westernjournal--2020-12-30--Alert: Nurse Tests Positive for COVID 8 Days After Getting Vaccine

A San Diego-area nurse has apparently tested positive for the coronavirus several days after being vaccinated against it .
According to a report this week by KGTV in San Diego , an emergency room nurse identified as Matthew W. , who works at two San Diego-area hospitals , posted on Facebook on Dec. 18 that he received the first dose of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine that day .
After working on the COVID-19 unit of a local hospital on Christmas Eve , the station reported , Matthew experienced chills , muscle aches and fatigue .
Two days later , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though the development might be disheartening to Americans looking for signs the coronavirus crisis might be starting to pass , one San Diego physician told KGTV it could have been predicted .
“ It ’ s not unexpected at all .
If you work through the numbers , this is exactly what we ’ d expect to happen if someone was exposed , ” Dr. Christian Ramers , an infectious disease specialist with Family Health Centers of San Diego , told the station .
In fact , KGTV reported , Ramers said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care workers became infected about the same time they got the vaccine .
It just shows that the vaccine doesn ’ t take effect immediately , he said .
Ramers also said it is possible the nurse was infected before getting the vaccine , noting that the incubation period of the virus has been known to be as long as two weeks .
“ We know from the vaccine clinical trials that it ’ s going to take about 10 to 14 days for you to start to develop protection from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the first dose of the two-dose vaccine is not going to give any recipient instant immunity .
The two doses are supposed to be given several weeks apart .
“ That first dose we think gives you somewhere around 50 percent , and you need that second dose to get up to 95 percent , ” Ramers told KGTV .
Ramers noted that the timing of the two-dose vaccine is one reason experts say the process of bringing the virus under control will take time .
“ You hear health practitioners being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the end , but it ’ s going to be a slow roll , weeks to months as we roll out the vaccine , ” said Ramers .
RELATED : New , More Transmissible COVID Variant Found in Colorado A primer on vaccines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018 notes that vaccines do not confer instant immunity .
“ [ I ] t typically takes a few weeks for the body to produce T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes after vaccination , ” the CDC wrote , referring to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Therefore , it is possible that a person infected with a disease just before or just after vaccination could develop symptoms and get a disease , because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection , ” the CDC wrote .
The CDC noted in an updated post that the same holds true for the coronavirus vaccine .
“ It typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination .
That means it ’ s possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and get sick .
This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection , ” it wrote .
It also made a point of stating COVID-19 vaccines will not give a recipient the disease .
“ None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in development or in use in the United States , contain the live virus that causes COVID-19 .
There are several different types of vaccines in development , ” the CDC stated .
“ However , the goal for each of them is to teach our immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus that causes COVID-19.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A San Diego-area nurse has apparently tested positive for the coronavirus several days after being vaccinated against it.
According to a report this week by KGTV in San Diego, an emergency room nurse identified as Matthew W., who works at two San Diego-area hospitals, posted on Facebook on Dec. 18 that he received the first dose of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine that day.
After working on the COVID-19 unit of a local hospital on Christmas Eve, the station reported, Matthew experienced chills, muscle aches and fatigue.
Two days later, the 45-year-old tested positive for the coronavirus.
Though the development might be disheartening to Americans looking for signs the coronavirus crisis might be starting to pass, one San Diego physician told KGTV it could have been predicted.
“It’s not unexpected at all. If you work through the numbers, this is exactly what we’d expect to happen if someone was exposed,” Dr. Christian Ramers, an infectious disease specialist with Family Health Centers of San Diego, told the station.
In fact, KGTV reported, Ramers said he knew of several local cases in which health care workers became infected about the same time they got the vaccine. It just shows that the vaccine doesn’t take effect immediately, he said.
Ramers also said it is possible the nurse was infected before getting the vaccine, noting that the incubation period of the virus has been known to be as long as two weeks.
“We know from the vaccine clinical trials that it’s going to take about 10 to 14 days for you to start to develop protection from the vaccine,” Ramers said.
Will you be vaccinated against the coronavirus? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 31% (475 Votes) No: 69% (1060 Votes)
Ramers said the first dose of the two-dose vaccine is not going to give any recipient instant immunity. The two doses are supposed to be given several weeks apart.
“That first dose we think gives you somewhere around 50 percent, and you need that second dose to get up to 95 percent,” Ramers told KGTV.
Ramers noted that the timing of the two-dose vaccine is one reason experts say the process of bringing the virus under control will take time.
“You hear health practitioners being very optimistic about it being the beginning of the end, but it’s going to be a slow roll, weeks to months as we roll out the vaccine,” said Ramers.
Reminder: A vaccine in the future doesn’t prevent infection NOW A vaccine today doesn’t even prevent infection tomorrow. It takes 2 doses and several weeks for adequate immunity. — Grumpy Pug (Kate)? (@GrumpyPug17) December 24, 2020
A primer on vaccines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018 notes that vaccines do not confer instant immunity.
“[I]t typically takes a few weeks for the body to produce T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes after vaccination,” the CDC wrote, referring to the types of cells that fight disease.
“Therefore, it is possible that a person infected with a disease just before or just after vaccination could develop symptoms and get a disease, because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection,” the CDC wrote.
The CDC noted in an updated post that the same holds true for the coronavirus vaccine.
“It typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. That means it’s possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection,” it wrote.
It also made a point of stating COVID-19 vaccines will not give a recipient the disease.
“None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in development or in use in the United States, contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. There are several different types of vaccines in development,” the CDC stated. “However, the goal for each of them is to teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19.”
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westernjournal--2020-12-30--The Can Completely Exploded: Video Captures Racist Getting Cracked in the Head with Huge Canned Drin

The Can Completely Exploded: Video Captures Racist Getting Cracked in the Head with Huge Canned Drink

The eyes of the internet turned to an Ohio convenience store after an altercation showed just how much punch a can of Twisted Tea can really pack .
It also showed one reason hurling racist insults is never a good idea .
WARNING : The following video contains racist and vulgar language that some viewers will find offensive .
The video begins with the white man berating the black man , amid use of the n-word and a vast ocean of profanity .
After ranting for a few moments , the white man says , “ I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calming the white man , the words were akin to a red flag being waved in front of a bull .
“ I ’ ma say n—- all day , every day .
Are you kidding me ?
Where you from , n—– ?
” he said .
Eventually , the black man picks up the large can of Twisted Tea , a “ hard ” beverage that contains 5 percent alcohol .
“ What ?
You gon na smack me with that ?
’ the antagonist says .
“ Smack me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tea spills everywhere as the black man hits the white man in the face with the can .
RELATED : Judge Who Is Stacey Abrams ' Sister Allows 4,000 Voters To Cast Ballots Despite Residency Questions After a bout of wrestling on the store ’ s floor , the black man walks away victorious .
“ I asked you not to call me a n—– , ” he said .
In Elyria , Ohio , where the video was shot in a Circle K convenience store , police said they know about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed , they are not doing much about the incident .
Elyria police Lt. James Welsh said he has an idea of who was involved , but no charges have been filed and no reports made , according to the Chroniclet .
” It has obviously gone viral on the internet , but to my knowledge it was never called in or reported , ” Welsh said .
Kaleb Gregg , a cashier at the said , he would not comment on the fight other than to hope he never sees one again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever want to see him again .
I don ’ t like that kind of thing , ” he said , according to WOIO .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The eyes of the internet turned to an Ohio convenience store after an altercation showed just how much punch a can of Twisted Tea can really pack.
It also showed one reason hurling racist insults is never a good idea.
A viral video depicts a confrontation between a maskless white man and a mask-wearing black man.
WARNING: The following video contains racist and vulgar language that some viewers will find offensive.
The video begins with the white man berating the black man, amid use of the n-word and a vast ocean of profanity.
After ranting for a few moments, the white man says, “I’m not trying to disrespect you.”
“Then stop saying it,” the black man replies.
Instead of calming the white man, the words were akin to a red flag being waved in front of a bull.
Would you have hit the man saying the n-word? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 54% (218 Votes) No: 46% (185 Votes)
“I’ma say n—- all day, every day. Are you kidding me? Where you from, n—–?” he said.
Eventually, the black man picks up the large can of Twisted Tea, a “hard” beverage that contains 5 percent alcohol.
“What? You gonna smack me with that?’ the antagonist says. “Smack me. Smack me, n—–!.”
Eventually, the black man reacts.
Tea spills everywhere as the black man hits the white man in the face with the can.
After a bout of wrestling on the store’s floor, the black man walks away victorious.
“I asked you not to call me a n—–,” he said.
Reactions on Twitter were intense.
A racist had an unfortunate collision with a can of alcoholic iced tea in a convenience store, and it kind of blew up lol — Daniel Lucas ? (@DLucasDesigns) December 30, 2020
Sex is cool and all, but have you ever seen a racist get slapped with a can of Twisted Tea? — American Aquarium (@USAquarium) December 29, 2020
Idk .. the dude is obviously drunk.. not a real threat.. using the n-word because obviously he has been allowed to use it with impunity..a physically violent confrontation wasn’t necessary.. — Tony M. (@fabrion40) December 24, 2020
In Elyria, Ohio, where the video was shot in a Circle K convenience store, police said they know about the video, but that until charges are filed, they are not doing much about the incident.
Elyria police Lt. James Welsh said he has an idea of who was involved, but no charges have been filed and no reports made, according to the Chroniclet.
”It has obviously gone viral on the internet, but to my knowledge it was never called in or reported,” Welsh said.
Kaleb Gregg, a cashier at the said, he would not comment on the fight other than to hope he never sees one again.
“Honestly I don’t ever want to see him again. I don’t like that kind of thing,” he said, according to WOIO.
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westernjournal--2020-12-30--US Military Sends Unmistakable Message to Iran After Attack on US Embassy

The United States flew strategic bombers over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday for the second time this month , a show of force meant to deter Iran from attacking American or allied targets in the Middle East .
One senior U.S. military officer said the flight by two Air Force B-52 bombers was in response to signals that Iran may be planning attacks against U.S. allied targets in neighboring Iraq or elsewhere in the region in the coming days .
The officer spoke on condition of anonymity .
The B-52 bomber mission , flown round trip from an Air Force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern in Washington that Iran will order further military retaliation for the U.S. killing last January of top Iranian military commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani .
Iran ’ s initial response , five days after the deadly U.S. drone strike , was a ballistic missile attack on a military base in Iraq that caused concussion injuries to about 100 U.S. troops .
Adding to the tension was a rocket attack last week on the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad by Iranian-supported Shiite militia groups .
No one was killed , but President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Some friendly health advice to Iran : If one American is killed , I will hold Iran responsible .
Think it over , ” Trump wrote on Dec. 23 .
Because of the potential for escalation , the U.S. has sought to deter Iran from additional attacks .
Strategies on both sides are further complicated by the likely transition in Washington to a Biden administration that may take a different approach to dealing with Iran .
Joe Biden has said , for example , that he hopes to return the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions .
In announcing Wednesday ’ s bomber flight , the head of U.S. Central Command said it was a defensive move .
“ The United States continues to deploy combat-ready capabilities into the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to deter any potential adversary , and make clear that we are ready and able to respond to any aggression directed at Americans or our interests , ” Gen. Frank McKenzie , the commander of Central Command @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek conflict , but no one should underestimate our ability to defend our forces or to act decisively in response to any attack.
” RELATED : Iran 's President Has 'No Doubt ' Biden Will Lift Sanctions He did not mention Iran by name .
In advance of the announcement , the senior U.S. military officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said that U.S. intelligence has detected recent signs of “ fairly substantive threats ” from Iran , including plans for possible rocket attacks against U.S. interests in Iraq in connection with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The U.S. is in the process of reducing its troop presence in Iraq from 3,000 to about 2,500 .
Officials say the reduction is likely to be completed as early as next week .
The U.S. also has picked up signs that Iran may be considering or planning “ more complex ” and broader attacks against American targets or interests in the Middle East , the senior U.S. military officer said , adding that they were the most concerning signs since the days immediately following the Soleimani killing .
The officer cited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Iran into Iraq recently and that Shiite militia leaders in Iraq may have met with officers of Iran ’ s Quds force , previously commanded by Soleimani .
The U.S. officer said Iran might have its eye on economic targets , noting the September 2019 missile and drone attack on Saudi oil processing facilities .
Iran denied involvement but was blamed by the U.S. for that attack .
In recent weeks the U.S. military has taken steps designed to deter Iran while publicly emphasizing that it is not planning , and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action against Iran .
Last week , a U.S. Navy guided-missile submarine made an unusual transit of the Strait of Hormuz , the strategic waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula .
Earlier in December , a pair of B-52 bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana flew what the military calls a “ presence ” mission over the Gulf — a demonstration of U.S. force and a signal of U.S. commitment to the region , but not an attack mission .
That flight was repeated this week , with two B-52s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in North Dakota and heading home Wednesday after cruising over the western side of the Gulf .
Tensions with Iran escalated with the killing in November of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh , an Iranian scientist named by the West as the leader of the Islamic Republic ’ s disbanded military nuclear program .
Iran has blamed Israel for the killing , but U.S. officials are concerned that any Iranian retaliation could hit U.S. interests .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The United States flew strategic bombers over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday for the second time this month, a show of force meant to deter Iran from attacking American or allied targets in the Middle East.
One senior U.S. military officer said the flight by two Air Force B-52 bombers was in response to signals that Iran may be planning attacks against U.S. allied targets in neighboring Iraq or elsewhere in the region in the coming days. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity.
The B-52 bomber mission, flown round trip from an Air Force base in North Dakota, reflects growing concern in Washington that Iran will order further military retaliation for the U.S. killing last January of top Iranian military commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
Iran’s initial response, five days after the deadly U.S. drone strike, was a ballistic missile attack on a military base in Iraq that caused concussion injuries to about 100 U.S. troops.
Adding to the tension was a rocket attack last week on the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad by Iranian-supported Shiite militia groups.
No one was killed, but President Donald Trump tweeted afterward that Iran was on notice.
“Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over,” Trump wrote on Dec. 23.
…Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2020
Because of the potential for escalation, the U.S. has sought to deter Iran from additional attacks.
Strategies on both sides are further complicated by the likely transition in Washington to a Biden administration that may take a different approach to dealing with Iran.
Joe Biden has said, for example, that he hopes to return the U.S. to a 2015 agreement with world powers in which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
In announcing Wednesday’s bomber flight, the head of U.S. Central Command said it was a defensive move.
“The United States continues to deploy combat-ready capabilities into the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to deter any potential adversary, and make clear that we are ready and able to respond to any aggression directed at Americans or our interests,” Gen. Frank McKenzie, the commander of Central Command, said.
“We do not seek conflict, but no one should underestimate our ability to defend our forces or to act decisively in response to any attack.”
He did not mention Iran by name.
In advance of the announcement, the senior U.S. military officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said that U.S. intelligence has detected recent signs of “fairly substantive threats” from Iran, including plans for possible rocket attacks against U.S. interests in Iraq in connection with the one-year anniversary of the Soleimani killing.
The U.S. is in the process of reducing its troop presence in Iraq from 3,000 to about 2,500. Officials say the reduction is likely to be completed as early as next week.
Do you think Iran will heed this warning? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 18% (36 Votes) No: 82% (159 Votes)
The U.S. also has picked up signs that Iran may be considering or planning “more complex” and broader attacks against American targets or interests in the Middle East, the senior U.S. military officer said, adding that they were the most concerning signs since the days immediately following the Soleimani killing.
The officer cited indications that advanced weaponry has been flowing from Iran into Iraq recently and that Shiite militia leaders in Iraq may have met with officers of Iran’s Quds force, previously commanded by Soleimani.
The U.S. officer said Iran might have its eye on economic targets, noting the September 2019 missile and drone attack on Saudi oil processing facilities. Iran denied involvement but was blamed by the U.S. for that attack.
In recent weeks the U.S. military has taken steps designed to deter Iran while publicly emphasizing that it is not planning, and has not been instructed, to take unprovoked action against Iran.
Last week, a U.S. Navy guided-missile submarine made an unusual transit of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.
Earlier in December, a pair of B-52 bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana flew what the military calls a “presence” mission over the Gulf — a demonstration of U.S. force and a signal of U.S. commitment to the region, but not an attack mission.
That flight was repeated this week, with two B-52s flying nonstop from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and heading home Wednesday after cruising over the western side of the Gulf.
Tensions with Iran escalated with the killing in November of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, an Iranian scientist named by the West as the leader of the Islamic Republic’s disbanded military nuclear program.
Iran has blamed Israel for the killing, but U.S. officials are concerned that any Iranian retaliation could hit U.S. interests.
[jwplayer 8gNke7IT]
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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westernjournal--2020-12-31--House Will Seat Republican in Tight Iowa Race Despite Democrat’s Bid To Steal Election

Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks will be seated Sunday to represent Iowa ’ s 2nd Congressional District , even as a battle continues over the contest , according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi .
Weeks after the Nov. 3 election , Miller-Meeks was declared the winner over Democrat Rita Hart by six votes out of more than 400,000 votes cast , according to the Quad-City Times .
Rather than go through the Iowa court system , Hart has appealed to the House through the Federal Contested Election Act to overturn the results , which has started a months-long process of investigation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond it if the House probe agrees with the state ’ s recount , Miller-Meeks will hold the seat , Pelosi said at a news conference Wednesday .
“ Every vote counts and that ’ s why the Committee on House Administration is conducting a thorough and fair review of this election to make sure every vote was counted and counted as cast , ” Pelosi ’ s spokesperson , Drew Hammill , added in a statement .
“ Pending the outcome of the Committee ’ s review and consistent with House practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican candidate on Sunday.
” Hart claims there were 22 ballots not counted that could have swung the race , and has said that the recount performed in Iowa varied in method from county to county , meaning the results should not be trusted .
Although procedurally Democrats could still object Sunday to seating Miller-Meeks , politically it is not an attractive option , according to one Democrat .
“ Folks are anxious about it , for good reason , ” Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan , House Democrats ’ chief deputy whip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For most of us , we ’ re wired to accept the results that are certified by state and county , canvassers , and it ’ s very difficult for us to reach into somebody else ’ s tabulations and decide for ourselves that we want to change the outcome unless there is compelling , overwhelming evidence to support the case , and I haven ’ t looked at that .
I haven ’ t seen it , ” Kildee said .
“ I think our default setting for many of us — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kildee said , noting that Democrats have been saying the apparent result of the presidential election should be accepted .
“ We ’ ve been making that argument for two months now , it ’ s pretty hard to make a different argument when it ’ s convenient , ” he said .
According to the Congressional Research Service , three candidates who tried Hart ’ s tactic were successful between 1933 and 2009 , with the most recent instance taking place in 1984 , when the state of Indiana certified Republican Rick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frank McCloskey to turn to the House .
Although McIntyre had held a 34-vote lead when Indiana certified its results , when the Democrat-majority House was done with its recount , McCloskey was named with the winner by four votes .
One House seat is likely to remain vacant Sunday .
As of Wednesday , Republican former Rep. Claudia Tenney had taken a 29-vote lead over Democratic Rep. Anthony Brindisi in New York state ’ s 22nd Congressional District , according to Syracuse.com .
Each candidate has led at various stages of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least into next week as a judge reviews several hundred disputed ballots .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks will be seated Sunday to represent Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, even as a battle continues over the contest, according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Weeks after the Nov. 3 election, Miller-Meeks was declared the winner over Democrat Rita Hart by six votes out of more than 400,000 votes cast, according to the Quad-City Times.
Rather than go through the Iowa court system, Hart has appealed to the House through the Federal Contested Election Act to overturn the results, which has started a months-long process of investigation.
Until that process is finished, and beyond it if the House probe agrees with the state’s recount, Miller-Meeks will hold the seat, Pelosi said at a news conference Wednesday.
“Every vote counts and that’s why the Committee on House Administration is conducting a thorough and fair review of this election to make sure every vote was counted and counted as cast,” Pelosi’s spokesperson, Drew Hammill, added in a statement.
“Pending the outcome of the Committee’s review and consistent with House practice, we intend to provisionally seat the Republican candidate on Sunday.”
Hart claims there were 22 ballots not counted that could have swung the race, and has said that the recount performed in Iowa varied in method from county to county, meaning the results should not be trusted.
Although procedurally Democrats could still object Sunday to seating Miller-Meeks, politically it is not an attractive option, according to one Democrat.
Do you expect the House will find a way to give this seat to a Democrat? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 80% (784 Votes) No: 20% (202 Votes)
“Folks are anxious about it, for good reason,” Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan, House Democrats’ chief deputy whip, told the Washington Examiner.
“For most of us, we’re wired to accept the results that are certified by state and county, canvassers, and it’s very difficult for us to reach into somebody else’s tabulations and decide for ourselves that we want to change the outcome unless there is compelling, overwhelming evidence to support the case, and I haven’t looked at that. I haven’t seen it,” Kildee said.
“I think our default setting for many of us — is trust the local process,” Kildee said, noting that Democrats have been saying the apparent result of the presidential election should be accepted.
“We’ve been making that argument for two months now, it’s pretty hard to make a different argument when it’s convenient,” he said.
According to the Congressional Research Service, three candidates who tried Hart’s tactic were successful between 1933 and 2009, with the most recent instance taking place in 1984, when the state of Indiana certified Republican Rick McIntyre as the winner, prompting Democrat Frank McCloskey to turn to the House.
Although McIntyre had held a 34-vote lead when Indiana certified its results, when the Democrat-majority House was done with its recount, McCloskey was named with the winner by four votes.
One House seat is likely to remain vacant Sunday.
As of Wednesday, Republican former Rep. Claudia Tenney had taken a 29-vote lead over Democratic Rep. Anthony Brindisi in New York state’s 22nd Congressional District, according to Syracuse.com.
Each candidate has led at various stages of the recount process, which will continue through at least into next week as a judge reviews several hundred disputed ballots.
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westernjournal--2020-12-30--Indiana Finds That Late Abortionist Worked Alone in Gruesome Fetal Remains Case

Indiana ’ s attorney general recommended no criminal charges or licensing actions on Wednesday after concluding an investigation into more than 2,000 sets of fetal remains found last year at the suburban Chicago garage of a late prolific abortionist .
Attorney General Curtis Hill said his office ’ s investigation determined the fetal remains were from abortions Dr. Ulrich Klopfer had performed at his three Indiana clinics between 2000 and 2003 and found that Klopfer failed to arrange for their proper disposition as required by state law .
Investigators determined that Klopfer apparently acted alone in his handling of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one is believed to have assisted Dr. Klopfer in his actions , and because Dr. Klopfer is dead , he can not be charged with a crime or with medical misconduct , ” Hill said in a statement , adding that he “ does not recommend any criminal charges or licensing actions in this case.
” The investigation also found that Klopfer failed to arrange for the appropriate disposal of tens of thousands of patient health records after his Indiana clinics in Forty Wayne , Gary and South Bend closed in 2014 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was suspended indefinitely in 2016 by Indiana regulators who cited shoddy record-keeping and substandard patient monitoring .
After Klopfer died in September 2019 at age 79 , relatives sorting through his belongings at his home in Will County , Illinois , found 2,246 sets of medically preserved fetal remains in his garage , which was stacked from floor to ceiling with boxes filled with personal items and garbage .
Later , 165 more were found in a trunk of a car at a Chicago-area business where Klopfer kept several vehicles .
Those 2,411 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a South Bend , Indiana , cemetery in a donated plot during a mass burial ceremony where Hill said their discovery was “ horrifying to anyone with normal sensibilities.
” “ We hope the results of our investigation provide much-needed closure to everyone who has been impacted by this gruesome case , ” according to Wednesday ’ s statement from Hill , a Republican who leaves office in January .
Klopfer had performed tens of thousands of abortions over 40 years , mainly in Indiana and often as the only abortion doctor serving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was a reviled figure among pro-life activists , who held weekly demonstrations outside his clinics .
Klopfer ’ s career started unraveling in the 2000s with a flurry of complaints , including that he performed an abortion on a 10-year-old raped by her uncle and did not notify law enforcement .
Wednesday ’ s final report from the attorney general ’ s office said the agency will retain more than 35,000 patient records found at Klopfer ’ s clinics and other sites until 2024 , at which point they will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that dated from 1977 to 2012 have already been destroyed .
RELATED : House Will Seat Republican in Tight Iowa Race Despite Democrat 's Bid To Steal Election This marks one of the final acts of Hill as attorney general , as his reelection bid failed when he lost the Republican nomination in June to former U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita .
Rokita went on to defeat Democrat Jonathan Weinzapfel , a former Evansville mayor , in the November election .
Hill has faced allegations of sexual misconduct stemming from an alleged incident in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Indiana’s attorney general recommended no criminal charges or licensing actions on Wednesday after concluding an investigation into more than 2,000 sets of fetal remains found last year at the suburban Chicago garage of a late prolific abortionist.
Attorney General Curtis Hill said his office’s investigation determined the fetal remains were from abortions Dr. Ulrich Klopfer had performed at his three Indiana clinics between 2000 and 2003 and found that Klopfer failed to arrange for their proper disposition as required by state law.
Investigators determined that Klopfer apparently acted alone in his handling of the remains, Hill said.
“No one is believed to have assisted Dr. Klopfer in his actions, and because Dr. Klopfer is dead, he cannot be charged with a crime or with medical misconduct,” Hill said in a statement, adding that he “does not recommend any criminal charges or licensing actions in this case.”
The investigation also found that Klopfer failed to arrange for the appropriate disposal of tens of thousands of patient health records after his Indiana clinics in Forty Wayne, Gary and South Bend closed in 2014 and 2015.
Klopfer’s medical license was suspended indefinitely in 2016 by Indiana regulators who cited shoddy record-keeping and substandard patient monitoring.
After Klopfer died in September 2019 at age 79, relatives sorting through his belongings at his home in Will County, Illinois, found 2,246 sets of medically preserved fetal remains in his garage, which was stacked from floor to ceiling with boxes filled with personal items and garbage.
Later, 165 more were found in a trunk of a car at a Chicago-area business where Klopfer kept several vehicles.
Those 2,411 fetal remains were buried in February at a South Bend, Indiana, cemetery in a donated plot during a mass burial ceremony where Hill said their discovery was “horrifying to anyone with normal sensibilities.”
Given that the abortionist died before charges could be filed, was justice served? Yes No
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“We hope the results of our investigation provide much-needed closure to everyone who has been impacted by this gruesome case,” according to Wednesday’s statement from Hill, a Republican who leaves office in January.
Klopfer had performed tens of thousands of abortions over 40 years, mainly in Indiana and often as the only abortion doctor serving South Bend, Gary and Fort Wayne. He was a reviled figure among pro-life activists, who held weekly demonstrations outside his clinics.
Klopfer’s career started unraveling in the 2000s with a flurry of complaints, including that he performed an abortion on a 10-year-old raped by her uncle and did not notify law enforcement.
Wednesday’s final report from the attorney general’s office said the agency will retain more than 35,000 patient records found at Klopfer’s clinics and other sites until 2024, at which point they will be destroyed.
Another 84,000 older patient records that dated from 1977 to 2012 have already been destroyed.
This marks one of the final acts of Hill as attorney general, as his reelection bid failed when he lost the Republican nomination in June to former U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita. Rokita went on to defeat Democrat Jonathan Weinzapfel, a former Evansville mayor, in the November election.
Hill has faced allegations of sexual misconduct stemming from an alleged incident in 2018.
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The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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westernjournal--2020-12-31--Sick Video: Cop Pins and Punches Helpless Police Dog, Department Claims It Was ‘Training’ Incident G

Sick Video: Cop Pins and Punches Helpless Police Dog, Department Claims It Was ‘Training’ Incident Gone Wrong

A sickening video appears to show a cop brutalizing his helpless canine partner as the dog sits pinned under the officer .
Although the video evidence seems indisputable , the department claims the apparent abuse was a training incident gone wrong .
The clip was recorded by Roberto Palomino , who says he became worried Monday when he saw the officer ’ s shockingly violent treatment of a police dog outside of a warehouse in Vacaville , California Palomino , floored by the treatment of the defenseless animal , documented what he saw on camera .
He posted the clip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damning .
While Palomino did not catch the entire encounter , what he did capture shows the officer kneeling astride the dog while delivering a violent blow to its head .
( WARNING : The video contains graphic violence that some viewers may find disturbing . )
Palomino claims the officer appeared to scan the area for witnesses during the animal abuse .
While the video has garnered outrage from viewers , the Vacaville Police Department claims the clip is an out-of-context look at a “ training ” incident gone wrong .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to many who view it and the range of emotions it creates , ” the department wrote on Facebook .
“ What the video doesn ’ t show is the moments prior , when the canine became aggressive towards his handler .
We want to assure the public this incident is being evaluated in its entirety and will be investigated appropriately.
” An update indicates the department is now taking the allegations seriously , and is working to get to the bottom of the matter .
While the K9 unit may have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the appropriate response is not to pin it and punch it in the head .
As anyone who has teamed up with working dogs will tell you , the animals are intelligent , brave and fiercely loyal .
Given a consistent training regimen from puppyhood , these dogs are born and bred to work as professionals alongside their human handlers .
In the case of police K9s , their role is so important that harming one of these animals is oftentimes treated like an assault on the human officer in charge .
RELATED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazen Daylight Attack in NYC : 'Deal with These Problems Before There Is Nothing Left' Thankfully , the Vacaville K9 unit has been removed from the care of his handler and is now with a third party outside of the department .
An investigation into the alleged abuse is currently underway .
It ’ s unclear if the dog will be allowed to continue training and go to serve the community after its traumatic experience , or what punishment the human officer faces if he ’ s found to have abused his partner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A sickening video appears to show a cop brutalizing his helpless canine partner as the dog sits pinned under the officer.
Although the video evidence seems indisputable, the department claims the apparent abuse was a training incident gone wrong.
The clip was recorded by Roberto Palomino, who says he became worried Monday when he saw the officer’s shockingly violent treatment of a police dog outside of a warehouse in Vacaville, California
Palomino, floored by the treatment of the defenseless animal, documented what he saw on camera.
He posted the clip to Facebook, and the contents are damning. While Palomino did not catch the entire encounter, what he did capture shows the officer kneeling astride the dog while delivering a violent blow to its head.
WARNING: The video, which can be seen here, contains graphic violence that some viewers may find disturbing.
Palomino claims the officer appeared to scan the area for witnesses during the animal abuse.
While the video has garnered outrage from viewers, the Vacaville Police Department claims the clip is an out-of-context look at a “training” incident gone wrong.
“We understand how disturbing the video appears to many who view it and the range of emotions it creates,” the department wrote on Facebook.
Does this video show animal abuse? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 93% (1067 Votes) No: 7% (84 Votes)
“What the video doesn’t show is the moments prior, when the canine became aggressive towards his handler. We want to assure the public this incident is being evaluated in its entirety and will be investigated appropriately.”
An update indicates the department is now taking the allegations seriously, and is working to get to the bottom of the matter.
While the K9 unit may have been aggressive, it’s obvious that the appropriate response is not to pin it and punch it in the head.
Update: We wanted to update our community with the following: *The canine involved in this incident has been removed… Posted by Vacaville Police Department on Tuesday, December 29, 2020
As anyone who has teamed up with working dogs will tell you, the animals are intelligent, brave and fiercely loyal. Given a consistent training regimen from puppyhood, these dogs are born and bred to work as professionals alongside their human handlers.
In the case of police K9s, their role is so important that harming one of these animals is oftentimes treated like an assault on the human officer in charge.
Thankfully, the Vacaville K9 unit has been removed from the care of his handler and is now with a third party outside of the department.
An investigation into the alleged abuse is currently underway.
It’s unclear if the dog will be allowed to continue training and go to serve the community after its traumatic experience, or what punishment the human officer faces if he’s found to have abused his partner.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-12-31--Grandma, 95, Gets Blood-Boiling Letter After Neighbors Notice Granddaughter Visiting During COVID

A 95-year-old World War II refugee living in Los Angeles County was threatened with eviction from her apartment last week after engaging in socially distant chats with her granddaughter from the safety of her upstairs balcony .
Perhaps no story more perfectly encapsulates the cruelty of California ’ s draconian health mandates and overall culture than that of Klara Kharkats .
Sadly , it wasn ’ t even California ’ s Democratic leadership that bullied the woman into potential isolation in the twilight of her life — it was her neighbors .
Neighbors complained the elderly Ukrainian immigrant had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman named Rozanna Handrich .
Handrich explained to KCAL-TV the events that led her grandmother using her balcony for socialization before being hit with a threat of removal from her Redondo Beach apartment .
“ So it ’ s just her sitting in a room , ” she told the outlet of her grandmother ’ s life .
“ I can get sad thinking about it because I can ’ t imagine what it ’ s like to just sit by yourself all day long.
” Handrich said before the pandemic , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s overreaction to it , her grandmother ’ s life was filled with the joy of frequent visits from her granddaughter and her great-grandchildren .
“ I even had all their toys set up at her apartment so they wouldn ’ t get bored there , ” Handrich said .
“ I would just sit with her for a few hours every weekend.
” Those weekend visits were forced to come to an end this year because of Kharkats ’ age and the possibility she could face complications should she contract the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was best , and avoided in-person contact with the woman she loves .
“ We are just really scared to get her sick , ” Handrich said .
“ None of us want to be the reason anything happens to her.
” So the women improvised .
Handrich began speaking with Kharkats from a sidewalk .
Kharkats , meanwhile , remained a safe distance away on her balcony .
It was a perfect solution that had worked for months .
But apparently that solution was not perfect enough for some of the elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complained to the manager of the apartment complex about the noise , and the 95-year-old was targeted by a letter nasty enough to make anyone ’ s blood boil .
Kharkats received a notice a week ago that she could face eviction over the noise complaints with regard to her conversations with her family .
The notice from the apartment management read : “ We have received complaints regarding excessive noise coming from your unit .
I have witnessed many times your guest coming to visit you and standing on the sidewalk talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come and visit inside your unit.
” The tenant of 20 years was also told that she was “ disrupting the quiet enjoyment of our apartment complex ” and that “ continued violation of your lease rule [ s ] and regulations will result in further action which may include eviction.
” The threat came as Kharkats ’ world had already been upended , and her only human interactions were with Handrich and her children , who remained at a great physical distance during those chats .
RELATED : Sick Video : Cop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department Claims It Was 'Training ' Incident Gone Wrong Management for the apartment complex essentially asked Handrich to do something she feels might endanger her grandmother , which was to go inside her apartment to talk .
But the apartment complex property owner , which KCAL-TV reported is Culver City-based GK Management , intervened on the matter this week .
GK Management , to its credit , issued a statement apologizing for the tone of the notice the grandmother received from the apartment manager .
“ We recognize the importance of families maintaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during this unprecedented time of COVID .
We regret the tone of the notice our manager sent to Ms. Kharkats , which was taken from a form letter we send to tenants with chronic noise issues .
We have sent a rescission notice to her this morning and apologize for the misunderstanding , ” the statement read .
“ The notice , which was prompted by complaints from other tenants , should have been more sensitive and spelled out the solution more clearly .
We encourage family members to continue visiting their grandmother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and maintaining social distancing , ” GK management added , but with a request .
“ Her health and theirs will be preserved by following those recommendations .
In this case , we encourage the family to use their cell phones instead of yelling from the sidewalk , ” the company said .
A bit of empathy could have gone a long way to avoid what happened to Kharkats .
In the current social climate in Southern California , the reason a 95-year-old woman might be conversing at a distance from the safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the Los Angeles area , generally speaking , isn ’ t known for its friendliness , self-awareness or empathy .
In any event , Kharkats is now being asked to use a mobile phone in order to minimize the noise .
Still , Handrich is worried that a disruption of the current arrangement could be detrimental to the health of her grandmother .
“ She ’ s concerned , because she ’ s lived there for so long .
She doesn ’ t want to be evicted , ” said Handrich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so she ’ s actually afraid of any type of disruption like that.
” “ You can hear it in her voice , if she hasn ’ t seen anyone in a while , ” Handrich continued .
“ It really hurts me to hear when she says she is lonely.
” Throughout this year , the country has faced the emotional and psychological effects of isolation .
No segment of the population has had to endure these strains more than our most vulnerable .
Going forward , neighborly gestures and common sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensuring exceptional people , such as Kharkats , don ’ t fall between the cracks .
Perhaps those simple virtues aren ’ t too much to ask from those residing in Redondo Beach .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A 95-year-old World War II refugee living in Los Angeles County was threatened with eviction from her apartment last week after engaging in socially distant chats with her granddaughter from the safety of her upstairs balcony.
Perhaps no story more perfectly encapsulates the cruelty of California’s draconian health mandates and overall culture than that of Klara Kharkats. Sadly, it wasn’t even California’s Democratic leadership that bullied the woman into potential isolation in the twilight of her life — it was her neighbors.
Neighbors complained the elderly Ukrainian immigrant had been speaking in-person to her granddaughter, Rozanna Handrich. Handrich explained to KCAL-TV the events that led her grandmother using her balcony for socialization before being hit with a threat of removal from her Redondo Beach apartment.
“So it’s just her sitting in a room,” she told the outlet of her grandmother’s life. “I can get sad thinking about it because I can’t imagine what it’s like to just sit by yourself all day long.”
Handrich said before the pandemic, or more aptly, prior to California’s overreaction to it, her grandmother’s life was filled with the joy of frequent visits from her granddaughter and her great-grandchildren.
“I even had all their toys set up at her apartment so they wouldn’t get bored there,” Handrich said. “I would just sit with her for a few hours every weekend.”
Those weekend visits were forced to come to an end this year because of Kharkats’ age and the possibility she could face complications should she contract the coronavirus. Her granddaughter did what she thought was best, and avoided in-person contact with her grandmother.
“We are just really scared to get her sick,” Handrich said. “None of us want to be the reason anything happens to her.”
So the women improvised. Handrich began speaking with Kharkats from a sidewalk. Kharkats, meanwhile, remained a safe distance away on her balcony. It was a perfect solution that had worked for months.
But apparently that solution was not perfect enough for some of the elderly woman’s neighbors. Those neighbors complained to the manager of the apartment complex about the noise, and the 95-year-old was targeted by a letter nasty enough to make anyone’s blood boil.
Kharkats received a notice a week ago that she could face eviction over the noise complaints with regard to her conversations with her family.
The notice from the apartment management read: “We have received complaints regarding excessive noise coming from your unit. I have witnessed many times your guest coming to visit you and standing on the sidewalk talking to you. Please have your guest come and visit inside your unit.”
The tenant of 20 years was also told that she was “disrupting the quiet enjoyment of our apartment complex” and that “continued violation of your lease rule[s] and regulations will result in further action which may include eviction.”
The threat came as Kharkats’ world had already been upended, and her only human interactions were with Handrich and her children, who remained at a great physical distance during those chats.
Management for the apartment complex essentially asked Handrich to do something she feels might endanger her grandmother, which was to go inside her apartment to talk.
But the apartment complex property owner, which KCAL-TV reported is Culver City-based GK Management, intervened on the matter this week.
GK Management, to its credit, issued a statement apologizing for the tone of the notice the grandmother received from the apartment manager.
“We recognize the importance of families maintaining contact with their loved ones, particularly during this unprecedented time of COVID. We regret the tone of the notice our manager sent to Ms. Kharkats, which was taken from a form letter we send to tenants with chronic noise issues. We have sent a rescission notice to her this morning and apologize for the misunderstanding,” the statement read.
“The notice, which was prompted by complaints from other tenants, should have been more sensitive and spelled out the solution more clearly. We encourage family members to continue visiting their grandmother while maintaining CDC guidelines of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing,” GK management added, but with a request.
“Her health and theirs will be preserved by following those recommendations. In this case, we encourage the family to use their cell phones instead of yelling from the sidewalk,” the company said.
A bit of empathy could have gone a long way to avoid what happened to Kharkats. In the current social climate in Southern California, the reason a 95-year-old woman might be conversing at a distance from the safety of her home should have been obvious. But the Los Angeles area, generally speaking, isn’t known for its friendliness, self-awareness or empathy.
Do you think that California is basing its draconian health guidelines on science? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 12% (365 Votes) No: 88% (2764 Votes)
In any event, Kharkats is now being asked to use a mobile phone in order to minimize the noise. Still, Handrich is worried that a disruption of the current arrangement could be detrimental to the health of her grandmother.
“She’s concerned, because she’s lived there for so long. She doesn’t want to be evicted,” said Handrich. “She came from communism, so she’s actually afraid of any type of disruption like that.”
“You can hear it in her voice, if she hasn’t seen anyone in a while,” Handrich continued. “It really hurts me to hear when she says she is lonely.”
Throughout this year, the country has faced the emotional and psychological effects of isolation. No segment of the population has had to endure these strains more than our most vulnerable.
Going forward, neighborly gestures and common sense could go a long way with regard to ensuring exceptional people, such as Kharkats, don’t fall between the cracks. Perhaps those simple virtues aren’t too much to ask from those residing in Redondo Beach.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-12-31--One Year After Wuhan Outbreak Overturned World Order, Xi Jinping Announces Ambitions for China’s Fut

One Year After Wuhan Outbreak Overturned World Order, Xi Jinping Announces Ambitions for China’s Future

Exactly one year after China acknowledged the discovery of a novel coronavirus in the crossroads city of Wuhan , the country ’ s highest leader praised citizens ’ endurance and vowed a future where the Chinese Communist Party reigns supreme in a “ modern socialist country.
” The coming year is particularly auspicious for the ruling party , as it marks a century since the group ’ s founding in 1921 .
According to Chinese President Xi Jinping , the coming decades will prove the CCP ’ s resolve and lead to a major rise for the party .
Xi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past but also his ambitious goals for its future during a Thursday new year address to the nation .
“ I am proud of our great motherland and people , as well as the unyielding national spirit , ” Xi said .
“ Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested .
Only after polishing can a piece of jade be finer.
” While the COVID pandemic walloped China first , the country made a suspiciously speedy recovery as the rest of the world was left to suffer under a frozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries continue to struggle , China is closing the books on 2020 with substantial economic growth .
The pandemic , which reshuffled the global order , appears to have left China in a much better position than any other country .
This fact is not lost on Xi .
“ 2021 will see the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China , ” Xi said .
“ Its 100-year journey surges forward with great momentum .
Its original aspiration remains even firmer one hundred years later.
” “ At the historic crossroad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country is about to start , ” Xi later continued .
“ The road ahead is long ; striving is the only way forward .
We have strived , broken through brambles and thorns , and crossed ten thousand rivers and thousands of mountains.
” According to the state-owned Xinhua News Agency , the “ Two Centenary Goals ” are to improve the lives of China ’ s poor by 2021 ( 100 years after the CCP ’ s founding ) , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2049 ( 100 years after communist forces declared victory in mainland China ) .
Judging from what we know about the deathly evils of socialism , giving the ideology a 21st-century reboot creates some haunting worries .
While President Donald Trump spearheaded the decoupling of America from China , a potential disaster awaits if presumptive President-elect Joe Biden ends up taking the White House .
RELATED : Chilling Revelation : Our Lockdowns Would n't Have Happened Without Help from the Chinese Biden , who China ’ s Xi calls an “ old friend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump-like level of pressure on the growing communist superpower .
The United States already faces an uphill battle in any potential conflict with China , and the imbalance will likely grow wider as the Asian powerhouse focuses on its military .
Earlier this month , Xi vowed his country would do just that in a speech where he stressed the importance of national security .
Without a world leader powerful enough to check his ambition , Xi ’ s ongoing cultural genocide and calls for conquest only threaten to grow worse .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Exactly one year after China acknowledged the discovery of a novel coronavirus in the crossroads city of Wuhan, the country’s highest leader praised citizens’ endurance and vowed a future where the Chinese Communist Party reigns supreme in a “modern socialist country.”
The coming year is particularly auspicious for the ruling party, as it marks a century since the group’s founding in 1921.
According to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the coming decades will prove the CCP’s resolve and lead to a major rise for the party.
Xi celebrated not only the CCP’s past but also his ambitious goals for its future during a Thursday new year address to the nation.
“I am proud of our great motherland and people, as well as the unyielding national spirit,” Xi said. “Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only after polishing can a piece of jade be finer.”
While the COVID pandemic walloped China first, the country made a suspiciously speedy recovery as the rest of the world was left to suffer under a frozen global supply chain.
Even as other countries continue to struggle, China is closing the books on 2020 with substantial economic growth.
The pandemic, which reshuffled the global order, appears to have left China in a much better position than any other country.
This fact is not lost on Xi.
Does a rising China pose a threat to the United States? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 98% (894 Votes) No: 2% (19 Votes)
“2021 will see the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China,” Xi said. “Its 100-year journey surges forward with great momentum. Its original aspiration remains even firmer one hundred years later.”
“At the historic crossroad of the ‘Two Centenary Goals,’ the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country is about to start,” Xi later continued. “The road ahead is long; striving is the only way forward. We have strived, broken through brambles and thorns, and crossed ten thousand rivers and thousands of mountains.”
According to the state-owned Xinhua News Agency, the “Two Centenary Goals” are to improve the lives of China’s poor by 2021 (100 years after the CCP’s founding), and to build a modern socialist state by 2049 (100 years after communist forces declared victory in mainland China).
Judging from what we know about the deathly evils of socialism, giving the ideology a 21st-century reboot creates some haunting worries.
While President Donald Trump spearheaded the decoupling of America from China, a potential disaster awaits if presumptive President-elect Joe Biden ends up taking the White House.
Biden, who China’s Xi calls an “old friend,” is unlikely to keep a Trump-like level of pressure on the growing communist superpower.
The United States already faces an uphill battle in any potential conflict with China, and the imbalance will likely grow wider as the Asian powerhouse focuses on its military.
Earlier this month, Xi vowed his country would do just that in a speech where he stressed the importance of national security.
Without a world leader powerful enough to check his ambition, Xi’s ongoing cultural genocide and calls for conquest only threaten to grow worse.
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westernjournal--2020-12-31--Georgia Senate Subcommittee Votes To Audit Ballots Using Digital Technology To Detect Counterfeits

The Georgia Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Elections voted unanimously on Wednesday to audit Fulton County ’ s absentee ballots to check for abnormalities .
The vote came after digital scanning technology expert Jovan Pulitzer testified that his forensics team would be able to tell if ballots were fraudulent , using technology similar to that which is used by vending machines to identify counterfeit currency .
“ We would be able to tell if [ the ballots ] were folded , if they were counterfeit , whether they were filled out by human hand , whether they were printed by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continually over and over .
We can detect every bit of that , ” Pulitzer said in the subcommittee meeting .
The expert — who told the subcommittee that technology he invented and patented is now used in most smartphones worldwide to scan QR codes — further stated his team will be able to detect if the ballots were officially printed by the government or mass-produced on other machines .
Finally , a possible way to prove if reports of massive ballot dumps in the early morning hours in key swing states did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll worker Susan Voyles said in a sworn affidavit that she witnessed many “ pristine ballots ” being counted in Fulton County , Georgia .
The poll worker explained that one particular box she came across contained hundreds of ballots that had no folds and appeared to be filled in by a machine .
Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jenny Beth Martin , who is a member of the Trump campaign legal team in Georgia , tweeted last month , “ 9 observers in GA have signed affidavits swearing they saw suspicious mail-in ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition and had no creases on them .
“ This means the ballots had not been mailed in envelopes as required , according to their affidavits.
” While speaking before the Georgia elections subcommittee on Wednesday , Trump campaign attorney Rudy Giuliani also pointed to the potential fraud seen in a leaked video of ballot processing at the State Farm Arena in Fulton County — in which observers were allegedly told counting was completed for the night .
But counting allegedly resumed soon thereafter in the early morning hours following Election Day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illegal To Go Without a Mask , But Wants To Decriminalize Knowingly Giving Someone HIV State investigators looked into the matter and claimed that what occurred was normal ballot processing , Georgia Public Broadcasting reported .
However , Giuliani questioned the authenticity of those ballots during the subcommittee meeting and noted that the video showed the election workers running ballots through the machine multiple times in some cases .
“ If you can watch that and not realize that this was a major situation of voter fraud , then you ’ re a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the state senators .
“ It ’ s quite obvious that they are counting ballots illegally.
” Additionally , Pulitzer highlighted in the meeting the abnormally high number of adjudicated ballots in Fulton County — over 100,000 of the approximately 525,000 cast .
The Dominion Voting Systems software , which is used in Georgia , classifies ballots in two categories : “ normal ” and “ adjudicated.
” Adjudicated ballots are those that can not be processed by the machine and are then examined and decided by election officials .
“ You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
‘ Your machine didn ’ t work , ' ” Pulitzer said .
“ When the national average for the last elections , 2016 , was 1.2 percent — that ’ s an audited number — 1.2 percent of the total had to be adjudicated.
” Those who printed the original ballots “ screwed up ” — likely knowingly , Pulitzer contended .
“ Stop The Steal ” national coordinator Mike Coudrey shared a video earlier this month of Fulton County Elections Director Richard Barron saying that at that point in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day — his team had adjudicated over 106,000 ballots .
Biden apparently did significantly better in Fulton County this year than failed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton did in 2016 , outpacing her by approximately 84,000 votes : 381,000 votes to Clinton ’ s 297,000 .
Biden currently leads President Donald Trump by 12,670 votes in the entire state of Georgia .
At the conclusion of the subcommittee ’ s meeting , the members voted to request that the Fulton County elections board make all county absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cheeley Law Group — a Georgia legal firm — and Pulitzer ’ s team .
This same process should be used to audit votes in Wayne County , Michigan , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania and any place witnesses have testified to seeing potentially fraudulent conduct used to run up Biden ’ s 81-million-vote , no-coattails-reported , win .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The Georgia Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Elections voted unanimously on Wednesday to audit Fulton County’s absentee ballots to check for abnormalities.
The vote came after digital scanning technology expert Jovan Pulitzer testified that his forensics team would be able to tell if ballots were fraudulent, using technology similar to that which is used by vending machines to identify counterfeit currency.
“We would be able to tell if [the ballots] were folded, if they were counterfeit, whether they were filled out by human hand, whether they were printed by a machine, whether they were batch fed continually over and over. We can detect every bit of that,” Pulitzer said in the subcommittee meeting.
The expert — who told the subcommittee that technology he invented and patented is now used in most smartphones worldwide to scan QR codes — further stated his team will be able to detect if the ballots were officially printed by the government or mass-produced on other machines.
Finally, a possible way to prove if reports of massive ballot dumps in the early morning hours in key swing states did, in fact, occur.
Veteran poll worker Susan Voyles said in a sworn affidavit that she witnessed many “pristine ballots” being counted in Fulton County, Georgia. The poll worker explained that one particular box she came across contained hundreds of ballots that had no folds and appeared to be filled in by a machine.
Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jenny Beth Martin, who is a member of the Trump campaign legal team in Georgia, tweeted last month, “9 observers in GA have signed affidavits swearing they saw suspicious mail-in ballots cast for Biden that were in pristine condition and had no creases on them.
“This means the ballots had not been mailed in envelopes as required, according to their affidavits.”
9 observers in GA have signed affidavits swearing they saw suspicious mail-in ballots cast for Biden that were in pristine condition and had no creases on them. This means the ballots had not been mailed in envelopes as required, according to their affidavits. #StopTheSteal — Jenny Beth Martin (@jennybethm) November 23, 2020
While speaking before the Georgia elections subcommittee on Wednesday, Trump campaign attorney Rudy Giuliani also pointed to the potential fraud seen in a leaked video of ballot processing at the State Farm Arena in Fulton County — in which observers were allegedly told counting was completed for the night.
But counting allegedly resumed soon thereafter in the early morning hours following Election Day.
WATCH: Video footage from Georgia shows suitcases filled with ballots pulled from under a table AFTER supervisors told poll workers to leave room and 4 people stayed behind to keep counting votes pic.twitter.com/AcbTI1pxn4 — Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) December 3, 2020
State investigators looked into the matter and claimed that what occurred was normal ballot processing, Georgia Public Broadcasting reported.
However, Giuliani questioned the authenticity of those ballots during the subcommittee meeting and noted that the video showed the election workers running ballots through the machine multiple times in some cases.
“If you can watch that and not realize that this was a major situation of voter fraud, then you’re a fool or a liar,” he told the state senators. “It’s quite obvious that they are counting ballots illegally.”
Additionally, Pulitzer highlighted in the meeting the abnormally high number of adjudicated ballots in Fulton County — over 100,000 of the approximately 525,000 cast.
The Dominion Voting Systems software, which is used in Georgia, classifies ballots in two categories: “normal” and “adjudicated.”
Adjudicated ballots are those that cannot be processed by the machine and are then examined and decided by election officials.
“You know what that’s really saying? ‘Your machine didn’t work,'” Pulitzer said.
“When the national average for the last elections, 2016, was 1.2 percent — that’s an audited number — 1.2 percent of the total had to be adjudicated.”
Those who printed the original ballots “screwed up” — likely knowingly, Pulitzer contended.
“Stop The Steal” national coordinator Mike Coudrey shared a video earlier this month of Fulton County Elections Director Richard Barron saying that at that point in the counting — apparently on or near Election Day — his team had adjudicated over 106,000 ballots.
SHOCKING: Fulton County’s Election Director: “We’ve scanned 113,130. We’ve adjudicated over 106,000. Ballots are adjudicated if there is some question… The vote review panel then determines voter intent.” They adjudicated 94% of the ballots!pic.twitter.com/pCkAfmqRga — Mike Coudrey (@MichaelCoudrey) December 8, 2020
Biden apparently did significantly better in Fulton County this year than failed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton did in 2016, outpacing her by approximately 84,000 votes: 381,000 votes to Clinton’s 297,000.
Biden currently leads President Donald Trump by 12,670 votes in the entire state of Georgia.
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At the conclusion of the subcommittee’s meeting, the members voted to request that the Fulton County elections board make all county absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 election available for a forensic review by the Cheeley Law Group — a Georgia legal firm — and Pulitzer’s team.
This same process should be used to audit votes in Wayne County, Michigan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and any place witnesses have testified to seeing potentially fraudulent conduct used to run up Biden’s 81-million-vote, no-coattails-reported, win.
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westernjournal--2020-12-31--Instead of Arresting Two Women, Officer Opens Wallet To Help Family in Need Have Christmas Dinner

People shoplift for different reasons .
Some , on a whim .
Some , accidentally — finding out out they have an item in their cart they forgot to scan .
Some , for the thrill .
And some shoplift because times are hard and they ’ re trying to provide for their families .
Five days before Christmas , two women at a Stop & Shop in Somerset , Massachusetts , were stopped for “ forgetting ” to scan items in their cart .
The store gave them a “ Notice Not to Trespass ” and asked them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegation was that the two females were scanning some items at self-checkout but bypassing other items and bagging those items , ” he told WJAR-TV .
“ Dispatch indicated it was two females and two young small children and they were detained by Loss and Prevention over there.
” The fact that the two women had two children with them piqued Lima ’ s interest , so he started asking some questions .
“ I have two girls myself , who are similar on age to the two girls that were there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little bit , ” he explained .
“ The woman I talked to , she explained that she was working right now , but the mother of the children was not working and there were some other family issues going on and that what she had taken was Christmas dinner for the kids.
” The women said they knew what they ’ d done was wrong and that they ’ d never shoplifted before , and Lima was able to confirm that was true , according to WBZ-TV .
As the officer reviewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ d attempted to steal were not pricey accessories or unnecessary luxuries — they were food items .
That struck Lima , and he could understand the mother ’ s position .
“ Obviously , this family was in some need , and I can ’ t imagine having to make that decision , you know — ‘ Do I go to Stop & Shop and just only pay for what I can afford — or do I go there and try to take things for Christmas dinner for the kids ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their plight , Lima bought a $ 250 gift card for the woman so that she could have her Christmas dinner after all .
RELATED : Mom Starts Crying When She Opens Box To See Replica of Her Engagement Ring : Video “ I bought the gift card close in value to what would ’ ve been taken , ” he explained .
“ I just did what I felt like was right .
You know , I just tried to put myself in that family ’ s shoes and show a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two women were “ very thankful ” and “ kind of shocked , ” as anybody might have been if a cop showed up to the scene of your crime and gave you a gift card instead of arresting you .
“ I would like to personally commend Officer Lima for his actions , ” Somerset Police Chief George McNeil later said in a statement .
“ His actions exemplify what it means to protect and serve the members of our community .
“ When faced with a difficult situation in which a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their kids , he made the generous decision to not press charges and instead ensured that they would have a Christmas dinner they could enjoy.
” Thanks to Lima ’ s generosity , the mother not only gets the Christmas dinner she wanted for her kids , she now has an awesome story to go along with it .
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Read our editorial standards .

People shoplift for different reasons. Some, on a whim. Some, accidentally — finding out out they have an item in their cart they forgot to scan. Some, for the thrill.
And some shoplift because times are hard and they’re trying to provide for their families.
Five days before Christmas, two women at a Stop & Shop in Somerset, Massachusetts, were stopped for “forgetting” to scan items in their cart.
The store gave them a “Notice Not to Trespass” and asked them to return the unscanned items.
Officer Matthew Lima responded to the scene.
“The allegation was that the two females were scanning some items at self-checkout but bypassing other items and bagging those items,” he told WJAR-TV. “Dispatch indicated it was two females and two young small children and they were detained by Loss and Prevention over there.”
The fact that the two women had two children with them piqued Lima’s interest, so he started asking some questions.
“I have two girls myself, who are similar on age to the two girls that were there, so it kind of struck me a little bit,” he explained.
“The woman I talked to, she explained that she was working right now, but the mother of the children was not working and there were some other family issues going on and that what she had taken was Christmas dinner for the kids.”
The women said they knew what they’d done was wrong and that they’d never shoplifted before, and Lima was able to confirm that was true, according to WBZ-TV.
As the officer reviewed their receipt, he discovered the items they’d attempted to steal were not pricey accessories or unnecessary luxuries — they were food items. That struck Lima, and he could understand the mother’s position.
“Obviously, this family was in some need, and I can’t imagine having to make that decision, you know — ‘Do I go to Stop & Shop and just only pay for what I can afford — or do I go there and try to take things for Christmas dinner for the kids?'” he said.
Moved by their plight, Lima bought a $250 gift card for the woman so that she could have her Christmas dinner after all.
“I bought the gift card close in value to what would’ve been taken,” he explained. “I just did what I felt like was right. You know, I just tried to put myself in that family’s shoes and show a little bit of empathy.”
He said the two women were “very thankful” and “kind of shocked,” as anybody might have been if a cop showed up to the scene of your crime and gave you a gift card instead of arresting you.
“I would like to personally commend Officer Lima for his actions,” Somerset Police Chief George McNeil later said in a statement. “His actions exemplify what it means to protect and serve the members of our community.
“When faced with a difficult situation in which a family was trying to provide a meal for their kids, he made the generous decision to not press charges and instead ensured that they would have a Christmas dinner they could enjoy.”
Thanks to Lima’s generosity, the mother not only gets the Christmas dinner she wanted for her kids, she now has an awesome story to go along with it.
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westernjournal--2020-12-31--Wisconsin Hospital Employee Intentionally Sabotaged 500 Doses of COVID Vaccine

Five hundred doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine had to be discarded Wednesday after a Wisconsin-based hospital said an employee intentionally removed vials of the vaccine from the refrigerator .
Advocate Aurora Health told Fox News that it initially believed the act was an error , but the employee of Aurora Medical Center “ today acknowledged that they intentionally removed the vaccine from refrigeration.
” Aurora officials originally said the employee removed 57 vials of the vaccine from refrigeration and forgot to put them back .
The Moderna vaccine must be kept between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thawed , according to NBC News .
Each vial contained 10 doses of the vaccine and most had to be thrown out .
The company said that the employee ’ s actions were “ a violation of our core values ” and the employee is no longer with the company , Fox News reported .
“ We continue to believe that vaccination is our way out of the pandemic , ” the company said .
“ We are more than disappointed that this individual ’ s action will result in a delay of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The local Grafton Police Department , the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating the incident .
Tara C. Smith , an epidemiologist at Kent State University , told The Washington Post that medical providers will have to reassess who has access to the vaccines .
“ Hopefully , this is a one-off , but I ’ m sure places will now have to think about whether those handling the vaccines are trusted , in addition to making sure supplies are under camera surveillance , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to keep the vaccines secure and did not disclose where the bulk of the materials would be received .
“ This is precious vaccine , ” Julie Willems Van Dijk , deputy secretary of Wisconsin ’ s Department of Health Services , said on Dec. 14 .
“ We do not want to create any security risks.
” The vaccine is not yet widely available and so far only about 2.8 million people have been vaccinated , according to NBC .
Advocate Aurora Health said it has vaccinated over 21,000 health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappointing that any COVID-19 vaccine was wasted in Wisconsin , ” Health Secretary-designee Andrea Palm told The Post .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Five hundred doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine had to be discarded Wednesday after a Wisconsin-based hospital said an employee intentionally removed vials of the vaccine from the refrigerator.
Advocate Aurora Health told Fox News that it initially believed the act was an error, but the employee of Aurora Medical Center “today acknowledged that they intentionally removed the vaccine from refrigeration.”
Aurora officials originally said the employee removed 57 vials of the vaccine from refrigeration and forgot to put them back.
The Moderna vaccine must be kept between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit and has a 12-hour window once it has been thawed, according to NBC News.
Each vial contained 10 doses of the vaccine and most had to be thrown out.
The company said that the employee’s actions were “a violation of our core values” and the employee is no longer with the company, Fox News reported.
“We continue to believe that vaccination is our way out of the pandemic,” the company said.
“We are more than disappointed that this individual’s action will result in a delay of more than 500 people receiving their vaccine.”
The local Grafton Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating the incident.
The Grafton Police Department says it received information from Advocate Aurora about an employee tampering with COVID-19 vaccine vials. Police say they are investigating the incident along with the FBI and FDA. pic.twitter.com/TlGvWGDDfl — Rose Schmidt (@RoseSchmidtTV) December 31, 2020
Tara C. Smith, an epidemiologist at Kent State University, told The Washington Post that medical providers will have to reassess who has access to the vaccines.
“Hopefully, this is a one-off, but I’m sure places will now have to think about whether those handling the vaccines are trusted, in addition to making sure supplies are under camera surveillance,” she said.
Wisconsin health department officials have tried to keep the vaccines secure and did not disclose where the bulk of the materials would be received.
“This is precious vaccine,” Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy secretary of Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, said on Dec. 14. “We do not want to create any security risks.”
The vaccine is not yet widely available and so far only about 2.8 million people have been vaccinated, according to NBC.
Advocate Aurora Health said it has vaccinated over 21,000 health care workers so far.
“It is disappointing that any COVID-19 vaccine was wasted in Wisconsin,” Health Secretary-designee Andrea Palm told The Post.
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westernjournal--2020-12-31--The Good Old Days

The Good Old Days

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Branco cartoons , go to WesternJournal.com/cartoons .
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Bradley Cooper's latest role has not gone down well with everyone, particularly with regard to his use of a prosthetic nose.


westernjournal--2020-12-31--Trump Declassifies Intel on Possible Chinese Bounties for American Soldiers

The Trump administration is reportedly moving to declassify unconfirmed intelligence that China offered to pay non-state actors in Afghanistan to attack American troops .
Two senior administration officials told Axios that the intelligence was included in President Donald Trump ’ s Dec. 17 briefing .
Trump was reportedly verbally briefed on the matter by National Security Advisor Robert O ’ Brien .
Axios was not able to visually inspect any reports on the intelligence but a summary of it was described over the phone .
“ The U.S. has evidence that the [ People ’ s Republic of China ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Afghan non-state actors by offering financial incentives or ‘ bounties , ' ” one official said .
The administration is currently working to corroborate the report , and the official said the National Security Council “ is coordinating a whole-of-government investigation.
” If the report is found to be true , it could escalate tensions between China and the United States .
If it is not , it would raise questions about the sources behind the intelligence .
Andrew Small , a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who specializes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ incongruous ” that China would take this action .
Pursuing peace in Afghanistan is “ one of the extremely rare areas where the U.S. and China still have a willingness to work together on an area of importance , ” he said .
“ They know the drawdown is taking place .
We ’ re not in the context where anything else needs to happen to U.S. troops in Afghanistan .
There is no reason to create additional pressure on U.S. forces.
” It is not clear at this time if any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden have been briefed on the matter ; Biden does have access to the President ’ s Daily Brief .
A transition official said that Biden ’ s team will seek to learn “ as much as we can about these allegations , ” Politico reported .
“ As president , Joe Biden will hold to account anyone who would seek to endanger brave Americans , ” the official said .
“ Nevertheless , we ’ re not going to speak to alleged intelligence reporting , nor the motivation behind the release of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The report comes as Trump plans to continue what has been characterized as a full-fledged campaign to rein in China , according to the Washington Examiner .
“ [ O ] ver the coming weeks , the Trump administration will continue to expand the depth and breadth of the historic actions it has taken over the past four years to protect the vital interests of the United States and its allies countering Beijing ’ s predatory and coercive behaviors , ” the Examiner said it was told by a senior administration official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports indicated that Russians had offered bounties for Taliban militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan , though those allegations have in large part been dismissed by U.S. officials .
However , a senior U.S. official told Politico that the new intelligence was “ very thin ” in comparison to the Russian report .
The U.S. “ treats this intelligence with caution , but any intelligence or reports relating to the safety of U.S. forces is something we take very seriously , ” the official said .
The Chinese embassy in Washington , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ request for comment .
Both ABC News and CNN confirmed Axios ’ reporting about the Trump administration ’ s plan to declassify the intelligence .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The Trump administration is reportedly moving to declassify unconfirmed intelligence that China offered to pay non-state actors in Afghanistan to attack American troops.
Two senior administration officials told Axios that the intelligence was included in President Donald Trump’s Dec. 17 briefing.
Trump was reportedly verbally briefed on the matter by National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien.
Axios was not able to visually inspect any reports on the intelligence but a summary of it was described over the phone.
“The U.S. has evidence that the [People’s Republic of China] attempted to finance attacks on American serviceman by Afghan non-state actors by offering financial incentives or ‘bounties,'” one official said.
The administration is currently working to corroborate the report, and the official said the National Security Council “is coordinating a whole-of-government investigation.”
If the report is found to be true, it could escalate tensions between China and the United States. If it is not, it would raise questions about the sources behind the intelligence.
Andrew Small, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who specializes in China-Afghanistan affairs, told Axios it seemed “incongruous” that China would take this action.
Pursuing peace in Afghanistan is “one of the extremely rare areas where the U.S. and China still have a willingness to work together on an area of importance,” he said.
Are you afraid of what this could mean for our troops? Yes No
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“They know the drawdown is taking place. We’re not in the context where anything else needs to happen to U.S. troops in Afghanistan. There is no reason to create additional pressure on U.S. forces.”
It is not clear at this time if any members of Congress or presumptive President-elect Joe Biden have been briefed on the matter; Biden does have access to the President’s Daily Brief.
A transition official said that Biden’s team will seek to learn “as much as we can about these allegations,” Politico reported.
“As president, Joe Biden will hold to account anyone who would seek to endanger brave Americans,” the official said.
“Nevertheless, we’re not going to speak to alleged intelligence reporting, nor the motivation behind the release of what is reported to be uncorroborated information.”
The report comes as Trump plans to continue what has been characterized as a full-fledged campaign to rein in China, according to the Washington Examiner.
“[O]ver the coming weeks, the Trump administration will continue to expand the depth and breadth of the historic actions it has taken over the past four years to protect the vital interests of the United States and its allies countering Beijing’s predatory and coercive behaviors,” the Examiner said it was told by a senior administration official.
It also comes months after news reports indicated that Russians had offered bounties for Taliban militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan, though those allegations have in large part been dismissed by U.S. officials.
However, a senior U.S. official told Politico that the new intelligence was “very thin” in comparison to the Russian report.
The U.S. “treats this intelligence with caution, but any intelligence or reports relating to the safety of U.S. forces is something we take very seriously,” the official said.
The Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., did not respond to Axios’ request for comment.
Both ABC News and CNN confirmed Axios’ reporting about the Trump administration’s plan to declassify the intelligence.
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westernjournal--2020-12-31--Georgia GOP Redoubles Efforts To Ensure Election Integrity in Crucial Senate Runoffs

Georgia Republicans say they have doubled the number of poll volunteers to supervise the Senate runoff elections next week .
A total of 8,000 people volunteered to join a “ historic effort ” to ensure election integrity ahead of the Jan. 5 runoffs , Fox News reported .
The number of volunteers is double the 4,000 people who have been supervising early voting in the state for the past few weeks .
“ Georgians deserve total confidence in the fairness and accuracy of our state ’ s elections , and we ’ re thankful to the thousands of volunteers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , secure , and that every legal vote is counted , ” Republican Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue said in a joint statement .
“ Georgia Republicans have already mobilized the most robust ground game and poll watching operation in the state ’ s history and are fully prepared to make certain that the integrity of next week ’ s elections will not be cast under a shadow of doubt.
” President Donald Trump has alleged that widespread voter fraud in Georgia and several other battleground states marred the 2020 presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in a Tuesday tweet .
Loeffler faces Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock for one Senate seat , while Perdue battles Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff for the other .
The runoffs will determine which party controls the Senate .
A version of this article appeared on the Daily Caller News Foundation website .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Georgia Republicans say they have doubled the number of poll volunteers to supervise the Senate runoff elections next week.
A total of 8,000 people volunteered to join a “historic effort” to ensure election integrity ahead of the Jan. 5 runoffs, Fox News reported.
The number of volunteers is double the 4,000 people who have been supervising early voting in the state for the past few weeks.
“Georgians deserve total confidence in the fairness and accuracy of our state’s elections, and we’re thankful to the thousands of volunteers who will ensure that these runoffs are safe, secure, and that every legal vote is counted,” Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue said in a joint statement.
Do you think Sens. Loeffler and Perdue will win the runoff elections? Yes No
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“Georgia Republicans have already mobilized the most robust ground game and poll watching operation in the state’s history and are fully prepared to make certain that the integrity of next week’s elections will not be cast under a shadow of doubt.”
President Donald Trump has alleged that widespread voter fraud in Georgia and several other battleground states marred the 2020 presidential election.
He railed against Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in a Tuesday tweet.
I love the Great State of Georgia, but the people who run it, from the Governor, @BrianKempGA, to the Secretary of State, are a complete disaster and don’t have a clue, or worse. Nobody can be this stupid. Just allow us to find the crime, and turn the state Republican…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2020
Loeffler faces Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock for one Senate seat, while Perdue battles Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff for the other.
The runoffs will determine which party controls the Senate.
Content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of their original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
A version of this article appeared on the Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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