GET THE APP
Sunday, November 23, 2025

Category: News

schlapp
May 26, 2023
News

REPORT: Schlapps Considered Dumping Trump Over Immigration.

Sordid details about the “booze-fueled” life of American Conservative Union (ACU) Chairman and Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) honcho Matt Schlapp have come to light in a new book that the long-time Republican lobbyist co-operated for.

In The Big Break: The Gamblers, Party Animals, and True Believers Trying to Win in Washington While America Loses Its Mind, author Ben Terris spent time with Schlapp and his network, discovering details of the private life of one of the most prominent conservatives in the United States. Moreover, Terris reveals that Matt Schlapp and his wife Mercedes almost ditched their support for President Donald Trump due to his hardline stance on immigration (Mercedes is of Cuban origin) and the Access Hollywood tapes.

In one strange tale, Schlapp is said to have been cut off from his alcohol by his own young daughter, after he threatened to break into Disney World and “raid the Magic Kingdom”.

The details have been published in the Daily Mail, and come just one day after The National Pulse exclusively revealed the resignation of one of Schlapp’s closest allies Bob Beauprez. The former Congressman and ACU treasurer said there is a “cancer” at the heart of the organization and pointed to alleged financial mismanagement, as well as a recent massive staff exodus from the group.

One close associate, Ross Hemminger, told the book author that Schlapp is “conflicted” over the subject of homosexuality.

“You think he picks a gay vice president?” Matt said to colleagues of Senator Tim Scott, who is unmarried and childless, but never come out as gay. “You think that’s going to work out great? I’m okay with it, if you’re okay with it?”

Schlapp recently said transgender athlete Lia Thomas “deserves our compassion” and referred to the “trans woman” as a “she/her”.

show less
Sordid details about the "booze-fueled" life of American Conservative Union (ACU) Chairman and Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) honcho Matt Schlapp have come to light in a new book that the long-time Republican lobbyist co-operated for. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
Where to start with this? The Daily Mail article contains a LOT of nods to certain behavior Schlapp is known for
for exclusive members-only insights
Where to start with this? The Daily Mail article contains a LOT of nods to certain behavior Schlapp is known for show more
for exclusive members-only insights
cycling
May 26, 2023
Jack Montgomery
News

Cycling Body Bans ‘Trans Women’ from Female Competition, Establishes ‘Non Binary’ Contest.

British Cycling, the national governing body for cycling in Great Britain, has instituted a ban on “trans women” (biological men) competing against natural-born women, abolishing the Men’s category in favor of an ‘Open’ category so that they and people who claim to be “non-binary” can compete there instead.

“Transgender women, transgender men, non-binary individuals and those whose sex was assigned male at birth will be eligible to compete in the ‘Open’ category,” the sporting body explained in the announcement for its new policy, adding that natural women will also be able to compete in this category “if they so wish.”

The “Female” category, on the other hand, will be exclusively “for those whose sex was assigned female at birth,” i.e. natural women, and “transgender men who are yet to begin hormone therapy,” i.e biological females who believe themselves to be men but have not begun taking testosterone.

The policy will pose challenges for transgenderism advocates who have argued that biological males have no advantage over biological women in sports, given competition between the sexes will be the norm in the ‘Open’ category.

It also poses challenges to the likes of Rachel McKinnon, a “trans woman” who previously accused female cyclists of “poor sportsmanship” after beating them for world championships.

McKinnon and his allies have long argued “trans women” should not be stopped from competing because “sport is a human right” – but the new British Cycling policy does not deprive him of his right to compete, only of his right to compete in a females-only category.

show less
British Cycling, the national governing body for cycling in Great Britain, has instituted a ban on "trans women" (biological men) competing against natural-born women, abolishing the Men's category in favor of an 'Open' category so that they and people who claim to be "non-binary" can compete there instead. show more
jill biden
May 26, 2023
Jack Montgomery
News

‘Please Clap!’ – Jill Biden Stunned By Silence During Speech.

First Lady Jill Biden suffered embarrassment at the Reagan Institute Summit on Education when an “applause line” fell flat, resulting in her actively requesting that her audience clap.

“I’ve visited red states and blue states and I’ve found that the common values that unite us are deeper than our divisions,” said the 71-year-old at the event, pausing and clasping her hands together in expectation of applause but being met by silence.

“And, um – I thought you might clap for that,” Jill Biden added awkwardly, prompting laughter and a short burst of dutiful applause.

Such classic lines about Americans being more similar than different may be failing to resonate in the post-2016 era, with Democrats and liberals, in particular, appearing to be more intolerant of people who do not share their views.

AEI has found that while over half of Republicans have Democrat friends, less than a third of Democrats say they have Republican friends, for example, and Democrats are also roughly three times more likely than Republicans to “unfriend” people on social media for not sharing their politics.

show less
First Lady Jill Biden suffered embarrassment at the Reagan Institute Summit on Education when an "applause line" fell flat, resulting in her actively requesting that her audience clap. show more
desantis
May 26, 2023
Jack Montgomery
News

Shakedown: Florida State Employees Demand Donations for DeSantis from Lobbyists Seeking Influence.

Taxpayer-funded, state officials working for Governor Ron DeSantis have been soliciting presidential campaign donations from lobbyists who have business in front of the Governor’s office, according to the Republican lobbyists themselves.

“What the f— am I supposed to do?” one lobbyist told NBC, “I have a lot of business in front of the DeSantis administration.”

The shakedowns come at a time when the Governor still has to act on the state budget, and lobbyists are scrambling to obtain their provisions, carve-outs, and budgeted items.

Campaign fundraising is also typically a job for political staffers, not state employees. But at least four state employees have been sending lobbyists messages asking them to pitch in to DeSantis’s presidential fund “through a specific link that appeared to track who is giving”.

The solicitations raise legal questions, and will depend on such factors as “whether they were sent on state-owned phones, or if they were sent on state property.”

Ron DeSantis launched his presidential campaign this week after months of denial, and having been re-elected by Florida voters just 5 months prior. While out of state, he will be deputized by Lt. Gov Jeanette Nunez, who has referred to Donald Trump as a “KKK” supporter, and a “con-man”.

“The bottom line is that the administration appears to be keeping tabs on who is giving, and are doing it using state staff,” one local lobbyist explained.

“You are in a prisoner’s dilemma. They are going to remain in power. We all understand that,” they added, suggesting there are fears of repercussions against lobbyists who do not contribute.

show less
Taxpayer-funded, state officials working for Governor Ron DeSantis have been soliciting presidential campaign donations from lobbyists who have business in front of the Governor's office, according to the Republican lobbyists themselves. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
It’s the sort of self-dealing you might expect from Jeb (pictured), and Cruz-world, where so many DeSantis staffers come from
for exclusive members-only insights
It’s the sort of self-dealing you might expect from Jeb (pictured), and Cruz-world, where so many DeSantis staffers come from show more
for exclusive members-only insights
pandemic treaty
May 26, 2023
Jack Montgomery
News

Lawmakers Warn Pandemic Treaty Hands WHO Power on Lockdowns, Vaccines, Quarantine.

British lawmakers say a new pandemic treaty will give the United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO) the power to impose lockdowns on signatories, despite corporate media claims to the contrary.

The Associated Press has suggested that “while the treaty, if ratified, would be considered a legally-binding document, there [would be] effectively no legal consequences for signatories who fail to adhere to it or violate its terms”.

But British Members of Parliament warn the pandemic treaty powers can’t be so easily ignored, with signatories obliged to submit to “WHO’s recommendations in their international public health response” by, for example, closing down borders, imposing vaccine passports on citizens, and enforcing quarantine requirements on them.

A letter from UK lawmakers discusses the WHO’s “ambition” in transitioning “from an advisory organization to a controlling international authority” like the European Union. Esther McVey MP told the Telegraph the plans “represent a significant shift for the organization, from a member-led advisory body to a health authority with powers of compulsion.”

“This is particularly worrying when you consider the WHO’s poor track record on providing consistent, clear and scientifically sound advice for managing international disease outbreaks,” she added.

show less
British lawmakers say a new pandemic treaty will give the United Nations' World Health Organization (WHO) the power to impose lockdowns on signatories, despite corporate media claims to the contrary. show more
dc crime
May 25, 2023
Jake Welch
News

‘Gun Free’ DC Sees 40% Rise in Arms Offences Since 2017.

Washington D.C. witnessed four shootings in a single night on April 21st, including one involving a 12-year-old girl. It was an evening emblematic of how gun violence continues soar in the city, despite it being a “gun free” zone that spends millions on “social justice.”

Gun violence in the nation’s capital has “increased significantly” over the past five years, with a 40 percent rise in offenses involving a gun since 2017. In 2017, there were 1573 violent offenses involving a firearm, whereas, in 2022, there were 2,203, according to Axios D.C.

The city’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) seized 3,152 guns in 2022 – over 800 more than in 2021 – 127 of which were modified to feature a fully automatic switch.

In general, D.C. has seen skyrocketing criminality in recent years, with back-to-back years with more than 200 murders between 2021 – 2022 for the first time since 2002 – 2003. There were more than 200 in 2022, 226 in 2021, and even 198 in 2020.

As of May 3, there has been a 26 percent increase in all crime this year compared to 2022, according to the MPD’s own statistics. These offenses include, homicide, sexual abuse, robbery, motor vehicle theft, carjackings, and arson.

The outgoing MPD Chief, Robert Contee, told CBS, “[t]here are a lot more guns are in communities now, a lot more guns than what we experienced over the course of my time here in the police department.”

Contee added that violent crime is often linked to illegal firearms – a growing problem as a result of the city’s stringent firearm policies.

Indeed, the Washington D.C. city council has enacted some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country. Washington D.C. requires all guns to be registered, there to have been a universal background check, gun owner licensing, handgun dealer licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine bans, waiting periods, child access prevention laws, open carry regulations, and strong concealed carry laws. In other words, guns are almost impossible to own in the city.

At the end of April, the Mayor of Washington D.C., Muriel Bowser, who was quoted as having “anxiety” about the growing D.C. criminality, announced a new “focused and community-centered” strategy that will help reduce the city’s crime rate.

The strategy shall include, increasing the visibility of police patrols, better use of personnel (greater unit availability), no “displacement” of crime, a “diffusion” of benefits, and providing a varied experience throughout the city.

MPD Chief Contee, however, argues that the real problem is the lack of police staff.  “Whether it’s D.C., New York, L.A., Detroit, Chicago, it doesn’t matter,” says Contee, “everybody is having this struggle when it comes to recruiting and retaining police officers.”

In other words: the left’s demonization of cops over the past decade has directly led to more death and suffering.

show less
Washington D.C. witnessed four shootings in a single night on April 21st, including one involving a 12-year-old girl. It was an evening emblematic of how gun violence continues soar in the city, despite it being a "gun free" zone that spends millions on "social justice." show more
desaster
May 25, 2023
Jake Welch
News

How the World Reported Ron’s Twitter Space ‘DeSaster’.

Ron DeSantis’s claim that he broke the internet during his campaign launch “because so many people were excited about being on the Twitter space” has failed to catch on both at home and abroad. The spin flopped after an even larger Twitter Space with Trump world advisors and influencers achieved around double the listenership immediately after the Florida Governor’s botched launch on Wednesday night.

The campaign launch was led by Hillary Clinton donor David Sacks alongside Elon Musk on Twitter last night. The first 20 minutes were mostly dead air and saw the app crash and fail several times. Audiences were left in a state of total confusion, with many leaving when they heard nothing, and never coming back.

The vast majority of the coverage across the world has been negative, with words such as “incompetent,” “disastrous,” and meltdown being used to describe it.

A Sampling of the Headlines:

The Guardian (United Kingdom) – Failure to Launch: Twitter glitches deal double blow to Elon Musk and Ron DeSantis.”

Sky News (United Kingdom) – “Ron DeSantis claims campaign launch ‘broke the internet’ – but did it hint at an incompetent candidate from the off?”

Frankfurter Allgemeine (Germany) – “A found food for Trump” which is a German idiom. Translated, it refers to something that one can exploit or use to one’s advantage, especially with a sense of opportunism. A more contextually accurate translation might be, “A golden opportunity for Trump” or “easy pickings for Trump.”

9 News Australia – “‘Disaster’: Twitter meltdown derails presidential campaign launch.”

Franceinfo – “Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign launch turns into a fiasco and draws mockery from Donald Trump.”

Arab News – “Twitter meltdown mars DeSantis’ launch of 2024 GOP presidential bid to challenge White House.”

Al Jazeera – “DeSantis launches US presidential bid in glitch-filled broadcast.”

SOHU (China) – “DeSantis’ candidacy announcement tripped up by Twitter glitch: live stream disconnected multiple times, Trump mocks ‘disaster scene.”

Mainichi (Japan) – “DeSantis, Mask and ‘run-off delivery’: connection failure disrupts stakes.”

Reuters – “Ron DeSantis joins White House race, tripped up by chaotic Twitter launch.”

CBC (Canada) – DeSantis kicks off 2024 U.S. presidential campaign after Twitter event plagues by technical problems.”

show less
Ron DeSantis's claim that he broke the internet during his campaign launch "because so many people were excited about being on the Twitter space" has failed to catch on both at home and abroad. The spin flopped after an even larger Twitter Space with Trump world advisors and influencers achieved around double the listenership immediately after the Florida Governor's botched launch on Wednesday night. show more
deports
May 25, 2023
Jake Welch
News

UK’s ‘Conservative’ Govt Deports LOWEST EVER Number of Failed Asylum Seekers, Foreign Criminals.

The United Kingdom (UK) refused entry to tens of thousands of failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals in 2022, as well actively deporting around 3,500: the lowest number on record.

According to the House of Commons Library, there were 74,751 asylum claims registered last year, raising the overall asylum caseload to 166,100 cases – double that of 2014.

Of those, more than 100,000 were still “awaiting an initial decision,” and another 4,900 were “awaiting the outcome of an appeal.”

As of 2022, the UK’s asylum refusal rate was at its lowest point since 1990, with less than one-quarter – 23 percent – of cases being refused, resulting in deportation.

In 2022 almost half of the asylum seekers – 44 percent – who had their application refused were able to appeal and have the initial decision reversed, according to the UK Refugee Council.

Germany has a refusal rate of 48.5 percent, in comparison. France has a first instance refusal rate of 82 percent. The last time the UK was anywhere near that number was 2004.

The UK has become a “last resort” for failed asylum seekers, argues Migration Watch UK.

“This is a total failure,” states former UKIP and Brexit Party Leader Nigel Farage.

This news comes as net migration to the UK is now the highest on record at around 606,000.

show less
The United Kingdom (UK) refused entry to tens of thousands of failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals in 2022, as well actively deporting around 3,500: the lowest number on record. show more
cnn
May 25, 2023
Jack Montgomery
News

CNN to Host Pence for Jan 6 Struggle Session Town Hall.

CNN has announced a Republican Presidential Town Hall with Mike Pence in June – though the former vice president is yet to officially declare his candidacy for the Republican nomination.

Pence, 63, will appear from Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa on  Wednesday, June 7th, at 9 p.m. ET, for an event moderated by Dana Bash.

The CNN press release announcing the town hall emphasizes that Pence and his former president had “a public falling out” over January 6th, and that Pence has “said the Republican Party needs to move on from Trump.”

Given this framing, the town hall is likely to take on the characteristics of a struggle session, with Bash, who has made disparaging remarks about what she terms “Trump’s 2020 election lies”, likely to press Pence to repudiate Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was “rigged”.

Trump repeated these accusations at his own CNN town hall earlier this month, criticizing Pence for certifying votes from states where he regarded the results as questionable instead of sending them back their legislatures for reexamination.

“Mike Pence… says that you endangered his life on that day… do you feel that you owe him an apology?” asked that town hall’s moderator, Kaitlan Collins.

“No, because he did something wrong. He should have put the votes back to the state legislatures,” Trump said.

“I like Mike Pence very much. He’s a very fine man. He’s a very nice man. He made a mistake,” he added.

“Mike had the right to do it. They convinced him he didn’t, and it was a horrible thing for our country.”

Pence, who insists Trump “was wrong that day”, has said he will decide whether or not to make a play for the presidency “before the month of June is out.”

show less
CNN has announced a Republican Presidential Town Hall with Mike Pence in June – though the former vice president is yet to officially declare his candidacy for the Republican nomination. show more
cpac
May 25, 2023
Raheem J. Kassam
News

EXC: CPAC Treasurer Resigns Alleging ‘Cancer in Organization Metastasizing for Years’.

The National Pulse has seen a copy of a 13-page resignation letter from former Member of Congress and recent American Conservative Union (ACU) Treasurer Bob Beauprez. The ACU is the parent organization of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), considered a powerful organization on the political right since its inception in 1974.

The organization has been run by former Bush appointee Matt Schlapp, a lobbyist for big tech firms as well as pharmaceuticals giants, since 2014.

Finances.

The letter – sent on May 23rd to Schlapp and all other members of the board – begins with Mr. Beauprez declaring “I cannot deliver a financial report at the upcoming board meeting with any confidence in the accuracy of the numbers,” before going on to reveal a “mass exodus of staff shortly before and immediately after CPAC 2023.”

He had served in the role for eight years, almost as long as Schlapp, and was considered a key Schlapp ally on the board.

The letter also establishes that the organizations chief financial officer was recently removed from his post and replaced with Schlapp’s friend Frank Sadler, campaign manager for failed presidential candidate Carly Fiorina. The subject of financial rectitude is an overarching theme of the letter, which also contains the personal and private information of ACU staff and board members, as well as allegedly maligned young staff members.

Staff ‘in Therapy’, ‘On Drugs’.

“Over three years ago I had become quite concerned about the obvious unease, frustration, palpable tension and anxiety among staff, and high rate of turnover. Even from the outside, it was clear that things were not going well,” Beauprez wrote.

Details of the matters include: “more than a few [staff] have succumbed to professional therapists and prescription drugs. There are reports of staff escaping to the restroom and being discovered crying openly. One employee became so despondent that she stepped away from a group of friends at a restaurant and was later rescued outside on the street walking aimlessly in traffic.”

Compliance.

The document also asserts the organization under Schlapp’s stewardship is not in compliance with a number of its own bylaws, and warns about potential investigation by district attorneys. Beauprez stunningly warns: “…in some cases, our operating procedures are in direct conflict with our own bylaws. Thus, [we’re] feeding red meat to the lions!”

The letter and the further investigations it is likely to spark will concern the other members of the board, which includes the Leadership Institute’s Morton Blackwell, the Young America’s Foundation’s Ron Robinson, as well as donors such as Elaine Beck, and ex-NRA President Carolyn Meadows.

The CPAC event this year in Washington, D.C. was sparsely attended. Once drawing over 10,000 people, the 2023 event scarcely reached 2,500 attendees.

 

 

show less
The National Pulse has seen a copy of a 13-page resignation letter from former Member of Congress and recent American Conservative Union (ACU) Treasurer Bob Beauprez. The ACU is the parent organization of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), considered a powerful organization on the political right since its inception in 1974. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
The reason this is important is that the ACU was first set up in 1974, and is still a potentially influential pressure group, conference, and conservative ratings organization
for exclusive members-only insights
The reason this is important is that the ACU was first set up in 1974, and is still a potentially influential pressure group, conference, and conservative ratings organization show more
for exclusive members-only insights