Stembridge News Digest

  • Why is deep-red Oklahoma paving the way for Biden’s Green New Deal? Tue, 10 Dec 2024 03:00:00 +0000


    Oklahoma hasn’t had a single county vote for a Democratic presidential candidate in 24 years. Every statewide elected official is a Republican, and the GOP holds overwhelming 4-1 majorities in both legislative chambers. Former President Donald Trump carried the state by 35 points. Despite this staunchly conservative profile, Oklahoma’s Republican leadership is allowing vital farmland and ranchland to be used for foreign land acquisitions tied to solar and wind energy projects. This move comes even as Oklahomans rejected the administration behind the Green New Deal. So what gives?

    Last week, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt announced an agreement with Denmark’s ambassador, granting a Danish company the ability to purchase large sections of land in Payne County. The company plans to build solar, wind, and biomass energy projects, along with transmission lines across farmland and ranchland in the heart of Oklahoma. Stitt’s enthusiasm for these projects highlights his broader push for Green New Deal-style energy initiatives under the guise of creating jobs in the state.

    The green energy agenda is a force multiplier of stupidity, jeopardizing both energy reliability and food security.

    “Just signed a historic memorandum of understanding between Denmark and Oklahoma,” a giddy Stitt announced. “The partnership will focus on developing affordable and reliable energy for our communities. Oklahoma fuels the world!”

    He’s right. Oklahoma has enough oil and gas to fuel much of the world. The trouble is the memorandum he signed does not promote reliable energy. Instead, it prioritizes inefficient and heavily subsidized forms of energy, such as solar and wind, that depend on unsustainable land acquisitions, misdirect resources like cattle feed, and harm the local environment. Additionally, the memorandum emphasizes the “decarbonization” of the aviation industry — a goal that directly contradicts his stated support for oil and gas as part of an “all of the above” energy strategy.

    The agreement with Denmark focuses on two key elements under the broader banner of promoting “economic growth and sustainability.” The first involves constructing solar and wind farms on pristine landscapes. The second includes building transmission lines, methanol plants, and data centers powered by these renewable energy sources, situated in areas designated as “national interest electric transmission corridors.”

    After public pressure, Stitt on Wednesday joined other commissioners of the Land Office in voting to reject the solar project. A complementary green energy project on the agenda was approved to move forward, however. The vote saw support from the governor, lieutenant governor, and agriculture secretary, while conservative state Auditor Cindy Byrd cast the lone dissenting vote. This project is set to return for final approval by March 2025 in a public vote by the commissioners.

    The transmission corridors associated with this plan should concern all Americans, not just Oklahomans. Expanded under the Biden infrastructure bill, National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors now give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority to overrule local governments on power line placement to facilitate the delivery of solar and wind energy. The proposed corridor would stretch from northwest Oklahoma to Little Rock, Arkansas, ranging from four to 18 miles in width and 645 miles in length. This development would likely require eminent domain, seizing critical croplands and ranchlands for biofuels, solar, wind, and carbon capture projects.

    The result? Higher food and fuel costs, all to support unreliable and expensive energy, instead of utilizing Oklahoma’s abundant oil and gas resources, which require less invasive infrastructure and preserve farmland. It is the most anti-environmental idea imaginable.

    Beyond the land-grab, the push for “e-SAF” and biofuels diverts land away from fruit and vegetable farming and redirects cattle feed toward fuel production. These fuels rely on subsidies and mandates to remain viable, despite being neither wanted nor necessary. This misallocation of resources increases cattle feed costs for ranchers and endangers their land. In the process, the green energy agenda is a force multiplier of stupidity, jeopardizing both energy reliability and food security.

    Green grifters often tout wind and solar power as some innocuous natural source that can power anything on-site. Reality is far different. These energy sources require vast amounts of land for transmission lines, as users are typically far from the “natural” energy source. This setup demands extensive high-voltage infrastructure sprawling over areas larger than many countries. The ongoing need for repairs, replacements, and upgrades makes the system costly and unsustainable. No rational policymaker with good intentions could have devised such an idea.

    Democrats understand that embedding the Green New Deal in red states is key to transforming America. According to the New York Times, 80% of green energy projects have been allocated to Republican districts. This distribution has led many shortsighted Republicans to pretend to oppose the law while quietly working to cement it.

    In an interview with the Times, Barack Obama’s first chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, highlighted the importance of expediting transmission lines to implement the Green New Deal, which he described as “primarily built around decarbonization investments” and reinforced by Biden’s infrastructure bill. Emanuel sees this as a strategy for Democrats to make a political comeback. Ironically, deep-red state governors like Stitt appear to be working diligently to aid this effort.

    Red states need an energy revolution that avoids overregulating viable energy sources while refusing subsidies for those that cannot sustain themselves. Solar and wind energy projects should no longer consume vast amounts of land.

    For example, the picturesque area around Lake Eufaula in Eastern Oklahoma is set to host 900 turbines, which will include some of the tallest windmills in the world. This misuse of resources and land sacrifices our heartland for a harmful lie built on unsound energy practices.

    If deep-red states cannot reject the Green New Deal — an agenda as destructive as it is unpopular — it might signal that Democrats, not Republicans, are successfully building a permanent political majority in this country.

  • January 6 clemency can’t undo years of trauma Tue, 10 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +0000


    “Your lives are going to be great. They will be great. I promise.” Those were Donald Trump’s words to the children of a few of the January 6 defendants who are languishing in prison.

    As we anticipate January 20, a date that signifies the potential for essential pardons and clemency for those unjustly treated in connection with January 6, we must acknowledge that the pain will not end with presidential pardons. While they may offer some relief, they cannot undo the suffering endured by these defendants and their families over the past four years.

    The unjust imprisonment and legal battles faced by President Trump, his supporters, and the everyday Americans who traveled to Washington, D.C., to show their admiration for a president they deeply respect cannot be ignored.

    Americans must understand the gravity of the campaign against President Trump and his supporters, as well as the relentless targeting of those who share his views.

    In early 2021, shortly after the events of January 6, the FBI conducted violent pre-dawn raids on the homes of Trump supporters. These raids, orchestrated by the Biden administration, were a show of force by the Department of Justice. The scenes were alarming: Women were held at gunpoint, and children were jolted awake by the sound of doors being smashed and flash-bang grenades detonating in their bedrooms.

    One particularly horrifying incident involved a family whose home was raided with such brutality that flash-bangs set their bathroom on fire. As smoke engulfed their home, the family was forced to crawl on the floor to escape. While clemency may provide some relief to those affected, it cannot undo the trauma or erase the lasting scars inflicted on these families by these harrowing experiences.

    President Donald Trump (center) poses with children of January 6 defendants at a fundraiser for the Patriot Freedom Project on June 13, 2023 at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.Photo by Lexie Mink

    The politically charged and violent actions taken against a former president and his supporters should alarm all Americans, regardless of their political views. Targeting a former president with politically motivated actions is unacceptable and undermines the principles of justice. Over the past four years, we’ve watched as President Trump, his family, and his supporters endure relentless legal battles. President Trump has stood as a singular voice in this nation, advocating for the unjustly imprisoned Americans linked to the events of January 6.

    One particularly moving moment was when one of us brought the children of January 6 defendants to meet President Trump. His reassurance to these children, telling them they “will be OK and would have a great life,” was profound. He expressed his unwavering commitment to “free the January 6 hostages.” Few understand political persecution as deeply as President Trump, and despite his own struggles, he has shown empathy for these families, prioritizing their well-being and vowing to fight on their behalf.

    The Trump Justice Department and Congress need to conduct a thorough investigation into the unlawful detention of nonviolent January 6 protestors. Many of these individuals, with no prior criminal records, were denied bail and subjected to unjust treatment. Americans must understand the gravity of the campaign against President Trump and his supporters, as well as the relentless targeting of those who share his views.

    While it’s true that some individuals crossed the line on January 6, they do not represent the majority. Violence against law enforcement cannot be tolerated, but it’s equally important to recognize that the actions of a few have unfairly stigmatized an entire group. We live in a nation that values freedom of speech, expression, and religion. Yet many January 6 defendants have been wrongfully charged, tried, and convicted based solely on their beliefs, jokes, or even their reading materials. This undermines the very freedoms that define our country.

    The Biden Justice Department appears to have disregarded a core American principle: we are a nation that values freedom, where individuals should not be imprisoned for their political beliefs. The tyranny displayed since President Trump’s 2016 election victory cannot be ignored. For far too long, our country has operated under a two-tier justice system, and this must end. No president, former or current, nor his supporters should ever endure the prolonged and politically driven legal battles we have witnessed.

    As the holiday season approaches, we urge you to keep the January 6 defendants and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Let us especially remember the many children who will spend this time separated from their mothers and fathers.

    On January 20, when Donald Trump takes the oath of office, many Americans will see those words as a renewed source of hope. That moment cannot come soon enough.

  • Police say Luigi Mangione started shaking when confronted at McDonald's; other details revealed at press conference Tue, 10 Dec 2024 01:45:55 +0000


    Law enforcement officials released more details about the suspect accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, including how he reacted when first confronted by police.

    Surveillance video captured a masked man shooting and killing Brian Thompson, the CEO of the largest health care insurance company in the world, outside a Manhattan hotel last week. After a massive police manhunt, police said that a suspect was identified as Luigi Mangione, a former Ivy League college student and critic of capitalism.

    He reportedly said that he didn't know anything about the currency police found and suggested that maybe it had been planted.

    He was taken into custody Monday at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a worker at the restaurant noticed him and notified the police.

    Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said that officers found $8,000 of U.S. currency and $2,000 worth of foreign currency with Mangione as well as bags that were manufactured in order to block cellular phone data from being transmitted.

    He was also found with a ghost gun, a sound suppressor, and fake identification.

    Police indicated in a criminal complaint that they recognized Mangione as soon as they asked him to pull down his mask at McDonald's. When they asked him whether he had been in New York City recently, police said he was quiet but started shaking.

    Video showed the suspect being taken into the Blair County courthouse at his first court hearing in Altoona.

    He reportedly said that he didn't know anything about the currency police found and suggested that maybe it had been planted. He also denied that the bag indicated criminal sophistication and said that the bag was simply waterproof.

    Mangione was charged with firearm crimes in Pennsylvania and is expected to face charges related to the murder from New York.

    Online sleuths were busily searching for accounts that matched Mangione's description. One account praised the book written by Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber who was imprisoned for killing three people and injuring 23 others in a nationwide mail-bombing operation.

    The New York Post reported that Mangione was angry at the way a family member had been treated by health companies.

    Many on the left have praised the cold-blooded murder of Thompson simply out of seething hatred for wealthy CEOs and the health care system in the U.S.

    Thompson's wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that her husband had been receiving death threats.

    "Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him," she said.

    Here's more Blaze News coverage about the developments in the CEO murder case.

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  • Gavin Newsom's INSANE electric vehicle policy could impact YOU Tue, 10 Dec 2024 01:30:00 +0000


    If your plan was to make cars more expensive for everyone, then you would do exactly what Gov. Gavin Newsom is doing with his extreme emissions regulations.

    “No matter where you live,” Jill Savage of “Blaze News Tonight” comments. “We’re talking about impossible quotas, massive fines for automakers, and even a new gas tax. It’s going to make drivers furious.”

    Automotive expert and journalist Lauren Fix isn’t thrilled with the plan, either.

    “There’s a lot going on,” she tells Savage and Matthew Peterson. “Right now, California currently has from the California Air Resources Board a mandate that by 2026, 35% of all vehicles sold in the state of California should be all electric.”

    “By 2030, all electric,” she continues. “No vehicles will be allowed to be sold in the state that are gasoline powered. That’s going to be a problem, considering the cost of electricity there is the highest in the country.”


    But it gets worse.

    “Every car sold today, as we speak, has a $20,000 fine on top of it for not meeting the California air resources board,” Fix explains. “So every manufacturer is paying a loss of $20,000 on every car that’s sold.”

    Starting the first of the year, California will also be adding a 68-cent tax on every car that’s sold.

    “That’ll make it even more expensive. So the idea is to incentivize you to give up your gasoline-powered vehicle, but then you have a car payment, higher insurance rates, and no place to charge,” Fix says, noting that it will not only be California affected.

    “It’s going to actually affect the whole country, because car manufacturers are not going to build a car just for the state of California. They’re going to build a car for the entire country,” she explains.

    While 17 states, including New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, unsurprisingly side with California — Fix believes Trump can stop them.

    “If I had his ear, I would tell him to go after the California Air Resources Board, get them to dissipate, because President Obama gave them even more power. So whatever California says, the entire country is forced to follow it,” Fix says.

    “Car manufacturers can’t afford to have billions of dollars in fines. Instead, they’re taking millions of dollars in losses, and we’re all paying for it,” she adds.

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  • 'SNL' blasted for 'absolutely disgusting' jokes on 'Weekend Update' in relation to fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Tue, 10 Dec 2024 01:30:00 +0000


    "Saturday Night Live" took a beating for "absolutely disgusting" jokes — as one commenter put it — on its latest "Weekend Update" segment in relation to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week.

    "Weekend Update" led its segment Saturday with jokes in connection with the fatal shooting in Manhattan.

    'Disgusting. I couldn’t watch this segment. The victim’s family and friends are very much grieving right now.'

    “This week, New York City officials sent a tough message on crime: ‘If you shoot somebody in the middle of the street, you better get on your bike, hop on a bus, and get the heck out of here, mister,’” co-host Colin Jost quipped to begin the segment — to quite a bit of laughter.

    Jost continued: “The manhunt continues for the assassin who gunned down the CEO of UnitedHealthcare on Wednesday, and it really says something about America that a guy was murdered in cold blood and the two main reactions were, ‘Yeah, well, health care stinks!’ And also, ‘Girl, that shooter hot.'”

    Jost added with an incredulous giggle that the suspect "just bicycled away" after the shooting: "Probably because they have every cop in the city guarding our Christmas tree." The Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Plaza took place hours after the shooting.

    “The NYPD now believes the suspect left the city on a bus from Port Authority," Jost also said. "Uh, thanks, but a Port Authority passenger who looks like a murderer actually widens the search."

    With that, Michael Che took over and said, “New York City police say that they were able to get the smiling picture of the suspect after the man apparently was caught on camera at a local hostel flirting with a female employee, whose name has been reported as, ‘Lucky S. Bechalive.'"

    Despite the consistent laughter the co-hosts' jokes elicited, a number of other folks didn't take kindly to their humor.

    “Disgusting. I couldn’t watch this segment. The victim’s family and friends are very much grieving right now,” one observer wrote beneath a YouTube video of the segment, according to the New York Post.

    “Agreed," another commenter responded, the Post noted. "I don’t usually watch SNL, and I can see by the segment and comments supporting it that I will no longer be watching it. Joking about someone’s murder like that is absolutely disgusting… a family is grieving right now."

    The paper added that a X user wrote, “Classless."

    You can view the "Weekend Update" segment here.

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  • 'Defund the Police' advocate mocked after thieves steal all of her property in San Francisco Tue, 10 Dec 2024 01:00:00 +0000


    An advocate for defunding police in San Francisco was ridiculed on social media after thieves allegedly stole a Uhaul moving truck with all of her possessions.

    Darcie Bell posted about the thievery on Saturday on her account with the profile name "Jerque Costeau" and got immediately hit with mockery when her support for "Defund the Police" was uncovered from the same account.

    'I don’t about the people who stole it, people steal s***, I just hope they take the stuff they need and I can recover the personal stuff that’s the stuff I’m struggling with.'

    “Hey guys. If you see a 26 foot uhaul truck with the Arizona plate AL50003- would you let me know because it had like everything I own on it," she posted. "It was stolen near Noe and Market and fun fact: @uhaul doesn’t put gps on their trucks and thieves apparently know this."

    She tagged San Francisco Mayor London Breed and other officials asking that they require Uhaul to have GPS trackers on its vehicles so that stolen items can be recovered more easily.

    "I just want my s*** back, the sentimental stuff, please. I don’t about the people who stole it, people steal s***, I just hope they take the stuff they need and I can recover the personal stuff that’s the stuff I’m struggling with," she added.

    While many saw the juxtaposition as karma, Bell argued that the incident actually proved her point that police are useless and should be defunded. She spoke to the New York Post about her case and criticized police.

    “I haven’t found my s***! The cops didn’t do s***! U-Haul made me file a f****ing police report!” she said.

    “There’s cameras all over this city. They haven’t done s***!" she added. "I just want my stuff back!”

    She also lambasted many of those who mocked her.

    "Look at these good, Christian 'victim advocates' celebrating my kids losing their belongings at Christmas," she wrote.

    Bell claimed that she had the Uhaul because it had become so expensive in San Francisco that she needed to move out.

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  • Pride or punishment? Canada fines town for refusing to celebrate Pride Month Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000


    As America takes a step in the right direction with a Donald Trump victory, under Justin Trudeau, Canada is only getting worse.

    And by worse, we mean the country is now pushing for mandatory Pride celebrations. One town, Emo, Ontario, was even fined $10,000 for declining to proclaim June as Pride Month and refusing to fly the LGBTQ2 rainbow flag, despite lacking a flag pole.

    These transgressions left the town accused of violating the Ontario Human Rights Code by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. In addition to the $10,000 fine, officials from the town were ordered to complete mandatory human rights training.

    “First of all, I’m shocked that a town in Canada even refused to fly the flag,” Pat Gray of “Pat Gray Unleashed” comments. “But then to get fined for it, that’s just asinine.”

    “You’re not an ally, by the way, if you’re forced,” he adds.


    The decision to cite the town began in 2020, when the town was approached by a group called Borderland Pride. The group requested that Emo declare June as Pride Month and included a draft proclamation that contained clauses such as "pride is necessary to show community support and belonging for LGBTQ2 individuals" and "the diversity of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression represents a positive contribution to society."

    “They’re not asking you not to discriminate against them. They’re asking you to embrace them, to promote them,” Gray comments, disturbed.

    Mayor Harold McQuaker has stood firm in his refusal to celebrate Pride Month, which has now landed him with a $5,000 fine as well.

    “You’re influence peddling,” Keith Malinak says. “You’re saying that they have to vote the way you want or else you’re going to see monetary damages. Go to hell.”

    Want more from Pat Gray?

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  • Suspect in child molestation videos posted to dark web identified by his tattoos, FBI says Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000


    A suspect in a child molestation video was identified in part by his tattoos that had been recorded in another molestation case, according to the FBI.

    Agents of the FBI Dallas Field Office in San Angelo arrested 48-year-old Christopher Lynn Driskill on Nov. 26 and charged him with production of child pornography.

    'Driskill's video interview with police led to images of his tattoos being uploaded to a FBI database, and were used to link him to a heinous case of child molestation.'

    Driskill was living with his parents in Coleman, Texas, according to the FBI.

    The FBI said Driskill was identified by his tattoos after someone he had been dating told Coleman Police that Driskill said while drunk that he had molested a child in Coleman and recorded the molestation. Driskill denied the allegation when interviewed by investigators, and the child did not make an outcry when interviewed, so police closed the case due to lack of evidence.

    However, Driskill's video interview with police led to images of his tattoos being uploaded to a FBI database and were used to link him to a heinous case of child molestation.

    That case involved videos being uploaded to the dark web in July that showed three men sexually assaulting a boy. One of the men had tattoos that matched those of Driskill, and when the FBI investigated the matter, agents found that facial markings from the videos matched those they saw on Driskill's driver's license photo. They also used social media posts to tie Driskill to the man in the dark web videos.

    If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison.

    One of Driskill's tattoos reportedly read, "Cast no stones."

    Images from the case can be viewed on KDFW-TV's news report on YouTube.

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  • Adam Schiff rejects preemptive pardon being reportedly considered by White House Mon, 09 Dec 2024 23:00:00 +0000


    Democratic U.S. Senator-elect Adam Schiff of California rejected the idea of a preemptive pardon for him that is reportedly being considered by aides to President Joe Biden.

    Schiff made the comments Monday when asked by KNBC-TV about the possibility.

    'That I think, would tend to encourage people to feel they're not beholden to the law because they outgoing president would give them a prospective pardon.'

    "I don't think it's a good idea and I would urge the president not to do that," said Schiff

    "First of all I think it's unnecessary, but also think it's unwise. I don't want to see a precedent where you start to have presidents on the eve of leaving office issuing blanket pardons to people of their own party or of their own administration," he added.

    "That I think, would tend to encourage people to feel they're not beholden to the law because they outgoing president would give them a prospective pardon," Schiff concluded. "So I think it's unwise policy, and I would urge the president not to go down that road."

    Some wondered whether Schiff was positioning himself for a pardon when he stepped down immediately from his position as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for California on Friday. A report from Politico then claimed that a circle of senior Biden aides was debating whether pardons should be issued for people already being targeted by the incoming Trump administration, including Schiff, former Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, and Anthony Fauci.

    Biden issued a sweeping pardon for his son Hunter Biden related to gun and tax evasion charges, but critics noted that the order also included a much larger length of time than was necessary and was far more expansive than expected.

    Schiff's comments to KNBC can be viewed on a video on social media.

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  • Biden admin has been using banking institutions to spy on Americans without warrants: House report Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:32:27 +0000


    Congressional investigators released an interim report Friday detailing some of the creative ways that the Biden administration has apparently sidestepped the legal process in order to spy on and track American citizens, particularly those who have expressed opinions and political views unfavorable to the powers that be.

    The report was released just days after Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape, told Joe Rogan that scores of tech founders were de-banked under the Biden administration through a politically motivated effort he referred to as "Operation Choke Point 2.0," an apparent update on a scandalous Obama Department of Justice initiative.

    Americans' financial data reveals a great deal about their political viewpoints, interests, vulnerabilities, and locations. The new report from the House Judiciary Committee and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, titled "Financial Surveillance in the United States: How the Federal Government Weaponized the Bank Secrecy Act to Spy on Americans" noted that "because of this data's usefulness, federal law enforcement agencies increasingly coordinate with financial institutions to secure even greater access to Americans' private financial information, often without legal process."

    Congressional investigators began looking into the process after a whistleblower alleged that Bank of America voluntarily and without legal process provided the FBI with a list of names of Americans who used a BoA credit or debit card in Washington, D.C., around the time of the Jan. 6, 2021, protests. A former senior FBI official, Joseph Bonavolonta, later confirmed the testimony of the whistleblower, retired FBI supervisory intelligence analyst George Hill.

    While law enforcement is normally barred from inquiring into financial institutions' customer information, at least without going through proper legal processes, federal agents apparently found a workaround: Highlight as "suspicious" client characteristics common to intended targets — such as criticism of gun-grab policies, vaccine mandates, COVID-19 lockdowns, and the Deep State — and encourage financial institutions to file Suspicious Activity Reports. The Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network compiles these reports into a searchable database.

    'This could lead to widespread abuse of power and debanking.'

    The Weaponization Committee indicated Friday that last year, the FinCEN database was accessed by over 14,000 government employees for more than 3 million warrantless searches.

    According to FinCEN's latest annual report, nearly 15.42% of active FBI investigations in fiscal year 2023 were directly linked to SARs and Currency Transaction Reports. At least 4.6 million SARs and 20.8 million CTRs were filed last year.

    The new report from the House Judiciary Committee, which relies on over 48,000 pages of newly reviewed documents and three new transcribed interviews, underscored that federal agencies have increasingly worked "hand-in-glove with financial institutions, obtaining virtually unchecked access to private financial data and testing out new methods and new technology to continue the financial surveillance of American citizens."

    The report claims that:

    • the FBI manipulated the Suspicious Activity Report filing process "to treat financial institutions as de facto arms of law enforcement, issuing 'requests,' without legal process, that amount to demands for information related to certain persons or activities it considers 'suspicious'";
    • FinCEN coordinated with the FBI to lean on financial institutions to comb through their data and file SARs on hundreds of Americans "without any clear criminal nexus"; and
    • while on paper an advisory body to the Treasury Department on matters pertaining to the Bank Secrecy Act, the BSA Advisory Group has become "a tool for federal law enforcement and financial institutions to monitor the private, financial data of American citizens" — a tool set to become more invasive and more powerful in the hands of federal law enforcement operatives.

    The report concludes, "All Americans should be disturbed by how their financial data is collected, made accessible to, and searched by federal and state officials, including law enforcement and regulatory agencies."

    Congressional investigators emphasized that with e-commerce ascendant and the use of cash growing increasingly less common, "the future leaves very little financial activity beyond the purview of modern financial institutions or the government's prying eyes."

    The Weaponization Committee added on X that "without safeguards, this could lead to widespread abuse of power and debanking."

    The report was not, however, all doom and gloom. Lawmakers highlighted potential legislative reforms that could be undertaken to curb the potential for continued and worse abuse, including

    • raising the threshold for currency transaction reports from the $10,000 mark to $60,000, as a means to reverse the CTR's transformation from a program about criminal activity into a government surveillance program;
    • amending the BSA to require that banks notify a customer that an SAR was filed, provide a justification, and offer the flagged client the opportunity to respond to the corresponding allegations;
    • restore Fourth Amendment protections to American's financial records, requiring law enforcement obtain a warrant to gain access to Americans' private financial information;

    "Federal law enforcement has shown that it will leverage any opportunity to operate outside the bounds of the statutes that govern access to Americans’ financial data," said the report. "Absent adequate congressional oversight and legislative reforms, it is likely that countless more Americans will be subject to financial surveillance and potentially federal investigation, all without ever knowing about it."

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  • Lara Trump REVEALS the behind-the-scenes relationship of Elon Musk and Trump Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:30:00 +0000


    Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s MAGA team up is taking the world by storm, and Lara Trump is one of the few with a front-row seat to the blossoming friendship.

    “It’s interesting because I kind of feel like Elon is maybe a little bit like we are, which is that, you know, you kind of keep everybody at a distance, but once you’re in, you’re really in,” Lara tells Dave Rubin of “The Rubin Report.”

    “I kind of feel like he’s a bit the same way from just watching how this whole relationship developed with my father-in-law,” she continues.

    And this relationship is changing the world.

    “I think to have a brilliant mind like Elon Musk as part of your team, part of the transition, and obviously DOGE coming up,” she says. “I think that look, we’re approaching what I believe is probably the most transformational period in America since our inception, since the birth of this country, and I think you have to give a lot of credit to Elon Musk.”


    Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, now X, has completely changed the way Americans discuss politics — and rendered the mainstream media almost completely obsolete.

    “Had he not bought Twitter, where would we be right now? Would we even be having a conversation about Donald Trump winning?” Lara asks, adding, “No, honestly. And so I think he’s been really important to all of this, and we like to have him on the team. We like to have good people on our team.”

    “It’s just hilarious to me,” Rubin responds, “It’s like the same people who think that the world is going to end in six years because of climate change also now hate the guy that wants life to go interplanetary.”

    “You can’t make it up,” Lara laughs.

    Want more from Dave Rubin?

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  • 'Duck Dynasty' family says Phil Robertson has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:00:00 +0000


    Prayers are streaming in for Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the "Duck Dynasty" family, after his family revealed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

    Robertson's son Jase Robertson spoke about the diagnosis on the latest BlazeTV podcast episode of "Unashamed with the Robertson Family" published Friday.

    'I’ve appreciated Phil’s bold faith in Jesus Christ and the way he points to God’s Word.'

    "Phil's not doing well," he said. "I think I spoke on the 1,000th podcast, we were trying to figure out the diagnosis, but according to the doctors, he has some sort of blood disease causing all kinds of problems."

    Phil Robertson had been a part of the podcast but owing to his health declining, he has been absent.

    "It's like accelerated, and it's causing problems with his entire body. And he has early stages of Alzheimer's. So if you put those things together, he's really not doing well. He's struggling," Jase Robertson said.

    He went on to say that his father had trouble walking around without "crying in pain."

    Sadie Robertson wrote on Instagram about her grandfather and posted an image of them together.

    "In moments like this, it can feel overwhelming for such bad news to be such public news. But you know what? I’m genuinely so thankful my family chose to make our life public because of how incredible it is that so many people know my grandpa!" she wrote.

    "I’m so glad that so many people have been able to learn from his faith and his love for his family. I’m so proud to be his granddaughter. I’m so proud to have learned how to love the word, honor the word, and teach the word from him," she added.

    Evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham Jr. was among those who called for prayer for Robertson's condition.

    "Would you join me in praying for Phil Robertson, his wife Miss Kay, and their family?" wrote Graham on social media. "Phil is having serious health issues. I’ve appreciated Phil’s bold faith in Jesus Christ and the way he points to God’s Word."

    The Robertson family gained nationwide prominence after their show "Duck Dynasty" broke cable rating records for a nonfiction series. The show ended in 2017 after 11 seasons.

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  • Glenn interviews Rand Paul over DOGE plans, then Vivek chimes in on X: 'Strong commentary' Mon, 09 Dec 2024 21:48:44 +0000


    In a recent interview with Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Glenn Beck expressed the excitement he has for the DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy that will hopefully slash rampant government spending.

    “How serious do you think this DOGE thing is?” Glenn asked Senator Paul.

    “The problem is not just Democrats in Washington. It’s big government Republicans,” he said, praising “Elon and Vivek [for] bringing attention to this.”

    “For 10 years, I’ve been collecting and arguing that we should get rid of waste. We sent [Musk and Ramaswamy] 2,000 pages worth of waste that could be addressed immediately,” he told Glenn.

    “Some can be done through executive action. I think you can let people go; you can fire people. ... You could also change the contracting,” he added, pointing to how Musk utilizes “competitive bidding” at SpaceX.

    “On spending reductions, there’s a special procedure where we send a billion dollars to the administration to build a ship, and they build it for $800 million. They can send the $200 million back to us through a special procedure called recission, and it gets an immediate vote, a privilege vote, and it’s a simple majority,” Rand analogized, noting that this failed during the Trump administration because “Republicans voted with the Democrats to keep the spending.”

    This time around, “we’ve got to see if we can get the majority of Republicans to vote for spending cuts.”

    “If they all do, then we can cut significant spending,” he said.

    Later, Ramaswamy reposted the interview with the comment, “Budget rescissions are underutilized to tackle government spending. Strong commentary from @RandPaul.”

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  • Joni Ernst warms up to Hegseth despite reportedly lobbying against him Mon, 09 Dec 2024 21:47:57 +0000


    Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa has seemingly warmed up to Pete Hegseth, the nominee to head the Department of Defense, despite hesitating behind closed doors to back him.

    Ernst and Hegseth met for the second time on Monday after initially meeting last week. Following the first meeting, Ernst said the two had a "frank and thorough conversation" but refrained from formally endorsing him.

    Ernst, who has spent a large part of her career advocating for victims of sexual assault in the military, was initially thought to oppose Hegseth's nominations due to the allegations surrounding his personal life, ranging from sexual misconduct to irresponsible drinking habits. Notably, Hegseth has denied the allegations, with many of his coworkers publicly coming to his defense.

    'As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.’

    In addition, multiple sources close to the Senate confirmed to Blaze News that Ernst was lobbying against Hegseth because she serves as a "useful proxy" for the old guard Senate Republicans like former leader Mitch McConnell.

    Despite her past hesitancies, Ernst seems to have publicly come around to the nomination after her second meeting with Hegseth.

    "I appreciate Pete Hegseth's responsiveness and respect for the process," Ernst said in a statement following their meeting on Monday, according to Business Insider.

    "Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women - based on quality and standards, not quotas - and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assaults within the ranks," Ernst continued.

    Hegseth can only afford to lose three votes during his Senate confirmation, assuming Vice President-elect JD Vance participates in the vote. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and McConnell are being weighed as potential no-votes in unofficial tallies, making Ernst the tie breaker.

    "As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources," Ernst said.

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  • How MAGA is winning the culture war Mon, 09 Dec 2024 21:00:00 +0000


    While Kamala Harris stuck to interviews with the outdated mainstream media, Donald Trump ventured out to alternative media like podcasts and Twitch — which many Americans appreciated.

    Gates Garcia, president and CEO of Pine Hill Capital management, is one of them.

    “He spoke to me,” Garcia tells Jill Savage and Matthew Peterson of “Blaze News Tonight.” “By ‘me’ I don’t mean that fancy title that you just read, that’s not as fancy as it sounds. I mean ‘me,’ the regular guy sitting on the couch wanting to know who he is as a human.”

    “In linear broadcast television, you’re sort of spoken to. And with podcasts and alternative platforms, networks like the Blaze, you’re able to sort of participate in the conversation,” he continues. “It feels like they’re talking to you on a personal level, that sort of is able to humanize the person.”


    “If you look at every demographic that swung in Trump’s direction, I think it was a direct result of him actually speaking to those people directly,” he adds.

    While the left has historically dominated the media and all cultural institutions, Garcia believes that’s about to completely change.

    “I think we’re in the first inning of an absolute takeover of the media, and by that, I mean the right, the conservative movement, is taking over that institution. We’re probably in the first inning, but it’s been happening for a while, and I think that when over half the country elects Donald Trump, it means that they either don’t watch mainstream media, or they don’t believe it,” he explains.

    And Garcia isn’t the only one who sees it. After Trump’s landslide victory, Elon Musk posted on X: “You are the media now.”

    “We’ve been given control, we the people. And we can curate what we want to consume, and so, it’s now sort of owned in a way by the people,” Garcia explains, adding, “You can take an institution down, or you can build a linear one. The great part is, we’re building the linear one. They took themselves down.”

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