White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had an especially terrible press conference as she struggled to deal with questions about the Biden administration's official stance on the UAW strike.
The UAW, which is one of the largest unions in the United States, is engaged in a massive strike against the Big Three car manufacturers, General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford.
The Biden administration is allegedly going to avoid getting involved in negotiations between the companies and the UAW, but President Biden has traveled to picket with union members creating massive confusion.
Americans wanted to know if this meant that the Biden administration supported the union but Jean-Pierre was unable to give a good answer to reporters.
Jean-Pierre responded to one question saying, "I'm not going to get into the details of what's being negotiated right now on the table with — certainly with the parties."
The White House is sending mixed signals and whatever political favor President Biden is hoping to get with workers is going to be undermined by the White House refusing to commit to an official stance.
Until the White House comes out directly in favor of the UAW, Biden's picketing is nothing more than a photo opportunity.
When another reporter attempted to get a straight answer out of Jean-Pierre by asking, "I want to press you a little bit on what you just said. You said that the president supports the autoworkers. Does that mean that the president is siding with the autoworkers over the auto companies?"
Jean-Pierre responded by saying, "What we're saying is we're not going to get into the negotiation. Right? This is — When it comes to a negotiation, that is something for the parties to decide on. That is something for them to discuss."
After several similar questions all trying to get a commitment out of the White House, Jean-Pierre said, "Oh my goodness. You're going to ask the same question? I'm not going to change my answer."
Based on Jean-Pierre's refusal to support the union workers strike, Americans can assume that the President is picketing with workers for publicity reasons with the presidential election just around the corner.
Both Trump and Biden have a lot of skin in the auto worker strikes as Michigan is going to be a key battleground state that Trump win in 2016 then lost in 2020.
The candidate that can win Michigan will likely also win the presidential election. So Trump is traveling to give a speech supporter the striking workers and their demands while President Biden is picketing but refusing to take an official stance.
Trump coming out and openly supporting the workers will likely earn him a lot of goodwill with workers. As for Biden, picketing for the photo op while refusing to endorse the workers will only damage him in the eyes of American workers.
President Joe Biden has re-opened the international railway bridge into Eagle Pass, Texas, allowing illegal immigration to resume.
This is according to Breitbart News, which has reporters at the site.
"After a brief slowdown on Friday, the Biden administration re-opened the international railway bridge into Eagle Pass, Texas," Breitbart reports.
The outlet adds, "The move allowed an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 migrants to ride the trains to the U.S.-Mexico border in preparation for crossing into Texas on Saturday."
The international railway bridge near Eagle Pass was temporarily closed last week because illegal immigration in the area had gotten out of control. Local U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) was essentially overrun.
The Biden administration released a statement, writing, "Beginning this afternoon, CBP’s Office of Field Operations will temporarily suspend vehicle processing operations at Bridge 1 and the international railway crossing bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas in order to redirect personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody."
The statement continues, "In response to this influx in encounters, we will continue to surge all available resources to expeditiously and safely process migrants. We will maximize consequences against those without a legal basis to remain in the United States. CBP will continue to prioritize our border security mission as necessary in response to this evolving situation."
Breitbart highlights the fact that the Biden administration, here, did not try to stop migrants from entering America.
"The effort was not to shut down illegal river crossings but rather to bring additional resources to process migrants to be released into the United States more quickly," the outlet notes.
The period between Sept. 15 and 21, 2023, saw an especially big surge in illegal immigration, particularly in the Eagle Pass area of the Del Rio Sector of the U.S.-Mexico border.
It is being reported that around 13,000 migrants crossed from Mexico into the United States during this stretch. Some individual days saw as many as 3,000 to 4,000 crossings.
This prompted both a local, state, and federal response. The federal response was outlined above.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), on the other hand, "directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to deploy additional buses to Eagle Pass and El Paso to assist these border communities overwhelmed and overrun by President Joe Biden's border crisis."
Abbott, in a public statement, clearly placed the blame for the border crisis on Biden's shoulders, writing, "President Biden's continued refusal to secure our border invites thousands of illegal crossings into Texas and our nation each day."
Musicians Mike Henderson and Peter Horton have both passed away, and they did so on the same day - Friday, Sept. 22, 2023.
BR24 reports that Horton, whose birth name is Peter Muller, died just three days after his 82nd birthday, which was on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
According to Rolling Stone, Henderson, on the other hand, died at the age of 70.
The cause of either man's death is unclear at the time of this writing. Horton, though, is known to have suffered from Parkinson's disease for several years.
From Missouri, Henderson was an award-winning country musician.
Specializing in bluegrass, Henderson was one of the founding members of the band SteelDrivers, which also featured Chris Stapleton on vocals, Tammy Rogers on Fiddle, Mike Fleming on the bass, and Richard Bailey on the banjo. The group won the International Bluegrass Music Association's New Artist of the Year award in 2009.
Henderson, however, did not remain with the band for too long. Instead, he went solo in 2010. He had also been a soloist before SteelDrivers.
Henderson, after he left the band, continued to collaborate with Stapleton, with whom he wrote several songs. The two won a Grammy in 2017 for Best Country Song for their song Broken Halos.
The band remembered Henderson in a Facebook account that they posted on the day of Henderson's passing. The band, in part, wrote:
A Lonesome Goodbye . . . I can’t begin to explain and share all the craziness and great times we all had together but I will say, as I always have, it was all Hendo’s fault! So, all the SteelDrivers, past and present, are in shock today as we have lost our original architect…..we send our heartfelt condolences to Janet, Lauren, and Shannon. Hendo, we will see you again where rainbows never die
Horton is the stage name by which most people knew Peter Muller. Horton was a guitarist, singer, writer, and composer. He was from Feldsberg, Reichsgau Niederdonau, Germany, although, he, today, is mostly associated with Austria.
BR24 reports, "Horton represented Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967, was seen in ARD and ZDF, and taught school music."
Horton's music career goes all the way back to his childhood, when he was a member of the Vienna Boys' Choir. Then, as a teenager he formed a jazz band called, Six Aces.
After that Horton went solo and even spent time in the theater. He toured many parts of the world, including the United States, during the course of his career.
Horton once said:
There are two forms [ of entertainment ]: collection and distraction. Today 98 percent distraction and 2 percent collection are delivered. Collection is what leads us inside. At my concerts I manage to get people out floating."
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) is now facing a bipartisan backlash for his decision to eliminate the U.S. Senate's dress code, The Hill reports.
In case you missed it, this past week, Axios reported that Schumer "quietly has directed the Senate's Sergeant at Arms to no longer enforce the chamber's informal dress code for its members."
Now, U.S. Senators no longer need to get dressed up in order to appear on the Senate floor. Men, for example, no longer have to wear a suit and tie. The dress code, though, is still in place for staff members.
"Senators are able to choose what they wear on the Senate floor. I will continue to wear a suit," Schumer said.
Why Schumer has decided to make this change is something that remains unclear. Many suspect that the change, at least in part, is designed to accommodate the favored attire of U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA).
Fetterman, as several outlets have reported, is well-known for wearing a hoodie and gym shorts.
Previously, this wardrobe choice prevented Fetterman from appearing on the Senate floor during votes. But, thanks to Schumer's rule change, Fetterman can now appear on the Senate floor wearing whatever clothing he desires.
Schumer has faced significant pushback for the rule change, and the pushback has come from both Republicans and Democrats.
Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), for example, has said:
The senator in question from Pennsylvania is a personal friend, but I think we need to have standards when it comes to what we’re wearing on the floor of the Senate.
Durbin went on to say that senators are currently discussing what these standards ought to be.
Others, however, are simply trying to get things to go back to the way they were before Schumer's rule change.
Manchin, according to reports, has put together a resolution looking to do just this - to reinstate the Senate's informal dress code.
A spokesperson for Manchin has said, "Next week, Sen. Manchin intends to file a bipartisan resolution to ensure the Senate dress code remains consistent with previous expectations."
The Hill's report suggests that Manchin already does have significant support for his resolution. But, at the time of this writing, it is not clear just how far this support extends, including whether it is sufficient to override Schumer's rule change. We should get a better idea by the end of the coming week.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A church founded by former slaves, back in 1884, has endured flash floods, the destruction of its building in a storm, the loss of another building in a fire, a trip through receivership and much, much more.
But it's being prevented from holding its worship services and functioning as a ministry right now because its neighbors don't like it.
That's according to a report from First Liberty Institute, which recently sent a demand letter to the city of Addison, Texas, insisting that needed permits for improvements at the building be issued.
The congregation is the White Rock Chapel, which is designated a historic site by the Texas Historical Commission.
"It’s a shame that some residents in the neighborhood are opposing the church’s right to exist and aim to banish this historic landmark that symbolizes the freedoms granted to all Americans," explained Ryan Gardner, First Liberty lawyer. "The city should ignore the heckling of a handful of neighbors and allow this small, African American church to exemplify the core values of unity, diversity, and religious freedom that strengthen all communities."
The original was on the banks of White Rock Creek after emancipation. It was moved to higher ground after years of flash floods.
"In August 2018, the current owners of White Rock Chapel purchased the property and brought it out of receivership. By doing so, they saved this historic church from demolition and preserved its rich history and legacy. They then sought building permits to restore the property," the institute said.
But the city council denied the permits even after they were advanced by the city’s planning and zoning commission.
"The city’s denial deprives a historic church—founded almost 150 years ago by formerly enslaved men and women—of its right to religious exercise. More specifically, the city prevents the church from making essential improvements so that it can continue to exist as a place of worship. A small but influential group of opponents have fought—thus far successfully—to stop the church from doing so. But the law is clear. Opposition by a few, no matter how hostile or influential they are, cannot override the church’s right of religious exercise," the letter said.
Facing the need for improvements or repairs, the church asked the city for permits to do those projects, and as part of the process, comments from neighbors were solicited.
"A fierce and organized neighborhood resistance developed against the chapel," the report said, and the city took action by "bowing to that pressure."
Despite multiple concessions on the part of the church, some critics refused to cooperate, leading to a rejection of the permits by the city council even thought the Planning and Zoning Commission has approved them.
The institute blamed the actions on the "unrelenting opposition from neighbors."
But rejecting the church's requests to facilitate its worship "violates the protected rights of White Rock Chapel" under the First Amendment, RLIUPA and others laws, the legal team explained.
"Because the Council denied White Rock Chapel’s Permit, it barred any possibility for White Rock Chapel to function and exist. Such a deliberate prohibition is in direct violation of state and federal law and constitutionally protected freedoms. The Council must immediately approve of a Permit that will allow White Rock Chapel to engage in religious and educational activities. Should the Council nevertheless persist in its denial of White Rock Chapel’s right to religious exercises, it will pursue all available legal options, not limited to the principles articulated herein," the letter said.
A panel spokesperson confirmed that the House Oversight Committee has scheduled its first hearing for the impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.
Speaking to the Daily Wire, that spokesperson confirmed that the first hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, September 28.
The announcement came as a bit of a shock as that means the first hearing will be held in just over a week. After months and months of investigation and speculation, it seems that the impeachment inquiry is accelerating.
The spokesperson told the Daily Wire that, "The hearing will focus on constitutional and legal questions surrounding the President’s involvement in corruption and abuse of public office."
All of this is great news as it is long past time that Americans finally got the truth about what President Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, have been doing for the past decade.
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have been hard at work building a case against President Biden for months.
The process was long and arduous and many Americans worried whether an impeachment inquiry would actually happen. Now with this announcement, the fight is on and the President will have to answer for the many allegations he is facing.
Last week's announcement by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) helped stem those fears a bit but now Americans have a solid date for when this will all begin.
McCarthy stated that the investigation by the House Oversight Committee has uncovered, "serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct — a culture of corruption."
This impeachment inquiry will have massive implications for the 2024 presidential election. It could very well torpedo President Biden's reelection campaign if Republicans can prove the allegations that have floated around for years.
Democrats have stonewalled and fought Republicans tooth and nail for the past year and if it weren't for Republicans controlling the House of Representatives, this impeachment inquiry would never have happened.
Congressional Democrats have called the impeachment “illegitimate” and a “fishing expedition," designed to damage Biden's presidential campaign.
Ironically, this is the same charge leveled at Democrats by former President Donald Trump who has been indicted four different times under political circumstances.
Nonetheless, the fact that a fractured Republican Party has managed to launch an official inquiry indicates that the evidence against Biden is strong and impeachment seems likely.
Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) announced on Monday that she will not seek another term after being diagnosed with "Parkinson's on steroids."
Wexton, who is 54-years-old, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in April but her doctors changed that diagnosis to Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy.
Wexton explained, "I wasn't making the progress to manage my symptoms that I had hoped, and I noticed the women in my Parkinson's support group weren't having the same experience that I was. I sought out additional medical opinions and testing, and my doctors modified my diagnosis to Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsey — a kind of ‘Parkinson's on steroids.'"
Unfortunately, Wexton added that there is "no ‘getting better’ with PSP" and she will serve out the rest of her term before going into retirement.
Wexton said, "I'm heartbroken to have to give up something I have loved after so many years of serving my community. But taking into consideration the prognosis for my health over the coming years, I have made the decision not to seek reelection once my term is complete and instead spend my valued time with Andrew, our boys, and my friends and loved ones.
According to the National Institute of Health, Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsey is a "rare neurological disorder that affects body movements, walking and balance, and eye movements."
The NIH states, "The disease usually worsens rapidly and most people with PSP develop severe disability within three to five years of symptom onset. PSP can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, choking, or head injuries from falls."
That means that Wexton may not have much time left and her decision to retire and spend the rest of her life with her friends and family is the right call.
Wexton has been serving as a Representative for Virginia's 10th congressional district since 2019 with her victory over Republican Representative Barbara Comstock.
Wexton then fended off a challenge from Republican candidate Hung Cao with 53% of the district's vote. Virginia's 10th district borders Washington D.C. and as such Democrats have a major advantage in holding it.
Democrats will likely be able to retain this seat but that doesn't make Wexton's terrible diagnosis any easier to handle.
Jennifer Wexton's responsible decision to not seek another term knowing that her mental faculties are declining should send a message to the rest of Congress.
Our congressional representatives need to be mentally fit and capable of representing the will of thousands of Americans. Politicians like President Joe Biden and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) should take notes.
Hopefully Wexton's disease is less serious than the diagnosis indicates and she will be able to enjoy her time with her family without her political career getting in the way.
The Daily Caller has published an article that details all of the evidence that links President Joe Biden to Hunter Biden's international business dealings.
That is, the article lists all of the evidence discovered so far. There is likely still more to come.
We can't cover all of the evidence here. But, we will look at some highlights.
First, though, some context is necessary.
The Daily Caller's article comes after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. McCarthy did so as soon as the House recently returned from its summer recess.
McCarthy, on Tuesday, said:
Today, I am directing our House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. This logical next step will give our committees the full power to gather all the facts and answers for the American public.
McCarthy, since then, has emphasized that the point of this inquiry is to discover whether or not there is sufficient evidence to impeach Biden as well as to give congressional committees tools, to conduct the investigation, that they otherwise would not have.
McCarthy has also emphasized that he believes the inquiry is justified by the evidence that has already been uncovered by congressional committees about the Biden family's business dealings - the evidence that the Daily Caller details in its report.
Biden and the Democrats, however, continue to insist that there is no evidence of corruption or influence peddling or anything of the kind; they insist that there is no evidence implicating Joe Biden in any wrongdoing. The Daily Caller's report shows why the Democrats' claims are just false.
The Daily Caller reports:
Witness testimony, emails, text messages, flights and additional evidence indicate Joe Biden was knowledgeable about Hunter Biden’s business dealings and communicated with his son’s business associates on numerous occasions.
The Daily Caller goes on to detail this evidence, citing the relevant sources.
The outlet highlights the fact that "The Biden family and its associates received more than $20 million from Ukrainian, Russian, Chinese, Romanian, and Kazakhstani business associates, the bank records indicate."
The Daily Caller then goes on to bring up one of the most damning pieces of evidence of them all: the way Joe Biden, when vice president, got fired the prosecutor who was investigating the Ukrainian energy company at which his son, Hunter Biden was working. There are also allegations that Joe and Hunter Biden received $5 million each for their efforts.
The Daily Caller's report is definitely worth a read - it contains far more evidence of Biden's involvement in his son's business affairs than is listed here. There is so much evidence, in fact, that it makes the Democrats' claim - that Joe Biden is completely innocent - look absurd.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The federal budget, borrowing, foreign policy, spending, transgenderism, abortion, global warming, race, special rights for some groups and more.
These are all issues on which Republicans and Democrats are deeply divided these days.
But there's one issue one which there's bipartisanship: Spying.
And that very bipartisanship has prompted advocates for the Joe Biden White House to fight tooth and nail to defeat congressional plans.
This is according to a commentary by Bob Goodlatte, who represented Virginia’s 6th District as a Republican in Congress from 1993 to 2019, and Matthew Silver, deputy director of Federal Government Affairs at Americans for Prosperity and previously served as legislative director for Rep. Warren Davidson.
They explained the Biden administration's fear of a two-party agreement at Real Clear Wire.
They explained that Americans are tired of, and members of Congress want to rein in, "intrusive and unconstitutional surveillance by the FBI, CIA, NSA, and other federal agencies that rifle through our emails, text messages, and phone calls without a warrant."
They noted the bipartisan nature of the concern and then warned that has prompted "former intelligence agency officials to carry the Biden administration’s water by lobbying hard to kill this reform-minded coalition. Stewart Baker and Michael Ellis, lawyers who served in the National Security Agency and the National Security Council, warn conservatives that 'left-wing activists' are tricking conservatives. How are they tricking conservatives? By working across the aisle to support reforms that would force federal agencies to get a warrant before searching through American citizens’ personal communications and information," the column explained.
They called the campaign by Baker and Ellis a "clumsy attempt to paint surveillance reform as a 'left-wing' agenda," and an "insult to the countless conservatives who support strong reforms."
For example, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., "not usually referred to as a dupe of 'left-wing activists,'" said recently, "How much longer must we watch the FBI brazenly spy on Americans before we strip it of its unchecked authority?"
They explained, "Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also typically not seen as a pawn of the left – recently referred to an unsealed court document showing that the FBI brazenly abused Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. This statute, designed by Congress to enable surveillance of foreign targets to catch terrorists and spies, has instead been used to spy on millions of Americans over the last few years."
The commentary noted targets of the Deep State have included "19,000 donors to an unnamed congressional campaign; people who came to the FBI to perform repairs; victims who approached the FBI to report crimes; business, religious, and community leaders who apply to participate in the FBI’s 'Citizens Academy'; college students participating in a 'Collegiate Academy'" and many more.
The authors warn Baker and Ellis complain that requiring a warrant is a "bad idea" in their scheme that "effectively discards the Fourth Amendment."
Baker and Ellis also, the commentary explains, are frightened of relying on "the same broken court process" that has been abused by Democrats in the past. That is the FISA court through which Democrats in Washington in the 2016 election made up statements about Trump and Russia to get permission to spy on his campaign.
"Their conclusion is that we therefore should allow the FBI to surveil Americans under Section 702 without even obtaining a warrant or judicial review. That’s like saying the best way to put out a fire is to add gasoline," the commentary said.
The press conference that U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and other New York Democrats tried to hold on Friday did not go as they had planned.
The event, according to Fox News, was interrupted by protestors who were clearly not happy with the migrant crisis that is currently taking place in New York City.
There will be more on New York City's migrant crisis later. But, for now, suffice it to say that the crisis is the result of the kind of open-border policies espoused by the likes of Ocasio-Cortez.
The focus of the press conference was this migrant crisis. And, it was also to address the concerns of residents amid what appears to be a growing backlash to the situation.
The press conference took place on Friday outside of the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. This hotel, like many others in New York City, has become a refuge for migrants.
Right from the outset of the event, protestors were heard yelling, among other things, "Send them back!" and "Close the border!"
Ocasio-Cortez, nevertheless, attempted to proceed with the press conference. According to the Washington Examiner, She said:
Ultimately, I think there are three points of consensus here that are very important in getting a solution to this issue. The first is that there is consensus here across geography and states on increasing federal resources to cities and municipalities dealing with this issue. The second is to allow for work authorizations so that the folks in here can get to work and start supporting themselves as soon as possible. They're prevented from getting jobs, they're prevented from employment, and that is part of the strain on our public systems.
The Examiner reports that Ocasio-Cortez's "final point is an extension of temporary protective status for Venezuelans"
As Ocasio-Cortez was speaking, the chants only grew louder. And, within minutes, Ocasio-Cortez asked her fellow Democrats, "ready to wrap up." In other words, she was ready to get out of there.
More than 110,000 migrants have moved to New York City in the past year.
They came because they were invited by New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D), who insisted upon New York City being one of America's top so-called sanctuary cities.
As would be expected, this influx of migrants has placed a tremendous strain on the city and its resources. And, many who initially supported the relocation of migrants to New York City are now opposing it, including Adams.
Adams recently predicted that, with roughly 10,000 migrants coming to the city per month, New Yorkers are about "to lose" New York City. Adams highlighted the heavy financial burden that comes with housing the migrants.
It is unclear how the situation is going to progress from here, but what is clear - as demonstrated by Friday's press conference - is that there is growing frustration among New York City residents.