'I'm looking to judges and prosecutors to do the right thing.'

Democratic Reps. Cori Bush of Missouri and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan

'I hope it does get challenged'

A shaman recalls his experience with a red Reptilian being that manifested from an orb. After waking several hours later the cast on his broken ankle was removed and the ankle healed.I received the following account:"I was settling into bed after a day of shamanism work in deep meditation for two hours. My two dogs were in the bed with me. I had broken my ankle the day before and was trying to get comfortable. I was playing on my phone when the room lit up with a white glowing sphere coming from the living room into my bedroom. It was about as big as a basketball and it settled at the foot of my bed. My dogs jumped down and ran.The sphere grew and became a red reptilian/lizardman standing at the foot of my bed. He had a musky odor to him/her. He had no wings or horns and was perfectly bipedal. My first reaction was anger. As a shaman‚ I serve the Norse god Odin. I am used to orbs and interdimensional beings/spirits. My first reaction was anger. I thought‚ "I worked for Odin today and now he isn't going to protect me from this." I instantly knew it was there to feed off my energy and possibly report back to who was in charge of the cult I was raised in. I rolled over and let it put me to instant sleep. I was too tired to try to fight.I woke up an hour later on top of the covers with my cast off. My broken ankle was completely healed. I got under the covers and went back to sleep.Over the next two weeks‚ I was exhausted and slept 13 to 20 hours a day. I also craved meat and could never feel full of enough meat. Some friends helped me out with energy but after one day I was back to feeling drained again.The overall feelings were anger‚ disgust‚ and hopelessness. I also felt fear and seduction. It was as if I feared the being‚ but also was drawn to it." MStories from the Messengers: Owls‚ UFOs and a Deeper RealityThe Messengers: Owls‚ Synchronicity and the UFO AbducteeImpossible Realities: The Science Behind Energy Healing‚ Telepathy‚ Reincarnation‚ Precognition‚ and Other Black Swan PhenomenaThe Brimstone Deceit: An In-Depth Examination of Supernatural Scents‚ Otherworldly Odors‚ and Monstrous MiasmasCaverns‚ Cauldrons‚ and Concealed Creatures: A Study of Subterranean Mysteries in History‚ Folklore‚ and MythI Know What I Saw: Modern-Day Encounters with Monsters of New Urban Legend and Ancient LoreRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----Hey‚ folks. How would you like to design artwork for Phantoms &; Monsters‚ Phantoms &; Monsters Radio‚ or Phantoms &; Monsters Fortean Research?If your art is approved by me I will promote it with your name and link. It must be original‚ print-ready‚ and sized for clothing &; merchandise. You can choose your favorite cryptid or paranormal subject to include in your artwork. I will select up to 5 different designs‚ and each will be fully promoted on the blog‚ the Phantoms &; Monsters online shop‚ YouTube‚ social media‚ etc.Please contact me at lonstrickler@phantomsandmonsters.com - Thanks. Lon-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----BIGFOOT: IS IT A SUPERNATURAL BEING? - Please Join Us For LIVE CHAT! - Q &; A - Lon Strickler (Host)Back in the Summer of 2010‚ I posted a poll that posed the question ‘What is Bigfoot?’ To my surprise‚ 26% of the 574 participants answered they believed this creature was interdimensional and/or extraterrestrial. Are we at a point where people are open-minded enough to accept that a hominid-type species may not be of our time or planet?I posed this question to my readers and challenged them to make their case. Again‚ I was surprised at the amount of response I received. A total of 112 emails‚ with well-thought-out theories and opinions‚ were received in three days.Maybe we’ll discover beyond a doubt where the truth lies about Bigfoot. We may kill several birds with one stone if or when we do find the answers to our questions. There may be a grand connection between all the mysteries in our world‚ possibly involving other worlds or dimensions as well. Mankind may be the greatest mystery of all and the reason why Bigfoot‚ extraterrestrials‚ spirits‚ etc. seem to be as fascinated with us as we are with them.So‚ sit back and listen to the reports‚ and contemplate what you believe Bigfoot is. If you have questions‚ feel free to post them in the live chat. I will do my best to answer everyone.-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Finale-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSScientists Discover Stunning Evidence of Multiple Lost Prehistoric SocietiesMysterious Shipwreck Appears Off Shore of Canadian Coastal CommunitySHAPESHIFTERS: MYTHS or REAL BEINGS? - Please Join Us For LIVE CHAT! - Q &; A - Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREPentagon ex-UFO chief says conspiracy theorists in government drive spendingAre they exomoons or not? Scientists debate existence of 1st moons seen beyond our solar systemPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCONSIDER ADVERTISING ON PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIOLET'S DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONSClick the link for our Media KitCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on Spotify**********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?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso 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 witnesses in Comanche County‚ Oklahoma recall their encounter with a tall‚ muscular‚ white hair-covered man-like creature sitting on a branch of a tree. Others reported a similar being that would reappear and vanish.I received the following account:Hello‚ sir. This incident occurred in March 2021 near Cache‚ Oklahoma in Comanche County. Myself and another witness were leaving my house when we decided to check out a tree in the yard which we thought we had seen something about 2 weeks prior. The tree is located about 60 yards from the house and close to the road. We drove to the tree with the bright lights on the car. As we neared the tree we saw something huge and white sitting on a branch of the tree. I noticed the head and shoulders. The shoulders were broad and it didn’t look like it had a neck. The other witness saw 2 legs dangling down. The legs were hairy and were moving. The head and shoulders were moving slightly back and forth like it was getting ready to jump down.I screamed while the other witness was in shock. I managed to put the car in reverse and backed out of the area as fast as possible. There had been other reports of people seeing something run across the road and people have heard blood-curdling screams coming from a nearby creek.It reminded me of a tall‚ muscular man-like creature with long white hair. It was seen and reported in another area of Comanche County and seemed to vanish and reappear at will according to previous witnesses. The other witnesses identified the creature as a Bigfoot" HStories from the Messengers: Owls‚ UFOs and a Deeper RealityThe Messengers: Owls‚ Synchronicity and the UFO AbducteeImpossible Realities: The Science Behind Energy Healing‚ Telepathy‚ Reincarnation‚ Precognition‚ and Other Black Swan PhenomenaThe Brimstone Deceit: An In-Depth Examination of Supernatural Scents‚ Otherworldly Odors‚ and Monstrous MiasmasCaverns‚ Cauldrons‚ and Concealed Creatures: A Study of Subterranean Mysteries in History‚ Folklore‚ and MythI Know What I Saw: Modern-Day Encounters with Monsters of New Urban Legend and Ancient LoreRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----Hey‚ folks. How would you like to design artwork for Phantoms &; Monsters‚ Phantoms &; Monsters Radio‚ or Phantoms &; Monsters Fortean Research?If your art is approved by me I will promote it with your name and link. It must be original‚ print-ready‚ and sized for clothing &; merchandise. You can choose your favorite cryptid or paranormal subject to include in your artwork. I will select up to 5 different designs‚ and each will be fully promoted on the blog‚ the Phantoms &; Monsters online shop‚ YouTube‚ social media‚ etc.Please contact me at lonstrickler@phantomsandmonsters.com - Thanks. Lon-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----BIGFOOT: IS IT A SUPERNATURAL BEING? - Please Join Us For LIVE CHAT! - Q &; A - Lon Strickler (Host)Back in the Summer of 2010‚ I posted a poll that posed the question ‘What is Bigfoot?’ To my surprise‚ 26% of the 574 participants answered they believed this creature was interdimensional and/or extraterrestrial. Are we at a point where people are open-minded enough to accept that a hominid-type species may not be of our time or planet?I posed this question to my readers and challenged them to make their case. Again‚ I was surprised at the amount of response I received. A total of 112 emails‚ with well-thought-out theories and opinions‚ were received in three days.Maybe we’ll discover beyond a doubt where the truth lies about Bigfoot. We may kill several birds with one stone if or when we do find the answers to our questions. There may be a grand connection between all the mysteries in our world‚ possibly involving other worlds or dimensions as well. Mankind may be the greatest mystery of all and the reason why Bigfoot‚ extraterrestrials‚ spirits‚ etc. seem to be as fascinated with us as we are with them.So‚ sit back and listen to the reports‚ and contemplate what you believe Bigfoot is. If you have questions‚ feel free to post them in the live chat. I will do my best to answer everyone.-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Finale-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSScientists Discover Stunning Evidence of Multiple Lost Prehistoric SocietiesMysterious Shipwreck Appears Off Shore of Canadian Coastal CommunitySHAPESHIFTERS: MYTHS or REAL BEINGS? - Please Join Us For LIVE CHAT! - Q &; A - Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREPentagon ex-UFO chief says conspiracy theorists in government drive spendingAre they exomoons or not? Scientists debate existence of 1st moons seen beyond our solar systemPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCONSIDER ADVERTISING ON PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIOLET'S DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONSClick the link for our Media KitCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on Spotify**********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?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso 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 pregnant British woman first encounters a frill-necked‚ hissing Reptilian being in her bedroom. Soon after‚ she believes that she was abducted by the same alien being.I received the following account:"Hi‚ Lon. Upon reading on your site about Reptilian beings visiting people I summoned up my courage to speak out about my experience 18 years ago.In 2005 I lived in Colchester‚ England with my long-term partner and was working at a local cafe where I met and worked with people who first introduced me to the beliefs surrounding the Illuminati.When I fell pregnant we decided to move to Australia where strange things started to happen in my sleep. The first one I remember is waking up and not being able to move or talk. It was extremely frightening and although it happened on several occasions I was hesitant to tell my partner in case he thought I was crazy. On the contrary‚ I felt mentally and spiritually strong which helped me fight to overcome the forces that were controlling me every time.I also used to see tiny green lights in the corners of my room during the night.One night I was woken to find what I can only describe as a reptile-like creature/being standing over me on two legs. It had a frill around its neck that was in a threatened-like extension‚ very muscular‚ and a tail. He was making a hissing noise I felt that was certainly not friendly looking almost through me when our eyes met and as in previous experiences I was not able to move or speak and felt paralysed yet wide awake. In absolute terror‚ I shut my eyes and opened them and it was gone.I was beside myself and was in fear of his return. It wasn't the last time I awoke to him‚ he also came to me in a dream. In my dream‚ I was sitting at my friend's square table talking with her and I knew he was there. In my dream I remember as my friend was talking I was being coaxed away and taken by him‚ It felt like an out-of-body experience as I could see myself in my dream at the table with her. I knew I had been taken. I managed with all of my spirit to fight the strength he had on me and I remember feeling like I wasn't ready to go and that he'd be back when I was because after that it didn't return and hasn't.After I had my baby I remember seeing lights the same green ones I saw in my room in her cot at night when she woke for feeding. I don't know why this happened to me but I know I'm not alone and I know I'm not crazy!" SStories from the Messengers: Owls‚ UFOs and a Deeper RealityThe Messengers: Owls‚ Synchronicity and the UFO AbducteeImpossible Realities: The Science Behind Energy Healing‚ Telepathy‚ Reincarnation‚ Precognition‚ and Other Black Swan PhenomenaThe Brimstone Deceit: An In-Depth Examination of Supernatural Scents‚ Otherworldly Odors‚ and Monstrous MiasmasCaverns‚ Cauldrons‚ and Concealed Creatures: A Study of Subterranean Mysteries in History‚ Folklore‚ and MythI Know What I Saw: Modern-Day Encounters with Monsters of New Urban Legend and Ancient LoreRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----Hey‚ folks. How would you like to design artwork for Phantoms &; Monsters‚ Phantoms &; Monsters Radio‚ or Phantoms &; Monsters Fortean Research?If your art is approved by me I will promote it with your name and link. It must be original‚ print-ready‚ and sized for clothing &; merchandise. You can choose your favorite cryptid or paranormal subject to include in your artwork. I will select up to 5 different designs‚ and each will be fully promoted on the blog‚ the Phantoms &; Monsters online shop‚ YouTube‚ social media‚ etc.Please contact me at lonstrickler@phantomsandmonsters.com - Thanks. Lon-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----BIGFOOT: IS IT A SUPERNATURAL BEING? - Please Join Us For LIVE CHAT! - Q &; A - Lon Strickler (Host)Back in the Summer of 2010‚ I posted a poll that posed the question ‘What is Bigfoot?’ To my surprise‚ 26% of the 574 participants answered they believed this creature was interdimensional and/or extraterrestrial. Are we at a point where people are open-minded enough to accept that a hominid-type species may not be of our time or planet?I posed this question to my readers and challenged them to make their case. Again‚ I was surprised at the amount of response I received. A total of 112 emails‚ with well-thought-out theories and opinions‚ were received in three days.Maybe we’ll discover beyond a doubt where the truth lies about Bigfoot. We may kill several birds with one stone if or when we do find the answers to our questions. There may be a grand connection between all the mysteries in our world‚ possibly involving other worlds or dimensions as well. Mankind may be the greatest mystery of all and the reason why Bigfoot‚ extraterrestrials‚ spirits‚ etc. seem to be as fascinated with us as we are with them.So‚ sit back and listen to the reports‚ and contemplate what you believe Bigfoot is. If you have questions‚ feel free to post them in the live chat. I will do my best to answer everyone.-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Finale-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSScientists Discover Stunning Evidence of Multiple Lost Prehistoric SocietiesMysterious Shipwreck Appears Off Shore of Canadian Coastal CommunitySHAPESHIFTERS: MYTHS or REAL BEINGS? - Please Join Us For LIVE CHAT! - Q &; A - Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREPentagon ex-UFO chief says conspiracy theorists in government drive spendingAre they exomoons or not? Scientists debate existence of 1st moons seen beyond our solar systemPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCONSIDER ADVERTISING ON PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIOLET'S DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONSClick the link for our Media KitCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on Spotify**********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?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso 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

Three friends in Mantachie‚ Mississippi are in a local park at night when they see a dark-cloaked being. After they leave‚ a red-eyed‚ bat-winged creature swoops down toward their truck.I received the following account:"Dear Phantoms &; Monsters editor. In the Fall of 2001 two of my friends and I decided to go to the liquor store and get someone to buy us a pint of booze. We were not yet of age so we had to get people who were of age to go in and buy it for us. We did this two or three times a week. The small town we live in (Mantachie‚ Mississippi) most of the time leaves you alone as long as you are not bothering anyone. We got the booze and headed to the park in this small town. We go to the park to have a drink every once and a while but this night was different.We pulled up to the park and started to get out of the truck. We had not yet opened the booze so the booze did not influence us. I was sitting in the middle and my friend was getting out of the passenger's side door. When he got out and I got out‚ I noticed the sound of a tennis ball bouncing on the tennis court. I looked and saw this figure bouncing a tennis ball. The figure was around 6 feet tall and was wearing a dark cloak. It looked to me that he had some sort of pouch on his back. we all saw the same thing. In a flash‚ we jumped back into the truck and headed down the road to figure out what we had seen.We got a few miles away and in the distance‚ we saw coming at us a large bat-like creature. It was several feet away from us but you could make out the red glowing eyes. It passed right in front of our windshield and vanished in the darkness. We rushed to one of our houses and didn't drink that night. We didn't do anything but stay there all night.I am a skeptic when it comes to the paranormal but I do know what I saw. I read your reports of the winged humanoid in Chicago. Do you believe that it may have been the same or similar creature? Have you received other reports from Mississippi? Thanks. DNOTE: This may have been a red-eyed winged humanoid. We have received reports worldwide. LonStories from the Messengers: Owls‚ UFOs and a Deeper RealityThe Messengers: Owls‚ Synchronicity and the UFO AbducteeImpossible Realities: The Science Behind Energy Healing‚ Telepathy‚ Reincarnation‚ Precognition‚ and Other Black Swan PhenomenaThe Brimstone Deceit: An In-Depth Examination of Supernatural Scents‚ Otherworldly Odors‚ and Monstrous MiasmasCaverns‚ Cauldrons‚ and Concealed Creatures: A Study of Subterranean Mysteries in History‚ Folklore‚ and MythI Know What I Saw: Modern-Day Encounters with Monsters of New Urban Legend and Ancient LoreRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----Hey‚ folks. How would you like to design artwork for Phantoms &; Monsters‚ Phantoms &; Monsters Radio‚ or Phantoms &; Monsters Fortean Research?If your art is approved by me I will promote it with your name and link. It must be original‚ print-ready‚ and sized for clothing &; merchandise. You can choose your favorite cryptid or paranormal subject to include in your artwork. I will select up to 5 different designs‚ and each will be fully promoted on the blog‚ the Phantoms &; Monsters online shop‚ YouTube‚ social media‚ etc.Please contact me at lonstrickler@phantomsandmonsters.com - Thanks. Lon-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----BIGFOOT: IS IT A SUPERNATURAL BEING? - Please Join Us For LIVE CHAT! - Q &; A - Lon Strickler (Host)Back in the Summer of 2010‚ I posted a poll that posed the question ‘What is Bigfoot?’ To my surprise‚ 26% of the 574 participants answered they believed this creature was interdimensional and/or extraterrestrial. Are we at a point where people are open-minded enough to accept that a hominid-type species may not be of our time or planet?I posed this question to my readers and challenged them to make their case. Again‚ I was surprised at the amount of response I received. A total of 112 emails‚ with well-thought-out theories and opinions‚ were received in three days.Maybe we’ll discover beyond a doubt where the truth lies about Bigfoot. We may kill several birds with one stone if or when we do find the answers to our questions. There may be a grand connection between all the mysteries in our world‚ possibly involving other worlds or dimensions as well. Mankind may be the greatest mystery of all and the reason why Bigfoot‚ extraterrestrials‚ spirits‚ etc. seem to be as fascinated with us as we are with them.So‚ sit back and listen to the reports‚ and contemplate what you believe Bigfoot is. If you have questions‚ feel free to post them in the live chat. I will do my best to answer everyone.-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Finale-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSScientists Discover Stunning Evidence of Multiple Lost Prehistoric SocietiesMysterious Shipwreck Appears Off Shore of Canadian Coastal CommunitySHAPESHIFTERS: MYTHS or REAL BEINGS? - Please Join Us For LIVE CHAT! - Q &; A - Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREPentagon ex-UFO chief says conspiracy theorists in government drive spendingAre they exomoons or not? Scientists debate existence of 1st moons seen beyond our solar systemPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCONSIDER ADVERTISING ON PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIOLET'S DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONSClick the link for our Media KitCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on Spotify**********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?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 Big Tech CEOs apologized to grieving parents Wednesday while others insisted to senators that they are working to prevent exploitation of teens and children on their social media platforms.   The CEOs testifying at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing‚ titled “Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis‚” included Jason Citron of Discord Inc.; Mark Zuckerberg of Meta‚ parent company of Facebook and Instagram; Evan Spiegel of Snap Inc.; Shou Chew of TikTok Inc.‚ and Linda Yaccarino of X Corp.‚ formally Twitter.  Several lawmakers questioned the tech chiefs about stories of minors who used social media platforms where they were bullied‚ blackmailed‚ accessed illegal drugs‚ and introduced to sexual predators. In some instances‚ the minors committed suicide because of these encounters.  Families of victims‚ seated in the audience for the Judiciary Committee hearing‚ applauded lawmakers at several points.  The committee’s Republican and Democrat members showed rare unity‚ with several senators from both sides calling for the repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act‚ which makes social media companies immune from liability for content posted by users. Here are six key takeaways from the Senate hearing.  1. Hawley Spurs Zuckerberg to Apologize Early in the hearing‚ Meta’s Zuckerberg denied any correlation between use of social media and teen mental health.  “With so much of our lives spent on mobile devices and social media‚ it’s important to look into the effects on teen mental health and well-being‚” Zuckerberg said. “I take this very seriously. Mental health is a complex issue and the existing body of scientific work has not shown a causal link between use of social media and young people having a worse mental health outcome.” Later‚ Sen. Josh Hawley‚ R-Mo.‚ who has crusaded for years against Big Tech giants‚ accused Zuckerberg of misleading Congress.  “Your own study says that you make life worse for 1 in 3 teenage girls. You increase anxiety and depression. You are here testifying to us in public that there is no link‚” Hawley told Zuckerberg. “You’ve been doing this to us for years‚” the Missouri Republican added. “For years‚ you’ve been coming in public and testifying under oath that there is absolutely no link‚ your product is wonderful‚ the science is nascent‚ full speed ahead‚ while internally‚ you know that your product is a disaster for teenagers.” Zuckerberg replied‚ “That’s not true.” Hawley asked‚ “And you go right on doing what you’re doing. Right?  The audience applauded.  Hawley added‚ “Those are facts‚ Mr. Zuckerberg‚ those are not questions.”  Zuckerberg responded‚ “That’s a bizarre fact.”  When Hawley asked whether the families of any victims of his social media sites were compensated‚ Zuckerberg replied‚ “I don’t believe so.” “There are families of victims here today‚” Hawley said. “Will you apologize to the victims?”  “Well‚” Zuckerberg said at first‚ and Hawley jumped in to urge: “They are here‚ you are on national television. Would you like to apologize to the victims who have been harmed by your product?” The audience applauded again. Hawley again asked: “Would you like to apologize?” At that‚ Zuckerberg stood up from his seat and turned around to the audience in the Senate hearing room‚ where parents and other relatives stood with photos of their dead loved ones.  Barely audible because he was facing away from his microphone‚ Zuckerberg spoke to the crowd. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve all gone through‚” Zuckerberg told the families. “It’s terrible. No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered‚ and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industrywide efforts‚ to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer.”  2. TikTok‚ Taylor Swift‚ Tiananmen Square Also facing questions was Chew‚ CEO of TikTok‚ a social media platform that started in China‚ where its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance is headquartered.  Chew said several times during the hearing that TikTok isn’t a Chinese company and that he is from Singapore. He denied sharing any user data with Chinese intelligence officials. Sen. Ted Cruz‚ R-Texas‚ pressed Chew on what users of TikTok can access.  “If you look at what is on TikTok in China‚ you are promoting‚ to kids‚ science and math videos‚ educational videos‚ and you limit the amount of time they can be on TikTok‚” Cruz said. “In the United States‚ you are promoting‚ to kids‚ self-harm videos and anti-Israel propaganda. Why is there such a dramatic difference?” Chew challenged the accuracy of the study cited by Cruz.  “That is not accurate. TikTok is not available in China. It is a different experience‚” Chew said.  Ted Cruz faces off against Tik Tok CEO about the platform's different content for a US audience and a China audience. pic.twitter.com/3QY5efw12a— Fred Lucas (@FredLucasWH) January 31‚ 2024 Cruz shot back: “You have a company that is essentially the same‚ except it promotes beneficial content instead of harmful materials.” “That is not true‚” Chew responded. “We have a lot of science and math here on TikTok.”  Cruz followed up with data comparing what Instagram users can access with what TikTok users can access. “The differences were striking‚” the Texas Republican said. “For something like ‘hashtag Taylor Swift’ or ‘hashtag Trump‚’ researchers found roughly two Instagram posts for every one on TikTok. That’s not a dramatic difference‚” Cruz said‚ adding:  The difference jumps to 8-1 for the hashtag Uyghur. And it jumps from 30-1 for the hashtag Tibet. And it jumps 57-1 for the hashtag Tiananmen Square. And it jumps to 174-1 for the hashtag Hong Kong protest.  Why is it on Instagram that people can put up a hashtag Hong Kong protest 174 times compared to TikTok? What censorship is TikTok doing at the request of the Chinese government? Chew responded: “None. Senator‚ the analysis is flawed. It has been debunked.” Apparently as a quiz‚ Cruz asked Chew: “What is Tiananmen Square?”  Chew replied: “There was a massive protest during that time.” Tiananmen Square in China’s capital‚ Beijing‚ was the site of a large‚ pro-freedom protest from April to June 1989. What Chew didn’t say is that the Chinese military killed hundreds and possibly thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators in dispersing the crowd that June 4‚ with casualty reports varying.  However‚ when Sen. Tom Cotton‚ R-Ark.‚ later asked whether more than a protest occurred at Tiananmen Square‚ Chew responded that there was a “massacre.” 3. Biden ‘Collaboration’ With TikTok? Cotton raised the potential of collaboration between the Biden administration and TikTok‚ noting that Biden White House officials and the president’s reelection campaign have TikTok accounts.  “Has the Federal Trade Commission sued TikTok during the Biden administration?” Cotton asked Chew. Chew first said that he can’t talk about potential litigation.   Cotton replied‚ “The answer is no.” Referring to Federal Trade Commission litigation against X and Meta‚ Cotton said: “Ms. Yaccarino’s company is being sued‚ I believe. Mr. Zuckerberg’s company is being sued‚ I believe.” The Arkansas Republican later brought up the fact that TikTok lobbyists have been frequent visitors to the White House during the Biden presidency.  “Public reports indicate that your lobbyists visited the White House more than 40 times in 2022. How many times did your company’s lobbyist visit the White House last year?” Cotton asked.  Chew replied‚ “I don’t know‚ Senator.” Cotton noted that President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee have TikTok accounts. “By the way‚ they won’t let their staffers use their personal phones. They have separate phones that they only use TikTok on‚” Cotton noted‚ referring to data security.  Chew’s only response: “We encourage everyone to join.”  “Have you or anyone at TikTok communicated with or coordinated with the Biden administration‚ the Biden campaign‚ or the Democratic National Committee to influence the flow of information on your platform?” Cotton asked.  Chew didn’t answer yes or no‚ but said: “We work with any creators. It’s all the same process.” Cotton sounded less than satisfied.  “What we hear is we have a company that is poisoning the minds of America’s children‚ in some cases driving them to suicide‚ that the Biden administration is taking a pass on at best‚ [and] at worse is working in collaboration with‚” Cotton said.  4. Butler Prompts Snapchat Apology Sen. Laphonza Butler‚ D-Calif.‚ was not going to allow Zuckerberg to be the only CEO to apologize. Butler‚ appointed in October after the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein‚ asked Spiegel about minors using Snapchat to obtain illegal drugs.  “Mr. Spiegel‚ there are a number of parents whose children have been able to access illegal drugs on your platform. What do you say to those parents?” Spiegel first responded: “Senator‚ we are devastated—” Butler cut off the Snapchat CEO‚ saying: “To the parents.”  Spiegel turned slightly around in his chair but didn’t move far from his microphone‚ so his apology was more audible.  “I’m so sorry that we have not been able to prevent these tragedies‚” Spiegel said. “We work very hard to block all search terms related to drugs on our platform. We proactively look for and detect drug-related content. We remove it from our platform‚ preserve it as evidence‚ and then refer it to law enforcement for action.”  5. ‘Premier Sex Trafficking Site’ Sen. Marsha Blackburn‚ R-Tenn.‚ mostly targeted Zuckerberg’s platforms‚ Facebook and Instagram‚ for allowing young people to access sexually explicit content.  “It appears you’re trying to be the premier sex trafficking site in this‚” Blackburn said.  Zuckerberg replied‚ “Of course not‚ Senator‚ that’s ridiculous.”  Blackburn said‚ “It is not ridiculous.”  Zuckerberg defended Facebook and Instagram‚ saying: “We don’t want this content on our platform.”  Blackburn: “Why don’t you take it down?”  Zuckerberg: “We do take it down.”  Blackburn: “We are here because we need you all to work with us.”  After some crosstalk between the two‚ Blackburn said: “The problem is we’ve been working on this for over a decade. You have an army of lawyers and lobbyists that have fought us on this every step of the way.”  6. ‘Blood on Your Hands’ Sen. Lindsey Graham‚ R-S.C.‚ the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee‚ said the Big Tech companies should be regulated.  “Social media companies‚ as they are currently designed and operated‚ are dangerous products‚” Graham said. “They are destroying lives‚ threatening democracy itself. These companies must be reined in‚ or the worst is yet to come.” Sen. Graham to Mark Zuckerberg and other Big Tech CEOs at social media hearing: "You have blood on your hands." pic.twitter.com/MiEyaGzs5X— Fred Lucas (@FredLucasWH) January 31‚ 2024 Graham referred to the story of a teenage boy who was blackmailed through social media messages and eventually killed himself.  “Mr. Zuckerberg‚ you and the companies before us—I know you don’t mean to be so—but you have blood on your hands‚” Graham said‚ to applause in the hearing room. “You have a product that is killing people.” Graham noted that cigarettes and guns face certain regulations because of harms they can cause.  “What do you do with dangerous products? You either allow lawsuits‚ you pass statutory protections to protect consumers‚ or you have a commission of sorts to regulate the industry in question‚” Graham said.  “To take your license away if you have a license‚ to fine you. None of that exists here‚” Graham said. “There is no regulatory body to deal with the most profitable‚ biggest companies in the history of the world.” “They can’t be sued‚ and there is not one law on the books that is meaningfully protecting the American consumer‚” he said. “Other than that‚ we are in a good spot.” 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 6 Takeaways From Senate Hearing on Big Tech and Child Exploitation appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A former White House official and now senior adviser with The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 joined “The Kevin Roberts Show” podcast to discuss his time working with President Donald Trump and how other conservatives can get their foot in the door to work for the next conservative administration. John McEntee was the director of the White House’s Presidential Personnel Office under Trump. He joined Project 2025 to help the next conservative president with ready-for-hire presential appointments. A Heritage Foundation statement issued when McEntee joined Project 2025 in May 2023 said he would “play a vital role supporting the personnel pillar of Project 2025. Embracing the motto that ‘personnel is policy.’” (The Daily Signal is Heritage’s news and commentary outlet.) The former White House official told Heritage President Kevin Roberts that he hopes the project will “help us [conservatives] hit the ground running in January of 2025.” McEntee originally served as a personal aide to Trump during the first half of his presidency. He traveled with the president‚ notably to Saudi Arabia in 2017. There he went viral on Twitter as a mysterious “Red Tie Man” due to a photo of him and the Trump delegation. Trump later tapped McEntee to lead his personnel office. The former White House official recounted when the president asked him to lead the Presidential Personnel Office‚ also known as the PPO. “He [Trump] said‚ ‘What’s on the schedule today?’ … I said‚ ‘You have your PPO meeting.’ He said‚ ‘PPO? … Oh‚ I’ve always had so many problems with that office.’ … And then he just looked at me and said‚ ‘Do you think you could run that office?’” Roberts asked about working with the president‚ to which McEntee commented‚ “Working in the White House is exactly like the movies. It’s very fast-paced; there’s a lot going on. You’re watching history unfold right before your eyes. You’re on a helicopter‚ you’re on Air Force One—it’s just very exciting.” The Roberts interview shifted to the current presidential election and McEntee’s work with Project 2025. Roberts asked McEntee whether a conservative president should clean house and fire a large swath of government employees from the executive branch. McEntee said‚ “Maybe competency is more important than expertise and people that can adapt‚ you know? Some fresh blood in there might actually be better than someone that’s been there for 30 years but has gotten us into a lot of these problems.” Roberts touched briefly on a separate project McEntee works on‚ a dating app called The Right Stuff. After the 2020 elections‚ the former Trump official created what he called a “dating app for conservatives.” Describing the necessity of conservatives dating within their own political sphere‚ McEntee said‚ “The No. 1 thing conservatives can do is stick together. And especially when it comes to dating or creating a family.” Toward the end of the podcast‚ the Heritage president asked McEntee what those interested in working under a conservative administration should do. McEntee responded saying the best thing they can do is set up an account on Project 2025’s Presidential Personnel Database at www.project2025.org. According to Heritage‚ individuals can develop a profile and upload a résumé for review. The Project 2025 team will review applicants and match them to federal agencies and offer personnel suggestions to an eventual transition team should a conservative president be elected. 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 ‘White House Is Exactly Like the Movies’: Former Official Tells How to Be Part of Next Conservative Administration appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A Missouri school district intends to double its percentage of minority teachers even as the state’s attorney general has warned that private companies that racially discriminate in hiring face legal action.  Webster Groves School District’s teaching and administrative staff should match the racial demographics of its student body‚ according to the Missouri school system’s strategic plan. The public school district implemented its plan this winter and aims to accomplish listed goals within three years.  One objective of Webster Groves‚ a school system in the suburbs of St. Louis‚ is to “attract‚ support‚ and retain exceptionally talented staff who at minimum reflect the diversity of our student population.” In the 2023-2024 school year‚ 11% of teachers and administrators for Webster Groves are nonwhite‚ an increase of 4 percentage points from 7% nonwhite in the 2017-2018 school year. The school district would have to increase the percentage of nonwhite teachers to 22.2% to match the student body‚ according to documents posted online for the Dec. 13 meeting of the Webster Groves school board. This would require an overall increase of 11 percentage points in minority teachers for Webster Groves at a time when only 9% of all Missouri teachers are nonwhite. Critics of the plan say the district would have to ramp up illegal‚ race-based hiring to meet the goal.  When The Daily Signal asked about the goal‚ Webster Groves Communications Director Derek Duncan said the school district recognizes “the importance of increasing staff representation to better align with our student body” and is “dedicated to implementing strategic initiatives.” “These efforts include actively seeking qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds through hosting events‚ strategically advertising positions‚ and creating multiple opportunities for interaction‚” Duncan told The Daily Signal.  Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey‚ a Republican‚ joined 12 other state attorneys general in signing a letter to Fortune 100 CEOs in July reminding the employers of laws against race-based discrimination in hiring.  “Treating people differently because of the color of their skin‚ even for benign purposes‚ is unlawful and wrong‚” the letter to leading CEOs from state attorneys general says. “Companies that engage in racial discrimination should and will face serious legal consequences.” The 13 attorneys general pledged to “vigorously” enforce the law against race-based employment as “the chief law enforcement officers of our respective states.”  “Well-intentioned racial discrimination is just as illegal as invidious discrimination‚” their letter continues.  Bailey’s office did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment about whether Webster Groves could follow the law with a race-based hiring goal.  Although it is legal to use a racial quota as a goal‚ it is unlawful to take employment action of any kind to reach or maintain that quota‚ noted GianCarlo Canaparo‚ senior legal fellow in The Heritage Foundation’s Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies.  “Statements like this are good evidence that the district is acting with discriminatory intent‚ so the state and federal governments should investigate the district to make sure it’s complying with civil rights laws‚” Canaparo told The Daily Signal.  Any “well-intentioned” racial discrimination is equally illegal to unjust discrimination‚ Bailey and the other attorneys general say in the letter.  Quoting the Supreme Court’s 2007 decision in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1‚ the law enforcement officers wrote: “The ‘argument that different rules should govern racial classifications designed to include rather than exclude is not new; it has been repeatedly pressed in the past‚ and has been repeatedly rejected.’”  Duncan told The Daily Signal that he doesn’t believe Webster Groves’ goal is a racial quota. “We are simply looking at hiring staff that reflect the diversity of our school community so that all students can succeed‚” the school system’s spokesman said.  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 Missouri School District’s Race-Based Hiring Goal Faces Legal Hurdles appeared first on The Daily Signal.