
That was what led to some of the confusion on [ Election ] night .
So there are lots of opportunities if the public wants early voting to go ahead and make that CAP process smoother , ” O ’ Bannon added .
He said that he ’ s as disappointed as other Republicans over the results .
“ Voter fraud is always an issue .
There ’ s no evidence that voter fraud in Virginia would change any of the outcomes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The scale of it is not big enough to make any changes.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Republican Delegate Kirk Cox Launches His Candiacy for Virginia Governor

Delegate Kirk Cox ( R-Colonial Heights ) announced his candidacy for Virginia governor on Tuesday .
He has 30 years of experience as a Virginia delegate , including a stint as Speaker of the House .
He thinks his brand of conservatism and results is what Virginia is looking for .
“ I do think I have a record , ” Cox said , “ but I also feel like we need to bring back civility and respect.
” Cox said his plan to run was sparked “ when the Democrats took over all of state government last January , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just a different world view , where they just really feel like the government needs to be in charge of every facet of your life , and it ’ s a totally wrong view.
” Cox said tax increases , anti-business environmental acts , and poor pandemic leadership characterize the current government of Virginia .
“ Then we went into special session where we rarely debated key issues , we had a very anti-law enforcement agenda , ” he said .
In the Republican primary , he will face Senator Amanda Chase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhetoric and has a strong gun-rights-focused base .
Chase has already attacked Cox for voting to expand Medicaid , according to Blue Virginia .
However , Cox said voters should focus on his results .
Cox said he has shown consistent support for gun-rights and pro-life issues , especially as Speaker of the House .
He said that the conservative Republican caucus electing him to be Speaker of the House demonstrates his conservative bona fides and leadership skills .
“ So let ’ s talk about who ’ s really done things , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top of a car about what you ’ re going to do , ” Cox said .
He suggested that Chase ’ s potential electorate has a ceiling at around 40 percent of the vote .
“ People are looking for someone that will do what they say they ’ re going to do , ” Cox said .
“ I ’ m a 30 year conservative who ’ s been very strong on issues that mean a lot to me like the Second Amendment and life , but , I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district in the state , who is able to work with a lot of different groups to get key legislation passed.
” Cox is a former high school teacher of U.S. and Virginia government .
He ’ s married with four grown sons and is also a deacon at The Heights Baptist Church .
Cox also coached basketball and baseball .
“ I ’ m obviously a big sports guy , being a coach , et cetera .
I ’ ve coached probably everybody in the local area at some point in time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of my time.
” He added that the part-time schedule of the General Assembly allowed him to continue teaching for many years , allowing him to gain experience through close contact with his constituents instead of losing touch over 3o years .
Cox thinks he can win based on a likely backlash against Democratic control of the federal government and 2020 elections data showing strong Trump turnout .
Cox noted that Trump ’ s inroads with minorities , along with the increasing elitism of the Democratic party , means that Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think you have to be careful when you look at elections .
When President Obama won Virginia , ” Cox said , “ please remember that Governor McDonnell won decisively the next year and that Republicans picked up seats .
Virginia tends to be a really power-cyclical state.
” “ You see generally Democratic leadership , especially on the national level , ” Cox said .
“ People see that .
You generally see a turn back to Republicans .
My guess will be you ’ ll see an election next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viable.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Kirk Cox ” by Kirk Cox .
Background Photo “ Virginia State Capitol ” by Ron Cogswell .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--In Letter to Dominion Investor, Klobuchar Said Issues with Voting Machines ‘Threaten Integrity of El

In Letter to Dominion Investor, Klobuchar Said Issues with Voting Machines ‘Threaten Integrity of Elections’

In a 2019 letter , Sen. Amy Klobuchar raised concerns about the “ trouble-plagued companies ” managing voting machines across the country , calling reports of faulty machines and software a threat to the “ integrity of our elections.
” The letter , signed by Klobuchar , Sen. Elizabeth Warren , Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Mark Pocan , was sent to the investors of Election Systems & Software , Dominion Voting System and Hart InterCivic — three election technology companies that “ facilitate voting for over 90 % of all eligible voters in the United States.
” “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble-plagued companies , ’ owned by private equity firms and responsible for manufacturing and maintaining voting machines and other election administration equipment , ‘ have long skimped on security in favor of convenience , ’ leaving voting systems across the country ‘ prone to security problems , ’ ” states the letter .
Dominion Voting System in particular has been the subject of widespread criticism in recent days after its machines in Antrim County , Michigan , incorrectly counted votes for Democrats that were cast for Republicans .
According to a recent report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of the Dominion technology on three different occasions because officials discovered “ multiple hardware and software issues.
” More than 30 states use Dominion ’ s voting machines , which reached an estimated 71 million voters in the 2016 election .
In their letter , Klobuchar and her colleagues said “ voting machines are reportedly falling apart across the country , ” since monopolistic vendors like Dominion have no incentive to “ innovate and improve.
” “ In 2018 alone ‘ voters in South Carolina [ were ] reporting machines that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inputted them , scanners [ were ] rejecting paper ballots in Missouri , and busted machines [ were ] causing long lines in Indiana.
’ In addition , researchers recently uncovered previously undisclosed vulnerabilities in ‘ nearly three dozen backend election systems in 10 states.
’ And , just this year , after the Democratic candidate ’ s electronic tally showed he received an improbable 164 votes out of 55,000 cast in a Pennsylvania state judicial election in 2019 , the county ’ s Republican Chairwoman said , ‘ [ n ] othing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went wrong .
That ’ s a problem , ’ ” the letter continues .
“ These problems threaten the integrity of our elections and demonstrate the importance of election systems that are strong , durable , and not vulnerable to attack , ” it adds .
According to the letter , election security experts “ have noted for years that our nation ’ s election systems and infrastructure are under serious threat.
” “ Moreover , even when state and local officials work on replacing antiquated machines , many continue to ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be outdated and more vulnerable to hackers , ’ ” says the letter .
President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the “ horrendous ” Dominion Voting Systems on Twitter .
In response to the Trump campaign ’ s allegations of fraud , Klobuchar said “ both Republican and Democratic election officials have said this has been one of the most secure elections in American history.
” “ The American people have spoken and it ’ s time to accept the election results , ” she said .
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform , and reported for The Daily Caller .
Photo “ Ballot Machine ” by Lance Fisher CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Governor Northam Says He Supports Marijuana Legalization in Virginia

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said Monday that he supports the legalization of Marijuana use for adults in the commonwealth .
“ Legalizing marijuana will happen in Virginia , ” the governor said during a briefing on Monday .
“ We are going to move forward with the legalization of marijuana in Virginia .
I support this , and I ’ m committed to doing it the right way.
” Northam also said that he plans to introduce and support bills to legalize the drug and that his administration is already working closely with state lawmakers to finalize legislation in advance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ session , which begins on January 13 .
With 56 days left until the start of the session , it is not yet clear if that legislation would garner enough votes to pass both the House of Delegates and the Senate .
In a press release , the governor stated that any legislation from the Assembly would need to address principles of social , racial and economic equity , public health , protections for young people , data collection and upholding the Virginia Clean Air Act .
Virginia would become the first southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join 15 other states and Washington D.C. that have already made the drug legal .
In recent years , policies on marijuana have become less strict .
In 2017 , medical use of cannabidiol , otherwise known as CBD was allowed and in 2019 a statewide medical marijuana program was authorized .
This year , Northam signed legislation into law decriminalizing marijuana and reducing the penalty for people caught with small amounts to a civil fine of $ 25 .
“ Our Commonwealth has an opportunity to be the first state in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will lead with a focus on equity , public health , and public safety , ” Northam said in the press release .
“ I look forward to working with the General Assembly to get this right.
” One factor of the governor ’ s decision was a report released and presented Monday by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission ( JLARC ) , which studied the possibility of marijuana legalization and any potential impacts in the Commonwealth .
Some of the key findings of the report include : legalization could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales tax revenue in the 5th year of operations , create approximately 11,000 to 18,000 jobs in the state , decrease marijuana arrests by an estimated 84 percent and that establishing a commercial market would take more than two years and cost between $ 8 to $ 20 million upfront .
The report also found that from 2010-2019 the arrest rate of Black people for marijuana possession was 3.5 times higher than the arrest rate of White people .
Additionally , Black people were convicted for cannabis offenses at a 3.9 times higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the report concluded that one-time expungement of marijuana possession offenses could benefit 120,000 Virginians and the state could allow localities to choose if they wanted to participate in the commercial market .
For legalization to be possible , the state legislature would need to address a number of related issues , such as individual possession laws and an age limit , regulation for use in public and while driving as well as home cultivation and illegal cultivation and distribution , according to the report .
Overall , the report included 13 changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to current Virginia law that “ would likely be necessary or could be considered ” if the state chooses to legalize cannabis .
The JLARC study did not review or offer a recommendation on whether or not marijuana should become legal , however .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-11-18--Virginia Restaurant Owners React to New COVID-19 Restrictions

Governor Ralph Northam announced new statewide coronavirus restrictions last weekend , which went into effect Monday , that will impact a number of retail businesses throughout the Commonwealth .
“ COVID-19 is surging across the country , and while cases are not rising in Virginia as rapidly as in some other states , I do not intend to wait until they are .
We are acting now to prevent this health crisis from getting worse , ” the governor said in a press release .
Restaurants and bars will especially be affected because one part of the updated mandate prohibits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of alcohol after 10 p.m. and says those establishments must close by midnight .
Some bar and restaurant owners in Virginia are not happy with Northam ’ s decision .
Christopher Mcgrath , who owns four restaurants – three in Chesapeake and one in downtown Norfolk – called the new restrictions a huge hit .
“ The 10 p.m. closure , it hurts us tremendously , ” Mcgrath told The Virginia Star .
“ It is almost like saying that restaurants aren ’ t doing their job and aren ’ t following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s unfair to business owners .
I mean restaurants are not a necessity where people have to go , ” Mcgrath continued .
“ I completely understand grocery stories , gas stations and banks and places that people absolutely have to go , but nobody has to be in a restaurant at 11 o ’ clock at night .
So , we should be able to run our business and not have to close down.
” Mcgrath said that his restaurant in downtown Norfolk , Tapitlocal , is one of the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open late during the week and roughly 35 to 40 percent of revenues comes from late-night food and alcohol sales .
It will be the second time this year Mcgrath will have lost significant revenue from alcohol sales because of COVID restrictions .
The first instance occurred when Northam ordered a similar mandate for the Hampton Roads region back in July , which lasted seven weeks .
Chris Stewart , owner of The Beach House in Glen Allen , told The Star he hopes the restrictions will be temporary .
“ As long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a couple weeks , we will bounce back from that , ” Stewart said .
“ If it ’ s something that lasts a couple months , [ there ] will be huge problems for basically every restaurant , including ours.
” Stewart also mentioned that the restrictions will impact the wages of his servers and bartenders .
Fellow Hampton Roads restaurant owner , Dustin Hughes , said his primary concern is not the impact of Northam ’ s mandate , but , instead , what will happen in the coming weeks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to make us go out of business or anything , but my big concern is this is just the beginning , [ like ] what we saw in the spring , ” Hughes told The Star .
“ I wouldn ’ t be surprised if by the end of the week there ’ s more restrictions .
Actually , I ’ d be kind of surprised if there is not .
My concern is we ’ re just starting all over again from where we were back in April.
” Hughes added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about cases , it ’ s not the restaurants that have 20 or 30 people in it , but the damn Walmart that has 500 people in it.
” When another complete shutdown was mentioned , Hughes said that would be absolutely devastating and the only reason he was able to get through the spring shutdown was because money from the Paycheck Protection Program .
Besides the on-site alcohol curfew , the new restrictions also limit gatherings of 25 people or less , indoors and outdoors , and requires all Virginians above the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while inside public spaces .
Additionally , violations for essential businesses – including grocery stores and pharmacies – not adhering to the guidelines of physical distancing , wearing face coverings or masks , and enhanced cleaning will be enforceable as a Class One misdemeanor , which carries punishments of up to a year in jail and a $ 2,500 fine .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]