Politico is a member in good standing of the “establishment media.” Its journalists rotate in and out‚ to and from other pro-Biden outlets. But when Politico has a reporter who delves into the Biden family influence-peddling business‚ you can expect that work to be ignored routinely. Ben Schreckinger authored a book in the fall of 2021 titled “The Bidens: Inside the First Family’s Fifty-Year Rise to Power.” The publisher promised it would reveal “the secrets lurking in the deep recesses of Joe’s family tree to his son Hunter’s foreign deal-making spree—and the Trump gang’s ham-handed efforts to exploit it.” Nobody in the pro-Biden media wanted a Biden tell-all‚ even from within its ranks. Schreckinger wasn’t all over TV selling his book the way every salacious anti-Trump author was rewarded. Brian Stelter‚ then still with CNN‚ even gave a dust-cover blurb for the book comparing the author to Bob Woodward‚ but didn’t book him on his show “Reliable Sources.” The cycle repeated on Feb. 18‚ when Schreckinger reported for Politico on President Joe Biden’s brother James. When James worked as a consultant to the Americore hospital chain in 2017‚ he suggested his brother could help‚ and spoke of plans to give Joe equity and a board seat. Instead‚ Americore went bankrupt‚ wreaking havoc in rural communities. It still faces a federal prosecution of a $100 million conspiracy to defraud Medicare. On the same day in 2018 that James Biden received a $200‚000 payment from Americore‚ he made out a check for that amount to his brother Joe‚ which he claimed was a “loan repayment‚” but he hasn’t proved the loan. None of this mattered when James Biden testified in a closed session before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on Feb. 21. ABC‚ CBS and NBC could barely mention the president’s brother after he testified‚ except to repeat his transparently false claims that Joe was never involved in his lobbying schemes. It’s like no one at these networks has ever relied on Politico for their stories. The “PBS NewsHour” ignored James Biden entirely in its eight-minute segment on how Russian collusion is somehow aiding the Republicans again. The New York Times put the story on page A-14 under the fact-defying headline “Biden Had No Involvement In Transactions‚ Brother Says.” The Washington Post story was on A-11 with a headline displaying a similar contempt for the public record: “Brother denies Biden was involved in his business deals.” What makes this routine more annoying is that Hunter Biden attempted to avoid a closed hearing because Republicans might come out and distort the overall picture of his testimony. Now James Biden has a closed hearing‚ and the Democrats and their affiliated media outlets came out and pretended the president has never “played a role” in the Biden lobbying business. Both newspaper accounts acknowledged James Biden is “an integral part of the Biden family‚ though often in the background.” Yes‚ that’s easier when the media has an incredible incuriosity in what he does behind the scenes. But they loaded their stories with Democrats’ talking points‚ including the claim that this whole inquiry has accomplished nothing and should end. The contrast between the media’s treatment of House Republican oversight hearings and their hopelessly devoted romance with Nancy Pelosi’s Jan. 6 panel is stunning. One party is compared to the Avengers‚ and the other is the Keystone Kops. The legacy media careen between journalistic savagery masquerading as “accountability” and robotic repetitions of preposterous Biden family denials. It’s a shame that they couldn’t all simply investigate whoever is in power‚ like lonely Ben Schreckinger. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Why Won’t Legacy Media Investigate James Biden? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Each year since 1961 Western Writers of America has bestowed on a respected individual its Owen Wister Award for lifetime achievement in the field of Western history. Previous Wister recipients include Oscar-winning director John Ford and actor John Wayne‚ Pulitzer-winning Kiowa poet and novelist N. Scott Momaday‚ historian Robert M. Utley and such bestselling novelists as Elmer Kelton and Tony Hillerman. Named for the author of the acclaimed 1902 novel The Virginian‚ the Wister is WWA’s highest award. The 2024 recipient is Quintard Taylor‚ a leading scholar in the history of the black experience out West.  Quintard Taylor Professor emeritus and the Scott and Dorothy Bullitt professor of American History at the University of Washington‚ Seattle‚ Taylor is the author of In Search of the Racial Frontier: African Americans in the American West: 1528–1990 (2024) and editor of the anthology African American Women Confront the West‚ 1600–2000 (2003). He was born in 1948 in Brownsville‚ Texas‚ where his great-grandfather was born into slavery‚ his father managed a cotton plantation and his mother worked at menial labor. Taylor himself holds master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Minnesota‚ Minneapolis. In 2007 he founded BlackPast.org‚ an online encyclopedia of black history boasting 55 million users.  “Dr. Taylor’s work reflects the evolving and dynamic understanding of the black experience in the American West‚ a topic that had been long overlooked‚” said Max McCoy‚ WWA’s executive director. “As a pioneer in the effort to bring that experience to a wider audience‚ he richly deserves this‚ our highest award.”  Established in the early 1950s to promote the literature of the American West‚ the nonprofit WWA has approximately 600 members worldwide‚ including writers and editors of fiction‚ nonfiction‚ songs‚ poems and screenplays. WWA will honor Taylor and its other award recipients at its annual convention‚ scheduled for June 19–22‚ 2024‚ in Tulsa‚ Okla.

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A uniformed cop in Mississippi was arrested by her colleagues and hauled off to jail in her police cruiser after she allegedly stole a pair of sneakers while on duty earlier this week.Around noon on Wednesday‚ Robin Conner‚ a 33-year-old police officer‚ drove her police cruiser to a Dick's Sporting Goods store in her precinct of Columbus‚ Mississippi‚ near the Alabama border‚ about 60 miles northwest of Tuscaloosa. While there‚ she tried on a pair of sneakers valued at $140. She then allegedly tried to walk out of the store with the shoes still on her feet‚ but an employee stopped her. The employee detained her before calling 911‚ the New York Post reported.When Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry received word about Conner's alleged actions‚ he was both embarrassed and outraged and determined to make the arrest himself. Daughtry and his assistant chief went to the sporting goods store‚ slapped cuffs on Conner‚ and took her to jail in her patrol vehicle."We’re going to treat her like we would anybody else‚" Daughtry stated.Conner was booked into the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center‚ charged with misdemeanor shoplifting for stealing goods worth less than $1‚000‚ and given a $862 surety bond. She is scheduled to appear in court on April 4. It is not clear whether she has retained an attorney.Conner was initially placed on administrative leave‚ but the Columbus City Council voted unanimously on Thursday to fire her. It was actually Conner's second stint with the department. She had worked there previously and left before returning to the force approximately two years ago‚ WTVA reported. Daughtry called the entire situation a "gut punch." "We have a job to do‚ and we're held to a higher standard‚" he explained. "And the community is just starting to trust us‚ and to take this gut punch really hurts.""That’s why we fulfilled our obligation‚ not only to the store‚ but to the community."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The FBI informant indicted for allegedly lying to the FBI about Biden family corruption was rearrested Thursday.Special counsel David Weiss — who was appointed to investigate Hunter Biden — arrested Alexander Smirnov last week after securing a grand jury indictment on allegations that Smirnov lied to federal authorities when he told them Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid then-Vice President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million each in 2015 and/or 2016.On Tuesday‚ U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Albregts released Smirnov from custody with a GPS tracker and an order to surrender his U.S. and Israeli passports. Prosecutors then asked the court for a stay on the order‚ which Albregts denied.Despite the judge's order‚ federal authorities rearrested Alexander Smirnov on Thursday while he was meeting with his lawyers in Las Vegas.In a court filing asking the judge for immediate relief‚ attorney David Chesnoff described the "bizarre circumstances" of the incident. Chesnoff explained:On February 21‚ 2024‚ the Government filed an application to reopen the detention hearing in the underlying case. The Government's application makes no mention of any second‚ then-unserved arrest warrant for Mr. Smirnov based on the same charges.Despite Judge Albregts's prior ruling‚ denial of the stay request‚ and Mr. Smirnov's prior release from custody‚ on the morning of February 22‚ 2024‚ Mr. Smirnov was arrested for a second time — on the same charges and based on the same indictment ... while at the undersigned counsel's law office for meetings with counsel.The incident‚ Chesnoff asserted‚ is an "interference with [Smirnov's] cherished Sixth Amendment rights."Chesnoff‚ moreover‚ alleged that authorities have usurped the court because the court already ordered Smirnov released and denied prosecutors' request for a stay on that order.Late Thursday‚ Judge Albregts ordered the government to respond to Smirnov's lawyers' request for an immediate detention hearing by Friday afternoon. Andrew Weissmann‚ the former top FBI official‚ explained why the situation "smacks of impropriety." "Special Counsel Weiss is playing with fire here-he can appeal the Magistrate's decision to release Smirnov (and has done so)‚ but arresting him on the same case the Magistrate released him on smacks of impropriety‚" Weissmann explained. — (@) But the situation took a turn on Friday when Judge Otis Wright‚ a judge in the central district of California‚ revealed that he ordered Smirnov's rearrest and detention. In his order‚ Wright accused Smirnov's attorneys of seeking their client's release "likely to facilitate [Smirnov's] absconding from the United States."Smirnov's attorneys have denied that he is a flight risk. Chesnoff‚ for example‚ pointed to the fact that authorities found him at his attorneys' office when they rearrested him as evidence that he had no intention to flee.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Chicago Board of Education voted Tuesday to remove police officers from public schools‚ citing students' "emotional safety‚" despite the city's increase in criminal activity.In a 7-0 vote‚ the board unilaterally determined that Chicago Public Schools will not renew its contract with the Chicago Police Department. The decision effectively stripped power away from individual schools to decide whether to staff resource officers. Currently‚ CPD officers patrol 39 of the district's 634 schools. WFLD reported that none of the city's public elementary schools have school resource officers.Teachers‚ students‚ and elected city officials addressed the board ahead of the Thursday vote. During the nearly eight-hour school board meeting‚ some students stated that the resource officers scare them‚ Fox News Digital reported.Those who supported the removal of the officers claimed that they failed to make the campuses safer and discriminated against minorities. Supporters contended that money spent on staffing the officers could be better spent elsewhere.Others argued that police officers' presence on school campuses keeps students safe. Some reasoned that it should be left up to individual schools to decide whether they want to staff resource officers.The vote to remove the officers was part of a new "Whole School Safety Policy" approved by the board. According to WFLD‚ the updated policy will have to receive final approval from the board over the summer to go into effect in the upcoming school year.Following the vote‚ the board wrote a letter stating‚ "We want to be clear that many schools will still employ physical safety personnel like security guards at points of entry‚ and crossing guards and Safe Passage workers to ensure students can get to and from school safely.""Some schools will also continue to use physical security tools such as security cameras or metal detectors. Furthermore‚ each school will still maintain a relationship with their local Chicago Police Department 'School Sergeant‚' a position assigned to each police district to provide safety support to schools‚" the board added.The funds previously used to staff SROs will be reallocated for "alternative safety positions‚ resources‚ and interventions‚" the board noted. WFLD reported that the alternative safety initiatives include staffing "restorative justice coordinators and youth intervention specialists." Other initiatives include "re-engagement‚ healing-centered‚ and restorative discipline practices‚" the outlet stated. It noted that funds may also be used to provide school staff with "de-escalation" training.Board member Mariela Estrada claimed that the resolution makes good on "the board's commitment to focus on alternative systems of safety that create that physical and emotional safety that we heard earlier shared by so many young people‚" KOMO reported.Board member Tanya Woods said‚ "This doesn't take away from the importance of considering the unique context of our school communities when it comes to creating our universal goal of establishing physical‚ emotional‚ and relational safety in every school."According to CPD statistics‚ overall crime increased 16% in 2023 compared to 2022. Murder dropped 13%‚ and burglary dropped 2%. However‚ motor vehicle theft increased by 37%‚ robbery by 23%‚ aggravated battery by 6%‚ criminal sexual assault by 3%‚ and theft by 3%. Overall‚ crime in Chicago has increased 68% since 2020.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

David Frigerio‚ the co-writer and producer of “Land of Bad‚” had a simple directive while making the film: Create a “non-political‚ straightforward‚ kick-ass action film.”And with to the film overperforming at the box office‚ mission accomplished.“Land of Bad” treats American soldiers with the respect they’ve earned but doesn’t idolize them. It’s not a rah-rah slice of jingo pie.“Land of Bad” had little marketing muscle behind it‚ but it cracked the box office top 10 in its opening week on just 1‚000-plus screens. That’s roughly a third to a fourth of what most wide-release movies receive.“It’s the little engine that could‚” Frigerio tells Align‚ adding that the movie had the third-highest per-screen average in its debut.Liam Hemsworth stars as a raw joint terminal attack controller fighting for his life after a rescue mission goes awry in southwest Philippines. The film showcases the latest military techniques‚ including a drone steered by Oscar winner Russell Crowe as Reaper‚ the film’s grouchiest character.No woke lectures. Just four soldiers bravely going behind enemy lines to retrieve an asset (along with some good-natured ribbing aimed at vegans).The inspiration behind “Land of Bad” dates back to 2013. Frigerio and his producing partners became fascinated by the work JTACs do in combat situations‚ coordinating drone strikes and the proverbial eyes in the sky to complete dangerous missions.Frigerio and his team worked extensively with military veterans to develop the characters and fact-check story elements‚ a collaboration that began early in the filmmaking process.A real-life JTAC reached out to Frigerio after word leaked about the screenplay‚ starting an extended exchange between storytellers and military veterans. The screenwriter drove out to Fort Irwin military base the next day and spent three days “as a fly on the wall‚” learning how to “blow stuff up‚” as he calls it‚ at a military base.The veterans shared their war stories and the traumas they experienced.“They’re still salt-of-the-earth guys. That surprised me‚” he says. “Getting their stories helped with the tone of the film.”Having soldiers on speed-dial while writing the script ensured its authenticity. It also flavored the film’s cheeky sense of humor and brotherhood. Hemsworth co-stars with his brother‚ Luke Hemsworth‚ plus “This Is Us” alum Milo Ventimiglia and Ricky Whittle.Frigerio peppers the conversation with the word “cool” about both the film and the Queensland‚ Australia‚ shoot. The team had roughly $20 million to work with‚ a solid sum for an indie film but a fraction of what studios dole out for their projects.Having an Oscar winner on board? Priceless.Crowe stepped onto the set and said he saw his character‚ nicknamed Reaper‚ as “Hawkeye Pierce from ‘M*A*S*H*.’ I got chills‚” Frigerio says. The actor helped rewrite scenes on the fly‚ improved lines that made the final cut‚ and fully committed to the project.“He’s a master‚” the producer says.“Land of Bad” treats American soldiers with the respect they’ve earned but doesn’t idolize them. It’s not a rah-rah slice of jingo pie.“We wanted to pay as much respect to the military as possible‚” Frigerio says. That also meant honest depictions of frustrating military bureaucracy as well as clashing egos.It wasn’t long ago that Hollywood cranked out one anti-military drama after the other. “Lions for Lambs‚” “Redacted‚” “Rendition‚” and “Green Zone” cast a withering light on soldiers‚ the Bush administration’s War on Terror‚ or both.They all bombed at the box office.Since then‚ the industry has shown more empathy for U.S. soldiers‚ from the Oscar-nominated “American Sniper” (2014) and “Lone Survivor” (2013) to the underrated “Thank You for Your Service”(2017) starring Miles Teller as a veteran suffering from PTSD.Frigerio acknowledges a distinct change in movies made about the U.S. military over that span‚ and “Land of Bad” does nothing to interrupt that trend. Nor did the filmmakers receive any studio notes or imperatives to steer the film in one direction or another.“It’s the film we wrote 11 years ago. We were always tinkering with it. … This is our movie‚” he says. “We weren’t influenced by any corporation or studio.”

Myth of Empires is trending on Steam Charts right now despite past legal issues following a DMCA takedown request. The sandbox had temporarily been delisted from Valve’s storefront in December 2021 after a claim filed by Studio Wildcard‚ which is behind Ark Survival Evolve‚ alleged that Myth of Empires stole some of its code. Continue reading DMCA’d sandbox game is huge on Steam after comeback MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best sandbox games‚ Best strategy games‚ Best new PC games

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