'We approached it with an open mind'

As part of the U.S. effort to bring in refugees escaping Afghanistan

'We take these charges very seriously'

After filming has wrapped up and directors pack up their equipment‚ some sets are left behind in their wake. From the Spanish Mission in The Patriot to the District 12 village in The Hunger Games‚ these abandoned movie sets allow fans to travel and see a bit of cinematic history. The Fugitive One of the most intense scenes in The Fugitive is when Harrison Ford’s character hops off a moving bus... Source

When we say “never forget” in reference to 9/11‚ we should mean it. This week‚ a few dozen videos featuring people who say they read the now-deceased 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America” went viral on TikTok‚ the Chinese-owned social media platform. Bin Laden explained in the 2002 letter‚ which was recently republished by the Guardian (and has since been taken offline)‚ why he thought he was justified in attacking the United States and killing nearly 3‚000 people.  He also advocated for destroying Israel‚ which is particularly relevant now‚ given the current war between Israel and Hamas. In the TikTok videos‚ the young people responding to the letter act as though it gives them some kind of remarkable “eye-opening” insight. Hey‚ maybe the U.S. had it coming‚ and the most notorious terrorist of the 21st century had a point‚ they say. Over the past 24 hours‚ thousands of TikToks (at least) have been posted where people share how they just read Bin Laden’s infamous "Letter to America‚" in which he explained why he attacked the United States.The TikToks are from people of all ages‚ races‚ ethnicities‚ and… pic.twitter.com/EwjiGtFEE3— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) November 16‚ 2023 “Reading this letter‚ it becomes apparent to me that the actions of 9/11 and those acts committed against the USA and its people were all just the buildup of our government failing other nations‚” one of the TikTok users said. TikTok eventually removed “#lettertoamerica” from its platform after receiving blowback. Some people on TikTok have responded to the letter as if it’s insightful or that somehow bin Laden’s 20-plus-year-old message is new information. The letter reads like the impotent ramblings of a frustrated Islamist conqueror‚ not a glorious freedom fighter. Bin Laden‚ of course‚ plays on the anti-colonization heartstrings of the modern liberal West. But what really angered the Islamist terrorist and his ilk is that the dream of a global caliphate had been stymied for centuries. After all the evil bin Laden caused‚ it’s worth noting that a man who dreamed of re-creating the conquests of Muhammad died in his pajamas‚ hiding behind a woman after cowering for months in a small‚ hidden bunker in the middle of nowhere in Pakistan. It was a pathetic end for an evil man. What’s important here is not just that there are a few fools buying into terrorist propaganda on social media. It’s that there’s a social media platform with a direct connection to communist China pumping out that garbage to young Westerners. It seems like TikTok understood that the bin Laden apologia went too far and buried it‚ but it’s worth asking: How did this trend even start? Is TikTok manipulating its platform to ensure that the most toxic content reaches the largest possible audience? This is a platform that has made other questionable and suspicious decisions. For instance‚ removing the video of a pro-democracy activist in Chinese-controlled Hong Kong. They said it was removed “in error.” Yeah‚ sure it was. The platform is also currently highly skewed toward supporting the Palestinians and Hamas. “The spread of popular hashtags on the Chinese-owned platform is overwhelmingly slanted toward pro-Palestinian content in opposition to long-standing U.S. support for Israel‚” wrote Tristan Justice at The Federalist. “The hashtag “#standwithisrael” has received 464 million overall views‚ according to the company’s own public analytics. On the other hand‚ the hashtag “#standwithpalestine” has received more than 4 billion.” Recent polls show that young Americans are far more likely to side with the Palestinians than with Israel in the current conflict in Gaza‚ compared with older generations. Is that why we see these numbers‚ or do we see these numbers because social media like TikTok are intentionally reinforcing that narrative? Even beyond the propaganda‚ the platform certainly deals in the trade of “digital fentanyl” as Rep. Mike Gallagher‚ R-Wis.‚ put it. Now‚ that may simply be a demand that TikTok fulfills‚ but it’s difficult not to question the motives of a social media platform run by an authoritarian geopolitical rival of the United States. They’d like nothing more than to sow chaos and destruction in America without having to fire a shot. In the end‚ what we should take away from the viral bin Laden letter trend are two things. First‚ we should think carefully about how much access we’ve given TikTok to this country over the years‚ despite its history of nefarious practices and connection to the Chinese Communist Party. Second‚ we really do need to teach and pass on what happened on 9/11. There is now a generation of young Americans reaching adulthood who remember it as merely a historical event and more coming along who barely know it even as that. We can’t leave education for young Americans to woke teachers and social media platforms. That especially goes for social media platforms controlled by foreign countries that would like to see the United States be paralyzed by social disintegration. Our culture-making institutions have largely been poisoned by anti-American ideology. Our society now has fewer antibodies to counteract messages like the bin Laden letter. Western elites struggle to justify our civilization’s existence at this point‚ so it’s not surprising to see Western youths being suckered by bin Laden’s message. It’s up to those who remember the truth‚ and what is right and good‚ to ensure that future generations truly never forget. We can’t let the libs‚ or the Islamists‚ or the huckster propagandists of TikTok fill the void. 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 Useful Idiots Resurrect Bin Laden’s Anti-American Propaganda‚ Aided and Abetted by TikTok appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Utah just celebrated the 25th anniversary of its healthy marriages initiative‚ a statewide effort to help people build and maintain strong marriages. There’s a great need to strengthen marriage in the U.S.‚ given its decades-long decline and the many consequences of family breakdown‚ particularly among lower-income communities. Utah’s initiative is an example other states’ leaders can follow to foster a culture of healthy marriage. Since the inception of Utah’s healthy marriage initiative back in 1998 under then-Gov. Mike Leavitt‚ state leaders have worked with private organizations and community leaders to provide educational resources to bolster marriage. Today‚ most of Utah’s healthy marriage resources are provided through the state’s StrongerMarriage.org website. The site provides a variety of educational tools: a self-guided marriage education course‚ a research-based relationship assessment for couples preparing for marriage‚ links to healthy-marriage and relationship education courses in the state (including virtual classes)‚ monthly webinars‚ and downloadable guidebooks on topics such as preparing for marriage and how to deal with thoughts about divorce. The initiative also provides a weekly podcast featuring interviews with marriage and family-life professionals. Utah provides these resources at no charge for state residents.   Utah also runs a “Marriage Education Discount” program‚ which gives couples a discount on their marriage license fee if they participate in premarital education or counseling. Several other states have these types of policies in place‚ but most are currently dormant. An early study of Texas’ marriage education discount program found a modest decline in divorce associated with such a policy‚ though. Utah also requires education for divorcing couples to help them learn about the effects of divorce and to offer couples resources for reconciliation should they want to try and salvage their marriage. Researchers find that a small but not insignificant share of couples in the divorce process say they would be interested in reconciliation. Utah’s policy is designed to help couples such as those recognize that they may be able to address their marital problems.   State dollars‚ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds‚ and other sources of already available funding can be put towards effort to strengthen marriage. Of course‚ state and local governments aren’t the only ones needed in marriage-strengthening efforts. Some private organizations‚ oftentimes churches‚ are already engaged in this work. But many more leaders are needed to help rebuild a society where more people feel hopeful about‚ and capable of‚ building and maintaining healthy marriages. A healthy marriage is one of the greatest sources of happiness for adults and is associated with other positive benefits‚ such as better health and economic well-being. Children raised by their married‚ biological parents also have better outcomes in numerous areas of life‚ including better physical and mental health‚ higher educational achievement‚ reduced delinquency‚ and substantial protection against poverty. Marriage is also one of the most important factors predicting social mobility. Even children raised without married parents are more likely to move upward economically when there are more married parents in their communities.    Healthy‚ stable marriages are foundational to thriving communities and societies. With greater focus on building a culture of strong marriages‚ more Americans will be able to reap the benefits. 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 25 Years of Healthy Marriage in Utah: State Commission Strengthens Institution appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Long after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared over and the government said federal employees would return to in-person work‚ government building occupancy data shows that the Department of Labor headquarters had so few employees return that each employee had an average allocation of 1600 square feet of office space. That’s considerably larger than the average Washington‚ D.C.‚ residence. The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project obtained 11 pages of documents in response to a Freedom of Information Act request for occupancy data for U.S. Department of Labor office buildings. The documents reveal low occupancy rates and low daily average usage of the department’s headquarters building‚ the Frances Perkins Building. (The Daily Signal is Heritage’s news and commentary outlet.) In his 2022 State of the Union address‚ President Joe Biden stated‚ “It’s time for America to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again with people.” The federal Office of Management and Budget further directed agencies in April 2023 to update their current telework policies and establish updated plans to increase the return of federal employees to the workplace post-pandemic‚ following the administration’s declaration that the pandemic was over in April. Monthly averages for employees’ use of the Frances Perkins Building reveal an allocation of roughly 1600 square feet per person‚ based on the daily average of employees in attendance. The General Services Administration‚ as of 2011‚ had established a federal benchmark of 190 usable square feet per person. Even with all of this unused real estate‚ the department has sought an extra $109 million in appropriations from Congress for the fiscal year 2023. This underlying lack of utilization of Labor’s headquarters building raises questions about the department’s commitment to sound financial management—having averaged just 1015 employees per day in person in the month of September. For the prior five months‚ from April through August‚ the average was 949 per day. Previous records of historical utilization rates from 1996-2000 show about 3‚000-4‚000 employees and contractors a day. This correlates to recent reporting from the Government Accountability Office from July highlighting the low utilization of many federal headquarters buildings throughout 2023. One telling fact from the report: “Seventeen of the 24 federal agencies in GAO’s review used an estimated average 25% or less of their headquarters buildings’ capacity in a three-week sample period across January‚ February‚ and March of 2023.” The report also stated‚ “Underutilized office space has financial and environmental costs. Federal agencies spend about $2 billion a year to operate and maintain federal office buildings regardless of the buildings’ utilization.” Further‚ a General Services Administration report from July 2022 highlighted average daily occupancy rates of just 29% for GSA-administered buildings. GSA further stated in the same report‚ that only “40% [of federal agencies] are using their occupancy and financial data to inform [financial and other operational] decisions.” Previous FOIA requests by Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project have highlighted that many agencies are not in compliance with directives to get employees physically back to work‚ have not updated their telework policies since the pandemic as directed‚ or simply have failed to track building occupancy rates. The Department of Labor further confirmed that 100% of employees in the department’s Office of the Inspector General are covered by telework agreements as of this past April. This is of particular concern‚ as inspectors general are tasked with oversight of their respective departments and agencies‚ which requires in-person investigations‚ coordination‚ and physical presence at agency locations. The Department of Labor’s congressional budget documents state that the department “promotes the welfare of workers‚ job seekers‚ and retirees by helping them improve their skills‚ find work‚ and get back on their feet after job loss‚ injury‚ or illness.” This mission statement is far removed from economic reality‚ as even the department itself has not managed to get its own employees physically back to the office post-pandemic. Frances-Perkins-Data-ResponseDownload 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 Labor Department Employees Not Returning to In-Person Work Raises Red Flags appeared first on The Daily Signal.

When will The New York Times finally stop pulling punches and go after Donald Trump? That’s the question President Joe Biden’s campaign asked the media this week. “For the political press corps—especially our friends at the Gray Lady‚” pleaded the White House‚ “it’s time to meet the moment and responsibly inform the electorate of what their lives might look like if the leading GOP candidate for president is allowed back in the White House.” The New York Times is‚ indeed‚ a friend. It “meets the moment” all the time. So‚ no‚ Biden isn’t working the refs here. He’s demanding obedience. And the fact that the White House can brazenly petition a supposedly free press to join his campaign effort tells us a lot about how little the contemporary Democrat cares for a free press. Recall that on the rare occasions that the Times slips up and writes an honest headline‚ celebrity journalism “professors” and leftist Twitterati swarm and demand it be changed to something more suitable. More often than not‚ the Times obliges them. They will oblige this time‚ as well. In this instance‚ the White House didn’t even profess they wanted a factual error corrected‚ which would be understandable. Biden was upset that the Times published a piece offering a quite banal‚ if inconvenient‚ observation about Trump and the issue of abortion. In a piece headlined “Why Trump Seems Less Vulnerable on Abortion Than Other Republicans‚” Ruth Igielnik points to existing polling data that “seems”—lots of hedging going on in the piece—”to have effectively neutralized abortion as an issue during the Republican primary” with “vagueness” and attempts “to occupy a middle ground of sorts.” This is inarguable. Trump‚ despite all the bluster‚ is perhaps the most ideologically moderate and malleable major Republican candidate to run for the presidency in a very long time. As the piece mentions‚ the former president has taken virtually every position on abortion during his political life. And while it’s true he’s nominated constitutionalist jurists‚ as a candidate‚ he now claims that Florida’s pro-life law is a “terrible mistake.” And because Trump‚ who has a substantial lead in the polls‚ is already running a general election campaign‚ while his GOP primary adversaries are compelled to shore up conservative support‚ he can moderate positions—like every candidate ever. Now‚ if the Times were responsibly informing the electorate‚ it would let everyone know that “devout Catholic” Joe Biden supports unfettered “access” to abortion until the baby hits the crib. Instead‚ we are inundated with the narrative that says radical abortion “bans” are sinking the GOP nationally. And the White House demands this notion be pushed at all times‚ with no exceptions. As soon as the Left stopped debating and knighted themselves sentinels of “democracy‚” they had their justification to act in “undemocratic” ways. The notion that there is an overriding duty to campaign for Biden to save the nation rather than engage in mundane traditional journalism is widely held on the Left. The other day‚ John Harwood—who‚ until recently‚ was LARPing as a journalist at NBC—posted that the media had a duty to “better convey 2 realities: — the US economy is doing well‚ not poorly — Biden at 80 is handling the job effectively right now.” Some people—sentient people—might argue the latter contention is dubious while the former one is highly debatable. Those debates should be left to pundits. But Harwood‚ like the celebrity “journalism” professor and institutions that crank out credulous activists rather than skeptical reporters‚ believes he has a higher purpose than letting voters figure these things out for themselves. This is why the White House feels comfortable not only demanding the press ramp up efforts to help it win a presidential election but also directing private outlets to censor speech and creating a Ministry of Truth to ferret out alleged “misinformation” and threaten those who do not comply. As for what the White House might “look like” if Trump is “allowed back”? Insane‚ I suspect. It’s possible Trump‚ like Biden‚ will also circumvent the legislative branch and engage in unprecedented abuse of executive power‚ blatantly ignore the Supreme Court to try and compel Americans to pay off the loans of strangers‚ allow tens of billions of dollars to flow to an Iranian terror states that murders Americans‚ sic the Justice Department on his political enemies‚ and demand journalists take dictation from the White House. Hopefully not. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation.  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Media Aren’t Quite Hackish Enough for Biden White House appeared first on The Daily Signal.

When President Barack Obama named retiring Rep. Ray LaHood‚ R-Ill.‚ to serve as his administration’s secretary of transportation‚ LaHood brought with him a vision for changing the way Americans moved from one place to another. It would start with empowering the government to monitor how many miles Americans drove. “We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled‚” LaHood told The Associated Press in a Feb. 19‚ 2009‚ interview. “What I see this administration doing is this—thinking outside the box on how we fund our infrastructure in America‚” he said. Even the Obama administration‚ however‚ did not fully embrace what LaHood was suggesting‚ At the White House press briefing the next day‚ a reporter from The Associated Press asked White House press secretary Robert Gibbs about LaHood’s idea. “Can I ask about gas taxes versus miles driven taxes?” the reporter asked Gibbs. “Sure‚” Gibbs said. “Secretary LaHood told AP in an interview that he thinks we should look at this‚ going to miles driven taxes‚” the reporter said. “But someone—a spokesman over at the department—said‚ no‚ that is not and will not be administration policy. Which is it? And has the president weighed in on this?” “I don’t believe the president has‚” said Gibbs. “I can weigh in on it and say that it is not and will not be the policy of the Obama administration.” The Obama administration did not pursue a vehicle-miles-traveled tax‚ but LaHood did advance a plan to reduce American driving. On June 16‚ 2009‚ the Senate Committee on Banking‚ Housing‚ and Urban Affairs held a hearing on the topic of “Greener Communities‚ Greater Opportunities: New Ideas For Sustainable Development and Economic Growth.” LaHood testified at this hearing on his vision for “more livable communities” and “transit-oriented development.” “Our goal is to build livable communities‚ where safe‚ convenient and affordable transportation is available to all people‚ regardless of what mode they use‚” he said. The first principle of this vision: “Develop safe‚ reliable and economical transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs‚ reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil‚ improve air quality‚ reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote public health.” “Transit-oriented‚ mixed-use development has the potential to provide efficient and convenient options for employers‚ developers‚ young professionals and families in many large and small cities around the United States‚” LaHood said. “Transit-oriented development‚” he said‚ “also has the potential to contribute significantly to the revitalization of downtown districts‚ foster workable neighborhoods‚ and offer an alternative to urban and suburban sprawl and automobile focused commuting.” On April 14‚ 2009‚ The Heritage Foundation published a report by Ronald Utt‚ which this writer cited in his 2010 book “Control Freaks.” Utt’s report was entitled “President Obama’s New Plan to Decide Where Americans Live and How They Travel.” “To save Americans from these alleged higher living costs‚” Utt wrote‚ “the Smart Growth and New Urbanist movements want Americans to move into higher-density developments—such as townhouses and high-rise apartment buildings—which‚ the anti-suburbanists contend‚ can be better served by public transportation (hence the commitment to ‘transportation choice‚’ a process whereby commuters are bribed or coerced into an inconvenient mode of transportation that most would not choose on their own) —thereby freeing the hapless American people from relying on their automobiles.” On May 21‚ 2009‚ LaHood gave a presentation at the National Press Club. As this writer also noted in “Control Freaks‚” the moderator at this event asked LaHood about his “livability” plan. “Some in the highway supporters and motorists groups have been concerned about your livability initiative‚” the moderator asked. “Is this an effort to make driving more torturous and to coerce people out of their cars?” “It is a way to coerce people out of their cars‚ yeah‚” said LaHood. “Now‚ look it‚ every community is not going to be a ‘livable community‚’” he said‚ “but we have to create opportunities for people that do want to use a bicycle or want to walk to get on a street car or want to ride a light rail.” LaHood did not succeed in coercing people out of their cars. Twelve years later‚ President Joe Biden’s transportation secretary‚ Pete Buttigieg‚ testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Buttigieg was asked if he would work to reduce the miles Americans drive. “Will you‚ Mr. Secretary‚ commit to working to ensure that equity is a critical part of the sustainability conversation and help us advance policies that reduce vehicle miles traveled rather than just trying to replace gas cars with electric vehicles?” asked Rep. Chuy Garcia‚ D-Ill. “Yes‚” said Buttigieg. “Part of the solution is to make sure that our cars are cleaner‚ but part of the solution is to make sure that people have alternatives in order to get around and we don’t assume in our transportation decisions that everybody would be able to or would want to be behind the wheel of a car.” So‚ three years into the Biden administration‚ who is winning this battle? Are Americans being pushed out of their cars? When LaHood was transportation secretary in August 2009‚ according to estimates published by the Federal Highway Administration‚ Americans drove 260.609 billion vehicle-miles. In the 12-month period that ended that August‚ they drove 2‚959‚390‚000‚000 vehicle-miles. In August of this year‚ with Buttigieg as transportation secretary‚ they drove 288.396 billion vehicle-miles. In the 12-month period that ended at the end of August‚ they drove 3‚219‚269‚000‚000 vehicle-miles. In the 12-month period that ended in August 2019‚ the year before the COVID-19 pandemic‚ Americans drove 3‚262‚068‚000‚000 vehicle-miles. That dropped to 2‚979‚106‚000‚000 in the 12 months that ended in August 2020‚ also during the pandemic. But Americans are now back at the wheel‚ where they freely drive where they want and when they want. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation.  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post The Freedom to Drive appeared first on The Daily Signal.

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—What began as a congressional probe into the role of environmental advocacy groups‚ left-leaning foundations‚ and “dark money” entities in pushing to ban gas stoves has opened new avenues of inquiry into the influence of alleged foreign agents for China and other nations. Since March‚ Sen. Ted Cruz‚ R-Texas‚ the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce‚ Science and Transportation‚ has sent letters to some of those players inquiring about their relationship with the Biden administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission‚ an independent federal agency. Cruz particularly is concerned with ongoing interaction between green advocacy groups and China‚ the Texas Republican told The Daily Signal in an emailed statement. If the communist government in Beijing can use such advocacy groups as a conduit for achieving policy goals‚ it could have severe implications for America’s economic standing‚ Cruz warned‚ saying: The connections between green-energy advocacy organizations and foreign governments‚ including and especially China‚ are deeply concerning and merit significant investigation and scrutiny. These two groups share the same basic goals: increasing America’s dependence on foreign supply chains and destroying America’s economic prosperity. Radical environmentalists use climate alarmism to advance those goals‚ ignoring the fact that China is responsible for emitting over a fourth of global carbon dioxide and a third of the world’s greenhouse gases. Since his initial letters seeking information‚ Cruz has joined with House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer‚ R-Ky.‚ to follow up on inquiries into environmental activism aimed at implementing a government ban on gas stoves.  Cruz and Comer also call for closer scrutiny of the relationship between environmental advocacy groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and hostile foreign powers.  Widely known as the NRDC‚ the New York-based nonprofit is well endowed and has over $180 million in assets‚ according to the Capital Research Center‚ a Washington think tank that tracks nonprofits. The nonprofit’s relationship with Communist China figures prominently into ongoing congressional investigations. ‘Substantial Ties’ to Communist China The Natural Resources Defense Council “has substantial ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)‚” Cruz and Comer say in a joint letter in August to Attorney General Merrick Garland‚ the nation’s highest law enforcement officer as head of the Justice Department. “Both the NRDC China Program Directors are former CCP officials‚” the Cruz-Comer letter says. “On NRDC’s Chinese-language site (which provides information different from the English-language site)‚ NRDC explains it ‘has been carrying out environmental protection work in China since the 1990s’ and ‘actively cooperates and communicates’ with several Chinese government agencies.” The lawmakers’ letter adds: “Moreover‚ NRDC acts as a mouthpiece for Chinese propaganda‚ signaling that it either takes direction from the CCP or that it is willing to self-censor to maintain a positive relationship with the communist regime.” Cruz and Comer also suggest that the Natural Resources Defense Council and other advocacy groups are attempting “to skirt compliance” with the Foreign Agents Registration Act. This federal law requires individuals and organizations to disclose any partnership‚ activities‚ and lobbying efforts on behalf of foreign governments or foreign interests. The Justice Department enforces the statute. “It is likely that some environmental groups pushing clean energy policies here in the U.S. are acting as foreign agents‚ but have not registered as such in violation of FARA‚” Cruz and Comer say in their letter to Garland.  Prior to partnering with Comer‚ Cruz  sent individual letters to five organizations: Consumer Reports‚ the New York-based nonprofit that publishes a magazine of the same name; the Rocky Mountain Institute‚ an environmental think tank based in Colorado; The Climate Imperative Foundation‚ a nonprofit  environmental group based in San Francisco; the Windward Fund‚ which is part of the larger “dark money” network known as Arabella Advisors; and Rewiring America‚ a left-of-center nonprofit established by the Windward Fund as a special project.  Stacey Abrams‚ who ran twice unsuccessfully for governor of Georgia as the Democrat candidate‚ joined Rewiring America as a special counsel last March.  ‘Completely Independent’ Cruz and Comer sent joint letters to Consumer Reports‚ the Climate Imperative Foundation‚ and Rewiring America in May to follow up on Cruz’s initial inquiries. Copies of all the letters addressed to suspected unregistered foreign agents may be found here‚ on Cruz’s Senate press page.  In an email statement Wednesday to The Daily Signal‚ Consumer Reports defended its position on gas stoves while maintaining that it wasn’t influenced by outside actors: Consumer Reports is not advocating for a ban on gas stoves. Last year‚ CR tested gas stoves for emissions‚ and found high levels of nitrogen oxide in some scenarios. We advised people how to reduce the risks with ventilation‚ like opening a window or installing a range hood. We also offer the pros and cons of going electric. Our tests and results are always completely independent from any outside organization or influence. At CR‚ we believe in consumer choice and providing people with the evidence they need to make the best decision for their needs and lifestyle. The Daily Signal asked the Justice Department whether Garland‚ as attorney general‚ had any response to the letter from Cruz and Comer. The department had not responded as of publication time. The Daily Signal asked the Natural Resources Defense Council to respond to the allegations that it may operate as a foreign agent without registering with the Justice Department. The Daily Signal did the same with other advocacy groups that heard from Cruz and Comer. So far‚ only Consumer Reports and the NRDC responded.  “NRDC receives no funding from the Chinese government and does the bidding of no government anywhere‚” NRDC spokesman Bob Deans told The Daily Signal in an email. “Assertions to the contrary are false.” However‚ Cruz and Comer insist in their letter to the attorney general that the Natural Resources Defense Council has maintained “obvious ties to China” while making significant inroads with “key government officials” in the U.S. Looking at Biden Allies The lawmakers contend‚ for example‚ that former Sen. John Kerry‚ D-Mass.‚ Biden’s special envoy on climate issues‚ has “worked hand-in-glove with the NRDC and other radical environmental groups.”  Comer’s Oversight and Accountability Committee obtained emails between Kerry and environmental groups that show the Natural Resources Defense Council “appears to lead on multiple initiatives.” The NRDC’s influence with the Biden administration isn’t limited to its collaborative efforts with Kerry‚ who was Democrats’ presidential nominee in 2004.  One of the organization’s past presidents and CEOs is Gina McCarthy‚ a former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency who was Biden’s top domestic adviser on climate issues before leaving the White House in September.  The Daily Signal sought comment from Kerry and McCarthy and will update this article if either or both responds. The Natural Resources Defense Council also has burrowed into the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission‚ or FERC‚ the agency that regulates interstate transmission of natural gas‚ oil‚ and electricity‚ according to Freedom of Information Act records. Since May 2022‚ the nonprofit Institute for Energy Research‚ which supports free-market energy policies‚ has filed a series of lawsuits against FERC under the Freedom of Information Act that point to coordinated efforts between the NRDC and the government commission.  Tom Pyle‚ president of the Institute for Energy Research‚ said in a phone interview that American consumers should be concerned about the influence exerted by the NRDC in the Biden White House and the Democratic Party as a whole.  “The NRDC has a long history of close collusion with the Democratic Party‚” Pyle told The Daily Signal‚ adding: During the run-up to what the Obama administration called the Clean Power Plan‚ which should be called the Creating Poverty Plan‚ it was widely reported that NRDC practically drafted the entire plan. The email records we have from the Biden administration through FOIA [the Freedom of Information Act] point to yet another example of how the Democratic Party has merged with NRDC. ‘Providing Cover for China’ The climate agenda advanced by the Natural Resources Defense Council in cooperation with the Democratic Party ultimately works to the disadvantage of middle- and lower-income Americans whom it claims to represent‚ Pyle said.  “The big money donors to the NRDC are not going to be impacted by the high energy costs that result from the policies the NRDC advocates‚” he said. “The high gas prices‚ the high electricity prices‚ and higher food prices that result from the inflationary impacts that we have thanks to Bidenomics will fall on average Americans and Americans with modest incomes. A big chunk of the inflation we are seeing comes from policies promoted by the NRDC.” With regard to China‚ Pyle said the Natural Resources Defense Council goes to great lengths to avoid circulating negative publicity about the communist government while persistently criticizing the United States. “They continually bash American energy producers while providing cover for China‚ which has an abysmal environmental record‚ and also uses slaves to build their solar panels‚” he said. Cruz apparently hasn’t received what he considers to be  substantial responses from environmental groups that address the questions and concerns he has raised.  For example‚ the Cruz-Comer letter to the Climate Imperative Foundation states that it “responded with only a general‚ and vague‚ narrative” and sidestepped specific questions. The lawmakers’ letter asserts that suspected foreign agents are part of an “interrelated network to which NRDC also belongs.”  The Climate Imperative Network‚ for example‚ made a grant of $2.9 million to the Natural Resources Defense Council in 2021 to “accelerat[e] early peaking and decarbonization of China’s power sector‚” according to the Cruz-Comer letter.  As The Daily Signal previously reported‚ foreign influence over U.S. environmental advocacy groups have been the subject of investigations by the House Science‚ Space‚ and Technology Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee in 2017 and 2018. 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 EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Ted Cruz Pushes Attorney General to Probe Green Activists’ Ties to China‚ Other Nations appeared first on The Daily Signal.