thetennesseestar--2020-08-31--Minneapolis Police Officer Falls to the Ground After Being Struck in the Head with Garbage Can Lid

A Minneapolis police officer dropped to the ground after a metal trash can lid struck him in the head during a resurgence of rioting and looting in the city Wednesday .
The attack , which was reportedly broadcast on Facebook Live , showed a police officer trying to open his driver ’ s-side door before the metal disk whizzed through the air and connected with the back of the unsuspecting officer ’ s head , according to the New York Post .
The uniformed officer dropped to the ground and appeared to be rolling in pain , as fellow law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to him , the Post ’ s video showed .
Audible cheers erupted from the crowd as the officer plummeted to the ground .
The policeman was hospitalized , but suffered non-life threatening injuries , according to Fox 9 .
The officer struck by the metal lid was one of two police officers to be admitted to medical care facilities that night ; however , the local report did not specify how the other officer was injured .
Six arrests were made Wednesday in connection with riot activity , the outlet reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to a murder suspect ’ s suicide after being confronted by police , according to CBS Minnesota .
Crowds gathered Wednesday in the city after the suspect turned a gun on himself outside of a local mall , the outlet reported .
Minneapolis was the epicenter of riots , looting and arson , following the death of George Floyd , who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes , video showed .
Jake Dima is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Scoop USA .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-31--Minneapolis Mayor Exempted NAACP from Curfew Riot Curfews, Emails Show

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey gave National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP ) “ staff and volunteers ” permission to disobey curfew orders amid riots in his city .
Emails acquired by Alpha News as part of a larger public document dump related to the Minneapolis riots show that Frey “ granted an exemption to NAACP from the 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew in Minneapolis for the dates of Friday , May 29 and Saturday May 30 , 2020.
” The document dump which unearthed these emails was prompted by a data practices request filed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent on May 30 , a few days after rioters overran the Third Precinct police station : A second email was then sent on May 31 “ extending this exemption for as long as the curfew remains in effect in the City of Minneapolis and State of Minnesota.
” Both messages were sent by Heidi Ritchie , Frey ’ s policy director , to Leslie Redmond , the president of the Minneapolis NAACP ( pictured above , left ) .
Mayor Frey decided to make “ this exemption based on the performance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local Minneapolis chapter , ” according to the first email .
“ The staff and volunteers will be keeping the peace and protecting community property and people in north Minneapolis , ” states the email .
Around the same time Frey exempted the NAACP from the riot-related curfews , the group spawned a well-armed , self-described “ elite security unit.
” This group , known as the “ Minnesota Freedom Fighters , ” has routinely engaged in armed patrols around the city .
The Fighters ’ actions have garnered them both local media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post .
It also has been claimed that the NAACP assumed “ police powers ” and conducted a “ vehicle checkpoint ” while armed amid the civil unrest in early June .
This report comes by way of a local lawyer , Nathan Hansen , who says he learned this information via a trusted contact who wishes to remain anonymous .
Alpha News has not been able to independently verify Hansen ’ s report .
Kyle Hooten is a reporter at Alpha News .
Photo “ Leslie Redmond ” by Leslie Redmond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jacob Frey .

Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio for another edition of Crom’s Crommentary.
CROM CARMICHAEL:
Michael, yesterday, the Supreme Court heard a very, very important case, Texas versus Biden. And the Wall Street Journal wrote a very interesting article about that case. It appeared on Monday. So it was before the case was heard. There was a law passed in 1996 and Biden voted for the law. The law says that migrants who are, ‘Not clearly and beyond doubt, (not reasonable doubt, beyond doubt,) entitled to be admitted shall be detained.’ It goes on to say that the law also says that DHS can parole individual migrants on a case by case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
That’s what the law that was passed in 1996 says. According to some reports I read this morning about the hearing yesterday, the case by case part of the 1996 law is what some justices may try to hang their hat on to allow Biden to eliminate or rescind Trump’s Remain in Mexico policy on the basis that we only can detain 34,000 illegal immigrants at the same time. That’s all we can detain. And so Trump said we can’t follow the law, so we’re going to make them stay in Mexico.
Now, the left says, well, you can’t make them stay in Mexico because Mexico won’t necessarily agree to that. Well, they already have. Under Trump they did agree to it and they did do it. So it’s not a function of whether or not Mexico can and will do it because they did do it under pressure, but they did do it. This is going to be a very interesting decision that will come down from the courts to see whether or not the courts believe that the law itself has written is what the administration should adhere to. I think that decision will come out very quickly. I don’t think it’ll be months. I think it will be weeks, and maybe even days before that decision comes out.
Listen to the Crommentary:
– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-31--Legacy Media Outlet Brushes Aside Dozens of Rescued Children to Politicize ‘Save the Children’ Event

The Columbus Dispatch published an article casting a local “ Save the Children ” event as a Trojan Horse for “ QAnon ” beliefs .
Before the event even takes place , the article depicts it as mobilization for potential violence by conspiracy theory supporters .
It is the latest in a growing trend with media to downplay or dismiss child sex-trafficking awareness events as covers for other , darker political intentions .
QAnon is a wide-ranging conspiracy theory , part of which says President Trump is secretly battling powerful and wealthy Satan-worshipping pedophiles .
The article focuses itself on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ QAnon and its related conspiracies , such as Pizzagate and the recent Wayfair controversy .
It does not mention any of the child sex trafficking arrests made throughout the country this past week , or the possibility that protestors attended the event for those reasons .
Just last Thursday , Operation Safety Net recovered 25 trafficked children in the Mansfield , Cleveland , East Cleveland , Akron , Euclid , Willoughby , and Miami areas .
The event ’ s organizer , Marie Kelty , stated in her interview with The Columbus Dispatch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event , ” though she acknowledged that the conspiracy theory did inspire a reinvigorated focus for many on child sex trafficking .
The event page description reads : “ This is a movement to protect our children .
Everyone ’ s children .
Everywhere .
This isn ’ t a movement to show which political party is just , is fair , is righteous .
Which political party deserves our votes , a voice .
This is a movement to protect those who can not protect themselves , those who do not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event ’ s attendees mainly support , as one quoted individual put it , “ dangerous , destructive , anti-science information.
” However , attendees ’ main concern appeared to be awareness for Ohio as one of the highest-ranking states for human trafficking .
State task force records indicate that trafficking has only increased over the years .
The Columbus Dispatch did not publish follow-up coverage on the nature of the protest .
Over 3.2 thousand people responded to the event held on Ohio Statehouse grounds .
Despite what the article suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Ohio Star and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-31--Governor Northam Launches a New African American History Course

Governor Ralph Northam announced Thursday a new elective course for Virginia high school students on African American history .
The course will be offered in 16 Virginia school divisions during the 2020-2021 academic year , including Henrico and Prince William counties , Charlottesville and Norfolk , among others .
“ Black history is American history , but for too long , the story we have told was insufficient and inadequate , ” said Gov .
Northam in the release announcing the new course .
“ The introduction of this groundbreaking course is a first step toward our shared goal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more accurate understanding of our history , and can draw important connections from those past events to our present day.
” At the beginning of 2019 , Northam was marred in controversy over a photograph from his page in the 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook , which shows two men posing one dressed in blackface and another in Klu Klux Klan ( KKK ) hooded robes .
After the yearbook photo made national headlines and calls for Northam ’ s resignation were made from multiple parties , including the Virginia Legislative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was pictured but did not specify if he was the man in blackface or KKK garments .
While there was already African American history curriculum , Northam felt that more should be done and the history standards were not adequate , Charles Pyle , director of media relations for the state ’ s department of education , told The Virginia Star .
Carol Swain , a Virginia native and former professor of political science Vanderbilt University , said that she would have concerns for the course if the material used was presenting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way .
Swain specifically mentioned historian Howard Zinn , known for his book A People ’ s History of the United States , and the 1619 project , which asserts that 1619 should be the date considered as the start of the nation ’ s story .
“ Given what Governor Northam has done in the past , I wouldn ’ t expect that he would suddenly be in favor of an unbiased portrait of virginia history , ” Swain said in an interview with The Star .
“ If you do look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ present it in a straightforward way , it would be the story of the Democratic party suppressing blacks from the Byrd Machine through Northam and it would not be very flattering of the Democrats.
” The curriculum for the elective was developed by Virginia Department of Education specialists who also suggested content for to be studied , according to the release .
The class will survey African American history from precolonial Africa through today and covers key concepts in African American history , from early beginnings in Africa through the transatlantic slave trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reconstruction , the Civil Rights era and to the present , according to the release .
Additionally , the course comes with a capstone project requiring students to come up with a related question or problem and conduct their own research , according to the release .
Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni said : “ We can expect young Virginians to understand the enduring impacts of systemic racism only when they fully understand both the oppression experienced by African Americans and their significant contributions to STEM , the arts , education , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teachers in the various districts will be teaching the course this year , Pyle said .
It is unclear if students who are homeschooled , which has grown more popular because of the impact COVID-19 has had on schools , will have access to this course or similar courses .
The Star contacted several homeschool organizations , but did not get a response by time of publication .
Richmond public schools has already been offering this course since 2015 and announced earlier this month a new history elective called Real Richmond , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools ’ media relation specialist .
The elective will reportedly highlight the often untold history of marginalized groups and minorities in the city of Richmond with topics ranging from the 95 highway system construction to the history of the Jackson Ward neighborhood , according to VPM News .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Ralph Northam ” by Ralph Northam .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-31--Roger Stone Warns Tennessee Churchgoers to Prep for the Fight for Western Civilization

MOUNT JULIET , Tennessee — Under a large pitched tent and in sweltering heat , Roger Stone , a 40-year confidante of U.S. President Donald Trump , shared his personal testimony Sunday and said he ’ s “ living proof prayer works ” despite seemingly insurmountable odds .
But Stone ’ s testimony also came with a warning .
“ We are in the most dangerous time ever in America , ” Stone told members of Global Vision Bible Church in Mt .
Juliet .
“ This is an epic struggle between dark and light , between good and evil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and this is also a fight for the struggle of Western Civilization as we know it.
” As reported , Trump last month commuted Stone ’ s prison sentence .
Officials sentenced Stone to three years and four months on counts of lying to Congress , witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether Trump ’ s campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election .
But Stone adamantly maintained his innocence and told churchgoers Sunday that law enforcement had no evidence to prove his alleged crimes .
Stone spoke of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rev .
Franklin Graham .
“ I told him [ Graham ] that I was up against an implacable enemy with deep pockets and no morals and no rules , ” Stone said .
“ These were people who lied and people who cheated and were all powerful and arrogant and were bent on my destruction.
” Graham , as Stone went on to say , told him that Jesus Christ would protect him and deliver him from his persecutors .
Stone said that “ no one had ever put it that way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stone said that he stood in a field with 400 other Christians and confessed his sins , pledged to do his best to sin no more , and to walk with God .
“ From that moment , I felt like a cement block had been removed from my chest , ” Stone said .
As The Tennessee Star reported last week , one or more people vandalized Global Vision Bible Church , possibly because Stone was scheduled to speak .
The animosity continued on Sunday , although to a lesser extent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheriff ’ s department just sent us a text .
It said , ‘ You wouldn ’ t believe the number of calls that our office has already received this morning .
We believe it ’ s nonsense.
’ The callers said , ‘ You need to send some officers and some SWAT and get on over to that tent and arrest those men .
This is a federal crime on church property because they are having a campaign rally , ’ ” Locke told the audience .
“ Actually , no .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this place.
” With that , hundreds of church members delivered a standing ovation .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-09-01--Abortion Rights Groups Sue to Block Tennessee’s Abortion Reversal Law

NASHVILLE , Tennessee ( AP ) — Abortion rights groups on Monday filed a lawsuit challenging a newly enacted Tennessee law that would require women undergoing drug-induced abortions be informed the procedure can be reversed .
The complaint is the second legal battle targeting a sweeping pro-life measure Republican Gov .
Bill Lee signed off on earlier this year .
The law focuses mainly on banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected — about six weeks into pregnancy , before many women know they ’ re pregnant .
That portion was challenged just hours after the GOP-dominated Statehouse advanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the annual legislative session .
However , also tucked in the 38-page law is a requirement that doctors must inform women that drug-induced abortions may be halted halfway .
Medical groups say the claim isn ’ t backed up by science and there is little information about the reversal procedure ’ s safety Those who fail to comply with the law — which doesn ’ t go into effect until Oct. 1 — will face a Class E felony , punishable by up to six years in prison .
The lawsuit filed Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implemented .
“ This medically unsound and factually inaccurate requirement is part of the coordinated war on truth and has no basis in science , ” Alexis McGill Johnson , president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America , said in a statement .
“ Patients shouldn ’ t be subjected to misinformation just to get a medication abortion .
Adding insult to injury , threatening doctors with prison time makes this law that much more dangerous , ” McGill added .
Along with Planned Parenthood , plaintiffs include the Center for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union .
These same groups filed the initial lawsuit challenging the fetal heartbeat ban .
A federal judge has since granted a temporary restraining order on the fetal heartbeat ban , arguing that he was “ bound by the Supreme Court holdings prohibiting undue burdens on the availability of pre-viability abortions.
” According to the lawsuit submitted Monday , attorneys argue the law infringes on the First Amendment because it requires doctors to “ communicate a content-based , viewpoint-based , and/or controversial government-mandated message that they would not otherwise recite concerning an experimental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be safe or effective.
” The suit also claims the law violates the Fourteenth Amendment because it illegally singles out abortion patients and physicians who provide the procedure .
Meanwhile , Lee has previously promised to do “ whatever it takes in court ” to defend the anti-abortion law .
The Republican frequently touted that “ protecting life ” by limiting abortion is a top priority for his administration .
Later , as COVID-19 first began sweeping across Tennessee earlier this year , Lee attempted to block abortions under an executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
A federal judge later ruled that Tennessee had to continue allowing abortions , arguing the state did not show any appreciable amount of personal protective equipment would be saved if the ban was applied to abortions .
The plaintiffs in that legal case are now seeking to have the state cover nearly $ 100,000 in legal fees .
Kimberlee Kruesi is a reporter with The Associated Press .

by Kimberlee Kruesi
NASHVILLE, Tennessee(AP) — Abortion rights groups on Monday filed a lawsuit challenging a newly enacted Tennessee law that would require women undergoing drug-induced abortions be informed the procedure can be reversed.
The complaint is the second legal battle targeting a sweeping pro-life measure Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed off on earlier this year.
The law focuses mainly on banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected — about six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant. That portion was challenged just hours after the GOP-dominated Statehouse advanced the bill during the final hours of the annual legislative session.
However, also tucked in the 38-page law is a requirement that doctors must inform women that drug-induced abortions may be halted halfway. Medical groups say the claim isn’t backed up by science and there is little information about the reversal procedure’s safety
Those who fail to comply with the law — which doesn’t go into effect until Oct. 1 — will face a Class E felony, punishable by up to six years in prison. The lawsuit filed Monday seeks to prevent that requirement from being implemented.
A federal judge in North Dakota blocked a similar law last year.
“This medically unsound and factually inaccurate requirement is part of the coordinated war on truth and has no basis in science,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement.
“Patients shouldn’t be subjected to misinformation just to get a medication abortion. Adding insult to injury, threatening doctors with prison time makes this law that much more dangerous,” McGill added.
Along with Planned Parenthood, plaintiffs include the Center for Reproductive Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union. These same groups filed the initial lawsuit challenging the fetal heartbeat ban.
A federal judge has since granted a temporary restraining order on the fetal heartbeat ban, arguing that he was “bound by the Supreme Court holdings prohibiting undue burdens on the availability of pre-viability abortions.”
According to the lawsuit submitted Monday, attorneys argue the law infringes on the First Amendment because it requires doctors to “communicate a content-based, viewpoint-based, and/or controversial government-mandated message that they would not otherwise recite concerning an experimental medical treatment that has not been shown to be safe or effective.”
The suit also claims the law violates the Fourteenth Amendment because it illegally singles out abortion patients and physicians who provide the procedure.
Meanwhile, Lee has previously promised to do “whatever it takes in court” to defend the anti-abortion law. The Republican frequently touted that “protecting life” by limiting abortion is a top priority for his administration.
Later, as COVID-19 first began sweeping across Tennessee earlier this year, Lee attempted to block abortions under an executive order banning nonessential medical procedures that was issued to slow the spread of COVID-19.
A federal judge later ruled that Tennessee had to continue allowing abortions, arguing the state did not show any appreciable amount of personal protective equipment would be saved if the ban was applied to abortions.
The plaintiffs in that legal case are now seeking to have the state cover nearly $100,000 in legal fees.
– – –
Kimberlee Kruesi is a reporter with The Associated Press.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-01--Commentary: Lowering the Cost of Prescription Medicines for Seniors Is Not Impossible

Earlier this year James Payne , a 73-year-old retired attorney in Utah , was so fed up with the high cost of a blood thinner medication he takes , he researched prices in Canada , where he found it was cheaper .
“ Under Medicare , I am now paying $ 225 for a three-month supply , ” Payne explained .
“ That ’ s $ 25 more than I was paying last year .
Under my employer ’ s insurance I was only paying $ 20.
” Payne says he is not sure why the costs are so much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he thinks there must be ways to make life-saving medications more affordable .
To address Payne ’ s concerns , and those of millions of other Americans like him , President Trump is considering an executive order aimed at reducing Medicare prescription drugs costs by tying them to a socialist pricing model .
“ While we all want lower drug prices , socialism is not the solution , ” said Rick Manning , President of Americans for Limited Government ( ALG ) .
His group is urging the president to reject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug companies to adopt a pricing scheme dictated by foreign socialist governments .
A more market-oriented solution involves taking on and reforming two of the main drivers of drug costs : the non-transparent pharmaceutical drug middlemen known as Pharmacy Benefit Managers ( PBMs ) , and the Food and Drug Administration ’ s ( FDA ) byzantine approval process .
Most Americans are unaware of how these PBMs operate and just how much money they take from the pockets of American consumers .
PBMs have perfected the art of negotiating drug costs between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s expense .
The lack of any transparency for the deals PBMs make and the rebates they receive from drug manufacturers means America ’ s patients often do not realize that they are getting ripped off at the pharmacy counter .
Meanwhile , in the last few years , the largest PBM companies have generated higher revenues than even the largest pharmaceutical companies .
In 2017 , for example “ the top PBMs had revenues that exceeded those of the top pharmaceutical manufacturers , ” with Express Scripts , one of the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion while Pfizer had revenues of $ 52 billion , a recent white paper found .
To his credit , Trump recently issued an executive order providing the massive PBMs to give the rebates they extract from their huge clout in the market directly to the consumers they ’ re supposed to be working for .
The order “ prohibit [ s ] secret deals between drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit manager middlemen , ensuring patients directly benefit from available discounts at the pharmacy counter , ” as the White House explained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good start , ” added Manning .
“ Next , we ’ d like to see the president take action to reform the FDA ’ s approval process to help lower drug prices.
” High drug prices are a symptom of a deeper problem related to the high cost of bringing medicines to market ( $ 2.6 billion according to the latest Tufts University study ) .
President Trump should apply the same streamlined standards that the FDA enacted in 1987 for medicines to treat AIDS to all medicines under FDA review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentence to something patients can live with , and the expedited approval standards have encouraged research and development of these life-saving treatments .
In 2017 , the FDA gave fast-track approval to treatments for Alzheimer ’ s disease .
The FDA approved a record high of 43 drugs through fast-track programs in 2018 , representing 73 percent of new drugs approved by the agency last year and establishing a “ new normal ” that “ is transforming medical decision-making for the seriously ill. ” According to the Wall Street Journal , FDA in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of drugs via fast-tracked programs .
FDA granted fast-tracked approval to at least 60 percent of new drugs the agency approved in each of the past five years , the Journal reports .
In comparison , FDA 10 years ago approved just 10 drugs through a fast-tracked process , representing 38 percent of new drugs the agency approved that year , according to the Journal .
President Trump is on the right track to lowering the cost of Medicare prescription drugs .
But his proposed executive order to socialize them is misguided .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this president ’ s most stalwart supporters and allies , but we can not stand idly by and let our friend make a mistake that could lead America on a path toward socialized medicine .
Catherine Mortensen is the Vice President of Communications at Americans for Limited Government .

by Catherine Mortensen
Earlier this year James Payne, a 73-year-old retired attorney in Utah, was so fed up with the high cost of a blood thinner medication he takes, he researched prices in Canada, where he found it was cheaper.
“Under Medicare, I am now paying $225 for a three-month supply,” Payne explained. “That’s $25 more than I was paying last year. Under my employer’s insurance I was only paying $20.” Payne says he is not sure why the costs are so much higher and continue to climb under Medicare, but he thinks there must be ways to make life-saving medications more affordable.
To address Payne’s concerns, and those of millions of other Americans like him, President Trump is considering an executive order aimed at reducing Medicare prescription drugs costs by tying them to a socialist pricing model.
“While we all want lower drug prices, socialism is not the solution,” said Rick Manning, President of Americans for Limited Government (ALG). His group is urging the president to reject a proposed executive order that would force drug companies to adopt a pricing scheme dictated by foreign socialist governments.
A more market-oriented solution involves taking on and reforming two of the main drivers of drug costs: the non-transparent pharmaceutical drug middlemen known as Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) byzantine approval process.
Most Americans are unaware of how these PBMs operate and just how much money they take from the pockets of American consumers. PBMs have perfected the art of negotiating drug costs between insurance and pharmacies at the consumer’s expense. The lack of any transparency for the deals PBMs make and the rebates they receive from drug manufacturers means America’s patients often do not realize that they are getting ripped off at the pharmacy counter. Meanwhile, in the last few years, the largest PBM companies have generated higher revenues than even the largest pharmaceutical companies.
In 2017, for example “the top PBMs had revenues that exceeded those of the top pharmaceutical manufacturers,” with Express Scripts, one of the biggest PBMs, reporting revenue of $100 billion while Pfizer had revenues of $52 billion, a recent white paper found.
To his credit, Trump recently issued an executive order providing the massive PBMs to give the rebates they extract from their huge clout in the market directly to the consumers they’re supposed to be working for.
The order “prohibit[s] secret deals between drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit manager middlemen, ensuring patients directly benefit from available discounts at the pharmacy counter,” as the White House explained in its announcement.
“That’s a good start,” added Manning. “Next, we’d like to see the president take action to reform the FDA’s approval process to help lower drug prices.”
High drug prices are a symptom of a deeper problem related to the high cost of bringing medicines to market ($2.6 billion according to the latest Tufts University study). President Trump should apply the same streamlined standards that the FDA enacted in 1987 for medicines to treat AIDS to all medicines under FDA review. AIDS has gone from a death sentence to something patients can live with, and the expedited approval standards have encouraged research and development of these life-saving treatments.
In 2017, the FDA gave fast-track approval to treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. The FDA approved a record high of 43 drugs through fast-track programs in 2018, representing 73 percent of new drugs approved by the agency last year and establishing a “new normal” that “is transforming medical decision-making for the seriously ill.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, FDA in recent years has been approving increasing shares of drugs via fast-tracked programs. FDA granted fast-tracked approval to at least 60 percent of new drugs the agency approved in each of the past five years, the Journal reports. In comparison, FDA 10 years ago approved just 10 drugs through a fast-tracked process, representing 38 percent of new drugs the agency approved that year, according to the Journal.
President Trump is on the right track to lowering the cost of Medicare prescription drugs. But his proposed executive order to socialize them is misguided. Americans for Limited Government has been one of this president’s most stalwart supporters and allies, but we cannot stand idly by and let our friend make a mistake that could lead America on a path toward socialized medicine.
– – –
Catherine Mortensen is the Vice President of Communications at Americans for Limited Government.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-01--Trump Campaign Discusses Biden’s Hands-Off Approach to Violent Rioters

President Donald Trump ’ s campaign issued a statement addressing Joe Biden ’ s reluctance to take on violent leftist rioters .
The statement from Tim Murtaugh , Trump ’ s 2020 communications director , is available here .
Joe Biden just yesterday indicated he would not send the National Guard into cities and states where left-wing mobs are rioting – in Portland ’ s case , for more than three months .
Last month he issued a written statement specifically about Portland , in which he called the rioters ‘ peaceful protestors ’ and accused federal law enforcement officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ while the mob was literally setting fire to the federal courthouse .
Following Biden ’ s lead , the leftist mayor of Portland continues to reject President Trump ’ s offer of federal assistance to quell the riots that have now raged for 95 days and resulted in death .
For three months , Joe Biden remained silent on the rampant violence and destruction overtaking Democrat-run cities , where Biden ’ s allies have rejected federal assistance and ordered local police to let rioters run wild .
Biden ’ s campaign even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail , including a murderer , a rapist , and a rioter who shot at police .
It ’ s obvious that law-abiding Americans will be on their own if Biden and his allies are elected in November .
You won ’ t be safe in Joe Biden ’ s America .
The National Guard reference was to a story by Fox News in which Biden accused Trump of using them as “ props ” for political purposes .
In contrast to Biden , Trump has been supportive of riot victims , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The president spoke to the victims and condemned Democratic officials ’ lack of response in defending the public , The Minnesota Sun reported .
In a press release , he said , “ The mayors and governors of these states and cities have an absolute duty to use all resources necessary to end the violence and all of the injury and death.
” Among their recent “ peaceful ” acts , rioters are accused of hitting a Minneapolis police officer in the head with a metal trash can lid , The Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .

President Donald Trump’s campaign issued a statement addressing Joe Biden’s reluctance to take on violent leftist rioters.
The statement from Tim Murtaugh, Trump’s 2020 communications director, is available here.
Joe Biden just yesterday indicated he would not send the National Guard into cities and states where left-wing mobs are rioting – in Portland’s case, for more than three months. Last month he issued a written statement specifically about Portland, in which he called the rioters ‘peaceful protestors’ and accused federal law enforcement officers of ‘stoking the fires of division’ while the mob was literally setting fire to the federal courthouse. Following Biden’s lead, the leftist mayor of Portland continues to reject President Trump’s offer of federal assistance to quell the riots that have now raged for 95 days and resulted in death. For three months, Joe Biden remained silent on the rampant violence and destruction overtaking Democrat-run cities, where Biden’s allies have rejected federal assistance and ordered local police to let rioters run wild. Biden’s campaign even helped bail accused violent criminals out of jail, including a murderer, a rapist, and a rioter who shot at police. It’s obvious that law-abiding Americans will be on their own if Biden and his allies are elected in November. You won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America.
The National Guard reference was to a story by Fox News in which Biden accused Trump of using them as “props” for political purposes.
In contrast to Biden, Trump has been supportive of riot victims, such as when he visited Minnesota in mid-August.
The president spoke to the victims and condemned Democratic officials’ lack of response in defending the public, The Minnesota Sun reported. In a press release, he said, “The mayors and governors of these states and cities have an absolute duty to use all resources necessary to end the violence and all of the injury and death.”
Among their recent “peaceful” acts, rioters are accused of hitting a Minneapolis police officer in the head with a metal trash can lid, The Daily Caller News Foundation reported.
– – –
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-01--Appeals Court Won’t Order Flynn Dismissal, Returns Case to Lower Court

WASHINGTON , D.C. ( AP ) — A federal appeals court in Washington declined Monday to order the dismissal of the Michael Flynn prosecution , permitting a judge to scrutinize the Justice Department ’ s request to dismiss its case against President Donald Trump ’ s former national security adviser .
The decision keeps the case at least temporarily alive and rebuffs efforts by both Flynn ’ s lawyers and the Justice Department to force the prosecution to be dropped without any further inquiry from the judge , who has for months declined to dismiss it .
The ruling represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has taken unusual twists and turns over the last year and prompted a separation of powers tussle involving a veteran federal judge and the Trump administration .
In a separate ruling Monday , a three-judge panel of the same appeals court again threw out a lawsuit by House Democrats to compel former White House counsel Don McGahn to appear before a congressional committee .
The Flynn conflict arose in May when the Justice Department moved to dismiss the prosecution despite Flynn ’ s own guilty plea to lying to the FBI about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presidential transition period .
But U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan , who had upbraided Flynn for his behavior at a 2018 court appearance , signaled his skepticism at the government ’ s unusual motion .
He refused to dismiss the case and instead scheduled a hearing and appointed a retired federal judge to argue against the Justice Department ’ s position .
That former judge , John Gleeson , challenged the motives behind the department ’ s dismissal request and called it a “ gross abuse ” of prosecutorial power .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtain a order from the appeals court that would have required the immediate dismissal of the case .
They argued that the judge had overstepped his bounds by scrutinizing a decision that both sides , the defense and the Justice Department , were in agreement about and that the case was effectively moot once prosecutors decided to abandon it .
At issue before the appeals court was whether Sullivan could be forced to grant the Justice Department ’ s dismissal request without even holding a hearing to scrutinize the basis for the motion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that question in the negative , ” the court wrote in an unsigned opinion for the eight judges in the majority .
The judges also rejected defense efforts to have Sullivan removed from the case .
In a concurring opinion , U.S. District Judge Thomas Griffith wrote that the court ’ s opinion did not concern the merits of the Justice Department ’ s prosecution of Flynn or even its decision to abandon the case .
Rather , he said the question before the judges was a much more simple one .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclusion that a court of appeals should stay its hand and allow the district court to finish its work rather than hear a challenge to a decision not yet made , ” Griffith said .
“ That is a policy the federal courts have followed since the beginning of the Republic.
” He said it was very possible that Sullivan could wind up granting the Justice Department ’ s dismissal request and that it would be “ highly unusual if it did not , given the Executive ’ s constitutional prerogative to direct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s limited discretion ” in cases that prosecutors want dropped .
Two judges , Neomi Rao and Karen LeCraft Henderson , each wrote dissenting opinions arguing that Sullivan had usurped his authority by keeping alive a case the Justice Department sought to have dismissed .
Both judges were part of a 2-1 ruling in June that ordered Sullivan to dismiss the case .
“ In Flynn ’ s case , the prosecution no longer has a prosecutor , ” Rao wrote .
“ Yet the case continues with district court proceedings aimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department .
The majority gestures at the potential harms of such a judicial intrusion into the Executive Branch , but takes a wait-and-see approach , hoping and hinting that the district judge will not take the actions he clearly states he will take .
Flynn was questioned by the FBI just days after Trump ’ s inauguration about his conversations with the then-Russian ambassador to the U.S. pertaining to sanctions that had just been imposed by the Obama administration for Russian election interference .
The conversation alarmed law enforcement and intelligence officials who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had coordinated with Russia to sway the presidential election in Trump ’ s favor , and officials were were puzzled by the White House ’ s public insistence that Flynn and the diplomat had not discussed sanctions .
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in a signature prosecution in special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation into ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia .
Flynn agreed months into the investigation to cooperate with the authorities in hopes of receiving a lighter sentence .
But as Flynn awaited sentencing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney from St. Louis to investigate the handling of the Flynn case and later endorsed that prosecutor ’ s recommendation that the case be dismissed .
The Justice Department said it had concluded that the FBI had an insufficient basis to interrogate Flynn about his conversations with the diplomat , which Barr has said were appropriate for an incoming national security adviser to have had , and that statements he made during the interview were not material to the FBI ’ s underlying counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign .
Eric Tucker is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP writer Mark Sherman in Washington contributed to this report .
About the Headline Photo : In this Sept. 10 , 2019 file photo , Michael Flynn , President Donald Trump ’ s former national security adviser , leaves the federal court following a status conference in Washington .
The arrest of President Donald Trump ’ s former chief strategist Steve Bannon adds to a growing list of Trump associates ensnared in legal trouble .
They include the president ’ s former campaign chair , Paul Manafort , whom Bannon replaced , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his former national security adviser , Michael Flynn .
( AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta , File )

by Eric Tucker
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — A federal appeals court in Washington declined Monday to order the dismissal of the Michael Flynn prosecution, permitting a judge to scrutinize the Justice Department’s request to dismiss its case against President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser.
The decision keeps the case at least temporarily alive and rebuffs efforts by both Flynn’s lawyers and the Justice Department to force the prosecution to be dropped without any further inquiry from the judge, who has for months declined to dismiss it. The ruling represents the latest development in a criminal case that has taken unusual twists and turns over the last year and prompted a separation of powers tussle involving a veteran federal judge and the Trump administration.
In a separate ruling Monday, a three-judge panel of the same appeals court again threw out a lawsuit by House Democrats to compel former White House counsel Don McGahn to appear before a congressional committee.
The Flynn conflict arose in May when the Justice Department moved to dismiss the prosecution despite Flynn’s own guilty plea to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition period.
But U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who had upbraided Flynn for his behavior at a 2018 court appearance, signaled his skepticism at the government’s unusual motion. He refused to dismiss the case and instead scheduled a hearing and appointed a retired federal judge to argue against the Justice Department’s position. That former judge, John Gleeson, challenged the motives behind the department’s dismissal request and called it a “gross abuse” of prosecutorial power.
His lawyers then sought to bypass Sullivan and obtain a order from the appeals court that would have required the immediate dismissal of the case. They argued that the judge had overstepped his bounds by scrutinizing a decision that both sides, the defense and the Justice Department, were in agreement about and that the case was effectively moot once prosecutors decided to abandon it.
At issue before the appeals court was whether Sullivan could be forced to grant the Justice Department’s dismissal request without even holding a hearing to scrutinize the basis for the motion.
“We have no trouble answering that question in the negative,” the court wrote in an unsigned opinion for the eight judges in the majority.
The judges also rejected defense efforts to have Sullivan removed from the case.
In a concurring opinion, U.S. District Judge Thomas Griffith wrote that the court’s opinion did not concern the merits of the Justice Department’s prosecution of Flynn or even its decision to abandon the case. Rather, he said the question before the judges was a much more simple one.
“Today we reach the unexceptional yet important conclusion that a court of appeals should stay its hand and allow the district court to finish its work rather than hear a challenge to a decision not yet made,” Griffith said. “That is a policy the federal courts have followed since the beginning of the Republic.”
He said it was very possible that Sullivan could wind up granting the Justice Department’s dismissal request and that it would be “highly unusual if it did not, given the Executive’s constitutional prerogative to direct and control prosecutions and the district court’s limited discretion” in cases that prosecutors want dropped.
Two judges, Neomi Rao and Karen LeCraft Henderson, each wrote dissenting opinions arguing that Sullivan had usurped his authority by keeping alive a case the Justice Department sought to have dismissed. Both judges were part of a 2-1 ruling in June that ordered Sullivan to dismiss the case.
“In Flynn’s case, the prosecution no longer has a prosecutor,” Rao wrote. “Yet the case continues with district court proceedings aimed at uncovering the internal deliberations of the Department. The majority gestures at the potential harms of such a judicial intrusion into the Executive Branch, but takes a wait-and-see approach, hoping and hinting that the district judge will not take the actions he clearly states he will take.
Flynn was questioned by the FBI just days after Trump’s inauguration about his conversations with the then-Russian ambassador to the U.S. pertaining to sanctions that had just been imposed by the Obama administration for Russian election interference.
The conversation alarmed law enforcement and intelligence officials who were already investigating whether the Trump campaign had coordinated with Russia to sway the presidential election in Trump’s favor, and officials were were puzzled by the White House’s public insistence that Flynn and the diplomat had not discussed sanctions.
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in a signature prosecution in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. Flynn agreed months into the investigation to cooperate with the authorities in hopes of receiving a lighter sentence.
But as Flynn awaited sentencing, Attorney General William Barr appointed a U.S. attorney from St. Louis to investigate the handling of the Flynn case and later endorsed that prosecutor’s recommendation that the case be dismissed.
The Justice Department said it had concluded that the FBI had an insufficient basis to interrogate Flynn about his conversations with the diplomat, which Barr has said were appropriate for an incoming national security adviser to have had, and that statements he made during the interview were not material to the FBI’s underlying counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign.
– – –
Eric Tucker is a reporter with The Associated Press. AP writer Mark Sherman in Washington contributed to this report.
About the Headline Photo: In this Sept. 10, 2019 file photo, Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, leaves the federal court following a status conference in Washington. The arrest of President Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon adds to a growing list of Trump associates ensnared in legal trouble. They include the president’s former campaign chair, Paul Manafort, whom Bannon replaced, his longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, and his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)


thetennesseestar--2020-09-01--Ratcliffe Says He Is Coordinating with John Durham, Plans to Declassify More Trump-Russia Documents

John Ratcliffe , the director of national intelligence , has been coordinating with U.S. Attorney John Durham and plans to soon declassify more documents related to the Trump-Russia probe , he said Sunday .
“ The question now is did the FBI have a proper predicate to begin a counterintelligence investigation at all , and that ’ s the issue that John Durham is looking at , and also the issue that I ’ m continuing to look at , ” Ratcliffe said in an interview on Fox News ’ “ Sunday Morning Futures.
” Durham , the U.S. attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation into several aspects of the U.S. government ’ s surveillance activities against Trump associates .
He is investigating the FBI ’ s decision to open an investigation in July 2016 against Trump campaign associates over their possible ties to Russia , as well as an intelligence community assessment that said the Kremlin meddled in the 2016 election in order to help Donald Trump win .
Ratcliffe said that he is not privy to Durham ’ s findings , but that he has provided the prosecutor access to intelligence documents needed for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with him to make sure that he has the intelligence documents that he needs to do his work , and what I don ’ t want to do is declassify something that might prejudice his work so we ’ re going to have to coordinate as we go forward , ” said Ratcliffe , a former U.S. congressman from Texas .
Ratcliffe said he has tried to avoid declassifying documents that would “ prejudice ” Durham ’ s investigation , though he said he ’ s “ optimistic that I ’ ll be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s investigation has yielded one prosecution so far .
Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pleaded guilty on Aug. 19 of altering a June 2017 email from a CIA analyst to say that Carter Page was not a source for the spy agent .
Page had served as an “ operational contact ” for the CIA through 2013 .
Ratcliffe and his predecessor , Amb .
Richard Grenell , have declassified documents related to the Steele dossier , unmasking requests related to former national security adviser Michael Flynn , and the intelligence community assessment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grenell declassified information in footnotes from the Justice Department inspector general ’ s report on the FBI ’ s Trump investigation , which showed that the bureau had evidence that the Steele dossier may have contained disinformation planted by Russian intelligence officers .
Ratcliffe declassified an FBI memo of interviews with Igor Danchenko , the primary source for dossier author Christopher Steele .
Danchenko ’ s statements to the FBI called into question the reliability of the dossier , which the FBI used to obtain surveillance warrants against Carter Page .

by Chuck Ross
John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence, has been coordinating with U.S. Attorney John Durham and plans to soon declassify more documents related to the Trump-Russia probe, he said Sunday.
“The question now is did the FBI have a proper predicate to begin a counterintelligence investigation at all, and that’s the issue that John Durham is looking at, and also the issue that I’m continuing to look at,” Ratcliffe said in an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
Durham, the U.S. attorney for Connecticut, is conducting a sprawling investigation into several aspects of the U.S. government’s surveillance activities against Trump associates.
He is investigating the FBI’s decision to open an investigation in July 2016 against Trump campaign associates over their possible ties to Russia, as well as an intelligence community assessment that said the Kremlin meddled in the 2016 election in order to help Donald Trump win.
Ratcliffe said that he is not privy to Durham’s findings, but that he has provided the prosecutor access to intelligence documents needed for the investigation.
“I’m coordinating with him to make sure that he has the intelligence documents that he needs to do his work, and what I don’t want to do is declassify something that might prejudice his work so we’re going to have to coordinate as we go forward,” said Ratcliffe, a former U.S. congressman from Texas.
Ratcliffe said he has tried to avoid declassifying documents that would “prejudice” Durham’s investigation, though he said he’s “optimistic that I’ll be declassifying additional documents soon.”
Durham’s investigation has yielded one prosecution so far. Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pleaded guilty on Aug. 19 of altering a June 2017 email from a CIA analyst to say that Carter Page was not a source for the spy agent. Page had served as an “operational contact” for the CIA through 2013.
Ratcliffe and his predecessor, Amb. Richard Grenell, have declassified documents related to the Steele dossier, unmasking requests related to former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and the intelligence community assessment of Russia’s election interference.
Grenell declassified information in footnotes from the Justice Department inspector general’s report on the FBI’s Trump investigation, which showed that the bureau had evidence that the Steele dossier may have contained disinformation planted by Russian intelligence officers.
Ratcliffe declassified an FBI memo of interviews with Igor Danchenko, the primary source for dossier author Christopher Steele. Danchenko’s statements to the FBI called into question the reliability of the dossier, which the FBI used to obtain surveillance warrants against Carter Page.
– – –
Chuck Ross is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-01--Former Obama AG Loretta Lynch Is Conducting ‘Independent Review’ of Syracuse University Police

Former Obama Attorney General Loretta Lynch is asking Syracuse University student organization leaders to share their opinions and testimonies about the campus police department , of which Syracuse hired her to launch a review .
Campus Reform obtained an August 19 email from Lynch to student organizations on campus , in which she asked students to share their views on DPS .
“ As you may have heard , I have been retained by Syracuse University to conduct an independent review of the University ’ s Department of Public Safety , including concerns about DPS that have been raised by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lynch wrote in the email .
“ I am reaching out to you as leaders of Syracuse ’ s student organizations to ask if you would like to share your views on DPS .
I would be grateful for the opportunity to hear your perspective , including any experiences or concerns that you may have.
” Lynch said that the “ issues underlying ” the review “ are only growing in importance ” and invited the student organization leaders to speak with her in a group setting .
She also asked students to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensitive information ” that they may be uncomfortable sharing in a group setting .
Syracuse Chancellor Kent Syverud announced an independent review of the university ’ s Department of Public Safety ( DPS ) in February , amid criticism of its handling of student protesters participating in # NotAgainSU demonstrations , according to the Daily Orange .
In June , Syverud added a hiring freeze to five approved DPS officers pending the review .
Syverud said that he asked Lynch to evaluate how DPS operates and recommend changes to protect Black students .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is calling for racial reforms at Syracuse .
The university initially rejected demands from “ NotAgainSU ” protesters , which included disarming DPS providing students the option of choosing a roommate of the same race .
Syracuse sophomore Adrianna San Marco told Campus Reform that the decision to hire Lynch was “ incredibly poor.
” “ Syracuse University has made yet another incredibly poor decision in hiring Loretta Lynch , ” Marco said .
“ The administration called for an investigation of the department after officers carried out orders given by the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ sends a very clear message that public safety officers will be massacred if it means the university can save face in the public eye.
” Augustus Leroux , another Syracuse sophomore , said that the university should have made a more serious hire in this case .
“ If this investigation were not a political stunt , then Syracuse would not have hired a political stuntwoman to carry it out , ” Leroux said .
He said that Lynch ’ s status as a “ politically polarizing figure ” will make it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her findings .
Ben Zeisloft is the Pennsylvania Senior Campus Correspondent for CampusReform.org .

by Ben Zeisloft
Former Obama Attorney General Loretta Lynch is asking Syracuse University student organization leaders to share their opinions and testimonies about the campus police department, of which Syracuse hired her to launch a review.
Campus Reform obtained an August 19 email from Lynch to student organizations on campus, in which she asked students to share their views on DPS.
“As you may have heard, I have been retained by Syracuse University to conduct an independent review of the University’s Department of Public Safety, including concerns about DPS that have been raised by members of the University community,” Lynch wrote in the email. “I am reaching out to you as leaders of Syracuse’s student organizations to ask if you would like to share your views on DPS. I would be grateful for the opportunity to hear your perspective, including any experiences or concerns that you may have.”
Lynch said that the “issues underlying” the review “are only growing in importance” and invited the student organization leaders to speak with her in a group setting. She also asked students to inform her team of any “particularly sensitive information” that they may be uncomfortable sharing in a group setting.
Syracuse Chancellor Kent Syverud announced an independent review of the university’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) in February, amid criticism of its handling of student protesters participating in #NotAgainSU demonstrations, according to the Daily Orange.
In June, Syverud added a hiring freeze to five approved DPS officers pending the review.
Syverud said that he asked Lynch to evaluate how DPS operates and recommend changes to protect Black students.
#NotAgainSU is a student-led movement that is calling for racial reforms at Syracuse. The university initially rejected demands from “NotAgainSU” protesters, which included disarming DPS providing students the option of choosing a roommate of the same race.
Syracuse sophomore Adrianna San Marco told Campus Reform that the decision to hire Lynch was “incredibly poor.”
“Syracuse University has made yet another incredibly poor decision in hiring Loretta Lynch,” Marco said. “The administration called for an investigation of the department after officers carried out orders given by the very same administration,” which Marco said “sends a very clear message that public safety officers will be massacred if it means the university can save face in the public eye.”
Augustus Leroux, another Syracuse sophomore, said that the university should have made a more serious hire in this case.
“If this investigation were not a political stunt, then Syracuse would not have hired a political stuntwoman to carry it out,” Leroux said. He said that Lynch’s status as a “politically polarizing figure” will make it impossible for the general public to accept her findings.
– – –
Ben Zeisloft is the Pennsylvania Senior Campus Correspondent for CampusReform.org.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-01--CIA Conduct During Russia Assessment May Be Next Boomerang in Probe of Investigators

By his own admission , ex-CIA Director John Brennan chafed at being questioned earlier this month by federal prosecutor John Durham about the Obama administration ’ s intelligence assessment that Russia ’ s meddling in 2016 election was designed to help Donald Trump .
Brennan “ questioned why the analytic tradecraft and the findings of the ICA are being scrutinized by the Department of Justice , especially since they have been validated by the Mueller Report and the bipartisan Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Review , ” a statement issued by his spokesman Nick Shapiro said .
The answer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence , is that the House intelligence committee in 2018 sent a secret report to the CIA inspector general that called into question the tradecraft used in the Brennan-led assessment .
Specifically , the officials said , it highlighted dissent and doubts by some intelligence community analysts about Vladimir Putin ’ s intentions in intervening in the 2016 election .
Some believed it was to help Trump ; others believed it was simply to sow chaos without picking a winner , and still others saw evidence Putin might have preferred Hillary Clinton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an assessment that was portrayed as unanimous when it was made public in early January 2017 was anything but at the analyst level , according to Fred Fleitz , a longtime intelligence officer who was briefed on the House intelligence committee ’ s concerns when he served as chief of staff in the National Security Council .
“ When I was briefed on the House Intelligence Committee report on the January 2017 ICA , I was told that John Brennan politicized this assessment by excluding credible intelligence that the Russians wanted Hillary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered weak intelligence included that Russia wanted Trump to win , Fleitz told Just the News .
“ I also was told that Brennan took both actions over the objections of CIA analysts .
I am concerned about what happened to these analysts and worry that they may have been subjected to retaliation by CIA management , ” he added .
“ These analysts are true whistleblowers , and they should come to the congressional intelligence committees to tell their stories and set the record straight on the ICA.
” Officials said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was a member of the House Intelligence Committee before joining the Trump administration , is considering declassifying parts or all of the House Intelligence Committee report to the inspector general .
Ratcliffe hinted Sunday new releases of information are imminent .
“ I ’ m optimistic that I ’ ll be declassifying additional documents soon , ” Ratcliffe told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday .
Ratcliffe added he has been coordinating his plans for releasing more classified documents in the Russia probe with Durham to ensure he doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He ’ s looking at the same documents that I am , ” Ratcliffe said .
“ He ’ s not sharing his findings or the work that he ’ s doing .
But I ’ m coordinating with him to make sure that he has the intelligence documents that he needs to do his work .
And what I don ’ t want to do is declassify something that might prejudice his work.
” If Ratcliffe declassifies the House intelligence panel ’ s complaint to the CIA inspector general , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the release would impact any prosecution and could mean no charges are forthcoming concerning the assessment .
But the release of the report would be significant nonetheless , since both Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate Intelligence Committee have sided with Brennan and agreed Russia was trying to help Trump win .
The belated emergence of evidence — such as dissenting analysts — that calls into question a three-year-old finding would be jarring , especially if it occurred before the election .
One person unlikely to be surprised by questions about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s former station chief in Moscow and one of the United States ’ premier Russia spy tradecraft experts .
Hoffman for nearly two years has challenged the CIA ’ s assessment , saying Putin preferred neither Clinton nor Trump and simply wanted to sow discord in American democracy when he meddled in the election .
“ Lots of people ask the question , ‘ Was Russia trying to interfere on behalf of one candidate or the other ?
’ That ’ s a superfluous question .
They weren ’ t , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year in an interview on the John Solomon Reports podcast .
“ And our own report from the director of National Intelligence in January 2017 shows that we could never determine the impact , if any , that Russia made .
But Vladimir Putin just wants to influence the dialogue .
He wants Democrats and Republicans at each other ’ s throats , and that ’ s what he got , ” Hoffman said .
Several government officials interviewed said evidence that has been declassified in recent months adds to the doubts that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instance , they said , the summer 2016 Trump Tower meeting in which a Russian lawyer on a special Justice Department parole visa visited with the president ’ s eldest son wasn ’ t a typical spy operation to help the Trump campaign and instead had the hallmark of a “ discoverable influence operation ” designed to sow doubts in the American government .
“ If the Russians were helping Trump , they would have kept it secret and wouldn ’ t have used a woman flagged by the Justice Department as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They most likely wanted that meeting to be discovered so the FBI was scratching its head and raising red flags.
” Likewise , the CIA alerted the FBI early in the Crossfire Hurricane probe that some anti-Trump evidence that dossier author Christopher Steele had provided agents was , in fact , disinformation from Russian intelligence services , according to recently declassified footnotes from a Justice Department inspector general report .
“ If the Russians wanted to help Trump win , why were they feeding disinformation to Clinton ’ s opposition research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government official observed .
“ This evidence , if reevaluated , might turn out to be classic Russian mischief designed to sow discord and doubts in democracy.
” John Solomon is an award-winning investigative journalist , author and digital media entrepreneur who serves as Chief Executive Officer and Editor in Chief of Just the News .
Before founding Just the News , Solomon played key reporting and executive roles at some of America ’ s most important journalism institutions , such as The Associated Press , The Washington Post , The Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and The Hill .

by John Solomon
By his own admission, ex-CIA Director John Brennan chafed at being questioned earlier this month by federal prosecutor John Durham about the Obama administration’s intelligence assessment that Russia’s meddling in 2016 election was designed to help Donald Trump.
Brennan “questioned why the analytic tradecraft and the findings of the ICA are being scrutinized by the Department of Justice, especially since they have been validated by the Mueller Report and the bipartisan Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Review,” a statement issued by his spokesman Nick Shapiro said.
The answer, according to multiple officials familiar with the evidence, is that the House intelligence committee in 2018 sent a secret report to the CIA inspector general that called into question the tradecraft used in the Brennan-led assessment.
Specifically, the officials said, it highlighted dissent and doubts by some intelligence community analysts about Vladimir Putin’s intentions in intervening in the 2016 election. Some believed it was to help Trump; others believed it was simply to sow chaos without picking a winner, and still others saw evidence Putin might have preferred Hillary Clinton, the officials said.
In other words, an assessment that was portrayed as unanimous when it was made public in early January 2017 was anything but at the analyst level, according to Fred Fleitz, a longtime intelligence officer who was briefed on the House intelligence committee’s concerns when he served as chief of staff in the National Security Council.
“When I was briefed on the House Intelligence Committee report on the January 2017 ICA, I was told that John Brennan politicized this assessment by excluding credible intelligence that the Russians wanted Hillary Clinton to win the 2016 election and ordered weak intelligence included that Russia wanted Trump to win, Fleitz told Just the News.
“I also was told that Brennan took both actions over the objections of CIA analysts. I am concerned about what happened to these analysts and worry that they may have been subjected to retaliation by CIA management,” he added. “These analysts are true whistleblowers, and they should come to the congressional intelligence committees to tell their stories and set the record straight on the ICA.”
Officials said the Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, who was a member of the House Intelligence Committee before joining the Trump administration, is considering declassifying parts or all of the House Intelligence Committee report to the inspector general.
Ratcliffe hinted Sunday new releases of information are imminent. “I’m optimistic that I’ll be declassifying additional documents soon,” Ratcliffe told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday.
Ratcliffe added he has been coordinating his plans for releasing more classified documents in the Russia probe with Durham to ensure he doesn’t jeopardize any criminal investigative work.
“He’s looking at the same documents that I am,” Ratcliffe said. “He’s not sharing his findings or the work that he’s doing. But I’m coordinating with him to make sure that he has the intelligence documents that he needs to do his work. And what I don’t want to do is declassify something that might prejudice his work.”
If Ratcliffe declassifies the House intelligence panel’s complaint to the CIA inspector general, it will signal that Durham does not believe the release would impact any prosecution and could mean no charges are forthcoming concerning the assessment.
But the release of the report would be significant nonetheless, since both Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate Intelligence Committee have sided with Brennan and agreed Russia was trying to help Trump win.
The belated emergence of evidence — such as dissenting analysts — that calls into question a three-year-old finding would be jarring, especially if it occurred before the election.
One person unlikely to be surprised by questions about the assessment is Daniel Hoffman, the CIA’s former station chief in Moscow and one of the United States’ premier Russia spy tradecraft experts.
Hoffman for nearly two years has challenged the CIA’s assessment, saying Putin preferred neither Clinton nor Trump and simply wanted to sow discord in American democracy when he meddled in the election.
“Lots of people ask the question, ‘Was Russia trying to interfere on behalf of one candidate or the other?’ That’s a superfluous question. They weren’t,” Hoffman told Just the News earlier this year in an interview on the John Solomon Reports podcast.
“And our own report from the director of National Intelligence in January 2017 shows that we could never determine the impact, if any, that Russia made. But Vladimir Putin just wants to influence the dialogue. He wants Democrats and Republicans at each other’s throats, and that’s what he got,” Hoffman said.
Several government officials interviewed said evidence that has been declassified in recent months adds to the doubts that Putin intended to help Trump.
For instance, they said, the summer 2016 Trump Tower meeting in which a Russian lawyer on a special Justice Department parole visa visited with the president’s eldest son wasn’t a typical spy operation to help the Trump campaign and instead had the hallmark of a “discoverable influence operation” designed to sow doubts in the American government.
“If the Russians were helping Trump, they would have kept it secret and wouldn’t have used a woman flagged by the Justice Department as the conduit,” one government official said. “They most likely wanted that meeting to be discovered so the FBI was scratching its head and raising red flags.”
Likewise, the CIA alerted the FBI early in the Crossfire Hurricane probe that some anti-Trump evidence that dossier author Christopher Steele had provided agents was, in fact, disinformation from Russian intelligence services, according to recently declassified footnotes from a Justice Department inspector general report.
“If the Russians wanted to help Trump win, why were they feeding disinformation to Clinton’s opposition research team to dirty up Trump?” the government official observed. “This evidence, if reevaluated, might turn out to be classic Russian mischief designed to sow discord and doubts in democracy.”
– – –
John Solomon is an award-winning investigative journalist, author and digital media entrepreneur who serves as Chief Executive Officer and Editor in Chief of Just the News. Before founding Just the News, Solomon played key reporting and executive roles at some of America’s most important journalism institutions, such as The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Newsweek, The Daily Beast and The Hill.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-01--Carmichael: Media Moves the Goalposts on the Definition of Bad Behavior

Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio .
At the end of the second hour , Leahy and Carmichael took a call from a listener named Leo who was appalled to see Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky and his wife accosted after leaving the White House last Thursday night in Washington , D.C. Carmichael later explained how he saw the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their political agenda .
Leahy : Michael Patrick Leahy here with the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael .
On the phone Caller , Leo wants to talk about Senator Rand Paul .
Welcome , Leo .
Caller Leo : Yes , Mr. Leahy .
Thank you for taking my call .
I just want to say that Senator Rand Paul is one of the best if not the best advocates for civil rights in the US Senate .
And it is appalling what the terrorists were allowed to do to him and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch that video , Leo ?
Leahy : It looked like a swarming as he left the White House Thursday night .
Crom you and I were talking about this during the break .
He left the White House and you would think after leaving the White House after the President accepts the nomination of the Republican Party you would think it would be a safe event .
Apparently , Crom , the police were told to stand down there ?
Carmichael : Well apparently so .
There are more police outside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Washington , D.C. , it is inconceivable to me that the mayor of Washington , D.C. was not part of the decision-making process to leave those people defenseless .
Because any police department and any chief of police who knows that an event that takes place at the White House like that they would have police deployed .
That would be a natural thing for them to do .
And since police were not deployed there must be a reason for their non-deployment .
Leahy : Yes .
And it looked like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that video Senator Paul said he and his wife were surrounded by hundreds of folks forcing those police officers .
He said that we were in fear for our lives and had a police officer not been there we would have been either killed or seriously harmed .
Looking at the video Leo would you say that the Senator accurately described that circumstance ?
Leo : Let me just say that I have been in the midst of 50 plus violent people while Senator Paul and his wife were among .
And there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the slightest wrong move or happenstance could have resulted in someone being killed .
So I ’ m sure that Senator Paul and his wife were afraid for their lives .
Leahy : Thank you for that call , Leo .
Carmichael : And there were a few police .
There were a few .
And there should have been hundreds of police protecting people who were there .
And by the way , if you want to know the definition of peaceful assembly , that event would fall under that category .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ?
Leahy : This is interesting because the risk that they saw there to public safety wasn ’ t 100 people swarming around Senator Paul and his wife threatening them and saying vile things and pushing a police officer into them .
The public safety risk that they saw was an hour before when hundreds of people gathered on the White House lawn and weren ’ t wearing enough masks to them right ?
Carmichael : Right .
The media threat was this could be a potential super spreader event .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day for the MLK event , that was not considered the potential of a super spreader event even though there were many many more people .
And they were absolutely as tightly configured the next day .
And so what you see is that the media is just so selective in their definitions .
And that ’ s why I say that you have to get back to first principles when you look at what is going on today .
CBS reported that there had been 100 cases in the states surrounding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases .
Leahy : That was like a couple of weeks ago .
Carmichael : There were 250 thousand people that came to that event .
100 cases in the greater scheme of things and where we are today in the amount of protesting and the COVID transmission from the protests can ’ t possibly be comparable .
But this is another example of the media now moving the goalposts on what the definition of bad behavior is .
Just gathering together peacefully if you are not a rioter then what you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorist event .
Leahy : Apparently the media has established a new scientific principle .
I don ’ t know if you ’ ve heard about it .
There was a medical doctor and they forgot to say he was a failed Democratic candidate for Congress who was an expert on this at CNN , who said the event at the White House was a super spreader event because they weren ’ t wearing enough masks and they were too tightly grouped .
But that the following day the event there in Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 people were gathered and tightly packed and that wasn ’ t a super spreader event because their intent was to protest social injustice .
So apparently the scientific principle is , the intent of the individual engaged in the action determines whether or not the virus is spread .
Carmichael : Yes .
And the average person watching the news now , I think I saw a report where 86 percent of the public does not trust what they hear on the news .
Now that is an astounding number .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profession and I cared this is the qualifier here ( Leahy laughs ) and I cared about the reputation of the institution that I was a part of , that statistic would bother me .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Reportwith Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .

Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio.
At the end of the second hour, Leahy and Carmichael took a call from a listener named Leo who was appalled to see Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky and his wife accosted after leaving the White House last Thursday night in Washington, D.C. Carmichael later explained how he saw the media changing COVID spreading narratives to fit their political agenda.
Leahy: Michael Patrick Leahy here with the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael. On the phone Caller, Leo wants to talk about Senator Rand Paul. Welcome, Leo.
Caller Leo: Yes, Mr. Leahy. Thank you for taking my call. I just want to say that Senator Rand Paul is one of the best if not the best advocates for civil rights in the US Senate. And it is appalling what the terrorists were allowed to do to him and his wife in D.C.
Leahy: Did you watch that video, Leo?
Leo: Yes.
Leahy: It looked like a swarming as he left the White House Thursday night. Crom you and I were talking about this during the break. He left the White House and you would think after leaving the White House after the President accepts the nomination of the Republican Party you would think it would be a safe event. Apparently, Crom, the police were told to stand down there?
Carmichael: Well apparently so. There are more police outside of a Vanderbilt football game. The mayor of Washington, D.C., it is inconceivable to me that the mayor of Washington, D.C. was not part of the decision-making process to leave those people defenseless.
Because any police department and any chief of police who knows that an event that takes place at the White House like that they would have police deployed. That would be a natural thing for them to do. And since police were not deployed there must be a reason for their non-deployment.
Leahy: Yes. And it looked like to me Leo if you look at that video Senator Paul said he and his wife were surrounded by hundreds of folks forcing those police officers. He said that we were in fear for our lives and had a police officer not been there we would have been either killed or seriously harmed. Looking at the video Leo would you say that the Senator accurately described that circumstance?
Leo: Let me just say that I have been in the midst of 50 plus violent people while Senator Paul and his wife were among. And there is no doubt that (Chuckles) the slightest wrong move or happenstance could have resulted in someone being killed. So I’m sure that Senator Paul and his wife were afraid for their lives.
Leahy: Thank you for that call, Leo.
Carmichael: And there were a few police. There were a few. And there should have been hundreds of police protecting people who were there. And by the way, if you want to know the definition of peaceful assembly, that event would fall under that category. But yet how did the media portray it?
Leahy: This is interesting because the risk that they saw there to public safety wasn’t 100 people swarming around Senator Paul and his wife threatening them and saying vile things and pushing a police officer into them. The public safety risk that they saw was an hour before when hundreds of people gathered on the White House lawn and weren’t wearing enough masks to them right?
Carmichael: Right. The media threat was this could be a potential super spreader event. Now, the people who gathered the next day for the MLK event, that was not considered the potential of a super spreader event even though there were many many more people. And they were absolutely as tightly configured the next day.
And so what you see is that the media is just so selective in their definitions. And that’s why I say that you have to get back to first principles when you look at what is going on today. CBS reported that there had been 100 cases in the states surrounding the biker event in South Dakota. 100 cases.
Leahy: That was like a couple of weeks ago.
Carmichael: There were 250 thousand people that came to that event. 100 cases in the greater scheme of things and where we are today in the amount of protesting and the COVID transmission from the protests can’t possibly be comparable.
But this is another example of the media now moving the goalposts on what the definition of bad behavior is. Just gathering together peacefully if you are not a rioter then what you are doing amounts to some kind of health terrorist event.
Leahy: Apparently the media has established a new scientific principle. I don’t know if you’ve heard about it. There was a medical doctor and they forgot to say he was a failed Democratic candidate for Congress who was an expert on this at CNN, who said the event at the White House was a super spreader event because they weren’t wearing enough masks and they were too tightly grouped.
But that the following day the event there in Washington, D.C. where there were 7,000 or 10,000 people were gathered and tightly packed and that wasn’t a super spreader event because their intent was to protest social injustice. So apparently the scientific principle is, the intent of the individual engaged in the action determines whether or not the virus is spread.
Carmichael: Yes. And the average person watching the news now, I think I saw a report where 86 percent of the public does not trust what they hear on the news. Now that is an astounding number. And if I were part of the journalistic profession and I cared this is the qualifier here (Leahy laughs) and I cared about the reputation of the institution that I was a part of, that statistic would bother me.
Listen to the full second hour here:

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Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Reportwith Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.