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Category: Politics
March 16, 2024
Economy
Politics

You Won’t Be Getting an Uber, Nor a Lyft, In Minneapolis Anymore. Here’s Why.

Uber and Lyft have pledged to suspend operations in Minneapolis following a year-long dispute with city officials over driver compensation. Last August, the Minneapolis city council passed legislation mandating Uber and Lyft to pay drivers a minimum of $1.40 per mile and $0.51 per minute. Per the city’s estimates, these rates would ensure drivers earn a minimum wage of $15.57 after costs. The new rules would also see drivers being paid while waiting, rather than, as currently, only being paid once they have a passenger.

Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed the measure, asserting it required more refinement. The council members nonetheless introduced another resolution which was approved last week after a 9-4 vote. The city council then proceeded to overrule the Mayor’s veto on Thursday.

Lyft spokesperson CJ Macklin announced the company’s decision to cease operations in Minneapolis when the law comes into force on May 1. Uber, expressing its disappointment, echoed a similar sentiment. The companies have previously challenged minimum wage rules and other legislation in various cities across the U.S, and treated their drivers as independent contractors, thereby not providing employee benefits like health insurance or paid sick leave.

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Uber and Lyft have pledged to suspend operations in Minneapolis following a year-long dispute with city officials over driver compensation. Last August, the Minneapolis city council passed legislation mandating Uber and Lyft to pay drivers a minimum of $1.40 per mile and $0.51 per minute. Per the city's estimates, these rates would ensure drivers earn a minimum wage of $15.57 after costs. The new rules would also see drivers being paid while waiting, rather than, as currently, only being paid once they have a passenger. show more
March 16, 2024
Corruption
Crime
News
Politics

Impeachment Investigators Subpoena Over a Decade of Hunter Biden Phone Records.

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed AT&T for 13 years of Hunter Biden’s phone records.

“The Oversight Committee has identified payments made by Hunter Biden for what appear to be bills associated with his own use, and a cellphone line for his father’s use,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer wrote in a letter to AT&T.

“Based on records reviewed by the Committees, the total amount paid by Hunter Biden for his father’s use appears to be over $15,000, which was for a personal line Joe Biden utilized while Vice President.”

Critical testimony in the impeachment inquiry comes from Devon Archer, a business associate of Hunter Biden at Ukrainian gas company Burisma Holdings. Archer testified Hunter would put his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, on the phone during business meetings with some regularity, and there is suspicion the elder Biden used his political influence to protect his son’s business interests in Ukraine.

Investigators seek to establish whether Joe Biden communicated with his son’s business associates and whether specific calls coincided with certain business meetings.

“The subpoenaed records will help the Oversight Committee determine whether Joe Biden abused his office by selling access and/or by receiving payments or other benefits in exchange for official acts, which is a critical aspect of the impeachment inquiry,” Comer explained.

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The Republican-led House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed AT&T for 13 years of Hunter Biden's phone records. show more
March 16, 2024
Ed Kozak
Corruption
NatSec
News
Politics

CCP Hacked U.S. Nuke Firm Ahead of Hunter Biden’s Involvement in Chinese Bid to Acquire It.

U.S. officials identified efforts by Beijing to hack American nuclear reactor technology several months before Hunter Biden and his business associates attempted to facilitate a discreet sale of U.S. reactor company Westinghouse to Chinese firm CEFC China Energy.

CHINESE ESPIONAGE.

Twenty months before Hunter Biden’s efforts to help the CCP-linked company acquire Westinghouse, the Justice Department charged five operatives of the People’s Liberation Army’s Unit 61398 with hacking the systems of several U.S. companies, including Westinghouse.

One operative allegedly accessed Westinghouse’s system and procured proprietary technical and design specifications relating to the company’s advanced AP1000 nuclear reactor design.

There are no indications that Hunter Biden was conscious of or implicated in the Chinese hacking endeavors. However, records from the Biden impeachment proceeding show that the Biden family recognized CEFC’s CCP ties. Hunter Biden referred to one CEFC official — Patrick Ho — as the “f***ing spy chief” of China.

“JOE BIDEN KNEW ABOUT IT.”

“It’s beyond outrageous that Hunter Biden would be involved in any such deal with Communist China while his father is the sitting vice president,” former Trump-era Deputy National Security Advisor Victoria Coates said in an interview. “I mean just the glaring conflicts of interest are hard to wrap your brain around. But particularly with Westinghouse.”

Hunter Biden’s involvement in the CEFC bid occurred while Joe Biden was Vice President. “I think it’s likely (Joe Biden) got defensive briefings,” Fred Fleitz, a former CIA officer and NSC chief of staff, told Just the News. “I think he probably received information in the Presidential Daily Brief when he was vice president that had profiles of some of these characters and analyses of things that they were up to. But it didn’t seem to stop them.”

“It seems that the Biden family was prepared to sell anything wasn’t nailed down to advance themselves to make money,” Flietz said. “I don’t think this was a conspiracy to help the Chinese Communist Party. I think this was pure greed, by the Biden family.” He added: “I think Joe Biden knew about it.”

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U.S. officials identified efforts by Beijing to hack American nuclear reactor technology several months before Hunter Biden and his business associates attempted to facilitate a discreet sale of U.S. reactor company Westinghouse to Chinese firm CEFC China Energy. show more
March 16, 2024
Election Integrity
News
Politics
UK

London’s Sadiq Khan: ‘I Could Lose’ Re-Election Because of UK’s New Voter ID Requirements.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has expressed concern that new voter identification regulations could potentially hinder his re-election chances. Writing for the Russian oligarch-owned ‘Independent‘, Khan begins: “I am under no illusion: I could lose,” before explaining: “Many people don’t realise yet that the Tory government has changed the voting system to make it much more likely that their candidate will win.”

Britain introduced voter ID requirements for the first time in 2022, which the far-left Labour Party bemoaned as a “blatant attempt to rig democracy in favour of the Conservative Party.”

“New rules making it compulsory to have an approved form of ID – a deliberate attempt to reduce turnout – also puts the election on a knife-edge,” Khan wrote in a statement for the Independent. “Analysis shows more than 900,000 Londoners – likely to include large numbers of young people and those from minority communities – might not have valid ID and will thus be barred from exercising their democratic right to vote,” he continued.

Khan criticized his rival, Susan Hall, for her “hard Brexit” stance and for opposing his initiatives on air quality and climate change. “I’ve always stood up for London’s open, outward-looking, pro-European and anti-racist values – as well as for climate science, women’s rights, our diversity, our LGBT+ community, and liberal democracy,” Khan wrote.

London residents are set to vote for their preferred leader in six weeks, with Khan presently enjoying a significant lead in the polls. The YouGov/Mile End Institute Poll shows Khan leading at 49 percent, with his nearest opponent, Conservative Susan Hall, trailing at 24 percent.

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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has expressed concern that new voter identification regulations could potentially hinder his re-election chances. Writing for the Russian oligarch-owned 'Independent', Khan begins: "I am under no illusion: I could lose," before explaining: "Many people don’t realise yet that the Tory government has changed the voting system to make it much more likely that their candidate will win." show more
March 15, 2024
Election 2024
News
Politics

Arab, Muslim Americans Reject White House Meeting.

Leaders from the Palestinian American, Arab American, and Muslim communities rejected an invitation to meet with several top-ranking White House officials in Chicago on Thursday.

The community leaders expressed their stand in a letter with nearly 50 signatories published on the Council on American-Islamic Relations website. “There is no point in more meetings. The White House already knows the position of the aforementioned groups and our allies across the nation,” the leaders wrote.

“They know because we have made it abundantly clear, including in prior meetings with the White House, but also in press statements, letters to our elected leaders, media interviews, and enormous street action within earshot of the Oval Office,” the letter said.

The refusal follows a series of meeting rejections by Arab and Muslim groups across the country. Citing frustration over the Gaza war, which has resulted in over 30,000 Palestinian deaths since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, these groups declined participation in several key meetings, including a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and another with President Joe Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez.

The Biden government’s support for Israel is seeing Arab and Muslim Americans and progressives abandon their support for Biden in droves. The Democratic primary in Michigan saw the anti-Biden “uncommitted” protest vote take 13 percent overall and beat the incumbent president in Wayne County, home to America’s largest Arab population.

“With a genocide that has flattened Gaza, forcibly displacing 85 percent of its residents, and claiming the lives of 31,000 people, 13,000 of whom are children, the White House has not only refused to call for a ceasefire, but also enabled this blatant campaign of ethnic cleansing to take place by providing financial and military means, as well as diplomatic support at the United Nations,” the letter reads. “A meeting of the minds is nowhere in sight.”

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Leaders from the Palestinian American, Arab American, and Muslim communities rejected an invitation to meet with several top-ranking White House officials in Chicago on Thursday. show more
March 15, 2024
Election 2024
Politics

Biden’s Attorneys Demand Republicans End Impeachment Inquiry.

The Biden government on Friday called upon House Republicans to cease their ongoing impeachment inquiry against the Democrat President, asserting the lack of evidence for high crimes and misdemeanors. In a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, White House counsel Edward N. Siskel argued that the impeachment process should conclude, citing significant tasks on the American agenda that require more attention than “wasting time on this charade.”

The GOP-led impeachment inquiry has encountered backlash following the indictment of a key witness. Alexander Smirnov is accused of fabricating allegations against Hunter Biden, the President’s son. The Smirnov indictment, however, is also fueling skepticism within Republican ranks. Some members are now questioning the feasibility of securing a majority vote if impeachment articles were to be brought to the House floor.

Despite the Smirnov setback, House impeachment managers — Reps. James Comer (R-KY), Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Jason Smith (R-MO) — appear committed to moving the effort forward. While remaining skeptical they can force a conclusion to the impeach inquiry, the Biden government believes the Smirnov indictment allows them to discredit revelations made by the Republican investigation that could have been otherwise damaging to the President ahead of the 2024 election.

This approach forms a part of President Biden’s aggressive strategy as he commences his re-election campaign against former President Donald J. Trump. Republicans, for now, remain committed to the inquiry, scheduling new interviews with Hunter Biden’s former business associates and requesting recordings from special counsel Robert K. Hur’s documents probe of President Biden.

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The Biden government on Friday called upon House Republicans to cease their ongoing impeachment inquiry against the Democrat President, asserting the lack of evidence for high crimes and misdemeanors. In a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, White House counsel Edward N. Siskel argued that the impeachment process should conclude, citing significant tasks on the American agenda that require more attention than “wasting time on this charade.” show more
March 15, 2024
Immigration
News
Politics

Dems Forced To Cut Healthcare Pledges As Illegals Fuel Soaring Costs.

Illinois lawmakers are signaling their intention to limit two state-funded health insurance programs that currently extend coverage to non-citizens and illegal immigrants. The decision comes after the programs saw skyrocketing costs — fueled by the invasion of illegal aliens at the southern border — surpassing initial projections. The cost of maintaining the Healthcare Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Seniors programs has exceeded $1 billion in the past year alone.

Starting April 1, the coverage will no longer include illegal immigrants and non-citizen green card holders who have resided in the U.S. for less than five years, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) announced. The HFS says it will ensure that individuals no longer qualifying for these benefits are briefed adequately about other viable coverage options, primarily through the federal ACA Marketplace. About 6,000 individuals are expected to be affected by the state’s coverage changes.

During a recent hearing, Healthcare and Family Services’ chief of staff Dana Kelly informed lawmakers that the state could save over $13 million by excising ineligible recipients. Cost overruns within the program have notably increased, outpacing estimates and surging past the $220 million allocated for FY 2024 in Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzer’s budget last year.

The unchecked flow of illegal aliens across the US southern border has put a strain on state budgets across the country. Some state-level Democrat lawmakers have broken with the Biden government and proposed ending sanctuary city and state status — as well as cutting aid programs that benefit illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, national Democrats aligned with President Biden have pushed back against efforts to crack down on the open southern border — and instead called for more federal aid to be given to illegal aliens.

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Illinois lawmakers are signaling their intention to limit two state-funded health insurance programs that currently extend coverage to non-citizens and illegal immigrants. The decision comes after the programs saw skyrocketing costs — fueled by the invasion of illegal aliens at the southern border — surpassing initial projections. The cost of maintaining the Healthcare Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Seniors programs has exceeded $1 billion in the past year alone. show more
March 14, 2024
Jack Montgomery
News
Politics
TECH

Is This Trump World Figure REALLY Going to Buy TikTok?

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced plans to assemble an investor group to purchase TikTok after the House of Representatives passed a bill requiring Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest.

“I think the legislation should pass and I think it should be sold,” Mnuchin told Squawk Box on Thursday. “It’s a great business and I’m going to put together a group to buy TikTok,” he said.

The bill is now heading to the Senate, where it faces some opposition from “libertarian” senators on the payroll of billionaire TikTok investor Jeffrey Yass, including Rand Paul.

However, it has broad bipartisan support, and even Joe Biden has signaled he is likely to sign the bill if it clears the upper chamber.

Mnuchin served under the Trump administration, which took action against TikTok over data security concerns. National Pulse reporter William Upton, who worked at the Treasury at the same time as Mnuchin, has explained the current bill is “exactly what we wanted.”

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Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced plans to assemble an investor group to purchase TikTok after the House of Representatives passed a bill requiring Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest. show more
March 14, 2024
Education
News
Politics

West Point Removes ‘Duty, Honor, Country’ from Mission Statement.

The United States Military Academy, commonly known as West Point, has removed the phrase “Duty, Honor, Country” from its mission statement. The modification, which took 18 months to complete, has been sanctioned by Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth and Army Chief of Staff Randy George.

West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steve Gilland claimed that the new mission statement — “To build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of professional excellence and service to the Army and Nation” — better aligns the Academy with the Army’s objectives.

The previous statement read: “To educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the United States Army.”

Gilland asserted that the phrase “Duty, Honor, Country,” added to the mission statement in 1998, remains integral to West Point’s culture and ethos despite its omission from the mission statement. West Point’s mission statement has seen nine revisions in the last century.

However, critics contend that the change in the mission statement is due to pressure from ‘woke’ politics. The Supreme Court recently decided to allow West Point to continue its race-based admissions practices.

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The United States Military Academy, commonly known as West Point, has removed the phrase “Duty, Honor, Country” from its mission statement. The modification, which took 18 months to complete, has been sanctioned by Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth and Army Chief of Staff Randy George. show more
Johnson Ukraine Funding
March 14, 2024
William Upton
Politics
War

Mike Johnson Said WHAT About Ukraine Funding!?

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is finalizing plans for a new bill that aims to increase U.S. funding for Ukraine’s defense measures, deviating from the recently approved $95 billion foreign aid package sent by the Senate. “I think it is a stand-alone, and I suspect it will need to be on suspension,” Johnson told POLITICO in an interview late on Thursday. He also indicated that separating funding for Ukraine and Israel was “under consideration.”

The new proposal could take the form of a potential loan or lend-lease program, an option also pitched by former President Donald Trump last month. The notion borrows a leaf from the playbook of former President Franklin Roosevelt’s early strategy during World War II.

Johnson is also considering a similar model to the REPO Act. Rep. Michael McCaul’s (R-TX) legislation would allow Biden government-seized Russian sovereign assets to be liquidated. The resulting funds would be channeled toward a Ukrainian support fund.

Despite these plans, Johnson indicated that Ukraine funding would be secondary in priority to domestic federal government funding for the remainder of the fiscal year. When asked if he would consider attaching Ukraine funding to the next round of government funding bills due by March 22, he said: “I don’t think leaders of either side of the aisle think that’s a viable option.”

The Republican House Speaker said he remains aligned with the more conservative members of his caucus — though many of those members continue to oppose additional funding for Ukraine. “Philosophically, I’ve always been aligned. It is the tactics that we disagree upon,” Johnson told POLITICO. He added: “I am a lifelong movement conservative, so there’s very little daylight between their core principles and mine. It’s the tactics that we have disagreements upon, but it’s never personal to me.”

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House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is finalizing plans for a new bill that aims to increase U.S. funding for Ukraine’s defense measures, deviating from the recently approved $95 billion foreign aid package sent by the Senate. “I think it is a stand-alone, and I suspect it will need to be on suspension,” Johnson told POLITICO in an interview late on Thursday. He also indicated that separating funding for Ukraine and Israel was “under consideration.” show more