Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s first appearance since Election Day
In their first public appearance since Election Day, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Monday. The ceremony in honor of Veterans Day has become an annual tradition, since Veterans Day was first established as a national holiday in 1954. Following the ceremony, Biden gave a short address, praising his administration’s handling of veterans’ affairs over the last four years. Both Biden and Harris seemed cordial with each other at the event, which was Harris’ first public appearance since she lost the race for president against President-elect Donald Trump. “Our entire administration is proud of our work for the past four years together,” Biden said. “We passed more than 30 bipartisan laws to support our veterans and their families, caregivers and survivors. We brought veterans homelessness down for record low. We delivered more benefits to more veterans than any ever before in VA history.” Biden added he is “particularly proud” of passing the PACT Act, which he called the “most significant law in our nation’s history.” The act expanded Veterans Affairs benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits by requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to assume a causal link between burn pits and certain conditions. “The PACT Act has already helped over 1 million veterans and their families get the benefits they deserve,” Biden said. He also announced plans to further expand medical benefits and coverage for veterans to especially include additional cancer diagnoses. “God willing, we will make sure that any rare condition you’ve developed is covered,” Biden said. “We’re committed to getting this rule in place by the end of my term.” In the speech, which will be one of just a few more public addresses for Biden as president, he also defended his withdrawal from Afghanistan, which took the lives of 13 U.S. service members and was labeled a failure by many. “Four presidents faced a decision after we got Bin Laden, whether to end our longest war in history in Afghanistan,” Biden explained. “I was determined not to leave it to the fifth.” Biden emphasized the importance of America continuing to care for its veterans. “Today, standing together to honor those Americans who have dared all, risked all and given all to our nation, I must say clearly, we will never give up.” Republished with permission from The Center Square. The Center Square is a project of the 501(c)(3) Franklin News Foundation, headquartered in Chicago.
Kamala Harris concedes election to Donald Trump, pledges to help him with transition
Vice President Kamala Harris addressed her supporters and the nation at her alma mater Howard University in Washington, D.C. Wednesday afternoon, where she publicly conceded the race to former President Donald Trump. Harris – the 60-year-old former California Attorney General and U.S. senator currently serving as vice president – called for loyalty to the U.S. Constitution and the peaceful transition of power in her speech. She clearly conceded the race and pledged to help former President Donald Trump with the transition. “My heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country and full of resolve,” Harris said to begin her remarks. “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when i say the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.” Harris thanked her family, supporters, her team, President Joe Biden, her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and poll workers. “Over the 107 days of this campaign we have been intentional about building community and building coalitions, bringing people together from every walk of life and background, united by love and country with enthusiasm and joy in our fight for America’s future,” Harris said. “And we did it with the knowledge that we all have so much more in common than what separates us.” Harris’ comments come as voting results continued to pour in showing former President Donald Trump either winning or leading in all seven swing states, putting him over 300 electoral votes and a roughly 5 million vote lead in the popular vote. Now, Harris is expected to certify the election in early January ahead of Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. “We must accept the results of this election,” Harris said in her remarks. “I also told [Trump] that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transition of power. “While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign, the fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people,” Harris continued. Harris reportedly called Trump to concede the race earlier Wednesday afternoon. Harris held off on addressing her supporters or calling Trump into the early morning Wednesday as results poured in and made her path to the White House impossible. Trump gave his own remarks early Wednesday, promising a new “golden age” in America. “Frankly, I believe this was the greatest political movement of all time, and maybe beyond,” Trump said, promising to “help our country heal.” President Biden also reportedly called to congratulate Trump, who outperformed expectations on Tuesday after indictments, assassination attempts and constant media criticism in a historic political comeback. No president has had two nonconsecutive terms since Grover Cleveland, who was elected president for the second time in 1892. In her speech, Harris laid out some of the policy or ideological issues that motivated her campaign, pledging to continue to fight for those ideas. She also spoke an encouraging message to the young people in attendance at her speech. “To everyone who is watching … this is not a time to throw up our hands,” Harris said. “This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.” Republished with permission from The Center Square. The Center Square is a project of the 501(c)(3) Franklin News Foundation, headquartered in Chicago.
Kay Ivey demands answers on migrants flown to states
Kay Ivey has joined a group of twenty-four additional Republican governors who want to know how many illegal foreign nationals have been flown into their states by a Biden-Harris administration plan they argue is burdening their residents and creating an unsafe environment. Those being flown in have arrived through more than a dozen parole programs created by U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The governors only inquired about one: the CHNV parole program, created to fast track previously inadmissible citizens of Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela moving into the country. According to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, 530,000 CHNV parolees were released into the country in the past year, in addition to 813,000 foreign nationals processed into the country from all over the world through a CBP One app. Attorneys general from multiple states sued to stop them, arguing they are illegal. The U.S. House impeached Mayorkas for them and other actions they argue created the border crisis. The 1.3 million inadmissables released into the country are among nearly 14 million illegal border crossers reported since fiscal 2021, the greatest number under any administration in U.S. history. In a letter to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the 25 governors described how the CHNV parole program negatively impacted their communities and expressed bewilderment over no communication provided about their “arrival times, duration of residency, legal status, and location.” The influx and lack of communication “has created considerable confusion and alarm among local officials and the general public. In the absence of direction from DHS, law enforcement and municipal leaders have often been left to rely upon news reports and social media posts to determine size and location of incoming migrant populations in order to assess what impact they may have on already limited government services including local public schools,” they said. “The apparent dumping of migrants into our cities and small towns with no advance notice has not only sowed mistrust and fear among the public, but it has also placed the migrants themselves at potential of physical harm. After being met with understandable skepticism from the communities in which they are now living, migrants have become fearful to interact with the public. This isolation has created a ripe environment for their exploitation and abuse.” The governors requested the information they said to best protect illegal foreign nationals who might be targeted for abuse by cartel operatives or are already victims of human smuggling and trafficking, and to protect their citizens. “Without information about the migrants’ sponsors or the location and employment status of migrants, state and local law enforcement are extremely limited in their abilities to investigate potential exploitation of migrants and the possibility of their victimization from human trafficking,” they said. “As chief executives of our states directly responsible for the safety of our citizens and those who reside within our borders,” they said, they are demanding “a full accounting from the Biden-Harris Administration and DHS.” They requested information about the location of each parolee in their state, the vetting process conducted for each parolee, the name and location for each sponsor granted guardianship of parolees, and the system in place to monitor them. The request came after the DHS Office of Inspector General issued multiple reports detailing the administration’s repeated failure to vet them and inability to monitor them after their release. The OIG also expressed alarm that federal agencies were flying illegal foreign nationals on domestic flights who hadn’t been properly vetted and have no identification. It also came after U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, demanded answers about how many were being flown and housed in airports, raising concerns about terrorist threats. An unknown number of illegal foreign nationals arriving in their states “potentially in need of state and local services” was done “without our consent, any advance notice or resources,” the governors said. “Accordingly, we request your administration furnish our states complete information about the location and status of migrants being directed to our communities.” Those demanding answers, including Kay Ivey were Mike Dunleavy (AK), Sarah Sanders (AR), Ron DeSantis (FL), Brian Kemp (GA), Brad Little (ID), Eric Holcomb (IN), Kim Reynolds (IA), Jeff Landry (LA), Tate Reeves (MS), Mike Parson (MO), Greg Gianforte (MT), Jim Pillen (NE), Joe Lombardo (NV), Chris Sununu (NH), Doug Burgum (ND), Kevin Stitt (OK), Henry McMaster (SC), Kristi Noem (SD), Bill Lee (TN), Greg Abbott (TX), Spencer Cox (UT), Glenn Youngkin (VA), Jim Justice (WV), and Mark Gordon (WY). Republished with permission from The Center Square.
Joe Biden drops reelection bid and endorses Kamala Harris
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), President Joe Biden announced that he is ending his reelection campaign. In a subsequent message on X, he endorsed his vice president and running mate, Kamala Harris, saying, “My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.” The news of his withdrawal follows 25 days of pressure for Biden to drop out of the race after what has been described as a disastrous debate with President Donald Trump. NBC News reported just days ago that 13 congressional Democrats joined the call of 12 before them to publicly ask Biden to step aside and forgo his efforts to seek reelection. pic.twitter.com/RMIRvlSOYw — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024 My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Tommy Tuberville decries Joe Biden’s weaponization of DOJ
Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville joined Senator Eric Schmitt, who led the panel, as well as Senators Mike Lee and Roger Marshall in a roundtable discussion on the weaponization of Joe Biden’s Justice Department against its political opponents. Other participating panelists included Matt Whitaker, former Acting United States Attorney General; Stephen Miller, former Senior Advisor to President Trump and President of America First Legal; and Kevin Roberts, President of The Heritage Foundation. WATCH: I’m leading my Senate Republican colleagues in a Roundtable on the Politicization of our Justice System. https://t.co/Unne9AAbvN — Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 9, 2024 Tuberville spoke to the weaponization of federal agencies, saying “Since taking office, President Biden has used taxpayer dollars and resources to attack conservative parents on school boards, Catholics, and pro-life advocates. It’s very obvious.” He pointed out that “[N]o one has been more impacted by Joe Biden’s weaponization of justice than President Trump. […] [The New York v. Trump] trial was a complete joke and a massive waste of taxpayer dollars. It was a clown show. As if it wasn’t obvious enough that this case was political, a former top Biden DOJ official delivered opening arguments for the prosecution. The fact that the Biden campaign staged a press conference outside the court tells you everything you need to know. Let’s be clear, this case would have never made it to court if Donald Trump wasn’t running for President. If we don’t return to our Constitution, which guarantees every U.S. citizen equal treatment under the law and the right to a fair trial, we are no better than Venezuela or communist China.” You can read more about Tuberville’s work to end the weaponization of the Justice System in a full op-ed recently published by The Daily Signal.
Steve Flowers: Donald Trump will be coronated at the Republican Convention:
The Republican National Convention begins next week in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee was selected as the home to the GOP Convention for a reason. Wisconsin is one of the six major pivotal battleground states in the presidential race. The others are Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, and possibly Pennsylvania. In bygone years, presidential candidates campaigned in 40 or so states because 40 states were in play. Today the candidates will concentrate in these few swing states and will really focus their efforts on certain locales and precincts within these handful of states. Even the media, both right and left, discuss and reveal polling in these swing states and disregard the national horserace polling numbers because they are irrelevant. Under our electoral college system of selecting our president where the winner of each state’s popular vote gets all of those states electoral votes, there is no reason to campaign in 40 states because those back 40 are already predisposed to vote for either the Republican or Democratic candidate. As I have often said, if Mickey Mouse were the Republican nominee he would win Alabama and Kansas. By the same token, if Donald Duck were the Democratic nominee he would carry the states of California and New York, and get all of their boatload of electoral votes. You might say that the “hay is in the barn” in Kansas and the “cannabis in the halo” in California. Donald J. Trump will be coronated by the GOP delegates at the Milwaukee confab July 15-18. Republicans are hoping that by giving deference to Wisconsin, it will help the former President carry the state in November. Trump won the state narrowly against Hillary Clinton in 2016 and lost narrowly to Biden in 2020. Currently, Trump and Biden are knotted at 45/45 in Wisconsin with third party candidate Robert Kennedy getting a substantial 10%. In fact, as the convention begins, current polling has Donald Trump ahead of Joe Biden in most of the battleground states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, Arizona, and even Michigan. Trump is ahead and will be favored to win the General Election for three reasons. First, Joe Biden’s aged demeanor is an Achilles heel that he cannot overcome, and it will only get worse. Pivotal Independents are not comfortable that he is capable of being Commander in Chief, and young Democratic voters are not enthused to vote for someone for President of the United States that looks like their great grandfather who is running for president of his nursing home. Secondly, the candidacy of third-party candidate Robert Kennedy is siphoning off these young Democratic voters. The third and primary reason is that the Democratic plan and ploy to indict former President Trump on trumped up ridiculous court cases in primarily Democratic venues around the country, has incensed American Republican and Independent voters to such a degree that this mockery of the court system has made Trump a martyr. It has definitely made the Trump Republican base mad and fired up. The Democrats overplayed their hand with this court charade. This circus abuse of the judiciary for political purposes has truly angered the Republican base. It has assured Trump the GOP nomination and it has even made the pivotal Independent voters sway towards Trump. Alabama is a Trump state. The Alabama delegation will fervently cast 50 delegate votes for Donald J. Trump next week. Senator “Coach” Tommy Tuberville will be the one who gets to reply to the Chair of the Convention when they call the roll for the vote. Alabama will be the first to vote as they call the roll alphabetically. Senator Tuberville will rise and shout that the great state of Alabama proudly casts all of its 50 delegate votes to the next President of the United States, President Donald J. Trump. It is appropriate that Tuberville is Chairman of the Alabama delegation. He and Trump are close. Indeed, if Trump becomes President, our Senior Senator Tuberville will be the President’s closest ally in the Senate. They talk consistently, and golf together regularly. Our 50-member delegation is star-studded. Our Senior State Senate Legend, Senator Jabo Waggoner, will be a delegate to the National Convention for the ninth time. Jabo is 87. He will be joined by the youngest delegate ever elected, 22-year-old St. Clair native and lifelong resident of Chandler Mountain, young Logan Glass. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at steve@steveflowers.us. The Republican National Convention begins next week in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee was selected as the home to the GOP Convention for a reason. Wisconsin is one of the six major pivotal battleground states in the presidential race. The others are Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, and possibly Pennsylvania. In bygone years, presidential candidates campaigned in 40 or so states because 40 states were in play. Today the candidates will concentrate in these few swing states and will really focus their efforts on certain locales and precincts within these handful of states. Even the media, both right and left, discuss and reveal polling in these swing states and disregard the national horserace polling numbers because they are irrelevant. Under our electoral college system of selecting our president where the winner of each state’s popular vote gets all of those states electoral votes, there is no reason to campaign in 40 states because those back 40 are already predisposed to vote for either the Republican or Democratic candidate. As I have often said, if Mickey Mouse were the Republican nominee he would win Alabama and Kansas. By the same token, if Donald Duck were the Democratic nominee he would carry the states of California and New York, and get all of their boatload of electoral votes. You might say that the “hay is in the barn” in Kansas and the “cannabis in the halo” in California. Donald J. Trump will be coronated by the GOP delegates
Steve Marshall joins 25 other Attorney Generals to fight Joe Biden’s proposed gun rule
Twenty-six states sued the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Wednesday, arguing a new federal rule it’s implementing targets lawful gun owners and is unconstitutional and illegal. Texas and Kansas led two multi-state coalitions with Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joining the Kansas coalition; Florida filed its own lawsuit. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced their multi-state coalitions at a joint press conference in Frisco, Texas, on Wednesday. The announcement was the first time Paxton has held a press conference about official state business since he was impeached last year. Paxton was the first Texas attorney general to be impeached in state history after 60 Texas House Republicans joined nearly all Democrats to vote to impeach him on 20 counts. He was acquitted by the Senate last September. The states sued the ATF and the Department of Justice and their effective heads over a new ATF rule the Biden administration finalized on April 19. The administration argues the rule is implementing aspects of the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act spearheaded by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. President Joe Biden has called for Congress to enact so-called “universal background check” legislation, which would require every private firearms transaction to be regulated by the federal government. Congress, under Democratic and Republican leadership, has repeatedly declined to do so. For decades, federal law has distinguished between firearms dealers, who are required to have a federal license to sell firearms, and private individuals who are not required to have a license to purchase and sell firearms privately. Claiming the new law as the basis for the rule, the ATF measure would require thousands of law-abiding citizens to register as dealers to buy, sell or trade firearms with friends and neighbors. The Republican attorneys general argue the rule is unconstitutional and burdens citizens with unnecessary costs. The Texas coalition includes Louisiana, Missouri, and Utah. Their lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas Amarillo Division. The Kansas coalition includes Arkansas, Iowa, Montana, Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Their lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas Delta Division. Both lawsuits have gun owners included as plaintiffs. The Kansas coalition included newly re-elected NRA board member Judge Phil Journey. “Yet again, Joe Biden is weaponizing the federal bureaucracy to rip up the Constitution and destroy our citizens’ Second Amendment rights,” Paxton said. “This is a dramatic escalation of his tyrannical abuse of authority. With today’s lawsuit, it is my great honor to defend our Constitutionally-protected freedoms from the out-of-control federal government.” Kobach said, “Biden’s latest attempt to strip away the Second Amendment rights of Americans through ATF regulations will make many law-abiding gun owners felons if they sell a firearm or two to family or friends. This rule is blatantly unconstitutional. We are suing to defend the Second Amendment rights of all Americans.” In a separate statement, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said the rule was President Biden’s “latest step in trying to take guns away from law-abiding Americans. We are fighting back against this federal overreach that would force thousands of law-abiding gun owners to register as federal firearms dealers and navigate a federal bureaucracy. It’s unlawful and reflects a lack of respect for our Second Amendment rights. We won’t stand for it.” Florida sued in U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida Tampa Division. Its 16-page brief states the rule “goes far beyond the plain text of the BSCA. It purports to force thousands of law-abiding gun owners to register as federal firearms dealers and navigate a federal bureaucracy as a precondition to engaging in constitutionally protected activity. The challenged rule is unlawful…ATF does not have authority to promulgate it because ATF’s rulemaking authority is carefully circumscribed. But even if it did, the challenged rule unlawfully attempts to depart from the plain meaning of the BSCA to achieve President Biden’s policy goals.” All three lawsuits named the ATF, the Department of Justice, and their respective heads as defendants. They ask the courts to rule that the ATF rule is unlawful and to permanently enjoin the ATF from implementing it. This article was published with permission from The Center Square.
Gary Palmer and Robert Aderholt vote in favor of impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden
On Wednesday, the Alabama House of Representatives voted to formally begin an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden (D). U.S. Representatives Gary Palmer (R-AL06) and Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) released statements following their votes to open the impeachment inquiry. “Today’s vote by House Republicans is a step toward government transparency and accountability, specifically with the office of the President,” said Rep. Gary Palmer. “During the entirety of Congress’ investigation into the Biden family, the White House has been obstructing our ability to get the information we need. The American people should wonder why that is the case. Unlike the impeachment of President Trump which was based on false charges and was a political hack job, we have built a case based on solid evidence. Approving an impeachment inquiry is the next step in this process which will provide access to additional documents and other evidence I believe will provide proof President Biden was involved in what can only be described a family criminal cartel.” “Today, I voted to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden,” Rep. Robert Aderholt said. “This resolution is a critically important step to ensure compliance with the law and full transparency of the process. To date, the Biden Administration has impeded the House’s investigation; therefore, the House has voted to reaffirm that the inquiry is authorized and can proceed to its conclusion.” “President Biden has continually lied about his involvement in this growing family enrichment scheme, and, with a formal impeachment inquiry, the House can now lay out the evidence for everyone to see. It is time the President and his family are held accountable,” Palmer concluded. Most of the alleged illicit activities were committed by the President’s son, Hunter Biden, but what Biden knew about his son’s dealings with agents of foreign governments and did he benefit from those activities has been a point of emphasis for the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees who have been conducting the investigations. “While a father should not be punished for the crimes of his son, it appears this President has possibly committed multiple impeachable offenses,” Aderholt continued. “At the top of that list is serving as a possible accomplice (the “Big Guy”) to the business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden.” Hunter Biden refused to testify before Congress on Wednesday but did go to the Capitol complex to hold a press conference in which he attacked the members of Congress conducting the investigation. “Just today, Hunter Biden refused to obey a Congressional subpoena,” Aderholt explained. “No one – not even the President’s family – gets to dictate how and which laws apply to them. Hunter Biden is going to learn that while it may be lucrative to trade off of his father’s name, it does not get him special treatment from the law.” “I’m confident that my colleagues on the appropriate committees will get to the bottom of all of this and Congress will hold the Bidens accountable,” Aderholt concluded. The House voted 221 to 212 along party lines to formally authorize the impeachment probe into President Biden. Hunter Biden is the subject of congressional and legal scrutiny regarding his overseas business dealings and alleged tax evasion. Hunter said that he was willing to testify publicly. House leaders said that they would not be dictated to by Hunter Biden and that they would initiate contempt proceedings against him. Democrats say that Republicans lack any evidence of wrongdoing by Biden. Critics suggest that this potential impeachment is in retaliation for the Democrats’ twice impeaching Donald Trump during his presidency. Palmer disagrees. “Unlike the political persecution of President Trump, this impeachment investigation will be based on facts,” Palmer said on X. “The American people deserve to know the truth- And the truth is long overdue.” Even if the House did eventually vote to impeach President Biden there is little chance that the Democratic-controlled Senate would act on a Biden impeachment. In the history of the United States no President has ever been convicted – much less removed by the U.S. Senate. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Barry Moore says he will vote to open an inquiry into impeaching Joe Biden
On Tuesday, Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) announced that he intends to vote in favor of a controversial proposal to formally open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden (D). Moore claims that since Biden served as Vice President, foreign governments and entities working on behalf of foreign governments have paid as much as $24 million to members of the Biden family to curry favor and influence. “The media will tell you there’s no evidence for impeachment, but they won’t tell you the Bidens were paid $24 million by China, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Romania through 20 shell companies,” Rep. Moore wrote on the social media platform X. “I will be voting for an impeachment inquiry so we can uncover the truth.” After weeks of back and forth and a threat to hold him in contempt of Congress, Hunter Biden briefly appeared in the Capitol complex on Wednesday, making a public statement outside the building instead of showing up for his scheduled deposition following a subpoena from House Republicans. Much of that foreign money went to Hunter Biden, the President’s son. Hunter was at the Capitol on Wednesday to hold a press conference criticizing the investigation from House Republicans. Hunter criticized the impeachment inquiry into his father. Hunter Biden, already under a Department of Justice indictment, defied the congressional subpoena the committee sent for his appearance. He could potentially be held in contempt of Congress. “For six years, I’ve been the target of the unrelenting Trump attack machine shouting. ‘Where’s Hunter?’” Hunter Biden said in a statement to reporters. “Well, here’s my answer. I am here.” “Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business — Not as a practicing lawyer. Not as a board member of Burisma, not in my partnership with a Chinese private businessman, not my investment at all nor abroad, and certainly not as an artist,” Hunter said. “There’s no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen.” “We’re going to move forward with contempt proceedings… there’s a process we have to follow, but we plan to do that,” said House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Kentucky) said, “Chairman Jordan and I have been very clear when we issued a lawful subpoena to the President’s son, that we expect him to come in and be deposed. This is a normal process and investigation.” Rep. Moore responded to Hunter Biden’s defiance on X. “Hunter Biden expects the same special treatment he received from the DOJ, IRS, and FBI,” said Moore. “No more sweetheart deals. He refused to answer our questions, so we’re going to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings.” Moore is seeking a third term in the March 5 Republican primary. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville introduces amendment to secure the border and stop the flow of fentanyl
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) introduced the Border Safety and Security Act as an amendment to the SUPPORT Act. Tuberville said that it is impossible to address the drug overdose problem in the United States without addressing border security. Tuberville claimed that this legislation is needed to address the opioid crisis until the southern border is secure. HELP Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) opposed the amendment, effectively blocking it from consideration. “I’d like to take this opportunity to discuss an issue that I believe is directly related to everything we’ve talked about in here,” said Sen. Tuberville in the hearing. “I believe it’s impossible to discuss our nation’s opioid epidemic without discussing the crisis at the southern border. You know, back in March, I introduced the Border Safety and Security Act. This legislation requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to suspend the entry of illegal immigrants into the United States until we have control of our border again – because we’ve lost it. 6.5 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended by the [Customs & Border Protection] since January 2021. In fiscal year 2023 alone, CBP seized 1,000 pounds of fentanyl at the border. Imagine how much fentanyl made it into the U.S. without being caught by law enforcement. Imagine how many lives we’ve lost – over 100,000 a year in this country – eight to ten in my state a day in Alabama, not counting the cost of health care. Mental illness – I keep hearing about people training new mental health professionals – and that’s great. If we don’t stop this drug coming across the border, we’re not gonna fix anything. We’re wasting our time.” “I’m offering this bill as an amendment to the SUPPORT Act today because I think we must take a good hard look at this,” Tuberville continued. “We’ve got to do it. Find[ing] ways to address substance abuse disorders is worthwhile and should be seriously considered by this committee. But unless we do something to address the supply, addiction will only continue and get worse. We will never get out of this epidemic without it. So, every day we leave it open, it’s becoming the biggest disaster of our lifetime. And we’re in here talking about mental health people working. It is a disaster. I’ve taught for 40 years, and I’ve never seen the influx of what’s happening. Not just in our communities but in our schools. We wonder why we have problems. It’s an absolute disgrace. Therefore, I’d like to offer and withdraw this amendment, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.” Tuberville originally introduced the Border and Security Act in March 2023 as part of his continued push to tighten border security and address the humanitarian crisis created by President Joe Biden’s immigration policies. Tuberville’s legislation puts more responsibility on the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and gives increased authority to state attorneys general in holding DHS accountable if the department fails in its duty to restrict entry and detain illegal immigrants. 2.76 million illegal immigrants crossed the southern border in fiscal year 2022 alone – that is equal to 55.1% of the population of the state of Alabama. That was followed by a record-breaking 3.2 million in fiscal year 2023 – equivalent to 64.5% of the population of the state of Alabama. The open border is also contributing to the deadly fentanyl epidemic, which kills 107,000 Americans a year. 69.5% of the deaths are males. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for adults aged 18-45. If enacted, the Border Safety and Security Act would: · Authorize the DHS Secretary to suspend the entry of illegal immigrants at the U.S. border should the secretary determine it is necessary to do so to regain operational control of the border. · Require the secretary to suspend the entry of illegal immigrants during any period of time in which DHS cannot detain such individuals or place them in Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or a similar program. · Authorize state attorneys general to bring legal action against the DHS should the secretary fail to suspend entry without detention or use of MPP, continuing to place strain on communities, so as to obtain injunctive relief. Original cosponsors in the Senate include U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Alabama), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and Mike Lee (R-Utah). The legislation is supported by the America First Policy Institute, NumbersUSA, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Sen. Tuberville said he supports common-sense policies that strengthen our border and national security, like building the wall and reinstating the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy. Tuberville has spoken about his concerns on the floor of the U.S. Senate and called on the Biden administration to act. In September 2023, Senator Tuberville helped introduce the Secure the Border Act of 2023, the Senate companion passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year, commonly known as H.R. 2. It was blocked in the Senate. Tuberville has served in the Senate for three years. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Jerry Carl wants to make America energy-independent
Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) said, “Environmental groups are really, really working with the President to get things shut down.” Carl commented during an interview with Champions of Rural America on the RFD-TV network. Carl warned that our energy industry will feel the impact of President Joe Biden’s (D) energy policies for ten years. “So what we are seeing in production in America, it’s slowing up,” Carl said. “We are just beginning to see it. It is far from over. It will be ten years before we feel the full impact of it.” President Biden’s anti-American energy policies are a direct opposite approach from President Donald Trump’s (R) pro-energy policies. “That’s really the dangerous part about government,” Rep. Carl said. “We can’t take an industry, and every time we change a president, either encourage it to run or encourage it to shut down.” Carl said that higher fuel prices hit American farmers particularly hard. “And fuel prices – people think, well, it didn’t go up but 50 cents a gallon, but to a farmer running multiple tractors, that is a huge amount of money that is being burned up.” Carl blamed the Biden administration. “It goes back to this administration,” Carl said. “They do not want new production of anything carbon-related. Until we can change the environment attitude of government as a whole and how we deal with energy, we’re in trouble.” Carl said the result, in addition to the higher fuel prices, is that the U.S. is importing more oil from Venezuela. “This Venezuelan oil that’s being brought in. It’s not our own oil,” Carl said. “It is actually Venezuelan. So when you fill your car up, think about the communist country that we are supporting. That is unfair to we, the Americans. I want to be energy-independent. This country wants to be energy independent. The environmental groups they wouldn’t have a problem with importing Venezuelan oil. The nastiest oil known to man. It is just horrible. We have got the cleanest that can be produced. It is produced right there in the Gulf and several places within the continental United States.” “The environmental groups are really, really working with the President to get things shut down,” Carl warned. Carl says the oil industry does more for the community than just providing jobs and energy. “The oil industry as a whole does so much for just the community,” Carl said. “They have a self-imposed tax that is called GOMESA. That is a tax dollar we get in Mobile, for example. In 2020, we got $26 million from that tax that’s imposed on them. We use that $26 million in the Gulf Coast region for environmental projects. We did a huge restoration of grass fields. It is all earmarked for environmental projects.” Carl has represented Alabama’s First Congressional District since 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt claims ‘Senate Democrats and Joe Biden are the putting American people last’ with border policies
Last week, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined a group of Republican colleagues to reiterate the need for strong policy changes at the U.S. southern border. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) organized the press conference. “Senator Graham, thank you for hosting this, thank you for continuing to bring attention to this,” Sen. Britt said, “And thank you for all of the gentlemen behind me who continue to work diligently to actually secure our border. That’s what the American people deserve, but unfortunately, Joe Biden refuses to give that to them. You know, when we look at this emergency supplemental, when we look at this national security supplemental, when we look at what Joe Biden sent us, he put money for the border in there. But do you know what that was? It was stuff that continues to facilitate the mass migration that we see across our border. It was yet more of a magnet to draw more and more people here.” Britt accused the mainstream media of not covering the story about human rights abuses taking place on the border. “We have both a national security and a humanitarian crisis on our border,” Sen. Britt continued. “The liberal media has decided to turn a blind eye to the fact that women are being raped on our border. That children are being recycled on our border. That we have laws that allow that to happen, and actually, that’s what some of these children are going through.” Britt said that Senate Democrats are doing nothing to address Biden’s border crisis. “Guys, when are you going to actually call it like it is and not like the liberal left wants you to? The reality is these policies are inhumane,” Britt asked. “You look at the national security threat of this. Y’all, we’ve gone through a week where we’ve had 10,000 come over the border, 10,000 come over the border, 12,000 – an all-time high – and to what Senator Thune said, Secretary Jeh Johnson under President Obama said 1,000 a day would be a crisis. We’re hitting 12 (12,000).” Britt urged Congress to address this situation finally. “We must secure our border for the safety and security of the American people,” Britt said. “I don’t want to sit across from another momma who lost their child to fentanyl poisoning. I don’t want to look out and see the travesty that occurs as a result of this. And at the end of the day, when we’re putting policies in place to ensure that we have national security, the first among all of these must be the border.” Conditions have worsened at the border, and now criminals and terrorists can slip in, disguised in the flood of people crossing the border. Britt continued, “Senator Graham asked the questions yesterday. He asked Director (Chris) Wray about this. This is the response. He said, ‘I’ve never seen a time where all the threats or so many of the threats are all elevated all at exactly the same time.’ He followed up with, ‘I see blinking lights everywhere I turn.’ He said a heightened threat environment from foreign terrorist organizations for a whole host of reasons and obviously their ability to exploit any port of entry, including our southwest border.” “Senate Democrats and Joe Biden are putting the American people last,” Britt concluded. “We need to make sure we create deterrents. We need to make sure we create safety, and we must do more for the people here at home. They deserve it, and that is exactly what we are going to continue to fight for.” The press conference was led by Senator Graham and included Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Thune (R-North Dakota), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina). Katie Britt has made the southern border a point of emphasis since she joined the Senate eleven months ago. Since President Biden took office, there have been more than 8 million illegal crossings at the southern border, including more than 1.7 million known “gotaways.” Known border crossings totaled more than 242,000 last month, another record-setting high for November. Britt is the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee for the Senate Committee on Appropriations. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
