truepundit--2020-12-23--Tech Billionaire Who Bankrolled Numerous Disinformation Projects Linked To $620,000 Donation To Fusi

Tech Billionaire Who Bankrolled Numerous Disinformation Projects Linked To $620,000 Donation To Fusion GPS’s Legal Fund

• A liberal group backed by Silicon Valley donors , including LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman , donated $ 620,000 to the legal defense fund for Fusion GPS , tax records show .
• While it is unclear if Hoffman was directly involved in paying Fusion ’ s legal bills , he has been identified as a significant funder for the liberal group , Integrity First for America .
• Fusion GPS as well as groups backed by Hoffman have come under fire for pushing questionable information about Republicans .
• The dossier funded by Fusion GPS has been largely debunked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ‘ false flag ’ operation to hurt Republican political candidates .
• Mary Mapes , who was fired at CBS News over a story based on forged documents about George W. Bush , is a top executive at Integrity First for America .
An anti-Trump group funded heavily by Reid Hoffman , a liberal billionaire tech titan who ’ s bankrolled political disinformation peddlers , contributed $ 620,000 to a legal fund for Fusion GPS , the opposition research firm behind the controversial Steele dossier , financial filings show .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for America ( IFA ) made the contribution in 2018 for the legal defense fund of Bean LLC , the holding company for Fusion GPS .
IFA , which launched in October 2017 , is the first entity to be identified as one of Fusion ’ s benefactors .
Initially billed as an anti-corruption group that planned to investigate Donald Trump ’ s business dealings , IFA has since turned it focus on litigation against white supremacist groups .
Fusion GPS ’ s founders , Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch , wrote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received outside funding to help cover millions of dollars of legal bills it accumulated from dossier-related lawsuits and congressional investigations .
Simpson and Fritsch wrote that they received financial support from a “ few donors , ” but did not disclose who they are .
It is not clear whether Hoffman was aware that IFA has helped Fusion GPS .
The New York Times reported in October 2017 that Hoffman planned to give more than $ 1 million to IFA .
IFA ’ s board chairwoman , Monica Graham , told Agence France-Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the group came from Silicon Valley funders .
She singled out Hoffman as a significant donor .
IFA received $ 2.9 million in contributions in 2017 and nearly $ 9 million in 2018 , according to its filings with the IRS .
Hoffman has funded multiple anti-Trump and anti-Republican initiatives , some of which have faced accusations of pushing politically-charged disinformation .
Hoffman apologized in late 2018 after The New York Times reported that he was a top funder for a project spearheaded by the tech firm New Knowledge , which created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters in Alabama ’ s Senate special election in December 2017 .
According to The Times , the project ’ s operators created thousands of fake Russian accounts that followed Republican candidate Roy Moore .
The mass following generated national media coverage and fueled the narrative that Republicans were the party favored most by Russia .
New Knowledge worked closely with Fusion GPS , according to a book by Fusion founders Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch .
The firm also contributed to a Senate Intelligence Committee report about Russia ’ s efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an early backer to ACRONYM , the progressive tech company behind the botched app used in the Iowa Democratic caucuses earlier this year .
Another Hoffman-funded entity , American Engagement Technologies , published misleading Facebook ads from accounts designed to stifle Republican voter turnout in the special election .
Facebook announced in January 2019 that it was investigating New for Democracy , another group Hoffman financed that was accused of publishing misleading news stories ahead of the 2018 midterms .
Dmitri Mehlhorn , who is reported to be Hoffman ’ s top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for News for Democracy .
He is also on the board of IFA .
Susie Buell , a Democratic activist who is close to Bill and Hillary Clinton , is also an IFA board member .
One of IFA ’ s founding executives is Mary Mapes , a former CBS News producer who was fired in 2005 over her work on a report on fabricated documents that said George W. Bush dodged serving in the Vietnam War .
Dan Rather , the longtime CBS News anchor , aired a story about the documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months before the election .
CBS retracted the story less than two weeks later , citing a series of errors in its handling of the fake Bush documents .
According to IFA ’ s tax filings , Mapes was paid $ 300,000 in 2018 as director of research .
Like Mapes , Fusion GPS has also peddled false information about a Republican presidential candidate .
After hiring Christopher Steele in June 2016 , Fusion GPS ’ s founders disseminated the ex-spy ’ s memos to numerous heavy hitters in Washington , including to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Justice and State departments .
Steele provided memos from his dossier to the FBI , which used the information to advance its investigation into the Trump campaign ’ s possible ties to the Russian government .
Several key allegations from the dossier have fallen apart in the nearly four years since BuzzFeed published the document .
Special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s report said that investigators found no evidence to support Steele ’ s central theory of a “ well-developed conspiracy of cooperation ” between the Trump campaign and Russian government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cohen met with Kremlin insiders in Prague to discuss paying off hackers .
The special counsel ’ s report and a report from the Justice Department ’ s inspector general said Cohen never visited Prague and that no Trump associates were involved in hacking or releasing emails stolen from Democrats .
It has since emerged that Steele relied on only one source , a Russian analyst named Igor Danchenko , to collect information about the Trump campaign and Russia .
Danchenko told the FBI in January 2017 that he did not verify many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dossier .
The IG report also said that the FBI received evidence in 2017 that Russian intelligence operatives may have fed disinformation to Steele .
Fusion GPS faced multiple lawsuits over the dossier and squared off with House Republicans investigating the origins of the salacious report .
The owners of the Russian bank Alfa Bank sued the company over a memo in the dossier that accused them of bribing Vladimir Putin .
While the lawsuit is ongoing , the bankers won its lawsuit in the U.K. against Steele .
A judge ordered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank and said that his allegations about Alfa Bank were “ inaccurate or misleading.
” Fusion GPS also fought against Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee in federal court to block the release of bank records that showed who paid the company for its work on the dossier .
The records showed that the Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee paid Fusion GPS more than $ 1 million for the research .
Simpson and other Fusion GPS executives have also been called to testify before multiple congressional committees , including the House and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judiciary Committee .
Fusion GPS continued its investigations against Trump even after the release of the dossier .
Weeks after Trump took office , Fusion GPS partnered with a newly-formed nonprofit group called The Democracy Integrity Project to continue investigations of Trump and of Russian interference in Western politics .
TDIP ’ s founder , Daniel Jones , told the FBI in March 2017 that his organization was set to receive $ 50 million in funding from a group of 10 wealthy progressive donors .
He offered to provide the group ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be sharing it with lawmakers and the media .
A group directed by billionaire financier George Soros contributed at least $ 1.5 million to TDIP in 2017 and 2018 , according to tax filings .
Other tax documents show that TDIP paid Fusion GPS more than $ 3.3 million , and Steele ’ s firm more than $ 250,000 in 2017 .
Another nonprofit group founded by Jones called Advance Democracy Inc. paid $ 485,000 to New Knowledge in 2018 , according to tax records .
Campaign for Accountability , a liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 138,684 in 2017 and $ 550,580 in 2018 for research on unspecified projects .
In 2017 , the Campaign for Accountability ( CfA ) began investigating one of Fusion ’ s arch-rivals , then-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes .
CfA accused Nunes of disclosing sensitive information about Fusion GPS during the Republican ’ s investigation into who funded the Steele dossier .
Requests for comment submitted to Fusion GPS and Hoffman ’ s firm , Greylock Partners , were not returned .

A liberal group backed by Silicon Valley donors, including LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, donated $620,000 to the legal defense fund for Fusion GPS, tax records show.
While it is unclear if Hoffman was directly involved in paying Fusion’s legal bills, he has been identified as a significant funder for the liberal group, Integrity First for America.
Fusion GPS as well as groups backed by Hoffman have come under fire for pushing questionable information about Republicans.
The dossier funded by Fusion GPS has been largely debunked. Hoffman was found to have financed a ‘false flag’ operation to hurt Republican political candidates.
Mary Mapes, who was fired at CBS News over a story based on forged documents about George W. Bush, is a top executive at Integrity First for America.
An anti-Trump group funded heavily by Reid Hoffman, a liberal billionaire tech titan who’s bankrolled political disinformation peddlers, contributed $620,000 to a legal fund for Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm behind the controversial Steele dossier, financial filings show.
According to IRS filings, The group Integrity First for America (IFA) made the contribution in 2018 for the legal defense fund of Bean LLC, the holding company for Fusion GPS.
IFA, which launched in October 2017, is the first entity to be identified as one of Fusion’s benefactors. Initially billed as an anti-corruption group that planned to investigate Donald Trump’s business dealings, IFA has since turned it focus on litigation against white supremacist groups.
Fusion GPS’s founders, Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch, wrote in a book last year that the company received outside funding to help cover millions of dollars of legal bills it accumulated from dossier-related lawsuits and congressional investigations.
Simpson and Fritsch wrote that they received financial support from a “few donors,” but did not disclose who they are.
It is not clear whether Hoffman was aware that IFA has helped Fusion GPS.
The New York Times reported in October 2017 that Hoffman planned to give more than $1 million to IFA. IFA’s board chairwoman, Monica Graham, told Agence France-Press in February 2018 that the initial funding for the group came from Silicon Valley funders. She singled out Hoffman as a significant donor.
IFA received $2.9 million in contributions in 2017 and nearly $9 million in 2018, according to its filings with the IRS.
Hoffman has funded multiple anti-Trump and anti-Republican initiatives, some of which have faced accusations of pushing politically-charged disinformation.
Hoffman apologized in late 2018 after The New York Times reported that he was a top funder for a project spearheaded by the tech firm New Knowledge, which created fake online personas aimed at influencing conservatives voters in Alabama’s Senate special election in December 2017.
According to The Times, the project’s operators created thousands of fake Russian accounts that followed Republican candidate Roy Moore. The mass following generated national media coverage and fueled the narrative that Republicans were the party favored most by Russia.
New Knowledge worked closely with Fusion GPS, according to a book by Fusion founders Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch. The firm also contributed to a Senate Intelligence Committee report about Russia’s efforts to push disinformation on social media.
Hoffman was an early backer to ACRONYM, the progressive tech company behind the botched app used in the Iowa Democratic caucuses earlier this year.
Another Hoffman-funded entity, American Engagement Technologies, published misleading Facebook ads from accounts designed to stifle Republican voter turnout in the special election. Facebook announced in January 2019 that it was investigating New for Democracy, another group Hoffman financed that was accused of publishing misleading news stories ahead of the 2018 midterms.
Dmitri Mehlhorn, who is reported to be Hoffman’s top political adviser, was on the board for News for Democracy. He is also on the board of IFA.
Susie Buell, a Democratic activist who is close to Bill and Hillary Clinton, is also an IFA board member.
One of IFA’s founding executives is Mary Mapes, a former CBS News producer who was fired in 2005 over her work on a report on fabricated documents that said George W. Bush dodged serving in the Vietnam War.
Dan Rather, the longtime CBS News anchor, aired a story about the documents on Sept. 8, 2004, two months before the election. CBS retracted the story less than two weeks later, citing a series of errors in its handling of the fake Bush documents.
According to IFA’s tax filings, Mapes was paid $300,000 in 2018 as director of research.
Like Mapes, Fusion GPS has also peddled false information about a Republican presidential candidate.
After hiring Christopher Steele in June 2016, Fusion GPS’s founders disseminated the ex-spy’s memos to numerous heavy hitters in Washington, including to prominent Beltway reporters and to officials at the Justice and State departments.
Steele provided memos from his dossier to the FBI, which used the information to advance its investigation into the Trump campaign’s possible ties to the Russian government.
Several key allegations from the dossier have fallen apart in the nearly four years since BuzzFeed published the document.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report said that investigators found no evidence to support Steele’s central theory of a “well-developed conspiracy of cooperation” between the Trump campaign and Russian government.
Steele alleged that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen met with Kremlin insiders in Prague to discuss paying off hackers. The special counsel’s report and a report from the Justice Department’s inspector general said Cohen never visited Prague and that no Trump associates were involved in hacking or releasing emails stolen from Democrats.
It has since emerged that Steele relied on only one source, a Russian analyst named Igor Danchenko, to collect information about the Trump campaign and Russia. Danchenko told the FBI in January 2017 that he did not verify many of the most damning allegations in the dossier.
The IG report also said that the FBI received evidence in 2017 that Russian intelligence operatives may have fed disinformation to Steele.
Fusion GPS faced multiple lawsuits over the dossier and squared off with House Republicans investigating the origins of the salacious report.
The owners of the Russian bank Alfa Bank sued the company over a memo in the dossier that accused them of bribing Vladimir Putin. While the lawsuit is ongoing, the bankers won its lawsuit in the U.K. against Steele. A judge ordered the former spy to pay damages to the bank and said that his allegations about Alfa Bank were “inaccurate or misleading.”
Fusion GPS also fought against Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee in federal court to block the release of bank records that showed who paid the company for its work on the dossier. The records showed that the Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee paid Fusion GPS more than $1 million for the research.
Simpson and other Fusion GPS executives have also been called to testify before multiple congressional committees, including the House and Senate Intelligence committees, and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Fusion GPS continued its investigations against Trump even after the release of the dossier.
Weeks after Trump took office, Fusion GPS partnered with a newly-formed nonprofit group called The Democracy Integrity Project to continue investigations of Trump and of Russian interference in Western politics.
TDIP’s founder, Daniel Jones, told the FBI in March 2017 that his organization was set to receive $50 million in funding from a group of 10 wealthy progressive donors. He offered to provide the group’s research to the FBI and said they would be sharing it with lawmakers and the media.
A group directed by billionaire financier George Soros contributed at least $1.5 million to TDIP in 2017 and 2018, according to tax filings.
Other tax documents show that TDIP paid Fusion GPS more than $3.3 million, and Steele’s firm more than $250,000 in 2017.
Another nonprofit group founded by Jones called Advance Democracy Inc. paid $485,000 to New Knowledge in 2018, according to tax records.
Campaign for Accountability, a liberal watchdog group, paid Fusion GPS $138,684 in 2017 and $550,580 in 2018 for research on unspecified projects.
In 2017, the Campaign for Accountability (CfA) began investigating one of Fusion’s arch-rivals, then-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes. CfA accused Nunes of disclosing sensitive information about Fusion GPS during the Republican’s investigation into who funded the Steele dossier.
Requests for comment submitted to Fusion GPS and Hoffman’s firm, Greylock Partners, were not returned.


truepundit--2020-12-23--Chris Christie Says He’s Open To Running Against Trump In 2024

Former Republican New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie told the Daily Caller News Foundation that he ’ s open to running against President Donald Trump in 2024 , but that his decision will ultimately be independent of Trump ’ s actions .
“ I ’ ll make my own decision without regard to anybody else who ’ s running .
Whether it ’ s the president or anybody else , ” the former governor told the DCNF .
Christie ran for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016 , but endorsed Trump after suspending his campaign , Fox News reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ party about a 2024 election bid if he can ’ t reverse President-elect Joe Biden ’ s election win .
Here is my interview this morning with  @ hughhewitt to discuss my PSA on the importance of wearing a mask and the future of the GOP .
# WearAMask https : //t.co/BIasNU70PN “ Well , I certainly wouldn ’ t foreclose any possibility , right ?
So , would I consider running ?
Sure .
Absolutely .
I ’ m 57 years old .
I still am very involved in political life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Christie told The Washington Post in August .
“ I have a lot of opinions about where the country should be headed and how it should be managed.
” The former governor told the Post that he ’ d seriously weigh supporting Republican Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan should he choose not to run and Hogan does .
Christie says he is friends with Trump but disagrees with his attempts to overturn the election results , Fox News reported .
The Trump campaign has filed multiple lawsuits , contesting Biden ’ s @ @ @ @

Former Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told the Daily Caller News Foundation that he’s open to running against President Donald Trump in 2024, but that his decision will ultimately be independent of Trump’s actions.
“I’ll make my own decision without regard to anybody else who’s running. Whether it’s the president or anybody else,” the former governor told the DCNF.
Christie ran for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, but endorsed Trump after suspending his campaign, Fox News reported. Trump hinted in a White House Christmas party about a 2024 election bid if he can’t reverse President-elect Joe Biden’s election win.
Here is my interview this morning with @hughhewitt to discuss my PSA on the importance of wearing a mask and the future of the GOP. #WearAMask https://t.co/BIasNU70PN
Here is my interview this morning with @hughhewitt to discuss my PSA on the importance of wearing a mask and the future of the GOP. #WearAMask https://t.co/BIasNU70PN — Governor Christie (@GovChristie) December 21, 2020
“Well, I certainly wouldn’t foreclose any possibility, right? So, would I consider running? Sure. Absolutely. I’m 57 years old. I still am very involved in political life and public life in this country,” Christie told The Washington Post in August. “I have a lot of opinions about where the country should be headed and how it should be managed.”
The former governor told the Post that he’d seriously weigh supporting Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan should he choose not to run and Hogan does.
Christie says he is friends with Trump but disagrees with his attempts to overturn the election results, Fox News reported. The Trump campaign has filed multiple lawsuits, contesting Biden’s 2020 election victory.


truepundit--2020-12-23--Over $37 Million Worth Of Meth, 800 Pounds Of Weed And 14 Pounds Of Fentanyl Seized By CBP Over The

Over $37 Million Worth Of Meth, 800 Pounds Of Weed And 14 Pounds Of Fentanyl Seized By CBP Over The Weekend

Officials announced the seizure of liquid methamphetamine hidden in a gas tank , more than 800 pounds of marijuana , nearly 15 pounds of fentanyl and over $ 37 million worth of methamphetamine at the southern border over the weekend , Customs and Border Protection announced Monday .
Officials found liquid methamphetamine in the gas tank of a semi-truck driven by a 25-year-old lawful permanent resident at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Niland , California , on Saturday , Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) announced .
A K-9 unit sniffed out the narcotics during a secondary inspection where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noticed a dense cloudy liquid a few inches lower than a clear liquid inside the gas tanks , according to CBP .
A field narcotics test revealed the more dense liquid to have characteristics of methamphetamine , according to CBP .
Officials were unable to determine the weight of the narcotics that were seized because of the dangerous state it was transported in .
Near Tucson , Arizona , agents intercepted an illegal immigrant carrying two backpacks full of narcotics that tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl on Saturday evening , CBP announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fentanyl and 55 pounds of methamphetamine worth $ 3 million from the individual , according to CBP .
The 40-year-old Mexican national who was illegal in the U.S. faces federal charges for drug smuggling .
In Texas , officials seized over 800 pounds of marijuana in three separate instances over the weekend , CBP announced .
During one incident , CBP officials attempted to pull over a vehicle suspected of trafficking narcotics on Saturday , but the suspect driver drove into the Rio Grande River and then swam into Mexico with one passenger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 348 pounds of marijuana from the vehicle .
Officials seized 1,853 pounds of methamphetamine worth $ 37 million hidden in a cargo shipment of fresh tomatoes in Pharr , Texas , on Saturday , CBP announced .
Over 65o packages of methamphetamine were hidden within the floor of the tractor-trailer .

Officials announced the seizure of liquid methamphetamine hidden in a gas tank, more than 800 pounds of marijuana, nearly 15 pounds of fentanyl and over $37 million worth of methamphetamine at the southern border over the weekend, Customs and Border Protection announced Monday.
Officials found liquid methamphetamine in the gas tank of a semi-truck driven by a 25-year-old lawful permanent resident at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Niland, California, on Saturday, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced.
A K-9 unit sniffed out the narcotics during a secondary inspection where agents visually inspected the fuel tanks and noticed a dense cloudy liquid a few inches lower than a clear liquid inside the gas tanks, according to CBP.
A field narcotics test revealed the more dense liquid to have characteristics of methamphetamine, according to CBP. Officials were unable to determine the weight of the narcotics that were seized because of the dangerous state it was transported in.
$37 MILLION METH BUST CBP officers seized over 1,800lbs of methamphetamine Saturday at Pharr International Bridge in a tractor trailer hauling a shipment of tomatoes. More via @CBPSouthTexas: https://t.co/d6rxntBRJa pic.twitter.com/6EFoDOxGgR — CBP (@CBP) December 21, 2020
Near Tucson, Arizona, agents intercepted an illegal immigrant carrying two backpacks full of narcotics that tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl on Saturday evening, CBP announced.
Officials seized nearly 14 pounds of fentanyl and 55 pounds of methamphetamine worth $3 million from the individual, according to CBP. The 40-year-old Mexican national who was illegal in the U.S. faces federal charges for drug smuggling.
In Texas, officials seized over 800 pounds of marijuana in three separate instances over the weekend, CBP announced.
During one incident, CBP officials attempted to pull over a vehicle suspected of trafficking narcotics on Saturday, but the suspect driver drove into the Rio Grande River and then swam into Mexico with one passenger, according to CBP. Agents recovered around 348 pounds of marijuana from the vehicle.
Officials seized 1,853 pounds of methamphetamine worth $37 million hidden in a cargo shipment of fresh tomatoes in Pharr, Texas, on Saturday, CBP announced. Over 65o packages of methamphetamine were hidden within the floor of the tractor-trailer.


truepundit--2020-12-23--Trump calls Covid relief bill unsuitable and demands Congress add bigger stimulus payments

President Donald Trump , in a stunning Tuesday night tweet , called the $ 900 billion Covid relief bill passed by Congress an unsuitable “ disgrace ” and urged lawmakers to make a number of changes to the measure , including bigger direct payments to individuals and families .
Trump also suggested that his administration might be the “ next administration , ” despite his loss to President-elect Joe Biden .
The relief legislation passed by Congress on Monday was negotiated in part by a senior Trump administration official , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
Trump himself had been absent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lawmakers went home for the holidays after passing the bill .
The president ’ s tweet , which included a video of him discussing what he considers the bill ’ s many flaws , including funding headed overseas , came less than 24 hours after the Senate passed the measure .
The foreign aid provisions are part of a $ 1.4 trillion measure to keep the government funded , which was paired with the Covid relief bill .
Trump did not threaten a veto in the video , and he had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , along with the bill to keep the government open .
The legislation passed both houses of Congress with veto-proof majorities .
“ I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $ 600 to $ 2,000 , or $ 4,000 for a couple , ” Trump said in the video .
In another jarring twist , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , one of Trump ’ s political arch enemies , agreed with his call for $ 2,000 payments .
“ Democrats are ready to bring this to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let ’ s do it !
” she tweeted.- READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

President Donald Trump, in a stunning Tuesday night tweet, called the $900 billion Covid relief bill passed by Congress an unsuitable “disgrace” and urged lawmakers to make a number of changes to the measure, including bigger direct payments to individuals and families.
Trump also suggested that his administration might be the “next administration,” despite his loss to President-elect Joe Biden.
The relief legislation passed by Congress on Monday was negotiated in part by a senior Trump administration official, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Trump himself had been absent from the talks since before the election. Lawmakers went home for the holidays after passing the bill.
The president’s tweet, which included a video of him discussing what he considers the bill’s many flaws, including funding headed overseas, came less than 24 hours after the Senate passed the measure. The foreign aid provisions are part of a $1.4 trillion measure to keep the government funded, which was paired with the Covid relief bill.
Trump did not threaten a veto in the video, and he had been expected to sign the legislation into law, along with the bill to keep the government open. The legislation passed both houses of Congress with veto-proof majorities.
“I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple,” Trump said in the video.
In another jarring twist, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of Trump’s political arch enemies, agreed with his call for $2,000 payments. “Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!” she tweeted.- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-24--PAINE IN THE MORNING: The 9 things you need to know CHRISTMAS EVE 2020 — CHRISTMAS LESSONS FROM AN A

PAINE IN THE MORNING: The 9 things you need to know CHRISTMAS EVE 2020 — CHRISTMAS LESSONS FROM AN ARMED HOSTAGE STAND OFF

There is also a full , ad-free video podcast of this broadcast available on True Pundit ’ s Patreon Page @ @ @ @ @ SubscribeStar.com page for our subscribers to help us do what we do .
Listen above @ @ @ @ @ the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

There is also a full, ad-free video podcast of this broadcast available on True Pundit’s Patreon Page and/or True Pundit’s SubscribeStar.com page for our subscribers to help us do what we do.
Listen above or below.
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--California Accelerates Plan To Chase Away The Wealthy

The California legislature proposes scheme after scheme to tax the wealthy .
California ’ s proposed wealth tax , Bill 2028 , would apply for a decade to anyone who spends 60 days in the state in a single year .
Here are the details .
• A 0.4 % tax on residents with a worldwide net worth in excess of $ 30,000,000 ( $ 15,000,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately ) .
• The proposed tax would apply to residents , part-year residents , and temporary residents .
• Temporary residents are defined as those who stay in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the calendar year .
For part-year and temporary residents , the tax would apply proportionally based on the number of days they are in the state during the year .
• 10-year lookback provision : The portion of a taxpayer ’ s wealth subject to the wealth tax is multiplied by a fraction , the numerator of which shall be years in residence in California over the 10 preceding years with 10 years being the denominator .
Stocks , options , bonds , cash , farms , in short , everything is covered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

The California legislature proposes scheme after scheme to tax the wealthy.
California’s proposed wealth tax, Bill 2028, would apply for a decade to anyone who spends 60 days in the state in a single year.
Here are the details.
A 0.4% tax on residents with a worldwide net worth in excess of $30,000,000 ($15,000,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately).
The proposed tax would apply to residents, part-year residents, and temporary residents.
Temporary residents are defined as those who stay in the state more than 60 days during the calendar year. For part-year and temporary residents, the tax would apply proportionally based on the number of days they are in the state during the year.
10-year lookback provision : The portion of a taxpayer’s wealth subject to the wealth tax is multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be years in residence in California over the 10 preceding years with 10 years being the denominator.
Assets Subject to Taxation
Stocks, options, bonds, cash, farms, in short, everything is covered including unrealized gains. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Taxpayers On The Hook For Nearly Half Of Apartment Building Mortgages

This is not the ideal time to own an apartment building .
Millions are struggling to pay rent and despite the extension of the federal eviction moratorium through Jan. 31 in the latest stimulus bill , a lot of people will likely face eviction in the coming months .
According to data released in November , 17 million households are behind on rent or mortgage payments .
Of course , this has a trickle-down effect .
If renters can ’ t pay their rent , that makes it difficult for apartment building owners to keep up with their mortgage payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s on the hook ?
Total outstanding mortgages on multifamily housing property stood at $ 1.65 trillion in Q3 .
That was up by about $ 31 billion from Q2 , according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association .
Of that amount , the federal government backs $ 798 billion .
That ’ s 48.4 % of all mortgages on multifamily properties .
Uncle Sam backs these loans through Government Sponsored Enterprises ( GSEs ) , such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , along with government agencies such as Ginnie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into commercial mortgage-backed securities ( CMBS ) that are sold to investors .
This practice with single-family home mortgages led to the housing crisis in 2008.- READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

This is not the ideal time to own an apartment building. Millions are struggling to pay rent and despite the extension of the federal eviction moratorium through Jan. 31 in the latest stimulus bill, a lot of people will likely face eviction in the coming months. According to data released in November, 17 million households are behind on rent or mortgage payments.
Of course, this has a trickle-down effect. If renters can’t pay their rent, that makes it difficult for apartment building owners to keep up with their mortgage payments. If they default, who’s on the hook?
Increasingly, the US taxpayer.
Total outstanding mortgages on multifamily housing property stood at $1.65 trillion in Q3. That was up by about $31 billion from Q2, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association. Of that amount, the federal government backs $798 billion. That’s 48.4% of all mortgages on multifamily properties.
Uncle Sam backs these loans through Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs), such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, along with government agencies such as Ginnie Mae. GSEs often securitize these loans into commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) that are sold to investors. This practice with single-family home mortgages led to the housing crisis in 2008.- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--COVID Package Allows Feds To Increase Foreign Worker Hiring As Millions Of Americans Are Jobless

The COVID spending bill passed Monday allows federal bureaucrats to increase the amount of foreign labor they hired as millions @ @ @ @ @ to the economic contractions caused by COVID-19 and government lockdowns .
On top of all @ @ @ @ @ and other waste of taxpayer money , a provision in the 5,593 page bill allows @ @ @ @ @ and Labor Department to “ increase the total number of aliens ” hired under H-2B @ @ @ @ @ the bill , the foreign hiring can take place if the “ needs of American @ @ @ @ @ in fiscal year 2021 with United States workers who are willing , qualified , and @ @ @ @ @ labor.
” As Breitbart ’ s John Binder highlights , this is could exacerbate the @ @ @ @ @ to over-hire foreign labor under the H-2B visa program that has been shown to drive @ @ @ @ @ Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

The COVID spending bill passed Monday allows federal bureaucrats to increase the amount of foreign labor they hired as millions of Americans are jobless due to the economic contractions caused by COVID-19 and government lockdowns.
On top of all the handouts to foreign governments and other waste of taxpayer money, a provision in the 5,593 page bill allows the Department of Homeland Security and Labor Department to “increase the total number of aliens” hired under H-2B foreign visas.
According to the bill, the foreign hiring can take place if the “needs of American businesses cannot be satisfied in fiscal year 2021 with United States workers who are willing, qualified, and able to perform temporary non-agricultural labor.”
As Breitbart’s John Binder highlights, this is could exacerbate the trend of DHS allowing employers to over-hire foreign labor under the H-2B visa program that has been shown to drive down American wages- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--French Law Would Ban People Who Don’t Get COVID Vaccine From Using Public Transport

People in France who refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine will be banned from using public transport and engaging in @ @ @ @ @ introduced law .
The law , which is set to be submitted to parliament , @ @ @ @ @ of a negative COVID test or “ preventative treatment , including the administration of a @ @ @ @ @ “ access transport or to some locations , as well as certain activities.
” The @ @ @ @ @ protests from opposition politicians , ” according to AFP .
France ’ s vaccination program @ @ @ @ @ get underway on Sunday , will not be mandatory , but a whopping 55 % @ @ @ @ @ not get the shot .
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

People in France who refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine will be banned from using public transport and engaging in other activities under a newly introduced law.
The law, which is set to be submitted to parliament, mandates that citizens have proof of a negative COVID test or “preventative treatment, including the administration of a vaccine” in order to “access transport or to some locations, as well as certain activities.”
The law has sparked “angry protests from opposition politicians,” according to AFP.
France’s vaccination program, which is set to get underway on Sunday, will not be mandatory, but a whopping 55% of citizens say they will not get the shot.
RN leader Marine Le Pen branded the vaccine measure “essentially totalitarian.” – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--The FBI Has Emails That Tell Us Why Hunter Biden Was Hired by Burisma: Report

Emails obtained by the FBI last year detail how Hunter Biden , the son of former Vice-President Joe Biden , “ strategized with his business partner on how to leverage an upcoming official trip to Kiev by his father , then-Vice President Joe Biden , to clinch ” his lucrative position on the board of Burisma , reports Just The News , which has obtained copies of the emails .
Just The News reviewed these communications , and they show Hunter Biden referring to his father as “ my guy ” and he took credit for “ adding value ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian leaders about natural gas production that would be of benefit to them .
Part of Hunter Biden ’ s strategy was to get Burisma to sign a consulting deal with him and his business partner Devon Archer before his father , then vice president , visited Ukraine .
“ The contract should begin now — not after the upcoming visit of my guy , ” Hunter Biden wrote Archer on April 13 , 2014 , a week before his father planned to visit .
Hunter already knew he would be appointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wanted Burisma to pay additional consulting fees to him or his law firm , Boies Schiller Flexner .
– READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

Emails obtained by the FBI last year detail how Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice-President Joe Biden, “strategized with his business partner on how to leverage an upcoming official trip to Kiev by his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, to clinch” his lucrative position on the board of Burisma, reports Just The News, which has obtained copies of the emails.
Just The News reviewed these communications, and they show Hunter Biden referring to his father as “my guy” and he took credit for “adding value” because his father had made comments to Ukrainian leaders about natural gas production that would be of benefit to them.
Part of Hunter Biden’s strategy was to get Burisma to sign a consulting deal with him and his business partner Devon Archer before his father, then vice president, visited Ukraine.
“The contract should begin now — not after the upcoming visit of my guy,” Hunter Biden wrote Archer on April 13, 2014, a week before his father planned to visit. Hunter already knew he would be appointed to the board of Burisma, and that he wanted Burisma to pay additional consulting fees to him or his law firm, Boies Schiller Flexner. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Rand Paul: The only way we recover is if we ‘open the economy up’

Sen. Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) on Tuesday released his annual Festivus report , highlighting $ 54 billion in what he characterized as “ truly outlandish waste in government.
” Paul , who recently savaged his Republican colleagues for voting for the $ 2.3 trillion omnibus spending bill and coronavirus stimulus package , was interviewed on Fox News Wednesday about his opposition to the bill .
He criticized both parties for bankrupting the United States with reckless spending and said that the only way the economy can recover from the coronavirus pandemic is if state governments permit businesses to open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
“ The bottom line is the only way we recover this economy is we ’ ve got to open the economy up , ” Paul said .
“ Unemployment is actually lower than it was during most of President Obama ’ s term , so we really can recover .
But we ’ ve got to get these governors out of the way of our restaurants and our bars and our venues .
We ’ ve got to get the economy opened up , it ’ s the only way we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved a $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package that provided $ 166 billion in direct $ 600 checks to every American making up to $ 75,000 .
The bill also includes $ 120 billion in extended weekly $ 300 unemployment benefits and $ 325 billion in new Paycheck Protection Program loans for businesses , in addition to billions more in spending on other coronavirus-related issues .
But congressional leadership in both parties tied that stimulus package to a $ 1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill that has faced intense scrutiny from the public and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who question why Congress is spending money on things like Pakistani “ gender programs ” or climate monitoring in Tibet.- READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Tuesday released his annual Festivus report, highlighting $54 billion in what he characterized as “truly outlandish waste in government.”
Paul, who recently savaged his Republican colleagues for voting for the $2.3 trillion omnibus spending bill and coronavirus stimulus package, was interviewed on Fox News Wednesday about his opposition to the bill. He criticized both parties for bankrupting the United States with reckless spending and said that the only way the economy can recover from the coronavirus pandemic is if state governments permit businesses to open up and let people go back to work.
“The bottom line is the only way we recover this economy is we’ve got to open the economy up,” Paul said. “Unemployment is actually lower than it was during most of President Obama’s term, so we really can recover. But we’ve got to get these governors out of the way of our restaurants and our bars and our venues. We’ve got to get the economy opened up, it’s the only way we survive this.”
On Monday, Congress approved a $900 billion coronavirus relief package that provided $166 billion in direct $600 checks to every American making up to $75,000. The bill also includes $120 billion in extended weekly $300 unemployment benefits and $325 billion in new Paycheck Protection Program loans for businesses, in addition to billions more in spending on other coronavirus-related issues. But congressional leadership in both parties tied that stimulus package to a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill that has faced intense scrutiny from the public and from its opponents, like Paul, who question why Congress is spending money on things like Pakistani “gender programs” or climate monitoring in Tibet.- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--How the Centers for Disease Control Went Woke

In 2015 , Dayna Bowen Matthew , the dean of George Washington University Law School , published a paper concerning racial disparities in health care .
She traced those disparities back to the Founding Fathers and argued their persistence today reflects the “ structural violence ” of American society .
Matthew was 1 of 11 people who helped draft the Centers for Disease Control ’ s ethical framework for allocating COVID-19 vaccines .
She is also listed as a “ health equity ” consultant to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices , which voted in November to vaccinate essential workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grounds that the elderly skew white—only to pull back Sunday in the face of outrage from across the political spectrum .
The committee openly acknowledged that its initial plan would result in more deaths than “ vaccinating older adults first.
” But , the panel said , the plan would reduce racial disparities—something they deemed more important than saving lives—because essential workers , unlike adults over 65 , are disproportionately black and Hispanic , the two groups that have borne the brunt of the pandemic .
How did the committee reach that conclusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slides , public statements , and even civil-rights directives , the now-scuttled plan didn ’ t come out of thin air .
Rather , it reflects the reductive , racialist worldview that is rapidly gaining ground in education , media , nonprofits , and now the U.S federal government—a worldview with concrete policy implications and concrete human costs .
– READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

In 2015, Dayna Bowen Matthew, the dean of George Washington University Law School, published a paper concerning racial disparities in health care. She traced those disparities back to the Founding Fathers and argued their persistence today reflects the “structural violence” of American society.
Matthew was 1 of 11 people who helped draft the Centers for Disease Control’s ethical framework for allocating COVID-19 vaccines. She is also listed as a “health equity” consultant to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which voted in November to vaccinate essential workers before the elderly, partly on the grounds that the elderly skew white—only to pull back Sunday in the face of outrage from across the political spectrum.
The committee openly acknowledged that its initial plan would result in more deaths than “vaccinating older adults first.” But, the panel said, the plan would reduce racial disparities—something they deemed more important than saving lives—because essential workers, unlike adults over 65, are disproportionately black and Hispanic, the two groups that have borne the brunt of the pandemic.
How did the committee reach that conclusion? According to meeting minutes, presentation slides, public statements, and even civil-rights directives, the now-scuttled plan didn’t come out of thin air. Rather, it reflects the reductive, racialist worldview that is rapidly gaining ground in education, media, nonprofits, and now the U.S federal government—a worldview with concrete policy implications and concrete human costs. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--40% Of America Doubting President-elect Biden

Since somehow winning the election , the media has been hard at work for Joe Biden .
They haven ’ t spent the hours and days , combing through his history or digging up past girlfriends to accuse him of heinous acts .
No , for the first time , the media is playing nice and giving Biden room to breathe .
They haven ’ t remotely been on him like they were with President Trump .
And now , they have already released polls showing how good of a job Biden is doing .
That ’ s right .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ office yet , and major news outlets have already begun spinning polls to shine Biden in bright light .
The latest polls come from the Hill and they have President-elect Joe Biden at a 60 % approval rate .
What is so surprising about the poll is how can he already have a 60 % approval rate when he hasn ’ t even taken office yet .
What has he done ?
Biden has been busy doing press conferences , interviews , and still trying to figure out how to read the teleprompter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cabinet positions , Biden has done much of anything .
And 40 % of America is already starting to doubt him as a President.- READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

Since somehow winning the election, the media has been hard at work for Joe Biden. They haven’t spent the hours and days, combing through his history or digging up past girlfriends to accuse him of heinous acts. No, for the first time, the media is playing nice and giving Biden room to breathe. They haven’t remotely been on him like they were with President Trump. And now, they have already released polls showing how good of a job Biden is doing.
That’s right. The man hasn’t even taken office yet, and major news outlets have already begun spinning polls to shine Biden in bright light. The latest polls come from the Hill and they have President-elect Joe Biden at a 60% approval rate.
What is so surprising about the poll is how can he already have a 60% approval rate when he hasn’t even taken office yet. What has he done? Biden has been busy doing press conferences, interviews, and still trying to figure out how to read the teleprompter. Other than appointing a few low-level cabinet positions, Biden has done much of anything. And 40% of America is already starting to doubt him as a President.- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Rand Paul Releases ‘Festivus’ List of Grievances Detailing $54B in Government Waste

Sen. Rand Paul ( R-KY ) released his annual report this week detailing government waste in honor of the parody holiday “ Festivus , ” highlighting over $ 54 billion in taxpayer dollars spent on items including a study examining eating ground-up bugs , spraying alcoholic rats with bobcat urine , and walking lizards on a treadmill .
“ Good morning and Happy # Festivus .
Today we will air some more grievances in the holiday tradition !
” Paul said in a lengthy Wednesday tweetstorm , highlighting various ways the government has wasted millions of taxpayer dollars over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul identified $ 54,746,524,505.37 in government waste , which includes studies on consuming ground-up bugs ( $ 1,327,781.72 ) as well as the prevalence of party drug use at NYC clubs and raves ( $ 1,454,217 ) .
Additionally , the National Science Foundation received $ 1,557,083 and walked lizards on a treadmill , while the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs received $ 4,575,431 in grants to spray alcoholic rats with bobcat urine .
Regarding lizards on treadmills , Paul ’ s report explained researchers “ spent a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get six lizards , walk them on a treadmill while taking X-rays with 3D imaging technology , and then figure out how their joints moved.
” – READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) released his annual report this week detailing government waste in honor of the parody holiday “Festivus,” highlighting over $54 billion in taxpayer dollars spent on items including a study examining eating ground-up bugs, spraying alcoholic rats with bobcat urine, and walking lizards on a treadmill.
“Good morning and Happy #Festivus. Today we will air some more grievances in the holiday tradition!” Paul said in a lengthy Wednesday tweetstorm, highlighting various ways the government has wasted millions of taxpayer dollars over the last year alone:
I’ll throw in a new wrinkle this year because SO MANY people are joining in with my grievances that I want to highlight how the word is spreading — your government is out of control, and a LOT of us have grievances. — Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2020


truepundit--2020-12-26--Watch: Wuhan Goes from Coronavirus Central to China’s Party Town

Just 12 months ago the city of Wuhan in China was starting to show the first signs of mass coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ onto an unsuspecting world and creating global havoc .
The city soon underwent a draconian @ @ @ @ @ struggled to deal with a tidal wave of cases that required the rapid construction of @ @ @ @ @ overflow .
Today everything is different .
As Reuters reports , revelers are once more @ @ @ @ @ and restaurants of the central Chinese city of 11 million residents , discarding the shackles @ @ @ @ @ ready for the dawn of 2021 .
Nightlife in Wuhan is back in full swing @ @ @ @ @ city lifted its stringent lockdown and the city ’ s young partygoers are embracing the @ @ @ @ @ wire report .
– READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

Just 12 months ago the city of Wuhan in China was starting to show the first signs of mass coronavirus infections, before launching it onto an unsuspecting world and creating global havoc.
The city soon underwent a draconian 76-day lockdown as its hospitals struggled to deal with a tidal wave of cases that required the rapid construction of field hospitals to handle the overflow.
Today everything is different.
As Reuters reports, revelers are once more thronging the nightclubs, bars and restaurants of the central Chinese city of 11 million residents, discarding the shackles of lockdown and partying hard ready for the dawn of 2021.
Nightlife in Wuhan is back in full swing almost seven months after the city lifted its stringent lockdown and the city’s young partygoers are embracing the catharsis, according to the wire report. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Unsettling video shows cops assaulting, pulling taser on young man for playing ice hockey outside

Disturbing video is coming out of Canada showing police officers assaulting and aiming a taser at a young man for @ @ @ @ @ outside rink in Alberta .
A viral video shows Calgary police shutting down a pickup @ @ @ @ @ outside rink .
The cops claim that the game was violating public health orders .
@ @ @ @ @ people at the Southwood community rink and skatepark .
According to the Alberta government website @ @ @ @ @ must also be limited to 10 people or fewer and 2 metre distancing must be @ @ @ @ @ Two female officers attempt to apprehend the man , who refuses to abide by the @ @ @ @ @ on the ground .
One officer is caught on video kneeing the hockey player , @ @ @ @ @ on the ice .
During the tussle , one of the police officers falls to @ @ @ @ @ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

Disturbing video is coming out of Canada showing police officers assaulting and aiming a taser at a young man for playing ice hockey at an outside rink in Alberta.
A viral video shows Calgary police shutting down a pickup ice hockey game at an outside rink. The cops claim that the game was violating public health orders. There were reports of 40 people at the Southwood community rink and skatepark.
According to the Alberta government website: “Outdoor team sports must also be limited to 10 people or fewer and 2 metre distancing must be maintained at all times.”
Two female officers attempt to apprehend the man, who refuses to abide by the cops’ orders to get on the ground. One officer is caught on video kneeing the hockey player, but he continues to stand on the ice. During the tussle, one of the police officers falls to the ground. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--AG Barr Gives Update On Durham Probe: ‘Group of People’ Attempted To ‘Topple’ Trump Admin

During an interview last week , Attorney General William Barr gave an update on the criminal investigation into the origin of the Obama-era FBI counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign , saying that a “ willful if small group of people ” were involved in an attempt to “ topple ” the Trump administration .
Barr made the remarks in an interview with Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberley Strassel in which he noted that he was “ in a position in life where I can do the right thing and not really care about the consequences.
” He reminds me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first place : “ The Department of Justice was being used as a political weapon ” by a “ willful if small group of people , ” who used the claim of collusion with Russia in an attempt to “ topple an administration , ” he says .
“ Someone had to make sure that the power of the department stopped being abused and that there was accountability for what had happened.
” Mr. Barr largely succeeded , in the process filling a vacuum of political oversight , reimposing norms , and resisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr describes an overarching objective of ensuring that there is “ one standard of justice.
” That , he says , is why he appointed U.S. Attorney John Durham to investigate the FBI ’ s 2016 Crossfire Hurricane probe .
“ Of course the Russians did bad things in the election , ” he says .
“ But the idea that this was done with the collusion of the Trump campaign — there was never any evidence .
It was entirely made up.
” The country deserved to know how the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spy on a presidential campaign .
Mr. Barr says Mr. Durham ’ s appointment should not have been necessary .
Mr. Mueller ’ s investigation should have exposed FBI malfeasance .
Instead , “ the Mueller team seems to have been ready to blindly accept anything fed to it by the system , ” Mr. Barr says , adding that this “ is exactly what DOJ should not be.
” Barr acknowledged that he understood why people were upset that results from the investigation were not released before the election , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevented that from happening , ranging from the pandemic delaying federal grand juries for six months to U.S. Attorney John Durham being forced to wait till the end of 2019 for Inspector General Michael Horowitz to complete his investigation into the FBI ’ s conduct .
– READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

During an interview last week, Attorney General William Barr gave an update on the criminal investigation into the origin of the Obama-era FBI counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign, saying that a “willful if small group of people” were involved in an attempt to “topple” the Trump administration.
Barr made the remarks in an interview with Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberley Strassel in which he noted that he was “in a position in life where I can do the right thing and not really care about the consequences.”
Strassel wrote:
He reminds me why he took the job in the first place: “The Department of Justice was being used as a political weapon” by a “willful if small group of people,” who used the claim of collusion with Russia in an attempt to “topple an administration,” he says. “Someone had to make sure that the power of the department stopped being abused and that there was accountability for what had happened.” Mr. Barr largely succeeded, in the process filling a vacuum of political oversight, reimposing norms, and resisting partisan critics on both sides. Mr. Barr describes an overarching objective of ensuring that there is “one standard of justice.” That, he says, is why he appointed U.S. Attorney John Durham to investigate the FBI’s 2016 Crossfire Hurricane probe. “Of course the Russians did bad things in the election,” he says. “But the idea that this was done with the collusion of the Trump campaign — there was never any evidence. It was entirely made up.” The country deserved to know how the world’s premier law-enforcement agency came to target and spy on a presidential campaign. Mr. Barr says Mr. Durham’s appointment should not have been necessary. Mr. Mueller’s investigation should have exposed FBI malfeasance. Instead, “the Mueller team seems to have been ready to blindly accept anything fed to it by the system,” Mr. Barr says, adding that this “is exactly what DOJ should not be.”
Barr acknowledged that he understood why people were upset that results from the investigation were not released before the election, but noted that there were logistical issues that prevented that from happening, ranging from the pandemic delaying federal grand juries for six months to U.S. Attorney John Durham being forced to wait till the end of 2019 for Inspector General Michael Horowitz to complete his investigation into the FBI’s conduct. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Klobuchar Slams Trump’s Pardons: ‘He’s Saying ‘Screw You’ To the FBI’

Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) is tearing into President Donald Trump after he issued 20 pardons or commutations .
@ @ @ @ @ s pardons during Tuesday night ’ s MSNBC interview , where she accused Trump of @ @ @ @ @ house of justice down.
” She said : “ Hearing these stories , he is @ @ @ @ @ house of justice down on his way out the door .
He ’ s saying @ @ @ @ @ the FBI , ‘ screw you ’ to the line prosecutors .
These are the @ @ @ @ @ sitting Congressmen .
They did this , they put them away for good reason.
” @ @ @ @ @ , “ And all these cases , they ’ re so disparate , they don @ @ @ @ @ organizing principle.
” – READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is tearing into President Donald Trump after he issued 20 pardons or commutations.
Klobuchar tore into Trump’s pardons during Tuesday night’s MSNBC interview, where she accused Trump of “trying to burn the house of justice down.” She said:
“Hearing these stories, he is literally trying to burn the house of justice down on his way out the door. He’s saying ‘screw you’ to the FBI, ‘screw you’ to the line prosecutors. These are the hardest cases to make against sitting Congressmen. They did this, they put them away for good reason.”
The Democratic lawmaker also said, “And all these cases, they’re so disparate, they don’t really have an organizing principle.” – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--The Top ‘Owners’ Of America’s President-Elect Joe Biden

Some of the top owners of America ’ s President-Elect Joe Biden are entirely secret because a corrupt U.S. Supreme @ @ @ @ @ 2010 Citizens United case , encouraged not only corruption but corruption that ’ s entirely @ @ @ @ @ ” However , most of the individuals who purchased Biden to become the U.S. President @ @ @ @ @ existing laws , which require public reporting of their donations .
Here , then , @ @ @ @ @ known donors to the Biden campaign , but these are all via some sort of @ @ @ @ @ , and therefore most are in conjunction with other billionaires and centi-millionaires , instead of @ @ @ @ @ 11th-largest ( which will now be shown ) happens to be not Democratic billionaires but @ @ @ @ @ Michael Bloomberg , the former Republican Mayor of NYC , was Biden ’ s largest @ @ @ @ @ also be considered to be a Republican donor to Biden ’ s campaign.- READ MORE @ @ @ @ @ Paine Podcast Below --

Some of the top owners of America’s President-Elect Joe Biden are entirely secret because a corrupt U.S. Supreme Court, in the infamous 2010 Citizens United case, encouraged not only corruption but corruption that’s entirely secret or “dark money.”
However, most of the individuals who purchased Biden to become the U.S. President did so under the previously existing laws, which require public reporting of their donations.
Here, then, are the top ten publicly known donors to the Biden campaign, but these are all via some sort of Political Action Committee or PAC, and therefore most are in conjunction with other billionaires and centi-millionaires, instead of entirely solo donations:
Top Contributors, federal election data for Joe Biden, 2020 cycle
totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.
Source: OpenSecrets
The 11th-largest (which will now be shown) happens to be not Democratic billionaires but Republican billionaires. However, Michael Bloomberg, the former Republican Mayor of NYC, was Biden’s largest donor, and therefore could also be considered to be a Republican donor to Biden’s campaign.- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--People are fleeing New York in droves, and now the state could lose a House seat — or two

More residents left New York over the last year than did residents from any other state , new population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show .
According to early census figures , a net total of 126,355 people packed their bags and ditched the Empire State between July 2019 and July 2020 , marking a 0.65 % percent drop .
That ’ s the most by any state in the nation by both number and percentage .
Following close behind New York , in terms of percentage loss , were Illinois ( 0.63 % ) , Hawaii ( 0.61 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0.58 % ) .
Meanwhile , the big population gainers over the past year were western and southern states such as Idaho , Arizona , Nevada , Utah , Texas , South Carolina , and Florida .
The New York Posted noted that while the state has been losing residents since 2016 , this year ’ s drop was significantly higher than in years past .
The Empire Center , a fiscally conservative think tank located in Albany , said if the numbers are confirmed when the census is certified next year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the 1970s during which New York experienced an overall population decline.- READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

More residents left New York over the last year than did residents from any other state, new population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show.
According to early census figures, a net total of 126,355 people packed their bags and ditched the Empire State between July 2019 and July 2020, marking a 0.65% percent drop. That’s the most by any state in the nation by both number and percentage.
Following close behind New York, in terms of percentage loss, were Illinois (0.63%), Hawaii (0.61%), and West Virginia (0.58%). Meanwhile, the big population gainers over the past year were western and southern states such as Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, South Carolina, and Florida.
The New York Posted noted that while the state has been losing residents since 2016, this year’s drop was significantly higher than in years past.
The Empire Center, a fiscally conservative think tank located in Albany, said if the numbers are confirmed when the census is certified next year, the 2010s will become the first decade since the 1970s during which New York experienced an overall population decline.- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Dark Money Behemoth That Hosts BLM Foundation Received $16 Million in Government Grants

The dark money network that houses the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation received nearly $ 16 million in taxpayer-funded grants last year , financial filings reveal .
The Tides Center , a California-based nonprofit incubator , reported the government grants on its 2019 tax forms .
It operates by acting as a fiscal sponsor to several left-wing nonprofits , including the BLM Global Network Foundation , which has advocated for abolishing the nuclear family and defunding the police .
This arrangement lets the nonprofits avoid disclosing their financial activity , and thus makes it difficult to know where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center ’ s 2019 windfall adds to the $ 170 million it has received in government grants since 2001—grants that have drawn criticism from nonprofit watchdogs .
Scott Walter , president of the Capital Research Center , has called Tides as “ liberal and politically active as they come ” and questioned whether American tax dollars should be awarded to groups housed at such networks .
The new filings show that the center took in $ 155 million in anonymous contributions on top of the $ 16 million in government grants it received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase over its 2018 totals .
It also cut nearly $ 20 million in grants to outside groups , including the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability and the New Venture Fund , a separate nonprofit incubator that is part of a $ 715 million secret money network managed by Arabella Advisors .
– READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

The dark money network that houses the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation received nearly $16 million in taxpayer-funded grants last year, financial filings reveal.
The Tides Center, a California-based nonprofit incubator, reported the government grants on its 2019 tax forms. It operates by acting as a fiscal sponsor to several left-wing nonprofits, including the BLM Global Network Foundation, which has advocated for abolishing the nuclear family and defunding the police. This arrangement lets the nonprofits avoid disclosing their financial activity, and thus makes it difficult to know where the taxpayer-funded cash ultimately ends up.
The center’s 2019 windfall adds to the $170 million it has received in government grants since 2001—grants that have drawn criticism from nonprofit watchdogs. Scott Walter, president of the Capital Research Center, has called Tides as “liberal and politically active as they come” and questioned whether American tax dollars should be awarded to groups housed at such networks.
The new filings show that the center took in $155 million in anonymous contributions on top of the $16 million in government grants it received in 2019, a $34 million increase over its 2018 totals. It also cut nearly $20 million in grants to outside groups, including the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability and the New Venture Fund, a separate nonprofit incubator that is part of a $715 million secret money network managed by Arabella Advisors. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--German Geneticist Says People Who Refuse COVID Vaccine Should Be Denied Medical Treatment

A German geneticist says that people who refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine should be denied emergency medical treatment .
@ @ @ @ @ of Germany ’ s Ethics Council , told Bild newspaper that vaccine refusniks should not @ @ @ @ @ and other emergency measures .
“ Whoever wants to refuse the vaccination outright , he @ @ @ @ @ carry a document with the inscription : ‘ I don ’ t want to be @ @ @ @ @ Henn .
“ I want to leave the protection against the disease to others !
@ @ @ @ @ get sick , to leave my intensive care bed and ventilator to others , ” @ @ @ @ @ that the efficacy of vaccines has been proven “ a billion times over ” and @ @ @ @ @ it to the experts ” rather than listening to those who oppose vaccinations .
– @ @ @ @ @ insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

A German geneticist says that people who refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine should be denied emergency medical treatment.
Wolfram Henn, a member of Germany’s Ethics Council, told Bild newspaper that vaccine refusniks should not be able to access ventilators and other emergency measures.
“Whoever wants to refuse the vaccination outright, he should, please also always carry a document with the inscription: ‘I don’t want to be vaccinated!’” said Henn. “I want to leave the protection against the disease to others! I want, if I get sick, to leave my intensive care bed and ventilator to others,” he added.
Henn said that the efficacy of vaccines has been proven “a billion times over” and that people should “leave it to the experts” rather than listening to those who oppose vaccinations. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Maxine Waters: If President Trump doesn’t leave White House, he should be ‘marched out of there’ — p

Maxine Waters: If President Trump doesn’t leave White House, he should be ‘marched out of there’ — possibly by military or Secret Service (VIDEO)

Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters ( Calif. ) said that if President Donald Trump doesn ’ t leave the White House by the time his term is over , he should be “ marched out of there ” — possibly by the military or the Secret Service .
In an MSNBC interview Tuesday , the California congresswoman said , “ We want him out , and we keep hearing these rumors about everything that he ’ s doing to try and stay in .
We ’ ve even heard rumors that he said he ’ s not leaving .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you the truth , I don ’ t know exactly what you do with the president who has lost an election , and you have a new person who ’ s been elected to the presidency , and the old president is not wanting to leave .
I don ’ t know what you do.
” She continued , “ My understanding , or what I would like to do , is I would like to see him marched out of there .
… I don ’ t know whether it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s military or what have you , but he can ’ t stay .
He can ’ t claim , you know , ownership of the White House .
He doesn ’ t want to leave , and he ’ s doing everything possible , including talking about martial war , et cetera , et cetera .
We want him out of there .
I know Nancy Pelosi is counting down the hours .
She told me that also.
” - READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (Calif.) said that if President Donald Trump doesn’t leave the White House by the time his term is over, he should be “marched out of there” — possibly by the military or the Secret Service.
In an MSNBC interview Tuesday, the California congresswoman said, “We want him out, and we keep hearing these rumors about everything that he’s doing to try and stay in. We’ve even heard rumors that he said he’s not leaving. We want him out, and to tell you the truth, I don’t know exactly what you do with the president who has lost an election, and you have a new person who’s been elected to the presidency, and the old president is not wanting to leave. I don’t know what you do.”
.@RepMaxineWaters says if Trump isn’t willing to leave the White House on Jan. 20, she’d like to see the military or Secret Service march him out. pic.twitter.com/uNGRnD2Wyn — PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) December 23, 2020
She continued, “My understanding, or what I would like to do, is I would like to see him marched out of there. … I don’t know whether it’s the Secret Service or whether it’s military or what have you, but he can’t stay. He can’t claim, you know, ownership of the White House. He doesn’t want to leave, and he’s doing everything possible, including talking about martial war [sic], et cetera, et cetera. We want him out of there. I know Nancy Pelosi is counting down the hours. She told me that also.”- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Coronavirus Package Spends Hundreds of Millions of Tax Dollars Securing Borders of Middle Eastern Co

Coronavirus Package Spends Hundreds of Millions of Tax Dollars Securing Borders of Middle Eastern Countries

A year-end spending package meant to provide Americans with economic relief during the Chinese coronavirus crisis includes using United States @ @ @ @ @ security in foreign countries .
As part of the more than 5,590-page spending bill , @ @ @ @ @ of Jordan with “ up to $ 500,000,000 ” in taxpayer money “ to provide @ @ @ @ @ Jordan to support the armed forces of Jordan and to enhance security along its borders.
@ @ @ @ @ gives $ 250 million in taxpayer money to the countries of Jordan , Lebanon , @ @ @ @ @ Oman for “ enhanced border security.
” Specifically in Lebanon , the bill gives taxpayer @ @ @ @ @ borders ” of Lebanon.- READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

A year-end spending package meant to provide Americans with economic relief during the Chinese coronavirus crisis includes using United States taxpayer money to fund border security in foreign countries.
As part of the more than 5,590-page spending bill, the deal provides the country of Jordan with “up to $500,000,000” in taxpayer money “to provide assistance to the Government of Jordan to support the armed forces of Jordan and to enhance security along its borders.”
Likewise, the bill gives $250 million in taxpayer money to the countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman for “enhanced border security.” Specifically in Lebanon, the bill gives taxpayer money to “secure the borders” of Lebanon.- READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Ohio Judge Rules Biological Sex Can Be Changed on Birth Certificate to Reflect Preferred Gender

A federal judge ruled last week that Ohio must allow “ corrections ” on birth certificates issued by the state @ @ @ @ @ sex to a chosen gender .
Judge Michael Watson , a George W. Bush appointee @ @ @ @ @ based on a lawsuit filed by three women and one man seeking to pick the @ @ @ @ @ sex .
Watson said not allowing people to pick what sex is on their birth @ @ @ @ @ than thinly veiled post-hoc rationales to deflect from the discriminatory impact of the policy.
” @ @ @ @ @ victory for the LGBT community , in every aspect , ” Stacie Ray , one @ @ @ @ @ said .
– READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

A federal judge ruled last week that Ohio must allow “corrections” on birth certificates issued by the state from one’s biological sex to a chosen gender.
Judge Michael Watson, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled on the case based on a lawsuit filed by three women and one man seeking to pick the gender opposite of their biological sex.
Watson said not allowing people to pick what sex is on their birth certificate is “nothing more than thinly veiled post-hoc rationales to deflect from the discriminatory impact of the policy.”
“This is truly a victory for the LGBT community, in every aspect,” Stacie Ray, one of the four plaintiffs, said. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Klobuchar calls Trump holding up coronavirus package for more stimulus an ‘attack on every American’

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar said President Trump ‘ s calls to amend the COVID-19 relief bill Congress passed on Monday an “ attack on every American.
” The president in a video posted to Twitter on Tuesday said the bill should be amended to include $ 2,000 in direct payments to all Americans instead of $ 600 , which is what the legislation currently offers .
“ This is an attack on every American – people who are struggling to get by right now , out of work .
… Unemployment is basically going to end the day after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Klobuchar said Tuesday on MSNBC ’ s “ The Rachel Maddow Show.
” She said the legislation includes $ 30 billion for vaccine distribution and more than $ 300 billion for small business relief , adding that the president ’ s calls to amend the legislation are “ literally undermining our entire effort on testing and vaccine distribution , ” and “ small businesses can ’ t take it anymore.
” “ Democrats are pushing for more funds for the individual payments , but in the end , this was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re reaching the end here with our unemployment .
Small businesses can ’ t take it anymore , ” she said .
– READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar said President Trump‘s calls to amend the COVID-19 relief bill Congress passed on Monday an “attack on every American.”
The president in a video posted to Twitter on Tuesday said the bill should be amended to include $2,000 in direct payments to all Americans instead of $600, which is what the legislation currently offers.
“This is an attack on every American – people who are struggling to get by right now, out of work. … Unemployment is basically going to end the day after Christmas if this doesn’t pass,” Klobuchar said Tuesday on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show.”
Amy Klobuchar just went on MSNBC to call raising the stimulus to $2,000 per person “an attack on every American” and suggests Congress override Trump’s veto. pic.twitter.com/mEdDUY9dNu — jordan (@JordanUhl) December 23, 2020
She said the legislation includes $30 billion for vaccine distribution and more than $300 billion for small business relief, adding that the president’s calls to amend the legislation are “literally undermining our entire effort on testing and vaccine distribution,” and “small businesses can’t take it anymore.”
“Democrats are pushing for more funds for the individual payments, but in the end, this was a negotiation, and [Trump] knows very well, we’re reaching the end here with our unemployment. Small businesses can’t take it anymore,” she said. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--World Health Organization Pledges Not To Find ‘Guilty’ Party During Coronavirus Investigation In Chi

World Health Organization Pledges Not To Find ‘Guilty’ Party During Coronavirus Investigation In China

A team of scientists leading a World Health Organization mission to China to investigate the origins of the novel coronavirus is not looking to assign guilt to the communist regime over its failure to prevent the pandemic , a member of the delegation says .
“ This is not about finding a guilty country or a guilty authority , ” Fabian Leendertz , a scientist at the Robert Koch Institute , Germany ’ s infectious disease agency , told Agence France-Presse ( AFP ) , the French media outlet .
“ This is about understanding what happened to avoid that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk.
” Leendertz and a team of 10 other scientists will visit Wuhan , China in January to investigate how the virus jumped from animals to humans , according to AFP .
Most scientists believe that the virus transmitted from an animal to a human at one of Wuhan ’ s open-air food markets .
Western health officials have long criticized the Chinese government for doing little to regulate the food markets , which can be breeding grounds for viruses like the coronavirus .
Health officials in the U.S. have accused the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to confront Chinese leaders for withholding information about the coronavirus early on in the pandemic .
The WHO said in a statement citing Chinese officials on Jan. 14 that there was no evidence that the virus spread from person-to-person contact .
That assurance , which is now known to be false , likely slowed the response of health officials outside China at a crucial point in the pandemic .
Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel # coronavirus ( 2019-nCoV ) identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
?
?
?
?
?
?
.
pic.twitter.com/Fnl5P877VG Bruce Aylward , a WHO official who led a fact-finding mission to China in February , also claimed based on information obtained by local health officials that the coronavirus was likely not transmitted easily by asymptomatic carriers .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that more than half of people infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic or show few symptoms .
Aylward came under scrutiny in March after he cut off an interview with a reporter who implied that Taiwan is independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taiwan ’ s independence .
Citing WHO ’ s obsequious response to China ’ s deception , President Donald Trump said this summer he would cut off funding to WHO .
President-elect Joe Biden has promised to restore that funding when he takes office .
Leendertz asserted that Chinese government officials are “ really interested in finding out what happened ” at the beginning of the pandemic .
“ The meetings we had so far with Chinese colleagues were really productive and very good , ” Leendertz told AFP .

A team of scientists leading a World Health Organization mission to China to investigate the origins of the novel coronavirus is not looking to assign guilt to the communist regime over its failure to prevent the pandemic, a member of the delegation says.
“This is not about finding a guilty country or a guilty authority,” Fabian Leendertz, a scientist at the Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s infectious disease agency, told Agence France-Presse (AFP), the French media outlet.
“This is about understanding what happened to avoid that in the future, to reduce the risk.”
Leendertz and a team of 10 other scientists will visit Wuhan, China in January to investigate how the virus jumped from animals to humans, according to AFP.
Most scientists believe that the virus transmitted from an animal to a human at one of Wuhan’s open-air food markets. Western health officials have long criticized the Chinese government for doing little to regulate the food markets, which can be breeding grounds for viruses like the coronavirus.
Health officials in the U.S. have accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of failing to confront Chinese leaders for withholding information about the coronavirus early on in the pandemic.
The WHO said in a statement citing Chinese officials on Jan. 14 that there was no evidence that the virus spread from person-to-person contact. That assurance, which is now known to be false, likely slowed the response of health officials outside China at a crucial point in the pandemic.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China????????. pic.twitter.com/Fnl5P877VG
Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China🇨🇳. pic.twitter.com/Fnl5P877VG — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) January 14, 2020
Bruce Aylward, a WHO official who led a fact-finding mission to China in February, also claimed based on information obtained by local health officials that the coronavirus was likely not transmitted easily by asymptomatic carriers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that more than half of people infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic or show few symptoms.
Aylward came under scrutiny in March after he cut off an interview with a reporter who implied that Taiwan is independent from China. The Chinese government disputes Taiwan’s independence.
Citing WHO’s obsequious response to China’s deception, President Donald Trump said this summer he would cut off funding to WHO. President-elect Joe Biden has promised to restore that funding when he takes office.
Leendertz asserted that Chinese government officials are “really interested in finding out what happened” at the beginning of the pandemic.
“The meetings we had so far with Chinese colleagues were really productive and very good,” Leendertz told AFP.


truepundit--2020-12-26--President Trump vetoes National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021

President Trump vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 Wednesday , calling it a “ gift ” to U.S. adversaries China and Russia and making good on a promise to veto if it did not repeal a law that shields certain Big Tech companies from liabilities .
“ My Administration recognizes the importance of the Act to our national security , ” the president wrote to House members after vetoing the bill .
“ Unfortunately , the Act fails to include critical national security measures , includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by my Administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions.
” In his letter , he singled out Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act as a reason for the veto , arguing that failing to terminate it “ will make our intelligence virtually impossible to conduct.
” Section 230 grants Internet companies liability shielding not available to other forms of media .
It says they can not be considered publishers or speakers of information posted to their platforms by third-parties .
It protects platforms , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they allow controversial or critical speech to be shared by their users , according to the American Civil Liberties Union .
It does not protect users from being accountable for their own posts .
– READ MORE Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --

President Trump vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 Wednesday, calling it a “gift” to U.S. adversaries China and Russia and making good on a promise to veto if it did not repeal a law that shields certain Big Tech companies from liabilities.
“My Administration recognizes the importance of the Act to our national security,” the president wrote to House members after vetoing the bill. “Unfortunately, the Act fails to include critical national security measures, includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military’s history, and contradicts efforts by my Administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions.”
In his letter, he singled out Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act as a reason for the veto, arguing that failing to terminate it “will make our intelligence virtually impossible to conduct.”
Section 230 grants Internet companies liability shielding not available to other forms of media. It says they cannot be considered publishers or speakers of information posted to their platforms by third-parties.
It protects platforms, including Facebook and Parler, from lawsuits if they allow controversial or critical speech to be shared by their users, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. It does not protect users from being accountable for their own posts. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --


truepundit--2020-12-26--Mayor Bowser Declares Christmas Eve ‘Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day’

Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared Christmas Eve to be “ Dr .
Anthony S. Fauci Day ” in Washington D.C. , according to a Wednesday proclamation .
“ In honor of Dr. Fauci ’ s 80th birthday tomorrow , I proclaim Thursday , December 24 , 2020 , ‘ Dr .
Anthony S. Fauci Day ’ in Washington D.C. , ” Bowser said in tweet .
“ We are incredibly proud to count Dr. Fauci among the many DC residents who are sacrificing so much to keep our communities healthy and safe , ” Bowser tweeted .
The proclamation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 26 years and “ worked to promote public health and spearheaded efforts to prevent , diagnose and treat established infectious diseases , ” according to the proclamation .
Fauci assisted the U.S. COVID-19 response while serving a principal role in the White House Coronavirus Task Force .
“ Dr .
Fauci has been a shining light in dark times for the nation , promoting truth over fear and giving Americans hope in their government , ” the proclamation said .
The mayor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lived in D.C. for 43 years and that Fauci is a Washington Nationals baseball fan , according to the proclamation .
The proclamation said the doctor “ threw the inaugural ceremonial first pitch of the 2020 Major League Baseball season at Nationals Park.
” “ Dr .
Fauci will continue his critical service to the nation during these difficult times as a chief medical advisor in the incoming Biden administration , ” the proclamation said .
Bowser ’ s office and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases didn ’ t immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared Christmas Eve to be “Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day” in Washington D.C., according to a Wednesday proclamation.
“In honor of Dr. Fauci’s 80th birthday tomorrow, I proclaim Thursday, December 24, 2020, ‘Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day’ in Washington D.C.,” Bowser said in tweet.
“We are incredibly proud to count Dr. Fauci among the many DC residents who are sacrificing so much to keep our communities healthy and safe,” Bowser tweeted.
In honor of Dr. Fauci’s 80th birthday tomorrow, I proclaim Thursday, December 24, 2020, “Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day” in Washington, DC. We are incredibly proud to count Dr. Fauci among the many DC residents who are sacrificing so much to keep our communities healthy and safe. pic.twitter.com/UqvS4sebMf — Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) December 23, 2020
The proclamation noted Fauci has led the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 26 years and “worked to promote public health and spearheaded efforts to prevent, diagnose and treat established infectious diseases,” according to the proclamation.
Fauci assisted the U.S. COVID-19 response while serving a principal role in the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
“Dr. Fauci has been a shining light in dark times for the nation, promoting truth over fear and giving Americans hope in their government,” the proclamation said.
The mayor’s declaration said Fauci and his wife have lived in D.C. for 43 years and that Fauci is a Washington Nationals baseball fan, according to the proclamation. The proclamation said the doctor “threw the inaugural ceremonial first pitch of the 2020 Major League Baseball season at Nationals Park.”
“Dr. Fauci will continue his critical service to the nation during these difficult times as a chief medical advisor in the incoming Biden administration,” the proclamation said.
Bowser’s office and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.


truepundit--2020-12-26--Border Agents Save Illegal Immigrant’s Life After She Fell Off A Cliff

An illegal immigrant fell from a 10-foot cliff and was bleeding from her head when officials found her and another illegal immigrant near Tucson , Arizona on Tuesday , Customs and Border Protection announced Wednesday .
The two illegal immigrants were rescued from a remote portion of the Baboquivari Wilderness Peak area by a Black Hawk crew after a 911 call was made reporting an injured woman , according to Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) .
Officials rescued a man and a woman who has sustained several abrasions and was bleeding from the head .
“ Our aircrews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Deputy Director of the Tucson Air Branch Hunter Robinson said in a statement .
“ They are able to quickly shift from their law enforcement capacity to a search and rescue function , reaching these individuals , saving their lives.
” CBP , Air and Marine Operations agents and Border Patrol Search , Trauma , and Rescue EMT ’ s all contributed to the rescue mission , according to CBP .
Officials had to deploy an agent and an EMT via hoist to get to the remote location of the illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal immigrants were extracted from the area via hoist , according to CBP .
They were taken to a local highway where they were turned over to Border Patrol .
The woman was taken to a local hospital for further medical evaluation , according to CBP .
Over 40 people were rescued by Tucson aircrews in 2020 .

An illegal immigrant fell from a 10-foot cliff and was bleeding from her head when officials found her and another illegal immigrant near Tucson, Arizona on Tuesday, Customs and Border Protection announced Wednesday.
The two illegal immigrants were rescued from a remote portion of the Baboquivari Wilderness Peak area by a Black Hawk crew after a 911 call was made reporting an injured woman, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Officials rescued a man and a woman who has sustained several abrasions and was bleeding from the head.
“Our aircrews are the best at what they do,” Deputy Director of the Tucson Air Branch Hunter Robinson said in a statement. “They are able to quickly shift from their law enforcement capacity to a search and rescue function, reaching these individuals, saving their lives.”
CBP, Air and Marine Operations agents and Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue EMT’s all contributed to the rescue mission, according to CBP.
Officials had to deploy an agent and an EMT via hoist to get to the remote location of the illegal immigrants, according to CBP.
Both illegal immigrants were extracted from the area via hoist, according to CBP. They were taken to a local highway where they were turned over to Border Patrol.
The woman was taken to a local hospital for further medical evaluation, according to CBP. Over 40 people were rescued by Tucson aircrews in 2020.