theblaze--2020-01-28--Bernie Sanders staffers endorse violent overthrow of capitalism, use of gulags, and other 'extreme a

Bernie Sanders staffers endorse violent overthrow of capitalism, use of gulags, and other 'extreme action'

Bernie Sanders staffers endorse violent overthrow of capitalism , use of gulags , and other 'extreme action' 'You first have @ @ @ @ @ you get into the crazy stuff '

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has some extreme staffers in the field running his campaign, and the latest release from Project Veritas further demonstrates the radical views that underlie Sanders' candidacy.
This time, undercover video from James O'Keefe's organization showed two South Carolina field organizers for the Sanders campaign, Mason Baird and Daniel Taylor, apparently suggesting that eventually violence and force will be needed to enact the type of future that Sanders envisions.
"I've canvassed with someone who's an anarchist, and with someone who's a Marxist-Leninist," Baird said. "So, we attract radical, truly radical people in the campaign … obviously that's not outward-facing."
Like other Sanders staffers, Baird said the American understanding of Soviet gulags is not accurate and that the perception of them has been negatively exaggerated.
Right now, Taylor said, the Sanders campaign needs to keep its more radical leanings under wraps so it can attract people to the cause and ease them in gradually.
"We don't want to scare people off, you first have to feel it out before you get into the crazy stuff," Taylor said. "You know we were talking about more extreme organizations like Antifa, you were talking about, Yellow Vests, all that but we're kinda keeping that on the back burner for now."
What is it, exactly, that needs to be on the back burner? Apparently, the plan for a revolution to end capitalism in America, according to Baird.
When pressed on how the Bernie Sanders movement would convince major companies like Google, YouTube, or Facebook to cede power and wealth and be nationalized, Baird, who repeatedly expressed a hesitancy to participate in violence toward other people, suggested that the escalation would need to involve a show of force and the destruction of property to force opponents to back off their position.
"We would need a federal government and a labor movement that is working together to strip power away from capitalists and preferably directing that violence towards property," Baird said in the video.
"It would, it's gonna take, you know, it's gonna take militancy … like a militant labor movement that's willing to … strike, and if necessary, you know, just destroy property and things like that," Baird said.
Watch the full video here:
youtu.be
(H/T: The Daily Wire)


theblaze--2020-01-28--Hero with a gun who took down the Texas church shooter slams Mike Bloomberg’s gun control plans, tea

Hero with a gun who took down the Texas church shooter slams Mike Bloomberg’s gun control plans, teaches churches how to protect themselves

Hero with a gun who took down the Texas church shooter slams Mike Bloomberg ’ s gun control plans , @ @ @ @ @ themselves 'The outcome would have been extremely more severe '

Jack Wilson — the good guy with a gun who stopped an assailant in his tracks when he opened fire at a Fort Worth-area church in December — recently slammed Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg's gun control plans while speaking at a church safety seminar.
"If we were operating under Bloomberg's position, we wouldn't have had any guns in there," Wilson said, according to the Dallas Morning News. "The outcome would have been extremely more severe than it was."
Wilson, a former reserve deputy sheriff who owned a firearms training academy, made the comments in front of a packed audience of 600 churchgoers on Sunday, marking the first time he has spoken at a major church safety seminar since the Dec. 29 incident at West Freeway Church of Christ.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Wilson has received at least 20 more invitations to speak at similar seminars since then.
What's the background?
Bloomberg has made gun control a major initiative of his campaign. In December, he unveiled a plan that would ban guns in places such as K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, and the former New York City mayor has also expressed intentions of restricting the rights of gun owners to carry a firearm in public.
Following Wilson's heroic act, Bloomberg casted doubt on the reliability of "an average citizen" like Wilson providing protection for others in their communities.
"Somebody in the congregation had their own gun and killed the person who murdered two other people, but it is the job of law enforcement to have guns and to decide when to shoot," Bloomberg said. "You just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place."
This is a position that Wilson vehemently takes issue with. In an interview on Fox News last week, Wilson addressed the candidate's comments directly.
"Mr. Bloomberg, had we operated by his standards or his wishes, the carnage would have been significantly greater because the individual still, after the shooting, still had seven live rounds in his gun and three more in his pocket," Wilson said.
What is the Bloomberg campaign saying now?
Responding to Wilson's accusations, the Bloomberg campaign is shifting the focus onto the assailant in the church shooting.
"Mr. Wilson certainly acted bravely, but the killer had a history of violence and mental health issues and under Mike's plan, he would never [have] had a gun," Elizabeth Lewis, a spokeswoman for Bloomberg's campaign reportedly said in a statement Monday.
Lewis is referring to Bloomberg's plan to implement a risk-screening system to deny permits to individuals deemed troubled and who may pose a danger to themselves or others. Such systems would rely on so called "red flag laws" and would also alert police when a gun owner has become barred from having firearms.
Gun rights proponents argue that "red flag laws" and screening systems would likely not entirely fix the problem, and that it is ultimately their constitutional right to protect themselves and their communities.
"If somebody wants a gun, they can get it whenever they want, red flag laws or not," Wilson argued at the seminar.
"I hope the outcome of all this is getting people to become aware of their surroundings, to become aware they are responsible, in a large part, for their safety and well-being, whether they are in church, a grocery store, or wherever," he added.


theblaze--2020-01-28--'Shut the hell up': Glenn Beck rips CNN, Don Lemon for trashing Trump supporters as ignorant 'boomer

'Shut the hell up': Glenn Beck rips CNN, Don Lemon for trashing Trump supporters as ignorant 'boomer rubes'

'Shut the hell up ' : Glenn Beck rips CNN , Don Lemon for trashing Trump supporters as ignorant 'boomer @ @ @ @ @ 'elitists '

On Tuesday's radio program, Glenn Beck tore into CNN host Don Lemon and his panelists who mocked supporters of President Donald Trump as ignorant, out-of-touch, country bumpkins in a segment that aired during live coverage of the Senate impeachment trial on Saturday.
During the segment, GOP strategist Rick Wilson told Lemon, "Donald Trump couldn't find Ukraine on a map if you had the letter U and a picture of an actual physical crane next to it."
"[Trump] knows that this is, you know, an administration defined by ignorance of the world," he continued. "And so that's partly him playing to the base and playing to their audience, you know, the credulous boomer rube demo that backs Donald Trump. That wants to think that 'Donald Trump's the smart one and y'all, y'all elitists are dumb!'" he added in a mock southern accent.
"'You elitists with your geography, and your maps, and your spelling!'" chimed in CNN contributor and New York Times columnist Wajahat Ali, while Lemon guffawed and snorted.
"'And your math and your readin'," Wilson added as the trio continued to indulge in smug merriment.
"Let me just say this to the, yes, the elitists," Glenn said of Lemon and his cohorts at CNN. "What is an elitist? Somebody who thinks they're better than everyone else. And what was that? A demonstration that you think that half of the country that voted for this president, half of the country, is nothing but ignorant. Just dummies that can't even read. That is the pure definition of an elitist. Someone who thinks they're better than everyone else."
Glenn went on to note that this is exactly the kind of thoughtless divisiveness the left has been accusing him of for years.
"I am so sick and tired of anybody, anybody in the press coming to me and saying, 'Do you know what you did to divide this country?' Yes. Yes, I admit it. But it's nothing like what you did now. It's nothing like what you've been doing for the last three years," he said.
"Shut the hell up," Glenn added. "Do you know what you're doing to divide this country? Don't ever, ever say that to me again."
Watch the video below to catch more of Glenn's fiery response to the latest example of elitist snobbery from the "pit of despair" known as CNN.
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theblaze--2020-01-28--Leftist college students protest black speaker for MLK event since he's with 'largest defense contra

Leftist college students protest black speaker for MLK event since he's with 'largest defense contractor in the world' — and MLK was 'anti-war'

Leftist college students protest black speaker for MLK event since he 's with 'largest defense contractor in the world ' @ @ @ @ @ 'MLK was an anti-racist , anti-capitalist , and anti-war revolutionary '

Leftist students at Kennesaw State University protested a black speaker for the Georgia school's Martin Luther King Jr. Week Legacy Luncheon because Roderick McLean is vice president of defense contractor Lockheed Martin Marietta — and King was "anti-war," the students said.
What are the details?
Marisol Mendez, president of Students for Justice in Palestine at KSU, told the school newspaper, The Sentinel, that inviting McLean to speak at the Jan. 16 event sullied King's legacy of non-violence.
"Inviting someone who represents the military-industrial complex to a celebration that honored MLK's legacy was disrespectful," Mendez added to the paper. "MLK was anti-war and anti-imperialist, and this action shows that KSU does not truly respect MLK, the marginalized groups on our campus, or our voices."
A KSUnited statement regarding the decision to invite McLean said, "Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor in the world, which manufactures military equipment such as missile defense systems and F-35 fighter jets. This same military equipment is then used to rain bombs down on helpless people caught in war in their country of birth."
It added that "it may seem honorable for KSU to recognize McLean's achievements as a Black engineer who went to an HBCU, which represents Black success in an historically oppressive society. However, his standing as a keynote speaker at an MLK Legacy luncheon also represents KSU's direct support of war, which opposes Dr. King's message of non-violence ... MLK was an anti-racist, anti-capitalist, and anti-war revolutionary, and to pick and choose aspects of his philosophies is a common tactic used by elitists to water down Dr. King's legacy to fit their own interests."
The statement included a list of demands for future MLK Jr. weeks, including returning full control of the week to students from marginalized communities, making the luncheon open to the general public, and creating an anti-racist education center at KSU, the Sentinel said.
The statement was signed by 13 groups, including Young Democratic Socialists of America at KSU and Students for Justice in Palestine at KSU.
What else did protesting students do?
KSUnited held a die-in demonstration outside the Convocation Center where the luncheon was held, the paper said, adding that students taped signs to their chests that read, "3 percent of US military spending could end world hunger" and "Lockheed Martin supplied weapons for the conflicts in Yemen and Syria."
President of KSUnited Alexa Vaca told the Sentinel that the demonstration was focused on political education and not counterprotesting.
"We did it before the luncheon and as people were walking in so that they could see a depiction of victims of war and the cost of war," Vaca said.
How did college officials react?
KSU said the luncheon was intended to honor King's legacy despite student disagreement.
Here's a clip of McLean speaking at a different event in 2017:
youtu.be
(H/T: The College Fix)


theblaze--2020-01-28--Liberal CNN guest is mad that President Trump tweeted about his anti-Trump-voter CNN hit

Leftist author and pundit Wajahat Ali complained Tuesday that President Donald Trump shared and criticized Ali's CNN appearance over the weekend in which he, host Don Lemon, and anti-Trump GOP strategist Rick Wilson mocked Trump voters' intelligence.
Some background please?
During a Saturday night exchange, Lemon and the two pundits branded the Trump supporters nothing more than a bunch of uneducated hicks.
Both Ali and Wilson ended up doing what they clearly thought were comical impressions of "dumb" Trump voters following a discussion about reports that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "screamed and cursed" at an NPR reporter and demanded she point out Ukraine on a map.
Wilson guffawed, "Look, [Pompeo] also knows deep in his heart that Donald Trump couldn't find Ukraine on a map if you had the letter 'U' and a picture of an actual physical crane next to it. He knows that this is, you know, an administration defined by ignorance of the world, and so that's partly him playing to their base and playing to their audience, you now, the credulous boomer rube demo that backs Donald Trump, that wants to think that 'Donald Trump's the smart one, and y'all — y'all elitists are dumb.'"
Ali mockingly added, "You elitists with your geography and your maps and your spelling ... your reading ... knowing other countries ... sipping your latte."
The mocking went on for several more moments, which resulted in a joyful Lemon.
Naturally, the pair faced significant social media backlash over the exchange, which you can read more about here.
Trump also shared the clip, writing, "Don Lemon, the dumbest man on television (with terrible ratings!)."
What's happening now?
On Tuesday, Ali responded to Trump's sharing of the clip, writing, "Thank you for sharing our clip. Can you please release your school transcripts that will show you're a very stable genius? Also, can you release your taxes and the full transcript of your 'beautiful' phone call with Zelensky? Also, can you locate Bangladesh on a map? #BeBest."
Ali later complained that "no one ever cares" when Trump mocks minorities.
"How come no one ever cares about the Women, Immigrants, Black people, Journalists, Democrats, Never Trumper Republicans, Mexicans, Muslims that Trump always mocks and ridicules and threatens with malicious cruelty?" he wrote. "Maybe he'll lose because of the rest of us."
Ali also said "friends" now fear for his safety because the president tweeted the clip, which was basically seen by everyone in America anyway.
"Trump tweeted our CNN clip from 2 days ago," he complained. "Friends are now concerned about my safety. I refuse to be intimidated & bullied by bad faith actors who cry fake victimhood, whining about a harmless, silly 30 second clip while endorsing Trump, a cruel vulgarian who debases everyone."


theblaze--2020-01-28--President Trump unveils Middle East peace plan, complete with tunnel — Palestinian leader responds w

President Trump unveils Middle East peace plan, complete with tunnel — Palestinian leader responds with 'a thousand no's'

Democrats criticize the 'deal of the century '

President Donald Trump rolled out his proposal for a Middle East peace plan on Tuesday, which would create a pathway to Palestinian statehood and a tunnel between the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"My vision presents a 'win-win' opportunity for both sides, a realistic two-state solution that resolves the risk of Palestinian statehood to Israel's security," President Donald Trump said at a White House event alongside Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump added that "Under this vision, Jerusalem will remain Israel's undivided — very important — undivided capital" and "the proposed transition to a two-state solution will present no incremental security risk to the State of Israel whatsoever."
Trump later tweeted out an image of the proposed future two-state solution, which shows a tunnel connecting the non-contiguous West Bank and Gaza strip areas.
Netanyahu said that Trump had "charted a brilliant future — a brilliant future for Israelis, Palestinians, and the region — by presenting a realistic path to a durable peace."
The Israeli leader also called the plan Trump's "deal of the century."
For its concession, Israel has agreed to freeze settlement construction for four years. The proposed Palestinian capital would be in "areas of East Jerusalem," according to a White House briefing sheet. The White House also states that the proposed map would "more than double the size of the land currently used by the Palestinians."
The full proposal itself is quite detailed, making up a 181-page PDF titled, "Peace to Prosperity: A Vision to Improve the Lives of the Palestinian and Israeli People." Trump said Tuesday that his plan was "the most detailed proposal ever put forward by far."
Congressional Republicans lauded the plan, noting its protections for Israel's sovereignty and security in the proposed transition process.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) called it "a positive development that President Donald Trump's administration continues to work with Israel — including Prime Minister Netanyahu and his primary political opposition, Benny Gantz, to ensure its full recognition and sovereignty as the baseline for any Middle East peace plan."
"I applaud the president for putting forth a plan that secures a prosperous future for the Jewish State of Israel while working toward a lasting peace between Israelis, Palestinians, and the broader Arab world," reads a statement from Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
And, as to be expected, congressional Democrats were quick to criticize the president's proposal.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said that the plan "goes against decades of bipartisan US foreign policy and international law."
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash) said that it was "the latest in a series of Trump actions that have set back prospects for peace between Palestinians & Israelis."
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich) called it a "political stunt" and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) said it was "not a peace plan but "theft" and "erasure."
But regardless of whatever merits and faults the extensive proposal may have, there's still the question of whether or not the Palestinians would buy in and negotiation. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas answered that question Tuesday with "a thousand no's," according to the Associated Press.
"After the nonsense that we heard today we say a thousand no's to the 'Deal of The Century,'" Abbas said at a news conference in Ramallah, playing off of Netanyahu's earlier remarks. "We will not kneel and we will not surrender."


theblaze--2020-01-28--New York public school reportedly forcing far-left ideas of gender 'choice' on preschool children

New York public school reportedly forcing far-left ideas of gender 'choice ' on preschool children

A stunning new report from the New York Post highlights what appears to be a very troubling agenda in one of New York City's taxpayer-funded public preschools: Encouraging children to choose their genders.
What are the details?
The Post's Andrea Peyser revealed Monday night that one Brooklyn "nursery" — AKA a preschool — is teaching "racism and victimhood, plus transgender and 'queer' rights," coupled with a "heavy dose of political indoctrination in the mix."
Peyser wrote that teacher Rosy Clark at PS 58 sent an email to parents and guardians Jan. 16 in which she laid out a lesson plan to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day and to usher in Black History Month, which is in February.
To celebrate the holiday and the upcoming month? Lessons, apparently, for 4- and 5-year-olds based on Black Lives Matter's "Week of Action."
A portion of the email read, "This year, the week is Feb. 3-7. We are starting to talk about these ideas now, as we approach Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and as we prepare to get into February, Black History Month.
Clark, who is a white teacher at the predominantly white school, added, "I am lucky enough to work at this wonderful school where we strive to help our students understand the complex world around them and think critically about how they can participate in improving it. One of the ways I do that in my classroom is by exploring the 13 Principles of the Movement for Black Lives."
Clark, however, vowed to avoid hot-button topics such as "police brutality" and "current events," because she says the topics are "obviously too traumatizing" for the young age group.
One such topic apparently close to Clark's heart included Principle 6 of the Movement for Black Lives, which encourages "transgender affirming."
"Everybody has the right to choose their own gender by listening to their own heart and mind," Clark added. "Everyone gets to choose if they are a boy or girl or both or neither or something else, and no one gets to choose for them."
Anything else?
One father, who chose to remain unnamed, told Peyser that he was "horrified" by the presentation.
"They say they're trying to reduce racism and discrimination," said the dad, who parents a preschooler. "To me, they're perpetuating it, fomenting a sense of victimhood that 4-year-olds would never consider on their own."
(H/T: The Daily Caller)


theblaze--2020-01-28--College football coach suspended after telling school paper he'd have dinner with Adolf Hitler: 'The

College football coach suspended after telling school paper he'd have dinner with Adolf Hitler: 'The way he was able to lead was second-to-none'

College football coach suspended after telling school paper he 'd have dinner with Adolf Hitler : 'The way he was @ @ @ @ @ An athletic official reportedly asked newspaper staffers to remove the comment from the web , @ @ @ @ @ regret

Michigan's Grand Valley State University suspended the brand-new offensive coordinator from its football team after he told the school newspaper that he'd have dinner with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, WOOD-TV reported.
Morris Berger — who was named GVSU's offensive coordinator only a week ago after coaching tight ends at Texas State University — made the comments in a Grand Valley Lanthorn interview published Thursday, the station said.
What are the details?
Here's the relevant portion of the interview that sports editor Kellen Voss conducted:
KV: So you graduated from Drury with a degree in History, you're a history guy. If you could have dinner with three historical figures, living or dead, who would they be? And I'm ruling out football figures.
MB: This is probably not going to get a good review, but I'm going to say Adolf Hitler. It was obviously very sad and he had bad motives, but the way he was able to lead was second-to-none. How he rallied a group and a following, I want to know how he did that. Bad intentions of course, but you can't deny he wasn't a great leader.
KV: The way he was able to get people to rally around him was crazy.
MB: Yeah, that's definitely one. You have to go JFK, his experience with the country and being that he was a good president and everything. And this might sound crazy, but Christopher Columbus, the ability to go on the journey he was on and his emotion into the unknown. Think about putting yourself in the setting of that unknown, and then to take it all in as you arrive is crazy.
WOOD's video broadcast noted that an athletic official asked the student journalists to remove Berger's comment from the web, which they did — and soon regretted.
"That student aspect kicks on first, and you listen to that because there may be an administrator or person of power," the paper's editor-in-chief Nick Moran told the station.
Image source: WOOD-TV video screenshot
But Moran said in a Sunday editor's note atop the interview that following "its initial publication, the final two responses were mistakenly removed from this story. It has since been reverted back to its original version, and is a direct transcription of the full, recorded interview."
What did the school have to say?
"The comments made by Offensive Coordinator Morris Berger, as reported in The Lanthorn student newspaper, do not reflect the values of Grand Valley State University," a statement from the school indicated, WOOD reported. "Berger has been suspended and the university is conducting a thorough investigation."
Berger didn't respond to requests for comment, the station added.
What did students have to say?
"You can't get more offensive than that," Marlee Sullivan, a GVSU senior, told WOOD. "Fire him."
"I don't see why we need that on our campus," Austin Balkema, another GVSU senior, noted to the station. "We need to include everybody, and I don't think bringing up that part of history is a very good idea."
Senior Matthew Collins is part of a Jewish fraternity and told WOOD that Berger's words are irresponsible.
"There is an expectation for an offensive coordinator of such a high university to be able to understand a question and answer it in a way that doesn't cause ripples like it has," Collins offered to the station.
But Ana Harris — who is Jewish — told WOOD the school overreacted by suspending Berger.
"People tend to be a little bit quick to feeling offended," she told the station, adding that the coach should be given a "chance to explain himself, which I think he did in the comments, and I think his comment is justifiable."
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(H/T: The College Fix)


theblaze--2020-01-28--WATCH: When Transgenders Attack

WATCH: When Transgenders Attack

Steven Crowder hits the streets for 'Change My Mind : Rape Culture is a Myth '

On Monday's episode of "Louder with Crowder," Steven Crowder and his crew hit the streets of downtown Dallas for the latest installment of "Change My Mind," which was focused on the claim that "rape culture is a myth."
In this clip, Steven set up his debate table along the route of the fourth annual Women's March. He encountered multiple instances involving transgender persons behaving aggressively toward both him and his crew. Sadly, those who acted with aggression had little interest in civil discourse.
Watch the video below for details.
youtu.be
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theblaze--2020-01-28--Pardoned former SEAL Eddie Gallagher attacks SEALs who testified against him as 'cowards'

Pardoned former SEAL Eddie Gallagher attacks SEALs who testified against him as 'cowards' 'The fight to clear my name is @ @ @

Former Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was pardoned of one war crime conviction and acquitted of more serious charges, posted a video on social media attacking the SEALs who testified against him as "cowards," according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Gallagher published the video on Facebook and Instagram, and they appear to be promotional material for an upcoming, unspecified media project.
"For my entire adult life, I've had the honor and privilege of fighting for this country and your freedom," Gallagher said in the video. "Even though I went to trial and exposed all the lies that were said about me by certain cowards in my platoon and found not guilty, there are those to this day who refuse to accept that fact."
Some SEALs told the Union-Tribune that Gallagher violated norms and endangered SEALs and their families with the video, which identifies active duty SEALs, shows their faces, and even reveals their current assignments.
"Attempting to call attention to (those SEALs') status in the way it's been done does not serve the mission or the interests of the Navy," said David Shaw, former petty officer 1st class. "To attempt to out (their) status raises questions about the decision to do so."
Gallagher's lawyer said everything in the video had already been made public. The New York Times had previously published clips from deposition interviews during which the SEALs discussed what they believed were war crimes committed by Gallagher in Iraq.
Gallagher was accused of shooting civilians and killing a young ISIS captive by stabbing him in Iraq in 2017. He was acquitted of those charges, but convicted of taking a photo with the ISIS captive's corpse. He was demoted as a result, but had his rank restored by President Donald Trump after the conviction.
The president's intervention in the case angered former Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, and the conflict resulted in Spencer's firing.


theblaze--2020-01-28--President Trump can use this Supreme Court victory to neutralize ‘resistance’ judges

President Trump can use this Supreme Court victory to neutralize ‘ resistance ’ judges 'What in this gamesmanship and chaos @ @ @ @ @ ? '

In June 2018, following endless litigation against President Trump's "travel ban," the Supreme Court stated the obvious: The president has full authority to regulate and deny entry to foreign nationals at will. Yet the lower courts continue to come back for more and are even demanding that the Trump administration hand over more information to these same litigants who should not have standing to sue, per the Supreme Court decision.
Will Trump's victory Monday at the Supreme Court for his enforcement of public charge laws have any greater success than the travel ban has had in the courts? It's up to the president and Congress to check these rogue judges.
By a vote of 5-4, the Supreme Court agreed to stay the injunction placed on Trump's public charge law by a New York district judge. It's not a surprise that five justices understand the absurdity of a lower court enjoining a modest enforcement of a long-standing law against prospective immigrants accessing welfare and then receiving a green card.
What is more important, however, is the concurrence written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, because it gets to the heart of the judicial insanity grinding our sovereignty to a halt and hampering any effort by President Trump to enforce unambiguous statutes on the books.
No matter how many times these lower courts get slapped down by the Supreme Court, they feel they can still come back for another round, even on the same issue, and halt an entire policy, beyond legitimate litigants with standing before the court. Gorsuch wrote, "It would be delusional to think that one stay today suffices to remedy the problem." Clearly observing this illegitimate trend of nationwide injunctions issued by forum-shopped judges in numerous other cases, Gorsuch called on his colleagues to "at some point, confront these important objections to this increasingly widespread practice."
Much as in Justice Thomas' concurrence in Trump v. Hawaii, Gorsuch observed that universal injunctions, used as ad hoc judicial vetoes on broad presidential authorities or statutes, clearly violates the limited scope of judicial power.
"When a court goes further than that, ordering the government to take (or not take) some action with respect to those who are strangers to the suit, it is hard to see how the court could still be acting in the judicial role of resolving cases and controversies," wrote Gorsuch in his concurrence.
Gorsuch went even further to illustrate some of the political chaos, absurdities, and undemocratic outcomes that are resulting from this unconstitutional practice. "As the brief and furious history of the regulation before us illustrates, the routine issuance of universal injunctions is patently unworkable, sowing chaos for litigants, the government, courts, and all those affected by these conflicting decisions."
Finally, Gorsuch took it to the next step and explained, as I've been warning for two years, that once you legitimize this game of forum-shopping and judicial vetoes, there's nothing stopping the Democrats from coming back for endless rounds of this:
There are currently more than 1,000 active and senior district court judges, sitting across 94 judicial districts, and subject to review in 12 regional courts of appeal. Because plaintiffs generally are not bound by adverse decisions in cases to which they were not a party, there is a nearly boundless opportunity to shop for a friendly forum to secure a win nationwide. The risk of winning conflicting nationwide injunctions is real too.
And the stakes are asymmetric. If a single successful challenge is enough to stay the challenged rule across the country, the government's hope of implementing any new policy could face the long odds of a straight sweep, parlaying a 94-to-0 win in the district courts into a 12-to-0 victory in the courts of appeal. A single loss and the policy goes on ice—possibly for good, or just as possibly for some indeterminate period of time until another court jumps in to grant a stay. And all that can repeat, ad infinitum, until either one side gives up or this Court grants certiorari. What in this gamesmanship and chaos can we be proud of?
This is certainly refreshing. But too many supporters of the president will take this as a win and go home, simply hoping that three other justices join Gorsuch and Thomas in "overturning" the concept of universal injunctions. However, not only is that unlikely to happen, we shouldn't have to wait for the Supreme Court to "allow" us to function as a constitutional republic. The other branches of government need to put these judges in their place and refuse to give effect to their civil disobedience.
Throughout the day Monday, there were numerous headlines exclaiming how the Supreme Court "allowed" the public charge rule to go forward. Such language should give any constitutionalist heartburn. Courts do not stand above the other branches of government, and they do not veto or ratify policies. If that were the case, we would cease to have three co-equal, independent branches of government.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice hailed the victory in a statement Monday and expressed "hope" that "the Supreme Court is able to address the matter of nationwide injunctions once and for all at the appropriate juncture." Well, the best way to ensure that this illegal practice doesn't continue is for the other branches to refuse to give it effect.
Congress has plenary power over the Supreme Court's subject-matter jurisdiction and judicial procedures and has full power over the entire existence of lower courts. It's a disgrace that Republicans in Congress have failed to address this with a relentless legislative push.
As for the president and the attorney general, they must heed the principle of President Abraham Lincoln and the words of his attorney general, Edward Bates: "That is the sum of its [judicial] powers, ample and efficient for all the purposes of distributive justice among individual parties, but powerless to impose rules of action and of judgment upon the other departments."


theblaze--2020-01-28--Sen. Lindsey Graham predicts enough GOP votes to call both Bidens and the whistleblower in Senate tr

Sen. Lindsey Graham predicts enough GOP votes to call both Bidens and the whistleblower in Senate trial 'If people want @ @ @ @ @ to get a lot of witnesses '

If the United States Senate decides to call further witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, they're going to get a lot of them, says a GOP senator who also predicts there will be enough Republican votes to call former Vice President Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and the CIA whistleblower to testify.
"If people want witnesses, we're going to get a lot of witnesses. This idea of calling one and one makes zero sense to me," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned Tuesday in reference to the possibility of a witness trade-off between Democrats and Republicans.
"I'll make a prediction," Graham said. "There will be 51 Republican votes to call Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, the whistleblower and the DNC staffer at a very minimum."
"The DNC staffer" was an apparent reference to Alexandra Chalupa, the former DNC contractor at the center of questions about whether or not the committee colluded with Ukrainian officials in 2016.
Graham made the remarks while briefing reporters in the basement of the U.S. Capitol before the trial resumed Tuesday, against a backdrop of new questions about whether or not the chamber would call former national security adviser John Bolton to testify following reports of allegations contained in a manuscript of his forthcoming book.
As to the allegations reportedly contained in Bolton's manuscript, Graham said that he's read the New York Times' story, saying he had "no idea what they're talking about." However, he supported what he called a "reasonable solution" proposed by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) to allow senators to read the manuscript's contents in a classified setting.
But Graham also said that he was "comfortable with the idea I have enough," and would make his ultimate decision later in the trial.
"The House chose not to pursue witnesses that were available to them," Graham also pointed out, saying that he didn't "want to start a precedent of just doing half-ass in the House and expecting the Senate to fix it."
And if a majority of the chamber decides to bring in Bolton or others as witnesses, they're also going to end up looking into the questions about Ukrainian corruption at the center of the impeachment debate and that Democrats have repeatedly tried to dismiss as meritless.
"If we're going to open this up to additional inquiry, we're going to go down the road" of whether it was "legitimate for the president to believe there was corruption and conflicts of interest on the Bidens' part in the Ukraine," Graham said. "We'll explore that and whether or not there's any credibility to the idea that the DNC may have been working with the Ukraine."
Graham also told reporters "it would have been wrong for President Trump not to raise this issue" of alleged Biden-Ukraine corruption, and that "you have to be willfully blind and say that Democratic misconduct doesn't matter to you not to believe that the president had a good reason to ask the Ukraine to look into the Biden affair."


theblaze--2020-01-28--Franklin Graham had an event canceled in the UK because he views homosexuality as a sin — he respond

Franklin Graham had an event canceled in the UK because he views homosexuality as a sin — he responded with the gospel

Franklin Graham had an event canceled in the UK because he views homosexuality as a sin — he responded with @ @ @ @ @ not coming out of hate , I 'm coming out of love '

The Rev. Franklin Graham, a popular evangelist and the son of the late Rev. Billy Graham, recently had a speaking engagement in the United Kingdom canceled due to his views on homosexuality.
What are the details?
Graham was scheduled to speak at a venue in Liverpool this summer as a part of a larger tour through the U.K., but on Sunday the venue, ACC Liverpool, informed the public that the event would be canceled.
"Over the past few days we have been made aware of a number of statements which we consider to be incompatible with our values," ACC Liverpool said in a statement. "In light of this we can no longer reconcile the balance between freedom of speech and the divisive impact this event is having in our city. We have informed the organisers of the event that the booking will no longer be fulfilled."
FaithWire noted that the decision to cancel Graham's event in Liverpool is not surprising, as LGBT protesters in the city had been calling for its cancellation for several days.
The Liverpool Labour LGBT Network called Graham a "homophobic hate preacher" in a petition to the Liverpool City Council.
"We fear that with such a high profile event gaining traction, Graham's appearance may incite hateful mobilisation and risk the security of our LGBTQ+ community," the group wrote.
The Liverpool City Region Pride Foundation also penned a letter to authorities, saying, the evangelist preacher "is well known" for "promoting hate of LGBT+ people as more important than education" and "openly supporting conversion therapy and the vicious attacks on our community in Russia."
How did Graham respond?
Following the cancellation, Graham posted a lengthy response on Facebook to the LGBTQ community in the U.K.
In the response, he did not back off his views regarding what the Bible says about homosexuality, but suggested that he is not coming to condemn them, but to present them with the hope of the gospel.
"The rub, I think, comes in whether God defines homosexuality as sin. The answer is yes," he acknowledged. "But God goes even further than that, to say that we are all sinners — myself included. The Bible says that every human being is guilty of sin and in need of forgiveness and cleansing. The penalty of sin is spiritual death — separation from God for eternity."
Graham also said that he desires to use his freedom of speech not to speak "against anybody" but to speak "for everybody."
"The Gospel is inclusive. I'm not coming out of hate, I'm coming out of love," he wrote, inviting "everyone in the LGBTQ community to come and hear for yourselves the Gospel."
That gospel, Graham wrote, is that "Jesus Christ came. He became sin for us. He didn't come to condemn the world, He came to save the world by giving His life on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sins."
(H/T: FaithWire)


theblaze--2020-01-28--Nike says its Kobe Bryant products have sold out online

The late Kobe Bryant's merchandise line at Nike has sold out online, according to reports.
Basketball legend Bryant, 41, was killed Sunday in a horrific helicopter accident in Calabasas, California. The crash also took the lives of his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, as well as seven of the Bryant family's friends.
What are the details?
In statements to USA Today and Forbes, a spokesperson for Nike confirmed the reports of the Bryant merchandise selling out online. A source for Nike told ESPN, "There may be Kobe products existing at retail [stores and outlets]."
Bryant began collaborating with Nike in 2003.
ESPN reported that the sportswear company is considering a new strategy going forward for its release of Bryant's new signature shoe series in order to limit the possibility of exorbitant private resales.
ESPN also reported that the company is considering whether or not to proceed with the release of Bryant's Kobe 5 Protro sneaker, which was scheduled to launch Feb. 7.
In a tribute message, Nike said:
Along with millions of athletes and fans throughout the world, we are devastated by today's tragic news. We extend our deepest sympathies to those closest to Kobe and Gianna, especially their family and friends.
As we are learning more details of the accident and the others who have tragically lost their lives, our heartfelt sympathies go out to everyone involved and impacted.
Kobe was one of the greatest athletes of his generation and has had an immeasurable impact on the world of sport and the community of basketball. He was a beloved member of the Nike family. We will miss him greatly. Mamba forever.


theblaze--2020-01-28--Taxpayers foot the bill for swanky Super Bowl hotels, media parties, and more while the NFL prepares

Taxpayers foot the bill for swanky Super Bowl hotels, media parties, and more while the NFL prepares to cash in on its biggest night

Taxpayers foot the bill for swanky Super Bowl hotels , media parties , and more while the NFL prepares to @ @ @ @ @ night

Taxpayers are footing the bill for millions spent on hotel rooms for players and watch parties for the media ahead of Super Bowl LIV in Miami this Sunday, while the National Football League prepares to rake in money during its most profitable event.
The fact that Miami-Dade taxpayers would be providing cash subsidies for this year's Super Bowl has been well publicized. What's new are the details about where exactly the money is allocated and what the NFL is refusing to pay for, the Miami Herald reported.
According to county receipts, $1 million will be spent on rooms for players at two swanky Miami hotels, another $1 million will go to the NFL as a gift, and $370,000 will cover a media party Tuesday night at the county-owned PortMiami.
"These are basically things we have to do to get them to come," Rodney Barreto, chairman of Miami's Host Committee, which heads up the funding and organizing effort to secure and implement a Super Bowl bid, said, adding, "If we're not doing it, another city is."
In addition to its contribution for hotel rooms and watch parties, Miami-Dade County is also tasked with paying for extra safety and security measures leading up to and during the event. The county approved $4.5 million in "in kind" contributions along these lines last summer. The county will also award the Miami Dolphins $4 million as a reward to ownership for landing the big game.
According to a Miami Herald analysis, the total bill for taxpayers is likely to be around $20 million.
"It's a decision each community must weigh," said Brian McCarthy, the NFL's vice president of communications, arguing that most local communities feel the exposure that comes from hosting the Super Bowl is worth the cost.
"There is no shortage of communities interested in hosting a Super Bowl, which is good indication that it's a good investment," he added. "There's no question the economic benefits outweigh the costs. It's very, very competitive."
The issue at hand, of course, is that local governments are not spending their own money, but rather money collected from their citizens through taxes. And while communities may expect Super Bowl exposure to provide economic benefit down the road, that is not guaranteed.
Miami Gardens Chamber of Commerce President Andre Williams argued this point while speaking with Neil Cavuto on Fox News Monday.
Williams said that hosting the Super Bowl will "provide a windfall to the Dolphins [organization]" but that the residents and businesses of Miami won't reap the economic benefit.
Though it is exciting that the Super Bowl will be played in Miami, the city simply won't be reimbursed for the millions of dollars poured into public safety and events surrounding the game, he argued.
He also suggested that most attendees "come into the Super Bowl, enjoy the incredible venue, but do not spend their monies outside of the Super Bowl, so all those local, small mom-and-pop businesses are not benefiting from that experience."
Super Bowl LIV will feature the Kansas City Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers at 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.


theblaze--2020-01-28--James Biden got a sweet land deal from a lobbyist connected to his brother, Joe Biden

James Biden got a sweet land deal from a lobbyist connected to his brother , Joe Biden

As Hunter Biden's curious appointment to the board of a Ukrainian energy company grows into a primary narrative during President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, Politico reported another potential example of a Biden family member benefitting from former Vice President Joe Biden's political influence.
Politico's Ben Schreckinger reported Tuesday that Joe's brother, James, received an extremely favorable land deal from a lobbyist who has close ties to Joe and who has benefitted from Joe Biden's advocacy for years.
James Biden bought an acre of land in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2005 for $150,000. He divided that acre of land into three parcels. A year later, a lobbyist named Scott Green purchased one of those parcels for $150,000. James Biden not only kept most of the land, but he got his initial investment back.
Tax bills from that time showed the parcel of land Green purchased had an assessed value of $38,000.
Then, in 2010, that same lobbyist and his wife gave James Biden a $133,300 mortgage on the other two parcels of land from the original acre. In 2013, they released that mortgage, saying they had received full payment.
Green worked as a Senate Judiciary Committee staffer under then-Sen. Joe Biden in the 1980s, before transitioning to the private sector and founding the lobbying firm the Lafayette Group in 1994. That group appeared to have a very favorable and profitable relationship with Biden. From Politico:
In the Senate, Biden over the years proposed appropriations for many of the niche areas in which the firm specialized, including "interoperable communications" for first responders and "fusion centers" for processing threat-related intelligence.
Lafayette Group's government contracting business extended into the Obama years, as did Green's ties to Joe Biden. Government data shows tens of million of dollars in contract awards to the firm from federal agencies over the course of the Obama administration
A spokesman for Biden's presidential campaign did not comment on the details of the Politico story, but dismissed it in general.
"Joe Biden was wrong. Politico does have a sense of humor. Because this story is an absolute joke," spokesman Andrew Bates told Politico.


theblaze--2020-01-28--University of Missouri implements mandatory student tracking, claims it is for attendance purposes

University of Missouri implements mandatory student tracking , claims it is for attendance purposes ' A student will have to @ @ @ @ @ attendance '

The University of Missouri is raising serious privacy concerns over a new policy that mandates students install tracking software on their cellphones.
According to the Kansas City Star, the school is using "hidden technology" and a smartphone app to track students — all under the guise of ensuring students attend class.
The tracking, which the university said is for the good of students, will be mandatory for new students arriving on the Columbia, Missouri, campus beginning this spring. The tracking will even be enforced for students who do not have cellphones capable of using the technology.
"A student will have to participate in the recording of attendance," Jim Spain, the vice provost for undergraduate studies, told the Star.
"It's the way of leveraging technology to provide us with timely information," he said.
The app being used is called Spotter, which is billed as "an inclusive solution for helping [the] entire student body to succeed." Missouri athletics has already been using the app for four years in order to keep student-athletes in academic check.
Although the app is intended to track students academically, the location tracking services are not incapable of tracking students outside of the classroom, Campus Reform noted.
Sara Baker, policy director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, said the app is raising privacy concerns.
"We have deep privacy concerns about this," she told the Star, adding that she fears the app could be used for nefarious purposes, such as tracking student activists.
"Any time you use surveillance technology, the question always is who is watching the watcher," she said.


theblaze--2020-01-28--Pair of hooded crooks pull gun on store clerk. But when clerk fires his own gun at them, suspects su

Pair of hooded crooks pull gun on store clerk. But when clerk fires his own gun at them, suspects suddenly decide they just can't stay.

Pair of hooded crooks pull gun on store clerk .
But when clerk fires his own gun at them , @ @ @ @ @ ca n't stay .

A pair of hooded men entered the Chelten Deli Market in Philadelphia around 4:30 p.m. Friday, and one of them pulled out a black semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at the clerk behind the counter, police said.
What happened next?
Well, like Ma always said, if you're dumb enough to pull a gun on a convenience store clerk — and he pulls out his own gun and starts firing at you — at least try to do one smart thing and run away.
Indeed, police said the store employee produced his own gun and fired three times at the pair, after which they high-tailed it out of the store.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Surveillance video showed the crooks hoofing it in opposite directions outside. One headed down Beechwood Street, and the second fled eastbound on Chelten Avenue then northbound on Norwood Street, police said.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Nothing from the store was taken, and no injuries were reported, police said.
Cops added that the victim had a valid permit to carry, and the gun was registered.
Is there additional information on the suspects?
One suspect was wearing a dark colored jacket with a white hooded sweatshirt underneath, dark colored pants, dark colored ski mask, black sneakers, and was armed with a black semi-automatic handgun, police said.
The other suspect was wearing a dark colored "Puma" hooded jacket — with a Puma logo on the left sleeve, BMW logo on the left sleeve, and the wording "Motorsports" on the left front of the jacket — as well as dark colored pants and dark colored sneakers.
Call 215-686-3353/3354 with any information.


theblaze--2020-01-28--Stephen King clarifies controversial Twitter remarks about film talent and diversity: 'The Oscars ar

Stephen King clarifies controversial Twitter remarks about film talent and diversity: 'The Oscars are still rigged in favor of white people'

Stephen King clarifies controversial Twitter remarks about film talent and diversity : 'The Oscars are still rigged in favor of @ @ @

Author Stephen King has expounded on his thoughts about considering diversity when voting in the Academy.
In previous tweets, King said Oscar nominations should be based on quality alone and not diversity for diversity's sake.
What's a brief history here?
On Jan. 14, King, a member of the Academy, tweeted that he would not "consider diversity" when voting in the Academy.
He wrote, "As a writer, I am allowed to nominate in just 3 categories: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Screenplay. For me, the diversity issue—as it applies to individual actors and directors, anyway—did not come up. That said ... I would never consider diversity in matters of art. Only quality. It seems to me that to do otherwise would be wrong."
Naturally, leftists tore the beloved writer to shreds for his opinion.
Great. So what's he saying now?
King further explained the remarks in a Monday op-ed in the Washington Post titled, "The Oscars are still rigged in favor of white people."
“The subject was the Academy Awards," he wrote of his previous tweets. "I also said, in essence, that those judging creative excellence should be blind to questions of race, gender or sexual orientation."
King pointed out, "Creative excellence comes from every walk, color, creed, gender and sexual orientation, and it's made richer and bolder and more exciting by diversity, but it's defined by being excellent."
"Judging anyone's work by any other standard is insulting and — worse — it undermines those hard-won moments when excellence from a diverse source is rewarded (against, it seems, all the odds) by leaving such recognition vulnerable to being dismissed as politically correct," the best-selling author added.
“I did not say that was the case today, because nothing could be further from the truth," he continued. “Nor did I say that films, novels, plays and music focusing on diversity and/or inequality cannot be works of creative genius. They can be, and often are. Ava DuVernay's 2019 Netflix miniseries, 'When They See Us,' about the wrongful convictions of the Central Park Five, is a splendid case in point."
King pointed out that the nominees for this year's Academy Awards simply "less-than-diverse," canceling out any notion of a "perfect world."
“We don't live in that perfect world, and this year's less-than-diverse Academy Awards nominations once more prove it," King concluded. “Maybe someday we will. I can dream, can't I? After all, I make stuff up for a living."
The 92nd Annual Academy Awards will air live on Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. E.T. on ABC.


theblaze--2020-01-28--VIDEO: Day 3 for President Trump's defense team to take down impeachment charges as Bolton's claims

VIDEO: Day 3 for President Trump's defense team to take down impeachment charges as Bolton's claims loom large

VIDEO : Day 3 for President Trump 's defense team to take down impeachment charges as Bolton 's claims loom @ @ @ @ @ still bubbling under the surface

President Donald Trump's defense team will wrap up its opening arguments in the Senate impeachment trial Tuesday, beginning at 1 p.m. ET. You can watch a live feed of the proceedings below once it begins.
So far, the president's team has been seen as effectively countering the House impeachment managers' case.
On Day 1 of the defense's presentation, the team launched into its "six key facts" about the Democrats' impeachment case that, they say, absolve Trump of wrongdoing. The team also accused lead House impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) of concealing the "potentially exculpatory" testimony of a major witness. The team's defense was seen by at least one senator as a "kneecapping" of Schiff.
The Hill reported that, following Saturday's presentation, at least two Democrats have indicated that they could vote for Trump's acquittal.
The defense continued its statement Monday, with one of the most notable portions being Trump team member and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's takedown of Hunter Biden's alleged shady business dealings in Ukraine. As TheBlaze noted:
"When the House managers gave you their presentation, when they submitted their brief, they repeatedly referenced Hunter Biden and Burisma," Bondi began, adding that "they referenced Biden or Burisma over 400 times" during opening arguments "and when they gave these presentations, they said there was nothing, nothing to see."
Bondi went on to say that Democrats' "case crumbles because they have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there is no basis to raise this concern, but that's not what public records show."
In addition to giving a detailed timeline of Hunter Biden's involvement with Burisma during his father's time in office, as well as the political events in Ukraine at the time, Bondi pointed out how even witnesses called by House Democrats during the impeachment investigation saw potential problems with the matter.
"In fact, every witness who was asked about Hunter Biden's involvement with Burisma agreed there was a potential appearance of a conflict of interest," Bondi said. "Multiple House Democrat witnesses, including those from the Department of State, the National Security Council, and other unanimously testified there was a potential appearance of a conflict of interest. These were their witnesses."
Even more newsworthy than the defense's presentation has been the ongoing debate over the calling of witnesses. Later this week, after the defense wraps up its opening statements and the Senate uses its 16 hours of questions for both sides, senators will likely vote on whether do subpoena further evidence and/or call witnesses.
On Sunday, portions of former national security adviser John Bolton's book manuscript leaked to the media. In it, Bolton claims that the president wanted to continue freezing aid to Ukraine until the Ukrainian government investigated the family of former Vice President and 2020 Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden.
Now senators on both sides of the aisle are discussing the increasing likelihood that Bolton and other witnesses could be called. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said Monday that Bolton's book makes it "increasingly likely" that GOP senators will actually vote in favor of calling witnesses.
Other Republican senators have, of course, dismissed Bolton's revelations. And GOP Rep. Mark Meadows (N.C.) warned Republican senators that there would be "political repercussions" if they voted to call witnesses.
Reports Tuesday revealed that Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) is working on a compromise that would offer a Democrats a "one-for-one" deal that would allow each side to call just one new witness, with the idea that Democrats would call Bolton and Republicans would likely call either Hunter or Joe Biden.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) killed rumors of a similar possible witness swap last week, before the Bolton revelations came out.


theblaze--2020-01-28--Kentucky Senate unanimously advances 'born alive' abortion bill

'Who can dispute that that 's a human life ? '

A bill to ensure medical care for the survivors of attempted abortions is moving forward in the Bluegrass State.
The Associated Press reported Monday that the Kentucky's state Senate approved of a born-alive abortion bill — also called SB 9 — by a vote of 32-0 and now goes on to the state's House of Representatives.
The legislation would require doctors and health workers to provide "medically appropriate and reasonable life-saving and life-sustaining medical care and treatment" to infants born alive during failed abortion attempts. It also bars providers from denying or depriving a born-alive infant of "medically appropriate and reasonable medical care, medical treatment, or surgical care." Violation of those provisions would be considered a felony under the law.
"We want to make sure that life is protected not only in the womb, but certainly after the baby's out of the womb," said Sen. Whitney Westerfield, the legislation's lead sponsor.
The bill passed out of committee last week with a 9-0 vote and without anyone speaking in opposition to it, The Courier-Journal reported.
But while pro-lifers view the legislation as an effort to protect some of society's most vulnerable members, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky characterizes it as a veiled effort to "push abortion completely out of reach."
"Abortion is and always has been necessary, and Kentuckians must be able to avail themselves of this care, regardless of the personal opposition our elected officials may have to this procedure," reads a letter from ACLU of Kentucky advocacy director Kate Miller last week. "Bills like these perpetuate myths and lies about abortion care, patients who receive this care, and the doctors who care for them."
"Who can dispute that that's a human life?" Westerfield said in defense of his bill last week. "It's outside the womb. It's alive. Who would advocate for it to be killed?"
He added, "We want to make sure the law's there to punish those that are trying to do it and get away with it."
Born-alive legislation became the subject of national debate last year after Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam came under fire for his remarks about a radical abortion bill that would have allowed for the termination of unborn life up to the moment of birth and even potentially after.
In response to the Northam controversy, the U.S. Senate held a vote on a federal bill to ensure medical care for abortion survivors in February, but it failed to get enough votes to move forward, with 44 Democrats voting against it.


theblaze--2020-01-28--State lawmaker — son of Holocaust survivor — likens child transgender surgeries to 'bizarre' Nazi me

State lawmaker — son of Holocaust survivor — likens child transgender surgeries to 'bizarre' Nazi medical experiments

'To me , that 's a crime against humanity when these procedures are done by these so-called doctors '

Amid debate over a controversial South Dakota bill that would make it a crime to perform sex change surgeries on children, the sponsor of the legislation likened such procedures to "bizarre" medical experiments conducted by the Nazis, the Argus Leader reported.
Republican state Rep. Fred Deutsch told Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, in an interview last week that he realized transgender surgeries on children shouldn't be allowed after seeing images online of scars caused by the surgeries that "blow you away," the paper said.
"To me, that's a crime against humanity when these procedures are done by these so-called doctors ... that dance on the edge of medicine," he told Perkins, according to the Argus Leader. "You know, I'm the son of a Holocaust survivor. I've had family members killed in Auschwitz. And I've seen the pictures of the bizarre medical experiments. I don't want that to happen to our kids. And that's what's going on right now."
House Bill 1057 would make it illegal for doctors to treat transgender children younger than 16 with hormone treatment, puberty blockers and gender confirmation surgery, the paper said.
Doubling down
Deutsch on Monday defended his statements to Perkins — but added to the Argus Leader that he wasn't likening doctors who treat transgender children to Nazis: "I've been to a whole bunch of Holocaust museums all over the world. It's very personal to me. It's just a simple reflection that the pictures seem similar to me."
The paper said Nazi medical experiments included eugenics, the practice of eliminating population groups considered inferior in order to improve the genetic pool — and the Nazis forcibly sterilized 400,000 people. Citing the U.S. Holocaust Museum, the Argus Leader added that Nazi prisoners also were subjected to painful and sometimes fatal medical experiments.
'Atrocious'
Deutsch added to the paper that his comments to Perkins weren't related to statements made during the House State Affairs Committee's bill hearing last week when others compared transgender procedures to Nazi experiments.
More from the Argus Leader:
The Women's Liberation Front published a press release on its website about its board members testifying in the committee's HB1057 hearing on Wednesday in which it released its report, "Eugenics: Then and Now," connecting historical eugenics with transgender medical treatment today.
Michael Laidlaw, a endocrinologist in California, also made the connection between eugenics and transgender medical treatment today when he testified in the HB1057 hearing on Wednesday, cautioning South Dakota legislators that major medical systems are capable of causing harm to people.
"Examples in the United States, the despicable Tuskegee syphilis experiment on African-Americans. The entire German medical establishment was behind atrocious human eugenics experiments in Nazi Germany, including untold numbers of children," Laidlaw told the House committee, according to the paper.
Pushback
Deutsch also told Perkins he's been receiving hate mail over his sponsorship of the bill and that "some people just cannot communicate opposition without going overboard," Newsweek reported.
State Rep. Jamie Smith, the House's Democratic leader on the committee, told the Argus Leader that Laidlaw's connection between the Nazis and transgender medical treatment is "not a fair statement" and "ridiculous."
"What doctors are providing is the best care they know for their patients," Smith said, according to the paper.
The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota said it will fight the legislation, Newsweek noted.
"By blocking medical care supported by every major medical association, this legislation represents a callous disregard for the health and wellness of South Dakota's transgender youth, some of the most vulnerable people in our state," Heather Smith, executive director of the ACLU of South Dakota, said in a statement, according to the magazine. "We want South Dakotans to know that we are investigating all of our legal options. If this bill becomes law, it will be challenged. We will see you in court."
The vote on the bill is scheduled to take place Wednesday, Newsweek said.


theblaze--2020-01-28--Former ICE director eviscerates AOC for 'idiotic,' 'extremely stupid,' and 'dangerous' remarks about

Former ICE director eviscerates AOC for 'idiotic,' 'extremely stupid,' and 'dangerous' remarks about ICE

Former ICE director eviscerates AOC for 'idiotic , ' 'extremely stupid , ' and 'dangerous ' remarks about ICE 'She @ @ @ @ @ to be done about it '

Former acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tom Homan went on a tirade against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) after she instructed audience members to tip people off about upcoming federal immigration raids in their communities over the weekend.
"Organizing is about tipping people off if you start to see that ICE and [Customs Border Patrol] are in communities, to try to keep people safe," she said while speaking at a Bernie Sanders campaign rally in Iowa. "I'm here because Sen. Sanders has actually committed to breaking up ICE and CBP."
Making a guest appearance Sunday on Fox News, Homan responded by excoriating Ocasio-Cortez for her "ridiculous" and "extremely stupid" remarks.
"It's ridiculous, it's an extremely stupid statement made by somebody I've never considered real smart anyways," he blasted.
"But here's an elected lawmaker, she's a congresswoman standing on a stage telling people how to obstruct ICE, tipping off people ICE is looking. And she needs to realize that nine out of 10 of everybody ICE arrested last year was a convicted criminal or pending criminal charges," Homan added. "Last year, 137,000 criminals, 2,000 were murderers, 12,000 sex offenses, 45,000 assaults, 62,000 drug offenses, 10,000 weapons offenses, and she wants the community to tip these people if ICE is in their neighborhood operating."
But he wasn't finished yet. Homan appeared again on Fox News on Monday to offer reaction to Ocasio-Cortez's comments.
This time he said: "I'm disgusted, she says she wants to tip off the communities to keep the communities safe, that's what ICE is doing.
"It's an incredibly stupid statement she made, which doesn't surprise me because she's about as far from smart as anybody could possibly be," Homan continued. "But what she said is dangerous. These men and women put their lives on the line every day to arrest criminals off the streets, especially in New York."
Homan also wondered why her statements have not landed her before the House Ethics Committee for attempting to obstruct the federal agency.
"It's a dangerous statement, it's idiotic, and I just can't believe that she can stand up on stage and make a statement like that and not have any repercussions from the House Ethics Committee," he said.
"She's standing on stage and telling people to give a heads up that the good guys are going to be arresting the bad guys in your neighborhood … that's obstruction, that's a crime," he added. "She's disgusting, something needs to be done about it."
Ocasio-Cortez has been vocal in her opposition to ICE since the launch of her congressional campaign in 2018, and has been a leader of the movement to abolish the federal immigration agency.
This is also not the first time Homan and Ocasio-Cortez have sparred over immigration enforcement policies.
In September, while giving testimony before the House Oversight Committee, Homan berated Ocasio-Cortez for advocating for ICE to be abolished.
"In my 34 years I have never seen such hate toward law enforcement agency in my life that you want to abolish them rather than do your job and legislate," he said to Ocasio-Cortez. "If you don't like it, legislate!" he then shouted.
(H/T: The Daily Wire)


theblaze--2020-01-28--VIDEO: ESPN anchor's emotional story about Kobe Bryant's love for his daughters is going viral

VIDEO : ESPN anchor 's emotional story about Kobe Bryant 's love for his daughters is going viral ' I @ @ @ @ @ if I could .
I 'm a girl dad '

The death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant has spurred many who knew him to share their most significant personal encounters with him. Bryant touched the lives of people in sports, entertainment, media, and beyond.
ESPN anchor Elle Duncan told the story of her one personal interaction with Bryant, which occurred backstage during an ESPN event in New York City. She approached him, not in her role as a member of the media, but rather more like a starstruck fan. She wanted to take a picture with him.
Before she even got to him, however, Bryant noticed her stomach — she was eight months pregnant. Bryant excitedly asked her when she was due and what she was having. When she told him she was having a girl, Bryant got even more excited. He was the father of three daughters at that time (and would have one more daughter later), and there was nothing that brought him more joy.
Bryant gave her a high-five and told her, "Girls are the best." She asked him for advice on raising a daughter.
"Just be grateful that you've been given that gift, because girls are amazing. ... I would have five more girls if I could. I'm a girl dad," Bryant told Duncan.
Bryant's love for his daughters was well-known, and he was often seen with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. Over the years, Gianna was like Bryant's shadow at games, events, and just around the city. She was the basketball player of the children, and even at a young age, it was undeniable that she was Bryant's daughter when you watched her play.
Gianna, Kobe, and seven others were on their way to a youth basketball game on the morning they were killed in a helicopter crash. Bryant famously traveled across L.A. by helicopter for years in order to maximize the amount of time he could spend with his family while balancing his busy schedule.
When he died, he was doing what he loved the most — sharing his life with his family. He is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and his three other daughters: Natalia (17), Bianka (3), and Capri (7 months).


theblaze--2020-01-28--Key GOP senator plans witness compromise that could appease Republicans and Democrats

Key GOP senator plans witness compromise that could appease Republicans and Democrats The Senate is at an impasse

Amid the partisan debate over whether new witnesses should testify during President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) has a comprise that could appease both Republicans and Democrats.
In recent days, Toomey has proposed to some Republican colleagues that they offer Democrats a "one-for-one" deal to end the witness impasse, according to the Washington Post. The deal would allow each party to call just one new witness.
As pressure builds for Republicans to allow new witnesses, the pragmatic deal would give Democrats what they want — the testimony of John Bolton, for example — while also likely delivering Republicans the testimony of Hunter Biden.
Toomey has discussed the plan with Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who is generally supportive of the potential deal, sources told the Post.
Indeed, Romney and other moderate Republicans like Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) have voiced support for additional witnesses. In fact, the two Republicans said Monday that they expect more of their colleagues to support new witnesses in the coming days due to Bolton's explosive claims about the president in his forthcoming book.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has not given Toomey's plan his approval, according to the Post, but instead urged his caucus to remain patient and hear the conclusion of Trump's defense.
Toomey's plan is similar to what Sen. Ted Cruz proposed earlier this month, in which the Texas Republican floated "witness reciprocity," suggesting Republicans offer Bolton's testimony in exchange for a witness of their own, such as Hunter Biden. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), however, said he would reject any such proposals.


theblaze--2020-01-28--Drag queens will be featured for the first time in a prime-time Super Bowl advertisement

Two former contestants on "RuPaul's Drag Race" will featured in a Super Bowl ad for Sabra hummus products, according to NBC News.
Super Bowl LIV will air Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs will square off against the San Francisco 49ers at 6:30 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
What are the details?
The drag show's Kim Chi and Miz Cracker will appear in the ad, according to a new 15-second teaser.
In the teaser, Cracker critically examines a football helmet and attempts to put it on over her large wig.
"I hope this doesn't give me helmet hair," she says.
AdWeek reports that the campaign will also feature two "Real Housewives of New Jersey" stars as well as rapper T-Pain.
What else?
Bob Witeck, a marketing expert for LGBTQ audiences, said that the ad is "revolutionary."
“For queer audiences, [drag] is an art form and an 'outsiders' language," he explained. “Reaching the Super Bowl means taking our language into every home in the nation and millions around the world."
He pointed out that the ad could help to normalize and revolutionize the drag culture around the world.
“The Super Bowl is the ultimate test, when you can take chances like this and realize that the fear of drag is nothing people imagined it to be," he explained. “It's us telling our own joke about ourselves, with a sense of humor and authenticity … with luck, everyone laughs with us."
Jason Levine, chief marketing officer for Sabra, also weighed in on the new campaign in a statement to AdWeek.
"We're bringing a diverse group of personalities to the table and demonstrating just how incredibly versatile, relevant and relatable hummus is today. We think we've got something for everyone," he said.


theblaze--2020-01-28--Texas construction company agrees to pay millions in fines while owners face jail time for hiring il

Texas construction company agrees to pay millions in fines while owners face jail time for hiring illegal immigrants 'We will @ @ @ @ @ our laws '

A Texas-based construction company will pay a high price over efforts to hire illegal immigrants and then cover up its illegal workforce, and its owners may end up doing hard time.
In a Monday news release, the United States Attorney's office for the Northern District of Texas said that Speed Fab Concrete has agreed to pay the federal government $3 million over the course of the next five years in relation a scheme to hire illegal alien workers. The payout is part of a non-prosecution agreement which also requires the company to continue using E-Verify to hire employees and complete company-wide immigration compliance training, among other conditions.
"An inspection revealed these defendants knowingly hired dozens of unauthorized workers, in flagrant disregard of U.S. law," said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox in a statement. "Worse yet, rather than working with ICE to resolve their violations, they attempted to deceive the government."
Citing defendants' plea documents and a statement from the company, the Justice Department explains that an investigation of hiring documents revealed that over a third of the company's 106 employees were not authorized to work in the United States legally. It was at that point that the company entered an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to fix the situation by replacing the illegal workers with legal ones.
After they entered the agreement they went to Take Charge Staffing, a temp agency that had a hard time filling the jobs legally. After several months, the agency's owner agreed with a request from one of Speed Fab's owners to simply place the illegal workers on the agency's payroll and send them back to work for Speed Fab. After this arrangement began, the construction company told the feds that the unauthorized workers no longer worked for them.
"Each of the individuals and the company admitted that this was a false and misleading statement to the government," the DOJ release points out.
Five people, including Speed Fab's three owners and the owner of the temp agency, have already pleaded guilty to immigration charges related to the scheme, the release says. Currently, two of those defendants in the matter are facing up to five years in prison, while the other three are facing up to six months in prison. They will each have to pay a $69,000 fine, per the plea agreements.
"All three of Speed Fab Crete's officials pleaded guilty to federal charges, in connection to them knowingly hiring unauthorized workers, and attempting to deceive the government," said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge of ICE's Homeland Security Investigations office in Dallas. "And now they are paying the price for their criminal conduct."
Spradlin added that investigations like this one "serve as a warning to business owners willing to hire an illegitimate workforce. You can not only expect a hefty fine but a prison sentence as well."


theblaze--2020-01-28--'They are the abortion lobby’s worst nightmare': Youth movement dominates March for Life

'They are the abortion lobby ’ s worst nightmare ' : Youth movement dominates March for Life These students truly @ @ @ @

The media, again, largely ignored the massive March for Life rally that took place Friday in Washington, D.C. Aside from the march itself, one of the most overlooked factors about the March for Life and the pro-life movement in general is the incredibly young age of those getting involved.
This, according to TheBlaze's Samantha Sullivan, should "terrify" the abortion lobby because not only are young people flocking to the pro-life movement, they're incredibly articulate as well.
She spoke with Faithwire on Friday:
www.youtube.com
"It's pretty amazing how little attention it gets for being so massive," Sullivan said after attending the march in person. "It was all young people — I mean, there were different age groups, but this is a predominantly young movement. I didn't know that coming in."
Sullivan went on to explain that this wasn't just kids attending with their parents — it was a passion issue for them.
"It was busloads of kids coming into this thing, a lot of faith-based Christian and Catholic schools. A lot of them told me this wasn't even their first march. There were kids that have been coming since they were 14," she explained.
They also possessed a deep knowledge of the issue of abortion itself.
"They started giving me the whole rundown of the science behind it [abortion], saying the science is on our side here," Sullivan said. "Really incredible to see these kids, they know abortion back and forth."
They're young, they're knowledgable, but what about empathy? Are they just loud but disconnected from the human side of things? Hardly, according to Sullivan.
"What was really inspiring to me … I asked every single person, 'What would you tell a woman considering an abortion?' Their responses were compassionate. There was no vitriol. There was no hostility," she explained. "Most of it was telling the woman they loved them first and then stressing the importance that there are other options Planned Parenthood doesn't tell you about. It blew me away — everything about this march blew me away."
After seeing the overwhelming numbers of youth leading the charge at March for Life 2020, Sullivan came away with a warning for pro-choice and abortion activists such as Planned Parenthood.
"These kids are the abortion lobby's worst nightmare," she said. "They're young, they're articulate, they know what they are talking about, and they're passionate about this movement and if I were the abortion lobby I'd be terrified."
Let's pray God continues to raise up voices for voiceless, especially unborn babies in the womb!
This story first appeared at FaithWire and is reprinted here with permission.


theblaze--2020-01-29--Don Lemon defends himself over segment 'belittling' Trump supporters

No apology — Lemon claims he `` did n't catch everything that was said '

CNN host Don Lemon offered no apology Tuesday when he finally addressed the way he conducted himself during a segment over the weekend where he was brought to tears laughing while his guests portrayed supporters of President Donald Trump as illiterate hicks.
What are the details?
On Saturday night, Lemon hosted anti-Trump Republican Rick Wilson and liberal writer Wajahat Ali on his program, where the two pundits acted out accents and stereotypes in an effort to depict the "demo" of Trump supporters as being what Wilson referred to as uneducated "boomer rubes."
The clip went viral due to the audacity of the exchange, to the extent that all three individuals involved felt the need to respond and Christian satire site The Babylon Bee referred to the segment as a "free commercial for [the] Trump campaign."
Ali and Wilson were both quick to dismiss the outrage over their insulting behavior and reacted Monday night — hours after the video was well circulated. But Lemon waited until three days after his segment to address the matter, and even then he claimed he "didn't catch everything that was said" rather than taking responsibility for egging on insults targeting half the voters in the U.S.
At the end of his show Tuesday night, Lemon said:
"And one final note that I have for you, because this is personally important for me to address this, OK? Anyone, ask anyone who knows me, they'll tell you: I don't believe in belittling people — belittling anyone for who they are, what they believe, or where they're from.
"During an interview on Saturday night, one of my guests said something that made me laugh and while in the moment I found the joke humorous and I didn't catch everything that was said. Just to make this perfectly clear, I was laughing at the joke and not at any group of people."
This writer's analysis
In fairness, Lemon — a consistent, fervent Trump critic — did not engage verbally with Wilson and Ali's mockery of Trump supporters. He appears in the clip to have found such hilarity in Wilson's initial joke about President Trump being incapable of finding Ukraine on a map that he did not recover until the two pundits were done with their banter.
Whether Lemon heard his guests' exchange while on air or not (and he surely did, given hosts' alertness to time constraints), he had ample opportunity to watch the clip afterward and accept responsibility for — or at least choose whether to condemn — the vitriol he claims to so despise.
It is to the detriment of both him and his network that he chose not to do so.


theblaze--2020-01-29--DOJ fires back at John Bolton over accusations in his book

DOJ fires back at John Bolton over accusations in his book The statement said the claims were `` grossly '' @ @ @

The Department of Justice disputed the claims reportedly made in John Bolton's forthcoming book against President Donald Trump and personal favors he made for leaders of foreign governments.
According to a report based on numerous sources who read portions of the book, Bolton claims that he brought up his concerns about Trump's interactions with Turkey and China to U.S. Attorney General William Barr.
A spokesperson for the DOJ released a statement saying the claims were "grossly" mischaracterized.
"While the Department of Justice has not reviewed Mr. Bolton's manuscript, the New York Times' account of this conversation grossly mischaracterizes what Attorney General Barr and Mr. Bolton discussed," said Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec.
"There was no discussion of 'personal favors' or 'undue influence' on investigations, nor did Attorney General Barr say that the President's conversations with foreign leaders was improper," the statement continued.
"If this is truly what Mr. Bolton has written," the statement concluded, "then it seems he is attributing to Attorney General Barr his own current views — views with which Attorney General Barr does not agree."
Bolton reportedly also said in his upcoming book that he believed the president was withholding military aid promised to Ukraine in order to secure a politically motivated investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
Earlier on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told Republicans in a closed-door meeting that he did not yet have enough votes to block Democrats from calling new witnesses. Democrats have been pressing to have John Bolton testify in the impeachment trial.
Here's more about Bolton's book claims:


theblaze--2020-01-29--Tom Steyer accuses Trump of 'torturing' children and committing 'crimes against humanity'

Tom Steyer accuses Trump of 'torturing ' children and committing 'crimes against humanity '

Presidential candidate Tom Steyer accused President Donald Trump of "torturing" children and committing "crimes against humanity" in his latest campaign invective.
The California billionaire made the incendiary comments while appearing on C-SPAN Tuesday.
"He's not opposed to immigration; he's opposed to immigration by non-white people," claimed Steyer.
"And under those rules he has inflamed his supporters. He's committed crimes under international law, but he has also tortured children and he has committed crimes against humanity," he continued.
He did not explain what he considered to be child torture, but he could have been referring to the family separation policies that have expanded under Trump and led to some children being detained apart from their parents.
Steyer said he would end Trump's policies to limit immigration and return to many of the immigration policies of former President Barack Obama, including the amnesty program known as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). He added that he would legalize million of illegal aliens already in the U.S. and provide them with a pathway to citizenship.
"And we should stop this extremely racist rhetoric and attitude and realize that we're a very diverse country and that is fantastic," he concluded.
A poll released on Thursday showed the long-shot candidate only garnering 2 percent support in the key early primary state of Iowa.
Here's the video of his comments:
[H/T: Washington Examiner]


theblaze--2020-01-29--Mike Bloomberg's method of greeting a dog on the campaign trail sparks online debate

Mike Bloomberg 's method of greeting a dog on the campaign trail sparks online debate

Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg greeted a dog on the campaign trail Monday by appearing to "shake" its mouth, sparking an online debate. Some say the interaction shows the New York billionaire isn't comfortable around animals, while others argue he is a canine virtuoso.
What are the details?
A CBS News video began circulating online Tuesday afternoon showing Bloomberg shaking hands with a man in Burlington, Vermont, before grabbing the upper jaw and snout of a dog and shaking with the same motion. He then scratched the dog's ears.
Christopher J. Hale, a former aide to President Barack Obama, shared the clip and tweeted, "I regret to inform you that Mike Bloomberg attempted to shake a dog's mouth."
The former managing editor of Occupy Democrats, Brian Tyler Cohen, also shared the video to Twitter, saying, "Michael Bloomberg...just greeted a dog...by giving it a handshake...on its face."
The Daily Wire shared the video, too, declaring, "Mike Bloomberg just lost the dog vote."
On all three noted posts (and there were many more who shared it), the reactions were mixed.
Several people called Bloomberg awkward, accused him of being a robot, and argued he was lucky the dog didn't bite him.
A follower of Hale asked, "What the hell is he doing to this poor dog?" On Cohen's post, a commenter offered the headline: "Robot Man Bloomberg shakes dogs face." One Daily Wire fan wrote, "Lucky he didn't get bitten or worse. The dog has probably learned 'shake' as a command anyhow."
But other followers chimed in arguing — even while declaring they weren't Bloomberg fans — that his interaction with the dog showed he likely has a great deal of experience or some sort of training in dog handling.
"Not that I hold much of a candle for Mikey but that is a legitimate dog petting move. They like it," someone commented on Hale's post. A Cohen follower tweeted, "A great way to greet a dog that you know. He is obviously a dog person." On The Wire's post, a follower responded, "That was actually quite normal. Dogs love it, it's playful."
Were there jokes?
In addition to the free sharing of their opinions, the folks on Twitter did not disappoint in making a few jokes at Bloomberg's expense over the ordeal.
"Certainly looks like 'stop and frisk' to me," someone posted in reaction to Hale's message. A Cohen follower wrote, "That's one small step towards banning dog noses, though."
A Daily Wire follower reacted with the sharp explanation that "Bloomberg was checking for sodas."


theblaze--2020-01-29--San Francisco official tasked with keeping streets clean gets arrested by FBI, charged with corrupti

San Francisco official tasked with keeping streets clean gets arrested by FBI, charged with corruption

San Francisco official tasked with keeping streets clean gets arrested by FBI , charged with corruption He went by the @ @ @ @ @ Clean . ''

A top official tasked with keeping San Francisco's streets clean was arrested by the FBI and charged with corruption.
San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru is being held on $2 million bail for the charges. An entrepreneur and friend to Nuru was also arrested and held on $2 million bail.
Ironically, he went by the moniker "Mr. Clean SF" on Twitter.
Federal officials relayed the details of the case against Nuru in a media briefing on Tuesday after his arrest in January. They said that he had agreed to cooperate with the investigation, but later violated the agreement and was re-arrested.
Nuru is accused of offering a bribe, accepting lavish gifts from a developer, and supplying inside information to a friend.
Officials indicated that the evidence against Nuru involved undercover agents and FBI wiretaps.
He spearheaded the city's "poop patrol" efforts to clean up fecal matter in the city, which had become an epidemic and the fodder for embarrassing headlines.
Nuru had been in charge of the public works department since 2012 and oversaw its $312 million budget. He was placed on administrative leave in the wake of the charges being revealed to the public.
Here's the FBI media briefing:


theblaze--2020-01-29--WATCH: Glenn Beck dismantles John Bolton's book 'bombshell'

If he really knows something important , why has n't he stepped up to the mic ?

The New York Times reported Sunday that former national security adviser John Bolton's new book, scheduled for release mid-March, claims President Donald Trump asked him to withhold nearly $400 million in aid to Ukraine until it cooperated with investigations into the Bidens.
As a result, the House Democrats and certain Republicans (like Mitt Romney) are pushing to have Bolton testify as a witness during the Senate's impeachment trial.
On the radio program Tuesday, Glenn Beck discussed Bolton's dubious decision to publish a tell-all book — titled "The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir" — amid President Trump's impeachment trial.
"If John Bolton had something to say ... if he had something that he felt was impeachable, he should have stepped to a microphone that would have been provided for anybody and said, 'Look, I need to testify, because I know something that no one else knows,'" Glenn said.
"He should demand to be heard — and not for a price. Our country is at stake. Our civilization. Our belief in our system, in Congress, in the White House, in the president, in the entire thing is at stake," he added.
"John Bolton, and everyone else, if you have information and you have something to say, don't take a book deal," Glenn continued. "Don't do it. These are the times that try men's souls. We don't need the sunshine patriots. We need the winter soldiers. The ones who, in the deepest, darkest day of winter, they still remember why they're doing it, and they're doing it for America. They do it because they love their country. Your country is at stake. Step to a microphone and say it."
Watch the video below for more:
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theblaze--2020-01-29--Sitting Dems' own words used against them to defend President Trump

Sitting Dems' own words used against them to defend President Trump ' I could n't say it better myself '

White House counsel Pat Cipollone, a member of President Donald Trump's legal team, used a compilation of videos from 1998 to use the words of Democratic House impeachment managers and current senators in arguing Tuesday during the Senate impeachment trial that a partisan impeachment would damage the U.S. and its institutions.
What are the details?
"All you need, in this case, is the Constitution and your common sense," Cipollone said, speaking from the Senate floor during his closing argument. "You just look at the articles of impeachment. The articles of impeachment fall far short of any constitutional standard, and they are dangerous.
"And if you look to the words from the past — that I think are instructive, as I said last night — they're instructive because they were right then, and they're right now. And I'll leave you with some of those words."
With that, Cipollone played clips of statements made by current House impeachment managers Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and now-Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), where all five Democrats argued passionately against impeachment during House proceedings against former President Bill Clinton (D).
In the video, Nadler argues that a partisan impeachment "will produce the divisiveness and bitterness in our politics for years to come and will call into question the very legitimacy of our political institutions." Lofgren warned the House of Representatives in 1998 that "the certainty of presidential terms ... (would) be replaced by the partisan use of impeachment" if a narrow impeachment were successful against President Clinton.
Markey accused Republicans of "permitting a constitutional coup d'état which will haunt this body and our country forever," while Menendez "warned (his) colleagues that (they) will reap the bitter harvest of the unfair partisan seeds (they) sow."
The video showed Schumer saying, "I expect history will show that we have lowered the bar on impeachment so much, we have broken the seal on this extreme penalty so cavalierly, that it will be used as a routine tool to fight political battles." He added, "My fear is that when a Republican wins the White House, Democrats will demand payback."
"You were right," Cipollone said when the video concluded. "But I'm sorry to say you were also prophetic. And I think I couldn't say it better myself, so I won't. You know what the right answer is in your heart. You know what the right answer is for our country. You know what the right answer is for the American people."
H/T: Craig Bannister, CNSNews.com