Mexican senate passes proposal to abolish autonomous bodies – bluewaterhealthyliving.com Source Link Excerpt:
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico’s Senate on Thursday passed a measure to abolish the autonomous bodies that regulate some economic sectors and ensure government transparency, a reform that has sparked outcry from the opposition and industry.
Lawmakers in the upper chamber voted on the proposal’s general terms with 86 in favor and 42 against, with nearly the same tally coming in for the bill’s particular terms.
It had passed in the lower house last week.
The reform proposes scrapping autonomous agencies such as antitrust watchdog Cofece, telecoms regulator IFT, energy regulator CRE, hydrocarbon regulator CNH and public information and data protection office INAI.
Their functions would be taken over by other government bodies such as the official statistics office, the electoral authority and government ministries.
The head of the Senate constitutional committee, Oscar Canton of the ruling Morena party, said that the proposal represents the administration’s commitment to an austere, efficient government focused on the needs of its people.
Republican senators offer early support for Trump’s FBI pick Kash Patel – Reuters Source Link Excerpt:
Several Republican U.S. senators said on Sunday they would back President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Kash Patel to head the FBI, an early show of support for a loyalist who has called for the bureau to be purged of those who oppose Trump’s agenda.
Patel, nominated by Trump on Saturday, also has advocated for a campaign of retribution against Trump’s perceived enemies.
Patel, 44, could face a challenging confirmation process with the U.S. Senate. During Trump’s first term, Patel, who advised both the director of national intelligence and the defense secretary, drew animosity from some more experienced national security officials, who saw him as volatile and too eager to please the then-president.
While some Democrats on Sunday voiced concerns that the law enforcement agency would become politicized and a tool for Trump to pursue adversaries under Patel, several senior Republican senators praised Trump’s pick.
Assisted Dying Bill passes Commons hurdle as MPs listen to historic result in solemn silence – gbnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
The assisted dying Bill has passed its second reading in the House of Commons today following a five hour debate in the Chamber.
MPs voted 330 to 275 in favour of the bill which was originally introduced as a Private Members’ Bill by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater.
Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak voted to pass the legislation, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch voted against the Bill.
The legislation will continue to be scrutinised by lawmakers in the House of Lords.
Republicans Sue to Stop Vote-Counting in States Weeks After Election Day– slaynews.com Source Link Excerpt:
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is suing several states over the late counting of mail-in ballots that is still ongoing weeks after Election Day.
The lawsuit includes California, which has not certified all its races nearly four weeks after the election, Fox News reported.
The Golden State is counting its ballots at a snail’s pace in part because of the choice of many citizens to vote by mail.
The state said these ballots must be verified individually, explaining the long delay.
However, RNC Chairman Michael Whatley believes this is “absurd” as pivotal races remain uncalled.
Illegal Immigrants With Terror Ties Pouring Across Northern Border – RedState– redstate.com Source Link Excerpt:
The United States/Canada border is remarkable in many ways. Over 5,000 miles long, it’s the longest land border in the world. For over 200 years, it’s not only been the longest land international border but the most peaceful one, essentially demilitarized, with no serious territorial disputes since the War of 1812. But it’s also a difficult border to secure, with not only length but remoteness making things complicated — and factor into the situation that the bulk of American border security efforts are directed south. But that leads to a possible security risk.
Is it possible that bad actors, including possible terrorists, are trying to get into the United States before Donald Trump takes office? There is some evidence that this is the case; reports indicate a spike in illegal border crossings on our northern border.
Federal agents are arresting a record number of individuals on the terrorist watchlist at the northern U.S. border, including a Jordanian national with ties to terrorism who recently was removed from the country after illegally entering from Canada.
Border Patrol agents in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Blaine Sector apprehended Jordanian national Mohammad Hasan Abdellatif Albana, 41, near Lynden, Washington, a few miles from the Canadian border.
EU recalls envoy from Niger after junta accuses it of mismanaging aid – Reuters Source Link Excerpt:
The European Union will recall its ambassador from Niger after the country’s ruling military questioned an EU delegation’s management of humanitarian aid meant for flood victims, the European External Action Service (EEAS) said on Saturday.
Niger’s junta issued a statement on Friday accusing the EU ambassador in the West African country of dividing a 1.3 million euro fund to assist flood victims between several international NGOs in an non-transparent manner, and without collaborating with the authorities.
FCC approves SpaceX direct to cell services over Starlink – DatacenterDynamics Source Link Excerpt:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week approved SpaceX to provide satellite coverage direct to mobile devices through its Starlink service.
It will allow SpaceX to push forward with its partnership with T-Mobile to deploy mobile signal connectivity from space to cover dead spots.
The license is the first between a satellite operator and a mobile carrier to be approved by the regulator to provide cell coverage from space.
“The Commission recognized that satellite-to-device connectivity can support critical public interest benefits, including ubiquitous connectivity, access to 911 service from remote areas, technological advancement, and innovative spectrum use,” said the FCC in its filing.
Argentina seeks its first wheat shipments to China in decades – batimes.com Source Link Excerpt:
Argentina wheat traders are seeking to close their first significant sales to China since the 1990s, according to the head of the country’s top crop-exporting group.
China is making overtures for wheat purchases after it authorised Argentine shipments earlier this year, said Gustavo Idigoras, president of CIARA-CEC, whose members include the major agricultural trading houses. China also recently authorised purchases of Argentine corn, though no cargoes have yet sailed.
Romania’s leftists set to top polls in parliamentary election, but far-right populists see big gains Source Link Excerpt:
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s Social Democratic Party looked set to win the most votes in Sunday’s parliamentary election, incomplete data showed, while far-right populists were on track to make significant gains in the country’s legislature. The voting suggested widespread anti-establishment sentiment in the European Union and NATO member country.
With about 85% of the votes counted, incomplete electoral data showed the leftist PSD leading the polls with about 23.9%, while the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, was in second place with about 17.8%. The center-right National Liberal Party, or PNL, stood at about 14.5% and the reformist Save Romania Union party, the USR, was at 10.9%.
The legislative vote came a week after the first round of a presidential race that saw a controversial far-right populist who was polling in single digits win the most votes, which has since plunged the country into political turmoil. Calin Georgescu, 62, is due to face reformist Elena Lasconi of the USR in a Dec. 8 runoff.
AI will run out of data within a decade– cosmosmagazine.com Source Link Excerpt:
A leading UNSW computer scientist says a touted solution to a big problem for generative AI is better suited for other forms of artificial intelligence.
UNSW Computer Science Professor Claude Sammut says AI chatbots, like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, are running out of data to “eat.”
Generative AI models have swallowed up most of the data they’re legally allowed to process that is of high-enough quality to improve their function.
Physicists’ Breakthrough In Fine-Tuning Electron Behavior In Quantum Materials Could Fast-Track Next Generation Of Tech – Eurasia Review Source Link Excerpt:
Physicists at Loughborough University have made an exciting breakthrough in understanding how to fine-tune the behaviour of electrons in quantum materials poised to drive the next generation of advanced technologies.
Quantum materials, like bilayer graphene and strontium ruthenates, exhibit remarkable properties such as superconductivity and magnetism, which could revolutionise areas like computing and energy storage.
The UK is engaging in digital revolt at the moment with a viral petition becoming the tip of that resistance spear. The petition asks the viewer to sign a request for the British government to hold a general election.
The petition states, “I would like there to be another General Election. I believe the current Labour Government have gone back on the promises they laid out in the lead up to the last election.” As of right now, the petition has over 2.3 million signatures.
The state of Oregon is pushing for a change in their rules, a regulation change, that will force healthcare companies to pay for giving children puberty blockers and/or mutilating their genitalia and/or removing their breasts because the “World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)” declared that destroying children is “medically necessary.”
Oregon is a “Transgender Sanctuary State,” meaning it is compelled to force trans preferences on everyone else in their state, using violence in the form of the state gun to do so. It should be noted that “transgenderism” is a social construct, not a scientific “fact,” a construct that violates the religious and ethical standards of many of the peoples under Oregon’s oppressive thumb.
Oregon to Force Health Insurers to Cover Trans Surgeries for Minors › American Greatness– amgreatness.com Source Link Excerpt:
The state of Oregon is proposing a rule that will force all health insurers in the state, public and private alike, to cover genital mutilation surgery for minors who believe they are “transgender,” threatening the loss of state licenses for insurers who refuse.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the proposal from Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) follows the guidelines set by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), which declares that the removal of children’s genitals are “medically necessary.” Following a law passed in 2023 making Oregon a so-called “trans sanctuary state,” the state has largely followed the orders of WPATH and other medically dubious organizations that support the false and scientifically-debunked idea of “transgenderism.”
Oregon has already forced insurers to guarantee that children can receive puberty blockers and other forms of hormone treatment. The escalation to full genital surgery, set to take effect next year, would be the most radical move yet. DCBS spokesman Mark Peterson said that this rule will dictate “what insurance companies are required to cover and how they provide that coverage.”
The new rule will also force insurers to contract with multiple “gender doctors” in order to prevent long wait times. Any health plan employees who are responsible for denying such claims have to take WPATH’s training sessions in order to “demonstrate their experience with gender-affirming treatment.”
The rule was unveiled on October 30th, with public comment closing on Tuesday. It will formally take effect on January 1st.
Oregon is following WPATH’s orders even despite the organization coming under greater scrutiny. A report from the Economist detailed how WPATH manipulated its own research to produce the outcome it desired based on ideology rather than hard science. The group also suppressed a commissioned research report regarding transitioning minors due to the report’s failure to show benefits that were initially promised. Even the Biden-Harris Administration has cracked down on the group, forcing it to raise the minimum age for recommended “transgender care.”
Babies murdered in Planned Parenthood Clinics whose bodies manage to survive the slaughter intact are being sold to a University that is conducting “experiments” on the murdered child’s body. The report came from The Center for Medical Progress (CMP).
They learned of this program through emails obtained through a FOIA request that reveals a “Research Plan” to find and harvest the babies needed for these experiments. The plan was formally approved in 2018 by the University of California San Diego, who would purchase the dead children from Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood Sold ‘Viable’ Fetuses For Experiments– thefederalist.com Source Link Excerpt:
Planned Parenthood has been providing “viable nonanomalous” babies killed in “elective abortions” to the University of California San Diego (UCSD) for experimentation, according to a new report.
Published by The Center for Medical Progress (CMP), the emails detail a “Research Plan” that documents the harvesting of babies for experimentation on their bodies. The plan was submitted to and approved by UCSD’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) in 2018. The heavily redacted communications were obtained by the group via open records request.
According to the records reported by CMP, researchers unveiled plans in their submission to “collect tissues from fetuses ranging from 4 to 23 weeks gestational age from subjects undergoing elective surgical pregnancy termination at Planned Parenthood in San Diego.” The researchers further noted that patients with “viable nonanomalous … fetuses” would partake in the analysis.
Planned Parenthood will gather “evidence of fetal heart activity by ultrasound immediately prior to the dilation and evacuation procedure,” the submitted plan reads. The abortion provider aimed to harvest babies from “up to 2,500 patients,” according to the plan.
As noted by CMP, the “majority of healthy infants born at 23 weeks can survive with modern medical care.”
Israel’s ambassador to D.C. told Israeli Army Radio that a ceasefire was being negotiated with Hezbollah and there were “points to finalize.” He added, “we are close to a deal… it can happen within days.”
Middle East latest: Israeli ambassador to US says Hezbollah cease-fire deal could come ‘within days’– abcnews.go.com Source Link Excerpt:
The Israeli ambassador to Washington says that a ceasefire deal to end fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah could be reached “within days.”
Ambassador Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio on Monday that there remained “points to finalize” and that any deal required agreement from the government. But he said “we are close to a deal” and that “it can happen within days.”
Among the issues that remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon.
Israel accuses Hezbollah of not adhering to a U.N. resolution that ended the 2006 war between the sides that made similar provisions, and Israel has concerns that Hezbollah could stage a Hamas-style cross-border attack from southern Lebanon if it maintains a heavy presence there. Lebanon says Israel also violated the 2006 resolution. Lebanon complains about military jets and naval ships entering Lebanese territory even when there is no active conflict.
It is not clear whether Lebanon would agree to the demand.
The optimism surrounding a deal comes after a top U.S. envoy held talks between the sides last week in a bid to clinch a deal.
Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas’ raid on southern Israel, setting off more than a year of fighting. That escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and later an Israeli ground incursion into the country’s south.
Spain’s Institute of Phototonic Sciences has created an ultra-thin nanocrystal solar cell made with a cheap, environmentally material that is more efficient and lasts longer than anything available today.
Scientists achieve record-breaking efficiency with smooth and improved solar tech — here’s how it could change the energy industry – MSN Source Link Excerpt:
Researchers have developed ultra-thin nanocrystal solar cells with record efficiency while utilizing eco-friendly materials and new processes, advancing possibilities for the green tech sector.
By using a post-deposition in situ passivation strategy, the team at Spain’s Institute of Photonic Sciences has been able to smooth the way toward increased solar energy collection, as Interesting Engineering reported.
“Imagine a bumpy road that slows down cars. Surface passivation is like repaving the road, making it smoother so cars can move without getting stuck,” said Dr. Jae Taek Oh, first author of the study.
It’s all about removing surface defects that inhibit power conversion efficiency in order to facilitate the transport of electrical charge carriers across the ultra-thin solar film.
The nanocrystal ink is made from abundant and environmentally friendly colloidal silver bismuth sulfide, as IE explained. This has a high light absorption coefficient — making it ideal for optoelectronic applications — and can be fully dissolved in water.
“We show that, upon improved colloidal dispersibility and surface passivation, [these nanocrystals] yield thin films free from morphological defects with low trap-state density and balanced charge carrier mobilities,” per the original study.
“As a result, this process leads to ultrathin-film solar cells with a fill-factor of 72% and a power conversion efficiency in excess of 10%, setting a new record for eco-friendly, solution-processed ultrathin solar cells.”
More efficient solar cells of this type could help this renewable source become even more ubiquitous across the globe. Their slim size and flexibility make them ideal for a variety of applications where larger, more rigid solar panels wouldn’t work.
Renewable energy sources generate around 20% of all U.S. electricity, and they’re slowly helping us phase out dirty fuels that spew planet-heating gases into the atmosphere.
Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) has sent a letter to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), saying “While your agencies have largely ignored or failed to fully cooperate with my oversight efforts, I can assure you that your obstruction will soon come to an end. agencies’ refusal to provide complete and unredacted responses and documents to my numerous oversight letters on the development and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines has hindered Congressional oversight and has jeopardized the public’s health.”
Johnson threatens legal action to get COVID-19 vaccine data – Washington Examiner Source Link Excerpt:
(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson has threatened to issue a subpoena when he becomes chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations if three federal health agencies continue to withhold data on the adverse health effects wrought by the COVID-19 vaccine.
In a letter addressed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Johnson demanded that the agencies preserve all records referring to the development, safety, and side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, and to produce the records without redactions by Dec. 3.
“While your agencies have largely ignored or failed to fully cooperate with my oversight efforts, I can assure you that your obstruction will soon come to an end,” Johnson wrote Tuesday. “Your agencies’ refusal to provide complete and unredacted responses and documents to my numerous oversight letters on the development and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines has hindered Congressional oversight and has jeopardized the public’s health.”
Johnson has requested full versions of three sections within a FOIA from May 2021, which the CDC so heavily redacted that no scientific data was revealed.
One of the sections revealed that then-CDC Director Rochelle Walensky received Pfizer data regarding the number of myocarditis cases associated with the vaccine, though the 14-page document is completely redacted except for the cover page.
Other data requested in full by Johnson consists of emails within the CDC, showing that officials initially planned to send out a Health Alert Network message to the public about the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis associated with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Johnson reiterated his request that the CDC release all communications and briefings regarding the decision not to issue the HAN, which he originally asked for in January.
He also demanded to see the completely redacted 17 pages of apparent COVID-19 talking points that the Biden White House sent out to the America’s top public health officials.
“What is clear from these excessive redactions, however, is a concerted effort to obscure Congress’ and the public’s understanding of your agencies’ detection of and response to COVID-19 vaccine adverse events such as myocarditis and pericarditis,” Johnson concluded. “Ultimately, despite your agencies’ awareness of the risks associated with the COVID-19 vaccines, the main talking point from these and other public health officials was uniform and entirely deceptive: the vaccines are safe and effective.”
Johnson, ranking member of the committee for a short time longer until majority flips from Democrats to Republicans with seating of the 119th Congress, has sent more than 60 public letters to federal agencies regarding the origins and treatment of the COVID-19 virus.
His demands come as the GOP-led House Energy and Commerce Committee released a report showing the Biden administration spent $900 million promoting faulty health messaging around the COVID-19 virus and vaccines.
An unnamed South Korean “official” is telling the press the Russians are trading high-tech anti-air missile systems for North Korean troops that are now being used and prepared for war in Ukraine.
A top South Korean official says Russia has supplied anti-air missiles to North Korea in return for it sending troops– abcnews.go.com Source Link Excerpt:
A top South Korean official says Russia has supplied anti-air missiles to North Korea in return for it sending troops
A new poll from Napolitan News Service shows a majority of Americans support deportation, with 31 percent strongly supporting it.
Poll: Majority of Americans Support Trump’s Plan to Declare Border Emergency– lidblog.com Source Link Excerpt:
A new poll finds that a majority of Americans support Donald Trump’s plan to declare a border emergency and to begin deporting millions of illegal aliens.
This is exactly what the 2024 election proved when Trump won in a landslide with border issues being his top concern.
The Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 registered voters was conducted online by pollster Scott Rasmussen Nov. 18-19. It asked: “President Trump has said that he will declare a national emergency because of the illegal immigration problem. This would let the Trump Administration use military force to help with a mass deportation of illegal immigrants. Do you favor or oppose declaring a national emergency to address the problem of illegal immigration?”
In response, 31% of those polled said they strongly favor declaring a national emergency, and 24% said they somewhat favor it. Combined, 55% of Americans support Trump’s plan. Those in favor include 62% of Hispanic voters, 57% of white voters, and 50% of Black voters.
Germany’s Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, may have seen the polls that show Union (the former center-right coalition led by now-retired Angela Merkel) is far ahead of the left coalition led by the Social Democrats under Olaf Scholz. The Minister has removed his name from consideration, leaving Sholtz to face the defeat as the coalition’s banner holder.
Germany’s Defence Minister Bows Out, Paving Scholz’s Path for Re-election – devdiscourse.com Source Link Excerpt:
Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has effectively cleared the runway for Chancellor Olaf Scholz to seek re-election by removing himself as a potential candidate for the nation’s top position.
Pistorius took to video Thursday night to affirm his support for Scholz, saying that he is not in the running for chancellor candidacy. This development has dispelled speculation that Pistorius might challenge Scholz, who has the backing of the Social Democrats’ leadership.
The move comes amidst the backdrop of public disputes that have marred the Social Democrats’ standing, with polls showing them lagging behind the opposition Union. Meanwhile, rival parties have already nominated Friedrich Merz and Robert Habeck to lead their respective campaigns.
The Pentagon has acknowledged officially that U.S. troops are serving alongside Philippine troops, engaging in mutual maritime operations in the South China Sea. The operation is called “Task Force Ayungin,” named after the Ayungin Shoel that the task force is patrolling.
Anti-American Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin posted on X “I visited the Command and Control Fusion Center in Palawan today. I also met with some American service members deployed to U.S. Task Force Ayungin, and I thanked them for their hard work on behalf of the American people and our alliances and partnerships in this region.”
US Reveals New South China Sea ‘Task Force’ – newsweek Source Link Excerpt:
The Pentagon has confirmed that American troops are quietly assisting Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea, in a sign of the United States’ growing support for its ally amid flaring tensions with China.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin referenced the collaboration in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, highlighting “Task Force Ayungin,” which involves U.S. military personnel working alongside the Philippines military’s Western Command.
“I visited the Command and Control Fusion Center in Palawan today,” Austin wrote. “I also met with some American service members deployed to U.S. Task Force Ayungin, and I thanked them for their hard work on behalf of the American people and our alliances and partnerships in this region.”
Pentagon spokesperson Pete Nguyen told the Philippine news outlet Inquirer that the task force focuses on planning, training, and systems provided through U.S. security assistance. “This support includes unmanned surface vessels that Secretary Austin observed during his stop in Palawan,” he said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, center, visits the Command and Control Fusion Center on the Philippine island of Palawan along with Philippines’ defense chief Gilberto Teodoro. During his visit, he signed a bilateral intelligence-sharing agreement…. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, center, visits the Command and Control Fusion Center on the Philippine island of Palawan along with Philippines’ defense chief Gilberto Teodoro. During his visit, he signed a bilateral intelligence-sharing agreement.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry and U.S. Department of Defense with written requests for comment.
Nguyen stressed that the task force reflects a continuation of decades of close U.S.-Philippine cooperation. Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano told the news agency that U.S. involvement is limited to “intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, [and] maritime domain awareness,” with no “direct participation” in Philippine operations.
Washington and Manila share a Mutual Defense Treaty, which Austin and President Joe Biden have stressed is “ironclad.” The treaty has sparked discussions in light of clashes between Philippine maritime forces and their Chinese counterparts.
I visited the Command and Control Fusion Centerin Palawan today. I also met with some American service members deployed to U.S. Task Force Ayungin, and I thanked them for their hard work on behalf of the American people and our alliances and partnerships in this region. pic.twitter.com/baqgo72r1T
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) November 19, 2024
During Austin’s two days in the Philippines, he met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., visited the unified command center in Palawan, and inked an intelligence-sharing agreement.
“No military agreement, or defense and security cooperation, in whatever form, should target any third party or harm the interests of any third party,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during Monday’s regular press conference.
“Nor should it undermine regional peace or exacerbate regional tensions,” he went on, adding that the only way to maintain regional piece is to “uphold good-neighborliness and friendship and maintain strategic independence.”
The deployment of U.S. personnel to Task Force Ayungin comes amid increased tensions in the South China Sea, where Philippine and Chinese forces have repeatedly clashed over contested waters.
China claims nearly the entire sea, using its controversial “dashed line” to assert control over resource-rich areas despite international rejection of those claims.
An independent tribunal at The Hague ruled in 2016 that China’s territorial claims, represented by the nine-dash line, were incompatible with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Beijing, however, has dismissed the decision as invalid.
Lawfare Assassin Judge Juan Merchan is blinking once again, following up his original delay of the Trump sentencing until after the inauguration with a new order that delays the sentencing indefinitely while Trump appeals the conviction.
This appears to many legal experts to be the definition of a punt, with a hope that the bad ruling will be vacated, and all eyes will stop looking at the criminality of the case, criminality committed by the Judge and the Prosecutor.
Judge allows Trump to seek dismissal of hush-money case and delays sentence indefinitely – live | Trump administration– www.theguardian.com Source Link Excerpt:
Donald Trump has been granted permission by a New York judge on Friday to seek dismissal of his hush money criminal case.
The permission follows his presidential victory on November 5 and multiple sentencing delays surrounding the case of which he was found guilty earlier this year.
With New York judge Juan Merchan indefinitely postponing Donald Trump’s criminal hush money case, attorneys on both sides are debating over its future.
Victoria Bekiempis reports for the Guardian:
Trump’s lawyers on Tuesday asked Merchan to throw out the case, contending that dismissal was necessary “in order to facilitate the orderly transition of executive power”.
Todd Blanche, Trump’s lead attorney and choice for deputy US attorney general, and Emil Bove, the president-elect’s pick for principal associate deputy attorney general, complained that Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg’s team “appears to not yet be ready to dismiss this politically motivated and fatally flawed case, which is what is mandated by the law and will happen as justice takes its course”…
Prosecutors disagreed that Trump’s case should be dismissed simply because appeals wouldn’t be decided before his inauguration. While they respected the presidency and understood the logistical issues, “no current law establishes that a president’s temporary immunity from prosecution requires dismissal of a post-trial criminal proceeding that was initiated at a time when the defendant was not immune from criminal prosecution, and that is based on unofficial conduct from which the defendant is also not immune.”
It appears the new Senate will be structured like Russia once was, when a President Medvedev held the politically stronger office over Prime Minister Putin, but Medvedev relied on Putin for his power, so Putin was still the King. So it is with Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who will be replaced by his handpicked successor, John Thune (R-SD).
McConnell will be holding onto significant power by becoming the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chair and the Chair of the Senate Rules committee, giving him tremendous power. Given that Thune won mostly due to McConnell’s stooges voting for him, Thune is essentially the Medvedev of the next Senate.
McConnell to step down as U.S. Senate GOP leader but take over two key chairmanships • West Virginia Watch Source Link Excerpt:
WASHINGTON — Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Thursday he’ll become chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and the Rules Committee when the new Congress convenes in January.
“America’s national security interests face the gravest array of threats since the Second World War,” McConnell wrote in the announcement. “At this critical moment, a new Senate Republican majority has a responsibility to secure the future of U.S. leadership and primacy.”
Maine Sen. Susan Collins currently holds the top Republican slot on the Defense Subcommittee, which drafts the Pentagon’s annual spending bill, worth $825 billion.
Collins is expected to become chairwoman of the full Appropriations Committee next year and McConnell said in the statement he looks forward to working with her “to accomplish our shared goal.”
It wasn’t immediately clear Thursday if Collins would become chairwoman of one of the Appropriations Committee’s other 11 subcommittees.
Current Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., not only leads the full panel but is also chairwoman of the Energy-Water Subcommittee, for example.
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) has finally conceded the election to Republican challenger David McCormick. This comes after numerous PA County election boards were illegally continuing to count ballots, with Bucks County openly defying the law on camera, and a final recount in which it would be determined the red surge was too big to cheat. This gives the Republicans a 53-47 majority in the Senate.
After Matt Gaetz announced he was removing his name from consideration for Attorney General nomination, President Trump quickly announced his replacement, Pam Bondi, and many are suggesting that was the intention from the start. Did Trump open with the less palatable Gaetz to make it easier to get the more effective Bondi confirmed? After all, Pam Bondi was the former Attorney General for Florida, and she built a reputation as being a highly effective prosecutor.
Trump said of the selection, “I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States. Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families. Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country.”
Was Trump Doing His 4-D Chess Thing With His Attorney General Picks? – PJ Media– pjmedia.com Source Link Excerpt:
Trump wasn’t caught off-guard by Gaetz’s withdrawal, naming the nominee to replace him just hours later, which Matt covered:
Hours after Matt Gaetz took his name out of consideration for Attorney General, President Trump announced his new pick for the position.
“I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States,” Trump announced in a post on Truth Social. “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families. Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country.”
Pam Bondi is an absolutely brilliant choice for attorney general. Her experience as Florida’s AG makes her highly qualified to take over the Department of Justice and get rid of the Merrick Garland Swamp rot that is infesting it. She’s very no-nonsense and knows how to throw a legal punch. The open borders people are already dyspeptic. My Townhall colleague Sarah Arnold laid out why Bondi has the lefties melting down here. This is from her post:
MSNBC is melting down over Pam Bondi as Attorney General:
“We should all fear [her] because she’s competent.”
Sarah has some more choice video in the article, including a clip of Bondi taking a shot at Dem beta male Mark Cuban.
Given Pam Bondi’s close personal and professional relationship with Donald Trump, why wasn’t she his first choice? Since we’re having fun with the 4-D chess idea, we have to wonder if the plan always was to eventually have her be the nominee. Perhaps nominating Gaetz first was merely a way to get the Dems so worked up that they’d be more amenable to Bondi once he bowed out.
That’s how this game works, isn’t it?
Again, this is just a lot of spitballin’ here. Like I said at the top, we’re just having some quick fun.
“But Kruiser,” some of you are saying, “why would Gaetz resign from Congress if that was the plan?”
I hear that there will be an open Senate seat in Florida once Trump’s next Secretary of State is confirmed.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
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In what might be a futile action, Biden’s Department of Justice is continuing to pursue its antitrust suit against Google, now demanding it sell off its Chrome operation, among other things, to take it out of the status of being what the DOJ is deeming an “illegal monopoly.” Trump is expected to stop the proceedings once he takes office.
DOJ seeks forced sale of Chrome, other big changes at Google in monopoly case – The Washington Post– www.washingtonpost.com Source Link Excerpt:
The Justice Department is seeking to force Google to sell off its Chrome browser and make other major changes to remedy its illegal search monopoly, prosecutors told a Washington court Wednesday, setting a marker in the landmark case before the incoming Trump administration makes its own determinations about how to proceed.
PA Dems are still counting alleged votes in an effort to protect Bob Casey (D-PA) from losing his seat to Dave McCormick (R-PA). Now, the drawn-out process is moving to the “recount phase.”
Recount begins in Pennsylvania Senate race with McCormick leading Casey by about 16,000 votes – cbsnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
The race for one of Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seats still isn’t over. An automatic recount started Wednesday and state law requires all counties to complete their recount by Nov. 26.
Officials in Philadelphia say it could take up to four days to tabulate all the ballots cast in the state’s largest city. Election staffers in Philadelphia got back to work Wednesday in a warehouse in Northeast Philly counting ballots for the second time.
“That is a staggeringly close number considering that 36,604 Philadelphians chose to undervote the race,” said Philadelphia Commissioner Lisa M Deeley (D), meaning they voted for President but skipped over the Senate race.
“This should serve as a wake-up call for all voters in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. These down-ballot races, they matter,” she added.
During a recount, state law requires that ballots get counted on a different machine than was used the first time as a way to verify accuracy.
City Commissioner Seth Bluestein (R) said: “We want to make sure the ballots are being scanned on different types of technology so we can be confident in the results.”
The state will publish the final results of the recount the day before Thanksgiving. Casey has not conceded but McCormick has already declared victory in this race.
This is the fourth time the state has conducted a recount in an election since 2004. None of those times did the recount change the outcome.
Liz Crawford, a Jersey native, is thrilled to join CBS News Philadelphia, returning to her roots to share community stories and hold the powerful accountable. Liz brings a passion for storytelling and a deep connection to the communities she serves.
The officer that killed Jan 6 Protestor Ashli Babbit has a checkered past that includes numerous weapons violations and other disciplinary infractions. Captain Michael Leroy Byrd’s checkered past came to light after a congressional investigation led by the GOP discovered his history in Capitol Police Department records.
Capitol Police Officer who Shot Ashli Babbitt had Long Disciplinary Record › American Greatness– amgreatness.com Source Link Excerpt:
A congressional investigation found that the Capitol Police officer who carried out the only killing on January 6th, 2021 had a long history of disciplinary actions against him due to negligence and other shortcomings.
According to Just The News, the probe into Captain Michael Leroy Byrd’s record by the House Administration Oversight Subcommittee revealed that, among other things, the disgraced officer failed a shotgun qualification test, failed an FBI background check during an attempted weapon purchase, faced a 33-day suspension for losing his weapon on the job, and had been referred to state prosecutors in Maryland for firing his weapon at a stolen car that was fleeing his neighborhood.
The findings were summarized in a letter sent to Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger by the committee’s chairman, Congressman Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.). Congressman Loudermilk expressed his opposition to the decision to promote Byrd, who was a lieutenant at the time of the peaceful protests on January 6th, to the rank of captain following his actions.
“This Subcommittee is dedicated to ensuring USCP has autonomy from political pressures so it can make operational and personnel decisions,” said Loudermilk in the letter. “However, based on the information obtained by the Subcommittee regarding USCP’s handling of Captain Byrd following January 6, 2021, and his significant disciplinary history, I have concerns about USCP’s decision to promote him to the rank of Captain.”
Perhaps the most infamous pre-J6 incident in Byrd’s career since he came to public light was when he left his service weapon, loaded and unattended, in a public bathroom on Capitol Hill in 2019. For this, he was given a 33-day suspension. Shortly after the events of January 6th, Byrd failed a background check while attempting to purchase a shotgun; when he tried to receive a department-issued shotgun instead, he failed the training.
In 2004, Byrd fired his weapon repeatedly at a stolen vehicle as it was being driven out of the neighborhood in which he lived. And in 2015, a complaint was filed against Byrd for “conduct unbecoming an officer” after an off-duty Byrd confronted a fellow officer while the officer in question was working at a high school football game; the officer who filed the complaint said that the language used by Byrd, who is black, had racial overtones against the officer he harassed.
On January 6th, Byrd shot and killed Ashi Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, despite Babbitt being unarmed. Video taken of the shooting shows Byrd aiming his firearm at multiple protesters, who were on the other side of a barricade, before choosing to fire at Babbitt; he did so without issuing any kind of warning, verbal or otherwise, and despite being completely unprovoked. While the mainstream media and Democrats have described Byrd as a hero, Republicans have denounced his hasty decision to use lethal force when none of the other officers resorted to such actions that day, and have demanded a proper investigation into his conduct.
It appears fears of a looming Kyiv attack by Russia may have been unfounded as the U.S. embassy and other foreign embassies reopen in the city.
US reopens Kyiv embassy after Ukraine firing of ATACMS missiles into Russia prompted potential strike threat – Reuters Source Link Excerpt:
The United States said it had reopened its embassy in Kyiv late on Wednesday after it had shut for the day due to what it called the threat of a significant air attack, a day after Ukraine used American missiles to hit a target inside Russia.
Russia had described the strike by U.S. missiles as an escalation in the 1,000-day-old war, while Ukraine’s military spy agency said Russia was trying to sow panic by circulating fake online messages about a looming missile and drone attack.
The State of Texas is ready to help President-Elect Trump’s campaign to send the recent flood of illegal immigrants back where they came from, starting with criminals first. Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham has offered the incoming Trump administration 1400 acres of land on the border with Mexico to use as a staging area for operations.
Buckingham said, “My office is fully prepared to enter into an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or the United States Border Patrol to allow a facility to be built for the processing, detention, and coordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation’s history.”
Texas Land Commissioner Offers 1,400 Acres for Use in Deportation Operations › American Greatness– amgreatness.com Source Link Excerpt:
On Tuesday, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham formally offered the incoming Trump Administration the chance to make use of just over 1,400 acres of Texas land in the planned mass deportations of illegal aliens.
As ABC News reports, Buckingham sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday, saying that 1,402 acres of land, located along the southern border and purchased by the state of Texas, can be put to use in the construction of “deportation facilities.” The land had been purchased from a farmer by the Texas General Land Office, with the original purpose of constructing a state-funded wall along the border.
“My office is fully prepared to enter into an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or the United States Border Patrol to allow a facility to be built for the processing, detention, and coordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation’s history,” said Buckingham’s letter.
In an interview on Fox News, Buckingham reaffirmed that she is “100% on board” with the planned deportation operation. She explained that the 1,400-acre area in question is “essentially farmland, so it’s flat, it’s easy to build on.”
“We can very easily put a detention center on there, a holding place as we get these criminals out of our country,” she continued.
The offer from Texas comes as Democratic governors and mayors have vowed to resist the planned deportation operations, choosing to double down on their so-called “sanctuary” status as they intend to harbor illegal aliens and refuse to cooperate with federal authorities.
On Monday, President-elect Trump confirmed that he was strongly considering the use of a national emergency declaration to carry out the deportations, which would grant him broader executive powers including the use of the military in doing so. He has vowed to begin “the largest deportation operation in American history” on his first day in office.
“Local and state officials on the frontlines of the Harris-Biden border invasion have been suffering for four years and are eager for President Trump to return to the Oval Office,” said Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, who was recently announced as the president-elect’s pick for White House Press Secretary. “On day one, President Trump will marshal every lever of power to secure the border, protect their communities, and launch the largest mass deportation operation of illegal immigrant criminals in history.”
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