Judge Juan Merchan denied Donald Trump his claim of presidential immunity in his criminal Stormy the Hooker trial. Merchan didn’t like the timing. Merchan ruled that “the defendant had myriad opportunities to raise the claim of presidential immunity” long before the former president did. The judge said that because he was denying the motion on that […] The post Judge Merchan Thinks Trump’s DC Case Is for an Insurrection appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

The Iowa and LSU Elite Eight viewer ratings set a new record for women’s basketball on Monday following the NCAA March Madness showdown in Albany‚ New York. The Hawkeyes’ 94-87 surprise victory over the Tigers scored more than 12 million viewers for ESPN‚ drawing an even bigger crowd than the Final championship for the NCAA Women’s Basketball game last year between Iowa and LSU‚ the Hollywood Reporter reported. In 2023‚ LSU’s 102-85 victory over the Hawkeyes set what was then an all-time ratings record on the sports network for women’s basketball‚ earning 9.9 million viewers across ABC and ESPN2. However‚ the game on Monday — which was a rematch between the two schools — drew 12.3 million viewers on average and ended up being the most-watched show in primetime. It also beat out the biggest ratings for a program on broadcast networks‚ which was CBS’ “NCIS“ with 5.9 million viewers‚ the outlet noted. TV Ratings: Iowa-LSU NCAA Rematch Sets All-Time Record for Women’s Basketball https://t.co/Hr6IQi4yDK — The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 2‚ 2024 The last time a women’s basketball game got close to those numbers was more than 40 years ago in 1983 at the NCAA title game broadcast of USC’s 69-67 victory over Louisiana Tech. That game drew an audience of 11.83 million people‚ THR noted. The NCAA women’s basketball showdown also was the second most-watched game of men’s and women’s tournament basketball this year‚ beaten out only by Sunday’s North Carolina State upset of Duke in the men’s division‚ which drew 15.14 million viewers on CBS. The three other NCAA women’s Elite Eight games scored huge numbers‚ with the round scoring four of the five biggest women’s Elite Eight games ever‚ the outlet noted. South Carolina and Oregon State’s game averaged 3.1 million viewers on ABC on Sunday‚ while the North Carolina State and Texas matchup brought in 2.5 million.  On Monday‚ Connecticut’s 80-73 victory against USC‚ also topped all broadcast shows with about 6.7 million viewers. The average audience of the Elite Eight round was 6.2 million. The ratings for the women’s games in that round are up 184 percent over last year’s‚ the outlet noted. The Hawkeyes will now travel to Cleveland‚ Ohio‚ to play the Connecticut Huskies on Friday in the Final Four round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament. Related: LSU Women’s Basketball Team Loses In Elite 8 After Skipping National Anthem While Iowa Team Held Hands On Court

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry urged state officials this week to create a new policy that requires student-athletes to be present for the national anthem at sporting events after Louisiana State University’s (LSU) women’s basketball team missed the national anthem during its regional final game this week. LSU faced intense criticism for not being on the court when the national anthem was played shortly before their game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa won 94-87. “Honestly‚ I don’t even know when the anthem was played‚” said LSU coach Kim Mulkey. “We kind of (have) a routine where we’re on the floor and then they come off at the 12-minute mark. I don’t know … we come in and we do our pregame stuff. I’m sorry … Listen‚ that’s nothing intentionally done.” Iowa players holding hands during the American National Anthem. LSU players left the court before the anthem was performed. pic.twitter.com/GhCLHUXiBX — Dan Zaksheske (@RealDanZak) April 1‚ 2024 The Republican governor responded to the backlash that the team faced by saying that officials need to enact a policy requiring athletes to show up for face serious consequences. “My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation‚ no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey‚” he said. “However‚ above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag! It is time that all college boards‚ including Regent‚ put a policy in place that student athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship! This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation‚ no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey. However‚ above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag ! It is… — Jeff Landry (@JeffLandry) April 2‚ 2024 Mulkey has recently been in the news after The Washington Post ran a hit piece on her that accused her of exploding at officials‚ treating reporters poorly‚ holding grudges‚ and clashing with players. She reportedly has had an intense feud with Brittney Griner and the report claimed that she was harsh toward gay players — an accusation that she and her legal team have strongly pushed back against‚ including providing an affidavit that undercut one of the claims made against her.

A state senator in Nebraska announced on Wednesday that he was changing his party affiliation to Republican because the Democratic Party retaliated against him for taking a stand on abortion and transgender issues. Mike McDonnell‚ a lawmaker from Omaha who is term-limited this year after winning elections in 2016 and 2020‚ made his plans known in a statement reported by News Channel Nebraska. “I have asked the Democratic Party to respect my religious based Pro-Life position. Instead over the last year they have decided to punish me for being Pro-Life‚” McDonnell said. Among the issues he pointed out was the Nebraska Democratic Party censuring McDonnell last month over votes that helped the passage of restrictions on abortion and transgender surgeries on children. McDonnell also accused the Douglas County Democrats of taking revenge on him for being “Pro-Life” after they moved in February to withdraw support from him in protest of the same votes. “Being a Christian a member of the Roman Catholic Church and Pro-Life is more important to me than being a registered Democrat‚” McDonnell said. “Today I am changing my party affiliation to Republican.” Members of both parties reacted to McConnell’s announcement on Wednesday with statements reported by local news station WOWT. “I am pleased to welcome Senator Mike McDonnell to the Republican Team. The extreme new Democrats are pushing common sense officials and voters to our party‚” said Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE). “The addition of Mike McDonnell to the Republican rolls in the legislature means for the first time in recent memory there is a filibuster proof Republican majority in the Unicameral‚” he added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Nebraska Democratic Party head Jane Kleeb said the organization “will continue to stand up for reproductive freedom and the human rights of the LGBTQ community” and claimed the censure was not about him being a “pro-life Catholic.” “Our decision was based on our party reaffirming our core values to protect women’s ability to make health decisions and to keep politicians out of our personal health decisions‚” she continued. “We respect the ongoing work of Senator McDonnell on behalf of unions and his commitment to protect a fair electoral vote system we have in our state.”

A woman who was held hostage by Palestinian Islamic terrorists inside Gaza for two months told her story of being sexually abused in a forthcoming documentary. Amit Soussana was kidnapped from her home by nearly a dozen men during Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. She told her story to a documentary crew hired by Sheryl Sandberg‚ former chief operating officer of Facebook. CNN’s Jake Tapper previewed the documentary — “Screams Before Silence” — on Tuesday afternoon during a segment of “The Lead.” “I was chained for three weeks in Gaza. I was kept in a really dark room without being able to move. And whenever I needed to go and use the bathroom‚ I needed to ask for permission‚” Soussana said. “His name was Muhammad. He used to sit on the bed in front of me wearing his shorts and laying down. I remember I couldn’t look at him. I was just like looking away and covering myself with a blanket so I wouldn’t have to look at him. It made me feel really uncomfortable.” “He also kept asking me‚ do I like sex? Do I have sex with my boyfriend? And whenever he talked about it‚ I just giggled and said‚ ‘Oh‚ come on‚ stop‚ stop‚’ trying to change the subject. I knew that he is up to something. I knew that something bad is going to happen‚” she continued. “So one day‚ Muhammad came and gave me woman’s sanitary pads. He said‚ ‘Blood‚ blood. When you get your period‚ after that‚ you’ll take a shower and you’ll wash your clothes.’ And he kept repeating that couple of times a day. And then I got my period‚ and the period was just for one day‚ but I fooled him to think that the period is continuing until I could not lie anymore.” She said that he eventually took her to the kitchen and showed her a pot. “I remember thinking‚ how can I avoid that? There’s nothing I can do‚” she said. The preview ended there and Sandberg went on to state that Soussana had been beaten and sexually abused at gunpoint by the terrorists. WATCH: Israeli hostage speaks out on sexual assault in Gaza pic.twitter.com/aZEBy60WSf — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 2‚ 2024

The North Face is one of the sponsors behind an overnight summer camp where children as young as 12 years old who identify as LGBT are encouraged to perform in drag. Called Camp Brave Trails‚ the program has locations in both Southern California and New York and enjoys support from the outdoor brand The North Face‚ as well as shoe companies Toms and Chacos‚ among other brands. The North Face has sponsored Camp Brave Trails for multiple years‚ stating in 2021 that it was donating over $70‚000 to the organization. Videos posted by Camp Brave Trails reveal that young children involved in the program dress and perform in drag while wearing makeup. “Welcome to Camp Brave Trails‚ where we blend all the traditional elements of a summer camp with an LGBTQ+ twist‚” the camp’s site reads. “Our camp is thoughtfully designed to serve as a safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth.” The camp boasts that children as young as 12 have gone on to start LGBT clubs at their middle schools after attending the camp. The camp’s website explains that campers will be immersed in “a space that encourages positive self-discovery‚ embraces diverse gender expressions‚ and nurtures creativity” and will have their “name‚ pronouns‚ and identity not only respected but celebrated!” The camp’s founders‚ Kayla and Jessica Weissbuch‚ appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show to tout the program and explain how they run the camp. “All of our housing is genderless‚ bathrooms are genderless‚ we ask for names and pronouns from campers and they can change them all they like‚” Kayla Weissbuch said before adding that the camp has a clothing closet to allow children to explore their gender identity through different types of clothes. “I was able to perform‚ do drag‚ I was able to do … so many activities‚” one camper who appeared on the show noted. The camp is open to children between the ages of 12 and 17‚ with the site explaining that “we divide campers into cabin groups by age; we never divide campers by gender.” While Camp Brave Trails boasts several different sponsors‚ The North Face has repeatedly pushed a far-left agenda on both gender and race. The company most recently encouraged customers to complete a diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion training course called “allyship in the outdoors‚” enticing them with a 20% discount. The North Face was also met with backlash over its “Summer of Pride” campaign‚ which featured advertisements highlighting a drag performer. The company sponsors a high-profile mountain climber who is currently being sued by America First Legal‚ which filed a lawsuit alleging that the climber and a North Face employee ruined a man’s career and got him fired over false accusations of racism. Camp Brave Trails is just one of the many overnight camps marketed specifically for children who identify as LGBT. A Daily Wire investigation found that similar camps operate across the country‚ with some accepting children as young as four years old. The Trans Youth Equality Foundation‚ an organization that encourages children to wear binders‚ hosts a youth camp for “transgender and non-binary” children in a “confidential location in New England” where children as young as 7 years old may attend. Camp Indigo‚ a program with locations in California and Colorado that is only open to those who identify as transgender or non-binary‚ teaches children as young as 12 years old about “trans history and trans focused sex education.” There’s also Camp Lilac‚ an Ohio-based camp that hosts “trans-centered activities” such as voice training‚ as well as makeup and hair tutorials. New Hampshire-based Camp Aranu’tiq is open to children as young as 8 who identify as transgender. The camp’s parent organization‚ Harbor Camps‚ received $25‚000 from the Tawani Foundation‚ an organization established by transgender billionaire Jennifer Pritzker‚ who is also the cousin of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker‚ a Democrat. Neither The North Face nor the camp responded to requests for comment.