Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society Team Investigating Recent Possible Bigfoot Tracks in Blair CountyFrom: Researcher Stan GordonPhoto of one of the tracks found in Blair County. Used with permission of Eric AltmanI was informed on April 26‚ 2024‚ by Eric Altman‚ Director of the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society (PBS)‚ that several possible Bigfoot tracks were found that morning in Blair County. The footprints were found in a forested area‚ south of Hollidaysburg by four men scouting the area for turkey for Spring gobbler season.The men had walked approximately two hundred yards from where they parked their cars as they looked for turkey tracks. One of the men was quite surprised when he came across a large five-toed human-like track on the edge of a muddy area. He called the other three men over to look at the track. A total of four tracks were located in that area. When the group returned home‚ one of the men contacted the PBS to report what they had found. Photos of the tracks were sent to Eric for his examination.Two members of the PBS closest to that area were notified‚ and one investigator contacted the witness and conducted an initial phone interview. On Sunday‚ April 28th‚ a three-member PBS team met the witness and two other people. The man took them into the forest to the track location. The location where the tracks were found was deep in the forest about two miles from the closest home.It had rained Friday night into early Saturday morning‚ and when they arrived on the scene‚ they found that one of the tracks had been washed out and could not be cast. Three tracks were still intact and were photographed and casts were made. The tracks were all located in a muddy area.Each track had five toes‚ measuring fifteen inches long and seven inches wide. The tracks were about two inches deep in the mud. While the tracks were curing and drying a search was conducted around that area to look for other evidence. No other evidence was found.Photo of a casting of one of the Blair County tracks used with permission of Eric AltmanDr. Jeff Meldrum and Cliff Barackman were contacted‚ and photos and videos of the tracks were shared. The initial reaction from Cliff is that they are either a hoax or the real thing. Dr. Meldrum’s initial impression is that he saw no red flags and the tracks had potential and he would examine them closer on a larger computer screen.Eric’s initial opinion was that the witness they met with was honest very credible and quite excited about his findings. He kept stating that he had been hunting for over 50 years and had never seen‚ heard‚ or had any experiences until April 26. Eric stated that although he is not a footprint expert‚ he felt the tracks were not human‚ not bear or other common animal‚ and may in fact be Bigfoot Prints.Addendum:There has been a history of Bigfoot sightings from Blair County and nearby counties such as Cambria‚ Somerset‚ and Indiana. Many references to Pennsylvania Bigfoot encounters can be found on the PBS website at: THE PENNSYLVANIA BIGFOOT SOCIETY – INVESTIGATING THE PENNSYLVANIA BIGFOOT PHENOMENON – Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society (pabigfoot.com)NOTE: This area has been a hotspot for cryptid canine activity in recent years. The Phantoms &; Monsters Fortean Research team has documented several cryptid canine sightings &; encounters in this particular area since 2014. It's an area where Butch Witkowski and I received numerous sightings and encounter reports. These tracks resemble other less distinguishable prints (including the foot structure descriptions) that witnesses have shown and described to us over that period. Lon - Pennsylvania Dogman / Upright Canine Interactive MapDOPPELG&;Auml;NGERS: SHOULD WE FEAR THEM&;#63; | Join Us For LIVE CHAT | Questions &; Answers #Doppelg&;auml;ngerLISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistHave you had a sighting or encounter&;#63;Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonHAVE A COMMENT&;#63; GO TO OUR SUBREDDIT AND POST YOUR THOUGHTSJOIN AMAZON PRIME - Unlimited Movie/TV Streaming&; FREE 2-Day ShippingRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LIST----------Access Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED&;#33; THANKS-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Finale-----Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter&;#63;Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonContact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Also available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2024 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

A longtime reader forwarded the following NUFORC account; apparently because the people involved in the incident were acquaintances of the reader:&;quot;At approximately 1:15 AM on 11/20/04 my wife and I retired to sleep on the second level of our Boca Raton‚ Fl home after watching TV in our first floor den. As I often do‚ I put on our TV in our room which helps me to get to sleep. As I watched a National Geographic special I became groggy. Knowing that keeping the TV on all night bothers my wife‚ I grabbed the remote and switched off the TV and quickly fell into a deep sleep. In what seemed an instant after doing so‚ I was awakened by my wife who questioned me as to where I was. My immediate response was &;quot;in our bed.&;quot;My wife then explained to me that she awoke because she sensed that I was not in bed with her. She then stated that she searched the whole house and even walked to the guard house in her pajamas of our community to see if anybody had been permitted to drive to our residence to pick me up. She was told nobody had come into the community.Upon her return‚ she burst into the room and found me in our bed. She stated that my car was in our driveway‚ and that my wallet‚ cell phone and money was just as I had left it in our kitchen when we went upstairs‚ which further upset her. She knows me well enough to know that if‚ in fact‚ I left our home for some reason‚ I would have taken these items with me. We do not live near any stores or establishments that one could walk to.As I awoke‚ she further explained that the covers in our bed on my side looked exactly as if I had pushed them down and left the bed. Realizing that she was not kidding‚ I informed her that I just turned off the TV and fell asleep. She then reconfirmed that she searched our entire residence and that I was not physically present.I glanced at the clock and it was about 2:30 AM when she stormed into our bedroom and awoke me with this shocking news.I tried to comfort and console her at this point and confirmed that to my knowledge I had not left our bed‚ not even to use the bathroom.Not really sure what had happened‚ we went back to bed. When I awoke‚ I asked her to confirm what had happened and that either her nor I were dreaming. She confirmed it.Somehow‚ I do not think either of us actually accepted this event as reality because we awoke and did not talk about it. As a believer‚ I felt that I needed to let soembody know and help me to understand what might have happened. So I searched the web and found this site to report incidents. I called and was instructed to file this report as I am.I consider myself of sane and sound mind and am a local business owner.I was also instructed to have my wife file an incident report which will be done first in the AM. I am also willing to have this event scrutinized by any means required to validate it including onsite investigation‚ cameras‚ lie detectors anything.It almost seems like something out of the 'Twilight Zone' and I feel more confused than anything.I am not sure what really happened. The evidence has it that I was somehow physically missing from my home for 45-60 minutes without my knowledge.I was told to examine myself for any marks‚ and did not find any. However‚ from the base of my throat to the middle of my chest it is mildly red‚ as if I had been exposed to the sun. I can tell because when I press the area‚ a brief mark appears such as when one gets a sunburn and presses the affected area with a finger. The rest of my body is unaffected.I welcome any comments and or suggestions.-----ADDENDUM FROM MARY MARGARET ZIMMER‚ ASSISTANT STATE DIRECTOR FOR FLORIDASleeping Male Vanishes From Home Late AMThis report was submitted by the witness‚ ((name deleted)). The contact information was given to me by Peter Davenport. I called ((name deleted)) at work on 12-13-04. He said he wanted to talk to me and gave me his home phone number. I called this number many times. Tried the work number again‚ and attempted e-mail contact. None of the messages were answered. If future attempts at contact are successful‚ I will notify this site.Mary Margaret Zimmer MUFON‚ ASD‚ FI Miami‚ FloridaNOTE: The reader (KL)‚ who forwarded this report to me‚ stated that he believes the incident actually occurred. MUFON and NUFORC both made inquiries. NUFORC was under the impression that this was a hoax‚ which is a consistent reaction by the group when a witness goes silent.According to KL‚ the experiencer had a 'visit' from a government agent no more than 36 hours after the incident. The experiencer and his wife became extremely upset by the visit and refused to continue cooperating with the reporting agencies.The couple had several unexplained 'encounters' over the next 3 years. They moved to another location and never contacted KL again. KL believes the couple have since passed away‚ according to inquiries that were made in 2015. LonUnexplained Disappearances: Exploring The Creepy True Cases Of People That Disappeared Overnight (Missing People‚ Missing Persons‚ Unexplained ... Theories‚ Bizarre True Stories) (Volume 1)Unexplained Disappearances: Bizarre Missing People Stories That Baffled The Authorities (Missing Persons‚ Bizarre True Stories‚ Missing People‚ True Police Stories‚ Conspiracy Theories) (Volume 2)Missing People: Disturbing Stories From The Last 100 Years: People That Disappeared Without A Trace (Conspiracy Theories‚ Missing Persons‚ Unexplained Disappearances‚ Unexplained Mysteries) (Volume 1)True Police Stories: Crazy Eyewitness Accounts &; Bizarre True Stories Of The Paranormal Kind (True Crime‚ True Paranormal‚ Conspiracy Theories‚ ... Unexplained Disappearances) (Volume 1)Missing People: The Multiple Effect: True Case Studies of Unexplained DisappearancesDOPPELG&;Auml;NGERS: SHOULD WE FEAR THEM&;#63; | Join Us For LIVE CHAT | Questions &; Answers #Doppelg&;auml;ngerLISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistHave you had a sighting or encounter&;#63;Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonHAVE A COMMENT&;#63; GO TO OUR SUBREDDIT AND POST YOUR THOUGHTSJOIN AMAZON PRIME - Unlimited Movie/TV Streaming&; FREE 2-Day ShippingRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LIST----------Access Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED&;#33; THANKS-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Finale-----Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter&;#63;Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonContact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Also available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2024 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

Two teen boys were chasing down rumors of Satan worshipers in rural Georgia when they encountered something quite unexpected; a real 'Yoda' humanoid&;#33;&;quot;Hi. I came across your website and wanted to know if anyone has ever seen a creature that resembles Yoda (from Star Wars). I know it sounds silly but about 20 years ago my friend and I decided to drive out to an area (Highway 27‚ Hamilton Rd from Columbus‚ GA towards Hamilton). We were two dumb teenagers at the time who heard a rumor there were Satan worshipers out in the woods. As teenagers do‚ we decided to investigate it for laughs and have fun scaring ourselves.We turned down a dirt road and followed it for a while until we wound up driving into a large open grass field. It was very dark out that night and quiet. While we did not see any &;quot;satan worshipers‚&;quot; I decided to try and scare my friend sitting in the passenger seat by placing my car in park in the big open field and I turned off my headlights for only about 10 or 15 seconds which put us in complete darkness. We could not even see each other let alone anything outside the car around us.I then turned my headlights back on (the car was still running the whole time) and when we looked forward‚ there standing in front of my car‚ almost touching the front bumper was a creature to this day we cannot explain.The creature was about 6 feet tall and had two legs but not human legs. They were bent like an animal's hind legs. From the waist up he literally looked like Yoda. Grayish light green in color. Strange long ears. Somewhat flat but scrunched up their face. Big round eyes which looked us both in the eyes. The eyes were on the front of the face (not on the side). It was definitely NOT a deer or any other normal animal of the woods. I don't remember seeing arms but it appeared to have two little short skinny arms in the front but I can't be certain. It only stood there for about 5 seconds then turned around and quickly went away into the night.It didn't have a distinct run‚ walk‚ or jump. It was somewhere in the middle of a run‚ jump‚ hop‚ glide kind of movement when it hurried away. Even that was not a normal movement of any animal or person.Naturally‚ my friend and I screamed and I threw my car in reverse and raced out of there as fast as I could. We never went back to search for another sighting as one time was good enough for us but I am interested to know if anyone else has experienced the same&;#63;&;quot; JXDOPPELG&;Auml;NGERS: SHOULD WE FEAR THEM&;#63; | Join Us For LIVE CHAT | Questions &; Answers #Doppelg&;auml;ngerLISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistHave you had a sighting or encounter&;#63;Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonHAVE A COMMENT&;#63; GO TO OUR SUBREDDIT AND POST YOUR THOUGHTSJOIN AMAZON PRIME - Unlimited Movie/TV Streaming&; FREE 2-Day ShippingRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LIST----------Access Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED&;#33; THANKS-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Finale-----Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter&;#63;Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonContact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Also available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2024 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

In this special edition of Wax Pack Flashback Adam is opening up a pack of MAC and Me trading cards created in a vintage style by https://www.serkworks.com and sharing his love for the 1988 film. CONTINUE READING... The post Wax Pack Flashback: MAC and Me Trading Cards (1988/2024) appeared first on The Retro Network.

As the Biden campaign continues to push abortion as a primary focus ahead of the November elections‚ the Biden administration made yet another move to ensure that abortion remains front and center by inserting the issue into the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act—earning a strong rebuke and lawsuit from a group of 17 Republican state attorneys general. In mid-April‚ the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission made the controversial announcement that it was adding abortion into its draft rules for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act‚ allowing employees to “ask for time off to obtain an abortion and recover from the procedure.” But critics say the legislation was never intended to address abortion and was merely meant to give pregnant women commonsense accommodations in the workplace‚ including time off for medical appointments; options to sit down and stand up while working; exemptions from heavy lifting; time off for postpartum recovery; bathroom‚ breastfeeding‚ food‚ and water breaks; considerations for morning sickness‚ and more. In response‚ a coalition of 17 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit last week against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission‚ claiming that the agency’s abortion rule is unconstitutional‚ among other concerns. “[U]nelected commissioners at the EEOC seek to hijack these new protections for pregnancies by requiring employers to accommodate elective abortions—something the [Pregnant Workers Fairness] Act clearly did not authorize‚” the AG coalition said in a written statement. “The EEOC’s rule constitutes an unconstitutional federal overreach that infringes on existing state laws and exceeds the scope of the agency’s authority.” Attorneys general who signed onto the lawsuit represent the states of Alabama‚ Arkansas‚ Florida‚ Georgia‚ Idaho‚ Indiana‚ Iowa‚ Kansas‚ Missouri‚ Nebraska‚ North Dakota‚ Oklahoma‚ South Carolina‚ South Dakota‚ Tennessee‚ Utah‚ and West Virginia. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall‚ a Republican‚ last week joined “Washington Watch” to discuss why he joined the lawsuit against the EEOC’s actions. The original text “is a wonderful‚ bipartisan supported [bill]—and we don’t say that very often with things that come out of Washington—to make sure that we accommodate pregnant women in the workplace because we want to have healthy pregnancies and children that come to birth‚” Marshall noted‚ adding: Let’s make sure that we fill a gap in federal law to ensure that pregnant women have those accommodations. … And now‚ the EEOC that was tasked by Congress to come out with some very specific aspects of what that looks like‚ now want to make sure that states like Alabama would have to violate state law to somehow or another accommodate a woman who wants an abortion. Alabama is not going to stand for that‚ along with the [16] other states that are a part of this coalition. Marshall went on to point out that pro-abortion Democrats explicitly stated that the bill had nothing to do with abortion when it was passed‚ which hasn’t stopped the Biden administration. “One of the Democratic sponsors of this bill made it very clear on the floor of the Senate that this bill had nothing to do with abortion [and] assured his colleagues on both sides of the aisle the intention of this bill‚” he said. “And yet‚ despite its clear language‚ what we see is [the] Biden administration co-opting a valid‚ appropriate law to be able to enforce this pro-abortion agenda. I know we shouldn’t be surprised‚ but it’s one of the reasons why I’m so proud of my colleagues across the country on many pro-life issues‚ because we’re standing in that gap that we need in this country‚ to make sure that we can push back on an administration that’s just simply gone too far.” Marshall made it clear that state attorneys general have a particularly important role to play in pushing back against the Biden administration’s tendency to try unconstitutional tactics to get its policies into place. “This is an unelected‚ unaccountable group‚” Marshall said‚ adding that “we’ve seen this on multiple fronts with this administration‚ [including] attacking pro-life states like Alabama. We’ve seen it with this radical gender ideology that’s being pushed through multiple federal programs. It’s why‚ uniquely‚ attorneys general in this important time in our nation have the opportunity to be able to hold [the Biden administration] in check.” Alabama’s attorney general also pointed to how state law will have strong legal footing against the measure in court. “[W]hat we see also with this particular rule is an effort to impose a federal policy of this administration on a state like Alabama‚ whose law is abundantly clear that we are a pro-life state in our Constitution‚” Marshall said‚ adding: To somehow or another use an unaccountable body like the EEOC to circumvent valid state law and constitutional provisions‚ we think we’re on solid legal footing to be able to push back and to win. … The key right now is attempting to get that initial injunctive relief‚ to be able to hold this rule in abeyance before its full implementation. But we feel very confident about the work of our colleagues‚ [are] grateful for the efforts of Tennessee and Oklahoma to lead this charge‚ [and] do feel strongly that we’re going to prevail. Originally published by The Washington Stand The post 17 State AGs Refuse to Allow Biden to Insert Abortion Into Pregnant Workers Fairness Act appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Most Americans may not have heard of the Department of the Interior‚ but this powerful administrative agency oversees more than one-fifth of America’s land area and much of its mineral and ocean resources. The Left’s dark money network has wielded influence at this massive agency to undermine oil and gas production and advance less reliable wind energy. Radical environmental groups such as the Sierra Club have sought to force Interior to restrict the approval process for oil and gas projects and to mark certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico off-limits for oil and gas leases. Interior under President Joe Biden has used a process called “sue-and-settle” to foist such regulations on the American people without the approval of Congress. Blocking Oil‚ Boosting Wind In 2020‚ the Sierra Club and other groups‚ represented by the environmentalist law firm Earthjustice‚ sued two agencies of the Department of Commerce (yes‚ not Interior) under the Endangered Species Act‚ seeking to force restrictions on oil and gas in the name of protecting wildlife. In 2023‚ the Sierra Club and its allies reached a settlement with the agencies. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)‚ an Interior Department agency that had not been a party to the lawsuit‚ released new rules restricting oil and gas leases in the Gulf‚ ostensibly to protect endangered Rice’s whales. I say “ostensibly” because‚ as the American Enterprise Institute’s Benjamin Zycher explained in The Hill‚ those restrictions do not apply to the thousands of vessels engaged in fishing‚ construction of offshore wind energy facilities‚ or other activities in the area. As Zycher wrote‚ it seems BOEM considers it “unacceptable for an oil tanker to cause the death of a Rice’s whale‚ but if another vessel kills it‚ then it’s just the cost of doing business.” Earthjustice celebrated the BOEM rules alongside the settlement. In another case‚ the Sierra Club and other groups petitioned BOEM to “end a routine practice of fast-tracking approval for offshore oil and gas projects” in the Gulf of Mexico. Two months later‚ Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced a new five-year plan for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico. Haaland bragged that Interior had planned for “the smallest number of oil and gas lease sales in history”—a maximum of three. America’s largest fossil fuel industry association‚ the American Petroleum Institute‚ sued Interior to block the plan‚ warning that it puts American consumers at risk and threatens U.S. energy security. On April 24‚ the Sierra Club praised new rules from Interior laying out the five-year schedule for offshore wind leasing. While Interior restricts oil and gas to three lease sales in the Gulf‚ it plans for 12 offshore wind auctions in federal waters between 2024 and 2028. In praising the plan‚ Sierra Club Legislative Director Xavier Boatright pledged to continue “collaborating with the Biden administration” on these issues. Oil is cheaper and more reliable than wind energy. In 2022‚ petroleum accounted for 31% of U.S. energy production‚ while wind energy accounted for only 3.8% of it. Wind energy also involves harvesting rare earth minerals through strip mining‚ an intensive process with toxic byproducts. Yet Interior is investing in wind and turning away from oil‚ largely for ideological reasons. Of course‚ the Left’s dark money network may also have something to do with those priorities. The Left’s Dark Money Network While Democrats have been obsessed with the Republican-leaning Koch brothers‚ a New York Times analysis shows that the Left’s dark money network spent more than comparable conservative groups. The left-wing Arabella Advisors and the Tides Foundation set up nonprofits to allow donors to pour money into specific projects‚ without disclosing what the money does. The Arabella network group Sixteen Thirty Fund poured $3.6 million into the Sierra Club from 2014 to 2022‚ according to IRS records. Tides Advocacy‚ the 501(c)4 lobbying arm of the left-wing dark money Tides Foundation‚ gave the group nearly $1 million between 2018 and 2021. The National Wildlife Federation Meanwhile‚ the National Wildlife Federation‚ an environmentalist group that promoted Al Gore’s 2006 film “An Inconvenient Truth‚” received nearly $1 million via Arabella nonprofits. The federation’s former employees now hold positions of power at Interior. Four-year federation staffer Tracy Stone-Manning is now the director at the Bureau of Land Management. She notoriously sent a threatening letter to the National Forest Service in 1989 on behalf of eco-terrorists who spiked trees to cause physical harm to loggers. She later said she does “not condone tree-spiking or terrorism of any kind.” Laura Daniel-Davis‚ who worked at Interior under President Barack Obama before joining the federation for three years‚ is now the second in command at Interior. She’s only in an acting role‚ however‚ because the Senate would not confirm her. Sen. Joe Manchin‚ D-W. Va.‚ opposed her for valuing the Left’s “radical climate agenda” ahead of Alaska’s energy production. The National Wildlife Federation also takes credit for “climate-smart conservation‚” a project it claims it developed with its “federal agency partners‚” such as the National Park Service. The federation’s close ties to Interior shouldn’t come as a surprise. A 2009 inspector general’s report found that staff at the Bureau of Land Management had worked so closely with the group that they may have violated the law. NWF staff wrote and edited official BLM materials. Much of this activity took place under President George W. Bush. Pueblo Action Alliance Haaland’s own daughter‚ 29-year-old Somah Haaland‚ has been heavily involved with the Pueblo Action Alliance‚ a radical left-wing group with ties to the Cuban government. In October 2021‚ the alliance helped lead a coalition of organizations known as “Build Back Fossil Free‚” which rioted at the Interior Department‚ injuring Interior staffers. As House Republicans wrote in a letter to Haaland‚ the alliance advocates “for the dismantling of America’s economic and political system and believe America is irredeemable because there is no ‘opportunity to reform a system that isn’t founded on good morals or values.'” The alliance’s website states that it aims to “build international solidarity with the indigenous global struggle‚” which “includes standing in solidarity with our Palestinian relatives by upholding their demands for ‘a permanent ceasefire‚ an end to the siege and illegal occupation in Gaza‚ and no more US/CANADIAN/UK military aid to Israel.” Secretary Haaland appears in a video the alliance released. The video‚ narrated by her daughter‚ demands a moratorium on oil leases around New Mexico’s Chaco Cultural National Historical Park. In June 2023‚ Haaland shut down oil and gas opportunities in that area. The moratorium will cost the Navajo Nation‚ a rival tribe in the region that lobbied in favor of oil and gas development‚ $194 million over the next two decades‚ according to the Western Energy Alliance. Ties between Haaland and the alliance‚ whose parent organization (the Southwest Organizing Project) received more than $1.3 million from Arabella network nonprofits‚ have raised ethics concerns. Haaland responded to those concerns by stating‚ “I believe that a reasonable person with knowledge of those facts would not question my impartiality.” Western-Energy-Alliance-OilDownload ‘Derogatory Terms’ Finally‚ Interior recently convened a committee to reevaluate place names to remove “derogatory terms.” That seems noble‚ but Secretary Haaland named a divisive figure to the committee. Kimberly A. Probolus had previously worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center to help with its project shaming officials into removing all public symbols of the Confederacy. The Tides Foundation sent the SPLC more than $1 million between 2018 and 2022. In a meeting of the Interior committee‚ she noted this previous work‚ expressing her gratitude for the chance to “continue to work toward racial and social justice” with Interior. The SPLC‚ which has lobbied Interior on “historic designations‚” praised Haaland for including Probolus‚ suggesting the committee use SPLC resources on symbols of hate. “No one should have to visit a national park whose name is rooted in legacies of hate and white supremacy‚” the SPLC’s Lecia Brooks said. Yet the SPLC is far from a reliable arbiter of hate. As I wrote in my book‚ “Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center‚” the center is notorious for putting mainstream conservative and Christian groups on a “hate map” alongside KKK chapters‚ scaring donors into ponying up cash. If Interior wants to avoid being “derogatory‚” it shouldn’t rely on the SPLC. Interior-Committee-Meeting-Mentioning-SPLCDownload Left-wing groups‚ spurred on by the Left’s dark money network‚ have made broad inroads at Interior under Biden‚ steering land policy away from oil and gas. Since America’s methods of oil and gas extraction require the fewest carbon emissions of any country‚ restricting U.S. oil production will lead other countries to invest in it more heavily to meet demand‚ leading to more emissions globally‚ while also increasing gas prices here at home. TWO-Testimony-20240530Download The post How the Left’s Dark Money Network Influences the Interior Department appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Chinese government’s suppression of civil liberties in Hong Kong hit new heights in March with the unanimous passage of sweeping national security legislation by the city’s rubber-stamp legislature. The move is just the latest indication of how willing China is to jeopardize its own economic interests to crack down on Hong Kong. The so-called Safeguarding National Security Ordinance is the latest in a series of actions by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities aimed at stifling dissent in the city following mass protests in 2019. It builds upon the National Security Law‚ which Beijing forced upon the city in 2020 by increasing penalties for alleged crimes against the state and creating entirely new categories of punishable offenses‚ including mandating up to 10-year jail sentences for criticizing the government. This new legislation makes a mockery of the rule of law and due process in Hong Kong‚ for which this once-vibrant economic powerhouse long had been known. What is shocking about the legislation‚ along with other measures Beijing has taken to bring Hong Kong to its knees‚ isn’t that it has stripped the city’s residents of their rights or that it failed to comply with the Sino-British Joint Declaration‚ in which China promised to let Hong Kong maintain its own system through 2047. Rather‚ these actions severely undermine China’s own critical economic and financial interests. Even more remarkably‚ China continues doubling down on this behavior even as its own deepening economic and diplomatic challenges make Hong Kong’s role as a global financial hub even more critical for Beijing. China long has relied on Hong Kong as a gateway to engage with the world. The mainland’s strict capital controls make many types of cross-border investments burdensome and‚ without a workaround‚ impede some of the business activity its domestic and international ambitions depend on. Hong Kong‚ with one foot in China and one in the global financial system‚ has served as a conduit of foreign investment into China as well as Chinese investment abroad. This has facilitated China’s efforts to enjoy the benefits of the global system while maintaining strong control over its own economy. In 2018‚ the year before the protests‚ Hong Kong accounted for about 55% of China’s overseas direct investment—including investment through Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative. Hong Kong is so important to China’s financial system and global ambitions that most in the international business community didn’t think Beijing would ever risk jeopardizing its unique role. Many even expected the central authorities to let Hong Kong continue operating under its separate system long after 2047. Even after Beijing imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong‚ much of the business community remained in denial‚ insisting it was merely a tool to deter future unrest. They were wrong. The law punched a widening hole in the city’s famed rule of law. National security authorities have interpreted its vague clauses liberally‚ using it to stamp out all signs of dissent at home and even pursue dissidents abroad. In 2021‚ Beijing imposed “electoral reforms” that gutted Hong Kong’s legislature of anyone not deemed by the authorities to be thoroughly loyal to Beijing. These actions have eroded the trust of the business community‚ resulted in an exodus of many of the city’s most capable workers‚ and killed any chance that Taiwan’s citizens might eventually come around to the idea of unification under the “one country‚ two systems” model. The moves also spooked the international business community‚ causing many to halt new investments and some to pull out completely. Indeed‚ by destroying Hong Kong’s political freedom and rule of law‚ Beijing killed the goose that laid the golden egg responsible for much of China’s economic development and some of its global ambitions. But rather than recognize its error and try to revive the goose‚ it keeps stabbing the goose’s corpse to make sure it’s dead‚ sacrificing its own national interests on the altar of political control. What makes the least sense about all this is that the protests already had ceased prior to the National Security Law’s passage in 2020. The start of the COVID-19 pandemic‚ following a monthslong police crackdown‚ had all but eliminated any chance of the unrest regaining momentum. Beijing could have declared victory and left the city—and the system upon which so many of its interests depend—largely intact. By the time it created this law‚ there was no active threat to Chinese control over Hong Kong. If the National Security Law was unnecessary and irrational‚ the actions by Beijing and Hong Kong following its passage have been downright superfluous. A few high-profile cases under the law would have had the chilling effect Beijing desired. The wide-reaching crackdown that remains ongoing to this day only serves to further tarnish the city’s image. The “electoral reforms” that created an overtly rubber-stamp legislature were similarly unnecessary‚ given the government already had all the tools needed to disqualify opposition politicians on trumped-up charges. The latest national security legislation is yet another self-inflicted wound to the city’s reputation‚ and thus its viability as a hub driving China’s economic development and global ambitions. Although national security legislation was required under Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law‚ its vague and draconian contents—and hasty passage through the Legislative Council—expose just how paranoid Beijing and its subordinates in the Hong Kong government are about any perceived opposition to their hold on power. The post China Keeps Shooting Itself in the Foot in Hong Kong appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Did Apple just help China retaliate against America’s possible TikTok ban&;#63; Apple has long invested heavily in Chinese markets‚ and‚ based on a recent report‚ the company is willing to exercise censorship to maintain those markets. Bloomberg reportedon April 18 that Apple Inc. had removed at least four social media services from its Chinese App Store‚ including two Meta-owned apps. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP)‚ which Bloomberg called “one of the world’s most rigid internet censorship regimes‚” demanded that Apple remove the apps over alleged “national security” concerns. Apple complied just after President Joe Biden signed a bill forcing TikTok to either relinquish its Chinese communist government ties or leave the country. The process of both bans have been ongoing‚ however. Bloomberg explained‚ “The orders come on the heels of a cleanup program Chinese regulators initiated in 2023 that was expected to remove many defunct or unregistered apps from domestic iOS and Android stores.” Mobile app developers were reportedly required to complete registration with the CCP by the end of March or be forced to cease operating. The censored apps are Meta’s Threads and WhatsApp‚ along with Signal and Telegram. In a statement obtained by Bloomberg‚ Apple claimed that it disagreed with the CCP’s demands but had to follow them. “We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate‚ even when we disagree. The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns‚” Apple stated‚ per Bloomberg. “These apps remain available for download on all other storefronts where they appear.” The dictatorial CCP’s “Great Firewall” has long banned foreign social media apps‚ including Facebook and Twitter (now X). Asia-Pacific news site The Diplomat‚ noted that Chinese users can be sentenced to years in prison for criticizing CCP officials. American companies’ operations in Communist China continue to be controversial‚ as do the operations of Chinese companies in America. President Joe Biden signed a bill a week ago that gives TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance a choice between selling TikTok or having the popular app banned. The CCP owns a board seat and maintains a financial stake in ByteDance‚ and multiple reports claim Chinese employees have access to U.S. TikTok user data‚ raising national security concerns.  Conservatives are under attack&;#33; Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency‚ clarity on hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored‚ contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form‚ and help us hold Big Tech accountable.

During a rare moment Tuesday when CNN wasn’t obsessing over the first Trump trial‚ correspondent Dianne Gallagher used a live shot from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to fret police caused “a very intense escalation” with pro-Hamas students‚ whom she said were merely holding a “rally and silent vigil” with “dancing and chanting” amid their tent cities. Oh‚ and they had torn down the American flag at the center of campus and replaced it with a Palestinian flag. And‚ by the way‚ the mostly white pro-Hamas crowd repeatedly threw water bottles and other projectiles at black police officers. Gallagher ignored the latter because reasons. “What I can tell you is that this is a very intense escalation from how it has been for the past several hours‚” Gallagher began‚ whining police had soured the vibes at what “was a rally and silent vigil for Palestine” and the raising of the Palestinian flag at a campus flagpole.       Alas‚ the fun and games were over when “a large group of police officers [came] down Polk Place and just sort of [came] for the students who had interlocking arms around this flag pole” to reinstall the American flag. “But with the force that this was done‚ pushing down students‚ some into these barricades that were placed up this morning after police cleared an encampment that had been here on Polk Place for about 90 hours‚” she fretted. Adding the students being told early in the morning to disperse left them feeling uneasy because it had been such “a very peaceful encampment”‚ she revealed “about 30 people were detained” with the local district attorney telling her “that is mix of arrest and citations.” “The University of North Carolina says that they were in violation of negotiations that have been ongoing by putting tents back up on Sunday afternoon. The university students who were at the encampment told me today that they felt like there was no real negotiation with the university. They felt like this was more of a one-sided conversation‚” she countered‚ giving more credence to the students. Explaining students told her “[t]hey had taken the tents down twice already” and “there had been no real discussion with the university”‚ she reiterated her supposedly neutral description of the “intense escalation from what we saw just 20 minutes ago or so” when “there were students dancing and chanting” to police arriving (in order to restore order). Gallagher never explained what the pro-Palestinian students were saying or what any of their signs read. Rather‚ she boasted what had been happening was “incredibly peaceful and very low key” with there even having been a “silent vigil” (click “expand”): We had lots of speakers out here earlier that we were listening to‚ roughly five or six hours after many of those people who were either arrested or cited were released. Now‚ they put barricades up after the encampment was cleared this morning‚ and we did see these protesters — you can see there’s a couple of skirmishes over here. We did see those protests or sort of remove those barricades after several hours of that — protests and silent vigil to come and take down the American flag‚ put up the Palestinian flag‚ and continue their chants.  Everything that we have observed today from about noon on has been incredibly peaceful and very low key for the most part up until we saw the officers run across this lawn here. That is really the most intense energy that we have felt. I’m — I’m gonna let you kind of look at what is going on again here‚ but it does appear they’re just trying to raise this American flag up. I’m gonna get my photographer westward to just sort of show the growing number of students that is starting to come here to Polk Place. Now‚ again‚ this is not what the situation necessarily looked like just a few moments ago here at the University of North Carolina. Exit question for CNN: If pro-Holocaust college students and their well-funded allies taking over campuses is “peaceful”‚ then what was Charlottesville&;#63; CNN Special Report: Trump Hush Money Trial April 30‚ 2024 2:40 p.m. Eastern ERIN BURNETT: And we are watching dramatic developments unfold at college campus protests nationwide right now‚ Wolf. WOLF BLITZER: I want to get right to CNN’s Dianne Gallagher. She’s on the scene for us at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These are live pictures we’re showing our viewers right now‚ Dianne. Update our viewers. DIANNE GALLAGHER: Alright‚ I cannot hear on IFB anymore‚ but I’m assuming that you are on our pictures right now. What I can tell you is that this is a very intense escalation from how it has been for the past several hours. There was a rally and silent vigil for Palestine that occurred for several — after they — I don’t know if you can see right now — they’re taking the Palestinian flag down off the flagpole‚ which was put up there about 30 minutes or so ago by protesters. They took the American flag down‚ raised the Palestinian flag. About five minutes or so ago‚ we saw a large group of police officers come down Polk Place and just sort of come for the students who had interlocking arms around this flag pole. It appears they’re trying to remove the Palestinian flag and re-raise an American flag up on this flagpole here. But with the force that this was done‚ pushing down students‚ some into these barricades that were placed up this morning after police cleared an encampment that had been here on Polk Place for about 90 hours. The University of North Carolina sent an e-mail‚ sent out a paper statement basically warning the students at 5:37 this morning‚ they had to clear the encampment by 6:00 a.m. Many of the students we spoke with said that they were sleeping and did not know until some faculty came down about ten minutes before six to get out. According to the university‚ about 30 people were detained. I spoke with the district attorney. He said that is a mix of arrest and citations. Talking to students‚ they say that‚ again‚ they were very surprised by this. They felt that it had been a very peaceful encampment up to that point. The University of North Carolina says that they were in violation of negotiations that have been ongoing by putting tents back up on Sunday afternoon. The university students who were at the encampment told me today that they felt like there was no real negotiation with the university. They felt like this was more of a one-sided conversation. They had taken the tents down twice already‚ but there had been no real discussion with the university‚ those students say‚ about their demands of divestment and disclosure of finances. Now‚ they say that — that is why they put those tents back up on Sunday afternoon‚ what the university deemed as that violation for them to go and clear the encampment this morning. The students again saying there was no real honest negotiation‚ they felt‚ with the school and that was why they kept those up. Now‚ again‚ this is an intense escalation from what we saw just 20 minutes ago or so‚ there were students dancing and chanting. You can now hear other students coming and staying USA‚ USA. We’re seeing more students now come to Polk Place. This sort of green area where we’d actually been seeing sort a decrease in people out here. They were finishing for the day. We had lots of speakers out here earlier that we were listening to‚ roughly five or six hours after many of those people who were either arrested or cited were released. Now‚ they put barricades up after the encampment was cleared this morning‚ and we did see these protesters — you can see there’s a couple of skirmishes over here. We did see those protests or sort of remove those barricades after several hours of that — protests and silent vigil to come and take down the American flag‚ put up the Palestinian flag‚ and continue their chants. Everything that we have observed today from about noon on has been incredibly peaceful and very low key for the most part up until we saw the officers run across this lawn here. That is really the most intense energy that we have felt. I’m — I’m gonna let you kind of look at what is going on again here‚ but it does appear they’re just trying to raise this American flag up. I’m gonna get my photographer westward to just sort of show the growing number of students that is starting to come here to Polk Place. Now‚ again‚ this is not what the situation necessarily looked like just a few moments ago here at the University of North Carolina. BURNETT: All right‚ Dianne Gallagher showing us these images. You know‚ of course‚ at the beginning when we were seeing those police come in to try to reach voice that American flags‚ some of those images Diane had were really dramatic. Kids sort of being thrown out from that coordinate of police officers from what we could see‚ a few of them and now‚ chanting and it looks like a — police are re-raising that American flag. A very dynamic situation at UNC-Chapel Hill. Our Dianne Gallagher is there. We’re going to be checking back in with that here over these next few moments.

On Thursday‚ the prosecution's third witness‚ finance executive Gary Farro‚ returned to provide his testimony in the New York criminal case brought against Donald Trump.Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an alleged attempt to cover up so-called &;quot;hush money&;quot; payments made to Stormy Daniels‚ a porn actress‚ to keep quiet about an alleged extramarital affair. Michael Cohen‚ Trump's former attorney‚ claimed that he made a $130‚000 payment to Daniels at Trump's request. Farro‚ Cohen's former banker‚ returned for his second day on the stand Tuesday to detail how Cohen set up a new LLC to allegedly complete the transaction.Last week‚ Farro explained that Cohen urgently requested in 2016 that First Republic Bank open a new LLC‚ Resolution Consultants‚ for &;quot;capital real estate.&;quot; According to Farro‚ Cohen never made a deposit after the account was set up. Instead‚ two weeks later‚ Cohen backtracked on the plan‚ stating he no longer wanted to open that account‚ Farro said. Cohen requested to open a different LLC‚ Essential Consultants‚ for the same purpose‚ Farro testified. Cohen obtained a home equity line of credit transfer the same day he opened the account‚ Farro told the court. On October 27‚ Cohen completed a $130‚000 wire transfer from Essential Consultants to attorney Keith Davidson's trust account‚ Farro continued. At the time‚ Daniels was one of Davidson's clients.&;quot;It's an account that's held by attorneys on behalf of one of their clients‚&;quot; Farro explained. He claimed that Cohen told him the payment was a &;quot;retainer&;quot; for a real estate transaction. Todd Blanche‚ Trump's attorney‚ clarified with Farro that Cohen did not indicate on the account's paperwork that he was &;quot;acting as an agent&;quot; for anyone else.&;quot;We would have to know who he was acting as an agent for‚&;quot; Farro stated. &;quot;We would have to ensure that he was not working with a person of interest.&;quot; &;quot;If [the] client told me it was a shell corporation‚ it would not have been opened. It would give me pause‚ very frankly‚&;quot; Farro added.The prosecution called attorney Keith Davidson to the stand. Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal were previously clients of Davidson.Davidson claimed that he negotiated with National Enquirer and ABC News on behalf of McDougal to sell her story for top dollar. &;quot;At the time‚ as is often the case with negotiations‚ I was trying to play two entities off of each other‚&;quot; he testified.Davidson claimed McDougal &;quot;did not want to tell her story.&;quot; Instead‚ she wanted to &;quot;rejuvenate her career‚ to make money and to avoid telling the story and being termed the scarlet letter‚&;quot; he testified.Dylan Howard‚ former National Enquirer editor‚ texted Davidson on July 23‚ 2016‚ &;quot;Get me a price on McDougall (sic). All in. Consulting gig perhaps as a fitness expert thrown into the mix‚&;quot; according to evidence submitted to the court.Davidson testified that Trump was not named in the deal with the National Enquirer but claimed that the purchase of McDougal's story would benefit Trump. Davidson received 45% of the $150‚000 deal. He told the court that there were two possible reasons the tabloid purchased the story without plans to run it.&;quot;I think one explanation that was given was that they were trying to build Karen into a brand and didn't want to diminish her reputation. And second was more of an unspoken understanding that there was a close affiliation between David Pecker and Donald Trump and that AMI would not run this story or any story related to Karen and Donald Trump because it would tend to hurt Donald Trump‚&;quot; Davidson testified.He noted that‚ prior to the &;quot;Access Hollywood&;quot; tape‚ there was little interest in Daniels' story.&;quot;So far as I'm aware‚ it had tremendous influence‚&;quot; Davidson told jurors. He further claimed that &;quot;no one wanted to talk to Cohen&;quot; to close a deal on the story. Davidson described Cohen as &;quot;not pleasant or constructive.&;quot; He explained that the tabloid's parent company‚ American Media Inc.‚ decided it did not want to purchase Daniels' story‚ so Cohen &;quot;stepped into AMI's shoes.&;quot;Davidson testified that the deal was written up using fake names to conceal those involved. &;quot;Peggy Peterson&;quot; was used for Daniels‚ and &;quot;David Dennison&;quot; was used for Trump‚ he claimed.According to the agreement‚ Cohen was to send $130‚000 to Davidson by October 14‚ 2016. However‚ Davidson did not receive the funds in time‚ he stated. Cohen allegedly gave many reasons for the delay. &;quot;Goddamnit what do you expect me to do‚ my guy is in five different states today‚&;quot; Cohen reportedly wrote to Davidson.Davidson testified that Cohen ultimately decided to send the funds himself. He noted that he had assumptions about how the deal would be funded but did not know.Gag order rulingDA Bragg filed a contempt motion against the former president‚ claiming that his comments about individuals involved in the New York criminal case violated Merchan's gag order.Trump was accused of violating the judge's order approximately a dozen times‚ including 10 social media posts published on Truth Social. In one of the posts‚ Trump mentions &;quot;two sleazebags‚&;quot; which the prosecution argued was referring to Cohen and Daniels‚ who are both expected to testify against Trump.Bragg urged Merchan to remind Trump that he could face jail time for repeated order violations.Before continuing with the witness testimony on Tuesday morning‚ Merchan ruled on the alleged violations‚ finding Trump in contempt of his order. According to Merchan‚ Trump violated the gag order nine times. As part of the judge's ruling‚ Trump must pay $1‚000 per violation. He was also ordered to remove &;quot;offending posts&;quot; from social media and two &;quot;offending posts&;quot; from his campaign website. The posts must be removed‚ and the fine must be paid by the close of business Friday.The judge's order read‚ &;quot;THEREFORE‚ Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances‚ it will impose an incarceratory punishment.&;quot;Trump's attorneys argued that the former president's comments referring to Cohen and Daniels were in response to repeated public attacks made by the two witnesses. His team noted that neither Cohen nor Daniels is restricted from making disparaging comments about Trump‚ the case against him‚ or his political campaign.&;quot;President Trump is allowed to respond to political attacks‚&;quot; Trump's attorney told the judge last week. &;quot;To allow such attacks upon protected witnesses with blanket assertions that they are all responses to 'political attacks' would be an exception that swallowed the rule. The Expanded Order does not contain such an exception‚&;quot; Merchan responded.As of Tuesday afternoon‚ Trump had already removed the social media posts.According to prosecutors‚ four additional comments made by Trump since last week's hearing also allegedly violated the gag order. Merchan will hold another hearing later this week to consider those comments. The trial will resume on Thursday with a gag order hearing‚ and Davidson is expected to continue his testimony.Anything else&;#63;On Tuesday‚ Trump was joined in court by his son Eric Trump and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. &;quot;With President Trump in NYC to sit through this sham of a trial. This trial is a travesty of justice. I stand with Trump‚&;quot; Paxton wrote on X.The prosecution stated that if Trump testifies‚ it would like to use the gag order violations during cross-examination to show &;quot;the defendant's attempt to dissuade witnesses‚ including Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.&;quot; Trump responded to the gag order violation ruling on Truth Social‚ writing‚ &;quot;This Judge has taken away my Constitutional Right to FREE SPEECH. I am the only Presidential Candidate in History to be GAGGED. This whole 'Trial' is RIGGED‚ and by taking away my FREEDOM OF SPEECH‚ THIS HIGHLY CONFLICTED JUDGE IS RIGGING THE PRESIDENTIAL OF 2024 ELECTION. ELECTION INTERFERENCE&;#33;&;#33;&;#33;&;quot;In addition to ruling on the alleged gag order violations‚ Merchan granted Trump approval to attend his son Barron Trump's upcoming high school graduation. Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;