Brands that tend to lean conservative experienced significant corporate reputational improvement because of increased trust from independents, as well as from some Democrats, according to a poll published on Wednesday. Corporate reputations have plunged to their lowest point since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but conservative-leaning companies ranked among the highest, according to the Axios/Harris Poll 100. Close to two-thirds of the 100 companies had decreased reputation scores, which reflect a brand’s trust, character, ethics, vision, citizenship, growth, and products and services, while three of the 15 companies that rose over half a point were Hobby Lobby, the Trump Organization, and Fox Corp., according to Axios. “Many independents, and even some Democrats, in this year’s survey are drifting rightward, which accounts for the boost in reputations of many of the more traditional or conservatively-leaning companies,” Harris Poll CEO John Gerzema told Axios. “There seems to be a move to the center on attitudes toward companies and their role in society. I feel this could be an important finding because swing voters are going to determine the outcome of the election, and as of yet are hard to pin down.” The Trump Organization saw a 12.4-point increase in trust from independents, while Hobby Lobby experienced an eight-point rise in trust among Democrats, according to Axios. A greater number of independents and Democrats believe Fox Corp. and Hobby Lobby align with their values. Americans of all political backgrounds appear to be significantly skeptical of left-wing corporate agendas, such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), according to the poll. Bud Light’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch, which briefly collaborated with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in 2023, experienced a six-point drop, while Target’s reputation declined after backlash to selling an LGBT “Pride” collection. Many corporations are cutting back on or rebranding their DEI initiatives to evade scrutiny as conservatives have pushed back on these programs with legal efforts. Their concern about legal scrutiny ratcheted up after the Supreme Court struck down race-based admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina in June 2023. The rankings were based on a survey of 16,500 Americans, which was conducted between March 6 and 18. The Trump Organization, Hobby Lobby, and Fox Corp. did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation The post Conservative-Leaning Companies Make Gains in Their Reputational Score, Poll Finds appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Shock: Florida High School Officials Cleared After Violating State Law on Trans Athletes

Progressive Portland DA Ousted by Tough-on-Crime Deputy

Taxpayer-funded PBS took another bite out of the Justice Alito flag controversy on Sunday’s edition of PBS News Weekend, interviewing New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor, who made the front page with her scoop that the American flag briefly flew upside down outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in January 2021. Laura Barron-Lopez, perhaps the network’s most biased reporter, was substitute anchor over the weekend and coincidentally or not, the usually sleepier Weekend shows were more ideologically charged than usual. The harder edge was apparent from Saturday’s show introduction, using the upside-down American flag that flew over Alito’s home in January 2021 to condemn the conservative Supreme Court. Anchor Laura Barron-Lopez: Tonight on PBS News Weekend, the Supreme Court’s credibility is called into question after a photo emerged of a Stop the Steal flag outside a justice’s home…. During the seven-minute story which appeared under the graphic “Election Denialism,” she used Trump’s “lie that President Biden stole the 2020 presidential election, which led to the violent January 6 insurrection,” as her segue to a wild extrapolation. Barron-Lopez: “And we also learned this week that a symbol of the Stop the Steal movement reached the highest court in the land. The New York Times reported that in January of 2021, an upside-down American flag, an emblem now widely associated with the lie of a stolen 2020 election, was flying at the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. I spoke with Jody Kantor, the New York Times reporter who broke the story, earlier today. We discussed the implications of such a symbol flying at Alito’s home 11 days after rioters stormed the Capitol. Kantor; ….At this point, that flag had really become a symbol of the Stop the Steal campaign. And neighbors are just having a kind of ‘what the heck’ reaction. Because first of all, these are Washington, D.C. area people they know that federal judges are never supposed to make political displays. That is a very bedrock rule. And second of all, they`re looking at and saying wait a second, are the Alitos insurrectionists who oppose the peaceful transfer of power? It leads to these bedrock questions about law and trust and rules and democracy. Short answer? No. But Democrats inside and outside the media want "Democracy" to be an issue, meaning conservatives hate Democracy. Barron-Lopez relayed Justice Alito’s explanation that his wife placed the flag upside down in response to a neighbor’s display (a sign with a four-letter insult of Trump). Always a willing partisan, Barron-Lopez used the controversy to tar another conservative justice through something his wife did. Barron-Lopez: Alito isn’t the only Supreme Court justice with apparent ethics violations. Justice Clarence Thomas’s wife, Ginny Thomas was directly involved in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election and he has refused to recuse himself from any related cases. Do you think that this time will be any different? …. Barron-Lopez: Jodi, finally, the Stop the Steal lies about a stolen 2020 election haven’t gone away. Donald Trump continues to say that he won in 2020. Election denialism is essentially a litmus test for entrance to the GOP. What do you think this flag incident means looking forward to the 2024 election? Kantor was eager for her Alito scoop to impact the election, and insisted Justice Alito himself was all to blame for the flag controversy: Kantor: So first of all, I think we have to see, we just broke this news a few days ago. Let’s see how it enters the bloodstream. But the idea of a Supreme Court justice flying this flag outside his home, even if it was his wife, as he says, I think does connote a kind of mainstreaming of Stop the Steal, it says that, you know, this was accepted by a lot of people, a lot of people in power, and that even if it was his wife who did it, that flag didn’t come down for a couple of days…. This anti-Alito segment was brought to you in part by Consumer Cellular. A transcript is available, click “Expand.” PBS News Weekend 5/19/24 7:05:27 p.m. (ET) LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: The lie that President Biden stole the 2020 presidential election which led to the violent January 6 insurrection is alive and well. A CBS investigation found that there are nearly 80 officials overseeing elections across seven battleground states who don`t believe the 2020 election results or supported the actions of January 6. On the campaign trail Saturday, former president Donald Trump again lied about his 2020 defeat. DONALD TRUMP, Former U.S. President: But they want to rigged that just like they rigged the presidential election of 2020. They want to rig it. LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: And we also learned this week that a symbol of the Stop the Steal movement reached the highest court in the land. The New York Times reported that in January of 2021, an upside down American flag and emblem now widely associated with the lie of a stolen 2020 election was flying at the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, I spoke with Jody Kanter, The New York Times reporter who broke the story earlier today. We discussed the implications of such a symbol flying Alito`s home 11 days after rioters stormed the Capitol. Jodi Kantor, The New York Times: I kind of want to start with the neighbors and what they saw. They`re walking down the street during this very fret period, as you say, right after January 6, but also critically, it`s three days before President Biden`s inauguration. And they see this upside down flag hanging outside the Alito home. At this point, that flag had really become a symbol of the Stop the Steal campaign. And neighbors are just having a kind of what the heck reaction. Because first of all, these are Washington DC area people they know that federal judges are never supposed to make political displays. That is a very bedrock rule. And second of all, they`re looking at and saying wait a second, are the Alito`s insurrectionists who oppose the peaceful transfer of power? It leads to these bedrock questions about law and trust and rules and democracy. LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: In response to your reporting, Justice Alito said that he had, quote, no involvement in placing the flag that his wife, Mrs. Alito put up the flag in response to a neighbor of theirs a display that they had. So I just want to dive into this because what are the implications of his response? Did he not know that this upside down flag was flying outside of his home for multiple days? JODI KANTOR: Well, the response is a fascinating one, because first of all, he`s not denying that it was there. He`s not denying knowledge that it was there. And he`s not denying that this was a Stop the Steal symbol. He`s making a kind of surprising argument, which is to say, even though this was my home, and even though judicial ethics rules are all about the impression of a lack of fairness, they`re not only focused on what you actually do as a judge. They`re focused on the impression you give other people. And he`s saying despite all of that, this was, you know, just something my wife did and part of a neighborhood spat. LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Why does this revelation matter? Now, as the Court prepares to rule on two cases involving the January 6 insurrection? JODI KANTOR: In the next few weeks, we are going to get two major decisions from the Supreme Court that are going to shape the legacy of January 6, the accountability for January 6. Former President Trump`s scope of accountability, it may shape the future criminal trial, if one takes place, it could really also directly affect the next election because polls are showing that whether or not former President Trump is convicted might have some impact on what voters think of him. So, the court already had an enormous challenge in getting these decisions kind of accepted by the American people. It`s such a partisan time. Everything is so fractured. These cases are so politically fraught. It makes it much more challenging for the court to earn broad acceptance of whatever their legal reasoning is, and whatever the outcome is. LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Alito isn`t the only Supreme Court justice with apparent ethics violations. Justice Clarence Thomas`s wife, Ginny Thomas was directly involved in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election and he has refused to recuse himself from any related cases. Do you think that this time will be any different? JODI KANTOR: So recusal is an interesting question. On the one hand, so there are two categories of rules we`re dealing with. One is the code of conduct for judges. That`s really the ethics code. That`s voluntary. The court recently adopted a new one, it`s pretty loose. It`s not that strong. That is what govern things like political displays. The second set of rules we`re dealing with is a federal recusal statute that binds all federal judges, including Supreme Court justices. But at the Supreme Court, it`s essentially self-administered. And the Court has said that justices have to police their own recusal. So, I don`t think Justice Alito has spoken directly to this. But as you know, he was already involved in the case. And I don`t see any sign right now that he`s planning to recuse himself halfway through the process. LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Jodi, finally, the Stop the Steal lies about a stolen 2020 election haven`t gone away. Donald Trump continues to say that he won in 2020. Election denialism is essentially a litmus test for entrance to the GOP. What do you think this flag incident means looking forward to the 2024 election? JODI KANTOR: So first of all, I think we have to see, we just broke this news a few days ago. Let`s see how it enters the bloodstream. But the idea of a Supreme Court justice flying this flag outside his home, even if it was his wife, as he says, I think does connote a kind of mainstreaming of stop the steal, it says that, you know, this was accepted by a lot of people, a lot of people in power, and that even if it was his wife who did it, that flag didn`t come down for a couple of days. So I think you`re right to ask the question, and let`s see how this becomes part of the bigger story of what happened in the last election and what will happen in the next one. LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Jodi Kantor of The New York Times, thank you for your time. JODI KANTOR: Thanks for having me.

Nope, this isn’t satire. Brother Christian Matson, a diocesan hermit in Kentucky, formally came out as transgender this week with the permission of his bishop, John Stowe. As the Religious News Service (RNS) reported, Matson, a woman who has been living as a man, will be able to remain a monk despite the fact that she’s very obviously and confidently contradicting the biblical principles on gender and identity. “This Sunday, Pentecost 2024, I’m planning to come out publicly as transgender,” Matson told Religion News Service on May 17. So yes, the church was alright with the announcement and her “identity.” Matson, a biological woman, decided to identify as a man in college, reports indicate. Four years later, Matson converted to Catholicism. After going through a vocational discernment following his masters degree and a Ph.D, Matson felt called to work in a religious setting. She was denied, rightfully so in my opinion, by many bishops and churches across the nation but kept trying to get in. She even co-started a nonprofit called the Catholic Artist Connection. It’s aim was to be a “religious community of and for artists — artists who are living together, (operating) in the church through their art, and ministering to the loneliness and sense of precarity many artists experience.” Matson, having taken private vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, sent a letter to Bishop Stowe in 2020 after seeing how vocal Stowe was about Catholics being more pro-LGBTQ and asked to be sponsored by the Kentucky-based bishop. When Stowe accepted, Matson said she felt “an enormous relief,” adding “I was in tears. I felt my hope revive.” For context, Matson was accepted as a diocesan hermit. This role, traditionally, doesn’t have a gender distinction and is more of an external and secluded role that spends most days in quiet prayer. Here’s what Stowe said about Matson’s involvement: My willingness to be open to him is because it’s a sincere person seeking a way to serve the church. Hermits are a rarely used form of religious life … but they can be either male or female. Because there’s no pursuit of priesthood or engagement in sacramental ministry, and because the hermit is a relatively quiet and secluded type of vocation, I didn’t see any harm in letting him live this vocation. While there may be no “harm” in Stowe’s eyes, he’s clearly tip-toeing on what is and isn’t appropriate for someone in an official role in the Catholic Church. Generally speaking, I assume the goal is to have employees or a team of individuals who love the Lord for how he made them and honor His word, even the words the He says about gender and how there’s only two of them. Yet, in “2023, the Vatican doctrine department ruled that transgender people may be baptized and serve as witnesses at Catholic weddings, so long as doing so ‘doesn’t cause scandal among the faithful,’” RNS reported. It’s rather difficult to watch our nation, and religion in our nation, cave to the woke mob. This transgender monk is no exception to that.

On Wednesday's CNN News Central, hosts Boris Sanchez and Jessica Dean, along with chief climate correspondent Bill Weir, applauded NBC Miami meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin’s recent plea that people help fix climate change by voting against Gov. Ron DeSantis. Sanchez teed up a clip of MacLaughlin, “It’s only May, but record high temperatures are already gripping Florida and one meteorologist in Miami says enough is enough when it comes to the governor's indifference to climate change. Listen.”     MacLaughlin was then shown telling viewers that the eyes of the entire world are on Florida voters and urging them to respond accordingly, “The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority [jump cut] the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands. The right to vote.” Dean then reported, “That's NBC six meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin, he's furious over new Florida legislation approved by Governor Ron DeSantis which scrubs out references to climate change in state laws and joining us now is CNN’s chief climate correspondent Bill Weir. Bill, what did you think of this moment and what does the data actually say about change’s impact on Florida in particular." Weir, who has more frequent flier miles than you do, responded by going through all the reasons why he felt DeSantis was dangerous before concluding, “And props to Steve MacLaughlin. Every meteorologist in every market should be able to connect these unreal events, these unnatural disasters, with global trends, just lay out the science, you don't have to get into the politics, but people need to know this is real.” How, exactly, are meteorologists supposed to encourage people to vote for certain candidates without getting “into the politics”? Maybe Weir can explain that on his next exotic field trip. Here is a transcript for the May 22 show: CNN News Central 5/22/2024 3:43 PM ET BORIS SANCHEZ: It’s only May, but record high temperatures are already gripping Florida and one meteorologist in Miami says enough is enough when it comes to the governor's indifference to climate change. Listen. STEVE MACLAUGHLIN: The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority [jump cut] the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands. The right to vote. JESSICA DEAN: That's NBC six meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin, he's furious over new Florida legislation approved by Governor Ron DeSantis which scrubs out references to climate change in state laws and joining us now is CNN’s chief climate correspondent Bill Weir. Bill, what did you think of this moment and what does the data actually say about climate change’s impact on Florida in particular. … BILL WEIR: And props to Steve MacLaughlin. Every meteorologist in every market should be able to connect these unreal events, these unnatural disasters, with global trends, just lay out the science, you don't have to get into the politics, but people need to know this is real.

United States District Judge Aileen Cannon held a hearing on Wednesday in the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump.Trump is facing 40 felony charges for allegedly taking classified documents and obstructing the federal government's attempts to retrieve those records. According to the superseding indictment, the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized "102 documents with classification markings" from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022.'A personal and political attack against President Trump.'Wednesday's hearing in Florida's Fort Pierce courthouse marks the first movement in the case since the judge's decision earlier this month to indefinitely postpone the trial, citing numerous unresolved pretrial motions. Cannon's decision followed the prosecution's admission that the case's evidence was not adequately maintained. Some documents were no longer in the same order as the day they were seized. Additionally, the prosecution admitted that the colored cover sheets that indicated various classification levels were not found in Trump's possession but were brought in by the investigators and used as placeholders.Special Counsel Jack Smith's team attempted to explain the out-of-order evidence, noting that some items contained in the boxes were smaller than others and were likely accidentally shifted around when carried. In a footnote, Smith's team stated, "The Government acknowledges that this is inconsistent with what Government counsel previously understood and represented to the Court."Trump's legal team previously filed a motion to dismiss the case, claiming that the indictment is "a personal and political attack against President Trump" with a "litany of uncharged grievances both for public and media consumption."During the Wednesday hearing, Cannon was scheduled to hear dismissal arguments from Trump's legal team. Trump was not expected to attend.Cannon will also hear arguments to dismiss the charges against Trump's co-defendant, Waltine Nauta, who served as Trump's valet at the White House and later his personal aide at Mar-a-Lago. Trump and his two co-defendants, including Nauta, pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing.The defense's motion filed in February alleged that the raid was "unconstitutional" and that the evidence seized was an "unlawful violation of President Trump's attorney-client privilege by the Special Counsel's Office." Attorney General Merrick Garland authorized the raid on Trump's estate.The prosecution claimed, "The warrant was supported by a detailed affidavit that established probable cause and did not omit any material information. And the warrant provided ample guidance to the FBI agents who conducted the search. Trump identifies no plausible basis to suppress the fruits of that search."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Justice Department is targeting more pro-life activists using a controversial law.On Monday, the DOJ announced a lawsuit against two pro-life organizations, Citizens for a Pro Life Society and Red Rose Rescue, and seven pro-life activists — Laura Gies, Lauren Handy, Clara McDonald, Monica Miller, Christopher Moscinski, Jay Smith, and Audrey Whipple — on allegations they violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act nearly three years ago.'It's ridiculous that Biden's Justice Department is going after pro-life Americans but letting criminals and dangerous illegal aliens roam free on the streets.'The FACE Act is a controversial law that President Joe Biden's DOJ is using to target mostly pro-life activists.The allegationsThe lawsuit claims the defendants engaged in physical obstruction at two Ohio abortion clinics on June 4, 2021, and June 5, 2021. In the first incident, the defendants allegedly entered the clinic's waiting room and encouraged pregnant women not to get abortions. The lawsuit claims the defendants refused to leave when asked. Police eventually arrived and physically removed the pro-life activists from the waiting room. The lawsuit alleges the protest disrupted the clinic's appointment schedule, forcing some women to reschedule their "surgical abortions to different days."In the second incident, the defendants allegedly approached abortion-seeking women in the parking lot of a Planned Parenthood surgery center and urged them not to get abortions. The lawsuit claims the defendants obstructed the clinic and cars in the parking lot and alleges the pro-life activists refused to leave when instructed by police. Because of those alleged actions, the clinic was forced to shut down for the day, interrupting nine scheduled "surgeries," the lawsuit says — likely a reference to abortions.Miller, director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society and one of the defendants named in the lawsuit, disputed the government's allegations."We do not use any form of physical obstruction, there is no restriction of freedom of movement for women seeking to kill their unborn children or abortion center staff," Miller told Blaze News. "The DOJ's complaint totally falsifies and mischaracterized what we do!" she explained. "The rescuers simply enter the waiting room, sit down quietly and talk to the moms, offering them material assistance and of course the red roses. We feel confident that we will prevail against this bogus initiative to intimate peaceful pro-lifers trying to help moms and save the unborn from violent acts of destruction."The FACE ActIn a statement, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke boasted that the DOJ is "committed" to enforcing the FACE Act to protect those seeking "access to reproductive health services.""Obstructing people from accessing reproductive health care and physically obstructing providers from offering it are unlawful," Clarke said. "Congress passed the FACE Act 30 years ago this month in response to acts of violence, threats of violence and physical obstruction at reproductive health clinics in our country."Clarke is the same DOJ official who allegedly lied under oath about her arrest record during her Senate confirmation process.Under Clarke's leadership, the DOJ has increased its enforcement of the FACE Act since the repeal of Roe v. Wade, mainly targeting pro-lifers, the Daily Signal reported. Dozens of pregnancy centers and more than 200 churches have been targeted since the repeal of Roe, yet the DOJ has charged only a handful of people for FACE Act violations in those crimes.Clarke, who is pro-abortion, believes pregnancy centers, which offer women solutions other than abortion, are "harmful," "predatory," and "fake," according to the Washington Free Beacon.Exactly how often the FACE Act is being used remains unknown because the DOJ is not turning over that data. The apparent selective enforcement of the FACE Act is exactly why Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) are fighting back against Biden's DOJ and the FACE Act."It’s time to repeal the FACE Act," Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) told Blaze News."This is yet another example of the Biden administration weaponizing a constitutionally suspect law against pro-life sidewalk counselors while failing to protect pregnancy centers and churches from violent attacks," Lee said of the DOJ's newest lawsuit. "Pro-life activists are being given vastly disproportionate sentences for minor offenses, while arsonists and left-wing rioters go free."Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), moreover, said the DOJ's latest action is yet another example of "Biden's two-tiered justice system.""It's ridiculous that Biden's Justice Department is going after pro-life Americans but letting criminals and dangerous illegal aliens roam free on the streets," Roy told Blaze News. "This is just another case of Biden’s two-tiered justice system that prefers going after former presidents, parents, and anyone who disagrees with their radical progressive Democrat agenda rather than imprisoning real criminals. "House Republicans must repeal the FACE Act immediately and stop Biden’s pro-abortion crusade," he urged.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Left-wing activists on X claimed former President Donald Trump's campaign had posted videos of President Joe Biden's supporters in New York City while saying they were Trump supporters. The eye-glaring problem with those claims was that the video was of Trump supporters who lined the streets of New York City after Trump returned from a day at his ongoing trial. Margo Martin, deputy director of communications for Trump's campaign, first posted the video of the scene on Monday. Some in the crowd can be seen wearing the iconic MAGA hats. The video got over 5,000 likes and has over half a million views. When Eric Trump shared the video, his post was slapped with a Community Note saying the video was of Biden supporters. Democratic activist Harry Sisson gloated over the false Community Note, stating, "Facts, logic, and evidence are the biggest enemies of the Republican Party." Sisson has since deleted the post. 'The only liars here are you and Joe Biden.'Sisson is an avid TikTok user who pushes pro-Democrat messaging to his followers. He had signed with Palette Management. Palette received more than $200,000 from the DNC by mid-2023. Not to be outdone, Mike Sington, a former senior executive for NBC, shared a screenshot of the video and said, "Trump is despicable. He posts crowd video of people watching President Biden’s motorcade go by, claims it’s a crowd waiting for him. But he knows it’s a lie- notice how he put it in quotes. Sadly, his rubes will believe it." "The only liars here are you and Joe Biden. I took this video from President Trump’s motorcade outside of Trump Tower. Here’s the time stamped screenshot from my phone to prove it," Martin said in response to Sington, proving she had taken the video at 5:52 pm. Like Sisson, Sington eventually deleted his post.Trump is scheduled to host a rally in the south Bronx on Thursday in order to highlight the inroads he has made within deep-blue districts. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Hunter insisted he never texted a CEFC executive threatening to use his father’s influence against the company. Documents suggest otherwise.