February 2021 - Page 6 of 8 - The Virginia Star

Commentary: The Republican Ship of Fools Sails On

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

In what CNN’s Chris Cillizza accurately described as a “gut punch” to the GOP’s Trumpian faction, the House Republican Conference decided against removing Representative Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) for her vote to impeach former President Donald Trump. Republicans voted 145-61 on a secret ballot in Cheney’s favor.

Cillizza zeroed in on Florida Republican Matt Gaetz, an ardent defender of the former president. “Make no mistake,” he wrote, “Gaetz, Trump, and the rest of that crowd wanted to make an example of Cheney. They, rightly, viewed her impeachment vote—and the ensuing controversy—as the first major battle for control of the post-Trump Republican Party.” He also notes that “Trump had released a poll last month purporting to show Cheney in trouble in Wyoming for her impeachment vote.” And according to The Dispatch’s Stephen Hayes, Trump was “calling R House members to encourage them to sack Cheney.”

Commentary: Teachers Unions’ Selfish, Unscientific COVID Response

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Clarity and consensus among medical professionals has been hard to find on many issues related to COVID-19 policy, so it’s much appreciated when something appears to be clear-cut and universally agreed upon. In today’s sound-bite world, it can be dizzying trying to keep up. Thankfully, a consensus has emerged around one topic that is tremendously important to all Americans: school reopening. The verdict is coming in: time to get the kids back in the classroom.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, has been clear as a bell on this issue. During a recent briefing, she said, “There is increasing data to suggest that schools can safely reopen and that safe reopening does not suggest that teachers need to be vaccinated in order to reopen safely.” She went on to definitively state that “Vaccination of teachers is not a prerequisite for the safe reopening of schools.” These comments are completely in line with those from her colleague at the CDC, Dr. Margaret Honein, Ph.D., who was recently first author on an elegant viewpoint for the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Honein wrote that data has shown “there has been little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission.”

Congressman, Former NFL-er Owens Says He’s Done with League until ‘America Divider’ Goodell Is Fired

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Former NFL star and freshman Utah GOP Rep. Burgess Owens says the NFL has gotten too political and he will continue to boycott the National Football League until Commissioner Roger Goodell is fired.

Owens played for the New York Jets in the 1970’s and helped bring the Los Angeles Raiders to their championship Super Bowl win in 1984. Owens, who now represents Utah’s fourth Congressional district, has since become a sharp critic of the modern-day NFL.

CBO: $15 Minimum Wage Would Lead to 1.4 Million Lost Jobs, Impacting Young, Less Educated the Most

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 The Center Square

A $15 minimum wage would result in 1.4 million jobs lost and disproportionately hurt younger workers and those with less education, a new Congressional Budget Office report says.

President Joe Biden, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and other Democrats have proposed raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025, more than double the current federal minimum of $7.25 an hour.

Biden to Further Cut Down on ICE Arrests and Deportations

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Joe Biden has directed various federal agencies to significantly roll back criteria for making arrests and ordering deportations of illegal aliens, according to Fox News.

The overhaul comes after a memo that was issued on January 20th, Biden’s first day in office, which directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to rescind several Trump-era immigration policies that made it easier to arrest and deport illegals. Biden similarly signed several executive orders that strengthened protections for illegal aliens who qualify for DACA amnesty, and ordered a stop to all construction on the border wall.

Tampa Mayor Says Maskless Super Bowl Revellers ‘Will Be Identified’; ‘Handled’ by Police

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor on Monday referred to maskless Super Bowl revellers as “bad actors,” and vowed that they will be identified by law enforcement and dealt with.

In late January, the Democrat mayor extended the city’s mask mandate, requiring face coverings outdoors until Feb. 13. The ordinance was designed to show that Tampa “takes this pandemic seriously.”

Fifteen Secretaries of State Endorse Keep Nine Amendment

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Jason M. Reynolds

A group of 15 secretaries of state this week issued their support for the “Keep Nine Amendment” recently introduced in Congress, marking the latest victory for the organization seeking to preserve the independence of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Keep Nine Amendment said in a statement that the 15 sent the letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader of the House Kevin McCarthy.

Chinese Tech CEO ‘Would Welcome’ Discussion with Biden, Hopes U.S. Takes Softer Approach Toward China

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The CEO of Chinese tech company Huawei said he would welcome a phone call with president Joe Biden after years of being targeted as a national security threat.

Ren Zhengfei, the founder and CEO of Huawei, said he hoped President Joe Biden’s administration would take a softer approach toward his company than President Donald Trump did, NBC News reported. The Trump administration labeled Huawei a national security threat in June, cutting off the company’s ability to receive federal funds.

Budget Deficit Spiked in January, CBO Report Finds

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The federal budget deficit grew a whopping 400% in one year as the pandemic caused spending to skyrocket, the Congressional Budget Office said in a report Tuesday.

The estimated January federal budget deficit was $165 billion, $132 billion more than the deficit in January 2020, according to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report released Tuesday. The federal budget in the first four months of fiscal year 2021, which started in October, was $738 billion, an 89% jump compared to the same period last year.

University of Florida Professor Indicted over Undisclosed China Ties

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

A professor at the University of Florida has been indicted on charges of wire fraud and failure to disclose his ties to China. The professor obtained a $1.75 million federal grant from the National Institutes of Health.

According to the Department of Justice, the professor, Lin Yang had not only received support from the Chinese government but also promoted his own company in China to conduct research “supported by millions of dollars of U.S. government funding.”

Delegate McNamara Sponsors Bill Allowing Schools to Replace Snow Days with Remote Learning Days

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Eric Burk

Delegate Joseph McNamara’s (R-Roanoke) HB 1790 will allow public schools to declare unscheduled remote learning days instead of snow days — but he’s not trying to eradicate snow days.

“I want kids to have snow days, and I want them to go out and build snowmen, and throw snow balls and have grilled cheese sandwiches,” he said. “I’ll use Roanoke County as an example. Several years back, they missed about 13 days of school in about a month and a half period. And when you have situations where you have ice in the mountains areas and kids can’t get back in to school for days sometimes, it’s not really a snow day. It’s a nasty, ugly day, and so this would give schools another opportunity.”

Rep. Good Asks Virginia Gov. Northam to Loosen COVID Restrictions in Letter

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

Rep. Bob Good (R-VA-05) is leading Virginia’s Republican congressional delegation in asking Gov. Ralph Northam (D) to loosen COVID-19 restrictions.

In a letter co-signed by Rep. Robert J. Wittman (R-VA-01), Rep. H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09), and Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Good asked Northam Monday on behalf of his constituents to give them a reprieve from COVID-19 restrictions, and allow them to get back to work.

Democratic-Led Senate Votes 56-44 to Continue Impeachment Trial of Trump as Day One Concludes

February 9, 2021February 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The Democratic-led Senate formally voted on Tuesday to proceed with former President Trump’s second impeachment trial in the Senate following the first day of arguments.

The vote on the constitutionality of the trial of Trump was 56-44 in favor of moving forward with the trial. The second day of the trial begins at noon on Wednesday. There were six Republican senators voting yes with all Senate Democrats including Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.

From Same-Sex Marriage to Equal Education Opportunities, Seven Constitutional Amendments Are Moving Through Virginia Legislature

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Eric Burk

The Virginia General Assembly considered over a dozen constitutional amendments in its two chambers this session; seven of them have been passed in either the House or the Senate. Last week, Senate Minority Leader Thomas Norment (R-James City) criticized the high number.

“I recognize that times change,” he said on the Senate floor. “I recognize that Virginia has changed and I recognize that there is a new cadre of legislators who have a different perspective on what the policies of the commonwealth should be.”

Commentary: States Taxing PPP Loans to Cover for Bad Decisions is Bad Business

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 The Center Square

The biggest gap in understanding how business truly works exists between two distinct groups of people: Those who have made a payroll and those who haven’t.

Anyone who has run a business – small or large – would only be glad to tell you that it is equal parts fulfilling and terrifying.

Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman Launches Senate Bid

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will launch his bid for his state’s open Senate seat on Monday, becoming the first major candidate to vie for what will likely be one of the most competitive races in the country.

Fetterman previously served as the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, a small steel town outside of Pittsburgh, but has found grassroots support across the country. He announced that he raised over $1.1 million in the weeks before his campaign, and his strong support in western Pennsylvania could make him an early frontrunner among the multiple Democrats expected to run for the seat.

Seattle Can’t Keep Up with All People They’re Charging, Criminals Being Left on the Streets

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Increasing crime and COVID-19 restrictions have added to court backlogs in Seattle, allowing criminals to be released back on the streets as they await trial, Komo News reported Friday.

Law enforcement has continued to make arrests for minor and major crimes, even as arraignment has halted, which leaves the courts and prosecutors to decide who is jailed for safety reasons and who is released, Komo News reported. Over 500 out-of-custody cases have not been arraigned since the court stopped holding them in person due to COVID-19 restrictions in November, and several defendants were booked into jail and released on promises to appear in court.

Biden Quietly Nixes Trump-era Rule Combating Chinese Communist-Funded ‘Propaganda’ Centers

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The Trump administration attempted to enact a policy that would force American universities to reveal cooperation with chapters of the Confucius Institute. President Joe Biden quietly revoked the policy a few days after his inauguration.

Axios reported that in the final days of his presidency, Trump enacted a policy that would compel primary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions to disclose all contracts and transactions with the Confucius Institute. Under the policy, schools that do not report information would lose certification for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

President’s Son Hunter Biden to Release Memoir ‘Beautiful Things’ in April

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, will release a memoir on April 6 titled “Beautiful Things.” The book will focus on the younger Biden’s well-documented and ongoing struggles with substance abuse.

The book is being published by Gallery Books, a subsidiary of Simon & Schuster. The book has received advanced praise from authors including Stephen King, Dave Eggers and Anne Lamott.

Life Will Return to Normal in Seven Years, Vaccine Database Shows

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

It will take seven years for life to return to normal and for coronavirus to subside, a Bloomberg database tracking worldwide coronavirus vaccinations found.

Although countries like the U.S. and Israel have administered coronavirus at a rate that will ensure herd immunity by 2022, most countries have fallen behind that pace and will not catch up for seven years, according to Bloomberg. More than 119 million vaccines have been administered in 67 countries and the most recent rate of vaccination was 4.54 million doses per day, the vaccine database showed.

SBA Hid Communications with Planned Parenthood Amid GOP Criticism Over PPP Loans

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The Small Business Administration hid communications with Planned Parenthood regarding COVID-19 loans that Republicans say were illegal, emails obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation show.

The SBA released heavily redacted emails between the agency, lenders and Planned Parenthood affiliates in response to a Freedom of Information Act request the DCNF filed in May 2020. GOP lawmakers had previously demanded an investigation into $80 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, saying they were obtained illegally.

National Mental Health Crisis Emerges Among Youth During Pandemic Lockdowns: Reports

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 The Center Square

Children and young adults are experiencing increased mental health issues, and suicide also is on the rise within the age group at least in part because of ongoing state shutdowns, according to several reports.

Within months of governors and local authorities shuttering schools, children were increasingly brought to emergency room doctors and specialists, according to a by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Issues 60-Day ‘Stand Down’ Order to Address ‘Extremism’ in the Military

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Joe Biden’s Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has issued an unprecedented “stand down” order for the entirety of the United States military over the course of the next 60 days, for the purpose of addressing alleged “extremism” in the military’s ranks, as reported by Breitbart.

Austin announced the decision in a Tweet on Wednesday, saying that he “met with senior leaders to discuss extremism in the military. As a first step, I’m ordering a stand down to occur over the next 60 days so each service, each command, and each unit can have a deeper conversation about this issue.”

McConnell, Schumer Strike Deal on Impeachment Trial Rules

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Senate leaders said on Monday that a deal has been agreed upon regarding the framework for former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial slated to begin on Tuesday.

“For the information of the Senate, the Republican leader and I, in consultation with both the House managers and former President Trump’s lawyers, have agreed to a bipartisan resolution to govern the structure and timing of the impending trial,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday on the Senate floor. “All parties have agreed to a structure that will ensure a fair and honest Senate impeachment trial of the former president,” the New York Democrat said.

Commentary: The Left’s 1960s ‘Animal Farm’ Dream is America’s 2021 Nightmare

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

George Orwell published Animal Farm in August 1945, in the closing weeks of the Pacific War. Even then, most naïve supporters of the wartime Soviet-British-American alliance were no longer in denial about the contours of Moscow’s impending postwar communist aggression.

The short, allegorical novel’s human-like farm animals replay the transition of supposedly 1917 revolutionary Bolsheviks into cynical 1930s Stalinists. Thereby, they remind us that leftist totalitarianism inevitably becomes far worse than the supposed parasitical capitalists they once toppled.

Minnesota Senate Unanimously Passes Bill Allowing Dentists to Distribute COVID Vaccines

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

In a 67-0 vote Monday, the Minnesota Senate passed legislation that will allow dentists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

SF 475 is a bill “amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 150A.055,” which gives dentists the ability to distribute influenza vaccines. The amendment broadens the original bill, extending to cover COVID-19 vaccinations, too.

Senate Approves Adding Six Judges to Virginia’s Appeals Court

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Eric Burk

A bill to add six judges to the Virginia Court of Appeals passed the Senate 21 to 18 on Friday. The bill would also create a right to appeal, something that every other state already has, but that advocates say is currently impossible due to the court’s manpower shortage. The court has just 11 judges, while states with similar populations often have more. However, Republicans oppose the bill because judges would be elected in the Democrat-controlled General Assembly.

SB 1261 sponsor State Senator John Edwards (D-Roanoke) said in committee on January 25 that Virginia’s current system gives no automatic right of appeal in any Virginia court.

Unity: Professor Who Made Barron Trump Joke at 2019 Impeachment Hearing Is Joining the Biden DOJ

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

President Joe Biden, who called for unity with Republicans during his inaugural address, has appointed Pamela Karlan, a Trump impeachment witness, to serve in a top position at the Justice Department.

Karlan, a law professor at Stanford University, came under fire during her December 2019 impeachment testimony for invoking Barron Trump, the teenage son of President Donald Trump.

Commentary: Does Anyone Really Think Impeachment Take Two is About Upholding the Constitution?

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

How precious it is to witness the same party that rejects the United States Constitution on a daily basis, now genuflects to and contorts the Constitution when it is convenient for their Democrat agenda. The truth is the second impeachment trial of President Donald Trump has nothing to do with upholding the Constitution.

President Trump’s attorneys have clearly responded to the absurd Article of Impeachment. Their answer on Trump’s behalf is clear and straightforward.

Biden Ends Trump-Era Deals with Central American Countries to Reduce Asylum Claims at US Border

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Arrangements made between the U.S. and three Central American countries to curb the number of asylum claims at the U.S. border were suspended Saturday, the Biden administration announced.

The Asylum Cooperative Agreements that limited some asylum seekers from making claims in the U.S. and required them to instead seek asylum in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras were suspended and scheduled to be terminated with an executive order signed Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced.

Portland Riots Caused at Least $2.3M in Damage to Federal Buildings

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Left-wing protests in Portland have caused roughly $2.3 million in damage to federal buildings since they broke out over the summer.

Portland was the epicenter of summer protests which included frequent riots, vandalism and clashes with law enforcement. The two months of near-nightly unrest centered on a federal courthouse downtown.

Eleven Iranian Migrants Caught Illegally Crossing the Border

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Eleven Iranian migrants were arrested on Monday after crossing the border illegally from Mexico into Arizona, as reported by Breitbart.

The group of illegals, confirmed to consist of six men and five women, was stopped in Yuma County, Arizona by the Yuma Sector Border Patrol. After being confirmed as Iranian citizens, they were taken to the Yuma Station for processing and questioning. The group included five adult women, two young boys, and four adult men.

Commentary: When Senate Tries Trump, Senate Republicans Are Also on Trial

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Neil W. McCabe

When the Senate opens the second impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump Tuesday there will be two defendants: Trump and the Senate Republicans.

Trump is charged with one count of inciting an insurrection against the United States, in connection with the Jan. 6 mob that surged the Capitol, while Congress was in a joint session to certify the results of the Electoral College: “Incited by President Trump, a mob unlawfully breached the Capitol, injured law enforcement personnel, menaced Members of Congress and the Vice President, interfered with the Joint Session’s solemn constitutional duty to certify the election results, and engaged in violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts.”

Virginia Court Denies Chincoteague Church Lawsuit Over Northam’s Executive Orders

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Eric Burk

A U.S. District Court has dismissed a lawsuit by Chincoteague Lighthouse Fellowship Church against Governor Ralph Northam. In April 2020, the church sued over Northam’s Executive Orders 53 and 55, which limited gathering sizes to 10 and issued a stay-at-home order. But in a January 27 decision, Judge Arenda Wright Allen dismissed the suit, saying that the complaint was moot since those executive orders no longer stand.

Gavin Newsom Less Than 100k Signatures Away from Facing Recall Election

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom is less than 100,000 signatures away as of Thursday from being forced into a recall special election.

California state law stipulates that a sitting governor must face a recall special election if 12% of voters from the previous gubernatorial election, in this case 1.5 million California residents, sign a petition to recall the governor. At the time of publication, 1.4 million Californians have signed a petition to recall Newsom.

Border Patrol Seized 470,000 Pounds of Drugs in 2020 Using New Screening Tech

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Customs and Border Protection seized nearly half a million pounds of illegal narcotics at the border in 2020 using new screening technology, agency officials announced Thursday.

Over half of the narcotics found last year, or around 470,000 pounds, were discovered through so-called non-intrusive inspection technology, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The agency seized a total of 808,522 pounds of illegal narcotics in 2020.

Nebraska County GOP Votes to Censure Ben Sasse; State Party to Hold Meeting on His Anti-Trump Votes and Comments

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The Republican Party in one Nebraska county has chosen to censure GOP Senator Ben Sasse for supporting the impeachment trial of former President Trump in the Senate, and a number of other committee delegates throughout the state are reportedly thinking about doing the same. The Nebraska Republican Party will be holding a meeting later this month to discuss “possible action” related to Sasse’ votes in the Senate and his continual anti-Trump remarks.

The Scotts Bluff County Republican Party chair told the local Star-Herald newspaper regretfully that state law prevents them from recalling the senator.

White House Waffles on CDC Guidance for School Reopenings

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The White House walked back comments from CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, suggesting that schools might be able to reopen before all teachers have received a vaccine to prevent Covid-19.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday claimed that Walensky was speaking in her “personal capacity.” Psaki explained, “obviously she’s the head of the CDC, but we’re going to wait for final guidance to come out.”

Two Senators Flip-Flop on Keystone XL Pipeline, Thwarting GOP Bid to Save It

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Two Democratic senators—Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana—who initially voted in favor of a Republican amendment reversing President Joe Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline later reversed themselves and voted with other Democrats to kill the amendment.

Both Tester and Manchin voted late Thursday night for the amendment from Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., that would have reversed Biden’s Jan. 20 executive order ending further construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, but changed their votes before dawn on Friday morning.

Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Repeal Moves Through Virginia House and Senate With Bi-Partisan Support

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 Eric Burk

Bills to repeal Virginia’s same-sex marriage prohibition have passed in both legislative chambers with bi-partisan support this week. HJ 582, introduced by Delegate Mark Sickles (D-Franconia) and SJ 270, introduced by Senator Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) seek to amend language in the state constitution passed in 2006 saying that marriage is between one man and one woman.

“For several years now, I have introduced this resolution because I know millions of people want to either take back their vote that they made in 2006 or they weren’t old enough to vote in 2006 and want to weigh in on this,” Sickles said in subcommittee.

Virginia House Passes Repeal of Adoption Conscience Clause

February 7, 2021February 7, 2021 Eric Burk

The House of Delegates approved Delegate Mark Levine’s (D-Arlington) HB 1932 on Wednesday in a 53 to 43 vote. The bill would remove the child-placement conscience clause which protects child-placement agencies from being forced to place children where it would violate the agency’s moral or religious convictions. Supporters of the bill say it ends discrimination currently protected by the Commonwealth, but Catholic adoption agencies and Republican legislators warn that removing the protection could effectively eliminate thousands of potential homes for children in foster care and adoption programs. The bill is now in committee in the Senate.

Commentary: How ‘Flatten the Curve’ Became Flatten America

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Joe Biden’s prediction of a dark winter is upon us as many Americans struggle under oppressive Covid lockdowns with no end in sight. How did we go from a common-sense plan to “flatten the curve” to the White House calling for continued restrictions even after Americans are vaccinated? In a word: politics. From the moment the virus arrived on our shores, Democrats used it to their political advantage. They have shown by word and deed that they care less about public safety, and more about control.

White House Confirms That Hunter Biden Will Divest from Chinese Private Equity Firm

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Hunter Biden is in the process of divesting his ownership stake in the Chinese private equity firm BHR Partners, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed Friday.

The confirmation follows a report from the Daily Caller News Foundation in January that Hunter Biden continues to hold a 10% stake in the firm despite multiple promises from President Joe Biden during his campaign that no one in his family would engage in foreign business if he won the election.

Democrat-Sponsored PRO Act Would Invalidate Right-to-Work Laws in 27 States

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021 The Center Square

U.S. House and Senate Democrats have reintroduced the PRO ACT, a sweeping pro-union bill that would wipe out right-to-work labor laws in 27 states.

Democrats argue the PRO Act will create safer workplaces and increase employee benefits by expanding union organizing. Those opposed to it argue it will force small businesses to close, cost an untold number of jobs and worsen the economy, and “impose a laundry list of other union boss power grabs.”

MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace Paints Trump Supporters as Domestic Terrorists; Points Out That Americans Were Droned During GWOT

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace on Friday likened President Trump and millions of his supporters to domestic terrorists while fondly reminiscing about the days when American citizens overseas were killed by drone strikes during the global war on terror.

Wallace, who served the Bush White House as Communications Director in 2005 and 2006, made the comments during an MSNBC panel discussion about the impeachment trial of former President Trump.

Commentary: Polling and the Truth

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The Berlin Tagesspiegel recently went after a young Protestant theologian whom naïve readers might have mistaken for a polite, unassuming scholar. This figure was outed by an academic colleague who discovered that he wrote for “new Right” publications, a term that in the German context should be understood quite broadly.

One of the venues of this putative extremist is Cato, which is a classical liberal magazine known for making fun of political correctness; his other preferred site is Blaue Narzisse, an educational website on which I, too, have discoursed on literary and philosophical topics. One would have to hang out for several years with the squad in order to be inclined to locate either of these literate publications somewhere on the far-Right. But then the German government and German media apply an expansive definition of the enemy—namely anyone not in line with Islamic, feminist, and LGBT activists or who fails to hate the German language and Western culture sufficiently.

Fox News Cancels Lou Dobbs’ Nightly Business Show, Lou Dobbs Tonight

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Fox News has canceled Lou Dobbs’ show on the Fox Business Network, Lou Dobbs Tonight, and will replace him with a group of rotating hosts.

Dobbs’ show, which has been on since 2011, has been the highest rated show on Fox Business, and had higher ratings than its competition on CNBC.

Music Spotlight: Becca Bowen

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021 Bethany Bowman

NASHVILLE, Tennessee- Becca Bowen is an up-and-coming country artist whose Southern Belle exterior and tomboy personality have earned her the nickname “Country Barbie.” This personal fitness instructor is the single mother of two teenage girls.

Raised in South Carolina, as a child, she participated in pageants and talent shows – but her weekends were spent fishing and enjoying the outdoors with her grandfather. She is a true tomboy with a tiara.

Amazon Loses Bid to Delay Unionization Vote at Its Alabama Warehouse

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The National Labor Relations Board denied Amazon’s request to delay a unionization vote in its Bessemer, Alabama warehouse and ensure it’s conducted in-person.

In January, Amazon requested that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) delay the unionization election, arguing that the proposed mail-in ballot election would disenfranchise up to 1,700 workers. The Bessemer, Alabama warehouse’s nearly 5,800 total workers will begin voting in favor or against unionization on Monday.