westernjournal--2020-12-19--Second Award-Winning NYT Work Hit with Scandal, Paper Issues a Retraction

Only months after having to pull back on one of the central claims of its ballyhooed “ 1619 Project , ” The New York Times has admitted a 2018 podcast that told the tale of a supposed Islamic State group insider was based on the story of a Canadian man whose lies fooled the paper .
Terrorism reporter Rukmini Callimachi , who hosted the award-winning podcast , will be shifted to other work as a result of the scandal , according to NPR .
The podcast , titled “ Caliphate , ” supposedly told the story of a young Canadian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executioner for the Islamic State before leaving terrorism behind .
The series won multiple awards , including a Peabody Award for broadcast journalism .
The Times is returning that award , Axios reported Friday .
The podcast was described by one of its critics , Eric Wemple of The Washington Post , as a “ sprawling and incoherent mess from the moment of its release in spring 2018.
” “ We fell in love with the fact that we had gotten a member of ISIS who would describe his life in the caliphate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet told NPR .
“ I think we were so in love with it that when we saw evidence that maybe he was a fabulist , when we saw evidence that he was making some of it up , we didn ’ t listen hard enough.
” But Shehroze Chaudhry , the Canadian who told the tale , was allegedly making it up the whole time .
In fact , Canadian authorities have charged him with perpetrating a terrorism hoax .
Wemple , writing in The Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : A photo Chaudhry claimed to have taken was posted online before he said he had ever reached the Middle East ; Canadian officials do not believe he ever went to Syria , much less joined the Islamic State group ; and a picture he said he took of his dwelling was taken by a Russian photojournalist .
The Times story had effectively ignored Chaudhry ’ s own prior claims of never having killed anyone when it portrayed him as a grisly executioner who stabbed a man through the heart — that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the account was first published , Callimachi defended her reporting .
“ We were able to get to him both before any other media had gotten to him , but crucially , before law enforcement had gotten to him , ” she told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 2018 .
“ He would speak to us in this window of time when he essentially thought that he had slipped through the cracks.
” But more than two years later , The Times ’ s own investigators “ came back and said , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s story , there is not enough powerful evidence that he was who he claimed to be for us to justify that story , ' ” Baquet told NPR .
RELATED : Media Outlet Under Fire After Claiming Everyone Has Become a 'Potential Serial Killer' The reporter guided the podcast , Baquet said , not senior editors .
“ She ’ s a powerful reporter who we imbued with a great deal of power and authority , ” he said .
“ She was regarded at that moment as , you know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was in the world .
And there ’ s no question that that was one of the driving forces of the story.
” NPR cited what it called “ colleagues who spoke on the condition they not be named ” as saying some of Callimachi ’ s work had faced questions about its truthfulness .
In one instance , The Times bought a video that included terrorist propaganda , NPR reported .
When questions were raised , the reporter fired back in September by questioning the ability of Canadian intelligence .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Baquet hedged when asked whether what The Times did constituted a “ retraction.
” “ I guess for the parts that were about Chaudhry and his history and his background .
Yeah , I think it is .
Sure does , ” he said .
The revelation of massive holes in “ Caliphate ” followed the admission of The Times in March that a central claim of its “ 1619 ” series about the coming of slaves to the American colonies — that the main reason for fighting the American Revolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Times announced this in what it called an “ update.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Only months after having to pull back on one of the central claims of its ballyhooed “1619 Project,” The New York Times has admitted a 2018 podcast that told the tale of a supposed Islamic State group insider was based on the story of a Canadian man whose lies fooled the paper.
Terrorism reporter Rukmini Callimachi, who hosted the award-winning podcast, will be shifted to other work as a result of the scandal, according to NPR.
The podcast, titled “Caliphate,” supposedly told the story of a young Canadian who went to Syria and became an executioner for the Islamic State before leaving terrorism behind.
The series won multiple awards, including a Peabody Award for broadcast journalism. The Times is returning that award, Axios reported Friday.
The podcast was described by one of its critics, Eric Wemple of The Washington Post, as a “sprawling and incoherent mess from the moment of its release in spring 2018.”
“We fell in love with the fact that we had gotten a member of ISIS who would describe his life in the caliphate and would describe his crimes,” New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet told NPR. “I think we were so in love with it that when we saw evidence that maybe he was a fabulist, when we saw evidence that he was making some of it up, we didn’t listen hard enough.”
Oh, they do this to me every day. When will they apologize? https://t.co/oqcroLYx5B — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2020
But Shehroze Chaudhry, the Canadian who told the tale, was allegedly making it up the whole time. In fact, Canadian authorities have charged him with perpetrating a terrorism hoax.
Do you trust The New York Times? Yes No
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Wemple, writing in The Post, summarized some key and obvious flaws: A photo Chaudhry claimed to have taken was posted online before he said he had ever reached the Middle East; Canadian officials do not believe he ever went to Syria, much less joined the Islamic State group; and a picture he said he took of his dwelling was taken by a Russian photojournalist.
The Times story had effectively ignored Chaudhry’s own prior claims of never having killed anyone when it portrayed him as a grisly executioner who stabbed a man through the heart — that is, until Chaudhry was arrested.
When the account was first published, Callimachi defended her reporting.
“We were able to get to him both before any other media had gotten to him, but crucially, before law enforcement had gotten to him,” she told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 2018. “He would speak to us in this window of time when he essentially thought that he had slipped through the cracks.”
But more than two years later, The Times’s own investigators “came back and said, ‘If you look at the guy’s story, there is not enough powerful evidence that he was who he claimed to be for us to justify that story,'” Baquet told NPR.
The reporter guided the podcast, Baquet said, not senior editors.
“She’s a powerful reporter who we imbued with a great deal of power and authority,” he said. “She was regarded at that moment as, you know, as big a deal ISIS reporter as there was in the world. And there’s no question that that was one of the driving forces of the story.”
NPR cited what it called “colleagues who spoke on the condition they not be named” as saying some of Callimachi’s work had faced questions about its truthfulness. In one instance, The Times bought a video that included terrorist propaganda, NPR reported.
When questions were raised, the reporter fired back in September by questioning the ability of Canadian intelligence.
Despite its flaws, the podcast remains online, and Baquet hedged when asked whether what The Times did constituted a “retraction.”
“I guess for the parts that were about Chaudhry and his history and his background. Yeah, I think it is. Sure does,” he said.
The revelation of massive holes in “Caliphate” followed the admission of The Times in March that a central claim of its “1619” series about the coming of slaves to the American colonies — that the main reason for fighting the American Revolution was to preserve slavery — was false.
The Times announced this in what it called an “update.”
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westernjournal--2020-12-19--After FBI Briefing, McCarthy Says No Way Swalwell Should Have Access to American Secrets

It ’ s almost a shame that California Rep. Eric Swalwell didn ’ t progress beyond the early part of the Democratic primary process .
I mean , just think of the Manchurian candidate jokes we could have been making .
I say “ almost ” because that means there might have been a chance our next president is a man whose inner circle was infiltrated by a Chinese operative .
As it stands , Swalwell still remains on the House Intelligence Committee — and that worries House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy .
Speaking to reporters Friday on Capitol Hill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI briefing on Swalwell ’ s involvement with the alleged Chinese spy , he ’ s convinced the California Democrat shouldn ’ t have been sitting on the committee .
“ He should not be on Intel , ” McCarthy , a California Republican , said after leaving the briefing , according to Fox News .
An Axios report published Dec. 8 revealed that Christine Fang , also known as Fang Fang , had been a prominent fundraiser for Swalwell ’ s 2014 congressional campaign and placed an intern in his office .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of other politicians , according to Axios , including two unnamed Midwestern mayors she allegedly had sexual relationships with .
In 2015 , the FBI gave Swalwell what ’ s known as a “ defensive briefing ” — alerting him to the fact that they believed Fang was a spy .
Swalwell says he cut off contact , although several of his family members remained Facebook friends with Fang until after the story broke .
The California Democrat hasn ’ t been accused of any wrongdoing and there ’ s less than zero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese .
However , several things that are known about the story smell — if not rank — a bit like sashimi a few days past its sell-by date .
Swalwell has maintained that the information came out now because of the fact he ’ s a prominent critic of President Donald Trump and was a vigorous supporter of his impeachment .
“ If this is a country where people who criticize the president are going to have law enforcement information weaponized against them , that ’ s not a country that any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Swalwell said , according to Axios .
“ I hope it is investigated as to who leaked this information.
” However , this seems dubious inasmuch as this kind of behavior would be more likely to get Swalwell appointed to management at Axios than to have him targeted by the outlet .
Furthermore , while the outlet reached out to him multiple times for an interview about the matter , Swalwell declined to answer questions .
RELATED : Trey Gowdy Rips Pelosi for Handling of Swalwell Scandal : You Ca n't Find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spy ?
And then there ’ s the fact Swalwell refuses to detail what his relationship with Fang was , aside from the fundraising angle .
“ As the story referenced , this goes back to the beginning of the last decade , and it ’ s something that congressional leadership knew about it , ” he told Politico .
Uh-huh .
Look , I ’ m not saying Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz ’ s tweet on the matter is 100 percent accurate , I ’ m just saying : Swalwell ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be of any interest to me , you or anyone aside for the voters in his district except for the fact he sits on the House Intelligence Committee , a position which allows him access to secrets other elected officials wouldn ’ t have .
“ I just think there are definitely 200 other Democrats that I know could fill that place ” on the Intelligence Committee , McCarthy said after the briefing .
Leaving aside McCarthy ’ s wording , no lies detected there .
This was something that should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wasn ’ t .
“ In terms of Mr. Swalwell — in the spring of 2015 , the leadership of the House and the [ Intelligence ] Committee were informed that overtures from a Chinese person were being made to members of Congress , ” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week .
“ When that was made known to the members of Congress , it was over.
” Or so she wishes .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

It’s almost a shame that California Rep. Eric Swalwell didn’t progress beyond the early part of the Democratic primary process. I mean, just think of the Manchurian candidate jokes we could have been making.
I say “almost” because that means there might have been a chance our next president is a man whose inner circle was infiltrated by a Chinese operative. As it stands, Swalwell still remains on the House Intelligence Committee — and that worries House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Speaking to reporters Friday on Capitol Hill, McCarthy said that after a closed-door FBI briefing on Swalwell’s involvement with the alleged Chinese spy, he’s convinced the California Democrat shouldn’t have been sitting on the committee.
“He should not be on Intel,” McCarthy, a California Republican, said after leaving the briefing, according to Fox News.
An Axios report published Dec. 8 revealed that Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang, had been a prominent fundraiser for Swalwell’s 2014 congressional campaign and placed an intern in his office.
Fang had cultivated relationships with a number of other politicians, according to Axios, including two unnamed Midwestern mayors she allegedly had sexual relationships with.
In 2015, the FBI gave Swalwell what’s known as a “defensive briefing” — alerting him to the fact that they believed Fang was a spy. Swalwell says he cut off contact, although several of his family members remained Facebook friends with Fang until after the story broke.
Eric Swalwell’s brother, dad finally unfriend Chinese spy Christine Fang https://t.co/Z3g5tp9VUn pic.twitter.com/AhOCZhrbKN — New York Post (@nypost) December 10, 2020
Should Eric Swalwell be on the Intelligence Committee? 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: 1% (5 Votes) No: 99% (592 Votes)
The California Democrat hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing and there’s less than zero evidence he was in league with the Chinese. However, several things that are known about the story smell — if not rank — a bit like sashimi a few days past its sell-by date.
Swalwell has maintained that the information came out now because of the fact he’s a prominent critic of President Donald Trump and was a vigorous supporter of his impeachment.
“If this is a country where people who criticize the president are going to have law enforcement information weaponized against them, that’s not a country that any of us want to live in,” Swalwell said, according to Axios. “I hope it is investigated as to who leaked this information.”
However, this seems dubious inasmuch as this kind of behavior would be more likely to get Swalwell appointed to management at Axios than to have him targeted by the outlet. Furthermore, while the outlet reached out to him multiple times for an interview about the matter, Swalwell declined to answer questions.
Axios reached out to Congressman Swalwell multiple times, but he never agreed to an interview, and he has not disputed any part of our reporting. Our journalism is independent, nonpartisan, and never politically motivated. https://t.co/mCsuGZ796J — Nicholas Johnston (@AxiosNick) December 9, 2020
And then there’s the fact Swalwell refuses to detail what his relationship with Fang was, aside from the fundraising angle.
“As the story referenced, this goes back to the beginning of the last decade, and it’s something that congressional leadership knew about it,” he told Politico.
Uh-huh. Look, I’m not saying Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz’s tweet on the matter is 100 percent accurate, I’m just saying:
More than once, I’ve said “screw the Chinese communists.” Little did I know how closely Swalwell was listening. — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 10, 2020
Swalwell’s, um, cross-cultural exchanges wouldn’t be of any interest to me, you or anyone aside for the voters in his district except for the fact he sits on the House Intelligence Committee, a position which allows him access to secrets other elected officials wouldn’t have.
“I just think there are definitely 200 other Democrats that I know could fill that place” on the Intelligence Committee, McCarthy said after the briefing.
Leaving aside McCarthy’s wording, no lies detected there. This was something that should have been solved five years ago, and wasn’t.
“In terms of Mr. Swalwell — in the spring of 2015, the leadership of the House and the [Intelligence] Committee were informed that overtures from a Chinese person were being made to members of Congress,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week. “When that was made known to the members of Congress, it was over.”
Or so she wishes.
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westernjournal--2020-12-19--Maricopa County Defies Subpoenas, Won’t Even Release Ballot Images for Inspection

In a Nov. 22 editorial , The New York Times celebrated just how smoothly the Nov. 3 election went .
“ The 2020 election was not simply free of fraud , or whatever cooked-up malfeasance the president is braying about at this hour , ” the editorial board said .
“ It was , from an administrative standpoint , a resounding success .
In the face of a raging pandemic and the highest turnout in more than a century , Americans enjoyed one of the most secure , most accurate and most well-run elections ever.
” Secure !
Accurate !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take a second look at how it was run , else you ’ re one of those cranks braying about malfeasance .
Among those cranks , apparently , are the members of the Arizona state Senate Judiciary Committee , who ’ ve asked for an audit of Maricopa County ’ s voting machines and ballots .
In fact , they ’ ve issued subpoenas to that effect , which is a bit more than asking ; the state Senate wants to look at the voting machines that were used in the Nov. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scanned ballots .
Maricopa County , meanwhile , is saying no thanks .
“ The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors did not send the state Senate election materials in response to subpoenas before a 5 p.m. deadline Friday , ” the Arizona Republic reported Friday .
“ Instead , the supervisors voted 4-1 on Friday to file a court complaint in response , after raising concerns that the state Legislature ’ s demands are too broad and violate voters ’ privacy .
Supervisor Steve Chucri cast the opposing vote .
“ The complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday , says the subpoenas are unlawful and asks the court to quash them.
” The county gave three reasons in the complaint : The Senate Judiciary Committee didn ’ t have the authority to issue the subpoenas , there wasn ’ t sufficient time to comply with them and they violated Arizona ’ s ballot secrecy laws .
Now , let ’ s be clear before we get this ball rolling : There ’ s almost certainly zero chance this changes any electoral results .
Even though Maricopa County is Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s home to Phoenix and its suburbs — erasing Joe Biden ’ s razor-thin 0.3 percentage point win in the state would do little aside from switch 11 electoral votes .
Given the national electoral vote , that and $ 44.99 will get your kid their very own Squeakee the Balloon Dog under the tree this Christmas .
Meanwhile , Democrat Mark Kelly ’ s win over GOP Sen. Martha McSally wasn ’ t quite so razor thin ; the former astronaut and gun-grabber extraordinaire won by 2.4 points over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even look at the accuracy of the vote tallies in Maricopa County , particularly as Republicans have said there were widespread irregularities in the most unusual election in the past century , raises serious questions .
RELATED : Report : Georgia Poll Workers Who Reported Irregularities Have Been Terminated Republicans in the state Senate have argued that an independent audit of the results is needed .
However , Maricopa County says its routine audit ended with a 100 percent match , so nothing to see here .
The county won ’ t even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means we ’ re going to have to take their word for it .
And it ’ s not even that Senate Republicans are suggesting , at this point , that looking at Maricopa County ’ s voting machines would overturn the results of the election .
“ The goal is to verify the machines did what they are supposed to do , ” GOP Senate President Karen Fann said , according to the Arizona Republic .
“ I believe that the county has done the very best they can , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Senate Judiciary Committee , according to The Associated Press .
“ That doesn ’ t mean that there aren ’ t anomalies , it doesn ’ t mean that there aren ’ t concerns and it doesn ’ t mean that the voters aren ’ t justified in wanting to make sure it was done properly.
” Dr. Kelli Ward , head of the Arizona Republican Party , meanwhile , said that “ the county agreed in open court to audit more ballots but it simply decided not to finish doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a phalange of the liberal media but a solidly pro-Biden organ during this cycle — has meanwhile said that the requests for audits are an attempt by lawmakers “ to rally their base by insisting fraud occurred.
” They ’ re hardly the only ones framing the issue this way , either — and that ’ s a rubbish take for several reasons .
Yes , there are some Republicans who have concerns about voter fraud .
It ’ s a pretty useless way to “ rally the base ” by requesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing , however .
It ’ s like a minor-key version of the letdown Democrats felt right after the Mueller report gave them a solid zero-point-zero on the collusion meter .
And yet , Democrats act as if any further examination of the 2020 election would be an insult to democracy .
After Arizona ’ s electors cast their votes for Biden on Monday , Democratic state Sen. Martin Quezada said “ the election that we just had , and the 11 electoral votes that were just cast earlier this morning , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They were completely and totally legit .
Nobody is hiding anything.
” All right .
Then Maricopa County should respond to the subpoenas .
Simple as that .
If there ’ s nothing to see in an independent audit , then there ’ s nothing to be lost by turning the materials over .
There is something to be lost , however , by simply ignoring the order .
Farnsworth made it clear an audit would help in “ restoring the confidence ” in the system after a divisive election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t a far-reaching effort to try and overturn the results , either : “ One subpoena calls for a scanned ballot audit , to collect an electronic ballot image cast for all mail-in ballots counted in the November 2020 general election in Maricopa County , Arizona .
The second subpoena calls for a full forensic audit of ballot tabulation equipment , the software for that equipment and the election management system used in the 2020 general election , ” Fann said .
If this is a problem , the question becomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If there ’ s nothing to be found , then let us find nothing .
Keeping the guts of our electoral machinery behind a curtain and insisting that anyone who wants a longer peek is a conspiracy theorist further erodes our trust in a weather-worn and battered system which has resisted transparency at every turn .
If this was — as The New York Times claimed — “ one of the most secure , most accurate and most well-run elections ever , ” show the rest of us skeptics .
Prove us wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County .
The state Senate is giving you the perfect opportunity , after all .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

In a Nov. 22 editorial, The New York Times celebrated just how smoothly the Nov. 3 election went.
“The 2020 election was not simply free of fraud, or whatever cooked-up malfeasance the president is braying about at this hour,” the editorial board said.
“It was, from an administrative standpoint, a resounding success. In the face of a raging pandemic and the highest turnout in more than a century, Americans enjoyed one of the most secure, most accurate and most well-run elections ever.”
Secure! Accurate! Well-run! Just don’t ask to take a second look at how it was run, else you’re one of those cranks braying about malfeasance.
Among those cranks, apparently, are the members of the Arizona state Senate Judiciary Committee, who’ve asked for an audit of Maricopa County’s voting machines and ballots. In fact, they’ve issued subpoenas to that effect, which is a bit more than asking; the state Senate wants to look at the voting machines that were used in the Nov. 3 election as well as images of scanned ballots.
Maricopa County, meanwhile, is saying no thanks.
“The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors did not send the state Senate election materials in response to subpoenas before a 5 p.m. deadline Friday,” the Arizona Republic reported Friday.
“Instead, the supervisors voted 4-1 on Friday to file a court complaint in response, after raising concerns that the state Legislature’s demands are too broad and violate voters’ privacy. Supervisor Steve Chucri cast the opposing vote.
“The complaint, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court on Friday, says the subpoenas are unlawful and asks the court to quash them.”
Should Maricopa County comply with these subpoenas? Yes No
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The county gave three reasons in the complaint: The Senate Judiciary Committee didn’t have the authority to issue the subpoenas, there wasn’t sufficient time to comply with them and they violated Arizona’s ballot secrecy laws.
Now, let’s be clear before we get this ball rolling: There’s almost certainly zero chance this changes any electoral results.
Even though Maricopa County is Arizona’s most populous — after all, it’s home to Phoenix and its suburbs — erasing Joe Biden’s razor-thin 0.3 percentage point win in the state would do little aside from switch 11 electoral votes. Given the national electoral vote, that and $44.99 will get your kid their very own Squeakee the Balloon Dog under the tree this Christmas.
Meanwhile, Democrat Mark Kelly’s win over GOP Sen. Martha McSally wasn’t quite so razor thin; the former astronaut and gun-grabber extraordinaire won by 2.4 points over McSally.
However, the refusal to even look at the accuracy of the vote tallies in Maricopa County, particularly as Republicans have said there were widespread irregularities in the most unusual election in the past century, raises serious questions.
Republicans in the state Senate have argued that an independent audit of the results is needed. However, Maricopa County says its routine audit ended with a 100 percent match, so nothing to see here. The county won’t even release ballot images for inspection, which means we’re going to have to take their word for it.
And it’s not even that Senate Republicans are suggesting, at this point, that looking at Maricopa County’s voting machines would overturn the results of the election.
“The goal is to verify the machines did what they are supposed to do,” GOP Senate President Karen Fann said, according to the Arizona Republic.
“I believe that the county has done the very best they can,” said Republican state Sen. Eddie Farnsworth, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, according to The Associated Press.
“That doesn’t mean that there aren’t anomalies, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t concerns and it doesn’t mean that the voters aren’t justified in wanting to make sure it was done properly.”
Dr. Kelli Ward, head of the Arizona Republican Party, meanwhile, said that “the county agreed in open court to audit more ballots but it simply decided not to finish doing so.”
There is absolutely nothing in the lawsuit (Ward v. Jackson, et al.) that prevents the county from auditing/inspecting ballots. In fact, it’s the opposite – as part of the lawsuit, the county agreed in open court to audit more ballots but it simply decided not to finish doing so. — Dr. Kelli Ward ?? (@kelliwardaz) December 18, 2020
The Arizona Republic — normally not a phalange of the liberal media but a solidly pro-Biden organ during this cycle — has meanwhile said that the requests for audits are an attempt by lawmakers “to rally their base by insisting fraud occurred.”
They’re hardly the only ones framing the issue this way, either — and that’s a rubbish take for several reasons.
Yes, there are some Republicans who have concerns about voter fraud. It’s a pretty useless way to “rally the base” by requesting an audit when that audit turns up nothing, however. It’s like a minor-key version of the letdown Democrats felt right after the Mueller report gave them a solid zero-point-zero on the collusion meter.
And yet, Democrats act as if any further examination of the 2020 election would be an insult to democracy.
After Arizona’s electors cast their votes for Biden on Monday, Democratic state Sen. Martin Quezada said “the election that we just had, and the 11 electoral votes that were just cast earlier this morning, were legit,” according to the AP. “They were completely and totally legit. Nobody is hiding anything.”
All right. Then Maricopa County should respond to the subpoenas. Simple as that. If there’s nothing to see in an independent audit, then there’s nothing to be lost by turning the materials over.
There is something to be lost, however, by simply ignoring the order. Farnsworth made it clear an audit would help in “restoring the confidence” in the system after a divisive election, according to the Washington Examiner.
This isn’t a far-reaching effort to try and overturn the results, either: “One subpoena calls for a scanned ballot audit, to collect an electronic ballot image cast for all mail-in ballots counted in the November 2020 general election in Maricopa County, Arizona. The second subpoena calls for a full forensic audit of ballot tabulation equipment, the software for that equipment and the election management system used in the 2020 general election,” Fann said.
If this is a problem, the question becomes why it’s a problem. If there’s nothing to be found, then let us find nothing.
Keeping the guts of our electoral machinery behind a curtain and insisting that anyone who wants a longer peek is a conspiracy theorist further erodes our trust in a weather-worn and battered system which has resisted transparency at every turn.
If this was — as The New York Times claimed — “one of the most secure, most accurate and most well-run elections ever,” show the rest of us skeptics.
Prove us wrong. Laugh in our face, Maricopa County. The state Senate is giving you the perfect opportunity, after all.
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westernjournal--2020-12-19--Charges Announced Against Newly Arrested Member of Epstein’s Inner Circle

A modeling agent associated with disgraced U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein has been charged in France with sexual harassment and the rape of minors over 15 years old .
Jean-Luc Brunel was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation on Wednesday at Charles de Gaulle airport as he was preparing to take a flight to Senegal .
The Paris prosecutor announced in a statement on Saturday that the charges were handed out Friday by a magistrate at the end of Brunel ’ s custody period .
It said Brunel was not handed any human trafficking charges , which was one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magistrate decided that there was not currently enough evidence to rule on that count , but he was not acquitted and could be charged in the future if anything new emerges .
Brunel was remanded in custody .
Brunel is being investigated as part of a broad French probe into alleged sexual exploitation of women and girls by Epstein and his circle .
Multiple women have identified themselves as victims and spoken to police since the French probe was opened in August last year , the same month in which Epstein reportedly committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who testified to French police that she was drugged and raped as a teenager by Brunel said she wept tears of joy at the news of his detention .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A modeling agent associated with disgraced U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein has been charged in France with sexual harassment and the rape of minors over 15 years old.
Jean-Luc Brunel was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation on Wednesday at Charles de Gaulle airport as he was preparing to take a flight to Senegal.
The Paris prosecutor announced in a statement on Saturday that the charges were handed out Friday by a magistrate at the end of Brunel’s custody period.
It said Brunel was not handed any human trafficking charges, which was one of the main lines of inquiry.
The magistrate decided that there was not currently enough evidence to rule on that count, but he was not acquitted and could be charged in the future if anything new emerges. Brunel was remanded in custody.
Brunel is being investigated as part of a broad French probe into alleged sexual exploitation of women and girls by Epstein and his circle.
Multiple women have identified themselves as victims and spoken to police since the French probe was opened in August last year, the same month in which Epstein reportedly committed suicide in jail.
A former model who testified to French police that she was drugged and raped as a teenager by Brunel said she wept tears of joy at the news of his detention.
[jwplayer uBa1mIyV]
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--2020-12-19--US Becomes First Country To Authorize Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Moderna ’ s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use on Friday , making the United States the first country to have approved two vaccines against the virus .
Its authorization follows an FDA panel ’ s overwhelming vote on Thursday to endorse the vaccine .
Distribution could begin within hours , providing hospitals and long-term care facilities across the country with thousands of much-needed doses .
Moderna said that it was prepared to distribute nearly six million doses once its vaccine was given authorization , more than twice the amount initially distributed by Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s path to FDA authorization mirrored that of Pfizer ’ s vaccine , which was granted emergency approval last Friday .
The same advisory panel voted to recommend Pfizer ’ s vaccine a day earlier , and the FDA released data reaffirming both vaccines ’ safety and efficacy exactly a week apart .
Though the United States followed several countries in authorizing the Pfizer vaccine , it is the first to approve Moderna ’ s .
Both have proved about 95 percent effective .
Both vaccines were developed and authorized in fewer than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related to vaccine creation , authorization and distribution .
Authorization was granted to Pfizer as public confidence in a COVID-19 vaccine rose for the third straight month after hitting a low point in late summer .
Sixty-three percent of Americans said that they were willing to receive a vaccine when given the opportunity , according to Gallup ’ s latest poll .
The virus has infected over 17.2 million Americans and killed over 311,000 , according to a Johns Hopkins University database .
A version of this article appeared on the Daily Caller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use on Friday, making the United States the first country to have approved two vaccines against the virus.
Its authorization follows an FDA panel’s overwhelming vote on Thursday to endorse the vaccine.
Distribution could begin within hours, providing hospitals and long-term care facilities across the country with thousands of much-needed doses.
Moderna said that it was prepared to distribute nearly six million doses once its vaccine was given authorization, more than twice the amount initially distributed by Pfizer last weekend.
The Moderna vaccine’s path to FDA authorization mirrored that of Pfizer’s vaccine, which was granted emergency approval last Friday. The same advisory panel voted to recommend Pfizer’s vaccine a day earlier, and the FDA released data reaffirming both vaccines’ safety and efficacy exactly a week apart.
Though the United States followed several countries in authorizing the Pfizer vaccine, it is the first to approve Moderna’s. Both have proved about 95 percent effective.
Both vaccines were developed and authorized in fewer than 11 months, shattering every preexisting record related to vaccine creation, authorization and distribution.
Authorization was granted to Pfizer as public confidence in a COVID-19 vaccine rose for the third straight month after hitting a low point in late summer.
Are you willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine? Yes No
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Sixty-three percent of Americans said that they were willing to receive a vaccine when given the opportunity, according to Gallup’s latest poll.
The virus has infected over 17.2 million Americans and killed over 311,000, according to a Johns Hopkins University database.
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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westernjournal--2020-12-19--US Takes Action in Russia After Exposing Major Government Computer Hack

The Trump administration has notified Congress that it intends to shutter the last two remaining U.S. consulates in Russia .
The State Department told lawmakers last week that it would permanently close the consulate in the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok and temporarily suspend operations at the consulate in Yekaterinburg just east of the Ural Mountains .
The notice was sent to Congress on Dec. 10 but received little attention at the time .
It predated by three days the public emergence of news about a major suspected Russian intrusion into U.S. government and private computer systems that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s notification to Congress , a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press , said the closures are due to caps placed by Russian authorities in 2017 on the number of U.S. diplomats allowed to work in the country .
The moves are “ in response to ongoing staffing challenges of the U.S. Mission in Russia in the wake of the 2017 Russian-imposed personnel cap on the U.S. Mission and resultant impasse with Russia over diplomatic visas , ” it said .
Following the closures , the only diplomatic facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the embassy in Moscow .
Russia ordered the closure of the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in 2018 after the U.S. ordered the Russian consulate in Seattle closed over the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain .
The consulate in Vladivostok had been temporarily closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic , and staffers there had already begun removing sensitive equipment , documents and other items .
The consulates in Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg employ a total of 10 American diplomats and 33 local staff .
The exact timing of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The American staff are to be relocated to the embassy in Moscow , while the locals will be laid off , according to the notice .
The department estimated the permanent closure of the Vladivostok consulate would save $ 3.2 million per year .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The Trump administration has notified Congress that it intends to shutter the last two remaining U.S. consulates in Russia.
The State Department told lawmakers last week that it would permanently close the consulate in the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok and temporarily suspend operations at the consulate in Yekaterinburg just east of the Ural Mountains.
The notice was sent to Congress on Dec. 10 but received little attention at the time.
It predated by three days the public emergence of news about a major suspected Russian intrusion into U.S. government and private computer systems that has raised grave cybersecurity fears.
The department’s notification to Congress, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, said the closures are due to caps placed by Russian authorities in 2017 on the number of U.S. diplomats allowed to work in the country.
The moves are “in response to ongoing staffing challenges of the U.S. Mission in Russia in the wake of the 2017 Russian-imposed personnel cap on the U.S. Mission and resultant impasse with Russia over diplomatic visas,” it said.
Following the closures, the only diplomatic facility the U.S. will have in Russia will be the embassy in Moscow.
Russia ordered the closure of the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in 2018 after the U.S. ordered the Russian consulate in Seattle closed over the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain.
The consulate in Vladivostok had been temporarily closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, and staffers there had already begun removing sensitive equipment, documents and other items.
Do you think these consulates were closed in response to the Russian hack? Yes No
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The consulates in Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg employ a total of 10 American diplomats and 33 local staff.
The exact timing of the closures has yet to be determined. The American staff are to be relocated to the embassy in Moscow, while the locals will be laid off, according to the notice.
The department estimated the permanent closure of the Vladivostok consulate would save $3.2 million per year.
[jwplayer V16JM3U3]
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westernjournal--2020-12-20--Trump Campaign Takes Election Challenge to the Supreme Court

President Donald Trump ’ s campaign on Sunday filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court asking the high court to hear its bid to reverse Pennsylvania state Supreme Court rulings that have upheld what the campaign argues was unconstitutional conduct by Pennsylvania officials .
Trump has waged an unprecedented effort to fight back against the results of the Nov. 3 election .
Although the Electoral College has declared Democratic nominee Joe Biden the winner of the Nov. 3 presidential election , the Trump campaign has insisted that there has been voter fraud in states that include Arizona , Nevada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as Pennsylvania .
Despite multiple claims of voting irregularities , proof has yet to surface that there was a widespread effort to distort the voting process in such as way that would have altered the final results of the presidential election .
Numerous affidavits testifying to various types of election fraud have been filed in courts in several swing states .
These affidavits indicate that those who witnessed conduct believe that fraud took place , but the allegations have yet to be proven through either the courts or law enforcement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s petition seeking to have the court hear the case claims Pennsylvania officials broke their own laws during the election .
“ In October 2019 , the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania allowed for no-excuse mail voting for every eligible voter in the state , but it kept in place long-standing validation and observer requirements to protect against fraud in the casting and canvassing of mail ballots , ” the petition stated .
Pennsylvania officials , “ altered or dispensed with those significant ‘ meaningful safeguards ’ in the recent General Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The effect of these illegal and unconstitutional changes to state election law affected enough ballots to alter the results of the election , ” the petition states .
The petition said that state officials opened the gates for fraud through their actions .
“ Statutory requirements were eliminated regarding signature verification , the right of campaigns to challenge invalid mail ballots , mandates that mail voters fill in , date , and sign mail ballot declarations , and even the right of campaigns to observe the mail ballot canvassing process in a meaningful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court reads , “ Collectively , these three decisions resulted in counting approximately 2.6 million mail ballots in violation of the law as enacted by the Pennsylvania Legislature .
According to public reports , without these protections , the resulting disqualification rate of invalid ballots was anemic — meaning over 110,000 invalid ballots were illegally counted —more than enough to have affected the outcome of the election , where the margin between the two principal candidates for President currently stands at 80,558 , ” the petition states .
“ Our constitutional republic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centuries based on the consent of the governed .
That consent is grounded in the confidence of our people in the legitimacy of our institutions of government .
But that legitimacy can only be sustained if the elections through which the sovereign people determine the direction of their government are free and fair , ” the petition read .
“ Fortunately , the Framers of our Constitution built a remedy for such concerns into the system , namely , an independent federal judiciary , free of the passions of politics , which can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those swirling around this election .
It is therefore the most solemn duty of this Court to objectively review the facts and legal issues presented by the Petitioner in this historic case , render judgment upon the unconstitutional actions that occurred in Pennsylvania , and restore the confidence of all Americans that the rule of law will be upheld today and that our elections in the future will be secure , ” the petition said .
A motion filed by the campaign seeks a speedy review , noting “ time is plainly of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office , it will be impossible to repair election results tainted by illegally and belatedly cast or absentee and mail ballots.
” The motion further states that “ if this matter is not timely resolved , not only Petitioner , but the Nation as а whole may suffer injury from the resulting confusion .
Indeed , the intense national and worldwide attention on the 2020 Presidential election only foreshadows the disruption that may well follow if the uncertainty and unfairness shrouding this election are allowed to persist.
” In a statement posted on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rudy Giuliani said Pennsylvania violated the Constitution .
“ Donald J. Trump for President , Inc. , President Trump ’ s campaign committee , today filed a petition for writ of certiorari to the US .
Supreme Court to reverse a trio of Pennsylvania Supreme Court cases which illegally changed Pennsylvania ’ s mail balloting law immediately before and after the 2020 presidential election in violation of Article II of the United States Constitution and Bush v. Gore .
This represents the Campaign ’ s first independent U.S. Supreme Court filing and seeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successfully raised in Bush v. Gore , ” the statement declares .
“ This petition follows a related Pennsylvania case where Justice [ Samuel ] Alito and two other justices observed ‘ the constitutionality of the [ Pennsylvania ] Supreme Court ’ s decision [ extending the statutory deadline for receipt of mail ballots from 8 pm on election day to 5 pm three days later ] … has national importance , and there is a strong likelihood that the State Supreme Court decision violates the Federal Constitution .
“ The Campaign ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which eviscerated the Pennsylvania Legislature ’ s protections against mail ballot fraud , including ( a ) prohibiting election officials checking whether signatures on mail ballots are genuine during canvassing on Election Day , ( b ) eliminating the right of campaigns to challenge mail ballots during canvassing for forged signatures and other irregularities , ( c ) holding that the rights of campaigns to observe the canvassing of mail ballots only meant that they only were allowed to be ‘ in the room ’ – in this case , the Philadelphia Convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fields , and ( d ) eliminating the statutory requirements that voters properly sign , address , and date mail ballots , ” the statement said .
“ The petition seeks all appropriate remedies , including vacating the appointment of electors committed to Joseph Biden and allowing the Pennsylvania General Assembly to select their replacements .
The Campaign also moved for expedited consideration , asking the Supreme Court to order responses by December 23 and a reply by December 24 to allow the U.S. Supreme Court to rule before Congress meets on January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral college.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

President Donald Trump’s campaign on Sunday filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court asking the high court to hear its bid to reverse Pennsylvania state Supreme Court rulings that have upheld what the campaign argues was unconstitutional conduct by Pennsylvania officials.
Trump has waged an unprecedented effort to fight back against the results of the Nov. 3 election.
Although the Electoral College has declared Democratic nominee Joe Biden the winner of the Nov. 3 presidential election, the Trump campaign has insisted that there has been voter fraud in states that include Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as Pennsylvania.
Despite multiple claims of voting irregularities, proof has yet to surface that there was a widespread effort to distort the voting process in such as way that would have altered the final results of the presidential election. Numerous affidavits testifying to various types of election fraud have been filed in courts in several swing states. These affidavits indicate that those who witnessed conduct believe that fraud took place, but the allegations have yet to be proven through either the courts or law enforcement.
As Fox News reported, Sunday’s petition seeking to have the court hear the case claims Pennsylvania officials broke their own laws during the election.
“In October 2019, the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania allowed for no-excuse mail voting for every eligible voter in the state, but it kept in place long-standing validation and observer requirements to protect against fraud in the casting and canvassing of mail ballots,” the petition stated.
Pennsylvania officials, “altered or dispensed with those significant ‘meaningful safeguards’ in the recent General Election,” the petition said.
“The effect of these illegal and unconstitutional changes to state election law affected enough ballots to alter the results of the election,” the petition states.
The petition said that state officials opened the gates for fraud through their actions.
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“Statutory requirements were eliminated regarding signature verification, the right of campaigns to challenge invalid mail ballots, mandates that mail voters fill in, date, and sign mail ballot declarations, and even the right of campaigns to observe the mail ballot canvassing process in a meaningful way,” the petition to the court reads,
“Collectively, these three decisions resulted in counting approximately 2.6 million mail ballots in violation of the law as enacted by the Pennsylvania Legislature. According to public reports, without these protections, the resulting disqualification rate of invalid ballots was anemic — meaning over 110,000 invalid ballots were illegally counted —more than enough to have affected the outcome of the election, where the margin between the two principal candidates for President currently stands at 80,558,” the petition states.
“Our constitutional republic has endured for nearly two and a half centuries based on the consent of the governed. That consent is grounded in the confidence of our people in the legitimacy of our institutions of government. But that legitimacy can only be sustained if the elections through which the sovereign people determine the direction of their government are free and fair,” the petition read.
“Fortunately, the Framers of our Constitution built a remedy for such concerns into the system, namely, an independent federal judiciary, free of the passions of politics, which can review dispassionately even intense controversies such as those swirling around this election. It is therefore the most solemn duty of this Court to objectively review the facts and legal issues presented by the Petitioner in this historic case, render judgment upon the unconstitutional actions that occurred in Pennsylvania, and restore the confidence of all Americans that the rule of law will be upheld today and that our elections in the future will be secure,” the petition said.
A motion filed by the campaign seeks a speedy review, noting “time is plainly of the essence because once candidates have taken office, it will be impossible to repair election results tainted by illegally and belatedly cast or absentee and mail ballots.”
The motion further states that “if this matter is not timely resolved, not only Petitioner, but the Nation as а whole may suffer injury from the resulting confusion. Indeed, the intense national and worldwide attention on the 2020 Presidential election only foreshadows the disruption that may well follow if the uncertainty and unfairness shrouding this election are allowed to persist.”
In a statement posted on the Trump campaign website, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said Pennsylvania violated the Constitution.
“Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., President Trump’s campaign committee, today filed a petition for writ of certiorari to the US. Supreme Court to reverse a trio of Pennsylvania Supreme Court cases which illegally changed Pennsylvania’s mail balloting law immediately before and after the 2020 presidential election in violation of Article II of the United States Constitution and Bush v. Gore. This represents the Campaign’s first independent U.S. Supreme Court filing and seeks relief based on the same Constitutional arguments successfully raised in Bush v. Gore,” the statement declares.
“This petition follows a related Pennsylvania case where Justice [Samuel] Alito and two other justices observed ‘the constitutionality of the [Pennsylvania] Supreme Court’s decision [extending the statutory deadline for receipt of mail ballots from 8 pm on election day to 5 pm three days later] … has national importance, and there is a strong likelihood that the State Supreme Court decision violates the Federal Constitution.
“The Campaign’s petition seeks to reverse three decisions which eviscerated the Pennsylvania Legislature’s protections against mail ballot fraud, including (a) prohibiting election officials checking whether signatures on mail ballots are genuine during canvassing on Election Day, (b) eliminating the right of campaigns to challenge mail ballots during canvassing for forged signatures and other irregularities, (c) holding that the rights of campaigns to observe the canvassing of mail ballots only meant that they only were allowed to be ‘in the room’ – in this case, the Philadelphia Convention Center – the size of several football fields, and (d) eliminating the statutory requirements that voters properly sign, address, and date mail ballots,” the statement said.
“The petition seeks all appropriate remedies, including vacating the appointment of electors committed to Joseph Biden and allowing the Pennsylvania General Assembly to select their replacements. The Campaign also moved for expedited consideration, asking the Supreme Court to order responses by December 23 and a reply by December 24 to allow the U.S. Supreme Court to rule before Congress meets on January 6 to consider the votes of the electoral college.”
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westernjournal--2020-12-20--Trump Signs Law Paving Way for Rogue Chinese Companies To Be Booted from US Stock Exchanges

President Donald Trump continued to ratchet up the pressure on China last week by signing a law that could boot Chinese companies from major American stock exchanges .
The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act that Trump signed Friday requires that all companies listed with U.S. stock exchanges comply with American auditing oversight rules within three years of the law being signed , according to the South China Morning Post .
Failure to comply could mean being delisted from the exchanges — a potentially devastating financial blow.l Although most foreign companies listed on U.S. exchanges comply , China forbids its companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The United States has continuously abused export control measures to suppress other countries ’ enterprises , institutions and individuals , causing serious damage to the international economic and trade order and free trade rules , and posing a serious threat to the security of the global industrial chain supply chain , ” a spokesman for the ministry said , according to the South China Morning Post .
“ We once again urge the US to stop unilateralism and bullying , give fair treatment to companies from all countries , including Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The law was passed with bipartisan support , clearing both the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate .
Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said past policy allowed China to “ flout rules that American companies play by , ” according to The New York Times .
“ Today , the House joined the Senate in rejecting a toxic status quo , and I ’ m glad to see this bill head to the president ’ s desk , ” he said on Dec. 2 , after the House gave the bill final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 217 , Chinese firms worth more than $ 2 trillion were listed on major U.S. exchanges , according to a report the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission .
Trump ’ s new order continues his effort to put limits on Chinese companies that tap American investors for their funding .
Last month , he banned investment in companies that were either owned or controlled by the Chinese military , according to a report by CNBC .
In an executive order dated Nov. 12 , Trump said that “ the People ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is increasingly exploiting United States capital to resource and to enable the development and modernization of its military , intelligence , and other security apparatuses , which continues to allow the PRC to directly threaten the United States homeland and United States forces overseas , including by developing and deploying weapons of mass destruction , advanced conventional weapons , and malicious cyber-enabled actions against the United States and its people.
” “ Key to the development of the PRC ’ s military , intelligence , and other security apparatuses is the country ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Through the national strategy of Military-Civil Fusion , the PRC increases the size of the country ’ s military-industrial complex by compelling civilian Chinese companies to support its military and intelligence activities .
Those companies , though remaining ostensibly private and civilian , directly support the PRC ’ s military , intelligence , and security apparatuses and aid in their development and modernization , ” the order stated .
The order stated these supposedly private companies raise funds in the U.S. through American stock exchanges .
“ In that way , the PRC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development and modernization of its military , ” Trump wrote .
“ I therefore further find that the PRC ’ s military-industrial complex , by directly supporting the efforts of the PRC ’ s military , intelligence , and other security apparatuses , constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat , which has its source in substantial part outside the United States , to the national security , foreign policy , and economy of the United States , ” Trump wrote in banning the further sale of securities where the end result is supplying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement , National Security Advisor Robert O ’ Brien said that order was necessary to protect American interests .
“ The President ’ s action serves to protect American investors from unintentionally providing capital that goes to enhancing the capabilities of the People ’ s Liberation Army and People ’ s Republic of China intelligence services , which routinely target American citizens and businesses through cyber operations , and directly threaten the critical infrastructure , economy , and military of America and its allies and partners around the world , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

President Donald Trump continued to ratchet up the pressure on China last week by signing a law that could boot Chinese companies from major American stock exchanges.
The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act that Trump signed Friday requires that all companies listed with U.S. stock exchanges comply with American auditing oversight rules within three years of the law being signed, according to the South China Morning Post.
Failure to comply could mean being delisted from the exchanges — a potentially devastating financial blow.
Although most foreign companies listed on U.S. exchanges comply, China forbids its companies from doing so, the newspaper reported.
China’s Ministry of Commerce criticized Trump’s action.
“The United States has continuously abused export control measures to suppress other countries’ enterprises, institutions and individuals, causing serious damage to the international economic and trade order and free trade rules, and posing a serious threat to the security of the global industrial chain supply chain,” a spokesman for the ministry said, according to the South China Morning Post.
“We once again urge the US to stop unilateralism and bullying, give fair treatment to companies from all countries, including Chinese companies,” the spokesman said.
The law was passed with bipartisan support, clearing both the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate.
Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said past policy allowed China to “flout rules that American companies play by,” according to The New York Times.
“Today, the House joined the Senate in rejecting a toxic status quo, and I’m glad to see this bill head to the president’s desk,” he said on Dec. 2, after the House gave the bill final legislative approval.
Why the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act is key to protecting Americans: SEC: “there are challenges in our ability to effectively hold foreign issuers and their officers and directors accountable to the same extent as U.S. issuers and persons”https://t.co/lZ61c4Da7Q — John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) December 17, 2020
As of October 2, 217, Chinese firms worth more than $2 trillion were listed on major U.S. exchanges, according to a report the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
Trump’s new order continues his effort to put limits on Chinese companies that tap American investors for their funding. Last month, he banned investment in companies that were either owned or controlled by the Chinese military, according to a report by CNBC.
In an executive order dated Nov. 12, Trump said that “the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is increasingly exploiting United States capital to resource and to enable the development and modernization of its military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, which continues to allow the PRC to directly threaten the United States homeland and United States forces overseas, including by developing and deploying weapons of mass destruction, advanced conventional weapons, and malicious cyber-enabled actions against the United States and its people.”
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“Key to the development of the PRC’s military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses is the country’s large, ostensibly private economy. Through the national strategy of Military-Civil Fusion, the PRC increases the size of the country’s military-industrial complex by compelling civilian Chinese companies to support its military and intelligence activities. Those companies, though remaining ostensibly private and civilian, directly support the PRC’s military, intelligence, and security apparatuses and aid in their development and modernization,” the order stated.
The order stated these supposedly private companies raise funds in the U.S. through American stock exchanges.
“In that way, the PRC exploits United States investors to finance the development and modernization of its military,” Trump wrote.
“I therefore further find that the PRC’s military-industrial complex, by directly supporting the efforts of the PRC’s military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” Trump wrote in banning the further sale of securities where the end result is supplying funds to the Chinese military.
In a statement, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said that order was necessary to protect American interests.
“The President’s action serves to protect American investors from unintentionally providing capital that goes to enhancing the capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army and People’s Republic of China intelligence services, which routinely target American citizens and businesses through cyber operations, and directly threaten the critical infrastructure, economy, and military of America and its allies and partners around the world,” the statement said.
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westernjournal--2020-12-20--Joe Biden’s Niece Caroline Receives Zero Jail Time After Pleading Guilty to DUI

Usually , three brushes with the law can invoke serious punishment .
Not for Caroline Biden , 33 , who is the niece of presumptive President-elect Joe Biden .
On Dec. 3 , she pleaded to a charge of driving under the influence and driving without a license after she slammed her car into a tree in Pennsylvania in August 2019 .
According to the New York Post , the official record of her case says she faced “ confinement ” that could range from 20 days to six months .
But Biden , 33 , won ’ t actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
TRENDING : Flashback : Child Died After Biden 's Pick for Transportation Secretary Covered Up Traffic Safety Light , Look Where He Placed the Blame She instead faces five-plus months of probation , according to the Post ; 20 days of rehab in January counted toward her sentence .
“ She will be on probation … Should she then violate or break the law at any time , then she will be on the hook for the rest of the sentence , ” Kate Delano , a spokeswoman for the Montgomery County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Post .
Caroline Biden has to pay $ 1,990 in fines and court costs and “ participate in a public or nonprofit community service program for 12 hours , ” according to the Post .
Her driver ’ s license has been suspended for a year .
She must also take part in a drug and alcohol awareness program , Delano told the newspaper .
Caroline Biden is the daughter of James Biden , Joe Biden ’ s brother .
The New York Post noted in July that jail time is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the law , particularly Caroline Biden , who had two previous bouts with the law in New York state .
In September 2013 , she was charged with allegedly hitting an NYPD officer after an argument with a roommate .
Caroline Biden agreed to anger management treatment , and the charges went away , the Post reported .
In 2017 , a felony conviction loomed after she was charged with using a stolen credit card to spend more than $ 110,000 .
She later pleaded guilty to a charge of petty larceny and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Post .
RELATED : Charges Announced Against Newly Arrested Member of Epstein 's Inner Circle The Post noted that there have been at least nine cases involving Biden family members , including Joe Biden ’ s brother Frank , Joe Biden ’ s son , Hunter , and his daughter , Ashley , in which no jail time was ever served .
“ Eric Garner or George Floyd on the day each died could have benefited from the Biden touch , ” criminal defense attorney Robert Barnes told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the treatment to Biden family members was “ very unusual treatment when looking at the … treatment over time , geography , and kind of crime involved.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Usually, three brushes with the law can invoke serious punishment.
Not for Caroline Biden, 33, who is the niece of presumptive President-elect Joe Biden.
On Dec. 3, she pleaded to a charge of driving under the influence and driving without a license after she slammed her car into a tree in Pennsylvania in August 2019.
According to the New York Post, the official record of her case says she faced “confinement” that could range from 20 days to six months.
But Biden, 33, won’t actually be locked up, the Post reported.
She instead faces five-plus months of probation, according to the Post; 20 days of rehab in January counted toward her sentence.
“She will be on probation … Should she then violate or break the law at any time, then she will be on the hook for the rest of the sentence,” Kate Delano, a spokeswoman for the Montgomery County district attorney’s office, told the Post.
Caroline Biden has to pay $1,990 in fines and court costs and “participate in a public or nonprofit community service program for 12 hours,” according to the Post.
Her driver’s license has been suspended for a year. She must also take part in a drug and alcohol awareness program, Delano told the newspaper.
Caroline Biden is the daughter of James Biden, Joe Biden’s brother.
The New York Post noted in July that jail time is a rarity when a Biden runs afoul of the law, particularly Caroline Biden, who had two previous bouts with the law in New York state.
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In September 2013, she was charged with allegedly hitting an NYPD officer after an argument with a roommate. Caroline Biden agreed to anger management treatment, and the charges went away, the Post reported.
In 2017, a felony conviction loomed after she was charged with using a stolen credit card to spend more than $110,000. She later pleaded guilty to a charge of petty larceny and never served a day of jail time, according to the Post.
The Post noted that there have been at least nine cases involving Biden family members, including Joe Biden’s brother Frank, Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, and his daughter, Ashley, in which no jail time was ever served.
“Eric Garner or George Floyd on the day each died could have benefited from the Biden touch,” criminal defense attorney Robert Barnes told the Post for that article.
He said the treatment to Biden family members was “very unusual treatment when looking at the … treatment over time, geography, and kind of crime involved.”
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westernjournal--2020-12-20--Here’s Who You Can’t Take Action Against if You Have Severe COVID Vaccine Side Effects

Americans who experience side effects from COVID-19 vaccines will not be able to sue the drug companies that made the vaccines .
Pfizer and Moderna are exempted from the usual rules that allow lawsuits for damaging side-effects because the federal government invoked a 2005 rule protecting companies making essential medical supplies from lawsuits , according to CNBC .
In March , the federal government said that “ countermeasures ” against COVID-19 would be covered under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act .
“ During the pandemic , the Trump Administration has made broader use of the PREP Act to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve ever done before in a public health emergency , ” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar , according to a statement on the HHS website .
The step reflected the unique circumstances of the pandemic .
“ It is very rare for a blanket immunity law to be passed , ” Rogge Dunn , a Dallas labor and employment attorney , told CNBC .
“ Pharmaceutical companies typically aren ’ t offered much liability protection under the law.
” Dunn said that the Trump administration ’ s push to put a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to the action , which only allows liability suits for side effects when willful misconduct can be proven .
“ When the government said , ‘ We want you to develop this four or five times faster than you normally do , ’ most likely the manufacturers said to the government , ‘ We want you , the government , to protect us from multimillion-dollar lawsuits , ' ” said Dunn .
The deal also cut the drug price , he told the network .
“ The government doesn ’ t want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine .
Because then , the manufacturers would probably charge the government a higher price per person per dose , ” Dunn said .
The Food and Drug Administration , which approved an emergency authorization for the drug to be used , is also immune from lawsuits .
“ You can ’ t sue the FDA for approving or disapproving a drug , ” Dorit Reiss , a professor at the University of California Hastings College of Law , told CNBC .
“ That ’ s part of its sovereign immunity.
” Employers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , Reiss said .
“ Requiring a vaccine is a health and safety work rule , and employers can do that , ” said Reiss .
RELATED : New COVID Variant Ripping Across UK Sends Country Back Into Full Lockdown That means that side effects would be dealt with under workers ’ compensation programs .
“ But there are significant limits or caps on the damages an employee can recover , ” Dunn told CNBC .
The federal government created the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program to assist anyone who is impacted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported , the fund “ typically only deals with vaccines you probably would never get , like the H1N1 and anthrax vaccines.
” It would provide no more than $ 50,000 a year and a death benefit can not top $ 370,376 .
And the program , which started a decade ago , long before the arrival of the coronavirus , is not easy to access .
“ This government compensation program is very hard to use , ” Reiss told CNBC .
“ The bar for compensation is very high.
” Out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 10-year history , only 29 were ever paid , CNBC reported .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Americans who experience side effects from COVID-19 vaccines will not be able to sue the drug companies that made the vaccines.
Pfizer and Moderna are exempted from the usual rules that allow lawsuits for damaging side-effects because the federal government invoked a 2005 rule protecting companies making essential medical supplies from lawsuits, according to CNBC.
In March, the federal government said that “countermeasures” against COVID-19 would be covered under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act.
“During the pandemic, the Trump Administration has made broader use of the PREP Act to expand access to potentially life-saving countermeasures than we’ve ever done before in a public health emergency,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar, according to a statement on the HHS website.
The step reflected the unique circumstances of the pandemic.
“It is very rare for a blanket immunity law to be passed,” Rogge Dunn, a Dallas labor and employment attorney, told CNBC. “Pharmaceutical companies typically aren’t offered much liability protection under the law.”
Dunn said that the Trump administration’s push to put a vaccine in play in record time was linked to the action, which only allows liability suits for side effects when willful misconduct can be proven.
“When the government said, ‘We want you to develop this four or five times faster than you normally do,’ most likely the manufacturers said to the government, ‘We want you, the government, to protect us from multimillion-dollar lawsuits,'” said Dunn.
The deal also cut the drug price, he told the network.
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“The government doesn’t want people suing the companies making the COVID vaccine. Because then, the manufacturers would probably charge the government a higher price per person per dose,” Dunn said.
The Food and Drug Administration, which approved an emergency authorization for the drug to be used, is also immune from lawsuits.
“You can’t sue the FDA for approving or disapproving a drug,” Dorit Reiss, a professor at the University of California Hastings College of Law, told CNBC. “That’s part of its sovereign immunity.”
Employers can also mandate that workers get the vaccine, Reiss said.
“Requiring a vaccine is a health and safety work rule, and employers can do that,” said Reiss.
That means that side effects would be dealt with under workers’ compensation programs.
“But there are significant limits or caps on the damages an employee can recover,” Dunn told CNBC.
The federal government created the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program to assist anyone who is impacted by a protected company. However, CNBC reported, the fund “typically only deals with vaccines you probably would never get, like the H1N1 and anthrax vaccines.”
It would provide no more than $50,000 a year and a death benefit cannot top $370,376.
And the program, which started a decade ago, long before the arrival of the coronavirus, is not easy to access.
“This government compensation program is very hard to use,” Reiss told CNBC. “The bar for compensation is very high.”
Out of 499 claims filed in CICP’s 10-year history, only 29 were ever paid, CNBC reported.
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westernjournal--2020-12-20--New COVID Variant Ripping Across UK Sends Country Back Into Full Lockdown

A new strain of COVID-19 is rampaging through Britain , causing officials to impose a tough new lockdown in the days before Christmas .
The eruption in London and southeastern England is “ out of control , ” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday , according to CNN .
The outbreak has triggered what is known as “ Tier 4 ” restrictions that shut businesses and most stores .
The strain is called “ VUI – 202012/01 , ” and is 70 percent more infectious than other strains , Prime Minister Boris Johnson said , according to the U.K. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strain makes up 60 percent of London ’ s new cases .
Hancock told CNN the new strain is caught “ more easily from a smaller amount of the virus being present.
” And even though it is not inherently more dangerous than other strains , the ease with which it spreads means tougher actions need to be taken to control it , Hancock said .
“ The only way you can do that is by restricting social contacts and essentially , especially in Tier 4 areas , everybody needs to behave as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that is the way that we can get it under control and keep people safe , ” he said .
“ Given how much faster this new variant spreads , it ’ s going to be very difficult to keep it under control until we have the vaccine rolled out.
” “ We don ’ t want to do any of this but it is necessary .
This has been an awful end to what has been an incredibly difficult year and on Friday when we were presented with that new scientific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was our duty to act , ” Hancock told Sky News , according to the Daily Mail .
“ I just think everybody watching will feel this sense that we both feel of disappointment and that it is just so difficult ahead of Christmas , which everybody was really looking forward to after all the sacrifices that have been made , ” he said .
RELATED : Here 's Who You Ca n't Take Action Against if You Have Severe COVID Vaccine Side Effects “ But unfortunately this virus , the new strain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have got to get it under control and the way that we can do that , the only way you can do that , is by restricting social contact and essentially , especially in Tier 4 areas , everybody needs to behave as if they might well have the virus and that is the way that we can get it under control and keep people safe.
” As officials told Britons to stay away from each other , they herded into trains to flee London .
However , they could not easily flee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel from Britain as other countries also acted with either temporary or longer-term bans on British citizens coming into their countries .
The U.S. is watching British developments , according to Reuters .
“ We don ’ t know yet .
We are , of course … looking very carefully into this , ” Dr. Moncef Slaoui , head of the Operation Warp Speed COVID-19 vaccination program , told CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” on Sunday , according to Reuters .
Slaoui said the mutation that is ravaging Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resistant to existing vaccines , but added , “ We can ’ t exclude it , but it ’ s not there now.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A new strain of COVID-19 is rampaging through Britain, causing officials to impose a tough new lockdown in the days before Christmas.
The eruption in London and southeastern England is “out of control,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday, according to CNN.
The outbreak has triggered what is known as “Tier 4” restrictions that shut businesses and most stores.
The strain is called “VUI – 202012/01,” and is 70 percent more infectious than other strains, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, according to the U.K. Daily Mail.
Johnson said the new strain makes up 60 percent of London’s new cases.
On Sunday, 35,928 news coronavirus cases were reported.
Hancock told CNN the new strain is caught “more easily from a smaller amount of the virus being present.”
And even though it is not inherently more dangerous than other strains, the ease with which it spreads means tougher actions need to be taken to control it, Hancock said.
“The only way you can do that is by restricting social contacts and essentially, especially in Tier 4 areas, everybody needs to behave as if they may well have the virus and that is the way that we can get it under control and keep people safe,” he said.
“Given how much faster this new variant spreads, it’s going to be very difficult to keep it under control until we have the vaccine rolled out.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the new strain of the virus is “out of control” and everyone in Tier 4 areas should behave as if they have Covid.#ridge — Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) December 20, 2020
“We don’t want to do any of this but it is necessary. This has been an awful end to what has been an incredibly difficult year and on Friday when we were presented with that new scientific evidence about the new variant, it was our duty to act,” Hancock told Sky News, according to the Daily Mail.
“I just think everybody watching will feel this sense that we both feel of disappointment and that it is just so difficult ahead of Christmas, which everybody was really looking forward to after all the sacrifices that have been made,” he said.
“But unfortunately this virus, the new strain, was out of control. We have got to get it under control and the way that we can do that, the only way you can do that, is by restricting social contact and essentially, especially in Tier 4 areas, everybody needs to behave as if they might well have the virus and that is the way that we can get it under control and keep people safe.”
As officials told Britons to stay away from each other, they herded into trains to flee London.
However, they could not easily flee their island home. The Netherlands banned travel from Britain as other countries also acted with either temporary or longer-term bans on British citizens coming into their countries.
London and much of south east England, as well as all of Wales have entered a new Tier Four set of restrictions. Movement into and out of these areas has been restricted and foreign travel for all but work reasons is effectively banned. https://t.co/kaTQDuVqEH — RTÉ News (@rtenews) December 20, 2020
But Great Britain is an island, and at this point we should be thinking about keeping this new strain from reaching the rest of the world. That is in everyone’s interest, including Brits. #COVID_V2https://t.co/KKUNk5WmHh — Bret Weinstein (@BretWeinstein) December 20, 2020
The U.S. is watching British developments, according to Reuters.
“We don’t know yet. We are, of course … looking very carefully into this,” Dr. Moncef Slaoui, head of the Operation Warp Speed COVID-19 vaccination program, told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, according to Reuters.
Slaoui said the mutation that is ravaging Britain was “very unlikely” to be resistant to existing vaccines, but added, “We can’t exclude it, but it’s not there now.”
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westernjournal--2020-12-20--Rand Paul: Masks Mandates Are ‘All About Submission’

Mandates that claim to be fighting the coronavirus are exercises in making individuals submit to the power of government , according to Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky .
Paul , who has long urged Americans to “ push back ” against coronavirus mandates , was interviewed Saturday by Breitbart .
Paul , a physician himself , noted that his core objection is that Americans are being expected to — without question — voluntarily abandon their liberty and their freedom of shaping an individual destiny on the altar of unproven , if not faulty , science .
‘ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told you have to give up your liberty , you have to give up your freedom , we ’ re going to save your life .
But what if you have to give up all your freedoms and they ’ re wrong on the science ?
” he told Breitbart .
Masks , he said , are “ all about submission.
” Paul told Breitbart an objective analysis will shows that as mandates piled higher , so did coronavirus cases .
“ Every one of the mandates — and you look in country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you look at when the mask mandates went in — the incidents went up exponentially after the mandates .
Restaurants , nobody can eat in a restaurant , there ’ s no science behind any of that , ” he said .
He noted that passenger airplane restrictions are so minimal as to be foolish .
“ Middle seat missing on the airplane , you really think you ’ re like 12 inches from the other guy instead of six inches , it really makes a difference ?
None of it really makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no epidemiological evidence .
You know , it ’ s like , ‘ Wash your hands , stand six feet apart , ” ’ he told Breitbart .
If masks slowed the spread of the virus , Paul told the website , data would prove it .
Instead , he said , the evidence does not .
‘ The trajectory of the virus hasn ’ t been altered at all by any of these things , ” Paul told Breitbart .
Paul noted that cloth face coverings are not effective barriers to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different , too .
The N95 mask actually does work to a certain extent , if worn properly and used [ with ] sterile technique , ” he told Breitbart .
“ But there ’ s no value to the cloth mask , at all .
It ’ s like wearing your underwear .
You might as well cut your underwear up and wear your underwear as protection .
It doesn ’ t work.
” Paul told Breitbart that the loss being experienced by Americans is significant , citing the audience at Turning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in West Palm Beach , Florida , where he was among the speakers .
“ What are they asked to give up ?
They ’ re being asked to give up their graduation from high school , their graduation from college , their wedding , and if we ’ re not careful , it ’ s gon na be their five-year wedding anniversary or their 10-year anniversary .
“ We ’ re still gon na be wearing masks , ” he said .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Mandates that claim to be fighting the coronavirus are exercises in making individuals submit to the power of government, according to Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Paul, who has long urged Americans to “push back” against coronavirus mandates, was interviewed Saturday by Breitbart.
Paul, a physician himself, noted that his core objection is that Americans are being expected to — without question — voluntarily abandon their liberty and their freedom of shaping an individual destiny on the altar of unproven, if not faulty, science.
‘It’d be one thing if we were told you have to give up your liberty, you have to give up your freedom, we’re going to save your life. But what if you have to give up all your freedoms and they’re wrong on the science?” he told Breitbart.
Masks, he said, are “all about submission.”
Paul told Breitbart an objective analysis will shows that as mandates piled higher, so did coronavirus cases.
“Every one of the mandates — and you look in country after country, state after state — you look at when the mask mandates went in — the incidents went up exponentially after the mandates. Restaurants, nobody can eat in a restaurant, there’s no science behind any of that,” he said.
He noted that passenger airplane restrictions are so minimal as to be foolish.
“Middle seat missing on the airplane, you really think you’re like 12 inches from the other guy instead of six inches, it really makes a difference? None of it really makes any sense, and there’s no epidemiological evidence. You know, it’s like, ‘Wash your hands, stand six feet apart,”’ he told Breitbart.
If masks slowed the spread of the virus, Paul told the website, data would prove it. Instead, he said, the evidence does not.
‘The trajectory of the virus hasn’t been altered at all by any of these things,” Paul told Breitbart.
Paul noted that cloth face coverings are not effective barriers to the virus.
“And the masks are different, too. The N95 mask actually does work to a certain extent, if worn properly and used [with] sterile technique,” he told Breitbart.
“But there’s no value to the cloth mask, at all. It’s like wearing your underwear. You might as well cut your underwear up and wear your underwear as protection. It doesn’t work.”
Do you oppose mask mandates? Yes No
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Paul told Breitbart that the loss being experienced by Americans is significant, citing the audience at Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he was among the speakers.
“What are they asked to give up? They’re being asked to give up their graduation from high school, their graduation from college, their wedding, and if we’re not careful, it’s gonna be their five-year wedding anniversary or their 10-year anniversary.
“We’re still gonna be wearing masks,” he said.
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