westernjournal--2020-10-20--Conservative Group Takes Official Action Against Twitter’s Illegal Promotion of Biden

Twitter is continuing to feel the repercussions of its handling of the bombshell Hunter Biden exposé from the New York Post that chronicled his alleged dealings with Ukraine .
The Tea Party Patriots Foundation , which is affiliated with Tea Party Patriots Action , a conservative nonprofit , has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Twitter and two of its top executives for allegedly violating federal campaign finance laws .
The two executives in question are Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey , as well as Twitter Vice President of Global Communications Brandon Borrman .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporate resources to suppress negative news stories about presidential candidate Joe Biden , while disseminating negative news stories and taking other negative actions regarding President Donald Trump , ” a statement from the TPPF reads .
“ Twitter and its executives , Dorsey and Borrman , are knowingly and willfully using the resources of their multi-billion dollar corporate leviathan to assist and promote Biden while at the same time , and for several months now , disseminating negative stories about President Trump , and challenging , blocking and undermining information from and by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beth Martin said in the statement .
“ Federal law prohibits corporations from using their treasury funds and corporate resources in support of or opposition to federal candidates .
Twitter ’ s conduct is in blatant disregard of federal law.
” “ The most glaring example of Twitter ’ s illegal actions is the comparison of how Twitter has treated the New York Times ’ negative stories about President Trump ’ s tax returns — which the New York Times clearly did not obtain properly — versus the blocking by Twitter of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden ’ s son Hunter ’ s use of his father ’ s government positions to enrich himself and the Biden family , ” Martin added .
According to Axios , Twitter ’ s actions against the Hunter Biden story still didn ’ t stop it from being the top election-related story last week , in terms of Facebook and Twitter interactions .
In fact , the story about the social media companies ’ suppression of the Hunter Biden exposé was the second-most popular story on those two platforms .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violations of campaign finance law in amounts involving $ 25,000.00 or more .
Clearly , these lawbreakers at Twitter have willfully and knowingly used the Twitter corporate resources well in excess of $ 25,000 in their ongoing efforts to support the Biden candidacy while opposing President Trump ’ s reelection , ” Martin said .
It ’ s not just Twitter trying to suppress the story .
Multiple television networks gave the explosive allegations less than 10 minutes of coverage total — across two days .
“ Twitter , Dorsey and Borrman must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the law , ” Martin said .
RELATED : Facebook and Twitter Have Censored Trump and His Campaign 65 Times , Biden 0 Times - Report We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
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Twitter is continuing to feel the repercussions of its handling of the bombshell Hunter Biden exposé from the New York Post that chronicled his alleged dealings with Ukraine.
The Tea Party Patriots Foundation, which is affiliated with Tea Party Patriots Action, a conservative nonprofit, has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Twitter and two of its top executives for allegedly violating federal campaign finance laws.
The two executives in question are Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey, as well as Twitter Vice President of Global Communications Brandon Borrman.
“The Complaint details the use of the Twitter corporate resources to suppress negative news stories about presidential candidate Joe Biden, while disseminating negative news stories and taking other negative actions regarding President Donald Trump,” a statement from the TPPF reads.
NEW: Tea Party Patriots Foundation Files FEC Complaint Against Twitter, Inc. & Twitter Executives Jack Dorsey And Brandon Borrman for Illegal Soft Money In-Kind Contributions to the Biden Campaign pic.twitter.com/EqiRKEjyNB — Tea Party Patriots (@TPPatriots) October 20, 2020
“Twitter and its executives, Dorsey and Borrman, are knowingly and willfully using the resources of their multi-billion dollar corporate leviathan to assist and promote Biden while at the same time, and for several months now, disseminating negative stories about President Trump, and challenging, blocking and undermining information from and by President Trump,” TPPF president Jenny Beth Martin said in the statement.
“Federal law prohibits corporations from using their treasury funds and corporate resources in support of or opposition to federal candidates. Twitter’s conduct is in blatant disregard of federal law.”
“The most glaring example of Twitter’s illegal actions is the comparison of how Twitter has treated the New York Times’ negative stories about President Trump’s tax returns — which the New York Times clearly did not obtain properly — versus the blocking by Twitter of the New York Post’s story about Joe Biden’s son Hunter’s use of his father’s government positions to enrich himself and the Biden family,” Martin added.
Do you believe Twitter is illegally promoting Joe Biden? Yes No
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According to Axios, Twitter’s actions against the Hunter Biden story still didn’t stop it from being the top election-related story last week, in terms of Facebook and Twitter interactions.
In fact, the story about the social media companies’ suppression of the Hunter Biden exposé was the second-most popular story on those two platforms.
“There are criminal penalties for willful and knowing violations of campaign finance law in amounts involving $25,000.00 or more. Clearly, these lawbreakers at Twitter have willfully and knowingly used the Twitter corporate resources well in excess of $25,000 in their ongoing efforts to support the Biden candidacy while opposing President Trump’s reelection,” Martin said.
It’s not just Twitter trying to suppress the story. Multiple television networks gave the explosive allegations less than 10 minutes of coverage total — across two days.
“Twitter, Dorsey and Borrman must all be penalized to the fullest extent of the law,” Martin said.
This article appeared originally on Patriot Project.
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westernjournal--2020-10-20--After Lib Media Star Gets Caught Allegedly Masturbating on Work Call, Lib Media Rushes to Defense

Yesterday , CNN legal analyst and New Yorker writer Jeffrey Toobin was caught in flagrante delicto .
First , it came out that he had exposed himself on a work Zoom call .
Then it came out that he hadn ’ t just exposed himself .
He was allegedly masturbating on the call .
The New Yorker promptly suspended Toobin .
He is also on voluntary leave from CNN , and he will no longer be part of the network ’ s election coverage over the next few weeks .
If Toobin were on the right , his public career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s on the left , however , the liberal media has rushed to his defense .
To be clear , they ’ re not explicitly defending Toobin .
Rather , they ’ re saying “ Well , who doesn ’ t do it ?
” Buzzfeed actually ran with the headline , ‘ Jeffrey Toobin Can ’ t Be The Only Person Masturbating On Work Zoom Calls.
’ “ Most striking , ” Buzzfeed reporter Scaachi Koul claimed , “ is how bizarre it is that we haven ’ t read a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Haven ’ t we all done something on a work call that , in normal circumstances , we ’ d never do during a meeting ?
” Koul asked .
Perhaps — I ’ m sure many of us have turned our cameras off to make a quick sandwich or let the dog outside — but that doesn ’ t excuse Toobin ’ s behavior .
There ’ s a big difference between surreptitious snacking and engaging in sexual activity on the clock .
In fairness , the Buzzfeed article was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the mere fact that the outlet treated the story as a joke speaks volumes .
Would any conservative receive the same treatment ?
Conor Friedersdorf of The Atlantic suggested that Toobin had simply made an innocent mistake and that he should be treated with empathy , not mockery .
Vox ’ s German Lopez expressed a similar opinion , tweeting , “ Not sure someone getting caught doing something almost everyone does should be a national story.
” “ One of American culture ’ s worst qualities , and a key contributor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our propensity to punish and humiliate people with little regard to proportionality.
” While Lopez ’ s tweets are no longer available , they can be seen on Twitchy .
I seriously doubt “ almost everyone ” is masturbating during work calls .
It ’ s not like Toobin was home alone and someone walked into his house ; he was on a video call with colleagues .
Moreover , Lopez ’ s comparison to mass incarceration is laughable .
From his statement , you ’ d think Toobin was on death row @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not .
In fact , his “ punishment ” seems eminently proportional , if not too lenient .
If Toobin had acted this way in the office , it would be a fireable ( not to mention criminal ) offense .
Instead , he ’ s been publicly mocked and placed on leave .
Can you imagine anyone on the right being treated so graciously ?
This is unacceptable workplace behavior , even if you are working from home .
It is gross and unprofessional — even if you think you are muted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and anyone who even hints this isn ’ t a big deal should be ashamed of themselves .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Yesterday, CNN legal analyst and New Yorker writer Jeffrey Toobin was caught in flagrante delicto.
First, it came out that he had exposed himself on a work Zoom call.
Then it came out that he hadn’t just exposed himself. He was allegedly masturbating on the call.
The New Yorker promptly suspended Toobin. He is also on voluntary leave from CNN, and he will no longer be part of the network’s election coverage over the next few weeks.
If Toobin were on the right, his public career would likely be over. Because he’s on the left, however, the liberal media has rushed to his defense.
To be clear, they’re not explicitly defending Toobin. Rather, they’re saying “Well, who doesn’t do it?”
Buzzfeed actually ran with the headline, ‘Jeffrey Toobin Can’t Be The Only Person Masturbating On Work Zoom Calls.’
“Most striking,” Buzzfeed reporter Scaachi Koul claimed, “is how bizarre it is that we haven’t read a thousand stories like this during the pandemic.”
“Haven’t we all done something on a work call that, in normal circumstances, we’d never do during a meeting?” Koul asked.
Would the media defend Toobin's actions if he were on the right? Yes No
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Perhaps — I’m sure many of us have turned our cameras off to make a quick sandwich or let the dog outside — but that doesn’t excuse Toobin’s behavior. There’s a big difference between surreptitious snacking and engaging in sexual activity on the clock.
In fairness, the Buzzfeed article was clearly written in a satirical tone, but the mere fact that the outlet treated the story as a joke speaks volumes. Would any conservative receive the same treatment?
Conor Friedersdorf of The Atlantic suggested that Toobin had simply made an innocent mistake and that he should be treated with empathy, not mockery.
When Occam’s Razor suggests someone humiliated himself through a combo of technological error, pandemic circumstances, bad judgment, & bad luck, it seems like we should react w/ empathy, politeness, & forgiveness, as we would want to be treated, rather than punitive mockery — Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) October 19, 2020
Vox’s German Lopez expressed a similar opinion, tweeting, “Not sure someone getting caught doing something almost everyone does should be a national story.”
“One of American culture’s worst qualities, and a key contributor to problems like mass incarceration, is our propensity to punish and humiliate people with little regard to proportionality.”
While Lopez’s tweets are no longer available, they can be seen on Twitchy.
I seriously doubt “almost everyone” is masturbating during work calls. It’s not like Toobin was home alone and someone walked into his house; he was on a video call with colleagues.
Moreover, Lopez’s comparison to mass incarceration is laughable. From his statement, you’d think Toobin was on death row for his actions. He’s not. In fact, his “punishment” seems eminently proportional, if not too lenient.
If Toobin had acted this way in the office, it would be a fireable (not to mention criminal) offense. Instead, he’s been publicly mocked and placed on leave.
Can you imagine anyone on the right being treated so graciously?
This is unacceptable workplace behavior, even if you are working from home. It is gross and unprofessional — even if you think you are muted, hidden and just listening.
Toobin and anyone who even hints this isn’t a big deal should be ashamed of themselves.
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westernjournal--2020-10-20--Pro Wrestler Príncipe Aéreo Dead at Age 26 After Collapsing During Match

Fans present at a wrestling match between Luis Ángel Salazar , known in the ring as “ Príncipe Aéreo , ” and “ Redeemed ” on Saturday night watched as 26-year-old Salazar collapsed on the mat .
The tag-team match was being held east of the Mexican capital , in Ciudad Netzahualcóyotl , at Arena San Juan Pantitlán .
Video of the match shows the wrestler had just received slaps to the chest and a kick to the stomach from Redeemed , but shortly after he staggered sideways and fell flat on his back .
Salazar ’ s opponent seemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and soon the referee was involved , too .
Another wrestler even kicked Redeemed while he was kneeling next to Salazar , but soon he too realized this wasn ’ t part of the evening ’ s plans .
According to the BBC , medics entered the ring and began attending to Salazar , and he was taken across the street to a clinic , but he was already gone .
Rumors spread about the cause of death being a heart attack , but the autopsy showed that it was actually a ruptured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 26-year-old .
Salazar ’ s passing has elicited an outpouring of support and condolences from around the world .
“ My deepest condolences to the family , friends and fans of luchador Principe Aereo , who died in the ring , following an apparent stroke , ” former WWE star Mick Foley tweeted .
Other wrestling events have held moments of applause to remember the young wrestler .
“ The Naucalpan Arena gave a minute of applause to Príncipe Aéreo , ” the Más Lucha 14 Años twitter account shared .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crash with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Family On Board “ Very sad news about the death of # PrincipeAereo , ” a translation of a tweet from wrestler “ El Hijo del Santo ” says .
“ I wish his family prompt resignation and eternal rest for him.
” Principe had been wrestling for around a decade , and many are shocked that he has been taken at such a young age .
Wrestlers and the organizer of the match , The Mexa Wrestling company , have volunteered to pay for the medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money to help out his family during this time of loss .
Did you know that The Western Journal now publishes some content in Spanish as well as English , for international audiences ?
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Fans present at a wrestling match between Luis Ángel Salazar, known in the ring as “Príncipe Aéreo,” and “Redeemed” on Saturday night watched as 26-year-old Salazar collapsed on the mat.
The tag-team match was being held east of the Mexican capital, in Ciudad Netzahualcóyotl, at Arena San Juan Pantitlán.
Video of the match shows the wrestler had just received slaps to the chest and a kick to the stomach from Redeemed, but shortly after he staggered sideways and fell flat on his back. Salazar’s opponent seemed to quickly notice something was wrong, and soon the referee was involved, too.
Another wrestler even kicked Redeemed while he was kneeling next to Salazar, but soon he too realized this wasn’t part of the evening’s plans.
According to the BBC, medics entered the ring and began attending to Salazar, and he was taken across the street to a clinic, but he was already gone.
Rumors spread about the cause of death being a heart attack, but the autopsy showed that it was actually a ruptured middle cerebral artery that claimed the life of the 26-year-old.
Salazar’s passing has elicited an outpouring of support and condolences from around the world.
“My deepest condolences to the family, friends and fans of luchador Principe Aereo, who died in the ring, following an apparent stroke,” former WWE star Mick Foley tweeted.
“Rest in peace Principe.”
Other wrestling events have held moments of applause to remember the young wrestler.
La Arena Naucalpan rindió un minuto de aplausos a Príncipe Aéreo pic.twitter.com/hAhBKET7Bn — Más Lucha 14 Años (@mas_lucha) October 19, 2020
“The Naucalpan Arena gave a minute of applause to Príncipe Aéreo,” the Más Lucha 14 Años twitter account shared.
“Very sad news about the death of #PrincipeAereo,” a translation of a tweet from wrestler “El Hijo del Santo” says. “I wish his family prompt resignation and eternal rest for him.”
Muy triste noticia el fallecimiento de #PrincipeAereo deseo pronta resignación a su familia y para él descanso eterno. — El Hijo del Santo (@ElHijodelSanto) October 18, 2020
Principe had been wrestling for around a decade, and many are shocked that he has been taken at such a young age.
Wrestlers and the organizer of the match, The Mexa Wrestling company, have volunteered to pay for the medical and funeral costs as well as raise money to help out his family during this time of loss.
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westernjournal--2020-10-20--Report: New Docs in Hunter Biden Laptop Scandal Discredits Left’s ‘Russia’ Narrative

New documents obtained by Fox News appear to give more credibility to accounts relating to a laptop reportedly left at a Delaware computer repair shop last year by Hunter Biden .
Those documents also significantly damage the establishment media ’ s arguments that the latest Biden scandal is merely another Russian disinformation campaign .
As the New York Post first reported Wednesday , the younger Biden dropped off three MacBook computers at The Mac Shop in Wilmington , Delaware , in April 2019 .
After Hunter Biden failed to return for the hardware , reportedly , the shop ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mac Isaac , eventually retained legal ownership of the computers and their contents .
He didn ’ t like what he saw when dissecting the files on a hard drive , so he called the FBI , according to the Post .
According to a Fox News report , there is more reason today to believe that what has been reported about the contents of that hard drive is credible , after the outlet obtained a document containing Hunter Biden ’ s alleged signature .
“ The document allegedly signed by Biden details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on three MacBook Pro laptops… Aside from the signature , the paperwork notes Biden ’ s name in the ‘ bill to ’ section for a cost of $ 85.
” Fox noted it could not verify the signature on the document as belonging to Hunter Biden , but that doesn ’ t exclude the younger Biden from being the signer , either .
While certainly not conclusive , this is worth a second look by anyone genuinely seeking to get to the bottom of this story : Issac reportedly made copies of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended up in the hands of Trump attorney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani , and eventually the Post .
RELATED : Trump Refuses To Let Schiff 's Attempt To Spin Biden Laptop Story Fly : 'He 's a Sick Man' The files purport to show Hunter Biden selling influence to his father , while Joe Biden was the United States vice president , and also show the current Democratic presidential nominee himself involved in the apparent corruption .
We simply don ’ t know the truth at this point , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t helping to discredit continued probes into the scandal .
Fox News reported on the FBI ’ s interaction with Issac , and independently confirmed authenticity of at least one email reportedly unearthed from the hard drive .
“ Isaac received a subpoena to testify before U.S. District Court in Delaware on Dec. 9 , 2019 , the documents show .
One page shows what appears to be serial numbers for a laptop and hard drive taken into possession.
” “ So far , the FBI and Delaware ’ s U.S. Attorney ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the situation.
” And on that reported authenticated email , Fox noted : “ One email , dated May 13 , 2017 , and obtained by Fox News , includes a discussion of ‘ remuneration packages ’ for six people in a business deal with a now-bankrupt CEFC China Energy Co .
The email appeared to identify Hunter Biden as ‘ Chair / Vice Chair depending on agreement with CEFC.
’ “ The email includes a note that ‘ Hunter has some office expectations he will elaborate.
’ A proposed equity split @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ and ; 10 held by H for the big guy ?
” with no further details.
” “ Fox News spoke to one of the people who was copied on the email , who confirmed its authenticity .
“ Sources told Fox News that ‘ the big guy ’ is a reference to the former vice president.
” One of the country ’ s largest newspapers broke a major story which is now being backed up in part by the country ’ s most-watched cable news network , and the media , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the intelligence community are now attempting to sweep the entire story on under the rug with no apparent desire to take an independent look at the reported files .
The smear campaign against the reporting shows just how deep the desire to see this story go away really is .
Naturally , the aforementioned parties and big-name Democrats like House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff are blaming alleged mysterious foreign meddling as the genesis for the Biden reporting .
If you did nothing but watch establishment media TV programming all day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlets via traditional print or social media , you ’ d get the impression that there are Russian operatives waiting around the corner at every turn , just waiting to pounce with disinformation .
“ More than 50 former senior intelligence officials have signed on to a letter outlining their belief that the recent disclosure of emails allegedly belonging to Joe Biden ’ s son ‘ has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.
’ ” “ While the letter ’ s signatories presented no new evidence , they said their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeply suspicious that the Russian government played a significant role in this case ’ and cited several elements of the story that suggested the Kremlin ’ s hand at work .
“ ‘ If we are right , ’ they added , ‘ this is Russia trying to influence how Americans vote in this election , and we believe strongly that Americans need to be aware of this.
’ ” But the swampy Russia narrative , at this point , seems to be more dangerous than Russia itself with regard to the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s reported emails , per one very credible source , have nothing to do with a Russian campaign to interfere in the November election .
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe stated that much on Monday , in no uncertain terms , the New York Post reported .
Ratcliffe , in a statement that leaves little room for interpretation , said the Post ’ s reporting about the contents of Hunter Biden ’ s hard drive , and the steady drip of information from that , “ is not part of some Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Politico , more than 50 former members of the U.S. intelligence community say that the Hunter Biden scandal is just that — a product of Russian meddling .
But the “ Russia collusion ” narrative and far-fetched theories have worn out their welcome .
The reporting of the Post , which is now being at least partially corroborated Fox News , stands now as a key issue two weeks before the November election .
The reports purport to show that Hunter Biden sold his father ’ s influence to foreign entities while he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And if the reporting is accurate , it shows that the elder Biden helped guide American foreign policy in a direction that served the interests of the Biden family , and not the American taxpayer .
Russia , it appears , was not a player in Hunter Biden reportedly abandoning a laptop computer at a Delaware repair shop last April , where it became a ticking time bomb that could explode his father ’ s bid to unseat President Trump .
It ’ s disingenuous , at this point , to ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked a man to open up a computer repair shop in Delaware on the off chance that years later , Hunter Biden , a man with a history of drug and alcohol abuse would happen to show up and become careless with damning information for his dad ’ s presidential campaign .
No actual evidence has been presented arguing that Hunter Biden is not connected to the hard drive , nor , tellingly , have the Bidens even denied that the laptop belonged to Hunter .
In fact , on Sunday , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leland Vettert that “ I don ’ t think anybody is saying they are inauthentic.
” Rather than challenge the veracity of the continued reporting about the Biden family , the country ’ s journalistic and intelligence institutions are asking us , just one more time , to collectively shield our eyes and blame the Kremlin .
As the establishment media , and the D.C. swamp have shown since 2016 , when in doubt , they will blame Russians .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
@ @ @ @ @

New documents obtained by Fox News appear to give more credibility to accounts relating to a laptop reportedly left at a Delaware computer repair shop last year by Hunter Biden.
Those documents also significantly damage the establishment media’s arguments that the latest Biden scandal is merely another Russian disinformation campaign.
As the New York Post first reported Wednesday, the younger Biden dropped off three MacBook computers at The Mac Shop in Wilmington, Delaware, in April 2019.
After Hunter Biden failed to return for the hardware, reportedly, the shop’s owner, a man named John Paul Mac Isaac, eventually retained legal ownership of the computers and their contents.
He didn’t like what he saw when dissecting the files on a hard drive, so he called the FBI, according to the Post.
According to a Fox News report, there is more reason today to believe that what has been reported about the contents of that hard drive is credible, after the outlet obtained a document containing Hunter Biden’s alleged signature.
NEW: @MikeEmanuelFox obtains photo showing an alleged Hunter Biden signature on paperwork for the computer repair shop pic.twitter.com/LMBkiXmCer — Sean Langille (@SeanLangille) October 19, 2020
Fox reported:
“The document allegedly signed by Biden details repair work that was to be performed on three MacBook Pro laptops… Aside from the signature, the paperwork notes Biden’s name in the ‘bill to’ section for a cost of $85.”
Fox noted it could not verify the signature on the document as belonging to Hunter Biden, but that doesn’t exclude the younger Biden from being the signer, either.
While certainly not conclusive, this is worth a second look by anyone genuinely seeking to get to the bottom of this story:
Left: Hunter Biden’s supposed signature at the Delaware computer shop. Right: Hunter Biden’s signature on a United Kingdom corporate document. pic.twitter.com/60XeM86I3Z — Scott Stedman (@ScottMStedman) October 20, 2020
Issac reportedly made copies of the hard drive and one of them ended up in the hands of Trump attorney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and eventually the Post.
The files purport to show Hunter Biden selling influence to his father, while Joe Biden was the United States vice president, and also show the current Democratic presidential nominee himself involved in the apparent corruption.
We simply don’t know the truth at this point, but those challenging the reporting aren’t helping to discredit continued probes into the scandal.
Fox News reported on the FBI’s interaction with Issac, and independently confirmed authenticity of at least one email reportedly unearthed from the hard drive.
Fox reported:
“Isaac received a subpoena to testify before U.S. District Court in Delaware on Dec. 9, 2019, the documents show. One page shows what appears to be serial numbers for a laptop and hard drive taken into possession.”
“So far, the FBI and Delaware’s U.S. Attorney’s office have declined to publicly comment on the situation.”
And on that reported authenticated email, Fox noted:
“One email, dated May 13, 2017, and obtained by Fox News, includes a discussion of ‘remuneration packages’ for six people in a business deal with a now-bankrupt CEFC China Energy Co. The email appeared to identify Hunter Biden as ‘Chair / Vice Chair depending on agreement with CEFC.’
“The email includes a note that ‘Hunter has some office expectations he will elaborate.’ A proposed equity split references ’20’ for ‘H’ and ;10 held by H for the big guy?” with no further details.”
“Fox News spoke to one of the people who was copied on the email, who confirmed its authenticity.
“Sources told Fox News that ‘the big guy’ is a reference to the former vice president.”
One of the country’s largest newspapers broke a major story which is now being backed up in part by the country’s most-watched cable news network, and the media, Big Tech, Democrats and even former members of the intelligence community are now attempting to sweep the entire story on under the rug with no apparent desire to take an independent look at the reported files.
The smear campaign against the reporting shows just how deep the desire to see this story go away really is.
Naturally, the aforementioned parties and big-name Democrats like House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff are blaming alleged mysterious foreign meddling as the genesis for the Biden reporting.
If you did nothing but watch establishment media TV programming all day, or you only follow establishment media outlets via traditional print or social media, you’d get the impression that there are Russian operatives waiting around the corner at every turn, just waiting to pounce with disinformation.
Politico reported:
“More than 50 former senior intelligence officials have signed on to a letter outlining their belief that the recent disclosure of emails allegedly belonging to Joe Biden’s son ‘has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.’”
The report added:
“While the letter’s signatories presented no new evidence, they said their national security experience had made them ‘deeply suspicious that the Russian government played a significant role in this case’ and cited several elements of the story that suggested the Kremlin’s hand at work.
“‘If we are right,’ they added, ‘this is Russia trying to influence how Americans vote in this election, and we believe strongly that Americans need to be aware of this.’”
More than 50 former senior intelligence officials have signed on to a letter outlining their belief that the recent disclosure of emails allegedly belonging to Joe Biden’s son “has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”https://t.co/T58QhdXEJd — POLITICO (@politico) October 20, 2020
Russia is a convenient scapegoat.
But the swampy Russia narrative, at this point, seems to be more dangerous than Russia itself with regard to the country’s election integrity
Hunter Biden’s reported emails, per one very credible source, have nothing to do with a Russian campaign to interfere in the November election.
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe stated that much on Monday, in no uncertain terms, the New York Post reported.
Ratcliffe, in a statement that leaves little room for interpretation, said the Post’s reporting about the contents of Hunter Biden’s hard drive, and the steady drip of information from that, “is not part of some Russian disinformation campaign.”
Still, according to Politico, more than 50 former members of the U.S. intelligence community say that the Hunter Biden scandal is just that — a product of Russian meddling.
But the “Russia collusion” narrative and far-fetched theories have worn out their welcome.
The reporting of the Post, which is now being at least partially corroborated Fox News, stands now as a key issue two weeks before the November election.
The reports purport to show that Hunter Biden sold his father’s influence to foreign entities while he was vice president, and even after.
Do you think the Hunter Biden email scandal will cost Democrats at the polls? 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: 94% (450 Votes) No: 6% (27 Votes)
And if the reporting is accurate, it shows that the elder Biden helped guide American foreign policy in a direction that served the interests of the Biden family, and not the American taxpayer.
Russia, it appears, was not a player in Hunter Biden reportedly abandoning a laptop computer at a Delaware repair shop last April, where it became a ticking time bomb that could explode his father’s bid to unseat President Trump.
It’s disingenuous, at this point, to ask Americans to believe that dark Kremlin forces asked a man to open up a computer repair shop in Delaware on the off chance that years later, Hunter Biden, a man with a history of drug and alcohol abuse would happen to show up and become careless with damning information for his dad’s presidential campaign.
No actual evidence has been presented arguing that Hunter Biden is not connected to the hard drive, nor, tellingly, have the Bidens even denied that the laptop belonged to Hunter. In fact, on Sunday, a Biden campaign spokeswoman told Fox News interviewer Leland Vettert that “I don’t think anybody is saying they are inauthentic.”
Two huge new developments emerge in Hunter Biden laptop saga | Just The Newshttps://t.co/NIXqWmcZBT — John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) October 20, 2020
Rather than challenge the veracity of the continued reporting about the Biden family, the country’s journalistic and intelligence institutions are asking us, just one more time, to collectively shield our eyes and blame the Kremlin.
As the establishment media, and the D.C. swamp have shown since 2016, when in doubt, they will blame Russians.
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westernjournal--2020-10-20--‘WJ Live’: Journalism School Literally Cancels Student for Telling Truth About Jacob Blake

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Subscribe to the “ WJ Live ” newsletter .
A journalism student in Arizona shared a simple tweet providing more context surrounding the shooting of Jacob Blake .
Her school quickly removed her from a management position for violating “ social media guidelines.
” Sadly , her story isn ’ t an outlier .
• 0:47 — Rae ’ Lee Klein was removed from her job for sharing important context on the Jacob Blake arrest .
• 15:40 — Did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN “ dumb bastards ” during an Arizona rally ?
• 29:11 — Why is Facebook continuing to stay silent after censoring the story about Hunter Biden ’ s emails ?
“ The left is only interested in championing the causes of women who believe as they do.
” — George Upper [ Editor : 00:03:28 ] “ As a woman where the left champions for you all the time , wants to empower you , the minute you say you ’ re a conservative woman , they want to shut you down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear it.
” —Rae ’ Lee Klein [ 00:05:15 ] “ I think censorship is shining bright and beautiful our in our nation right now , which is very , very disappointing to see not only as a journalist who got into the field to bring truth and integrity back to the organization and the career field , but as a young American who is very proud of their country and very proud of everything it stands for.
” — Rae ’ Lee Klein [ 00:06:10 ] “ One side gets completely bullied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uplifted and promoted.
” — Rae ’ Lee Klein [ 00:08:07 ] “ The entire point of journalism is to hold the powerful accountable , especially in how they treat the weak.
” — Josh Manning [ 00:13:33 ] “ I think a lot of people just feel so stifled and so just defeated from it because it is a very large , quote unquote , monster that we ’ re up against here .
But I don ’ t think it ’ s impossible.
” — Rae ’ Lee Klein [ 00:23:53 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Did Big Tech Censorship Just Hand Trump the Election ?
“ It doesn ’ t matter that Goliath is the one making it wrong .
If you ’ re a little David , you still have to stand up to it .
You still have to fight for what ’ s right.
” — Rae ’ Lee Klein [ 25:40 ] Don ’ t miss an episode of “ WJ Live ” by getting it delivered directly to your inbox !
Subscribe to the “ WJ Live ” newsletter .
We are committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Don’t miss an episode of “WJ Live” by getting it delivered directly to your inbox! Subscribe to the “WJ Live” newsletter.
Full Episode Details
Description:
A journalism student in Arizona shared a simple tweet providing more context surrounding the shooting of Jacob Blake. Her school quickly removed her from a management position for violating “social media guidelines.” Sadly, her story isn’t an outlier.
In this episode:
0:47 — Rae’Lee Klein was removed from her job for sharing important context on the Jacob Blake arrest.
15:40 — Did Trump go too far when he called CNN “dumb bastards” during an Arizona rally?
29:11 — Why is Facebook continuing to stay silent after censoring the story about Hunter Biden’s emails?
Quotes from this episode:
“The left is only interested in championing the causes of women who believe as they do.” — George Upper [Editor: 00:03:28]
“As a woman where the left champions for you all the time, wants to empower you, the minute you say you’re a conservative woman, they want to shut you down. They don’t want to hear it.” —Rae’Lee Klein [00:05:15]
“I think censorship is shining bright and beautiful our in our nation right now, which is very, very disappointing to see not only as a journalist who got into the field to bring truth and integrity back to the organization and the career field, but as a young American who is very proud of their country and very proud of everything it stands for.” — Rae’Lee Klein [00:06:10]
“One side gets completely bullied in silence and the other side gets uplifted and promoted.” — Rae’Lee Klein [00:08:07]
“The entire point of journalism is to hold the powerful accountable, especially in how they treat the weak.” — Josh Manning [00:13:33]
“I think a lot of people just feel so stifled and so just defeated from it because it is a very large, quote unquote, monster that we’re up against here. But I don’t think it’s impossible.” — Rae’Lee Klein [00:23:53]
“It doesn’t matter that Goliath is the one making it wrong. If you’re a little David, you still have to stand up to it. You still have to fight for what’s right.” — Rae’Lee Klein [25:40]
Don’t miss an episode of “WJ Live” by getting it delivered directly to your inbox! Subscribe to the “WJ Live” newsletter.


westernjournal--2020-10-20--The Victims of Childhood Transgenderism Have Spoken Out; It’s Time for Joe Biden To Listen

During Joe Biden ’ s ABC News town hall Thursday night , the Democratic presidential nominee expressed support for the radical idea of young children changing their gender .
“ I ’ m the proud mom of two girls , 8 and 10 , ” Mieke Haeck from State College , Pennsylvania , said during the event in Philadelphia .
“ My youngest daughter is transgender.
” She then asked Biden how he would “ ensure that the lives and rights of LGBTQ people are protected.
” “ The idea that an 8-year-old child or a 10-year-old child decides , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to be transgender .
That ’ s what I think I ’ d like to be .
It would make my life a lot easier , ' ” the former vice president said .
“ There should be zero discrimination .
… So I promise you there is no reason to suggest that there should be any right denied your daughter or daughters , whichever one or two – ” “ One , your daughter — that your other daughter has a right to be and do .
None , zero.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left has increasingly supported the notion of childhood transitioning — allowing teen , adolescent and even pre-adolescent children to decide what gender they are and whether they wish to undergo life-altering gender reassignment therapies and/or procedures .
Before Biden and his fellow progressives continue their trans-children crusade , however , there are some important voices they should listen to .
Walter Heyer , an outspoken advocate against the transgender movement , at one time identified as female .
“ My grandmother dressed me as a girl when I was 4 , 5 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote last year .
“ I was far too young to comprehend the long-term consequences of being encouraged to cross-dress at such a young age , much less fight back .
In my child ’ s mind , it felt good to be the center of her attention .
Now I call what grandma did to me ‘ child abuse ’ because her grooming of me as a female negatively affected my entire life .
RELATED : California 's Male Inmates Can Now Choose To Stay in Women 's Prisons “ In adulthood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and underwent unnecessary cross-gender hormone therapy and surgical gender change .
I lived eight years as a woman and tried my best to make it work , but after surgery I still had gender dysphoria .
Even worse , I was suicidal .
Before giving me hormones and surgery , my medical providers should have helped me explore the possible psychological roots of my desire to escape into a female persona , but none did.
” Heyer spoke to The Western Journal about Biden ’ s statements in support of childhood transitioning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ babbling Joe ” is simply “ following orders ” from the LGBT lobby .
“ If he did not support transgender kids , his campaign would have been over , ” Heyer said in an email .
Although widely touted as proof positive of the efficacy of childhood transitioning , the case of David Reimer is the first example of the child-trans ideology being exposed for what it was : child abuse .
As an infant , Reimer ’ s penis was irreparably damaged during a horrific accident .
Devastated , his parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychologist and father of what is now known as “ gender theory , ” to raise David as a girl .
David then took female hormones and underwent gender reassignment surgery .
In the end , Money ’ s experiment was a complete failure .
Eventually , as is the case with most transgender children , David outgrew his gender dysmorphia .
He later rejected the feminine identity assigned to him by Money , choosing instead to live as the man he was .
For the rest of his life , David suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed himself at the age of 38 — an unfortunately not uncommon end among those who identify as transgender .
Instead of looking for underlying mental health issues , however , the left tells transgender individuals to undergo sex-reassignment surgery , which doesn ’ t seem to help .
Kiera Bell was treated with hormone blockers as a teenager to reassign her gender .
Now , Bell is suing the United Kingdom National Health Service for allowing children to give informed consent to life-altering hormone treatment .
“ I am angry about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned out for me based on the medical pathway that I was put on , but I ’ m now just trying to focus on changing the system for the better and making it better for minors and children , ” she told Sky News .
“ I should have been told to wait and not affirmed in my gender identity I was claiming to have and given intensive therapy basically to make sure that I was on the right track for things and investigate the feelings I was having to figure out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Bell said .
Children do not have the mental or logical wherewithal to make life-altering changes regarding their sexuality at such a young age .
They can not consent to having their gender reassigned any more than they can consent to having sex .
Nonetheless , Joe Biden says he supports children as young as 8 years old deciding that they are transgender .
It ’ s time he starts listening to those who have suffered greatly from such thinking .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @

During Joe Biden’s ABC News town hall Thursday night, the Democratic presidential nominee expressed support for the radical idea of young children changing their gender.
“I’m the proud mom of two girls, 8 and 10,” Mieke Haeck from State College, Pennsylvania, said during the event in Philadelphia. “My youngest daughter is transgender.”
She then asked Biden how he would “ensure that the lives and rights of LGBTQ people are protected.”
“The idea that an 8-year-old child or a 10-year-old child decides, you know, ‘I decided I want to be transgender. That’s what I think I’d like to be. It would make my life a lot easier,'” the former vice president said. “There should be zero discrimination. … So I promise you there is no reason to suggest that there should be any right denied your daughter or daughters, whichever one or two –”
“One,” Haeck said.
“One, your daughter — that your other daughter has a right to be and do. None, zero.”
Over the past several years, the left has increasingly supported the notion of childhood transitioning — allowing teen, adolescent and even pre-adolescent children to decide what gender they are and whether they wish to undergo life-altering gender reassignment therapies and/or procedures.
Before Biden and his fellow progressives continue their trans-children crusade, however, there are some important voices they should listen to.
Walter Heyer
This is Walt Heyer.
After surgery, Walt lived 8 years as a woman—before he realized he was a victim of child abuse. Walt de-transitioned & now dedicates the rest of his life to exposing the SICK & DANGEROUS Leftist trend of “picking genders”. Sunday, on the #CandaceOwensShow pic.twitter.com/rOE6k6sWPg — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) October 10, 2019
Walter Heyer, an outspoken advocate against the transgender movement, at one time identified as female.
“My grandmother dressed me as a girl when I was 4, 5, and 6 years old,” Heyer wrote last year. “I was far too young to comprehend the long-term consequences of being encouraged to cross-dress at such a young age, much less fight back. In my child’s mind, it felt good to be the center of her attention. Now I call what grandma did to me ‘child abuse’ because her grooming of me as a female negatively affected my entire life.
Should children be gender transitioned? 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: 0% (11 Votes) No: 100% (2320 Votes)
“In adulthood, I was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and underwent unnecessary cross-gender hormone therapy and surgical gender change. I lived eight years as a woman and tried my best to make it work, but after surgery I still had gender dysphoria. Even worse, I was suicidal. Before giving me hormones and surgery, my medical providers should have helped me explore the possible psychological roots of my desire to escape into a female persona, but none did.”
Heyer spoke to The Western Journal about Biden’s statements in support of childhood transitioning, saying that “poor, disoriented, babbling Joe” is simply “following orders” from the LGBT lobby.
“If he did not support transgender kids, his campaign would have been over,” Heyer said in an email.
David Reimer
Although widely touted as proof positive of the efficacy of childhood transitioning, the case of David Reimer is the first example of the child-trans ideology being exposed for what it was: child abuse.
As an infant, Reimer’s penis was irreparably damaged during a horrific accident.
Devastated, his parents were persuaded by John Money, renowned psychologist and father of what is now known as “gender theory,” to raise David as a girl.
David then took female hormones and underwent gender reassignment surgery.
In the end, Money’s experiment was a complete failure.
Eventually, as is the case with most transgender children, David outgrew his gender dysmorphia. He later rejected the feminine identity assigned to him by Money, choosing instead to live as the man he was.
For the rest of his life, David suffered from an intense depression until he eventually killed himself at the age of 38 — an unfortunately not uncommon end among those who identify as transgender.
Instead of looking for underlying mental health issues, however, the left tells transgender individuals to undergo sex-reassignment surgery, which doesn’t seem to help.
Keira Bell
She started on puberty blockers at 16,then had cross-sex hormones for 4yrs, underwent double mastectomy to have breasts removed. She now REGRETS it all and is suing the organization that cheered her on to “transition”. Many lives are being destroyed in this make-believe world. pic.twitter.com/ys7Xr27oJK — Obianuju Ekeocha (@obianuju) March 7, 2020
Kiera Bell was treated with hormone blockers as a teenager to reassign her gender.
Now, Bell is suing the United Kingdom National Health Service for allowing children to give informed consent to life-altering hormone treatment.
“I am angry about the whole situation because of how things have turned out for me based on the medical pathway that I was put on, but I’m now just trying to focus on changing the system for the better and making it better for minors and children,” she told Sky News.
“I should have been told to wait and not affirmed in my gender identity I was claiming to have and given intensive therapy basically to make sure that I was on the right track for things and investigate the feelings I was having to figure out how I got to that stage,” Bell said.
Childhood transitioning is an abhorrent practice.
Children do not have the mental or logical wherewithal to make life-altering changes regarding their sexuality at such a young age.
They cannot consent to having their gender reassigned any more than they can consent to having sex.
Nonetheless, Joe Biden says he supports children as young as 8 years old deciding that they are transgender.
It’s time he starts listening to those who have suffered greatly from such thinking.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
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westernjournal--2020-10-20--Federal Probe of Top Colleges Uncovers Billions in Under-the-Table Funding from China, Russia

A scathing report from the Trump administration on Tuesday concluded that top U.S. universities have “ massively underreported ” funding they accept from China , Russia and other nations described as “ foreign adversaries.
” The Education Department released the report amid its effort to enforce a 1986 law requiring U.S. universities to disclose gifts and contracts of $ 250,000 or more from foreign sources .
After going decades with little federal oversight , the law has become a priority for the Trump administration amid concerns over economic espionage and trade secret theft from abroad .
The department ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has opened at 12 schools , including Harvard , Yale , Stanford and Georgetown universities .
Federal officials began investigating the schools amid suspicion that they had failed to report millions of dollars in gifts and contracts from sources in China , Russia , Saudi Arabia and Qatar .
Since coming under federal scrutiny , the 12 schools disclosed a combined $ 6.5 billion in foreign funding that was previously unreported , the department said .
According to early findings in the report , most of the 12 schools have had financial dealings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some U.S. officials say is a threat to national security , and at least one had ties directly to the Chinese Community Party .
Others had deals with the Russian government and institutions in Saudi Arabia and Qatar .
The report did not identify which universities were connected to those entities .
Some universities have acknowledged errors in reporting and sought to correct them .
Yale said it had failed to submit foreign funding reports for the years 2014 to 2017 but later corrected the omission .
The department said its review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathering information from universities .
In announcing the report , Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said her agency uncovered “ pervasive noncompliance ” from universities that have “ significant foreign entanglement.
” “ For decades enforcement was lax , but not anymore , ” she said .
“ We took action to make sure the public is afforded the transparency the law requires.
” The report echoes warnings from federal authorities who say that competing nations are increasingly targeting U.S. colleges to steal research and technology .
RELATED : College Student Notches Victory After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent cases of Chinese nationals accused of working or studying at American colleges while also working for the Chinese government .
The department said its review is meant to promote transparency and not to determine the appropriateness of specific financial ties .
It says the agency plans to wok with the Justice Department on any “ potential enforcement against specific institutions.
” It ’ s not unusual for U.S. colleges to accept foreign funding for research projects or exchange programs , but for years , little was done to verify the regular reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign gifts and contracts of $ 250,000 or more .
That began to change last year , however , after a bipartisan report in Congress raised alarms about colleges ’ ties to China .
It found that 70 percent of schools that house a Confucius Institute — a Chinese language program funded by the Chinese government — failed to disclose its financial ties to the Education Department .
In response to that finding , DeVos began ordering broader investigations into universities ’ foreign funding .
The department ’ s new report finds that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universities have “ aggressively pursued and accepted foreign money.
” It concluded that colleges have “ massively underreported ” the resulting funding while also hiding details about funding they did disclose , including the names of donors from abroad .
It cites Stanford as an example , saying the school conceals the names of foreign donors , including Chinese sources that have donated more than $ 64 million since 2010 .
The agency criticized Yale and Case Western Reserve universities for going years without reporting foreign donations , even as both were “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Universities have pushed back against criticism , saying they sought to follow the law but were given little federal guidance .
Many also oppose new rules the department released this year requiring colleges to disclose their ties to foreign companies and governments in greater detail .
Some worry that the new rules will deter foreign donors who want to remain anonymous .
The department dismissed those concerns on Tuesday , along with complaints that the new rules are too burdensome .
“ Institutions manage to track every cent owed and paid by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can — and indeed do — track funds coming from foreign sources , including those adversarial to American interests , ” the report said .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A scathing report from the Trump administration on Tuesday concluded that top U.S. universities have “massively underreported” funding they accept from China, Russia and other nations described as “foreign adversaries.”
The Education Department released the report amid its effort to enforce a 1986 law requiring U.S. universities to disclose gifts and contracts of $250,000 or more from foreign sources.
After going decades with little federal oversight, the law has become a priority for the Trump administration amid concerns over economic espionage and trade secret theft from abroad.
The department’s findings are primarily based on investigations it has opened at 12 schools, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Georgetown universities.
Federal officials began investigating the schools amid suspicion that they had failed to report millions of dollars in gifts and contracts from sources in China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Since coming under federal scrutiny, the 12 schools disclosed a combined $6.5 billion in foreign funding that was previously unreported, the department said.
According to early findings in the report, most of the 12 schools have had financial dealings with Huawei, the Chinese tech giant that some U.S. officials say is a threat to national security, and at least one had ties directly to the Chinese Community Party.
Others had deals with the Russian government and institutions in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The report did not identify which universities were connected to those entities.
Are you concerned about foreign interference in American universities? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 98% (60 Votes) No: 2% (1 Votes)
Some universities have acknowledged errors in reporting and sought to correct them. Yale said it had failed to submit foreign funding reports for the years 2014 to 2017 but later corrected the omission.
The department said its review is ongoing and that it is still gathering information from universities.
In announcing the report, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said her agency uncovered “pervasive noncompliance” from universities that have “significant foreign entanglement.”
“For decades enforcement was lax, but not anymore,” she said. “We took action to make sure the public is afforded the transparency the law requires.”
The report echoes warnings from federal authorities who say that competing nations are increasingly targeting U.S. colleges to steal research and technology.
It cites recent cases of Chinese nationals accused of working or studying at American colleges while also working for the Chinese government.
The department said its review is meant to promote transparency and not to determine the appropriateness of specific financial ties. It says the agency plans to wok with the Justice Department on any “potential enforcement against specific institutions.”
It’s not unusual for U.S. colleges to accept foreign funding for research projects or exchange programs, but for years, little was done to verify the regular reports colleges submit to the federal government detailing foreign gifts and contracts of $250,000 or more.
That began to change last year, however, after a bipartisan report in Congress raised alarms about colleges’ ties to China.
It found that 70 percent of schools that house a Confucius Institute — a Chinese language program funded by the Chinese government — failed to disclose its financial ties to the Education Department.
In response to that finding, DeVos began ordering broader investigations into universities’ foreign funding.
The department’s new report finds that the nation’s largest and richest universities have “aggressively pursued and accepted foreign money.”
It concluded that colleges have “massively underreported” the resulting funding while also hiding details about funding they did disclose, including the names of donors from abroad.
It cites Stanford as an example, saying the school conceals the names of foreign donors, including Chinese sources that have donated more than $64 million since 2010.
The agency criticized Yale and Case Western Reserve universities for going years without reporting foreign donations, even as both were “rapidly expanding their foreign operations and relationships.”
Universities have pushed back against criticism, saying they sought to follow the law but were given little federal guidance.
Many also oppose new rules the department released this year requiring colleges to disclose their ties to foreign companies and governments in greater detail. Some worry that the new rules will deter foreign donors who want to remain anonymous.
The department dismissed those concerns on Tuesday, along with complaints that the new rules are too burdensome.
“Institutions manage to track every cent owed and paid by their students; there is no doubt they can — and indeed do — track funds coming from foreign sources, including those adversarial to American interests,” the report said.
[jwplayer ixUZqQWz]
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--2020-10-20--40-Year Police Veteran Killed in Line of Duty Weeks Before Retirement

A suspect has been arrested after two police officers were gunned down , one fatally , during a shooting at a Houston apartment complex on Tuesday , police said .
Sgt .
Harold Preston , who was weeks away from retirement , was killed after serving as a police officer for over 40 years , according to a tweet from the Houston Police Officers ’ Union .
Another officer , Courtney Waller , was reportedly shot in the arm and is expected to survive , Fox News reported .
Police were responding to a domestic violence call around 8 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified as Elmer Manzano , allegedly opened fire on them .
Manzano ’ s 14-year-old son had warned responding officers that his father had a firearm , Fox reported .
Officers arrested Manzano in connection with the double shooting after he was reportedly shot in the abdomen during an ensuing gunfight .
Preston was shot multiple times in the head , according to Fox .
His body was escorted to a medical examiner ’ s office by a motorcade comprised of his fellow officers .
A version of this article appeared on The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A suspect has been arrested after two police officers were gunned down, one fatally, during a shooting at a Houston apartment complex on Tuesday, police said.
Sgt. Harold Preston, who was weeks away from retirement, was killed after serving as a police officer for over 40 years, according to a tweet from the Houston Police Officers’ Union.
Sergeant Harold Lloyd Preston
Houston Police Department Sworn Date: August 25th, 1979
End of Watch: October 20th, 2020 HPD Academy Class: 86
Years of Service: 41 Rest in Peace, brother. You will always be remembered and your sacrifice will never be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/kYNMmBioIN — Houston Police Officers’ Union (@HPOUTX) October 20, 2020
Another officer, Courtney Waller, was reportedly shot in the arm and is expected to survive, Fox News reported.
Police were responding to a domestic violence call around 8 a.m. Tuesday when the suspect, who was identified as Elmer Manzano, allegedly opened fire on them.
Manzano’s 14-year-old son had warned responding officers that his father had a firearm, Fox reported.
Officers arrested Manzano in connection with the double shooting after he was reportedly shot in the abdomen during an ensuing gunfight.
Preston was shot multiple times in the head, according to Fox.
His body was escorted to a medical examiner’s office by a motorcade comprised of his fellow officers.
Motorcycle Escort for Fallen HPD Sgt Harold Preston to Medical Examiner’s Office https://t.co/Elu3rz9UPb — Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 20, 2020
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of their original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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westernjournal--2020-10-20--Trump Refuses To Let Schiff’s Attempt To Spin Biden Laptop Story Fly: ‘He’s a Sick Man’

For a congressman who represents the showbiz capital of the world , Rep. Adam Schiff seems to be having trouble coming up with a new plotline for his never-ending attacks against the president of the United States .
Prior to taking the point position in the sham impeachment trial of President Donald Trump earlier this year , House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff spent years assuring Americans that there was evidence “ in plain sight ” that the Trump campaign had “ colluded ” with Russia during the 2016 election .
Now , as the Hunter Biden laptop scandal puts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee Joe Biden , Schiff is going back to the well , assuring Americans that the Biden laptop story is a “ false narrative ” coming right out of Russia .
In a telephone interview Tuesday on “ Fox & Friends , ” Trump called Schiff out on his serial lying — and didn ’ t hold back .
Co-host Will Cain ( filling in for Steve Doocy ) kicked off the nearly hour-long interview by asking directly about the laptop , and efforts in the mainstream media to downplay what could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family ’ s dealings with China and Ukraine .
“ Many on the left , and many in the mainstream media , are suggesting this is nothing but a Russian disinformation campaign , ” Cain said .
“ What do you say to that ?
” “ It ’ s just crazy .
I saw Shifty Schiff get up yesterday and say this is Russia .
He ’ s a sick man .
He is so sick , ” Trump said .
“ We went through two and a half years of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ought to be put away , or he ought to be , you know , something should happen with him.
” Check it out here .
The laptop question comes about the 40-second mark of the video : “ I watched him look straight at the camera and say it .
And he laughs at it , ” Trump said .
“ They laugh in the back rooms at it .
“ Thank goodness we had John Ratcliffe that came out — the head of DNI — and he said it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , nothing to do with Russia .
And it never did have to do.
” Trump was referring to statements Schiff made Friday to CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer trying to downplay the Biden laptop story , and those made by Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe refuting Schiff ’ s claim .
“ Hunter Biden ’ s laptop is not part of some Russian disinformation campaign , and I think it is clear that the American people know that , ” Ratcliffe said .
Anyone who ’ s paid attention over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised at Schiff being called a liar .
RELATED : Schiff Accused DHS Insider of Lying to Congress , Still Accepts 'Whistleblower ' Complaint from Him The man has been deceptive with the American public in the service of the Democratic Party ’ s agenda at least since Trump ’ s election .
His conduct of the inquiry that led up to impeachment was a disgrace that infuriated his Republican House colleagues .
His obvious lies about the “ whistleblower ” who provided the shaky framework Democrats used to hold up their impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events .
His management of the trial itself ( along with the equally dishonest Jerrold Nadler of New York ) was an exercise in shameless duplicity .
Liberals around the country could be forgiven for actually believing the lie being peddled by Schiff & Co. , but Schiff himself had to know better .
But according to investigative reporter Glenn Greenwald , editor for The Intercept , the truth is irrelevant to Schiff .
“ Adam Schiff is , seriously , the most pathological liar in all of American politics that I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics and journalism , ” Greenwald told Fox News ’ Tucker Carlson on Monday .
“ He just fabricates an accusation at the drop of a hat , the way that other people change underwear .
“ He ’ s simply lying when he just asserts , over and over , that the Russians or the Kremlin are behind this story .
He has no idea whether or not that ’ s true .
There ’ s no evidence to support it .
“ And what makes it so much worse is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answering basic questions about this story — basic questions like , ‘ Did Hunter Biden drop that laptop off at that repair shop ?
’ ‘ Are the emails authentic ?
’ ‘ Do you deny that they are ?
Do you claim any have been altered or any of them fabricated ?
’ ‘ Did you , in fact , meet Burisma executives as the email suggests ?
’ “ The reason that they don ’ t answer any questions is the media has signaled that they don ’ t have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vilified simply for asking.
” Greenwald then went further , attacking the mainstream media for deliberately lying to the American public and using intelligence sources to do it — all in defense of the Democratic presidential campaign .
Check it out here : For those who might not recall , Greenwald isn ’ t exactly a right-wing journalist .
He ’ s probably best known for his cooperation with Edward Snowden , the former National Security Agency contractor who exposed U.S. intelligence secrets to the world in 2013 .
( Greenwald was hailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that . )
So , attacks on the questionable honesty of Rep. Adam Schiff are not confined to the conservative end of the political spectrum — they ’ re simply the conclusion any intellectually honest person would draw after years of watching and listening as Schiff spun another lie .
It ’ s behavior that might work fine in the on the Hollywood sets and Burbank television studios of Schiff ’ s congressional district , but it doesn ’ t belong in the halls of Congress , where the work of the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schiff ’ s act is getting old , but he remains one of the most powerful politicians in the Democratic Party .
Every voter heading to the polls Nov. 3 should remember that .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

For a congressman who represents the showbiz capital of the world, Rep. Adam Schiff seems to be having trouble coming up with a new plotline for his never-ending attacks against the president of the United States.
Prior to taking the point position in the sham impeachment trial of President Donald Trump earlier this year, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff spent years assuring Americans that there was evidence “in plain sight” that the Trump campaign had “colluded” with Russia during the 2016 election.
Now, as the Hunter Biden laptop scandal puts new pressure on the campaign of Democratic nominee Joe Biden, Schiff is going back to the well, assuring Americans that the Biden laptop story is a “false narrative” coming right out of Russia.
In a telephone interview Tuesday on “Fox & Friends,” Trump called Schiff out on his serial lying — and didn’t hold back.
Co-host Will Cain (filling in for Steve Doocy) kicked off the nearly hour-long interview by asking directly about the laptop, and efforts in the mainstream media to downplay what could be explosive revelations it contains about the Biden family’s dealings with China and Ukraine.
“Many on the left, and many in the mainstream media, are suggesting this is nothing but a Russian disinformation campaign,” Cain said. “What do you say to that?”
Trump wasted no time hitting his target.
“It’s just crazy. I saw Shifty Schiff get up yesterday and say this is Russia. He’s a sick man. He is so sick,” Trump said. “We went through two and a half years of that, plus. This guy, he ought to be put away, or he ought to be, you know, something should happen with him.”
Check it out here. The laptop question comes about the 40-second mark of the video:
Watch the latest video at foxnews.com
“I watched him look straight at the camera and say it. And he laughs at it,” Trump said. “They laugh in the back rooms at it.
“Thank goodness we had John Ratcliffe that came out — the head of DNI — and he said it’s absolutely false, there’s nothing, nothing to do with Russia. And it never did have to do.”
Trump was referring to statements Schiff made Friday to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer trying to downplay the Biden laptop story, and those made by Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe refuting Schiff’s claim.
“Hunter Biden’s laptop is not part of some Russian disinformation campaign, and I think it is clear that the American people know that,” Ratcliffe said.
Anyone who’s paid attention over the past few years couldn’t be surprised at Schiff being called a liar.
The man has been deceptive with the American public in the service of the Democratic Party’s agenda at least since Trump’s election.
His conduct of the inquiry that led up to impeachment was a disgrace that infuriated his Republican House colleagues. His obvious lies about the “whistleblower” who provided the shaky framework Democrats used to hold up their impeachment effort were clear to anyone following the events.
His management of the trial itself (along with the equally dishonest Jerrold Nadler of New York) was an exercise in shameless duplicity.
Liberals around the country could be forgiven for actually believing the lie being peddled by Schiff & Co., but Schiff himself had to know better.
But according to investigative reporter Glenn Greenwald, editor for The Intercept, the truth is irrelevant to Schiff.
“Adam Schiff is, seriously, the most pathological liar in all of American politics that I have seen in all of my time covering politics and journalism,” Greenwald told Fox News’ Tucker Carlson on Monday. “He just fabricates an accusation at the drop of a hat, the way that other people change underwear.
“He’s simply lying when he just asserts, over and over, that the Russians or the Kremlin are behind this story. He has no idea whether or not that’s true. There’s no evidence to support it.
Do you think the American people are fooled by Adam Schiff? Yes No
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“And what makes it so much worse is that the reason the Bidens aren’t answering basic questions about this story — basic questions like, ‘Did Hunter Biden drop that laptop off at that repair shop?’ ‘Are the emails authentic?’ ‘Do you deny that they are? Do you claim any have been altered or any of them fabricated?’ ‘Did you, in fact, meet Burisma executives as the email suggests?’
“The reason that they don’t answer any questions is the media has signaled that they don’t have to. That journalists will be attacked and vilified simply for asking.”
Greenwald then went further, attacking the mainstream media for deliberately lying to the American public and using intelligence sources to do it — all in defense of the Democratic presidential campaign.
Check it out here:
Watch the latest video at foxnews.com
For those who might not recall, Greenwald isn’t exactly a right-wing journalist.
He’s probably best known for his cooperation with Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who exposed U.S. intelligence secrets to the world in 2013. (Greenwald was hailed by the liberals at Rolling Stone for that.)
So, attacks on the questionable honesty of Rep. Adam Schiff are not confined to the conservative end of the political spectrum — they’re simply the conclusion any intellectually honest person would draw after years of watching and listening as Schiff spun another lie.
It’s behavior that might work fine in the on the Hollywood sets and Burbank television studios of Schiff’s congressional district, but it doesn’t belong in the halls of Congress, where the work of the American people should be getting done.
Adam Schiff’s act is getting old, but he remains one of the most powerful politicians in the Democratic Party.
Every voter heading to the polls Nov. 3 should remember that.
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westernjournal--2020-10-20--New Polls Show Most Americans Support Barrett’s Nomination, Oppose Court Packing

New polls show that a majority of Americans support Judge Amy Coney Barrett ’ s Supreme Court confirmation but oppose the idea of court packing .
A Sept. 30-Oct. 15 Gallup poll found that 51 percent of Americans think the Senate should vote to confirm Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
However , 46 percent of poll respondents do not want Barrett to be confirmed , while 3 percent do not have an opinion on her nomination .
The public ’ s support for Barrett is higher than support for both Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Initial opposition to her nomination is also higher than opposition to any other nominee since Gallup started asking this question , mostly because the percentage of Americans without any opinion on the vote is lower than any for other nominee in Gallup history .
On average , 25 percent of Americans have not had an opinion on the Supreme Court nominees “ in the initial measure after the president ’ s selection , ” Gallup reported .
One of the reasons Gallup cited for the high proportion of Americans expressing opinions on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurring during a presidential election cycle .
“ Notably , although more Americans want to see Barrett confirmed than not , polling by other organizations has shown solid majorities wanting the winner of the Nov. 3 election and the newly elected Senate to make the nomination rather than President Trump and the current Senate , ” Gallup reported .
Democrats have also pointed to a precedent set in 2016 when Republican senators refused to consider former President Barack Obama ’ s Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland eight months before the election that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comparable to a Morning Consult/Politico poll that found support for Barrett has continued to rise steadily since her nomination .
Eighty-four percent of Democrats in the Gallup poll said they are against Barrett ’ s nomination , exceeding the 67 percent who opposed Kavanaugh after his nomination and the 78 percent who opposed him after his hearings .
Republican support for Barrett ’ s nomination is higher than for any nominee since 1987 , with 89 percent supporting her confirmation .
A poll from The New York Times/Siena College Research Institute found similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s nomination and 42 percent opposing it .
Forty-seven percent of poll respondents said that the Senate should vote on Barrett ’ s nomination before the election while 39 percent said the vote should only happen if Trump wins re-election .
When it came to court packing , or increasing the size of the Supreme Court to include more than nine justices , 58 percent opposed the idea while only 31 percent supported it .
The Gallup poll was conducted via telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,035 adults and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points .
The New York Times/Siena College Research Institute poll was conducted between Oct. 15 and Oct. 18 with a random sample of 987 likely voters and a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

New polls show that a majority of Americans support Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court confirmation but oppose the idea of court packing.
A Sept. 30-Oct. 15 Gallup poll found that 51 percent of Americans think the Senate should vote to confirm Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
However, 46 percent of poll respondents do not want Barrett to be confirmed, while 3 percent do not have an opinion on her nomination.
The public’s support for Barrett is higher than support for both Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh following their nominations to the court.
Initial opposition to her nomination is also higher than opposition to any other nominee since Gallup started asking this question, mostly because the percentage of Americans without any opinion on the vote is lower than any for other nominee in Gallup history.
On average, 25 percent of Americans have not had an opinion on the Supreme Court nominees “in the initial measure after the president’s selection,” Gallup reported.
One of the reasons Gallup cited for the high proportion of Americans expressing opinions on the confirmation is that the nomination process is occurring during a presidential election cycle.
“Notably, although more Americans want to see Barrett confirmed than not, polling by other organizations has shown solid majorities wanting the winner of the Nov. 3 election and the newly elected Senate to make the nomination rather than President Trump and the current Senate,” Gallup reported.
Democrats have also pointed to a precedent set in 2016 when Republican senators refused to consider former President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland eight months before the election that year.
Do you support Barrett's confirmation? Yes No
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The Gallup poll results are comparable to a Morning Consult/Politico poll that found support for Barrett has continued to rise steadily since her nomination.
Eighty-four percent of Democrats in the Gallup poll said they are against Barrett’s nomination, exceeding the 67 percent who opposed Kavanaugh after his nomination and the 78 percent who opposed him after his hearings.
Republican support for Barrett’s nomination is higher than for any nominee since 1987, with 89 percent supporting her confirmation.
A poll from The New York Times/Siena College Research Institute found similar results, with 44 percent supporting Barrett’s nomination and 42 percent opposing it.
Forty-seven percent of poll respondents said that the Senate should vote on Barrett’s nomination before the election while 39 percent said the vote should only happen if Trump wins re-election.
When it came to court packing, or increasing the size of the Supreme Court to include more than nine justices, 58 percent opposed the idea while only 31 percent supported it.
The Gallup poll was conducted via telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,035 adults and a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points.
The New York Times/Siena College Research Institute poll was conducted between Oct. 15 and Oct. 18 with a random sample of 987 likely voters and a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points.
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westernjournal--2020-10-20--Debates Commission Announces Drastic Rule Changes for Final Debate

Incumbent President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will be facing off under a different set of rules Thursday in the second and final presidential debate of the 2020 election cycle .
The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday in an official statement that the microphone would be going dead for candidates not officially granted the floor , in order to prevent interruptions and foster civility .
“ Under the agreed upon debate rules , each candidate is to have two minutes of uninterrupted time to make remarks at the beginning of each 15 minute segment of the debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a period of open discussion , ” the commission wrote .
“ Both campaigns this week again reaffirmed their agreement to the two-minute , uninterrupted rule.
” “ The Commission is announcing today that in order to enforce this agreed upon rule , the only candidate whose microphone will be open during these two-minute periods is the candidate who has the floor under the rules .
For the balance of each segment , which by design is intended to be dedicated to open discussion , both candidates ’ microphones will be open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the times dedicated for open discussion , it is the hope of the Commission that the candidates will be respectful of each other ’ s time , which will advance civil discourse for the benefit of the viewing public.
” The decision came in light of widespread national discussion regarding the lack of decorum displayed in the first debate on Sept. 29 , where both Trump and Biden frequently interrupted one another , diverting the conversation to personal attacks and fact checks .
According to CNN , commission members unanimously approved the changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change to the rules but a restrictive measure pursued in the interest of upholding a previously agreed-upon rule that both candidates would receive two uninterrupted minutes to stump on each topic .
This did not stop the Trump campaign from railing against the decision , with several operatives and communications personnel suggesting Monday that the commission had favored Biden in everything from its choice of moderator to the exclusion of certain topics .
“ President Trump is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last minute rule changes from the biased commission in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their favored candidate , ” campaign manager Bill Stepien responded in a news release .
“ This was supposed to be the foreign policy debate , so the President still looks forward to forcing Biden to answer the number one relevant question of whether he ’ s been compromised by the Communist Party of China.
” “ Why did Biden allow his son Hunter to sell access to him while he was vice president , and why were there Chinese payment arrangements for Joe himself worked out by Hunter and his sketchy partners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask Joe Biden these questions , the President will , ” he added .
“ And there will be no escape for Biden.
” The president himself spoke out similarly , reassuring reporters he would not be backing out over the perceived unfairness .
“ I will participate , ” Trump said , according to Reuters , “ but it ’ s very unfair that they changed the topics and it ’ s very unfair that again we have an anchor who ’ s totally biased.
” Concerns about the partiality of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Fox News moderator Chris Wallace ’ s frequent interjections in the first debate , and later grew more widespread when C-SPAN reporter Steve Scully was caught fraternizing on social media with an opponent of the Trump administration prior to the cancelled second debate .
The commission seemed confident Monday , however , that its most recent restriction was impartial by nature , writing in its initial statement that “ neither campaign ” would be “ totally satisfied ” with the boundaries established by a dead microphone .
“ We realize , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign may be totally satisfied with the measures announced today .
One may think they go too far , and one may think they do not go far enough , ” the body wrote .
“ We are comfortable that these actions strike the right balance and that they are in the interest of the American people , for whom these debates are held.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Incumbent President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will be facing off under a different set of rules Thursday in the second and final presidential debate of the 2020 election cycle.
The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday in an official statement that the microphone would be going dead for candidates not officially granted the floor, in order to prevent interruptions and foster civility.
“Under the agreed upon debate rules, each candidate is to have two minutes of uninterrupted time to make remarks at the beginning of each 15 minute segment of the debate. These remarks are to be followed by a period of open discussion,” the commission wrote. “Both campaigns this week again reaffirmed their agreement to the two-minute, uninterrupted rule.”
“The Commission is announcing today that in order to enforce this agreed upon rule, the only candidate whose microphone will be open during these two-minute periods is the candidate who has the floor under the rules. For the balance of each segment, which by design is intended to be dedicated to open discussion, both candidates’ microphones will be open,” it added.
“During the times dedicated for open discussion, it is the hope of the Commission that the candidates will be respectful of each other’s time, which will advance civil discourse for the benefit of the viewing public.”
NEW: Commission on Presidential Debates announces a change to Thursday’s presidential debate: “The only candidate whose microphone will be open during these two-minute periods is the candidate who has the floor under the rules.” pic.twitter.com/zzGpH2NHHc — NBC News (@NBCNews) October 20, 2020
The decision came in light of widespread national discussion regarding the lack of decorum displayed in the first debate on Sept. 29, where both Trump and Biden frequently interrupted one another, diverting the conversation to personal attacks and fact checks.
According to CNN, commission members unanimously approved the changes, arguing it was not truly a change to the rules but a restrictive measure pursued in the interest of upholding a previously agreed-upon rule that both candidates would receive two uninterrupted minutes to stump on each topic.
Do you think the commission is biased against Trump? Yes No
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This did not stop the Trump campaign from railing against the decision, with several operatives and communications personnel suggesting Monday that the commission had favored Biden in everything from its choice of moderator to the exclusion of certain topics.
“President Trump is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last minute rule changes from the biased commission in their latest attempt to provide advantage to their favored candidate,” campaign manager Bill Stepien responded in a news release. “This was supposed to be the foreign policy debate, so the President still looks forward to forcing Biden to answer the number one relevant question of whether he’s been compromised by the Communist Party of China.”
“Why did Biden allow his son Hunter to sell access to him while he was vice president, and why were there Chinese payment arrangements for Joe himself worked out by Hunter and his sketchy partners? If the media won’t ask Joe Biden these questions, the President will,” he added.
“And there will be no escape for Biden.”
The president himself spoke out similarly, reassuring reporters he would not be backing out over the perceived unfairness.
“I will participate,” Trump said, according to Reuters, “but it’s very unfair that they changed the topics and it’s very unfair that again we have an anchor who’s totally biased.”
NEW: The Trump campaign is calling on the Commission of Presidential Debates to “recalibrate the topics and return to subjects which had already been confirmed” for this week’s final debate. pic.twitter.com/gtYTIdh4eK — Jennifer Franco (@jennfranconews) October 19, 2020
Concerns about the partiality of the commission first began cropping up in light of Fox News moderator Chris Wallace’s frequent interjections in the first debate, and later grew more widespread when C-SPAN reporter Steve Scully was caught fraternizing on social media with an opponent of the Trump administration prior to the cancelled second debate.
The commission seemed confident Monday, however, that its most recent restriction was impartial by nature, writing in its initial statement that “neither campaign” would be “totally satisfied” with the boundaries established by a dead microphone.
“We realize, after discussions with both campaigns, that neither campaign may be totally satisfied with the measures announced today. One may think they go too far, and one may think they do not go far enough,” the body wrote.
“We are comfortable that these actions strike the right balance and that they are in the interest of the American people, for whom these debates are held.”
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