US News, Politics, World News, Commentary/Opinion and Video Post.
US News:
Top FBI official who investigated Trump’s Russia links is HIMSELF being investigated over ties to Moscow:
Charles McGonigal is the former counterintelligence chief at the FBI’s New York City field office.
He has not been charged with any crimes, Insider reports.
But if McGonigal’s work with Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska proves to have violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act, he could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine at most.
It’s not clear if the investigation is still ongoing.
But the explosive Thursday report suggests McGonigal has had multiple contacts with an aide to Deripaska, including a referral to a law firm that ended up being a lucrative deal for a former Soviet official.
That former official is Sergey Shestakov, who now lives in the US but is said to be the ex-chief of staff to the Soviet Union’s ambassador.
Shestakov reportedly disclosed in a filing that McGonigal was key to helping him ‘facilitate’ a meeting between Deripaska’s aide and a shady consulting company called Spectrum Risk Solutions.
Fox News Reporter Grills KJP: ‘Do You Think That Americans Believe That The Border Is Secure?’
Boston Children’s Hospital bomb hoax; FBI arrests woman involved | LiveNOW from FOX
The FBI says it has made an arrest in connection with a hoax bomb threat at Boston Children’s Hospital. U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins identified the person arrested as Kathleen Levy of Westfield, Massachusetts. She is charged with one count of making a false telephonic bomb threat.
‘My Son Hunter’ True Fact: Hunter Biden Partnered with Chinese Military-Linked Company
My Son Hunter, the new movie from Breitbart News, is a fact-based dramatization of the life of debauchery and corruption lived by the first son Hunter Biden.
Although the movie takes certain artistic liberties, many scenes portray true accounts of the Biden scion’s life; this “True Fact” series will detail those accuracies.
True Fact: Hunter Biden partnered with a Chinese Military-linked company.
In addition, there were Chinese military officers affiliated with Ye’s company who also had ties to the PLA National Defense university. CEFC also funded a related non-profit think tank called the China Energy Fund Committee, whose analysts would advocate for using military force in the South China Sea. Another CEFC subsidiary called for Taiwan’s reunification with mainland China.
As of this summer, Chinese business records showed that Hunter Biden’s company was still a ten percent owner of the Chinese investment firm BHR Partners — which was formed with CEFC — even though Hunter Biden’s lawyers have claimed he divested.
Hunter Biden cries poverty in trying to slash child support for 4-year-old
Lunden Roberts/Facebook
Hunter Biden is trying to get his child support payments for his 4-year-old love child lowered by claiming a substantial change to his “financial circumstances,” according to court documents.
President Biden’s son, 52, has asked an Arkansas judge to recalculate the child support payments he makes to Lunden Roberts, 31 — the mother of the daughter he’s never met, according to a Monday court filing obtained by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Hunter cited “a substantial material change” in his “financial circumstances, including but not limited to his income,” for the reason behind his request.
Roberts’ attorney, Clint Lancaster, was quick to express doubt over Hunter’s monetary status — and vowed to look into his financial records.
The child support battle comes as federal investigators continue to probe Hunter’s financial and business activities when his father was vice president.
As a result of his access to lucrative financial opportunities, text messages uncovered from Hunter’s infamous laptop indicated that he frequently covered family expenses — and gave as much as 50% of his earnings to his father.
California Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Amazon for Stifling Competition with Pricing Rules
Engadget reports that California has filed an antitrust lawsuit claiming that Amazon has violated both the Cartwright Act and state competition law through its pricing rules. Attorney General Rob Bonta has accused the e-commerce giant of stifling competition by preventing sellers from offering their items for lower prices on other sites.
If third-party sellers offer their items for cheaper prices on other platforms, they risk losing buy buttons, prominent listings, or even access to Amazon’s marketplace. If the lawsuit is successful, Amazon would be banned from taking part in any contracts that are deemed anti-competitive and must notify sellers that they are free to reduce prices on other platforms.
Amazon would also be forced to pay damages, return “ill-gotten gains,” and appoint a court-approved overseer.
Facebook spied on private messages of Americans who questioned 2020 election
Facebook has been spying on the private messages and data of American users and reporting them to the FBI if they express anti-government or anti-authority sentiments — or question the 2020 election — according to sources within the Department of Justice.
Under the FBI collaboration operation, somebody at Facebook red-flagged these supposedly subversive private messages over the past 19 months and transmitted them in redacted form to the domestic terrorism operational unit at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC, without a subpoena.
“It was done outside the legal process and without probable cause,” alleged one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
These private messages then have been farmed out as “leads” to FBI field offices around the country, which subsequently requested subpoenas from the partner US Attorney’s Office in their district to officially obtain the private conversations that Facebook already had shown them.
TikTok Refuses to Cut Off Flow of Data on Americans to Communist China
Metro reports that on Wednesday, TikTok’s Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee about the Chinese-owned short-form video app. Other tech giants were also questioned by the committee, including senior executives at Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Apple CEO Tim Cook was also seen in the building but did not appear before the committee.
During questioning about TikTok’s corporate structure, Pappas refused to promise that it would cut off “all data and metadata flows to China.”
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) asked Pappas: “Will TikTok commit to cutting off all data and data flows to China, China-based TikTok employees, ByteDance employees, or any other party in China that might have the capability to access information on US users?”
Pappas declined to commit to the request but promised that the outcome of its negotiations with the U.S. government “will satisfy all national security concerns.” Pappas assured lawmakers that despite having an office in China, TikTok does not operate in the communist country.
Good Samaritans Stop To Help Female Cop Being Attacked by Suspect
Officer Stacee Wright pulled over a driver, later identified as 64-year-old David Koubeck, for speeding on Lost Nation Road just before 4:25 p.m. when Koubeck stopped and got out of the car without being asked. Wright asked him to sit down, but Koubeck refused, eventually pointing his finger near her face and pushing her.
Labor Sec’y Marty Walsh Clinched Rail Deal While Biden, Buttigieg Were Away
The credit for the last-minute deal to avert a national freight rail strike that would have disrupted supply chains and passenger travel is being given to Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh — after Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and President Joe Biden were both out of town during the crucial negotiations.
As Breitabrt News reported, Buttigieg and Biden were at the Detroit Auto Show on Wednesday, touting their support for electric vehicles, which receive billions of dollars in subsidies in the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” (which even some supporters acknowledge does nothing about short-term inflation).
Meanwhile, as the Washington Post reported, Secretary Walsh was dealing with the hard work of forging a compromise:
Disney, Publix workers among 13 arrested in Florida child sex crimes sting
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd detailed “Operation Cyber Guardian II” during a news conference Thursday.
The suspects are accused of communicating with and soliciting who they thought were children online.
Eight suspects, according to reports, showed up at an undercover location in Polk County at separate times to meet who they thought were children in order to sexually batter them.
Three of the suspects reportedly believed they were speaking with a parent or guardian of a child who wanted to teach their “child” to have sex or arranged for the minor to have sex with the suspect.
Of the suspects who had warrants, all of them are accused of sending sexually explicit images or videos to people they thought were 13, 14, or 15-year-old girls or 14-year-old boys.
Vice President Harris ignores question on migrants arriving outside residence after ‘secure’ border claim
Vice President Kamala Harris refused to comment Thursday on the two migrant buses from Del Rio, Texas, that arrived outside her residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., just hours earlier.
Harris spoke Thursday morning at the United We Stand Summit hosted in the White House.
As the vice president walked out of the East Room following her remarks, a White House pool reporter asked her for comment on the recent arrival of migrants near her D.C. residence.
Harris looked at the reporter and continued walking without answering.
LA Sheriff’s Department Conducts Early Morning Raid at Home of Prominent Democratic Official
The Los Angeles Times reported that the Sheriff’s department searched the home as part of a criminal investigation regarding a county contract awarded to a nonprofit organization run by a “close friend” of Supervisor Kuehl.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the Sheriff’s department searched the home as part of a criminal investigation regarding a county contract awarded to a nonprofit organization run by a “close friend” of Supervisor Kuehl.
Reportedly, former L.A. Metro employee Jennifer Loew charged Supervisor Kuehl of improperly awarding the contract and bias toward Giggans’ organization based on their relationship.
In September 2020, KTTV-TV Los Angeles reported that the “Off Limits” hotline was “set up through a series of no-bid contracts and was costing county taxpayers more than $8,000 per call.”
NYPD hunt ghoulish masked robbers caught on camera in armed stick-up
The New York Police Department, which is asking for the public’s assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of the suspects, said the thieves also nicked $3,000 from the register. The armed stick-up happened within the confines of the 106th Precinct at approximately 5:55 p.m. on Wednesday.
Two of the suspects – both wearing dark-colored clothing and face masks – were armed with handguns, while the third individual wore a yellow and gray jacket along with a ghost-face mask and was seen wielding what appeared to be an assault rifle.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Soldiers told to apply for food stamps amid high inflation
‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ co-host Pete Hegseth slams the Biden administration’s economic policy forcing soldiers to consider food stamps and teases the Patriot Awards coming this November.
Cartels Find Drug Trafficking Partners In Biker Gangs
BenBergquam reports that the cartels have found new drug trafficking partners with biker gangs in the United States and warns of increased violence as gangs begin fighting over territory.
Gov. DeSantis sends migrants to Martha’s Vineyard
‘Fox & Friends’ hosts discuss the bussing of migrants around the country as the crisis at the border remains unmitigated.
Migrants arrive outside Kamala Harris’ residence in D.C.
Fox News’ Griff Jenkins live outside the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. where two migrant busses arrive outside the Vice President’s residence.
Politics:
Gavin Newsom to Send ‘Inflation Relief Checks’ to Californians Right Before Election
Ultimately, the Democrat-dominated state legislature, which had refused to delay a rise in the gas tax, agreed to the “inflation relief checks.” Coincidentally, they will begin arriving as Newsom, who is up for reelection, will face the voters’ verdict.
Ironically, economists have said that Newsom’s plan will not reduce inflation, but could actually increase it by pumping more money into the economy at a time when the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates to bring down the high inflation rate.
This is not the first time Newsom has distributed cash payments to large portions of the electorate when he has faced a tough electoral fight.
In 2021, facing a recall election, Newsom gave rebates to roughly two-thirds of the households in the state.
In big California campaigns, no room for debate
As Election Day approaches, you’re likely to spot Gov. Gavin Newsom popping up in plenty of television ads. You’ll see state controller candidate Malia Cohen on her various social media feeds. Attorney General Rob Bonta will be busy attending plenty of press conferences.
But what are the odds that voters will catch any of these Democrats at a televised political debate? Don’t bet on it.
That’s over the strenuous objections of their three Republican opponents and the state GOP. For weeks, controller candidate Lanhee Chen has been calling on Cohen — sometimes accompanied by a dancing chicken — to meet him on the debate stage.
Congressional Records Prove Biden’s Student Loan Cancellations Are Illegal
On the day before President Biden announced that he is “forgiving” part or all of the student loans of nearly everyone who owes them, his administration released a legal memo declaring that he had the authority to do this under a 2003 law.
That claim is belied by Congressional records recently unearthed by Just Facts. These reveal that Congress voted to pass the law by a margin of more than 500 to 1 because it did not authorize any actions that would cost money.
In contrast, Biden’s decision to cancel student loans and alter their payment terms will cost from $605 billion to more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years. That amounts to an average cost of roughly $4,700 to $7,700 for every household in the United States.
Before this, both Biden and Trump took similarly illegal actions to cancel interest on student loans, costing tens of billions of dollars.
Classic Stossel: Disaster Relief
A big storm does NOT require big government – people come together to help one another.
After Hurricane Katrina, the New York Times ran the headline: “A Big Storm Requires Big Government.” But FEMA did an awful job.
By contrast, private businesses like Walmart, and charities like Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief helped many people, much more quickly.
Reality-Challenged Hank Johnson Says Parents ‘Descended’ On School Boards In ‘Coordinated Attack,’ ‘Like Jan. 6’
In a Wednesday committee hearing, Democrat Rep. Hank Johnson smeared all parents who advocate for their children at school board meetings as “MAGA Republicans” who “descend[ed] on their school board meetings” in a “coordinated attack.”
“People on the local level at affected school board meetings, they won’t forget the MAGA Republicans descending on their school board meetings after January 6 — like January 6,” Johnson stated. “It was a coordinated attack happening across the country.”
But even after Democrats spent months describing fiery riots perpetrated by their own ideologues as “mostly peaceful protests,” they were more than willing — as Johnson did — to smear these parents for daring to speak out against local tyrants.
Johnson’s baseless accusations and comparison of concerned parents to rioters are false and damaging, and show just how exhaustively Democrats will use “Jan. 6” smears as a political cudgel. All that his comments achieve is misconstruing what is actually happening at school board meetings and furthering the divide in our nation.
Ethics Watchdog Calls for Investigation into Pennsylvania’s Democrat Senate Candidate John Fetterman
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed a complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics on Tuesday to request an investigation into Fetterman as he allegedly failed to disclose numerous assets on his personal financial disclosure in violation of federal law and Senate rules.
FACT noted that he currently owns eight real estate properties, according to county records:
- 505 Stokes Ave, Braddock, Pennsylvania, with an assessed value of $41,500
- 1233 Braddock Ave, Braddock, Pennsylvania, with an assessed value of $22,100
- Parcel 302-K-192, Braddock, Pennsylvania, with an assessed value of $14,100
- 1223 Braddock Ave, Braddock, Pennsylvania, with an assessed value of $10,500
- 1227 Braddock Ave, Braddock, Pennsylvania, with an assessed value of $9,600
- Parcel 302-K-188, Braddock, Pennsylvania, with an assessed value of $9,300
- Parcel 302-K-199, Braddock, Pennsylvania, with an assessed value of $1,000, purchased for $1,100 on August 8, 2014
- Parcel 302-K-193, Braddock, Pennsylvania, with an assessed value of $700
Fetterman filed a personal financial disclosure on July 29 and did not report the real estate that he owns.
Regarding the complaint, FACT’s executive director Kendra Arnold said, “It appears all of these properties should have been disclosed on Mr. Fetterman’s personal financial disclosure.”
4 ways Democrats are RUINING energy & 5 ways we can save it
It’s not just that America needs more energy to run the nation NOW.
But we’ll need much more if we actually want to run the technology of the FUTURE.
So, it’s a good thing there’s no knowledge OR physical resource deficits to creating more, low-cost energy in thousands of places around the world, Alex Epstein, author of ‘Fossil Future,’ tells Glenn.
Rather, he says, today’s energy crisis is due to current political reasons instead. In fact, Epstein lists the four steps Democrats seem to be taking — especially within the Inflation Reduction Act — to ruin American energy.
Thankfully, Epstein has the answer to save it. He discusses the 5 steps to his ‘energy freedom platform’ and explains how YOU can become involved to help save American energy too…
Far-left Center for American Progress plays powerful role in Biden admin staffing, policymaking
The Center for American Progress (CAP), a leading progressive think tank, has a large influence on federal policymaking with many of its former employees flocking to high-level administration roles.
The think tank’s extensive influence in the Biden administration was on particular display in an April 2021 email exchange between Christy Goldfuss, CAP’s senior vice president for energy and environment policy, and Jesse Young, a senior State Department adviser.
“As Protect the Public’s Trust has discovered from tracking ethics waivers granted to political appointees, the revolving door connecting lobbying firms and activist organizations with powerful posts in federal agencies in the Biden Administration is spinning furiously,” PPT Director Michael Chamberlain told Fox News Digital.
“This has happened to such an extent that the organizations themselves are commenting, although facetiously, about losing all their good people,” he continued. “Considering a number of incidents PPT has uncovered in which appointees have appeared to cross the line between their advocacy and their public service, it’s almost enough to make the public wonder who is really calling the shots.”
CAP’s influence within the Biden White House began months before he entered office. In late 2020, a half dozen of the group’s employees joined Biden’s transition team in the Treasury, Federal Reserve, Labor Department, Interior Department, National Security Council and Office of the United States Trade Representative.
Bartiromo: This needs to stop
FOX Business host Maria Bartiromo discusses President Biden’s inflation celebration as the market saw a major drop
World News:
US readies new military aid for Ukraine to boost momentum
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is set to announce this week that it will send another roughly $600 million in military aid to Ukraine, as the U.S. rushes more weapons to fuel Kyiv’s counteroffensive that has reclaimed large stretches of the embattled country and forced Russian troops to retreat.
U.S. officials familiar with the matter said an announcement could come as early as Thursday, or possibly Friday. It would be the 21st time that the Defense Department has pulled weapons and other equipment off the shelves to deliver to Ukraine.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a pending announcement, said the package will include more of the same types of ammunition and equipment that have helped Ukrainian forces beat back the Russian forces in portions of the east and south.
Russia’s Chechnya Gets Ready For ‘Fall Mobilization’ As Moscow Faces Major Setback In Ukraine War
GROZNY, Russia — The administration of Ramzan Kadyrov in Russia’s North Caucasus region of Chechnya has prepared a draft resolution calling for a “fall mobilization” of the region’s male residents 18-26 years of age to the armed forces as Moscow faces major setbacks in the war in Ukraine.
The draft resolution’s text was obtained by RFE/RL.
Unlike regular mandatory autumn conscription, the 24-page draft document calls the campaign a “mobilization of main and reserve staff” already registered at the conscription commission.
The mobilization will start on October 1 and will last until the end of 2022. The document says the Interior Ministry of the region will prepare special units to locate individuals who evade the mobilization.
1.6 million forced from homes as Typhoon Muifa lashes eastern China
Muifa is the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Shanghai — home to more than 25 million people — since record-keeping began in 1949, state broadcaster CCTV said.
However, there were no immediate reports of any deaths or casualties.
At least 426,000 people were evacuated in Shanghai and another 1.2 million people were taken to temporary shelters in neighbouring Zhejiang province, CCTV added.
Heavy rainfall led to traffic tailbacks and floods in several areas of the Yangtze river delta region, a major global manufacturing hub.
Iranian Woman Brain Dead After Arrest By Morality Police Over Hijab Rules
A 22-year-old Iranian woman has been declared brain dead just hours after reports spread that she was beaten and arrested by morality police in Tehran for not complying with the country’s mandatory hijab rules.
According to reports published on social networks, Mahsa Amini had traveled from the western Iranian province of Kurdistan to Tehran to meet relatives when she was arrested on September 13.
Eyewitnesses at the scene told journalists that Amini appeared to have been beaten inside the morality police van while being taken to the detention center, though she was conscious.
The media center of the Tehran Police Department denied the eyewitness claims of beating Amini, saying she was transferred to one of the police departments in Tehran for “justification and education” about the hijab when she “suddenly suffered a heart problem.”
‘A hole in the dam’ of Hong Kong’s rule of law, says pastor accused of sedition
Garry Pang, 59, along with Chiu Mei-ying, 67, is accused of “uttering seditious words” in court in January. Pang is also charged with “doing an act or acts with seditious intention” for publishing YouTube videos which mainly discussed protest-related cases.
Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts ruled on Wednesday the pair had a case to answer and Pang, who frequently attended court hearings as a spectator, opted to testify on Thursday.
The pastor repeatedly said his criticism of judges and the legal system was aimed at improving the city’s judiciary and he had no seditious intention. On his YouTube channel, Pang made remarks such as “laws have been used as a tool to quash dissent,” and said the legal system had been “weaponised.”
IDF steps up war on terror; U.S. to prevent Iran “fielding” a nuclear weapon – TV7 Israel News 15.09
1) Israel’s defense establishment is broadening its war on terror following the death of Major Bar Falah.
2) U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley tells TV7 that the United States remains consistently committed on preventing Iran from fielding nuclear weapons.
3) IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi rejects Iranian claims of political bias – and warns of a widening gap in knowledge.
Arabs vs Jews? Maybe Not | Ambassador Ron Dermer | #288
The numerous heated and hotly debated conflicts surrounding Israel are almost always threatening to boil over and cast the Middle East into unceremonious chaos.
Ambassador Ron Dermer sits down with Dr Jordan B Peterson to discuss the issues, the misnomers, and the underlying truths surrounding one of the most resilient peoples and countries in history.
Commentary/Opinion:
Neil Oliver – ‘…whichever way you throw me I will stand!’ – Podcast ep34
In this episode Neil gets a lesson on how to live life as an individual, as he travels to the geographical heart of the archipelago.
Sex, drugs and stretching? How the Rolling Stones keep rocking after 60 years | 60 Minutes Australia
You really have to ask why? Why, after more than 40 years on stage are the Rolling Stones still acting like teenagers? Well, here’s the short answer – why not.
Not too many grandpas can attract a million fans to a rock concert and none can cavort like Mick Jagger, but have they still got it or are they just going through the motions?
On the eve of their Australian tour in 2006, Ellen Fanning caught up with the Stones in Japan to see if they lived up to their reputation as the greatest rock band on Earth.