Illegals to get FREE Health Insurance?

Texas Governor Greg Abbott reminds us how the Democrats want illegals to have free health insurance, paid for by -- you know -- YOUR taxes.

Reps. Gabbard and Mullin Introduce Bill to Ensure Title IX Protections for Women and Girls in Sports

Washington, D.C. - December 12, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) and Rep. Markwayne Mullin (OK-02) introduced H.R.8932, the Protect Women’s Sports Act. Given the average difference in abilities conferred by biological sex, this bill would clarify Title IX protections for female athletes is based on biological sex.

“Title IX was a historic provision championed by Hawai‘i’s own Congresswoman Patsy Mink in order to provide equal opportunity for women and girls in high school and college sports. It led to a generational shift that impacted countless women, creating life-changing opportunities for girls and women that never existed before. However, Title IX is being weakened by some states who are misinterpreting Title IX, creating uncertainty, undue hardship and lost opportunities for female athletes. Our legislation protects Title IX’s original intent which was based on the general biological distinction between men and women athletes based on sex,” said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. “It is critical that the legacy of Title IX continues to ensure women and girls in sports have the opportunity to compete and excel on a level playing field.”

“Title IX was designed to give women and girls an equal chance to succeed, including in sports. Allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports diminishes that equality and takes away from the original intent of Title IX. As the father of three girls involved in athletics, I want them to be able to compete on a level playing field. I am proud to lead this bill that will safeguard the integrity of women’s sports and ensure female athletes can compete fairly,” said Rep. Markwayne Mullin.

U.S Representative Angie Craig (D-MN, 2nd) responded in a statement saying:

One wonders how this bill is harmful to women in any way. Protecting them from having to play with or against bigger stronger men is not harmful or hateful in any way.

Biden Plans to Rejoin Paris Climate Agreement

Joe Biden is getting ready to progress us as fast as possible into socialism and ruin the economy that Trump worked so hard to build in the past four years. Here is one way he's going to start:

On Twitter today, he wrote:

Bill to Stop Driver’s License Suspensions for Non-Payment Introduced

Washington, D.C. - December 7, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- Representative Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) joined with Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), and Gwen Moore (WI-04) to introduce the Driving for Opportunity Act of 2020, the House companion to a bill introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Roger Wicker (R-MI), to encourage states to stop debt-based driver’s license suspensions.

Every year, millions of Americans have their licenses suspended for unpaid court fines and fees, not based on conduct related to driving. This makes it harder to get to work and pay off the fines while also placing an unnecessary burden on our courts, jails, and law enforcement agencies.

“In 2018, Pennsylvania passed legislation eliminating driver’s license suspensions for non-driving infractions, an effort I was honored to be a part of,” said Rep. Reschenthaler. “The Driving for Opportunity Act will incentivize other states to follow Pennsylvania’s lead and eliminate debt-based driver’s license suspensions. By ending this counterproductive practice, we can make it easier for struggling Americans to hold down a job and pay off their debts while also ensuring police departments can target their resources where they are needed most.”

“Punishing people for failing to pay debts in a way that limits their ability to obtain gainful employment only sets up a cruel cycle of failure and results in the criminalization of poverty,” said Rep. Scanlon. “Particularly during the ongoing global pandemic, we need to work to eliminate barriers to employment and find legislative solutions to break the cycle of poverty. I’m proud to be joined by Rep. Fitzpatrick in introducing this common sense bipartisan legislation.”

“For too long, many Americans have had their driver’s licenses suspended for non-public safety reasons and have suffered the economic setback of debt-based driver’s license suspensions,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Incentivizing states to end the suspension of driver’s licenses for unpaid fines is a commonsense reform that will improve livelihoods across this country and has widespread support from law enforcement, civil rights, and criminal justice reform organizations. I am proud to join my colleagues to introduce the bipartisan Driving for Opportunity Act.”

“Suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid fines and fees makes it harder for Americans to hold down a job and care for their families, and places an undue burden on our police officers,” said Senator Coons. “Today’s introduction of the Driving for Opportunity Act in the House moves us one step closer to ending this counterproductive practice and the harm it causes in communities across the country. The broad, bipartisan coalition backing this bill underscores the strong support for swiftly passing it into law.”

“Besides not being an effective debt collection tool, these “too poor to drive” suspensions can hinder an individual’s ability to keep working or get work and can lead to interactions with the criminal justice system, both of which have far reaching impacts on our communities,” said Rep. Moore. “In Milwaukee and around the country, these policies disproportionately impact minorities and the most financially vulnerable. The Driving for Opportunity Act would encourage states to end the suspension of driver’s licenses for unpaid fees to lift the burden off of drivers and to reinstate such licenses and ensure resources are better allocated towards promoting public safety.”

A copy of the bill can be found here.

Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act Introduced in Senate

Washington, D.C. - December 7, 2020 - (The Ponder News) U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, last week reintroduced the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, a bill that urges the U.S. State Department to use its statutory authority to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This measure requires the State Department to report to Congress about whether the Muslim Brotherhood meets the legal criteria for designation. U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) cosponsored the bill.

Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said:

“I am proud to reintroduce this bill and to advance America’s fight against radical Islamic terrorism. I commend the current administration’s work calling terrorism by its name and combatting the spread of this potent threat, and I look forward to receiving the additional information this new bill requests from the Department of State. Many of our closest allies in the Arab world have long ago concluded that the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist group that seeks to sow chaos across the Middle East, and I will continue working with my colleagues to take action against groups that finance terrorism.”

Sen. Inhofe added:

“Since the founding of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Brotherhood affiliated groups have consistently preached and incited hatred against Christians, Jews, and other Muslims while supporting designated radical terrorists. I am proud that under the Trump administration we continue to call out and combat radical terrorism and I am glad to join my colleagues today in reintroducing this legislation. We must continue to condemn Foreign Terrorist Organizations and hold them accountable for the evil they perpetrate.”

The full text of Sen. Cruz’s bill may be viewed here. Sen. Cruz has long called to designate the Muslim Brotherhood, among other organizations promoting terrorism, as FTOs. Sen. Cruz first introduced the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act in 2015 and previously reintroduced the bill in 2017.

Sen. Cruz, Colleagues Submit Amicus Brief To Supreme Court in Brnovich v. DNC

Washington, D.C. - December 7, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Rick Scott, (R-Fla.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) today submitted a joint amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in support of the petitioners in the case of Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee and in defense of laws that combat election fraud.

The amicus brief argues that the Voting Rights Act does not prevent states from enacting neutral election integrity measures like Arizona’s ban on ballot-harvesting, or other measures such as in-precinct voting requirements, voter ID requirements, election observer zones, and straight-ticket voting.

The full text of the amicus brief may be viewed here. Excerpts are below.

“‘The risk of voter fraud [is] real.’ As this Court has repeatedly confirmed, States have the authority and responsibility to ensure the integrity of their elections. These measures do not deny anyone the equal ‘opportunity’ to vote ‘on account of race or color.’ […]

“In the past decade, plaintiffs have pushed an aggressive Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act theory seeking to invalidate voting laws regulating absentee voting, precinct voting, early voting, voter identification, election observer zones, voter registration, durational residency, and straight-ticket voting. […]

“In the past few years, many recommended election-integrity regulations–which impose no

more than ‘the usual burdens of voting,’–have been challenged in a wave of novel Voting Rights Act litigation. […] “Were this Court to adopt the sweeping interpretation […] advocated by Respondents, these recommended laws and other neutral time, place, and manner voting laws would be put in grave danger across the country.”

TRUMP LEGAL TEAM MAKES STATEMENT ON BILL BARR’S COMMENTS ON VOTER FRAUD

Washington, D.C. - December 2, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- The Trump Legal Team has disputed AG Barr's claim of no evidence of voter fraud with this:

“With all due respect to the Attorney General, there hasn’t been any semblance of a Department of Justice investigation. We have gathered ample evidence of illegal voting in at least six states, which they have not examined. We have many witnesses swearing under oath they saw crimes being committed in connection with voter fraud. As far as we know, not a single one has been interviewed by the DOJ. The Justice Department also hasn’t audited any voting machines or used their subpoena powers to determine the truth.

“Nonetheless, we will continue our pursuit of the truth through the judicial system and state legislatures, and continue toward the Constitution’s mandate and ensuring that every legal vote is counted and every illegal vote is not. Again, with the greatest respect to the Attorney General, his opinion appears to be without any knowledge or investigation of the substantial irregularities and evidence of systemic fraud.”

- Rudy Giuliani, Attorney for President Trump, and Jenna Ellis, Trump Campaign Senior Legal Adviser and Attorney for President Trump

FIRST PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE IN NATIVE COMMUNITIES LAUNCHED AFTER PASSAGE OF SAVANNA’S ACT

Washington, D.C. - December 2, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- A pilot program launched by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Reservation (CSKT) is developing a collaborative community response plan to quickly address emergent Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) cases in Indian Country, thanks to directives outlined through the recent enactment of Savanna’s Act.

“Savanna’s Act gives us the tools to help address the MMIP crisis, and now those tools are being put to use,” said Senator Jon Tester (D-MT). “The implementation of this program is a step forward for Montana Tribes, MMIP advocates, and the survivors of violence that worked tirelessly to see Savanna’s Act over the finish line. I’ll keep pushing to ensure Indian Country has the resources necessary to continue to combat this crisis head-on and ensure our Native communities are safe.”

In accordance with Savanna’s Act, the CSKT’s pilot project will develop a Tribal Community Response Plan (TCRP) to improve the collaborative response to missing Indigenous person cases by Tribal governments, law enforcement, and other partners through regionally appropriate guidelines. CSKT’s TCRP pilot project is the first of its kind in the nation, and its results will serve as a guide to establish similar regional programs across the U.S.

Indigenous women and girls in Montana face murder rates that are ten times higher than the national average, and according to the National Institute of Justice, more than 80 percent of Native American women have experienced violence, and half have experienced it within the last year.

Savanna's Act, signed into law earlier this year, is named in honor of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, who was murdered in North Dakota in August of 2017.

Savanna’s Act works to improve information sharing between Tribal and federal law enforcement agencies and increase data collection on cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous people. It requires:

Law enforcement training on how to record victim Tribal enrollment information in federal databases;

The creation of standardized, regionally-appropriate guidelines for inter-jurisdictional cooperation on cases; and

The Attorney General to include data on missing and murdered Indigenous people in an annual report to Congress.

"SAVE OUR SEAS ACT" HEADS TO PRESIDENT’S DESK

Washington, D.C. - December 2, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) are applauding final Senate passage of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act this evening. The Save Our Seas 2.0 Act was introduced in June 2019 to address the plastic debris crisis threatening coastal economies and harming marine life.

The legislation seeks to help reduce the creation of plastic waste, find uses for the plastic waste that already exists to keep it from entering the oceans, spur innovation, and tackle the problem on a global scale. It builds on the initial progress secured by the Save Our Seas Act, which was sponsored by Sullivan and Whitehouse and signed into law by President Trump in 2018.

“Save Our Seas 2.0 is the most comprehensive marine debris legislation ever to pass Congress,” said Senator Sullivan. “This proves that major bipartisan achievements on some of the biggest environmental challenges are possible. The progress we have made over the past few years on the marine debris crisis, beginning with the original Save Our Seas Act, is historic and constitutes a whole-of-government approach to helping protect our pristine environment across the globe and, particularly, in Alaska, which has more coastline than the rest of the Lower 48 combined. I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for coming together to clean up our oceans, spark innovation on managing plastic waste, and protect our fisheries and coastal communities.”

“While marine debris presents a massive international challenge, it’s a manmade problem that we can solve by finding creative solutions at home and abroad,” said Senator Whitehouse, who co-founded the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus to find common ground in responding to issues facing the oceans and coasts. “Save Our Seas 2.0 is a wide-reaching, bipartisan bill that builds on progress we’ve already made addressing ocean pollution. There’s much more that needs to be done to tackle the scourge of plastic waste washing up on our shores—Save Our Seas 3.0 is already in the pipeline.”

“Today is a great day for New Jerseyans and all Americans in the fight to protect our beautiful coastlines and beach communities from the growing scourge of plastic waste washing up on our shores. Save Our Seas 2.0 provides the most comprehensive set of tools to help bolster the United States’ leadership and response to this growing global environmental and economic challenge and I’m so pleased to see it become law,” said Senator Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Roughly eight million metric tons of mismanaged plastic waste from land enters the oceans each year. Ninety percent of this plastic enters the oceans from ten rivers, eight of which are in Asia. The plastic breaks down into tiny pieces that can enter the marine food chain and harm fish and wildlife, and wash ashore on even the most remote stretches of coastline. Plastic has been found in areas as remote as the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point in the ocean.

The Senate first passed Save Our Seas 2.0 in January and today approved technical changes made in the House. The House version of the bill was sponsored by Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Don Young (R-Alaska).

UBER, LYFT Wins Ballot Initiative on Labor Rights

Chicago, IL - November 24, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- On Nov. 3, 2020, Uber, Lyft and Postmates won a highly contested ballot initiative on labor rights in California, codifying that their workers will remain independent contractors, instead of employees. Mere weeks later, the companies are working to secure similar laws nationwide, including in Illinois and New York.

Prop-22, the California initiative, was supported by a record-setting $200 million and massive marketing campaign. Before and after Election Day, driver groups and labor advocates argued the gig companies were pushing misinformation to voters, causing confusion about how the law would affect workers' rights and protections.

The effects of Prop-22 are far-reaching for both corporate and lower-to-middle class America. Prop-22 effectively secured the long-term viability of gig companies, exempting them from the high costs of minimum wages, unemployment benefits, health insurance, and workers' compensation. Gig workers, on the other hand, have few protections and no safety net. For instance, a UC Berkeley Labor Center study estimates that drivers will be guaranteed only $5.64/hour (when accounting for time on the app, waiting for fares), under Prop-22. The law also leaves gig workers vulnerable in regards to work injuries and unwarranted deactivations (see: firings) from the platforms. Simply stated, when something goes wrong, the workers are left to fend for themselves.

Uber's CEO has stated publicly that the company is researching how to pass similar measures in other major markets. Crain's reported that Lyft has already launched a SuperPAC in Illinois with the goal of codifying its drivers' independent contractor status. Lyft also started a nationwide coalition called App-Based Work Alliance, with labor rights - or lack thereof - as the chief agenda.

"If voters understood the implications of Prop-22, they would have rebuked the law on its face," LegalRideshare attorney and co-founder Bryant Greening said. "The time is now to ensure voters appreciate the effects of these measures before they show up on local ballots."

Greening said many of his clients are fearful that Prop-22-like laws will sweep the nation. "Gig workers have steadily seen their rights and wages decrease, as gig companies search for ways to reduce costs," Greening said. "Our community must prioritize human rights over corporate profits."

LegalRideshare is the only law firm in the U.S. entirely dedicated to protecting gig workers after accidents and injuries.

"Boy Scout Lives Matter," Says Legal-Bay Lawsuit Funding, as they Near 100K Sex Abuse Claims Filed Via Bankruptcy Process

Washington, D.C. - November 24, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- Legal-Bay, The Pre-Settlement Funding Company, announced that while they are still funding a limited number of Boy Scouts of America Cases, they are appalled at the final tally of over 92K claims of sexual abuse and harassment already filed. Legal-Bay's last estimate of cases filed over the summer was around 25K, however, with a deadline of November 16 to submit all claims, that number has soared. Unfortunately, the high number of claims is putting a major strain on the settlement amounts awarded to plaintiffs at the culmination of their trials.

While the country's focus throughout much of 2020 was on Black Lives Matter protests and Donald Trump campaign rallies occurring amidst a worldwide pandemic, it was easy to ignore an equally significant epidemic unfolding throughout our country: The sexual abuse of our nation's children. Between a presidential election, escalating racial unrest, and COVID, the country's priorities have shifted away from these kids over the course of this tumultuous year.

Legal-Bay has never wavered in its dedication to children's causes. They've been supporting victims of childhood sexual abuse for years; it's an issue that has affected thousands of innocent children within organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, the Catholic Church, or state-run group homes.

Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay commented, "Shame on America for turning their backs on the systemic sex abuse problem we have in this country in regards to children. Whether it be the Sandusky case at Penn State, the Larry Nassar assaults on our Olympic athletes, or the numerous BSA and Catholic Church abuse cases, these situations are horrific in nature and have caused life-long mental and emotional harm to almost every single victim. Our hearts go out to the survivors, and we hope that they'll see ample compensation along with more effective measures put in place to ensure that children are better protected in the future."

Due to the sheer number of claims being filed via bankruptcy courts, Legal-Bay predicts that the BSA cases and ultimate payments to victims could drag on for three years or longer. And due to BSA's limited assets and bankruptcy filings, plaintiffs may not see high settlement amounts or values. Cases will most likely be batched in tiers of categories ranging from the most severe to the least. However, certain Catholic dioceses that have substantial assets and fewer cases could see settlement values north of $1 million, even for individual lawsuits. Legal-Bay is constantly updating its underwriting criteria as the landscape changes with each new case and jurisdiction.

Legal-Bay remains committed to helping victims of sex abuse or sexual harassment by providing instant pre-settlement funding capital to pay bills as they wait out their court cases to settle. The company is also very active in funding all types of personal injury and accident cases, including car, boat, or truck accidents, as well as wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, wrongful conviction or imprisonment, police brutality, medical malpractice, commercial litigation, and more.

Aside from sexual abuse loans for settlements, Legal-Bay also provides pre settlement funding for all types of cases including personal injury, car accident, medical malpractice, judgment on appeal, commercial litigation, and more. Their loans for lawsuits have helped numerous plaintiffs through many a financial crisis.

Legal-Bay's loan settlement programs provide immediate cash in advance of a plaintiff's anticipated monetary award. The non-recourse case funding—sometimes referred to as loans for lawsuit or loans on settlement—are risk-free, as the money doesn't need to be repaid should the recipient lose their case. Therefore, the lawsuit loans aren't really loans, but rather a cash advance.

To apply now, please visit us HERE or call toll-free at: 877.571.0405 where agents are standing by

Free Speech Protects Sexual Orientation Change Efforts says Court

Washington, D.C. - November 24, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- Family Research Council (FRC) has praised the recent decision by a federal appeals court striking down two local ordinances banning sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) for minors. In the case of Otto v. City of Boca Raton, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled on November 20 that "these ordinances are content-based and viewpoint-based restrictions on speech," and thus "violate the First Amendment."

Both the city of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County in Florida had enacted laws similar to those in several states and other localities across the country, prohibiting what critics of the practice sometimes call "conversion therapy" for minors, on the argument that such therapy is harmful to clients.

However, FRC also released today an Issue Analysis based upon a literature review of 79 academic sources purported to show "measures of harm" from SOCE. As FRC Senior Fellow for Policy Studies Peter Sprigg documents in the report, none of the 79 studies provide scientific proof that SOCE is more harmful than other forms of therapy, more harmful than other courses of action for those with same-sex attractions, or more likely to be harmful than helpful for the average client.

Sprigg has written papers showing that sexual orientation can change, that SOCE therapy can be effective and is not usually harmful, and that even pro-LGBT sources have undermined the case for therapy bans.

"Legal restrictions upon the voluntary pursuit of, and assistance with, sexual orientation change represent an assault upon both freedom of speech and freedom of religion," said Sprigg regarding Friday's court ruling. "I hope this court decision marks the beginning of the end for these unconstitutional infringements on personal autonomy."

The two licensed marriage and family therapists who brought the suit, Robert Otto and Julie Hamilton, were represented by Liberty Counsel. The court's decision was written by Judge Britt C. Grant, with Judge Barbara Lagoa concurring. Judge Beverly B. Martin wrote in dissent.

The 11th Circuit decision was foreshadowed by comments in a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision, NIFLA v. Becerra, dealing with California's efforts to regulate speech by pro-life pregnancy centers. In the course of rejecting the argument that governments can regulate "professional speech" without offending the First Amendment, the Supreme Court directly criticized earlier appeals court decisions that had made the same argument in upholding state therapy bans. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that "this Court has not recognized 'professional speech' as a separate category of speech. Speech is not unprotected merely because it is uttered by 'professionals.'"

COVID Treatment

Regeneron’s treatment was given to President Donald Trump last month after he contracted Covid-19. While Trump received a number of drugs to combat the virus, he said after he was released from the hospital he expected speedy authorization of Regeneron’s therapy, crediting it with his recovery. It has now received an emergency-use authorization from U.S. drug regulators for treatment of early Covid-19 symptoms, adding to the expanding arsenal of therapies available to physicians at a time when the virus is surging. Read more...

Contrary to what some are saying about the drug, Regeneron was NOT derived from embryonic stem cells. Check out this article...

Apprenticeship Act, Belarus, Vaccines, and Sexual Misconduct

The House of Representatives passed the National Apprenticeship Act which would invest in increasing access to Registered Apprenticeships (RAs), codify and streamline existing standards that are vital to support RAs, and invest and expand the successful RA model to youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. The National Apprenticeship Act would invest more than $3.5 billion over five years to create nearly 1 million additional apprenticeship opportunities in existing and emerging industry sectors, according to U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-WA, 9th).

Apparently, Belarus's election woes make ours look like small potatoes. This is one we need to be watching, to see how it all plays out. Read more...

October has now been declared "National Principles Month" officially. Read more...

U.S. Representative Darren Soto (D-FL, 9th) introduced the Helping Adults Protect Immunity Act (HAPI) Act to ensure more Americans can receive necessary vaccines, including any future COVID-19 vaccine, at no out-of-pocket cost. The legislation would create parity in vaccine coverage between traditional Medicaid and Medicaid expansion programs. The bill would also provide enhanced federal matching funds for states to better reach at-risk and vulnerable patient populations. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has introduced the Senate companion bill. Read more...

Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA), Chair of the House Military Personnel Subcommittee, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense Acting Inspector General (DOD-IG) Sean O’Donnell demanding an explanation for the delayed conclusion of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct against former Navy Auditor General Ronnie J. Booth.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report reviewing the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) management of their intellectual property. The report recommends HHS fix a deficiency in their commercial licensing process and publicly report more about the licensing of their intellectual property. U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) requested this report in order to learn more about how taxpayer-funded research is being used to develop drugs and vaccines.

Election News, Obamacare and COVID-19

In a memo to U.S. attorneys sent and made public Monday, Mr. Barr said investigations “may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State.”
Read more...

The head of President Donald Trump's efforts to challenge the 2020 election result has tested positive for the coronavirus, Bloomberg reported on Monday.
Read more...

A group of Republican attorneys general on Monday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case challenging a lower court ruling that extended Pennsylvania's deadline to receive mail-in ballots.
Read more...

The 10 attorneys general aligned their states with arguments from Trump’s presidential campaign, the Pennsylvania Republican Party and a pair of GOP state legislative leaders that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision usurped powers that the Constitution reserves for state legislatures.
Read more...

Ben Carson, the secretary of housing and urban development (HUD), has tested positive for the coronavirus, a HUD spokesperson said Monday, making him the second senior official who attended an election night event at the White House to contract the virus.
Read more...

The court will hear a lawsuit Tuesday that likely represents Republicans’ last chance to knock out a health care law they’ve opposed for over a decade, and that President-elect Joe Biden is vowing to expand. One of the most-watched participants at the oral arguments will be Trump’s latest appointee to the high court, Amy Coney Barrett. Democrats during last month’s confirmation hearings portrayed her as the pivotal vote who could bring about the law’s demise amid an intensifying pandemic that’s sickened millions.
Read more...

Election News from Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona and Georgia...and New Cable News Network Coming!

Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos instructed a review of the state’s election results following concerns about mail-in ballots and voter fraud, according to Wisconsin State Journal.

A Nevada whistleblower has alleged that Clark County, Nevada election officials counted mail-in ballots despite concerns about signature validity. Clark County had previously raised red flags in the eyes of state Republicans, who pointed out ways its signature verification process (or lack there of) could be weaponized. Read more...

The Trump campaign has sued Arizona’s Maricopa County alleging that poll workers may have disenfranchised thousands of in-person voters on election day by incorrectly handling some ballots.

The campaign announced its lawsuit in a press release on Saturday, claiming that some ballots cast on election day were marked as “overvotes” by the machines processing them, meaning the machine found that more votes were marked on the ballot than is allowed. Many overvote ballots were then canceled instead of being taken by a poll worker and counted by hand, the lawsuit says. Read more about this...

Jeanine Pirro parlayed that "Donald Trump is starting a new cable "news" network. I will host the flagship program."

The Ponder is looking forward to that!

Georgia’s top election official is dispatching a team of investigators after a ballot “issue” was discovered in one of the counties most responsible for giving former Vice President Joe Biden the lead over President Trump. Read more...

USPS Whistleblower, Late Ballots, Election Software Glitch, COVID-19, Dead Men Voting

Project Veritas’ most recent Insider from Pennsylvania, a USPS Whistleblower, Richard Hopkins, has informed them that after going public with his allegations of supervisors back-dating ballots to November 3rd, his job has been threatened! A Go-Fund-Me account has been set up to support him!
Check it out!

Ken Star has said that Ballots that arrive late are illegal, according to Supreme Court Law. Read about it...

U.S. Representative Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ, 4th) is calling on Arizona Governor Doug Ducey to call a special session of the AZ Legislature under Article IV of its state constitution to investigate the accuracy and reliability of the Dominion ballot software and its impact on their general election due to numerous "hiccups" across the country causing vote count irregularities. According to an article in USA Today, a failure to update the software was the cause of the "glitch".

White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, has tested positive for COVID-19.

Republican Senator Mitt Romney said the President was wrong, and called him "reckless", over claiming election fraud.

In Clark County, Nevada, a man who has been dead for three years rose from the grave to cast a ballot.

Introducing the Trump Accountability Project: Communism in Practice in America

House Representative Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez (NY-14), and other Democrats, are voicing their plan to archive and make lists of all those who supported Donald Trump on social media to make them accountable. This is a blatant example of the coming persecution for those who don't agree with Democrats in the future. One such radical group supporting her is called "The Trump Accountability Project". Get ready to hear more about this...

Check it out by clicking HERE

Can you say "Mark of the Beast" rhetoric?

Read more about this at Headline USA

Read also:

Leftists, Never Trumpers Begin Compiling Lists of Trump Supporters

James Woods Hits Back With this Brilliant Response When AOC Starts Threatening to Target Trump Supporters
While you are at it, put Shonda Ponder, editor of The Ponder News, on that list as well. I ain't giving up my beliefs and my morals for a paycheck.

Substantiated Claims of Election Fraud

New Boston, TX - November 6, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- The Georgia Secretary of State has announced that there will be a recount, due to the closeness of the race. Over 40,000 military ballots are still not counted.

Michigan County has flipped back to Trump after a software glitch was found and fixed. Apparently over 40 other counties in Michigan were affected the same way, so stay tuned for updates about this. GOP is demanding all votes be checked again after this incident.

Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel is asking Minnesota State GOP Chairs to rally behind President Trump's allegations of election fraud. Apparently GOP has remained eerily quiet.

Most reports coming from the media about the election are still saying Trump's claims are "baseless" and "unsubstantiated", in spite of evidence of election tampering and software glitches, voting irregularities and denial of access to poll-watchers.

According to the Washington Times, "The Republican National Committee has legal teams on the ground in four battleground states and announced Friday there are numerous incidences of “voting irregularities.”

Mitch McConnel maintains that regardless of who wins, there will be a "peaceful transfer of power".

In Pennsylvania, thousands of provisional ballots will be set aside until officials can determine if they were valid, according to an order by the Commonwealth Court in a lawsuit brought by Republican candidates.

The Ponder believes there is enough "substantiated evidence" based on "solid proof" that the presidential election has been compromised. President Trump deserves to be backed up on his claims.

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Coalition for Good Governance needs your help

If you were at a polling place on November 3rd, please act as a Citizen Observer and gather some data for us!

We focus on the technological issues voter face while voting in GA. The data collected will be critical going forward as we continue the fight to protect both your voting rights, and your health and safety while voting.

THANK YOU for your help – we can’t do this without you!

Please visit Coalition for Good Governance by clicking HERE for more information about what is needed!

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2020 Election News

STOP THE BIDEN STEAL: Sign the Petition
Source: Marjorie Taylor Greene
November 6, 2020
This is the biggest VOTER FRAUD operation in American history.
Sign your petition to STOP THE STEAL.
Save America.
Stop Socialism.
STOP THE STEAL.
Defeat the Democrats.
-Marjorie Greene
Congresswoman-elect (GA-R)
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Pennsylvania Lawsuit Alleges 21,000 Dead People Still on Voter Rolls
Source: The Daily Signal
November 6, 2020
A legal group filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania alleging that the state has tens of thousands of deceased people on its voter rolls and that there is evidence of voting activity among the deceased.
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Michigan: GOP Claims Software Glitch Switched 6,000 Republican Votes To Democrat, 47 Counties Used Same Software
Source: Daily Wire
November 6, 2020
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and Michigan GOP Chairwoman Laura Cox held a press conference on Friday outlining alleged irregularities and a software glitch that apparently caused 6,000 votes cast for Republican candidates to be inaccurately counted as votes for Democrats. According to Cox, the error was found and corrected after the county hand-counted the vote. The software, though, was used in the same capacity in 47 other counties across the state, she said, warning of possible similar glitches elsewhere.
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Mainstream Media CAUGHT Using Portland Riot Pic To Frame Election Integrity Protests As Violent
Source: Gateway Pundit
November 6, 2020
In what appears to be a coordinated disinformation campaign (to quote the New York Times in their articles about Project Veritas), several news outlets associated with the Nexstar Broadcasting conglomerate are using a picture of a Portland rioter being arrested by police to falsely frame the elections integrity protests as being violent and out of control. The picture is from an entirely separate event and has absolutely nothing to do with the pro-Trump protests. The unsubstantiated and baseless story echoed by these outlets is full of conjecture and fear mongering, claiming that Trump supporters are ready to snap and commit widespread violence.
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CALLING ALL TRUMP VOTERS: Will You Support Republicans In 2024 If They Won’t Support Trump Now?
Source: Gateway Pundit
November 6, 2020
Do Republicans really think they can ignore Trump and his 70 million voters and go back to the way things were? Do Republicans think they can ignore the forgotten people of America and then expect them to come out in record numbers to support them? Do Republicans think we can be disregarded and abused and that we will support them in the future?
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Georgia Race Tightens, Officials Will Conduct Recount
Source: NPR
November 6, 2020
They're saying that there are no widespread irregularities being reported and that any reports of voting issues are being investigated, will be investigated. Officials stressed at this press conference that this is a nation of laws and that those laws will be followed.
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Trump Won Highest Share of Non-White Vote of Any Republican Since 1960, Exit Polls Show
Source: National Review
November 4, 2020
Roughly one quarter of non-white voters cast their ballots for Trump, according to an Edison exit poll. If the poll is an accurate reflection of final results, Trump will have won over more non-white voters than any Republican since Richard Nixon, who won 32 percent of the non-white vote in 1960 but lost to John F. Kennedy. Trump will also have improved on his performance in the 2016 election when he won 21 percent of the non-white vote.
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FOX News: Oregon becomes first state to decriminalize hard drugs like heroin and cocaine

Instead of treating drug users as criminals, Oregon will now offer them addiction services funded by marijuana tax revenue, which is more than $100 million a year in the state.

Only small amounts of drugs are decriminalized, such as less than 1 gram of heroin or MDMA; 2 grams of cocaine or methamphetamine; 12 grams of psilocybin mushrooms; and 40 doses of LSD, oxycodone or methadone.

READ MORE...

American Thinker: Count and Recount Every 'Vote' Until You Win

First, they tried to bring him down with a sex "scandal" that almost elevated a creepy lawyer to a Democratic presidential contender. Then they cooked up a baseless impeachment. A virus came from China to later derail what could have been a landslide win for him. Then numerous blatant push polls tried to demoralize his supporters. (Just pick one. Less than a week before the election, an ABC News–Washington Post poll gave Biden a 17% lead in Wisconsin. Is there any way to sue these two corrupt companies?)
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TRUMP CAMPAIGN SCORES MAJOR ELECTION INTEGRITY VICTORY IN PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia, PA - November 5, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. released the following statement on the Trump Campaign's major election integrity victory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

"In a major victory for election integrity, election transparency, all Pennsylvania voters, and the rule of law, the Trump Campaign has prevailed in our suit challenging our Republican poll watchers’ complete lack of any meaningful access to the ballot processing and counting process.

"The eyes of the country are on Pennsylvania, but Pennsylvania Democrats, led by their radical left Secretary of State whose only goal is to steal this election from President Trump, has kept eyes off of the absentee ballot counting process. That ends now in Philadelphia.

"As a result of this incredible legal victory, the lower court’s order has been reversed. Now, according to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, ‘all candidates, watchers, or candidate representatives’ shall ‘be permitted to be present for the canvassing process’ and ‘be permitted to observe all aspects of the canvassing process within 6 feet, while adhering to all COVID-19 protocols, including, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.'

"For the good of the nation, every Pennsylvania county should follow the lead of this judge and provide access for observers to ensure transparency and integrity in Pennsylvania. That is the only way to ensure a fair, transparent election in which all Pennsylvania voters can have confidence their vote will count."

- Justin Clark, Trump 2020 Deputy Campaign Manger and Senior Counsel

Click here to read the order.

Supreme Court orders Pennsylvania Democrats to respond in ballot dispute

The lawsuit takes issue with a state Supreme Court ruling that postmarked ballots be presumed to have been mailed before Nov. 3, even if not clearly postmarked to that effect.
READ MORE BY CLICKING HERE!

Trump campaign files lawsuits in 3 states and seeks recount in Wisconsin

The day after the election, the Trump campaign says it has filed lawsuits Wednesday in Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan, and will ask for a recount in Wisconsin.
READ MORE by clicking here

And, rightfully so. Anyone who was watching the election numbers knows that Trump had these states before we all went to bed. Suddenly, a bunch of votes were shipped in, not verified and all had Biden's name on them. Sounds fishy to The Ponder!

According to a report by Michelle Malkin, the count was secretive and poll watchers were refused admittance to watch.

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Rule Designed To Impede Immigrants Seeking Green Cards

U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman in Chicago, Ill., rejected a rule Monday implemented by the Trump administration that aimed to deny green cards to immigrants utilizing food stamps and other public benefits. The decision applies nationwide, not just in the state of Illinois.

Read the whole article at NPR by clicking HERE

Read Illinois Advocates Commend Federal Court Ruling Striking Down Public Charge Rule from the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights by clicking HERE

Newt Gingrich: If election riots break out, Trump should follow Lincoln’s advice

In Lincoln’s Lyceum Address of January 1838, titled “On the Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions,” he described mobs as the enemy of law-abiding citizens. He also captured the exasperation of citizens when government does nothing to suppress the mobs.

Lincoln, who was only 28 at the time, said this about mobs:

“Having ever regarded Government as their deadliest bane, they make a jubilee of the suspension of its operations; and pray for nothing so much, as its total annihilation.

“While, on the other hand, good men, men who love tranquility, who desire to abide by the laws, and enjoy their benefits, who would gladly spill their blood in the defense of their country; seeing their property destroyed; their families insulted, and their lives endangered; their persons injured; and seeing nothing in prospect that forebodes a change for the better; become tired of, and disgusted with, a Government that offers them no protection; and are not much averse to a change in which they imagine they have nothing to lose.

“Thus, then, by the operation of this mobocratic spirit, which all must admit, is now abroad in the land, the strongest bulwark of any Government, and particularly of those constituted like ours, may effectually be broken down and destroyed, I mean the attachment of the People.

“Whenever this effect shall be produced among us; whenever the vicious portion of population shall be permitted to gather in bands of hundreds and thousands, and bum churches, ravage and rob provision stores, throw printing presses into rivers, shoot editors, and hang and burn obnoxious persons at pleasure, and with impunity; depend on it, this Government cannot last.”

Read the full article at FOX News by clicking HERE

Texas events canceled after 'Trump train' surrounds Biden campaign bus on interstate

Fox News Reports:

LOS ANGELES - The Biden campaign canceled at least two events in Texas on October 30 after vehicles carrying Trump flags and signs surrounded one of its campaign buses traveling from San Antonio to Austin, according to Democratic officials.
Read more...

Shortly after this, Forbes posts this Headline:

Trump Claims Supporters Were ‘Protecting’ Biden-Harris Bus Surrounded On Highway

OMG! It was a JOKE, Forbes! Get OVER it!

I'm laughing.

Trump Administration Delists Gray Wolf from Endangered Species List

Washington, D.C. - October 31, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- “In Eastern Washington, and especially in Northeastern Washington, wolf predation on calves has become common. I regularly hear from people who’ve seen wolves around their property and who cannot defend themselves without risking a felony,” said McMorris Rodgers. “By delisting the gray wolf and restoring local decision-making, we can allow people in our state and community to use science-based wolf management practices that will benefit both our endangered and native animals while protecting farmers and ranchers. As the Obama administration made clear in 2013, the gray wolf is recovered. Unfortunately, the gray wolf was not delisted. Thank you to the Trump administration for respecting local decision-making and delisting this recovered species in the lower 48 states,” stated U.S. Representative Cathy Rodgers McMorris (R-WA, 5th).

More than 45 years after gray wolves were first listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Trump Administration and its many conservation partners are announcing the successful recovery of the gray wolf and its delisting from the ESA. U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt was at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge to announce that state and tribal wildlife management agency professionals will resume responsibility for sustainable management and protection of delisted gray wolves in states with gray wolf populations, while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) monitors the species for five years to ensure the continued success of the species.

The Service based its final determination solely on the best scientific and commercial data available, a thorough analysis of threats and how they have been alleviated and the ongoing commitment and proven track record of states and tribes to continue managing for healthy wolf populations once delisted. This analysis includes the latest information about the wolf’s current and historical distribution in the contiguous United States

“Today’s action reflects the Trump Administration’s continued commitment to species conservation based on the parameters of the law and the best scientific and commercial data available,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “After more than 45 years as a listed species, the gray wolf has exceeded all conservation goals for recovery. Today’s announcement simply reflects the determination that this species is neither a threatened nor endangered species based on the specific factors Congress has laid out in the law.”

In total, the gray wolf population in the lower 48 states is more than 6,000 wolves, greatly exceeding the combined recovery goals for the Northern Rocky Mountains and Western Great Lakes populations.

The gray wolf is the latest in a strong list of ESA recoveries that includes the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, American alligator, brown pelican and 48 other species of animals and plants in U.S. states, territories and waters. Countless more have improved or stabilized. Collectively, these successes demonstrate that the ESA can make a difference for imperiled species.

No administration in history has recovered more imperiled species in their first term than the Trump Administration. Since 2017, thirteen species – and now the gray wolf – have been determined to not be either a threatened species or endangered species under the ESA’s List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, and another seven species have been downlisted from endangered species to threatened species. To provide context for this in looking at other administrations in their first term, the Obama Administration recovered six species; the Bush Administration recovered eight species; and the Clinton Administration recovered nine species.

“President Trump’s Administration has focused on proactive measures, including partnerships with organizations, to ensure listed species flourish to the point of recovery,” said Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Aurelia Skipwith. “Today is a win for the gray wolf and the American people. I am grateful for these partnerships with States and Tribes and their commitment to sustainable management of wolves that will ensure the species long-term survival following this delisting.”

By the early part of the 20th century, the gray wolf had become scarce across almost the entire landscape of the lower 48 states. But, the dedicated efforts of partners that included states, tribes, conservation organizations and private landowners working together under the auspices of the ESA, brought this great predator back to healthy, stable numbers. Gray wolves in the United States exist primarily as two large, genetically diverse, stable to growing populations broadly distributed across several contiguous U.S. States, with an additional large population in Alaska that was never listed.

Gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains, where a healthy and sustainable population roams across Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and eastern portions of Oregon and Washington, were previously delisted. These states have since managed this delisted population effectively and responsibly. Wolves have even expanded into western Oregon, western Washington, northern California and most recently in northwest Colorado.

The Western Great Lakes wolf population in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, the largest outside Alaska, is also strong and stable. These states have been key partners in wolf recovery efforts and have made a commitment to continue their activities. The states of Washington, Oregon, California and Colorado are also committed to conserving wolves, as demonstrated by their development of management plans and laws protecting wolves.

This final rule excludes Mexican wolves as that species remains listed under the ESA. The final rule will be effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

In 2013, the Obama Administration’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that gray wolf recovery goals had been achieved, yet the effort to delist the animal from the ESA was met with politically-motivated attacks and lawsuits by radical environmental groups. Management of gray wolves was transferred from the states to the federal level following two 2014 U.S. District Court decisions that reinstated gray wolves under the protections of the ESA.

The best available scientific and commercial information continued to indicate the gray wolf does not meet the definitions of a threatened or endangered species. With a range-wide population of more than 6,000, gray wolf recovery efforts have exceeded the combined goals for the Northern Rocky Mountains and Western Great Lakes populations. In Washington state alone, there are at least 108 known wolves in 21 known packs, including at least 10 breeding pairs, and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation reported 37 wolves in five packs.

The gray wolf joins the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, American alligator, brown pelican and 33 other species of animals and plants in U.S. states, territories and waters that have been brought back from the brink with the help of the ESA.

On March 15, 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to delist the gray wolf and announced the opening of a 60-day public comment period on the proposed action, ending May 14, 2020. In response to requests, the Service extended the comment period until July 15, 2019, to allow all interested parties additional time to comment on the proposal and to allow for a public hearing. In addition, a final peer review report on the proposal was made available on June 3, 2019.

On May 28, 2019, 35 U.S. Representative wrote a bipartisan letter in support of the proposed rule, urging the Administration to use the best available science to delist the gray wolf. Click here to read the letter.

In the 115th Congress, Rep. Newhouse introduced H.R. 6784, the Manage Our Wolves Act, which passed the House on November 16, 2018. In Washington, the gray wolf is only listed as endangered in two-thirds of the state. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has publicly supported changing the federal designation in order to fully implement their local management plan. Click here and here to read the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s 2015 and 2018 letters requesting the federal delisting of the gray wolf.

See more information by clicking HERE.

Rice Introduces Bill to Require Election Security Reports for Congress and State Election Officials

(Washington, D.C. - October 31, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice (D-NY, 4th), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, introduced the Election Security Assessments Act (H.R. 8697), which would require the Director of National Intelligence to submit annual reports on pre-election threats to Federal elections to Members of Congress and State election officials.

“Foreign interference in our elections represents one of the gravest threats to American democracy in the history of our nation,” said Rep. Kathleen Rice. “Given what is at stake, it is absurd that Director Ratcliffe and the Trump Administration at large have been tight-lipped and dismissive about these threats. Seemingly for fear of harming the President politically. The Election Security Assessments Act will require that information sharing take place and ensure that Congress and State election officials are not left in the dark about the threats facing our elections.”

Rice’s introduction of the Election Security Assessments Acts comes following Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe’s decision to scale back election security briefings to Congress. These briefings were retrenched despite U.S. intelligence that Russia and other actors are still interfering in the 2020 election.

Full text of the Election Security Assessments Act can be found here.

Mental Illness, Wildlife Tracking, Hunter Biden, Voting, Masks, Jim Crow, Criminal Justice Reform, Google

Report: Public Knowledge Applauds Antitrust Suit Against Google
Source: Public Knowledge
October 20, 2020
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google. The suit focuses on how Google has monopolized the search engine market as well as the market for general search advertising. The suit comes after our recent letters urging the Justice Department to review Google’s conduct for anticompetitive behavior in the search and advertising technology markets.
Read more...

Report: Retail Industry Opposed Criminal Justice Reform in at Least 18 States
Source: Public Citizen
October 16, 2020
Despite the reform rhetoric and pledges many retailers made following protests against racism and police violence, a report released today by Public Citizen shows that retailers and retail industry groups have fought criminal justice reforms and advocated for harsher shoplifting sentences in at least 18 states. Most of the time – in 11 states – the retail industry prevailed against reformers.
Read more...

Mass Media Ignores Purge of Black Candidates from Tennessee Ballot during Presidential Debate
Source: Public Advocate USA
October 23, 2020
Public Advocate of the United States president Eugene Delgaudio calls on Attorney General William Barr to launch a criminal investigation into Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen and the national Democratic Party as well as Republican operatives who are helping them inflict Jim Crow election rigging against black people in the South.
Read more...

CDC Issues Mask Recommendation for Public Transportation, Rep. Price Urges Stronger Mandate
Source: U.S. Representative David Price (D-NC, 4th)
October 20, 2020
"I’m glad the CDC is finally 'strongly recommending' passengers and workers wear masks when utilizing public transportation, despite political pressure from the White House to ignore and downplay the COVID-19 threat,” said Chairman Price. “However, I urge the CDC to go a step further. A mandate would ensure even more people adhere to this simple yet effective method to slow the spread of the virus—protecting riders, workers, and the general public. As mentioned in the guidance, local transmission can grow quickly into interstate and international transmission when infected persons travel without wearing a mask and in close proximity to others.”
Read more...

Citi Bike Miami Offers Free Rides on Election Day
Source: Citi Bike Miami
October 21, 2020
“Voting is a right that defines our country, and we are excited to offer free rides for you to cast your vote. We are going to get you to the polls and back,” said the Citi Bike Miami management team. Each person participating will receive a promo code valid for two free rentals good for 30 minutes each.
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Rep. Posey’s Statement Concerning the Discovery of Hunter Biden’s Laptop
Source: U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL, 8th)
October 20, 2020
“Having a mental illness is not a crime, yet it is treated like one time and again,” Congresswoman Porter said. “It is crucial we connect those in crisis with appropriate resources so they can get the care they need. Too often individuals with mental illness and intellectual and developmental disabilities are subject to unnecessary violence and are cycled in and out of our justice system when they’d be much better served by other community resources. This common sense legislation would enable mental health providers to be first on the scene when 911 is called for a mental health emergency, making our communities safer for all.”
Read more...

Portman, Coons Introduce Legislation to Combat Wildlife Trafficking
Source: Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
October 22, 2020
“The revelation of information contained on a laptop purportedly belonging to former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden is deeply troubling and raises serious questions about the foreign policy practices of the Obama Administration, and more particularly the practices of then-Vice President Biden.
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Reps. Porter, Cárdenas, Pressley, and Scanlon Introduce Bill to Protect Individuals with Mental Illness, Disabilities from Police Violence
Source: U.S. Representative Katie Porter (D-CA, 45th)
October 20, 2020
“Having a mental illness is not a crime, yet it is treated like one time and again,” Congresswoman Porter said. “It is crucial we connect those in crisis with appropriate resources so they can get the care they need. Too often individuals with mental illness and intellectual and developmental disabilities are subject to unnecessary violence and are cycled in and out of our justice system when they’d be much better served by other community resources. This common sense legislation would enable mental health providers to be first on the scene when 911 is called for a mental health emergency, making our communities safer for all.”
Read more...

Barrett Nomination, Oceans, Charities, Civil Rights, COVID Relief, Weather

Norton, Bass Send Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Opposing Vote on Supreme Court Nominee
Source: U.S. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.)
October 20, 2020
Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) commends Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) for introducing the “Ocean Based Climate Solutions Act” today. The bill would authorize federal funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to invest in ocean-based solutions to greenhouse gas emissions and conservation of coastal communities, as well as outline a national policy to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030.
Read more...

POLICY ALERT: OUTDOOR INDUSTRY APPLAUDS INTRODUCTION OF THE ‘OCEAN BASED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS ACT’
Source: Outdoor Industry Association
October 20, 2020
“As chair of the CBC’s Judicial Nominations Task Force, my investigation into Judge Barrett’s writings and record on the Court of Appeals compel me to raise strong objections again to her nomination to the Supreme Court,” Norton said. “Her disregard for precedent endangers hard-won precedents that African Americans disproportionately rely upon, such as the Affordable Care Act.”
Read more...

Ways and Means Oversight Panel Members Demand Answers on 28,000 Charities Losing Tax-Exempt Status
Source: U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ, 9th)
October 20, 2020
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, led all panel members in demanding answers from U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) sudden revocation of the tax-exempt status of 30,000 nonprofit organizations. This decision imperils charitable organizations aiding Americans struggling through the pandemic.
Read more...

CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS ANNOUNCE PRINCIPLES TO PROTECT CIVIL RIGHTS AND TECHNOLOGY
Source: Open MIC (Open Media and Information Companies Initiative)
October 21, 2020
Advocates designed the principles both in response to the current risks to civil rights – including COVID-19, a surge in hate-based violence, private sector and government surveillance, and disinformation on social media platforms designed to manipulate or suppress voter participation – and with an eye toward how technology can meet its promise and affirmatively promote justice and equity.
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Reps. Pallone, Schiff, Bilirakis, Speier and Titus Announce Library of Congress Will Recognize the Armenian Genocide
Source: U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ, 6th)
October 21, 2020
The decision to change the subject heading by Dr. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, was announced after bipartisan letters were sent to the Library and a formal request was initiated by the University of California-Los Angeles library. This change comes after both the House and Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation recognizing the facts of the Armenian Genocide in 2019. Dr. Hayden informed the Members in a phone call.
Read more...

Democrats Continue To Block Additional COVID Relief
Source: Senator David Perdue (R-GA)
October 21, 2020
“It’s absolutely shameful that Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi continue to hold up real relief that could help the American people today,” Senator Perdue. “Once again, the Senate voted on a critical COVID-19 package focused on getting people back to work, getting kids safely back to school, and beating this virus with more resources for PPE, testing, and vaccines. Instead, Democrats are still trying to push their radical, socialist policies to be included, which have nothing to do with COVID-19. We have already secured $2.9 trillion in federal funding directed at helping American workers, businesses, families, hospitals, and communities. In Georgia, we specifically directed over $47 billion to help our state combat this crisis. It is time for the Democrats to stop holding Georgians and the American people hostage and work with us to deliver this much needed relief. As I have done from the start of this pandemic, I will continue fighting every single day to beat this virus and to secure additional assistance to help all of our communities.”
Read more...

Peters Bipartisan Bill to Predict & Mitigate Space Weather Threats Signed Into Law
Source: Senator Gary Peters (D-MI)
October 21, 2020
A severe space weather event, such as a solar flare or coronal mass ejection, has the potential to seriously disrupt the electric power grid, communications networks including cellular phones and GPS, satellites and aircraft operations. That’s why Peters worked to advance the Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow (PROSWIFT) Act.
Read more...

Elections, Hunter Biden, Veterans, Suicide Hotline, Private Schools

Today's News from "Other" Sources

Two key Texas counties — Democratic stronghold Harris and traditionally red Denton — are setting early voting records
Source: The Texas Tribune
October 19, 2020
As of Friday, 27% of registered voters in Denton County had cast their ballots in the 2020 election — surpassing the county’s 2016 turnout of 18% on the fourth day.
Read more...

Leftists blast Trump over viral video showing him give money at church: 'Cheap bastard'
Source: The Blaze
October 19, 2020
President Donald Trump was excoriated on social media Sunday after a viral video showed him placing a wad of $20 dollar bills into the collection bucket at a Las Vegas church.
Read more...

Ratcliffe says Hunter Biden laptop, emails 'not part of some Russian disinformation campaign'
Source: FOX News
October 19, 2020
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe on Monday said that Hunter Biden’s laptop “is not part of some Russian disinformation campaign,” amid claims from House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff suggesting otherwise.
Read more...

Today's News from "OUR" Sources

President Trump Signs Sen. Moran’s Groundbreaking Veterans Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Bill into Law
Source:Senator Jerry Moran- (R - KS)
October 18, 2020
“Many of our veterans are suffering from daunting, sometimes overwhelming mental health challenges, that have only been made worse by this pandemic, and lack access to modern, effective and compassionate mental health care and suicide prevention services,” said Chairman Moran. “Today, President Trump signed into law the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act that will reform mental health care at the VA by hiring and training more professionals in this field, developing innovative methods to reach veterans with care, and establishing a grant program to better collaborate with community organizations across the country already serving veterans. This is a significant day for veterans, and I am grateful to Ranking Member Jon Tester, President Trump and many of my colleagues for working tirelessly this Congress to get this landmark bill signed into law and improve suicide prevention research, services and programs for our nation’s veterans.”
Read more...

MOULTON BILL TO MAKE 988 NATIONAL NUMBER FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE SIGNED INTO LAW
Source: U.S. Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA, 6th)
October 17, 2020
The bill will unite the nation’s suicide prevention and mental health hotlines under three digits: 9-8-8. Americans with questions or concerns about their mental health or the mental health of a loved one will be able to dial 9-8-8 and get help within the next two years.
Read more...

Private Schools Not to Receive Cares Act Funding
Source: National School Boards Association
October 8, 2020
“NSBA commends the South Carolina Supreme Court for ruling in accordance with the amicus brief the association filed in this case. The South Carolina Supreme Court found, as we highlighted in our argument, that funneling public CARES Act aid to private schools is unlawful. Furthermore, we are extremely pleased that during oral argument Justice Kaye Hearn identified NSBA as having drawn the Court’s attention to recent federal court rulings rejecting the U.S. Department of Education’s misinterpretation of the CARES Act’s intent.
Read more...