A Texas church is suing the local government‚ claiming that “illegal excessive” fees to install a water tap violate the U.S. Constitution and the state’s religious freedom law.    First Liberty Institute‚ a legal organization focused on religious liberty‚ and King &; Spalding LLP‚ an international law firm‚ filed the lawsuit Wednesday against Southern Montgomery County Municipal Utility District on behalf of Grace Community Church in The Woodlands‚ Texas.  “The county’s water tap fee scheme is a thinly veiled illegal property tax on Grace Community Church‚” Jeremy Dys‚ senior counsel at First Liberty Institute‚ told The Daily Signal in an emailed statement Thursday. “Local governments like Montgomery County‚ in search of new revenue‚ are illegally targeting churches and other non-profits with similar schemes.” The district initially told the church that labor and materials would cost $24‚900 to connect to the water line. Later‚ the church asked the district to install the water tap‚ which the district said would cost $61‚500‚ which is much higher than the actual cost. The church challenged the cost because of its tax-exempt status‚ at which point the district countered with a tap fee of $147‚938‚ more than doubling the prior fee. Eventually‚ the church had no choice but to pay the fees.     “No government agency should impose a ‘fee-in-lieu-of-taxes’ against faith-based entities‚” Dys told The Daily Signal. “What we see now is merely an effort to generate revenue by those the State of Texas have protected against taxation because of the tremendous good they do in the community.”    Dys said the church had not heard of any other complaints about the district placing illegal fees on any other entities. “To be clear‚ there is no dispute that Grace should pay and is willing to pay tap fees reflecting the district’s actual costs to install a water tap and provide service to Grace‚” the church writes in the lawsuit’s preliminary statement.     The district is instructing Grace Community Church to pay additional fees that aren’t related to the water tap or any service provided‚ and the district “admits as much‚” according to the preliminary statement.    The church is making three legal claims against the district: that the district violated the Texas water code‚ that the district violated the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act‚ and that the district violated the free exercise clause in the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment‚ incorporated to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.  “A party that pays unlawful taxes or fees to a governmental entity under duress may recover those fees” under the Texas water code‚ the lawsuit notes. The lawsuit claims that the district violated the Texas religious freedom act by placing “a real and substantial burden on Grace’s and its members’ free exercise of religion.” The suit also claims that the district’s move “restricts Grace’s ability to provide services tied to the central tenants of Grace’s and its members’ faith‚” in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Dys told The Daily Signal that he is hopeful Grace Community Church will triumph in this lawsuit.   “Churches like Grace Community are important parts of the communities they serve‚” Craig Stanfield‚ a partner in the firm of King &; Spalding‚ said in a statement on the lawsuit. “The resources of churches are best used in fulfilling their mission to serve their congregations and communities‚ not in paying unlawful taxes. We look forward to securing a refund for Grace Community.”   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 Local Government Violates the Constitution by Charging Taxes Disguised as Fees‚ Church Claims in New Lawsuit  appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Second Launch of Starship Now Set for Saturday

"Sheena‚ the work you've done is extraordinary." "It's incredible." That was CNN This Morning co-anchors Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly‚ respectively‚ gushing on Friday over Sheena Meade‚ an activist who promotes "Clean Slate" laws in states across the country. The interview came the day after Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed that state's version into law‚ the twelfth state to do so. The law sealed the criminal records‚ including some serious felonies‚ of convicts if they don't get convicted again after a certain number of years. So employers‚ landlords‚ and others would have no way of knowing whether they were hiring or renting to convicted felons. When Harlow cited some of the objections to the law that have been raised‚ Meade claimed that when she travels around the country she hears only people agreeing with her views‚ and that "I don't hear a lot of that pushback and opposition."  Not surprising‚ considering the circles in which Meade presumably travels.   Note that Meade and other supporters of these laws cast "discrimination" as the decision of employers or landlords not to hire or rent to convicted felons. Was it discrimination -- or simple good sense -- not to bring people with a history of violent crimes‚ including attempted murder or gang assault‚ into one's workplace or property?  Without this law‚ nothing would stop employers or landlords from hiring people with criminal records‚ if convinced the applicants no longer presented significant risks. But these laws take that possibility away. People would have no way of knowing whether applicants had a history of violent criminal behavior. Also‚ note that a standard liberal technique was employed to promote the law: offering the most sympathetic case possible. As Harlow described it‚ Meade had been arrested "in front of her children" after she bounced an $87 check "for groceries." She was apparently jailed for that‚ and after being released‚ found herself barred from jobs‚ housing‚ and even colleges.  Did CNN verify Meade's story? Had she had previous run-ins with the law‚ or was she actually jailed for the first-time crime of bouncing a small check? The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: CNN This Morning 11/17/23 6:54 am EDT KATHY HOCHUL: I believe that the best anti-crime tool we have is a job. [Cheers and applause ] POPPY HARLOW: That was New York Governor Kathy Hochul just yesterday‚ signing the Clean Slate law. It allows people convicted of crimes‚ if they serve their sentence and stay out of trouble for a set period of time‚ to have their records sealed. New York is now the 12th state to enact a law like this. It goes into effect one year from now and it could impact two million people in New York.  Sheena Meade‚ of The Clean Slate Initiative‚ which pushed for this law and laws like it all over the country‚ is personally invested in this legislation. Almost two decades ago was arrested in front of her children after an $87 check she wrote for groceries bounced.  And when she paid back the money immediately after release‚ including the fees for getting arrested and going to jail‚ she thought that chapter of her life was over. But it wasn't. SHEENA MEADE [giving a speech]: That arrest and conviction remained on my record. And at that moment I realized that my true sentence had just begun. Because you know what? I was no longer allowed to volunteer at my children's school. I could no longer rent where I wanted to rent‚ because it is legal for landlords to discriminate against a person with a record. I even faced barriers trying to go to college. And still to this day I am excluded from certain certifications and occupational licence. All I could keep asking myself‚ is damn‚ when will my sentence end? HARLOW: And Sheena joins us now. It must just be surreal for you to see this now in 12 states across the country given what you experienced. MEADE: Yes. Yesterday‚ [inaudible] the governor has signed a bill. And with the stroke of a pen‚ we saw 2.3 million people's lives change. Access to housing‚ access to jobs. Barriers removed. Opportunities unlocked. It was a joyous moment yesterday. PHIL MATTINGLY: Were you‚ I think what's most -- the most amazing thing about the legislative victory‚ not to get into the weeds of this stuff‚ is‚ the moment the country's in right now on issues of crime‚ on issues of people concerned about their public safety. That type of moment insures stuff like that can't pass. We saw the opposition from the state Senate Republican leader‚ talking about concerns about various pieces of this. Why were you able to get this done‚ despite that opposition? MEADE: You know‚ we have one in three Americans that have a criminal record‚ arrest or conviction. It's close to home. People believe in second chances or redemption. People remember the moment that they were given a second chance. Where they asked for another chance. And so‚ I believe that our country‚ our foundation is based off of second chances. And so I believe that folks believe that this is a common-sense policy. You know?  It's a workforce issue. We have employers who cannot hire people because people are locked out of jobs and employment due to an arrest or conviction. . . . HARLOW: But there is a lot of pushback from the right here in state of New York. I should note that the most serious crimes‚ including murder and sex crimes and most other Class A felonies are not part of this. There was a change before this got passed. But what about Republicans who say things like‚ look‚ attempted murder‚ gang assault‚ arson are included? Or‚ you heard also from a New York state senator‚ Dean Murray‚ who said the full criminal records of potential tenants will not be available to landlords. Or‚ people who had crimes against children may be allowed to work with children again. What is your response to that criticism? MEADE: You know‚ Poppy‚ that's a great question. But what I hear when I travel across thecountry in red and blue states‚ and I talk to Republicans and liberals‚ they're saying that this is a public safety issue that we have to put people back to work. People need to have an access to jobs‚ housing. Have an alternative measure of not going back to prison. Reducing recidivism. They know that when people have access to jobs‚ that it reduces recidivism. It's a public safety measure‚ and we get people back to work. And so‚ I don't hear a lot of that pushback and opposition across the country. I hear people saying that this is an opportunity for us to put people back to work and help our economy. . . .  There is a responsibility for the workforce to say now‚ welcome back into the workforce‚ into labor. Let's‚ let's build our economy together.  HARLOW: Sheena‚ the work you've done is extraordinary. MATTINGLY: It's incredible. Thank you so much for coming in‚ Sheena.

An Iowa teen wept and bled just moments before receiving a life sentence Wednesday for helping his classmate murder beloved high school Spanish teacher Nohema Graber in 2021. Jeremy Goodale‚ 18‚ and his friend Willard Miller ambushed Graber‚ beat her to death with a baseball bat‚ then ditched her remains in Chatauqua Park in Fairfield — all for giving Miller a bad grade and purportedly hurting his chances of taking part in a study abroad program. While neither teen could agree on who ultimately killed the 66-year-old teacher‚ both pleaded guilty earlier this year to first-degree murder. Goodale‚ 16 at the time of the murder‚ had his shot at a juvenile court hearing thwarted by Judge Shawn Showers' ruling in May. Instead‚ he was tried as an adult. Whereas Miller‚ whom Showers characterized as a "sinister and evil" force‚ received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 35 years — five years more than prosecutors had asked for — Goodale will be eligible for parole in 25 years. What's the background? Blaze News previously reported that Graber‚ a mother of three‚ was a Spanish teacher at Fairfield High School. Lauri Noll‚ Fairfield schools superintendent‚ said Graber "touched the lives of many students‚ parents and staff‚" reported the Des Moines Register. Graber's family suggested she had been an "angel of a woman" with "one of the kindest souls." In addition to teaching‚ she worked as a flight attendant and earned a commercial airline pilot's license. On Nov. 2‚ Graber met with Miller to discuss his poor performance in her Spanish class. After the meeting‚ she drove her van to Chatauqua Park off Mediapolis Road for her customary after-school walk. Goodale and Miller ambushed her in the park‚ dragged her into the woods‚ then murdered her. When pleading guilty in April‚ Miller claimed he had only acted as a lookout while Goodale killed Graber. However‚ in his conflicting account‚ Goodale suggested Miller delivered the first blow to the back of the victim's head‚ then noticing she was still alive‚ he finished the job. Goodale said‚ "I met Willard Miller at Chatauqua Park. I understood he had the intent to kill Mrs. Graber. ... (Miller) had brought a bat among other supplies to go through with the murder‚ and after he had struck Nohema Graber‚ we then moved her off of the trail‚ where I then struck her‚ and she died as a result. After‚ we removed any evidence that we could." The duo was seen by a witness driving out of the park 45 minutes later‚ Miller at the helm of the victim's van‚ and Goodale in a Ford pickup truck. After Miller ditched the van at the end of a rural road‚ he caught a ride back with Goodale. Around midnight on Nov. 2‚ a witness spotted a male pushing a wheelbarrow toward the park. Graber's disfigured body was discovered on Nov. 3‚ 2021‚ hidden under a tarp‚ a wheelbarrow‚ and railroad ties in Chatauqua Park. The trial On the first day of Goodale's trial‚ prosecutors presented evidence of Snapchat messages wherein Goodale virtually confessed to having killed Graber with Miller. Whereas Miller's motive was his bad grade in Spanish‚ Goodale was supposedly motivated by a desire to support his friend‚ reported KTVO-TV. Video was played in court wherein Goodale told an investigator‚ "I didn't want to have to touch the bat to begin with‚ and then she was still alive‚ and I waited for a moment because I thought I heard her gasp for breath‚ and I was gonna wait for a moment to see where [Miller] was at to see if he was going to come around. He didn't." Goodale indicated he had struck Graber with the bat five times‚ but maintained that Miller had brought the bat in the first place. Dean Goodale‚ the murderer's father‚ and the defense attempted to paint Jeremy Goodale as a troubled soul‚ indicating the pandemic took its toll and his parents' divorce left him with "abandonment" issues. These issues allegedly resulted in a feeling of co-dependency that prompted Goodale to aid Miller in the murder and haphazard cover-up. Prior to receiving his life sentence‚ Goodale apologized to his victim's family‚ his own family‚ and the broader community. "I'm sorry‚ truly sorry. What I've taken can never be replaced‚" said the murderer between stifled sobs. "Evey day I wish I could go back and stop myself‚ prevent this loss and this pain that I've caused everyone." "And dad‚ I'm sorry that I let you down in so many ways‚" added Goodale. After addressing the court‚ Goodale's nose began to bleed. Damming back a crimson flood‚ he then heard the prosecution underscore how his smiling face was the last thing the victim saw before she died. Judge Showers noted Goodale was less of an evil force than Miller‚ noting‚ "Although you were older than Mr. Miller‚ it's clear to me that you were not more mature than him‚ and Mr. Miller was far more sinister in his planning‚" reported the Des Moines Register. "Unlike your co-defendant‚ it's clear to me you have regretted your role in Ms. Graber's murder‚" added Showers. However‚ the judge noted that as a smart kid‚ Goodale had the cognitive wherewithal to stop the scheme from coming to fruition‚ reported the Associated Press. Showers nevertheless wished Goodale luck in his rehabilitative efforts. Some of the victim's family members similarly expressed desire that the teen turn his life around "I do want you to know I pray you will continue your journey to find God‚" said Jim Graber‚ the victim's brother-in-law‚ "and I pray for your safety and salvation‚" reported the Washington Post. Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding said of the result‚ "I believe Jeremy committed one of the most heinous acts we've seen in Jefferson County‚ but that doesn't speak to who he can become with the right treatment and programming." Spanish Teacher Killer Gets Bloody Nose After Crying During Apology for Murder youtu.be Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The videos leaked to the press this week with testimony from several of Donald Trump’s attorneys will make for devastating Democratic ads next year if Trump is the Republican nominee for president. And it doesn’t matter one bit whether or not I think these prosecutions are legitimate. (I don’t.) I tried to tell you this a few weeks ago when too many others either ignored the truth or told you the opposite. If you think they're handing out plea agreements to alleged co-conspirators because they gave prosecutors nothing‚ then you might be too dumb to vote. Or you've not watched even one episode of “CSI‚” “Judge Judy‚” or literally any cop or court show that's ever aired. “Night Court” was an Algonquin roundtable compared to what a lot of Americans believe. Because it was always going to turn out like this. People were never going to go to prison for Donald Trump. Trump won't pay their legal bills‚ but they are supposed to do time for him? Who is taking that deal? Nobody. Meanwhile‚ the people you see on social media walking on rusty nails for Trump are all getting paid to do that. You’d think if the primary were truly over‚ as Trump Inc. repeatedly claims‚ that instead of spending $25 million to attack Ron DeSantis‚ you’d spend that money paying the legal bills for people before they turn on you. Far be it for me‚ though‚ to tell a billionaire how to spend his money. I’m not a billionaire and will never be one. The closest I’ll ever come to such rich people problems will be nostalgically rewatching “Brewster’s Millions.” However‚ I do know a thing or two about a biblical worldview. That’s my show’s prime directive. That’s my life’s work and my ethical and intellectual plumb line. Which brings me to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)‚ who also claims a biblical worldview. Truth is vastly worse than fiction when you’re aligned with a party that hates its own base more than its alleged competition. Johnson is trying hard to sell out the country with this immoral budget that Democrats couldn’t wait to vote for. I never thought I’d say this‚ but we’d be better off at this point with soulless technocrat Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) than Johnson’s upside-down version of a biblical worldview. Because now we get all the same failures plus the blowback that comes with being too Jesus-y. Awesome! So‚ in effect‚ McCarthy was the late-term abortion “ban” from the George W. Bush years that didn’t actually ban any abortions‚ and Johnson is your #ProLife license plate. Come get your slogan; wear it proud‚ as meaningless as it is. Absolutely nothing has changed in our political landscape since Trump won in 2016‚ despite all the time we’ve wasted claiming otherwise. The cake is still baked the same. The Trump-era GOP’s frosting is just zanier. The Trump-era GOP still negotiates against itself‚ just as it did in the pre-Trump years. Johnson may know more Bible verses than the chain-smoking John Boehner and CrossFitting Paul Ryan‚ but when you open up the Republican Party hymnal‚ the song remains the same. But hey‚ Johnson endorsed Trump for president and declared Trump had “the best economy in the history of the world” on TV this week‚ so the speaker has his fire insurance. He’s painted Trump’s logo over his door; thus the angel of accountability will now pass over his cushy corner office in the Rayburn Building. For Speaker Mike spoke Trump’s name‚ and it has been credited to him as righteousness. Never mind that Johnson is enforcing a budget endorsed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and will fund every demonic doctrine the Democrats genuflect to. As it says in 2 Self-Righteous 6:666: “You do you‚ bruh.” In all seriousness‚ this is the most GOP thing ever. Take on all the backlash of having its national face declare his allegiance to a biblical worldview to a Romans 1 culture‚ but then get none of the actual blessings of applying that same biblical worldview. It’s just like when Republicans voted more than 50 times to repeal Obamacare in the minority‚ then refused to repeal the failed legislation when voters gave them the power to do so‚ only to get annihilated by those same voters in the next election when health care was the top issue. You can’t make this stuff up‚ and you don’t have to. Truth is vastly worse than fiction when you’re aligned with a party that hates its own base more than its alleged competition. And since this loveless marriage has permitted our enemies to desecrate every institution that made and sustained this once-exceptional country‚ we might as well go ahead and add “biblical worldview” to that long train of abuses while we’re at it.

Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray (R) shot down a lawyer's attempt to keep former President Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot.Retired attorney Tim Newcomb filed a lawsuit against Gray in Wyoming district court this month seeking to force state officials to bar Trump and Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) from appearing on future ballots. The lawsuit cites Section 3 of the 14th Amendment‚ which bars from office a person who has engaged in an insurrection or aided the enemies of the U.S."Mr. Trump disqualified himself from appearing on Wyoming's ballot when he refused to defend the Constitution's transfer of presidential power‚" the lawsuit claims‚ Cowboy State Daily reported. "Ms. Lummis disqualified herself from appearing on Wyoming's ballot when she refused to count Pennsylvania's electoral ballots to the electoral count."It is the latest attempt to use the Constitution against Trump to prevent his potential return to the White House. But Gray made it clear he is not interested in litigating this complicated issue."The attempt to remove Donald Trump and Cynthia Lummis from the ballot is outrageously wrong and repugnant to our electoral process‚" Gray responded in a statement. "I am preparing a vigorous defense to stop these blatant‚ radical attempts to interfere with Wyoming's elections."According to Gray‚ the lawsuit is a "weaponization" of the 14th Amendment that "undermines that sanctity of the Constitution." "We are committed to protecting the integrity of our elections and ensuring that the people of Wyoming can choose who to elect for themselves‚" he said.So far‚ none of the other attempts to bar Trump from the ballot have succeeded. New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan (R) said he will not block Trump. A federal judge dismissed an attempt‚ the Minnesota Supreme Court dismissed an attempt in the Gopher State‚ a Michigan judge dismissed an attempt in the Great Lake State‚ while an attempt in Colorado is currently being litigated. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Female broadcasters from across the sports spectrum threw a figurative flag after Charissa Thompson recently admitted to making up sideline reports years ago.On Wednesday‚ Thompson‚ 41‚ appeared on the Barstool Sports podcast "Pardon My Take" and discussed her former work as a football sideline reporter. According to Thompson‚ coaches weren't always available for comment after halftime or otherwise didn't provide her with enough material so that she could do her job. In those cases‚ she apparently came up with something on the fly."I would make up the report sometimes‚" Thompson said‚ "because‚ A‚ the coach wouldn't come out at halftime‚ or it was too late‚ and ... I didn’t want to screw up the report. So I was like‚ 'I'm just going to make this up.'"No coach is going to get mad if I say‚ 'Hey‚ we need to stop hurting ourselves‚' 'We need to be better on third down‚'" she continued. "They're not not gonna correct me on that. So I'm like‚ 'Fine‚ I’ll just make up the report.'"When Thompson told a similar story in January 2022 on a podcast with NFL sideline reporter Erin Andrews‚ Andrews made a similar admission. "I’ve done that‚ too‚" Andrews said‚ "for a coach that I didn’t want to throw under the bus because he was telling me all the wrong stuff!"However‚ this time‚ Thompson's sisters in the business were not so supportive. Many took to social media to criticize Thompson for taking advantage of the trust coaches place in reporters. "This is absolutely not OK‚ not the norm and upsetting on so many levels‚" said Tracy Wolfson‚ CBS' lead sideline reporter. "I take my job very seriously‚ I hold myself accountable for all I say‚ I build trust with coaches and never make something up. I know my fellow reporters do the same."Lisa Salters of ESPN's "Monday Night Football" claimed she was "shocked‚ disappointed‚ disgusted" by what Thompson had done. "Devastated w/the texts I’m getting asking if this is ok. No. Never‚" said Laura Okmin of "NFL on Fox." Jenna Laine‚ also of ESPN‚ suggested there was no excuse for making up reports. "If I may...this is why you over-prepare‚" Laine wrote in an X thread. "Lean on reporting from earlier in the week with top storylines and get really unique back-stories. Hope that helps."Molly McGrath used Thompson's confession as a teachable moment. "Young reporters: This is not normal or ethical‚" McGrath posted on X. "Coaches and players trust us with sensitive information‚ and if they know that you’re dishonest and don’t take your role seriously‚ you’ve lost all trust and credibility."On Friday‚ Thompson‚ who hosts "NFL Kickoff" on Fox Sports and "Thursday Night Football" on Amazon Prime‚ released a statement on Instagram to apologize for what she had done in her past and to clarify her remarks in the present. She said that‚ while she would occasionally "create" material about the first half of a game whenever a coach couldn't provide "any information that would further [her] report" at halftime‚ in such instances‚ she "never attributed anything ... to a player or coach." "I'm sorry. I have never lied about anything or been unethical during my time as a sports broadcaster‚" her post also said.Thompson added that she has "nothing but respect for sideline reporters and for the tireless work that they put in behind the scenes on and off the field." She also called her colleagues "in the business" some of her "best friends."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Forward health‚ a digital health startup‚ recently announced the world’s first artificial intelligence-powered doctor’s office.The company raised $100 million to launch CarePod‚ a self-serve‚ standalone health care medical station that aims to blend AI with medical expertise. Forward plans to deploy CarePods nationwide in malls‚ gyms‚ and offices. The first iterations of the self-contained pod will be rolled out in San Francisco‚ New York‚ Chicago‚ and Philadelphia‚ according to the company’s website.For $99 per month‚ users can walk into a CarePod and access a number of tests and features. Subscribers receive 24/7 access to the service and are not billed every time they visit the kiosk. “As soon as you step in‚ CarePods become your personalized gateway to a broad range of Health Apps‚ designed to treat the issues of today and prevent the issues of tomorrow. You can enjoy on-demand access to Forward CarePods‚ which include disease detection‚ biometric body scans‚ blood testing‚ and so much more‚” Forward’s website explains.CarePods can “address a wide range of disease areas” through its integrated applications‚ including heart health‚ skin cancer scans‚ mental health‚ thyroid testing‚ weight management‚ diabetes screening‚ kidney health‚ liver health‚ HIV screening‚ and anemia screening. The pods are unlocked using an app on the user’s mobile device. Inside the CarePod‚ users will find a large touchscreen and a chair. They will then be guided through using the pod’s various services and features‚ including how to complete a full body scan‚ provide a blood sample‚ check their blood pressure‚ and complete throat swabs. Should a user need a medical professional‚ they can arrange to speak to a doctor through their mobile app.Forward CEO Adrian Aoun told TechCrunch in 2017‚ “We need to figure out how to scale doctors so that they touch more lives. ... The same way an engineer can scale through software.”Aoun recently told the outlet that doctor’s offices are “a thing of the past.” In a statement to TechCrunch‚ Forward addressed potential privacy concerns related to using its pods.“Forward uses best-in-class security practices for data encryption and access control. We regularly conduct third-party security audits to evaluate our security position and ensure strict controls. We have a robust set of privacy practices in compliance with federal laws to safeguard our members’ data. Forward members always own their own data and we will never sell their data to third parties‚” the company stated.Earlier this year‚ a Pew Research Center report found that 60% of Americans said they would be “uncomfortable” if their health care provider relied on AI-powered technology to diagnose disease and recommend treatment options. Only 39% said they would be comfortable.Additionally‚ many surveyed expressed concern that AI in health care would negatively impact the personal connection between a patient and their provider. “The security of health records is also a source of some concern for Americans: 37% think using AI in health and medicine would make the security of patients’ records worse‚ compared with 22% who think it would improve security‚” the report found.For AI tools to learn how to diagnose patients properly‚ developers must train the system on large swaths of private health data‚ Thomson Reuters reported. These practices have sparked concerns regarding poor privacy protections and third-party vendors using personal information without first fully informing patients.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in a Friday statement said nearly all Capitol Hill security videos recorded on Jan. 6‚ 2021‚ will be made available online to the public.What are the details?Johnson's statement said that all the videos will be available online except those that contain sensitive security information or information that could lead to retaliation against private citizens.Johnson praised the House Administration Committee's decision to make the videos available and added that "today we will begin immediately posting video on a public website and move as quickly as possible to add to the website nearly all of the footage‚ nearly 40‚000 hours‚" according to the statement provided to Blaze News investigative journalist Steve Baker.The House speaker added that about 90 hours of video will be released today — Friday‚ Nov. 17 — and that "we anticipate the rest of the footage will be posted over the next several months in waves." Baker noted that the videos will be available for online viewing through the Committee on House Administration Subcommittee Reading Room."This decision will provide millions of Americans‚ criminal defendants‚ public interest organizations‚ and the media the ability to see for themselves what happened that day‚ rather than having to rely upon the interpretation of a small group of government officials‚" Johnson added.Johnson also said all videos will be reviewed before they're released‚ private citizens' faces will be blurred to protect them from retaliation‚ and that "an estimated 5% of videos" that may include sensitive security information "related to building architecture" won't be made available for online viewing.Also‚ by Monday‚ every video — even the ones not available online — will be available for in-person viewing at the subcommittee offices in the Capitol Complex in Washington‚ D.C.‚ according to information Baker provided.What's the background?Prior to Johnson's announcement‚ Blaze News had been hard at work going through the videos and analyzing them in a limited capacity‚ as they had been available only for in-person viewing in Washington‚ D.C.Baker's first analysis after countless hours in front of subcommittee office video terminals looking at frame after frame of Jan. 6 video had him wondering: did the security chief for then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi perjure himself in the Oath Keepers trial? The Truth About January 6 youtu.be Soon after‚ the slow pace of getting an unrestricted look at everything recorded on camera prompted Blaze Media editor in chief Matthew Peterson's appeal to Johnson late last month to release all the videos.Johnson's Friday announcement also comes on the heels of a widely discussed rumor earlier this month that Blaze News was going to get all the videos.Soon‚ U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) released video images from Jan. 6 showing the movements of the security chief covered in Baker's initial analysis. Loudermilk‚ chairman of the Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight‚ said in a statement to Baker that he released the still frames — from closed-circuit TV video with timestamps — of U.S. Capitol Police Special Agent David Lazarus because "an allegation of a Capitol Police officer lying under oath is very serious and must be fully investigated."Baker's investigative efforts also resulted in two additional analyses‚ both focusing on U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn: "January 6 and the N-word that wasn't" and "Harry Dunn's account of January 6 does not add up. At all." Capitol Officer Harry Dunn Exposed | The Truth About January 6 youtu.be Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Prime Minister of Canada‚ Justin Trudeau‚ is no moral arbiter of anything — but he apparently thinks he is. Trudeau has decided to tell Israel how to handle their response to the attacks waged against them by Hamas on October 7th. “The human tragedy that is unfolding in Gaza is heart-wrenching‚ especially the suffering we see in and around the al-Shifa hospital‚” Trudeau said. “I have been clear that the price of justice cannot be the continued suffering of all Palestinian civilians‚” he continued. “Even wars have rules. All innocent life is equal in worth‚ Israeli and Palestinian.” Trudeau then urged the government of Israel “to exercise maximum restraint.” Dave Rubin is disgusted. “He is evil. Who the hell does he think he is that he can tell another Western democracy how they should defend their men‚ women‚ and children?” Rubin demands. Meira Cowland notes that Israel has clearly been exercising restraint. “The truth is‚ Israel could have completely blitzed and bombed all of Gaza in the first three days‚” Cowland says. “This whole thing would have been over. We have the military capacity.” “The fact that there are people in the West who still are not capable of understanding that the responsibility for every single civilian casualty in this entire war from beginning to end lies with one group‚ and one group only. And that is Hamas‚” Cowland continues. Cowland believes that Trudeau’s request for Israel to exercise “restraint” is “not just idiotic‚ it’s pathetic.” Comedian Ami Kozak is in agreement‚ though he has a solution. “I think I know how to get him on Israel’s side. All we have to do is tell him that Hamas is not vaccinated‚” Kozak says. Benjamin Netanyahu did respond to Trudeau’s statement in a tweet. In the tweet‚ he said that Israel has been doing everything they can to keep civilians out of harm's way‚ while Hamas’ is doing the opposite. “Israel provides civilians in Gaza humanitarian corridors and safe zones‚ Hamas prevents them from leaving at gunpoint‚” he wrote‚ adding‚ “It is Hamas not Israel that should be held accountable for committing a double war crime - targeting civilians while hiding behind civilians. The forces of civilization must back Israel in defeating Hamas barbarism.” Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations‚ free speech‚ and big ideas with Dave Rubin‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.