GET THE APP
Support
Thursday, April 25, 2024
October 23, 2023
William Upton
Analysis
Politics

Tom Emmer Wants to Be House Speaker. Here’s Why That Would Suck.

Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) has emerged as the Republican establishment’s standard-bearer to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. First elected during the 2014 mid-term elections in a seat formerly held by arch-conservative Michele Bachmann, Rep. Emmer has risen quickly through the leadership ranks and was elected Majority Whip at the start of this Congress.

From 2019 to 2023, Emmer served as the chairman of the House Republicans’ campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) – and oversaw the 2022 mid-term efforts in which Republicans only retook the House by a narrow majority, far underperforming expectations. Some 2022 Republican congressional candidates put the blame squarely with Emmer and the House Republican establishment who decided to actively intervene in open Republican primaries. Some mid-term candidates said that Emmer advised that they distance themselves from former President Donald Trump, a move that may have actually cost Republicans additional House seats.

The controversial tenure at the NRCC isn’t the only objection being raised to a prospective Speaker Emmer. The Minnesota Congressman’s voting record has been less than stellar in the eyes of House conservatives. Emmer voted in favor of codifying same-sex marriage and he voted to certify the 2020 presidential election despite reports of voting irregularities. In addition, Emmer has been a staunch proponent of giving additional financial and military aid to Ukraine, a position that has become well out of step among a number of House Republicans. Finally, Emmer also backed Joe Biden’s deal to lift the U.S. debt ceiling through January 1, 2025 and backed the 47-day continuing resolution to fund the government.

Prior to serving in Congress, Emmer worked as a spokesman for the National Popular Vote initiative – an effort funded by George Soros and backed by former President Barack Obama to essentially end the Electoral College and elect the President via a nationwide popular vote.

Discuss
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad
More From The Pulse
British Army Running Out of Munitions Ukraine
12 minutes ago
Jack Montgomery
UK
War

Britain is Running Out of Munitions After Arming Ukraine.

Supplying President Volodymyr Zelensk’s forces in Ukraine with Western arms and ammunition has badly depleted Britain’s military stocks, the Minister of State for Defence Procurement has revealed. James Cartlidge of the Conservative Party says the war has left Britain short of tanks, missiles, and munitions.

“[T]here’s been huge support for the way that the UK has stood by Ukraine providing huge numbers of munitions, Storm Shadow [missiles], tanks and so on,” Cartlidge said — exaggerating Britain’s contributions, considering only 14 main battle tanks could be spared from the country’s tiny fleet.

“I think the public wants to know that in doing that, we are replenishing our own stocks and munitions,” he added, confirming the government would have to spend “£10 billion ($12.48 billion) more for munitions.”

It has previously been reported that the British Army would run out of munitions in just ten days of full-scale warfare, speaking to the parlous state of the many European NATO members militaries.

The U.S., which has carried NATO for many years, is also running short on munitions. Biden was forced to consider sending arms to Ukraine without replenishing U.S. stocks. He has already been forced to begin sending Ukraine cluster bombs, outlawed by many NATO members due to their tendency to kill and maim civilians years after their initial use, due to a shortage of conventional munitions.

Russia is believed to be outpacing the West in artillery shell production by three-to-one. Artillery has been vital to the fighting in Ukraine, with Zelensky estimating his forces need a minimum of four million shells. However, the U.S. can only produce 360,000 a year, causing war skeptics such as Senator J.D. Vance to question the wisdom of prolonging the war at U.S. taxpayer expense.

show less
Supplying President Volodymyr Zelensk's forces in Ukraine with Western arms and ammunition has badly depleted Britain's military stocks, the Minister of State for Defence Procurement has revealed. James Cartlidge of the Conservative Party says the war has left Britain short of tanks, missiles, and munitions. show more
Source
Discuss
FBI FinCEN MAGA
34 minutes ago
Jack Montgomery
Lawfare

Feds Pulled Bank Info on Americans Who Bought Bibles or Had ‘Trump’ in Search History.

The House Judiciary Committee and House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government have uncovered evidence the federal government pressured at least 13 banks into handing over American conservatives’ information without a warrant. The U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) told financial institutions, including Bank of America, Chase, Citi Bank, and Wells Fargo, to sift customers’ transactions for so-called “extremism” indicators, such as searches including the term “Trump.”

Searches including the term “MAGA” were also included as an “extremism” indicator, along with purchases of the Bible. Following January 6, FinCEN suggested banks sift through transactions at hunting, fishing, and camping stores like Bass Pro Shops and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

At least 211 Americans had their personal information transferred to FinCEN and the FBI by Bank of America on January 17, 2021. The bank was asked for more details on “weapons-related transactions” among the group, leading to “criminal background queries” into four bank customers. Federal agents established multiple leads on additional persons after this, but they had to be pulled because there were no “allegations of federal criminal conduct.”

WARRANTLESS SURVEILLANCE. 

“This kind of warrantless financial surveillance raises serious concerns about the federal government’s respect for Americans’ privacy and fundamental civil liberties,” Jordan wrote Janet Yellen, Joe Biden’s Treasury Secretary.

“Given this coordination, the Committee and Select Subcommittee are concerned that the federal government, through the FBI and FinCEN, sent similar or identical [requests] to other financial institutions… to elicit the information and transaction history of individuals without any allegation of federal criminal conduct,” he said.

The authorities have stepped up their persecution of January 6 defendants ahead of the presidential elections in November, with up to 445 new cases coming before the courts — more than the total for 2022 and 2023.

Earlier this month, Rebecca Lavrenz, a 71-year-old great-grandmother who briefly prayed inside the U.S. Capitol on January 6, was convicted. National Pulse editor-in-chief Raheem Kassam called the case “disgusting.”

show less
The House Judiciary Committee and House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government have uncovered evidence the federal government pressured at least 13 banks into handing over American conservatives' information without a warrant. The U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) told financial institutions, including Bank of America, Chase, Citi Bank, and Wells Fargo, to sift customers' transactions for so-called "extremism" indicators, such as searches including the term "Trump." show more
Source
Discuss
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad
Coal-fired power plant
1 hour ago
Politics

Biden’s EPA Rolls Out Regulations Aimed At Killing The American Coal Industry.

The Biden government on Thursday unveiled one of its most extreme environmental regulations yet, requiring coal-fired power plants to almost entirely eliminate their emissions or else face being shutdown. Under the new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation, these power plants must decrease their pollutants by an ambitious 90 percent by 2039 — one year earlier than the originally proposed 2040. Representatives from the coal power industry have called the emissions benchmarks set by the EPA unrealistic.

In addition to the new emissions standards, the EPA is imposing more stringent controls on mercury emissions — a neurotoxin associated with developmental harm to children — from specific plants that use lignite coal, an inferior grade of coal. Other regulations will require more rigorous management of toxic ash seepage from coal stations into the surrounding water table and promote stricter surveillance of coal plant wastewater discharge.

The EPA’s regulatory announcements could amount to the potential end of the coal industry in the United States. Environmental activists, however, hail the possibility as they contend that coal combustion is responsible for the highest level of carbon dioxide emissions globally.

These new regulations follow actions undertaken by the Biden government to severely restrict emissions from American cars and trucks. The new automobile emission standards aim in part to fast-track the adoption of electric vehicles among American consumers. Officials in the Biden government have reiterated their intent to reduce U.S. carbon emissions by roughly 50 percent by 2030 and achieve complete decarbonization of the power industry by 2035.

show less
The Biden government on Thursday unveiled one of its most extreme environmental regulations yet, requiring coal-fired power plants to almost entirely eliminate their emissions or else face being shutdown. Under the new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation, these power plants must decrease their pollutants by an ambitious 90 percent by 2039 — one year earlier than the originally proposed 2040. Representatives from the coal power industry have called the emissions benchmarks set by the EPA unrealistic. show more
Source
Discuss
2 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
2A

DEI Judge Tells Gun Hobbyist ‘Second Amendment Doesn’t Exist in New York.’

Defense lawyer Vinoo Varghese has revealed that the New York judge overseeing the prosecution of hobbyist gunsmith Dexter Taylor told him he could not use the Second Amendment to defend his client, insisting it “doesn’t exist” in the Empire State.

“She told us, ‘Do not bring the Second Amendment into this courtroom. It doesn’t exist here. So you can’t argue Second Amendment. This is New York,'” said Varghese.

Judge Abena Darkeh, blasted as a “DEI hire” by online commentators, is also Vice President of the Association of Ghanaian Lawyers of America. She is alleged to have acted as “the most aggressive prosecutor in the room.” The Bill de Blasio appointee is accused of limiting the scope of Taylor’s defense and indirectly instructing jurors they “must vote guilty.”

Taylor, a black conservative who has discussed his hobby on YouTube under the pseudonym Carbon Mike, faces ten to 18 years in prison at sentencing on May 18. While prosecutors describe Taylor as having “acquired a massive arsenal of homemade ghost guns,” the 52-year-old insists he was merely machining legal parts together as a hobby. He says he is also a hobbyist carpenter, radio operator, and technician with a “squeaky-clean criminal record.”

Taylor’s defenders argue that, federally, manufacturing one’s own firearms is lawful, with the Gun Control Act of 1968 allowing unlicensed civilians to make firearms for personal use only. Taylor’s lawyers argue he did not even fire his guns, still less distribute or sell them.

E. Jean Carroll, the 80-year-old advice columnist who claims Donald Trump raped her in a busy department store in the 1990s, previously boasted about owning an unlicensed firearm. Police confiscated it earlier this month, but there is no evidence she was arrested or charged with a crime.

show less
Defense lawyer Vinoo Varghese has revealed that the New York judge overseeing the prosecution of hobbyist gunsmith Dexter Taylor told him he could not use the Second Amendment to defend his client, insisting it "doesn't exist" in the Empire State. show more
Source
Discuss
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad
2 hours ago
War
World

U.S. Demands Answers from Israel After Gaza ‘Mass Graves’ Discovery.

The U.S. is demanding “answers” from Israel following the discovery of mass graves near two hospitals in Gaza. Palestinian authorities discovered nearly 400 bodies in mass graves outside the Nasser and al-Shifa hospitals. The remains include those of women and the elderly. Some of the bodies were found naked with their hands tied behind their backs.

“Among the deceased were allegedly older people, women and wounded, while others were found tied with their hands and stripped of their clothes,” said a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. “This of course indicates serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and these need to be subjected to further investigations.”

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called the reports “deeply disturbing.”

“We want answers,” Sullivan told reporters. “We want to see this thoroughly and transparently investigated.”

The Israeli army has denied responsibility, calling any suggestions to the contrary “baseless” and “unfounded.” It claims the graves were “dug by Gazans” months ago.

‘LOSING THE PR WAR.’

The discovery of the graves coincides with an impending Israeli assault against Rafah. The Israeli military has mobilized two reservist brigades, with footage suggesting preparations for refugee relocation in Khan Younis, near Rafah. Israel’s government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has indicated the impending initiation of a ground operation.

Despite warnings of an imminent humanitarian crisis, Israel plans on evacuating Palestinian civilians from Rafah. The Israeli Defence Ministry acquired 40,000 tents to accommodate Palestinians evacuated from Rafah in anticipation of assault.

Should allegations of Israeli responsibility for the mass graves prove true, it will be a significant blow to the Jewish State’s reputation and ability to continue its war against Hamas. The Israeli military response and civilian death toll in Gaza has increased global sympathy for the Palestinians. Politicians in countries that are key Israeli allies, including the U.S. and UK, have called to cease arms shipments to Israel. Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that Israel is losing a vital PR war and must finish up its military action in Gaza quickly.

show less
The U.S. is demanding "answers" from Israel following the discovery of mass graves near two hospitals in Gaza. Palestinian authorities discovered nearly 400 bodies in mass graves outside the Nasser and al-Shifa hospitals. The remains include those of women and the elderly. Some of the bodies were found naked with their hands tied behind their backs. show more
Source
Discuss
3 hours ago
William Upton
NatSec
TECH

What is ‘The Thunder Run’: How House Staff Flummoxed the CCP’s Army of Lobbyists on TikTok.

A small group of Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill were able to keep quiet — for over a year — a renewed effort to take on TikTok and secure the speedy adoption of legislation that will force its Chinese owner, ByteDance, to either divest from or sell the social media app in the next nine months. Republican aides dubbed the effort: “The Thunder Run.”

The plan to take on TikTok and its Chinese parent company was born out of efforts by former President Donald Trump to confront the national security threat posed by ByteDance. In the final months of the Trump administration, the former Republican President used executive action that gave ByteDance the choice to either divest or face a ban on the TikTok app in the U.S. Unfortunately, though, federal courts hamstrung the effort.

RENEWING TRUMP’S TIKTOK EFFORTS.

House Republicans renewed efforts to take on the Chinese-owned social media app just over a year ago. Representative Steve Scalise (R-LA), the House Majority Leader, began approaching his Republican colleagues regarding a legislative measure requiring divestment or a resulting ban on TikTok. The group comprised about 15 House lawmakers, national security officials, and the deputy attorney general. Scalise and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) began crafting the divestment bill in secret, hoping not to tip off TikTok’s army of lobbyists and passionate user base to the effort.

After months of meetings, Scalise and McMorris Rodgers were ready to go public with their legislation. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) sponsored the bill and ushered it through McMorris-Rodgers’s House Energy and Commerce Committee. It sailed through, gaining 50 co-sponsors in the process.

TIKTOK’S LOBBYING BACKFIRES.

Now aware of the threat, TikTok launched a full-scale lobbying operation to defeat the bill. However, the Chinese-owned social media company made a fatal error when it also pushed its users to lobby Capitol Hill. The messages left for lawmakers by TikTok users, some of whom appeared to be legal minors, devolved into threats. Senator Thom Tillis received a phone call from one individual threatening: “I’ll find you and shoot you and cut you into pieces.”

“It transformed a lot of lean yeses into hell yeses at that point,” Rep. Krishnamoorthi said of the flood of threatening phone calls from TikTok users.

DIVEST OR FACE A BAN.

Despite the full court press by TikTok, the divestment bill was adopted by the full House of Representatives in mid-March. It stalled out in the Senate, however.

The delay in the Senate–over timing concerns raised by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) — gave TikTok time to recover. This prompted Speaker Mike Johnson to add a near-mirror version of the House-passed bill to a package of foreign aid funding supplemental. The only change to the legislation was an extension of the time ByteDance has to divest. Speaker Johnson’s foreign aid legislation, including the TikTok provision, passed by both the House and Senate and was signed into law by Joe Biden earlier this week.

show less
A small group of Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill were able to keep quiet — for over a year — a renewed effort to take on TikTok and secure the speedy adoption of legislation that will force its Chinese owner, ByteDance, to either divest from or sell the social media app in the next nine months. Republican aides dubbed the effort: "The Thunder Run." show more
Source
Discuss
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad
Deep State Anti-Trump Calls
4 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
Lawfare
Media

REVEALED: The Deep-State & Media Figures On Weekly Anti-Trump Strategy Calls.

A cabal of lawyers, legal analysts for the corporate media, and former Deep State officials is colluding on private Zoom calls every Friday to decide how to cover the various lawfare cases against Donald Trump. The existence of the off-the-record meetings was revealed by POLITICO, which described the participants as “united by their dislike of Trump.”

Norman Eisen, a CNN analyst who served as a special counsel and ambassador under Barack Obama, hosts the group. Eisen recently argued Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s “hush money” prosecution of Trump is an “election interference” case.

Only some of his cabal’s regular participants were named:

The cabal has occasionally invited special guests to speak with them, including lawyers involved in lawfare efforts against Trump.

One was Roberta Kaplan, who spoke to the group for approximately 30 minutes about her efforts to sue Trump on behalf of E. Jean Carroll. The elderly advice columnist claims the former president raped her in the changing rooms of a busy department store in the 1990s.

The group also hosted J. Michael Luttig, who helped lead the failed campaign to bar Trump from running for the presidency again under the 14th Amendment. POLITICO notes the interaction with Luttig “spread dubious analysis,” with call participants arguing the 14th Amendment efforts had merit despite the fact they “never really had a chance.”

POLITICO notes the group also has strong misgivings about DA Bragg’s highly novel case against Trump in Manhattan. They discuss “whether it should have been brought in the first place” regularly.

show less
A cabal of lawyers, legal analysts for the corporate media, and former Deep State officials is colluding on private Zoom calls every Friday to decide how to cover the various lawfare cases against Donald Trump. The existence of the off-the-record meetings was revealed by POLITICO, which described the participants as "united by their dislike of Trump." show more
Source
Discuss
can trump beat biden?
4 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
Politics
War

Trump Drives The Wedge: ‘Biden Hates Israel, Hates Palestinians More!’

Joe Biden ends up sending “the wrong message every single time” on the increasingly riotous Gaza protests engulfing U.S. college campuses because he is hostile to both Israel and the Palestinians, argues Donald Trump. The former president called out his successor for having supposedly run for office “because of Charlottesville,” noting the disorder America now faces is far worse than in 2017.

“Crooked Joe Biden would say, constantly, that he ran because of Charlottesville. Well, if that’s the case, he’s done a really terrible job because Charlottesville is like a ‘peanut’ compared to the riots and anti-Israel protests that are happening all over our Country, RIGHT NOW,” Trump explained in a Truth Social post.

“The fact is that Crooked Joe Biden HATES Israel and Hates the Jewish people. The problem is that he HATES the Palestinians even more, and he just doesn’t know what to do,” he explained.

BIDEN’S CHARLOTTESVILLE. 

Trump called out both “neo-Nazis” and “the alt-left” after protests over the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 turned violent. Biden has falsely claimed Trump described “white supremacists, Nazis, and the KKK” at the rally as “very fine people” for years.

Now, however, Biden finds himself claiming there are fine people on both sides of the campus crisis. He says he opposes both anti-Semitism and “those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians,” as Jews in the U.S. are subjected to assaults and pro-Hamas chants. The 81-year-old is seeking to placate both parties due to his dependence on Muslim and younger voters, who skew pro-Palestinian, in key swing states like Michigan.

Trump’s approach of calling out Biden for his issue with both pro-Israel and anti-Israel voters contrasts with that of Speaker Mike Johnson. The congressman has drawn fire away from Biden and towards the GOP by inserting himself into the campus crisis, earning criticism from analysts including National Pulse editor-in-chief Raheem Kassam.

show less
Joe Biden ends up sending "the wrong message every single time" on the increasingly riotous Gaza protests engulfing U.S. college campuses because he is hostile to both Israel and the Palestinians, argues Donald Trump. The former president called out his successor for having supposedly run for office "because of Charlottesville," noting the disorder America now faces is far worse than in 2017. show more
Source
Discuss
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad
devin truth
5 hours ago
William Upton
Corruption
Economy

Truth Social CEO Alerts Congress to Major Stock Manipulation Designed to Hurt Trump, Investors.

Devin Nunes, former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and current CEO of the Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), has requested an investigation into possible irregularities in DJT stock trading. In a letter sent to several House committee chairs, Nunes contends that DJT’s continual presence on Nasdaq‘s “Reg SHO threshold list” suggests evidence of illicit trading activity by what he alleges is a group of organized short sellers.

“This is particularly troubling given that ‘naked’ short selling often entails sophisticated market participants profiting at the expense of retail investors,” Nunes’s letter reads. He adds: “Reports indicate that, as of April 3, 2024, DJT was the single most expensive stock to short in U.S. markets by a significant margin, meaning that brokers have a significant financial incentive to lend non-existent shares.”

Nunes continues: “Furthermore, data made available to us indicate that just four market participants have been responsible for over 60 [percent] of the extraordinary volume of DJT shares traded.” The former House Republican claims the companies involved in the short-selling scheme are Citadel Securities, VIRTU Americas, G1 Execution Services, and Jane Street Capital.

The practice of “naked” short-selling is largely banned in the United States and Europe. In this type of transaction, a trader sells shares in an asset — in this case, the DJT stock — without having actually borrowed or otherwise secured the shares. In the U.S., traders must provide the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with adequate evidence showing they believed the shares could be borrowed before engaging in a short sale.

Noting the evidence that the four firms have engaged in a “naked” short sale plot, Nunes writes: “Overall, we assess there are strong indications of unlawful manipulation of DJT stock,” adding that “an inquiry is needed to protect shareholders, including TMTG’s retail investors.”

show less
Devin Nunes, former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and current CEO of the Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), has requested an investigation into possible irregularities in DJT stock trading. In a letter sent to several House committee chairs, Nunes contends that DJT's continual presence on Nasdaq's "Reg SHO threshold list" suggests evidence of illicit trading activity by what he alleges is a group of organized short sellers. show more
Source
Discuss
5 hours ago
Ed Kozak
Election 2024

Epstein, E. Jean Carroll Backer Reid Hoffman Bankrolls Effort To Kick RFK Off Ballot.

Reid Hoffman, the Democratic megadonor and ‘Epstein Island’ visitor, has infused a new super PAC with a generous donation aimed at mitigating the threat independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could pose to Biden’s 2024 reelection, recent campaign filings reveal. Clear Choice PAC, established in the early part of February with an initial contribution of $125,000 from Hoffman, plans to counter influences from potential third-party and independent candidates like Kennedy that could affect the election outcome.

Clear Choice PAC, which collected $375,000 in the first quarter, owes its major funding to Hoffman and SV Angel founder Ronald Conway, who contributed $250,000. The PAC has allocated $34,075 to digital media enterprise Gambit Strategies so far.

Kennedy’s campaign recently stated its secured position in the battleground state of Michigan via the Natural Law Party’s nomination. In response, Clear Choice PAC employed the expertise of elections attorney and ex-Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer to question Kennedy’s standing on the ballot.

Hoffman is no stranger to controversy given his former association with Jeffrey Epstein. This connection to the convicted sex offender has resulted in heightened scrutiny of the megadonor’s actions and motives.

Clear Choice PAC was founded by Pete Kavanaugh, Biden’s former deputy campaign manager, to target independent runners whom Kavanaugh calls “spoilers.” The Democratic National Committee has also been proactive, forming a unique division against third-party candidates, and collaborating with lawyers to monitor the ballot access process. Despite facing opposition, Kennedy’s campaign has managed to raise a substantial amount of $11.2 million, utilizing $10.6 million, and currently holds just over $6 million cash on hand.

In addition to funding efforts to thwart Kennedy Jr.’s election prospects, Hoffman also bankrolled E. Jean Carroll’s legal case against former President Donald Trump and Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign. The Epstein-linked billionaire also funds MeidasTouch, the White House-linked media company that created the Trump ‘bloodbath‘ hoax.

show less
Reid Hoffman, the Democratic megadonor and 'Epstein Island' visitor, has infused a new super PAC with a generous donation aimed at mitigating the threat independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could pose to Biden's 2024 reelection, recent campaign filings reveal. Clear Choice PAC, established in the early part of February with an initial contribution of $125,000 from Hoffman, plans to counter influences from potential third-party and independent candidates like Kennedy that could affect the election outcome. show more
Source
Discuss
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad