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Category: Politics
December 6, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Politics

Winning: Anti-Paxton Texas Speaker Abandons Bid for Third Term Amid MAGA Backlash.

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan announced Friday that he is stepping aside in his bid for another term as leader. The move follows months of escalating criticism from MAGA conservatives within his party, who have sought to remove him from power and reshape the House’s leadership.

Phelan, who claimed he had the votes to fend off a challenge from former ally Rep. David Cook, withdrew just a day before the GOP caucus was set to choose its speaker nominee regardless. Infamously, Phelan assisted the failed plot to impeach and remove the Lone Star State’s America First Attorney General, Ken Paxton.

Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Phelan ally, is filing paperwork to run in his place. However, Burrows faces resistance from MAGA conservatives determined to elect a speaker without relying on Democratic votes—a hallmark of Phelan’s tenure.

“For the integrity of this chamber, I have decided to step aside,” Phelan said in a statement. Despite his claims of conservative accomplishments, critics accuse him of blocking key priorities and empowering Democrats through committee appointments and legislative delays.

Phelan’s position weakened after Attorney General Ken Paxton’s acquittal in the Senate, which many viewed as a rebuke of Phelan’s support for the impeachment. Further damage came from his perceived lack of support for school vouchers, a priority of Governor Greg Abbott, who backed efforts to unseat Phelan-aligned Republicans during primaries.

The state party’s MAGA wing has pushed for reforms such as barring Democrats from chairing committees and prioritizing Republican bills. These insurgents view Phelan’s departure as a chance to advance a stronger conservative agenda, aligning the House more closely with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s Senate.

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Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan announced Friday that he is stepping aside in his bid for another term as leader. The move follows months of escalating criticism from MAGA conservatives within his party, who have sought to remove him from power and reshape the House's leadership. show more
December 6, 2024
News
Politics

GOP Senator Faces Primary Challenge After Trump Conviction Vote.

A Republican Senator who voted to convict President-elect Donald J. Trump after the sham January 6 impeachment trial is now facing a serious primary challenge. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy will face a primary challenge from state Treasurer John Fleming in the 2026 election.

Fleming, who held various roles during the first Trump administration and previously served in the House of Representatives, announced his candidacy on Wednesday. The Louisiana Treasurer criticized Cassidy for lacking support for Trump and “America First” principles.

“Senator Cassidy has failed the people of Louisiana,” Fleming stated in his announcement. Cassidy, now the incoming chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, has not yet formalized his reelection plans. However, in a recent interview, he expressed his commitment to preparing for the 2026 race.

According to data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Cassidy has accumulated over $5.8 million. Despite the modest war chest, the Louisiana Senator is viewed by many as being especially vulnerable to a primary from a strong MAGA candidate.

Trump, who has previously questioned Cassidy’s loyalty, criticized the senator on Truth Social earlier this year. “One of the worst Senators in the United States Senate is, without question, Bill Cassidy, A TOTAL FLAKE, Republican though he may be,” Trump wrote, recalling: “When the Democrats’ Impeachment Hoax started, this Lamebrain Senator actually voted against me.”

Senator Cassidy also serves on the Senate Finance Committee, which is set to scrutinize Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom President-Elect Trump has nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Along with several others, Senator Cassidy has received large amounts of campaign cash from Big Pharma, which RFK Jr. has challenged.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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A Republican Senator who voted to convict President-elect Donald J. Trump after the sham January 6 impeachment trial is now facing a serious primary challenge. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy will face a primary challenge from state Treasurer John Fleming in the 2026 election. show more
December 6, 2024
Corruption
Politics

Senate Report: Only 6 Percent of Federal Workers Are Full-Time In-Office.

A report from Senator Joni Ernst‘s (R-IA) office reveals that only six percent of federal employees work in person full-time, with nearly one-third working entirely remotely. This marks a significant change from pre-pandemic conditions, when a mere three percent teleworked daily.

“The nation’s capital is a ghost town, with government buildings averaging an occupancy rate of 12 percent,” the Iowa Republican wrote in the report, noting: “If federal employees can’t be found at their desks, exactly where are they?”

“When I was making the biscuits at Hardee’s, I clocked in every morning. At the end of my shift, I clocked out. If I didn’t show up, the biscuits wouldn’t be made, and I wouldn’t be paid. Plain and simple. There is no such accountability today for the federal workforce,” Ernst says. Iowa Senator said that “[o]ver half of federal employees are telework-eligible, and nearly 90 percent of those are teleworking. But no one is checking to make sure everyone made it to work or even logged on to their computer. Backlogs for services are typical and accountability is rare.”

A JOB FOR DOGE?

Concerned about the increase in remote work among federal employees and lack of productivity, Ernst says she plans to discuss the matter with Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy during their Capitol visit on Thursday. Ernst also criticized President Joe Biden’s days spent away from the White House, suggesting his actions set a precedent. President Biden’s travel and time away from the White House tallies at 532 days over the last three and a half years.

Collaboration with Open the Books helped Ernst’s office uncover the redaction of over 281,000 federal employees’ work locations by the Biden-Harris government. This report indicates annual costs of $15.7 billion for leasing and maintaining federal buildings, with an additional $15 million for vacant and partially empty properties.

A D.C. GHOST TOWN. 

According to the investigation, no federal agency occupies more than half of its office space. Ernst expressed taxpayers’ concerns over inefficiencies in government services, citing examples like a whistleblower’s warning of bacteria in baby formula left unread by the FDA.

Ernst reported anomalies in locality pay, with some federal teleworkers receiving inappropriate pay increases. Approximately 25 percent of daily teleworkers reside over 50 miles from their workplace. Despite Biden’s call to increase in-person attendance, union agreements have maintained broad teleworking privileges.

Image by Ted Eytan.

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A report from Senator Joni Ernst's (R-IA) office reveals that only six percent of federal employees work in person full-time, with nearly one-third working entirely remotely. This marks a significant change from pre-pandemic conditions, when a mere three percent teleworked daily. show more
December 5, 2024
Politics

Democratic Rep Says Musk & Ramaswamy’s ‘DOGE’ Is Unconstitutional. That’s Debatable.

Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)—a powerful Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee—is arguing President-elect Donald J. Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is “unconstitutional and illegal.” The congresswoman, currently in her 15th term in Congress, contends that the agency, set to be overseen by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, encroaches on the powers of Congress to appropriate funds for federal agencies.

The California Democrat’s remarks came during an appearance on CNN Newsroom with host Jim Acosta, who pressed Lofgren for her “thoughts on Elon Musk and Ramaswamy deciding or trying to decide what stays and what goes in the federal government.”

“Well, it’s illegal. You know, they haven’t asked to meet with me, but the impoundment of funds that have been appropriated by the Congress is unconstitutional and illegal,” the 76-year-old Lofgren responded. She continued: “There is no such Department of Government Efficiency. It’s made up. So good luck to ’em.”

Lofgren added that if President-elect Trump wants to make changes to the federal budget, “…he should send it to us, but the Constitution does not permit the president to simply avoid what the Congress has done—that power of the purse is with the legislative branch, not the president.”

NOT ACTUALLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL? 

While the Judiciary Committee Democrat insists that it is unconstitutional for the president to exercise the power of impoundment—an act that claws back funds appropriated by Congress to fund federal agencies—the reality of the matter is less clear. U.S. Presidents, from Thomas Jefferson to Richard Nixon, wielded impoundment authority until Congress stripped the power with the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974.

However, impoundment remains an unsettled constitutional question. A related Supreme Court case, Train v. City of New York—decided on facts that pre-date the 1974 Act—found that the president cannot order unreasonable impoundments outside the scope of congressional intent. Significantly, though, the high court declined to rule on the constitutionality of presidential impoundment power.

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Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)—a powerful Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee—is arguing President-elect Donald J. Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is "unconstitutional and illegal." The congresswoman, currently in her 15th term in Congress, contends that the agency, set to be overseen by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, encroaches on the powers of Congress to appropriate funds for federal agencies. show more
December 5, 2024
Christopher Tomlinson
Politics
World

Six in Ten French Want Macron to Resign After Government Collapse.

Polling released on Thursday, December 5, reveals that as many as 59 percent of the French public want President Emmanuel Macron to resign from office. On Wednesday, populist Marine Le Pen and her National Rally (RN) joined far-left parties to support a vote of no confidence against Macron’s government, led by Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

Despite fears that the collapse of the minority government could cause a political crisis, polling firm ODOXA suggests that 51 percent of the French public supported bringing down the government.

President Macron is set to address the French nation on Thursday evening and may discuss the possibility of attempting to appoint a new Prime Minister. According to the ODOXA polling, 59 percent of the French want him to appoint someone not affiliated with any political party, such as a technocrat.

Of the 14 established political names proposed by the pollsters to the French public as a new prime minister, none held a majority of support.

ROAD TO RUIN.

The current crisis has its roots in Macron’s call for a snap election following his party’s defeat in the European Union Parliament elections, in which Le Pen’s National Rally placed first.

The July elections saw the New Popular Front (NFP), a coalition of several far-left parties, place first, followed by Macron’s bloc, and the populist RN in third place despite placing first in the popular vote. The RN was the single largest party in the National Assembly, however.

After months of delay in nominating a prime minister, ostensibly due to the Paris Summer Olympics, Barnier was appointed in late September to head a minority government.

Unable to please either the left or the right-populist RN, who demanded budget policies like attaching state pensions to inflation rates, Barnier attempted to use controversial provisions in the French constitution to push through the budget without a vote.

This strategy failed when the right and left voted to collapse the government on Wednesday.

Image by Pedro Gontijo/Senado Federal.

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Polling released on Thursday, December 5, reveals that as many as 59 percent of the French public want President Emmanuel Macron to resign from office. On Wednesday, populist Marine Le Pen and her National Rally (RN) joined far-left parties to support a vote of no confidence against Macron's government, led by Prime Minister Michel Barnier. show more
December 4, 2024
News
Politics
World

Pro-Trump NATO Critic Poised for Victory in European Presidential Runoff.

A new president is set to be elected in NATO and European Union (EU) member state Romania on Saturday, and populist, pro-life candidate Calin Georgescu could cause a shock upset. Georgescu is challenging pro-EU globalist Elena Lasconi and seems increasingly likely to win the race.

Georgescu won the election’s first round on November 24, unexpectedly outperforming mainstream candidates. He is an avowed supporter of U.S. President Donald J. Trump, saying he “knows what he wants, he loves his people, he put America first, just like I put Romania first … we have the same ideology.”

Georgescu also describes Russia’s President as “a man who loves his country” and Ukraine as “an invented state,” although he denies being pro-Russian. He says his concern is making Romania “a sovereign and self-sufficient power” and insists, “I am for God and my country, period.”

Opinion polls indicate Georgescu’s support hovers around 60 percent, although approximately 40 percent of voters remain undecided, leaving the exact outcome uncertain. If Georgescu prevails, analysts suggest it could shift Romania’s political landscape towards other central and eastern European nations with populist, anti-war leaders, such as Hungary and Slovakia.

Despite denying aspirations to leave NATO or the EU, Georgescu advocates for autonomous decision-making and has been critical of EU mandates. He is known for social conservativism, opposing both abortion and same-sex marriage.

Over the course of 2024, Europe has seen a wave of populist victories and advances. Populists led many countries in the European Union Parliament elections and won elections in the German region of Thuringia as well as the Austrian national election.

Despite these victories, populist parties have been largely unable to govern, as establishment parties in European countries resist forming coalitions with them.

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report. 

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A new president is set to be elected in NATO and European Union (EU) member state Romania on Saturday, and populist, pro-life candidate Calin Georgescu could cause a shock upset. Georgescu is challenging pro-EU globalist Elena Lasconi and seems increasingly likely to win the race. show more
December 4, 2024
Corruption
Politics

Judge Blasts Hunter Biden Pardon as Unconstitutional.

President Joe Biden issued a comprehensive pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, on Sunday. The move has stirred controversy, particularly from U.S. District Court Judge Mark Scarsi, appointed by President Donald J. Trump, who criticized the 82-year-old Democrat’s description of the legal proceedings as an attempt to “rewrite history.” Scarsi noted that the prosecution of Hunter Biden had been overseen by Biden’s own Attorney General and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Judge Scarsi challenged President Biden’s assertion that the charging decisions in Hunter Biden’s tax case were unfair. “In the President’s estimation this legion of federal civil servants, the undersigned included, are unreasonable people,” he said.

The judge continued: “The Constitution provides the President with broad authority to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States… but nowhere does the Constitution give the President the authority to rewrite history.”

Scarsi agreed to terminate the tax case in California, contingent on receipt of the necessary documents from the Office of the Pardon Attorney. “The court directs the Clerk to comply with court procedures for effecting a grant of clemency once the pardon is formally received, which will result in the termination of the case,” he stated.

Meanwhile, U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika terminated Hunter Biden’s federal gun case in Delaware. In her brief docket entry, she cited the absence of binding precedent for a case that had not yet reached sentencing.

Earlier, prosecutors in special counsel David Weiss’s office suggested to Judge Noreika that the case be terminated rather than the indictment dismissed to preserve the record. They also filed a similar request with the judge handling Hunter Biden’s tax case in California.

Hunter Biden, convicted earlier this year on federal gun charges and having pleaded guilty to tax-related offenses, was due for sentencing later this month.

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President Joe Biden issued a comprehensive pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, on Sunday. The move has stirred controversy, particularly from U.S. District Court Judge Mark Scarsi, appointed by President Donald J. Trump, who criticized the 82-year-old Democrat's description of the legal proceedings as an attempt to "rewrite history." Scarsi noted that the prosecution of Hunter Biden had been overseen by Biden’s own Attorney General and the Department of Justice (DOJ). show more
December 3, 2024
Politics

GOP Demands Investigation Into FEMA Ignoring Trump-Supporting Areas.

House Republicans are urging an immediate inquiry by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Inspector General into the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over reports of anti-Trump discrimination. According to reports, FEMA relief workers ignored the homes of Trump supporters in Florida and North Carolina.

Representative Sam Graves (R-MO), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, along with Representative Scott Perry (R-PA), addressed Inspector General Joseph Cuffari in a letter. They called for a thorough investigation into reports that fired FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington instructed workers to bypass residences displaying Trump campaign signs in Lake Placid, Florida. Concerns were raised that these actions might indicate a broader pattern within the agency.

In addition, lawmakers cited reports suggesting FEMA employees in North Carolina deliberately avoided neighborhoods marked with signs such as “Make America Great Again” and “Drain the Swamp.” The allegations describe instructions to abandon entire areas without notifying residents of hurricane aid if three or more such signs were present.

The House Committee emphasized their growing worry that this avoidance could be more extensive than initially reported, potentially leaving victims unaware of available federal assistance. FEMA Director Deanne Criswell, testifying on Capitol Hill last month, maintained that the incident in Florida was isolated and asserted that FEMA does not engage in any policies leading to systematic avoidance. However, during her testimony, Criswell agreed to request an investigation into the matter. Subsequently, she confirmed to the House Oversight Committee that she had sought a review from the Inspector General’s office.

Marn’i Washington has said she is being made a scapegoat, and that FEMA teams across Florida and North Carolina undertook similar avoidance actions.

Image by Bill Koplitz.

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House Republicans are urging an immediate inquiry by the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Inspector General into the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over reports of anti-Trump discrimination. According to reports, FEMA relief workers ignored the homes of Trump supporters in Florida and North Carolina. show more
December 3, 2024
1A
Politics
TECH

Meta Admits to Overzealous Content Moderation and Censorship.

Meta’s content moderation policies have come under scrutiny, with a senior executive admitting to excessive removal of user content across its platforms. Nick Clegg, former British deputy prime minister and Meta‘s president of global affairs, recently acknowledged the company’s high error rates in content moderation. He emphasized the need for enhanced precision and accuracy when applying their rules, stating that the current system often hampers free expression.

During a recent press briefing, Clegg expressed regret over the company’s rigorous removal of COVID-19 pandemic-related posts. “We know that when enforcing our policies, our error rates are still too high, which gets in the way of the free expression that we set out to enable,” the former leader of Britain’s Liberal Democrats said. “Too often, harmless content gets taken down or restricted, and too many people get penalized unfairly.”

He explained that decisions during the pandemic were driven by uncertainty and, in hindsight, were overly strict. Clegg pointed out that users have voiced concerns about over-enforcement, leading to the removal or restriction of innocuous content.

In recent months, Threads—another Meta-owned social media platform—has been notably affected by erroneous takedowns. For instance, Meta’s systems mistakenly suppressed a photo of President-elect Donald Trump, prompting a public apology. The company’s Oversight Board has also raised alarms about the risk of excessive removal of political speech, especially ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

Despite these issues, Meta—owned by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and the parent company of Facebook—has not implemented significant changes to its content rules since the election.

Clegg indicated that updates might be forthcoming, referring to the rules as a “living, breathing document.” When questioned about Zuckerberg’s recent meeting with Trump and Meta’s stance on government pressure to moderate content, Clegg refrained from providing specific details.

Image by Anthony Quintano.

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Meta's content moderation policies have come under scrutiny, with a senior executive admitting to excessive removal of user content across its platforms. Nick Clegg, former British deputy prime minister and Meta's president of global affairs, recently acknowledged the company's high error rates in content moderation. He emphasized the need for enhanced precision and accuracy when applying their rules, stating that the current system often hampers free expression. show more
December 3, 2024
William Upton
Economy
Politics

President-Elect Trump Vows to Block Japanese Takeover of U.S. Steel.

President-elect Donald J. Trump says he will block the sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel, a move backed by both Republican and several Democratic Party lawmakers in Congress. Instead, Trump says he wants to impose tariffs to rebuild the United States’ domestic steel industry, making it more competitive in international markets. Vice President Kamala Harris had signaled more openness to allowing the foreign takeover of U.S. Steel should she have won the White House.

“I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan. Through a series of Tax Incentives and Tariffs, we will make U.S. Steel Strong and Great Again, and it will happen FAST!” President-elect Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He added: “As President, I will block this deal from happening. Buyer Beware!!!”


The sale of U.S. Steel to the Japanese-owned Nippon Steel is a critical issue for many Americans, especially those in the Rust Belt states of Pennsylvania and Ohio. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump, speaking with members of the Teamsters Union, promised he would “block it instantaneously.”

“We saved the steel industry. Now, U.S. Steel is being bought by Japan. So terrible,” he said.

On Capitol Hill, the opposition to the sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel has become a bipartisan fight. Both of Pennsylvania’s Senators in the next Congress, John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA), have voiced their opposition to the takeover. Both will likely be key votes in backing Trump’s tariff and trade plans as well.

Image via Pexels.

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President-elect Donald J. Trump says he will block the sale of U.S. Steel to Japan's Nippon Steel, a move backed by both Republican and several Democratic Party lawmakers in Congress. Instead, Trump says he wants to impose tariffs to rebuild the United States' domestic steel industry, making it more competitive in international markets. Vice President Kamala Harris had signaled more openness to allowing the foreign takeover of U.S. Steel should she have won the White House. show more