freebeacon--2020-10-15--Cunningham’s Mistress Donated to Campaign Around Time of Sexual Encounter

North Carolina Democrat Cal Cunningham received multiple campaign contributions from his mistress near the time the pair was reportedly intimate in his North Carolina home .
California public relations strategist Arlene Guzman Todd sent Cunningham $ 35.30 on July 20 and $ 250 on July 31 , the Democrat 's latest campaign finance report shows .
In text messages sent to a friend , Guzman Todd said she was `` intimate with Cunningham in his home '' in July , according to an Associated Press report .
The revelation comes after Cunningham was subject to a Tuesday ethics complaint from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The group highlighted a March 6 campaign stop in California .
Cunningham 's campaign disbursed nearly $ 600 in `` travel '' expenses from March 5-7 , which , according to the complaint , could violate federal election law `` prohibiting the use of campaign funds for personal use . ''
Guzman Todd told the Associated Press that she also met Cunningham in Los Angeles in March .
`` Regrettably , the nature of an extramarital affair is deception and concealment and North Carolinians deserve to know the extent Mr. Cunningham may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the complaint reads .
Cunningham has admitted to and apologized for the extramarital affair .
The Democrat was repeatedly asked whether there were `` more women '' during an October 9 news conference but refused to answer .
Guzman Todd 's husband , Army veteran Jeremy Todd , has called on Cunningham to drop out of the race against Republican Sen. Thom Tillis .
`` Mr. Cunningham chose to repeatedly engage in activities that would hurt his family and a fellow junior officer and veteran , '' Todd told the News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can only imagine how misplaced his judgment would be for the people he 's charged to represent . ''
The U.S. Army Reserve is now investigating Cunningham , who is also a veteran , over the affair , which could violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice .
Cunningham did not return a request for comment .

North Carolina Democrat Cal Cunningham received multiple campaign contributions from his mistress near the time the pair was reportedly intimate in his North Carolina home.
California public relations strategist Arlene Guzman Todd sent Cunningham $35.30 on July 20 and $250 on July 31, the Democrat's latest campaign finance report shows. In text messages sent to a friend, Guzman Todd said she was "intimate with Cunningham in his home" in July, according to an Associated Press report.
The revelation comes after Cunningham was subject to a Tuesday ethics complaint from conservative watchdog group Americans For Public Trust. The group highlighted a March 6 campaign stop in California. Cunningham's campaign disbursed nearly $600 in "travel" expenses from March 5-7, which, according to the complaint, could violate federal election law "prohibiting the use of campaign funds for personal use." Guzman Todd told the Associated Press that she also met Cunningham in Los Angeles in March.
"Regrettably, the nature of an extramarital affair is deception and concealment and North Carolinians deserve to know the extent Mr. Cunningham may have converted campaign funds for personal use," the complaint reads.
Cunningham has admitted to and apologized for the extramarital affair. The Democrat was repeatedly asked whether there were "more women" during an October 9 news conference but refused to answer.
Guzman Todd's husband, Army veteran Jeremy Todd, has called on Cunningham to drop out of the race against Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
"Mr. Cunningham chose to repeatedly engage in activities that would hurt his family and a fellow junior officer and veteran," Todd told the News & Observer. "If elected, I can only imagine how misplaced his judgment would be for the people he's charged to represent."
The U.S. Army Reserve is now investigating Cunningham, who is also a veteran, over the affair, which could violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Cunningham did not return a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--BLM Cofounder to Produce Warner Bros. Children’s Content

A Black Lives Matter cofounder who trained as an activist under domestic terrorist Eric Mann has signed a contract with Warner Bros. Television group to produce children 's programming and other content .
Activist Patrisse Cullors will produce a variety of Warner Bros. broadcasting , cable , and digital content , including kids ' shows , in an effort to `` amplify '' the Black Lives Matter movement , Variety reported Thursday .
Cullors has called for abolishing the police and mandating reparations to black Americans .
She once tweeted that she ’ s `` into '' reparations because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Cullors is backed by 3 Arts Entertainment , a talent agency owned by Lionsgate , a company founded by longtime Clinton Foundation donor Frank Giustra .
She 's also backed by Creative Artists Agency , a talent organization that covered up eight allegations of sexual harassment against disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein .
This summer , a video resurfaced of a 2015 interview with Cullors .
In it , she described herself and fellow Black Lives Matter cofounder Alicia Garza as `` trained Marxists . ''
Cullors joined Eric Mann 's Labor/Community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The group , which is associated with the Black Panther Party and other radical organizations , trained activists in the labor rights and civil rights movement .
Mann is known for leading Students for a Democratic Society and Weather Underground .
The FBI labeled Weather Underground a domestic terrorist organization for its bombing of federal buildings , including the U.S. State Department , the Pentagon , and the Capitol .
Cullors referred to Mann as her `` mentor '' in a 2018 Democracy Now !
interview .
Her hiring at Warner Bros. follows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests , which were largely led by Black Lives Matter and affiliated activists .

A Black Lives Matter cofounder who trained as an activist under domestic terrorist Eric Mann has signed a contract with Warner Bros. Television group to produce children's programming and other content.
Activist Patrisse Cullors will produce a variety of Warner Bros. broadcasting, cable, and digital content, including kids' shows, in an effort to "amplify" the Black Lives Matter movement, Variety reported Thursday. Cullors has called for abolishing the police and mandating reparations to black Americans. She once tweeted that she’s "into" reparations because they would "break the back of America."
Cullors is backed by 3 Arts Entertainment, a talent agency owned by Lionsgate, a company founded by longtime Clinton Foundation donor Frank Giustra. She's also backed by Creative Artists Agency, a talent organization that covered up eight allegations of sexual harassment against disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein.
This summer, a video resurfaced of a 2015 interview with Cullors. In it, she described herself and fellow Black Lives Matter cofounder Alicia Garza as "trained Marxists."
Cullors joined Eric Mann's Labor/Community Strategy Group after graduating high school. The group, which is associated with the Black Panther Party and other radical organizations, trained activists in the labor rights and civil rights movement.
Mann is known for leading Students for a Democratic Society and Weather Underground. The FBI labeled Weather Underground a domestic terrorist organization for its bombing of federal buildings, including the U.S. State Department, the Pentagon, and the Capitol.
Cullors referred to Mann as her "mentor" in a 2018 Democracy Now! interview. Her hiring at Warner Bros. follows this summer's anti-police and racial justice protests, which were largely led by Black Lives Matter and affiliated activists.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Lawmaker Calls for Federal Regulation After Twitter, Facebook Suppress Hunter Biden Report

A leading Republican lawmaker and ranking member on the congressional committee that oversees tech companies called for greater federal regulations on social media giants following the suppression by Twitter and Facebook of a New York Post exposé detailing ties between Hunter Biden , son of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , and foreign governments .
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers ( R. , Wash. ) vowed to hold companies such as Twitter and Facebook accountable for their censorship .
`` Actions by Twitter and Facebook in the last 36 hours have me questioning if they are platforms or publishers , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be regulated , '' McMorris Rodgers said .
`` Censorship over political differences—whether done by a government or a tech company—is un-American .
All should be striving to uphold freedom of speech . ''
McMorris Rodgers is calling on her colleagues to reevaluate a U.S. law that provides immunity to websites that publish third-party content .
Such a change would classify social media sites as publishers , thus making them susceptible to free-speech regulations .
McMorris Rodgers ’ s comments during a Politico event Thursday afternoon come on the heels of a controversy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit distribution of a New York Post report detailing Hunter Biden ’ s efforts to leverage his father ’ s influence during discussions with foreign companies .
Senate lawmakers have already vowed to subpoena Twitter founder Jack Dorsey as a result of the platform ’ s decision to effectively ban the report .
Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook that reach millions of Americans should not be permitted to censor political content that could harm the Democratic Party , McMorris Rodgers said .
`` These top platforms need to be accountable for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influencing the election , '' she said , calling on House leaders to hold hearings similar to those scheduled in the Senate .

A leading Republican lawmaker and ranking member on the congressional committee that oversees tech companies called for greater federal regulations on social media giants following the suppression by Twitter and Facebook of a New York Post exposé detailing ties between Hunter Biden, son of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, and foreign governments.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R., Wash.) vowed to hold companies such as Twitter and Facebook accountable for their censorship.
"Actions by Twitter and Facebook in the last 36 hours have me questioning if they are platforms or publishers, and as such, how they should then be regulated," McMorris Rodgers said. "Censorship over political differences—whether done by a government or a tech company—is un-American. All should be striving to uphold freedom of speech."
McMorris Rodgers is calling on her colleagues to reevaluate a U.S. law that provides immunity to websites that publish third-party content. Such a change would classify social media sites as publishers, thus making them susceptible to free-speech regulations.
McMorris Rodgers’s comments during a Politico event Thursday afternoon come on the heels of a controversy surrounding Twitter and Facebook’s decision to limit distribution of a New York Post report detailing Hunter Biden’s efforts to leverage his father’s influence during discussions with foreign companies. Senate lawmakers have already vowed to subpoena Twitter founder Jack Dorsey as a result of the platform’s decision to effectively ban the report.
Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook that reach millions of Americans should not be permitted to censor political content that could harm the Democratic Party, McMorris Rodgers said.
"These top platforms need to be accountable for their content bias and how they are influencing the election," she said, calling on House leaders to hold hearings similar to those scheduled in the Senate.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Dueling Town Halls to Be Moderated By Former Clinton Comms Director, Wife of Al Gore’s Ex-Chief of S

Dueling Town Halls to Be Moderated By Former Clinton Comms Director, Wife of Al Gore’s Ex-Chief of Staff

The 2020 presidential candidates will appear at dueling town hall events on Thursday at 8 p.m. , each moderated by a network journalist with deep ties to the Democratic Party .
President Donald Trump 's event will be broadcast on NBC and moderated by Savannah Guthrie , whose husband , Michael Feldman , previously served as Al Gore 's chief of staff during the 2000 presidential campaign .
He has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates since 2005 , according to campaign finance records .
Feldman went on to start a consulting firm , the Glover Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic aides .
Among other projects , the firm led the public-relations campaign for Gore 's 2006 climate change film , An Inconvenient Truth .
The group is frequently cited in the pages of THE POLITICO , a Virginia-based gossip blog for lobbyists .
Earlier this month , NBC News hosted a town hall event with Joe Biden in which the former VP fielded questions from `` undecided '' voters .
It was probably an honest mistake that two of the `` undecided '' guests had already declared their support for Biden during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network 's sister channel .
One of the voters wrongly identified as `` undecided , '' a Florida lawyer named Peter Gonzalez , said he was `` very unequivocal '' about his support for Biden in conversations with NBC producers .
Oddly enough , ABC News , the network hosting Thursday night 's town hall event with Biden , has similarly struggled to find participants who are actually `` uncommitted '' voters , rather than anti-Trump activists .
Probably an honest mistake as well .
The Biden town hall will be moderated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House communications director under Bill Clinton .
Stephanopoulos came under fire in 2015 following a Washington Free Beacon report on his personal donations to the Clinton Foundation totaling $ 75,000 .
The embattled host was forced to apologize for failing to disclose these donations during his own reporting on the controversial charity .
The dueling town hall events are a consequence of the candidates ' inability to agree on an acceptable format for a second presidential debate .
Because the Biden event on ABC was scheduled first , a number of professional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a competing town hall with Trump .
According to New York Times media columnist Ben Smith , there is `` enormous pressure on NBC now to make this thing a nightmare for Trump . ''

The 2020 presidential candidates will appear at dueling town hall events on Thursday at 8 p.m., each moderated by a network journalist with deep ties to the Democratic Party.
President Donald Trump's event will be broadcast on NBC and moderated by Savannah Guthrie, whose husband, Michael Feldman, previously served as Al Gore's chief of staff during the 2000 presidential campaign. He has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates since 2005, according to campaign finance records.
Feldman went on to start a consulting firm, the Glover Park Group, with a number of former Democratic aides. Among other projects, the firm led the public-relations campaign for Gore's 2006 climate change film, An Inconvenient Truth. The group is frequently cited in the pages of THE POLITICO, a Virginia-based gossip blog for lobbyists.
Earlier this month, NBC News hosted a town hall event with Joe Biden in which the former VP fielded questions from "undecided" voters. It was probably an honest mistake that two of the "undecided" guests had already declared their support for Biden during a separate appearance on MSNBC, the network's sister channel. One of the voters wrongly identified as "undecided," a Florida lawyer named Peter Gonzalez, said he was "very unequivocal" about his support for Biden in conversations with NBC producers.
.@NBCNews featured a pair of "undecided" voters during a network town hall earlier this week who had previously declared their support for Democratic nominee @JoeBiden on the network's sister channel, @MSNBC. via @CAndersonMO and @DavidRutz pic.twitter.com/gKW1Sh3bb5 — Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) October 6, 2020
Oddly enough, ABC News, the network hosting Thursday night's town hall event with Biden, has similarly struggled to find participants who are actually "uncommitted" voters, rather than anti-Trump activists. Probably an honest mistake as well.
The Biden town hall will be moderated by George Stephanopoulos, who previously served as White House communications director under Bill Clinton. Stephanopoulos came under fire in 2015 following a Washington Free Beacon report on his personal donations to the Clinton Foundation totaling $75,000. The embattled host was forced to apologize for failing to disclose these donations during his own reporting on the controversial charity.
The dueling town hall events are a consequence of the candidates' inability to agree on an acceptable format for a second presidential debate. Because the Biden event on ABC was scheduled first, a number of professional journalists were angry at NBC for scheduling a competing town hall with Trump. According to New York Times media columnist Ben Smith, there is "enormous pressure on NBC now to make this thing a nightmare for Trump."


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Two Senior al Qaeda Operatives Reportedly Killed in Drone Strike

Two senior al Qaeda operatives were reportedly killed in an American drone strike in Syria ’ s Idlib Governorate on Thursday .
Though the strike has yet to be confirmed by the Department of Defense ’ s Central Command , regional experts have circulated images and information indicating that the two operatives were killed .
The two operatives , Abu Dhar al-Masri and Abu Yusuf al-Maghrebi , were both defectors from Huras al-Din , an insurgent group active in Syria .
A 2019 drone strike was said to have killed key members of Huras al-Din , including Abu Dhar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would dispel those rumors .
While al Qaeda 's numbers have dwindled significantly in recent years—the State Department estimates al Qaeda ’ s contingent in Afghanistan is below 200 members—it is also the case that the terrorist group still cooperates with the more-established insurgency of the Taliban .
Due to increasing regional instability , Washington sent a new cohort of U.S. troops to Syria in September .
Recent reporting also shows a renewed pattern of Russian aggression in Syria .
The Taliban have been reassuring American diplomats that they have control of al @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military action .
But they have engaged in a new campaign of violence as Washington continues to pursue peace .
A new report from NBC News suggests that President Donald Trump is considering giving a landmark foreign-policy speech in the coming weeks , with an added emphasis on his changing Middle East policy .
In recent weeks , the president has said he hopes to bring all troops in Afghanistan home by Christmas , though senior national security officials in the administration consider the prospect unlikely .
At present , the Pentagon has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Afghanistan home , though troop reductions with a target of 2,500 to 3,000 personnel remaining in Afghanistan have already been planned , with strategists working on limited withdrawal options to meet that goal .

Two senior al Qaeda operatives were reportedly killed in an American drone strike in Syria’s Idlib Governorate on Thursday.
Though the strike has yet to be confirmed by the Department of Defense’s Central Command, regional experts have circulated images and information indicating that the two operatives were killed. The two operatives, Abu Dhar al-Masri and Abu Yusuf al-Maghrebi, were both defectors from Huras al-Din, an insurgent group active in Syria.
A 2019 drone strike was said to have killed key members of Huras al-Din, including Abu Dhar, but the new strike’s confirmation would dispel those rumors.
While al Qaeda's numbers have dwindled significantly in recent years—the State Department estimates al Qaeda’s contingent in Afghanistan is below 200 members—it is also the case that the terrorist group still cooperates with the more-established insurgency of the Taliban.
Due to increasing regional instability, Washington sent a new cohort of U.S. troops to Syria in September. Recent reporting also shows a renewed pattern of Russian aggression in Syria.
The Taliban have been reassuring American diplomats that they have control of al Qaeda operations and will limit their own military action. But they have engaged in a new campaign of violence as Washington continues to pursue peace.
A new report from NBC News suggests that President Donald Trump is considering giving a landmark foreign-policy speech in the coming weeks, with an added emphasis on his changing Middle East policy. In recent weeks, the president has said he hopes to bring all troops in Afghanistan home by Christmas, though senior national security officials in the administration consider the prospect unlikely.
At present, the Pentagon has no stated plans to bring all troops from Afghanistan home, though troop reductions with a target of 2,500 to 3,000 personnel remaining in Afghanistan have already been planned, with strategists working on limited withdrawal options to meet that goal.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Pompeo, DeVos Take Aim at Chinese Influence in American Schools

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos took aim at Chinese Communist Party influence in the United States ' K-12 education system in an open letter to state education commissioners .
The letter primarily warned educators about the potential harms of Confucius Classrooms , the K-12 partners of college-level Confucius Institutes .
Confucius Classrooms are Beijing-funded initiatives for American schools that ostensibly support cultural exchange and competency—while subtly propping up a pro-Chinese Communist Party agenda .
`` The presence of an authoritarian slant in curriculum and teaching has never been more concerning , nor more consequential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At any grade level , the presence in U.S. classrooms of instructors supported by an authoritarian regime poses risks to our democratic values . ''
Participants in Confucius Classrooms have noted that the programs restrict academic freedom .
Program instructors often avoid discussing topics showing Chinese Communist Party in a bad light , such as the regime 's Uighur concentration camps and political abuses against Hong Kong .
Other countries have already banned Confucius Classrooms from their education systems .
In 2019 , many local governments in Canada and Australia stopped the program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and human rights concerns that Pompeo and DeVos point out in the letter .
Congress has also shown support for the Trump administration ’ s effort to root out Chinese propaganda in education .
Like the secretaries ' letter , the House China Task Force 's recently released report identifies Confucius Classrooms as a serious threat to American academic freedom and offers proposals limiting Beijing 's grip on American education .
`` While it may come as a surprise that the # CCP has infiltrated US K-12 education , the threat is real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I applaud @ SecPompeo & @ BetsyDeVosED for taking steps to protect US classrooms & schoolchildren from the CCP 's malign influence . ''
The American public appears to be taking notice of Chinese influence in education .
A Thursday Washington Free Beacon report followed an ongoing movement to root out Chinese Communist Party influence at Tufts University .

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos took aim at Chinese Communist Party influence in the United States' K-12 education system in an open letter to state education commissioners.
The letter primarily warned educators about the potential harms of Confucius Classrooms, the K-12 partners of college-level Confucius Institutes. Confucius Classrooms are Beijing-funded initiatives for American schools that ostensibly support cultural exchange and competency—while subtly propping up a pro-Chinese Communist Party agenda.
"The presence of an authoritarian slant in curriculum and teaching has never been more concerning, nor more consequential," the letter reads. "At any grade level, the presence in U.S. classrooms of instructors supported by an authoritarian regime poses risks to our democratic values."
Participants in Confucius Classrooms have noted that the programs restrict academic freedom. Program instructors often avoid discussing topics showing Chinese Communist Party in a bad light, such as the regime's Uighur concentration camps and political abuses against Hong Kong.
Other countries have already banned Confucius Classrooms from their education systems. In 2019, many local governments in Canada and Australia stopped the program, citing many of the academic freedom and human rights concerns that Pompeo and DeVos point out in the letter.
Congress has also shown support for the Trump administration’s effort to root out Chinese propaganda in education. Like the secretaries' letter, the House China Task Force's recently released report identifies Confucius Classrooms as a serious threat to American academic freedom and offers proposals limiting Beijing's grip on American education.
Task force chairman Michael McCaul (R., Tex.) tweeted praise for Pompeo and DeVos's letter.
"While it may come as a surprise that the #CCP has infiltrated US K-12 education, the threat is real & growing," McCaul wrote. "I applaud @SecPompeo & @BetsyDeVosED for taking steps to protect US classrooms & schoolchildren from the CCP's malign influence."
The American public appears to be taking notice of Chinese influence in education. A Thursday Washington Free Beacon report followed an ongoing movement to root out Chinese Communist Party influence at Tufts University.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Minnesotans Face Months-Long Delays in Obtaining Gun-Carry Permits

Residents who want to carry a gun to defend themselves in Minnesota are facing unprecedented hurdles as permit wait times skyrocket amid record demand .
As many first-time gun buyers attempt to transition into first-time gun-carriers in the aftermath of rioting in Minneapolis , many are being told they will have to wait months just to turn in their application—well beyond the 30-day window set out in state law .
Other Minnesotans are being told they ca n't renew their current permits until after they 've already expired .
The backlog has caused significant consternation among gun owners—a key voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If state officials are unable or unwilling to bring wait times down , it could motivate gun owners to turn out at higher levels in 2020 and beyond .
`` The appointment time I received was over 90 days out , '' Jamie Darr , a Ramsey County resident who has had a permit for a decade , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` That ’ s nearly four months to obtain a permit for a constitutional right to bear arms . ''
Gabe Stitzel , a 48-year-old IT professional from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the earliest appointment he could get was in late November .
That 's a significant problem for him since his current permit expires about 50 days before then .
`` I was tolerant of limited interactions when the COVID scare was at its height but my issue with the current situation is the counties and state have made allowances for other government applications but not this one , '' he said .
`` The appointment only process is burdensome to the large and growing population of permit holders in the state .
Honestly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there 's an issue . ''
Democratic governor Tim Walz did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether he 'd extend the expiration date on current permits or what his administration is doing to address the backlogs around the state .
Local officials blamed the backlog primarily on demand .
Ramsey County sheriff Bob Fletcher and Winona County sheriff Ron Ganrude did not respond to request for comment from the Free Beacon , but Ganrude told KTTC permit applications were up about 60 percent over a normal year .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on permit-related background checks found June and July were all-time records in the state .
That spike comes after several blocks of Minneapolis , Minn. , were burned to the ground and many people injured during rioting over the killing of George Floyd by a police officer .
Other areas have seen similar backlogs crop up after demand for guns and carry permits , likely inspired by rioting , reached all-time highs .
Residents in Philadelphia have complained of a similar scheme to bypass limits on the length of permit processing by setting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pennsylvania 's Democratic governor further extended the expiration date of all Pennsylvania permits after the Free Beacon inquired about the backlog in Philadelphia .
Stitzel said he believes the slowdowns are more than just a matter of increased demand .
`` The carry permit issues we are running into in Minnesota now are not surprising—certain factions of our state government are always trying to undo or modify the permit to carry laws , '' he said .
Gun-rights activists in the state are already gearing up for a potential legal battle over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on permit processing .
`` We 've been made aware that several County Sheriffs throughout the state are now requiring appointments in order to submit an application for a Minnesota Permit to Carry—and then are restricting the number of appointments , substantially delaying the application process contrary to state law , '' the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said in a message to supporters .
`` We have retained outside counsel and intend to take appropriate legal action to address this issue . ''

Residents who want to carry a gun to defend themselves in Minnesota are facing unprecedented hurdles as permit wait times skyrocket amid record demand.
As many first-time gun buyers attempt to transition into first-time gun-carriers in the aftermath of rioting in Minneapolis, many are being told they will have to wait months just to turn in their application—well beyond the 30-day window set out in state law. Other Minnesotans are being told they can't renew their current permits until after they've already expired.
The backlog has caused significant consternation among gun owners—a key voting bloc in the pivotal swing state. If state officials are unable or unwilling to bring wait times down, it could motivate gun owners to turn out at higher levels in 2020 and beyond.
"The appointment time I received was over 90 days out," Jamie Darr, a Ramsey County resident who has had a permit for a decade, told the Washington Free Beacon. "That’s nearly four months to obtain a permit for a constitutional right to bear arms."
Gabe Stitzel, a 48-year-old IT professional from the Twin Cities, told the Free Beacon the earliest appointment he could get was in late November. That's a significant problem for him since his current permit expires about 50 days before then.
"I was tolerant of limited interactions when the COVID scare was at its height but my issue with the current situation is the counties and state have made allowances for other government applications but not this one," he said. "The appointment only process is burdensome to the large and growing population of permit holders in the state. Honestly, it seems petty as they know there's an issue."
Democratic governor Tim Walz did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether he'd extend the expiration date on current permits or what his administration is doing to address the backlogs around the state. Local officials blamed the backlog primarily on demand.
Ramsey County sheriff Bob Fletcher and Winona County sheriff Ron Ganrude did not respond to request for comment from the Free Beacon, but Ganrude told KTTC permit applications were up about 60 percent over a normal year. A Free Beacon review of the FBI data on permit-related background checks found June and July were all-time records in the state. That spike comes after several blocks of Minneapolis, Minn., were burned to the ground and many people injured during rioting over the killing of George Floyd by a police officer.
Other areas have seen similar backlogs crop up after demand for guns and carry permits, likely inspired by rioting, reached all-time highs. Residents in Philadelphia have complained of a similar scheme to bypass limits on the length of permit processing by setting appointments to turn in applications months out. Pennsylvania's Democratic governor further extended the expiration date of all Pennsylvania permits after the Free Beacon inquired about the backlog in Philadelphia.
Stitzel said he believes the slowdowns are more than just a matter of increased demand.
"The carry permit issues we are running into in Minnesota now are not surprising—certain factions of our state government are always trying to undo or modify the permit to carry laws," he said.
Gun-rights activists in the state are already gearing up for a potential legal battle over violations of the state's 30-day limit on permit processing.
"We've been made aware that several County Sheriffs throughout the state are now requiring appointments in order to submit an application for a Minnesota Permit to Carry—and then are restricting the number of appointments, substantially delaying the application process contrary to state law," the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said in a message to supporters. "We have retained outside counsel and intend to take appropriate legal action to address this issue."


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Study: Teachers’ Unions Associated With School Closures

A new study finds that school districts with strong teachers ' unions are more likely to recommend district-wide shutdowns and exclusively online learning .
The study from the Annenberg Institute , an education research institute within Brown University , analyzed which factors best predict a school district 's decision to return students to the classroom or educate them remotely .
It concluded that `` mass partisanship and teacher union strength best explain how school boards approached reopening . ''
The conventional understanding of school districts as `` localized and non-partisan actors , '' the study said , has been challenged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some school districts—most notably in Los Angeles , Sacramento , and Chicago—have remained entirely virtual as powerful teachers ' unions refuse to negotiate reopening plans .
According to the Sacramento City Unified School District , the board is at an `` impasse '' with the Sacramento City Teachers Association union over a reopening plan , despite constant complaints from parents regarding the inadequacy of online learning .
The Sacramento City Teachers Association—one of the district 's three teachers ' unions—said it will not negotiate a reopening plan until COVID-19 has receded `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area .
`` Even if Sacramento county overall can maintain [ low numbers of COVID ] , our collective position is it is unsafe and inequitable to resume instruction via a hybrid or fully-in-person instructional model until these standards can be achieved in every zip code , '' the union said .
In a letter signed by all three of the Sacramento-area teachers ' union presidents , the group reiterated its position that `` California can not physically open schools for in-person instruction unless it is safe . ''
By and large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A new study in the Atlantic found that infection rates among students and staff are incredibly low , and that schools have seen almost no `` superspreader '' events .
In the last two weeks of September , just 0.13 percent of students and 0.24 percent of staff contracted coronavirus nationwide , according to the authors .
Nonetheless , teachers ' unions have stonewalled school districts and refused to meet to discuss hybrid learning .
According to the Sacramento City Unified School District , unions have turned down 23 dates to meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eden , an education policy expert at the Manhattan Institute , said the study 's findings are n't surprising .
`` Teachers ' unions service teachers , not students , and union leaders can be rationally proud of keeping schools shut down , '' Eden told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` Their members get paid and bear less risk of illness . ''
The Annenberg Institute study also found that districts are sensitive to the threat of students exiting public schools for private ones .
`` Districts located in counties with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to shut down and more likely to return to in-person learning , '' the study reads .
For Eden , this discovery shows that teachers ' unions are n't serving students ' interests .
`` If kids have the chance , their families want them in schools , '' Eden said .
`` Unions do n't want kids to have other options , they want to keep them in a system that fundamentally serves the interests of adults , not kids . ''

A new study finds that school districts with strong teachers' unions are more likely to recommend district-wide shutdowns and exclusively online learning.
The study from the Annenberg Institute, an education research institute within Brown University, analyzed which factors best predict a school district's decision to return students to the classroom or educate them remotely. It concluded that "mass partisanship and teacher union strength best explain how school boards approached reopening." The conventional understanding of school districts as "localized and non-partisan actors," the study said, has been challenged by their political approach to the coronavirus.
Some school districts—most notably in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Chicago—have remained entirely virtual as powerful teachers' unions refuse to negotiate reopening plans. According to the Sacramento City Unified School District, the board is at an "impasse" with the Sacramento City Teachers Association union over a reopening plan, despite constant complaints from parents regarding the inadequacy of online learning.
The Sacramento City Teachers Association—one of the district's three teachers' unions—said it will not negotiate a reopening plan until COVID-19 has receded "equitably" across all zip codes in the area. "Even if Sacramento county overall can maintain [low numbers of COVID], our collective position is it is unsafe and inequitable to resume instruction via a hybrid or fully-in-person instructional model until these standards can be achieved in every zip code," the union said. In a letter signed by all three of the Sacramento-area teachers' union presidents, the group reiterated its position that "California cannot physically open schools for in-person instruction unless it is safe."
By and large, the data show reopening is safe. A new study in the Atlantic found that infection rates among students and staff are incredibly low, and that schools have seen almost no "superspreader" events. In the last two weeks of September, just 0.13 percent of students and 0.24 percent of staff contracted coronavirus nationwide, according to the authors.
Nonetheless, teachers' unions have stonewalled school districts and refused to meet to discuss hybrid learning. According to the Sacramento City Unified School District, unions have turned down 23 dates to meet about a possible return plan.
Max Eden, an education policy expert at the Manhattan Institute, said the study's findings aren't surprising. "Teachers' unions service teachers, not students, and union leaders can be rationally proud of keeping schools shut down," Eden told the Washington Free Beacon. "Their members get paid and bear less risk of illness."
The Annenberg Institute study also found that districts are sensitive to the threat of students exiting public schools for private ones. "Districts located in counties with a large number of Catholic schools were less likely to shut down and more likely to return to in-person learning," the study reads.
For Eden, this discovery shows that teachers' unions aren't serving students' interests. "If kids have the chance, their families want them in schools," Eden said. "Unions don't want kids to have other options, they want to keep them in a system that fundamentally serves the interests of adults, not kids."


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Kansas Dem Charges Barrett’s Rulings Influenced by Her Faith

Kansas Democratic Senate candidate Barbara Bollier said Amy Coney Barrett 's judicial rulings are influenced by her faith and that as a result , Barrett ’ s Catholicism should have been a focus of her confirmation hearings .
`` Of course she is influenced by her faith , '' Bollier said in an interview last week with the Shawnee Mission Post .
`` The question is , is she wanting to put her faith in play as a faith for all ?
And will that affect our law ?
And I think that is a question that needs to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her faith with the law . ''
Bollier said it is important for Democrats to ask Barrett how her faith impacts her rulings and how it affects her ability to enforce constitutional law .
Senate Democrats , however , shied away from asking Barrett directly about her faith during this week 's confirmation hearings and instead focused on how she might rule on Obamacare .
They asked her on several occasions about her views on Roe v. Wade , which Barrett declined to say is a `` super precedent , '' but she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported overturning the decision .
Bollier also left open the possibility of supporting a repeal of the Hyde Amendment , which prohibits taxpayer funding of abortion .
`` To be clear , we 'll wait and see what is brought forward , '' Bollier said .
`` I really do n't like to speak of hypotheticals because when we see a bill and we need to evaluate it , I would do that very clearly at the time . ''
While she did n't state a position on taxpayer funding of abortion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parenthood in the past .
`` If you go look at Planned Parenthood donors , you 're going to see my husband and I when we were married .
That was the first group that we gave to , '' she said .
Bollier is running to fill outgoing Republican senator Pat Roberts 's seat .
She previously served as a Republican in the Kansas house before switching her party registration at the end of 2018 .

Kansas Democratic Senate candidate Barbara Bollier said Amy Coney Barrett's judicial rulings are influenced by her faith and that as a result, Barrett’s Catholicism should have been a focus of her confirmation hearings.
"Of course she is influenced by her faith," Bollier said in an interview last week with the Shawnee Mission Post. "The question is, is she wanting to put her faith in play as a faith for all? And will that affect our law? And I think that is a question that needs to be asked of her, how she intersects her faith with the law."
Bollier said it is important for Democrats to ask Barrett how her faith impacts her rulings and how it affects her ability to enforce constitutional law.
Senate Democrats, however, shied away from asking Barrett directly about her faith during this week's confirmation hearings and instead focused on how she might rule on Obamacare. They asked her on several occasions about her views on Roe v. Wade, which Barrett declined to say is a "super precedent," but she said that this did not mean she supported overturning the decision.
Bollier also left open the possibility of supporting a repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funding of abortion.
"To be clear, we'll wait and see what is brought forward," Bollier said. "I really don't like to speak of hypotheticals because when we see a bill and we need to evaluate it, I would do that very clearly at the time."
While she didn't state a position on taxpayer funding of abortion, she touted her financial support for Planned Parenthood in the past.
"If you go look at Planned Parenthood donors, you're going to see my husband and I when we were married. That was the first group that we gave to," she said.
Bollier is running to fill outgoing Republican senator Pat Roberts's seat. She previously served as a Republican in the Kansas house before switching her party registration at the end of 2018.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Cheatin’ Cal Cunningham Voted to Prevent Jilted Wives From Suing Their Husbands’ Mistresses

Cheating husband Cal Cunningham did n't accomplish much in his career as a state senator , which lasted just two years from 2001 to 2003 .
He was newly married but still in his late 20s , and perhaps eager to see if the young women of Raleigh , N.C. , were as attracted to power as his recently acknowledged mistress , Arlene Guzman Todd .
As it turns out , one of the votes Cunningham cast as a state senator was directly relevant to the situation in which he finds himself today—an admitted philanderer trying to run out the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come clean about the existence of other mistresses .
In 2001 , Cunningham supported legislation to abolish so-called homewrecker laws that allow a spouse whose husband or wife has an affair to sue the third party paramour for `` alienation of affection '' and `` criminal conversation . ''
The bill , which passed the state house but failed in the senate , enjoyed near-unanimous support among Democratic legislators .
Despite Cunningham 's best efforts , those civil statutes remain on the books in North Carolina , meaning his jilted wife Elizabeth could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mistress who comes forward , for interfering with her marital relationship and violating her right to exclusive sexual relations with her husband .
In 2019 , a North Carolina man won a $ 750,000 judgment against his ex-wife 's lover after filing a lawsuit under the `` alienation of affection '' statute .
That 's nothing compared with the $ 8.8 million a North Carolina judge ordered another man to pay in tangible and punitive damages to the husband of the woman with whom he was having an affair for 16 months .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina woman named Elizabeth to be cheated on by a prominent Democratic politician .
Elizabeth Edwards , the jilted wife of disgraced former senator John Edwards ( D. , N.C. ) , threatened to sue her husband 's longtime staffer under the `` alienation of affection '' statute in 2010 .
The aide , Andrew Young , was accused of helping the senator conceal his affair with former campaign worker Rielle Hunter , with whom Edwards fathered a love child .
Young , who initially claimed to be the child 's father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a doctor to fake the DNA results . ''
Cunningham , who is threatening to unseat Edwards as the horniest Democrat in the history of North Carolina politics , has faced a barrage of attack ads from Republican-aligned groups , including one that concludes with the line , `` We do n't need another John Edwards in the Senate . ''

Cheating husband Cal Cunningham didn't accomplish much in his career as a state senator, which lasted just two years from 2001 to 2003. He was newly married but still in his late 20s, and perhaps eager to see if the young women of Raleigh, N.C., were as attracted to power as his recently acknowledged mistress, Arlene Guzman Todd.
As it turns out, one of the votes Cunningham cast as a state senator was directly relevant to the situation in which he finds himself today—an admitted philanderer trying to run out the clock until Election Day while refusing to come clean about the existence of other mistresses.
In 2001, Cunningham supported legislation to abolish so-called homewrecker laws that allow a spouse whose husband or wife has an affair to sue the third party paramour for "alienation of affection" and "criminal conversation." The bill, which passed the state house but failed in the senate, enjoyed near-unanimous support among Democratic legislators.
Despite Cunningham's best efforts, those civil statutes remain on the books in North Carolina, meaning his jilted wife Elizabeth could sue Guzman Todd, and any other mistress who comes forward, for interfering with her marital relationship and violating her right to exclusive sexual relations with her husband.
In 2019, a North Carolina man won a $750,000 judgment against his ex-wife's lover after filing a lawsuit under the "alienation of affection" statute. That's nothing compared with the $8.8 million a North Carolina judge ordered another man to pay in tangible and punitive damages to the husband of the woman with whom he was having an affair for 16 months.
Cunningham's wife is not the only North Carolina woman named Elizabeth to be cheated on by a prominent Democratic politician. Elizabeth Edwards, the jilted wife of disgraced former senator John Edwards (D., N.C.), threatened to sue her husband's longtime staffer under the "alienation of affection" statute in 2010.
The aide, Andrew Young, was accused of helping the senator conceal his affair with former campaign worker Rielle Hunter, with whom Edwards fathered a love child. Young, who initially claimed to be the child's father, said Edwards had urged him "get a doctor to fake the DNA results."
Cunningham, who is threatening to unseat Edwards as the horniest Democrat in the history of North Carolina politics, has faced a barrage of attack ads from Republican-aligned groups, including one that concludes with the line, "We don't need another John Edwards in the Senate."


freebeacon--2020-10-15--‘Undecided Voter’ at NBC Town Hall Informed Producer He Would Vote for Biden

A committed Joe Biden supporter who was wrongly presented by NBC News as undecided said he was clear with the network about his intention to vote Democrat before the town hall .
`` I was very unequivocal , '' Peter Gonzalez , a lawyer from Coral Gables , Fla. , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` In my communications with MSNBC in late August and then again recently with NBC , I was very clear , number one , on my voting record , and number two , that I did n't think Trump was acceptable to vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Ismael Llano were invited to the Oct. 5 town hall in Miami and presented as among a group of `` undecided '' Florida voters , even though both men told NBC 's cable arm MSNBC on Aug. 21 that they were voting for Biden .
A producer reached out to them after their MSNBC segment and invited them to the town hall .
Gonzalez , a longtime Republican voter who is supporting a Democrat for president for the first time , asked whether Biden could assure Cuban- and Venezuelan-Americans he would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Free Beacon that NBC News should have properly identified him as a Biden voter .
`` If I could go back in time … [ moderator ] Lester Holt should have made it clear , at least when he introduced me , '' he said .
`` Fortunately , he did n't refer to me as an undecided voter specifically , but I could understand how some people would infer that I was undecided , because at no time did they make it clear that I had already made a decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , better said , to vote against President Trump . ''
Gonzalez could not provide the name of the producer who invited him to the town hall .
Llano was not available for comment , and NBC News did not respond to a request for comment .
Other `` undecided '' voters at the town hall had strongly anti-Trump or pro-Biden social media histories , including one who had several Facebook cover photos featuring the Biden-Kamala Harris ticket .
While Holt only introduced Gonzalez by name , he twice referred to the audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` undecided '' voters .
MSNBC anchors also repeatedly described it that way in the days leading up to the town hall , as did NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell while recapping it for Today on Oct. 6 .

A committed Joe Biden supporter who was wrongly presented by NBC News as undecided said he was clear with the network about his intention to vote Democrat before the town hall.
"I was very unequivocal," Peter Gonzalez, a lawyer from Coral Gables, Fla., told the Washington Free Beacon. "In my communications with MSNBC in late August and then again recently with NBC, I was very clear, number one, on my voting record, and number two, that I didn't think Trump was acceptable to vote for."
The Free Beacon reported Gonzalez and Ismael Llano were invited to the Oct. 5 town hall in Miami and presented as among a group of "undecided" Florida voters, even though both men told NBC's cable arm MSNBC on Aug. 21 that they were voting for Biden. A producer reached out to them after their MSNBC segment and invited them to the town hall.
Gonzalez, a longtime Republican voter who is supporting a Democrat for president for the first time, asked whether Biden could assure Cuban- and Venezuelan-Americans he would not govern as a radical leftist. He told the Free Beacon that NBC News should have properly identified him as a Biden voter.
"If I could go back in time ... [moderator] Lester Holt should have made it clear, at least when he introduced me," he said. "Fortunately, he didn't refer to me as an undecided voter specifically, but I could understand how some people would infer that I was undecided, because at no time did they make it clear that I had already made a decision to vote for Biden or I guess, better said, to vote against President Trump."
Gonzalez could not provide the name of the producer who invited him to the town hall. Llano was not available for comment, and NBC News did not respond to a request for comment.
Other "undecided" voters at the town hall had strongly anti-Trump or pro-Biden social media histories, including one who had several Facebook cover photos featuring the Biden-Kamala Harris ticket.
While Holt only introduced Gonzalez by name, he twice referred to the audience at the event as one of exclusively "undecided" voters. MSNBC anchors also repeatedly described it that way in the days leading up to the town hall, as did NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell while recapping it for Today on Oct. 6.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Trump Admin Brings Home Two American Hostages Held By Iran-Backed Militia

The Trump administration brought home two American hostages held in Yemen by an Iran-backed militia , the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday .
Washington negotiated a hostage exchange for humanitarian worker Sandra `` Sam '' Loli and businessman Mikael Gidada , whom the Houthi militia group had held in Yemen for over a year .
The negotiations were rapid because of Loli 's deteriorating health condition .
The United States also secured the remains of Bilal Fateen , a third American the Houthis had taken hostage .
`` Today is a day we have long hoped for , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Our family is filled with immense relief and gratitude that Sam—a beloved wife , mother , daughter , sister , and friend—has been released and reunited with her family . ''
In exchange for the American citizens , the Trump administration offered over 200 Houthi loyalists .
The Iran-backed insurgents are currently locked in a bitter civil war with Yemeni security forces , which have the support of Saudi Arabia .
The Saudis were instrumental in securing this latest hostage deal .
Hostage retrievals continue to be a major effort for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought home over 50 hostages from 22 countries .
In August , the president invited six of these former hostages to the Republican National Convention stage .
`` We 're very proud of the job we did , '' Trump told the crowd .
The Yemeni civil war has been a contentious topic in Washington , however .
Even though the Houthis attempted to launch a missile at an American naval vessel in 2016 , a left-leaning political coalition still opposes American support for the war .
In 2019 , President Trump vetoed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Saudi-Yemeni cause .
`` The Houthi rebels have plunged Yemen into a brutal civil war at the bidding of Iran 's ayatollahs , '' Sen. Tom Cotton ( R. , Ark . )
said in 2019 .
`` The United States ought to formally condemn the Houthis for their terrorist attacks on American sailors and innocent civilians .
By their actions , the Houthis condemn themselves as terrorists and outlaws from the civilized world . ''

The Trump administration brought home two American hostages held in Yemen by an Iran-backed militia, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Washington negotiated a hostage exchange for humanitarian worker Sandra "Sam" Loli and businessman Mikael Gidada, whom the Houthi militia group had held in Yemen for over a year. The negotiations were rapid because of Loli's deteriorating health condition. The United States also secured the remains of Bilal Fateen, a third American the Houthis had taken hostage.
"Today is a day we have long hoped for," said Richard Boni, Loli's husband. "Our family is filled with immense relief and gratitude that Sam—a beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend—has been released and reunited with her family."
In exchange for the American citizens, the Trump administration offered over 200 Houthi loyalists. The Iran-backed insurgents are currently locked in a bitter civil war with Yemeni security forces, which have the support of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis were instrumental in securing this latest hostage deal.
Hostage retrievals continue to be a major effort for the Trump administration, which has so far brought home over 50 hostages from 22 countries. In August, the president invited six of these former hostages to the Republican National Convention stage.
"We're very proud of the job we did," Trump told the crowd.
The Yemeni civil war has been a contentious topic in Washington, however. Even though the Houthis attempted to launch a missile at an American naval vessel in 2016, a left-leaning political coalition still opposes American support for the war. In 2019, President Trump vetoed a bill to end American support for the Saudi-Yemeni cause.
"The Houthi rebels have plunged Yemen into a brutal civil war at the bidding of Iran's ayatollahs," Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) said in 2019. "The United States ought to formally condemn the Houthis for their terrorist attacks on American sailors and innocent civilians. By their actions, the Houthis condemn themselves as terrorists and outlaws from the civilized world."


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Activists Blast Tufts University for Chinese Communist Party Ties

Tufts University students and human-rights activists are waging a campaign to close an on-campus institution that national security officials describe as a Chinese Communist Party influence organization .
Students and local activists launched demonstrations at the Massachusetts-based college to demand that administrators cut ties with the Confucius Institute , an educational center on campus with deep connections to the Chinese Communist Party .
Boston Uighurs Association president Maya Mitalipova , a researcher at MIT 's Whitehead Institute , helped organize an Oct. 1 demonstration to bring attention to the Chinese regime 's violent oppression of Muslim citizens .
She compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nazi collaborators .
`` We protested because we all have been victims of [ the ] Chinese Communist Party 's harsh policies for decades , '' Mitalipova said .
`` Imagine during WWII , if [ the ] Nazi regime had funded 70-plus institutions in the U.S. , what would you do ?
CCP is no different than a Nazi regime . ''
Confucius Institutes are Chinese Communist Party-funded centers that offer propagandistic programming to students under the veneer of cultural exchange .
The organization pushes Communist and pro-CCP ideology toward students and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This summer , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated the Confucius Institute 's U.S. headquarters as a foreign mission of the regime .
The Trump administration 's efforts to weed out Chinese influence have already paid dividends .
Since 2019 , at least 39 colleges and universities have announced plans to close Confucius Institutes on campus .
Tufts is one of about 60 schools that still operate Confucius Institutes .
Tufts University spokesman Patrick Collins said that the university respected the rights of all individuals to express their opinions in a statement to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took very seriously the concerns expressed in some critiques offered by organizations and individuals outside Tufts that a Confucius Institute could in the future attempt to make more active efforts to influence the curriculum , limit freedom of expression , or pressure Chinese students and scholars , '' Collins said .
Tufts has defended its relationship with Beijing in the past .
In 2019 , administrators revealed that the Confucius Institute at Tufts has received at least $ 500,000 from a CCP umbrella organization in a 12-page memo .
The school stood by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university oversight and transparency . ''
Activists told the Free Beacon such commitments from the university do little to solve the core problem .
`` No matter how much you want to modify a contract , it does n't take away from the fact that you are hosting a murderous regime on your campus , '' Olo Bayul , president of the Tibetan Association of Boston , told the Free Beacon .
`` It 's come to that point . ''
The campaign seeks to tell students what Chinese propagandists hide .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of loved ones who are missing , as well as those who have been arbitrarily detained by the CCP .
Student groups were quick to get involved .
The movement has brought together a wide-ranging coalition that includes the campus 's branch of Amnesty International and the College Republicans .
`` The protests against Tufts 's Confucius Institute are about academic freedom and human rights , '' a statement by the Tufts College Republicans reads .
`` The Tufts administration should take these concerns seriously . ''
Multiple advocacy organizations told the Free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of the Confucius Institute at Tufts on a weekly basis until the organization is shut down .
Chris Choi , a member of Hong Kong Social Action Movements in Boston , maintained that the key to success for their efforts is to increase awareness among all Americans .
`` The Confucius Institute is an example of how everyday Americans should be worried about the Communist regime , '' Choi said .
`` We have to educate the public about the danger of having Communist influence on American soil .
They ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Tufts University students and human-rights activists are waging a campaign to close an on-campus institution that national security officials describe as a Chinese Communist Party influence organization.
Students and local activists launched demonstrations at the Massachusetts-based college to demand that administrators cut ties with the Confucius Institute, an educational center on campus with deep connections to the Chinese Communist Party. Boston Uighurs Association president Maya Mitalipova, a researcher at MIT's Whitehead Institute, helped organize an Oct. 1 demonstration to bring attention to the Chinese regime's violent oppression of Muslim citizens. She compared Tufts partnering with the Confucius Institute to Nazi collaborators.
"We protested because we all have been victims of [the] Chinese Communist Party's harsh policies for decades," Mitalipova said. "Imagine during WWII, if [the] Nazi regime had funded 70-plus institutions in the U.S., what would you do? CCP is no different than a Nazi regime."
Confucius Institutes are Chinese Communist Party-funded centers that offer propagandistic programming to students under the veneer of cultural exchange. The organization pushes Communist and pro-CCP ideology toward students and in some cases restricts academic freedom. This summer, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated the Confucius Institute's U.S. headquarters as a foreign mission of the regime. The Trump administration's efforts to weed out Chinese influence have already paid dividends. Since 2019, at least 39 colleges and universities have announced plans to close Confucius Institutes on campus. Tufts is one of about 60 schools that still operate Confucius Institutes.
Tufts University spokesman Patrick Collins said that the university respected the rights of all individuals to express their opinions in a statement to the Washington Free Beacon.
"We took very seriously the concerns expressed in some critiques offered by organizations and individuals outside Tufts that a Confucius Institute could in the future attempt to make more active efforts to influence the curriculum, limit freedom of expression, or pressure Chinese students and scholars," Collins said.
Tufts has defended its relationship with Beijing in the past. In 2019, administrators revealed that the Confucius Institute at Tufts has received at least $500,000 from a CCP umbrella organization in a 12-page memo. The school stood by the group, pledging to "enhance university oversight and transparency."
Activists told the Free Beacon such commitments from the university do little to solve the core problem.
"No matter how much you want to modify a contract, it doesn't take away from the fact that you are hosting a murderous regime on your campus," Olo Bayul, president of the Tibetan Association of Boston, told the Free Beacon. "It's come to that point."
The campaign seeks to tell students what Chinese propagandists hide. At the October rally, activists disseminated photos of loved ones who are missing, as well as those who have been arbitrarily detained by the CCP. Student groups were quick to get involved. The movement has brought together a wide-ranging coalition that includes the campus's branch of Amnesty International and the College Republicans.
"The protests against Tufts's Confucius Institute are about academic freedom and human rights," a statement by the Tufts College Republicans reads. "The Tufts administration should take these concerns seriously."
Multiple advocacy organizations told the Free Beacon that they hope to demonstrate in front of the Confucius Institute at Tufts on a weekly basis until the organization is shut down.
Chris Choi, a member of Hong Kong Social Action Movements in Boston, maintained that the key to success for their efforts is to increase awareness among all Americans.
"The Confucius Institute is an example of how everyday Americans should be worried about the Communist regime," Choi said. "We have to educate the public about the danger of having Communist influence on American soil. They can't do that on our watch."


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Fact-Checker Rates Ossoff Ad Painting Perdue as Corrupt ‘Mostly False’

An independent fact-checker called an ad central to Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff 's anti-corruption campaign `` mostly false '' for accusing his opponent of self-dealing at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` The Ossoff ad accuses Senator [ David ] Perdue of profiting off the pandemic , '' Action News Jax reporter Paige Kelton said .
`` Based on what can be proved , we rate the line in the ad that says that Senator Perdue lined his pockets as mostly false . ''
The ad accuses Perdue of corruption , implying he attended a closed-door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made lucrative stock trades with his insider information .
Perdue , however , did not attend that briefing , and third-party advisers have handled his stock portfolio while in office .
Also , some of Perdue 's transactions contradicted the idea that he benefited from secret information , such as selling stock in the grocery store Kroger and buying stock in Delta Air Lines .
Action News Jax , a CBS station in Florida that serves much of southeast Georgia , noted Perdue was cleared of any wrongdoing this summer after probes by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee , and Securities and Exchange Commission .
Ossoff 's campaign did not respond to a request for comment .
Ossoff , who has never held office , has repeatedly touted his investigative journalism work exposing corruption on the campaign trail .
Perdue 's campaign said Ossoff 's ad damaged voter trust in the Democrat .
`` With each passing day , Jon Ossoff ‘ s desperate campaign loses more credibility with the people of Georgia , '' said Perdue communications director John Burke .
`` This further shows that Ossoff will say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even if it means engaging in wholesale deception . ''
Perdue and Ossoff are locked in a tight race that is crucial to Senate party control .
Ossoff is trying to become the first Georgia Democrat in 20 years to win a U.S. Senate race , but Perdue holds a narrow lead in the polling average .

An independent fact-checker called an ad central to Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff's anti-corruption campaign "mostly false" for accusing his opponent of self-dealing at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic.
"The Ossoff ad accuses Senator [David] Perdue of profiting off the pandemic," Action News Jax reporter Paige Kelton said. "Based on what can be proved, we rate the line in the ad that says that Senator Perdue lined his pockets as mostly false."
The ad accuses Perdue of corruption, implying he attended a closed-door Jan. 24 Senate coronavirus briefing and then made lucrative stock trades with his insider information. Perdue, however, did not attend that briefing, and third-party advisers have handled his stock portfolio while in office. Also, some of Perdue's transactions contradicted the idea that he benefited from secret information, such as selling stock in the grocery store Kroger and buying stock in Delta Air Lines.
Action News Jax, a CBS station in Florida that serves much of southeast Georgia, noted Perdue was cleared of any wrongdoing this summer after probes by the Department of Justice, Senate Ethics Committee, and Securities and Exchange Commission.
Ossoff's campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Ossoff, who has never held office, has repeatedly touted his investigative journalism work exposing corruption on the campaign trail.
Perdue's campaign said Ossoff's ad damaged voter trust in the Democrat.
"With each passing day, Jon Ossoff's desperate campaign loses more credibility with the people of Georgia," said Perdue communications director John Burke. "This further shows that Ossoff will say anything to hide his radical socialist agenda, even if it means engaging in wholesale deception."
Perdue and Ossoff are locked in a tight race that is crucial to Senate party control. Ossoff is trying to become the first Georgia Democrat in 20 years to win a U.S. Senate race, but Perdue holds a narrow lead in the polling average.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--GOP Leader McCarthy Announces Record-Setting Fundraising Haul

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy ( R. , Calif. ) has raised more than $ 100 million in support of @ @ @ @ @ the House this cycle , more than double what any Republican leader has raised in @ @ @ @ @ that he raised $ 16 million in the third quarter , bringing his haul for @ @ @ @ @ million .
The war chest is more than twice what former Republican leader Paul Ryan @ @ @ @ @ in the 2016 election cycle , which was at the time a fundraising record .
@ @ @ @ @ across the country will have `` substantial resources '' to get their message out .
@ @ @ @ @ share our Commitment to America and contrast our optimistic , achievable vision with the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ police and military , destroy our economy , and dismantle our freedoms and the Constitution @ @ @ @ @

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) has raised more than $100 million in support of Republican efforts to take back the House this cycle, more than double what any Republican leader has raised in history.
McCarthy said Thursday that he raised $16 million in the third quarter, bringing his haul for the cycle to $103 million. The war chest is more than twice what former Republican leader Paul Ryan had raised at this point in the 2016 election cycle, which was at the time a fundraising record.
McCarthy expressed confidence that candidates across the country will have "substantial resources" to get their message out.
"We will continue to share our Commitment to America and contrast our optimistic, achievable vision with the Democrats' agenda to defund the police and military, destroy our economy, and dismantle our freedoms and the Constitution," McCarthy said.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Cruz: Twitter CEO Will Be Subpoenaed Over Hunter Biden Censorship

Texas senator Ted Cruz ( R. ) warned that he and his colleagues in the Senate Judiciary Committee would subpoena Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey over the suppression of a report about Hunter Biden .
Cruz said Thursday that Dorsey will be called upon to explain to the committee why Twitter is `` abusing '' its power `` to silence the press and to cover up allegations of corruption . ''
He accused Twitter and Facebook of interfering in the election .
`` Never before have we seen active censorship of a major press publication with serious allegations of corruption at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Cruz told reporters .
Twitter and Facebook sparked controversy after they suppressed the circulation of a New York Post report that Hunter Biden arranged a meeting between a Ukrainian businessman and his father Joe Biden , then the vice president .
Twitter is also suppressing the circulation of a follow-up story from the Post concerning Hunter Biden 's business dealings with a Chinese energy company .
The platform prevented users from tweeting the story or sending it to others .
The Biden campaign denied that the meeting took place and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the story .
Cruz posted a screenshot of his attempt to tweet the Post ‘ s follow-up story Thursday morning .
Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R. , S.C. ) noted that false stories about Republicans have never been blocked on social media and said those companies ' power has become `` dangerous , '' warning that other speech could be targeted .
`` You may be a Democrat saying , ‘ I do n't want to hear the New York Post . '
It could be you tomorrow , '' Graham said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
agreed with Cruz and Graham and said the subcommittee on crime and terrorism `` invited both Jack Dorsey and [ Facebook CEO ] Mark Zuckerberg to come and testify . ''
`` I hope that we 'll subpoena both Twitter and Facebook .
They should both come , '' Hawley said .
`` They 're both engaged in censorship .
They 're both massive monopolies .
They should answer to the Judiciary Committee . ''

Texas senator Ted Cruz (R.) warned that he and his colleagues in the Senate Judiciary Committee would subpoena Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey over the suppression of a report about Hunter Biden.
Cruz said Thursday that Dorsey will be called upon to explain to the committee why Twitter is "abusing" its power "to silence the press and to cover up allegations of corruption." He accused Twitter and Facebook of interfering in the election.
"Never before have we seen active censorship of a major press publication with serious allegations of corruption at one of the two candidates for president," Cruz told reporters.
Twitter and Facebook sparked controversy after they suppressed the circulation of a New York Post report that Hunter Biden arranged a meeting between a Ukrainian businessman and his father Joe Biden, then the vice president. Twitter is also suppressing the circulation of a follow-up story from the Post concerning Hunter Biden's business dealings with a Chinese energy company. The platform prevented users from tweeting the story or sending it to others.
The Biden campaign denied that the meeting took place and said that the Post never contacted it about the story.
Cruz posted a screenshot of his attempt to tweet the Post's follow-up story Thursday morning.
https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1316738930348363776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1316738930348363776%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_0&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnymag.com%2Fintelligencer%2F2020%2F10%2Ftwitter-facebook-block-ny-post-hunter-biden-article.html
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) noted that false stories about Republicans have never been blocked on social media and said those companies' power has become "dangerous," warning that other speech could be targeted.
"You may be a Democrat saying, 'I don't want to hear the New York Post.' It could be you tomorrow," Graham said.


freebeacon--2020-10-15--Report: Sudan Set to Normalize Ties With Israel

Sudan is set to be the next country to normalize ties with Israel , the Jerusalem Post reported Thursday .
The African country reportedly made the decision to proceed with increased Israeli engagement after Washington issued a 24-hour ultimatum , demanding Sudan recognize Israel in order to gain removal from the United States ' list of countries that sponsor terrorism .
The ultimatum also offered to roll back travel restrictions on Sudan , which are a legacy of the 2017 travel ban issued by the Trump administration .
`` Establishing ties with Israel is a Sudanese interest , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council , earlier this month .
`` Our removal from the list of state sponsors of terror depends on it . ''
Sudan , much like Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates , is a Muslim-majority country that has historically been opposed to Israeli interests .
Until September 2020 , Sudan was under explicit and constitutionally sanctioned Islamic rule for 30 years .
During that period punishments for apostasy included severe flogging , and an alcohol ban existed for all citizens .
Bahrain and the UAE have similar restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions speak to the progress made by Washington and Jerusalem in recent months , which has often been downplayed by the mainstream media .
As the stigma of engaging with Israel disappears , American diplomats expect more countries to sign agreements with the Jewish state .
The big target and challenge for Washington and Jerusalem remains normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia , a country that has long been a linchpin for stability in the Middle East .
To this end , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of issues , including increasing security cooperation to counter Iran and next steps for Riyadh following the historic Abraham Accords .
`` We hope Saudi Arabia will consider normalizing its relationships as well , and we want to thank them for the assistance they ’ ve had in the success of the Abraham Accords so far , '' Pompeo said .
`` We hope , too , that the Kingdom will encourage the Palestinian side to return to dialogue and negotiation with Israel . ''

Sudan is set to be the next country to normalize ties with Israel, the Jerusalem Post reported Thursday.
The African country reportedly made the decision to proceed with increased Israeli engagement after Washington issued a 24-hour ultimatum, demanding Sudan recognize Israel in order to gain removal from the United States' list of countries that sponsor terrorism. The ultimatum also offered to roll back travel restrictions on Sudan, which are a legacy of the 2017 travel ban issued by the Trump administration.
"Establishing ties with Israel is a Sudanese interest," said Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, earlier this month. "Our removal from the list of state sponsors of terror depends on it."
Sudan, much like Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, is a Muslim-majority country that has historically been opposed to Israeli interests. Until September 2020, Sudan was under explicit and constitutionally sanctioned Islamic rule for 30 years. During that period punishments for apostasy included severe flogging, and an alcohol ban existed for all citizens. Bahrain and the UAE have similar restrictions on religious freedom in place.
Such restrictions speak to the progress made by Washington and Jerusalem in recent months, which has often been downplayed by the mainstream media. As the stigma of engaging with Israel disappears, American diplomats expect more countries to sign agreements with the Jewish state.
The big target and challenge for Washington and Jerusalem remains normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia, a country that has long been a linchpin for stability in the Middle East.
To this end, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Wednesday to discuss a series of issues, including increasing security cooperation to counter Iran and next steps for Riyadh following the historic Abraham Accords.
"We hope Saudi Arabia will consider normalizing its relationships as well, and we want to thank them for the assistance they’ve had in the success of the Abraham Accords so far," Pompeo said. "We hope, too, that the Kingdom will encourage the Palestinian side to return to dialogue and negotiation with Israel."


The Scalia Family

`` Enough to field a baseball team . ''
That was the late Justice Antonin Scalia ’ s response when asked how many children he had .
And he and his wife Maureen ’ s nine children have themselves parented , as of this week , 40 grandchildren .
How big is the Scalia family ?
So big that , at the moment , it would not be allowed to hold an in-person gathering in the justice ’ s home state of New Jersey .
Even that count might not be accurate .
Watching Judge Amy Coney Barrett testify before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I couldn ’ t help thinking that the Scalia family is larger than the individuals directly related to him .
In both her September 26 remarks at the White House and her October 12 opening statement to the committee , Barrett spoke of the influence Scalia had on her life and identified herself with his approach to the law .
`` His judicial philosophy was straightforward : A judge must apply the law as written , not as the judge wishes it were , '' Barrett told the senators .
`` Sometimes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not like .
But as he put it in one of his best-known opinions , that is what it means to say we have a government of laws , not men . ''
Whether it was for the students he taught , or the clerks he hired , or the lawyers he mentored , or the readers of his work , Scalia modeled a form of jurisprudence rooted in the text of the Constitution and in the American political tradition .
His approach came to be called originalism ( in matters of constitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of statutory interpretation ) .
But his legacy is far greater than these contributions to legal terminology and methodology .
What this son of an Italian immigrant accomplished was nothing less than a revolution in the law—and the promulgation of a distinctly American conservatism that is needed now more than ever .
It was Scalia who was among the first faculty advisers of the Federalist Society , and who addressed the society ’ s first national gathering in 1982 .
Along with his colleagues Robert Bork and Laurence Silberman , Scalia stood for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution and statutes based on their original public meaning .
The clarity of his argument , the force of his intellect , and the charm of his conversation enlarged the audience for his views .
That audience exploded in size after President Reagan elevated him to the Supreme Court in 1986 .
Over time , the strength of originalism ’ s reputation in legal circles became so overpowering that some liberal judges , such as Justice Elena Kagan , felt it necessary to describe themselves , however ironically , as `` originalists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the constitutionality of flag-burning as proof that originalism is not a mask for conservative politics .
And there have been plenty of decisions—most recently Justice Neil Gorsuch ’ s opinion in Bostock—where self-described originalists and textualists arrived at places conservatives did not expect .
But there is nonetheless an integral relationship between originalism and conservatism .
What American conservatism seeks to preserve is the institutional and philosophical inheritance of the American Founding .
This inheritance is codified in our enabling documents : the Constitution ( as amended ) , the organic laws of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Declaration of Independence and the Northwest Ordinance ) , and the Federalist Papers .
It is through fidelity to these words , as the Founders understood them at the time , that conservatives defend the constitutional structure and the individual freedom it secures .
Originalism has turned out to be more than a legal doctrine .
It is the common ground of American conservatism .
For years , the right has tried to define a `` constitutional conservatism '' that would serve as the political analogue to originalism .
That project has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it is worth noting that the current president won his office in no small part because he pledged to nominate judges in the mold of Scalia and approved by the Federalist Society .
And his most enduring legacy will be his appointments to the federal courts .
It would be difficult to name other Supreme Court justices who have had such a galvanizing effect on American politics—and who continued to play such important roles after their deaths .
What accounts for Scalia ’ s iconic stature ?
The latest collection of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edited by Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton and Edward Whelan , offers some clues .
`` Nino loved ideas—thinking about them , talking about them , arguing about them , as well as writing about them , '' Justice Kagan writes in her introduction .
`` That love may explain why he found it so natural to befriend colleagues with whom he often disagreed ( yes , like me ) . ''
Scalia ’ s ability to depersonalize intellectual debate was a function of his self-confidence and sense of humor .
His convictions were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was more than happy to defend them , and to explain why you were wrong .
What comes across most , though , is the quality of Scalia ’ s writing .
It is clear , direct , witty , lapidary , memorable .
Scalia ’ s opinions and dissents are famous for certain lines— '' this wolf comes as a wolf '' ; `` What Is Golf ?
`` —but on second reading it is the way he develops his argument that most impresses .
And he always makes a perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Second Amendment is outmoded in a society where our standing army is the pride of our Nation , where well-trained police forces provide personal security , and where gun violence is a serious problem , '' he wrote in Heller ( 2008 ) .
`` That is perhaps debatable , but what is not debatable is that it is not the role of this Court to pronounce the Second Amendment extinct . ''
These aren ’ t judicial decisions .
They are essays .
And like great literature they will reverberate far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s extended family , biological and philosophical , continues to grow .

"Enough to field a baseball team." That was the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s response when asked how many children he had. And he and his wife Maureen’s nine children have themselves parented, as of this week, 40 grandchildren. How big is the Scalia family? So big that, at the moment, it would not be allowed to hold an in-person gathering in the justice’s home state of New Jersey.
Even that count might not be accurate. Watching Judge Amy Coney Barrett testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, I couldn’t help thinking that the Scalia family is larger than the individuals directly related to him. In both her September 26 remarks at the White House and her October 12 opening statement to the committee, Barrett spoke of the influence Scalia had on her life and identified herself with his approach to the law. "His judicial philosophy was straightforward: A judge must apply the law as written, not as the judge wishes it were," Barrett told the senators. "Sometimes that approach meant reaching results that he did not like. But as he put it in one of his best-known opinions, that is what it means to say we have a government of laws, not men."
Whether it was for the students he taught, or the clerks he hired, or the lawyers he mentored, or the readers of his work, Scalia modeled a form of jurisprudence rooted in the text of the Constitution and in the American political tradition. His approach came to be called originalism (in matters of constitutional interpretation) and textualism (in matters of statutory interpretation). But his legacy is far greater than these contributions to legal terminology and methodology. What this son of an Italian immigrant accomplished was nothing less than a revolution in the law—and the promulgation of a distinctly American conservatism that is needed now more than ever.
It was Scalia who was among the first faculty advisers of the Federalist Society, and who addressed the society’s first national gathering in 1982. Along with his colleagues Robert Bork and Laurence Silberman, Scalia stood for the idea that judges should interpret the Constitution and statutes based on their original public meaning. The clarity of his argument, the force of his intellect, and the charm of his conversation enlarged the audience for his views. That audience exploded in size after President Reagan elevated him to the Supreme Court in 1986. Over time, the strength of originalism’s reputation in legal circles became so overpowering that some liberal judges, such as Justice Elena Kagan, felt it necessary to describe themselves, however ironically, as "originalists."
Scalia pointed to his decision upholding the constitutionality of flag-burning as proof that originalism is not a mask for conservative politics. And there have been plenty of decisions—most recently Justice Neil Gorsuch’s opinion in Bostock—where self-described originalists and textualists arrived at places conservatives did not expect. But there is nonetheless an integral relationship between originalism and conservatism. What American conservatism seeks to preserve is the institutional and philosophical inheritance of the American Founding. This inheritance is codified in our enabling documents: the Constitution (as amended), the organic laws of the United States (which include the Declaration of Independence and the Northwest Ordinance), and the Federalist Papers. It is through fidelity to these words, as the Founders understood them at the time, that conservatives defend the constitutional structure and the individual freedom it secures.
Originalism has turned out to be more than a legal doctrine. It is the common ground of American conservatism. For years, the right has tried to define a "constitutional conservatism" that would serve as the political analogue to originalism. That project has been overshadowed by the rise of national populism. But it is worth noting that the current president won his office in no small part because he pledged to nominate judges in the mold of Scalia and approved by the Federalist Society. And his most enduring legacy will be his appointments to the federal courts.
It would be difficult to name other Supreme Court justices who have had such a galvanizing effect on American politics—and who continued to play such important roles after their deaths. What accounts for Scalia’s iconic stature? The latest collection of his writings, The Essential Scalia, edited by Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton and Edward Whelan, offers some clues. "Nino loved ideas—thinking about them, talking about them, arguing about them, as well as writing about them," Justice Kagan writes in her introduction. "That love may explain why he found it so natural to befriend colleagues with whom he often disagreed (yes, like me)." Scalia’s ability to depersonalize intellectual debate was a function of his self-confidence and sense of humor. His convictions were the result of deep reflection. But he was more than happy to defend them, and to explain why you were wrong.
What comes across most, though, is the quality of Scalia’s writing. It is clear, direct, witty, lapidary, memorable. Scalia’s opinions and dissents are famous for certain lines—"this wolf comes as a wolf"; "What Is Golf?"—but on second reading it is the way he develops his argument that most impresses. And he always makes a perfect landing. "Undoubtedly some think that the Second Amendment is outmoded in a society where our standing army is the pride of our Nation, where well-trained police forces provide personal security, and where gun violence is a serious problem," he wrote in Heller (2008). "That is perhaps debatable, but what is not debatable is that it is not the role of this Court to pronounce the Second Amendment extinct."
These aren’t judicial decisions. They are essays. And like great literature they will reverberate far into the future. As Antonin Scalia’s extended family, biological and philosophical, continues to grow.


freebeacon--2020-10-16--Cal Cunningham’s Family Business Was a Top Polluter in North Carolina

North Carolina Democrat Cal Cunningham 's family business repeatedly ranked among the state 's top polluters .
The candidate now presents himself as an environmental champion in his bid to unseat Republican senator Thom Tillis ( N.C. ) .
Cunningham was a shareholder in the now-defunct Cunningham Brick Company as recently as 2015 , court documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show .
According to emissions reports filed with the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources , the company released at least 1,700 tons of carbon monoxide , nitrogen oxide , sulfur dioxide , and other harmful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it a major polluter in the state .
Cunningham has since placed environmental issues at the center of his campaign , railing against `` longstanding '' environmental disparities that disproportionately impact the state 's `` communities of color . ''
But Cunningham Brick was ranked among the state 's top 40 air polluters by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2009 , having released more than 114,000 pounds of `` toxic '' emissions .
Cunningham and other shareholders acknowledged the company 's environmental woes in a May 2015 court filing obtained by the Free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brick noted that it was `` aware of environmental issues '' caused by `` approximately 27,500 tons of contaminated soil '' that `` needed to be remediated '' at a company plant in Thomasville , N.C. A subsequent filing noted that the cleanup effort would cost $ 400,000 .
The revelation could hurt Cunningham 's plea to `` focus on the issues '' after the Democrat admitted to engaging in at least one extramarital affair with a married woman .
Cunningham has routinely attacked Tillis on the environment , accusing the Republican of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate crisis '' in a 2019 tweet .
Cunningham 's allies have also looked to environmental issues to defend the Democrat following the news of his affair—Patagonia 's political arm recently released an ad calling Cunningham `` tough on polluters . ''
In addition to its release of harmful air pollutants , Cunningham Brick was ranked among the state 's top 50 emitters of mercury in 1998 and 1999 , according to the Greensboro News and Record .
The EPA warned North Carolina residents at the time that mercury pollution can cause `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convulsions and death . ''
The state 's environmental department also noted that `` man-made mercury '' was polluting the state 's waterways `` by wind or as runoff from soil . ''
North Carolina 's emissions reports show that Cunningham Brick released more than 21 pounds of mercury , 143 pounds of arsenic , 170 pounds of lead , 145,699 pounds of hydrochloric acid , and 496,085 pounds of hydrofluoric acid between 1993 and 2011 .

North Carolina Democrat Cal Cunningham's family business repeatedly ranked among the state's top polluters. The candidate now presents himself as an environmental champion in his bid to unseat Republican senator Thom Tillis (N.C.).
Cunningham was a shareholder in the now-defunct Cunningham Brick Company as recently as 2015, court documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show. According to emissions reports filed with the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, the company released at least 1,700 tons of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and other harmful substances between 1993 and 2011, making it a major polluter in the state.
Cunningham has since placed environmental issues at the center of his campaign, railing against "longstanding" environmental disparities that disproportionately impact the state's "communities of color." But Cunningham Brick was ranked among the state's top 40 air polluters by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2009, having released more than 114,000 pounds of "toxic" emissions.
Cunningham and other shareholders acknowledged the company's environmental woes in a May 2015 court filing obtained by the Free Beacon. In the filing, Cunningham Brick noted that it was "aware of environmental issues" caused by "approximately 27,500 tons of contaminated soil" that "needed to be remediated" at a company plant in Thomasville, N.C. A subsequent filing noted that the cleanup effort would cost $400,000.
The revelation could hurt Cunningham's plea to "focus on the issues" after the Democrat admitted to engaging in at least one extramarital affair with a married woman. Cunningham has routinely attacked Tillis on the environment, accusing the Republican of exacerbating the "carbon pollution driving our climate crisis" in a 2019 tweet. Cunningham's allies have also looked to environmental issues to defend the Democrat following the news of his affair—Patagonia's political arm recently released an ad calling Cunningham "tough on polluters."
In addition to its release of harmful air pollutants, Cunningham Brick was ranked among the state's top 50 emitters of mercury in 1998 and 1999, according to the Greensboro News and Record. The EPA warned North Carolina residents at the time that mercury pollution can cause "tremors, an inability to walk, convulsions and death." The state's environmental department also noted that "man-made mercury" was polluting the state's waterways "by wind or as runoff from soil."
North Carolina's emissions reports show that Cunningham Brick released more than 21 pounds of mercury, 143 pounds of arsenic, 170 pounds of lead, 145,699 pounds of hydrochloric acid, and 496,085 pounds of hydrofluoric acid between 1993 and 2011.