This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Jack Smith was pulled out of private practice, given vast governmental power and tens of millions of tax dollars to be a key player in the Democrats' lawfare campaign against President-elect Donald Trump between his first term in office, and his coming second, which will launch Jan. 20.
He assembled two criminal cases against Trump. One essentially was over his opinions about the 2020 election; the other about having government documents from his presidency at his home.
Curiously, Joe Biden also was found about the same time to have had government documents at his home, but instead of filing charges like the federal government did against Trump, officials gave him a pass.
Of course both of Smith's cases against Trump collapsed and were dismissed when he was elected in November.
But GOP warnings that those orchestrating the lawfare against Trump eventually would face accountability are about to become real, according to a new Washington Examiner report.
It detailed five focal points should investigators and prosecutors wish to review the Democrats' actions against Trump.
The report pointed out that Trump several times has promised to pursue justice against Smith, and others, for bringing cases that were highly partisan, and considered by Republicans to be unfair..
In fact, members of the House and Senate Judiciary committees already have dispatched notices to Smith, demanding he save all records of his cases, a sign "lawmakers intend to summon testimony and documents…"
The report said one focal point for an investigation could be Smith's courtroom antics during the final weeks of the campaign.
He filed a massive motion in court in October, just days before the election, to promote his case.
"The document contained details that Smith was deprived of presenting in a trial (since the case never moved to a trial stage), including damning and unflattering grand jury material about how Trump went about objecting to the 2020 election results," the report explained.
Experts called it a "cheap shot" and pointed out it defied a DOJ practice that requires delaying action if it could affect an election.
Then also facing possible review are the actions of Smith's prosecutors, Jay Bratt and J.P. Cooney, the report said.
"A misconduct allegation against Bratt was first raised in court by an attorney representing Walt Nauta, one of the co-defendants in the classified documents case against Trump. The attorney, Stanley Woodward, said that during a closed-door meeting, Bratt violated ethics rules by bringing up Woodward's application to become a judge while Bratt was trying to goad Woodward into complying with him in the Trump case. Smith has disputed the accusation," the report explained.
Concerns about Cooney's actions relate to his prosecution of Trump ally Roger Stone, and came up when, according to a DOJ inspector general report, Cooney wanted an unusually harsh penalty.
When he did not get his way, he claimed the Trump administration at the time was giving Stone preferential treatment.
Third was Smith's decision to use a grand jury in Washington, D.C., where voters overwhelmingly opposed Trump, in the Florida case involving government documents.
"He was almost certain to have greater success [in Washington] in trying to evade attorney-client privilege claims, to conduct the investigation into the classified documents case that almost certainly was going to be venued in Florida," an expert decided.
That topic even was ordered to be explained by the documents case judge.
Mike Davis, the founder of Article III Project which focuses on America's judiciary, said there also is a federal law known as conspiracy against rights that could be used against Smith.
He said Smith "must face severe legal, political, and financial consequences for their blatant lawfare and election interference."
Finally, the report said, there are the political motivations in the cases.
"Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has long raised concerns about politically driven investigators in authoritative roles at the FBI, including one who Grassley said helped Smith in the early stages of his investigations into Trump," the report said.
One agent, in fact, was "forced" to retire because of his "extreme anti-Trump political bias," yet had a role in starting the anti-Trump cases.
Grassley charged the case was politicized and "reeks of undeniable partisan tactics."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
PALM BEACH, Florida – It was less than a month ago that Donald Trump suggested Canada could become America's 51st state and that its Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could be the state's governor.
Now, the president-elect is floating the name of superstar NHL legend Wayne Gretzky to be Canada's next prime minister, who would be known as "governor" of Canada.
On Christmas afternoon, Trump posted on Truth Social:
I just left Wayne Gretzky, "The Great One" as he is known in Ice Hockey circles.
I said, "Wayne, why don't you run for Prime Minister of Canada, soon to be known as the Governor of Canada – You would win easily, you wouldn't even have to campaign."
He had no interest, but I think the people of Canada should start a DRAFT WAYNE GRETZKY Movement. It would be so much fun to watch!
WND previously reported on Trump's now famous meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at his Mar-A-Lago estate in West Palm Beach on Friday, Nov. 29.
Jim Hoft of the Gateway Pundit reported: The dinner, which was not previously announced on Trudeau's public itinerary, comes amidst Trump's decision to impose a 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico in response to the "illegal alien invasion."
In a statement made on Truth Social, Trump declared that these tariffs would remain in effect "until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!"
He emphasized that both neighboring nations have the power to address the issue, demanding immediate action to resolve the "long simmering problem."
"On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders. This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!" Trump said on Truth Social on Monday.
"Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!" Trump said on Truth Social on Monday evening," Trump added.
The announcement has sent shockwaves through Ottawa, with Trudeau's liberal government scrambling to respond to what they view as an existential threat to Canada's already fragile economy.
Just two hours after Trump posted the tariff threats, Trudeau called Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate, and the two spoke about trade and security at the border.
Not satisfied, desperate Trudeau boarded a plane to Florida for a face-to-face discussion.
The meeting, described as "productive" by Trump, centered on America's demand for decisive action from its northern neighbor.
"I just had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, where we discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada," Trump said on Truth Social on Saturday.
"I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship! Prime Minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families. We also spoke about many other important topics like Energy, Trade, and the Arctic. All are vital issues that I will be addressing on my first days back in Office, and before," Trump added.
The meeting took a lighter turn when, according to Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, Trump humorously suggested that if Canada cannot sustain its economy without what he claimed was a $100 billion annual exploitation of the U.S., perhaps it should consider becoming the 51st state.
This comment reportedly came after Trudeau expressed concerns about the detrimental impact of new tariffs on the Canadian economy.
Doocy reported on Fox News:
"Tonight we're getting some new details about that Trump-Trudeau dinner from two people who were at the table. We're told that when Trudeau told President-elect Trump that new tariffs would kill the Canadian economy, Trump joked to him that if Canada can't survive without ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion per year, then maybe Canada should become the 51st state, and Trudeau can become its governor."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center
Following significant setbacks in the region, the Iranian regime's strategy of exporting terrorism and waging war has suffered severe blows in recent months. To compensate for these losses, the regime is now accelerating and intensifying its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons.
In the past, Iran relied on Hezbollah and other proxy forces to extract concessions from the international community. Historically, the regime's survival has been built on two primary pillars:
* Repression and executions within the country.
* Exporting terrorism and warmongering in the region while advancing its nuclear weapons program.
According to information from the Defense and Strategic Research Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, or NCRI, the regime has recently intensified its activities related to explosive detonator technology, aiming to expedite the construction of a nuclear warhead.
The NCRI first exposed the regime's clandestine nuclear military program, with a revelation of the Natanz site, in 2002.
These activities are being carried out at the Research and Development Center for Explosion and Impact, known by its Persian acronym, METFAZ. This entity operates under the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, or SPND, which is tasked with advancing Iran's nuclear bomb development.
METFAZ disguises its operations under the banner of a company called Arvin Kimia Abzar, which ostensibly operates in the oil and petroleum extraction industry. However, intelligence obtained by the Iranian Resistance reveals that this company is entirely controlled by the same network and personnel responsible for nuclear warhead production. Arvin Kimia Abzar, established in 2018, was officially relocated in April 2024 to a site near the village of Sanjarian, adjacent to the Parchin military facility. This secure site is now referred to as the Meshkat Complex.
While global scrutiny remains fixated on uranium enrichment levels needed for fissile material production, the regime has made substantial covert progress in the weaponization phase of its nuclear program. This includes efforts to build a functional nuclear warhead.
These activities, carried out in secrecy and through deceptive practices, have evaded international oversight and inspection.
On the eve of a recent U.N. Security Council meeting, three European nations issued a statement asserting that there is no civilian justification for Iran's current level of uranium enrichment. Despite repeated warnings from the Iranian Resistance, the West has squandered over two decades in unproductive negotiations due to a policy of appeasing Iran. The brutal theocratic regime, however, has exploited this time to advance its nuclear ambitions and move ever closer to acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The way out may be what Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, proposed during a video address to a meeting with members of the U.S. House of Representatives on December 17:
"Following its failures in the region, the Iranian regime has accelerated its nuclear weapons program to avert its inevitable downfall. Therefore, the snapback mechanism in U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 must be activated immediately."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
Iran increasingly worried Israel intends to attack prior to Trump inauguration
Israel's Channel 12 reported Iran assesses it has identified signs Israel may be getting ready to strike Tehran, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.
Ironically, leaders in Tehran think the move to agree to a ceasefire against its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah is to allow Israel's military planners more freedom to construct attack scenarios against the Islamic Republic.
Other reasons for drawing these conclusions include Israel's knocking out of Iran's air defense system leaving it completely "naked," as well as the imminent arrival of President-elect Donald Trump into the White House. Additionally, Mossad Director David Barnea has reportedly advocated for a direct strike against Iran as a response to continued Houthi attacks, including ballistic missile and suicide drone launches against Israel's densely populated central region.
Did Assad's wife file for divorce, or didn't she?
Rumors began to appear late Sunday early Monday about Ex-Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's wife, Asma, filing for divorce, amid the couple's flight to Moscow.
Reports from both Arab and Turkish sources suggested the British-born Asma, who still holds U.K. citizenship, is displeased with life in Russia and is seeking a return to London.
Meanwhile, Newsweek was among outlets which poured cold water on the claim, highlighting that the Kremlin – not known for its commitment to telling the unvarnished truth – dismissed there was any veracity to the story.
Considering the recent revelations about the barbarous conditions of Assad's prisons, it is not clear what sort of a welcome Mrs Assad would receive, and whether she could even be arrested on her potential entry to the country.
Former Mossad agent claims Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was in room when several beepers exploded
CBS' flagship investigative program "60 Minutes" aired an extraordinary episode on Sunday night, in which recently retired Mossad agents who took part in the exploding pager operation, spoke about how Israel's spy agency was able to infiltrate Hezbollah.
Speaking under the condition of anonymity – with each individual wearing a full face balaclava, dark glasses and identical dark jumpsuits, and their words spoken by actors – the operatives explained the genesis of the decade-long preparation for the operation, according to CBS.
In one segment, an agent related to presenter Leslie Stahl: "I don't know if you know that [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah, when we detonated the pagers, actually saw several people explode next to him in his bunker because they had pagers on them. With his own eyes he saw them collapsing."
Hamas provides 'signs of life' for some hostages as talks kick into high gear to seal deal
An Israeli official reportedly acknowledged Sunday that Hamas has provided signs of life for a number of hostages. The same official added that Israel knows where a number of hostages are being held, but declined to say if Hamas has provided a list of the captives still living, according to the Times of Israel.
The Israeli negotiating team remained in Qatar on Sunday, where they have been for over a week, Hebrew media reported.
Egypt's Al-Ghad outlet reported on Sunday said that Israel has requested the inclusion of 11 men on the list of hostages to be released in the first phase of a potential deal, with Hamas apparently demanding further compensation in return for setting them free.
Dozens injured, 3 seriously in Jerusalem dormitory fire
Ten fire and rescue teams from the Ha'Uma area station – one of the largest in the city – were dispatched to the scene. According to a fire and rescue spokeswoman, the firefighters who arrived at the scene identified a fire on the top floor of the building, which houses a boarding school. A large number of young women were trapped by the smoke and flames, reported Israeli outlet Ynet.
Mass grave of Kurdish women and girls uncovered in Iraq
Disturbing reports emerged Sunday regarding the uncovering of a mass grave in Iraq thought to contain the remains of at least 150 Kurdish women and girls. PUK Media described it was possible to determine the general identity of the victims due to their colorful traditional Kurdish clothes; it also said three of the dead women were pregnant.
"The victims were blindfolded and shot and then buried en masse and traces of Kalashnikov bullets were found in the mass grave," Iraqi MP Karwan Yarwais said.
Iraqi First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed shared on X: "Today in Tel Al-Sheikhiya, I stood on sacred ground where a newly discovered mass grave tells the story of unimaginable loss. I honour the victims of the Anfal genocide and pledge to exert every effort to bring closure for their families."
Khamanei claims 'Iran has no proxies,' gets wrecked on X by Community Notes
Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamanei took to X on Sunday to reject the term "proxy" regarding its use of satellite organizations – which it has a significant hand in controlling – in several Arab countries encircling Israel.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran doesn't have proxy forces. If we decide to take action [against the enemy], we don't need proxy forces," read the text on Khamenei's English-language account, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.
Khamanei's text was viewed as a way of deflecting from Iran's losses over the last few months, particularly the severe setback suffered by its strongest proxy, Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Wreckage of downed Israeli chopper in 1974 found in Syria
Soldiers from the Shaldag Unit who were operating in an area that was until recently controlled by Syria located a rotor from an IDF helicopter that crashed on the slopes of Mount Hermon 50 years ago, according to Israel National News.
The part was brought to Israel and the IDF is hoping to locate additional remains of the helicopter which crashed in 1974 killing six IDF soldiers: Pilots Cpt. Golan Levi and Lt. Amit Amir, flight engineers Sgt. Yaakov Berenheim and Ssgt. Yaakov Rol, the doctor Major. Dr. Ahikam Avni, and the medic Ssgt. Meir Rosensruk.
The crash occurred on Saturday, April 27, 1974, before the ceasefire agreement was signed with Syria.
Is Iran eyeing air corridor to resupply Hezbollah?
The fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the prompt withdrawal of both Russian and Iranian personnel and materiel has caused Tehran something of a headache. The fact Turkey – which is governed by the Muslim Brotherhood in the form of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – has largely stepped into the power vacuum and now controls large swaths of the Syrian land mass has further complicated an already messy situation for the Iranians.
To that end, reports have emerged – which Lt. Col. (res.) Sarit Zehavi of the Alma Research and Education Center recently confirmed in an interview with WND – that Iran is now likely seeking at least an air corridor to resupply its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, as well as potentially a sea route, too.
A source, which originally spoke to the Times newspaper, said Western nations are "concerned that Iran has lost [Damascus as] its go-to airport in the region for smuggling weapons and is now trying to turn Beirut airport into its new logistics hub, just as they did in Syria."
Israel would consider this a breach of the terms of the ceasefire agreement between it and Hezbollah, likely leading to its enforcement through the use of kinetic intervention.
Israel to Syrian factions: 'We'll strike without hesitation over arms smuggling'
According to the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, Israel's Energy Minister Eli Cohen, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, said on Sunday that Jerusalem had relayed a deterrent message "to all of the players in Syria, to the militias of this or that kind." The message, he told Channel 14 in Hebrew, on the sidelines of a security cabinet meeting held in northern Israel, was: "We'll strike, without hesitation, at anyone who tries to renew the transfer of weaponry from Iran via Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon."
Jordanian, Qatari FMs meet with Syrian leader in Damascus
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi met with de facto Syrian Leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Julani in Damascus Monday, on the same day Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalifi also met with him, reported the Jerusalem Post.
There has been increasing concern about Jordan's long-term stability, with deep pessimism in Israel and other countries about the possibility of Turkish-backed fighters attempting to undermine the Hashemite kingdom. There could also be a danger of ISIS or ISIS-affiliated fighters trying to enter the country and destabilize it.
Iran, which has sent a huge number of weapons to fighters aligned with its regional goals in Jordan – as well as over the border in Judea and Samaria – is also a malign actor in this particular story. Jordan took in hundreds of thousands of Syrians who were displaced during the civil war, and the north of the country is still home to refugee camps.
Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq agree to stop firing missiles, drones at Israel
Iranian-backed Iraqi militias surprisingly announced a cessation to their attacks on Israel Monday, according to Lebanese Hezbollah-affiliated outlet Al-Akhbar, and reported on Ynet.
"The resistance will stop military operations against Israel as part of its support for Gaza and will not interfere in political changes in Syria," a senior official said. This came as part of a dialogue between the two sides, against the backdrop of regional and international demands to disband the militias and hand over their weapons to the state, according to the news report.
Numerous drones and ballistic missiles have been launched from Iraqi territory, most of which have been intercepted. However, a suicide UAV launched from Iraq struck a northern Israeli army base killed two IDF soldiers and wounded more than 20 others.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Reaction on Monday turned white hot to Joe Biden's decision to deliver clemency to dozens of convicted murderers who now will not be executed but will spend the rest of their lives behind bars, with one senator accusing the Democrat of siding with "depraved criminals."
Fox News reported Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., didn't pull punches.
"Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency," he said on social media. "Democrats can't even defend Biden's outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn't commute the three most politically toxic cases. Democrats are the party of politically convenient justice."
Biden actually granted clemency to 37 convicts service time on federal death row.
The other end of the political spectrum was all in favor of Biden's agenda, with Rep. Ayanna Pressley, a far-left Democrat from Massachusetts, complaining that the convicts all were the victims of racism.
"The president's decision to commute the death sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row is a historic and groundbreaking act of compassion that will save lives, address the deep racial disparities in our criminal legal system, and send a powerful message about redemption, decency, and humanity," she claimed.
"The death penalty is a racist, flawed, and fundamentally unjust punishment that has no place in any society."
Actually, Biden left the death sentences standing for several select mass murderers.
Andy McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor , said the decision made by Biden actually should have been left to Congress.
He told "America's Newsroom" Biden interfered with the constitutional congressional role in issuing punishments for federal cases, and Biden's agenda was an "abuse of the pardon power."
"I think it's interesting, Julie [Banderas], that he didn't give commutations on the death penalty to the three death penalty or death row inmates that were dealt with by the Biden Justice Department and the Obama-Biden Justice Department. So with respect to those family members and the grief and pain they're going through, he couldn't look them in the eye and say 'oh, progressive principles don't allow us to go forward with the death penalty here.' But he wiped the slate clean on everyone else and he did it in a way that is a categorical change of the law. That's for Congress to make, it's an abuse of the pardon power to use it that way."
He explained in a commentary that Congress could choose to change the law and banish the death penalty.
"If, as progressives claim, the nation has evolved beyond the death penalty, there would be an easy way to make that manifest: Congress could enact a law prohibiting the death penalty. But it hasn't because, far from a consensus against capital punishment, the public broadly approves of it. Unable to get the constitutional or legislative change that aligns with his stated policy preference — a preference in the execution of which Biden, as he has been wont to do for a half-century, insults our intelligence — the president has abused the pardon power. He has usurped Congress's power to make the laws, which includes the authority to prescribe punishment for federal criminal offenses."
Among those benefitting from Biden's actions were Thomas Steven Sanders, convicted of kidnapping and murdering a 12-year-old in Louisiana, and Richard Allen Jackson, convicted of kidnapping, rape and murder of a 22-year-old jogger in North Carolina.
Left standing were the death penalties for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, convicted of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 and Robert Bowers, on death row for the Tree of Life synagogue mass shooting in 2018 that left 11 people dead.
Also Dylann Roof, convicted of killing members of a Bible study at an African American church in 2015.
Biden started off his clemency campaign by giving a get-out-of-jail free card to son Hunter, who was convicted on multiple gun felonies and pleaded guilty to tax felonies. He had been facing years in jail.
Then Biden crashed the prison doors with clemency actions for another 1,500 various criminals.
The Daily Caller News Foundation also reported the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) chapter representing officers in Columbus, Ohio, "slammed President Joe Biden's Monday decision to commute the death sentence of a man who murdered a Columbus police officer in 2005."
The convict was Daryl Lawrence, and he was facing a sentence for the killing of Columbus Division of Police Officer Bryan Hurst during an attempted bank robbery.
The FOP called Biden's decision an "inexcusable affront."
"The decision to commute the sentence of Daryl Lawrence is an inexcusable affront to the memory of Officer Bryan Hurst and the law enforcement community as a whole," said spokesman Brian Steele. "Bryan made the ultimate sacrifice, and this decision undermines the justice that was rightfully served for his murder. We owe it to Bryan and to all officers who put their lives on the line every day to continue advocating for justice."
The White House issued a statement claiming Biden has worked during his decades in politics for "ensuring a fair and effective justice system."
"He believes that America must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level, except in cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder – which is why today's actions apply to all but those cases. When President Biden came into office, his administration imposed a moratorium on federal executions, and his actions today will prevent the next administration from carrying out the execution sentences that would not be handed down under current policy and practice."
The statement confirmed Biden is not done yet, either.
"The president will take additional steps to provide meaningful second chances and continue to review additional pardons and commutations."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A school district in Jackson Township, Ohio, is having to pay $450,000 for forcing a teacher to resign over its gender fantasy – that boys can become girls and vice versa.
It was the Jackson Local School District in Ohio that demanded faculty members personally participate in students' "social transitions" by calling them names and pronouns that were not theirs.
"No school official can force a teacher to set her religious beliefs aside to keep her job," explained ADF lawyer Logan Spena. "The school tried to force Vivian (Geraghty) to accept and repeat the school's viewpoint on issues that go to the foundation of morality and human identity, like what makes us male or female, by ordering her to personally participate in the social transition of her students.
"The First Amendment prohibits that abuse of power, and Jackson Local School District officials have learned that comes at a steep cost. Vivian resisted this unconstitutional demand and explained that her Christian faith made her unable to participate in her students' social transition, and she has received just vindication for taking this stand."
School officials had forced Geraghty to resign when she declined to participate in the ideology of transgenderism.
A lawsuit was filed on her behalf two years ago and now a settlement has been reached, involving payment of $450,000 in damages and lawyers' fees.
She had taught English at Jackson Memorial Middle School in Massillon until district officials demanded her resignation because she wanted to refrain from speaking in a way that would violate her religious beliefs, the ADF explained.
"Geraghty's sincerely held religious beliefs and scientific understanding govern her view that a person is male or female based on sex, not personal identity, and participating in a student's social transition violates those beliefs by forcing her to communicate messages she believes are untrue and harmful to the student."
ADF lawyers pointed out they also recently settled a similar case in Virginia for $575,000 for three teachers who now are being granted accommodations as school employees.
Besides the issue of faith, the following science disproves transgenderism as being male or female is embedded in the human body down to the DNA level and does not change.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A newly released report from Congress, all 17,000 pages, confirms that the censorship schemes assembled and implemented by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were "blatantly unconstitutional."
The report on the "Weaponization of the federal government" was released by the select subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, in the committee on the Judiciary in the House.
"Freedom of speech, including free speech on digital platforms, is a fundamental and vital part of democratic societies. The ability of Americans to publish, share, and receive information and opinions online is necessary to an informed citizenry and the functioning of American democracy," the report explains.
But what it found, under the Biden-Harris regime, is that "the executive branch coerced or colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor lawful speech." It's chore was to examine to what extent that happened.
"Through its oversight, the Select Subcommittee revealed the extent of the censorship industrial complex, proving that in 2021 the Biden-Harris White House 'engaged in a covert scheme of censorship' that was 'blatantly unconstitutional' by directly pressuring Facebook, YouTube, and Amazon to censor COVID-related speech, including true information and critics of the Biden-Harris Administration."
In fact, the FBI's interference in the 2020 election long as been known, and recognized as an undue influence on those results, as it told media organizations to suppress accurate information about Biden family scandals detailed in Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop. A survey suggested that maneuver by the government could have cost Donald Trump the election in 2020.
"The Select Subcommittee also showed how multiple federal agencies used non-governmental entities to censor Americans by proxy," and also, it "demonstrated that the threat to Americans' free speech does not end at America's shores but increasingly emanates from foreign governments, including Brazil, the European Union, and Australia."
The report, which includes hundreds of pages of direct testimony on the problem, explained the subcommittee found "how the Biden-Harris White House coerced social media platforms to censor Americans' speech, including true information and speech criticizing the Biden-Harris administration."
The FBI, the report charged, "directed social media platforms to censor Americans engaging in constitutionally protected speech online, including a verified U.S. State Department account and accounts belonging to American journalists."
Other censorship schemes came from the Federal Trade Commission, Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, and more.
"By the end of 2021, Facebook, YouTube, and Amazon changed their content moderation policies in ways that were directly responsive to criticism from the Biden Harris Administration. The report concluded that (1) Big Tech changed their content moderation policies because of pressure from the Biden-Harris White House; (2) the Biden Harris White House's censorship campaign targeted true information, satire, and other content that did not violate the platforms' policies; (3) the Biden-Harris White House's censorship campaign had a chilling effect on other speech; (4) the Biden-Harris White House had leverage over the companies because of other policy concerns involving the Biden-Harris Administration; and (5) the Biden-Harris White House pushed censorship of books, not just social media," the report confirmed.
Among the topics covered in the report is highlights of "censorship by Big Tech that led to Mark Zuckerberg admitting Facebook was pressured by the Biden-Harris White House to censor Americans."
Further, how the now-defunct Global Alliance for Responsible Media impacted censorship schemes and details about the "weaponization of federal law enforcement against the American people."
Further, if found evidence "that the Biden campaign coordinated with 51 former intelligence officials to interfere in the American electoral system weeks before the 2020 presidential election by signing the statement calling Hunter Biden's laptop disinformation."
The report also covers whistleblower retaliation, the politicization of the nation's law enforcement and more.
Pointedly, it notes that the work to correct such misbehaviors is not over.
Among what it did accomplish, the report said, is to stop "the FBI's effort to target Catholic Americans because of their religious views," and it "detailed the Justice Department's directives to target parents at school board meetings."
Also, it halted agents from the Internal Revenue Service "from making unannounced visits to American taxpayers' homes."
It quotes Ronald Reagan, who said, "Freedom is fragile thing. It's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people."
It also found unrefuted evidence of "two-tiered system of government—one of favorable treatment for the politically-favored class, and one of intimidation and unfairness for the rest of American citizens. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the contrast between these two tiers has become even more stark," the report said.
"The Weaponization Committee conducted rigorous oversight of the Biden-Harris administrations weaponized government and uncovered numerous examples of federal government abuses," explained the panel's chairman, Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
"Through our oversight, we protected the First Amendment by investigating the censorship-industrial-complex, heard from numerous brave whistleblowers, stopped the targeting of Americans by the IRS and Department of Justice, and created serious legislative and policy changes that will benefit all Americans."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A new report in the Daily Mail charges that its sources are confirming that Jill Biden is pushing Joe to "burn down" as much of his political party as he can.
He leaves office in about four weeks, after dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and then watching substitute Kamala Harris crash and burn, losing both the popular vote and the Electoral College vote in landslides.
But his "dropping out" of the race essentially was forced, and the report said there's a resentment.
"Tis the season for revenge! For President Joe Biden is spending the remaining weeks of his presidency settling scores," the report said. "…The president and First Lady Jill Biden have been quietly sharpening the metaphorical carving knives, with their sights set firmly on the one-time allies they perceive as having wronged them."
"Jill views Democrats on Capitol Hill, the [wider] party, the Obamas, staff inside and outside the White House, the media, and all of Washington D.C., with such misguided resentment that I can't imagine she [isn't] encouraging [Joe] to burn the whole thing down, despite his better judgment," an insider told the publication.
A specific target, the report said, is 50-year friend Nancy Pelosi, over her leadership of the push to get Biden out of the race.
The report charges she personally called him and demanded he go away.
Biden already has infuriated Democrats by pardoning son Hunter, who was convicted of gun felonies and pleaded guilty to tax felonies and could have been in prison for years.
Joe Biden had promised, over and over he would not do that.
The evidence of the schism includes that Pelosi "was seated far away" during the recent Kennedy Center Honors, when she and her husband had been guests in the presidential box in previous years.
Kamala Harris, at the same event, was in the box, but "keen observers were quick to point out that, as the crowd stood to welcome the president and his wife, neither so much as glanced at Harris…"
The report noted Democratic megadonor, Florida lawyer John Morgan, has speculated that Biden deliberately forced Harris into the party's top slot in the election because Pelosi and Barack Obama were counting on a nominating convention to pick a candidate.
Morgan said he thinks Biden was infuriated at his treatment so he "gave us Harris."
"Pelosi had told her delegation that there would be a convention and a nominating process. And Barack Obama did not endorse [Harris] for five days,' Morgan pointed out, according to the report.
The report said the blame-shifting even has affected holiday events this year, with Democrat members offering White House tours instead of party invites.
"The party for White House staff was at 1 p.m. on a Monday. Everyone went back to work after," the report said.
And the report said at a recent conference, Jill Biden was interpreted as openly mocking Harris.
She said, "We all need to 'feel joy' now. During this time of the season, just during this time."
"Joy" had been a catch phrase for the Harris campaign.
The bottom line, the report said, is that "there are rumors that many Democratic donors are angry at Biden for not stepping down as nominee sooner – and, as a result, may not donate to his post-presidential efforts."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Several federal judges have caused an uproar by going completely political and reversing their already announced "retirements" after President Trump's election victory, meaning he will not now be nominating their replacements.
It was Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who reacted to the latest flip-flop, by James Wynn of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a Barack Obama judge.
He announced he was rescinding his retirement.
The senator explained, "Judge Wynn's brazenly partisan decision to rescind his retirement is an unprecedented move that demonstrates some judges are nothing more than politicians in robes. Judge Wynn takes issue with the fact that @realDonaldTrump was just elected President, and this decision is a slap in the face to the U.S. Senate, which came to a bipartisan agreement to hold off on confirming his replacement until the next Congress is sworn-in in January. The Senate Judiciary Committee should hold a hearing on his blatant attempt to turn the judicial retirement system into a partisan game, and he deserves the ethics complaints and recusal demands from the Department of Justice heading his way."
The Washington Examiner said it's routine for federal judges to time their retirements or ascent to senior status with a change in administration, though it's rare to see judges change their minds about retirement.
WND had reported earlier on the political announcements by two other judges who reversed their plans after Trump's landslide election win.
Their actions prompted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican whose party soon will be the Senate majority, to warn about the active politicization of the judiciary.
He called the announcements by the two judges, one appointed by Bill Clinton and the other by Barack Obama, an indication of "a political finger on the scale." He said the incoming Trump administration, backed by GOP majorities in the Senate and House should "explore all available recusal options with these judges."
Under the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris regime over the last four years, the administrative state in Washington has been weaponized in multiple ways against Trump, Republicans, and conservatives. One report showed that 70% of education enforcement actions against colleges targeted the 10% of institutions that are Christian. Further, the FBI and DOJ openly assembled wild claims against Trump, such as that he improperly had government documents after his first presidency. In contrast, Biden was given a pass for having boxes of such documents in his garage after his vice presidency.
The judges who abruptly changed their retirement plans following Trump's victory, which would mean a Republican president would nominate their replacements, were Judge Algenon Marbley of Ohio and Judge Max Cogburn of North Carolins.
Marbley was appointed by Clinton and Cogburn by Obama.
They both have announced plans to take senior status before the election, then flip-flopped when Trump won.
A report from Fox News explained McConnell, R-Ky., called the pair "partisan Democrat district judges."
He said, American voters "voted to fire Democrats last month."
"Looking at history, only two judges have ever unretired after a presidential election. One Democrat in 2004 and one Republican in 2009. But now, in just a matter of weeks, Democrats have already met that record. It's hard to conclude that this is anything other than open partisanship," McConnell said.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
U.S. senators in Washington, on a bipartisan basis, are calling out the federal Bureau of Prisons for what apparently is discrimination against Christians and Christianity.
A report from CBN News explains they are "pushing for answers on practices happening under the First Step Act."
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said the problem is that prison officials are "not allowing" various faith-based programs "to actually get into the Federal Bureau of Prisons."
They explain it can make a great difference to inmates.
"I think Jesus lives in prison because it seems like so many people meet Him while they're there. I would tell you that the love of God pours out to individuals regardless of their past," Lankford explained.
He said various programs have been tested and proven effective, and can reduce recidivism significantly.
"I talked to a young man that was in a program in a state prison, that had a faith-based experience," the senator explained to CBN. "While he was there [it] has been dramatic for him and the turnaround in his life. He is now a person that's actually leading and is actually mentoring young people."
The senators have written to Colette Peters, the chief of the bureau, citing how the effort to implement beneficial programs "appears stagnant," the report said.
The senators also asked about why, of eight faith-based applications received, the bureau denied five, approved only two, and left the other pending.
"She is the director there, and it is her responsibility to be able to make sure that there's equal opportunity, provided you should not have a situation where people of faith are literally blocked out of something, especially something as important as any recidivism," the senator said.
President Donald Trump signed the First Step Act into law in 2018, calling for the bureau to help those who are incarcerated with various chores like obtaining a valid ID and to address applications for benefits.
It also calls for prisons to work with faith-based groups on partnerships that are designed to reduce the number of second-time offenders.
Lankford said it's six years later and the Bureau of Prisons still hasn't done that work.
"We don't want people that are in prison to end up in prison over and over again. If they can have a life change while they're in prison and they end up reconnecting with their family, get a job, actually get into society, that's better for everybody," the senator told CBN.