News and Headlines: In The News, Politics, World News, Commentary/Opinion.
In The News:
VIDEO: Hundreds of sailors, Marines form line to salute slain sailor’s family at FL Navy base
In a somber display, the sailors and Marines stood in salute lining both sides of the roadway as Watson’s parents – Benjamin and Sheila Watson – drove through, as seen in a 10-minute Facebook live video.
Watson was serving on watch inside the classroom building but was unarmed. He attempted to disable the perpetrator, but suffered five gunshot wounds.
Watson’s family said in spite of his wounds, he went outside the building to give vital information to first responders, including the perpetrator’s location.
“After being shot multiple times he made it outside and told the first response team where the shooter was and those details were invaluable,”
After NAS Pensacola shooting, Navy suspends flight training for nearly 300 Saudi students, official says
The U.S. Navy on Tuesday suspended nearly 300 Saudi students from flight training in response to the deadly shooting by a Saudi student last Friday in Pensacola, Fla., a senior U.S. defense official told Fox News.
Navy Commander Clay Doss said classroom and flight training will resume for other students this week. He did not say how long the flight stand-down for Saudi students will continue.
The flight restriction would affect 140 students at Pensacola Naval Air Station, where the shooting occurred, and 35 at nearby Whiting Field.
Another 128 students at Naval Air Station Mayport, on the Atlantic seabord, also would face restrictions.
VIDEO: Clint Eastwood visits Marines at Camp Pendleton and shows them new movie
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Melissa I. Ugalde)
A Marine introducing Eastwood said “we’re bringing back Gunny Highway” to introduce the latest film, based on a true story about the titular character Richard Jewell’s efforts to save thousands of lives during the 1996 Atlanta City Bombing.
That same Marine acting as a master of ceremonies said Jewell’s actions depicted in the film may have saved his own parents, who were present to see the Olympics in Atlanta, Ga. during the bombing attack.
The film goes on to depict both Jewell’s fateful actions and his battle with subsequent media reporting which suggested he was actually complicit in the bombing attack.
“It’s a great story about one man who stood by his principles, stood by his rights. And you never know by his actions who he could have saved,” the Marine said.
At least 1 gunman opens fire on police in Jersey City
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) — A Jersey City police officer was injured when at least one gunman opened fire in a cemetery and then fled into a bodega, where he continued firing at officers and possibly others Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities say the initial shooting happened at Bay View Cemetery, with the officer wounded in the shoulder.
At least one suspect then fled to the bodega on Martin Luther King Drive, where that person was firing at responding officers.
‘Pipe bombs’ in rental van used by Jersey City shooters
A bigger tragedy may have been averted.
Authorities found devices they described as “pipe bombs” in the U-Haul rental van that was used by the two shooters who shot two police officers and terrorized a Jersey City neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.
Using closed-circuit surveillance camera footage, police determined that the shooters, a man and a woman, parked the van on Martin Luther King Drive and entered the JC Kosher Supermarket at 223 MLK.
Chicago toddler unhurt as father and another man die in gunfire exchange
Police said Rayshawn Finley, 24, had targeted the boy’s father, Alton Ellis, 31, for “unknown reasons,” the paper reported.
Ellis was walking his son to school when Finley approached them and shot him three times in the chest and torso, the paper reported.
Police said Ellis returned fire, hitting Finley twice.
Responding officers found Finley in a car with wounds to both his thighs, according to the paper.
Kentucky judge accused of retaliation, attempting threesomes with staffers and allowing drinking in courthouse
The Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission filed the charges against Gentry following an investigation.
The complaint was filed on Nov. 18 and a Notice of Formal Proceedings and Charges was released on Dec. 4, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
One member of the panel, Katherine Schulz, reportedly quit after Gentry flirted with her through Snapchat, and asked her if she would have sex with Gentry’s husband.
Attorney Mike Hummel, who was also on the panel, said Gentry dismissed him because he didn’t donate enough money to her reelection campaign. The judge also reportedly retaliated against Kelly Blevins, a school liaison officer who supported Gentry’s opponent during the 2018 election.
Supreme Court offers sympathetic ear to insurers over $12B in ObamaCare claims
It is the fifth time the justices have heard legal challenges to the 2010 Affordable Care, but the current issue has little of the partisan rancor of previous disputes, such as individual mandates and contraception coverage.
Health providers in six states say they are the victims of a federal “bait-and-switch,” by agreeing to participate in an ObamaCare program designed to expand coverage plans to uninsured and underinsured customers.
Those companies say they are owed $12 billion in subsidies from the pooled funds, to compensate for losses.
But the Trump administration argues Congress properly made the choice to stop funding, and that the companies were never in a contractual relationship with the government.
Chief Justice John Roberts suggested the insurers went into the so-called “risk corridor” program with eyes wide open.
‘It’s Time For A Lesson’: Betsy DeVos Fires Back At Teacher Union Head
“What about the 90% of children whose parents choose to send them to public schools despite all @BetsyDeVosED attempts to undermine them?”
Weingarten said in a tweet Tuesday. Her tweet referenced a news story on President Donald Trump urging Congress to pass a bill boosting education choice.
“It’s time for a lesson on accuracy,” DeVos tweeted back at Weingarten.
“Parents don’t ‘choose’ to send their student to a government-assigned school – they actually don’t have a choice at all! In fact, 69% say they’d prefer to send their student elsewhere.”
Suspended student expelled after posting “IT’S OKAY TO BE WHITE” flyers at OCU
A student has been expelled from the Oklahoma City University School of Law after posting flyers that said “IT’S OKAY TO BE WHITE.”
OCU Police Director Bill Citty said the male student was already on suspension from the law school, 800 N Harvey, and was not allowed to be on school property.
The student violated the terms of his suspension when he posted the flyers on the door and exterior of the law school building the night of Oct. 31, Citty said.
Nike Unveils Swim Hijab
“The design of the Nike Victory Swim Collection serves a variety of needs from modesty preferences to sun protection and represents Nike’s commitment to inclusive design, providing more women with game-changing innovation to enjoy sport,” Nike said in a statement.
This isn’t Nike’s first foray into workout clothing designed specifically for Muslim women.
In 2017, the athletic apparel company unveiled a pull-on hijab designed to be worn while exercising.
Nike claims they decided to invest in the hijab after hearing complaints from female Muslim athletes who complained about wearing the traditional head scarf.
Politics:
Senate won’t take up trade deal until impeachment trial is over next year
McConnell ended any hope of a 2019 finish.
Congress is set to adjourn for the year on Dec. 20.
“We will not be doing USMCA in the Senate between now and next week,” McConnell said.
The announcement gives more time for lawmakers to review the deal, and it puts pressure on lawmakers in both parties to agree to quickly dismiss the charges against Trump.
The Senate is expected to receive two articles of impeachment from the House based on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
The Senate is required to take up impeachment articles in a trial that will take place in the Senate every day of the week except Sunday until lawmakers vote for conviction or vote to dismiss the charges.
‘Incredible Bulls**t’: Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger Faces Constituent’s Wrath Over Impeachment Support
Democratic Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger was lambasted by constituents this week over her support for the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
Spanberger has not yet announced how she will vote on the two articles of impeachment introduced Tuesday in the House of Representatives, but called the allegations against the president “incredibly serious.” Spanberger did vote in support of the inquiry in October.
“The allegations against the president are incredibly, incredibly serious,” Spanberger told the crowd.
“Incredible bull****!” one man exclaimed. “It’s crap!”
“It’s a lie, it’s all a lie,” the man continued.
‘It’s Explosive’: Republican Lawmakers Highlight ‘Significant Errors’ By FBI
Republican lawmakers touted the FISA report findings Monday, noting the FBI had made significant errors and omissions when applying for warrants to spy on a Trump campaign advisor.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report found 17 significant omissions and errors made by the FBI, contradicting many who defended the bureau.
Many congressional Republicans argued that the report’s findings vindicated their suspicions about the Russia probe.
IG Report Confirms Schiff FISA Memo Media Praised Was Riddled With Lies
Commentary/Opinion: At the time of their release, the media praised Democrat Adam Schiff and his memo and vilified Republican Devin Nunes and his memo.
Nearly two years later, the inspector general’s report vindicates the Nunes memo while showing that the Schiff memo was riddled with lies and false statements.
Steele’s reputation with most reporters was not based in reality and he doesn’t even claim he verified any of the information in his report, which a sprawling special counsel investigation was unable to corroborate in any of its central and major claims.
It is unclear if the media will revisit, much less apologize for, their false claims about the Nunes memo or credulous support of Schiff’s memo.
Barr blasts FBI’s Trump probe, accuses investigators of ‘gross abuse’
“It’s hard to look at this stuff and not think that it was a gross abuse,” Barr said during a discussion Tuesday at a Wall Street Journal CEO Council forum in Washington.
“Where I disagree with Mike, I just think this was very flimsy,” he said about the basis of the investigation. The FBI cited comments by Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos to an Australian official as sparking concerns about the campaign’s possible involvement with Russia. Barr dismissed this as “a comment made by a 28-year-old volunteer.”
Barr also pointed to the FBI’s failure to include key evidence in their FISA warrant applications that would have gone in Page’s favor.
“They withheld from the court all the exculpatory information,” he said, calling the anti-Trump dossier used to bolster the warrant applications a “sham.”
He also pointed out that the Russia investigation was supposed to be a counterintelligence probe, yet there was no effort to warn the Trump campaign about suspected Russian activities.
OAN EXCLUSIVE: Secretary Pompeo responds to NATO summit, details Iran hostage transfer
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sat down with One America News, following last week’s NATO summit and the recent release of an American citizen in Iran.
Emerald Robinson has more from Washington.
The IG Report Bombshell!
Commentary/Opinion: The IG Report has vindicated Trump. Of course, Democrats are trying to spin it.
Here’s the Simple Truth.
World News:
Chinese City Holds Book Burning to Destroy Religious Materials
Many comments said the action was reminiscent of the Cultural Revolution, a massive campaign launched by communist leader Mao Zedong and his supporters in 1966 to purge the Communist Party and civil bureaucracy.
The Cultural Revolution featured violent literary inquisitions in addition to harrowing criticisms and “struggle sessions” to root out supposed counter-revolutionary people and ideas.
On Dec. 8, the state-run Beijing News ran a commentary article criticizing the Zhenyuan book burning, following which internet censors removed all information related to the event.
A screenshot of the Zhenyuan county government’s web post prior to its deletion contains the line “The library is the main battlefield for influence in mainstream ideology.”
The Beijing News commentary acknowledged that the incident was “crude” and had shocked many people.
However, it did not condemn the destruction of the material itself.
However, other screenshots show that on Oct. 15, Beijing News reported that the Chinese Ministry of Education had published a new regulation asking libraries in all primary and secondary schools to “clean up” improper books. The regulation included a list of approved and contraband genres.
US, EU Spotlight Chinese Regime’s Repression on Human Rights Day
The U.S. Ambassador to China and the European Union (EU) have called out the Chinese communist regime for suppressing basic freedoms on Dec. 10, as the international community commemorated Human Rights Day.
“The PRC cannot expect to earn the international respect it seeks as long as it fails to abide by its commitment to defend individual human rights and freedoms,” said U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad in a statement.
On this day 71 years ago, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Chinese regime is a signatory to the declaration.
Branstad, who has served as ambassador since May 2017, said he has “witnessed the failure of the PRC’s governance model to protect the fundamental freedoms” of its people, “as stipulated in the Declaration and in the PRC’s own laws.”
Hong Kong Leader Refuses to Answer Protester Demands After 800,000 March for Human Rights Day
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said she wouldn’t be meeting the five demands of protesters in her weekly press conference on Dec. 10 after 800,000 marched through the city’s downtown area two days earlier.
On Dec. 8, local pro-democracy activist group Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) organized another march urging the city government to realize their five demands, which include universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into instances of police violence.
The group declared that Hong Kong is at the “tipping point” and facing a “humanitarian crisis.”
During the press conference, a reporter asked Lam: “After the huge election turnout and protests on Sunday, will you admit that there is no silent majority behind you?
Commentary/Opinion:
IG Report Shows Comey Lied To Congress About FBI Investigation Of Trump Campaign
Comey’s spin is laughable.
And there will be time in the days and weeks ahead to highlight the many failures of the DOJ and FBI revealed in the minutia of IG Michael Horowitz’s report.
For now, though, let’s focus on a different detail exposed by Horowitz’s investigation into Crossfire Hurricane—that Comey falsely testified that the FBI had not launched an investigation into the Trump campaign.
Comey made that claim just more than a year ago, when he testified before the House Judiciary and Government Reform and Oversight committees.
During that December 2018 hearing, Rep. Trey Gowdy posed this question to Comey: “Late July of 2016, the FBI did, in fact, open a counterintelligence investigation into, is it fair to say the Trump campaign or Donald Trump himself?”
“It’s not fair to say either of those things, in my recollection,” Comey retorted.
“We opened investigations on four Americans to see if there was any connection between those four Americans and the Russian interference efforts. And those four Americans did not include the candidate.”
Get Us the HELL OUT of Afghanistan! New Docs Show Our Leaders LIED | Ep 497
Your government has been lying to you for years.
A massive trove of documents just dropped showing that our officials knew we weren’t winning the war in Afghanistan, but they kept lying and sending our troops to die anyway.
It’s time to stop the carnage.
Then, Elizabeth Warren was caught lying on the campaign trail AGAIN. She says she sent her children to public school, but her son went to private schools for most of his schooling.
This is especially insulting given that her suggestion for improving your child’s crumbling public school is, essentially, if you don’t like it, go out there and fix it yourself.
Why is she so opposed to letting regular Americans use the same school choice she did when she put her kid in private school?