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Tag: United States

  • AfD tops German opinion poll for first time

    ER Editor: As a sidebar, a new German government looks to have been formed. See DW —

    Germany: CDU/CSU and SPD announce coalition government deal

    ***

    Translation: For the first time in the AfD’s short history, we are the strongest party in Germany. Thank you for your tremendous trust – political change will come!

    A nice summary —

    AfD politician Bjorn Hocke recently —

    Russia has implemented exactly the same policy —

    ********

    AfD tops German opinion poll for first time

    The right-wing party has garnered 25% of support, outpacing the conservative CDU/CSU alliance, a new Ipsos survey shows

    RT

    The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has topped a major nationwide public support poll for the first time, outpacing Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz’s alliance.

    According to a new Ipsos survey released on Wednesday, the AfD has 25% of public support, while the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) bloc trails at 24%.

    Compared to the previous poll in early March, the AfD gained three points, while the conservatives dropped by five. Support for outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) remained unchanged at 15%, while the Greens slipped to 11%, and are now tied with the Left Party, which gained two points to reach its highest level since December 2016.

    The survey polled 1,000 eligible voters on April 4-5.

    Translation: For the first time in the AfD’s short history, we are the strongest party in Germany. Thank you for your tremendous trust – political change will come!

    AfD leader Alice Weidel celebrated her party’s showing in a post on X: “For the first time in the AfD’s short history, we are the strongest party in Germany… Citizens want political change – not a ‘business as usual’ coalition between the CDU/CSU and SPD!”

    In the federal election in February, the CDU/CSU won with 28.5% of the vote. CDU leader Merz, the presumed next chancellor, is now negotiating a coalition with the center-left SPD, which suffered a historic defeat, winning just 16.4%.

    According to German media reports, the two sides are working to finalize agreements on key issues such as migration, climate, and EU relations. One of the goals reportedly includes keeping the AfD out of power. Merz said last month that he aims to form the new government before Easter on April 20. A deal would give the coalition 328 seats in the Bundestag, comfortably above the 316 needed for a majority.

    Merz previously ruled out talks with the AfD, claiming that the party “stands against our Western orientation, the euro and NATO.” (ER: Indeed it does, thank goodness.)

    Analysts say the AfD’s rise in the polls reflects growing public frustration with mainstream parties and the delay in forming a coalition.

    “This survey clearly shows that people are becoming increasingly impatient, they want concrete negotiation results. They want to know what is coming their way,” political scientist Volker Kronenberg told Die Welt.

    The AfD secured second place in the election with 20.8% of the vote, doubling its 2021 result of 10.4%. Despite the gains, the party remains ‘firewalled’, with mainstream political parties refusing to work with them and labeling them ‘far-right’.

    The party has faced backlash over controversial remarks from current and former members about Germany’s Nazi past and has been under surveillance for suspected extremism. The AfD denies it is far-right and says it defends German interests with its position on immigration.

    Source

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    Published to The Liberty Beacon from EuropeReloaded.com

     

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    Source: TLB

    April 10, 2025

  • The ‘Hitman’ of Big Pharma (VIDEO)

    A bombshell investigation by Project Veritas reveals how Johnson & Johnson (J&J), a trusted household name, allegedly uses its clout to exploit and bankrupt smaller suppliers and manufacturing partners. Tyler Simpkin, a procurement leader in J&J’s medical device division, was caught on hidden camera admitting to predatory tactics that leverage the company’s prestige to dominate and discard vulnerable businesses.

    As J&J’s primary liaison to over a dozen partner companies, Simpkin boasted, “I’m the face of J&J to them,” before detailing a ruthless strategy: J&J enters contracts with suppliers, absorbs their expertise and processes, then abruptly terminates the agreements – often leaving the smaller firms financially crippled.

    “Yeah, we basically learned from that company and then made our own process. It’s a little unethical,” Simpkin confessed. “I think we gave them a one-month notice… and then they were actually filing for bankruptcy.”

    He further explained how J&J exploits its dominant market position: “I have a supplier that – we’re about 80% of their business… They basically rely on us for the majority of their business because we’re such a household name, J&J, so much prestige is in that. And so, we use that, we leverage that.”

    The Project Veritas journalist pressed Simpkin about the devastating fall-out J&J’s tactics have on unsuspecting partners. “And then J&J pulls out and they can’t afford anything anymore?” the journalist asked. “Yeah,” Simpkin confessed.

    One victim of this alleged scheme is Bodycote, a supplier of titanium knee joints. When asked if Bodycote knows J&J plans to abandon their deal, Simpkin chillingly replied, “No, they still don’t. I’m still lying to them.”

    When pressed about the legality of these practices, Simpkin revealed J&J skirts the edge of compliance with a team of lawyers on speed dial. “There’s a few [laws against it],” he said about their business practices, adding that J&J often operates without contracts entirely.

    “You’d be surprised. There’s so many people we do business with [and] we don’t have a contract… Technically, we could do whatever we want.”

    He admitted the company sticks to “the bare minimum that we are required to do,” but conceded the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) might take issue: “The ethics, they could raise a case.”

    This investigation lays bare a troubling pattern: Johnson & Johnson, a household titan that builds its empire on broken businesses, allegedly thrives by preying on the trust and dependence of smaller partners. As families across America stock their cabinets with J&J products, the companies that help make those goods possible are left shattered – bankrupted by a giant that wields its name like a weapon.

    Are regulators and the public ready to confront the cost of J&J’s unchecked power? Stay tuned.

    ***

    As long as corruption exists in our institutions, Project Veritas will be there to expose it. Make a Tax-Deductible donation to support our work.

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    (SOURCE)

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    Stay tuned to …

     

    Source: TLB

  • Teen allegedly fatally stabbed mom after writing in diary about how much she hated her

    WASHINGTON CITY, Utah (TCN) — Prosecutors charged two juveniles, including the victim’s daughter, on suspicion of fatally stabbing a woman at a vacation rental and fleeing to Los Angeles County last month.

    According to a probable cause affidavit posted by the Washington County Attorney’s Office, on March 23, Washington City Police responded to a home after cleaning staff employed by VRBO found an unresponsive person. Officers entered the residence and located 47-year-old Andreea Mottram deceased with 14 stab wounds. Police also reportedly discovered two cellphones and a purse in a toilet.

    According to the affidavit, two juveniles were staying at the vacation rental home with Mottram. Authorities later identified them as the victim’s 16-year-old daughter, Mihaela “Bella” Gabriala Sorescu, and 17-year-old Abigael “Jay” Paige Flanagan.

    Investigators believe the phones in the toilet belong to Sorescu and Flanagan, and the purse contained Mottram’s ID. The affidavit alleges the items were placed in the toilet in an attempt to flush and conceal evidence.

    The victim’s daughter was reportedly in a residential treatment facility for the past three years and is currently enrolled in a Washington County residential treatment facility. Flanagan was allegedly in a residential treatment facility for at least a year, but her parents recently took her out.

    According to the affidavit, an individual referred to as Frank said that in November, he located a diary allegedly written by Sorescu. Frank reportedly said that in the diary, “She had indicated how much she hated her mother and wrote that she wanted to kill her.” Frank also said that Sorescu “will often cut herself with sharp objects” and “has a history of violent behavior.”

    Authorities recovered several knives in the home, including one in the sink that had been washed but still contained trace amounts of blood.

    The probable cause affidavit says evidence technicians found a pair of pants that had several spots of apparent blood, including a bloody imprint of a knife blade on the left leg. Investigators believe the pants belong to Sorescu.

    Authorities identified the juveniles as suspects in Mottram’s stabbing death and believe they stole her rental vehicle to flee. On March 26, Washington City Police posted a bulletin seeking the public’s help in finding Sorescu and Flanagan. In an updated release posted the following day, police said Sorescu and Flanagan were located in Los Angeles County.

    On April 4, the attorney’s office announced that they charged Sorescu and Flanagan each with one count of first-degree murder, obstruction of justice, and theft of a motor vehicle. Prosecutors noted that in Utah, when a 16- or 17-year-old is charged with murder, they’re charged as an adult in district court.

    • Murder Charges Filed Following Vacation Rental Stabbing – Washington County Attorney’s Office
    • Person of Interest, 3/26/2025 – Washington City Police Department
    • Updated Media Release, 3/27/2025 – Washington City Police Department

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • The Media’s Piss Stain Starts To Dry

    The Media’s Piss Stain Starts To Dry

    I can’t help but laugh watching some analysts take their first deep breath in four days

    QUOTH THE RAVEN writes on Substack

    QTR’s Fringe Finance

    Over the last few days, I’ve been part of an extraordinarily small contingency of people not freaking out and losing their minds over President Trump’s new tariff plan or the ensuing stock market pullback.

    A couple of days ago, I argued that the media shrieking hysterically about how the world was ending as a result of this trade policy was nothing more than a visceral reaction to what was happening in the stock market. It had to be. With just hours having passed since the implementation of Trump’s tariff policy, there was no real way to judge its success based on the merits.

    Said another way, these things take time.

    In an article late last week, I criticized Wharton PhD Jeremy Siegel—whose actual title is probably some bullshit with the word “emeritus” next to it—for coming out and declaring Trump’s tariff policy to be the worst policy decision in 95 years.

    My argument wasn’t that he was wrong—only that it was too soon to make such a declaration.

    Siegel was on CNBC again Monday this week. He started his interview by alluding to the idea that the Federal Reserve has room to cut interest rates—similar to the way he lobbied for an emergency rate cut back in August of last year. As the interview progressed, the stock market started to spike upwards on what we now know was a discredited headline about a 90-day pause in tariffs—and on live television, within the course of the five-minute interview window, Siegel had changed his tone, backing off his rhetoric and calling the now-debunked headline “terrific.”

    'Fast Money' traders talk their tariff concerns after the market plummet

    It was proof positive that everybody—even supposedly well-adjusted, intellectual, seasoned economists—reacts first to the stock market and asks questions later.

    I argued the same when the Wall Street Journal editorial board came out just three days after the implementation of Trump’s tariff policy and declared Xi Jinping as the “emerging winner” of this policy decision. Whether the policy works or not is one thing. But declaring winners after just three days just doesn’t make sense to me.

    Today, we are witnessing the opposite: the market opened the day green, and the VIX is lower because—even though we have uncertainty about the future of these trade deals—at least the market knows that the giant shock of announcing the tariff to begin with has now passed. Everybody has been able to regain some semblance of footing, everybody knows where we stand now with other countries, and market direction going forward will be more of a prolonged response to how negotiations with other countries go.

    With China being the obvious main holdout, it appears as though negotiations with crucial countries—like Japan, for instance—are already moving forward.

    And so now that people in the financial media and “analysts”—who appear to get their pulse on sentiment from reading nothing but social media—are officially done pissing themselves, and the market has at least temporarily found some sort of point to bounce off of (even if it continues to eventually move lower again) their respective piss stains can start to dry, and we can move past the large shock of discomfort into the still uncomfortable, but less shocking, choppy waters of trade negotiation.

    President Trump was right during his interview a day or two ago when he told reporters that sometimes you have to “take the medicine.” It is this outlook on big change being digested by markets that will help them find a bottom faster and get everybody on the same page of where we stand now—without worrying whether or not our end of the negotiating table is going to capitulate or make terrible concessions, which could actually wind up being counterproductive.

    And whether or not you believe Trump’s policy is working, you have to give him credit for having the spine to stand by it. I know we have very short memories, but the fever pitch of people—media, citizens, friends, business leaders, analysts, and advisors even—who must have been begging on Thursday and Friday of last week to reverse course had no effect on an unwavering President Trump.

    If you’re going to “throw a grenade in the room and then walk away” as a way of setting policy, you have to be 100% behind your decision—and for better or for worse, there’s no doubt Trump has dug in. As I said last summer, I don’t know why Trump is fearless, or what drives it, but I think it’s an asset.

    People on financial media this morning are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, congratulating each other for having the fortitude to endure such tumultuous volatility. Markets are green! Flowers are blooming! The worst is over!

    And these are, of course, also insane proclamations. There’s still going to be a significant amount of volatility ahead, and to suggest that the market has bottomed here is, in my opinion, foolish. When the market is going up over long periods of time, it goes both down and up over shorter periods of time. When the market goes down over long periods of time, it makes lower lows and lower highs, going both up and down over shorter periods of time.

    Doing something like proclaiming the Fed should raise or lower rates based on what the stock market is doing in one session is an extraordinarily irresponsible and dangerous way to set policy. Essentially, the entire global economy—representing $100 trillion in assets or more—hangs in the balance of what the Federal Reserve decides to do with interest rates. To watch an “economist” on live television change their tune and cavalierly throw out interest rate cuts and hikes in different directions over the course of a five-minute interview is insane.

    But I guess that is only to be expected from financial media who can’t help but make the story of the day whatever the market is doing that particular day. Real market veterans know: one day, one week, or one month of pattern does not make. And I’ll give Jerome Powell credit: watching his interview late last week, I thought he spoke about the market’s reaction and the Feds ensuing plans with a steady hand.

    Going forward, if there’s one thing to be adamant about, in my opinion, it’s continuing to ignore reactionary responses to every individual headline that pops up about negotiations. To me, it harkens back to how people were watching and trading the number of COVID deaths as they occurred, minute by minute, in real time.

    Looking back now, it’s easier to paint with much broader strokes: you should’ve bought stocks on the crash in March 2020 and sold them recently when the Shiller price-to-earnings ratio nearly hit 40x. It wasn’t so easy to discern that on a minute-by-minute basis in 2020, however.

    As the days, weeks and months pass by, order and trends will emerge from this tariff fiasco. This is why I don’t bother arguing about the formula the Trump administration used to implement the tariffs, nor do I argue about specifics. The point of the policy was to recalibrate our standing in the world of trade and that’s what it’s doing. We’ve made the message crystal clear, and we have postured accordingly. Already, nations are coming to the table to try and work through the problem. Trump himself said it right yesterday, proclaiming something to the effect of: “If this is done right, it will only have to be done once.”

    As I’ve been saying, regardless of how trade negotiations go, I still believe the stock market to be overvalued based on historical averages. But this doesn’t mean that there aren’t bargains out there in individual names and sectors. When undergoing such a massive macroeconomic shift, capital is going to move, valuations are going to change, and the market is going to look different on the other side of this policy negotiation than it did before.

    Taking a longer view, I think cooler heads are going to prevail, and by the end of summer, things will have calmed down significantly. So as for me, I’m going to keep my cool head. The hysterical media was acting last week like it was a guarantee this trade war was going to last 100 years. It’s been four or five days, and we’ve already got people at the negotiating table.

    I’ll look for value if the market moves lower or higher from here. As I said before the tariff war even began, I believe the market could still fall 30 or 40% from here easily—towards the historical P/E average near around 16x earnings. And once the deals start getting consummated, then I will start to judge the effectiveness of the negotiating tactic that the President is employing.

    I judge effectiveness by how and when these new policies will be implemented and whether or not they are a net positive for the country after the fact. So for me, the answers are still yet to come. But for the lot of individuals who use the stock market as their mood ring for the day, at least they have a day today to let that piss stain from last week dry up a little bit.

    QTR’s Disclaimer: Please read my full legal disclaimer on my About page here. This post represents my opinions only. In addition, please understand I am an idiot and often get things wrong and lose money. I may own or transact in any names mentioned in this piece at any time without warning. Contributor posts and aggregated posts have been hand selected by me, have not been fact checked and are the opinions of their authors. They are either submitted to QTR by their author, reprinted under a Creative Commons license with my best effort to uphold what the license asks, or with the permission of the author.

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    (SOURCE)

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    Stay tuned to …

     

    ••••

    The Liberty Beacon Project is now expanding at a near exponential rate, and for this we are grateful and excited! But we must also be practical. For 7 years we have not asked for any donations, and have built this project with our own funds as we grew. We are now experiencing ever increasing growing pains due to the large number of websites and projects we represent. So we have just installed donation buttons on our websites and ask that you consider this when you visit them. Nothing is too small. We thank you for all your support and your considerations … (TLB)

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    Source: TLB

  • California man sentenced to 480 years for molesting multiple children

    VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (TCN) — A 68-year-old man was sentenced to nearly five centuries behind bars for sexually abusing children he knew through a familial relationship.

    The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced that on April 7, Marcelino Arca received a sentence of 480 years to life in state prison. A jury previously convicted him in March on six felony counts of lewd acts upon a child and found true a special allegation that there were multiple victims. Arca had a previous conviction for child molestation from 1988.

    According to the district attorney’s office, Arca molested two victims under 14 between 2005 and 2014 in multiple locations. The victims told their family members about the abuse years later. Prosecutors noted that Arca “gained access to the victims through a familial relationship.”

    Senior Deputy District Attorney Ben Moreno said, “Decades ago, this defendant went to prison for sexually abusing a child. When given a second chance, he chose not to change — instead, he went on to sexually abuse two more children, this time within his own family.”

    • Oxnard Man Sentenced to 480 Years to Life for Child Molestation – Ventura County District Attorney’s Office

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • Andalusia Ballet will bring classic fairy tale ‘Cinderella’ to Dixon Center stage

    Andalusia Ballet will bring classic fairy tale ‘Cinderella’ to Dixon Center stage

    Published 4:40 pm Wednesday, April 9, 2025

    In the roles of the stepsisters and stepmother, Orrin Douglas, Ivanka Bzhezinska, and Christian Pate practice choreography in “Cinderella.”

    Andalusia Ballet will bring the classic story of “Cinderella” to life with performances set for May 3 and May 4.

    The performance will include a cast of local talent, including students involved in Andalusia Ballet as well as guest performances from Ballet Pensacola and the Alabama Ballet.

    Mia Baumgartner, as Cinderella, practices with Stanislav Bzhezinska as the stepfather.

    “I love doing Cinderella! It’s a wonderful story that everyone is familiar with,” said Andalusia Ballet Director Meryane Murphy. “I believe there’s a Cinderella story in every culture throughout history. The ballet has everything. Great music, beautiful dancing, lots of drama and a happy ending, too!”

    Leading the cast in the title role is Andalusia High School junior Mia Baumgartner. Among the most experienced students with Andalusia Ballet having started when she was only 3 years old, Baumgartner has performed in numerous productions, including as Clara in the 2018 production of “The Nutcracker.”

    “Mrs. Murphy said she would really love for me to play the part of Cinderella and I was over the moon about it. It’s an exciting opportunity,” Baumgartner said.

    Coming off of a big performance at the Universal Ballet Competition in Atlanta earlier this year where she placed third in the senior division, Baumgartner said she is working nights and weekends to prepare for the “Cinderella” performances.

    “As the main character, there is a lot of choreography to memorize and I’m always here working on it, but I love it,” she said.

    Performing in their first production with Andalusia Ballet are Orrin Douglas and Christian Pate in the roles of the step-sisters. Students at Straughn High School, both have been active in school and community theatre productions.

    “We’re both good friends at school and we argue a lot, so that makes a good fit,” Pate laughed.

    As their first ballet production, the duo is working to get their parts down and learn the steps.

    “The rehearsals have been great. Mrs. Murphy makes sure that they do not conflict with our schedules and we get a lot done while we are here. It’s amazing to see how fast it all comes together,” Douglas said.

    Also joining the cast are Ivanka Bzhezinsky as the step-mother and her husband, Stanislav Bzhezinskyi, as the step-father. The couple performed as professional actors in their native Ukraine and are excited for the opportunity to take the state in Andalusia.

    “We performed for about 15 years on the stage doing dramatic theatre in the capital of Ukraine, so we have some experience. It is a blessing for us to have this opportunity in Andalusia and to perform with Andalusia Ballet. It is interesting working with ballet dancers; it is a different kind of acting, but very interesting. We are bringing our experience and Mrs. Murphy is helping us with the rest,” Ivanka said.

    “We are very grateful to be working with these actors and dancers,” Stanislav added. “It is a new experience and enjoy being partners with the all the others who are all working together as partners. This is truly inspiring.”

    In the role of the prince is Andalusia Ballet veteran performer and associate artistic director, José Soares. While performing the same role in 2023, Soares said every production is unique.

    “It is good that we can go back and review things, fix some things and add more steps. This group is very quick to learn the steps and that makes our jobs easier for sure. I think it is going to be an even better show than before.”

    Performances of “Cinderella” will be Saturday, May 3, 7 p.m., and on Sunday, May 4,  2 p.m., at the Martha and Solon Dixon Center for the Performing Arts on the LBW Community College campus. Tickets for “Cinderella” are available at andalusiaballet.com.

    Source: Andalusia Star

  • NPR Repeats False Claim That Court Rejected Claims @ Gov Censorship

    NPR Repeats False Claim That Court Rejected Claims @ Gov Censorship

    By Jonathan Turley

    Leila Fadel and National Public Radio recently interviewed me on free speech. While the program ominously warned that “what you’re about to hear is hate speech” in playing extreme voices on the right, it did interview me and former Columbia University president Lee Bollinger from the free speech community. I wanted to address a statement made about the program that is not accurate but has been repeated like a mantra by many seeking to dismiss the censorship system under the Biden Administration. The claim is that the Supreme Court rejected the claim of coordination between the government and social media companies. That is entirely untrue, but you do not have to take my word for it. The Supreme Court expressly stated that it was not doing so last year.

    I appreciate the opportunity afforded by NPR to present the views of many in the free speech community. In all fairness to Fadel, it is also important to acknowledge that NPR was quoting a widely repeated claim by law professors. However, it is important to set this record straight on the matter.

    During the program, Fadel quotes me: “You had a level of cooperation, coordination between the government and these other entities, that the effect was that thousands were censored.”

    Fadel immediately rebuts the claim:

    FADEL: It’s a charge often made by Republicans and Trump allies. Last year, the Supreme Court rejected the claim that social media companies were pressured to take down posts about COVID-19 and the 2020 election.

    That is a reference to the court’s decision in Murthy v. Missouri last year. The states of Missouri and Louisiana, led by Missouri’s then-Attorney General (and now United States senator) Eric Schmitt, claimed that the federal government pressured social media companies to censor conservatives and critics.  The court ruled 6-3 that the states lacked standing to bring the case.

    However, in the opinion, the justices went out of their way to expressly refute the notion that they were ruling on the merits of the coordination with the social media companies. In footnote 3, the Court states that “Because we do not reach the merits, we express no view as to whether the Fifth Circuit correctly articulated the standard for when the Government transforms private conduct into state action.”

    The opinion was based on standing, not whether coordination occurred or whether such coordination violated the First Amendment, as found by the district court.

    Thus, it is demonstrably untrue that “the Supreme Court rejected the claim that social media companies were pressured to take down posts about COVID-19 and the 2020 election.”

    Yet, anti-free speech figures and others have repeated this claim, including law professors. Most recently, I testified in the Senate on free speech where both law professor Mary Anne Franks and a senator repeated this claim. Professor Franks told the Committee:

    “For Republicans to call yet another Congressional hearing to investigate the so-called “censorship industrial complex” of Biden administration officials, nonprofit organizations, and Big Tech companies allegedly collaborating to censor conversative speech—a conspiracy theory so ludicrous that even the current Supreme Court, stacked with a supermajority of far-right conservative judges, dismissed it out of hand last year in Murthy v. Missouri—while ignoring the current wholesale assault on the First Amendment by the Trump administration is a betrayal of the American people.”

    Obviously, the hearing became quite heated between Professor Franks and the Committee, but two of us wanted to address the claim.  (Fellow witness Benjamin Weingarten was able to note the countervailing language in the opinion as part of another question). It was a shame because we might have been able to fully refute this oft-repeated false claim. (The full testimony is available here). I would have welcomed an opportunity to have a civil exchange with Professor Franks and the Democratic senators on this widely repeated claim.

    Instead, as shown on NPR, it continues to be repeated and replicated despite being demonstrably in conflict with the express words of the Court.

    The effort to portray evidence of collaboration between the government and social media companies as a “conspiracy theory” or “myth” is all too familiar. It attempts to portray free speech advocates as unhinged or fringe figures to avoid answering the troubling questions raised by the Twitter Files, the Facebook Files, and thousands of pages of documentation produced in litigation and Congress.

    Indeed, some apologists for the censorship system have attacked journalists and free speech advocates as fellow travelers of Vladimir Putin. That is why it was rather ironic to hear NPR raise the question on the program of whether Trump is “the biggest threat to [free speech] since the McCarthy era in the 1940s and ’50s, when fear mongering around Soviet and Communist influence led to the political persecution of academics and leftists?”

    The program did not mention that it is the left who have been using McCarthy-like tactics against free speech advocates, including calling them traitors or questioning their loyalty. There was nary a mention of such attacks from the left.

    Ironically, in a prior hearing, I warned that this was reminiscent of the McCarthy period where the FBI played a role in the establishment of blacklists for socialists, communists, and others. I encouraged Congress not to repeat its failures from the 1950s by turning a blind eye to such abuse.

    This view was amplified by former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who was labeled a “Russian asset” by Hillary Clinton due to Gabbard’s anti-war positions.

    If anything, my warning of McCarthy-like attacks and measures seemed to be taken more as a suggestion than an admonition by Democratic figures. Soon after the end of the hearing, MSNBC contributor and former Sen. Claire McCaskill appeared on MSNBC to denounce the member witnesses (Sen. Chuck Grassley, Sen. Ron Johnson, and former Rep. Gabbard) as “Putin apologists” and Putin lovers.

    She exclaimed, “I mean, look at this, I mean, all three of those politicians are Putin apologists. I mean, Tulsi Gabbard loves Putin.”

    It is obvious that few of these anti-free speech figures want to address the thousands of pages on coordination and pressure exercised by the government. They also do not want to address the express statements from social media executives (including in my testimony) stating that the government pressured them to censor critics and target individuals. As with the express statement of the Supreme Court, these direct contradictions are simply denied or dismissed.

    What is missing is a sense of obligation to acknowledge the countervailing evidence. Unfortunately, we have come a long way from when Democratic icon Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan declared, “You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.”

    *********

    (TLB) published  this article from Jonathan Turley with our appreciation for this perspective

    jonathan turley profile

    Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. Follow him on Twitter @JonathanTurley.

    Header featured image (edited) credit: Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images. Emphasis added by (TLB)

     

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    Source: TLB

    April 9, 2025

  • Skeletal remains found in Washington in 1997 recently identified

    WILKESON, Wash. (TCN) — Investigators recently identified the skeletal remains of a homicide victim found nearly 28 years ago.

    According to a news release from genetic genealogy company Othram Labs, in October 1997, an individual walking through the woods found a woman’s remains on Gale Creek Road. Despite their efforts, authorities were unable to identify the victim at the time, and she became a Jane Doe.

    In October 2023, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office sent forensic evidence to Othram Labs to help identify the victim, and scientists built a comprehensive genealogical profile. Investigators reportedly obtained DNA samples from potential relatives and compared them to the victim’s DNA profile. As a result, Othram said in an April 8 news release that they identified the victim as Laurie Krage. Her death is being investigated as a homicide.

    According to the sheriff’s office, Krage’s husband, Ronald Martin, died in 2020 from natural causes. Deputies said Krage was “known to travel in all parts of Pierce County,” and they are seeking any information from people who may have known her. Krage was last known to be alive in January 1996.

    • 1997 Cold Case Human Remains Identified – Pierce County Sheriff’s Office
    • Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 1997 Homicide Victim – Othram Labs

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • REMINDER: STAR ID goes into effect May 7

    REMINDER: STAR ID goes into effect May 7

    Published 4:32 pm Wednesday, April 9, 2025

    The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) reminds Alabama residents that the REAL ID Act of 2005, will go into effect on May 7, 2025. This means Alabamians planning to fly domestic in the United States (U.S.) or enter certain federal facilities will need a REAL ID-compliant driver license (known as STAR ID in Alabama) or another acceptable form of identification, such as a passport. In 2012, Alabama began offering STAR IDs statewide to ensure those who wished to obtain a STAR ID were able, well before the federal deadline.

    “Currently, citizens who fly domestic are able to use their regular driver licenses or other photo identity cards issued by their state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to board a plane,” explained Holley Cook, Director of ALEA’s Driver License Division. “However, the REAL ID Act changes this. If you plan to use your state-issued ID or driver license to fly within the U.S. then it must be REAL ID compliant after May 7, 2025. In Alabama, the REAL ID is known as a STAR ID.”

    The REAL ID Act, passed in 2005, aimed to enhance the security of state-issued identification documents in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. While a STAR ID is optional, travelers will need some form of federally accepted identification to board a domestic flight in the U.S. This includes a valid U.S. passport or other approved ID. A complete list of acceptable forms of identification can be found on the TSA website.

    Director Cook continued and explained, “If you don’t plan to fly or plan on visiting certain federal facilities, including some military installations, then a STAR ID is not necessary. Your regular Alabama driver license will continue to be valid for driving, voting, and other everyday activities. It is completely up to the individual if they wish to get a STAR ID or not.”

    To avoid prolonged wait times, ALEA encourages citizens to schedule an appointment online for STAR ID services at alabamadl.alea.gov/

    However, please be advised that STAR ID appointments are filling up fast in Alabama’s larger cities such as Huntsville, Birmingham and Mobile. If appointments are booked in your area, please check other nearby examining offices.

    Director of ALEA’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) Jonathan Archer said, “As we approach the May 7, enforcement date, we continue to see an influx of citizens coming into our local

    examining offices. We ask everyone to use patience when visiting our offices. We also want to clarify that May 7, simply begins the official enforcement period and is not the last day an individual can obtain their STAR ID. This date is the federal enforcement date of the REAL ID Act and citizens who have not obtained their STAR ID, will still have that ability even after May 7.”

    “The STAR ID and the REAL ID Act ensures the safe and secure identification of not only Alabamians, but citizens across the country,” ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said. “While the STAR ID is only one of a variety of acceptable identification options, we strongly encourage individuals choosing to fly within the U.S. to take this step and obtain a STAR ID. Having a STAR ID well before your travel date will guarantee a smooth and worry-free experience.”

    Source: Andalusia Star

  • “It’s Main Street’s Turn To Restore The American Dream”

    “It’s Main Street’s Turn To Restore The American Dream”

    A Warning from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

    Via American Greatness as posted at ZH

    U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent laid out President Trump’s financial policy priorities for the American Bankers Association (ABA) on Wednesday, saying that Main Street America will now take priority.

    Bessent speaking at the ABA’s Washington Summit, said, “For too long, financial policy has served large financial institutions at the expense of smaller ones— no more.”

    The Treasury Secretary stated that, “It’s Main Street’s turn to hire workers, it’s Main Street’s turn to drive investment and it’s Main Street’s turn to restore the American dream.”

    Bessent announced the Trump administration’s shift to focusing on helping Main Street businesses and consumers thrive by giving all institutions a chance to succeed, adding, “For the last four decades, basically since I began my career in Wall Street, Wall Street has grown wealthier than ever before, and it can continue to grow and do well.”

    Addressing fears of a looming recession, Bessent defended Trump’s agenda of tax cuts, deregulation and trade rebalancing and noting that,

    “We want to de-leverage the government sector, re-leverage the private sector …. we can’t do it all at once, or that will cause a recession.”

    Bessent added,

    “What will keep us from having a recession is making sure that the tax bill doesn’t expire, adding back 100% depreciation and then adding some of President Trump’s agenda — no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, no tax on overtime.”

    In an interview on CNBC, Bessent reiterated the president’s goal of bringing jobs and manufacturing back to the U.S. as well as raising wages, increasing revenues and reviving the American dream.

    CNBC reports that while the wealthy own the majority of stocks, Main Street’s participation in the stock market has soared with the advent of individual retirement accounts (IRA) in the 1970s and 401(k)s during the Reagan administration.

    _________

    (SOURCE)

    Header featured image (edited) credit: Org. post article tease. Emphasis added by (TLB)

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    Stay tuned to …

    ••••

    The Liberty Beacon Project is now expanding at a near exponential rate, and for this we are grateful and excited! But we must also be practical. For 7 years we have not asked for any donations, and have built this project with our own funds as we grew. We are now experiencing ever increasing growing pains due to the large number of websites and projects we represent. So we have just installed donation buttons on our websites and ask that you consider this when you visit them. Nothing is too small. We thank you for all your support and your considerations … (TLB)

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    Disclaimer: TLB websites contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of “fair use” in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, health, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than “fair use” you must request permission from the copyright owner.

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    Source: TLB

    April 9, 2025