National News from The Georgia Star News

Two Years Later, January 6 Video Footage Raises New Questions About Police and Prosecutors

March 29, 2023 Just the News

Two years after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the issue of security footage is bedeviling law enforcement as federal prosecutors belatedly admit there is footage of some cops consorting with the riotous crowd and a retired Capitol Police executive divulges there are sizzle reels of all defendants inside the Capitol that were prepared for the FBI.

Retired Capitol Police Deputy Chief J.J. Pickett told Just the News on Monday that he is not certain whether federal prosecutors have turned over to Jan. 6 defendants the compilation videos made by his department of every person who entered the U.S. Capitol during the riot.

Poll: Only 38 Percent of Americans Believe in American Patriotism

March 29, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

A new poll by the Wall Street Journal has found that an alarmingly low percentage of Americans value patriotism and traditional American values.

As reported by Fox News, the WSJ/NORC poll showed that just 38 percent of respondents believe in the “importance of patriotism.” In the same poll in 1998, that number stood at 70 percent.

School Libraries Across the Country Adding Books on Gender and White Supremacy

March 29, 2023 The Center Square

The Ann Arbor public school district has a book available in its pre-kindergarten library called “Introducing Teddy: a gentle story about gender and friendship.” The book is about a boy’s best friend and teddy, Thomas, who is sad because “he wishes he were a girl, not a boy teddy, but what only matters to both of them is that they are friends.”

School districts across the country purchased books in 2022 that cover controversial topics such as critical race theory, white supremacy and gender dysphoria.

Drag Queen Performs Lap Dance on Student at North Carolina Technical College Pride Event with High Schoolers

March 29, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

Forsyth Technical Community College’s Pride Festival organizers invited the high school students who attend schools on its campus to its event that featured drag queen performances, including one in which a drag queen is seen performing a lap dance on a person reported to be a student.

Libs of TikTok, which obtained the video of what appeared to be a drag queen performing a lap dance on a student, reported Tuesday “some parents were outraged that, although faculty members and campus police were present, no one attempted to ensure that underage students were prevented from participating in the drag event.”

Trump Says GOP Has ‘No Choice’ But to Embrace Ballot Harvesting

March 29, 2023 Just the News

Former President Donald Trump on Monday asserted that Republicans must embrace ballot harvesting in the states that permit the practice in order to win the next election.

“So for 2024, should Republicans embrace early voting, voting by mail, and embrace the tactics of the Democrats and follow the ballot harvesting laws of their respective states?” Fox News’ Sean Hannity asked in an interview that premiered Monday.

New Kentucky Law Expands Definitions Related to the Use of School Resource Officers

March 29, 2023 The Center Square

Kentucky lawmakers hope they have already have taken steps that can help avoid a tragedy such as took place in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday.

On Friday of last week, legislation was signed into law allowing parochial and other private schools to develop pacts with local law enforcement agencies or the Kentucky State Police to have school resource officers on their campuses. House Bill 540, sponsored by state Rep. Killian Timoney, R-Nicholasville, was signed by Gov. Andy Beshear.

In Tennessee on Monday, a shooting at Christian elementary school left three children, three adults and the shooter dead.

Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Legislation He Calls ‘Largest Expansion of School Choice in History of These United States’

March 28, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Monday in Miami that establishes an Education Savings Accounts (ESA) program under which every family in the state can receive up to $8,000 to cover education expenses outside of the public school system. “The state of Florida is number one when it comes to education freedom and education choice,” DeSantis said at a press conference.

First-Citizens Bank Will Acquire Silicon Valley Bank: FDIC

March 28, 2023 Just the News

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. agreed that the North Carolina-based First-Citizens Bank & Trust Co. can acquire the troubled Silicon Valley Bank, and 17 branches of the California-based bank will reopen Monday as branches of First-Citizens.

As Pentagon Struggles to Fill Military Requests, Funding Goes to Diversity, Critical Race Theory

March 28, 2023 The Center Square

The Pentagon is increasingly struggling to fill the weapons and equipment requests for the war in Ukraine. At the same time, taxpayer funds are going to pay for ongoing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts in the military, most recently one controversial Pentagon official pushing anti-police and pro-critical race theory books at schools for the children of military families.

The New York Times recently highlighted the Pentagon’s manufacturing problem with a story headlined: “From Rockets to Ball Bearings: Pentagon Struggles to Feed War Machine.”

TikTok Not the Only China-Controlled App Thriving in America: Report

March 28, 2023 Admin

The top four downloaded applications in the past 30 days in the U.S. Apple App Store and Google Play Store are owned by Chinese-tied companies, according to data from Apptopia analyzed by Axios.

While these Chinese-tied apps are thriving in the U.S., American apps are typically not permitted to operate in China due to the country’s strict censorship, according to Axios. China has over one billion internet users according to Statista, so the U.S. is missing out on a massive market while China has exclusive access to it.

Nearly 40 Percent of Veterans Reported Concerns About Being Able to Pay Medical Bills

March 28, 2023 The Center Square

A new report from the National Center for Health Statistics found that nearly 40% of veterans reported concerns about being able to pay their medical bills.

Overall, the report found that 12.8% of veterans aged 25-64 had problems paying medical bills, 8.4% had forgone medical care and 38.4% were somewhat or very worried about being able to pay their medical bills if they got sick or had an accident.

Culture of Corruption Exposed in Trial Centering on Ex-Illinois House Speaker

March 28, 2023 Admin

by Madeleine Hubbard While the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is still a year away, the depth of his alleged scheme is already starting to be unveiled, as the Chicago Democrat remains a central figure in the corruption trial of four former ComEd officials. Federal…

Six Army Bases to be Renamed from Original Confederate Names

March 28, 2023 Admin

The dates have been revealed for when six United States Army bases will officially have their names changed due to a far-left campaign to rename any installations bearing Confederate names.

According to Axios, the six bases in question are: Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Pickett, Virginia; Fort Rucker, Alabama; Fort Lee, Virginia; Fort Benning, Georgia; and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The name changes come after Joe Biden created a federal Naming Commission, for the sole purpose of changing names of federal facilities, monuments, parks, and other territories that were originally named for Confederate figures; the campaign has been widely criticized as an effort to erase American history in the name of political correctness and “woke” racial justice politics.

Biden Administration Rules Out Removing the Cuban Regime from the List of ‘Sponsors of Terrorism’

March 27, 2023 ADN America

The Joe Biden administration has no plans to remove the Cuban regime from the list of “State Sponsors of Terrorism,” the head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, said Thursday during a hearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee—House of Representatives (HFAC).

“We do not plan to remove them from the list,” said the Secretary of State in response to a direct question about it made by Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar.

Federal Regulator Acknowledges Danger to Wildlife Caused by Offshore Wind Farms

March 27, 2023 Admin

The federally-chartered regulator responsible for managing fisheries in the oceans of New England acknowledged that offshore wind farms could pose a threat to the local marine wildlife, according to a letter obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Thomas Nies, executive director of the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), noted the “concerning implications” of a study by researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, which found that the high voltage direct current (HVDC) power cables used by some offshore wind farms emitted magnetic fields that could hinder the ability of haddock larvae to navigate, according to a January 18 letter obtained by the DCNF. The negative impact on both the haddocks’ speed and ability to navigate could result in increased “predation” of affected fish.

States, Counties Clash over ‘Zuckerbucks’-Like New Sources of Private Election Funding

March 27, 2023 Just the News

As “Zuckerbucks” — the injection of private money into public election administration — make a comeback, states and municipalities are clashing over whether the funds should be accepted or banned.

While many states and counties across the country have either restricted or banned the use of private money to fund public elections offices, a nonprofit with progressive Democrat ties that served as the key link in the 2020 Zuckerbucks funding chain is still finding loopholes in some counties as states seek to tighten up their laws.

Biden Admin Opens Investigations into Multiple Universities for Allegedly Racist, Discriminatory Programs

March 27, 2023 Admin

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened federal investigations into four universities this week in response to complaints filed by medical watchdog Do No Harm (DNH), according to the organization.

The OCR will investigate Wake Forest University (WFU), the University of Virginia (UVA), the University of Rochester (UR) and Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) for alleged civil rights violations, Do No Harm reported. Senior Fellow Mark Perry filed a joint complaint against WFU and UVA, alleging the institutions used school resources to partner with an organization whose activities violate Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, while Program Manager Laura Morgan violated complaints against UR and TJU for allegedly participating in programs that violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

2022 Was Bust for Many Pension Plan Investment Returns

March 27, 2023 The Center Square

Municipal pension plan investment returns were a “wild rollercoaster ride” in 2021 and 2022 with boom or bust results over that two-year period.

Many cities reported record-setting returns in 2021 as high as 33.7% only to find negative returns in 2022. The swing meant billions of dollars to many municipalities’ pension funds.

Trump Decries Weaponized Probes against Political Figures: ‘Worse than Ballot Stuffing’

March 26, 2023 Just the News

Former President Donald Trump is decrying the relentless investigations launched against him and his supporters, saying they are a form of political cheating worse than ballot stuffing.

Trump assailed the chronic investigations he has faced for seven years during his first rally of the 2024 campaign season in Waco, Texas on Saturday night, and then in a subsequent post on his Truth Social platform.

REVIEW: New Book ‘Rise to Greatness’ Explores How a Kid from Queens Became One of History’s Most Influential Supreme Court Justices

March 26, 2023 Admin

Antonin Scalia was a budding textualist long before he transformed the Supreme Court, and the nation, with his unique legal approach, a new biography of his early life reveals.

In the 1950s, the future Supreme Court Justice spent his mornings on the New York subway, commuting with his rifle to Xavier High School, a hybrid Jesuit-run Catholic school and military academy in Manhattan. His teacher’s response one day to a student’s sarcastic comment about “Hamlet” became a moment Scalia would never forget — and would refer to for the rest of his life as the Shakespeare Principle: “Mistah, when you read Shakespeah, Shakespeah’s not on trial; you ah,” Father Thomas Matthews said.

McConnell Released from Physical Therapy After Concussion, Broken Rib

March 26, 2023 Admin

Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky left an inpatient rehab facility Saturday following physical therapy, CNN reported.

McConnell, the senate minority leader, was hospitalized Mar. 9 after he tripped and fell during an event at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., suffering a concussion and a fractured rib. He will work from home on the advice of medical professionals, according to CNN.

Trump Has Double DeSantis’ Support: Poll

March 26, 2023March 25, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

Former President Donald Trump leads Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the 2024 GOP primary by a massive two-digit margin, doubling the support of DeSantis’ share, according to a poll released Friday.

Trump tops a crowded field of Republican presidential contenders at 50% – a 26-percentage point lead over the Florida governor – according to a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll. In a head-to-head matchup between the two frontrunners, the former president still wins against DeSantis, but by a slimmer margin of 56% to 44%.

Hawaii Governor Signs Bills Blocking Penalties for Abortion

March 26, 2023 The Center Square

Hawaii will not cooperate with other states’ civil or criminal investigations related to abortion under a new law signed by Gov. Josh Green.

Senate Bill 1, also known as Act 2, prohibits the issuance of a subpoena in connection with an out-of-state or interstate investigation related to abortion and bans any agency from providing information or spending time or resources to further such an investigation.

New U.S. Border Data: 284 Suspected Terrorists Apprehended So Far in Fiscal 2023

March 26, 2023March 25, 2023 The Center Square

Nearly 300 suspected terrorists have been apprehended attempting to enter the U.S. in the first few months of fiscal 2023 as 28 members of Congress formed a new caucus to address the crisis at the northern border, where record numbers of foreign nationals continue to illegally enter from Canada.

The Northern Border Security Caucus, formed by U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania, and Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, is expressing concerns about “the increased human and drug trafficking, along with the decrease in Border Patrol agents and lack of security, along the U.S.-Canada border.”

North Dakota Legislature Passes Bill That Makes Teachers Use Students’ Biological Pronouns

March 26, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

The North Dakota House approved a bill on Wednesday that would require teachers to refer to students using pronouns that correspond with their biological sex.

In a 60-32 vote, the state house passed Senate Bill 2231, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Larry Luick and state Sen. Scott Meyer, which mandates that public school teachers must use a students’ biological sex pronouns unless parents give permission for them to do otherwise. The bill cleared the state senate in February and now heads to Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s desk.

Poll: 73 Percent of Taxpayers Say Government Doesn’t Use Their Taxes Wisely

March 26, 2023 The Center Square

Ahead of Tax Day on April 18, 73% of taxpayers said the government doesn’t use their taxes wisely, a new survey found. A separate report found that red states have the better taxpayer return on investment.

Wallethub’s “Taxpayer Survey” found that 28% of respondents said charities would better spend their money; 26% said local governments would best spend their money, followed by state government (22%), the federal government (16%) and religious groups (13%).

‘Race to the Bottom’: Legal Experts Fear Escalation Spiral Ahead of Possible Trump Indictment

March 25, 2023 Just the News

Ahead of a prospective indictment of former President Donald Trump, legal experts and elected officeholders are warning that such an unprecedented move may spur a dangerous escalation spiral of retributive political prosecutions that undermine the nation’s justice system.

Trump announced last week that he expected to be arrested imminently. While that arrest has not yet occurred, the prospect of a Trump indictment looms large as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg continues his investigation into an alleged 2016 hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

Effort to Squash Biden Family Stories Long Predated Hunter Laptop, Newly Released Emails Reveal

March 25, 2023March 24, 2023 Just the News

Records newly released by the National Archives show efforts to suppress negative stories about the Biden family’s business deals long predate the Hunter Biden laptop controversy, dating back to 2015 when an aide to then-Vice President Joe Biden boasted she got a reporter to “only use” negative information “if her editors hold a gun to her head.”

The emails come from the Obama administration archives and were forced into the public through litigation by the America First Legal nonprofit public interest law firm. They chronicle efforts by Biden’s then-aides in the vice president’s office to suppress stories about Huter Biden’s relationship with the Ukraine energy compamy Burisma Holdings during a Biden trip to Ukraine in December 2015.

Republicans Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, and Matt Gaetz Explain Why They Voted Against Parents Bill of Rights Act: ‘The Federal Government Should Not Be Involved in Education’

March 25, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

The U.S. House passed the Parents Bill of Rights Act Friday, with most House Republicans voting in favor of the bill that would require school districts to give parents access to their children’s curricula and reading lists, to inform parents of any violence occurring on campus, and to notify parents if their child is sharing a bathroom or locker room with a student of the opposite biological sex.

The measure passed by a vote of 213-208, with five Republicans voting no. Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY-17); Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05); Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01); Ken Buck (R-CO-04); and Matt Rosendale (R-MT-02) all voted against the legislation.

Huge Proportion of ‘Trans’ Adults Haven’t Medically Transitioned, Survey Finds

March 25, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

A recent Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation survey purporting to find that transitioning made life more satisfying for transgender adults additionally found that a huge proportion of sampled transgender people had not undergone any form of medical transition.

Most — not all — of the transgender participants had socially transitioned, but fewer than one third had ever undergone puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones, and only one in six had undergone any type of surgery to present as the opposite sex, according to the survey. Additionally, the survey’s definition of transgender included many individuals who didn’t identify as either gender, and most transgender respondents didn’t consistently present as the opposite sex, the survey found.

Border Patrol Busts Stash House Full of Illegal Migrants in Northern Border State

March 25, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

Border Patrol agents in Maine busted a stash house full of illegal migrants Tuesday, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statement.

Authorities found 17 illegal migrants from Nicaragua and Guatemala in a house located in Lisbon, Maine, according to CBP. The incident comes amid a surge in illegal migration at the northern border, where Border Patrol apprehended more than 2,800 illegal migrants between October 2022 and February 2023, according to agency data.

House Passes Legislation to Give Parents More Say in Their Kids’ Education

March 25, 2023March 24, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a piece of legislation on Friday aimed at giving parents more of a say in school curriculum and more control in their children’s education.

In a 213 – 208 vote, the House approved the Parents Bill of Rights, which would require school districts to annually post their curriculum online, allowing parents to review the materials. The bill, considered the “Politics over Parents Act” by Democratic politicians, moves to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where it is unlikely to pass.

Sen. Rand Paul on Child COVID Vaccines: ‘Risks of the Vaccine Are Greater than Risks of the Disease’

March 24, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said Thursday he would not have his own children receive the COVID vaccines because of the risk of heart inflammation associated with them. “I, frankly, wouldn’t vaccinate my children for COVID,” Paul, an ophthalmologist, told The Hill’s Rising. “I think the risks of the vaccine are greater than the risks of the disease. The risks of the disease are almost non-existent.”

Biden’s Approval Rating Sinks Towards Lowest Point of His Presidency: Poll

March 24, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

President Joe Biden’s approval rating plummets towards the lowest point of his presidency on Thursday, according to a new poll.

The president’s approval sank to 38% this month, nearly reaching the lowest point he has received in office where he received a 36% rating in July 2022, an AP/NORC poll found. Biden‘s March approval has dropped from a 45% rating since February and 41% in January.

GOP Bill Would Make Abortionists Report Victims of Trafficking

March 24, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

Republican North Carolina Sen. Ted Budd is leading lawmakers in introducing the Stopping Traffickers and Their Accomplices Act.

The legislation, co-sponsored by Republican senators Josh Hawley of Missouri, Roger Marshall of Kansas, and Rick Scott of Florida, would require abortionists and abortion providers to file reports with the National Human Trafficking Hotline if they question whether a woman is a victim of human trafficking.

Biden Reaches New Illegal Migrant Expulsion Deal with Canada amid Northern Border Surge: Report

March 24, 2023March 23, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

President Joe Biden and Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, have brokered a deal to address the illegal migrant surge at the U.S. northern border, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

The deal would allow federal authorities in the U.S. to return illegal migrants to Canada within 14 days of crossing, according to the Los Angeles Times, which cited internal documents and a source familiar with the discussions. The plan is set to soon take effect in an effort to “reduce incentives” for migrants to come into the U.S. illegally.

Oklahoma Supreme Court Allows ‘Life of Mother’ Exception to State Law Prohibiting Most Abortions

March 24, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has upheld part of the state’s ban on most abortions from the time of fertilization, ruling the state Constitution protects only a “limited right to terminate a pregnancy” in the case of saving the life of the mother.

The state Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, held on Tuesday “the Oklahoma Constitution creates an inherent right of a pregnant woman to terminate a pregnancy when necessary to preserve her life.”

Country Radio Seminar 2023 Recap

March 24, 2023 Bethany Bowman

NASHVILLE, Tennessee-Country Radio Seminar (CRS) is an annual convention designed to educate and promote exchanging ideas and business practices in the country music industry, specifically emphasizing issues relevant to country radio. CRS 2023 was held at the Omni Nashville Hotel last week.

TikTok CEO Dodges on Whether Company Will Cease ‘Spying’ on Americans

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

TikTok CEO Shou Chew dodged questions Thursday about whether tactics by parent company ByteDance used to “spy” on American journalists could be used to target more Americans.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington questioned Chew on reporting by Forbes that staff at ByteDance used TikTok data last year to surveil journalists who were covering the company, gaining access to their IP addresses to track whether they had been in proximity to ByteDance employees.

House Judiciary Committee: ‘No Legitimate Basis’ for Biden Administration to Target Parents Protesting School Boards

March 23, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

The latest report by the House Judiciary Committee declares that there was “no legitimate basis” for the Biden Administration’s efforts to label parents protesting at school board meetings as domestic terrorists and place them under federal investigation.

As reported by Fox News, the Judiciary Committee and its new subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government have completed an interim staff report on the matter of the federal government’s handling of parents’ rights groups, who were “voicing concerns about controversial curricula and education-related policies.”

‘Food Security Is National Security’: Congress Moves to Stop Communist China from Buying Up U.S. Farmland

March 23, 2023March 22, 2023 M.D. Kittle

America’s biggest global threat is buying up U.S. farmland, an acquisition binge that’s putting the nation’s food supply and national security at risk, lawmakers assert. In a rare act of bipartisanship, members of Congress are looking to stop the sale of American agricultural land to buyers in Communist China and…

House Bill Would Block Biden’s Student Loan Bailout

March 23, 2023 M.D. Kittle

While the constitutionality of President Joe Biden’s student loan bailout is awaiting a Supreme Court decision, a bill re-introduced by two House members would block the Biden administration from canceling student loan debt on a mass scale.

The Student Loan Accountability Act, authored by U.S. Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08) and Drew Ferguson (R-GA-03) would also prevent forgiven loans from getting an additional tax break and it would bar the Internal Revenue Service from sharing American’s tax information for the purpose of implementing mass loan cancelation.

Biden Admin Flew Migrants Caught Illegally Crossing Over from Canada to the Southern Border, Memo Reveals

March 23, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) flew illegal migrants from the northern border to the southern border to expel them under Title 42, a Trump-era public health expulsion order, according to an internal agency memorandum reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The flights, which are operated by contractor World Atlantic Airlines, also began with a program to move Border Patrol agents from the U.S.-Mexico border to the Canadian border to help with the surge, a U.S. government official familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak, told the DCNF. The Title 42 flights, however, have been costly, with each costing between $150,000 and $200,000, meaning they’re not likely to continue, the source added.

Biden Admin in Talks to Potentially Bail Out a Third Bank: Report

March 23, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

The U.S. government is considering backing a potential deal to rescue the struggling First Republic Bank, in a bid by U.S. officials and Wall Street executives to head off the chance of a third major bank failure, Bloomberg reported, citing people with knowledge of the discussions.

Wall Street investors have expressed an interest in helping stabilize the struggling San Francisco-based bank, which has been selling assets — which lost value amid the Federal Reserve’s aggressive campaign of interest rate hikes designed to combat inflation — to pay out a surge in customers pulling their funds from the bank, according to Bloomberg. While the extent of government aid has not yet been decided, the government could cover the cost of First Republic’s losses or offer liability protection to companies involved in a deal.

Two Foreign Countries Join Forces in $10 Billion Lawsuit Against U.S. Gun Manufacturers

March 23, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

The Bahamas joined Mexico Wednesday to appeal a federal judge’s November decision to dismiss a $10 billion lawsuit against U.S. gun manufacturers for deaths caused by firearms, according to EyeWitness News.

Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis announced the decision, saying the firearms used to commit violent acts in his country are manufactured by American firearm companies and illegally trafficked across borders, according to EyeWitness News. The appeal follows a November ruling in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts where a federal judge dismissed Mexico’s lawsuit against gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson Brands Inc. and Sturm, Ruger & Co.

Biden Administration Attempting to Bail Out Moderna

March 23, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

The pharmaceutical company Moderna, which has already received over $10 billion in taxpayer funds for the development of its COVID-19 vaccine, could receive even more public money at the request of the Biden Administration.

According to the Washington Free Beacon, lawyers with the Department of Justice (DOJ) offered in court filings last month to “relieve” Moderna of any liabilities it may face as the result of a lawsuit claiming that the company has not paid licensing fees for the technology it utilized to develop its vaccine for the Chinese coronavirus.

Mayorkas Launches Program to Combat Fentanyl Smuggling at the Border

March 23, 2023 Arizona Sun Times Staff

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced the launch of a program to combat the surge in illicit fentanyl smuggling at the southern border.

Mayorkas announced “Operation Blue Lotus” Tuesday during a visit to the Port of Nogales, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has made large fentanyl seizures, to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents to the ports to help collect intelligence on drug cartels to create criminal cases against them. CBP illicit fentanyl seizures at the southern border for fiscal year 2023 are on pace to surpass fiscal year 2022’s seizure of roughly 14,000 pounds of the synthetic narcotic.

House Administration Chair Warns Hyperpolitical DAs: Weaponize the Law, Lose Federal Funding

March 22, 2023 Just the News

Amid the Manhattan district attorney’s reported planning to arrest former President Trump next week under a novel legal interpretation of a state law against falsifying business records, Chairman of the House Administration Committee Bryan Steil (R-Wisc.) issued a blunt warning Monday to hyperpolitical big city district attorneys: Any federal funding their offices receive may be at risk if they are abusing their prosecutorial power to settle political scores rather than fight violent crime.

“Often the federal government is funding and providing resources to prosecutors across the United States,” Steil told the “Just the News, No Noise” TV show. “The purpose of that is to make our cities safer. If we find out through this investigation that instead those are being used to weaponize DAs across the country with a purpose of grinding a political ax rather than making our communities safer, we’re gonna have to go back into the funding model.”