Amanpour &; Co. host Christiane Amanpour examined the possible 2024 Biden-Trump presidential election rematch with New York Times’ London bureau chief Mark Landler‚ who reveres the left-wing BBC‚ and Emily Maitlis‚ a former BBC anchor. Takeaways from their Wednesday appearance on the PBS show were that the media should highlight Biden’s essential competence and Trump’s election denial‚ while host Amanpour couldn't quite believe that Biden's age was worthy of coverage. After opening with talk about Israel and Amanpour's claim of being told by Israeli reporters “that the Israeli people are not seeing the extent of the human suffering in Gaza‚” they turned to the United States and actually brought up a concern about Joe Biden’s advanced age and lack of vitality as the election approaches. Amanpour was angling to dismiss the matter‚ but her guests reluctantly conceded it was a genuine concern among voters. Amanpour: I want to bring it back to the U.S. election. The idea of Biden's age‚ is that a media construct? Is that a real thing? Is that something that because we have been hammering it every single time‚ there's a story? After Maitlis reluctantly admitted Democrats were worried about Biden’s age‚ Amanpour tried the same tack with Landler of the Times. Amanpour: I keep trying to figure this out‚ Mark‚ because I've also listened to podcasts and other things‚ which actually show that a lot of this idea is being ramped up on TikTok and stuff. I mean‚ generations of people who've never seen FDR‚ I don't know‚ in a wheelchair or whatever it is‚ are being told that this is a real problem. So‚ I'm just -- how do you see it? Amanpour surely knows the media cooperated with Frankin Delano Roosevelt by not publishing photographs of Roosevelt in his wheelchair (Roosevelt had been stricken by a paralytic disease in his late 30s and as president had to be lifted in and out of cars). And FDR’s inability to walk didn’t affect his mental acuity -- age can. Landler: Well‚ look‚ we live‚ whether we like it or not‚ in a visual age‚ in a television age‚ in a TikTok age. And so‚ what Emily says is right. It doesn't much matter if Joe Biden's age impedes his ability to do his job well‚ which I think it probably doesn't. He's surrounded by terrific advisers. He's forgotten more about American foreign policy than most people ever learned. He brings a huge amount of wisdom. And by all accounts‚ and talking to my colleagues‚ I don't have the sense that he is not on his game on making important decisions. And if you look at his record‚ it actually stands up well to the last few presidents‚ some of whom were decades younger than him at the time…. Now‚ where I think we can play a role‚ as the press‚ and particularly people who cover President Biden day-to-day‚ is to write about this intelligently‚ unscrupulously [sic]‚ and thoughtfully. In other words‚ if there's evidence that Joe Biden's age actually is a performance issue for him‚ then we should point that out‚ right? And there have been a couple of places where he's made gaps. He's had to be cleaned up the next day by aides on some important-enough issues. But by the same token‚ there's also a lot of evidence that he's conducted the business of the president very competently. So‚ our job is to do that…. Meanwhile‚ Maitlis insisted all Trump coverage be filtered through the “election denier” prism. The British journalist offered some unsolicited election coverage advice to American reporters. Maitlis:….So‚ I think all the reporting that we do should come actually from that prism‚ that he is an election denier‚ that he has managed to convince people of the lies that he's been telling for the last three-and-a-half years‚ that he's using his 91 indictments as a fundraising tool. And I don't think that any of us can be covering your election‚ the American elections without actually starting from that place. If that is not a sort of a black cloud across your forehead of everything that you're saying on air‚ of everything that you're writing and thinking about‚ then we're not doing our jobs properly. Which is exactly what they’re doing already‚ no transatlantic help required. A transcript is available‚ click “Expand.” PBS Amanpour &; Co. 1/25/23 1:59:50 p.m. (ET) AMANPOUR: I want to bring it back to the U.S. election. The idea of Biden's age‚ is that a media construct? Is that a real thing? Is that something that because we have been hammering it every single time‚ there's a story? MAITLIS: Yes‚ I was in Georgia just before Christmas‚ and we were talking to some young guys who were college educated‚ OK? They had jobs. One was a pilot. And they were all talking about their support for Donald Trump. And the word they used was‚ he's a strong leader. If you're going to go to war‚ you want a strong man behind you. And it was really interesting‚ because if you look at how Trump has handled the campaigning‚ you know‚ the campaign stump speeches so far‚ what he does is he carries on talking about Biden's weakness‚ or sort of frivolity and his own strength. Now‚ the idea that there's only four years or so between these two guys‚ right‚ is something that we should all‚ again‚ keep in the front of our minds. Biden is always softly spoken. I mean‚ I do think he has a slight problem with his voice. He doesn't actually project enough because of the stuff that he sort of mumbles a lot. There's quite a lot of words that are swallowed and Trump performs‚ right? He goes out‚ he's bombastic‚ he does this‚ but that is the message that he wants to carry. I mean‚ quite frankly‚ if the Republicans were really on to something‚ they would put Nikki Haley in that position. Because that is the way you contrast‚ you know‚ Biden's age and her age. You know‚ her sort of nimbleness and his‚ because Donald Trump is not a young man‚ whichever way you look at it. Has it been overplayed by the media? I started thinking that at the beginning‚ but I've talked to a lot of Democrats around Biden who are very worried‚ whether it's about his age or whether it's about the -- AMANPOUR: They're worried‚ for sure. MAITLIS: -- perception of his age‚ they are worried. AMANPOUR: I mean‚ I keep trying to figure this out‚ Mark‚ because I've also listened to podcasts and other things‚ which actually show that a lot of this idea is being ramped up on TikTok and stuff. I mean‚ generations of people who've never seen FDR‚ I don't know‚ in a wheelchair or whatever it is‚ are being told that this is a real problem. So‚ I'm just -- how do you see it? LANDLER: Well‚ look‚ we live‚ whether we like it or not‚ in a visual age‚ in a television age‚ in a TikTok age. And so‚ what Emily says is right. It doesn't much matter if Joe Biden's age impedes his ability to do his job well‚ which I think it probably doesn't. He's surrounded by terrific advisers. He's forgotten more about American foreign policy than most people ever learned. He brings a huge amount of wisdom. And by all accounts‚ and talking to my colleagues‚ I don't have the sense that he is not on his game on making important decisions. And if you look at his record‚ it actually stands up well to the last few presidents‚ some of whom were decades younger than him at the time. None of that actually matters as a political question‚ because if people think‚ because he's old‚ he's weak‚ and Donald Trump is stronger‚ then that's the ballgame. So‚ I sort of feel like that debate -- you can have that debate‚ but it doesn't matter what I think‚ or what people think about his competence‚ it matters what the voters think. So‚ if they think he's too old -- now‚ where I think we can play a role‚ as the press‚ and particularly people who cover President Biden day-to-day is to write about this intelligently‚ unscrupulously and thoughtfully. In other words‚ if there's evidence that Joe Biden's age actually is a performance issue for him‚ then we should point that out‚ right? And there have been a couple of places where he's made gaps. He's had to be cleaned up the next day by aides on some important enough issues. But by the same token‚ there's also a lot of evidence that he's conducted the business of the president very competently. So‚ our job is to do that. There are some things that are simply going to be up to the voters to decide and -- MAITLIS: Yes‚ I'd also say if you look at who Trump idolizes‚ it's the strong men of Europe‚ it's Erdogan in Turkey‚ it's Orban in Hungary‚ it's Putin in Russia. And when he says strong man‚ or when he thinks of these strong men‚ it's not a physical thing‚ it's about authoritarianism‚ right? AMANPOUR: And I wonder whether the voters who say they want a strong man know that‚ because this is about democracy and authoritarianism. MAITLIS: But it becomes very easy to ally two things‚ doesn't it? To be talking about authoritarianism‚ and then to sort of point to a man who's slightly stooped and go‚ you won't get strength from him. The number here that people are actually looking at‚ that is leaving people jaw dropped is the 66 percent of Iowan voters who believe Donald Trump's lie‚ that they have been convinced that Donald Trump is the right president of this time and that his questioning of the legitimacy of Joe Biden is something that he's taken to Iowa. So‚ I think all the reporting that we do should come actually from that prism‚ that he is an election denier‚ that he has managed to convince people of the lies that he's been telling for the last three and a half years‚ that he's using his 91 indictments as a fundraising tool. And I don't think that any of us can be covering your election‚ the American elections without actually starting from that place. If that is not a sort of a black cloud across your thread of everything that you're saying on air‚ of everything that you're writing and thinking about‚ then we're not doing our jobs properly.

CNN’s Dana Bash solemnly lamented on Friday’s Inside Politics that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is in defiance of a recent Supreme Court ruling regarding razor wire at the border there was just one problem: the Court never said the wire was illegal. What the Court did was remove an injunction that prohibited federal authorities from removing the wire while the underlying case is litigated. Theoretically‚ the feds could remove the wire‚ do whatever it is they need to do‚ leave‚ and Texas could put the wire right back‚ but Bash warned‚ “Texas is ignoring the highest court in the land. This week the Supreme Court ruled that the Biden Administration has the legal authority to remove razor wire along the Southern border‚ but the Lone Star State governor doesn't care and is blocking federal agents from accessing it.”     Bash added‚ “CNN even saw more wire after being -- after the ruling came down. Rosa Flores was there‚ was part of the reporting team talking about this‚ looking at this extensively. Rosa‚ tell our viewers exactly what you saw.” The question of access was not addressed by the Court‚ only the wire. The Biden Administration has sent some strongly worded letters to Texas officials on the need for access to Shelby Park‚ but has not yet formally sued.  Nevertheless‚ Flores concurred with Bash‚ “Well‚ what we're seeing is that the state of Texas is in defiance. They are deploying more razor wire and more anti-climbing fence‚ but‚ Dana‚ really it is migrants who are caught in the migrant of this border battle between Texas and federal authorities.” Later‚ Bash was discussing the matter with her panel and after playing a series of clips of Republican governors supporting Abbott again solemnly declared‚ “So this is the U.S. Supreme Court‚ including one of the three justices who Donald Trump appointed‚ Amy Coney Barrett‚ siding with a majority that said‚ you can't do this. All of these Republican governors starting with Greg Abbott are saying‚ well‚ we're going to do it anyway.” Legal and national security analyst Carrier Cordero agreed‚ “It creates this incredible difficult situation in real life‚ but as a matter of the law what is interesting here‚ Dana‚ there's over 150 years worth of law that exists that really establishes the primacy of the federal government when it comes to border -- it's authorities and immigration authorities. This is actually an area of law that has been pretty well settled for a really long time that the federal government has the stronger authorities here.” CNN was making it seem as if the Court’s ruling was the end of the controversy‚ but in reality it was just the beginning. CNN should be more accurate in its reporting.  Here is a transcript for the January 26 show: CNN Inside Politics with Dana Bash 1/26/2024 12:42 PM ET DANA BASH: Texas is ignoring the highest court in the land. This week the Supreme Court ruled that the Biden Administration has the legal authority to remove razor wire along the Southern border‚ but the Lone Star State governor doesn't care and is blocking federal agents from accessing it. CNN even saw more wire after being -- after the ruling came down. Rosa Flores was there‚ was part of the reporting team talking about this‚ looking at this extensively. Rosa‚ tell our viewers exactly what you saw.  ROSA FLORES: Well‚ what we're seeing is that the state of Texas is in defiance. They are deploying more razor wire and more anti-climbing fence‚ but‚ Dana‚ really it is migrants who are caught in the migrant of this border battle between Texas and federal authorities.    … BASH: So this is the U.S. Supreme Court‚ including one of the three justices who Donald Trump appointed‚ Amy Coney Barrett‚ siding with a majority that said‚ you can't do this. All of these Republican governors starting with Greg Abbott are saying‚ well‚ we're going to do it anyway.  CARRIE CORDERO: It creates this incredible difficult situation in real life‚ but as a matter of the law what is interesting here‚ Dana‚ there's over 150 years worth of law that exists that really establishes the primacy of the federal government when it comes to border -- it's authorities and immigration authorities. This is actually an area of law that has been pretty well settled for a really long time that the federal government has the stronger authorities here. 

On Friday‚ the liberal ladies of ABC’s The View were “pissed off” that Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis may have jeopardized the case against former President Trump over allegations she had an unethical sexual relationship with the special counsel she assigned to prosecute the case. And despite doing her best to downplay Willis’s refusal to deny the allegations and defend her hiring practices‚ even staunchly racist and anti-Semitic co-host Sunny Hostin had to admit the allegations could be true (at least under her breath). “I don't think the allegations are going to compromise the case against him‚” Hostin proclaimed near the top of the segment. She boasted about the resolve the prosecutor’s office had to pursue their case against Trump: “So‚ even if she resigns and even if he resigns there’s just going to be two perhaps even better prosecutors to take their place. So‚ that's not the issue.” But when asked why Trump was calling for her resignation‚ Hostin accidentally dropped the skeptical language and admitted Willis had slept with Special Counsel Nathan Wade‚ before catching herself and trying to walk it back in a panic while waving her hand in front of her to deny the claims (pictured above): HOSTIN: Well‚ I think the issue is‚ there is an appearance of inappropriate if you are sleeping as the district attorney – if you are‚ allegedly! BEHAR: She doesn't admit to that. HOSTIN: She’s not admitting to that! If you are sleeping with your special counsel that you appointed to a job and that person makes money doing that. Right? So‚ that's a problem. Hostin bizarrely went on to help distance Willis by arguing that she had asked two more qualified lawyers (who she personally knew) to prosecute the case before settling on Wade‚ who “doesn't have that much experience prosecuting RICO cases and prosecuting this kind of case.”     Co-host and frequent Hostin-fact-checker Sara Haines immediately found the flaw in Hostin’s argument in terms of her next-man-up boasting vs Willis settling on Wade. “If prosecutors are like roaches‚ you can't end at three asks! So‚ if you’re saying they asked two really qualified and one who's never taken on this level and it might be the career of her lifetime‚ keep asking because there's more there‚” she said. “There may be a reason why‚” Hostin mumbled under her breath‚ possibly hinting at the allegations being true. The most “pissed off” by Willis’s alleged actions were the Never Trump Republicans Ana Navarro and Alyssa Farah Griffin‚ who wanted to ignore using the skeptical language and talk about it as fact; much to Hostin’s chagrin (Click “expand”): NAVARRO: Look‚ if you are sleeping with a prosecutor and paying him $650‚000. HOSTIN: If‚ if‚ allegedly. NAVARRO: If? Okay‚ if. It doesn't matter if you're black‚ white‚ green‚ purple‚ brown‚ it is wrong – HOSTIN: Yes. NAVARRO: -- and it is unethical and I think it's against the rules of professional regulation. Farah Griffin was “pissed off about this” because one of her “best friends‚ Cassidy Hutchinson spent months in Atlanta protected by U.S. Marshals to testify for this case. And now it may all fall apart because these allegations of impropriety.” “I'm very pissed off too‚” Navarro announced‚ “because when you are a woman of color in such a high-profile position‚ you know that the scrutiny that is going to befall you is greater than on anybody else. And she needed to have kept her house clean.” Hostin repeatedly tried to defend Willis‚ calling them just “allegations” and read a “legal note” about Willis neither confirming nor denying them‚ along with Wade not saying anything. Haines argued that if she really was innocent‚ then Willis would be out there denying it. Moderator Joy Behar concluded the segment by whining about Trump’s legal team exposing Willis’s alleged misconduct. “You know‚ this is the Trump playbook: postpone everything. Postpone the border. Postpone the economy. Postpone everything. And postpone this case‚” she exclaimed. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View January 26‚ 2024 11:17:48 a.m. Eastern (…) JOY BEHAR: So‚ could these allegations compromise the case against him? Is stepping down the best move here? SUNNY HOSTIN: I don't think the allegations are going to compromise the case against him. BEHAR: Against Trump. HOSTIN: He is clearly a criminal in my view. And prosecutors – We used to say prosecutors were like roaches. Like‚ you get rid of two and like ten more show up. So‚ even if she resigns and even if he resigns there’s just going to be two perhaps even better prosecutors to take their place. So‚ that's not the issue. BEHAR: So‚ why does Trump keep saying she should resign? HOSTIN: Well‚ I think the issue is‚ there is an appearance of inappropriate if you are sleeping as the district attorney – if you are‚ allegedly. BEHAR: She doesn't admit to that. HOSTIN: She’s not admitting to that. If you are sleeping with your special counsel that you appointed to a job and that person makes money doing that. Right? So‚ that's a problem. But the other thing we need to remember is this is probably one of the strongest cases against Trump‚ and she asked two other much more qualified lawyers to take it on and they did not want to. I would not want to take this job on. You know what it's like to cross Trump. You get death threats. Your family gets death threats. What lawyer wants to do that? She went – actually to a lawyer that I know who is a former federal prosecutor‚ his name is Gabe -- what's his last name? [Checks her notes] Gabe Banks. He’s turned it down. She went to Roy Barnes who was a former governor of Georgia‚ one of the state's premier lawyers‚ who I know. He turned it down. And then she settled on this other guy. He doesn't have that much experience prosecuting RICO cases and prosecuting this kind of case. This is the best she got. ANA NAVARRO: Look‚ if you are sleeping with a prosecutor and paying him $650‚000. HOSTIN: If‚ if‚ allegedly. NAVARRO: If? Okay‚ if. It doesn't matter if you're black‚ white‚ green‚ purple‚ brown‚ it is wrong – HOSTIN: Yes. NAVARRO: -- and it is unethical and I think it's against the rules of professional regulation. HOSTIN: It is. NAVARRO: -- of the legal – And it does affect the case. There's many cases that have fallen apart because an attorney is sleeping with a client or people in the prosecutor's office are having phone sex with a witness. I mean‚ I'm not making it up. Go look at Griselda. You know‚ the one that’s on Netflix. She like killed everybody and the second case against her fell apart because two employees at the prosecutor's office were having phone sex with a witness. HOSTIN: With a witness‚ yes. But this is different. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: At a minimum this is going to delay the case. HOSTIN: That’s true. FARAH GRIFFIN: And it very likely will until after election day. The Trump folks and -- they do have the right to‚ to try to use every delay tactic in the book. And I just personally am pissed off about this. This is the case of her lifetime. It’s a sweeping RICO case. It’s a tough one. I think she actually has what she needs to prove the case. One of my best friends‚ Cassidy Hutchinson spent months in Atlanta protected by U.S. Marshals to testify for this case. BEHAR: She’s a brave girl. FARAH GRIFFIN: And now it may all fall apart because these allegations of impropriety. BEHAR: But according to Sunny‚ it’s not going to fall apart. FARAH GRIFFIN: No‚ but it could be delayed till after the election. [Crosstalk] HOSTIN: The case is not going away‚ but I do agree it could be delayed because they would have to get new prosecutors. SARA HAINES: If prosecutors are like roaches you can't end at three asks! So‚ if you’re saying they asked two really qualified and one who's never taken on this level and it might be the career of her lifetime‚ keep asking because there's more there. HOSTIN: There may be a reason why. NAVARRO: I'm very pissed off too because when you are a woman of color in such a high-profile position‚ you know that the scrutiny that is going to befall you is greater than on anybody else. HOSTIN: Your stuff cannot stink. NAVARRO: And she needed to have kept her house clean. HOSTIN: I will say there are still allegations but I feel that way. BEHAR: You have a legal note‚ Sunny. [Crosstalk] HAINES: Real quickly. If there's nothing going on‚ because she has not confirmed or denied‚ which is another criticism she's getting. If someone was making a false accusation you come out and say‚ “this is wrong. You don't understand.” FARAH GRIFFIN: There's a big paper trail is the problem. HAINES: Because that’s delaying a big part of this. Until they reassign this case she has a stop on it. And she knows better. NAVARRO: I agree with you. You don't go to a black church. You have a press conference and you deny it if you’re not doing it. HOSTIN: But they’re still allegations. And that's why I have a legal note. District Attorney Fani Willis has neither confirmed nor denied a relationship with Nathan Wade and has denied claims she acted improperly in hiring him. Wade has not responded to the allegations. BEHAR: You know‚ this is the Trump playbook: postpone everything. Postpone the border. Postpone the economy. Postpone everything. And postpone this case. He figures‚ “Oh‚ maybe I'll be in office and won't have to go to jail.” That is his whole M.O. We'll be right back.

The United Nations is requesting $7.9 billion to “tackle migration crises” and reduce displacement allegedly caused by climate change‚ according to a Monday news release.Earlier this week‚ the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration published a news article announcing its “first ever Global Annual Appeal for 2024‚” which urges governments‚ the private sector‚ and donors to invest nearly $8 billion “to support its operations and help create a system that realizes migration’s promise as a force for good throughout the world.” It is unclear how exactly the agency plans to spend the donated funds.According to the IOM‚ the funds would allow it to “prepare in advance” instead of “merely reacting” to immigration issues. The agency aims to provide aid to 140 million people‚ “including internally displaced people and the local communities that host them.” The report revealed that the IOM plans to request $8.6 billion in 2025 and $9.1 billion in 2026 to address its “projected multi-year funding needs.” The U.N. intends to use $3.4 billion for “saving lives and protecting people on the move‚” $2.7 billion for “solutions to displacement including reducing the risks and impacts of climate change‚” $1.6 billion for “facilitating pathways for regular migrations‚” and $163 million “transforming IOM to better deliver.” These goals are part of the agency’s five-year Global Strategic Plan.IOM Director General Amy Pope stated‚ “Irregular and forced migration have reached unprecedented levels and the challenges we face are increasingly complex.”“The evidence is overwhelming that migration‚ when well-managed‚ is a major contributor to global prosperity and progress. We are at a critical moment in time‚ and we have designed this Appeal to help deliver on that promise. We can and must do better‚” Pope added.“Getting the job done requires greater investment from governments‚ the private sector‚ individual donors and other partners‚” Pope continued. “This funding will address the large and widening gap between what we have‚ and what we need in order to do the job right. For this reason‚ we are for the first time proactively approaching all partners to fund this vital appeal.” According to the IOM‚ “Globalization‚ inequality‚ climate change and political instability” are the main driving forces behind the increase in migration. The agency’s Global Appeal cited reports from the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs‚ which claims that in 2024‚ approximately 300 million people will require “humanitarian assistance and protection due to conflict‚ climate emergencies and other drivers.”“Over the past decade‚ weather-related events – including floods‚ storms and wildfires – have caused over 200 million new displacements worldwide. In 2022 alone‚ weather-related disasters caused 32.6 million new displacements‚ amounting to 53 per cent of new internal displacements recorded around the world. According to projections developed by IOM‚ this number will only increase over the coming decades‚ as more and more communities will be impacted by the adverse effects of climate change‚” the appeal stated. The IOM claimed that people exposed to extreme heat conditions will double‚ and individuals exposed to floods and crop failures will at least triple.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Jesse Jane – a pornographic movie star who also appeared in "Entourage" and "The Bad Girls Club" – died suddenly at age 43. The porn star – whose real name was Cynthia Ann Howell– was found unresponsive around 11 a.m. on Wednesday at her home in Moore‚ Oklahoma. Jane's boyfriend‚ Brett Hasenmueller‚ was also found unresponsive inside the residence after police officers responded to a welfare check.Investigators said no foul play is suspected.Lt. Francisco Franco of the Moore Police Department told the New York Times that investigators suspect the couple suddenly died from a drug overdose.The sudden deaths remain under investigation and the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner will determine their causes of death. Jane is survived by her son‚ who was reportedly born in 2000. Jane‚ born in Fort Worth‚ Texas‚ was one of the most popular pornographic actresses of the early 2000s. She began her X-rated career in 2002‚ and her last adult movie was released in 2019. Jane was best known for her appearance in the pornographic movie "Pirates‚" which had a budget of $1 million‚ and "Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge‚" which was the most expensive porn movie ever made with a price tag of $8 million. She briefly retired from the adult movie industry in 2007."I got into porn right at the perfect time‚ when porn stars mattered. Porn stars back then‚ they were big‚ glamorous. You walked into a room‚ you turned heads‚" Jane told GQ in a 2018 interview. "Everybody knew who you were because they actually had to buy your product or DVDs‚ everything. Porn was so naughty‚ but everybody watched it. Now‚ no one makes money like they did back then even with toy deals and appearances."Jane also enjoyed some mainstream entertainment success.Jane appeared in the 2003 TV film "Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding‚" had a small part in the 2004 movie "Starsky and Hutch‚" and was in 2009's "Middle Men" starring Luke Wilson and Giovanni Ribisi.Entertainment Weekly reported she appeared as herself on Showtime's reality series "Family Business‚" a 2005 episode of HBO's hit TV series "Entourage‚" Oxygen Network’s reality series "The Bad Girls Club‚" "Gene Simmons Family Jewels‚" and "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." Jane was interviewed in the 2009 CNBC documentary "Porn: Business of Pleasure."Jane also hosted Playboy TV’s live series "Night Calls" from 2006 to 2007. Before her porn career‚ she was a model for David's Bridal and Hooters. Brian Gross‚ a publicist for the porn industry‚ told the New York Times‚ "She was a performer during an era where adult films were seen all over the world‚ and the promotions were massive. She made sure that she gave her all‚ not only in performing‚ but in promotion as well."Like Blaze News? Circumvent the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Maryland House Democrats introduced a bill last week banning gun owners from carrying without $300‚000 of liability insurance.What are the details?WBFF-TV reported that Del. Terri Hill introduced the legislation‚ which reads‚ "A person may not wear or carry a firearm unless the person has obtained and is covered by liability insurance issued by an insurer authorized to do business in the State under the Insurance Article to cover claims for property damage‚ bodily injury‚ or death arising from an accident resulting from the person’s use or storage of a firearm or up to $300‚000 for damages arising from the same incident‚ in addition to interest and costs."While the bill's language exempts members of the military and federal law enforcement officers from the insurance requirement‚ WBFF noted that the bill does not exempt state and local law enforcement officers.Largo-based criminal defense attorney Vernon Brownlee told the station that he believes the bill may hold law enforcement officers accountable: “[This] legislation aims to enhance accountability among police officers‚ particularly addressing the disproportionate impact of their misuse of deadly force on the black community. In essence‚ the legislation introduces a mechanism whereby repeated violations of the statute could lead insurance carriers to consider an officer a liability‚ rendering them uninsurable.”WBFF said it asked Hill why state and local law enforcement officers aren't exempt from the insurance requirement‚ and the station said Hill replied that she would be making corrections. Del. Cheryl Pasteur‚ a co-sponsor of the bill‚ told WBFF in a follow-up email after Hill's phone interview that "the exception is in the bill." “[Del. Hill] noted she would go back‚ however‚ and make sure it is clear before going to a hearing‚” Pasteur added to the station.Maryland Fraternal Order of Police President Clyde Boatwright told WBFF that state and local law enforcement officers should have the same exemption as federal officers: "We would appreciate if our Maryland law enforcement officers received the same rights as federal officers. If our federal partners are exempt‚ state and local officers should be afforded that same right."Hill told WBFF that the idea for the legislation came from a constituent who told her that gun owners should “bear some liability in cases where there is damage because of guns being used in ways that cause harm.”Gun advocate Frank Duffy noted to the station that the legislation is yet another effort to “chip away” at the state’s wear and carry laws: "The Supreme Court made a decision that said Maryland and other states could not require a good or substantial reason to get a permit.”More from WBFF:Duffy‚ the co-owner and vice president of Maryland-based Spartan Firearms Training Group‚ said this bill is similar to the state’s handgun qualification licensing (HQL) requirement. In November‚ the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Maryland’s HQL regulation‚ siding with gun advocacy groups that said the law placed “undue burden” on citizen’s constitutional rights to obtain‚ own and possess a firearm. Since the ruling‚ Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown’s office successfully requested for the full appeals court to rehear the case.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

While “Hazbin Hotel” has received rave reviews on Rotten Tomatoes‚ Lauren Chen is less than impressed. The show centers around the daughter of Lucifer‚ who opens a rehabilitation hotel that offers a group of demons a chance at redemption — which supposedly will help reduce hell’s overpopulation. If the daughter‚ Charlie‚ isn’t successful in rehabilitating the demons‚ then they’ll be killed by angels. Chen‚ who watched the show‚ says she “essentially spent two hours watching animated furries discuss their sexual deviances.” “Obviously this show is an attempt to parody or subvert the Christian worldview‚” Chen explains‚ noting that she’s received plenty of complaints from viewers over one clip that makes a mockery of Adam and Eve. “What I think really got me personally is not just how heretical the show’s premise is‚ it’s also how ignorant the people who wrote the show clearly are of Christianity‚” she adds. Chen also doesn’t believe the show does a good job of investing you in the storyline or the characters. “When we have Charlie freaking out saying‚ ‘Oh no‚ all these monsters are going to be killed‚’ I’m kind of like‚ good‚ I hope they are‚” she explains. And unsurprisingly‚ the show runs rampant with queer representation. “Is representation here a win for the LGBTQ community or not? Because I feel like it could go either way‚” Chen says. Want more from Lauren Chen?To enjoy more of Lauren’s pro-liberty‚ pro-logic‚ and pro-market commentary on social and political issues‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

We’re developing Yogi Berra politics. The connections are severed‚ but the connections are secure. Everyone is sticking with the thing that everyone has abandoned. In California‚ elected officials have become positively manic in their promotion of a sexualized childhood and a culture of enforced secrecy in schools. Attorney General Rob Bonta is suing a school district to prevent it from notifying parents when their children declare a new gender identity and pronouns to school officials. Read this press release from Bonta to see the depravity of the argument right from the source. The extremely explicit and persistent state policy is that children must be protected from the gravest threat they face: their own families. Schools must keep sexual secrets about young children because that’s very progressive. California is “protecting the rights of trans children‚” and communicating with parents about their own children is “forced outing.” The unspoken but not-at-all-subtle premise underlying this state push for childhood sexual secrecy is that children have their most honest and intimate relationships with officials in government-run schools but must hide their true selves from their parents. It’s statism on steroids and crystal meth and bath salts‚ and your children belong to the government. Californians despise this view‚ and they express deep loathing for all of the policy implications that follow. Democrats are freakishly good at severing politics from real-world outcomes and hooking it firmly to status anxiety. Republicans don’t counter that maneuver. It’s been months since a Rasmussen poll arrived at this conclusion: “California Voters Support Parental Rights by Overwhelming Margins.” Amazingly enough‚ pretty much no one supports the premise that teachers should have a lot of intimate sexual conversations with young children and then keep it all a special secret from mommy and daddy. A solid 82% of all likely voters in California support parental notification policies — and that's without asking the question of parents only. To summarize: 1) A much-publicized California policy has no support among California voters‚ who hate everything about it. 2) But elected officials aren't changing their policy course at all. If anything‚ they’ve shoved all their chips into the pot and are uniformly moving in a direction that the public overwhelmingly rejects. 3) And‚ this is the kicker‚ no political course-correction appears to be on the horizon. Polls strongly suggest that California voters will remain aligned with the Democratic Party and Democratic elected officials while despising the things those officials actually do. Californians are probably going to elect Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff to the U.S. Senate this year‚ if you need to read in one sentence how dark that disconnection becomes. The matter of sexualized childhood and school secrecy isn’t an isolated case. Californians are disturbed by an open border‚ appalled by widespread homelessness‚ aware of growing economic hardship and urban decline‚ bothered by crime‚ and firmly behind the Democratic incumbents who are causing all of the things they hate. I strongly support Elected Official X‚ voters explain‚ and I despise everything he does. You're probably thinking right now that you don't care because Californians are just getting what they voted for. They chose it‚ so they deserve it. The problem is “President Joe Biden‚” whose leg hair turned blond in the sun and the children loved to play with it and then Corn Pop showed up. The cultural fire in California is just a slightly hotter version of the national grease fire. How many Texans voted for the federal government to put out the welcome mat at Eagle Pass? The coast-to-coast trend is toward meaningless voting‚ and not just because of ballot harvesting and the lost connection between votes and ballots. The severing of what politicians do from the question of what we think of them is a cultural crisis built on a foundation of status-signaling. If your experience is anything like mine‚ your discussions with fiercely Democratic Party-supporting family members turn quickly to ranting about trailer parks and flyover country: Dude‚ I'm not some Trumper. Don’t you know where I went to college? Democrats are high-status and upper-middle-class; Republicans are the poors‚ and they probably shop at Walmart or something. For example‚ see what advice the liberal pundit Matt Yglesias offered young men about identifying as Republicans. (Spoiler alert: It’s about their dating life.) This realignment of political choice on an otherwise empty foundation of consumerist status-signaling is our ruin. It locks people into failure because voting against failed politicians is low-status. Democrats are freakishly good at severing politics from real-world outcomes and hooking it firmly to status anxiety. Republicans don’t counter that maneuver. But the ugliness of our emerging future demands that we re-establish the link between how we vote and what happens next. Look north to Canada to see what happens to a country that sustains failed power far past the moment of its collapse. Our path forward reflects our ability to connect cause and effect‚ and that path isn’t looking good. It’s time to fight through those family rants about Trumpers and their trailer parks and force people to look at what’s actually happening. The empty politics of social status is death.

An Oregon county that includes parts of Portland has voted to close its Equity and Inclusion Office after commissioners agreed that the office was a drain on critical resources and that it created unnecessary division within the community.Clackamas County‚ Oregon‚ stretches from Mt. Hood in the east all the way to a portion of Portland in the west. In July 2020‚ just a few weeks after the death of George Floyd‚ the county opened the Equity and Inclusion Office and poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into DEI staff and initiatives. A county statement issued in April 2022 spoke glowingly of "uplifting voices and making the invisible visible within communities" through DEI measures. "We want to grow a workplace where people of color‚ members of the LGBTQIA+ community‚ and others from historically marginalized communities feel not just welcomed‚ but also valued and respected as core members of our team‚" Jon Hennington‚ equity program manager for the city of Milwaukie‚ said at the time.However‚ the 2022 election reshaped the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners‚ and though board positions are nonpartisan‚ four of the five current members are reportedly registered Republicans. Beginning in May 2023‚ outspoken new Commissioner Mark Shull proposed cutting the entire DEI budget‚ which amounted to a staggering $828‚000‚ claiming that it was an "unnecessary expense" that "only foments friction."While most commissioners were less abrasive in their language at the time‚ they seemed to agree with some of Shull's points. Commissioner Martha Schrader‚ the board's lone registered Democrat‚ vehemently disagreed‚ claiming that her Korean-American son and Chinese neighbors continue to endure racist attacks. "People need to understand it still happens today‚" she argued at a meeting last May. "As Oregonians and Americans we need to understand that those kinds of behaviors are harmful to one another‚ and to me‚ the diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion piece is the constant reminder that we have to be sensitive to this and we have to honor that."Commissioner Ben West‚ a Republican and Naval reservist who is in a gay relationship and who adopted a black son‚ argued instead that DEI often encourages a "victim mentality" and creates division within the community. DEI "does not bring our county and local communities together‚" he stated through tears at the meeting.West‚ Shull‚ and others have now carried the day‚ as the board has voted to close the Equity and Inclusion Office effective February 5. "We're no longer investing in that ideology‚" West confirmed in a recent Fox News interview about the vote. "We believed that it was really important to focus on merit‚ fairness and equality‚ not to racialize the workplace and the county.""We value the individual‚" he continued. "We value you regardless of your immutable traits.""In Clackamas County‚ we really value the merit‚ the talents of every individual‚ that every person has and brings to the county. ... A diversity of ideas is important to us."While many are celebrating the board's decision as a victory for true American values regarding liberty and equality‚ others see it as a step backward. "I'm saddened – it seems like we're going in reverse‚" said Emmett Wheatfall‚ a former county diversity manager who retired in 2019. "My hope is we can return to moving forward again‚ but it's going to take champions."The two full-time employees at the office will be reassigned to other positions. It is unclear how the former DEI budget will now be spent.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Musician Lil Nas X described himself as a "very spiritual young man‚" which helped him deal with backlash from his single "J Christ‚" which upset Christians through his portrayal of Jesus in the song's music video.The artist dressed as the Bible's Noah while playing basketball against Satan in the music video‚ in which he also dressed as Jesus Christ and danced alongside male cheerleaders. The visuals also included celebrity look-alikes of Kanye West‚ Oprah Winfrey‚ and President Obama ascending into heaven. Lil Nas X told Variety that despite the song getting an underwhelming reception‚ he was "proud" of the song and video."Everyone expected me to be upset or something. But I’m a very spiritual person. I’m thankful that I get to even be in the charts and still be in the conversation. And I’m making new music and it’s been so long. So I’m grateful for that."The singer gave remarks at the premiere of a new HBO documentary about himself‚ which reportedly featured him praising his family for accepting his homosexuality‚ which included taking his dad to a gay bar. "I never would have thought to do gay stuff with my dad‚ but he insisted. He was like‚ ‘No‚ I want to go with you guys!’ So‚ yeah‚ that was the best night ever‚" Lil Nas X said.As well‚ Variety reported that the artist's brother‚ Tramon Hall‚ is revealed to be a bisexual in the film.After the release of his latest video‚ Lil Nas X was criticized by Christians for once again including satanic imagery in his musical performances. A previous video showed the artist falling from heaven‚ down to hell‚ to give Satan a lap dance.Christian rapper Bryson Gray evoked a response from Lil Nas X‚ as well as rapper Kid Cudi when he released his own song called "Gay Demon‚" targeted at rappers who promote anti-Christian themes."I made one snippet about wanting god to give me hope a few days ago and already like 5 christian rappers have conceptualized‚ wrote‚ recorded‚ and shot music videos‚" Lil Nas X wrote on X. Bryson Gray has successfully gotten under Lil Nas X\u2019s skin — (@) "If he was serious‚ he would apologize for the things he's done in the past like everybody else‚" Gray told Fox News. "You apologize for that. You acknowledge that. And him‚ he’s done all this damage to children in the public sphere. So come out and say ‘I apologize‚'" Gray added.However‚ Lil Nas X reiterated to Variety that he is a "very spiritual young man.""I believe that things are going to work out as long as I’m doing my part. I’ve never worked harder on an album or done more in my life internally to get things right. I’m excited for the outcome‚" he added.In response to Lil Nas X saying he is spiritual‚ Gray told Blaze News‚ "I do believe he's spiritual‚ but that spirit is a gay demon." Christian rapper responds to LIL NAS X \ud83d\ude2e — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!