The Trump administration gained a rare victory this summer in the most unlikely of venues—the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is widely viewed as the most liberal federal appeals court.
One big reason: President Donald Trump’s appointments to the 9th Circuit have moved it closer to ideological balance.
The court, long known for being both liberal and among the most overturned circuits, has been a thorn in Trump’s side, ruling against the president multiple times, mostly on immigration policies.
The confirmation of Trump nominee Daniel Bress in July gave the president his seventh judge on the court. It also brought the once lopsided appeals court to 16 Democrat appointees and 12 Republican appointees, with one remaining vacancy.
The administration won a 3-0 victory in June regarding a Department of Health and Human Services policy to restrict funding for family planning clinics that perform abortions.
While Trump hasn’t flipped the majority on the entire 9th Circuit, his progress increases the likelihood that randomly drawn three-judge panels will have more originalists, said Travis Weber, vice president for government affairs at the Family Research Council.
“The new judges will increase the credibility of this court,” Weber told The Daily Signal, noting that it long has been derided by conservatives as the “9th Circus.”
“We should have judges that interpret the Constitution rather than activists trying to legislate from the bench, which we’ve seen from the 9th Circuit,” he said.
Weber noted that most recently, the 9th Circuit has been the go-to venue for liberal activists seeking to block the agenda of the Trump administration.
This includes policies denying federal funds to “sanctuary cities,” which are local jurisdictions that refuse to assist federal immigration agents.
The court also has thwarted the administration’s “extreme vetting” policy designed to prevent migrants from failed states, including several majority Muslim countries, from coming to the United States.
The California-based 9th Circuit is the nation’s largest appeals court, encompassing California, Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Hawaii, and Oregon. It now has more Trump-appointed judges than any other appeals court, according to Bloomberg News.
The 9th Circuit is responsible for about 40% of the United States and 30% of all appeals, says Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., who wants to split up the circuit to produce more fair hearings for Montana residents.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., commented in January: “I’m very supportive of the nominees submitted by President Trump to serve on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. … These nominations continue a trend by the Trump administration of selecting highly qualified men and women to serve on the federal bench.”
Judicial nominees have been one of Trump’s crowning achievements, as he has named more than 40 appeals court judges as well as two Supreme Court justices. While not having as much success at the district court level, the president has secured some 80 confirmations.
“It would take a long time, if it ever happens, before the full 9th Circuit has enough constitutional judges for a pattern to take effect,” Thomas Jipping, deputy director of the Edwin Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, told The Daily Signal.
Because of Trump’s prolific filling of circuit court vacancies, currently only five of the 179 appeals court judgeships are vacant, Jipping said. But, of those, four seats were held by Republican-appointed jurists, he added.
To flip a court, Trump would have to replace Democratic nominees with Republican nominees. Even then, it’s not a sure thing to secure originalist interpretations, Jipping said.
“We tend to focus on the president who appoints the judge as a proxy of who the judges are,” Jipping said. “Republican presidents are more likely to appoint constitutionalists. Democratic presidents are more likely to appoint activists.”
“But every case is different,” he said. “Judges don’t make widgets.”
With the recent conservative victories related to tax cuts, the Supreme Court, and other major issues, it is easy to become complacent.
However, the liberal Left is not backing down. They are rallying supporters to advance their agenda, moving this nation further from the vision of our founding fathers.
If we are to continue to bring this nation back to our founding principles of limited government and fiscal conservatism, we need to come together as a group of likeminded conservatives.
This is the mission of The Heritage Foundation. We want to continue to develop and present conservative solutions to the nation’s toughest problems. And we cannot do this alone.
We are looking for a select few conservatives to become a Heritage Foundation member. With your membership, you’ll qualify for all associated benefits and you’ll help keep our nation great for future generations.
EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Signal column is republished with permission. All rights reserved.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00The Daily Signalhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngThe Daily Signal2019-07-30 05:42:052019-08-08 06:15:32Judges Seated by Trump Begin to Transform ‘9th Circus’
Trespassing, multiple traffic violations – and oh, she married her brother. My latest in FrontPage:
The striking evidence that Minnesota’s notorious Representative Ilhan Omar married her own brother in an apparent case of immigration fraud is finally making its way into the mainstream, albeit amid a great deal of obfuscation and outright disinformation. However, that curious case is not the only instance in which Omar has been found on the wrong side of the law. The controversial Congressman has a lengthy record of utter contempt for the rule of law, of which she is now ostensibly a guardian.
Omar was recently ordered to pay back thousands of dollars of campaign funds that she spent on personal expenses. According to National Review, Minnesota’s Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board “ordered Omar to reimburse her former campaign committee for $3,500 in personal accounting and travel expenses, and levied a $500 civil penalty against her for misspending the funds.”
Nor is that all: Minnesota’s Alpha News reports that Omar “was arrested in 2013 for trespassing and booked at Hennepin County Jail ‘to prevent further criminal conduct,’ according to a newly uncovered police report.”
Omar had gone, along with a large crowd of other Somalis, to the Hotel Ivy, where former Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was staying. Alpha News notes that “according to the police report, hotel staff requested police assistance in clearing the lobby, saying that anyone without a hotel room key was not welcome on the premises and needed to leave immediately. The officer handling the incident said the majority of people who were asked to leave were compliant. However, Omar, when approached, was ‘argumentative’ and refused to leave.”
Even when the other Somalis began to leave, Omar, according to the police report, “remained defiant” and refused to go; finally she was arrested for trespassing.
Then there are the traffic violations. The Minnesota Trial Court Public Access site, which is run by the Minnesota Judicial Branch, lists no fewer than twenty-four violations by Omar, the first on May 28, 2009 and the most recent on January 17, 2019, when Omar was a member of the House of Representatives. There are twelve violations in 2016 alone.
These traffic violations were no big deal – fully half of them are for parking in a no-parking zone and other parking offenses. Omar was also cited twice, on October 17, 2018 and October 25, 2018, for driving with expired plates. On April 27, 2012, she was caught driving without a driver’s license.
None of these traffic arrests are a big deal. Almost everybody gets a few traffic violations in the course of years of driving. But 24 of them? The sheer number of these violations demonstrates that Ilhan Omar believes, apparently with good reason, that she simply need not have any regard for Minnesota law. And when one takes into account the trespassing arrest, the campaign finance violations, and the marriage to her brother, a disturbing pattern emerges. Does this Minnesota lawmaker have any respect at all for the law?
Over the years there have been numerous jihadis in the U.S., Europe, Australia and elsewhere who have announced that they consider themselves to be bound only by the law of Allah, and not by what they consider to be manmade law. They demonstrate their contempt for the latter by refusing to stand for judges and obey other orders. The Qur’an says: “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you” (Qur’an 4:59). This is not a command to obey earthly authorities, unless they are commanding the Muslim to observe the laws of Islam. The respected and mainstream Qur’an commentary Tafsir al-Jalalayn explains this as meaning that one must obey “those in authority among you, that is, rulers, when they command you to obey God and His Messenger.”
Does Ilhan Omar, whose Sharia-compliance is demonstrated by her hijab, also have this disregard for any law other than the law of Allah? We will probably never know, because no establishment media “journalist” would ever dare ask her about this.
And more importantly, this serial lawbreaker will almost certainly not be held accountable, despite all the evidence of her immigration fraud. She is apparently too useful to powerful interests.
Who are the powerful people who are protecting Ilhan Omar from any legal consequences of her more egregious behavior? When will they, and Omar herself, be held legally accountable?
Chilling video of Islamic State jihadists shows “who’s coming to our countries.” – Vlad Tepes Blog
BDS Queen Ilhan Omar Has a Big Hypocrisy Problem
EDITORS NOTE: This Jihad Watch column is republished with permission.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Jihad Watchhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngJihad Watch2019-07-30 05:06:052019-07-30 16:40:22Ilhan Omar’s Contempt for the Law
A Leon County Circuit Court judge has just given rogue, anti-gun public officials a “get-out-of-jail-free card.”
This court has effectively given tacit approval for local government officials to knowingly and willfully violate the state preemption law by striking down the penalty provisions. The message is: go ahead and violate the law, the state can’t punish you.
Specifically, in a lawsuit brought by several anti-gun South Florida cities and counties, the court struck down the $5,000 fine and the risk of removal from office for individual public officials, local governments, and government agencies who willfully and knowing violate the state preemption law by adopting local gun control ordinances.
In their opposition brief, the NRA argued “It is a bedrock principle of American constitutional law that local governments have no legal authority to defy the will of their creator: the state.”
This ruling is like a parent telling an underage teenager, you are forbidden to smoke, drink alcohol, or do drugs — but don’t worry, if you disobey me and do it anyhow, I won’t punish you.
The ruling flies in the face of one of the basic fundamentals of the judicial system. Punishment is the deterrent component of the justice system. Without punishment, not only will offenders will be encouraged to re-offend but others who had feared punishment will be encouraged to join the lawbreaking activities.
There is little doubt that Attorney General Ashley Moody will appeal the ruling on behalf of the state. There is no enforcement capability of laws that have no punishment.
BACKGROUND:
Florida Statutes section 790.33 is the firearms preemption statute, which prevents local governments from violating Second Amendment rights by passing gun control ordinances. Under the law, only the Legislature can regulate the field of firearms and ammunition, a constitutionally protected area.
The preemption law was passed in 1987 but contained no penalties. No one anticipated or even imagined the disrespect for the law that some local public officials began to demonstrate. No one foresaw that local public officials (who had sworn to uphold the law) would knowingly and willfully violate state law because there were no penalties.
In 2011, fed up with these willful violations of law, the legislature amended the statute to create civil penalties for knowingly and willfully violating the preemption law by enacting prohibited firearms or ammunition ordinances/regulation. The penalties were imposed on the offending governmental entity and on individual public officials.
These penalties are not for accidental, unintentional or inadvertent violation of the law. They are for KNOWINGLY AND WILLFULLY violating the law.
That any court would condone, and give tacit approval to intentional violations of the law by public officials is not only alarming, it is injurious to the fabric of the deterrent effect of the structure and intent of laws. It is particularly perilous when it comes to those laws promulgated to shield and protect the public from the actions of imprudent public officials.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00NRA Institute for Legislative Actionhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngNRA Institute for Legislative Action2019-07-29 16:52:142019-07-29 16:54:38FLORIDA: Court Rules Public Officials Can’t Be Punished for Violating the Law
“I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I was just gasping for air.”
That’s how Nancy Rost recalls the moments after her husband, Tom, walked through the door of their home six years ago this month.
In his hand, Tom held a letter from a longtime employee. On his face, the easy confidence Nancy had seen from Tom every day since they met each other as children was missing, replaced by a palpable sense of anxiety.
Immediately, Tom and Nancy knew that the contents of the letter had the potential to devastate R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, which Tom’s grandfather had established in 1910 to serve grieving families throughout Detroit.
As it stands now, Tom’s five-generation family business is in the hands of the Supreme Court, with oral arguments scheduled for Oct. 8.
No doubt, his case will have sweeping implications across American life.
So, what was in the letter?
Anthony Stephens, a biological male employee who had agreed to and followed the funeral home’s sex-specific dress code for more than six years, intended to show up to work—as well as to the homes of grieving families—dressed as a woman.
For years, Tom’s company had required employees to agree to and abide by a sex-specific dress code that aligned with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requirements. The regulation-consistent policy ensured that family members of a deceased loved one could focus on processing their grief, not on the funeral home or its employees.
Over the next two weeks, Tom carefully considered his situation. Tom was concerned for Stephens—a longtime, valued employee—and for Stephens’ family. He also had to consider the rest of his staff, including an 80-year-old female employee, who would be sharing the women’s restroom facility with Stephens.
Finally, Tom pondered the impact on the funeral home’s clients.
In the end, Tom decided that he could not agree to Stephens’ proposal. That decision was fully in line with federal law. Yet, in a matter of months, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued the funeral home.
Later, following the commission’s urging, a federal court of appeals effectively redefined the word “sex” in federal law to mean “gender identity.”
Enacted by Congress in 1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act has long protected women, along with racial and religious minorities, from unjust discrimination in the workplace.
Redefining the term “sex” in that law to mean “gender identity” would create chaotic, unworkable situations and unjustly punish business owners like Tom while destroying important gains women and girls have made over the past 50 years.
Indeed, Tom Rost’s case, in which Alliance Defending Freedom represents the funeral home, is just the tip of the iceberg.
Blurring the legal differences between male and female forces women and girls to endure unequal treatment because some men and boys believe that they are women.
In Connecticut, for instance, two boys competing as girls have set state records in 15 events over the past two years, while costing girls like Selina Soule over 50 chances at next-level races.
In Anchorage, Alaska, city officials have weaponized gender ideology to argue that a women’s shelter must allow a biological male to sleep 3 feet away from women who have been victimized by rape, sex trafficking, and domestic violence.
Refusing even to discuss these and other issues that result from redefining “sex” to mean “gender identity,” Democratic lawmakers have put forward the paradoxically named Equality Act that would institutionalize these harms under federal law.
While that bill has stalled in the Senate, federal courts like the one that ruled against Harris Funeral Homes have acted to effectively change the law on their own, imposing their own policy preferences and punishing business owners who were simply acting in compliance with the law Congress actually enacted.
Tom and Nancy Rost have the right to depend on what the law says—not what judges or bureaucrats want it to be.
In R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Supreme Court has a golden opportunity to affirm that changing the law is only something Congress can do, particularly in a context as complicated as changing the meaning of “sex” itself.
John Bursch is vice president of appellate advocacy and senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom.
Dear Readers:
With the recent conservative victories related to tax cuts, the Supreme Court, and other major issues, it is easy to become complacent.
However, the liberal Left is not backing down. They are rallying supporters to advance their agenda, moving this nation further from the vision of our founding fathers.
If we are to continue to bring this nation back to our founding principles of limited government and fiscal conservatism, we need to come together as a group of likeminded conservatives.
This is the mission of The Heritage Foundation. We want to continue to develop and present conservative solutions to the nation’s toughest problems. And we cannot do this alone.
We are looking for a select few conservatives to become a Heritage Foundation member. With your membership, you’ll qualify for all associated benefits and you’ll help keep our nation great for future generations.
EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Signal column with video is republished with permission. All rights reserved.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00The Daily Signalhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngThe Daily Signal2019-07-29 06:19:382019-07-29 06:19:38VIDEO: This Lawsuit Over ‘Sex’ and ‘Gender Identity’ Will Have Sweeping Implications
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested 25 people during Operation Intercept VI, a 4-day initiative focused on protecting Sarasota County children from online predators and human trafficking.
Suspects ranging in age from 19-65 responded to Internet-based ads, online apps and social media sites to engage in sexually explicit written and verbal conversations. One of the suspects rode a three-wheel bicycle to the home while in possession of cocaine and another brought with him two firearms and several narcotics. One man attempted to lure the child into his vehicle while several sent explicit photos and brought condoms with them. Ultimately all 25 arrestees traveled with the intent of having sex with a male or female child.
“Unfortunately, the internet allows for easy and anonymous access to children by strangers who are hiding behind a computer screen. That is why these operations are paramount to ensuring our most vulnerable population is safe and protected,” commented Sheriff Tom Knight. “The men arrested during this operation managed to blend into society and attempted to prey on children by developing a trust through promises to exploit them for sexual purposes. So long as men like these prey upon our community, I will ensure our ongoing commitment to putting them behind bars.”
The following suspects were arrested in the three-day operation and charged with:
Steven Aldacosta, DOB 08/04/79, of Sarasota, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts.
Richard Antico, DOB 01/05/87, of 5922 Las Colinas Circle, Lake Worth, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts. He reports he is employed as a food deliveryman.
Jose Ayala-Gil, DOB 12/01/96, of 3200 Village Lane, Sarasota, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts. He reports he is employed as a detailer at a Sarasota carwash. Ayala-Gil is a foreign born resident with an alien registration and prior criminal history.
Georgios Bakomihalis, DOB 02/07/92, of 16430 Treasure Point Drive, Wimauma, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts. He reports he is employed as an Uber driver.
Nicholas Bonito, DOB 07/17/00, of 6904 Manatee Avenue W #62A, Bradenton, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts.
Arthur Byrne, DOB 08/28/90, of 4026 Royal Palm Avenue, Sarasota, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts, and Possession of a MDMA.
Azis Casanas-Ramos, DOB 12/09/99, of 3743 Woodmont Drive, Sarasota, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts.
Joseph Cate, DOB 01/26/86, of 1262 Prospect Street, Bradenton, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts. He reports he is employed as a mechanic.
Maxwell Crain-Perrault, DOB 06/04/00, of 819 Whooping Crane Court, Bradenton, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts.
Andrew Crose, DOB 09/21/92, of 540 La Gorce Drive, Venice, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts, and Violation of Probation. He reports he works for a lawn care company.
Travis Deel, DOB 10/22/79, of 948A Edwards Avenue, Jacksonville, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts and Transmission of Harmful Material. At the time of his arrest, Deel was enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a chief petty officer, scheduled to deploy the following day.
Michael Doran, DOB 01/05/91, of 413 Dodge Avenue, Sarasota, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts, Transmission of Harmful Materials, Possession of Cocaine, and Violation of Probation. Doran rode his bicycle to the home while in possession of cocaine. He reports he is employed as a cook in Sarasota.
Jarred Durant, DOB 05/03/94, of 11230 Fiddlewood Drive, Riverview, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts, and two counts of Possession of a Concealed Firearm. When Durant arrived to the home, he was in possession of two guns and various narcotics.
Constantin Fota, DOB 05/16/92, of 2907 48th Street SW, Lehigh Acres, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts.
Christopher Hamilton, DOB 04/26/65, of 3372 Sheffield Circle, Sarasota, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts, Prostitution, and Commit to Offer Prostitution with Transmission of HIV. He reports he is employed at a car dealership in Sarasota.
Richard LaGace Sr., DOB 01/09/54, of 1647 White Breeze, Bradenton, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts, and Transmission of Harmful Material.
Omar Lazo, DOB 08/26/96, of 1517 E. Knollwood Street, Tampa, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts. He reports he is employed as an electrician.
Pedro Lopez-Garcia, DOB 08/12/87, of 613 11th St West, Palmetto, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts, and three counts of Transmission of Harmful Materials. He is an illegal immigrant and reports he works as a handyman and roofer. Upon Lopez-Garcia’s arrest, deputies notified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) however, he was later released on bond.
Marcos Manuel-Juan, DOB 05/11/96, of 510 60th Avenue Terrace West, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts. He is an illegal immigrant who reports he is employed as a fiberglass repairman. Manuel-Juan is currently in the custody of ICE.
– Michael McBee, DOB 06/03/85, of 6531 Field Sparrow Glen, Bradenton, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts. He reports he is employed as a retail store manager in Ellenton. When McBee arrived to the home, he attempted to lure the child into his vehicle.
Douglas Mutschler, DOB 04/28/81, of 1020 Capri Isles Blvd #63, Venice, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts, and Violation of Probation stemming from charges in 2017 in Seminole County for Travelling to Meet a Minor and Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors.
Austin Patterson, DOB 08/01/95, of 4227 52nd Place W Apt #202, Bradenton, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts. He reports he is employed as a cook in Bradenton.
Joshua Rector, DOB 04/03/95, of 12297 Cognac Drive, Punta Gorda, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts.
– Geovany Rodriguez, DOB 06/11/92, of 505 13th Street W #13A, Palmetto, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act and Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts. He reports he is employed at a pawnshop in Bradenton.
Juan Vazquez, DOB 03/06/00, of 1601 Florida Development Road, Davenport, is charged with Use of a Computer to Solicit a Child to Commit a Sex Act, Travelling to Solicit a Child to Commit Sex Acts, and Transmission of Harmful Material.
The sheriff’s office regularly conducts initiatives to curb child sexual exploitation and trafficking. In May 2018, Sheriff Knight announced the results of Operation Intercept V, in which 21 men were arrested for similar crimes. During his news conference, Knight released a graphic titled, “Nine Apps Parents Should Know About,” which identified nine mobile applications frequently downloaded by children that can be utilized by predators for purposes of exploitation.
On Friday, Knight added six apps to the list including MeetMe, Grindr, SKOUT, WhatsApp, TikTok and badoo. The graphic was re-released and aptly titled “15 Apps Parents Should Know About.”
Operation Intercept VI was conducted in partnership with and with support from the Department of Homeland Security, DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office and North Port Police Department. Several of those arrested are still under continued investigation for other related and non-related crimes.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2019-07-27 14:32:482019-08-17 07:55:42Florida Sheriff arrests 25 pedophiles including an illegal alien, UBER driver and man in ICE custody
Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, is in the news often because of her racially inflammatory anti-Semitic views, including her support for a terrorist front group. But far-left views are not our concern at this moment – her alleged criminal behavior is.
Earlier this week, we hand-delivered an ethics complaint to David Skaggs, chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Office of Congressional Ethics, calling for a full investigation into potential crimes tied to allegations that Omar may have married her biological brother.
“The evidence is overwhelming Rep. Omar may have violated the law and House rules. The House of Representatives must urgently investigate and resolve the serious allegations of wrongdoing by Rep. Omar,” we said. “We encourage Americans to share their views on Rep. Omar’s apparent misconduct with their congressmen.”
Here is our full complaint:
Ethics Complaint Against Rep. Ilhan Omar Concerning Possible Violations of Federal and State Law
Dear Chairman Skaggs,
Judicial Watch is a non-profit, non-partisan educational foundation, promoting transparency, accountability and integrity in government and fidelity to the rule of law. We regularly monitor congressional ethics issues as part of our anti-corruption mission.
This letter serves as an official complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE).
Substantial, compelling and, to date, unrefuted evidence has been uncovered that Rep. Ilhan Omar may have committed the following crimes in violation of both federal law and Minnesota state law: perjury, immigration fraud, marriage fraud, state and federal tax fraud, and federal student loan fraud.
Such violations would also breach the Code of Ethics for Government Service, to which all federal officeholders are subject, “Any person in Government service should uphold the Constitution, laws, and legal regulations of the United States and all governments therein and never be a party to their evasion.”) Rep. Omar actions in this suspected immigration fraud, marriage fraud, perjurious statements on her Minnesota divorce filings, and falsifications on her tax returns, merit your immediate investigation.
In the words of investigative reporter David Steinberg: “The facts describe perhaps the most extensive spree of illegal misconduct committed by a House member in American history.”
The evidence developed against Rep. Omar was the result of a three-year-long investigation in both the United States and the United Kingdom by Mr. Steinberg and his investigative reporter colleagues Preya Samsundar and Scott Johnson. It is supported by information gathered from public records, social media postings, genealogy databases, computer forensic analysis, unaltered digital photographs, discussions between the investigative reporters and the subjects of the investigation themselves, and information supplied by confidential sources within the Somali-American community.
Documented-based reporting by Steinberg, et al. has developed the following information: Rep. Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, a citizen of the United States, married her biological brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a citizen of the United Kingdom, in 2009, presumably as part of an immigration fraud scheme. The couple legally divorced in 2017. In the course of that divorce, Ms. Omar submitted an “Application for an Order for Service by Alternate Means” to the State of Minnesota on August 2, 2017 and claimed, among other things, that she had had no contact with Ahmed Nur Said Elmi after June 2011. She also claimed that she did not know where to find him. The evidence developed by Mr. Steinberg and his colleagues demonstrates with a high degree of certainty that Ms. Omar not only had contact with Mr. Elmi, but actually met up with him in London in 2015, which is supported by photographic evidence. Ms. Omar signed the “Application for an Order for Service by Alternate Means” under penalty of perjury. The very document that Ilham Omar signed on August 2, 2017 bears the following notation directly above her signature: “I declare under penalty of perjury that everything I have stated in this document is true and correct. Minn. Stat. § 358.116.”
Of particular importance are archived photographs taken during a widely reported trip by Ilhan Omar to London in 2015, posted to her own Instagram account under her nickname “hameey”, in which she poses with her husband/presumed brother, Ahmed Elmi. These photographs from 2015 are documentary evidence that in fact she met up with Mr. Elmi after June 2011 and before the date she signed the divorce document in August 2017, thereby calling into question the veracity of her claim that she had not seen Mr. Elmi since June 2011.
Rep. Omar’s potential crimes far exceed perjurious statements made in a Minnesota court filing.
Rep. Omar’s conduct may include immigration fraud. It appears that Rep. Omar married her brother in order to assist his emigration to the United States from the United Kingdom. The same immigration fraud scheme may have aided Mr. Elmi in obtaining federally-backed student loans for his attendance at North Dakota State University. Mr. Elmi and Rep. Omar simultaneously attended North Dakota State University and may have derived illicit benefits predicated on the immigration fraud scheme.
The State of Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has already determined that Rep. Omar violated state campaign finance laws for improper use of campaign funds. She was forced to reimburse her campaign thousands of dollars. More significantly, the Board discovered that the federal tax returns submitted by Rep. Omar for 2014 and 2015 were filed as “joint” tax returns with a man who was not her husband, named Ahmed Hirsi, while she was actually married to Ahmed Elmi.
Under federal law, specifically, 26 U.S. Code & 7206.1, “Any person who willfully makes and subscribes any return, statement, or other document, which contains or is verified by a written declaration that it is made under the penalties of perjury, and which he does not believe to be true and correct as to every material matter … shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $100,000 ($500,000 in the case of a corporation), or imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both, together with the costs of prosecution.”
Rep. Omar’s federal tax returns must be examined to determine whether any additional falsifications were made.
Mr. Steinberg, et al. have engaged in meticulous research and reporting over a period of years. They have demonstrated with a high degree of probability that Rep. Ilhan Omar has violated House Ethics Rules, federal and state laws.
We call upon the Office of Congressional Ethics to launch an investigation into Rep. Omar’s conduct immediately.
Sincerely,
Tom Fitton, President, Judicial Watch
I discussed this complaint in several radio interviews, which you can listen to here, here, and here.
The House ethics process will not move in this instance, I suspect, unless pushed. I encourage to share your views on Rep. Omar with your congressman. You can reach the House at 202-224-3121. More contact information is available on the House web site here: www.house.gov.
Robert Mueller’s Latest Attempt to Smear President Trump
Did you watch former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s embarrassing performance this week?
The corruptly formed and constitutionally abusive Mueller investigation failed to find any evidence to support the big lie of Trump-Russia collusion.
Nonetheless, Mr. Muller attempted to smear President Trump yet again with obstruction of justice innuendo despite concluding that no such charges could be credibly sustained. Mueller never had a valid basis upon which to investigate President Trump for obstruction of justice.
Let’s be clear: Neither Mueller, the Obama FBI, DOJ, CIA, State Department, nor the Deep State ever had a good-faith basis to pursue President Trump on Russia collusion. Russia collusion wasn’t just a hoax, it was a criminal abuse of President Trump, which is why we has fought and will continue to fight for documents on Russiagate and Mueller special counsel abuse in federal court.
Leftists in the State Department Sabotage Trump’s Guatemala Asylum Deal
While we are focused on Deep State players in the Justice Department and FBI who have used their offices to cripple President Trump, other Deep Staters are alive and well in the State Department and busy sabotaging the president’s efforts to protect our borders. Our Corruption Chronicles blog reports.
The sabotage of President Donald Trump’s deal with Guatemala to alleviate the illegal immigration crisis is part of a broader problem involving pervasive corruption in the Central American nation and embedded leftists in the U.S. State Department’s Western Hemisphere Division. With a compromised electoral system and a presidential election looming in Guatemala, the impoverished nation of about 16 million could easily slide into the Cuban or Venezuelan camp of failed socialist countries. Socialist Sandra Torres, a former Guatemalan first lady and radical leftist guerrilla, could become the country’s next president.
Why should Americans be concerned? Because Guatemala is essentially the United States’ southern border, given Mexico’s status as a failed narco-state with its first leftist president (Andrés Manuel López Obrador) in decades. Torres will run off against conservative Alejandro Giammattei in August and if she wins, many believe her leftist administration will sink the country back into civil war. That will likely translate into more illegal immigrants heading north, even though hundreds of thousands of Guatemalans have already been apprehended at the U.S. border since outgoing President Jimmy Morales, a conservative populist, took power in 2016. Before Morales’s victory marked a renewal of conservatism and pro U.S.-sentiment in the country, Guatemala rejected a resurgence of leftwing leaders throughout Latin America by electing former General Otto Pérez Molina to the presidency. Guatemalans apparently learned a lesson after electing their first leftwing president in half a century in 2007, Álvaro Colom, whose tenure was plagued by rampant corruption.
A recent poll conducted by Gallup Latinoamerica shows that Giammattei, a medical doctor who ran Guatemala’s prison system, leads Torres 40.6% to 33.4%. But government officials and other activists in Guatemala tell Judicial Watch the country’s electoral system is totally compromised and extremely vulnerable to fraud. They worry that a rigged Torres victory, with the support of U.S. Ambassador Luis E. Arreaga, will be disastrous for the country. Arreaga’s predecessor, Obama appointee Todd Robinson, also colluded with leftist forces—including a key figure for the violent Marxist guerrilla known as the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC)— to illegally promote changes to the Guatemalan constitution.
Little has changed since the Trump administration replaced Robinson with Arreaga, according to knowledgeable sources in Guatemala’s private and public sector. Arreaga was called to Washington, D.C. in the aftermath of the failed third country asylum debacle, according to Guatemalan media, but no further details have been made available. High-level government sources in the country say Arreaga is a leftist who is doing everything possible to subvert and sabotage the Trump administration’s efforts to collaborate with the country in several key areas. Most important among them is immigration.
This week Trump was scheduled to meet Morales in Washington to sign an agreement making Guatemala a buffer zone by temporarily absorbing illegal immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S. Guatemala’s Constitutional Court reportedly blocked Morales from going through with the deal, but other forces were at play behind the scenes. A top Guatemalan government source said the U.S. State Department collaborated with local leftist groups to kill the planned safe country asylum deal between Trump and Morales. Judicial Watch has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the State Department seeking all records related to the planned meeting between Trump and Morales as well as information involving the proposed safe third country agreement.
In the last year Judicial Watch has exposed the U.S. government’s outrageous financial and political support of leftist forces in Guatemala. Specifically, the government uses taxpayer dollars to back leftwing billionaire George Soros’ radical globalist agenda in the Central American nation. In a special investigative report Judicial Watch provides in detail the connection between U.S.-funded entities and Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF) to further the Hungarian philanthropist’s efforts in Guatemala. The goal is to advance a radical globalist agenda through “lawfare” and political subversion, the report shows. The American taxpayer dollars flow through the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID), which works closely with the State Department and receives foreign policy guidance from the agency and Secretary of State.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Judicial Watchhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngJudicial Watch2019-07-27 05:59:452019-07-27 05:59:45VIDEO UPDATE: Judicial Watch Demands House Ethics Investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar
The Christian Action Network has released a shocking report exposing the secret agenda behind the controversial Muslim Community Patrol Cars policing the streets of New York City.
With the aid of confidential informants, the report divulges several alarming facts behind the newly created Muslim Community Patrol & Services (MCP&S), which began launching patrol cars in New York City last November.
The report, which is authored by Martin Mawyer of Christian Action Network and Ryan Mauro of the Clarion Project, reveals:
MCP&S officers plan to enforce Sharia law on both Muslim and non-Muslim citizens in New York City.
Organizers plan to expand their modest fleet of three Muslim Patrol Cars to seven by the end of summer 2019, with the goal of reaching 30 cars in the near future.
The individual responsible for deploying MCP&S cars is Siraj Wahhaj, who has documented links to terrorist operatives and who has called for America’s destruction.
The individual responsible for hiring MCP&S officers is Ali Mustapha, who has twice been arrested for murder and convicted once.
The son and two daughters of Siraj Wahhaj were arrested last May on federal terrorism charges for engaging in “a conspiracy to stage deadly attacks on American soil.”
The 72nd Precinct of New York Police Department is training MCP&S officers in both self-defense and suspect-restraining techniques.
MCP&S is seeking to employ off-duty NYPD Muslim policemen so their officers can carry weapons and have the power to arrest citizens.
“America, especially those in New York, needs to know about the terrorist links to MCP&S and that a convicted murderer is recruiting its officers,” said Martin Mawyer, president of Christian Action Network.
RELATED VIDEO: ‘Muslim Community Patrols’ have NYC residents alarmed – OANN
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Martin Mawyerhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngMartin Mawyer2019-07-26 17:45:352019-12-09 10:36:47The Secret Agenda Of Muslim Community Patrol Cars
Today’s hearings revealed again how two bedrock American legal principles have been terribly abused in the Mueller investigation’s final report on Russian election interference. The first principle is innocent until proven guilty, known in the legal profession as the presumption of innocence.
After being essentially cleared in the first half of the report on colluding with Russia (Democrats won’t let go of the dead horse, but Mueller did) the special counsel jumped tracks in the second half and took away Trump’s presumption of innocence.
Prosecutor Mueller and his team laid out in 200-plus pages of detailed evidence the supposed obstruction of justice. Yet Mueller declined to recommend charges, but then made the shockingly unprofessional statement that he could not “exonerate” Trump, and that if he could he would. That was just prosecutorial malfeasance of a very high order, and certainly gives the appearance of a political setup for Democrats to launch impeachment.
Now, some of you will say, but he’s the president! It’s different! That brings me to the second bedrock American legal principle under assault: equality under the law.
If everyone is equal under the law, which I should hope everyone on the left and right agrees with, then why is this President and his family members not presumed innocent? Why is this President and his family members left with the pall of “not exonerated” when in every other single instance of American prosecution, it is simply and rightly “not sufficient evidence” for prosecution?
If your answer is, he’s the president! Or, this is too important! Then you don’t believe everyone is equal under the law. You believe Trump and his family are *less* equal under the law.
Remember, in this special counsel arrangement (I still contend a bad law), there is no other side presented. This is just a prosecutor’s report. In a normal courtroom, a full defense team would be breaking down the prosecution’s case and, very importantly, would be cross-examining witnesses. None of that has happened or is allowed to happen.
But Trump did obstruct justice, you may say, because Mueller couldn’t exonerate him! As previously noted, a prosecutor does not have the authority in the American legal system to “exonerate” anyone specifically because everyone is presumed innocent until *proven* guilty.
But further, Mueller admitted during his testimony that he had not been in any way obstructed. Congressman John Ratcliffe asked Mueller whether his investigation been curtailed, stopped, or hindered at any point. Mueller answered, “No.” Not even hindered? So, there was no obstruction.
Ratcliff also asked Mueller on my main point:
“Can you give me an example other than Donald Trump where the Justice Department determined that an investigated person was not exonerated because their innocence was not conclusively determined?”
Mueller’s bone-chilling answer:
“I cannot, but this is a unique situation.”
No, it’s not if we’re all equal under the law. Trump has not been provided a presumption of innocence, nor has he had his “day in court” to go after the prosecutors and cross-examine their witnesses, which means he has not been treated equally under the law. I realize this means nothing to the Trump-haters. But it should matter to regular Americans.
As bad as foreign interference is in our elections (and Russia alone has been doing it since the 1930s, and aggressively since the 1950s) undermining our own jurisprudence for political gain is worse.
In the realm of stating what is un-American, that could hardly fit better.
EDITORS NOTE: This Revolutionary Act column is republished with permission. All rights reserved.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Rod Thomsonhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngRod Thomson2019-07-25 16:41:252019-07-25 17:11:24Mueller Upshot: Legal Rights Denied To Trump Family
Fox News: Chris Wallace: Robert Mueller Hearing Has Been A ‘Disaster’ For Democrats
“’Fox News Sunday’ anchor Chris Wallace said former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s House hearing has turned into a ‘disaster’ for Democrats and for the former FBI director’s reputation.”
“It’s one thing to argue that he isn’t going to answer questions with reference to Fusion GPS (something he did in follow up questions, with the phrase “it’s outside my purview”), but how on earth could he not be familiar with the firm that has played such a key role in the Russia story?”
Breitbart: Robert Mueller Caught Contradicting His Report In Testimony To Congress
“In his opening statement, Mueller stated: ‘We did not address collusion, which is not a legal term. rather, we focused on whether the evidence was sufficient to charge any member of the campaign with taking part in a criminal conspiracy, and it was not.’ That statement suggested that the report had not, in fact, concluded that Trump had colluded with Russia — contrary to what the president has said, and with common public understanding of the report.”
Fox News: Mueller Flustered, Asking Lawmakers To Repeat Questions At Tense Hearing
“Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller was frequently tripped up and forced to ask lawmakers to repeat their questions during his rapid-fire questioning on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, though he reportedly prepared at length for the hearings. At one point, he even said he wasn’t familiar with Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm behind the controversial anti-Trump dossier.”
“Mueller was slow to react to questions. He frequently asked for questions to be repeated. He sometimes appeared confused. He did not appear to be conversant with some issues in the investigation. He did not, or could not, put together detailed answers even to those questions he agreed to address.”
Mediaite: ‘This is Painful’: Pundits Question Mueller’s ‘Frail’ Performance at Hearing
“A number of pundits this morning have been questioning former special counsel Robert Mueller’s performance at the hearing before the House Judiciary Committee.”
The Daily Wire: Mueller Can’t Explain Why Fusion GPS And Glenn Simpson Weren’t Included In His Report
“During Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s congressional testimony on Wednesday, he was asked by Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) about Fusion GPS, the firm that hired Christopher Steele to produce the infamous and dubious ‘Steele Dossier’ that helped spark the investigation into President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign. Despite the fact that the Steele Dossier was mentioned throughout Mueller’s final report, the origins of that report were not. Glenn Simpson, the founder of Fusion and a key player in creating the ‘evidence’ against Trump, was not mentioned once. Fusion’s involvement in the alleged Russia collusion was also not investigated.”
Townhall: Democrats And Media Admit: Mueller’s Testimony Was A Total Disaster
“Democrats demanded Special Counsel Robert Mueller testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee and today they got their wish. It was a complete disaster and Democrats outside of the hearing room are openly admitting it.”
The Washington Post: A Sometimes Halting Mueller Parries Questions In Highly Anticipated Congressional Hearing
“He frequently asked lawmakers to repeat their questions. At times he said he could not hear them, sometimes asserting they were speaking too fast. In contrast to his inquisitors, Mueller spoke slowly, and on a few occasions seemed confused by lawmakers’ inquiries. For a prosecutor who built a distinguished career on digging deep into the weeds of investigations, to the point that many of his subordinates complained he was a maddening micromanager, Mueller said several times he was not familiar with some of the specifics of the investigation into Russia’s actions in 2016 and whether Trump obstructed justice.”
“Mueller’s answer that this investigation was “a unique situation” looks like an attempt to get around the fundamental view that innocence is presumed and not bestowed by the government. This will reinforce Republican views that Trump is being treated unfairly. Good for Ratcliffe for making this point so early in the day.”
Washington Examiner’s Tiana Lowe: Of Course Making The Septuagenarian Consummate Career Prosecutor Testify In A Show Trial Was A Waste Of Time
“Just minutes into questioning former special counsel Robert Mueller, House Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee made their exasperation apparent. Mueller was repeatedly asking members of Congress to reiterate questions and revisit specific portions of the 448-page report. Lines of questioning were repeatedly stymied by his refusal to address vast swaths of topics still under ongoing review by the Department of Justice.”
“The nation watches a confused, halting Robert Mueller in what will be the saddest moment in an otherwise stellar career. But without question this Mueller performance clearly illustrated one very important reality. There is no way in the world the confused, uncertain man testifying today actually ran the investigation he was charged with running. Mueller even had Members saying “over here” to let him know the physical location of his questioner of the moment. At times his aides seated behind him had to point him to his questioner, Mueller’s face a mask of confusion.”
Fox News: Mueller Flubs On Which President Appointed Him To Prosecutor Post In Massachusetts
“Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller confused which president appointed him the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts back in the 1980s during his congressional appearance Wednesday. Answering a question during a lengthy hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, Mueller said he thought President George H. W. Bush appointed him to the post in Massachusetts, but was quickly corrected by Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., who noted that Mueller was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986.”
“Special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony before Congress is shaping up to be a bit of a dud, as neither he nor lawmakers have revealed anything new or of any real significance. This should come as a great embarrassment to the newsrooms that hyped Wednesday’s testimony as one of the most important ‘high-stakes’ hearings in recent memory.”
“Matt Drudge, an Internet pioneer who founded the Drudge Report, wrote that Robert Mueller appeared “dazed and confused” giving testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning.
He later tweeted that everyone in Washington, DC, should be drug-tested for going along with this testimony.”
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2019-07-24 19:35:162019-08-17 07:56:57The Two Defining Moments of the Muller Hearing on June 24, 2019
The media is reporting that Florida is leading the nation and has now become the first state to have 2 million active concealed carry license holders. This is despite the irregularities and allegations of unlawful activities in the Commissioner of Agriculture’s office that slow and delay the issuance of licenses.
For the first time, since the “Right-to-Carry” legislation passed, the agency is being run by an anti-gun Commissioner of Agriculture. Some are accusing the Agency, under the current Commissioner, of unlawfully regulating and suppressing the number of licenses being issued.
The Agency is prohibited, specifically by statute, from adopting regulations or implementing policies to diminish the right of law abiding citizens to get licenses, but the law doesn’t seem to deter the current Commissioner and her anti-gun, anti-self defense, hand picked, upper-level staff.
Mr. Eric Friday, a Jacksonville attorney and General Counsel for Florida Carry, reported today that,
“Despite the claims by the Commissioner there is ample evidence that the process for issuing Concealed Weapon Firearm License is not going as smoothly as she claims.”
“Florida Carry, Inc. has evidence that the Commissioner and her department are engaged in several processes to slow or delay Floridians’ ability to exercise their right to bear arms. These include using ‘secret’ evidence that the applicants and their lawyers are not allowed to see and refusing to grant formal evidence-based hearings as a matter of routine.”
“The department is also refusing to approve licenses based on decades old arrests that are not disqualifying and using other states’ (California and New Jersey among others) failure to respond to requests for records as a basis to indefinitely delay the issuance of licenses.”
“I am currently representing two clients regarding actions taken by the Department to deprive them of licenses without due process and based on information the Department knew or should have known was not reliable.”
When the “Right-to-Carry” law passed, the legislature included a special section in the law to protect the rights of Florida citizens against anti-gun activities by the agency that implements the concealed carry law. The law is apparently being ignored by the Commissioner.
Florida Statutes 790.06 (2)(15) reads:
(15) The Legislature finds as a matter of public policy and fact that it is necessary to provide statewide uniform standards for issuing licenses to carry concealed weapons and firearms for self-defense and finds it necessary to occupy the field of regulation of the bearing of concealed weapons or firearms for self-defense to ensure that no honest, law-abiding person who qualifies under the provisions of this section is subjectively or arbitrarily denied his or her rights. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall implement and administer the provisions of this section. The Legislature does not delegate to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services the authority to regulate or restrict the issuing of licenses provided for in this section, beyond those provisions contained in this section. Subjective or arbitrary actions or rules which encumber the issuing process by placing burdens on the applicant beyond those sworn statements and specified documents detailed in this section or which create restrictions beyond those specified in this section are in conflict with the intent of this section and are prohibited. This section shall be liberally construed to carry out the constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense. This section is supplemental and additional to existing rights to bear arms, and nothing in this section shall impair or diminish such rights.
EDITORS NOTE: This NRA-ILA column is republished with permission. All rights reserved.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00NRA Institute for Legislative Actionhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngNRA Institute for Legislative Action2019-07-24 09:39:382019-07-24 09:40:47Despite Agency Abuse, Florida Concealed Carry License Holders Number Over 2 Million
It has been my contention, for many years, that contrary to the lies spewed in the mainstream media that the immigration system is broken while, in reality, the immigration system is not broken, but has become the most efficient delivery system in the United States rivaling Fed-Ex and UPS combined.
What the immigration system delivers is a virtually unlimited supply of cheap and exploitable labor, an unlimited supply of foreign tourists, of foreign students and, for the immigration lawyers, an unlimited supply of clients for immigration law firms.
This past month, most of the coverage about the Congress focused on the war of words between President Trump and the Democrats, particularly the venomous and frequently Anti-Semitic statements spewed by “The Squad” that consists of four first-term female members of Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
A virtual mantra has been created that the reason we have an immigration crisis is because the Democrats will not work with the Republicans (or visa versa).
You would think that if there was any movement to create immigration legislation that the media would jump all over it and put the story on page one in the newspapers and the “A Block” on television programs. After all, the mythology goes, the Democrats and Republicans have steadfastly taken diametrically opposed positions on immigration.
Of course while the Republicans insist that a wall needs to be constructed on the U.S./Mexican border to secure that dangerous and highly porous border against the un-inspected entry of aliens and cargo including such contraband as narcotics, it is worth noting that when they controlled both houses of Congress for the first two years of the Trump administration, money was never provided for the construction of that wall.
As my mom taught me when I was growing up, “Actions speak louder than words.”
Then there were the highly publicized “migrant caravans” that transported more than one hundred thousand illegal aliens to the U.S./Mexican border and the argument between the Democrats and Republicans focused on whether or not there was a “crisis on the border.”
For the most part, the Republicans declared that there was an emergency on the border and that there was a humanitarian as well as a national security crisis along the border. The Democrats, however, declared that the crisis was manufactured by the Trump administration.
And so it went, arguments and counterarguments hurled back and forth in a “war of words.”
Clearly this bill does not provide good news for American high-tech workers or their families, nor does it provide good news for American college students who are running up huge student loans to acquire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) degrees to qualify them for high-tech jobs.
Under the provisions of H.R.1044 hundreds of thousands of nonimmigrant (temporary) foreign workers from India, in particular, who are currently working in the United States under the infamous H-1B visa will be fast-tracked for lawful immigrant status and provided with Green Cards. In other words, they will become a permanent part of the U.S. labor pool.
Chinese investors will be able to more easily acquire lawful immigrant status by investing in the United States, increasing China’s already huge “footprint” in the United States.
There are additional provisions that are problematic.
Yet this bill went largely ignored by the mainstream media that even on July 10, 2019 when that legislative disaster was passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of 365-65, 57 Republicans voting against the bill.
Furthermore, the bill was voted on without a single hearing and without any amendments being added.
However, the Western Free Press certainly took note of this legislative betrayal in an article entitled, GOP Legislators Back Bill to Replace American Workers. The subtitle completed the infuriating picture, H.R. 1044 would flood the country with Indian tech workers and Chinese investors.
Here is an excerpt from the Western Free Press report:
House Resolution 1044 is a bill that will substantially change the scope of the U.S. immigration and green card distribution system. For starters, it removes a safeguard that prevents green card figures from being monopolized by people from a single country. This safeguard, known as the “per country cap,” ensures that visas are available to a diverse global pool of workers from a variety of different occupational industries. Such significant reform to our immigration system shouldn’t be fast-tracked but that’s just what happened Wednesday when the measure passed 365-65 with 57 Republicans voting “nay.”
GOP Legislators who backed the bill praised how it will help foreign workers, companies, and investments. The 65 Legislators who voted against it likely did so because it doesn’t do enough to help American workers and recent graduates. The bill will head to the Senate where Republican Senators are pushing a mirrored version of this bill.
H.R. 1044, called the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, would over-flood visas from two types of applicants: Indian tech workers and Chinese investors. It’s not necessarily shocking that House Democrats were fanatical in their support for the bill but it should be newsworthy that several “America First” Republicans supported it, especially given the impact that H.R. 1044 will have on American workers.
The bill essentially rewards tech employers who replace American workers with lower cost contract workers who entered the country on temporary on visas. It creates a fast track to green cards for 300,000 Indian contract workers that are currently backlogged in waiting lines.
On April 30, 2009, the Senate Judiciary Committee then-chaired by Chuck Schumer, conducted a hearing on the topic, Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2009, Can We Do It and How? Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank testified. His prepared testimony included the following infuriating excerpt that addressed the need and benefits to be derived by massively increasing the number of H-1B visa workers:
An accelerated influx of highly skilled immigrants would bridge that gap and moreover, carry with it two significant bonuses.
First, skilled workers and their families form new households. They will, of necessity, move into vacant housing units, the current glut of which is depressing prices of American homes. And, of course, house price declines are a major factor in mortgage foreclosures and the plunge in value of the vast quantity of U.S. mortgage-backed securities that has contributed substantially to the disabling of our banking system. The second bonus would address the increasing concentration of income in this country. Greatly expanding our quotas for the highly skilled would lower wage premiums of skilled over lesser skilled. Skill shortages in America exist because we are shielding our skilled labor force from world competition. Quotas have been substituted for the wage pricing mechanism. In the process, we have created a privileged elite whose incomes are being supported at noncompetitively high levels by immigration quotas on skilled professionals. Eliminating such restrictions would reduce at least some of our income inequality.
In a joint effort, demonstrating true collusion, the Democrats and Republicans have united to shaft Americans!
President Trump must be made aware of the irreparable damage this would do to Americans by undermining his promises and goals and the dreams and aspirations of Americans.
It is time for legislation with a somewhat different name, the “Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act!”
EDITORS NOTE: This FrontPage Magazine column is republished with permission. All rights reserved.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Michael Cutlerhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngMichael Cutler2019-07-23 06:26:182019-07-23 06:48:02Democrats and Republicans Passed an Immigration Bill — But it went largely unreported.
(These are my views as a woman living in England, on how the culture and spirit of my country has changed over 50 years. Why the country does not feel protected or strong any more, how it has lost, and is losing it values and decency, and how we are daily losing our free speech).
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Martin Luther King.
The mainstream media and also the social media have been awash with some of the most hateful and ugly statements you will ever see against a man who was waiting to go to court. Do the perpetrators of such venomous attacks see their very own hypocrisy when they exercise their own right to free-speech to attack this man and wish him the very worst of ills before he has even been sentenced?
The Pot Calling the Kettle Black
One of the main gripes directed at Tommy Robinson is that he is not a ‘trained’ journalist, and cannot contest that he is being imprisoned for journalism. Indeed, they are correct, he is not trained so to speak; but whilst many journalists almost always portray an identical and very one sided account on how they perceive Tommy Robinson or his supporters to be, they seem to be inept in not seeing just how far the British public as a whole no longer respect or trust the profession of journalism, and why the rise in alternative news media has now become a more reliable source of information for some people in contrast to some of the news the public is professionally fed.
Another gripe which has been used about the interference of Tommy Robinson’s reporting, but this time in relation to the law, is that every person should be due to a ‘fair’ trial, and that everyone is perceived innocent unless proven to be guilty. It has been stated that his live streaming outside the court could have influenced the sentencing, but in this case it is reported that he only gave out information that he believed was already in the public domain.
In relation to reporting however, our newspapers often get it wrong in accusing, naming and blaming beforehand innocent suspects in order to sell a story. Consider:
In December 2018, a Sussex couple were wrongly accused and questioned for 36 hours by Sussex police for flying a drone over Gatwick Airport and halting flights for thousands of passengers. Within hours of being taken for questioning, many newspapers were printing their pictures and one newspaper labelled them the ‘morons who ruined Christmas’.
Cliff Richard later successfully fined the BBC for their coverage based on mere ‘accusations’ and believes some ‘privacy’ should be awarded to those who are accused of such crimes until someone is charged, found guilty and sentenced. He is currently backing a campaign group called FAIR (Falsely Accused Individuals for Reform) which calls for anonymity for those suspected of sexual offences until they are actually charged.
In his article in the Guardian, Professor of Journalism, Roy Greenslade writes on how the BBC should appeal against the ruling made in favour of the privacy of Cliff Richard, made by Mr Justice Mann, indicating that this case now states a precedent with worrying implications for press freedom. He states in his article:
“It suggests that reporting the identity of anyone whose home is raided, or who is known to be under police investigation prior to being arrested or charged, amounts to an intrusion into their privacy. It means that Mann has broken new legal ground by rebalancing the two articles in the European convention on human rights that deal with respect for private life and freedom of expression. He has decided that article 8, the right to privacy, now trumps article 10, the public’s right to know”.
You can read the full article here. In my opinion, the article offers an interesting and thoughtful insight on how freedom of press operates and how social media now contributes in making our society one of the least secretive places in history. However, false accusation is a worrying trend, and the resulting consequences can have devastating effects.
Contempt of court cases resulting in imprisonment have in British history been very few in number, but we do hear of many fines being imposed upon newspapers who have been accused of influencing or interrupting court cases.
In 2012, the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror were fined for contempt of court and fined £10,000 each with costs of £25,000 each for their coverage of Levi Bellfield’s (now known as Yusuf Rahim) conviction for the murder of Milly Dowler.
In 2011, it is reported the Daily Mirror was fined £50,000 and the Sun newspaper £18,000 for articles on the arrest of Christopher Jefferies who was released without charge for the Joanna Yates murder case when another man was found guilty of her murder.
The harsh treatment being directed towards Tommy Robinson evidently appears to be out of context in relation to the equally serious offences above. Why is he hated so much?
Blowing off some Steam
The very vocal supporters of Tommy Robinson understandably feel frustrated and demonstrative towards the outcome of his sentencing, and like many other people across the country can only surmise and wonder why the British press are rarely supportive towards him in light of their own continuous misdemeanours, and why he has received in his words, a death sentence in relation to being put in a prison which has a high proportion of Islamic prisoners.
Unfortunately, it could be concluded that it is the failure of our country, the police force, our judicial system and our government which has made Tommy Robinson into the hero and martyr which people who dislike him complain about. No amount of rationale by professional experts, who in some cases are exhibiting a class snobbery, is now able to justify the treatment against him.
He has stepped outside the box and spoken up for the silenced in the same way that the Brexit party spoke up for the majority of knowledgeable and insightful people in the UK who felt betrayed by our government.
There is an awakening in the UK through social media that is uniting the voices which are not being listened to. They are hungry for the likes of Tommy Robinson, regardless of his background, who in some way is demonstrating a certain fearlessness in opposition to a silent fear which is bubbling below the surface of the UK.
The battle everywhere appears to be between an uncomfortable truth, and a force of dictatorship, which is taking an immoral high ground and coming down excessively heavy on those who dare to expose some reasonable although uncomfortable truth for consideration, by labelling them, discrediting them and isolating them. It is the reason we must ultimately find our silenced voices and always speak up and be fully aware of what is happening in the UK and across the world today.
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Martin Luther King
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Shirley Edwardshttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngShirley Edwards2019-07-20 17:05:042019-07-20 17:22:32Maximum Security to Defend Us From Tommy Robinson
Vice President Mike Pence has called on U.S. ally Saudi Arabia to “release Raif Badawi, a blogger imprisoned for reportedly insulting Islam.”
In the midst of Saudi Arabia telling the world that it is modernizing, Raif Badawi remains in jail, and in August of last year, Raif Badawi’s sister Samar — among other women’s rights activists — were rounded up and arrested for criticizing officials in Saudi Arabia. Samar was only heard from last month, when she appeared in court along with other human rights defenders. “Under Saudi Arabia’s terrorism law, the activists face 20 years in prison. Amnesty International’s Philippe Nassif said he was concerned the activists would not have a fair trial or due process, and urged the United States to take action for their release.”
Pence also stated of other jailed human rights defenders:
“The United States calls upon the governments of Eritrea, Mauritania, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to respect the freedom of conscience and let these men go.”
These countries have no conscience to begin with, nor freedoms. Mauritania is still holding black slaves, Pakistan is globally infamous for its cruel Islamic blasphemy laws, and Saudi Arabia is exporting its Wahhabi ideology to madrassas and mosques globally. No one can expect any response to Pence’s call for religious freedom in such countries. However, it will be interesting to see how Wahhabi Saudi Arabia decides to respond to Pence’s demand to release Badawi, given the Saudi-US alliance and Saudi Arabia’s boasting about becoming modernized.
“US demands Saudi Arabia release ‘critic of Islam,’” Al Jazeera, July 18, 2019:
US Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday called out ally Saudi Arabia for the suppression of religious liberties and urged it to release Raif Badawi, a blogger imprisoned for reportedly insulting Islam.
Pence’s highlighting of Badawi’s ill-treatment comes in light of US legislators accusing the Trump administration of failing to act against the kingdom’s leaders for the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In an address to the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom conference at the State Department, Pence noted the detention of religious dissidents in Eritrea, Mauritania, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.
“All four of these men have stood strong in defence of religious liberty despite unimaginable pressure, and the American people stand with them,” Pence said.
“The United States calls upon the governments of Eritrea, Mauritania, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to respect the freedom of conscience and let these men go.”
Republican and Democratic legislators – citing evidence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s role in the Khashoggi case, and incensed over the civilian death toll from the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen that has killed thousands – have ramped up efforts to block President Donald Trump’s arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
The CIA has determined with “medium to high confidence” the Saudi crown prince, considered the de facto ruler of the kingdom, ordered the grisly killing of Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate last year.
1,000 lashes
Badawi, who set up the Free Saudi Liberals website, was arrested in June 2012 for offences that included cybercrime and disobeying his father – an act considered an offence in Saudi Arabia.
The prosecution had demanded he be tried for apostasy, which carries the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, but a judge dismissed that charge……
EDITORS NOTE: This Jihad Watch column is republished with permission. All rights reserved.
http://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.png00Jihad Watchhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngJihad Watch2019-07-20 06:47:482019-07-20 06:56:43Vice President Pence demands U.S. ally Saudi Arabia release Raif Badawi, imprisoned for insulting Islam
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (ChurchMilitant.com) – A non-profit is fighting back against a lawsuit from the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which has forced its closure and shut down its crowdfunding platform.
Arthur Goldberg has been a target of SPLC since 2012. He and non-profits with which he is affiliated have been sued twice, once as the co-director of Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH) — which offered counseling for those struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction — and most recently as co-director of Jewish Institute for Global Awareness (JIFGA), the parent organization for Funding Morality.
On Thursday, Hudson County, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Peter Bariso, Jr. slapped Goldberg and JIFGA with over $3.2 million in punitive fines and legal fees for allegedly violating a 2015 injunction and settlement agreement against JONAH that forbids him from providing counseling referrals.
In a move meant to “deter and punish,” he also barred Goldberg from serving as a director of any nonprofit organization in the state of New Jersey — a condition that may violate Goldberg’s rights. As a result, JIFGA and the crowdfunding site, Funding Morality, will have to suspend operations.
Church Militant spoke with Goldberg, who told us he is planning to appeal. “We expect to appeal the decision, which we believe is at odds with the facts and infringes upon our constitutional rights to freedom of speech, religion, and association,” he said.
“Our appeal seeks to vindicate our constitutional right to promote biblical values,” he said. “Today’s politically correct progressive ideology seeks to eliminate the free exchange of ideas whenever certain views may be antithetical to current prevailing opinions.”
“This is part of the left-wing agenda to cut off conservative speech and shut down voices that disagree with them,” Goldberg said.
Goldberg added, “JIFGA as an organization is totally different than JONAH. It does not refer people with same-sex attractions for therapy.”
JONAH was started to serve the Jewish community by pairing counselors with clients who wanted help with their unwanted same-sex attractions. Goldberg was not paid for his work and sought only to help the Jewish community and those of other faiths find support that was in line with their religious beliefs.
“JIFGA was started to promote the universal underlying morals for the Judeo-Christian worldview,” Goldberg told Church Militant.
In 2015, Bariso ruled against JONAH and prohibited the group from “engaging in conversion therapy and promoting conversion therapy-related commerce.”
Goldberg said the same judge extended his decision to JIFGA “based upon the incorrect belief that ‘JIFGA was a successor in interest and a mere continuation of JONAH.'”
The SPLC brought its initial action against him and JIFGA in January. It filed a motion for right of discovery in March asking for access to Goldberg’s emails.
Its claim that JIFGA is a continuation of JONAH and that he was providing counseling referrals to people with unwanted same-sex desires was the impetus for Judge Bariso to grant the motion and give the SPLC 70,000 of Goldberg’s emails.
Luke Barefoot, partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton LLP, one of the three legal firms co-representing the SPLC, said, “When we learned that JONAH continued to operate under a new name and, in defiance of the jury’s verdict, carry on the same unconscionable practices that harmed so many vulnerable young people, we knew our job was not over.”
Goldberg believes he was maligned and vilified to the judge by SPLC lawyers and they he lost the case based on several innocuous emails that were “ridiculously” misinterpreted.
He explained that SPLC mistook acquaintances’ requests for information as referrals. In one email cited, he provided a therapist’s email address to someone who specifically asked for it.
Another was an email exchange where the name of a marriage counselor was provided. Goldberg said the marriage counseling was completely unrelated to counseling for unwanted same-sex attractions.
The SPLC successfully argued that JIFGA and Funding Morality needed to be shut down and fined $3 million based on the content they found in his emails.
They also argued a project on Funding Morality to document the work of the late Joseph Nicolosi was “evidence” JIFGA was still facilitating “fraudulent gay-to-straight ‘conversion therapy.'”
Goldberg explained his organization was approached by Nicolosi’s family shortly after he died and they wanted to honor his life’s work. “I didn’t see how that would be a problem,” he said.
Political Motivations
Church Militant spoke with Christopher Doyle, executive director of Institute for Healthy Families and the author of The War on Psychotherapy, and one of the expert witnesses denied the opportunity to testify on behalf of JONAH in 2015.
He called SPLC a “bully organization” and said, “This case has always been about a political organization that is targeting low-hanging fruit — smaller organizations with little means to defend themselves.”
JIFGA had an operating budget of around $200,000, while SPLC has assets approaching half a billion dollars. Goldberg said during the trials, there were between 10 and 14 lawyers representing SPLC in the courtroom at all times. Goldberg had one attorney.
In his book, Doyle outlined the JONAH trial and how it was the first time consumer fraud laws were applied to an organization that was not a commercial business operating for profit. JONAH was the first non-profit organization in the country to be sued for fraud.
Goldberg did not have a financial motive, as he and other JONAH co-directors were never paid for their work. Goldberg never drew a salary for his work at JIFGA, either.
Doyle wrote in his book, “It’s clear from the court affidavits that the lawsuit against JONAH was well-thought-out and coordinated, in conspiracy-fashion, by certain gay activists. In fact, court documents indicated that the SPLC actually recruited these plaintiffs in order to take down JONAH.”
The strategy of SPLC to destroy organizations is to “bring a legal cause and cut off their financial purse-strings,” Doyle said. By diminishing their financial influence they “basically make them indigent.”
Doyle said the work of the gay lobby has been brilliant and wildly successful in the past 50 years.
Homosexuals faced laws “worse than the Jim Crow laws” that allowed them to be thrown in jail. They now have “protected status,” Doyle said. “Unfortunately, so much of it based on fraud.”
That fraud was cited in the case against JONAH as the reason Bariso refused to let six experts, including Doyle and Nicolosi, testify for the defense. Nicolosi was the preeminent expert and pioneer in reparative therapy.
Judge Bariso completely sided with the SPLC opinion “that it is a scientific fact that homosexuality is not a disorder, but rather it is a normal variation of human sexuality, and thus any expert opinion concluding that homosexuality is a disorder is inadmissible.”
He further concluded that “the theory that homosexuality is a disorder is not novel but — like the notion that the earth is flat and the sun revolves around it — instead is outdated and refuted.”
SPLC asserted that “their testimony is nothing more than inadmissible net opinion” and the experts’ testimony was “unreliable” because their belief that homosexuality is a disorder “conflicts with the understanding held by every legitimate professional association.”
That statement is false. Doyle explained that despite years of research, not one study has identified a gay gene, a gay brain or even a gay hormone. The American Psychological Association’s (APA) own Handbook of Sexuality and Psychology explicitly states that homosexuality is not genetic: “The inconvenient reality … is that social behaviors are always jointly determined by nature, nurture and opportunity.”
Doyle is among thousands of licensed mental health professionals and clients that have formed a coalition called The National Task Force for Therapy Equality (NTFTE) to counter the “born that way” lie.
They documented blatant lies from gay activists seeking to ban reparative therapy, whose aim is to help those struggling with gender dysphoria and unwanted same-sex attractions to find peace and healing.
Doyle explained that many of the gay activists speaking out against “conversion therapy,” the derogatory term for reparative therapy, were lying. He said that in the case of New Jersey, the entire testimony that influenced then-governor Chris Christie to sign the conversion therapy ban into law was “lifted from a RuPaul movie.”
NTFTE obtained enough evidence to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission specifically accusing SPLC, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) of “mass deception and fraud in their efforts to ban counseling by licensed professionals for clients distressed with unwanted same-sex attractions and gender identity conflicts.”
While he was able to raise funds for his initial legal defense, he wondered what would happen to others who couldn’t afford to pay for their legal defense, a position in which he now finds himself.
Many crowdfunding sites won’t support campaigns dedicated to defending Judeo-Christian biblical values, especially ones that are branded “anti-gay.”
GoFundMe shut down campaigns to support the legal defense for Sweet Cakes by Melissa and Baronelle Stutzman, who both refused to provide services for same-sex weddings.
“JIFGA was started to promote the universal underlying morals for the Judeo-Christian worldview,” Goldberg said. Funding Morality was founded to provide financial support for faith-based people.
“As far as I know, we were the only one,” Goldberg noted. “We welcomed submissions on pro-life, pro-family, pro-religious liberty causes that were consistent with biblical values.”
Another campaign was started to help to overcome the stigma Christian street cleaners in Pakistan experience in daily life.
These Christian sewer workers are denied personal protective gear, and those who are injured on the job are often denied life-saving care by Muslim health care workers because they are considered “unclean.”
Two new campaigns were recently started to provide funding for pro-life research that did not receive university funding. One research project is looking for a surgical technique to transfer an embryo/fetus in the case of an ectopic pregnancy. Currently, all ectopic pregnancies are ended through abortion.
The second research project is to complete a second detailed study of the potential physical and behavioral consequences of abortion. The results of their first study have indicated negative behavioral effects and that full-term deliveries have a protective effect on women’s health.
The SPLC’s targeted attack on JIFGA has resulted in the suspension of Funding Morality’s biblically based crowdfunding. It is unclear whether these campaigns will be able to find another crowdfunding site that will allow their campaigns when Funding Morality suspends operations later in the month.
