Seven Republican attorneys general filed a lawsuit Tuesday against President Joe Bidens administration over a new student loan forgiveness plan rolled out this week.BidenannouncedMonday that he was rolling out the plan‚ which would cancel a minimum of $5‚000 for over 10 million Americans with student loans‚ despite the Supreme Courtstrikingdown Bidens previous initiative in June 2023. Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey of Missouri filed alawsuitalongside Arkansas‚ Florida‚ Georgia‚ North Dakota‚ Ohio and Oklahoma‚ arguing that the presidents plan was unconstitutional and illegal.With the stroke of his pen‚ Joe Biden is attempting to saddle working Missourians with a half trillion dollars in college debt. The United States Constitution makes clear that the President lacks the authority to unilaterally cancel student loan debt for millions of Americans without express permission from Congress‚ Bailey said in apress release. The President does not get to thwart the Constitution when it suits his political agenda. Im filing suit to halt his brazen attempt to curry favor with some citizens by forcing others to shoulder their debts. The Constitution will continue to mean something as long as Im Attorney General.The Constitution is clear: Congress has the power of the purse‚ not the President. Joe Biden cannot unilaterally cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in student loan debt and force everyday Americans to pick up the tab. Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) April 9‚ 2024The presidents newplanfocuses on low-and-middle income Americans and those who attended a low-financial-value institution‚ who will now be able to enroll in an income-driven repayment plan. The plan has beencriticizedfor ignoring the Supreme Courts 2023 decision that struck down the presidents unilateral forgiveness of student debt through the Department of Educations emergency authority.The lawsuit‚ citing the Supreme Court ruling‚ argues that Biden and his administration are attempting to sidestep the Constitution and impose drastic‚ costly policy changes on the American people without their consent.Yet again‚ the President is unilaterally trying to impose an extraordinarily expensive and controversial policy that he could not get through Congress‚ the lawsuit reads.The presidentannouncedin March that he was canceling almost $6 billion in student loan debt for teachers‚ nurses and firefighters‚ among others through Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The administration hascanceledstudent debt for roughly four million Americans to the tune of $146 billion through executive actions.The White House and the Department of Education did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundations request for comment.Originally published by The Daily Caller News Foundation.The post Red State AGs Sue Biden Administration Over New Student Loan Forgiveness Plan appeared first on The Daily Signal.

In Chinese leader Xi Jinpings New Years address‚ he described reunification with Taiwan as inevitable. Two weeks later‚ notwithstanding the bullying‚ the island nation voted in the presidential candidate who was most critical of China‚ someone Beijing labeled a destroyer of peace across the Taiwan Strait.In the weeks leading up to Taiwans Jan. 13 national elections‚ China undertook a notable drawdown in military aircraft incursions. The drawdown was well below recent levels‚ the drop was notable even after a congressional delegation visited in late February.This new quiet should not be interpreted as a de-escalation‚ but rather a sign of a moderated approach.&;gt;&;gt;&;gt; This is the fourth iteration (November 2022‚ May 2023‚ October 2023) of periodic reports published by The Daily Signal to address Chinas intimidation of Taiwan.The week of the Taiwanese presidential election saw the lowest sustained average of Peoples Liberation Army aircraft from China in Taiwans air defense zone since activities peaked following an August 2022 visit to Taiwan by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‚ D-Calif.On the day of the election‚ no Chinese aircraft were detected in the airspace surrounding Taiwan‚ where at least nine a day had been routinely seen.Warships of the Chinese navy followed suit and widely avoided Taiwan. This type of drawdown is uncharacteristic of Chinas recent activities‚ which has relied on so-called aggressive wolf warrior diplomacy to press its goals.The perceived calm continued through late February when Rep. Mike Gallagher‚ R-Wis.‚ chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party‚ led a congressional delegation to Taiwan.Historically‚ delegations of congressional lawmakers or senior U.S. officials have sparked Chinese military demonstrations in the Taiwan Strait. Given the nature of the Gallagher delegation‚ it was noteworthy that the visit didnt elicit more of a response.Although aircraft and ships were not seen in large numbers over the Taiwan Strait‚ China expanded its arsenal of intimidation to include what are apparently surveillance balloons. Since Taiwan began to publish sightings in early December‚ a total of 94 Chinese balloons have been detected flying near the island. At least nine flew directly over Taiwan the week of the presidential election.China then marked the Chinese New Year on Feb. 10 by sending eight balloons‚ six warplanes‚ and four naval warships toward Taiwan[KM1][SB2]‚ more balloons than were recorded on any previous day. These instrumented balloons fly at altitudes between 11‚000 and 38‚000 feet‚ an airspace used for commercial aircraft.China has been silent about the purpose of these balloons‚ which spokespersons for the Chinese Communist Party call weather balloons while U.S. lawmakers and others call them spy balloons. Such incidents remind Americans of Chinas invasive oprations last year‚ when a large spy balloon drifted across the nation before being shot down by the U.S. military.While eyes were on the sky‚ tensions escalated at sea. Following then-Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wens meeting in April 2023 with then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy‚ R-Calif.‚ Chinas Fujian Maritime Safety Administration announced that it would begin inspecting ships in the Taiwan Strait‚ ostensibly for only a few days.Recently‚ China has begun acting on that promise. In February‚ Chinese authorities boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat and harassed passengers. This came days after two Chinese fishermen drowned while being chased by the Taiwanese Coast Guard in restricted waters.The perceived heavy-handedness of Taipei over the incident prompted some division in Taiwan. Both incidents happened near Kinmen Islands‚ home to thousands of Taiwan civilians as well as a military garrison.Amid heightened tensions‚ Taiwans government changed how it reports the presence and activities of the Peoples Liberation Army‚ or PLA. For years‚ the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense published a daily report on Chinese military aircraft and warships that crossed into Taiwans air defense identification zone or nearby waters.Days after Taiwans Jan. 13 election‚ the defense ministrys daily reports stopped including specifics such as aircraft type and detailed flight maps. When asked why the shift was made‚ the ministry responded: We hope to let our countrys people understand the current situation we are facing as far as possible‚ without compromising the source of our intelligence. That said‚ these daily reports are still important.To keep an eye on tensions‚ the U.S. was operating the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on the South China Sea‚ accompanied by Destroyer Squadron 23. The destroyer USS John Finn transited the Taiwan Strait on March 5. A second aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Ronald Reagan is nearby in Japanese waters.What does this mean?Chinas drawdown in conventional military theatrics leading up to the Taiwanese election was calculated. But if the Chinese Communist Party hoped to coax Taiwans voters away from a more independent viewpoint‚ the effort backfired.Chinas use of relatively benign balloons failed to send a visible but nonconfrontational reminder to the island nation. In the end‚ the voters elected Democratic Progressive Party candidate Lai Ching-te as presidentcontinuing in power a party despised by the Chinese Communist Party.As mentioned‚ the United States is also familiar with Chinese balloons in our skies. The spy balloon that traversed the country last year‚ as well as the unidentified balloon discovered over Utah as recently as this month‚ now resonates in American minds.Its possible that the balloons floating over American airspace are the same ones released over Taiwan. One of these unmanned apparatuses released in China could reach the continental U.S. via the jet stream in days.Balloons flying over Taiwan‚ like those floating over our homeland‚ surveil sensitive military installations throughout the Pacific and the continental United States. Whether these Chinese devices are intended to spy‚ monitor the weather‚ or simply intimidate‚ a Taiwanese problem has become an American one.Opportunities for a crisis are just over the horizon.Because of more ideal weather and operational conditions in the Taiwan Strait‚ mid-April is considered by many military experts to be a window for a hypothetical cross-strait confrontation between China and Taiwan.The Chinese Communist Party historically has conducted high-end drills and wargames in the South China Sea in mid- to late summer. Exercises like these can quickly turn into more than that‚ warns the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet‚ Adm. Samuel Paparo.Considering recent Chinese military advancements‚ Paparo said in February‚ soon well be at a point where a force sufficient to execute a profound military operation is in the field and operating under a fig leaf of exercise.Next month‚ Paparo takes over as commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.Lais inauguration as Taiwans president is set for May 20‚ likely an opportunity to pressure both Taiwan and the U.S. that China wont miss. Chinas slowdown of intimidation with aircraft and ships could be the calm before a larger‚ more serious military demonstration.Despite this seeming lull‚ relations across the Taiwan Strait have been tense for months. Chinas apparent draw-down of military forces and implementation of new tactics suggest that something is on Xis mind.Taiwan and its neighbors should be vigilant for a return to increased military posturing and threats from China. This isnt the sound of the sea settling‚ but rather a calm before the storm.The post Calm Before the Storm? Chinas Shifting Intimidation Tactics on Taiwan appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The FBIs description of a confidential source who alleged President Joe Biden was involved in a bribery scheme when he was vice president changed dramatically over a matter of months‚ Sen. Chuck Grassley‚ R-Iowa‚ said Tuesday at a Heritage Foundation symposium on the weaponization of government.The informant‚ revealed to be Alexander Smirnov when federal officials indicted him in February‚ previously had been hailed by FBI brass as highly credible‚ Grassley‚ the Senates most senior member‚ recalled.The FBI had touted the informants credibility and value as a rationale not to release a document‚ known as an FD-1023‚ in which Smirnov alleged that Biden was to be the recipient of a $5 million bribe from a Ukrainian energy company executive.So Grassley‚ working with House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer‚ R-Ky.‚ released the document.After making this document public and forcing the FBIs hand‚ the FBI finally interviewed their own source after possessing this 1023 document for three years‚ Grassley said at The Heritage Foundations Weaponization of the U.S. Government Symposium. (The Daily Signal is Heritages news and commentary outlet.)At that point‚ after 13 years on the FBIs payroll‚ the Biden administration considered him a liar and then indicted him‚ the Iowa Republican said. The FBI exposed their own source to the world after telling Congress that hes too credible‚ were going to endanger his life if we tell you anything about him.Smirnov became a confidential informant for the FBI in 2010 and was still providing information to the law enforcement agency as recently as December‚ Grassley said.Last July‚ Congress made public the FD-1023 document accusing Biden of involvement in a bribery scheme. The form recorded Smirnovs anonymous claim that an executive with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma planned to give $5 million to Biden and another $5 million to the presidents son Hunter Biden‚ to gain U.S pressure on the Ukrainian government to end its probe of the company.The FBI paid Smirnov hundreds of thousands of dollars‚ used his information in criminal prosecutions‚ and said he was authorized to commit illegal acts for the FBI during investigations‚ Grassley said.Except for my listening to the Department of Justice and FBI whistleblowers‚ that highly credible liar would still be on the FBI payroll‚ Grassley said.After Smirnovs indictment for allegedly lying to the FBI‚ Biden and other Democrats said the House should drop its impeachment inquiry into the Biden familys influence-peddling scandal.I have never made any allegations in this investigation of President Biden being guilty of anything‚ but I am in this to make sure that the FBI does its job of law enforcement‚ Grassley said.The Biden administration refused to tell Congress what it had done to investigate the truth or veracity of the documentor the lack thereof‚ he said later. Congress made the document public to force an explanation one way or the other. What did the FBI do to follow up on this document? Did they investigate or not investigate? That is what we wanted to know. Thats what the FBI refused to say.The post Grassley: FBI Boasted Source Highly Credible Before Indictment Over Biden Bribery Allegation appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A member of the House panel investigating the weaponization of government expressed disappointment Tuesday in House Republican leaders and the scope of that investigation.Rep. Dan Bishop‚ R-N.C.‚ a member of the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government‚ said House Speaker Mike Johnson‚ R-Ky.‚ wouldnt support a proposed reform of government surveillance programs.This week‚ weve just seen the announcement by the speaker of the House that he does not support a warrant requirement being amended into the FISA 702‚ an astonishing and disheartening development for me‚ Bishop said‚ speaking at The Heritage Foundations Weaponization of the U.S. Government Symposium. (The Daily Signal is Heritages news and commentary outlet.)Johnson said this week that he likely wouldnt support an amendment to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that would require additional court oversight of surveillance by government officials.House Republicans have split on the matter‚ with some arguing that government officials have abused a law intended to allow spying on noncitizens abroad and others contending that FISA remains a necessary tool for national security.We are seeing that the Republican majority in the House is going to be in this existential sort of fight about whether we will be able to take a serious step on one reform on one problem that has been demonstrated in astronomical numbers‚ Bishop said.We are not in a good place. But weve got to amp up the fight and weve got to solidify at least Republicans‚ and hopefully everyone‚ [because] this is not about partisanship or ideology. It is about fundamental ideas of freedom that have existed since the Enlightenment.The North Carolina Republican also noted that the House weaponization subcommittee lacks the authority of the Senate special committee from the 1970s that it was modeled after.Its model was in the Church Committee in the 70s‚ at least that was my inspiration when I negotiated for that; we were going through the speaker contest in January 2023‚ Bishop recalled. I will say that the Church Committee was able to look much more deeply at things that were typically offstage‚ the intel community‚ the actions by the CIA‚ and the like.The Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations With Respect to Intelligence Activities‚ chaired by then-Sen. Frank Church‚ D-Idaho‚ was typically referred to as the Church Committee.Bishop noted that the House subcommittee has been able to document that government agencies essentially outsourced censorship by working with Facebook and other Big Tech companies to silence certain political points of view. But‚ he said‚ he would have liked to have the resources to dig into the intelligence agencies.I think weve begun something important with the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government‚ but weve had to concentrate on something and it has been basically the First Amendment and these agency efforts [to censor free speech]‚ Bishop said. But it is a burgeoning field. Its hard to see how we can get to it all.The post Weaponization Panel Disappointed With GOP Leadership on FISA Reform appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A number of Arizona Republicans are rapidly distancing from the states controversial Supreme Court ruling protecting almost all unborn babies from abortions. The state Supreme Court upheld a 1864 law on Tuesday that bans almost all abortions in Arizona‚ except when the mothers life is at risk. In a 4-to-2 decision‚ the court said that the law is now enforceable‚ though it will likely not go until effect for a number of weeks.Though Arizona has a law protecting unborn babies after 15 weeks‚ Arizonas Democrat governor Katie Hobbs signed an executive order in 2023 giving the states Democrat attorney general the power to enforce abortion laws. That attorney general‚ Kris Mayes‚ promised not to enforce any protections for the unborn and to fight like hell to protect abortions in the state. News of the Arizona Supreme Courts decision was celebrated by pro-life groups like Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America‚ but it prompted outcry from some Arizona Republicans who had formerly expressed desires to protect as many unborn lives as they could. Senate candidate Kari Lake‚ who had previously drawn praise from pro-life groups for her staunch defense of life and exposure of Democratic abortion extremism‚ announced on Tuesday that she not only believes the old law is out of step with Arizonians‚ but she also wants Hobbs and the state legislature to come up with an immediate common sense solution that Arizonans can support. Ultimately‚ she said in a statement wherein she promised to oppose a federal ban on abortion‚ Arizona voters will make the decision on the ballot come November. Lake‚ during remarks delivered at the American Leadership Forum in 2022‚ had previously referred to a great law that Arizona had on the books as she discussed her hope that Roe v. Wade would soon be overturned. If that happens‚ we will be a state where we will not be taking the lives of our unborn anymore‚ she said at the time. Her campaign did not immediately return a request for comment. .@KariLake in 2022: Obviously I think Roe should be overturnedwe have a great law on the books right now. If that happens‚ we will be a state where we will not be taking the lives of our unborn anymore. pic.twitter.com/KtoaGBdiOT Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) April 9‚ 2024The states former Republican governor‚ Doug Ducey‚ issued a similar statement calling on the state lawmakers to heed the will of the people. I signed the 15-week law as governor because it is thoughtful conservative policy‚ and an approach to this very sensitive issue that Arizonans can actually agree on‚ he said. The ruling today is not the outcome I would have preferred‚ and I call on our elected leaders to heed the will of the people and address this issue with a policy that is workable and reflective of our electorate.Republican Arizona Rep. David Schweikert‚ one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the state‚ has publicly expressed gratitude to his mother for choosing last minute not to abort him. He similarly voiced his disapproval of the ruling on Tuesday.I do not support todays ruling from the AZ Supreme Court‚ he said Tuesday in an X post. This issue should be decided by Arizonans‚ not legislated from the bench. I encourage the state legislature to address this issue immediately. The congressman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.I do not support todays ruling from the AZ Supreme Court. This issue should be decided by Arizonans‚ not legislated from the bench. I encourage the state legislature to address this issue immediately. Rep. David Schweikert (@RepDavid) April 9‚ 2024Republican Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani‚ who has described himself as strongly pro-life and supportive of exceptions for rape‚ incest‚ and the life of the mother‚ called the ruling a disaster for women and providers‚ insisting that the states 15-week-protections for the unborn protected the rights of women and new life. It respected women and the difficult decision of ending a pregnancyone I will never personally experience and wont pretend to understand‚ he continued. As my record shows‚ Im a strong supporter of empowering women to make their own healthcare choices and I oppose a national abortion ban. Ciscomani similarly did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement celebrating the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June 2022‚ Ciscomani had said that he will always defend life as a member of Congress. As a husband and a father‚ I believe that life is precious‚ and as a country‚ we must protect women and children in every way possible‚ he said at the time. My statement on the Arizona Supreme Courts ruling today. pic.twitter.com/A1Do8AjYlb Congressman Juan Ciscomani (@RepCiscomani) April 9‚ 2024The slew of statements follow former President Donald Trumps Monday announcement that each state should follow the will of the people and passstate-specific laws on abortion. My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint‚ the states will determine by vote or legislation‚ or perhaps both‚ and whatever they decide must be the law of the land‚ in this case‚ the law of the state‚ Trump said in a video posted Monday morning on Truth Social. Trumpsposition on abortionwas unclear heading into the election‚ though the former president appointed three Supreme Court justices who ultimately made it possible to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022 by a majority vote Justices Neil Gorsuch‚ Brett Kavanaugh‚ and Amy Coney Barrett. I want to thank the six justices: Chief Justice John Roberts‚ Clarence Thomas‚ Samuel Alito‚ Brett Kavanaugh‚ Amy Coney Barrett‚ and Neil Gorsuch‚ Trump said. He called them incredible people‚ for having the courage to allow this long-term‚ hard-fought battle to finally end.This 50-yearbattle over Roe v. Wadetook it out of the federal hands and brought it into the hearts‚ minds‚ and vote of the people at each state‚ Trump added. Now its up to the states to do the right thing.Further clarifying his view on abortion‚ he said he supports exceptions for rape‚ incest‚ and the life of the mother.You must follow your heart on this issue‚ but remember‚ you must also win elections to restore our culture and in fact to save our country‚ which is currently and very sadly a nation in decline‚ he added.Trump also criticized Democrats extreme abortion positions in his remarks‚ saying: Democrats are the radical ones in this position‚ because they support abortion up to andeven beyond the ninth month. The concept of having an abortion in the later months and even execution after birthand thats exactly what it is‚ the baby is born‚ the baby is executed after birthis unacceptable‚ and almost everyone agrees with that.Virginia Allen contributed to this report. The post Arizona Republicans Back Away From the Unborn Following State Supreme Court Ruling appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Schools across the country routinely inform parentsand often must obtain their written permissionabout all sorts of things‚ from a trip to the zoo to taking a Tylenol. A field trip might make Johnnys day‚ and a Tylenol might make his headache go away‚ but they wont profoundly change the way he understands the world or the entire trajectory of his life. If gender activists have their way‚ however‚ parents will be shut out of efforts to turn Johnny into Janie.According to the database maintained by Parents Defending Education‚ 1‚060 school districts in 38 states and the District of Columbia have formal policies for treating students of any age consistent with their gender identity and for withholding that information from parents. Those districts include more than 18‚000 schools attended by nearly 11 million studentsand the list is growing steadily.A school in Wisconsin‚ for example‚ began treating a 12-year-old girl as a boy behind her parents backs. Her parents eventually found out and sued when the school refused to stop even over their objections. Last October‚ a judge blocked the school districts policy. The School District could not administer medicine to a student without parental consent‚ the court observed‚ or require or allow a student to participate in a sport without parental consent.The court concluded‚ therefore‚ that the School District cannot change the pronoun of a student without parental consent without impinging on a fundamental liberty interest of the parents.In the Escondido‚ California‚ Union School District‚ administrative staff adopted a policy that a students assertion of their gender identity‚ by itself‚ requires school personnel to begin to treat the student immediately‚ consistently with that gender identity. The students assertion is enough. The list of individuals who do not have a legitimate need for the information included parents. Under the policy‚ a students consent to reveal gender information is required‚ regardless of the age of the student.(Emphasis added.)Two teachers sued‚ arguing that requiring them‚ in effect‚ to lie to parents about this matter violated their rights to free speech and the exercise of their religion. A federal judge concluded that the policy violated the right of parents‚ repeatedly recognized by the Supreme Court‚ to direct the education‚ health‚ and upbringing‚ and to maintain the well-being of‚ their children.Similar lawsuits have been filed in states from Massachusetts to Florida‚ Maryland to Kansas. The proliferation of these gender identity policies‚ and litigation challenging them‚ has only just begun.The centerpiece of these policies is taking a students assertion of gender identity at face value and treating it as conclusive.They do not‚ however‚ define what counts as such an assertion. Is it limited to a definitive‚ bold declaration or a formal request to be referred to by a certain name or pronouns? Juveniles are likely less familiar with subjects such as sex and gender than many others. They may not know what they are experiencing‚ let alone have much ability to communicate with others about it.These are significant and sensitive issues‚ the kind that parents are not only in the best position to address‚ but that parents have the right to do. These policies do not address curriculum or school administration. Courts have held that parents right to direct the upbringing of their children do not extend that far. No‚ these policies are about matters that are squarely on the parents side of that line. They impose the schools gender ideology upon students and parents‚ potentially destroying family relationships and changing lives forever.During the 2021-22 school year‚ acting on nothing more than a seventh graders email to a school counselor‚ personnel at East Rockford Middle School in Kent County‚ Michigan‚ began treating her as a boy. They deliberately concealed the situation from the girls parents‚ even altering school records that the parents might see. They found out only because someone cleansing those records missed an altered pronoun and‚ yes‚ they sued.The principle that parents have the right to direct the upbringing‚ care‚ and education of their children has philosophical and legal roots dating back centuries. In a 2000 decision‚ then-Justice Sandra Day OConnor wrote for the Supreme Court that the interest of parents in the care‚ custody‚ and control of their children is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this Court. If that is to mean anything in the future‚ parents must take action now to force school districts to change such policies‚ to urge state legislatures to prohibit them‚ and‚ if necessary‚ to defend their rights in court.The post Tylenol vs. Transgenderism: Schools Need Parents Permission for One‚ but Not for Other? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer‚ R-Ky.‚ says he is confident that President Joe Biden and his family will be held accountable for overseas business deals that add up to influence peddling.Impeachment is still on the table‚ Comer said shortly after his remarks Tuesday at a government weaponization symposium at The Heritage Foundation‚ parent organization of The Daily Signal.Congressional Republicans and other observers have been particularly concerned‚ because presidential son Hunter Biden and other members of the Biden family have struck lucrative business deals in foreign nations such as China‚ Russia‚ and Ukraine.But as a House impeachment of Biden seems less likely because of the razor-thin Republican majority‚ Comer said he is considering making criminal referrals to the Justice Departmentand that Bidens own law enforcement agency could be forced to take the referrals seriously.The main goal for me is to provide accountability‚ because they have done wrong‚ Comer said in a brief interview with The Daily Signal about the Biden familys influence-peddling scandal. I think there will be accountability.Because of our investigation‚ were it not for our investigation‚ the Kentucky Republican added‚ Hunter Biden would have gotten blanket immunity several months ago.Last year‚ the presidents son reached a plea agreement with the Justice Department. However‚ after a federal judge scrutinized the deal‚ it fell apart. Two federal grand juries later indicted the younger Biden on a gun charge and unrelated tax charges.We provided an infrastructure to ensure there is a chance of getting accountability in the Justice Department now‚ in the Merrick Garland Justice Department‚ Comer said‚ referring to the attorney general appointed by Biden. With respect to the other crimes‚ I think there is going to be [accountability]because of our investigationan opportunity to have real accountability for the Bidens and the crimes that theyve committed.During his remarks at the Weaponization of the U.S. Government Symposium held by Heritages Oversight Project‚ Comer also stressed that accountability is the next step but didnt mention the Houses impeachment inquiry.Right now‚ we are going to try to figure out the best way to hold this family accountable‚ Comer said at the symposium. Weve proven they were influence peddling. Weve proven [the] many financial crimes theyve committed. This was never an investigation of Hunter Biden. This was always an investigation of Joe Biden.Comer noted that three Biden family business associatesTony Bobulinski‚ Jason Galanis‚ and Devon Archerhave said the business enterprises revolved around Joe Biden.What weve proven‚ three Biden associates testified under oath that Joe Biden was the central figure in the influence-peddling scheme‚ he said.Another goal of his oversight committee will be to pass legislation to discourage influence peddling by officeholders‚ the Kentucky Republican said. He compared Biden to Sen. Bob Menendez‚ D-N.J.‚ who was recently indicted on corruption charges.I dont think the American people approve of that. I dont think they approve of our president or vice president being for sale‚ Comer said. We are going to try to figure out the best path forward. Then we are going to focus on‚ from my committee‚ how to pass legislation to keep the Bidens and the Menendezes from doing this againbecause the law is pretty murky.Moreover‚ the House probe into the Biden familys activities has expanded to include the actions of government agencies.What weve found in the Biden investigations is there were numerous government agencies that were investigating the Bidensthe Securities and Exchange Commission‚ FBI‚ the Department of Justice in several different jurisdictions‚ the IRS‚ Comer said. Each time they were told to stand down. So in addition to the financial crimes that weve discovered‚ we found a massive government coverup in many different agencies.The post Comer: Accountability for Biden Coming With or Without Impeachment appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The foreign policy establishment that once thrived under the control of both political parties has used Big Tech and the Biden administration to codify a war on wrongthink that stifles dissent from the elites narrative‚ a journalist and an online censorship analyst warned.What were up against here are not pink-haired‚ ambi-gendered LGBT-BLM-maximizing identitarian politics when were talking about censorship on the internet‚ Michael Benz‚ a former State Department official under President Donald Trump and founder of the Foundation for Freedom Online‚ said Tuesday at an Oversight Project event atThe Heritage Foundation.Its not partisan politics driving censorship‚ said Benz‚ but the foreign policy establishment. Conservatives and populists dont think about the American empire‚ they dont think about the managers of the American empire‚ which is the foreign policy establishment‚ our State Department‚ our Pentagon‚ our intelligence services.When you go upstream on internet censorship and whats driving it‚ you will find that foreign policy establishment‚ Benz argued.Benjamin Weingarten‚ editor-at-large at RealClearInvestigations‚ also attributed the leading edge of all the attacks on Donald Trump as an avatar for tens of millions of dissenting Americans to the administrative state and the deep state within it. (The deep state refers to bureaucrats who oppose the agenda of the duly-elected president.) These entrenched bureaucrats felt most threatened that [Trump] would upend the uniparty foreign policy blob‚ he said.You also had the tech companies identify that what happened in 2016 could never happen again‚ Weingarten said‚ referring to both the Brexit referendum and Trumps election victory.They kind of used the pretext of Russian mis-‚ dis-‚ and malinformation‚ grafting a Cold War paradigm to define a new enemyAmericans who disagree with their agenda‚ he said. We are the enemy thats engaging in wrongthink that threatens to undermine their power.After 2016‚ Big Tech platforms became perceived asrather than vehicles for free and open discoursenow they needed to be weaponized as assets of this security state‚ essentially.These bureaucrats used the Capitol riot on Jan. 6‚ 2021‚ as a pretext to launch a National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism‚ Weingarten claimed‚ referring to the Biden White House strategy released in June 2021.He warned that the strategy codifies a war on wrongthink in this country‚ based on the idea that you cant have an information environment that enables what we saw on Jan. 6. He described as terrifying the idea that the federal government would take upon itself the task of confronting the longterm contributors to domestic terror in the context of the misinformation panics of the Trump-Russia collusion narrative and the COVID-19 pandemic.Benz‚ the former State Department official‚ highlighted what he called the foreign-to-domestic switcheroo‚ noting that federal powers created to oppose terrorism in the War on Terror became tools to silence dissent at home.The narrative that Donald Trump represented a threat to the U.S. from Russia enabled the foreign policy establishment to target conservatives‚ he said. Yet special counsel Robert Muellers report found no smoking gun evidence of Trump as a Russian agent‚ so the establishment had to move on to something else.Instead of shutting down the censorship apparatus when Russiagate died‚ they changed the predicate‚ Benz noted. Suddenly‚ the foreign policy blob started warning about a threat to democracy.Democracy is the watchword of the foreign policy establishment to overthrow governments‚ Benz said. He noted that the National Science Foundation has given over $60 million in the past year to specially-constructed censorship labs to study misinformation as a threat to democracy. This bolsters the ability to overthrow a government that is not doing the bidding of the U.S. foreign policy establishment‚ he warned.Benz described a symposium with some of the most important thought leaders in the industry convened after Space X founder Elon Musk purchased Twitter‚ now known as X. Benz said the censorship industrial complex suffered a serious setback when Musk purchased Twitter and with the Murthy v. Missouri Supreme Court case revealing the extent to which the federal government pressured social media companies to censor dissent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet he said the censors still have two tricks up their sleeves.He explained that the European Union Digital Services Actwhich he dubbed the NATO censorship lawintends to stop the rise of populist parties‚ going beyond the simple hate speech laws in Europe to establish a new rule on disinformation.You cannot be a multinational tech platform without access to the EU market‚ Benz warned. This disinformation rule will come from the same people who constructed the election censorship apparatus in 2020‚ which urged Big Tech to censor concerns about voting by mail‚ for example. He also warned about state governments launching state-mandated programs on media literacy in public schools‚ teaching students that if you read the wrong media sources‚ you are illiterate.The censorship industrial complex is becoming an industry employing millions of people‚ Benz warned. Benz said Americans need to pressure Congress to cut funding to the censorship industrial complex.Weingarten‚ the RealClearInvestigations editor‚ agreed‚ saying that cutting off the federal funding is imperative.I would advocate for criminal penalties for those who use social media and misinformation programs to censor Americans‚ he added. Theres a censorship-to-criminalization pipeline and all we have is oversight? There needs to be something more than oversight.The post TERRIFYING: The True Force Behind the Censorship Industrial Complex appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Party of Science

Berkeley: Engineer Gets Probation for Premeditated Attempted Murder