westernjournal--2020-12-15--CA Sheriff Says No Way to Court Order To Cut Jail Population in Half Due to COVID

Orange County , California , Sheriff Don Barnes is pushing back against a court order to cut the population of inmates in the county jails by 50 percent due to the spread of COVID-19 .
A judge ruled in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union in a lawsuit filed in April , claiming Barnes had not taken proper precautions to protect “ medically vulnerable ” inmates or lessen the risk of spreading the coronavirus in the jails .
The order would require 1,800 inmates to be released back into the community .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Than FEC Allows “ I have no intention of releasing any of these individuals from my custody .
We are going to file an appeal and we ’ re going to fight it and if the judge has any intent of releasing any one of these individuals , he will have to go through line by line , name by name and tell me which ones he is ordering released , ” Barnes told KABC-TV .
“ Anybody who ’ s here is here because they need to be here , not because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” An outbreak in the jails occurred over the weekend , jumping from 138 cases reported on Friday to 416 cases reported by Monday .
Barnes has said the numbers appear to be high because all inmates are being tested , even if they are not showing signs of the virus .
There are currently 3,628 inmates in all of the jails in the county combined , with a capacity for 6,159 , according to the OC Register .
District Attorney Todd Spitzer is also taking a stand against the order with Barnes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s going on in our jails is not gon na be a mirror image of what ’ s already happening on the outside ?
” Spitzer said , according to KABC .
“ The numbers in the jail are not out of control or inflated as compared to what ’ s going on outside of our jails , ” he added .
Orange County is home to over 3 million residents , and the county is almost entirely suburban neighborhoods .
Releasing inmates without a safe exit strategy puts the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should not be taken lightly .
“ The public should be in a panic , and they should be concerned about this release , ” Barnes said , according to KCBD-TV .
“ These aren ’ t low-lying offenders , these are people in for very serious offenses : murder , attempted murder , domestic violence , ” Barnes said .
The ACLU , however , is arguing that Barnes has been neglectful , and that refusing to depopulate the jails is a disaster waiting to happen .
“ The court ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail by depopulating will help prevent the medical infrastructure — in the jail and in the surrounding community — from becoming totally overwhelmed ” ACLU SoCal policy coordinator Daisy Ramirez said in a statement .
Based on this week ’ s numbers , there obviously needs to be more precautions taken in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Orange County jails , but this solution is extreme .
Families and individuals in Orange County have already been adapting to the pandemic and recent wildfires , and an additional public safety risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminals back onto the streets in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus has already proven to be a mistake .
“ Data from the DA ’ s office shows low-level offenders who were released early or on $ 0 bail during the pandemic have committed new crimes at nearly three times the normal rate , ” KABC ’ s Tony Cabrera reported .
“ There ’ s no doubt it would jeopardize public safety because these are some of the worst of the worst , ” Spitzer said .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Orange County, California, Sheriff Don Barnes is pushing back against a court order to cut the population of inmates in the county jails by 50 percent due to the spread of COVID-19.
A judge ruled in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union in a lawsuit filed in April, claiming Barnes had not taken proper precautions to protect “medically vulnerable” inmates or lessen the risk of spreading the coronavirus in the jails.
#BREAKING: A judge has ordered 50% reduction in Orange County jails in response to our lawsuit. This comes after a huge spike in COVID cases within the jails. Now and always, we will defend the rights and dignity of incarcerated people. https://t.co/uLb820oi23 — ACLU SoCal (@ACLU_SoCal) December 12, 2020
The order would require 1,800 inmates to be released back into the community.
“I have no intention of releasing any of these individuals from my custody. We are going to file an appeal and we’re going to fight it and if the judge has any intent of releasing any one of these individuals, he will have to go through line by line, name by name and tell me which ones he is ordering released,” Barnes told KABC-TV.
“Anybody who’s here is here because they need to be here, not because I just want to keep them here.”
Please see my statement below following an order from the court mandating the release of more than 1,800 inmates from the Orange County Jail. pic.twitter.com/Y6PuIKVlPr — OC Sheriff Don Barnes (@OCSheriffBarnes) December 12, 2020
An outbreak in the jails occurred over the weekend, jumping from 138 cases reported on Friday to 416 cases reported by Monday. Barnes has said the numbers appear to be high because all inmates are being tested, even if they are not showing signs of the virus.
There are currently 3,628 inmates in all of the jails in the county combined, with a capacity for 6,159, according to the OC Register.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer is also taking a stand against the order with Barnes.
“Why does anybody think that what’s going on in our jails is not gonna be a mirror image of what’s already happening on the outside?” Spitzer said, according to KABC.
“The numbers in the jail are not out of control or inflated as compared to what’s going on outside of our jails,” he added.
I sat down with KABC7’s Tony Cabrera to talk about a judge’s order to cut the OC Jail population by half in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. OC inmates who were released on $0 bail and early release have committed new crimes at nearly three times the normal recidivism rates. pic.twitter.com/TbKkUAhjeA — OCDA Todd Spitzer (@OCDAToddSpitzer) December 15, 2020
Orange County is home to over 3 million residents, and the county is almost entirely suburban neighborhoods.
Releasing inmates without a safe exit strategy puts the public at an imminent risk of danger that should not be taken lightly.
“The public should be in a panic, and they should be concerned about this release,” Barnes said, according to KCBD-TV. “These aren’t low-lying offenders, these are people in for very serious offenses: murder, attempted murder, domestic violence,” Barnes said.
The ACLU, however, is arguing that Barnes has been neglectful, and that refusing to depopulate the jails is a disaster waiting to happen.
Should prisons release inmates to stop the spread of 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: 1% (3 Votes) No: 99% (334 Votes)
“The court’s decision to alleviate the pressure on the jail by depopulating will help prevent the medical infrastructure — in the jail and in the surrounding community — from becoming totally overwhelmed” ACLU SoCal policy coordinator Daisy Ramirez said in a statement.
Based on this week’s numbers, there obviously needs to be more precautions taken in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Orange County jails, but this solution is extreme.
Families and individuals in Orange County have already been adapting to the pandemic and recent wildfires, and an additional public safety risk like this is absolutely unnecessary.
Releasing criminals back onto the streets in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus has already proven to be a mistake.
“Data from the DA’s office shows low-level offenders who were released early or on $0 bail during the pandemic have committed new crimes at nearly three times the normal rate,” KABC’s Tony Cabrera reported.
“There’s no doubt it would jeopardize public safety because these are some of the worst of the worst,” Spitzer said.
The ACLU and the sheriff’s department were ordered to file a joint status report of compliance by Jan. 6, according to KCBS-TV.
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westernjournal--2020-12-15--Watch: Kayleigh McEnany Walks Into Press Briefing and Immediately Lists Media ‘Fact Checks’ That Wer

Watch: Kayleigh McEnany Walks Into Press Briefing and Immediately Lists Media ‘Fact Checks’ That Were Wrong

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany forced the establishment media ’ s leftist shills to sit and eat their own words Tuesday with regard to the successful development of a coronavirus vaccine .
During a media briefing , McEnany reminded the activist reporters of the ongoing logistical operation to get vaccines out to Americans .
More importantly , she reminded the White House correspondents about their doubts that developing such a vaccine by year ’ s end — as President Donald Trump had suggested — was even possible .
“ Yesterday , the United State witnessed a medical miracle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were administered to frontline workers across the country , ” the press secretary said .
“ The president promised a safe and effective vaccine in record time , and President Trump delivered , ” McEnany said .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC Allows “ Earlier this year , we heard from several news outlets and so-called fact checks , that President Trump would need ‘ a miracle to be right . '
” McEnany was referring to a fact check from NBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a COVID-19 vaccine could be available by year ’ s end through Operation Warp Speed , a public-private partnership the president announced May 15 .
The NBC “ fact check ” has , thank God , not aged well .
The “ miracle ” vaccine is currently being sent out to frontline workers across the country , so that miracle has occurred .
Naturally , Trump is getting no credit for motivating the country ’ s private sector to get to work , so McEnany forced them to swallow the bitter pill that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a good offense , so when speaking to the hostile White House press pool , McEnany struck hard , as always .
“ These reports deserve their own fact check .
President Trump has not only been the optimist that a vaccine could be achieved by the year ’ s end , he ’ s also been a leader , ” McEnany said .
Not so long ago , back in March , Trump was criticized by NBC News correspondent Peter Alexander for being optimistic during a media briefing .
That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find medications that could help Americans who had contracted a then-terrifying foreign illness about which little was known .
RELATED : Poll : Here 's Who the Top Pick Is in the Republican and Democrat 2024 Presidential Primaries “ What do you say to Americans who are scared , though ?
I guess , nearly 200 dead ; 14,000 who are sick ; millions , as you witness , who are scared right now .
What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared ?
” Alexander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that you ’ re a terrible reporter .
That ’ s what I say , ” Trump fired back .
“ I think it ’ s a very nasty question , and I think it ’ s a very bad signal that you ’ re putting out to the American people .
The American people are looking for answers and they ’ re looking for hope.
” Two months later , Alexander ’ s network would issue that awful fact check about vaccinations .
“ President Donald Trump has suggested multiple times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , an accelerated timeline that prominent health experts and veteran vaccine developers say is unlikely absent a miracle , ” NBC News reported in May .
“ But experts say that the development , testing and production of a vaccine for the public is still at least 12 to 18 months off , and that anything less would be a medical miracle.
” It ’ s now December and that vaccine is starting to be administered all over the country .
The sky didn ’ t fall , and NBC News and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , McEnany had to remind the establishment media Tuesday that their gloomy predictions were wrong and the president was right .
Alexander was nowhere to be found as she excoriated the mainstream media hacks who chose sensationalism and politics over what was best for the country .
He offered the president no congratulations on a job well done .
That ’ s not surprising .
But as we ’ ve seen this year , McEnany is more than up to the challenge of exposing activist anti-Trump reporters for what they are .
Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine .
But in admitting that , those who call themselves journalists would have had to admit that the president was right .
They couldn ’ t do that , so the press secretary did it for them .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany forced the establishment media’s leftist shills to sit and eat their own words Tuesday with regard to the successful development of a coronavirus vaccine.
During a media briefing, McEnany reminded the activist reporters of the ongoing logistical operation to get vaccines out to Americans.
More importantly, she reminded the White House correspondents about their doubts that developing such a vaccine by year’s end — as President Donald Trump had suggested — was even possible.
“Yesterday, the United State witnessed a medical miracle. The first doses of a COVID vaccine were administered to frontline workers across the country,” the press secretary said.
“The president promised a safe and effective vaccine in record time, and President Trump delivered,” McEnany said.
“Earlier this year, we heard from several news outlets and so-called fact checks, that President Trump would need ‘a miracle to be right.'”
McEnany was referring to a fact check from NBC News about Trump’s statements that a COVID-19 vaccine could be available by year’s end through Operation Warp Speed, a public-private partnership the president announced May 15.
NBC Fact check: Coronavirus vaccine could come this year, Trump says. Experts say he needs a ‘miracle’ to be right.https://t.co/Pu6hDrWGgP — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 15, 2020
The NBC “fact check” has, thank God, not aged well.
The “miracle” vaccine is currently being sent out to frontline workers across the country, so that miracle has occurred. Naturally, Trump is getting no credit for motivating the country’s private sector to get to work, so McEnany forced them to swallow the bitter pill that they were wrong.
The best defense is a good offense, so when speaking to the hostile White House press pool, McEnany struck hard, as always.
“These reports deserve their own fact check. President Trump has not only been the optimist that a vaccine could be achieved by the year’s end, he’s also been a leader,” McEnany said.
Not so long ago, back in March, Trump was criticized by NBC News correspondent Peter Alexander for being optimistic during a media briefing. That was when the country was still attempting to find medications that could help Americans who had contracted a then-terrifying foreign illness about which little was known.
“What do you say to Americans who are scared, though? I guess, nearly 200 dead; 14,000 who are sick; millions, as you witness, who are scared right now. What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?” Alexander asked on March 20.
“I say that you’re a terrible reporter. That’s what I say,” Trump fired back. “I think it’s a very nasty question, and I think it’s a very bad signal that you’re putting out to the American people. The American people are looking for answers and they’re looking for hope.”
WATCH: President Trump insults @PeterAlexander for asking the president what he would like to say to Americans who are scared right now amid the coronavirus pandemic. pic.twitter.com/ZuasEcbBrU — NBC News (@NBCNews) March 20, 2020
Two months later, Alexander’s network would issue that awful fact check about vaccinations.
“President Donald Trump has suggested multiple times that a coronavirus vaccine could come within months, an accelerated timeline that prominent health experts and veteran vaccine developers say is unlikely absent a miracle,” NBC News reported in May. “But experts say that the development, testing and production of a vaccine for the public is still at least 12 to 18 months off, and that anything less would be a medical miracle.”
It’s now December and that vaccine is starting to be administered all over the country. The sky didn’t fall, and NBC News and others were wrong — again.
Are you surprised a vaccine was developed so quickly? 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: 30% (178 Votes) No: 70% (417 Votes)
Sadly, McEnany had to remind the establishment media Tuesday that their gloomy predictions were wrong and the president was right.
Alexander was nowhere to be found as she excoriated the mainstream media hacks who chose sensationalism and politics over what was best for the country. He offered the president no congratulations on a job well done.
That’s not surprising. But as we’ve seen this year, McEnany is more than up to the challenge of exposing activist anti-Trump reporters for what they are.
Americans won big with the development of the vaccine. But in admitting that, those who call themselves journalists would have had to admit that the president was right. They couldn’t do that, so the press secretary did it for them.
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westernjournal--2020-12-15--AZ GOP Chair: When 30% of Democrats Think the Election Was Stolen from Trump, You Know Something’s W

AZ GOP Chair: When 30% of Democrats Think the Election Was Stolen from Trump, You Know Something’s Wrong

The voting public needs to be confident that in our state , and in our nation , we hold free and fair elections .
That is why the Arizona Republican Party is doing everything we can to ensure voters trust that a free process leads to fair results .
The media pollsters this cycle were terribly wrong , about which I have written previously .
The published polls seemed more like an attempt to discourage Republican voters instead of take the pulse of the electorate .
But while the polling showed one thing , other indicators reflected a sentiment that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Election Day .
Betting odds favored President Trump ’ s re-election .
The Trump campaign had a massive grassroots mobilization effort including phone calling and boots-on-the-ground door knocking .
While the Biden-Harris camp hid behind the shadow of the coronavirus as a reason to barely campaign , President Trump held massive rallies across many states where people turned out in spite of pandemic fears .
In contrast , the Biden campaign struggled to mobilize any sort of crowds , even socially isolated in vehicles .
Even in overwhelmingly blue states such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 64 and 61 percent of the vote respectively .
Yet they are expected to accept that 76 percent of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania favored Joe Biden ?
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC Allows That sounds fair to the same media that would have us believe so-called statisticians such as Nate Silver , who predicted Trump had a 36 percent chance of winning North Carolina this year .
All along , the Trump camp was predicting a tight election with the president eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being deceived by so-called news outlets more concerned with their narrative than the facts .
These are the outlets that showed graphics detailing the “ fiery but mostly peaceful protests ” while the scene over the reporter ’ s shoulder showed cars on fire and violent unrest .
These same producers and reporters are asking us to believe that the lackluster Joe Biden received millions of more votes than Barack Obama , the most inspirational Democratic presidential candidate of this generation .
That is a tough sell .
Rasmussen , one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cycle , conducted a post-election poll .
Two weeks before the election , 94 percent of voters expressed confidence that their vote would be correctly recorded and counted , with 73 percent saying it was “ very likely.
” After the election , that number dropped to 71 percent overall and only 47 percent “ very likely.
” That is a serious drop , and it ’ s indicative of deeper concern in the electorate than is being adequately respected by the public at large .
If you think this is a problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thirty percent of Democrats ( 20 percent “ very likely , ” 10 percent “ somewhat likely ” ) believe the election was stolen from Trump .
Those are not all Trump voters ; if 30 percent of Democrats had voted for Trump it would have been a massive landslide for the president .
As Willis Krumholz at The Federalist pointed out , American voters on both sides of the aisle mistrust the fundamental integrity of our elections .
A 2018 Gallup poll showed 78 percent of Democrats still believed that Russia interfered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcome .
This is despite years of investigations that only managed to show a $ 100,000 social media buy which would have had no chance of changing the election .
This year , Republicans have a sinking feeling in their stomach about the 2020 election .
They see anomalies similar to those observers saw in the Gabon elections in 2016 .
RELATED : Cal Thomas : The 'Stolen ' Election Is n't Just About Ballots - It 's About Censorship and Suppression After the 2016 and 2018 elections , the media gladly reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abrams .
Yet today , anyone asking to look into the 2020 election process is deemed unworthy of attention , and worse , worthy of ridicule .
But in the weeks after Election Day , we ’ ve spoken with concerned Republicans about their unease .
These aren ’ t the politically involved , but the rank-and-file supporters who show up on Election Day and live their lives devoid of politics the rest of the time .
They don ’ t show up for rallies or join in with the # HashtagActivism on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ openly wondering if we have sunk to the level of third-world countries in how we administer our elections , however .
In the days after the election , we ’ ve sought to ensure people trust our process , this year and every year .
That should not be a partisan goal .
Many changes were made to our electoral processes this year using the pandemic as an excuse .
Following up with simple yet effective cross-checks is not too much to ask as we try to boost voter confidence .
The views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website .
If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal , you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The voting public needs to be confident that in our state, and in our nation, we hold free and fair elections. That is why the Arizona Republican Party is doing everything we can to ensure voters trust that a free process leads to fair results.
The media pollsters this cycle were terribly wrong, about which I have written previously. The published polls seemed more like an attempt to discourage Republican voters instead of take the pulse of the electorate.
But while the polling showed one thing, other indicators reflected a sentiment that President Trump had a distinct advantage going into Election Day. Betting odds favored President Trump’s re-election. The Trump campaign had a massive grassroots mobilization effort including phone calling and boots-on-the-ground door knocking.
While the Biden-Harris camp hid behind the shadow of the coronavirus as a reason to barely campaign, President Trump held massive rallies across many states where people turned out in spite of pandemic fears. In contrast, the Biden campaign struggled to mobilize any sort of crowds, even socially isolated in vehicles.
Even in overwhelmingly blue states such as California and New York, Biden received 64 and 61 percent of the vote respectively. Yet they are expected to accept that 76 percent of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania favored Joe Biden?
That sounds fair to the same media that would have us believe so-called statisticians such as Nate Silver, who predicted Trump had a 36 percent chance of winning North Carolina this year. All along, the Trump camp was predicting a tight election with the president eventually prevailing.
The American public is tired of being deceived by so-called news outlets more concerned with their narrative than the facts. These are the outlets that showed graphics detailing the “fiery but mostly peaceful protests” while the scene over the reporter’s shoulder showed cars on fire and violent unrest.
These same producers and reporters are asking us to believe that the lackluster Joe Biden received millions of more votes than Barack Obama, the most inspirational Democratic presidential candidate of this generation. That is a tough sell.
Rasmussen, one of the few pollsters to show accuracy this cycle, conducted a post-election poll. Two weeks before the election, 94 percent of voters expressed confidence that their vote would be correctly recorded and counted, with 73 percent saying it was “very likely.” After the election, that number dropped to 71 percent overall and only 47 percent “very likely.”
Do you think most Americans trust the integrity of our elections? 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: 2% (41 Votes) No: 98% (2210 Votes)
That is a serious drop, and it’s indicative of deeper concern in the electorate than is being adequately respected by the public at large.
If you think this is a problem isolated to Republicans, think again. Thirty percent of Democrats (20 percent “very likely,” 10 percent “somewhat likely”) believe the election was stolen from Trump. Those are not all Trump voters; if 30 percent of Democrats had voted for Trump it would have been a massive landslide for the president.
As Willis Krumholz at The Federalist pointed out, American voters on both sides of the aisle mistrust the fundamental integrity of our elections.
A 2018 Gallup poll showed 78 percent of Democrats still believed that Russia interfered in the 2016 election and changed the outcome. This is despite years of investigations that only managed to show a $100,000 social media buy which would have had no chance of changing the election.
This year, Republicans have a sinking feeling in their stomach about the 2020 election. They see anomalies similar to those observers saw in the Gabon elections in 2016.
After the 2016 and 2018 elections, the media gladly reported the accusations of Hillary Clinton and Stacey Abrams. Yet today, anyone asking to look into the 2020 election process is deemed unworthy of attention, and worse, worthy of ridicule.
But in the weeks after Election Day, we’ve spoken with concerned Republicans about their unease. These aren’t the politically involved, but the rank-and-file supporters who show up on Election Day and live their lives devoid of politics the rest of the time. They don’t show up for rallies or join in with the #HashtagActivism on social media.
They’re now openly wondering if we have sunk to the level of third-world countries in how we administer our elections, however.
In the days after the election, we’ve sought to ensure people trust our process, this year and every year. That should not be a partisan goal. Many changes were made to our electoral processes this year using the pandemic as an excuse. Following up with simple yet effective cross-checks is not too much to ask as we try to boost voter confidence.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
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westernjournal--2020-12-15--‘WJ Live’: Can America Continue To Be This Divided and Still Stand as One?

Support Christian , conservative journalism at The Western Journal by joining our subscription service .
This year has revealed strong @ @ @ @ @ the political spectrum , but if America continues to be this divided , can it @ @ @ @ @ ?
Or is secession in our future ?
► Click HERE to subscribe to “ @ @ @ @ @ : //w-j.co/s/51c85 The Western Journal ’ s mission is to equip readers with the truth @ @ @ @ @ excited to bring that same passion to the listeners of “ WJ Live.
” You @ @ @ @ @ , editors and special guests on the most important topics of the day : coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ government overreach , Hollywood elitism and the 2020 election .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : @ @ @ @ @ Least 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC Allows ► Don ’ t miss an episode of @ @ @ @ @ Click HERE to get it delivered directly to your inbox : http : //w-j.co/s/ef7f7 We @ @ @ @ @ accuracy in all of our journalism .
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Support Christian, conservative journalism at The Western Journal by joining our subscription service.
This year has revealed strong convictions on all sides of the political spectrum, but if America continues to be this divided, can it continue to stand as one? Or is secession in our future?
► Click HERE to subscribe to “WJ Live”: http://w-j.co/s/51c85
The Western Journal’s mission is to equip readers with the truth, and we’re excited to bring that same passion to the listeners of “WJ Live.” You’ll hear from writers, editors and special guests on the most important topics of the day: coronavirus, lockdowns, riots, government overreach, Hollywood elitism and the 2020 election.
► Don’t miss an episode of “WJ Live!” Click HERE to get it delivered directly to your inbox: http://w-j.co/s/ef7f7
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westernjournal--2020-12-15--Great-Grandfather Pays Off Utility Bills for 114 Neighbors This Christmas

You might not know Mike Esmond of Gulf Breeze , Florida , but he ’ s been slowly and steadily improving the lives of those in his community .
Esmond , who is in his 70s , runs Gulf Breeze Pools & Spas and is a veteran and father , grandfather and great-grandfather .
But for the past two years , he ’ s also played Father Christmas to dozens of families by paying off past-due utility bills .
It ’ s something so pedestrian many don ’ t think about it , but at this time of year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come up with the cash for bills and also be able to afford a Christmas celebration for their families .
Esmond said he has a very vivid memory of one year that was like that for him , and it has fueled his generosity .
In 1983 , he and his three daughters experienced an electricity shut-off because of unpaid bills as they were strapped for cash , and it was brutal .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC Allows “ That year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heat and it was the coldest recorded temperature ( in December ) Pensacola has ever had , ” Esmond said , according to the Pensacola News Journal .
“ We had icicles hanging off our windows.
” Last year , that got him thinking .
“ I wanted to do something that I felt would really help people at Christmas time who are trying to decide between paying bills and maybe having something cut off , or buying presents for their family , ” he said .
“ When I got my utility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it said the cutoff date was Dec. 26 , so I went to the city and asked how many people were going to have their gas or water shut off before Christmas , ” Esmond said , “ so they gave me the numbers and I paid them.
” In 2019 , that was 36 families at around $ 4,600 .
This year , Esmond helped even more families .
He called up Joanne Oliver , who works for the town ’ s utility authority , and asked to pay off the bills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , CBS News reported .
In total , he paid $ 7,600 to give 114 families the gift of a warm holiday and a little more cash to spend on immediate needs .
“ When we had Hurricane Sally , that did a lot of damage to a lot of residents here , ” Esmond told CBS News .
“ And the pandemic , I know , has a lot of people out of work .
… They ’ ve closed up , they ’ ve laid people off .
So this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to do something.
” “ You can imagine , ” he said , “ people this time of the year that know they ’ re behind on their bills , when they get this envelope and when they open it up , it ’ s a Christmas card from the City of Gulf Breeze telling them that Gulf Breeze Pools has paid your utility bill , and that ’ s one less stressful thing that you have to worry about.
” RELATED : 'Secret Santa ' Pays Off $ 65,000 in Layaway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is simply “ to make things a little less stressful and make people a little happier in my community .
I ’ ve heard over and over again in many messages how people , when they read this or heard about it , they cry happily.
” He brushed off the praise he has received , saying he is “ not a guy who ’ s ever really been involved in anything like this where I made people happy ” but rather “ a guy who goes out and digs in the dirt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly that ’ s not entirely accurate , and he has a lot of strangers-turned-fans to tell him so .
Some people , hearing of his generosity , have even offered him some cash — but he has a request for them .
“ I ’ ve had people call me out of California , Chicago , Tampa , saying that they wanted to send some money , ” Esmond said .
“ I said , ‘ No , take the money , go do what I did .
Start this in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can see that we could really pass on and make Christmases better for people in the future.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
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You might not know Mike Esmond of Gulf Breeze, Florida, but he’s been slowly and steadily improving the lives of those in his community.
Esmond, who is in his 70s, runs Gulf Breeze Pools & Spas and is a veteran and father, grandfather and great-grandfather. But for the past two years, he’s also played Father Christmas to dozens of families by paying off past-due utility bills.
It’s something so pedestrian many don’t think about it, but at this time of year, it can be hard for people to come up with the cash for bills and also be able to afford a Christmas celebration for their families.
Esmond said he has a very vivid memory of one year that was like that for him, and it has fueled his generosity.
In 1983, he and his three daughters experienced an electricity shut-off because of unpaid bills as they were strapped for cash, and it was brutal.
“That year, we didn’t have any heat and it was the coldest recorded temperature (in December) Pensacola has ever had,” Esmond said, according to the Pensacola News Journal. “We had icicles hanging off our windows.”
Last year, that got him thinking.
“I wanted to do something that I felt would really help people at Christmas time who are trying to decide between paying bills and maybe having something cut off, or buying presents for their family,” he said.
“When I got my utility bill this month, I noticed that it said the cutoff date was Dec. 26, so I went to the city and asked how many people were going to have their gas or water shut off before Christmas,” Esmond said, “so they gave me the numbers and I paid them.”
In 2019, that was 36 families at around $4,600. This year, Esmond helped even more families. He called up Joanne Oliver, who works for the town’s utility authority, and asked to pay off the bills of those who were facing discontinued service, CBS News reported.
In total, he paid $7,600 to give 114 families the gift of a warm holiday and a little more cash to spend on immediate needs.
“When we had Hurricane Sally, that did a lot of damage to a lot of residents here,” Esmond told CBS News. “And the pandemic, I know, has a lot of people out of work. … They’ve closed up, they’ve laid people off. So this year, I really felt like I really needed to do something.”
“You can imagine,” he said, “people this time of the year that know they’re behind on their bills, when they get this envelope and when they open it up, it’s a Christmas card from the City of Gulf Breeze telling them that Gulf Breeze Pools has paid your utility bill, and that’s one less stressful thing that you have to worry about.”
Esmond said his motive is simply “to make things a little less stressful and make people a little happier in my community. I’ve heard over and over again in many messages how people, when they read this or heard about it, they cry happily.”
He brushed off the praise he has received, saying he is “not a guy who’s ever really been involved in anything like this where I made people happy” but rather “a guy who goes out and digs in the dirt and builds swimming pools” — but clearly that’s not entirely accurate, and he has a lot of strangers-turned-fans to tell him so.
Some people, hearing of his generosity, have even offered him some cash — but he has a request for them.
“I’ve had people call me out of California, Chicago, Tampa, saying that they wanted to send some money,” Esmond said.
“I said, ‘No, take the money, go do what I did. Start this in your own communities.’ It’s something I can see that we could really pass on and make Christmases better for people in the future.”
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westernjournal--2020-12-15--‘Working Class’ Joe Biden Just Brought on 2 Goldman Sachs Veterans to His Team

The Biden transition team has added two people from America ’ s most beloved company , Goldman Sachs .
Eric Goldstein and Monica Maher are both taking on roles for the Department of Homeland Security and National Security Council review teams , Politico reported .
Politico also noted that Goldstein and Maher were “ quietly added ” in order to advise on cybersecurity matters .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC Allows Goldstein was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs from 1999 to 2017 , where he was “ responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ division ’ s private investment funds , ” according to his LinkedIn profile .
Maher was the Director of Cybersecurity on the National Security Council from 2016 to 2017 during the Trump administration and then joined Goldman Sachs in 2018 after a stint at the Department of Homeland Security , according to her LinkedIn profile .
While there is no doubt that these two are qualified for their positions , it is rather concerning that the Biden team has such a strong preference for people who have worked at financial institutions and consulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Politico playbook also noted that Josh Zoffer will be joining the transition team , who was previously employed by McKinsey & Co. Transportation Secretary nominee and former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was also a consultant for the firm .
McKinsey & Co. is one of the most notable consulting firms in the world , but it is also known for allegedly giving unethical guidance to companies and government agencies .
Most notably , the firm was recently caught in a massive scandal for allegedly suggesting that OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma give rebates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug overdoses .
RELATED : Poll : Here 's Who the Top Pick Is in the Republican and Democrat 2024 Presidential Primaries Biden campaigned on being a fighter for the working class , but giving so many positions to people who are clearly part of the ruling class sets a negative , but unsurprising precedent .
His campaign relied on the eventual endorsements of progressive Sens .
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to get the Democratic nomination , so how do they feel about these personnel choices ?
As much as there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Democratic Party , they will certainly not get that during this administration .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The Biden transition team has added two people from America’s most beloved company, Goldman Sachs.
Eric Goldstein and Monica Maher are both taking on roles for the Department of Homeland Security and National Security Council review teams, Politico reported.
Politico also noted that Goldstein and Maher were “quietly added” in order to advise on cybersecurity matters.
Hackers apparently got into computers at the U.S. Treasury Department and possibly other federal agencies, touching off a government response involving the National Security Council. https://t.co/8KEpoiFLbe — The Associated Press (@AP) December 13, 2020
Goldstein was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs from 1999 to 2017, where he was “responsible for finance and administration functions of the division’s private investment funds,” according to his LinkedIn profile.
Maher was the Director of Cybersecurity on the National Security Council from 2016 to 2017 during the Trump administration and then joined Goldman Sachs in 2018 after a stint at the Department of Homeland Security, according to her LinkedIn profile.
While there is no doubt that these two are qualified for their positions, it is rather concerning that the Biden team has such a strong preference for people who have worked at financial institutions and consulting firms with questionable practices.
Monday’s Politico playbook also noted that Josh Zoffer will be joining the transition team, who was previously employed by McKinsey & Co.
Are you happy with Joe Biden's transition team picks? Yes No
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Transportation Secretary nominee and former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was also a consultant for the firm.
McKinsey & Co. is one of the most notable consulting firms in the world, but it is also known for allegedly giving unethical guidance to companies and government agencies.
Exclusive: McKinsey & Company, the prestigious consulting firm, proposed having Purdue Pharma offer rebates to pharmacy companies for OxyContin overdoses as a way to boost sales during the height of the U.S. opioid crisis, new court documents show. https://t.co/xF11sUVHZf — The New York Times (@nytimes) November 28, 2020
Most notably, the firm was recently caught in a massive scandal for allegedly suggesting that OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma give rebates to health care providers and pharmacies for drug overdoses.
Biden campaigned on being a fighter for the working class, but giving so many positions to people who are clearly part of the ruling class sets a negative, but unsurprising precedent.
Joe Biden: “Let’s not forget who built this country: Working class, middle class people built this country. And unions built the middle class.” — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 1, 2020
His campaign relied on the eventual endorsements of progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to get the Democratic nomination, so how do they feel about these personnel choices?
Across the country, middle and working class families are being squeezed by debt. This is a massive problem, and one that we need all of the best ideas to solve. That’s why today, I’m adopting two plans from @BernieSanders and @ewarren to achieve this. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 15, 2020
As much as there is a desire for progressive populism from many in the Democratic Party, they will certainly not get that during this administration.
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westernjournal--2020-12-15--Donors to Biden’s Campaign May Explain Why Big Tech Censorship Toward Trump Was So Bad

Social media giants Facebook and Twitter manipulate what we all see on our timelines through various algorithms and filters .
The end game , according to numerous former executives for those companies , is to use us for revenue .
The business model works well , so hats off to the innovators .
But what do tech leftists who control the flow of information do once they ’ ve already made themselves incredibly wealthy off our information and login sessions ?
According to a review of Federal Election Commission records , in 2020 , they put their money where their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies donated tens of thousands of dollars to Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign .
We know both companies worked to suppress negative reporting about the Hunter Biden email scandal .
We ’ ve also seen them act as information referees since prior to the election , specifically with regard to the issue of election integrity .
They ’ ve thrown flags at President Donald Trump and conservatives who warned about the potential for election fraud after the USPS was tapped to handle millions of insecure mail ballots .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC Allows Those ballots are now largely the reason millions of Americans don ’ t trust the system anymore , and Big Tech doesn ’ t want that debated online .
More flags !
It ’ s all the more reason to distrust social media , if you suspect they don ’ t have your , or the country ’ s , best interests in mind .
FEC records confirm that Big Tech ’ s elites were all-in for Biden and Democrats this election , according to Fox News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FEC records shows that top executives at the social media companies made large donations to the Biden campaign , including several who gave the legal maximum of $ 2,800 , ” the outlet reported .
At Facebook , Erin Egan , the vice president of public policy , donated $ 2,800 to Biden after already giving $ 2,800 during the primaries .
Also donating the legal maximum per election of $ 2,800 were Facebook vice presidents Gene Alston , Michael Verdu , Shahriar Rabii and T.S .
Khurana .
David Wehner , Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave the Biden campaign $ 2,800 .
During the primary , Facebook chief revenue officer David Fischer donated $ 2,800 and gave another $ 750 during the general election .
Fox News couldn ’ t find a single donation from top Twitter or Facebook executives to Trump , which seems a bit brazen .
If you ’ ve got endless cash and your hands positioned to put a kink on the information hose , why not at least dole out a few bucks to buy yourself some of Jim Biden ’ s alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here 's Who the Top Pick Is in the Republican and Democrat 2024 Presidential Primaries Twitter executives didn ’ t feel the need to offer themselves a way to deny their bias , at least not through campaign contributions .
The company executives were not the only ones contributing , as “ dozens of Twitter and Facebook employees with ‘ manager ’ or ‘ director ’ in their titles donated at least $ 1,000 to Biden ’ s campaign.
” Twitter ’ s senior director Ryan Oliver gave Biden $ 2,800 , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrat the same amount , both during the primary and the general election .
The FEC records revealed that Facebook public policy directors Steve Satterfield and Michael Matthews , product manager Brett Keintz and director Ibrahim Okuyucu each gave Biden $ 2,800 .
Facebook program manager David Debartolo donated that amount twice — once during the primary and again during the election .
However , at least two people over at Mark Zuckerberg ’ s data mining enterprise can claim to be impartial .
“ Just two Facebook employees with ‘ manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ title donated to Trump ’ s campaign , neither of whom gave more than $ 300 , according to FEC records .
Zero Twitter employees with those titles donated to Trump ’ s campaign , FEC records show , ” Fox News reported .
It ’ s unlikely that any of the donations had any effect on the outcome of the election itself , and Twitter said as much in a statement to Fox News .
On Monday , Twitter spokesman Trenton Kennedy said the company has “ stated many times — that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impartially for everyone on our service.
” “ Political ideology — especially that of our employees — plays no part in this process , ” he said .
But perhaps we will never know what that actual outcome was .
A great many people feel as if the reported election results will forever be shrouded in a dark cloud .
There has been too much scandal , too many irregularities and too much institutional bias — which is in-turn disputed by social media ’ s nameless and faceless fact-checkers .
But the FEC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more light on the motives of Big Tech ’ s decision-makers .
Those people spent the entirety of the election engaging in censorship of conservatives and large-scale gaslighting of users who questioned the official lines from Democrats and the corporate media .
Big Tech ’ s influence on the election is hard to measure , but Silicon Valley did everything it could to help Biden .
Big Tech wasn ’ t interested in being impartial , or in offering users a platform where they could evaluate information for themselves .
The donations from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we already knew , which is that these people are partisan actors with their hands on the controls .
Whether Twitter and Facebook ’ s bigwigs donated to Biden while simultaneously running interference for him was motivated through altruism or through self-interest remains to be seen .
The swamp , as we know , is very deep .
But one thing is clear : as long social media companies are allowed to monetize and manipulate the discourse , they are an existential threat to the First Amendment .
Technocrats hold unprecedented influence over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the tank for Democrats .
If they ’ re willing to act with their wallets , what might they be willing to do with their platforms ?
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Social media giants Facebook and Twitter manipulate what we all see on our timelines through various algorithms and filters. The end game, according to numerous former executives for those companies, is to use us for revenue.
The business model works well, so hats off to the innovators. But what do tech leftists who control the flow of information do once they’ve already made themselves incredibly wealthy off our information and login sessions?
According to a review of Federal Election Commission records, in 2020, they put their money where their mouths were. Top execs at both companies donated tens of thousands of dollars to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.
We know both companies worked to suppress negative reporting about the Hunter Biden email scandal. We’ve also seen them act as information referees since prior to the election, specifically with regard to the issue of election integrity.
They’ve thrown flags at President Donald Trump and conservatives who warned about the potential for election fraud after the USPS was tapped to handle millions of insecure mail ballots.
Those ballots are now largely the reason millions of Americans don’t trust the system anymore, and Big Tech doesn’t want that debated online. More flags! It’s all the more reason to distrust social media, if you suspect they don’t have your, or the country’s, best interests in mind.
FEC records confirm that Big Tech’s elites were all-in for Biden and Democrats this election, according to Fox News.
“A Fox News review of FEC records shows that top executives at the social media companies made large donations to the Biden campaign, including several who gave the legal maximum of $2,800,” the outlet reported.
At Facebook, Erin Egan, the vice president of public policy, donated $2,800 to Biden after already giving $2,800 during the primaries.
Do you think social media platforms should be broken up and/or regulated? 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: 99% (980 Votes) No: 1% (6 Votes)
Also donating the legal maximum per election of $2,800 were Facebook vice presidents Gene Alston, Michael Verdu, Shahriar Rabii and T.S. Khurana.
David Wehner, Facebook’s chief financial officer, also gave the Biden campaign $2,800.
During the primary, Facebook chief revenue officer David Fischer donated $2,800 and gave another $750 during the general election.
Marne Levine, Instagram’s chief operating officer, also gave $2,800.
Fox News couldn’t find a single donation from top Twitter or Facebook executives to Trump, which seems a bit brazen. If you’ve got endless cash and your hands positioned to put a kink on the information hose, why not at least dole out a few bucks to buy yourself some of Jim Biden’s alleged plausible deniability?
Twitter executives didn’t feel the need to offer themselves a way to deny their bias, at least not through campaign contributions.
Vice president Matt Derella donated $2,000 to Biden.
The company executives were not the only ones contributing, as “dozens of Twitter and Facebook employees with ‘manager’ or ‘director’ in their titles donated at least $1,000 to Biden’s campaign.”
Twitter’s senior director Ryan Oliver gave Biden $2,800, while senior product management director James Kelm gave the Democrat the same amount, both during the primary and the general election.
The FEC records revealed that Facebook public policy directors Steve Satterfield and Michael Matthews, product manager Brett Keintz and director Ibrahim Okuyucu each gave Biden $2,800.
Facebook program manager David Debartolo donated that amount twice — once during the primary and again during the election.
However, at least two people over at Mark Zuckerberg’s data mining enterprise can claim to be impartial.
“Just two Facebook employees with ‘manager’ or ‘director’ in their title donated to Trump’s campaign, neither of whom gave more than $300, according to FEC records. Zero Twitter employees with those titles donated to Trump’s campaign, FEC records show,” Fox News reported.
It’s unlikely that any of the donations had any effect on the outcome of the election itself, and Twitter said as much in a statement to Fox News.
On Monday, Twitter spokesman Trenton Kennedy said the company has “stated many times — that we enforce the Twitter rules judiciously and impartially for everyone on our service.”
“Political ideology — especially that of our employees — plays no part in this process,” he said.
But perhaps we will never know what that actual outcome was.
A great many people feel as if the reported election results will forever be shrouded in a dark cloud. There has been too much scandal, too many irregularities and too much institutional bias — which is in-turn disputed by social media’s nameless and faceless fact-checkers.
But the FEC disclosures are important in that they shed more light on the motives of Big Tech’s decision-makers. Those people spent the entirety of the election engaging in censorship of conservatives and large-scale gaslighting of users who questioned the official lines from Democrats and the corporate media.
Big Tech’s influence on the election is hard to measure, but Silicon Valley did everything it could to help Biden. Big Tech wasn’t interested in being impartial, or in offering users a platform where they could evaluate information for themselves.
The donations from company execs and employees merely affirm what we already knew, which is that these people are partisan actors with their hands on the controls.
Whether Twitter and Facebook’s bigwigs donated to Biden while simultaneously running interference for him was motivated through altruism or through self-interest remains to be seen. The swamp, as we know, is very deep.
But one thing is clear: As long as social media companies are allowed to monetize and manipulate the discourse, they are an existential threat to the First Amendment. Technocrats hold unprecedented influence over the culture, and they’re in the tank for Democrats.
If they’re willing to act with their wallets, what might they be willing to do with their platforms?
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--2020-12-15--Biden, Harris Move Against Guns Before Getting in Office: ‘It’s Past Time’

The political party that controls cities where shootings are out of control wants to talk about controlling Americans ’ guns .
In a year when the Democratic bastions of New York , Chicago and Los Angeles are witnessing sharp spikes in criminal gun violence , presumptive president-elect Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris tried to use the eighth anniversary of the tragedy at Connecticut ’ s Sandy Hook Elementary School to push more “ common sense ” gun laws .
But when it comes to Democrats and guns , not much is sensible .
In a prepared statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elementary school shooting that left 20 children and six adults dead , Biden addressed the survivors of those who died with a vow to end “ gun violence.
” “ Together with you and millions of our fellow Americans of every background all across our nation , we will fight to end this scourge on our society and enact common sense reforms that are supported by a majority of Americans and that will save countless lives , ” the statement said .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Twitter post , Harris declared that “ [ t ] o honor the lives lost in this terrible tragedy , it ’ s past time we implement common-sense gun safety reforms to keep our children safe.
” It ’ s important to note that when Democrats like Harris say “ common sense gun safety reforms , ” what they really mean is the strictest regime possible , preferably one that confiscates the most popular weapons completely .
( Ask former Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke . )
But as Breitbart News Second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a piece on Tuesday , Democratic ideas for keeping children safe from gun violence are already in place in New York City , and the results are not a solid argument for convincing Americans to give up a constitutionally protected right .
Under the leadership of the reckless , feckless Democrat Bill de Blasio , New York City shootings had nearly doubled through November 2020 over 2019 , according to WABC-TV .
In Chicago , where gun control laws are among the tightest in the country , the city has seen shootings rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same period last year , according to the Chicago Sun-Times .
And in Los Angeles , the largest city in a Democrat-controlled state with strict gun control laws , shootings were up by almost a third and fatal shootings were up by 25 percent through October compared to the same period last year , according to the Los Angeles Times .
Those are numbers from the here and now – in the stricken year of 2020 .
And they ’ re happening under the kind of laws Democrats want to inflict on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RELATED : Poll : Here 's Who the Top Pick Is in the Republican and Democrat 2024 Presidential Primaries Yet for Democrats like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris , what happened at Sandy Hook eight years ago should apparently be the determining factor in whether American citizens should be stripped of a constitutional right .
Obviously , the deaths of children at the hands of a madman is a tragedy – and one that every human being of good faith should both mourn and condemn , not try to use as a political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when rioters have ruled the streets of once-proud cities , and lunatics on the left talk about a program to “ defund police ” as though the world would be a utopia without armed men and women who are willing to risk their lives every day for the safety of their fellow citizens .
( And whom , by the way , do liberals expect to enforce any gun control laws they pass — social workers ? )
It ’ s almost beyond understanding that the shooting at Sandy Hook , or other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Douglas High School in 2018 , could be used as an argument to convince Americans to surrender their right to self-defense .
The killings at Sandy Hook at the hands of a madman were a tragedy in 2012 ; they shouldn ’ t be a political prop in 2020 .
Liberals have a long and established history of attempting to use the death of innocents to advance their political agenda .
( Of course , in the case of abortion , the death of innocents is their political agenda . )
With President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country was blessed with a pro-gun president , and with Republicans in control of the Senate , all sides in the gun control wars knew there wasn ’ t a chance of major gun-grabbing legislation being passed and signed into law .
With the presidential election all but decided against Trump , and the fate of the Senate hanging on two runoff elections in Georgia , the situation has changed — and the latest battle over gun rights is only just beginning .
And now Biden and Harris have made it clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in gun rights — and those who oppose them — just where they stand .
The Democratic Party ’ s own record failure at controlling violence by imposing gun control laws on jurisdictions unfortunate enough to be under its power is convincing proof of the basic flaw in its logic .
The strictest gun laws in the country haven ’ t stopped crime in a year when criminals apparently feel immune to police pressure , thanks to progressive activists .
To talk about taking away the gun rights of the vast majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is worse than just not sensible – it borders on insane .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The political party that controls cities where shootings are out of control wants to talk about controlling Americans’ guns.
In a year when the Democratic bastions of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are witnessing sharp spikes in criminal gun violence, presumptive president-elect Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris tried to use the eighth anniversary of the tragedy at Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary School to push more “common sense” gun laws.
But when it comes to Democrats and guns, not much is sensible.
In a prepared statement on the Dec. 14, 2012, elementary school shooting that left 20 children and six adults dead, Biden addressed the survivors of those who died with a vow to end “gun violence.”
“Together with you and millions of our fellow Americans of every background all across our nation, we will fight to end this scourge on our society and enact common sense reforms that are supported by a majority of Americans and that will save countless lives,” the statement said.
In a Twitter post, Harris declared that “[t]o honor the lives lost in this terrible tragedy, it’s past time we implement common-sense gun safety reforms to keep our children safe.”
Today marks 8 years since 20 first-graders and 6 educators were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School. To honor the lives lost in this terrible tragedy, it’s past time we implement common-sense gun safety reforms to keep our children safe. pic.twitter.com/YmsIWM6dDG — Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) December 14, 2020
It’s important to note that when Democrats like Harris say “common sense gun safety reforms,” what they really mean is the strictest regime possible, preferably one that confiscates the most popular weapons completely. (Ask former Rep. Beto O’Rourke.)
Do you think new anti-gun laws are coming at the federal level? 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: 83% (3010 Votes) No: 17% (632 Votes)
But as Breitbart News Second Amendment writer John Hawkins pointed out in a piece on Tuesday, Democratic ideas for keeping children safe from gun violence are already in place in New York City, and the results are not a solid argument for convincing Americans to give up a constitutionally protected right.
Under the leadership of the reckless, feckless Democrat Bill de Blasio, New York City shootings had nearly doubled through November 2020 over 2019, according to WABC-TV.
In Chicago, where gun control laws are among the tightest in the country, the city has seen shootings rise more than 50 percent through November over the same period last year, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
And in Los Angeles, the largest city in a Democrat-controlled state with strict gun control laws, shootings were up by almost a third and fatal shootings were up by 25 percent through October compared to the same period last year, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Those are numbers from the here and now – in the stricken year of 2020. And they’re happening under the kind of laws Democrats want to inflict on the country on a national basis.
Yet for Democrats like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, what happened at Sandy Hook eight years ago should apparently be the determining factor in whether American citizens should be stripped of a constitutional right.
Obviously, the deaths of children at the hands of a madman is a tragedy – and one that every human being of good faith should both mourn and condemn, not try to use as a political prop.
But this is a year when rioters have ruled the streets of once-proud cities, and lunatics on the left talk about a program to “defund police” as though the world would be a utopia without armed men and women who are willing to risk their lives every day for the safety of their fellow citizens. (And whom, by the way, do liberals expect to enforce any gun control laws they pass — social workers?)
It’s almost beyond understanding that the shooting at Sandy Hook, or other massacres like Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, could be used as an argument to convince Americans to surrender their right to self-defense.
The killings at Sandy Hook at the hands of a madman were a tragedy in 2012; they shouldn’t be a political prop in 2020.
Liberals have a long and established history of attempting to use the death of innocents to advance their political agenda. (Of course, in the case of abortion, the death of innocents is their political agenda.)
With President Donald Trump in the White House, the country was blessed with a pro-gun president, and with Republicans in control of the Senate, all sides in the gun control wars knew there wasn’t a chance of major gun-grabbing legislation being passed and signed into law.
With the presidential election all but decided against Trump, and the fate of the Senate hanging on two runoff elections in Georgia, the situation has changed — and the latest battle over gun rights is only just beginning.
And now Biden and Harris have made it clear, again, to those who believe in gun rights — and those who oppose them — just where they stand.
The Democratic Party’s own record failure at controlling violence by imposing gun control laws on jurisdictions unfortunate enough to be under its power is convincing proof of the basic flaw in its logic. The strictest gun laws in the country haven’t stopped crime in a year when criminals apparently feel immune to police pressure, thanks to progressive activists.
To talk about taking away the gun rights of the vast majority of Americans who are neither criminals nor madmen is worse than just not sensible – it borders on insane.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
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* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-12-15--NY Lawmaker Calls for Investigation of Gov. Cuomo After Ex-Staffer’s Serious Allegation

New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik is calling for an independent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against New York Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo that surfaced over the weekend .
“ I am publicly calling for an independent investigation into the serious allegations of pervasive workspace sexual harassment and verbal abuse by Governor Andrew Cuomo , ” she said in a statement , according to WRGB-TV .
“ The people of New York deserve a Governor who lives up to his own public statements on sexual harassment.
” Stefanik added that Cuomo “ should be held to his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Post .
“ Just as Governor Cuomo appointed an independent investigator to investigate victims ’ allegations against former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman , a completely independent investigation must exclude all Cuomo appointees and political allies.
” TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC Allows Lindsey Boylan , a former aide to Cuomo who is running for Manhattan borough president , accused the Democratic governor of sexual harassment on Sunday .
“ Yes , @ NYGovCuomo sexually harassed me for years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she tweeted .
“ I would never anticipate what to expect : would I be grilled on my work ( which was very good ) or harassed about my looks .
Or would it be both in the same conversation ?
This was the way for years.
” She said that the most upsetting part was that no one ever said anything when they saw it happen and she said she knows she is not the only woman Cuomo harrassed .
“ I ’ m angry to be put in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am a woman , I can work hard my whole life to better myself and help others and yet still fall victim as countless women over generations have .
Mostly silently , ” Boylan tweeted .
“ I hate that some men , like @ NYGovCuomo abuse their power.
” RELATED : Glenn Beck Has a Theory on The Real Reason Biden Wants the White House Doorknobs Removed Cuomo defended himself on Monday and told reporters that the allegations were “ not true.
” “ I fought for and I believe , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and express her opinion and express issues and concerns that she has .
But it ’ s just not true , ” he said , according to WRGB .
Cuomo spokeswoman Caitlin Girouard added , “ There is zero truth whatsoever to these claims , ” told the Post .
Boylan worked for the Cumo administration from March 2015 to October 2018 , serving as executive vice president of Empire State Development and then as a special advisor to Cuomo for economic development , WRGB reported .
We are committed to truth and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Read our editorial standards .

New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik is calling for an independent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo that surfaced over the weekend.
“I am publicly calling for an independent investigation into the serious allegations of pervasive workspace sexual harassment and verbal abuse by Governor Andrew Cuomo,” she said in a statement, according to WRGB-TV.
“The people of New York deserve a Governor who lives up to his own public statements on sexual harassment.”
Stefanik added that Cuomo “should be held to his own stated standards,” according to the New York Post.
“Just as Governor Cuomo appointed an independent investigator to investigate victims’ allegations against former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a completely independent investigation must exclude all Cuomo appointees and political allies.”
Lindsey Boylan, a former aide to Cuomo who is running for Manhattan borough president, accused the Democratic governor of sexual harassment on Sunday.
“Yes, @NYGovCuomo sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched,” she tweeted.
“I would never anticipate what to expect: would I be grilled on my work (which was very good) or harassed about my looks. Or would it be both in the same conversation? This was the way for years.”
Yes, @NYGovCuomo sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched. I could never anticipate what to expect: would I be grilled on my work (which was very good) or harassed about my looks. Or would it be both in the same conversation? This was the way for years. — Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 13, 2020
She said that the most upsetting part was that no one ever said anything when they saw it happen and she said she knows she is not the only woman Cuomo harrassed.
“I’m angry to be put in this situation at all. That because I am a woman, I can work hard my whole life to better myself and help others and yet still fall victim as countless women over generations have. Mostly silently,” Boylan tweeted.
“I hate that some men, like @NYGovCuomo abuse their power.”
I’m angry to be put in this situation at all. That because I am a woman, I can work hard my whole life to better myself and help others and yet still fall victim as countless women over generations have. Mostly silently. I hate that some men, like @NYGovCuomo abuse their power. — Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) December 13, 2020
Cuomo defended himself on Monday and told reporters that the allegations were “not true.”
“I fought for and I believe, a woman has the right to come forward and express her opinion and express issues and concerns that she has. But it’s just not true,” he said, according to WRGB.
Do you think there are more women with similar allegations against Cuomo? Yes No
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Cuomo spokeswoman Caitlin Girouard added, “There is zero truth whatsoever to these claims,” told the Post.
Boylan worked for the Cumo administration from March 2015 to October 2018, serving as executive vice president of Empire State Development and then as a special advisor to Cuomo for economic development, WRGB reported.
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westernjournal--2020-12-15--Mitch McConnell Congratulates Joe Biden from the Senate Floor

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated Joe Biden from the Senate floor Tuesday , one day after the Electoral College formally voted to elect Biden on Monday .
“ Yesterday , electors met in all 50 states .
So as of this morning , our country has , officially , a president-elect and vice president-elect , ” McConnell said .
“ So today I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden .
The president-elect is no stranger to the Senate .
He ’ s devoted himself to public service for many years.
” The Kentucky Republican also congratulated Sen. Kamala Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the very first time , ” McConnell said .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC Allows His remarks were prefaced with praise for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence , The Baltimore Sun reported .
McConnell cited Trump ’ s nomination of three Supreme Court justices , and the Senate ’ s confirmation of each , among Trump ’ s “ endless ” accomplishments in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among many other Republicans who acknowledged Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election after the Electoral College formalized the vote .
Senate Majority Whip John Thune told reporters Monday that it was time to “ move on.
” “ I understand there are people who feel strongly about the outcome of this election .
But in the end at some point you have to face the music , ” the South Dakota Republican said .
“ And I think that once the Electoral College settles the issue today , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Sen. John Cornyn added that he believed it would be a “ bad mistake ” for Republican lawmakers to attempt to challenge the election outcome .
“ I think there comes a time when you have to realize that , despite your best efforts you ’ ve been unsuccessful , that ’ s sort of the nature of these elections , ” the Texas Republican said , according to CBS News .
RELATED : Senate Approves Defense Bill Despite Trump 's Threat To Veto Over Big Tech Protections With many Republican senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unlikely any effort to try to persuade Congress not to certify the Electoral College vote would be successful , Reuters reported .
Trump continued to claim that there is evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 Election Tuesday morning .
“ Tremendous evidence pouring in on voter fraud .
There has never been anything like this in our Country !
” Trump tweeted .
Numerous affidavits testifying to various types of election fraud have been filed in courts in several swing states .
These affidavits constitute evidence of fraud , but those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those courts .
The legal action remains ongoing .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated Joe Biden from the Senate floor Tuesday, one day after the Electoral College formally voted to elect Biden on Monday.
“Yesterday, electors met in all 50 states. So as of this morning, our country has, officially, a president-elect and vice president-elect,” McConnell said.
“So today I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden. The president-elect is no stranger to the Senate. He’s devoted himself to public service for many years.”
The Kentucky Republican also congratulated Sen. Kamala Harris of California.
“Beyond our differences, all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the very first time,” McConnell said.
“The Electoral College has spoken”: Sen. Mitch McConnell acknowledged Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ win for the first time on Tuesday. He congratulated both of them and said “all Americans can take pride” in having the first female vice-president elect https://t.co/Ix2c3u1T0V pic.twitter.com/x5fgbYL9X2 — CBS News (@CBSNews) December 15, 2020
His remarks were prefaced with praise for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, The Baltimore Sun reported.
McConnell cited Trump’s nomination of three Supreme Court justices, and the Senate’s confirmation of each, among Trump’s “endless” accomplishments in his four years in office.
McConnell was among many other Republicans who acknowledged Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election after the Electoral College formalized the vote.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune told reporters Monday that it was time to “move on.”
“I understand there are people who feel strongly about the outcome of this election. But in the end at some point you have to face the music,” the South Dakota Republican said.
“And I think that once the Electoral College settles the issue today, it’s time for everybody to move on.”
Sen. John Cornyn added that he believed it would be a “bad mistake” for Republican lawmakers to attempt to challenge the election outcome.
“I think there comes a time when you have to realize that, despite your best efforts you’ve been unsuccessful, that’s sort of the nature of these elections,” the Texas Republican said, according to CBS News.
Do you think there is evidence of voter fraud? 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: 99% (387 Votes) No: 1% (3 Votes)
With many Republican senators acknowledging a win for Biden, it is unlikely any effort to try to persuade Congress not to certify the Electoral College vote would be successful, Reuters reported.
Trump continued to claim that there is evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 Election Tuesday morning.
“Tremendous evidence pouring in on voter fraud. There has never been anything like this in our Country!” Trump tweeted.
Tremendous evidence pouring in on voter fraud. There has never been anything like this in our Country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2020
Numerous affidavits testifying to various types of election fraud have been filed in courts in several swing states. These affidavits constitute evidence of fraud, but those allegations have yet to be proven by those courts. The legal action remains ongoing.
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westernjournal--2020-12-15--Age 2 Boy Abandoned at Goodwill Donation Center with Heartbreaking Note and Change of Clothes

It ’ s difficult enough to imagine what would drive a person to abandon a pet , but it ’ s even harder to understand when it ’ s a child that is abandoned .
On Monday morning in Southaven , Mississippi , that ’ s exactly what happened .
A 2-year-old boy was left at a Goodwill with a plastic shopping bag containing some food , some clothes and a note on a paper towel that read “ child abandoned…no phone number for mom , ” according to WREG-TV .
While the boy was unable to tell finders his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fingers when asked how old he was .
Thankfully he didn ’ t seem too shaken up and was playing , laughing and eating snacks when the police arrived .
“ Goodwill learned that a two-year-old child was left at a Goodwill attended donation center , ” a Goodwill spokesperson told People .
“ The child was accompanied by an adult who dropped the child off , but it is not known what relationship they have with the child .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least 85,000 Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the child is our top priority and we are very sorry to hear about the circumstances of this young child .
“ Upon knowing the child ’ s circumstances , we immediately reported the situation to police .
Our security leaders are working closely with local authorities , including reviewing surveillance footage .
At this time , the matter is an ongoing investigation with the police.
” The Southaven Police Department posted on Facebook about the child , asking for the public ’ s help .
“ The suspect , a light-skinned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a black cowboy hat , dropped the child off with a plastic bag containing a change of clothes and a note , ” the department wrote .
“ The suspect then left the scene on foot .
“ Responding officers but were unable to locate the suspect .
The male child is approximately 2 years old and is unable to give his name or the names of his parents or relatives.
” Authorities also circulated images from surveillance cameras of two people who are believed to be connected to the incident .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light-skinned black male , ” many people are insisting that the suspect looks like a woman dressed in men ’ s clothes .
“ Nearby surveillance video captured images of both a male and female associated with this incident and the vehicle they were driving when the child was abandoned , ” the police department wrote .
“ If you recognize either person or the vehicle they are driving , please contact SPD.
” RELATED : Age 7 Girl Asks To See Best Friend Again for Christmas , So Santa Helps Make It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boy ’ s family or even if the people who dropped him off are related to him .
Multiple suspects have been taken into custody .
Meanwhile , the boy is safe and being cared for .
“ Chief Moore would like to thank all of the citizens who showed concern for the child , rest assured he is well , and being taken care of and will be re-united with family when CPS determines this is proper , ” the police department wrote in an update .
“ Thank you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regarding the suspects in this case.
” “ The cooperation from the community and a unified effort from law Enforcement led to the speedy apprehension of suspects.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

It’s difficult enough to imagine what would drive a person to abandon a pet, but it’s even harder to understand when it’s a child that is abandoned.
On Monday morning in Southaven, Mississippi, that’s exactly what happened. A 2-year-old boy was left at a Goodwill with a plastic shopping bag containing some food, some clothes and a note on a paper towel that read “child abandoned…no phone number for mom,” according to WREG-TV.
While the boy was unable to tell finders his name, he did hold up two fingers when asked how old he was. Thankfully he didn’t seem too shaken up and was playing, laughing and eating snacks when the police arrived.
“Goodwill learned that a two-year-old child was left at a Goodwill attended donation center,” a Goodwill spokesperson told People. “The child was accompanied by an adult who dropped the child off, but it is not known what relationship they have with the child.
“The safety of the child is our top priority and we are very sorry to hear about the circumstances of this young child.
“Upon knowing the child’s circumstances, we immediately reported the situation to police. Our security leaders are working closely with local authorities, including reviewing surveillance footage. At this time, the matter is an ongoing investigation with the police.”
The Southaven Police Department posted on Facebook about the child, asking for the public’s help.
“The suspect, a light-skinned black male wearing black jogging pants and a black cowboy hat, dropped the child off with a plastic bag containing a change of clothes and a note,” the department wrote. “The suspect then left the scene on foot.
“Responding officers but were unable to locate the suspect. The male child is approximately 2 years old and is unable to give his name or the names of his parents or relatives.”
Authorities also circulated images from surveillance cameras of two people who are believed to be connected to the incident. While they describe one suspect as a “light-skinned black male,” many people are insisting that the suspect looks like a woman dressed in men’s clothes.
“Nearby surveillance video captured images of both a male and female associated with this incident and the vehicle they were driving when the child was abandoned,” the police department wrote. “If you recognize either person or the vehicle they are driving, please contact SPD.”
Nothing has been shared about the boy’s family or even if the people who dropped him off are related to him. Multiple suspects have been taken into custody. Meanwhile, the boy is safe and being cared for.
“Chief Moore would like to thank all of the citizens who showed concern for the child, rest assured he is well, and being taken care of and will be re-united with family when CPS determines this is proper,” the police department wrote in an update. “Thank you to all of the citizens who offered tips regarding the suspects in this case.”
“The cooperation from the community and a unified effort from law Enforcement led to the speedy apprehension of suspects.”
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westernjournal--2020-12-15--Report: Biden Picks Former Mayor To Head Transportation Department

Joe Biden is expected to pick former South Bend , Indiana , mayor Pete Buttigieg to head the Transportation Department @ @ @ @ @ familiar with the plans .
Buttigieg , one of Biden ’ s rivals for the @ @ @ @ @ his campaign before Super Tuesday and endorsed Biden .
The three people confirmed the news @ @ @ @ @ condition of anonymity .
The Transportation Department helps oversee the nation ’ s highway system @ @ @ @ @ mass transit .
Biden has pledged to spend billions on infrastructure improvements and initiatives to @ @ @ @ @ : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC @ @ @ @ @ immediately mandate mask-wearing on airplanes and public transportation systems .
President Barack Obama ’ s @ @ @ @ @ ex-Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel was once frequently mentioned as a possible pick to head the @ @ @ @ @ now seems unlikely to receive any position in Biden ’ s administration .
We are @ @ @ @ @ in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Joe Biden is expected to pick former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg to head the Transportation Department, according to three people familiar with the plans.
Buttigieg, one of Biden’s rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, suspended his campaign before Super Tuesday and endorsed Biden.
The three people confirmed the news to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The Transportation Department helps oversee the nation’s highway system, planes, trains and mass transit.
Biden has pledged to spend billions on infrastructure improvements and initiatives to battle climate change.
He also wants to immediately mandate mask-wearing on airplanes and public transportation systems.
President Barack Obama’s former chief of staff and ex-Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel was once frequently mentioned as a possible pick to head the Transportation Department, but he now seems unlikely to receive any position in Biden’s administration.
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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--2020-12-15--Feds Order Facebook, Twitter, Amazon To Hand Over Key Information

The Federal Trade Commission on Monday ordered nine prominent social-media and internet companies , including Facebook , Twitter and Amazon , to provide data about their operations as part of a wide-ranging investigation into their business practices .
The orders require the companies in question to provide data on how they collect and use personal information , their advertising and user engagement practices and how their practices affect children and teens , according to a news release .
“ Too much about the industry remains dangerously opaque , ” FTC Commissioners Rohit Chopra , Rebecca Slaughter and Christine Wilson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being investigated are Amazon.com Inc. , Facebook Inc. and its subsidiary Whatsapp Inc. , Reddit Inc. , Snap Inc. , Twitter Inc. , Alphabet Inc ’ s YouTube LLC , Discord Inc. and TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. based in Beijing .
The companies have 45 days after they received the order to respond to the agency .
TRENDING : Dominion Audit : Ballot Error Rate Was At Least 85,000 Times Higher Than FEC Allows Although the orders do not have a specific law enforcement purpose , the information gathered could become the basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Wall Street Journal reported .
The FTC works to promote competition and protect consumers and is also allowed to police deceptive business practices .
“ Social media and video streaming companies now follow users everywhere through apps on their always-present mobile devices , ” FTC Commissioners Rohit Chopra , Rebecca Slaughter and Christine Wilson wrote in a joint statement .
“ This constant access allows these firms to monitor where users go , the people with whom they interact , and what they are doing .
But to what end ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joseph Simons voting to approve the order without comment and Commissioner Noah Phillips dissenting against the majority , according to The WSJ .
“ The 6 ( b ) orders are instead an undisciplined foray into a wide variety of topics , some only tangentially related to the stated focus of this investigation , ” Phillips wrote .
“ The actions undertaken today trade a real opportunity to use scarce government resources to advance public understanding of consumer data privacy practices — critical to informing ongoing policy discussions in the United States and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a litany of gripes with technology companies.
” Most of the companies , with a few exceptions , did not immediately respond to news outlets ’ requests for comment .
“ We ’ re workings , as we always do , to ensure the FTC has the information it needs to understand how Twitter operates its services , ” a Twitter spokesperson told The WSJ .
RELATED : Twitter 'Accident ' Reveals Big Tech 's Ability To Cut Supporters Off from Trump Discord told Reuters that it looked forward to answering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make no money from advertising , selling user data to advertisers , or sharing users ’ personal information with others , ” the company said in an email statement .
“ Instead , the company generates its revenue directly from users through a paid subscription service.
” This is the latest regulatory pressure for big tech companies in Washington .
Facebook and Google have both faced antitrust lawsuits in recent weeks .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The Federal Trade Commission on Monday ordered nine prominent social-media and internet companies, including Facebook, Twitter and Amazon, to provide data about their operations as part of a wide-ranging investigation into their business practices.
The orders require the companies in question to provide data on how they collect and use personal information, their advertising and user engagement practices and how their practices affect children and teens, according to a news release.
“Too much about the industry remains dangerously opaque,” FTC Commissioners Rohit Chopra, Rebecca Slaughter and Christine Wilson said in a statement.
The nine companies being investigated are Amazon.com Inc., Facebook Inc. and its subsidiary Whatsapp Inc., Reddit Inc., Snap Inc., Twitter Inc., Alphabet Inc’s YouTube LLC, Discord Inc. and TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. based in Beijing.
The companies have 45 days after they received the order to respond to the agency.
Although the orders do not have a specific law enforcement purpose, the information gathered could become the basis for future action by the FTC, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The FTC works to promote competition and protect consumers and is also allowed to police deceptive business practices.
“Social media and video streaming companies now follow users everywhere through apps on their always-present mobile devices,” FTC Commissioners Rohit Chopra, Rebecca Slaughter and Christine Wilson wrote in a joint statement.
“This constant access allows these firms to monitor where users go, the people with whom they interact, and what they are doing. But to what end?”
Do you think big tech has too much power? 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: 100% (3033 Votes) No: 0% (6 Votes)
The orders passed 4-1, with Chairman Joseph Simons voting to approve the order without comment and Commissioner Noah Phillips dissenting against the majority, according to The WSJ.
“The 6(b) orders are instead an undisciplined foray into a wide variety of topics, some only tangentially related to the stated focus of this investigation,” Phillips wrote.
“The actions undertaken today trade a real opportunity to use scarce government resources to advance public understanding of consumer data privacy practices — critical to informing ongoing policy discussions in the United States and internationally — for the appearance of action on a litany of gripes with technology companies.”
Most of the companies, with a few exceptions, did not immediately respond to news outlets’ requests for comment.
“We’re workings, as we always do, to ensure the FTC has the information it needs to understand how Twitter operates its services,” a Twitter spokesperson told The WSJ.
Discord told Reuters that it looked forward to answering the FTC’s questions.
“We make no money from advertising, selling user data to advertisers, or sharing users’ personal information with others,” the company said in an email statement.
“Instead, the company generates its revenue directly from users through a paid subscription service.”
This is the latest regulatory pressure for big tech companies in Washington. Facebook and Google have both faced antitrust lawsuits in recent weeks.
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