freebeacon--2020-07-10--Mexican Drug Cartel Ramps up Violent Activity

Mexican officials now consider the Jalisco New Generation Cartel `` the most urgent threat to Mexico 's national security , '' according to a Wednesday Wall Street Journal report .
The cartel has been active in Mexico since 2010 but recently ramped up violent efforts to exert control over the country 's drug trafficking and law enforcement entities .
All told , the cartel 's body count tops 100 in the state of Jalisco alone .
In the state of Guanajuato last week , cartel operatives killed 28 in a single attack in an attempt to combat local gangs for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of gasoline .
In 2015 , the cartel used a rocket launcher to take down a Mexican air force helicopter , killing several soldiers and a policewoman .
Washington is aware of the danger that the cartel poses .
Drug Enforcement Administration officials deem the cartel America 's top security threat from the region , issuing a $ 10 million bounty for information leading to the arrest of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera .
The Department of Justice previously referred to Jalisco New Generation as `` the most well-armed cartel in Mexico . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ combat the Jalisco cartel .
Attorney General William Barr has made extradition a priority .
Accordingly , Oseguera 's son , Ruben Oseguera , was extradited to Washington on drug charges .
These efforts have paid some dividends : More than 600 arrests and 350 indictments have been issued within the United States pertaining to the cartel .
A 2019 DEA report found major drug distribution centers for the cartel in New York , Los Angeles , Houston , Chicago , and Atlanta .
Up to 94 percent of the heroin in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , comes from Mexico , the Washington Free Beacon reported in 2017 .
Taking steps to address the issue , President Trump met with Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador earlier this week at a White House summit to discuss the two countries ' relationship .
`` The forecasts were wrong .
We did n't fight .
We 're friends and we 're going to continue being friends , '' Lopez Obrador said .
Meanwhile , Democrats voiced concern over the U.S.-Mexico cooperation attempt .
`` I think the meeting , for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pony show , '' Rep. Jesus Garcia ( D. , Ill. ) told C-SPAN .
`` It 's also very telling that President Lopez Obrador would come and only meet with President Trump and not even arrange for a phone call with [ Joe ] Biden , '' he said .

Mexican officials now consider the Jalisco New Generation Cartel "the most urgent threat to Mexico's national security," according to a Wednesday Wall Street Journal report.
The cartel has been active in Mexico since 2010 but recently ramped up violent efforts to exert control over the country's drug trafficking and law enforcement entities. All told, the cartel's body count tops 100 in the state of Jalisco alone. In the state of Guanajuato last week, cartel operatives killed 28 in a single attack in an attempt to combat local gangs for a share of $3 billion worth of gasoline. In 2015, the cartel used a rocket launcher to take down a Mexican air force helicopter, killing several soldiers and a policewoman.
Washington is aware of the danger that the cartel poses. Drug Enforcement Administration officials deem the cartel America's top security threat from the region, issuing a $10 million bounty for information leading to the arrest of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera. The Department of Justice previously referred to Jalisco New Generation as "the most well-armed cartel in Mexico."
American and Mexican authorities collaborate extensively to combat the Jalisco cartel. Attorney General William Barr has made extradition a priority. Accordingly, Oseguera's son, Ruben Oseguera, was extradited to Washington on drug charges. These efforts have paid some dividends: More than 600 arrests and 350 indictments have been issued within the United States pertaining to the cartel.
A 2019 DEA report found major drug distribution centers for the cartel in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, and Atlanta. Up to 94 percent of the heroin in the United States, often laced with fentanyl, comes from Mexico, the Washington Free Beacon reported in 2017. Taking steps to address the issue, President Trump met with Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador earlier this week at a White House summit to discuss the two countries' relationship.
"The forecasts were wrong. We didn't fight. We're friends and we're going to continue being friends," Lopez Obrador said.
Meanwhile, Democrats voiced concern over the U.S.-Mexico cooperation attempt. "I think the meeting, for the most part, was a dog and pony show," Rep. Jesus Garcia (D., Ill.) told C-SPAN. "It's also very telling that President Lopez Obrador would come and only meet with President Trump and not even arrange for a phone call with [Joe] Biden," he said.


freebeacon--2020-07-10--Michigan State May Scrub James Madison From Campus

A university residential college named after James Madison may change its name in order to promote `` sustainable '' racial change .
The interim dean of Michigan State University 's James Madison residential college announced that the internal college is considering a name change in an attempt to advance `` racial equity . ''
In a letter addressed to James Madison students , alumni , and friends , interim dean Linda Racioppi and assistant dean Jeff Judge presented ways the residential college plans to address policies and practices that `` disadvantage people of color , '' including a commitment to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from campus .
`` After the summer break , we plan to engage in reconsideration of the name of the college , '' the letter says .
`` The latter will need to incorporate the perspectives of students , staff , faculty , and alumni .
If these groups should support a name change , we would then proceed through the University governance process . ''
James Madison college alumni voiced disapproval of the university 's targeting of the nation 's fourth president .
Michigan State alumnus Spike Dearing told the Washington Free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Madison .
`` James Madison was an intellectual giant of his time… .
His place in history is defined by his efforts to shape and craft the U.S. Constitution , '' Dearing said .
`` Our college is named after him because we too value academic achievement , intense deliberation , and a liberal society where our differences need not be our undoing . ''
Neither the university nor Racioppi responded to requests for comment , and it is unclear what names are being considered to replace Madison .
College campuses across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove names and statues that commemorate the Founding Fathers and other former presidents .
Princeton University scrubbed Woodrow Wilson 's name from their campus , causing a domino effect at other institutions bearing the name of the Democratic president .
Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are petitioning the school to remove a statue of Abraham Lincoln , citing its `` racist origins . ''
Sam Larey , president of the MSU chapter of Turning Point USA , said that if the administrators bow to `` ridiculous '' demands from a sliver of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other changes on campus .
`` If this is the case , and we truly are seeking to become inclusive , we must … rename the Michigan State Spartans because Spartans enslaved , conquered , raped and pillaged … disavow the campus as we are on ‘ stolen land , ' and ban international study to Egypt as those students visit the pyramids , which were constructed by slaves .
This is , of course , ridiculous . ''
Some students and alumni are open to a potential name change and say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faculty have to say about Madison 's presence on campus .
Anisa Dagher , a 2020 graduate from the James Madison college , told the Free Beacon that she does not believe it is her place to decide what is or is not offensive to people of color .
`` I do n't think James Madison was a great person , but I can understand why the college was named that to begin with .
I can understand why some may want it to be changed and I would support that , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my place to decide whether or not the name is offensive because it is n't offensive toward me… .
I am curious as to what they would want to change it to that would represent what the college teaches while at the same time remaining inoffensive to students and faculty of color . ''

A university residential college named after James Madison may change its name in order to promote "sustainable" racial change.
The interim dean of Michigan State University's James Madison residential college announced that the internal college is considering a name change in an attempt to advance "racial equity." In a letter addressed to James Madison students, alumni, and friends, interim dean Linda Racioppi and assistant dean Jeff Judge presented ways the residential college plans to address policies and practices that "disadvantage people of color," including a commitment to consider the removal of the founding father from campus.
"After the summer break, we plan to engage in reconsideration of the name of the college," the letter says. "The latter will need to incorporate the perspectives of students, staff, faculty, and alumni. If these groups should support a name change, we would then proceed through the University governance process."
James Madison college alumni voiced disapproval of the university's targeting of the nation's fourth president. Michigan State alumnus Spike Dearing told the Washington Free Beacon the college embodies the intellectual rigor of Madison.
"James Madison was an intellectual giant of his time.... His place in history is defined by his efforts to shape and craft the U.S. Constitution," Dearing said. "Our college is named after him because we too value academic achievement, intense deliberation, and a liberal society where our differences need not be our undoing."
Neither the university nor Racioppi responded to requests for comment, and it is unclear what names are being considered to replace Madison.
College campuses across the nation have begun to reevaluate and remove names and statues that commemorate the Founding Fathers and other former presidents. Princeton University scrubbed Woodrow Wilson's name from their campus, causing a domino effect at other institutions bearing the name of the Democratic president. Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are petitioning the school to remove a statue of Abraham Lincoln, citing its "racist origins."
Sam Larey, president of the MSU chapter of Turning Point USA, said that if the administrators bow to "ridiculous" demands from a sliver of activists, they may have to make other changes on campus.
"If this is the case, and we truly are seeking to become inclusive, we must ... rename the Michigan State Spartans because Spartans enslaved, conquered, raped and pillaged ... disavow the campus as we are on 'stolen land,' and ban international study to Egypt as those students visit the pyramids, which were constructed by slaves. This is, of course, ridiculous."
Some students and alumni are open to a potential name change and say they want to hear what minority students and faculty have to say about Madison's presence on campus. Anisa Dagher, a 2020 graduate from the James Madison college, told the Free Beacon that she does not believe it is her place to decide what is or is not offensive to people of color.
"I don't think James Madison was a great person, but I can understand why the college was named that to begin with. I can understand why some may want it to be changed and I would support that," Dagher said. "It isn't my place to decide whether or not the name is offensive because it isn't offensive toward me.... I am curious as to what they would want to change it to that would represent what the college teaches while at the same time remaining inoffensive to students and faculty of color."


freebeacon--2020-07-10--New Missouri Dem Party Leader Called for Cop Killer’s Release

The Missouri Democratic Party 's new leader called for the release of convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal and , as a state legislator in 2017 , vocally opposed a law that heightened penalties for those who harm police officers .
Former state representative Clem Smith became acting party chair in early July after county prosecutor Jean Peters Baker stepped down from the role .
While working as a United Auto Workers secretary in 2008 , Smith signed a Partisan Defense Committee letter calling for the `` immediate freedom '' of Abu-Jamal , who is serving life imprisonment without parole after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As a state legislator , Smith also rallied against a 2017 bill that imposed tougher penalties on those who harm police officers .
The bill reclassified voluntary manslaughter against a police officer from a `` class B '' felony to a `` class A '' felony and also made rioting against police—previously a misdemeanor—a `` class E '' felony .
Smith voted against the bill , saying that if the law was in effect during the 2014 Ferguson riots , `` we 'd have to build another prison . ''
His Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire and explosives that appears to stem from the riots .
Smith 's rise to the top of the party comes amid civic unrest and historic crime levels in the state 's Democrat-run cities .
Peters Baker , who serves as prosecutor of Kansas City 's Jackson County , left the post of party chair as the city neared 100 homicides in 2020 , including the July 2 shootings of two police officers .
Kansas City saw just 54 homicides at this point in 2016 , nearly half the current level .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday announced the decision to send more than 100 federal law enforcement agents to Kansas City following a request from Republican governor Mike Parson .
The Missouri Democratic Party did not respond to a request for comment .
Smith served in the Missouri House from 2011 to 2019 prior to his role with the state party .
He is listed as an `` institutional supporter '' of the St. Louis Workers ' Education Society , the self-described `` headquarters of the Communist Party USA in Missouri . ''
Smith has also given multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communist online publication that bills itself as a `` one-stop shop '' to get news `` with a Marxist viewpoint woven in . ''
Smith in 2018 endorsed Communist Party USA national board member Tony Pecinovsky for St. Louis alderman .
Democratic state auditor Nicole Galloway , who is running to unseat Parson , has not yet commented on the change in party leadership .
Uniting Missouri PAC , which backs Parson , called on Galloway to denounce Smith , calling him `` radical . ''
`` Lighting police cars on fire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communists is pretty radical stuff , '' chairman John Hancock said .
`` Frankly , I 'm surprised Nicole Galloway has n't denounced Clem Smith yet . ''
Galloway did not respond to a request for comment .

The Missouri Democratic Party's new leader called for the release of convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal and, as a state legislator in 2017, vocally opposed a law that heightened penalties for those who harm police officers.
Former state representative Clem Smith became acting party chair in early July after county prosecutor Jean Peters Baker stepped down from the role. While working as a United Auto Workers secretary in 2008, Smith signed a Partisan Defense Committee letter calling for the "immediate freedom" of Abu-Jamal, who is serving life imprisonment without parole after murdering Philadelphia officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981.
As a state legislator, Smith also rallied against a 2017 bill that imposed tougher penalties on those who harm police officers. The bill reclassified voluntary manslaughter against a police officer from a "class B" felony to a "class A" felony and also made rioting against police—previously a misdemeanor—a "class E" felony. Smith voted against the bill, saying that if the law was in effect during the 2014 Ferguson riots, "we'd have to build another prison." His Twitter profile depicts a police vehicle damaged by fire and explosives that appears to stem from the riots.
Smith's rise to the top of the party comes amid civic unrest and historic crime levels in the state's Democrat-run cities. Peters Baker, who serves as prosecutor of Kansas City's Jackson County, left the post of party chair as the city neared 100 homicides in 2020, including the July 2 shootings of two police officers. Kansas City saw just 54 homicides at this point in 2016, nearly half the current level. In response, Attorney General William Barr on Thursday announced the decision to send more than 100 federal law enforcement agents to Kansas City following a request from Republican governor Mike Parson.
The Missouri Democratic Party did not respond to a request for comment.
Smith served in the Missouri House from 2011 to 2019 prior to his role with the state party. He is listed as an "institutional supporter" of the St. Louis Workers' Education Society, the self-described "headquarters of the Communist Party USA in Missouri." Smith has also given multiple interviews to People's World, a communist online publication that bills itself as a "one-stop shop" to get news "with a Marxist viewpoint woven in." Smith in 2018 endorsed Communist Party USA national board member Tony Pecinovsky for St. Louis alderman.
Democratic state auditor Nicole Galloway, who is running to unseat Parson, has not yet commented on the change in party leadership. Uniting Missouri PAC, which backs Parson, called on Galloway to denounce Smith, calling him "radical."
"Lighting police cars on fire, praising cop killers, and supporting avowed communists is pretty radical stuff," chairman John Hancock said. "Frankly, I'm surprised Nicole Galloway hasn't denounced Clem Smith yet."
Galloway did not respond to a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-07-10--NBC Contributor Reveals He Never Had Coronavirus After Network Documented His Recovery

Fair appeared on Today from a New Orleans hospital bed in May 14 , where he speculated he got the virus through his eyes while on a packed flight two weeks earlier .
This happened , he said , despite taking precautions like wearing a mask and gloves .
Today host Hoda Kotb noted during the interview that Fair had received four negative tests for the virus but said , `` clearly you have it . ''
Fellow host Craig Melvin called Fair 's `` false negative '' tests `` scary , '' and cohost Savannah Guthrie called it a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his tests came back negative because he delayed going to the hospital for more than week when he first felt ill , and he said his doctors felt he must have the virus .
`` I was a very healthy person .
I exercise five to six days a week , '' he said .
`` If it can take even me down , it can take anybody down . ''
He was featured that night on NBC Nightly News , where he encouraged citizens to wear protective eyewear in addition to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared on Deadline : White House along with a chyron reading , `` Breaking News : NBC News Contributor Updates On His Battle With COVID-19 . ''
He said he felt increasingly sick from flu-like symptoms and eventually called an ambulance .
His breathing grew so constricted , he said , that he had a panic attack .
On June 14 , he appeared on Meet the Press to discuss his recovery , where Fair said it was the `` worst I 've ever felt . ''
`` I did not expect if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ill , '' he said .
NBC News still has an uncorrected story on its website from May 14 with the headline , `` Virologist hospitalized with coronavirus believes he got it through his eyes . ''

Fair appeared on Today from a New Orleans hospital bed in May 14, where he speculated he got the virus through his eyes while on a packed flight two weeks earlier. This happened, he said, despite taking precautions like wearing a mask and gloves.
Today host Hoda Kotb noted during the interview that Fair had received four negative tests for the virus but said, "clearly you have it." Fellow host Craig Melvin called Fair's "false negative" tests "scary," and cohost Savannah Guthrie called it a "cautionary tale."
Fair speculated his tests came back negative because he delayed going to the hospital for more than a week when he first felt ill, and he said his doctors felt he must have the virus.
"I was a very healthy person. I exercise five to six days a week," he said. "If it can take even me down, it can take anybody down."
He was featured that night on NBC Nightly News, where he encouraged citizens to wear protective eyewear in addition to a facemask.
On May 18, Fair appeared on Deadline: White House along with a chyron reading, "Breaking News: NBC News Contributor Updates On His Battle With COVID-19." He said he felt increasingly sick from flu-like symptoms and eventually called an ambulance. His breathing grew so constricted, he said, that he had a panic attack.
On June 14, he appeared on Meet the Press to discuss his recovery, where Fair said it was the "worst I've ever felt."
"I did not expect if I got COVID-19 that I would get that ill," he said.
NBC News still has an uncorrected story on its website from May 14 with the headline, "Virologist hospitalized with coronavirus believes he got it through his eyes."


freebeacon--2020-07-10--Cal Cunningham Caught in Lie After Company Took Millions From Program He Criticized

North Carolina Democratic Senate nominee Cal Cunningham falsely claimed he cut ties with his waste management company before it applied for up to $ 2 million in taxpayer-funded coronavirus relief .
After a Washington Free Beacon report revealed that Cunningham 's company , WasteZero , obtained between $ 1 and $ 2 million in Paycheck Protection Program funds , the North Carolina Democrat claimed he was n't working at the company `` at the time they applied for the loan . ''
He accused incumbent senator Thom Tillis ( R. , N.C. ) and his `` allies '' of `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` pathetic attempt to mislead voters . ''
However , Cunningham on Thursday admitted that he was `` aware '' of WasteZero 's PPP loan application , telling the Charlotte Observer that he is `` still available to do occasional hourly work '' at the company .
Campaign spokesman Aaron Simpson also told Charlotte-based NPR affiliate WFAE that Cunningham is still `` on retainer '' as WasteZero general counsel .
While Cunningham previously said he left the company on March 20—a week before the loan program was enacted on March 27—he signed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 .
State GOP spokesman Tim Wigginton accused Cunningham of misleading North Carolina voters and called the Democrat unworthy of office .
`` Cunningham 's initial instinct to deceive North Carolina voters shows why he 's unfit for the U.S. Senate , '' Wigginton told the Free Beacon .
Cunningham did not respond to a request for comment .
Cunningham has repeatedly criticized the PPP , which aims to support struggling small businesses during coronavirus shutdowns .
`` For PPP loans to have ‘ generally missed the industries and areas most heavily impacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said in a June tweet .
`` Leaving behind small businesses—and disproportionately those that are Black and Latino-owned—harms communities . ''
WasteZero obtained the PPP funding on May 3 and claimed to retain 115 jobs through the loan .
The waste elimination industry was deemed essential under North Carolina 's shutdown order .
Cunningham joined WasteZero as vice president of government affairs and general counsel in 2013 and took home roughly $ 400,000 from the role in 2019 .
His lucrative legal career has helped propel his Senate bid—Cunningham loaned his campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March .
He will face Tillis in November .

NC Dem was 'aware' of coronavirus relief after claiming he cut ties with company
North Carolina Democratic Senate nominee Cal Cunningham falsely claimed he cut ties with his waste management company before it applied for up to $2 million in taxpayer-funded coronavirus relief.
After a Washington Free Beacon report revealed that Cunningham's company, WasteZero, obtained between $1 and $2 million in Paycheck Protection Program funds, the North Carolina Democrat claimed he wasn't working at the company "at the time they applied for the loan." He accused incumbent senator Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) and his "allies" of "distorting the facts" and launching a "pathetic attempt to mislead voters."
However, Cunningham on Thursday admitted that he was "aware" of WasteZero's PPP loan application, telling the Charlotte Observer that he is "still available to do occasional hourly work" at the company. While Cunningham previously said he left the company on March 20—a week before the loan program was enacted on March 27—he signed the company's 2019 annual report on March 31.
State GOP spokesman Tim Wigginton accused Cunningham of misleading North Carolina voters and called the Democrat unworthy of office. "Cunningham's initial instinct to deceive North Carolina voters shows why he's unfit for the U.S. Senate," Wigginton told the Free Beacon.
Cunningham did not respond to a request for comment.
Cunningham has repeatedly criticized the PPP, which aims to support struggling small businesses during coronavirus shutdowns. "For PPP loans to have 'generally missed the industries and areas most heavily impacted by COVID-19' is unacceptable," he said in a June tweet. "Leaving behind small businesses—and disproportionately those that are Black and Latino-owned—harms communities."
WasteZero obtained the PPP funding on May 3 and claimed to retain 115 jobs through the loan. The waste elimination industry was deemed essential under North Carolina's shutdown order.
Cunningham joined WasteZero as vice president of government affairs and general counsel in 2013 and took home roughly $400,000 from the role in 2019. His lucrative legal career has helped propel his Senate bid—Cunningham loaned his campaign $200,000 before becoming the Democratic nominee in March. He will face Tillis in November.
Correction 7/12/2020 12:00 p.m.: This article was updated to reflect that Cunningham is not on retainer as WasteZero general counsel.


freebeacon--2020-07-10--Chicago Mayor Blames Increased Violence on Lack of Gun Control

Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot ( D. ) on Friday blamed her city 's sharp rise in gun violence on the federal government ’ s failure to conduct background checks , a measure the state of Illinois has already implemented .
`` We have got to make sure that we do a better job of taking guns out of the hands of criminals , '' Lightfoot told MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle .
`` You 've heard me say this before : We have to have a federal policy on background checks and making sure that dangerous people are not able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indiana and get military-grade weapons in quantities and then bring them back to the streets and shoot people up . ''
Illinois has a universal background check system and strict permitting practices in place .
That has not prevented Chicago from experiencing a rise in gun violence over the past year , punctuated by the deaths of nine children under the age of 18 between June 20 and July 5 .
Eighteen people were wounded by gunfire in the past two days in the city , as a drop in police activity has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police union , which blames her for low morale .
Lightfoot called for federal help in dealing with the issue of illegal guns on Chicago 's streets .
`` We 're fighting a losing battle if we do n't have federal partnership on restricting access to guns in the hands of dangerous criminals .
We 've got to have partnership on that , '' she said .
The city is on track to see a homicide count that rivals 2016 's homicide count , the city 's most violent year since the mid-1990s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police union for obstructing attempts at police reform .
She accused union chief John Catanzara of having `` his head in the sand '' after he pushed back on claims that racism is an issue in the police department .

Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot (D.) on Friday blamed her city's sharp rise in gun violence on the federal government’s failure to conduct background checks, a measure the state of Illinois has already implemented.
"We have got to make sure that we do a better job of taking guns out of the hands of criminals," Lightfoot told MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle. "You've heard me say this before: We have to have a federal policy on background checks and making sure that dangerous people are not able to go across the border to states like Indiana and get military-grade weapons in quantities and then bring them back to the streets and shoot people up."
Illinois has a universal background check system and strict permitting practices in place. That has not prevented Chicago from experiencing a rise in gun violence over the past year, punctuated by the deaths of nine children under the age of 18 between June 20 and July 5. Eighteen people were wounded by gunfire in the past two days in the city, as a drop in police activity has coincided with Lightfoot's feud with the police union, which blames her for low morale.
Lightfoot called for federal help in dealing with the issue of illegal guns on Chicago's streets.
"We're fighting a losing battle if we don't have federal partnership on restricting access to guns in the hands of dangerous criminals. We've got to have partnership on that," she said.
The city is on track to see a homicide count that rivals 2016's homicide count, the city's most violent year since the mid-1990s.
Lightfoot has blamed the city's police union for obstructing attempts at police reform. She accused union chief John Catanzara of having "his head in the sand" after he pushed back on claims that racism is an issue in the police department.


freebeacon--2020-07-10--ESPN Reporter to Sen. Hawley: ‘F—k You’ for Criticizing China

ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski sent an email reading `` F—k you '' to the office of Senator Josh Hawley ( R. , Mo . )
on Friday in response to the senator 's criticism of Chinese influence in the NBA .
The note came in response to Hawley 's open letter to the National Basketball Association condemning its new policy on players ’ jerseys , and Wojnarowski apologized later on Friday after Hawley publicized the email .
The new policy allows players to wear messages in response to recent police brutality cases that prompted protests across the nation , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticizing human rights violations in China .
`` Conspicuously missing from the list of approved phrases are any in support of the victims of the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) , including the people of Hong Kong , whose remaining freedoms are being extinguished by the CCP ’ s newly enacted national security law , '' Hawley ’ s statement reads .
Wojnarowski tweeted Friday afternoon to apologize for his conduct .
`` I was disrespectful and I made a regrettable mistake .
I 'm sorry for the way I handled myself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Hawley to apologize directly .
I also need to apologize to my ESPN colleagues because I know my actions were unacceptable and should not reflect on any of them , '' the tweet reads .
Wojnarowksi is a senior NBA reporter at ESPN .
He has won the national sportswriter of the year award for three consecutive years and is famous for his eponymous `` Woj bombs , '' or insider scoops on NBA trade and free agency intrigue .
Prior statements from NBA players and administrators exhibit an unwillingness to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s letter highlights the NBA 's apology to Beijing after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressed support for the Hong Kong protests .
Instead of backing Morey , NBA commissioner Adam Silver `` chose to apologize to the CCP . ''
NBA superstar LeBron James previously made headlines with his own controversial statement about the protests .
Morey `` either was misinformed or not really educated on the situation , '' James said .
He later backtracked those comments .
`` What offensive nonsense , '' Hawley wrote in the open letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justify collaborating with a regime for which violent suppression and enslavement are routine tools of governance . ''
Updated : 2:32 p.m. : This post was updated with Wojnarowski 's apology .

ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski sent an email reading "F—k you" to the office of Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) on Friday in response to the senator's criticism of Chinese influence in the NBA.
The note came in response to Hawley's open letter to the National Basketball Association condemning its new policy on players’ jerseys, and Wojnarowski apologized later on Friday after Hawley publicized the email. The new policy allows players to wear messages in response to recent police brutality cases that prompted protests across the nation, but does not allow players to select messages criticizing human rights violations in China.
"Conspicuously missing from the list of approved phrases are any in support of the victims of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including the people of Hong Kong, whose remaining freedoms are being extinguished by the CCP’s newly enacted national security law," Hawley’s statement reads.
Wojnarowski tweeted Friday afternoon to apologize for his conduct.
"I was disrespectful and I made a regrettable mistake. I'm sorry for the way I handled myself and I am reaching out immediately to Senator Hawley to apologize directly. I also need to apologize to my ESPN colleagues because I know my actions were unacceptable and should not reflect on any of them," the tweet reads.
Wojnarowksi is a senior NBA reporter at ESPN. He has won the national sportswriter of the year award for three consecutive years and is famous for his eponymous "Woj bombs," or insider scoops on NBA trade and free agency intrigue.
Prior statements from NBA players and administrators exhibit an unwillingness to take a stance on China. Hawley’s letter highlights the NBA's apology to Beijing after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressed support for the Hong Kong protests. Instead of backing Morey, NBA commissioner Adam Silver "chose to apologize to the CCP."
NBA superstar LeBron James previously made headlines with his own controversial statement about the protests. Morey "either was misinformed or not really educated on the situation," James said. He later backtracked those comments.
"What offensive nonsense," Hawley wrote in the open letter. "No amount of profit can justify collaborating with a regime for which violent suppression and enslavement are routine tools of governance."
Updated: 2:32 p.m.: This post was updated with Wojnarowski's apology.


freebeacon--2020-07-10--Gun-Control Group Behind $4 Million Election Push Takes Coronavirus Relief

One of the country 's leading gun-control groups took a Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) loan worth up to $ 1 million even as its PAC pledged to spend millions in the 2020 elections .
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence received between $ 350,000 and $ 1 million on April 10 to support 41 employees , according to the Small Business Administration .
The center is the educational arm of the Brady organization , which also features a political advocacy arm , the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence , as well as the political action committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brady PAC endorsed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and announced it would spend $ 4 million to help elect him and other gun-control candidates to office .
Liam Sullivan , a spokesman for the Brady Center , defended the loans , saying that the pandemic had affected the organization 's funding and caused it to cancel major fundraising events , including its annual gala .
`` Like other nonprofits , the Brady Center is funded by giving and fundraising events , both of which obviously have been impacted and will be impacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` We just applied and were approved , obviously , under the same sort of criteria as others with concerns for payroll . ''
Sullivan also emphasized that the Brady Center and Brady PAC are legally separate groups and the Brady Center is not involved in election spending .
It is , however , common for money to be moved between aligned organizations like the Brady Center , Campaign , and PAC .
Federal records show the Brady PAC paid the Brady Campaign more than $ 50,000 for use of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Brady Center reported owing the Brady Campaign more than $ 1.1 million in 2015 .
The SBA documents also show that other major gun-control advocates have benefited from the PPP program , which was designed to help small businesses stay afloat during coronavirus shutdowns .
The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence , the educational arm of Giffords , accepted a loan worth between $ 150,000 and $ 350,000 on April 28 in order to meet payroll for 16 employees .
Giffords , which did not respond to a request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting gun-control candidates that appears to be spearheaded by its advocacy arm .
The group said it would spend a `` six figure sum in online engagement '' on the tour alone .
`` This is the year we will elect a gun safety majority in the Senate , '' former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords , cofounder of the group , said in a statement .
A Free Beacon review of the Small Business Administration records did not find listings for PPP loans given to prominent gun-rights groups , though the disclosures only include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The National Rifle Association , which has struggled during the pandemic and even had to lay off a significant number of staff members , confirmed that none of its arms had taken any PPP loans .
Alan Gottlieb , whose gun-rights organization has an education and advocacy arm , said no part of his organization took PPP loans because he believed it was unethical to do so .
`` As chairman of the Citizens ' Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and the executive vice president of the Second Amendment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is political , I would not have applied for it , '' Gottlieb told the Free Beacon .
`` I do n't think it 's appropriate . ''
Gottlieb called on the gun-control groups to return the money they received from the program .
`` I find it appalling they applied for , took , and even got PPP loans , '' he said .
`` The Brady Center and Giffords should give the money back .
Gun owners in this country should n't have their tax dollars used to support groups that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Other political groups have returned loans following public disclosure .
The Florida Democratic Party announced that it would return a PPP loan worth more than $ 700,000 after public backlash , according to the Miami Herald .

One of the country's leading gun-control groups took a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan worth up to $1 million even as its PAC pledged to spend millions in the 2020 elections.
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence received between $350,000 and $1 million on April 10 to support 41 employees, according to the Small Business Administration. The center is the educational arm of the Brady organization, which also features a political advocacy arm, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, as well as the political action committee Brady PAC. In March, the Brady PAC endorsed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and announced it would spend $4 million to help elect him and other gun-control candidates to office.
Liam Sullivan, a spokesman for the Brady Center, defended the loans, saying that the pandemic had affected the organization's funding and caused it to cancel major fundraising events, including its annual gala.
"Like other nonprofits, the Brady Center is funded by giving and fundraising events, both of which obviously have been impacted and will be impacted for the foreseeable future," he said. "We just applied and were approved, obviously, under the same sort of criteria as others with concerns for payroll."
Sullivan also emphasized that the Brady Center and Brady PAC are legally separate groups and the Brady Center is not involved in election spending. It is, however, common for money to be moved between aligned organizations like the Brady Center, Campaign, and PAC. Federal records show the Brady PAC paid the Brady Campaign more than $50,000 for use of its staff and travel reimbursements in April, and the Brady Center reported owing the Brady Campaign more than $1.1 million in 2015.
The SBA documents also show that other major gun-control advocates have benefited from the PPP program, which was designed to help small businesses stay afloat during coronavirus shutdowns. The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the educational arm of Giffords, accepted a loan worth between $150,000 and $350,000 on April 28 in order to meet payroll for 16 employees. Giffords, which did not respond to a request for comment, announced a nationwide tour supporting gun-control candidates that appears to be spearheaded by its advocacy arm. The group said it would spend a "six figure sum in online engagement" on the tour alone.
"This is the year we will elect a gun safety majority in the Senate," former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, cofounder of the group, said in a statement.
A Free Beacon review of the Small Business Administration records did not find listings for PPP loans given to prominent gun-rights groups, though the disclosures only include loans of more than $150,000. The National Rifle Association, which has struggled during the pandemic and even had to lay off a significant number of staff members, confirmed that none of its arms had taken any PPP loans. Alan Gottlieb, whose gun-rights organization has an education and advocacy arm, said no part of his organization took PPP loans because he believed it was unethical to do so.
"As chairman of the Citizens' Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and the executive vice president of the Second Amendment Foundation, since one of the arms is political, I would not have applied for it," Gottlieb told the Free Beacon. "I don't think it's appropriate."
Gottlieb called on the gun-control groups to return the money they received from the program.
"I find it appalling they applied for, took, and even got PPP loans," he said. "The Brady Center and Giffords should give the money back. Gun owners in this country shouldn't have their tax dollars used to support groups that want to take their guns away."
Other political groups have returned loans following public disclosure. The Florida Democratic Party announced that it would return a PPP loan worth more than $700,000 after public backlash, according to the Miami Herald.


freebeacon--2020-07-10--Julián Castro Urges Boycott of Goya Foods After CEO Praised Trump

Former presidential candidate Julián Castro is pushing for a public boycott of Goya Foods to punish the company 's CEO for praising President Donald Trump .
`` @ GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations .
Now their CEO , Bob Unanue , is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain .
Americans should think twice before buying their products .
# Goyaway , '' Castro tweeted .
His brother , Rep. Joaquin Castro ( D. , Texas ) , used the same `` think twice '' language in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the names and employers of Trump supporters in San Antonio and accused them of `` fueling a campaign of hate . ''
The congressman , who also served as chairman of his brother 's campaign , denied he was encouraging intimidation of Trump supporters .
`` I hope donors in San Antonio and donors throughout the country , unless you support the white nationalism and the racism that Donald Trump is paying for and fueling , then I hope that you , as a person of good conscience , will think twice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said on MSNBC 's Morning Joe .
Unanue , a third-generation Spanish-American , drew liberal ire Thursday after saying in the Rose Garden that `` we 're all truly blessed '' to have Trump in office .
He was invited to the White House to help mark Trump 's Hispanic Prosperity Initiative , an executive order intended to improve Hispanic access to educational and economic opportunities .
Julián Castro has since retweeted other figures announcing their intention to boycott Goya , including actor Lin-Manuel Miranda .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media , tweeting , `` Oh look , it 's the sound of me Googling ‘ how to make your own Adobo . '
'' Unanue called the boycott efforts a `` suppression of speech . ''
He noted to Fox News he accepted an invitation in 2012 from the Obama White House to mark Hispanic Heritage Month without any backlash .
`` So , you ’ re allowed to talk good or to praise one president , but you ’ re not allowed to aid in economic and educational prosperity ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of a sudden , that 's not acceptable , '' he said .

Former presidential candidate Julián Castro is pushing for a public boycott of Goya Foods to punish the company's CEO for praising President Donald Trump.
"@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations. Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway," Castro tweeted.
.@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations. Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway https://t.co/lZDQlK6TcU — Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) July 9, 2020
His brother, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D., Texas), used the same "think twice" language in August when he defended his decision to tweet out the names and employers of Trump supporters in San Antonio and accused them of "fueling a campaign of hate." The congressman, who also served as chairman of his brother's campaign, denied he was encouraging intimidation of Trump supporters.
"I hope donors in San Antonio and donors throughout the country, unless you support the white nationalism and the racism that Donald Trump is paying for and fueling, then I hope that you, as a person of good conscience, will think twice about contributing to his campaign," he said on MSNBC's Morning Joe.
Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump — the owner of @BillMillerBarBQ, owner of the @HistoricPearl, realtor Phyllis Browning, etc. Their contributions are fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as ‘invaders.’ pic.twitter.com/YT85IBF19u — Joaquin Castro (@Castro4Congress) August 6, 2019
Unanue, a third-generation Spanish-American, drew liberal ire Thursday after saying in the Rose Garden that "we're all truly blessed" to have Trump in office. He was invited to the White House to help mark Trump's Hispanic Prosperity Initiative, an executive order intended to improve Hispanic access to educational and economic opportunities.
Julián Castro has since retweeted other figures announcing their intention to boycott Goya, including actor Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) also encouraged a boycott on social media, tweeting, "Oh look, it's the sound of me Googling 'how to make your own Adobo.'"
Oh look, it’s the sound of me Googling 'how to make your own Adobo" https://t.co/YOScAcyAnC — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 10, 2020
Unanue called the boycott efforts a "suppression of speech." He noted to Fox News he accepted an invitation in 2012 from the Obama White House to mark Hispanic Heritage Month without any backlash.
"So, you’re allowed to talk good or to praise one president, but you’re not allowed to aid in economic and educational prosperity? And you make a positive comment, all of a sudden, that's not acceptable," he said.


freebeacon--2020-07-10--Federal Agents Descend on Kansas City to Combat Unprecedented Murder Spike

Attorney General William Barr announced on Wednesday the federal government will send an additional 100 agents to Kansas City in an effort to stop a spike in murders .
Operation Legend will bring additional agents from the FBI , U.S .
Marshal Service , DEA , and ATF into the city in the coming weeks .
The plan is to coordinate the added federal resources with state and local law enforcement to reduce the number of killings and help solve murders already under investigation .
Barr said the operation is just the beginning of the Trump administration 's planned response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas across the United States .
`` President Trump has made clear : the federal government stands ready and willing to assist any of our state and local law enforcement partners across the nation responding to violent crime , '' the attorney general said in a statement .
`` Operation Legend will combine federal and local resources to combat the disturbing uptick in violence by surging federal agents and other federal assets into cities like Kansas City , a city currently experiencing its worst homicide rate in its history . ''
Kansas City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , a 40 percent jump over the same period last year , according to the Department of Justice .
Murders in the city of about 500,000 peaked at 155 in 2017 , but the city is on track to far exceed that death toll at the current rate .
Kansas City police chief Rick Smith told the Kansas City Star that the violence was `` unprecedented . ''
Barr said the operation is named for a four-year-old boy who was murdered while he slept in his Kansas City home on June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder victim in the city this year .
`` LeGend ’ s death is a horrifying reminder that violent crime left unchecked is a threat to us all and can not be allowed to continue , '' Barr said .
Taliferro 's mother Charron Powell told KCTV that U.S. Attorney Timothy Garrison had asked if the government could name the operation after her son .
She agreed and hopes the additional federal resources might lead to an arrest in the case as well as an end to the violence in her city .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , let 's go ahead and get the groundwork done , ' '' Powell told the news station .
`` They need more people on the ground to help us solve murders .
My son didn ’ t even get to make it to kindergarten . ''

Attorney General William Barr announced on Wednesday the federal government will send an additional 100 agents to Kansas City in an effort to stop a spike in murders.
Operation Legend will bring additional agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshal Service, DEA, and ATF into the city in the coming weeks. The plan is to coordinate the added federal resources with state and local law enforcement to reduce the number of killings and help solve murders already under investigation. Barr said the operation is just the beginning of the Trump administration's planned response to recent upticks in murders in urban areas across the United States.
"President Trump has made clear: the federal government stands ready and willing to assist any of our state and local law enforcement partners across the nation responding to violent crime," the attorney general said in a statement. "Operation Legend will combine federal and local resources to combat the disturbing uptick in violence by surging federal agents and other federal assets into cities like Kansas City, a city currently experiencing its worst homicide rate in its history."
Kansas City has already seen more than 100 homicides this year, a 40 percent jump over the same period last year, according to the Department of Justice. Murders in the city of about 500,000 peaked at 155 in 2017, but the city is on track to far exceed that death toll at the current rate. Kansas City police chief Rick Smith told the Kansas City Star that the violence was "unprecedented."
Barr said the operation is named for a four-year-old boy who was murdered while he slept in his Kansas City home on June 29. LeGend Taliferro is the youngest murder victim in the city this year.
"LeGend’s death is a horrifying reminder that violent crime left unchecked is a threat to us all and cannot be allowed to continue," Barr said.
Taliferro's mother Charron Powell told KCTV that U.S. Attorney Timothy Garrison had asked if the government could name the operation after her son. She agreed and hopes the additional federal resources might lead to an arrest in the case as well as an end to the violence in her city.
"I was like, 'yes, let's go ahead and get the groundwork done,'" Powell told the news station. "They need more people on the ground to help us solve murders. My son didn’t even get to make it to kindergarten."


freebeacon--2020-07-10--Claire McCaskill’s Multimillionaire Husband Took PPP Loan

The real estate investment firm founded by the multimillionaire husband of former Democratic senator Claire McCaskill took a Paycheck Protection Program loan worth up to $ 1 million , continuing its strategy of capitalizing on government programs to maximize profits .
Sugar Creek Realty , a St. Louis firm founded by Joseph Shepard , was one of thousands of companies to receive money from the small-business relief program , which was designed to help companies keep employees on the payroll during the coronavirus pandemic .
The firm took between $ 350,000 and $ 1 million on April 6 that allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to figures released by the Small Business Administration .
The loan came just four days after McCaskill , a two-term Democratic senator from Missouri who was unseated in 2018 , expressed doubt that the PPP would effectively get money to businesses in need .
`` They need to get this figured out .
Fast , '' McCaskill wrote on April 2 , sharing an article on how it was `` unrealistic '' to believe the Trump administration would be able to dole out the billions in aid .
McCaskill , an MSNBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firms like her husband 's should not be the ones receiving aid money from the government .
In late March she said on MSNBC that the program should `` focus on the workers , not focus on big corporations . ''
`` I feel personally about this , '' McCaskill said during an interview with Brian Williams .
`` I spent years waiting tables , and I understand what this means to millions of Americans just in the restaurant and bar industry to say nothing of all the other small businesses that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shrivel up if we do not get help to them first .
Let 's focus on the workers , not focus on big corporations . ''
Sugar Creek Realty , a firm that specializes in profiting from government affordable housing programs , turned out to be one of the first firms to get a loan .
The company did not respond to numerous inquiries into how the coronavirus pandemic impacted its business and what the funds were used for .
McCaskill was forced to answer for Shepard 's business dealings during her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the firm made millions of dollars by selling Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to high-earners looking for a tax break .
The company received more than $ 131 million in federal subsidies while McCaskill was in the U.S. Senate .
Though McCaskill kept her finances separate from Shepard and the two filed taxes separately , she was known to use his private jet on the campaign trail in Missouri .

The real estate investment firm founded by the multimillionaire husband of former Democratic senator Claire McCaskill took a Paycheck Protection Program loan worth up to $1 million, continuing its strategy of capitalizing on government programs to maximize profits.
Sugar Creek Realty, a St. Louis firm founded by Joseph Shepard, was one of thousands of companies to receive money from the small-business relief program, which was designed to help companies keep employees on the payroll during the coronavirus pandemic. The firm took between $350,000 and $1 million on April 6 that allowed it to keep 75 people employed, according to figures released by the Small Business Administration.
The loan came just four days after McCaskill, a two-term Democratic senator from Missouri who was unseated in 2018, expressed doubt that the PPP would effectively get money to businesses in need.
"They need to get this figured out. Fast," McCaskill wrote on April 2, sharing an article on how it was "unrealistic" to believe the Trump administration would be able to dole out the billions in aid.
They need to get this figured out. Fast. Banks warn of chaotic launch of small business lending program https://t.co/zjKtNTMeWU — Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) April 2, 2020
McCaskill, an MSNBC political commentator, had also argued that firms like her husband's should not be the ones receiving aid money from the government. In late March she said on MSNBC that the program should "focus on the workers, not focus on big corporations."
"I feel personally about this," McCaskill said during an interview with Brian Williams. "I spent years waiting tables, and I understand what this means to millions of Americans just in the restaurant and bar industry to say nothing of all the other small businesses that are travel-related, tourist-related, that are going to shrivel up if we do not get help to them first. Let's focus on the workers, not focus on big corporations."
Sugar Creek Realty, a firm that specializes in profiting from government affordable housing programs, turned out to be one of the first firms to get a loan. The company did not respond to numerous inquiries into how the coronavirus pandemic impacted its business and what the funds were used for.
McCaskill was forced to answer for Shepard's business dealings during her failed 2018 reelection campaign after reports emerged that the firm made millions of dollars by selling Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to high-earners looking for a tax break. The company received more than $131 million in federal subsidies while McCaskill was in the U.S. Senate.
Though McCaskill kept her finances separate from Shepard and the two filed taxes separately, she was known to use his private jet on the campaign trail in Missouri.


freebeacon--2020-07-10--Iran Reels After Mysterious Explosions

Iran Reels After Mysterious Explosions

A large explosion rocked Iran ’ s capital for the third time in three weeks , according to a New York Times report .
Though the exact site of the Thursday night explosion remains unspecified , analysts have reason to suspect `` sabotage , '' the Times reported , due to its proximity to military and training institutions .
Iranian officials issued conflicting statements on the explosion , which caused power outages in the surrounding area .
The mayor of a nearby town asserted the explosion originated `` at a factory making gas cylinders , '' while a member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ derived from problems at a local power station .
The incident is the latest in a series of explosions occurring near Iranian military sites between midnight and 3 a.m. since June .
The first two transpired near Iran ’ s largest missile production facility and near the centrifuge of a nuclear base .
Though the exact cause is unclear , intelligence analysts speculate that other countries looking to curb Iranian ambitions may be conducting sabotage while Tehran deals with internal crises , including the coronavirus pandemic .
`` That all of this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the events indicate that somebody , somewhere—and it is anyone ’ s guess who that is and where—has not forgotten Iran , even amid the world ’ s preoccupation with corona , America ’ s turbulent domestic situation , and Israel ’ s debate ( much less intense over the last week ) over annexation , '' a recent Jerusalem Post editorial said .
Iran has struggled to remain stable in recent months as American and Israeli policy , as well as the pandemic , ravage key military and financial institutions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Iranian arms embargo after U.S. forces apprehended a vessel carrying an Iranian arsenal to Houthi rebels .
In January , a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian military strategist and commander of the elite Quds force Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad .
Soleimani was the architect of Iranian `` fifth column '' terror networks and helped develop strategies to attack U.S. soldiers and diplomats .
Domestically , Iran ’ s economy struggles to recover from mismanagement of the coronavirus .
A recent Foundation for Defense of Democracies report highlighting Iran ’ s failed containment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' sanctions campaign noted that `` the economic crises triggered by the pandemic and amplified by government mismanagement and corruption have exacerbated discontent and fissures . ''

A large explosion rocked Iran’s capital for the third time in three weeks, according to a New York Times report.
Though the exact site of the Thursday night explosion remains unspecified, analysts have reason to suspect "sabotage," the Times reported, due to its proximity to military and training institutions. Iranian officials issued conflicting statements on the explosion, which caused power outages in the surrounding area. The mayor of a nearby town asserted the explosion originated "at a factory making gas cylinders," while a member of the Iranian parliament said the power outage derived from problems at a local power station.
The incident is the latest in a series of explosions occurring near Iranian military sites between midnight and 3 a.m. since June. The first two transpired near Iran’s largest missile production facility and near the centrifuge of a nuclear base. Though the exact cause is unclear, intelligence analysts speculate that other countries looking to curb Iranian ambitions may be conducting sabotage while Tehran deals with internal crises, including the coronavirus pandemic.
"That all of this is a mere coincidence is unlikely, and the events indicate that somebody, somewhere—and it is anyone’s guess who that is and where—has not forgotten Iran, even amid the world’s preoccupation with corona, America’s turbulent domestic situation, and Israel’s debate (much less intense over the last week) over annexation," a recent Jerusalem Post editorial said.
Iran has struggled to remain stable in recent months as American and Israeli policy, as well as the pandemic, ravage key military and financial institutions. The Trump administration doubled down this week on an Iranian arms embargo after U.S. forces apprehended a vessel carrying an Iranian arsenal to Houthi rebels. In January, a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian military strategist and commander of the elite Quds force Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad. Soleimani was the architect of Iranian "fifth column" terror networks and helped develop strategies to attack U.S. soldiers and diplomats.
Domestically, Iran’s economy struggles to recover from mismanagement of the coronavirus. A recent Foundation for Defense of Democracies report highlighting Iran’s failed containment of COVID and the American "maximum pressure" sanctions campaign noted that "the economic crises triggered by the pandemic and amplified by government mismanagement and corruption have exacerbated discontent and fissures."


freebeacon--2020-07-10--Continetti: School Reopenings a Must for Parents

Washington Free Beacon founding editor Matthew Continetti argued Thursday that schools opening is nonnegotiable for many parents , echoing President Donald Trump 's demand that classes resume .
`` I understand that there are over 10,000 different school districts in this country .
Each has its own concerns , and if that means more money should be spent by the federal government , by all means .
This limited government conservative is ready to spend big—just open up those schools so I can have some quiet in my house , '' Continetti said .
The Trump administration has started exerting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall after the coronavirus pandemic forced nationwide closures and a retreat to remote learning .
Teachers ' unions are among the key figures who have rebuffed Trump , citing safety concerns , but Continetti argued that lockdown has put parents like him in a position of desperately wanting to put their kids back in the classroom for part of the day .
`` After several months in lockdown , I 'm afraid that I have been radicalized on this issue , '' he said .
`` I want the schools to open .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if possible . ''
Democrats have criticized Trump 's response to the pandemic , but a step as drastic as closing schools for the rest of the year could land them in political trouble .
A majority of parents told Gallup last month that they would prefer to see their children return to school in person in the fall .
Studies indicate serious health complications from the coronavirus are rare in children compared with older populations .
Children also appear to spread the virus less than adults , although data about transmission still @ @ @

Washington Free Beacon founding editor Matthew Continetti argued Thursday that schools opening is nonnegotiable for many parents, echoing President Donald Trump's demand that classes resume.
"I understand that there are over 10,000 different school districts in this country. Each has its own concerns, and if that means more money should be spent by the federal government, by all means. This limited government conservative is ready to spend big—just open up those schools so I can have some quiet in my house," Continetti said.
The Trump administration has started exerting federal pressure on schools to reopen this fall after the coronavirus pandemic forced nationwide closures and a retreat to remote learning. Teachers' unions are among the key figures who have rebuffed Trump, citing safety concerns, but Continetti argued that lockdown has put parents like him in a position of desperately wanting to put their kids back in the classroom for part of the day.
"After several months in lockdown, I'm afraid that I have been radicalized on this issue," he said. "I want the schools to open. I want them to open next week if possible."
Democrats have criticized Trump's response to the pandemic, but a step as drastic as closing schools for the rest of the year could land them in political trouble. A majority of parents told Gallup last month that they would prefer to see their children return to school in person in the fall.
Studies indicate serious health complications from the coronavirus are rare in children compared with older populations. Children also appear to spread the virus less than adults, although data about transmission still have shortcomings.


freebeacon--2020-07-11--House Blunders to Blame for Dems’ Setback in Trump Subpoena Case

Just a few minutes into Supreme Court arguments over congressional subpoenas for President Donald Trump 's financial records , it was clear that House Democrats were in trouble .
The House had argued that it has far-reaching subpoena powers and can compel disclosure of documents related to any legislation it 's considering .
Chief Justice John Roberts was not so sure .
Congress can consider legislation on any number of subjects , and Roberts pressed House lawyer Doug Letter for just one example of information beyond the reach of a congressional subpoena under the House 's proposed theory .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a test , '' Roberts told Letter , adding that the House 's approach would unduly weaken the presidency .
Justice Samuel Alito delivered the body blow a few minutes later , pointedly reminding Letter he could not give `` even one example of a subpoena that would not be pertinent to some conceivable legislative purpose . ''
`` That 's correct , '' Letter replied .
`` Because this Court itself has said Congress 's power to legislate is extremely broad . ''
It was a startling moment—advocates always have a limiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the Court—and the chief justice made Letter pay for it in Thursday 's decision .
`` Any personal paper possessed by a president could potentially ‘ relate to ' a conceivable subject of legislation , '' Roberts wrote in the majority opinion .
`` Indeed , at argument , the House was unable to identify any type of information that lacks some relation to potential legislation . ''
Letter 's audacious legal strategy fell flat before the nation 's highest judicial tribunal .
When the decision in Trump v. Mazars came down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the House 's favor .
Instead , the Court awarded Trump a short-term tactical victory that gives future presidents a boost when congressional investigators come looking for their personal papers .
It was an outcome that might have been avoided had the House tempered its claims .
`` At oral arguments , the House could offer no meaningful limiting principles , and that likely added to the justices ' skepticism of the House 's position , '' University of Iowa law professor Andy Grewal told the Washington Free Beacon .
The House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A congressional subpoena must be connected to some `` legitimate legislative purpose , '' but the justices said some of the House 's stated purposes did n't hold up .
For example , Democrats pointed to ethics bills as proof of the subpoenas ' legislative purpose .
The House Oversight Committee claimed the subpoenas would inform its decision to compel new financial disclosures from the president , or extend conflict of interest laws to the presidency .
Trump 's lawyers countered that such legislation would be unconstitutional , since it effectively sets new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution alone dictates .
The late chairman of the Oversight Committee , Rep. Elijah Cummings ( D. , Md . )
, confidently dismissed such arguments as `` baseless '' and accused the president of an `` unprecedented coverup '' in a May 2019 statement .
The justices were more equivocal .
The Court agreed such bills raise `` sensitive constitutional issues , '' meaning Democrats ca n't bank on the Oversight Committee 's rationale going forward .
Likewise , the House Financial Services Committee told lower courts it wished to comb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a useful case study '' in suspect lending practices that would guide possible changes to the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering regulations .
On that point , the High Court rejected Democrats outright .
`` The president 's unique constitutional position means that Congress may not look to him as a ‘ case study ' for general legislation , '' the Court 's decision reads .
All told , the Court rejected the House 's chosen theory of its subpoena powers and found some of its subpoena-specific explanations shoddy .
Despite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's case still has life .
The Court held that the House 's subpoenas will stand if Congress makes certain showings , and the cases will now return to forums where Democrats prevailed at earlier stages .
Yet the decision contains many roadblocks for congressional investigators that will bolster future presidents in standoffs with Congress .
For example , the Court warned that Congress may not seek the president 's personal records if other sources could yield the information it needs .
`` Mazars offers significant protections for presidents in the future because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for a president ’ s personal information , whether held by the president or someone else , implicates separation of powers concerns , '' Grewal told the Free Beacon .
`` The Court also emphasized that those concerns can not be dismissed lightly . ''
Placing the decision in the full sweep of the House 's other investigative efforts is doubtless demoralizing for Democrats .
Impeachment failed , but the quest for Trump 's financial records has no end in sight .

Just a few minutes into Supreme Court arguments over congressional subpoenas for President Donald Trump's financial records, it was clear that House Democrats were in trouble.
The House had argued that it has far-reaching subpoena powers and can compel disclosure of documents related to any legislation it's considering. Chief Justice John Roberts was not so sure. Congress can consider legislation on any number of subjects, and Roberts pressed House lawyer Doug Letter for just one example of information beyond the reach of a congressional subpoena under the House's proposed theory.
"Your test is really not much of a test," Roberts told Letter, adding that the House's approach would unduly weaken the presidency.
Justice Samuel Alito delivered the body blow a few minutes later, pointedly reminding Letter he could not give "even one example of a subpoena that would not be pertinent to some conceivable legislative purpose."
"That's correct," Letter replied. "Because this Court itself has said Congress's power to legislate is extremely broad."
It was a startling moment—advocates always have a limiting principle in their back pocket when arguing before the Court—and the chief justice made Letter pay for it in Thursday's decision.
"Any personal paper possessed by a president could potentially 'relate to' a conceivable subject of legislation," Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. "Indeed, at argument, the House was unable to identify any type of information that lacks some relation to potential legislation."
Letter's audacious legal strategy fell flat before the nation's highest judicial tribunal. When the decision in Trump v. Mazars came down Thursday, not a single justice voted in the House's favor. Instead, the Court awarded Trump a short-term tactical victory that gives future presidents a boost when congressional investigators come looking for their personal papers. It was an outcome that might have been avoided had the House tempered its claims.
"At oral arguments, the House could offer no meaningful limiting principles, and that likely added to the justices' skepticism of the House's position," University of Iowa law professor Andy Grewal told the Washington Free Beacon.
The House also sabotaged itself in other ways. A congressional subpoena must be connected to some "legitimate legislative purpose," but the justices said some of the House's stated purposes didn't hold up.
For example, Democrats pointed to ethics bills as proof of the subpoenas' legislative purpose. The House Oversight Committee claimed the subpoenas would inform its decision to compel new financial disclosures from the president, or extend conflict of interest laws to the presidency.
Trump's lawyers countered that such legislation would be unconstitutional, since it effectively sets new qualifications for serving as president, which the Constitution alone dictates. The late chairman of the Oversight Committee, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D., Md.), confidently dismissed such arguments as "baseless" and accused the president of an "unprecedented coverup" in a May 2019 statement.
The justices were more equivocal. The Court agreed such bills raise "sensitive constitutional issues," meaning Democrats can't bank on the Oversight Committee's rationale going forward.
Likewise, the House Financial Services Committee told lower courts it wished to comb through Trump's financial records "as a useful case study" in suspect lending practices that would guide possible changes to the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering regulations. On that point, the High Court rejected Democrats outright.
"The president's unique constitutional position means that Congress may not look to him as a 'case study' for general legislation," the Court's decision reads.
All told, the Court rejected the House's chosen theory of its subpoena powers and found some of its subpoena-specific explanations shoddy. Despite the self-inflicted errors, however, the House's case still has life. The Court held that the House's subpoenas will stand if Congress makes certain showings, and the cases will now return to forums where Democrats prevailed at earlier stages.
Yet the decision contains many roadblocks for congressional investigators that will bolster future presidents in standoffs with Congress. For example, the Court warned that Congress may not seek the president's personal records if other sources could yield the information it needs.
"Mazars offers significant protections for presidents in the future because the Court made clear that a congressional request for a president’s personal information, whether held by the president or someone else, implicates separation of powers concerns," Grewal told the Free Beacon. "The Court also emphasized that those concerns cannot be dismissed lightly."
Placing the decision in the full sweep of the House's other investigative efforts is doubtless demoralizing for Democrats. Impeachment failed, but the quest for Trump's financial records has no end in sight.


freebeacon--2020-07-11--This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 1

This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 1

Welcome to Campus Insanity , a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation 's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education .
Coming soon to a workforce near you .
6 .
Memphis Tigers Football Players to Wear Black Lives Matter Stickers on Helmets During 2020 Season | Fox News The University of Memphis football team is looking to rebound from its embarrassing 2019 Cotton Bowl loss by adorning its helmets with Black Lives Matter stickers this season .
Student activists are demanding that a Texas university remove a conservative group from campus and have even invoked satanic witch rituals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s liberal arts department tweeted a graphic supporting conservative as well as black , Latino , LGBT , and other students .
It was quickly removed .
Cornell ’ s student government sent $ 10,000 in student fees reserved for campus clubs and organizations to Black Lives Matter activists .
2 .
Marquette University Threatens to Rescind a Student ’ s Acceptance Over Pro-Trump TikTok Video | The Post Millennial University administrators grilled a Marquette student after receiving reports that she voiced support for President Donald Trump on TikTok .
They have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Feminist geography professor Leslie Kern wrote an essay in The Guardian arguing that statues , street names , and phallic-shaped buildings—which `` ejaculate '' into the sky—are symbols of a society steeped in toxic masculinity .
If you have suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy @ freebeacon.com & nester @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome to Campus Insanity, a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education. Coming soon to a workforce near you.
6. Memphis Tigers Football Players to Wear Black Lives Matter Stickers on Helmets During 2020 Season | Fox News
The University of Memphis football team is looking to rebound from its embarrassing 2019 Cotton Bowl loss by adorning its helmets with Black Lives Matter stickers this season.
5. Student Invokes Satan to Drive Conservative Group From Campus | Washington Free Beacon
Student activists are demanding that a Texas university remove a conservative group from campus and have even invoked satanic witch rituals to aid the campaign.
4. Penn State Deletes ‘Disgusting’ Tweet Affirming Conservative Students | Campus Reform
The university’s liberal arts department tweeted a graphic supporting conservative as well as black, Latino, LGBT, and other students. It was quickly removed.
3. Cornell Improperly Sends Student Fees to BLM Activists | Washington Free Beacon
Cornell’s student government sent $10,000 in student fees reserved for campus clubs and organizations to Black Lives Matter activists.
2. Marquette University Threatens to Rescind a Student’s Acceptance Over Pro-Trump TikTok Video | The Post Millennial
University administrators grilled a Marquette student after receiving reports that she voiced support for President Donald Trump on TikTok. They have urged her to "improve her image."
1. ‘Feminist Geography’ Professor Argues Tall Buildings are Sexist | The College Fix
Feminist geography professor Leslie Kern wrote an essay in The Guardian arguing that statues, street names, and phallic-shaped buildings—which "ejaculate" into the sky—are symbols of a society steeped in toxic masculinity.
If you have suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy@freebeacon.com & nester@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-07-11--Judge Delays Execution of White Supremacist, Slowing Return of Federal Death Penalty

Federal district court judge Jane Magnus-Stinson on Friday evening temporarily halted the execution of white supremacist Daniel Lewis Lee , whose execution on Monday would have been the first federal death sentence carried out since 2003 .
Magnus-Stinson delayed Lee 's execution after the family of Lee 's three victims—William and Nancy Mueller , and their eight-year-old daughter Sarah—said the coronavirus would preclude them from witnessing the execution .
The ruling strikes a blow to the Trump administration and to Attorney General William Barr , who has worked since July of 2019 to restart the federal machinery of death following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chevie Kehoe kidnapped , tortured , and killed the Muellers in 1996 .
Lee 's death sentence has long been delayed by the drawn-out federal capital appellate process even before the pandemic struck .
Friday evening 's ruling benefits the family of the Muellers , including Nancy 's mother Earlene Peterson , 81 , who has long protested the fairness of Lee 's execution , citing the fact that Kehoe did not receive the same capital sentence—he is serving three life sentences without parole .
Peterson and other family members argued that to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critically limit their rights to see it carried out , forced as they would be to choose between those rights and the risk to their health .
The Department of Justice will appeal the ruling .
It has already filed paperwork with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and requested a stay on Magnus-Stinson 's order , arguing that the preparations for Lee 's death `` can not easily be undone . ''
Friday 's ruling does not apply to two other convicted child killers who are scheduled to be executed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of those men , Wesley Purkey—who raped and murdered a sixteen-year-old girl—is seeking a separate stay , supported by the ACLU , which argues that his Buddhist spiritual adviser can not safely attend to him in the execution chamber due to the coronavirus .

Federal district court judge Jane Magnus-Stinson on Friday evening temporarily halted the execution of white supremacist Daniel Lewis Lee, whose execution on Monday would have been the first federal death sentence carried out since 2003.
Magnus-Stinson delayed Lee's execution after the family of Lee's three victims—William and Nancy Mueller, and their eight-year-old daughter Sarah—said the coronavirus would preclude them from witnessing the execution.
The ruling strikes a blow to the Trump administration and to Attorney General William Barr, who has worked since July of 2019 to restart the federal machinery of death following a 16-year hiatus. Lee and accomplice Chevie Kehoe kidnapped, tortured, and killed the Muellers in 1996. Lee's death sentence has long been delayed by the drawn-out federal capital appellate process even before the pandemic struck.
Friday evening's ruling benefits the family of the Muellers, including Nancy's mother Earlene Peterson, 81, who has long protested the fairness of Lee's execution, citing the fact that Kehoe did not receive the same capital sentence—he is serving three life sentences without parole. Peterson and other family members argued that to conduct the execution amid the pandemic would critically limit their rights to see it carried out, forced as they would be to choose between those rights and the risk to their health.
The Department of Justice will appeal the ruling. It has already filed paperwork with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and requested a stay on Magnus-Stinson's order, arguing that the preparations for Lee's death "cannot easily be undone."
Friday's ruling does not apply to two other convicted child killers who are scheduled to be executed by the federal government in the next week. One of those men, Wesley Purkey—who raped and murdered a sixteen-year-old girl—is seeking a separate stay, supported by the ACLU, which argues that his Buddhist spiritual adviser cannot safely attend to him in the execution chamber due to the coronavirus.


freebeacon--2020-07-12--REVIEW: ‘Joey: The Story of Joe Biden’ by Dr. Jill Biden, Ed.D.

Her Eminence Dr. Jill Biden , Ed.D.
, probably does n't have a lot of free time , given her extensive duties as caretaker for her husband Joe , the Democratic nominee for president .
That must be why she enlisted a coauthor to carry the load on Joey : The Story of Joe Biden , an illustrated children 's book comprising just 27 pages of actual text .
Kathleen Krull was an obvious choice , given her absolute dominance of the woke preschool-age market with titles such as Hillary Rodham Clinton : Dreams Taking Flight , No Truth Without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ginsburg , and Starstruck : The Cosmic Journey of Neil deGrasse Tyson .
It 's safe to assume , however , that Dr. Jill at least wrote her own blurb on the dedication page , which reads : `` To my grandchildren : Naomi , Finnegan , Maisy , Natalie , Hunter , and Beau . ''
This page must have eluded the book 's fact-checkers , if there were any , because it simply is n't true .
Despite their repeated assertions to the contrary , the Bidens have at least seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Maisy are Hunter Biden 's children from his first marriage .
Hunter and new wife Melissa Cohen recently celebrated the birth of a son , Beau , named after the deceased brother whose widow Hunter briefly dated .
Natalie and Hunter are Beau 's children .
Hunter , however , is also the legally acknowledged father of a fifth child—grandchild number seven—identified in Arkansas court documents as `` NJR . ''
A DNA test established Hunter 's paternity `` with scientific certainty . ''
Hunter reached a settlement with the child 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stage name `` Dallas '' at the Mpire Gentlemen 's Club in Washington , D.C.—requiring him to make monthly child-support payments .
Joe Biden 's continued refusal to acknowledge NJR 's existence raises serious questions about the former vice president 's professed devotion to law and science .
This is all to say that such factual errors would reflect poorly on any author , but are especially egregious when the ( acknowledged ) author has a doctoral degree in education from the University of Delaware , which Jill does , by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because Joey contains some moving anecdotes about about the former vice president 's quaint 1950s upbringing in Scranton , Pa. , where Joey and his buddies played fort , romped through the neighborhood , and `` pooled their pennies and dropped in at the candy store where the owner kept a pet monkey . ''
We learn that even at a young age , Joey had a peculiar passion for looking after other people 's wives .
`` When his friend 's father left for a weeklong fishing trip , Joey went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writes Dr. Biden .
`` He promised to take care of her while her husband was away . ''
Old habits die hard .
He probably still enjoys playing baseball with nuns as well .
`` Corn Pop , '' the switchblade-wielding gang member who allegedly confronted Biden in the parking lot outside the public pool where Joe worked as a lifeguard , does not make an appearance .
( Neither does Tara Reade . )
But this time in Biden 's life is memorialized—by three sentences of text and an illustration spanning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firsthand about the struggles of black America '' by playing basketball .
Joey fails on several fronts , most notably due to the lack of gender nonbinary characters .
It also suffers from a lack of train content .
The only time the former VP 's beloved Amtrak makes an appearance is in a brief aside about his success in fulfilling his deranged fantasy of becoming a U.S. senator at the age of 29 .
A haunting image , given what we know about the notoriously roving nature of Biden 's hands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to write a children 's book as opposed to a more time-consuming memoir should strike fear in the heart of those who wish to see President Donald Trump reelected in 2020 and beyond .
She is clearly committed to caring for her husband and his degenerative brain condition , which might be the only thing that could prevent him from finally becoming president .

Her Eminence Dr. Jill Biden, Ed.D., probably doesn't have a lot of free time, given her extensive duties as caretaker for her husband Joe, the Democratic nominee for president. That must be why she enlisted a coauthor to carry the load on Joey: The Story of Joe Biden, an illustrated children's book comprising just 27 pages of actual text.
Kathleen Krull was an obvious choice, given her absolute dominance of the woke preschool-age market with titles such as Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight, No Truth Without Ruth: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil deGrasse Tyson.
It's safe to assume, however, that Dr. Jill at least wrote her own blurb on the dedication page, which reads: "To my grandchildren: Naomi, Finnegan, Maisy, Natalie, Hunter, and Beau."
This page must have eluded the book's fact-checkers, if there were any, because it simply isn't true. Despite their repeated assertions to the contrary, the Bidens have at least seven grandchildren—not six. Naomi, Finnegan, and Maisy are Hunter Biden's children from his first marriage. Hunter and new wife Melissa Cohen recently celebrated the birth of a son, Beau, named after the deceased brother whose widow Hunter briefly dated. Natalie and Hunter are Beau's children.
Hunter, however, is also the legally acknowledged father of a fifth child—grandchild number seven—identified in Arkansas court documents as "NJR." A DNA test established Hunter's paternity "with scientific certainty." Hunter reached a settlement with the child's mother, Lunden Alexis Roberts—who worked under the stage name "Dallas" at the Mpire Gentlemen's Club in Washington, D.C.—requiring him to make monthly child-support payments. Joe Biden's continued refusal to acknowledge NJR's existence raises serious questions about the former vice president's professed devotion to law and science.
This is all to say that such factual errors would reflect poorly on any author, but are especially egregious when the (acknowledged) author has a doctoral degree in education from the University of Delaware, which Jill does, by the way.
That's a shame, because Joey contains some moving anecdotes about about the former vice president's quaint 1950s upbringing in Scranton, Pa., where Joey and his buddies played fort, romped through the neighborhood, and "pooled their pennies and dropped in at the candy store where the owner kept a pet monkey."
We learn that even at a young age, Joey had a peculiar passion for looking after other people's wives. "When his friend's father left for a weeklong fishing trip, Joey went to visit his friend's mom," writes Dr. Biden. "He promised to take care of her while her husband was away." Old habits die hard. He probably still enjoys playing baseball with nuns as well.
"Corn Pop," the switchblade-wielding gang member who allegedly confronted Biden in the parking lot outside the public pool where Joe worked as a lifeguard, does not make an appearance. (Neither does Tara Reade.) But this time in Biden's life is memorialized—by three sentences of text and an illustration spanning two pages—as the time he "learned firsthand about the struggles of black America" by playing basketball.
Joey fails on several fronts, most notably due to the lack of gender nonbinary characters. It also suffers from a lack of train content. The only time the former VP's beloved Amtrak makes an appearance is in a brief aside about his success in fulfilling his deranged fantasy of becoming a U.S. senator at the age of 29. A haunting image, given what we know about the notoriously roving nature of Biden's hands.
The simple fact that Dr. Jill chose to write a children's book as opposed to a more time-consuming memoir should strike fear in the heart of those who wish to see President Donald Trump reelected in 2020 and beyond. She is clearly committed to caring for her husband and his degenerative brain condition, which might be the only thing that could prevent him from finally becoming president.