Paradise News

Tag: United States

  • 9 States Sue Biden Admin To Block Voter Registration Executive Order | The Liberty Beacon


    9 States Sue Biden Admin To Block Voter Registration Executive Order

    The lawsuit claims that the executive order turns federal agencies into voter registration entities, bypasses transparency, and is driven by partisan motives.

    By Tom Ozimek

    Mississippi and eight other states have sued the Biden administration to block an executive order that requires federal agencies to develop strategies to expand voter registration, which the states claim aims to promote left-wing politicians and policies at elections.

    The complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas on Aug. 13, accuses Executive Order 14019 on Promoting Access to Voting of “partisan infection” so severe as to undermine its claimed intent, which is to make registering to vote and voting simple and easy, and to promote the right to vote among eligible Americans.

    Mississippi, which was joined in the lawsuit by Montana, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and South Dakota, alleges that the executive order oversteps the boundaries of federal authority and violates the U.S. Constitution, particularly in its alleged encroachment on states’ rights to manage their own voter registration processes.

    The lawsuit claims that the executive order turns federal agencies into voter registration entities, bypasses transparency, and is driven by partisan motives.

    “We fully support encouraging voter registration and promoting an engaged electorate,” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said in a statement. “But putting the full weight of the Oval Office behind an effort first developed by partisan activist groups and then hiding the agency activities from public scrutiny goes too far. The law does not allow it. Mississippi will not stand for it.”

    (Ronda Churchill/AFP via Getty Images)

    The legal action seeks to block implementation of Executive Order 14019, arguing that plans for the order did not go through notice and public comment or any of the safeguards under the Administrative Procedure Act that ensure accountability and transparency.

    “The partisan infection is so severe as to render EO 14019, and the agency decisions stemming from it, the product of pretext,“ the complaint reads. ”That is, rather than ensure ‘that registering to vote and the act of voting be made simple and easy for all those eligible to do so,’ or promoting or defending ‘the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections,’ … the purpose is to promote left-wing politicians and policies at elections.”

    The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the legal challenge.

    Federal Agencies Mobilized

    President Joe Biden signed the executive order on March 7, 2021. It directs federal agencies to explore ways to expand voter registration and participation by providing relevant information and resources during public interactions, facilitating access to voter services, and ensuring equal voting opportunities.

    “Agencies shall consider ways to expand citizens’ opportunities to register to vote and to obtain information about, and participate in, the electoral process,” the order reads.

    Various government agencies—including the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture—are carrying out campaigns to sign up new voters.

    Ceridwen Cherry, a former staff attorney on the American Civil Liberties Union Voting Rights Project, called the executive order “visionary.”

    “In a democracy, governments at all levels should be doing everything they can to help eligible people register to vote,” he said in a statement. ”The voting access executive order is an important step toward achieving this goal because it gets the federal government involved in aiding with voter registration, just as state governments already do.”

    Some experts have said that the executive order benefits Democrats over Republicans.

    “They’re targeting welfare agencies that serve predominantly left-leaning voters,” Stewart Whitson, legal director of the Foundation for Government Accountability, told The Epoch Times in an earlier interview.

    “It’s targeted voter registration, so you don’t have to worry about turning out more Republican voters if you focus your efforts in places where the vast majority of voters are going to lean left.”

    A report by a coalition of progressive groups details their assessment of how well 10 federal agencies are doing in implementing the executive order and where they can do better.

    Some of the report’s recommendations include urging the Department of Health and Human Services to sign up new voters in applications for health insurance under Obamacare.

    The report also encourages the Department of Veterans Affairs to include voter registration for veterans who sign up for VA health benefits and suggests that the Education Department include voter registration when students apply for federal student aid.

    Also, the Bureau of Prisons should work to register eligible convicts, per the recommendations of the report, which praised the Treasury Department for targeting voter registration efforts at “low income clients of its voluntary tax preparation clinics.”

    Critics have said federal agencies are also partnering with private groups to sign up voters on federal agency premises.

    “They’re essentially taking third-party groups and they’re bringing them onto federal land, into a federal office, and who knows what they’re doing,” Whitson said.

    “Who knows if they’re following state laws governing voter registration and the collection of applications?”

    He said that the Biden administration hasn’t disclosed which private groups will partner with federal agencies.

    _________

    Kevin Stocklin contributed to this report.

    *********

    (TLB) published this article by  Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times

    Header featured image (edited) credit: Vote sign/People wait in line to vote on Election Day  (Ronda Churchill/AFP via Getty Images)

    Emphasis added by (TLB)

    ••••

    ••••

    Stay tuned tuned…

    ••••

    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)

    ••••

    Comment Policy: As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence, racism, or personal/abusive attacks on other users. This also applies to trolling, the use of more than one alias, or just intentional mischief. Enforcement of this policy is at the discretion of this websites administrators. Repeat offenders may be blocked or permanently banned without prior warning.

    ••••

    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.

    ••••

    Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared are for informational purposes only including, but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material are not intended as medical advice or instruction. Nothing mentioned is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.



    Source

  • Iowa man allegedly shot dad in the face during argument over 'stinky feet'

    BURLINGTON, Iowa (TCN) — Police arrested a 48-year-old man this week for allegedly shooting his father amid an argument about the son’s “stinky feet.”

    In a statement, the Burlington Police Department said on Aug. 11, officers were dispatched to a home on Monarch Drive regarding a shooting. When they arrived, they made contact with the suspect, David Carpenter. Police entered the home and found the victim with a gunshot wound to the face. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment for a non-life-threatening injury.

    According to the affidavit cited by KWQC-TV, Carpenter’s father spoke with police and said he and his son got into a disagreement about “David’s stinky feet.” Carpenter said he and his father were in the living room and his father commented that Carpenter’s feet smelled bad. They allegedly started fighting about family concerns, and Carpenter threatened to shoot him. KWQC reports Carpenter allegedly went to his room, retrieved his gun, and aimed it at his dad. He claims he “accidentally” pulled the trigger.

    Burlington Police arrested Carpenter on charges of attempted murder and child endangerment. KWQC reports there were children under the age of 14 at home when the shooting occurred.

    MORE:

    • Press Release – Burlington Police Department
    • Burlington man allegedly shot father after argument over ‘stinky feet’ – KWQC

    Source

  • New Trump Shooting Records

    Butler Police, District Attorney Release Shooter Photos, Police Trump Rally Security Preparations
    FBI Refuses to Release Trump Assassination Records
    Soros Spends $117 Million to Elect, Control Leftist County Prosecutors

     

    Butler Police, District Attorney Release Shooter Photos, Police Trump Rally Security Preparations

    We received four pages of documents from the district attorney’s office in Butler County, Pennsylvania, detailing the extensive preparation of local police for the rally at which former President Trump was shot.

    Local Pennsylvania law enforcement has been more transparent about the Trump assassination attempt than the Biden-Harris administration, which is in full cover-up mode.

    The preparation by local officials included sniper teams, counter-assault teams, and a quick response force.

    On August 9, in response to a separate open records request, we also obtained bodycam footage of the July 13 assassination events from the Butler Township Police Department.

    We received today’s records in response to July 26, 2024, Pennsylvania Right To Know Request for:

    All records and documents related to President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign rally that was held in Butler, PA, on July 13, 2024, including but not limited to:

    1) site security plans, risk or threat assessments, designation of security perimeters, plans for responding to suspicious activity or an active threat or attack, memoranda of understanding, or other documents establishing roles and responsibilities of federal agencies and state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law enforcement partner agencies, and associated chains of command.

    2) All audio/video/photographic recordings captured on body-worn cameras or other electronic devices in your possession.

    Please provide records from July 1, 2024, to present.

    Included with the documents were two photographs of Matthew Crooks, the shooter, who was killed by law enforcement snipers.

    On July 9th, at 10:17 p.m., Sgt. Edward Lenz, Adams Township Police Department, Mars, PA, emails Richard Goldinger, with a “cc” To William Mayhugh, with the subject: “Butler ESU Deployment” Request/ Presidential Rally 7 /13/24”. The email states:

    Good evening Rich!

    I just want to ensure you have the information and details regarding the request for Butler ESU to assist this Saturday at the presidential candidate rally:

    Butler Twp PD and the US Secret Service have requested our assistance at the rally. I have had several discussions with the USSS, and as of today they are requesting assistance from us with providing sniper/ overwatch support, counterassault teams, and a quick reaction force. Our current plan is to provide 2 sniper elements, 2 mobile counterassault teams, and a quick reaction force.

      • The sniper elements would provide overwatch for the rally and would work in conjunction with the secret service counter-sniper unit.
      • The counterassault teams would be dedicated teams that would respond to and address an attack directed at the presidential candidate inside of the venue, whether it be a coordinated attack with multiple assailants, or a single attacker.
      • The quick response force would be dedicated to respond to and address any high-risk incidents occurring outside of the venue. They would not respond to civil disturbances – this would be handled by uniformed members of PSP. The QRF would assist PSP at the request of incident commander, and upon the approval of the ESU commander.

    This will be manpower intensive, and Beaver County ESU and Washington County SWAT have agreed to supplement with manpower – Beaver ESU is going to send their armor with 6-8 operators, and Washington County SWAT is going to send a sniper element along with 3-4 operators. The request for assistance will be officially made through Region 13.Our current plan is to rally at 0900 for a briefing, and to be operational by 1100. As long as the timeline doesn’t shift, we should be releasing the assisting agencies by 1830, but I expect Butler ESU to remain operational until a majority of the farm snow grounds has been cleared.

    We have a law enforcement walkthrough at the farm show Thursday at 1000 , and Bill is coming to that as well I believe.

    As always, if you have any questions let me know, and I will follow up with more information should anything in our plan change!
    Stay safe!
    Ed

    On July 9th, 2014, at 1:18 p.m., Lenz sends an email to Steven Bicehouse, with a “cc” to Kevin Mikulan, with the subject: “Region 13 Tactical Support Request”. The email states:

    Good evening Sir!

    Butler ESU has been requested to assist Butler Township Police and the US Secret Service at the presidential rally this Saturday, July 13 2024. Throughout my discussions with the USSS, they have requested we provide sniper teams and counterassault teams, as well as an additional element available outside of the venue. This will be manpower intensive, and I spoke with Pat Young from Beaver County ESU and Guy Kuzak from Washington County SWAT to ask for some assistance. Both offered to send a squad of guys with equipment to assist but asked that an official request be submitted for Region 13 assets.

    I have never submitted a request for a pre-scheduled detail, and I’m not exactly sure what information you would need:

    Date: 7/13/2024
    Tactical Team Deployment Type: Dignitary Protection w/ counterassault and sniper deployments Event Details: Presidential Candidate Rally
    Event Location : Butler Farm Show Grounds
    Staging Location: 121 Sparks Ave, Butler PA 16001, Butler Township FD
    Arrival Time: 0900
    Expected End Time: 1830 (Region assets will be released as soon as it is operationally feasible, Butler ESU assets will expect to remain later)

    Beaver County: Butler County ESU is requesting assistance from Beaver County ESU, specifically their armor asset, manpower, and tactical equipment as determined by operational needs.

    Washington County: Butler County ESU is requesting assistance from Washington County SWAT, specifically with manpower and tactical equipment as determined by operational needs.

    If you do need further information just let me know, and I will get whatever you need! Thank you!

    We have more than 25 FOIA and open records currently pending on the shooting of Trump with the Biden administration and local and state officials and agencies in Pennsylvania.

    Expect several FOIA lawsuits soon (see below!)

     

    FBI Refuses to Release Trump Assassination Records

    The FBI withheld information in our FOIA request about its coordination with the Secret Service regarding the July 13 Butler, Pennsylvania, rally at which former President Trump was shot.

    In denying our FOIA request, the FBI cites FOIA exemption 7(A), which applies to information that “could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings”

    Our request on July 26 asked for:

    All records of the FBI, including emails, email chains, email attachments, text messages, video or audio recordings, photographs, drawings, outlook calendars, meeting minutes, finished intelligence products, bulletins, raw intelligence, threat products, correspondence, statements, letters, memoranda, reports, briefings, presentations, notes, summaries, or other form of record, regarding preparation and coordination with the USSS for former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign rally that was held in Butler, PA, on July 13, 2024.  Please provide records from June 15, 2024, to present.

    We are pursuing the next steps in preparation for litigation.

    Were there others involved in the assassination attempt on Trump? If not, then why would the FBI use the excuse of protecting someone’s right to a fair trial to hide records on the FBI’s and Secret Service’s inexcusable failures to protect Trump from being nearly assassinated. The Biden-Harris administration is running a major league cover-up on the near assassination of former President Trump.

    The Secret Service also recently refused to honor FOIA requests for information on the shooting.

    (In July we filed a FOIA lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security for records relating to an incident at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland in which a Secret Service agent assigned to protect Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly got into a scuffle with colleagues.

    In June we received 116 pages of Secret Service records from the Department of Homeland Security that reveal the details about several incidents in which Secret Service personnel were bitten by President Biden’s dog Commander, sometimes requiring medical attention.

    In October 2022 we sued the Department of Homeland Security for all communications of the U.S. Secret Service internally and with the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the raid on President Trump’s home and for any video or audio recordings made during the raid on August 8, 2022.)

     

    Soros Spends $117 Million to Elect, Control Leftist County Prosecutors

    One reason our streets aren’t safe is the soft-on-crime prosecutors supported by George Soros. Our Corruption Chroniclesblog reports.

    In a scheme to promote a radical leftwing overhaul of the U.S. justice system, billionaire George Soros has spent about $117 million in the last few years to elect then control dozens of liberal county prosecutors throughout the nation, a new report reveals. Once elected the prosecutors, typically known as district attorneys who represent the government in criminal cases, meet regularly with representatives from Soros-funded nonprofits that coordinate and manage the chief officials responsible for upholding and enforcing the law in their respective districts. The Soros machine orders prosecutors to practice leftist policies that are soft on crime, target police and political opponents. The district attorneys are also directed not to enforce certain laws such as those protecting children from chemical castration and genital mutilation, procedures justified by the left as “life-saving gender-affirming” for transgender individuals.

    The extraordinary details of the robust Soros effort to overhaul the nation’s justice system by embedding leftist prosecutors throughout the country were uncovered during a year-long investigation by the Media Research Center (MRS). Dedicated to documenting and combating the falsehoods and censorship of the news media, the Washington D.C.-based group examined thousands of pages of documents that show a “shocking level” of control by the Soros-funded nonprofits over many county prosecutors. “The Soros machine sets their policies and priorities, staffs their offices with hand-picked leftists, dictates media narratives, lobbies government officials and perverts the American justice system,” the MRC probe found. The investigation determined that the Soros enterprise dedicated at least $40 million to help elect 126 prosecutors and an additional $77,663,316 to the leftist nonprofits that issue their marching orders once they are in office.

    MRC used public records requests to obtain 7,785 pages of internal communications from dozens of Soros-backed prosecutors and examined official files as well as electronic mail, text messages, chats, and other communications. The documents expose how the Hungarian billionaire’s groups directed the liberal prosecutors to manipulate laws involving drugs, abortion, illegal immigration, election integrity, capital punishment and even childhood sex changes. One of the key groups directing the local prosecutors is Fair and Justice Prosecution (FJP), a nonprofit committed to promoting a justice system grounded in fairness, equity and compassion. “Great strides have been made in promoting justice reforms that recognize that prior ‘tough on crime’ and incarceration-driven practices have not always resulted in safer or healthier communities,” according to FJP. The group is a sponsored project of the Tides Center, another Soros-funded conglomerate dedicated to advancing social justice. “FJP held at least 51 private meetings and published 33 formal statements and pledges that contained signatures from prosecutors within its network between 2021 and 2022 alone,” the MRC report states.

    Examples include 508 communications—emails, virtual meetings, in-person conversations—between San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin’s office and FJP during an 18-month period, averaging at least one communication a day. Five county prosecutors in Texas worked so closely that they created a shared group chat to strategize on refusing to enforce statutes that ran afoul of their leftist political views. Combined, the elected officials represent over seven million Texans and the documents reviewed by MRC show they strategized to undermine political opponents, including the state’s Republican attorney general. “At least 30 percent of the U.S. population currently lives under the boot of the Soros prosecutors who were pressured to sign pledges vowing to adhere to various Soros priorities,” the report says, adding that the “Soros machine” arranged dozens of joint statements and pledges signed by 123 of the 126 prosecutors vowing to adhere to the leftist billionaire’s priorities.

    Besides embedding like-minded county prosecutors nationwide, the records obtained by MRC show that Soros also spent at least $35 million to support anti-police groups and causes in one year alone after George Floyd’s death. His beloved FJP defended the violence and racial unrest triggered by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa movements, accusing the American criminal justice system of being systematically racist. Soros’s Open Society Foundations (OSF) also dedicated $220 million for racial justice and black empowerment in the aftermath of Floyd’s death.

     

    Until next week,

    Source

  • Fact Check: NFL to use facial authentication technology for credentialed workers, not ‘everyone at the game’

    Social media posts warned of the NFL rolling out new technology to speed up the process of entering football stadiums. 

    “The NFL will now use facial recognition at every stadium to verify the identity of everyone at the game,” text added to an image shared Aug. 4 on Instagram read. 

    The post’s caption added more information.

    “The #NFL is rolling out facial authentication technology in its stadiums starting on August 8,” it read. “The system allows fans to breeze through entry gates with a simple glance for speedy access and shorter lines. It also recognizes players and employees so that only properly credentialed individuals can access the locker rooms and the press box.”

    (Screenshot from Instagram)

    Some posts cast the NFL’s purported plan as unsettling surveillance. 

    “BIG BROTHER: The NFL announced this week that all 32 teams will be implementing facial recognition software to verify the identity of everyone in the stadium,” read an Aug. 6 Facebook post. 

    This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

    These posts mischaracterize the NFL’s plans. The league is implementing a new system for some staff and other stadium workers that relies on facial authentication software. But it won’t apply to all fans.

    NFL Communications Director Tim Schlittner said the league is implementing a new process for people “with working credentials,” including team and game day personnel, vendors and media. 

    “Fans are not included in the policy,” he said. 

    Under the new system, credential holders for all 32 NFL teams will be required to submit photos in advance. Then, Schlittner said “facial authentication” technology will be used to grant those people access to various parts of the stadium. 

    Software from the facial authentication platform Wicket will compare credential holders’ submitted photos to a real-time image of their face, Sports Business Journal reported. That report also said the software will be used for “high-security zones including the playing field, locker room and press box.”

    This will not apply to fans: “No fan is required to submit a photo to attend an NFL game,” Schlittner said.

    He said the change — an expansion of a pilot program launched at six stadiums last season — should “make credentialed access more efficient and secure.”

    Some people whom the new system would affect have objected to the change. Officials from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and its union said the league’s plan to use facial authentication technology would compromise officers’ privacy, The Associated Press reported. 

    Jeff Boehm, Wicket’s chief operating officer, told PolitiFact in an email that the company’s technology “is NOT used to verify the identity of everyone at a game or in a stadium.”

    Boehm said the NFL’s program is for credentialed people and “is not fan-facing.” 

    Most facial recognition technology “is used as a surveillance tool to identify ‘persons of interest’ in a large crowd or gathering,” he said. Facial authentication technology is different, Boehm said, because people opt-in; the photos used are “much higher quality photos than surveillance images,” which improves accuracy; and the data collected is used for the specific purposes stated — such as verifying a credential. 

    Some sports teams and live events have started using the technology for attendees seeking special access, he said, but their participation in those programs is optional.

    “Fans choose to participate and can opt-out at any time and use traditional methods for ticketing” or concessions, Boehm said. 

    A general overall interior view of the stadium during an NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and the New England Patriots on Oct. 16, 2022, in Cleveland. (AP)

    At Cleveland Browns Stadium, fans can choose to submit a photo to gain access to benefits such as “Express Access” ticketing lanes, which the Cleveland Browns’ website described as “the fastest way into the stadium on gameday.” Wicket’s 2023 press release about the Cleveland Browns’ initiative addressed privacy concerns, describing its products as “opt-in only.”

    Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the Atlanta Falcons play, also uses Wicket’s technology for its “Delta Fly-Through Lanes.” 

    Our ruling

    An Instagram post claimed “The NFL will now use facial recognition at every stadium to verify the identity of everyone at the game.”

    That mischaracterizes the league’s plan to adopt a new system that will rely on facial authentication software to grant credentialed staff and other stadium workers access to secured areas of the stadium. That change will not apply to all fans.

    At least one NFL team’s stadium has started offering faster ticketing and concessions service to fans who choose to enroll in a program that uses facial authentication software to access special ticketing and concessions lines. That program is voluntary.

    We rate the claims that the NFL will use facial recognition to “verify the identity of everyone” at every game False.



    Source

  • Danna Davis Smith

    Danna Davis Smith

    Published 3:22 pm Friday, August 16, 2024

    Danna Davis Smith, a beacon of love and courage, passed away peacefully at her home in Andalusia on August 16, 2024, at the age of 82. Born on June 9, 1942, in South Carolina, Danna’s life was a testament to the power of friendliness and the strength of a loving heart.

    Danna’s journey through life was marked by her unwavering spirit and the joy she found in everyday moments. She was a cherished member of her community, known for her warm smile and the open arms with which she welcomed friends and strangers alike. Her legacy is one of kindness and compassion, traits that she instilled in her family and all who knew her.

    She is survived by a family who adored her deeply: her son, Cam Smith; her daughter, Amy Smith Parrish; and her beloved grandchildren, Julia Griffin, Paulk Smith, Camryn Smith, Bailey Parrish Zelena (Tony), and Davis Parrish. Danna was also a proud great-grandmother to Jack Griffin, whose youthful exuberance brought her immeasurable joy.

    Danna’s life was a courageous voyage that inspired those around her to live with love and bravery. Her presence was a gift to her family, who will continue to honor her memory by living out the values she championed. Her laughter, wisdom, and the tales of her adventures will be passed down through generations, keeping her spirit alive.

    Danna is preceded in death by her loving husband, James Henderson Smith.

    Pallbearers serving the Smith family will be; Paulk Smith, Tony Zelena, Davis Parrish, Stewart Carswell, Hank Braddy, Desi Manning, Stephen Caton, and Earl Johnson.

    Funeral services will be held on Sunday, August 18, 2 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church of Andalusia. The interment will follow in Andalusia Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will begin on Saturday, August 17, 5:30 p.m., at Foreman Funeral Home.

    Those wishing to share kind words or a memory of Danna may do so on our website at www.foremanfuneralhome.com.

    Source

  • Biden to Be Roasted at White House Dinner – The US Times

    The White House Correspondents Association Dinner, an annual celebration of the First Amendment rights to free speech and free press in the US capital, will roast President Joe Biden. The event will take place at the Hilton Hotel, Washington D.C. where John Hinckley Jr. shot Ronald Reagan and almost killed him in 1981. Hollywood stars, Washington politicians, media representatives, and other notables will attend. Vice President Kamala Harris, 80, will also join Biden.

    Last year, the dinner was shut down due to Covid-19 restrictions and former President Donald Trump’s boycott. This year, however, hundreds of people were turned away because the event was “completely sold-out.” Roy Wood Jr., a comedian, is scheduled to perform. Many jokes will be directed towards Biden, the journalists who cover him, as well as members of Congress.

    The event will continue to be dominated by jokes, as in years past, and a famous comedian will perform. This event is to honor the First Amendment’s guarantees of freedom of speech and press. This is an important event on the social calendar of the US capital. President Joe Biden will take the heat, and then hit back with jokes.

    Source

  • Harris Unveils Plan To Fix Last 4 Years Of Economic Destruction | The Liberty Beacon


    Harris Unveils Plan To Fix Last 4 Years Of Economic Destruction

    (TYLER DURDEN REPORTS) – With the election right around the corner and the average American choking on inflation, Vice President Kamala Harris has unveiled several galaxy brain policies aimed at “lowering costs for American families,” which she and her teleprompter will present at a Friday speech in North Carolina at 2:45 p.m. ET – just days before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

    While we know about Harris stealing Donald Trump’s plan to eliminate taxes on tips (after she was the tie-breaking vote on legislation to supercharge IRS enforcement), the proposals also include;

    (Except…)

    • A $25,000 subsidy for first-time home buyers, under which those who have a two-year history of on-time rent payments would be eligible for “down-payment support.”
    • A cap on prescription drug costs and the elimination of medical debt for millions of Americans
    • Child tax credit that would provide $6,000 per child to families for the first year of a baby’s life (after JD Vance suggested an increase from $2,000 per child to $5,000)

    Other items include efforts aimed at lowering the cost of rent and helping renters who are struggling financially, according to NBC News. She will also propose plans to stop data firms from driving up lease rates, as well as stopping Wall Street firms from buying and flipping homes in bulk.

    As part of the rollout, Harris will call on Congress to pass the Preventing the Algorithmic Facilitation of Rental Housing Cartels Act, a bill introduced by Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Peter Welch, D-Vt., that they said would prevent corporate landlords from using private equity-backed price-setting tools to raise rents dramatically in communities across the country.

    Harris will also call on Congress to pass the Stop Predatory Investing Act, a bill introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and several other Democratic senators. The bill is designed to stop communities from being taken advantage of by Wall Street investors and distant landlords. The bill would curtail those practices by removing key tax benefits for major investors who acquire large numbers of single-family rental homes.  

    Harris will also call for the construction of three million new housing units via construction tax incentives – as well as a $40 billion proposal for local governments to build or preserve affordable housing units. We’re sure that won’t be a giant cash grab.

    Cleaning Up Their Mess?

    As even the Washington Post notes – “Harris has thus far surrounded herself with many former aides to Biden, and her team had made some overtures to business leaders that they hoped reflected a more centrist approach. But the policy positions she embraced Friday suggest she will continue, if not deepen, the party’s transformation under Biden, who pushed for more aggressive government intervention in the economy on industrial, labor and antitrust policies.”

    Meanwhile, according to a Gallup survey taken earlier this year, just 21% of Americans say it’s a good time to buy a house – while just days ago, July’s inflation reading showed that shelter prices jumped 0.4% from the previous month. According to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, it might take ‘several years’ for the pandemic-era rent increases to abate.

    Trump Responds

    During a Thursday news conference at his New Jersey golf resort, the former president denounced the package as Venezuela-style communism.

    “This announcement is an admission that her economic policies have totally failed and caused really a catastrophe for our country, and beyond that, a catastrophe in the world,” said Trump.

    People have questions…

    CONTINUE READING MORE OF ORG. POST

    Header featured image (edited) credit: Harris/open WP file

    Emphasis added by (TLB)

    ••••

    ••••

    Stay tuned tuned…

    ••••

    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)

    ••••

    Comment Policy: As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence, racism, or personal/abusive attacks on other users. This also applies to trolling, the use of more than one alias, or just intentional mischief. Enforcement of this policy is at the discretion of this websites administrators. Repeat offenders may be blocked or permanently banned without prior warning.

    ••••

    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.

    ••••

    Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared are for informational purposes only including, but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material are not intended as medical advice or instruction. Nothing mentioned is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.



    Source

  • 5 juveniles, including 11-year-old, arrested for allegedly fatally shooting Omaha man

    OMAHA, Neb. (TCN) — Several teenagers will reportedly be charged as adults for their involvement in the killing of a 64-year-old Uber driver who was fatally shot during a carjacking when he got home from work.

    On Tuesday, Aug. 13, just before midnight, Omaha Police Department officers received a call about a shooting on Cady Court. Officers and paramedics arrived at the address and transported the victim, Mursal Jama, to the hospital, where he died from his injuries. KMTV-TV reports Jama sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the stomach.

    On Aug. 14 at around 1:15 a.m., Omaha Police learned law enforcement agencies located Jama’s vehicle, which they said was taken during the shooting, and engaged in a pursuit.

    The car crashed and four people fled from the vehicle. Nebraska State Patrol apprehended one of the suspects, but the other three reportedly got away.

    At 3:56 a.m., a resident called the Omaha Police Department said three juveniles were asking to come into their house. They fled as police showed up but were soon captured and brought to the Douglas County Youth Center.

    Omaha Police announced all four suspects, ages 13, 14, 11, and 17, were detained for criminal homicide, two counts of robbery, and three counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony. The 13-year-old also has a warrant for unlawful absence and the 17-year-old is being charged with possession of a gun by a juvenile. 

    In an update, police said they took a 16-year-old into custody on charges of criminal homicide, two counts of robbery, three counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony, possession of a gun by a juvenile, and two warrants for unlawful absence.

    According to KMTV, officials reportedly believe the suspects were involved in the burglary of a gun shop and another carjacking.

    The 17- and 14-year-olds will be charged as adults, but the 13-year-old and 11-year-old will not due to their age. WOWT-TV reports a judge ordered the 17-year-old and 14-year-old to be held without bond.

    Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said, “It’s very sad. It’s tragic. It’s senseless. You wonder, where’s the family? Where are the parents?”

     MORE:

    • Omaha Police investigate homicide at 9358 Cady Court – Omaha Police Department
    • Four boys will be charged following a Tuesday night homicide in Northwest Omaha – KMTV
    • Boys connected to murder of 64-year-old in Omaha appear in court – WOWT
    • With two teens charged in homicide, Douglas County Attorney asks ‘Where are the parents?’ – WOWT

    Source

  • Fact Check: No, Tim Walz didn’t sign a bill giving legal protections to pedophiles

    Republicans claim Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz approved legal protections for pedophiles as Minnesota governor.

    RNC Research, an X account run by former President Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee, posted Aug. 6 that Walz signed a bill into law “removing ‘physical or sexual attachment to children by an adult’ from (Minnesota’s) human rights law — redefining ‘sexual orientation’ to include pedophiles.”

    Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., reshared this X post and wrote, “Anyone who extends equal rights protections to pedophiles has no business anywhere near the White House.”

    Conservative commentator and podcast host Isabel Brown made a similar claim on Instagram. The caption of her Aug. 7 post read, “Last February, the state of Minnesota (& Governor Walz) updated the law’s definition of s*xual orientation to SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE adults who are attracted to children in a physical or s*xual manner.”

    And an Aug. 9 Threads post claimed Walz signed a bill that “made pedophiles a protected class in Minnesota.”

    (Screengrabs from X and Instagram)

    The Instagram and Threads posts were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

    These claims mislead about the measure, called the “Take Pride Act,” which did not add protections for pedophiles. It clarified definitions for sexual orientation and gender identity in the state’s human rights law. It doesn’t include pedophiles in these definitions, nor does it give pedophiles legal protections.

    Democratic state Rep. Leigh Finke, Minnesota’s first transgender legislator, introduced the bill, House File 1655, in February 2023. It passed the Legislature as part of a larger public safety bill, and Walz signed it into law in May 2023.

    The Take Pride Act amended the existing definition of “sexual orientation” in the Human Rights Act and created a new definition for “gender identity.” Both were already protected classes under Minnesota law.

    The Minnesota Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, public services, education, credit and business based on race, religion, disability, national origin, sex, marital status, familial status, age, sexual orientation and gender identity.

    During a March 2023 state House panel discussion of the bill, Finke said it “modernizes” the Human Rights Act, “bringing a more contemporary understanding” of sexual orientation and gender identity.

    The bill amended the definition of “sexual orientation” to remove a line that said: “‘Sexual orientation’ does not include a physical or sexual attachment to children by an adult.”

    Critics have pointed to that change as proof the measure added protections for pedophiles. But lawmakers who supported the bill said the updated language aimed to sever any perceived ties between pedophilia and a person’s sexual orientation.

    In May 2023, before the bill passed, PolitiFact fact-checked a similar claim that the bill would make it “illegal to discriminate against child rapists.” We rated this False.

    Legal experts we interviewed in May 2023 said laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation do not protect pedophiles, even if they do not include that specific disclaimer.

    Minnesota statutes already specify that sexual orientation is about having attachments to another person regardless of that person’s sex, not that person’s age, Brian Soucek, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law, told PolitiFact in May 2023.

    “No court in the country has or would ever say that a law protecting people from discrimination based on their sexual orientation extends to protecting pedophilia,” Soucek said.

    Democratic state Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn said during an April 26, 2023, legislative session that the provision amending the “sexual orientation” definition had “gone off the rails a bit on social media.”

    “Nothing in the bill changes or weakens any of the crimes against children in our criminal statute, or the state’s ability to prosecute those who break the law. Of course pedophilia is not a protected class, is not a sexual orientation, which is why the language never should have been in the bill in the first place,” Becker-Finn said.

    Before the bill passed, Republican state Rep. Harry Niska added language to the bill that said: “The physical or sexual attachment to children by an adult is not a protected class under this chapter.” But lawmakers later removed this language, and it was not included in the final text of the bill that Walz signed, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.

    In Minnesota, penetration with a person younger than 18 or sexual contact with a person younger than 14 is subject to a charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, punishable by up to 30 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $40,000, or both.

    We rate the claim that Walz signed a bill “redefining ‘sexual orientation’ to include pedophiles” False.

    PolitiFact Staff Writer Loreben Tuquero contributed to this report.



    Source

  • William Ray Capps

    William Ray Capps

    Published 3:22 pm Friday, August 16, 2024

    Mr. William Ray Capps, age 82, of Andalusia, passed away peacefully on August 15, 2024. He was a loving and much loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.

    William was born to Henry and Isaphene Capps on April 12, 1942. He was a 1962 graduate of Red Level High school and was plant manager at Southeastern Box Company before moving to Pell City to work with Royal Foods after which he retired and returned to Andalusia.

    He was the most patient and caring person who loved life and lived it to the fullest. William was blessed with a remarkable aptitude for mechanical problem solving. In other words, there was nothing he couldn’t do. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his grandkids and taught them so many life lessons.

    He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 54 years, Mary Grissett Capps.

    He was also predeceased by brothers, John Capps of Pensacola, Florida, Bill Capps of River Falls, Curtis Capps of Pell City, Alabama; sisters-in-law, Joyce Capps of Pensacola, DeAnna Capps of Pell City, Lynett Adams of Fort Walton, Florida, Zelda Grissett of Andalusia, Rosalyn Grissett of Prattville, Alabama, Patricia Grissett of Andalusia; brothers-in-law, Lavon Grissett of Andalusia, Bill Grissett of Andalusia, Lynn Hart Grissett of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Sam Adams of DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

    He is survived by his son, Darren (Carrie) Capps of Andalusia, daughter, Erica (Trey) Ware of Auburn, grandchildren, Raleigh, Emma, and Molly Capps, and Will and Reid Ware; brothers, Ken (Ann) Capps of Andalusia, Bennie (Patricia) Capps of Birmingham, Clifford (Laresa) Capps of Enterprise; sister, Jenefer (Vaughan) Morgan of Montgomery; brothers-in-law, Lamar Grissett of Prattville and Ronnie (Barbara) Grissett of Prattville; sisters-in-law, Judy Capps of River Falls and Jeanette Grissett of Pensacola; and many nieces and nephews.

    Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 17, 2 p.m., at River Falls Baptist Church. The interment will follow in the River Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be on Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. at Foreman Funeral Home.

    Those wishing to share kind words or a memory of Mr. Capps may do so on our website at www.foremanfuneralhome.com.

    Source