freebeacon--2020-08-03--Biden Won’t Say If He’ll Execute Boston Bomber

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has been silent on the news that Boston Marathon bombing perpetrator Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will need a new trial in order to be executed—a trial Biden 's Justice Department would prosecute , if the Democrat is elected .
The overturning of Tsarnaev 's capital sentence has gone unmentioned by Biden 's campaign in press releases and on social media since Friday 's ruling .
The campaign also did not respond to inquiries from the Washington Free Beacon as to whether Biden would pursue the death penalty for Tsarnaev if elected .
The ruling and Tsarnaev 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday remarks on the anniversary of the El Paso Walmart shooting .
During that event , according to text of his comments released by the campaign , Biden emphasized the need to fight white supremacy and push for gun control , but did not discuss specific penalties for shooting perpetrator Patrick Crusius , who is currently facing multiple capital charges .
Biden 's silence on the issue is a stark contrast with President Donald Trump , who has condemned the ruling and called for a `` do-over '' trial for Tsarnaev .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported the death penalty throughout his time in the Senate—has shifted left on both capital punishment and criminal justice during his latest run for the presidency .
`` Dzhokhar Tsarnaev committed one of the ‘ worst domestic terrorist attacks since the 9/11 atrocities , ' and President Trump is calling for swift justice on behalf of the American people , '' Trump campaign spokeswoman Courtney Parella told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` After flip flopping on his support for the death penalty , Joe Biden is now noticeably silent as justice is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends who lost their loved ones in this heinous massacre .
Biden is proving once again that in his America , criminals will not be held accountable for their crimes . ''
Tsarnaev 's execution was thrown into question on Friday , when the First Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the death sentence and referred the case back to the lower District court .
A three-judge panel—a Reagan appointee and two Obama appointees—ruled that District Judge George O ’ Toole erred in denying Tsarnaev 's request to find a new venue for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as to whether their exposure to information about the bombing before the trial limited their ability to be impartial .
Tsarnaev would need to be retried only for the second part of the two-phase death penalty trial , in which a jury distinct from the one that determined his guilt rules on whether his crime merits execution .
Whether a new capital trial will be held is partly at the discretion of the Department of Justice , which prosecuted Tsarnaev .
If one is not , the court noted in its ruling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , served at the federal `` supermax '' high-security facility in Florence , Colo .
The remand means that whether Tsarnaev is executed is at the discretion of federal prosecutors—who would ultimately report to Biden should he be elected .
Trump has made clear his disdain for Tsarnaev , whom he called on Friday `` the animal that killed so many people during the Boston Marathon . ''
He doubled down over the weekend , writing on Twitter that `` rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Federal Government must again seek the Death Penalty . ''
Tsarnaev was originally sentenced for plotting and executing a terror attack along with his brother , Tamerlan , who was shot and killed while eluding justice .
The pair detonated two bombs at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon , killing three and injuring more than 260 .
Patricia Campbell , whose 29-year-old daughter Krystle Campbell bled to death after one of the Tsarnaevs ' bombs shredded her lower torso , told the Boston Globe that she could not understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's just terrible that he ’ s allowed to live his life , '' Campbell said .
`` It 's unfair .
He did n't wake up one morning and decide to do what he did .
He planned it out .
He did a vicious , ugly thing . ''
Biden seemed to agree with Campbell 's sentiment in the past .
During a 2013 memorial service for Tsarnaev victim officer Sean Collier , Biden called the brothers `` twisted , perverted , cowardly , knock-off jihadis , '' and told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the things , these perverted jihadis , self-made or organized , all the things they fear . ''
Like his public respect for police officers , Biden 's support for the death penalty has waned during the 2020 campaign .
Executions were a key part of the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act , which Biden authored and described as doing `` everything but hang [ ing ] people for jaywalking . ''
Barack Obama nominally supported capital punishment , as did 2016 nominee Hillary Clinton—a view consistently in line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yielding on capital punishment has been part of Biden 's leftward shift to meet the Democratic Party 's activist base .
Biden 's campaign platform officially calls for ending the federal death penalty and giving federal capital offenders like Tsarnaev life without parole .
Death penalty abolition also appears in draft text of the Democratic Party 's 2020 platform , mirroring the language used in the report from Biden 's `` unity taskforce '' with Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) .
Even if death penalty abolition does not make it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration could see the de facto suspension of the death penalty .
That was the policy under Obama , who called the death penalty `` deeply troubling '' and under whom no federal executions were carried out .
Trump , long a prominent advocate of capital punishment , has by contrast made restarting the death penalty a priority .
The first federal executions in 17 years were carried out earlier this month .

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has been silent on the news that Boston Marathon bombing perpetrator Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will need a new trial in order to be executed—a trial Biden's Justice Department would prosecute, if the Democrat is elected.
The overturning of Tsarnaev's capital sentence has gone unmentioned by Biden's campaign in press releases and on social media since Friday's ruling. The campaign also did not respond to inquiries from the Washington Free Beacon as to whether Biden would pursue the death penalty for Tsarnaev if elected.
The ruling and Tsarnaev's crime also went unmentioned in Biden's Sunday remarks on the anniversary of the El Paso Walmart shooting. During that event, according to text of his comments released by the campaign, Biden emphasized the need to fight white supremacy and push for gun control, but did not discuss specific penalties for shooting perpetrator Patrick Crusius, who is currently facing multiple capital charges.
Biden's silence on the issue is a stark contrast with President Donald Trump, who has condemned the ruling and called for a "do-over" trial for Tsarnaev. It is also a marker of how Biden—who supported the death penalty throughout his time in the Senate—has shifted left on both capital punishment and criminal justice during his latest run for the presidency.
"Dzhokhar Tsarnaev committed one of the 'worst domestic terrorist attacks since the 9/11 atrocities,' and President Trump is calling for swift justice on behalf of the American people," Trump campaign spokeswoman Courtney Parella told the Washington Free Beacon. "After flip flopping on his support for the death penalty, Joe Biden is now noticeably silent as justice is being ripped away from the families and friends who lost their loved ones in this heinous massacre. Biden is proving once again that in his America, criminals will not be held accountable for their crimes."
Tsarnaev's execution was thrown into question on Friday, when the First Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the death sentence and referred the case back to the lower District court. A three-judge panel—a Reagan appointee and two Obama appointees—ruled that District Judge George O’Toole erred in denying Tsarnaev's request to find a new venue for the trial and not adequately questioning potential jurors as to whether their exposure to information about the bombing before the trial limited their ability to be impartial.
Tsarnaev would need to be retried only for the second part of the two-phase death penalty trial, in which a jury distinct from the one that determined his guilt rules on whether his crime merits execution. Whether a new capital trial will be held is partly at the discretion of the Department of Justice, which prosecuted Tsarnaev. If one is not, the court noted in its ruling, Tsarnaev will still face multiple life sentences, served at the federal "supermax" high-security facility in Florence, Colo.
The remand means that whether Tsarnaev is executed is at the discretion of federal prosecutors—who would ultimately report to Biden should he be elected.
Trump has made clear his disdain for Tsarnaev, whom he called on Friday "the animal that killed so many people during the Boston Marathon." He doubled down over the weekend, writing on Twitter that "rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev" and adding that "the Federal Government must again seek the Death Penalty."
Tsarnaev was originally sentenced for plotting and executing a terror attack along with his brother, Tamerlan, who was shot and killed while eluding justice. The pair detonated two bombs at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring more than 260. Patricia Campbell, whose 29-year-old daughter Krystle Campbell bled to death after one of the Tsarnaevs' bombs shredded her lower torso, told the Boston Globe that she could not understand the appellate court's ruling.
"It's just terrible that he’s allowed to live his life," Campbell said. "It's unfair. He didn't wake up one morning and decide to do what he did. He planned it out. He did a vicious, ugly thing."
Biden seemed to agree with Campbell's sentiment in the past. During a 2013 memorial service for Tsarnaev victim officer Sean Collier, Biden called the brothers "twisted, perverted, cowardly, knock-off jihadis," and told police officers present that they were "all the things, these perverted jihadis, self-made or organized, all the things they fear."
Like his public respect for police officers, Biden's support for the death penalty has waned during the 2020 campaign. Executions were a key part of the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which Biden authored and described as doing "everything but hang[ing] people for jaywalking." Barack Obama nominally supported capital punishment, as did 2016 nominee Hillary Clinton—a view consistently in line with the majority of Americans.
But yielding on capital punishment has been part of Biden's leftward shift to meet the Democratic Party's activist base. Biden's campaign platform officially calls for ending the federal death penalty and giving federal capital offenders like Tsarnaev life without parole. Death penalty abolition also appears in draft text of the Democratic Party's 2020 platform, mirroring the language used in the report from Biden's "unity taskforce" with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).
Even if death penalty abolition does not make it onto the legislative docket, a Biden administration could see the de facto suspension of the death penalty. That was the policy under Obama, who called the death penalty "deeply troubling" and under whom no federal executions were carried out.
Trump, long a prominent advocate of capital punishment, has by contrast made restarting the death penalty a priority. The first federal executions in 17 years were carried out earlier this month.


Biden’s VP Finalists

As Joe Biden gets closer to announcing his 2020 running mate , the Washington Free Beacon looks back on the @ @ @ @ @ the likely candidates : Kamala Harris , Susan Rice , Karen Bass , and Elizabeth @ @ @ @ @ senior writer at the Washington Free Beacon .
He was previously a sports reporter for @ @ @ @ @ has done freelance sports reporting for the Washington Post .
He graduated from Vanderbilt University @ @ @ @ @ Marietta , Ga. His Twitter handle is @ DavidRutz .
He can be reached at @ @ @ @

As Joe Biden gets closer to announcing his 2020 running mate, the Washington Free Beacon looks back on the career highlights of some of the likely candidates: Kamala Harris, Susan Rice, Karen Bass, and Elizabeth Warren.


freebeacon--2020-08-03--Patriarchy Exposed: CNN ‘Analysis’ Finds Women Who Want to Be President Are Facing ‘Scrutiny’

Maeve Reston is a national political reporter at CNN , where she published glowing coverage of the Democratic presidential candidates during the primary .
Maeve raved about Kamala Harris 's facial expressions , Beto O'Rourke 's incessant apologizing , and Joe Biden 's walking speed .
Those were simpler times .
After Biden wrapped up the party 's nomination , Reston dropped the pretense of being a reporter and started publishing critical `` analysis '' of President Donald Trump—because CNN does n't do enough of that already .
Her analysis of the president 's speech on July 4 , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing if not unique : Reston 's most recent analysis is about Biden 's search for a running mate , and poses a compelling question : The ( female ) politicians under consideration for the VP nomination are facing `` scrutiny '' of an `` intense '' degree .
Is sexism to blame ?
Probably : Joe Biden 's decision on his running mate is drawing closer by the day , and the tensions over whom he should pick spilled out into public view this past week , as the women who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexist tropes about their ambition and intense scrutiny of the most controversial aspects of their pasts .
What is the evidence of sexism ?
Well , one of Reston 's favorite candidates in the primary , Sen. Harris ( Calif. ) , `` implicitly invoked sexism '' during an online conference in response to reports that Biden `` does not want to be outshone '' and `` wants the win to be about him . ''
Some of Biden 's advisers have reportedly soured on Harris , who launched her career by dating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beacon Man of the Year Willie Brown ) and has been accused of being overly ambitious .
Other VP contenders , such as Rep. Karen Bass ( Calif. ) , are also being criticized .
As far as Bass is concerned , she 's been forced to defend herself against attacks on her sympathy for Fidel Castro and her participation in an opening ceremony at a Scientology church in Los Angeles .
Reston concludes : `` In a deeply polarizing election cycle , as many Americans fight for their economic and physical survival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] is likely to face more intense scrutiny than any group that has come before them in this final stretch . ''
Maybe it 's the polarization , or maybe VP candidates are facing additional scrutiny because Democratic voters nominated a 77-year-old geezer who has trouble stringing together complete sentences .
Biden may not survive long enough to be sworn into office in 2021 .
But on the other hand , sexism .
In any event , Biden should just end this pointless charade and nominate the most qualified candidate : His old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dodd .

Maeve Reston is a national political reporter at CNN, where she published glowing coverage of the Democratic presidential candidates during the primary. Maeve raved about Kamala Harris's facial expressions, Beto O'Rourke's incessant apologizing, and Joe Biden's walking speed. Those were simpler times.
After Biden wrapped up the party's nomination, Reston dropped the pretense of being a reporter and started publishing critical "analysis" of President Donald Trump—because CNN doesn't do enough of that already. Her analysis of the president's speech on July 4, for example, was particularly insightful, and nothing if not unique:
On a very different Fourth of July holiday, when many Americans are wrestling with the racist misdeeds of the country's heroes and confronting an unrelenting pandemic with surging cases, their commander-in-chief is attempting to drag America backward—stirring fear of cultural change while flouting the most basic scientific evidence about disease transmission.
Reston's most recent analysis is about Biden's search for a running mate, and poses a compelling question: The (female) politicians under consideration for the VP nomination are facing "scrutiny" of an "intense" degree. Is sexism to blame? Probably:
Joe Biden's decision on his running mate is drawing closer by the day, and the tensions over whom he should pick spilled out into public view this past week, as the women who are his top contenders find themselves navigating around sexist tropes about their ambition and intense scrutiny of the most controversial aspects of their pasts.
What is the evidence of sexism? Well, one of Reston's favorite candidates in the primary, Sen. Harris (Calif.), "implicitly invoked sexism" during an online conference in response to reports that Biden "does not want to be outshone" and "wants the win to be about him." Some of Biden's advisers have reportedly soured on Harris, who launched her career by dating a much older political juggernaut (Free Beacon Man of the Year Willie Brown) and has been accused of being overly ambitious.
Other VP contenders, such as Rep. Karen Bass (Calif.), are also being criticized. As far as Bass is concerned, she's been forced to defend herself against attacks on her sympathy for Fidel Castro and her participation in an opening ceremony at a Scientology church in Los Angeles.
Reston concludes: "In a deeply polarizing election cycle, as many Americans fight for their economic and physical survival, this group [of VP contenders] is likely to face more intense scrutiny than any group that has come before them in this final stretch."
Maybe it's the polarization, or maybe VP candidates are facing additional scrutiny because Democratic voters nominated a 77-year-old geezer who has trouble stringing together complete sentences. Biden may not survive long enough to be sworn into office in 2021. But on the other hand, sexism.
In any event, Biden should just end this pointless charade and nominate the most qualified candidate: His old friend and like-minded serial groper, Chris Dodd.


freebeacon--2020-08-03--Illinois Dem Calls for State to Stop Teaching History

A Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives called on the state to stop teaching history in public schools until educators can develop a new , non-racist curriculum .
Representative La Shawn Ford said the current curriculum `` leads to white privilege and a racist society '' and called on the state to `` stop its current history teaching practices until appropriate alternatives are developed . ''
At a press conference on Sunday , Ford promoted a bill he ’ s sponsoring in the state legislature to address racism in public schools .
If passed , it would replace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is created .
`` We can ban and abolish history in the state of Illinois until we get it right , '' Ford said Friday on WGN Radio .
`` We must make sure that we have an accurate account because what we have is a miseducation of people . ''
A wave of protests this summer following the death of George Floyd has led schools across the country to examine their history curricula .
Teachers in Virginia ’ s largest school system created a new `` anti-racist '' history curriculum earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Southern Poverty Law Center .
And Duke University said in June it would implement `` anti-racism '' in its curriculum and mandate anti-bias training for faculty and students .

A Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives called on the state to stop teaching history in public schools until educators can develop a new, non-racist curriculum.
Representative La Shawn Ford said the current curriculum "leads to white privilege and a racist society" and called on the state to "stop its current history teaching practices until appropriate alternatives are developed."
At a press conference on Sunday, Ford promoted a bill he’s sponsoring in the state legislature to address racism in public schools. If passed, it would replace history education with civics until anti-racist curriculum is created.
"We can ban and abolish history in the state of Illinois until we get it right," Ford said Friday on WGN Radio. "We must make sure that we have an accurate account because what we have is a miseducation of people."
A wave of protests this summer following the death of George Floyd has led schools across the country to examine their history curricula. Teachers in Virginia’s largest school system created a new "anti-racist" history curriculum earlier this summer for grade-school students based on framework from the Southern Poverty Law Center. And Duke University said in June it would implement "anti-racism" in its curriculum and mandate anti-bias training for faculty and students.


freebeacon--2020-08-03--New York City Shootings Surpass 2019 Total

New York City has already had more shootings this year than in all of 2019 , with the city ’ s 777th shooting this weekend .
Last year 's total of 776 shootings was eclipsed Saturday night as a wave of gun violence continues to hit New York City .
By Sunday night , the city ’ s total shooting incidents for the year rose to 784 .
Shootings have increased by 72.9 percent this year , and the number of shooting victims has increased by 81.4 percent , according to NYPD crime statistics .
Murders have gone up 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this summer 's wave of anti-police protests with sweeping police reform .
So far , this has included disbanding the NYPD ’ s anti-crime unit—a plainclothes unit tasked with removing illegal guns from the city ’ s streets and curbing violent crime—and cutting NYPD funding by $ 1 billion .
City officials have cited a variety of reasons for the uptick in crime , from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic to releasing prisoners from Rikers Island , the city 's main prison .
Though New York mayor Bill de Blasio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime spike on the court system , local court officials said his claims were `` factually incorrect '' and blamed the mayor for his inability to properly handle the problem .
`` [ De Blasio 's comments were ] at best , factually incorrect and at worst a continuing attempt to shift the blame for his inability to manage the increase in New York ’ s street violence , '' Lucian Chalfen , a spokesman for the state 's office of court administration , told the New York Daily News last month .

New York City has already had more shootings this year than in all of 2019, with the city’s 777th shooting this weekend.
Last year's total of 776 shootings was eclipsed Saturday night as a wave of gun violence continues to hit New York City. By Sunday night, the city’s total shooting incidents for the year rose to 784. Shootings have increased by 72.9 percent this year, and the number of shooting victims has increased by 81.4 percent, according to NYPD crime statistics. Murders have gone up 29 percent this year.
Local lawmakers responded to this summer's wave of anti-police protests with sweeping police reform. So far, this has included disbanding the NYPD’s anti-crime unit—a plainclothes unit tasked with removing illegal guns from the city’s streets and curbing violent crime—and cutting NYPD funding by $1 billion.
City officials have cited a variety of reasons for the uptick in crime, from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic to releasing prisoners from Rikers Island, the city's main prison. Though New York mayor Bill de Blasio (D.) tried to blame the crime spike on the court system, local court officials said his claims were "factually incorrect" and blamed the mayor for his inability to properly handle the problem.
"[De Blasio's comments were] at best, factually incorrect and at worst a continuing attempt to shift the blame for his inability to manage the increase in New York’s street violence," Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the state's office of court administration, told the New York Daily News last month.


freebeacon--2020-08-03--Democrats Wage Unfounded Attack on Trump’s State Department

A report released last Tuesday by Sen. Bob Menendez ( D. , N.J. ) made shaky criticisms of the Trump State Department—arguing that crises of expertise , competency , and diversity abound when in fact such accusations are misrepresentative , a foreign policy expert says .
The report , which was picked up by Chinese state media last Wednesday , points to a brain drain from Foggy Bottom in the Trump administration .
The State Department and a Heritage Foundation expert , however , dispute that notion .
The report , for example , argues that the lack of diversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morale crisis '' for the State Department , but also mentions a significant uptick in diverse representation in the State Department ranks .
It also notes that few minorities hold senior leadership positions , but then acknowledges on page 39 that `` the overall proportion of racial and ethnic minorities at State increased from 2002 to 2018 . ''
`` We ’ re working hard at it , '' Pompeo said of diversity to Sen. Chris Coons ( D. , Del . )
in a hearing last Thursday .
`` We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the rate of change is insufficient . ''
Another linchpin of the Democrats ' accusation of a personnel crisis in the State Department is the example of allegedly sexist and racist conduct by U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnson reported earlier this month .
`` As recently as July 2020 , reports surfaced of ‘ cringeworthy ' racist and sexist comments that [ Johnson ] made to London embassy staff , '' the report reads .
The report fails to mention , however , the scant due diligence done to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last Wednesday , the Washington Free Beacon reported that the sole source of Johnson ’ s misconduct allegations is Johnson ’ s former deputy and noted Hillary Clinton adviser Lew Lukens .
Lukens was fired from his post in London in 2018 after applauding President Barack Obama in a speech .
In 2017 , the New York Times identified Lukens as one of the leading diplomats `` staging a quiet revolt amid tensions with Trump . ''
Despite the questionable veracity of Lukens 's allegations , the report condemns the State Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department ’ s quick defense of Ambassador Johnson is emblematic of the Department ’ s willingness to protect President Trump ’ s allies , even at the expense of career employees who may be facing toxic leadership and hostile work environments , '' it reads .
The report also misrepresents the nature of senior staff and ambassadorial appointments under the Trump administration .
`` Under this Administration , the President has been slow or failed altogether to nominate individuals for dozens of senior posts … [ exacerbating ] a declining diplomatic network from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the report asserts .
The president 's record of diplomatic appointments may challenge such claims .
According to the American Foreign Service Association , President Trump has nominated and the Senate has confirmed 189 ambassadorial postings .
During President George H.W .
Bush ’ s term—the last single-term president for the sake of proportional comparison—there were 214 appointments to such posts .
The same paradigm applies for senior political appointees .
As for the discrepancy between Trump ’ s appointee numbers and those of other administrations , `` some of it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those nominations , but a large part of it also has to do with obstruction and delay on the part of Senate Democrats , '' Brett Schaefer , foreign policy research fellow at the Heritage Foundation , told the Free Beacon .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ’ s press team rejects many of the report ’ s conclusions .
`` The State Department ’ s swagger is fully back , '' a State Department spokesman told the Free Beacon .
`` From day one , Secretary Pompeo has delivered on advancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people both here at home and around the world . ''
`` Had Senator Menendez not obstructed so many nominations , the Department would have even more well-qualified and talented people fulfilling important roles , '' the statement continued .
`` Notwithstanding Senator Menendez ’ s obstruction , the Trump Administration has effectively delivered on its foreign policy goals for the American people , their safety , and economic prosperity . ''
One of the report ’ s chief policy prescriptions misdiagnoses a problem with political appointees in the State Department .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be promoted to senior positions , in order to `` [ reduce ] overall politicization … [ and ] encourage career professionals to remain at the Department . ''
But the upswing of political appointees in senior State Department positions is hardly unique to Trump—the trend began in the 1970s—and the practice has become a central part of how the executive branch governs the State Department to act with more dispatch and efficacy .
`` Administrations in recent decades have wanted to ensure that their policies and their agenda are faithfully implemented at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Schaefer told the Free Beacon .
`` Assistant secretaries , undersecretaries , secretaries : These are positions where political decisions are made , and so there has naturally been a concentration of political appointees in those policymaking positions within the Department of State , but probably within other agencies and departments as well . ''

A report released last Tuesday by Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.) made shaky criticisms of the Trump State Department—arguing that crises of expertise, competency, and diversity abound when in fact such accusations are misrepresentative, a foreign policy expert says.
The report, which was picked up by Chinese state media last Wednesday, points to a brain drain from Foggy Bottom in the Trump administration. The State Department and a Heritage Foundation expert, however, dispute that notion.
The report, for example, argues that the lack of diversity among diplomats is creating a "silent morale crisis" for the State Department, but also mentions a significant uptick in diverse representation in the State Department ranks. It also notes that few minorities hold senior leadership positions, but then acknowledges on page 39 that "the overall proportion of racial and ethnic minorities at State increased from 2002 to 2018."
"We’re working hard at it," Pompeo said of diversity to Sen. Chris Coons (D., Del.) in a hearing last Thursday. "We’re making progress, but I would agree that the rate of change is insufficient."
Another linchpin of the Democrats' accusation of a personnel crisis in the State Department is the example of allegedly sexist and racist conduct by U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnson reported earlier this month. "As recently as July 2020, reports surfaced of 'cringeworthy' racist and sexist comments that [Johnson] made to London embassy staff," the report reads.
The report fails to mention, however, the scant due diligence done to corroborate allegations of improper conduct by Johnson. Last Wednesday, the Washington Free Beacon reported that the sole source of Johnson’s misconduct allegations is Johnson’s former deputy and noted Hillary Clinton adviser Lew Lukens.
Lukens was fired from his post in London in 2018 after applauding President Barack Obama in a speech. In 2017, the New York Times identified Lukens as one of the leading diplomats "staging a quiet revolt amid tensions with Trump."
Despite the questionable veracity of Lukens's allegations, the report condemns the State Department's defense of Johnson. "The Department’s quick defense of Ambassador Johnson is emblematic of the Department’s willingness to protect President Trump’s allies, even at the expense of career employees who may be facing toxic leadership and hostile work environments," it reads.
The report also misrepresents the nature of senior staff and ambassadorial appointments under the Trump administration.
"Under this Administration, the President has been slow or failed altogether to nominate individuals for dozens of senior posts ... [exacerbating] a declining diplomatic network from President Trump’s harmful leadership," the report asserts.
The president's record of diplomatic appointments may challenge such claims. According to the American Foreign Service Association, President Trump has nominated and the Senate has confirmed 189 ambassadorial postings. During President George H.W. Bush’s term—the last single-term president for the sake of proportional comparison—there were 214 appointments to such posts.
The same paradigm applies for senior political appointees. As for the discrepancy between Trump’s appointee numbers and those of other administrations, "some of it has been due to poor choices in some of those nominations, but a large part of it also has to do with obstruction and delay on the part of Senate Democrats," Brett Schaefer, foreign policy research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told the Free Beacon.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s press team rejects many of the report’s conclusions. "The State Department’s swagger is fully back," a State Department spokesman told the Free Beacon. "From day one, Secretary Pompeo has delivered on advancing the interests and values of the American people both here at home and around the world."
"Had Senator Menendez not obstructed so many nominations, the Department would have even more well-qualified and talented people fulfilling important roles," the statement continued. "Notwithstanding Senator Menendez’s obstruction, the Trump Administration has effectively delivered on its foreign policy goals for the American people, their safety, and economic prosperity."
One of the report’s chief policy prescriptions misdiagnoses a problem with political appointees in the State Department. The report calls for more career employees to be promoted to senior positions, in order to "[reduce] overall politicization ... [and] encourage career professionals to remain at the Department."
But the upswing of political appointees in senior State Department positions is hardly unique to Trump—the trend began in the 1970s—and the practice has become a central part of how the executive branch governs the State Department to act with more dispatch and efficacy.
"Administrations in recent decades have wanted to ensure that their policies and their agenda are faithfully implemented at senior levels in the State Department," Schaefer told the Free Beacon. "Assistant secretaries, undersecretaries, secretaries: These are positions where political decisions are made, and so there has naturally been a concentration of political appointees in those policymaking positions within the Department of State, but probably within other agencies and departments as well."


freebeacon--2020-08-03--July Breaks Gun Sales Record

July Breaks Gun Sales Record

One of the country 's leading gun makers saw earnings triple as gun sales once again shattered previous records for the month of July .
July 2020 saw an estimated 1,795,602 gun sales—a new record and an increase of 133 percent over July 2019 , according to a Washington Free Beacon analysis of FBI data .
July is the fifth consecutive month to set a gun-sales record .
Chris Killoy , chief executive officer of Sturm , Ruger & Company , said the current spike in sales is unlike anything he has ever seen .
The buying spree shows no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will `` sustain itself '' into the fall , Killoy predicted .
`` Having been in this industry for 30 years , I saw the surge in 1994 before the assault weapons ban took place , '' Killoy told investors on Thursday .
`` This is probably the strongest level of demand that I 've seen .
One of the most significant differences is how it has impacted all levels of the channel and the impact on inventory at all levels . ''
The spike in FBI background checks and coinciding earnings at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new gun ownership as Americans deal with the coronavirus outbreak and national unrest .
FBI background checks indicate 2020 has now seen at least 10 million guns sold—many to first-time buyers and minorities .
Sturm , Ruger & Company announced in its quarterly earnings call on Thursday that net sales had moved from $ 210,367,000 in the first six months of 2019 to $ 253,903,000 during the same period in 2020 .
That equated to diluted earnings per share of $ 1.06 in 2020 compared with $ .36 in 2019—a threefold increase .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar profit jump in June .
Net sales for the company jumped 32.9 percent from $ 175.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2019 to $ 233.6 million in 2020 .
`` Strong consumer demand for firearms , as reflected by adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System ( ‘ NICS ' ) results , combined with a consumer preference for our innovative products , helped us deliver growth and market share gains in our firearms business in fiscal 2020 , '' Mark Smith , co-president and co-CEO of Smith & Wesson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Killoy said the surge in sales reflected Americans ' concerns over current events .
`` This staggering increase in demand appears to be attributable to a few factors , '' Killoy said .
`` Number one , concerns about personal protection and home defense stemming from continuing COVID-19 pandemic ; protests , demonstrations , and civil unrest in many cities throughout the United States and , lastly , the call by some for the reduction in funding and authority of various law enforcement organizations . ''
Killoy said the coronavirus prevented the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and June due to concerns over spreading the virus during training .
He said the company instituted sanitation and social distancing measures and encouraged employees to work remotely when possible .
It also provided its 1,600 employees with an additional two weeks of paid time off .
However , Killoy said the impact of the virus on the company 's ability to manufacture guns was `` negligible '' and that the company had been working at full tilt since March .
`` We never lost a day of production .
We had some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or two , but in all cases , we ’ re able to keep all of our factories open and operating , '' Killoy said .
`` The demand was solid throughout… .
We got used to dealing with COVID-19 .
And our practices and procedures really solidified and we were able to become much more of a routine . ''
Killoy cautioned `` the future impact of COVID-19 remains uncertain '' for the company but said it is well positioned to handle any challenges the virus might pose .
Checks done through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the number of gun sales in the United States over a given time period because nearly all sales done by licensed dealers , like gun stores , require a check to be conducted .
The Free Beacon eliminated all checks in the monthly NICS report that are n't directly associated with gun sales , including gun-carry permit checks , to reach its final number .
The resulting total represents only a best estimate as not all individual gun sales are captured by the system .

One of the country's leading gun makers saw earnings triple as gun sales once again shattered previous records for the month of July.
July 2020 saw an estimated 1,795,602 gun sales—a new record and an increase of 133 percent over July 2019, according to a Washington Free Beacon analysis of FBI data. July is the fifth consecutive month to set a gun-sales record. Chris Killoy, chief executive officer of Sturm, Ruger & Company, said the current spike in sales is unlike anything he has ever seen. The buying spree shows no signs of slowing down and heavy demand will "sustain itself" into the fall, Killoy predicted.
"Having been in this industry for 30 years, I saw the surge in 1994 before the assault weapons ban took place," Killoy told investors on Thursday. "This is probably the strongest level of demand that I've seen. One of the most significant differences is how it has impacted all levels of the channel and the impact on inventory at all levels."
The spike in FBI background checks and coinciding earnings at the gun-industry giant indicate an explosion of new gun ownership as Americans deal with the coronavirus outbreak and national unrest. FBI background checks indicate 2020 has now seen at least 10 million guns sold—many to first-time buyers and minorities.
Sturm, Ruger & Company announced in its quarterly earnings call on Thursday that net sales had moved from $210,367,000 in the first six months of 2019 to $253,903,000 during the same period in 2020. That equated to diluted earnings per share of $1.06 in 2020 compared with $.36 in 2019—a threefold increase.
Smith & Wesson Brands Inc. reported a similar profit jump in June. Net sales for the company jumped 32.9 percent from $175.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2019 to $233.6 million in 2020.
"Strong consumer demand for firearms, as reflected by adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System ('NICS') results, combined with a consumer preference for our innovative products, helped us deliver growth and market share gains in our firearms business in fiscal 2020," Mark Smith, co-president and co-CEO of Smith & Wesson, said in the company's earnings report.
Killoy said the surge in sales reflected Americans' concerns over current events.
"This staggering increase in demand appears to be attributable to a few factors," Killoy said. "Number one, concerns about personal protection and home defense stemming from continuing COVID-19 pandemic; protests, demonstrations, and civil unrest in many cities throughout the United States and, lastly, the call by some for the reduction in funding and authority of various law enforcement organizations."
Killoy said the coronavirus prevented the company from hiring new personnel between March and June due to concerns over spreading the virus during training. He said the company instituted sanitation and social distancing measures and encouraged employees to work remotely when possible. It also provided its 1,600 employees with an additional two weeks of paid time off. However, Killoy said the impact of the virus on the company's ability to manufacture guns was "negligible" and that the company had been working at full tilt since March.
"We never lost a day of production. We had some impacts to individual lines for a shift or two, but in all cases, we’re able to keep all of our factories open and operating," Killoy said. "The demand was solid throughout.... We got used to dealing with COVID-19. And our practices and procedures really solidified and we were able to become much more of a routine."
Killoy cautioned "the future impact of COVID-19 remains uncertain" for the company but said it is well positioned to handle any challenges the virus might pose.
Checks done through NICS are widely considered the best indicator for the number of gun sales in the United States over a given time period because nearly all sales done by licensed dealers, like gun stores, require a check to be conducted. The Free Beacon eliminated all checks in the monthly NICS report that aren't directly associated with gun sales, including gun-carry permit checks, to reach its final number. The resulting total represents only a best estimate as not all individual gun sales are captured by the system.
Charles Fain Lehman contributed reporting to this article.


freebeacon--2020-08-03--Iran Sanctions Former Trump NSC Official

Iran over the weekend sanctioned a former top White House National Security Council member who helped drive President Donald Trump ’ s maximum pressure campaign against Tehran .
Richard Goldberg , an aide to former White House national security adviser John Bolton who spearheaded the administration ’ s economic sanctions on Iran , was sanctioned by Tehran for what Iranian leaders called `` economic terrorism '' against the country .
The new actions mark another escalation in the Islamic Republic ’ s tit-for-tat sanction war with America .
The Trump administration has crippled the Iranian economy with sanctions and aimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now a senior adviser at the hawkish Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank , which has close ties to the Trump administration and has been a vocal supporter of its tough economic sanctions campaign on Tehran .
`` I 've been a [ NSC ] official , chief of staff for a governor , senior staff for a U.S. senator , senior adviser for [ FDD ] & deployed to Afghanistan as a Navy Reservist , '' he tweeted .
`` Today I gain a new badge of honor : ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s ] maximum pressure campaign . ''
Bolton congratulated Goldberg , saying in a tweet that `` drawing sanctions from the corrupt Iranian regime for ‘ economic terrorism ’ shows the effectiveness of his work . ''

Iran over the weekend sanctioned a former top White House National Security Council member who helped drive President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against Tehran.
Richard Goldberg, an aide to former White House national security adviser John Bolton who spearheaded the administration’s economic sanctions on Iran, was sanctioned by Tehran for what Iranian leaders called "economic terrorism" against the country.
The new actions mark another escalation in the Islamic Republic’s tit-for-tat sanction war with America. The Trump administration has crippled the Iranian economy with sanctions and aimed to bankrupt its corrupt regime.
Goldberg is now a senior adviser at the hawkish Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, which has close ties to the Trump administration and has been a vocal supporter of its tough economic sanctions campaign on Tehran.
Goldberg called the sanctions a "badge of honor."
"I've been a [NSC] official, chief of staff for a governor, senior staff for a U.S. senator, senior adviser for [FDD] & deployed to Afghanistan as a Navy Reservist," he tweeted. "Today I gain a new badge of honor: 'sanctioned' by Iran for coordinating [Trump’s] maximum pressure campaign."
Bolton congratulated Goldberg, saying in a tweet that "drawing sanctions from the corrupt Iranian regime for ‘economic terrorism’ shows the effectiveness of his work."


freebeacon--2020-08-04--Republican Manny Sethi Scrambles to Explain Contribution to Liberal Tom Perriello

A Republican Senate candidate blamed his wife and sleepwalking for a past donation to a far-left Democrat as he woos conservative voters in Tennessee .
Orthopedic surgeon Manny Sethi , who is running to replace retiring senator Lamar Alexander ( R. , Tenn. ) , faced criticism in July for a campaign contribution he made to former Democratic congressman Tom Perriello .
Sethi gave $ 50 to Perriello 's campaign in April 2008 , prompting an advertisement from primary opponent and former ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty .
While Sethi has dismissed the attack as `` baseless , '' his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donation , going so far as to scapegoat his wife and a lack of sleep .
In an advertisement released July 25 , Sethi 's wife took responsibility for the contribution , saying she sent the money after `` some friends called me for political donations . ''
But in a July 1 email obtained by the Washington Free Beacon , Sethi claimed he made the donation himself , attributing the decision to sleep deprivation .
`` When I was a sleep-deprived resident , I had a friend pestering me to make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was running for office , '' Sethi wrote in the email .
`` It was dumb , and I should n't have done it . ''
Sethi added that he did not know the money was going to Perriello , saying it `` never would have happened '' had he known .
Sethi undermined his claim of ignorance , however , during a Thursday town hall .
He called Perriello `` a friend 's brother-in-law who was running for Congress , '' claiming he purchased two t-shirts with the $ 50 contribution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the former Virginia congressman a `` family friend '' in a July comment made to the Tennessee Star .
Reached for comment , Sethi campaign chairman Chris Devaney told the Free Beacon that Sethi 's wife `` used a joint credit card that had both her name and Dr. Manny 's name on it , and because of that , when the credit card processor itemized the donation , it was reported as a donation to Dr .
Manny . ''
Devaney said Sethi `` did n't remember the specifics '' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while he was working 100 hours a week as a resident . ''
Devaney accused Hagerty of highlighting the donation `` in hopes that voters would ignore the $ 100,000 he gave to Romney and Al Gore . ''
Hagerty contributed $ 1,000 to Gore 's presidential campaign in 1999 , records show .
Following Sethi 's donation , Perriello went on to unseat former six-term incumbent Republican Virgil Goode by fewer than 800 votes in 2008 .
He was ousted from Congress just two years later , losing to former GOP representative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive director of the Open Society Foundations ( OSF ) , a liberal organization funded by billionaire George Soros .
OSF has sent millions to anti-Israel groups , including several that support the Boycott , Divestment , and Sanctions movement against the Jewish state .
Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif , who the Trump administration sanctioned in 2019 for implementing the `` reckless agenda of Iran 's Supreme Leader , '' has touted his positive relationship with OSF .
The Soros family gave Perriello at least $ 685,470 during his failed gubernatorial bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's election to 9/11 during the campaign .
Trump endorsed Hagerty 's Senate campaign in a July tweet , calling him `` strong on crime , borders & our 2nd A '' before offering his `` Complete & Total '' support .
Hagerty previously served in the Trump administration as U.S. ambassador to Japan from August 2017 to July 2019 .
In addition to Trump 's endorsement , Hagerty is backed by Sens .
Marsha Blackburn ( R. , Tenn. ) , Tom Cotton ( R. , Ark . )
, and Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ky. ) , as well as former ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley .
Sethi is endorsed by Sens .
Ted Cruz ( R. , Texas ) and Rand Paul ( R. , Ky. ) .
Sethi , Hagerty , and 13 other Republican candidates will face off in the state 's primary election on Thursday .
Hagerty boasts a strong financial advantage , raising $ 12.3 million with $ 2.7 million on hand as of July 17 .
Sethi , meanwhile , has raised $ 4.6 million and holds $ 386,000 on @ @

A Republican Senate candidate blamed his wife and sleepwalking for a past donation to a far-left Democrat as he woos conservative voters in Tennessee.
Orthopedic surgeon Manny Sethi, who is running to replace retiring senator Lamar Alexander (R., Tenn.), faced criticism in July for a campaign contribution he made to former Democratic congressman Tom Perriello. Sethi gave $50 to Perriello's campaign in April 2008, prompting an advertisement from primary opponent and former ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty. While Sethi has dismissed the attack as "baseless," his campaign has offered contradictory explanations behind the donation, going so far as to scapegoat his wife and a lack of sleep.
In an advertisement released July 25, Sethi's wife took responsibility for the contribution, saying she sent the money after "some friends called me for political donations." But in a July 1 email obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, Sethi claimed he made the donation himself, attributing the decision to sleep deprivation.
"When I was a sleep-deprived resident, I had a friend pestering me to make a donation to one of his friends who was running for office," Sethi wrote in the email. "It was dumb, and I shouldn't have done it." Sethi added that he did not know the money was going to Perriello, saying it "never would have happened" had he known.
Sethi undermined his claim of ignorance, however, during a Thursday town hall. He called Perriello "a friend's brother-in-law who was running for Congress," claiming he purchased two t-shirts with the $50 contribution. In addition, Sethi's campaign previously called the former Virginia congressman a "family friend" in a July comment made to the Tennessee Star.
Reached for comment, Sethi campaign chairman Chris Devaney told the Free Beacon that Sethi's wife "used a joint credit card that had both her name and Dr. Manny's name on it, and because of that, when the credit card processor itemized the donation, it was reported as a donation to Dr. Manny." Devaney said Sethi "didn't remember the specifics" of the donation because it was made "while he was working 100 hours a week as a resident." Devaney accused Hagerty of highlighting the donation "in hopes that voters would ignore the $100,000 he gave to Romney and Al Gore." Hagerty contributed $1,000 to Gore's presidential campaign in 1999, records show.
Following Sethi's donation, Perriello went on to unseat former six-term incumbent Republican Virgil Goode by fewer than 800 votes in 2008. He was ousted from Congress just two years later, losing to former GOP representative Robert Hurt.
Perriello now works as executive director of the Open Society Foundations (OSF), a liberal organization funded by billionaire George Soros. OSF has sent millions to anti-Israel groups, including several that support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against the Jewish state. Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif, who the Trump administration sanctioned in 2019 for implementing the "reckless agenda of Iran's Supreme Leader," has touted his positive relationship with OSF.
The Soros family gave Perriello at least $685,470 during his failed gubernatorial bid in 2017—the Democrat compared President Donald Trump's election to 9/11 during the campaign.
Trump endorsed Hagerty's Senate campaign in a July tweet, calling him "strong on crime, borders & our 2nd A" before offering his "Complete & Total" support. Hagerty previously served in the Trump administration as U.S. ambassador to Japan from August 2017 to July 2019. In addition to Trump's endorsement, Hagerty is backed by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), Tom Cotton (R., Ark.), and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), as well as former ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley. Sethi is endorsed by Sens. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) and Rand Paul (R., Ky.).
Sethi, Hagerty, and 13 other Republican candidates will face off in the state's primary election on Thursday. Hagerty boasts a strong financial advantage, raising $12.3 million with $2.7 million on hand as of July 17. Sethi, meanwhile, has raised $4.6 million and holds $386,000 on hand.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race "solid Republican."


freebeacon--2020-08-04--NYT Quietly Scrubs Chinese Propaganda

NYT Quietly Scrubs Chinese Propaganda

The New York Times quietly deleted hundreds of advertorials that the Chinese Communist Party paid to publish on its website .
A Times spokeswoman told the Washington Free Beacon that the move is a reflection of a decision to stop accepting ads from state-run media .
`` We made the decision at the beginning of this year to stop accepting branded content ads from state run media , which includes China Daily , '' she said .
The Times ‘ s decision to end its partnership with China Daily is part of a society-wide reckoning about the cozy relationships between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the NBA to Harvard University .
While the paper is responsible for some of the most gut-wrenching stories about Chinese government oppression , it has also run more than 200 propaganda articles in the last decade , some of which sugar-coated China 's human rights abuses .
One 2019 video ad , for example , promoted Xinjiang tourism by depicting the oppressed Uyghur people as content under Chinese rule .
China Daily , an official mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party , has been purchasing advertorial spaces in the pages of mainstream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , using the space to disseminate Chinese propaganda to millions of unassuming Americans .
In return , U.S. newspapers such as the Times , the Washington Post , and the Wall Street Journal received millions of dollars .
Rep. Jim Banks ( R. , Ind . )
, a member of Congress 's China Task Force who has spearheaded efforts to rein in the distribution of Chinese propaganda , applauded the Times for terminating its relationship with China Daily .
`` The New York Times has done excellent , detailed reporting on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world , '' the congressman said .
`` That reporting has finally had an effect—at the New York Times—and it no longer supports covering up the CCP ’ s barbarity .
I hope the other outlets follow suit and start putting American values over Communist bribes . ''
After the Free Beacon found that China Daily failed to follow federal disclosure requirements about its relationship with U.S. media outlets , Banks and 34 other Congressional Republicans demanded a Justice Department probe into the outlet .
Following the demand , China Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities since 2016 , revealing previously undisclosed details about its ties with U.S. media organs .
The new disclosure revealed that the Post and the Journal each received more than $ 100,000 per month to run print versions of Chinese propaganda articles .
The Times received $ 50,000 in 2018 to place the propaganda on its website , presumably a small fraction of the revenue it made selling print space to China Daily .
The new disclosures also showed that China Daily paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Los Angeles Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chronicle , and other large regional newspapers to print copies of the China Daily for local distribution .
A Post spokesman told the Free Beacon that the outlet has not published any China Daily advertorials since 2019 but did not clarify whether the Post formally terminated its relationship with the propaganda outlet .
Yaqiu Wang , a researcher at Human Rights Watch , urged other U.S. media outlets to follow the Times ‘ s example and end their relationships with Chinese state media .
`` If you care about the truth , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government 's machinery of propaganda , censorship and repression , '' she said .

The New York Times quietly deleted hundreds of advertorials that the Chinese Communist Party paid to publish on its website.
A Times spokeswoman told the Washington Free Beacon that the move is a reflection of a decision to stop accepting ads from state-run media. "We made the decision at the beginning of this year to stop accepting branded content ads from state run media, which includes China Daily," she said.
The Times's decision to end its partnership with China Daily is part of a society-wide reckoning about the cozy relationships between the Chinese government and American institutions, from the NBA to Harvard University. While the paper is responsible for some of the most gut-wrenching stories about Chinese government oppression, it has also run more than 200 propaganda articles in the last decade, some of which sugar-coated China's human rights abuses. One 2019 video ad, for example, promoted Xinjiang tourism by depicting the oppressed Uyghur people as content under Chinese rule.
China Daily, an official mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, has been purchasing advertorial spaces in the pages of mainstream U.S. media outlets for the last decade, using the space to disseminate Chinese propaganda to millions of unassuming Americans. In return, U.S. newspapers such as the Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal received millions of dollars.
Rep. Jim Banks (R., Ind.), a member of Congress's China Task Force who has spearheaded efforts to rein in the distribution of Chinese propaganda, applauded the Times for terminating its relationship with China Daily.
"The New York Times has done excellent, detailed reporting on the ongoing Communist Party atrocities in Xinjiang and around the world," the congressman said. "That reporting has finally had an effect—at the New York Times—and it no longer supports covering up the CCP’s barbarity. I hope the other outlets follow suit and start putting American values over Communist bribes."
After the Free Beacon found that China Daily failed to follow federal disclosure requirements about its relationship with U.S. media outlets, Banks and 34 other Congressional Republicans demanded a Justice Department probe into the outlet. Following the demand, China Daily submitted a revised disclosure of its U.S. activities since 2016, revealing previously undisclosed details about its ties with U.S. media organs.
The new disclosure revealed that the Post and the Journal each received more than $100,000 per month to run print versions of Chinese propaganda articles. The Times received $50,000 in 2018 to place the propaganda on its website, presumably a small fraction of the revenue it made selling print space to China Daily. The new disclosures also showed that China Daily paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Houston Chronicle, and other large regional newspapers to print copies of the China Daily for local distribution.
A Post spokesman told the Free Beacon that the outlet has not published any China Daily advertorials since 2019 but did not clarify whether the Post formally terminated its relationship with the propaganda outlet.
Yaqiu Wang, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, urged other U.S. media outlets to follow the Times's example. "If you care about the truth, then don’t participate in the Chinese government's machinery of propaganda, censorship, and repression," she said.


freebeacon--2020-08-04--ANALYSIS: Trump Humiliates ‘Fake News’ Axios Reporter in Physically Dominant Interview Performance

MINSK — Folks !
I am currently en route to [ redacted ] to attend a happy hour honoring the birthdays of Muslim icons Yasser Arafat and Barack Obama but was compelled to weigh in on the so-called viral interview between President Donald J. Trump and Jonathan Swan , the chief `` fake news '' reporter for Axios , a remedial blog for people with short attention spans .
Perhaps I am a little out of touch with our contemporary culture 's misguided definitions of masculine dominance , but the corrupt brunchmongers and woke tokers in the fail-stream media are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the one who looks bad in that interview .
Lib journo Eli Lake , for example , offered the following take : Nonsense !
Swan , who had the gall to interview the American president despite being from Holland or whatever , was continuously cowed by Trump 's commanding physical presence .
If that had been a boxing match , the referee would have been forced to end it out of mercy .
Interviews between men are much like fights in the sense that words are meaningless .
Domination is key !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on the words .
They barf out some superficial analysis in the hope that their friends will press a little `` heart '' button on their tweets .
Not one of them has the intellectual fortitude to read between the lines and tell the real story of what happened in that interview .
Trump 's posture was straight and forward-leaning , his legs generously manspread in a wide stance , his hands pushed out in the attack position .
Swan never stood a chance .
Where I come from , dominant strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
God bless !

MINSK — Folks! I am currently en route to [redacted] to attend a happy hour honoring the birthdays of Muslim icons Yasser Arafat and Barack Obama but was compelled to weigh in on the so-called viral interview between President Donald J. Trump and Jonathan Swan, the chief "fake news" reporter for Axios, a remedial blog for people with short attention spans.
Perhaps I am a little out of touch with our contemporary culture's misguided definitions of masculine dominance, but the corrupt brunchmongers and woke tokers in the fail-stream media are absolutely kidding themselves if they think Trump is the one who looks bad in that interview.
Lib journo Eli Lake, for example, offered the following take:
DC insiders tell me Trump didn’t exactly ace that @jonathanvswan interview. — Eli Lake (@EliLake) August 4, 2020
Nonsense! Swan, who had the gall to interview the American president despite being from Holland or whatever, was continuously cowed by Trump's commanding physical presence. If that had been a boxing match, the referee would have been forced to end it out of mercy. Interviews between men are much like fights in the sense that words are meaningless. Domination is key!
Journalists, as per usual, are focused on the words. They barf out some superficial analysis in the hope that their friends will press a little "heart" button on their tweets. Not one of them has the intellectual fortitude to read between the lines and tell the real story of what happened in that interview. Trump's posture was straight and forward-leaning, his legs generously manspread in a wide stance, his hands pushed out in the attack position. Swan never stood a chance.
Where I come from, dominant strength beats submissive weakness. Every damn time. God bless!


freebeacon--2020-08-04--EXCLUSIVE: Election Day War Game Yields Explosive Results

A shadowy group of former Obama officials called the Transition Integrity Project has been hosting Election Day war games to determine what might transpire if Joe Biden and his supporters refuse to concede defeat in November .
Ben Smith of the New York Times reports on the various shenanigans the libs might try to pull in the event that Trump is reelected : For their war game , they cast John Podesta , who was Hillary Clinton ’ s campaign chairman , in the role of Mr. Biden .
They expected him , when the votes came in , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Mr. Podesta , playing Mr. Biden , shocked the organizers by saying he felt his party wouldn ’ t let him concede .
Alleging voter suppression , he persuaded the governors of Wisconsin and Michigan to send pro-Biden electors to the Electoral College .
In that scenario , California , Oregon , and Washington then threatened to secede from the United States if Mr. Trump took office as planned .
The House named Mr. Biden president ; the Senate and White House stuck with Mr. Trump .
At that point in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the media for cues , and waited to see what the military would do .
• In Bow to NBA 's ‘ Inclusive ' Values , China to Install Gender-Neutral Bathrooms at Xinjiang Labor Camps The Washington Free Beacon , in pursuit of its founding mission to preserve American greatness through war-related activities , decided to conduct its own Election Day War Game using the most advanced blockchain algorithms available on the dark web .
The explosive results did n't shock us , but they will probably shock you .
Here 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden refuses to concede and goes into hiding after winning just 212 electoral votes .
• President Trump holds an impromptu rally in front of the Memory Care unit of the Delaware hospice center where Biden is believed to be `` resting . ''
Don Jr. leads the crowd in a chant of `` four more terms ! ''
• Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D. , Calif. ) declares a state of emergency and calls a snap referendum on secession .
Via executive order , he lowers the voting age to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Driven by strong tween turnout , California votes to be absorbed by the People 's Republic of China .
Days later , Oregon and Washington follow suit .
• Federal forces of ambiguous affiliation land in California to seize oil reserves and coordinate resistance factions within the state .
Elon Musk is appointed Lord Commander of the Free Western Territories .
Hundreds of secessionist politicians and their enablers in the mainstream media are arrested and transferred to Guantanamo Bay .
• President Trump negotiates a historic deal with Barstool Sports to place cameras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to place bets on everything from gladiator-style fights between journalists at rival networks to the number of days Gov .
Newsom can abstain from self-pleasure .
The new website is called LibsInCages.Gov .
• Mitt Romney is arrested after leading a Mormon mercenary force—The Latter-day Soljaz—in an unsuccessful attempt to reacquire the Free Western Territories on behalf of the ChiComs .
Shortly upon his arrival at Guantanamo , he announces his campaign for president of the `` unlawfully detained resistance , '' but is beaten handily by Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiates another historic deal—a prisoner swap with the Chinese government under which all Uyghur Muslims are freed , and the treasonous Guantanamo detainees are shipped to reeducation camps in Xinjiang .
The ChiComs are forced to construct a new facility to house former journalists suffering from social media withdrawal .
Acosta finally gets his own show on Chinese state television .
• Hillary Clinton remains at large following the murder of Ghislaine Maxwell .

A shadowy group of former Obama officials called the Transition Integrity Project has been hosting Election Day war games to determine what might transpire if Joe Biden and his supporters refuse to concede defeat in November.
Ben Smith of the New York Times reports on the various shenanigans the libs might try to pull in the event that Trump is reelected:
For their war game, they cast John Podesta, who was Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, in the role of Mr. Biden. They expected him, when the votes came in, to concede, just as Mrs. Clinton had. But Mr. Podesta, playing Mr. Biden, shocked the organizers by saying he felt his party wouldn’t let him concede. Alleging voter suppression, he persuaded the governors of Wisconsin and Michigan to send pro-Biden electors to the Electoral College. In that scenario, California, Oregon, and Washington then threatened to secede from the United States if Mr. Trump took office as planned. The House named Mr. Biden president; the Senate and White House stuck with Mr. Trump. At that point in the scenario, the nation stopped looking to the media for cues, and waited to see what the military would do.
The Washington Free Beacon, in pursuit of its founding mission to preserve American greatness through war-related activities, decided to conduct its own Election Day War Game using the most advanced blockchain algorithms available on the dark web. The explosive results didn't shock us, but they will probably shock you. Here's a summary of what happened:


freebeacon--2020-08-04--Pence: Cuomo’s ‘Poor Decisions’ Have Cost Lives

Vice President Mike Pence slammed New York governor Andrew Cuomo 's ( D. ) coronavirus leadership on Monday , saying his `` poor decisions '' had cost lives .
`` Our hearts grieve for the fact that one in five of all the American lives that have been lost in the coronavirus pandemic were lost in the state of New York , and some of that was because of poor decisions by the state and by Governor Cuomo , '' Pence said on Fox News .
While Cuomo received extensive media praise for his initial handling of the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of his decisions , especially his policy forcing nursing homes to accept coronavirus-positive patients .
Cuomo reversed the mandate in May after thousands of deaths in those facilities .
Cuomo also struggled to coordinate coronavirus policy with New York City mayor Bill de Blasio ( D. ) , a longtime political foe , as the country 's largest city became the epicenter of the crisis .
A Wall Street Journal investigation published June 11 found they enacted insufficient isolation protocols , facilitated improper patient transfers , and circulated mixed messaging on when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , among other problems .
Pence also said New Yorkers could see through Cuomo 's `` on-again , off-again '' praise and criticism of the Trump administration and recognized how the president had aided the state .
Cuomo said Trump had `` delivered for New York '' and called aid from the federal government a `` phenomenal accomplishment '' in April , but he has since sharpened his tone , at one point calling Trump 's response a `` virus of American division and federal incompetence . ''

Vice President Mike Pence slammed New York governor Andrew Cuomo's (D.) coronavirus leadership on Monday, saying his "poor decisions" had cost lives.
"Our hearts grieve for the fact that one in five of all the American lives that have been lost in the coronavirus pandemic were lost in the state of New York, and some of that was because of poor decisions by the state and by Governor Cuomo," Pence said on Fox News.
More than 32,000 of the country's 155,000 coronavirus deaths have occurred in New York. That's more than twice as high as the second-highest state in deaths, New Jersey, and more than three times as many as the third-highest, California.
While Cuomo received extensive media praise for his initial handling of the pandemic, he has since come under fire for some of his decisions, especially his policy forcing nursing homes to accept coronavirus-positive patients. Cuomo reversed the mandate in May after thousands of deaths in those facilities. Cuomo also struggled to coordinate coronavirus policy with New York City mayor Bill de Blasio (D.), a longtime political foe, as the country's largest city became the epicenter of the crisis. A Wall Street Journal investigation published June 11 found they enacted insufficient isolation protocols, facilitated improper patient transfers, and circulated mixed messaging on when front-line workers could return to their jobs, among other problems.
Pence also said New Yorkers could see through Cuomo's "on-again, off-again" praise and criticism of the Trump administration and recognized how the president had aided the state. Cuomo said Trump had "delivered for New York" and called aid from the federal government a "phenomenal accomplishment" in April, but he has since sharpened his tone, at one point calling Trump's response a "virus of American division and federal incompetence."


freebeacon--2020-08-04--Soros Boosts St. Louis Prosecutor After Indictment of Gun-Toting Couple

Liberal billionaire George Soros is redoubling his efforts to reelect the St. Louis prosecutor who brought felony charges against a couple for pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters after they broke through the couple ’ s front gates .
Soros poured $ 116,000 into the Missouri Justice & Public Safety PAC , which is working to reelect St. Louis circuit attorney Kim Gardner .
Gardner is facing former homicide prosecutor Mary Pat Carl in Tuesday 's Democratic primary .
Gardner has generated controversy during her first four years in office .
She hired a private investigator to look into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R. ) , who was charged with felony invasion of privacy , instead of working with police .
Gardner 's investigator lied under oath and the prosecutor 's conduct set off a separate probe into the handling of the case .
Soros made the donation as part of his ongoing efforts to elect far-left prosecutors across the country in a bid to overhaul the criminal justice system .
Earlier this year , the financier sent large sums into Chicago backing state 's attorney Kim Foxx , who drew national attention after her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actor who staged a hate crime and attributed it to Trump supporters .
The liberal billionaire has spent millions supporting far-left candidates in California , Florida , Pennsylvania , Texas , Virginia , and elsewhere .
The St. Louis prosecutor brought felony charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey on July 20 for pointing guns at a mob of Black Lives Matter protesters who broke onto their private property .
Some members of the crowd engaged in a shouting match with the McCloskeys but no one was injured during the exchange and no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ captured on camera and quickly went viral , placing the McCloskeys at the center of a political firestorm .
Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement—for which Soros pledged $ 220 million in funding—criticized the couple 's actions , while others defended them as acts of self-defense .
The couple has appeared on Fox News multiple times since the altercation and appeared at a virtual Trump campaign event last month .
Missouri law provides robust legal protections for homeowners who defend their private property with deadly force .
Joel Schwartz , the couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within their rights when they confronted the crowd with their firearms .
The probe into Gardner 's conduct during the Greitens case is still ongoing .
The prosecutor hired private investigator William Tisaby , a former FBI agent , to look into the claims against Greitens .
After Tisaby was charged with perjury and evidence tampering , the charges against Greitens were dropped .
Gardner has called the investigation into her handling of the case a `` racially motivated conspiracy . ''
`` Governor Greitens has been exonerated and is glad to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal effort to remove him from office in 2018 , '' Dylan Johnson , spokesman for Greitens , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` Now , Kim Gardner must comply with the court order and provide her communications with George Soros , political insiders , and journalists who paid 120K in bribes to witnesses who lied about the Governor . ''
Gardner 's campaign did not respond to inquiries on Soros 's cash .

Liberal billionaire George Soros is redoubling his efforts to reelect the St. Louis prosecutor who brought felony charges against a couple for pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters after they broke through the couple’s front gates.
Soros poured $116,000 into the Missouri Justice & Public Safety PAC, which is working to reelect St. Louis circuit attorney Kim Gardner. Gardner is facing former homicide prosecutor Mary Pat Carl in Tuesday's Democratic primary.
Gardner has generated controversy during her first four years in office. She hired a private investigator to look into allegations against former Missouri governor Eric Greitens (R.), who was charged with felony invasion of privacy, instead of working with police. Gardner's investigator lied under oath and the prosecutor's conduct set off a separate probe into the handling of the case.
Soros made the donation as part of his ongoing efforts to elect far-left prosecutors across the country in a bid to overhaul the criminal justice system. Earlier this year, the financier sent large sums into Chicago backing state's attorney Kim Foxx, who drew national attention after her office dropped charges against Jussie Smollett, the actor who staged a hate crime and attributed it to Trump supporters. The liberal billionaire has spent millions supporting far-left candidates in California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and elsewhere.
The St. Louis prosecutor brought felony charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey on July 20 for pointing guns at a mob of Black Lives Matter protesters who broke onto their private property. Some members of the crowd engaged in a shouting match with the McCloskeys but no one was injured during the exchange and no shots were fired.
The ordeal was captured on camera and quickly went viral, placing the McCloskeys at the center of a political firestorm. Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement—for which Soros pledged $220 million in funding—criticized the couple's actions, while others defended them as acts of self-defense. The couple has appeared on Fox News multiple times since the altercation and appeared at a virtual Trump campaign event last month.
Missouri law provides robust legal protections for homeowners who defend their private property with deadly force. Joel Schwartz, the couple's lawyer, said the McCloskeys were within their rights when they confronted the crowd with their firearms.
The probe into Gardner's conduct during the Greitens case is still ongoing. The prosecutor hired private investigator William Tisaby, a former FBI agent, to look into the claims against Greitens. After Tisaby was charged with perjury and evidence tampering, the charges against Greitens were dropped. Gardner has called the investigation into her handling of the case a "racially motivated conspiracy."
"Governor Greitens has been exonerated and is glad to see the truth come to light about the criminal effort to remove him from office in 2018," Dylan Johnson, spokesman for Greitens, told the Washington Free Beacon. "Now, Kim Gardner must comply with the court order and provide her communications with George Soros, political insiders, and journalists who paid 120K in bribes to witnesses who lied about the Governor."
Gardner's campaign did not respond to inquiries on Soros's cash.


freebeacon--2020-08-04--Massive Explosion of Unclear Origin Wracks Beirut

A massive explosion wracked Lebanon 's capital Tuesday morning , with its origin and damage yet to be fully assessed .
According to one reporter , twin explosions occurred in a 15-minute succession—one near the Beirut port and another within the confines of the city .
Several people are reportedly wounded .
The Lebanese interior minister said that the cause of the explosion can not be determined until further investigation , but initial information indicates that a long-held highly explosive material caused the explosion .
Lebanon has been the site of massive instability in recent months , as tensions with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in large numbers .
Known to harbor staging areas for Hezbollah insurgents , Lebanon has risked inflaming its relationship with Israel .
Some experts warn that Hezbollah is laying the `` groundwork for a large-scale attack '' on the Jewish state , the Washington Free Beacon reported last month .
A June Wall Street Journal article predicted a mere `` row of trees '' along the Israeli-Lebanese border could provoke the next war between the two countries .
Due to corrupt financial institutions , coronavirus , and political paralysis , Lebanon also sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world .
Several major Lebanese banking institutions share links with Hezbollah 's illicit finance networks , discouraging international bailout investments .
A July Reuters report detailed how the dimming prospects of international aid could potentially plunge the country into even deeper turmoil .
While tracing the origin of the explosion is an ongoing task , some speculate the extent to which it relates to Lebanon 's terror-related malfeasance .
`` Ca n't speak to the chemistry , but politically , a frequent cause of large explosions is being a terrorist proxy for Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted .
`` [ The ] Beirut explosion is in [ an ] area known to be used by Hezbollah for its long-range precision-guided missile project , which Israel publicly calls a red line .
I have no specific knowledge , but [ I ] would be surprised if [ the ] explosives that detonated were not associated with that project , '' he added .

A massive explosion wracked Lebanon's capital Tuesday morning, with its origin and damage yet to be fully assessed.
According to one reporter, twin explosions occurred in a 15-minute succession—one near the Beirut port and another within the confines of the city. Several people are reportedly wounded.
The Lebanese interior minister said that the cause of the explosion cannot be determined until further investigation, but initial information indicates that a long-held highly explosive material caused the explosion.
Lebanon has been the site of massive instability in recent months, as tensions with Israel emerge and Lebanese financial institutions fail in large numbers.
Known to harbor staging areas for Hezbollah insurgents, Lebanon has risked inflaming its relationship with Israel. Some experts warn that Hezbollah is laying the "groundwork for a large-scale attack" on the Jewish state, the Washington Free Beacon reported last month. A June Wall Street Journal article predicted a mere "row of trees" along the Israeli-Lebanese border could provoke the next war between the two countries.
Due to corrupt financial institutions, coronavirus, and political paralysis, Lebanon also sports one of the weakest economies in the world. Several major Lebanese banking institutions share links with Hezbollah's illicit finance networks, discouraging international bailout investments. A July Reuters report detailed how the dimming prospects of international aid could potentially plunge the country into even deeper turmoil.
While tracing the origin of the explosion is an ongoing task, some speculate the extent to which it relates to Lebanon's terror-related malfeasance.
"Can't speak to the chemistry, but politically, a frequent cause of large explosions is being a terrorist proxy for Iran," Free Beacon contributor Noah Pollak tweeted.
"[The] Beirut explosion is in [an] area known to be used by Hezbollah for its long-range precision-guided missile project, which Israel publicly calls a red line. I have no specific knowledge, but [I] would be surprised if [the] explosives that detonated were not associated with that project," he added.


freebeacon--2020-08-04--Portland Film Center Cancels ‘Kindergarten Cop’ Screening Over Positive Portrayal of Police

A film center in Portland cancelled its screening of Kindergarten Cop after a local author complained about the movie ’ s portrayal of police in schools and compared it to The Birth of a Nation , a 1915 film that romanticized the Ku Klux Klan .
Northwest Film Center , an organization supporting local filmmakers , had planned to show Kindergarten Cop as the first movie in its summertime drive-in movie series until author Lois Leveen said a movie showing cops in schools wasn ’ t `` entertaining . ''
`` There ’ s nothing entertaining about the presence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` 5- and 6-year-olds are handcuffed and hauled off to jail routinely in this country .
And this criminalizing of children increases dramatically when cops are assigned to work in schools . ''
Leveen said the 1990 action-comedy film was not family-appropriate because it `` romanticizes over-policing '' '' Yes , KINDERGARTEN COP is only a movie .
So are BIRTH OF A NATION and GONE WITH THE WIND , but we recognize films like those are not ‘ good family fun , ’ '' Leveen tweeted .
`` They are relics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
KINDERGARTEN COP romanticizes over-policing in the U.S. '' The film center originally chose to screen Kindergarten Cop , which was filmed in Astoria , Oregon , to celebrate the state ’ s filmmaking history and the 30th anniversary of the movie ’ s release .
In the film , actor Arnold Schwarzenegger portrays a police officer who goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to nab a drug dealer .
In response to Leveen 's criticisms , Northwest Film Center said they would instead show John Lewis : Good Trouble to honor the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July .
This summer , anti-police protesters and activists have pushed for reforming and defunding the police .
Some , including the leftist Black Lives Matter organization , have called for removing police officers from schools .

A film center in Portland canceled its screening of Kindergarten Cop after a local author complained about the movie’s portrayal of police in schools and compared it to The Birth of a Nation, a 1915 film that romanticized the Ku Klux Klan.
Northwest Film Center, an organization supporting local filmmakers, had planned to show Kindergarten Cop as the first movie in its summertime drive-in movie series until author Lois Leveen said a movie showing cops in schools wasn’t "entertaining."
"There’s nothing entertaining about the presence of police in schools," Leveen tweeted. "5- and 6-year-olds are handcuffed and hauled off to jail routinely in this country. And this criminalizing of children increases dramatically when cops are assigned to work in schools."
Leveen said the 1990 action-comedy film was not family-appropriate because it "romanticizes over-policing."
"Yes, KINDERGARTEN COP is only a movie. So are BIRTH OF A NATION and GONE WITH THE WIND, but we recognize films like those are not ‘good family fun,’" Leveen tweeted. "They are relics of how pop culture feeds racist assumptions. KINDERGARTEN COP romanticizes over-policing in the U.S."
The film center originally chose to screen Kindergarten Cop, which was filmed in Astoria, Oregon, to celebrate the state’s filmmaking history and the 30th anniversary of the movie’s release.
In the film, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger portrays a police officer who goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to nab a drug dealer.
In response to Leveen's criticisms, Northwest Film Center said they would instead show John Lewis: Good Trouble to honor the former congressman and civil-rights activist who died in July.
This summer, anti-police protesters and activists have pushed for reforming and defunding the police. Some, including the leftist Black Lives Matter organization, have called for removing police officers from schools.


freebeacon--2020-08-04--Democrats Gutted Anti-Hezbollah Legislation Days Before Attack on Israel

Just days before the Iranian-funded terror group Hezbollah waged a terrorist attack on Israel ’ s northern border , congressional Democrats gutted legislation that would have halted U.S. funding to the Lebanese military , which is almost entirely controlled by the terror group .
Congress has been working on legislation that would slash millions in American taxpayer funding to the Lebanese Armed Forces ( LAF ) , which has long been under Hezbollah ’ s thumb .
Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate have been pushing to cut this funding for some time , arguing that U.S. aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known to conduct attacks against Israel on Iran ’ s behalf .
While the original bill had bipartisan support in both chambers , House Democrats recently attached an amendment to their version of the legislation that nixed the funding cut .
Other GOP amendments that would have strengthened the legislation and pushed the LAF to isolate Hezbollah from its forces were also struck down by the Democrat-led House .
The House last week passed a watered-down version of the bill that leaves the LAF funding fully intact .
The wrangling over the legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foiled attack on Israel from southern Lebanon , where the LAF and international forces have been tasked with stopping such terror strikes .
Republican congressional sources who spoke to the Washington Free Beacon accused House Democrats of standing in the way of a major reform effort that could have forced the LAF to eradicate Hezbollah from its ranks or face a cutoff in U.S. aid dollars .
U.S. funding to the LAF has been a flashpoint for some time .
As Hezbollah increases its force presence on Israel ’ s northern border and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Congress have pressured the Trump administration to take action .
The State Department , like congressional Democrats , has championed the aid , with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo telling the Free Beacon earlier this year that funding to the LAF remains a priority .
Republicans , however , view the aid as a tool to force Lebanon into ridding itself of Hezbollah ’ s influence .
The Countering Hezbollah in Lebanon ’ s Military Act of 2019 was passed out of a House committee late last week without key portions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LAF , effectively barring it from receiving money until it cleanses its ranks of Hezbollah forces .
Outgoing representative Eliot Engel ( D. , N.Y. ) sponsored an amendment to the bill striking all language that would have cut the LAF ’ s aid dollars .
The final version now requires the State Department to issue a report detailing ways in which the United States can stop Hezbollah ’ s smuggling of arms along its border with Israel .
Republican amendments to the bill aimed at strengthening its language were blocked by Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` directly confront terrorism and Hezbollah ’ s influence . ''
Rep. Lee Zeldin ( R. , N.Y. ) , a main sponsor of the legislation , told the Free Beacon that tweaks were made to the original language in order to ensure its passage through the Democrat-led House committee .
`` It ’ s not the same draft as it was , '' Zeldin said .
`` We would love to see that draft as it is passed over in the Senate , '' where Sen. Ted Cruz ( R. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the bill that includes cuts to the LAF ’ s funding .
GOP lawmakers hope that this version will eventually be passed and used as the template for any bill that reaches a full vote in Congress .
`` It ’ s one of those situations that as we get to the end of this current Congress … the only way a bill was going to move was to make a couple of tweaks , '' said Zeldin , who emphasized his support for `` leveraging the foreign aid we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
A senior Republican congressional source familiar with the backroom dealings over the legislation told the Free Beacon that Engel and his staff `` bear personal responsibility for emboldening Hezbollah , just as it escalated attacks against Israel and sought to murder Israeli Jews .
They chose this exact moment to signal that Democrats will keep money flowing no matter what happens . ''
Tony Badran , a Lebanon expert and research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies , said Hezbollah ’ s recent attacks on Israel highlight the failure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LAF .
`` Hezbollah ’ s attempt to launch an attack on Israel from south Lebanon underscores a twin failure in Lebanon policy : unconditional support for the LAF and continued funding of the failed [ United Nations ] mission , '' Badran said .
`` This policy should be discarded .
The U.S. should not be sending taxpayer dollars to the Hezbollah-run state in Lebanon , unconditionally underwriting the LAF , or funding a useless U.N .
force . ''

Just days before the Iranian-funded terror group Hezbollah waged a terrorist attack on Israel’s northern border, congressional Democrats gutted legislation that would have halted U.S. funding to the Lebanese military, which is almost entirely controlled by the terror group.
Congress has been working on legislation that would slash millions in American taxpayer funding to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which has long been under Hezbollah’s thumb. Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate have been pushing to cut this funding for some time, arguing that U.S. aid should not be sent to an institution known to conduct attacks against Israel on Iran’s behalf.
While the original bill had bipartisan support in both chambers, House Democrats recently attached an amendment to their version of the legislation that nixed the funding cut. Other GOP amendments that would have strengthened the legislation and pushed the LAF to isolate Hezbollah from its forces were also struck down by the Democrat-led House.
The House last week passed a watered-down version of the bill that leaves the LAF funding fully intact. The wrangling over the legislation came just days before Hezbollah launched a foiled attack on Israel from southern Lebanon, where the LAF and international forces have been tasked with stopping such terror strikes. Republican congressional sources who spoke to the Washington Free Beacon accused House Democrats of standing in the way of a major reform effort that could have forced the LAF to eradicate Hezbollah from its ranks or face a cutoff in U.S. aid dollars.
U.S. funding to the LAF has been a flashpoint for some time. As Hezbollah increases its force presence on Israel’s northern border and stockpiles sophisticated Iranian-made arms, GOP leaders in Congress have pressured the Trump administration to take action. The State Department, like congressional Democrats, has championed the aid, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo telling the Free Beacon earlier this year that funding to the LAF remains a priority. Republicans, however, view the aid as a tool to force Lebanon into ridding itself of Hezbollah’s influence.
The Countering Hezbollah in Lebanon’s Military Act of 2019 was passed out of a House committee late last week without key portions that would have conditioned U.S. aid to the LAF, effectively barring it from receiving money until it cleanses its ranks of Hezbollah forces. Outgoing representative Eliot Engel (D., N.Y.) sponsored an amendment to the bill striking all language that would have cut the LAF’s aid dollars. The final version now requires the State Department to issue a report detailing ways in which the United States can stop Hezbollah’s smuggling of arms along its border with Israel.
Republican amendments to the bill aimed at strengthening its language were blocked by Democrats, including a measure ordering the LAF to "directly confront terrorism and Hezbollah’s influence."
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R., N.Y.), a main sponsor of the legislation, told the Free Beacon that tweaks were made to the original language in order to ensure its passage through the Democrat-led House committee.
"It’s not the same draft as it was," Zeldin said. "We would love to see that draft as it is passed over in the Senate," where Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) is spearheading a companion version of the bill that includes cuts to the LAF’s funding. GOP lawmakers hope that this version will eventually be passed and used as the template for any bill that reaches a full vote in Congress.
"It’s one of those situations that as we get to the end of this current Congress … the only way a bill was going to move was to make a couple of tweaks," said Zeldin, who emphasized his support for "leveraging the foreign aid we’re sending to Lebanon as effectively as possible."
A senior Republican congressional source familiar with the backroom dealings over the legislation told the Free Beacon that Engel and his staff "bear personal responsibility for emboldening Hezbollah, just as it escalated attacks against Israel and sought to murder Israeli Jews. They chose this exact moment to signal that Democrats will keep money flowing no matter what happens."
Tony Badran, a Lebanon expert and research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said Hezbollah’s recent attacks on Israel highlight the failure in America’s policy regarding the LAF.
"Hezbollah’s attempt to launch an attack on Israel from south Lebanon underscores a twin failure in Lebanon policy: unconditional support for the LAF and continued funding of the failed [United Nations] mission," Badran said. "This policy should be discarded. The U.S. should not be sending taxpayer dollars to the Hezbollah-run state in Lebanon, unconditionally underwriting the LAF, or funding a useless U.N. force."