Month: November 2023

Republican Rep. George Santos of New York’s 3rd District announced that he will not seek reelection to the House of Representatives following the release of a report by the House Ethics Committee regarding his actions.

Santos was indicted by federal prosecutors in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York for a number of alleged felonies related to his 2022 congressional campaign, including wire fraud, false statements, identity theft and credit card fraud, among others. After the House Ethics Committee released a report corroborating the allegations of prosecutors following its independent investigation of the matter, Santos announced on Twitter that he would not seek re-election to his office in 2024.

Police Arrest Suspect in Death of Jewish Protester

Officers announced on Thursday that they have arrested a suspect in connection to the death of Paul Kessler.

Kessler, a Jewish man who was participating in a pro-Israel demonstration, died from a blow to the head after allegedly getting into a physical altercation with a pro-Palestinian protester. Police said that they arrested Loay Analji on Thursday morning in connection with Kessler’s death for involuntary manslaughter, according to a press release from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

Videos of People Sympathizing with Bin Laden’s ‘Letter to America’ Go Viral

Videos showing people reading Osama bin Laden’s 2002 letter justifying the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon went viral Wednesday evening, prompting a media outlet to delete its translation of the document.

The Guardian deleted the letter Wednesday after it had been active on the site since being published on Nov. 24, 2002, directing readers to an article from that date about the letter. Videos on the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok showed users reading the letter, Rolling Stone reported.

Growing Number of Americans Turning to TikTok for News, Research Finds

The Epoch Times A growing number of TikTok users now get their news from the video-sharing app, with almost a third of adults between 18 and 29 regularly using the platform for news while consumption of news across other social media sites has declined, according to new research published Nov.…

VA Top Story: Virginia Mosque Comes Out in Support of Hamas

Virginia Mosque Comes Out in Support of Hamas

November 16, 2023November 15, 2023 Virginia Star Staff

The Manassas Mosque, a mosque in the Washington, DC area, explicitly declared its support for the Hamas terrorist organization in a recent newsletter. The mosque’s support for the Iranian regime has raised the concern of several congressmen.

The newsletter, which was first noticed by the Capital Research Center in collaboration with Focus on Western Islamism, states:

We stand firmly with the Palestinian Resistance (Hamas) and the courageous people of Palestine. With the help of Allah (swt), they will bring liberation and justice to Palestine and to the rest of the world. The Israeli regime is weak and afraid of all the calls for the freedom of Palestine taking place all over the globe. The regime’s days are numbered.

Top Commentary: NewsGuard Is a Surrogate the Feds Pay to Keep Watch on the Internet and Be a Judge of the Truth

TSNN Featured Story: Fani Willis Expects Georgia Trump Trial Will Be Live on Election Day, Maybe Continue into 2025

Meta Is Allowing Political Ads That Question the 2020 Election — But Censoring Doubts About 2024

Meta’s social media platforms now allow political ads questioning the 2020 presidential election, but will censor ads questioning the 2024 election, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The company permits fraud claims about past elections but not current or future ones, according to its updated policy. Meta rolled out the policy after blocking certain Republicans during the 2022 midterm election primaries from releasing ads with assertions about the 2020 election being fraudulent, according to the WSJ.

Inflation Still Biting Homebuyers as Headline Number Falls

November 16, 2023November 15, 2023 Virginia Star Staff

The price of shelter increased substantially in October despite topline month-to-month inflation remaining flat, dashing many Americans’ dreams of buying a home, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Inflation decelerated to 3.2% in October, down from 3.7% in September, owing to substantial deflation in the price of energy, but the shelter sector individually had prices increase by 5.5% for the year. Since the beginning of 2021, when President Joe Biden first took office, home prices have risen 29%, rents are up 17% and mortgage rates have neared 8%, according to the WSJ.

Near-Record Number of Illegal Immigrants Are Crossing the Northern Border

Border Patrol encounters of migrants crossing the northern border illegally hit a two-decade high in October, according to recently updated Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.

There were 1,521 such encounters recorded in October alone, according to the data. The last time monthly encounters surpassed that number was in August 2001, when Border Patrol recorded 2,016, according to federal data.

Commentary: NewsGuard Is a Surrogate the Feds Pay to Keep Watch on the Internet and Be a Judge of the Truth

November 16, 2023 RealClearWire

In May 2021, L. Gordon Crovitz, a media executive turned start-up investor, pitched Twitter executives on a powerful censorship tool.

In an exchange that came to light in the “Twitter Files” revelations about media censorship, Crovitz, former publisher of the Wall Street Journal, touted his product, NewsGuard, as a “Vaccine Against Misinformation.” His written pitch highlighted a “separate product” – beyond an extension already on the Microsoft Edge browser – “for internal use by content-moderation teams.” Crovitz promised an out-of-the-box tool that would use artificial intelligence powered by NewsGuard algorithms to rapidly screen content based on hashtags and search terms the company associated with dangerous content.

YoungkinWatch: Governor’s Allies Retain Virginia House Leadership Positions Despite GOP Losses

November 16, 2023November 15, 2023 Tom Pappert

The Republican members of the Virginia House of Delegates chose legislators considered allies of Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) for party leadership last Sunday, including one who spent over $500,000 to win a district considered safe for Republicans after Virginia’s 2021 redistricting.

Virginia Republicans chose House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) to become the party’s new Minority Leader in the House of Delegates, and Delegate Amanda Batten (R-York) will retain her position as the Republican Caucus Chair.

Citigroup Set to Begin Massive Layoffs

One of the U.S.’ top banks will begin massive layoffs on Wednesday in a corporate overhaul as the company seeks to trim its operating expenses to levels more in line with its competitors, according to CNBC.

Citigroup will begin cutting employees on Wednesday, with new terminations continuing to be announced through next week, affecting some chiefs of staff, managing directors and lower-level employees, according to CNBC. Following the initial round of layoffs, more employees in less senior positions are expected to be dismissed in February, with the layoffs being expected to be fully completed by March 2024.

Oklahoma Supreme Court Keeps Block on Three State Laws Restricting Abortion

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled against three of the state’s pro-life laws Tuesday, arguing that they would inhibit a woman’s right under the state constitution to get an abortion to protect her health, according to court documents.

The three laws in question require doctors to be board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and requiring doctors to perform an ultrasound 72 hours before administering any drugs used to initiate an abortion, according to the Associated Press. Several pro-abortion groups including Planned Parenthood (PP) and the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) sued the state, arguing the laws were unconstitutional and the state Supreme Court agreed to place a temporary halt while the lawsuit runs its course, according to the ruling.

Commentary: The Demographics of Polarization

Women around the world are having fewer than two children. But while population decline is well underway in most nations, there are a handful of nations that are still experiencing a population explosion. The implications of this challenge the foundations of cultural and national independence, most particularly in nations whose populations have stopped reproducing. The nations still experiencing rapid population growth have cultural traditions that stand in stark contrast to the nations with stable and declining populations. These profound demographic and cultural differences, when combined with a massive and ongoing transfer of people from high birth-rate nations into low birth-rate nations, introduces the potential for polarization on an almost unimaginable scale.

Dem-Controlled FCC Votes in Favor of New Rules to Combat ‘Digital Discrimination’ in Broadband Access

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed a vote related to “preventing digital discrimination” in accessing broadband internet at a meeting on Wednesday.

The FCC, which has three Democratic commissioners and two Republicans, voted along party lines in favor of a notice of proposed rulemaking Wednesday at the meeting to tackle “digital discrimination,” based on President Joe Biden’s 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr asserts the rules would massively increase the commission’s regulatory authority to almost all facets of internet service.

Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Tussle with Police Outside DNC Headquarters

November 15, 2023 Just the News

A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed with police on Wednesday evening outside of the Democratic National Committee headquarters demanding a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.

Hunter Biden Asks Judge to Subpoena Donald Trump, Ex-Justice Department Officials in Criminal Case

November 15, 2023November 15, 2023 Just the News

First son Hunter Biden on Wednesday asked the federal judge presiding over his criminal case in Delaware to approve subpoenas of former President Donald Trump and his former top Justice Department officials as he argues that his investigation was the result of “incessant, improper, and partisan pressure” from the former president and his allies.

The court filing asked U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, a Trump appointee, to subpoena the former president, former Attorney General Bill Barr, former acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue and former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, according to NBC News.

Dr. Malone: Pfizer and Moderna Committed Fraud by Not Disclosing to Regulators COVID Jabs Contaminated with DNA Fragments

Pfizer and Moderna’s lack of transparency regarding DNA contamination in its COVID-19 shots “meets the criteria for evidence of fraud,” according to the doctor who invented the mRNA vaccine technology upon which the products are based.

“They [Pfizer and Moderna] absolutely did know about the existence of SV40 sequences,” vaccinologist Dr. Robert Malone told Republican lawmakers during a livestream House hearing Monday. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) led the event to examine injuries and deaths caused by COVID-19 vaccinations.

New York Post Op-Ed: It’s Time to Declare War on Campus Hate as Shocking Antisemitism Explodes

November 15, 2023 Admin

New York Post Even as war continues to rage in Gaza, there already is much talk about the “day after,” meaning what happens there when the guns go quiet. The chatter assumes Israel will rout Hamas and that a new entity will fill the governing vacuum. Finding a solution is…

Soros-Backed Virginia Prosecutor Who Jailed Parent of Bathroom Assault Victim Loses Reelection by Just 300 Votes

November 15, 2023 Tom Pappert

Election officials determined on Tuesday that embattled Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj (D) narrowly lost her re-election. Biberaj fell short in her bid for a third term to challenger Bob Anderson, a Republican who served in the position from 1996 through 2003, by exactly 300 votes. Anderson received 68,068 votes – or 49.92 percent of the total – compared to Biberaj, who received 67,768 votes – or 49.7 percent of the total. A total of 518 voters wrote in a candidate for their ballots.

VA Top Story: Miyares’ PAC Targets 2024 Prosecutor Races Across the Country

November 15, 2023November 14, 2023 Admin

Miyares’ PAC Targets 2024 Prosecutor Races Across the Country

November 15, 2023November 14, 2023 The Center Square

A PAC founded by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares supported some winning prosecutorial candidates in the most recent elections, and plans to keep building momentum throughout 2024.

The mission of the Protecting Americans Action Fund is to help conservative, “enforce-the-law” prosecutors defeat liberal, “social justice” prosecutors – often backed by billionaire and Democratic financier George Soros – in elections to state offices across the country.

Top Commentary: The Department of Defense Needs to Defend Our Border

November 15, 2023 Admin

Report: Border Crisis May Cost U.S. Taxpayers $451 Billion

November 15, 2023November 14, 2023 The Center Square

The influx of migrants across the country’s southern border could cost taxpayers $451 billion, a report released Monday by the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee says.

The fourth report released by the committee says that the tab includes housing, education, property damage done by migrants, law enforcement and health care costs.

TSNN Featured: State Bar of Arizona Finds Probable Cause in Investigation of Kari Lake’s Attorney, He Expects to Be Disbarred

November 15, 2023 Admin

Migrant Encounters at the Southern Border Remain at Record Levels in October

Federal authorities recorded 240,988 migrant encounters at the southern border in October, sustaining record highs seen under the Biden administration, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data released Tuesday.

The number of encounters along the southern border in September totaled 269,735, marking the highest month on record. CBP recorded 232,963 and 183,479 encounters in August and July, respectively, according to agency data.

Commentary: The Department of Defense Needs to Defend Our Border

Thomas Friedman recently said something interesting: “The euphoric rampage of Oct. 7 that killed some 1,400 soldiers and civilians has not only hardened Israeli hearts toward the suffering of Gaza civilians. It has also inflicted a deep sense of humiliation and guilt on the Israeli Army and defense establishment, for having failed in their most basic mission of protecting the country’s borders.”

The humiliation and guilt do not seem universal. Our military and defense leadership do not seem to feel any responsibility for the border crisis. They certainly feel no shame for this egregious and ongoing insult to American sovereignty. For them, the military is reserved for events around the globe, even though most of these far-flung campaigns have only a tangential relationship to actual American security.

YoungkinWatch: Democrat Memo Claims Party Won Virginia Because of Focus on Governor’s ‘Presidential Ambitions’

November 15, 2023November 14, 2023 Tom Pappert

A memo released by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) on Monday credited Virginia Democrats’ recent electoral victories to the party’s commitment to state issues that impact voters in the Commonwealth of Virginia, primarily abortion, as well as the media’s simultaneous focus on the “presidential ambitions” of Governor Glenn Youngkin (R).

In the memo, DLCC Interim President Heather Williams wrote, “while national pundits focused on Governor Youngkin and his presidential ambitions,” Democrats sought to make the election “about state power and the future” of abortion.

Music Spotlight: Lee Roy Parnell

November 15, 2023November 16, 2023 Bethany Bowman

Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/guitarist Lee Roy Parnell is a musical maverick with an ever-evolving sound that grew alongside him.

Growing up in rural Texas, Parnell’s dad’s best friend, Bob Wills, was the legendary founder of Western Swing.

Biden Admin Unveils New Tools to Counter Antisemitism, Islamophobia in Schools

The Biden administration announced new resources on Tuesday to counter antisemitism and Islamophobia at schools across the U.S. following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, according to a White House press release.

College students signed letters blaming Israel for the Hamas terrorist attacks and multiple student groups led pro-Palestinian protests with imagery associated with violence against Israel. The White House released a series of guides and resources to “help protect students, engage school and university leaders, and foster safe and supportive learning environments.”

Nearly 60 Percent of Muslim Americans Polled Say Hamas Is ‘Somewhat Justified’ in Israel Attack

November 15, 2023 The Center Square

As pro-Palestinian protestors descended on Austin and other cities over the weekend, following a “day-of-rage” protests last month, a new poll reveals that a majority of Muslim-Americans surveyed – 57.5% – think the Islamic terrorist organization Hamas “was justified in attacking Israel as part of their struggle for a Palestinian state.”

Hamas, the acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement), was designated by the U.S. State Department as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. “It is the largest and most capable militant group in the Palestinian territories and one of the territories’ two major political parties,” according to the National Counterterrorism Center.

Commentary: The General Education Act Renews Liberal Education in America

November 15, 2023 RealClearWire

On Nov. 16, the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal in North Carolina, and the National Association of Scholars in New York City (I serve on the board) will host online, Recentering our Universities, to release to the public The General Education Act. The GEA is a detailed model bill directing the establishment of Schools of General Education at public universities. Written by EPPC’s Stanley Kurtz, the Martin Center’s Jenna Robinson, and NAS’s David Randall, the model legislation sets forth guiding principles, basic courses, institutional structure, funding exigencies, and a timetable for implementation of centers of true liberal education.

Weed Advocates Are Ramping Up Lobbying Efforts and Notching Wins