Month: August 2020

It’s two miles or so down Monument Avenue from the Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond to the Robert E. Lee Memorial.

The capitol houses the oldest legislative body in North America – the Virginia General Assembly, which dates to 1619 when the Virginia Company, the private firm that controlled the state, appointed a governor and Council of State to rule along with 22 elected burgesses.

Opioids, Violence and the Supreme Court Largely Omitted from DNC Convention Speeches

Democrats focused on coronavirus, climate change, racial inequality and more during their party’s convention, but none pf the keynote speakers mentioned rising violence in cities across the country or the opioid epidemic during the primetime program.

The two issues have been worsening in part due to nationwide unrest and the pandemic, media reports and studies say. The Supreme Court — a large focus of the 2016 election — was also largely ignored.

Seattle Mayor to Veto City Council’s Cuts to Police, Budget

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 The Associated Press

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Friday she will veto City Council-approved proposals that would include reducing the police department by as many as 100 officers through layoffs and attrition.

The council’s proposals approved last week were supported by demonstrators who have marched in the city following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis but strongly opposed by the mayor and police Chief Carmen Best.

Golden State Killer Joseph James DeAngelo Apologizes at Sentencing for Victimizing 87 People

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 The Associated Press

Just before receiving multiple consecutive life sentences, Joseph James DeAngelo, the former California police officer who lived a double life as the murderous sociopath dubbed the Golden State Killer, broke his silence to tell a hushed courtroom filled with victims and their family members that he was “truly sorry” for the crimes.

It was such an unexpected moment that it brought gasps from those in the gallery, many of whom sat through an extraordinary four-day sentencing hearing filled with graphic and heart-wrenching testimony from dozens of victims. It also reinforced that nobody ever seemed to know what DeAngelo would do and who he was, which helps explain how he eluded detection for four decades while committing at least 13 killings and dozens of rapes.

President Trump Announces Plasma Treatment Authorized for COVID-19

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 The Associated Press

President Donald Trump announced Sunday the emergency authorization of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients, in a move he called “a breakthrough,” one of his top health officials called “promising,” and other health experts said needs more study before it’s celebrated.

The announcement comes after days of White House officials suggesting there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump’s reelection chances.

FBI Agents Pushed for a FISA to Investigate Foreign Government Targeting Hillary Clinton

by Chuck Ross FBI agents in 2015 sought authorization to surveil foreign government operatives who sought to influence Hillary Clinton, but ultimately settled for a defensive briefing given to lawyers for the Democratic presidential candidate, according to documents released on Sunday. One FBI agent involved in the investigation asked…

U.S. Department of Education Opens Investigation of Fordham University Over Punishment of Student Austin Tong

The U.S. Department of Education has opened an investigation into Fordham University, about two months after student Austin Tong received notification from the New York City private college that his social media posts violated university policy and that he had been placed on probation.

BOOK REVIEW: Author Jerry Kammer Exposes the Left-Right Coalition to Undermine Immigration Reform

The Democrats’ 2020 choice for vice-president of the United States is Kamala Harris, a U.S. senator from California who has compared our courageous, underpaid, overworked, and often Latino, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to the Ku Klux Klan. How did we get here exactly?

Let us look back and examine how immigration enforcement has been undermined for decades and then discuss what it means for the 2020 presidential election.

The Sunlight Foundation reports that between 2007 and 2012, 678 lobbying groups – including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Nursery and Landscape Association, the dairy industry, agribusiness, high-tech companies, major universities, the ACLU, the Service Employees International Union, the National Council of La Raza (now UnidosUS), and many other lobbyists – spent $1.5 billion to influence immigration policy.

Commentary: The Ruling Class Is Selling Out America

by Angela Kelley The ruling class is selling out America, and many of us either don’t want to hear about it or just don’t care. According to recently unearthed notes from a White House meeting shortly before inauguration day in January 2017, Vice President Joe Biden raised the idea of pursuing…

Severity of COVID-19 Impact at Richmond Colleges Unclear as University of Richmond Classes Resume Monday

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 Jacob Taylor

As Richmond area colleges start the fall semester, the impact from COVID-19 exposure and cases remains unclear.

Both Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the University of Richmond (UR) have implemented new policy and procedures which students, faculty and employees must strictly adhere to.

VCU residential students must complete a daily health survey and there are normal COVID-19 policies such as wearing a mask, social distancing as well as cleaning and disinfecting shared spaces.

Feds Charge Former Green Beret with Espionage with Russia

August 23, 2020August 22, 2020 The Associated Press

A former Army Green Beret living in northern Virginia was arrested on Friday, charged with divulging military secrets about his unit’s activities in former Soviet republics during more than a decade of contacts with Russian intelligence.

Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 45, told Russian intelligence he considered himself a “son of Russia,” according to an indictment made public after his arrest.

Commentary: Kamala Harris Won’t Motivate Minority Voters

Now that the Democrats have finally finished inflicting their excruciating “virtual convention” on us, it’s useful to consider what they inadvertently revealed about their biggest worry as the November election looms. Nowhere was that angst more obvious than in Wednesday’s soporific speech by Kamala Harris accepting the party’s vice presidential nomination. She began by invoking 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, failing to mention that it was passed and shepherded through the ratification process by the Republican Party, then segued to a desperate plea: “It’s not about Joe or me.… It’s about you … and getting out the vote.” Translation: “The Biden presidential campaign suffers from a deadly enthusiasm deficit.”

Advocates Sound Alarm Over Absentee Ballot Signature Verifications in Michigan

August 23, 2020August 23, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

Election integrity advocates believe something fishy is going on in Wayne County with absentee ballots, and they say Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is undermining the security of the process there and across Michigan.

Glen Sitek of the Election Integrity Fund provided an exclusive statement to The Michigan Star.

Commentary: The Practice of Schools Using Empty Classes for Expensive Day Care, and Charging Parents Twice Needs to End

Normally when a business shuts its doors, it doesn’t still get to charge its customers for a product they can no longer access. It certainly doesn’t get to charge its customers twice for the privilege.

Yet, that’s exactly what we’re seeing from some public school districts. They refuse to open their doors for in-person learning—citing safety risks—but they are able to open these same school buildings to charge overworked and tired parents for day care.

Police Officers Were Compared to Slave Owners and KKK Members in an Assignment Given at a Texas School

An assignment given to students at a Texas school included a political cartoon comparing police officers to slave owners and Klu Klux Klan members, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

The cartoon reportedly depicted five scenes, allegedly starting with a slave ship officer who was kneeling on a black man’s neck and ended with a police officer kneeling on a black man’s neck with text saying “I can’t breathe,” the Star-tribune reported.

The U.S. National Debt Has Exceeded the Total Value of the GDP

The U.S. national debt now exceeds the size of America’s total gross domestic product and the milestone may have been met as early as June, according to a Friday New York Times report.

America’s federal debt stands at around $26.6 trillion — an approximate $7 trillion increase since 2016, according to fiscal data from the Treasury Department. Total U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) was just over $19.4 trillion at the end of June, according to a July 30 release from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

California Wildfires Some of Largest in State History

Lightning-sparked wildfires in Northern California exploded in size Friday to become some of the largest in state history, forcing thousands to flee and destroying hundreds of homes and other structures as reinforcements began arriving to help weary firefighters.

More than 12,000 firefighters aided by helicopters and air tankers are battling wildfires throughout California. Three groups of fires, called complexes, burning north, east and south of San Francisco have together scorched 991 square miles (2,566 square kilometers), destroyed more than 500 structures and killed five people.

Two Colleges Suspend Students for Gatherings That Broke Coronavirus Restrictions

Syracuse University and Purdue University have suspended dozens of students for attending gatherings that violated coronavirus restrictions before classes have begun, the schools announced this week.

Both universities had policies and pledges implemented in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including face mask wearing, social distancing guidelines and restrictions on event sizes, according to statements from the schools.

Border Agents Arrest Two Illegal Immigrants Traveling with $16,000 Cash, Guns and Ammo

A makeshift wooden vessel carrying two men from the Dominican Republic was spotted and intercepted three miles off the coast of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents Thursday morning.

The men were traveling in a “yola” type vessel with a “significant amount of weapons and ammo,” a CBP spokesman told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Two men were arrested and the vessel was seized.

COVID-19 Vaccine Will Be Mandated in Virginia, State Health Commissioner Says

August 23, 2020August 24, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Virginia State Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver said on Friday that he would mandate a COVID-19 vaccine if publicly available, according to 8News, but a bill under consideration in the Virginia General Assembly would provide a religious exemption.

Under Virginia state law, the commissioner of health has the authority to mandate immediate immunizations during a public health crisis like COVID-19 if a vaccine is available to the public.

Virginia Republicans Wary of Proposals Facilitating Absentee Ballots

August 22, 2020August 22, 2020 Eric Burk

Republican legislators in Virginia are sounding the alarm about risks with new provisions providing prepaid postage and drop boxes for absentee ballots. The provisions come as part of a budget amendment proposed by Governor Ralph Northam.

The amendment provides $2 million to create the ballot drop boxes and to pay postage so that voters do not have to pay to return their ballots. The General Assembly will consider the amendments sometime near the beginning of next week.

Commentary: Unlike Joe Biden, President Trump Actually Puts America First on Jobs, Trade and Immigration

This past week at the Democrat’s low energy Zoom convention, we heard a lot about what a good guy former Vice President Joe Biden is, that he’s a man of “faith” and “character.” We heard almost nothing about his accomplishments. That’s because after fifty years as a politician, Biden has accomplished almost nothing of significance.

Portland Police Arrest Man Accused of Beating Motorist After Truck Accident, Kicking Him in the Head

Portland police arrested a man who’s accused of violently beating a motorist whose pick-up truck crashed near a Sunday demonstration.

Marquise Love, 25, has been charged with felonious assault, coercion and riot participation, and was transported to the Multnomah County Detention Center early Friday morning after he turned himself in, according to a Portland Police news release.

Steve Bannon Presents: Hong Kong and the Death of the CCP

An all new LIVE STREAM of War Room: Pandemic starts at 9 a.m. Central Time on Saturday.

Former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon began the daily War Room: Pandemic radio show and podcast on January 25, when news of the virus was just beginning to leak out of China around the Lunar New Year. Bannon and co-hosts bring listeners exclusive analysis and breaking updates from top medical, public health, economic, national security, supply chain and geopolitical experts weekdays from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ET.

DNC Features Rapper with Ties to Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan

The Democratic National Convention’s final night will feature a performance from the rapper Common, who has long-standing ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

Farrakhan has repeatedly referred to Jewish people as “satanic,” blamed them for both the Holocaust and the Sept. 11, 2011, terrorist attacks, and once praised Adolf Hitler as a “very great man.” Farrakhan has also denounced interracial marriage, which he said has “mongrelized” the black race.

Loughlin, Giannulli Get Prison Time in College Bribery Plot

August 22, 2020August 21, 2020 The Associated Press

Apologizing publicly for the first time for crimes their lawyers insisted for months they didn’t commit, “Full House” star Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, were sentenced to prison Friday for using their wealth and privilege to cheat their daughters’ way into the college of their choice.

The two-month prison sentence for Loughlin and five-month term for Giannulli bring to a close the legal saga for the highest-profile parents ensnared in the college admissions bribery scheme — a scandal that rocked the U.S. educational system and laid bare the lengths some wealthy parents will go to get their kids into elite universities.

Job Creators Network President and CEO Alfredo Ortiz Sounds Off on Joe Biden’s America of New Taxes

August 22, 2020August 21, 2020 Julie Carr

Friday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host Fredericks welcomed President and CEO of the Job Creators Network Alfredo Ortiz to weigh in on the Democratic Convention and Joe Biden’s America.

Low Rates and Heavy Buyer Demand Send U.S. Home Sales Surging

August 22, 2020August 21, 2020 The Associated Press

Spurred by ultra-low mortgage rates, home buyers rushed last month to snap up a limited supply of existing houses, causing the pace of purchases to jump by a record-high 24.7%.

The July surge in sales reported Friday by the National Association of Realtors marked the second straight month of accelerating home purchases. The back-to-back increases have helped stabilize the home buying market, which all but froze early this spring when the viral pandemic erupted across the United States.

Joe Biden Gives Shortest DNC Acceptance Speech in Decades

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden gave the shortest Democratic National Convention acceptance speech in four decades Thursday night.

Biden’s speech lasted just under 25 minutes, according to C-SPAN. An acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) hasn’t been that short since Walter Mondale’s 32-minute speech in 1984.

Chicago Mayor Defends Ban on Protesters in Her Neighborhood Citing a Right to Safety

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended the heavy police presence outside her home where protesters are being blocked, claiming she has a right to safety.

“Given the threats that I have personally received. Given the threats to my home and my family, I’m gonna do everything to make sure that they are protected. I make no apologies whatsoever for that,” the Democratic mayor said.

Commentary: The Democratic Party Is Unwell

A healthy political party—just like a healthy individual—has certain traits and habits that nourish overall wellness. A diversity of interests, a sense of humor, a curious mind, a measured temperament, and an occasional endorphin-release from physical activity are just a few things that contribute to the fitness of a human being. The same kind of characteristics should be found on a collective scale in a thriving, muscular, and stable political party.

Bill to End Mandatory Minimum Sentences Blocked by Virginia Senate Committee

August 22, 2020August 27, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Legislation that would have banned the enforcement of mandatory minimum sentencing in Virginia was killed in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday after some Democrats joined Republicans in their opposition.

Senate Bill 5046, sponsored by Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, effectively would have ended all mandatory minimums in Virginia by halting their enforcement for offenses committed on or after Jan. 1, 2021. Although reforming mandatory minimum laws has bipartisan support, SB 5046 did not provide exemptions for violent crimes, such as murder or rape, which led to it ultimately failing.

Two Arrested as Richmond and State Police Clash with Locals Outside Jackson Ward Bar

August 22, 2020December 9, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Richmond and Virginia State Police got into a confrontation with a group of people and arrested four individuals Thursday night for obstructing justice by not showing identification, according to Richmond resident Jimmie Lee Jarvis who witnessed the event firsthand.

Yet another incident between police and citizens has taken place in Richmond, this time outside of GWARbar, a local heavy-metal themed bar in the Jackson Ward neighborhood.

Virginia General Assembly 2020 Special Session Day 3: House Remains Stalled, Senate Advances More Bills

August 21, 2020August 22, 2020 Jacob Taylor

While the House continued its quick, procedural sessions, the Senate and the Senate Judiciary Committee continued to advance bills centered around criminal justice reform and policing.

Before the Senate convened in-person in its new home for the 2020 special session at the Science Museum of Virginia, the Judiciary Committee held a meeting where it reported and referred more bills.

Commentary: Can We Recover American Nobility, Piety, and Humanity?

There was a time when a kind of nobility still existed among our leaders. In Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, delivered March 4, 1865, while the nation was still riven by a bloody Civil War, he envisioned a future of national healing. In words now carved in the marble of the Lincoln Memorial, he pledged, “With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right,” to go on “to bind up the nation’s wounds,” and to “do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves . . .”

Michigan to Pay Flint Residents $600 Million Over Lead-Filled Drinking Water

August 21, 2020August 21, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The state of Michigan has agreed to pay $600 million to Flint, Michigan residents in a settlement stemming from the 2014 water crisis.

The settlement established a court-monitored compensation fund, which will send payments Flint residents, CNN reported Thursday. The majority of the money, about 80%, will be paid to residents who were younger than 18 at the time of the crisis.

Facebook Stirs Anger, Abandons Drilling Gear on Oregon Coast

August 21, 2020August 20, 2020 The Associated Press

Facebook’s effort to build a landing site in a village on the Oregon coast for a fiber optic cable linking Asia and North America has run into serious trouble.

First, a drill pipe snapped under the seabed. Workers left 1,100 feet of pipe, 6,500 gallons of drilling fluid, a drill tip and other materials under the seabed as they closed down the site, aiming to try again next year.

DNC Panel Features ‘Mermaid Queen-King’ Who Calls for the Abolition of ICE, Police, and Prisons

The Democratic National Convention on Tuesday featured a panelist who identifies as a “nonbinary/gender transcendent mermaid Queen-King” and who called for the abolition of the police, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and prisons.

According to the panelist’s Wake Forest University bio, J Mai is a “Black-Vietnamese, transgender nonbinary/gender transcendent mermaid Queen-King,” who recently became a “licensed minister in the Progressive National Baptist Church.”

Facebook Announces Restrictions on Groups Like QAnon and Antifa

Facebook announced Wednesday that it will take further action against pages, groups, and Instagram accounts associated with anarchist groups and other groups “tied to violence.”

The social media website said it will expand their “Dangerous Individuals and Organizations policy” to censor groups who reportedly pose a “significant risk” to public safety, such as QAnon, the company said in a statement. Facebook is also taking action against “offline anarchist groups that support violent acts amidst protests,” the statement said.

Commentary: Sweden’s Results Suggest We Should Stop Quarantining Healthy Children

Fall hasn’t even arrived yet, but some US schools are already announcing closures during the sixth month of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Sunday, news broke that a Georgia school district announced it will close a third high school after 25 students tested positive for the coronavirus.

Glenn Davis Joins John Fredericks to Discuss the Democratic Zoom Scam and Keeping Their Per Diem

August 21, 2020August 21, 2020 Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host Fredericks was joined by Virginia House Delegate member Glenn Davis to speak about the Democrats move to Zoom meetings and keeping their per diem.

Richmond Area Trump Supporters Feel Optimistic About Upcoming Election

August 21, 2020August 21, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Local Virginia Trump supporters have high hopes for the presidential election in November and believe that Trump will secure another four years in office.

At a gathering set up by the Trump Virginia campaign, people from various towns and counties surrounding Richmond came to show their support for the campaign and form a collective focus on the highly important last stretch before the election.

Scholar Urges More Parental Choice in Pandemic-Era Schooling, Criticizes Fairfax County