Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) asked FBI Director Christopher Wray an important question on Tuesday about the Hunter Biden laptop scandal.Just weeks before the 2020 election‚ the New York Post broke the laptop story. But social media companies‚ the media‚ and intelligence professionals attempted to bury the story by claiming it was Russian "disinformation." The problem‚ of course‚ is the laptop was real‚ and the FBI knew it was real but declined to clarify what those with power had claimed about it.At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing‚ Kennedy pressed Wray on the FBI's decision not to stand for the truth at the time."We had a controversy during the election about Mr. Hunter Biden's laptop. At that time‚ you had 80 agents interfacing with social media‚ doing whatever they were doing. The FBI had the Hunter Biden laptop — got it on December 9‚ 2019 — the New York Post story‚ which a lot of the social media companies‚ at the suggestion of government‚ took down. The story came out on 10/14/2020‚" Kennedy explained."Why didn't the FBI just say‚ 'Hey‚ the laptop's real'? Why didn't you just tell everybody the laptop's real?" he asked. — (@) Wray offered Kennedy two excuses. First‚ he said the FBI could not speak about an ongoing investigation. Second‚ he claimed no one at the FBI directed social media companies to suppress the story."But others were in government‚" Kennedy interjected."Well‚ again‚ I can’t speak to others in government‚" Wray responded. "That's part of the point I was trying to make —""Yes‚ but you're the FBI!" Kennedy protested. "You are not part of the White House or part of Homeland Security. You’re not supposed to be political. You see all of this controversy going on. Why didn't the FBI say‚ ‘Time out‚ folks. We're not getting in the middle of this‚ but the laptop's real?'"Wray answered that the FBI must be "very careful" about what the agency says "especially in the middle of an election season because that’s precisely some of the problems that led to my predecessor’s negative findings from the inspector general."The FBI director‚ however‚ failed to explain how choosing to tell the truth about the laptop would have divulged details about the Hunter Biden investigation or how it would have interfered in the election. After all‚ a core value of the FBI is candor‚ and lacking it will get you fired from the bureau. That the FBI chose to sit on their hands and not correct a known lie suggests complicity in the dissemination of that lie. And at the very least‚ it appears clear that FBI leadership violated their own value of candor. Kennedy questions FBI Director Wray on Mar-a-Lago raid‚ censorship in Judiciary 12 05 23 www.youtube.com Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Roseanne Barr is standing her ground. The actress and comedian was “canceled” along with her show‚ “Roseanne‚” in 2018 after posting what some called a racist tweet about former Obama aide Valerie Jarrett. Barr referred to her as the offspring of the “Muslim Brotherhood &; Planet of the Apes.” Years later‚ she’s not letting the cancellation of the number-one sitcom in America force her to her knees. In an interview with Bill Maher‚ she made sure everyone was aware of this. “You tweeted something that I don’t even know if you thought it was racist; it certainly was‚” Maher said to Barr. “It was not‚” Barr responded‚ clearly annoyed. “I thought the b**** was white.” "She looks just like the picture‚” Barr added. Maher then let her know that she wasn’t going to get herself “out of this by reiterating that.” “Everybody in power’s got to be made fun of‚” she argued. “If you can’t take a joke‚ f*** you‚ you fascist. That’s how I feel‚ Bill.” “And you know what? I don’t give a f*** what color your ass is‚ if you ain’t doing right for your own people or anybody’s people in this country‚ where people are sleeping in the streets‚” she said.“I don’t give a f*** about your feelings.” Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations‚ free speech‚ and big ideas with Dave Rubin‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

If you’re going to debate Gavin Newsom on something‚ you might want to choose the topic of abortion — because the governor of California isn’t capable of winning. In his debate with Ron DeSantis on Fox News‚ Newsom was asked about abortion. “You have allocated in your budget $265 million for abortion last year alone. My question‚ very specific‚ do you support any restrictions at all on abortion‚ especially in months seven‚ eight‚ and nine?” Sean Hannity asked Newsom. “I’m going to answer that question‚ but let’s talk about the issue of abortion‚” Newsom answered‚ clearly trying to dodge the question. He then immediately attacked DeSantis‚ which wasn’t his brightest idea. “I think this is important and it bears repeating‚” he began. “Ron DeSantis has signed the most extreme anti-abortion bills in America. He signed a bill banning any exceptions for rape and incest‚ and then he said it didn’t go far enough and decided to sign a six-week ban before women even know they’re pregnant.” “Even Donald Trump said it was too extreme‚” he added‚ before telling Hannity that he does in fact support late-term abortion. “It should be up to the mother‚ and her doctor‚ and her conscience.” Like many Americans‚ Pat Gray is disgusted with what he heard. “Right up to birth‚” Gray says sadly. “You talk about extreme — can you get too extreme when you’re talking about the life of a human baby? Can you be too extreme on that? I don’t know. Either you believe it’s life or you don’t. Either you believe that you're taking a life when you abort the child or you don’t. Which is it?” Want more from Pat Gray?To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

Teachers began bombarding children Wednesday with leftist propaganda denigrating Israel and promoting the Palestinian "intifada" as part of a "teach-in" in Oakland‚ California. The local teachers' union‚ the Oakland Education Association‚ endorsed the teach-in despite Oakland Unified School District superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell warning that the curriculum‚ including the anti-Semitic materials therein‚ was "unsanctioned‚" reported KTVU-TV. Johnson-Trammell stressed in a Dec. 4 letter to parents‚ "The District does not authorize this action. Furthermore I want to make clear that the instructional materials developed and shared by the teach-in organizers are not aligned with the materials and guidance previously provided by our Chief Academic Officer‚ Dr. Sondra Aguilera." The superintendent acknowledged that the materials "circulated and promoted as factual" by the leftist teachers were both "harmful and divisive." The Oakland Education Association for Palestine group has provided teachers with propaganda materials targeting children from junior kindergarten through high school. One among the recommended presentations details the "Goals of Colonialism‚" noting the process by which Israel and the United States allegedly steal land‚ destroy local cultures‚ dominate‚ then normalize their behavior. Another presentation‚ painting Zionism as genocidal‚ poses the question to children: "Since Jews experienced centuries of violence and ethnic cleansing‚ why are Jews in Israel doing the same thing to Palestinians today?" An art activity originally crafted for American schoolchildren by the activist group Teaching While Muslim has as its stated goal an understanding and celebration of "Palestinian culture and resistance throughout history and in the present‚ with a focus on Palestinian children's resistance." The activity for students in pre-K through second grade is to "connect histories of settler colonialism from Palestine to the United States." As part of this activity‚ children are to be given this prompt: "75 years ago‚ a lot of decision makers around the world decided to take away Palestinian land to make a country called Israel. Israel would be a country where rules were mostly fair for Jewish people with White skin. Do you know about any unfair rules where we live?" A coloring book for children included among the curricular materials states‚ "Children like me keep having their homes taken by the Zionist bullies. They are always scaring them and arresting them." "I will never forget that I am Palestinian or give up on my right to return‚" says a cartoon in the coloring book‚ designed by the Palestinian Feminist Collective. "I will always try to find a way to help other Palestinians and Free Palestine." Exercises in the book underscore Palestinians "right" to return to land belonging to the Jewish state. The New York Times noted that another book recommended by the OEA for Palestine is entitled‚ "P is for Palestine‚" which informs young children‚ "I is for Intifada‚ Intifada is Arabic for rising up for what is right‚ if you are a kid or a grown-up!" In addition to being asked to draw "Zionist leaders of Israel‚" students are also prompted to make signs that say‚ "Palestine will be free‚" "Free Palestine‚" and "Let Gaza live." Teachers were also provided with hundreds of Palestinian "resistance" posters to share with their students as well as a link to a Turkish state media video denouncing Israel for "apartheid." KTVU reported that the unauthorized curriculum omits any mention of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel‚ which amounted to the biggest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Despite the materials all advancing an anti-Israeli‚ pro-Palestinian agenda‚ the OEA for Palestine stated atop its collection of curricular resources‚ "Our work is not to win our students over to a particular side nor indoctrinate them with our own political perspective on Israel-Palestine." Local Council on American-Islamic Relations president Zahara Billoo told KPIX-TV‚ "This is important‚ this is necessary to teach kids about current events." Billoo called "Zionist synagogues" and various Jewish groups "enemies" in 2021‚ reported the Jerusalem Post. "Oppose the polite Zionists‚" said Billoo. "They are not your friends." Billoo indicated the news of the teach-in left her feeling "excited." Nate Landry‚ 40‚ a parent in the district who has spoken on behalf of the organizers of the teach-in‚ claimed the Palestinian propaganda served as a "corrective" to the approved curriculum‚ reported the New York Times. According to Landry‚ at least 100 teachers were expected to participate. Jacob Fowler‚ a teacher at Lincoln Elementary‚ appears to be one of them‚ having called on other teachers to participate in a Nov. 26 YouTube video. Fowler claimed that teachers are "fortunate enough to play a small role in helping shape the next generation" and should wield their power accordingly. After the first series of classes Wednesday‚ Judy Greenspan‚ a teacher in the district and teach-in organizer‚ indicated that "interest is growing by the hour‚" reported the San Francisco Chronicle. Shira Avoth‚ an Israeli-American and mother of a seventh-grader in the district‚ indicated her son would "show up and represent himself" in defiance of what she deemed "misinformation." Avoth noted that this is hardly the first time teachers in the district have confronted her son and other children with anti-Israeli propaganda in recent weeks. According to the mother‚ her son's English teacher exhibited a post with the caption‚ "From the river to the sea‚ Palestine will be free‚" signaling a desire for Israel's ruin. Rabbi Dovid Labkowski of Chabad Oakland told KPIX‚ "It's devastating to Oakland families‚ especially Jewish families." "Education is about teaching right from wrong‚ morals and values. When you decide you don't like something happening in the world and you decide to put together a curriculum that's going to teach about hating other people‚ that's what this is about‚ this is about hating Jews‚" said Labkowski. Josh Diamant‚ a teacher in the district‚ told KTVU‚ "My biggest concern is that we're raising a generation of anti-Semites." KTVU indicated it remains unclear if teachers participating in the teach-in will face any repercussions. As of 2022‚ there were over 34‚000 students in the district and 1‚861 teachers. According to the Public School Review‚ public schools in the district have an average math proficiency score of 21% and a reading proficiency score of 56%. Oakland union endorses pro-Palestine teach-in‚ says they won't be intimidated youtu.be Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) announced Wednesday that he plans to leave Congress by the end of the year.On Wednesday afternoon‚ an op-ed by McCarthy featured in the Wall Street Journal revealed that the ousted former speaker will be stepping away from the House to pursue a "passion in a new arena.""I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways. I know my work is only getting started‚" McCarthy wrote.He noted that he plans to continue "to recruit our country's best and brightest to run for elected office.""The Republican Party is expanding every day‚ and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders‚" he added.McCarthy also announced his resignation in a video posted to X. As the son of a firefighter from Bakersfield‚ my story is the story of America. For me‚ every moment came with a great deal of devotion and responsibility.\n\nServing you in Congress and as the 55th Speaker of the House has been my greatest honor. — (@) "Today‚ I sit here having served as your whip‚ leader‚ and as the 55th speaker of the House‚" McCarthy stated in the video. "Giving my best to all of you has been my greatest honor."McCarthy‚ who was elected House speaker in January after 15 rounds of voting and was later booted by lawmakers in October‚ stated that he is "proud of what we have accomplished." "We won a House majority twice‚" he continued. "We elected more Republican women‚ veterans‚ and minorities to Congress than ever before. We reduced the deficit by over $2 trillion while protecting the full faith and credit of our nation.""Today‚ I am driven by the same purpose that I felt when I arrived in Congress‚" he added. "But now‚ it is time to pursue my passion in a new arena. While I'll be departing the House at the end of this year‚ I will never‚ ever give up fighting for this country that I love so much."McCarthy concluded his video by thanking his supporters. In October‚ Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) spearheaded an effort to remove McCarthy from the speakership. For the first time in the country's history‚ lawmakers voted to remove the House speaker from office.Following the decision‚ McCarthy stated during a press conference‚ "Doing the right thing isn't always easy‚ but it is necessary. I don't regret standing up for choosing governing over grievance. It is my responsibility; it is my job."At the time‚ he said he had no plans to run again for the speakership position.Three weeks after the McCarthy ouster‚ Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) was elected the House speaker with 220 votes.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Time magazine isn’t known for making the best choices‚ especially when it comes to its annual “Person of the Year” issue. This year is no different as the magazine has just crowned Taylor Swift with the title. Glenn Beck and Stu Burguiere believe Time could have chosen better‚ even though Swift has cemented herself as one of the most popular people in the world. Stu notes that Swift has had “lots of impact on my football-watching every weekend‚” but he’s not sure if entertainment was the most important thing that happened this year. “There was multiple wars that broke out‚ you kinda had that. You had a lot of stuff going on that was of large impact‚” he says. Glenn believes any of the whistleblowers from this past year might be more deserving of the title. Whether they’re the “the Hunter Biden ones” or “the ones that pointed out that we were just targeting Catholics for no reason and calling them terrorists.” However‚ Glenn and Stu don’t think anyone actually good would be given the honor this year. Not in times like these. In fact‚ since it’s leftists choosing the winner‚ the role may be more likely to go to an anti-Semite than to someone who’s done anything honorable. “I mean‚ you could put Rashida Tlaib. She’s been the queen of the anti-Semites‚” Stu says‚ while Glenn notes that the presidents of Harvard and MIT also fit the bill. The president of MIT was asked whether the calls for genocide of all the Jews on her campus violate the university's code of conduct or rules regarding bullying and harassment. Dr. Sally Kornbluth answered that anti-Semitic targeting would be investigated if it were “pervasive and severe.” “Now‚ I think anybody standing at a rally chanting ‘death’ or ‘genocide to all the Jews‚’ I don’t know‚ I think that’s pretty severe‚” Glenn says‚ shocked. Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling‚ thought-provoking analysis‚ and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

Adam Silver‚ the commissioner of the NBA‚ imported the wrong idea from European soccer.American professional basketball needs a form of “relegation” rather than an in-season tournament. American professional sports lack consequences‚ not additional carrots.Look‚ I’m no expert on soccer or the English Premier League. But it’s my understanding that clubs can get demoted from the top-tier league for losing too often. Clubs get relegated to a lower league‚ then have to earn their way back up. Relegated clubs and players lose money and marketability. The stakes for winning and losing in the EPL are much higher than what we have in the NBA‚ NFL‚ and MLB. The elevated consequence of losing is what makes the EPL superior to the American sports league (the NBA) seeking international dominance. This year‚ Silver and the NBA unveiled the in-season tournament‚ mimicking the mid-season tournaments commonplace in European soccer. The American sports media are hailing this new wrinkle as a moderate success. Consequences motivate more effectively than carrots. So far‚ in group play‚ television ratings are up. So are attendance and intensity. This weekend‚ the whole thing reaches a crescendo‚ as four teams will head to Las Vegas to decide the NBA’s early-season championship. The players on the championship team will receive $500‚000 and the runners-up $200‚000. The champion will raise some sort of trophy the league has designed. The in-season tournament is a bribe to players. It’s another carrot being offered for players to compete at a high level in games in November and December. The problem is‚ the players don’t need more carrots. American athletes receive more carrots than Bugs Bunny. At this point‚ the proper motivation for our athletes in all sports is consequences. Losing‚ poor effort‚ and indifference should be punished. Relegation would make the NBA very interesting. Here’s what I suggest. Halfway through the league’s 82-game season‚ the teams with the worst records in the Western and Eastern Conferences would be eliminated. Season over after 41 games. No more paychecks until the next season. At the 61-game mark‚ I’d eliminate the two worst teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences. Season over. At this point‚ there would be 24 teams left competing — 12 in each conference. At the 72-game mark‚ I’d eliminate four more teams — two from each conference. The final 10 games of the NBA season would feature the league’s top 20 teams. The top 16 teams‚ regardless of conference‚ would qualify for the playoffs.The players on the two best teams in each conference would receive $1 million bonuses for winning the regular season. The players on the second-best teams in each conference would receive $500‚000. The third-place players would get $250‚000.That would fix the NBA’s regular-season problems. It might‚ in fact‚ make the NBA regular season the most compelling regular season in all of professional sports.I don’t think it would lead to more superteams. I think it would elevate the importance of coaching‚ culture‚ and a professional organization. There are a lot of talented NBA players. There are a small handful of properly motivated NBA players. Consequences motivate more effectively than carrots. Next week‚ when the in-season tournament is over‚ the NBA will return to full-on load management for its top players. The players will return to being indifferent until late in the fourth quarter. The NBA will return to normal. And no one is going to remember the name of the trophy Adam Silver hands out in Las Vegas.

Biden officials theorize that Hamas broke an agreement to release female hostages to hide evidence of sexual abuse.State Department spokesman Matthew Miller drove headlines on Monday when he publicly floated the hypothesis while speaking with reporters."[I]t seems one of the reasons they don’t want to turn women over that they’ve been holding hostage and the reason this pause fell apart is they don’t want those women to be able to talk about what happened to them during their time in custody‚" Miller said‚ later explaining‚ "They continue to hold women. They were going to release these women‚ and then suddenly at the last point reneged on the deal and were never able to provide a credible reason why."Multiple Biden administration officials confirmed this theory‚ according to Puck.The officials explained that part of deal holding together a temporary ceasefire last week was that Hamas would release the remaining women and children hostages. But the terrorists then reneged on the agreement‚ ending the pause in fighting.Why? One senior administration official explained‚ "That is our going assumption‚ that at least one reason they’re unwilling to let these young ladies go is that they have been sexually assaulting them.""Everyone assumes it seems to be the case‚" another official said. "It's quite ugly."Yet another official told Puck‚ "What I understand is‚ part of the assumption is just that they don’t want to release them because they want to continue to abuse them."More from the news outlet:None of the three officials said they had seen concrete‚ specific proof that this was why Hamas refused to hand over the remaining women in their custody. Rather‚ they said that this was the supposition of the Israeli government‚ and that the U.S. believes this is a reasonable conclusion based on Hamas’s strange unwillingness to hand them over.Hamas' use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war is a concern precisely because Palestinian apologists have either downplayed that widespread sexual violence happened on Oct. 7 or outright denied it. But the evidence is extensive and is growing.It's especially difficult‚ after all‚ to gather first-hand accounts of that sexual violence when Hamas terrorists killed their victims after raping them. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

At their founding‚ the institutions of a civilization were created to serve the needs of its citizens and perpetuate their way of life. These organizations transmit and safeguard the values of the culture from which they arise. As a civilization grows and the scale of its operation increases‚ the people rely more and more on these institutions‚ which bind an ever-expanding population together and ensure their well-being. Conservatives naturally seek to defend and preserve these institutions. But during a cultural revolution‚ this impulse can be turned against them. The right needs to rethink how it approaches institutions that have been captured by those who seek to radically alter the character of the nation. Conservatives cannot slowly infiltrate existing institutions the way the left did because conservatism is not a form of civilizational entropy. The mechanics are not the same. The FBI now tracks and monitors traditional Catholics as enemies of the state. The justice system delivers comically inflated prison sentences to January 6 protesters while handing out free passes to violent leftists. Illegal aliens get public assistance and housing‚ while drug-addicted vagrants form encampments in major American cities. The sitting president can funnel tens of millions of dollars through his drug-addicted son without penalty while his main political rival is indicted on flimsy charges designed to influence the next election. America’s institutions certainly have an agenda‚ but it is clear that they no longer serve the interests of American citizens. It is entirely understandable that conservatives would want to defend and preserve our ruling institutions. This is their natural disposition. In a healthy civilization‚ conservation is an important instinct that protects the culture and traditions that have served the people well and made them who they are. But it is critical for conservatives to understand that these organizations have been re-engineered over decades to destroy the very things they once held sacred. The Department of Education simply indoctrinates. The Department of Defense defends the borders of foreign nations. The Department of Justice ensures that we live under anarcho-tyranny. While these institutions were originally founded with the good of the people in mind‚ they now exist primarily to transfer wealth to the client classes of the Democratic Party and dismantle American tradition. No long march to the right By now‚ everyone is familiar with the strategy of the “long march through the institutions” that the left used over decades to take control of everything from academia to the corporate boardroom. This constant ideological corrosion allowed leftists to capture America’s ruling institutions and turn them into vehicles for cultural revolution. Understandably‚ many conservatives would like to take the same approach to recapture these critical nodes of culture and political power. But this misses a fundamental difference between left and right. The left is a force of chaos that wins through deception and decay‚ gaining power by breaking the bonds of nature and tradition. Conservatives cannot slowly infiltrate existing institutions the way the left did because conservatism is not a form of civilizational entropy. The mechanics are not the same. When the right brings order‚ it does so through creation: New things are built‚ existing things are maintained‚ corrupt things are replaced. Conservatives were told that their way of life would be preserved by politically neutral institutions‚ but that is not how the world works. That which is not actively maintained will inevitably decay. G.K. Chesterton described the dynamic accurately. “All conservatism is based upon the idea that if you leave things alone‚ you leave them as they are‚” he wrote. “But you do not. If you leave a thing alone‚ you leave it to a torrent of change. If you leave a white post alone it will soon be a black post. If you particularly want it to be white you must be always painting it again; that is‚ you must be always having a revolution. Briefly‚ if you want the old white post you must have a new white post.” When it comes to American institutions‚ there is no longer a post to paint. The wood has thoroughly rotted‚ and the only path to restoration is to build anew. It is not simply a matter of appointing a new FBI director or replacing a few cabinet members. It is about stripping these organizations down to the foundations and removing the poisonous ideology that has planted itself there‚ root and branch. Many conservative politicians would shrink from the immensity of this undertaking‚ but it must be the standard to which the right holds its would-be leaders. The mild reform of the institutions that have led the culture war is insufficient‚ and conservatives will need to shift their perspective if they intend to restore American greatness. Toward alternative institutions This task can seem overwhelming‚ and some problems can only be addressed at the highest levels of power. In the meantime‚ we might take some practical steps.The right can begin with the development of alternative institutions or‚ even better‚ by reimagining the way a critical system works. Currently‚ the left has a stranglehold on employment due to its control of the university system‚ which most employers use as a credential to filter potential employees. Conservative alternatives such as Hillsdale College are great‚ but they leave the larger leftist system in place. Establishing an alternative credentialing process that circumvents the college system‚ like the certifications that exist for many jobs in the technology sector‚ would be a good place to start. Most employers embraced the college degree credential as a proxy for IQ tests‚ which civil rights laws and the courts barred companies from using. Overturning a case like Griggs v. Duke Power Co. and the “disparate impact” standard it introduced would also deliver a critical blow to the social power progressives wield through both colleges and corporate human resources departments. These changes would not recapture old and dying institutions‚ but they serve as examples of how conservatives can shift their focus and change the game. The right cannot serve as an agent of chaos‚ infiltrating and corrupting the left. Instead‚ it must restore order through the creation of great works that will inspire and guide future generations.

The 45-minute performance‚ featured such Prine favorites as "Sam Stone" and "Christmas in Prison‚" as well as a newer one‚ "When I Get to Heaven" The post John Prine’s 2018 Intimate Concert of Stories and Songs appeared first on Best Classic Bands.